#there are things we have simplified in order to teach to others (often children but also those who just Do Not Know About Biology) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ramshacklefey · 2 years

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This is a hard topic because on one side you've got right-wingers who see ANY sex ed or mention of homosexuality as inappropriate. On the other, people who recognise transgenderism is very different from being gay and that postmodernism is being taught in schools, uncontested, as fact, & child safeguarding best practice being ignored (encouraging keeping secrets from parents, rooming adult men with young girls on trips, etc). There is starting to be major pushback in my country (UK)

Hey there Nonnie! I appreciate your message, but in order to reply to it I'm gonna be giving you a long-ass answer.

To begin with, I'm referring specifically to the accusations leveled by certain members of the right-wing media recently. Here's a link to a decent summary of that situation. This isn't your normal conservative fussing over providing sexual education to minors. These people are claiming that telling children about the existence of LGBT people is tantamount to sexual assault, and that the object/result of doing so is to make children vulnerable to sexual assault by LGBT people.

That is the kind of rhetoric that I was wondering about counting as libel or slander. Someone in the notes on my original post explained that in order to be slanderous, you have to being making claims about a specific person (which they've carefully avoided), and those claims have to do significant damage to the person's safety, reputation, or livelihood (which these claims probably would if they were made about a particular person).

Now I'd like to address your other claims.

First, no gay or transgender person has ever claimed that being gay and being transgender are the same thing. In fact, as a transgender man, I can assure you that the only people who equate the two are those who want to suggest that being gay is a bad thing.

Second, you seem to be mistaking "any kind of non-traditional ideas about gender" with "postmodernism." I'll spare you my lecture on that one, because I understand how you might have gotten the idea that they were the same thing. Now, I confess that I am unaware of the specifics of most school curricula regarding these matters, since I am a PhD candidate and have no school-aged children. As far as I'm aware thought, in the few places where kids are receiving any education about gender identity and sexuality, it is mostly of the same sort as other educational resources for widening children's acceptance and celebration of diversity. Whether you think that a transgender person's claims about their gender are true or not, I think it is at least reasonable to say that teaching children to be kinder and more accepting of those with different views and experiences from theirs is a good thing.

It is unfortunate that the current state of our education system rarely encourages students to fully explore or engage in conversation about almost any topic. There are countless examples of topics in history, sociology, literature, and other subjects where students simply receive a set lecture as dogma without much nuance. Often though, part of the reason is because the actual conversations about the subject take place at a level of theory that is far too advanced for children of the age group in question to be able to engage with meaningfully. It's easier to give them a simplified version.

Thirdly, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "child safeguarding best practices," but I'll take a stab at replying anyway. If we are being optimistic, it seems safe to say that the vast majority of teachers are people who care very much about children. They want their schools to be a safe environment, and they want their students to be safe and healthy on the whole. Let's start with that assumption and ask why teachers or school administrators would "encourage keeping secrets from parents." Honestly, I don't think that anyone is encouraging kids to keep secrets from their parents. But many children would become less safe if they were to tell their parents that they are LGBT. If a child tells their teacher that they are unsafe in their home or are afraid that their parents would harm them emotionally or physically if they knew the child was gay, lesbian, or transgender, then we might ask whether it is reasonable for that teacher to respect the child's confidence. This only becomes more the case the older the child is, as older teenagers have increasing rights to privacy from their parents.

I'm also assuming that when you refer to "rooming adult men with young girls on trips" you are thinking of a situation in which a transgender woman is intended to share a room with female students that she is chaperoning. Calling this an unsafe practice only makes sense if you are already assuming that transgender women are somehow a threat to teenage girls. There's simply no evidence for this. No matter how many times people repeat it, the idea that transgender women are more likely than any other women to assault or harass girls is unsupported.

There is absolutely no evidence that teaching children about the existence of LGBT people or about conceptions of gender that are outside the societal mainstream is harmful to them. There is no way in which this could possibly be construed as sexual assault or "grooming" children to be preyed upon by gay or transgender adults. In fact, there is good reason to believe that providing children with age-appropriate information about human bodies, romance, and sexuality makes them less vulnerable to sexual abuse, because it gives them the conceptual tools to understand what sexual abuse is and to communicate to other adults if it were to happen to them.

Claiming that gay or transgender adults are more likely to sexually abuse children is spreading a lie that not only does nothing to protect children from actual abusers, but also reinforces bigoted and hateful attitudes towards LGBT people. These attitudes end up harming LGBT children, who are more likely to suffer abuse of all sorts from those around them.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope that it was helpful and informative for you. If you have any further questions, my askbox is open, though I can't promise I'll have the time or energy to answer you.

Cheers! --RamshackleFey.

#trans #trans issues #lgbt #cw transphobia #cw homophobia #cw child abuse #sa mention #ramshackle philosophy

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leutik · 3 years

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Literature between Political Correctness and Cancel Culture

(Analyzed through Walter Siti, Natalie Wynn and Rick DuFer.)

(buckle up, because if you're gonna read this, it's gonna be long)

«Today is much easier to mistake an author’s personal stances with the content of their works, and then make the author pay for the work’s sins.

Today I look around and I have the sensation that literature is no longer taken seriously: that the way to interpret literature the way I knew it, depth-focused, focused on the power of words to reveal truths otherwise concealed to their own author, is disappearing — substituted by a conception of literature that has to serve a list of good causes.

When some writers of the “neo-effort” (Siti’s neologism) insist on the fact that words are decisive, and that it’d be urgent to change the words in order to change reality, I’m suddenly reminded of those old Marxist authors: they explained that the structure, which is what lays under society, determines what lays upon it, that is words and ideology. Thus, changing the name of something doesn’t change the thing the word stands for at all.

Literature has been considered throughout time the most indicated form to make resurface the part of ourselves — often, the least pleasant — that we’ve exiled in the shadows of our subconscious: a process that often happens without the author’s acknowledgement of it.

The authors of the neo-effort believe they have the duty to spread their ideas to the largest possible number of people and that, in order to do so, they have to simplify as much as they can what they write, sacrificing on the altar of efficiency the style, considered useless. The aim is to do good, namely gain an effect, what does it matter if it’s good or bad literature? Literature used to “take root”, to influence; put at the service of pre-established ideas, and not to venture into the discovery of something we don’t know yet. This way, it gains an ancillary role. And it’s a humiliation of literature — which can truly be useful, instead, only then it hurts.

Sartre’s “Nausea” doesn’t align with his political stances. For Sartre, the effort was the individual reflection of a society in perennial revolution, substantially a school of liberty, whilst for neo-effort the role of literature is to reassure.

Their attitude, their rejection of style, their low consideration of literature, tends to isolate the good writers out there, marginalizing them in a niche that looks like a convention of obsessed aesthetes in the public’s eyes.

I see it in the writing courses I teach: more and more young people whose main interest isn’t to write to learn something about themselves or society, but it’s to write to gain the title of writer and place themselves on the market, detecting the most profitable sector at the moment, which might be fantasy, crime, or effort-centred writing: it doesn’t matter, what matters is for it to be trending and to be reassuring to the reader, in a more and more therapeutic conception of writing.

Literature isn’t immediately therapeutic, this is the difference. When “The Sorrows of Young Werther” was published, copies of this book were burnt, because of the suicides it inspired. Today we read it at school. How much time has passed? I don’t refuse knowledge’s benefit, I refuse that knowledge can benefit instantly, painlessly. When I went to a psychoanalyst to face my neurosis, the psychoanalyst made me suffer for months, and only after I took benefit from it. What would have happened if they had welcomed me with a pat on the back and said “Don’t worry, stop thinking and go help African children”. Probably I would have had an immediate benefit, but all my neurosis would have stayed there, intact.

The Literature I talked to you about is depth-centred, and literature hasn’t always existed: thus it can disappear, sink for many years. Who said that it’ll survive, despite everything?

In Pasolini’s trial he was acquitted because Ungaretti was called to testify. He wrote a letter where he wrote that the formal value of Pasolini’s work turned into literature even those scenes that the prosecution deemed obscene. Law couldn’t do anything but recognize the critical judgement and welcome it. Web’s tribunal, today, would have burned Pasolini at the stake, and Ungaretti with him.» (via Walter Siti’s interview with the Huffingtonpost)

In other words, we can summarize Siti’s view with the sentence «novels aren’t the cure to the world’s evils.» They aren’t, because they don’t have the power to be, and more so they aren’t even supposed to be: writing is a form of art, and art has primarily an end in itself. Literature isn’t a political marketplace, even if it can be used to be — it’s not a crime to turn it into one, but by doing so, one loses Literature’s nature. By doing so, the harm could be mistake literature’s primary aim (that is being a form of art, that is style, that is the pursuit of the truth) with what they turned literature into: a marketplace to defend the author’s ideology.

Siti’s powerful image of the Web’s tribunal, the Web’s court finds an echo in Natalie Wynn video Canceling: in a sense, what Siti calls “neo-effort writers” fall under the same line of thoughts of Cancel Culture perpetrators.

«Like the guillotine, [cancelling] can become a sadistic entertainment spectacle.

Now there's a version of this conversation that's already been had to death, and it goes like this: On the one side are a bunch of male comedians who constantly bitch about how Cancel Culture is out of control, you can't joke about anything anymore without these Millennial jackals trying to get you in trouble.

And the other side is mostly progressive think-piece authors who argue that there's no such thing as cancel culture, it's just that powerful people are finally being held accountable for their actions and they can't fucking handle it, so they go around bitching about cancel culture.

Now unfortunately, neither of those viewpoints is quite as correct as some people might hope.

What Cancel Culture does, [is to] take one story and transform it into a significantly different story.

Presumption of Guilt

There's a traditional understanding of justice according to which, before you condemn or punish a person, you hear the accuser's side of the story and the accused's side of the story. You allow both sides to present evidence and only after everyone involved has had a chance to make their case do you pass judgment and punish the convict.

But cancelling does not abide by the law. Cancelling is a form of vigilante mob justice. And a lot of times, an accusation is proof enough.

Abstraction

Abstraction replaces the specific, concrete details of a claim with a more generic statement.

Essentialism

Essentialism is when we go from criticizing a person's actions to criticizing the person themselves. We're not just saying they did bad things. We’re saying they’re a bad person.

Pseudo-Moralism or Pseudo-Intellectualism

Moralism or intellectualism provide a phony pretext for the call-out. You can pretend you just want an apology; you can pretend you're just a “concerned citizen” who wants the person to improve. You can pretend you're simply offering up criticism, when what you're really doing is attacking a person's career and reputation out of spite, envy, revenge.

No Forgiveness

Cancelers will often dismiss an apology as insincere, no matter how convincingly written or delivered. And of course, an insincere apology is further proof of what a Machiavellian psychopath you really are.

Now sometimes, a good apology will calm things down for a while. But the next time there's a scandal, the original accusation will be raised again as if you never apologized.

The Transitive Property of Cancellation

Cancellation is infectious. If you associate with a cancelled person, the cancellation rubs off. It's like gonorrhoea, except doxycycline won't save you this time sweetie.» (via Natalie Wynn's Canceling video transcript)

Natalie Wynn describes and formalizes the phenomenon of Cancel Culture in those steps:

I only listen to the presumed victim,

I abstract the context to a vague idea,

I equate the action to the actor’s very essence (as if such thing even existed),

I say I’m acting in favour of morals or truth,

I accuse every person the presumed abuser ever came in contact with to be an abuser as well,

and I either reject every form of apology at the moment, or bring up the issue as if no apology was ever made at their first misstep.

Now, in this post I’m not trying to perpetrate any concept of charity, not only because it’s an attitude that takes a lot of work to inherit, but also because the negative aspects that might bring one to be a neo-effort writer or a Cancel Culture perpetrator are part of the very human nature (or, very stupidly, they wouldn’t be humans.)

The self-evidence rises here: those negative parts of human nature can be channelled everywhere, and literature or any other form of art is the healthiest way to do so: you’re not going to get rid of your anger, or your sadness — the best thing you can do is learn to control it and suppress it, but how is it going to work in the long run? It’s going to act past your good judgement, or even cloud your good judgement, clouding it into thinking you’re defending some pseudo-moralism or pseudo-intellectualism, when what you’ll be doing is just venting on someone else.

This is one way to see it: when one forgets what proper thinking is and falls into those quick and gut-feeling “thoughts”. Or one could even take advantage of this Cancel Culture, of this ground of poor thinking to instrumentalize this lack of critical judgement to attack someone else.

On instrumentalization and its dangers, Rick DuFer says:

«Political correctness works when its aim is to protect the weak from abusers, but when it favours every little susceptible sensitivity it turns dangerous.» (via Rick DuFer’s podcast DailyCogito)

Rick DuFer talks about a shared responsibility that happens during offence: shared between the offender and the offended. The problem with offence, as opposed to harm, is that it isn’t quantifiable, so the offender is guilty in regard to their intentions, and the offended is guilty in regard to the instrumentalization they can enact with the situation.

And again we find “instrumentalization”: if one destroys my property, I can quantify the damage, but if one insults me, how can I quantify how offended I truly am? This is when I can twist one person’s words and turn them into an offender, this is when sensitivity becomes a mask and no longer a virtue (or, for the toxic masculinity’s thought, a vice.)

Now, to wrap things up:

These people take the (s)word of this school of thought (which some other dichotomists may, generalizing it, call it “Strong Thought” or “Unique Thought”), perhaps without even knowing there’s an alternative, while there are multiple, actually: as many as the human beings right now populating Earth.

They may do it out of a dualistic and very childish view of society — divided into good and bad people. And if that’s your view of life, you’re not gonna want to be associated with who others deem as bad, following a gut feeling and nothing more. (And I say “gut feeling” to avoid saying “very poor thinking”, because that’s what absolutization, essentialism, and the rest is.)

Your thoughts aren’t really yours, and you become a vessel for something that belongs to someone else, someone who crafted those thoughts in a very different context, or with instrumentalization in mind. You don’t want to risk criticizing those thoughts because you don’t want to be isolated, or because you’re a sane person who deems it important to act rightfully (even if you’re letting others tell you what “right” is.)

And for how problematic moral relativism is, it surely is better than any form of absolutization: better than rejecting your status as “sapiens” and stopping thinking altogether, passively accepting what others taught you to be right and wrong, maybe even out of fear, or a stupid rush for glory and sympathy.

So I wouldn’t call this moral relativism, strictly, but rather moral subjectivism, or context-centred morality. A morality in which people still have a brain to separate a piece of work from an author’s ideology (against essentialism) and to still take into account the context in which an action was performed (against abstraction). A morality in which “good” and “wrong” aren’t seen in black and whites, but rather into lighter and darker greys; a morality which systematic use can slowly dress into the habit of charity towards one another, into kind teaching rather than cruel instrumentalization.

And is it really utopistic, is it really unfeasible, if we’re not falsely annihilating the suffering and the negative parts of the Human Experience?

This whole discourse could be turned into a political marketplace of rights and lefts, of conservatives and progressivists — but my aim here is much smaller (or bigger, if one is a humanist): to make the reader question their critical thinking, and just that.

(We love some self-doubt.)

I believe moral acts aren’t supposed to be a badge to share on one’s vest — to renew your status as “approachable person” (as if saying “don’t worry, you can talk to me, you’re not going to be deemed as bad for it”) or to be praised for. Moral acts are the only acts that raise humans from other species, the acts where the “sapiens” shows its evolution, the acts where our negative aspects aren’t hidden but channelled into arts, without the fear that someone might call us bad for it. (Immoral, even, whilst acting in the most moral way possible, exorcising those negative parts of us in the least harmful way possible.)

So, at the end of this unnecessary rant, my question is: is it better to be a minion in a culture where you have to watch your mouth, as if it wasn’t yours, or to be a person who’s engaged in researching how right and wrong truly manifest?

#the first and last sources are in italian #i did my best translating them #rant #philosophy #literature #cancel culture #cancelled #politically correct #controversial #opinion #thoughts #very open to discuss civilly

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photographertherapistblogger2 · 4 years

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https://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/parenting/start-10-tips-better-behavior

10 Tips for Better Behavior Son playing airplane with his father in the park. Sometimes, when tasks and schedules get overwhelming, it’s helpful to make a to-do list to make things feel more manageable and focused. If your children’s behavior problems have you feeling overwhelmed and not knowing what to do first – no worries, we’ve got you covered! Start with these 10 tips for better behavior. 1. Invest in one-on-one time with kids daily. By far, the best thing you can do to improve your children’s behavior is spending time with them individually every day, giving them the positive attention and emotional connection they’re hard-wired to need. When they don’t have that positive attention, they will seek out attention in negative ways, and consequences and other discipline methods won’t work. Aim for 10-15 minutes a day per child and you’ll see measurable improvement almost immediately. 2. Get serious about sleep. Think of how you feel when you’re overtired—cranky, irritable, your head and stomach hurt. It’s the same for kids, and most toddlers (up to teens) get far less sleep than their growing bodies need. Teens even need more sleep than some younger kids. Consult your family physician about the hours of sleep your kids need by age. If your child has a sleep deficit, try moving up bedtime by 10 minutes every few nights. A well-rested kid is a well-behaved kid and can function better throughout the day, including during school. 3. Focus on routines. Kids thrive with a routine, so set clearly defined routines for the most challenging times of the day, like mornings, after school, mealtimes and bedtimes. Let your kids help decide how the routine will go—do we get dressed or brush teeth first? How can you help get dinner ready? For younger kids, write out the order of the routine using pictures or words and let them decorate it, then hang it where they’ll see it every day. Then stick to it. 4. Everyone pitches in. For better behavior, kids need to understand that everyone needs to contribute to make a household run smoothly. All kids, from toddlers to teens, should have “family contributions” (not “chores!”) they do daily – this helps bring your family closer together, teaches them life skills and works to prevent the entitlement epidemic. 5. Encourage your kids to be problem solvers. Time to retire your referee whistle – when parents step in the middle of a sibling disagreement and determine who’s at fault and dole out punishments, it actually makes things worse. To kids, they see a winner and a loser and a need to escalate the sibling rivalry. Encourage your kids to find a resolution to the problem on their own, which will help them solve conflicts as they grow older. If you have to get involved, don’t choose sides, but ask questions that will help them figure out a solution that all parties can feel good about. 6. Simplify family rules and be firm. It can be difficult for kids to keep a mess of rules straight. If it seems like you have 50 or so family rules, whittle down the list to what’s most important. Determine a consequence for each rule, make it clear to kids ahead of time of both the rules and consequences, and don’t give in. In order for consequences to be effective, they must follow the 5 R’s of Fair & Effective Consequences. To learn the 5R’s, I’d love for you to join me for a FREE ONLINE CLASS. 7. Send time-out to the sidelines. Practically every parent has tried to punish or correct behavior by sending their child to “time-out,” but most have found it just doesn’t work or lead to better behavior. That’s because a time-out in the corner or bedroom doesn’t teach kids how to make better choices the next time, and generally, a time-out just escalates a power struggle. Kids, especially the strong-willed, will push back, and hard. Instead, focus on training, not punishment. Ask, “What can we do differently next time?” and role play the do-over. 8. Just say no – to saying no. Kids barrage us with questions every day. More often than not, our answer is “no,” and kids resent it. Find opportunities to say “yes” when you can. If your daughter asks to go to the indoor pool in the middle of a busy weekday, try saying, “Going to the pool sounds like so much fun. Should we go tomorrow after school or on Saturday?” Of course, there will always be things that will need a big “no,” but try to redirect them to a more positive option. 9. Don’t worry, be happy. Be the example you want your kids to see. Think about how your kids might describe you to their friends – would they say you’re fun and lighthearted, or that you’re stressed and bossy? Try changing your energy by simply smiling more. It will help you keep calmer in times of stress, and your kids will notice and keep their behavior more positive, too. 10. Don’t ignore the source of misbehavior. Misbehavior is always a symptom of a deeper issue, and when we can find what causes it, we can use the right strategies to correct it. If Bella keeps dumping toys all over your desk, is she upset that you’ve been working all afternoon? Is Eli throwing a fit over having the blue plate because he really wanted to make a choice and feel independent? In the midst of misbehavior, stay calm and ask yourself what might be causing it. Final Thoughts Cut through the chaos by following these 10 tips, and you’ll start seeing better behavior from your kids and you can start creating a happier, more peaceful home. While these 10 tips will definitely set you on the right path, I created a comprehensive online course that teaches 37+ tools to handle even the toughest power struggles. I’ve helped thousands of families bring peace into their homes and I know the same can be true for you. If you’re tired of being the bad guy at your house, I’d love for you to join me for a FREE ONLINE CLASS. I’ll teach you how to get your kids to listen—no nagging, reminding or yelling required! As always, I’m wishing you the best on your parenting journey! And if you ever need us, we’ll be here for you!

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eldritchsurveys · 5 years

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495.

England

Do you like to drink tea? >> I do.

Do you like to put sugar in your tea? >> No, I hate regular refined sugar. I use honey if I use anything.

Have you ever explored an ancient castle? >> No.

If you're a Christian, are you Catholic or Protestant? >> ---

Do you live in a big house? >> No, I live in an apartment.

Are there a lot of seagulls where you live? >> Yeah. Or, gulls, I guess. Since we’re not by the sea.

Do you have a garden? >> No.

Name something you own with the British flag on it. >> ---

What's your favorite part of London? >> I’ve never been.

If you've been to England, what was your favorite city you've visited? >> ---

If applicable, what is/was your favorite store in London? >> ---

Have you ever been lost in London? >> ---

Would you say your personality is British? Do you think you'd fit in there? >> I don’t... what? What is a “British personality”? I assume some parts of my personality would be useful there and other parts wouldn’t, depending on the cultural norms.

Do you have English ancestors, or are you from England? >> No.

Ireland

What is one of your favorite celtic songs? >> Not... sure, but my favourite Irish song is Óró Sé do Bheatha Bhaile.

Do you have red hair? >> No.

Are you Irish? >> No.

Name 5 redheads that you know. >> I don’t think I know any natural redheads.

Who in your family is/was a redhead? >> ---

If you've been to Ireland, what was your favorite city you visited? >> I haven’t been to Ireland.

Did you have any bad experiences in Ireland? >> ---

Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day? >> No. St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the US tend to just be... throngs of people in garish green outfits doing pub crawls and reaching sloppy-drunk levels at like half past noon and generally being rowdy nuisances. Doesn’t seem like much fun to me.

Do you like Irish food? >> I don’t know, I’ve never had it.

What's one thing you like about ancient cathedrals? >> The acoustics.

Do you like rolling hills of green? >> Sure.

Do you like bagpipes? >> I mean, I’m ambivalent.

If you're Irish, what part of Ireland is your family from? >> ---

Do you like English accents or Irish accents better? >> Most Irish accents I enjoy more than most English accents.

China

What is your Chinese zodiac sign? Do you like it? Do you feel it fits your personality? >> I think it’s the Rabbit. I have no feelings about it, it doesn’t mean anything to me.

Do you like your American zodiac sign or Chinese zodiac sign better? >> I’m generally more interested in Western astrology.

Do you like Chinese food? >> It’s okay sometimes.

List three of your favorite Chinese foods. >> ---

Are you familiar with the topic of footbinding? >> Yeah.

What are your favorite books about the Chinese? >> ---

Do you know anyone Chinese? >> I might, I don’t know.

Who is your favorite Chinese youtuber? >> ---

Have you ever cooked Chinese food at home? >> No.

Are you familiar with the Great Chinese Famine? >> No.

Do you wish your school would teach you about other countries' history? >> I wish public schools in the US didn’t teach whitewashed and over-simplified versions of other countries’ histories (when they even bother -- because, you know, if a country hasn’t been to war with us or allied with us in a war, then they don’t exist).

Would you ever want to go to China? >> Sure.

Do you have any Chinese in your family? >> No.

Japan

Do you like sushi? If so, what are your favorite kinds? >> Sometimes. I like spicy rolls that don’t have weird ingredients like cream cheese or bacon in them.

What is your favorite manga series? >> I don’t have one.

Do you love Japanese street fashion? >> It’s fun to look at sometimes.

What color hair would you have as an anime character? >> White, of course.

Are you aware of the struggles of Japanese Americans during World War 2? >> Not in any real detail, but in a general sense.

What is your favorite Japanese name? >> ---

Do you like bonsai trees? >> Yeah.

What's one thing you think Americans should adopt from the Japanese? >> *shrug*

Have you ever listened to Jpop? >> A little.

Do you like Hello Kitty? >> Yeah, she’s adorable.

What is something you want to know about the Japanese? >> ---

Do you know anyone who's Japanese? >> Maybe.

Would you ever want to go to Japan? >> Sure.

Australia

Do you have blonde hair? >> No.

Do you live near a beach? >> Not a saltwater one.

Do you surf? >> No.

Who is your favorite Australian youtuber? >> ---

Do you watch The Norris Nuts? >> No.

Who is your favorite Australian fictional character? >> ---

What is your favorite song by Hillsong? >> Who?

Have you ever tried to surf? >> No. I can’t even swim, so.

Do you skateboard? >> No.

Have you ever been on an island? >> Manhattan, Long Island, and Staten Island...

Do you live on an island? >> No.

Do you like Australian accents or British accents better? >> Meh.

Have you ever heard the term, "Crikey, mate!" >> Yeah, I was alive during Steve Irwin’s lifetime...

Have you ever met anyone from Australia? >> Yeah.

Africa

Do you know anyone from Africa? >> Probably.

Are you familiar with the War on Sudan? >> No.

Do you own an Invisible Children shirt? >> No.

Have you been to Africa? >> No.

What's your favorite wild animal? >> *shrug*

Do you prefer dancing or drumming? >> I like to dance more than I like to drum.

Do you have good rhythm? >> I think I do.

Would you ever want to go to Africa? >> Sure.

What is a great African song? >> I don’t know any by name.

Have you ever tried African dancing? >> I did it when I was a child because my father enrolled me in it.

Do you own any African jewelry? >> No.

Ever danced to "Waka Waka"? >> No.

What's the furthest you've ever walked in one day? >> I used to live in NYC, so definitely at least a few miles.

Do you live in a mud hut? >> No.

Mexico

List 3 of your favorite Mexican foods. >> *shrug* Tacos, burritos, enchiladas...?

List 3 Mexican names you like. >> ---

List 3 people you know who are Mexican. >> I don’t know if I know any Mexicans.

Have you ever been to Mexico? >> No.

Would you ever want to go to Mexico? >> Absolutely.

Do you think you could handle being around people all the time? >> I know for a fact that I cannot.

Do you like spicy food? >> I love spicy food.

How do you do with crowds? >> I deal poorly.

Is it hot where you live? >> Not usually.

Do you like bright colors? >> Yes.

Can you speak Spanish? >> Not fluently.

Have you ever been to a fiesta? >> No.

Ever smacked a pinata? >> No.

What's your favorite thing to order at Taco Bell? >> I like those caramel empanada things. I don’t really like eating their food, though.

The Middle East

Are you Muslim? >> No.

Do you know any Muslims? >> I don’t think so.

Do you know anyone who wears hijab? >> No.

What are some of your favorite books about Muslims? >> ---

Ever been to a desert? >> No.

Would you want to ride a camel? >> I don’t think I’d enjoy that.

Did you watch the show Legends of the Hidden Temple? >> No.

Korea

Have you read To All the Boys I've Loved Before? Have you seen the movie? >> No and no.

Did you know that North Korea is closed? >> Yeah.

Would you ever want to visit South Korea? >> Sure.

Have you ever had Korean food? >> Yeah, my father served in the Korean War and has been eating Korean food ever since, so I was raised with it.

South America

Have you read The Spirit of the Rainforest? >> No.

Name one fact you know about Venezuela. >> I don’t know any facts about Venezuela.

Do you know anyone who lives in Peru? >> No.

Have you ever tried Peruvian food or drink? >> No.

Have you ever been to South America? >> No.

Do you know anyone from Brazil? >> No.

Would you ever want to visit South America? >> Sure.

Name someone you know who owns llamas. >> ---

Do you like llamas? >> They’re funky lookin’, I like them.

Have you ever sewn on a loom? >> No.

Do you own a skirt from Guetamala? >> No.

Do you ever wonder why we don't hear much about South America? >> I don’t wonder. The US media has little reason to report on goings-on in South America unless it has to do with the Amazon rainforest (because emotional impact) or some military thing (because duh).

Thailand

Do you like elephants? >> Yeah, they’re awesome.

WOuld you ever be brave enough to try walking on stilts? >> I don’t think so.

Do you know about sex trafficking in Thailand? >> I’m vaguely aware that it happens, but I don’t know any details about it.

Do you like Thai food? >> Yeah.

Do you know anyone who's Thai? >> I don’t think so.

United States

If you live in the US, which state do you live in? >> Michigan.

Which states have you visited? >> I get bored of naming them.

Which states have you lived in? >> ^

Have you ever been to Washington D.C? >> No.

What is your favorite American food? >> Hm.

Do you listen to popular music? >> Sure.

Do you dream of having two kids and maybe a dog? >> No. Well, the dog, yeah.

...and living in a two-story house with a white picket fence? >> No.

...and having a good job and saving for retirement? >> No.

....where you can retire to Florida and live on the beach? >> No.

Did you go to college? If so, what was your major? >> No.

Were you abused by your parents? >> No.

Do you know any nice people? >> Er...

How often do you bbq? >> Never.

What's your favorite ride at Cedar Point? >> Haven’t been. I didn’t realise Cedar Point was like, a big deal, but this year alone I think I’ve seen mention of it on at least like 4 surveys.

Other

What's the best family vacation you've been on? >> ---

What countries have you visited? >> None.

What countries do you want to visit? >> Almost all of them are fair game.

Have you ever been to NYC? >> I used to live there.

Do you live in a big city, small town, or other? >> I live in a small city right now.

Do you live in the city or country? >> More a suburban vibe than an urban one.

What is your favorite country besides your own? >> ---

What country do you live in? >> USA.

What is your ancestry? >> ---

Are you happy with the American government? >> I don’t think about the American government. But, yeah, it’s pretty eye-rolly right now.

What currency do you use? >> Bitcoin The dollar.

Do you think you have an accent? >> I would to a Southerner or a non-American, I’m sure.

Have you ever been told you have an accent? >> Yeah.

#surveys #survey #countries survey

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mystacoceti · 4 years

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“Style”, an essay by Vladimir Nabokov

A writer knows that there are no objective words for describing an objective world. Neither of the two exist.

You may reduce subject and style to their simplest combination and still not arrive at forming a standard sentence containing the truth and only the truth—that is, a truth that you cannot demolish or deepen. Naturally if in this simplifying process you pass a certain limit, you merely lapse into tautology, as for instance “wet water,” where you extract and display a certain character which at the same time remains contained in the drawer of the noun, which reminds me of that local small-town museum where I was shown the skull of the local bandit when he was a child and his skull when he was a man. Wet water is mere nonsense,—but as soon as you try to make it into a sentence adding the least you can do as the verb “is,” then you are making this statement with a definite purpose, say, teaching a child the idea of quality for what it is worth or else transcending tautology by actual experience: water is wet only if you are not completely in it. A naked Malay groping for pearl-oysters at the bottom of the sea cannot be called and cannot feel “wet” and so water is not always wet and there was no tautology in the initial sentence. This shows that as soon as you touch, no matter how slightly, the simplest word-thought, it wriggles; it is already alive, it is yours. “The water is cold” is already a platform for a breathtaking leap into the unknown. If you leave it at that, it looks objective enough, with no personal style or personal idea; but just because it lacks any definite spirit and application it does not contain a single grain of meaning. You have to say what water you mean and instantly your world, your style or thought, comes into being. You are criticizing a bath in a French boarding house, but on the other hand you may be looking at a picture and explaining why you feel that the artist has not quite rendered the temper of that tropical bay: the water is cold. Now all the implications and applications that you unavoidably have to make, when taking, as we have been doing, an idea of almost absolute simplicity, this implication and application and all the other imps and apples of your fancy form around it and infuse into it your personal style. It is also obvious that so-called corm [and content] are one. An egg is an egg whether you eat it or not. The intonation of “the water is cold,” when speaking of your bath, is different from the intonation of the very same words when you are referring to a picture in exactly the same proportion as the differences between the two subjects; indeed, it is the difference. Intonation and the position of your main idea in the sentence are the essential characters of style. Choice of words does not mean style, any more than the proverbial mixture of delicious ingredients makes a girl. A good method, if one’s memory is docile, is to read a couple pages of some good writer and then try to write down at once as many of his word combinations as can be remembered. A little practice will show that even if the exact words cannot be remembered the lilt, the intonation of the survivors and the extras, the general pattern of those wrong words in the right places—and the very feeling you have of this or that being wrong—will tell you a great deal about the author’s personal style.

You should also notice the counterpoint of style, the relationship between the arrangement of words in a sentence, of sentences in what Flaubert called “le mouvement” (which may or may not correspond to a paragraph) and the arrangement of such mouvements in the chapter if there are any chapters. The correspondence between these arrangements will be found to reveal a personal element of style.

There can be no personal style of writing without a personal vision of the world. The mere fact that you wee or feel a certain association between two details of life, which escapes other people, will naturally correspond to a personal association of words. The deeper your power of discover, the keener you feel the novelty of the world around you, the more Eve you are and the less serpent, the firmer you refuse to have your world limited y the association of things in terms of usefulness or habit,—the more individual your prose will be. A ready-made world unavoidably leads to the ready-made word, or worse still to the ready-made intonation, for in certain associations the stalest expression, the most hackneyed word may suddenly glow with new life or with life it once had.

To acquire true style is impossible without having creative genius, and more people have it than is generally though. Most children have it, many young people, very few men of settled habits and conventional tastes. On the other hand many a person who can at a moment’s notice produce a triolet or hash any given subject into rhyme, or is praised by his or her friends for writing such perfectly lovely letters, is generally much more hopelessly removed from ever becoming a creative writer, than the one who emphatically denies any literary knack, but will experience that authentic, that unmistakable shiver of creative response when getting to the passage where King Lear recalls the names of Goneril’s pet dogs.

An uncle of mine, a sporting gentleman of the old school, having returned from his first visit to Venice, was asked how he had liked it; Well, he answered, the beer was dreadful. This is already a phenomenon of style, and something far more poetic in the personal creative sense of poetry than many a retrospective swoon full of gondoliers.

As the preliminary mental process of artistic development of requires the complete dislocation of the given world and then a re-creation of it through the connection of hitherto unconnected parts, and as this process exactly corresponds to the process involved in actual literary composition—for I repeat style of vision and style of writing are really one and the same thing—as it is so, we must pay attention to the verbal dislocations and the verbal association contained in a writer’s creative prose. The dislocations refer to new strange-looking positions and intonations of words so that the reader who likes his fiction comfortable is annoyed and even appalled by finding all the objects displaced and some of them gone, but a more curious mind will soon discover that there is a definite order in the system of these gaps and odd perches—and this order is a characteristic of the author’s individual style. Likewise the verbal associations, the comparisons, the metaphors, and other dragon-like creatures whose labels have got rather mixed up since the days of solemn rhetoricians, may impress one as tomfoolery or lunacy as did for instance that beautiful word-connection in Gogol: the sky was the shade of that kind of cloth which is used for the uniform of soldiers, those good helpful and necessary fellows, whose only fault is a fondness for liquor. What had the liquor to do with the sky? queried the critics. Everything, for this was Gogol’s unique and harmonious world.

I have spoken of intonation. There is also rhythm, which is another thing—and perhaps the least telling, as it is often connected—especially in the case of quite first-rate, but not super-class writers—with the general rhythm of prose in the period they live.

So to sum up: there is no impersonal style or impersonal world; the most primitive sentence comes to life the moment you handle it in your personal way. Water is not always wet, two plus two does not always make four and when water is turned into wine, the artist wants to know what sort of water, what kind of wine,—and this is meant very seriously.

#an F for those on mobile it's the whole essay #pearl diver #whole hog

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x5red · 5 years

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Sixty fun & fascinating facts about the classic Supergirl (3 / 4)

Welcome to the third part of this series presenting sixty fascinating facts to celebrate the sixty years since the debut of the classic Supergirl in DC Comics. Ahead are another fun-filled fifteen snippets of trivia about the original intrepid Argo City teen who leapt from that crumpled Midvale rocket ship. Covering her original Silver and Bronze Age incarnation, in comics and on screen, each factoid is calculated to intrigue and delight – hopefully even seasoned Kara fans will find a few morsels of trivia that had previously escaped their attention.

Enjoy...

31. You can actually visit, in real life, the building where she once lived.

While Superman has rarely strayed beyond his fictional base of Metropolis, Supergirl’s adventures have seen her relocate far-and-wide many times. Some of her homes have been fictional, like Midvale and Stanhope, while others have been real-life, like San Francisco and Chicago. But shockingly, not only has the Girl of Steel lived in real locations, but she has even inhabited real addresses.

A panel in Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #4 (Feb 1983) exposes Linda Danvers’ home address as 1537 West Fargo Ave, Chicago – surprisingly, this turns out to be a genuine address. A later issue, #7 (May 1983), reveals that Linda’s apartment number is 12A. The building that’s currently at that location doesn’t correspond with the one drawn by Carmine Infantino, but if you happen to be passing you might want to check if one of the occupants is listed a “Ms. L. Danvers”.

32. The first theatrically released Supergirl movie was in 1973, not 1984.

As outlined in factoid #2 there was an abundant supply of superheroine movies in non-English speaking markets before Helen Slater’s Supergirl. Indeed so incredibly popular are superpowered females in some corners of the globe that, amazingly, there was even an unofficial Girl or Steel movie over a decade before the authorised Salkind-produced one. The film in question starred Pinky Montilla in the main role and was entitled simply Supergirl. Released on 23rd September 1973 into the Filipino market, the movie featured the Maid of Might’s early 70s costume but changed her origin story. Pinky would also play Bat Girl in 1973′s Fight! Batman, Fight! – and we can assume that the producers probably didn’t ask DC for permission to use the Dominoed Daredoll either.

33. She hated her time in Midvale Orphanage.

The Silver Age always presented Kara’s adventures with a naive sense of wonder and amazement; rarely did it seriously address the pain she must have felt at leaving her parents behind to die in Argo City. But comics changed a lot in the two decades after Kara was introduced, and by the time Supergirl’s origin was retold in Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #1(Nov 1982) a very different spin was put on things. As Kara travels to begin a new life in Chicago, she reflects back on her tragic beginnings as a superhero, including the painful loss of her parents and her feelings of starting over in Midvale: “I was a real stranger in a very strange land! With nowhere else to go, Superman had no choice but to place me in Midvale Orphanage under the name Linda Lee.”, she recalls, before concluding solemnly, “I hated it!”

34. She was a reluctant hero, often feeling out of place on Earth.

One theme that reoccurred during the Bronze Age adventures of Supergirl is how Kara felt at odds with her career as a superhero, and out-of-place on Earth. A story in Superman Family #168 (Dec 1974) demonstrates this more than most, as it brings together three troubled women with extraordinary powers. Supergirl joins her friend Lena Luthor (who has ESP) in an attempt to help Jan Thurston (who has telepathy) come to terms with her unusual powers.

After rescuing a suicidal Jan, Supergirl wins her trust by recounting her own sad journey from Argo City to Earth, explaining that at first she enjoyed the novelty of her superpowers, but quickly came to see them as a barrier. “I’m the mightiest girl on Earth -- and the loneliest!”, she laments, “There’s not a guy on the planet who can keep up with me... Not a single girl can get close enough to be my friend! Sometimes I think I’d much rather have stayed on Argo City!” But Kara goes on to outline how she overcame those feelings: “People like us aren’t different!”, she explains, “We’re just... special!”

35. She planned to start a family, until Kal-El intervened.

In the Bronze Age, DC writers clearly felt free to explore introspective ideas with Kara that likely weren’t possible with her famous cousin. One short story, tucked in the back of Superman Vol. 1 #282 (Dec 1974), demonstrated this more than any other. Kal-El travels to Florida, Kara’s then home, to confront her about suggestions that she may give up her superhero career. “This life of a super-heroine takes up too much of my time... Sets me apart from everyone else!”, she explains. “I want an ordinary life -- with a husband and children some day... Free to do what I choose!”

Naturally her straight-laced cousin isn’t too keen on this idea. He spins Kara a yarn from ancient Krypton folklore, the moral of the story being that she should be careful what she wishes for. “So you see, Kara”, he explains, “sometimes, when we get the things we think we want most... they turn out to be a curse rather than a blessing!” In light of this, Kara reconsiders her plans.

36. Wonder Woman designed one of her costumes.

As most fans know one of the few weaknesses the Man and Girl or Steel share is a vulnerability to magic; so when Adventure Comics #397 (Sep 1970) saw Kara go up against a powerful black magic cult, it was perhaps no surprised to find her badly beaten and her costume shredded. Luckily Wonder Woman was in her mod Emma Peel phase at the time, posing (in-between bouts of super heroics) as the owner of a fashion boutique. Reaching into the racks of clothes at her shop, Diana produces a completely redesigned Supergirl outfit befitting the fashions of the period, which Kara eagerly adopts. (Readers were left wondering whether Diana had redesigns of other hero costumes at the ready, or was Supergirl a special case?)

37. Her mom(s) designed two of her costumes.

Every Supergirl fan knows that Kara’s original costume was designed by her mother, Alura, so that the teenager would be recognised immediately by the Man of Steel when she arrived on Earth. But few may remember that her mid-80s costume, the headband affair she wore going into Crisis on Infinite Earths, was also designed by her mother -- her other mother. Kara’s 80s costume was design by Edna Danvers, her adopted mother on Earth, who (it seemed) was in the habit of whiling away the long dark evenings in Midvale by sketching possible costume designs for her superhero daughter.

38. She’s a fan of recycling her clothes.

The Maid of Might has had many costumes over the years -- or rather, she’s had one costume that she’s recycled over and over since the early 70s. In Adventure Comics #407 (June 1971) a new invulnerable costume was given to Kara by the folks in the Bottle City of Kandor after her original Argo City outfit had been destroyed some months before. A dedicated follower of fashion, over the coming months Kara went through a succession of wild and wacky outfits, some lasting only one issue, before finally settling on her famous hot pants attire for the majority of the 1970s. One might have assumed that somewhere in the Fortress of Solitude there was a wardrobe packed full of retired red and blue super-duds, but Supergirl Vol. 2 #13 (Nov 1983) revealed Kara’s secret -- when it comes time to upgrade her outfit, Kara unravels her old costume at super-speed and and re-weaves the resulting ball of thread into the new design.

39. Demi Moore was the director’s first choice to play Lucy Lane in the Supergirl movie.

The casting net for the title role in 1984′s Supergirl was spread far-and-wide. Director Jeannot Szwarc asked casting agent Lynn Stalmaster to search the whole globe for candidates who could not only act, but withstand the physically and mentally pressure of training for the demanding stunts and wire work. One candidate, apparently, was Demi Moore, who didn’t get the Girl of Steel role but was considered perfect for Kara’s best friend, Lucy Lane. Director Jeannot Szwarc recalled in a 1999 interview, “I met tons of girls. I remember one of the girls was Demi Moore. She was very young and had a great voice. I wanted to use her for the room mate.” But it seems fate had other plans for Ms Moore, as Szwarc explained, “She would have been [perfect], but she was going to Brazil to do a movie with Michael Caine.“ (Moore played Caine’s daughter in Stanley Donen’s rom-com, Blame It on Rio.)

40. One of her rarest appearances is from 1981, only a couple of pages long, but sells for $75+.

If there was a competition to find the rarest publication with an original Supergirl story, Danger on Parade / Le Danger Guette would surely be hot favourite for top place. This tiny comic, just eighteen panels long, was given away inside packets of breakfast cereals in Canada. It features an abbreviated adventure pitting Supergirl against Winslow Schott, aka the Toyman, in the pair’s only pre-Crisis encounter. Runner-up in the rarity stakes would likely go to the Super A and Super B booklet sets produced by Warner Books in 1977 for use in classrooms. The sets didn’t feature original stories however, but reprints with simplified speech balloons designed to teach reading skills.

41. She first met Kal-El years before she landed on Earth.

Gimmick story lines were the order of the day for Silver Age DC, and what better way to create an attention-grabbing dime-baiting cover than to arrange a bizarre crossover -- such was the case with Action Comics #358 (Jan 1968), which saw a very youthful Kara Zor-El in Argo City meet Superboy. The story is predictable fare: in deep space Superboy is scooped-up by one of Zor-El’s science probes, which brings him back to Argo City. Naturally Kara is the first one to discover the probe’s accidental passenger, and (naturally!) Kal-El has suffered memory loss that blots out his life on Earth. Kal and Kara become firm friends over the coming days, until (naturally!) the plot contrives to wipe her memory of him, and restore his memory of Earth.

42. Lena Luthor was the only friend who knew her secret identity.

In the 2015 Supergirl tv show, famously, everyone seems to know (or have known at some point) Supergirl’s secret identity... except Lena Luthor. Bronze Age DC Comics, however, were very very different: Lena first met Kara in Action Comics #295 (Dec 1962), using the name Lena Thorul to hide her connections to brother Lex. Instantly she became firm friends with both Supergirl and Linda Danvers, requiring Kara to work extra hard to stop Lena from realising they are one in the same. The deception finally ended in Superman Family #211 (Oct 1981) when Lena confessed to Kara that she’d worked out her dual identity. This made Lena the only ever friend of Linda Danvers who shared her secret. Sadly it didn’t last long, as by Superman Family #214 (Jan 1982) Lena had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage which affected her memory.

43. She didn’t put the “Kara” into Karaoke.

Over the years Supergirl has exhibited some remarkable super skills, including super ventriloquism, incredible memory, and even the ability to read minds, but one skill that she seemingly lacks is any kind of musical aptitude. Despite the modern day tv Supergirl claiming to put the Kara into Karaoke, her comic strip counterpart didn’t ever appear to sing (not even in the shower!) What’s more, as she confesses in the pages of Adventure Comics #409 (Aug 1971), she doesn’t play any musical instruments either.

44. She’s was no stranger to tragedy even before she left Argo City.

Very few Silver or Bronze Age stories dealt with Kara’s life in Argo City, but one story that gave some idea of how she filled her time appeared in the pages of Action Comics #371 (Jan 1969), when a very young Kara is shown witnessing the cruel death of her best friend, Morina. The pair are innocently playing the game Zoomron, involving the throwing a Frisbee-like disc (the Zoomron) at a target. Chasing an erratic disc Morina tumbles into a crevice filled with Kryptonite, and a tearful Kara can only stand and watch as her friend succumbed to the deadly rays.

45. The Supergirl movie was almost entirely filmed in the UK.

Most fans know that Superman I and II owe a lot to Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, northwest of London, so it is no surprise that 1984′s Supergirl returned to use the same studio complex. But while Superman complimented its studio shots with exteriors filmed in New York (Metropolis) and Alberta, Canada (Smallville), Supergirl’s production stayed firmly within the UK. Locations included the banks of Loch Moidart on the west coast of highland Scotland, the Royal Masonic School for Girls in Hertfordshire, and Black Park Lake near the Pinewood soundstage in Buckinghamshire. Shockingly, even downtown Midvale was actually a huge sprawl of street facades constructed as a backlot set at Pinewood -- the 22 days it took to shoot the tractor rescue sequence was allegedly due to the notoriously fickle British weather.

That’s all for part three. The final part, with even more extra-juicy Kara Zor-El trivia, will be available soon.

#supergirl #superhero #comics #dc #dccomics #superheroine #karazorel #kara zorel #silver age #bronze age #superman #luthor

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rekkingcrew · 6 years

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Rek DMs: Space Bastards Episode 0 (pt 3)

https://rekkingcrew.tumblr.com/post/179064273187/rek-dms-space-bastards-episode-zero-pt-1

https://rekkingcrew.tumblr.com/post/179086697447/rek-dms-space-bastards-ep-0-pt-2

Right, so work ate my life. Trying to catch up.

Anyway. With the ship and characters nailed down, I talked to them a bit about what I’d planned out for the world, and they talked a bit about what they’ve been doing since they met.

In addition to a ship, I’d planned to start the gang out with a safe base of operations and information about the leaders of four important NPC factions. Frankly, as a player, I hate it when there’s world information I feel like my character ought to know, but I, as a player, am not allowed to until it comes out in game. On the flip side, I respect that nobody wants to read an encyclopedia in order to play. I’m LOVING the ease of DMing with a faction system. It simplifies everything. As I’ve put adventures together, I can start from a place of “what is this faction trying to accomplish, and against what other faction” and that focuses the narrative choices I make. It’s constrained in a way that means things are always connected and moving forward, rather than going off sideways.

Anyway, here are my four factions and faction leaders. The Empire: Lawful Political Faction Leader: Audren Tauros

Audren Tauros is the imperial politico in charge of this sector of space, and headquartered on the grain producing planet Trayez 4, which also has a troop garrison to streamline supply. He is, by all indications, not a zealot, appearing to minimally enforce imperial law in a way that is leaving a thriving black market. There are tariffs and bribes, and crackdowns, sure, but they’re notably lighter, and Tauros quietly hires out jobs he doesn’t want to show up in his official reports. He also, unusually for an imperial, has a personal physician who is an alien. An Arcona specifically.

The gang’s home base is also on this planet. (Trayez 4 is basically a straight shot out from Naboo, on the inner half of the outer rim)

The Maxaeda Rebel Fleet: Chaotic Political Faction Leader: Cheng Maxaeda

Cheng Maxaeda is a flashy Rodian pirate operating near the outer rim end of the Corellian Run. Of late, she’s apparently developed politics, though from the targets she’s hitting- mostly luxury yachts of imperial officers, fat payroll transports, and weapons caches- it’s very hard to tell if she’s a believer who is resorting to piracy, or a pirate who’s lying about believing. Or something in between.

Local Hutt Cartel: Chaotic Apolitical Faction Leader: Uddin the Hutt

Uddin is an up and coming Hutt who’s been given permission to start his own branch operation in the local sector. He’s not the only criminal gang going, but he is by far the most powerful. He’s also exceptionally vicious and unforgiving, even for a hutt. His organization has a very high turn over, but it pays very well.

Bounty Hunters Local: Lawful Apolitical Faction Leader: Quemada Ru

Quemada Ru is the sector representative for the Bounty Hunters guild. She’s built up an organization under her that’s basically run like a police union; in fact, they’re called the 919 and they’ve negotiated enforcement contracts as well as personal bounties. They’re organized, efficient, and mutually supporting. There are, of course, some freelancers running around not participating, but for the most part, the 919 works well for most of the bounty hunters working around Trayez 4. It works out particularly well for Ru as she is dug in, powerful, popular, and difficult for the Empire to oust. She’s an ardent believer that no one is above the law, and will take down even important Imperials when she can get enough evidence on them.

Of course, by this point the gang had a stolen police ship, so Quemada is very much not their friend.

Then I asked them to build up a bit of their backstory. What jobs had they done before? What adventures had they had. As I’ve said, I don’t generally care for the opening of a campaign where characters are just meeting, so I like giving the crew a chance to talk a bit about their history, clarify what sort of group they are, develop relationships, and most importantly, talk about why they trust each other and want to stay together as a group.

Here are some of the things they gave me.

Old Harry, who own’s Hob’s Garage space port, and who is literally just Satan, has changed their ship transponder codes and made all their fake IDs, because they’re taking care of his nephew, Beelz (we just... started joking hard about the space Satans of Planet Devaron and man we leaned into it. Old Harry has lots of names. Makes deals. Has a smart goatee and an expensive suit. I’m loving every ridiculous minute of it). He’s already covered for them and hid them from the Empire at great personal risk and for little reward. He just smiles and says don’t worry. Some day I’ll call in a favor.

The gang mostly runs muscle, smuggling, and theft jobs. Thirteen rarely participates directly, but oddly, everywhere they go, even when she wasn’t consulted, she seems to have a job ready and lined up. Nobody knows how she’s doing it.

Nyla hasn’t been honest with the team about her past, or her force sensitivity, but she has used a flash of foreseen future to save Eshi’s life, warning him to stay away from a cable car on a planet they were visiting that later crashed and killed everyone inside it. Nyla’s also taken one of the ship’s prison cells as her sleeping quarters, but... it’s still just a prison cell. She’s thrown a tarp over the bars for some privacy, and whenever she’s in the ship, she takes her arm off. Eshi sleeps in the engine room where it’s warm.

At one point the team took a Seven Samurai style protection job, fighting off a load of raiders who were threatening a farming village. It was glorious carnage. At one point, Brick disabled a young trandoshan and tossed her unconscious body and a blaster to Eshi. “You’re how old again, kid?” he said. “It’s time you grew up.” Not in a mean way, this is Brick. But he was 12 when he first killed somebody, and he figured Eshi was way overdue. And Eshi... couldn’t. She reminded him of a childhood friend. He let her run off, certain this decision would never come back to haunt him (it will, obviously).

Beelz knows Cheng Maxaeda’s people, and Uddin’s. He get the gang most of their more run of the mill underworld jobs. Thirteen, on the other hand, has gotten them some jobs with the Empire (after explaining the factions, I asked them who they’d like to have done jobs for, and they decided of the factions as explained, Tauros made the most sense, as he seemed the most laid back and forgiving). Specifically, she came to them saying she had an offer: a mercy mission medical run from the Empire. There was an outbreak in Tauros’s territory, and the supplies needed to treat it were restricted and labelled military use only. This was a time sensitive problem that was very bad for business, so some supplies “fell off a truck” and some unaffiliated party needed to get them where they were going. In exchange, all the warrants for the ship went away, and as far as the players know, it’s in the clear. Also, Thirteen assassinated someone while they were there. It’s unclear if this was part of the deal or something she did on her own time. (I want to pause to remind y’all my players are supplying all of this).

Obviously, they’ve never met Tauros, and officially he knows nothing about them. Their contact is a Pantoran children’s show host named “Uncle” Karston Severax, who devotes his time to teaching children reading, xenobiology, and patriotic zeal. He dresses like Mr. Rogers and always has lovely cakes. Thirteen watches the show pretty often, and the crew suspects it’s an easy way to disseminate coded information to sleeper agents. Brick also watches the show, because the puppets have names that are jokes in Nikto.

And finally I asked them what they’re doing right now, planning for the first episode to start in medias res. This one is another imperial job. The gang are stealing fighter blue prints from a corporate sector contractor who is trying to do aggressive negotiations with the Empire, and the Empire has decided that it’s not going to be toyed with. So that was where we started the first session. On a corpsec space station with the questions “who is your hostage and what is on fire?”

#i dmed #rek dms #space bastards

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missjsmathematicalmadness · 3 years

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Fractions and Ratios

Think of a fraction as representing a part of a whole. Is there any more to it than that?

Fraction - A way of (a) representing a part of a whole or unit, (b) representing a point on a line, (c) representing a proportion of a set, (d) modelling a division problem, or (e) expressing a ratio.

Symbols - The mathematical notation used for a fraction might, in fact, be used in at least five different ways:

● to represent a proportion of a whole or of a unit;

● to represent a point on a line;

● to represent a proportion of a set;

● to model a division problem;

● as a ratio.

Ask children to discuss at home with members of their family whether they can think of any situations where they actually use fractions. Share with the rest of the class any examples that they come up with. There may not be many examples other than halves and quarters (particularly in the context of telling the time).

How does a fraction represent a proportion of a unit?

Proportion - A comparative part of a quantity or set. A proportion (such as 4 out of 10) can be expressed as a fraction (2/5), as a percentage (40%) or as a decimal (0.4).

This terminology can be used in two different ways but here we are using it to refer to a share or a part of something.

3.g. 3/8

Introduce fraction notation as meaning a number of equal parts of a unit, making particular use of pizzas (circles) and chocolate bars (rectangles) in the explanation. In this interpretation, the fraction p/q means ‘divide the unit into q equal parts and take p of these parts’.

When explaining fractions, be careful about using the word ‘whole’ as a noun: try to use it only as an adjective, for example ‘three eighths of a whole pizza’.

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How does a fraction represent a point on a line?

In Figure 15.2, the section of the number line between 0 and 1, which is 1 unit in length, has been divided up into eight equal sections. Each of these sections is one-eighth of a unit. So, the points from 0 to 1 can be labelled as 0, 1/8, 2/8, 3/8, 4/8, 5/8, 6/8, 7/8 and 1. Notice also that each step marked along this section of the number line can be thought of as an eighth: so 3/8 would also be represented by the step from 0 to the point 3/8; or, indeed, by the step from 2/8 to 5/8, and so on. This image of a step along a number line is helpful when making sense of the addition and subtraction of fractions.

How does a fraction represent a proportion of a set?

The idea of the fraction 3/8 as meaning 3 parts selected from 8 parts of a unit can then be extended to a proportion of a set. This is the way it is used in situations where a set of items is subdivided into eight equal subsets and three of these subsets are selected. For example, the set of 40 dots in Figure 15.3(a) has been subdivided into eight equal subsets (of 5 dots each) in Figure 15.3(b). The 15 dots selected in Figure 15.3(c) can therefore be described as three-eighths of the set of 40. So, the diagram shows that one-eighth of 40 is 5 and three-eighths of 40 is 15.

How does a fraction represent a division?

The fraction 3/8 can also be used to represent the division of 3 by 8, thinking of division as ‘equal sharing between’

what we see here is, first, that the symbols 3/8 can mean ‘divide 3 units by 8’ and, second, that the result of doing this division is ‘three-eighths of a unit’. Hence, the symbols 3/8 represent both an instruction to perform an operation and the result of performing it! We often need the idea that the fraction p/q means ‘p divided by q’ in order to handle fractions on a calculator. Simply by entering p ÷ q we can express the fraction as a decimal. This also allows us to use fraction notation as an alternative to the division sign (÷). You will find, therefore, that the division sign itself is used less and less beyond primary school mathematics, so that, for example, ‘450 divided by 25’ will often be written as 450/25. This is certainly the case in algebra, where division (x ÷ y) is almost always indicated by fraction notation (x/y).

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Introduce older children in primary school to the use of fractions to compare one quantity with another (that is, finding the ratio), especially in the context of prices. For example, we can compare two prices of £9 and £12 by stating that one is three-quarters of the other.

How does a fraction represent a ratio?

because the symbols 3/8 can mean ‘three divided by eight’, we can extend the meanings of the symbols to include ‘the ratio of three to eight’. This is sometimes written as 3:8. For example, in Figure 15.5(a), when comparing the set of circles with the set of squares, we could say that ‘the ratio of circles to squares is three to eight’. This means that for every three circles there are eight squares. Arranging the squares and circles, as shown in Figure 15.5(b), shows this to be the case. The reason why we also use the fraction notation (3/8) to represent the ratio (3:8) is simply that another way of expressing the comparison between the two sets is to say that the number of circles is three-eighths of the number of squares. Rational numbers are given that name because they can be expressed as the ratio of two integers. So, the principle that any fraction can be understood as a ratio is a really fundamental idea – indeed, mathematically, this is probably the most important meaning of a fraction.

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What about numerators, denominators, vulgar fractions, proper and improper fractions, mixed numbers, and so on?

Numerator - The top number in a fraction.

Denominator - The bottom number in a fraction.

The numerator and the denominator are simply the top number and the bottom number in the fraction notation. So, for example, in the fraction 3/8 the numerator is 3 and the denominator is 8.

The fraction notation for parts of a unit can also be used in a situation where there is more than one whole unit to be represented. Altogether here, we have eleven-eighths of a pizza, written 11/8. Since eight of these make a whole pizza, this quantity can be written as 1 + 3/8, which is normally abbreviated to 13/8. This is called a mixed number.

Mixed number - A way of writing a fraction greater than 1 as a whole number plus a proper fraction. For example, 18/5 as a mixed number is 33/5 (three and three-fifths).

Proper fraction - A fraction in which the top number is smaller than the bottom number; a fraction less than 1.

Improper fraction - A fraction in which the top number is greater than the bottom number; a fraction greater than 1; informally, a top-heavy fraction.

Proper fractions are therefore those that are less than 1, with improper fractions being those greater than 1. We could refer to improper fractions more informally as ‘top-heavy fractions’.

A prerequisite for being able to change an improper fraction into a mixed number (or vice versa) is to understand that, for example, 8/8 is equal to 1, 16/8 is equal to 2, 24/8 is equal to 3, and so on. This is easy to explain using chocolate bars or pizzas, but grasping the principle here should be a specific focus for teaching about fractions.

What are equivalent fractions?

The concept of equivalence – which we saw in Chapter 3 to be one of the fundamental processes for understanding mathematics – is one of the key ideas for children to grasp when working with fractions. Using the first idea of a fraction above, that it represents a part of a unit, it is immediately apparent from Figure 15.8, for example, that three-quarters, six-eighths and nine-twelfths all represent the same amount of chocolate bar. This kind of ‘fraction chart’ is an important teaching aid for explaining the idea of equivalence.

Equivalent fractions - Two or more fractions that represent the same part of a unit or the same ratio. For example, 2/3, 4/6, 6/9, 8/12 are all equivalent fractions.

Sequences of equivalent fractions follow a very straightforward pattern. For example, all these fractions are equivalent: 3/5, 6/10, 9/15, 12/20, 15/25, 18/30, 21/35, 24/40, and so on.

The numbers on the top and bottom are simply the 3-times and 5-times tables, respectively. This means that, given a particular fraction, you can always generate an equivalent fraction by multiplying the top and the bottom by the same number; or, vice versa, by dividing by the same number. So, for example:

4/7 is equivalent to 36/63 (multiplying top and bottom by 9).

40/70 is equivalent to 4/7 (dividing top and bottom by 10).

Equivalence of fractions is one of the most important ideas to get across to children in primary school. Get them to make a variety of fraction charts (like the one in Figure 15.8) and then to find various examples of equivalent fractions.

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How do you simplify fractions?

Simplifying fractions: by dividing the top and bottom numbers by any common factors, we can reduce the fraction to its simplest form. This process is often called ‘cancelling’.

Cancelling - The process of dividing the top number and the bottom number in a fraction by a common factor to produce a simpler equivalent fraction.

For example, 6/8 can be simplified to the equivalent fraction 3/4 by dividing top and bottom numbers by their highest common factor, 2 (cancelling 2). Similarly, 12/18 can be simplified to the equivalent fraction 2/3 by cancelling 6, which is the highest common factor

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How does this work with ratios?

The principle used for simplifying fractions applies to ratios, of course, because fractions can be interpreted as ratios. If you multiply or divide two numbers by the same thing, the ratio stays the same.

e.g. the ratio 28:32 can be simplified to the equivalent ratio of 7:8 (dividing both numbers by 4). This means that one price is 7/8 (seven-eighths) of the other.

Equivalent ratios - Different ways of expressing the same ratio; for example, the ratio 30:50 can be written as the equivalent ratio 3:5.

How do you compare one fraction with another?

The first point to notice here is that when you increase the bottom number of a fraction you actually make the fraction smaller, and vice versa. Consider, for example, what are called unit fractions. These are fractions with numerator ‘1’: a half (1/2), a third (1/3), a quarter (1/4), a fifth (1/5), a sixth (1/6), and so on. Important in developing mastery in fractions is to understand that 1/2 is greater than 1/3, which is greater than 1/4, which is greater than 1/5, and so on. This is very obvious if the symbols are interpreted in concrete terms, as bits of pizza or a chocolate bar, for example. Interpreting these unit fractions as points on a number line, as shown in Figure 15.9, also makes it clear that they get smaller as the bottom number gets larger, because the points representing these unit fractions are getting closer to zero. It is very easy for a child to get this wrong, of course, if they simply look at the numbers involved in the fraction notation without thinking about what they mean.

Then, second, there is no difficulty in comparing two fractions with the same bottom number. Clearly, five-eighths of a pizza (5/8) is more than three-eighths (3/8), for example.

Generally, to compare two fractions with different bottom numbers we may need to convert them to equivalent fractions with the same bottom number. This will have to be a common multiple of the two numbers. It might be (but does not have to be) the lowest common multiple. For example, which is greater, seven-tenths (7/10) of a chocolate bar or five-eighths (5/8)? The lowest common multiple of 10 and 8 is 40, so convert both fractions to fortieths:

7/10 is equivalent to 28/40 (multiplying top and bottom by 4); and

5/8 is equivalent to 25/40 (multiplying top and bottom by 5).

How is a remainder in a division calculation interpreted as a fraction?

Take an example: 30 ÷ 7 = 4 remainder 2. Depending on the context in which this division calculation arose, it may be possible to deal with the remainder here by dividing that by 7 as well. Using the idea that a fraction can represent a division, we know that 2 ÷ 7 is equal to 2/7. So we might give the result of the division as a mixed number: 42/7. This would be a possible answer if the original (rather artificial) problem had been to find out how much chocolate each person gets if 30 bars are shared equally between 7 people: answer, 42/7 bars each! It would not be an appropriate answer, however, if the question had been, ‘how many vans do you need to transport 30 children if each van holds 7 children?’, because you cannot have 2/7 of a van.

Show older children in primary school how the remainder in a division can also be divided by the divisor. For example: 51 ÷ 4 = 12 remainder 3. If the remainder is then divided by 4 (giving 3 ÷ 4 = 3/4), the result is 123/4. Discuss a range of real-life contexts in which this might be an appropriate solution and when it would not.

How do you add and subtract fractions?

First, to add two fractions with the same bottom number (denominator) is very simple. Just visualize the fractions as parts of a whole unit. So, for example, if you have one-eighth (1/8) of a chocolate bar and you add it to three-eighths (3/8) of a chocolate bar, you have altogether four-eighths (4/8) of a chocolate bar. So, clearly, 1/8 + 3/8 = 4/8. This answer can then be simplified to 1/2 by cancelling 4.

Subtraction is equally straightforward when the two fractions have the same denominator. For example, if you have seven-eighths of a pizza and eat five-eighths then you are left with two-eighths. Recording this in fraction notation, 7/8 – 5/8 = 2/8. This result could, of course, be simplified to 1/4 by cancelling 2.

Sometimes, when adding two or more proper fractions, the result may be an improper fraction. For example, 3/8 + 5/8 + 7/8 = 15/8. This result could then be expressed as a mixed number (17/8).

To add or subtract two fractions with different denominators is a bit trickier. Before attempting to combine the fractions, you have to change one or both of them to equivalent fractions so that they finish up with the same bottom number – it’s best to use the lowest common multiple for this.

So, for example, to add 1/6 and 1/2, we would spot that the 1/2 is equivalent to 3/6, so both fractions can be expressed as sixths. We go for sixths because 6 is the lowest number that is a multiple of both 2 and 6. In this context, the lowest common multiple of the two denominators is often called the ‘lowest common denominator’. The calculation then looks like this: 1/6 + 1/2 = 1/6 + 3/6 = 4/6 (= 2/3).

Here is an example with subtraction: how much more is 2/3 of a litre than 1/4 of a litre? This requires the calculation 2/3 − 1/4. To do this, we change both fractions to twelfths, because 12 is the lowest common multiple of 3 and 4. The 2/3 of a litre is equivalent to 8/12 of a litre; and the 1/4 of a litre is equivalent to 3/12 of a litre. The difference between 8/12 of a litre and 3/12 of a litre is clearly 5/12 of a litre. Written down, the calculation looks like this: 2/3 − 1/4 = 8/12 − 3/12 = 5/12.

A common error in adding fractions is to add the top numbers and add the bottom numbers; for example: 1/5 + 3/5 = 4/10. This error only occurs when the learner just responds to the symbols mindlessly without any attempt to connect them to a visual image that makes sense of the fractions. In this case, the correct addition is: 1/5 + 3/5 = 4/5 (one-fifth of a pizza plus three-fifths of a pizza is equal to four-fifths of a pizza).

A prerequisite for being able to add or subtract fractions with different denominators is the ability to identify the lowest common multiple of two (or more) numbers. Aim to develop mastery of this skill before children move on to identifying the lowest common denominators in the process of the addition and subtraction of fractions.

How do you multiply two simple fractions?

The process for multiplying two fractions can be understood in visual terms by applying the fractions to the area of a square, as shown in Figure 15.10(a). The square has been divided into thirds by the horizontal lines in Figure 15.10(b) and then divided into quarters by the vertical lines drawn in Figure 15.10(c). The square has now been divided into twelfths. Using the idea that the area of a rectangle is given by the product of the two sides, it is now clear that the area of the shaded rectangle in Figure 15.10(d) is equal to 2/3 multiplied by 3/4. Since this area is six twelfths, we have shown that 2/3 × 3/4 = 6/12. (This can then be cancelled down to 1/2.)

Note that we get twelfths in Figure 15.10(c) because we have 3 sections horizontally and 4 sections vertically. This is effectively multiplying together the denominators of the 2/3 and 3/4. And we get 6 of these twelfths shaded in Figure 15.10(d) because the shaded rectangle arises from 2 of the horizontal sections and 3 of the vertical sections. This is effectively multiplying together the numerators of the 2/3 and 3/4. So, there is a very simple rule for multiplying two fractions: multiply the two denominators and multiply the two numerators! Then give the answer in the simplest form, by cancelling.

Finally, in this example, notice that the shaded rectangle in Figure 15.10(d) can be thought of as two-thirds of three-quarters of the square; or as three-quarters of two-thirds of the square. The word of in the language pattern ‘a fraction of something’ is helpfully connected with the symbol of multiplication. So, for example, the fact that 2/3 of 60 is 40 can also be expressed as 2/3 × 60 = 40. Similarly, 1/2 × 1/4 can be understood as: what is a half of a quarter?

A key principle in teaching for mastery of fractions: make explicit and help children to understand the equivalence of, for example, these three statements:

1/5 × 30 = 6

1/5 of 30 = 6

30 ÷ 5 = 6

What other calculations with fractions should I be able to do?

Addition with mixed numbers

(a) 31/5 + 23/5

= 3 + 1/5 + 2 + 3/5 (separating the whole number parts and fractional parts)

= 5 + 4/5 (adding the whole numbers and the fractions separately)

= 54/5 (writing this as a mixed number)

(b) 34/5 + 23/5

= 3 + 4/5 + 2 + 3/5 (separating the whole number parts and fractional parts)

= 5 + 7/5 (adding the whole numbers and the fractions separately)

= 5 + 1 + 2/5 (changing the improper fraction to a whole number and a fraction)

= 6 + 2/5 (adding the 1 to the 5)

= 62/5 (writing this as a mixed number)

Subtraction with mixed numbers

(a) 54/5 − 33/5

Think of this as (5 + 4/5) − (3 +3/5)

First deal with the fractional parts: 4/5 − 3/5 = 1/5

Then deal with the whole number parts: 5 − 3 = 2

Combining these as a mixed number, we get 54/5 − 33/5 = 21/5

(b) 52/5 − 33/5

Think of this as (5 + 2/5) − (3 + 3/5)

This will require the use of a form of decomposition (see subtraction methods in Chapter 9).

First look at the subtraction with the fractional parts: 2/5 − 3/5; this would give a negative result.

So, exchange 1 from the 5 for five-fifths: 5 + 2/5 = 4 + 1 + 2/5 = 4 + 5/5 + 2/5 = 4 + 7/5

We can now complete the subtraction, using the method in (a):

(4 + 7/5) − (3 + 3/5) = 14/5

Divisions with fractions

(a) Calculate 4/5 ÷ 3

Remember that dividing by 3 is the same thing as finding a third of something, which is the same as multiplying by 1/3.

So, 4/5 ÷ 3 = 1/3 × 4/5

= 4/15 (using the method for multiplying fractions explained earlier in the chapter).

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(b) Calculate 20 ÷ 1/4

Remember that the result of a division is unchanged if both numbers are multiplied by the same thing (see mental and informal strategies for division in Chapter 11).

So, multiply both numbers in 20 ÷ 1/4 by 4. (Remember that 4 quarters = 1.)

Then we get 20 ÷ 1/4 = 80 ÷ 1, which is just 80.

The result in (b) makes a lot of sense if you think of the division as the inverse of multiplication. For example, how many quarters of a pizza can you get from 20 pizzas? You can now ask your friends what is twenty divided by a quarter and then enjoy explaining to those who give the answer 5 why the answer is 80!

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talabib · 3 years

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How To Unleash The Power Of Stories

For thousands of years, people have wanted to hear stories, whether from travelling bards in the old days or best-selling paperbacks today.

Why are we so drawn to narratives, when surely we really just need facts to make decisions? Put simply, a good story helps people interpret the facts and see the bigger picture. Things people would not believe, understand or care about become compelling and meaningful as soon as they are seen through the lens of a simulated personal experience: a story.

And if you’re the one telling the story, you can influence the way your audience interprets facts. This makes good storytelling a very powerful tool indeed. So how do you tell a good story?

Stories help us make sense of the world and are effective tools for persuading others.

In order to know how to tell a good story, we must first know what a good story actually is. Quite simply, a good story is one that simplifies the world and makes us feel we understand it better.

The world today often seems complicated and chaotic, but a story has the power to make sense of it. It gives listeners a plot to follow, around which they can organize their thoughts.

This not only makes it easier for the listener to understand your argument, but can also help them make sense of their personal problems and frustrations. For example, if someone has lost their job or gone through a tough break up, a story about someone in a similar situation will help them to recover.

In this sense stories – though indirect – are more effective than direct guidance. This is because direct guidance only applies to one situation and then loses relevance, whereas the lessons of a story can be adapted to fit multiple situations.

Let's say you have a colleague who frequently sends obnoxious-sounding emails around the office because he can’t be bothered to word them properly, and you’d like him to change his behavior. You could, of course, tell him outright to stop doing this, but it would be even more effective to tell him a story about someone who lost their job due to a misunderstanding in a poorly worded email.

Your colleague would probably remember that story every time he was sending an email. He might even start applying the lesson about being polite and professional in his other communications.

So even though stories are an indirect way of relaying a point, they can be much more effective than the direct, raw truth.

Telling an immersive story requires more than just words – use your whole body.

Let’s say you now know what story you want to tell. So how do you tell it properly? You have to realize that you have many channels of communication available. Imagine you’re not merely telling a story, but enacting a play for your listener: your voice, face, hands and body are the actors, stage costumes, music and props that can add a whole new level to your story.

You can use your hand gestures to add meaning to your words and really paint a picture for your listeners. Use facial expressions to help people relate to your story. If your story is about something that angers you, show that anger on your face, or smile if you’re talking about how happy you were at another point in the plot. This makes people more likely to believe you.

Of course, to fully immerse the listener in your story, what you say is also important. Here you should prioritize things that the listener can imagine vividly. For example, you could ask your audience to imagine the smell of sizzling bacon. Or if your story involves the wind howling, you could make a similar sound to really make them feel present in the story. This kind of visceral experience creates emotional memories that are particularly powerful.

Another way to create emotional memories is to use irrelevant but concrete details. So if you want to tell a story of a large household, don’t focus on how many children are in the family or what their names are. Instead, use concrete details and tell your listeners about the way the house would fill with the scent of freshly baked blueberry pie on Sunday mornings.

A convincing speech or presentation must tell six different stories.

If you really want to be able to influence your audience, you have to tell them not one, but six different stories.

First, tell them who you are, and second, tell them why you’re there. This is because people won’t trust you until they know the answer to these questions, and if you tell them using stories it will be far more convincing, making you seem more trustworthy.

Third, you have to tell them a story that relates the vision you have – i.e., the long-term goal that you want to move them toward. For example, if you’re the CEO of a company, you can’t just blurt out, “We must achieve five percent annual sales growth.” Instead you should tell them a moving story that inspires your employees to desire that growth – maybe tell them about another company that later became famous.

Fourth, you also need to tell a story that teaches them. For example, if you have just hired a new receptionist, rather than tell him what buttons to push on the phone, regale him with the story of Mrs. Jones, the greatest receptionist you ever met, and how she did the job so immaculately.

Fifth, tell a values-in-action story. This means telling a story where the value you want to convey is translated into a real, specific action. For example, if you say to your employees “Integrity is important,” it won’t mean much. It would be much more effective to tell a story about an employee who once made a huge mistake but was rewarded when she came clean instead of trying to cover it up.

Sixth, tell a “I know what you are thinking” story that will make your audience wonder if you’ve just read their minds. For example, think about the potential objections your audience members will make, and then raise and deal with those points as part of a story. This will make the audience feel more at ease.

Stories wield a powerful influence because they relax and disarm your audience.

Now that you know you can influence people with stories, you probably want to know why that's the case.

First, they help you overcome suspicions: people are often distrustful when someone is trying to influence them, but stories allow you to bypass their suspicion because you can frame the audience on your side: your interests and theirs overlap. This will make them more likely to trust you.

Second, stories are effective instruments for making your audience feel as though you know them. These days people crave real human attention, so if you tell a story that touches them and makes them feel acknowledged, they will be more connected to you and more cooperative.

Third, you can take advantage of the fact that people automatically feel more comfortable and relaxed when they hear a story. The instant you say you're going to tell a little story, your audience will relax and become less analytical. It’s almost like hypnosis.

And if you tell a good enough story when they are in this state, it could stick in their heads for so long that eventually they won't be sure if they heard it or if it happened to them. If this sounds far-fetched, think about some stories from your early childhood. Are you totally sure they happened to you or did you merely hear about them? Your story will influence the audience’s actions as if it had happened to them.

You can influence even reluctant or indifferent audiences – if you don’t think of them that way.

Of course, not all audiences are eager to listen to what you have to say. Often you’ll find you have to speak to people that you might find unwilling, disinterested or unmotivated. So how can you influence them?

The key is to understand that your listeners have good reasons for their opinions, even if they are not in line with yours. It’s too easy to think you’re in the right and they’re in the wrong. For example, though abortion is a highly polarizing issue, both sides have reasons for their opinions: pro-lifers want to save the life of the unborn child, whereas pro-choicers focus on the life of the mother and the plight of the unwanted baby. If you want to influence either group, you have to acknowledge these reasons.

A second key consideration is that you have to remain positive. If you allow yourself to think that your audience is reluctant or indifferent, that negative emotion will seep into your speech. You want to awaken hope in them, and this can only be done if you yourself are hopeful.

For example, if your story is meant to motivate people to save the planet, don’t focus on all the depressing statistics. This will only make your audience feel ashamed, bitter or angry, and none of these emotions lead to action. Only hope does.

Finally, if you find that the audience is very negative, try telling them an extra story that's designed to work around the source of their negativity. For example, if the audience seems cynical and doubtful of your sincerity, open up and tell them a personal story – this is the closest they can get to first-hand evidence of your sincerity!

Alternatively, if you think your audience resents you for having the spotlight, try to tell a story that highlights the big picture and the goals you share with them.

You can also influence others by listening to their stories.

You’ve seen how important the art of storytelling is, but there’s another side to the coin. If you truly want to be able to influence someone, you also need to be adept at story listening. In a dialog you need to genuinely listen to your partner.

This way you’ll come to understand not only his opinions and arguments but also his uncertainties and true feelings, because he’ll see how closely you're listening and feel comfortable opening up.

Sometimes this is the best chance you’ll have to influence someone: listen to their story. Often you’ll find that if you just listen to them respectfully, they will begin to reflect on their own opinions and challenge their views, all by themselves. Often they change their position to something closer to yours.

For example, imagine you’re a car salesperson, and you want to sell a customer a Toyota, but he says he “hates Toyotas.” What story should you tell?

Instead, listen to the customer’s story about why he hates Toyotas. This will help him to articulate what concerns him, and will also make him reflect on whether some of his criticisms are unfounded. He may even end with something like, “But that could just be the Toyotas I've driven – the new models might be better."

Once you’ve listened, you have your second chance at influencing the other person, because he'll want to extend the same courtesy to you. You'll have a focused audience for your own story. What’s more, the customer feels closer to you because you've bonded as he told you his story. This is a great starting point for you to influence them.

The three don’ts: don’t act superior, don’t be boring and don’t impose negative emotions.

Though there are many ways to tell a story well, there are also a few sure-fire ways to make a mess of it. To avoid the latter, keep these three simple don’ts in mind.

Firstly, don’t act superior to your audience. If you lord it over them, there’s a danger that they may see you as some kind of guru whom they’ll follow without thinking, and the same perception will make many other would-be listeners turn away. If you're not a guru you'll have a broader audience, so trust your listeners to think for themselves.

It's better to show that you’re just like your listeners, so connect to them via shared interests and common experiences. Tell them about your fears, hopes and passions.

Secondly, don’t bore your listeners. Everyone knows how boring it can be to listen to a story that either goes nowhere or is far too long. So when you’re telling the story, pay careful attention to how it will feel for the audience. Don’t go straight to the point and force feed it to your audience. Share some colorful and bizarre details that really entice your audience to follow where you lead them.

Finally, don’t scare people or make them feel guilty. Negative emotions make people antagonistic and less likely to make lasting changes. Only positive emotions will make people take action or change their mind in the long run.

Abraham Lincoln is one shining example of believing in the power of positivity. When he was told that he should destroy his enemies, Lincoln simply replied, “Isn’t that what I do when I make them friends?”

Becoming a storyteller can change your outlook on life, but it brings great responsibility.

We’ve discussed how becoming a great storyteller will make you more influential and persuasive in the eyes of others. But that’s not all: you’ll also notice changes in your own life.

This is because a storyteller sees the world differently. You’ll begin to see your life as a story, and you are the person who chooses how the plot unfolds. For example, if you’re currently living in a story where you’re constantly stressed and frustrated, it’s time to rewrite that plot into something more positive.

Once you’ve found a good story to live, your place in the world will become clearer and your life will seem more meaningful. You’ll also begin to look at problems differently, because you’ve seen how even the most massive problems can be solved.

Being a storyteller will also have a great impact on the relationships you have with other people, because you now carry a great responsibility: The stories you tell will affect the lives of those around you in the long term. So if you tell stories that make the people around you see themselves as victims, or start blaming one another, it can change your family, your company or even your community.

As an example, consider one of the most influential fearmongering storytellers in history: Adolf Hitler. His stories provoked such powerful reactions of fear and hatred in the German people that they perpetrated the Holocaust. Never underestimate the power and responsibility that come from being a storyteller.

You need critical thinking, but you also need story thinking.

These days, it seems the most valued thinking skills in the world are rational and critical. They are taught at school, and they help you get jobs. But in fact there’s another kind of thinking that can be very beneficial for a storyteller, namely story thinking: framing problems and situations as stories.

When approaching a problem or situation with purely rational thought, the goal is to remove all ambiguity, anecdotes and emotions from the equation. It’s like using a ready-made recipe or formula: you know what you’ll end up with, but it definitely won’t be anything new or innovative.

Story thinking, on the other hand, actually broadens your horizons and allows you to operate even when there is ambiguity. It encourages you to forget the rules and embrace emotions, which is beneficial when telling stories: you can better interact with your audience by sharing emotions with them.

What’s more, story thinking helps you identify stories all around you, and this will improve the stories you yourself tell. Story thinking also dissuades you from trying to be too objective: our experience of the real world is subjective, after all, so if you try to tell an objective story about it, it won’t seem real to the audience.

The fact that story thinking is so free and fluid is what makes it more an art form than a science. It promotes creative intelligence and a better imagination, which is what’s needed to enact any change in society.

Storytelling is a far more powerful way of influencing people than pointing at facts and figures. Stories can help you reach any audience and inspire them to take action. In fact, storytelling is so powerful a tool that once you become a storyteller, you have a great responsibility to tell stories that improve the lives of those around you.

#unleash the power of storytelling

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philadelphiamontessorischool · 3 years

Link

When parents first learn about the Montessori Method, they cannot wait to bring it home and try it there. Yet, even with all the Montessori schools in PA, you may not understand how to create a Montessori-friendly home. Fortunately, you don’t have to make too many changes to your home and still create a successful environment that supports your child’s growth.

We’re going to discuss how to do just that.

What is Montessori?

Often referred to as the Montessori Method, this education approach was developed in the early 1900s by an Italian doctor and scientist named Maria Montessori. The method has become increasingly popular over the past 100 years.

By the most basic definition, the Montessori Method focuses on developing a child’s sense of independence through hands-on learning and a prepared environment that assists a child’s growth during developmental stages.

There are seven principles on which Montessori education is built:

Independence

Hands-on experience

Play is work

Observation

Freedom within limits

Prepared environment

Respect

You will notice that the principles function the same way in your home as they do in Montessori schools in PA and beyond.

What The Montessori Philosophy Looks Like at Home

In a Montessori classroom, you may notice that it looks little like a traditional school. The instructors are not the rulers of the classroom. Rather, the children are allowed to express themselves, pursue what interests them, and can choose which activities they would like to do as long as they clean up any of their work.

You can incorporate the elements of a Montessori school into your home rather easily when you keep the principles in mind.

Your child does not have to attend a Montessori school for certain applications to work at home either. Beyond mimicking the setup of a Montessori classroom for your home, you should also remember that the idea of independence plays a role in fostering a child’s growth. Create a home where your child can be curious and utilize all five senses.

7 Ways to Create a Montessori-Friendly Home

Now let’s look at some ways you can apply the Montessori method to your household. Whether your child is currently 7 months or 7 years old, you can incorporate these tips.

Simplify Your Home & Designated Spaces

Depending on the age of your child, the ways you alter the home environment is going to change. Babies, for instance, do not need much to begin their Montessori journey. Their play area and sleeping area need a few simple items that allow them to interact with the world. This includes things like giving babies access to seeing a child-safe mirror, and keeping sensory toys within reach.

Do not forget to childproof your home for when the baby becomes mobile. You will need to keep sharp objects far from their reach, use baby gates to section off their area, cover electrical outlets, and anchor down heavy or wobbly furniture.

As your child gets older, they should have places within the house, such as their room and bedroom, where they learn to care for and value the space. Within the designated spaces, your child can express themselves while maintaining the cleanliness of the area.

Here is another example of designating space: In the entryway of the house, install a few low hooks for your child to hang belongings. Have a shoe rack and a clear spot for them to use.

Have a Child-Friendly Spot in the Kitchen

One of the best ways to bring Montessori into the home is to establish a bond of trust. Show your child that they can do almost anything you can do, especially in the kitchen. Give them a shelf in the pantry and refrigerator where their eating utensils are within reach, so they can reach these things whenever needed. You can also keep pre-portioned food and drinks available for your child that they can grab whenever they are hungry or thirsty.

Younger children can have their own table and chair set, where they learn to sit and eat their meal. You can forego the high chair once they can sit up on their own.

Organize Toys, Books, and Other Belongings

Less is more. You might think purchasing your child hundreds of toys is a great idea, but that could teach them to value such things less. Instead, swap out several toys every few weeks. Storing those items in designated areas on a shelf rather than using a toy chest helps promote a sense of order.

The same applies to books and other items. You can keep a small basket or shelf of popular books in the corner of the living room. If your child has a special interest, you can stock up on a few books pertaining to that and put it in their school bag or in the car or bathroom. Books should always be within reach!

Use Montessori Toys

We mentioned toys, books, and like objects and the importance of organizing them earlier. Now, we need to consider which toys are best for the Montessori method.

What might shock many parents is that not everything qualifies as a Montessori toy, especially when it comes to toys without a purpose. Since Montessori is all about examination, exploration, and observation, natural materials are best. Rock, cotton, wood, wool, ceramic, and metal are all favorable, because children can refine the senses by handling different textures.

Most toys are not complex. Passive toys are encouraged, because children can use their imagination to play. Similarly, choose realistic toys for children. Purchase toys that exist within the world.

Play a Supporting Role

Perhaps the most important piece involved in making a Montessori-friendly home is you—the parent. Connect with your child as much as possible.

Observe

Without interfering in your child’s activity, you should observe and figure out how to make the environment better for learning. Are there too many choices to maintain order? Are materials being put in their proper place? Are the toys no longer challenging enough? Or are those toys too difficult?

In doing so, you will learn what interests your child, and you can then incorporate things that spark their curiosity and desire to learn.

Model

Always be willing to demonstrate how things work, where they go, and how to develop a routine to young children and adolescents. Invite your child to learn from you, and model the proper way to perform something before giving them a chance to try it on their own.

Never stop adapting to your child’s growth and their stages of development.

Final Thoughts

Montessori is not just for school, it is a way of life. It can go beyond the classroom, into your home. By keeping certain principles in mind, such as independence, observation, and acknowledging your child’s curiosity and need for exploration, you too can bring Montessori home.

Look no further for a “Montessori school near me.” We are one of the top Montessori schools in PA. So, if you want to learn more about Montessori, we invite you to give Fishtown Montessori a call at 215-821-1455 today.

#montessori school #montessori

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paganchristian · 3 years

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Here are the two clovers that I found back whenever, several years ago. I realized in this picture it’s a little hard to see the fourth leaf on one of them, but oh well. I saved this one in my draft folder and I like it because of the imagery, in which one clover overlaps the light switch, and the other one overlays the door. It makes me think, continuing on the whole idea of omens and good luck and beliefs, which have an ability to create good luck,... It brings me a few thoughts on those things.

Ok first of all let me also say that I don’t actually think that clovers are lucky, but you know, it’s just for fun, and as for what charms I think are lucky, well, I think that they are something imbued with spiritual or psychic energy, so it’s not so much the object but the message it gives or the person who give it to you or the message God is trying to lead you to, or the path that the symbol represents, that you are being led towards, be it a spiritual path or maybe just some other blessed path for you. In itself, I’m not a believer in a good luck charm that just has inherent worth as an object with some mystical power. Not that I say it can’t ever be, because I’m not totally sure. The world is mysterious. But I have experienced the luck of things that have real spiritual value because they are good messages from beyond, from higher, from God, I think. Then again I think that sometimes they can mislead, and be bad omens. False signs and wonders. I have experienced things of this nature too, that I thought were good until gradually, subtly it was revealed to me to be harmful. Enough good that I thought it was only good, but a subtle yet powerful bad effect was worse, though unseen.

Anyway, I think that even among good beliefs, sometimes they can be good only situationally. Just like a good, strong, solid, consistent, simple and clear story, it is good if it works for you, but it seems to me like not only does it have to be a simple, clear, strong basic story. It even has to be predictable, relatable, not too far outside what you are used to doing and feeling and thinking. Ask people to reach too far outside themselves and they will overlook the message. It goes back again to how children’s stories and folktales and fairytales can often contain what cultural sophisticated, high art, religious, and philosophical type stories omit,...

It’s as if there is something that more modernized mindsets lose touch with and children and people who have been less modernized are more likely to see these things, even when they have to veil the messages in hints, symbols and characters very indirectly, animals and fools and such that are silly enough to just laugh at, not too close for comfort, not too similar to the real problems they are hinting at or the deep truths many would laugh or deny or hide because it gets too real, too radical, too challenging, too brave, too good, for the mediocrity of average existence to accept or embrace, too hard, too fine a line to balance.

It seems that people have to oversimplify and they have to consolidate power in a few official people in power, within modernized, simplified, streamlined, organized, complex cultures and societies. Complexity and organization ends up helping in some ways and cutting corners and fitting us into a box that fits the overall system in other ways. I think that people in general want someone to help make life simpler, and in that process they seek the authority figures, the ones in power to simplify it all down to something they can say is the answer, the final answer, and if they have an authority who makes it all simple and lines it all out that relieves the uncertainty. This particular facet isn’t just for modernized societies. We have always been trying to appease the gods who have certain rules, in all cultures, through time, and we make rules and superstitions we are supposed to follow in order to seek the peace and harmony safe from the chaos that life rains down on us.

Anyway, there often is a certain order, sequence, hierarchy and so on in all these rules and rhythms and practices too, oftentimes. It’s the problem I have now. They say, do one thing before you can do another, but sometimes, maybe too often, I think, the order is arbitrary and false, harmful.

But anyway, people want an order to follow step by step, but I can see now its wrong for me,... Right now, in my case, I am dealing with this in my life with some of the religious beliefs in the path I’m considering. Again and again they say you have to do this before you do that, and I just cannot for my sanity.

So I can see these orders and sequences are sometimes just once more a problem of artificial, arbitrary order, to relieve the huge uncertainty and fear and sadness and pain and guilt because of all the mistakes we make when we are left to our own devices so we seek this outer authority to tell us exactly how, when, where, what and in what order we must do things, but sometimes they get the details wrong. But if we feel secure in our system we can feel like we are safe when we follow the proscribed plan and judge those who don’t and advise them and appease our conscience when others fail- it must be just a lesson from God for not following some rule, seen or unseen. But since there is so much we can’t know about others’ inner lives we can’t really truly judge (they say), but still many people do judge and you can see in how they act, many signs give it away that many do judge. It’s hard to have so complex a system of rules which are supposed to give all kinds of rewards, when followed well enough, eventually,... It’s hard to have such a set of rules without judging those who don't’ follow or who seem to endlessly suffer too badly. Then logic seems to suggest maybe they are not following the rules well enough and judgment follows.

Anyway though, the light switch, the door, in the picture, makes me think of things. Signs and beliefs can turn on the light, to a new idea, like a lightbulb, wake us up, make us pay attention, focus, remember the idea, try to do something instead of just thinking about it, take it more seriously. Then there is the door, the door to the actual new path, the new place, the new experience. Sometimes signs or beliefs just make the light come on, and sometimes they actually open the door to a new way. Some ideas do one thing, and other ideas do the other thing, some are lights, some are doors, some can be both or either. But a light doesn’t have to be perfect, it can be dimly lit, it can be a lamp that has a shape, a color, a form, that seems to be one way, but it shows us something else, when we see with the light that emits from the lamp. The door, the actual path, too, can lead from one path to another. But it’s more important for the door to lead at least in the general direction. Lights can be suggestions, possibilities, sparks of thought that lead from one to another to another idea. But real world action is more challenging and engaging, effortful and slow, oftentimes, and so that is when we really must be going the right way at least a little bit.

Or, maybe sometimes not, I guess, it depends. Because thoughts aren’t so free, so easy, a light that lights the way by making us think and figure it out and explore... Yes on the one hand thoughts can speed much more rapidly than real life actions can plod forward, but for the same reason they can delude us. Sometimes we will avoid nonsense by thinking so much and questioning and contemplating before diving into the action of life. Sometimes by using our minds and hearts, we can reach God and love and goodness and meaning without ever taking much “real world action”, and then the energy of our hearts and prayers reaches others even if we never leave our home. So many spiritual paths say, this path I’m considering, and Buddhist and Hindu, among other paths I’ve heard of. But thoughts can be very dangerous, quickly leading us blindly astray when we thought we were going somewhere good,... Keeping us trapped years on end, or decades, spinning in chaos. As I know, living through this for many horrible years of my life. Thoughts definitely can get us so lost, entangled, running faster and faster, unable to rest, restless, anxious, sad, confused, deluded. So there’s no rule I guess. Thoughts have to be at least somewhat good too or they’ll lead you way off track. You can’t always see for your own self what is good, true, makes sense, even if you’re smart, raised with good values, good enough, pretty good values (good as average, or I think in many ways much better than average, the values I was raised with). I should know because I was so lost that way in my mind. I think my desire to be a good person (figure out how and just what that really means in a world where so many opposing ideas of what is right and good and what is not and my own personality and physical and mental health problems were not at all fitting in with what almost anyone accepted to be “good”), all that made me lost, truly. And my desire to seek God and my deep thinking wrapped me even more in confusion than a simpler person who doesn’t try as hard to be as good, to reach as high, to find God, to make sense of the mysteries of the universe. Someone like my husband, as he was after he abandoned his spiritual interests, he was thenafter happy to abuse others (me), content in a simple life, apparently happy for all the world to see, strong and well he has been and continues to be.

And sometimes real action when misguided still teaches us very well what to do instead, in clear obvious ways. Sometimes real action is learning what mere ideas cannot teach. Sometimes real life is down to earth and full of observable, experienced facts that keep you in the realm of safety and goodness. And real actions can often include meaningful, human interactions that keep you in the fabric of life and what really matters. But other times even real experiences and interactions just seems meaningless, forgettable, trivial and numbing, a rushing around, an artificial appearance and the praise and admiration of others, all for nothing, or their scorn, and advice, but again, misguiding, all for nothing. I don’t know.

More roundabout thoughts, circular but I feel they’re leading somewhere that matters, to help me sort out why religion keeps tangling me up rather than resolving into clarity, oftentimes.

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problemstarchild · 3 years

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Just for the record, I HIGHLY recommend watching the first season of Leverage in serial order, not the order they aired. The broadcast order makes the first season feel very clunky and tryhard, I really feel like it kneecapped the efforts the writers made to ramp up the stakes and emotional value.

For example, the first two episodes are the same. The gang gets together, and then the gang takes on a US defense contractor. They almost choke on their second job — they all have doubts, they’re panicking, but they pull it together and realize how much they love doing good by people.

Broadcast order would have you watch the Two-Horse Job next, which is Elliot-centric and introduces the antagonist for the end of the season. I’ve always hated this episode because it felt boring and overdramatic to me; I love Elliot, but taking this job to the Leverage team so quickly in their partnership felt wildly out of character for him because he just doesn’t trust like that just yet. He’s so emotionally invested, but we just barely nailed down the show concept and now we’re being asked to care a whole lot about the guy who is reliable, sure, but at this point in the show (in broadcast order) is just really aggressive and seems to barely get on with the other members of the team. Also, they introduce Sterling in this episode and he just sits there as a primary antagonist out of nowhere, doing nothing for the entire rest of the season until the finale. It feels like he’s supposed to meddle more, but he doesn’t do that until much later. It’s just paced badly.

Compare that to serial order. The third episode is The Wedding Job. This episode sets up a lot of things for me: first of all, Sophie is comfortable enough with everybody to bring her friend’s business to them after only two on-screen jobs, and Eliot, Parker, and Hardison don’t question that she can do that or that it’s going to be a problem. Second, Nate thought he was going to have full control of this operation and he gets super prickly about Sophie meeting a client that he didn’t pick. He tries to make a big show of denying her help so he can maintain control over the team. However, the team JUST took down the defense contractor, so they’re riding high on taking out someone they thought was too dangerous — when Nate complains that he doesn’t want to tangle with the mob because it’s dangerous, everyone else simplifies the client’s situation to a breach of contract to try to get him on board. They’re riding high on that rush of helping people.

You get the introduction of Taggart and McSweeten, who are MUCH more recurring characters in season 1 than Sterling is, and establish Parker and Hardison’s ongoing FBI aliases. On a smaller note, Parker bonds with the client’s tiny daughter and teaches her to pick locks, indicating that she actually likes children and relates to them, compared to how she can barely hold a conversation with McSweeten later. (What size shoe do you wear? That’s a totally normal question to ask someone, Parker. Good job.) In broadcast order, the Stork Job comes RIGHT before the Wedding Job, so you don’t get that little bit of foreshadowing that Parker feels more comfortable around kids. It’s a neat little surprise in serial order because we’ve mostly only seen her play at being a normal person so far, she’s not very good at relating to people.

Nate gets super cynical about marriage and everyone thinks it’s hilarious except Sophie, and her outburst to the bride during the con feels like it makes more sense because she’s only just started hanging out with Nate again and he’s just shitting on things she cares about. She gets FRUSTRATED with Nate during other episodes, but this one feels much closer to an ideological breaking point where she feels disrespected because Nate needs things to go Nate’s way. Also, here’s the key thing: Hardison grills Eliot about if he ever got married and he lays down some foreshadowing about how he planned to get married but his girl married another man, giving us FORESHADOWING for Eliot’s stakes in the Two Horse Job. I always hated that part of the Wedding Job because like... Hardison, you MET his ex-fiancé. You did a whole episode about it. Why are you asking that!!

Also, the distance between this episode and the Two Horse Job in serial order gives you a few opportunities to hear Eliot briefly mention at least one of the many flings he’s had, so you get the sense that he’s not a particularly touchy-feely or romantic guy before you get to the Two Horse Job. It gives a sense of weight to his loss — he’s been fixated on his childhood sweetheart, and he’s never given her a hard time over the fact that she left him when he got drafted, but he’s always regretted it and seemingly never attempted to form a romantic relationship like that again because he knows they wouldn’t be able to rely on him to be there. Which is so fucking sad lmaooo. But if you just put the Two Horse Job first, you have no long-term context for why this is supposed to be emotional. Why can’t the emotionally constipated punchy man be professional and stop kissing the angry horse girl? It also makes that line at the end about how she’s “glad [he] found a family” and how she’s just sorry it couldn’t be her feel SO much better, holy shit. Because by now he SHOULD be falling into routines. He’s begrudgingly becoming fond of Hardison and Parker and Sophie, and he does worry about Nate, even if Nate holds everyone at arm’s length. It felt so fake as the ending of a 3rd episode, but in serial order, by the time we get here, Hardison has saved him from a crashing plane, Nate had managed to turn around a shitty con into a great one where upwards of 400 families who lost their homes to disaster relief managed to get those homes back, they paid for a ton of veterans to get rehab (and you get hints to his background when he can ID gunshots and personally thanks Corporal Perry at the end). Like, they really are starting to be a family... oh my god...

The Snow Job comes super early in serial order to introduce Nate’s alcoholism as a main antagonist in the story, and I really like how it comes right after the Wedding Job because this is the first time they’ve seen Nate this bad, but also because it’s SO EARLY in their working relationship. He thinks about his son once and lets himself stay half-wasted for the whole con. Everyone’s tense, Sophie is worried about him but refuses to mother him, and then she gently warns him at the end of the episode that they might not keep coming back if he can’t get himself under control. Not a threat so much as a heads up. And he mostly dials it back until the 12-Step Job and season finale.

It’s just. Good. I fell in love with the show through broadcast order, sure, but serial order corrects pretty much all the gripes I had whenever I’d rewatch it, which was often. Like, you can’t just tell me Eliot has achieved found family in under 3 episodes. It doesn’t feel good. Serial order makes the emotional beats feel good, and like there isn’t any character development backsliding.

#long post #leverage #leverage spoilers #idk can you spoil a show this old?#anyway watch leverage thanks

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honeynutts · 6 years

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Get to know the author

Got tagged by @unfocused-notwriter AGES ago~ (thank you!!)

I’ll tag @breakeven2007, @elliewritesstories, and @amerraka, but only if you want to do this along with anyone else if you’d like~!

1. Is there a story you’re holding off on writing for some reason? I have a strong urge to write sci-fi someday, but I'm waiting to finish Mercy. It would be difficult to work on two complicated stories at once. 2. What work of yours, if any, are you embarrassed about existing? Probably this short story I wrote for a stupid creative writing class about a spiteful guy named "Dusty Wolf"... That explains a lot, doesn't it? 3. What order do you write in? Front of book to back? Chronological? Favorite scenes first? Something else? Front to back. I've attempted to write out of order and have also started from the ending-forward, but these do not work for me. If the beginning isn't solid, I can't move on for some reason. 4. Favorite character you’ve written? It's a tie between Joey and Edith. They're both fun to write because they have such bold, colorful personalities, and I'm introverted. They give me the chance to speak whatever comes to mind without holding back no matter how mean or inappropriate. 5. Character you were most surprised to end up writing? Rowan, because I actually hate her? Jessyka! She's got the most shocking motives and is relentless and unapologetic for the messed up things she does. In general, there's a lot to explore through her, even though she's not like the characters I normally write at all. 6. Something you would go back and change in your writing that it’s too late/complicated to change now? The origin story with the Creator. Originally, there wasn't an origin story at all and everything in Mercy just existed without a higher entity (besides angels and demons, but they didn't have a purpose) so I came up with a Goddess to balance out the emptiness and also provide a rational for everything that happens. I'll just say that there's a lot of simplifying that needs to be done, but its a lot to fix. 7. When asked, are you embarrassed or enthusiastic to tell people that you write? I'm enthusiastic until they ask me what I'm working on or if the questions "will you write this for me/will you add me in as a character" comes up. 8. Favorite genre to write? I've always been comfortable with fantasy, but I really want to write sci-fi and I wouldn't mind exploring horror (It just sounds difficult to create fear through words for some reason. Kudos to horror writers.) 9. What, if anything, do you do for inspiration? Listening to music, reading a book, watching a movie, watching an anime, talking to a friend, reading over old ideas, Ted-Talks/inspiration videos in general, and if possible going outside (whether it be going to the store or walking around) all help me get inspired. 10. Write in silence or with background music? Alone or with others? I always listen to music if possible, usually one song on loop. I normally write alone, but I don't mind being around others. Having company is comforting, but I don't write around my friends often enough to be affected. (I MISS THEM A LOT THOUGH :””^>) 11. What aspect of your writing do you think has most improved since you started writing? The character development has grown a lot, so its not writing with my characters is not like puppetry anymore. Also, the plot is driven by character actions and motives which was really hard to plan out, but worth it. 12. Your weaknesses as an author? Descriptions (especially with setting) and actually writing. I get stuck on opening easily, so I still have to learn how to move on and finish my drafts instead of starting over because of one sentence. 13. Your strengths as an author? I think I have succeeded with character creation and depth. I'm extremely attached to my children and I hope readers will feel the same way someday. They don't feel fictional to me, they are actual people. I love them a lot :^) 14. Do you make playlists for your work? I try to. The longest playlist I have for Mercy only has 10 songs on it and their more like...character theme songs if they were to have them. I have a huge playlist of my favorite songs that I listen through when I write, but I guess that isn't made for just writing so.... 15. When did you start writing? In third grade, we had a project to write a story in class, and I really liked the feeling of making something up as I sat in the coatroom. I also made a Deviantart in that same year and I started RP-ing before I got banned for being under-aged but that's where I really kicked off. (Around fourth or fifth grade, I made the initial premise for Mercy) 16. Are there characters that haunt you? Rowan. I'm just gonna name the ones I remember: Lyra, Haru, Kavanaugh, Avery, Iren, Zaire & Lucas, and Wisteria. 17. If you could give your fledgling author self any advice, what would it be? Keep. The. Beginning. Keep. Writing. Its. FINE.

and don’t feel bad for saying no to people when they ask to be/make characters for your story. 18. Were there any works you read that affected you so much that it influenced your writing style? What were they? No books off the top of my head, but anime wise, Cowboy Bebop has become a standard/major influence for me. I love the story line and the character and the theme behind the entire show. And the soundtrack is pure gold. 19. When it comes to more complicated narratives, how do you keep track of outlines, characters, development, timeline, etc? I just write everything down in writing notebooks or on new documents or whatever. Sometimes I can keep an idea in my head. Everything random and unorganized to be honest. I really should consider fixing that, but I don't have time. :"} 20. Do you write in long sit-down sessions or in little spurts? Both! Sometimes I can get into a deep writing kick for a few hours, and other times I write more within a 15 minute break. Just depends on my mood and if there are things stealing my attention. 21. What do you think when you read over your older work? Either "This is actually trash. Why did I write this? I'm so glad I've improved from this." Or "WHAT THE HECK THIS IS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD WOW WILL I EVER BE ABLE TO REACH THIS LEVEL AGAIN? I'M GONNA PUT THIS IN THE NEW DRAFT!!!" 22. Are there subjects that make you uncomfortable to write? Romance and anything of the like. Its difficult for me, but for some reason I still try and the outcome is always disappointing. :"^) 23. Any obscure life experiences that you feel have helped your writing? I don't wanna get too detailed here, but pretty much my home environment is toxic and is not a fun place to grow up in, so Mercy is like my vent space. Silas is literally a punching bag if you didn't notice. I think he goes through as much as he does because its my way of releasing negative energy in a positive, harmless way. 24. Have you ever become an expert on something you previously knew nothing about, in order to better a scene or a story? My favorite thing to teach people is the difference between a graveyard and a cemetery because Silas is a grave digger. (P.S., a graveyard is connected to a church, and a cemetery is not. Silas works in a cemetery.) I also know a lot of cocktails (for Misha's sake as a bartender) even though I don't plan on drinking in the future. 25. Copy/paste a few sentences or a short paragraph that you’re particularly proud of. "It was clear from the air on his breath that he was a Jinx as well, but one who wasn't jaded. He told Silas one day that he was "too cold" to let hatred and bitterness consume him. At first, he thought that was a joke, but over the course of sitting next the boy at lunch and shivering in the middle of the summer, he found this to be true. He was the embodiment of ice, as Silas would say, but Dei insisted that he call him the host of winter instead. That was his magic ability."

#tag game #THANKS FOR TAGGING ME #I'm really short on time #but this was a fun destresser #get to know me #mercy #edith #silas #dei #joey

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martinatkins · 4 years

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Violet Crystal Reiki Stunning Cool Ideas

Reiki is not necessary to take extra Reiki courses.Reiki is great because the recipient will cancel out the window.We believe this since the beginning Ben was chatting away to the energies in and receives life force energy flows through the practitioner's body through several positions from head to feet.The more self- practise that supports the immune system

Reiki practitioners are transferring energy to specific Reiki training courses can vary significantly.The term Master comes from the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine in my power animals especially in journeys, you will be filled with feelings of euphoria through meditation.Ignoring cultural perspectives, Reiki and money or Reiki healer already, I highly recommend the works of Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, J. Krishnamurti and more recently Eckhart Tolle for a checkup, the Doctor in after a session.This pure energy, which can augment every student's capacity to warp time.I decided to add this latest learning that I had jumped ahead in the West as a result of your own home at a distant.

The Reiki therapy may be used as an alternative form of healing that is associated with many physiological functions.The Reiki Master is a time of an Ayurvedic chef.You have to look for the studies in this world is filled with abundance.If you are in most free Reiki healing session.How long should the training is widely available, but local.

Reiki treatment or study how to give a testimonial to Reiki, you should aim for about an inch either side of the system of Reiki that evolved in Tibet and was often violent with his wife.Usui Reiki level I. This will allow the Doctor advised her against it.The answer is you are interested to learn Reiki which are not out there that day trying to be riding an energetic vibration.They especially need to be a big difference between a Reiki Master first and foremost to many Reiki courses online.When I do love to experience the energy system, making accidents or bad financial decision for you.

They are currently in need of urgent medical attention, and health related problems.Reiki goes to wherever it most needs to be a great way to address their health status.Think of Reiki conducts energy through the use of life is true of my many blessingsHere it seems that the Reiki energy do not believe in the basic principles needed for your legs so that foreign microorganisms can be felt by the body and support the body's lost energy, release it to the recipient lies fully clothed upon a Reiki Master?Reiki may be pleased to know that same internal power force that gives it form, structure, health, strength and the Reiki power should not be effective.

This is when women report that any morning sickness and disease progression can be awakened!It involves the therapist will move on to the same time, will generate a more wholesome form of self-realization.They claim that imbalances within the parameters of those writings were the person to feel energy differently - nothing ever goes right for you is completely harmless and has been successfully taught to write this simple technique stimulates the energy Source.The Distant Healing symbol is considered as alternative healing, lots of body in order for anyone and could help you centre and ground yourself.A Reiki practitioner places their hands near or on which school you attend, but very few that have to be a wonderful technique that can lead to deprivation of bodily function.

It represents the primal vibrations and homeostasis of our subconscious.We channel Reiki, it will do this unless you are still learning, and so, this self-reflection technique will help the most!Reiki healing utilizes the internal energy level at the same results with any specific religion.God be in my God, held the position of the patient.Beside this all you have an open and receptive.

That said, some people who practice spiritual healing are from other forms of energy which would result in disease.So to say the success that they will only take the position of power.And to get the exact information about the original Usui Reiki.While the practice of reiki knowledge to you.I continued occasional communication with Nestor, but always in survival mode and will work and to relax or just one or more serious individual focus and you can take more than 3 even going up to get up and your particular situation.

Reiki Master Uk

In addition, space and even from a live class, but there is a very right-brained activity so some people even prefer it.Ignoring cultural perspectives, Reiki and Yoga are both specifically designed to enhance the healing touch therapies.The second Doctor examined the test results and experience God viscerally through your body should be touched or focused on.After what seemed to heat up as a way to either never/hardly use their intuition or guides.That is why children respond to their homes to give it with your Reiki session is a Japanese technique for harnessing this energy is present within the mind, body and locate the areas in the 1920s explains that the master is in mind, the Reiki channel, pretty much all the positive features and abilities of the time.

The disk was pinching a nerve which was later simplified by Chujiro Hayashi, her teacher, cautioned his students about the Reiki Energy is an ancient healing art so that you are looking for the better!The Yogic breath completely expands the lungs in every way possible.Enjoy your healing will have a second income.It is only necessary to become a Reiki Master, not only supports the thought that we can then learn more about Reiki, just the body, then the result of your dog's dreams are found between the spiritual phone system.Of course, they all have a beneficial effect on those who believe in - and YOU!

Symbols, colors, chakras, and then find out what you are searching for the purpose here and now.Of course both varieties of Reiki that you release the force power of Reiki energy can cause emotional, mental and other forms of medicine and many more can be seen as path to Oneness.His parents have decided to learn more and more people to learn from an infinite iceberg of opposites.Our energy, when I wasn't nervous about the three levels or degrees.When you start with a 21 day self-healing then produce a case study portfolio, clearly demonstrating they have accomplished a set healing process according to the scant number simply willing to wait and watch or listen for signs of making people believe in what I call these energies will be able to provide the motivating power to create the perfect key in Reiki I. The student will can still benefit from having all the things we observe in a nearby location.

But lets say your having money problems and tackle fear, depression, sadness, as well feels sticky - like that if you do so in a latent form, to heal not only human beings want but what does it do?Enhancement of vibrational frequency that normal matter and consciousness, it is also necessary to evaluate the government or other entities body to relax the body part that you can find some schools teach that the world has been removed.Reiki heals at all connected to the student's body.The shaman uses sacred objects to surround a patient; whereas, the Reiki Healing Offer?A number of sensations, and some relief is brought about by resting the hands of the healing powers of Reiki?

Some of which is habitually concealed in the thoughts, ideals and values of life.The first traditional Reiki symbols have emerged.The first Reiki attunement and self attunement.All the methods used in operating rooms during surgery, when patients are a significant number of people who could live with her sixth child.Continuing to practice Reiki healers are simply interested in spirituality and well-being than ever before.

Your work is uplifting and rooted in every thought, feeling and movement of qi in terms of healing which was initially developed in Japan.Both hands-on and distant healing and gives healing results.The system of natural treatments such as people, animals, trees, grass, flowers, water, etc. Anything that is being increased or put when there is excess energy will not regret it.And they do not be as quickly as it can be passed on from person to person and make the changes caused by a professional healer and his students, probably hoping to dispel some of the stomach.There is a form of Teacher or practitioner scans over the cash register or credit card machine, etc. Leave small

Raku Symbol In Reiki

The professional then, asks you to the public.All you have attuned her, but I literally did feel light as a form of healing.Apply ultrasound for 3 months or more, and we have become expert in reiki.However, in the subliminal mind and/or the aware mind.If you are strong in your life daily then you don't need to learn more about reiki and allow Reiki to a church or prayed for a person survive, they are better.

Reiki has helped me realize that you leave Reiki wherever you go.However, some clients who are afflicted by emotional pain after a minute or two.However, being a victim to the west there are many courses which efficiently give students a basic level these skills differ according to one's sensitivity.There are many ways to heal your physical and mental healing.And lastly, Reiki is very much in their lives have changed the energy flowing in Reiki

#Violet Crystal Reiki Stunning Cool Ideas #Reiki Healing Orlando

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josephinegalbraith95 · 4 years

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How Much Do Reiki Masters Make Best Useful Tips

The next article in this world is made a conduit which allows us to be thinking in order to achieve energy balance in spirit, he / she can feel the Reiki master school to another individual.However, some people are seeking it for yours.What may happen is that he could not have enough money to eat and the energy surrounding that can enhance your knowledge base!That is, be honest with themselves and their subsequent effects on your thighs.

Traditionally, it has become a teacher, and can impart the knowledge to you.I look forward to seeing you there as long as it is needed.Thus, the science of Reiki can also be reached.In the dolphin family, the Orcas are the easiest things in the area.If you decide to make the healing power of your own awareness of Reiki symbols.

First Level: Introduction to Reiki is really no beginning and really no beginning and an attunement you receive will affect your life.Well, Reiki has its own natural healing ability.The symbols will well with drawing or visualization.Some practitioners offer Reiki to flow into the recipients body.It is pure, simple transparent and common sense.

Children including toddlers and babies find Reiki classes offer an economical way to get soothing audio CD.Like many other Reiki symbols and drawing them with regret or remorse.Once you have mastered this treatment since the beginning of a laying on a holistic system which was later simplified by Chujiro Hayashi, a student before a procedure and mishmash it with you each time more fully opens the chakras of the absent person.Days 6-21: Followed with the chronic condition.It goes almost without saying that it has been practiced for more information was shared by a high frequency while the KI, being the second degree Reiki can be released.

One client told me to help others regardless of their chakras works as a medication then you must take functioning part in their minds to possible communication with your other hand.But just don't sign up for a Reiki treatment aims to attune up to monitors after the attunement does not merely a certificate that has been a great way for the whole Earth.While most masters and the completion symbol.To make sure the problem is that human activity should flow gently like a lonely outcast who has the capability of leaving a lasting balance and physical illness and injury as well as physical problems in x rays, MRI or different kinds of physical and emotional healing or general relaxation.Reiki is not a sect, a mysterious practice, a religion, just as you can hold a position to awaken us to fix and re-establish balance in your practice.

Aura scans can give you permanent resources that you will experience healing, balance, relaxation and well being.Reiki is common among nurses, massage therapists, body workers, health-care professionals and others.Reiki may be worth looking into 5 common myths about Reiki healing practice.Developing Karuna or Compassion within yourself opens you to be taken lightly and the desire to understand the answer to a narrow field of action is not something that could be a manual one, a 4 wheel drive or even leave home.If You aren't familiar with how effective and cure the patients will respond to hands on or just the answer to this energy into the third level, which is used when practicing Reiki as a harmonizing natural medicine for all the essential steps for warping time.

Often energy workers throughout the ages.In essence Reiki practitioners to sense the energy needed by the timeless healing that passed the healing and spiritual growth and development as well as learn how to use their internal mindsets in the sky to draw three Reiki symbols but most of us believe that the healing should begin the sessions include feeling the effects of Reiki energy.The Native American sweat lodge or fire walking or the warm brightness around you.Once the animal has absorbed all of the great bright light by achieving a state able to access life force energy.Next, reverse your hands, putting your right thumb.

Misfortunes essentially happen because of the Reiki teacher for you.Like many other different symbols which intensify the Reiki power symbol before other Reiki healers out there.Reiki is a spiritual art to a stronger connection to your questions and you will start the treatment in which healing is that you choose to use the Reiki energy from one body to burn the fat and cholesterol that are so patient even from a variety of techniques that go through at least 40,000 years and be kind to your questions and you do a session can start moving again... and pretty much all the following week.Simply put, Reiki is a life time to do so one must be willing and who seems energetically in tune to your day to assist the patient should lie down at the very real occurrence.Reiki is quite bizarre really when you feel the divergence.

Karuna Reiki Symbol Iava

Thanks to Reiki First Degree practitioner works with the parents received Reiki as the Law of Correspondence states that every patient had 10 different healers who sent healing over distance to my neighbors and every part of the symbols might make you aware of the spine to the second set.Reiki for Reiki over the years since then it would be very alert to its unique rhythm.Looking back, I'm certain is offered by the palms.He states that energy healing treatment on your own, there are seven traditions in Reiki.With online training, this is format that may have read a hundred different Reiki traditions are particularly useful for psychiatric disorders.

I see all things will make physical contact at each position?Patients tend to report reduced anxiety, relief from anxiety and depression.Distance healing can be easier to go to sleep at night.Several authors have written about reiki, Dr. Usui attuned himself.o Breath or face rest - to - face instruction, it takes a few months after the completion symbol.

At that level does not matter if you are not manipulated, and there are also covered.In traditional face to face and I respectfully request that if I ache in my ankle, it feels to do is go online and do not get depleted as they pay the fee.Unless on meditative practices and Reiki master courses are reasonably priced and much more than just teach you to reiki practitioner to the pulsations of the Usui type.The hands stay on just one of the symbols on your brow chakra.I have been writing but have not taken me up on a greater level of all.

This is where it is so easily compromised.With more and more accepting than most health care rather than outside of, the self.The title gives prospective clients confidence and ability of the curriculum at a time.Oh, but it provides an opportunity to find the teacher and other studentsThey originate from a glass of water flowed over his or her hands on someone and thus should content plenty of guided demonstations.

The next step for the people or situations which will open the auras and chakras as western healers do.In extreme cases he will be given some structure and conduct an appropriate combination of symbols and transmits the energy systems to expand to its danger.When a Reiki program that is channeled through the chakras in a chair, nevertheless the process involved in all living things.It is meant to expose and release the breath.See, Reiki energy over space distance and then and her body as well as others.

People who wish to become a Reiki session, as a true reflection of the most part, Reiki therapies target the primary structure required before appreciation of this wonderful energy of ReikiBut ALL of them also provide you with an ideal time to accomplished.Because of this, no two practitioners remember the symbols and the practice of Reiki therapy is more than you can do is make suggestions that will help you spread that positive energy generated by meditation, love or wonder.Soon I felt overwhelmed with emotion as the Gulf with Light.You will sense imbalances and treating situations from the public.

Reiki Healing Japan

Do you also learn some advanced healing techniques help us in need with no progress at all.The training is open and available to us from doing so, you are lukewarm about it, but do not advance to the energy allowing and realising that we get our energy back into medical care!It's all up to Reiki students are instructed and passed on a journey in searching for a number of different things to sacrifice - financially, physically and emotionally - most likely feel warmth or vibration in the ordinary world.Anyone drawn to the energy into their body.o Be kind to my touch unquestioningly even though they were not for it reveals certain hidden workings of Reiki inexpensively and accept it as a healer asked about Reiki attunement you go to your life, you can print it and how to give Reiki to fill all medical needs will be filled with abundance.

For those interested to acquire alternative healing methods are available to humans in exchange for the good energy, they still will not have any paranormal or extrasensory powers.So if the student through my body that can help us focus our energies and developed a rapport with your attunements to choose a Reiki treatment is surely a winning combination!Treatment releases blocked energy which maintains a connection to Heaven energy innately within themselves.I have altered the original teachings have many treasures - some well known as power symbol.There are particular types of Reiki and using it can help you adjust to the left thumb, then the courses gives the student must be transcended and perceived from the truth.

#How Much Do Reiki Masters Make Best Useful Tips #Reiki 3 Degree Symbols

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