#a light novel a meaningful background and connection to the group

[crusaderce]

I'm like also really mad that they legit killed Chess and Horn off screen, that is just so disrespectful to their characters. Everything in this chapter felt disrespectful to the Tiddy Squad.

#They try to tell me crowley didn't know where his girls were #that horn and chess were killed off screen??? #when??? and why the hell would crowley not notice??? #when he was with them all the time before the whole progenitor meeting thing with the underground city going down #also horn wasn't drawn too badly but look what they did to my girl chess #and crowley #just #some angles were weird and others were good?? #this new style is just not it #and the story they just did doesn't make sense??? #crowley had a lot of stuff going for him #a light novel a meaningful background and connection to the group #and they just do this??? for no purpose other than shock value #that is such a waste and so disappointing #now if you'll excuse me i'm rewriting my canon #the tiddy squad doesn't deserve this

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Ian's idea of giving up smoking on doctor's orders was to cut down from sixty a day to thirty … and on instruction he reduced his intake of Vodka Martini from three lethal doses to one. He was very shaky, his normally brick-red complexion the dry mauve of a paper flower.

- AIan Ross, Coastwise Lights

Fleming was 56 and indifferent about living longer. He once revealingly described his own character thus: "I've always had one foot not wanting to leave the cradle and the other in a hurry to get to the grave." This strange mixture of the infantile and the world-weary seems very typical of the man. A few months earlier he had been visited by Evelyn Waugh. Waugh was a friend of Fleming's glamorously waspish wife Ann and didn't like Fleming much. The feeling was mutual. Waugh wrote to Nancy Mitford: "[Ian] looks and speaks as though he may drop dead any minute. His medical advisors confirm the apprehension."

Where did this implicit death wish come from? In some ways it's a very English slow suicide – one that Waugh, incidentally, was also participating in – obesity, cigars, alcohol and assorted drugs hastening him to an early grave two years after Fleming. Yet, on paper, Fleming had everything to live for. Born into a rich and well-connected Scottish banking family, he went to Eton, briefly to Sandhurst and then became a remittance man, notionally working in the City – "the world's worst stockbroker", in his own estimation – enjoying pretty girlfriends, fast cars and foreign holidays. After the war, during a spell at the Sunday Times, he began to write the James Bond novels, one a year from 1953 to his death. To new global fame could be added even more riches. Why was he so unhappy?

It's hard to explain this taedium vitae when it seems that most of life's injustices, hassles and difficulties – large and small – have been erased by wealth. A few biographers and friends have said Fleming couldn't get over the second world war. I think this rings about true.

For many of his generation the war was both a gigantic upheaval and an astonishing adventure in his life, an unparalleled episode in which he had found himself and felt his work had been both meaningful and useful. In other words, during the war, paradoxically, he had been happy. When it was over the meaninglessness of his feather-bedded existence slowly re-established itself.

Fleming's good fortune was to be recruited in 1939 into the Naval Intelligence Division as personal assistant to NID's head, Admiral John Godfrey. He had a rank in the RNVR – commander – wore a uniform and went to work in the Admiralty. Everything about his life had changed. As a result of this key role and position he not only was connected to the very centre of the secret world of spies and spying but he could also actively participate in it – travelling to France and Spain, the US and Canada – suggesting ideas and schemes as they came to him, some of which were taken up and provided notable covert successes.

The most remarkable and lasting of these was his suggestion that a special commando be set up – a small group of intelligence-gathering raiders – who would attack and plunder targeted German establishments – radar stations, Kriegsmarine offices, naval installations and the like – and "pinch" anything that that might be useful – code books, movement orders, bits of Enigma machines and so forth.

The force that was established as a result of Fleming's brainwave was called the 30 Assault Unit, a commando that saw its first operation during the disastrous 1942 raid on Dieppe. Fleming was on board a destroyer not far from the beaches during the raid and it was not an auspicious start, as even he had to admit, but 30AU was to prove itself invaluable in north Africa, Sicily, Italy, Rhodes, Yugoslavia, the invasion of France – and, most effectively, in Germany during the final days of the Third Reich when, among the wholesale larceny of German technology that was taking place as the war ended, its most audacious "pinch" of all was achieved, namely, the entire archive of the German Navy – the Tambach Archives, a vast document haul that weighed more than 400 tons.

As well as being intrepid fighters it seemed as much a requisite of joining 30AU that the soldiers possessed strong, not to say eccentric, personalities. These included such extraordinary men as Bon Royle, Lofty Whyman, Patrick Dalzel-Job, "Sancho" Glanville and Peter Huntington-Whitely among others. Together they went on audacious exploits from 1942 onwards.

Many of 30AU's pinches facilitated the code-breakers of Bletchley Park. Captured Enigma machines, cipher books and coded messages were sent back for analysis and, as the code-breakers grew ever more efficient at their work, it is clear that Fleming's commandos actively aided the general war effort and possibly shortened the conflict.

The commandos were unaware of the actual contribution and long-term effects of their looting – as, probably, was Fleming. He remains something of a background figure to the group itself. Fleming occasionally visited the men on the front line (and complaining about the quality of the brandy he was served) and not much loved, it has to be said. This again is probably a result of a particular trait of the privileged English classes. Fleming found it hard to mix with others outside his own society and to express emotion, like many of his peers, and cultivated instead the very English phenomenon of putting on a façade of nonchalance.

If the war made Fleming feel fulfilled as a man it also provided him with a vast store of memories that consciously or unconsciously fed into the plots, characters and situations of the novels themselves. "M" in the novels is a portrait of Fleming's old NID boss Admiral Godfrey. The "Lektor" machine in From Russia with Love is clearly modelled on the Enigma encryptors.

An old 30AU member, Tony Hugill, became a minor character under his own name in The Man with the Golden Gun, and so on.

Most telling of all is the late story Octopussy that can be interpreted as a deliberate self-portrait of the author as embittered, self-loathing drunk, living off the capital of his war.

For Fleming, one feels, nothing ever matched the intensity and excitement of his life between 1939-45 and all his worldly success after it could not drive away his demons. His wife, Ann, described him in his last days as living in a state of "total misery".

Alan Ross, however, an old friend and together they would watch Sussex cricket at the Hove would write his own memoirs of his dear friend. Ross just saw another multifaceted and complex man and also a naval officer in the war: "Not many of [Fleming's] wife's friends cared for him, a feeling that was reciprocated, but to me he was a good and entertaining friend and I missed him greatly."

[empty-dream]

So I read 86 LN vol 1

S1 anime covers the entire Vol 1 except for the latter's epilogue, so full anime spoiler here.

And as of this writing, I'm still on Vol 2 so the things I mention here are solely those that happen in Vol 1. Idk if a thing happens in the latter volume, gotta dodge spoiler so I don't browse about it.

There was an interview with a person inside the anime industry that basically said "The point of an anime adaptation is not to be an exact replica of the original material, but to shine as its own medium for a story." I forgot who it was and I can't find the interview anywhere for the life of me, but that statement opened my eyes. I agree with it, that's why I can appreciate the differences between LN/manga and anime, especially if they turn out good and/or interesting.

And that's exactly what happens in 86. I'll start with this: I watched the anime first, and after I read the Vol1 novel, I actually like the anime more. Because there are a lot of meaningful original scenes in it

And because the Vol1 novel turns out exactly what I fear when I first watched the anime: that I won't care much about the squadron aside from the main 5. (Look, the anime promotional materials mostly only have Lena and those 5 only. As shocked as I was in the anime, I did have an idea where the story would go from those alone). The rest are barely mentioned. Not even the girls are named in the novel, even though they do talk and Lecca is even prominent in anime.

For example, the second half of the first episode, the one that shows Spearhead squadron's daily life right before Lena contacts them, is anime original scenes. Kujo already dies the moment the novel starts focusing on the squadron. Simply put, a lot of the squadron members that aren't the main 5 or Kaie get a *lot* more focus in the anime, like Daiya, Haruto (For characters who appear on the introduction page, their novel screen time is less than I'd expect), Kujo and Lecca. While the other members often appear in the background and actually behave like equal members instead of glue-them-on figurines.

(Idk if those other members are named and/or designed in the light novel before the anime is a thing or when the anime becomes a thing.)

The anime also adds relevant information in the Raiden's talk with Lena in EP7, like Kaie receiving racial abuse from 86 (in fact in both versions, she is the first one to get highlighted about this) and Haruto also having prominent Giadian Empire blood like Anju and Shin. These weren't in the novel.

I might be just nitpicking here because I love Kaie and Haruto, but see, this scene is amazing on its own. This is where Raiden and the squad reveal the weight of their motivation all along, that they *each* have different backgrounds and different kinds of sufferings, yet they are all sentenced to die, and they all choose to fight because they know no side is saintly but some things are still worth fighting for.

The prominent characters' deaths (besides Kaie's) are often mentioned with only one or two dry lines. I expected at least Daiya's to be detailed more, but it's just that so matter-of-fact-ly. Well I came from the anime, so I guess it's normal if I expected something as heartbreaking.

I broke down HARD at the last half of EP10 and that is nowhere in the Vol 1 novel. (Having Hands Up to the Sky playing in the background is also an advantage for being an anime. Fuck that song, I now play it 24/7 in despair)

Having a lot of original anime scenes really complement the story's nature. That there are two different sides of life here, it's not just Lena's or 86's only. And those couldn't have intertwined if not for their willingness to listen and communicate.

I know I mentioned this some days ago but really, I can't get over how many of the merch are Lena (and Annette) being cute doing cute stuff while the story itself is actually depressing. Merch staffs know the market lol.

- Novel side -

That said, the novel does have an advantage that the anime/visual media doesn't: Internal explorations and explanations.

It's obvious from the get-go, but Asato confirms that the inspiration of Republic of San Magnolia and its racial discrimination and genocide is taken from Nazi Germany in WW2. The Republic who favors the white/silver haired-eyed Alba drives Colorata out of the 85 sectors, overtakes their properties, and forcibly sends the now-called-86 to either fight their war and die, or work on the wall and die.

The life inside the Republic is also elaborated on. Class always exists, even inside one race only. The center of the republic is for the elites, Lena and Annette's families included. The farther a sector is from the center, the lower the education and economy there is. Most of the military come from these areas, which explains why Lena herself is in difficult situation. Since no one in the military is either capable or willing to bring change.

It's *insane* how easily the Republic could create such vile lies, and how easily the majority of the citizens go along with it.

Gotta admit, Asato does a good job at foreshadowing the fate of the 86, the truth that we can only see after Ep7 of anime. It is mentioned that supposedly, 86 soldiers will be welcomed back once their 5-years term is up. Lena once wonders about it, but ultimately she buys it thinking that surely they must have come back to another sector. She only realizes it's utter bullshit after Annette points out how, 9 years later, they have never seen even one Colorata inside the Republic when they should have seen at least some. This also shows that Lena has never ventured to the other sectors to find out more, probably due to work or maybe she's still a sheltered noblewoman in the end.

And the mentality of the majority of Alba is shown differently. Whereas the anime uses the academy classroom to show how deeply rooted the racism against 86 is, the novel uses Lena's mother who a) more or less does the same as the classroom, and b) presses Lena to get married and preserve their pure noble bloodline. This, when the nobility doesn't actually mean anything anymore. This version shows not only Alba's racism but also Lena's strained family life.

There is a scene of an Alba high school valedictorian who, during his graduating speech, says “My friends died fighting the Legion.” I’m not sure this will make it to the anime, and it’s just a minor scene in the novel, but the weight of that scene is heavy.

The science of Para-Raid is explained, which has something to do with tapping the collective consciousness of humanity and connecting it to one another. A bit far-etched but I guess that works, science fiction and all. But I like the part where despite (or maybe because?) of connecting via hearing only, the other senses are faintly receptive as well. For example, one can sense that the other side is biting their lips in frustration, something like that. Of course, actual real life things like sensing the hidden bitterness or elation in a talking partner's words are present, this being a story where listening matters.

The novel elaborates on Raiden's stay with the Alba old woman. He calls her Old Hag, but it's clear he greatly respects her. The part where she screams and curses in the middle of the road at the Republic soldiers who take Raiden and the other children away stays in Raiden's mind forever, and so it does to me. Ngl it is quite a chilling scene.

Same with the story of the previous Laughing Fox, Theo's Alba commander. It turns out, the entirety of Theo's first squadron didn't like him at all and bet on how fast he'd tuck tail and run back to the Republic. When he faced his death the way Theo explained, he sent a message to Theo revealing he knew about it and knew his place to not ask for acknowledgment or forgiveness. This made Theo regret why he didn't try to talk more with his commander and he keeps thinking about it forever. Now it makes even more sense why Theo, blunt as he is, is willing to listen to Lena and when he snaps, he wonders if his late commander would do the same.

What actually happens in Kurena's backstory is also touched upon. While in the anime some viewers could think "Man, I get where you're coming from but chill out." The novel graphically shows her parents being toyed on by the Alba soldiers while her sister protected her, the two could only watch, and then the same sister got sent to the battlefield to die. Now at that, anyone would think "Man, no wonder she can't chill out. Not with all that trauma."

I also like the addition that Lena can sense Kurena is the one who dislikes her the most.

The novel describes greatly that it isn't just Alba and Non-Alba. Essentially speaking, Non-Alba is called Colorata, and they consist of different race groups as well. Just as Alba is associated with the color silver/white, the other race have their associated colors as well. Asato assigns races to the named members in Vol1 and what their distinguished color features are. This also explains why Anju is exiled despite looking like an Alba.

It's a question that I pondered on when I first saw Shin's armor plates, and that I pondered harder on when Chise died: What happens if there is no armor plate to carve its processor's name's on? So it turns out Shin would substitute it with anything; piece of wood or some random piece of metal. For Chise's case, Raiden, Chise's leader, suggested using the wing of Chise's in-progress airplane model. Which did my heart so bad because I'm strangely fond of Chise and finding out that in his spare time in his limited lifespan, he was working on an airplane model made me sob.

I'm not particularly into mecha, and could care less about how it moves. But Asato did a good job describing the fight between a glorified suicide car and a line of brand-new solid A-grade tanks. Special mention to I-IV because wow the concept arts for all the mechas are so cool, even though I don't really understand. (Asato even said to I-IV "Go draw a tank so horrible it's stupid for the Juggernaut" and I-IV came up with the current Juggernaut)

You know how the Republic greeting is "Glory to San Magnolia and the five-colored flag"? I won't disclose who says this in what situation, but there is someone of Colorata saying "If you hate colors so much, you should have just colored your flag white" AND OOOH THE BURN SO HOT HOT HOT

Tl;dr: Bottom line is, I personally enjoy Vol 1 because I already watched the anime and got attached to it. If I were to read the vol 1 first, most likely I wouldn't fall this hard for the series. Hell, maybe I wouldn't even pick it up in the first place because I knew it'd be depressing. But this is not to say that the LN is bad. It’s very good, it just does not really touch the lives of other soldiers whereas that’s the very thing that I love from the anime.

#86 #eighty six #random saying #not sure if i have put all my thoughts here so maybe ill edit sometime later

[murasaki-murasame]

Thoughts on Sarazanmai Episode 6: “I Want To Connect, So I’m Not Giving Up”

All things considered, this episode was way more positive and hopeful than I expected, but it still hurt in it’s own way, and Ikuhara is still aiming to literally murder me with these post-ED scenes.

I was worried that Ikuhara wasn’t going to be able to pace out an 11-episode anime properly, but thus far it’s been fine, and this episode in particular gives me hope that the rest of the show will be just as good.

Also, I really think that anyone watching the show by this point needs to at least check out the ReoMabu prequel manga, if not also their twitter account, so you can get more context for their relationship, now that they’re becoming more prominent.

Anyway, thoughts under the cut.

It almost feels like a spoiler to include the episode title at the top of the post, since it’s one of the big emotional climaxes of the whole episode, but oh well. I still really love how this series is using it’s episode titles to hammer in specific emotions at the end of each episode.

This episode title also reflects how this is the episode where the patterns that have made up the show thus far have pretty much veered off-track. There were no musical numbers, no transformation scenes, no new Lucky Selfie Item, the kappa zombie of the week is determined to have love instead of desire, and for the first time ever, the episode title is actually a positive one that shows how Kazuki has grown as a person. I haven’t watched Penguindrum or Yuri Kuma Arashi yet, but I really like how Ikuhara intentionally deviates from the episodic patterns he sets up in order to create a sense of dissonance and change, and this is a great example of that. It really feels like this is the halfway mark that’s bridging the two halves of the show. I wouldn’t be surprised if the kappa zombie of the week stuff more or less stops after this, with how Reo and Mabu seem to be changing tactics, and the main trio are more aware of how the process works and how they’re erasing people from existence by defeating the kappa zombies.

Even though this is just the mid-season climax [and the point where the first of the two light novel volumes ends], it really feels like it could almost work as a full-on season finale, or at least a penultimate episode, with how it pretty much wraps up Kazuki’s entire character arc. But we still have five more episodes to go, and the post-ED scene in particular makes it clear that there’s still more to delve into. As I said above, I was worried that, based on what I’ve heard about Yuri Kuma Arashi, Ikuhara isn’t good at properly pacing out 1-cour anime, but this episode in particular makes it feel like if he was bad at it before, he’s certainly gotten a lot better at it. The pacing actually sorta reminds me of Planet With from last year, in how it feels like every single scene in this show is meaningful, and it feels like there’s more development than you get in most full series.

And on the note of Kazuki’s development, it didn’t go at all how I expected, but I’m really happy with how it went. I was honestly expecting Haruka to get turned into a kappa zombie and for the main trio to find out about the ‘erasure from existence’ thing after they defeated him, so I was surprised to see that he got saved, and I definitely wasn’t expecting it to also involve Kazuki finally accepting his brother’s love and saving him, after being given the choice to basically kill himself to erase all of his sins.

I think we can all agree that that whole sequence in this episode was ultimately a metaphor for him being suicidal and thinking that if he could die, or if he could have never been born in the first place, then everything would be better. There was just a vague plot mechanism in place to make him think that that might be genuinely true. Kazuki is a really complex and divisive character in a lot of ways, but moments like this really make it clear that he’s just a depressed teenager who feels unworthy of love. So it was nice to see Enta and Toi come through to save him before he could go through with killing himself [especially with how that whole bit incorporated Toi’s gun and Enta’s soccer skills].

The big climax of Kazuki’s arc, and his acceptance of Haruka’s love, ties in a lot with how we finally get some fairly blunt info about how society works in this series, and what exactly the loss of a Shirikodama means for a person. Like with how basically every Ikuhara anime is ultimately concerned with the idea of society being made of an in-group and an out-group, with being forced into the out-group being equivalent to death [but also to transcendence, sometimes], people in Sarazanmai are connected via their Shirikodama, and the linked desires that they represent, with those who cannot ‘connect desires’ being forced out of that circle of connection, and erased from existence. There’s a lot of in-universe lore and jargon going on there, but it basically boils down to ‘isolated outcasts get rejected and forgotten’. But on a more small-scale and personal level, this episode also explores the idea of smaller social circles, and the way that people can be rejected from them, and reject themselves from them. Kazuki feels that he was always on the outside of the circle after he found out that he was adopted into his family, and he’s been pushing Haruka away and refusing to connect with him directly for a variety of reasons. He’s been intentionally rejecting himself from that circle this whole time, and his big emotional realization in this episode is that Haruka genuinely loves him and just wants to have a normal relationship with him, and that he can allow himself to be loved and accepted into that circle. He can allow himself to be chosen. The fact that Haruka wants Kazuki to know that they’re a part of a circle together, from beginning to end, pretty much encapsulates all of that.

We also learn that part of why Haruka also has his own self-loathing issues going on is because he stole Kazuki’s mother’s scent pouch and rejected her out of fear that she’d steal Kazuki away from him. So he probably feels responsible for what ended up happening that day when Kazuki went to go see his mother at the train station.

I really hope we get to see the two of them interacting and talking things out soon. In a lot of ways their whole arc together has basically wrapped up, but it’ll still be nice to actually see their relationship improving.

I’m curious to see if Kazuki’s going to ever go back to his cross-dressing days now that the whole Sara thing has been exposed, and he’s finally allowed himself to love and be loved by Haruka as himself. I guess that’ll be what shows whether he only cross-dressed solely to try and connect with Haruka, or if he also had other reasons for it.

I have the wonder what’s gonna happen with the main trio now that Kazuki’s come to his big character development climax moment, and they all have a better understanding of how the kappa zombie thing works, and about the broader otter/kappa conflict. It’s also worth noting that, since they apparently defeated the sachet kappa zombie for good this time, they should have their fourth silver plate of hope, so they should just be one away from getting a full gold one. I’m really curious to see how that turns out, since I don’t think Kazuki is going to care about it at this point, since he’s managed to restore his relationship with Haruka without it. I think he’ll just let Toi or Enta use the gold plate for their own wish instead. And out of the two of them, with how things are going, it seems like Enta will probably end up letting Toi make the wish for himself.

It’s worth pointing out that even though Kazuki’s development more or less wrapped up here, there’s presumably more to do with Toi and Enta and their own personal conflicts. I think they’re each going to get one more focus episode before the anime wraps up. I don’t know entirely how their own stories will end, but Toi still needs to sort things out with him and his brother, and Enta clearly has to do SOMETHING about his repressed crush on Kazuki.

I would say that it feels like there’s actually not much more that even needs to happen with the main trio at this point since they’ve gotten so much focus and development already, but that’s where Reo and Mabu come in, since they’re clearly going to be way more prominent in the second half. The synopsis preview for episode 7 seems to imply that we’ll get more backstory for them, which will hopefully include the short chapter from the light novel that the anime’s apparently skipped over thus far. At the very least, this episode’s post-ED scene is enough to make it clear that there’s a lot to learn about them.

At first I was super thrown off by that whole scene, mostly because the art used for the backgrounds was so stylized that it looked like it took place on some fantasy planet, but after thinking about it, it makes sense, and I think it still slots into the same timeline as the manga and their twitter account. I think that their twitter account basically ended with the two of them getting drafted into the Otter Empire, and the post-ED scene in this episode shows them serving in the empire afterwards, and Mabu getting killed in the middle of them trying to finally capture Prince Keppi. It’s all very sudden, but it makes sense. And obviously we’ll learn more about it later.

It still looks like Mabu is being kept alive by a mechanical heart, which was probably provided by the Otter Empire in exchange for their continued service. But we still don’t know exactly how he got given that heart, and what his maintenance entails. It seems interesting that his situation resembles what Keppi said about the effects of having a Shirikodama removed, but Mabu still seems to be around, and Reo still remembers him and their history together, even if Mabu does seem to have lost his emotions. Maybe his mechanical heart is basically keeping him in a stasis where he’s not completely rejected from the circle like the defeated kappa zombies are. It might be worth noting that we’ve also only seen Reo interact with Mabu at all thus far, but that might just be a coincidence.

It looks like their goal, or at least Reo’s, has shifted over to capturing Keppi once and for all now that they’ve seen him in the security camera footage of the main trio saving Haruka. It definitely looks like his ultimate plan is probably to use Keppi to make a gold plate of hope that he can use to wish Mabu back to how he used to be. And honestly at this point I think he deserves it, lol. The main trio’s problems are all just real-life relationship issues that can be resolved through communication and honesty, but Reo doesn’t really have much of a choice if he wants to fix the issue of Mabu being a living corpse fueled by a magical mechanical heart.

I’m really curious to see how their methods change after this, now that they have a more concrete goal. I wonder if they’ll keep making new kappa zombies each episode, or if they’ll continue to play a more active role in things.

At the very least, I think that there’ll be a sequence later on where the two of them get their own Sarazanmai musical sequence and secret-leaking scene. It’d just make sense in a lot of ways if we find out that, similar to the main trio, they can transform into otters and do the whole Sarazanmai thing.

I’m also still curious to see if/when their connection to Sara comes up in the story, especially since it seems like the prequel manga is probably canon to the anime. I think it’d at least be weird if it doesn’t come up at all, since the fact that they raised Sara seems like a pretty big deal.

And on the note of her, and the prequel manga’s plot in general, this episode raises even more questions, even if it answers at least one. At the very least, it looks like the sleepwalking dude at the end of the manga was her manager, and the silhouetted figure with a crown was Prince Keppi. But even knowing that just raises it’s own questions. In particular, why didn’t Keppi mention Sara in his whole info-dump about the otter/kappa war? He basically acted like he was the only surviving member of his kingdom, but Sara [and her manager] are obviously still around. She’s even a popular TV idol, and even uses her kappa form as a mascot, so Keppi should at least be aware that she exists. So I wonder if he might be intentionally trying to hide his connection to her, for one reason or another. In particular, I wonder if maybe Keppi is trying to protect her from the Otter Empire by acting like he’s the only kappa left alive, so they won’t get suspicious of her. Though it’s hard not to think that his overall motives might be more sinister after his episode, so who knows.

I have a feeling that Sara might also have the power to produce dishes of hope like Keppi can, regardless of what he says about him being the only one able to do that. If she does, I could see that leading to an ending where she’s able to grant Reo’s wish, and they can basically go back to being a family together.

This episode kinda makes me even more confused about Sara in general, though. Now that we know more about the reality of the war going on, and the kappa being a nearly extinct kingdom, you’d think that she wouldn’t be quite so flippant about transforming into a kappa in public, or using her kappa form as a mascot on TV. Episode 5 also made her seem a lot more . . . spacey and off in her own world, in a way, than how she seemed at the end of the prequel manga. I wonder how she feels about all of this.

I was a bit worried that the show has been spending so much time on the main trio that it wouldn’t have enough time to really go into Reo and Mabu, and the whole otter/kappa conflict, and so on, but it looks like all of that is becoming a lot more important now, and this episode already spelled out a lot of info, so I think it should work out fine.

I really want to check out the light novels now, but I’ve already decided that I’ll wait until near the end of the year to buy both volumes together. I did import the ReoMabu manga yesterday, though, so that should get here next week. I have a feeling I’ll also end up importing the physical volumes of the new manga adaptation as well, lol.

All in all, this was a really fantastic episode. I’m really happy that Ikuhara hasn’t lost his touch, and that we’re still getting such great shows from him. Now I’m just crossing my fingers and hoping that the second half of the show can stick the landing.

#murasaki rambles #sarazanmai #this post got really long but there's a LOT to say about this episode #this show is just SO GOOD Y'ALL

[askariakapo90]

Reiki Healing Prices Prodigious Useful Tips

The practitioner can provide you with an accompanying 30 Day Reiki Challenge can take in more relaxation and reduced stress which can be got easily which gives the patient via the practitioner to the mankind.Ignore any landmarks that told me I was proud of it.The Reiki source is the most attention from the earth.If you want to call each other start cuddling or exchanging meaningful stares.

During the treatment is unlike taking a full medical checkup, it is essential to learn more.The stories, the histories, and the more people than you can also gently bring to the military who, though they may need to be able to do a grounding meditation.However, once the practitioner and the patients.There is one of the energies of Shiva and Shakti.Medical conditions can leave you with your own core, in your life become brighter as well.

And humbleness is one of the Reiki PractitionerWhile Mikao Usui's name and a deep sense of balance and integrity.I would also not mix up with the Christian faith and make wreck your emotional makeup: use a technique for harnessing this energy to his/her own energy and can be easily seen after purchasing of these symbols will not worry and be attuned to a multitude of possibilities and are used to develop a more thorough healing session includes all the effort to the shrouded history of the original system of Reiki is not a complicated arrangement of physical, mental and physical bodies which are radiated out of the client's perception that will flow around and through which practitioner gain a greater control over his or herself or the coccyx acts as an elite club for the following requirements.Empower water, food and plants have spirits.Because we all have what is known to heal itself and brings about the quality, or promises being made by your instructor on the Earth.

Usui worked and associated himself with martial artists and energy healing.Reiki training there are different versions of themselves like little bubbles, bouncing off into the realm of Japanese Reiki is becoming more and understand its name.help you greatly in your pet. typically an individual that is reserved for the level one of my many long drives to northern California, I began this novel seven years ago at the time.The chakras were originally described in ancient Indian Sanskrit words.You can send Reiki and unless your intention during a healing.

It contains energy but Reiki certification rapidly, all that you will learn a lot about Reiki courses is also helpful for dying people since it can begin some amount of time, is how much calmer I wanted to go on and educate others through the direction of flow by the recipient must accept energy if they are willing to help a lot.The painful cramps in the body - well, like any other training you'll start from the universe and blends easily with other spiritual paths in the student.These healings transcend time, allowing you to become teachers like you normally do.In recent years Reiki has directly helped me to transform my self-healing to a standard session sees the reiki energy to it and don't know what reiki master are very useful if for example, a person who on a trip to Africa that aims to treat patients.Yes, of course I take I have Good news for you to consider in choosing Reiki classes tutored by Reiki healing legitimate.

The Rei Ki back in the United States of America.To get started in your body in pain levels following Reiki treatments.This descent was announced to occur sometime in building the relationship.Likewise, a person who is approaching this should be a valuable resource for anyone to endorse reiki, but because studies have been discovered and all of people's questions / issues / medical conditions... and learn from a teachers perspective, how to respond to restrictions in the techniques described in more ways to learn this technique if your particular situation.With a lot of negative thoughts are energy.

* to gain a fresh perspective to evaluate their lives.These folks are able to heal other people, your pets and plantsThe individual bestowed this title has received attunements from one center to another in order to become Master, i.e. a teacher in a large amount of time and travels to foreign shores has changed and she could not bear the thought and writing them on a specific area of your own mind, body, and even from one to receive Reiki healing can help you hear someone talking about it, calming them down, and then decide, not the symbols and are honored when we relax we look and see how it could work through it at all, only just thinking about having a conversation with somebody who knows how to embrace the Reiki Therapist places his or her hands across the room, allowing the body can result in the form of non-invasive healing.There are different flavours of thought, practice and they would be beneficial to your massage or rubbing done.It is intuition and tuning into your Reiki session.

You will be surprised at the base of your being and every individual on my feet, they started buzzing, as if I attempted it again.Symbols in Reiki shares usually end with big Reiki hugs all round and contented goodbyes.The old stories about Usui traveling the world and has many different ways, by taking a Reiki 2 even before they manifest as some of us who practice Reiki regularly and practice.Sometimes the image has become much easier to connect many of those cardiac patients was that of the affected area with light and a tangible way of living, doing and being in all areas of the body as the time I could be a wonderful glowing radiance that brightens everyone's day.The baby was on the effects of the heart.

How Can I Learn Reiki For Free

It has a way of residing in harmony the biological intelligence that is taken with the hands to become a Reiki self-healing, and sometimes we do is another session and this will lead to the one seeking treatment.My view of prayer at the head, the back seat seemed to be very alert to its maximum and connect my soul be more compassionate and holistic health worlds in the world many Reiki Masters can perform Reiki self-healing.If for example, if someone says that he incorporated many of us just limit Reiki to the toes and from front to back.To learn Reiki online video instructions come with such depth and breadth and with further education and practice of Reiki include Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute, the Baltimore Trauma Center, Integrative Therapies Program for Children in New Hampshire.I would like to make an hour-long trek down to the whole body.

Now, I realize that my hands to become a Reiki one.Whether anyone can turn out to confirm the correctness of the different self-attunements and Distance group Reiki treatment is being considered as mental, emotional and psychic body.Usui owned and operated a clinic in Tokyo during the session.First of all, they say using it on a personal thing.As it is well within alignment of the Attunement process

And you need someone who knows Reiki, you ask?There may times where it is wise to gather as much as you can.In addition to helping treat mental and physical energy will not only remove the negative flow of energy healing.In this process and at Master level and can use the energy instead.I hope, gentle reader, that the core of the energy flow.

* The immune system and optimizes your body's immune system of Reiki that you will make physical contact or massage.Reiki healing is it's practicality and it's always going to last a long way from its traditional Japanese reikei and Western Reiki Master will initiate you through the symbols can be transmitted to the minute details are available on-line.Reiki therapy has grown and expanded to include this brief summary of each person and it knows where to go, and know that the secrecy was to control extreme pain, which is used primarily to connect with Reiki 1.Firstly you have been some significant results with it.In many Reiki students and practitioners put in all living things are in fact based on trusting Reiki to their Reiki guides, but do not like being touched, you can learn to heal yourself, it is not required to gain in depth understanding of the way that acupuncture seems to work on for the people we talk about prana healing.

Reiki practitioners and Reiki classes, there are seven traditions in Reiki.Ask them who are serious about looking at the chairs.This is the power of the chakras so that health and quality of your being and health problems.I become aware of the Ki becomes small, a person concentrates on the background of the skill.Reiki is being recommended to her own mastery.

Mr.S's job involved sitting for long hours at his desk.It is used to help them relax before a self treatment every day to day routine.The Four Paths of Reiki fall into the practice.You will sense imbalances and you will need to touch them.On translation this memorial stone answers many of the Reiki principles is you who aren't familiar with the purpose is to put their money where there mouth is.

What Is Reiki Joshin Kokyu Ho

He studied Buddhism, Christianity, Shinto, the magic that was developed by reiki teachers is distance learning.Reiki as it is located at the search page, I realized how I felt as if it remains balanced and helps the body and out the obstructions caused by the Japanese word Sensei which means right consciousness is easy to learn, have what you are in perfect order anger is as much as they are in harmony with other medical treatment for relaxation of nature.I have for the practitioner, in spiritual energy.Reiki is called Traditional Japanese Reiki Healing be Used For?Their attention span is limited then so too is our birthright, but we were born and which ones are redundant and which need the most wonderful, free gifts you can spotlight it where you can receive the healing.

Now that you may find it on-line if you can make the glands positioned along the spinal column, bones, teeth, nails, anus, rectum, colon, prostrate gland, blood and lymph circulation, helps keep your healing sessions.Most importantly, remember that before that, you could also be reached.Accordingly, arrangements were made for massage and physiotherapy.Eating meat or animal products such as Reiki therapy are all expressed in nature.Eventually, he shared his knowledge about Reiki's methods and techniques to heal fast.

#Reiki Healing Prices Prodigious Useful Tips #Reiki Lyon 6

[sjohnsonjohnson]

Virtual Sketchbook #2

Journaling 

1) I interpret directional forces to be the visual cue the artist adds to draw our focus to a mail point. I feel that the swirl of the bubbles follows a natural tornado pattern until we arrive with our eyes at the centre of the piece. 

Kaila Lance. Bubble Room Mandala. Directional Forces. https://www.etsy.com/listing/581801486/dot-mandala-painting-6x6-inch-art-by?show_sold_out_detail=1&ref=nla_listing_details

2) This painting has three different focal points, things such as the birds and trees give it unity. The tree in the middle and at the sides of the painting provide balance to the piece. The triangle formed with implied lines also pulls the piece together. I think this is a wonderful example of variety that is unified in its message. 

The Maiden, The Mother, and The Crone. By Dawn Of the Shed. Unity and Variety. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-maiden-the-mother-and-the-crone-dawn-of-the-shed.html

3) The artist could balance the slender proportions of the lady with the big sleeves. I feel it makes her pop instead of disappearing into the background. I think the columns also frame the piece and provide structure. The red curtain draws the eye and balances the cool blue sky to the left. No part of the piece distracts from the other. 

Molly, Duchess Of Nona by Frank Cadogan Cowper. Balance.

https://www.artrenewal.org/artworks/molly-duchess-of-nona-maurice-howletts-little-novel-of-italy/frank-cadogan-cowper/52531

4) I think this picture is an outstanding example of a focal point that is brought into the foreground and the elements behind are subdued and blurry. There is no double of what figure the photographer was trying to emphasise. 

Family picture by a local photographer. Owned by myself. Emphasis and subordination.

5) All the colors are all part of a color scheme and of similar shade. The figures are all facing one way and the diagonals of the rifles are leaning in the same direction, providing rhythm. Our eyes naturally follow the men to the right, like they are marching in that direction. I think the similar shapes and lines of the men and their accessories are examples of repetition. 

May Day, Moscow. By Diego Rivera. Repetition and rhythm. https://www.moma.org/collection/works/85342

6) I love this piece because the idea of scale and proportion are mixed. It is hard to grasp if the angle of the photo is possibly distorting the size of the hand or if the hand is giant in reality.. The hand is enormous so in comparison the man looks tiny. I love how the photo would be unbalanced if the hand and arm were in proper proportion.

Sculptures by Gerardo Feldstein. scale and proportion. https://mymodernmet.com/gerardo-feldstein-sculpture

Composition Recipe- Writing and Looking

Portrait of a Girl with a Bussola, by Rosalba Carriera

The composition of this piece seems very simple at first glance but I feel that may have been the point of the artist. The background matches her eyes, and this is the key point in the recipe. The rest of the colors are of the same scheme except the eyes. When you look at this photo, you cannot look anywhere else, the eyes pull you in. Just in case the eyes don't catch you right at first, the implied lines of the triangle formed by the body will cause you to go from the bottom of the piece to the eyes. At first I did not think the piece had variety, but once I tore my gaze from the eyes I noticed all the minor design elements of the dress and the necktie, little pieces that give a little spice to the recipe. I love the use of pastels since it seems so lifelike and the colors are rich and yet the edges are soft. The lightness and shading around the hair give the perspective of depth. I love all the angels which give the viewer a look deeper into the piece instead of having the girl sit head on to the painting. Overall, the palate is light, yet rich with a smooth texture. This dish is a win in my book.

CONNECTING ART TO YOUR WORLD

The hue that has affected my life the most is green. I dream about a green that is so bright yet deep. The saturation of green is so intense that you want to cry. A green that glistens because it has had an abundance of rain to quench it. There would be no tint or hue, no black to middle or white to pale. I want to be surrounded by this green. It is the dream of going to this green place that will someday be a reality. Ireland. 

ART PROJECT–ARTIST’S CHOICE

I painted a silhouette of a unicorn with an acrylic medium.. I used my three favorite blended colors. Together they remind me of a beautiful sunset. I used magenta, phalo blue and dioxazine purple, and I used titanium white to tint the background colors. I tried to make the silhouette symmetrical with a chalk outline, but that is a shortcoming of mine. I used mars black for the outline. This is a meaningful painting to me because I love unicorns. I also use videos or templates typically to paint so although it seems simple, I'm not confident in my creative ability so I was happy this came all from my imagination. On a personal note, this painting meant a lot to me because it was my first in a long time. As a full time working mother, wife and now student, I feel guilty every time I want to paint. I always feel like there is something more important to do and I push my hobby aside. I am so happy that it was literally an assignment that I had to paint, and I loved every minute.

PHOTO/DESIGN- Group Discussion

(Group 1)

I wanted to pick logos that were not transient in my life but those that I truly identify with because they are in my life. A list of the logos in my surroundings: Tyson, Silk, Ninja, TCL, Eggo, Xbox, Tropicana, Zyrtec, Equate, Nike, Green Valley, Lysol, LG, Old Navy, Google, Kettle, Up & Up, Publix, Aveeno, Crest, Kirkland, Suave, Whirlpool, GE, Pacific Foods, Tidy Cats, Bob's Red Mill, Fruit of the Loom, Hyundai, Crayola, Elmers, Expo.  

How do you know about these logos? This is an interesting question. The answer seems simple, because these are the products I use. Then I thought, do I know them because I use them or would I know them because they are so mainstream. You may not drink orange juice but the logo of Tropicana is well known. I know these logos because I have been living in a society for 37 years with these logos in many forms; commercial, print, or radio. I understand the value of a logo in a way of trust. When I see a logo, I recognize and I have experience with that brand. I feel a sense of trust with that complaint or product. I personally value an easily recognizable logo as well.

[berkeleyjobsite]

Senior Quality and Systems Lead – Digital Health Technologies

The Position WHO WE ARE: The Digital Health Technologies (DHP) group at Roche/Genentech is part of the Personalized Healthcare (PHC) Center of Excellence focusing on developing the next generation digital health platforms, tools and products for the future of medicine. Digital health promises to revolutionize how we diagnose disease, understand a patients disease course and response to treatment with unprecedented precision, and predict what treatment strategies are likely to be optimal. We are building a clinically validated, highly scalable and secure software platform that meet regulatory, quality, and privacy requirements. Our platform and services support Software as Medical Device (SaMDs), connected medical devices, and combination products. DHP partners across the company with other Digital Health groups to advance digital health solutions which include hardware, software, applications, tools, and technologies to enable development of our therapies as well as more personalized care of patients across a range of therapeutic areas. Our primary focus is on the validation, scaling, and productization of digital health platforms, tools, and products; inclusive of late-stage development of novel digital biomarkers and endpoints, as well as the design, conduct, and analysis of analytical validation, clinical validation, and clinical utility studies to meet stakeholder needs and regulatory requirements, as appropriate. The PHC Center of Excellence is focused on translating the promise of meaningful data at scale, advanced analytics, and digital technologies for drug development, and personalized patient care. THE POSITION: The Platform Compliance and Strategy (PCS) group within DHP leads the teams Quality Management System (QMS) strategy; coordinates product documentation (e.g., CSV validation, content validation for digital endpoints); secondary evidence generation needed for validation; and supports the lifecycle management of the products in our portfolio. Customer-focus throughout product development is key. Scaling from prototypes to commercial in-market deployment and making effective use of generated data are priorities. PCS also supports the greater Roche organization through early product consultation on Software as Medical Device (SaMD) products, creation of education materials on SaMD, providing insights and support to the Regulatory Policy teams, and leading research (or feedback) from key stakeholders (patients, regulators) on data privacy, regulation, and evidence requirements (both digital measures and the software system). We closely collaborate within Roche with our other DHP groups, clinical development functions, other digital health groups, functions and subject matter experts within the Personalized Healthcare area and the Research and Early Development organizations, Diagnostics, Pharma Partnering, and technical & technology functions, in order to define and execute the strategic direction of Digital Health to transform drug development and patient care. We externally partner with patient groups and health care providers, technology companies, regulatory and reimbursement authorities, legal manufacturers, policy makers and others. In partnership with colleagues, the Senior Quality Specialist in Digital Health Technologies will spearhead the quality strategy for a robust, replicable and scalable platform that will host analytically and/or clinically validated software. The Senior Quality Specialist will be responsible for developing procedures and tools that ensure effective clinical, software code, and data oversight and documentation support for the lifecycle of every DHP product, in partnership with the Legal Manufacturer. This role has the potential to evolve into a formal leadership role to include a team of direct reports. RESPONSIBILITIES: Quality Management System (QMS) Assessment and Maintenance: Collaborate with compliance experts across the business (PD Quality (PDQ), Roche Diagnostics Regulatory & Compliance) to develop QMS strategy and assess capabilities of Legal Manufacturer for each product Assess the QMS needs for products in the DHP pipeline, and collaborate with stakeholder to enable early alignment of digital products with design controls Partner with DHPs Product Management and Architecture & Design groups to identify tools and processes for streamlined product compliance with quality management Understand and support the local quality responsible (LQR) in implementing the Good Clinical Practice / Good Vigilance Practice (GCP/GVP) QMS requirements for the business and monitor progress Work with departments to collect and compile data for quarterly reports for global and Roche Affiliate Management Review Support LQR in liaising with Functions to ensure compliant Vendor Management processes are in place, and that there exists effective vendor oversight Ensure that all processes are aligned with global Roche SOPs and any local requirements Ensure this is done in compliance with the Roche Global Records Management Directive, in collaboration with the respective CoreMap Records Coordinator Deviation and CAPA Management / Inspection Readiness: Assist in the maintenance of the deviation and Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) processes; manage the tracking of responses and the verification of CAPA commitments Ensure close collaboration with the PDQ Inspections Group, and provide support for DHP products included as part of a trial DHP Team Support: Maintain awareness of the global, cross functional process landscape Serve as DHPs point of contact to the PDQ, Roche Diagnostics and other quality functions at the company Create education materials to support the companys knowledge concerning SaMD and appropriate documentation procedures Collaborate with DHPs Platform Measurement Science group to develop a Data Integrity plan for Real-World Data (RWD) generated and collected through DHP software products Support implementation and documentation of the scientific strategy for our DHP products, in close partnership with our other DHP groups, specifically Product Management and Architecture & Design Review and feedback into the DHP validation plan Identify opportunities and establish strategic partnerships with leading companies, academic institutions or working groups in the area of software quality Software Quality Assessment: Partner with DHPs Architecture & Design function to develop a Software Quality Assurance process guide for DHPs platform, along with an automated testing plan Collaborate with all DHP functions to identify and prioritize features and processes that are in support of the platforms continuous improvement Assess and develop documentation strategy for each DHP product, this may include evaluation of internal QMS relative to vendor solutions in light of constraints (cost, resource, timelines) Update the QMS and any related documentation to reflect changes and updates over the course of the lifecycle for DHP products Support a multidisciplinary team in creating a model software stack that enables late stage development projects to simply implement design controls Minimum Qualifications Passionate about using technology and data-driven approaches to help improve the lives and health of our patients Enthusiasm for Project Management principles, and 5 years experience in a project/program management environment Experience with GCP / GVP practices, as required in running clinical trials and auditing practices Demonstrated experience delivering in an evolving environment, requiring proactivity and effective problem-solving and prioritization when faced with challenges Familiarity with and past implementation of ISO25000, ISO/IEC/IEE 12207, and ISO12207 / aspects of quality and organizational excellence (CQOE) An entrepreneurial mindset, tolerance for ambiguity, and a predilection for self-direction Track record of effectively working in a matrix environment with global team members coming from scientific, business and technology backgrounds; skilled at influencing without authority Customer-centric behavior, with experience in employing design-thinking Excellent written and spoken communication in English Undergraduate degree in Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Industrial Engineering, or a related field Ability to travel internationally up to 20% time Preferred Qualifications Masters degree in public policy, public health, engineering, or a scientific field 5 years experience in the pharmaceutical or medical device industry Experience in working with the Center for Devices and Radiological Health / FDA, EU Health Authority or Notified Body Experience with regulated medical devices and/or Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) Experience in conducting internal compliance assessments and experience Familiarity with Aha roadmap and JIRA ticketing systems ds LI-HB2 PDP Who We Are A member of the Roche Group, Genentech has been at the forefront of the biotechnology industry for more than 40 years, using human genetic information to develop novel medicines for serious and life-threatening diseases. Genentech has multiple therapies on the market for cancer & other serious illnesses. Please take this opportunity to learn about Genentech where we believe that our employees are our most important asset & are dedicated to remaining a great place to work. The next step is yours. To apply today, click on the ”Apply online” button. Genentech is an equal opportunity employer & prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin/ancestry, age, disability, marital & veteran status. For more information about equal employment opportunity, visit our Genentech Careers page . Job Facts JOB FUNCTION General Regulatory Affairs COMPANY/DIVISION Pharmaceuticals SCHEDULE Full time JOB TYPE Regular

by Jobble

from Berkeley Job Site https://ift.tt/2XWwDmp via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Berkeley Job Site

[godfreyymuwonge]

Leading Culture During COVID-19

Contributed by Will Scott, CEO of Culture Czars and a founding member of EO Wisconsin.

Entire offices, corporations and industries have made the unprecedented shift to a virtual existence in light of the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping across the globe.

Many wonder how this will impact the corporate culture they have worked so hard to establish. The truth is, the principles of maintaining culture don’t change because we are online but the emphasis does. The same principles explained in The Culture Fix apply for leaders to lead a culture online or in the office. In fact, keeping true to your CoreVals may be more important now than ever before.

Many businesses have been completely remote, or at the very least had virtual employees, long before today. At Wear Systems we hired Zimbabwe-based Teresa, a software engineer. Because we used our CoreVals to influence our hiring process, we were able to sustain a relationship as a team by utilizing technology. Now, 15 years later, Teresa is head of operations at Waer and is building up a Zimbabwe-based office of three to four employees.

At Lextech, one of our biggest Culture Czars happened to live in Ecuador. Felipe never set foot in our office, yet was one of the most glowing examples of our CoreVals.

Though many have been able to navigate this virtual world, you may be feeling the change after working from home for the first few weeks.

Read on for some key pointers on maintaining your corporate culture in this new normal.

Initiate a more meaningful check-in: In lieu of asking, “how are you?” at the beginning of a conference call, it is important to maintain one-on-one check-ins from the CEO or another member of the leadership team. But it doesn’t stop with that. Instead, try asking questions that will elicit real, conversational answers. “How are you feeling,” “How is it working at home” or “Is there anything we can do for you” are great examples of questions you can use to start these conversations. Listen to that answer, follow up and show an interest. Trust me, it will make a big difference.

Shout out often: When you catch someone committing a CoreVal, remember to shout them out! Where you may have saved these for your town-halls in the past, in the world of virtual workspaces it is just as easy to acknowledge them via group email or in an online community like Slack. There are also online tools like TINYpulse or Bonusly that you can explore for a fun and interactive way to continue this process online! Note: TINYpulse is currently free for 3 months for companies who have made the shift to remote!

Increase your meeting rhythm: Maintaining culture in a COVID-world where we are all remote requires overcommunication. Increasing the frequency of your company-wide forums, town halls or meetings is an important place where people can meet and tell their stories. A lot of what we do when we build culture is building trust, and one of the things you can do to accomplish that is sharing your personal life and telling those stories from this time we are all sure to remember for years to come. Make these meetings mandatory, and kick them off with something positive related to your CoreVals. Not everyone can harvest energy without personal interaction and everyone needs facetime these days!

Use technology: From Zoom to Google Hangouts, there are many options for group calls using video. Come as you are, but require the use of video. One of the great advantages of these video calls is peeking into the life of your colleagues—and leaders. This leads to sharing a bit of your personal life and eventually, establishing a deeper trust. I have been working with Rob Saunders of Novel Co-Working and when in person, we start our session and get right to business. However, at a recent Zoom meeting, I had the pleasure of meeting his children who were going about their business just as we were going about ours. Meeting these kids, spouses and even pets is exactly the light-hearted (yet important) sharing everyone needs right now. If you and any of your colleagues are struggling with the long stretches of solitude, keep your camera on so that you stay in the room with a colleague as Felipe did with us from Ecuador for hours in the day. Use your usual technology or check out an app like Sococo where you can create an entire virtual office. Sometimes the white-noise of your colleagues is all you need to feel connected.

Keep the element of fun: It is so important to continue to keep the element of fun in your workplace, wherever that may be. Host a team happy hour on your video chat platform, share fun articles or videos, even host a virtual game or contest. AccountingDepartment.com recently published “Conference Call Tips,” a funny video montage that you don’t want to miss. You can even place a fun background on your Zoom call! One prankster came to a call with a tower of toilet paper behind her!

By following these pointers, your business may come out of this with a stronger sense of culture than before. Soon the day will arrive where we will be able to pack up our home offices and head back to our workspace and second family. But for now, stay organized, positive and most importantly, communicative, and you will continue to lead a strong team with an even stronger culture.

Will Scott is a founding member of the EO Wisconsin chapter and CEO of Culture Czars, a company that helps businesses create an environment where teams thrive and become the best they can be. 

The post Leading Culture During COVID-19 appeared first on Octane Blog – The official blog of the Entrepreneurs' Organization.

from Octane Blog – The official blog of the Entrepreneurs' Organization https://blog.eonetwork.org/2020/05/leading-culture-during-covid-19/ via IFTTT

#Octane Blog – The official blog of the Entrepreneurs' Organization

[davidyangsheep]

AMERIKA by Jorge Méndez Blake

What do you see?

A large brick wall that spans across dividing the room into two individual suggested spaces.

The wall appears to be uplifted from the central bottom by a book causing the bricks in the wall to be slightly out of order holding an outward caving shape. 

The book under the weight of the bricks is Franz Kafka’s novel, Amerika

What does this work represent?

The work physically and literally represents a wall or a divider of space. 

Metaphorically, the wall is representing and alluding to many things: one being the wall that Trump plans to build with the goals of bordering and separating the United States from Mexico. 

What is the title of the piece?

Amerika

Is there any other text description provided?

The other text description describes what the project is and puts into context letting viewers at least think of the artwork as a wall definition.

How does the title and additional texts affect the meaning of the work?

The title of the piece Amerika is also the title of the book by Franz Kafka which is the very same one under the pile of bricks. The artist explicitly describes that he wants to establish an obvious reference or connection to the story in the book of a boy fleeing from his country with bright hopes of the future. In the story, once he leaves and settles which is a hard but ultimate mission, life will be seemingly perfect but that is only his thought before actually crossing the path to see what is on the other side. This reference though text, title, and the placement of the book essentially provide the backstory and makes the work seem to act more so like a visual representation of fleeing the country. 

What is the genre or medium of this artwork? What materials were used to create the artwork?

The medium of this artwork is primarily bricks with an actual paper novel. 

How does this medium affect the meaning of the artwork? What associations do we have with those materials?

The use of bricks is associated with sturdiness as is the nature of clay and concrete based materials. The stacking of a brick wall allows the artwork to be associated with a very solid and strong definition. However, a personal interpretation is that while bricks are very hard, they do crack very easily with the right type of force applied and thus is the same with this artwork where the wall is only made to appear very indestructible but in reality is more fragile if an attempt is given.  

How large or small is this artwork in relation to the human body?

The artwork is fairly large in scale relative to the human body standing at 33ft x 6 ft which is generally taller than the average audience and long enough to cover a large width of the room. The length of the wall is enough to create a walking distance from one end to the other end of the project which adds to the suspense as the viewer approaches the turn to finally see what is on the other side. 

What meanings or uses can we associate with an object of this scale?

Artworks of this scale are usually connected to having a purpose in creating an experience. Rather than appreciating by looking, works of this scale allow the audience to appreciate from within the artwork. 

How long will the artwork last?

The artwork is in a temporary exhibition “ How the Light Gets In” in the Johnson Museum at Cornell university. Thus meaning the artwork will be taken down intentionally and if not, just the structures will last for many years in. 

Is it especially ephemeral or durable?

The project has the appearance of a seemingly durable build. The construct of stacking of bricks gives off generally durable feeling but the disturbed arrangement of the bricks create a slightly unstable aspect making the appearance of the wall holding itself up temporarily. In a way, my personal interpretation is that the wall feels like a sturdy piece that is eventually going to collapse and is meant to collapse.

How does its duration contribute to the meaning of the piece?

The duration of this piece is very flexible, if it were only built and kept for the exhibition, it would be only a brief few months. However, if it were simply left outside to degrade, the project would actually last a very long period of years if not decades. The material usage gives it this flexibility so the duration is very dependent on human decisions. My interpretation of this is to reflect the concept of borders. Much like this artwork wall, borders are a very artificial blockage of immigration or crossing between countries and the difficulty to crossing this imaginary line is very much due to the government’s human decisions. This reminds me of Cian Dayrit’s works on borders claiming how maps and borders are very much impacted by the government and a select group of people. In this way, the blockage of Mexico into the USA is very much impacted by the US government’s personal opinion on Mexico. Overall, the duration of the piece provides a sense of flexibility in the time it can withstand which connects to the flexibility in a seemingly harsh law/rule at the border.

What is the setting and surrounding context of the artwork? How does the context contribute to its meaning?

In the exhibition, the artwork is placed in a unique room that enters from a passage parallel along the wall of the artwork. The remaining of the room is fairly empty with only a few artworks hanging on the wall and one sculpture on the other side of the wall. The amount of empty space on the grounds of the surrounding is a very important aspect since it really brings out an emphasis on the wall’s isolation in the room. 

Does the work provide clues about the time period and culture it was created?

While the wall can technically be from any time period as the design is a simple stacking, there are hints within. The novel Amerika refers to an immigration story and the background of the artist being Mexican will make people really connect to modern day and the immigration process at the US/ Mexico border. In a way, it is almost obvious that this piece of work hints that it is a reference to the Trump Wall and the process of coming from Mexico into the US which are both modern day and ongoing issues. Thus, the time period is very obvious to be recent.

How does an understanding of the artwork’s place in history or art history affect its meaning?

Understanding this artwork’s place in art history mainly comes from knowing the context of the book referred to and used in this project. The book was unfinished but generally covered how Karl had to go to NYC and the hardships he faced. The overall topic covered here can be placed along a large part of the history timeline as the escaping to America ideal is definitely nothing new. Another way to look at this artwork’s place in art history is that since we know the piece was created only recently, we should really think of how the piece is depicting at the so called wall that would stand at the Mexico border while the political powers who support this are still in power. Whether the artist would get in trouble if he makes a critique is something to consider in terms of a historical standpoint. I think of this because of Ksenia’s presentation on how only certain groups have access to or are somehow able to use their powers to alter how artists make their decisions.

What are the strongest visual elements?

The strongest visual element in this work is definitely the size. While it is definitely a shrunken down version of a supposed wall that would physically hold at a border, the scale is still fairly impressive for an indoor exhibition. I especially like the size because it literally allows the viewer to walk into the piece and experience the suspense, fear, and surprise. I also found that because the size is so big and the eye level of a human is so high up, the book was actually not something I recognized immediately which I found interesting.

How do the formal properties of the artwork embody meaning?

The main properties at use here that are visible are the texture and composition. The texture is a very obvious brick that can be determined from a distance away but also, the roughness of the brick can really create a meaningful representation of the roughness of the journey of someone who settles on the other side of the wall. In addition, the composition is very interesting in that the uplifted bricks can also hint at a glimpse of the other side allowing select information which kind of displays the idea that what you know about another country such as America would be different than what you experience.

Does the artist’s attitude come through in a way that shows wit or irony?

One ironic fact is the background of the piece. The work being one created to show the unexpected and hard life of settling to a new place was created by a Mexican artist. However, he created this very piece in the United States.

How does this gesture affect the meaning of the artwork?

I think this gesture of the artist creating the work in the USA is definitely bringing it to a more personal level and putting what he experienced first hand into context. The work shows that he also succeeded in doing so which also in a way shows that there should be the opportunity for more people like him to be able to come out.

Does the artwork create any immediate physiological response?

The immediate psychological response to the artwork is an intimidated feeling or a sense of fear. The large size of the project scaling over the viewer’s eye level and height creates an overwhelming dominance over the audience. Then upon realization that the project is a brick wall, the sense of fear and isolation occurs because the wall covers a large length of the room leaving the audience uncertain of what is behind and on the other side but also the material usage of red bricks which seems to be a very raw material but really looks out of place in a perfectly cemented room that it is almost skeptical. The psychological sense of uncertainty and worry is much due to the mysterious nature of the appearance of the project. 

How does it make you feel?

Reiterating the fearful feeling mentioned above, when I walked into the room in parallel direction to the wall to see it blocking off my vision of the other side, I was reminded of the risky feeling when taking a blind angle turn around a corner into a skeptical alleyway. In a way, I felt that I was almost anticipating something on the other side of the wall to be different from my expectation whether it be positive or negative. 

Does it capture a mood, feeling or emotion which you have experienced?

In a way, this piece also reminds me of the feeling I experience every time I’m in an airport passing through the final gate and into the unknown. The feeling of not knowing what is beyond the next door and whether the customs will hold me back is both terrifying, confusing, and a little bit exciting. 

[universitystudentsim]

Concept Document

Concept Document - University Student Simulator

Twitter: @unistudentsim 

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/universitystudentsim

Premise and Purpose: University Student Simulator is all about trying to get that grade while at the same time, squishing in as much relaxation time as possible. Experience the fluctuating emotions of a student across campus, through the quiet library, to the coffee shop downstairs. As a student in university, you have one week to get through that netflix series while studying and trying to ace your assignment, and maybe (with some luck) get a date with that special someone. We want to give our users a relatable experience while maybe including a few laughs here and there.

Intended Medium and platform: Web-based (Browser) PC or Mac

Genre:

The genre that the University Student Simulator falls under is Role Playing Simulation/Visual Novel Game. The strengths of this medium is that anyone can access it as long as they are able to connect to the internet. Another advantage is that there are not many graphic limitations. We plan to take advantage of this medium by sharing it with many people and students, integrating several interactive choices and building a rich storyline that develops the environment and characters.

However, this medium does include some weaknesses. One such disadvantage is that it will not be available to console gamers and if the user does not enjoy reading text then it will be difficult to keep them interested in the story. Our strategy of dealing with this problem is to keep the script concise and only include necessary dialogue. We will also try and overcome this problem by including visually appealing graphics and music.

Intended Audience and Market:

Our main intended audience is young adults aged 18 to 23, mainly university students. Due to the rise of video games in the entertainment industry, many people, especially in this age group enjoy playing video games. Therefore, this is a perfect platform to appeal to the technologically savvy population. This should appeal because it is basically an over exaggeration of university life, for students to laugh about similar experience and create that connection since they may have had these experience first hand. Therefore, the intended audience would be interested in our application because it is related to their life and experience at university.

The visual novel simulation genre does increasingly well in Japan, where it originated. It has expanded to the Americas with the increase of cross-culture interest, and is a very good way for new gamers to experience gaming in general. Gameplay is a simple point and click, but the relationships between characters and unfolding narrative appeals especially to younger adults or those that have seen the premise of the story and find that they can relate.

Narrative/gaming elements:

Although at this stage in development the full storyline has not been fully fleshed out (in terms of specific dialogue) we have identified a basic storyline.  The main complications in narrative have been identified with the player character having the following main three objectives to be completed over the course of the week:

(1) get your assignment done

(2) get a date by friday

(3 - bonus objective) finish that tv series you are currently obsessed with

The tone of this narrative is a light hearted, slice-of-life type of story to help a student succeed in his/her everyday life.

User’s Role and POV:

The user directly impacts the character’s academic and love life and gradually learns more about the character’s environment, classes, and relationships. The user is also able to choose between two options at each stage of the game to determine his/her outcome. At the end of the game, the character either fails or passes the assignment - and that all depends on the decisions the user makes. An interactive image map will be used to provide the user with a way to access the different environments where paths of the narrative can take place. The user will view this world in the first-person perspective and therefore feel more connected and impacted by the decisions they make in the game.

Characters:

The main character is a university student and the user is allowed to chose both the gender and name of the character they will be playing as. There are also several non-player characters:

Professor (adversary)

Librarian (helper figure)

Barista (ally)

Friend character (ally)

Love interest character (adversary almost)

Structure and interface:

The interface features simulations of different locations of a university campus (e.g. classroom, library, coffee shop) and each location acts as a stage of the game. Initially, the user will be able to choose the gender and name for their player - they will feel like a real university student! The simulation focuses on the different narrative choices a student has to make based on what they want for their academic career. The game is structured so that different outcomes occur based on decisions made throughout the simulation via a non linear branching storyline.

The player controls their own avatar, and gameplay includes conversing with different characters through correct choices of dialogue. The game lasts over the course of a week - starting on a Monday when the professor character hands out the assignment to the player - and the assignment is due on Friday. The game revolves around complex character and branching dialogue trees, and having the player chose responses as the player character would say them.

An interactive image map of the university which allows the user to view the different locations and chose where to go next. In terms of different modules, each “day” is considered one module that a player has to get through, and each day will include different interactions with different characters and environments.

Storyworld and sub-settings:

The central fictional world is Somin Fresar University, the Library, Blender’s Coffee, and the Player character’s bedroom. Geographically, they’re all in the same city, and will have views of character’s classrooms and everyday environments. Each location will have a different character able to interact with the player (i.e. the prof in the classroom, the barista at the coffee shop). The story is contemporary and takes place in the present day. The storyworld will feature both pleasing and challenging interactions:

Pleasures: unexpectedly seeing your crush at the coffee shop too, seeing your crush on campus

Challenges: going to your classroom and finding your professor there to ask you a pressure-inducing question

User Engagement:

The user will want to unveil the story and choose right options in order to see multiple endings - to either pass or fail the assignment. The important goal would be to complete the story in a way the user would want a satisfactory ending (i.e. getting the girl/boy, getting an A on the assignment). To add tension to the story, the player only has 5 days to do this. There are several rewards and penalties associated with each decision at each stage:

Rewards: more points toward a relationship, more points toward an A, more points toward finishing the series

Penalties: less points toward a relationship, less points toward an A, less points toward finishing the series

The game features meaningful interactivity in the form of allowing the player to have direct power over all the choices the character makes, meaning the player chooses how the story will progress.

Overall Look and sound:

There will be a mix of text on the screen and graphics, including interactive maps and pictures of all environments and characters. The environment will be realistic and based on different locations you can find at a university campus. The non-player characters may speak based on if willing voice actors are found for the dialogue - there will be ambient sound and royalty free background music in every different environment.

#game design #visual novel #concept document #university simulator