#is going to be able to perform well and that a person's skill shouldn't be what prevents them from getting hurt????

[sirfrogsworth]

It's so weird for me that I am socially awkward now. Being able to drive and go out into the world has opened my eyes to the depths of my social anxiety. When I was stuck in the house I just didn't see that part of me very much.

In high school, before I got sick, I was the world's most enthusiastic extrovert. People looked to me to be the center of attention. When there was nothing to do in class everybody just expected me to do an improvised comedy performance.

And I ate that shit up. Attention was more powerful and intoxicating than any drug to me.

Some people would get stage fright before a public performance. I used to get whatever the opposite of that is. It energized me.

Stage... delight?

But then I got chronic fatigue and was unable to leave the house for two decades. And I guess social competence is a muscle that can atrophy. When I did public speaking at my dad's service... I was not good. My jokes fell flat. My reading of the speech I had written sounded like a young kid reading aloud for the first time. A good speech shouldn't sound like you are reading anything at all. It should sound as natural as speaking spontaneously. And I used to be so good at just that. But that skill feels lost to me and I'm not even sure practice could return it to me. My brain fog often causes this hesitation in what I say. And my fatigue just kills my confidence. Confidence is an energetic attitude to project.

When I went to the pizza place I walked up to the woman behind the counter and she asked, "Did you call for a pickup?" (~90% of their business is to-go phone orders.)

"Oh no. I don't actually do well on the phone so I thought I'd just come order in person."

She was busy. She did not need to know about my phone anxiety. The answer she was looking for was just, "No."

She asked, "Are you taking this to go?"

"Umm, is it okay if I eat it here?" *pointing at tables*

Why wouldn't it be okay to eat at the restaurant with tables and chairs? She tried to hide her confused looks, and I appreciate that. And you may not think this interaction was very awkward in written text, but it can be hard to describe discomfort and anxiety and words spoken without any confidence.

For years I have struggled with my philosophy of self. Like, am I an introvert now? If someone asks me if I am, what answer do I give them?

Or is that just a symptom of my condition? If I were magically given all of my energy back I'd most likely return to being that enthusiastic extrovert. I can even see that part of me emerge if I am talking to someone I know well and am comfortable with.

What am I?

Am I what my illness has turned me into or am I still what I was—just trapped under layers of fatigue?

[keiipopped]

Hello there! May i request a Fem!Reader x Boyfriend!Idol!Riki Headcanon? If so, can the headcanon be like a Reader with amazing vocal skills like Mariah Carey or Ariana Grande? The rest can be up to you! If not, it's okay! I don't see a lot of headcanons about a s/o who can sing and as a person who can sing, i'd love to read about what headcanons people come up with about it!! Oh, and can there be a kizz? I'm a die-hard fan of romance :) Sorry if this is too much :> and lovee you♡

His Songbird

a/n: Hii love! im so sorry this took me so long to get out i have no idea what im doing💀 bare with me please. i hope you like this so definitely feel free to private message me and let me know your thoughts on it! anyways enjoyy! hopefully and love you even more!

Synopsis: You as Riki's vocalist girlfriend who he adores so very much

Pairing: Idol Boyfriend Riki x reader Genre:fluff,crack wc:904

Warning: none other than some poorly written fluff

RIki as your boyfriend and you can sing would be a doozy

Wouldn't be the cliche flat out asking you to sing random songs for him or anything

it'd be more like you're both sitting down on the couch and just spending time together and he randomly asks "whats that one song by new jeans? it's like Kudos or something?"

"ditto?" you'd ask

"i guess. how does it go?"

and boom now you're singing ditto to him.

kids manipulative with it lmao

He'd definitely try to get his Hyungs to get you to do some vocals on songs from the group albums.

and if you're in a group as well he'd definitely but most if not all of the shows for the sole purpose of hearing and cheering you on.

^and he'd stream any of your solo stuff like there's no tomorrow.

Like you go to the house to hangout with him; your song is playing, you get in the car with him; your song is playing, you pick up or see his phone; your song is the last thing on his apple music.

he would also recommend your songs to engene on weverse whether your relationship is public or not

On rare occasions if he's tired but not wanting to go to sleep and you're telling him to go to sleep he'll be like "i'll sleep if you sing to me"

oh and if at any point y'all are in different rooms and he hears you singing or humming he's gonna just start wandering around the house or the room you're in to try not to bring attention to himself but to still be able to hear you.

^like you're in the kitchen making a snack for you both to eat while you watch a movie and he's in the bedroom trying to pick a movie

you unconsciously start humming a song to yourself and suddenly feel a tall figure behind you mindlessly rummaging through the fridge.

"um.. Niki?"

"what?"

"what are you doing? i told you i was bringing the snacks"

he turns around looking at you like a child caught doing something they shouldn't be

"well i got thirsty. continue what you were doing"

you figured he just wanted to hear you closer. also considering you had just brought him a drink. so you gave him a pass also he was too cute to be annoyed at

Overall. he is very loving and sweet and supportive whenever it comes down to your singing

best hype man you could ask for.

oh! and i didn't forget. whenever you get off of stage you get a big fat smooch. especially if you weren't confident about your performance before or after it.

©️keiipopped 2023; don't copy, translate, or repost my work without giving credits.

#enhypen reactions #enhypen imagines #enhypen headcanons #enhypen scenarios #niki x reader

[risathefairyofshampoo]

Le Sserafim Coachella Reading

(April 5th, 2024) Requested

Disclaimer: Everything is based on tarot and my intuition. I don't know these idols personally. Take everything that I say with a grain of salt. Let's get started! :)

What kind of reaction will Le Sserafim get?

Nine of Swords R, Eight of Wands, Five of Swords, The Hierophant, Five of Pentacles

I feel like it will be a very positive reaction that they'll receive. I see a crowd vibing with the group. Enjoying the music and the moment.

However, I also think that they might get a little attacked. 'They are Idols. Shouldn't they be able to sing?' I think the singing controversy will keep going. I also feel that some of the crowd might be like 'Oh okay. So they are Idols... But shouldn't they sing?'. Like people that don't know them.

I also get a very 'tradition' view. We might see some racism on twitter/X. But I'm not quite sure about that.

Will fans like the performance?

King of Wands R, Queen of Cups R, Ace of Cups, Two of Wands, Eight of Cups R, Four of Cups R

Uh... This is a hard one. I think people will expect the performance to be either fake as in lypsincing all the time or they will think it will be bad because some members struggle to sing live.

I really get a toxic vibe. I think they won't like it because Le Sserafim won't be better than the fans' expectations. However, I do see some enjoying it... Especially people that aren't their fans. But after all that 'mess' people will be like hey it wasn't even that bad.

Will it be successful?

Judgement, Three of Pentacles, The Hermit R, Knight of Pentacles R, Four of Swords R, Knight of Swords R, Two of Cups R, Six of Cups

Hmm. I am not quite sure. Doesn't seem like it

First of all, they will get judged a lot. Especially when it comes to their skill... or well, their lacking skill. I think their fans won't be satisfied. Like I said, they won't be better or as good as the expectation. That will definitely be a big minus for Le Sserafim

There will be a lot of bullying online. A lot of hatred will be spread. I don't think it will be successful.

I also see fans parting their way with the group. However, I think they will gain new fans from the coachella crowd!

But overall: no!

Will it boost their career?

Temperance R, Ten of Cups, The Devil, Knight of Swords

Interesting spread. With the Devil and the reversed Temperance, I see a clear no. But I think it will be a boost for the members.

Especially when it comes to performing or when it comes to making new experiences. It will definitely help them to detect their weaknesses and their strengths.

And like I said, they will gain fans from the crowd. Might be non kpop stans. This could help to kinda cleanse the fandom

#le sserafim tarot #le sserafim #coachella 2024 #coachella #kpop tarot #tarot #kpop #kpopidol #music #aesthetic #tarot cards #tarot reading #hybe labels #kpop gg #risathefairyofshampoo

[princeescaluswords]

Public vs. Private

There's an interesting discussion going on over on @elandrialore's blog that I think everyone should read, but I didn't want to derail the conversation any more than I already have, so I'm starting another post.

I think that a lot of the trouble we're having about fanfiction and other creative works and the criticism of said works comes from overreaching capitalism and the way it has contaminated all social interaction with the controlling concept of ownership. People believe that if they put the effort towards the creation of something it becomes theirs in perpetuity, which gives them the right to control how it is perceived, how it is reacted to, and how it is discussed. It is as if copyright -- which solely governs profit from intellectual work -- has metastasized into some universal and (hilariously) moral right to constrain how an audience experiences art.

As an old fogey, I partially blame the internet and technology. There used to be a pretty bright line between the Private -- actions which exist for which an individual is answerable only to themselves and the people they choose to involve -- and the Public -- actions which exist for anyone in the general mass of humanity who makes an effort to involve themselves. The rights of an audience member depend on the nature of the actions. To give a concrete example, if I am walking by a house where a person is playing the piano in the living room, and they are not doing it well, I should recognize it as a private action and keep my reaction to myself. If I walked up to the house, knocked on the door, and told the performer they sucked, it would be rude and crass. But if I am attending a concert, I am supposed to react, and I am free to react in a certain number of ways. I am able to clap or not clap, even boo if it is extreme, or write a report or comment evaluating the skill of the performer.

But on the internet now, we have people taking pictures of what they ate for dinner and sharing it with millions of people. We have parents sharing fights with their children on Facebook. In other words, we have people walking about the house, hearing the bad piano playing, recording it and sharing it with their ten thousand followers. The line between Public and Private has become blurred into near nonexistence.

Many of the arguments we're having about fanfiction today seem to me to arise out of people trying to apply mores about Private behavior to Public actions. (Make no mistake, by any definition, publishing a story on AO3 is a public act.) This is the basis of "don't like; don't read" or "I do this for free." Through the application of ownership to something it has never been before, they're trying to exert control.

It just doesn't work, and, more importantly, it's vital that it doesn't work. Public art serves a definite purpose in civilization beyond immediate pleasure, and for that service to be healthy, the audience has to be able to engage with it freely. You know how I know this? Minstrel shows.

In my profession, I work with a lot of music from the first half of the twentieth century, and minstrel music was very popular. Al Jolson is only the most well-known example. But it wasn't just done for profit. There were public performances of minstrel shows across the United States done by churches, by fraternal organizations, by schools. They propagated racists stereotypes absolutely, and they peddled a nostalgia for a United States that never existed so hard that it affected political elections. Yet, you won't see them today because eventually criticism of both the racism and the pseudo-nostalgia. Would it matter if the creators and performers of these shows -- not Al Jolson, but the ubiquitous local, said "don't like, don't read" or "we're doing this for free." No, and it shouldn't.

The idea that the creator has the expectation that they can perform a public act and control the reaction to that act is unbelievable and damaging in many ways. It leads not as they argue to the freedom of creators to create but to disconnection of the audience and the tyranny of the mob. No one, no one, posts a story on AO3 and doesn't want other people to read it, and so they will follow the trends that are popular, and without counterbalancing criticism, art becomes a tool of conformity rather than something that opens up experiences for an entire community. Again, because this ridiculous disclaimer remains necessary, no one is saying that an author can't create what they want and distribute it, but the audience, to be fully included, has to have the freedom to react to it, which the people who run AO3 recognize by having a comments section. How much effort the author put into it is irrelevant.

#fandom problems #fanfiction problems #fandom racism #fandom misogyny #fandom decadence

[let-me-call-myself-olga]

Hello, Ace's shuffle unit au(a while back now cause I've been writing this on and off) really got me pumped up, so I'll be sharing my own!!!

The band: Shiho, Akito, Minori, Nene - More/Gas

Working away at the live house, Shiho gets the chance to see Akito perform and is impressed by his abilities. She makes it so that the two of them can speak privately and they realise that they are quite similar in character, as well as their personal goals. Shiho tries to recruit him for her band, but seeing that he isn't really interested due to his own goals she makes a proposal: combine their respective skillsets and throw the greatest concert ever known, therefore beating RAD WEEKEND and guaranteeing going pro. Akito, seeing that he has nothing to lose from this, accepts.

Just as the two of them get ready to leave, Shiho realises that a new song has been added to her playlist. Not knowing where her confusion stems from, Akito tries to approach her, but the two get enveloped in a curtain of bright light. Once their vision comes back, the two find themselves in a somewhat familiar place: the backstage area of a live house, although the two of them have been conversing outside. Their revelation is interrupted by the sound of footsteps as a new character comes into view: Hatsune Miku*insert Akito's reaction to SEKAI*

The green haired girl introduces herself and explains to the two the concept of SEKAI, revealing that this SEKAI came to life from their mutual passion and perseverence and that they have to find the feeling which is the root of this fiery spirit and transform it into a song. With each passing moment of the explanation Shiho gets more and more aggresive, Akito's nice facade starting to break as well. Seeing that she doesn't have anyone to work it, Miku excuses herself and tells them how to leave. The two finally get back as she wishes to soon see them again. Although a bit shaken up by all that happened, Shiho and Akito decide to work together.

*****

Minori was one of the very few people who didn't have any prejudice of Shiho, a great friendship being able to bloom between the two and Minori's closest friend, Kohane. She was very happy about the progress her friend has made to achieve her goal and unintentionally starts lamenting over her own dream of becoming an idol. Even though it hasn't been fully drained, her hope of becoming an idol has been a bit diminished by the sudden end of her own idol's career. Even though Shiho doesn't want to intervene, she can't stand to watch her friend sulking, so she tries to give Minori alternatives, painting it as "something Haruka would do", which reroutes Minori's journey, now the girl having to find ways to hone her skill.

*****

Akito goes to the rooftop in search of a certain blue haired girl only to be stopped by the quiet humming coming from a nearby bench. The hums end up forming words and the angelic voice that offers them life along with the well known music style make Akito realise that he hit the jackpot coming there. The voice belongs to none other than Nene, who profusely apologises once Akito makes his presence known. As she tries to leave he compliments her singing and expresses sadness at the idea of wasting such talent. A disgruntled Nene is only able to give a tired look as Akito gets to his main point: that she would benefit from joining his group. Even though she is a bit reluctant, she ends up asking for more details. Once she is given said details, Nene decides to meet with Akito and his mysterious partner sometime during the weekend, with the one condition that the area is secluded.

Weekend comes and drags along the chosen day, Nene making her way to what appears to be a live house. After being introduced to Shiho, she makes sure that something is clear: there is a good chance that they might get nothing out of this, so they shouldn't have their hopes up.

Once a music sheet with lyrics is given to her and everyone is ready, the instrumental kicks in. Seeing how much they are putting into the performance, Nene let's herself free and she is finally able to say that she is confident in front of an audience, albeit small. She ends up getting praised for her own efforts and it is decided that she's part of the band. Shiho and Akito end up leaving earlier than planned and as Nene is about to leave, a thought infiltrates her mind: is she doing enough for the band by just singing?

*****

After school, Minori is delighted about Shiho's progress but her energy dampens as she gets asked about her own progress. It is then revealed that Minori didn't have as much luck, her attempts of perfecting her choreography being the only ones to get better. Kohane suggests to look at her singing from a similar perspective as her dancing. Thinking a bit about it, Shiho comments that her problem could be solved by trying to associate the lyrics to the rhythm. Curious, Minori asks her if she knows methods that could make her better and she advises that Honami could help with that problem, as she used to be the drummer of her childhood band. Minori thanks Shiho for the help and starts to search for Honami. The other two decide to let her be.

That same day Akito and Nene are just finishing the band practice schedule when Akito suddenly asks if Nene is going to trust him. Even if she is a bit suspicious of him, Nene ends up agreeing and before she knows it the scenery changes with a flash and the two of them are in this seemingly abandoned live house. She starts freaking out and demands an explanation, but before he is able to say anything someone decides to interrupt: Kagamine Rin. After everyone calms down, the newcomer introduces herself and describes what SEKAI is. Not yet warmed up to her, Nene can only sit there and watch her as she goes on stage, a hand asking the girl to come join her. She ends up agreeing, although it is pretty clear that she feels a bit forced.

This little improv ends up working well, but Rin notices that Nene had a bit of a problem keeping up. She reveals that Miku told her about their other band member, much to Nene's surprise, and advice them to go look for "their beat". The two are soon to leave as they find nothing else worth talking about.

*****

During their next practice session, Shiho reveals that she was able to get for them a slot for next month, but the two are soon to cut her off as they talk about their encounter in SEKAI. Even though surprised by the new face, Shiho is able to assure the two, her childhood friend Homani having offered to help. The only problem left for them was to find a lyricist.

*****

Minori is seen in her room, practising with a simple drumset given by Honami. Even though her skill isn't the greatest, her singing has improved by a lot and she is pretty capable of keeping the rhythm. Once the song finishes she stretches and goes to grab a water bottle, a small vibration right next to it startling her. Upon unlocking her phone, she finds a few messages from Shiho, who was updating her about her progress. A smile appears on Minori's face as she congratulates her, now finally being able to respond with her own development. Her expression suddenly changes into one of confusion as a new message appears, asking her if she is good at coming up with lyrics. Thinking about it as something Haruka would do if she was in her place, she takes on the challenge, questioning Shiho about the type of lyrics she wants, she is only able to get the personalities of the other bandmates în order to make a song that fits all of them. The two end up agreeing on getting the four to meet so that Minori can get a better idea of they really are.

*****

After Shiho is able to coerce the other two into accepting her invitation, the four end up meeting at Weekend Garage. After An takes their order and makes a small comment on Akito(which amuses Nene), Minori introduces herself and presents the two on the other side of the table a questionaire. Although perplexed, the two end up taking it as the girls message each other, Shiho asking if it was necesary to go this far.

Getting to talk with each other, Minori makes it clear that this will be the first of two official hangouts, as she wishes to spend the rest of their day with each one of them. They begrudgingly agree and it is established that she would be sending her time with Nene after the meeting is over.

*****

A few nights later Shiho gets the lyrics from Minori and is surprised to see how good she proved to be. With every new word read she could see a contour of herself and the others appearing in her mind. By the end of her read she asks Minori if she could meet with the others again to establish a melody, with which she agrees.

Now curious, Shiho starts searching up idol songs to see what Minori's inspiration could have been. It soon sinks in with her just how different the two piece are in terms of content. A rather sad Shiho tells Minori good night as she herself gets ready to sleep.

*****

Now that all five of them were together, Minori instructs Honami on the beat and is soon to start humming the melody. As the 'demo' is finished, Nene finds herself bringing up a lot of suggestions that the group ends up testing. Nene's remarks are able to creat a proper melody, Minori cheering and the finale of the performance, praising Nene's voice, to which she becomes bashful. The two of them end up e changing phone numbers to make later collaborations easier.

Now that their first song is finally finished the five decide to celebrate at Weekend Garage, Shiho reminding them that after they will have to work every day from then on.

*****

It is a week before they show their hard work to the world and terrible news hit the group: Honami is unable of making it to the concert due to personal reasons. Akito quickly proposes that they ask Minori since she seems to know how to play the drums and she has already been helping them with the lyrics. Shiho protests, stating that she already asked her, but it was clear to the other to that it wasn't the case. Wondering what could be her reason for doing that, the two start to question her about her relationship with Minori to the point where she ends up breaking into years and running away.

The pair ends up leaving the cafe soon after, disgruntled by their sudden problem. Nene takes initiative, calling Minori and telling her to get to their location as soon as possible. As the phone call is done, Nene proposes that they should let Minori know about SEKAI, but Akito is against it as they don't know if she is really going to be their drummer, but she refutes by pointing out that she is already their lyricist. As he is left no other choice, Akito ends up agreeing.

*****

Minori is out of breath as she gets to the two bandmates, questions coming one after the other. They tell her that first they need a private place to hold their conversation and before she could make any suggestions a mist of white blocks her vision.

She suddenly wakes up in a strange place similar to a somewhat familiar backstage scenery. She is about to scream as Nene covers her mouth, finally starting to explain the situation. Minori is left flabbergasted by the news, but is soon to recover as she procceses the information. She says that she was on good terms with Shiho so she doesn't have much of an idea about her sudden outburst.

Their discussion is interrupted by both Miku and Rin as they go to get a snack, Minori debating in her head that this is just a weird dream, but she is soon taken out of her thoughts as Rin hugs her, happy that they finally found "their beat". Upon further questioning, Miku reveals that this SEKAI was founded from the mutual feelings of the four and now that they are together they can finally turn their emotions into a song.

Seeing that the three aren't as joyous, the girls asked them if something happened with them. After a small sumarry of the situation, Rin asks Minori what she wants to do next, to which Minori answers that she wants to talk things out with Shiho. Understanding where she was trying to get to, Miku asks the girl what she'll do after that, what she'll do for the long run.

Surprised by the question, Minori replies that she will find out when the time comes. Happy with her answer, the two songstresses wish them the best of luck in getting to Shiho and, as soon as they got there, the trio was gone.

*****

Now making her way out of school, Shiho is surprised by the sight of Minori in front of her bandmates and braces herself for the worst. It all starts off with a simple question: "Is there something wrong, Shiho?"

Not wanting to drag this any longer, Shiho recognizes her true reason for running away. The three are shocked to find out that Shiho felt like she was driving Minori away from her true goal of becoming an idol, therefore making her want to cut contact with her as to not hurt her in the long run.

Shiho is then startled by a pair of arms wrapping around her as Minori embraces her, recognizing that even though she is deviating quite a bit from her path as an idol, it wasn't the career itself that attracted her, but the feeling that with hard work she could spread hope just like how she experienced and that if becoming part of the band meant that she could give that hope to Shiho, then she would be happy.

*****

The four of them are all on stage. They give each other a few glances before Minori gives the signal and they start with their song. It goes well and the four of them end up laying exhausted on a couch as they are approached by two figures.

Miku and Rin appreciate the little iteration of their experience and congratulate the band for their big succes.

Before they can leave Miku tells them that they have found their true feeling and that a song can now florish from them. The group looks at each other before getting up and grabbing their respective instruments.

#project sekai #pjsk #puroseka #shiho hinomori #minori hanasato #akito shinonome #nene kusanagi #unit shuffle au #NOW FOR THE ME TAGS #This took too long💀 #And how I keep writing myself into yuri is still a mistery #Like I was thinking “yeah I'll make a small sumarry for the story of each group” and then I did this #Everyone thank ace ig #Also their name is More/Gas cause their main trait is that even with the hurdles in their was they are still able to keep that fiery spirit #The 'more' comes from Minori since she is (once again) the key piece of the unit and the 'gas' is all about #The flame of determination that doesn't let them get... destroyed by the outside word(for lack of better intellgence😔) #Yeah... 🎉🎉🎉 I FINALLY FINISHED THIS WOOOO #This is a first and final draft so beware

[arlechinav-blog]

Mediterranean Trancework Part III: Prophecy

Prophecy is a bit hard to categorize in English. It can basically be distilled into the concept of truths humans shouldn't be able to pull out of thin air without divine assistance. And it can be hard to separate prophecy from divine madness without understanding the different ways that these things manifest. Probably the most important aspect of it comes in the form of Proof of State.

Proof of State is established in a lot of different ways in trancework but it is always present where gods and spirits are concerned. This helps to weed out charlatans because proof of state is hard to fake. If you can do it then you can do it, if you can't then you can't. End of story.

Spoken Prophecy is a skill and proof of state is established by being able to perform that skill. There is a reason why prophecy is given in verse in theatrical representations of it. It is because traditional Mediterranean forms of prophecy (not divination, there is a difference in mediums there) involves spontaneously composing accurate prophetic verses--often in song or some kind of rhyme. There are expected poetic formats for it as well. These link the number of lines, syllables, and meter to symbolic numbers related to whatever they are doing.

For instance, those who speak for the dead traditionally compose their utterances in 6 lines with each line possessing 9 syllables. Always in divisions of 3 because death dances and death traditions in general play off of the number 3 quite a bit and all of those things go together. These songs are usually improvised on the spot at funerals where these practices are still observed. These songs form the background of funerary dances so they have to fit the pattern to go with the steps that everyone knows.

A good living example of this tradition exists in the Corsican voceru (singular) or voceri (plural). A voceritrice will speak from the perspective of the deceased to call out the living who wronged them in life. They speak on injustice endured by the deceased as well as express feelings of longing and desires for what they have left behind. These poetic expressions are often then carved as epitaphs on the deceased's gravestone. Giving everyone a unique voice in death and giving the living a chance to atone for their misdeeds before facing the cursed consequences of a pissed off ghost. (Perhaps not exactly a haunting--unless they were murdered--but more of a curse that befalls the living when they do something bad to someone and that person then dies.)

Prophecy has very strong celestial associations. Gods and spirits associated with the stars, with birds, and with pretty much anything that floats in the sky will usually have something to do with prophecy in some context. I think the folkloric idea behind that is that the sky itself sees everything and therefore knows everything but I am sure there are multiple layers to it. Certain cults focus on it more than others. For example, the cult of the Mountain Mother involves some aspects of prophecy. It is an ability given to the Deity Brides of the Mountain Mother--who compels all kinds of spirits. It is also associated with the sun, poetry, music, and gods like Astraios in particular. It can sometimes be applied to the Muses as well because they compel certain individuals to speak divine truth--which is in the same family of concepts. Birds and snakes are both envoys of prophecy in that they embody spirits and pass freely between the spiritworld and the mortal world.

Not all snakes though. Snakes are kind of a wildcard in iconography. Their exact meaning depends on the other context clues that surround them. So, snakes shown in the context of Dionysian ritual are not implying prophecy--just the presence of spirits. And if you have been reading along on some of my other posts you may also be aware that spirits heckin lie all the time. So, you may very well receive messages from spirits but unless those messages are true and they pass from your lips in appropriate verse, that's largely regarded (folklorically) as spirit gibberish/ divine madness.

And before we go any further on prophecy, let us take a moment to talk about spirit gibberish. Glossolalia is the language of spirits. I believe the classical Hellenic concept for this can be translated as "belly talk." It is usually described as being done in a demonic voice--basically using your 2nd set of vocal cords--which hurts like hell if you aren't used to doing it. It sounds like gibberish, it is gibberish. You may be able to understand it in the moment but nobody else will and that is the big difference between these things.

Prophecy is true, comprehensive even if cryptic, and rare. Spirits babble pretty much constantly so divine madness and spirit gibberish are neither rare nor really something to act on. It is there as part of the expected landscape. It happens in trancework quite a lot, especially in spirit possession traditions. But even the highest ranking spirits that possess mortal bodies are full of carp. It is always best to ignore it.

(Bet you thought that was a spelling error. lol)

Divine madness may not come to you in a demonic voice. You may just feel an idea or phrase pop unbidden into your mind that sounds kind of wise. Go ahead and tell somebody about it or write it down and read it later and it will sound neat but will ultimately be completely useless. Divine madness is like a windfall apple. You didn't ask for it. You have no way of knowing where it came from. And if you put it in your mouth there is a good chance you will find it rotten. It is fun, sacred in its own way, but it is not prophetic and should not be treated as anything special.

We are all just human and all divine stuff can seem wise and actionable but only prophecy is true. Proof of state keeps these concepts separate where we can enjoy each of them for what they are. the other thing that helps to compartmentalize these concepts is the ritual itself. Prophecy, like other forms of deeper Mediterranean trancework, is initiated by a combination of legomena (sacred words) and deiknumena (sacred items) to get to the desired dromena (responses/behaviors).

To have some control over where your divine inspiration is coming from, and making sure you get a good source for it, you make an opening prayer to a trusted deity or spirit associated with the type of prophecy that you are seeking. Asking that deity or spirit to guide you by forming the words in your mouth and asking that those words be true. You will also burn fragrant things associated with that deity or situation. This establishes a proper divine link and gets you into a receptive state. Covering the eyes and removing excess stimuli can help a lot, veiling is pretty essential to maintaining the receptive state. Others might close their eyes. This is part of why the archetype of the blind bard is so entrenched in Aegean and wider Mediterranean prophetic folklore. It is because the eyes are a distraction and being without them implies a naturally more prophetic state.

The entranced will then hum or drone, sometimes while rocking in a seated position, and wait for the inspiration to come. If and when it does, it will be improvised completely on the spot. Some prophecies are short and sweet. If we add the divine composition of epics into this then they can just go on and on for hours. Droning and polyphonic chant are associated with states of divine inspiration, partially because they can be sensory blockers. Like closing or covering the eyes, the echoing sound of a drone (such as you might get while singing in a cave) reverberating back at you can help block out other sounds and make it easier to receive divine inspiration. Basically you are engaging in ritualized sensory deprivation.

So the opening prayer constitutes the initiatory legomena, the incense, veiling, humming, and rocking motions initiate the deiknumena, and the prophecy spontaneously composed in verse is the expected dromena--which also provides the proof of state if the utterances are true.

This can happen to anyone but it most frequently is associated with women (including Trans) and non-binary persons. Gender does have traditional spiritual authority here but folklore gets a vote, not a veto. The gods and spirits choose who can do it and when. Sometimes an affinity for doing it repeatedly can arise in a person. That can be taken as a sign of favor from a deity and may lead to a relationship as a Deity Bride.

Which brings us to the last post in this series. Read more in Part IV: Deity Bridalwork

#hellenic polytheism #trance work

[madelinemayfair]

Sasuke's Past

While fighting Naruto, Sasuke is remembering his past.

These are such beautiful chapters and they really make me think that Sasuke, even when his family was still alive, was lonely in a way.

He was always in Itachi's Shadows and has to work very hard for any kind of acknowledgment. He works to the point where he collapses on his days off. Even when he becomes the first in his class, he is still compared to Itachi. It is as if they don't really see him.

Then there is Itachi, who never has time for him...

But then... Itachi is also only recognized in the sense that he is useful to the clan with his skills and position. He is also just a child at this point and shouldn't have to be in the position he is in.

Then... Throughout the panels, the person who seems to care most about Sasuke is Itachi. He even wanted to blow a mission to go to Sasukes graduation. He cares that Sasuke is awake and listening to information he shouldn't be listening to, for his own good...

So we really see a caring Itachi here, who loves Sasuke a lot, even though he doesn't have time for him.

It is only then Itachi disappoints his father, that Fugaku even notices Sasuke. The next thing is a training montage. Maybe Fugaku would have used Sasuke sooner or later, too?

Sasuke fails on his first attempt to perform the Jutsu and Fugaku, again, compares him to Itachi and walks away disappointed.

He ignores Sasuke for another week until he masters the jutsu.

Maybe Itachi was somehow right when he said that the Uchihas were so obsessed with the clan and its stance that they lost sight of the things that really mattered...

Even Itachi and his well-being, which was always overlooked somehow, get tossed away the second he starts to be rebellious.

This is not a loving way to treat your sons. Don't become like Itachi, so you can be useful for the clan? Or did Fugaku know about the Mangekyou and didn't want Sasuke to walk down the same path?

And then Sasuke finally starts getting close to his fam, the massacre happens... F*cking tragic. Normal that Revenge is the only thing that keeps him going...

And even so... This feeling is still creating a bond with his brother and his clan, a loss so deep, he was never able to let go of it...

#sasuke

[kiefbowl]

https://www.tumblr.com/transmutationisms/730325527112581120/like-the-thing-is-that-transitioning-is-morally-ok

what are your thoughts on this?

like the thing is that transitioning is morally ok

I'll just say I personally don't argue whether transitioning is "morally ok", not because I think morals don't apply, but I think there are specific circumstances where I can't argue that a fully realized adult with informed consent shouldn't be able to make certain decisions, and I do think that if the choice truly is between killing yourself and pursuing some sort of cosmetic change in your life, an adult shouldn't be barred from making that cosmetic change, I'm just overall doubtful that those cosmetic changes are going to "save" someone from suicide. If you have suicidal thoughts, you will ultimately need a different intervention, and I'm saying this with all the compassion and love in my heart. I will say that changes with minors; I think it's indefensible to allow a child to have cosmetic surgery, especially before all other options have been exhausted if you're trying to intervene on suicide. This is a complicated area of thought, and I only mean to interject a lot of my own thoughts here even before OP finishes their sentence because a lot of people with (let's call it) sophomoric analysis and argument skills will start conflating counter arguments with morality even when a morality judgement hasn't been made yet. Since this OP isn't specifically referencing something someone said, I find that interesting and worth keeping in mind, especially with the phrase "morally okay." "Morally okay" isn't very specific, not usually a phrase of much philosophical weight. Basically what I'm hinting at...we can assume this person isn't well versed in making moral arguments. Their feet haven't been held to the fire in an open debate with someone who is a heavy weight in moral philosophy. Anyway...

not because it will make you normal and happy (it very well might not)

"Normal" and "Happy" are already highly contested ideas anyway, let alone in debates about morality. Plato, through his senpai Socrates fanfiction, argued you can be happy from pure reason alone even if you're "on the rack." And then Aristotle argued in response that he was a dumb fuck idiot and you can't be happy on the rack just because you can reason yourself into it obviously you stupid moron. So this debate is old. Ancient, even. Also, don't quote me in your papers, this is from approximate memory but I'm basically right.

So it's funny to me to start a sentence with "transitioning is morally ok, not because it will make you normal and happy" as if those are givens in any argument about morality. Plenty of moral philosophers don't give a rats ass what's normal and what makes you happy. Literally...look at the pro-life movement, who's arguments are based purely in a rationalized morality (and quotes from the bible yadda yadda). When you counter a pro-life argument with "what about the happiness of women" they literally say "what about it." I think happiness matters, but it doesn't mean it's the basis of morality. You have to argue it matters first, and they are already saying even though it's a given you can disregard it. That's weird! We're trending towards a D grade.

And then the admission it might not make you happy...or normal...interesting. Normalcy and Happiness: It matters but disregard it and also it might not matter, a moral argument. Reminds me of Platinga, fucking hated reading Platinga in college. Fuck. That. Guy.

but because you are a moral agent with a body & a name & an identity that you are allowed to change at will.

An assertion! which is way better than that guy in that anon a week ago who basically just said "I don't believe in sex base oppression" over and over again and also used words like "ineluctable". But! Will they support it. Let's find out...

staking that autonomy on the transphobe's demand for a performance of psychiatric normalcy is a losing game,

Not yet

not least of all because these people punish transness with violence

not yet

& then turn around & use that very violence & its detrimental consequences as explanations of how transitioning itself is harmful 🙃

Okay they didn't support their assertion. So I'll make an argument and a counter argument.

Paraphrasing: Transitioning is morally permissible, because regardless if it makes you normal or happy, you are a moral agent who has an identity (which includes your body and name) that you're allowed to change at will.

It doesn't really follow but let's take a stab. I'll define "moral agent" as a being with moral agency, which means someone who can freely make choices of a moral nature.

So the pro argument (Argument A) is that if you are a moral agent, you (1) have the ability to discern what is permissible and (2) your moral agency is a part of your identity, therefore your choices with regards to your identity cannot be unallowable without disinheriting your given moral agency.

The counter-argument (Argument B) is why should that include your body, if the body is a material fact? Should moral permissibility contend with our physical and observable world?

So let's remember these arguments and circle back to their next statements I quoted above:

staking that autonomy on the transphobe's demand for a performance of psychiatric normalcy is a losing game, not least of all because these people punish transness with violence & then turn around & use that very violence & its detrimental consequences as explanations of how transitioning itself is harmful 🙃

bunch of gobbledygook. so now we have an assertion of psychiatric normalcy. Where did that come from?

So if we are to assume that OP's stance is Argument A above, let's assume this sentence is a counter-counter-argument to Argument B. It becomes clear here that OP has a belief that protecting autonomy is a question of morality, and that protecting autonomy is a moral maxim (ought be done), and that violence is proof this is true [data not provided][source needed][does not follow]. We can also assume that by "autonomy" OP means "whatever someone wants to do." It's interesting to pose the question of autonomy in a moral argument, when morality asks questions of what one can ask of another, what one owes another, and what another ought do, especially when you're hinting at the idea that autonomy includes manifesting whatever identity you see fit up to and including physical changes you place on the body.

If you ask me personally, I think autonomy is an important moral question, and it extends to self determination. I believe people in general are owed self determination. However, this moral argument is incomplete because it does not contend with the fact that you are not alone in the world. When does someone's self determination end? When it conflicts with another's. If transitioning includes a belief that denies material facts that are important in recognizing the oppression of another group, perhaps you don't have carte blanche with regards to transitioning.

Again, depends on how you define these things and OP doesn't define anything.

stop playing this game with them, stop trying to prove you can do Health just as good as anyone else. you don't owe anyone that & you're ultimately hurting yourself if you're not willing to defend trans people who are insane or unhealthy or abnormal or anti-socially self-destructive

And this is wild and out of pocket and doesn't follow with anything they previously said. D-

[lightningmickqueen]

23 or 34?

why not both ☺️☺️

34 - my least favourite championship battle was 2018. it broke my heart early on as a tifosa but i also just got ridiculously bored and actually stopped watching f1 for awhile. 2021 also genuinely sucked overall because of how hateful it got in online spaces, regardless of who you were supporting.

23 - other than my father nico rosberg, i think that charles leclerc is underrated and before i get laughed at i will explain!! but under the cut i tend to ramble and i've been thinking about this a lot lately i am so sorry in advance u did not ask for this

send me a # from 1-78 and i will give my f1 opinions

to start this is a summation of both online AND offline places because i socialize and work with f1 fans irl.

also i am absolutely 100% bias but literally EVERY winter break for as long as i can remember charles has been the target of SOME debate that shouldn't be one at all. and he is largely viewed as the "loser" in these debates which are essentially talent competitions where the other driver is hyped up and people act like charles leclerc can't drive a car. this winter it's leclerc vs norris, last year leclerc vs sainz, the winter before was leclerc vs (iirc) russell, before that was leclerc vs vettel.

so we must ask WHY it is always charles being shoved into these debates and that is because people think that he is OVERrated and undeserving of the hype he's got. but he actually IS fully deserving, and because people think he is overrated and undeserving of hype, he is actually underrated.

he's so close in age to max, has known him for long enough, and has been in the ferrari seat for long enough that people want to comapre him to max. that's understandable, but charles isn't max. everyone seems to forget that he's been on the grid 3 full fewer seasons than max and he's only had a properly functioning team for ONE of them, maybe one and a half if you pick and choose certain moments from 2019 too.

it's all well and good to call ferrari a joke and a clownshow, especially for last season, but to acknowledge its relevance ONLY when discussing shitshows as a whole and when discussing carlos but not when discussing charles is strawpicking and fully negates and erases the fact that charles fully is becoming that guy and could be that guy when he has a team willing and able to back him up.

the questions asked to charles and carlos mid-race are not just a meme they are things that actually happened and they should NOT have happened. imagine how YOU would feel if asked to do mental gymnastics about tyre strategy at 350 kmh when you also have no way of knowing what the lap times and tyre performance are overall?

there is a reason it's funny and that is because NONE of the other teams expected this from their drivers. it is not fair to not take this into account when discussing the driving skills and talent of charles (and carlos).

also a SMALL anecdote i love is that, on multiple occasions in the last couple years, charles has asked for max's lap times even when he wasn't anywhere near him because he knew that he could do the same times or close, rather than the times that others closer to him are doing. max has literally done the same. they're playing 5d chess but ferrari (and a lot of fans dfkm) are playing 2d chess. and that's at the same time that max has a team able to back him and support him when he makes a mistake, which he does because he's a fucking person, and so we don't even remember it happening later on.

anyway. charles has had ONE fighting chance for a championship and his team took it from him before he could even start fighting. did he fuck it in imola? yeah, but he rallied as best he could. did he fuck it in france? yeah but that's ONE mistake in a season where his team was out to get him and where it was already becoming obvious he wasn't going to win. the gravediggers started digging in spain and were just waiting for everyone to notice.

overall charles did really good considering it was his first season fighting for a championship and i think if he'd had a team supporting it he wouldn't have "cracked" under pressure so much. i'm still not convinced he even did "crack" though since he was fighting for p2 until literally the last lap of abu dhabi.

and yet there is STILL this massive debate going on about whether or not he's talented enough for his seat at all. i have had this conversation with coworkers who have watched f1 for years and who seem to genuinely believe it for whatever reason. i don't know if it's because he's getting blamed for the team or because the team is pimping him out instead of focusing on his skills and wins or because his "mindset" isn't as murderous as some people want it to be, but his talent and skills as a driver have become genuinely underrated. the end

#f1 #formula 1 #charles leclerc #cl16 #scuderia ferrari #asks #im so sorry you DID not ask for 700 words and i did not mean to write 700 words but here we are #rach posts

[the-official-account]

Episode 21 liveblog

"safely is relative for agent spar" HOLY SHIT a five foot drop is a lot to be fair but spar just shot off. Like how he fucking ran down jasper. Why is he so fast???

*QC and Spar jump through the hole in the wall and start booking it across the street.*

*vellum gives a long suffering sigh*

Brief moment of silence for the two missiles that ruined my 2048 game as I was going for the highscore—actually oh shit I already got a high score.

This is central to my podcast listening expirience

I might be able to save it????

The episode has been on pause for 20 minutes while I perform emergency number square surgery......

It was not a success.

SUPER NUEROTYPICAL BEHAVIOR. ANYWAYS. BACK TO THE SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING

The episode has been going for four minutes

I WILL BE RUNNING UP THE NEAREST WALL, THANK YOU 😂😂

"there shouldn't be, but there is" yeeeeah I don't trust a SINGLE person in that crowd now

Timby can't catch a break, huh?

"emerald first"

"what emerald?"

"I WAS FUCKING THERE"

[this is the point where Edil loses the post and then is lucky enough to restore it...the vibes of the day are sub par]

Timby is SO annoying I love him.

"Sindershore is the town with the most backflipping skill per person" is actually a statistical error. QC Georg, who can do so many backflips per minute that scientists debate whether he qualifies as the world's first combustion engine, is an outlier and should not have been counted

this looney toons chase sequence is my favorite thing.

THEY BOTH JOKERED

"I didn't mean for candlenights" BFKGSODVDKD I'm pretty sure candlenights is distinctly like an open thing? But I'd have to check

"he decided to he a rat, and I decided to break his legs, and he decided to blow up the hotel room" THATS AND INTERESTING...I mean! I respect being self aware!

This scene is very good and vellum is very good I just have no thoughts in my brain. It's like "Ah! As a member of law enforcement you are doing the bare minimum" but the bare minimum is RARE and vellum is ❤️vellum🥰

XBALA AND JAKUB ARE TOGETHER!!

"pretty good! Well MMMMM! A bomb just went off! But personally good!" He's so <3

Please don't be a time freezing criminal Jakub. I'm cool with like. Like sure be gay do crimes, just not magic crimes that can hurt people real bad.

Jakub has a cruuuuuush.

Xbala is a gearhead, likes to drive & tinker with cars and such.

I NEED to see Xbala and Vellum getting into it.

Spar's feeling jealous fosvsksvsks.

QC IS JUST FUCKING GECKO-ING ON THE CAR IM DEAD.

Midtro groooooove. Midtro jam.

Spar having lurking enemies that he hasn't noticed is SO perfect.

Oh. My. God. Vellum's demi ass loving cheesy romance is such! A! Mood! This is so perfect. [Edil will remember this]

THE QUEER CREEPER ALSO LIKING THE BOOK DUSPDGSKDVDLDB

"wouldn't you like to know" BFKSGSHEGOS????? BITCH?

OH SHIT THE OTHER NOTE.

OOOOOH, oh shit it's not the emerald.

VELLUM SAID FUCK THAT JSVSKSGS icccceeeee cold.

ARE THEY BONDING OVER PAPERWORK RIGHT NOW?

Yk what Timby's whole deal with not getting collected to Crystallis is like. Honestly, valid?

Oooh vampire mastermind. Sick. Why would they want diamond tho? I wonder if they might somehow know diamond's looking for a way to reverse biomancy. Voracity is a rad name. He should get that eye thing and grab the other from brick!

VELLUM OPENED THE BREIFCASE OH MY GOD

I love them. I love them so much.

JAKUB GOT EIGHT SUCCESSES.

The emerald has a tracking spell........int-er-EST-ing

"honestly you were a little pathetic today" WOOOOOOOOOOWBWHWVAJAHSH

Crime time

TIMBY GOT PICK POCKETED. FUCK.

OH SUCH ANYA. NOOOOO.

Spar stop being funny I'm scared

I wonder if they can use timby'a perfume to go to the concert anyway

MY FIRST NAME IS MERIM FELSPAR?

I....

I......

Busbdjdhdjdv???? HUH?

#this got so chaotic #edil chats #edil liveblogs three of hearts #three of hearts #three of hearts pod

[markantonys]

Just to chime in, not that I feel much engagement toward Min as a character, but as part of an ensemble, I think she has some importance, BECAUSE she "doesn't do anything." She lacks powers or resources, and her go-to move in a crisis is "find a competent person to handle it" b/c she's the regular person who is trying to cope with the apocalypse, and just keeps on plugging away. She's not a killer so her knives always miss, but she's about compassion (Fedwin Morr).

fair enough! i personally am never interested by the Everyman character archetype (if any hbo rome fans are out there, i was so bored/annoyed with vorenus and pullo for that reason) so that's just a taste thing on my part. plus, i think elayne in particular really delivers the idea of "soft power/compassion as strength over combat skills" in a way i find more engaging - yes elayne can channel and is very powerful, but in her succession plot we see that channeling is useless to her in a bloodless conflict like this (and in fact it would actively make things worse if she started attacking the other claimants with saidar) and she has to rely on her intelligence and her good heart and her political skills to win people to her side. whereas, from what i've seen so far (i'm only on crossroads of twilight so this may change later on) min's compassion doesn't really Do anything or help any character or plotline in a meaningful way, aside from when she helped siuan escape. i suppose it might help rand eventually, but so far all she's really done for rand is sleep with him to distract him from his problems rather than actually talking through them with him, and coddle him but fail to truly understand or help with his mental health problems in a meaningful way. (and elayne is a more compassionate person than min on the whole since elayne thinks and cares about more people than just rand lmao fedwin morr was a rare time min cared about someone who wasn't rand, and even then she was at least as concerned about the effects of his death on rand than about his death in and of itself)

Min2 Rand's friends & lovers are too important and have too much going on to be there for him. Min can, because she's NOT important and no one needs her to run a country, lead an army or perform channeling. Even her viewings are really only for the reader. For friends, she only has the power to spoil pleasant surprises (make Elayne's life suck via pregger fussing), since she can't avert danger. But she can make Rand #1 priority because for her, it's not criminally neglecting something important.

Min3. All that being said, I think you are 100% right that there is absolutely no plot contribution, physically or emotionally, that Min could not have made as Rand's bestie. We use "platonic" to indicate a lesser relationship, but Plato taught a sexless friendship was a SUPERIOR relationship, because it's friendship where you aren't seeking anything for yourself (i.e. orgasms). I think Min's role would be even MORE true if you couldn't say "well of course she's on his side, they're fucking"

i agree that platonic relationships shouldn't be considered inferior to romantic ones, but i disagree that they should be considered superior and that romantic relationships are inherently selfish and that lack of sex means people don't still want to gain something positive out of a friendship. much as i love rand and want him to have support, i don't WANT him to be min's or anyone else’s #1 priority. that is not a healthy relationship for either party, not to mention it's boring to read about and unrealistic - in real life, everybody has their own stuff going on outside their partners, family, work, friends. min has none of that. i think that elayne, avi, mat, perrin, and nynaeve (and maybe egwene, tho i think she's probably too entrenched in aes sedai-ness now to be able to get through to rand) would all have been absolutely capable of helping rand emotionally in various ways despite having their own things going on, the problem is that the narrative split them up so far geographically that they physically can't be there for him and have been far away from and out of touch with him for so long that they have no idea about a lot of the traumatic things that've happened to him - all but perrin of the above list still don't even know that dumai's wells happened. non-min characters often get flak for not being there for rand, but the simple truth is that they quite literally aren’t even given a chance to be by the narrative.

even if min's relationship with rand was platonic, i still wouldn't like her revolving around him the way she does. a partner OR friend who exists to be the emotional support animal of another person is not a good thing, whatever media might want us to believe about it being a great act of love. i love rand but hate the idea that he needs an entire person whose sole role is to support him, and i think this is where i diverge with a lot of rand stans who get mad at any other character who dares to disagree with or not support him (definitely not saying that you're doing this tho anon! it's just a common attitude i've seen around over my past months in the fandom). i would rather him have a whole group of friends and partners who take turns being there for him when they can than one person who's there all the time because they have no other reason to exist. people need an emotional support NETWORK, not an emotional support person, and rand needs that sort of network more than most. and it certainly isn't fair to min to be the sole person bearing the vast weight of rand's issues lmao in real life that's a great way to burn out.

#answered #anonymous #wot book spoilers

[edamba]

BIGGEST STRUGGLES OF PHD STUDENTS

Starting a PhD is an incredibly daunting task. With PhD being the culmination of all your academic work, it is unlikely that you will complete the substantial, complex research project without encountering at least a few problems. It is necessary to understand most common PhD pressures and struggles before you begin a doctorate, so that you’re better equipped to deal with them in your own journey.

Below are some of the biggest and most common struggles that PhD students encounter during their doctorate journey:

1. Isolation

A PhD requires a significant increase in independence from what students may have experienced during their undergraduate or master's degrees. As a doctoral student, you should be able to set and achieve your own goals.

While this sense of freedom can be very exciting at first, once you get into the daily routine of a PhD, you may begin to feel isolated, especially if your research does not require much collaboration with others.

To help you fight loneliness and isolation, it is suggested that you meet other research students in a similar situation as you by participating in extracurricular activities like academic conferences and teaching or even by being a part of the institute's PhD community if any.

2. Overwork

PhD training commonly involves teaching, tutoring, and grading. You shouldn't let it stop you from conducting your research, though. It's completely acceptable to decline new tasks if you feel your workload is too heavy or that your boss is expecting too much of you. Although some pressure associated with a PhD is normal, it shouldn't have a negative effect on your mental health or cause depression and anxiety.

When you are nearing the end of your PhD, a workload that seemed manageable during your first two years may no longer be so. If your supervisor is requesting that you take on additional non-PhD work, let them know that while you welcome the chance to expand your experience and learn new skills, you don't wish your research work to suffer because of it.

3. Difficulties with Supervisor

Issues that develop between PhD students and their supervisors can also be a common problem. Most supervisor-supervisee relationships are constructive, successful, and advantageous to both parties. There's a good chance that your PhD advisor will be an expert mentor who is a specialist in their field.

Over the course of three years, some students may feel that they have to submit to the wishes of their senior and experienced supervisor when disagreements arise—and it is only natural. When such challenges arise, having a supportive network of PhD students around you can certainly help you navigate and boost your spirits up.

4. Loss of Motivation

It's difficult for anyone to maintain motivation throughout their whole PhD project. It is very common to become frustrated, bored, or dissatisfied with one's project. To complete a PhD, you must be dedicated, enthusiastic, and optimistic. Unless you find ways to keep things interesting, varied, realistic, and rewarding, your motivation will fluctuate like it does with everything else. It is important to keep in mind that you are pursuing your PhD primarily for personal gain. So, instead of waiting for someone to tell you what to do, take the initiative.

Consider taking a break for yourself when things aren't going well, and your motivation is low. It can sometimes be really beneficial to take a few days or even a week off from your project in order to recharge and approach it with new eyes.

It is unlikely that you will find all of the tasks necessary for a doctorate to be equally simple and interesting because they range so widely. Setting realistic goals and dividing up tasks into manageable pieces will be much simpler for you.

5. Work/life balance

At times, it may seem as though PhD students must constantly study, work long hours, and attend work every weekend. But such a cycle is not healthy in the long run. In order to perform at your best, you should also make time for your hobbies, friends, and family. Even though this may seem like a really obvious point to make, many students still experience the negative effects of having an incredibly unbalanced schedule.

For long-term success, students should always keep in mind how important scheduling time for interests outside of their PhD is. A stimulating and enjoyable lifestyle includes a healthy social life, regular exercise, and cultural pursuits.

No matter how challenging earning a Ph.D. may seem, know that it will give you access to a vast array of real-world career opportunities. Graduates can be assured that they have gained extensive knowledge in their field of study. It is a rare accomplishment that you should proudly accept.

Read more about the��EDAMBA PhD Students Forum

Read more about the EDAMBA Thesis Competition

#phdcommunity #phd #doctor of business administration #global dba #global dba degree #doctor of business administration programs #edamba #higher education

[outsourcingbd]

[teambuildingus]

Team Building and the Benefits For Your Company

It's one of those words that has grown in usage in recent years and "team building" has many connotations. In the past its utterance was greeted with a collective sigh but times have changed and the fun element of team building is attractive to both staff and companies and its benefits are plenty team building singapore

As far as companies go, the importance of team building and team-building exercises is one that shouldn't go ignored. It's not about the fun and games that comes as an immediate result of the activities involved; from a company perspective team building is for the group skills and bonding that develop as a result.

The aim of team building is to improve motivation and productivity. Team building events take employees out of the office or their normal working environment, which removes the political and personal barriers as well as removing distractions - no ringing phones or piles of paperwork - to create a more fun and relaxed environment.

The events and fun focus on the main skills that are required for a successful business - open communication, problem solving - and aim for a balance of fun and planning that increases the morale of a team and gets them working together as one.

With many companies providing team building days and courses, qualified facilitators are key to making the day more successful - teams are more likely to relax and get into the spirit if it's not their boss giving the orders. One such company is Out The Office.

Out The Office have developed a selection of teambuilding techniques and approaches with games, wacky communication races, blindfold driving and archery amongst the activities available to assess and develop a wide base of skills, including:

Open communication

Building relationships

Time management

Delegation

Problem solving

Planning

Leadership

Understanding how each other works

Shared responsibility

Trust

Creativity and Innovation

Support

"No blame" culture

Change management

Working towards a common goal

Evaluation on the day's activities and results can be as in depth as required and people leaving upbeat and allows companies to perform better with their staff more able to work as team players.

#Singapore team building

[rhennamorgan]

Six Tips To Become An Entrepreneur Who Is Successful

Being an entrepreneur in the true sense isn't for everyone as it is not a simple lifestyle mode. It is a demanding job that requires knowledge, experience abilities, traits, and skills.

It requires an enormous amount of effort and sacrifices to be a successful entrepreneur. With new ventures and companies that are popping up on a daily basis Here are some suggestions for starting a new business that will succeed in the difficult market conditions. Take a look at Next Gen Hero website if you need specifics info concerning on about fintech, entrepreneurship, technology and motivation.

Find a reason to be there

Entrepreneurs should ask the first question: "Why would I want to create a company?" Not being tired of working a 9-to-5 is a good reason, nor is being annoyed at the manager. Entrepreneurship is a full-time task that requires discipline and includes many other tasks. Earning a great deal of money and money shouldn't be the main motivation for you. Your aim should be to offer a value that people will benefit from. If money is your primary motivation, your business will be managed by how much you make and not how much you offer. The first few years of a business's start-up can be a challenge because they require patience and perseverance. A strong, enduring purpose can motivate you to not abandon your efforts whenever doubts, criticisms and challenges become more difficult.

Love it and be passionate about it

Are you enthusiastic about it? Is it something you are in love with? Are you pursuing a goal to achieve it? It will be your whole life doing it. If you don't enjoy it and believe in it, you won't be able to enjoy it. This can negatively impact your performance and your creativity. Additionally, you will be giving up easily on it whenever you encounter any difficulties, problems, or doubts.

Don't be afraid to fail

Many people look forward to the "perfect moment' when they think they're in the right position to launch an enterprise. This could be the moment they are able to raise enough money and they are offered the job they desire, etcetera. You are never going to get ready or have the perfect moment. You aren't trying hard to fail if you do not succeed. Therefore, you should pursue your dream and just do it.

Know your market

If you don't want to begin an enterprise that you believe people need, you must investigate to find the size of your audience, in addition to the current and future insights into the consumer. You don't want to waste your time, money, and effort on something that no one will benefit from in the near future, or in the near future. Learn about your product's suitability and life-cycle, understand your competition and other options, and review your business segment and the possible scenarios you will be adopting in the near future, to be prepared for any future problems.

Learning is the best friend you can have

Entrepreneurs need to be continually learning. Improve your skills and knowledge within your area and other areas that are related to your company. Participate in workshops and classes, attend seminars, take classes, talk to mentors and advisors, and socialize with fellow entrepreneurs and experts.

Choose the right pool

Begin by surrounded by great people. A well-trained team will help you succeed and achieve your dream. You need to have around those who are committed to what you're creating. If the captain isn't the sole person on the vessel, it's unlikely to make it to its destination. Thus, you must choose your cofounders, team, advisors, and investors with care!

Beginning a business from scratch is a daunting task and requires a leader, someone who is a dreamer, hard worker, a risk taker as well as an adventurer and an unafraid person.

#Six Tips To Become An Entrepreneur #Entrepreneur #Fintech Blog #Entrepreneurship blog #Youtube

[medical33334]

What To Expect When You're Expecting A Surgery: a blog about what patients can expect when expecting surgery.

A surgery can be a very stressful event in a person's life, not just because of the expected pain but also due to the time off from work and the financial burden. That is why it is necessary to write a blog about what can a patient expect before, during and after their surgery.

When it comes to having a surgery performed by the highest quality surgeons, you want to make sure that you're aware of what to expect when you are expecting a surgery. In this blog post we'll be going over what every patient should look forward to after their surgery.

You've heard of the book “What To Expect When You're Expecting…”, but did you know that there are other “expectations” that people have when they go into surgery? A non-medical term can be expected disappointment. you can go orthopedic center Complications are a part of life and surgery is not much different. There are a lot of myths about what to expect when you're expecting surgery. Another non-medical term that could be used is anxiety. I wanted to put my writing skills to use and help people figure out which expectations are real, and which ones are myths or just plain silly. Maybe you thought your surgeon was going to sit next to you and hold your hand while they operated? This isn't going to happen, but should you expect anesthesiologist who will put you in a coma before the operation? Probably not. Should you expect pain after your procedure, even days later? You shouldn't right now, but let's hope everything goes smoothly and you'll get home the same day, pain free!

When I scheduled my surgery, I was a little surprised at the extent of the pre-operative appointment. Discussing pain control, insurance information, and drugs that I shouldn't take with the doctor beforehand was expected. However, being asked to provide info on my allergies, giving permission for x-rays and blood work, and providing a urine sample were all surprising. As this is my first operation - or admission to a hospital as an adult - I wasn't sure what to expect from patient care. My research on patients' experiences has helped me create this blog post about what people should expect when going through the same process.

No one likes to think about surgery, but it's much better to be prepared. Surgery is a medical procedure that requires care and attention from both the doctor and patient. Here are some preparations you can make for your upcoming surgery or post-op recovery, so you can minimize discomfort and maximize your results

A good old-fashioned blog, with blog posts and all. I started writing about things I experienced, as well as what I learned along the way. At first I wasn't sure I would be able to write in an interesting way… just about surgery!!! But I took some notes, sat down for an hour, and now have a blog!

You've heard of the book “What To Expect When You're Expecting…”, but did you know that there are other things people expect when they have surgery? A non-medical term can be expected disappointment. Complications are a reality, and surgery is not much different. There are a lot of myths about what to expect during surgery. Another non-medical term that could be used is anxiety. In this article I will put my writing skills to use and help people figure out which expectations are real, and which ones are myths or just plain silly. Maybe you thought your surgeon was going to sit next to you and hold your hand while they operated? This isn't going to happen, but should you expect an anesthesiologist who will put you in a coma before the operation? Probably not. Should you expect pain after your procedure, even days later? For most patients this isn't the case; let's hope everything goes smoothly and you'll get home the same day, pain free!

You've heard of the book “What To Expect When You're Expecting…”, but did you know that there are other “expectations” that people have when they go into surgery? You've probably heard the term “complication” used around the hospital and in your doctor's office. It means something went wrong with a person's surgery or treatment. There are a lot of misconceptions about what to expect and how to prepare for surgery. If you thought your surgeon was going to sit next to you during surgery and hold your hand, this isn't going to happen! A common fear is pain from the procedure, which can be managed by medication.

What kind of expectations do people have when they're going into surgery? A surgery is a time of great anxiety, even for the most prepared. Expectations vary: some believe their surgeon will sit next to them and hold their hand while they operate; others expect an anesthesiologist who will put them in a coma before the operation starts. I'm here to tell you that none of these things are likely to happen, but there are some expectations you should have: your surgeon probably won't be holding your hand the whole time, but there will be an anesthesiologist who gives you something to knock you out completely; it's unlikely you'll feel any physical pain afterward either, which is one expectation many people have. You shouldn't expect not to wake up after this procedure either!

While not all surgeries are the same, there are some common myths that most people have about their procedures. First, let-s get this one out of the way: a lot of people have the idea that their surgeon will sit next to them and hold their hand as they operate! But this is only true for minor procedures. Anesthesiologists put you in a coma before operating. You should expect pain after your procedure, even days later.? You shouldn't expect any pain from your surgery if it goes well.. This myth is one of the silliest I've ever heard.

The truth is that sometimes complications do happen, but it's very unlikely. Many myths are out there about what to expect when you're expecting surgery. Don't have high expectations, but be realistic. If you have any questions, ask your surgeon before they arrive so they can give you a more accurate description of what to expect and the most likely scenario. Of course the top priority is safety; so if an unexpected complication happens during the surgery, your surgeon will do everything to fix it before it becomes too serious for your health. Long story short: don't worry!

Don't worry, everyone has questions when it comes to surgery or physical therapy. It's a normal part of the process and we want you to feel at ease. There's nothing silly about your questions, so please, take a deep breath, relax and get ready to learn!

You are going to go through a lot of changes during your surgery. In this article, we'll help you understand what you can expect to happen and how it might affect you. While there's no way to predict exactly what will happen, these are the possible things that happen during surgery: You'll be under anesthesia before your procedure, which means you'll need to have someone drive you home or have a ride waiting for you when you leave the hospital. After surgery, some people experience pain while others don't feel anything at all. Complications are rare but they do occur so be aware of any signs that things aren't right - including fever or pain after more than a few days post-surgery.

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