#Group brainstorming methods

[ismailfazil1-blog]

Brainstorming Technique: Generate Ideas, Solve Problems, and Spark Creativity

Are you struggling to come up with innovative solutions or fresh perspectives? This comprehensive guide introduces you to the powerful tool of brainstorming. Discover how to unleash your creativity, solve complex problems, and generate a wealth of ideas through effective brainstorming techniques.

Key Topics Covered:

• Understanding Brainstorming: Learn the fundamentals of brainstorming and its various applications.

• Essential Techniques: Explore traditional and modern brainstorming methods, including mind mapping, reverse brainstorming, and rolestorming.

• Facilitating Effective Sessions: Discover strategies to create a conducive environment for brainstorming, encourage participation, and capture valuable ideas.

• Harnessing Technology: Leverage online tools and virtual platforms to enhance your brainstorming sessions.

• Applying Brainstorming in Different Areas: Learn how to apply brainstorming techniques to business, problem-solving, creative endeavors, and personal development.

• Overcoming Challenges: Address common obstacles, such as groupthink and fear of judgment, to ensure successful brainstorming outcomes.

Whether you're a business professional, entrepreneur, student, or simply seeking to boost your creativity, this book provides practical insights and actionable advice to help you master the art of brainstorming.

[swordmaid]

spawn shri’iia constantly walking on the ceiling makes me laugh tho like what is she doing up there….who knows…..god forbid women have hobbies

[paarksunghoon]

Jake finally taking you after months of uncertainty whether you like him or not. Pushing you against a wall, rough and passionate making out, and him being a softdom. Pleaseeeeeeee.

i imagined jake wearing glasses 😋 bonus points if the neighbors are heeseung, jay and sunghoon and they all hear jake fuck you lol

***

It all started with a stupid semester project.

Jake hates group work. He hates relying on people and he hates when his partners don’t complete their portion of the work. Jake thinks they’re lazy and good-for-nothing, even though he knows he’s being dramatic. He hates being the only person to contribute to the Google doc and he loathes it when the grade is dependent on everyone as a whole and not individually.

He meets you in Advanced Research Methods. It’s a required class for mathematical and physics majors in order to graduate, and Jake has pushed off taking it for as long as he could because he hates the idea of researching data with a partner. He knows the professor well enough to assume that there would be group work (he assumes correctly) but absolutely nothing could’ve prepared him from laying eyes on you for the first time.

When Dr. Kang announces the partners for the semester-long research project, Jake’s tapping his pen against his leg when he starts to hear names being called out. His ears perk up when he hears his own. When your name is said, Jake looks up and finds that you’re staring right at him.

You look so put together. Jake doesn’t know what it is about you that makes you look like you’ve got it all figured out. Maybe it’s because your hair looks particularly neat compared to all of the other people sitting around him. Perhaps it’s your laptop and notebook right next to it. Whatever it is, he finds himself a bit nervous to inevitably approach you in order to begin working on the project.

Dr. Kang allows the students to mingle and get to know one their project partners during the last ten minutes of class to exchange information. When you take initiative to walk to where Jake is sitting and occupy the seat next to him, he finds himself stuttering.

“H-Hey,” he says pathetically. You’re prettier up close.

“Hi! Jake, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“Here’s my phone. Why don’t you put your number in.”

Jake’s hands are almost shaking as he holds your phone between his hands and settles with ‘Jake Sim - Research Methods’ as his contact so you remember him. When he hands it back to you, he watches you type away before he feels his own phone buzz.

Unknown Number: hi! it’s yn.

He saves the contact quickly before class ends and the two of you decide to wait until the next class to set a time to meet to work on the project.

Jake’s worries about group projects disappear when he begins working with you. You’re punctual, never a minute late when the two of you agree to meet after classes to work on it. You contribute to brainstorming sessions and crunch data numbers like you’re the best at it. Jake finds that he’s able to divide up the work evenly and sleeps at a decent hour because he doesn’t have to stay up late to finish an extra portion.

Your intellect is attractive to him. You’re able to explain difficult theories and statistical processes to him better than any professor he’s ever hard. Only, it becomes hard to listen to you talk because he keeps staring at your lips.

They’re so kissable. Jake wonders what they must feel like against his own. He imagines grabbing your face with his hands and planting one on you when you talk about SPSS but he doesn’t act on it, fearing that he may make you uncomfortable. Jake loves it when you start to wear shorter dresses and skirts because the weather is warming up. He likes seeing your thighs stick to the seats and watching you pull the fabric down to prevent flashing everybody.

As the months go by, he realizes he’s learned a lot about you. You’re not from around and you dream of working in astrophysics one day. You love the color green and you’re obsessed with tangerines to the point where he bought a bag just to present you with one at every session. You’re a night owl and you love all kinds of music except country, and you prefer coffee over tea.

Jake also knows that your body is gorgeous. Your legs look stunning in shorter skirts and your tits look beautiful when they almost spill out of your crop tops. He knows what your thighs look like when you sit and how your skirt rides up to accommodate the new angle you’ve put yourself in.

It messes with his head because sometimes, he swears you might like him, too.

You laugh at his corny math jokes and ask him to hang out with you on the weekends. You let him buy you coffee and meals when it’s late into the night. You let him walk you home and you even allow Jake to nap on your bed when he comes over to work on the project after long, hot days.

It all comes to a boiling point one Thursday evening when he’s alone with you in your dorm. Your roommate is gone until Monday and Jake is sitting on the bed whilst you’re sitting on the desk chair, stretching your arms above your head until your shirt rides up. He can see your skin and wonders how soft you must be.

For just a moment, Jake wonders what your bare skin would feel like against his palms. Your breasts look plush to the touch and he’d bet anything that your pussy would feel so amazing against his fingers and cock when you’re wet. He imagines sliding his dick in and out of your tight hole, pumping until he’s coming inside of you and making you messier than before.

But he regrets this thought because he’s half hard in his sweatpants and there’s no way to hide it.

“I, uh, think I’m gonna head back to my dorm,” Jake announces as he puts a notebook in front of his crotch.

“Already?” You turn around and pout at him. “But you got here thirty minutes ago.”

Jake shuffles to the door. “Sorry, Y/N. I think I’ll do my portion there.”

“Jake, I really need you here to complete my part. We’re supposed to turn in the second half of the report this week and I need your help to do it.”

God, you sound so hot when you’re asking him to stay.

He panics when you stand from your seat to approach him as he motions to open the door. The sound of your chair scraping against the floor startles him until he drops the notebook that’s been covering his semi-hard dick. You gasp.

“Are you hard?”

Bashfully, Jake sighs and tries to back away from you. “This I why I wanted to leave, okay? I…I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

You look at his crotch and then back up at him. “Why are you hard?”

Jake’s face heats up even more. “I-I don’t know.”

“Jaeyun.” Your voice sounds so delicate saying his name like that.

“It’s because I like you and you’re wearing shorts that leave nothing to the imagination, okay?!” He sighs. “I’ve liked you since the second time we worked on the project because that’s when I knew I could rely on you. Everything else was just circumstance and now I need to go to my dorm so I can take care of this.”

“I can help,” you tell him. You say it just shy of confidently and he can’t tell if you feel bad for him or not.

“You don’t have to say or do anything. I already made this weird.”

You force yourself to stop looking at his cock. Knowing Jake, he’s too embarrassed to realize that your proposition is genuine and that you’ve harbored a crush on him since becoming partners with him too. So you muster up enough courage to press your lips to his and hope the message is clear.

Jake’s eyes widen against your mouth and you pull back after a few seconds to see the astonished look on his face. “I like you too, dummy. Have since you started bringing me tangerines after knowing me for two weeks.”

“Really?”

You nod. “Mhm. Can I kiss you again?”

Jake captures your mouth in a kiss the way he wants to—his hands grab your jaw and he pushes his lips against yours until he’s turning you. You feel your back hit the hard wall and gasp into the kiss, allowing Jake to lick your bottom lip with his tongue. The sensation dances across your chest and you gush out a stream of wetness at Jake’s urgency.

“Could’ve been kissing you all this time,” he mutters against your neck as he drags his lips down your skin. “Feel what you do to me.”

Without detaching himself from you, Jake puts your hand on his hardened cock and hears you whimper at the feeling. He coaxes you to squeeze him through the fabric and moans against your neck when you do.

“Such a good girl, listening to me like that.” He pulls away and pushes his hips into your palm. “I’m always hard for you.”

“R-Really?”

“You’re so hot, Y/N. You have to know that.”

Jake doesn’t let you respond. He grips your waist and pushes his plump lips back on yours and kisses you with fervor until your own lips have become swollen. The two of you emit breathy moans in the quiet of your dorm room and your free hand pushes Jake’s sweats down until his cock springs free. The hand around his dick collects the precum that has oozed from his swollen head and you smear it over his skin.

“Fuck me,” he moans to himself. “You’re perfect.”

“Your cock is perfect,” you choke. “So big.”

“Yeah? Can you spit on it for me?” You do as he says, leaning forward until a wad of it touches his slit. Jake smiles at you lustfully and squeezes your hips. “Good girl. Always so good, aren’t you? Makes me wonder how good you’ll be for me when I fuck you.”

“I’ll be so good,” you whine as you twist your hand up and down his length. Jake resumes kissing your neck and the electricity makes your pussy quiver. “I want you inside of me now.”

“Now? You think you’re wet enough?” You nod. “We’ll just have to see, now won’t we?”

Jake’s movements are hurried as he pushes your shorts down until they’re at your knees. You aren’t lying. You’re really wet. The cute baby pink panties you wear are soiled and he feels it when his fingers come in contact with the fabric.

The short whimper you let out is enough for Jake to short circuit. He doesn’t believe this is real. Even less so when you maneuver his cock until the tip it pushing against your covered core, gathering your wetness to coat his cock.

“Fuck, you really are perfect,” Jake whispers against you. He pulls back to watch as you stroke him while keeping the tip plush against you as if to coax him into fucking your hole. Jake’s mouth hangs open at the delicious sensation of the wet fabric against his cock head and decides you’re wet enough to take all of him.

He relishes in your gasp when he forces you to turn around. You push your ass towards him and Jake slaps your right ass cheek with his big hands until the sound reverberates in the room. Jake pulls your panties down until they join your shorts halfway down your legs and pushes his cock against you.

“How are you so fucking wet?” he mutters.

“It’s all for you.”

“Fuck yes it is.”

Without bothering to pull his sweatpants off, Jake uses his hand to slide the tip up and down your slit until you’re arching your back and clutching the wall to the best of your ability. The wet splashes make him even hornier and he pushes the head into you until you envelop him.

Slowly, Jake pushes into you inch by inch and holds you by the waist. He rubs your bare skin and coos at you when you wiggle your ass to get more of him. The pain feels exceptional. You can’t remember a time where you fucked someone as big as Jake and you don’t want to live without his cock inside of you like this.

Jake takes his shirt off to prevent it from obstructing the view of his cock disappearing into your pussy. He pushes himself inside of you until he’s completely sheathed and catches you by surprise. Jake silences your moan with a kiss to your mouth and rubs soothing circles on your waist, kissing you like his life depends on it while you get used to the new stretch.

He pushes his tongue against yours and uses the spit to coat his lips. You taste exactly like the pink lemonade you’ve been drinking all night and the innocent flavor makes his hips buck into you.

“Fuck me,” you beg. “Please, Jake. Don’t make me wait.”

He obliges. Jake fucks into you with all his might and his strong, muscular arms hold you in place as you push your chest against the wall and hold onto the door handle. The string of moans you let out is surely loud enough to let the neighbors know what’s happening behind the door but neither of you care about that right now. Jake wants to make you come and he’s slinging his hips into you from an upward angle, bending his knees to make sure his cock impales your g-spot.

“You’re so hot,” he moans. “I think about fucking you all the time.”

“M-Me too,” you confess.

“Yeah? What do you think about?”

“I think about—Ah!—Fingering me in class and eating my pussy.”

“Fuck yeah. I can do that for you.” Jake grips your hips tighter. “I can make you cum.”

“Make me cum, Jaeyun,” you plead, pushing your ass back. “I wanna cum on your cock.”

Jake pistons his hips into you until you’re parallel to the floor, holding onto the handle for dear life. He pushes into you so hard that you’re afraid you’d fall if it weren’t for his strong grip on you. Jake pushes and pushes, saving his orgasm until you come first.

It hits you like a tidal wave crashing over the shore. Your orgasm is long and drawn out as he keeps his brutal pace. Your release seeps from between the two or you and drips down his balls. Jake bites his lip at the tingling sensation and smacks your ass when you clench around him.

“Use me to make yourself cum,” you tell him. “Please, Jake. Please cum for me.”

“Say less, Princess.”

His orgasm follows shortly behind yours. Jake pulls out after five more thrust and pumps his cock until his cum spurts all over the globes of your ass. The warm, thick liquid feels so good against your skin that you push your bare pussy against him until Jake is letting his hot cock rest on you too.

When he regains his breath, he spots a roll of paper towels and gives your cheek a quick kiss before cleaning the both of you up. His touch is gentle, juxtaposed to his fucking just a few minutes prior. Jake cleans himself up before wiping the cum off of you and wiping your pussy gently too. He coaxes you to change into fresh undergarments and lets you collapse onto the bed with your eyes on him.

“I really do like you,” Jake says. “I didn’t say that just to fuck you.”

You pull him down and kiss him until all that’s left is soft pecks and the sound of lips smacking. Jake lets you pull away to lay on top of his chest and you feel him kiss the crown of your head.

“Sleep, Y/N. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

***

comments and reblogs are appreciated! x

[destinationtoast]

Come join the Fandom Data Projects community! (You don't need to have a project or any relevant background... just curiosity 🤓)

Apparently I can't reblog the community post I made outside the community, so to quote myself:

Hello, fans of fandom data science, fandom research, fandom stats, fandom surveys, fandom data visualization, and everything related! 🪭📊📈📋📓🎉🎉🎉 I run a blog called @toastystats , and I love fandom data! I am starting this community for folks with a personal or academic curiosity about fans/fanworks and a desire to answer questions with data 🧑‍🔬. All of the following are welcome here: * Sharing questions about fandom and brainstorming ways to gather relevant data; * Sharing analyses & insights; * Trading tips on how to gather or analyze data; * Chatting about methods; * Asking for volunteers to participate in surveys or help gather data; * Anything else related!

Learners and lurkers are welcome. Drama and discourse are not; please be thoughtful and generous in how you participate in the group, and try not to stir controversy. (That's not to say there aren't valid fandom research topics that involve controversies -- but the goal of this space is to focus on people helping each other with research and learning in a low stress environment.)

(Honestly I'm starting this partly because I'm curious about the Tumblr community feature, and I like to learn by trying things. 🤓 We'll see how this goes.)

[windvexer]

Using Tarot to Identify: a Person From a Small Group [1/2]

Any tarot card can be assigned a variety of indicators that help identify a single person. Most commonly the court cards are used, but old-school methods (such as assigning specific appearance traits, like gender presentation, race, and hair color) may fall flat.

Instead, you can develop and assign your own indicators according to your reading preferences, and the situation at hand.

Suppose you need to identify one person out of a small pool, such as a group of friends. What information would allow you to single out one from the rest?

If all of your friends are equestrians, it's useless to have indicators for athletic, loves animals, likes the outdoors.

What differentiates them? Maybe some of your friends compete, and others just enjoy trail riding. Indicators for competitive; victory and relaxed; nature might be helpful.

Each tarot card has the potential to carry vast amounts of meaning. For any reading, you must identify the relevant meanings to the question, and discard the rest.

This is true also for identifiers. Suppose we think the Knight/Pentacles relates to an outdoorsy nature and connection to animals. A useless card to identify a single equestrian friend. Therefore, those meanings are irrelevant and should not be included in the reading.

Instead, we can focus on other indicators which do not apply to all friends. The Knight/Pentacles can also refer to a very responsible person, someone who is steadfast and slow to act, or someone set in their ways and uninterested in new ideas.

Here we may begin to have indicators which can actually begin pointing to individuals; Kori is very responsible, but so focused on getting every detail right that she barely meets deadlines to sign up for competitions, and refuses to change her ways.

In order to help gather this information, focus on the way you frame your questions, and what spreads you use.

"Who is going to win the next competition" is a weak question, in that it lacks a support structure to hold desired answers. Craft questions in such a way that they are the perfect mold to cup the jiggly jello of the answers you desire.

You must craft your questions to support your reading style, and what makes sense to you.

Does using personality indicators make a lot more sense to you than physical traits? Frame your questions that way.

"Of our friend group, describe the personality of the person who will win the competition." There we go - a solid support structure to encapsulate the exact sort of information you desire.

Be creative. Brainstorm ahead of time and think about what traits make sense to work with, and assign them in a balanced way to the cards you want to use.

Here is where playing with the structures of tarot can be useful. Do all King cards represent authority in some manner, whether legitimate or otherwise? Maybe all Page cards relate to how the person sees and interacts with the world; Page/Swords can be an observant learner, while Page/Pentacles is someone who must learn through hands-on experience, and values experiences highly.

Then you can start to get somewhere.

The winner of the next competition will be an emotional, poetic person (Page/Cups) who must do things for themselves in order to learn (Page/Pentacles) and always helps others with understanding manual tasks (Queen/Pentacles).

This is perhaps someone you can identify, especially when you apply other techniques of tarot. (Two Pages - maybe they come off as innocent or naive, despite their developed knowledge of horses. Two Pentacles - they are probably very down-to-earth and invested in a hands-on career or trade school, they would never just sit behind a desk doing spreadsheets).

The key here is being crafty with your card meanings, and making sure they align to your reading style.

Suppose that you need to identify someone out of a huge pool, such as someone's future husband.

Here the game changes.

Read about it in part 2.

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Cradle To Grave: Part Three

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.1k

Summary: Your experience in prison isn't what you thought it would be. You're feeling everything and you don't know if you'll be okay when you finally come out of it. Meanwhile, the team notices a change in Spencer as he tries his best not to miss you too much.

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Season Five Masterlist

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there are any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them.

x

The next morning, JJ is the first one in the station with Penelope on the phone. She didn't get much sleep last night much like the rest of the team. Her room is right next to Spencer's, and she heard him crying most of the night. She feels so bad for him. She wishes there was something she could do to either help you or make Spencer feel better. Her hands are tied, and she doesn't know how to get them untied. She has a coffee in her hand that she sips on as she talks to Penelope.

"I know it's a long shot, but Monica's parents said that she was heading west. Maybe she made it part of the way when she was kidnapped. Try running her DNA against adoption records in the surrounding states."

"I think you're brilliant! Hey, JJ, if we find this little girl, what's gonna happen to her?"

"If something illegal transpires during the adoption process, the court nullifies it, and the child gets returned to the closest blood relative. If it helps, I have met with the grandparents. They're wonderful people."

"Oh, I'm sure they are," Penelope sighs. "It's just... I don't know... I lost my parents. Granted, I was older than she was, but what got me through were the people closest to me. If Monica's daughter is with a good family, and we take her away from them..."

"Are we doing more harm than good?" JJ finishes for her with a sigh.

"Yeah."

"Garcia, I don't think we have a choice. These people have a right to their granddaughter."

"You're right. This just sucks."

Derek walks into the station, also on the phone. Hotch, Spencer, Emily, and Rossi follow right behind him.

"Yes, right away, please. Thank you." He hangs up and looks at the team. "That was CPS. I asked them to send over infant mortality files. It's another group for us to eliminate."

"Good," Hotch nods. He has a piece of paper in his hands with red markings all over it like annotations. Hotch brings Derek to an empty office to speak to him privately. "This is your profile. I disagree with your analysis."

"Hotch, are you serious? It's not a law review article, it's just something for us to brainstorm."

"You only focused on one angle, Morgan. That the prenatal drugs indicate the presence of a wife or a girlfriend. We need more options."

"Which I can give you once we make the proper deductions. Hotch, you're asking me to guess."

"Morgan, in order for the profile to be useful, it has to generate multiple scenarios about what the unsub is doing. Rewrite it," Hotch orders and hands the paper over to him.

Derek can't believe this but takes the paper without another word. JJ knocks on the door and pops her head in.

"We got Monica's daughter. She was adopted four years ago. Her name is Lisa."

"How did Garcia find her? She cross-referenced the entire New Mexico system."

"She isn't in New Mexico. She's in Arizona."

This opens up all new avenues. Hotch and Derek leave the office and join the others in the main room to discuss the case more.

"So, all the mothers were abducted and dumped in New Mexico, but he keeps the babies in Arizona. He knows the police with stop looking at the state line."

"The adoption agency's gonna be our best lead to the unsub. Who handled the case?" Hotch asks.

"That's bomb number two," JJ sighs. "She didn't go through an agency. She was dropped off anonymously at a church. Hospitals and churches are safe havens. You can drop a baby off, no questions asked."

"Child Protection Services would look for the closest relative."

"Another search that ends at the state line," Spencer says. "If CPS doesn't find one, the baby will go into foster care, which is what happened to Lisa. She was lucky. The adoption process happened within a month."

It makes him think of your parent's foster business and how children are getting adopted in weeks. It can happen, but not at the rate their children are. Thinking about your parents brings him back to you, and he grows sad once again.

"So, this unsub had the opportunity to make money off this infant. When he doesn't, he drops it off at a church because he knows the state will take good care of the child."

"That's awfully considerate," Emily scoffs.

"Outside the murder, nothing about this unsub's behavior profiles like a sexual sadist... As I wrote," Derek says and looks at Hotch.

"Yeah, Morgan's right. It's the actions of a caretaker or a mother. Could our unsub be a woman?" JJ wonders.

"Only a man would torture his victims this much. Men get off on this kind of violence. Women don't. He could be married, though, with his wife being a passive participant and taking care of the moms and babies."

"Alright, we need to split up. We'll give the profile to the Arizona and the New Mexico state police. Rossi, Reid, and Prentiss, I want you to head to Phoenix. Morgan, you're here with me. We'll finalize the profile."

Spencer gets up but his phone rings. He doesn't recognize the number but answers it anyway.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this a collect call from Virginia Correctional Center for Women for inmate Y/N. Press one if you'd like to accept the call."

"It's Y/N!" Spencer gasps and quickly presses the button. Everyone stops what they're doing to look at him. He holds his breath and waits to hear your voice. The call connects and he hears you breathing on the other line. "Y/N?"

"Spencer?" Your voice sounds so small, so distant that it breaks his heart. "Is that you?"

"I'm here. I'm right here. God, I miss you."

"I miss you, too," you sniffle. "How are you doing?"

"How are you doing? I wish I was there with you."

"I'm going to be fine, Spencer. I'm okay here."

"I love you so much. Please hold onto that."

You lean your head against the wall and let the tears fall. You try to keep your voice neutral so he doesn't sense how fucking scared you are.

"I know you do. I love you, too. I know you're worried about me, but I need you to continue to work on the cases Hotch sends you. I want you to use that big brain of yours to help people who need it."

"You need it. Who is going to help you?"

"Baby, I have faith that I will get out soon. I didn't kill those men, and I believe I will get justice. I will be home soon and in your arms before you know it."

"We're in New Mexico right now. I am going to visit you as soon as we are back in Virginia."

"Okay," you whisper. One of the guards calls your name to get you back to where everyone else is. "I have to go now. I just wanted to hear your voice."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

When you hang up, Spencer looks at everyone with tears in his eyes.

"Kid," Derek sighs.

"She's scared, Morgan. I could tell by the sound of her voice. She's scared out of her mind, and we work for a company that has the resources to help her. Screw my job if it means I can get her out of prison. Hotch?"

"You need to get to Arizona. We'll talk about it after."

Spencer is so frustrated and emotional but he doesn't want to make it worse or cause a scene. He grabs his jacket and leaves the station with Emily and Rossi following behind him. When the three agents get to Arizona, they gather the Phoenix PD to give the profile just as Derek and Hotch give it to the NMPD.

"The unsubs that we are looking for are a couple. Now, the man in the relationship most likely has a history of sexual violence. He started with stalking and then moved his way up to assault and rape. That violent streak ended temporarily when he found his wife. For the first years of their marriage, she submitted to his torture."

"Look for wives who came into the ER repeatedly with obvious signs of spousal abuse. You're gonna have to go back about five years because, around the time of the first abduction, the visits stopped. Sexual sadists can't find satisfaction from a willing participant," Emily explains.

"He eventually got to a place where he couldn't escalate his violence against her without killing her, so she made him a deal. He gets to kidnap, rape, and kill each of the runaways while she gets to keep the children. She's been giving the victims a series of prescription prenatal drugs, so you're gonna want to look at the obstetric fields such as nurses and OBs."

"The wife needs these children. At first, they were the lifeline that kept her alive. As long as he had other targets for his abuse, she avoided his rage," Rossi says.

"So, if these children protect her from abuse, why is she putting them up for adoption?" an officer asks.

"We believe the unsubs want children who resemble them physically, who no one would question as their own. All of the runaways have been blond which means the unsub may be as well, but the first child we found in the system was a brunette."

"Whatever the physical characteristic--the color of the eyes or the skin type--if the baby doesn't have it, he or she ends up in the foster care system," Rossi adds to Emily's point. "Wives of sexual sadists need outlets as a denial mechanism to cope with what their partners are doing."

"Motherhood, especially taking care of a helpless infant, is this woman's way of coping," Spencer says, his mind drifting back to your parents.

When the profile is done, JJ walks off to the side when she gets a message on her phone. Monica's grandparents are here and they are looking for answers. She walks outside to greet them, and they look at her with hopeful eyes.

"Have you found her?"

"Yes."

"How is she?"

"She's great. She was adopted by a young couple. No reports of physical or emotional trauma."

"When can we take her?" Conrad asks.

"Right now, we're in touch with her adoptive parents' lawyer, but the law is on your side."

"Can we talk to the parents? We could discuss this with them," Jane asks.

"They don't want to initiate contact. They've been through a lot right now."

A look of realization comes across Jane's face. Her smile falters and falls at the thought of taking her grandchild away from the only family she's ever known.

"They're her parents. Of course, they don't want to give her up."

"If she wants to see them, we can work that out. We're her family."

"What are the risks here? If we claim her, are we hurting her?" Jane asks JJ.

"It's impossible to tell. Some kids do great. Others have trouble."

"Why are we talking about risks? She's Monica's daughter," Conrad argues. "She's not their blood."

"Stop it," Jane hisses. "Thank you, Agent Jareau, but my husband and I need to discuss this."

Jane and Conrad leave the police station in quiet arguments, and JJ walks back inside the police station. She texts Spencer to ask how he's doing but he doesn't respond. He's been working hard to distract himself from thinking about you. He's working on the geographical profile when Rossi joins him. There is a map on the bulletin board with red and blue markings on it.

"What's this?"

"It's the pattern I've been looking for. The unsubs hid their tracks with the mothers, but they weren't so careful with the abandoned babies."

"Did you find more children?"

"DNA-wise, no but deductively, yes. I gathered all the records for all infants who entered foster care in a two-week window following each mother's death. Then, I narrowed it down to babies that were abandoned at churches. This is where the guesswork begins. Monica's daughter was abandoned at a Presbyterian Church. Let's assume the unsub, or the wife at least, is Presbyterian. That means all other unwanted children are gonna be left in the same denomination, right? That narrows it down to three babies left at three different Presbyterian Churches all within this twenty-mile radius. This is where they live."

Spencer points out the circle he's drawn on the map. Rossi grabs the files of the three kids and looks through them all.

"Have you looked at their files?"

"No. Right now, I've only been tracking churches. Why?"

"Because you just uncovered another pattern. These are all girls." Rossi calls Hotch immediately. "You guys need to come to Arizona. We found another pattern."

"Yeah, we're packing up now. We can be in Phoenix in two hours. What pattern did you find?"

"Reid found more children put into foster care. Lisa, Elizabeth, and Amanda. We profiled there'd be a type they'd keep and a type they'd put into foster care. They're keeping the boys."

"We'll be there soon."

x

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[trans-axolotl]

key takeaways from psych abolition discussions at the anarchist healthcare conference 2023:

Psych wards and asylums have not always existed, and we can tear down and create alternatives! As much as the system wants us to believe this is our only option for providing care and support for madness, that is simply not true and there are multiple historical examples of successful deinstitutionalization. We talked a lot about the Basaglia method and the application of that in Italy and Brazil.

Successful resistance within psych wards has required solidarity from both workers and patients. Patients are often understandably very mistrustful of the professionals who have perpetrated violence against us, and psych professionals need to actively work to build trust, collaborate in sharing the burden of risk that currently patients are the only ones holding, actively value patients lives above their job security, and must actively interrogate the power dynamics they are currently operating within. One area to start building solidarity can be around the ways that psych workers like behavioral techs are often underpaid, overworked, and exploited by upper management, and that many psych workers go into the field because they have their own experience with mental health. There needs to be much more room for patients to express our anger, rage, and distrust, and still be respected by psych professionals who want to organize with us.

This quote from Basaglia and the Democratic Psychiatry movement in Italy: " The debate about whether to work inside or outside institutions, inside or outside, presupposes that inside and outside exist as clearly separate and antagonistic positions. Inside and outside are created as opposite and completely separate poles by a social system that is based on divisions at all levels. If we accept this premise, we are already playing into the hands of administrators."

What resistance in psych wards can look like! We talked about everything from organized protests, group refusal to comply with treatment activities, individual noncompliance, breaking people out, trying to advocate through the approved means like ethics committees and patient advocates, sneaking in contraband, creating intentional peer support within those spaces, and also some more complex and nuance conversations around the fact that when all ability to access privacy and bodily autonomy is taken away, many patients will turn to self harm as a form of enforcing bodily autonomy.

Ways that professionals can act as accomplices, by refusing to sign psych holds, refusing to force meds, enabling peer support, breaking their hospital policies, letting patients get away with things, advocating for policies like cell phones in units, calling ethics consults. Also the idea of deliscensure, where therapists will go to school, get licensed, and then let that license expire and offer services under "life coaching," which has different legal responsibilities and creates less entanglement with the state and mandatory reporting.

The idea that coercion exists on so many levels in the psych system, from outpatient to inpatient. "involuntary holds" are not the only type of involuntary treatment that happens. Someone had a really good point that choosing between coercive and violent inpatient systems or being forced to have zero support on the outside is also not a choice free from coercion, and that any discussion of involuntary treatment needs to have a really broad understanding of how coercion and choice plays into treatment in so many levels.

Brainstorming what inside/outside organizing might look like in terms of how we as community outside institutions support people currently incarcerated. Some ideas included bringing in regular care packages with fun items for patients and also items like hair care products, especially for textured hair since psych wards rarely provide any hair care products for Black hair, and sneaking in contact info to local organizations and collectives, sneaking in radical zines about mental health support topics/psych abolition/harm reduction by giving them covers of approved topics on things like CBT, mainstream mental health, etc. Having hotlines for immediate mobilization for psych incarceration. Utilizing the wisdom and knowledge from people who are regularly in and out of hospitals, who might have a lot more long term knowledge of how a psych facility functions than staff who have a lot of turnover. Really listening to patients and peers and getting creative about how to reach people and remind them that they're not forgotten. We really grappled with how to do this type of organizing when considering that psych wards are often very transient spaces where people are there for only 5ish days, and how to set up structures that can offer support to people their first time they enter a psych facility. A lot of our conversations also looked at successful inside/outside organizing happening in prisons, and people felt like that would be a really good direction to go into.

Building our community capacity to deal with crisis, and also depathologizing crisis! We talked about how often people label others' experiences as crisis without actually seeing how the person feels about it, and how white supremacy culture really encourages this on a societal level, especially in terms of what public situations bystanders will call the cops/crisis hotlines. In order to build networks of community care, we need to get comfortable with crisis, and look at how crisis exists in context, instead of just labeling things as symptoms and disorders. Healing cannot exist in isolation, and alongside things like emotional and therapeutic support, access to substances, we need to consider how to integrate material support for things like housing, food, medical care, fighting against oppression, access to job security, things like that. We also need to address how to expand access to community spaces, especially when considering people who feel isolated from in person community and don't have support networks to rely on.

overall this conference was just a really cool convergence of mad people, psych professional allies, people working with harm reduction and alternative crisis teams and just a million different contexts! happy to expand more on any of these points I've listed above.

[whencyclopedia]

The Scientific Revolution

Before class, students will be asked to read two World History Encyclopedia articles.

Introduction (10-15 minutes)

Hook: Start with a thought-provoking question: "How would you determine whether something is true or not? What process would you use?"

Write students’ responses on the board to highlight different approaches, such as personal experience, advice from others, intuition, or logical reasoning.

Explain that before the Scientific Revolution, people often relied on methods like tradition, philosophical reasoning, or religious teachings to determine the truth.

Introduce the idea that the Scientific Method emerged as a new approach to discovering truth, emphasizing that this method is based on observation, experimentation, and evidence rather than solely on abstract reasoning or accepted beliefs.

Hands-On Activity (25-30 minutes)

Present the following scenario to the class: "A farmer notices that some crops in his field are growing poorly while others are thriving. He wants to understand why this is happening."

Divide the class into an even number of small groups. Half of the groups will receive Handout 1: Philosophical Approach and the other half will receive Handout 2: Scientific Method Approach.

Instruct each group to brainstorm solutions to the farmer's problem based on their assigned approach.

Philosophical Approach: Groups might suggest reasons based on general principles, such as the alignment of the stars, the will of the gods, or moral interpretations of natural events.

Scientific Method Approach: Groups should focus on making specific observations, forming testable hypotheses, designing experiments, and collecting data.

Pair each Philosophical Approach group with a Scientific Method Approach group. Have the paired groups present their ideas to each other. Encourage them to discuss and debate the differences between the philosophical reasoning and the scientific method.

Class Discussion and Reflection (15-20 minutes)

Reflect on the activity, highlighting the strengths and limitations of each approach and the importance of the Scientific Method in advancing knowledge and solving problems.

Summarize key takeaways from the lesson, emphasizing how the Scientific Method has led to a more systematic and evidence-based approach to knowledge.

Reflect on how the Scientific Method has shaped modern knowledge and technology and ask students how they might use the Scientific Method in their own lives or future careers.

Homework/Extension

Students will pick one scientist from the collection of 12 Great Scientists of the Scientific Revolution, read their biography, and answer questions on the worksheet (see below). If needed, further research can be done to complete the worksheet.

Continue reading...

[not-so-secret-bi-badge-bunny]

ok so your blog totally has me thinking of the chaotic power of buck and alex meeting while tommy and henry have to ensure their dumbass boyfriends don’t destroy something.

you know tommy and henry would be smitten and totally in love but they got to keep it together because someone has to have a brain cell in this friend group.

they would get roped into the shenanigans by buck and alex though and everyone around them would be stunted at the fact that there is two disaster bisexuals.

the super six and 118 meeting would just be unreal and could you imagine the interactions?

anyways I’ll be off in my own delusional world where this is a reality.

Oh I love this idea!

I have so many ideas that work with these four and so little time to write. But I hope to make it happen (as soon as I get the opportunity to read the book, I might need to make this AU happen).

Alex and Henry are both fascinated with Buck and Tommy's jobs as firefighters. They have so many questions and want all the stories. They find news clips of some of the rescues and taunt Buck and Tommy about some of them (think Buck tackling the baby napper+ Tommy and the rooster type calls).

Buck and Alex would not only "torment" Tommy and Henry (lovingly), but they would drive the 118 crazy.

The four of them at a pride parade where Henren are introduced would be total chaos... maybe I should add Tarlos, too. Just imagine the 8 of them all in one place. They might need Athena on standby, haha.

Eddie and Alex meet, and suddenly, it's a game of "who is the best Diaz" and "you have to choose a favorite" (blame it on the alcohol they consumed on this outing).

Tommy and Henry's text exchange is full of "how do you tame your bisexual disaster because my normal methods are not working right now" type commentary and questions.

Buck and Alex brainstorm new ways to be a menace to their boyfriends, encouraging each other to dumb things.

Not to mention the chaos that would be that group chat. I could see both Buck and Alex playing the " my boyfriend said he didn't love me anymore because..." and it's over something silly like Tommy or Henry doesnt want to listen to that song for the 800th time.

I need my library hold to be available so I can read this book and start this chaos, lol.

[writingquestionsanswered]

ADHD & Starting a New WIP

Anonymous asked: i've been using chatgpt to avoid clogging your inbox, but it wasn't much helpful since it sent me in loops. I remember you writing about having ADHD which is why I felt you were qualified to answer this.

Please never worry about clogging my inbox... I'll get to everything in time. ♥ And yes, I do have ADHD, so here goes...

I have a problem that is more relevant to my autism/adhd: choice paralysis and indecisiveness. It is impacting my writing too much. No matter what advice I read, nothing is helping. I can't come up with/decide on a plot. I don't have a "feeling" like I used to anymore to just go with something. My brain HAS to explore EVERY option before deciding. There's just too much power in creating a story, and I don't think I can handle it. Do you have any tips to handle this indecisiveness and just actually do something? Do you mind sharing your own process when you start a brand new WIP and the only characterisation you have is "This is John, he wants to be a writer" and nothing else?

[Ask was edited for length...]

Dealing with Indecisiveness and Competing Ideas

Step 1 - Get Everything Out - Start with a brainstorming session and get all the ideas out on paper. All of those "explore every option" ideas... write them all down. Write down ideas until you can't think of anything else to write.

Step 2 - Take Stock - Next, count up all your ideas and organize them if need be... for example, if some of the ideas are related to character but others are related to setting, group them into their specific groups. Then, count up how many ideas you have in each group. Like, 17 character ideas, 10 world ideas, 4 plot ideas.

Step 3 - Eliminate by Half - I find it very helpful to eliminate my ideas by half just as a disciplinary means of keeping things in check. So, I would need to eliminate 7 or 8 character ideas, 5 world ideas, and 2 plot ideas. This is hard but it has to be hard. The point is to force yourself to not overthink it. Set a timer for a minute if you have to and say that you have to circle 8 character ideas before the timer goes off. Any ideas that aren't circled by the time the buzzer goes off will not be considered. Again, it's harsh, but for me it works.

Step 4 - Save the Ideas You Eliminate - This is KEY. Having a notebook or document where you save discarded ideas makes it easier to eliminate them because you don't feel like you're throwing them out. You're just saving them for later to be recycled for future projects.

Step 5 - Play Around a Bit - Look at your remaining ideas... let's say the 8 character ideas... is there anything you can discard right off the top? Are there any ideas that thrill you more than the others? Can any ideas be combined somehow? Can any of these ideas easily be fleshed out a little further?

Step 6 - Eliminate by Half Again and Again- The idea above is to try to condense things by combining ideas and/or seeing which ideas speak to you and which really don't. Take those 8 character ideas and narrow them down to 4. Set the timer again if you have to. Then, do it again until you have only two ideas.

Step 7 - Look at Pros/Cons - Now it comes down to picking between two ideas. Do a pro/con list for each. Does one idea thrill you more? Is one idea more fleshed out? Does one idea require more research? Does one idea feel too close to a previous story? Once you have a pro/con list for each idea, you can see which idea is probably better. And, once again, the idea that isn't used goes into the document to be saved for later.

Starting a Brand New WIP with ADHD

My process is always a little bit different, but I do usually start with a brainstorming session where I just write down all the random ideas I have. From there, I narrow things down (using the above method) to just the ideas I want to move forward with, then I usually free write a general summary of the story as I see it playing out in that moment. Depending on the idea, this can be just a couple vague paragraphs or it can be pages of detailed events. Either way, having some idea of the beginning to end story is important. Once I know the needs of the story, I can start to think more about the characters and their needs based on the story. This is where it's pretty essential to understand things like Plot Driven vs Character Driven Stories, Understanding Goals and Conflict, Basic Story Structure, and How to Move a Story Forward. The more I know about the needs of my story (the story conflict, my character's goal, who or what stands against them, etc.) the easier it is to flesh out the story. I'm a planner, so from there I will usually draw out a general timeline and a scene list, but some writers may find it easier to just start writing from here.

Three of the biggest game changers for me--which honestly I still struggle with sometimes--are:

-- Setting up a routine: having a specific time, place, and duration to write. Even if it's sitting on my bed for ten minutes in the morning to write. Just having something set makes a difference.

-- Eliminating Distractions: no phone, no TV, no music with lyrics, no internet, nothing that will draw my attention away from writing.

-- Good Vibes Only: I'm not a fan of toxic positivity, but negativity and self-criticism will surely take the wind out of your writing sails. I try to give myself small, reachable goals, but if I don't reach them or don't feel like writing on a given day, I don't beat myself up about it. Instead, I try to find something fun to do that's related to my story, like saving pictures for a mood board or auditioning songs for a playlist. That positive reinforcement (and sense of accomplishment for moving the needle forward in some way) keeps writing from becoming something I dread, and that positivity will hopefully follow me into the next day and help me to write.

I hope that helps!!! ♥

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[scotisfr]

Effective note-taking while learning an online course

Taking effective notes is more than just jotting down what you hear in a lecture or read in a book: it's a strategic process that enhances your understanding and retention. Whether you're a student, professional, or lifelong learner, mastering the art of note-taking can elevate your ability to learn and apply new concepts.

Understand how you think to adapt your note-taking style

Verbal thinkers:

Process information through words and language.

Excel with text-heavy, sequential note-taking styles.

Visual thinkers:

Object visualizers: Think in detailed images, excel in hands-on fields like art or engineering.

Spatial visualizers: Think in patterns and abstractions, thrive in areas like physics or architecture.

Mixed thinkers:

Combine both styles to adapt based on the situation.

1) Understand the purpose of notes

Before diving into techniques, it's essential to know why you take notes. Effective notes serve three main purposes:

Capture key ideas: Focus on main concepts, not every word.

Aid recall: Notes should act as memory triggers.

Support active learning: Writing notes forces your brain to process information.

2) Prepare before the course

Preview material: Skim the syllabus, course outline or key readings to anticipate important themes.

Gather supplies: Notebook, pens, digital tools (laptops, apps like Google doc, Notion, OneNote, or Evernote).

Verbal thinkers: Use lined notebooks or text-based apps like Word or Google Docs.

Visual thinkers: Use blank notebooks, mind-mapping tools or apps like Milanote.

Mixed thinkers: Use a combination of both formats to capture ideas flexibly.

Set goals: Know what you want to achieve from the course.

3) Choose a note-taking method

a) Linear notes (basic listing)

Write down points in sequential order.

Best for: Simple lectures or storytelling. Best used by: Mixed thinkers

b) Cornell Method

Divide your page into:

Main section: Notes during the lecture.

Cue section: Keywords/questions later.

Summary section: Key takeaways at the bottom.

Best for: Structured review. Best used by: Verbal thinkers

c) Mind maps

Create a visual map with the main topic in the center and branches for subtopics.

Best for: Complex concepts or brainstorming. Best used by: Visual thinkers

d) Outline method

Use bullet points with indentation for hierarchy.

Main Topic

Subtopic

Details

Best for: Well-structured content. Best used by: Verbal thinkers

e) Flow notes

Combine visuals, arrows and text to show connections.

Best for: Dynamic, fast-paced lectures. Best used by: Visual thinkers

4) During the lecture

Listen actively:

Focus on understanding, not transcribing verbatim.

Identify cues:

Look for emphasis (repeated ideas, instructor tone, slides).

Use abbreviations:

Shorten common words (e.g., “w/” for with, “b/c” for because).

Organize on the fly:

Use headings, subheadings and bullet points to keep things structured.

Verbal thinkers: Group ideas under headings or bullet points.

Visual thinkers: Sketch concepts or relationships between topics.

5) After the lecture

Review notes:

Fill in gaps, clarify confusing points and ensure everything makes sense.

Summarize:

Write a brief overview of what you learned.

For verbal thinkers:

Write summaries in your own words to reinforce understanding.

Use mnemonics or word-based memory aids for recall.

For visual thinkers:

Recreate diagrams or visual models from memory.

Annotate your notes with additional visuals to deepen understanding.

For mixed thinkers:

Pair visual summaries (like flowcharts) with verbal descriptions.

Practice explaining concepts both visually and verbally.

Test yourself:

Turn your notes into questions and quiz yourself for better retention.

6) Use digital tools for efficiency

Google docs/Word: Collaborative and easily accessible.

Notion/OneNote: Organize notes by topic with multimedia support.

Audio recorders: Complement notes for revisiting missed points.

7) Tips for retention

Revisit regularly: Spaced repetition improves memory (Ankis cards).

Condense notes: Create cheat sheets for quick revision.

Teach someone else: Explaining the material reinforces your understanding.

Review often: Reinforce your learning by revisiting and reorganizing your notes.

8) Stay organized

Label notes: Course name, date, topic.

Keep sections clear: Separate topics/modules with dividers or digital tags.

Backup notes: Use cloud storage for digital notes.

9) Adapt your style

Not every method works for everyone. Experiment with different approaches to find what resonates with your learning style. You may prefer digital tools, visual techniques like mind maps or traditional handwritten notes.

Bonus : Make note-taking fun!

Learning doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Add creativity to your process:

Gamify learning:

Create quizzes with tools like Kahoot or Quizlet.

Challenge yourself with timed note summaries.

Go visual:

Use colorful infographics or mind maps to highlight connections.

Turn complex ideas into visual stories.

Role-play and scenarios:

Pretend to be an expert and explain your notes to an imaginary audience.

Apply concepts to real-life situations to deepen your understanding.

Mix it up:

Use flashcards for quick reviews.

Watch videos or listen to podcasts on your topic to reinforce learning.

Collaborate:

Discuss your notes with peers or teach someone else for better retention.

Establish a routine:

Dedicate 20–30 minutes daily to review notes.

End each session with a mini-quiz or creative recap.

Bonus : Mastering layout and formatting for effective Notes

A) General layout principles

Start with a clean slate

Use consistent margins for a neat look.

Leave ample white space between sections to avoid visual clutter.

Margins create a visual boundary that organizes content, helping your brain process the information in chunks.

Leave at least one blank line (or 1.5 spacing in digital notes) between different topics or ideas.

They provide room to add comments, symbols or questions during reviews without cluttering the main content.

Number your pages to keep notes in order.

Add descriptive titles for easy navigation.

Include date, course title or lecture topic in the header.

Prioritize legibility

Choose readable fonts if typing (e.g., Arial, Calibri).

Write neatly if using pen and paper.

Use headings and subheadings

Bold or underline main headings.

Use numbered or bullet-point subheadings for organization.

Color coding for clarity

Assign colors to categories (e.g., red for key terms, blue for examples).

Avoid overusing colors: stick to 2–3 for consistency.

Use bold or underlined text for essential ideas.

Highlight terms, dates or definitions for easy scanning.

Handwritten: Invest in multi-colored pens or highlighters for emphasis

Digital: Use formatting tools like bold, italics, and bullet lists.

Visual coding for enhancing the important part

Add icons, images or colors to make connections intuitive.

Insert tables, diagrams, or charts to organize data visually

[belgianjournalists]

Every other time my group does brainstorming about + writing questions about a scenario we get to a point where someone asks something about a word or a method or whatever and I answer them, and they ask "how do you know that??" and every time I can't say much else than "we had a lecture about this yesterday/this morning"

Every single scenario we have is connected to at least one lecture lol I truly don't understand why half of my classmates skip the majority of lectures 😭 it's Free Resources!!

[menkhu]

Now I'm curious... what are the stories behind the group names manjar and hippodrome wonderland?

LMAO i wish there were good stories behind them but the whole thing is pretty much my group is bad at coming up with party names so when we brainstorm and inevitably don't come up with any good ideas we go for the ones that make us laugh. hippodrome wonderland came from a random circus name generator (and we are actually a circus although tbh that method would be a lot funnier if we weren't) and manjar was an acronym of the party members' names

[lets-try-some-writing]

(sorry if this sounds too weird lmao)

do you happen to have any ideas on how cybertronians would be executed in the past and present? I feel like it isn't really touched on in canon (from what i've consumed atleast)

Dude no this is right up my alley. This is the kind of worldbuilding every good universe needs.

Thank you @spreadwardiard for helping me brainstorm this concept :D

═════════════════

During the first age that came after the Primes fell and long before the Quintessons made their claim, executions were rare and a very solemn affair. Predacons were a far greater threat than any mech who lived alongside the groups of Cybertronians who roamed the surface, desperate to survive but one more cycle. Despite that, there were still times when using force to eliminate a threat too great was required. Not a spark looked on the act fondly, especially since in those days redemption was something that every mech was willing to try and assist in making come to pass.

However there were simply some times when eliminating an internal threat was required, and when those times came, it was taken very seriously. The mech who was to meet their end would first be granted one small final wish, be it to visit a place or to meet someone. After that they would be prayed for by all who cared for them and given the chance to make their final declaration before all those who they once resided with. From there the mech would be given a good last meal before being taken out into the wilds to the most beautiful spot known to their executioners. Only once to mech to meet their end had time to take in the glory of the world they left behind would they be swiftly and painlessly executed through either swift acting toxins or manual system shutdown.

This was the way executions were done. It was solemn and not a spark took joy in it. The loss of life was to be lamented, not praised, no matter the crime. But once the Quintessons came, executions changed to suit their desires.

Executions became more frequent and turned into a way of making a statement. The Quintessons started making shows of deaths they ordered, having the 'guilty' mecha presented on a stage before being cut down by blade or blaster. There was no reverence or solemn sorrow, no, instead all the deaths did was inspire fear. However under the Quintessons, it was not death the people of Cybertron feared. Compared to the dark and cruel things that could be done to the living, those who lost their helms to a sword were far better off. Not a spark wanted to be one of the unfortunate few cursed to endure empurata or processor alterations.

Death was, by comparison, a mercy. Executions under the Quintessons were to make a point, but they were still rather rare as the Quintessons much preferred turning troublemakers into their personal tools. It was enough to keep most in line.

Under the council though? Executions turned from being simply cold to downright cruel. Mecha were rarely killed outright, for that would be too simple and look too much like the Quintessons public methods of execution. No, mecha who earned the ire of the council were often given round about methods of the death sentence. Being sent down to do hard labor in the mines looked like a mercy to the public when in reality those sent there rarely came back alive. Being thrown to fight in the pits was nearly guaranteed to kill a mech with how brutal and rigged combat was. Then of course there were those who simply vanished under mysterious circumstances or happened to be 'sent off world' only to never be seen again.

Deaths under the council were rarely public, but they were present and quite common. To be killed outright was a mercy rather than being sent to the pits or the mines, much less to the medical centers for the council. Mecha remembered the Quintessons meddling, and the council were not afraid to follow in the pedesteps of their former overlords in some regards.

When the war started, death became so commonplace that executions were largely regarded as a part of life. Depending on the era of the war and the stakes, executions were more brutal or tame. When things were at their worst, executions were used as a way to improve morale to a degree, to give soldiers a sense of victory and closure after all the harm done. Torture tended to come first, then death by the blade of a mech who earned the right or was burdened with the task of ending the life before them. The Autobots leaned more toward quick deaths by blade and the Decepticons toward drawn out deaths to make a statement. But neither were very consistent in their methods and many grotesque ends came about from both factions.

During the war, death was more common than life. It was revered in a strange way and taken to the extreme when times were tough. Executions lost their fulfillment long ago, with little regard given to the loss of life after so long desensitized to it.

[anewp0tat0]

participant sign up for the 200 kuro chapter Finish the Story game!

thank you to everyone for voting on the interest form! since the idea got a positive response, I will now clarify on the details of how this will work.

I'm still unsure of how to actually do this, so here are two methods:

A) the final story is a suprise to everyone + private brainstorming.

B) the basic game, more coherent.

once everyone has a plan, they may start working! I know that this is last minute and everyone has their own work and projects and agendas(me included), so I'm looking to making the final deadline the end of the month, and the first check in being the 17th.

I've decided to start a discord chat(never done that before so this should be interesting) for the participants who sign up. if you don't have and don't wish to get discord, I can make accommodations for you. though I hope the majority is okay with this.

according to the poll, atleast 27 people are interesting in participating, which is great since it exceeds the minimum! what's going to happen now is this: if you would like to participate, please comment or reblog this post with an affirmative(a 👍 will do fine). I will give this post 3 days, and then I will reach out to every volunteer individually with the link to the discord. if you expressed your willingness to volunteer on the other post but don't say anything on this one, I will @ you in the comments just incase you missed this post.

finally, I apologize, and while I don't think anyone assumed this, I should still make it clear that this is just a fun group project, so there won't be any money involved. so I really appreciate anyone who feels willing to share their creativity!

and of course, do keep in mind that your writing or drawing or whatever skills aren't important here; this is a creative challenge, so your ability to build on the plot in whatever little way is key!

[skygemspeaks]

updates as of chapter 13 of defender:

i really like buzz! her method of counselling amber is a lot more natural than megan's, and it seems to be working really well. i find it funny that both amber and jarra have a problem with therapy.

when i first started reading telepath, i was expecting megan to be a more important character than she is. we've barely seen her though, and what little we have seen has been almost exclusively about her jerking adika around and trying to force amber to do things her way. i know that amber doesn't want to accept her resignation, but tbh at this point i'm with lucas and his tactical team. i think she'd be better off with someone new

the mystery of fran's death continues to grow more and more intriguing, especially now that they think someone in law enforcement did it. i'm curious to see how things develop

i've thought this before, but i feel like it would have made more sense if they had recruited at least a couple of women for amber's strike team? it would definitely stop her sticking out like a sore thumb whenever she has to go out into the hive on runs. it's been mentioned once or twice before that when people see them out and about, they tend to give her weird looks, wondering why she's with them.

the brainstorming session with the tactical team was really funny! one thing i really like about janet's writing is how she does camaraderie, and discussions between large groups of people. it almost reminds me of that scene in earth girl, when the dig teams are all in their domes during the carrington event, and talking to each other over the intercoms. hearing dig site command tease rono was hilarious.

i hope we get to see more of beta strike team soon! i love all the guys on alpha strike team, but i also miss seeing forge, and i want to get to know the new faces in the unit