#Pre- and Post-Training Assessments

[maxlearnmicrolearningplatform]

Enhancing Learning Retention: Utilizing Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve

We’ve all experienced it: the frustration of forgetting newly acquired information much sooner than we anticipated. Despite our best efforts to consciously remember what we learned, retention often proves to be a tricky challenge. This phenomenon is not a personal failing but a natural aspect of how human memory works. Forgetting can occur rapidly, sometimes within minutes of learning something new. To tackle this issue, it’s crucial to design training programs that enhance memory retention effectively. One powerful tool in this endeavor is Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve, which provides a valuable framework for understanding and mitigating the natural decline of memory over time.

Understanding Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve

Hermann Ebbinghaus, a pioneering psychologist, conducted groundbreaking research on memory in the late 19th century. His experiments led to the formulation of the Forgetting Curve, which illustrates the rate at which information is lost over time when no attempt is made to retain it. According to Ebbinghaus, memory retention declines exponentially after learning, meaning that the most substantial drop in retention happens soon after the initial learning event. Without reinforcement, a significant portion of newly acquired information can be forgotten within hours or days.

The Implications for Training Design

Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve highlights the necessity of strategic reinforcement in training programs to combat rapid memory loss. By understanding the curve, educators and trainers can implement methods to help learners retain information more effectively. Here are some key strategies to make learning ‘stick’:

1. Spaced Repetition

Spaced repetition involves reviewing information at increasing intervals over time. This technique counters the rapid decline in memory retention by refreshing the material just as the learner is about to forget it. For instance, reviewing new content after one day, then three days, then one week, and so on, helps solidify the memory. This method leverages the spacing effect, where information is better remembered when it is studied multiple times spaced out over a longer period.

2. Active Recall

Active recall is a powerful learning strategy that involves actively stimulating memory during the learning process. Instead of passively re-reading or listening to information, learners actively retrieve it from memory. This can be done through quizzes, flashcards, or practice tests. The process of recalling information strengthens neural connections, making the memory more durable.

3. Microlearning

Microlearning delivers content in small, manageable chunks, making it easier for learners to absorb and retain information. This approach aligns well with the principles of spaced repetition and active recall. By breaking down complex information into bite-sized pieces and reinforcing it regularly, microlearning helps combat the forgetting curve effectively.

4. Interleaved Practice

Interleaved practice involves mixing different topics or types of problems within a single study session. This contrasts with blocked practice, where learners focus on one topic at a time. Interleaving helps learners to develop better problem-solving skills and improves long-term retention by encouraging them to constantly retrieve and apply knowledge in varying contexts.

5. Feedback and Reflection

Providing timely feedback is crucial for reinforcing learning. Constructive feedback helps learners understand what they know and where they need improvement, facilitating better memory retention. Encouraging reflection on what has been learned also helps solidify knowledge. Reflection can involve summarizing key points, discussing insights with peers, or writing about the learning experience.

Applying These Strategies in Training Programs

To effectively implement these strategies, trainers and instructional designers need to create a structured plan that incorporates regular reviews and interactive learning activities. Here are some practical steps to integrate these retention techniques into training programs:

Design Modular Content: Break down training material into modules that can be revisited over time. Each module should focus on a specific topic or skill, making it easier for learners to digest and retain information.

Schedule Regular Reviews: Plan a review schedule that follows the principles of spaced repetition. Use calendars, reminders, or automated systems to prompt learners to review material at optimal intervals.

Incorporate Quizzes and Tests: Regular quizzes and tests encourage active recall. Use a mix of multiple-choice questions, short answer prompts, and practical exercises to reinforce learning.

Utilize Technology: Leverage learning management systems (LMS) and mobile apps to deliver microlearning content and track learner progress. These tools can automate spaced repetition schedules and provide instant feedback.

Foster a Collaborative Learning Environment: Encourage learners to engage in discussions, group activities, and peer teaching. Social interactions enhance memory retention by allowing learners to explain concepts and receive diverse perspectives.

Provide Timely Feedback: Ensure that learners receive immediate and constructive feedback on their performance. Highlight strengths and areas for improvement to guide their learning journey.

Encourage Reflection: Incorporate reflective activities such as journaling, group discussions, or presentations. Reflection helps learners consolidate their knowledge and identify connections between different concepts.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Retention Strategies

To ensure that the implemented strategies are effective, it’s important to measure and analyze their impact on learning retention. Here are some methods to evaluate the success of your training programs:

Pre- and Post-Training Assessments: Conduct assessments before and after the training program to measure knowledge gain and retention. Compare the results to identify areas where retention strategies are working or need improvement.

Longitudinal Tracking: Track learner performance over an extended period to observe how well they retain information. Use periodic assessments and quizzes to gauge long-term retention.

Feedback Surveys: Gather feedback from learners about their experiences with the training program. Ask about the usefulness of review sessions, quizzes, and other retention activities. Use this feedback to refine your approach.

Performance Metrics: Analyze job performance metrics to see if there’s a correlation between training participation and improved job performance. This can provide insights into the practical impact of your retention strategies.

Conclusion

Memory retention is a significant challenge in the realm of learning and development. However, by leveraging the insights provided by Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve, trainers can design more effective training programs that help learners retain information over the long term. Strategies such as spaced repetition, active recall, microlearning, interleaved practice, and timely feedback are essential tools in combating the natural decline of memory. By thoughtfully integrating these techniques into training programs, organizations can enhance learning outcomes, boost employee performance, and ultimately achieve their development goals.

[overtrred28]

Joining the club | Jen Beattie x reader

Summary; 2023 and the start of 2024 seem to have something in common already; everyone in the WOSO community seems to be getting engaged. And when you bring this up to your long term partner Jen, it seems she has nothing to say, or does she….

Pairings; Jen Beattie x famous!reader

Words; 2.5k

Warnings; pure fluff, swearing

A/N; It seems to be the season of getting engaged and even though I am way off getting engaged and very very single, I thought I would pretend and imagine that I was getting engaged to the one and only Jen Beattie. There is also a lack of Jen fics on here and I feel the need to write one for her. Enjoy!

First it was Steph and Dean all the way back in January. Lynn and Marley finally did it back in May. Then in June it was Emily and Kat, and Katrina and Clara just a few days after. Kristie and Sam finally revealed theirs from September after months of teasing. Chloe Kelly and Millie Bright got it within the same week, sharing photos with their partners around christmas. And finally a surprise from Ellie and Daan on the first day of a new year. 

It seemed 2023 and now 2024 was the time for engagements in the world of women’s football and you were quite caught up in all the news. 

“Oh my god babe, another one!” You let out a gasp as the post from Ellie and Daan popped up on your instagram feed, stopping your pre-dinner scrolling as you paused and assessed the picture. It was from a few days ago, and you were seeing it now because you had been away with Jen and her family, avoiding social media to spend time with them and only now catching up. 

“What?” Jen’s voice called from the kitchen, you jumping up from the couch with your phone and running quickly into the kitchen. 

“Look.” You aggressively shoved your phone into her face and she adjusted to the bright light as she tried to look at the photo. 

“Oh wow, congrats to them.” Jen smiled quickly before turning away and back to the food on the stove. You frowned at her quick response and disinterest at the post.

“Do you not think it’s funny?” You asked with a small laugh from beside her. 

“What is?” She asked whilst moving around the kitchen to find the rest of the ingredients for your dinner. 

“That everyone in the footballing world seems to be getting engaged at the moment?” You asked again and she didn’t respond with any excitement, again.

“Oh, guess I didn’t notice.” She shrugged and continued to stir the pot. You opened your mouth to talk again but she got there before you. “Could you grab me some bowls, love?” She asked while keeping her eyes on the pan. You paused for a second before grabbing two clean ones from the dishwasher and placing them next to her. “Thank you.” She smiled at you briefly before beginning to dish up the pasta that was now done. 

“You’re welcome.” You snapped out of your trance and silently moved to grab some glasses and the wine from the fridge. She waited for you to finish pouring your drinks before she grabbed both bowls and headed for the couch, you following close behind her. 

“What are we watching tonight, love?” Jen asked as she sat beside you on the couch, now both holding your dinner and the wine glasses on the coffee table. 

“I don’t mind, you pick.” You shrugged before taking a bite of your food and now it was her turn to frown at you, normally you always took control over what to watch together. 

“You okay?” Jen asked simply and you nodded silently while eating and staring at the screen in front of you. “ Okay, how about Bridgerton? We still haven’t finished season two.” She suggested and once again you nodded silently from beside her. 

You weren’t sure why you were feeling slightly off after Jen’s reaction to the post and your comments, but you still snuggled into her on the couch after finishing your pasta and wine.

The episode finished and you could feel the both of you drifting off after a long day. Jen had been back at training after winter break and your schedule had been hectic since returning from time off. You were an actress and your new movie was about to come out so all the promo shoots and interviews were now in full swing, though you were grateful it began in London so you could still go home to Jen every night.  

You met Jen a few years back at an event in London you had both been invited to, catching her eyes from the other side of the room and instantly knowing you had to go talk to her. You knew who each other were, an actress making her name in the world and a famous sports star who silently followed each other in their respective lines of work. One conversation and you knew there was something there, and so did she. You both knew it would be hard with your professions and the distance you would have at certain times, but you wanted to make it work, somehow keeping it from the public eye for two years before hard launching it on your anniversary and sending both sets of fans into a frenzy. 

“Ready for bed love?” Jen spoke softly into the dark living room, smoothing your hair softly. 

“Definitely.” You yawned and sat up, rubbing your tired eyes as Jen stood up and held a hand out for you. You smiled at the gesture and met your hand in hers, pulling yourself up and making your way to your bedroom together. You both had already showered when you got home earlier so all that was left to do was to brush your teeth together. 

Your night routine was almost the same every night, no matter what was going on in your separate lives, you always spent those last few minutes together before crawling into bed. So once you both finished in the bathroom, you hopped into bed on your chosen sides but made your way closer to the middle and each other, Jen opening her arms to you as you laid your head on her chest.

“Sorry I’ve been quiet, tired.” You mumbled into the darkness against Jen as she drew small circles against your back. 

“It’s okay, me too.” Jen looked down at you to meet your soft eyes. 

“I love you.” You smiled and snuggled into her chest once more, eyes drifting closed. 

“I love you too.” Jen placed a kiss against your head before closing her own eyes and drifting asleep. 

The topic of last night's conversation was mostly forgotten in the morning, or at least it wasn’t brought up again between you too. That didn’t mean it wasn’t brought up with different people. Jen arrived at training and as both Steph and Beth walked up to her, they could tell something was on her mind. 

“You alright there Jenny?” Steph bumped her shoulder as herself and Beth joined her sides. 

“Hmm? Oh yeah.” Jen nodded at them but went silent straight after. 

“You sure?” Beth dragged out her words and brought her face as she could to Jen’s, their height difference proving to be a little difficult.

“Yeah, just thinking.” Jen tried to brush them off again but these two were persistent and she knew she wasn’t going to get very far if she didn’t tell them. She stopped her walking and sighed before speaking. “Last night, Y/N brought up how it seems like everyone’s getting engaged at the moment, and I didn’t really say anything back. And then she seemed upset for the rest of the night, but she said she was just tired, which I know she has been, but I also think I might have upset her in some way.” She let out in almost one breath as Steph and Beth tried to process her words. 

“Well she’s not wrong, especially in the last few weeks.” Beth added with a shrug. 

“Do you think she’s ready?” Steph ignored Beth’s comment and looked at Jen.

“Well, I wasn’t sure before, but after last night I think she is.” Jen looked between the two of them. “Just the way she was talking about it and then when I didn’t really say anything…” She trailed off and looked down. 

“I think she’s ready.” Steph spoke with a smile. She had watched from the beginning of your relationship with Jen just how happy you were with one another, and how easy the relationship seemed even when spending time apart due to work. 

“Are you?” Beth asked sincerely, her and Steph awaiting Jen’s reply. Jen was silent for a few seconds, bringing her eyes back up to look at her best friends. 

“I bought the ring like 2 months ago.” She mumbled but they still heard it and instantly started beaming at the Scottish woman. 

“You sly little bastard.” Beth punched Jen’s arm softly as they began to walk again so that they wouldn’t be late for training. 

Throughout the whole day the three of them, mostly Steph and Beth, were coming up with ideas on how she should propose but Jen kept shooting them down. She wanted it to be private, special and a surprise, so anything that involved taking you out somewhere would instantly make you suspicious. 

While Jen had been conversing her thoughts and plans with her best friends at training, you were in your head all day thinking about last night. Which wasn’t really helping especially when you were trying to film press interviews all day and talk about your movie. 

You could have talked to your co-stars about it, after all they had become close friends while shooting and now being with each other everyday for promo, but the only person you really wanted to talk to was Jen; it was always Jen. 

Jen got home long before you, taking her time to deep clean the flat and cook dinner for you once again, knowing you would be exhausted from your long day of work. 

She didn’t hear you opening the door and making your way through the flat, she had been vacuuming with her headphones on and dancing around your bedroom. You stood in the doorway for a few minutes after spotting her, admiring her and waiting for her to see you. And when she did, boy did she get a fright. 

“Ah fuck!” Jen almost jumped out of her skin when she finally turned around and spotted you lurking in the doorway, using one hand to remove her headphones and the other to turn the vacuum off. “How long have you been standing there?” She dropped the vacuum and began to walk over to you. 

“A few minutes. I was admiring your hidden dance skills.” You smiled and stood up straighter, welcoming her into a hug like you do every day. “Hi.” You mumbled into her shoulder. 

“Hi love.” She pulled back and leaned in for a soft kiss. No matter how many times you kiss Jen, it feels like the very first time all over again, even after 4 years. “Busy day?” She asked as you parted, taking in your tired expression. 

“Busy day.” You nodded and smiled at her. “How was training?” You asked as you walked hand and hand to the kitchen. 

“Good, good to be back with the girls.” Jen smiled at you before letting go to retrieve dinner from the oven. You stood at the counter, simply watching her as she moved about wrapping up dinner. “Go put something on, I’ve got it.” Jen smiled and placed a kiss on your temple before ushering you to the lounge room.

“Okay bossy.” You laughed before making your way to the couch and switching the TV over to Netflix to finish the final episode of Bridgerton. You wait patiently for her on the couch, looking over your shoulder every few seconds to see if she is coming around the corner. 

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Jen is trying to hide her anxiety and nervousness as she plates up dinner and feels her pocket one more time. With two champagne glasses now full and a tray full of food she finally makes her way to you, letting out a final breath before entering the living room. 

“Dinner is served.” She places the tray down on the table and bows which makes you laugh. Your eyes fall on the glasses and you’re instantly confused. 

“What’s with the champagne? Decide the wine wasn’t good enough?” You joked and she let out a small laugh shaking her head. 

“Some nights are a little more special than the others.” She cryptically says and has you even more confused but you leave the comment alone and hit play on the remote. 

You eat dinner together while watching the episode, silently watching with a bit of commentary along the way before cuddling up after eating. The episode finishes and you can feel Jen’s heart beating particularly fast, her fingers are nervously playing with one another and she hasn’t spoken in a few minutes. You sit up silently and look at her, she doesn’t look at you. You’re about to fill the silence when she beats you to it. 

“You know how much I love you, right?.” Jen rushes out and leaves you slightly bewildered. 

“I know. I love you just as much.” You reply. “What’s wrong?” You bring your hand up to brush her hair back into her low bun. 

“I’m about to do something and I hope you don’t think it’s random and forced because it’s not and I’ve been thinking about this for a long time and I didn’t want to make a massive deal about it because it’s just you and me and that’s all that matters.” Jen speaks in one long breath and you need a second for your brain to catch up but before it can she’s pulling you up off the couch with her and standing in front of you. She holds your hands in hers and looks directly at you. 

“Wha-” Before you could even think about finishing your sentence, a giant gasp leaves your mouth at her next action. She drops down to one knee whilst still holding holding your hands, smiling up at you as tears well in your eyes. 

“My love, I could go on and on about how much I love you but you already know. There is no one else I would rather spend the rest of my life with, no matter where it shall take us. So,” She let go of your hands, you bringing them up to your face and hers reaching down into her pocket. She fishes the small, black box out, opening it to reveal a sparkling ring and looks back up at you. “Y/N Y/L/N, will you-” 

“YES!” You interrupt her before she gets to finish causing her to laugh and shake her head. 

You just stand there admiring her as she gets up and removes the ring from the box. She brings your shaking left hand from your face and slides the ring on. Your jaw drops at the ring before you jump into her arms, causing her to react quickly and grab hold of your legs. “I love you so much Jen.” You cry into her shoulder as she holds you before you lift your head up, meeting your eyes with hers before pulling in for a kiss. 

The rest of the night is spent in one another's arms just admiring each other and talking softly with each other about the rest of your lives while wrapped up in your sheets.

yourinstagram and jbeattie91

yourinstagram we joined the club 💍

liked by jbeattie91, stephcatley, bethmead_ and 834,032 others

stephcatley so happy for you! welcome to the club 😉

bethmead_ about time jen jen. congrats 🥰

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THE END!

[shitpostingperidot]

How old is Carol Danvers???

(Inspired by a post by @blindluck which was in turn inspired by a post by me and @marvelsassbutts )

So I just found out the official Captain Marvel wiki places Carol Danvers’s birth date in 1965. At first I thought “that’s ridiculous” for reasons that will become clear through this long ass post. But then I saw they cited drawings by the assistant art director on Captain Marvel, found on her portfolio! That’s pretty official!

Wait what’s that at the bottom…

1984???? For Carol’s USAFA basic training???? This is impossible, the movie is wrong, and here’s why.

(Excerpt from my future video essay incoming)

There are no dates in Higher, Further, Faster; the marketing text on Amazon, Liza Palmer’s website, etc just says “80s.” So, we need to do some detective work.

We know that the 2019 film Captain Marvel takes place in 1995. Since it takes place in Southern California and Louisiana, the warm weather doesn’t tell us much about the time of year. Personally, I believe it takes place on March 8, 1995, because that’s the exact day I was born, and my birthday is the day the movie was released on to coincide with International Women’s Day. Regardless, Monica Rambeau is eleven years old in the film, putting her birth in 1983 or 1984. So, Maria’s pregnancy must have begun in 1982 or 1983.

Here’s a “fun” fact about US military academies: until less than one year ago (summer 2023, a full three years after Captain Marvel came out), cadets at USAFA who became pregnant were required to either drop out, have an abortion, or relinquish their parental rights to their child.

Dropping out also means reimbursing the government for your tuition for all classes you’ve taken up to this point, and giving up your ability to be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force upon graduation. Definitely not an option someone as driven as Maria wants to consider. In fact, we know this isn’t what happened, because this news article Carol hung up in her spaceship in The Marvels says that Maria Rambeau is a USAFA graduate.

We also know that Maria didn’t have an abortion, because, well, Monica Rambeau herself is tangible evidence. Theoretically, it is possible for Maria to have given up parental rights and adopted back her own child after graduation. Before the policy change in 2023 that allowed cadets to be parents, many found this to be their best option (see the article I screenshotted above). However, this process is really expensive and takes a lot of work with a lawyer over a period of months or years. From the little we know of Carol and Maria’s life pre-crash, (it was busy, they lived in an expensive area, and Maria only had Carol for support), I think we can assume that it’s less likely that Maria was forced to adopt her own daughter than that Maria graduated USAFA before becoming pregnant in 1982 or 83.

That still doesn’t answer the question of when this book takes place, though. The exact year is important, as the military had some major differences under the Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan administrations of the 70s and 80s, and one of the things I want to assess this book on is accuracy.

Oh wait, what’s that? Another discriminatory policy that helps us date this book? That’s right, USAFA didn’t enroll women as cadets until Public Law 94-106 went into effect in 1976.

What’s more, Carol and Maria cannot have been part of this first group of women cadets, because in the book, there is an upperclassman character who is a woman. Officer Cadet Chen is one of the leaders of Basic Training for Carol and Maria’s flight, a position cadets aren’t allowed to hold until their third or fourth year at the Academy.

So, Carol and Maria must enter USAFA no earlier than 1978 to be two or more years younger than Chen, and must graduate no later than 1983 for Monica to exist. To comply with the marketing blurb’s declaration that this book takes place “in the 80s”, let’s say that Carol and Maria’s first year is the 1979-1980 school year.

(End excerpt)

In conclusion, Maria and Carol were born in 1960 or 1961 (with pretty equal likelihood of which birthday makes them 18 at the start of the book, since USAFA basic happens the summer before the school year), not 1965. It would be impossible for them to have done basic training in 1984 as in the production drawing, because they would have to have already graduated and be well on their way to test pilot school which is a whole other policy can of worms before Monica’s birth in 1983 or 1984.

In conclusion conclusion, Carol is ~34 in Captain Marvel and ~64 in The Marvels, and the MCU should hire fans to fact check for them.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Reference archived on our website

Published in the Summer of 2021. Those "experts" who are shocked to find out that covid has lingering effects aren't as expert or informed as they like to act.

Abstract Background There is growing concern about possible cognitive consequences of COVID-19, with reports of ‘Long COVID’ symptoms persisting into the chronic phase and case studies revealing neurological problems in severely affected patients. However, there is little information regarding the nature and broader prevalence of cognitive problems post-infection or across the full spread of disease severity.

Methods We sought to confirm whether there was an association between cross-sectional cognitive performance data from 81,337 participants who between January and December 2020 undertook a clinically validated web-optimized assessment as part of the Great British Intelligence Test, and questionnaire items capturing self-report of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 infection and respiratory symptoms.

Findings People who had recovered from COVID-19, including those no longer reporting symptoms, exhibited significant cognitive deficits versus controls when controlling for age, gender, education level, income, racial-ethnic group, pre-existing medical disorders, tiredness, depression and anxiety. The deficits were of substantial effect size for people who had been hospitalised (N = 192), but also for non-hospitalised cases who had biological confirmation of COVID-19 infection (N = 326). Analysing markers of premorbid intelligence did not support these differences being present prior to infection. Finer grained analysis of performance across sub-tests supported the hypothesis that COVID-19 has a multi-domain impact on human cognition.

Interpretation Interpretation. These results accord with reports of ‘Long Covid’ cognitive symptoms that persist into the early-chronic phase. They should act as a clarion call for further research with longitudinal and neuroimaging cohorts to plot recovery trajectories and identify the biological basis of cognitive deficits in SARS-COV-2 survivors.

Funding Funding. AH is supported by the UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre and Biomedical Research Centre at Imperial College London. WT is supported by the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Neurotechnology. SRC is funded by a Wellcome Trust Clinical Fellowship 110,049/Z/15/Z. JMB is supported by Medical Research Council (MR/N013700/1). MAM, SCRW and PJH are, in part, supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London

[zeldadiarist]

Golden Chain AU: Worldbuilding

Hello! It's time I already shared these notes that have been sitting in my drive for ages - I wrote them in 2019!

Since I decided to gather everything in one post, it's going to be long, so read under the cut!

1. The basics

Name of the country: Great Kingdom of Hyrule

Regions: Central Hyrule, Hebra, Akkala, Eldin, Necluda, Lanayru, Faron, Gerudo.

Capital: Castletown.

Insular territories: Eventide Island, Tenoko Island, Wintre Island, Lanayru Sea Archipelago (Tingel, Ankel, Knuckel and Davide islands), Lomei Island.

Official Language: Hylian.

Measuring system: metric, established by Queen Zelda V (Botw) during Hyrule Restoration/Renaissance.

Approximate size: Hyrule is a small continent in itself. Every region has around 60-100k km2.

Population: around 30 million people. The population growth was really slow after the calamity (population was barely on the thousands)

Neighbors: Termina to the north (Frontier checkpoint is North Lomei/Deplian Badlands lol), Calatia to the Southwest (Checkpoint: Tanagar Canyon/Hemaars Descent). Both countries are considerably smaller, but developed and have active trade with Hyrule.

Time usage: 24-hour, sexagesimal system.

Seven day weeks. Naming convention:

Monday-Nayday

Tuesday- Twiliday

Wednesday- Wingsday

Thursday- Faesday

Friday- Faronday

Saturday- Timeday

Sunday- Dinsday

13 months of 28 days (lunar calendar), the remaining day is New Year’s.

National flower: Silent Princess

National motto: Post Tenebras Lux (After Darkness, Light comes)

Flag: Hylian crest in gold over three bands (green, blue, red)

Anthem: none, but Zelda's lullaby is the only tune associated to the kingdom.

Demonym: Hyrulean for them all, but also are used the ones describing regions/races: Hebran, Rito, Akkalan, Goron, Eldinian, Faroner, Hatenite, Necludan, Kakaricon, Fielder (central Hyrule), Towners (Castletown).

2. Historical structure

The kingdom of Hyrule counts years since its foundation, everything previous (pre and skyward sword) is prehistory, since there were no written records. Year zero is the crowning of the first king of Hyrule - the grandson of Sksw Link and Zelda. The establishment of the monarchy leads to a dynasty that is interrupted by the Calamity.

The modern history of Hyrule begins when the Hero of the Wild saves the kingdom, and the monarchy is re-established under agreement of the remaining settlements, tribes and kingdoms, bringing another Golden Age that ended with the reign of king Rhoam II, father of the “Bastard Queen” - Zelda’s grandmother Zelda (born Viridiana).

3. Political and internal organization

The Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and the regent is active in politics, as head of the state/executive power. The King/Queen is also the Commander in Chief of Hyrule's Self-Defense Forces (HSDF), comprised by:

Knights of Hyrule

Gerudo Guard

Royal Guard

Zora Guard

Goron Fighters (army and spec ops such as rescue and first response stuff)

Coast guard (Navy)

Air Rangers (Air Force, led mostly exclusively by Rito Warriors)

Civil Guard (police, firefighters, lifeguards)

Each one of the branches of the HSDF has a leader, commanded by the ruler in power.

People who want to join the HSDF enter Hyrule's knight academy, and undergo training for four years (two years basic training, two years specialization), and rotate through the regiments.

Hyrule's intelligence is the Sheikah. They sort of separated the Sheikah as institution from the warrior clan, but it's still comprised mostly by them. They also develop a lot of technology for civilian and industrial/defense purposes.

The legislative power lies on the 150 representatives of the High Council, elected every five years, with only one re-election term. They have a president, elected to represent them all during official acts. Name of current president: Rhett Groose.

The King/Queen besides the council has a set of ministers to assess them more directly, chosen after receiving nameless dossiers (blind selection). They stay in their positions until the ruler deems necessary. Longest length of ministries have been under Zelda VI’s reign: her initial cabinet stayed with her for over fifteen years.

Each region has a governor, Except for Lanayru, Eldin, Gerudo, in which the Chief/Regent of the tribe is the highest political authority.

The King/Queen is the highest ranking civil servant of the country. The house of Hyrule has ruled more or less steadily for 500 years after the Calamity.

The crown has a matriarchal rule.

The firstborn by birthright inherits the crown, but if at any point before the current ruler passes away or abdicts, the title goes to the next of kin - preferentially a daughter of the house.

Upon coronation, the ruler names a cabinet of ministers, and designs a knight to be their champion.

Five years after coronation, the citizens evaluate the ruler through a binding referendum. If the ruler is disapproved (over 60% reprobation), they are forced to terminate their rule and the next of kin takes the crown (every prince and princess receives the same education to be fit to rule). This measure can be invoked anytime again during the reign, through the people themselves, who have to bring the request through the high council. Queen Zelda V put this measure to avoid abuse of power and tyranny from the crown.

3.Towns and Cities

The cities are mostly the same settlements after the Calamity, and some others were recovered, turning into boroughs of larger cities, or small towns. Several new towns match the former stables they were once.

Hebra: Snowfield, Rito Village, Pondo’s Lodge

Eldin: Goron City, Foothill Town, Shadow Hamlet

Akkala: Tarrey Town, East Town, South Town

Lanayru: Zora’s Domain

Necluda: Kakariko Village, Hateno Town, Dueling Peaks Town

Faron: Lurelin Town, Lakeside Town, Highland Town

Gerudo: Gerudo Town, Canyon Town.

Central Hyrule: Outskirt Town, Riverside Town, Gatepost Town, Outpost Town, East Post Town, Deya Village, Rauru Town, Serenne Town, Castletown.

Great Plateau: Eastern Abbey Village

The capital of the Kingdom grew massive after the restoration period ended, and has several boroughs: The Quarry, Mabe, LonLon, Civic Center (formerly Castletown jail), Downtown (divided in Upper-Lower West/Upper-Lower East side).

4. National Parks and protected areas

Hyrule takes extreme care of its environment, not only because of ecology, but also because nature is sacred for being one of Farore’s gifts. Zelda VI (Viridiana) had to undo several older laws regarding industrialization, because they weren't sustainable and would destroy nature and the balance long term.

Main parks:

Hebra Mountains

Hyrule Great Forest (Deku Tree, sacred site)

Eldin Canyon/Death Mountain

Deep Akkala (Spring of Power)

Mount Lanayru (Spring of Wisdom)

Farone great forest & lake Floria (the green lung of Hyrule)

Gerudo desert (specifically some archaeological sites)

Pillars of Levia

Tanagar Canyon

Oseira plains

5. Economy

Hyrule’s currency is still the Rupee, abbreviated Rp. It’s still used in the same physical form, and fifty years from the start of the story in digital form, for electronic transactions and such.

Since for a long time the country lived barely there during the Calamity, people worked strongly to have self-sustainable communities, and this remained as a trait of the economy, which is circular: there is a strong repair - reuse - recycle culture. Zelda does a lot of thrift shopping, not only because she’s a cheapskate, but because it’s most common for the average citizen. Link has mostly new clothes because he uses tech gear (and due to his size he needs to get things custom made).

Communities generate their own energy, having a clean energy plant in their regions, all connected for a general supply if needed (Hebra has windmills, Gerudo solar panels and so on).

Hebra produces wood for construction, paper and others, central Hyrule, cattle and dairy, faron does agriculture, and fishing, lanayru manages water and electricity (hydroelectric plant in upland Zorana), Eldin does all mining and manufacture, Akkala and Necluda do Farming and agriculture besides industrial activity (Sheikah tech). Gerudo produces fabrics, glassware, tapestry, and luxury items, such as jewelry, high fashion clothes, etc.

Tourism is another of Hyrule's forte. People travel a lot, whether nationals or foreigners. The crown has always incentivated tourism (although they do not travel for leisure often, specially Zelda, who only knows Gerudo Town and Kakariko).

Monopolies are illegal, and the law establishes limits to the riches people can gain to avoid inequality gaps.

Taxes are according to income, and the return is very low, since they finance social insurance, health and education,and basic housing, which is free and universal.

Private property is allowed, and the trade is free but overseen by the state. Excess accumulation of riches is frowned upon - and researched by the Internal Revenue Service of Hyrule’s Treasury.

The minimum wage is for minimum work, but still a livable wage.

6.Spirituality

Hyrule as a secular state has no official religion. The church of Hylia is the most important one though, for Hylia is the guardian Goddess of the land, besides the Golden Three, the mother Goddesses.

The cult is very lax and open, pretty much like Shinto, with small shrines scattered across the land, taken care of by a Sheikah monk, or a priest or priestess of Hylia. The priests/ess hold no particular vow. They train for their duty at the great plateau complex. Zelda is a priestess of Hylia due to her powers, but she only partakes in certain rites, like funerals, weddings, and naming ceremonies.

People worship certain things/values associated with the Goddesses: Nature is revered for it is Farore's gift, same with education for Nayru, and martial discipline for Din (sorta like Greek areté/Roman Virtus). Hylia's attribute is spiritual enlightenment.

The Sage head of the great plateau complex is the highest spiritual authority in Hyrule along the high priestess of Hylia (role fulfilled by the ordained daughters of the royal line.)

7.Magic

By definition is the ability to use the energy that surrounds us in order to defend oneself or others. Most of the time invoking natural forces, like in the case of Din’s Fire, or akin to it.

Magic generated with the purpose of malicious harm, torture, cursing is considered dark magic and deemed forbidden. Exception: Zelda’s Phantom.

Magic has a set of rules:

use it for self preservation or to protect others, never for harm.

actions have consequences of equal dimension.

clear and pure intention must always be behind it, you cannot use it for evil purposes or illegal gain.

You cannot revive the dead. Necromancy is taboo.

The golden rule: what magic gives, magic takes, aka Equivalent Exchange. For a magic user to grow or earn power (such as unlocking sealing magic/the Triforce) they must let go of something as a sort of tribute.

Glamour spells are used as camouflage in certain occasions (like undercover missions), mostly by Sheikah agents.

There are incredibly few magic users nowadays in Hyrule: some Sheikah (less than ten, and mostly on glamour spells. Impa is one of them), Sage Rauru, and Princess Rutela of the Zora, a renowned healer (skilled, but not to the level of her aunt Mipha, who could almost bring people from the verge of death).

8. Culture

Common customs:

Every baby has a naming ceremony, ten days after their birth.

When children turn 10, there’s a small celebration about cherishing childhood, related to the hero of time. Kids (no matter the gender) wear green.

Coming of age is at 17. It is celebrated in a formal fashion, with a sort of party that is halfway between a graduation and a debutante ball. Zelda hated it because she felt like she was a walking meringue pie with her formal dress.

Gerudo

The structure of their society is matriarchal. Men generally have the role of caretakers, and do housework. Before the Calamity they were kept out of town, but after it, they were welcomed, incorporating to their society, participating in a more domestic fashion.

Since men were scarce or away, lesbian/pan relationships are completely normal. Women would take a concubine to procreate, or adopt. Now it's IVF and/or adoption.

Clothing is genderless for them, there’s no "feminine" or " masculine" style. The basic garments are linen caftans and pants, very colorful, and use lots of jewels. They are considered the most stylish and fashionable amongst the peoples of Hyrule.

They are extremely polite and well-mannered. You’ll never see a Gerudo cursing, lest in public. For the same reason, they are the best diplomats and speakers. Gorons are always thankful of how easy to understand they are.

They tend to be politely distant with strangers, but once they warm up to them, they are ride or die, brethren for life.

They were the first to recognize a third gender, and call them “vae” (portmanteau of vai+voe). The word permeated throughout the land. Vae covers all non-conforming gender expressions.

They are the masters of women’s studies, health, pregnancy and childrearing. If you have fertility issues, no matter the race, you go to see a Gerudo Ob-gyn, they’re the best.

Sand seals are still the region’s mascot.

Their cuisine is always flavorful, spicy, and fragrant - they will silently judge you if you don't season your food properly.

Youngsters at seventeen - last year of hs- go into a compulsory exchange program, equivalent to when the tribe women left the town to see the world.

Gerudo weddings have a very romantic ritual: couples meet under the full moon on Lover's Pond and eat a pomegranate together before the wedding. On the wedding day, after taking their vows (written on their own), one of their spouses takes the other on a ride around the town.

Funerals last a week: after a day of wake, the ceremony is held, then the body is cremated. At the seventh day, the ashes are thrown to the desert. After that, relatives stop wearing mourning clothes. They keep a small shrine at home with a picture and burning incense.

Live the same as humans, with an average of 85 years.

Rito

Very art-focused, they excel in music, but are into all arts and crafts as well. Every Rito knows to sing and play at least one instrument.

They used to be a very formal society regarding gender roles (women were discouraged into participating in martial arts and combat), but they slowly changed.

The Rito still have the tradition of a Village Bard. The current bearer of the position is Sagi Blackwing, father of Taka, Marshall of the Air Rangers.

Rito elect their chief democratically, and they have indefinite reelection terms.

They are very blunt and straightforward in nature, despite their graceful forms and manners. Gorons like that.

They are pescetarians. Fowl is kinda taboo, but will eat game or beef if necessary.

Rito families are very large. When a Rito sees another one somewhere, they say “I’m from the [insert family name] of [insert place]”, similarly to Scottish clans.

Weddings are lavish and have a very colorful party with lots of music and dancing.

Births have a very domestic celebration, but they go all over when their little ones learn to fly.

Funerals are very solemn. They burn the body, and throw the ashes to the wind, as the bard plays a beautiful requiem.

They live around 60-80 years.

Zora

Due to their status as the most long-lasting of the Hyrulean species, they are the keepers of the history of Hyrule, in charge of records and archives outside the castle.

Said records are kept in stone, like they have done for ages. But they use digital copies too nowadays.

They still pretty much have the same structure they had before and after the Calamity.

They have a strong sense of collectivity and equality. The ruler never takes political actions without the agreement of their subdits.

They excel in arts, history, and traditional martial arts.

Mostly pescetarian. They tolerate chicken, but don't eat red meat.

Masters of water sports and swimming. King Sidon is still the diving and swimming champ of the Domain - he still teaches the little ones to swim, “just like my sister taught me”.

King Sidon is the longest living individual being in the land with 605 years of age, he has the honorary title of “Venerable Sage”. He says he probably is going to be ready to pass onto the Sacred Realm when he sees “another Link being a Hylian Champion”.

They love being verbose. The Gorons have difficulty to understand them sometimes.

They are not so favorable of interspecies relationships, because of their longevity/ past history of tragic relationships.

Births are warmly celebrated. When Princess Rutela was born, the celebration lasted a month.

The funeral of a Zora is epic: they go Viking, and after a wake and a ceremony, they burn the body on a raft on the Lanayru sea. After that, the family hosts a feast to celebrate the departed.

Goron

You don’t have a family? 100% chance you’re getting adopted by them. Say hi to your 94976937832 new brothers.

Prepare to eat rocks, literally.

They don’t get puns unless they are rocky. Nor double entendres, so communication always has to be very clear and literal with them. They get along wonderfully with the Gerudo/Rito because of this, not so much with the Zora. Hylians/humans and Sheikah have to explain always things twice.

They reproduce asexually. They all come from the “mother rock”, a sort of nursery cave near the caldera of Death Mountain (a la Kindergarten from Steven Universe). They are all aces.

They use “goro goro” as pet word.

They have an almost childlike sense of wonder; they are super warm, open and welcoming to everyone.

They practice tough love, in the sense a goron hug is really tight. Like, you’ll be kinda dizzy for a solid 15 minutes.

They choose their chief through a trial of strength.

Goron sumo is the national sport, followed closely by goron golf.

They still don’t understand why all other races use those shiny rocks that are inedible (i.e. rubies, sapphires, diamonds, etc.). They say “why do you like to wear rubbish?” - I guess someone’s garbage is someone else’s treasure, bro.

Never interrupt an argument between two Gorons. It's RUDE.

They live around a hundred years. When they are about to die, they go back to the mother rock, to the same book they came from,and they fuse with it, giving way to the formation of another goron. They don't make a big deal over it, since they say 'brother went back to our mother'.

Hylian/Human

The only difference between a Hylian and a human is the ears. Who proved that? Science. It's a mutation. Deal with it. Thus, they have gotten over this complex of “race blessed by the goddesses” that existed until before the Calamity - except for a handful of twits.

Humans were scarce during the Calamity, but they slowly reappeared. The current rate is 55% Hylian, 45% human. They are more an ethnicity than a race.

Hospitality is very important for everyone, ever since the Calamity. There is always a spare room or couch to crash in, and there is always a seat at the table for anyone who needs it.

Every family acquaintance is dubbed "aunt/uncle/entle (nb term)".

Learned a lesson from the Gerudo and the Sheikah, and broke gender barriers to the point sports are not divided by gender.

Hylians are specialists in bakery and pastries. During the Restoration, hylians took to heart to recover the culinary traditions of central Hyrule.

Because of their love of carbs, they don't mind a bit of roundness around the edges (a chubby girl is dubbed 'a tiny Goddess', after the goddess statues)

Weddings are simple, mostly held at the house of a relative doing written vows, or a city hall one, to be later crowned with a feast with plenty of food, and a huge wedding cake.

Funerals are short, one day of wake, one day of funeral. The body is cremated, and the ashes put in a box that goes to a small grave relatives visit oftentimes.

The life span is in average 85-90 years.

Sheikah

"Pure" Sheikah do not exist. They can be mostly Sheikah, but they are mixed. Despite that, their genetic features (white hair, reddish brown eyes) are strong, and tend to be passed down.

Matriarchal society. The chief is almost always a woman, although male chiefs have existed, such as Lord Shigure, father of Impaz, current chief.

They still use their traditional clothes most of the time, and/or mix them with modern ones.

They still prefer traditional housing over modern buildings, at least at a residential/suburban level. The manor of the chief is built in traditional style too, and it's located at the center of the city. It's the oldest building in Necluda, and one of the oldest in modern Hyrule.

They cultivate traditional martial arts and other combat techniques, besides science (Akkala and Hateno labs are the tech centers).

Prepare to eat pumpkins in everything. And rice. And apple pie.

Extremely respectful of other people in general. They are amazing hosts. Their parties are incredible.

Weddings are very symbolic and full of rituals. The Sheikah chief offices it. Bride and groom meet each other at the gates of a shrine along their families, and the chief "merges" them by tying the bride and groom's hands with a red ribbon. Then both drink rice wine from the same cup, and then received the blessings of the Goddesses and the spirits of the land. Once married, they parade around the shrine along the whole family. At the gate the receive another blessing, as their families are now one.

Funerals are very solemn. They burn the body and bury the ashes at the cemetery, placing a jizo/goddess statue on top of it. Kakariko cemetery is the largest and most ancient of the country. Even the Royal family used to be buried there.

Their life span is the longest among humanoid species: 150 years.

9. Holidays

Hyrule has 6 big holidays:

“Day without time”: New Year, coincides with Spring Equinox, because of association with rebirth. People gather at home and feast on a big family dinner. One hour before midnight, all lights are out everywhere, and stay like that until midnight, where the royal family rings the bell of the castle at the same time as the new Temple of Time and light a torch that is used to light paper lamps, and get released to the sky. Everyone does the same at home with candles, and welcome the new year going to shrines/temple (if they are believers) or spend the day with their families - making resolutions you generally never accomplish or wishes at the temple is a funny tradition for everyone. Flower arrangements are the key decoration for the event, and goddess statues all over wear wildflower garlands, generally made by children. Zelda and Link love this holiday because they get to eat to their heart’s content. She also enjoys touring kids over the royal gardens - the great plateau temples and the Castle are fully open for visitors, King Daphnes and Queen Amaya welcoming them personally along Zelda, an activity that reinforces their image of “down to earth” royalty. Celebration lasts 5 days (it’s the two previous days, new year’s, the two following days to recover lol).

Summer Solstice/ Midsummer: Everybody loves this holiday because it’s all about having fun in the sun: people go on picnics, to the parks, or to the beach/lakes. Maypoles are placed everywhere, and a huge one is set in Hyrule Castle. Zelda hates the festivity because she sweats like a pig in a suit - it’s one of her official outings and has to dress formally, then change into an elaborate gown with floral motifs and a flower crown. Link loves it because he likes outdoor activities (and Zelda looking like a forest goddess). Similar to Japanese Obon (almost nobody works in the entire week). Goddess Statues are decorated with braided ribbons (blue,red,green).

Autumn Equinox/Harvest Festivities: Fall celebration is focused on thanking Farore for a good harvest, so the theme is gratitude… and food. Cornucopias are everywhere - so is anything pumpkin (Kakariko made a good campaign some decades ago to market their most beloved fall crop), and apple cider. Goddess Statues are decorated with offerings of apples and warm colored Akkala maple branches. The ugly sweater season begins - Link LOVES THEM.

Winter solstice/ The Longest Night: This is a celebration focused on the “light in the dark”: in the daytime, people go to cemeteries to pay respects to their dead, and after 6 pm people gather around to have nice evenings with friends and family, dining, baking treats, and drinking eggnog. People light bonfires on parks and gather around in the evening, singing folk songs, and houses are decorated with fairy lights, and paper lamps they buy for the occasion and keep one of them lit through winter until day of remembrance. Horrid thematic sweaters are almost mandatory, stars and snowfolk being the most common thematic (Link loves them; ironically for a desert child, he likes snow). Celebration lasts over the weekend.

Day of remembrance: third day of the third moon. A very solemn celebration regarding all the people that died during the Calamity, and the survival of all the races. It's tied with the Winter solstice and new year rites. People leave the now unlit paper lamps used through winter solstice, and garlands of silent princesses (they bloom all year round) as offerings at the memorial in Castletown square, fort Hateno, Akkala Citadel, Zora's domain, and the Temple of Time. Those lamps then are gathered and used in the new year.

Day of victory: celebration of the end of the calamity and the establishment of the new kingdom. Castle opens gates and all people dress up in historical costumes of the time. Zelda lives for this shit. Happens during the second week of the eighth month.

There are other regional celebrations, but they are not as relevant as those.

Music day (Rito): 22nd day of the eleventh moon

Goron Bowl (Goron sumo tournament finale, not a holiday in itself, but they go big about it): 28th of the second moon.

Guardian Mothers' day (Gerudo): 7th of the fifth moon

Champion festival (Zora): 14th of the sixth moon.

Other, more general celebrations exist (Teachers’ day, science day, arts day, etc), but they are not holidays.

On the legend of the hero

The relevance of the legends is very important, but has reached a status of pop culture staple, like the Greek gods. Reversions and reinterpretations of the legends are commonplace in media.

The childhood ceremony revolves around the legend of the child heroes, who wore bright green.

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That's all, sorry not sorry for the wall of text, I hope you find this interesting and complements your reading!

Tagging @expanding-hyrule because it's fitting!

[sigmaleph]

there's a post i want to make about how the world is too complicated for individual people to understand and we sort of don't really grapple with the fact that most people don't so much make informed decisions as go with pre-established defaults that society has made and trust that those are fine

and if you're fighting to step out of societal defaults you basically have to make informed decisions. which is not a skill society trains on you. and you fuck up. and it's very important to allow people to do it but also you trip over the fact that 'this isn't illegal' and 'society has said this is Fine' look very similar and for people who run all their risk assessment on 'society said this is Fine' this is dangerous.

i would like to say 'that's the post' but that's not the post. i can't write the post. i wrote this instead of the post and it's worse. sorry.

[bbeboppp]

∘ ONESHOT: Hound Dog 〔Jett Rinks x reader〕

➺ Sorry I don't write more No Hope in Hell chapters, I've grown out of that celebrity crush. Really, I write for myself if there's no fics I like/follow a story I've got in my head, I only post stuff because other people might enjoy it. I might write another chapter some day, who knows. ➺ A/N: The context is pre-rich Jett and you as the reader is Benedict's unhappy wife (I've never tried this trope before don't crucify me if I butcher it. x) Also, I didn't proof read. Good luck.

• The first time you met Jett you were introduced by Benedict. To you, Jett was like a stray dog, a dark horse but less noble. Instead of walking, he would stalk; his words drawled coolly with a thick coy Southern accent; he was slick but wirey in nature; there was an unpredictable factor about his manners. Unbothered by Benedict's presence, he gave you a smile of curiosity, his dark squinting eyes assessing you, trying to look through you skin and skull and into your brain, or maybe just through your clothes. He had that sort of gaze that made you feel naked. 

• When he shook your hand, he gripped it tight and held on for an awkwardly long length of time. He had calloused and strong tanned hands that gripped yours, softer and smaller in comparison. Looking into his eyes makes you feel like electricity is coursing through your veins. Benedict warned you about Jett beforehand. He told you, "Never mind our cow-hand Jett, he's nothin' but a Hound dog."

• Benedict noticed Jett's presence much more on the farm since he'd brought you home. Jett often drove past the large manor, looking at the windows as he passed by trying to spot you in that maze of a home.

• Deep down Jett is a romantic. After the stiffness of the first few interactions wears off, he'll tell you all about his life; his parents, his past jobs, his childhood. He'll ask you questions too, mostly about you and Benedict. He'll ask if you're getting along, when you met each other, if you're planning children. Once while driving you somewhere he felt extra bold and asked if you ever considered extramarital affairs.

• You didn't plan on ever doing anything remotely unloyal to Benedict, not until he began to rule the house with a strange possessive feeling somewhere between wrath and business, getting angried easily and excluding you from conversations he didn't think you could handle because of your sex. It drove you away, despite your attempts to reconcile; you were undoubtedly unhappy, and with divorce not being an option you started to look at the young fit cow-hand; Jett Rink.

• The first time you decided to give back the signals he gave you was during one of the many times he escorted you from the field to the house. You hated being sent back to the house by your husband, it made you feel like a trapped songbird kept in a cage. You vented about your frustration to Jett, who was quick to jump on the bandwagon that his employer was a douche-bag. "He won't let me do anything! He's suffocating me!" You yelled, and something stirred inside Jett. Maybe Benedict's wife wasn't as happy as she kept letting on, maybe, maybe..

"If you had a wife would you treat her this way?" The question knocked Jett's train of thought off the rail, he took his eyes off the dirt road to look back at you, perplexed. He saw faint tear stains on your face; you were so frustrated and you had bundled it up for so long now you were letting it loose.. To a rag-tag vagabond who could just be a lowly playboy. Jett stammered, big the inside of his cheek and looked back at the road. This was going well, or was it a trap? He wanted to pick his words carefully, and so after a tough silence, he answered you.

"If you were my wife, I wouldn't treat you that way. No." He shook his head, frowning as the sun shone on the bonnet of the car, reflecting into his virile blue eyes.

Before he could continue, you laughed. He turned his face to you, what had he said made you laugh? He laughed a little, even though he didn't know what the joke was. "Whats so funny?" He humoured, those charming dimples poking his cheeks.

"I asked *if* you had a wife, not if *I* was your wife." You replied in a teasing manner, looking back at him with a sort of gotcha expression. Jett's cheeks flushed, what an embarassing fluke.

"Oh well, y'know, I meant.." Jett's tongue stumbled around his mouth like a drunkard, embarassing him ever further. You looked at him endearingly; the tough cowboy who smiled once a fornight and stalked around your husband's premises like a tomcat was cherry-cheeked and stumbling in front of you now, over the smallest little detail in a sentence.

"Well, as in.." He paused, took a deep inhale and exhale and looked over at you again. You looked back, hoping he'd keep talking; you loved his Southern drawl. "Oh darnit, nevermind." He mumbled, turning his attention back to the road.

• Since that day, you noticed a shift in his behaviour. The once aloft quiet young man who's acts of kindness could've been written off as simply friendly or helpful changed tactics. The first thing you noticed is those quick darting glances he took at you were suddenly lengthened. He stared, with dark soul-strong blue eyes that you grew to wish to meet. When your husband or Luz wasn't around, he'd sneak in little pet named when he addressed you. "Let me get that for you darlin'." "Don't worry baby, it won't rain just yet." "Is Benedict gone for the whole day hun? Leavin' you all lonely?"

• It became an inside joke between the two of you for him to mention something Benedict had done, and you'd ask if he'd do that to his wife. Jett always laughed extra loud at your jokes. Jokes never got old with him. "Benedict forget your dinner date? That's a pity." "Would you ever forget you a dinner date with your wife Jett?"

• Benedict had his suspicions about you and Jett, but he thought it only went as far as Jett would blatantly flirt with you, and you only politely answered back. Jett wasn't as careful as he could've been, he stared and lingered too much around you, and smiled extra hard when you spoke to him.

• Luz made comments about how she never knew you had bought a new dog. When you asked her what she meant, she grumbled about how obviously Jett stuck around in a room when you were there, how he'd always join into a conversation if you were in it, how he scowled at your husband if Benedict ever scolded or ridiculed you.

• The first time you kissed Jett was as he held the door to the automobile open for you. You stepped out, and kissed him on the cheek. "Goodnight Jett." You turned back and waved sweetly at him as you walked towards the house. He stared at you gobsmacked; then tilted his head down so his hat covered the smile on his face as your husband stepped out onto the porch to greet you. Part of what sent a thrill into Jett's veins was because of how high-risk it was. Three seconds later and you both would've been done for. He wondered if you liked him, *him* in particular, or if you were just a sad bored housewife looking for any man to have an affair with. Either way, it was fun and he wanted it to last as long as possible.

• At the welcoming party, you felt like an outsider in your own celebration. Everyone knew everyone, and when Benedict left you to tend to the meat you wandered off to a fence to lean against and sip your drink. The sun was blazing, the people's voices turned into hums and the buzz of that midday heat on the back's of crickets turned the landscape into a fever dream. "Lonely?" You turned your head, on the other side of the fence a handsome face greeted you. You smiled back softly. He has been lingering for a while, avoiding people, waiting for Benedict to wander off so he could approach you. He did that often. Some folk noticed you had hidden under the shade of a small tree, conversing with the help. Low disapproving mutters spread across the crowds, that was just the nature of small town folks; they loved to talk, but never confront.

• During days Benedict would be away handling cows in their herds miles away, you'd take strolls in the early morning, before midday struck and the hottest heat drove you back inside seeking shelter. If Jett was around at these times he'd ditch whatever tasks he'd been assigned and follow along, making small talk.

• You learned he wasn't any sort of scoundrel or lost boy like Ben, Luz or anyone else for that matter had described him. He had a brazen look about him, piercing eyes that looked for trouble, sure, but he had a soft warm core, and although not yet had he let you in to that core you felt it's warmth radiate through his thick skin.

• He never pushed ever, never tried initiate or ask for anything from you other than your attention. That sort of pure, loving interest was something you'd never experienced before. He was a gentleman, wrapped up in a world where he was outcasted.

• During one of these strolls, Jett asked you if you loved Benedict. A tough question. He was your husband and provider, but that was all. He wasn't your lover. He was your provider only because you were a housewife and forbidden to be anything else. He was a hard working man, but he lacked any emotional intelligence you could bond to, he was a shallow character and he had a superiority complex brewing under it all. You spoke about this to Jett, but never said whether or not you loved Benedict, but Jett got the hint.

• Jett and you share cigarettes sometimes. He'll let you smoke the first half of it, because you prefer it's taste. His rollies crumble and fall apart a lot, and he huffs about them until you offer to roll them for him. Truth is, he can roll fine, he just loved seeing you do things for him. It was his funny way of finding out if you cared enough to do something for him.

• On the other hand, if smoking bothered you, Jett would stop smoking around you, and eventually give it up altogether without you ever having to ask for it.

• As you and Benedict's life fell apart, you and Jett's strengthened. Nights he wouldn't sleep in the same bed as you, returned home late or not at all, you'd leave in the middle of the night and sleep in the haystacks up in the barn. Jett slept up in the rafters of the barn; he was that sort of character. He had a mattress and pillow of straw underneath him and the itching didn't bother him none. During those long lonely nights he lay awake thinking about life, about you. He sighed; if he hadn't fallen for you he would've moved on by now to find better work and better pay elsewhere. The night you ran into eachother in the rafters he lay down his jacket on the hay, since you complained about it's scratching texture. Although the Texan days were long and blazing the nights were longer and colder. They nipped any exposed piece of skin you had to the air, and they made you cuddle and hug yourself for warmth. Those were the best nights of Jett's life, when he'd hold you in his arms and you'd both look out the open wooden frame of a window, at the dark sky hanging above the small, far horizon.

• Jett pointed out constellations and clusters of stars, speaking softly into your ear as his pointed finger guided you to each one he talked about. He told you he learned about them from his father and the men he worked with on farms in his youth. They all told urban tales and superstitions, practical survival and wilderness knowledge. They were men of knowledge, not from books or bibles, but from words on tongues and stories passed down generations. It fascinated you, how what you thought was a simple life had that beautiful complexity about it all of humanity possesses.

• "You know," You giggled softly, "Benedict told me you were no good." "No good?" Jett had a soft resting smile on his face, his eyes half-lidded, his dimples poking his cheeks. His tone was light and  playful. "He called you a hound dog." You laughed. It was a ridiculous insult, you thought that even before meeting Jett. "Maybe I am." He grinned rogeuly, the bottom of his top teeth showing.

• Jett traced circles on your skin. It was something he did absentmindedly, like fidgeting or twitching his nose, and once he realised he was doing it he didn't stop. Physical contact was so magical to him, you were a Goddess and you brought him to heaven.

• It was around the time of Luz's passing that both Jett inherited a piece of land from her, and Benedict has starting to ignore you around the house. One fo the last conversations between ye was how he'd rather just get through his day without any bothering. You were too needy and talkative for his liking. He didn't care about you or where you were.

• The first time you came and visited Little Reatta, it was a sorry sight. The homemade sign was endearing, and when you saw Jett walking towards you with a spring in his step and a dopey smile on his face, you smiled too; he had a contageous smile. "Welcome to Lidl' Reatta."

• You're the only person he'll let make fun of his accent. Even Texans acknowledge that Jett speaks with a hybrid mutt complexion of an accent, being a travelling labourer since he was able to work has mottled all the accents he's ever heard together and given it a Southern twist. To local Texans, he was a drifter who was just staying longer than most, to you he was just another Southerner chewing on a rubber band for an accent.

• You make vists to Little Reatta more frequent as time passed. It was then that you had the misfortune of tasting Jett's tea. It's canon he makes terrible tea, and because of this most times you offer to make the tea instead of him; because you couldn't break his heart by telling him he doesn't make tea decently.

• Almost everytime you visit, Jett tries bring you to climb the empty water tower he has on his property. "You can see for miles 'round on top of this thing." He'd say with both feet on the ladder and a hand outstretched for you with a big mischevious grin on his face. Eventually when you caved in and agreed to climb it despite you fear of heights, once you got to the top Jett threw his arms around you and hugged you tight. "I won't let go. Promise." As he rested his chin on your shoulder, he talked about the land. Where the property line ended and another person's began. Where he saw a coyote, where he found a rabbit hole, a man's shoe, some rusted nuts and bolts. He spoke about the wasteland as if it was the most wonderful paradise on earth. To Jett, you were Adam and Eve in the Garden, this was your garden and this was your paradise. You could see this happiness radiating off Jett because he smiled so much his face started to hurt.

• Slowly, you start spending your entire days there, then every day, then overnight, then you spend more time at Little Reatta than Reatta itself. Eventually you've fully left Reatta. It was easy, since you only brought your clothes and a few books.

• Jett spent his days hunting rabbits and birds or sometimes the odd deer or relation in the cerdivae family. He'd skin and gut them and you'd cook them. Jett is an odd character, and although you always knew he has that specialness about him you would be thoroughly reminded when he'd bring home squirrels in an attempt to have them for dinner. "They taste like chicken, or duck. Or both. They aren't so bad you just need to try them." Like a child with a toad in their palm, he'd chase you around the house playfully with a dead squirrel or two.

• At night, Jett always fell asleep first. He usually lay on your chest, hugging your sides. It was a comfort to have a warm body to lie beside during the night.

• Jett keeps a picture of you in his wallet.

• He brings a sense of unseriousness to your practicality. If you're cooking, he'll come in, dip his finger in the mixture, pick up an ingredient and walk around the room with it until you notice it's gone, or come up from behind you and hug you with your arms to your side so you can't get back to what you were doing without acknowledging him.  It always makes you laugh, his spontaneous decisions and bursts of energy. It's as if he worries you'll forget about him if he doesn't see you regularly enough, or that you'll come to your senses and leave the house back to Benedict one day.

• Jett takes you on what he calls adventures regularly. He always listened to how unhappy you were with Benedict because he always wanted you inside, and so he'll bring you with him into the wilderness regularly. In the vast desert of Texas there isn't much, but to the North a small forest lies filled with green and life. He shows you which mushrooms are edible, how old a fallen tree is by the rings of it's trunk, which types of trees are which by their leaves, which bird is singing based on their song. He warns you about the poisonous plants, where roots jump up from the ground as if trying to trip you and all other oddities and wonders that had formed naturally.

• He owns an old banjaxxed acoustic guitar that he plays tunes on sometimes. In the late evening, you'll sit together on the porch and he'll play some sort of tune or song he half-remembers the lyrics to and improvises most of the time; but that's part of his charm.

• When he sees you, Jett feels a sort of cuteness aggression. It'll usually take form in him looking at you for a moment, still and smiling, then give you a squeeze disguised as a hug or throw you over his shoulder like you weigh nothing and spin around.

• One of his favourites things to do is explore your body; non sexually. Lying side by side in bed, he'll trace your skin ever so gently with his fingers up and down the curves and dips, over any birthmarks or scars. If you ask, he'll tell you about his own scars. He has small little blemishes on his knees, elbows and palms from falling over, climbing and rough housing as a child or young teen, each with a short intimate story attached. A body is an archive of memories, it's tears and age and size and smoothness tell a tale of a life lived in it.

• If you ever gift him anything wearable, a shirt or necklace, he'd wear it til it was hanging on my threads or eroded into dust. He appreciates everything you do not with words, but with deeds.

• Since he can't be bothered ever going to a barber, he asks you to cut his hair. It's nerve-wrecking but fun, he doesn't mind if you mess up his hair, it's just hair. The first few times you cut his hair you hated how it turned out even though he insisted he couldn't of got a better trim if he went to the barbers, eventually you grow into the scissors and acquire a decent amount of skill.

• Dancing in the kitchen together, or dancing and singing alongwhile he plays a song on the guitar.

• Like the times you spent in the barn together, Jett loves stargazing with you. By now, you've learned off a handful of constellations thanks to him. As you stargaze, and talk and guess about the stars above your heads, he'll be looking at you instead, in awe and adoration.

• Anytime you cry, he feels like his world is crumbling. He holds you caringly in his arms as you bury your face into his neck and he nuzzles his nose into your hair. He rocks back and forth, hushing and whispering sweet nothings into your ear calmly til you feel better. He'll trace his fingers up and down your arm, drawling spirals and circles.

• If you fall asleep before him, he'll make sure to tuck the sheets in around you.

• Jett loves your hair. Touching it, playing with it. teaching him to plait your hair was more fun for Jett than you could've imagined, he was almost hypnotised by the simple act of bringing one piece of hair infront of the other. After you wash, he'll light the fire, have you sit by it as he brushes and dries your hair. He loves when you play with his hair too. The first time you ever did it he groaned so loudly you thought something was wrong; quite the opposite.

• Jett keeps a journal where he draws. He didn't have very formal education, so instead of writing about the day instead he'll take the journal with him on a hunting trip and draw a family of rabbits, or a coyote on a hill, or a vulture circling something dead under the sun, but his favourite thing to draw is you. He's very shy and secretive at first, but after letting you see it for the first time and hearing your sweet compliments he shows you everytime he adds something new to it now. Sometimes he'll tear out a picture he really likes and stick it in the wall above the desk in your bedroom. Again, most of the drawings are of you.

• Massages. Back massages in particular. Jett knew he had to marry you when you first gave him a massage. His muscles are tense and knotted from constant manual labour, but since you've offered him massages he's felt as if a long ribbon all knotted and jumbled up has been untangled and ironed out within him.

• "Y'know what you remind me of?" "What?" "A toffee. You're hard on the outside but soft on the inside." Word Count: 3.7K

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

Can timelords undergo surgery? Or would this trigger a regeneration?

Can Time Lords undergo surgery?

Absolutely. There are just a few notes you need to think about before you can confidently slice into your Gallifreyan. 🔪🩸

🩺Surgical Overview

💉 Anaesthesia Requirements: Time Lords need higher anaesthetic dosages than humans. The exact amount varies based on their current physiological state and any peculiarities of their current regeneration, but roughly speaking, it's about 2x normal. If you don't get this right, you risk an overdose that can disable regeneration, or ineffective sedation, where they appear asleep but are actually still awake ...

🪨 Enhanced Physical Durability: Gallifreyans have denser skin and muscle tissues, which can make surgical incisions much harder. Surgical teams might need specialised equipment that is sharper and more durable than standard tools, and surgeons must be skilled in handling these resilient tissues to avoid unnecessary damage and ensure clean, precise incisions.

🩹 Rapid Healing: Be fast! The rapid healing abilities of Time Lords mean that surgical operations need to be fast to avoid the complications associated with rapidly closing incisions, and post-operative care needs to be aggressive and meticulously planned to manage healing processes that could otherwise lead to complications like improper tissue regeneration.

🔍 Detailed Anatomical Knowledge: Know your Gallifreyan. Time Lords have different internal systems. Surgeons need a deep understanding of their anatomy to avoid critical mistakes.

🔬 Use of Technology: If being performed by humans, standard monitoring equipment isn't wholly sufficient for Gallifreyans. Modified or specially calibrated devices are necessary to assess vital signs and physiological responses accurately.

🌐 Note on Elective vs. Emergency Surgeries

Elective Surgeries: For non-urgent procedures, extensive pre-surgical planning is crucial to anticipate and prepare for the unique challenges of Gallifreyan biology.

Emergency Surgeries: In urgent cases, the medical team must be highly trained to make rapid decisions considering the Gallifreyan's unique physiology under pressure.

Related:

How does organ donation work between Gallifreyans and humans?: Practical description of how transplants work for Gallifreyans and humans.

Gallifreyan Assessment Scoring System (GASS): Guide for assessing vital signs.

Hope that helped! 😃

More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →😆Jokes |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[octaviasdread]

the perils of grad job applications the catch 22 of corporate passion devoid of enthusiasm and just-the-right-level of personality the entry level timeline lie and nightmare realm of perky linkedin posting a train cancelled pre-assessment centre panic and social battery exploding insight day before networking at the the the error.404

[maxlearnmicrolearningplatform]

Three Essential Basics for an Effective Microlearning Lesson

Microlearning has become an indispensable tool in modern education and corporate training, offering a streamlined, efficient approach to skill development and knowledge retention. By delivering information in bite-sized, focused segments, microlearning caters to the fast-paced, on-demand needs of today’s learners. However, to create truly effective microlearning lessons, certain foundational principles must be adhered to. Here are three never-to-miss basics for crafting impactful microlearning lessons.

1. Clear and Focused Objectives

The cornerstone of any effective microlearning lesson is a clear and focused objective. Each lesson should target a specific, well-defined goal that aligns with the overall learning outcomes. Here’s how to ensure your objectives are clear and focused:

Define Specific Learning Goals

Each microlearning module should address one primary concept or skill. Avoid trying to cover too much information in a single session. For example, instead of a broad topic like "Effective Communication," focus on a specific aspect such as "How to Give Constructive Feedback."

Use Actionable Language

Frame your objectives in actionable terms that describe what the learner will be able to do after completing the lesson. Use verbs like "identify," "demonstrate," "apply," or "analyze." For example, "By the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify the key components of effective feedback."

Align with Learner Needs

Ensure that the objectives are relevant to the learners' roles and responsibilities. Conduct a needs analysis to understand what skills or knowledge gaps exist and tailor your objectives accordingly. This relevance increases motivation and engagement, as learners see the direct application of what they are learning.

2. Engaging and Interactive Content

Engagement is critical in microlearning. The brevity of microlearning lessons demands content that captures and maintains the learner’s attention. Interactive elements play a significant role in achieving this engagement.

Use Multimedia Elements

Incorporate a variety of multimedia elements such as videos, animations, infographics, and audio clips. Multimedia not only makes the content more interesting but also caters to different learning styles. For instance, a short video demonstration can be more effective than a lengthy text description.

Include Interactive Activities

Interactive activities such as quizzes, simulations, and drag-and-drop exercises encourage active participation. These activities help reinforce learning by prompting learners to apply what they’ve just learned. For example, after a lesson on email etiquette, include a quiz where learners identify proper and improper email examples.

Encourage Real-World Application

Design activities that simulate real-world scenarios. This contextual learning helps learners understand how to apply their new knowledge or skills in their daily tasks. For example, a lesson on customer service skills could include a role-playing exercise where the learner must respond to a customer complaint.

3. Reinforcement and Assessment

To ensure that learning is retained and can be applied, it’s crucial to include elements of reinforcement and assessment within your microlearning lessons.

Utilize Spaced Repetition

Spaced repetition involves reviewing information at increasing intervals over time. Incorporate this technique by revisiting key points in subsequent lessons or through periodic review sessions. This helps move information from short-term to long-term memory. For instance, if the microlearning module is part of a larger training program, schedule follow-up mini-quizzes on the key points a week and a month after the initial lesson.

Provide Immediate Feedback

Immediate feedback on assessments helps learners understand what they’ve mastered and where they need to improve. Use quizzes and interactive activities to provide instant feedback. For example, after a quiz question, provide explanations for both correct and incorrect answers to reinforce learning.

Track Progress and Assess Understanding

Use assessments to gauge the learner’s understanding and retention of the material. This could include pre- and post-assessments to measure learning gains or practical assignments to demonstrate skill application. For example, a practical assessment after a lesson on data analysis could involve learners analyzing a data set and presenting their findings.

Integrating the Basics into a Microlearning Strategy

To effectively integrate these basics into your microlearning strategy, follow these steps:

Step 1: Plan and Structure Your Lessons

Start by planning the overall structure of your microlearning program. Break down the content into small, manageable modules, each with its own clear objective. Ensure that the modules follow a logical sequence that builds on previous knowledge.

Step 2: Develop Engaging Content

Create content that is engaging and interactive. Use multimedia elements to cater to different learning styles and incorporate interactive activities to maintain interest and promote active learning. Ensure that each piece of content aligns with the defined objectives.

Step 3: Implement Reinforcement Techniques

Plan for reinforcement by scheduling spaced repetition sessions and including regular assessments. Use quizzes, flashcards, and review sessions to keep the material fresh in learners’ minds. Provide immediate feedback to help learners understand their progress and areas for improvement.

Step 4: Monitor and Evaluate Effectiveness

Track learners’ progress through assessments and feedback mechanisms. Use this data to evaluate the effectiveness of your microlearning program and make necessary adjustments. Regularly update the content to keep it relevant and aligned with the learners' evolving needs.

Examples of Effective Microlearning Lessons

To illustrate these principles, here are a few examples of effective microlearning lessons:

Example 1: Customer Service Training

Objective: By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to handle common customer complaints effectively.

Content: A short video demonstrating how to handle different types of customer complaints, followed by an interactive role-playing exercise where learners choose the best responses to simulated complaints.

Reinforcement: A quiz one week later with scenarios similar to those in the role-playing exercise, providing immediate feedback on the answers.

Example 2: Software Skills Training

Objective: By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to use basic functions of a new software tool.

Content: A series of short video tutorials demonstrating each function, with interactive simulations where learners practice using the software.

Reinforcement: Flashcards and quizzes provided periodically to reinforce key functions and shortcuts.

Example 3: Compliance Training

Objective: By the end of this lesson, learners will understand the company’s compliance policies.

Content: An infographic summarizing the policies, followed by a series of scenario-based questions where learners apply the policies to real-world situations.

Reinforcement: Regular email reminders with quick tips and follow-up quizzes to reinforce the policies.

Conclusion

Creating effective microlearning lessons involves more than just breaking down content into smaller pieces. It requires clear and focused objectives, engaging and interactive content, and reinforcement through repetition and assessment. By adhering to these three never-to-miss basics, educators and trainers can design microlearning lessons that not only capture learners' attention but also ensure long-term retention and application of knowledge.

[maddmuses]

Kwon HC posts before I get started (boy I hate how tumblr stretches images for basically no good reason)

Born April 4 2001

Kwon Jae-Sung is the son of a South Korean diplomat, not a high-ranking one, but high enough that he could get out of trouble for pretty much anything that would constitute a misdemeanor

At a young age Kwon was taught the fundamentals of taekwondo and "yankee boxing" from his grandfather (a 6th dan in taekwondo) before he had started fighting. This contact was cut-off by Kwon's father when school fights started to become concerns (around age 12). If Kwon were assessed by an objective reader he'd probably be determined 1st Gup or Dan (Red or Black Belt)

Kwon is essentially a bully from the get-go, his father (and grandfather's) mentality was that the strong are right naturally by merit of that strength, even if his father believes more in "soft strength" while Kwon essentially started hitting other students the second he was given more autonomy at school

Kwon has been involved in school fights since early on, and would frequently bully and harass other students into submission, through this lens of "strong and weak", essentially demanding submission from the weak, and challenging those he saw as strong, including older boys

He's been expelled from 15 private schools and 2 public ones in the course of his pre-college education, he has also avoided approximately 22 misdemeanor assault charges, and had 2 felony charges reduced to misdemeanors with fines and anger management

Kwon began at the Kim Dojang after hearing about it around a year following his cut-off from taekwondo, and repeatedly badgered his father (at one point threatening to kill himself if he was not allowed to practice martial arts again) at the age of 15

Kwon was generally discouraged by the dojang's blatant favoritism toward students of legacy, and broad dismissal of many of his early achievements, which later manifested in his (general) behavioral issues

Prior to the start of season 6 (so sometime in 2018) Kwon achieved 1 dan in Kim Sun-Yung's "Kwondo" (Way of The Fist) style of Tang Soo Do. This level of achievement has been exceeded as he was promoted to 2 dan in the time between taking the guem baeji, ast he dojang more formally converted to Cobra Kai under sensei Kreese.

Kwon is a natural southpaw, but over time has trained to be functionally ambidextrous in his fighting. He does, though, favor his left foot for fighting, and tends similarly to spin left so that his 720° spin kick with the heel of his left foot, rather than the right foot as traditional. This favoring his left side slightly also can extend to when he intends to strike with his full power, in which case it is always with the left. To obscure his left-handedness from the enemy, he will often square up when in a fight, or falsely assume a slightly orthodox-biased stance (which in modern day is misinterpreted to indicated right-handedness for most)(clip of his fight v the trio where you can see this functional ambidexterity with slight left-bias at-play, you can see most of his kicks are leftie, and his strongest punches/strikes are delivered from the left-side)

After the Sekai Taikai Kwon intends to enlist and complete his compulsory military service, before attending post-secondary education in the United States, and then further seeking out tournaments to win in adulthood. His intended field of study is English and at least one other foreign language, as well as business management

He is mildly conservative by USA standards (but not on that bigot shit, he's considered a hyper-liberal by modern SK male standards) but is generally considered to be apolitical

Kwon's personal investment in the Sekai Taikai has little to do with any loyalty or reverence he has towards his teachers, but intends instead to establish his own dominance and feed his own pride , while still following the framework his father and grandfather taught him, of showing the weak to their place, and proving himself to be stronger than all others

[insteading]

Thinking of the warning shot Stede fires when they're trying to give the twirly suit away.

For a warning shot, it doesn't matter if your aim or assessment of which of several threats is greater is a little off: it's going up in the air. Which you can do while twirling like a person who misses that twirly coat.

Also anything other than a warning shot would have been overkill. So it shows Stede's risk assessment is accurate in this instance.

Also also: it makes Stede look unpredictable as hell-- and has that in common with all pre-"training montage" instances in which Stede wins a fight in which he's outmatched.

Izzy's giving Stede approval, post spinny shot, for something he didn't teach Stede to do, and that Izzy probably would have classed as "completely unprofessional" back in Season 1, Episode 2. To borrow Izzy's curse assessment, maybe Izzy is more equipped now to see how skills that get the job done, get the job done.

[healthy444]

Can I build muscle and lose fat at the same time?

Yes, it is possible to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously, though it can be challenging and typically requires a well-structured approach. This process is often referred to as “recomping” (short for recomposition). Here are some key strategies to achieve this:

1. Nutrition

Caloric Balance: Aim for a slight caloric deficit to lose fat while providing enough nutrients to support muscle growth. This typically means consuming slightly fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight.

Protein Intake: Ensure a high protein intake (1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight) to support muscle repair and growth.

Macronutrient Balance: Balance your diet with a good mix of carbohydrates and fats to provide energy and support overall health.

2. Strength Training

Progressive Overload: Continuously challenge your muscles by increasing the weight, reps, or intensity of your workouts over time.

Compound Movements: Focus on compound exercises (squats, deadlifts, bench presses) that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Consistency: Maintain a regular workout schedule, typically 3–5 times per week, to consistently stimulate muscle growth.

3. Cardio

Moderation: Incorporate moderate cardio to support fat loss without compromising muscle gains. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can be particularly effective.

Timing: Consider doing cardio on non-lifting days or after strength training sessions to prioritize muscle preservation.

4. Recovery

Sleep: Ensure adequate sleep (7–9 hours per night) to allow your body to recover and grow.

Rest Days: Incorporate rest days to prevent overtraining and reduce the risk of injury.

5. Consistency and Patience

Long-Term Commitment: Body recomposition is a gradual process that requires consistent effort over time. Patience and persistence are crucial.

Monitor Progress: Track your progress with measurements, photos, and performance in the gym rather than just focusing on the scale.

6. Individual Factors

Starting Point: Beginners or individuals returning after a long break often see more dramatic changes in body composition.

Genetics: Genetic factors can influence how easily you gain muscle or lose fat.

7. Nutrient Timing

Pre-Workout Nutrition: Consume a meal or snack rich in protein and carbohydrates about 1–2 hours before your workout to fuel performance.

Post-Workout Nutrition: Have a post-workout meal or shake with protein and carbs within 30–60 minutes after your workout to aid recovery and muscle growth.

8. Hydration

Stay Hydrated: Adequate hydration is essential for overall health, performance, and recovery. Aim to drink plenty of water throughout the day, particularly before, during, and after workouts.

9. Supplementation

Protein Supplements: Whey or plant-based protein powders can help you meet your daily protein requirements.

Creatine: Creatine monohydrate is a well-researched supplement that can enhance strength, power, and muscle mass.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs): These can help reduce muscle soreness and promote muscle protein synthesis, particularly when training in a fasted state.

10. Mind-Muscle Connection

Focus on Form: Pay attention to proper form and technique to maximize muscle engagement and prevent injury.

Contraction: Emphasize the contraction of the target muscles during each exercise to improve muscle activation.

11. Variation in Training

Periodization: Incorporate different phases in your training program, such as strength, hypertrophy, and endurance phases, to continually challenge your muscles and prevent plateaus.

Exercise Variety: Regularly change your exercises, rep ranges, and workout routines to keep your muscles guessing and promote continuous adaptation.

12. Tracking and Adjustment

Regular Assessments: Keep track of your body composition, strength levels, and overall progress. Adjust your diet and training plan based on these assessments to ensure continued progress.

Listen to Your Body: Be mindful of signs of overtraining or injury. Adjust your training intensity and volume as needed to prevent burnout and maintain long-term progress.

13. Metabolic Rate and Muscle Mass

Muscle Increases Metabolism: Building muscle increases your resting metabolic rate (RMR), helping you burn more calories even at rest, which aids in fat loss.

14. Hormonal Balance

Manage Stress: High-stress levels can lead to elevated cortisol, which can negatively impact muscle growth and fat loss. Incorporate stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.

Hormonal Health: Ensure adequate intake of essential fats and micronutrients to support hormonal health, which is crucial for muscle growth and fat loss.

15. Support System

Accountability: Having a workout partner, or coach, or joining a fitness community can provide motivation, accountability, and support.

Education: Continuously educate yourself about nutrition, training, and recovery to make informed decisions and optimize your body recomposition efforts.

By paying attention to these important factors, you can further enhance your ability to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously. Remember, consistency, patience, and a holistic approach are key to achieving long-term success in body recomposition.

[fereldanwench]

Sara Ryder Master Post

✧ BASICS ✧ Full Name: Sara Elizabeth Ryder Pronouns: She/her Date of Birth: 28 Mar 2154 Place of Birth: The Citadel (Widow System in the Milky Way) Height: 5'11" (180 cm) Weight: ~160 lbs Body Type: Absolutely shredded Eye Color: Light blue Hair Color: Dark bronze brown

✧ PERSONALITY & SKILLS ✧ MBTI: ISTP Training: Operative Combat Profile: Infiltrator

✧ RELATIONSHIPS ✧ Father: Alec Ryder Mother: Ellen Ryder Brother: Scott Ryder (born 2157) Closet Friends: - Vetra Nyx - Jaal Ama Darav - Nakmor Drack Partners: - Jonathan Barrett (ex-fiance; remained in the Milky Way) - Keri T'Vessa (ex; fling) - Reyes Vidal (ex; fling) - Dr. Harry Carlyle

✧ NOTES ✧ - This is an updated version of the Sara Ryder I created in 2017/2018. Her personality and pre-Andromeda history hasn't changed too much, but she is older during the events of the game (about 31). - She and Scott are not twins; she's the eldest sibling by about 3 years. However, he has his shit together way more than she does, lmao. They have a great relationship, and Sara considers him one of her best friends. - Sara is very much Alec's daughter--Smart, curious to a fault, tough, ambitious, and does not like being told what to do. (Don't tell her that, though.) - She met the basic requirements for N7 training back in the Milky Way, but was denied officially due to her pattern of insubordination in the Alliance. The real reason was political--aka because of her pariah of a father. She still holds a grudge about it. - Sara and Harry met about a month before leaving for Andromeda--Alec invited (well, insisted, really) Harry to join them at the Ryder family compound for some pre-launch training and SAM assessments.

Tags and relevant links updated under the cut:

Last updated: 10 Jan 24

✧ SARA'S TAGS ✧

👩‍🚀 oc: sara ryder

💖 fave: sara ryder

🖼️ art: sara ryder

🔖 fic: sara ryder

✨ oc inspo: sara ryder

💑 ship: harry x sara

💖 fave: harry x sara

🔖 fic: harry x sara

✧ CHARACTER SHEETS & MEMES ✧

Aesthetic Builder

About My OC (out of date as of this post)

Bold the Traits/Aesthetics

OC Relationships

OC Negative Traits

[yourdentalpartnerluke]

House Cleaning Service: Keeping Your Home Sparkling Clean

House cleaning service is a lifesaver for many busy individuals and families. Whether you’re a working professional, a parent juggling multiple responsibilities, or just someone who wants to enjoy a clean and tidy living space without the hassle, cleaning services can be a game-changer. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the world of house cleaning services, exploring the benefits, types of services offered, and what to consider when hiring a cleaning company.

Why Choose a House Cleaning Service?

House cleaning is a task that requires time, effort, and attention to detail. While some people enjoy the process, many find it challenging to keep up with their cleaning chores due to various commitments. Here are some compelling reasons why you might consider hiring a professional house cleaning service:

Time-Saving: Cleaning your entire house can be time-consuming, especially if you have a large home or a busy schedule. A cleaning service can free up your time for more important activities.

Expertise: Professional cleaners are trained to clean efficiently and thoroughly. They have the expertise and experience to tackle even the toughest cleaning tasks.

Consistency: Cleaning services can provide a regular cleaning schedule, ensuring that your home remains consistently clean and well-maintained.

Customization: Many cleaning companies offer customizable cleaning plans, allowing you to tailor the service to your specific needs and preferences.

Types of House Cleaning Services

House cleaning services come in various forms, catering to different needs and budgets. Here are some common types of cleaning services you can consider:

Regular Cleaning: This type of service typically includes basic cleaning tasks like dusting, vacuuming, mopping, and bathroom cleaning. It’s ideal for maintaining a clean and tidy home on a regular basis.

Deep Cleaning: Deep cleaning is a more thorough and intensive service. It involves cleaning hard-to-reach areas, appliances, and fixtures that may be neglected during regular cleaning.

Move-In/Move-Out Cleaning: If you’re moving into a new home or preparing to leave one, move-in and move-out cleaning services can help you leave a spotless impression. These services often include deep cleaning of all areas.

Specialized Cleaning: Some cleaning companies offer specialized services such as carpet cleaning, window cleaning, and upholstery cleaning. These services address specific cleaning needs in your home.

Benefits of Hiring Cleaning By Love

At Cleaning By Love, we take pride in being your trusted partner in maintaining a clean and healthy living environment. Our services are tailored to meet your unique needs, ensuring your complete satisfaction. Here are some of the benefits of choosing us:

Experienced Professionals: Our team comprises experienced and trained cleaning professionals who are dedicated to delivering the highest level of service.

Comprehensive Services: We offer a wide range of cleaning services, including residential and commercial janitorial cleaning, floor cleaning, and pre or post-construction cleaning.

Flexible Scheduling: We understand that your schedule is busy. That’s why we make every effort to work around your timetable, ensuring minimal disruption to your daily routine.

Guaranteed Satisfaction: Your satisfaction is our priority. We stand by the quality of our work and offer a satisfaction guarantee for all our services.

What to Expect During a House Cleaning Service

When you hire a house cleaning service, it’s essential to know what to expect during the cleaning process. Here’s a general overview of what typically happens when a cleaning company visits your home:

Assessment: The cleaning team will begin by assessing your home’s condition and discussing any specific cleaning needs or preferences you may have.

Cleaning Plan: Based on the assessment, the team will create a cleaning plan that outlines the tasks they will perform during the visit.

Cleaning Process: The cleaners will start by tackling the designated tasks, which may include dusting, vacuuming, mopping, and cleaning surfaces. They’ll use professional-grade cleaning products and equipment.

Quality Check: After completing the cleaning, a quality check is often conducted to ensure that all areas meet the company’s standards.

Choosing the Right House Cleaning Service

Selecting the right house cleaning service provider is crucial to ensure a positive experience and satisfactory results. Here are some factors to consider when making your choice:

Reputation: Research the cleaning company’s reputation by reading reviews and asking for referrals from friends or family.

Services Offered: Ensure that the company offers the specific cleaning services you need.

Insurance and Bonding: Check if the company is insured and bonded, which provides protection in case of accidents or damage during the cleaning process.

Cost: Compare prices from different cleaning companies and choose one that offers a competitive rate for the services you require.

Customization: Look for a company that can customize their services to fit your needs and preferences.

Maintaining a Clean Home

While hiring a house cleaning service can significantly ease your cleaning responsibilities, it’s essential to maintain a clean and organized home between visits. Here are some tips to help you keep your space sparkling in-between cleaning sessions:

Declutter Regularly: Get rid of items you no longer need to prevent clutter from accumulating.

Daily Maintenance: Develop simple daily cleaning habits, such as wiping down kitchen surfaces, doing a quick vacuum, or making your bed.

Assign Chores: If you live with others, consider assigning cleaning chores to distribute the workload evenly.

Organize Cleaning Supplies: Keep your cleaning supplies well-organized and easily accessible for quick touch-ups.

In conclusion, house cleaning services offer a convenient solution for maintaining a clean and tidy home without the hassle. Whether you opt for regular cleaning, deep cleaning, or specialized services, companies like Cleaning By Love can make your life easier and your home cleaner. By choosing the right cleaning service provider and maintaining a clean home in-between visits, you can enjoy the benefits of a fresh and welcoming living space.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About House Cleaning Services

What is a house cleaning service, and what does it include?

A house cleaning service is a professional cleaning service that helps you maintain a clean and tidy home. It typically includes tasks like dusting, vacuuming, mopping, and bathroom cleaning. However, specific services can vary by company.

How often should I schedule a house cleaning service?

The frequency of house cleaning services depends on your needs and budget. Many people opt for weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cleaning, while others schedule occasional deep cleanings or one-time services.

Are cleaning products and equipment provided by the cleaning service?

Most cleaning services bring their own cleaning products and equipment. However, if you have specific preferences or allergies, you can discuss this with the cleaning company to ensure they use the products you prefer.

Do I need to be home during the cleaning service?

It’s not necessary to be home during the cleaning service, but it’s a matter of personal preference. Many clients provide access to their homes and instructions for the cleaning team, while others prefer to be present during the cleaning.

How long does a typical house cleaning service take?

The duration of a cleaning service depends on the size of your home, the scope of work, and the number of cleaners sent by the company. It can range from a couple of hours for a small apartment to a full day for a large house or deep cleaning.

Is it necessary to tip the cleaning crew?

Tipping is not mandatory, but it’s a gesture of appreciation for a job well done. If you’re satisfied with the service, you can consider tipping the cleaning crew, typically around 10-20% of the total cost.

What if something gets damaged during the cleaning?

Reputable cleaning companies are insured and bonded, which means they have coverage in case of accidents or damage. If something is damaged during the cleaning, you should contact the cleaning company to report the issue and discuss the resolution.

Can I request eco-friendly or green cleaning products?

Yes, many cleaning companies offer eco-friendly or green cleaning options. If you’re environmentally conscious or have allergies, you can request these products when booking your service.

Do I need to provide any special instructions to the cleaning team?

If you have specific preferences or areas of concern in your home, it’s a good idea to provide special instructions to the cleaning team. They can tailor their service to meet your needs.

How can I trust a cleaning company with my home’s security?

To ensure the security of your home, choose a reputable cleaning company with a history of satisfied customers. Read reviews, check if they conduct background checks on their employees, and ask for referrals if necessary.

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Eugene Personal Trainer Gives You the Trick

Personal training has evolved from a luxury service for elite athletes and celebrities into a mainstream approach to achieving health and fitness goals. As more people recognize the value of individualized attention and expertise in their fitness journey, the role of personal trainers has become increasingly significant in shaping modern wellness culture.

Understanding Personal Training

At its core, personal training is a one-on-one service that provides individualized exercise programming, instruction, and motivation. Personal trainers are certified fitness professionals who possess deep knowledge of exercise science, anatomy, and training methodologies. They work closely with clients to develop customized workout plans that consider individual goals, fitness levels, medical history, and lifestyle factors.

The Benefits of Personal Training in Eugene Oregon

The advantages of working with a personal trainer extend far beyond simple exercise instruction. Clients typically experience:

Enhanced Safety and Proper Form

Personal trainers ensure exercises are performed correctly, significantly reducing the risk of injury. They teach proper form and technique, creating a foundation for safe, effective workouts that can last a lifetime.

Customized Programming

Unlike generic workout plans found online or in magazines, personal trainers create programs specifically tailored to each client's needs, limitations, and objectives. This personalization leads to more efficient and effective results.

Accountability and Motivation

Having scheduled appointments with a trainer provides external accountability, making clients more likely to stick to their fitness routine. Trainers also offer emotional support and encouragement during challenging moments.

The Personal Training Process

Initial Assessment

The journey typically begins with a comprehensive assessment, including:

Health history review

Fitness goals discussion

Physical assessments (body composition, flexibility, strength)

Movement pattern analysis

Lifestyle and schedule considerations

Program Design

Based on the assessment results, trainers develop structured programs that typically incorporate:

Progressive resistance training

Cardiovascular conditioning

Flexibility work

Balance and stability exercises

Recovery protocols

Ongoing Support

Throughout the training relationship, personal trainers:

Track progress through regular assessments

Adjust programs as needed

Provide nutritional guidance (within scope of practice)

Offer lifestyle modification suggestions

Celebrate achievements and maintain motivation

The Evolution of Personal Training

Modern personal training has expanded beyond traditional gym settings. Today's trainers often provide:

Virtual Training

Online coaching and remote training have become increasingly popular, especially following the global pandemic. Virtual sessions offer flexibility and accessibility while maintaining personalized attention.

Specialized Focus Areas

Many trainers now develop expertise in specific niches:

Senior fitness

Pre/post-natal training

Athletic performance

Rehabilitation and corrective exercise

Weight management

Functional training

Choosing the Right Personal Trainer

When selecting a personal trainer, consider:

Credentials

Look for recognized certifications from organizations like:

National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

American Council on Exercise (ACE)

National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)

Experience

Evaluate their experience working with clients similar to you in terms of goals, age, or specific conditions.

Communication Style

Ensure their coaching approach aligns with your learning style and personality. Effective trainers are both knowledgeable and skilled communicators.

The Investment in Personal Training

While personal training represents a significant financial investment, many consider it worthwhile given the potential returns:

Faster achievement of fitness goals

Reduced risk of injury

Professional guidance and support

Time efficiency through optimized workouts

Improved long-term health outcomes

The Future of Personal Training

The personal training industry continues to evolve with technological advances and changing client needs. Emerging trends include:

Integration of wearable technology and fitness apps

Hybrid training models combining in-person and virtual sessions

Focus on holistic wellness including mental health

Increased specialization in medical fitness and special populations

Conclusion

Personal training represents a powerful tool for achieving fitness goals and maintaining long-term health. The combination of expert knowledge, personalized attention, and ongoing support creates an environment conducive to success. As the industry continues to evolve, personal trainers remain at the forefront of helping individuals transform their lives through improved health and fitness.

Whether seeking weight loss, improved strength, enhanced athletic performance, or better overall health, working with a qualified personal trainer can provide the structure, guidance, and support needed to achieve these objectives. The investment in personal training often yields returns that extend far beyond physical improvements, impacting overall quality of life and long-term wellness.