#Virtual race medal

[ninangamearts]

Completed this challenge medal last month and got it in the mail last week 😊

[virtualrunevents1]

Moon Joggers Virtual Races

If you’re a runner who dreams of big achievements or someone who finds inspiration in the cosmos, Moon Joggers Virtual Races offers a thrilling and celestial way to meet your fitness goals. Originally founded to challenge people to collectively run the distance to the moon, Moon Joggers now offers themed virtual races inspired by the planets, stars, and all things celestial.

[arrolyn1114]

FYI fellow Elvis fans, The Conqueror has some Elvis themed events right now! The medals are SO cool, check them out!! The little records, OMG!! I signed up for both, there's a bundle deal.

If you haven't done any of Conqueror's events these are basically just virtual races meaning you complete them in your own time at your own pace and then they mail you the finisher's medal upon completion. As you go, you unlock fun things along the way in their app where you track your progress. Any distance based activity counts: running, walking, cycling, swimming, etc. Even just your daily steps count towards it. You can connect up your Fitbit, Garmin, or other tracking watch or app and it will sync automatically every night. They also have a handy conversion tool for non distance based activities like yoga, gym workouts, CrossFit, things like that.

It's a lot of fun, go check it out!!

[albatrossmuffin]

A Subtitler’s Hypothesis for the Timeline of the End of FS2

Be prepared for a novel here 😂

So the opening montage through the night pool scene is likely March (potentially early April, but no one is actually -seen- going to school yet, so probably end of March)

Although clearly everyone has some kind of arrangement or virtual accommodations with school, because they are ALL at training camp from April – August/September, maybe even through early October (so Haru, being out of the country away from school for a couple months? Paltry lol he did not quit school imo)

              -Nationals in DF were in August (high school nationals are in August, I checked lol), which was followed by the All Japan, however based on how warm everyone is dressed in Tokyo afterwards in FS2, it can’t be earlier than September/October-y 

Fukuoka Tournament – (late?) October – I say late based on those warm clothes again; I’ve worn shorts in early October in Tokyo before lol. And yet those in Iwatobi aren’t dressed too warmly yet, so it couldn’t be later than that. It doesn’t seem like a lot of time passed between the All Japan and Fukuoka, so they could both realistically be in October, even. But there’s two facts to sort of reverse engineer that this was Octoberish

-A Japanese fan pointed out the clock at sunset when Rin is showing his family his bronze medal, it’s around 5:10, and the sun is starting to set. Looking at sunset time maps, this would fit in October. (The sun sets in the late 5 o clock range in mid to late October in Fukuoka)

-Ikuya tells Ai in early December that Haru “got out of the hospital last month” aka November, which saying last month idk it makes it sound to me like it was a different month than the actual competition lol

But why is Ikuya and Ai’s convo in early December, you ask? With the phrase “last month,” there has to be a month in between Fukuoka and Haru going to Iwatobi. I would say there is no more than that based on Ikuya’s clothes in the scene. The girl, and others around are wearing wintery coats, yet Ikuya, compared with his coat in FS1 when everyone leaves for New Year, isn’t that bundled yet. So it’s cold, but not cold enough for Ikuya to be in full ‘winter mode’ yet, aka early December. So:

Fukuoka Tournament – October-y

Haru in the hospital for some length of time – November (with My MakoHaru heart, I’d vote he gets out before Makoto’s birthday lol ^^ BUT he does need to be out with a few weeks left in November so he has time to shoot the advertisement billboard, and get his stuff ready/school affairs in order to go to Iwatobi in December)

-sidebar, after this convo would be where Ai goes to Hungary to study abroad (maybe after New Year); the line “soon after entering university” has to mean within his first year of school, so away he goes lol

(Even if the tournament & hospitalization were both in October somehow, and “last month” meant October [the deciding factor would be how long you think he was in the hospital for], this would still be mid or late November because of the Ikuya clothes thing, and needing the time for the billboard and school, so everything still applies lol)

Haru in Iwatobi – December; where it makes sense he wouldn’t leave before New Year, when people are home to celebrate

So January he would get his affairs in order in Iwatobi and Tokyo, and be gone from late January/February through the end of March

Why I think the epilogue is the end of March: We’ve got both new students showing up in Tokyo, and also Momo hasn’t had his send off race yet – it’s a between period where things are happening over the break. Further evidence, in ES1 when they go to the send off race, a calendar showing a third week in a month is seen (you can see a digit in the teens in the week above, and a digit beginning with 2 in the week below) – there is no month, but it can only be March, because February would be too early, and April way too late.

Unrelated to the timeline lol: so in my headcanon world, Rin & Makoto have come to Hungary for some form of tournament: Haru is back now (precise verbs were “is back” & “is returning”), so his rehab must be in its end stages. There could be a tournament happening in Hungary that will be Haru’s first ‘official’ tournament of his return, and Rin is there to compete, and Makoto is there to support/shadow trainers, etc (that could have happened through a connection with Azuma, Nao, or his school, or even Natsuya take your pick lol). After said tournament, Haru may stay in Hungary a few more weeks to get his stuff together, then return to Tokyo.

Why is it a tournament, not some kind of training camp? We were given one tiny, tiny clue lol: When the world championships were in Budapest last year, Free’s website made some kind of note about broadcasting or something I cannot recall tbh lol but the important thing is they called it “Hungary Tournament,” the same way they call all the tournaments in FS. Smart Japanese fans pointed out that nowhere in any media coverage of the Budapest championships was it called “Hungary Tournament.” So it had the vibe of a subtle wink to fans lol, but it could be either one (headcanon stays almost the same lolol).

Yeeeah lol I hope this is helpful to anyone!! :D

[faejilly]

I set-up a StoryGraph account a few years ago largely because Amazon is evil (and the recent GoodReads YA thing emphasized that decision for me) BUT

The result of actually using it made me realize I only read nine books in 2022

Which would be fine if that was all I'd wanted to read but it was not

The Magpie Brain Was Killing My Fun! 😡🤬💢

So I signed up for a couple StoryGraph challenges (and completed them!) with a total goal of 26 books for 2023...

and it worked! I read THIRTY SEVEN !!Actual Books! (Ok mostly novellas so don't look at the word count but anyway! Still a yay!)🎇🎉🤩

I beat the Magpie Brain ™️ by distracting it with *graphs* 📈 🤣 and the little fire emoji I get on my home page for a reading streak 🔥

So for 2024 my goal is 52 books!

(And also to try and actually talk about books more, but I haven't decided how to make that a qualitative goal yet. Suggestions?)

The other mental (& physical) health thing I've been trying to pay more attention to is a virtual race app... as in I put my daily steps in and it tells me how far I got on Easter Island or across the Ukraine or something depending on what I signed up for

(it's pretty effective! I have twenty medals scattered around the house from the past few years! but sometimes I'd do three "races" in a row and walk all over the place and then do nothing for a month besides be a potato, so it was very inconsistent)

Thus I made my goal for the whole of 2023 to be 730 miles, so I'd average out walking two miles a day regardless of when I did which race.

And I MADE IT! (On Dec 29th! 😅 I had a whole two days to spare!)

So this year I am progressing up to a *three* mile a day average. WHICH IS 1,095 MILES. 👀

(Technically it's 1,098mi because 2024 is a leap year, but I'm giving myself a grace day and also a nicer number.)

So those are both things I'm going to try and talk more about on here this year! Whee! Books & Walking! Sounds pretty good, tbqh. 💚💚💚

But also I don't want to overdo it so today specifically all I did was play Garden Story while the husband played God of War (Ragnarok) 🤣🤣🤣

[talesofsorrowandofruin]

The Unfortunate Moth Side-story

@mrbexwrites This is entirely thanks to your tags. Result: a completely cracky, not remotely canon side-story about Phil, Yo-han and Leo as time-travellers, feat. a good dose of black comedy. The title is a quote from Top Cat.

(If you can understand all these historical references you get a virtual high five. If you understand all these references without Google you get a virtual medal.)

This Meeting is Now in Recession; or, The Time-Travelling Adventures of Ophelia Patton and Friends

"The twelfth first annual meeting of the Time-Travellers' Association is now in session!" Phil shouted.

She raised the hammer and brought it down on the table with a resounding crash. It still didn't stop the other two bickering. She waited. And waited. And waited.

"...And that's why you're responsible for the Eiffel tower," Yo-han finished.

Leopold glared at him. "It's not my fault I got my years mixed up! And when I asked where the tower was, how was I to know the random guy beside me was Gustave Eiffel?"

"I'm just saying, the world could really have done without that ugly eyesore cluttering up Paris in this timeline!"

Phil hit the table again. "Come on, you two, we haven't time for this!"

Leo grinned. "You know, technically we have all the time in the world."

In unison Yo-han and Phil threw cushions at him.

When Phil first discovered her time-travelling powers (she still didn't know where they came from or how many other people had them), she'd set out to change history. First on the list was World War I. It was astonishing how many of the 20th century's horrors were ultimately a result of World War I.

It had taken her fifteen tries to succeed. Someone else had also been messing around with history, and their interference cancelled out hers. Finally she caught up with the other time-traveller: none other than Leopold Colman, who was busy using his powers to commit the perfect murder.

They'd agreed to join forces to stop the war. Then they'd discovered yet another person was meddling with history on the other side of the world. A short investigation later, and Seo Yo-han became the third member of the Time-Travellers' Association (founded 1914, goals agreed on in 1898, established to turn the 20th century into a normal century instead of a long series of bloodbaths). Their current mission: to stop the arms race that had built up tensions before WWI.

"So far saving Franz Ferdinand has just delayed the war," Leo said. "There are two problems: Kaiser Wilhelm, and the Austrian succession. If we stop Rudolf killing himself at Mayerling, Franz Ferdinand will never have a chance of being Kaiser. Anyway, Rudolf is more liberal—"

"And he murdered his girlfriend before shooting himself," Phil reminded him. "I think Austria's problems started much earlier, when Franz Joseph married Elisabeth instead of Helene."

"We can't exactly kidnap Elisabeth so she doesn't meet Franz Joseph," Leo protested. "That's going too far back."

Yo-han shook his head. "I went further back to save Joseon. All the way back to Injo, to stop him murdering his son."

"To stop him what?" Leo exclaimed, while Phil asked, "Was he the one who locked his son in a rice box?"

"No, that was Yeongjo," Yo-han said, while Leo repeated, "What?"

Phil returned to the Austrian question. "You know, if we swapped Rudolf and Wilhelm as babies, everyone would be happier. Wilhelm wouldn't be envious of his relatives, Franz Joseph would have a son he liked, Victoria would have a son she liked..."

Leo rolled his eyes. "Don't be stupid. That would never work."

Phil gave him a Look. "Remind me of your last plan."

Leo winced. Yo-han also gave him a Look.

"Was that the Titanic fiasco?" he asked.

Leo nodded sheepishly. "That plan worked! I kept it far away from the iceberg!"

"It blocked the Suez canal for a week."

Leo nodded again, more emphatically this time. "There are no icebergs in Egypt!"

Phil and Yo-han looked at each other and shrugged.

"So," Yo-han said, "will we try this... switched at birth plan?"

Phil nodded. Leo took out the notebook containing the TTA's minutes (and timelines, and accounts of failed plans) and made a note.

"Just make sure we don't go to America for a few decades," he said.

The other two gave him suspicious looks. "What happened in America?"

"I was only trying to make conversation! I thought she was just a random old lady when I asked if she liked going to the theatre. How was I to know she was Mrs. Lincoln?"

Adding Moth’s and Glass’s taglists: @akindofmagictoo, @lightgriffinsect, @original-writing, @zonnemaagd, @boldnightmarishreverbs, @oh-no-another-idea, @verba-writing, @writingpotato07, @sarahlizziewrites (Let me know if you want to be added to/removed from the taglist!)

[scotianostra]

Scottish swimmer David Wilkie was born on March 8th in 1954, in Sri Lanka.

The second instance today about what makes you Scottish and to me David Wilkie epitomises what it means his own words spoken during his time in the USA.

“I will always remain Scottish, no matter what happens, even though my accent changes, even though I live in this country, I still maintain I am Scottish.”  it speaks volumes. As a child he would stay in the pool for hours on end or go to the beach and swim in the sea. He returned to Scotland to attend boarding school at Daniel Stewart’s College in Edinburgh. His time in Edinburgh brought him to the Warrender Club. Warrender was, at that time, famous for developing young swimmers.

Wilkie’s attitude could have brought his fledgling career to an early end. He struggled to get out of his bed to make the early morning training sessions, Bbt, when Wilkie was only 12, the club’s coach Frank Thomas spotted something in him, although it was not until 1970 that the promising swimmer began to shine. Between 1969, when he won the Scottish Junior title, and 1970, when he won bronze at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, Wilkie shaved 30 seconds off his time in the 200m breaststroke. Wilkie wore a swim cap during the Commonwealth Games, making him the first elite swimmer to wear one in a major competition.It is also said to be the first swimmer to wear both cap and goggles in order to maximise the streamline effect within the water.

It was his performance at the 1972 Munich Olympics, when the 18-year old came from virtually nowhere to take a bronze medal, that he began to really show what his real potential. The performance won him more than an Olympic medal. The University of Miami, who had been monitoring his progress, decided to offer him a sports scholarship which enabled him to train every day whilst studying marine biology, although he soon switched to a degree in English and mass communication.

It was when at college there he said the quote from above in a BBC interview in 1976: “I will always remain Scottish, no matter what happens, even though my accent changes, even though I live in this country, I still maintain I am Scottish.” Not surprisingly he thrived under the American scholarship system. In Miami, Wilkie trained intensively in the Olympic-sized outdoor pool daily. In the days when Olympics were still strictly for amateurs, being allowed to dedicate himself to his sport brought the best out in Wilkie. In 1973 he went to Belgrade and won the World 200m breaststroke title, breaking the world record, and then regaining the title in 1975, while also winning in the 100m breaststroke. At the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch in 1974 he picked up two golds and one silver and also added the European title to his collection that year. Wilkie was the only non-American to win one of the 13 gold swimming medals available at Montreal, the first British man in 68 years to do so.

On the world stage his biggest rival was the American John Hencken. The two men had an intense rivalry for all the breaststroke titles of the early ‘70s. According to the British Olympic coach Dave Haller, Hencken had the beating of him for speed because of his fast arm movements and was more suited to the sprint of the 100m, but Wilkie’s long rhythmic strokes meant he was better over the longer distance.

Honours were shared at the Montreal Olympics. Hencken beat Wilkie into second place in the breaststroke with the top three in this race all breaking the world record. Wilkie was pleased with his second place, especially as he had not prepared as thoroughly as he might by not shaving his body hair, which could cause drag under water.

Over the longer distance, Wilkie dominated, beating Hencken by metres and taking three seconds off the world record.

David  retired while at the top, leaving the legacy of being Scotland’s best-ever male swimmer. I think many of you out there will have met him, he helped Scottish swimming for years, and I recall my wee sis, Sandra having her photo taken with him. Wilkie remains the only person to have held British, American, Commonwealth, European, World and Olympic swimming titles at the same time.

[michellelindalindsey]

🎄🏃‍♀️ This December, I will be running the Honolulu Marathon - in support of Hearts & Minds UK - and in memory of my mom.

I used to live on Oahu, and had been looking forward to the trip to the islands, to visit friends and to run the marathon on the streets of my beloved Honolulu, which still feels like my hometown.

I have battled Crohn's Disease for many years, and have been blessed to still run and complete countless races...half marathons, 10k's, 5k's, 12k's, 10 milers, 5 milers, and the ultra race - the Pikes Peak Ascent. I have even, shockingly, won my division several times. I have learned how to fight through the Crohn's and run and compete anyway.

This past year has been different though, as I have developed a heart condition, and it has made running and training difficult, and often dangerous.

For the past month, I have had recurring issues with my heart condition that have increased in severity. My cardiologist feels that running the 26.2 mile marathon, in one take, would be more than my heart condition would withstand right now. That being the case, I have had to scrap the plan to run the marathon on the event date on Oahu and switch my race registration to the marathon's virtual option. I will now be running the 26.2 mile marathon here, in Charleston, in December, but in increments. Based on how my heart is holding up, I will either run two 13.1 mile half marathons or two 10 mile runs along with a 6.2 mile 10k. Both options equal the marathon's 26.2 miles. The race committee has approved my plan and granted me a medical race waiver. I will be wearing a GPS device while running, which will record my mileage and my time, and transmit it to the Honolulu Marathon race committee, which will verify it and subsequently send me the finishers medal and certificate.

Disappointed that it must be this way but grateful and blessed to still be able to run!

And I am happy and blessed to be able to use this opportunity to raise funds, awareness and support for a very special charity - Hearts & Minds UK. The amazing, uplifting work that they do, through their Elderflower program - bringing joy and light to those suffering from dementia - is truly remarkable. They make a tremendous difference in so many lives. Hope and joy are precious commodities and they all work so hard to bring these gifts to souls in need.

My beloved mom suffered and died, a few years ago, from Alzheimer's Disease. I see her face and her heart in every precious soul helped by Hearts & Minds. My mom loved Christmas and she was always my biggest cheerleader in my running and my racing in the past. And so, this Christmas, I will run - and also seek to raise funds, awareness and support for Hearts & Minds - in loving memory of my mom.

Thank you for your support.

You can visit this site to learn more about Hearts & Minds UK and their work bringing joy and hope to those dealing with dementia. I hope you will also make a donation to support and uplift their important work: https://www.heartsminds.org.uk/

*I will add an update to this post later in December, after the marathon has been completed, including a photo of the GPS mileage tally. 😊

Second photo is of my mom and me, in Honolulu, in 1998. I was 17. She was my best friend.❤️

[myfitnessblog0086]

This is my first post and I will share as much as I can about me in the coming posts and my past. It's a checkered past and not a pleasant journey but I am where I am.

I'm going to try to push as much positivity as I can here. If you want to turn your life around and do what I do, you're going to need it. Losing weight, and turning it into muscle is a very challenging route.

Everything on here is my personal opinion based on personal experience. Throwing yourself into my diet and workout schedule is really going to be difficult for a novice.

I may talk about products from time to time but I am in no way getting paid to talk about them. I am in no way endorsing them. I'm just talking about them and my personal experience with them.

Onto the MEAT! Lol

Part of my background with this blog is the pandemic. I found it much easier to handle the pandemic than most people. I by nature usually stick around my own home and play video games all day. It was also why I was 440 lbs overweight.

During the pandemic I discovered the Rocky series. About 2021. Yes, I know it's an old movie but I never gave it a chance until more recently.

Back in November 2019 I got a game called Fitness Boxing for the Nintendo Switch. By that point I had already been diagnosed as pre-diabetic, and after doing some research at the time I discovered that it was the best fitness program that was available for the Nintendo Switch at that point.

Fitness Boxing kept me going during the pandemic. I even used Super smash Brothers for a little bit of enjoyment. After a very quick minute round, (I call them mini battles. High damage, and only a minute long. Strike Hard, Strike Fast. No mercy. Cobra Kai Creedo) I would be lifting weights and eventually I got to 30 lbs lifted over my head.

For Christmas 2019 I got Zumba as well. It's a game that I don't play often but I still go back to every once in awhile especially on my days for low activity.

February 2021 I got Fitness Boxing 2. I couldn't stop playing the demo around Christmas time 2021.

March 2021 was when I really got into Rocky, and I mean the entire series. Getting into the characters, the actors, Creed series.

I even went to the special event, Rocky 4 director's cut at my local theater in November and that's when I found out about The Rocky Challenge.

So December 2021 I entered The Rocky Challenge the last minute contestant, so all of my medals say 2021 on them. And then because of my love of pac-man, I entered the Pac-Man virtual challenge in 2022.

The rocky challenge was supposed to be done at your own pace and I did it in my spare time while holding a job. I believe I got to the 100 milestone sometime in January.

In March that's when I entered the Pac-Man virtual Challenge and again I was a last minute competitor, but I got it all done.

In August of 2022 that's when I wrapped up the rocky Challenge and I'm looking for a new challenge this year.

Waiting for the rocky challenge to reset, or the Pac-Man challenge to drop again.

https://www.rockychallenge.com/

https://race-sfgiants.com/race_event/virtual-events/

As of November 2022 I had been doing my boxing for 3 years.

I'll post about my diet at a later date but I can't wait to get started with other virtual running challenges. Especially these ones as spring comes.

[fallingskiesandrisingseas]

No no no this isn't mentioned often enough. That motherfucker Pearson did a SIDESLIP. In a BOEING 767 PLANE. He's pulling off a move that is used to fly GLIDERS in a BOEING plane. He's NEVER DONE ONE IN A GLIDER before then, and he nails it with all the lives of the people in his plane AS WELL AS all the people on the track that day on the line. Homeboy did something unprecendented in a 767.

And the REASON he knew how to pull this off is because he was an experienced glider pilot Aside from that miracle, the nose landing gear didn't lock into place, which meant the plane lost speed much quicker and didn't hit anyone. There were also guardrails on the track, which helped as well. Damn miracle.

That's the final boss y'all. Give him all the medals.

To end: because both engines were non-functional, the plane made virtually no sound. Imagine having a drag race, having fun, riding your bike, and then seeing an airplane come at you at several hundred km/h. Scaaaary

[experientiallearning34]

Boosting Employee Morale: Fun Corporate Event Games and Employee Engagement Activities

In today’s fast-paced and competitive work environment, maintaining high levels of employee engagement is crucial to the success of any organization. Engaged employees are more productive, satisfied, and likely to stay with the company long-term. One of the most effective ways to enhance engagement, foster team spirit, and improve communication is through corporate event games and employee engagement activities. These activities not only provide a break from the routine but also promote a positive, collaborative, and enjoyable workplace culture.

Why Corporate Event Games Matter

Corporate event games are specially designed activities that focus on fun, teamwork, and friendly competition, providing employees with the opportunity to bond outside of their typical work responsibilities. By organizing games at corporate events—whether they are held in-person or virtually—companies can achieve several important objectives:

Team Building: Many corporate event games are designed to encourage collaboration, improve communication, and foster trust among team members. These skills are vital for a productive and cohesive workforce.

Stress Relief: Work can often be stressful, especially during busy periods. Corporate games help employees unwind, recharge, and de-stress, which leads to increased focus and productivity after the event.

Increased Morale: When employees participate in fun activities, it makes them feel valued and appreciated. High morale results in a motivated workforce that is more engaged and committed to the organization’s goals.

Employee Recognition: Games can also serve as a platform for recognizing and rewarding achievements. Prizes and recognition can go a long way in making employees feel acknowledged and valued.

Creative Employee Engagement Activities

Employee engagement is not just about improving performance but also about creating an environment where employees feel connected, motivated, and proud to be part of the team. Here are some unique and exciting employee engagement activities that companies can incorporate into their corporate events:

1. Team Building Challenges

Team-building challenges are excellent for fostering collaboration and enhancing problem-solving skills. These challenges can range from physical activities, such as relay races or obstacle courses, to mental challenges, like scavenger hunts or puzzle-solving. The key is to make the activity fun, inclusive, and engaging, so all team members have an opportunity to contribute.

2. Corporate Trivia

Hosting a corporate trivia session is a fun and informative way to engage employees. Questions can focus on company history, industry knowledge, or general trivia. Trivia encourages friendly competition and teamwork, and it’s a great way for employees to learn new things about the company and each other in an informal setting.

3. Office Olympics

Why not bring the spirit of the Olympics to your office with a series of corporate event games designed to test physical and mental agility? You can create fun and quirky challenges, like chair races, paper plane flying contests, or even guessing games. Awarding medals or trophies to the winners adds to the excitement and can be a fun tradition at your company.

4. Virtual Escape Rooms

For remote teams, a virtual escape room is an engaging and interactive way to promote teamwork and problem-solving. Employees are given a set of puzzles and challenges that they need to solve together in order to “escape” the virtual room. This activity is an excellent way to improve collaboration while still having fun.

5. Workshops and Skill-sharing Sessions

Engaging employees doesn’t always have to involve games. Skill-sharing workshops are a great way to boost employee engagement by giving employees a platform to teach and learn new skills. These could range from professional development topics, such as leadership or time management, to personal interests, like photography, cooking, or fitness. This encourages employees to engage with each other on a deeper level, fostering a sense of community and mutual respect.

6. Employee Appreciation Games

Recognizing hard work is a critical part of employee engagement. One fun way to do this is through employee appreciation games, where employees nominate each other for various awards, such as "Team Player of the Month" or "Creative Problem Solver." The awards can be presented during a company-wide meeting or event, making employees feel valued and appreciated for their contributions.

Conclusion

Incorporating corporate event games and employee engagement activities into your organizational culture can have a significant impact on employee satisfaction, morale, and productivity. These activities not only provide fun and entertainment but also promote collaboration, communication, and trust among employees.

Whether you're organizing a trivia contest, hosting team-building challenges, or conducting skill-sharing workshops, these events create opportunities for employees to connect, learn, and grow together. Additionally, they offer a chance to celebrate achievements and recognize employees for their hard work.

Ultimately, the key to successful employee engagement is creating a workplace where employees feel valued, motivated, and connected. By regularly introducing creative and enjoyable employee engagement activities, companies can build a positive workplace culture that enhances both individual and team performance.

[saving-word-crawls]

A Rio de Janeiro Crawl/Uma Crawl Carioca

By: ImagineAW

Hi! Oi! This is my first attempt at a word crawl, so I hope this goes well. This is my version of a virtual trip to Rio de Janeiro, the Marvelous City. The easy way is to pick two challenges from each zone. The hard way is to do it all at once. Boa Sorte!

Há uma versão português aqui! (Deve ser lá embaixo da versão inglês)

North Zone

São Cristóvão Fair: This cultural center highlights culture from across Northeastern Brazil with incredible, food, music, and games. People come to dance and sing though the night. One night, you come over for dinner and end up singing karaoke and dancing with strangers into the next morning Write until the end of this scene.

Maracanã Stadium: If soccer is Brazil’s religion, then Maracanã is the cathedral. What was once the largest stadium in the world has since played host to several World Cup finals and the Olympic gold medal match. You hear that the city’s biggest teams are playing today, and get tickets. Cheer on your team; include something in this scene that will excite your readers.

Samba Schools: Carnaval is a few months away, but many of the city’s samba schools are already preparing. The suburbs are home to many schools, so you decided to spend the evening at their rehearsal dinner. In addition to an amazing show, you have a plate of Brazil’s national dish, feijoada. Pick a song and write for the duration of the song non-stop.

Quinta de Boa Vista: For a period of time, Brazil was home to the Royal Court of Portugal. After independence, it was briefly a kingdom of its own until it became a republic. During that time, this amazing park was home to the palace. The palace was later turned into an amazing museum. The museum largely burned down in 2018, but you can still visit the beautiful park and zoo that surrounded it. Write for 10 minutes.

West Zone

Surfing in Recreio: Far from all the people crowding the beaches of the South Zone, surfers from around the world come to enjoy the waves and tan. You decide to spend a few hours on the beach. If you know how to swim, write 300 words. If not, write 500.

Hang gliding from Pedra Branca: If you’ve ever wanted to see Rio like birds, then here is your chance to fly. Take off happens from inside Tijuca National Park and you land on the beach. Just thinking about it makes your heart race. Flip a coin. If heads, write for 5 minutes. If tails, write for 15 minutes.

Tijuca Forest: The forest that surrounds Rio de Janeiro was mostly planted by hand, after it was destroyed for coffee plantations. Despite being one of the smallest national parks in Brazil, it’s still one of the biggest urban forests in the world. You lace up your shoes one morning and see all the animals and trees living together in the wilderness. Brazil is home to a lot of animals, but not the Fifty Headed Hydra. Try to write 500 words in 5 minutes.

Barra Shopping Malls: Barra is an upper class neighborhood best known for its malls. The shopping centers here are filled with good deals and attractions. You decide to grab a few things while you’re in the area. Add a special item to your scene.

Boat Tour through the Swamp: The opulent neighborhood of Barra was built on top of a marsh that you can still see behind the luxury condos. When one the guys at the dock gives you a great deal on a tour, you give it a try and see caimans and birds. You even grab a snack on the hidden island of Gigoia. Write for 15 minutes.

Downtown /Central

Clubbing in Lapa: Hundreds of years ago, the Lapa arches served as an aqueduct that brought water into downtown. One night, you pass underneath to party at one of the many clubs that line the streets of Lapa. Join the party at the NaNoWordSprints Twitter account!

Santa Teresa: On a hill overlooking downtown and the South Zone is the beautiful neighborhood of Santa Teresa. It has traditionally been the home of intellectuals and artists. You take a trip on the famous tram and see the beautiful architecture. Write for 5 minutes

Escadaria Selarón: A Chilean painter and sculptor named Jorge Selarón began to cover the steps by his house in colorful tiles. He called it his tribute to the Brazilian people, and now people from around the world come to see his work. You take photos and climb the steps to Santa Teresa. Include a little more color in your next description.

Valongo Wharf: Brazil brought more Africans to its shores as slaves than any other country in the Americas and was the last to abolish slavery. Between 500 thousand and 1 million came through this dock, which is now a World Heritage Site. You pay tribute to the people who suffered here. Write 333 words, one for each year slavery existed in Brazil.

Museu de Amanhã: This museum was created just before the Olympics as an intellectual icon of the city. You decide to see the brand new exhibits for a few hours one morning. Write until the next multiple of 1000.

Cinelândia: Rio de Janeiro briefly served as the capital of Portugal when the royal court was escaping the Napoleonic Wars. They also brought over the empire’s institutions and wealth in the process, constructing beautiful new homes for things like the the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Municipal Theatre, and the National Library. You can’t see everything in one day, but you can try. Try to write 200 words in 10 minutes.

South Zone

Sugarloaf Mountain: In Brazil, the most famous landmark of Rio is the beautiful mountain along Guanabara Bay. The cablecar ride to the top of the mountain provides a spectacular view of the whole city. You decide to enjoy the ride early on one day. Write for 6 minutes, the length of the ride.

Christ the Redeemer: One of the New Wonders of the World, this statue of Jesus has been overlooking and embracing Rio de Janeiro for 90 years. One morning you ride the tram up Corcovado to visit it. Include a hug in your scene.

Flamengo Park: Locals love nothing more than getting outside, and this is the perfect place to do it. Beyond the beach and sports fields, it’s also home to the Museum of Modern Art and the Marina da Glória. You start one morning off with a walk, and you can see planes land at Santos Dumont Airport. If you grew up learning that Alberto Santos Dumont was the inventor of the airplane, write 100 words. If you grew up with the Wright Brothers, write 300 words. If you grew up learning about neither, write 500 words.

Botanical Gardens: This 200 year-old garden is dedicated to the diversity of foreign and domestic plants. One of the plants in the garden is the Brazilwood tree, which named the country. Watch your word count grow with the Three Digit Challenge.

Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon: This heart-shape lake is sandwiched between all of the mountains of South Zone. If you get there early in the morning, you can even see toucans flying around. One morning, you have breakfast next to the still water. Write until your word count is a palindrome.

Dois Irmãos Mountain: This hike is well worth the hours of effort. You can see all of the South Zone from the top and beautiful forest all the way up. You can’t get there alone though, you’ll need a mototaxi to get through Vidigal to the beginning of the hike. Go to a write-in, watch a virtual one online, or replay an old one on YouTube.

Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon Beaches: These are some of the most famous beaches on Earth. You spend a whole day on the beach, swimming and tanning. You sip on a caipirinha and watch guys play footvolley on the sand. Take a 10 minute break and have a drink of water.

Hippie Fair: If you want a souvenir, there’s no place better than the Hippie Fair. Tourists and locals like to come here for interesting finds like art and clothes. You dedicate your Sunday afternoon to looking around at all the things people have to offer. Write 250 words.

Capoeira Classes in Vidigal: As a form of resistance, enslaved Africans in Brazil created capoeira. Capoeira is a mixture of martial arts and dance that allowed them practice fighting on the plantation. Today, it is a famous part of Black Brazilian heritage. You sign up for classes with a community organization in Vidigal, one of the favelas in the South Zone. Write for 15 minutes.

Sunset at Arpoador: At the end of a beautiful day at the beach, people gather on the rocks of Arpoador to watch the sunset. As the sun hides behind the horizon, next to Pedra da Gávea and Dois Irmãos, everyone begins to clap. Write 167 words.

[virtualrunevents1]

Step Into the Cosmos: Earn Medals with Moon Joggers Virtual Races

If you’re a runner who dreams of big achievements or someone who finds inspiration in the cosmos, Moon Joggers Virtual Races by Virtual Run Events offers a thrilling and celestial way to meet your fitness goals. Moon Joggers combines the adventure of virtual racing with the allure of space, allowing participants to “race to the moon” and beyond—all while earning medals that represent each step of your journey. Here’s how you can join Moon Joggers, immerse yourself in their cosmic challenges, and stay motivated with every step.

What is Moon Joggers?

Moon Joggers is a global community for runners and walkers with a fascination for space. Originally founded to challenge people to collectively run the distance to the moon, Moon Joggers now offers themed virtual races inspired by the planets, stars, and all things celestial. Through these challenges, runners can track their miles over time and earn medals that represent milestones like running the equivalent of the Earth’s circumference or reaching the "moon."

Virtual Run Events offers Moon Joggers races in various distances, from 5Ks and 10Ks to marathon challenges, so participants of all fitness levels can find a suitable distance. Whether you’re training for a major race or looking for a fun way to add structure to your walking routine, Moon Joggers has a race for you.

How to Join a Moon Joggers Virtual Race

1. Pick Your Race and Distance

Start by exploring the races offered by Moon Joggers on Virtual Run Events. Each race has a theme, often tied to celestial bodies or space missions, and offers varying distances. Some popular options include:

Planetary Runs: Cover different distances that correspond to celestial themes like the “Mars Marathon” or “Jupiter Jog.”

Seasonal Challenges: Events like “Lunar New Year 5K” or “Cosmic Summer Challenge” keep things fresh and exciting.

Long-Term Goals: Races like the “Race to the Moon” let you log miles over time, providing a motivating long-term challenge.

Select the distance that aligns with your fitness goals, and register on the Virtual Run Events platform.

2. Track Your Progress

Once you’re registered, it’s time to hit the ground running (or walking). Tracking your miles can be done via GPS apps like Strava, MapMyRun, or your fitness watch. Moon Joggers allows you to complete your race at any pace and location, whether you’re running through a city park or logging miles on a treadmill.

For longer-term challenges, set weekly or monthly goals to stay on track. You can log your results on the Virtual Run Events website to track progress towards earning your medal.

Earn Unique Finisher Medals and Collectible Achievements

One of the biggest draws of Moon Joggers races is the collectible finisher medals. Each medal is custom-designed to represent the cosmic theme of the race. Participants often find that earning these medals provides motivation and a tangible reward for their hard work.

With every Moon Joggers challenge, you’ll add a new medal to your collection, symbolizing each milestone in your fitness journey. The medals feature intricate designs with space themes like stars, planets, and rockets, making them both an accomplishment and a unique keepsake.

Benefits of Joining Moon Joggers Virtual Races

1. Flexible and Accessible for All Levels Whether you’re an avid runner or a beginner, Moon Joggers offers races that fit your needs. The flexibility of virtual races means you can participate at any time and place, allowing you to prioritize fitness on your schedule.

2. A Global Community with a Shared Passion Moon Joggers connects a worldwide community of fitness enthusiasts who are also captivated by space and cosmic themes. By joining a race, you’re also joining a community. Many participants share their progress on social media, using hashtags and groups to encourage one another and share their stories.

3. Unique, Themed Challenges Keep You Motivated Running with a goal in mind is a great motivator, and Moon Joggers themes add an extra layer of excitement. Whether you’re aiming to reach Mars or circle the Earth, the cosmic aspect of each challenge brings fun to every mile.

4. Support Charitable Causes Many Moon Joggers races also support charitable organizations. By participating, you’re not only working towards your fitness goals but contributing to worthy causes that benefit communities in need.

How to Make the Most of Your Moon Joggers Experience

To fully enjoy your Moon Joggers journey, try some of these tips:

Set a Regular Walking or Running Schedule: Make it a habit to walk or run several times a week, setting mini-goals to keep you moving consistently.

Share Your Progress: Snap photos during your runs and share them on social media. Tagging Moon Joggers and using popular race hashtags can connect you with others and keep you motivated.

Create a Medal Display: Once you start collecting medals, consider setting up a dedicated space to display them. Each medal represents a completed journey and serves as a reminder of your accomplishments.

Invite Friends and Family: Get loved ones involved by inviting them to join the next Moon Joggers challenge. Training with friends adds fun to the experience, and having a partner keeps you accountable.

Conclusion

Moon Joggers Virtual Races offer a unique blend of fitness, community, and space-themed excitement that’s perfect for runners and walkers of all backgrounds. With the freedom to complete challenges at your own pace and the reward of earning beautiful, themed medals, each race becomes a memorable milestone.

So why not lace up, look up, and start your cosmic journey with Moon Joggers? Set your sights on the stars, log those miles, and earn your place in the Moon Joggers galaxy. The cosmos awaits!

[cyarskj52]

Drake Is An Awful Person To Date (And If You Act Like Him, So Are You)

Drake is emotionally and lyrically stunted, and it's time to grow up.

"Thots & Thoughts"is a column in which musings on dating, sex, race, religion, and politics all come together—from a bird's-eye view.

In terms of artistic license, Drake has every right to continue making music about emotional immaturity. He has every right to a whiny outlook on his failed relationships (fictional and otherwise). Likewise, his most ardent fans have every right to keep quoting his songs on social media and pretending that Aubrey Graham is more emotionally intelligent than he actually is. But wouldn't it be nice if we could all grow up a little?

I am not a Drake hater. Of course, I do question how a Canadian developed a Houston accent as an adult. I also question how said Canadian became West Indian on his latest album. But petty concerns like that haven’t convinced me that he isn’t good at what he does. (I have the receipts of monetary support to prove it.) Still, time has made me wonder how anyone that close to 30 can continue thinking the way he does.

How many more songs can this man make about how he had a “good girl,” went off to do his own thing (and fuck other people freely), and found himself steaming like a hot toddy because that “good girl” lost interest? Even worse, this motherfucker has the audacity to feel a way about someone getting over him. What kind of middle school man-child tripping-over-his-hormones shit is he on? Excuse me, still on.

via GIPHY

Gather ‘round, beloveds. I have many examples:

“All of my ‘let’s just be friends’ are friends I don’t have anymore/Guess that’s why they say you need family for”

Listen, when you do not meet people under platonic circumstances, do not expect them to want to be your platonic friend. I have told many a man to get the hell away from me talking about “let’s just be friends.” Bitch, I got friends. Move around.

“I tried with you/There’s more to life than sleeping in and getting high with you/I had to let go of us to show myself what I could do”

Okay, great. So when they move on, don’t get all pissy about it, newly beardless wonder (more wonderful with a beard, though, tbh).

“Why do I settle for women that force me to pick up the pieces?/Why do I want an independent woman to feel like she needs me?”

Because you’re emotionally manipulative.

“I gave your nickname to someone else.”

You’re also a mean-spirited child at times.

“Chasing women a distraction/They want to be on TV next to me/You cannot be here next to me/Don’t you see Riri here next to me?”

God, shut up.

“I’m way too good to you... You take my love for granted/I just don’t understand it.”

Yo, this man routinely raps about screwing over women, virtually driving them away. Wait, I have another example.

“You hit me like, ‘I know you’re there with someone else’/That pussy knows me better than I know myself”

See that?

Get the hell on somewhere yapping about being too good for anyone. Okay, you are handsome, famous, and rich. There are a bunch of folks like that on Unsung and old episodes of Behind the Music, though. Don’t get too cocky.

And we cannot forget “Hotline Bling,” which is great as a song to bop to in the club, in the car, at the gym, on a sidewalk, or wherever else it’s playing. But as a statement, the song is a prime example that 2016 is the year of our Lemonade.

via GIPHY

Whoever told Drake he was more immature than Marques Houston deserves a medal of honor.

I don’t expect a whole lot from him. I know some would like him to be more socially conscious in his work, but I’m not sure he’s capable of that—and if he isn’t, I’d rather he make silent donations to those who are. What I do want from Drake, though, is for him to work on the sexism in his music. More specifically, I’d love for him to be a wee bit less of a self-involved jackass who routinely bitches about chasing women away and then being bitter when they move on with their lives.

That’s what folks are supposed to do, especially when they date people like Drake. His new album is disappointing for many reasons, but I’m most disappointed that, lyrically, he’s doing the same boring shuffle without a morsel of self-awareness.

I guess that doesn’t really matter, since his music is selling exceptionally well. But for those of us with higher expectations for Drake, it’s about time he grew up already. Maybe then he’d escape the pattern of pushing “those girls” away, who move on to become much happier women.

And if you act anything like Drake, you should join in walking into actual adulthood. Ashe, assholes.

Related

Sent from my iPhone

[xtruss]

Hegemony Is Challenged From Olympic To Global Competition

— Ai Jun | August 11, 2024

Illustration: Liu Rui/Global Times

The Olympics is supposed to be a competition that transcends borders and cultures, and stands for equality and fairness. Although we could witness touching moments of friendship that rise above wins, losses and national boundaries, it is becoming increasingly clear that major power rivalries are encroaching upon the Games, largely driven by the anxieties of once-dominant countries.

Even top US scholars admit this. "In this Olympics, as in most other races in the world today, there are two - and only two - superpowers: China and the United States," wrote Graham Allison from the Harvard Kennedy School in The National Interest. He added that China's rise, from essentially nowhere to become the leading rival of the US in the Olympics, mirrors its rise in virtually every other dimension to become the defining geopolitical rival in the 21st century.

He made a point. Zheng Qinwen claimed China's first tennis singles gold medal in Olympic history; Pan Zhanle set a new world record as he stormed to victory in the men's 100-meter freestyle final; and the China swim team made history by ending the US dominance of the 4x100m medley relay to take gold. For some time, Western countries, especially the US, have displayed that they are on top in athleticism, technology and national strength in these sports. However, this is no longer the case.

Western countries, especially the US, are unwilling to see China's rise in sports, as well as in other aspects. This has led to an absurd scene in Olympic history: The US media continuously questions the integrity of Chinese swim athletes, despite them being proven clean after undergoing 200 drug tests in just 10 days. Meanwhile, they ignore the visibly purple faces of the US swim team. Why don't they question if US approach to competing in the Olympics is clean and justified?

Just as how the US suppresses China's leading high-tech company, Huawei, it is also doing the same in sports by weaponizing drug testing to hinder China's rise in swimming.

On one hand, there is no credible explanation as to why the faces of the US swim team turned so unbelievably purple. It is even more mysterious when the US Embassy in China posted color-adjusted photos to celebrate the team's success at the Paris Olympics.

On the other hand, even though the Chinese swim team underwent the most frequent testing, there is still skepticism about the cleanliness of their results. Some US media outlets have shown a certain hysteria, as if there must be loopholes in China's achievements, and they believe that they have not yet interfered with Chinese athletes strongly enough. This is the reality that Chinese athletes face in competitive sports, much like the challenges China faces during its rise.

Fortunately, in various competitions, the Paris Games have shown China's overall rapid rise in sports. Chinese athletes show that solid strength is the core and foundation of everything. In events invented and dominated by Europeans and Americans, under rules set by Westerners, and with deliberate stumbling blocks made by the US, Chinese young people steadily advance from adversity to success through their own efforts.

They distinguish themselves from previous generations by shedding traditional restraints, confidently embracing their achievements and courageously confronting injustice and prejudice.

Pan said, "to those who look down on us, we've taken them all down." Chinese butterfly queen Zhang Yufei asked, "Why are Chinese athletes questioned when they swim so fast? Why didn't anyone dare to question Phelps when he won?"

Today, their voices have been heard. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has issued a stern rebuke to the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), exposing a scheme that allowed US athletes who had committed doping violations to compete without sanctions for years.

The Paris Games comes to an end, but the game surrounding the global doping control mechanism may have only just begun. It is time for the US to clarify if it has utilized its national power to protect athletes who use drugs yet pretend to be innocent in global competition. We will see in future events whether testing frequencies will be fair across all countries, and if the double standards and shameless practices of USADA will be seriously addressed, especially in the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.

The fairness of international competitive sports is under scrutiny, with rules allowing only a few countries to dominate increasingly challenged. This trend extends beyond sports to broader global competition. While more struggles are ahead, the confident, honest and open-minded Chinese youth who reject hegemony and prove themselves through their strength offer a hopeful perspective.

— The Author is a Reporter with the Global Times.

[faejilly]

@crystalmir asked on [post]

What's the name of the virtual race app? I'd also like to walk more and that sounds neat

I use The Conqueror and the husband has used Pacer. There are several virtual race apps out there; most of them do virtual postcards or points of interest along the way, which is really nice. (Some of them have street view built in too.)

They're usually about $30-$40 per race, in all the apps I've seen, tho most of them do sales or bundles which can bring that down, which covers the virtual/app support and the medal they mail out.

I like Conqueror specifically because you can edit your start and end dates at any time if your life goes batshit, or your Fitbit or Strava or whatever didn't connect automatically so you have to backdate some entries, and their deadlines for activating a code or finishing a race are really generous.

(Which is a thing you should check if you look up any other apps. Some of them are less forgiving, which some people need so they actually do the thing, but would kill my motivation completely. ymmv & all that)

They're very flexible re: what activity you track, and even have some races that have two separate mileage goals, whether you're primarily walking or biking, which is neat.

They do also let you do teams, if having a walking/running buddy helps you get moving. Maybe try not to team up with someone who's tracking biking or something vs your walking, because the disparity in mileage can be disconcerting instead of encouraging. 😅

Conqueror also partners with veritree & Plastic Bank and will plant trees or remove ocean plastic based on milestones you hit in the race, which again, makes me smile while walking around, so... 👍

If anyone wants to try it, I can send you a referral code for a discount on your first race, just DM/email me.