#and nicholas experiences guilt but doesn’t do anything productive about it

[valeriestahl]

last line challenge oooh :)

Rules: In a new post, show the last line you wrote (or drew) and tag as many people as there are words. Or as many as you feel like. tagged by @avocado-moon and @ivygrowingsideways

“Devoted?” Static Man said. “Ha! Being ritually tied to the man is not the same thing.”

“Loyalty is loyalty. Loyalty breeds loyalty.” Nicholas stared blankly ahead at the road. He loathed the conversation, but he couldn’t argue; there was a part of him, now, a dead, heavy part of him, that knew she was right. He sometimes felt he knew Morgan intimately, that he’d met her in some other realm, some other timeline, and could have entwined his life with hers. She knew him with an immediacy that frightened him. It had taken years to hit that place with Static Man. He still sometimes doubted they were there.

“Yeah, he’s my friend,” Static Man said, like it was a given. “I mean, he’s a shit one sometimes, but all in all - one thing doesn’t, you know, mean the other thing…isn’t.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Nicholas said. The road stretched on endlessly. He vaguely wondered if it was smart, to just trust the process, or if they were going to just keep driving.

i also refuse to just post one line. i also have no one who comes to mind to tag. anyone ever taken part in art before? hm?

[defenestrata]

slowly slides in and places fred + all on ur desk :) time for Perishing !

sdjfsdhjfsdhi’m love you. okay so ladies and gents we are taking a trip away from london and korea and heading to the united states which is where this is set, massachusetts most specifically. onto freddie —

QUESTIONS FOR YOUR OCs

What’s the maximum amount of time your character can sit still with nothing to do?

a solid five minutes. he’s not hyperactive or anything, but just, the feeling of doing nothing is so awful to him. he has no chill. meditation isn’t real. also like, he sometimes gets little intrusive thoughts if he’s tired.

How easy is it for your character to laugh?

surprisingly easy ! fred laughs at a lot of things, despite how preppy and harsh he may seem at first. of course, half of it is either fake or a bit overenthusiastic but he’ll laugh. he’ll laugh at a lot of things. 

How do they put themselves to bed at night (reading, singing, thinking?)

usually studying for a bit — he does that before bed anyway. otherwise, it’s usually not that hard for him to fall asleep. he works hard and sleeps harder. 

How easy is it to earn their trust?

no one has ever earned frederick michael estelle’s full trust. not his father, not his mother, not his two step-mothers, not his brother, not any of his friends. it’s for the better that way, in his opinion. superficial trust for small things though, is easy to earn, so long as you’re a decent human being. 

How easy is it to earn their mistrust?

well, whatever someone has done really has to bother him on a very moral level in order for him to genuinely refuse to trust someone even superficially. otherwise, because he rarely shares his secrets or deep considerations, trust isn’t even a big deal to him. 

Do they consider laws flexible, or immovable?

at the beginning of his character development, he has an enormous respect for law, and considers them completely immovable. over time, he comes to understand the flaws of modern america and adopts a less extremist point of view. 

What triggers nostalgia for them, most often? Do they enjoy that feeling?

drives with packed cars. diners. marble floors. loads of things. fred’s childhood was peak americana, with an upper class vibe to boot. he spent a lot of time at dinner parties and in tuxedos, in debates, getting a convertible for his sixteenth birthday and so forth. what in generally triggers the most nostalgia for him is his home city ; boston. god, he loves that place, despite all its flaws. and he loves that feeling, especially because he can always relive many of his memories that are related to the city. 

What were they told to stop/start doing most often as a child?

fred was a good kid, to be quite honest. he was always determined to impress everyone around him, so he’d bend to their will if they wanted him to act a certain way. refinement? you got it. charisma? work up the charm. intelligence? bring it on. if anything, he had some frustration and anger issues in his teens, especially in between his father’s marriages, and he was told to shut up and deal with it. and that’s what he did. 

Do they swear? Do they remember their first swear word?

like a motherfucking sailor. he may be WASP-y but he’s seen how much high society curses, so go ahead. swearing is a more effective way of getting rid of anger than — breaking things, or whatever other people might do. and fred is bad at bottling things up. first swear word was probably ‘fuck’. a classic. and he has immense respect for classics. 

What lie do they most frequently remember telling? Does it haunt them?

fred doesn’t lie too often, but he does make a lot of false promises, mostly related to visiting his family. he hates going back home, which is unfortunate considering he studies less than an hour away from his hometown. he’s tried everything from the ‘i’m sick’ excuse to ‘declamation club’ to ‘broken ankle’ to avoid visits. 

How do they cope with confusion (seek clarification, pretend they understand, etc)?

perish. he’s a stubborn fool who will try to understand everything on his own terms, and if he gets an incomplete picture, too bad, he’ll live with it. although he knows he probably won’t get an incorrect picture in the first place, he’s just way too thorough for that. 

How do they deal with an itch found in a place they can’t quite reach?

get a friend to scratch it for him. duh. 

What color do they think they look best in? Do they actually look best in that color?

fred looks pretty good in sober colours, and its what he usually wears too. but, just as a wild card, he does look really, really, good in more adventurous choices, especially stark whites, blacks and even reds. but he’ll never wear them, he hates looking loud and attention-seeking. 

What animal do they fear most?

no animal. why the hell would you be scared of animals in new england —

How do they speak? Is what they say usually thought of on the spot, or do they rehearse it in their mind first?

extremely confident, and he’s well-capable of thinking as he talks without much hesitation. it’s really one of his best talents, making sense while giving great presentations with fantastic oration. he doesn’t need to rehearse jack. 

What makes their stomach turn?

people crying or screaming, it just has him totally taken aback, which he’s not as used to as you’d think. he is utterly incapable of handling debates in a rational manner if he’s being goddamn screamed at. 

Are they easily embarrassed?

surprisingly, yes. underneath that façade of utter and sheer confidence, he’s really concerned with maintaining that impression with others. he doesn’t take kindly to being humiliated or having his pride attacked. he won’t respond with embarassment as much as he’ll respond with unbridled rage. and angry fred is terrifying. 

What embarrasses them?

levity in situations which do not need it. so pranks, mocking jokes, being teased or belittled in public. compliments don’t embarass him one bit until they become on the subject of his looks. then he gets a little flushed, but flattered nonetheless.

What is their favourite number?

why does that even matter ?? ( it’s 9. ) 

If they were asked to explain the difference between romantic and platonic or familial love, how would they do so?

he’d bark at being asked to define familial love, he’d say it doesn’t exist. and then if you asked about platonic and romantic love he’d tell you to buzz off. it’s one of the questions he just doesn’t know how to answer. in his conception, if he’d want to kiss them and marry them, it’s romantic. 

Why do they get up in the morning?

because you don’t get rich and hit it big without fucking working. he’s actually really driven, half out of demonic pressures to do well, and half out of spite for his brother, who he has to out-do in every respect.

How does jealousy manifest itself in them (they become possessive, they become aloof, etc)?

jealous fred is the worst. he will get so aggressive and possessive and rude, with seemingly little control. however, it takes a lot to push him to that limit, and he’s usually good at warding off encroachers on what’s his before they even try to make a move. 

How does envy manifest itself in them (they take what they want, they become resentful, etc)?

there’s really only one thing that he’s envious about — the love and attention his parents give his elder brother nicholas who’s just as much of a prick as he is, except just a little less concerned with doing the right thing. and he’s pretty much made it his life’s goal to get to the world of finance quicker than nick and do better. 

Is sex something that they’re comfortable speaking about? To whom?

kind of ? he’s a hot-blooded teenager so it’s not like sex is something sinful or foreign to him, but he doesn’t really discuss it with people anyway because there’s no one he’s close enough to talk to about it. also, why would you talk about it anyway — it’s not even something worth discussing. 

What are their thoughts on marriage?

to summarise: marriage is great, but only if you’ve found the one. since finding your version of the ‘one’ is impossible, and will likely lead to at least two divorces that permanently fucksup your kid’s perceptions of family and marriage — don’t ever get married. @ his dad. 

What is their preferred mode of transportation?

his own car. that kind of freedom can’t be beat. 

What causes them to feel dread?

situations that he’s unprepared for, essentially. if some kind of curveball comes at him (and he didn’t know that there would be curveballs involved), he’ll panic. it’s why he needs his more inventive friends around to be at his best.

Would they prefer a lie over an unpleasant truth?

nah. rip the band-aid off. end the suffering quick. besides, it’s not like he’s had the privilege of knowing a lot of sweet lies over the course of his life.

Do they usually live up to their own ideals?

every now and then he gets something done that he’s really proud of, and that’s when he considers himself to have ‘lived up to his ideals’, but it’s usually only for the short term, and the gratification is there and gone in an instant. 

Who do they most regret meeting?

all his friends at uni. 

Who are they the gladdest to have met?

all his friends at uni. now figure that one out. 

Do they have a go-to story in conversation? Or a joke?

most of his stories are kind of posh experiences like country clubs and stuff, but he’s seen a lot of businessmen’s embarassing moments. he’s really good at anecdotal humour. 

Could they be considered lazy?

nah, def not. if he needs to get something done, he’ll get it done, with the maximum delay of a day or so. of course, that’s only when he’s feeling healthy and normal. if he’s reached a threshold of despair or whatever, then he’s way less productive. 

How hard is it for them to shake a sense of guilt?

easy tbh? if something was his fault then he makes sure to try and make up for it before the guilt starts weighing in on him. of course, if these matters are emotional then he takes a longer while to make up for it, so he starts Perishing sooner. 

How do they treat the things their friends come to them excited about? Are they supportive?

he … tries to be. it’s fine when someone comes up to him to chatter about their new favourite video game, but not when someone shows up excited about their new boyfriend or girlfriend or significant other. he’ll listen, sure — but he won’t really listen, y’know. 

Do they actively seek romance, or do they wait for it to fall into their lap?

he was highkey hoping that college would be the time when he finally experiences the mystery of love. but it’s not really looking that way — he has way too much coursework. 

Do they have a system for remembering names, long lists of numbers, things that need to go in a certain order (like anagrams, putting things to melodies, etc)?

fred’s memory is impeccable. he laughs in the face of your puny lists and phone notes. names and numbers are doable, but if things need to go a particular order, usually he can just brute force the memory in. just parrot it. 

What memory do they revisit the most often?

times with his first stepmom. she was the only one that actually tried to be more than just a wife to his dad, tried to be a mom. took him places he wanted to go, bought him stuff, baked cookies for his bake sales and accompanied him on school trips as a chaperone. she was the closest to a mom that fred will ever get.

How easy is it for them to ignore flaws in other people?

he can’t ignore them, really. it’ll always be there at the back of his mind that you’re loud or you’re irresponsible or that you’re arrogant. but that’s not all there is to you. so he’s pretty level headed in that respect. 

How sensitive are they to their own flaws?

not.. at all. he says he accepts constructive criticism but he doesn’t consider a lot of criticism constructive. he’s surprisingly bad at handling criticism. he just thinks he knows better than most people. 

How do they feel about children?

they’re okay. not great. he could do without them. 

How badly do they want to reach their end goal?

so. so. SO. badly. his end goal is to eventually surpass his elder brother in terms of material success without resorting to foul means. and by GOD he will do it. 

If someone asked them to explain their sexuality, how would they do so?

[ bo burnham voice ] straight…. white…. man

QUESTIONS FOR CREATORS

A) Why are you excited about this character?

he’s a fool. but he’s my fool. also he’s like…. a really old oc lmao i made him in like … 2014? and he was in middle school back then so it really feels like he’s grown with me as i shifted him to a college story. 

B) What inspired you to create them?

i wanted to make a vaguely contradictory kinda character where he’s a total mess and extremely capable at the same time. so he’s very productive, smart, efficient, but also has a short temper, panics in every situation that he’s not ready for, and so forth. 

C) Did you have trouble figuring out where they fit in their own story?

he was the sidekick to kazu, my mc. but by now each one of them stand on their own. 

D) Have they always had the same physical appearance, or have you had to edit how they look?

i think he was a ginger in the first draft. he’s got dirty blonde hair now. he’s also a bit more… muscular, shall we say. 

E) Are they someone you would get along with? Would they get along with you?

maybe? i’d think he was a prick to be honest. i feel like we’d get along only if we were forced to get to know each other. but otherwise we wouldn’t even want to meet. 

F) What do you feel when you think of your OC (pride, excitement, frustration, etc)?

he’s my idiot son. a combination of pride and frustration and amusement. 

G) What trait of theirs bothers you the most?

he truly needs to fucking RELAX like fred please not everything is a matter of personal pride and performance. 

H) What trait do you admire most?

he’s very sincere. surprisingly moral, wants to do things honestly and with integrity. the way he takes everything so seriously is honestly kind of cute sometimes. 

I) Do you prefer to keep them in their canon universe?

three cheers for unoriginality!

J) Did you have to manipulate or exclude canon factors to allow them to create their character?

ok i still don’t know what this question means but to be safe i’m gonna say no. 

[foursprouthappiness-blog]

This Is The Best Time To Do Anything: 4 Powerful Secrets From Research

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/happiness/this-is-the-best-time-to-do-anything-4-powerful-secrets-from-research/

This Is The Best Time To Do Anything: 4 Powerful Secrets From Research

***

Before we commence with the festivities, I wanted to thank everyone for helping my first book become a Wall Street Journal bestseller. To check it out, click here.

***

We love to say “timing is everything” but often we sure as heck don’t act like it. (Bookstores have an entire “how to” section but not a “when to” section.)

As we’re going to find out, timing really can be everything. And often we’ve got it all wrong. Luckily, bestselling author Dan Pink has come to the rescue. His new book is When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing.

It’s loaded with information on the best time to do almost anything — including the best time to get married. (You might wanna tie the knot between 25 and 32.)

From When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing:

…an American who weds at twenty-five is 11 percent less likely to divorce than one who marries at age twenty-four, according to analysis by University of Utah sociologist Nicholas Wolfinger. …past the age of thirty-two – even after controlling for religion, education, geographic location, and other factors – the odds of divorce increase by 5 percent per year for at least the next decade.

And if you’re already married, try and be extra nice in March and August — that’s when divorce filings consistently shoot up.

Ever have to give someone “good news and bad news”? Dan reports that you should deliver the bad news before the good news.

From When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing:

Several studies over several decades have found that roughly four out of five people “prefer to begin with a loss or negative outcome and ultimately end with a gain or positive outcome, rather than the reverse.”

There’s no way I could cover all the great insights in the book, so we’re going to focus on how to use Dan’s findings to be more productive and effective during the day.

All your hours are not created equal — not by a long shot…

  Do Think-y Stuff In The Morning

Anything requiring you to be at your most rational and analytical should be done early in the day. This is a very robust finding with mountains of studies to back it up.

Researchers usually just present data — they don’t often give explicit recommendations. But the writers of one paper Dan cites found their results so overwhelming they just came right out and told people what to do — make important decisions early.

From When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing:

“[A]n important takeaway from our study for corporate executives is that communications with investors, and probably other critical managerial decisions and negotiations, should be conducted earlier in the day.”

Maybe you’re thinking, “Meh. I’m sure it’s not that big a deal if I wait until after lunch.” Wrong.

You might as well pound a few beers before sitting down to work — that’s how big the performance difference can be.

From When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing:

“[T]he performance change between the daily high point and the daily low point can be equivalent to the effect on performance of drinking the legal limit of alcohol,” according to Russell Foster, a neuroscientist and chronobiologist at the University of Oxford.

And this jives with previous research. Dan Ariely of Duke University found that mornings really are magical for getting stuff done:

…it turns out that most people are productive in the first two hours of the morning. Not immediately after waking, but if you get up at 7 you’ll be most productive from around from 8-10:30.

You know what else Ariely’s research found? We usually waste most of that golden time with email and Facebook. Bad. Mornings are when you want to handle your most important tasks.

(To learn more about the science of a successful life, check out my bestselling book here.)

So mornings are magic. But what’s the latter half of the day good for?

  Afternoons Are Sluggish — But Insightful

One study found that 2:55PM is very likely the most un-productive moment of your day.

Researchers refer to mornings as the “peak” and afternoons as the “trough.” You’re probably thinking about how that negatively impacts your work. Well, don’t just yet…

Think about how it affects other people’s work. I, for one, am never going to a doctor’s office in the afternoon for the rest of my life.

Anesthesiologists commit three times as many errors that result in patient harm during the latter half of the day. (Errors by a surgeon are pretty scary. Errors where somebody puts you to sleep and you never wake up are terrifying.)

The number of studies that show just how much stupider and less in control we are during the afternoon is staggering.

The #1 time for sleep-related car accidents is, unsurprisingly, late at night when people are exhausted. Guess when #2 is? Not rush hour or morning commute when the most cars are on the road — it’s between 2PM and 4PM. All around the world.

From When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing:

In the United Kingdom, sleep-related vehicle accidents peak twice during every twenty-four-hour period. One is between 2AM and 6AM, the middle of the night. The other is between 2PM and 4PM, the middle of the afternoon. Researchers have found the same pattern of traffic accidents in the U.S., Israel, Finland, France, and other countries.

After the morning ends, we’re a bit of mess. But there is an upside…

When your brain is tired, creativity jumps. Those misfiring neurons aren’t as rational but they’re much more likely to come up with new ideas.

From When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing:

Some have called this phenomenon the “inspiration paradox” – the idea that “innovation and creativity are greatest when we are not at our best, at least with respect to our circadian rhythms.”

So you might want to come up with new plans in the afternoon — and execute them the next morning.

(To learn the seven-step morning ritual that will make you happy all day, click here.)

I know there’s a group of people right now who are vigorously shaking their heads at all of the above: “I am not sharper in the morning; I’m a zombie. It’s takes four hours before my brain even starts working.”

I’m not talking about the sleep-deprived (they’re a mess all day long.) I’m talking about night owls. And guess what? They’re right…

  “Strike That — Reverse It”

If you’re a night owl, take everything I just said and reverse it.

(Night owls who only read the very beginning of this post received some really bad advice. I feel no guilt. That’s what you get for not reading to the end. Nyah.)

“Larks” (early risers) and “third birds” (people who are neither extreme) peak in the morning, have a trough in the afternoon and then experience a period of recovery. For night owls, it’s recovery, trough, peak.

From When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing:

In short, all of us experience the day in three stages – a peak, a trough, and a recovery. And about three-quarters of us (larks and third birds) experience it in that order. But about one in four people, those whose genes or age make them night owls, experience the day in something closer to the reverse order – recovery, trough, peak.

And sure enough, night owls get into more car accidents during their morning commute.

From When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing:

…even though it’s obviously more dangerous to drive at night, owls actually drive worse early in the day because mornings are out of synch with their natural cycle of vigilance and alertness.

If you’re a child of the night, plan creative tasks for the morning and critical thinking for the afternoon. And don’t drive anywhere near where I’m at until 2PM.

(To learn how to stop being lazy and get more done, click here.)

While very interesting, all this information can also be upsetting. If you have little control over your schedule, you’re going to be doing a lot of stuff at suboptimal times. And if your job doesn’t involve much creativity, is half the day just wasted?

How do we turn that trough into more of a peak? The answer is simple: take breaks. But what’s really interesting is there is more than one type of break that we need…

  The Two Types Of Breaks

You’re a night owl and you’ve got a big presentation at 9AM. Or you’re a lark and it’s scheduled for 2:55PM, the Productivity Minute of Doom. This is when you need what Dan calls a “vigilance break.”

Vigilance breaks are “…brief pauses before high-stakes encounters to review instructions and guard against error.”

Stop what you’re doing. Don’t just barrel forward with your brain feeling like mush. Take a moment to review everything that needs to be done and how you need to do it. A checklist made during your peak hours can really help here.

One year after the Veterans Hospital Administration implemented vigilance breaks for doctors they found that the surgical mortality rate had dropped by 18%.

Now if vigilance breaks are great for marshaling your defenses against errors, “restorative breaks” are what you need to recharge and improve performance. Instead of reviewing a checklist, you want to get some distance from your work and relax a bit.

Students that take standardized tests during their trough perform worse than those who take them during their peak. But when allowed restorative breaks, the afternoon group actually got better scores than the morning students.

From When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing:

Danish schoolchildren who take the tests in the afternoon score significantly worse than those who take the exams earlier in the day… When the Danish students had a twenty-to-thirty-minute break “to eat, play, and chat” before a test, their scores did not decline. In fact, they increased.

What’s the best restorative break? Combining the insights from many studies, Dan recommends “a short walk outside with a friend during which you discuss something other than work.” And another study showed that the highest performers usually worked for 52 minutes and then took a 17 minute break.

I know, I know: it might not be realistic for everyone. In that case you want to make sure to maximize the break that is built into everyone’s schedule — lunch. It can be a big performance booster if done correctly.

From When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing:

The most powerful lunch breaks have two key ingredients – autonomy and detachment. Autonomy – exercising some control over what you do, how you do it, when you do it, and whom you do it with—is critical for high performance, especially on complex tasks… Detachment – both psychological and physical—is also critical. Staying focused on work during lunch, or even using one’s phone for social media, can intensify fatigue according to multiple studies, but shifting one’s focus away from the office has the opposite effect.

If you leverage breaks properly, your trough can actually be more productive than your peak.

(To see the schedule that very successful people follow every day, click here.)

Okay, we’ve learned quite a bit about how to be more productive. Let’s round everything up and learn the best time to implement these changes…

  Sum Up

Here’s the best time to get stuff done:

Think-y stuff in the morning: If you’re reading this at midnight, you’re breaking my heart.

Afternoons are sluggish — but insightful: Creativity peaks when you aren’t thinking straight.

Night owl? Strike that — reverse it: I wrote this post during the evening, but don’t worry — I’m a night owl. Hoot. Hoot.

The two types of breaks: Vigilance breaks are when you take a step back and review your checklist before an important moment. Restorative breaks are when you relax to recharge your dwindling batteries.

Okay, ready to make some big changes in your schedule? Want to feel like you’re making a fresh start? Dan has the right time for that as well.

Yes, you could begin implementing all this tomorrow but the research shows we are actually more likely to follow through when we start on what are called “temporal landmarks.”

These are natural turning points on the calendar when you can open a new mental account and feel like a “new you.” Best example is New Year’s Day, that time when most of us make resolutions — but it’s not the only one. There are two kinds: social and personal.

From When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing:

The social landmarks were those that everyone shared: Mondays, the beginning of a new month, national holidays. The personal ones were unique to the individual: birthdays, anniversaries, job changes.

So pick your temporal landmark and start fresh.

Align your schedule with how your brain naturally works and time really is on your side.

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The post This Is The Best Time To Do Anything: 4 Powerful Secrets From Research appeared first on Barking Up The Wrong Tree.