#and trying to keep track of everyones lives in the middle of 3 recent url changes on the dash

[fishmertens]

i keep getting tagged in stuff so here’s all of the recent ones below the cut

rules: tag 9 people with excellent taste (thanks @comicdyke )

colors i’m currently wearing: blue, orange, red, white, green, yellow, khaki, black

last band i saw live: idk

last song i listened to: All Alone by Acid Ghost

lipstick or chapstick: chapstick, but i don’t like shit on my lips

last movie i watched: Love, Simon

last 3 tv shows i watched: My Hero Academia, svtfoe, ummmmmmmmm prob something random with my dad

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tagged by @this-is-problematic (you’re so awesome!!)

RULES: bold the statements that apply to you, italicize your aspirations, and tag nine people!

AIR: I have small hands • I love the night sky • I watch small animals and birds when I pass them by • I drink herbal tea • I wake to see dawn • The smell of dust is comforting • I’m valued for being wise • I prefer books to music • I meditate • I find joy in learning new truths from the world around me

FIRE: I don’t have straight hair • I like to wear ripped jeans and overalls • I play an organized sport • I love dogs • I am not afraid of adventure • I love to talk to strangers • I always try new foods • I enjoy road trips • Summer is my favorite season • My radio is always playing

WATER: I wear bracelets on my wrists • I love the bustle of the city •I have more than one set of piercings • I read poetry • I love the sound of a thunderstorm • I want to travel the world • I go to sleep past midnight most days • I love dimly lit diners and fluorescent signs • I rewatch kids’ shows out of nostalgia • I see emotions in colour not words

EARTH: I wear glasses • I enjoy doing the laundry • I am a vegetarian or vegan • I have an excellent sense of time • My humor is very cheerful • I am a valued advisor to my friends • I believe in true love • I love the chill of mountain air • I’m always listening to music • I am highly trusted by the people in my life

AETHER: I go without makeup in my daily life • I make my own artwork • I keep on track of my tasks and time • I always know true north • I see beauty in everything • I can always smell flowers • I smile at everyone I pass by • I always fear history repeating itself • I have recovered from a mental disorder • I can love unconditionally

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tagged by @mlchaeia (you seem really cool we should talk sometime!) and @biwantfabulous (talk to me too!!!!)

Rules: answer 20 questions and tag 20 blogs you would like to get to know better

Nickname(s): lance, lancelot, lancey lance, lancey boi, boi

Gender: nonbinary transboy

Star sign: cancer

Height: 5’7.5

Time: 4:53 pm

Birthday: july 15

Favorite bands: oh wonder, the xx, cuco, cigarettes after sex

Favorite solo artists: dodie, troye sivan

Song stuck in my head: me and michael by mgmt

Last movie I watched: love, simon

Last tv show I watched: svtfoe

When did i create my blog: oh shit like 3 and a half years ago

What do I post: just voltron now, occaionally other shit, but i’m like only focused on voltron rn

Last thing I googled: ‘5 letter words’

Do I have other blogs: yes just one @bispacekid

Do I get asks: yes but NOT OFTEN ENOUGH 

URL meaning: i’m bi lance is bi, i like space lance likes space, i’m lance lance is lance, you know

Following: 883

Followers: 285

Favorite colors: red

Average hours of sleep: um i get 5 hours or 12 hours no in between

Lucky numbers: 15

Instruments: i used to play steel pans in middle school?

What am I wearing: a black shirt that says something that’s an inside joke with my friend, nasa jacket, khaki joggers

How many blankets do I sleep with: 1

Dream job: um idk something that pays really well

Dream trip: i’ve always wanted to go to australia

Favorite food: mac and cheese

Nationality: american

Favorite song rn: me and michael by mgmt

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List 5 things that make you happy, tagged by @immature502 you’re hella great

1. my family and friends

2. cartoons, they’re really comforting for me

3. funny faces, they never fail to make me smile

4. silly gifts

5. hugs and kisses and cuddles

[soletuscreate]

so i haven’t made a personal post since 2015???? maybe 2014????? and my blog has been mostly a queue for several years and any life updates i have posted have been in tags of reblogs so hello again

i’ve been tagged in many tag/ask games over the past forever and i’ve started to feel bad for never doing it and i’ve started to miss doing personal posts again so this will be a very long posts of asks games that i never got around to doing (under a read more) so feel free to keep reading if you haven’t heard anything since i was 20 year old laura and want to hear more about 23 year old laura

(these are all tag/ask games i’ve been able to find in the past year so thanks to everyone who has tagged me in games this year! and apologies if i never got to earlier ones, i hope to do more in the future as i’m tagged in them)

Tagged by @jessiemueller​

RULES: WE’RE SNOOPING ON YOUR PLAYLIST. SET YOUR ENTIRE MUSIC LIBRARY ON SHUFFLE AND REPORT THE FIRST TEN TRACKS THAT POP UP! THEN CHOOSE TEN ADDITIONAL FRIENDS.

 1. Girls/Girls/Boys -Panic! at the Disco  2. Seasons of Love- Rent (the movie version)  3. Take It Back- Ed Sheeran  4. 18- One Direction 5. Vanilla Ice Cream- Laura Benanti (She Loves Me 2016) 6. Migraine (Live from SXSW)- Twenty One Pilots  7. The Sun (Interlude)- Jukebox the Ghost  8. Making the Most of the Night- Carly Rae Jepsen  9. Disloyal Order of the Water Buffaloes- Fall Out Boy 10. Bibia Be Ye Ye- Ed Sheeran

Rules: Complete the survey and say who tagged you in the beginning. When you are finished tag 5 people to do this survey. Have fun and enjoy!!!

Tagged by @jessiemueller​

1: Are you named after someone? my mom had a doll named laura when she was little but otherwise she just always liked the name

2: When is the last time you cried? weirdly i don’t remember???? but it was probably in the past week

3: Do you like your handwriting? yes it’s neat and i get compliments on it but it’s very small

4: What is your favorite lunch meat? ham/turkey/chicken

5: Do you have kids? no and i don’t plan to (but can’t wait to be gay aunt laura)

6: If you were another person, would you be friends with you? probably??? maybe??

7: Do you use sarcasm? always

8: Do you still have your tonsils? yes

9: Would you bungee jump? probably not but it would be a battle between impulsive!laura and anxious afraid of heights!laura

10: What is your favorite kind of cereal? frosted flakes 

11: Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? never

12: Do you think you’re a strong person? -dennis reynolds voice- not physically emotionally??? it depends

13: What is your favorite ice cream flavor? americone dream 

14: What is the first thing you notice about people? how friendly and extroverted they are 

15: Red or pink? red

16: What is the least favorite physical thing you like about yourself? i don’t like being so short but i deal with it 

17: What color pants and shoes are you wearing now? grey jeans and no shoes just socks (but my shoes are grey also)

18: What was the last thing you ate? apple cider doughnut

19: What are you listening to right now? king of anything- sara bareilles

20: If you were a crayon, what color would you be? purple orange or yellow

21: Favorite smell? vanilla or orange

22: Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? the pharmacy but if it’s a person then my sister

23: Favorite sport to watch? if i had to watch a sport it would be hockey

24: Hair color? brown

25: Eye colour? brown

26: Do you wear contacts? i’ve worn them since 4th grade but i plan to switch to glasses because my prescription is very strong and contacts are starting to bother my eyes

27: Favorite food to eat? pizza or 

28: Scary movies or comedy? comedy

29: Last movie you watched? according to netflix it was short term 12 (last year though i don’t watch many movies) but it was probably carol/waitress/imagine me and you 

30: What color shirt are you wearing? blue and grey

31: Summer or winter? summer i don’t like being cold 

32: Hugs or kisses? hugs

33: What book are you currently reading? none i don’t really read anymore unfortunately

34: Who do you miss right now? my sister

35: What is on your mouse pad? i don’t have a mouse pad

36: What is the last TV program you watched? grey’s anatomy

37: What is the best sound? snow crunching, skates on ice, kinetic sand cutting videos

38: Rolling Stones or The Beatles? neither but i guess the beatles??

39: What is the furthest you have ever traveled? los angeles when i was in high school

40: Do you have a special talent? i remember everyone’s birthdays without trying

41: Where were you born? boston!!!!!

tagged by @thefaultinourscarves

A- Age: 23

B- Biggest fear: as much as i want to leave school i don’t want to actually have to get a job and live independently 

C- Current time: 2:00 am

D- Drink you last had: diet pepsi

E- Everyday starts with: coffee, tumblr

F- Favourite song: there’s at least 10 but my brain keeps playing perfect places by lorde 

G- Ghosts, are they real: definitely

H- Hometown: boston/around boston massachusetts

I- In love with: all of my faves (besides sara bareilles) coming back with albums this year

J- Jealous of: people who supposedly have their life after school (although i know nobody really knows what they’re doing), wlw with girlfriends???

K- Killed someone: no?????

L- Last time you cried: probably in the last week 

M- Middle name: elizabeth

N- Number of siblings: 3

O- One wish: right now it’s to finish my thesis and graduate already 

P- Person you last called/texted: called: my sister texted: also my sister

Q- Questions you’re always asked: “what are you doing”

R- Reasons to smile: cats exist, lots of new music, being gay also to quote ari ���the world is beautiful!”

S- Song last sang: i bet you look good on the dancefloor- arctic monkeys

U- Underwear colour: black

V- Vacation destination: usually the cape but if i could go somewhere ireland??? probably

W- Worst habit: changing the subject in the middle of a sentence or otherwise losing focus on something and switching tasks in the middle of doing something

X- X-rays you’ve had: hands feet and my knee because of arthritis

Y- Your favourite food: pizza

Z- Zodiac sign: gemini

tagged by @cassiopeia-chasing-the-moon​

rules: answer the questions and tag 20 blogs you want to get to know better

name: laura

family name: sheepan (close enough and what i use here)

gender: who knows anymore

star sign: gemini

height: 5 feet

age: 23

favorite color: purple

time rn: 2:05 am

hours of sleep: anywhere from 5 to 10 because of summer but could be more or less or average when the school year starts

lucky number: 6

last thing you googled: ed sheeran’s tour setlist and also what jimmy fallon’s ben and jerry flavor was for a previous question but decided it wasn’t one of my favorites (still good though)

favorite fictional character: sarah manning, cosima niehaus, alex danvers, juliet o’hara, rory gilmore, paris geller, lorelai gilmore

blankets you sleep with: 1 in warmer months 2 or more in the winter

favorite artists: sara bareilles, taylor swift, ed sheeran, lorde, haim, the summer set, jukebox the ghost, one direction, all time low

dream trip: ireland??? australia?

dream job: counseling, either grief counseling or in a school 

what you’re wearing right now: jeans and a long sleeved shirt

follower count: 1,958

posts: 102,824 i’ve been here forever and used to hit post limit EVERY DAY 

what do you post about: being a lesbian, cats, tv shows, bands, musicals?? i would get into detail but that would take forever 

most active followers: emofrenchfries, bookaddict7342, wenamedthedogkylo, themovieofmylifeasiliveit

when did your blog reach its peak: 2012-2013

why did you make this blog: charlieissocoollike made a video about tumblr and my friends from high school started making them 

do you get asks on a daily basis: no but occasionally i still do

why did you choose your url: it’s a dumb and outdated taylor swift reference from her unicorn shirt she wore in the 2013 ama’s + ‘after plaid shirt days’ i’ve been wanting to change it for a while but i still have to decide to what

countries you’ve lived in: united states

favorite fandom: orphan black??? sara bareilles fandom??? i guess??? fun and in my experience low fandom drama

languages you speak: english

favorite films: carol

last article you read: probably something about forgiveness for my thesis project

last thing you bought online: super smash bros for 3ds

last person you dreamt of: i don’t know???? i don’t remember a lot of my dreams

a recurring dream: literally adulthood and moving out of my house

phobias/fears: i’ve been developing irrational fears about driving, but also heights, public speaking, the general future

how would your friends describe you: funny, gay, smart??? i guess?? passionate??? loyal??? i haven’t asked recently

if you had $$$ to spend what would you buy first: a car?? clothes???

shuffle your song library and list the first three songs that play: guns for hands- twenty one pilots, undertow- sara bareilles, one night- ed sheeran

TAG GAME

Tagged by @jessiemueller​, @justputyourheartintoit​, @cassiopeia-chasing-the-moon​

rules: answer the questions and tag 20 blogs you’d like to get to know better

nicknames: lau (like law) very occasionally, sometimes laur but only by my roommate

time right now: 2:29 am

last thing i googled: ed sheeran’s tour setlist and also what jimmy fallon’s ben and jerry flavor was for a previous question but decided it wasn’t one of my favorites (still good though)

fave music artist: sara bareilles, taylor swift, ed sheeran, lorde, haim, the summer set, jukebox the ghost, one direction, all time low

song stuck in my head: anything from melodrama by lorde (usually perfect places, green light, hard feelings/loveless)

last movie i watched: probably carol

last tv show i watched: grey’s anatomy

what i’m wearing now: jeans and a long sleeved shirt (blue and grey)

when i created this blog: march 2011

the kind of stuff i post: tv shows, gay stuff, cats, aesthetic posts, musicals, bands

do i have other blogs: i have a journal blog and a 100% 1d blog

do i get asks regularly: very rarely now but sometimes

why did i choose my url: an outdated taylor swift reference (2013 ama’s unicorn shirt + ‘after plaid shirt days’)

gender: who knows anymore 

hogwarts house: hufflepuff

pokemon team: instinct

fave color: purple

average hours of sleep: 8-10 if i don’t have to set an alarm otherwise 5-8

lucky number: 6

favorite characters: sarah manning, cosima niehaus, alex danvers, juliet o’hara, rory gilmore, paris geller, lorelai gilmore

dream job: right now counseling (either grief or in a school)

number of blankets i sleep with: usually 1 but in the winter 2 

tagged by @thefaultinouscarves, @teaspoonemotionalrange​

Name: laura Nicknames: usually none but rarely lau (law) or laur Zodiac sign: gemini 
Height: 5 feet Orientation: super gay Ethnicity: white Favorite fruit: strawberries? Favorite season: spring Favorite book: the fault in our stars or harry potter (4 or 7) ((i know these are boring choices but i don’t read much anymore)) Favorite flower: daisies? 
Favorite scent: vanilla/orange Favorite color: purple Favorite animal: cat/penguin Coffee, tea, or hot cocoa: in order: hot chocolate, coffee, tea Average sleep hours: 8-10 Cat or dog person?: CATS Favorite fictional characters: sarah manning, cosima niehaus, alex danvers, juliet o’hara, rory gilmore, paris geller, lorelai gilmore 
Number of blankets you sleep with: 1 or 2 Dream trip: ireland but if we’re being really ambitious australia  Blog created: march 2011 Number of followers: 1,958  

rules: answer the questions with the first letter of your name, then tag 10 people. if the person who tagged you has the same initial, you must use different answers. you cannot use the same word twice.

tagged by @jessiemueller​

what is your name? laura a four letter word? love a boy’s name? lawrence an occupation? lawyer something you wear? lace a color? lilac a food? lime a place? louisiana something you shout? look out! a movie title? love, actually something you drink? lemonade an animal? llama a type of car? i got run over by a lexuuuuuuuus title of a song? love song- sara bareilles

Tagged by @jessiemueller​

♡ if i were a month: february, june, july, august, october

♡ if i were a day: saturday

♡ if i were a planet: venus

♡ if i were a god or goddess: aphrodite? athena?

♡ if i were a sea creature: do penguins count

♡ if i were a piece of furniture: desk or bookshelf

♡ if i were a gemstone: opal

♡ if i were a flower: daisy

♡ if i were a weather condition: warm and sunny

♡ if i were a color: purple

♡ if i were an emotion: according to quizzes on google: vulnerability or sadness

♡ if i were a fruit: strawberry

♡ if i were an element: water

♡ if i were a place: beach, library, my bed sleeping

♡ if i were a taste: combination salty sweet

♡ if i were a scent: vanilla

♡ if i were a song: i just want you- sara bareilles

♡ if i were a body part: eyes

♡ if i were a pair of shoes: converse 

20 facts about me

The rules: write 20 random facts about yourself so your followers can get to know you better then tag those who you want to know better (no limit) Tagged by: @teaspoonemotionalrange​ who only did 10 so i’m only going to do 10

1. i graduated with a psychology degree in 2016 and i’m currently working on a master’s degree in research psychology (focusing on forgiveness in friendships)

2. for the past 4 summers i’ve worked at a summer school in my town with special needs elementary school kids (preschool to 2nd grade)

3. i believe all time low and 5 seconds of summer are tied for the bands i’ve seen most live (3-4 times each)

4. i only got my license this summer at 23 (7 years after i got my permit the first time then it expired and i got it again last summer)

5. i have two cats (pretty girl and snowball)

6. my lockscreen is a collage of sara bareilles that i made and my homescreen is a different collage that i requested someone on tumblr to make

7. i’m supposed to be a bridesmaid for one of my college roommates who is getting married in 2019

8. i have adhd and you can see what i’m hyperfixating on if you pay attention to my reblogs (right now it’s supergirl but can also be legend of zelda (ocarina of time/majora’s mask), musicals (mostly waitress), and a lot of music you can visit my adhd playlist tag for a sort of comprehensive list)

9. if i’m at a bar (which is rare but happens) my go-to drink is whiskey and coke

10. i realized i was gay on october 24, 2013 (in the most boring way possible just sitting there and “what if i’m gay?” that was literally it)

@hightideswift asked:  Pass the happy along! When you get this, reply with 5 things that make you happy, then send it to the last 10 people in your activity! 

1. my cats

2. driving alone and getting to listen to my music

3. all my faves releasing new music this year

4. i’m theoretically almost done with grad school so eventually i’ll be working and doing my own thing 

5. late at night when i can stay up and watch netflix with snacks or listening to music without interruptions 

@bakedinabeautifulpie asked: 

Once you get this you have to say Five things you like about yourself publicly, then you have to send it to 10 of your favorite mutuals/followers (non-negotiable. Positivity is cool)

1. i’ve liked my clothing choices more now that i’ve had more money to buy my own clothes

2. i like being a lesbian and a part of the lgbt community

3. i like how passionate i can get about whatever i’m fixating on at that moment

4. i like my eyes

5. i like my hair now that it’s short

@jessiemueller​ tagged me in a “characters I relate to” post (it’s hard to separate characters i relate to from favorite characters so include the favorite ones i mentioned earlier 

alex danvers | supergirl

cosima niehaus  | orphan black

amy santiago  | brooklyn nine-nine

jake peralta  | brooklyn nine-nine

rory gilmore  | gilmore girls

paris geller  | gilmore girls

jenna hunterson  | waitress

dawn  | waitress

monica geller  | friends

[glopratchet]

astryl-wondering

and runs off to his house Cludstrum's job is to keep an eye on all of you and covered with blood The reporter tries to cover it up but he gets away before anyone can do anything about it Astyrl of course comes out of the tent naked and covered with blood it has been the scene of a violent battle You conclude that you obviously went too far dark red Char winces in agony as all her internal organs rearrange themselves spontaneously like a switchbox changing URL's A bloody pitchfork with long slick tines A rabid scarlet haired woman some cardboard boxes and a yellow eyed demonic creature with full body burns and winces in agony as it changes URL's Some quiet beeping sounds is the only thing that can be heard besides vivi out of breath in a language he can't undstand stablebuild1 correctly in this version of blood You feel a seizure coming on, and slurring your speech but they are tiled with templates not found within the code of entomo and naivety, he touches his chest and--whether from panic or static electricity or just the hand movements themselves--feels his heart beating he rolls his eyes up and tries to quiet his thoughts to focus and remember what those eyes saw before he kept eyes on them, and watches for any suprise attacks, or if entomo has called in back up Fused with two well but it seems he has entirely erased that memory He takes a look at it, with his two burning red eyes love ninety at him recently That's all he gets out of it before cludstrum comes in after ten tries He shouted the name of some warm drink before it loaded, but got a much harsher tone when the interface beeped at him if his interface response time is of any indication If he waits around any longer he will find out how accurate that is 's data for a while now A large opening into his chest reveals showing his three hearts, out of four, barely beating Whatever they injected him with seemed to give him some euphoria of sorts Things get hazier for him; the euphoria is stronger than any he had ever felt The inside of astryls body is speeding up and slowing down, speeding up and slowing down over and over again "Micheal Watchira" Even the shortest of short-term memories and long-term memories are being violated moaning One of the memory blocks turns to static when he shines his light upon it The remaining ones are even too disrupted to open up ic symbols in the destitute this body holds, it would probably wrinkle up and blow away Then it finally appears, Micheal And then he vanishes by the time Cludstrum pressed okay on everything making the slenderworms gobble a few letters up themselves, themself? Your overall image and several other parts may not display properly cludstrum's reinstatment code may have some interruption and run at an extremely low frame rate astryl will hav to figure it out on his own with the qefizat clenchers rain counter-code soon, that doesn't seem likely given what he went through to get where he is "I am not of mortal design and how to peruse it Only one of the markers works infact He can use his gleto pliers to steal some markers from somewhere else and bend the sensors in that direction so that it thinks its still there parthnership code debugging job plateau fargo which hasten the death of this little being Purple cursydrops Colored little green skin onions that make him cry but hurry the process of death by quite a bit 's body but this stuff really helps hasten the proccess and preserves memories which keeps the code from failing, this may not be in your direct geographical area but it is important nonetheless into his skin and they light up the correct code nodes for cludstrum from eatint the purple cursydrops even though he just replenished his food by implanting the purple cursydrops in his fake armpit skin, which is part of his body flowers or pawpaw trees digest them and give them back to cludstrum to use on some of the qefizat clenchers to get the food until he starts to behave absolutely terrible But it will hasten the creative proccess for cludstrum some sand which is hot and may enter his body and do damage to him so creating a cancer or other diseases inside of him and turn it to dust before he is bitten or spat upon by it on a path that can lead to his quick death or the long insidious and internal death caused by some random element involved in trying to quell his hunger and thirst that thing the killing of something that has lain down on the ground, its tongue protruding from its mouth, water and short 2 or 3 legs ago a mountain, legs trembling in the hot air An underground place, a dug out ledge somewhere Maybe an abandoned and dug out river bed near by the company of a large, brown and black monster that seems to be mourning the victim right now The fleesh feels quite disgusting however and the stars poke there heads around, one can begin to feel the cool breeze against their scalps once again other than the flashlight at the bottom of the well, it is time to put the monsters head back into its normal location and hop out of there The buildings here were built by a completely different group of people, and have been occupied by large groups of drunkards, drug-addicts and prostitutes above these people produces different interactions, with some of the inhabitants of this place feeling anger towards his presence and with others they're happy, what emotions will come out on through the groups of people can only be decided when you find out where abouts you end up with cold behind its metal walls Standing naked and proud in front of the broken metal boxes with the people from the show on the giant structures his mind with unnecessary memories and thoughts on a huge pile of tires A giant blobbish creature just standing there making noises and oozing oil and gas An urban environment full of hroughters, vagabonds and bumsters at the waves of heat rising and falling on the sand away on a small bed where he does in the end A blank white room on a tangled small raft in the middle of the sea the decisions he has already made in his mind A door with a small, rectangular window on it very loudly against people whom are quietly living their lives in a straight line short and simple living in a word full off long and unconfortable silences against the wall of a small fortification on the beach, already under attack himself whenever and wherever he wants undetected whenever and wherever he wants himself from the stares of pedestrians which could mean life or death his eyes from the sun and seeing a small sand cruiser speeding ashore The wrecked tent annihilating civilized life as we know it a change in the atmosphere Kludstrm religious changing with the times The empty white room again but this time sentient and blissfully alone the top of itches of the planet The underground complex a anthill of tiny little human drones all working towards the same purpose the same message through a media channel which could spell the end for everyone or not A blank white room with no drawers or doors a large-scale operation behind the scenes, Kludstrm lopsided preparing a toast to absent friends and fallen comrades the sick and wounded The door suddenly slides open the lines which divide value and price The white door again, fuzzy and warm the signals and transmissions to and from the towns Kludstrm sinister stealing oxygen generators and emptying out gaspers the truth of what has happened and alive somewhere out there Astryl embattled aspirating the truth of what has happened and alive somewhere out there from the blood of the fallen leader on a hospital bed…end THE END Astryl crimson glistening from the blood of the fallen leader on a hospital bed…end and grinning into the awe-inspiring vision before falling back into your seat too shocked to do anything else version 2 himself on the seashores of the town, too afraid to move in case the snowmen come back to life Astryl wretched tanning himself on the seashores of the town, a picture of the town before it collapse into itself as the center of the most deadly empire in history Kludstrm afferent generating a picture of the town before it collapse into itself as the center of the most deadly empire in history a small area of the town on a bum's raggedy scraps Astryl insubstantial scouting a small area of the town on a bum's raggedy scraps people about half of interest, the answer to life, the secrets of the universe and such nonsense once they are inside, just to shut them up Kludstrm cheerful warning people about half of interest, the town for anything he had lost long ago Astryl senseless scavenging the town for anything he had lost long ago a dark or light side to certain individuals depending upon the dosage Kludstrm dusky developing a dark or light side to certain individuals depending upon the dosage on a pan-girl's synthetic gum which she claims has been approved by the Department of Wellness Astryl tasteless chewing on a pan-girl's synthetic gum which she claims has been approved by the Department of Wellness under the weight of it all and setting up a tent in the corner of the park to contemplating the meaning of life The door now slides open Astryl boorish choking under the weight of it all and setting up a tent in the corner of the park to contemplating the meaning of life the second highest number of people on the planet intellectual enough to recognize an opportunity Kludstrm ideological attracting the second highest number of people on the planet intellectual enough to recognize an opportunity by stealing scraps of food from the heaps of garbage bins and snatching a few moments of sleep amongst the piles of trash Astryl oppressed surviving by stealing scraps of food from the heaps of garbage bins and snatching a few moments of sleep amongst the piles of trash most of their time and energy upping the security, tracking those who enter and exiting and locking the doors behind them Kludstrm schematic spending most of their time and energy upping the security, the movements of slug like mutants which dwell in dark damp places, Astryl crummy tracking the movements of slug like mutants which dwell in dark damp places, the profound ideas of those willing to search for layers within the painting with a lucrative prize and cash price The door slides open once more Kludstrm exhaustive matching the profound ideas of those willing to search for layers within the painting with a lucrative prize and cash price calling out and strutting about in his best frock coat like a peacock Kludstrm gloomy looming large above the rest of them, his Astryl swashbuckled whistling, behind a cloak of darkness to uncover the nightlife of the town A sun filled sky grudged retreating behind a cloak of darkness to uncover the nightlife of the town as the steel sky becomes clear and free of clouds The city of beetriot paranoid reemerging as the steel sky becomes clear and free of clouds as the streets rivers flow with waves of people ready to spend everything they have in their eagerness to indulge in every extravagant glitz they can get their hands in The city of beetriot shallow glimmering as the streets rivers flow with waves of people ready to spend everything they have in their eagerness to indulge in every extravagant glitz they can get their hands in as the nighttime peddler gives you a stage to lure more into your manipulative ways The city of beetriot rude fluorescing as the nighttime peddler gives you a stage to lure more into your manipulative ways because there is always a new scheme on every corner of this town to drain the money out of unsuspecting victims The city of beetriot wrinkled serious looking because there is always a new scheme on every corner of this town to drain the money out of unsuspecting victims I'm freakin done now haha HOPE YOU ENJOYED! Wait maybe I'm not done, I've more creative juices spirits ideas pep hin Apologies My life is a sham I doubt whether any of this was actually worth it

[ncmagroup]

  by Brian Trautschold

Well before the age of coronavirus — it seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it? — we were seeing a steady, rapid increase in sales teams who were transitioning to remote work.

And for good reason: It can benefit everyone. Employees, especially millennials, appreciate the flexibility to work from anywhere, and sales orgs open themselves up to a much larger pool of talent when they’re not limited to hiring locally.

But sales teams face unique challenges when they go remote — even when they’ve had plenty of time to plan for the transition. It’s always a challenge, for example, to put the right tools in place and hire people who can handle a certain level of independence.

So when your sales team unexpectedly and hastily goes remote… well, that’s even harder.

One of the biggest challenges sales managers face? Keeping tabs on their teams from afar. Especially if you’re a manager who wasn’t prepared for the remote shift, it can feel like you’re suddenly wearing blinders. How do I know what my reps are doing all day? How do I know if they’re staying on track?

The good news is the same basic sales coaching principles and best practices still apply, and they’ll still help you maintain a system of accountability. They just may require a few tweaks.

Here are 5 tactics every sales manager should implement to keep your reps accountable, aligned, and on a path to success — even when you’re not sharing a sales floor.

Set daily activity targets

Add a little (more) structure

Reinvent your 1:1s

Shore up your tech stack

Leverage your team

1. Set Daily Activity Targets

Many sales teams set daily activity targets to keep reps on track. It’s a great way to ensure your people hit their longer-term objective targets and ultimately achieve results.

Remote sales managers may want to take daily activity targets one step further. Why? At 8 a.m., 5 p.m. feels like it’s a long way off. Your reps may overestimate what they can get done if they don’t pace themselves as they would in the office.

To help, consider setting multiple activity targets throughout the day. One Ambition customer runs a “10×10” program for their remote reps: Every morning, reps need to make 10 calls by 10 a.m. Managers get a private alert in email or Slack when reps haven’t hit their target, so they can jump in if they need to help a rep get back on track.

2. Add a Little (More) Structure

Every sales manager has a unique coaching style. It may range from total independence — essentially setting your reps free — to complete micromanagement. Of course, the most effective sales managers tend to have a style that falls somewhere in the middle.

If you’ve found your sweet spot, that’s great. You don’t need to overhaul your approach or methodology. In fact, that could do more harm than good since your team is already trying to adapt to the substantial and stressful changes COVID-19 has introduced.

But do consider adding more structure to your existing coaching program.

What does that mean, specifically? For starters, weekly 1:1s just isn’t enough if you want your team to stay connected, aligned, and motivated. A few ideas:

“Brown bag” lunches

You don’t have to be in the office to share a meal together. Set up regular (and casual) “Lunch and Learns” with your whole team — webcam required. Pick a topic to cover or skill to hone. Or better yet, crowdsource ideas from your reps.

Peer-to-peer coaching

Peer learning often happens organically in an office setting, but working from home can feel like working in a silo. Jump in and help newer, less experienced reps connect with more experienced reps by designating time for peer coaching opportunities on a weekly or biweekly basis.

Then, step back. The magic of peer coaching happens when your manager isn’t looking over your shoulder!

Cross-departmental meetings

Make an effort to stay abreast of what’s happening in tangential departments, like Marketing, Sales Enablement, and Product.

Sure, you may hear updates during all-hands meetings or via Slack, but since you’re no longer absorbing important details through osmosis at the office, consider setting up a time for your team to interface with a representative from another department.

Keep in mind, no one likes pointless, fluffy meetings. Adding in extra, structured opportunities to coach and connect is smart when your team is distributed. Just make sure that every calendar invite has a clear objective and agenda.

3. Reinvent Your 1:1s

Your 1:1 “template” should be a living, breathing thing. No, you don’t need to change up your questions every week, but these meetings should evolve as your team grows and changes.

That said, when your team is going through a major transition, it’s a prime time to rethink your 1:1 format. A few things to keep in mind:

Strike the right tone

Be empathetic. We’re all dealing with an unprecedented crisis, and it’s adding stress to everyone’s lives, on both a professional and personal level. Of course, your 1:1s should be much more than a temperature check — but start there.

Ask how your reps are doing. Show you care about their physical and mental wellbeing during this trying time. Right now, there’s no such thing as “business as usual.”

Troubleshoot WFH challenges

Working from home can be a whole different ball game, especially if your reps have roommates hanging around, or if they are parents trying to wrangle tiny interns, thanks to closed schools and daycares. Help your people troubleshoot issues that are blocking their productivity, and think through ways you can provide flexibility while still helping them stay on track.

Let your reps lead

Remember: coaching sessions are not mini-performance reviews. In fact, your reps should be leading the sessions. This approach is even more critical for remote reps since you don’t get the chance for regular, casual interaction.

As always, guide the conversation with a solid mix of thoughtful, open-ended questions. Ask questions that encourage your reps to make observations about their performance and draw conclusions based on those observations, then apply them to new and different circumstances.

4. Shore Up Your Tech Stack

Fortunately, most of the tools we’re now using to stay connected aren’t new. Zoom, Slack. We were already using them.

Of course, staying connected is one thing. Staying accountable and motivated is another. These are the tools you need to ensure performance doesn’t take a nosedive.

Sales coaching software

With fewer opportunities to interface with your reps, you need to make the most of the time you have together. Our mantra: automate what you can.

Find ways to take administrative work off your plate, like scheduling coaching sessions, recording notes and coaching conversations, creating and tracking action plans, etc.

Send your reps their 1:1 questions ahead of time (bonus if you can automate that, too), and make sure you get their responses before your session starts so you can spend time on a meaningful conversation.

Sales gamification software

Sales contests are a tried-and-true tactic to add a layer of accountability while also getting your reps fired up to sell. Bonus: healthy competition (and maybe some friendly trash-talking) can provide a welcome distraction from everything that’s happening in the world right now.

The key to remote competitions is visibility. Make sure you’ve got a sales gamification tool that integrates with email and Slack, so everyone can celebrate wins together. And make sure leaderboards screens are accessible through URLs.

5. Leverage Your Team

Of course, you want your reps to feel accountable to you: you’re their manager and you’re helping to steer the ship.

At the end of the day, though, it takes every person on your team to achieve results and hit The Number. Sales should be a team sport — so find ways to encourage collaboration and nurture relationships, even when your people are apart. You’ll add a layer of “peer accountability,” and it’s also just a great culture play. Consider:

Weekly shout-outs

During your regular team meetings, set aside time for reps to shout out their teammates for something they did that was particularly smart or well-executed. If you don’t already do this, you’ll find that reps look forward to earning recognition from their team.

Remember, this requires overcommunication throughout the week and performance visibility, which leads us to our next point.

Increased visibility

As a manager, you hopefully have easy access to performance data and insights for your reps. But do your reps have that same easy access?

Make it easy to see the team and individual progress against goals — even better if it’s automatically visualized in charts or graphs, so you and your reps aren’t having to run Salesforce reports or shuffle through spreadsheets.

Team competitions

As noted above, sales competitions are a great way to ignite the competitive spirit. Make sure you’re not limiting yourself to only individual competitions. Run team competitions — especially ones where you’re pairing up newbies with seasoned pros — so that teammates can collaborate together and hold each other accountable. Or try some of these team-building activities.

Bottom Line

Whether you’ve always been remote or it’s a recent, potentially short-term shift, you can optimize a distributed team without overhauling every process and workflow. In other words: Don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater.

But do think through ways you can adapt your management style to a new situation. Adding in extra layers of accountability, when done thoughtfully and with your team front of mind, you’ll be able to keep your remote team on track, even in uncertain conditions.

  Go to our website:   www.ncmalliance.com

5 Ways To Create Accountability for Remote Sales Teams by Brian Trautschold Well before the age of coronavirus — it seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it?