#but it applies in multiple and various scenarios and ways

[dandelion-wings]

Teyvat may not have anything like adequate therapy, but "apply Bennett directly to the traumatized individual" does do a reasonable amount of heavy lifting sometimes

[honeyspawn]

So this is something I've really appreciated about Paulkins for a while that I want to see if I can put into words (nightmare time spoilers ahead).

So in Forever and Always, Emma expresses multiple times that she never wanted to get married. Despite this, Android Emma did get married to Paul 23, and not only does original Emma express interest in Paul, but it's heavily implied that Android Emma and her will make the same choices in the same scenarios (aside from murder lol), and that marrying Paul is something original Emma would potentially want to do in other timelines. I'm usually not a fan of the whole "woman who doesn't want to settle down just hasn't met the right guy yet" trope, because I feel like it implies women can't find happiness in lifestyles outside of conventional gender roles, and it's just generally a heteronormative/allonormative trope. Despite this, I don't think that notion really applies to Emma and Paul in the same way. The thing about Emma as a character is that when we are introduced to her in tgwdlm, she has just gone through a major loss that made her reflect on what she really wants out of life and starts to head in a new direction BEFORE she even met Paul. Emma's entire character arc is about realizing that the things she thought she wanted out of life are not the things she wants anymore. And that may include her romantic life, but it is not the only thing she wants. She wants to go back to school and start her own business, she wants to reconnect with her remaining family. Emma now wants to put down roots, so it makes perfect sense that putting down roots might include getting married, especially now that she's met someone she really likes. Before Jane's death, Emma went through life having all these various adventures and life experiences to learn from with no concrete ambitions, and came out on the other side of it realizing that the things she wants out of life have changed. And change is normal. Change is valid. It's totally normal for what someone wants when they are fresh out of high school to be different than what they want when they're 30, whether their new goal is more or less conventional than their previous goal. It's okay to know what you want from a young age, but it's also okay not to know.

But what I really love about this is how Emma's experiences are both contrasted and mirrored by Paul. Paul is a guy who went through life doing exactly what is conventionally expected. He works a 9-5 at a job with no upward mobility, going day by day with the same routine, the exact opposite of how Emma spent those years. Like Emma, he never had any concrete ambitions, but was content to live a pretty mundane life. Except, he's actually not content to live a mundane life. In tgwdlm, Paul is forced to confront the fact that for all his talk about never wanting to leave Hatchetfield and his dismissal of any concrete wants outside of the usual stuff everyone wants, he's never truly been happy. Paul spends the entire musical avoiding the kind of self reflection that pursuing things outside of his humdrum status quo (like pursuing a relationship with Emma) would make him happier. In many ways, that kind of makes Paul and Emma perfect for each other; Paul represents the stability Emma was seeking when she returned to Hatchetfield, and Emma represents Paul's desire to open himself up to new experiences. Both of their stories are about how sometimes the things you want out of life change, and that those changes are normal and healthy, but you have to discover those changes on your own.

[accirax]

hey everybody! wanted to make a quick post to say that, due to various holiday shenanigans, i'm not sure how quickly i'll be able to get through the entirety of P:EG chapter 1. i really don't want to be spoiled, so i'll obviously be blocking the tag, but i also ask that nobody send me any asks related to the chapter until i'm done experiencing it! i'll probably either make an initial thoughts-y type post once i'm done, or reblog this post/someone else's art when that's the case. thank you :)

with that out of the way...

LAST MINUTE PREDICTIONS GAME JUMPSCARE!!! small explanatory blurbs under the cut :D

before i get into any of the individual selections: the third victim scenario. the basic formula of the predictions game requires that Chapter 3 contain two victims. however, even though i can't find the source, i'm 99% sure i've heard that Team: Eden's Garden (T:EG, if you will) has confirmed that they won't be following along with typical murder "tropes" such as the Chapter 3 double kill or Chapter 4's buff curse. therefore, Venus and i decided that, for P:EG specifically, we would not have two victims, and instead create an extra survivor slot. consider it a bonus rule applied in advance.

of course, the "fact" that there won't be two Chapter 3 victims doesn't mean that T:EG isn't planning to have multiple victims in a different chapter. however, if that's the case, we'll figure it out later. if anyone wants to play against Venus and I, do whatever you like ^_^

anyways!

Toshiko in the role of Chapter 1 Victim

this was obviously inspired by the fact that Toshiko isn't at all visible in the Trial portion of the Chapter 1 trailer. that feels to hint at her absence too obviously, but, does it...?

i'm really torn on whether i think the Ch1 victim will be her or not. on one hand, i think that Toshiko is a really unique and cool character concept that i hope T:EG has the opportunity to do more with. she was one of the characters that got the most focus in (the introductions part of) the Prologue, which might indicate that they're setting her up as a major player in the story.

however, it also tracks that one of the characters who got the most focus in the Prologue would then become the first victim, as the Prologue would be one of the best opportunities with which to give them focus. on the surface, it seems a bit random that they would make her so much younger than everyone else for just a role as the first victim, but it could be intentional. for instance, if the idea behind her character's creation was "what kind of first victim would make Wolfgang become the most aggro?", suddenly it becomes viable.

i swear, the P:EG cast is made up of half high variance characters (will either go super-Ch1-early or super-Ch5/6-late) and half characters that are definitely gonna die in the middle somewhere, but i don't really care where. the high variance characters are way more scary, because getting the coin flip wrong can land you with a bunch of points :( i totally think Toshiko has the potential to go far, which is why listing her first freaks me out.

what i will say is that, if Toshiko is the first victim, i think it's actually a good sign as to the quality of P:EG's writing. if even their first victim is as intriguing and clearly delineated as Toshiko, we're in for a good time!

Jean in the role of Chapter 1 Killer

at this point, i'm believing that Jean is the Chapter 1 killer (as per my theory) until canon proves me otherwise. which, actually, could be very soon‼

Venus and i just replayed the Prologue in order to fully refresh ourselves on the plot and characters before playing Chapter 1, and genuinely, nothing about what Jean did made me think that he wouldn't be the Chapter 1 killer. not to say that i'll be flabbergasted if i'm wrong, just that the theory holds up better than i thought through my admittedly biased lenses.

no idea where Jean goes if he's not Ch1 killer, also. we'll cross that bridge if/when we get to it!

Desmond in the role of Chapter 2 Victim

full transparency, this is probably the assignment on this sheet i feel worst about. Desmond was one of the last three people i placed, alongside Toshiko and Wenona. my initial vibe check would say that Desmond makes it further than this, more Ch4 or 5-ish.

however, i don't hate this placement. Desmond still hasn't totally clicked for me, and while i think that means his content might be back-loaded in the later chapters, it could also just be that he's not too important. i do like the allure of one weaponsmaster (Desmond) being taken out by another weaponsmaster (Eloise), and think that could be a fun Ch2-level puzzle. Desmond and Eloise also seem to have some sort of relevant relationship with one another, given how they were more-or-less introduced together and how, in the new main title sequence, Desmond's ammo shoots into Eloise. maybe that means they could be a killer/victim pair?

sorry, shippers.

Eloise in the role of Chapter 2 Killer

if anyone is wondering why i'm always calling Eloise that Chapter 2 killer, it's honestly more based on a meme/inside joke than anything at this point. however, that's not to say it has no basis in what i actually believe.

when Venus and i played the Prologue for the first time, we both individually got the strong vibes that Eloise would be, specifically the Chapter 2 killer. she seems fainthearted enough to crack under the pressure of the killing game, but sweet enough to be an appropriately surprising twist when it's revealed that she would kill. she has three separate instances of mentioning that she misses her family (her introduction, the investigation, and after the Class Trial) because you have to set up that early killer's motivation early. and, even if she doesn't use her swordswoman skills to carry out the murder, she has the strength and dexterity to take someone out, as well as directly telling us that she's very strategic and calculated.

ever since, we've joked to each other that Eloise is all but confirmed as the Chapter 2 killer. so, no matter what canon says, Eloise is my Chapter 2 killer <3 (/j)

Jett in the role of Chapter 3 Victim

Jett has big Chapter 3 oddball death energy to me. i think that one of him and Mark will probably survive, but, it could go the other way around! replaying the Prologue, he honestly had way more knowledge about horror and haunted houses than i remembered, which could make him a handy ally throughout the killing game instead. i just can't help but fear that Jett is too silly to live. so, my gut instinct is that Jett will die midgame to allow Mark to come out of his shell a bit afterwards.

Ingrid in the role of Chapter 3 Killer

i initially had Ingrid in the Chapter 3 victim slot before i moved Jett there instead. with Jett, i feel fairly confident that he isn't the type to kill anyone, whereas with Ingrid, i wasn't so sure. i just think that Ingrid has Chapter 3 death energy. i think it's the unique blend of sillyness (such that she wouldn't make it farther) and seriousness (such that she can be taken seriously for three chapters and believed as a killer) with which her character is handled that makes me think so?

she does seem to play by her own rules when it comes to blacksmithing, which could lead to her prioritizing her own belief and needs above the group's sometime down the line. Ingrid is 100% one of those characters who i believe will die in one of those middling chapters, so i don't think i'll score too high with her here no matter what.

Ulysses in the role of Chapter 4 Victim

perhaps if i were a smarter theorist, i'd continue listening to myself of the past and write Ulysses down as the mastermind of P:EG. however, i still just can't shake the feeling that he's important enough of a character to take on that role. not to say that Ulysses is a bad character, just that he feels more like one of the minor characters in the story to me. the only time he was of any particular importance in the Prologue was during his introduction, and i have no clue who his most important character relationship is supposed to be with. the only other character for which i believe this to be true is Ingrid (although, even she was one of the characters who got to participate in the investigation, and got to scold Damon at the end), and, well... you've already seen my thoughts on her. i can't help but feel that a character set up to be so important and late game would already be solidifying some important relationships, or at least bringing some comedy or specific insight to the table.

there's also his note-taking habit, which i believe i've said before totally feels like a victim gimmick to me. deciphering the notes Ulysses left to himself about where he went, who he talked to, what he'd been eating, etc definitely feels like something that would be used to create a unique murder case, with him as the victim. if not Chapter 4, then maybe Chapter 2?

Chapter 2 victim, Chapter 4 victim, or mastermind. what a weird space Ulysses exists in.

Wenona in the role of Chapter 4 Killer

hey, it's the third person i was struggling with.

i don't really know what to do with Wenona. she kinda gives me killer vibes, but that seems too obvious? she also kinda gives me late(r) game vibes, which is probably how she wound up in this late-game killer spot.

sorry, i don't have much to say here. hopefully this doesn't blow up in my face, lol.

Diana in the role of Chapter 5 Victim, Wolfgang in the role of Chapter 5 Killer, Eva in the role of Survivor (and also Damon in the role of Survivor)

quadruple combo!!! allow me to share that incredibly specific scenario i've been cooking up (that i really like) which puts these characters in these spots.

firstly, Diana, and her obvious mastermind-coding. the mastermind-coding is so obvious that it has to go somewhere, right? naturally, it could just result in her being the mastermind, but then i'm not sure why they would be so heavy-handed with it. therefore, i re-propose an idea i've discussed before: someone kills Diana because they think she's the mastermind.

in that case, this person is Wolfgang. the man hates killers and injustices, and believes himself to be a good judge of what's right and wrong. therefore, if he believed he had sights on the mastermind, i believe he could be willing to take a shot at them. of course, in this case, he would fail.

therefore, in the Class Trial, he needs to create a cover for himself. what better course of action than to weaponize his ethos as the Ultimate Lawyer to direct suspicions at the easiest scapegoat, the literal Ultimate Liar?

meanwhile, while Damon clearly has a lot to work through in terms of character arcs, one task on his checklist is surely to make friends. everything about the marketing of this game really makes it seem like Damon and Eva are the core relationship around which the whole story is based. they're Eve and the snake, the Debater and the Liar, and the only two who see through Wolfgang's BS from the beginning. thematically, i think Damon needs a support-type character to survive alongside him, to contrast against his initial lonely elitism. the game seemingly wants us to root for this protagonistic duo to have a happy ending-- and it might be a setup to get us to fight for their survival with all our might.

my vision is that the final Class Trial is where Damon has to put all of his character development to the test, to fully let his Ultimate Debater talent shine as he argues against the Ultimate Lawyer to prove that the Ultimate Liar is telling the truth in her innocence. it's a great setup because, although one might complain about how obvious it would be that Wolfgang would be the killer in this situation, it doesn't matter, because even if you figure out that Wolfgang did it, you still get the catharsis of kicking his ass. and as a bonus, we'd get to reap the benefits of the main antagonist actually getting to be the Chapter 5 killer, instead of circling around it without ever getting to hit the target.

Damon learns to argue for his friends instead of against his enemies, Eva learns that there are people out there who will trust her even when she's been called a liar, and Wolfgang has to reap the consequences of letting his own perceived intellectual superiority lead him to becoming the thing he hates most: a sadistic man who kills an innocent little girl. the end!

i know this idea goes against what i've been promoting-- AKA, a "more interesting" fangan where the authors are willing to kill off their stereotypical antag and support early in favor of surprising the audience with more unique antag and support choices. however, just because i've been asking for that doesn't mean that i actually think it's going to happen, lol. P:EG seems like a fangan to me that's deeply rooted in the Danganronpa classics (even if they won't do Ch3 double kill or Ch4 buff curse), which makes sense from a creative team that isn't otherwise active in the fangan scene, and therefore hasn't considering some of its wackier expeditions. however, as long as they manage to do something fresh with their somewhat stereotypical build, i'll still be happy.

oh, and i've always believed that Damon will be the protagonist for the entire game. he just seems so well-crafted to mirror the main themes and motifs of the story that i'm not sure what the team would gain from killing him off so early (other than the excitement of a protag swap).

Kai in the role of Survivor

um, it's the knowledge that some of the staff members ship kaimon, honestly. to me, that indicates that Kai will have an important relationship with Damon sometime down the line, likely that expands beyond Chapter 1. and, as a high variance character (to me), if you're gonna let the guy make it past Chapter 1, you might as well just let him live, right?

that being said, i do see a path to Kai dying midgame depending on how hard they lean into the "dictatorial influencer" thing. if he becomes more of a villain, i could see him going in Ch3 or 4. i do think he has good setup for a character arc, though, going from not caring about the killing game to actually putting in some effort, and think his humor and patheticness could be a good balancer in a surviving cast. i feel pretty good about this one!

Mark in the role of Survivor

again, you could trade this with Jett; i'm reserving this slot for one of them. i think Mark makes more sense as a survivor because i think that the "my best friend died but i live on" arc makes more sense on him than it does on Jett. for Jett, it would bum him out, sure, but i don't see the connection to his likely character struggles of self image and shame (as implied by his character intro sheet).

meanwhile, Mark's introversion currently appears to be his greatest hurdle, and having to continue on after his only friend dies would echo his arc of needing to open up to others and be positive even when the situation seems dire. plus, having Mark be the one who initially wasn't as interested in talking to Jett is good setup for Mark regretting not talking to Jett more when he had the chance.

Grace in the role of Survivor

i think a lot of people actually don't predict that Grace will survive, which was surprising to me, because she's always given me survivor energy. after Damon, Eva, and Wolfgang (not necessarily in that order), she definitely seemed to be the fourth most important character of the Prologue in a way that, to me, implied longevity.

Grace has a lot going on for her. she's always yelling and fighting with everyone, whether that be students she dislikes, the old men of her profession, or even Tozu himself. That already establishes her with potential (negative) relationships with a lot of people, further elevating her importance. also, she's really unlikable (/pos). this gives her insane character arc potential. why would they make a character that brash and aggravating if they didn't have plans to eventually let her change in some meaningful way?

furthermore, Grace was, surprisingly, one of the few characters to actually provide a new, correct argument in the Prologue Class Trial (she's the one who gets the students thinking about the bleach being in a bucket above the door). that may mean that she's smarter than she appears. might be relevant if she continues to hang around Wolfgang, which seems inevitable. she's a really good contrast to him-- someone who has the same sort of passionate fury that he does, but none of the social tact to prevent her from screaming her beliefs in people's faces. if Wolfgang is around for the long haul, i think Grace will be there with him.

... i'm really excited to learn more about Grace in the Prologue, because i feel i've made a lot of assumptions about her that are possibly unfounded, lol.

Cassidy in the role of Mastermind

Diana or Ulysses or Eva or whatever probably makes more sense, but this is my predictions sheet, so I operate off of my vibe check, yippee!!!

ignore everyone who believes that she's the Chapter 1 victim via visibility! ignore everyone who thinks she's too dumb and comic relief-y to pull off a killing game! ignore the eyebrow-raising logistics of why T:EG would give Cassidy an enemy in Wenona/make Cassidy a communist when that doesn't really make any sense with her being the mastermind! i reap the follies of my OWN poor decision making!!!!!! (/j)

... why am i even putting Cassidy as the mastermind after writing all that, you ask? uh, read my old mastermind ranking theory, idk.

okay that's all :) be back after i finish the chapter!!!

[pokemon-card-of-the-day]

Pokemon Card of the Day #3244: Incineroar (Unbroken Bonds)

Incineroar really came down to one thing. They put a full team damage boost on a Stage 2. It was something that couldn't stack with multiple in play, but 30 extra damage could still be useful. Considering the game actually provided a few versions of that sort of boost to various Pokemon, Incineroar was interesting as a Pokemon that just sat on the Bench to do it and worked for any type. Building around getting it out there when the other ways were generally easier to use was the major thing in the way, which was a typical Stage 2 at the time.

160 HP was a good number for a Stage 2, being at the point where even a good number of Tag Teams had to find their own damage boosts to KO this in a single hit. The Water Weakness could occasionally matter, mostly for Keldeo-GX, though the type was one of the weaker ones at the time. The Retreat Cost here was 2, so there was some risk of it being stuck up front.

Strong Cheer was an Ability that made your Pokemon's attacks do 30 more damage to the opponent's Active Pokemon. This notably let Pokemon that even did just 110 damage into range to take down a Tag Team in 2 hits, and there were certainly times where you could piece together a KO on something that had some chip damage. You couldn't apply multiple of these at once, so a second Incineroar in play wasn't useful. This was kind of like an Electropower that couldn't stack but worked for any type, which considering the various scenarios with damage could be quite useful.

Flamethrower was a bit weak, at 90 for 2 Energy along with the discard of an attached Energy to use it, but Strong Cheer did raise that to a respectable 120. If using Fire-types you could make this a back-up attacker if you wanted, though that type probably had better options in almost every situation.

Incineroar was in a weird spot where it did something pretty cool but didn't really tip enough matches to be worth it. Lightning decks already had their version as a stackable Item, and Arceus & Dialga & Palkia-GX eventually came along and gave a Basic that could use an attack to apply an even better version of this for the entire match. Incineroar, being a Stage 2 that had the competition like this, didn't get used much. It was also one of those Pokemon that you could probably fit into a deck with some off-beat choice that was just a little weaker than you'd want to give a nice boost. If that extra 30 damage was really needed and you could afford the Stage 2 line, you had a pretty good reason to go for this. The best decks, however, didn't fit this description.

[enid-rhees]

I just know Tara would constantly lightheartedly tease Enid and reader skdjfjsskf-

Tara catching them making out, holding hands, etc.

Enid on a run with Tara and some others, and finds a cute piece of lingerie for the reader, and ofc Tara notices, and teases her the whole way back to Alexandria for it.

Or Reader on a run with Tara, Carl, and others, and finds some cute jewelry for the both of them. Maybe a makeup kit as well. And reader thinks it'd be fun to experiment and play around a bit with some makeup. I mean they never really had the chance to due to the zompocalypse, so why not?

But ofc Carl catches this, and teases her for it. (Enid, Reader, and Carl are besties)

I think it'd be cute if you made hdcns or a oneshot for this! 💋✨~

tysm for requesting 🫶🏻 hope you enjoy !! this was very fun to write considering i imagined how each scenario would play out as i wrote it

warnings: slight suggestiveness, nothing too bad. MINORS DNI.

A/N: hope you all enjoy! requests are always open unless i say otherwise, so feel free to request anything for anyone i write for! just read pinned :)



Tara was the first one to know about you and Enid let’s get that out of the way first

you guys didn’t even have to tell her . she literally just knew

but not only is she your biggest supporter, she’s also the biggest teaser

if you guys are ,,, late to a community meeting she will be smirking at you guys from across the room and will purposely make you nervous

Tara is just pure evil 💀

and afterwards if Rick decides to have dinner with your group she’ll sit across from you guys and wait till it’s silent

“so, Y/N, Enid… why were you guys late to the meeting today?”

pure evil

Tara was on a run with Enid and a few others one day

you were not there due to helping Maggie with chores

Tara noticed Enid look to see if anyone was watching her before sneaking off into a different store

Tara,, being the little shit that she is, followed her

she didn’t bother looking at the name of the store before walking in

when she did walked in, she noticed Enid digging through piles of clothes

she walked closer, coming up right behind Enid quietly

“whatcha doing?” Enid quite literally jumped out of her place, holding items of clothing against her chest as she stared at Tara with wide eyes

“are you insane?!”

Enid was holding lingerie sets, multiple at that

“no way- is that lingerie?”

“no.”

“Enid.”

“maybe.”

after everyones gathered back in the car, Rick asked if everyone got what they needed and if they’re ready to leave

“oh yeah. especially Enid here. she found so many clothes for her and Y/N.”

Rick was very unaware of what she meant by that, and just smiled at them

Enid smacked her arm

think of Tara as like that Sour Patch Kid saying

sour before ur sweet type thing yknow

that was the first thing that came to mind to describe her i’m sorry

because one day

she found a shit ton of makeup in a store, along with another ton of jewelry

she took all of it home for you and Enid

she knew you guys got tired of doing the same things every day and wanted to let you guys have some fun

u guys deserved it

it’s not easy being in an apocalypse for anyone, but she knew it took a specific toll on you guys

Tara brought the makeup and jewelry up to your guys’ bedroom and told you she found it and wanted to give it to you guys

she smiled at the way your faces lit up

oh my god

you know that ICONIC picture of those two girls and one is doing the others makeup and she’s like sitting on top of her as she does it

that’s you and Enid 100%

you two were in that position while she applied eyeshadow to your eyelids

and all of a sudden your door flew open

you both turned to see who it was, not reacting like you used to

(you’ve been caught in various situations so many times that are guys are immune to any reaction when that door opens)

Carl stood there, a smirk on his face

“are you guys like,,, ever not on top of each other?”

Enid shook her head nonchalantly

“no.”

[borderlinebox]

Sup! hope you’re having a great day 😮💗 having childhood best friend brainrot- “you have my back right?” x “lmao probably” cheesy but I eat that shit up every time

could you write a oneshot or headcannon

for chishiya? He’s gotten/done something that’s worth celebrating (maybe it’s his birthday, got first place or a hundred on his test, got into the college that he applied to) he’s never been told by someone that they’re proud of him not even from his old man so he went on with his day expecting nothing special

But but BUT chishiya hears the familiar patterned knocks on his window, how they managed to get up there without his father knowing is beyond him but he’s relieved considering his old man isn’t all that fond with them (In this scenario id imagine that chishiya’s father wouldn’t really like us bc of our shortcomings? something like that...and if he isn’t friends with our parents)

they sneak (more like drag) him out with a lot of convincing and celebrate by going into places he would tolerate or enjoy,,rip his friend’s allowance 💸 At the end of the night they both end up on a park bench with store bought cake with messy written icing “I’m so pr he I did it bitch!!” done by yours truly. they do say it to him and give him a short side hug before he gets back home tho

Feel free to decline this! take care ⭐️

Celebrate With Me!

Summary: Reader acknowledges Chishiya's accomplishments.

Pairing: Chishiya x Reader

Warning: That good cliche shit, FLUFF, cuteness overload, not proofread!!!, changed a few things up!

A/N: ISTG I'm boutta make a Chishiya X Bestfriend! Reader bundle because these requests are too cute!! Hope you have a great day as well and take care too ^^ <3 I am incredibly happy and proud on how this turned out!!! Spent a literal 2 hours straight on it because I lost some progress and I'm gonna have my ass whooped later but this should cover the blow LOVE YALL AND THIS REQQQ ♥

Feedback is highly appreciated!!!

Chishiya sat upon his desk chair, currently finishing up some notes. Just things he's learnt or felt like he found interesting. He could use it in the future. Distant music playing from his favorite band echoed softly in his room.

There wasn't much to do. He'd recently gotten a letter from a university he had applied to - which he was successfully accepted in. He could say he was happy for himself but it just wasn't that exciting or celebration-worthy to him.

He continuously tapped the tip of the pen against the table in a rhythm, re-reading the paragraphs of various words.

SMACK

The sudden noise caught Chishiya's attention as he quickly twisted his head towards the loud noise. There, on his window, a handprint was seen as it was slowly sliding down the window, failing to stick.

Its fingers soon danced on the window, creating multiple and small taps across the glass pane without a proper flow of beat.

Chishiya sighed and stood up and opened the window to reveal his friend struggling to hold onto his window's support,

"Y/N, What are you doing here?" He wasn't at all surprised. He was just more so concerned why you were currently hanging by a thread on his window.

"I'll tell you when I get inside. Right now let's focus on the part where you shoULD BRING ME INSIDE." You flailed your legs around as you struggled to even breathe properly.

He hissed at you to stay quiet and helped you up to sneak inside.

There was a voice, somewhere in his mind where he actually wanted to leave you hanging for a while to amuse himself but that would have been a bad idea.

Once you had both your feet on the floor of his bedroom, you dusted yourself off and took a much needed breather. You had been running to his house since 45 minutes ago. It was hard with the troublesome traffic and people yelling at you as you swerved your way through them, you're just glad you've finally reached his humble abode.

"Right, Explain." He said bluntly, doing his signature move; placing his hands into his pockets. "How did you even get up here?"

You shaked your hand profusely, deflecting the topic. "Never mind that-, guess who found out when your birthday iiiisss?" You looked up at him with a tired yet mischievous grin.

"I'm guessing you."

"Me," You announced proudly while facing your thumb towards yourself, chest up in victory. "And you wanna know what I'm gonna do about it?"

"Please don't." Chishiya sighed, point-blankly. Unfortunately, there was no hope of changing the situation's circumstances because he knew when you were hooked on something, it's sure that you'll be hell-bent on getting it, no matter how stupidly dangerous or ridiculous it may seem.

You laughed before dropping down to the carpeted floor of his room and picking up your sling bag. "Now, as I was saying," Your finger dramatically pointed towards the bag. "We gotta celebrate! So we're going out and hang!"

"I really rather not." He stood his ground, stubbornly declining your offer.

"Come on, you're gonna celebrate your birthday with me!" You teased with the same playful grin you gave him. He was always so stubborn when it came to things he accomplished or failed - whether you wanna celebrate it or cheer him up. Either way, you were going to be even more stubborn than him this time.

"No." He muttered out sternly.

"Yes," You pushed with determination. "We are."

"No."

"Yes."

"No"

"Yes"

"No-"

"Why not??" You broke the repetitive, single-worded debate and gave him a sad look. "You never celebrate anything. Don't you want me to show you how happy and proud I am for you, Chishiya?"

Chishiya seemed to be broken from his train of thought at his words. He was silent, but you could tell that he was processing your words and calculating a response as if he was some kind of robot. You'd have to be honest, he kind of is one sometimes-

"Fine, I'll go and celebrate my birthday." Was all he said, his condescending look seeming to have disappeared - replaced with an unreadable expression.

It didn't feel like an answer at all - you felt disappointed. But you decided to push away those feelings for later because you were still ecstatic about your achievement and that's what mattered.

"W-Wonderful! You go get prepared or something!" You told him in a panic frenzy and opened the window from where you cam from. "I'll wait for you to climb out the window!"

And before waiting for his response, the last thing Chishiya saw of you was you already dipping out of the window and landed on the lush grass, in pain - as he presumed. He quickly changed and made his way down the stairs, being granted the permission to leave.

Chishiya would probably be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little bit concerned for your well being when you jumped out of that window.

To his surprise, when he went outside, he saw you standing proudly with a little dirt in your hair and face.

"You goof??" He asked, eyeing you up and down.

"Perfect, Great! I didn't get hurt, totally didn't - I think I sprained my wrist but that's totally fixed now." You spoke quickly, not even giving him a chance to say another word since you had grabbed him by his wrist. "Now come on! We don't have all day."

-

"Was this necessary?" Chishiya mutters blankly as he takes in the view of the park. It was a rather quiet, and less populated park wherever you and Chishiya both lived. Not many people visited everyday but there were still some who came often. Parks that were more widely known had a bigger crowd and you know Chishiya enough to know that he doesn't like big crowds. Especially the noise that comes with it.

"It was either this or the carnival next place." You turned to him and raised your brow.

"I think I prefer the park." He shrugged. It wasn't a bad place at all - Fairly clean and a decent view. You would sometimes come here alone and think, maybe even attempt to bring Chishiya over. But he was either busy or too stubborn to go. Thankfully, you managed to corner him.

Even though Chishiya let you take him here this time.

Both of you took your time there, having deep talks which mostly started off with why he hadn't really celebrated many past birthdays, which made you frown a lot. Chishiya thought it was half a mistake to give you that information after you had told him that you were gonna celebrate his birthday for him every year instead.

He may be lying if he didn't appreciate it.

The rest of the time, both of you walked and talked on the more philosophical topics. Just the precious quality time between two great lov friends, walking underneath the cloudy weather with strands of sunlight pushing through and landing on the cobblestone pavements.

It didn't seem much as a birthday celebration to the regular human etiquette but you could care less because both of you were having. swell time. Even if neither of you said it. It was a bonding time that didn't need the use of an explanation and more of a feeling.

Your eye was caught by a flock of ducks roaming around a side of a pond next to a woman selling duck food or pieces of bread. Chishiya must've noticed this since you had fully stopped walking and stood in place, staring at them.

"You wanna feed the ducks?" His voice brought you out of your mini daydream, he had his natural high charm evident in his face and voice.

"I, well, if you want to. It's your birthday, not mine.." You mumbled out, it was a bit low for anyone to actually process your words, seeing that you would be a little upset that you didn't feed those ducks.

"Okay then," He lightly smiles and walks his way past you with a bored yet slightly amused expression. "Let's go feed those ducks."

Like a little kid who had been given permission to sleep over at his friend's house, you giddily smiled and practically swooshed right on past him and over to the woman selling the small bits of food.

You quickly bought two small bags and handed one over to Chishiya. He took the bag filled with small, multiple pieces of duckfeed into his hands and looked back up at you. "If I'm gonna feed the ducks, you've gotta feed them too." You told him with a bright smile before kneeling down to the ducks.

Chishiya opened the bag and shook around its contents before taking out a handful and throwing it onto the ground the ducks stood upon with a blank face.

However, you had a cute and dorky smile on your face while you handfed them all equally. Some of them bit you by accident but it was no more painful than a light pinch. Your smile was bright enough to light up a whole room, Chishiya thought as he held back the urge to smile at your antics.

A chuckle from the old vendor caught both of your attention. When she noticed she sighed softly, "Sorry,"

You smiled, "No worries! It's absolutely fine! Why were you chuckling anyway?" Hand finding its way to the bag full of duck feed to gather some more and hand over the pieces to the ducks.

She grinned at the both of you. "Both of you are so cute, are you a couple?"

The question caught both of you off guard. You could quite literally feel the tension rise in the atmosphere. You felt your breath hitch and your lungs close as it denied you to breath from the sudden question.

"No! No, heh, we're just friends." You shot up with an awkward smile at the lady who had understood the tension between her and you both. You look back up at Chishiya with a nervous look on your face. "Isn't that right, Chi?"

He appeared to have froze due to your question. Or was he just standing still and silent because he had zoned out? Was he deeply immersed in his thoughts?

"No, we're friends." Chishiya confirmed. You expected that answer but you couldn't help but feel the pang in your heart when he actually said it.

The vendor nodded and apologized once again for asking such a question. She went back to her small stand to mind her own business instead.

Now you and Chishiya kept on feeding the ducks until both your bags were completely empty, all in awkward silence. Not one of you tried to break the ice since it appeared that no one had anything to say after that question.

You turned to thank the lady before leaving with Chishiya without a word.

Upon arriving back at the park's entrance Chishiya decided to finally break the silence. "Well? Where are you dragging me off to next?" He asked, raising a brow at you. You had almost completely forgotten the reason why you had went out in the first place.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot." Slipping your hand into your slingbag, you pulled out a small crumpled paper and unfolded it.Chishiya tried to lean in and read but you pulled the paper closer to you. "Hey! Don't peek on the surprise." You pouted, forgetting all about the question for a moment.

He put his hand up defensively but it was no more than a sarcastic tease. "No peeking." He repeats before shoving his hands into his pockets once again. Chishiya was almost never seen with his hands outside his pockets outside of his home. It was almoat natural and expected.

Once you were sure he wouldn't peek again, you opened up the piece of paper before folding it once more.

"I got an idea."

"You looked at the paper which most likely had the idea.

"I have an idea." You repeated, dismissing his smart assness. "Follow me!" And once again, you boldly took a hold of his wrist and started to dash to whatever place you were dragging him to next.

-

The warm light of the welcome sign greeted the both of you as you stood outside a relatively new, and decently small café. And sketchy enough, the stores it was between in was a shady dentist's office and a run-down, forever closed drug store.

"This is the new coffee shop that opened last week." Chishiya noticed, looking up at the hangout's name to remember it. "It certainly has a sketchy location."

"That's cause this was the only place the owner could afford. In fact, they're actually quite creeped out by the stores beside it. I feel bad." You explained briefly, glancing at the side shops. "But that's not what we're here for, dear friend."

You pushed him inside the cafe and it was definitely much better on the inside than the out. It had relatively creamy walls and warm lights. You were surprised that the place wasn't filled with people. Tempting enough to keep this place as a secret, all to yourself.

"Sit the hell down." You brought Chishiya to a corner seat - which is, in a natural rule, one of the best seats a restaurant or any place could ask for - and sitting in front of him.

"It isn't a bad place, I'll give it that." Your bleach haired friend admitted, his eyes still roaming around. "What gave you the idea?"

A giggle escaped your lips, "I wanted to try it out. I actually visited the place a few days ago. It was completely different than now. They changed it a lot." You shrugged, "And I thought of you when I stepped in here. I thought you'd like the place."

Chishiya smiled lightly, which was again; rare. "It's good."

"Better than-"

"I haven't decided yet." He cut you off before you could finish which resulted in you giving him a cheeky smirk.

He couldn't help but feel good about himself when you admitted that you thought of him when you found this place. It felt truly honorable than his straight A's and cards with that big ol' red 'Accepted' on it. It was something near to a foreign feeling.

"About what that vendor said-" You were immediately cut off by a waiter coming up, asking for your orders. You coughed into your arm at the sudden surprise and ordered your preferred drink.

Chishiya glanced at you and the waiter, what was with the question? He quickly ordered his own drink as you thanked the waiter before they left.

Another set of an awkward silence filled between the both of you. He was curious about your earlier question but didn't want to push you, you looked embarassed enough after choking on your own spit.

"Don't think about it. She just made a mistake, it's fine." Chishiya wanted to say something else but decided to take matters into his own hands instead. "It's not that uncommon. Sometimes expected."

You nodded at his words. "Right.. I forgot, they have board games here! You wanna play?" You beamed up, changing the subject. He glanced his eyes to the side, finding the board games that you were talking about.

All of them were stacked on a small bookshelf that had a good amount of books on it as well.

"Sure, we'll play." He shrugged without a care. "Why don't you choose the game, Y/N?"

You hummed out a yes and took your time; reading all the board game labels. There were many of them but you wanted to try out something bold, something Chishiya would actuallu want to play with you. "Ah! Chess."

Why Chess? You finally processed your declaration.

"Oh, Chess?" Chishiya looked back at you. What a bold declaration of war. "Sure, why not."

You felt yourself gulp and begin to pray for your mistakes and for your well being, choosing a game like this against a guy like Chishiya. You've already made a decision and stood up and made your walk of shame towards the small chess board.

Bringing the board to your table, you gathered yourself the confidence and smacked the board down.

"Bring it on, Shuntaro." A smirk appeared on your face, a bold glimmer in your eyes.

-

"I think I'm gonna be sick." You burp out, watching your side of the chess board with bored and tired eyes. You've already accepted your death wish an hour ago.

Now you were here with two empty cups, 3 hours that passed by and found yourself with only a King and a Pawn against Chishiya's fucking army. You've paid for your drinks an hour ago and you were still here, suffering.

"You chose the game." He defended. He looked unchanged - just the same guy three hours ago. Meanwhile you sat in front of him, a hand in your hair and tired eyes.

You weren't sleepy, you were just tired of watching your entire empire fall.

"You're enjoying this, I know it. Behind those blank eyes of yours? You're enjoying this." An almost pathetically dramatic voice of sulking came from you as you connected your forehead onto the table.

You could feel him shrug in front of you.

"But alas!" You rose dramatically, "That was my plan all along!" You moved your king to the line of sight of his queen, making yourself lose. "I forfeit. Besides, we're gonna miss the best part of today!"

Chishiya watched as you obliterated yourself and throwing the chess pieces off the board and clean up. "Fun game." He responded to your actions.

"It was not at all fair." You pushed and closed the board up when you finished counting off the chess pieces and went off to put it back in respect. "You're far smarter than me and you know it."

"You chose th-"

"Yeah, Yeah. 'I chose the game' and whatnot, I get it." You echoed him in an immature tone of voice, but you'd never deny his intelligence. He technically carried you through physics and math.

He stood up and walked out beside you, hearing the same waiter who served you both give their thanks.

"The last stop shouldn't be too far from here." You were looking at that old crumpled piece of paper you had a while ago.

After just a few minutes, maybe 10, of walking, you found both yourselves in front of a popular convenience store joint that you and Chishiya always went to for a quick lunch or snack break when you were both in highschool.

You lead him to a black bench right across the small store and placed your things down, taking your wallet out your bag.

"Stay here." You smiled before running into the building.

Chishiya stared at the all too familiar black bench. No, he didn't sit, the black bench gave him an overflow of memories when you both hung out here. You and Chishiya would buy anything you both wanted and were able to buy from the store and sit out here, exchanging notes and occasionally jokes. He smiled at the thought.

"I told you to sit!" You pointed at him accusingly as you held a brown paper bag in your other arm. The sounds of the bells on the doors clinged together when you exited the building.

"I was." Chishiya turned his way to you.

"After almost 10 minutes of me being in there? Come on." You chuckled and decided to sit down on the black bench yourself. He followed right after you. "Check out what I got!"

You ruffled your hand into the paper bag with joy, tongue sticking out and biting softly on the muscle. "Boom!" You cheered when you took it out.

It was a small almost medium, cute pink cake - which was his favorite whipped strawberry flavor - with Chishiya's favorite cookies decorated on the outer curve.

You handed it to chishiya with the same dorky smile you had when you were feeding the ducks at the park. He observed the writing on the cake with narrow eyes.

'Hapi'

'You de'

'Congratatulations!!!'

Despite the spelling error, and the very messy writing, you still smiled like an idiot and Chishiya couldn't help but appreciate the fucked up cake. He actually showed you his smile that time.

Can you believe it? Making Chishiya smile 3 maybe even 4 times today?

It made yourself smile even wider that you had to put your chin on your hands.

"You spelled 'Congra-"

"I'm aware of my mistake Chishiya but there's clearly no more room for anymore mistakes on that cake." You pointed at the cake which really did have no more room for anymore icing.

He exhaled with a smile, his way of laughing or chuckling at you genuinely at best, before opening the plastic lid.

"Oh and, if you want anymore of your bland ass cookies, there's more in the bag. Can't understand why you like that crap." You jokingly gave him a cringed look and stuck your tongue out in disgusted exaggeration. But, you got it for him.

"Fork?" Chishiya asked, looking back up at you.

"Oh shit, yeah I forgot." You opened up your sling and pulled out two plastic forks. "I figured that there wasn't going to be any free forks in the store so I decided to bring some."

Handing him one, you were more than ready to eat the cake with him.

As both of you dipped in for the first bite, you both heard the sounds of popping in the sky which caught Chishiya off his guard.

Fireworks were in the sky. All different colors, blending in so well in the night sky.

"Would you look at that." You said in awe through the cake in your mouth. "I wonder who put that there."

"You did something, didn't you?" Chishiya looked at you, unamused but still appreciative. You could tell it through the way how soft his eyes looked. It was much softer and quite happier than usual, and you were proud.

"I may have asked some friends." You shrugged, meeting his gaze.

Both of you had not only the warm light emitting from the convenience store, but the different colors of the fireworks that temporarily glowed on both of your faces.

You thought he looked so pretty in all of the colored sparks of light. You could get used to his eyes if it were like this.

"I'm really happy and proud of you, Chish." You said all full of truth, hitting his shoulder playfully. "You need to hear it sometimes, no?"

"I guess." Chishiya answered with a shrug again, lifting another fork full of cake near his mouth. "Thanks, I think."

You chuckled, finally hearing those words come out of his mouth felt so satisfying to you. You were even sure he never really said it all to anyone. The sparks in the sky continued to flash in the sky all so beautifully. "Don't mention it."

Maybe he could get used to this, having someone like you. It made him feel all warm and proud for once.

[nametakensff]

🧠 if you feel comfortable!!

Thanks, anon! 🥰 I'm comfortable with it dw, I think I'll slap it under a read more because it's NSFW but mostly because it's embarrassingly specific, cheesy and personal haha

🧠 What's a fantasy you have in regard to it?

OK, so, I have imagined myself taking part in a kind of medical scenario where my sexual responses and orgasms are being studied. I'm always lying back on a really comfortable examination table, and a handsome male doctor will basically do anything in his power to get me off, short of fucking me.

He'd use his fingers, various toys, sometimes his mouth, taking note of how many times I orgasm, how strong they are, how close together. He asks me how I'm feeling, to graphically describe it to him, to tell him when I'm going to cum, and he'll praise me and talk me through it or up to it every time. He'll lick his gloved fingers clean after being inside of me, apologise for being unprofessional but getting caught up in the moment, laughing shyly

It deviates into fetish territory at this point, and goes several different ways.

The first is, I tell him about my fetish from the start. In this case, he plays videos and wavs for me, tries to figure out what my body likes the most. Eventually, he'll start to induce for me - first just so I can watch, then on my face, then my cunt, as many times as I need to cum.

Sometimes he figures it out for himself when I cum faster than usual on the days he's having a rough time with allergies or struggling through a sneezy cold. He'll stop trying to hold back and sneeze as much as possible, fascinated by my reactions until he eventually confronts me about it. And from then on, the first scenario applies.

Occasionally I love the idea of a larger group of doctors (all genders) working on me and examining me - the main doctor demonstrates how his sneezing gets me wet and makes me cum, and the other doctors are sure to watch me intently the entire time and take notes on my reactions. Sometimes they'll take turns touching me and sneezing on me, multiple people at a time.

Another variation is that a sexy, mean female nurse will get involved, sneezing all over me and mocking my responses, how perverted I am to cum around my doctor's fingers with her spray all over my face.

So. Yeah. Now you know

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Research projects protect national security assets from space weather

Space weather is a double-edged sword: It's capable of delivering majestic phenomena like the auroras near Earth's poles, but it can also have more alarming consequences with significant national security implications.

In 2014, for example, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, discovered that plasma bubbles connected to space weather partly contributed to communications outages during a major battle in the Afghanistan War, during which three Navy SEALs died.

APL researchers continue to work on applications such as atmospheric models and new sensors and instruments not only to aid in discovering anomalies caused by space weather but also to investigate how to keep critical national security assets safe both in space and on the ground.

"Society has such a dependence on space now," said Ben Estacio, an APL researcher who supervises a team that investigates how space systems can work within the space environment. "Most people don't realize how much of their daily lives rely on space."

The sun's Influence

A powerful solar flare or a coronal mass ejection—events where plasma bursts away from the sun into space and possibly toward Earth—can potentially disrupt power grids, affect railroads or harm astronauts operating in space.

But space weather events can also affect national security in various ways, such as disrupting GPS, radio and satellite communications; affecting radar performance and capabilities; and creating drag on satellites, knocking them off course.

For example, in radio communications, space weather can cause ionospheric scintillation, a phenomenon during which subtle changes in the ionosphere alter how radio waves travel. In some scenarios, radio signals sent at the appropriate frequency typically bounce off the ionosphere. When space weather events occur, those signals can bounce in unexpected directions or escape through the ionosphere.

"If you're broadcasting on the ground through a disturbed ionosphere, other spacecraft may receive radio signals you're trying to send securely," said Bob Schaefer, an APL space physicist.

Space weather events can also lead to a loss of assets and could leave national security capabilities vulnerable. "Strong space weather events can adversely affect one system or a combination of systems," said Pat Dandenault, a physicist specializing in space weather research at APL.

"When that happens, other people can take advantage of critical systems and networks. The ability to forecast these dynamics and the potential impacts of space weather phenomena in near-real time is critical."

Assessing space weather's impact

APL experts have developed a myriad of research areas and applications aimed at helping the Laboratory's sponsors better understand how space weather impacts the nation's assets.

Initiated in 2020, the NASA Center for Geospace Storms (CGS) is developing a holistic, predictive space weather simulation that will estimate how space weather events impact Earth. In April, CGS made this model available for simulations upon request through NASA's Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC).

"The availability of these simulations at CCMC marks a significant step forward, empowering the scientific community to work together toward deepening our understanding of how space weather affects the near-Earth environment," said APL's Slava Merkin, director of CGS.

Multiple APL efforts aim to measure and model space physics properties to specify and forecast ionospheric behavior, uncovering when disruptions in the upper atmosphere might happen and monitoring changes in atmospheric satellite drag conditions caused by space weather. These include:

Special Sensor Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager (SSUSI): A series of APL-built instruments that power more than 20 space-weather-related products in near real-time for the U.S. Space Force to help describe the state of the ionosphere, thermosphere and auroral zone environments

Next-generation Ionosphere Model for Operations (NIMO): A predictive, assimilative model of the ionosphere that can use data from ground GPS receivers, radio occultation from satellites, ionosondes and SSUSI data

OVATION Prime: A predictive model of auroral location, boundaries and energy flux used operationally by the Space Force and NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center

High-Latitude Ionosphere Specification: An ensemble of models that have been combined with data assimilation capabilities to generate detailed, near-real-time ionosphere specifications for use in multiple Department of Defense applications, such as radar systems in the high northern latitudes

Having these resources is especially beneficial to national security sponsors as they troubleshoot and mitigate problems that may impact critical assets, Estacio said. "Understanding if something was done to your spacecraft intentionally or was just the result of natural high-energy particles is a crucial distinction to be able to make."

[koskela-knights]

EEAAO Connections

More meta! We're going on another long feel trip! Having watched AW2 videos, playthroughs, read multiple wiki pages & having watched Everything Everywhere All At Once (+ insightful meta posts and video essays) I see some overlapping themes and messages 👀 General/vague spoilers for the movie & spoilers for AW2 below

CW: mentions of suicide in red

+ additional Koskela feels & thoughts casually sprinkled in <3

--

I'm going off the concept that there are countless possible loops/alternate timelines/multiple universes in AW2. EEAAO obviously deals with the latter: multiple universes where every choice you make branches off into another reality/universe.

Nihilism, breaking the cycle/spiral

One of the main messages the movie conveys is that yes, the universe may not care about us, our actions may and can be insignificant in the big scheme of things. But that doesn't mean we cannot choose love, for ourselves and others. As this post brilliantly pointed out: in the universes where the characters choose nihilism through negative actions and not care about others, they sorta ruin/worsen their own lives. But once the characters choose love and empathy for themselves and others, their lives improve for the better.

You can see similar thoughts reflected in AW2. If we go with the idea that the Shadows in the Dark Place (DP) are past Alan (they even are his 3d model) and perhaps even versions where he kills himself, haven't led Alan out of the DP or the Darkness at all. They're literally dead ends. But only once he begins accepting external help (Saga, Rose and of course Alice) is he able to advance out of the spiral. It's also his love for Alice that keeps him going after all those years.

(Which is a similar point made in this post where the post argues that it's not destruction (parallel/similar to pessimistic nihilism) that can help you break free from the spiral but ascension (//love, support from others))

Choices & love

Now, venturing more into Koskela territory (this is a Koskela love blog after all)

What I loved in the EEAAO is that some characters are aware of these multiple universes and even if not, they long for a universe that exists somewhere else. In this post it's outlined that Waymond, who's a rich successful businessman in one universe, still longs for a domestic "poorer" life with Evelyn, doing simple taxes and having a laundromat business. That's the life the main story's universe takes place in, basically. Just ughh, the idea that gets me that people will choose to be together in every possible universe, or that they'd choose one humble universe over any other version where they might be more "successful" but separate from one another.

And I feel this would apply to the Koskelas too. Those brothers are soulmates. @zephyrone01 said that if Saga could still profile Jaakko after his death, Jaakko would've probably said that he loved Ilmo and didn't regret any of it and <33

The Koskelas would love each other and die for each other but also desperately try to save each other in every loop, every iteration and alternate reality/universe. I've been thinking about what-ifs: what if one of them is aware of the loops, what if they're both aware or subconsciously know what will happen/can happen. They would try to prevent each other from dying. They would and they keep on fighting for each other but also for their town and the people that they clearly love. Ilmo and Jaakko wouldn't put all that money and energy into their various businesses if they didn't believe Watery and its people still have a chance.

@zephyrone01 and I've been discussing many such what-if scenarios. Maybe it would've been easier for them if they just packed their business, aware of how dangerous BF & Watery are, but that's not their way. Even if they know the dangers and the tragic future ahead, they are willing to fight for who they love, what they love and they'll desperately clutch onto the hope that maybe, just maybe the next loop will be different and more positive.

And maybe there's a reality where they left or gave up but other versions of them would be (subconsciously) reminded of these darker futures and realize that staying and fighting has a much better outcome, even if the stakes remain high and one or both might still die as a result. But they would still choose any of those universes where they stay and fight because they have each other and it would've been worth it anyway. Even if the pain of losing the other will be painful and unbearable, it means they loved deeply and cared dearly.

I have so many feelings about the Koskelas man 😭😭😭 I hope this post was somewhat comprehensible and cohesive.

--

So yeah, TLDR: it's corny but love, empathy and compassion are the answer in every universe. Love for yourself and the people around you. It can help you get into the light. Maybe choosing this life is enough even if you don't leave the biggest impact because there are people you care about and who care about you too. And that's all that matters, really.

[foresight-opinion-trading]

What is Video Poet? Unleash Your Creative Potential with Free Text to Video AI !

In the ever-evolving world of technology, Google's VideoPoet emerges as a game-changer in the realm of video generation. As a sophisticated Large Language Model (LLM), VideoPoet is not just a tool; it's a harbinger of a new era in visual storytelling. The Innovation of VideoPoet VideoPoet harnesses the power of LLMs to transform various inputs, such as text, images, and video clips, into high-quality videos. What sets it apart is its zero-shot learning capability, allowing it to produce dynamic, high-motion videos without extensive specialized training. Understanding VideoPoet’s Mechanism At its core, VideoPoet relies on multiple tokenizers to process different modalities - video, image, audio, and text. Each tokenizer, such as MAGVIT V2 for video and SoundStream for audio, plays a crucial role in converting these signals into a language the model understands. This intricate process enables VideoPoet to blend various content forms seamlessly.

VideoPoet’s Versatile Applications From animating still images to applying unique styles to videos, VideoPoet’s applications are vast. It can create videos that fill in missing elements or extend beyond their original scope, offering innovative solutions for content creation. The Future of Visual Storytelling VideoPoet is not just a technological marvel; it's a canvas for creativity. It opens up new avenues in fields like advertising, filmmaking, and digital content creation, where the boundaries of imagination are constantly being pushed. The Technical Breakthrough of VideoPoet Understanding VideoPoet's advanced mechanics offers a glimpse into its extraordinary capabilities. The platform utilizes state-of-the-art tokenizers for each modality it processes. For instance, the MAGVIT V2 tokenizer intricately handles video and images, capturing both spatial and temporal information. This precision is crucial in creating fluid, lifelike videos from static inputs. Similarly, the SoundStream tokenizer revolutionizes audio processing with its nuanced understanding of sound patterns, making the audio-video synchronization in VideoPoet remarkably realistic. Expanding Creative Horizons VideoPoet is not just a tool for creating content; it's a catalyst for creative exploration. Its ability to animate images, style videos, and even repair or expand existing videos opens up a world of possibilities for content creators. Imagine transforming a simple sketch into a full-fledged animated story or restyling a classic film scene into a modern art piece. VideoPoet makes these imaginative scenarios possible. Empowering Content Creators and Marketers In the realm of marketing and content creation, VideoPoet is a game-changer. It offers brands and creators a powerful way to convey their messages more engagingly and memorably. Whether it's for creating compelling advertisements, enhancing social media content, or producing educational materials, VideoPoet provides a platform that amplifies creativity and effectiveness.

Examples that would blow your mind

Text to video Text prompt: Two pandas playing cards

Image to video with text prompts Text prompt accompanying the images (from left): 1. A ship navigating the rough seas, thunderstorm and lightning, animated oil on canvas 2. Flying through a nebula with many twinkling stars 3. A wanderer on a cliff with a cane looking down at the swirling sea fog below on a windy day Image (left) and video generated (immediate right)

Credit: Google Zero-shot video stylization VideoPoet can also alter an existing video, using text prompts. In the examples below, the left video is the original and the one right next to it is the stylized video. From left: Wombat wearing sunglasses holding a beach ball on a sunny beach; teddy bears ice skating on a crystal clear frozen lake; a metal lion roaring in the light of a forge.

Credit: Google Video to audio The researchers first generated 2-second video clips and VideoPoet predicts the audio without any help from text prompts. VideoPoet also can create a short film by compiling several short clips. First, the researchers asked Bard, Google’s ChatGPT rival, to write a short screenplay with prompts. They then generated video from the prompts and then put everything together to produce the short film. Longer videos, editing and camera motion Google said VideoPoet can overcome the problem of generating longer videos by conditioning the last second of videos to predict the next second. “By chaining this repeatedly, we show that the model can not only extend the video well but also faithfully preserve the appearance of all objects even over several iterations,” they wrote. VideoPoet can also take existing videos and change how the objects in it move. For example, a video of the Mona Lisa is prompted to yawn.

Credit: Google Text prompts can also be used to change camera angles in existing images. For example, this prompt created the first image: Adventure game concept art of a sunrise over a snowy mountain by a crystal clear river. Then the following prompts were added, from left to right: Zoom out, Dolly zoom, Pan left, Arc shot, Crane shot, and FPV drone shot.

Ethical and Societal Implications As with any advanced technology, VideoPoet comes with its set of ethical considerations. The ease of creating realistic videos raises questions about authenticity and the potential for misuse. It's crucial for users and developers alike to navigate these challenges responsibly, ensuring that this powerful tool is used for positive and ethical purposes. Looking to the Future VideoPoet is not just a current marvel; it's a stepping stone to the future of digital storytelling. As AI continues to evolve, we can expect even more sophisticated and intuitive tools that further blur the lines between reality and digital creation. VideoPoet is leading the way, showing us a glimpse of the potential that AI holds in transforming how we see, interpret, and create our narratives. In conclusion, Google's VideoPoet stands as a testament to the incredible advancements in AI and machine learning. It's a tool that not only enhances the way we produce and consume video content but also challenges us to rethink the boundaries of creativity and technology. As we move forward, VideoPoet will undoubtedly continue to inspire and revolutionize the landscape of visual storytelling. Read the full article

[iamthedukeofurl]

Okay, here me out Disco Elysium presents the ideal mechanical framework for a Star Trek game. Now, I want to be clear. The resulting game would NOT feel like Disco Elysium, this is a game about controlling a crew of highly competent professionals, not a single amnesiac with poor impulse control. The skill system is straightforwards, representing the various specialties of your crewmembers. The "Skills Talk to you" mechanic is just literal conversations you are having with the relevant specialists about the situation you have encountered.

The Disco Elysium RPG mechanics apply themselves quite nicely to a largely dialogue based game where you want to apply a broad set of skills to a variety of situations. So a dialogue might look like this KLINGON EXILE: Starfleet Scum! You face not an ordinary Bird of Prey. Ever since I was cast out by those honorless dogs on Qu'onos for daring to walk the path of a Klingon Warrior, I have scoured the galaxy for the weapons that will lead the Empire to it's glorious destiny! The destruction of a Federation starship will prove to all Klingons the fruits of my efforts and the Superiority of my designs! Prepare yourselvs for death! You [Empathy, Hard Failure]: This Klingon seems determined to prove his worth in battle. You don't see a good way to convince him this isn't a good idea. Lt Gearhead [Xenotech. Moderate Success]: Captain, scans show that bird of prey is outfitted with highly advanced weapons derived from multiple different technologies. His shields appear unaltered however.

You [Galactic Awareness. Hard Success]: You recall reports of attacks on experimental facilities, quarantine zones, and storage sites across the quadrant. If this klingon was the culprit, he has attacked everyone from the Romulans to the Orion syndicates in order to build his "Perfect Warship". Cmdr Fightsman: [Stellar Combat, Moderate Success]: "Those weapons will blow right through our shields I can't recommend a straight fight". Lt. Gearhead: [Starfleet Systems, hard failure] I could try to reinforce our shields, but I don't know if we could get them back up before the first attack. OPTIONS: 1: Convince the Klingon to seek more worthy prey [Diplomacy: Hard] 2: Attack head on [Stellar Combat, Legendary] 3: Boost Shields to weather the first volley [Starfleet Systems, difficulty unknown] 4: Attempt a fighting retreat until you can reach federation space [Stellar Combat, Hard] 5: Attempt to strike first and catch him off guard [Going Boldy, Hard] 6: Attempt a fighting retreat to lure him into Romulan space [Stellar Combat, Moderate] Now I presented a combat scenario here, but the key to Disco Elysium is that everything is resolved through dialogue. The same mechanics could apply to an ethical dilemma, a science mystery, or a holodeck game. A Star Trek game, especially one that positions you as a captain, should be mainly about talking to people and making decisions, not mechanical execution.

An inherent problem with the Star Trek concept is that any time people want to make movies or videogames about it, they always move away from what Star Trek is about.

Because Star Trek isn't very action focused or cinematic or tactile. They don't even really have guns, they basically fight by aiming laser pointers and just standing there. You're not gonna get sick action shooter gameplay from Star Trek. The best Star Trek episodes are the ones where no combat happens at all.

Because Star Trek wasn't made to be an action movie, or a videogame. Star Trek is a TV show, and everything about it was made for a long-form TV format, and a long-form TV budget. It's about character drama, and politics, and diplomacy, and encountering weird alien shit. It was built for characters making tough decisions, and going on Shakespearean soliloquies.

The only kind of game that would REALLY stay true to the spirit of Star Trek.... Would unfortunately be a Telltale style choose your own adventure game.

[shanto1000]

Critical Analysis

Neiva, E., & Romano, C. (2007). The Semiotic Immersion of Video Games, Gaming Technology and Interactive Strategies. Public Journal of Semiotics, 1(2), 31–49. https://doi.org/10.37693/pjos.2007.1.8819

Semiotics Create immersive experiences and enhance engagement in the games. While Writing my 6th Blog post I found this paper very insightful for Game designers and those who want to be a Game designer or an environment artist. So I decided to do a Critical analysis of this paper and my findings on how impactful it is in games.

The paper reaches inside a receptacle and searches for something into the semiotic and immersive aspects of games, engaging Game theory to explore the interaction between player agency, game design, and the accompanying immersive experience.in short, this paper focuses on some pages that some elements can help game designers build more immersive, more interactive and engaging, and player-centered Gaming experiences for players. 

The author applied concepts such as interactive decision-making and strategic pathing just to establish that video games associate complex decision trees in the same way as economic or biological scenarios. For example, the author mentioned theories by Nash’s and Von Neumann’s to illustrate the depth of strategic interaction between players and AI Systems on Page 32. This approach added depth to the analysis by anchoring the decision in a vast theoretical framework. The author described virtuality and player experiences have a strong connection. Some games like Muscle Car 03 allow players to test their skills in various modes from beginner to competitive scenarios. The author established players' growing competence has a compelling contribution to the games. The author established a statement that gameplay itself most of the time surpasses storytelling. 

On page 36 author discusses the semiotic loop, and explains how game state and player input interact with each other and change player players experiences. The equation G=P/X= Y illustrates the path based on players choice and how it creates a dynamic environment. The author strongly established how to design a system that reacts organically to users' input in the game and creates instinctive Gameplay. Page 39 focused on procedural generation in world-building. The author described it should be designed inside rules so it aligns with the game's objects and story. Because a balance between freedom and structure is critical. And the best example of the design is the Red Dead Redemption 2 Game. where world generated procedurally yet well-established structured environment. In the paper author did 3 case studies on Muscle Car 3, GTA III, and Extreme Board and Blades. And explains that a game should offer multiple gameplay modes to create a challenge for different levels/skills of players. As everyone doesn't play the same way.  Explains interactive world-building acceptable by the player's actions and some critics on the absence of narratives as well. The author established that deep mental involvement in Games sometimes comes from the active player involvement, not from the story or narrative. The Page 48 talks about deep mental involvement as a series of actions. It described that mental connection is operated by the player's ability to act inside the game world and experience results based on their own choices. 

On Page 36, the Author described the semiotic loop through an equation I mentioned above. Where G is the Game State, P is the Player input, X is the Player choice and Y is The new Game state. This topic was discussed with some valuable information which involves the dynamic interaction of signs, user input in games, and games feedback. The core concept was to create a loop where signs in the game interact with the player and based on interaction player performs an action based on the action game system responds accordingly, and it updates the player's state and repeats the process.

Let's understand this with an example, for example, we are developing an open-world racing game that strictly follows all the rules on the road and has AI-driven vehicles that run through the road of the entire world. So here we can add road lights that show when to stop shows to slow down established as signs so players can interact with an encounter based on the sign also like the objects that are placed the way you can easily interact with how to access the object. These signs lead to their strategy to adapt to survive in the game. And the Process repeats with new signs. A few real-world examples are the Witched 3 game. A choice X such as attacking or killing impacts the Game state Y that leads you to the next step of the Game. also like in sandbox Games like Minecraft where P can be defined as changing the environment by mining or building structures, that change the game world which can be denoted by Y and create options for new actions.

For Game design, the equation is a valuable framework that covers all genres and between game mechanics and players' interaction with the game, it optimizes the interplay. The paper claims that signs are very crucial to the gameplay function as the tools for transmission between the player and games. The pape established poorly designed sign can break the flow of smooth gameplay and confuse players and a well-established sign can enhance the player's flow in the game and improve the player's interaction in the game. The concept of a semiotic loop explicitly established that. 

[stupendouspaperfly]

How to Pass the Airline Pilot Written Exam Successfully

Becoming an airline pilot is an ambitious goal that requires extensive training, knowledge, and skill. One of the crucial steps in this journey is passing the airline pilot written exam, which tests your theoretical knowledge of aviation, regulations, and other important concepts. 

Pass the airline pilot written exam successfully

1. Understand the Exam Structure

The airline pilot written exam typically consists of multiple-choice questions that cover various topics such as air law, flight planning, weather, navigation, aircraft systems, and aerodynamics. The questions are designed to assess your ability to apply theoretical knowledge in practical flight scenarios.

2. Use Quality Study Materials

The foundation of passing the exam is choosing the right study materials. Reliable sources such as aviation textbooks, online courses, and practice exams can help you get a deeper understanding of the concepts you’ll be tested on. Resources like the FAA's Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), and commercial prep books specifically tailored to the written exam are highly recommended.

3. Create a Study Plan

A well-organized study plan is crucial for systematic and effective preparation. Allocate time for each subject area based on its weight in the exam and your personal strengths and weaknesses. Stick to a schedule that breaks down your study into manageable chunks, ensuring that you cover all topics thoroughly before the exam date.

4. Take Practice Exams

One of the most effective ways to assess your progress and become familiar with the exam format is to take practice exams. Online platforms and apps offer mock tests that simulate the real exam conditions.

5. Stay Calm and Confident

Test anxiety is common, but staying calm is essential. On the day of the exam, get enough rest the night before, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive at the testing center early. During the exam, take your time to read each question carefully and eliminate obviously incorrect answers before making your final choice.

[technotronixs]

Best GST Software to Learn Practically

In today’s competitive world, practical knowledge is the key to success, especially in the fields of taxation and accounting. Understanding the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system is essential for students, professionals, and business owners alike. But how can you move beyond theoretical knowledge to truly grasp the intricacies of GST?

There are multiple software solutions available that can simplify the process of learning GST practically. For educational institutions, these tools provide an excellent way to teach students GST in a hands-on manner. Additionally, institutions can also use these platforms to offer GST-related services, enhancing their offerings and value

Why Practical Learning is Crucial in GST

GST is not just about understanding laws and percentages. It’s about:

Filing accurate returns.

Managing TDS (Tax Deducted at Source).

Generating invoices that comply with legal standards.

Understanding input tax credits.

Practical learning allows users to:

Apply theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios.

Develop hands-on skills in GST filing and compliance.

Enhance confidence in handling business finances.

Features of the Best GST Software for Learning

Technotronixs has developed a robust GST Simulation Software that is perfect for practical learning. Here’s why it stands out:

eBay-Like Simulations:

Simulate real-world transactions in a controlled environment.

Understand GST implications on various goods and services.

TDS Management Tools:

Learn how to calculate and deduct TDS correctly.

Get practical experience in filing TDS returns.

Student Information System Integration:

Track learning progress.

Access detailed guides and tutorials.

Hands-On GST Filing Practice:

Create and upload GST returns.

Handle errors and corrections just like in real situations.

Institute Earnings Opportunity:

Educational institutions can use this software to generate additional income by offering specialized GST training courses.

Benefits for Students and Institutes

For Students:

Master GST compliance without the risk of penalties.

Gain a competitive edge in the job market.

Build a strong foundation in taxation and financial management.

For Institutes:

Provide value-added courses to attract more enrollments.

Monetize through specialized GST training programs.

Build a reputation as a center of excellence in taxation education.

Why Choose Technotronixs’ Tax Simulation Software

User-Friendly Interface: Designed with students and educators in mind, it’s easy to navigate even for beginners.

Customizable Modules: Tailor the software to suit specific training needs.

Affordable Pricing: High-quality learning at a budget-friendly cost.

Proven Results: Backed by positive feedback from users and institutions.

Conclusion

When it comes to learning GST practically, Technotronixs Tax Software is the ultimate tool. Its innovative features and real-world applications make it the best choice for students and institutions alike. Start your journey to mastering GST today and unlock new career opportunities!

Ready to take the next step? Explore the possibilities with Technotronixs’ Tax Simulation Software and transform how you learn and teach GST.

[savingsuk]

Enhancing your Leadership Skills

 Leadership is a key skill in every industry, especially in finance and technology. As we've seen with StockExchange.EU and various stock market trends, effective leaders can drive growth and innovation in investments. This article will explore how you can enhance your leadership skills to make a genuine impact in these fields.

Why Leadership is Important in Finance and Technology

In the fast-paced world of stock markets and investments, strong leadership can bridge the gap between potential and achievement. Leaders help guide teams through changes and challenges while fostering an environment of trust and creativity. Quote: “The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” — Ronald Reagan

Characteristics of Strong Leaders

To succeed in the finance and technology sectors, you should cultivate based on three important traits: - Visionary Thinking: Great leaders foresee trends and opportunities in the stock market. They understand where the finance landscape is headed and inspire their teams to align with that vision. - Effective Communication: Leaders must convey their message intelligibly. This skill is critical when discussing investments or shifting financial strategies. - Data-Driven Decision Making: Relying on statistics and trends is essential. Making informed choices can significantly improve investment outcomes.

Ways to Enhance Your Leadership Skills

So, how do you boost your leadership skills in the realm of finance and technology? Here are several proven strategies: 1. Continuous Learning Stay current on market trends related to StockExchange.EU and global stock markets. Knowledge is key in finance. Online courses, articles, and workshops dedicate time to educate yourself about the latest technologies and investment strategies. - Resource: Websites like Coursera and LinkedIn Learning offer valuable courses in finance and technology. 2. Network with Industry Leaders Connecting with other leaders helps expand your perspective. Attend industry events, webinars, or join professional associations focused on finance and tech. Relationships can lead to mentorship, advice, and collaboration opportunities. 3. Cultivate Emotional Intelligence Being emotionally intelligent enables you to understand team members better. Listen actively and empathize with their concerns. This leads to a healthier work environment and strengthens team relationships. - Statistic: According to a 2021 study by TalentSmart, emotional intelligence can predict 58% of job performance across various types of jobs. 4. Set Clear Goals Set achievable and realistic objectives for your team. Having clear targets keeps everyone focused and accountable, particularly in stock market operations where shifts can be sudden and costly. 5. Remain Adaptable The stock market and technology worlds change rapidly. Adaptability allows you and your team to embrace new challenges and adjust strategies quickly—critical for effective leadership. 6. Seek Feedback Actively Regularly ask for feedback from your team. Effective leaders encourage open dialogue, making it easier to recognize personal weaknesses and areas for improvement. - Resource: Consider using tools like 360-degree feedback to gather opinions from multiple sources. 7. Read and Analyze Current Trends Stay on top of industry literature, including blogs, journals, and reports related to investments and finance. Apply insights drawn from these resources into your leadership style. 8. Practicing Decision-Making Engage in simulations or case studies. Scenario-based learning helps develop decision-making prowess in high-pressure situations commonly faced in financial markets.

Enhancing your Leadership Skills

The Role of Technology in Leadership

Modern leadership involves embracing technology to enhance efficiency. Use software tools for project management, task delegation, and tracking investment performance. Platforms like StockExchange.EU offer data tools for tracking market movements. Familiarize yourself with frameworks that enhance analysis. Emphasizing Collaboration Proficient finance and technology leaders understand how to cultivate teamwork. Stock market success often relies on different stakeholders working together with a shared goal for optimum investments. Encourage collaboration among team members to improve communication and collaboration.

Conclusion: Enhancing Your Leadership Skills in StockExchange.EU

In the world of Finance and Technology, including StockExchange.EU, leadership plays a significant role in effectively navigating investments and driving growth. By adopting these strategies, you can create a strong foundation for your career and position yourself as a leading figure within the stock market. Whether you’re deepening your knowledge, cultivating emotional intelligence, or embracing tech, enhancing your leadership skills will place you at the forefront of your industry. The stock market is full of opportunities, and strong leaders can turn those opportunities into successful investments! Read the full article

[eduhubspot]

5 Agile courses that could make your Career

The pandemic has forced global organizations to change the way they think and plan. The global scenario saw a major shift and the companies had to re-strategize to survive and stay ahead of the competition. Leading companies are now looking for professionals who have the knowledge and the skill to lead an organization with the Agile approach. Agile project management courses or pmi acp certification can be a sure-shot way to take a lead. 

Upskilling is important, especially in highly competitive industries like software development. Therefore, to stay ahead in the game an individual must constantly improve his skill and knowledge to stay ahead in the game. 

Many Agile certifications are available and it can be quite a task to choose just one. Today, we will discuss 5 Agile courses that could help you climb the career ladder quickly. These courses are high in demand and will also improve your earning potential.  

Let us now have a look at the top 5 Agile Project management certifications -

PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) - It is one of the best courses to obtain an Agile certification. It is beneficial for professionals who want to improve their knowledge about the practical application of concepts and techniques of Agile. It is considered to be a golden standard for assessing competency in Agile concepts. The marketability increases and the since it is a very high-in-demand course there is an increase in professional growth as well. This course covers multiple Agile approaches like Scrum, Lean, Kanban, test-driven development, and Extreme Programming. PMI-ACP certification helps in improving versatility. The PMI-ACP certification is ideal for professionals like Agile coaches, project managers, product owners, and project planners. To maintain this certification, a candidate must, every three years must obtain 30 PDUs or professional development units in Agile topics. A candidate must possess 8 months of Agile experience in the last three years to apply for this course. Other requirements include 21 training hours in Agile practices, a secondary degree, and a year of general project experience in the last five years. And also best practices in this coure you can enroll to EDUHUBSPOT , PMI-ACP bootcamp.

Agile Project Management or Agile PM - This course combines the practices of Agile methodology as well as the principles of project management. The Agile PM certification is globally recognized and proves a candidate's ability to adhere to Agile principles in project management in an Agile-focused environment. This course covers various aspects like how to successfully lay the foundation of an Agile project and also prepares you for the Foundation exam. This course is great for professionals who want to become Agile Project managers and also for those who are practicing project managers. An individual who has passed this course will be able to differentiate between different management styles that are needed for a project within an organisation. He will also be able to adapt better to the constantly changing business environment. He will be able to communicate better and also be flexible to accommodate projects to the timescale and budget. Although, there are no basic requirements for these exams one can appear for the Practitioner exam only after clearing the Foundation exam.

Certified Scrum Master (CSM) by Scrum Alliance - CSM is a Scrum certification that is recognized worldwide. This can help you learn the Scrum framework thoroughly and how to apply its principles in the real world. In an organisation, a Scrum Master is a member who creates a productive environment and helps others understand the Scrum principles effectively. The popularity of this course can be gauged from the fact that almost 1 million plus CSM certifications have been issued by the Scrum Alliance. This course is ideal for program managers, data scientists, HR representatives project managers, IT managers, quality assurance staff, and Scrum team members. In this course, one can learn about the Scrum framework and other aspects like team accountabilities and artifacts. After this course, a Scrum master will also be able to assess any roadblocks that are hindering the progress of the project.

Certified Scrum Product Owner or CSPO by Scrum Alliance - It is a globally recognised Scrum certification in the field of product development and ownership. In the world of product development product owner is a highly emerging job. It is the job of a product owner to decide what valuable product will the team be creating next. This course will not only teach you new ways to learn about your customers to bring value to them but also teach you how to manage several exceptions of different stakeholders at once. This certification can give you a deeper understanding of the business aspect of the project. A CSPO makes the vital decision about what product will be created and ensures that a valuable product reaches the customer. A Certified Scrum Product Owner becomes a part of the global community of Agile practitioners. This means that most companies are looking for certified product owners and a CSPO certification will help with that.

Professional Scrum Master or PSM from Scrum.Org - This is also quite a popular course in Scrum in the field of Agile. It equips the individual with thorough knowledge of the Scrum framework and also its application in solving real-world complexities. The certificate is valued because it requires the candidate to demonstrate practical knowledge of the subject as well. There are three different levels of Professional Scrum Master -

Professional Scrum Master I - People who take this certification have a basic mastery of Scrum. PSM I holders can demonstrate that they have an understanding of Scrum and they can apply Scrum in Scrum teams. 

Professional Scrum Master II - PSM II holds an advanced level of mastery in Scrum concepts. They have a deeper understanding of the underlying Scrum principles. 

Professional Scrum Master III - This is the most advanced level of Scrum mastery. Individuals who have this level of PSM can use their knowledge extensively in various complex organisational situations. 

Benefits of pursuing Agile Certificate courses -

Agile has become the backbone of operations in numerous global organisations. Having an Agile certification will put your multiple steps ahead of your competitors. There are some very clear benefits of pursuing courses in Agile Project management. As a certified Agile project manager, one can deliver consistent value to the stakeholders throughout the project, respond to changes with flexibility, and also be able to communicate with the team and the stakeholders with ease. A certified project manager will be able to manage the daily-stand ups better and since the roles are very clearly defined there is better control over resources like time, cost, and money.