#if anyone has any additional insights feel free to share

[athina-blaine]

Psst. Hey. What do you think Kabru's opinion on Laios' issues with his parents would be?

Gosh, I can barely manage to form my own concrete opinion on Laios' feelings about his parents, much less ascertain Kabru's, haha! After all, Laios says the source of his strained feelings towards his parents is how they treated Falin after her powers manifested, but then again, Falin still regularly writes to them and Laios himself says she wasn't particularly phased by her parents or the village's treatment of her (which is additionally confirmed in the AB). I can't help but wonder how much of Laios' resentment actually stems from how they treat Falin, or if he uses it as a justification to hide how deeply it hurt for him to feel like an outsider. I think this is best supported by how he says he couldn't stand how the village treated Falin, and yet, somewhat paradoxically, says this is the reason why he leaves her behind, which was worse for her than anything the village had done. As with all things, the truth likely lies somewhere in the middle.

Personally, I can't help but feel a lot of the tension between Laios and his father comes from the two of them seeing in each other the parts they don't like about themselves. Ryoko Kui leaves just enough breadcrumbs in the supplemental material to imply Laios' father also has trouble connecting with and taking an interest in the people around him, finding solace in hunting and his dogs, and that could be why he appears to be so standoffish with his family. It's probably especially frustrating for him when Laios falls up short of his expectations because he himself has already run this circuit. I think it's intentional that Laios' father seems to be an alternate version of Laios if he'd never tried to become adventurer, although it's hard to say if Laios had ever picked up on that himself. If they were to ever understand the similarities between them, I think it would go a long way to mend their rift.

As to how Kabru would feel about it, I'm sure he'd recognize how deeply complicated and tangled Laios' feelings would be, considering his own complicated relationship with Milsiril. Coming to terms with your parents' flaws is such a tough pill to swallow, and lord knows it's 10x more complicated with everything going on between Kabru and Milsiril, but Kabru at least seems to have already reached a place where he's made his peace with it, the same as with Falin (which, ugh, Kabru, you are a much stronger person than I am lol). I do feel that he'd want to help Laios mend his relationship with his parents if it's something Laios expressed an interest in doing someday. If nothing else, I feel that Laios' opinion of his father would likely soften over time after having experienced a few stressful years of leadership himself. (I also think Laios' father would more easily come to terms with his own mistakes as a father after seeing Laios surrounded by people who love and accept him for being himself.)

[i-heart-hxh]

kurapika anon back again!! i would love to know more about your thoughts on the troupe not being fully responsible for the death of the kurta.

personally, i see it more as they committed the actual murder, but someone was pulling the strings, whether that be through the pariston/sheila theory, or tserriednich. especially considering they seem to be under the impression that it’s some kind of revenge on the kurta, while the kurta have been peaceful for a very long time by the time they were massacred.

i saw someone on reddit make the theory that the kurta were the ones that caused meteor city to be so broken down to begin with, but that would be so long ago that i think it would be unreasonable for the troupe to still act on it. possibly chrollo was lied to about that being the case? or falsely told that the kurta were planning an attack?

Hi again!

So, I will say that my theories are all a bit vague, more like a bunch of puzzle pieces than a complete picture, but I'll share my thoughts nonetheless! If anyone else has additions or more insight, feel free to add on--there's so much to consider on this topic, and I don't feel like I've considered every single piece of evidence there is out there.

For a long time, I've felt that there's uncertainty around the Phantom Troupe's actions and the Kurta massacre. For one thing, we've never been shown any images of the Phantom Troupe being involved, nor did any characters we know of directly witness them killing the Kurta, and Uvo initially doesn't remember the Kurta when asked about them (he does when he sees Kurapika's eyes, but even then it seems a little odd). The way the Kurta massacre is set up seems intentionally vague all around, which makes me think there are pieces of the puzzle Togashi has been keeping from us.

He remembers enough where it's entirely possible they did do it or at least heard about it in depth, but also remember the Phantom Troupe started out as an acting troupe. It's possible they either a) did it after being given false information or were manipulated into it, or b) took credit for it for some reason even though they weren't involved. I lean more towards a), but b) is also possible.

I also feel like, the Phantom Troupe are clearly not morally upstanding citizens, to put it mildly, but as we've seen them are they truly capable of a full-on intentional massacre of innocent people, including children, for the sake of money/trophies? Most of the violence we've seen from them has been towards mafia and Chimera Ants. I mean, Feitan does torture people as a hobby and Chrollo kills a whole bunch of audience members in his fight with Hisoka, among other examples, so it's not like it's impossible to even consider they would ever do such a thing, but I'm just somewhat skeptical nonetheless.

The Phantom Troupe backstory threw even more uncertainty into the mix for me. Sarasa is a victim in a similar way to the Kurta, and as of yet the jump between where the Phantom Troupe left off in the flashback and the way the Kurta are killed seems strange. It's likely we'll get something more to fill that gap and explain how this development happened in the manga going forward, but, there's just something about it that seems "off" to me. How did this group of people go from wanting to find the murderers of their friend--albeit at all costs, and saying they are willing to become the villains and kill people in order to get revenge--to a group of people who may have murdered 100+ people for the sake of trophies, similar to what happened to Sarasa? That doesn't match their stated aims, and while it's possible they simply became more and more twisted by going down their road of revenge, I feel like there's more to it. It's interesting either way, so if that is the case, I'll accept it, but I feel like we're missing something major.

Note that they're trying to become so fearsome that people stay away from Meteor City and the people can be safer there/not preyed upon, so that would give them a reason to maybe take credit for what happened to the Kurta even if they weren't involved. And again, they started off as an acting troupe...

I also have had a suspicion for a long time that, with the way Kurapika's powers are set up specifically for the Phantom Troupe, he might eventually end up in a situation where, oops, the Phantom Troupe is not his target after all in order to get what he wants! It feels like a very Togashi kind of irony, and will put him in a difficult position.

Tserriednich is shown with a head above his throne in addition to the scarlet eyes, and his nen beast has a child's head inside of it that looks suspiciously like Pairo's. I think it's very possible Tserriednich or mafia surrounding him were involved in the acquisition of the scarlet eyes. It's possible either the Phantom Troupe were baited or manipulated into killing the Kurta in some way (told that the Kurta were responsible for Sarasa's death and the missing children in Meteor City, for instance), or that they took credit for it in order to bolster their own image as fearsome villains in order to reach their aims.

I also feel like Tserriednich is a direct representation of what Kurapika (and to a certain extent, the Troupe too, at least in the past) resents and abhors--the wanton murder of human beings for reasons of aesthetics, trophies, and "art." So to me, it makes sense he would be Kurapika's ultimate antagonist rather than the Troupe, who in a way are weirdly similar to Kurapika, or at the very least started out that way. If Tserriednich was somehow involved with what happened to Sarasa/the children of Meteor City as well (assuming the timeline supports such a thing, and I'm not totally certain it does), it's even possible Kurapika and the Troupe could end up on the same side, both trying to take Tserriednich down.

There's also the question of Sheila... Like I pointed out in this post, I'm very curious about this panel of her turning away from the Troupe and what it means.

I'm not totally sure I buy the Sheila = Pariston theories (though I haven't ruled it out either), but something is up with Sheila for sure, especially because of her appearance later with Kurapika and Pairo before the Kurta massacre. It's possible she lured someone there, possibly not the Phantom Troupe but maybe mafia members instead--maybe the same mafia members who murdered Sarasa? Or maybe she did pass the info to the Phantom Troupe--but it is weird that here she's shown going away from them with such a sad and complicated expression (as if maybe she were involved with what happened to Sarasa in some way), so it seems odd for her to be working with them later.

@subdee did a great post on this topic as well that has some additional thoughts and evidence as well, so I recommend checking that out!

Ultimately, I think there's a lot of doubt and mystery surrounding the Kurta Massacre, and I do feel like the series is setting up the idea of Tserriednich being the final hurdle for Kurapika to take down. There are a lot of possibilities still for exactly what happened to the Kurta and also for what will happen in the future with Kurapika and the Phantom Troupe, but I do feel like we're still missing a few puzzle pieces that will (hopefully) soon become clear. I do think this arc is going to be the end for the major plots of Kurapika, the Phantom Troupe, and Tserriednich, so I'm very curious and excited for how things will pan out!

[i-still-mask-because]

hello! im trying to start masking again, but my family is anti-mask and anti-covid vaccine. theyre not hostile or forceful abt it and i love them regardless but i still get questioned whenever i try to wear one.

to make matters worse i have executive functioning issues that makes it hard to remember so uh. im following u so that i can be reminded to do so more frequently. i really wish i could convince my parents without getting into an argument though.

sry for dumping this on u you dont need to respond if u dont want to

Hey! Thank you for sharing 💛

I'm really sorry to hear you're lacking support from your family. I'm experiencing similar circumstances where my family may not overtly or forcefully try to keep me away from masking, but I can 100% tell they don't think it's reasonable & some may try to debate me about it or try to coerce me out of it. Familial support is so important, so I 100% understand how alienating and rough it can be to be the only one still committed to taking covid safety measures & precautions.

I recommend finding online spaces with other covid-cautious people you can connect with, get support from, and find access to tools & resources (be it through Facebook groups, Discord servers, IG communities, Tumblr communities, etc.). I suggest those especially because they've personally been tremendously helpful for me feeling a sense of community and connection. Bonus if the space is tailored to be a safe space for your specific demographic.

Also, there's this page called How To Talk To Your Loved Ones About Covid, and it's very insightful and thorough. I totally understand how stressful it can be to be put on the spot to as your loved ones' personal public health expert (especially if you can tell they may not be very receptive), so I hope this could give you some useful tips on what you can say when talking to your folks.

If anyone has any additional suggestions or supportive words, feel free to share!

Wishing the best for you anon 😷💛

[sqwintersolstice]

Hello, Swen!

The final steps are upon us. It’s time to put your works in the Swan Queen Winter Solstice collection, so they can eventually be revealed to the fandom! 💜

The deadline for posting your work(s) is midnight EST on January 22nd unless you’ve asked for an extension. (Click HERE to check what time that is in your area.)

Without further ado, let’s do this!

1. HOW TO GET TO THE COLLECTION

To start, head directly to the collection by clicking HERE, and then hit the Post to Collection button to submit a work to it.

If you have participated before in similar events, then feel free to skip the rest of this tutorial and create your work in the collection (the only exception might be if you’re posting a video, because we have a special formatting we’ve provided for displaying them on mobile. You might want to check it out in section 6.3).

2. TAGS SECTION

The first section that will show up when you create a new work is the Tags section. Here you will add information about your creation: Rating, Archive Warnings, Fandom, Category, Relationships, Characters, and Additional Tags. It will look similar to the image below:

The Rating and the Archive Warnings are very important steps, so please make sure they are accurate to your work. Make use of any of the options for Archive Warnings that might apply, keeping in mind that ‘No Archive Warnings Apply’ should only be used in case none of the others such as ‘Graphic Depictions of Violence’ or ‘Underage’ appear in your work. Otherwise, if you’re trying to avoid spoiling your plot for any reason, ‘Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings’ is a good option.

In Fandoms, you could add another besides Once Upon a Time (TV) if your work has a crossover; in Relationships, and Characters, feel free to add any others that might appear in your work besides Emma and Regina in case they’re crucial to the plot.

Additional Tags can include anything you feel might also apply to your creation, and that also might help people search for it. 

If there are any specific warnings you’d like to clarify, add them in. Is your plot set in an alternate universe? Or maybe it includes bed sharing? Are they being idiots in love? (Always.) Maybe they’re trapped together? Is there lots of fluff? Mutual pining? Angst? (Well, now that would be a plot alright.) 

Just don’t add too many to avoid overwhelming anyone, of course.

3. PREFACE SECTION

Now, to introduce your work to people. How will it be named and remembered? Here’s more or less how the preface section will look like once you’ve filled it in:

In your Work Title, you name your creation. In Add co-creators, you add the name of your collab creator in case you have one. You put your Summary in its text box, explaining some of your plot — for writers and artists both, we recommend not leaving your summary blank! It gives a bit more insight into your work.

Specifically for artists — in the title, adding [Art], [Fanvid] or [Fanart] to the end of your title helps make it recognizable in the collection. (An additional tag with the same thing wouldn’t hurt, too!)

After that, we have Notes. You can have them at the beginning by checking the little box, or at the end (or both!). The first one is a good place for you to thank betas, cheerleaders, explain a bit about your idea, inspirations; while the second one can be another place to thank everyone, talk a bit more about your process, and remind everyone that comments are very very welcome.

If your work has multiple chapters, we recommend not marking ‘at the end’ for now unless you’d like for the same note to appear at the end of every chapter!

4. ASSOCIATIONS

Firstly, please check that SQWinterSolstice3 is still there in Post to Collections / Challenges — if you clicked directly on the link beforehand, it should be. If you don’t see it, type it in and you should be good to go.

It’s possible to Gift this work to someone, too. You could gift it to your beta, cheerleader, or just a friend. Just type in their AO3 name.

This work is a remix, a translation, a podfic, or was inspired by another work — you can mark this if you worked with another creator. Just get the work’s URL from your collab partner, paste it in its box and AO3 will do the rest.

This work is part of a series — in case you’re writing multiple works set in the same universe, for example, you can mark this and create a series. Otherwise, feel free to skip it altogether.

This work has multiple chapters — as seen in the image above, when you mark the option you can type in the amount of chapters your work has, as well as name your first chapter. If your work does not have multiple chapters, just leave it unmarked.

Set a different publication date — do NOT mark it just yet! Once you receive your email with your reveal date, we will provide further instructions about this and when to change the date. If you set it to something different now, your work won’t show up at the beginning of the SQ tag once it’s revealed, so leave it alone for now.

Choose a language — select English and that’s it!

Select work skin — if you have worked with HTML/CSS before and have customized something for your work, select your work skin here. If not, leave it blank, or refer to 6.3 in case you’re posting a video.

5. PRIVACY SECTION

This section is completely up to you. While ‘Only show your work to registered users’ and ‘Only registered users can comment’ might limit mean comments, they can also make it harder for people to comment in general. ‘Enable comment moderation’ means you’ll have to approve comments before they show up on the page, so it’s a more viable option. Consider what’s best for you.

6. WORK TEXT SECTION

Here is where you place your work. 

6.1 — Fics; 

6.2 — Fanarts, fanmixes etc; 

6.3 — Fanvids.

6.1. FICS

While you can use the HTML editor, we recommend switching to the Rich Text editor so you can directly paste your story from Word or Google Docs. Otherwise, your fic might lack spaces between each paragraph, making it harder to read. Most of the basic formatting will be retained from the original, such as bold, italics, paragraph division, etc so please make sure to change to Rich Text before pasting your work.

If everything worked so far and feels correct, please refer to item 7.

6.2. FANARTS, FANMIXES ETC

Also using the Rich Text editor like shown above, to add an image click on Insert/edit image:

This is what will pop up once you do:

In Source, AO3 asks you to paste in the url of your work. There are a few options to get one. The easiest one is to post it privately on your Tumblr, grabbing the url from it. Please remember that anywhere you post it to get this url has to be private, since it hasn’t been revealed yet. Your URL has to end in .png, .jpg, .gif to be valid. AO3 also provides a few alternatives, if you want to check it out.

Next, we have Image description. Here you’re able to describe your work for people who use screen readers.

For Width and Height, leave it blank for now and see how your image looks posted before altering it. If it looks fine for all screens, then you don’t have to change it.

You might have to write something in the text box in order to have the image show up.

If everything worked so far and feels correct, please refer to item 7.

6.3. FANVIDS

Remember: your video has to be set to private until its reveal date! The following tutorial works for Youtube videos. It might not work if you’re posting it elsewhere.

If you head to your video, you’re able to click on Share and then Embed and copy the code for your video. While pasting that code on the HTML editor on AO3 works fine, it leaves it badly displayed on mobile. For this reason, we found a code from pigalle that embeds a youtube video and scales it correctly for any smaller screens.

It may be a few extra steps, but it does look a lot nicer for mobile viewers.

The first step is to create your own work skin so you’re able to apply it to your work. (You might have to save your work first as a draft in order to have your work skin showing up as an option to choose from. It’s necessary to refresh the page so the work skin shows up.)

So, to create your work skin, head over to your profile on the top right, then click on My Dashboard.

There, click on Skins, then on the button My Work Skins, and, last but not least, Create Work Skin.

Next, in the About section you can fill it in with any Title you’d like, as long as the Type is set to Work Skin. The description, preview and apply to make public options are not necessary, so you may skip them.

Now, for the CSS part. The CSS is what sets the properties and values and decides how the HTML will look like. What matters is just pasting the code below in the box. You don’t have to alter it, just copy and paste it:

#workskin .mobilevideo {

position: absolute;

top: 0;

left: 0;

width: 100%;

height: 100%;

}

#workskin .videoscale {

position: relative;

height: 0;

padding-top: 56.25%;

}

#workskin .videocontainer {

max-width: 100%;

width: 560px;

}

After that, just click on Submit, and that will mean your Work Skin has been created!

Back to your work, in the Associations section, Select Work Skin should have your recently created one as an option. Remember that you might have to refresh the page for it to show up, so make sure to save it as a draft first so you don’t lose any changes you made.

And then, in the HTML editor of your work, paste the code below:

<center><div class="videocontainer"><div class="videoscale"><p><iframe class="mobilevideo" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VIDEO ID HERE" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div></div></center>

Then, when you go to your video on Youtube, grab the ID portion of it like the one highlighted below:

Simply copy and paste that into the code where it says VIDEO ID HERE, like shown in the picture below as an example:

If everything worked so far and feels correct, please refer to item 7.

7. POST SECTION

And that’s it! Please double-check if everything is correct, though you’ll be able to edit it later. If you’d like to take a look at it first, click on Preview. If you’re confident about it, just click on Post.

If you’ve clicked on Preview, it will show how your work looks like on AO3. If something’s amiss, go back to the previous page by clicking on Edit. If it’s good to go, just click on Post — it’s the only way to have it be submitted to the collection, otherwise we won’t receive it.

7.1 HOW TO ADD CHAPTERS AND EDIT YOUR WORK

If your work is one with multiple chapters, or you’d like to make it one, on top of the posted work you’ll find several buttons. Clicking on Add Chapter or Edit will provide you with the option to create a new chapter for your work.

In case it only has one chapter and you’d like to edit it, just click on Edit and you should find the same page from earlier. Simply scroll down until you get to the Work Text section, and then click on the Rich Text button to edit your work.

8. HOW TO FIND YOUR WORK LATER

Once your work is posted as a Mystery Work, you can bookmark the page on your browser — the url will not change after it’s been revealed. It’s the easiest way to not lose track of where your work is and edit it later.

But don’t worry! If you lost your work’s url, there are a few ways to get the url and save it.

On your dashboard on AO3, there is an option on the sidebar that says WORKS. From there, you can either click EDIT WORKS (which displays all your works) or WORKS IN COLLECTIONS (which displays all your works currently in a collection). Either option will show you your unrevealed work.

-----------

There we go! Now you’re all set. Thank you so much for submitting your work!

We will be emailing you your reveal date(s) soon, so don’t worry if you hear someone has already gotten it and yours hasn’t arrived yet. In the email you’ll have more details on what to do for your reveal day, so please make sure to check your email so you don’t miss it!

If you have any questions, please contact us at sqwintersolstice@gmail.com preferably, or on Twitter @SQWintrSolstice.

Sincerely,

Swan Queen Winter Solstice Mods

[bigtreefest]

Your writing inspires me and I've a lot of ideas for fics and such just swimming in my head, but I ain't able to put anything on paper, and I really just wanna share my thoughts with the world.

Ya got any tips?

Hi, nonnie! Thank you so much! I can’t believe what I share is so inspiring and I’m so happy you want to write! Idk if I have tips, but I can give you an example of what writing can look like? I guess my mechanism of action could be the equivalent of a tip.

To give some insight to my process, it usually starts with swirling thoughts in my head. It’ll be a certain scene or a line of dialogue, so I write it down as soon as I can so I don’t forget it.

From there, as the thought continues to tumble, I get more details that are thrown in, so I write those in, too, which helps the story start to take form. This is sentences instead of fragments, and actual interactions or thoughts or movements of the character.

Then I start to think about how they got there, where they’re going from this one moment I was able to think up. That gets written down, too. It doesn’t have to be pretty, or have perfect grammar, but anything you deem worthy of note should be put down. Sometimes, you have multiple scenes you want in the same fic, but they’re written in different places. I combine them and shift them around for the order of events I intended to get a rough draft. Then I go through and proofread and add more details- facial expressions, sounds, setting pieces. I probably proofread like two more times, make sure it says what I was trying to, then will post.

For an example, in my first Jake fic, ‘Touch My Butt,’ I literally only started with the title. I knew I wanted an awkward Jake, who was afraid of pushing things too far. Then I asked, ‘okay, why is he afraid?’ That came with, maybe he accidentally said something that could’ve been taken the wrong way when they met. And then that led to ‘well, how did they meet? What exactly did they do?’ And the fic spiraled from there. Once you start to get into writing a certain idea, the words will flow, you just have to start somewhere and be alright with the choppy beginnings. That’s where the hard effort is, then the additions are easier.

The biggest thing overall is, don’t be afraid to make mistakes or take as long as you need to post. Writing takes time and practice. The first thing you post might not be great, mine sure as heck wasn’t, but I look at what I write now and what I wrote then and I’m astounded by the growth. And I m sure the same will happen when I look back in the future.

In summary, start with the thoughts you have and put them down. They don’t have to be pretty. Then fill in the gaps from there. Make sure all the details that were in your mind have a way to fit in and then proofread.

Anyone else who has tips, feel free to add!

[pos-syscourse]

Hope this ask isn’t too intrusive, just looking for advice.

I’m really bad at internalizing stuff , to the point where it’s near impossible separating myself from my emotions. How do I get a grip on them and not let them control me too much?

Not intrusive at all! I hope I can help.

Emotions can be really overwhelming sometimes, taking control of us and influencing our actions. The thing is, we can’t just push them away; emotions are there for a reason. The only way to have them properly pass is to feel them.

There’s a phrase I’ve heard and used called Riding The Wave. You have to ride the wave of the emotion and pass to the other side, letting the wave peak, and then slowly subside.

The way I’ve been working on this may not work for you, but it works well for me:

Identify that you are heightened.

Identify the emotion.

Identify the cause.

Determine next steps.

Ground and feel.

Follow-through on next steps.

Move on and return to the feeling later.

Here’s an example:

Yesterday, my partner said something and I felt really angry. I stopped, and paused, and breathed. I thought for a second and realized I was feeling angry, but under that feeling, I felt ignored. I felt ignored because they had waved their hand after I said something, and moved on without acknowledging it, because we’d both been having trouble communicating. So to fix that feeling, I needed to do something to clarify what I’d meant, which I knew my partner would listen to, because I know my partner values my insight and additions. I determined that showing them the inside of a closet I’d been talking about would help clarify. I took a deep breath and sat with my anger for a second longer, before thinking, “being angry isn’t the solution to my feeling; I need to show my partner the closet to feel better right now.” It also helps that I’ve rehearsed a saying: “My anger was justified in the moment, and now, thank goodness the moment has passed.” I didn’t need to be angry any longer because I identified how I felt. Then, I showed them the closet, and explained what I meant.

Now, in the actual moment I’m describing, my anger didn’t control me, but I think that’s because I’ve done so much work on this already. I didn’t slam the closet door open, or yell, or say something mean. I’ve done a lot of work on trying to regulate my emotions and learn them.

That also doesn’t mean I don’t get controlled by them sometimes! My depression makes me do and say hurtful things sometimes, particularly toward myself. But the above steps have helped me make so much progress.

And as always; never let the guilt you feel for how you’ve acted over your emotions also control you. I’ve done things in my emotional states that I have felt incredibly guilty for. I’ve even physically hurt my partner in the past, in moments I can barely remember because I was so deep in a state of trauma. But feeling guilty about it doesn’t help to process and change my behaviors, and changing my behavior is the only way to ride the wave of that guilt.

Good luck out there! Emotions are tough, but you’re not alone in that journey. And if anyone else has tips for how to process emotions, feel free to share :)

[ninjasmart]

Hi Ninja! How does one go about finding out the answer to "Why am I here?" I was born and raised to adulthood in Southeast Asia and met my American future husband by happenstance as he was in my country. When our eyes met, I felt an electric zing go through me. Against all odds, I ended up in the US, married and with kids and pets. I have no doubt that I was meant to be here in the US. I just wonder why. I wish I could say I get downloads when I'm asleep -- I forget my dreams so if I do get downloads, I don't remember them. 😔 I'm in my 50's now, and I'd like to at least spend the rest of my life actually in alignment to my purpose here. Any insight you can provide will help. Thanks, Ninja!

This is the Nth time I try to write this answer. I'll try to say as much as possible and as little as possible and yet help you in your search.

We all have a mission. It is a vague, all encompassing one. And at the same time we all have one more mission which is Sub mission of the Big mission and is very specific.

To uncover your mission you need to go to the akashic field, to the place and time where you agreed on your mission. An akashic reader or a psychic can help with that.

Caution. You will get the generic mission, the mission you share with your monad - with the others who have similar mission as you.

For example, mine is: to bring people back to their connection with source.

That mission can be fulfilled in many different ways. Plenty of things you can do to fulfill your mission and they may not even look like they are connected to it.

For example, I have an online school with the best of the best of curriculum. Some of my students are with special needs - those whose light the cruel and intollerant society that we live in tries to squash. I bring them hope for a fighting chance when they grow up and I want to help more of them.

The generic mission - you cannot fail at it. You and your creator have designed your life in such a way that you are helpful. The more connected you are to your Higher Self and to Source the better. But even if you are failing with your connection to your God, you cannot fail. You've already agreed how Source will nudge you back into the right direction.

The very specific mission is what many people feel anguish at not achieving .

This is a very specific mission and it cannot be told to you by anyone else but your Higher Self or Source. So you need that connection.

That mission has nothing to do with that you do and everything to do with who you are. It has everything to do with the types of people you attract in your life and how youinteract with them.

I'll give two additional pointers to this mission. A mission of a father could be that he suffers and through his suffering his childen do not.

A mission of a mother can be to be the best influence to her grandchildren or greatgrand children. She may fail miserably as a mother. Doesn't matter. He children can be very fallible human beings. Doesn't matter. If her mission is to suffer having difficult children so that they bring forth the grandchildren who will change the world for the better - she's one awesome soul. And not to be blamed.

Another pointer. If at some point you do receive the exact details of your specific mission you will be given a choice. You have the free will to choose the mission or say that it is too much for you. If you feel that it is the latter - the incarnation will end quickly.

People who cruise through life, not knowing what their life's mission is, they are not internally happy but the Divine is extremely patient and lets them, like willow children, play and learn and eventually come back to what they are here for. If that is way too late, it is their choice. Next time they can choose a lot more challenges at the start of life in order to grow as divine consciousness, part of the Whole, and individualised in itself.

But those who find the tuest of all missions and how much struggle it entails, they need to choose and the timeline for choosing is not too long. Few months to half a year.

Those who DO choose to go through with their mission, they need to NOT tell it to anyone. This is time of intense work with The Divine, The Higher Self, The panteon of Gods and Goddesses. This is the time to humble oneself and Serve humanity. And this is the time to not do Your Plan but The Plan of The Divine.

Hope that helps.

One more thing that I wanted to share. Read stories about the lives of others - famous or not. If a story clicks - something in your soul connects with the mission of that soul. Pay attention to those.

For example, I love, love the story of Ahinora, Cleopatra the 8th, sister. She was feisty, resourceful and courageous. She fought for her empire, she was genuinely liked. Unlike Cleopatra who was a psychopath, lost in a sheer gamble the entire empire, and she and her offspring did not get the respect and adoration she wanted. She "wrote history" by being overly dramatic in her choice of lovers and of death but she "remained" famous only because she unalived her sister before she could ascend the throne, the entire Egypt was gifted to the roman empire due to the utterly incompetent ruler and the Roman Empire prefered the "union of lovers" and "Egypt loves the Roman Empire" fairytales to the: that B unalived her entire family and then lost the empire because she wasn't as smart as the fold tales claim that she was.

[wutheringmights]

Oh yeah don’t dox yourself!! I hope it didn’t sound intrusive, I was just curious :)

You went to university for creative writing then? That’s cool!! I thought of doing that out of highschool but I’m in a gap year right now. I don’t think I can trust myself to write anything creative that I’m actually proud of in a structured setting (ik that sounds yikes, gotta get out of my wimp era eww). So I just watch free video lectures 😭 But do you recommend it?

Well, I hope you leave a door, but if not, your writing has still left me (and loads of ppl I’m sure) with a lot to think about regardless :)

Aww thank you, you're very sweet. And you weren't being intrusive at all! It's actually really nice to know that there's anyone out there who wants to see more of what I can do!

I actually didn't major in creative writing, but I did do a series of fiction writing workshops at my first college and an additional workshop at my transfer university. My transfer university had a creative writing contest and a literary journal, which is where I was published. So it's not the most prestigious achievement, but it is something under my belt, I guess.

Fiction writing workshops really are a mixed bag.

The best part of a workshop is how it forces you to get used to critiques, which is really valuable if you base your self-worth around being a good artist. There is no better way to separate your self worth from your art than having to get used to people talking smack about it. Plus, critiquing other writers helps you to develop the ability to read like a writer and self-edit yourself.

But none of the workshops I did taught me how to write. For reference, I did workshops both at a liberal arts school (which was a mistake) and at a state university (the course was framed as an intro course, but was really just a fun elective). All of the workshops technically had a lecture series for the first half of the class centered on learning the craft, but I didn't learn anything new from them.

Another issue with workshops is that the value of the critiques depends on how good the rest of your class is. In an intro class that is a fun elective at a state school, the critiques are pretty worthless. The critiques for the workshops at the liberal arts school were helpful, but you are also going to be up against self-proclaimed artistes who have the strangest and most pretentious "Golden Rules of Writing" you will ever hear.

Honestly, the best way to improve your writing is to just write and be critical of your own work. If you write consistently and are open to admitting where you are weak, you will get better. It certainly took me a long, long time to start feeling like I was good at writing, and I've been writing most every day since I was 13.

If you decide to go college and want to be involved in a workshop, skip the classes and see if there is a writing club on campus. The club will probably have an informal workshop where you can share and get critiques from people who have a passion for writing just like you do. If the club is anything like the one I went to, it'll be filled with people from a variety of disciplines who will have more valuable insight than any Artiste Writer can give you. Plus, you can make a lot of great friends.

[greetings-fiends]

goal info from the first GFM in the post to the last one on the List in the google doc link:

€130,072/€159,000 - They're getting really close!

$88,758 CAD raised of initial campaign. they have a new campaign going at $21,800/$50,000 CAD here's the link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/mynfqy-help-us-rebuild-our-lives-after-the-tragedy-in-gaza

$90,909 raised of this campaign. there is a different campagign for Lama's family at $10,765/$100,000 [really low!]. based on the inital campaign link there might be other campaigns for her family still, but i'm not certain. here's the link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-lamas-family-rebuild-their-lives, as well as the link to her instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lama_jamous9/

€132,710/€150,000 - They're getting really close!

€140,127 raised of the initial campaign. there are no updated posts on the fundraiser, so i'm uncertain of what that means for the deactivated campaign. the last donation was 6 days ago. if anyone has any insight here, please share.

€145,634/€150,000 - They're REALLY close to their goal!

$96,026/$160,000 CAD - They're getting there! help them get to $97,000! [last donation 6days ago]

$42,368/$54,000 CAD - They're getting closer! [last donation was 2days ago]

From the google doc List:

£25,983/£50,000 - they're getting there!

€70,318 raised of the initial campaign. uncertain of what that means for the family. i will try to find out and update this post with that information. if anyone else has insight, do share.

$40,987/$40,000 - they made it to their goal! the campaign is still open for additional funds and buying product while still stuck in Gaza, feel free to donate to help them out more. [last donation 4days ago]

€22,533/€45,000 - they're getting there! there's recent updates for what they've used the money for so far. let's get them to 23,000!

$15,287 CAD raised of the initial campaign. while the campaign has no news of her afterward, I have reason to believe she made it out and reunited with her brother by looking up her name in GFM and finding this campaign: (https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-ahmad-to-live-and-to-fulfill-his-dreams) I will update the post if this isn't correct.

$28,911/$40,000 - they're getting closer! lets get them to $30,000! [last donation was 9days ago]

£13,872 raised of the initial campaign. There's no update to the page so I'm not sure what the end result was. if you have any insight, do share.

$28,744/$50,000 - they're getting there! but not very fast, last donation was 24days ago. there's information for how they've used some of the money. please donate if you can.

£14,013/£40,000 - they're getting there! let's get them to 15,000! [last donation was 18hrs ago and before that 1day]

$37,438/$50,000 CAD - they're getting closer! there's updates from last month on the page. [last donation was 5days ago]

$27,761/$145,000 CAD - they've got a long way to go! there's a video as the cover for this campaign and an update made in May. [last donation was 2days ago]

12th on the list was the same link as the 2nd link on the list

€22,640/€100,000 - they're getting there! let's get them to 23,000! [last donation was 21hrs ago]

€101,329/€115,000 - They're getting close! help them keep going!

$44,614 raised of the initial campaign. donations have since been disabled and the last donation was 4months ago. i'll update this with information if i get any.

$124,825/$190,000 CAD - They're getting closer to their goal! help them get to $125,000! donations have significantly slowed down, please help them if you can. [last donation was 8days ago and before that 18days]

£16,054/£50,000 - they still have a ways to go! last update on the page was August 12th. please donate if you can. [last donation was 9hrs ago]

$60,233/$100,000 CAD - they're just over halfway but they still have a long way to go! and the campaign has lost some traction so please consider donating. [last donation was 4days ago]

$278,770 CAD raised of the initial campaign. that's a lot of money so i have high hopes. but the campaign was for helping "Prince" as a nurse in Gaza. i've sent a message through his gofundme. i'll update this post if i get any response.

And that's that for the linked list! i'll try to keep tabs on this post but do look into any of these active campaigns to help these families. or reblog so more people have access to them. thank your for your time.

Feel free to reblog and add more sources of Gazan families and individuals who could use the help.

Families In Gaza Who Need Your Help:

[masud14541]

The Secret Link Between Style And Confidence

In this solo episode of House of Style, Grant Alexander explores the secret connection between style and confidence, discussing how personal style goes far beyond fashion and can be a powerful tool to boost confidence in all aspects of life. Many people think of style as simply the clothes they wear, but in this episode, Grant reveals how aligning your outward appearance with your inner identity can transform how you feel about yourself — and how others perceive you.

Grant shares insights into cultivating a personal style that reflects your true self can naturally build confidence. He explains how embracing authenticity in how you present yourself makes you feel more comfortable in your own skin and projects confidence to the world around you. Whether it’s in your professional life, social interactions, or even in casual settings, style can serve as a visual representation of who you are and what you stand for.

This episode goes beyond fashion, as Grant emphasizes how style connects with your mindset, attitude, and daily habits. From posture and body language to choosing outfits that align with your personality and values, Grant breaks down the small, intentional choices that can greatly impact your overall confidence.

He also touches on the power of first impressions and how to use style as a form of nonverbal communication. Whether you’re stepping into a meeting, attending a social event, or just going about your day, Grant explains how the right style choices can help you feel more empowered and ready to take on any challenge. Confidence, after all, is contagious — and when you feel good about your style, it radiates to everyone around you.

In addition, Grant shares personal anecdotes about how his style journey has shaped his confidence, from the outfits he chooses to how he carries himself in different settings. He provides actionable tips for listeners to align their style with their personal goals, including breaking free from external pressures and trends that don’t serve them.

This episode is perfect for anyone looking to explore the deeper connection between style and confidence, especially for those who might feel unsure about how to build a personal style that reflects their true self. By the end, you’ll better understand how embracing your style can lead to greater self-assurance, success, and authenticity in all areas of life.

Tune in to find out how style can be the key to unlocking your complete confidence and learn practical steps to start building a personal style that supports who you are and where you want to go. Whether you’re new to the concept of personal style or looking to refine your approach, this episode offers valuable insights into why style isn’t just about clothes — it’s about showing up as your best self, every day.

See more of Grant on:

Instagram: instagram.com/grantalexandr

TikTok: tiktok.com/@grantalexandr

Key Takeaways:

 • How personal style and confidence are deeply connected

 • The role of authenticity in building a confident style

 • Practical tips for aligning your style with your identity

 • Why style is a form of non-verbal communication

 • Personal stories and insights from Grant’s own style journey

[marketgroup]

 Unlock Your Trading Potential with Market Expert Group

The forex market can be daunting, especially for those new to trading. However, with the right guidance and tools, anyone can navigate this complex landscape and achieve significant success. Market Expert Group is here to provide you with the essential forex signals that can transform your trading journey.

How Forex Signals Can Make a Difference

Forex signals serve as essential tools for traders, offering insights into market conditions and potential trading opportunities. Here’s how Market Expert Group’s forex signals can make a difference:

1. Reduce Risk

Forex trading inherently involves risk. However, our expert signals can help you manage and reduce these risks. By relying on our well-analyzed signals, you can make more calculated decisions, minimizing potential losses.

2. Save Time

Analyzing the forex market requires a significant amount of time and effort. With Market Expert Group, you can save time and focus on executing trades. Our team does the heavy lifting for you, providing you with precise signals ready for action.

3. Improve Accuracy

The accuracy of forex signals is crucial for successful trading. Our signals are derived from rigorous market analysis, ensuring high accuracy. This precision can significantly improve your trading outcomes, leading to more profitable trades.

4. Stay Informed

The forex market is influenced by various factors, including economic news, political events, and market sentiment. Staying informed about these factors is essential. Our signals come with detailed analysis and context, helping you understand the market better and stay ahead of the trends.

5. Enhance Strategy

Every trader has a unique strategy. Whether you’re a day trader, swing trader, or position trader, our signals can be integrated into your existing strategy. This enhancement can lead to more effective and efficient trading.

Why Market Expert Group?

1. Comprehensive Support

Our support doesn’t end with providing signals. We offer comprehensive support to our clients, ensuring you have all the information and assistance you need to make the most of our signals.

2. Education and Resources

In addition to signals, we provide educational resources to help you understand the forex market better. This knowledge can empower you to make more informed decisions and refine your trading strategy.

3. Community Access

Joining Market Expert Group means becoming part of a community of traders. This community can offer additional support, insights, and shared experiences that can be invaluable in your trading journey.

4. Competitive Pricing

We offer competitive pricing for our forex signals, ensuring that you get the best value for your investment. Our goal is to make high-quality forex signals accessible to all traders.

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Join Market Expert Group Today

Ready to take your trading to the next level? Join Market Expert Group today and experience the benefits of our expert forex signals. Visit us at [marketexpertgroup.com](https://marketexpertgroup.com) or call us at +91 7389334331 to get started. Let’s transform your trading journey together.

Contact Us

For any queries or additional information, feel free to reach out. Our team is always ready to assist you in making the most of your trading experience.

Happy Trading and Best Regards,

The Market Expert Group Team

[marketexpertgroup.com](https://marketexpertgroup.com)

+91 7389334331

[productiveandfree]

Mindful Team Building Events: Professional Facilitation for Enhanced Awareness and Collaboration

Fostering strong connections and effective collaboration among team members is crucial for the success of any business or organization. Traditional team building activities often involve trust falls and rope courses, but there’s a growing trend towards a more mindful approach. Enter mindful team building events, where professional facilitation helps teams cultivate awareness and collaboration in unique and impactful ways. Let’s delve into what these events entail and why they’re gaining popularity.

Understanding Mindful Team Building

So, what exactly does it mean to have a mindful approach to team building? Well, it’s all about being present in the moment and fostering a deeper understanding of oneself and others. Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, are incorporated into team-building activities to encourage participants to slow down, tune into their thoughts and feelings, and develop empathy and understanding.

 The Importance of Professional Facilitation

While anyone can lead a trust fall exercise, facilitating mindful team building events requires a certain level of expertise. Professional facilitators are trained to create a safe and supportive environment where team members feel comfortable exploring their thoughts and emotions. They guide participants through activities and discussions, ensuring everyone has a voice and that insights gained are translated into actionable strategies for collaboration.

 Enhancing Self-Awareness

One of the primary goals of mindful team building is to enhance self-awareness among team members. When individuals understand their own strengths, weaknesses, and communication styles, they can better navigate interactions with others. Through activities like mindfulness meditation and reflective journaling, participants gain insights into their thought patterns and emotional responses, helping them develop a greater sense of self-awareness.

 Cultivating Empathy and Understanding

In addition to self-awareness, mindful team building events also focus on cultivating empathy and understanding among team members. Through exercises like perspective-taking and active listening, participants learn to see situations from different viewpoints and appreciate the experiences and feelings of others. This fosters a sense of connection and mutual respect within the team, laying the foundation for effective collaboration.

 Improving Communication

Effective communication is essential for any successful team, and mindful team building events can help improve communication skills in a meaningful way. By practicing mindful communication techniques, such as speaking with intention and active listening, team members learn to communicate more clearly and authentically. This reduces misunderstandings and conflict, leading to smoother collaboration and better outcomes.

 Building Trust and Psychological Safety

Trust is the bedrock of any healthy team dynamic, and mindful team building events are designed to strengthen trust among team members. Through vulnerability exercises and team bonding activities, participants learn to open up and support one another in a non-judgmental environment. This creates a sense of psychological safety where team members feel comfortable taking risks, sharing ideas, and expressing their true selves without fear of criticism or rejection.

Fostering Creativity and Innovation

Mindful team building events can also spark creativity and innovation within teams. By breaking free from traditional constraints and exploring new ways of thinking and problem-solving, participants are encouraged to think outside the box and generate fresh ideas. Creative activities like improvisation and brainstorming exercises challenge team members to tap into their creativity and collaborate in innovative ways, leading to breakthroughs and new opportunities.

 Strengthening Team Cohesion

Ultimately, the goal of mindful team building is to strengthen team cohesion and camaraderie. By fostering a sense of connection and belonging, teams can overcome challenges together and achieve greater success. Mindful team building events create lasting bonds among team members, laying the groundwork for a supportive and collaborative work environment where everyone feels valued and appreciated.

 Nurturing Resilience and Adaptability

In today’s ever-changing business landscape, resilience and adaptability are essential traits for success. Mindful team building events help teams develop these skills by encouraging them to embrace uncertainty and navigate challenges with grace. Through resilience-building exercises and mindfulness practices, teams learn to bounce back from setbacks and adapt to change more effectively, ensuring they can thrive in any environment.

 Enhancing Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is a key predictor of professional success, and mindful team building events provide an opportunity for teams to enhance this critical skill. By engaging in activities that promote self-awareness, self-regulation, and empathy, team members develop a deeper understanding of their own emotions and the emotions of others. This enables them to navigate interpersonal dynamics more effectively, build stronger relationships, and make more informed decisions.

 Promoting Work-Life Balance

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential for employee well-being and productivity. Mindful team building events emphasize the importance of self-care and stress management, encouraging team members to prioritize their physical and mental health. By incorporating activities like guided relaxation and mindfulness walks, teams learn practical strategies for reducing stress and finding balance in their lives, ultimately leading to greater job satisfaction and performance.

 Encouraging Continuous Growth and Development

Professional growth and development are ongoing processes, and mindful team building events provide a platform for teams to continue learning and evolving together. By fostering a growth mindset and a culture of feedback and reflection, teams are encouraged to embrace new challenges and opportunities for learning. This continuous growth mindset not only benefits individual team members but also strengthens the team as a whole, ensuring they remain adaptable and resilient in the face of change.

 Sustaining Long-Term Results

The impact of mindful team building events extends far beyond the initial experience, leading to sustained improvements in team dynamics and performance over time. By integrating mindfulness practices into their daily routines and communication strategies, teams are better equipped to handle challenges and collaborate effectively on an ongoing basis. This sustainable approach to team building ensures that the benefits of mindfulness endure long after the event has ended, creating lasting positive change within the organization.

 Conclusion

In today’s fast-paced and competitive business world, the importance of strong team dynamics cannot be overstated. Mindful team building events offer a refreshing alternative to traditional activities, providing teams with the tools and techniques they need to cultivate awareness, collaboration, and connection. By investing in professional facilitation and embracing mindfulness practices, organizations can foster a culture of empathy, communication, and creativity that drives innovation and success. So why not take a mindful approach to team building and see the transformative impact it can have on your team?

Pin or save this post for later!

Share in the comments below: Questions go here

[sqwintersolstice]

How to Post your Work(s) to the AO3 Collection

Hello, Swen!

The final steps are upon us. It’s time to put your works in the Swan Queen Winter Solstice collection, so they can eventually be revealed to the fandom! 💜

The deadline for posting your work(s) is midnight EST on February 6th unless you’ve asked for an extension. (Click HERE to check what time that is in your area.)

Without further ado, let’s do this!

1. HOW TO GET TO THE COLLECTION

To start, head directly to the collection by clicking HERE, and then hit the Post to Collection button to submit a work to it.

If you have participated before in similar events, then feel free to skip the rest of this tutorial and create your work in the collection (the only exception might be if you’re posting a video, because we have a special formatting we’ve provided for displaying them on mobile. You might want to check it out in section 6.3).

2. TAGS SECTION

The first section that will show up when you create a new work is the Tags section. Here you will add information about your creation: Rating, Archive Warnings, Fandom, Category, Relationships, Characters, and Additional Tags. It will look similar to the image below:

The Rating and the Archive Warnings are very important steps, so please make sure they are accurate to your work. Make use of any of the options for Archive Warnings that might apply, keeping in mind that ‘No Archive Warnings Apply’ should only be used in case none of the others such as ‘Graphic Depictions of Violence’ or ‘Underage’ appear in your work. Otherwise, if you’re trying to avoid spoiling your plot for any reason, ‘Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings’ is a good option.

In Fandoms, you could add another besides Once Upon a Time (TV) if your work has a crossover; in Relationships, and Characters, feel free to add any others that might appear in your work besides Emma and Regina in case they’re crucial to the plot.

Additional Tags can include anything you feel might also apply to your creation, and that also might help people search for it.

If there are any specific warnings you’d like to clarify, add them in. Is your plot set in an alternate universe? Or maybe it includes bed sharing? Are they being idiots in love? (Always.) Maybe they’re trapped together? Is there lots of fluff? Mutual pining? Angst? (Well, now that would be a plot alright.)

Just don’t add too many to avoid overwhelming anyone, of course.

3. PREFACE SECTION

Now, to introduce your work to people. How will it be named and remembered? Here’s more or less how the preface section will look like once you’ve filled it in:

In your Work Title, you name your creation. In Add co-creators, you add the name of your collab creator in case you have one. You put your Summary in its text box, explaining some of your plot — for writers and artists both, we recommend not leaving your summary blank! It gives a bit more insight into your work.

Specifically for artists — in the title, adding [Art], [Fanvid] or [Fanart] to the end of your title helps make it recognizable in the collection. (An additional tag with the same thing wouldn’t hurt, too!)

After that, we have Notes. You can have them at the beginning by checking the little box, or at the end (or both!). The first one is a good place for you to thank betas, cheerleaders, explain a bit about your idea, inspirations; while the second one can be another place to thank everyone, talk a bit more about your process, and remind everyone that comments are very very welcome.

If your work has multiple chapters, we recommend not marking ‘at the end’ for now unless you’d like for the same note to appear at the end of every chapter!

4. ASSOCIATIONS

Firstly, please check that SQWinterSolstice2 is still there in Post to Collections / Challenges — if you clicked directly on the link beforehand, it should be. If you don’t see it, type it in and you should be good to go.

It’s possible to Gift this work to someone, too. You could gift it to your beta, cheerleader, or just a friend. Just type in their AO3 name.

This work is a remix, a translation, a podfic, or was inspired by another work — you can mark this if you worked with another creator. Just get the work’s URL from your collab partner, paste it in its box and AO3 will do the rest.

This work is part of a series — in case you’re writing multiple works set in the same universe, for example, you can mark this and create a series. Otherwise, feel free to skip it altogether.

This work has multiple chapters — as seen in the image above, when you mark the option you can type in the amount of chapters your work has, as well as name your first chapter. If your work does not have multiple chapters, just leave it unmarked.

Set a different publication date — do NOT mark it just yet! Once you receive your email with your reveal date, we will provide further instructions about this and when to change the date. If you set it to something different now, your work won’t show up at the beginning of the SQ tag once it’s revealed, so leave it alone for now.

Choose a language — select English and that’s it!

Select work skin — if you have worked with HTML/CSS before and have customized something for your work, select your work skin here. If not, leave it blank, or refer to 6.3 in case you’re posting a video.

5. PRIVACY SECTION

This section is completely up to you. While ‘Only show your work to registered users’ and ‘Only registered users can comment’ might limit mean comments, they can also make it harder for people to comment in general. ‘Enable comment moderation’ means you’ll have to approve comments before they show up on the page, so it’s a more viable option. Consider what’s best for you.

6. WORK TEXT SECTION

Here is where you place your work.

6.1 — Fics;

6.2 — Fanarts, fanmixes etc;

6.3 — Fanvids.

6.1. FICS

While you can use the HTML editor, we recommend switching to the Rich Text editor so you can directly paste your story from Word or Google Docs. Otherwise, your fic might lack spaces between each paragraph, making it harder to read. Most of the basic formatting will be retained from the original, such as bold, italics, paragraph division, etc so please make sure to change to Rich Text before pasting your work.

If everything worked so far and feels correct, please refer to item 7.

6.2. FANARTS, FANMIXES ETC

Also using the Rich Text editor like shown above, to add an image click on Insert/edit image:

This is what will pop up once you do:

In Source, AO3 asks you to paste in the url of your work. There are a few options to get one. The easiest one is to post it privately on your Tumblr, grabbing the url from it. Please remember that anywhere you post it to get this url has to be private, since it hasn’t been revealed yet. Your URL has to end in .png, .jpg, .gif to be valid. AO3 also provides a few alternatives, if you want to check it out.

Next, we have Image description. Here you’re able to describe your work for people who use screen readers.

For Width and Height, leave it blank for now and see how your image looks posted before altering it. If it looks fine for all screens, then you don’t have to change it.

You might have to write something in the text box in order to have the image show up.

If everything worked so far and feels correct, please refer to item 7.

6.3. FANVIDS

Remember: your video has to be set to private until its reveal date! The following tutorial works for Youtube videos. It might not work if you’re posting it elsewhere.

If you head to your video, you’re able to click on Share and then Embed and copy the code for your video. While pasting that code on the HTML editor on AO3 works fine, it leaves it badly displayed on mobile. For this reason, we found a code from pigalle that embeds a youtube video and scales it correctly for any smaller screens.

It may be a few extra steps, but it does look a lot nicer for mobile viewers.

The first step is to create your own work skin so you’re able to apply it to your work. (You might have to save your work first as a draft in order to have your work skin showing up as an option to choose from. It’s necessary to refresh the page so the work skin shows up.)

So, to create your work skin, head over to your AO3 profile on the top right, then click on My Dashboard.

There, click on Skins, then on the button My Work Skins, and, last but not least, Create Work Skin:

Next, in the About section you can fill it in with any Title you’d like, as long as the Type is set to Work Skin. The description, preview and apply to make public options are not necessary, so you may skip them.

Now, for the CSS section. The CSS is what sets the properties and values and decides how the HTML will look like. What matters is just pasting the code below in the box. You don’t have to alter it, just copy and paste it:

#workskin .mobilevideo {

position: absolute;

top: 0;

left: 0;

width: 100%;

height: 100%;

}

#workskin .videoscale {

position: relative;

height: 0;

padding-top: 56.25%;

}

#workskin .videocontainer {

max-width: 100%;

width: 560px;

}

After that, just click on Submit, and that will mean your Work Skin has been created!

Back to your work, in the Associations section (refer to item 4 if necessary), Select Work Skin should have your recently created one as an option. Remember that you might have to refresh the page for it to show up, so make sure to save it as a draft first so you don’t lose any changes you made.

And then, in the HTML editor, paste the code below:

<center>

<div class="videocontainer">

<div class="videoscale">

<p>

<iframe class="mobilevideo" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VIDEO ID HERE" width="560" height="315" frame border="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

</p></div>

</center>

Then, when you go to your video on Youtube, grab the ID portion of it like the one highlighted below:

Simply copy and paste that into the code where it says VIDEO ID HERE, like shown in the picture below as an example:

If everything worked so far and feels correct, please refer to item 7.

7. POST SECTION

And that’s it! Please double-check if everything is correct, though you’ll be able to edit it later. If you’d like to take a look at it first, click on Preview. If you’re confident about it, just click on Post.

If you’ve clicked on Preview, it will show how your work looks like on AO3. If something’s amiss, go back to the previous page by clicking on Edit. If it’s good to go, just click on Post — it’s the only way to have it be submitted to the collection, otherwise we won’t receive it.

7.1 HOW TO ADD CHAPTERS AND EDIT YOUR WORK

If your work is one with multiple chapters, or you’d like to make it one, on top of the posted work you’ll find several buttons. Clicking on Add Chapter or Edit will provide you with the option to create a new chapter for your work.

In case it only has one chapter and you’d like to edit it, just click on Edit and you should find the same page from earlier. Simply scroll down until you get to the Work Text section, and then click on the Rich Text button to edit your work.

8. HOW TO FIND YOUR WORK LATER

Once your work is posted as a Mystery Work, you can bookmark the page on your browser — the url will not change after it’s been revealed. It’s the easiest way to not lose track of where your work is and edit it later.

But don’t worry! If you lost your work’s url, there are a few ways to get the url and save it.

On your dashboard on AO3, there is an option on the sidebar that says WORKS. From there, you can either click EDIT WORKS (which displays all your works) or WORKS IN COLLECTIONS (which displays all your works currently in a collection). Either option will show you your unrevealed work.

-----------

There we go! Now you’re all set. Thank you so much for submitting your work!

We will be emailing you your reveal date(s) soon, so don’t worry if you hear someone has already gotten it and yours hasn’t arrived yet. In the email you’ll have more details on what to do for your reveal day, so please make sure to check your email so you don’t miss it!

If you have any questions, please contact us at sqwintersolstice@gmail.com preferably, on Twitter @SQWintrSolstice, or find a mod on Discord!

Sincerely,

Swan Queen Winter Solstice Mods

[healthprodcut143]

A Treasure Trove for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: My Review of "Das Taschenbuch für Gründer"

Taking the leap into entrepreneurship can be both exciting and daunting. You're brimming with ideas, but the path to success can seem shrouded in mystery. That's where "Das Taschenbuch für Gründer - zu verschenken" (The Pocket Guide for Founders - Free Gift) comes in. This recently published German paperback has become my go-to resource for navigating the entrepreneurial journey, and I'm excited to share why.

Unfiltered Expertise from Industry Leaders

What initially drew me to "Das Taschenbuch für Gründer" was its promise of unfiltered expertise. Authored by the team behind Gründer.de, a leading German platform for founders, the book boasts insights directly from seasoned entrepreneurs who understand the challenges and triumphs of starting a business. This insider perspective feels refreshing and authentic, setting the book apart from generic business guides.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Business

The book doesn't overwhelm you with theoretical concepts. Instead, it takes a practical, step-by-step approach to guide you through the entire process of launching your business. From developing a winning idea to securing funding, navigating legal hurdles, and marketing your product or service, the book offers clear and concise explanations. This structured approach makes it an invaluable resource for anyone, whether you're at the initial brainstorming stage or already putting your business plan into action.

Actionable Advice and Avoiding Jargon

"Das Taschenbuch für Gründer" excels at providing actionable advice that you can implement immediately. The authors avoid technical jargon and complex theories, focusing instead on practical tips and strategies that are easy to understand and apply. Each chapter concludes with a clear takeaway, allowing you to retain key information and move forward with confidence.

A Source of Encouragement and Inspiration

Beyond the practical guidance, the book injects a healthy dose of encouragement and inspiration. The authors share success stories from real-life entrepreneurs, reminding you that achieving your business goals is possible. This positive and motivating tone is exactly what aspiring founders need as they embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.

Perfect for Busy Aspiring Entrepreneurs

The compact size and accessible writing style make "Das Taschenbuch für Gründer" perfect for busy individuals. You can easily digest chapters during your commute, lunch break, or even in those stolen moments between tasks. The book's portability also allows you to carry it with you to meetings or events, ensuring you have a valuable reference point at hand.

A Must-Have for Your Entrepreneurial Journey

Overall, "Das Taschenbuch für Gründer - zu verschenken" is an exceptional resource for anyone considering launching a business in Germany. From its practical approach and actionable advice to its inspirational tone and insider expertise, this book equips you with the knowledge and confidence you need to turn your entrepreneurial dream into a reality. Whether you receive it as a gift or purchase it yourself, "Das Taschenbuch für Gründer" is a valuable addition to any aspiring entrepreneur's library.

[causticsunshine]

Hello! I have a quick q about pronouns and if something would be appropriate. A new person at work has joined, and I am responsible for putting out her biography to our staff. They sent it over in the “I” format (as in I am the new hire, I received education here).

However, I checked their email signature just to see if they had pronouns, and I saw that she has she/they. So when editing it into the “she is the new hire, they received education here” format, I am using she and they interchangeably from sentence to sentence. I just wanted to ask if that’s appropriate, or if I should ask first? They have it in their email signature so I realize it’s not a secret, I just wasn’t positive and I don’t feel comfortable reaching out to them, as that’s kind of personal to chat about. Thank you for any insight you might have!

tbh i might not be the best person to ask about this just because i haven’t had to tackle this from from a formal business perspective before, ie passing this information along to other work colleagues when it involves a person i haven’t yet already met.

i’m going to assume if this new hire has put their pronouns in their email signature, that this is information that is perfectly fine to share in such a format, but despite how you may feel about it being personal, you might still want to try and reach out to this person anyway just to be on the safe side? i don’t think it necessarily has to be approached in a super personal way; by making it clear you saw the pronouns listed in the introductory email and you’re in charge of her company bio, you just want to make sure you’re being respectful and not possibly divulging any information around that she may not want massively passed around, passed around yet, etc. she might also have a preference over using a specific set of pronouns in the work space, with certain people…. there’s no harm in being careful!

that being said though this is just what i would so if i were in your position so if anyone has experience with this firsthand, please feel free to add your additions here!

[thiswreckageivebecome]

Infinite # Rewatch of Good Omens-new realizations/notices/questions/predictions

Aziraphale tells Crowley that he told Adam and Eve not to thank him for the sword. I bet this leads, at least in part, to Crowley’s continual telling Aziraphale and others not to thank him.

Aziraphale getting sushi…anyone else getting strong Aro vibes. He be looking at that sushi and the chef too much like he smelling Bella🤪🤪 Sheenie, we love you.

I knew I saw people talking about the doctor reference to Crowley (also Doctor Who), but I never really caught it until rewatching s1e1.

After watching S2 now, I’m curious if there’s any foreshadowing in the bench scene in s1e1 when Aziraphale is talking about Heaven triumphing over Hell and how confident he is when saying it.

I didn’t notice that the Bentley changed colors. It had blue doors and black everywhere else.

Okay, I realize for character growth the whole line of “I’m an angel I can’t not do what I’m told” reasoning for Aziraphale….and I get S2 wasn’t written yet, but what about Job’s children. I want to know if they’re going to go back and make those connections in S3.

The giddiness of Aziraphale’s realization of “godfathers.” I just can’t. It’s like he’s watching Crowley create galaxies all over again.

I finally realized that the same guy who plays Shakespeare, plays Fur Fur.

Celestial Observer (apparently Heaven has a newspaper?- check the bus scene during the Crowley man-bun era)

Why and who would be calling about the Prophecies of Agnes Nutter all of a sudden??

Anathema was first hit (or in Crowley’s perspective Anathema hit) on the passenger side of the car, yet the headlight on the passenger (aka Aziraphale’s side) is still lit, but the drivers side (aka Crowley’s side) is the one(s) that happens to be out. I see what y’all did there.

I can’t tell what it is, but there’s a Puritanical film playing in the shop when Crowley meets Shadwell (present time) to employ him to investigate Tadfield for “possible” witches .

At the third rendezvous, the band stand Aziraphale: “May you be forgiven.”Crowley: “I won’t be forgiven. Not ever.”PLEASE LET THIS be foreshadowing!!! Especially in two areas. 1. I saw a theory/Hope on here the other day about Crowley meeting up with god or Jesus and they explained that Crowley wasn’t punished for asking questions, but instead they booted him from heaven because he was too good for heaven and gave an angel to adore him. Or 2. It speaks to the whole breakup scene in S2 where Aziraphale says i love forgive you.

That’s it for now. I’ll post more as I continue the infinite rewatch.

If you have insight, and can share it like I’m stupid in your response, feel free to add or comment. I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts or additional things I didn’t catch so far.