#like how important they are to the culture and linked to a feeling of freedom

[musicfromtheceiling]

The other day i saw this bright blue 1988 Jeep cherokee in town, it was very cute so Jasper gets one

[y-rhywbeth2]

Elves: Social Life

Society, family, friends, dating and marriage, blah

Link: Disclaimer regarding D&D "canon" & Index [tldr: D&D lore is a giant conflicting mess. Larian's lore is also a conflicting mess. There's a lot of lore; I don't know everything. You learn to take what you want and leave the rest. etc]

Physiology and quirks | Names & Clans and Houses || Pan-Cultural things: Social life | Time and Age Categories | Homes | Language | Art | Entertainment | Technology || Elven 'Subraces' still a wip || Philosophy and Religion & Pantheons || Half-elves | [WIP]

I hit the point where I'm tired of editing and checking sources, so here's some idea on how relationships work for elves whatever level of coherency it has. There might be more or contradictory information in other novels, but I do not have that much free time.

Mostly surface elves, mostly elves in elven lands. Though it also applies to elven diaspora communities (who do stick together and maintain their culture).

• Elven social life in general, plus greetings and etc

• Gender roles in society (or lack therof)

• Family and terminology

• Dating, sex and marriage That I guess you can use for ideas for your elven pcs or if you're dating the vampire who probably doesn't give a damn about elven social mores, the druid or whoever. idk how much elven social norms matter to Ketheric, but if you want to fuck the villainous old man you could give it a shot.

-

'Elves who lived even in reasonably close contact were so connected to each other through the Reverie and the Weave that they shared at least some shadow of each other’s emotional experiences.'

'As I would think, so shall ye; As I would feel, so shall ye; As I would do, so shall ye; As I would not harm, nor shall ye; As I would, so shall the clan; As the clan would, so shall I; As we would, so shall ye; The People are as one, and never shall I stray from this, nor shall ye, for to digress is to diminish you and your People.' - The Code of the People

There's a balancing act involved in elven societies where personal freedom is greatly prized but at the same time they're very community-centric cultures.

An elf is an individual part of many things: their House, their settlement, their environment, the People as a whole (which includes the Seldarine). The health and wellbeing of all of these things is the health and wellbeing of you, as your elders will teach you growing up.

Regardless of blood relation elves will usually address an elf of same rank and age as siblings; 'brother,' 'sister,' etc. Another term for a young (surface) elven stranger is 'thaes.' Although insofar as I remember I think it's used to address an elf you don't know and just met with that term until you learn their name or title. There's a whole host of titles and honorifics for nobles, elders and important people.

A friend is 'ebrath,' for surface elves and 'abbil' for drow.

There are various nuances and rules governing how to address people, and you can get an idea of their personal opinion on somebody and their politics by whether they use your name and what titles of address they use when addressing another.

Elves prioritise their Clan/House allegiance first and foremost, their homeland second (be that Evereska, or the Wealdath, or Ched Nasad, or wherever), their subrace next, and then the elven people as a whole.

House politics is a whole other post, but suffice to say your House is usually your family, your political party and likely your employer with its own internal culture and laws that you follow, and you'll likely be working in the family business (or one of them). Your personal reputation affects your House reputation, and your House's reputation and the reputation and behaviour of your clanmates also affects your reputation and determines what doors are open or closed to you. If an alehouse is owned by a member of a rival House, or one of their allied Clans/Houses, don't expect service; if a village or hunting grounds is home to a rival House/Clan don't expect a warm welcome there.

The higher your personal rank and the rank of your family, the more the personal-community social symbiosis affects you. What counts as lessening or increasing personal and familial prestige varies by elven culture and what they value.

There's another balancing act in elven culture with really, really deep intimacy and also not intruding on another's personal space. There must be room for quiet and solitude and respecting the individuality of another in between the mind-melding and oversharing.

An elven social circle is often decided by hobbies and careers, where the elves gather together to learn from elves with skills they desire and debate and infodump about whatever hyperfixation they're absolutely obsessed about with those who share it (those who don't share these interests make poor conversation for each other). There will be months, if not years, where individual elves won't be seen or receptive to socialising because they're busy with whatever project they're working on.

Privacy is a concept, but it's not as strong as it is with non-elves. There is no nudity taboo, and a significant amount of elven magic used in daily life, even outside of communion, involves mind reading (usually for security reasons).

Your fuck ups will be remembered. Evereskans at least have no social taboo against plainly discussing the personal business and even the failures of others amongst themselves even if you're standing right there, so you will hear about it and your neighbours will know. It's taboo to be overly frank or cruel to you about it - and most are not intentionally being cruel, just matter of fact - but there will be reactions like pity and scorn all over.

The lack of privacy is actually one of the complaints elves often have about their own culture when it gets too invasive.

Elves are also very good at holding a grudge; forgiveness is not a virtue in a people who relieve their memories over and over every night, including any pain you've given them.

Their in-group thinking also lends itself too neatly to xenophobia. The Tel'Quessir are masters at the sport of us vs them, and choosing 'them' is a betrayal that can garner a response of mass hysteria and violence depending on the nature of the slight (real or perceived), although violence is significantly more likely from elven youth (aged under 100-250ish years old). Aiding an N'Quess against an elf? The height of betrayal.

An elven 'in-group,' usually their immediate community, is often tightly knit even if they don't like each other or spend much time together: the community's young are encouraged to grow up together and be educated together for the first 10-20 years, and shared reverie and the connections of the elven soul joined by the Weave and Sehanine provides a mild empathic link in the background which means that harming another elf in ones 'group' should rebound on the perpetrator to at least some extent. To harm your own is literally to harm yourself.

Elven friends and family usually commune and reverie together, allowing them to know the others' thoughts, memories and personalities almost as well as their own.

Expressing sadism and spite or engaging in violence amongst non-drow (and many dark elves too) is greatly frowned upon, it's considered 'lowminded' and the behaviour of the N'Quess. Even Lolthite drow frown on open violence and conflict within settlements, both for its disruptive effect and because it shows a lack of sense and skill (tavern brawls, military training and slum raids notwithstanding).

All that is far from saying that elves are incapable of resenting or harming other elves, as their long history of bloody disaster shows.

Relieving their memories in reverie means that elven relationships - the good and the bad - are long lasting. An elf remembers their grudges against you because every now and again they get a refresher where they literally reexperience the times you pissed them off. An elf stays in love with you because those early days and emotions stay fresh in their minds.

Exile is a great punishment, and elves encountering others marked such (whether they were exiled for something they did or self-exiled) respond with 'suspicion and hostility.' Exiled criminals and the most severely outcast often take up worship of Fenmarel Mestarine, patron god of said outcasts, and frequently pack up to live in the wilds alone. You can often spot why they're exiled because they often wear a personal token somewhere on their person symbolising it.

Elves usually expect their friendships and romances to be very emotionally intimate affairs where it's normal to know somebody's deepest fears and desires at a degree of knowledge that, say, humans would not volunteer. Friendships go deep. Aside from the racism that's one of the biggest contributors to their aloofness around non-elves. The time it takes to get to know some of them notwithstanding (humans in particular will be senile or dead before your newborn child is legally old enough to vote and elves like to take their time), the concept of losing such close loved ones in only a century or two (or worse, less than one) is devastating and they will relieve a life and loss for hundreds of years after their friends are gone. There's an argument amongst elves about whether a brief lifespan makes it all the more important to make use of that time and that at least they'll have the memories, or whether loving the 'shortlives' is a form of self-harm.

(While the traditional word for non-elves is N'Tel'Quessir, or N'Quess, in human lands the slang word aethen or 'the others' has caught on.)

Worse, N'Quess cannot commune, and so the spiritual connection and intimacy between elves does not exist. For elves, particularly elves not used to non-elves, this can be alienating.

Rule of thumb: Half-elves, gnomes and halflings are the most socially acceptable friends in that order. Elves and gnomes being the most culturally compatible N'Quess, with a respect for community, art and nature, as well as loving a good time. Humans and dwarves are in competition for the elven culture's least compatible, with dwarves generally winning since their cultures often have polar opposite values. Orcs and half-orcs - and other goblinoids -can expect to be viewed as vermin rather than people, though a half-orc might get an extremely racist and condescending congratulations on 'defying their base nature' or some shit. (Whatever elves on the whole think of the dragonborn has never really been discussed, and it's safe to say they don't like tieflings.)

There is a status, Sha'Quessir, the Elf-Friends, granted to non-elves who are loved by an elf (platonically or romantically) and perform some great service for the people which is rewarded with adoption. The individual is, for all social purposes, one of the People and must be treated with the same respect, with the price tag being that they must act as one of the people and share in their concerns and causes (like the grave-robbing of elven burial sites and tombs, the out of control deforestation and loss of elven homelands, etc). They're even allowed to live on Evermeet, and can be recognised by a token on their person called an elfrune.

In terms of politics it's usually a clash between the conservatives who want elvendom exactly as it is and 'always has been' with a clear distinction between the 'right people' and the others and what counts for a 'proper elf,' and the moderates and liberals who chafe under a millennia of tradition and/or think the Tel'Quessir need to join the rest of the world in the modern year before the oncoming future crushes them all.

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Manners:

Inclining/'bobbing' your head in acknowledgement, or making a brief bow is the equivalent of a handshake.

Elves do not have a tradition of shaking hands, finding it a 'horrific affront' to attempt to grab their hand. Probably something to do with communion usually being initiated by holding hands and the fact that the fingers and palms of the hands are extremely sensitive, so touching hands is probably significantly more intimate to an elf.

Just in general elves do not seem to appreciate being physically touched by people they don't know or trust, and laying your hands on an elf who isn't your friend or family might piss them off.

Elves also have a strong aristocratic bent, which plays a part in their sense of hierarchy (usually more 'gently' established than with non-elves, but present nevertheless).

An elf of lower standing cannot make eye contact with one of higher standing without permission. When a noble passes you part for them and may not overtake them; if traveling by flight, you may never fly higher than a noble.

Walk with the crowd and the flow of traffic, never against it.

A polite farewell is: 'Sweet water and light laughter ['til next we meet].' The response to which is: 'Back soon for soft songs and bright wine.'

When introducing somebody to another person/s you end the introductions with: 'May your meeting and parting be of equal pleasure.' To which the person you're introducing should say: 'My honour is brightened.'

A full formal greeting when approaching strange elves on the road (outside the bounds of civilisation) is translated as: 'Fair be our meeting, for our hearts are light and our swords sheathed, we hold peace in our hands and its light guides us.' Which is to be sung.

Welcome home is simply 'Glad homeagain.'

Pressing foreheads together seems to be a display of affection.

All elven cultures have a custom of exchanging gifts, where the character of the gifter is measured by the value of the gift (such things being judged primarily by their aesthetic beauty and any magic it contains, with its material value benign judged second). It's polite to offer a gift of equal value in return. For the original gifter to refuse the return token in exchange is viewed as odd.

Amongst the dark elves of Ilythiir an exchange of weapons was a display of trust, and sometimes a pledge of service/assistance should they ever be called on,' which may well still exist amongst modern dark elves. Although Menzoberranzan has a variant where you take another's weapon, display your skill with it and hand it back to illustrate 'I mean you no harm' as a peaceful greeting with strangers.

There's a tradition called the Rule of Saving: When one saves another's life, the saviour can invoke a debt which means that the individual owes them their life to do with as they please.

Gender roles:

Rule of thumb, due to their entire pantheon being genderfluid elves tend towards egalitarianism in their societies. If your gods encompass both male and female genders then it's hard to say one is lesser or greater, and some consider androgyny in mortal elves to be a sign of divine favour.

On the other hand that doesn't mean elven societies are totally free of nonsense (and horror).

Many societies also have a slight inclination towards matriarchy (dark elves infamously having more than a 'slight' inclination in the majority of cases); a woman's word often carries more weight in discussions if she chooses to weigh in. Evermeet in particular saw a shift towards matriarchy as Queen Amlaruil grew to become a beloved monarch and ended up with an inner council of advisors comprised of the female elders of the noble houses.

Dark elves are of course infamous for their matriarchies: Lolthites, Kiaransaleen and Eilistraeeans all favour - if not mandate - female leadership. Men are artisans and helpers, women are leaders.

On the flip side there are the patriarchal elven societies.

Aquatic elves have a patriarchal nobility.

At least one city of Vhaeraunites has ignored the part of their god's doctrine that says 'equality' and instituted the patriarchal mirror of Lolthite society.

And then there was the sun elven empire of Cormanthor (which was sun elven by origin and overarching culture, but had significant moon elven population), which was a nightmare where women would bitterly comment that they were good only for arm candy and providing heirs and that many elven men would say they didn't believe women had brains; women couldn't socialise with elves outside of their House without their patriarch's permission, and one woman had a nervous breakdown at the idea of confronting her husband on the grounds that he could very well beat her to death for talking back in public and throw her corpse out the window and then just get a new wife (he does later, hungover, threaten her with a horsewhip for challenging him).

So you know, fun times.

Mostly you're getting full gender equality.

-

Family:

One's family, strictly speaking, is one's Clan (or House, if the family holds noble status (doesn't make every member a noble though)). Aside from your parents, siblings, first cousins, grandparents, uncles, aunts and such you have a network of in-laws, cousins and employees sharing your surname and playing a part in the family business/es. The largest Houses will have people scattered around the world that you've probably never met.

Ancestry is also a very important part of elven identity, and an elf will know the famous and infamous stuff their family got up to. If the fame came from heroism and great deeds then the family will obsess over it, if it's negative press then elves will carry the stigma or do their best to make sure the knowledge never sees the light of day (you do not want word getting around that you're descended from the Vyshaan or Dlardrageth, for example.)

That's your ancestry and Clan or House, but the immediate blood relations, and likely the people who raise you, are your Blesséd.

Due to their lifespans and low fertility rates, siblings rarely grow up together since it's likely that older siblings will be adults by the time they get any. Educating and watching over the family's children is often a task for the elderly, who can no longer work, so that they can still make use of their centuries of experience and contribute to the community.

Family lineage tracks matrilineal and patrilineal. Except for most drow, who only track matrilineal.

For the drow I only know of the words for mother and father ('Ilhar' and 'Ilharn')

For surface elves (for most of which there are no gender neutral variants given):

Parent: O Child: Sum Cousin: Tyss Cousins: Tyssir

Brother: Tan Sister: Nys Daughter: A'Sum Son: E'Sum Granddaughter by daughter: A'a'sum Grandson by daughter: E'a'sum Granddaughter by son: A'e'sum Grandson by son: E'e'sum Niece by sister (sister-daughter): A'Su'Nys Niece by brother ('brother-daughter): A'Su'Tan Nephew by sister (sister-son): E'Su'Nys Nephew by brother (brother-son): E'Su'Tan

Matrilineal line: Mother: O'Si Grandmother: I'Osi Grandfather: I'Osu Uncle: Osi'Tan Aunt: Osi'Nys

Patrilineal line: Father: O'Su Grandmother: U'Osi Grandfather: U'Osu Uncle: Osu'Tan Aunt: Osu'Nys

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Dating and marriage

'The love of an elf is a deep and precious thing. Misused or spurned, it can be deadly. Realms have fallen and been sundered for love, and proud elder houses swept away. Some have said that an elf is the force of his or her love, and all else just flesh and dross...' - Shalheira Talandren (who is a bard so is perhaps being a touch melodramatic as her trade demands)

Like many non-human people, elves referring to their sexual and romantic partners translate the terms in common as 'mates' and the act of sex as 'mating.' (Dwarves, orcs, dragons and vampires also refer to their SOs as mates... although that vampire was an elf, so maybe it's just certain vampires. I don't know about gnomes and halflings but it's the preferred terminology for many demihumans and nonhumans).

You can also call your partner damia, an endearment equivalent to 'darling' or 'sweetheart' or whatever.

This is one of those things where it depends on the writer, but apparently some degree of demisexuality is very common for elves, where it can be a cultural norm to be baffled as to why you'd lust after somebody when you have no affection for them.

'Her men, however, were staring at Takari with such a look of feral hunger [...] Under the circumstances, they could hardly have developed any feelings of love for her, so it was hard for an elf to understand why the mere sight of her naked body should inflame their passions.' - The Summoner.

Somebody wearing revealing clothing or dressed naked would not be seen as advertising a desire for sex, that's just how they're dressed.

They also apparently have lower sex drives, which I suppose could make sense for a longer-lived species.

Courting will involve trying to impress upon the object of your affection the sincerity and depth of your feelings with songs - or poetry if you've failed as an elf and really can't sing - and dancing.

If things are moving towards the erotic then the dancing starts to take on that tone.

There is a form of acrobatic dance amongst elves that involves the dancers wearing nothing but body oil and bells, tied to their bare limbs and beaded into their long hair (which is worn loose), and this dance will often be performed with the aid of a fly spell or some equivalent.

Such dances are actually used in public performances, so while they might be sexual (or not) they aren't necessarily seen as inappropriate (though they can get grumbles from sun elven elders about how back in their day they didn't have this kind of impropriety).

Just in general it seems like elves like bringing magic into the bedroom, but aerial sex seems a popular choice from what I've seen on elf sex.

And ears and apparently hands are erogenous zones.

'On the subject of giving pleasure to elven maids, [the diary] mentioned using one's tongue gently on the palms of the hands and the tips of the ears.' - Elminster in Myth Drannor (despite the 'maidens' part it applies to elves in general)

For lovers who decide to engage in Rapport/aleiryid and bind their minds and souls in a permanent empathic link, the terms 'spirit-deep mate' and 'life-mate' have been used. 'Aleiryid' itself may be a noun for such a partner, and can only be used to refer to a life-mate.

Elves, regardless of how committed they are - eternally psychically linked or no - still generally expect to be given their personal space just as with any other relationship between elves.

In terms of monogamy vs polygamy, sun and maybe moon elves may be more inclined to monogamy and green and wood elves towards polygamy.

Green elves, and by extension most wood elves, default to polyamory. Jealousy is perverse and will disapprove of displays of such possessiveness and flirting and love are just parts of the joys of life. Which isn't to say they don't feel it, but the green elven approach to a love rival is basically, to quote one character, '[they'll] have to share!' The sylvan elves of the High Forest usually dance in trios rather than pairs.

Moon elves probably vary on that cultural norm; there's been an occasion where a moon elf pov character can be read as uncomfortable with polyamory, but on the other hand the silver elves are also infamous for their love of freedom and hedonism, and said character notes his own moon elven father would not begrudge his green elven ex-wife her flirting. Also in moon elven pantheon Corellon has a Queen who is simultaneously three people, so there's a religious argument to be made for 'the gods approve of polyamory' I suppose. As oathbreaking is considered one of the greatest sins possible in moon elven cultures one imagines that infidelity (and definitely breaking your marriage vows) is also very high on the taboo list, regardless of what the relationship set up is - Fun is important, but if something matters enough to make a commitment for it you keep your fucking commitment.

The dark elves of Menzoberranzan have usually been portrayed as serial monogamists, with a side of 'women can fuck as many men on the side as they like.' Dark elves in general don't expect a pairing to last forever.

Sun elves, I'm not so sure. They have a very strong emphasis on lineage and house politics and frown on 'philandering' though so legitimate marriages, family duty and knowing who the parents are is important regardless of monogamy vs polygamy.

Marriage ceremonies are most popular during Midsummer celebrations.

Elopements are most popular on nights of the full moon, when Hanali is supposed to bless your union with good fortune.

In common elves stick to the translations of 'spouse,' 'wife,' 'husband.' 'Consort' crops up, probably refers to nobles spouses.

Between moon elves at least, marriage can be a very simple procedure: you weave a flower crown and place it on your lover's head. That's it, you're married now. You don't need any witnesses or officiants; the prince of Evermeet married his human girlfriend by placing a flower crown made of laurels on her head in the middle of the woods during a private moment. None of the nobility nor his mother approved of him having a human girlfriend nor would they have permitted it, but doesn't matter: flower crown. Generally though there is more ceremony surrounding weddings

There has also been mention of handfasting too, which may be a similar deal, just with trying ribbons around your enjoined hands rather than putting flower crowns on your head.

If you want to bring a high mage into it - which is unusual in the modern era, when they're almost extinct - marriages have also involved the arcane.

Marriages, formal and informal, are performed by priests of Hanali Celanil who are bound by their faith to help you regardless of what society thinks - all lovers must be protected. I suspect most marriages take place under the moonlight, since elves seem to be lunar-centric, but that's just an assumption.

Entering into u'aestar'kess was a popular marriage tradition in love matches, a magical linking much like Rapport/Aleirin, but the enjoined beings can - through concentrating - engage in true 'verbal' telepathic communication. If one of the bonded is in danger then their connection will also alert the partner, who will generally stop at nothing to get to them. Also unlike aleirin u'aestar'kess permits two bonds to exist rather than just one.

Creating an Aestar'Khol was also a popular way of getting married - the ritual wove an oath, in this case marriage vows, into tangible existence in the form of a stone the size of a fist and likely in the shape of a statuette, though a quicker casting will produce a rock covered in inscriptions of the vow. It also allows the spouses to know that their partners are faithful, because breaching contract causes the vowstone to shatter.

Some elves, namely nobles, do arrange marriages, it's a useful way of calling dibs on particularly promising mages, warriors, priests, artisans and etc by having them marry into your House. There's also historical precedent for crackdowns on arranged marriages because squabbling and intrigue over powerful wizards was getting idiotic. If your family picks out a spouse for you you don't have to marry them, but you may face social and financial repercussions from your refusal. Not always though; some nobles, even sun elves, have turned their nose up at tradition and married non-elves and had half-elven heirs without losing too much prestige.

A holy order in the service of Hanali, the Chaperones of the Moonlight Tryst, are rogues and rangers who are tasked with discretely safeguarding elven lovers from those who would interfere with them or use their relationship for some end (blackmail or some other intrigue, for example). They can also be called upon to help arrange secret meetings between star-crossed lovers and aid elopements.

[vamptones]

what do you think of Prodigal Daughter by Lights as a Ruri song?

heyyyyy so hehe i’m sorry for answering this so late, i didn’t get the notification and the moment i realized this was on my ask box i got bombarded with homework so i couldn’t take the time to do a proper lyric analysis like i would’ve liked. also the first answer i was making got deleted 😭😭 but here it is!

prodigal daughter by lights

so to start we can see from both the lyrics and the visuals in the music video that the song’s main themes are sexual liberation and societal and religious oppression. this called my attention because i personally headcanon ruri as being raised religious, which could be plausible given her background (being from a rural village, and growing up in an oppressive environment due to her family’s economical status)

from the music video i personally find these type of visuals very ruri-esque (tm). some other’s not that much. here, lights seems to be very comfortable with her body and her sexuality, while ruri is a lot more reserved (this might as well also be influenced not only by her personality, but by cultural differences, since japanese idols are held to different standards than western artists)

so let’s start with the first verse

again, we can trace back the concept of “prodigal daughter” to her backstory, being an only child (a female only child) of an important family, and also finding about the rumors that surrounded her grandmother, and the tragic way her family ended (and how these traumatic events made her feel relief)

so,etching that called my attention was the change of the verses from both pre-choruses

this could be linked up to her stardom as an idol, and how she was made to believe this career would grant her freedom (when it the end, it ended up being the contrary of that). her taking revenge on the man that hurt and violated her body and her autonomy is what “broke her out of prison”. she doesn’t stop being an idol by the end of the show, but being cut free from yodogiri’s chains due to her disappearance gave her some control back

same with this part of the bridge.

ruri song??? APPROVED. not my personal style but i liked it anyways and thank you for introducing it to me :)

[dogtoling]

hey do you have any tips for making splatoon ocs? I’ve never played the games but i’ve seen plenty of gameplay and lore videos and i want to make an oc but i have no idea where to start! You have super duper cool ocs and I thought maybe you might have a few good pointers for starting to make one!

first of all thank you, and second of all I have no idea what i'm doing but i might have some advice for making splatoon OCs. Really what kind of OC you want to make and how in-depth you want their story or footing in the world to be depends entirely on the individual person. It's pretty important to have a solid understanding of the world and setting but especially if you've done the research, you should have a pretty good understanding of how the game works, so that's already a good starting point.

First off, what I feel is important (and what i dont follow myself nearly as much as i should) is to figure out what kind of character you WANT to make, and then start drafting a basic concept based on that. When it comes to Splatoon, there's a lot of species to pick from (although Inklings are by far the easiest because they have the most context). But Splatoon also has a very unique setting and the world has potential for a lot of wacky things that you couldn't really focus on in other fandoms. So again, I don't do this that much myself, but making an OC that is clearly connected to the world and has a direct link with the series identity is always a good call. Once you have a strong start and a solid understanding of what kind of character you're working on (and you can change this later, OCs often evolve when you use them) it's a really good place to get started.

For example, you could make an OC that works at the grocery store (boring, we do that in real life). Or you could make an OC that works in collecting and selling Super Sea Snails from the woods and in the market stalls - we have markets, but there's also a hook of something that's Purely Splatoon, at its core - it is relevant to the WORLD SETTING.

(And also, by making up professions and minor things about the world, you're not married to what canon says or doesn't say. For example, everyone making their OCs work with Grizzco is kind of struggling with a vastly underdeveloped setting where Nintendo is still calling all the shots, because Grizzco is a real thing in the world, so you don't really have the freedom to make shit up and have to deal with whatever they say even if it's ridiculous.)

Second, and this is kind of important especially for people who aren't super involved with Splatoon: turf wars aren't EVERYTHING. Splatoon has weirdly broad worldbuilding for the type of game that it is. Turf Wars are just a sport - an extremely culturally important sport, but Inklings have Lives outside of Turf War and there's likely Inklings who don't do Turf Wars at all! What this tangent is getting into is that don't be afraid to set your OC footing that's unrelated to Turf Wars, and don't be afraid to break rules and come up with your own things for the world. There's a lot of wacky things going on and not everybody is going to do the exact things that are shown in the game. The curse and blessing of working with the Splatoon setting is that you have to be prepared to make up a LOOOOOT of headcanons for how anything works, because we really don't know a lot about... well, anything. The upside is that you can get really creative if you want to. Basically, it's good to use the game as basis, but you can really go places if you ONLY use it as basis and make up new stuff from there.

In terms of actual OC design: Inklings and Octolings are the easiest to work with due to the variety of designs we see for them in games and concept art. But if you're looking for other species, here's a list with species that appear in the Splatoon world. However assuming you're working with Inklings, I'd recommend looking at different species of real-life cephalopods if you want a character to feel unique. Base traits off of real squids or octopuses that exist (you could even use species as inspiration for what the character is like otherwise), but even outside of species, Inklings can have a LOT of variety in their body structure. So my point is you can do a lot more with Splatoon OCs than just making them a carbon copy of the playable characters in the game. Play with their body types, or eye shape, eyebrows, nose, ear length or shapes, et cetera. Inkling masks are also a good way to create interest in the design.

More Inkling-specific design: their tentacles. Now, if you're making a squid OC, they'll have 6 tentacles on their head - typically four shorter ones and two longer ones, although the game doesnt seem to differentiate on those much, judging by some hairstyles. Octolings however only have four tentacles, and they have suction cups on the outside. This is kind of the same as above: there are many canon hairstyles to pick from, but also don't be afraid to go nuts and do weird stuff with the tentacles. Inklings are known to trim their tentacles, cut them up into blocky shapes or even cut them into long strips or super-specific hairstyles that don't even really resemble tentacles anymore, and of course you can do different color combinations, scars, piercings, tattoos even. And of course if you're looking at real-life species as inspiration, you will probably end up getting ideas for the tentacles based on that. Basically, tentacles are often THE THING that sticks out about OCs.

The next best thing? Clothes. Full disclosure I really hate designing outfits (because I'm bad at it) but clothes do a lot to build character. Now, in Splatoon, clothes are REALLY not a problem because the game has such a big focus on fashion that you will never run out of options when it comes to what an OC should wear (Inkipedia has full lists of all gear from all games). But if you want to get really in-depth about what your character dresses in, there's also been blurbs of what kinds of brands the different clothes brands are and what kind of style they are known for - they have loyalists, basically. When it comes to gear, I personally don't like using the in-game gear much, mostly because I hate having to go out of my way to look at reference every time I want to draw a character. But there's a lot to choose from, and if you want to be original with it but still stick to the brand, you could make your own modifications of existing gear or make up fake new gear for your OC to wear.

But as a rule of thumb, what everyone wants from their OCs is different and I think the most important part is to just make something fun that brings you joy. So I hope this helped maybe? (I need to start using my own advice...)

[burritofriedrich]

hello,i am chinese.I love ur fanfiction in ao3 about french revolution.I' d like to know how u feel about saint-just and robespierre and their relationship.

Hi!!! Thank you sm <3 this is my first ask ever haha ! 

In my ffs the relationship and the romantic sparkle between them is more an idea of fiction. I can not stress this point enough because I dislike the „radical“ ship-culture that sometimes is present in fandoms about historical events, which often fails to differentiate between historical fact and fiction. The „they were roommates“-trope is often met with eye rolls but serves as a necessary reminder that for most historical figures there is no evidence for romantic interaction and in my opinion it would be rude to assume they had!

All this applies to the Robespierre/Saint-Just relationship. Historically, they were two figures who talked, wrote letters and spend time together. The sources we have about their relationship should be put in context with their historical time to fully understand it and not misinterpret them as something more than friends as a person of todays time likely would, since not everyone wants to do the necessary research. Some of the sentences written sure sound really intense for us – I‘m looking at you, 1790-August-letter from Saint-Just saying „you whom I only know, like God, through his miracles“ – but they get a new context if one looks at the friendship-culture of that time and the idea of fraternité. It sure is a strong sentence after all haha! I would be lying if I said it did not touch me while reading it, also reading their correspondence and of course reading about their shared death. There is a certain beauty to die for ones ideals and doing it together can easily get romanticised with tropes such as „shared destiny“ etc etc. 

I gathered all these little things about their relationship and hold it dear to me, transform the feelings I get from it into vibes and these vibes into fiction. And I think it is very important to always be able to separate the historical figures from the idea we have of them: it‘s the only way you can keep history a hobby and a profession at the same time. 

What intrigued me the most about their relationship and made me want to write about them is the symbolism they offer! Saint-Just happened to be a little history-crush of mine ever since we read his speech against the king in middle-school. Sadly, I forgot about him until I started studying at university and worked on french 1800 century. art. There I read about him again and learned his nickname of „archangel of death“ and people calling his writings „evangelism of Saint-Just“. I was obsessed! I love angle symbolism, it offers such a variety to give a deeper meaning to a text.

I fell for the idea of Saint-Just being a young revolutionary, described as angelic, yet cruel and deadly. He was a symbol of radicalism for me and dragged me (and still drags) in a philosophical dilemma between holding such ideals of freedom and equality but creating a thing like the Terror.

Robespierre being referred to as „ you whom I only know, like God “ only helped to build the symbolism around angel and christian martyrs. He of course is a highly interesting person and I wish to read more of his speeches. 

In „Dying in a hottub“ one can already collect small allusions to the angel-symbol such as him gifting lilies (the flower of archangel Gabriel) to Robespierre or his fascination of Justicia and the scale (a devise also linked to archangel Michel). I plan to expand on this theme in later chapters. I hope the reader can see how I let my modern-AU Saint-Just struggle with his everyday life, the role which he wants to fullfill in university and the role he wants to fullfill in his friend circle. The root of his struggles lies in being an idealist with unattainable aspirations making him feel lost. Sometimes I feel this way too, to be honest.

My modern-AU Robespierre finds himself in the same position: Unable to follow all of his ideals. But he on the other hand, tries to find a compromise and to understand why he can't achieve them and consequently what changes have to be made to fullfill them. He does struggle too of course, but he is better in finding compromises. He is aware of his position in life and maintains composure, while Saint-Just feels lost. To him Robespierre appears steady as if he faces no struggles at all, making him admirable in his eyes. 

In „My love language is killing annoying people for u“ I play around with the themes of trust and passage of time. They are trusting each other while struggling to rely on anybody else. They share many moments together although destiny only grants them little time. These tragic counterparts inspired me to write about this relationship! 

Puh! I never really wrote this exposition down, it had only been in my head until now haha I hope it makes sense!! Thank you for reading my ff and please feel free to reach out to me I love talking about it and hearing what others think <3 

[historicalfightingguide]

Video made by and for olympic fencers but the overall set up of the drill can be used to drill concepts like absetzen or various maisterhaus of the KDF system for example. It’s essentially a form of introducing ‘aliveness’ to a drill to get it more applicable, to make the tactic clearer and more understandable. Arguably a form of a constraints lead approach, wherein the constraints are the types of attacks thrown and to some degree the distance and tempo,but all those, especially the latter two have some degree of freedom for the trainee to get accustomed to. Detailed description from youtube(that would be at least somewhat different for a longsword zwerchau against an oberhau but not necessarily hugely different for an absetzen against a longpoint-ish thrust): “ Important Technical aspects for Successful counter-attack while fencing epee:

 1. Assess your opponent; If you are TALLER, STRONGER, FASTER, QUICKER or SMARTER than your opponent then you will have a much larger room for error.      

1a. If you are any of those qualities above then you can afford to provoke an attack with a regular small-lunge followed by regular recovery. Because of your advantage in size, speed or whit that SHOULD be enough for your to successfully provoke an attack while still making a successful counter-attack (aka Stop-Hit) 

 2. For those situations when you are evenly matched to your opponent or YOU ARE WEAKER THAN YOUR OPPONENT:      

2a. I recommend to provoke your opponent with a half-step where all of your body weight for a split-second will be on your FRONT FOOT. Once your weight is on the front-foot then you should push off with it while extending/stretching with your backfoot FURTHER THAN THE SPOT YOU STARTED AT initially.

     2b. By moving your back foot first after a provocation you will end up recovering further back than if you would have done a simple lunge recovery. This way you will buy an extra few inches of distance will make it easier to make a quality counter-attack 

 3. Arm movement / tip movement: To provoke an attack from your opponent it is best to feint an attack from yourself. YOU DONT ACTUALLY NEED TO RISK IT ALL TO PROVOKE YOUR OPPONENTS     

3a. Try provoking by starting with least risky actions and slowly make your way to actually scoring a hit on a hand/knee/toe.    

 3b. Opponent much more likely to try attacking you if he or she will feel than it is too dangerous to wait. SO IT IS YOUR JOB TO FORCE YOUR OPPONENTS TO MAKE A DECISION. If opponent will be faced with a situation where they will eventually get hit while defending then they are more likely to make an ill-advised attack at you. So make sure to use your tip as a means of REAL threat, including occasionally actually going for the hit 

 4. Tip Placement: If you are very good this may not be very important, because technically you can make a counter-attack to any part of the body. HOWEVER if your point-control is not perfect it can me quite difficult to make a successful counter-attack (stop hit) to a forearm.     

4b. In this case I recommend practicing putting your tip right in the elbow groove of your opponent. This will lead to much more consistent results. If you practice to put the tip right into that grove then there is a higher chance of tip-button to be pressed instead of it just gliding along the forearm. “

For anyone who hasn’t yet seen the following links:

Some advice on how to start studying the sources generally can be found in these older posts

Remember to check out  A Guide to Starting a Liberation Martial Arts Gym as it may help with your own club/gym/dojo/school culture and approach.

Check out their curriculum too.

Fear is the Mind Killer: How to Build a Training Culture that Fosters Strength and Resilience by   Kajetan Sadowski   may be relevant as well.

“How We Learn to Move: A Revolution in the Way We Coach & Practice Sports Skills”  by Rob Gray  

Another useful book to check out is  The Theory and Practice of Historical European Martial Arts (while about HEMA, a lot of it is applicable to other historical martial arts clubs dealing with research and recreation of old fighting systems).

Why having a systematic approach to training can be beneficial

Worth checking out are this blogs tags on pedagogy and teaching for other related useful posts.

Consider getting some patches of this sort or these cool rashguards to show support for good causes or a t-shirt like to send a good message while at training.

And stay safe

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Lee Soo Man (SM) recently stated that he feels K-pop can achieve what religion has failed to achieve. Do you agree or disagree? Is this a dangerous statement to make, or unsurprising given K-pop's accoutrements? Is a secular, pop-culture-based religion such a bad idea?

Thinking of how to possibly give an answer to this, I was reminded of a famous Malraux quote in which he said "The 21st century will be religious, or it will not be at all." It could have been a good introduction for our discussion, except Malraux never said nor wrote that statement. Bear with me through this short explanation before I actually get to the words of another great (!), that is, Lee Soo Man.

I decided to do a quick google search in order to familiarize myself again with the various interpretations of the supposed quote because I wanted to be sure if it would make sense in using it in my response. I was surprised to find out that it has been made up somehow, a combination of other statements. To think the quote was also used in my high school history book and how fascinated I was at that time (or mostly confused, I wasn't really sure what it meant). How easy it is for the wrong information to be spread and become widely accepted. And I was nearly the point of contributing to that myself! It appears that the quote is actually a one sentence summary of some ideas Malraux indeed had about religion and how it will change in the 21st century. An actual quote sounds like this:

"The central problem of the end of the century will be the religious problem - in a form as different from that which we know, as Christianity was from the ancient religions. "

I will link the article which explains the common misconception and everyone is free to explore and read more about Malraux, The Human Condition and other philosophical themes related to humanity and religion.

In this particular case, I will take the freedom of coming up with an argument based on the actual quote, with the risk of maybe grossly misunderstanding it. But, as much as I've wrote a few paragraphs already on something unrelated, this is merely a BTS/K-Pop tumblr blog, so please be understanding with me.

So, the question is, is the 21st century religious? It is, it just changed its gods. Just as politeism was replaced by Christianity in some parts of the world and then Christianity losts its importance that it once had several centuries later, we are now facing a world in which I might suspect, we found our gods among us. Of course these gods are on some higher level, but they're not quintesentially different from the rest of us. They may remain gods forever, or easily stripped of that nature in almost an instant. Becoming a god is possible and the concept is sold as being attainable for everyone who wants it and works hard enough for it. I'd say even Warhol predicted what Malraux said in a way, with his ideas on everyone's 15 minutes of fame. We are living individualistic times in which we are told that we are important and special. Except we also love to worship others who are somehow a bit more important and special. We each have this need to believe in something, someone. For some it's Jesus Christ, while for others is Britney. We need them because they inspire, they bring comfort, they are doing things and are able to reach masses of people in a way that regular folks cannot.

And finally, Lee Soo Man is right, but also wrong. The idols he helped create and the culture of idols are some equivalent of gods that are worshipped, but they did not replace religion. They are religion. I don't think religion has ever failed. Some forms of religion may have failed or have been replaced, but the concept itself is ever present. One could say they're an atheist and they don't believe in a Christ or Buddha, but what about the shrine in their room containing albums, posters, photocards, merchandise? Listening and watching regularly to what the idols say and do? Preaching and praising them to the masses on social media? That's a form of religious worship. And it's not surprising because idols are meant to be worshipped. For their skills, talent, personality, beauty. It's all we talk about everyday. And some are religious extremists while others see it as something more casual, situating idols in a row with liking actors, writers, sportsmen, thinkers, gurus, youtubers, their own self.

[vidreview]

VIDEO ESSAY ROUNDUP #2 [PART 2]

[originally posted november 14 2023. NOTE: while migrating the archive from cohost i've discovered that tumblr has a 10 link-block limit, which means i have to split some of these roundups up in order to maintain the embeds. we love websites don't we folks]

THE "DOESN'T NEED THE HELP" ZONE

my preference with these posts is to highlight creators making stuff that might not get much exposure otherwise. but it must be said that sometimes algorithmically successful video creators are creatively successful too. who'dathunkit?

"Are Film Critics a Dying Breed?" by Broey Deschanel.

an excellent dissection of the miserable state of media criticism today, starting at the surprise resignation of A.O. Scott from the New York Times. touches on the important role critics can play in resurrecting films that failed on release, and how we've arrived at a moment when so much criticism is (ironically) uncritical stenography for creatively bankrupt corporations. i think we're going to be seeing a lot of videos on this subject in the years to come, especially as more and more traditional avenues of media crit shut down and our society continues its profit-driven plunge into seeing art as merely a container for passive good feelings to be experienced in the moment and then forgotten forever. does a good job explaining why the firebrand critics of the 70s, like Pauline Kael, were so important, without letting them off the hook for their often elitist attitudes.

"Parking Laws Are Strangling America" by Climate Town.

an essential and refreshing dive into the outsized impacts that zoning laws (specifically parking requirements on new construction) have had on the very shape and soul of American public spaces. we like to talk about car culture and "freedom of the road" propaganda when grousing about the miserable state of public transit, but this here does a delicious materialism and cuts right to the heart of the matter. i love how he consistently refers to parking as "publicly subsidized storage for an individual's private property." little rhetorical interventions like these can do a lot to naturalize a more radical perspective on urbanist reforms. related to this is his video on Chicago's disastrous choice to sell its parking meters to Morgan-Stanley in 2009. i don't love the jokey Daily Show-esque affect Rollie brings to his stuff all the time, but the clarity of information more than makes up for the occasional dud joke. also: really solid camera work? huge props to his gimbal operator.

"Notation Must Die: The Battle For How We Read Music" by Tantacrul.

an exhaustive look at the history of musical notation and the many, many attempts people have made at replacing western notation with something more intuitive. if you've ever had a professor just go off about a huge pet peeve of theirs, you'll probably enjoy this one.

"YouTube is spreading a filmmaking disease" by Standard Story Company.

some context: about a month ago i finally bought a new camera and lighting equipment for the first time in ten years. this was preceded by months of researching my options, watching lengthy technical review videos, trying to find a sweet spot between cost and utility. i've watched a million videos like these over the years, and yet i'd never really thought about them as a genre with specific socioeconomic impacts on a population… until now. this is a technical review video that has become self-aware, one which simultaneously reviews tech and the act of reviewing tech in equal measure. it's a fun, interesting experiment that got me thinking in new ways about something i'd very much taken for granted. there remains an uneasy alliance between art and advertising here that i'm not quite sure what to do with, but the work itself is admirable and well worth your time.

----

and that's it for this roundup! good luck to those with get-togethers planned for thanksgiving-- make sure to get vaccinated, wear a mask in public spaces, and don't let anyone guilt you for staying home if you're worried for your or someone else's immunological safety.

<- ROUNDUP #1 | ROUNDUP #3 ->

[govipul]

The Importance of Ownership and Accountability in the Workplace

In today’s fast-paced business world, the concepts of ownership and accountability have become essential pillars for organizational success. When employees understand and embrace these two values, they contribute not only to their own professional development but also to the growth and efficiency of the company. Ownership and accountability aren't just buzzwords; they are the foundations that drive productivity, innovation, and employee satisfaction. In this article, we’ll explore how these principles can transform a workplace into a thriving, results-oriented environment.

What is Ownership in the Workplace?

Ownership in the workplace refers to the level of responsibility and initiative that employees take in their roles. It goes beyond completing assigned tasks and involves a personal investment in the success of a project, team, or the organization as a whole. When employees "own" their work, they see their efforts as directly linked to the company’s outcomes, motivating them to take proactive actions and solve problems effectively.

Key Elements of Ownership

Proactivity: Employees with a strong sense of ownership do not wait for instructions. They anticipate problems and address them before they escalate. This proactive mindset fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

Commitment to Results: Ownership-driven employees aim for long-term results rather than short-term gains. Their focus is on contributing value that aligns with the company’s mission and objectives.

Autonomy: Ownership thrives in environments where employees have the freedom to make decisions and act independently, within a framework of clear guidelines. This autonomy empowers individuals to take initiative and feel accountable for their decisions.

The Role of Accountability in Driving Results

Accountability is closely linked with ownership. While ownership is about taking initiative, accountability ensures that individuals are answerable for their actions and outcomes. A culture of accountability holds employees to high standards and creates a sense of responsibility for both successes and failures.

Benefits of Accountability

Improved Performance: When employees know they are accountable for their work, they strive to meet or exceed expectations. This drives higher levels of productivity and performance across the organization.

Transparency: Accountability fosters open communication and transparency. When team members are held accountable, there is less room for misunderstandings, and more clarity about who is responsible for what.

Trust and Respect: When accountability is woven into the fabric of the workplace, trust naturally follows. Employees trust each other to follow through on commitments, and managers trust their teams to meet expectations. This mutual respect is vital for a healthy working environment.

How Ownership and Accountability Build a Strong Organizational Culture

An organization that promotes both ownership and accountability fosters a culture where employees feel empowered and trusted. These elements are critical in building a culture of engagement, motivation, and high performance.

Encouraging Collaboration

When employees take ownership and hold themselves accountable, collaboration across teams improves. People are more willing to share resources, knowledge, and time when they know that every member is equally committed to the organization's success. Collaboration in such environments isn’t forced; it’s a natural byproduct of shared responsibility.

Driving Innovation

Ownership breeds creativity and innovation. Employees who feel accountable for their work are more likely to propose new ideas, streamline processes, and develop solutions to problems. When accountability is embraced, there’s no fear of failure, only opportunities to learn and improve.

Enhancing Employee Satisfaction

When employees feel they are trusted to own their work and held accountable for their contributions, job satisfaction increases. Ownership and accountability give employees a sense of purpose, as they see how their individual work impacts the organization. High satisfaction leads to greater retention and attracts top talent, helping businesses stay competitive.

Strategies for Cultivating Ownership and Accountability

Building a culture of ownership and accountability requires deliberate effort from leadership. It is not something that can be achieved overnight, but the following strategies can help set the foundation for long-term success:

1. Set Clear Expectations

The first step in fostering ownership and accountability is to establish clear, measurable goals. Employees must know exactly what is expected of them in terms of tasks, deadlines, and performance standards. Vague or inconsistent expectations lead to confusion and diminish accountability.

2. Provide Regular Feedback

Feedback plays a crucial role in maintaining accountability. Frequent, constructive feedback lets employees know where they stand, helping them understand what they are doing well and where they need to improve. Feedback should be a two-way street, allowing employees to express their thoughts on their own performance and the organization’s support.

3. Empower Employees with Autonomy

To cultivate ownership, employees need the freedom to make decisions. Autonomy signals trust and encourages people to take initiative, which leads to a greater sense of responsibility. However, autonomy must be balanced with accountability—employees should be empowered to make decisions, but also responsible for the outcomes.

4. Recognize and Reward Ownership

Recognition is a powerful motivator. When employees display ownership and accountability, publicly acknowledging their efforts reinforces these behaviors and encourages others to follow suit. Rewards can range from formal bonuses to simple gestures of appreciation, but what matters is that contributions are valued.

5. Encourage a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is essential for creating a workplace where ownership and accountability thrive. Employees must feel comfortable taking risks, learning from mistakes, and improving continuously. Leaders should encourage experimentation and treat failures as learning opportunities, not as occasions for punishment.

The Leadership Role in Promoting Ownership and Accountability

Leaders play a pivotal role in fostering ownership and accountability in the workplace. They must model these behaviors by being accountable for their own actions and outcomes, demonstrating transparency in their decision-making, and taking responsibility when things go wrong.

Lead by Example

When leaders demonstrate a high level of ownership and accountability, they set the tone for the entire organization. Employees take cues from their leaders, and if they see leadership taking responsibility for both successes and failures, they are more likely to emulate that behavior.

Create an Open Dialogue

Open communication is critical for a culture of accountability. Leaders should encourage questions, invite feedback, and create an environment where employees feel safe discussing challenges. When employees know their concerns will be addressed, they are more likely to take ownership of their work and hold themselves accountable.

Provide Resources and Support

For employees to take full ownership of their responsibilities, they need the right tools, training, and resources. Leaders should ensure that their teams are equipped with everything they need to succeed and should be proactive in addressing any barriers that could hinder performance.

Conclusion

The importance of ownership and accountability in the workplace cannot be overstated. These two principles are key drivers of individual and organizational success, fostering a culture of responsibility, engagement, and innovation. By promoting ownership and accountability, companies can unlock their employees’ full potential, leading to sustained performance improvements and a competitive edge in the marketplace.

[teamtrackmaster]

Retention Strategies for High Performing Employees: Keeping Your Top Talent Engaged

Retaining high-performing employees is crucial for maintaining a company’s edge. These top performers are the backbone of any organization, driving innovation, productivity, and growth. However, keeping these valuable assets engaged and motivated requires strategic efforts. This article delves into the key retention strategies for high performing employees, emphasizing the importance of employee behavior, performance management, and workforce management software.

What are the Key Retention Strategies for High-Performing Employees?

Retention strategies are essential to ensure that your high-performing workers remain with your organization. Some of the key strategies include:

Offering Competitive Compensation and Benefits: High-performing workers know their worth. Competitive salaries, bonuses, and benefits packages are fundamental in retaining top talent.

Providing Career Advancement Opportunities: Career development is a significant motivator. Offering clear paths for promotion, professional development programs, and mentoring can keep employees engaged.

Creating a Positive Work Environment: A supportive and inclusive workplace culture can significantly impact employee retention. Encouraging collaboration and recognizing achievements foster a positive atmosphere.

Ensuring Work-Life Balance: Flexible working hours, remote work options, and wellness programs help employees balance their professional and personal lives, leading to higher job satisfaction.

How Can You Control Your Top Aptitude Committed and Encouraged?

Engagement and motivation are critical for retaining high-performing workers. Here’s how you can achieve this:

Setting Clear Goals and Expectations: Clearly defined goals and expectations help employees understand their roles and contributions. This clarity can cause stimulation and stress.

Regular Feedback and Recognition: Constructive feedback and public recognition of achievements can boost morale and reinforce positive behaviors.

Encouraging Innovation and Autonomy: Allowing employees the freedom to innovate and make decisions can foster a sense of ownership and drive engagement.

Investing in Professional Development: Providing opportunities for learning and growth, such as workshops, courses, and conferences, shows employees that the company values their personal and professional development.

What are the Most Effective Ways to Retain High-Performing Workers?

Effective retention strategies go beyond mere incentives. They involve creating an environment where employees feel valued and integral to the organization’s success:

Implementing Robust Employee Performance Management Systems: Regular performance reviews, goal-setting, and feedback loops ensure that employees are aligned with the company’s objectives and feel their contributions are recognized.

Utilizing Workforce Management Software: Advanced workforce management software can help in tracking performance, managing schedules, and ensuring employees have the resources they need. This technological support can streamline operations and enhance job satisfaction.

Promoting a Strong Company Culture: A culture that aligns with employees' values and promotes a sense of community can be a powerful retention tool. Transparency, inclusivity, and a shared vision are essential components.

Providing Employee Benefits that Matter: Tailored benefits that meet the diverse needs of employees, such as health and wellness programs, childcare support, and educational assistance, can significantly impact retention.

How Can Employee Engagement Improve Retention Rates Among Top Performers?

Employee engagement closely linked to retention. Active employees are more likely to stay with the business. Here’s how engagement can improve retention rates:

Fostering a Sense of Belonging: Engaged employees feel connected to their workplace and colleagues. This sense of belonging can reduce turnover rates.

Increasing Job Satisfaction: Engagement often leads to higher job satisfaction as employees feel valued and fulfilled in their roles.

Enhancing Loyalty: Engaged employees are more loyal to their employers, making them less likely to leave for other opportunities.

What Role Does Company Culture Play in Retaining High-Performing Workers?

Company civilization is a crucial factor in worker retention. A positive culture can significantly influence an employee’s decision to stay:

Alignment with Values: When the company’s values align with those of the employees, it creates a harmonious work environment.

Creating a Supportive Environment: A culture that promotes support, collaboration, and recognition can boost employee morale and loyalty.

Encouraging Work-Life Balance: A culture that values work-life balance helps employees manage their personal and professional lives effectively, leading to higher retention rates.

What are the Best Practices for Maintaining High Employee Satisfaction Among Top Performers?

Maintaining high employee satisfaction involves continuous effort and commitment:

Regularly Seeking Feedback: Conducting surveys and feedback sessions to understand employee needs and concerns can help address issues proactively.

Recognizing and Rewarding Achievements: Regular recognition and rewards for outstanding performance can boost morale and satisfaction.

Supporting Professional Development: Providing continuous learning opportunities and career advancement options can keep employees motivated and satisfied.

You Can Also Watch:

Conclusion:

Retaining high performing employees requires a multifaceted approach that addresses their professional and personal needs. By implementing effective retention strategies, focusing on employee engagement, and creating a positive work environment, organizations can keep their top talent motivated, satisfied, and loyal.

[manikadenglishblog]

BLOG #3: Taking A Stand Through The Arts

Film Viewing

Before we had this activity of watching the movie Slingshot Hip-hop, my only exposure to the Palestinian struggle was through the news and social media after October. I had seen the suffering and plight of their people and thought, “Why?” Why was this happening to them? What is the reason? I then sought out educational resources that explained the history of the current Palestinian occupation, and I was even more horrified by the current events. I immediately knew what stance I was going to take, and that was with the Palestinian people. 

After we had watched Slingshot Hip-hop, a few weeks ago, I was now exposed to the everyday life of Palestinians. I saw how they live everyday under occupation, I saw how they are oppressed, with gigantic walls, shootings, arrests, and discrimination. I think to show the everyday human life of the Palestinians is very important in order to get people to care. Usually, oppressed people are only presented as a statistic, the media never shows how they live their lives. Humanizing them by showing their culture, life, and history is a vital step to get people to stand in solidarity with them. 

Zine Making

Now, my teacher taught us how to make a zine, and its history of being used when the truth was being censored. My concept for my zine was to highlight the experiences of the Palestinians under occupation, how they were being oppressed inside their own land, and how they fought back against it. I expressed my feelings and opinions through both art and words. I may not be the most skilled at drawing, but I felt that I had truly projected my own feelings into my zine. A page is dedicated to a drawing, and the next is where I write my thoughts and opinions. I wrote about why this occupation creates an unjust and inhumane system within the Palestinians’ own land, and how this must end for them to finally reclaim their own land and be free from this colonialist occupation.

I gave this zine to one of my friends, they do not attend Manila Science High School, but they immediately understood what I was writing about, since they are also educated on this topic. From what I gather from their response, we share the same opinions towards the occupation and we both had an insightful conversation about it. I was quite glad that we both heavily agreed upon this.

Rap Song Writing

Another activity that was assigned to us was to create a rap song, and just like the movie we watched, Slingshot Hip-hop, we used this opportunity to speak up about a prevalent issue in our society, which is LGBTQ+ rights and discrimination. The song has an aggressive and provoking tone, which is very fitting as it seems the song’s perspective is from an individual who has been discriminated against for their whole life. Writing these experiences, especially through rap, helps a person to express themselves in a creative and “safe” way, and what I mean by that is it is better to channel your anger through creative mediums like this, instead of violence. Because with these songs, you are creating art that can be shared with other people and can possibly inspire them to make art like this too. I find this experience to be really inspiring and empowering, because I find it very beautiful that we humans can turn our life experiences into a piece of art.

Creativity and Criticality

What I find very interesting is how we are able to use our ability to create art and to be able to use it critically. So many art forms emerged from critics of societal issues and rebellion, so creativity and criticality might even be intrinsically linked in the first place. A great example of this are visual art forms. In my observation through social media, many digital artists create art to show their support for many good causes, particularly Palestine in recent times. Creating art is a way to revolt, in a way, because it gives a person freedom to say their thoughts or protest. Another reason why is because art builds solidarity with other people that support the same cause, because through this medium, we find a way to make statements with one piece of art, and through our mind we are able to know what this art piece is saying.

[bestmattressbedonline]

Experience the Difference: Ergonomic Office Chairs Tailored for Your Comfort

In today's fast-paced world, where we spend countless hours glued to our desks, the importance of ergonomic office chair cannot be overstated. These chairs are not just pieces of furniture; they are designed to revolutionize the way we work, offering unparalleled comfort and support. In this blog post, we will delve into the realm of ergonomic office chairs, exploring how they can transform your workspace experience and enhance your overall well-being.

Unveiling the Essence of Ergonomic Office Chairs

First and foremost, let's dissect what makes an ergonomic office chair stand out from the crowd. Unlike traditional chairs, which often prioritize aesthetics over functionality, ergonomic chairs are meticulously crafted with the human body in mind. From adjustable lumbar support to customizable armrests and seat depth, every aspect is engineered to promote optimal posture and alleviate strain.

Experience Unmatched Comfort

Picture this: you settle into your ergonomic office chair, and instantly, you feel a wave of relief wash over you. The ergonomic design cradles your body, providing support precisely where you need it most. With a contoured seat that conforms to your natural shape and breathable mesh upholstery that keeps you cool, you'll forget what it's like to experience discomfort during long hours at your desk. Say goodbye to backaches and neck pains – with an ergonomic office chair, you can bid adieu to discomfort and embrace unparalleled comfort.

Boost Productivity and Focus

A comfortable workspace is a productive workspace. When you're not constantly shifting in your seat or battling nagging aches and pains, you can fully immerse yourself in your tasks. An ergonomic office chair promotes better concentration and focus, allowing you to tackle projects with renewed vigor and efficiency. By investing in your comfort, you're investing in your productivity – a win-win situation for both you and your employer.

Prioritize Your Well-being

Your health should always be a top priority, especially in today's sedentary work culture. Prolonged sitting has been linked to a myriad of health issues, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and musculoskeletal disorders. However, with an ergonomic office chair, you can mitigate these risks and safeguard your well-being. By maintaining proper posture and reducing the strain on your body, you're taking proactive steps towards a healthier, happier lifestyle.

Customization: Tailored to Perfection

One size does not fit all – and the same applies to office chairs. That's why ergonomic office chairs offer a plethora of customization options, allowing you to tailor your seating experience to your unique preferences. Whether you prefer a firmer lumbar support or a slightly reclined position, you have the freedom to adjust your chair to suit your needs. With ergonomic office chairs, it's all about personalized comfort – because no two bodies are alike.

Invest Wisely: The Long-term Benefits

While the initial cost of an ergonomic office chair may seem daunting, it's essential to view it as an investment in your health and well-being. Consider it a long-term commitment to your comfort and productivity. By choosing quality craftsmanship and ergonomic design, you're not just purchasing a chair – you're investing in your future. With proper care and maintenance, an ergonomic office chair can last for years, ensuring that you reap the benefits of comfort and support for the long haul.

Conclusion: Redefine Your Workspace with Ergonomic Excellence

In conclusion, the difference between an ordinary office chair and an ergonomic office chair is night and day. With its unparalleled comfort, customizable features, and long-term health benefits, an ergonomic office chair is a game-changer for anyone seeking to elevate their workspace experience. Say goodbye to discomfort and hello to productivity – invest in an ergonomic office chair today, and experience the difference for yourself. Your body will thank you.

Must Read: From Memory Foam to Hybrid: Choosing the Right Mattress for You

[musicarenagh]

Adrian Sutherland's song 'Precious' Is A nice look at culture and music." Adrian Sutherland, who hails from Canada's Far North, talks about his new album "Precious Diamonds". He gives a tasty taste of it through the song "Precious" that shows what kind music he plays. Working again with Grammy-winning producer Colin Linden in Nashville, Sutherland's songs show his powerful singing skills and deep cultural connections. "Precious" is a powerful song that gets its inspiration from the soulful Black music coming out of America's southern areas. Linked to the problems of minority groups, it honors the ongoing worldwide battle for rights and freedoms. Sutherland's voice shows strong feelings like the Black Keys, with singing from powwow and a big ending. This sounds similar to his music heroes he admires so much. Made with fun tunes and delicate music, the song shows how good Sutherland's voice is. It feels like modern blues and has unique sounds of accordion while playing B3 organ parts at the same time. Sutherland's music mixes rock, roots, folk and blues with his life tied to the Cree culture making a deep connection. His dedication to his culture is clear not only in his music but also by promoting important problems like dirty water and mental health. "Precious Diamonds" is a big part of Sutherland's music story. It shows not only his voice skills but also that he cares about culture too. These single songs, a great mix of old and new sounds, show how good Sutherland is at putting many types together. They make people excited to find out the interesting stories in his album. Adrian Sutherland makes lovely music and shows respect for his heritage. This will give you a wonderful hearing experience. Listen to Precious on https://youtu.be/AOtQnNTxb8M Follow Adrian Sutherland on Facebook Twitter Spotify Soundcloud Youtube Instagram Tiktok

[cleoenfaserum]

The Atrocities In Gaza Are The Perfect Embodiment Of ‘Western Values’

What are “Western Values”

Western values are a set of values strongly associated with the West which generally posit the importance of individual rights. They are often seen as related to Judeo-Christian values, and are generally associated with other sociopolitical aspects of the West, such as free-market capitalism and liberal democracy. (Link to source: Western values (West) - Wikipedia)

Top 5 Core Values Of Western Societies: Individualism-Personal responsibility-Free enterprise-Equality-Patriotism (Link to source: Top 5 Core Values Of Western Societies — CEOWORLD magazine)

The United States of Nothing: What are “Western Values”? (link to source: The United States of Nothing. What are “Western Values”? | by umair haque | Bad Words | Medium)

LISTEN & / OR READ...

879-1 https://ok.ru/video/7435726228019

READ:

When Israeli president Isaac Herzog described the assault on Gaza as a war “to save Western civilization, to save the values of Western civilization,” he wasn’t really lying. He was telling the truth — just maybe not quite in the way that he meant it.

The demolition of Gaza is indeed being perpetrated in defense of western values, and is itself a perfect embodiment of western values. Not the western values they teach you about in school, but the hidden ones they don’t want you to look at. Not the attractive packaging with the advertising slogans on the label, but the product that’s actually inside the box.

For centuries western civilization has depended heavily on war, genocide, theft, colonialism and imperialism, which it has justified using narratives premised on religion, racism and ethnic supremacy — all of which we are seeing play out in the incineration of Gaza today.

What we are seeing in Gaza is a much better representation of what western civilization is really about than all the gibberish about freedom and democracy we learned about in school. A much better representation of western civilization than all the art and literature we’ve been proudly congratulating ourselves on over the centuries. A much better representation of western civilization than the love and compassion we like to pretend our Judeo-Christian values revolve around.

It’s been so surreal watching western rightists babbling about how savage and barbaric Muslim culture is amid the 2023 zombie resurrection of Bush-era Islamophobia, even while western civilization amasses a mountain of ten thousand child corpses.

That mountain of child corpses is a much better representation of western culture than anything Mozart, da Vinci or Shakespeare ever produced.

This is western civilization. This is what it looks like.

Western civilization, where Julian Assange awaits his final appeal in February against US extradition for journalism which exposed US war crimes.

Where we are fed a nonstop deluge of mass media propaganda to manufacture our consent for wars and aggression which have killed millions and displaced tens of millions in the 21st century alone.

Where we are kept distracted by vapid entertainment and artificial culture wars so we don’t think too hard about what this civilization is and who it is killing and maiming and starving and exploiting.

Where news cycles are dominated more by celebrity gossip and Donald Trump’s latest mouth farts than by the mass atrocities that are being actively facilitated by western governments.

Where liberals congratulate themselves for having progressive views on race and gender while the officials they elect help rip apart children’s bodies with military explosives.

Where Zionist Jews center themselves and their emotions because opposition to an active genocide makes them feel like they are being persecuted, and where Israel supporters who are not Jewish still kind of feel like they are being persecuted also.

Where a giant globe-spanning empire powered by militarism, imperialism, capitalism and authoritarianism devours human flesh with an insatiable appetite while we congratulate ourselves on how much better we are than nations like Iran or China.

These are western values. This is western civilization.

Ask somebody to tell you what their values are and they’ll give you a bunch of pleasant-sounding words about family and love and caring or whatever. Watch their actions to see what their actual values are and you’ll often get a very different story.

That’s us. That’s western civilization. We say we value freedom, justice, truth, peace and free expression, but our actions paint a very different picture. The real western values, the actual product inside the box underneath the attractive label, are the ones you see acted out in Gaza today.

[transgenderuwo]

Man this article starts off strong but it just keeps getting worse as it goes on. It's not a bad perspective to start with, but the author's complete refusal to acknowledge how overwhelmingly White his experiences are soured the whole thing for me. I get that the author is White and is writing about his personal experiences, but he speaks with such an authority on the whole subject that feels exactly like every other White person explaining how privileged I (a Southeast Asian immigrant whose home country is among the worst for queer and trans legal rights) must be while sweeping their own racist complicity under the rug. The author freely admits to being White within that very article (or at least mentions trying to adopt an "Unthreatening [sic] White Dad" persona), and the way he talks about feminist writings by cis men for cis men makes it infuriatingly, painfully clear that the critical perspectives he's missing are from BIPOC writers. It's yet another disappointing but unsurprising case of a White queer person forgetting that being queer does not make them any less White.

I wanted to ignore the condescending removal of agency I sensed in the text – unfortunately, this is something the overwhelming majority of us BIPOC have to do in order to exist within White spaces – but it hit a boiling point I couldn't ignore when the author mentioned his other essay, "Trans Masc Misogyny and the Red Six of Spades" (archived/unwalled link). "The Red Six of Spades" is painful in its refusal to acknowledge intersectional experiences; I've seen it used to deny myself and others the basic dignity to express that hey, it's kinda cruel to say that other marginalized people directly suffering from a gendered colonialism that you yourself are actively perpetuating on us somehow don't deserve to be afforded the same grace to make mistakes that White people are given. It is fundamentally untrue that the maladaptive coping methods we QTBIPOC develop to survive under colonialism are identical to White queer people's unwillingness to challenge the imperialist status quo they'd otherwise benefit from. We do not benefit from the imperialist status quo; when individual BIPOC can personally take advantage of imperialist status quos, we do so at the cost of our own cultures. Assimilation is not a privilege.

I almost want to laugh at how, in this very article about transmasculine erasure, the author perpetuates the same transmasc erasure he writes about. He doesn't even offer the idea that transmasc BIPOC specifically might have such a fundamentally different experience from him that our perspectives may matter enough to seek them out. I wouldn't go so far as to scold other marginalized people for "not learning anything" from the structural oppression and marginalization we face, since that would be asserting that bigotry has any valid purpose, but it still hurts to watch people taunt "rules for thee, not for me" as they pull the ladder up behind them. It hurts to feel like anything we've said about gender colonialism might have gotten through to them only for them to refuse to follow through – the structural inequalities they could still benefit from are more important than getting rid of the problem altogether. To them, suppressing the symptoms is more important than treating the root cause. We're just display-case figurines to look at and acknowledge for brownie points, since erasure only matters when it happens to White people within White imperialism that could be perfect if only it included more White people.

There's a cop-out of "I cannot give you every man’s story, every trans man’s story, every trans person’s story; I don't know them," but it rings hollow when just a few paragraphs before, the author writes, "[t]hat’s what unconditional privilege in patriarchy looks like. It is the freedom to define someone else’s reality on your own terms." You get to acknowledge us offhand as a get-out-of-jail-free card while we get to compartmentalize our whole lives to a vague, progressivist disclaimer at the end of a White person's essay. You refuse to acknowledge any specific personal shortcomings of your perspectives while we clamor and struggle to be heard. Inevitably, your refusal to engage with us as anything more than a footnote means that your voice is heard over ours and will speak for us. Inevitably, you define our realities on your own terms because you cannot see us as your peers.

women are held to such a high standard, and an extreme double standard at that. they are constantly criticized on every single thing they do. every part of their body is scrutinized and objectified. their physical and legal autonomy is always under threat. simply being associated with womanhood or femininity leaves one vulnerable to mockery, harassment, and demonization. unless a woman ends up being a trans man, then no one cares actually

[sapenvs3000f23]

Unit 06: Keeping Memories Alive🪺

Hi fellow interpreters! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoyed learning about nature interpretation through a historical lens this week. History interpretation helps us understand ourselves, where we have been, and why we are the way we are— all of which are highly linked to our natural environment. I think “Chapter 15: Interpreting History” in our Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World textbook highlighted this concept well when explaining that every natural site contains a history and every historic site has natural resources. Both nature and history interpretation are often offered at the same site and, like all interpretation techniques, are about making the subject engaging, inspiring, and personally meaningful. 

This morning, I visited the Art Gallery of Guelph to take a break from coursework and observe the current exhibits. The displays beautifully combined our recent prompts: nature, visual art, and history. In particular, I was mesmerized by The Third Scenario (curated by Holly Chang) and Carl Beam: Pieces of a Puzzle. The history, culture, and natural influences carried within each piece really inspired me while delving into the prompt this week. I recommend checking out the gallery if you have some free time on campus!

This week, we were asked to unpack the following quote:

There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things. …. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it. (Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation)

Hyams begins by explaining that the mere fact something is ancient does not mean it holds value on its own (age does not equate to worth), and that real value lies within maintaining the integrity of that something. Already, I find myself relating to the quote— the most valuable objects in my life are those with a story. He then goes on to define integrity as the “keeping together of the parts of any whole”, implying that preserving the cohesion and unity of something is what truly maintains integrity. If these components are “scattered throughout time” in the form of a story, then preserving integrity takes knowledge and memory of these ancient things. As explained when introducing history interpretation, this combination of knowledge, memory, and story (maintaining integrity) helps us understand ourselves, where we have been, and why we are the way we are— hence why preservation through writing is so crucial!

The remainder of the quote uses a railway station metaphor to illustrate the importance of the past. If we disregard the history something holds, thinking, feeling, or acting as though the past is done with, it is equivalent to believing a railway station we’ve just passed through only existed while our train was in it. In reality, the railway station existed far before and after our train passed through, just as the past continues to shape our present and future. 

The finishing sentiment from Hyams reminds me of a quote by David McCullough from “Chapter 15: Interpreting History” of our textbook: “We need the past for our sense of who we are. We need the past for a sense of our civic responsibility, how all these benefits and freedoms came to us, and what it is our duty to protect”. Bringing ancient things alive with stories builds personal connection, and whether it is an artifact, tradition, or tree, this connection encourages further protection and preservation of integrity— a key aspect of nature interpretation too. Overall, I think Edward Hyams’ quote does an excellent job of encompassing the most significant role of history interpreters: keeping memories alive.