#Business Coach in Vancouver

[ewomennetwork0]

Apps That Help Entrepreneurs Optimize Their Digital Marketing Strategy

Did you know that there are 582 million entrepreneurs in the world? With numbers like this, entrepreneurs everywhere need a competitive edge. If you’re building and scaling a business, chances are you’re constantly on the lookout for ways to get a leg up on your competitors. To accomplish this, you’ll need a great marketing strategy that stands out in a saturated market and access to the best digital marketing tools.

In this blog, we’re going to outline nine applications you need to optimize your digital marketing strategy. There may be a few that you are familiar with; others might be new to you. These are the ones that can unlock that door to success you’ve been waiting for.

From project management to outsourcing tasks and simplifying your social media marketing efforts, each of these applications will help you get the competitive edge you’re after. Plus, they’re easy-to-use with minimal technical skills required.

Project Management and Collaboration - Trello

The most important part of starting your digital marketing strategy is communicating and setting expectations for deliverables and deadlines for yourself, and if applicable, your team and stakeholders. In the past, most project management efforts took place via email. However, that traditional process was not created to accomplish the dynamic and fast-paced tasks that digital marketing activities demand. 

Trello is a free digital marketing tool for easy project management. The app displays each project like a “board” containing “cards” with checklists, and the user interface is easy to understand and navigate. Like other platforms, there are upgrades that come as paid features to get the most out of it. But, the basic free service entails checklists, deadline reminders, data filtering, activity logs, email notifications, customizable task categories, and more. It’s the best tool to simplify and organize digital marketing projects.

More info : business networking group for women entrepreneurs

[mostlysignssomeportents]

“Humans in the loop” must detect the hardest-to-spot errors, at superhuman speed

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me SATURDAY (Apr 27) in MARIN COUNTY, then Winnipeg (May 2), Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), and beyond!

If AI has a future (a big if), it will have to be economically viable. An industry can't spend 1,700% more on Nvidia chips than it earns indefinitely – not even with Nvidia being a principle investor in its largest customers:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39883571

A company that pays 0.36-1 cents/query for electricity and (scarce, fresh) water can't indefinitely give those queries away by the millions to people who are expected to revise those queries dozens of times before eliciting the perfect botshit rendition of "instructions for removing a grilled cheese sandwich from a VCR in the style of the King James Bible":

https://www.semianalysis.com/p/the-inference-cost-of-search-disruption

Eventually, the industry will have to uncover some mix of applications that will cover its operating costs, if only to keep the lights on in the face of investor disillusionment (this isn't optional – investor disillusionment is an inevitable part of every bubble).

Now, there are lots of low-stakes applications for AI that can run just fine on the current AI technology, despite its many – and seemingly inescapable - errors ("hallucinations"). People who use AI to generate illustrations of their D&D characters engaged in epic adventures from their previous gaming session don't care about the odd extra finger. If the chatbot powering a tourist's automatic text-to-translation-to-speech phone tool gets a few words wrong, it's still much better than the alternative of speaking slowly and loudly in your own language while making emphatic hand-gestures.

There are lots of these applications, and many of the people who benefit from them would doubtless pay something for them. The problem – from an AI company's perspective – is that these aren't just low-stakes, they're also low-value. Their users would pay something for them, but not very much.

For AI to keep its servers on through the coming trough of disillusionment, it will have to locate high-value applications, too. Economically speaking, the function of low-value applications is to soak up excess capacity and produce value at the margins after the high-value applications pay the bills. Low-value applications are a side-dish, like the coach seats on an airplane whose total operating expenses are paid by the business class passengers up front. Without the principle income from high-value applications, the servers shut down, and the low-value applications disappear:

https://locusmag.com/2023/12/commentary-cory-doctorow-what-kind-of-bubble-is-ai/

Now, there are lots of high-value applications the AI industry has identified for its products. Broadly speaking, these high-value applications share the same problem: they are all high-stakes, which means they are very sensitive to errors. Mistakes made by apps that produce code, drive cars, or identify cancerous masses on chest X-rays are extremely consequential.

Some businesses may be insensitive to those consequences. Air Canada replaced its human customer service staff with chatbots that just lied to passengers, stealing hundreds of dollars from them in the process. But the process for getting your money back after you are defrauded by Air Canada's chatbot is so onerous that only one passenger has bothered to go through it, spending ten weeks exhausting all of Air Canada's internal review mechanisms before fighting his case for weeks more at the regulator:

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/air-canada-s-chatbot-gave-a-b-c-man-the-wrong-information-now-the-airline-has-to-pay-for-the-mistake-1.6769454

There's never just one ant. If this guy was defrauded by an AC chatbot, so were hundreds or thousands of other fliers. Air Canada doesn't have to pay them back. Air Canada is tacitly asserting that, as the country's flagship carrier and near-monopolist, it is too big to fail and too big to jail, which means it's too big to care.

Air Canada shows that for some business customers, AI doesn't need to be able to do a worker's job in order to be a smart purchase: a chatbot can replace a worker, fail to their worker's job, and still save the company money on balance.

I can't predict whether the world's sociopathic monopolists are numerous and powerful enough to keep the lights on for AI companies through leases for automation systems that let them commit consequence-free free fraud by replacing workers with chatbots that serve as moral crumple-zones for furious customers:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563219304029

But even stipulating that this is sufficient, it's intrinsically unstable. Anything that can't go on forever eventually stops, and the mass replacement of humans with high-speed fraud software seems likely to stoke the already blazing furnace of modern antitrust:

https://www.eff.org/de/deeplinks/2021/08/party-its-1979-og-antitrust-back-baby

Of course, the AI companies have their own answer to this conundrum. A high-stakes/high-value customer can still fire workers and replace them with AI – they just need to hire fewer, cheaper workers to supervise the AI and monitor it for "hallucinations." This is called the "human in the loop" solution.

The human in the loop story has some glaring holes. From a worker's perspective, serving as the human in the loop in a scheme that cuts wage bills through AI is a nightmare – the worst possible kind of automation.

Let's pause for a little detour through automation theory here. Automation can augment a worker. We can call this a "centaur" – the worker offloads a repetitive task, or one that requires a high degree of vigilance, or (worst of all) both. They're a human head on a robot body (hence "centaur"). Think of the sensor/vision system in your car that beeps if you activate your turn-signal while a car is in your blind spot. You're in charge, but you're getting a second opinion from the robot.

Likewise, consider an AI tool that double-checks a radiologist's diagnosis of your chest X-ray and suggests a second look when its assessment doesn't match the radiologist's. Again, the human is in charge, but the robot is serving as a backstop and helpmeet, using its inexhaustible robotic vigilance to augment human skill.

That's centaurs. They're the good automation. Then there's the bad automation: the reverse-centaur, when the human is used to augment the robot.

Amazon warehouse pickers stand in one place while robotic shelving units trundle up to them at speed; then, the haptic bracelets shackled around their wrists buzz at them, directing them pick up specific items and move them to a basket, while a third automation system penalizes them for taking toilet breaks or even just walking around and shaking out their limbs to avoid a repetitive strain injury. This is a robotic head using a human body – and destroying it in the process.

An AI-assisted radiologist processes fewer chest X-rays every day, costing their employer more, on top of the cost of the AI. That's not what AI companies are selling. They're offering hospitals the power to create reverse centaurs: radiologist-assisted AIs. That's what "human in the loop" means.

This is a problem for workers, but it's also a problem for their bosses (assuming those bosses actually care about correcting AI hallucinations, rather than providing a figleaf that lets them commit fraud or kill people and shift the blame to an unpunishable AI).

Humans are good at a lot of things, but they're not good at eternal, perfect vigilance. Writing code is hard, but performing code-review (where you check someone else's code for errors) is much harder – and it gets even harder if the code you're reviewing is usually fine, because this requires that you maintain your vigilance for something that only occurs at rare and unpredictable intervals:

https://twitter.com/qntm/status/1773779967521780169

But for a coding shop to make the cost of an AI pencil out, the human in the loop needs to be able to process a lot of AI-generated code. Replacing a human with an AI doesn't produce any savings if you need to hire two more humans to take turns doing close reads of the AI's code.

This is the fatal flaw in robo-taxi schemes. The "human in the loop" who is supposed to keep the murderbot from smashing into other cars, steering into oncoming traffic, or running down pedestrians isn't a driver, they're a driving instructor. This is a much harder job than being a driver, even when the student driver you're monitoring is a human, making human mistakes at human speed. It's even harder when the student driver is a robot, making errors at computer speed:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/01/human-in-the-loop/#monkey-in-the-middle

This is why the doomed robo-taxi company Cruise had to deploy 1.5 skilled, high-paid human monitors to oversee each of its murderbots, while traditional taxis operate at a fraction of the cost with a single, precaratized, low-paid human driver:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/11/robots-stole-my-jerb/#computer-says-no

The vigilance problem is pretty fatal for the human-in-the-loop gambit, but there's another problem that is, if anything, even more fatal: the kinds of errors that AIs make.

Foundationally, AI is applied statistics. An AI company trains its AI by feeding it a lot of data about the real world. The program processes this data, looking for statistical correlations in that data, and makes a model of the world based on those correlations. A chatbot is a next-word-guessing program, and an AI "art" generator is a next-pixel-guessing program. They're drawing on billions of documents to find the most statistically likely way of finishing a sentence or a line of pixels in a bitmap:

https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3442188.3445922

This means that AI doesn't just make errors – it makes subtle errors, the kinds of errors that are the hardest for a human in the loop to spot, because they are the most statistically probable ways of being wrong. Sure, we notice the gross errors in AI output, like confidently claiming that a living human is dead:

https://www.tomsguide.com/opinion/according-to-chatgpt-im-dead

But the most common errors that AIs make are the ones we don't notice, because they're perfectly camouflaged as the truth. Think of the recurring AI programming error that inserts a call to a nonexistent library called "huggingface-cli," which is what the library would be called if developers reliably followed naming conventions. But due to a human inconsistency, the real library has a slightly different name. The fact that AIs repeatedly inserted references to the nonexistent library opened up a vulnerability – a security researcher created a (inert) malicious library with that name and tricked numerous companies into compiling it into their code because their human reviewers missed the chatbot's (statistically indistinguishable from the the truth) lie:

https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/28/ai_bots_hallucinate_software_packages/

For a driving instructor or a code reviewer overseeing a human subject, the majority of errors are comparatively easy to spot, because they're the kinds of errors that lead to inconsistent library naming – places where a human behaved erratically or irregularly. But when reality is irregular or erratic, the AI will make errors by presuming that things are statistically normal.

These are the hardest kinds of errors to spot. They couldn't be harder for a human to detect if they were specifically designed to go undetected. The human in the loop isn't just being asked to spot mistakes – they're being actively deceived. The AI isn't merely wrong, it's constructing a subtle "what's wrong with this picture"-style puzzle. Not just one such puzzle, either: millions of them, at speed, which must be solved by the human in the loop, who must remain perfectly vigilant for things that are, by definition, almost totally unnoticeable.

This is a special new torment for reverse centaurs – and a significant problem for AI companies hoping to accumulate and keep enough high-value, high-stakes customers on their books to weather the coming trough of disillusionment.

This is pretty grim, but it gets grimmer. AI companies have argued that they have a third line of business, a way to make money for their customers beyond automation's gifts to their payrolls: they claim that they can perform difficult scientific tasks at superhuman speed, producing billion-dollar insights (new materials, new drugs, new proteins) at unimaginable speed.

However, these claims – credulously amplified by the non-technical press – keep on shattering when they are tested by experts who understand the esoteric domains in which AI is said to have an unbeatable advantage. For example, Google claimed that its Deepmind AI had discovered "millions of new materials," "equivalent to nearly 800 years’ worth of knowledge," constituting "an order-of-magnitude expansion in stable materials known to humanity":

https://deepmind.google/discover/blog/millions-of-new-materials-discovered-with-deep-learning/

It was a hoax. When independent material scientists reviewed representative samples of these "new materials," they concluded that "no new materials have been discovered" and that not one of these materials was "credible, useful and novel":

https://www.404media.co/google-says-it-discovered-millions-of-new-materials-with-ai-human-researchers/

As Brian Merchant writes, AI claims are eerily similar to "smoke and mirrors" – the dazzling reality-distortion field thrown up by 17th century magic lantern technology, which millions of people ascribed wild capabilities to, thanks to the outlandish claims of the technology's promoters:

https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/ai-really-is-smoke-and-mirrors

The fact that we have a four-hundred-year-old name for this phenomenon, and yet we're still falling prey to it is frankly a little depressing. And, unlucky for us, it turns out that AI therapybots can't help us with this – rather, they're apt to literally convince us to kill ourselves:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkadgm/man-dies-by-suicide-after-talking-with-ai-chatbot-widow-says

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/23/maximal-plausibility/#reverse-centaurs

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[goldenseresinretriever]

You Catch More Bees With Honey: Chapter 11

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Reader

Part of the San Diego Dogfighters universe

Summary: Bradley Bradshaw, blindsided by a team he trusted like family has been traded to the San Diego Dogfighters. Across the country from the place he calls home, Bradley feels lost and betrayed. Not to mention the familiar faces and ghosts from his past that he now has to face every day at work. Bradley’s caught between wanting to show his former team the mistake they made in double-crossing him and wondering if it’s time to hang up his skates after one final season. You’re living your dream as the PR representative for the Dogfighters. When Coach Maverick made a bid to bring his godson to the team, you hadn’t batted an eye. Bradley was a good teammate, and a good player. Unfortunately, the Bradley that shows up in San Diego is nothing like your research suggested. He’s moody, irritable, aggressive, and angry, throwing a wrench in all your careful planning. What’s caused such a drastic change in him? And can you figure out how to help him before he makes a mistake you can’t fix?

Series CW: 18+ ONLY, swearing, dead parents, drunkenness, alcohol consumption, violence, sports violence, blood probably, angst, fluff, eventual smut, age gap (28 and 38), enemies to lovers, suggestive language, hockey inaccuracies etc. There will be individual chapter warnings. No use of Y/N.

Word Count: 4.9k

A/N: This is a repost of my completed series, You Catch More Bees With Honey. It was originally posted in November-March 2023, and was lost when my blog was deleted.

Previous Chapter // Series Masterlist // Next Chapter

Bradley frowns in the mirror. He glances at his phone and frowns again. If he keeps this up he’s going to be late. The truth of the matter is that he doesn’t want to go. It’s Friday. It’s been a week since getting back from D.C. and it feels like it’s been a million years. He’d gotten used to it, waking up with you in his arms every morning. Every night this past week he’s had to stop himself from asking you to come over. He’d put the ball in your court, though. You’d asked him to pump the brakes so he had, and he’d promised to respect that.

On top of that, he hadn’t seen much of you this week. The two of you have been busy working nonstop since getting home early Friday morning. You’d both headed home half-asleep from the airport before having to be back first thing Saturday for a game versus Vancouver. The most time alone you’d gotten together was that Saturday morning when you’d called him into your office to sign the official paperwork that would make your relationship officially disclosed to the rest of the team. He smiles as he remembers your soft smile, shy as you signed your name next to his. He’d been sorely tempted to take you right then and there on your desk but he knew that was strictly off-limits and questionably unprofessional at best. He’d settled with a simple kiss to your cheek that had your skin heating under his lips in a way that he loves so much.

Saturday’s game was followed by two more home games on Tuesday and Thursday with Carolina and New Jersey respectively. It definitely didn’t help that yesterday’s game had been nationally broadcast which meant you’d been absolutely slammed with work and preparations all week. He also knows you went out last night with Mickey and some of his former New Jersey teammates.

It didn’t make missing you any easier. He doesn’t have time to call you but he does it anyway, putting the phone on speaker as he fixes his hair. It’s been too long since he’s gotten you all to himself and he’s feeling selfish tonight. You pick up on the third ring, your bright voice echoing around the empty bathroom as he smiles to himself, his mood already lifting. “Hi Bradley, what can I do for you?” He chuckles.

“What? I can’t call my girlfriend without wanting something from her?” It’s new, this label you’ve put on things. Actually, neither of you has yet to actually use the label but he likes the way it sounds in his mouth. He hears your breath hitch and he knows he’s caught you by surprise. Suddenly he’s wondering if he’s overstepped when your voice fills the room yet again.

“Your girlfriend?” Your voice is tentative and he wishes you were here so he could wrap you in his arms and chase away all your doubts with his lips.

“I know I didn’t sign an official form to be the guy you occasionally kiss and take spontaneous road trips with, Honey.” He hears you giggle and his smile tugs wider.

“Plus I guess it would be pretty awkward if you introduced me to your parents and I wasn’t your girlfriend.”

“Nah, I would have introduced you anyway. They would have loved you.” He says and sighs deeply as he looks into the mirror again. He doesn’t want to go to this dinner. He wants to invite you over and have your laugh bounce off the walls for real. He wants your warmth to fill every room of the apartment. He wants to sit you on the kitchen island while he cooks for the two of you and then he wants you to spend the night in his bed so your scent will be glued to his sheets until the next time he can coax you there.

“Any fun plans tonight, Bear?” Your sweet voice breaks through his thoughts and his lips twitch at the new nickname.

“Bear?” He hears you giggle again and smiles.

“Yeah, because you’re big and scary when you want to be but you’re also a secret cuddler and give the best hugs.” He can imagine the way your cheeks are heating as you continue to rain compliments on him. “And bears like honey.” You add matter-of-factly. This bear happens to love honey but he knows better than to mention that right now. “So? Any fun plans tonight?” He groans then as he’s reminded that if he doesn’t leave soon he’s going to be late.

“Dinner at Mav’s.” He doesn’t have to say anything for you to know exactly how excited he is for that.

“And how are you feeling about that?” You ask tentatively and he sighs.

“Honestly, Honey? It’s the last place I want to be right now. I’d much rather be having dinner with you.” He can’t help the admission as he lets it slip.

“That makes two of us.” Suddenly he really REALLY doesn’t want to go. “But that being said, I’ve had a migraine and hangover all day after last night.” You let out your own groan and a fond but concerned smile touches Bradley’s lips. He wants nothing more than to wrap you up and spoil you rotten. He can tell you’re exhausted and he wants to be one to take care of you.

“Get some rest, Honey, you’ve had a long week.” You groan again and Bradley hears paper rustling. His brows furrow as you confirm his suspicions.

“I’d love to but I’ve got a literal mountain of paperwork that needs to get done before I can leave. And then I have to go grocery shopping because there’s literally nothing in my fridge.” You let out a frustrated whine and Bradley’s about five seconds away from texting Maverick to cancel so that he can bring you here and dote on you. Unfortunately, his mother’s voice in his head takes that exact moment to remind him that Penny’s making dinner and while Maverick certainly doesn’t deserve his respect, she does.

“Tell you what, Honey.” He hears you hum in response. “Finish up your work and come over. I’ll give Tony my spare key and tell him to let you in. Order some pizza and get comfortable and I’ll be back before you know it.”

You’re silent for a long moment before you ask. “Bear?”

“Yes, Honey?”

“Do you have a tub?” He blinks, surprised by the question as he turns around and looks at the free-standing porcelain tub behind him.

“I do.” He hears some rustling from your end before you ask.

“Can I have a bubble bath?” His laugh echoes off the walls of the bathroom at your simple request.

“Honey, you can have whatever you want.” He replies and he’s surprised to find that he truly means it. He’d lasso the moon for you if you asked and he’s not even sure what you’d want it for in the first place. He hears your squeal of delight on the other end of the call and smiles as he imagines you here, in his space, the thing he’s been dreaming of all week. “Honey, I hate to cut things short, but I need to start heading over to Mav’s. I’ll see you after?”

“No problem, see you soon, Bear!” Your voice is much more cheery than he feels but he can feel your infectious attitude raising his mood. He hears the line disconnect and lets out a heavy sigh.

The promise of you waiting here when he gets back is what drives him to finish getting ready. He makes sure to give Tony the spare key and doesn’t miss the look the older man gives him when he tells him to expect the young woman from last week. His cheeks are still pink when he pulls out of the parking garage.

***

When Bradley finally sees the house he can’t help the disgusted sneer that pulls his lips. The house is huge, to say the least. He knows he shouldn’t be surprised, given Mav’s long and highly decorated career, but all he can think about is the house he grew up in. How the lawn was almost always overgrown while his mother was alive and the paint was almost always peeling off the sides no matter how much he tried to help with the upkeep when he had the time. Mr. Peterson from next door had helped out more often than not but Bradley remembers the feeling of the calluses on his mother’s hands when he held them, first as a small child and then later at the cusp of adulthood as she’d laid in the hospital near the end. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in his mother working, but he knew deep down that that wasn’t the life that she or his father had imagined for her when they got married.

Carole Bradshaw was Nick’s Princess, his Queen. He wanted to give everything in the world to her on a silver platter. And he’d been on the road to doing so. He’d made it all the way to the NHL, and he got to play on the regular roster. Things were looking up. Carole could focus on raising their son instead of struggling to make ends meet, filling the kitchen table with her delicious cooking instead of piles of bills that needed paying. It would have broken his heart to see how her life turned out.

They weren’t poor, not by any means. Bradley knew that as much as he knew that it was mostly due to the person whose driveway he was currently pulling into. Maverick had been nothing but generous when it came to money, but there were simply some things that money couldn’t buy and he didn’t seem to understand that from the limited conversations Bradley had had with him.

Bradley thinks back to Dare’s little bungalow that he’d visited barely a week ago. She’d coached the Pittsburgh Penguins to five Stanley Cup wins and yet she isn’t living in this state of excess. What disgusts him the most is that she should be. All of this should be hers too.

He tries to get his temper under control as he strolls up the walkway to the double doors. He hears barking coming from inside and when he rings the doorbell he does his best to smile back at Penny Benjamin. Penny Benjamin is a confusing situation for him. He knows that none of this is her fault, Mav abandoning his entire past and everyone involved in it, but it’s hard not to blame her when she’s here, living in Maverick’s McMansion with her pseudo-husband and dog. He leans down to scratch the ears of the elderly Labrador. “Bradley, glad you could join us, come on in.” He follows her inside, down hallways lined with photographs from over the years of Maverick, Penny, and a little girl who ranges in age across the various photos. “That’s my daughter, Amelia,” Penny explains when she catches him watching.

“Yours?” He asks before clarifying. “Just yours, I mean?” He can feel his cheeks heating as his mother’s voice chides him for asking such an inappropriate question.

She doesn’t seem ruffled, nodding. “Just mine, from my ex-husband. She’s probably around your age, she was barely a few months old when I met Maverick. He may not be her birth father but he’s the only one she’s ever known.” Bradley hates the bitterness that pools in his stomach at her words. The jealousy that he could have been the child in the pictures on the wall, doted on by his godfather who should have stepped into the role left vacant by the death of his father.

He’s doing his best to reign in his emotions as they reach the dining room, but it all goes to hell the moment he realizes he’s not the only guest at this dinner. Seated across from Maverick is none other than Dare. Bradley has to fight to keep his hands from curling into fists at his sides because the woman at the dining table is nothing like the one he’s seen before. Usually Dare is the picture of confidence without looking cocky. She knows what she’s doing and she’s not afraid to show it. She reminds him of you and the kind of woman that he’s sure you’ll grow up to be. Now that confidence is gone and Bradley’s fighting the urge to throttle the man that he’s sure is responsible. She looks unsure of herself and as uncomfortable as he feels to be here if not more. He immediately moves to take the seat next to her, keeping his eyes off Maverick as he does his best to assess for damage. He knows it’s probably nothing that he can see but he wants to because all he sees is his mother after a long day of carrying a burden that’s not hers to carry anymore. He can’t count the number of times he’s seen that face and it breaks his heart to see it now, on the face of someone who shouldn’t have to suffer but who is anyway. All because one self-centered fool can’t be bothered to get his head out of his ass.

Maybe he does it out of protectiveness, but maybe he does it out of pure spite, but he does it anyway. He wraps his arms around the older woman, the way she had done for him in her kitchen while he fell apart in his arms. He knows it’s nothing in the grand scheme of things, but he intends to make up for the sins of his godfather if he can. Be there for the person who was there for his mother, for him even if he hadn’t been able to fully appreciate it at the time. The way her body tenses under him at first is the only evidence of her surprise at the gesture but she reciprocates the hug and Bradley finds himself engulfed in a scent that stirs in his memory. He can’t draw a concrete image from it but he knows he’s smelt it before like these hugs aren’t something new just something forgotten. When Bradley finally breaks the hug to sit next to Dare, Maverick is looking at them, surprised.

“I didn’t realize the two of you were close.” He says awkwardly. Bradley knows he shouldn’t do it but there’s something so satisfying about seeing Maverick as uncomfortable as he and Dare are so he pushes.

“She’s my godmother, why wouldn’t we be?” Sure this thing with Dare was new but that didn’t negate the fact that she’d been around his whole life. And sure he was stretching the truth a little, but measured on a scale of Maverick’s involvement in his life? Dare was winning the godparent race by a landslide. Maverick’s eyebrows raise with surprise, and Bradley watches the confusion swirl in his eyes. He’s fighting the urge to smirk as he feels fingers brush his own and he laces them. His throat is rough as he feels the callouses on her palm and he wonders at how much her hand reminds him of his mother’s, the soft wrinkles on the back contrasted by the rough patches on the front.

Penny breaks the tension as he comes back into the dining room from the kitchen. “Bradley, can I get you something to drink?” He tears his eyes away from Maverick and stares at Penny for a beat too long before he mutters that water would be fine.

“So, why am I here?” Bradley asks once Penny has retreated to the kitchen.

“Dinner, I thought I told you,” Maverick starts before Bradley shakes his head.

“Not here at your house, here in San Diego.”

“Bradley, why don’t we wait until later to discuss-“

“No, we’re doing this now because I need to know.” He’s tired of dancing around the question that’s been plaguing him for almost six months now. Sure, he didn’t exactly regret the move now, but he wasn’t ready to just move on like nothing happened. “Not only did you uproot me from the team I’ve played for my entire career, but you made me leave my friends and my home. I deserve an actual answer as to why. And don’t you dare say you did it for me because if it was for me, you would have picked up the phone to ask me first instead of going behind my back.” In the back of his mind, he’s proud of how level he’s managed to keep his voice but at least part of that is due to Dare’s hand in his, squeezing tight in solidarity and grounding him.

Maverick shrugs like it’s a no-brainer. “I had the chance to work with you, so I took it. I thought it would be a good experience for us.”

Bradley feels all the fight drain out of him. All the pain that’s been caused and Maverick treats it like it’s nothing. Because to him it is. “What did you think? That I’d come to San Diego and suddenly I’d be ready to come over and drink beers and sing Kumbayah? What have I ever done to suggest that I would be interested in a relationship with you at all, professional OR personal?”

“Bradley, I’m your godfather-“

“BULLSHIT.” Bradley’s voice is raised finally as his emotion gets the best of him. “You may think you’re a god but you are certainly not my father. My father is dead, my DAD is dead, and you had every opportunity to step up and be there when I needed you. When my mom needed you. When WE needed you, but you didn’t.” He’s breathing hard. “That’s the thing that you just don’t seem to get. You don’t get to decide when I need you. You don’t get to be my godfather when it’s convenient for you and you’ve run out of hobbies to pass the time. I have a life! I have goals! None of which involve you. You don’t get access to my life just because of some title my dad thought you were worthy of. Because that’s just a word, you have to earn it.” Dare’s grip on Bradley’s hand is bordering on painful at this point but it feels good. It reminds him that he’s capable of feeling. The physical pain complements the emotional pain that’s threatening to tear the heart from his chest. He’s breathing hard and every part of him wants to leave right now. Except that he doesn’t want to leave Dare here. And he feels terrible about ruining Penny's perfectly good dinner. When it’s clear that Maverick isn’t about to argue any of the points that Bradley’s just made he stands and walks into the kitchen to cool off.

Penny’s filling a glass with water and passes it to him wordlessly and he drinks it, hoping to cool his head. “Sorry to ruin your dinner.” He says awkwardly as he fiddles with the glass. She shakes her head and takes the glass back from him, refilling it as she considers her words.

“You’re hurting Bradley, I would hate for something as simple as a dinner to cause you more pain.” He nods silently.

“My mom would be so disappointed with me right now.” He’s not sure why he admits it but it’s all he can think of as he looks around the kitchen at the plates of sides and cooling casserole dish on the counter.

“Really? Because if I was her I’d be proud of you.” He looks back at Penny, eyes wide with surprise. “You stood up to Pete, and told him your real feelings. You were honest with him even if it hurt you to do it. I don’t think that’s anything to be ashamed of. That’s brave.” She reaches up then and cups his cheek gently, a fond smile on her face. “I’m sorry that I didn’t push him more, to be a part of your life, to be there for you and your mom. I was selfish and I never meant for you to get hurt by that.” Bradley shakes his head.

“You were probably scared that he’d leave you too. It seems like that’s all he’s good for.”

“I was scared then, yes. And now I know that I shouldn’t have been because that’s not Pete, not really. He’s a complicated man and doesn’t always have the best judgment but he’s good under it all, I can tell you that much. It’s completely fair of you to not want him to be a part of your life, but if you ever decide otherwise? We’ll be waiting for you.” Bradley swallows hard, unable to look her in the eye. “Can I pack some dinner up for you, sweetie?”

He nods absentmindedly before adding. “Can you pack some for Dare too, I don’t want to leave her here.” Penny just nods and sets about getting out some Tupperware.

“I don’t blame you.” Bradley blurts out before he loses his nerve. “Just because I’m mad at Maverick doesn’t mean I’m mad at you. We choose who we love, we don’t choose who loves us.” She gives him a soft smile.

“That’s a good insight, Bradley.”

“It’s what my mom used to tell me.” He shrugs even as he feels the tears pressing against the backs of his eyes. Penny finishes boxing up two dinners and Bradley takes the two plastic bags from her as they go back into the dining room. “Aunt Dare, are you ready to go?” The words, although new, feel familiar in his mouth like a warm hug. She looks at him surprised and then her eyes fall on the bags in his hand and then shift to Penny who just smiles.

“We can reschedule for another day.” Dare nods and a silent conversation occurs between the two women as she stands and follows Bradley to the front door. Penny sees them out. Maverick still hasn’t gotten up from the table.

Once the front door closes behind them, Bradley and Dare walk to their cars in silence until they get to them. “Do you have any plans for the evening?” Bradley asks, tentatively. He knows you’re probably still at work since he’s barely spent thirty minutes here. He also knows you’d want him to do this instead of worrying about you. Dare shakes her head, still quiet, considering him. “What do you say we take dinner to your place?” She smiles gently and then wraps her arms around Bradley. He relaxes into her embrace.

“Thank you, Bradley,” she whispers into his hair and his heart clenches at the thickness of her voice. “Dinner sounds lovely.” She says as she lets him go. “I’ll meet you there.”

They get into their cars and Bradley follows Dare back to her place. He frowns to himself when he sees the overgrown yard. She lets them in and he excuses himself to the bathroom while she dishes up Penny’s food. When he gets back, he’s just about to sit down at the kitchen table when a shout from Dare in the kitchen makes him freeze.

“Maverick, get off the counter RIGHT NOW!” He whips around, expecting to see a man but instead, a burst of orange fuzz speeds out of the kitchen in a blur. Bradley follows the blur as it perches on the arm of the sofa, regarding him with yellow eyes. The orange cat is more fur than cat and looks fairly old despite how spry it clearly is. “Maverick Mitchell the Third, you know better to get on the kitchen counter.” Dare comes out of the kitchen, an unamused scowl on her face as she sets her hands on her hips and glares at the cat. “Can’t you see we have a guest?” The cat, Maverick, turns to regard Bradley curiously. “Bradley, that’s Maverick.” She says to Bradley, her scowl melting into a look of fondness. Bradley gives the cat a half-hearted wave, still recovering from the shock of the cat sharing a name with his godfather.

“He wasn’t here last time.” Bradley blurts out lamely and she chuckles, bringing out two plates.

“He was locked in my room. I didn’t know if you were a cat person and I didn’t want to appear too much like a crazy old cat lady.” Bradley smiles at that.

“You’re not old.” He points out.

“But still a crazy cat lady noted.” She smiles back and Bradley laughs, putting his hands up in mock surrender.

“Your words, not mine.” They laugh together and the tension from earlier seems to seep out of both their bodies. “So, you named your cat Maverick?” He says as they dig into the food. It’s delicious and he makes a note to mention it to Penny the next time he sees her. Dare nods thoughtfully.

“Pete was always just Pete to me. I hated that nickname, so I never used it. Then when I got the cat to fill the void it just felt right.”

“Maverick the Third?” He asks around a bite of chicken casserole.

She shrugs. “I’m old after all.” There’s a lull in conversation as they east before Dare speaks up again. “Thank you, Bradley, for what you did today.”

“I meant every word of it. I know you’re upset that you weren’t around more when I was younger but you’re here now and I want you in my life if you want to be.”

She smiles and he can see the shine of tears in her eyes as she says “I’d like that very much.” He scoots his chair closer and reaches his hand out to hold hers. The sight of her wedding ring still on her finger makes his heart ache subtly. He can’t right every wrong that she’s suffered, but he can do his best.

“Aunt Dare, do you have a lawnmower?”

***

A few hours later Bradley’s riding the elevator back up to his apartment, reeking of dried sweat and freshly cut grass. It's the last he could do but he’d felt the conviction to get it done tonight. Admittedly it had been a while since he’d cut grass but he figured it looked alright when he finished. The sun has long since sunk beneath the horizon and he hopes you haven’t been waiting for him too long. The idea of feeling you in his arms propels him out of the elevator and through the door. He could really use one of your hugs after the evening he’s had.

“Honey?” He calls out for you as he enters the apartment, but he’s met with silence. A glance by the door tells him that you’re here since your sneakers are lined up neatly. He walks down the hall. “Mom, I’m home.” He calls out the photo as he passes by, more preoccupied with finding you. A glance at the living room tells him that you’ve been there. A blanket is rumpled on the couch where you were clearly wrapped in it and a pizza box lies abandoned on the kitchen counter but there’s still no sign of you. He doubles back and checks the guest room first but it’s pristine. Remembering your request for a bubble bath, Bradley heads into the master bathroom and while the room is still sticky with humid warmth and the tub contains remnants of said bubble bath, you’re still yet to be found. He heads back to the living room and tries the balcony. He knows from your last visit that you enjoy the view. He walks the entire length of the wrap-around balcony but it’s empty.

He’s genuinely starting to worry for your safety when his eyes fall on the glass door leading into his bedroom from the balcony. Not even a week ago you stood where he does now, blatantly ogling him as he got changed for game night. Now it provides the answer to his quest. You’re curled up in his bed, facing the window. The lights are still on but by the steady rise and fall of your chest, he can tell you’re asleep. He lets out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding as he heads back inside, coming into his bedroom from the hallway. You’re indeed asleep, on the side of the bed you favored in D.C. As much as he wants to talk to you about the events of the evening he can’t bear to wake you when you look so peaceful. Stress doesn’t mar your features as you sleep and he begrudgingly trudges to the bathroom to shower before slipping in beside you. He knows he should wake you up, and give you the option to go home but he’s feeling selfish tonight so when he comes back to the bedroom to still find you sleeping soundly he turns out the lights and slides into the bed beside you. He’s resigned himself to staying on his side of the bed when you scoot your body up against his. He reaches for you instinctively, pulling you close and when you curl against him all is right in the world.

“Goodnight, Bear.” Your half-asleep voice murmurs as you drift between dreams.

“Goodnight, Honey.” He whispers back, pressing a soft kiss to the top of your head as he lets the warmth of your body and the steady beat of your heart lull him to sleep.

[virtchandmoir]

Considered one of the greatest skating pairs of all time, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir spent nearly a decade at the top of their sport to become the most decorated ice dancers in the world. Over more than two decades of extraordinary athletic partnership, Tessa and Scott became the first and only ice dance team to win every major international junior and senior skating competition. At the height of their success between 2008 and 2019 they took home a record-setting five Olympic medals, three World Championships, eight Canadian National Championships and won the Four Continents Championship three times. The pair first skated into the hearts of Canadians at the Olympic Winter Games in 2010, thrilling crowds in Vancouver as they became the youngest athletes and first North Americans to win Olympic Gold in ice dancing. Nearly a decade later Tessa and Scott secured their iconic status with a beguiling Gold medal performance that smashed the world record for overall score in free dance at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang.

Growing up in London, Ontario, Tessa took to the ice at the age of six after deciding she didn’t want to be the only student in her class who couldn’t skate during a school field trip. Raised in a figure skating family in nearby Ilderton, Ontario, Scott had been skating since he was three years old, coached by his mother Alma and his aunt Carol. First collaborating in 1997 when Tessa was seven years old and Scott was nine, the pair were initially so shy they could barely talk to each other. Building confidence while developing undeniable on-ice chemistry, Tessa and Scott shared a commitment to excellence that continually helped them overcome adversity. The two made enormous sacrifices to hone their craft, embracing success and failure as equal opportunities for growth and turning vulnerability into compelling artistry. Training rigorously to perfect innovative choreography, they pushed boundaries by approaching ice dancing as both creative expression and high performance sport, skating with an emotional sincerity that captivated audiences around the world.

After raising the profile of ice dancing to breathtaking new heights, Tessa and Scott retired from competitive skating in 2019. Since then, Scott has served as head coach and managing director of the Ice Academy of Montreal’s satellite program in London, Ontario. He has also been a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusivity in skating. Tessa completed both an MBA from the Smith School of Business, and a Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Tessa is an executive advisor at Deloitte, where she helps to unlock the potential of the Canadian workforce in the realm of high performance and wellbeing. She also serves on the board for Her Mark, a charity that empowers young girls through the power of sport, and Motionball, an organization that fundraises for Special Olympics athletes.  

Considérés comme l’un des plus grands couples de patinage artistique de tous les temps, Tessa Virtue et Scott Moir ont passé près d’une décennie au sommet de leur sport pour devenir les danseurs sur glace les plus primés du monde. Au cours de leur partenariat sportif extraordinaire qui a duré plus de deux décennies, Tessa et Scott sont devenus la première et la seule équipe de danse sur glace à remporter toutes les compétitions majeures internationales de patinage artistique junior et senior. À l’apogée de leur succès, soit entre 2008 et 2019, ils remportent un nombre record de cinq médailles olympiques, trois Championnats du monde, huit Championnats nationaux canadiens et ils remportent également le Four Continents Championship à trois reprises. Le couple a conquis les cœurs des Canadiens lors des Jeux olympiques d’hiver de 2010, enthousiasmant les foules à Vancouver en devenant les plus jeunes athlètes et les premiers Nord-Américains à remporter l’or olympique en danse sur glace. Près d’une décennie plus tard, aux Jeux olympiques de 2018 à Pyeongchang, Tessa et Scott consolident leur statut emblématique en donnant une performance enlevante qui leur vaudra la médaille d’or et qui pulvérise alors le record du monde pour la note globale obtenue en danse libre.

Tessa a grandi à London, en Ontario et a commencé à patiner à l’âge de six ans après avoir décidé lors d’une sortie scolaire qu’elle ne serait pas la seule élève de sa classe incapable de patiner. Élevé dans une famille de patineurs artistiques, non loin de là, à Ilderton, en Ontario, Scott a commencé à patiner dès l’âge de trois ans. Sa mère Alma et sa tante Carol ont été ses premières entraîneures. La première collaboration du couple survient en 1997 alors que Tessa a sept ans et Scott neuf ans. Ils sont alors si timides qu’ils arrivent à peine à se parler. Gagnant en confiance au fur et à mesure qu’ils développent leur complicité indéniable sur la glace, Tessa et Scott partagent un engagement envers l’excellence qui les a constamment aidés à surmonter l’adversité. Ils ont tous deux fait d’énormes sacrifices pour perfectionner leur art, en embrassant les succès et les échecs comme des opportunités égales de croissance et en transformant la vulnérabilité en un style artistique saisissant. S’entraînant rigoureusement pour perfectionner des chorégraphies innovantes, ils ont repoussé les limites en abordant la danse sur glace à la fois comme une expression créative et un sport de haute performance, patinant avec une sincérité émotionnelle qui a captivé les publics du monde entier.

Après avoir élevé le profil de la danse sur glace à de nouveaux sommets époustouflants, Tessa et Scott ont pris leur retraite de la compétition en 2019. Depuis lors, Scott occupe le poste d’entraîneur en chef et de directeur général du programme satellite de l’Académie de glace de Montréal à London, en Ontario. Il a également été un ardent défenseur de la diversité et de l’inclusivité dans le patinage. Tessa a obtenu un MBA de la Smith School of Business ainsi qu’une maîtrise en psychologie positive appliquée de l’Université de Pennsylvanie. Tessa est conseillère exécutive chez Deloitte, où elle contribue à libérer le potentiel de la main-d’œuvre canadienne dans le domaine de la haute performance et du bien-être. Elle siège également au conseil d’administration de Her Mark, une association caritative qui autonomise les jeunes filles par le biais du sport, et de Motionball, un organisme qui recueille des fonds pour les athlètes d’Olympiques spéciaux.

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame is honoured to be presenting Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir with the prestigious Order of Sport award on Thursday, October 19, 2023 as a member of the incredible Class of 2023.

—Order of Sport

[missjamiekaye]

I just straight up deleted Twitter off my phone and it's been so good for me.

I've been posting on Tumblr the last few years but glad to spend more if my social energy on here than a place that really made me unhappy.

I had a really crazy fall season with a new coaching job, a lot of conventions and travel, and organizing Catty Bat Art Market. While coaching job is always keeping me busy, I finally have some room to breathe.

Lately I've been playing a lot of Pokemon, drawing a lot of Pokemon, and just started watching Severance and Ted Lasso. 👀 Only three episodes into Severance but it's super my jam in terms of psychological horror thriller and sci-fi. I think @rayinpixels would like it too.

If you're interested in seeing me at an event I've got Catty Bat (12/10), Ikkicon (1/20-22), and Oni-con (????). I've applied to Vancaf so I'm hoping to get in and make a Vancouver trip next year! I haven't been since before COVID and I really want to take @hickorybird there.

This post felt nice to write. Here's a picture of my cat

[canigetuuu]

that skater au gave me brain worms so. just. take whatever this is. I'm so tired.

John

started figure skating young

his dad was a genial and well respected business manager at a rink in Washington sponsored by the prestigious Skaianet Systems Inc, which brought major players like the vaulted Roxanne Lalonde to Olympic gold stardom

he's just a decent man though, trying to support his family

he brought John to the rinks sometimes and taught him to skate just for fun

however, John soon started showing a prodigious talent for it, and Dad Egbert was so so proud of him for it

John liked skating well enough at the time, and was kind of hoping that maybe if he took up skating his dad would axe the whole harlequin thing

(which he did)

(mostly)

at sixteen, after winning a few pretty impressive medals in the junior category, John was ready to call it quits and retire the professional skates

Tragically, however, it was around this time that James "Dad" Egbert, who had always been so supportive of John's skating, died very suddenly.

John grieves in a very particular way. He often gets (home)stuck in a version of denial which often looks like radical acceptance.

He is in fact actually very fucked up right now.

Vriska Serket, a young and notorious athlete turned coach who John had been working with for the last year or so at that time, pulls a Vriska, and hamfists John back into skating.

With her guidance, John becomes one of THE top US figure skaters, and at age 21 is ready for his second foray into the Olympic scene.

The winter Olympics are in less than a year, and John has taken up training in Vancouver...

Dirk

took up street hockey as a teen in his home town of Houston, Texas with his kid brother Dave, who said it was the height of irony to play a winter sport in the hottest place this side of satans tight asshole

Dave never liked it as much as Dirk did though

probably because Dave liked not fainting from heat stroke

I know, Dave is so weird

It got them out of that apartment though.

... (<- Bro silence being very loud)

Anyway

At 16, Dirk got scouted by a pale man in a suit working for a company called Abraxas, which he said was looking for young athletes to sponsor. <- very believable

That's very rude. I never lie.

And please, call me Doc Scratch.

Is it normal for traveling salesmen to have doctorates?

Oh it's not a title, though I imagine it would be very easy for me to acquire one. Haa haa, hee hee.

...

Things got very messy and horrible very quickly.

Events culminated in an extremely high profile law suit, where Dirk and many other athletes were represented by the Pyrope Firm to take down Abraxas, Doc Scratch, and his boss Lord English (H3'S SO PR3T3NTIOUS, UGH) and to free them all from their horrifying contracts

Pyrope won.

For now.

At age 18, Dirk had a scandal behind him, a kid brother to take care of beside him (the Bro silence got quieter), and a veritable mountain of legal reparations ($$$) to get him into any college he wanted.

...

dude, just go to the hockey school

I could support you better with a law degree.

After Dave had to go to the hospital due to the force of his laughing fit giving him a hernia, Dirk decided to go to the hockey school.

He joins the team there, and does well enough to get into the Big Leagues once he graduates with a combob philosophy/comp sci degree.

the Big Man. he is you

Dave, despite having a literal athlete brother, still has no idea how sports work.

And neither do I, so just assume that Dirk does really well and gets on a good team and is very normal about everything.

He is especially normal when, at age 24, he has to move to Vancouver, Canada since he got swapped to a different team and Dave doesn't come with him.

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUn

Bonus notes

Rose is John's friend who is also a figure skater. She's got a very turbulent relationship with her mother, former Olympic skater Roxanne Lalonde, which drags down her genuine love for skating with the weight of legacy.

John and Dave are internet friends who don't know each other's last names, and while John knows a lot about Dave's life, he keeps his own private.

Dirk started playing hockey not for the ironies like Dave thought but because his online friend Jake said he thought hockey players were cool, and Dirk had a crush on him.

Dirk and Jade went to the same college (she was home schooled and started college early) and took a robotics class together for two semesters. They're still friends to this day, though Jade actually is an engineer now.

Guess where she's interning.

(Psst, it's Skaianet)

Vriska stopped being a skater after a string of incidents involving two other former skaters and a lawyer, which resulted in her being banned from ever competing again. One is now in a wheelchair and the other quit the ice skating thing completely. Ghosted it, if you will. wonk.

Aradia is a roller derby skater, and she is incredibly hot. She might show up in the hypothetical actual fic i write for this au. Because I love her.

Me being me i'll probably find a way to include everybody else in this au, but for now, that's all. Ta.

[ewomennetwork0]

Building Networks that Empower: How Women Can Create Effective Business Networks

In the realm of business, networking is not just about building a list of contacts—it's about cultivating meaningful relationships that can provide mutual support and opportunities for growth. For women in business, these connections can serve as a springboard to overcome hurdles, achieve professional goals, and pave the way for future generations of women leaders. Today, we'll dive deep into how women can create effective business networks and how such networks can empower them to reach new heights in their careers.

Understanding the Importance of Networking for Women in Business

Research has repeatedly shown that robust business networks play a crucial role in the success of entrepreneurs and professionals alike. It's through these networks that we gain access to essential resources—knowledge, opportunities, mentorship, and support. However, the gender disparity within business networks is not insignificant. Women in business often find themselves contending with male-dominated networks, where access to resources may be limited. As a result, it's vital for women to build their networks proactively, focusing not just on quantity but also on the quality of connections.

Navigating the Networking Landscape

The world of networking can feel overwhelming. It's teeming with networking events, online platforms, and various groups that can sometimes feel more daunting than helpful. For women looking to build their business networks, it's crucial to navigate this landscape strategically. Consider your professional goals and target industries, and identify networking opportunities that align with these parameters. Seek out events and platforms where you're likely to meet peers, mentors, and potential business partners who share your interests and aspirations. The more relevant your network, the more empowering it will be.

Building Meaningful Connections

Once you've identified the right networking opportunities, the next step is to build meaningful connections. Networking isn't just about exchanging business cards—it's about engaging in authentic, mutually beneficial relationships. This means asking insightful questions, offering your knowledge and expertise where appropriate, and maintaining regular contact. Networking for women in business isn't about conforming to an "old boys' club" model; instead, it's about fostering relationships based on respect, empathy, and mutual

More info : Women's Entrepreneur Conference 2024

[katblu42]

Day 11 - Rocky Mountaineer part 1

I'm behind again! Mostly because I've been busy experiencing stuff, and not connected to tech!!

Anyway, Day 10 started pretty early - coach pick up at the hotel was 7:50am, but our luggage had to be outside our rooms for collection an hour before that.

Our coach was the first to arrive at the station, so we had about half an hour to hang around before the welcome (which involved bagpipes), and then boarding.

(This is a Gold Leaf carriage - I was travelling on Silver Leaf)

We set off at 8am, and while we were still slowly trundling out of Vancouver the first refreshments were served - coffee and tea, then a 2 course breakfast!

We had an unexpected and sudden stop when the emergency brake was pulled due to "an issue with the crossing ahead." Not sure what the issue was, but when the emergency brake is pulled the whole length of train has to be walked to check the brake has been released. I think we were stopped for about 10 minutes.

(The stop also caused a service cart at the back of our carriage to topple. These carts basically never to that, so this was definitely unusual according to our 3 cabin hosts!)

Not long after that we had a glimpse of Mt Barker (which is over the border in the US - Washington).

At this point I feel the need to point out 2 important things: 1. I took over 200 photos today 2. All photos were taken through the windows of the train, and are therefore subject to reflections off the glass - watch out for the little UFOs, they are reflections of the lights in the carriage ceiling!

I also should point out seeing mountains like these is kinda exciting for me - Australia's mountains aren't like this! And the train follows the Fraser River pretty closely. The grey-green colour of the water is apparently due to the sediments it carries - they never get a chance to settle.

Speaking of colours . . . this mixture of blues and greens is because it's part of where the Fraser meets the Thomson River, which the train then follows to our eventual overnight stop in Kamloops.

This train trip is like being in a moving restaurant - we were supplied with drinks and a snack, then a 3 course lunch by the time we hit this point!

Rainbow Canyon - the colours of the rocks caused by oxidation of iron, copper and sulfur (I think that's what they said!)

I was really on the wrong side of the train to get shots of the rapids on the Thompson, where some of the rocks have names! Can you spot the rock called the frog? (right pic above)

Murray Creek Falls . . .

On one of our many stops while waiting on a siding for a freight train to pass in the opposite direction, we had a Bald Eagle circling beside us. Not easy to snap pics!

Somewhere near Black Canyon we had one of the best chances to shoot pics of the front of the train - my carriage was the second last of 22 "pieces of equipment" (engine, carriages inc non-passenger cars), and the last passenger car. (I still had trouble getting a decent shot without reflections or telephone wires in the way!)

We spent much of the day spotting Osprey nests! (And one or two eagle nests)

Does anyone recognise Rainbow Bluffs? Apparently they appeared in the X-Files. (right pic above)

After many, many delays pulling into sidings for freight trains (the two I counted cars for were 150 and 194 cars long - so not short trains!), and our afternoon snack and drink, we finally came up along Kamloops Lake. Lots of winding track as the train closely follows the shoreline.

And that's my 30 image limit!

We were late getting into Kamloops - so many stops along the way we even got a second afternoon snack!! So, when we finally reached our hotels it was around 9pm. That's basically a 13hr train trip! Certainly not boring though.

[beardedmrbean]

Canada has long been a draw for people from India's Punjab province seeking new opportunities elsewhere. But has the Canadian dream soured?

It's hard to miss the ardour of Punjab's migrant ambitions when driving through its fertile rural plains.

Billboards promising easy immigration to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK jut out through ample mustard fields.

Off the highways, consultancies offer English language coaching to eager youth.

Single-storey brick homes double up as canvasses for hand-painted mural advertisements promising quick visas. And in the town of Bathinda, hundreds of agents jostle for space on a single narrow street, pledging to speed up the youth's runaway dreams.

For over a century, this province in India's northwest has seen waves of overseas migration; from the Sikh soldiers inducted into the British Indian Army travelling to Canada, through to rural Punjabis settling in England post-independence.

But some, especially from Canada, are now choosing to come back home.

One of those is 28-year-old Balkar, who returned in early 2023 after just one year in Toronto. Citizenship was his ultimate goal when he left his little hamlet of Pitho in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. His family mortgaged their land to fund his education.

But his Canadian dream quickly lost its allure a few months into his life there.

"Everything was so expensive. I had to work 50 hours every week after college, just to survive," he told the BBC. "High inflation is making many students leave their studies."

Balkar now runs an embroidery business from a small room on one side of the expansive central courtyard in his typical Punjabi home. He also helps on his family's farm to supplement his income.

Opportunities for employment are few and far between in these rural areas, but technology has allowed entrepreneurs like him to conquer the tyranny of distance. Balkar gets the bulk of his business through Instagram.

"I have a good life here. Why should I face hardships there when I can live at home and make good money?" he asks.

The BBC spoke to at least half a dozen reverse migrants in Punjab who shared similar sentiments.

It was also a common refrain in the scores of videos on YouTube shared by Indians who had chosen to abandon their life in Canada and return home. There was a stark difference one young returnee told the BBC between the "rosy picture" immigration agents painted and the rough reality of immigrant life in Toronto and Vancouver.

The "Canada craze" has let up a bit - and especially so among well-off migrants who have a fallback option at home, says Raj Karan Brar, an immigration agent in Bathinda who helps hundreds of Punjabis get permanent residencies and student visas every year.

The desire for a Canadian citizenship remains as strong as ever though among middle- and lower middle-class clients in rural communities.

But viral YouTube videos of students talking about the difficulty in finding jobs and protests over a lack of housing and work opportunities has created an air of nervousness among these students, say immigration agents.

There was a 40% decline in applications from India for Canadian study permits in the second half of 2023, according to one estimate. This was, in part, also due to the ongoing diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over allegations Indian agents were involved in the murder of Canadian Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

There are also hints of deeper cultural factors at play, for a waning Canadian dream among an older generation of Indian migrants.

Karan Aulakh, who spent nearly 15 years in Edmonton and achieved career and financial success, left his managerial job for a comfortable rural life in Khane ki Daab, the village where he was born in 1985. He told the BBC he was upset by LGBT-inclusive education policies in Canada and its 2018 decision to legalise recreational cannabis. Incompatibility with the Western way of life, a struggling healthcare system, and better economic prospects in India were, he said, key reasons why many older Canadian Indians are preparing to leave the country.

"I started an online consultancy - Back to the Motherland - a month and a half ago, to help those who want to reverse migrate. I get at least two to three calls every day, mostly from people in Canada who want to know what job opportunities there are in Punjab and how they can come back," said Mr Aulakh.

For a country that places such a high value on immigration, these trends are "concerning" and are "being received with a bit of a sting politically", says Daniel Bernhard of the Institute of Canadian Citizenship, an immigration advocacy group.

A liberalised immigration regime has been Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's signature policy to counter slowing economic growth and a rapidly aging population.

According to Canada's statistics agency, immigration accounted for 90% of Canada's labour force growth and 75% of population growth in 2021.

International students contribute to over C$20bn ($14.7bn; £11.7bn) to Canada's economy each year, a bulk of them Indians who now make up one in five recent immigrants to the country.

India was also Canada's leading source for immigration in 2022.

The numbers of those leaving are still small in absolute terms with immigration levels at all-time highs in Canada - the country welcomed nearly half a million new migrants each year over the past few years.

But the rate of reverse migration hit a two decade high in 2019, signalling that migrants were "losing confidence" in the country said Mr Bernhard.

Country specific statistics for such emigrants, or reverse migrants, are not available.

But official data obtained by Reuters shows between 80,000 and 90,000 immigrants left Canada in 2021 and 2022 and either went back to their countries, or onward elsewhere.

Some 42,000 people departed in the first half of 2023.

Fewer permanent residents are also going on to become Canadian citizens, according to census data cited by the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. In 2001, 75% of those eligible became citizens. Two decades later, it was 45%.

Canada needs to "restore the value of its citizenship," said Mr Bernhard.

It comes as Canada debates its aggressive immigration targets given country's struggle to absorb more people.

A recent report from National Bank of Canada economists cautioned that the population growth was putting pressure on its already tight housing supply and strained healthcare system.

Canada has seen a population surge - an increase of 1.2 million people in 2023 - driven mostly by newcomers.

The report argued that growth needed to be slowed to an annual increase of up to 500,000 people in order to preserve or increase the standard of living.

There appears to have been a tacit acceptance of this evaluation by policymakers.

Mr Trudeau's Liberal government recently introduced a cap on international student permits that would result in a temporary decrease of 35% in approved study visas.

It's a significant policy shift that some believe may end up further reducing Canada's appeal amid a wave of reverse migrations.

[charlesandmartine]

Monday 10th July 2023

Kamloops wouldn't be our first choice for a holiday, but as a stopover location it is practical. Kamloops is a mining town; copper and gold, with the largest open cast mine operation in Canada just 30km out of town, and underground mining in town. Logging and sawmills seem popular here too. Kamloops is expanding apparently with people from Vancouver; now 115,000 population with many first nation folk living here. We were collected from our hotels yawningly early at 7.10am; required to leave suitcases in the room to be transferred by road to our hotels in Vancouver. Hopefully. A 22 coach train does not fit well into a standard station platform so we were delivered to the extended train parked in the Rocky Mountaineer depot at one side of the marshalling yards. Yards that are filling up with freight containers, stacking due to the freight operator strike. This eased our passage to Vancouver since we didn't need to pull into sidings so often to allow freight to pass. The journey began by crossing the Thompson River, through downtown with the smokestack of the pulp mill pluming upwards on the edge of town, moved by popular demand away from housing due to the smell.

The landscape was gradually changing to semi-arid desert like conditions, sun bleached hillsides and pastures: home to bald eagles, ospreys and long horn sheep. The temperature today was predicted to hit 35° which would be ideal for its growing wine industry. The baron landscape has been the setting for XFiles, The A Team, Battlestar Galactica and no doubt many more films and TV shows. As the train snaked its way along the course of the Thompson River we spotted bald eagle and osprey nests, some of the latter being up to 100 years old mainly built on manmade structures. Parent ospreys must from time to time have the conversation; one day son, all this will be yours! This is a big country, the home of ballads such as crooned by the likes of John Denver, Cowboy and Indian films, Luis Armstrong wafting over the sound system singing Wonderful World seemed to sum up the general feeling.

Thompson River soon merged with Fraser River just before lunch. The Fraser soon to be busy with salmon. The topography changing now reverting to pine forest and mountains as we headed south towards Hope and Vancouver.

It is a thing most strange that we have travelled hundreds of miles into the Rockies without meeting any English people until boarding the Rocky Mountaineer. Now all on our carriage are English or occasionally Scottish, all Radio 4 of an age. Is it only the Anglo Saxons that appreciate the permanent way? We are all practically on Christmas card terms by now, but of course all that will be forgotten by December.

The train seemed to pick up speed by the time we reached Hope where we were a fortnight ago. We were travelling a good 50mph towards Vancouver. I think the driver needed to be home by tea time. Then he really put his foot down.

And so it was we finally made it into Vancouver crossing the swing bridge. It was a very agreeable way of returning to the great metropolis of the city.

Remarkably, we were able to step off the train and onto a waiting coach which was able to take us directly to our hotel for the following two nights. What was even more remarkable, our suitcases actually made it to the coach!

We have a couple of days to enjoy ourselves in Vancouver before travelling home on Wednesday. Well didn't that go quickly.

[compo67]

Compare & Contrast: House of Gold (2014)

My writing from 2014 is so different from my writing in 2023! Here's a chapter of "House of Gold" from "before" and "after."

2014

“Don’t kiss me, you’ll get sick.”

“I’ll risk getting sick.”

“No.”

“Jen, it’s okay.”

“Fine. A small one.”

Jared leaves Smithville on a rainy Tuesday morning. Jensen left the night before by himself in a car that came from the airport to pick him up. He’s made the set call for today despite being sick and running a hundred and one degree fever. They’ve made set accommodations for the past two days just for him and he can’t miss another call. He plans to use his illness as an advantage on set but Jared doesn’t quite understand how. Either way, they separate for twelve hours. Jared pulled out his carryon bag an hour after Jensen left and started packing.

“Long as you don’t mind havin’ a guest around,” he could hear John saying to his momma, polite and appreciative. “Promise you won’t notice I’m here, ma’am.”

“I wouldn’t mind if I did notice you were here,” his momma replied. “And don’t call me ma’am. Makes me feel old. I’m not that old, right Jay? Just turned thirty last year.”

“For the sixth time,” Jared snapped out with a small laugh.

She came over and he expected a swat to the head and a lecture on how when she was a girl she had half the men in this town kneeling at her front door, begging to let them take her out here or treat her to this. She likes to go on sometimes about how it’s her good looks Jensen best be damn grateful for.

Instead, she hugged him.

She felt so small.

Of course, she read his mind, and it earned him a small cuff to the ear. “Don’t,” she muttered, looking at him directly. “Don’t you dare do that, Jared Tristan Padalecki. Don’t you treat me like I’m fine china. I was never that kind of girl. Never been that kind of woman.” And that’s true. He knew it. She broke each arm at least once climbing trees as a girl. Broke her right leg when she was sixteen and riding an admirer’s motorcycle alone and took a sharp turn too fast. That motorcycle is still in their garage.

“John’s got a gun,” she whispered to him, a glint of excitement in her eye. “Gonna take him shooting.”

The plan is for John to stay in Smithville for a week while Jared joins Jensen on set in Vancouver. It was all Jensen and Mr. Mayhue’s idea. Right before Jensen left he and Jared met with Mr. Mayhue at the store. His employer refused to accept any money for the repairs or business it cost him. The building, they were assured, was insured and it gave Mr. Mayhue’s brother-in-law work for once. But he tipped his ten gallon hat and leaned back in his chair and admitted that he was concerned for Jared’s safety. In his experience, people bent on doing petty things like this didn’t stop until they got the reaction they wanted. It was Mr. Mayhue’s fear that vandalism would lead to something else—and his position in the community did not warrant any more interest from the police. They took pictures, poked around, and did nothing else. A week off is not a problem in comparison. They can manage.

Jared turns this all around in his head on the plane ride from Austin to Vancouver.

A coach ticket would have been fine, he thinks, looking around and sighing. He’s looked up ticket prices for first class flights on this route. His shoulders bristle and he tries to shake off his worry. Stop it. Jensen does these things because he cares. It’s not to make Jared feel less than capable or childish. Sometimes you need to accept help, Jared tells himself. It just seems excessive when there are people waiting on him left and right. He isn’t used to this.

When he lands at four in the afternoon he can’t get his ears to pop. Pulling at his left ear lobe, he sends a text to his momma informing him that he made it just fine. When that’s done he digs around his pockets for gum or something to chew on. This never happened on the flights from Austin to Miami or Dallas to Austin. Then again, those were all at maximum three hour flights and this was six. His ass has fallen asleep and his joints hurt from sitting down so long. Even with more foot room in first class his knees still hurt from crouching. Walking out of the terminal with his carryon, still trying to get his ears to pop, he wonders how the hell he has arrived. Customs was a breeze since he only has one piece of luggage on him and Jensen called ahead. He comes in through this airport so often that the airport staff knows him well. One of the security guards handed back Jared’s passport with a sincere, “Welcome to Canada, sir.”

By the looks of the airport, it doesn’t immediately feel like he’s in another country. Another state, yes. There are no ten gallon hats or belt buckles on display; he doesn’t hear y’all or right quick or any kind of drawl. He follows signs for the above ground exit and prays not to get lost in the airport. Please let him have some kind of sense to find the arrivals pick up, where Jensen said he’d have a car sent.

Ten minutes later and Jared is completely turned around and lost. The layout to this airport isn’t anything like the few he’s been in. Just as he’s beginning to panic, his phone goes off. He expects it to be his momma.

“You’re adorable when you have no clue what you’re doin’.” A Texan drawl. Jared feels the knot in his chest loosen. He can’t punch out a witty response and Jensen gets it. “Look to your left, sweetheart.”

This is bad.

Every time Jared panics he’s going to expect Jensen there to help him out of whatever mess he’s in.

He doesn’t care if it’s cliché or silly or totally predictable. His carryon wheels squeaking, he runs the short distance between him and the man in sunglasses and a baseball hat.

The first thing that’s said doesn’t come from Jared.

“God, I missed you.”

He is greatly loved.

---

2023

Jensen leaves at night, by himself, in a car that came to pick him up and take him to the airport.

He just barely makes the set call for today, despite being sick and running a one-hundred and one degree fever. He plans to use his illness as a way to get even more into character. Or something like that. Before he left, Jared insisted on a kiss.

“Don’t kiss me, you’ll get sick.”

“I’ll risk getting sick, Jen.”

“No, I won't put you in harm's way, Jay. Absolutely not.”

“Good lord, it’s okay.”

“Fine. A small one.”

Jared is set to leave Smithville the next day--a rainy Tuesday morning.

John and Sherri talk in the kitchen as Jared gets ready.

"Just as long as you don't mind having a guest around," John says to Sherri, his tone polite and appreciative. "I promise you won't notice I'm here, ma'am."

“I wouldn’t mind if I did notice you were here,” Sherri replies. “And don’t call me ma’am. Makes me feel old. I’m not that old, right Jay? Just turned thirty last year.”

“For the sixth time,” Jared quips.

She walks over and he expects a swat to the head and a lecture on how when she was a girl she had half the men in this town kneeling at her front door, begging to let them take her out here or treat her to this. She likes to go on sometimes about how it’s her good looks Jensen best be damn grateful for.

Instead, she hugs him.

She feels so small.

Of course, she read his mind, and it earns him a small cuff to the ear.

“Don’t,” she mutters, looking at him directly. “Don’t you dare do that, Jared Tristan. Don’t you treat me like I’m fine china. I was never that kind of girl. Never been that kind of woman.”

And that’s true. He knew it. She broke each arm at least once climbing trees as a girl. Broke her right leg when she was sixteen and riding an admirer’s motorcycle alone and took a sharp turn too fast. That motorcycle is still in their garage.

“John’s got a gun,” she whispers to him, a glint of excitement in her eye. “Gonna take him to the shooting range.”

The plan is for John to stay in Smithville for a week while Jared joins Jensen on set in Vancouver. It was all Jensen and Mr. Mayhue’s idea. Right before Jensen left, he and Jared met with Mr. Mayhue at the store. Mr. Mayhue refused to accept any money for the repairs or business it cost him. The building is insured and it gave Mr. Mayhue’s brother-in-law work for once. But Mr. Mayhue tipped his ten gallon hat, leaned back in his chair, and admitted that he was concerned for Jared’s safety.

In his experience, people bent on doing petty things like this don’t stop until they get the reaction they want. It was Mr. Mayhue’s fear that vandalism would lead to something else. He gave Jared two weeks off. The store will manage.

Jared turns this all around in his head on the drive from Smithville to Austin. John drives, with Sherri up front and Jared in the backseat with his carry-on. He hugs his mother extra tight when he leaves them curbside.

He checks in without a problem, though it is his very first time flying anywhere alone and his first time using his passport. When he boards, he can't believe how spacious it is in first class. A coach ticket would have been fine, he thinks, looking around and shaking his head. Of course, Jensen paid for the ticket and refused to think of Jared flying in coach. Jared has looked up ticket prices for first class flights on this route before. His shoulders bristle and he tries to shake off his fretting. Stop it. Jensen does these things because he cares. It’s not to make Jared feel less than capable or childish. Sometimes you need to accept help, Jared tells himself.

It just seems excessive when there are people waiting on him left and right. He isn’t used to this.

When he lands at four in the afternoon, he can’t get his ears to pop. Pulling at his left ear lobe, he sends a text to his momma informing him that he made it just fine. When that’s done, he digs around his pockets for gum. His ass has fallen asleep and his joints hurt from sitting down for six hours. Even with more foot room in first class his knees still hurt from crouching. Walking out of the terminal with his carry-on, still trying to get his ears to pop, he wonders how the hell he has arrived. Customs is a breeze since he only has one piece of luggage on him.

One of the security guards hands back Jared’s passport and says, “Welcome to Canada, sir.”

By the looks of the airport, it doesn’t immediately feel like he’s in another country. Another state, yes. There are no ten gallon hats or belt buckles on display. He doesn’t hear "y’all" or "right quick" or any kind of drawl. It's almost unnerving. He follows signs for the above ground exit and prays to the universe that he doesn't get lost in the airport. Please let him have some kind of sense to find the arrivals pick up, where Jensen said he’d have a car ready and waiting for him.

Ten minutes later, Jared is completely turned around and lost. The layout to this airport isn’t anything like the few he’s been in. Just as he’s beginning to panic, his phone goes off. He expects it to be his momma.

“You’re adorable when you have no clue what you’re doin’.” A Texan drawl. Jared feels the knot in his chest loosen up. He can’t punch out a witty response and Jensen gets it. “Look to your left, sweetheart.”

This is bad.

Every time Jared panics he’s going to expect Jensen there to help him out of whatever mess he’s in.

He doesn’t care if it’s cliché or silly or totally predictable. With his carry-on wheels squeaking, he runs the short distance between him and the man in sunglasses and a baseball hat.

“God, I missed you,” Jensen says, flipping his sunglasses up to give Jared a proper kiss. "C'mere."

Jared knows he is greatly loved.

[inspectorseb]

I don’t even care about Vancouver but I’m truly upset about what’s going on with Boudreau. Being a coach of a team means you already know that your job is temporary, you just don’t know how long. Vancouver obviously hasn’t been great this season but they haven’t been terrible either. I understand it’s a business but I hate the whole thing that everything gets blamed on the coach. If you��re changing the coach every half season (or even every season) you’re gonna be waiting a long time for something to happen. As someone who studies politics, I consider it similar to when a party changes their leader every election. In my opinion you can’t fire someone right away just cause they lose. How do you expect actual process and support when you’re filing people in and out. You’re not giving fans enough time to gain support for the coach (if they even like him anyways) especially when they’re already tired. And for the players, you’re giving them just enough time to get used to someone when you bring someone in with a completely different style. Of course there’s gonna be more confusion and mixed feelings.

[burntownfitness01]

Get Fit in Camas and Vancouver, WA: The Best Group Fitness Classes and Personal Training Services

If you're looking to enhance your fitness journey in Camas, WA, or Vancouver, WA, Burntown Fitness is your go-to destination. Whether you're interested in group fitness classes or working with the best personal trainers, we offer tailored programs designed to help you meet your goals. Here's why fitness enthusiasts in Camas and Vancouver trust us to transform their workouts.

Why Fitness in Camas and Vancouver, WA Matters

When it comes to fitness, location is key. Both Camas and Vancouver, WA, offer vibrant fitness communities that cater to people of all ages and skill levels. At Burntown Fitness, we understand the importance of offering a convenient, motivating, and results-driven environment in both cities.

Burntown Fitness is dedicated to providing cutting-edge fitness solutions that fit into your busy lifestyle. Whether you live in Camas or Vancouver, our fitness programs ensure that you get the most out of every session.

Group Fitness Classes in Vancouver and Camas, WA

For those who thrive in a group setting, Burntown Fitness offers top-notch group fitness classes in Vancouver, WA, and group fitness classes in Camas, WA. These classes provide a supportive atmosphere where you can push your limits and achieve your fitness goals alongside others.

Group classes are perfect if you're looking for variety in your workout routine, whether it's high-intensity interval training (HIIT), strength conditioning, or cardio-focused exercises. Led by experienced instructors, each class is designed to challenge and motivate you, no matter your fitness level.

Personalized Attention with the Best Personal Trainers

Sometimes, one-on-one coaching is the best way to achieve your fitness goals. At Burntown Fitness, we pride ourselves on having the best personal trainers in Camas, WA, who offer customized workout plans tailored to your unique needs.

Our personal trainers not only help you reach your fitness objectives but also provide education on proper techniques, nutrition advice, and long-term strategies for maintaining your progress. If you're in Vancouver, you're in good hands too—our expert personal trainers in Vancouver, WA bring the same level of dedication and expertise to help you get the results you desire.

Why Choose Burntown Fitness?

At Burntown Fitness, we believe that fitness should be accessible, enjoyable, and effective. Here's what sets us apart:

Expert Trainers: Our personal trainers in Vancouver, WA, and Camas, WA, are not only knowledgeable but also passionate about helping you succeed.

Diverse Class Offerings: Whether you're interested in group fitness classes in Camas, WA, or group fitness classes in Vancouver, WA, we offer something for everyone.

Supportive Community: Our group fitness environment is perfect for those who love the camaraderie and motivation that comes from working out with others.

Ready to Start Your Fitness Journey?

Whether you live in Camas or Vancouver, WA, Burntown Fitness has the resources to help you succeed. From dynamic group fitness classes to the expertise of the best personal trainers, we offer everything you need to take your fitness to the next level.

Stop by Burntown Fitness today and see why we’re the top choice for fitness in Camas, WA, and fitness in Vancouver, WA!

[vancitybeautypro]

A Complete Guide to Powdered Brow Training in Vancouver

The beauty industry continues to evolve, and one of the most popular trends today is powdered brows. Also known as ombré brows, this semi-permanent makeup technique offers a soft, shaded look that gradually transitions from lighter to darker, mimicking the effect of perfectly filled-in brows. If you’re in Vancouver and looking to become a certified powdered brow artist, this guide covers everything you need to know about training programs, what to expect, and how to get started.

What is Powdered Brow Training?

Powdered brow training is a specialized course that teaches aspiring brow artists how to perform the ombré or powdered brow technique. Unlike microblading, which uses tiny hair-like strokes, the powdered brow method involves the use of a machine to create a soft gradient effect that appears fuller and more defined. The training includes both theoretical and practical components, allowing students to gain hands-on experience under the guidance of professionals.

Why Choose Vancouver for Powdered Brow Training?

Vancouver is home to a growing beauty industry with numerous training academies that offer high-quality powdered brow courses. The city’s vibrant community of beauty professionals, combined with access to top-tier trainers and modern facilities, makes it an ideal location for mastering this skill. Moreover, the demand for semi-permanent makeup services like powdered brows is high in Vancouver, offering excellent career opportunities once you’re certified.

What to Expect During Training

Powdered brow training programs in Vancouver typically range from 2 to 5 days, depending on the level of expertise offered. Here’s what a standard training program includes:

1. Theory and Anatomy:

You’ll start by learning the basics of brow anatomy, skin types, and color theory. Understanding how different skin tones react to pigments and how to design brows that suit various face shapes is critical to becoming a skilled brow artist.

2. Health, Safety, and Hygiene:

Health and safety protocols are essential when performing semi-permanent makeup procedures. Training will cover hygiene practices, sterilization, and how to set up your workspace to ensure a clean and safe environment for your clients.

3. Tools and Techniques:

You’ll be introduced to the tools used for powdered brows, including the digital machine and needle cartridges. Training will focus on mastering the ombré shading technique, pigment application, and achieving the desired gradient effect.

4. Hands-On Practice:

The practical part of the training involves working on practice skins and live models. Under the guidance of experienced instructors, you’ll refine your technique, learn to control the machine, and develop the confidence needed to deliver high-quality results.

5. Business and Marketing Insights:

Some courses also offer tips on how to start and market your own brow business. From building a portfolio to creating a client base and promoting your services online, this section can be invaluable for those looking to establish themselves in the beauty industry.

Choosing the Right Training Program

When selecting a powdered brow training course in Vancouver, consider the following factors:

Accreditation and Certification: Ensure that the training academy is accredited and offers a recognized certification upon completion. This certification is key to establishing credibility and trust with clients.

Instructor Experience: Learn from seasoned professionals who have extensive experience in both performing and teaching powdered brow techniques. Their expertise and feedback will be crucial in shaping your skills.

Class Size: Smaller class sizes often allow for more personalized attention and one-on-one coaching, which can significantly enhance the learning experience.

Course Content: Look for comprehensive courses that cover everything from theory to hands-on practice and business development.

Reviews and Testimonials: Check out testimonials from past students to gauge the quality of training provided by the academy.

Career Opportunities After Training

Once you complete your powdered brow training and obtain your certification, there are plenty of career opportunities waiting for you in Vancouver. You can work at established salons, start your own brow studio, or even offer mobile brow services. The growing popularity of semi-permanent makeup ensures a steady demand for skilled artists, making it a rewarding and lucrative career choice.

Conclusion

Powdered brow training in Vancouver provides an excellent pathway to enter the booming beauty industry. With the right course, you’ll gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to create stunning, natural-looking brows that your clients will love. Whether you’re new to the field or looking to expand your expertise, Vancouver offers top-notch training options that can help you build a successful career as a powdered brow artist.

Original Content: https://medium.com/@vancitybeautypro/a-complete-guide-to-powdered-brow-training-in-vancouver-a6148bbf5863

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"MANY STRIKES THREATENED ON COAST," The Province (Vancouver). May 1, 1934. Page 3. --- Four Thousand Columbia River Fishermen Quit as Season Opens. ---- ASTORIA. May 1. - (AP) - A strike of Columbia River fishermen was proclaimed by union officials at midnight on the eve of the 1934 salmon fishing season's opening today.

Officials of the Columbia River Fishermen's Protective Union, who claim to represent the majority of 4000 Columbia River fishermen, were busy arranging a fleet of patrol boats to proceed up the river to spread news of the strike and enlist support.

Price differences between fishermen and packers apparently were on the verge of settlement at a conference late on Monday, when a snag was hit. Fishermen held out for abolition of piece work for cannery employees.

Previously fishermen lowered demands to meet the packers 'offer of 10 cents a pound for fish the first part of the season. A compromise of a five-cent minimum price from August 11 to August 25 was being considered when the question of piece work for cannery workers was raised.

Packers refused to consider abolition of the piece work, but proposed to submit the cannery works troubles to an arbitration board, to be appointed by NRA authorities. The meeting hit an impasse.

WATERFRONT WORKERS. SAN FRANCISCO, May 1. - (AP) - San Francisco waterfront employers moved today to meet a scheduled "showdown" on Monday on the long disputed question of stevedores' hours and wages.

The question now, said M. J. Wright, Pacific Coast manager of the Luckenbach Steamship Company, has been referred by the original mediation board of four to a new board of ten, five representatives each from employers and employees.

Unless the board brings forth an acceptable proposal by Monday, the stevedores agreed last night, a strike may be called.

TRAM STRIKE THREAT. OAKLAND, Cal., May 1. - (AP) - Demands for increased pay and shorter hours for street car. men, motor coach operators and electric trainmen in East Bay cities were announced by the Car Men's Union here Monday night.

Union officials said the demands were made on behalf of 1000 employees of the Key System Ltd., the East Bay Street Railways Ltd., and. the East Bay Motor Coach Lines Ltd., affiliated concerns. William C. St. Sure, vice-president of the concerns, said the demands will be considered at a meeting of executives tomorrow.