#Scrum Tips

[agilemethodology]

Scrum Project Management: A Framework for Agile Success

Scrum project management has emerged as a leading methodology for Agile software development, providing teams with a flexible and iterative approach to delivering high-quality products. In this article, we'll delve into the fundamentals of Scrum, its key principles, roles, artifacts, events, benefits, challenges, implementation tips, and real-world applications.

I. Introduction

What is Scrum Project Management?

Scrum is a framework for Agile project management that emphasizes iterative development, collaboration, and continuous improvement. It enables teams to respond rapidly to changing requirements and deliver valuable software increments in short cycles.

Brief History and Evolution of Scrum

Originally introduced in the 1980s by Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka, Scrum has since evolved into a widely adopted Agile methodology. Its principles draw inspiration from various fields, including lean manufacturing, empirical process control, and organizational psychology.

II. Core Principles of Scrum

Empirical Process Control

At the heart of Scrum lies the principle of empirical process control, which emphasizes transparency, inspection, and adaptation. Teams base their decisions on real-time feedback and data, rather than predefined plans.

Iterative Development

Scrum promotes iterative development, dividing work into small, manageable increments called "sprints." Each sprint typically lasts one to six weeks and results in a potentially shippable product increment.

Collaboration

Collaboration is central to Scrum, with cross-functional teams working closely together to achieve shared goals. Through frequent communication and collaboration, team members can address challenges and capitalize on opportunities more effectively.

Self-Organization

Scrum teams are self-organizing, meaning they have the autonomy to determine how best to accomplish their objectives. This autonomy fosters creativity, ownership, and accountability among team members.

III. Scrum Roles

Scrum Master

The Scrum Master serves as a servant-leader for the team, facilitating the Scrum process and removing impediments to progress. They coach the team on Agile principles and practices, ensuring adherence to Scrum values.

Product Owner

The Product Owner represents the stakeholders and is responsible for maximizing the value of the product. They prioritize the backlog, define user stories, and make decisions about what features to include in each sprint.

Development Team

The Development Team consists of professionals who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable increment of product at the end of each sprint. They are cross-functional and self-organizing, with a collective responsibility for achieving the sprint goal.

IV. Scrum Artifacts

Product Backlog

The Product Backlog is a prioritized list of all desired work on the project. It evolves over time, with new items added, refined, or removed based on feedback and changing requirements.

Sprint Backlog

The Sprint Backlog is a subset of the Product Backlog selected for implementation during a sprint. It represents the work that the Development Team plans to complete within the sprint.

Increment

The Increment is the sum of all the product backlog items completed during a sprint, plus the increments of all previous sprints. It must be in a potentially releasable state and meet the Definition of Done.

V. Scrum Events

Sprint Planning

Sprint Planning marks the beginning of a sprint, during which the Scrum Team collaborates to select the items from the Product Backlog that will be included in the upcoming sprint and create a sprint goal.

Daily Stand-up

The Daily Stand-up is a short, time-boxed meeting held every day to synchronize the activities of the Development Team and identify any impediments to progress. Each team member answers three questions: What did I do yesterday? What will I do today? Are there any impediments?

Sprint Review

The Sprint Review is held at the end of the sprint to inspect the increment and gather feedback from stakeholders. It provides an opportunity to review what was done in the sprint and adapt the Product Backlog as needed.

Sprint Retrospective

The Sprint Retrospective is a meeting held at the end of the sprint to reflect on the team's process and identify opportunities for improvement. It focuses on what went well, what could be improved, and actionable items for the next sprint.

VI. Benefits of Scrum

Improved Flexibility

Scrum's iterative approach allows teams to adapt to changing requirements and market conditions quickly. By delivering increments of working software regularly, teams can respond to feedback and deliver value more effectively.

Enhanced Product Quality

Through frequent inspection and adaptation, Scrum promotes a focus on quality throughout the development process. Continuous testing, peer reviews, and customer feedback help identify and address issues early, resulting in higher-quality products.

Increased Transparency

Scrum provides stakeholders with transparency into the development process, enabling them to track progress, provide feedback, and make informed decisions. This transparency builds trust and fosters collaboration between the development team and stakeholders.

Better Stakeholder Engagement

By involving stakeholders in the development process through events like the Sprint Review, Scrum ensures that their feedback is incorporated into the product. This engagement leads to greater satisfaction and alignment between the product and stakeholder expectations.

VII. Challenges in Implementing Scrum

Resistance to Change

Transitioning to Scrum requires a cultural shift within an organization, which can meet resistance from stakeholders accustomed to traditional project management methods. Overcoming resistance requires strong leadership, clear communication, and patience.

Lack of Experience

Inexperienced teams may struggle to implement Scrum effectively, leading to frustration and disillusionment. Training, mentoring, and hands-on experience can help teams build the skills and confidence needed to succeed with Scrum.

Overcommitment

Teams may overcommit to work during sprint planning, leading to burnout, reduced quality, and missed deadlines. It's essential to set realistic goals and prioritize the most valuable work to ensure sustainable pace and continuous delivery.

VIII. Tips for Successful Scrum Implementation

Training and Education

Invest in training and education for team members, Scrum Masters, and Product Owners to ensure a solid understanding of Scrum principles and practices.

Clear Communication

Foster open and transparent communication within the team and with stakeholders to ensure alignment and shared understanding of project goals and priorities.

Empowering Teams

Empower teams to self-organize and make decisions, trusting them to deliver results and continuously improve their process.

Continuous Improvement

Encourage a culture of continuous improvement, where teams reflect on their process, identify areas for enhancement, and experiment with new approaches.

IX. Scrum vs. Traditional Project Management

Scrum differs from traditional project management methodologies, such as Waterfall, in several key ways. While traditional methods emphasize detailed planning and documentation, Scrum prioritizes adaptability, collaboration, and delivering value early and often.

X. Real-world Applications of Scrum

Scrum is widely used across various industries and domains, from software development to marketing, healthcare, and beyond. Organizations like Spotify, Google, and Salesforce have adopted Scrum to streamline their processes and deliver innovative products to market faster.

XI. Conclusion

In conclusion, Scrum project management offers a powerful framework for Agile development, enabling teams to respond rapidly to change, deliver high-quality products, and maximize value for stakeholders. By embracing Scrum's core principles, roles, artifacts, and events, organizations can achieve greater flexibility, transparency, and collaboration, ultimately driving success in today's dynamic business environment.

XII. FAQs

What is the difference between Scrum and Agile?

While Agile is a broader philosophy or mindset, Scrum is a specific framework for implementing Agile principles in software development. Scrum provides guidelines and practices for iterative development, collaboration, and continuous improvement within Agile projects.

How does Scrum handle changes in requirements?

Scrum accommodates changes in requirements through its iterative approach and flexible mindset. Changes can be incorporated into the Product Backlog and prioritized for future sprints, allowing teams to adapt to evolving customer needs and market conditions.

Can Scrum be used in non-software projects?

Yes, Scrum can be applied to a wide range of projects beyond software development, including marketing campaigns, event planning, construction projects, and more. The key is to adapt Scrum principles and practices to suit the specific needs and constraints of the project.

What is the ideal size for a Scrum team?

The ideal size for a Scrum team is typically between five and nine members, although smaller or larger teams can also be effective depending on the project's complexity and requirements. The goal is to have a cross-functional team with the skills and expertise needed to deliver value independently.

How do you measure the success of a Scrum project?

Success in a Scrum project is measured by the value delivered to stakeholders, the quality of the product, and the team's ability to adapt and improve over time. Key metrics may include customer satisfaction, product quality, team velocity, and time-to-market.

#ScrumProjectManagement #AgileSuccess #ProjectManagement #AgileMethodology #ScrumFramework #AgileProjectManagement #SuccessTips #ProjectSuccess #AgileStrategies #ProjectManagementTips

[kennethadamscom]

Azure DevOps (ADO) Dashboards & Reports - 2023 Samples

Azure DevOps (ADO) is excellent at many things, because it has so much built-in. One of ADO’s many strengths is its customizability. But you do have to pay close attention to how you engineer ADO’s configuration, and keep a close eye on the completeness and quality of the practices and data that teams are following and contributing. Here are some samples of dashboards and reports that I built in…

[nerdladydraws]

Taking Engineering Lessons Home: A SCRUM Task Board for Household Chores

After teaching during COVID, all my task management strategies fell apart. My mental load was overflowing. When my second child was born in 2022, I couldn’t afford to let things continue to get out of hand. It felt like nothing was getting done in the house, the piles of laundry never stopped, and I could never catch up. Mind you, I still feel like that. But this helped. Continue reading…

[alltimecharlo]

Thriving on all the omega Mack purring content going around but I raise you this! Alpha Will crooning/rumbling uncontrollably whenever Mack is nearby to the point it’s just getting ridiculous. Like Will ruins interview sound bites because Mack walks by, teammates on late night flights threaten to strangle him please let them get a nap in the plane sounds like it’s going to fall apart rn

Bonus Mack purring and Will crooning at the same time and it just sounds like a motorbike parade that will not LEAVE guys can you even hear the movie you’re watching????

(I love your abo fics, breathe me in was stunning! <3)

awh thank you!!! and looove this idea anon🩵 fic under the cut!

It starts on the team flight to Dallas.

Mack’s got his headphones in and a hoodie pulled over his head, slouched low into the plush seat. The cabin lights are dimmed, most of the guys passed out or pretending to be, except for a few murmured conversations and the soft hum of the engine.

And then—a rumble.

It’s not the engine. It’s not turbulence. It’s Will.

“Dude,” Bordy hisses from the row behind. “I swear to god, if he starts again—”

Too late. The crooning starts soft, but it builds, and builds, and builds.

It’s not even conscious, Mack knows that. He peeks from under the hood and sees Will next to him, leaned against the window, half-asleep himself, but vibrating with the kind of deep, low sound that makes Mack feel like he’s being physically tucked under a weighted blanket. His alpha’s presence hums through the air like a lullaby wrapped in thunder.

Mack shifts in his seat and suppresses a laugh. He loves it. A lot. But… yeah. He gets why the guys are at the end of their rope.

“Is it me?” he whispers to Eky, across the aisle.

Eky shoots him a look. “You know it’s you. He only does that when you’re within scent range. Which—by the way—should be a restraining order violation. You’re like all over him.”

“Should I move?”

“No, you should muzzle your boyfriend.”

Mack rolls his eyes and slides his hood lower, but not without the tiniest little purr in response—his own, quieter than Will’s, but no less instinctive. He feels it hum up through his chest, involuntary and pleased.

That’s when Will’s croon shifts—gets louder, more urgent.

“Bro!” someone groans. “We get it! You’re bonded or imprinted or whatever! But please, let me sleep!”

“Will,” Mack says softly.

The crooning cuts off like someone pulled the battery.

“Sorry,” Will calls, sheepish. “Didn’t mean to. You good, Mack?”

“I’m fine,” Mack answers, cheeks warm. “You were loud.”

“I always get louder when you’re around,” Will mutters, and Mack would be mad if he didn’t sound so pleased with himself.

It’s not just the plane.

During media scrums, Will’s mic catches the crooning low under his voice when Mack walks by. At first it’s cute, the fans love it, but then it keeps happening. Every time.

“Macklin Celebrini, walking pheromone dispenser,” Toff jokes, and Mack wants to sink into the floor.

It’s worse at team movie nights.

They’re cuddled up on the couch watching Fast & Furious 5 (again), and Mack’s curled against Will’s chest, half-lidded and relaxed. His body hums with a steady purr, soft and low and content.

Will? Is rumbling like an entire V8 engine.

“You guys—” Tommer groans from the bean bag chair. “You sound like a motorbike gang had a baby with a blender. I can’t hear Vin Diesel.”

“We’re being quiet,” Will protests, not even stopping.

“You are not. It’s like—like ASMR for wolves. Make it stop.”

Mack tips his head back and smirks. “You could leave.”

“I live here!”

“Then invest in noise-cancelling headphones,” Will says smugly, tugging Mack closer. His hand slides up under Mack’s hoodie and rubs over his side, and Mack purrs louder in response, helpless.

The two sounds—Will’s croon and Mack’s purr—tangle and rise and fall like some ancient duet. It shouldn’t be possible for it to sound affectionate and obnoxious at the same time, but apparently it is.

“Shhh,” Will says to Mack, even as he starts again.

“You’re the one making all the noise,” Mack mutters into his hoodie.

“You started it.”

“You love it.”

Will doesn’t deny it. Just kisses the side of Mack’s head and croons again, louder than before.

The house practically vibrates with it.

Across the room, Bordy groans. “I swear to god, I’m calling animal control.”

Mack just hums and snuggles in closer.

Yeah. He really, really loves his ridiculous alpha.

♡

[toasttt11]

cool

January 24, 2024

Ophelia rolled her shoulders back trying to shake off the sting from the last hit. She didn’t know what it was with playing the Blues but this was the second time she was playing them and a lot of the players were constantly trying to lay hits on her.

So far for her playing against the Blues has been the most physical games.

“You okay?” Jt asked after their shift and Ophelia panted a bit trying to catch her breath as she had a long shift and she gave him a nod quickly drinking water, Jt nodded back and patted her leg.

Ophelia barely moved the entire second intermission tired and exhausted and needed a hot bath with salts or at least a very hot shower.

The Canucks were down 0-2 going into the third period.

Quinn held out his hand for her to take and his other hand was holding her gloves and she groaned taking his hand and standing up.

“Ready?” Quinn asked softly and Ophelia softly nodded, she was exhausted and knew the all star break would do good for her.

Ophelia slipped her gloves on and clipped her helmet as she stepped onto the ice skating to the face off for the start do the third period.

She won the face off and passed back to Quinn.

Quinn had the puck staying at the blue line and passed to Brock and Brock flicked the puck at the net and Ophelia tipped the puck in off her stick getting the Canucks their first goal.

“Way to go SJ!” Brock beamed just as happy and proud as he has looked after every single one of her goals so far as he patted his head excitedly.

Quinn side hugged her patting her arm softly.

Blues scored a goal seconds after.

Ophelia was out on her third shift of the third period also on the power play.

Ophelia was circling the net as Brock had the puck and he passed right to her and she skated around the net slipping it in to the net right under the goalies legs.

Ophelia laughed as Brock crushed her into the boards yelling excitedly.

Ophelia clicked her tongue as her shot was stopped and the whistle was blown, she was skating in front of the goal when suddenly she felt herself getting pulling back from her jersey and she was spun around seeing a little scrum forming and before she said anything she was punched right in the face, the player also had his glove off.

Ophelia flinched back and cupped her face her whole face throbbing already, she’s never gotten actually got punched in the face.

Quinn saw red as he was skating over and saw her punched in the face and even more seeing the player still gripping her and trying to throw more punches as she covered her face.

Quinn harshly shoved the player back and immediately was punching the player across his face and punching again, he just kept throwing punching until the referees broke it up.

Everyone was shocked seeing Quinn throwing punches and fighting another player, Quinn Hughes lost his cool and they rarely ever happens

He quickly turned to Ophelia ignoring the referee trying to get him to the box and saw her getting looked at by the trainer and Nils and Demko was standing in front of her protectively.

Quinn skated right to her seeing the towel she was holding to her nose and the blood on the jersey and the trainers were holding a pack on her eye.

Ophelia caught his eye giving him a shocked look before she gave him a soft thumbs off as she didn’t want to speak with her nose bleeding.

Quinn didn’t get to say anything as he got dragged to the box and Ophelia was brought down the tunnel.

Ophelia was down the tunnel for a couple of minutes as they couldn’t get her nose to stop bleeding and her eye kept staying shut.

Ophelia walked back up the tunnel with two minutes left of the third period and the Canucks were still down goal.

Her left eye was turning black and blue already and was very swollen, her nose was okay just a blood nose and a split lip.

Quinn glanced up hearing walking and froze a bit seeing her face and looked worried as she sat down next to her, “Are you okay?” Quinn immediately asked in a hushed whisper looking angry and protective.

“Good.” Ophelia whispered back her face was throbbing and her left eye was barely staying open from the swelling but she could play.

Quinn frowned but didn’t have any time to ask more as Rick tapped their shoulders to head onto the ice after he got a nod from Ophelia.

Ophelia hopped over the boards knowing she had a minute left of the game and she swooped in poking the puck away from a Blues player and she had a clear path to the goal and she took it.

She could really only see out of her one eye but she flicked the puck into the top right corner and sagged in relief as the puck went in and she tied the game up with fifty seconds left.

Ophelia fell right into Quinn’s arms hugging him as he gently hugged her as the ice started being rained down with hats as Ophelia just scored her third goal getting a hat trick.

Ophelia was the entire reason the Canucks were heading into OT.

But it wasn’t enough, Blue scored a minute into OT.

Ophelia let her head drop frustrated on the bench before she quickly got up and was the first down the tunnel and got her equipment off so quickly immediately going in the showers needing a few moments alone.

Ophelia didn’t realize how long she just stood under the same water and by the time she tossed on a pair of a sweatpants and a Canucks hoodie and her slippers she keeps in the locker room everyone was gone from the locker room expect Quinn who was cleaned up but sitting in his stall cleaning his hands.

Ophelia paused seeing his spilt knuckles and was still confused why he got into his first real fight for her. She padded over and sat down next to him making him glance up as she took the supplies and started cleaning his hands a lot gentler than he was being.

“Why did you do it?” Ophelia asked him softly confused why he would risk his hands or risk getting an injury because someone punched her.

“They punched you.” Quinn said simply.

Quinn winced a bit at the disinfectant making her mumble a sorry.

“So you fought just because they punched me?” Ophelia still looked confused, Quinn isn’t the type to loose his cool.

“Of course i did.” Quinn wouldn’t just watched someone trying to hurt Ophelia.

“Why?” Ophelia asked.

“Because i love you Bee.” Quinn simply told her.

Ophelia froze and glanced up at him shocked, she couldn’t remember the last time someone told her that, “You love me?”

Quinn’s face softened at the shock on her face an he gently squeezed her hands, “How could i not.” Ophelia’s become the best surprise for Quinn and he has his own rookie and a mix of a sister and a kid, he wouldn’t change anything.

Ophelia smiled watery, “Oh.” She breathed out.

Quinn wrapped his arms around her pulling her into his side softly rubbing her back.

“I-“ Ophelia of course loves Quinn back but she couldn’t say the words, not yet.

“I know.” Quinn mumbled reassuring.

“Come on let’s go home.” Quinn said softly after a few moments as they stood up together.

[happygirl2oo2]

Some More Queer Sports Romance Books For Pride Month 🌈 (all are books I've read/currently have on my own tbr list)

[another year another one of these lists 'cause I wanted to see how many new queer sports romance books I've added to my tbr list since I posted part 1 last year]

Hockey

Zero Pucks - E.M. Lindsey [mlm]

Power Forward (Chicago Thunder Book 4) - Jodi Oliver [mlm]

Like a Power Play - Elle Sprinkle [wlw]

Final Breakaway (For Puck's Sake #11) by Crea Reitan [mlm]

Skating to Him - Christie Gordon [mlm]

Puck Love - Lane Hayes [mlm]

Gross Misconduct - A.J. Truman [mlm]

Rule Breaker - Ava Olsen [mlm]

On the Edge (SCU Hockey Book 3) - J.J. Mulder [mlm]

Crossed Sticks (Buffalo Warriors Hockey #1) and Net Bet (Buffalo Warriors Hockey #2) - Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood [mlm]

The Shots You Take - Rachel Reid [mlm]

Pucking Strong (Jacksonville Rays #4) - Emily Rath [mlm]

Breaking Through the Doubt (Espen Jetties #4) - Haven Hadley [mlm]

Love Pucked - Emily Silver [wlw]

Voices - Joey Parker [mlm]

Call It Home - Catherine Cloud [mlm]

One-Time Shot (Smithton Bears #1) - Lane Hayes [mlm]

Zone Entry (Camrose U book 1) and Off the Boards (Camrose U book 2) - Maia Kinley [mlm]

Speed (Railers Legacy book 1) - R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey [mlm]

Bar Down - Stef C.R. [mlm]

Marriage of Ice-venience (The Crawford Family Playbook #6) - Kendall Hale [mlm]

Crossed Lines - Sierra Bennett [mlm]

Slew Foot (Scoring Chances #3) - Brigham Vaughn [mlm]

Spinning to the Goal - Christie Gordon [mlm]

The Puck Contract - M.M. Phoenix [mlm]

Cold Front (Michigan U Hockey #1) - Denver Shaw [mlm]

Figure Skating

Kiss and Cry - Keira Andrews [mlm]

Soccer

Playing The Field - KC Leonard [wlw]

Hits Different - Joel Rustin [mlm]

Futbolista - Jonny Garza Villa [mlm]

Always on My Mind - Kelsey Painter [wlw]

Volley - Crea Reitan [mlm]

The Other Team - Felix Fowler [mlm]

Two Left Feet - Kallie Emblidge [mlm]

Lacrosse 

A Bit of You (Farewell Fairwood #3) - Hannah Ellie [wlw]

Football

The Brotherly Shove - Emily Shacklette [mlm]

Changing the Play - Morgan Sloan [mlm]

Trick Play (Playing the Field book 4) - Ajay Daniel [mlm]

Most Valuable Player - A.M. Woody [mlm]

The Kings of Beacon - Mike Jakubowski [mlm]

Cross-country

Out of Step, Into You - Ciera Burch [wlw]

Rowing

See you at the Finish Line - Zac Hammett [mlm]

Swimming

Poolside (Southeastern Alumni #2) - Taylor E. Weston [mlm]

Field Hockey

All's Fair in Love and Field Hockey - Kit Rosewater [wlw]

Baseball

Switch Pitching (Off the Bench Book 1) - S.J. Crawford [mlm]

Honeysuckle (The Hornets Nest #3) - Aubrey Taylor [mlm]

Totally Opposed (Love In Play #3) - Becca Jackson [mlm]

Rounding for Home - Fallon Brown [mlm, trans MC]

Crew (Comeback Duet #1) - Kimberly Knight, Rachel Lyn Adams [mlm]

Wrestling

Dropkicks and Dandelions (Titan Wrestling #2) - Val Simons [mlm]

Sucker Punch (Wrestling Girls #1) - Kayla Faber [wlw]

MMA

Hits Different - Joel Rustin [mlm]

Roller Derby

Learning to Fall - Peach Morris [wlw]

Rink Rash - Santana Knox [wlw]

Leave It on the Track - Margot Fisher [wlw]

Car Racing

Crash Test - Amy James [mlm]

Speed (Railers Legacy book 1) - R.J. Scott , V.L. Locey [mlm]*

Rugby

Every Move You Make - Sloan Spencer [mmf]

Summer Breakdown (Training Seasons Book 2) - J.S. Jasper [wlw]

The Fly-Half (Lincoln Knights #2) and The Scrum-Half (Lincoln Knights #3) - Charlie Novak [mlm]

Volleyball 

Double Hit - Katie Steele [mlm]

Smash or Pass - Birdie Schae [wlw]

Karate 

The Silver Dragon - Ellis Colton [mlm]

Tennis

Backhanded Compliments - Katie Chandler [wlw]

From the Courtroom to the Court - Eva Gonzay, Julia C. Brown [wlw]

Basketball

Tip In - Josie Mae [wlw]

Scoring the Player (Chasing Rings book 2) - Kit Grey [mlm]

Play You For It - Samantha Saldivar [wlw]

Deeply Loved Bayou (The Baton Rouge Bayou #2) - Aricka Alexander [wlw]

[malk1ns]

march 21 v blue jackets, 6-3 win

his-and-his goals games are my favorite. alright geno now let's get you to 20 on the season, hey?

i got an ask a week or so ago asking how the soulbond boys were doing now that it's been a few months. this is just a short and sweet little piece, but rest assured that they've gotten past all their roadblocks and are having a grand old time :)

previous soulbond installments: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

That puck shouldn’t have gone in.

Not because Zhenya isn’t capable of making the play—obviously he is, he’s scored his fair share of tip-in goals over the years, he knows how to read a goalie and put the puck behind them from in close. It’s something he’s trying to work on more this season, and it’s nice when the effort pays off.

This one, though, went a direction he didn’t quite intend. He meant to shove it five-hole, but at the absolute last second his wrist turned as if on its own and snuck it into the net short side.

It’s a goal. He’ll take it. But he catches Sid’s eye as he goes down the fistbump line, raising his eyebrows.

Sid smiles at him. He feels smug at the back of Zhenya’s mind.

Zhenya rolls his eyes as he shoves his way onto the bench, projecting as much disapproval as he can across the bond as he makes his way to Sid’s side.

“Cheat,” he accuses lowly, ducking down and grabbing a water bottle to hide what he’s saying. “Think I can’t do myself?”

“Just giving you a nudge, bud,” Sid says, and he sounds so pleased with himself, tickling Zhenya’s brain with giddy replays of the goal and his view of Zhenya’s hands going up in celebration, that Zhenya can’t even stay fake-mad for long. “You’ve been playing your ass off, wanted to make sure you got that one.”

Sid’s been in a great mood since Four Nations. Zhenya hadn’t gone; their bond hasn’t leaked to the general public yet, but he’s pretty sure him randomly showing up at games in Boston or Montreal would have let the cat out of the bag, and neither of them are ready for the resulting discourse and scrutiny. He watched every game, though, putting his TV on mute and following along through Sid, letting the images on the screen blur and merge with the sounds and feelings Sid was experiencing. It was almost as good as being there, and when Sid lifted that silly little trophy Zhenya felt his own heart swoop.

He wishes he could give that to Sid again, brute-force their way through the playoffs and watch Sid lift the Stanley Cup, maybe on home ice this time. Zhenya’s a dreamer, but he’s realistic too, and he knows the chances that he touches the Cup again are practically none, and the likelihood of Team Russia competing in anything before he retires is barely higher than that. Living a championship through Sid, as silly and made-up as that tournament was, is the closest Zhenya will likely get.

Sid’s been pretty even-keeled about the season ever since the bond specialists finally left them alone and he and Zhenya could settle into their new reality, but he came back from break with a new gold medal and a spring in his step, and Zhenya can’t deny that it’s making the home stretch of the season more fun. He’s loud and cheery in the locker room and playful in bed, and between this and Zhenya’s fairly miraculous recovery from his knee injury he’s been spending the last month or so half-wondering if there’s another shoe about to drop.

So far, none has appeared. Zhenya, apparently, is just a lucky man.

“You get one too,” he says to Sid, half-standing to watch the puck skitter down the ice. “Next shift, okay, go score.”

“Yes sir,” Sid says, a smile in his voice.

It’s not quite the next shift. Sid does get his goal before the end of the game, though, and Zhenya does his best to force all the filthy things he wants to do to Sid later that night through the bond, watching Sid’s face slowly turn red in the middle of the celly scrum.

Zhenya’s still better than Sid at managing the bond, and he’s far more creative in bed than Sid is. It’s a combination he takes advantage of regularly.

It’s not like Sid’s complaining.

[beloved-child-of-the-house]

Draco had just tipped the dregs of the punchbowl into Harry's champagne saucer to refresh him as they flowed out of Glimmerald Hall into the cobbled street of Diagon Alley on the heels of a scrum of laughing, shouting, dancing Weasleys. Ron and Hermione were setting off on their honeymoon, and there were bon voyage fireworks sending pink and gold stars across the cold November sky, but Draco's eyes were fixed on Harry. He was looking extraordinarily pretty in his dress robes, and it made Draco want to do things for him.

Harry's soft black curls were slipping out of their topknot, his eyes were bright, and the pink of the fireworks was reflected on his brown skin. He'd been smiling so hugely all day that Draco reckoned it was a wonder he hadn't given himself a headache. He looked otherworldly, and so beautiful and happy that it made Draco's stomach hurt.

Draco reached for Harry's hand, rested his head on Harry's broad, solid shoulder. Harry squeezed Draco's fingers, and it seemed almost like a secret message. Like an invitation. So it was only natural that Draco couldn't help himself.

"This is gorgeous," Draco's voice came out a hungry murmur, swathed in the fug of his hot breath on the cold night air.

Harry grinned at him, bounced an eyebrow, "Yeah, isn't it."

"I want this with you," Draco pressed Harry's hand. "I want this for us. I want to bottle this up and pour it in my bathwater every Sunday night."

Harry laughed, "You're drunk."

"I'm in love with you," Draco persisted. "I love you, and I want to do something beautiful about it."

"Something beautiful?" Harry looked up at the dazzling sky. "Haven't we already done that?"

Draco wet his lips, "Let's do it again."

Harry laughed again, "Sure, in the tub every Sunday night, yeah?"

"Forget the bit about the bathwater. I only mean. I want to make you an evening this lovely, with all our friends about. If. If you'd like it. If you want it."

"Well," Harry leaned into him. "When you say it like that, how could I not want it?"

___________________________________

Excerpt from my brand new fic, If the Fates Allow. I must admit I love this fic! I do quite a few things that are new to me in it, and I had such fun doing them. I hope you will all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. 10.6K, rated E. Get the rest of the story on AO3!

[vonuberwald]

Hello! Happy Friday! I'm here with DADWC ☺️

Prompt: A Kiss on a falling tear

- asexualtabris 💜

Thanks for the prompt! Have a little Emmrich/Rook - DA:TV spoilers ahead!

@dadrunkwriting

----

Rook’s ribs were screaming every time he hitched a breath, he was fairly sure that he’d done something appalling to his left knee and the less said about his head the better.

It wasn’t completely quiet in the wake of the last battle. The Fade tear sealed itself behind the Dread Wolf to the sound of a people still uncertain of their current fate. Distant confused and angry cries, moans of the injured, terminally or otherwise, filtered slowly past the ringing in Rook’s ears. But he finally had a moment to stand and take it all in.

Blight. Ruin. Death.

As the moon pulled away from in front of the sun, the tyrant god’s work undone in that burst of light, more and more of the damage was revealed. But Rook only had that brief aghast moment before they started coming forward. The survivors. Limping, weary and cautious of their victory.

As the light bathed more of Minrathous, the cheers came. Walking to meet those at the front of the crowd on the street level, Rook felt each step as if his feet were encased in stone blocks, every limb aching. But he met smile for smile as best he could as his head throbbed from the light and the noise until at last, he felt a hand at his elbow - Emmrich - and was steered gently into an empty corner to slump down on a heap of rubble. Emmrich sat beside him, rather more gracefully, although there was a deep exhalation that had Rook instantly move to run his hands over to see where his lover was injured. 

‘Where- is it- are you-?’ He began, but Emmrich waved him off with a wry lilt to his smile, kissing the tips of Rook’s fingers before setting his hand back down. 

‘No injuries, dearest, although I could do with a long, hot bath at the very least after this,’ he countered. ‘No, I’m far more concerned about you - that’s quite a bump on the head you have, quite messy. And don’t think I didn’t see you clutching your ribs back there,’ he added, reaching forward himself to run both hands lightly over Rook’s chest, clucking his tongue at the sharp hiss the other let out at the contact and pressing a light kiss as an apology to the corner of his mouth.

"We'll get someone to look at that," said Emmrich as he stood, craning his neck to see if he could flag down somebody that looked like they could be a healer, but it was chaos as expected. Rook couldn’t even make out the rest of the team in the scrum of people. Some were overturning the rubble, calling names and searching for friends and allies. He could see wardens handling darkspawn corpses and cutting back tendrils of Blight, hauling them off to somewhere downwind to be burnt en masse. 

‘I’ll be alright,’ Rook managed, leaning his head against the wall behind him and closing his eyes with a sigh of exhaustion. ‘Just need five… ten minutes,’ he added, feeling every single one of his injuries vie for attention at the same time. He was aware of Emmrich moving to sit beside him, shoulder to shoulder, the closeness of his lover settling some of the anxiety that had been churning in his gut since talking Solas down. Rook let out another sigh, longer and much shakier than the last, the adrenaline starting to leave him, the emotions he hadn’t had time to let himself feel starting to rush back over him. Emmrich took his hand without a word, his grip tight, grounding, but the flood gates had burst and Rook had to bring his other hand to his face, gritting his teeth at the onslaught.

Try as he might, he couldn’t contain the tears escaping through his fingers as well as he could the howls of grief and everything else that he wanted to let loose. It took him a moment past all of this to register the soft pressure on his damp fingers, tender kisses drying his tears, then a forehead pressed to his own. Words of love whispered by a beloved voice.

The world constricted to this space with only them in it, with anguish, understanding and love. They lived and would live on, thanks to the sacrifice of untold others, strangers and friends alike. There would be many more moments like these, Rook had made sure of it in the end.

[naanima]

Watching Pens v Preds. The only way to watch a Pens game without losing my shit.

Pens greatest weakness - giving up goals. MOURNFUL LOLS.

I'm just over 3 mins in and everyone seems very clumsy today. We either give up early goals or we suck in the third period. I think I'll take us sucking in the first period.

It is PANDEMONIUM! All the sticks are being lost!!! We were in their zone FOREVER and we did NOT fucking score?!

Marchessault is insanely good. But also and Forsberg and O'reilly. Wow.

Tomasino really wanted to score. I really love him as part of our team. Omfg.

Gravy just holding onto the press player - back to chest and just calmly talking to the dude during th scrum. AHAHAHAHA.

The camera following the rolling puck. Very artistic. Ahahaha.

Omfg. GOAL DRAMA. AHAHAHAHA. But like NOT even real goal drama bcos it was so obvious Stamkos scored.

I, FOR ONE, loves the "diving" when it benefits us!

That Sid goal was so SID! But EK's pass!!!

RUST just tipping it into the net from the goalie's glove!

OMFG! PRINCESS JARRY SCOOPING UP THE PUCK WITH HIS NAKED HAND!!!

The commentators COMPLIMENTING us on how we take few shots bcos we make our shots COUNT?! That stat with Luke Schenn is AMAZING.

EK bae, you were holding on that stick FOR WAAAAAY TOO long. The crime is indeed too obvious.

OMFG!!!! SCRUM in NEUTRAL zone!!! LIZOTTE is such a little rat. I LOVE him. The crime once agin was too obvious. But alas.

EK's goal - that was fucking hot. Same laser shot twice. Raks, Rust and Sid HELPING!!!

Omfg everybody FALLING OVER. AHAHAHAHA.

OMFG! THAT WAS SUCH GOOD HOCKEY!

THE OT WAS HILARIOUS!!!

[krakenshipwreck]

the greatest thing about landon dupont is that he gets the hell out of dodge the instant a scrum breaks out. i thought i was going to watch the tips defend their special little guy all night long, but nobody even touched the baby because the baby was always halfway across the ice before they even got a chance.

[kennethadamscom]

Jira Dashboards & Reports - 2023 Samples

One of Jira's superpowers is its automation. Especially dashboards and reports. Here are some sample of dashboards and reports that I built in 2023.

One of Jira’s superpowers is its automation. Especially dashboards and reports. Here are some sample of dashboards and reports that I built in 2023. Continue reading Jira Dashboards & Reports – 2023 Samples

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Boston Bears Series: Rugby Explained

I'm gonna preface this by saying I'm not an expert and this isn't everything explained, but if you were to watch a match after reading it you will probably understand it a bit better! (and the world cup starting this week is the best time to do so!) if you have any questions drop me an ask or message and I'll get my rugby-playing brother to answer them!

Firstly I am aware there is a professional rugby league in the USA, however, because Rugby is a much smaller sport in the US compared to the UK, I have modelled this series on how to UK rugby premiership operates!

There are 15 players on the pitch each with different positions, which are noted by their numbers (rugby players don’t have personal numbers like hockey or soccer). Players 1-8 are in the scrum also known as forwards, 9 is the scrum half. Players 10 - 15 are the backs.

 

Points:

Try = 5 points

Conversion = 2 points (the kick for the posts immediately after a try, position of the kick decided by where the try was scored so you'll see players trying to score as close the posts as possible)

Penalty Kick = 3 points

Penalty Try = 7 points (awarded when foul play prevented a try from being scored)

Aim of the game:

Getting the ball from one end of the pitch to the other to score a try (like a touchdown but the player has to be in contact with the ball when they put it down)

The ball if passed, has to be passed backwards, otherwise it's a forwards pass and a penalty is given to the opposite team. The ball can only travel forward if kicked, often done to gain territory but the ball is then in the hands of the opposition. If the ball is knocked forward by a hand or any part of the body it is called a knock on and that is a foul and a penalty is awarded to the other team (or a yellow card is given if it was deliberate) 

A tackle is performed to prevent the forward movement of the team on the offence. Tackles must be made below the shoulders, otherwise it is a high tackle which can result in a yellow or red card depending on the degree of danger. Players cannot be tackled when in the air to catch a ball. Tip tackles are also not allowed due to their danger, the tackled player cannot go past the horizontal. 

After a tackle it is then a ruck. This is when the two teams fight for possession of the ball. Players from both teams enter the ruck to gain possession, the offensive team will have players protecting the ball, while another player retrieves it from the tackled player. The player who performed the tackle must roll away before engaging in a ruck, other players on the defending team can gain possession by grabbing the ball or forcing the tackled player to forfeit a penalty (forcing the player to hold onto the ball). If the defending team gain possession they have 'turned it over'. Any player fighting for the ball must have all their body weight on their feet, otherwise they are off their feet and a penalty is given. A ruck is the most confusing part of rugby. 

After a penalty is given the team who is awarded the penalty have multiple options on how they can take it:

A kick to the posts - usually done to guarantee points on the scoreboard and if they are in range of the opposition's posts. The position/angle of the kick depends on where the penalty was conceded. 

A free kick - either done as a quick tap of the ball (sometimes done as a quick start to prevent the other team resetting), or a kick to the touch line which results in a line out with the throw in being awarded to the same team who was awarded the penalty. 

A Scrum (as seen poorly executed in FRIENDS!) - This involves the 8 scrum players from each team (usually the largest players on the team) they bind together into a pack and push against the opposite teams scrum, the scrum-half of the team awarded the penalty puts the ball into the scrum and the two teams fight for possession, the hooker of each time hooking the ball back with their foot. Scrums can cause as many penalties as they resolve as each team is trying to force the other to collapse it or turn it. 

A line out - is when the ball goes into touch (out of bounds). The two teams form a line each with a player throwing a ball between those two lines. The team throwing the ball in while have decided on a call which decides if they’re throwing the ball to the front, middle or back of the line, and where in the line up the player is getting lifted to catch the ball. The opposition will also try to anticipate where the ball is being thrown and try and catch it themselves, or they will prepare for a maul.

A maul typically occurs after a line out and its similar to a scrum in that its a pack of players protecting the ball and using their weight to drive forward towards the try line, while the other players will be trying to push them back. 

Yellow cards vs Red Card

Yellow cards send players off the pitch for 10 minutes (to the sin bin)

Red cards sent players off for the rest of the match (relatively rare, usually for dangerous play)

The League

The league works by each team playing each other twice, once at home and once away. The outcome of the match determines how many points the team win.

Win = 4 points

Draw= 2 points

Loss = 0 points

Bonus point win = when a team wins with 4 or more tries

Bonus point loss= when a team loses within 7 points of the winning team

The 4 teams with the most teams at the end of the regular season enter the playoffs. The 1st team plays the 4th, the 2nd plays the 3rd. Whoever wins those matches goes to play the final (usually played at Twickenham (England's stadium) but in this series, it will be played by whoever had the most points)

Okay so thats kinda the basics! I'm not an expert but I've tried to explain it as best as I can without making it too complicated, there is a lot more too rugby but this is what you see in every match! The best way to learn is to just watch a game, they're only 80 minutes in total so a relatively quick watch (and the injuries are very rarely very bad! so if you worried about that don't be! A lot of the rules in rugby are to protect the players!)

Like I've said though if you have any questions let me know and enjoy the series and the World Cup!

[techtalentforce]

#dotnet #angular #reactjs #MVP #startup #dotnetcore #softwaredevelopment #SCRUM

[dalekofchaos]

Any and all AEW drama blame falls on Tony Khan

The continuous AEW locker room toxicity is the fault of Tony Khan.

Weak and ineffectual leadership breeds discontent and talent who abuse it.

These talent watched their boss sit and cringe meekly during a media scrum that harmed AEW. Of course they're acting out, he enables deliquency.

He has never once attempted to be the boss. He didn't shut Punk down when he should have. He didn't punish Hangman with that "worker's rights" promo. He didn't punish Britt's bullying of Thunder Rosa or the talked about drama in the women's locker room. He has allowed so much discontent and toxicity to fester in his own locker room. If only there was someone in charge, you know, who has control over everybody and pays their salaries, and tells them what to do, so this way, no one person or persons can feel that they are above everyone else? If only…

Making The Elite the EVPs was a mistake. Giving wrestlers positions of power in a wrestling promotion is the kiss of death. That’s like giving Hulk Hogan creative control and giving Scott Hall and Kevin Nash favored nations clauses in their contracts. Tony Khan is doing exactly what Eric Bischoff did in WCW. Being the wrestler’s friend instead of being a boss.

Despite being a complete reprehensible scumbag, Vince McMahon was the boss. He wasn't playing popularity contests. He was RUNNING A FUCKING BUSINESS and if anyone was causing strife, he would punish them and shut it down. Sure he allowed the Kliq to run roughshod, but at the end of the day he knew when enough was enough and did his job as the boss.

To Tony Khan, being the wrestler's friend is more important than being the boss. He desperately wants to prove to everyone he's not Vince and he doesn't have to be Vince. He wants to hug the wrestlers and be their buddy! Instead of releasing talent, he purposely ignores their calls and has their "head of talent relations" ignore their calls and waits until their contract runs out to not negotiate and then he doesn't have to deal with them. And then he publicly humiliates said let go talent on Twitter or orders the talent in PR mode at the same time to shut down any and all criticisms.

And the fans and the dirtsheets refuse to call the man out on his shit. The fake journalists and diehard fans who have proven time and time again they are on board with any and everything the guys says and does without any questions or fair criticisms at all, punishable by death to all heretics.

It starts at the top. This company has been run like an after school teen dance club for years now, with no end in sight. When the person in charge is more interested in publicly hugging an employee tip to tip in a deep embrace then being a real boss, what do you expect?

[beloved-child-of-the-house]

Tagged by @tackytigerfic and @citrusses tysm!

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

If the Fates Allow - 10.6K drarry

Draco had just tipped the dregs of the punchbowl into Harry's champagne saucer to refresh him as they flowed out of Glimmerald Hall into the cobbled street of Diagon Alley on the heels of a scrum of laughing, shouting, dancing Weasleys.

A Forgivable Fascination - 2K drarry

The only thing more astounding than the fact of the Malfoy-Potter research partnership, existing in seeming defiance of their notorious feud, is the number of discoveries they've made together.

Imperio - 2K drarry

"I think," Draco murmurs between sleepy kisses. The lamp is still burning yellow-orange on the bedside table, and Draco is so lovely and golden under its light.

not very fast or slow (just soft and low) - 1.8K drarry

"You've got to be so quiet," Harry murmured in that special, soft voice, only just discernible above the crackling of the fire.

The Tune Without the Words - 2K drarry

"I really doubt he wants to see me, Granger," Draco had to raise his voice slightly to be heard over the racket of torrential rain on the windows of his tiny sitting room. "We split up."

A Bottomless Well - 10.2K drarry

It's the savoury smell of supper cooking that brings Draco out of his reverie. He's being beckoned as surely as if Harry were striking a dinner bell.

A Gift of True Esteem - 54K drarry

Harry Potter was procrastinating. The thick stack of essays and exams on his desk were in desperate need of marking, but they did not have his full nor even his partial attention.

The Joy of Bleeding - 6K drarry

“I have the most absurd, awful, unpleasant, serious thing that I need your help with,” Draco Malfoy announced, as he stepped out of Harry Potter’s Floo one rainy midspring Wednesday evening.

As Safe as He'd Ever Be - 618 drarry

Harry Potter woke, as he had been with disconcerting regularity of late, with his heart pounding. His hairline was damp with sweat, his pillow moist, and he lay still for a few moments, trying to force himself back toward calm.

Without Pretense - 3.6K drarry

As he usually wondered whenever he got himself into similar positions, Draco Malfoy was busily wondering how he ever made Harry Potter look at him that way.

Bonus from my WIP

Even after Snape and the Carrows and all the other Death Eaters and the Dementors and the assorted detritus of the Dark Lord's regime had been expunged from its walls and grounds, Draco Malfoy had rather been looking forward to shaking the dust of Hogwarts from his shoes.

------------------------------------

Maybe a bit of a pattern? A lot of starting with dialogue. And otherwise in the middle of things, I guess.

I'll tag @goblinmatriarch @wolfpants @geesenoises @oflights @stationintern (i suspect some of y'all have already been tagged oh well)