#Strategy and Management

[demigods-posts]

that moment in tlh when annabeth has an exact timestamp down to the second for just how long she'd been looking for percy makes me wonder if she always has an internal clock for everything. and like. this is further reinforced when she's timed percy's morning routine with a minute to spare in cotg. or in tlt!book when she used physics to calculate the best time to jump off the boat in the thrill ride of love. call it "scheduling" and "time management" if you wanna. all i'm saying is owls have an internal biological clock and it isn't improbable to assume annabeth inherited that trait from her mother, the patron of owls herself.

[prawnlegs]

life-saving tips for running a (very) small business when your default state is Tired & in Pain:

Peel & seal envelopes. BAM done don't have to mess with nasty glue (which might also seal the envelope closed if you have to store mailing supplies through humid hell summers) PRE-PERFORATED printable sticker sheets for address labels. I am investing in these now because hand-writing more than one address kills me. I have also used a guillotine to hand-cut unperforated label sheets but that is one more pain-causing step and you're wasting supplies if you can't fill the entire sheet in one go that's it those are my big two for now but I'll add more if I think of them

[wonnieaura]

financial knowledge for the girlies 🤍🍓💸

Develop a budget: Creating and sticking to a budget can help you better understand your income and expenses, and learn how to prioritize your spending.

Save regularly: Saving money is crucial for achieving financial stability. You can set up automatic transfers to a savings account so you won't be tempted to spend the money.

Pay off debt: High-interest debt can hinder your financial progress. Make a plan to pay off your debts and focus on high-interest debts first.

Invest wisely: Investing can help your money grow over time. Look for low-cost index funds, which can give you broad exposure to the market at a low cost.

Understand compound interest: Compound interest is the interest you earn on interest. By investing consistently, the power of compound interest can help you build wealth over time.

Research before making big financial decisions: Before making a major decision, such as buying a house or car, research different options and weigh the costs and benefits.

Learn from your mistakes: Every failure or setback can teach you something valuable. Use these experiences to inform your future financial decisions.

Get professional advice: Seek advice from a financial advisor if you're unsure about your financial decisions. They can provide guidance on investments, retirement planning, and tax strategies.

Be aware of scams: Scammers can take advantage of financial illiteracy. Be cautious when someone offers an investment that's too good to be true.

Continuous learning: Financial knowledge is constantly changing, so stay informed by regularly reading financial news, books, and attending classes or webinars.

[ostensiblyarticulate]

I appreciate how later on in The Murderbot Diaries the groupchat is popping off, like. ALL the time. constantly. Foot-in-mouth on a video call? Groupchat’s sending STOP and yikes emojis. NPC shows increasingly bright red flags? Just made a new chat without her. Making a heroic sacrifice? Everyone has an opinion

[mindfulstudyquest]

❥﹒♡﹒☕﹒ 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲-𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄

𝟭. set SMART goals ( 📒 )

make sure your goals are specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and time-bound. this will help you maintain focus and track your progress over time. how many times has it been you and your unrealistic to-do list against the world? well, it seems that a mile-long to-do list is not a good ally at all. remember that you are a person and not a machine, and that just dedicating four hours to deep work and concentration is A LOT. be kind to yourself and don't overload yourself with more work than you can humanly do.

𝟮. daily planning ( 🧸 )

mea culpa because i'm the first one who doesn't plan their day. to-do lists generally stress me out and make me feel overwhelmed as if i don't manage to complete all the tasks an asteroid will end up hitting the earth. but i recognize that it is a good starting point. sometimes i have too many things to do and i end up doing nothing in total confusion, but having at least a general list to follow gives me more motivation. moreover do we want to talk about the dopamine released when you tick an empty box? marvelous. maybe don't write down tasks that are too onerous and demanding, break them into several smaller tasks, also try to write simple activities such as "drink a glass of water" every now and then. having these low-commitment activities will help you stay motivated while completing more important tasks.

𝟯. reverse-engineering method ( 🪴 )

start with the end goal and work backwards to plan the actions needed to achieve it. this helps you maintain clarity on the steps to take and focus on the most relevant actions. the best thing to do is plan based on the time available and do your best to stick to your daily goal.

𝟰. timer roulette ( ⏳ )

choose a task from your to-do list and set a random timer between 15 and 45 minutes. work on that task with all your concentration until the timer goes off. this helps you fight procastination and keep your mind fresh.

𝟱. mind mapping time ( 📍 )

before starting a study session, take a few minutes to create a mental map of the subject you need to cover. this helps you see connections between concepts and organize information more effectively.

𝟲. task batching ( 🫒 )

group similar tasks together and tackle them in batches. for example, reply to all emails in one session rather than doing so at scattered times throughout the day. this helps you reduce transition time between tasks and maintain focus. contrary to popular belief, human beings are not truly multitasking (only a few possess this great ability) and when we do multiple things together we do nothing but shift our attention from one task to another, greatly reducing the quality of our performance. if possible, try to avoid these switches that are harmful to your focus and concentration.

𝟳. the pomodoro method ( 🍅 )

okay, y'all probably already know this one because it became so popular in the last year but if you don't, the pomodoro method is a time management technique developed by francesco cirillo in the late 80s. it is based on the idea of working for short periods of time, usually 25 minutes, followed by a short 5 minute break. after four rounds of work, a longer break is taken, usually 15-30 minutes. this technique helps improve concentration and productivity, as it breaks down work into manageable tasks and offers regular breaks to rest and regenerate energy. i personally prefer the 50/10 ratio while i'm studying but you decide which time ratio is better for you, i find it really useful and it helps me a lot while i'm studying for my exams.

[miirshroom-art]

Blue Skies

Both 9.5" x 7.5" watercolours

Some studies of landscapes. The view of the urban forest and the lake from my balcony, and some wind turbines that I photographed in the countryside.

[moonshynecybin]

What would happen if Marc woke up in a world where sepang never happened...

ooh the classic what would happen if you got everything you wanted scenario… idk i think we could do a time travel sitch, where he gets his ass dumped into his 2013 body and has to set about preventing one of the more` significant little tragedies of his life, but that would also count on marc having the emotional intelligence to think he did ANYTHING wrong in his relationship with vale, and i don’t think he can do that quite yet lol… maybe it has to be a story where he realizes that he couldve handled things differently? in that clip from his recent interview, he talks about how when he was younger he would go flat out every training session but he doesnt feel the need to do so nowww, so maybe hes processing that sort of internal shift while also looking at vale from the perspective of an injured, post-honda marc who has personal knowledge of how hard it is ego-wise to mount a comeback... maybe this inspires some empathy w vale (he's looking at him and realizing THAT vale is only 4 years older than him and hes like. hm...) and the fic ends up being a character study on baby marc vs marc now PLUS actually internalizing all of the lessons he thinks he’s learned… i don’t wanna make this sound like sepang is marc’s fault lol like to be clear i don’t think he did anything WRONG per se, he was just marc level abrasive in ways that specifically rubbed against vale’s tender bits, but i also think that if he handled vale with more care than perhaps some parts of this could have been avoided ! so maybe older marc's presence removes the ranch nasty and the assen nasty (“marc is only my friend when he wins”) and gets vale out of the 'well clearly marc is sabotaging me' mindset. and then at some point marc has to like. TELL vale about all this after sepang has technically passed and vale. perhaps does not handle that well in conjunction w his title loss anyways BUT this version is closer to marc and its a different sort of less public sexy mess....

OR it could be marc gets sent to an alternate reality of 2025 where sepang maybe doesnt happen, but him and vale still kinda implode a little less dramatically and marc is like well this IS what i wanted but it feels hollow as fuck lol. no new, frothing vitriol between them really, like vale will shake his hand and do the same kinda stuff he does w jlo or whatever (vale shows up to the paddock and takes a pic w marc to get reposted on socials bc the press ask and marc is like ??? bc he has never been a somewhat neutral topic to vale before ever in his LIFE… unsure how to deal w the rivalry treatment that jlo or casey or sete get handed. little does he know vale is still insane, he just has less cause to go nuclear lol) butttt marc still had to leave hrc, still alienated from the academy, still breaks his arm… like realizing that sepang isnt this huge axis that the bad things in his life kinda spin on.... and maybe he sets about interrogating all the ways they would’ve broken up even without the heightened melodrama of the sepang race… starts hanging out w vale even though that’s something they Don’t Do Now and vale is surprised but likes it (and is also. still somehow DEEPLY hurt by how everything went down maybe just less specifically delusional/paranoid to cope in conjunction w title loss. idk maybe he won 2015 here and marc was injured for the back half of the season and they both feel weird about kinda drifting apart)... this fic would have lots of fear from them both about the other leaving, the injury stuff, the age stuff--- all the reasons why sepang happened that they never delt with, just without the actual sepang… and i think it could be sweet idk i like it when they’re fucked up but they spend time w each other and it’s like oh it’s you… of course it’s you…. its always been you

[thebramblewood]

Master Straud? Oh, Lilith, that's embarrassing for you.

Previous / Next

Lilith: Master Straud, if you’ll just hear me out-

Vlad: I’ve heard you, girl. Your pleas have been relentless. But you seem incapable of hearing me when I tell you it’s a bad idea.

Lilith: You only say that because you’ve decided you hate him, though you’ve never once attempted to truly get to know him.

Vlad: How can you say I hate him when I’ve allowed him to stay? Mortals are immediately marked for death in this place — and yet he lives. Because he’s been under my protection.

Lilith: [rolls eyes] Oh, please. It’s hardly out of the kindness of your heart. You just know I wouldn’t stay without him. [in exasperation] Why not initiate the transfer? He wouldn’t be at risk anymore. He wouldn’t be your responsibility.

Vlad: If he were my fledgling, he’d be doubly my responsibility. He’s a soft boy, Lilith, timid, weak. This existence requires a degree of brutality he does not possess. He serves us better as a familiar.

Lilith: He knows precisely what it entails, and he still wants it. I’ll do it myself if I must.

Vlad: I can guarantee he’ll be unhappy — if he survives. Besides, I remain unconvinced you possess the discipline to-

Lilith: I won’t hurt him! I love him. [pleadingly] He understands me in a way no one else ever will. I need him by my side — forever.

Vlad: [amused] Is it him who wants it more or you? [resigned sigh] Well, I’ll hardly stand in your way if you wish to attempt it. But I’ll be curious to see if you’re singing the same tune after you’ve spent a century together — that is, if you succeed.

-

Lilith: It’s time.

Caleb: He tried to talk you out of it again.

Lilith: Of course he did. He envies the bond between us, even if he’ll never admit it. His jealousy eats away at him. But he’ll soon outgrow his use to us. We’ll be powerful together. Now, are you ready?

Caleb: [shakily] I’m ready.

Lilith: Don’t be nervous, brother. When you wake, eternity will stretch before you, and it will be beautiful. You trust me, don’t you?

Caleb: [murmurs noncommittally]

Lilith: When have I ever let you down?

[wisteriagoesvroom]

he’s about to claim he’s somehow 1/16 brazilian isn’t he

(the helmet’s good tho)

[telesodalite]

Never getting over Fulcrum being a project manager...

Idk why, but something about that is so funny to me. Not just because the title of "project manager" is inherently kinda funny for a Decepticon, but also because-

1. It's vague sounding and hard to explain irl because it technically exists in multiple fields, like healthcare or manufacturing, which surely translates into canon in some way.

2. In canon, it's simultaneously a really mundane, innocuous sounding job, yet it's also a super morally awful position to reside over depending on the context. (*cough* forced colonization and cyberforming *cough*)

And 3. It solidifies the fact that behind all the surface level militaristic work we get with both the Decepticons and Autobots, there's also Cons and Bots with "normal" jobs in both factions.

Like, sure yeah we get scientists and doctors, engineers and programmers, but usually in big important or warfront positions. (For plot reasons, understandably.) But it's also really funny and interesting to think of those that worked background positions, or minor jobs.

Like an Autobot working in their equivalent of an HR department, or a Decepticon who runs one of their outpost's or starship's kitchens.

Just all the pre-war jobs that didn't just disappear with the war, but instead evolved to exist within the factions.

It's particularly funny with the Decepticons though, because it could be a super mundane job or situation, but because it's them, it has to have an air of ~e v i l~ to it, either legitimately and/or merely for the vibes, like Tarn's "performance reviews".

[elbiotipo]

I hope this trend where every videogame tries to be some kind of card game at one point fucking ends

[aardvaark]

even though i know the leverage team gets back together as soon as season 2 starts and we barely see any time of them being apart, it makes me unreasonably upset that they not only spent six months apart, but that they didn't know they'd all join back up eventually!! like wdym hardison spent months trying and failing to track down parker?? wdym parker gained a family and then spent half a year alone again?? wdym eliot had found a way to do some good or have some kind of purpose until it was suddenly over?? wdym nate & sophie had finally caught up with each other but came to realize that neither of them were in a place to have that relationship and spent months not knowing if that had been their last chance??

[thepersonalwords]

Any change holds an opportunity.

Daniel Egger, Future Value Generation: Do you need to create new Business Logics?

[fannedandflawless]

Hogwarts Security Issues: The Safest Place? Really?

"Hogwarts is the safest place there is."—Allegedly.

✔ This quote (or a close version of it) comes from Hagrid, who says:

“Hogwarts is the safest place in the world for something like the Philosopher’s Stone, apart from Gringotts.”

📌 Dumbledore indirectly supports this claim, as he is the one who allows the Stone to be kept there under school protection.

But oh, darling. The irony. The Golden Trio? They lived through all of this—year after year, chaos after chaos—and still got homework assigned like none of it ever happened.

🧱 YEAR 1: PHILOSOPHER'S STONE & TROLLS

A fully grown mountain troll breaks into the dungeons during a feast. No alarms. Just vibes.

Three eleven-year-olds sneak past every enchantment protecting the Philosopher’s Stone.

Quirrell, possessed by Voldemort, was teaching all year. No one noticed the face on the back of his head.

Hogwarts’ response? "Ten points to Gryffindor."

🐍 YEAR 2: THE BASILISK IN THE DRAINS

A basilisk has been slithering through the plumbing.

Several students are petrified, and still no evacuation plan is activated.

Myrtle was killed decades ago, and no one thought to check the bathrooms?

Oh, and the Heir of Slytherin was allegedly back—but no adult investigated seriously.

Hogwarts security: "Let’s ask the cat."

🐺 YEAR 3: WEREWOLF PROFESSOR & DEMENTORS

Remus Lupin, a werewolf, is hired as DADA professor—without telling a single student.

The only safeguard? Wolfsbane Potion, brewed exclusively by Severus Snape. One missed dose? Chaos.

When Lupin transforms unexpectedly, it is Severus who steps between the children and danger:

"Get behind me, Potter."

And yet, he’s branded the bitter one.

Meanwhile, Dementors—soul-sucking wraiths—hover freely around the school.

Sirius Black, an escaped convict, sneaks into the castle multiple times. Once even into the dormitories.

🌳 The WHOMPING WILLOW Issue

Planted specifically for Remus Lupin to access the Shrieking Shack during full moons.

The tree is sentient and violent—can literally kill a child in passing.

There is no protective barrier around it.

Only a secret knot can calm it—and yet students are never taught this.

It’s framed as a quirky landmark, when in truth it’s a hazardous liability.

🧪 SEVERUS SNAPE: The Unsung Safety Net

Brewed Wolfsbane every month—flawlessly.

Protected students even when he despised some of them.

Risked his life to shield the Trio from a raging werewolf. He literally puts himself between the children and a charging werewolf, even though: ‣ He hates Harry. ‣ He despises Sirius. ‣ And has massive trauma from being nearly killed by Lupin once during a "prank."

And yet. He still protects them. Dumbledore: “Severus, please be civil.” Severus: “CIVIL? I JUST FOUGHT A WEREWOLF FOR YOUR CHOSEN CHILD.” (🪧 Me in the background holding a sign that says: “Give the man a raise or a new spine, he’s carrying the whole plot.” You can hold the backup sign. It says: “I just watched him fight a werewolf in pressed robes—PAY HIM.” 😤)

Knew the truth about the Marauders’ past, the Map, Lupin’s condition—and still kept silent.

Endured mockery and suspicion, but always acted when it mattered.

Hogwarts would have collapsed into a heap of magical malpractice without him.

🐉 YEAR 4: THE TRIWIZARD DISASTER

Harry is forced into a lethal tournament through magical coercion.

Students have died in this contest historically, yet it's brought back for funsies.

Children fight dragons, swim with grindylows, and nearly die in a hedge maze.

Ends with Voldemort's return and the murder of Cedric Diggory. No reparations offered.

🧠 YEAR 5: TORTURE IN THE CLASSROOM

The Ministry places Dolores Umbridge at Hogwarts—who literally tortures children with quills that carve words into skin.

Teachers are aware. Nothing is done.

Dumbledore ghosts Harry for an entire year to “protect him emotionally.”

Ministry interference, student trauma, and no adult protection. Gold star for Gryffindor trauma.

💔 YEAR 6: DRACO'S CLOSET OF DOOM

Draco secretly repairs a Vanishing Cabinet to let Death Eaters into the school.

Katie Bell is cursed by a necklace. Ron is poisoned. Multiple near-deaths.

The grand finale? Dumbledore dies on the Astronomy Tower. Iconic, but preventable.

💥 YEAR 7: DEATH EATER BOARDING SCHOOL

Hogwarts becomes a military regime.

Carrows torture students in class.

Neville leads a resistance movement from within the school.

Snape, as Headmaster, walks a tightrope of silent resistance, but it's still a war zone.

"Hogwarts is safe"—If you're the Chosen One. Maybe. 😂

—

Before we venture further into Hogwarts' ever-growing list of structural curiosities and magical oversights, my next post will take a detour into one particularly absurd contradiction: how Sirius Black managed to infiltrate Hogwarts with ease, while several powerful ex-students turned Death Eaters couldn’t do the same.

✨ Stay tuned for: Sirius Black Vs The Wards: Why Death Eaters Weren’t Invited To Tea

[spadaaces]

SNAP CRACKLE and his worst enemy: time management