#Weekly Blog

[godwinfrancis]

FINAL PITCHING: A DAY TO REMEMBER

Weekly Blog- May 24, 2024

"Great things never come from comfort zones." - Unknown

Our first pitch experience was unforgettable, teaching us valuable lessons for the road ahead. The Game 8 activity was like a crash course in pitching, showing us how to explain our idea quickly and confidently.

The countdown made it feel real, like we were really pitching to important people. And when the panel asked questions afterward, it made us realize we needed to know our stuff inside and out.

Now, as we look ahead, we'll take what we've learned and use it to make our project even better. We're more confident and ready to tackle whatever challenges come our way. This first pitch was just the beginning of our journey, and we're excited to see where it takes us!

Godwin Francis L. Magbaril

BSME-3A

[jello-n-cream]

10000 posts!

[ladyazulina]

Azu is Talking - Just Another Week

It feels like a lazy week but only because I’ve been working really hard with outside world stuff and less with the online side (where, to be honest, it’s my whole life basically). And when I'm back, I need to decompress and let my body relax.

The relaxing part took me the rest of the week, but what can I do when my body is begging me for it?

I’ve decided to withdraw from my Monday class already, but I still scheduled to go to the photo place one last time. Welp, it was not possible. I woke up with an allergy. I spent the morning wearing the reaction down (after it goes through a certain threshold, there’s no going back—I have to ride it to the end), and after it ate up all my energy, I dragged my ragged self to the kitchen because I had to fix myself breakfast or it would just continue rolling south.

Instead of crashing and leaving me K.O., my body decided to change into energy-saving mode. I spent the rest of the day in bed. I’ve finished business with both the [REDACTED] adventure and the book I was reading (though I didn’t start the next one until half the week passed), so I figured I could just… rest and breathe.

Rest and Breathe seemed to be The Main Task™ of the week ‘cause on Tuesday my body went through another… episode, I guess.

I did go out. I was supposed to go accompanied, but while I was dressing, my sister bailed out on me and I had already put the effort into getting up and changing clothes, it would have been a waste to change back and get into bed again, so I decided to just roll with it.

I’ve never had tremors before. My hands tremble when I’m hungry, but I made a point of pausing to eat something before starting the whole adventure. I wasn’t hungry. And my hands weren’t the only ones trembling.

I can’t remember exactly when it started, but I was grateful on the bus to get a chair, and the ride in the subway was a challenge between my will to keep myself together versus my body on the brink of breaking down. Having jumped in the wrong direction line, going up and down two sets of stairs to get to the right platform had me praying and considering if I was capable of asking for help—my muscle legs were shaking so much I thought I was going to fall.

For your information: I am not. When I enter this state, I can only go forward by inertia, the only thing stopping me is reaching my destination.

I tried to. Call a person who was going down the stairs with me, but they ran down the stairs to avoid missing the subway that was already there. Seek the security police on this side of the platform, but that would have required me to let go of all my will busy keeping myself together. So I did not. I’d rather fall. I was so close to it.

But I miraculously reached the photo place and interaction seemed to snap me out of it. I still had leg tremors until I sat down, but I was scared for so long, I needed to destress nonetheless.

I downed a small cup of coffee in case I needed sugar and some water. And stayed until the passport site approved my photo. It just took two takes—that day. I rather not count how many photos total.

My mom insisted that I take an Uber, so I did that and went back home. Finally able to get to the next step in the process. No one wanted to help me choose the day to go leave my biometric data (signature and fingertips), so I scheduled it for the first hour the next day. A whole other adventure.

I didn't get to share it everywhere but my weekly, automatic, Iron Valley, Linney's Campaign post, the last one so far, was live this Tuesday.

On Wednesday, I left home with my mom at six thirty ‘cause she has to be at her job at seven. Or rather at eight, but if she wants a free ride with her sister—they work one next to the other—and avoid traffic, she has to be ready by then. And me with her.

I had to be in Passports at nine.

It gave me time to sit for an hour or so and I got comfortable enough I took off a little late. At the subway station, though, I noticed I didn't have my subway card with me. I remembered taking it out of my wallet the day prior and keeping it in an outside pocket of my handbag for easy access. I didn't need it ‘cause I went back in an Uber. And I never put it back. I didn't bring my handbag but my backpack. And if my mom wouldn't have given me some cash, I would have been short of money. It was supposed to be used for my breakfast, but welp. Stuff happens.

I bought a new subway card and I was so close to running the two blocks to Passport when I arrived at the station. No need, though, there was no one to hold me accountable.

The attention was stressful for a hard-of-hearing person. The people welcoming and directing me were impatient and rude. The areas were so noisy. I was glad the receptionist only made me one expected question because otherwise, I would have lost it. The staff helping inside was nice, or I was looking too close to lose it already. The people managing my biometric process, though… that was awful. I wasn't hearing a word because of the intensity of the noise and they weren't being expressive either. I was on the brink of tears from the frustration alone. We managed, somehow. And I needed three solid minutes before storming out to hold myself together.

Another step of the process done. One full week before returning to receive my passport. Finally. Next week I'll tell you how that certain adventure went.

I stayed in bed the rest of the day, until my partner and I’s ASL class. (We skipped a video without noticing, so now we're one week away from finishing the Essentials.)

On Backstage Thursday, I started the next book on schedule and, to be honest, I'm not feeling it. I thought it was temporary, but I'm understanding the author's choices more than feeling entertained by them. I find small moments I like here and there, but overall, not my type. It's fine, we grow, totally normal. I want to end it just to close the chapter, but if I don't do it with nice emotions, I'll pass from the review. I want to help indie authors, but if I don't have nice things to say, I rather say nothing—not because a book is not for me I have to ruin someone else's experience.

I got to do my themed task though, which made me feel good cause it was the last one of the section and I can start a different one. Cheers for finishing long-term tasks 🥂

On Secret Friday, I made sure everything was ready for Monday, ‘cause the day finally came. My partner is having his birthday tomorrow and it's my first time celebrating it with him. I have a whole lot prepared (and had stressed myself so much trying to keep the schedule), but it's all about to come to life. Some stuff didn't work out, but that's part of life. I'm so excited, we're starting to celebrate today because he'll be gone for a few hours tomorrow and I don't want to miss a single thing. I just planned too much! Maybe I will hold back a bit next year.

I was still checking stuff and tuning everything for Monday on Saturday while getting more solo games to check out. I'm feeling so happy about it, I just hope to get enough time for all of it.

And so, that was my week.

I have the first level 5 English quiz next Thursday. The passport on Wednesday. A possible visit to an embassy to get a visa on the same day. Maybe I'll get an answer from the editor on the [REDACTED] adventure? We will see.

I have nothing against my weekly updates, but I may be writing too many themed posts about particular stuff and it may or may not become the norm in the future instead? Only one way to find out 😉

[anderperrylover]

So...Blog...

I wanted to do this for a while, but I couldn't find anything I wanted to talk about - This blog, is kind of this Carpe Diem situation - I wanted to leave home and go out cycling and I did - It was this maddening experience. I felt the first drops of a temporary rain and saw this sky that was marbled in this yellowish hue. I saw people walk by, heard them talk of life and when I went past this marshland area I caught a glimpse of birds. I petted a few cats and well the rest is history. I have not been in the right place (mentally and emotionally speaking) and I wanted to patch things up.

The process is slow and I am trying to reconnect myself to the things I love - poetry and photography - Cause I feel the world fall away sometimes. Home's been this whole other things and I am trying to figure things out as I go along - but let's just say that I've seen better days. This blog is going to be about the little things...Maybe extracts of things I want to write about - Life - Recipes - Music and Poetry and maybe even a bit of this or that. At present, I am clueless about all of this. I also wanted to start a blog to connect with others. I know that everyone is going through a different set of problems and I know that good company and good advice is fundamental. So, make this a positive space for discussion...Let's start those conversations? Maybe just comment with a recipe or a funny little story.

The Blog - Detailed (Suggestions....)

Funny Little stories

Music + Movies

The things we see randomly (A sky or something you eat)

Something about something you read

Poetry and Just writing

Doodling

Just stories

Say Hi

Talk about pets (I have a dog)

Photography

BLOG BY - N.S.R

[dark-bear-productions]

I don't know what to write here -- This Week in Hunting Darkness

Hello Hunters, Darkhearts, and Beasts!

I promised myself to write this blog every single Friday, as well as do my best to write a blog every Monday and Wednesday, in an attempt to find my audience for Hunting Darkness.

So far it hasn't had too much effect.

And that's alright! I know there are a lot of stories out there, and I know I don't have any more rights to be heard than anyone else, and I know that I've only just begun. I'm going to keep going, too.

But I've been tired and stressed this week, due to a variety of factors, and so I haven't really had the kind of experience or train of thought I usually find worth sharing on these Friday blogs.

So I figured I'd just share that, get it out of my system, and try again next week.

Stay safe out there.

Daan

[stephenjohn-01]

Green Guardian: Week 5 (Finals) - Sharper Than Ever: Preparing for Pitch Day!

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle." – Steve Jobs

This week, the Green Guardian team is buzzing with excitement as we gear up for our highly anticipated pitch deck presentation. This presentation brings together all the key elements from Milestones 1, 2, and 3, showcasing the Green Guardian's potential to revolutionize plastic waste reduction.

Gearing Up for Pitch Day:

We're meticulously refining our pitch deck, ensuring it clearly communicates the problem, our solution, and the Green Guardian's impact. All the crucial information from our previous milestones, including market analysis, financial plans, and value proposition, will be presented in a clear and concise way to captivate our audience.

Seeking Expert Insights:

Our team went above and beyond! We conducted additional interviews with professional engineers and entrepreneurs, their valuable insights being a cornerstone of our improvement process. These interviews provided us with:

Expert Feedback: Engineers offered technical advice to enhance the Green Guardian's functionality.

Real-World Experience: Entrepreneurs shared their personal experiences with plastic waste, allowing us to connect with the challenges on a deeper level.

Collaboration is Key:

One key suggestion involved building partnerships with businesses that generate or utilize plastic waste. This collaboration could take the form of joint initiatives or even selling the Green Guardian to malls and other high-traffic locations.

Through actively seeking expert advice and exploring strategic partnerships, we're confident that our Green Guardian is evolving into a more effective and impactful solution. We're passionate about tackling plastic waste, and with a clear pitch deck and valuable insights from experts, we're well-prepared to captivate our audience and take the Green Guardian to the next level.

Stay tuned next week for the big reveal. We're excited to share the tangible progress we've made in bringing our solution to life.

[nikki101421]

Exploring Milestone 3

Weekly Blog-May 19, 2024

"The secret of making progress is to get started". -Mark Twain

Good day everyone! This week, we did not hold an online class for this subject; however, we remained focused and worked hard on Milestone 3. We were unable to submit this milestone by the deadline last week due to the major issues it posed due to its complexity. Additionally, it was challenging for us to concentrate only on Milestone 3 due to the workload from other disciplines, which included a ton of quizzes and exercises.

My group members' dedication and drive have been remarkable in spite of these challenges. Considering the hectic schedules of other subjects, every member gave their full attention and work. Through our combined determination and resolve, we were able to get past the challenges posed by Milestone 3.

We fulfilled Milestone 3 with satisfaction. This accomplishment serves as proof of our group's resiliency and potential for teamwork under hardship. We are thankful of the collaboration that enabled us to accomplish this, and we are proud of the outcome.

Thank you and keep updated for this wonderful journey!

Nikki Love C. Opiso-ME3A Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering-3A

[ejyfelisilda]

P - Day!

Weekly Blog - Week 1 "Under Pressure, you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training" - Unknown Navy Seal

Yow! It's been a while but here we are again in this weekly blogs.

This week has been such a creative and collaborative flurry! Our experience working on the Metal Crusher project has been nothing short of thrilling, from concept to pitch. Now let's focus on the highlights, which include our pitch deck presentation and the insightful comments we got.

Brainstorming sessions that erupted with passion and energy lighted up our week. Our goal was to transform the recycling sector, and following intense deliberation and brainstorming, the Metal Crusher proposal emerged as the most promising. With a common goal in mind, we moved quickly to the prototyping stage, where the skills and imagination of every team member helped to transform our concept into a workable prototype.

As we entered the presentation room with our pitch decks and a shared resolve to highlight the Metal Crusher's potential, the moment of truth finally arrived. When we revealed our AHA moment—the interviewers' own perspective—we knew we had something unique. We were able to connect with the panel and captivate them with insights specific to their perspective by coordinating our presentation with their point of view. They participated with our lecture and nodded with genuine curiosity, demonstrating their keen interest.

In addition to praising our creativity and excitement for the Metal Crusher project, the panel offered insightful criticism on the way we presented the information. Their observations pointed out ways we could improve our delivery, simplify technical explanations, and make our message more engaging for the audience. We're dedicated to improving our presentation techniques and increasing the impact of our next presentations, so we're taking their advice to heart.

We appreciate you coming along on this thrilling journey with us. Together, let's keep pushing the envelope of innovation and building a better, more sustainable future.

[klaustus]

Illuminating Off-Grid Lands: A Quest for Sustainable Energy (Game 1)

The immense expanse of the Philippine archipelago has a tapestry of off-grid places where power is still a distant dream. Among the rich foliage and calm settings, communities suffer the darkness, longing for the spark of light to lighten their nights. In these distant places, a group of dedicated individuals, driven by a desire for change, emerge as beacons of hope.

JAMES, CARLO, VENZ, JULLIEN, and I all share a common goal: to bring light into the lives of individuals who live in the shadows. Their journey begins with a thorough examination of the intricate web of difficulties, ranging from infrastructural gaps to topographical limitations, that impede energy access in rural Philippines.

Through cooperative ideation and imaginative narrative, we create solutions that maximize the potential of renewable energy sources while utilizing nearby resources. Their goal comes to life, propelled by creativity and community involvement, from training programs for young people living on islands to the development of reasonably priced technology like biodiesel converters and hydropower.

But there are obstacles in our way. We must face the hard facts of scarce resources, time restraints, and the requirement for organized preparation. But every challenge also presents a chance to improve, advance, and clear the path for a more promising and sustainable future for everybody.

Inside the Mind of an INTJ-T Architect

As an architect with an INTJ-T personality, I blend analytical thinking with creative vision. I meticulously craft designs that marry efficiency with elegance, striving for perfection in every detail. While I value independence, I also appreciate collaboration with like-minded individuals who share my dedication to excellence. In my world, innovation and precision go hand in hand, shaping spaces that inspire and function seamlessly. As an avid analyst, I am constantly evolving and growing, seeking new perspectives and pushing the boundaries of traditional design to create truly remarkable architectural experiences.

Promoting Creativity: Adopting a 48.62 Mentality

Scores don't limit innovation; instead, it thrives on persistence, curiosity, and iteration. Having scored 48.62 out of 100 on the personal innovation scale, I set out on a creative adventure without fear of failure. I think that in order to disrupt norms, ideas should be refined and varied perspectives should be sought out. I keep going in spite of challenges because I see creativity as a means of development. It's crucial to understand that this score is only a beginning point and can be expanded upon and developed. I embrace the infinite possibilities of my 48.62 attitude with every experiment, quoting Albert Einstein when he states, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."

[markmaulas]

Week 1: Exploring SDG 9: A Mechanical Engineering Perspective

Weekly Blog - February 16, 2024.

This week, we report and discuss "Sustainable Development Goal 9." SDG 9 addresses the critical roles that industries, innovation, and infrastructure play in promoting sustainable development.

SDG 9 aims to develop inclusive, sustainable industrialization, encourage innovation, and provide resilient infrastructure. This objective acknowledges that strong infrastructure is necessary, especially in developing nations, to promote employment creation, economic growth, and technological innovation.

SDG 9 emphasizes sustainable industrialization, with future mechanical engineers playing a crucial role in developing and maintaining industries that prioritize resource efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and contribute to economic growth. They focus on innovation, designing, and building resilient infrastructure systems, including energy and transportation systems.

The goals of SDG 9 are well aligned with ES302: Technopreneurship. Students who complete the course will be prepared to handle the relationship between technology and entrepreneurship with the necessary abilities and mindset. We support the main objective of encouraging innovation and sustainable development by cultivating a technopreneurial and engineering mindset.

Mark J. Maulas - BSME 3A

[mejello-n-cream-blog]

It's my 10 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

[jello-n-cream]

It's my 10 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

[ladyazulina]

Azu is Talking - The One With the Bee Story

If you know, you know.

It took me three weeks to binge-watch the ten-season series Friends, so the least I had to leave with was the episode titles naming.

There is a bee in here, I swear. But first…

Last Sunday was my eighth-month celebration with my partner, those days are Sacred™️, so we're always trying our best to leave them free for each other.

I bet you know where this is going already.

My partner had the first session of a game campaign scheduled for that day, and he didn't notice until it was late. It brought him problems (with me), I'm not gonna lie. But I behaved as a good girl and didn't bother him too much apart from letting him know early he would have to make up for it.

My partner Tomas is playing Candela Oscura with PantslessTables every Sunday for the rest of the month ✨

To be fair, the day started weirdly, so it wasn't a usual monthly day. I didn't get to dress up, the session lasted longer than expected, and I played the waiting game even though I could have done lots of things. I wasn't feeling well, things were out of place inside of me, and it took me too long to notice the 🌈 post-hormone state ✨. So when the stream ended and he was back, things were… a bit awkward.

Things were really weird at home as well, so everything was feeling a bit too much and out of place. Nothing was flowing, and I grew angsty and overwhelmed.

We got to go through our monthly ritual anyway and, at the end of the day, we decided to watch a movie.

What we didn't know was that we unknowingly had a guest.

Before starting the movie, my sister warned me that there was a bee in the room, near the lightbulb (right above us). Which was weird because it was long after sunset, the poor thing surely got lost. I wasn't going to let a bee mess with my already frayed mood, so I settled to watch the movie.

Not even twenty minutes in, I had to ask my partner to pause it cause something fell on me. Obviously. I knew it was going to happen.

My sister was messing around trying to get the bee to leave the room, opening the door, turning on the lights outside, and turning off ours. I didn't even move when I felt it fall. My sister, though, grew hysterical.

I was eerily quiet, getting up and slowly moving out of the room for the bee to notice the lights and fly off. My mom was around, so she confirmed when it left me. The detail is that it wasn't my first time dealing with a bee 🐝 Sadly, on my first time I wasn't awake and it didn't live long after it stung me. But I have always been allergic to stings and insect bites, so it was An Experience™️, and I didn't want to repeat it.

Bees don't freak me out and I do my best to try to protect them. I like the little ones, but they are just kind of dangerous for me, you know?

On Monday, I was supposed to go to college. But I woke feeling heavy and wrong, so I decided to skip classes. Which led to an unfortunate chain of events involving the impromptu visit of my dad, stuff getting worse than before, and loss of water. The usual—my dad trying to fix stuff around always ends in a bigger mess. I would have felt a lot better if I had just forced myself to go to college, I swear.

I would have also paid another visit to the photo place, but stuff just didn't happen.

It wasn't a Creative day either, but I got to start the [REDACTED] adventure's edition… which technically turns it into a Creative day, right? Because that's creative work. But I wasn't feeling exactly creative.

A storm was also rolling around the country. Review Tuesday started with heavy rain. We had a seven-hour power outage during which I read—a lot—and did my English class homework. Most of it. There were a few exercises that needed listening and my weak Internet was barely holding messaging. But I had to upload it before Thursday, so I was glad I could finally start it. And finish it. I did work on that after the power was back.

As you may have noticed, I did not get to post this week's review. I instead scheduled the second post of my Personal Campaign in Iron Valley (which is coming in two weeks!). Didn't have that much time, so I leaned to progress a bit more with the [REDACTED] adventure instead.

Iron Valley, Linney's Campaign, is being live every Tuesday.

I have to go back to the project edition and I also have a book to edit as well, so I have to fix my schedule real fast real soon. Not easy to do when your energies are really low and scarce. I have to choose my daily battles.

Among these wasn’t moving the ASL night lesson to Tuesday instead of doing it on Wednesday as we agreed because… someone had some meetings scheduled on Wednesday night.

We’re going with Learn How to Sign channel and we’re a week away from finishing with the 150 Essentials ASL Signs. Going strong 💪🏼

At least we did that then, ‘cause Working Wednesday wasn't a great day either. We were still on yellow alert country-wise and I was as gray as the day outside. More or less until mid-afternoon, when it suddenly cleared and was so sunny it felt like a trap. I had the intention to go to the photo place in the morning, but it wasn't the appropriate weather for it, so I stayed home. And in bed until lunch, around one pm. If you know me, that alone can say a lot about my mood. I did tried to get up and busy myself, but it was hard to do until way after the coffee break. My coffee is getting bleh lately, I will have to check every step of the process from real close to figure out why…

What I ended up doing, though, was posting my workshops. All of them. Finally. I'll probably be doing an Instagram post next week or something, but for now, you can have an early look.

Get more from Escribe con [Write with] Celeste 💙✨ on Patreon

I have five tiers, I explain them on Patreon, but I can summarize them for you:

Collaborative Writing. A method to write in pairs (take your time, but I just only require of you to pay for it once—USD$22).

Let's write together. Collaborative Writing’s practical tier. Not required, just in case you want to keep trying out the method with the same or other partners—USD$1 monthly.

Let's write a story. A four-step guide to creating an outline for your story. For guiding assistance, USD$20 monthly.

Development Only group. With eleven spots available to accompany you in your writing process—USD$11 monthly.

Planning and Development group. With five spots available to schedule your writing routine and reports of progress while accompanying you in your writing process—USD$15 monthly.

If I can help you in any way, please reach out. I can do my best ☺️

On Backstage Thursday I finished the first of the two books on schedule. But I was feeling awfully. It took me too long to get up and prepare, and I think I mostly did because I had a virtual class at mid-afternoon. Even though the meetings are just to solve doubts and answer questions, there a small fraction of the grade going towards assistance, so… I wasn't going to lose it. You never know when you need extra points to save a subject.

It was a total waste of my time, though, but that's just how it is. I worked on my themed task and I'm one week away to finish the section I'm doing. Which means progress. Visible progress, finally. Didn't know it was going to feel this satisfying.

My partner arrived “late” from his face-to-face class so we didn't have our coffee break together. We spent the night instead and watched our weekly Supernatural episodes 💕 New inspiration for a brand new short game sparkled there and, guys, I take inspiration from everything ✨ It's starting to become a Which-One-Is-Worth-It-To-Work-On Problem™️.

Secret Friday was a bummer day. I'm glad I have almost everything ready for my partner's birthday in a week, but the extra time I could have spent on extra stuff? It's killing me. But I was going through stuff that seemed very likely to do the same to me without moving an inch.

I was expecting an overnight recovery after three days of being held hostage, and it happened, but the side effects were destructive.

I spent the whole day in bed, my partner keeping me company in between his own responsibilities, getting up occasionally thanks to something that wasn't even will. I started feeling slightly better over the day and assumed I could go back on my feet on Saturday, but…

At least I was able to work on my themed task on Playful Saturday. I already reached the author and even received her feedback, so I did post my review on Itch.io. My TTRPG updates have a wait list, so it will take a little while before I start posting the small story I wrote with the game. You can read the review in the meantime though, and follow me through Itch.io—I will certainly notify there when I start posting the story.

I was really low on energy because the side effects were physical pain and every muscle was hurting. As well as my head. I have been to doctors, gone to neurologists, tested pills, and even did an MRI scan—I’m “fine”. My head is killing me, though. And it kills my soul hearing my mom telling me to rely on alcohol and drinks in the meantime to appease and soften the pain ‘cause pills aren't helping me any. Because we don't know what to do. It's been a long time, seven years alone since the migraines came to stay 24/7, but I must be going through a season if it's getting unbearable again. I mean, I guess.

There are still things I can look forward to, but sometimes, when the pain is too much and the relief is close to none, I don't see anything. I know those things exist, I know those things are close, but… the pain is here, the pain is heavy. It's suffocating. It's unbeatable.

I've long lost the endurance battle.

Anyway, I'm going to the photo place for my passport one last time next week before giving up. If they don't take that last photo, I'll throw hands and go for an in-person appointment, even though more likely I would have to pay the fee again, which is A pain in the ass. I can't let it drag, I have to get my passport this month—if possible, this week. I need to start a visa process.

I should start soon the next ARC book as well, the days are rolling by. And get back to editing, this week was a joke on that regard. Also, I have to finish the [REDACTED] adventure’s edition ‘cause time is the only thing I do NOT have left. A lot of things to go through. I hope I'm ready.

[gemsfromagemini]

New Year? New Nails!

And possibly back to (some) of my old ways. Blogging in particular. A weekly digest of my interest is what built the community that supported me to and through my move to Texas. So consider me back! In this format.

Earlier this week, I knocked my nail charms off doing housework. And literally by walking to the car (caught on the chain link fence in the dog park). And putting on a GAHTDAMN hair tie. And I hadn’t even snapped pics for my mail tech yet! 😫 Something had to be done!

And voilà! I felt whole again. Then I had an epiphany. Didn’t need anyone else to repair for me what living life had broken. Even here, in what could arguably be my lowest (more on that never), I had all the tools I needed to fix things. To fix things for myself. And so I did.

And that’s this week’s GemsFromAGemini: do it for yourself. Catch ya later, gators.

For daily gems, find me on TikTok && Instagram. Ooh and Facebook, too!

[dark-bear-productions]

History Is Not a Straight Line -- This Week in Hunting Darkness

Hello Hunters, Darkhearts, and Beasts!

I've been doing quite a bit of research this week. Some for the worldbuilding for Season 2 of From the Bay of Fangs, but most to give myself a timeline on the development of the Hunters' gear through the years. I like using historic weapons and I like those weapons to be used in roughly accurate order.

But what I've noticed this week is that 19th century gunsmithing was really quite messy. The smoothbore Brown Bess musket was used until 1867, well after rifling became common. The Chassepot initially used paper cartridges in 1866, even though metal cartridges had been around for years. Revolvers produced in 1836 were used alongside revolvers produced in 1861. Sometimes guns were designed and produced in the same year, sometimes there were years -- even a decade -- between the two steps.

It got me thinking how we -- or at least, to my knowledge, most people -- tend to see history as a straight line. I think in recent years we've gotten to the point where we no longer speak of linear progress because, well, some things are getting worse, or just bad in different ways. But I also think we still speak in terms of linear development and although I think that's more accurate I still don't think it's fully accurate.

History is a mess. Historians like to point out anachronisms in people's perceptions of history, but history is often anachronistic. The world is large and humanity is diverse. Ideas don't naturally go from one step to the next, like some deterministic walk along a single logical path. Ideas clash and jostle and mingle and merge and fall in and out of favour in different places and communities.

The modern world -- shaped so heavily by globalisation and colonialism -- sometimes seems to be turning homogenous. Many people think the patriarchy is and has been a global given. Same with heteronormativity. Old and problematic stati quo that have to be overcome by new thinking. And maybe in some ways that's true, but people also seem to keep rediscovering ways in which the precolonial, pre-Christian-Missionary'd world was often not quite as patriarchal and not nearly as heteronormative as we now take for granted.

That's fascinating to me. I'm thinking of reading some more books delving into that subject matter, maybe use it for Hunting Darkness beyond what I've already done to question patriarchy and heteronormativity in my worldbuilding.

But first, I'm going to see Jesus Christ Superstar.

Kinda ironic, that.

Daan

[stephenjohn-01]

Green Guardian: Week 4 (Finals) - Charting the Course: Taking Green Guardian to Market

"The key is to set realistic expectations, and then not to just meet them, but to exceed them - preferably in unexpected and helpful ways." – Richard Branson

This week, the Green Guardian team made significant progress by solidifying our go-to-market strategy! We presented our plans for Milestone 3, outlining how we'll reach our target audience and achieve financial sustainability.

Reaching Everyone:

We emphasized our target market – everyone! Plastic waste affects us all, and the Green Guardian offers a solution that benefits individuals and the environment.

Generating Leads:

We explored various lead generation strategies, including:

Universities: Partnering with universities allows us to reach a large, environmentally conscious population.

ABS Commercials: Utilizing television advertising can raise widespread awareness and generate interest from the general public.

Social Media Savvy:

Our market strategy heavily emphasizes building a strong social media presence. Engaging content across platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter will connect with potential users and promote the Green Guardian's benefits.

Branding for Impact:

We recognize the importance of a crisp and engaging branding video. This video will clearly explain the Green Guardian brand, its mission, and how it serves its target consumers. Additionally, the video will highlight the unique value proposition that sets us apart from competitors.

Financial Planning for Success:

We addressed financial considerations, outlining the start-up costs. With a Green Guardian machine costing ₱300,000 per unit, 10 machines would require an initial investment of ₱3 million. Considering additional costs for facilities, marketing, and labor, the total start-up cost is estimated to be around ₱18,800,000.

By presenting our comprehensive sales plan, market strategy, and financial projections, we've taken a significant step towards making the Green Guardian a reality. We are confident that this strategic roadmap will guide us in successfully bringing our innovative solution to market and tackling the challenge of plastic waste generation effectively.

Stay tuned next week for an update on our Green Guardian prototype development! We're excited to share our progress in creating a tangible solution.