#also also thanks for (at the time of posting this) 170+ notes on my initial sketch💖

[happylifecrisis]

update on my kratos sketch! + christopher judge autograph under the cut

♥️♥️♥️

[notthatiwilleverwriteit]

Your posts are always interesting, this could sound weird but, what do you think about the sexual orientations in 19 days? I know it is shonen ai but in this kind of comic is usually characters are just in love with someone but no anyone else. But with zhanyi it has being shown at least that Zhan had problems thinking about it, what do you think about tianshan's as well? I am not into Lgbt knowledge, so i'm lost about it

Good afternoon, dear anon-san!

I’m sorry it took me a couple of days to get to your question. Thank you for your patience!

I’ve talked about my takes on the sexual orientations a couple of times by now:

Why didn’t HT want MGS to like him more and more?

Homophobia in 19 Days

Could HT be bisexual?

Could ZZX be quoiromantic?

Was ZZX a heterosexual prior to JY’s confession?

Zhanyi and emotional manipulation?

Was MGS HT’s first kiss?

My Tianshan “timeline”

I suggest you check out those previous answers to get a better sense of where I’m coming from. I’m probably going to repeat some of the things in this answer but not as comprehensively.

Also, before I get further into this, I realize this is a rather controversial topic in the fandom. However, I want people reading this to know that I am most certainly not against discussing how readers interpret the characters from this perspective. I know some people just genuinely don’t care one way or another - which is perfectly fine - but to me, it sometimes feels like “who cares” is used to shut people up. I don’t see why the aspect of sexual orientations can’t be discussed just like any other part of the story. Especially since I feel like it’s one of the major themes of 19 Days. And sexual orientations in fiction can be important peaks of representation and connection to many readers, so I do understand why people might want to talk about them.

In all fairness, though, I also understand why people might be annoyed by this discussion. Other’s interpretations can feel forceful to us, especially if they greatly differ from ours. Or it might irritate us if we feel like people are focusing on trivial things. I get it. I’m sometimes “guilty” of those feelings, too - I’m not trying to make it sound like I’m somehow above that. However, I don’t think the solution should be to make others feel shitty but rather to try and give room for all kinds of points of view.

Anyway. End of my usual rant when it comes to these things. (^_^ ‘‘)

“what do you think about the sexual orientations in 19 days?”

When it comes to sexual orientations in 19 Days, I feel like the most accurate answer I can give is “I don’t know”. I don’t think it’s possible to tell one way or another for sure, and anyone’s interpretation is as good as mine. The things I’ve said in previous answers - and what I will continue to say in this one, too - are merely based on the vibes I’ve personally gotten. I am not trying to make it sound like I have some kind of solid, concrete “evidence”. I want everyone to keep all of that in mind when reading this.

He Tian and Mo Guan Shan

I’m going to be fairly brief with HT because I’ve already talked about him in this sense a few times. In short, I tend to read HT as a budding bisexual. Partly because of the vibes I’ve gotten and partly because of my own bias as a bisexual. It’s a pet interpretation of sorts that I like to toy with.

There aren’t any solid extracts of the comic for me to base this on, either. Merely little details that had caught my eye and made me wonder (ch. 160, 190, 226. 307):

If someone says that none of those panels make HT a bisexual, I would wholeheartedly agree. But to me, as a reader, those little details muddy the waters. Reading magazines with half-naked women in suggestive poses on the cover doesn’t make anyone straight, bi, or anything, but it seems HT doesn’t at least mind that kind of content - perhaps he’s even interested in it since he’s supposedly spent money on them. Of course, it’s too hasty to judge a book by its cover so to speak but I’ve always been interested in that detail.

However, what has made me think HT might be bisexual more than that is the whole “I don’t want you to like me more and more” thing. I have somewhat mixed feelings about the note but regardless of that, HT felt the need to lie to MGS. Again, there could be many reasons for it - but I think one possible reason could be that he was conflicted. Initially, HT didn’t get interested in MGS for romantic reasons, but somewhere along the way his feelings shifted and developed. Was HT confused about his own feelings and that’s why he lied to MGS? Was it his first time discovering such feelings for another guy? Again, it’s impossible to tell for sure but I don’t see why that couldn’t be a possible way to interpret it.

In addition to all of that, we don’t really know enough about HT’s past relationships to tell one way or another. He’s only 15, so I doubt he’s had much experience whether it’s with girls or guys. How being a part of his family has affected him as a person is also something that should be taken into consideration when wondering about HT’s potential romantic past.

I haven’t really talked about how I see MGS’s orientation before. I think that MGS’s character was set out as straight, but it’s always been more like a like “default setting” rather than what he might actually be. I would say he sees himself as a heterosexual but I think that’s more about him just going with what’s considered “normal” without bothering to give it much thought (ch. 222):

That little conversation has always reminded me of the movie 40 Year Old Virgin. Like, if Buzzcut had asked MGS “what kind of boobs do you like?” and MGS had been like “yes” or “as long as she has them”. He doesn’t really seem to have preferences or a type when it comes to girls, and I think one reason for that is because he’s never really been that concerned about the matter. If someone asks, he’s into girls but that kind of conversation is over rather quickly with him.

One reason for MGS’s seeming indifference is probably how he’s been rejected by his peers, ultimately leading him to isolate himself and push others away by becoming even harder to approach. Girls wouldn’t be interested in someone like him, so why should he waste time thinking about them? I might be projecting too much but it seems to be like he’s basically rejecting that part of being a teenager. It’s easier to ignore it until you’ve become indifferent than feeling like you’re missing out on something. 

In addition to that, it seems MGS is easily irritated and disgusted by the idea of another guy making a pass at him and aggressively guards both his body and image in that sense (ch. 160, 170, 249, 250, 285):

I’m sure a lot of that has to do with his history of being involved in gangs and being a delinquent. To survive in that world you need to exhibit rather aggressive and masculine behavior. In other words, to be the top dog. In those circles, being gay is easily associated with being the bottom as in submissive and easily overpowered. So, in addition to MGS not being keen on talking about girls and romance, he’s also had to keep up a certain image.

Do I think HT has discovered MGS’s “true” sexuality? I wouldn’t really put it like that. I would rather say HT’s persistent influence has “unlocked” the world of love and affection for MGS. He can experience that part of life with HT instead of rejecting it. I suppose the million-dollar question is does that make MGS straight or homosexual. And to be honest, I don’t have an answer. Personally, I read him more as a heterosexual than homosexual. I can’t really him being in a relationship with other guys than HT.

Jian Yi and Zhan Zheng Xi

I’ve also talked about these two quite a lot, so I don’t know how much I have left to say. Generally speaking, I think JY is someone who might actually identify as a homosexual in the future. It doesn’t look like he’s ever been interested in girls. More importantly, though, it seems that as he’s fallen in love with ZZX he’s also discovered himself in a broader sense (ch. 143, 158, 164, 187):

I think the theme of coming of age when it comes to sexuality is the strongest in JY’s character. ZZX might be the only guy he has a crush on, but JY seems to be thinking about being in love with a guy also as something that might defy him. He feels confused about being different and scared of how others could react to him being in a relationship with ZZX despite how open he also is about his feelings. He might happily want to hold hands with ZZX or kiss him in public but he’s not always that confident. JY is surprisingly good at hiding behind a happy-go-lucky smile and carry the hurt and insecurity caused by prejudice in his heart. Those deeper feelings occasionally burst out when his guard lowers.

Again, this is just an overall vibe I’ve gotten from JY’s character. But I’ve always felt like he’s processing the whole thing of being in love with someone of the same sex on a deeper level than the others. I feel like his feelings for ZZX are connected to his identity more explicitly and him coming to discover himself sexually in the same way that real-life people would.

Compared to the three other boys, I think ZZX has always been a solid straight to me. I think before JY’s confession he identified as a heterosexual. He just was the kind of teenage boy who found girls and crushes too troublesome and annoying (ch. 51, 52, 102):

I doubt the idea of being in a relationship with another guy had really popped into his mind as an option. JY’s confession and feelings for him as a guy came as a big shock to him. Their first kiss seemed to tumble everything down in ZZX’s head and force him to figure everything - JY, himself, and his relationship with JY - from the beginning (ch. 151, 152, 165):

I believe a lot of it was rebuilt the same way but there were definitely changes and also room for future changes. A lot of the feelings ZZX already had for JY - protectiveness, affection, deep sense of bond - could also be applied to a romantic relationship. I believe they’re also the building blocks that ZZX as a character would want to cherish in his romantic relationship. All ZZX needed to do was to shift his point of view a little when it came to JY and see how he felt about it.

As big of a mental turmoil as I’m sure ZZX went through, I think it’s safe for us to assume what his resolve was. I might be too generous with my interpretation but this moment made Zhanyi canon in my head (ch. 209):

ZZX didn’t exactly return JY’s feelings in the same sense but he accepted them. He might not be ready to give all the things JY wants yet but he made a promise that JY will have a future with him. JY won’t have to feel insecure because ZZX will always be beside him. He just needs more time, and JY has to be patient.

But I suppose that once again the question of ZZX’s current orientation remains. And I don’t have a solid answer this time, either. I still read him mostly as a heterosexual, though. Just like MGS, I can’t really see ZZX in a relationship with another guy besides JY. However, I think that ZZX is also the type of character who puts more emphasis on the bond of the relationship rather than his partner’s gender. But...still, I imagine it would be quite a hump for him to discover that he could have feelings for guys in general, too.

“in this kind of comic is usually characters are just in love with someone but no anyone else”

This is very true and also partly why saying anything one way or another is quite difficult. In the story, the characters are in love with one other person, but you can’t make assumptions or conclusions based on just that. Just because you’re in a same-sex relationship doesn’t mean you’re a homosexual. Whenever I wonder about the orientations in 19 Days, I try to keep this in mind but I also feel like the vagueness allows readers to make multiple interpretations. I get certain vibes that point me in certain directions but I completely understand if others end up with other kinds of readings.

However, this kind of “he’s only gay for him” is also something I’ve seen BL been criticized for. It makes it look like men being attracted to other men isn’t a real thing but rather something that happens under special circumstances. Personally, I don’t have a major problem with that - it is what it is, I suppose - but I can see why that would bother people in BL. Do I wish some characters (for example, JY) would come out as LGBT at some point in the story (if you don’t think he already has)? Sure, I’d be interested in seeing that. And I think it would be a natural development for his character. Do I think that’s going to happen? I’m somehow doubtful, not at least in so many words. But that doesn’t really mean the comic can’t tell a story about discovering oneself, as we’ve already come to see.

Thank you for your question, dear anon-san!

[chrisemrysfics]

It’s been a while since I’ve done anything like this so I snatched from @joshua-beeking !

Name/Nickname: Chris, Queen of Feels (to go with King of Feels when I rped with @skytroops ), chrysanthemum, MoreThanSatan (a joke from an old url), sweetie/cupcake/butterfly, Silly. Last one is self given

Pronouns: They/them and she/her.

Height: 170 cm (5′7)

Time Currently: A little past midnight when I first started, I got distracted, its 1:23 (am) when I posted it XD

When Is Your Birthday: July 2nd

Favorite Band/Groups: I can’t say I have any favorite, but I enjoy JAM Project, Nightwish, Two Steps from Hell, those are the three I can recall that I have listened to quite a few of their songs. Yousei Teikoku  too, I initially didn’t realize it is a group, not a solo oops.

Favorite Solo Artists: Again, I can’t say I have any specific favorite, I’m much more of someone who doesn’t really look at who is singing, and more so its about the songs I can find, its pure luck that I can name a few groups.

Song Stuck in your Head: For once, none!

Last Movie You Watched: That is a very good question....

Last Show You Binged: Black Clover, we binged with my mother quite a few episodes and still need to continue, I’m likely to binge MDZS Q soon!

When You Created Your Blog:  This one dates April 2018, but is the second version of my fic blog, the first one was made May 2015. My first blog, though, was in early 2012!

Last Thing You Googled: Technically, that was the old url of my first blog to figure out when exactly it was made. Before that, group names to quickly check. Before that, I did a brief search to see what news Wattpad had (before someone mentioned it to me and I didn’t know what happened).

Other Blogs: Active, there’s my original writer blog @homeofwriter and my personal sideblog @chrispersonalcorner . I used to have rp blogs, though, the last one I had before I fully stopped was my Allen Walker @sozotohakai and Wei Wuxian @millenniumpatriarch (and my multi muse, @choruscaelum ).

(On that note, Allen was the rp blog based on Meet me Halfway to the End, and WWX blog is based on an idea for DGMxMDZS crossover that I still fully intend to write fics for~)

Why I Chose My URL: I didn’t try too hard with it, Chris for myself, Emrys to related to BBC Merlin, and fics because its my fic blog. Same with chrispersonalcorner, its pretty straightforward.

(sozotohakai is what I get when I enter “creation and destruction” to be put into Japenese; choruscaelum is what I got when I enter “heaven dance” to be put into Latin; and millienniumpatriarch, it refers to the Millennium Earl of DGM, which is who WWX awakens as, and Patriarch refers to both the Earl because he’s also called the Patriarch of his clan, and Yiling Patriarch).

Do You Get Asks: Its very rare, so its always a good surprise when I do!

How Many People Are You Following: 13, I’m actually not as involved in Tumblr anymore, so I just follow a few MDZS blog and a few other interest blogs.

How Many Followers Do You Have: 168, which I’m still amazed at, I might once have more on a blog? But not many, if at all, ended up also following here, so this all build up from scratch, and I’m very happy about that!

Average Hours Of Sleep: Depends, most often my usual is around 7 or 8 hours, but neighbors can be noisy, so my sleep can be interrupted, in truth I often have maybe four or five hours of uninterrupted sleep, wakes up for one reason or another (sometimes its just my own body waking rather than noise), then fall back asleep (sometimes not long after, sometimes after I eat a bit).

Instruments:  None that I am playing often, but I do have a flute and piano keyboard!

What I’m Currently Wearing: Jeans and two layers of long sleeve tops, we can’t use the heater so we simply dress well in the house to feel warm.

Dream Job: Technically, what I am doing already, of course, its to live thanks to my original writing, but in term of doing something, I’m already living it~

Dream Trip: Its a tie between seeing places all over England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland; and Japan.

Favorite Food: I kind of love a lot of food and aren’t too picky, I guess as a wide net, Vietnamese and Japanese food. I love nems, fried shrimp, Xiu Mai and Ha Cao, I enjoy sushi, and in general I make heart-eyes when I see Japanese food. Our favorite restaurant is a Vietnamese-Chinese (mostly Vietnamese I think though), we also have a Japenese-Peruvian one but we more recently found a purely Japenese one that we really, really liked.

Top Three Fictional Universes You’d Like To Live In: This is so hard because my immediate want is to live where my favorites characters live, so MDZS, DGM and BBC Merlin, but wow I’m asking for lots of troubles too. Well, BBC Merlin and MDZS, it can be dangerous, but it can work out; but DGM... sure I could maybe life a peaceful life but that’s if I never cross path with the characters I know, and that’s if the whole DGM world isn’t set to apocalypse sometimes in the story :’)

Honestly thinking “where would I like to live”, I would go with BBC Merlin and MDSZ, I don’t even had a third. DGM, I would say that genuine “want to live” is a big no (I would rather have Allen and everyone live within my world ;;), but its fun to go with the more figurative “self insert yourself”.

I tag : Anyone who wants to, snatch it and consider yourself tagged~!

[theonyxpath]

V20 Beckett’s Jyhad Diary art by Mark Kelly

    I just got off the phone with an old friend wanting advice on their new Kickstarter they’re hoping to run. This is not the first time I’ve been asked to help friends new to the wonders of Kickstarter, and I’m always glad to give some thoughts. My first question is always: Why Kickstarter?

Just in working out that question, I’ve actually had folks realize that they did not, in fact, need crowdfunding for their project, and that by using KS they would actually be taking on a whole lot of hassle and expense they didn’t actually need. But their bosses thought Kickstarting was a magic money fountain, so they were pushed into using it.

Kickstarter is NOT a magic money fountain.

You can do quite well with the amounts raised, even in the tabletop RPG business (Hi, John! Hi, Monte!), but the KS and then the post-KS fulfillment is a huge amount of work that I guarantee eats up a huge percentage of the pledge dollars raised that aren’t ear-marked for printing and shipping the main KS rewards. It becomes a huge part of, if not the new focus of, your TTRPG company.

If you’re not careful.

    C20 Ready Made Characters art by Aaron Riley

      I never wanted Onyx Path to go “all in” on any one method of delivering our projects to our community, so I never used all those pledge dollars to hire KS fulfillment staff to take over for our developers or other creators, and I’ve tried to learn from our craziest KSs, many from before we really learned the stresses and demands of getting out all the varied Stretch Goals. I put those dollars aside in order to cover the costs of making all the projects from any given KS while using our normal development processes and staff.

That way, we’ve always been ready to pay each bill as it comes due. Which I kind of think is important long-term.

Along the same lines, I didn’t turn us into only doing Kickstarters for every book as a business model. We started with Deluxes, with covers we could not afford without the KS upfront money for specialty printers, then the Prestige covers that had effects that our PoD printer couldn’t do but which were the same (more or less) as our original print runs for the New World of Darkness lines.

And now we’ve added Kickstarters to fund traditional print runs larger than we have been doing, in order to use our new distribution connections to get into retail stores and do different sorts of projects like the Prince’s Gambit casual card game.

Basically, we have continued to evolve and improve our Kickstarter processes even while experimenting with different methods and kinds of projects. For example, we have not in the past felt the need to Kickstart our Chronicles of Darkness 2nd Edition core books. Partly, because of the idea I noted above about not putting all our eggs in one delivery method basket, and partly because we had plenty of ideas for 20th Anniversary WoD projects and only so much available time to run KSs.

Now, with us easing back on the 20th Anniversary books with the “Big Five” core books all out or in progress, and with WW revving up their first 5th Edition projects, there is time to experiment with KSing Changeling: The Lost 2nd. (See the Kickstarter part of the BLURBS!, below).

Having Jammin’ James Bell as our new Kickstarter wrangler and all-around good guy, has also helped open up a lot of what we can do with KS, especially next year once he has his sea-legs, and you are going to love what he’s got planned for the CtL2 Kickstarter. James can focus on making sure each Kickstarter campaign is an event, which is really what they should feel like considering all the time and energy our backers pour into them.

    W20 Changing Ways art by the legendary Ron Spencer

      And all this year we’ve been steadily delivering KS Stretch Goal projects as well, which we are very thrilled to be able to focus on, even to prepping for delivering Werewolf 20th Kickstarter backers their long-awaited free version of a W20 Dice Rolling App. (More on the whole Dice Rolling App another week, because it is not just for W20).

Finally, in all the madness of running KSs and delivering KS projects, we’re also looking towards making sure that our special Kickstarted books from 3 or 4 or 5 years ago can find good homes with folks that really want them. So, we’re having a sale at Indy Press Revolution for the last remaining Deluxe and Prestige books and screens that they have been selling for us!

The “last” until we send them more of our printer overruns to make available, that is. Check out the details in our IPR section of the BLURBS!, below!

This has run pretty long, actually, and I was planning on telling you more about our other “new guy”, Eddy Webb, and what he has been doing as a sort of “roving developer” for us, but that’ll have to happen next week. Until then, remember our motto:

Many Worlds. One Path.

  BLURBS!

ON SALE!

Check out our Halloween Sale at IPR and get scary discounts on our Kickstarter printing overruns! If you missed a KS, wish you had upgraded, or just want a beautiful game book of your favorite 20th Anniversary WoD, or Chronicles of Darkness core books…THIS IS THE SALE FOR YOU!  http://ift.tt/1pOsnTb

This includes products like:

Demon: The Descent Prestige Edition

Vampire 20th Anniversary Edition: The Dark Ages Deluxe Edition

Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition Deluxe Edition

W20 Book of the Wyrm Deluxe Edition

W20 Changing Breeds Deluxe Edition

…And much more! Lots of nice solid Storyteller Screens to pick up, too!

This 50% off sale runs until midnight Halloween night! Awhoooo!

      It’s very SPOOKY here!

Welcome to DriveThruRPG’s Halloween Sale!

First, we have a super sale on Mummy: The Curse: http://ift.tt/2zej9nV

And then the big sale itself! Over 170 Onyx Path PDFs discounted! It’s terrifying!

http://ift.tt/2zuDvKm

    KICKSTARTER:

  The Cavaliers of Mars Kickstarter is OVAH! Thanks to our energized and friendly 885 backers, we raised funds just shy of 800% of our funding goal, and we’re well set to finish Cavs and get onto the Stretch Goal projects! Thank you all again for your support!

NEXT, we’re pulling together the Changeling: The Lost 2nd Edition Kickstarter, and our Kickstarter muscle-man, Jammin’ James Bell, has got my notes and is speedily piecing the KS page together. We think folks will dig what we’ve got planned, with even a few surprises to keep things interesting! Because of some art delays, we aren’t going to be able to get this KS started on Halloween, which is hugely disappointing for appropriateness if nothing else, but early in November instead.

Which also means that our Trinity Continuum Kickstarter will start in early January – since it makes no sense to start a KS mid-December!

    ON AMAZON AND BARNES & NOBLE:

We’re delighted to announce the opening of our ebook stores on Amazon and Barnes & Noble! You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble). Our initial selection includes these fiction anthologies:

Vampire: The Masquerade: The Endless Ages Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Rites of Renown: When Will You Rage II (Kindle, Nook)

Mage: The Ascension: Truth Beyond Paradox (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: The God-Machine Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Mummy: The Curse: Curse of the Blue Nile (Kindle, Nook)

Beast: The Primordial: The Primordial Feast Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

  And here are six more fiction books:

Vampire: The Masquerade: Of Predators and Prey: The Hunters Hunted II Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: The Poison Tree (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: Songs of the Sun and Moon: Tales of the Changing Breeds (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Requiem: The Strix Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Forsaken: The Idigam Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Mage: The Awakening: The Fallen World Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

  Andand six more more:

Vampire: The Masquerade: The Beast Within Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse: W20 Cookbook (Kindle, Nook)

Exalted: Tales from the Age of Sorrows (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: Tales of the Dark Eras (Kindle, Nook)

Promethean: The Created: The Firestorm Chronicle Anthology (Kindle, Nook)

Demon: The Descent: Demon: Interface (Kindle, Nook)

  And even more books are now on Amazon and the Nook store!:

Scarred Lands: Death in the Walled Warren (Kindle, Nook)

V20 Dark Ages: Cainite Conspiracies (Kindle, Nook)

Chronicles of Darkness: Strangeness in the Proportion (Kindle, Nook)

Vampire: The Requiem: Silent Knife (Kindle, Nook)

Mummy: The Curse: Dawn of Heresies (Kindle, Nook)

    OUR SALES PARTNERS:

We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the Screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there!

http://ift.tt/2w0aaEW

    Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Here’s the link to the press release we put out about how Onyx Path is now selling through Indie Press Revolution: http://ift.tt/1ZlTT6z

You can now order wave 2 of our Deluxe and Prestige print overrun books, including Deluxe Mage 20th Anniversary, and Deluxe V20 Dark Ages! And Screens…so many Screens!

And you can now order Pugmire: the book, the screen, and the dice! http://ift.tt/1pOsnTb

    DRIVETHRURPG.COM:

Is a life of running and hiding a life worth living? We say yes. There’s always something between the running and the hiding, and those moments of grace make it all worthwhile.

The Huntsmen Chronicle Anthology is a perfect companion piece to Changeling: The Lost, 2nd Edition. These stories spin tales of the Lost, of those abducted and enslaved by fairies. Those who escaped, but whose captors will stop at nothing to find them. These fairies summon forth the Huntsmen, primordial hunters who understand nothing but pursuit and capture. The Huntsmen are unstoppable monsters, and the Lost can only look to each other for respite, rare comfort, and rarer trust.

The Hedge parts on Wednesday and you can get the Advance PDF of The Huntsmen Chronicle Fiction Anthology for Changeling: The Lost 2nd Edition at DTRPG.com!

        For over 20 years, the artists of Mage: The Ascension have conjured spirits and constructed hypertech that can transform reality on a whim.

Within this retrospective, those artists and images depict the ever-changing face of magick. From the debut edition to the twenty-first century, this book explores the people behind the pictures, the process of putting such books together, the story behind Mage’s Tarot iconography, and more.

Featuring the artwork of Echo Chernik, Joshua Gabriel Timbrook, Michael Gaydos, Mark Jackson, Leif Jones, Michael Kaluta, Steve Prescott, Alex Sheikman, Christopher Shy…and many, many more.

The Art of Mage: 20 Years and More has manifested on DTRPG in PDF and physical book PoD versions! Here: http://ift.tt/2iwP1Rr

      A Land Where Legends Walk

Drawing enthusiastically on Greek mythology, the revised and re-imagined Scarred Lands nonetheless retains its place as a modern fantasy RPG setting. This is a world shaped by gods and monsters, and only the greatest of heroes can expect to be counted among them. The most populous continent of Scarn, Ghelspad, plays host to vast unexplored regions, hides unsolved riddles from ancient cultures, and taunts adventures with the promise of undiscovered riches hidden among the ruins of older civilizations.

Yet the myths of the Scarred Lands are relatively recent events. The effects of the Titanswar still ripple through the world, and the heroines and villains of many of these stories are part of living memory, if not still living.

The Award-Winning Fantasy Setting Returns

Scarred Lands has been a favorite fantasy setting since the release of the Creature Collection for the d20 System in 2000. In subsequent years, over 40 titles were published for Scarred Lands, making it one of the most fully supported fantasy RPG settings ever and the premiere product line of Sword & Sorcery Studios.

Available in both 5th Edition and Pathfinder compatible versions! PDF and PoD formats available NOW!

http://ift.tt/2fEO9YJ

http://ift.tt/2fELqyx

  Heroes, Villains, and Others in Between! 

This tome is a revision of the original book by the same title, originally published for use with 3rd edition rules for the world’s most popular roleplaying game. In this revised edition of The Wise & the Wicked, all the same characters have returned (and we’ve added some new ones, too!), for use with the Scarred Lands Player’s Guide. 

Champions of Gods and Titans 

The Wise & the Wicked introduces a rogue’s gallery of the Scarred Lands’ movers and shakers, characters who carry out the will of the gods or the fallen titans. These non-player characters can be friends, enemies, or simply convenient resources for the player characters in your game.

Inside, find villains such as King Virduk of Calastia, the Black Dragon, along with his wife, the beautiful (and black-hearted) Queen Geleeda; the Grand Vizier to King Virduk, the wicked warrior-mage Anteas; and the sinister general of Virduk’s northern armies, Archduke Traviak the Steel-Fisted. At the other end of the spectrum, meet the gracious Lady Ariniel, the Swan Knight, champion of Madriel; Kimer the Shatterer, bearer of the Earth Sword of Scarn and tenacious foe of the titanspawn of the north; and King Thain the Just, the Aleking, ruler of Burok Torn. And many others beside!

Here you’ll find a fascinating compendium of characters from the Scarred Lands, but easily transported into campaigns set elsewhere. In addition, find multiple appendices full of new magic items and artifacts, class archetypes and prestige classes, new feats, new creatures and races, and more.

Available in Pathfinder and 5th Edition versions! PDF and PoD formats available NOW!

http://ift.tt/2zdVHXS

http://ift.tt/2zeEpd8

          From out of the Dreaming, the C20 Jumpstart: Yours To Keep PDF and PoD are now live on DTRPG.com: http://ift.tt/2fmlF3s

There is magic hiding everywhere. You just need to know where to look.

You are a changeling, a faerie soul hiding in a mortal body, fighting the chill of Nightmares and the oppressive weight of Banality with the pure creative power of Glamour. You have lived many lives, but the story of this one? It outshines them all.

In this hidden world, knights in steel and leather clash sword to sword outside the homecoming dance, dragons fly between skyscrapers, and fantastic castles rise from suburban lawns. A world of magic, intrigue, and adventure, and now that your fae side has awakened, it’s your world too.

“Yours to Keep” includes a rules and setting overview, as well as pre-generated characters and a complete introductory scenario for Changeling: The Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition. It’s perfect for jumpstarting a new Changeling chronicle!

    The PDF and PoD versions of C20 are now on DriveThruRPG.com: http://ift.tt/2w4Eq2m

Twenty years ago, White Wolf published Changeling: the Dreaming, the fifth of their promised five game-lines that together comprised the World of Darkness. Seen by some as a lighter, more fantasy-based setting in the modern-day, and by others as the darkest game White Wolf had yet created, players had to face the question of what happens once creativity and magic fades from their world.

This 20th Anniversary Edition of Changeling: the Dreaming returns to that deceptively bright yet terrifying world and both compiles and completes the concepts of the previous two editions. Led by veteran White Wolf and Onyx Path developer “Blackhat” Matt McFarland, our writing team consists of longtime Changeling creators like Ian Lemke, Jackie Cassada, Nicky Rea, and Peter Woodworth, as well as familiar names such as John Snead, Maggie Carrol, Matthew Dawkins, and Krister Michl. One and all are dedicated to making Changeling: the Dreaming Twentieth Anniversary Edition the most playable edition yet – while not losing the wonder, awe, and majesty that Changeling is known for.

A revised and up to date look at the World of Darkness through the eyes of the Kithain – what has happened to the Dreaming in the last 20 years, and what is the state of Glamour and dreams?

Rules for all of the kiths including in 2nd ed, plus fan favorites from other books: selkies, piskies, clurichaun, and both Arcadian and Concordian sidhe.

Rules for the Gallain: The inanimae, the hsien, the Nunnehi, and others!

An overhauled and reimagined system for fae magic, including new Arts and the powerful but dangerous practice of Unleashing!

New full-color beautiful artwork as well as classic Changeling illustrations including remastered full page pieces of the kiths by Tony Diterlizzi.

          Calling all Good Dogs! The Pugmire Core Rulebook PDF is now available on DTRPG.com!

http://ift.tt/2wAaAp3

And the actual physical book, screen, and dice, are available to order on the IPR and Studio2 websites!

Studio2: http://ift.tt/2w0aaEW

          What dark secrets do the eldest vampires hold? Find out in Thousand Years of Night for Vampire: The Requiem! Advance PDF version available now on DriveThruRPG.com. http://ift.tt/2sV8lZR

You may think that with a multitude of people coming, going, dying and running away, we’d be tired, done, or ready to give up. Instead, I find myself restless, looking for the next thing.  There’s always a next thing, and I for one am not yet ready to die.

– Elder Kincaid, Daeva Crone

This book includes:

• Detailed instructions on creating elder vampires, including how to base chronicles around them

• A look into the lives of elders, how they spend their nights, who they work with, and why including their roles in both their clans and covenants

• New Devotions, Merits, and Rituals for elder vampires

• The kinds of creatures that pose a threat to elder vampires, including Inamorata, Lamia, Sons of Phobos, a new elder conspiracy, and more!

          CONVENTIONS!

In November, we’ll be at Game Hole Con in Madison, WI. November 2-5: http://ift.tt/2xsOnuzMyself, Monica Valentinelli (Hunter: the Vigil 2e, Dark Eras), Manda Collis (Exalted 3e), Scott Holden (Scarred Lands), Matt M McElroy (Operations Manager) and other folks from the OPP crew will be there!

  Also in November, the Onyx Path crew including Rich, Matt, Lisa, Neall, Dixie, and Meghan will be at the first ever PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia, November 17-19. http://ift.tt/2kBzmfv

  In December, Matthew Dawkins, Dave Brookshaw, and Eddy Webb are going to be at Dragonmeet in London. https://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/ Expect plenty of playful class warfare as these three mix it up, represent Onyx Path, and generally redefine the term “hooligans”.

  Planning ahead for 2018, we’re heading back to Midwinter Game Convention in Milwaukee, January 11-14, where we’re going to be bringing a big crew of many of your favorite Onyx Path designers and we’ll be running demos and making some special announcements at the show!  http://midwintergamingconvention.com

    And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM ROLLICKING ROSE (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

M20 Gods and Monsters (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

C20 Novel (Jackie Cassada) (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

Monarchies of Mau (Monarchies of Mau)

Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)

  Redlines

Hunter: the Vigil 2e core (Hunter: the Vigil 2nd Edition)

They Came From Beneath the Sea! Rulebook (TCFBtS!)

  Second Draft

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

Tales of Good Dogs – Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)

Exalted 3rd Novel by Matt Forbeck (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Night Horrors: The Tormented (Promethean: The Created 2nd Edition)

Kithbook Boggans (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition)

  Development

Signs of Sorcery (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

SL Ring of Spiragos (Pathfinder – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)

Ring of Spiragos (5e – Scarred Lands 2nd Edition)

Scion: Origin (Scion 2nd Edition)

Scion: Hero (Scion 2nd Edition)

Trinity Continuum Core Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

Trinity Continuum: Aeon Rulebook (The Trinity Continuum)

GtS Geist 2e core (Geist: the Sin-Eaters Second Edition)

The Realm (Exalted 3rd Edition)

  WW Manuscript Approval:

  Editing:

Ex Novel 2 (Aaron Rosenberg) (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Pugmire Pan’s Guide for New Pioneers (Pugmire)

Dragon-Blooded (Exalted 3rd Edition)

  Post-Editing Development:

W20 Changing Ways (Werewolf: the Apocalypse 20th Anniversary Edition)

Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition, featuring the Huntsmen Chronicle (Changeling: the Lost 2nd Edition)

DtD Night Horrors: Enemy Action (Demon: the Descent)

  Indexing:

    ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE:

In Art Direction

Cavaliers of Mars – Need to figure out new art budget and I’ll get to contracting that.

W20 Changing Ways

Ex3 Monthly Stuff

Scion Origins

Ring of Spiragos

Book of Freeholds

DtD Enemy Action

Changeling: the Lost 2 – Artists are arting.

Trinity Continuum – Splats for core book with Mr Jones, prepping multi-cover single piece of artwork for illustrator.

  Marketing Stuff

  In Layout

Beast PG

Pugmire/Scarred Lands Community Content

VtR Half Damned 

Pentex Indoctrination Manual 

  Proofing

Ex 3 Arms of the Chosen – Second proof going out to devs today.

Wraith 20 – Waiting on layout proof notes from RichD.

M20 Cookbook – At WW for approval.

Becket’s Jyhad Diary – At WW for approval.

C20 Ready Made Characters – Second proof going out today.

  At Press

Beckett Screen – Shipped to shipper.

Scarred Land PGs & Wise and the Wicked PF & 5e – On a boat to the US. PDF and PoD physical book versions on sale at DTRPG.

VTR: Thousand Years of Night – Waiting for PoD proofs.

Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition (Changeling: the Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition) – Deluxe Edition cover and Screen in the works. Full proof sheets arriving tomorrow.

CtL Huntsmen Chronicle Anthology PDF – Advance PDF going on sale Wednesday.

Pugmire Trick, Condition, and Initiative Cards – PoD proofs ordered.

V20DA Jumpstart – Errata phase.

Prince’s Gambit – Errata phase.

  TODAY’S REASON TO CELEBRATE: It’s Weird Al’s birthday! You ever notice how many of his song stylin’s are about food? I Love Rocky Road, Eat It, My Bologna – the list goes on.

[chrispetescia]

My 2016 in review ... Part 1 of 2

Even after seven years of this (read: 2015 part 1 & part 2, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009), it’s actually a bit daunting to do one for 2016. I definitely procrastinated this year, partly because I am not sure how to articulate some of what I feel. I think the state of the world outside of what I can control ... from newly elected leadership at home to global humanitarian plights and environmental concerns ... has me feeling burdened by a mood of something looming and impending, dark but just in my peripheral vision for now. But, since I can’t quite speak to that yet, and let’s hope I never have to, this is a look back at some of my favorite things in the life bubble where my focus is 99% of the time anyway.

A few thoughts.

This year felt like a lot shifted in my lifestyle. I was fairly healthy, physically speaking (especially compared to events in previous years you can read about in older posts), largely thanks to my trainer who I see 3-days a week. But, I traveled more for work than ever before, saw my family less than ever before, and things were vastly differently than prior years. Looking back through a year of posts, photos, etc ... and, there are a lot, although to be honest, most photos are for myself and family to enjoy, so sorry / not sorry ... I just enjoy documenting it, because I appreciate it all. For me it is about living the life I want to live, that fulfills my drive, and it has always been. I do what I love because I love it, and because it enables the things I want in life across the board. 

I want Carrot to be the best place, where anyone talented can continue to develop and grow those talents, and in turn teach their fellow Carrots. I want to make sure everyone there feels inspired, respected, safe, and loves the specialness of what we have built. I want to adventure with my brother in arms and life, Mike Germano, for the sake of the journey and not any particular destination. I want to dress up as Star Wars characters (screen accuracy matters ;) and own ridiculous pieces of that Galaxy that inspires wonder in me, still. I want to be an Annual Passholder at Disney. I want to be a hero to my little girl, and exceed my wife’s expectations of me. And so these are the sorts of things I do, because they’re the purpose of it all - for me. I work to obtain and maintain against it... Career and life are not really separate. There is no “off,” and never has been. They’re all part of the “why” I do anything. Self-awareness is important, and I am grateful for my own because I suspect it’s not a universal trait. Life doesn’t compartmentalize in anyone’s reality, and so I don’t pretend mine does.

None of this is an accident, or even remotely easy. The “how” is the stuff that is hard to capture and share in an instagram photo: the many hours of work and meetings and meetings and work, the gold travel status by sheer volume of miles on two separate airlines, and all the many, many moments I miss by being away... this is what the majority of my time, energy and heart go to. My family gets maybe 20-25% of my attention and mental focus, broadly speaking, and hardly ever during the week. And so, I tend to celebrate the great things I am there for and can capture in a photo. It’s what I scroll through when I am away and need a quick smile and reminder. I want to be more present for them - mentally as well as physically - and if there is a daunting resolution for 2017, it’s that. It won’t be easy because I am wired for the broader consideration of Carrot and the 170-or-so people who have chosen to spend their valuable time, energy and creativity there. That love and responsibility existed first and so the two compete inside me. The one I see the most tends to win-out. Life is fleeting, so I want to work on my internal discipline and be present... when I am with my family, I need to be with them give them the most of me I can.

Below is a highlights reel of notes (photo and video linked) about 2016, beginning with Carrot and ending with life outside it (don’t worry- plenty of Olivia). The company is way, way too big and busy to even remotely cover adequately and without insulting any of our talented people whose efforts I don’t note specifically. So, this is just some of my favorite memories from the year and barely a small fraction of it all. Our 2016 work reel nods to more than I can in this post, and not even enough then - but, I am incredibly proud of all of it, particularly because so many others had everything to do with it, often entirely independent of me.

2016 Professional

The year started off with a marathon 5-days at CES in Las Vegas for tech immersion and meetings. It was great to spend some time with Robin Trani, who was also out there! Demoing Tilt Brush and other VR games from Steam/ HTC Vive with her and Bruno was particularly memorable. The very occasional sleep (alright, unconsciousness) was in a nice room with a view, but by the time I left and landed at my hotel in LA, I NEEDED a drink ... which was a bit alarming. I think three days in Vegas is a healthy limit, for general reference. My first time in Venice Beach, I finally got out to see our newly-opened LA office. It was the first of many visits in 2016 (and the start of my avocado toast obsession), and fondly reminded me of our earlier days of Carrot: the excitement, energy, and possibility of everyone working hard in line-of-sight (but with the upside of financial backing and nice amenities ;). We spent a Sunday afternoon at Disneyland - my first time there! - as a Carrot family, full of thrills and fun. We also met with and befriended the amazingly talented Blur Studios, and I was invited to dress fancy and attend co-founder and Deadpool Director Tim Miller’s premiere of the film! Len from Carrot LA and my good friend Ashley joined. In the spirit of premieres, Ashley generously invited me and the whole Carrot LA staff to the premiere with Q&A of Studio Ghibli’s Only Yesterday, newly dubbed in English and including the voice talent of Daisy Ridley and, of course, Ashley herself!

Continuing the momentum of cool things, I was back out West for one of the most special experiences of my life. Carrot is our vessel for dreams, and I sailed through a few checkboxes in one trip. It began with our client ANA’s new BB-8 plane, landing at LAX from its inaugural flight. Jasmine was kind enough to insist I sub-in for a Carrot rep out there, and I GOT TO MEET BB-8 (flown in from the London set of Episode 8)! The next day I was in San Francisco to visit Lucasfilm. Ahead of meetings, I got to join Ashley’s family on a special tour through halls of props, production and a lot I wasn’t allowed to photograph. At the end of the day, we were even treated to a special, early screening of Star Wars Rebels’ Season 2 finale with Director Dave Filoni and crew! The next day I drove across the bridge to Marin, and Skywalker Ranch. This is on every true fan’s dream checklist, and meetings with the George Lucas Education Foundation regarding their 25th anniversary earned me a coveted invite. After the meeting, I headed over to the insanely private guest houses to meet up with Ashley and her wonderful family again, who had been invited to stay, coincidentally. The ranch is truly one of the most beautiful and profoundly peaceful places I have ever been, and guests are essentially Star Wars royalty or celebrities recording at Skywalker Sound (on premises) or VIPs doing business with George. After walking the grounds (and seeing some Endor re-shoot spots), buying some keycard access-only swag at the Ranch Store (this stuff will be buried with me - you can’t even find any of it on ebay, as that would be insulting to George), we enjoyed a nice dinner in the common area building. We prepared the food alongside Jodie Foster and her partner (who I didn’t initially recognize) and two chefs who they brought up from SF, in a giant kitchen. You can request food from the ranch gardens and farm, all of which is picked fresh daily. I wasn’t allowed to take photos, but while walking around the property my finger did slip a few times (and we know iPhones have a mind of their own). All three days of this insane experience are surmised in photos here.

Speaking of Ashley Eckstein, who I am so honored to count as a close friend ... I am beyond proud and impressed with her as an entrepreneur and business woman, talented actress and performer. After 6.5 years of hard work, her company, Her Universe, sold to Hot Topic this fall and they just recently began the next phase of their growth and adventure. Congrats to Ashley, David and the team who are already working to expand and conquer a space they created: fashionable, empowering apparel for female fangirls. HU and HT have a history of successful collaboration. It’s exciting to look forward to more now, especially with licenses ranging from Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel and Disney Parks (and plenty more). The apparel is fantastically designed, and it makes the male fanbase envious (myself included ... although I do have some apparel I wear anyway). Their fashion show at SDCC this year was unprecedented and they even had a digital docu-series produced for it (Carrot worked on some screen graphics)!  Additionally, I have high hopes for continued success and the growth of Her Universe press :)

Another incredible experience this year was my time working with Disney Parks. There is surely more ahead for us in 2017, but it began extremely uniquely. After meeting with a VP-level scouting team from their creative group, Yellow Shoes, in the Spring of 2016, Duncan Wardle (A brilliant, 29-year veteran) asked me to breakfast in NYC. By the end of our chat, I learned that we had excited them so much with our passion for the Disney brand and our knowledge of the digital and social content and tech space, that we were being invited to participate in their proprietary creative process for 2017 planning. Myself and an appropriate second party (we selected Asif Khan, who headed our Strategy team) would be part of a braintrust to do several weeks of deep strategy and creative work in Orlando. I cannot disclose more than that, but I am sure they won’t mind me speaking about my awe. A Disney fanboy, I was essentially being asked to live, eat, and breathe Walt Disney World for several weeks. Work and Think Disney all day in sessions, experience the magic of WDW after hours. Aside from obvious reasons, this was incredibly fulfilling because I got to think for Disney ... one challenge, intensely ... rather than a myriad of dozens of things at once. The focus of it was completely refreshing and something I didn’t realize I desperately needed, a healthy departure from (and light neglect of) the many, many things I usually touch and shift between mentally on any given day. We did some fantastic work with great collaboration between complimentary expertise, and developed some incredible relationships. We truly felt like partners in the process. A special thank you is beyond necessary to Chris Chapman for everything during those sessions, and since. I can’t talk about the work, but I can talk about everything beyond. The first two weeks we stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge and enjoyed a Savannah view. There is a special sort of magic in taking conference calls and working from your room’s deck while a grazing giraffe watches you. If you got sick of that, there was always the stunning lobby to catch up on email before dinner at the Parks. Week three was at Disney’s Grand Floridian, which is stunningly beautiful and I am probably not fancy enough for it - I did get the best sleep I have had in years there though, and ended up buying one of the pillows they use in the rooms, for home. Week four was at Disney’s Boardwalk, whose vibe was just really cool. Modeled after turn-of-the-century Atlantic City, it was beautiful and incredibly placed in walking distance between Hollywood Studios and Epcot. Chris Mercaldo was generous enough to guide us through the Parks, after hours, on several occasions, with seemingly infinite knowledge and factoids, and enabled many firsts for me (Tower of Terror and Everest among them). I returned for a new project in October (with a fresh Carrot crew), for a shorter session and stay, and once again enjoyed the Grand Floridian. We also had plenty of meetings out west in the Burbank offices for Digital and Creative. All said and done, and including a vacation in October and a remote-work/vacation the week before Christmas, I spent something like 7-8 weeks living at WDW. From food to technology, it is truly a place of wonder, and the “Frontline Cast” (guest-facing staff) is incredibly proud of their work and eager to assist, and ensure you have a magical day. Carrot <3 Disney.

Some other great memories this year include continued work with The Yankees and seeing thousands of our ticket designs in the hands of fans throughout the season. We enjoyed our company season tickets and a special suite for their Star Wars Day! Speaking of Star Wars Day, May the 4th at Carrot is a special day and this year’s festivities included fantastic decor and arrangements by Brittany and her office team. We even made a special BB-8 cocktail, tweaked and approved by expert and friend BT Parsons. BT was also kind enough to do an Amaro tasting this fall at Carrot, in honor of his new book. 2016 also saw Carrot’s 11th Founder’s Day and 11th Birthday. We were at RIT’s New Media Industry day, recruiting for our 8th year straight, and I was asked to be on both an Alumni Board and Applied Critical Thinking board - incredible honors - which will begin duties early in 2017. Carrot Halloween was a blast as usual and probably the best annual party at Carrot, IMO, while Carrotsgiving is always just a warm and happy event: everyone comes together, brings something to share, and we celebrate an appreciation for what we have and have built together. This years was our last in the office at 45 Main st so it felt a little extra special. We also named Kurt as our Carrot cup winner, as voted by previous winners, and it was entirely deserved! 

A big one, literally:  we signed a lease for a brand new office in the spring, and broke ground this fall. Lots of hard work from all, with daily management by Kyle and planning by Brittany and Carlos will have us in there shortly. This is the space we dreamed of for our office - literally this exact space - when we first came to Brooklyn. It’s beautiful and exciting and represents the company we now are. It’s also extremely exciting because we will be sharing it with VICE’s content agency, Virtue, and working to fully capitalize on our collaboration. The potential of Carrot + VICE has been only lightly tapped since the acquisition, so I am genuinely anticipating what working side by side with them will enable us both to do :) We are entering the next phase of the company, an evolution that we tend to go through every year or so, and this one is profoundly at a new level of potential. 2017 is going to be a fun year - with high expectations - for Carrot :)

In terms of external investments, there are a few I will talk more about in a 2017 recap (hopefully) ... but we have some great stuff in the works for Fornino and it’s still as delicious as ever. We also invested in a new company: Cora. Their mission and leadership and product are fantastic. Our friends at Robin are still killing it and we couldn’t be prouder.

Continued in Part 2 of 2 ...

[pawspurses]

Premium Passports Lose Their Shine in a Post-Pandemic World

Premium Passports Lose Their Shine in a Post-Pandemic World As parts of the globe cautiously begin to open up, the focus is on what travel freedom and global mobility will look like in a post–Covid-19 world. Last week the EU released a list of countries whose residents would be allowed entry into the bloc from 1 July based on coronavirus-related health and safety criteria. Included on the welcome list are Australia, Canada, Japan, and South Korea that traditionally score highly on the Henley Passport Index. The actual ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. However, in a move perceived as a stinging rebuke for its poor handling of the pandemic, the US was notably excluded from the list, as were Brazil and Russia. Although not reflected in the latest ranking, which does not take temporary travel bans into account, it is eye-opening to consider what travel freedom currently looks like for the holders of once-prestigious passports. For instance, before Covid-19, the US passport usually ranked within the top 10 on the Henley Passport Index in 6th or 7th place, with its citizens able to access 185 destinations worldwide without requiring a visa in advance. However, under the current EU ban, the picture looks starkly different. US nationals now have roughly the same level of travel freedom as citizens of Uruguay (included on the EU’s list of welcome countries), which ranks 28th on the index, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 153. In another striking inversion, the US’s dramatic decline in passport power means that Americans find themselves with a similar level of travel freedom usually available to citizens of Mexico (25th on the index, with a score of 159), current travel bans notwithstanding, albeit temporarily. This is one of many extraordinary shifts in passport power caused by the temporary pandemic-related bans. Brazilian passport holders, for example, find their passport strength greatly diminished. The country usually ranks highly on the index ¾ most recently placed 19th, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 170 ¾. Still, the loss of access to the EU means Brazilians currently have roughly the same extent of travel freedom as citizens of Paraguay (36th on the index, with a score of 142). Without taking the various travel bans and restrictions into account, Japan continues to hold the number one spot on the Henley Passport Index with a score of 191. Singapore remains in 2nd place with a score of 190. Germany and South Korea are in joint-3rd place, each with a score of 189. Both Japan and South Korea have been included in the EU’s list of ‘safe’ countries. While Singapore has been excluded, which means Singaporean passport holders currently have far less travel freedom than their closest competitors on the index, which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).  Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, Chairman of investment migration firm Henley & Partners and the inventor of the passport index concept, says the EU’s recent decision will have far-reaching effects. “As we have already seen, the pandemic’s impact on travel freedom has been more drastic and long-lasting than initially anticipated. This latest decision by the EU indicates that there is more upheaval to come. Look at the US passport. For example, ¾ in 2014, it held the number one spot in the world on our index. US nationals currently have far less travel freedom than most citizens of other wealthy, industrialized nations and even of some less-developed nations, being effectively locked out of Europe. We see an emergence of a new global hierarchy in terms of mobility, with countries that have effectively managed the pandemic taking the lead, and countries that have handled it poorly falling behind.” Immigration controls in US and UK tighten amid calls for co-operation While the US looks set to be significantly affected by the EU’s latest decision, it has issued stringent immigration controls of its own over the past few months. Greg Lindsay, Director of Applied Research at NewCities, says that the Trump administration’s temporary suspension of all work visas will have far-reaching effects. “The executive order, signed on the 22 June, will bar as many as 525,000 foreign workers from entering the country for the rest of the year.” As Lindsay points out, this decision is only the latest salvo in White House aide Stephen Miller’s years-long campaign to curtail worker visas, arguing that they harm employment prospects for Americans. In the UK, the pandemic’s effect on mobility has also been severe. Robert McNeil, Deputy Director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, says that the almost complete cessation of international arrivals into the country has generated serious challenges for industries that have become dependent on seasonal migrant workers from the EU. McNeil says that despite public attitudes around immigration softening, the Brexit process has not slowed down. “In May, the government pushed through the new Immigration Bill, paving the way for a new ‘points-based’ immigration system. The new restrictions would prevent many people from becoming key workers in the UK in future. Around half of the EU citizens currently in key worker positions in the UK would not meet the new salary and skills thresholds required to move to the country from 2021.” Changing priorities in a transformed world As premium passports lose their shine in a post-Covid world, experts suggest that the crisis is likely to make international mobility more restricted and unpredictable in the longer term. “Even as countries open their borders, it is expected that numerous governments will use epidemiological concerns as a justification for imposing new immigration restrictions and nationality-targeted travel bans that will mainly be aimed at citizens of developing countries,” says Prof. Dr. Yossi Harpaz, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Tel Aviv University. Noting the recent decision by the EU with respect to the US and other countries, Harpaz says, “The passports of both developing and developed nations stand to decrease in value, at least temporarily. In such uncertain times, global demand for dual citizenship and investor visas is expected to increase.” Discussing the impact of the pandemic on global migration trends, Charles Phillips, researcher and consultant for Oxford Business Group, suggests that environmental health concerns could become a priority for those seeking alternative residence or citizenship. “We can expect places that are governed well and better equipped to deal with pandemics to become destinations people will seek to move to. Just as health considerations will more strongly influence travel choices, we may see those acquiring alternative residence or citizenship placing a greater emphasis on a country’s health policies when deciding where to reside.” Dr. Juerg Steffen, CEO of Henley & Partners, says the growing demand for additional residence and citizenship options comes as no surprise. “We have seen extraordinary upheaval over the past few months, with many certainties falling away. For investors and their families, having second citizenship or an alternative residence is an even more precious asset than ever before, as concerns over access to first-rate healthcare, global mobility, and quality of life take on a new urgency. In turn, investment migration programs provide invaluable economic security to the countries that offer them. As we enter the worst recession since the Great Depression, a small country like Montenegro, for instance, is better equipped to weather the storm. The recently launched Montenegro Citizenship-by-Investment Program provides permanent access and the right to stay in this beautiful and safe European country. It also provides the country with an immediate liquidity injection of much needed debt-free foreign capital that can be used to buffer the impact of the pandemic and create significant societal value.” About the 2020 Henley Passport Index Boasting cutting-edge expert commentary and historical data spanning 15 years, the Henley Passport Index is the original ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. The ranking is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information, and it is enhanced by extensive, ongoing research by the Henley & Partners Research Department.  Along with the Kälin  – Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index, it is considered a major reference tool for global citizens and the standard reference for governments in this field. About Henley & Partners Henley & Partners is the global leader in residence and citizenship planning. Each year, hundreds of wealthy individuals and their advisors rely on our expertise and experience in this area. The firm’s highly qualified professionals work together as one team in over 30 offices worldwide. The concept of residence and citizenship planning was created by Henley & Partners in the 1990s. As globalization has expanded, residence and citizenship have become topics of significant interest among the increasing number of internationally mobile entrepreneurs and investors whom we proudly serve every day. The firm also runs a leading government advisory practise that has raised more than USD 8 billion in foreign direct investment. Trusted by governments, the firm has been involved in strategic consulting and in the design, set-up, and operation of the world’s most successful residence and citizenship programs. Thank you for supporting this blog by checking out my shop and for following me on Spotify or where ever you listen to your favourite podcasts. Read the full article

[phatjosh180]

Running in 2018

Sure it’s December and it’s a bit cliche to put these goal posts out. But, I’ve been writing, scheming and planning my 2018 race and training schedule pretty much since August or earlier. I’m an over planner — that’s just what I do.

I love the last couple months of the year, because it allows me to be retrospective of the past year and finalize my upcoming year’s plan. The new year brings a renewed hope and excitement that I love. It’s really my favorite time of the year — if there’s a lot of snow falling outside (that’s a whole other story).

I have a few focuses for my running and fitness in 2018. I have my 100 miler in February, my 180th race in July and the need for balance with my fitness. They’re pretty simple goals, but goals that will requirement a commitment from me to focus on the task at hand.

This month and leading into February is about preparing for my 100 mile run. I won’t lie, I’m nervous about it. I know I can do it. But, my ankle injury really derailed my planned training throughout the year. But, really, the goal is time on my feet — lots of treadmill and indoor track miles — and I am fine with that. That’s what I knew I’d be doing at this point anyways.

It’s just the mental aspect of the injury and training that makes me nervous.

I have a game plan and 48 hours to complete the 100 miles. I’m going to do it.

I am also 11 races away from my 180 race goal. My commitment to this is rather simple — don’t sign up for more than 11 races between now and the Bountiful Handcart Days Half Marathon in July. You think that’s pretty stupid — but, in years past that’s a real struggle for me.

I am planning on running a few 5Ks and trail runs under 13.1 miles throughout the year. That’s not only to keep my 13.1 mile runs and beyond in check, but also to me balance my fitness a bit more.

With the recent success I’ve had with keto, my focus is really on diet and fitness. I want to get faster and rebuild a foundation I had a few years ago that I lost when my thyroid tanked (long story). My keto diet really gives me hope that it’s possible to do that — especially with the proper training a sub-two half marathon — a goal of mine for years.

As you will see in my weekend running schedule below, I am planning on taking at least one weekend a month off from running and doing some cross training. Not sure what that will entail yet. Whether that will be boot camp, swimming or if I’m brave enough — cycling (another long story) — we’ll see. I just feel the weekend off will help refocus me as well.

I am also planning a number of training and trail runs throughout the year. I’ll post those on Facebook when I finalize dates on that — I’ll post that on my Facebook page and the wasatch.run Facebook page as well. So stay tuned.

Needless to say, I am excited for 2018. I am excited to see where my running takes me. I am excited about my fitness and health. I haven’t felt this way in a couple of years and that excites me. I am still not 100% with my ankle, but that will come.

The focus is simple in 2018 which will hopefully lead me into some more definitive goals in 2019.

But, for now — it’s one foot in front of the other.

Road to 180

In 2011 after I ran my first half marathon, I made the goal to run 180 races over 13.1 miles before my 40th birthday. Well, I fell into running a bit more than I initially anticipated. I will be hitting that goal this summer less than a month before my 37th birthday.

My 180th race will be the Bountiful Handcart Days Half Marathon — which was my first and 100th race. I can’t think of a better race to celebrate this accomplishment at than my hometown race.

I am inviting anyone and everyone to join me that day — it’s July 21st and I have an event set up on Facebook you can RSVP at. Registration is only $40 right now — CHEAP! CHEAP! — so please join me!

Anyways, here are the last 11 races toward my 180 goal …

Race/Running Schedule 2018

As noted above the focus for my 2018 running is balance. Not just in running, but in my overall fitness. I feel like with that combination of balance and my current keto diet I’ll get where I want to be in 2019 so I can focus on some speed goals — including a sub-two half marathon time goal

January to mid-February will be heavy mileage weeks as I am working toward my 100 mile run at the Jackpot Running Festival. But, after that, my goal is to focus on about 1-2 half marathons a month with a group road/trail run and cross training weekend. And, by cross training I mean … a no race weekend other than maybe a 5K.

I have most of the weekend’s planned out — some will obviously change, especially from September to December. That’s just a BIT too far out to plan for me. There are a few variables with races and group runs that will need to play out for a couple more months. But, I have the gist of it figured out.

Anyways here is what my 2018 schedule SHOULD look like …

January

1 – Revolution Run (170) 7 – Olympic Oval 14 – Olympic Oval 21 – Olympic Oval 28 – Olympic Oval

February

3 – Sun Marathon (171) 10 – Olympic Oval 17 – Jackpot Running Festival (172) 24 – Cross Training/Rest

March

3 – March Madness 5K 10 – Cross Training 17 – Lucky 13 5K 24 – Riverton Half Marathon (173) 31 – Sugar House Park Training Run

April

7 – Run Emigration Half Marathon (174) 14 – Provo Canyon Trail Run 21 – Salt Lake City Half Marathon (175) 28 – Cross Training

May

5 – Emigration Canyon Training Run 12 – Vigor Big Cottonwood Half Marathon (176) 19 – Cross Training 28 – Memorial Day Big Cottonwood Training Run

June

2 – Vigor Solitude 5 Mile Run 9 – Drop13 Big Cottonwood Half Marathon (177) 16 – Mueller Park Group Run 23 – AF Canyon Race Against Cancer (178) 30 – Cross Training

July

7 – Hobbler Half (179) 14 – Run4Fun Trail Run 21 – Handcart Days Half Marathon (180) 28 – Cross Training

August

4 – Big Cottonwood Training Run 11 – Elephant Rock Trail Half Marathon (181) 18 – Cross Training 25 – Mt. Nebo Half (182)

September

1 – Antelope Island/Mueller Trail Run 8 – Revel Big Cottonwood Half Marathon (183) 15 – Park City Trail 13.1 (184) 22 – Cross Training 29 – Big Cottonwood Training Run

October

6 – Thistle Trail Festival (185) 13 – Antelope Island Half Marathon (186) 20 – Cross Training 27 – The Haunted Half – Provo (187)

November

3 – Mueller Park Trail Run 10 – Mt. View Trail Half Marathon (188) 17 – Cross Training 22 – Thankful 13 (189) 24 – Utah Santa Run

December

1 – Utah Santa Run 8 – The Bakers Dozen Half Marathon (190) 15 – Cross Training 22 – The Run Before Christmas 29 – Cross Training

A post shared by The Runcast (@theruncast) on Nov 7, 2017 at 4:41pm PST

Running in 2018 was originally published on PhatJosh | My Life Running.

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How Not to Be a Complete Nerve Wreck in an Interview

Talking about yourself is something that should be easy, yet it’s not. How do you respond to this question in an interview.

So, tell me about yourself?

Do you find you are a nervous wreck when responding? If so, fear not, because you are not alone.

Interviews are such a pain.

People struggle during job interviews. For some reasons, we treat the interview as if something our life has to depend on. We fear failure, yet if we just relaxed, we might find that the interview could actually be conducted as if it were a normal conversation.

During a stressful time, a leader I respect once asked me, “Did anyone die?” He was able to immediately put things in perspective. This simple, yet powerful advice assisted me in a recent job interview with a Fortune 500 company.

Along with putting things into proper perspective, there are certain things we can do to ensure we are able to answer this seemingly simple (yet enormously difficult) question; a question typically asked right at the beginning of the interview.

So, how to answer tell me about yourself?

Most interviewees don’t understand the real questions behind “tell me about yourself”.

Jane Copland provides fantastic practical tips for success in landing your dream job. She remarks that in order to avoid the trap of freezing or rambling, we should study common interview questions and prepare our response to them. She encourages us not to memorize our answers, simply practice the key points. If we do this, we will find that we feel more confident and bring out our best. [1]

By following Jane’s advice, this interview question can be broken down into three subordinate questions:

What is the underlying meaning to this question? Here they are really looking for the qualities you possess; for which you could immediately use.

Why are they asking this question? They are wanting to know how you fit into their organization. This is where you need to demonstrate that you know what is important to them, not you.

What response are they secretly looking for? Are you a “change agent”? Meaning, can you bring value to their organization and foster change. Can you hit the ground running and improve their bottom line? That’s what they really want to know.

Once we understand the real questions, we can then develop a strategy to ensure we don’t blow the interview with the first question.

Here is a quick list of things you should do… and those things you should never do.

Follow this process and find the perfect response.

I used this powerful 4-Step Method in a recent interview with a Fortune 500 company. By simply following these 4 steps, I was able to walk in the room with an unwavering high level of confidence. The following sections will break down each step, with tools and practical examples.

1. Spend more time on research.

The first thing you should do prior to the interview is to thoroughly research the company. To be able to answer the “Tell me about yourself question”, you must be able to customize yourself to the type of person they are looking for. Use these tools and demonstrate that you can improve their bottom line immediately:

80/20 Rule. Find the 20% of the items that bring in 80% of the company revenue. Make sure you are familiar with their critical 20%. This shows you understand the company.

Know the financial health of the company and look for “opportunity areas” to attack. Do this by looking at their financial statements or quarterly reports. This will allow you to back up your assertion that you can make them money, because you can demonstrate how.

The best way to prepare for a job interview is to read a book that is popular in your profession. Better yet, read a book penned by the CEO of the organization you are interviewing with. You will be amazed at how little people read, especially books in their own field. This simple act will put you ahead in your profession. I personally re-read The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt before a job interview in the process improvement world. I am able to grasp the books core principles. Typically, they think they are my creation.

Read blogs from the professionals. I find myself reading the tips provided at Thepensters.com. This site offers phenomenal practical advice; which is what you are in need of right now.

2. Practice everywhere.

If you fail to attempt this step, then you might as well start scheduling your next interview because you don’t have a chance at this one.

80/20 Rule for preparation. Yes again, the 80/20 rule. You can also use this rule for preparation. You must have a Plan A and Plan B. Focus 80% of your effort on Plan A and 20% of your effort on Plan B. [2]

Practice the art of Visualization. Visualize the entire interview in your head. Visualize exactly how you want the interview to flow and how you will control the interview. You will be amazed at just how powerful this technique is. I use this for everything I do… interviews, speaking engagements, even important phone calls.

Practice with a friend or family member. Make sure you choose someone you trust and someone who will provide candid feedback.

Use an analogy when attempting to learn the technical information about the company… especially if you are not familiar with what they do. An analogy is simply a comparison between two concepts for the purpose of explanation. For example, if you are in the medical field and are trying to learn a new science, such as epigenetics, you may want to use something similar to, “Genetics is like the blue prints. Epigenetics are like post-it notes on those blueprints (usually telling you to ignore that part).” – Justin Ma

Use diagrams. Diagrams are a powerful technique and a great way to visualize difficult concepts. Don’t be afraid to use them.

3. Follow this powerful formula.

If you are looking for a powerful way to guide your interview and answer the question, “Tell me about yourself” then I highly recommend you use one of the following formulas (or a combination of them all):

Present -> Past -> Future. You start with the present (where you are right now), then discuss the past (experiences you have had and skills you have gained), then finish with the future (why you are excited about this opportunity). For example, I might use: “I am currently a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, where I improve overall performance for our organization. Before that I commanded 170 people where I launched 15 improvement initiatives. While I enjoyed my time as a Soldier, I would really like the chance to develop a deeper understanding as a practitioner in process improvement. This is why I am extremely excited about this opportunity with you.” [3]

Rule of 3. Since we can only hold a small amount of information at one time, it is important to understand and use the Rule of 3.

4. Work on your plans beforehand.

Use Implementation Intentions. These are “If-Then statements.” They are preplanned responses to make sure you are directing your internal and external behaviors toward the overall goal – in this case landing the job and explaining “Who you are.”

For example, I use the following Implementation Intention during my interviews: If or when scenario x happens, then I will perform y. More specifically: If or when I am asked to prove a principle (i.e. I can improve their bottom line), then I will respond with a detailed roadmap on how I can improve their bottom line. This means that I must have plenty of detailed roadmaps handy.

If you are trying to understand the critical functions of a company and you come across something you do not understand, try chunking the new information or idea. Think of a puzzle, simply break the term down into components, then break those components into further sub-components.

5. End it well and make sure you look good.

Lastly, make sure to follow-up with the interview panel. I highly recommend you send a personal “Thank You” letter. If you do not receive the job, ask them what improvements they suggest.

Don’t forget, when you are preparing for your interview, make sure you are dressed to impress. Don’t look like a bum! Finally, remember this advice when you are preparing for your next interview.

“If we all threw our problems into a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.”

Hence, don’t forget to put things into perspective and remember that there will always be another interview.

Featured photo credit: Flaticon via flaticon.com

Reference

[1]^The Pensters: 9 speech skills that you have to improve to get a job of your dream[2]^Gary Vaynerchuk: #AskGaryVee[3]^The Muse: A simple formula for answering “Tell me about yourself ”

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How Not to Be a Complete Nerve Wreck in an Interview

Talking about yourself is something that should be easy, yet it’s not. How do you respond to this question in an interview.

So, tell me about yourself?

Do you find you are a nervous wreck when responding? If so, fear not, because you are not alone.

Interviews are such a pain.

People struggle during job interviews. For some reasons, we treat the interview as if something our life has to depend on. We fear failure, yet if we just relaxed, we might find that the interview could actually be conducted as if it were a normal conversation.

During a stressful time, a leader I respect once asked me, “Did anyone die?” He was able to immediately put things in perspective. This simple, yet powerful advice assisted me in a recent job interview with a Fortune 500 company.

Along with putting things into proper perspective, there are certain things we can do to ensure we are able to answer this seemingly simple (yet enormously difficult) question; a question typically asked right at the beginning of the interview.

So, how to answer tell me about yourself?

Most interviewees don’t understand the real questions behind “tell me about yourself”.

Jane Copland provides fantastic practical tips for success in landing your dream job. She remarks that in order to avoid the trap of freezing or rambling, we should study common interview questions and prepare our response to them. She encourages us not to memorize our answers, simply practice the key points. If we do this, we will find that we feel more confident and bring out our best. [1]

By following Jane’s advice, this interview question can be broken down into three subordinate questions:

What is the underlying meaning to this question? Here they are really looking for the qualities you possess; for which you could immediately use.

Why are they asking this question? They are wanting to know how you fit into their organization. This is where you need to demonstrate that you know what is important to them, not you.

What response are they secretly looking for? Are you a “change agent”? Meaning, can you bring value to their organization and foster change. Can you hit the ground running and improve their bottom line? That’s what they really want to know.

Once we understand the real questions, we can then develop a strategy to ensure we don’t blow the interview with the first question.

Here is a quick list of things you should do… and those things you should never do.

Follow this process and find the perfect response.

I used this powerful 4-Step Method in a recent interview with a Fortune 500 company. By simply following these 4 steps, I was able to walk in the room with an unwavering high level of confidence. The following sections will break down each step, with tools and practical examples.

1. Spend more time on research.

The first thing you should do prior to the interview is to thoroughly research the company. To be able to answer the “Tell me about yourself question”, you must be able to customize yourself to the type of person they are looking for. Use these tools and demonstrate that you can improve their bottom line immediately:

80/20 Rule. Find the 20% of the items that bring in 80% of the company revenue. Make sure you are familiar with their critical 20%. This shows you understand the company.

Know the financial health of the company and look for “opportunity areas” to attack. Do this by looking at their financial statements or quarterly reports. This will allow you to back up your assertion that you can make them money, because you can demonstrate how.

The best way to prepare for a job interview is to read a book that is popular in your profession. Better yet, read a book penned by the CEO of the organization you are interviewing with. You will be amazed at how little people read, especially books in their own field. This simple act will put you ahead in your profession. I personally re-read The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt before a job interview in the process improvement world. I am able to grasp the books core principles. Typically, they think they are my creation.

Read blogs from the professionals. I find myself reading the tips provided at Thepensters.com. This site offers phenomenal practical advice; which is what you are in need of right now.

2. Practice everywhere.

If you fail to attempt this step, then you might as well start scheduling your next interview because you don’t have a chance at this one.

80/20 Rule for preparation. Yes again, the 80/20 rule. You can also use this rule for preparation. You must have a Plan A and Plan B. Focus 80% of your effort on Plan A and 20% of your effort on Plan B. [2]

Practice the art of Visualization. Visualize the entire interview in your head. Visualize exactly how you want the interview to flow and how you will control the interview. You will be amazed at just how powerful this technique is. I use this for everything I do… interviews, speaking engagements, even important phone calls.

Practice with a friend or family member. Make sure you choose someone you trust and someone who will provide candid feedback.

Use an analogy when attempting to learn the technical information about the company… especially if you are not familiar with what they do. An analogy is simply a comparison between two concepts for the purpose of explanation. For example, if you are in the medical field and are trying to learn a new science, such as epigenetics, you may want to use something similar to, “Genetics is like the blue prints. Epigenetics are like post-it notes on those blueprints (usually telling you to ignore that part).” – Justin Ma

Use diagrams. Diagrams are a powerful technique and a great way to visualize difficult concepts. Don’t be afraid to use them.

3. Follow this powerful formula.

If you are looking for a powerful way to guide your interview and answer the question, “Tell me about yourself” then I highly recommend you use one of the following formulas (or a combination of them all):

Present -> Past -> Future. You start with the present (where you are right now), then discuss the past (experiences you have had and skills you have gained), then finish with the future (why you are excited about this opportunity). For example, I might use: “I am currently a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, where I improve overall performance for our organization. Before that I commanded 170 people where I launched 15 improvement initiatives. While I enjoyed my time as a Soldier, I would really like the chance to develop a deeper understanding as a practitioner in process improvement. This is why I am extremely excited about this opportunity with you.” [3]

Rule of 3. Since we can only hold a small amount of information at one time, it is important to understand and use the Rule of 3.

4. Work on your plans beforehand.

Use Implementation Intentions. These are “If-Then statements.” They are preplanned responses to make sure you are directing your internal and external behaviors toward the overall goal – in this case landing the job and explaining “Who you are.”

For example, I use the following Implementation Intention during my interviews: If or when scenario x happens, then I will perform y. More specifically: If or when I am asked to prove a principle (i.e. I can improve their bottom line), then I will respond with a detailed roadmap on how I can improve their bottom line. This means that I must have plenty of detailed roadmaps handy.

If you are trying to understand the critical functions of a company and you come across something you do not understand, try chunking the new information or idea. Think of a puzzle, simply break the term down into components, then break those components into further sub-components.

5. End it well and make sure you look good.

Lastly, make sure to follow-up with the interview panel. I highly recommend you send a personal “Thank You” letter. If you do not receive the job, ask them what improvements they suggest.

Don’t forget, when you are preparing for your interview, make sure you are dressed to impress. Don’t look like a bum! Finally, remember this advice when you are preparing for your next interview.

“If we all threw our problems into a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.”

Hence, don’t forget to put things into perspective and remember that there will always be another interview.

Featured photo credit: Flaticon via flaticon.com

Reference

[1]^The Pensters: 9 speech skills that you have to improve to get a job of your dream[2]^Gary Vaynerchuk: #AskGaryVee[3]^The Muse: A simple formula for answering “Tell me about yourself ”

function footnote_expand_reference_container() { jQuery(“#footnote_references_container”).show(); jQuery(“#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button”).text(“-“); } function footnote_collapse_reference_container() { jQuery(“#footnote_references_container”).hide(); jQuery(“#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button”).text(“+”); } function footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container() { if (jQuery(“#footnote_references_container”).is(“:hidden”)) { footnote_expand_reference_container(); } else { footnote_collapse_reference_container(); } } function footnote_moveToAnchor(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery(“#” + p_str_TargetID); if(l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery(‘html, body’).animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top – window.innerHeight/2 }, 1000); } }

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