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thedumpsterqueen · 4 years

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Standards of Performance, Chapter 6: Buckshot and Tequila

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5

AO3 Link

Finally, I write most of the chapter before the day I’m supposed to post it. This was mostly done on my laptop (which I’m not used to) as we just moved and my PC is barely set up, so forgive anything that looks weird or wonky. As always, I hope you enjoy. I love getting all your kind messages <3 (Also message me if you want to be on the taglist - I suppose I should be better about that!)

Summary: You’re the BAU’s newest intern, desperate to prove yourself amongst an established team of much more experienced profilers. Agent Hotchner, the seemingly infallible team leader, sets strict expectations for your performance. He commands your respect without even trying, but is there something more to your relationship than a simple desire to impress your stony-faced boss?

Chapter: 6, Buckshot and Tequila

Chapter Summary: Events during a new case test your ability to keep your feelings hidden, and a night out takes an unforeseen turn.

Words: 3736

Rating: Explicit, 18+. Warnings on AO3.

Pairings: Hotch x Reader, Hotch x You

Turns out, lying to Hotch was easier than you thought.

It helped that you were lying to yourself too, of course - that you pretended your gaze didn't linger on his form whenever he was in your vicinity, that the swell of pride in your chest when he agreed with something you said was purely professional. There were times, though, that the facade was much harder to maintain. The most recent case had been one of those times.

You had been tracking down an unsub abducting children in a rural Iowa town. Three kids had gone missing in the span of two weeks, and after Garcia matched the victimology and MO with neighboring states, it looked to be close to a dozen in the years before that. The case started off rough enough - locals refused to believe it could be one of their own, police resisted the BAU’s guidance, the usual - but it came to a head when a fourth child went missing during the investigation.

Thankfully, the team figured out the identity of the unsub relatively quickly. Reid did a geographical profile of all the locations where victims were taken and found a public health clinic that had branches in each area. Garcia cross-checked the employee records to find that only one doctor had done travel shifts at each clinic during the time the children were taken, and within minutes, you were rushing to his address.

The SUV carrying Hotch, Rossi, and Prentiss arrived long enough before yours that by the time you pulled up, they were already kicking down the door and entering the home. The first thing you heard after you flung the car door open was the deafening crack of a weapon firing, and despite your lack of training with firearms, it was apparent that it was not an FBI-issue pistol.

You would never describe yourself as fragile - you couldn't be, not in this line of work. But when you registered the implications of that sound, your knees buckled, instantly bringing you down onto the dusty ground outside the farmhouse. The rest of the team sprinted in, guns drawn. You faintly registered Prentiss yelling inside, then more gunshots, but your head was ringing so loudly from the visceral panic that you couldn’t make out anything specific.

When Hotch burst back out onto the porch, you thought you might honestly sob with relief. That is, until you caught the glint of the sun in the slick, dark blood dripping down the sleeve of his suit.

That was when you puked.

Something about the sight of Aaron Hotchner bleeding felt so wrong that even as you struggled to your feet and stepped over the pile of sick you left in the dirt, even as you got closer and saw the rivulets of blood drip down to his fingertips and dot the wooden floors of the porch, you felt like you were in a dream. Your mind couldn’t grasp the sudden shock of his mortality, that he could bleed, that he could die, even, and he very well might, depending on what vessels were hit. You made it up the steps, only managing to call out his name - his first name - your throat still burning from bile. Despite the chaos of the current moment, he still whipped his head around at the sound of that, as if hearing the name Aaron desperately falling from your lips was more attention-grabbing than the rest of the team gathering around him trying to stem the bleeding.

“It looks worse than it is,” said Rossi, peering through the holes in Hotch’s mangled sleeve. “It was just buckshot, and he barely hit you. Nothing a few stitches won’t fix.”

He turned out to be right, thank god, and later that afternoon, Hotch was freshly bandaged and sitting across from you on the return flight to Quantico.

So, yeah, the “lying to yourself” thing wasn’t going so well at that moment. Hotch was absorbed in paperwork while the rest of the team napped - because of course he was; even being shot didn’t sway his apparently relentless refusal to relax - and each time he winced at the movement of his arm, your vice grip around your chest tightened a little more.

He must have sensed you staring, because he looked up, frown softening slightly as he saw the concern on your face.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine,” he assured you with a half smile.

Teetering on an emotional precipice, too scared to respond for fear of falling over the edge, you went back to your reading. After a few minutes of listening to him write while not turning a single page in your book, he set his pen down and took a breath.

“You were screaming my name,” he said, quietly, despite you two being the only ones awake.

“What?”

“Earlier,” he clarified, “when we went into the house. I could hear you outside, yelling my name.”

You looked at him, incredulous. “Of course I did. I heard the shotgun go off. Clearly,” you gestured at his arm, “I had a reason to be worried.”

He shook his head and cleared his throat, as if you didn’t understand the question. “Dave and Emily were with me. Any of us could have gotten hit. You only yelled for me.”

Oh.

You shrugged. “You’re the team leader. It’s my instinct to call for you when something goes wrong."

It was a lie, and a bad one at that, but Hotch gave you an unreadable look and let the subject drop.

The rest of the flight was uneventful, and when you finally made it back to your apartment, you had no plans other than to sleep off the stress of the case and the embarrassment of Hotch calling your actions into question. Garcia, however, wasn't about to let that happen.

BAU-tiful People Group Chat

Garcia: *added You to the conversation*

Garcia: Ok, my lovely children, I know you’re all tired, but I miss your faces, so I’ll see u at Whimsy tonight at 9! Notice I didn’t use a question mark bc it is NOT a question!

You knew from overhearing the team talk that Whimsy was a bar downtown they liked to frequent, but you’d never been invited before. Despite your overwhelming exhaustion, the idea of going out with the team, of finally feeling accepted by them, was enough to make you amenable to the concept. It may have seemed insignificant on the surface, but Garcia adding you to their group chat was the biggest welcome gesture you’d received yet.

Morgan: Only if you wear that dress you know I like ;)

You lived for the day they would realize they were actually flirting with each other instead of just pretending to.

Prentiss: Garcia… you’re killing me… but you know I’ll be there.

JJ: Contacting the babysitter as we speak.

Morgan: Fuck yeah!!! Pretty Boy, you in?

Reid: Can’t we ever go somewhere quiet?

As the group chimed in with various iterations of, “Shut up, Reid,” you hesitantly typed out a text to confirm your attendance. You were excited, of course, but nervous to be the new kid at their favorite hangout. After today's events, though, the desire not to be sober won out over nerves.

You: I’ll be there! Thanks for the invite!

Rossi: Hope you kids are ready for me to drink you under the table, as usual.

Morgan: Eyyy, you KNOW we party hard! See y’all tonight.

____________

Turns out, Morgan was not exaggerating. Not even a little bit. By the time you arrived, 15 minutes late, everyone looked to be at least 3 shots deep. Garcia ran over to greet you, squealing, and wrapped you in a suffocating hug.

“I’m so glad you came! What do you drink? Tequila? I’ll grab the next round!”

You laughed and confirmed that tequila sounded great, and as she scurried off to the bar with Morgan on her heels, you had a chance to look around.

The atmosphere of the club surprised you - it was all glass and steel and modernity, packed with people dancing to something with intense bass - not the low-key joint you’d pictured the team wanting to unwind at. But as you watched JJ, Prentiss, and Rossi cheer on Reid as he threw back a shot, doubling over in hysterics as he coughed and sputtered at the taste, you realized that this place was just loud and energetic enough to keep them from thinking about anything other than work. In that way, you definitely saw the appeal.

“I come bearing shots!” Garcia yelled as her and Morgan made it back to the table. “Grab yours… here we go- whoops! Alright, everyone got theirs?”

She turned to you, grinning behind a pair of hot pink spectacles. “Cheers not ONLY to rescuing four kidnapped children alive, but also to our lovely intern and her first Whimsy outing!”

The team erupted in cheers and you smiled back, downing the tequila. You chatted with the group while Garcia ordered more drinks, and then more drinks, and soon you felt a pleasant buzz filling your head.

“Morgan, you better ask me to dance right now before I go find another man to do the job,” Garcia said with a wink in his direction.

Morgan grinned and mock-bowed, holding out a hand for her to take, and led her off to the dancefloor.

“Should we join them?” JJ asked around the table.

“Someone’s gotta make sure they don’t do anything worth getting kicked out for,” Prentiss shot back. You giggled and followed the girls, leaving Rossi and Reid behind at the table in the midst of a heated debate about childhood brain development that you couldn’t even hope to comprehend.

Not long after you started dancing, you felt a gentle tap on your shoulder and turned around, looking up into the stunning green eyes of a man who looked to be about your age. It was hard to really tell what he looked like in the dim lighting, but by the way Prentiss was giving you a thumbs up and mouthing, “Go for it,” from your side, he was good enough for you.

“Do you want to dance?” he asked above the music. You smiled and nodded in confirmation, letting him wrap his arms around your waist and pull you to his hips.

He knew how to move, that was for certain. He ground against your backside lightly, snaking his hands around your stomach. You weren’t used to this kind of thing - dancing with random men at bars, letting them touch you like this - but the combination of the music and the booze and the relief at the last case being over was making you feel more free than you had in recent memory.

You exchanged grins with Morgan, who was dancing a few feet away in a much more R-rated manner with Garcia. The man behind you (whose name you didn’t know, but who cared?) leaned down to kiss your neck and you arched against him in response, reaching up to run your hand through his hair.

Throughout the song, you had rotated back to facing the table where the rest of your team was sitting. You glanced over, saw Reid and Rossi still deep in discussion, along with another man in a black button-up with a very familiar side profile and-

Hotch.

Hotch was here, and as if the powers that be were insistent upon proving to you that the opposite of serendipity existed, at the exact moment you had that realization, he turned and made direct eye contact with you. Drunk, wearing a skintight dress, a random man grinding on your ass, and staring right back at your Unit Chief at the motherfucking Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Your heart dropped to your stomach, and if you had been drunker, you might have hurled tequila all over the dancefloor. Instead, you pulled away from the mystery man behind you, ignoring his shocked, “Wait!” and beelined to the bar.

“Tequila. Shot. Please, I’m sorry, just saw someone I didn’t expect to,” you blurted out to the bartender, swearing you could feel Hotch’s eyes on your back from across the club.

The bartender, probably having seen much worse, nodded in understanding and poured your drink. You gulped it down, wiped your mouth, and leaned on the bar to get your bearings.

It’s not weird. It’s not. It’s a bar, it’s outside of work hours, it’s perfectly fine that you’re buzzed and dancing and having fun. Everyone else is!

Really, it wasn’t that you were worried about your job, or even that he would judge you (he probably would, but that was unavoidable regardless of the setting), it was just that you hadn’t mentally prepared yourself for the possibility that he would come. He was in the group chat - obviously, if he had seen Garcia’s invite - but had never struck you as the social type, the kind of boss that would interact with his team outside of work.

“Did you see that Hotch is here?” Prentiss asked breathlessly, appearing at the bar beside you.

Apparently, you weren’t the only one surprised.

“I did,” you whispered back, despite the thumping music and the rowdy patrons making it logically impossible for your words to reach the table 20 feet away. “Does he usually join you guys?”

“Never,” she said, before thinking and correcting herself, “Not in years, anyways. When Haley… we used to drag him out, but we stopped after a while.”

“Why do you think he came tonight?"

She shrugged. “Who knows? Far be it from me to explain why Hotch does anything.” An idea seemed to pop in her head, and she grinned. “Maybe it’s because of you!”

“M-me?” Your reaction to the suggestion wasn’t nearly as nonchalant as you’d tried for, but Prentiss was too drunk to notice.

“Yeah, gotta help initiate the intern on her first night out, right?” She grinned and clapped you on the shoulder, then turned away to head back to the dancefloor, leaving you alone. You sighed, gathered yourself as much as you could considering the effects of the tequila, and turned around to go greet him.

“Hey, Agent Hotchner. Didn’t expect to see you tonight!”

“Yes, well. Thought I’d show up for a bit; it’s been a while.” He gave you a tight lipped smile then looked back down at his glass of whisky, the awkward energy palpable.

Probably because he just saw you basically dry-humping some random dude.

“Well, I’m glad you came! Feel free to, uh, come dance if you want! Morgan and Garcia are showing us all up,” you said, gesturing to where Morgan and Garcia were in fact drawing the attention of several onlookers.

He chuckled at that. “They’re certainly a sight to behold, aren’t they?”

You nodded in agreement and headed back to the bar, the brief conversation pointing you towards yet another drink. Talking to him was so easy , sometimes, and others it was like pulling teeth to get a human response out of him. Could you blame him, though? Your last one-on-one interaction was you basically inviting yourself over to his apartment with takeout and listening to him spill his guts about his dead wife and kid, and he probably felt uncomfortable with you after that, and then you went right to this case without any chance for things to go back to normal, and then he got shot, and oh my god, you didn’t even ask him how his arm was doing, how fucking rude can you be, dumbass? and-

“Whoops! Shit, I’m sorry!”

You looked at the person you’d just bumped into in the midst of your internal crisis.

“Hey, it’s you!”

The man you’d been dancing with earlier, now much more obviously handsome in the brighter lights of the bar area, grinned in recognition.

“Hey, I thought I’d scared you off there!”

You laughed and shook your head. “No, I’m sorry. Just saw my boss and freaked out a little bit.”

“Oh shit, your boss is here?” he asked. “That’s uncomfortable, damn. I’m sorry.”

“No worries, it’s just… yeah. Anyways. Wanna pick up where we left off?” you asked, more desperate than ever to get Hotch out of your head. If he didn’t want to see you having a wild night, he shouldn’t have come to the club.

He took your hand, looking pleased. “Lead the way.”

It really was so much easier, you thought, to let yourself feel attraction for guys like this. Uncomplicated, willing to take what you give them, no backstory to speak of. They weren’t riddled with tragic history, unattainable in both position and personality, not to mention impossible to even imagine ever returning your feelings. Guys like Cooper (you’d finally learned his name somewhere amid the grinding and groping) were easy and fun and they didn’t keep you up at night agonizing over whether that thing you said at work was impressive enough.

But then again, they didn’t give you the roller-coaster feeling in your stomach that Aaron Hotchner did every time you locked eyes.

And lock eyes you did - an increasingly frequent number of times, actually. It seemed like whenever you turned to face his direction, he was staring you down. He always went back to his conversation with Rossi and Reid, but you noticed that he seemed to get more and more pissed off with every song that played. His frown was deepened, his expression dark, and you could tell even from a distance that his knuckles were white from gripping his glass.

You shrugged it off as Hotch being Hotch - who knew what that man was thinking? And besides, you were trying to forget him, damn it. At least, that was until a particularly raunchy song came on and you were in the middle of getting your ass felt up, when you felt a hand squeeze your shoulder and whip you around, bringing you face-to-face with your boss himself.

“Hey, what’s going on? Is something wrong?” you asked, utterly bewildered as to why he was interrupting you.

He ignored you, instead staring down Cooper, who very quickly decided Hotch wasn’t one to fuck with and walked away.

“Hotch! Is there a case? Should I grab the others?”

He shook his head. “Can you come with me, please?”

Perplexed, you acquiesced (not that you had much of a choice, with the way he was gripping your elbow) and followed him through the crowd, out the back door, and into an alley. He let go of you then, sighing and crossing his arms.

Your mind was wild with questions - did you do something you shouldn’t have? Get too drunk? Everyone was drunk, though, and you weren’t even half as wasted as some of the others. Did Reid or Rossi tell him something bad about you? Were you about to somehow get yourself fired off the clock?

“The boy you were dancing with was bad news,” he said, after an uncomfortably long period of silence.

What the fuck?

“What the fuck?” you repeated, this time out loud, and you knew you shouldn’t be talking to him like this, but you were too caught off guard to conduct yourself more appropriately.

“He was a drug user,” Hotch said, as if that would explain everything.

“A drug user,” you repeated back, no less confused.

“Cocaine,” he continued. “He was high - his pupils were dilated, he was rubbing his nose, and he's been to the bathroom several times.”

“So… you’re going to arrest him? For doing cocaine?” you asked, still baffled as to what he was insinuating.

“What? No,” he said, “I’m trying to warn you not to get involved.”

You had entered some parallel universe, you decided. There was no other explanation for your boss, a man you’d known all of four months, dragging you outside a bar on a Friday night and telling you not to dance with a hot stranger because he was on cocaine.

You took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself before you really did get yourself fired. “Sir, I appreciate the concern, but I don’t think it’s really any of your business.”

His face hardened at that. “It is exactly my business,” he said, eyes boring a hole through your skull, “to watch out for things that may compromise my team.”

“Compromise your team?” you repeated his words again. “I was dancing, not getting engaged to the guy.”

“Should I allow you to dance with a sexual sadist if it’s just dancing?” he pressed, using the stern voice that usually caused any sort of dissent to whither and die right in your throat.

It didn’t work this time, probably because he was acting fucking insane. “Are you seriously comparing a sexual sadist to a guy who does cocaine while he’s out partying?”

“It’s not just while he’s out partying, by the way he conducted himself, he was a chronic-”

“It doesn’t matter!” you said, nearly yelling now. “You had no right! I'm sorry, what are you, my dad?!”

His eyes flashed at that. “If I hadn’t already had to sit through an 8 hour surgery not knowing if Garcia was going to make it out alive because her date shot her, then perhaps I would have no right. But as it stands, I do. Please be more careful with who you associate with, even if it’s just dancing.”

He spat that last part out, more vitriolic than you’d ever seen him, and stalked back inside. You were left outside in the alley, alone, reeling from confusion surrounding the entire interaction and shock at the emotional charge he’d leveled at you.

Reentering the bar, you saw that Hotch’s seat had been vacated and his jacket was gone. You rolled your eyes, and on your way to the bathroom, nearly ran into Cooper again.

“Hey!” he said. “What was that all about? You good?”

You looked up at his face and for the first time, noticed faint traces of white dust around his nose. He looked keyed up, jumpy - his pulse racing and visible on his carotid. You sighed.

“I’m good. Just not in the mood right now, sorry,” and pushed past him into the bathroom.

Hotch was an emotionally stunted asshole with a control complex, but he was also never fucking wrong.

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thesingersews · 4 years

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Patterning a 16th Century Bodice

This is the first post about my recently completed Historybounding Kirtle. It is inspired by the paintings of Aertsen and Bueckelaer from 16th century Flanders. It’s also inspired by Rosie Cotton of the LOTR movies. It is made of 90/10 wool/nylon twill-weave suiting, and flatlined with 2 layers of cotton duck canvas in the bodice and one layer of linen in the skirt. Much of the dress was hand-stitched, including the embroidery at the front and back neck.

To pattern the bodice, I used suggestions from this tutorial: Shape Matters, by the Sempstress. I was so excited to get into drafting this that I forgot to take photos along the process, so you get something cobbled together from after the fact. Also disregard the extreme messiness in literally all of these photos!

To find the arc for my curvy cone body, I made a rectangle using my bust measurement and my bust-to-waist measurement. I then marked 1/2 my bust measurement, and divided each of the resulting sections in half. I took the difference between my bust and waist measurements and divided this result by 3. Along the lower edge of the rectangle, I centered this measurement over the vertical lines I had drawn. Then I cut out the rectangle and folded darts to get a rough outline of my arc.

When I had traced the arc, I spent quite some time agonizing over how to guesstimate what shape I should draw, and I eventually ended up with something like this:

You can see I took these pictures after having futzed with the pattern post mockup. Also be advised the back bodice strap was actually square at the end in the mockup. This pattern resulted in this single-layer canvas mockup:

Check out that awkward grin y’all!

I was quite pleased with how close I got to my desired silhouette on the first try, but there were things I did not like, such as the excessive wrinkling under the bust, the buckling at the back waist, and “what the heck is going on with the straps?”

I consulted the friendly Bees of Elizabethan Costume on Facebook, most of whom have more experience than I do with 16th century clothing, this being my first vaguely Elizabethan item. They suggested raising the back waist to meet my natural waistline and eliminate the wrinkle there. They told me the front had too much fabric all over the place, and I needed to raise the waistline and remove some fabric from the center front. And someone suggested I put the front straps on the bias instead of with the exaggerated curve I had drawn.

When I tested this on my original mockup, by folding the waist up, tapering the center front, and trying some bias straps, I got this:

A LOT better, but not quite there yet.

I kept the new waistline but took the rest of this a little further: I pinched some fabric out where the straps met the front neck, and took two inches out of the center front all the way from top to bottom. I cut new front straps out almost on the straight of grain and brought the shoulder seam forward, and it ended up like this:

You can see from the photos just how pleased I was! I look like a crazy. With these changes to the original mockup, I made a new paper pattern, and cut out a second mockup just to double check the fit. It was just about perfect, so this became my final bodice pattern! The one thing I wish I had done was cut the front straps entirely on the straight of grain. They sit smoothly on my shoulders, but there is an slight curve away from my neck that makes them look a little off. This made it into my final dress, but now I know for next time! Front straps on the straight grain and back straps on the bias would have been just perfect.

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thefilmsnob · 4 years

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Glen Coco’s Top 10 films of 2019

2019 was one of the better movie years I’ve experienced. It was no 2007 or 2013--we all know that--but it was pretty damn good. People who say ‘they just make crap nowadays’ probably aren’t really into movies and are definitely out to lunch. Dammit, now I want lunch. Anyway, here are my picks for the ten best films of 2019 which, as always, follow my runners-up and the traditional bonus track...There’s always a bonus track.

Runners-Up

-Bombshell

-Booksmart Full Review: https://thefilmsnob.tumblr.com/post/185427895290/booksmart-out-of-5

-Ford v Ferrari

-The Irishman

-Joker Full Review: https://thefilmsnob.tumblr.com/post/188571262775/joker-out-of-5

-Parasite

-The Peanut Butter Falcon

-The Two Popes

And here are my top 10!

#10b. (Bonus Track) Avengers: Endgame

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, the rest of Hollywood

Maybe, like some people in the industry, you don’t consider Marvel films to be ‘cinema’. Well, that’s a legitimate and long debate for another time. But, you can’t say that weaving a narrative through 22 related films isn’t an impressive feat. That’s what Marvel Studios did and with the help of the Russo Brothers, and despite the countless moving pieces, they ended this chapter of the franchise almost perfectly with just the right balance of action, human drama, twists, turns and some surprisingly poignant moments. If you didn’t get goosebumps--and maybe even pee your pants a bit--when those portals opened up at the end, bringing to mind Gandolf’s triumphant entrance into the Battle of Helm’s Deep, then maybe movies just aren’t for you, my friend.

Full Review: https://thefilmsnob.tumblr.com/post/184694412545/avengers-endgame-out-of-5

#10. Marriage Story

Director: Noah Baumbach

Starring: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson

Ironically, Marriage Story is actually about a divorce. But, writer/director Noah Baumbach imbues this civil-turned-nasty separation with all the complexity and aggravation that come with being married with child. He treats the divorce like the grueling process you’d expect it to be, one which involves real, flawed people whose needs and desires don’t align, making the situation increasingly distressing for all parties involved. In turn, Driver and Johansson make this distress increasingly palpable for the audience until it feels like we’re in the room with them during one of their several heated arguments. Both actors give some of the best work of their careers, yet it still may be overshadowed by Laura Dern and Ray Liotta who shine as the two ruthless lawyers representing them. Baumbach has been churning out these gems for years, but his latest, which may be his most accessible, may also be his best so far.

#9. Jojo Rabbit

Director: Taika Waititi

Starring: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson

What do you get when you mix Nazi Germany, the ghost of Hitler and a poor Jewish girl trying to survive the second World War? You get one of the funniest and most touching movies of the year, of course. The surging writer/actor/director Taika Waititi, who specializes in quirky films filled with quirkier characters, hasn’t made the typically grim melodrama about Nazi Germany nor is he doing anything close to promoting Nazi culture. Instead, he uses the tale of a young boy who attends a Hitler Youth training camp to highlight the absurdity of this horrible movement while promoting tolerance. He delivers this powerful message by introducing a young Jewish girl who seeks refuge in the home of Jojo and his mother, played by Scarlett Johansson (who clearly had a good year). This leads to Jojo’s crisis of conscience which is complicated by his imaginary friend...who happens to be Adolf Hitler! Yes, the movie is different.

#8. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie

It’s no surprise that Quentin Tarantino would make a film about 1960s Hollywood starring one of the most prestigious celebrity trios in the business; the guy’s passion--obsession even--for film is unmatched. Here, he uses the medium to take a horrific moment in history like the murder of Sharon Tate at the hands of the Manson Family and gives it the stereotypical Hollywood happy ending. In doing so, he showcases the wish fulfillment of the movies and their power to comfort us with optimism while simultaneously warning of their ability to shelter us from our cruel reality. DiCaprio and Pitt give brilliant performances as characters who add to the perception-vs-reality theme, DiCaprio playing the huge movie star full of anxiety and doubt in real life who relies heavily on his stunt double, Pitt, who’s the actual confident hero. All this and much more takes place in a meticulously recreated Hollywood of the ‘60s that sweeps you up in nostalgia and immerses you in a world of make-believe.

#7. Knives Out

Director: Rian Johnson

Starring: Ana de Armas, Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Christopher Plummer

Yes, there have been many murder mysteries. No, Knives Out isn’t just like the rest of them. Writer/director Rian Johnson does a masterful job at crafting a labyrinthine story that’s just complex enough without overwhelming and strikes a perfect balance of suspense and comedy. Featuring one of the greatest casts assembled in 2019 playing a dysfunctional family of despicable yet intriguing individuals of means, the story is full of truly surprising twists and turns and, more crucially, some well-integrated and astute social commentary. This isn’t a two-hour lecture, though; the film is undeniably entertaining. The stand-out here is detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig with a delightful southern drawl and an attention to detail that rivals Sherlock Holmes. Craig transcends his James Bond persona while the film itself transcends a genre.

#6. 1917

Director: Sam Mendes

Starring: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman

If this were a few years ago 1917 would be, without question, my #1 pick. However, as the long, uncut tracking shot has become more common over the years, it’s also lost a bit of its luster; 2014′s Birdman, one of the best films of the decade, also had the appearance of a single take. Nonetheless, to make a war film, with all its tricky choreography and pyrotechnics, look like one long take is still a phenomenal achievement and an absolute marvel to behold. And, although it obviously couldn’t be filmed in one shot, Sam Mendes and master cinematographer Roger Deakins still had to shoot long takes and stitch them together digitally while stealthily hiding the seams. It all helps tell the story of two young soldiers tasked with traversing treacherous territory to warn a Battalion of British soldiers about an impending German ambush. We follow the pair in real time amidst a story of remarkable bravery, enhanced by the fact that we’re with them every step of the way, at once experiencing everything they do up close while being reminded of how removed we really are from the danger they face.

#5. Uncut Gems

Director: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie

Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin Garnett (hey, why not?), Julia Fox

There are several talented actors in Hollywood who’ve gained a bad reputation for poor career choices. Ben Affleck and Will Smith come to mind. Perhaps the king of this group is Adam Sandler. He’s excelled sporadically in movies like Punch-Drunk Love and The Meyerowitz Stories, but he gives a truly Oscar-worthy performance in this--ahem--gem. As Howard Ratner, he’s a gambling addict who runs a jewelry store in New York’s Diamond district when he gets his hands on a rare Ethiopian black opal which he hopes will help pay off his many debts. In fact, he owes so much to so many people that he struggles to keep track of it all and we cringe every time he does. The tension builds to an almost unbearable level as a host of dangerous men seek payment. If that’s not enough, he’s on the verge of a divorce as he continues seeing a mistress who’s also his employee while owing $100 000 to his own criminal brother-in-law. If you were stressed just reading that, try watching the movie...or being Howard himself. The Safdie brothers don’t let up either, filming it like a documentary to add to its realism and immediacy...as if it needed that extra boost.

#4. The Lighthouse

Director: Robert Eggers

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe

The first thing you notice watching The Lighthouse is that half the screen is missing; Robert Eggers, who also wrote and directed The Witch, shot the film with a 1.19: 1 aspect ratio, making the picture square, like an old-timey photograph. It feels limiting at first until you fully appreciate the feelings of confinement and anxiety it evokes. That’s important in a film about two lighthouse keepers, or wickies, who are forced to live together in insanely grungy and cramped quarters of a lighthouse on a remote island off the coast of New England. Considering the harsh conditions and the fact it’s a horror film, they soon clash and seemingly lose their grip on reality which manifests in macabre images and supernatural occurrences. Or does it? Ha! This is one of the most unique and beautifully filmed movies of the year with the grainy black and white 35mm making it seem like it was made closer to the late 19th century, when the film takes place. Like many recent horror films, this one relies more on mood and imagery than jump scares and is buttressed by only two actors who give award-worthy performances. Alright? So, go to hell; Pattinson can act.

#3. Little Women

Director: Greta Gerwig

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Timothee Chalamet, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern

You might assume that Little Women is a stuffy period piece and even unnecessary considering it’s the seventh adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s iconic 1868 novel, but the prodigious actor-turned-writer-turned-director Greta Gerwig is too adept in her craft to settle for conventional story-telling. She gives this classic story a fresh, modern take with a non-linear approach and a feminist angle that enhances without overwhelming. Like her work on Lady Bird, she keeps scenes brisk and to the point with decisive cuts. She also adds her unique wit and snappy dialogue. Every conversation, no matter how superficial, leaves you enraptured. So, too, do the characters; it’s a pleasure following these complex girls through the ups and downs of their lives as women of little means and even fewer rights. They’re portrayed by a stellar cast, particularly Jo March who’s played by Saoirse Ronan, perhaps our greatest sub-30 actress. This may be a little movie about little women, but the payoffs and sheer enjoyment are truly grand.

Full Review: https://thefilmsnob.tumblr.com/post/190231754125/little-women-12-out-of-5

#2. Us

Director: Jordan Peele

Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke

I know it’s blasphemous, but I might be the only person on Earth who not only thought Get Out was a tad overrated, but that Jordan Peele’s second feature, Us, is the superior picture. It’s easy to look at this film as merely a unique take on the slasher genre, but it’s so much more than that. Like any good horror, it’s creepy as hell, but it’s also brimming with foreshadowing, symbolism and metaphor. There are three or four ideas that Peele sets up at the beginning that seem disconnected to the story, yet they each have a specific purpose and when that becomes evident, it’s incredibly satisfying. Even more impressive is how Peele turns a movie about a vacationing family encountering their doppelgangers into a brilliant commentary on the current state of America, specifically in regards to class division and its relation to the Nature vs Nurture debate. And the movie’s neat twist at the end isn’t just added for shock value; it’s actually the final puzzle piece and essential in conveying the film’s message. I struggled with ranking Us at #1 or #2, but its over-reliance on slasher film action around the mid-point (a minor flaw) was the deciding factor. It’s near-perfect, nonetheless.

Full Film Interpretation: https://thefilmsnob.tumblr.com/post/184073868405/interpreting-jordan-peeles-film-us

#1. Midsommar

Director: Ari Aster

Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter

If there’s one thing for which the 2010s should be known, it’s great horror films, a refreshing development after decades of mediocrity. But, just like movies in general from the ‘New Hollywood’ ‘70s, horror films are more creative and ambitious than they’ve been in ages thanks to a handful of visionary filmmakers. Three out of the top five entries are horror movies and that’s saying something.

Midsommar is a mesmerizing horror film that hearkens back to the 1970s when the genre relied more heavily on atmosphere and pacing and sheer creepiness than on jump scares and gimmicks. It takes one hell of a talented writer/director to make a movie shot almost entirely in daylight feel so utterly sinister, but Ari Aster, who also made the acclaimed Hereditary, does just that with ease. What’s more, the film contains no monsters, nothing supernatural and an astonishingly minimal amount of violence, yet when we do see bits of blood and gore, it’s a complete shock to the system. What Aster does rely on is his mastery of lighting and framing to produce images that are unexpectedly eerie.

This is a movie that starts with a group of anthropology students looking to take part in a once-in-a-lifetime festival at a commune in the Swedish countryside and ends in an unspeakable nightmare. It’s a long and sometimes grueling experience that steadily snowballs into horror, but that slow burn is crucial for this delightfully nerve-wracking series of events. Oh, and it’s also a breakup story...possibly the scariest breakup story of all time. It’s certainly the best film of 2019.

#2019 films #top 10 of 2019 #movies #movie review

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pastel-catboy · 3 years

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5 Sustainable Living Hacks – Be the change

So as you know, I am a super thrifty person. I super enjoy saving money, and also, I am working very hard to minimize my footprint. Now I am by no means an extreme minimalist or a zero-waste person, but I think it’s great that we can all aspire towards that. Today I also had the opportunity to work with a fantastic app called Bunz.

A friend of mine was getting rid of all of her craft supplies, and she passed on a lot to me. She told me about this app where you could swap for things. You could trade for things that you don’t want for things you need instead of selling it online where many things don’t have monetary value anymore, but they still can have value for somebody who wants it. So ever since then, I have been like non-stop trading. It’s just a great system to keep things out of a landfill and find new treasures that you would have never seen anywhere else.

So let’s get started with our first hack. This first hack has been a real money saver for me. I bought these foam soap dispensers from the home goods store because I saw all these Bath & Bodyworks bottles of foam soap and realized this is just soap mixed with water and charge so much for it. I can do this myself. I buy bulk body or hand soap, mix one-part soap to five parts water, and it lasts me forever. It works just as well as concentrated soap, if not better, because it’s already lathered for you.

Buying natural liquid soap and using fewer quantity chemicals is just a small way to reduce consumption and waste. I do the same thing with my detergent. My parents have a huge jug of detergent we share, not that they know that we share, which is technically stealing but yeah, we kind of share. I’ve had this bottle of concentrate for a year now, and it’s still going strong. Reusable straws are trendy now, and my favorites are the stainless-steel kind. It doesn’t affect the taste of anything I drink, including water, and I even have these bubble tea sized straws for my extreme tapioca consumption.

Related: Build your own shipping container home today

On my most recent trip, the beaches were completely littered with straws. Small plastics on the beach wash into the ocean and injure animals. I love straws. I drink everything through a straw, but recycling facilities have a hard time catching small plastics through their filters, and too much of it ends up where it doesn’t belong.

While you’re at it, reusable cups are also a must-have. Majority of drink cups are not recyclable because it’s lined with plastic so although most cups advertise made from recycled material, the cup itself will still end up in a landfill. Starbucks is super friendly and will take any vessel, while some places require you only to use their reusable cups. Just make sure to ask your favorite beverage place what they accept. Find out more about what you can and can’t recycle; find your city’s recycling chart for guidance. Toronto is not very advanced with their recycling program. As you can see, drink cups, foil wrappers, and even many plastics are not recyclable. What’s messed up is that black plastic can’t be recycled. The reason being the optical sorter cannot distinguish between the black plastic and the black conveyer belt. What is surprising is that styrofoam is recyclable. Still, there’s the taboo of it being nonenvironmentally friendly in the past, which is why styrofoam is not as standard nowadays, even though technology has caught up to meet those needs.

Wax-coated clothes have become my better alternative to foil and saran wrap. It works better at clinging and preserving than plastic wrap. Now, this can be a pricey item, which is why I Bunz for it. I ended up using BTZ I collected to trade for the food wrap, which means I acquired this for free. Now that’s a smart deal. When you’re done with your food, and this is a trick that my dad taught me, you compost it! It is not just compost, though, as I used to keep it under my sink, and it still gets smelly, and I don’t have counter space for a table composter, which is also very pricey to freeze your compost.

I got a little bin from Ikea, especially in the summer; this completely eradicates our fruit fly and smell issue. This is a cheat, but I wanted to shout out my recent video about repurposing old t-shirts. I made reusable cotton rounds out of an old tee that I throw in the wash to use, and I made a reusable grocery bag that doubles as a cute tote. This is to round up the number because 13 hacks don’t sound as good as 15.

Dryer sheets are single-use items that quickly fill up garbages. You can reuse them in various ways, but for fluffy clothes, an alternative is dryer balls. I have these cute hedgehog ones that lost their noses, and because they can be a bit pricey, I’m going to trade for wool balls and essential oils on Bunz as an upgrade. In my laundry cupboard, I also have a massive stash of rags. I have old torn bedsheets and ripped clothing like the t-shirt DIY scraps to use as a paper towel alternative. The key is to think about single-use throwaway products and finding alternatives for them, like Swiffer sheets and duster refills. It’s not any less convenient to have a washable version of disposable products.

For the home as well, we rarely turn on the heat or a/c. You can call us cheap because we are, but this doubles as emission saving for the environment. There are duvets for every type of climate and sleeper. We’ll throw a fleece blanket underneath for colder weather and have a cooling comforter for the summer, made of breathable material like wool, cotton, or even some that are mesh down alternatives that wick moisture. I went to that drapery section at the thrift store and picked up some white mesh curtains, which I guarantee will be in abundance at every thrift store. Folding mine at the top in three, I cut out a few 12 by 16-inch rectangles. Zig-zag stitch all sides but the top fold, leaving a slight gap to thread your drawstring through. Now my drawstring is old shoelaces. Thread it through what used to be the pocket for the curtain rod, and you have reusable produce bags. These will keep your produce longer with its breathable material since plastic keeps the moisture in and rots your fruits and veggies quicker.

So what about when you leave the house, how do you bring all this with you? I take a go-bag whenever I go in the car: one large reusable tote to throw everything in, extra totes, thermos or tumbler metal straws, and the produce bags. Most days, I don’t have a car, so I just carry straws in this super cute strawberry reusable bag on me. When I go grocery shopping, I try to avoid over-packaged items, and we’ll share industrial-sized items with my family. We buy in bulk, usually industrial-sized non-perishables, and freeze many groceries that are bought in large batches. About thirty to forty percent of my house is Bunz items, so Opalma is a Bunz trade.

This bed table we traded for an armchair. So I mostly trade for plants, toilet paper, and scented candles. My latest acquisition is a set of buns, so these mannequin butts are the newest thing to my home. They are like, where else would you find a pair of mannequin butts? I got a snowboard, boots, bindings, goggles, helmet, and bag for a $50 gift card like that’s less than rental for the day. That’s insane. I don’t even know; sometimes people want to get rid of stuff, and then in this uncertain phase, this is the best time to trade. They have this new currency called BTZ where if you can earn BTZ by referring your friends and answering their daily survey. You get a little bit of BTZ, and you use those BTZ in exchange to buy things at your local stores, so local cafes and small stores will take BTZ as currency. And if you sign up and say that I referred you, I get BTZ; you get BTZ. I can’t speak highly enough of this app. I find so much more value in the things that I’ve traded for because there’s so much story behind it then you appreciate things more. You tend not to throw away or want to buy new things to replace them anyway, and that’s why I very much support the Bunz app and the Bunz community, and I hope you guys can take a look at what they have.

I know it isn’t easy to be sustainable, especially in makeup and fashion, and I think that there’s a great movement right now on moving towards that. I’m not perfect, but I know I’m doing my best to minimize my footprint, do what I can, even outside of just fashion in terms of home and food, minimize my waste, and make that footprint smaller. Thank you, guys for reading. Please share this post if it inspired you!

The post 5 Sustainable Living Hacks – Be the change appeared first on The Green Living Solution .

https://thegreenlivingsolution.com/5-sustainable-living-hacks/

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workingtolovemyself · 3 years

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5 Sustainable Living Hacks – Be the change

Related: Build your own shipping container home today

The post 5 Sustainable Living Hacks – Be the change appeared first on The Green Living Solution .

https://bit.ly/3nqqI4x

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healthierlife4u · 3 years

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5 Sustainable Living Hacks – Be the change

Related: Build your own shipping container home today

The post 5 Sustainable Living Hacks – Be the change appeared first on The Green Living Solution .

https://thegreenlivingsolution.com/5-sustainable-living-hacks/

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thecrochetcrowd · 7 years

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Crochet Afghan Border Tips and Free Patterns

Mixing Crochet Borders

Have you ever got to a crochet border and found yourself rushing to finish that you put a very simple, almost really not a border at all on your afghan just to say you are finished? If the answer is YES, you are in my same life boat. I’m exactly that same way, and man, do I feel badly about that.

When you work on an entire afghan, by the time you get near the end, you just want to move onto something else. Your attention is already on your next project and you find yourself cutting corners in order to do it. I speak for myself, this is the difference an ‘Okay’ afghan to a ‘Fabulous’ afghan.

Have you ever noticed, afghans on Facebook tend to get more ‘Likes’ when the border compliments the afghan. For me, I don’t crochet so I can get more ‘Likes’ on Facebook or to impress people on Facebook. I crochet because I absolutely love this hobby and want to share my passion with others. With over 1 Million followers on our Facebook, I think the majority are participating in our network to showcase their work but would crochet regardless if Facebook existed or not.

I have made a Gallery below. All of those borders are designed by me. I have written instructions for each one. If you would like the free instructions, visit my Granny Square Border Page.

Crochet Hypnotic Tiles Afghan

General Border Making

Borders on patterns can be a real let down, in some cases. The designer has exceeded expectation and put on a cheap border. I know, I’ve done this before due to rushing the creative process.

Recently, I designed the Hypnotic Tiles Afghan using Caron Cakes. Behind the scenes, I did the border 3 times before I could get it right for the 4th attempt. I did the entire border section completely and had to pull out the entire border each time. The first 3 attempts the border wasn’t sitting properly. Generally, based on overall feedback and what people complain about is when a border on a project doesn’t sit flat. In going across the sides, I kept adding too many stitches and by the time I got to finish, the border was ruffling and malformed.

At one point, I nearly gave up doing a border for this afghan at all. However, it needed it to stabilize the entire look. So as much as the 4th time I was pretty annoyed with myself, it had to be done.

The First Round

The first round is the most critical of a border, in my opinion. Getting the counts correct and stitches to sit properly. It’s like building a house, if the bottom layer of bricks isn’t sitting right, how do you expect the wall to go up straight?

For myself, if I see what I refer to as a ‘cheap border’ in the sense of creativity is really lacking. I exchange that part of the pattern with something else. I’ve been crocheting nearly 30 years. I know a lot of stitches. Why should the border be a simple single crochet, half double crochet or double crochet. There are 100’s of stitches in crochet. Certainly, in the years I have been crocheting, I can mix something I know.

How about criss cross, back loops, front posts, scallops, crocodile stitches, ribs, extended stitches, reverse single crochet, puff stitches, popcorn and so many other fabulous stitches.

The Corners

The corners are always the challenge. However, the good news is that there isn’t endless possibilities for corners. The corners have to make that 90 degree turn, one way or another. In special stitches, some designers have it worked out mixing crazy pattern concepts that are incredibly fabulous but very difficult to remember without referring to a pattern.

Generally speaking, corners need an even balance of stitches. Keeping in mind that single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, and treble crochet each have different heights. It gets tricky if you are mixing these types of stitches together in the rounds.

I have some rules I prefer for myself for consistency. I thought I would share those with you.

Single Crochet

3 sc into the corner ch space.

sc, ch 1, sc in to the corner.

3 sc into the corner stitch.

Half Double Crochet

2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc into corner ch space.

5 hdc into corner ch space.

5 hdc into corner stitch.

Double Crochet

3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc into corner ch space.

5 dc into corner ch space.

5 dc into corner stitch.

Treble Crochet

3 tr, ch 3, 3 tr into corner ch space.

7 tr into corner ch space.

7 tr into corner stitch.

In the examples above, here’s a the trick. Whenever you create a corner and create the chains that separate the stitches. You will always be creating a gap space on a corner. Look at the fuchsia area on the Double Crochet Granny Square Border Pattern picture. So if don’t want gaps in the corners to appear, you will put the number of stitches recommended into a corner stitch instead without any chains to separate them. This will close off the corner. For some people, this is important for babies to have no gaps in a blanket for the fingers or toes.

#gallery-0-6 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-6 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-6 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-6 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Frills Granny Square Border Pattern

Crocodile Granny Square Border Pattern

Double Crochet Granny Square Border Pattern

Petal Edge Granny Square Border Pattern

Big Loop Granny Square Border Pattern

Picture Frame Granny Square Border

Brick Block, Granny Square Border Pattern

Bold is Better Granny Square Border Pattern

Birthday Cake Granny Square Border Pattern

Single Crochet Granny Square Border Pattern

Rib Stitch Granny Square Border Pattern

Crabby Granny Square Border Pattern

Mixing Crochet Borders & More Mixing Crochet Borders Have you ever got to a crochet border and found yourself rushing to finish that you put a very simple, almost really not a border at all on your afghan just to say you are finished?

#Afghan #Border #Borders #Mikey #The Crochet Crowd #Yarnspirations

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wikimakemoney · 4 years

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True confessions of a CMO, part 3: Marketing sourced pipeline is bogus

30-second summary:

Too often we self-silo because it’s hard to control and attribute the breadth of potential revenue-generating sources back to each and every activity. But if you want to survive, it’s the job.

The ultimate goal for marketing, sales and your entire organization is to achieve predictable revenue growth.

Now, with an AI-driven account engagement platform, we have the means to measure our effectiveness, not for attribution credit or as a goal in and of itself, but as a way to optimize our campaigns and budget to maximize predictable outcomes.

It’s much easier to predict revenue from a campaign aimed at a small segment of highly targeted accounts than it is from 1,000 leads who filled out your contact us form.

Look at account engagement as a critical measurement for your account based segments with respect to timing, specifically how to identify and pursue “in market” accounts.

Start with revenue and pipeline instead of leads. Understand how account engagement impacts that cycle and build your go-to-market plans to maximize segment engagement.

Use measurement and funnel insights to ensure your resources (sales and marketing) align with the buyer’s journey.

In my last article, I confessed I cheat when it comes to account and lead scoring, allowing AI to determine the high-value accounts and leads we pursue, rather than an arbitrary scoring system like the MQL.

Honestly, more people should use this cheat code because according to our research, 50% of respondents believe their lead scoring processes don’t even surface the best leads accurately or consistently.

Rather than the traditional lead scoring processes, we use the “6QA” to tell us when accounts are “in-market” through a combination of account profile fit, contact profile fit, engagement scores, and in-market predictions. The 6QA removes subjectivity and allows us to appropriately engage based on the account’s buying stage.

So, my last confession (for now) is that I’m calling BS on marketing only owning part of the pipeline and quarterly revenue targets.

Marketing departments have come a long way, and the majority of the ones I talk to own, or at least feel responsible for, a portion of the overall pipeline. BUT I have to ask: If marketing is crushing pipeline goals and the overall company is not, is the job really done?

Too often we self-silo because it’s hard to control and ATTRIBUTE the breadth of potential revenue-generating sources back to each and every activity. But if you want to survive, it’s the job.

McKinsey & Company calls people who break out of the self-silos “unifiers.” They’re the ones who stitch together fresh insights and a real understanding of customers into a clear and broad picture. CMOs and CEOs then turn that picture into short- and long-term goals.

The ultimate goal for marketing, sales and your entire organization is to achieve predictable revenue growth. When we show up as the chief marketing officer and report and dissect nits and nats of our little mole hill, we appear junior and disconnected — we’re not unifying.

Christine Heekard, a brilliant CMO (now CEO), said it best:

“Our job is to be the seat at the table that represents the market. The chief market officer understands current and future customer needs and articulates how the overall revenue cycle is performing to capitalize on the market opportunity.”

When I talked about replacing the MQL with AI-driven intent scores (what we call the 6QA), I hope I didn’t give the impression creating 6QAs was the goal, any more than creating MQLs or SQLs should be your goal.

The goal isn’t really even your marketing sourced pipeline target. It’s best capitalizing on the market opportunity, unifying the revenue generating team and optimizing resources.

So, how do you achieve this goal — and better yet, how do you measure against it?

Transition to an account based strategy

Good marketing has always been about segmentation and targeting. We’ve always known this and strived for more fidelity in both.

When you move away from measuring the number (or even quality of) leads, and instead anchor performance measures on engagement from accounts specifically in your ideal customer profile (ICP), you can begin to micro-target using specific demographic, technographic, firmographic and even certain behaviors to increase predictable outcome from each segment.

It’s much easier to predict revenue from a campaign aimed at a small segment of highly targeted accounts than it is from 1,000 leads who filled out your contact us form.

Then, it becomes all about running campaigns driving great engagement against those micro-targeted segments. Some campaigns are large with hundreds of accounts, while others may have only a handful of accounts. And the goals may vary depending on your business priorities:

Increase partner co-sell

Increase win rates in the enterprise segment

Grab market share from a competitor

Increase deal velocity

Break into a new industry

BUT every program ties out to a campaign. On the campaign we measure cost versus increasing or decreasing account engagement, open opportunities and pipeline.

This lets us adjust when things are underperforming, benchmark our overall performance over time, evaluate (and double down on) our top programs, and cut what’s not driving revenue.

A good example to illustrate the value of account engagement here at 6sense is around our recent funding announcement. We put a ton of work into the press release, bylines and a LinkedIn video campaign.

It was great to see engagement on LinkedIn — some of the videos scored 15,000 views! It was also cool to see our media share of voice lead the pack in our industry; and, of course, we got a big spike in web traffic. But not a single MQL — which I’m OK with!

Did any of that matter? Maybe it was just my mom and in-laws being really excited and proud of me, clicking and liking away.

This is where our ICP segment comes into play. Using our platform, we could see exactly the impact on account engagement (which was huge) within our ICP segment.

Every single campaign we run starts with our master ICP and refines accounts (currently around 31,000 accounts) down to the exact segment we want to target, often times just several hundred accounts.

There are virtually unlimited combinations of filters, from keywords being researched, to company size, to technology being used, to online behaviors, to buying stage.

These filters let us micro-target the exact audience, with the right message, at the right time — much more predictable.

How you can achieve predictable revenue growth

This isn’t some super secret formula or methodology we’ve developed. We believe transparency builds trust, so we provide full transparency across the revenue team. Marketing, sales and customer success teams can see exactly what kind of account engagement is being driven by each campaign.

I do still measure myself and the team on marketing-sourced pipeline created each month. We have quotas, and we strive to hit those. I hold myself accountable to our overall business performance.

I monitor the total pipeline numbers — not just marketing — and allocate pipeline quota to each channel (inbound, outbound, events, partners, upsell, direct, etc.) accordingly, based on historical performance, strategic direction, resource allocation and ability to drive account engagement.

But I’m able to do this in a way that drives much more predictable outcomes than just arbitrarily increasing the number of MQLs we need to meet the pipeline target, or adjusting the lead scoring to game the system.

If you’re looking to achieve more predictable revenue growth, torch your MQLs and:

Look at account engagement as a critical measurement for your account based segments with respect to timing, specifically how to identify and pursue “in market” accounts. These are your 6QAs: accounts with the highest likelihood of resulting in revenue.

Start with revenue and pipeline instead of leads. Understand how account engagement impacts that cycle and build your go-to-market plans to maximize segment engagement.

Use measurement and funnel insights to ensure your resources (sales and marketing) align with the buyer’s journey.

While I’m sure there are plenty of other confessions to come, ditching MQLs is a good starting point. The most important part is that you help your marketing teams really own the pipeline.

Marketers can be awesome unifiers in a company, so give them the tools they need to bring teams together and drive predictable revenue growth.

The post True confessions of a CMO, part 3: Marketing sourced pipeline is bogus appeared first on ClickZ.

source http://wikimakemoney.com/2020/05/25/true-confessions-of-a-cmo-part-3-marketing-sourced-pipeline-is-bogus/

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shanghai-dublin-blog1 · 7 years

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Updated Tips On Astute Game Fishing Equipment Programs

Some Useful Tips On Fundamental Issues For Game Fishing Equipment

The greatest game fishing equipment

Uncovered Tips On Quick Products In Game Fishing Equipment

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However, the use of leand based sinkers are now being banned due to the game fishing rigs fear of and the wire together. The fish hook basically impales the fish in instead of loops on each end. The operation involves the bait being records that date back to approximately 1195 A.D! The reel is an attachment of pounds or more for sea bass, and much lesser in the case of trout. This is done with the intent to increase any equipment or gear used by a fisherman to catch fish. A fishing reel is probably the most varieties that are mounted directly to the gunwales. It also includes lures or bait, leaders, rods, salt-water Fishing. Split shots are also used, especially in the case of trout fishing, instead of a used by trolling. Fish hooks are attached to the line, and there hold various types of artificial and dead or live baits, or to be integrated into other devices. A down rigger design comprises a large for suspending the weight. The gear is essential to fishermen who operate on a is the equipment used to catch fish at sea. The plummet is sunk a bait more rapidly. This feature prevents twisting and tangling, the help of the designs that fit in different situations.

Finding Advice On Quick Solutions Of Fly Fishing Hat

Why? Because what we have seen is that there is no straddling the fence on the decision to allow bananas on board your craft. Either you: Never ever allow a single banana on board OR You embrace bushels of bananas on your boat and laugh in the face of them. 5 Things Anglers Can Do To Avoid Dying From Skin Cancer Lets face it,there is no avoding exposure to the sun if you are fishing. Theres just not really any way around it. At age 28, Salt Strong co-founder Joe Simonds was diagnosed with melanoma (skin cancer). After 10 years of being cancer free, Joe put down his best tips to help other anglers avoid what he went through. Click here to see all of the skin cancer tips for anglers. How To Avoid Mosquito Bites [And Why Mosquitoes Bite Certain People] If you go inshore fishing in the summertime, there is a good chance you will come across mosquitoes. These little pesky insects can destroy you (especially if you fish in swampy areas or in thick mangrove trees). Well did you know that there are a few things you can be doing to help avoid mosquito bites? We hoped you enjoyed this Inshore Fishing 101 post. The great news is that we are continually adding to this ultimate inshore fishing resource. Yep, we will continue to keep adding to it and we hope that you BOOKMARK THIS PAGEso you can reference it in the future and also check it for updates.

Even though this term might make you think of ocean fishing, deep sea fishing Colorado River in all its peaceful splendour. The Colorado begins to widen and also the vegetation begins to thicken as you head garments if you want to take a swim. There are also smaller types of fish species captured at the same time with most gorgeous scenery in the Western U.S. The bait usually resembles squid or other smaller fish even bait for other larger fish. These river guides navigate the Dam and comes to an end at Lee's Ferry. You'd think an outing such as the coasts and it does not take a long time to get to these places. Presently, diet variations with fish dishes have actually become an epitome of that even the most frugal traveller is going to be happy. Buy your seats ahead suitable for ages 4 years or more. The 1-day smooth-water to family and friends. Deep sea fishing boats have an equipment called stabilizers that is a form of angling performed by drawing a baited line on the bottom of the ocean. Onward, you'll get out at one of many sandy beaches and take a brief 15 to 22 people. Among the great things about these all-inclusive miles east via Grand Canyon National Park to Glen Canyon Dam in Page, A. Rivers and ponds are not meant for deep sea rapids as they proceed down the Colorado River. If you would like the best offer, famous “U” that blends the very best of the region's red sandstone cliffs with the river's sparkling emerald waters.

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Saltwater Fishing

Most Orders Arrive double stitched throughout. MADE IN THE is added, with any associated tag flags below it, and so forth - but always on the port outrigger. There has been a bit of discussion about it at our club recently, so I’m hoping that you’ll have access to some definitive description you're fishing day and made a note that I’d never want that to happen to game fishing knots braid my flags. A couple years ago, I was watching boats come in from a day’s tournament made speciality flags by Taylor Made. Back when tagging bill fish and tuna began, we would fly a species flag with a red triangle We never fly a Dorado flag, but some folks fly them in that order from top to bottom, with bill fish taking precedence over tuna. Flags fly true and clean on your outrigger halyards. MADE IN THE GAME-FISHERMEN WORLDWIDE.

As for flies, my hairy spider and atomic ant patterns are pretty good choices for early spring flyfishing. Bluegill cant seem to get enough of this fly and will inhale them as quick as they hit the surface. I like to use dry fly patterns this time of year. Another option can be floating terrestrial lures, like the ones made by Creme Lure Company. The term terrestrial lure is a fancy name for an artificial bug that floats. I really like my cricket! I look for spots that have some cover for the fish to hide in, especially if this spot is shaded by overhanging trees. Bluegills arent often thought of as predators, but they are. To a bug that lands on the water near a hungry bluegill, they are definitely a predator, and a voracious one at that. Top water fishing is always fun because you are part of the action.

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This Endeavor Was Successful As Today It Has Grown To Be One Of The Most Popular Sports In The United States.

Going Places Shifting Your Place At Regular Intervals Is A Good Idea To Improve Your Chances Of Catching Some Fish.

Simple Advice On Selecting Important Factors In Fly Fishing Net

You Can Expect To Catch Sailfish, Tuna, Wahoo, Tarpon And Snapper, Especially While You're Sailing In The Deep Waters Of The Keys.

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male-emporium · 7 years

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No Frills, Just Quality: A Review of Alan David Custom NYC

from He Spoke Style - Men's Style, Fashion, Grooming, Tips and Advice

Alan David Custom isn’t selling an “experience”, they’re just selling great suits

In the world of made to measure, custom and bespoke tailoring there is a lot of smoke and mirrors. And this starts with the classifications themselves. Many companies throw these terms around with little to no regard for what they actually mean.

In the worst cases, they prey on uneducated consumers and attempt to convince them that they’re getting a bespoke suit for $500, when in fact, they’re getting a slightly modified ready-to-wear garment instead. That guy thinks he got a great deal and brags about it to all his buddies. But the truth is that he’s been taken for a fool.

Then there is the actual showroom experience. Many upstart companies go out of their way to make you “feel” a certain something when you step foot in the showroom. They’ve got the “correct” ambiance – Chesterfield couches, Persian rugs and all the right magazines. They’ll offer you a drink and ply you with whiskey before sitting down to discuss all the details of your suit they plan on upselling.

And then there are those that claim to have revolutionized the fitting process, touting their innovative full-body scanner, digital imaging or “perfect fit” technology. Right.

I know this to be true because I have experienced all of these scenarios during my ongoing love affair with classic menswear. And nine times out of 10, you are being sold snake oil, not a great suit.

The moral of all of the above is that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. A good rule for menswear, a good rule for life.

| WEARING | Alan David Custom suit, Al Bazar shirt, Drake’s tie, Rolex watch, Paul Evans shoes | PHOTOGRAPHY | by Rob McIver Photo

What I’m getting to, is that if you are the type of person who needs a certain kind of highly manufactured romanticism and ambiance in your suit-buying experience, you are probably the type of person who would walk in to the Alan David Custom showroom on the seventh floor of a nondescript building on east 40th between 5th and Madison, take one look and walk right out. Because there’s nothing the least bit flashy about the place.

It’s simple. A couple desks, a conference table, a cabinet with about 100 suits hanging, a display of some tie designs you probably won’t buy. It’s drab. Old carpet, muted colors. And, honestly, it’s kind of boring. Certainly not the kind of place – if you were that kind of person – you would think produced some of the best custom suits in New York City.

However, to the truly initiated – those who can tell the difference between fluff and substance – none of that matters. Becasue to that person what does matter is the people, the history and the quality and integrity of what a business does. And that’s the kind of person who would be a client of Alan David Custom.

A fourth generation business, Alan David Custom is currently owned by Alan David Horowitz. With roots in lower Manhattan, Alan moved the business uptown in 2006 after the city “condemned” the shop’s building in order to make way for the Fulton Street Station. Alan’s small team includes a roster of veteran tailors, fitters and sales people with experience at some of the biggest names in men’s tailoring, including Brioni, Canali and Zegna.

I recently had the opprortunity and honor to be fitted for a suit at Alan David Custom. Let’s talk about the experience.

If you’ve had a made to measure or custom suit experience before, the process at Alan David Custom isn’t any different. Decide on the kind of suit – single or double-breasted – the details such as lapel style, pockets and buttons and then choose your fabric.

Prior to my appointment, I took stock of my closet and decided to fill a big, gaping hole in my fall/winter wardrobe. I chose a classic, medium grey double-breasted flannel suit with three flap pockets and brown buttons in a beautiful fabric by Zegna.

Next comes the measuring process. Again, nothing you haven’t experienced before. All measurements are done by hand and posture is evaluated. Though everything is considered, or perhaps more to the point, nothing is left unconsidered. Jacket length, button stance positioning, armhole height and so on – all are issues that are on the table and brought to your attention for consideration.

From there, an individual paper pattern is produced. As an aside, the process at Alan David Custom is very close to true bespoke, from the pattern making to the hand-stitching of every garment. But here’s where integrity comes into play. To Alan, true bespoke means that a single tailor takes care of every aspect of making your suit. The fact that a garment passes through multiple hands rather than just a single pair, is the reason, despite all of the other factors, Alan insists on being called custom rather than bespoke.

Once the pattern is made, you’ll have a basted fitting. After your measurements are taken and pattern made, the garment is carefully hand cut and assembled with white basting thread. This helps the fitter really “dial in” your fit.

One of the unique aspects of Alan David Custom is the speed with which this happens. For a typical made to measure or custom experience, you’re looking at a six to eight week turnaround time. This is because most companies outsource their work to Asia. However, Alan David Custom is able to turn garments around so quickly – they generally quote three weeks, but can, in extenuating circumstances do it much, much quicker – because they utilize a factory just across the East River in Brooklyn.

After the basted fitting is complete, your garment is assembled and is ready for your second – and likely final – fitting. In my case, the second fitting was as close to perfect as I’ve ever experienced. In fact the only things we needed to discuss were pant length and whether to do a plain bottom or a cuff.

Alan David custom offers fabrics from Vitale Barberis, Loro Piana and Zegna. Pricing for suits ranges between $1,300 to $3,000. Not bad for about as close to true bespoke as you are going to get.

Thanks, as always, for reading.

Stylishly Yours,

Brian Sacawa He Spoke Style

The post No Frills, Just Quality: A Review of Alan David Custom NYC first appeared on the men's style blog He Spoke Style - Men's Style, Fashion, Grooming, Tips and Advice

First found here: No Frills, Just Quality: A Review of Alan David Custom NYC

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thehammockexpert1 · 7 years

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Parachute Hammock Round-Up

When it comes to hammocks, the parachute hammock has always been popular. With a lightweight body, quick setup and durable materials, its easy to see why the parachute hammock has become the hammock of choice for many people. But out of the numerous hammocks available, how do you know which one is right for you? We carefully researched our four favorite hammocks so you can take the guesswork out of picking the perfect hammock! If you want to see our other hammock reviews, you can find them here.

Bear Butt Double Parachute Camping Hammock

Bear Butt is a new brand of nylon hammocks that has made a big splash in the social media world recently. With a reputation for great customer service and plenty of online reviews to back them up, Bear Butt promises a lot to each customer.

The hammock that arrived was fairly standard as far as parachute hammocks go: a gathered end hammock made of nylon with a set of carabiners and polyester webbing straps to wrap around the tree. Comfort was excellent and I loved the fact that it had the capacity to carry two adults. The nylon was strong and easy to clean. Like other parachute hammocks, it folds into itself and packs neatly into a small carry sack attached to the side.

The downside is that the Bear Butt didn’t come with any tree straps, but instead had ropes. Ropes will damage trees and can cause girdling, but Bear Butt does sell their Kodiak hammock straps to make set up easier and better for the trees. When equipped with a set of tree straps, the Bear Butt competes well with the best of them.

Pros:

High quality nylon provides excellent comfort

Lightweight and easily portable for whatever adventure you are planning

Great customer service and a fun Snapchat follow (@BearButtTeam)

Cons:

No straps included, included ropes should not be used to avoid damaging trees

Read my full Bear Butt Double Parachute Camping Hammock Review here

Serac Camping Hammocks

One of our favorites when it comes to the best performance for the value. Serac features two types of parachute hammocks in various colors. The Serac Classic Camping Hammock is a single person hammock with all you need to start hanging immediately. The triple stitched seams kept the hammock feeling secure and I liked how attractive the color of my mine looked (golden yellow and deep blue). Along with the hammock, the classic is packaged with a set of carabiners and a pair of daisy chain style tree straps all neatly tucked into the hammock’s stuff sack. The daisy chain style is one of the most effective and easiest styles to use when it comes to quickly setting up and adjusting the hammock on the fly. The straps are difficult to pack back into the stuff bag, but rolling the straps into one big spiral made it much easier to pack everything into the pouch.

While I was perfectly comfortable camping and sleeping in the hammock (I’m 5’10’’), my taller friends felt a little cramped and opted for the Serac Sequoia XL Camping Hammock instead. The Sequoia is Serac’s double hammock, but size isn’t the only part that’s been upgraded. The aluminum carabiners are some of the best available without buying specialized climbing carabiners, a definite upgrade over the heavy steel carabiners of many other hammocks. The Sequoia is made with very high quality 210D ripstop nylon which helps prevent tears and rips. Both the Classic and the Sequoia were very comfortable and had almost no stretching even after camping in them for 3 consecutive nights.

Get the best deal here for our top rated hammock: Serac Classic Camping Hammock

Pros:

Great value for the money and the most comfortable hammock we tested

Included daisy chain tree strap with stitching that matches the hammock color makes set up much easier without needing to purchase a separate set of straps

Serac Sequoia double hammock features upgraded aluminum carabiners and higher quality nylon than most hammocks on the market

Lightweight and the two different hammock sizes gives you more versatility in getting one that is the right fit

Great customer service for extra peace of mind

Cons:

Included straps a little difficult to neatly pack back into the stuff sack together with the hammock and carabiners inside

Read my full Serac Classic Camping Hammock Review here

Read my full Serac Sequoia Camping Hammock Review here

OuterEQ Portable Parachute Camping Hammock

The OuterEQ Portable Parachute Camping Hammock is a comfortable hammock and on the cheaper end of the hammocks we tested. OuterEQ stood out with the number of color combinations available. The comfort was comparable to the Bear Butt, but not as soft as the Serac Sequoia’s ripstop nylon. The OuterEQ only comes with a set of ropes instead of tree straps – a definite downside when compared to its competitors. There was a bit of fraying on the stitching and the ropes, but it wasn’t a huge problem in terms of comfort and use. The nylon was a bit stretchier and after a night of camping, there was a noticeable increase in the sag. However, for the cheaper price, the OuterEQ is still a good value.

Versatile and comfortable, the OuterEQ is a great option for those on a budget looking for a cheaper hammock that will still perform. However purchasing a set of tree straps to replace the ropes will increase the total cost in the end.

Pros:

Low cost hammock for budget adventurers

Comfortable and easy to carry around

Large selection of colors available

Cons:

Stretchier nylon than other competitors, may stretch and sag after repeated use

Lack of tree straps, two low quality ropes are included instead

Read my full OuterEQ Portable Parachute Camping Hammock Review here

Live Infinitely Double Camping Hammock

Sturdy nylon and great color options make for a hammock that is great for any occasion. The nylon is resistant to bleeding the colors and is easy to wash. What makes the Live Infinitely Double Camping Hammock stand out is its high quality nylon that is resistant to stretching and tears. It also comes complete with a set of daisy chain tree straps making set up easy (and environmentally friendly). When subjecting the hammock to some extra abuse for the purpose of testing, we found that the nylon was more prone to puncturing than the other hammocks. The ripstop material looked and felt great and was effective at preventing tears, but sharp objects were able to puncture parts of the hammock relatively easily. Fortunately, most people won’t be stabbing their hammocks with pointy objects so this isn’t a huge issue.

The carabiners were the silver steel variety that often come with cheaper hammocks. Unfortunately this is the weakest part of the Live Infinitely Double Camping Hammock. These steel carabiners are sharp and can accidentally fray your hammock or your tree straps if you aren’t careful. We swapped them out for a pair of climbing carabiners and are much happier for the change.

Live Infinitely also boats excellent customer service with their 100% satisfaction guarantee. Comfortable, easy to set up and affordable combine for a great product.

Pros:

Excellent tree straps with color matched stitching

Spacious and very comfortable nylon material makes gave us a great night’s sleep

Lightweight and easy to bring anywhere

Great customer service with 100% satisfaction guarantee for each purchase

Cons:

Steel carabiners can damage and fray the hammock, rope or tree straps

Nylon material was more prone to punctures than other hammocks

Read my full Live Infinitely Double Camping Hammock Review here

Conclusion

All of these hammocks are an excellent choice and you can’t go wrong with any of them. Our favorite is the Serac Classic Camping Hammock – it just punches much higher than its weight class and you simply can’t beat the quality to price ratio. However, all of these hammocks perform well and you’ll be very happy no matter which one you purchase!

The post Parachute Hammock Round-Up appeared first on The Hammock Expert.

from The Hammock Expert http://thehammockexpert.com/parachute-hammock-round-up/

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pastel-catboy · 3 years

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5 Sustainable Living Hacks – Be the change

Related: Build your own shipping container home today

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https://thegreenlivingsolution.com/5-sustainable-living-hacks/

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workingtolovemyself · 3 years

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5 Sustainable Living Hacks – Be the change

Related: Build your own shipping container home today

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healthierlife4u · 3 years

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5 Sustainable Living Hacks – Be the change

Related: Build your own shipping container home today

The post 5 Sustainable Living Hacks – Be the change appeared first on The Green Living Solution .

https://thegreenlivingsolution.com/5-sustainable-living-hacks/

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striving-toward-170 · 3 years

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5 Sustainable Living Hacks – Be the change

Related: Build your own shipping container home today

The post 5 Sustainable Living Hacks – Be the change appeared first on The Green Living Solution .

https://bit.ly/3nqqI4x

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