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Scrum Project Management: A Framework for Agile Success
Scrum project management has emerged as a leading methodology for Agile software development, providing teams with a flexible and iterative approach to delivering high-quality products. In this article, we'll delve into the fundamentals of Scrum, its key principles, roles, artifacts, events, benefits, challenges, implementation tips, and real-world applications.
I. Introduction
What is Scrum Project Management?
Scrum is a framework for Agile project management that emphasizes iterative development, collaboration, and continuous improvement. It enables teams to respond rapidly to changing requirements and deliver valuable software increments in short cycles.
Brief History and Evolution of Scrum
Originally introduced in the 1980s by Hirotaka Takeuchi and Ikujiro Nonaka, Scrum has since evolved into a widely adopted Agile methodology. Its principles draw inspiration from various fields, including lean manufacturing, empirical process control, and organizational psychology.
II. Core Principles of Scrum
Empirical Process Control
At the heart of Scrum lies the principle of empirical process control, which emphasizes transparency, inspection, and adaptation. Teams base their decisions on real-time feedback and data, rather than predefined plans.
Iterative Development
Scrum promotes iterative development, dividing work into small, manageable increments called "sprints." Each sprint typically lasts one to six weeks and results in a potentially shippable product increment.
Collaboration
Collaboration is central to Scrum, with cross-functional teams working closely together to achieve shared goals. Through frequent communication and collaboration, team members can address challenges and capitalize on opportunities more effectively.
Self-Organization
Scrum teams are self-organizing, meaning they have the autonomy to determine how best to accomplish their objectives. This autonomy fosters creativity, ownership, and accountability among team members.
III. Scrum Roles
Scrum Master
The Scrum Master serves as a servant-leader for the team, facilitating the Scrum process and removing impediments to progress. They coach the team on Agile principles and practices, ensuring adherence to Scrum values.
Product Owner
The Product Owner represents the stakeholders and is responsible for maximizing the value of the product. They prioritize the backlog, define user stories, and make decisions about what features to include in each sprint.
Development Team
The Development Team consists of professionals who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable increment of product at the end of each sprint. They are cross-functional and self-organizing, with a collective responsibility for achieving the sprint goal.
IV. Scrum Artifacts
Product Backlog
The Product Backlog is a prioritized list of all desired work on the project. It evolves over time, with new items added, refined, or removed based on feedback and changing requirements.
Sprint Backlog
The Sprint Backlog is a subset of the Product Backlog selected for implementation during a sprint. It represents the work that the Development Team plans to complete within the sprint.
Increment
The Increment is the sum of all the product backlog items completed during a sprint, plus the increments of all previous sprints. It must be in a potentially releasable state and meet the Definition of Done.
V. Scrum Events
Sprint Planning
Sprint Planning marks the beginning of a sprint, during which the Scrum Team collaborates to select the items from the Product Backlog that will be included in the upcoming sprint and create a sprint goal.
Daily Stand-up
The Daily Stand-up is a short, time-boxed meeting held every day to synchronize the activities of the Development Team and identify any impediments to progress. Each team member answers three questions: What did I do yesterday? What will I do today? Are there any impediments?
Sprint Review
The Sprint Review is held at the end of the sprint to inspect the increment and gather feedback from stakeholders. It provides an opportunity to review what was done in the sprint and adapt the Product Backlog as needed.
Sprint Retrospective
The Sprint Retrospective is a meeting held at the end of the sprint to reflect on the team's process and identify opportunities for improvement. It focuses on what went well, what could be improved, and actionable items for the next sprint.
VI. Benefits of Scrum
Improved Flexibility
Scrum's iterative approach allows teams to adapt to changing requirements and market conditions quickly. By delivering increments of working software regularly, teams can respond to feedback and deliver value more effectively.
Enhanced Product Quality
Through frequent inspection and adaptation, Scrum promotes a focus on quality throughout the development process. Continuous testing, peer reviews, and customer feedback help identify and address issues early, resulting in higher-quality products.
Increased Transparency
Scrum provides stakeholders with transparency into the development process, enabling them to track progress, provide feedback, and make informed decisions. This transparency builds trust and fosters collaboration between the development team and stakeholders.
Better Stakeholder Engagement
By involving stakeholders in the development process through events like the Sprint Review, Scrum ensures that their feedback is incorporated into the product. This engagement leads to greater satisfaction and alignment between the product and stakeholder expectations.
VII. Challenges in Implementing Scrum
Resistance to Change
Transitioning to Scrum requires a cultural shift within an organization, which can meet resistance from stakeholders accustomed to traditional project management methods. Overcoming resistance requires strong leadership, clear communication, and patience.
Lack of Experience
Inexperienced teams may struggle to implement Scrum effectively, leading to frustration and disillusionment. Training, mentoring, and hands-on experience can help teams build the skills and confidence needed to succeed with Scrum.
Overcommitment
Teams may overcommit to work during sprint planning, leading to burnout, reduced quality, and missed deadlines. It's essential to set realistic goals and prioritize the most valuable work to ensure sustainable pace and continuous delivery.
VIII. Tips for Successful Scrum Implementation
Training and Education
Invest in training and education for team members, Scrum Masters, and Product Owners to ensure a solid understanding of Scrum principles and practices.
Clear Communication
Foster open and transparent communication within the team and with stakeholders to ensure alignment and shared understanding of project goals and priorities.
Empowering Teams
Empower teams to self-organize and make decisions, trusting them to deliver results and continuously improve their process.
Continuous Improvement
Encourage a culture of continuous improvement, where teams reflect on their process, identify areas for enhancement, and experiment with new approaches.
IX. Scrum vs. Traditional Project Management
Scrum differs from traditional project management methodologies, such as Waterfall, in several key ways. While traditional methods emphasize detailed planning and documentation, Scrum prioritizes adaptability, collaboration, and delivering value early and often.
X. Real-world Applications of Scrum
Scrum is widely used across various industries and domains, from software development to marketing, healthcare, and beyond. Organizations like Spotify, Google, and Salesforce have adopted Scrum to streamline their processes and deliver innovative products to market faster.
XI. Conclusion
In conclusion, Scrum project management offers a powerful framework for Agile development, enabling teams to respond rapidly to change, deliver high-quality products, and maximize value for stakeholders. By embracing Scrum's core principles, roles, artifacts, and events, organizations can achieve greater flexibility, transparency, and collaboration, ultimately driving success in today's dynamic business environment.
XII. FAQs
What is the difference between Scrum and Agile?
While Agile is a broader philosophy or mindset, Scrum is a specific framework for implementing Agile principles in software development. Scrum provides guidelines and practices for iterative development, collaboration, and continuous improvement within Agile projects.
How does Scrum handle changes in requirements?
Scrum accommodates changes in requirements through its iterative approach and flexible mindset. Changes can be incorporated into the Product Backlog and prioritized for future sprints, allowing teams to adapt to evolving customer needs and market conditions.
Can Scrum be used in non-software projects?
Yes, Scrum can be applied to a wide range of projects beyond software development, including marketing campaigns, event planning, construction projects, and more. The key is to adapt Scrum principles and practices to suit the specific needs and constraints of the project.
What is the ideal size for a Scrum team?
The ideal size for a Scrum team is typically between five and nine members, although smaller or larger teams can also be effective depending on the project's complexity and requirements. The goal is to have a cross-functional team with the skills and expertise needed to deliver value independently.
How do you measure the success of a Scrum project?
Success in a Scrum project is measured by the value delivered to stakeholders, the quality of the product, and the team's ability to adapt and improve over time. Key metrics may include customer satisfaction, product quality, team velocity, and time-to-market.
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The scrum implementation method is the most popular and very quickly growing among agile methodologies. This is one of the essential factors in the project work of any Software Development company.
#agile management#agile process#scrum implementation#scrum process#scrum tips#agile tips#agile critical factors#scrum critical factors#agile success tips#scrum success tips
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Hello, im wehaveagathering from my main blog, im kind of obsessed with your hockey poetry edits and I think your blog is great! I guess I kind of have a dumb question, where do you find the images you use for your edits? Did you say Getty in your tags?? I’ve gotten into making icons recently (and i have ideas for poetry edits hrrrghhh) but it’s hard to find high res images. Thanks for your time and I hope you have a nice day :)
first of all thank you so much 🥹 and second that’s absolutely not a dumb question!! i do pull a lot of images from getty and i’ll also download pictures from sports articles (i got a lot of the hugheses pictures from online access articles, for example), or sometimes from instagram/facebook/twitter if an account is public. freely admitting that i am not technologically advanced? inclined? in the slightest here, but the image editing software that you use and how you import/export photos with it makes a difference in the quality of them as well!
if you haven’t seen them yet, i would also recommend checking out @simmyfrobby @national-hockey-lesbian @hauntedppgpaints @tapedsleeves @starscelly and @captainbradmarchand’s blogs just off the top of my head!!! they might know more places to get high res images and also i love their work 💕🫶
#sorry can’t type hands all butterfly hearts i’m just out here like 🥰🥰🥰🥹🥹🥹😭😭😭💕💕💕#@ everyone i tagged ty i love you i hope you don’t mind the tag 😘 also i KNOW i am unintentionally forgetting people so tag them at will#forgive me i am eepy. we are running on <4 hours of sleep and over 18 hours awake 🫡#liv in the replies#join the club!!! join the club!!!!! we love the hockey poetry edits!!!!!! i’m so excited to see what you create!!!!! :)))))#the process of me finding images is very much like. either i have a vision in my head and i troll getty looking for it or my screenshots#if i know i have one l m a o but either way i am always 68 pages deep in a hyper specific search labeling my photos like ‘ohHHH buddy’#‘menace 1 abd 2’ ‘but he’s not a cup winner’ ‘ohhhh the nolpat media scrums are rich earth’#‘because WILLY WON’T CUT HIS HAIR’ ‘deJA FUCKIN MILK BAYBE’ ‘is it truly sn edit if u don’t find a devastating baby pic’ ‘yes MF last line’#and so forth. like. glad it’s comprehensible to ME but if anyone else ever tried to use these photos based on file name alone i am so sorry#also i forget that y’all can’t see all of the metadata notes on photos to know where they’re from :/ i gotta be better abt making it clear#also on the note about image quality i just need to state for the record i am so photoshop whatever illiterate.#i learn one (1) new trick on GIMP a year maybe two if i am lucky & no i have never figured out consistent sizing 🫡 but the one hack for res#i HAVE figured out is that when i do edits i usually make a whole doc w/the poem lined up on it (helps me keep somewhat consistent sizing)#and then i export that document as a pdf and edit the pdf in the software instead of trying to screencap or jpeg or anything. PDF quality >#that is probably so convoluted lol if anyone has tips please lmk i am always learning#ANYWAY. rambling u did not ask for but is inherent to Me.#have a great day too!!!!! you literally made mine so 💕😭#wehaveagathering#indecisor
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Taking Engineering Lessons Home: A SCRUM Task Board for Household Chores
After teaching during COVID, all my task management strategies fell apart. My mental load was overflowing. When my second child was born in 2022, I couldn’t afford to let things continue to get out of hand. It felt like nothing was getting done in the house, the piles of laundry never stopped, and I could never catch up.
Mind you, I still feel like that. But this helped.
Continue reading…
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#affordable house management#chore chart for adults#family chore board#family chore chart ideas#home management#housework strategy#organize household#scrum board#share family chores#share the mental load#simple housework#task board#tips to clean#unload the mental load
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MEDIA MANAGEMENT — JACK HUGHES (PART SIX)
one — two — three — four — five — 5.5 — six
notes: first photo was taken and sent to me by @/bellaxward on twitter, so creds to her! also, i’m sorry, i feel like this update isn’t the best but i’m running on like 3 hours of sleep and i was writing this bit by bit while super busy!
y/ndevils00
liked by tmeier96, ehaula, and 37,519 others
y/ndevils00 heyo! welcome back to my postgame boyfriend show! tonight the njdevils played against the spawns of satan (not trevor)! or.. i mean.. the new york rangers.
we start tonight’s recap off with a very cute picture i got of my boyfriend and his best friend (again; not trevor) talking about how much they love me during warmups!
we also have da sun showing me that the tooth fairy came to visit him awhile ago! i bet he got lots of money for his toofer, however i wouldn’t know because he’s stopped letting me steal his wallet.
our first goal of the night was a tip in by mr. haula at ya! followed up in the same period by a goal from timo time! notice how he made the post this time? that’s because unlike most of these idiots (i’m looking at you, marino 👀), timo takes me seriously!
however, immediately after timo’s goal, haulaback girl was placed in the sin bin for tripping. i was very disappointed and he got a very strict talking to during first intermission and assured me he wouldn’t get another penalty. he lied.
he got a penalty in second period for the exact same reason that he did in the first. i cannot promise i was as nice to him in the second intermission.
we got a few scrums in this game, but my personal favorite one was in third period and ended much too quickly for my liking. BOO, REFS!
and finally, we have some pictures of my gorgeous, talented, sometimes annoying babygirl… my boyfriend!
tagged jackhughes, dawson1417, ehaula, tmeier96, ryangraves27 and vitacz15
dawson1417 y/n, i never LET you steal my wallet. you would take it from my pocket and count my money and then give it back, like a thief that’s really bad at their job
y/ndevils00 i’m just a very curious person! i like to know everyone’s business, all the time. and you never told me to stop 🤷♀️
jackhughes if i remember correctly, dawson and i were actually discussing our plans for the off-season
y/ndevils00 you remember incorrectly
jackhughes did you just call me babygirl
y/ndevils00 you’re so babygirl
jackhughes thank you?
john.marino97 why does everyone else get normal penalty reactions but me?
user52 wait, did y/n ACTUALLY just talk to Haula?!
john.marino97 @/user52 yes!
user52 OH MY GOD JOHN ILY
y/ndevils00 because you’re my bff and i only want the best for you
john.marino97 every day i rethink why i decided to become one of your best friends
y/ndevils00 you love me
trevorzegras did you seriously just specify that you weren’t talking about me when you said spawn of satan?
y/ndevils00 i didn’t want anyone to get confused!
trevorzegras i don’t like you
y/ndevils00 wait really???
trevorzegras wait no y/n i’m sorry. i was just joking
y/ndevils00 📸 caught in 4k
trevorzegras i hope both sides of your pillow are hot tonight
tmeier96 i made the post!!
y/ndevils00 you did a good job with my demands 🫡 i love my blankie
ehaula second intermission… you’re scary
y/ndevils00 remember that.
ryangraves27 why did you have to do me like this?
y/ndevils00 idk what you mean 🤭
user6 y/n is a menace and i’m here for it
lhughes_06 do i get to be in these posts when i join?
y/ndevils00 moosey, you’ll replace jack as the star of the show
jackhughes now hold on! let’s not get ahead of ourselves here!
y/ndevils00 @/jackhughes i said what i said.
lhughes_06 @/jackhughes can we keep her?
jackhughes i intend to
nicohischier no feature for me tonight? i feel betrayed
y/ndevils00 i only have 9 picture slots bud, idk what to tell ya 🤷♀️
y/ndevils00 make a goal next time or something
nicohischier i’m gonna steal your cat
y/ndevils00 you wouldn’t!
nicohischier i probably wouldn’t even need to steal her. i bet jack would just give her to me.
y/ndevils00 @/jackhughes TELL HIM HE’S WRONG!
jackhughes …. no comment
y/ndevils00 @/jackhughes you’re sleeping on the couch
jackhughes @/y/ndevils00 that only hurts you babe. every time you say that, you end up dragging me in to the bed at like 2am because you can’t fall asleep without me
y/ndevils00 @/jackhughes you can’t cook broccoli.
jackhughes @/y/ndevils00 yes i can! i can now!
#media management series <3#jack hughes#jack hughes x reader#jack hughes blurb#jack hughes fic#jack hughes imagine#nj devils#new jersey devils#dawson mercer#john marino#trevor zegras#luke hughes#ryan graves#nico hischier#nhl imagine#nhl blurb#nhl fic#faithlynn’s insta edits <3#faithlynn’s writings <3
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Draco had just tipped the dregs of the punchbowl into Harry's champagne saucer to refresh him as they flowed out of Glimmerald Hall into the cobbled street of Diagon Alley on the heels of a scrum of laughing, shouting, dancing Weasleys. Ron and Hermione were setting off on their honeymoon, and there were bon voyage fireworks sending pink and gold stars across the cold November sky, but Draco's eyes were fixed on Harry. He was looking extraordinarily pretty in his dress robes, and it made Draco want to do things for him.
Harry's soft black curls were slipping out of their topknot, his eyes were bright, and the pink of the fireworks was reflected on his brown skin. He'd been smiling so hugely all day that Draco reckoned it was a wonder he hadn't given himself a headache. He looked otherworldly, and so beautiful and happy that it made Draco's stomach hurt.
Draco reached for Harry's hand, rested his head on Harry's broad, solid shoulder. Harry squeezed Draco's fingers, and it seemed almost like a secret message. Like an invitation. So it was only natural that Draco couldn't help himself.
"This is gorgeous," Draco's voice came out a hungry murmur, swathed in the fug of his hot breath on the cold night air.
Harry grinned at him, bounced an eyebrow, "Yeah, isn't it."
"I want this with you," Draco pressed Harry's hand. "I want this for us. I want to bottle this up and pour it in my bathwater every Sunday night."
Harry laughed, "You're drunk."
"I'm in love with you," Draco persisted. "I love you, and I want to do something beautiful about it."
"Something beautiful?" Harry looked up at the dazzling sky. "Haven't we already done that?"
Draco wet his lips, "Let's do it again."
Harry laughed again, "Sure, in the tub every Sunday night, yeah?"
"Forget the bit about the bathwater. I only mean. I want to make you an evening this lovely, with all our friends about. If. If you'd like it. If you want it."
"Well," Harry leaned into him. "When you say it like that, how could I not want it?"
___________________________________
Excerpt from my brand new fic, If the Fates Allow. I must admit I love this fic! I do quite a few things that are new to me in it, and I had such fun doing them. I hope you will all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. 10.6K, rated E. Get the rest of the story on AO3!
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Roughing it
"I bet terrans ain't so tuff without alla that fancy tech they got!" Yazz grumbled before tilting the filthy stein of beer down his gullet.
"Shows what you know" Snork snorted derisively.
"Bah" Yazz waved "Under that power armor they're helpless." Shouts from the crowd and various handfuls of bar snacks are hurled at him. "Alright, some of them are scrappy. I'll give you that, but they all complain about the slightest inconvenience, right?" Various grunt and nods prompt him to continue. "Can you imagine what those crumbly little pastries would do without matter converters, scanners or teleporters? Curl up a die, that what!" Hearty laughs and cheers greet this point.
"You forget they are deathwolders." Snork sneered.
"We're all deathworlders in this pit ain't we boys?" More cheers. "Where's their hide? Their tusks? Their venom glands? In place of natural advantages they gots all in those clever machines of theirs. And, fair is fair, they have kicked all our collective asses out of civilized space. But if we were dropped in a no tech world with any of us they'd be the first to go."
"Codswallop." Snork snarled. "I’ve seen otherwise first hand. And, fair is fair, I thought much the same way you did in that situation. You sees, I was part of a mixed race mercenary company. Our tranpo got shot down and we made an unscheduled landing in the middle of a forest. Crashed, you might say.
“Half the boys were minced meat in the tin when all was said and done. Ol’ sarge survived out of a sheer need to keep reminding us what a bunch of sorry sacks of slime we all were. He starts barking about disaster kits and all the Terrys start grabbing backpacks and duffle bags.
“‘Snork!’ Snapped the sarge. ‘Where’s your gear?’ ‘Ain’t got none’ I sez ‘Fine. You get the dead men’s weight.’ So I ask my squad mate what the hell dead men’s weight is. The boys look at me and start going through this pile of belongings whose owners were now part of the great scrum in the stars. They tied together a couple of bags and slung them on my shoulders.
“I can’t make snouts or stingers of the stuff we’re all carrying. No high tech to speak of. The most advanced thing in the lot was a bunch of short wave radio transmitters they called tally-wallys or somefink like that. One thing in abundance was multipurpose hunks of metal.
“Fellas, if you fink their high tech is tops, you should see what their low tech does. The same piece of metal has a cutting edge, sawing edge, prying tip, knuckle duster grip, screw head studs and wrenching slots.
“In a matter of hours they stripped the wreckage. They cobbled together an emergency beacon from bits of broken machinery and bits from the items in their packs. Hull plates became improvised shelters called skinny 2s. The next priority was of course, fire. Terry’s love fire. I can kind of see why now.
“Over the fire they criss-crossed metal struts from the ship. A big pot of water was placed on the grull and the humans started pulling out various paper pouches. After a bit of argument they decided which bags would be opened and put the others away. The contents of the selected bags were dumped into the simmering water and the bags were tossed to the flames.
“In less than an hour I was eating my first stew. Some of the humans had separated themselves from the rest and had tied strips of cloth over their eyes. Squadmates told me this was done to prepare for night watch duty. Others spent their time gathering all the packs into a net and hoisted the whole lot so that it hung suspended over a tree branch to protect it from local fauna.
“After falling asleep to ‘campfire songs’ I was woken up to a chilly pre-dawn glow. Night watch had scared away a pack of nasty-wasties. Two of them pursued the hunters deep into the unfamiliar forest. This led them to a stream of running water 3 kilos away. I had been assigned to join the foraging group.
“We made our way slowly to the water. Each forager carried several metal pots in both mitts. A few of the Terrys had compact books called field guides. Inside were extensive survey notes on edible flora on the moon’s surface. We gathered nuts, fruits and roots on our way to the water. First meal was by the water’s bank and consisted of a variety of food bars stored in the endless array of pockets human clothing has.
“We filled the empty pots with water. I was about to take a deep slurp kneeling in the mud. Sheila boxed my ear and advised me not to drink from the flowing water until it was properly treated. I followed this advice as only a fool would ignore a human’s warning. Using their hand tools, some small trees were fashioned into limbless trunks that were slung across shoulders. Big lunks like me got several water pots hanging from our sticks. The small fry mostly carried the food pots, but they did their best to be fair about who got whats.
“The return trip took almost as long as the first leg as we were being careful not to spill the water. When we got back to camp, the Terry’s were obsessed with treating the water. I’d say a quarter of their gear was focused on cleaning water. Some had rolls of finely meshed fabric to filter out large particles, this was then filtered a second time through fabric the humans swore could capture microscopic impurities. Then it was boiled and had sanitizing tables dropped into it as it cooled. Some humans even had flavoring packets for the water as they did not like the taste of the sanitizer.
“And so the days passed, foraging for food, gathering water, doing watch shifts and trying to amuse each other with story and song. After a particularly unpleasant day the Terrys played a strange game. They started telling stories about trips even worse than their current predicament. Each tale topped the previous in misfortune.
“Loads of these stories referred to times in their childhood. Raising their runts from seed to soldier involves regular periods of survival in deathworld biomes. They call it camping. Eventually the story contest became more and more unbelievable and the Terrys started calling bullshit on obvious lies.
“Shelia, one of the smaller female Terrys, spoke up and a hush fell over the campfire. Her expertise on roughing it was deferred to even by the Sarge. She starts pointing to a line of numbers on her arm: 20, 40, 60, 80, 120, 180 and 365! The numbers indicated commercial survival contests called “Naked and Afraid”. These humans survive deathworld locations with one piece of equipment and no garments to protect them from the elements.
“Yazz, me mate. Lots of humans would be easy pickens without their tech. But you don’t want to meet Sheila like that. Like as not, your hide would become her tent and she’d carve your tusks into tools.
#humans are space orcs#humans are aliens#humans are space oddities#humans are confusing#humans are deathworlders#humans are silly
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‘We won’t stop’: How Columbia’s students etched a new Gaza protest legacy
Inside a movement that took over a university building and lost its encampment within 24 hours – yet refuses to die.
New York, United States — At about 10pm on Monday, April 29, I thought I would call it a night.
My student journalist colleagues and I had stayed late into the night on Columbia University’s campus the previous couple of days, reporting on a story that had grabbed the world’s attention: the pro-Palestine protests and encampment that had inspired similar campaigns in schools across the United States and globally.
As I slung my camera bag on my back and began to leave campus, walking by the camp, I got a tip from a passing protester: “I would stick around till about midnight,” they said. “Maybe go home first, though.”
Got it. I went home to charge backup camera batteries and grab spare memory cards before leaving for campus again.
Back at Columbia, it appeared that more than one of us had gotten the tip. Crowds of student journalists, all of us with matching paper badges and blue tape on our clothes, waited next to the encampment for whatever was to come. Our journalism faculty stood by our side, as they had been doing throughout.
Protesters grouped into “platoons”, and while we didn’t know what to expect, we kept eyes on different corners.
We split up to make sure different spots were covered; a few of us stuck by Pulitzer Hall, the home of Columbia Journalism School, where a small number of protesters had convened, while some others stood ready with cameras and recorders by the encampment.
That is when it all began. Campers began walking their tents off the lawn. One group began chanting. Another at the opposite end of the lawn sang protest hymns. I was with a small cohort of journalists who followed the tents to another small lawn, a clever decoy – whether intended or not – that meant many of us missed the moment, at the opposite end of campus, when protesters entered Hamilton Hall.
By the time we had run over, tens of student protesters had gathered to link arms outside the building, which their predecessors had taken over in 1968 to protest against the Vietnam War, and in 1985 to demand that Columbia divest from firms tied to apartheid South Africa.
Two of my colleagues were in the middle of the scrum, up against the doors watching two counter-protesters attempt to stop the occupation before being pushed out. Protesters rushed metal picnic tables, wooden chairs, trash cans, and planters to the doors where they were zip-tied together, effectively forming a barricade.
Two masked individuals appeared from a second-floor balcony to cheers and applause. They unfurled a hand-painted sign, “Hind’s Hall”, a reference to the six-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed with her family in their car in January as they tried to escape Israel’s military assault in Gaza.
That night, I fell asleep on the floor of a sixth-storey classroom in Pulitzer Hall to the echoes of song, one lone voice amplified through a megaphone, coming from Hamilton Hall: “This joy that I have, the world didn’t give it to me … the world can’t take it away.”
Student protesters playing music at the Columbia University encampment in New York City [Yasmeen Altaji/Al Jazeera]
The final offer
The morning before had felt very different. Columbia University’s South Lawn was packed, and the little protest village in the heart of the campus – dozens of tents and tarps comprising the “Gaza solidarity encampment” – was bustling with life, two weeks since its erection.
The protest is rooted in a decades-long movement for Palestinian rights in their homeland, and to hold Israel accountable for its illegal occupation of Palestinian territories. The current campaign against Israel’s war on Gaza – in which more than 34,000 people have been killed – also aims to pressure Columbia to divest from Israel-linked companies, just as the university did in the case of apartheid South Africa after similar protests four decades ago.
In my time covering the protest, the sounds at the encampment varied. Some days, you could hear the (Islamic) adhan, or the chants of (Jewish) Passover prayer. Or the sounds of the dumbek (drum) and sharp violins echoing microtonal hymns of Palestinian folk music and classical Andalusian muwashshah. Speakers amplified the melodies of iconic musicians like Abdel Halim Hafez and Fairuz.
Protesters shared donated hot meals – pizzas and samosas, bagels and eggs, sacks of mandarins and tubs of crackers, muffins and cookies spread on a tarp aptly called the “cornucopia”.
One camper had set up a makeshift nail parlour, painting red, white, black and green manicures matching the Palestinian flag. Cardboard “street signs” named the tight spaces between rows of tents “Walid Daqqa Road”, after the Palestinian novelist and activist who died of cancer in April, while in Israeli custody.
In the lawn’s centre, organisers routinely updated a whiteboard to reflect the day’s programmed activities: Dhuhr prayer and Shabbat dinner, with jazz in the mix, too.
In a corner of the lawn near the main campus walk, an “art guild” was buzzing with protesters painting signs, drawing patterns of the keffiyeh, decorating and personalising tent spaces.
But that Monday, campers received a final offer from the university administration under President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik: evacuate now, and evade suspension. Campers defied the order.
And by Monday night, the morning’s bustle had died down to a hum, then a whisper, before the eruption that culminated in the takeover of Hamilton Hall. At the encampment site, the zipper flap doors of empty tents billowed in the breeze. Blankets lay crumpled beside pillows still dented from a nap; a sole LED lantern left lit on the ground, a paintbrush crusted with dried red and green acrylic lay stuck on a paper plate.
It’s a community that student journalists like myself at the Columbia Journalism School had closely observed for days at a stretch, unlike the “outside media” who were only allowed on to campus in daily two-hour windows since the encampment went up. Joining us were undergraduate peers at student publications including WKCR and the Columbia Daily Spectator.
A community that, through the intensifying attention on its members, had been trying to emphasise that they weren’t the story. Signs planted across the lawn read: “All eyes on Gaza.”
But in the 24 hours that would follow, the world’s gaze on Columbia would only sharpen.
Students were trapped inside the entrance vestibule at John Jay Hall in Columbia University in New York on Tuesday, April 30, 2023 [Yasmeen Altaji/Al Jazeera]
The raid
Tuesday morning started eerily quiet. The camp was empty, save for a few protesters, and Hamilton Hall was sleepy, the only movement coming from a banner reading “INTIFADA” hanging off the side of the building.
Just a few days prior, far before the occupation of Hamilton Hall, the Columbia administration had sent a notice arguing that “to bring back the NYPD at this time would be counterproductive, further inflaming what is happening on campus, and drawing thousands to our doorstep who would threaten our community”.
The note was met with mistrust by protesters: After all, the university had already called the police to campus for the first time in more than 50 years in April to try to clear the encampment. More than 100 students had been arrested.
Instead, I heard organisers advise campers to pack their belongings in trash bags and write phone numbers on their arms in case of arrest.
By Tuesday night, their apprehension would turn into reality. The NYPD entered Columbia’s campus shortly after 9pm on Tuesday (01:00 GMT on Wednesday).
Students linked arms and sang together in anticipation before the harmonies of “We shall not be moved” merged with the march of hundreds of police officers making their way, in formation, to Hamilton Hall.
Calls through long-range acoustic devices (LRAD) to disperse or face arrest, echoed across the campus square, all the time weaving in and out of the floating tunes of the protest hymns, earworms that anyone who’d been on campus had likely come to memorise.
Protesters outside of Hamilton braced for arrest. But officers turned away from them upon arrival, and instead turned towards us – onlookers and press.
Officers instructed us to vacate the area. We walked backwards to get everything on video. “It’s easier if you face forward,” one officer said. “Turn around so you don’t fall,” another yelled repeatedly in a collective command. “Time to go inside,” another said. “Back to your dorms.”
While our backs were against the door of a building at the end of the courtyard where Hamilton was, the doors opened, and officers raised their batons, giving one final push until we were all inside. There was a moment of disorientation before we realised where we were: inside an undergraduate dormitory called John Jay Hall.
It’s where the student health centre, a dining hall, and a late-night campus eatery are. But we couldn’t see any of that. While police guarded the doors into the entry vestibule of the building in front of us, campus security guarded the rest of the building behind us, restricting access to dorm residents.
With about 30 or 40 of us squeezed into the small entry vestibule, ventilation was poor. We wouldn’t reach the bathroom. Red arrows pointed towards the emergency exit but the doors were blocked by officers. Phone batteries were dying. And most pressing, for the journalists among us: we couldn’t see Hamilton beyond the bodies of officers standing at John Jay’s glass doors.
For about three hours, students kicked at the front doors, slouched on the ground against the wall, and slept with their backpacks as pillows. One student sat cross-legged on the floor, sobbing softly while her friend comforted her.
Three hours passed in that hall before we were let out, officers directing us to dorms and buildings they did not know the names or locations of. “We know you want to get out of here. We’re doing you a favour,” one said.
As I left campus at about 1:30am, I walked past a crew hauling the tents off the South Lawn and into a garbage truck that crushed them on the spot.
[See embedded video in the article]
The remains
On Wednesday, the tension wasn’t palpable, only disappointment. The campus was quiet, but not calm. It was completely empty. No one, aside from residents and essential staff – which the journalism faculty ensured we were viewed as, as student journalists – were allowed past campus gates.
Where the encampment once stood, there were only marks of discoloured grass in the shape of rectangular tent bases.
But the movement seems anything but a ghost; on Wednesday, protesters hosted a “light show” beside the campus, projecting titles onto the public-facing side of Hamilton Hall that read “Hind’s Hall forever.”
Every year, on the eve of exams, students gather to let out what is known as a “primal scream” on campus. On Thursday, they took that tradition to Shafik’s house, shouting outside her door.
On Friday, protesters again lined the street outside of Columbia’s gate. And the words still rang through the neighbourhood: “Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.”
#palestine#free palestine#save palestine#gaza#free gaza#save gaza#israel#israel palestine conflict#israeli apartheid#bds boycott#boycott israel#bds movement#war on gaza#gaza genocide#gaza strip#world news#current events#palestinian genocide#stop the genocide#genocide#columbia university#student activism#activism#demonstration
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Improving Your Work Ethic
I had a meeting with my manager on Friday on three key skills I need to look out for when working. She said being in school/apprenticeship and working in a company are two different situations. There are skills you only learn by working in a team with real-life projects. She mentioned; Work Ethic, Communication and Time Management.
I decided I would talk about each one and give tips that she mentioned and others I found out myself and over searching online. This post will be about improving your work ethic. The advice my manager gave is from a Senior Software Developer's point of view but the advice can be carried over to other industries you work in!
What is Work Ethic?
Work ethic refers to the values and principles that guide how a person approaches their work or responsibilities. It involves having a positive attitude, being diligent, and demonstrating a strong commitment to doing your best.
Imagine that school project you had to complete. Having a good work ethic means that you approach the project with enthusiasm and dedication. It means taking responsibility for completing your work on time and putting in the necessary effort to produce high-quality results!
Tips To Improving Your Work Ethic
This is a long list but worth while to think upon! Here are all of the tips that my manager gave me and some extra notes I made afterwards:
Understand Expectations
Do you know what is expected of your role and responsibilities at work? If you don’t, you need to. Not just what the job description said when you applied but directly from your team manager or your boss!
Be Punctual
Arrive on time for meetings, scrums, and work-related commitments. Being punctual demonstrates respect for others' time and shows your dedication to the team.
Meet Deadlines
If you know me, you’ll know I struggle with this a lot. Consistently meet the deadlines for your tasks and projects. Plan and prioritize your work to ensure timely delivery. If you’re struggling with the project/work somewhere, ask for help.
Take Initiative
Show initiative by seeking opportunities to contribute beyond your assigned tasks. Take ownership of challenges, propose solutions, and actively participate in team discussions. I like this because I always come up with new add ons a project!
Be Accountable
Take responsibility for your actions and outcomes. Admit and learn from mistakes, and avoid making excuses. It may be hard but just say you messed up and it won’t happen again.
Practice Self-Discipline
Develop self-discipline to stay focused and motivated in your work. Minimize distractions and maintain a strong work ethic even when faced with challenging tasks. This is why if you struggle with this, do a Studyblr study challenge to stay on track and be motivated!
Be Proactive In Learning
Continuously expand your knowledge and skills by staying updated with the latest industry trends and technologies. Seek out learning opportunities and take advantage of professional development resources. Especially in my field of Tech, something new is happening all the time! My workplace gave us Pluralsight for free so we can be studying on the site as we work!
Communicate Effectively
Work on your communication skills to convey information clearly and professionally. Keep your team members, stakeholders or anyone necessary informed about your progress, challenges, and achievements!
Get Feedback
Actively seek feedback from your teammates, supervisors, and mentors. Constructive criticism can be good, see it as an opportunity for growth and improvement!
Collaborate Effectively
Practise positive and productive collaboration with your team members. Contribute to team discussions, listen actively, and support others when needed.
Be Adaptable
Changes at work, project or whatever can be scary, and sometimes quite annoying, however, embrace change! Be open to new ideas, technologies, and processes. Learn to adapt quickly to shifting priorities and evolving project requirements!
Take Care Of Your Well-Being
Prioritize your physical and mental well-being. I had a time when I was mentally stressed from my apprenticeship, I took a week-long holiday off and rested at home. You should maintain a healthy work-life balance, manage stress effectively, and take breaks when needed. You're not you when you're tired, mentally strained and hungry...!
Reflect And Improve
Regularly reflect on your work ethic and areas for improvement. Set personal goals and actively work towards enhancing your work ethic over time.
Improving your work ethic is an ongoing process that requires self-awareness, discipline, and a commitment to personal growth. Some people can do it alone whilst other people need a little push, such as myself and my manager.
Think over the tips I gave and see how you can change things to improve your own work ethic. If you're not working, this can be applied to a school setting or something you can be wary of when looking to start working!
Hope this helped you and thanks for reading! 👩🏾🎓💗
#resources#career advice post#coding#codeblr#programming#progblr#studyblr#studying#tech#work tips#work life#career#career tips#career advice#my resources
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Not Even A Single Coin
Summary: Written for AI-less Whumptober 2023 Day 30. Set after RttE’s Midnight Scrum. After a hell of a day, Hiccup ponders a simple bag of rocks.
Warning: /
Rating: General
Characters: Hiccup, Toothless, Stoick
Pairing: /
Words: 682
Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon
Prompt: Mind games
Whumpee: Hiccup
Author’s Notes: Thought this might be a fun idea for this prompt.
Enjoy!
@ailesswhumptober
XOXOX
When Hiccup was brought home after being stolen by bounty hunters, the first thing they did was make sure Gothi took a look at him. Everyone saw the bruises as they formed, they saw Ryker hit him in the ribs hard enough to knock him out, saw the head wounds from being knocked out so many times.
But the injury they liked the least were the red marks around his throat. On the flight back, it turned all sorts of shades of blue and purple. He didn’t share the specifics of what happened yet, but they could make their own assumptions. Someone wrapped something around it and they’d pulled it taut.
He desperately needed a healer.
Hiccup was quiet as Gothi checked him over. She looked at his bruises, at his ribs, dabbed up the dried blood on his face while someone else gently washed his hair clean of the rest. Her eventual diagnosis? Bruised ribs, a concussion, and several regular bruises. Her advice? Rest and willow bark.
So that’s what Hiccup has been trying to do since. Sitting in his father’s chair wrapped up in blankets while his father stirred in a pot of stew. It’ll take a while before it’s ready, but Hiccup doesn’t mind, though he hasn’t eaten at all since the celebrations the night before. It gives him the opportunity to think and there’s been a lot to reflect on.
There’s the trouble he caused. Though people weren’t too happy to see him back on Berk after he lost all of their gold, they were happy to see him back safe and sound.
In all honesty, when he and the Dragon Riders arrived on Berk for their island’s 400th birthday, he was a little scared. Losing Berk’s gold was the biggest he had screwed up since before he met Toothless. Snotlout often liked to remind him of his mistake, sometimes stating that this was worse than that one time he destroyed part of the village when a Monstrous Nightmare chased him down and collapsed one of their old beacons.
It had made him feel nervous and small, like he was 15 all over again.
So when his dad and Dragon Riders rescued him and he came home to a village just happy to see him alive, he felt a little bit better about that entire part of their predicament.
Watching how angry his father got, not at him, but for him helped as well. The entire day was just a whirlwind of emotions.
But then there was the bag of stones, that which is currently plaguing him.
With Toothless curled up protectively around him and a sketchbook on his lap, Hiccup has been drawing that bag shockingly accurately and completely from memory.
He can’t stop thinking about it, it won’t leave him alone. Even though he, himself, warned Savage that Viggo was just playing him for a fool… he still didn’t expect his bounty would’ve been paid for with actual stones.
After all their back and forth, treating their war like one big game of Maces & Talons, after all the hardship he and his Dragon Riders endured because of Viggo Grimborn… Viggo didn’t think Hiccup was worth even one single penny.
His charcoal pencil breaks under the pressure he puts on it, the tip falls to the ground. He hasn’t realized how angry it made him to be considered worth less than a single coin.
No gold was wasted on him, no silver, not even copper. Viggo wasn’t even on Sleipnir Island, yet he still manages to tell Hiccup exactly what he thinks of him.
Not worth even a single coin.
“Are you alright, son?” His father asks and Hiccup realizes both his dad and his dragon are staring at him.
“Uh, yeah, I’m fine,” even as he answers that, Stoick rises.
“Really, dad, I’m okay. I’m just tired and hungry is all,” and his throat hurts. But he’ll live. Even so, he feels his father’s hand in his hair before he checks on his injuries again.
Apparently, he’s not worth even a single coin, but he’ll live.
#ailesswhumptober2023#ailesswhumptober#day 30#mind games#httyd fics#httyd movies#rtte#race to the edge#hiccup haddock#hiccup whump#stoick the vast#the haddocks#toothless#hicctooth#angst#my fanfics#not even a single coin
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Boston Bears Series: Rugby Explained
I'm gonna preface this by saying I'm not an expert and this isn't everything explained, but if you were to watch a match after reading it you will probably understand it a bit better! (and the world cup starting this week is the best time to do so!) if you have any questions drop me an ask or message and I'll get my rugby-playing brother to answer them!
Firstly I am aware there is a professional rugby league in the USA, however, because Rugby is a much smaller sport in the US compared to the UK, I have modelled this series on how to UK rugby premiership operates!
There are 15 players on the pitch each with different positions, which are noted by their numbers (rugby players don’t have personal numbers like hockey or soccer). Players 1-8 are in the scrum also known as forwards, 9 is the scrum half. Players 10 - 15 are the backs.
Points:
Try = 5 points
Conversion = 2 points (the kick for the posts immediately after a try, position of the kick decided by where the try was scored so you'll see players trying to score as close the posts as possible)
Penalty Kick = 3 points
Penalty Try = 7 points (awarded when foul play prevented a try from being scored)
Aim of the game:
Getting the ball from one end of the pitch to the other to score a try (like a touchdown but the player has to be in contact with the ball when they put it down)
The ball if passed, has to be passed backwards, otherwise it's a forwards pass and a penalty is given to the opposite team. The ball can only travel forward if kicked, often done to gain territory but the ball is then in the hands of the opposition. If the ball is knocked forward by a hand or any part of the body it is called a knock on and that is a foul and a penalty is awarded to the other team (or a yellow card is given if it was deliberate)
A tackle is performed to prevent the forward movement of the team on the offence. Tackles must be made below the shoulders, otherwise it is a high tackle which can result in a yellow or red card depending on the degree of danger. Players cannot be tackled when in the air to catch a ball. Tip tackles are also not allowed due to their danger, the tackled player cannot go past the horizontal.
After a tackle it is then a ruck. This is when the two teams fight for possession of the ball. Players from both teams enter the ruck to gain possession, the offensive team will have players protecting the ball, while another player retrieves it from the tackled player. The player who performed the tackle must roll away before engaging in a ruck, other players on the defending team can gain possession by grabbing the ball or forcing the tackled player to forfeit a penalty (forcing the player to hold onto the ball). If the defending team gain possession they have 'turned it over'. Any player fighting for the ball must have all their body weight on their feet, otherwise they are off their feet and a penalty is given. A ruck is the most confusing part of rugby.
After a penalty is given the team who is awarded the penalty have multiple options on how they can take it:
A kick to the posts - usually done to guarantee points on the scoreboard and if they are in range of the opposition's posts. The position/angle of the kick depends on where the penalty was conceded.
A free kick - either done as a quick tap of the ball (sometimes done as a quick start to prevent the other team resetting), or a kick to the touch line which results in a line out with the throw in being awarded to the same team who was awarded the penalty.
A Scrum (as seen poorly executed in FRIENDS!) - This involves the 8 scrum players from each team (usually the largest players on the team) they bind together into a pack and push against the opposite teams scrum, the scrum-half of the team awarded the penalty puts the ball into the scrum and the two teams fight for possession, the hooker of each time hooking the ball back with their foot. Scrums can cause as many penalties as they resolve as each team is trying to force the other to collapse it or turn it.
A line out - is when the ball goes into touch (out of bounds). The two teams form a line each with a player throwing a ball between those two lines. The team throwing the ball in while have decided on a call which decides if they’re throwing the ball to the front, middle or back of the line, and where in the line up the player is getting lifted to catch the ball. The opposition will also try to anticipate where the ball is being thrown and try and catch it themselves, or they will prepare for a maul.
A maul typically occurs after a line out and its similar to a scrum in that its a pack of players protecting the ball and using their weight to drive forward towards the try line, while the other players will be trying to push them back.
Yellow cards vs Red Card
Yellow cards send players off the pitch for 10 minutes (to the sin bin)
Red cards sent players off for the rest of the match (relatively rare, usually for dangerous play)
The League
The league works by each team playing each other twice, once at home and once away. The outcome of the match determines how many points the team win.
Win = 4 points
Draw= 2 points
Loss = 0 points
Bonus point win = when a team wins with 4 or more tries
Bonus point loss= when a team loses within 7 points of the winning team
The 4 teams with the most teams at the end of the regular season enter the playoffs. The 1st team plays the 4th, the 2nd plays the 3rd. Whoever wins those matches goes to play the final (usually played at Twickenham (England's stadium) but in this series, it will be played by whoever had the most points)
Okay so thats kinda the basics! I'm not an expert but I've tried to explain it as best as I can without making it too complicated, there is a lot more too rugby but this is what you see in every match! The best way to learn is to just watch a game, they're only 80 minutes in total so a relatively quick watch (and the injuries are very rarely very bad! so if you worried about that don't be! A lot of the rules in rugby are to protect the players!)
Like I've said though if you have any questions let me know and enjoy the series and the World Cup!
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Any and all AEW drama blame falls on Tony Khan
The continuous AEW locker room toxicity is the fault of Tony Khan.
Weak and ineffectual leadership breeds discontent and talent who abuse it.
These talent watched their boss sit and cringe meekly during a media scrum that harmed AEW. Of course they're acting out, he enables deliquency.
He has never once attempted to be the boss. He didn't shut Punk down when he should have. He didn't punish Hangman with that "worker's rights" promo. He didn't punish Britt's bullying of Thunder Rosa or the talked about drama in the women's locker room. He has allowed so much discontent and toxicity to fester in his own locker room. If only there was someone in charge, you know, who has control over everybody and pays their salaries, and tells them what to do, so this way, no one person or persons can feel that they are above everyone else? If only…
Making The Elite the EVPs was a mistake. Giving wrestlers positions of power in a wrestling promotion is the kiss of death. That’s like giving Hulk Hogan creative control and giving Scott Hall and Kevin Nash favored nations clauses in their contracts. Tony Khan is doing exactly what Eric Bischoff did in WCW. Being the wrestler’s friend instead of being a boss.
Despite being a complete reprehensible scumbag, Vince McMahon was the boss. He wasn't playing popularity contests. He was RUNNING A FUCKING BUSINESS and if anyone was causing strife, he would punish them and shut it down. Sure he allowed the Kliq to run roughshod, but at the end of the day he knew when enough was enough and did his job as the boss.
To Tony Khan, being the wrestler's friend is more important than being the boss. He desperately wants to prove to everyone he's not Vince and he doesn't have to be Vince. He wants to hug the wrestlers and be their buddy! Instead of releasing talent, he purposely ignores their calls and has their "head of talent relations" ignore their calls and waits until their contract runs out to not negotiate and then he doesn't have to deal with them. And then he publicly humiliates said let go talent on Twitter or orders the talent in PR mode at the same time to shut down any and all criticisms.
And the fans and the dirtsheets refuse to call the man out on his shit. The fake journalists and diehard fans who have proven time and time again they are on board with any and everything the guys says and does without any questions or fair criticisms at all, punishable by death to all heretics.
It starts at the top. This company has been run like an after school teen dance club for years now, with no end in sight. When the person in charge is more interested in publicly hugging an employee tip to tip in a deep embrace then being a real boss, what do you expect?
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🌟 To Sunni,
RAHHHH 200 FOLLOWER GANG!!! I'm so extremly proud of you since i've pretty much been here from the start (back when you only had one Leo fic up 😭✊) and I can't say anything else but you deserve all of those followers and more.
Now, we all know i'm here for a good old reason. Both our events is cutesy, so you already KNOW a sister gotta represent!!
to start off one of my three asks, may I pretty pretty pleaseee have one of those PRINCESS DIARIES? if not, that's cool too! I know your about to become very busy with this event. so get to this one whenever you can <3
🌟 signed, you little sister, zuzu. 🫶
୨୧ PRINCESS DIARIES!
༊*·˚ TO MY LITTLE SISTER ZUZU,
ZURRRRIII THANK YOUUUU SISTA <3 🥹🥹🥹🥹 yes you indeed have,, literally when the only fics i had were strawberries and allergies and the leo's sunshine fics LMAAAOO, but i'm so glad you got to be through everything since day one!!! you're legit my day one. 💛🫶
you deserve everything and i'm so eternally grateful for you. I STARTED OFF WITH THIS BLOG, and there was this cutesy blog that followed me!! 😚😚 when i tell you, I was giddy AFFF i love love love interacting with you and whenever you yap to me in my inbox, you make my day instantly better. 🫶
ZUZU YOU ARE SOOO TALENTED AND THE SWEETEST EVER!! 💐 you will grow so so much more, and my only tip for you is to not get numbers get to you! BECAUSE SWEAR YOUR FICS ARE THE PRETTIEST THINGS EVER (and so is your blog aesthetic scrum dilly yum yum!!) 😋
sometimes the numbers do be getting to the both of us, but i'll be here to reassure you always!! you're quite literally the star to my sun. ☀️
you will always be my little sister, and i'm always here to support you as a big sister. (thank you for always providing me with leo valdez crumbs) <3333
LOVE U ALWAYS AND FOREVER MORE!!!
lots of love and many many many sunkisses, — your big sister.
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Bern's Night (part of the Crown Jewels series, Call the Midwife AU)
(Previously published on A03 and FF.net nothing new, sorry.)
Chapter One: Fair Fa' Your Honest, Sonsie Face
“Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o’ the pudding-race! Aboon them a’ ye tak your place, Painch, tripe, or thairm : Weel are ye wordy o'a grace As lang’s my arm.” Address to a Haggis by Robert Burns 1786.
"Will You Recognize Me? Call My Name Or Walk On By." Don't You (Forget About Me), Simple Minds 1985
Monday 25th January 2016
“His knife see rustic Labour dight, An’ cut you up wi’ ready sleight, Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like ony ditch; And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm-reekin’, rich!”
The room was swept in darkness apart from the light of the wolf moon and the North Star penetrating the cold window panes. All eyes were facing towards a wooden table and the elderly man stood behind it. He was in his late 60s and wiry, small for a man, but with a silver mess of what once must have been a bonnie head of fire red hair. The body may have looked weak, but the intensity in his bright blue eyes cut through the dimly lit surroundings.
As he spoke again, his voice filled the room, cutting through the anticipating silence. It was a voice that could take a knife and slice right through a soul. The knife in his hand in turn sliced through the offering in front of its high priest. Years of performing the same action with such a passion resulted in precision. The faithful entranced by the spectacle all gasped as one, as the incision was violently made. No one dared to speak. Suddenly the trance was lost as artificial light rudely brought everyone back to the present with a blast of the pipes.
“All done then Reverend Mannion? Can I serve the Haggis now? Don’t want it getting cold now do we, not at £15 a head.”
“Aye, Violet the ceremony is over, it’s time for eating and drinking something the bard would have approved of, rightly so.”
The kilted clergyman winked at an auburn haired girl in the crowd and tipped his whisky tumbler toward her. She raised her own glass and winked back. Her companion at her table was much taller with dark hair styled in a tidy no-nonsense bob.
The tall one leaned toward the small one and asked, “If it’s already dead, why does he have to kill it?”
“What?”
“The Haggis if it’s already dead why does he have to kill it?”
Her friend opened her mouth to speak, but she saw a tender hand take hold of Chummy’s arm and explain it was all just ceremony, it was tradition.
“Like all that malarkey at our passing out parade, the day we got our badge. That wasn’t about police work, was it? It’s just tradition. It’s what the English do well.”
He had been doing really well up until then, but a golden raised eyebrow made him alter his stance. “It is what us Brits do best.”
The raised eyebrow whispered to the police constable. "Peter, Chummy really doesn’t think a haggis is a real animal, does she?”
He was not the kind of man that would turn heads, but he had a kindness in his eyes and an openness in his face that she thought some would see as attractive. If only Camilla wasn’t his superior and they didn’t work such long hours together, what might have been?
She knew her friend well and sensed more queries would follow. Not sure as a Scot brought up on Tweavenside and now living in London, she could provide satisfying answers. Picking up their empty glasses and heading to the bar was a strange sort of refuge for a vicar’s daughter and inner-city missionary.
There was a queue, well, sort of a queue. In London, a queue was made up of people standing in an orderly line and the person who had been stood the longest getting served first. In Poplar-on-Tweaven it resembled more of a rugby scrum and the person who shouted the loudest being ignored and anyone who called the barmaid by name being bunked up the order. She wasn’t familiar with busy bars, but she was bright enough to work out the system.
“Val, when yer ready, hen.” The request came from someone not sure that was their own voice they had just heard yelling those exact words.
All her life, she had been immersed in the wonders of the Bible and was still amazed at how so many miracles had been performed. She had heard all the CPR arguments regarding resurrections and all that, and was still not convinced. But she now knew how Moses had parted the Red Sea. He had known the barmaid’s name was Valerie.
“What can I get you, chick?”
“Here! I was first.” A grumpy voice struck up.
“Oh Al, you are always first. Let me serve this lass and then I will sort you out.”
“Promises, promises.”
“Yeah, in your dreams, pal.”
She was starting to feel uncomfortable. She hadn’t meant to jump the queue. Maybe she should go back to the table and let Peter get the drinks. A man’s voice interrupted her thoughts. It was quieter than Al’s but held an authority. It wasn’t a Tweavenside accent, but it had a northern softness.
“You serve our impatient friend, Valerie. I will see to this young lady.” Then turning to his new customer, “What can I get you, pet”
“Erm, a whisky and lemonade and erm a pint, please.”
“Which whisky and a pint of..?”
She wasn’t sure; she nudged her bottom onto a vacant stool for security.
“Are you with the law?” The tall bartender nodded towards Chummy and Peter.
“Yes, yes, I am.”
“OK, so that’s a Famous Grouse and diet lemonade, just a dash. And a pint of Buckles Best. And for you?”
He stepped back a minute. “Your Reverend Wilf’s daughter?”
"Yes, I am.” Bernie suddenly felt more sure of herself. She was never completely certain of who she was when back in Poplar.
“Bernadette?” The stranger was grinning now, his brown eyes glinting under the harsh bar spotlights. Or were they green?
“Well, that’s my Sunday name. Most people call me Bernie, even Dad.”
“Well, since I’ve never seen you in here on a Sunday or any other day. I will call you Bernie. I am Patrick Turner. Most people call me Paddy, a few Doc.”
“Oh no, you won’t have seen me here on a Sunday or any other day. I live in London now and before that, well, I am not a big drinker.”
“What can I get you then?” asked Paddy loitering near the coke and lemonade pumps.
“A gin and tonic please, better make it a double. It’s quite busy, save me coming back.”
Paddy smiled. “Premium gin?”
“Yes.”
While the optic was emptying into the glass, he asked, “You must have known this old place when Evie ran it?”
“Yes, I know Evie and J..Jenny”
“Oh yes. Jen was here when me and the wife took over. She was a great help. We get a text every now and again, doing well for herself now all loved up.” He winked at her as he ended the sentence, causing her to panic slightly.
“I was sorry to hear about your loss.” She wished she hadn’t said it.
Val had seemed to deal with ten customers to Paddy’s one and now there were just the two of them alone at the bar. He looked at her in a sort of a non-direct, sort of direct way, under that infuriating fringe she wanted to reach out and push back.
“Loss is as much a part of love as is healing,” he replied with a hint of melancholy, but without irony.
She was stunned and tried to find a corresponding Bible verse, but she drew a blank.
She focused on what was real and what was present. Her dad had taught her to do that. What was in front of her at this precise moment was a glass of gin and ice and a twist of lime. He was now unscrewing a bottle of Mediterranean slimline tonic.
She yelped, “No!” as he lay the bottle alongside the glass.
“Sorry, most people add the tonic to the gin and I cannae bear it drowned.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it. Surely that would be very presumptuous of me.”
“Aye well, most people I’ve met are very presumptuous.”
“Maybe you have spent too much time in London. if you don’t mind me saying, Bernie.”
“Well, to be fair, we don’t spend a lot of time sitting on stools and propping up bars in my part of London.”
“More’s the pity.”
“Can I bother you for a…”
Paddy popped a black straw into her tumbler.
“I will make sure when you come home next time, none of my staff will be presumptuous.”
“Oh, I doubt you will remember me, Paddy. I only come up to see my Da. I can’t imagine you will be seeing much of me in the future, hardly likely that I would ever be considered a regular.”
“Now, who is being presumptuous?”
Bernie went to put the straw between her lips but paused, realising the stranger was still watching her, she suddenly felt uncomfortable. As heat rose in her cheeks and she suddenly felt awkward on the stool, squirming to find some sort of comfortable position. The stranger smiled in a way she could not understand; it wasn’t smug or suggestive, but as if there were sharing a joke, but she wasn’t sure what the joke was.
She hopped off her seat, for a brief moment realising her arse was in the air, and prayed he had altered his gaze. Focusing anywhere but behind the bar, she grabbed her glass and bottle in one hand, put the whisky against her elbow and waist, the pint in her other hand, turned and swiftly moved toward her thirsty friends.
Shelagh Bernadette Mannion, don't you dare look back and see if he is watching you he is recently widowed with a son, Da said. He is, what do they call them now, a bloomer or something like that? God has shown you his path for you and it certainly does not include the Crown Inn, Poplar-on-Tweaven.
He is still watching me. I can feel it.
#call the midwife#crown jewels au revisited#for a special day#bless her if she only knew#bern's night chapter one
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sleeper pick patrik fights leon (to defend willy etc all the way down) or even just gets into a shouty shoving match and many in the hockey community are very surprised at this turn of events since laine is not necessarily known for being a brawler lol and the leafs kid line is not very pesty (leon is more fiery and its a little less surprising) but with all the leafs/oilers Layers and Hockey Boyfriends it is benchmark lore, referenced in many a fic and post
YES ANON YOU GET IT... it's one of those fights that's not really a "fight" and more of a catspaw wrestling match... patrik swats leon glove-on over the face through a scrum and he slashes back, tries to spear him with the stick... and then there's willy pulling leon off-kilter from behind but he himself gets dragged away and leon and patrik go glove-off and to the ice in one fluid movement, patrik on top of him, teeth bared and leon's blue-tipped mouthguard hanging out. and patrik gets one punch in, hurts his wrist and breaks leon's nose in one go. patrik's out for a month and leon has to wear a bubble for a week.
and over top of the scrum, the young oilers captain and the one people say is next in line for the leafs, staring at each other. silently.
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Tagged by @tackytigerfic and @citrusses tysm!
Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!
If the Fates Allow - 10.6K drarry
Draco had just tipped the dregs of the punchbowl into Harry's champagne saucer to refresh him as they flowed out of Glimmerald Hall into the cobbled street of Diagon Alley on the heels of a scrum of laughing, shouting, dancing Weasleys.
A Forgivable Fascination - 2K drarry
The only thing more astounding than the fact of the Malfoy-Potter research partnership, existing in seeming defiance of their notorious feud, is the number of discoveries they've made together.
Imperio - 2K drarry
"I think," Draco murmurs between sleepy kisses. The lamp is still burning yellow-orange on the bedside table, and Draco is so lovely and golden under its light.
not very fast or slow (just soft and low) - 1.8K drarry
"You've got to be so quiet," Harry murmured in that special, soft voice, only just discernible above the crackling of the fire.
The Tune Without the Words - 2K drarry
"I really doubt he wants to see me, Granger," Draco had to raise his voice slightly to be heard over the racket of torrential rain on the windows of his tiny sitting room. "We split up."
A Bottomless Well - 10.2K drarry
It's the savoury smell of supper cooking that brings Draco out of his reverie. He's being beckoned as surely as if Harry were striking a dinner bell.
A Gift of True Esteem - 54K drarry
Harry Potter was procrastinating. The thick stack of essays and exams on his desk were in desperate need of marking, but they did not have his full nor even his partial attention.
The Joy of Bleeding - 6K drarry
“I have the most absurd, awful, unpleasant, serious thing that I need your help with,” Draco Malfoy announced, as he stepped out of Harry Potter’s Floo one rainy midspring Wednesday evening.
As Safe as He'd Ever Be - 618 drarry
Harry Potter woke, as he had been with disconcerting regularity of late, with his heart pounding. His hairline was damp with sweat, his pillow moist, and he lay still for a few moments, trying to force himself back toward calm.
Without Pretense - 3.6K drarry
As he usually wondered whenever he got himself into similar positions, Draco Malfoy was busily wondering how he ever made Harry Potter look at him that way.
Bonus from my WIP
Even after Snape and the Carrows and all the other Death Eaters and the Dementors and the assorted detritus of the Dark Lord's regime had been expunged from its walls and grounds, Draco Malfoy had rather been looking forward to shaking the dust of Hogwarts from his shoes.
------------------------------------
Maybe a bit of a pattern? A lot of starting with dialogue. And otherwise in the middle of things, I guess.
I'll tag @goblinmatriarch @wolfpants @geesenoises @oflights @stationintern (i suspect some of y'all have already been tagged oh well)
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