The Canadian Armed Forces do not have a monopoly on foolish leaders, sociopaths, tyrants, or people lacking emotional intelligence. They can be found leading large companies, directing schools, heading major hospitals, and even within the church, basically wherever they can climb the ranks. The Canadian Armed Forces are not exempt from this problem of toxic leadership. I would even argue that the Canadian Armed Forces, due to their strict and highly regimented nature, provide an environment conducive to toxic leadership.
For the first time on this blog, I took the time to interview several people in order to write this article. The process was easy: everyone wants to talk about their experience under a toxic leader. Through these testimonials, I tried to better define what is meant by toxic leadership. I also wondered what causes a leader to become toxic. Finally, I attempt to provide some solutions to eliminate this scourge.
Defining Toxic Leadership
Leadership can be defined as the art of influencing human behavior. There are formal leaders (those who have received « authority ») and informal leaders (those who have charisma or a natural gift for influencing others). There are positive leaders and negative leaders.
« A positive leadership attempts to maintain a friendly and warm working climate within the team in order to bring out the best in each of its members. Negative leadership, on the other hand, influences the members of his team through judgment, negativity, opposition, or disinterest in the project. » (source: HEC).
At one end of the positive-negative leadership spectrum is the toxic leader. What distinguishes them from negative leaders? In my interpretation, a leader becomes toxic when the unhealthy influence they have on their personnel has severe impacts outside the workplace.
The Dark Triad
Psychologists have identified three traits that make up the sinister « dark triad of toxicity »: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy.
The Narcissist
Narcissists need to see themselves as the best in everything. They don’t seek to elevate the people around them; they only seek to elevate themselves by belittling others. Despite this, they are convinced that they are good leaders, that they are humane. To convince themselves of their benevolence, they sometimes say good words to their staff. They do it because they keep what I call « the book of the perfect platoon commander » closely guarded. They have learned what they should say – « take care of yourself, seek a good work-life balance, it’s not a sprint but a marathon, you need to think about yourself too, etc. » – but they are fundamentally incapable of applying these fine principles. They are tyrants, their true nature remains. Narcissists don’t end up in therapy: they send others to therapy.
The intelligent toxic leader know that they need certain key people to achieve their goals: these are often their inner circle. To ensure their loyalty, they charm them, cajole them, they treat them like royalty. But these people can never leave the organization because they are responsible for the tyrant’s success. In the long run, they too must forget their dreams and ambitions. This is commonly called a « punishment for success ».
The Machiavellian
The Machiavellian leader – an adjective derived from Niccolò Machiavelli’s work « The Prince, » published in the 16th century – uses multiple stratagems to achieve their ends. For them, the end justifies the means entirely. They will not hesitate to regularly throw their colleagues or subordinates under the bus. Why do they target their peers and subordinates? Because they pose direct threats to their power; these are the men and women who could want to take their place or, worse, snatch away the position they covet at the higher level.
Machiavellian leaders tend to assess the people they work with very quickly. Like on the Tinder app, they quickly swipe left or right depending on whether they judge a person competent or incompetent, or rather, useful or detrimental to their goals. And they don’t spare those who swipe the wrong way. Some will even go to great lengths to ensure that those they consider weak or detrimental are not considered for promotion. They won’t hesitate to call their superiors about them to ensure they don’t have an equal chance compared to their peers. They engage in a real undermining, which is defined by actions carried out more or less secretly to destroy someone.
The Psychopath
« The personality traits associated with psychopathy include a lack of empathy or remorse, antisocial behavior, and being manipulative and unstable. It is important to note that there is a distinction between psychopathic traits and being a psychopath, commonly associated with criminal violence » (Source: MindTools). There are psychopaths in all armies, but generally, we do a pretty good job of identifying and eliminating them. Nevertheless, some leaders exhibit the personality traits mentioned above. When we think of a psychopathic leader in uniform, we generally think of a sergeant yelling in a soldier’s face, but it’s much more insidious.The toxic leader denigrates, belittles, plays on emotions, and erodes trust slowly. They don’t just shout once; they consistently rant. For those who constantly receive their insults, it’s death by a thousand cuts.
Beyond the character traits associated with the dark triad, there are other characteristics of toxic leaders. For example, some toxic leaders hide a significant lack of self-confidence under their tyrant facade. To mask their fear, they constantly yell, without realizing that yelling is losing one’s composure, a sign of weakness. They believe they are protected by a shell, but in reality, they wear a tactical vest filled with mines and grenades that sow chaos in the ranks. It’s not an armor they wear; it’s an arsenal.
In light of what we’ve seen, it appears that toxic leaders need to feel better than others, they need attention, they need to belittle, or even crush. In short, they don’t just break careers; they go as far as breaking lives.
Impact on the Organization
A toxic leader gets results quickly, which reinforces their belief that they are using the right approach. In the short term, the technique works, that’s undeniable. However, in the long run, they cause immeasurable damage, leaving behind what I call a « trail of destruction »: shattered careers, personnel in therapy, individuals completely jaded and cynical, and sometimes shattered lives. To quote a friend who is an officer, a toxic leader:

Another friend wrote to me that, during his deployment in Afghanistan, his superior « tested and broke his resilience. » These are strong words, coming from a senior officer in combat arms. We are taught everywhere to create an environment where subordinates can develop. Nevertheless, there are still leaders who seek to demolish those they deem lacking the necessary skills to lead.
Toxic leaders eventually establish an unhealthy climate within their team, a climate of « every man for himself. » This leads subordinates to experience anxiety and, sometimes, depression. Peers no longer take the time to inquire about the mental health of their teammates because there is no team spirit. Sometimes, there isn’t even a team. Like the leader who is the chief intimidator, some subordinates become bullies themselves. You quickly choose your side: the strong weigh down on the weak. Everyone says to themselves, « I won’t let myself be trampled on anymore; now I’ll be the one trampling on others. »
Why Are Toxic Leaders Sometimes Rewarded?
Why, knowing all this, are toxic leaders rewarded? Firstly, part of the blame must be attributed to the regimental system (or its equivalent in other services/environments). Regiments quickly identify their favorites, the chosen ones, those who will rise to the rank of general. These individuals are identified very early, even during training phases. Too often, those selected are the ones who speak loudly, have attitude, a big ego, in short, those considered to have « the look for the job. » Then, the regiment pushes them forward and, if necessary, sweeps their small missteps under the rug. What happens if the regiment is wrong? It still pushes forward because admitting you’re wrong is worse than pulling a candidate out of the race.
Toxic leaders are also pushed upward because they are generally effective, very effective even. With a toxic leader, you walk on eggshells. You strive to give 100% of yourself, especially at the beginning, because you want to avoid the ground suddenly disappearing from beneath you. But these leaders are not just demanding; you can be demanding without being a jerk. No, they don’t just demand; they break their personnel to a point of no return. They squeeze the fruit until the seeds and core are crushed.
In the long run, the entire organization loses out. Firstly, the toxic leader exhausts their personnel. Secondly, without necessarily rebelling openly, subordinates increasingly keep their good ideas to themselves. A good leader fosters ideas, while a bad leader believes they have a monopoly on good ideas. Over time, their staff engage in what I call « passive resistance. » Some will even go as far as sabotaging a project if they believe they can do so with impunity. The toxic leader thinks they are getting the most juice possible when, in reality, they are shooting themselves in the foot. Instead of seeing effectiveness in toxic leadership, the chain of command should realize that tyrants don’t think about common success; they only envision their own success. The institutional problem with this approach is that another leader will succeed the toxic one and inherit a completely drained and demoralized unit.
I am aware that much more is demanded of military personnel than civilians; in fact, it’s one of the few areas of employment where the ultimate sacrifice can be asked. I am also aware that troops must be toughened to prepare them for the brutality of combat, a concept called toughening. I believe strongly in toughening. It’s an essential process for creating fighters. Troops are toughened through training and exercises; the leadership model exercised during these trainings and exercises is necessarily tough, severe, and intense. But it’s possible to be very demanding without falling into abuse, denigration, and harassment. The line between severe authority and abuse is thin, but it exists, and one must always be aware of it. You can be feared and respected as a leader without being hated (for those who appreciate the teachings of Machiavelli).
How to Prevent Toxic Leadership
How can toxic leadership be prevented? Here is a non-exhaustive list:
Initially, supervisors who become aware of a toxic leader under their command must show managerial courage and take the necessary steps to restore the climate.
Conduct more psychometric assessments and 360-degree evaluations where subordinates are asked to assess leadership.
Assign caring mentors to promising officers and non-commissioned officers to help them develop suitable leadership styles.
Conduct organizational climate surveys to obtain employees’ perceptions and perspectives. These surveys address attitudes and concerns that help the organization work with employees to bring about positive changes.
Invest in personal development (soft skills) and raise awareness among leaders about emotional intelligence.
Bring in leaders from outside at various ranks (for example, a business leader becomes a lieutenant colonel), an idea from retired American General Stanley McChrystal that remains quite controversial but is worth considering.
Integrate unions into the ranks, as done by the police and some foreign armies, to prevent abuses and avoid rash decisions. Another controversial but certainly effective proposal.
Conclusion
When I went through my infantry officer training, I was instilled with this simple phrase: Mission First, Men Second. Toxic leaders only apply the first half of this motto. Fortunately, mindsets have changed over time. We now say Mission First, People Always. One of the undisputed « truths » of special forces is that « humans are more important than equipment. » We realized that humans were central to the enterprise and that they could break like a piece of equipment.
Once, narcissism was sometimes confused with efficiency and arrogance with leadership. Fortunately, times are changing. Trainings on diversity, harassment, and concerns about integrating LGBTQ+ members, for example, are being provided. In recent years, people have also become more outspoken. There is less hesitation to escalate abuses of toxic leaders to higher levels of command.
The more these leaders are eliminated, at all levels, the fewer bad role models are offered to junior officers and non-commissioned officers. There is hope.

SUMMARY

"The Storyteller Spider or is a major character from the web-novel Tales We Weave appearing directly and indirectly as the author and supreme creator of all creation and serving as a narrator above all concepts, meanings, entities, creation and the narrative itself, existing in the peak of the Mother Web. The myth of The Storyteller Spider started millenniums ago on earth more specifically on the African continent, with the first humans believing on a spider god that from time to time, descended from the divine realm to earth with the single purpose to share his stories with the people. The myth still being a myth however inspired a whole generation of humans to write about the entity and the fables of Nancy became famous around the world with each one of them having a meaning. With the time as generations passed, humanity slowly forgot about them and even though their stories were slowly getting forgotten in time, there would exist those who would never forget about the myth of the Storyteller Spider as well its fables"

APPEARANCE

"In chapter 4-5 the Storyteller Spider is described as an big white spider with a undefined size, it is believed that Nancy's true form cannot be understood by any mind and being forever a mystery even to editors. While other beings are not able to understand Nancy's true form, he is sometimes described as an giant eldritch white spider and sometimes appearing in a human form. The true aspect and form of The Storyteller Spider is believed to exist beyond the dark frontier and being forever a mystery to those below it"

PERSONALITY

"The Storyteller Spider shows to be a friendly entity rather than a controlling entity like editors, he sees creation more than a story but a happy and cheerful world full of different individuals with each one building their own story. According to Nancy every single being has a story to tell, be it about their daily lives or whatever action they take, there is always a story to tell wherever you look around. He also shows a lot of interest for external stories be it from his creation or even from other places. During chapter 4 of Tales We Weave, Nancy mentioned the SCP Foundation showing he was aware such verse existed and adding how he liked the writing and lore of the SCP writers from the wiki. The Storyteller Spider doesn't just seems to love narrating and weaving new stories but seems to also love reading external stories, according to him there is always something new a person can learn when reading a story, that's the fun of creation and the thing that gives colors and joy to existence, the endlessly stories the individual can learn and extract a lesson from it"

NARRATIVE LAYERS (WEBS)

1. The Collective Webs

"The Collective Webs is the place where all single stories meet with each other being a place weaved by editors, each web from the collective webs contains an infinite number of omniverses with each one having a different story, and representing an entire verse stacked inside, containing also an infinite number of dimensions, realms, planes of existence, mathematical concepts, and inferior narrative layers also stacked inside. The number of webs in the Collective Webs is endlessly"

1.2 The Primary Web

"The Primary Web exists above all the other webs in the Collective webs, being the biggest and most important web for embodying and encompassing every single web, containing half of the entire narrative stack, concepts of existence. The primary web represents the inferior layer of fiction where all concepts of existence are tied inside it, being part of it's many webs and stories. Due to it's nature it is impossible for fiction inside it to leave and escape to upper layers due to the "point of no return" which exists to block and confine fictional characters from escaping the primary web"

1.3 The Fourth Web

"Although it was not mentioned, It is highly implied that there are upper layers above the primary web before reaching the dark frontier as editors can also manipulate the primary web. Above the Primary Web there exists the Fourth Web which is the place editors resides in low sub layers, the fourth web is an fourth wall aspect dimension established above the narrative of the Primary Web, serving as an place that exists beyond the fictional world of the primary web. This plane of existence is considered the high layer of fiction in which transcends all the aspects established in the Primary Web"

1.4 The Mother Web

"The Mother Web is implied to be the last web of the narrative weaved by The Storyteller Spider, existing beyond the fourth wall, and containing the entire full narrative stack from infinite stories. The existence of editors and other meta beings are also tied to the mother web as they are part of it as a whole, the Mother Web is argued to contain the entire fiction inside it, everything that existed, exists and will exist in the narrative. The destruction of the Mother Web could possibly imply the annihilation of the entire stack of fiction, however the mother web is still below the dark frontier. Is through the Mother Web Nancy constructs and weaves different stories, manipulating everything within it such events and endlessly stacks of stories that happens on it. Being the Spider of the stories and the entity who wove the Mother Web, Nancy transcends the fictional boundaries of the mother web, existing in the peak of the sub layers of the mother web"

1.5 The Dark Frontier

"The Dark Frontier serves as a barrier that traps and seals the fourth web, due to its nature it is impossible for any meta or pataphysical being to cross it, representing also the edge of fiction and the true point of no return. The dark frontier is also extremely large, encompassing and evolving the entire fourth web like a spherical cloud of darkness. Due to its nature it is believed that Nancy exists above it, however as none ever managed to reach it, it is unknown what exists above it but it could possibly be the place the spider's true apect resides as a whole"

1.6 Skyline Universe

"Skyline Universe is a hypothetical place that exists above the dark frontier and being the place Nancy resides, is described as a world similar to real life but with only one single entity residing in it. Being a place that already transcended fiction itself for being above the dark frontier and the mother web. The Dark Frontier when looked from Skyline Universe, has the appearance of an small dark sphere, like if it was a decoration item placed inside a living room, having the mother web stacked inside it as well. Due to it's nature, it is impossible for beings who exists inside the mother web to cross the dark frontier and reach this place as the Skyline Universe exists completely outside of fiction. The Skyline Universe is implied to be the manifestation and projection of Nancy's true form and whole aspect including imagination, ideas and true self (being basically themselves as a whole)"

POWERS AND ABILITIES

"Nancy's true powers remains a mystery for most entities but they are highly believed to be above all concepts of existence and above creation itself, seeing the narrative and everything as fiction to him, thus granting him great power and influence to control what happens in the story. During chapter 4-5, Nancy reveals to Skinande existence itself is merely something he weaved to narrate, even the existence of meta entities such Skinande or editors are tied to the narratives of the spider. He was also responsible for the creation of the mother web as well everything inside it, something that contained the entire fictional stack created by him. Concepts such; destruction, chaos, destiny or light are conceptual ideas tied and confined inside the Primary Web in which he transcends due to him having woven the mother web and the existence of the entire fiction contained inside the mother web"
Powers and Abilities: Beyond-Dimensional Physiology (Exists beyond the fourth Web, transcending the fourth wall itself), Acausality (Type 5: Existed before editors, who created causality and the primary web), Plot Manipulation, Mathematics Manipulation, Space-Time Manipulation, Quantum Manipulation, Conceptual Manipulation, Omni-Lock, Omniarch, Complete Arsenal, Text Manipulation, Data Manipulation, Creation (created and weaved the entire Mother Web), Existence Erasure (can erase and wipe the mother web with everything inside it), Transduality (Type 3:, Existential Perfection, Omni-Negation, Absolute Invulnerability (can survive even if the mother web is destroyed), All types of immortality, Omnipresence (can exist everywhere at the same time in the narrative), Omniscience (Knows everything and contains all knowledge possibly), Transcendence (transcends all meanings, concepts, ideas, entities, deities, and the narrative itself)

QUOTES

"Time...It's not what you think it is, time is like a cage or cube that revolves everything and when you freed yourself and leave its boundaries you realize time is just a cage trapping third dimensional beings inside, you see how time is so small but big compared to those people" -Nancy to Skinande when explaining about conceptual meanings
"Everything is more fun and better when people shares their ideas and gathers them together with other's ideas thus making a lot of stories" - Nancy to Skinande
"Every work has an message the author desires to pass to the readers, the message I wanna pass here is that with a bit of creativity, effort, and imagination someone is already capable to create and build different types of stories, and that's exactly the message I try to pass on this web-novel, the "Tales we Weave" or stories we create together" - Nancy to the readers

TRIVIA

*In the African continent, Nancy was once mistaken with the god "Anansi", the spider god
*During Chapter four of Tales We Weave, The Storyteller mentions that they are nothing more but a manifestation of a entity named Beyond Light, something that exists beyond the Dark Frontier and the mother web itself, being just a manifestation of Beyond Light in the narrative
*Although It wasn't mentioned, Nancy's favorite story and narrative is the "Self Reference Engine", with himself being a "fan" of Nemo Ex Machina's work
*Among the many names he was given already, the names "God of Stories" and "The Storyteller Spider" were the most famous and used ones by himself
*It is not fully know why Nancy picks the form of a spider to manifest himself but it could possibly be related to how he weaves and create stories like an spider weaving its webs
*He seems to be aware of other verses as he mentioned SCP writers in chapter 4
*SCP-2747 was almost mentioned by Skinande before he got interrupted and cut by Nancy
*As mentioned above, Nancy shows an deep passion and interests for stories, quoting them as "the joy of creation" for him and being the thing that moves every writer to write, the passion for the narrative and the writer's creativity
*"Did you liked my own improvised fandom wiki, reader?"

Hi! So my chapter’s senior pref/sendoff is this Friday. My friend asked me to pref her so I’ve been working on her gifts, one of which is a paddle. I was wondering what you guys usually put on the back haha. Do you leave it blank or do you still add a design to it? I think some people hang the paddles as display right? So maybe its not necessary. If I did add something was debating writing smth like a song lyric or a quote or poem but I’m struggling to decide. She joined the chapter this year so I haven’t had much time to get to know her, but she likes poetry (idk what exactly) and artists like tv girl, halsey, lorde, and the wallows. If anyone listens to those artists and knows a good lyric i could quote thatd be super helpful! Or just poem/quote suggestions in general, the paddle is ocean themed but the writing doesn’t necessarily have to be.

I'm deviating away from my usual; instead of music inspiring my writing, this time, it's now theatrical representation.
I've been enjoying multiple times the short-lived Sex/Life on Netflix. I could write a book on the many lessons that I'm still learning from the show. For this piece, this is focused on the title Unattached (written by the show's character Sasha Snow). Though, in the show, this adjective was describing people in terms of their relationship status, for myself, this also refers to my current energy status.
Unattached in regard to the past means that my energy is not tied up in someone who was once a part of my life but has now gone. I'm not wishing back for an ex. I'm not pining away for someone who's already moved on with his life. I'm not wanting to rewrite history and make it like any missed opportunities, or anything gone wrong with any guy from my past was made right and that we should be together. Even more, I'm not chasing "the one who got away" ... I have been in the game of love long enough to know that there is no such thing. All men who have told me "Bye, Felicia", with their words or with their feet, were never the one to begin with.
Unattached in regard to the present moment means that my energy is not tied up in someone unavailable. I'm not spending my evenings home from work, constantly checking my phone and wondering why he's not texting. My mind is not wrapped up in why he would rather choose to text instead of call. I'm not trying to figure out way to make someone who is not interested in me ... interested. I'm not performing all sorts of gymnastics, trying to reformulate myself into what he wants or thinks I should be just to keep him from walking away. I'm not going out of my way to beg for someone to stay when I was never meant to keep him anyway. And, no, I've written off any equity from dating apps. Time wasted in endless swapping on profiles doesn't justify the cost, and I've long since learned that the men on there cannot afford the intellectual price of carrying on a simple, civil and decent conversation besides, "Hey". And for the ones that do, they're so hard up that they turn a brief conversation ~ regardless of how neutral the topic ~ into something sexual. No, thanks.
Unattached in regard to the future is an inverse of the past. My energy is not tied up into building a fantasy of someone in my mind, crafting who this unrealistic person is, and then going into the real world to see if there is any guy who can live up to it. I'm not throwing myself at any guy who gives me the bare minimum effort, basic human kindness in conversation, and letting my imagination run off into the sunset as I somehow treat this guy as if he's this manifestation of the perfect image of the perfect guy I had crafted in my mind (a part of me wonders if I have a future career working for Crown Media Productions ~ the actual team of professionals behind those cheesy Hallmark made-for-TV movies). This has saved me countless moments of unnecessary heartbreak and disappointment when I'd strike up a good conversation with a guy, believing that we're really connecting, and we don't end up connecting beyond it for whatever reason.
Now, here comes the best part ... The Power of Choice. For once in my adult life, I recognize that I have full veto power over the future partner I may welcome into my life.
Regarding the past, I execute my power of choice by refusing to allow my broken history with men and all failed relationships from the past dictate my present behavior. I'm no longer looking for "the ghosts of boyfriends past" in someone else. I'm not using any connections I may form with other guys to heal or soothe the pain left behind from guys that I can't have for whatever reason. I'm not drawn to or magnetized to certain men because they remind me of someone I used to love, or wanted, but I can't have anymore (or that I never did).
Regarding the past, I execute my power of choice by paying more careful attention to the kind of men that I attract and the behaviors from them which I choose (or not) to accept. I understand that, out of billions of guys on this planet, not every guy is going to make the cut. I may have to sort through 1,548,326 bad ones to get to the decent 274 that are out there. Out of those 274, I might be able to connect with possibly 36. And out of those 36, 13 of them make it through. And over time, that 13 dwindles down to 11, then 8, then 5, then 3, and finally, 2. And between those two, the one that's chosen should be obvious. At least, from my experience, my learning what I want with the right partner and the type of relationship I'm willing to pursue comes from learning and understanding what I don't want. And all this can be done efficiently while I'm actively not looking.
I may have already mentioned it, but the universe did send to me a very amazing message when I was getting into work this morning. There was a very well-dressed businessman who had just parked his car and was waiting for his client with a box of freshly picked donuts outside the office door. I had noticed this guy while I was parking, and I had my eye on him while I was walking from the parking lot to the front door. I did my best to play it cool, trying very hard not to stare at him, but he grabbed my attention with his "Good morning". I responded in kind. When I waited for the elevator to pick me up, I looked back at him, and he was looking right back at me. The universe could have brought this guy back my way (where I would have definitely chatted him up and possibly gotten his number if the vibe was right), but that whole interaction conveyed a much better message. When the time is right for the right guy, I will know. There won't be any mysteries to "figure out". I won't have to go out of my way to get his attention. He will be present and available for me. Our communication is thorough, clear, and we're both on the same page. Our energies will not be tied up in the past and our present will be stable and functional to where we will be able to prioritize each other. The universe knows the proper time, as well as the man involved, in which to place us together, so there is no need to hypothesize or construct any type of unrealistic scenario in my mind. When it happens, I will know.
Now going back to Sasha Snow ...
Because her book was an artistic prop in the story, she did present some good points. While I won't go into those final details here, I will close with a very fitting quote that she had shared during her presentation (and I will admit that, at the moment, the original author of the following quote is unknown to me): "I am the master of my fate, the captain of my soul." And so, I set sail, at the helm, and explore new waters and navigate unchartered territory ... Unattached.
That is all.

I work at a small company whose senior management is peppered with crazy workaholic Boomers who refuse to retire. These people work seven days a week and don’t understand boundaries. They are also monologists who don’t listen, can’t use technology, and treat everyone around them like the help. They are beginning to have trouble keeping employees. While the middle aged people like me just put up with it, the young people don’t. Just this week another junior person abruptly quit, and said she refused to be treated rudely by her boss’s boss. Just want to say: Young people, don’t back down. You inspire me every day!

Simple things that make me very happy often revolve around moments of connection and joy. Waking up to positivity good morning inspirational quotes can set a cheerful tone for the day, especially when shared with loved ones. I love scrolling through Instagram, finding creative birthday countdown captions for Instagram, and using them to build excitement for my special day. When I see a cute pic of my boyfriend, leaving a heartfelt comment on boyfriend pic like "Your love is divine!" makes me smile. Little interactions like these fill my day with warmth and affection.
Another thing that brings me joy is engaging with others in a fun and lighthearted way. Sending funny Instagram locations or happy thankful Thursday images to friends can brighten up their day and mine. I also enjoy crafting a motivational speech for students by teacher, hoping to inspire and uplift them. Even something as simple as sharing a fake blue tick emoji copy and paste in a chat can bring a chuckle. Lastly, exchanging Tuesday greetings adds a special touch to the often overlooked day of the week, making every moment feel a bit more special and appreciated.

It's essential to focus on continual improvement and resilience. Many successful authors faced rejection before achieving success. J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, received numerous rejections initially. Stephen King's first novel was rejected dozens of times. Agatha Christie, Dr. Seuss, and Margaret Mitchell all encountered rejection before finding success. Remember, rejection is a part of the journey, and perseverance in honing your craft is key. Focus on refining your writing, seeking feedback, and staying persistent in your pursuit.
Here are a few strategies to help navigate the journey as a writer:

1. Persistency: Keep writing and submitting your work. Each rejection can provide valuable lessons and insights into improving your writing. Don't let setbacks deter you from continuing to create.
   
2. Feedback and Improvement: Seek feedback from peers, writing groups, or mentors. Constructive criticism can help identify areas for improvement and guide your growth as a writer.
   
3. Diversify Submissions: Consider submitting your work to various publishers, agents, or literary magazines. Sometimes, a rejection from one might not reflect the response you'll receive from another.
   
4. Stay Motivated: Surround yourself with inspiration. Read books, attend writing workshops, or engage with other creatives to stay motivated and connected within the writing community.
   
5. Self-Care: Take care of your mental and emotional well-being. Rejections can be tough, so it's crucial to practice self-compassion and maintain a healthy perspective on your writing journey.
   

Remember, many renowned authors faced rejection before achieving success. Your persistence, dedication to improvement, and belief in your craft are vital elements that can lead you toward success as a writer.
6Here are a few more tips to help maintain motivation and progress as a writer:

1. Set Realistic Goals: Establish achievable writing goals. Whether it's a daily word count, finishing a chapter, or completing a manuscript by a specific deadline, setting realistic targets can keep you focused and motivated.
   
2. Embrace Revisions: Recognize that writing is rewriting. Embrace the revision process as an opportunity to polish your work. Revisions often lead to stronger storytelling and better-crafted prose.
   
3. Connect with the Writing Community: Engage with other writers through social media, forums, or local writing groups. Networking can provide support, encouragement, and valuable insights into the publishing industry.
   
4. Learn from Rejections: Instead of viewing rejections as failures, consider them as stepping stones toward success. Analyze feedback, if available, and use it constructively to refine your writing.
   
5. Believe in Your Voice: Each writer has a unique voice. Embrace your style and perspective. Authenticity in storytelling often resonates with readers.
   

Lastly, remember that every successful author faced challenges and setbacks along their journey. It's the perseverance, commitment to improvement, and belief in their work that helped them overcome rejection and achieve success. Keep writing, stay resilient, and believe in your potential as a writer.
Here are quotes from some well-known authors who faced rejection before finding success:

1. J.K. Rowling (Author of Harry Potter series):
   

   "Failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me."
   

2. Stephen King (Author of numerous bestsellers):
   

   "By the time I was fourteen the nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of the rejection slips impaled upon it. I replaced the nail with a spike and kept on writing."
   

3. Agatha Christie (Renowned mystery novelist):
   

   "I don't think necessity is the mother of invention. Invention, in my opinion, arises directly from idleness, possibly also from laziness - to save oneself trouble."
   

4. Dr. Seuss (Author of beloved children's books):
   

   "I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope."
   

5. Margaret Mitchell (Author of "Gone with the Wind"):
   

   "Life's under no obligation to give us what we expect. We take what we get and are thankful it's no worse than it is."
   

These authors encountered rejection and setbacks on their paths to success but persisted in their writing endeavors, ultimately achieving acclaim for their work. Their quotes reflect their resilience, determination, and belief in their craft despite facing initial rejection.
Here are a few more quotes from authors who experienced rejection before achieving success:

1. Louisa May Alcott (Author of "Little Women"):
   

   "I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."
   

2. George Orwell (Author of "1984" and "Animal Farm"):
   

   "Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand."
   

3. John Grisham (Bestselling author of legal thrillers):
   

   "I faced rejection and constant criticism, but I never let up. I continued to persevere and pursued my writing passion."
   

4. Madeleine L'Engle (Author of "A Wrinkle in Time"):
   

   "You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children."
   

5. Ray Bradbury (Author of "Fahrenheit 451"):
   

   "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you."
   

These authors persisted through rejection, adversity, and doubts, yet remained dedicated to their writing. Their words reflect the perseverance, passion, and determination that ultimately led them to success in the literary world.
💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫💫🐔🐔🐔🐔 So in handling rejection as a writer and finding inspiration from authors who faced rejection before achieving success, this article has provided:

1. Strategies to stay motivated and improve as a writer, including persistence, seeking feedback, diversifying submissions, staying motivated, and practicing self-care.
2. Additional tips like setting goals, embracing revisions, connecting with the writing community, learning from rejections, and embracing your unique voice.
3. Quotes from various renowned authors such as J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, Agatha Christie, Dr. Seuss, Margaret Mitchell, Louisa May Alcott, George Orwell, John Grisham, Madeleine L'Engle, and Ray Bradbury. These quotes highlight their resilience, determination, and belief in their craft despite facing rejection, ultimately leading to their success as authors.

The overarching message is to persist in writing, seek improvement, learn from setbacks, stay connected with the writing community, and believe in your unique voice as a writer, drawing inspiration from the experiences of successful authors who overcame rejection on their paths to success.

At the world’s top college of magic and technology, every day brings a new discovery -and a new disaster. The advanced experiments of the college students tend to be both ambitious and apocalyptic, with the end of the world only prevented by a mysterious time loop, and a small handful of students who retain their memories.
Surviving the loops was hard enough, but now, in his senior year, Vell Harlan must take charge of them, and deal with the fact that the whole world now knows his secrets. Everyone knows about Vell’s death and resurrection, along with the divine game he is a part of. Now Vell must contend with overly curious scientists and evil billionaires hungry for divine power while the daily doomsday cycle bombards him with terrorists, talking elephants, and the Grim Reaper himself -but if he can endure it all, the Last Goddess’s game promises the ultimate prize: power over life itself.
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The last few notes of a Roxy Rocket song echoed through Vell’s dorm, and while scrappy and dissonant, they were at least coherent. An improvement from early lessons, especially.
“Well, that didn’t hurt to listen to,” Skye said. “You’re making progress.”
“You have such a way with words,” Vell said.
“Okay, fine,” Skye said. “You’re actually making good progress for a guy who only finds time to practice every couple weeks.”
The ever-encroaching responsibilities of being a senior, the leader of the loopers, and the focus of a godly game of fate had whittled Vell’s free time down to almost nothing. The occasional guitar lessons were some of his only islands amid the storm, and a welcome excuse to spend more time with Skye.
“You want to try a few more chords?”
“My hands are starting to hurt, actually,” Vell said. He pulled away from the guitar strings and shook tense fingers loose, revealing fingertips rubbed red and raw by practice. Skye stepped forward and took him by the wrist to examine his hands.
“I do not understand how a guy like you doesn’t have thicker skin,” Skye said. “Weren’t you an actual cowboy for a while? You did rodeos and everything.”
“I wore gloves,” Vell said.
“And for the rest of the weird shit you’ve done in your life?”
Vell took a long pause.
“Yeah, I don’t know,” Vell said. “Good genes, I guess.”
“I’m not complaining, mind you, I just think-”
A loud dinging sound from Skye’s purse interrupted the conversation, and she released her grip on Vell to go answer her phone. Vell recognized those familiar chimes as the Dad Ringtone. While most contacts were set to vibrate, Skye’s father and a few other lucky high-priority contacts got their own ringtones. Vell was lucky enough to have his ringtone set to the theme song of a cartoon Skye had loved as a kid, but played at a much lower volume than the Dad Ringtone. Skye’s father didn’t call often, and when he did it was usually about something important, so she wanted to be sure to never miss a call.
“Hey dad,” Skye began. “No, now’s fine. What’s up?”
Vell set his guitar back on the shelf and relaxed while Skye continued the call.
“No, no, that’d be fine, great, even,” Skye said. “He might be a little busy, but- What?”
Skye’s delight and talking to her father shifted to mild concern.
“Dad we kind of need to- no, not tomorrow, dad,” Skye said. “Dad!”
A long silence followed as Skye held the phone frozen by her ear for a short time. She tucked it back into her purse, took a deep breath, and clapped her hands together as she spun to face Vell.
“So, good news, you’re going to get to meet my dad,” Skye squeaked.
“And the bad news?”
“Well, part one of the bad news is that it’s going to happen tomorrow,” Skye said. Vell would’ve like a little more notice, but that was far from disastrous. Part two was still waiting, though. “And part two is that I kind of maybe didn’t do a very good job describing the nature of our relationship, and he sort of a little bit thinks you’re...a hero.”
Vell waited for a part three, and there was none.
“Is that the bad news?” Vell scoffed. “I might let him down a little, but there’s worse things my girlfriend’s dad could think of me.”
“Yeah there’s definitely a few upsides, be sure to hold on to those,” Skye said. “But also, you know how I flunked out of mad scientist school?”
“Yeah?”
“Well my dad...didn’t.”
***
“Your girlfriend’s dad is a supervillain?”
“Former supervillain,” Vell corrected. He adjusted the suit coat he’d just put on. “He left the game after she was born and went white hat, now he only builds death rays and robot armies so relevant authorities can observe, learn, and prepare for the real deal.”
Having a genuine mad scientist to train with helped keep secret agents and spies ready for actual threats, and Skye’s father got to keep doing what he loved: threatening to blow up the world.
“Are you still really a supervillain if you don’t actually do any villain shit?” Hawke wondered aloud. “Isn’t he just sort a supertrainer? What would you call that?”
“I’d call it asinine,” Alex said. “We shouldn’t be condoning this behavior, much less inviting him to build a death ray on our campus.”
The Einstein-Odinson had been selected as the faux-mad scientist’s next testing ground, and due to a misunderstanding of his role on campus, Vell had been selected as his testing partner. He had to put on a tuxedo and everything, to better fit the classic secret agent trope Skye’s father was envisioning.
“Mad scientists are an important part of the scientific ecosystem,” Helena said.
“You’d know,” Samson muttered under his breath.
“Conflict breeds innovation,” Helena continued, either heedless to or deliberately ignoring his snide comment. “The arc of history requires both heroes and villains.”
“Yeah, well, as far as villains go, I prefer mine to be weird old dads with fake death rays,” Kim said. “Still, Vell, doesn’t it feel kind of weird that he doesn’t actually know you’re dating his daughter?”
“It’s fine,” Vell insisted. “It’s always awkward trying to talk to your parents about your relationship, and she just over-focused on me saving the day and helping people. Simple miscommunication.”
“And when are you resolving that miscommunication?”
“Later,” Vell said. “Skye and her dad don’t get to spend much time together anymore. They’ll take the day, and we’ll get this all sorted out later.”
A life of volcano lairs, alpine bases, and remote tropical islands did not exactly make it easy for Skye to keep up with her dad, so having him concoct a scheme right on her home turf was a good way for the two of them to spend time together. Right now, Vell’s only priority was allowing for some healthy father-daughter bonding time. And also preventing the apocalypse.
“Okay, I’m good to go,” Vell said, as he finished up the knot in his bow-tie. “Hawke, ready on comms?”
“Mission control good to go, Agent Harlan,” Hawke said. He enjoyed any apocalyptic arrangement that allowed him to stay safely behind a chair, but playing mission control was especially fun.
“Good. Samson, you’re on tech duty,” Vell said. “The rest of you, keep an eye on the island. There’s no guarantee our supervillain will actually end the world. Which feels like a weird thing to say.”
Big events usually invited big catastrophes, and a literal supervillain seemed like a prime spark for some apocalyptic fire, but Vell was not so sure. He couldn’t think of anything less likely to actually end the world than a deliberate attempt to do so. All the loopers agreed having some backup eyes on other potential disasters might be warranted.
“Let’s just get this over with,” Alex said. She was the first to leave, everyone else filtered into their respective roles to play soon enough. Samson walked alongside Vell as he left the lair.
“Hey, do I have to put up the whole mission control act like Hawke was doing?”
“Not if you don’t want to,” Vell said. “Play it up a little if Skye’s dad is around, maybe, but like, right now we can just talk normally.”
“Okay, cool. Got your shit right here,” Samson said, as he hefted a large bag of gadget. “Standard spy bullshit. Gizmo watch, secret cufflink radios, pen with a concealed laser cutter, got it all right here.”
“Thanks,” Vell said. “Where’d you find all this stuff?”
“I just asked,” Samson said with a shrug. “Island full of supergenius weirdos, most of them had this kind of stuff just lying around.”
“Convenient. Did you make a list of everyone you got this stuff from?”
“So we can keep an eye on them? Yeah.”
“So I can give it back later,” Vell corrected. “But yeah, actually, knowing about the laser pen guy might be a good idea.”
“We’ll know where to start with any laser-based apocalypses,” Samson said.
“Good instinct,” Vell said. The two of them walked out of the building and towards the docks. “Am I walking weird? I’ve never worn a tux before.”
“Little stiff, but I think it’s working in your favor. You look more serious.”
“Great, thanks,” Vell said. He stepped up to the edge of the docks and strapped on his gadget watch before checking the time on it. “Should be here soon.”
“You need me to stick around?”
“No, you’re good,” Vell said. “Thanks for the help.”
Samson excused himself before the chaos started in full. Vell felt like an idiot standing around in a tux for a minute or two, until he was joined by someone in an equally odd outfit. Skye joined him in waiting on the docks, wearing a dress with long sleeves and a short skirt over sparkling tights and some very high-heeled boots.
“Very gogo dancer,” Vell said.
“Yeah, dad’s really into that whole Cold War era 60’s style,” Skye said. “Apparently this is what a ‘proper villainess’ looks like to him.”
“Could be worse, could be the catsuit kind of female villain.”
“Ugh, don’t get me started,” Skye said. “Every time he took me to work conferences I had to watch grown women try to waddle around in pleather bodysuits.”
“Supervillains have conferences?”
“Oh yeah, surprisingly good ones,” Skye said. “Especially if you’re a little girl who likes genetically engineered sharks.”
“Oh, so that’s where you got your start.”
Skye nodded. Her penchant for genetic engineering had struck at an early age. Her father had initially been excited for her to get into the family business, but it turned out Skye just liked fucking with fish DNA, and didn’t have much skill in all the non-genetic engineering parts of mad science. He was proud of her anyway.
After shifting on uncomfortably high heels for the umpteenth time, Skye checked her phone and texted her father.
“He says he’s pulling up right now,” Skye said. Vell scanned the horizon and saw nothing coming across the ocean.
“Is he at the right-”
Vell was cut off, and forced to step back, as the ocean started to churn. The waves parted to reveal a jet-black submarine with a towering, jagged skull carved into the prow.
“Oh, right, supervillain,” Vell said.
The imposing submersible drifted to a halt, and a hatched on the side hissed open. Red lights beamed out from the darkness within, and a few seconds later, an armored killbot marched down a boarding ramp, flanked by a towering man in a long white labcoat. He had a jagged streak of black through his otherwise gray hair, and wore heavy glasses with thick black lenses that obscured his gaze and shadowed his face.
“Hi dad,” Skye said.
“Hello dear,” said the man behind the murder machine. He stepped off the boarding ramp onto the dock, as another killbot exited to flank him, and fixed his dark glasses on Vell. “And as for you...I am Doc-”
“Doc” stopped his imposing introduction to have a coughing fit. Skye stepped up and put a hand on his shoulder.
“Dad, did you take your meds today?”
“I did, I did,” the Doc said, between coughs. “Just a climate thing. I got on the damn submarine in Seattle, now we’re in the tropics, there’s pressure differentials, humidity.”
He let out a few more coughs and then cleared his throat loudly, before regaining his previous composure.
“Now, as I was saying,” he continued. “I am Doc Ragnarok!”
His boisterous shout failed to echo in the open air of the docks.
“Oh, good lord, that was terrible,” Doc Ragnarok said. “Can I try again?”
“I wouldn’t bother,” Vell said. “We’re by the beach, open air, the acoustics are terrible.”
“Oh, yes, you’re right,” Doc Ragnarok agreed. “Finally, someone who appreciates the details. You must be Vell, then, or is it Agent Harlan? Do you have a codename I should be using?’
“It’s just Harlan. Vell Harlan.”
“Yes, Skye has told me quite a bit about you,” Doc said. “You’ve escaped kidnapping attempts, outwitted undead thieves, stolen secret treasures.”
“Oh, he’s, uh, also a really nice guy, very helpful, top student,” Skye said, laying groundwork for the eventual boyfriend reveal.
“I expect nothing less,” Doc Ragnarok said. “I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to face off against someone with real credentials again, Mr. Harlan. For the past few decades it’s been nothing but greenhorns using me as a test run, well-trained but no experience, no sense of style.”
“Well, I am nothing if not experienced,” Vell said. “Stylish, however...well, this tuxedo is a rental.”
“I can tell,” Doc Ragnarok said. He let out a single boisterous bark of delighted laughter. “Ah, look at us, already bantering. I missed this.’
Doc cleared his throat again and regained his ominous supervillain demeanor, as he snapped his fingers to make the killbots flank him.
“I must begin my preparations,” he said, in a voice shockingly distinct from his earlier conversational tone. “Challenge me if you dare.”
“Excuse me a moment,” said a voice somewhere behind the killbots. Doc snapped his fingers, ordering the crowd to part again, and Helena hopped forward on her crutches. Skye glanced at Vell curiously, and he shrugged in confusion. She wasn’t supposed to be here, for multiple reasons.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes, I was just reading your book earlier, ‘Practically Evil: A Guide to Classic Villainy’,” Helena said. “It’s a great read, but what really stood out to me is the section on classic henchman archetypes, specifically ‘The Igor’?”
She held up the book in question, which Vell noted had a picture of Doc Ragnarok holding a skull on the cover, and opened it to the section in question.
“Oh yes, I understand, completely,” Doc Ragnarok said. “As I said in the section opener, that information is presented for historical context, and I strongly condemn the typecasting of differently-abled persons like yourself into such roles. Regardless of my intent, I’m sorry if I caused any offense, and if you have feedback-”
“Oh, no, you misunderstand, I’m not offended, I’m actually intrigued,” Helena said. She turned the book around to quote a specific passage. “‘An outcast, often hunchbacked or otherwise misshapen in such a way to make them a pariah, physically handicapped but mentally gifted, driven to evil by the harsh treatment of judgmental peers’. I think it’s a very fitting role for me, and I’d love to give it a try.”
Vell had several very strong opinions about that, but kept all of them to himself.
“Well, it’s a bit short notice, but I’ll never discourage anyone from following the path of evil,” Doc Ragnarok said. “And this is a training exercise, after all, perfect time for you to train. Come along, minion! The more the merrier!”
Doc Ragnarok snapped his fingers again, and the killbots fell in line, this time with Helena in tow. A procession of smaller robots followed, carrying a worrying number of power cores, ray guns, and mutagens. Not for the first time, Vell began to wonder if this was a good idea. The recurring doubts got obliterated as Skye looked over her shoulder and winked. She was worth a lot more trouble than this.

Hunter's writing always touched me very deeply and I've been reading through his catalogue more and more this year. So far I have read and re-read these books, and my ranking goes as follows:

1. THE RUM DIARY Funnily enough, I have never actually read the novel in full, but I have listened to the excellent audiobook by Christopher Lane at least ten times. There is a wonderful quote of Hunter about inspiration and fuel and this book embodies it perfectly for me. It is such a wonderful and introspective world that I love to inhibit every now and then. He wrote it when he was very young, younger than I am right now, and might have heavily edited it before ultimately releasing it, but it speaks to me on a core-level and I don't think actually reading the book might change this placing but I will do it sooner than later.
   
2. FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS As cliché as it is to pick this and use this worn out term, I think this is genuinely Hunter's masterpiece. It's short, to the point, hilarious, and deep; it came out just at the right time and launched his career up and beyond and into the stratosphere, for better or worse. I have watched the movie a dozen times and read the book three times. I think it's the perfect starting point to get into his work and there is nothing else I can add that hasn't been said a million times.
   
3. FEAR AND LOATHING ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL '72 This one was weird for me. I had read, on here and other places, that this is one of his best books but I always put it off because I'm not American and jumping into a book this journalistic, about an election that happened over 50 years ago with tons of major "characters" that I have no knowledge of felt daunting and confusing. But having done so I can say that this really is an excellent book and I can sympathize with anyone who says this is his true masterpiece. I never felt lost despite the barrier and it was thoroughly engaging throughout.
   
4. HELL'S ANGLES Most of what I said about Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail applies to this as well. It's a wonderful journalistic account about a topic that most of us, despite this book being even older, can relate to a lot more. It might be a bit dry at points but it portrays how the Hell's Angels became this infamous icon by sheer ignorance of the press so well. I especially loved the quoting of contemporary newspaper articles. I highly recommend this as a first-read to anyone who wants to jump into Hunter's more journalistic writing more.
   
5. KINGDOM OF FEAR This one is almost cheating because I have only read about 75% of it. When it comes to the compilation books, I tend to jump around a lot since there is not a constant narrative guiding me, and there's still a handful of chapters/articles in Kingdom of Fear that I have not yet delved into; nevertheless, I highly enjoyed this read as well. One of the more well-known facts about Hunter is that his writing declined following the 1980s, but this is one of his last books to come out, after 9/11, and it felt so fresh and invigorating despite acting as a sort of memoir.
   

I have left off The Great Shark Hunt as, like with Kingdom of Fear, I have only read a handful of articles yet and I'm still working through it. I'm certain it will rank quite high among these. I'll slowly work myself through the rest, but the one book that I am consistently trying to hunt down but which seems to elude me is The Curse of Lono, his last fiction book, which seems to be impossible to get a hold of without buying a second copy.
Anyway, thank you for reading this long post. I felt a burst of passion on this very late night and thought why not share it with you guys.
What is your ranking? How do you feel about these books and which do you recommend? Have you read any of his later, more obscure releases like Fear and Loathing in America or Hey Rube?

Clockwork Angels is the title track of the nineteenth studio album Clockwork Angels (2012). What do you think of today's tune? You can vote skippable (You can almost see the circuits blowing) to amazing (The treasure of a life).
Writing credits: Music: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Lyrics: Neil Peart
Contemporaneous band member quote: "That song began with an experimental instrumental soundscape Alex wrote using technology, resulting in some amazing textures. When the lyrics came along, I saw a way to break down what Alex had into several sections and write some melodies over the top, and before long we had created this interesting rock/electronica song. The trick, both in recording and mixing, was to retain the spacey, mysterious sounds while keeping the song urgent and somewhat organic." -Geddy to Chris Jisi of Bass Player Magazine (August 2012)
Rush Official YouTube Channel link
Fun fact: Portions of the song and album were inspired by An Alchemy of Mind: The Marvel and Mystery of the Brain by Diane Ackerman (2004).
View Poll

History has a lot of substantial proof that, more often than not, if they have the guts, the determination, and if they play their cards right, the underdog WILL come out on top. Best example onhand is the 1960s election between JFK and Nixon. As someone with ASD, I, too have always felt like an underdog, and I'm sure a lot of you have felt the same. Which is why I always feel a special connection to characters (either historical or fictitious) who're portrayed as the underdog.
One of my personal favorite is one of the greatest fighters of all time, Muhammad Ali. One quote that was given to him resonated within me and has stayed with me for a while now. It was when he met with Gorgeous George, a pro wrestler and a very important figure in Ali's early career. While a fan favorite, Gorgeous George was also hated by the viewers. It was after this one match he had, that he took young Ali aside and gave him some advice that would help give birth to the "Loud & Proud" personality that Ali would use throughout the rest of his career. This is the quote;
"A lot of people will pay to see someone shut your mouth. So keep on bragging, keep on sassing and always be outrageous".
What I love about this quote is how it not only encourages one to come out of their shell, as it were, but also it brings up the fact that, while there are some people who'll be keeping their eye on you just to see you fail, you'll STILL have their attention and, if you put in the work, you'll be able to prove them wrong every time and make them eat their words. Idk about you guys, but that makes me all the more inspired to keep trying to do my best.
What are some quotes from a famous "underdog" that you guys love?

Hello. I would love to read your experience with treatment resistant panic disorder and your management, advice, issues you faced and how you got through.
I have a patient consulting since August 2023, aged 23, who came for agitation, acutely set stuttering. We had to go through crisis management with IV/IM drugs, we asked for imaging/labs + neuro evaluation. After some evaluation, I thought about a severe panic disorder and started paroxetine with bromazepam.
My team suggested it might be an onset of psychosis, since the symptoms were very atypical. My senior suggested I added risperidone 02 mg (which I did early October but took it off with the consent of my patient in November). In November, the patient withdrew even more from his social circle but was content because he didn't have panic attacks (important to note that his family doesn't know he seeks psych help since they don't believe in mental health/tend towards sorcery). I offered to send him to a psychiatrist specialized in CBT, which he accepted.
In December, he was on paroxetine 40mg, bromazepam and quetiapine 50 mg. The therapist thought about psychosis and decided to add aripiprazole. At that moment, the symptoms got worse, with the onset of what many called abnormal movements, EEG + another neuro referral was done. At the end, and after 2 months, the diagnosis of Panic Disorder was settled, and treatment was venlafaxine + bromazepam and he started his CBT.
The current clinical presentation is : the patient does shorts panic attacks, he tries to fight (so he somehow jerks, doing those so called abnormal movements) with a short interval of 10 minutes then another short panic attack. The current treatment is Venlafaxine 150 mg, Mirtazapine 15 mg, with degression of bromazepam. He did 3 months of CBT.
I got a text from the patient stating he wants to stop his treatment, that he doesn't see himself ever getting better and I quote him "I feel like living through a constant dream".
My main issues are : 1. Since he doesn't have insurance, he has access only to treatments the hospital offers 2. He won't accept to be hospitalized because of the huge stigma around mental health (he masks his symptoms in front of his family) 3. He isn't well supported by his friends/family
NB: The patient took amitriptyline at small doses (<15 mg) throughout his follow up.
I am open to any input, advice, critic and thank anyone who would help me.
I first shared this post on psychiatry but unfortunately got shortly removed after (for lack of credential verification).

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Hi all, I wanted to share an update from VERSES AI ($VERS), a leading cognitive computing company that has just added Alex Kipman, the CEO and Founder of Analog AI, to its team as a Strategic Advisor.
Analog is an AI company that specializes in edge computing solutions. It makes smart sensors and mixed reality devices that connect people, places and things.
Alex looks to be a fantastic fit for the $VERS team, especially in supporting their AI initiatives. He is a seasoned tech professional, with over two decades at Microsoft. During his time there, he played a crucial role in creating groundbreaking technologies like HoloLens and Azure Mixed Reality Services. Alex’s expertise in AI, AVR, and edge computing is unmatched, and he's widely respected as a leader in these areas.
Now, in his role as Strategic Advisor at VERSES, Alex will share his wealth of experience and forward-thinking ideas to the table, the company's goal of developing cutting-edge intelligent software systems. This appointment is very promising considering $VERS recent Genius partnership with Analog.
Genius is a natural computing system inspired by our understanding of how the human brain works. What makes Genius special is its capability to learn and adjust just like a human brain does, needing less training data compared to traditional AI.
The Genius Beta Program was launched in September 2023, and Analog joined $VERS Genius program in January 2024. Analog is one of ten companies to be featured in the Beta program, VERSES aims to showcase Genius's progress to the wider AI community within the next year through diverse partnerships. Leveraging Genius, Analog intends to transform Abu Dhabi's cityscape through an innovative smart city project.
Quote from $VERS CEO, Gabriel René: “We are excited to engage Alex as an advisor and to leverage his relationships and years of experience. Alex is a renowned strategic leader and a specialist when it comes to edge computing, spatial computing, and machine learning who has partnered with nations and corporations to help artificial intelligence, edge computing and the internet of things (IoT) reach their full potential while working towards our shared vision of creating a better, smarter tomorrow.”
Link to Press Release
Note: this is not financial advice please do your own research before investing.