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  1. <?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:blogger='http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd="http://schemas.google.com/g/2005" xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581322009807087581</id><updated>2024-03-12T19:45:57.282-07:00</updated><title type='text'>comp</title><subtitle type='html'></subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://compasdds.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/8581322009807087581/posts/default'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://compasdds.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>ARBORsdf</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06447763900619628489</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>3</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>25</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581322009807087581.post-7159017342840211439</id><published>2022-02-18T08:32:00.007-08:00</published><updated>2022-02-18T08:32:29.639-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Wartune Game Review</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp; Wartune is a free to play fantasy based RPG game that you can easily play online. Not only is it a 2D browser based RPG video game, but there are also elements that borrow features from the RTS genre as well. Whether you are a fan of both genres, Wartune might have something here that will interest you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In similar fashion to many other browser based RPG video games, you will start off creating your own character that you will want to use for the duration of the entire video game&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;https://totoscan.com/&quot;&gt;https://totoscan.com/&lt;/a&gt;. There are only three basic classes to choose from and they include a &quot;Mage&quot;, &quot;Knight&quot; or &quot;Archer&quot;. Sadly you will be unable to alter the appearance for your character so you are pretty much stuck with the generic designs that the developer has chosen for you. Still, the character design in this game is impressive overall and some gamers won&#39;t be too fussed about this.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I must say that the game takes a bit of time to load every time you boot the game up for the first time. I&#39;m not sure if this will happen with everyone, but the game needs to be patched so be prepared to wait patiently before you begin the game&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;https://ttattack.com/&quot;&gt;https://ttattack.com/&lt;/a&gt;. Thankfully, you can play a neat mini-game to pass the time while the game loads. This is a first for a free to play video game and a nice touch in my opinion, although the mini-game doesn&#39;t appear when long loading times occur when you actually start the game itself.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Once the game finally starts, your character enters a forest-like area called &quot;Enna Pass&quot;. The first thing you have to do is approach a menacing looking Mountain Bear and try to kill it. This serves as the game&#39;s first battle sequence as it teaches you the basics of the game&#39;s combat mechanics.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Combat in Wartune is the traditional turn based system used in lots of other RPG video games. All you have to do is click on an attack or skill that you want to execute at the bottom of the screen and your character will automatically respond in kind. The combat in this game is fast paced and the animation is impressive to say the least. This isn&#39;t the kind of turn based RPG game where the characters are slow to react your button commands.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As you progress, there will be more members that will join you in your party that can aid you in battle. One of the more helpful members that tag along early on in the game is a young girl that heals you in the background. If you take a lot of damage during battle, she will ensure your life bar is full enough for you to survive the duration of the battle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This helpful lady is actually a character that you need to save from danger at the very beginning of the game as she is being attacked by a group of angry bears. Although some people might say saving a &quot;damsel in distress&quot; is one of the most clichéd stories in the history of mankind, but I personally didn&#39;t mind the storytelling aspects that this game provided. It&#39;s better than just approaching a random non playable character on the street and accepting quests like that as most other games do.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As previously mentioned, Wartune is not only an RPG video game but it also includes RTS elements in there as well. Once you save the young girl, you will travel back to her city and then the city building aspects of the game are introduced. Much like in RTS video games, you will have to collect resources for your city and construct buildings. The integration between the RPG and RTS elements work really well. The loot you receive from killing monsters on the ground level can be used to upgrade the buildings in your city and so forth. It&#39;s a neat feature that is not seen in any other game I&#39;ve played recently.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Graphically, Wartune looks amazing for a browser based video game. The character models look highly detailed as does the environments. This does come at a price though because as I previously mentioned, the loading times are pretty lengthy and frequent too. The loading times aren&#39;t unbearably long like they are in other video games, although they will annoy you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Overall, the presentation in Wartune is commendable with a great soundtrack to listen to and sound effects throughout. It&#39;s also worth mentioning that the game&#39;s interface is nice and clean and does not appear cluttered with too many icons and buttons like in other browser based video games.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Doctor Who holds the Guinness record for the longest-running science fiction television show in the world, airing from 1963 till today. For those unfamiliar with the show (really inexcusable I might say!!) Doctor Who (or The Doctor) is a humanoid alien, a Time Lord, whose planet has been destroyed and is travelling through space and time with a time machine called TARDIS, exploring the universe and helping the helpless. TARDIS looks like a blue British police box, a common sight in Britain during the 60s when the show first appeared. Through the years, it has become a trademark of the show. Doctor Who has faced many enemies through the course of the show, the oldest and most significant ones being the Daleks, an alien race whose sole purpose is to destroy all beings inferior to them. Martin Wallace, a well-known independent board game designer from U.K., undertook the challenging task of recreating the atmosphere of the show in a rather simple card game. Let&#39;s see how the game measures up to its theme and how appealing it is in general as a card game.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Game Overview&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Although I am a huge sci-fi fan, I&#39;ve seen very little of the renowned show. However as I sat down to play this game I had in my mind the general concept of &quot;The Doctor&quot;, his time-travelling machine and the atmosphere that the game should have. In my point of view, the fact that I&#39;m not a hardcore fan of the game neither totally ignorant of the theme, makes me more suitable to write an objective review of the game. Let&#39;s go through the basics of the game for starters:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In Doctor Who: The Card Game, players take the role of Doctor Who and his companions, trying to defend locations from various enemies but they also take the role of the &quot;bad&quot; guys, by sending enemies to attack other players&#39; locations. During each of their turns, players will have the opportunity to perform a number of actions, which involve playing cards. There are four different types of cards in the game:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Locations. Players will have to fight for the control of their own locations as well as their opponents&#39;. Each location is worth a number of victory points at the end of the game.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Defenders. Defenders will be used to defend a player&#39;s locations. There are actually 4 defenders, all based on the Doctor Who TV-series, each one with their own defense strength: The Doctor, Amy Pond, Rory and River Song&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Enemies. Players send enemies to their opponents locations, trying to gain control of them. The enemies are well known races and monsters from the Doctor Who universe like The Daleks, Cybemen, the Sontarans and Davros. Each enemy has a different attack value.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Support cards. These are allies, special gadgets or events that will help a player or hinder his opponents.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At the beginning of the game, each player must pick a color and get 10 counters of the appropriate colour (5 DALEKS and 5 TARDIS). Daleks are used to indicate that we have placed an attacking enemy at an opponents&#39; location, whereas TARDIS are used to show that we have successfully defended a location of our own. Each player also gains a starting location which is chosen randomly. The player having the highest value starting location becomes the first player. All cards are shuffled in a face-down pile and 5 cards are dealt to each player except the player sitting to the right of the first player, who receives only two cards. There are also thirty time tokens in the game, which are set by the side of the draw deck.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Each player, during his turn, may play as many actions he wants, limited only by the fact that at the end of his turn he must give to the player on his right 3 cards. Extra cards may be bought during a player&#39;s turn using time counters, that can be gained with a number of ways. Available actions a player may do during his turn are:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;play a location card in front of him. He receives a number of time counters as indicated on the card&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;play one or more defenders on a location owned by him. The defender cards are played face-down on a location, leaving part of it uncovered so as the value of the location is not hidden. You cannot play two or more of the same Defender card on a given location&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;play an enemy card on an opponents&#39; location. In contrast to defenders, in general, only one enemy may be placed on each opponents&#39; location (exceptions do exist). The enemy card is placed face down near the location under attack and the attacking player puts a DALEK counter on the location under attack&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;play a support card&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;discard one or two cards to gain a time counter for each card discarded&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;buy cards by paying five time counters for each one&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;put one or more cards in the reserve. Players may put up to 2 cards in the reserve (face down in front of them) in order to use them in a later round. The size of the reserve may increase using certain support cards&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is no cost for playing any of the cards a player owns and players can perform any number of the above actions. A certain action can be performed more than once. At any case, the active player must end up with 3 cards which he must give to the player on their right. At the end of a player&#39;s turn, he draws 2 cards from the supply and puts them in his hand. After the first player, play continues clockwise as usual.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The most interesting point in the game is combat, which occurs whenever a defender and an enemy card have been played at a given location. All defender and enemy cards are then revealed and their strength is compared. If the defender&#39;s total strength is equal to or greater than the attacker&#39;s, the defender wins. All attackers and defenders are discarded and the defending player puts a TARDIS counter on the location card to indicate that it is under the Doctor&#39;s control. If the enemy wins, all defenders are discarded and the attacker must discard one or more enemy cards with total strength less or equal to the total strength of the defender.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The game ends when a player has all of his DALEK or TARDIS counters in play or when the Game End card is revealed (it is initially put on top of the 20 last cards of the draw deck). In the first case, the game ends immediately, while in the second one an &quot;End Game&quot; period starts, during which players continue to take turns but are obliged to take a single action and they don&#39;t draw cards at the end of their turn. They don&#39;t pass cards to the player on their right either of course. This period ends when a player cannot perform an action. Then all players count the victory points on their locations that are not under attack plus the enemy locations they have their DALEK counters on. The player with the most victory points is the winner.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Components&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The game&#39;s components are cards and tokens. The tokens are standard cardboard ones with nothing special to be comment on. The cards however deserve a special mention as they are all beautifully illustrated with much attention to detail. The colors used in the illustrations carry the feel of the game and all pictures are of high detail. All cards enhance the theme of the game and the artwork is so awesome that truly captures the eye and sets a unique atmosphere, especially the location and monster cards. Design of the components leaves really nothing more to be desired. 9/10&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gameplay&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Usually one has not many expectations regarding gameplay when it comes to such &quot;small&quot; games. And when I say &quot;small&quot; I mean having few components and a short duration, usually called &quot;filler&quot; games. It is truly a big accomplishment when a game designer manages to produce a game of enough complexity and depth that can appeal to hardcore gamers out of so little material, while also keeping the mechanics simple enough for more casual gamers. From this aspect I find Doctor Who: The Card Game a rare gem that deserves a place in everyone&#39;s game library, no matter if he is a Doctor Who fan or not or if he is a casual or hardcore gamer. The game starts aggressively right from the start, when everyone&#39;s put down his starting location. The concept of playing cards for free, that means without having to pay a cost as it is usually done in most drafting games, gives a refreshing tone to the gameplay and allows players to develop their strategy with more freedom.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Choices are hard in every round as during each turn players have 5 cards in hand but must hand out to the player on their right, 3 of them. That is the core of the gameplay and the mechanic that gives the game a strategic aspect and depth that you will all appreciate. Which cards should you play and which should you pass? The idea of having a reserve is also interesting and adds to the depth, giving you the opportunity to set your game up the way you want in future turns. Another aspect of the game that I liked is the way conflicts are resolved. Enemies and defenders are placed blindly and are revealed only when both are present on a given location. Very clever idea that maintains a feel of suspense, as you never really know if you have won a location until the conflict is resolved. It feels that Martin Wallace has hit the nail on the head with this one, reminding us how talented he truly is! 9/10&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Learning Curve&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Despite the many interesting mechanics of the game, rules are kept simple as they should be for a game of this category. The 12-page rulebook can be read within about 10 minutes (in reality the rules are only 9 pages and there a lot of pictures too). At first the mechanics of the game may seem a bit strange but after playing your first game, you will have it all figured out. 7/10&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Theme&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The game&#39;s theme is supported in every way in the game. From the intuitive TARDIS and DALEK counters to the characters used as Defenders and Enemies and the support cards. The locations all reflect the theme of the game, some set on earth and others on alien planets. Characters from the most recent episodes of the famous TV show are used as the defenders, while the biggest enemies of the doctor have been chosen to serve as the enemies in the game. Support cards feature objects used by the Doctor throughout the years along with special characters and events that boost the thematic character of the game. During my first play, I constantly felt being a part of the Doctor Who universe, I was completely drawn to it. The only thing that felt a bit strange is the fact that you are playing with the &quot;good&quot; guys in general but when you send enemies to opponents&#39; locations, you take the role of the &quot;bad&quot; guys. That feels a bit strange, disorients you and takes back some of the immersion. I think it would be better if roles were more distinct but that would probably lead to a whole new game. The fact remains that after playing for the first time, it really made me want to catch up with the TV show, maybe try to find some of the older episodes too. 9/10&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Replayability&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Doctor Who: The Card Game has enough depth and strategy that will ensure that you will have the desire to play it at any given time. It could surely act not only as a filler game but as the main game at the table, with consecutive plays. It&#39;s that addictive! 8/10&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fun:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I really had a lot of fun, playing Doctor Who. There is enough player interaction through attacking your opponents locations and defending your own from attacks and there is a lot of suspense too as you wonder what enemies / defenders your opponents have placed on locations. Every aspect of the game seems to contribute to the fun factor, from the intuitive drafting mechanic to the illustrations on the cards and the feel of the theme. Time will pass fast, with this game, as you constantly have hard choices to make, endless unknown enemies to fight and control of the various locations will change many times during the game. Pure fun if you ask me! 8/10&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://compasdds.blogspot.com/feeds/7159017342840211439/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://compasdds.blogspot.com/2022/02/wartune-game-review.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/8581322009807087581/posts/default/7159017342840211439'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/8581322009807087581/posts/default/7159017342840211439'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://compasdds.blogspot.com/2022/02/wartune-game-review.html' title='Wartune Game Review'/><author><name>ARBORsdf</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06447763900619628489</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581322009807087581.post-6977851969005488929</id><published>2022-02-18T08:32:00.004-08:00</published><updated>2022-02-18T08:32:17.507-08:00</updated><title type='text'>The Most Important Stories You Tell</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp; Stories can inspire or deceive; motivate or manipulate; challenge or deflate; persuade or console; unite or divide; ignite or resolve; anger or connect. But, none of this is new news. Stories are everywhere, all the time. In the papers we read, in the content we watch or listen to, and in the places we frequent. That includes our workplaces. And we&#39;re all storytellers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The stories we choose to tell about ourselves and others impact how we&#39;re perceived at work: team player or not team player; victim or problem-solver; resilient or discouraged; approachable or distant. They impact what work culture we help create: trusting or distrusting; silos or teams; soul-enhancing or soul-depleting. And most importantly they impact how we see ourselves. Our choice of stories matter, increasing or decreasing our potential to be winning at working.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But the most important stories you tell at work are the ones you tell about yourself, to yourself. For me, one of those is that I&#39;m technically challenged. Okay, I know what you&#39;re probably thinking and you&#39;re right. The more I tell myself the story of my technical incompetence, the more likely it is that my behavior lives up to my expectations. That&#39;s true on the reverse side, too. Another self-story for my life is that I can invent the future that I want to face. In both cases, as T. Harv Eker puts it, &quot;You will live into your story.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kyle Maynard is a good example&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;https://gbcstories.com/&quot;&gt;https://gbcstories.com/&lt;/a&gt;. Before he was nineteen he was a Wrestling Hall of Famer with the impressive title of the &quot;World&#39;s Strongest Teen.&quot; He&#39;s been living into his story, summarized by the title of his book, &quot;No Excuses.&quot; You see, Kyle has a congenital condition called quadramenbral phocomelia. He has no limbs below the elbows and knees. His becoming a wrestling champion goes beyond normally impressive feats. But Kyle lives his &quot;no excuses&quot; story not only in the wrestling arena, but in all parts of his life, learning to type fifty words a minute and drive a car.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What stories are you building your life around? Are they enhancing your potential or minimizing it? If your story is a victim story then you&#39;ll find problems. If it&#39;s about winning at working and achieving your life&#39;s potential, you&#39;ll see challenges to meet. It&#39;s not about the words, it&#39;s about your self-vision behind them. How you see your life is how you live it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes we&#39;re not even aware of the stories we&#39;ve adopted as our own. We&#39;ve grown up hearing about who we are, what we&#39;re like, what abilities we have or don&#39;t have and we overlay those stories onto our life as our own. But here&#39;s the wonderful thing about stories. We can write new ones.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For much of my life, a story I lived into was being quiet and shy. It was true I was a very shy child, but I kept the story alive as I grew older. At times, it kept me on the sidelines as a spectator to my life. But now I find that story confining, limiting and detrimental to the work I want to do. So, I&#39;ve let go of it and replaced it with one that better fits this stage of who I am and what I&#39;m about. I&#39;ve chosen a different story to live into.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You see, you have the power over your life story. Winning at working is a choice. What I learned in twenty years in management is this: people who are winning at working realize they&#39;re the ones with the pen. They know they&#39;re the author of their own work story and they act accordingly. So, if they don&#39;t like how their story is evolving, they create a better one and start living it. They write their story as they go, building the outcome they desire.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stories can inspire or deceive; motivate or manipulate; challenge or deflate; persuade or console; unite or divide; ignite or resolve; anger or connect. But, none of this is new news. Stories are everywhere, all the time. In the papers we read, in the content we watch or listen to, and in the places we frequent. That includes our workplaces. And we&#39;re all storytellers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The stories we choose to tell about ourselves and others impact how we&#39;re perceived at work: team player or not team player; victim or problem-solver; resilient or discouraged; approachable or distant. They impact what work culture we help create: trusting or distrusting; silos or teams; soul-enhancing or soul-depleting. And most importantly they impact how we see ourselves. Our choice of stories matter, increasing or decreasing our potential to be winning at working.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But the most important stories you tell at work are the ones you tell about yourself, to yourself. For me, one of those is that I&#39;m technically challenged. Okay, I know what you&#39;re probably thinking and you&#39;re right. The more I tell myself the story of my technical incompetence, the more likely it is that my behavior lives up to my expectations. That&#39;s true on the reverse side, too. Another self-story for my life is that I can invent the future that I want to face. In both cases, as T. Harv Eker puts it, &quot;You will live into your story.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kyle Maynard is a good example. Before he was nineteen he was a Wrestling Hall of Famer with the impressive title of the &quot;World&#39;s Strongest Teen.&quot; He&#39;s been living into his story, summarized by the title of his book, &quot;No Excuses.&quot; You see, Kyle has a congenital condition called quadramenbral phocomelia. He has no limbs below the elbows and knees. His becoming a wrestling champion goes beyond normally impressive feats. But Kyle lives his &quot;no excuses&quot; story not only in the wrestling arena, but in all parts of his life, learning to type fifty words a minute and drive a car.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What stories are you building your life around? Are they enhancing your potential or minimizing it? If your story is a victim story then you&#39;ll find problems. If it&#39;s about winning at working and achieving your life&#39;s potential, you&#39;ll see challenges to meet. It&#39;s not about the words, it&#39;s about your self-vision behind them. How you see your life is how you live it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sometimes we&#39;re not even aware of the stories we&#39;ve adopted as our own. We&#39;ve grown up hearing about who we are, what we&#39;re like, what abilities we have or don&#39;t have and we overlay those stories onto our life as our own. But here&#39;s the wonderful thing about stories. We can write new ones.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For much of my life, a story I lived into was being quiet and shy. It was true I was a very shy child, but I kept the story alive as I grew older. At times, it kept me on the sidelines as a spectator to my life. But now I find that story confining, limiting and detrimental to the work I want to do. So, I&#39;ve let go of it and replaced it with one that better fits this stage of who I am and what I&#39;m about. I&#39;ve chosen a different story to live into.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You see, you have the power over your life story. Winning at working is a choice. What I learned in twenty years in management is this: people who are winning at working realize they&#39;re the ones with the pen. They know they&#39;re the author of their own work story and they act accordingly. So, if they don&#39;t like how their story is evolving, they create a better one and start living it. They write their story as they go, building the outcome they desire.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Why do so many people hate to write?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Many of us have a strong fear of writing. Memories of red marks covering our papers still evoke feelings of shame, and the mysteries of grammar and spelling continue to drench us in cold sweat. Such feelings are easy to understand because they connect directly to our experience at school, to grades, and to (often unfair and erroneous) evaluations of our self-worth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In Teaching with Writing, Toby Fulwiler presents the findings of a 1981 study of writing in American schools that I believe is still valid today. It found that the majority of assignments involved transactional writing--the kind used to communicate information.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The second most common type of writing was mechanical--the kind used to fill in the blanks, copy information off the blackboard, and take notes. In fact the study found that mechanical writing represented 24 percent of all classroom activity! Imaginative writing--the kind used, for example, in writing poetry--came in a distant third and only occurred in English classes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It is these kinds of writing--copying down what our teachers &quot;teach&quot; us; regurgitating the information in boring, pedantic essays; filling in the blanks on worksheets; and taking tests--that most of us think of when asked to put our words down on paper. This is one reason why such a task so often fills us with dread and resistance.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Schools ignore the most powerful use of writing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Unfortunately, the study also found that a fourth kind of writing--expressive--was almost completely absent from the classroom. Expressive writing is the kind you do for yourself. It is when you write your own thoughts down in order to play with an idea, look at it from different angles, explore relationships, or analyze and synthesize.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In other words, the study concluded that &quot;writing was taught almost exclusively as a means to communicate information rather than as a means to gain insight, develop ideas, or solve problems.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Such an educational system does us a great disservice, because expressive writing is one of the most important tools we have for learning--whether or not we understand what a split infinitive is or where a colon should go! According to Fulwiler, &quot;writing is basic to thinking about, and learning, knowledge in all fields.&quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Writing has a remarkable power to foster learning&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When we express our words on paper, we slow our thoughts down and separate them from our greater Self. This enables us to generate ideas we never would have thought of if we had not first written them down. It also enables us to play with ideas, move them around, and analyze them from different angles.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Writing helps us acquire new knowledge from other people and synthesize it so it becomes part of us. It helps us discover what we really think and feel about a subject, and it helps us come up with new insights that would otherwise have remained unconscious due to the fleeting nature of oral speech and inner thought.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In other words, expressive writing is one of the most powerful tools we have to foster learning.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Try these!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So how can you take advantage of this wonderful tool to achieve your own purposes? Below are a few suggestions for how you can tap into writing&#39;s power to help you learn. I hope you have fun playing with them and seeing which ones work best for you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I. Prewriting &amp;amp; Brainstorming&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Before you begin a new project, enter a classroom/meeting, or begin composing a complicated written document, your mind needs preparation. Your thoughts are likely miles away from the task at hand, so it helps to find a way to reign them in and engage them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One way to accomplish this is to prewrite. To do this, choose a subject and immediately start writing about it. Record everything that comes to your mind for a certain length of time (maybe 3 to 5 minutes) without stopping, analyzing, or judging.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Brainstorming is similar to freewriting except that you just make a list of words/phrases/ideas as quickly as possible for a certain length of time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The brain naturally creates associations&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of our brain&#39;s most important functions is to associate one idea with another. For example, if you think of the word mountain, your mind will immediately begin associating other ideas with it. (The first words that came to me were: snow, cool, blue, sky, pine trees, fresh, streams, ferns and shade. What about you?)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Prewriting and brainstorming are wonderful ways to use your brain&#39;s ability to associate in order to energize your mind, connect with your task or event, and awaken your interest in it. If you are writing a document of some kind, they also generate numerous ideas that you can then select from and organize into your major thesis and supporting points.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;II. Summaries &amp;amp; Reflections&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As soon as you have listened to a speech or lecture, or read a passage in a book, write down a summary of it. If you can put something into your own words, you probably understand it and will remember it. However, if your mind feels like it is in a soupy fog when you think about what you have just read or heard, it is a sure sign that you haven&#39;t understood the material and will soon forget it!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Writing a reflection is even more effective than simply writing a summary because when you reflect you weigh the pros and cons of what you have just learned, link what you already know and care about to the new material, and evaluate its relevancy to you.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In other words, a reflection engages both your mind and your emotions. This is important because if you are not interested in something--and cannot see how it is relevant to your life or what you are trying to accomplish--you will soon forget it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;III. Storytelling&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you have something complicated to learn, try creating a story out of it. Human beings love to tell and listen to stories, and the images created by the characters, plot and setting can remain in our minds for a lifetime.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Before the invention of writing, our ancestors used rhyme, meter and repetition; larger than life characters; and traditional plots and themes (the hero, the quest, the journey) in order to memorize their communities&#39; traditions and pass them down orally to new generations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Such methods still work for us today! So whether you are trying to remember the rules of punctuation or the names of all the muscles in the body, turn them into a story replete with fun, interesting characters and a strong plot. (If you set your story to music and act it out physically, your memory will soar!)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;IV. Self-Dialoging&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is another great way to find out what you truly know about a topic, to generate ideas, and to look at a subject from different angles.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When you self-dialog, you take on two roles. For example, write down a question you have, then listen for the answer from inside yourself and write that down, too! This can produce some surprising results that are quite accurate. This is because we frequently have the answers to our questions inside of ourselves--even if we aren&#39;t conscious of it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You might also want to take on both sides of an issue to help you understand it completely. For example, first write down several sentences in support of the issue, then write down several sentences against it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;V. Annotating&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Annotation requires you to read actively by consciously thinking about what you are reading and then writing your thoughts down as you go.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;When you annotate, it is as though you and the author were holding a conversation. You ask questions, connect ideas, think about what is missing, compare what the author is saying to what other authors have said, and so on.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In contrast to reading actively, many of us pick up a book and read it passively, without engaging our minds or emotions. The problem with this is that our minds often turn completely off. For example, have you ever had the experience of finishing a chapter in a book and suddenly realizing you don&#39;t remember a word that you just read?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can avoid this by reading actively and making notes as you go along. You might want to emulate scholars by highlighting important passages in a book and writing your comments down in the margins. Alternatively, you could write down key ideas in a notebook and then evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Questions to consider include:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What is the purpose and scope of the reading?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do you disagree with something the author said?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Is the author biased? Did he leave something out or fail to consider something important in order to make his argument convincing?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Does a passage remind you of something else that is similar or relevant to the topic?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do other authors/research corroborate this author&#39;s thesis?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;VI. The Learning Log&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;After a meeting or lecture, spend about five minutes summarizing and evaluating the most important points. Write down the answers to such questions as:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What was the meeting&#39;s purpose?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Which ideas were most interesting or relevant to you? Why?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What still confuses you?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;How would you summarize the major concepts?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Did the discussion build on or relate to your prior knowledge?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As a result of this meeting, what steps will you take next?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Experiment with these to increase your learning success&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In order to engage your intuitive faculties more deeply when you are experimenting with the above techniques, try listening to music. Baroque and Classical pieces by composers such as Bach, Vivaldi, and Mozart work especially well for this.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you want to energize yourself (as when you are freewriting and brainstorming), try listening to the faster (allegro) movements. If you want to calm your mind down so you can truly absorb what you are reading, try the slower (adagio and largo) movements.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://compasdds.blogspot.com/feeds/6977851969005488929/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://compasdds.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-most-important-stories-you-tell.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/8581322009807087581/posts/default/6977851969005488929'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/8581322009807087581/posts/default/6977851969005488929'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://compasdds.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-most-important-stories-you-tell.html' title='The Most Important Stories You Tell'/><author><name>ARBORsdf</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06447763900619628489</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8581322009807087581.post-5414212627116980344</id><published>2022-02-18T08:32:00.001-08:00</published><updated>2022-02-18T08:32:04.618-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Starting Your Garden From Seeds</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp; The first thing you must do when you want to start a garden from seeds is to make sure you can get all the necessary equipment or materials to do this properly. You will need pots-to start, use peat moss pots. Other pots and planters, tools, potting mix, plant markers, watering supplies, grow lights, fertilizers and sometimes heated seed germination equipment are just some examples of what you may need. You will also need some desire and patience.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You have selected the seeds of the plants you have chosen to grow&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;http://thecityloo.com/&quot;&gt;thecityloo.com/&lt;/a&gt;. This requires a little careful research to know which ones will work where you plan to grow your garden. Be sure to read the instructions on the back of each seed packet for the zone in which you reside. And to achieve optimal results, follow the recommended timeline: for example, planting three weeks before the last frost.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Now here is an easy how-to guide to getting started: Loosen and dampen the potting mix before putting it into peat moss pots or other seed starting containers. The mix should be thoroughly moist, not dripping, however. Each peat pot can be filled with the prepared potting soil about 2/3 full. Avoid packing mix into the pots. Plant at least three seeds in each peat moss pot. Some seeds require pre-soaking or chilling before planting. The instructions on the seed packet will tell you if this is necessary. Cover the seeds with some more soil loosely and water. Markers for easy identification will be helpful to place in each pot. Using any type of plastic, cover the peat moss pots loosely. The plastic acts as a greenhouse holding in moisture and heat. When the seedlings start to emerge from the soil remove the plastic.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The ideal temperature range for seed germination is 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Seedlings need between 12 and 18 hours of light each day. A fluorescent or high intensity plant light may be necessary for this to happen. When the seedlings start to grow leaves, fertilize them. At 2 to 3 inches tall, the seedlings can be transferred into larger pots. If two or more seedlings have emerged within the same container, remove all but the strongest seedling. Remember to cut instead of pulling out unwanted seedlings as their roots could be intertwined below.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Two to three weeks must be allowed to introduce seedlings to the outdoors gradually. Move your seedlings to a shady spot for increasing amounts of time each day. Gradually increase their time outdoors, and make sure to protect them from inclement weather.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Remember to water the seedlings before and after planting. Do what makes sense here. Do not over water which will wash out the seedlings. Soil that looks muddy probably is and requires better drainage. On the other hand, soil that looks and feels dry needs watering. Seedlings will wilt and die without water. Use your judgment to provide the best environment for the seedlings to grow strong.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dayelle Swensson is an avid writer for the web on a number of topics. Having gardened herself for many years, she is able to advise others about a variety of things including gardening tips, lawn and tree care, watering, hose reel and keeping your home garden looking good and healthy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;SUSTAINABLE SOIL building for organic gardening begins after the initial garden soil testing and the addition of fertilizers and conditioners. It is very important to maintain and improve the soil when trying to garden organically. Sustaining the soil means that you have a means of replenishing the garden soil with what you have at hand - compost, beneficial microbes, enzymes, and earthworms. Ideally, once your organic garden is established it could be sustained with garden compost alone - by removing garden soil and layering it in your compost. This method uses the microbes in your soil to inoculate your compost, which in turn will feed your soil. SHREDDED ALFALFA HAY is one of the secrets of great compost. It is worth it to rent a shredder for the weekend, and shred up a few bales of alfalfa hay. Worms thrive on it, and it provides the best mulch and soil additive for your garden soil.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;BUILDING YOUR PILE&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;BUILD YOUR PILE about four feet in diameter, and four feet high, on a well-drained site. A ring of hog wire with a ring of chicken wire on the outside of it works well - providing air circulation, keeping the pile contained, is easily taken apart for turning or sifting, and, it is economical and very easy to maintain. We let our piles set for a year and then sift them in the spring when we are adding compost to our garden beds. No Turning! If you want to turn your pile, let it set 3-4 months, remove the wire and set it up next to your pile. Take the pile apart, mix it, and add it to the new pile, moistening it as you go. You may do this as often as you like. This will speed up your composting process.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;FIRST LAYER on the bottom should be about three inches of roughage - corn stalks, brush, or other materials to provide air circulation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;SECOND LAYER is two to four inches of dry vegetation - carbon-rich &quot;brown&quot; materials, like fall leaves, straw, dead flowers shredded newspaper, shredded alfalfa hay or dry manure. Water well.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;THIRD LAYER should be two to four inches of green vegetation - nitrogen-rich materials, like grass clippings, weeds, garden waste, vegetable peelings, tea leaves, coffee grounds, and crushed eggshells. Kitchen waste may be added but never use meat scraps, diseased plants, dog or cat manure, or poisonous plants, plant-based kitchen waste. Water until moistened. (Too much water will compact your pile and reduce available oxygen.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;FOURTH LAYER is garden soil, two inches thick. It is important to add garden soil because it contains a supply of microorganisms and nutrients, which will inoculate your compost pile. As microorganisms grow, they collect essential nutrients containing antibiotics, vitamins, and catalytic enzymes in their body tissues and release them slowly as they die and decompose.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;REPEAT LAYERS of dry vegetation, green vegetation, and garden soil - moistening each layer - until the pile is three or four feet high. To insure enough green vegetation one can plant extra garden greens, or devote one of the garden beds to the growing of compost. Good composting greens are broccoli, cauliflower, kale, comfrey (grow it in an isolated spot, and do not disturb the roots, because it can be invasive), peas, beans, and all the rest of the garden weeds and greens.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;COVER THE TOP of the pile with three to four inches of garden soil, making a ridge around the outside edge to prevent the water from running off. Use a broom handle or iron bar to make air holes from the top, deep into the pile every eight inches or so, for ventilation and water. Top off the pile with two inches of shredded alfalfa hay. Water regularly to keep moistened.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CURED COMPOST&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CURED COMPOST has almost all the nutrients the crops contained, and so many beneficial microbes that it is one of the best things you can do for your garden. It also contains enough humus to replenish your soil&#39;s supply. Your compost is ready when it is dark, rich looking, broken down, crumbles in your hand and smells like clean earth. Parts of the compost pile along the outside edges that have not completely broken down will be removed when your pile is sifted and can be placed at the bottom, and between the layers of the next compost pile.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;SIFTING COMPOST&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;SIFTING COMPOST is easily done by placing a 4 x 4 foot square of ½ inch wire mesh over your wheelbarrow and bending the edges over the sides. Then a shovel full of compost may be placed on top of the wire mesh and rubbed. The siftings fall into the wheelbarrow and the lumps will remain on top. One side of the wire can be lifted from the wheelbarrow and these clumps will fall to the ground into a pile. When you are done, these can be shoveled into a new compost pile, and be layered accordingly.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;COMPOST PROBLEMS&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;PROBLEMS can occur if conditions are unfavorable. Some of the problems are:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;BAD ODORS indicate that there is not enough air in your pile make more air holes in your pile, or turn the pile, or start a new one.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CENTER OF PILE IS DRY means there is not enough water in your pile. Make more air holes, and fill them with water, and the water will disperse throughout the pile.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;PILE IS DAMP BUT ONLY WARM IN THE MIDDLE indicates that your pile is too small. Increase the size of your pile to at least four feet high and four feet wide.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;PILE IS DAMP AND SWEET SMELLING, BUT REMAINS COOL indicates a lack of nitrogen, not enough green matter or manure. Cover the pile with black plastic for a few days, but be careful not to cook all your microbes. The pile also may need more water.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;SPEEDING UP COMPOSTING&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;TO SPEED UP THE COMPOSTING PROCESS and increase the decomposition rate you can add extra nitrogen, fishmeal or blood meal, to your layers. Using a metal rod to make holes in your pile will increase the amount of oxygen and stimulate aerobic activity. You can also shred your components fine, which causes faster decomposition. Compost innoculants can also be used to add nitrogen fixing, decomposing, and other soil bacteria, enzymes and hormones.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;VERMI-COMPOSTING&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;VERMI-COMPOSTING is another organic gardening technique, which uses earthworms to make compost, which will be rich in organic matter and worm castings, and is one of the best soil builders available. Worms can eat their body weight daily in organic matter and convert it into dark, soil enriching castings full of live micro organisms, growth hormones, and nutrients, humic acids which condition the soil, and a neutral pH. Worm castings are free from disease pathogens, which are killed in the process. They prefer a temperature range of 60 to 70 degrees, but will tolerate 32 - 84 degrees. They require a moist, pesticide free environment with plenty of organic matter to eat. There are two types of Vermicomposting, indoor and outdoor.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;OUTDOOR VERMI-COMPOSTING, ABOVE OR BELOW THE GROUND&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ABOVE THE GROUND BIN: composting red worms are an excellent addition to a compost pile. The worms help to process the pile by eating the decayed matter and turn the waste into fine topsoil in approximately 2 to 3 months, depending on the quantity of worms introduced into the pile, the outside temperatures, and the time of year. A compost heap that is 4 x 4 x 4 should have a minimum of 3,000 to 10,000 worms introduced into the pile - about two pounds. Add them to your compost pile when it has broken down and is warm but not hot in the center. Dig down about a foot and add the worms. Keep the pile moistened, but not soggy wet. This pile will be your &quot;breeding area&quot;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;WHEN YOU WANT TO REMOVE some of the worms for next compost pile, begin feeding the worms at one spot near the edge, and when the worms move to this area after a few days, add some of the worms to your other compost pile. At this time you can also remove some of the soil and worm castings for your garden lowering your pile a foot or so. Keep feeding the worms in the breeding area by adding greens and shredded alfalfa hay to the top of the pile every few weeks. Be sure to add four or five inches of shredded alfalfa hay for winter protection, and keep the pile moistened, but not wet.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;BELOW THE GROUND BIN: Dig a 2x8 foot trench two or three feet deep into the ground below frost level. Place a six-inch layer of peat moss and shredded newspaper or cardboard on the bottom, and water until evenly moistened, but not soggy wet.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;FILL THE BIN ¾ full with a mixture of 2/3 corrugated cardboard and 1/3 sphagnum peat moss, shredded newspaper, shredded leaves, or shredded alfalfa hay, add a little crumbled aged or composted manure, and a cup or so of fine sand mixed with equal parts of wood ashes, and ground limestone. Mix well, moisten, and add two to three inches of a mix of finely chopped vegetal kitchen wastes, garden waste, and aged manure to one end of the pit.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ADD ONE POUND of red compost worms, which can be ordered through the mail. (When your worms first arrive they may be dehydrated, you can feed them a light dusting of corn meal before you cover them.)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;LOOSELY COVER worms/waste with a 2-inch layer with shredded alfalfa hay. Water and feed two or three times a week - adding vegetable waste under the alfalfa layer to keep the process going. Each time you feed your worms place the waste mix next to the previous feeding area, working your way toward the opposite end of the pit. When you get to the end of the pit, feed back towards the beginning. As you continue these layers and reach the top, leave a four-inch space between the cover and the mixture for ventilation.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;COVER THE TOP of the pit with a sheet of plywood to keep out the elements and critters, and weight down with rocks.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;IN A FEW MONTHS and under the alfalfa layer you will have worm castings, which can be transferred to your garden beds. To harvest your worm castings wait until the worms are being fed are at one end of the pit. You can remove the castings from the opposite end of the pit. Replace the castings with the mix of 2/3 corrugated cardboard and 1/3 sphagnum peat moss, shredded newspaper, shredded leaves, a little crumbled aged or composted manure, and a cup or so of fine sand mixed with equal parts of wood ashes, and ground limestone. Cover with the 2-inch layer of damp shredded newspaper or cardboard mixed with straw.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;INDOOR WORM BINS&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;COMPOST CAN BE MADE INDOORS by using wood, metal or plastic bins with lids. Special worm composting bins may be ordered through the mail, or you can easily make your own. Special worms are used in Vermicomposting: Eisenia foetida or Lumbricus rubellas, which can be ordered from worm farms, or some nurseries. Start with about a pound or worms, around 1000. They can multiply quickly, and the surplus can just be added to your summer garden, or given to friends.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;BUILD OR BUY A BOX:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;FOR TWO PEOPLE, a box 2&#39; x 2&#39; x 8&quot; deep, or so, wood, metal, or plastic, will suffice. For a larger family, make it 2&#39; x 3&#39; x 1&#39; deep. There should be some small ¼ &quot; holes in the bottom for drainage, and the box should be set on a tray with 1&quot; spacers between the tray and the box, for aeration and drainage. A garden shed would be a useful to hold all of your extra supplies and gardening tools.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;LINE THE BOTTOM with shredded 1-inch strips of newspaper, inch wide strips of cardboard boxes, and peat moss. A mix of 2/3 corrugated cardboard and 1/3 sphagnum peat moss, or newspaper, is a good bedding mixture. You can also add shredded leaves and a little aged or composted manure, and a cup or so of fine sand, ashes, and limestone. Moisten the bedding, mix it well, and add the worms. Let it set for a few days before kitchen waste is added. Your worms will happily feed and make castings.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ADD KITCHEN WASTE every day or so, by burying it a few inches or so in the bedding mix in one end of the box. Kitchen waste can include: vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds and the filters, tea bags, without the tags, any vegetable matter, bread scraps, dried and crushed eggshells, and small amounts of finely chopped meat scraps, garlic and onion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;COVER THE TOP of the compost bedding with a layer of damp newspapers, and a loosely fitting lid with holes for air. Every time you add waste, work your way to the other end of the box, so you will have about 8 or 9 different adding areas. When you get to the end of the box, start over at the other end. Worms will eat the bedding along with the scraps, and you may need to add more. Keep the bedding mix/scraps moistened, but not soggy wet. In a few months you will be ready to harvest your compost.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;TO HARVEST COMPOST castings, follow the same procedures for gathering outdoor castings. Only add the castings to your garden beds, these special worms live indoors only.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&quot;Worms seem to be the great promoters of vegetation, which would proceed but lamely without them, by boring, perforating, and loosening the soil, and rendering it pervious to rains and the fibers of plants, by drawing straws and stalks of leaves and twigs into it, and, most of all, by throwing up such infinite numbers of lumps of earth called worm-casts, which, being their excrement, is a fine manure for grain or grass.&quot; The Rev. Gilbert White of Selborne, 1777&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Resources for compost supplies&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Home of the Organic Gardener Planet Natural Peaceful Valley Farm Supply Fertile Garden Harmony Farm Supply All Natures Safeway Extremely Green Gardening Company&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://compasdds.blogspot.com/feeds/5414212627116980344/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='https://compasdds.blogspot.com/2022/02/starting-your-garden-from-seeds.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/8581322009807087581/posts/default/5414212627116980344'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='https://www.blogger.com/feeds/8581322009807087581/posts/default/5414212627116980344'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='https://compasdds.blogspot.com/2022/02/starting-your-garden-from-seeds.html' title='Starting Your Garden From Seeds'/><author><name>ARBORsdf</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06447763900619628489</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='https://img1.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>

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