This is a dog. This is a cat, dog, dog, cat. This network is pretty good at distinguishing dogs and cats. Let's spice it up. Dog. This is a cat. This is a monkey. Yep. This is a cat. Oh, this is a cat. Looks like the network isn't great when distinguishing more animals. So we need to increase the complexity of our network to better capture patterns and data. But which is the best way to scale the network? And by how much do we want to scale? Do we increase the number of layers in the network? Or do we increase the length and breadth of each layer? Or do we increase the number of channels in each of the convolution layers? Well, in this video, we're going to see how to determine this quantitatively. So we can scale our networks in the most efficient way. The explanation is going to be in multiple parts. In the first part, we're going to define our problem and then go deeper with more details from there. Let's get into it. Let's start by defining an objective. We are given a simple neural network architecture. Our goal is to scale this architecture such that we have the best performance. And our hardware should be able to handle this scaled architecture well. So network here is the base architecture we want to scale, like our dog and cat classifier. This network can be scaled in three ways like we mentioned before. So that is we can increase the number of layers in the network and let's call the scaling factor D for depth. We can increase the number of channels in the network and let's call the scaling factor W for layer width. And third, we can increase the length or breadth of each layer. I'll have the length and breadth scaling factor equal to R for resolution. We can write this network as a function of DW and R. So the function network when passing in 1, 1, 1 will give us the base architecture, which is basically scaling everything by a factor of 1. And this is the lower bound. Now the objective is to find the optimal scaling values of DW and R that give the best performance with these hardware constraints. So it's looking a lot more concrete now. On to part two. How do we find the optimal values? This is done using a technique called a grid search. Each one of these dots here represents a trained model for different values of DW and R. The idea is to train your model and then tune the values of DW and R, then train again and repeat until we get the values of DW and R that give the best performance. But it really isn't feasible to compute all of these dots and keep training a thousand times. So we need to identify where in this grid that we should actually constrain our search. So we need to come up with the best ranges for DW and R to know where the best model lies. Now on to part three. How do we determine the ranges for the scaling values? To get the best performance, we should scale DW and R evenly. This makes sense intuitively too. So if the layers have a larger length or depth, so that's higher R. Then we need a deeper network to ensure every neuron is influenced by the later layers. We also need more channels per layer to ensure that we capture the necessary features in the enlarged input. So that means that we need to increase W and D as well. To further prove this point, let's look at these graphs. The x-axis is a measure of complexity to our network and y is a measure of accuracy. We have three graphs that show what happened if we increase D, W and R separately, leaving the other two constant. And it looks like that we see high initial gains at first, but then after a point, scaling really doesn't increase performance. And that's not great. We want a lower complexity with higher gains after all. So to ensure that we scale more uniformly, we can set them to variables with a common exponent like phi. So changing only phi, we can scale these values more evenly. And now we perform our grid search on the new variables alpha, beta and gamma instead. So we have a lower bound now of one each, but let's better quantify the upper bound with these hardware constraints. We have this base architecture for classifying cats and dogs. We can measure its complexity by counting the number of floating point operations required to get a result. Basically it's the number of additions and multiplications. And I'm just going to assume for this cat and dog classifier that our architecture was 100,000 flops. Now let's say that we are running on a small system where if we scale this, we can only handle a model that makes 200,000 flops at most. That is, it can only be twice as complex. So what are the values of alpha, beta and gamma under this constraint? Now this actually provides us a suitable upper bound. We're still missing the component of the scaled network complexity. So how do we compute this? Now we're going to get into the details. So part four, computing the number of flops or the number of floating point operations. The basic operation in a convolutional neural network is convolution. So how many floating point operations are in this? Let's say that the input from a previous layer is a three cross three matrix and the output that we want is just a one cross one matrix or just a number. This is done by convolving the input with a kernel of size three cross three. We perform nine element wise multiplications and then sum them up with nine additions. And this leads to 18 floating point operations. Now we're going to see how the number of floating point operations changes when we scale the network in different ways. So case one, what happens if we double the depth of the network? Well, we're just performing twice as many convolution operations. So we can say that the complexity of the scaled network is D times the complexity of the original base network. Remember D is that scaling factor. Now case two, what happens instead if we just double the number of channels in every layer in the network? This means that the input would have two channels and the output would also have two channels. To get this, we need to convolve with two kernels of shape three cross three cross two. Let's compute the number of floating point operations step by step here. The input is of shape three cross three cross two and one kernel is of shape three cross three cross two. We perform element wise multiplication of every element and we need 18 multiplications here. Then we add all of these together with 18 addition operations and then we get the output number. This entire operation requires 36 floating point operations. But this is just for one channel of the output. To get the second channel, we need to convolve the input with another three cross three cross two kernel. And so repeating this process again, we have 36 more operations. And so in total we have 72 floating point operations that need to be performed, which is four times the initial amount. So doubling the number of channels for every layer increases the number of floating point operations for the network by four times. In fact, if we triple this w, we see that the number of floating point operations increases nine fold. So we can say that the complexity of the scaled network is proportional to w squared times the complexity of the original base network. On to case three. What happens if we double the resolution of every layer in the network? This means that we are doubling the length and the breadth of every layer. If the resolution of every layer increases by two fold, then the input would be of shape six cross six and the output needs to be of shape two cross two. And we can achieve this by convolving with a three cross three kernel with a stride of three. So let's compute the number of floating point operations required here. Each convolution operation of this kernel requires 18 floating point operations like we computed initially, but we need to perform this four times to get the two cross two output. And so if we double the resolution for every layer, the number of floating point operations in the network increases by four times. And you can also check to see that when we increase the resolution by three fold, the network makes nine times more number of floating operations. So we can say that the complexity of the scaled network is proportional to r squared times the complexity of the original base network. We can now combine these three proportionalities together. There are no other factors on which this proportionality is dependent besides the three scaling factors. So we can replace a proportionality with an equality. And we can replace DWR with their alpha beta and gamma equivalence. And let's just factor out that five. Let me bring the number of floating point operations of the base architecture down to the left hand side. And now the left hand side represents a ratio of how much we scaled the complexity. So that means that if we doubled the number of floating point operations, the left hand side would be equal to two. If we tripled it, the left hand side would be equal to three. And this could be any number, but let's say that it takes the form of two to the power of five. You're probably wondering where this two came from, and it's actually kind of arbitrary. We choose two because it is the next integer that gives us a tight bound to alpha beta and gamma so that the grid search happens fast. We can now use this in our objective. So if the capacity changed from 100,000 floating point operations to 200,000 floating point operations, then that means that we scaled the model by a factor of two, which implies that, well, five should be equal to one. Now, once we have the optimal values of alpha, beta and gamma as a result of the grid search, we can then compute DW and R by taking phi equal to one. This will give us the most efficient model that can have up to two times the number of floating point operations as the base architecture. And by increasing the value of five to two, three, four, and so on, we can determine the new values of DW and R. So when phi is equal to two, we are getting the best model that can have up to four times the number of floating point operations as the base. When we set phi is equal to three, we are getting the best model that can have up to eight times the number of floating point operations as the base architecture. When we set phi is equal to four, we are getting the best model that can have up to 16 times the number of floating point operations as the base architecture. And so, we can get a family of efficient models of different complexity levels. In practice, we would set phi depending on the capability of our hardware. The results are encouraging. The x-axis is complexity, the y-axis is accuracy. You can see that the red line, which is the family of efficient net models, has a low complexity and high performance. They use several times less parameters as their counterparts. While this is applied to the ResNets here, you can also try it with your own Convenet architectures to see performance boosts. So I hope that all made sense. There's a lot more content coming in the future. Subscribe for more, and I will see you very soon. Bye-bye!


I now invite you into a moment of centering silence. A moment to turn our hearts and minds to the people of Paris. A moment to turn our hearts towards love and compassion for all those impacted by hatred and violence, toward all those who are grieving this day, and toward our dream of becoming a world of justice and peace. And now, if you will remain seated and join in singing our in-gathering hymn, number 1009, we will sing it through twice. Good afternoon, and welcome to First Unitarian Society of Madison. This is a community where curious seekers gather to explore spiritual, ethical, and social issues in a nurturing environment. Unitarian universalism supports the freedom of conscience of each individual as, together, we seek to be a force for good in the world. My name is Carol Rowan, and on behalf of the congregation, I would like to extend a special welcome to visitors.  Newcomers are encouraged to stay for our fellowship hour after the service in the commons area of the Atrium Edition. Members of our staff and lay ministry will be on hand to welcome you. In addition to our fellowship, we have our second Saturday potluck this evening, so I invite all of you to join us for that as well. If you are accompanied by a young child, please remember that if they need to talk or move around, the loja area to my right is a good place to retire with them. At this time, we ask that you turn up all beepers, cell phones, and other electronic equipment that might cause a disturbance during the hour. I now like to acknowledge those individuals who help our services run smoothly. This evening, Steve Gregorius is working as sound operator. I see Bob Radford is a lay minister this afternoon. Our RE greeter today was Ann Vetter, and our ushers are Becky Burns and Carolyn Sanders. Please note the announcement in the red floors insert in your order of service, which describe upcoming events at the society and provide more information about today's activities. And in addition, I have a few extra bonus announcements. Attention, young adults looking for relationship and community. The FUS 20s and 30s group is looking to foster new leadership and new forms of connection. As a beginning step on this journey, the 20s and 30s group will be hosting new authenticity games on Thursday, November 19. It will be just like the Hunger Games, except the goal is to get to know one another and have fun. So actually, nothing like the Hunger Games. But arbitrary points will be awarded, silly prizes will be given out, and snacks and drinks will be provided. Hope to see you there in the Gables on November 19 at 7 PM. Join us for the annual Thanksgiving potluck dinner at FUS on Thursday, November 26 at 2.30. Plan to spend the afternoon with FUS members, their families, and friends. We will eat dinner at 2.30 PM. Please contact our organizer, Donna Kenjelosi, to talk about what you can bring and offer of service. Her information is available at the welcome information table in the comments. And speaking of Thanksgiving, next Sunday, November 22 is the 24th FUS Thanksgiving food drive. Bring frozen turkeys, frozen hams, non-perishables, and or a check made out to think Vincent de Paul food pantry between 8.30 AM and 11.15 AM on Sunday, a week from tomorrow. Look for the U-Haul truck in the parking lot. Also, next Sunday, is art in the right place. We will be setting up for the art fair immediately after the Saturday service next week. So we'll be asking people who are able to stay after service to help us clear out on the benches. If you're able, please plan to stay for about an hour to help us prepare for this annual event, which is a fundraiser from our Children's Religious Education Program. Finally, FUS volunteers of all ages are important to the Road Home, a family shelter program. There will be a Road Home informational session tomorrow at 10.15, right here in the landmark, for just 45 minutes. So if you're curious, or if you need your first training to volunteer, please meet us here. Again, welcome. We hope that today's service will stimulate your mind, touch your heart, and stir your spirit. A piece of possibility. This is Love's Hearth, The Home of Hope, a shelter for questioning minds and compassionate hearts. When we gather here, we stop. We pause. We center ourselves. We free ourselves from the compulsion of projects to finish, work to be done, things to accomplish. We leave ourselves alone for a time. When we gather, we journey deep down into that quiet center where no voice is heard. We live for a brief time on an island of peace. We apprehend the world from a quiet center. Here is the center of the world. In this fragile moment is the culmination of all that has been and the promise of all that will be. Here in our grasp, in this moment, is the center of the world. And if you will rise now in body or spirit to join in our words of chalice lighting, and if you will join in by reading the italicized lines. As the kindling of this chalice calls us to community, let there be light. As the flame of this chalice reminds us of our dreams, let there be light. As the glow of this chalice encourages us to hope, let there be light. And before we join together in song, if you'll take a moment to turn and greet your neighbor. Poppleton, do you all have you read the Poppleton the Pig books? Yeah, I like Poppleton the Pig books. So this is a story about a time when Poppleton decided to go camping. So one day, it was spring, Poppleton decided that he was going to sleep outside in his yard in a tent. Have you ever done that right in your yard? That's my kind of camping because then you're close to the bathrooms. In the backyard, right, yeah. So Poppleton's friends thought that this was kind of silly. As they watched him set up his tent, they would ask him questions like, why would you sleep outside when you have a house? Asked his friend, Hudson. Aren't you going to get cold? Said Cherry Sue, his neighbor. And Gus, the mail carrier, told Poppleton that he thought he was going to catch pneumonia. But Poppleton didn't listen to any of them. He just kept putting up his tent, even as his friends walked by, shaking their heads and rolling their eyes. They just couldn't imagine why he would sleep outside instead of in his warm, cozy bed. So that night, he brought out a whole bunch of quilts and lots of pillows to his tent. He had a flashlight and a journal and some really good books. And long after everyone else was asleep and the world was dark, Poppleton was still awake. Now sometimes he was reading, sometimes he was thinking, and sometimes he was just paying attention. Poppleton discovered that he loved the world at night. Now in the morning, he went back into his house. He had a cup of cocoa and some buttered toast, his favorite breakfast. And then he went to find Cherry Sue. He brought Cherry Sue outside to his tent and he showed her a beautiful yellow flower that had opened up when she was sleeping and he was paying attention. He sang her songs that he heard the insects singing in the night while she was sleeping and he was paying attention. And then he even made funny faces as he tried to show her. That's right, like that. He tried to show her the faces that he saw in the surface of the moon while she was asleep and he was paying attention. And finally he drew her pictures that were made by the shining sparkling stars as they moved across the night sky. He had never quite noticed them moving before and he was really excited to share with her all that he learned.  Everyone who passed by noticed the dark house. They shook their heads and they said, that's silly Poppleton. Everyone except Cherry Sue. The next night she was outside in the tent with Poppleton so they could pay attention together. Yeah, I like that one. Have you ever paid attention so close that you noticed something happen? Like a flower open or a star move or the moon change? You've noticed a lot of stars except for the north star? Are rocking. Yeah, have you ever noticed anything when you were really paying attention? When we were watching the blood moon rise up, that was really paying attention. You watched the moon move in the sky, wonderful. Well, I hope you get lots of chances to pay attention like that. We're gonna turn now and watch the choirs sing and then when they're done, we'll head on out to classes. For the sounds of spring.  My hands too full of work to do. I took myself away for a walk in the woods which surround my cathedral and my shrine, my prison and my workhouse. The air was cool but not cold, rare and refreshing. The birds had found voice and the sky was blue, interrupted by clouds adding depth. The ground was now firm underfoot, green was forcing its way everywhere, colors blue and gold and rose competed for my attention. It was too beautiful to bear. Life was too intense, too good, too beautiful to be believed. And there I was on a walking meditation in the woods. And this story from Victoria Safford. One morning on my way to a monthly professional meeting, I was companioned on the southbound highway by a man in a pickup truck who was brushing his teeth as he drove. He was in the fast lane, I was in the other one and we were both traveling at about 65 miles an hour. During sharing time with my colleagues, I confessed that this metaphor is an apt one for me in the fall. Compared with the real or imagined lethargy of summer, September is the fast lane. Suddenly there are deadlines again, lots of them and appointments and events. School starts, everyone leaves for college and for some reason every major road and artery downtown is being repaved at once. It is a time of year when if you want your teeth brushed at all, you'd better do it while doing something else of equal importance. It's a time of year when the sound of typing fills the background of telephone calls because the person on the other end is writing letters or answering email while we talk. Understand the impulse and I deeply sympathize. After all, I was finishing a muffin in my lap when my hygienic fellow traveler passed me on the highway. But I know that brushing your teeth while you drive is bad religion. Doing almost any two things at once in the same moment is bad religion. Rushing is bad religion. And so as the leaves turn and the apples ripen, I resolve again to notice and bid you to notice too. I resolve again to go more slowly to do one thing and then another, to watch the sky and hear the geese and greet them as I do everyone I meet one by one by one. There are hawks to see now on the southbound side. There's sumac flaming red. There are skunks, porcupines, shadows of deer and the tender fog that hugs the mountains just off the exit heading west. I'll brush my teeth some other time. And if you will rise now in body or spirit for our next him, which is number 352, she asked, could you carry me across? The current is strong today and I'm afraid I might be swept away. The first monk remembered his vows never to look at or touch a woman. And so without so much as a nod, he crossed through the heavily flowing currents and soon reached the other side. The other monk showed compassion and bent down so that the woman could climb upon his back to cross the river. Although she was slight, the current was strong and the rocky bottom made it a difficult crossing. Reaching the other side, he let the woman down and went on his way. After some hours journeying down the dusty road in silence, the first monk could no longer contain his anger at the second for breaking their vows. How could you look at that woman? He blurted out. How could you touch her? Let alone carry her across the river. You've put our reputation at stake. The first monk looked at his companion and smiled. I put that woman down way back there at the riverbank but I see that you're still carrying her. This tale is ancient and timeless because it points to a very real struggle in our lives. Learning how to live in the here and the now when most of the time our minds and our attention firmly rooted in the future or in the past. We live in these spaces without the realization of all that we are carrying with us. Like that second monk, there's much that we still carry way past the time when we needed to have set it down and let it go. It seems like everywhere you look these days that you are being asked to come into the present to pay attention, be here now. Be here now. Ram Dass, beloved spiritual teacher, wrote that famous book with that title in 1971. In it, we find the story of his journey of transformation from Dr. Richard L. Part to Ram Dass. And we hear his exhortations to learn how to live in this moment. How to be truly present for our lives. This moment, this precious now, he tells us, isn't something you can put off for a hoped for future. It isn't allowing ourselves to get stuck in the past. It's an acknowledgement that we don't want to live life as a flashback and we can't fast forward through the difficult or the painful or the boring moments to get to the really good parts. It is the realization that this is the only moment we have and the place to be if we are to be fully and authentically human. Educator and author Math Dewar shared in a recent TED talk the story of a time in his life when he was 17 years old and he was spending time with his grandfather who was in his final days. He recalls watching his grandfather's struggle with his mortality and confronting the reality that he had an infinite amount of time left to him. He remembers the day when he walked into his grandfather's room and he found the elderly man sitting in his favorite chair staring out the window and weeping. He asked his grandfather if he was okay and when the answer was no, he was quick to ask if he needed to call the doctor or someone else for help. No, said his grandfather, I don't need medical help. What I've realized is that I have lived 84 years and I don't know what this life is about and I don't have time enough left to fix it. After his grandfather's death, Matt found an old black and white photograph of his grandfather fishing in Florida when the man was in his early 20s. In the picture, he stands tall and proud at the end of a pier and behind him the Atlantic Ocean stretches on and on into the horizon.  As Matt stared at the photograph, he became disoriented by the contrast between the youthful man in the picture and the image he held in his mind of the weeping elderly man. The more he looked at that photo, the more he couldn't reconcile how one reality became the other. What happened in between? Where was the disconnect? Any of us could have one of these moments with a childhood photograph. I have one of my own, an image of me when I was about five. My father was taking a photography course for fun. He needed to do a portrait. So what he did was take a photo of me lying down on this bright red and pink blanket that clearly screams 1970.   All is right in my world. That moment is the only one that matters. This is a gift of childhood. I notice the disconnect when I'm with my own kids. They're in the present, fully aware, fully alive, attention on one thing and one thing only. I'm a million miles away remembering something that I believe went wrong, trying to figure out how to fix it or planning for the week or the month ahead. They notice the disconnect. When Sam was small, and he would be telling me a story, he would often say, Mom, listen to me. And over my shoulder, I would say, I am honey, I'm listening.  My small child could easily tell that my body was present, but my mind was somewhere else. It happens to us all the time. Right now you might be thinking about an interaction that you had with another driver on the way here. You might be thinking about a child or a friend who was in crisis. You might be very anxious about what will happen in the future. We are thinking about how much we have left to accomplish today and we're hoping service doesn't run long. You might be thinking about the salad that you need to make for potluck. You might be wondering if anybody notices it about you or you might be judging this or that about someone else. Gloria Steinem once said, I've always had two or more tracks running in my head. The pleasurable one was thinking forward to some future scene, imagining what should be planning on the edge of some fantasy. The other played underneath with all two realistic fragments of what I should have done. There it was in perfect microcosm, the past and the future coming together to squeeze out the present, which is the only time in which we can fully be alive. These past and future tracks have gradually dimmed until they are rarely heard. More and more there is only the full glorious alive in the moment caring for everything sense of right now. I wish I could stand here and tell you that I have mastered this skill of being in the right now. Yet most of the time I live in the land of debating the past and attempting to predict the future. This means as Mark Twain said so well, I have lived through many terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened. So we live in the past, we live in the future and we wish time away. We say things like, I can't wait until this week is over. I'll be so much happier next month, next year when school is done, when this project is complete, when the house is clean, when the kids are grown, on and on and on until the day comes, when all we wish is to have those hours, days, years we wished away back and available to us. We are distinguished from other living beings by our ability to remember the past and our ability to project, imagine into the future. Over millennia we have developed this thinking brain, but this way of thinking can be a double-edged sword. Consider, for example, that a zebra runs for its life when chased by a lion, but once the chase is over, it shivers and quickly returns to grazing. This is seldom the case for humans because we constantly think, analyze, fantasize, predict, anticipate. These new brain capacities can cause us to spend half of our day dwelling on how terrible it would have been if the lion had caught us. We might run all kinds of images and fantasies through our minds, which are terrifying. And then we worry about whether something similar might happen tomorrow. What if we don't spot the danger next time? What if our loved ones are out there? What if, what if this is the downside of this thinking brain? Indeed, we might be so caught up in our self-terrifying stories and be so distracted that the next time the lion can have us as an easy dinner, here is what we need to remember. We are more than what has happened to us in the past and our interpretations of it. We are so much more than our plans and anxieties about the future. Learning how much more truly requires that we experience our lives in the present. Now one of the reasons we distract ourselves from this moment is that life is at times painful. Suffering exists and some days we can't face it. It is easier to distract ourselves with screens or long to-do lists or retail therapy or anything that will keep ourselves from feeling the pain, the discomfort, the negative feelings. But as the psychologist Carl Rogers wisely said, the curious paradox is that when I accept myself and my life just as it is, then I and it can change. When we resist or push away or try to ignore this moment, whether joy or pain, it will only return and movement, growth, it isn't possible. The key is to learn how to hold ourselves and hold our very experiences, all that we are, all that we've done, our choices, our actions, all of who and what has brought us to this moment. Hold all of this in a cradle of compassion and kindness. The call to presence is a call to the recognition that the only moment we have is now and that we must make the most of it whatever it is. Matt Dewar tells us that what he learned from his grandfather is that we need to learn how to harness the passing of time instead of hiding from it. Learn how to use its passing as an opening to ourselves as a means of finding well-being and depth. We do this, he says, by becoming aware of the moments when we are truly here, aware of what he calls focal moments. These are the moments that bring into focus the meaning of our lives, moments in which the distance between who we are and who we want to become shrinks. Notice these focal moments and create openness, space, empty time in your life to create room for more and more of these moments to happen. What is worth your time? What is central and what is peripheral? What is your life about? And how can you spend more of your precious time truly being in it? When we open ourselves to the present moment, we open our ability to be responsive, creative, live with less grasping, less judgment, less fear. We learn how to look on our own lives and the lives of others through a lens of kindness. We recognize that change is the only constant and we are at peace with growth and with change. Then we can tap into the well of wisdom that lives inside each of us. Then our ability to enjoy and appreciate this exceptional life we have been blessed to have is truly possible. So I'll leave you today with this poem from Roger Keys, which was inspired by the paintings of an 18th century Japanese artist whose name was Hokusai. Hokusai says, look carefully. He says, pay attention, notice. He says, keep looking, stay curious. He says, there is no end to seeing. He says, look forward to getting old. He says, keep changing.  He says, get stuck, accept it, repeat yourself as long as it's interesting. He says, keep doing what you love. He says, every one of us is a child. Every one of us is ancient. Every one of us has a body. Every one of us is frightened. Every one of us has to find a way to live with fear. He says, everything is alive. Shells, buildings, people, fish, mountains, trees. Everything has its own life. Everything lives inside us.  He says, it doesn't matter if you draw or write books. It doesn't matter if you saw wood or sit at home and stare at the shadows of the trees in your garden. It matters that you care. It matters that you feel. It matters that you notice. It matters that life lives through you. Contentment is life living through you. Joy is life living through you. Peace is life living through you. He says, don't be afraid.  Look, feel, let life take you by the hand. Let life live through you. And I now invite you into the giving and the receiving of today's offering. It is an outreach offering. The recipient is Dry Hooch of Madison. You can find out more about them in your order of service. We thank you for your generosity. You will rise now and body your spirit and join in our closing hymn number 350 because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing, live your way into the answer. Blessed be, go in peace and please be seated for the post loop.


What's up everybody jason from jazby's case breaks calm We just sold out a new release today on Monday 2020 panini rookies and stars football seven box half case break picker teams number two So here you go the second seven boxes of the case And Mark nation got the raiders last bomb ultra mark nation looking for some raider nation hits right here Let's go Horrible bad beats I Central Michigan Chippewa I Man so crazy bad beats I Jeff glad me gold to ten I love Very nice You layer and look at that nice Jerry Judy crusade A beautiful car at a 75 Jake from tonight and I'm Joe Burrell Curtis Samuel relic You did to real We got out of ten Anthony McFarland jr. One of my Gucci little to a toga by loa ticket masters We got a cow Rudolph rookies and stars heroes to 50 and Chase Claypool and another gold. Wow. It's like three golds How about back to back gold three of my Gucci look at that? One of them is autographed and one of them is chase Claypool and that one of them scored four touchdowns on my Eagles That's three golds in this box guys. Think about it legit. I'm not even kidding gold gold gold Jerry Judy crusade as well telling you stuff is lit stuff is lit Aaron Jones Hurts Justin Herbert Kenan Allen Denzel memes I Darnel Mooney 99 Rajas great American heroes To 25 25 out of 25 To 99 Miles Garrett Toa I'm hitting that high, you know You only get it when you just pull fire. It's just the way it is This is the level of high I reached I strapped to reach in every break Rob Gronkowski Jeremy Chin and a little Russell Wilson airborne Ooh redemption and it's Brandon I you rookies longevity signatures true blue. It's 49ers. You know Michael Armstrong To lane You're going to help it Justin Jefferson You JK Dobbins dress for excess patch auto 12 out of 25 Ravens going to mojo now. Let's see we can get three of those in this break Joe Burrow Erebo and Russell Wilson Tyra Matthews stop. Oh Whoa, that was a patch out of it for a second 23 out of 25 Joe Burrow cart jacked Well, the only good thing about cart jacked is that you didn't pay for it, you know If you were car jacked that'd be much worse. That is your car that you are paying for or paid off But I guess you have insurance, so you'd be fine, so maybe this one hurts more I think our third ticket masters to James Russell Wilson airborne to 75 Which on mojo this one actually has two colors They're talking about this one or the job are Jeff Ocuda Number three overall pick has he not played or All sadders my boy. Oh You're talking about the yeah, yeah, it would have been a patch auto They did have a tiny orange. Yeah, you're right. I'm into big time All right, all right, all right. All right. See you in our problem, man Yeah, I think we have always competitive prices But just like always tell people everywhere that sometimes will be high and some stuff sometimes will be low I Like I said, you're also want to buy your own box. We also do personal boxes. I'll be over there on Instagram tomorrow Tomorrow Wednesday and Thursday probably be here Wednesday early for me release if there is one I believe prison was supposed to be out Wednesday, but I think it got pushed to Friday, so I'll be live for sure really Friday And then I'll be back here Sunday Monday At a 775 Dalton Keen Grady Jarrett I Kristen Fulton I The murder to 49 Jk Dobbins and Cal Rudolph 75 And chase young to 25 Wow crusade has autos too. That's sweet watch it in football team going to mark Very nice 24 to 25 chase young and he is signing guys Hardly ever science fire And our wrecks when the basketball gods gave you a spot in that mixer They also were like and just to max with just a mess with Rex. We're not even gonna have that break filled today We got out of 49 that is Marlon Mack Rugsy Yandere Swift big time We got Deville Sammion tonight and I I don't want to actually apply haven't tomorrow most likely I Think like I told people so many people were gonna be focused on prison today And then after that we're gonna be rookies and stars. So I Fear oh clean portis. Wow statistical stand-outs 19 out of 25. He was pretty pretty done good with the Washington teams Carson Wentz, but I don't want to bring tomorrow camp acres Whoa, whoa Wow, oh my god, are you kidding me in a whole case break there was damn bangles on both sides Wow, not only did you get it out of five Shawn in the first half?  It's just so hot. They were now to do some personal to this stuff mojo tomorrow I'm out buying some personless true Rex. It is Tuesday for me as well What what times do you go in Rex? Do you go I'm assuming you do like the straight-up third like you say third shift, right? So that'd be like Like 11 or 10 to like four five in the morning if anything Six in the morning. We do have more cases. So look out for me. Maybe to post up another case tomorrow. So I can grab your teams Stuff is nice guys. I got told you guys. I specifically remember this product being exactly the same as last year You know a low price point You know, maybe the resale value isn't entirely there like to compare to prism and all these other products, but very very nice stuff Very nice stuff. I'll tell Beckham jr. Did 35 Jerry Rice who that one pops to Crusade Was that printing plate for a crusade as well? No, this is the this is the other one, huh? America's No, it's actually this one here. So it's actually just the rookie printing plate Tyree kill Anywhere from nine to ten to six to seven. We're long and so yeah So yeah, like the ten to six or nine to seven whatever put a couple hours of OT make it a ten hour shift or so alright Hopefully these last one very I've got a lot of two of rookies, but we want that we want the ink We want the dress for success Well, I mean, I hope so. I mean we gave 10% off because I think Nick was just feeling a little nice to you guys I think the prices were already solid. Yeah, if you guys can get an extra 10% off tomorrow, that'd be great so third shifts actually Make more than like early morning first shifts. I Guess that's the price you pay right? I guess for coming in later doing like a graveyard top of deal Where you come in first shift, it's kind of like your normal 5 a.m to two in the afternoon type of deal Or seven seven to three seven to four. Yeah, that's that's pretty good. I'll see you See what we can do, man I Jalen Rager gold gold four to ten my eagles for Alex Fly goes fly although not today.  I didn't see much herbie either to Stella rookies That's a nice one Jersey number one out of 75 that definitely helps And actually looks actually looks pretty strong Stop you said no chance stop Not a chance. I'm leaving. I'm leaving I'm leaving. I'm leaving.  It's got me more excited than prisms today.  Look at that. Oh nice four-color patch 18 out of 25 high octane That's true. I've seen that tactic before trust me Alan Robinson Jerry Judy Wow, that was just one box. That was crazy What a great box, I mean I wish I can just get a Herbert and I If we can get a Herbert in this I'm just telling you guys rookies and stars of the product of the year If we can pull a Herbert autograph and call it a herbal Herbert Burl and a Tua that would be that That would be insane But now that I pull it to I can't I can't rule out Herbert. I can't AJ Dylan the new hunter Sorry, there are three coconuts Out of the picture right now Jerry Judy dress for success 26 out of 99 Jefferson I need my homes and a airborne Jim Kelly Ragger you got real corn Smith and CD lamb We got Jovon Kinlaw Aaron Donald Jordan Love Derek Carr purple number to 35 and JK Dobbins to 99 10 out of 99 Yeah, go get some person with Sean or Tomorrow with me either one No, I don't know of every cases like this Although I expected to be because it is kind of remind me of last year stuff But maybe ours is just your members are just a little bit better because I Think rookies and stars got upset that prison was getting all the love today And they're like, you know for my price point You guys don't even believe in me You know what at Jasper's case breaks Pikachu number one and two. I'm just gonna show you guys and definitely did Me honestly though guys just think about it There's no damn way. I don't think in any product You can say that there's gonna be a burrow and a tour in the same case You know that that's that's the amazing thing and there's some good veteran autographs in here, too That we didn't really pull we pulled a lot of big rookies, but There is some good veteran autographs All right guys, well there you go, that was the break that was that was fun. That was really fun Yeah, this case was definitely a TV TV type of case prime time, you know So yeah, you got all this color Numbered stuff and rookies that will be top-loading as well Well, let me just do a little quick recap of all this and I'm gonna organize it just so you guys can kind of see the heat the heat and all this This is ridiculous All right, so here were some nice color cards that we top-loaded Jerry Judy That's Anthony McFarlane goal to 10 Rogers chase clay chase young little miles and a to a Jersey number one at 75. I got a started guys with to a band and seen much of him in here And here were all the relics guys. You got Herbert Keenan dual. You got a first Samuel You have Tyler Johnson You have Justin Jefferson Burl patch two colors at his number to 25 Devo Samuel you got Garner Minchu DeAndre Swift Jordan Love Tyree Kill Tyra McLauren Miles Sanders four-color patch. It's a very nice one I don't know if you're interested in some of this Alex. I might be interested in that CD lamb AJ Dylan And here were the autographs guys. This is where it's got a little wild To end off the night, but a JK dog who dressed for success patch two colors to 25 At a 25 three-color patch Statistical standout Clint Portis a little dress for success Jersey auto tonight and I Jerry Judy You got a redemption here of drookies longevity signatures true blue Brandon Ayuk We got a Darnell Mooney tonight, and I we got a Colton our Dalton Keen to 75 Jeff Ocuda JK Dobbins auto tonight, and I this is where we started in some gold guys We actually got these two golds in the same box Jeff Glapney to 10 gold and Chase Claypool gold. You got Chase young At a 25 that is a crusade rookies and stars auto We got a gold Jalen Ragger, and this is where we got wild guys We got a two a toggle by Loa 20 out of 75 and to end it off here guys. We got a Joe Burrow printing plate autograph one-of-one for the bangles Right there, and that was a seven box half case break of rookies and stars football Pick your teams number two in the books. Look out for more guys. You might have more of tomorrow I appreciate you guys Jasper's case breaks.com


In the previous topic, we have talked about informal and formal selection systems. In this topic, we are going to talk about one prominent selection system, formal selection system, which are the assessment centers. So where formal selection is actually employed, assessment centers are something that are usually established in order to assess a person over various different skills and abilities for a particular international assignment. So assessment centers and interviews are recommended as best practice in the literature. Literature suggests that if you want to select a person for international assignments, what you should do is that you should assess that person's ability in an assessment center and also followed by interviews. What happens in assessment centers is that assessment centers are structured facilities which are established by organizations in which people are assessed on various different activities and they are assessed on various different skills and abilities in an extended period of time. It is not something which is a 15 minutes interview. Usually in assessment centers people are invited and they usually spend an entire day sometimes two or three days in which they interact, in which they talk to people with the organization, they do different activities, they participate in workshops, they participate in role plays, they participate in discussions, they are supposed to talk about issues, they are supposed to engage, they are given challenging situations and they are interviewed by the management and human resource personnel of the people. So there is a selection board, not just one person who assesses the ability of these people. Skills which are evaluated in assessment centers, one is the prior international experience and what the person has gained from that international experience, it's not just that okay, this person has got three years of international experience, what is the outcome of that international experience is that person really somebody who can culturally manage things well, who can connect with other people from different cultures. So what has that person gained from the prior international experience? Then ability, what is assessed in these assessment centers is the ability to adjust to foreign environment. This is something which is foremost, which is very important to assess. A person's soft skills, they are assessed, then a person's intercultural sensitivity, how sensitive that person is towards different cultures and then various different traits of his personality, for example, extraversion, for example, how that person responds to risk and risk taking and various different dimensions of the personality as well. So these are the various different skills which are evaluated in assessment centers. So in this chart, you can see that these are the tasks and exercises that are used in an assessment center. So in the column you can see that the type of exercises which are used in assessment center are, for example, presentation, role play, the person may need to fill a questionnaire of something which is being assessed, then group discussion and case study may also be given to the person to analyze a particular case so that their ability to evaluate situations, different situations can be assessed. So presentation, role play, questionnaire, group discussion, case study, but this is not an exhaustive list. There may be other elements of the exercises which could be done in an assessment center. Now you can see that on the horizontal row, there are different exercises, the aspects which are assessed on these particular exercises, they are written down in the horizontal row. And you can see that what is being assessed is tolerance for ambiguity. Then goal orientation, a person is oriented towards achieving goals or not. Then interpersonal skills, then empathy, a person is able to empathize with other people or not. Then non-judgmentalism, that is very much important. The person cannot be judgmental when you are trying to be inter-culturally, cooperative and flexible. Then a person's flexibility, overall flexibility to adjust to different situations. And then meta communication, communication of not just verbal communication but the overall communication of a person. So that is something, this chart gives you a kind of orientation on how skills are assessed, what type of skills are assessed in an assessment center and how these skills are assessed in an assessment center. The next chart gives you a complete list of the way an evaluation is done for a role play in inter-cultural assessment center. So if you are assessing someone's inter-cultural ability and you are trying to do an assessment with a role play, then what dimensions of inter-cultural assessment will you assess? You can see it in the column, tolerance for ambiguity, interpersonal skill, empathy, non-judgmentalism, flexibility and learning orientation. These are the six skills that you will evaluate for a person's inter-cultural adjustment and ability to adjust to a different culture. So in the horizontal row, you can see that there are examples for a high inter-cultural competence and examples of a low inter-cultural competence. So what will you see in this person's role play, which you will come to know that he rates high or low on a particular dimension. So for example, we will discuss one or two. For example, for tolerance for ambiguity, that is, the ability to tolerate uncertain situations in someone, what you will see in that person is patient and if not, that person is impatient. Then if the person is high in tolerance for ambiguity, what you will see is that the person shows a sense of humor. He is light-minded. He is not too tight-lipped. He is somebody who is cheerful and therefore uses different type of humor while interacting with other people. And if the person is low in tolerance for ambiguity, then you will see that he is very serious. He will not talk to anyone, he will not interact with anyone easily, he will not joke with anyone. So from this, you will know that that person has got low tolerance for ambiguity. Another example, let's take the example of, for example, empathy. So if you want to see that someone can empathize, can understand the problem of others, can understand that he can step into the shoes of another person. So for that, if that thing is present, what you will see is that the person puts oneself in the place of the business partner, for example. And then the second thing what you may see is that avoid offending behavior. He does not offend people. He interacts with people in a compassionate way and does not use an offending language. And on the other hand, if that person is low on empathy, then you may see that he is only aware of his own situation.  That does not mean that what other people do. And usually these types of people often offend others because they are so self-centered that they use language and they use such kind of expression which is offending to other people. So if you want to see that if a person has got empathy, then it is something that you can see from these particular behaviors. So I have discussed two examples, the rest of them they are quite clear and you can very easily read it from the slide that what type of behaviors may be seen to assess different dimensions. And this is something that is assessed while you are evaluating a person when they are doing a role play. So this topic was basically discussing the role of assessment centers and how assessment centers they evaluate the skills and abilities of a person for international assignments.


Everybody forced here ripping 20 22 legacy football hobbies six box number 16 random team style You can find these results of late in sports cards calm. Thanks for joining everybody and good luck It's like one Thornton Carson strong on the rookies Walker John Metzsche. We've got an orange mini for the Vikings Adam Thielen to 125 and Holbert to 299 John Randall Vikings Drake London Trey McBride Pickens booth Bronze rookie Lions James and Williams. That's out of 100 Zapp George Carlftis Johan Dutton Trent McDuffie Frank Gore out of 100 for the Niners time machine Breeze Hall brisker Desmond Ritter rookie chrome for the Falcons Romeo Dobbs Christian Watson Jordan Davis to 149 Eagles rookie Otto Hill Garrett Wilson mini for the Pats Matt Judon It's a 50 Jeremy Rucker Kenneth Walker to 100 for the Chargers Joey Bosa Wondell Robinson David Bell. This is for the Jags Jalen Tolbert rookie Jersey. Oh, no, that's for the that's for the Cowboys Jaguars. This is a Collegiate team It's Cowboys on that one Kenny Pickett rookie Phyllis Jones Phyllis Jones silver rookie for the Bears got Clial Shakir Drake Jackson dare to tear Patrick Mahomes to 65 Chiefs That's a big decision right there You're strong son Haskins to 199 Zeke for the Cowboys Stingley Pierce rookie chrome Clial Shakir bills What's up six? Bryant Lloyd to 150 for the Browns is to Sean Watson Berks, Thibodeaux, Pierre Strong, rookie chrome for the Pats, Kyren Williams Jermaine Johnson Kenneth Walker Daxon Hill George Carl Aftish Chiefs rookie Silverado Chiefs George Carl Aftis David Bell, Jeremy Rucker to 100 for the Lions, T.J. Hawkinson Phyllis Jones, Wondell Robinson, Silver Rookie Jets, Breez Hall Aftis Pickett, Tyrion Davis Price, Niners rookie Silverado Duffy Bailey Zap Silver Malik, Willis rookie Mini, nice there you go Titans Strong, Tolbert to 299 Legends is Kieshawn Johnson Bucks Carson Strong, Derek Stingley, Chrome Trevon Walker Jags Here Wilson, Tyquan Thornton, Brian Robinson, Jr. Ford Kyle Hamilton, James Cook Got Donald Driver to 125, Time Machine Packers Sauce Gardner, Desmond Ritter And Jameson Williams Lions rookie there That's a likely Jameson Williams Trevon Walker, John Mechie, Mini for the Raiders, Josh Jacobs That one's number 250 I think the legacy's pretty solid Two autos, you get two minis Get some color every box Dare to tear cards, potential Evan Neal, Isaiah Spillard to 199, Olave Rookie for the Saints Nice numbered Olave Gordon, Davis Price There's a Malik Willis there for the Titans Tyler Beatty, Rookie Orange, Jaquan Brisker for the Bears to 149 Thibodeau and Lloyd, a Tom Brady Dare to tear for the Patriots Wow dude 65 Patriots, wow Mahomes and Brady Dare to tear cards in the six box break Berkson Bryant to 125, Sean Alexander Seahawks Kyren Williams, Jermaine Johnson, Cleal Shakir, Chrome Rookie Bills Oh that's nice six Brian Robinson, Jr. Ford Kyle Hamilton, James Cook Bronze Mini Titans, AJ Brown To 75 Zap, Carlactus, Yellow to 150 Rookie, Andrew Booth Jr. Vikings Dotson and McDuffie Rookies to 249 Skymore Rookie Jersey Auto Chiefs Breece Hall, Jaquan Brisker, Silver Rookie, Carson Strong For the Eagles I think, Carson Strong Yep, Eagles on the Carson Strong Dobbs and Watson The Packers Rookie Receivers there Danny Gray, Alec Pierce Dolphin Jalen Waddle to 299 David O'Jobbo, Matt Corral Chrome Rookie, Kenny Pickett For the Steelers Skymore in Hutchinson Brian Robinson, Jr. to 149 Washington Rookie Auto Jordan Davis, Crystal Lave We've got Tyquan Thornton, Orange Rookie Mini There you go Pat To 125 Brian Robinson, Jr. got Ford Kenneth Walker III to 125 Rookie Auto Seahawks Hamilton, Cook Rookie Silver, Evan Neal For the Giants Likely in the Ritter Soss Gardner, Jameson Williams Eddie George, Titans to 299 Trevon Walker, John Metzhi Trent McDuffie Chiefs Rookie Chrome I don't know what I would do if I got a dare to tear it I'd probably tear it But that's not knowing anything that's in it I think I would just have to, no matter what it is Robinson, David Bell Me personally anyway Only if I pulled it, I don't think I'd buy one If I pulled it, I'd probably rip it To 75 Rookie Patriots Bailey Zap Not that I would recommend not buy one If you want to buy one Kenny Pickett Nah, I'd do it Colts to 299, Jonathan Taylor That's me personally If you want to make money on the car and sell it Cleal Shakir, Drake Jackson If you're not set on that, I would definitely Consider ripping any dare to tear Pier Strong, Hasan Haskins Orange Rookie Jets, Garrett Wilson Out of 149 Stingley and Pierce Or no, Price No, Pierce, yeah, Pierce Typhon Thornton, Carson Strong Cleal Shakir, Bills, Rookie to 199 Daxson Hill, Garrett Wilson Kobe Bryant, Rookie Seahawks Sam Howell, Jalen Tolbert To 25, Trey McBride Rookie Dual Patch Auto For the Cardinals Trey McBride The first tight end drafter this year Nice hit Cardinals Oh, then I'd for sure rip it Rookie Silver Johann Dots in Washington If mine was worth less than 20 bucks Without a doubt, rip it Dalvin Cook to 100 Vikings I'm gonna say, if it's affordable Why not? Garrett Wilson, Typhon Thornton For the Saints, you've got Taysum Hill to 100 Kenneth Walker, Daxson Hill Justin Herbert Crome David Bell, Jeremy Ruckert Robinson and Jones Christian Watson, Packers Rookie Silver Auto Packers Haskins, Shakir Under the Lights, Aiden Hutchinson To 149, there you go, Lyons C6 See ya, have a good one Price and Strong, Derek Stingley Rookie Silver Rookie Orange, Derek Stingley Texans to 125 Tolbert Walker to 150 For the Bucks, Chris Godwin Jerome Ford, Kyron Williams Chrome Rookie Andrew Booth, Vikings Bride, Sam Howell Booth in London Jackson, Pickens That is Josh Allen, Bill to 299 Laftis, Pickett To 299, Alec Pierce for the Golds, McDuffie Zapp, Silver Rookie Dobs for the Packers Brisker, Dotson, David Bell Browns Rookie Auto, Silver Not Numburg, Christian Watson Breez Hall, Silver Saquon Barclay Giants Mini Last Lights London and McBride, Crome Jacquan Brisker, Bears Rookie Jackson, Andrew Booth Cleal Shakir, George Pickens Ruckert Walker, he got number to 100 for the Steelers Wondell Robinson, David Bell Silver Under the Lights, Matt Stafford Ramps, Kenny Pickett Damian Pierce to 149 Rookie Auto, Texans Might be the starter for Houston Bailey Zapp, George Carlaftis Silver Rookie for the Giants Wondell Robinson on the Mini Stingley Pierce, Garrett Wilson Chrome Rookie Jets Strong and Haskins, Davis Rookie For the Eagles to 199 Saquon Thorne, Carson Strong Daxson Hill, Garrett Wilson Christian Watson, Packers Rookie Auto Another Watson for the Packers Sam Howell Haskins, Mike Evans to 299 Bucks Drake London, Trey McBride Crome Lamar Jackson for the Ravens Drake Jackson, Andrew Booth Shakir and Pickens Orange Mini, Rookie Drake London Falcons to 125 Sam Howell, Damian Pierce to 199 Russell Wilson, Broncos Give me one sec, we'll recap the autos We've got autos, Christian Watson Damian Pierce, David Bell Christian Watson again, Trey McBride Evan Neil, that was just a non-auto there, Kenneth Walker Bryan Robinson, Jr Sky Moore, Tyrion Davis Price George Carlaftis Amahomes Dare to Tear Jaylin Tolbert, Jordan Davis and a Brady Dare to Tear for the Pats That'll do it, thanks again everybody We've got more football coming up next


Hello Hello Writers, I'm Kristin Kiefer, author of fantasy fiction and creative writing resources and you are listening to the Well-Sturried podcast where I share insights, encouragement and actionable advice designed to help you craft sensational novels and build your best writing life. Always in 30 minutes or less so you can get back to writing of course. Ready for the show? Let's get talking. Hello Writers and welcome once again to the Well-Sturried podcast. Today our episode is called How Writers Can Prepare for a Fantastic Beta Reader Experience. Today's episode is actually part two of my two part blog and podcast series on working with beta readers so if you haven't yet checked out last week's episode make sure to go ahead and do just that. Last week we covered all of the beta reader basics, what beta readers are, what they do, how they can help you improve the quality of your writing and more. So if you are brand new to the concept of beta readers, not really sure how they would benefit your writing life, that is the article and the episode for you. Today we are diving deeper into the whole beta reader process. Specifically we're talking about the steps that you can take to make sure that the beta reader experience you have is the very best that it can be. Working with beta readers seeking intentional feedback can be a very vulnerable and humbling experience and if you don't take care to set it up just right you may find that processing and handling feedback is difficult. But more than that you also want to make sure that you're setting up a great experience for your beta readers as well because that's within your realm of control to make sure that the experience is as great as it can possibly be for the people who are doing you a free service. So we're going to cover the four steps you can take before and after sending your manuscript out to beta readers in today's episode. But first, a quick behind the scenes update at well storied. Currently I am working hard to finish the third draft of build your best writing life, my upcoming book for writers, before July 1st when I'll be sending it out to my line editor who is Sarah Latterno from heart of the story editorial. I am very close to finishing this draft, but a lot of the work that I have left to do is difficult work. I have no worries about finishing this draft on time, but I do need to buckle down continue to buckle down really and finish this draft strong. Like I said, this project will be going out to Sarah Latterno on well by August 1st by July 31st really. And so for about five or six weeks from August into the beginning of September, I won't have a specific project to work on outside of the week by week work that I do for well storied such as publishing new blog posts and doing this podcast. So I've been thinking quite a bit about how I'm going to spend my August and early September and I think I have several things I'm going to focus on. The first and is perhaps the most exciting and it is preparing to work on my next book for writers. I know exactly the book, exactly the topic that I want to tackle next. And I feel like I have a pretty strong idea of the content and the structure of the book. But I want to make sure I spend some time in August ironing out the outline for it and doing some research to make sure it's the best book that it can be. I will be sharing more information about this project in the weeks to come. So stay tuned for that. That was just a little teaser for you. But the other focus I will have in August and September is to take the next steps toward preparing to have built your best writing life published. I still need to decide on the editor that I'll be working with for copy edits and then for proofreads. I also need to figure out whether I want to hire someone to format the book or whether I feel comfortable doing that myself. And also one of the most important factors here is I need to get started on working on the cover design or rather hiring out someone to work on the cover design. I'm pretty sure I know which company I'm going to be working with. Again, I'll share more on that later, but I need to first do some research about what I want from my cover for this book so that I can provide them with some direction that they can use to craft the best cover for me or more specifically for build your best writing life. And so that's a lot of work to do in August and September, and that's not even it, because to round out my work on build your best writing life, I do want to do as much study and research on book launch and book marketing as I can. I have already bought and downloaded some resources that I've yet to just begin consuming because I've been working so hard on this draft of the book. So that's what I'll be focusing on in the coming weeks, and I'm really excited to share some updates and perhaps some new articles and podcast episodes based on what I learn about some of these new processes. Because I've never before self-published a book, I've never before really put together a book marketing plan for a full-length book, so I'll be learning a ton in the coming weeks and the coming months, and I'm very excited to share what I learn with you. So on the blog this week, we have a wonderful guest post from Tim Storm of Storm Writing School. This post is called The Power in Finding Your Writing Team, and it is such a good one. In the post, Tim breaks down what a writing team is, why having one is so essential to your writing life, and the steps that you can take to build your own. Tim also includes a really great story from the U.S. Women's National Team and their big World Cup win, so if you are a fan of that, this is definitely the article for you. If you would like to check out this article, you can find it at well-storied.com-writing-team. I will also leave the link for you in today's episode description. If you would like to submit your own guest post for publication on the Well Story blog, you can find our guest post submission guidelines at well-storied.com-guest. Today's episode of the podcast translates the latest article from the Well Story blog into audio. Titled How Writers Can Prepare for a Fantastic Beta Reader Experience, you can find the article that also serves as the episode transcript at www.well-storied.com-beta-prep. Now let's dive in. How Writers Can Prepare for a Fantastic Beta Reader Experience A little beta reader feedback can go a long way toward improving the quality of your work. In last week's episode, I answered six common questions about working with beta readers, including what beta readers are, why their feedback is invaluable, and how you can find the beta readers who will provide the most constructive feedback on your work. Today I am following that introduction with a guide to creating the very best beta experience for both you and your readers. Remember, beta readers are providing you with a free service, taking the time to read your manuscript and share feedback on how you can improve it before you publish. That's a lot of work. It's your job to make that work as enjoyable as possible for your beta readers. And when you do, you may just find that you set yourself up for a fantastic beta reader experience as well, before sending your manuscript to beta readers. In June, I had the pleasure of working with beta readers for the first time on my upcoming book for writers, Build Your Best Writing Life, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. The feedback I received was incredibly kind, detailed, and most importantly, honest. My beta readers were truly the best, and I am grateful for their time and effort. In preparing to work with betas for the first time, I made sure to do my research. I wanted to respect my readers by making the beta reading experience as enjoyable as possible, and I wanted to respect my work by ensuring I set myself up to receive the most helpful feedback. Here are the key steps I ultimately took before sending my work to beta readers. Step number one, prepare a readable manuscript. If your betas are struggling to get through your manuscript because every page requires them to interpret what exactly you're trying to say, you aren't respecting their time and effort. Your project certainly doesn't need to be polished and publishable before you send it out to betas, but it should be readable. Now, I don't know about you, but my first drafts are messy. Very messy. Before sending Build Your Best Writing Life out to betas, I made sure to revise the content to the best of my ability, since I was seeking feedback on content and structure. I also gave the prose a quick polish so it didn't read like a 5th grader's last minute school assignment. Step number two, be clear about the feedback you're looking for. When I sent Build Your Best Writing Life out to my betas, I made sure they knew I was only interested in feedback on the content, structure, and overall tone of the book. I knew I may need to rewrite or revise large sections of the manuscript, so I didn't want betas to waste their time critiquing the book line by line. Sending your betas know exactly what type of feedback you're looking for, not only saves them time and energy, but ensures you receive the feedback that's most helpful for where you're at in the writing process. To provide further feedback guidance, you can also send your betas a list of questions they can answer if they so choose. In today's episode transcript at well-storied.com-betaprep, I've shared the exact list of questions I sent to my betas for my non-fiction project, as well as a list of questions you might send when seeking developmental feedback on a work of fiction. Step number three, set a clear deadline. Even if you aren't working on a strict timeline, giving your beta readers a deadline for feedback is a great way to show them that you're treating your work and their own with respect. A deadline also provides accountability, encouraging your betas to fulfill the promise they've made to critique your work. When setting a deadline, take into account the length of your project, the type of feedback you're interested in receiving, and the general busyness of life. The second draft of Build Your Best Writing Life topped Al at 38,000 words, and the feedback I saw concerned the general content and structure of the book, rather than a detailed assessment. Knowing this, I asked my betas to share their feedback within three weeks. Knowing that life can get crazy, I also made sure my betas knew they could opt out of providing feedback at any time. I simply asked that they let me know, so I didn't wait around for their response. Step number four, provide common formats. Sending your manuscript to beta readers in several different formats allows them to choose the format they find most convenient, making their beta reading experience more enjoyable. Common formats include PDFs, Microsoft Word documents, and Google Docs. If you have Scrivener, you can also compile your project as a Mobi file for Kindle, or an EPUB file for other e-readers. I offered these formats to my beta readers, and several shared that they loved the ease of reading build your best writing life via a traditional e-book file, after receiving feedback from your beta readers. Ensuring a great beta reader experience doesn't stop after sending your project out to betas. After receiving feedback, here are a few steps you can take to finalize a fantastic experience for both you and your readers. Step number one, process feedback in a good headspace. Handling constructive criticism with grace can be difficult. Opening yourself up to feedback is a vulnerable experience, and it's easy to take critical suggestions personally, allowing them to affect your self-worth. To avoid the brunt of that pain, make sure you're in a good headspace when processing feedback. I know it's tempting to tear through feedback the second it hits your inbox, but if you're tired, stressed, or otherwise not feeling your best, you're going to take constructive criticism and apply it in a destructive way. Be intentional. Sit down with a cup of tea, get comfy, and explore feedback with an open mind. Historically I've had quite the thin skin, so knowing this I took extra care to work on my mindset before processing beta feedback, and I'm still floored with how well I handled the constructive criticism. I knew my beta readers wanted the best for my work, and that knowledge sustained me through every high and low. Step number two, follow up with any questions. If you have questions about the feedback you receive, ask. Your beta readers can't help you improve your work if you don't understand their concerns and suggestions. In my experience, beta readers are more than willing to clarify their thoughts. I responded to several of my beta readers with follow up questions, such as, could you explain what you didn't like about the introduction? Or you mentioned that the ongoing metaphor in chapter seven didn't work for you. Could you explain why? And every single reader was kind enough to share additional thoughts, which clarified their criticisms and helped me create a much stronger plan for revision. Step number three, show your gratitude. Beta readers put a lot of time and effort into critiquing your manuscript, and they most often do it for free. Make sure they know just how much you appreciate their work. Send a follow up email, noting your gratitude, and consider including your betas in your book's acknowledgments, with their permission of course. If you can afford to do so, you can also send your beta readers a signed copy of your book when you publish. If one or more of your beta readers is a writer themselves, consider offering to beta read for them in return. It's a great way to show your gratitude and build a deeper relationship with that writer. Step number four, apply feedback mindfully. When creating your revision plan based on beta feedback, remember that criticism is simply one reader's opinion on how you can improve your work. You don't have to make every suggested change, but you should note patterns in the feedback you receive and weigh those suggestions more heavily. For example, about a third of my beta readers felt that chapters one and two of Build Your Best Writing Life were a bit muddled and redundant. Initially, I disagreed. These were chapters that I had worked on more intensely than others, and I was proud of how they'd turned out. But when the suggestion to clarify or combine those chapters kept recurring, I decided to reread them with an ultra-critical eye, and quickly realized that my beta readers were right. I've since combined those chapters and refined the topics discussed, and my book is so much stronger for it. No matter how well you've developed your self-editing skills, seeking constructive criticism is a vital step in improving the quality of your writing. When working with beta readers, remember that you don't have to cross your fingers and hope for a fantastic experience. Take a few simple steps to prepare, then follow up with an attitude of appreciation and of growth. When you do, you'll find that working with beta readers can be an enjoyable and enriching experience for everyone involved. Thank you for listening to today's episode of The Podcast Writer. I hope you found it helpful to your writing journey. If so, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a new episode. And to give the podcast a quick rating and review. Doing so goes a long way toward helping the podcast reach new writers, and lets me know that you're enjoying what I'm creating. You can also give me a shout out directly on Twitter at christen underscore keeper. For additional guidance as you work to craft sensational novels and build your best writing life, be sure to head on over to www.well-storied.com, where I share blog posts, workbooks, e-courses, and other helpful resources for writers. Again, that's W-E-L-L-S-T-O-R-I-E-D.com. Thank you again for tuning in to today's episode, my friend. Until next time, happy writing!


When country music superstar Carrie Underwood is non-tour she spends her time in Tennessee where she lives in a gorgeous custom mansion with her husband Mike Fisher and their two sons. While Carrie and Mike formerly lived in a luxe home in Brentwood the couple sold off that place in 2017 after about a decade of living there and set out on building their 400 acre dream home. Country music superstar Carrie Underwood has quite the stunning mansion over in Tennessee with acres of beautiful grounds. Recently she shared a photo from her family home on social media of a gorgeous tree with fall leaves changing color. In fact when Carrie isn't touring there's no where she would rather be than at home. She revealed in an interview I don't want to go to restaurants. I don't want to travel. I don't want to go anywhere. I love being at home I would literally never leave my house. I get nervous in crowds and in group settings and stuff like that However, Carrie will soon be going on the Denim and rhinestones tour with appearances in New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Portland and LA. When all of those concerts are complete, Carrie can retreat back to her beloved estate in Franklin to be with her husband and sons. Hey everyone, it's Carrie the Vampire Slayer and today on Famous Entertainment we're looking at the stunning homes of Carrie Underwood. Now, let's get into this video. In 2011 it was reported that Carrie and her hubby Mike scooped up over 400 undeveloped acres of land in the semi-rural suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee. The couple paid about 2.9 million dollars for 354 acres in the foothills south of Nashville and dropped another $350,000 on an attached 50-acre plot to make up that whopping amount of space. Carrie and her beau spent a few years building and constructing their dream home and by the looks of the exterior it was well worth it. We don't know the exact details or measurements of the mega mansion but as you can see it is huge. From the looks of it it was built in a modern farmhouse style with a white exterior and wooden brown accents like the roof. There is also a large barn lake building on the adjoining property with its own driveway and an additional smaller structure. This could be a guest house or space for their horses or both. We do know Carrie's property boasts orchard, cows and horses. In fact, one Christmas Mike bought her two cows. In 2016, Carrie opened up about the building process of their dream home to country living. She said that her and Mike were designing their forever home which would have a quote-unquote wood-burning fireplace, a porch swing and rocking chairs. They didn't move in until late 2018 and by this time they had already welcomed their first son with the seconds on the way. Carrie has given us quite a few looks inside her beautiful home thanks to social media. We can get an idea of her style. Recently, she showed us her family kitchen which has soaring white ceilings above and exposed wooden beams for a charming touch. The space has clean lines, matching white appliances and state-of-the-art range with extractor hood. Other details in the chef's kitchen include a large black breakfast or snack bar with built-in storage and black sink. This space also has large windows with views of the stunning grounds. Carrie and Mike's mansion has a variety of rooms as you might expect from a property so massive including a full basement, multiple living areas, bedrooms, bathrooms and more than one garage. We can also see a bit of Carrie's main living room. This space is designed with a gray and beige color scheme along with some wooden details adding a warm and rustic feel. In terms of furniture, there's a large cream colored couch and a wooden dresser where the couple has placed some plants. In another shot from Christmas, we can see another living area or it's the same one from a different angle that shows the high-voltage ceilings, white concrete pillars and stunning floor-to-ceiling windows. The mansion has hardwood floors throughout accented with patterned rugs to provide a warm and welcoming feel. The country star has also shown off her impressive walk-in closet with floor-to-ceiling wardrobes for her clothes, shoes and bags. An island in the middle of the closet even boasts a built-in washing machine and dryer for easy laundry days. Like that is so convenient, I want one of those. Carrie has also given a peek at her home gym. One of the first to get a look at Carrie sprawling a stage was Oprah Winfrey when the couple showed her plot of land on the own network in 2012. Carrie also said they'd set up a cute picnic area and plan to plant many trees. Considering all the acres of land, it's no surprise that there are private stables for horses and other animals. The couple even has their own lake, which Mike previously showed off in a pic fishing with the boys. Also on the grounds, there's a swimming pool, terraces to entertain, and Carrie even has a space in the garden to work out if she feels like doing so al fresco. Here, the space is fitted with rubber floors for weightlifting and training to make everything easy. When Carrie first moved from Nashville to Oklahoma, she lived in a slightly more modest under a million dollar home in Tennessee. But when she and Mike went, they moved to the area of Brentwood, purchasing a luxe house for $1.35 million in 2007. This house sat at the end of a cul-de-sac in the gated Governors Club golf community and measured just over 7,000 square feet of space with four beds, four full baths, and two half baths throughout. It was in an affluent suburban neighborhood about 20 miles from downtown Nashville and the exterior of the home was a stone accented beige brick mansion, slightly traditional style while inside there were three luxurious floors. The grand double height entrance featured a curved staircase and herringbone pattern stone floors and it led to the usual fancy common rooms. The foyer opened up to the formal dining room and stepped down to the soaring living room which had floor to ceiling windows and oak floors underfoot. There was also a carved stone fireplace and velvet drapes and the nearby kitchen had stainless steel appliances and carved custom cabinets. The island slash snack bar here opened to the breakfast space and attached family room which was cozier and more casual, offering a brick fireplace and view of the golf course. Other features in Kerry's former mansion included a library office, games room, guest apartment with kitchenettes and mirror walled gym.  Here there was a corkscrew staircase that led down to the basement which was definitely styled for Kerry. It seemed to be a fancy glam room here with heated marble floors, a hair and makeup station, a shoe and handbag area, and a spacious lounge with web bar. That literally sounds like my dream space. While the house sat on just over half an acre of land, there were plenty of outdoor hangout spots including a patio overlooking the golf course and a planted courtyard. The pair ended up calling this home for basically a decade but decided to part with it in late 2017. After Kerry underwent a freak accident, a fall right outside of this home. From here, they decided to go to their semi-remote spread in Franklin which was a rustic, luxe barn style home on a bunch of acres of land that seemed to act as their vacation retreats until they completed building their dream mansion. They finally sold this friend wood crib in 2019 for $1.4 million. Well it seems that Kerry Underwood no doubt lives in a Tennessee home that's just as stylishly country as she is and we can't wait for her to show us some more peeks inside. As for now, that's gonna wrap up this house tour. What was your favorite part of Kerry's custom estate? Was it the 400 acre grounds with the stables and other amenities? Drop those comments down below. I for one love Nashville. Thanks for tuning in. Be sure to subscribe to Famous Entertainment. Turn on those notifications. Follow me on Instagram to chat and I will see you all in another video. Bye! In these videos we don't reveal any addresses and even though I've done a house tour of my own place please do not show up at any private residences because it's not safe for anyone.


Good morning, ladies and gentlemen to your news update from the Frankfurt office of CMC markets. The price of crude oil, West Texas Intermediate and print, yeah, really had a crash day yesterday, strongly down about 4% after there have been some questions raised about the prospects of a production cut by OPEC or OPEC together with non-OPEC states. So there was Priscil actually saying after the OPEC met and Priscil and other states they met over the weekend in Vienna and there were several states actually saying some disappointing given out some disappointing statements. So there was Priscil said that those talks in Vienna there have been no decisions made. It was just conversations as Priscil said, so OPEC and non-OPEC production cuts might be far, far ahead. Iraq repeated that they want exemptions from that production cut because they just defeated ISIS and now they got their oil back more or less and so now they want to sell their oil and do not want to join actually some production cuts that might come. The secretariat of the OPEC actually said that more talks will be needed. Russia who together with the Saudi spearheaded this attempt to form a global alliance for production cuts, Russia said that a production freeze would be better than a production cut. Nigeria and Libya actually already have exemptions. That was a deal they made in Algeria just in September and so everybody has its interests and his or her interest in that situation and it's all but certain that there will be production cuts coming. So oil went down strongly. We have a major resistance when you look at the in the chart of Prenkrut oil a major resistance at $52. So we attempted to break that resistance but bounce lower. We had a falling wedge formation and yesterday we just fell out of that falling wedge formation so that is bearish for the moment. Watch crude for further losses that might come. One big topic that I've been watching and one trend that I've been watching out of Europe is the behavior and investment allocations of global investment funds. So you look if you look at the Euro stocks, if you look at the DAX or the ATX in Austria then you see that it decoupled from Wall Street. Wall Street is near its all-time highs, it's done some correction yes but it's just very near to its all-time highs where the DAX is actually 20% below its all-time high. So I've been looking for the reasons why this decoupling happened and there are two reasons actually it was the Brexit referendum and everybody fears that after or feared that after the Brexit referendum growth in the Eurozone would go down. Everybody feared that after the Brexit referendum the inflation is going to go down in the Eurozone. But what we have is relatively stable growth. We've got no major expansion in the economy but we've got growth. So no really negative impacts from Brexit to growth and what we also have is inflation ticking up. There is no real trend yet but Mario Draghi and the Bundesbank expect that inflation will double until the year end or the first month of 2017. So investment funds that fled Euro stocks after the Brexit referendum because they feared that deflation will come might think a second time about Euro stocks in the coming days or months or weeks, I don't know when but they might return from their over-investments that they have right now in US stocks and might go back into Euro stocks. There's one statistic actually coming from the Bank of America, Mary Lynch showing that this return of investment funds into Euro stocks has not yet happened. It's the 38th week in a row actually that investment funds pulled money out of Euro stocks and put it into Wall Street. Now if you look at the situation at Wall Street we've got a relatively bearish positioning of options traders. There are seven times more call options on the VIX volatility index for the S&P 500 index. So that is somehow something like a fear gorge and there are seven times more positions betting on a spike in volatility. Then there are positions that are betting on a calm trading environment. So a lot of people expected there will be a somehow second crash coming on Wall Street. And if you look at the low of the Dow Jones in September, should we break lower below that support of that low in September then there might really be a good day for those call options in the VIX. You can also with CMC markets trade the VIX so that might be worth having a look at.