Diplomacy, Relationships, & Tactics: The Art of War, Week 10 [Wednesday, Period 2]

[atreideslioness]

"We discussed accounting for different kinds of terrain previously," said Tahiri, "and now we'll be going into that in a little more depth. More specifically, in this chapter Sun Tzu's talking about how to move your army over different kinds of terrain. How do you make your current set of circumstances work to your advantage, or at the very least, how do you minimize whatever disadvantages you might have in those circumstances?"

"Terrain can be mental as well as physical," Ghanima pointed out. "A rushing river may be the tide of public opinion. A steep cliff in front of you may be your own fears and insecurities, or perhaps simply inexperience that can be cured by training and hard work."

"Or a load of embarrassing, labeled luggage when Fandom has one of those days," Tahiri added dryly. "But here's hoping you never have to deal with the mental terrain becoming physical."

Because that had been ridiculous.

"You'll note," Tahiri continued, "that Sun Tzu never says anything about completely mastering rough terrain or adverse conditions, only dealing with them in the most effective way. Keep that in mind. We can't always fix everything perfectly . . . Which doesn't stop some of us from trying anyway."

"It doesn't stop the majority of you from trying anyway," Ghanima agreed dryly. Because Jedi, and she loves you, Tahiri, but really. "All you can do when faced with less-than-ideal terrain is make the best of it, and to maintain a high level of situational awareness. You need to know if there's whispering in the ranks, if you are near an embankment, where the sun is in the sky... even as you subconsciously process this information, you'll be improving your chances for what you want to accomplish."

"Which leads us to your assignment." Ghanima, it was not at all reassuring to students when you looked that calm and tranquil. "As a practice in situational awareness and manipulation of terrain, you must face the greatest enemy many of you will ever have to encounter: your peer group."

"Over the next week, your assignment is to convince someone to either make you dinner or take you out to eat. Without outright informing them, by word, deed, written missive, telepathy, or other that it is an assignment from your commanding officers. Consider it a trial-run for asking someone to Prom."

"Also a reminder in case you forgot that was coming up," Tahiri said, because she couldn't help herself. "Though you get the rest of the class period to come up with some creative ideas, maybe help each other out with them, or practice if you think you need to. Good luck."

Comments

Sign-In (AoW 10)

[atreideslioness]

Exercising foresight!

During the Lecture (AoW 10)

[atreideslioness]

As you do.

Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[atreideslioness]

Feel free to confer with your classmates on how best to execute your plans of attack. Also, freak out that Prom is coming.

Talk to the Teachers (AoW 10)

[atreideslioness]

They're here!

OOC (AoW 10)

[atreideslioness]

ZzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

Re: Sign-In (AoW 10)

[crimson_sister]

Lucille Sharpe

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[crimson_sister]

Lucille was unsure what Prom was, but felt certain someone was going to inform her. As for plans for dinner, she had never asked such a thing, much less as an assignment.

[SPish today but happy to brainstorm if you're ok with that]

Re: Sign-In (AoW 10)

[good_for_six]

Isabela

Re: Sign-In (AoW 10)

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy Li

Re: Sign-In (AoW 10)

[seeks_truth]

Cassandra Pentaghast

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[seeks_truth]

"This is stupid," Cassandra muttered to Lucille.

Of course, it wouldn't take her any amount of effort to actually do this. She and Garik ate together often enough.

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[crimson_sister]

"I have to agree," Lucille whispered back. "I usually find the assignments in this class useful, but this?"

Lucille, on the other hand, was most likely going to fail.

She added, still in a whisper: "Do you know what Prom is?"

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[seeks_truth]

"It is a dance, traditionally held in April," Cassandra said. "Only the upperclassmen are allowed to go, and it is also considered tradition to ask someone for whom you hold great affection to attend with you."

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[crimson_sister]

"Oh. And if there is no one you hold affection for?"

Of course, going to a dance wasn't important, Lucille told herself.

"At least that explains why our teachers mentioned it."

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[seeks_truth]

"If there is no one, you go by yourself, or with a friendly companion, I imagine," Cassandra said. She shrugged lightly. "It is not so important."

Re: Talk to the Teachers (AoW 10)

[weetuskenraider]

Honestly, how did it get to be so close to prom already? Tahiri might have been more perplexed about this than her expression let on, because Jedi.

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[crimson_sister]

"I see. Will you go?"

This wasn't much of a brainstorming, not that Lucille knew what that was supposed to be.

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[seeks_truth]

"If Garik wishes to," Cassandra said. She glanced towards her teachers. "I am not often comfortable at such functions."

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[crimson_sister]

"If it compares to the previous one, I am not sure I want to," Lucille replied, still in a whisper. "But what about the assignment?"

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[seeks_truth]

"I ask Garik to lunch every Sunday," Cassandra said dryly. "It will not be a chore for me."

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[crimson_sister]

That was unfair.

"I am not so lucky," Lucille replied, not entirely pleased. "Perhaps I will just accept failure. It's not that important, after all."

It was a silly assignment.

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[seeks_truth]

"Perhaps you can ask your... friend?" Cassandra said, carefully. "He is already fond of you, no?"

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[crimson_sister]

Lucille looked uncomfortable. "I don't believe we have that kind of... friendship," she said. "Perhaps I will ask Jalian."

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[seeks_truth]

"She would not be a terrible person to attend dinner with," Cassandra agreed. "You are friends?"

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[crimson_sister]

"She is my big sibling, and she has been very kind," Lucille replied. "I haven't seen her in a while, so it would be pleasant too."

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[seeks_truth]

"I have not spoken to her in some time either," Cassandra confessed. "But she is a good woman."

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[crimson_sister]

Lucille responded with a small nod. "She is, and the assignment might be an excuse to have dinner with her."

Re: Sign-In (AoW 10)

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo Noyamano

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[spin_kick_snap]

Well, prom was already taken care of--and it was hard for Kathy not to blush just thinking about it, avoiding a stupid grin was a complete lost cause. She was pretty sure she could turn this assignment into dinner easily enough as well.

So rather than brainstorming, Kathy was spending the class period daydreaming instead. Hopefully it looked similar enough that no one would notice the difference?

Re: Sign-In (AoW 10)

[sciclone]

Cosima Niehaus

Re: Activity: BRAINSTORMING! (AoW 10)

[sciclone]

Cosima was fine at the "So, want to go get something to eat?" part. The tricky bit, she thought, was finding a girl who realized she wanted it to be the kind of meal that ended with kissing.

She sat with her notebook open before her, scrawling down ideas. It turned into writing down bad pickup line to amuse herself fairly quickly.

Re: Sign-In (AoW 10)

[giveherahand]

Mara Jade

Re: Sign-In (AoW 10)

[thatwaslucky]

Rey