Podcasts about admittedly

Hey everyone, welcome back. This week we have Royce Keating. Royce has been on a few times, but this time he is on to talk about his company and team Kings Of Xhaos Drift Team. We get into to quite a bit of banter of how we met, cars and life and more. Admittedly we tried to edit it down a little bit. Take a listen and we hope you enjoy! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shiftingthroughthegears/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shiftingthroughthegears/support

In this episode, Helen will tell you about the health benefits of interacting with dogs. And about the health of dogs. And about CEOs and puppies. Admittedly, the hosts go a little off the rails in this one because you will also hear about the near death of a kitten in Atlanta and about the only time a weapon was fired within 100 feet of Lynne in her civilian life. If you listen all the way to the very end you will find out Lynne and Helen's spirit animals. They will try to be a little more focused next week.  Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name.  Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer. Sources: Dogs  Dogs Supporting Human Health and Well-Being: A Biopsychosocial Approach by Nancy R. Gee, Kerri E. Rodriguez, Aubrey H. Fine, and Janet P. Trammell The Power of Pets: Health Benefits of Human-Animal Interactions The health benefits and risks of pet ownership Science Confirms: Watching Dog Videos Relieves Stress by Jen Reeder The Friend Who Keeps You Young Are You Anxious Every Time You're Away From Your Dog? By Emily Halnon 5 Ways Pets Help with Stress and Mental Health "Dog people" and "cat people" have different personality traits, study finds by Rachael Rettner The Science Behind Why We Love Our Dogs by By Mimi Padmabandu It's a dog's life! Stressed high level executives are sent to a pooch clinic where psychologists discover the Havanese breed is the best for reducing anxiety by Lucy Laing If you are a dog lover... do you know what you are called? Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at defunctdoctorspodcast@gmail.com. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, and TikTok  Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555

Dracula: Dead and Loving it Man, comedy's are hard to cover. We tried really hard not to devolve into just repeating lines that cracked us up.  When I say tried I mean we had the intention and did it anyways. Film #3 for the Month of Chaos was a welcome surprise as we had the pleasure to see Mel Brooks' Dracula: Dead and Loving it. Admittedly, this is not Mel's best film but it's still Mel Brooks and we all howled with laughter a number of time. The surprise of the show is Nate's admission that Leslie Neilson is "his Dracula" much like Connery is your favorite Bond or MosuGoji is your favorite Godzilla suit. We also, hee hee, GUSH about one of the funniest scenes in cinema history. Go listen to find out what that is but if you've seen the film you can probably guess.

Is it time for protein bar brands to party like it's 2019 again? I was recently asked about shifting convenient nutrition marketplace dynamics…including some questions directed towards delivery formats. And it was the bar delivery format that seemed to draw the most curiosity within that conversation. Maybe it's because of what happened to the protein bar category because of the “Great Lockdown.” Maybe it's because out of bars, liquids, and powders…it has the lowest current retail sales growth rate, but the highest household penetration. Or maybe it's because of the sharp contrast from five short years ago when the protein bar M&A market was arguably at its peak. But during 2020 and 2021, many of us industry analysts/strategists looked past the near-term categorical struggles and pointed to the fact that underlying drivers (feeding long-term secular trends) were unchanged, and the inevitable consumer behavior normalization would continue to support bar format growth. Admittedly, some of that bounce back was slower than consensus expectations, but in this content I wanted to review several “signals” that I've been watching over the last 15 months which could be telling us that the protein bar market is ready to party again. These flashing signals include...several converging macro-economic data points, product-based differentiation, second-order effects from the rise in GLP-1 weight loss solutions, and then the final two are more focused on the attractiveness of the space (and format) to “build within” and then dealmaking and liquidity event probabilities and possibilities. FOLLOW ME ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS ⁠⁠⁠⁠LINKEDIN⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠YOUTUBE⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠TWITTER⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠INSTAGRAM⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠FACEBOOK⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joshua-schall/support

Last week, all was revealed! Jason and Anna VS Sonny VS Valentin; It Is On!·        Top story lines: 1) The Pikeman Chief Executive is a familiar face! 2) Officer Dex Heller will report for duty  3) The Love Hate Chronicles: Drew and Nina!  ·        Pet peeves and Props!  ·        GH trivia T, Jaim, Ma-Lin and G return to discuss top storylines, including a lot of Pikeman and a throwback attack formula on Sonny!This Week's GH Trivia:1. Heather Weber has been front and center in recent days but she is a character with deep and devious roots.  Let's try and untangle some of them! How is Heather Weber connected to the following characters? 2. Outside of dating and marrying Luke Spencer, what well known mobster did Tracy date and marry after he blackmailed her until he was eventually murdered by Heather Weber, though Luke was the number 1 suspect in the killing? 3. How many Times has Sonny Corinthos been married and to whom was he wed? 4. How many times has Carly Corinthos been married and to whom was she wed? 5. Where did Robyn Scorpio go to college?General Hospital Admittedly Fans! is a Swing/MG Original Program that airs twice a month; a manageable dose and welcome escape for GH-ers.  For information about more shows or to be considered for an upcoming episode, swing by our site and drop us a note: https://swingmg.com/general-hospital-admittedly-fans/  #Soapfans #GH #GeneralHospital #ABC #DaytimeTV #Comedy Support the show

WE'RE BACK! It's been too long, but David and Aaron return with their most personal episode yet - for David, anyway. He recommends the 1995 made-for-TV movie ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN ZOOM, starring Daniel Riordan, Ron Perlman and Nichelle "Uhura" Nichols. Oh, and it was written by Brian Levant (FLINTSTONES), Rick Copp (BRADY BUNCH MOVIE) and... DAVID GOODMAN?! That's right! Aaron must watch the movie and tell David what he thinks of it... right to David's face! It's the explosive episode that could blow this podcast apart!For the Life Experience, Aaron recommends that David learn to do a magic trick. Admittedly it's not quite as impressive to just hear the audio of David's trick... but trust us, it's a mind-blowing feat of prestidigitation!Incredible slights of hand and terrible special effects await you in this sci-fi spectacular!

Breaking the night for prayer!!  The very idea either never comes into the mind of modern Christians or it sends a shudder through the heart. The idea of limiting something like sleep for the sake of prayer, of humbling the mind and body in such a way on purpose and regularly seems to express a type of insanity. Would I not make myself sick or incapable of working the next day if such a practice were embraced in modern times. Yet, it is a constant practice throughout the spiritual tradition; to sanctify time and foster an urgent longing within the heart for God that causes the soul to rise, even in the night, to seek him. Admittedly, this may require that we simplify our lives. There is already a frenetic pace in our day-to-day lives; a busyness that is almost suffocating. Such makes the idea of adding night prayer to that seem impossible and even frightening. One can only come to know the fruit of this through experience. In the stillness of the night, impediments that often plague us throughout the course of the day fall away. Creation itself grows quiet and with it the human heart. Such a heart filled with urgent longing for the Lord will rise eagerly and with joy to taste the sweetness of his presence! --- Text of chat during the group: 00:59:01 Anthony: Perhaps a principle issue I'd reconciling the mind / interior thoughts with the heart / the noetic sentiment of affection for one's true calling.   01:02:04 Kate : Do the Fathers differentiate between vocal prayer and mental prayer, or is that a Western distinction?  Is there a recommendation to the kind of prayer that would take place during a night vigil?   01:02:34 Lisa Smith: I find the setting has a huge impact on prayer/ like a noisy city compared to the quiet woods. I find it easiest to pray in a rural solitary place. With minimal distractions   01:03:31 Ann Thelen: what is the best way to discern if waking in the night to prayer is something we are called to? or are we all called to this? Maybe I am overthinking this.   01:06:22 Ann Thelen: fear of failure in this resolve seems to be the thing that immediately presents itself when thinking about rising in the night for prayer.   01:08:42 Lisa Smith: Catherine Daughtery wrote a series called Poustina. I've been meaning to read that.   01:10:38 Wayne: Replying to "Catherine Daughtery ..."   I do have a copy of this book   01:10:58 Lisa Smith: Replying to "Catherine Daughtery ..."  

Acts 4:20, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” ————— Easter (Resurrection Sunday) has ended. The pictures have been taken to commemorate the day. Perhaps, families have gathered and now gone home. A week is passed and now we head back to church on Sunday. ————— Of course, the significance and impact of the Christ's Resurrection has not diminished. The promise that was fulfilled in the empty tomb has not suddenly become nullified, nor has the miracle somehow lost its amazement. ————— But has anything changed for us? Admittedly, we would hope so, but that really truly depends on us. The aforementioned significance and impact on those first century Christians was obvious. They simply could not stop talking about it and telling others about it. Why? Because the power of the Resurrection was and is life-changing. The truth of it begs for testimony from those whose lives have been changes and for those whose eternity has been secured.

Admittedly, a solar eclipse doesn't happen every day, so New York state lawmakers have decided to skip the legislative session Monday in order to view the eclipse. That's not the only "eclipse" affecting New York; the state's budget could eclipse $240 billion dollars. The PAC-Man, Ted Flint, has details on legislative leaders' workaround to deal with another tardy state budget. Also, retail theft and the senseless murder of police officers is on the rise, and the Speaker of the Assembly says stiffening penalties for such crimes doesn't deter criminals.

Best episode of the season! (Admittedly not a high bar to clear, but let's focus on the positives). This episode had some much-needed messiness and drama, and hopefully that can keep going. And of course we finish up with Jared and Matt's continuing journeys through Australian Survivor and Big Brother, respectively. Follow us: Instagram: @talkingllamapod / @matthambidge Twitter: @llamatalkpod / @matthambidge

Admittedly, it's not a lot of fun to talk about chronic wasting disease (CWD) and its negative impact on deer populations, hunting, and overall wildlife conservation. That doesn't mean there are no bright spots, however, and our guests on this episode provide some hope in the form of improved testing methodologies to detect the disease. Our hosts are joined by Dr. Michelle Gibison and Dr. Jennifer Hoy-Petersen from the Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and the Wildlife Futures Program to talk about the history of CWD testing, the progress made, and the positive signs toward even better techniques. While most questions about CWD only lead to more questions, progress is being made that will have a direct positive impact for deer and hunters. Episode Sponsor: First Lite   Important Links PennVet Pennsylvania Wildlife Futures Program Follow Nick Pinizzotto on Instagram Follow Mike Groman on Instagram Music by Bensound   Subscribe to the Podcast on: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify iHeartRadio Stitcher   About the National Deer Association The National Deer Association (NDA) is a non-profit deer conservation group that works to ensure the future of wild deer, wildlife habitat and hunting. Thank you for subscribing to our podcast! Support NDA's mission by becoming a member today. NDA has the highest ranking from Charity Navigator, an independent group that monitors non-profits for financial efficiency and effectiveness. Learn more about deer and deer hunting in our weekly, free e-newsletter. Follow us on our other channels: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Through the years the most frequently asked question centers around why someone should forgive another who is not in their eyes deserving of it. Admittedly it is difficult to do. Especially if they reject your offer right out of the chute. Perhaps you were beaten as a child, or spouse or otherwise physically or sexually abused as a child or some other heinous act. The list is long and I don't have room to list all the depravity of the world here, but you get the drift . . . https://www.wordsfortheday.com/2024/04/to-forgive-or-not-to-forgive-2/

In this week's episode, we take a look at eight pieces of writing advice from famous writers. I also discuss why I decided to change the name of my SEVENFOLD SWORD ONLINE series to STEALTH & SPELLS ONLINE. To celebrate the release of GHOST IN THE VEILS, let's get caught up with some of Caina's older adventures in the GHOST NIGHT series. This coupon code will get you 25% off any of the GHOST NIGHT ebooks at my Payhip store: SPRINGNIGHT The coupon is valid through April 16th, 2024. So if you're looking for some spring reading, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 194 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is March the 28th, 2024 and today we are talking about eight pieces of writing advice from famous writers and what I think of those pieces of writing advice. So it should be an interesting show. Before we get to our other topics, let's have Coupon of the Week. To celebrate the release of Ghost in the Veils, let's get caught up with some of Caina's older adventures in the Ghost Night series. This coupon code will get you 25% off any of the Ghost Night ebooks at my Payhip Store:  SPRINGNIGHT and that is SPRINGNIGHT. And of course that will be in the show notes, along the link to the Ghost Night ebooks on my Payhip store. This coupon code is valid through April 16th, 2024, so if you're looking for some spring reading, we have got you covered. Let's have an update on my current writing projects. As we mentioned with the Coupon of the Week, Ghost in the Veils is done, it is out, and selling briskly. Thank you for that, everyone. You can get it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Google Play, Apple Books, Smashwords, and Payhip. The reviews so far have been good, and it's been selling briskly. So thank you everyone for that. Now that that is done, my next main project will be Wizard-Thief, the second book in the Half-Elven Thief series, and I am in fact almost done with that. I'm on Chapter 11 of 12 though it might turn out to be 14 chapters in the edit. I would in fact be finishing it tomorrow, but I am taking the weekend off for Easter so hopefully I will get the rough draft wrapped up in the first week of April and the book out and available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited before the end of April. After Wizard-Thief is out, my next two main projects will be Cloak of Titans (I am 17,000 words into that) and then Shield of Darkness, the sequel to of the sequel to Shield of Storms from earlier in the year. In audiobook news, the Half-Elven Thief audiobook is done and I'm pleased to report it was narrated excellently by Leanne Woodward (the first book she has narrated for me). That should be available in the next couple of weeks at all the audiobook stores. Recording will start in a few weeks for the audiobook version of Ghost in the Veils, and that will also be excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy. 00:02:20 Question of the Week/Title Change to the Sevenfold Sword Online Series Before we get to our main topic, we will do Question the Week and then an update on my books formerly known as Sevenfold Sword Online. Our Question of the Week was: what is your all-time favorite video game, like the one you keep coming to back play at to play again and again across decades? No wrong answers obviously and we had some good comments on this. Todd said, well, this is an easy one. Diablo and then Lands of Lore. Patrick Stewart really did give the King Richard character gravitas. Sam says Final Fantasy 14, an MMO with an amazing story and an amazing community. Justin says World of Warcraft, though I'm not very good at anything but the Auction House and Conquest of the New World, a DOS turn based strategy game I've played for 30 years now. For myself, I think I might be one of the few people who have played computer games in my generation who never played World of Warcraft. I spent a lot of time supporting it and fixing computers that broke when they tried to run World of Warcraft, but I never actually have played it. Pamela says, I play Lord of the Rings Online every day with my husband. I occasionally go back to Age of Empires. Ross Logan says Morrowind, though TIE Fighter is pretty solid also. For myself, I have played both TIE Fighter and Morrowind and thought they were both great, great games. Jay says XCOM 2: War of the Chosen. John says, played the old Wizardry series in the early ‘80s fanatically. I've played Eve Online since 2006, but lately I just refuel alliance stations. Also used to play a lot of the real time strategy Warcraft and StarCraft games, Age of Empires, Homeward, and also the first Diablo. Becca says the Mass Effect trilogy for me. Michael says, I spent a lot of hours on Skyrim, played it on PS3, 4, and 5, but spent even more time on Final Fantasy 14. They keep adding more DLCs with the newest one and the whole new storyline coming at the end of June. Ultimately, the whole Final Fantasy franchise has been my favorite ever since about 1990. I can relate with Michael there because I have played Skyrim on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox, but I've only actually beaten it on Switch and Xbox, never on PC. Brandy says all the Diablo games I don't have the hand eye coordination or computer to play much these days. My partner is much more game-oriented, from tabletop to 40K to Fallout, and Franken Fallout. I read a lot, which I suppose works out. As a writer, I support that! Jason says Dragon Quest 9 on 3DS is my ultimate going back to game. I'm waiting for port remaster, aiming to be able to play it somewhere than other on that tiny 3DS screen. Justin says Elden Ring. Before Elden Ring came out, it was probably Diablo 2. Yogi says Skyrim, can't get enough, want a new version come out. Had to get into New World to satisfy that need. Mike says I have not played as much over the last few years, but I enjoyed the Diablo series. A different Michael says, some epic answers here already. Morrowind is my all-time favorite, but not because I keep going back to it. In fact, the opposite. The game moved and impressed me so much that I've never played it again as to not dim the memory with repetition. Also, the old Infocom text adventures, Zork III in particular. For games I keep going back to, probably Master of Magic, Medieval 2: Total War, and Lord of the Rings Online. Rhion says, Master of Magic. I still have my DOS diskettes for it! For myself, I think it comes down to a toss-up between two titles. The oldest one is Master of Magic from 1994, though I think the remake from 2022 is a worthy successor. Admittedly, the 2022 remake took a bunch of patches to get there, but in the original form from 1994, the game also required many patches, so it's just continuing the legacy of the original game. The newer one is Skyrim, which as I mentioned, I've been playing on and off since 2011 and even though I finally beat the main campaign during COVID in 2020, I still keep coming back to the game. Though if we are measuring by the length of time I've been coming back to the game, Master of Magic wins since I first played that in 1994 and Skyrim was first in 2011. A semi-important announcement: I have decided to rename the Sevenfold Sword Online series to the Stealth and Spells Online series. The motivation for this decision came from the many, many, many emails I have received asking where Sevenfold Sword Online fit in between Dragontiarna, or Sevenfold Sword, or if the Calliande Arban NPC in the books will turn out to be the real Calliande Arban from Frostborn. And the answer to all these questions is no, of course not. Sevenfold Sword Online is something totally different than the Frostborn epic fantasy series. It's a LitRPG series with many science fiction elements. The premise is that 700 years in the future, an evil corporation made a virtual reality MMORPG game based on my Frostborn books and a former developer sets out to expose the evil corporation from within by playing the game. It's not part of Frostborn or the other Andomhaim series, but all this confusion is not the reader's fault. It's my fault. By naming it Sevenfold Sword Online, I think I set the table wrong, so to speak. What do I mean by setting the table wrong? Imagine that you sit down to a meal. The tablecloth is the red and white pattern traditionally associated with Italian restaurants. On the table you see a shaker of garlic salt and another of Parmesan cheese. Next to your plate is a pizza cutter, and in front of it is a basket of garlic breadsticks. Your beverage is in one of those red plastic cups that Pizza Hut had back in the ‘90s. Naturally, you're expecting the waiter to bring out a pizza. Instead, the waiter brings out a plate with carne asada tacos and lime and jalapeno tortilla chips. You're going to be very confused. Why is there a pizza cutter next to your plate if you're having tacos? I mean, they could potentially be the best tacos in the history of Mexican cuisine, but it's still weird because you sat down and everything indicated that you were about to get a pizza. By naming the LitRPG series Sevenfold Sword Online, I think I set the table wrong and created incorrect expectations that it was actually part of the main Frostborn, Sevenfold Sword, Dragontiarna, Dragonskull, and the Shield War series. It probably also kneecapped sales for the series, since people assumed it was part of Sevenfold Sword. Therefore, Sevenfold Sword Online has been renamed to the Stealth and Spells Online series. Hopefully this will be a better indicator of what kind of book it really is. Now after talking about all of that, I really want some tacos. 00:08:58 Main Topic: Eight Pieces of Advice from Famous Authors So let's look at eight piece of advice from famous authors and see what I think about them and if I agree with them or not. The first one is from Robert Cormier, who says “the beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time unlike, say, a brain surgeon.” I would definitely agree with that. For instance, when I published Ghost in the Veils, I forgot that in the first book I said that Calliope's eyes were green and in the second book her eyes were suddenly dark and reader Juanna pointed that out. So I made sure to go back and quickly change the color of Calliope's eyes to the correct green color in Ghost in the Veils. But you know, a little annoying to make that mistake. It's not a big deal, whereas if you make a mistake in brain surgery, that is pretty much a one and done situation. Our second piece of writing advice is from George Orwell, who of course wrote 1984 and Animal Farm and other classics of dystopian fiction. He says, “writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness.” I think that applies more to authors who are traditionally published than indies, because I've never found writing a book to be objectively painful. It helps to have perspective. I mean, I used to spend eight hours a day unloading trucks. That got painful, especially when it happened to be 100° out in the summer. By contrast, when I write a book, I'm sitting in my office chair pressing buttons on a keyboard. That is objectively less painful, and I suppose the like the mistake I mentioned earlier about Calliope's eye color would have been more painful if it was traditionally published and I couldn't just change it myself as opposed to if it was traditionally published and then, well, that's it. It's going to be that way forever now. So I think that writing in general is less painful for indies than it is for the traditionally published. Our third piece of writing advice is from Margaret Atwood. She says, “If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” That is also very true. As we mentioned earlier, you definitely don't have to worry about your rough draft being perfect. You just got to get it on the page and then I would also suggest you don't have to worry about your final draft being perfect. You have to worry about being good enough and get it to the point where it is good enough because perfection does not exist in this world. Our fourth piece of advice comes from Stephen King, who says, “Good fiction almost always starts with the story and progresses to theme. It almost never starts with the theme and progresses to story.” If you swap out the word story for conflict, I definitely agree with that because I know some writers tend to worry a great deal about what is my book going to be about when I think instead they should be worrying about what's the conflict in my book going to be and how is that conflict get resolved? Our fifth piece of radio advice is from Elmore Leonard. He says, “Cut all the parts people will skip.” I agree with that very much. The tricky part is learning what the parts that people skip are going to be. So overall you want your book to be not boring and you want to cut out as many of the boring parts as is physically possible to do so. Our six piece of advice is from Neil Gaiman, who says simply, “Finish things.” That is very good advice because I've noticed that a trouble many new and starting out face is actually finishing the books and I often say that when a new writer says, do I need to be working on, you know, my website or my mailing list or my social media or all that? I say no, the best thing to learn how to do is to finish a book, because that is a skill that will serve you well for the entirety of your writing career. If you can't finish the book, then there's no point in having the social media and the website and the mailing list and all that. So learning to finish things is the vital skill for any writer. Our seventh piece of writing advice is from Harper Lee, who said, “I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent, he would be wise to develop a thick hide.” There is also good advice, especially considering she wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, which when it came out engendered a fair bit of unfair criticism for her. It is definitely important to have a thick hide when you are a writer. We've all seen the news reports of a writer who gets a bad review on Goodreads and flips out and melts down on Twitter. Or, in the worst cases, drives across the country to confront the reviewer in person. That is always a bad idea, do not do that. The trick to deal with any kind of criticism, especially online criticism, is to just not respond to it. The Internet criticism cycle tends to have a very short attention span, and so if you just wait it out, eventually some other bright shiny object will capture people's attention and that will be that. So the best way to cultivate a thick hide in the in the era of the Internet and Twitter and social media and all that is to learn to not to respond to things. Our eighth and final piece of advice comes from Kurt Vonnegut, who says, “No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them in order that the reader may see what they are made of.” That ties in with our earlier talk about conflict and that is how you indeed see what your characters are made of and how you find the bones of your story. What is the conflict and how will the conflict test and put the characters to the trial and how will the characters grow, develop, and change as a result of the trial to which they have been subjected? If you want your characters to have a happy ending, they have to suffer for it first. So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful and a quick note of thanks to my transcriptionist for helping me to pull together the quotes for this episode. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes on https://thepulpwritershow.com, many with transcripts. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave your review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.

 My girlfriend and her sister play dueling practical jokes on me.By TruthWithaTwist. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories."Sisters before Misters. It's the golden rule." Tara declared."Thank goodness you're hot" I joked, "Because that may be the most fucked-up and lamest thing anyone has ever said to me." With that, we started laughing and settled in for the rest of the drive.We got to the resort and it was everything we expected. It was a cheesy resort built for "romance weekends". They did a have a "lodge restaurant" and because it was off-season, we had no problem getting our choice of cabins and were told to come down the restaurant at any time.The guy working the front desk told us that the hot tub on the deck was usable, but suggested that we turn the heat on before dinner if we wanted to use it later. He also mentioned the romance package and asked if he could have it delivered while we dined. He said all of this unironically and without embarrassment.We made the short walk down a path to our cabin and were thrilled with what we found. It was roomy, with an oversized king bed. It had a glossy wooden floor that led to a loveseat, and two chairs that gathered by a large gas fireplace. The bed itself was a wonder to behold. A crimson bedspread was stretched across it. 6 stark white pillows were stacked at the top of the bed with a sort of long, red ribbon holding them all together. The bed itself was made of a wooden frame with large headboard.Just to the right of the bed, was a sliding glass door that went to the enclosed deck and the hot tub. The hot tub faced the lake but was still enclosed by the walls of the deck. There were instructions on the wall, and I got the heater for the hot tub started. As I was getting my bearings, the room behind me went dark for a split-second and suddenly was bathed in red."BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA" said Tara as she started playing with the light switches on a bedstand. One switch bathed the room in red. The next started a sort of "disco-light" effect. Button 3 I ~think~ was light romance...as pastel circles, and blobs sort of migrated across the walls and ceiling."What's that last switchy-thing?" I asked. Tara flipped a switch and we heard a "whirring" motion. From the bottom of the bed, a panel came up revealing a bed-width mirror."Oh, well of course it is!" We both burst into laughter. I tackled Tara and we spilled on to the bed making out and making up for lost time. Hands started to wander. She started to rub my crotch through my jeans, I was working my way up her shirt. As we took a quick pause, I spoke up."Babe. This place is amazing and I want nothing more than to fuck you right now, but I'm starving!!!! Can we go eat and then we have all night to experience the Adventureland theme park in our room?""Absolutely". Tara went into the bathroom to freshen up. For the first time, I reached into my back pocket and found the money Henry had given me. I counted out five crisp $100 bills and was suddenly looking forward to a great meal.We threw our coats back on and walked over the restaurant. We gave the waiter our "dinner coupon" and placed our order. For a half-full resort, in the middle of nowhere, with a porn set for a cottage, the meal was surprisingly good. We started with a Manhattan and a Martini and thanks to the money Henry had slipped me, we splurged on an expensive bottle of wine. We ate and drank and ordered a bottle of Prosecco to take back to the room as we left the restaurant.We stumbled back to our room and keyed back in. On the coffee table was what looked like a large rectangular box of chocolates. Upon opening it, we found out it was our romance package. There were a number of "adult' items, all discretely packaged and wrapped inside. Like a kid on Christmas, Tara began opening each one."Oh! Ok. Cherry flavored lube. That's kinda fun. Next, "Tickle her pink" arousal crème. Alrighty. We've got an Aqua-vibe! Some silicone cock rings. Massage Oil. And.." Tara then held up with great pride.... "A blindfold mask!" For the next few minutes we laughed and opened everything. Slowly, though, the mood went from humorous to sexy. We started to smell, taste and feel everything in the box. Tara got the ball rolling."Why don't I grab those robes, you grab the vibe & the Prosecco and I'll meet you in the hot tub."I stripped down to my boxers and opened the Prosecco. Tara came out wrapped in a robe, holding some towels and handed me the other robe. We opened the sliding door and I lifted the cover off the hot tub. The cold air made the hot tub seem that much hotter, but we slowly lowered ourselves in with a number of "ohs" and "ahs" until we got comfortable,As we soaked and sipped the Prosecco, the stress of the day melted away. Our hands kept wandering, gently touching and stroking each other under the bubbles. Slowly, we started kissing. It was sensual, and exploratory. I started cupping one of her breasts while she started stroking my cock and balls. As our arousal grew, Tara whispered, "Did you bring that vibe?"I reached up and grabbed the small vibe off the edge of the tub. It looked like a small blue insect -- 3 inches long with two antennae at one end. Once the vibe was turned on, the antennae started to shake and vibrate. I moved the toy under the water and started using them on her nipples that were just under the surface. Tara moaned slightly and let her head loll back onto the deck's edge. I continued going back and forth between her nipples while I gently nuzzled and kissed her exposed neck. When I thought she was ready, I had the vibe work it's way down her ribcage, eliciting a giggle. The giggling stopped when I reached her crotch. I gently pushed her legs apart and started working the vibe over her clit.. It wasn't a toy that was meant for insertion, so I figured out a way to maintain my grip with my thumb and two fingers while inserting my ring and pinkie fingers slightly insider her. It all had the desired effect. Within a few minutes, I started to see the familiar red blotches on her shoulders and cheeks, telling me she was close. I kept up the motions until she started to come.The waters started to splash as Tara's hips flexed and shook. "Uh........uh.....yes.......fuck.........don't.........keep.......yes......fuck......ah"I moved the vibe away and let Tara catch her breath. As she started to come down from her high, she said, "Let's go inside and I can return the favor." We got out, jumped into our robes, and went inside."Lay some clean towels down in front of the fire." I followed her instructions and watched her grab the flavored lube. "Now, lay down."I laid on my back by the fire and kept my eyes on Tara's amazing body. Her tits were still moist from the hot tub & her pussy swollen from her recent orgasm. As she stepped toward me, she opened the Cherry lube and began spreading it over her pussy. Once she was sufficiently covered, she took two fingers and started spreading it inside herself. She came over to me, poured a palmful of the fluid into her hand and started rubbing it up and down my erect cock. Once she was satisfied, she swung her legs over my head and pushed her cherry covered cunt on to my face. I took the hint and began licking and sucking. Tara wasted no time as she dropped down on to my cock and began licking off the lube. I was trying hard to breathe while still focusing on licking my way up and down her outer lips. As I worked my way around, I would shift up and gently start licking her clit. Every time I did, I noticed that her efforts on my cock increased. Figuring out that increasing her pleasure could increase my own -- I took my tongue and drove it as far into her pussy as a I could.It had the desired effect. Tara moaned around my cock and drove her mouth down to my balls. I could feel her tongue licking my shaft as she sucked down on my entire length. It quickly became too much for me. I grabbed down on her ass and pulled her pussy into my mouth. I latched onto her clit creating a vacuum suction while I rapidly licked it with the tip of my tongue. Tara's hips began to shake and she moaned even more. The moaning around my cock was like a tight, vibrating sheath that sent me over the edge. I exploded into her mouth and heard a cacophony of noises. My own moans, her moans, the sound of her gulping down the milky load, our combined mouths gasping for breath.....followed by two huge contented sighs.After getting her breath back, Tara spun herself around and settled into the crook of my arm & shoulder. We lay together, content and satiated. Then, slowly, we realized that our mouths were both covered in each others juices and cherry lube....and it was getting kind of gross. Tara told me to go clean off a bit. As I looked at the clock, I realized it was only 11:00, not 2am as I was expecting. I went into the bathroom, got some hot water running and soaked a washcloth in soap and the water. I washed off my face a few times until the combined stickiness was gone. Then, I got the sticky lube off my crotch as best I could. I was considering hopping in the shower real quick, when Tara started knocking on the door."You almost done? I gotta pee and brush my teeth.""Yup. Two seconds." I brushed my teeth and let my girlfriend by with a quick smack on the ass.I threw on my robe, poured some more Prosecco, and laid on the bed. Admittedly, between the drinks and wine at dinner, plus the Prosecco, I was still riding the line of "buzzed" and "drunk". Add in the sudden activity and I was worn out. "You mind if I turn on the TV, babe?""Not at all! I could use a little break" she yelled back through the bathroom door.I flipped around and found a cable show with an annoying couple trying to buy a 4-bedrrom house on 3 acres and a pool for $237K dollars. Tara came out, climbed onto the bed, and started playing around on her phone.After an episode and a half, I noticed Tara's hand was slowly snaking its way up my leg, under my robe. As she started stroking my cock, encouraging it back to life, she asked if I was ready for another round. I started to roll her over, until she put a hand on my chest."Nope. You've been amazing this weekend. For me, my family, now it's time you get your reward. But....you have to trust me.""Uh.....ok.""Seriously babe. Trust me." With that, she started taking my robe off my shoulders. Once I was naked, she put some pillows under my head and reached over the side of the bed. She grabbed the large ribbon that had been around the pillows and started tying my right wrist to the bed frame (Oh.....THAT'S why they have that ribbon....duh). She swung over me, and started tying my left wrist, so I was spread eagle with my arms. Tara then got up and went over the Romance box."I have to go in the bathroom and get ready. But before that, I want to get VERY ready." With that, she took a good dollup of the arousal gel and spread it over her clit and pussy lips. The reaction was instantaneous. "Oh fuck. That's amazing. It's heating up my pussy. Wow. I need to save this so I can get some more."With that, she went into the bathroom for a few minutes. Fortunately, I could still see Beth and Shawn complaining about the backsplash in the kitchen on the tv show, so I wasn't getting anxious. A few minutes later, Tara came back out with the robe on. "Sorry! For this part, we need one more thing."She walked over and hit the "red light" option on the bedstand. Next, off went the tv and up went the mirror."Babe, I hope you're coming right into bed. Because if you want to kill the mood....leaving me tied up to only stare at my red-bathed cock and balls....that'll do it.""Don't worry. I have a surprise for you, but I don't want you see anything yet. With that, she put the sleep mask over my eyes. I heard her shuffling around, her suitcase unzipping and the bathroom door closing, then something strange happened. I heard the latches on the front door open and I felt a blast of cold air. As goosebumps erupted on my body, I heard the door close and a pair of high heeled shoes walking across our floor. The bathroom door closed again and I thought I heard muffled voices.Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I heard the door open again and I heard Tara say, "OK. Babe, like I said, you did a lot for my entire family and here's your surprise." I then felt movement on the bed and someone straddling me.I felt a pair of wet panties rubbing across my cock. The more the pussy rubbed, the more the juices seemed to flow. All of a sudden, there was a slight shift and I felt Tara's pussy engulf my cock. It felt like Tara had pulled her panties to the side and was grinding her clit against me, while starting to ride my cock with fervor. I didn't remember her wearing panties when we crawled into bed and was surprised she put them back on just to have blindfolded sex.The fact that I couldn't see her and couldn't move my arms to reach out to her multiplied the sensations exponentially. Tara kept alternating her motions. She would slow down, then pick up speed, then she would just stop and grind for a minute. At one point, she just sat there on my cock, and I felt her long hair start to tickle my chest as she licked my nipples. Eventually she started to pick up speed, but she kept me on the edge of coming again and again. Just as I started to moan that I couldn't take much more, the mask was ripped from my face and I saw a sight I would never forget.My alcohol-affected eyes were still blurry, and the room bathed in red which made everything surreal-- but there was Lindsay, in her yellow skirt riding me. She had on her white top from the party, unbuttoned to her navel so I could see her chest and tits perfectly. Looking down into the mirror, I could see her black heels and sure enough, pulled to the side were the purple checkered panties. She was grinding on my cock, rubbing her clit against me while she pumped back and forth. Her long brown hair was down over her face, with her head bent forward and her hands on my chest. The similarities between her and Tara was insane. I felt my cock somehow get even harder which was magnified by the fact that her pussy was absolutely on fire.My still-buzzed mind was going a million miles a second as I tried to take in the crazy scene. My brain rocketed back to the "we share everything" statement at the bar. I thought about the door opening while I was blindfolded. Was this some sisterly April Fools prank going to another level? My eyes were searching the room, looking for Tara. Was she watching? Did Lindsay somehow lock her in the bathroom? Where did she go?Lindsey was riding me harder now, her pussy gripping my cock. She was so wet, I could feel her lubricating my cock with every thrust of her hips. The fluids were running down my balls as she kept grinding away. The heat coming out of her was like nothing I had ever felt before and I felt the cum building up in my balls. Lindsey was quiet but riding me harder when she leaned back, tossing her hair behind her and giving me an unobstructed view of her tits and tight body.That's when it hit me. For the first time, I was able to see the tell-tale red flush on her chest, shoulders and neck through the thin, white shirt."Babe....." I moaned."Mmmmmmm.....I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out." Tara said, "You like? Or is this too weird?""Untie me, now. I'll show you." Tara reached up and released the loops around my wrists. Once my hands were free, they went right to her top, ripping the white blouse open. Buttons flew everywhere and I mauled her tits as she increased her speed on me.All the build-up and activity caught up to us at the same time. Just as I started to feel my cock release itself deep inside her, Tara started some deep guttural moans that ran through her body. She trembled, moaned and started thrashing on my cock.If it weren't for the fact we were in a remote cabin, we would have woken every neighbor around us. Tara was screaming and digging her nails into my chest. I shot stream after stream of cum into her pussy, thrusting up trying to milk the most out of both of our orgasms.Tara collapsed on to my chest as we gathered our breath back. I started to shift so I could go to the bathroom when she stopped me."Hold on. I have to do one thing."Tara reached over to the nightstand and grabbed her phone. She wrapped her leg over my crotch and spread out her skirt a bit. She took what was left of her blouse and covered her exposed tits as she cuddled up against me. She aimed the camera into the mirror at the foot of the bed and snapped a picture.Once she was happy with her picture, I saw her send a text to Lindsey, "Meant to tell you I borrowed some of your clothes! Next time I'm home, I'll trade you for my black shirt back. April Fools!"She hit send, we both used the rest room and returned to the bed. Exhausted from everything, we both collapsed into a deep sleep.------------The first problem with a night of crazy, passionate sex in a romantic cabin, complete with toys, booze and bondage? Before you pass out, you don't think of things like pulling all the blinds and curtains closed. So, after the aforementioned night, I woke up the next morning with sunlight streaming into the room from multiple openings. I looked over to see Tara sprawled face down on the other side of the bed, but somehow she had found the sleep mask we had used the night before and she was using it for the intended reason -- to block out the light and get some sleep.I stumbled naked out of the bed, and started working my way around the room, trying to close as many of the blinds as I could. Even my best efforts resulted in the room being slightly darker, but nowhere near sleep-quality darkness. That's when I noticed the second problem with a passionate night in the cabin -- the leftover scents and smells.The room was filled with the sensory remnants of the night before, the burnt-out fireplace, cherry lubricant, lotions, stale prosecco, and of course, sex. I stumbled to the bathroom, relieved myself and wandered back to the bed. I picked up my phone to see that it was only 6:45 in the morning and flopped back into the bed, burying my head between some pillows to get some sleep.After what felt like only a few minutes, I felt Tara stirring next to me. I groaned and lifted my head to see that it was actually 9:30. My movements alerted Tara that I was awake and I heard her husky morning voice, "Morning, babe. Did I wake you?""No. I was up earlier but managed to get back to sleep. Did you happen to ask what time checkout is today?"Tara got out of bed and walked over the table where she had dropped our packet of information when we arrived. Her hair was a tousled mess, but I focused more on the movement of her ass as she walked across the room. From the bed, I could see her breasts lightly bounce as bent over to pick up the paperwork and walk back to the bed."Well, we missed breakfast. That ended at 9:00." she read as she sat down, "Checkout is at 11. I'm fine if we just want to pack up and hit the road, we can grab an early lunch on the way out. Tara then looked up at our reflection in the weird bed-mirror, "But first, I need to shower. Holy fuck, I'm a mess."She took her hand and gently rubbed the surface of her pussy. "I'm sore, too, but that arousal crème they gave us was unbelievable. I was on fire before you even touched me last night.""That was crazy, babe. What made you think of the whole 'dressing up like your sister' thing?" I asked."It's a long story and we have time in the car, I'll tell you the whole thing." Tara was still gently touching her pussy at this point. Not masterbating by any stretch, but just lazily running her hand over her mostly hairless crotch. "But I really do need a shower, I'm so sticky and gross right now." She glanced over and saw that even her slight movements were making me hard."Tell you what. We do have a little time and since we both need to clean up anyway, why don't you give me a minute or two and meet me in there?"With that, Tara jumped up and started walking toward the bathroom. Her ass seemed to have a little extra swagger as she glanced over her shoulder with a smirk, knowing I was going to be close behind her. I waited a few minutes as I heard the sink run, toilet flush and the shower start. I then made my way to the bathroom where I brushed my teeth to get rid of my morning breath and started toward the shower.Admittedly, for such a romantic room, the shower was pretty standard. It was slightly oversized, with a large glass door that faced the rest of the bathroom. Through the steamy glass, I could see Tara with her head leaning back into the water, letting the spray cascade down her head and body.I slid into the chamber behind her and started to run my hands up her sides to cup her tits. I moved her wet hair over her shoulder so I could start kissing the back of her neck as ground my cock against her ass. Tara slid forward a bit to let the hot water wash over me as she grabbed for the bar of soap in the soap dish."Here" she said, "wash my back." Tara handed me bar of soap and I used it to start washing her back. I built up a lather and worked my way back to her tits. I could feel her nipples tighten under the soap as ran my hands all over her chest. I kept building up more soapy bubbles and started to run one hand down toward her pussy."Babe, I can't. I'm still too sore from last night" she said as she grabbed my wrist and pulled it away from her sex. "Plus, I said you could wash my back." As Tara said it, she pushed back and gyrated her ass against my crotch.Taking the hint, I moved my hands to her back, but this time started working them lower. I used my slippery, soapy hands to massage and caress her ass cheeks. Thanks to our positioning, my cock was getting coated with the soap, too. I took my right hand and started to work my way into the cleft of her ass cheeks. As I started to brush my soapy fingers against Tara's puckered hole, she shifted her weight forward, extended her arms and leaned against the wall of the shower. This pressed her ass against me more and I used more soap to add lubrication to my cock and her hole. When we were both fully lubricated, I gripped my cock in my hand and started to press the head against her asshole.Tara and I were no strangers to anal play and thanks to the amount of soap we used, the head of my cock popped through her tight ring without much resistance. Whenever I slid into her ass, Tara would let loose with what I could only call a guttural moan and this time was no exception.Even though my cock had been sucked and fucked nearly raw the night before, the feeling of her tight ass wrapped around me was amazing. I didn't waste any time and started to thrust in and out of her ass, feeling the falling water splash over us while the wet sounds of flesh slapping together filled the room."Uggghhhh....fuck my ass babe. Make me your little ass whore." Whenever we had anal sex, Tara's sex drive would go into overdrive and she would go from lusty to slutty in seconds. With my slippery hands and the shower water, I was having a problem getting a good grip on her hips and we starting to slip in the shower."C'mon, Jason. Don't stop now. What happened, did I wear you out last night? You're not gonna go soft in my ass are you? Fuck me like you mean it. Dump your cum into my ass, baby."Tara's mouth and dirty talk sent me over the edge. I pulled my dick out of her ass with a pop and whipped open the shower door. I grabbed Tara's soaking wet body and lifted her up and out of the shower. As our feet hit the bathroom floor, I pushed her down on the ground so that she was laying flat with her naked body pressed against the tiles.I spread her ass cheeks one more time and thrusted into her. With the floor under her, I was able to fully work my entire length into her ass. Tara was grunting and moaning with every thrust of my cock. With the bathroom acting as an echo chamber, our cries were reflecting back on us and magnifying our every sound.Just as I felt Tara's body start to shake and tremble under me, I felt my cock start to explode in her. Wave after wave of hot cum poured into her ass. Tara was literally whimpering under me and for a minute I thought I was going to pass out. The explosion of my orgasm, the heat of the shower, and the steam filling the room all had my head spinning. I pulled my softening cock out of Tara's ass and opened the door to the bathroom, letting the cool air pour in. I sat against the doorframe as Tara continued to lay on the floor.After a few minutes, she began to stir. She picked herself up off the floor and got back into the shower. I reached over and wrapped a towel around my waist and started to clean up the room and pack our belongings. When Tara emerged from the shower, I hopped in to clean myself off.Once we were both showered and dressed, we grabbed our bags, checked out of the room and got back in the car. I could tell that Tara was exhausted and wasn't going to be much company on the ride back to school. I drove back, listening to the radio and Tara woke up as we were approaching our university."So, I have to ask" I said. "What was up with you and Lindsay and the outfits?"Tara chuckled, "I figured you weren't going to let that go. Lindsay has always been a tease around guys. As we both get older she gets some weird thrill out of teasing my boyfriends, but she never really does anything serious. Once though, a guy a was dating, Glen, tried to start feeling her up when I wasn't around. She told me and that was it for me and Glen."Every time I've spoken to her over the past month, she's talked about the whole April Fools weekend and that she would have to up her game with you. I thought wearing the blouse at the bar was it, but she went above and beyond. I will tell you, though, she came to me first thing the next day and told me you threw her out. And for the record, she wouldn't have let you fuck her. She would have pushed you to the point, then bailed.""Ok" I said, "But what about you last night wearing her outfit?""Oh! I was walking by the kitchen and saw her standing over you during the party, still teasing you. I was going to let her have it before we left, but when I saw her clothes crumpled up in her room after the party, I got a better idea."For once, I figured out a way to turn her little prank around on her and give you a bit of a treat at the same time. That's why I texted her that picture last night. Besides, you didn't seem to mind." she finished with a smirk."No" I said, "but next time, an even BETTER prank would be actually have your sister take your place, don't you think?"That earned me the final punch in the arm of the trip, the large bruise my souvenir of April Fools Day that year.By TruthWithaTwist for Literotica.

 My girlfriend and her sister play dueling practical jokes on me.By TruthWithaTwist. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories."Sisters before Misters. It's the golden rule." Tara declared."Thank goodness you're hot" I joked, "Because that may be the most fucked-up and lamest thing anyone has ever said to me." With that, we started laughing and settled in for the rest of the drive.We got to the resort and it was everything we expected. It was a cheesy resort built for "romance weekends". They did a have a "lodge restaurant" and because it was off-season, we had no problem getting our choice of cabins and were told to come down the restaurant at any time.The guy working the front desk told us that the hot tub on the deck was usable, but suggested that we turn the heat on before dinner if we wanted to use it later. He also mentioned the romance package and asked if he could have it delivered while we dined. He said all of this unironically and without embarrassment.We made the short walk down a path to our cabin and were thrilled with what we found. It was roomy, with an oversized king bed. It had a glossy wooden floor that led to a loveseat, and two chairs that gathered by a large gas fireplace. The bed itself was a wonder to behold. A crimson bedspread was stretched across it. 6 stark white pillows were stacked at the top of the bed with a sort of long, red ribbon holding them all together. The bed itself was made of a wooden frame with large headboard.Just to the right of the bed, was a sliding glass door that went to the enclosed deck and the hot tub. The hot tub faced the lake but was still enclosed by the walls of the deck. There were instructions on the wall, and I got the heater for the hot tub started. As I was getting my bearings, the room behind me went dark for a split-second and suddenly was bathed in red."BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA" said Tara as she started playing with the light switches on a bedstand. One switch bathed the room in red. The next started a sort of "disco-light" effect. Button 3 I ~think~ was light romance...as pastel circles, and blobs sort of migrated across the walls and ceiling."What's that last switchy-thing?" I asked. Tara flipped a switch and we heard a "whirring" motion. From the bottom of the bed, a panel came up revealing a bed-width mirror."Oh, well of course it is!" We both burst into laughter. I tackled Tara and we spilled on to the bed making out and making up for lost time. Hands started to wander. She started to rub my crotch through my jeans, I was working my way up her shirt. As we took a quick pause, I spoke up."Babe. This place is amazing and I want nothing more than to fuck you right now, but I'm starving!!!! Can we go eat and then we have all night to experience the Adventureland theme park in our room?""Absolutely". Tara went into the bathroom to freshen up. For the first time, I reached into my back pocket and found the money Henry had given me. I counted out five crisp $100 bills and was suddenly looking forward to a great meal.We threw our coats back on and walked over the restaurant. We gave the waiter our "dinner coupon" and placed our order. For a half-full resort, in the middle of nowhere, with a porn set for a cottage, the meal was surprisingly good. We started with a Manhattan and a Martini and thanks to the money Henry had slipped me, we splurged on an expensive bottle of wine. We ate and drank and ordered a bottle of Prosecco to take back to the room as we left the restaurant.We stumbled back to our room and keyed back in. On the coffee table was what looked like a large rectangular box of chocolates. Upon opening it, we found out it was our romance package. There were a number of "adult' items, all discretely packaged and wrapped inside. Like a kid on Christmas, Tara began opening each one."Oh! Ok. Cherry flavored lube. That's kinda fun. Next, "Tickle her pink" arousal crème. Alrighty. We've got an Aqua-vibe! Some silicone cock rings. Massage Oil. And.." Tara then held up with great pride.... "A blindfold mask!" For the next few minutes we laughed and opened everything. Slowly, though, the mood went from humorous to sexy. We started to smell, taste and feel everything in the box. Tara got the ball rolling."Why don't I grab those robes, you grab the vibe & the Prosecco and I'll meet you in the hot tub."I stripped down to my boxers and opened the Prosecco. Tara came out wrapped in a robe, holding some towels and handed me the other robe. We opened the sliding door and I lifted the cover off the hot tub. The cold air made the hot tub seem that much hotter, but we slowly lowered ourselves in with a number of "ohs" and "ahs" until we got comfortable,As we soaked and sipped the Prosecco, the stress of the day melted away. Our hands kept wandering, gently touching and stroking each other under the bubbles. Slowly, we started kissing. It was sensual, and exploratory. I started cupping one of her breasts while she started stroking my cock and balls. As our arousal grew, Tara whispered, "Did you bring that vibe?"I reached up and grabbed the small vibe off the edge of the tub. It looked like a small blue insect -- 3 inches long with two antennae at one end. Once the vibe was turned on, the antennae started to shake and vibrate. I moved the toy under the water and started using them on her nipples that were just under the surface. Tara moaned slightly and let her head loll back onto the deck's edge. I continued going back and forth between her nipples while I gently nuzzled and kissed her exposed neck. When I thought she was ready, I had the vibe work it's way down her ribcage, eliciting a giggle. The giggling stopped when I reached her crotch. I gently pushed her legs apart and started working the vibe over her clit.. It wasn't a toy that was meant for insertion, so I figured out a way to maintain my grip with my thumb and two fingers while inserting my ring and pinkie fingers slightly insider her. It all had the desired effect. Within a few minutes, I started to see the familiar red blotches on her shoulders and cheeks, telling me she was close. I kept up the motions until she started to come.The waters started to splash as Tara's hips flexed and shook. "Uh........uh.....yes.......fuck.........don't.........keep.......yes......fuck......ah"I moved the vibe away and let Tara catch her breath. As she started to come down from her high, she said, "Let's go inside and I can return the favor." We got out, jumped into our robes, and went inside."Lay some clean towels down in front of the fire." I followed her instructions and watched her grab the flavored lube. "Now, lay down."I laid on my back by the fire and kept my eyes on Tara's amazing body. Her tits were still moist from the hot tub & her pussy swollen from her recent orgasm. As she stepped toward me, she opened the Cherry lube and began spreading it over her pussy. Once she was sufficiently covered, she took two fingers and started spreading it inside herself. She came over to me, poured a palmful of the fluid into her hand and started rubbing it up and down my erect cock. Once she was satisfied, she swung her legs over my head and pushed her cherry covered cunt on to my face. I took the hint and began licking and sucking. Tara wasted no time as she dropped down on to my cock and began licking off the lube. I was trying hard to breathe while still focusing on licking my way up and down her outer lips. As I worked my way around, I would shift up and gently start licking her clit. Every time I did, I noticed that her efforts on my cock increased. Figuring out that increasing her pleasure could increase my own -- I took my tongue and drove it as far into her pussy as a I could.It had the desired effect. Tara moaned around my cock and drove her mouth down to my balls. I could feel her tongue licking my shaft as she sucked down on my entire length. It quickly became too much for me. I grabbed down on her ass and pulled her pussy into my mouth. I latched onto her clit creating a vacuum suction while I rapidly licked it with the tip of my tongue. Tara's hips began to shake and she moaned even more. The moaning around my cock was like a tight, vibrating sheath that sent me over the edge. I exploded into her mouth and heard a cacophony of noises. My own moans, her moans, the sound of her gulping down the milky load, our combined mouths gasping for breath.....followed by two huge contented sighs.After getting her breath back, Tara spun herself around and settled into the crook of my arm & shoulder. We lay together, content and satiated. Then, slowly, we realized that our mouths were both covered in each others juices and cherry lube....and it was getting kind of gross. Tara told me to go clean off a bit. As I looked at the clock, I realized it was only 11:00, not 2am as I was expecting. I went into the bathroom, got some hot water running and soaked a washcloth in soap and the water. I washed off my face a few times until the combined stickiness was gone. Then, I got the sticky lube off my crotch as best I could. I was considering hopping in the shower real quick, when Tara started knocking on the door."You almost done? I gotta pee and brush my teeth.""Yup. Two seconds." I brushed my teeth and let my girlfriend by with a quick smack on the ass.I threw on my robe, poured some more Prosecco, and laid on the bed. Admittedly, between the drinks and wine at dinner, plus the Prosecco, I was still riding the line of "buzzed" and "drunk". Add in the sudden activity and I was worn out. "You mind if I turn on the TV, babe?""Not at all! I could use a little break" she yelled back through the bathroom door.I flipped around and found a cable show with an annoying couple trying to buy a 4-bedrrom house on 3 acres and a pool for $237K dollars. Tara came out, climbed onto the bed, and started playing around on her phone.After an episode and a half, I noticed Tara's hand was slowly snaking its way up my leg, under my robe. As she started stroking my cock, encouraging it back to life, she asked if I was ready for another round. I started to roll her over, until she put a hand on my chest."Nope. You've been amazing this weekend. For me, my family, now it's time you get your reward. But....you have to trust me.""Uh.....ok.""Seriously babe. Trust me." With that, she started taking my robe off my shoulders. Once I was naked, she put some pillows under my head and reached over the side of the bed. She grabbed the large ribbon that had been around the pillows and started tying my right wrist to the bed frame (Oh.....THAT'S why they have that ribbon....duh). She swung over me, and started tying my left wrist, so I was spread eagle with my arms. Tara then got up and went over the Romance box."I have to go in the bathroom and get ready. But before that, I want to get VERY ready." With that, she took a good dollup of the arousal gel and spread it over her clit and pussy lips. The reaction was instantaneous. "Oh fuck. That's amazing. It's heating up my pussy. Wow. I need to save this so I can get some more."With that, she went into the bathroom for a few minutes. Fortunately, I could still see Beth and Shawn complaining about the backsplash in the kitchen on the tv show, so I wasn't getting anxious. A few minutes later, Tara came back out with the robe on. "Sorry! For this part, we need one more thing."She walked over and hit the "red light" option on the bedstand. Next, off went the tv and up went the mirror."Babe, I hope you're coming right into bed. Because if you want to kill the mood....leaving me tied up to only stare at my red-bathed cock and balls....that'll do it.""Don't worry. I have a surprise for you, but I don't want you see anything yet. With that, she put the sleep mask over my eyes. I heard her shuffling around, her suitcase unzipping and the bathroom door closing, then something strange happened. I heard the latches on the front door open and I felt a blast of cold air. As goosebumps erupted on my body, I heard the door close and a pair of high heeled shoes walking across our floor. The bathroom door closed again and I thought I heard muffled voices.Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I heard the door open again and I heard Tara say, "OK. Babe, like I said, you did a lot for my entire family and here's your surprise." I then felt movement on the bed and someone straddling me.I felt a pair of wet panties rubbing across my cock. The more the pussy rubbed, the more the juices seemed to flow. All of a sudden, there was a slight shift and I felt Tara's pussy engulf my cock. It felt like Tara had pulled her panties to the side and was grinding her clit against me, while starting to ride my cock with fervor. I didn't remember her wearing panties when we crawled into bed and was surprised she put them back on just to have blindfolded sex.The fact that I couldn't see her and couldn't move my arms to reach out to her multiplied the sensations exponentially. Tara kept alternating her motions. She would slow down, then pick up speed, then she would just stop and grind for a minute. At one point, she just sat there on my cock, and I felt her long hair start to tickle my chest as she licked my nipples. Eventually she started to pick up speed, but she kept me on the edge of coming again and again. Just as I started to moan that I couldn't take much more, the mask was ripped from my face and I saw a sight I would never forget.My alcohol-affected eyes were still blurry, and the room bathed in red which made everything surreal-- but there was Lindsay, in her yellow skirt riding me. She had on her white top from the party, unbuttoned to her navel so I could see her chest and tits perfectly. Looking down into the mirror, I could see her black heels and sure enough, pulled to the side were the purple checkered panties. She was grinding on my cock, rubbing her clit against me while she pumped back and forth. Her long brown hair was down over her face, with her head bent forward and her hands on my chest. The similarities between her and Tara was insane. I felt my cock somehow get even harder which was magnified by the fact that her pussy was absolutely on fire.My still-buzzed mind was going a million miles a second as I tried to take in the crazy scene. My brain rocketed back to the "we share everything" statement at the bar. I thought about the door opening while I was blindfolded. Was this some sisterly April Fools prank going to another level? My eyes were searching the room, looking for Tara. Was she watching? Did Lindsay somehow lock her in the bathroom? Where did she go?Lindsey was riding me harder now, her pussy gripping my cock. She was so wet, I could feel her lubricating my cock with every thrust of her hips. The fluids were running down my balls as she kept grinding away. The heat coming out of her was like nothing I had ever felt before and I felt the cum building up in my balls. Lindsey was quiet but riding me harder when she leaned back, tossing her hair behind her and giving me an unobstructed view of her tits and tight body.That's when it hit me. For the first time, I was able to see the tell-tale red flush on her chest, shoulders and neck through the thin, white shirt."Babe....." I moaned."Mmmmmmm.....I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out." Tara said, "You like? Or is this too weird?""Untie me, now. I'll show you." Tara reached up and released the loops around my wrists. Once my hands were free, they went right to her top, ripping the white blouse open. Buttons flew everywhere and I mauled her tits as she increased her speed on me.All the build-up and activity caught up to us at the same time. Just as I started to feel my cock release itself deep inside her, Tara started some deep guttural moans that ran through her body. She trembled, moaned and started thrashing on my cock.If it weren't for the fact we were in a remote cabin, we would have woken every neighbor around us. Tara was screaming and digging her nails into my chest. I shot stream after stream of cum into her pussy, thrusting up trying to milk the most out of both of our orgasms.Tara collapsed on to my chest as we gathered our breath back. I started to shift so I could go to the bathroom when she stopped me."Hold on. I have to do one thing."Tara reached over to the nightstand and grabbed her phone. She wrapped her leg over my crotch and spread out her skirt a bit. She took what was left of her blouse and covered her exposed tits as she cuddled up against me. She aimed the camera into the mirror at the foot of the bed and snapped a picture.Once she was happy with her picture, I saw her send a text to Lindsey, "Meant to tell you I borrowed some of your clothes! Next time I'm home, I'll trade you for my black shirt back. April Fools!"She hit send, we both used the rest room and returned to the bed. Exhausted from everything, we both collapsed into a deep sleep.------------The first problem with a night of crazy, passionate sex in a romantic cabin, complete with toys, booze and bondage? Before you pass out, you don't think of things like pulling all the blinds and curtains closed. So, after the aforementioned night, I woke up the next morning with sunlight streaming into the room from multiple openings. I looked over to see Tara sprawled face down on the other side of the bed, but somehow she had found the sleep mask we had used the night before and she was using it for the intended reason -- to block out the light and get some sleep.I stumbled naked out of the bed, and started working my way around the room, trying to close as many of the blinds as I could. Even my best efforts resulted in the room being slightly darker, but nowhere near sleep-quality darkness. That's when I noticed the second problem with a passionate night in the cabin -- the leftover scents and smells.The room was filled with the sensory remnants of the night before, the burnt-out fireplace, cherry lubricant, lotions, stale prosecco, and of course, sex. I stumbled to the bathroom, relieved myself and wandered back to the bed. I picked up my phone to see that it was only 6:45 in the morning and flopped back into the bed, burying my head between some pillows to get some sleep.After what felt like only a few minutes, I felt Tara stirring next to me. I groaned and lifted my head to see that it was actually 9:30. My movements alerted Tara that I was awake and I heard her husky morning voice, "Morning, babe. Did I wake you?""No. I was up earlier but managed to get back to sleep. Did you happen to ask what time checkout is today?"Tara got out of bed and walked over the table where she had dropped our packet of information when we arrived. Her hair was a tousled mess, but I focused more on the movement of her ass as she walked across the room. From the bed, I could see her breasts lightly bounce as bent over to pick up the paperwork and walk back to the bed."Well, we missed breakfast. That ended at 9:00." she read as she sat down, "Checkout is at 11. I'm fine if we just want to pack up and hit the road, we can grab an early lunch on the way out. Tara then looked up at our reflection in the weird bed-mirror, "But first, I need to shower. Holy fuck, I'm a mess."She took her hand and gently rubbed the surface of her pussy. "I'm sore, too, but that arousal crème they gave us was unbelievable. I was on fire before you even touched me last night.""That was crazy, babe. What made you think of the whole 'dressing up like your sister' thing?" I asked."It's a long story and we have time in the car, I'll tell you the whole thing." Tara was still gently touching her pussy at this point. Not masterbating by any stretch, but just lazily running her hand over her mostly hairless crotch. "But I really do need a shower, I'm so sticky and gross right now." She glanced over and saw that even her slight movements were making me hard."Tell you what. We do have a little time and since we both need to clean up anyway, why don't you give me a minute or two and meet me in there?"With that, Tara jumped up and started walking toward the bathroom. Her ass seemed to have a little extra swagger as she glanced over her shoulder with a smirk, knowing I was going to be close behind her. I waited a few minutes as I heard the sink run, toilet flush and the shower start. I then made my way to the bathroom where I brushed my teeth to get rid of my morning breath and started toward the shower.Admittedly, for such a romantic room, the shower was pretty standard. It was slightly oversized, with a large glass door that faced the rest of the bathroom. Through the steamy glass, I could see Tara with her head leaning back into the water, letting the spray cascade down her head and body.I slid into the chamber behind her and started to run my hands up her sides to cup her tits. I moved her wet hair over her shoulder so I could start kissing the back of her neck as ground my cock against her ass. Tara slid forward a bit to let the hot water wash over me as she grabbed for the bar of soap in the soap dish."Here" she said, "wash my back." Tara handed me bar of soap and I used it to start washing her back. I built up a lather and worked my way back to her tits. I could feel her nipples tighten under the soap as ran my hands all over her chest. I kept building up more soapy bubbles and started to run one hand down toward her pussy."Babe, I can't. I'm still too sore from last night" she said as she grabbed my wrist and pulled it away from her sex. "Plus, I said you could wash my back." As Tara said it, she pushed back and gyrated her ass against my crotch.Taking the hint, I moved my hands to her back, but this time started working them lower. I used my slippery, soapy hands to massage and caress her ass cheeks. Thanks to our positioning, my cock was getting coated with the soap, too. I took my right hand and started to work my way into the cleft of her ass cheeks. As I started to brush my soapy fingers against Tara's puckered hole, she shifted her weight forward, extended her arms and leaned against the wall of the shower. This pressed her ass against me more and I used more soap to add lubrication to my cock and her hole. When we were both fully lubricated, I gripped my cock in my hand and started to press the head against her asshole.Tara and I were no strangers to anal play and thanks to the amount of soap we used, the head of my cock popped through her tight ring without much resistance. Whenever I slid into her ass, Tara would let loose with what I could only call a guttural moan and this time was no exception.Even though my cock had been sucked and fucked nearly raw the night before, the feeling of her tight ass wrapped around me was amazing. I didn't waste any time and started to thrust in and out of her ass, feeling the falling water splash over us while the wet sounds of flesh slapping together filled the room."Uggghhhh....fuck my ass babe. Make me your little ass whore." Whenever we had anal sex, Tara's sex drive would go into overdrive and she would go from lusty to slutty in seconds. With my slippery hands and the shower water, I was having a problem getting a good grip on her hips and we starting to slip in the shower."C'mon, Jason. Don't stop now. What happened, did I wear you out last night? You're not gonna go soft in my ass are you? Fuck me like you mean it. Dump your cum into my ass, baby."Tara's mouth and dirty talk sent me over the edge. I pulled my dick out of her ass with a pop and whipped open the shower door. I grabbed Tara's soaking wet body and lifted her up and out of the shower. As our feet hit the bathroom floor, I pushed her down on the ground so that she was laying flat with her naked body pressed against the tiles.I spread her ass cheeks one more time and thrusted into her. With the floor under her, I was able to fully work my entire length into her ass. Tara was grunting and moaning with every thrust of my cock. With the bathroom acting as an echo chamber, our cries were reflecting back on us and magnifying our every sound.Just as I felt Tara's body start to shake and tremble under me, I felt my cock start to explode in her. Wave after wave of hot cum poured into her ass. Tara was literally whimpering under me and for a minute I thought I was going to pass out. The explosion of my orgasm, the heat of the shower, and the steam filling the room all had my head spinning. I pulled my softening cock out of Tara's ass and opened the door to the bathroom, letting the cool air pour in. I sat against the doorframe as Tara continued to lay on the floor.After a few minutes, she began to stir. She picked herself up off the floor and got back into the shower. I reached over and wrapped a towel around my waist and started to clean up the room and pack our belongings. When Tara emerged from the shower, I hopped in to clean myself off.Once we were both showered and dressed, we grabbed our bags, checked out of the room and got back in the car. I could tell that Tara was exhausted and wasn't going to be much company on the ride back to school. I drove back, listening to the radio and Tara woke up as we were approaching our university."So, I have to ask" I said. "What was up with you and Lindsay and the outfits?"Tara chuckled, "I figured you weren't going to let that go. Lindsay has always been a tease around guys. As we both get older she gets some weird thrill out of teasing my boyfriends, but she never really does anything serious. Once though, a guy a was dating, Glen, tried to start feeling her up when I wasn't around. She told me and that was it for me and Glen."Every time I've spoken to her over the past month, she's talked about the whole April Fools weekend and that she would have to up her game with you. I thought wearing the blouse at the bar was it, but she went above and beyond. I will tell you, though, she came to me first thing the next day and told me you threw her out. And for the record, she wouldn't have let you fuck her. She would have pushed you to the point, then bailed.""Ok" I said, "But what about you last night wearing her outfit?""Oh! I was walking by the kitchen and saw her standing over you during the party, still teasing you. I was going to let her have it before we left, but when I saw her clothes crumpled up in her room after the party, I got a better idea."For once, I figured out a way to turn her little prank around on her and give you a bit of a treat at the same time. That's why I texted her that picture last night. Besides, you didn't seem to mind." she finished with a smirk."No" I said, "but next time, an even BETTER prank would be actually have your sister take your place, don't you think?"That earned me the final punch in the arm of the trip, the large bruise my souvenir of April Fools Day that year.By TruthWithaTwist for Literotica.

 My girlfriend and her sister play dueling practical jokes on me. By TruthWithaTwist. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. "Sisters before Misters. It's the golden rule." Tara declared. "Thank goodness you're hot" I joked, "Because that may be the most fucked-up and lamest thing anyone has ever said to me." With that, we started laughing and settled in for the rest of the drive. [[MORE]] We got to the resort and it was everything we expected. It was a cheesy resort built for "romance weekends". They did a have a "lodge restaurant" and because it was off-season, we had no problem getting our choice of cabins and were told to come down the restaurant at any time. The guy working the front desk told us that the hot tub on the deck was usable, but suggested that we turn the heat on before dinner if we wanted to use it later. He also mentioned the romance package and asked if he could have it delivered while we dined. He said all of this unironically and without embarrassment. We made the short walk down a path to our cabin and were thrilled with what we found. It was roomy, with an oversized king bed. It had a glossy wooden floor that led to a loveseat, and two chairs that gathered by a large gas fireplace. The bed itself was a wonder to behold. A crimson bedspread was stretched across it. 6 stark white pillows were stacked at the top of the bed with a sort of long, red ribbon holding them all together. The bed itself was made of a wooden frame with large headboard. Just to the right of the bed, was a sliding glass door that went to the enclosed deck and the hot tub. The hot tub faced the lake but was still enclosed by the walls of the deck. There were instructions on the wall, and I got the heater for the hot tub started. As I was getting my bearings, the room behind me went dark for a split-second and suddenly was bathed in red. "BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA" said Tara as she started playing with the light switches on a bedstand. One switch bathed the room in red. The next started a sort of "disco-light" effect. Button 3 I ~think~ was light romance...as pastel circles, and blobs sort of migrated across the walls and ceiling. "What's that last switchy-thing?" I asked. Tara flipped a switch and we heard a "whirring" motion. From the bottom of the bed, a panel came up revealing a bed-width mirror. "Oh, well of course it is!" We both burst into laughter. I tackled Tara and we spilled on to the bed making out and making up for lost time. Hands started to wander. She started to rub my crotch through my jeans, I was working my way up her shirt. As we took a quick pause, I spoke up. "Babe. This place is amazing and I want nothing more than to fuck you right now, but I'm starving!!!! Can we go eat and then we have all night to experience the Adventureland theme park in our room?" "Absolutely". Tara went into the bathroom to freshen up. For the first time, I reached into my back pocket and found the money Henry had given me. I counted out five crisp $100 bills and was suddenly looking forward to a great meal. We threw our coats back on and walked over the restaurant. We gave the waiter our "dinner coupon" and placed our order. For a half-full resort, in the middle of nowhere, with a porn set for a cottage, the meal was surprisingly good. We started with a Manhattan and a Martini and thanks to the money Henry had slipped me, we splurged on an expensive bottle of wine. We ate and drank and ordered a bottle of Prosecco to take back to the room as we left the restaurant. We stumbled back to our room and keyed back in. On the coffee table was what looked like a large rectangular box of chocolates. Upon opening it, we found out it was our romance package. There were a number of "adult' items, all discretely packaged and wrapped inside. Like a kid on Christmas, Tara began opening each one. "Oh! Ok. Cherry flavored lube. That's kinda fun. Next, "Tickle her pink" arousal crème. Alrighty. We've got an Aqua-vibe! Some silicone cock rings. Massage Oil. And.." Tara then held up with great pride.... "A blindfold mask!" For the next few minutes we laughed and opened everything. Slowly, though, the mood went from humorous to sexy. We started to smell, taste and feel everything in the box. Tara got the ball rolling. "Why don't I grab those robes, you grab the vibe & the Prosecco and I'll meet you in the hot tub." I stripped down to my boxers and opened the Prosecco. Tara came out wrapped in a robe, holding some towels and handed me the other robe. We opened the sliding door and I lifted the cover off the hot tub. The cold air made the hot tub seem that much hotter, but we slowly lowered ourselves in with a number of "ohs" and "ahs" until we got comfortable, As we soaked and sipped the Prosecco, the stress of the day melted away. Our hands kept wandering, gently touching and stroking each other under the bubbles. Slowly, we started kissing. It was sensual, and exploratory. I started cupping one of her breasts while she started stroking my cock and balls. As our arousal grew, Tara whispered, "Did you bring that vibe?" I reached up and grabbed the small vibe off the edge of the tub. It looked like a small blue insect -- 3 inches long with two antennae at one end. Once the vibe was turned on, the antennae started to shake and vibrate. I moved the toy under the water and started using them on her nipples that were just under the surface. Tara moaned slightly and let her head loll back onto the deck's edge. I continued going back and forth between her nipples while I gently nuzzled and kissed her exposed neck. When I thought she was ready, I had the vibe work it's way down her ribcage, eliciting a giggle. The giggling stopped when I reached her crotch. I gently pushed her legs apart and started working the vibe over her clit.. It wasn't a toy that was meant for insertion, so I figured out a way to maintain my grip with my thumb and two fingers while inserting my ring and pinkie fingers slightly insider her. It all had the desired effect. Within a few minutes, I started to see the familiar red blotches on her shoulders and cheeks, telling me she was close. I kept up the motions until she started to come. The waters started to splash as Tara's hips flexed and shook. "Uh........uh.....yes.......fuck.........don't.........keep.......yes......fuck......ah" I moved the vibe away and let Tara catch her breath. As she started to come down from her high, she said, "Let's go inside and I can return the favor." We got out, jumped into our robes, and went inside. "Lay some clean towels down in front of the fire." I followed her instructions and watched her grab the flavored lube. "Now, lay down." I laid on my back by the fire and kept my eyes on Tara's amazing body. Her tits were still moist from the hot tub & her pussy swollen from her recent orgasm. As she stepped toward me, she opened the Cherry lube and began spreading it over her pussy. Once she was sufficiently covered, she took two fingers and started spreading it inside herself. She came over to me, poured a palmful of the fluid into her hand and started rubbing it up and down my erect cock. Once she was satisfied, she swung her legs over my head and pushed her cherry covered cunt on to my face. I took the hint and began licking and sucking. Tara wasted no time as she dropped down on to my cock and began licking off the lube. I was trying hard to breathe while still focusing on licking my way up and down her outer lips. As I worked my way around, I would shift up and gently start licking her clit. Every time I did, I noticed that her efforts on my cock increased. Figuring out that increasing her pleasure could increase my own -- I took my tongue and drove it as far into her pussy as a I could. It had the desired effect. Tara moaned around my cock and drove her mouth down to my balls. I could feel her tongue licking my shaft as she sucked down on my entire length. It quickly became too much for me. I grabbed down on her ass and pulled her pussy into my mouth. I latched onto her clit creating a vacuum suction while I rapidly licked it with the tip of my tongue. Tara's hips began to shake and she moaned even more. The moaning around my cock was like a tight, vibrating sheath that sent me over the edge. I exploded into her mouth and heard a cacophony of noises. My own moans, her moans, the sound of her gulping down the milky load, our combined mouths gasping for breath.....followed by two huge contented sighs. After getting her breath back, Tara spun herself around and settled into the crook of my arm & shoulder. We lay together, content and satiated. Then, slowly, we realized that our mouths were both covered in each others juices and cherry lube....and it was getting kind of gross. Tara told me to go clean off a bit. As I looked at the clock, I realized it was only 11:00, not 2am as I was expecting. I went into the bathroom, got some hot water running and soaked a washcloth in soap and the water. I washed off my face a few times until the combined stickiness was gone. Then, I got the sticky lube off my crotch as best I could. I was considering hopping in the shower real quick, when Tara started knocking on the door. "You almost done? I gotta pee and brush my teeth." "Yup. Two seconds." I brushed my teeth and let my girlfriend by with a quick smack on the ass. I threw on my robe, poured some more Prosecco, and laid on the bed. Admittedly, between the drinks and wine at dinner, plus the Prosecco, I was still riding the line of "buzzed" and "drunk". Add in the sudden activity and I was worn out. "You mind if I turn on the TV, babe?" "Not at all! I could use a little break" she yelled back through the bathroom door. I flipped around and found a cable show with an annoying couple trying to buy a 4-bedrrom house on 3 acres and a pool for $237K dollars. Tara came out, climbed onto the bed, and started playing around on her phone. After an episode and a half, I noticed Tara's hand was slowly snaking its way up my leg, under my robe. As she started stroking my cock, encouraging it back to life, she asked if I was ready for another round. I started to roll her over, until she put a hand on my chest. "Nope. You've been amazing this weekend. For me, my family, now it's time you get your reward. But....you have to trust me." "Uh.....ok." "Seriously babe. Trust me." With that, she started taking my robe off my shoulders. Once I was naked, she put some pillows under my head and reached over the side of the bed. She grabbed the large ribbon that had been around the pillows and started tying my right wrist to the bed frame (Oh.....THAT'S why they have that ribbon....duh). She swung over me, and started tying my left wrist, so I was spread eagle with my arms. Tara then got up and went over the Romance box. "I have to go in the bathroom and get ready. But before that, I want to get VERY ready." With that, she took a good dollup of the arousal gel and spread it over her clit and pussy lips. The reaction was instantaneous. "Oh fuck. That's amazing. It's heating up my pussy. Wow. I need to save this so I can get some more." With that, she went into the bathroom for a few minutes. Fortunately, I could still see Beth and Shawn complaining about the backsplash in the kitchen on the tv show, so I wasn't getting anxious. A few minutes later, Tara came back out with the robe on. "Sorry! For this part, we need one more thing." She walked over and hit the "red light" option on the bedstand. Next, off went the tv and up went the mirror. "Babe, I hope you're coming right into bed. Because if you want to kill the mood....leaving me tied up to only stare at my red-bathed cock and balls....that'll do it." "Don't worry. I have a surprise for you, but I don't want you see anything yet. With that, she put the sleep mask over my eyes. I heard her shuffling around, her suitcase unzipping and the bathroom door closing, then something strange happened. I heard the latches on the front door open and I felt a blast of cold air. As goosebumps erupted on my body, I heard the door close and a pair of high heeled shoes walking across our floor. The bathroom door closed again and I thought I heard muffled voices. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I heard the door open again and I heard Tara say, "OK. Babe, like I said, you did a lot for my entire family and here's your surprise." I then felt movement on the bed and someone straddling me. I felt a pair of wet panties rubbing across my cock. The more the pussy rubbed, the more the juices seemed to flow. All of a sudden, there was a slight shift and I felt Tara's pussy engulf my cock. It felt like Tara had pulled her panties to the side and was grinding her clit against me, while starting to ride my cock with fervor. I didn't remember her wearing panties when we crawled into bed and was surprised she put them back on just to have blindfolded sex. The fact that I couldn't see her and couldn't move my arms to reach out to her multiplied the sensations exponentially. Tara kept alternating her motions. She would slow down, then pick up speed, then she would just stop and grind for a minute. At one point, she just sat there on my cock, and I felt her long hair start to tickle my chest as she licked my nipples. Eventually she started to pick up speed, but she kept me on the edge of coming again and again. Just as I started to moan that I couldn't take much more, the mask was ripped from my face and I saw a sight I would never forget. My alcohol-affected eyes were still blurry, and the room bathed in red which made everything surreal-- but there was Lindsay, in her yellow skirt riding me. She had on her white top from the party, unbuttoned to her navel so I could see her chest and tits perfectly. Looking down into the mirror, I could see her black heels and sure enough, pulled to the side were the purple checkered panties. She was grinding on my cock, rubbing her clit against me while she pumped back and forth. Her long brown hair was down over her face, with her head bent forward and her hands on my chest. The similarities between her and Tara was insane. I felt my cock somehow get even harder which was magnified by the fact that her pussy was absolutely on fire. My still-buzzed mind was going a million miles a second as I tried to take in the crazy scene. My brain rocketed back to the "we share everything" statement at the bar. I thought about the door opening while I was blindfolded. Was this some sisterly April Fools prank going to another level? My eyes were searching the room, looking for Tara. Was she watching? Did Lindsay somehow lock her in the bathroom? Where did she go? Lindsey was riding me harder now, her pussy gripping my cock. She was so wet, I could feel her lubricating my cock with every thrust of her hips. The fluids were running down my balls as she kept grinding away. The heat coming out of her was like nothing I had ever felt before and I felt the cum building up in my balls. Lindsey was quiet but riding me harder when she leaned back, tossing her hair behind her and giving me an unobstructed view of her tits and tight body. That's when it hit me. For the first time, I was able to see the tell-tale red flush on her chest, shoulders and neck through the thin, white shirt. "Babe....." I moaned. "Mmmmmmm.....I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out." Tara said, "You like? Or is this too weird?" "Untie me, now. I'll show you." Tara reached up and released the loops around my wrists. Once my hands were free, they went right to her top, ripping the white blouse open. Buttons flew everywhere and I mauled her tits as she increased her speed on me. All the build-up and activity caught up to us at the same time. Just as I started to feel my cock release itself deep inside her, Tara started some deep guttural moans that ran through her body. She trembled, moaned and started thrashing on my cock. If it weren't for the fact we were in a remote cabin, we would have woken every neighbor around us. Tara was screaming and digging her nails into my chest. I shot stream after stream of cum into her pussy, thrusting up trying to milk the most out of both of our orgasms. Tara collapsed on to my chest as we gathered our breath back. I started to shift so I could go to the bathroom when she stopped me. "Hold on. I have to do one thing." Tara reached over to the nightstand and grabbed her phone. She wrapped her leg over my crotch and spread out her skirt a bit. She took what was left of her blouse and covered her exposed tits as she cuddled up against me. She aimed the camera into the mirror at the foot of the bed and snapped a picture. Once she was happy with her picture, I saw her send a text to Lindsey, "Meant to tell you I borrowed some of your clothes! Next time I'm home, I'll trade you for my black shirt back. April Fools!" She hit send, we both used the rest room and returned to the bed. Exhausted from everything, we both collapsed into a deep sleep. ------------ The first problem with a night of crazy, passionate sex in a romantic cabin, complete with toys, booze and bondage? Before you pass out, you don't think of things like pulling all the blinds and curtains closed. So, after the aforementioned night, I woke up the next morning with sunlight streaming into the room from multiple openings. I looked over to see Tara sprawled face down on the other side of the bed, but somehow she had found the sleep mask we had used the night before and she was using it for the intended reason -- to block out the light and get some sleep. I stumbled naked out of the bed, and started working my way around the room, trying to close as many of the blinds as I could. Even my best efforts resulted in the room being slightly darker, but nowhere near sleep-quality darkness. That's when I noticed the second problem with a passionate night in the cabin -- the leftover scents and smells. The room was filled with the sensory remnants of the night before, the burnt-out fireplace, cherry lubricant, lotions, stale prosecco, and of course, sex. I stumbled to the bathroom, relieved myself and wandered back to the bed. I picked up my phone to see that it was only 6:45 in the morning and flopped back into the bed, burying my head between some pillows to get some sleep. After what felt like only a few minutes, I felt Tara stirring next to me. I groaned and lifted my head to see that it was actually 9:30. My movements alerted Tara that I was awake and I heard her husky morning voice, "Morning, babe. Did I wake you?" "No. I was up earlier but managed to get back to sleep. Did you happen to ask what time checkout is today?" Tara got out of bed and walked over the table where she had dropped our packet of information when we arrived. Her hair was a tousled mess, but I focused more on the movement of her ass as she walked across the room. From the bed, I could see her breasts lightly bounce as bent over to pick up the paperwork and walk back to the bed. "Well, we missed breakfast. That ended at 9:00." she read as she sat down, "Checkout is at 11. I'm fine if we just want to pack up and hit the road, we can grab an early lunch on the way out. Tara then looked up at our reflection in the weird bed-mirror, "But first, I need to shower. Holy fuck, I'm a mess." She took her hand and gently rubbed the surface of her pussy. "I'm sore, too, but that arousal crème they gave us was unbelievable. I was on fire before you even touched me last night." "That was crazy, babe. What made you think of the whole 'dressing up like your sister' thing?" I asked. "It's a long story and we have time in the car, I'll tell you the whole thing." Tara was still gently touching her pussy at this point. Not masterbating by any stretch, but just lazily running her hand over her mostly hairless crotch. "But I really do need a shower, I'm so sticky and gross right now." She glanced over and saw that even her slight movements were making me hard. "Tell you what. We do have a little time and since we both need to clean up anyway, why don't you give me a minute or two and meet me in there?" With that, Tara jumped up and started walking toward the bathroom. Her ass seemed to have a little extra swagger as she glanced over her shoulder with a smirk, knowing I was going to be close behind her. I waited a few minutes as I heard the sink run, toilet flush and the shower start. I then made my way to the bathroom where I brushed my teeth to get rid of my morning breath and started toward the shower. Admittedly, for such a romantic room, the shower was pretty standard. It was slightly oversized, with a large glass door that faced the rest of the bathroom. Through the steamy glass, I could see Tara with her head leaning back into the water, letting the spray cascade down her head and body. I slid into the chamber behind her and started to run my hands up her sides to cup her tits. I moved her wet hair over her shoulder so I could start kissing the back of her neck as ground my cock against her ass. Tara slid forward a bit to let the hot water wash over me as she grabbed for the bar of soap in the soap dish. "Here" she said, "wash my back." Tara handed me bar of soap and I used it to start washing her back. I built up a lather and worked my way back to her tits. I could feel her nipples tighten under the soap as ran my hands all over her chest. I kept building up more soapy bubbles and started to run one hand down toward her pussy. "Babe, I can't. I'm still too sore from last night" she said as she grabbed my wrist and pulled it away from her sex. "Plus, I said you could wash my back." As Tara said it, she pushed back and gyrated her ass against my crotch. Taking the hint, I moved my hands to her back, but this time started working them lower. I used my slippery, soapy hands to massage and caress her ass cheeks. Thanks to our positioning, my cock was getting coated with the soap, too. I took my right hand and started to work my way into the cleft of her ass cheeks. As I started to brush my soapy fingers against Tara's puckered hole, she shifted her weight forward, extended her arms and leaned against the wall of the shower. This pressed her ass against me more and I used more soap to add lubrication to my cock and her hole. When we were both fully lubricated, I gripped my cock in my hand and started to press the head against her asshole. Tara and I were no strangers to anal play and thanks to the amount of soap we used, the head of my cock popped through her tight ring without much resistance. Whenever I slid into her ass, Tara would let loose with what I could only call a guttural moan and this time was no exception. Even though my cock had been sucked and fucked nearly raw the night before, the feeling of her tight ass wrapped around me was amazing. I didn't waste any time and started to thrust in and out of her ass, feeling the falling water splash over us while the wet sounds of flesh slapping together filled the room. "Uggghhhh....fuck my ass babe. Make me your little ass whore." Whenever we had anal sex, Tara's sex drive would go into overdrive and she would go from lusty to slutty in seconds. With my slippery hands and the shower water, I was having a problem getting a good grip on her hips and we starting to slip in the shower. "C'mon, Jason. Don't stop now. What happened, did I wear you out last night? You're not gonna go soft in my ass are you? Fuck me like you mean it. Dump your cum into my ass, baby." Tara's mouth and dirty talk sent me over the edge. I pulled my dick out of her ass with a pop and whipped open the shower door. I grabbed Tara's soaking wet body and lifted her up and out of the shower. As our feet hit the bathroom floor, I pushed her down on the ground so that she was laying flat with her naked body pressed against the tiles. I spread her ass cheeks one more time and thrusted into her. With the floor under her, I was able to fully work my entire length into her ass. Tara was grunting and moaning with every thrust of my cock. With the bathroom acting as an echo chamber, our cries were reflecting back on us and magnifying our every sound. Just as I felt Tara's body start to shake and tremble under me, I felt my cock start to explode in her. Wave after wave of hot cum poured into her ass. Tara was literally whimpering under me and for a minute I thought I was going to pass out. The explosion of my orgasm, the heat of the shower, and the steam filling the room all had my head spinning. I pulled my softening cock out of Tara's ass and opened the door to the bathroom, letting the cool air pour in. I sat against the doorframe as Tara continued to lay on the floor. After a few minutes, she began to stir. She picked herself up off the floor and got back into the shower. I reached over and wrapped a towel around my waist and started to clean up the room and pack our belongings. When Tara emerged from the shower, I hopped in to clean myself off. Once we were both showered and dressed, we grabbed our bags, checked out of the room and got back in the car. I could tell that Tara was exhausted and wasn't going to be much company on the ride back to school. I drove back, listening to the radio and Tara woke up as we were approaching our university. "So, I have to ask" I said. "What was up with you and Lindsay and the outfits?" Tara chuckled, "I figured you weren't going to let that go. Lindsay has always been a tease around guys. As we both get older she gets some weird thrill out of teasing my boyfriends, but she never really does anything serious. Once though, a guy a was dating, Glen, tried to start feeling her up when I wasn't around. She told me and that was it for me and Glen. "Every time I've spoken to her over the past month, she's talked about the whole April Fools weekend and that she would have to up her game with you. I thought wearing the blouse at the bar was it, but she went above and beyond. I will tell you, though, she came to me first thing the next day and told me you threw her out. And for the record, she wouldn't have let you fuck her. She would have pushed you to the point, then bailed." "Ok" I said, "But what about you last night wearing her outfit?" "Oh! I was walking by the kitchen and saw her standing over you during the party, still teasing you. I was going to let her have it before we left, but when I saw her clothes crumpled up in her room after the party, I got a better idea. "For once, I figured out a way to turn her little prank around on her and give you a bit of a treat at the same time. That's why I texted her that picture last night. Besides, you didn't seem to mind." she finished with a smirk. "No" I said, "but next time, an even BETTER prank would be actually have your sister take your place, don't you think?" That earned me the final punch in the arm of the trip, the large bruise my souvenir of April Fools Day that year. By TruthWithaTwist for Literotica.

 My girlfriend and her sister play dueling practical jokes on me. By TruthWithaTwist. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. "Sisters before Misters. It's the golden rule." Tara declared. "Thank goodness you're hot" I joked, "Because that may be the most fucked-up and lamest thing anyone has ever said to me." With that, we started laughing and settled in for the rest of the drive. [[MORE]] We got to the resort and it was everything we expected. It was a cheesy resort built for "romance weekends". They did a have a "lodge restaurant" and because it was off-season, we had no problem getting our choice of cabins and were told to come down the restaurant at any time. The guy working the front desk told us that the hot tub on the deck was usable, but suggested that we turn the heat on before dinner if we wanted to use it later. He also mentioned the romance package and asked if he could have it delivered while we dined. He said all of this unironically and without embarrassment. We made the short walk down a path to our cabin and were thrilled with what we found. It was roomy, with an oversized king bed. It had a glossy wooden floor that led to a loveseat, and two chairs that gathered by a large gas fireplace. The bed itself was a wonder to behold. A crimson bedspread was stretched across it. 6 stark white pillows were stacked at the top of the bed with a sort of long, red ribbon holding them all together. The bed itself was made of a wooden frame with large headboard. Just to the right of the bed, was a sliding glass door that went to the enclosed deck and the hot tub. The hot tub faced the lake but was still enclosed by the walls of the deck. There were instructions on the wall, and I got the heater for the hot tub started. As I was getting my bearings, the room behind me went dark for a split-second and suddenly was bathed in red. "BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA" said Tara as she started playing with the light switches on a bedstand. One switch bathed the room in red. The next started a sort of "disco-light" effect. Button 3 I ~think~ was light romance...as pastel circles, and blobs sort of migrated across the walls and ceiling. "What's that last switchy-thing?" I asked. Tara flipped a switch and we heard a "whirring" motion. From the bottom of the bed, a panel came up revealing a bed-width mirror. "Oh, well of course it is!" We both burst into laughter. I tackled Tara and we spilled on to the bed making out and making up for lost time. Hands started to wander. She started to rub my crotch through my jeans, I was working my way up her shirt. As we took a quick pause, I spoke up. "Babe. This place is amazing and I want nothing more than to fuck you right now, but I'm starving!!!! Can we go eat and then we have all night to experience the Adventureland theme park in our room?" "Absolutely". Tara went into the bathroom to freshen up. For the first time, I reached into my back pocket and found the money Henry had given me. I counted out five crisp $100 bills and was suddenly looking forward to a great meal. We threw our coats back on and walked over the restaurant. We gave the waiter our "dinner coupon" and placed our order. For a half-full resort, in the middle of nowhere, with a porn set for a cottage, the meal was surprisingly good. We started with a Manhattan and a Martini and thanks to the money Henry had slipped me, we splurged on an expensive bottle of wine. We ate and drank and ordered a bottle of Prosecco to take back to the room as we left the restaurant. We stumbled back to our room and keyed back in. On the coffee table was what looked like a large rectangular box of chocolates. Upon opening it, we found out it was our romance package. There were a number of "adult' items, all discretely packaged and wrapped inside. Like a kid on Christmas, Tara began opening each one. "Oh! Ok. Cherry flavored lube. That's kinda fun. Next, "Tickle her pink" arousal crème. Alrighty. We've got an Aqua-vibe! Some silicone cock rings. Massage Oil. And.." Tara then held up with great pride.... "A blindfold mask!" For the next few minutes we laughed and opened everything. Slowly, though, the mood went from humorous to sexy. We started to smell, taste and feel everything in the box. Tara got the ball rolling. "Why don't I grab those robes, you grab the vibe & the Prosecco and I'll meet you in the hot tub." I stripped down to my boxers and opened the Prosecco. Tara came out wrapped in a robe, holding some towels and handed me the other robe. We opened the sliding door and I lifted the cover off the hot tub. The cold air made the hot tub seem that much hotter, but we slowly lowered ourselves in with a number of "ohs" and "ahs" until we got comfortable, As we soaked and sipped the Prosecco, the stress of the day melted away. Our hands kept wandering, gently touching and stroking each other under the bubbles. Slowly, we started kissing. It was sensual, and exploratory. I started cupping one of her breasts while she started stroking my cock and balls. As our arousal grew, Tara whispered, "Did you bring that vibe?" I reached up and grabbed the small vibe off the edge of the tub. It looked like a small blue insect -- 3 inches long with two antennae at one end. Once the vibe was turned on, the antennae started to shake and vibrate. I moved the toy under the water and started using them on her nipples that were just under the surface. Tara moaned slightly and let her head loll back onto the deck's edge. I continued going back and forth between her nipples while I gently nuzzled and kissed her exposed neck. When I thought she was ready, I had the vibe work it's way down her ribcage, eliciting a giggle. The giggling stopped when I reached her crotch. I gently pushed her legs apart and started working the vibe over her clit.. It wasn't a toy that was meant for insertion, so I figured out a way to maintain my grip with my thumb and two fingers while inserting my ring and pinkie fingers slightly insider her. It all had the desired effect. Within a few minutes, I started to see the familiar red blotches on her shoulders and cheeks, telling me she was close. I kept up the motions until she started to come. The waters started to splash as Tara's hips flexed and shook. "Uh........uh.....yes.......fuck.........don't.........keep.......yes......fuck......ah" I moved the vibe away and let Tara catch her breath. As she started to come down from her high, she said, "Let's go inside and I can return the favor." We got out, jumped into our robes, and went inside. "Lay some clean towels down in front of the fire." I followed her instructions and watched her grab the flavored lube. "Now, lay down." I laid on my back by the fire and kept my eyes on Tara's amazing body. Her tits were still moist from the hot tub & her pussy swollen from her recent orgasm. As she stepped toward me, she opened the Cherry lube and began spreading it over her pussy. Once she was sufficiently covered, she took two fingers and started spreading it inside herself. She came over to me, poured a palmful of the fluid into her hand and started rubbing it up and down my erect cock. Once she was satisfied, she swung her legs over my head and pushed her cherry covered cunt on to my face. I took the hint and began licking and sucking. Tara wasted no time as she dropped down on to my cock and began licking off the lube. I was trying hard to breathe while still focusing on licking my way up and down her outer lips. As I worked my way around, I would shift up and gently start licking her clit. Every time I did, I noticed that her efforts on my cock increased. Figuring out that increasing her pleasure could increase my own -- I took my tongue and drove it as far into her pussy as a I could. It had the desired effect. Tara moaned around my cock and drove her mouth down to my balls. I could feel her tongue licking my shaft as she sucked down on my entire length. It quickly became too much for me. I grabbed down on her ass and pulled her pussy into my mouth. I latched onto her clit creating a vacuum suction while I rapidly licked it with the tip of my tongue. Tara's hips began to shake and she moaned even more. The moaning around my cock was like a tight, vibrating sheath that sent me over the edge. I exploded into her mouth and heard a cacophony of noises. My own moans, her moans, the sound of her gulping down the milky load, our combined mouths gasping for breath.....followed by two huge contented sighs. After getting her breath back, Tara spun herself around and settled into the crook of my arm & shoulder. We lay together, content and satiated. Then, slowly, we realized that our mouths were both covered in each others juices and cherry lube....and it was getting kind of gross. Tara told me to go clean off a bit. As I looked at the clock, I realized it was only 11:00, not 2am as I was expecting. I went into the bathroom, got some hot water running and soaked a washcloth in soap and the water. I washed off my face a few times until the combined stickiness was gone. Then, I got the sticky lube off my crotch as best I could. I was considering hopping in the shower real quick, when Tara started knocking on the door. "You almost done? I gotta pee and brush my teeth." "Yup. Two seconds." I brushed my teeth and let my girlfriend by with a quick smack on the ass. I threw on my robe, poured some more Prosecco, and laid on the bed. Admittedly, between the drinks and wine at dinner, plus the Prosecco, I was still riding the line of "buzzed" and "drunk". Add in the sudden activity and I was worn out. "You mind if I turn on the TV, babe?" "Not at all! I could use a little break" she yelled back through the bathroom door. I flipped around and found a cable show with an annoying couple trying to buy a 4-bedrrom house on 3 acres and a pool for $237K dollars. Tara came out, climbed onto the bed, and started playing around on her phone. After an episode and a half, I noticed Tara's hand was slowly snaking its way up my leg, under my robe. As she started stroking my cock, encouraging it back to life, she asked if I was ready for another round. I started to roll her over, until she put a hand on my chest. "Nope. You've been amazing this weekend. For me, my family, now it's time you get your reward. But....you have to trust me." "Uh.....ok." "Seriously babe. Trust me." With that, she started taking my robe off my shoulders. Once I was naked, she put some pillows under my head and reached over the side of the bed. She grabbed the large ribbon that had been around the pillows and started tying my right wrist to the bed frame (Oh.....THAT'S why they have that ribbon....duh). She swung over me, and started tying my left wrist, so I was spread eagle with my arms. Tara then got up and went over the Romance box. "I have to go in the bathroom and get ready. But before that, I want to get VERY ready." With that, she took a good dollup of the arousal gel and spread it over her clit and pussy lips. The reaction was instantaneous. "Oh fuck. That's amazing. It's heating up my pussy. Wow. I need to save this so I can get some more." With that, she went into the bathroom for a few minutes. Fortunately, I could still see Beth and Shawn complaining about the backsplash in the kitchen on the tv show, so I wasn't getting anxious. A few minutes later, Tara came back out with the robe on. "Sorry! For this part, we need one more thing." She walked over and hit the "red light" option on the bedstand. Next, off went the tv and up went the mirror. "Babe, I hope you're coming right into bed. Because if you want to kill the mood....leaving me tied up to only stare at my red-bathed cock and balls....that'll do it." "Don't worry. I have a surprise for you, but I don't want you see anything yet. With that, she put the sleep mask over my eyes. I heard her shuffling around, her suitcase unzipping and the bathroom door closing, then something strange happened. I heard the latches on the front door open and I felt a blast of cold air. As goosebumps erupted on my body, I heard the door close and a pair of high heeled shoes walking across our floor. The bathroom door closed again and I thought I heard muffled voices. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I heard the door open again and I heard Tara say, "OK. Babe, like I said, you did a lot for my entire family and here's your surprise." I then felt movement on the bed and someone straddling me. I felt a pair of wet panties rubbing across my cock. The more the pussy rubbed, the more the juices seemed to flow. All of a sudden, there was a slight shift and I felt Tara's pussy engulf my cock. It felt like Tara had pulled her panties to the side and was grinding her clit against me, while starting to ride my cock with fervor. I didn't remember her wearing panties when we crawled into bed and was surprised she put them back on just to have blindfolded sex. The fact that I couldn't see her and couldn't move my arms to reach out to her multiplied the sensations exponentially. Tara kept alternating her motions. She would slow down, then pick up speed, then she would just stop and grind for a minute. At one point, she just sat there on my cock, and I felt her long hair start to tickle my chest as she licked my nipples. Eventually she started to pick up speed, but she kept me on the edge of coming again and again. Just as I started to moan that I couldn't take much more, the mask was ripped from my face and I saw a sight I would never forget. My alcohol-affected eyes were still blurry, and the room bathed in red which made everything surreal-- but there was Lindsay, in her yellow skirt riding me. She had on her white top from the party, unbuttoned to her navel so I could see her chest and tits perfectly. Looking down into the mirror, I could see her black heels and sure enough, pulled to the side were the purple checkered panties. She was grinding on my cock, rubbing her clit against me while she pumped back and forth. Her long brown hair was down over her face, with her head bent forward and her hands on my chest. The similarities between her and Tara was insane. I felt my cock somehow get even harder which was magnified by the fact that her pussy was absolutely on fire. My still-buzzed mind was going a million miles a second as I tried to take in the crazy scene. My brain rocketed back to the "we share everything" statement at the bar. I thought about the door opening while I was blindfolded. Was this some sisterly April Fools prank going to another level? My eyes were searching the room, looking for Tara. Was she watching? Did Lindsay somehow lock her in the bathroom? Where did she go? Lindsey was riding me harder now, her pussy gripping my cock. She was so wet, I could feel her lubricating my cock with every thrust of her hips. The fluids were running down my balls as she kept grinding away. The heat coming out of her was like nothing I had ever felt before and I felt the cum building up in my balls. Lindsey was quiet but riding me harder when she leaned back, tossing her hair behind her and giving me an unobstructed view of her tits and tight body. That's when it hit me. For the first time, I was able to see the tell-tale red flush on her chest, shoulders and neck through the thin, white shirt. "Babe....." I moaned. "Mmmmmmm.....I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out." Tara said, "You like? Or is this too weird?" "Untie me, now. I'll show you." Tara reached up and released the loops around my wrists. Once my hands were free, they went right to her top, ripping the white blouse open. Buttons flew everywhere and I mauled her tits as she increased her speed on me. All the build-up and activity caught up to us at the same time. Just as I started to feel my cock release itself deep inside her, Tara started some deep guttural moans that ran through her body. She trembled, moaned and started thrashing on my cock. If it weren't for the fact we were in a remote cabin, we would have woken every neighbor around us. Tara was screaming and digging her nails into my chest. I shot stream after stream of cum into her pussy, thrusting up trying to milk the most out of both of our orgasms. Tara collapsed on to my chest as we gathered our breath back. I started to shift so I could go to the bathroom when she stopped me. "Hold on. I have to do one thing." Tara reached over to the nightstand and grabbed her phone. She wrapped her leg over my crotch and spread out her skirt a bit. She took what was left of her blouse and covered her exposed tits as she cuddled up against me. She aimed the camera into the mirror at the foot of the bed and snapped a picture. Once she was happy with her picture, I saw her send a text to Lindsey, "Meant to tell you I borrowed some of your clothes! Next time I'm home, I'll trade you for my black shirt back. April Fools!" She hit send, we both used the rest room and returned to the bed. Exhausted from everything, we both collapsed into a deep sleep. ------------ The first problem with a night of crazy, passionate sex in a romantic cabin, complete with toys, booze and bondage? Before you pass out, you don't think of things like pulling all the blinds and curtains closed. So, after the aforementioned night, I woke up the next morning with sunlight streaming into the room from multiple openings. I looked over to see Tara sprawled face down on the other side of the bed, but somehow she had found the sleep mask we had used the night before and she was using it for the intended reason -- to block out the light and get some sleep. I stumbled naked out of the bed, and started working my way around the room, trying to close as many of the blinds as I could. Even my best efforts resulted in the room being slightly darker, but nowhere near sleep-quality darkness. That's when I noticed the second problem with a passionate night in the cabin -- the leftover scents and smells. The room was filled with the sensory remnants of the night before, the burnt-out fireplace, cherry lubricant, lotions, stale prosecco, and of course, sex. I stumbled to the bathroom, relieved myself and wandered back to the bed. I picked up my phone to see that it was only 6:45 in the morning and flopped back into the bed, burying my head between some pillows to get some sleep. After what felt like only a few minutes, I felt Tara stirring next to me. I groaned and lifted my head to see that it was actually 9:30. My movements alerted Tara that I was awake and I heard her husky morning voice, "Morning, babe. Did I wake you?" "No. I was up earlier but managed to get back to sleep. Did you happen to ask what time checkout is today?" Tara got out of bed and walked over the table where she had dropped our packet of information when we arrived. Her hair was a tousled mess, but I focused more on the movement of her ass as she walked across the room. From the bed, I could see her breasts lightly bounce as bent over to pick up the paperwork and walk back to the bed. "Well, we missed breakfast. That ended at 9:00." she read as she sat down, "Checkout is at 11. I'm fine if we just want to pack up and hit the road, we can grab an early lunch on the way out. Tara then looked up at our reflection in the weird bed-mirror, "But first, I need to shower. Holy fuck, I'm a mess." She took her hand and gently rubbed the surface of her pussy. "I'm sore, too, but that arousal crème they gave us was unbelievable. I was on fire before you even touched me last night." "That was crazy, babe. What made you think of the whole 'dressing up like your sister' thing?" I asked. "It's a long story and we have time in the car, I'll tell you the whole thing." Tara was still gently touching her pussy at this point. Not masterbating by any stretch, but just lazily running her hand over her mostly hairless crotch. "But I really do need a shower, I'm so sticky and gross right now." She glanced over and saw that even her slight movements were making me hard. "Tell you what. We do have a little time and since we both need to clean up anyway, why don't you give me a minute or two and meet me in there?" With that, Tara jumped up and started walking toward the bathroom. Her ass seemed to have a little extra swagger as she glanced over her shoulder with a smirk, knowing I was going to be close behind her. I waited a few minutes as I heard the sink run, toilet flush and the shower start. I then made my way to the bathroom where I brushed my teeth to get rid of my morning breath and started toward the shower. Admittedly, for such a romantic room, the shower was pretty standard. It was slightly oversized, with a large glass door that faced the rest of the bathroom. Through the steamy glass, I could see Tara with her head leaning back into the water, letting the spray cascade down her head and body. I slid into the chamber behind her and started to run my hands up her sides to cup her tits. I moved her wet hair over her shoulder so I could start kissing the back of her neck as ground my cock against her ass. Tara slid forward a bit to let the hot water wash over me as she grabbed for the bar of soap in the soap dish. "Here" she said, "wash my back." Tara handed me bar of soap and I used it to start washing her back. I built up a lather and worked my way back to her tits. I could feel her nipples tighten under the soap as ran my hands all over her chest. I kept building up more soapy bubbles and started to run one hand down toward her pussy. "Babe, I can't. I'm still too sore from last night" she said as she grabbed my wrist and pulled it away from her sex. "Plus, I said you could wash my back." As Tara said it, she pushed back and gyrated her ass against my crotch. Taking the hint, I moved my hands to her back, but this time started working them lower. I used my slippery, soapy hands to massage and caress her ass cheeks. Thanks to our positioning, my cock was getting coated with the soap, too. I took my right hand and started to work my way into the cleft of her ass cheeks. As I started to brush my soapy fingers against Tara's puckered hole, she shifted her weight forward, extended her arms and leaned against the wall of the shower. This pressed her ass against me more and I used more soap to add lubrication to my cock and her hole. When we were both fully lubricated, I gripped my cock in my hand and started to press the head against her asshole. Tara and I were no strangers to anal play and thanks to the amount of soap we used, the head of my cock popped through her tight ring without much resistance. Whenever I slid into her ass, Tara would let loose with what I could only call a guttural moan and this time was no exception. Even though my cock had been sucked and fucked nearly raw the night before, the feeling of her tight ass wrapped around me was amazing. I didn't waste any time and started to thrust in and out of her ass, feeling the falling water splash over us while the wet sounds of flesh slapping together filled the room. "Uggghhhh....fuck my ass babe. Make me your little ass whore." Whenever we had anal sex, Tara's sex drive would go into overdrive and she would go from lusty to slutty in seconds. With my slippery hands and the shower water, I was having a problem getting a good grip on her hips and we starting to slip in the shower. "C'mon, Jason. Don't stop now. What happened, did I wear you out last night? You're not gonna go soft in my ass are you? Fuck me like you mean it. Dump your cum into my ass, baby." Tara's mouth and dirty talk sent me over the edge. I pulled my dick out of her ass with a pop and whipped open the shower door. I grabbed Tara's soaking wet body and lifted her up and out of the shower. As our feet hit the bathroom floor, I pushed her down on the ground so that she was laying flat with her naked body pressed against the tiles. I spread her ass cheeks one more time and thrusted into her. With the floor under her, I was able to fully work my entire length into her ass. Tara was grunting and moaning with every thrust of my cock. With the bathroom acting as an echo chamber, our cries were reflecting back on us and magnifying our every sound. Just as I felt Tara's body start to shake and tremble under me, I felt my cock start to explode in her. Wave after wave of hot cum poured into her ass. Tara was literally whimpering under me and for a minute I thought I was going to pass out. The explosion of my orgasm, the heat of the shower, and the steam filling the room all had my head spinning. I pulled my softening cock out of Tara's ass and opened the door to the bathroom, letting the cool air pour in. I sat against the doorframe as Tara continued to lay on the floor. After a few minutes, she began to stir. She picked herself up off the floor and got back into the shower. I reached over and wrapped a towel around my waist and started to clean up the room and pack our belongings. When Tara emerged from the shower, I hopped in to clean myself off. Once we were both showered and dressed, we grabbed our bags, checked out of the room and got back in the car. I could tell that Tara was exhausted and wasn't going to be much company on the ride back to school. I drove back, listening to the radio and Tara woke up as we were approaching our university. "So, I have to ask" I said. "What was up with you and Lindsay and the outfits?" Tara chuckled, "I figured you weren't going to let that go. Lindsay has always been a tease around guys. As we both get older she gets some weird thrill out of teasing my boyfriends, but she never really does anything serious. Once though, a guy a was dating, Glen, tried to start feeling her up when I wasn't around. She told me and that was it for me and Glen. "Every time I've spoken to her over the past month, she's talked about the whole April Fools weekend and that she would have to up her game with you. I thought wearing the blouse at the bar was it, but she went above and beyond. I will tell you, though, she came to me first thing the next day and told me you threw her out. And for the record, she wouldn't have let you fuck her. She would have pushed you to the point, then bailed." "Ok" I said, "But what about you last night wearing her outfit?" "Oh! I was walking by the kitchen and saw her standing over you during the party, still teasing you. I was going to let her have it before we left, but when I saw her clothes crumpled up in her room after the party, I got a better idea. "For once, I figured out a way to turn her little prank around on her and give you a bit of a treat at the same time. That's why I texted her that picture last night. Besides, you didn't seem to mind." she finished with a smirk. "No" I said, "but next time, an even BETTER prank would be actually have your sister take your place, don't you think?" That earned me the final punch in the arm of the trip, the large bruise my souvenir of April Fools Day that year. By TruthWithaTwist for Literotica.

Admittedly, Kevin Milsom was a completely different man after his near death experience in 2018. Living a life as a continuous seeker of truth and spirituality was as normal as breathing for Kevin. The miraculous experience of a Near Death Experience in 2018 where he was given a choice to stay on the other side or come back to his life left him inspired to share, serve and help others heal in as many ways as possible. J Join me with my inspiring guest as he shares his miraculous story of crossing over to the other side, met by his mother and Jesus. Kevin experienced miraculous healing that even baffled doctors and staff at the hospital. Kevin's FB Group, Life Beyond Life

Rob Hoxie, the co-founder of Tiége Hanley joins us to break down his company's hilarious ad featuring Donovan Clingan, Cam Spencer, and Adama Sanogo. Rob talks the concept and shares some behind the scenes photos. Admittedly, some of this content is better seen on YouTube, so be sure to head to our YouTube channel to see the behind the scenes photos! Also - we want to see your coach face! Share your impression with us on social and we'll pick some winners to get Tiége Hanley products!

Episode 345 - Rod Jeter - A Relationship Game and Book to Get Couples Talking - YBAngryYBAngry Relationship GameWhy be angry? No more arguing. The YBAngry relationship game makes communication with the one you love fun and easy. If you can count to fourteen, you can play YBAngry to ENJOY resolving most any disagreement with the one you love, in just minutes... NO FUSS NO DRAMA (Patent Pending). Issues lasting from several months to over 50 years, all resolved in minutes, playing YBAngry for the very first time. Why be angry?How It All Began"Couples Coaching With Instant Results".A couple of years ago, Rod and his wife were kicked out of marriage counselling. It was just the fifth of what was supposed to be twelve sessions. Admittedly, it was clearly Rod's fault. He was being stubborn. Never the less, he was moved to find a way to help couples see better results, FASTER. Rod created a game to help couples stay together, one issue at a time. Simply, by resolving their disagreements in just minutes. It is literally, "Couples Coaching With Instant Results."Rod's game approach helps couples overcome seemingly insurmountable disagreements that have lasted decades, in just minutes - NO FUSS NO DRAMA.https://ybangry.com/___Finally a podcast app just for kids! KidsPod is founded on a simple idea:Every kid should have access to the power of audio.https://kidspod.app/Support the showhttps://livingthenextchapter.com/Want to support the show and get bonus content?https://www.buzzsprout.com/1927756/subscribe

We love our soaps! Every GH A.F. show features a healthy panel discussion full of comedy about:  Top story lines, pet peeves and props, and GH trivia!In this 30-minute episode, the panel of T, J, Malin and G are joined with the first fan guest - Marya - to discuss Jason's return, Ava's purple eye shadow and what Jagger-John is really up to with Jason. Everyone puts up winning answers during GH trivia!    Can you relate to our pet peeves and props? TJ complaining about Christina carrying his bambino b/c of Sonny. He or Molly gotta go!Drew's a whiny baby, dropping Carly so fast b/c she has a best friend…. please.Willow and Michael gladly destroy evidence and steal meds, and we're here for it!Danny's hair and growing number of scenes…key it up, kid, but just lose the vape.How about GH trivia?There have been a number of characters put in charge as “Director of the WSB.” How many WSB Directors have there been, and can you name them?A current GH character riddle.  I date the sister of my sister but the sister who I date is not my sister. Who am I? And, how am I not dating my sister?  Lawyer and editor extraordinaire Alexis Davis has had a dating history that is just plain criminal.  Maybe that's why she was such a good defense attorney! How many of Alexis' criminal exes can you name?Debuting in 1996, Carly Corinthos is an OG character both loved and hated over the years.  How many actresses have played Carly, and for a bonus, can you name any of them? Which GH Actor or Actress holds the all-time record for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Daytime Emmy Award Wins?   General Hospital Admittedly Fans! is a Swing/MG Original Program that airs twice a month; a manageable dose and welcome escape for GH-ers.  For information about more shows or to be considered for an upcoming episode, visit http://www.swingmg.com and use the "Contact" button to reach us.  #Soapfans #GH #GeneralHospitalSupport the showSupport the show

Strikingly similar features, same positions, same styles and both number 37. Welcome Josh Draper-Johnson. Time to Restump Podcast the Kangas clash at 10.45am Saturday morning, sponsored by Cornflakes! The horrendous loss to North Melbourne in round two in 2023 was one to forget. However, we should remember philosopher George Santayana's famous quote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” So, while we're warm favourites, we shouldn't take the Kangas lightly. In fact, we're not a club that is entitled to take any opponent lightly.Having said all that, when you look at the lists on paper and the proposed match ups… it is difficult not being over-confident. Even with our severe injury toll, you kind of think a repeat of last week's pressure against the Lions will get the job done against the Kangas.It is great to see our unofficial father-son prospect, Josh Draper, get a gig. In the preseason you'd swear he was Michael Johnson reborn. Brandon Walker is a very welcomed return and the insertion of some experience in the form of Jaegar O'Meara surely won't go astray. Admittedly through necessity and no real fault of his own, Matty Tabs gets another opportunity. With Paddy Voss waiting on the sidelines, Tab's surely knows he has to make every post a winner.The Kangas were decent in patches against the highly talented Giants last week and they welcome back two pretty handy types. Jy Simpkin goes back into their midfield after that horrific concussion and they'll be keen to see the steady and reliable Luke McDonald assist their somewhat undermanned defence.Plenty of other goings on so given our game starts at 10.45am Saturday morning we better get on with it! There aren't too many hours between now and game time but if you're looking to waste one, we'll kill it for you. Support the show

The man, the myth, the legend; the late, great Kurt Cobain.  Admittedly , growing up, i knew little to nothing about Nirvana, but after diving into the research for this case, I have truly come to appreciate Kurt for the artist he was.  He absolutely had his demons, but his talent is undeniable.So, what happened on April 5th of 1994, three days before his body would be discovered in a small room above his garage, at his Lake Washington East Blvd home?Had Kurt taken his own life, or was his life taken from him?In this episode we will discuss Kurt, and who he was as a person, and what state of mind was he in leading up to his death?And, just to lighten up the mood, Matt will enlighten us with a list of (lame) things that only white people say, so, 'Lets get down to brass tacks' (spoiler alert,

Well, I'm back on the road with a microphone - but this time in my wife's nippy little Peugeot!     There are a so many aspects of customer service but one of them is how you explain what you're going to deliver and how you're going to do it and, given the stories in this episode, that is something that is very easy to get wrong!  Utlimately, clarity is king!   Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode. PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  Full Transcript: EP148 - Clarity Is King [00:00:00] So for those of you with sharp ears, you may have noticed that that does not sound like my regular Land Rover biscuit tin on wheels, and you'd be absolutely right about that. I shall tell you the slightly sorry tale of what's happened to my Land Rover, uh, later in the podcast. In the meantime, I'm heading up to the photography show in Sarah's car, which is, frankly, as nippy as hell. [00:00:26] It's like driving a go kart. It's tiny, it's quick, it's a lot of fun to drive. It's not my Land Rover, but hey, I'm Paul, and this is the Mastering Portrait Photography Podcast. [00:00:40] So hello one and all, it is a very, very wet Sunday here in the UK. It's one of those, it's one of those days when I look around me And everything looks monochrome. You. You wouldn't be certain if this was an entry in a photographic , competition, I'd be accusing the author of putting a, a plugin on it that has sucked the color, sucked the life outta the scene. The sky is well gray, the road gray, the walls. The trees and hedges as I drive past them, sort of a grey green. Even, even the bright yellow markers on the roundabout signs that I've just driven past are not iridescent yellow. They're sort of a dull ochre. [00:01:44] Everything about today, except for my mood, is grey. And actually, it's been a little bit of a mixed month. Now, I know I said at the beginning of the year, and this, I said also at the beginning of the year, You never set yourself. New Year's Resolutions, because they're impossible to live up to, and if you want to do something, just set out about doing it, whatever time of the year it is, just set about doing it. [00:02:05] I set about doing a podcast a week, and then crunched into some of the busiest couple of weeks, I think, I can remember, which I'm now, well, sort of surfacing from. It hasn't, it's not exactly clear As in, the diary isn't clear, there's a lot going on but there are also chunks like today when I'm gonna spend the best part of three hours sitting in a car. [00:02:26] Now I know three hours, to my American and Australian friends, is like driving down to Starbucks for a coffee. For us in the UK, that is not an insignificant amount of time. So I'm going to record a podcast or two and then maybe over the coming weeks I'll get back into the rhythm of it and get these things rolling. [00:02:44] But there is so much going on story of the Land Rover so let's deal with some of the slightly sadder news over the last couple of weeks or last month or so. It started with an accident. Excellent couple of days up with the BIPP, that's the British Institute of Professional Photographers, or Professional Photography up in Preston, and then had a great meeting and spent a lovely evening with the guys for, with Martin and the guys there. [00:03:12] Discussing things like the monthly competition, how we're gonna, promote it. It's been very successful so far but of course, there's plenty more we could be doing. And then on The following day, went across to record a podcast, went across with a friend and a photographer, Sean Conboy, to meet a photographer who I had never met personally, but knew about, a guy called Stuart Clark. [00:03:35] Now, Stuart is 97, nearly 98 years old, and one of the sharpest, most interesting photographers I think I've had the privilege of meeting. We sat in his lounge and recorded, probably about an hour and a half, I have a conversation about photography, his life in it, his history in it, the things he has seen change, and when I say the things he's seen change, I mean fundamentally, you know, he started on glass plate cameras, and is now in the digital age, I mean that's in one lifetime how far it's come. [00:04:11] Almost in one set of stories we've gone from the origins of photography, maybe not quite, there's a little bit before that of course, I mean it started in the 1850s. But you know, almost the origins of photography as we know it through to today, and it's a fascinating interview, and as much as anything else, just listening to his voice on the microphone, I sat at the beginning of this interview and we popped a microphone in front of him and I put some headphones on, and as he spoke, it was the most breathtaking sound, he's quite quietly spoken, But the mic, and the room, and the ambience, and the stories he was telling, I mean, it was electric in my headphones. [00:04:51] I actually gave the headphones over to Sean so he could have a listen, simply because it was so beautiful. I'll cut that down, it's just a long interview, and I need to just figure out how I'm going to share that. But it was a wonderful thing. Wonderful thing. And at the end of it, took a few portraits of the man with He said, oh, I've got all my cameras. [00:05:09] We said, oh, get them out, get them out. And of course, he went looking for them and couldn't find them in the attic. I mean, Sean and myself, slightly terrified that we've sent this 97 year old into his roof space to see if he can find a camera. Anyway, he eventually returned with a Raleigh, a TLR. [00:05:25] Twinlens, Reflex, Rolleiflex. Beautiful camera, and so I've got some pictures of him with that, so a little bit of his history. Anyway, roll o'clock forwards to that evening, I leave Leeds head down the M1, which is the in the UK, for, again, my listeners around the world. It's the motorway that runs straight down the middle. [00:05:44] of the UK connecting the north to the south. It connects all the way up to pretty well, it goes up to Scotland pretty much and then drops straight into London. And I was heading down the M1 when suddenly, 70 miles an hour, I'm in the fast lane, they, there is, there wasn't really a bang, but you felt this kind of thunk, and then the engine's vibrating, I can smell oil, oh man, the smell, it's, if you've owned cars for a while, And you've had them go wrong, you just know, when you can smell oil like that, there is nothing but trouble. [00:06:19] Coming I planted my foot on the brake pedal and manoeuvred my way across a couple of lanes of reasonably fast moving traffic. Sort of slan slapped it into the hard shoulder as quickly as I could, because if you're running an engine, You can smell oil, it's vibrating, the last thing you wanna do is keep going because you are at that point destroying what is left of your engine. [00:06:45] So I lifted the bonnet to have a quick look, just to make sure there wasn't anything obvious. Sure enough, there is oil everywhere. Engine's not good. That's not going. So, luckily, I say luckily, this is, it's my life. I spend my life in a car. And we have recovery, RAC recovery. So I rang the RAC. [00:07:04] They said they'd be there within an hour because I'm on, I'm in live, I'm on the edge of live traffic. This is the, probably the busiest motorway in the UK and I'm sitting on a hard shoulder in the pouring rain by now. And I keep getting the updates and, you know, it's like, it says it's going to be an hour, then it's an hour and a half, then it's two hours. [00:07:21] It's, it's four degrees, which is pretty chilly. It's raining and sleeting. So I've, thinking, well, I don't really, and this is a lesson, I don't have any rain gear in a car. Luckily, I had a couple of blankets in there that we use for, if I want to sit people, if I'm doing a shoot somewhere out and about, I've got it in the back of the car, just in case I need to sit somebody down on the ground. [00:07:41] So I wrapped myself in a pair of picnic blankets, sat under one of our wedding umbrellas. Luckily I got some battery packs so I could keep my iPhone charged up and sat and watch Netflix. And of course I'm watching the arrival time of the RAC and it keeps creeping out and creeping out. And eventually this orange van arrives he takes one look at the car, sticks his head under the bonnet and says yeah, you've blown your engine, that's not going anywhere. [00:08:04] I can't tow you, he tells me, because the limit for towing a car as heavy as the Defender is one mile, and I'm six miles from the next available exit. So, he says the next, they'll send the recovery vehicle, proper recovery vehicle out, and I say, well, am I supposed just to sit here in the rain then? And he says, yep. [00:08:24] And so, for the next couple of hours, yet again, I'm out in the rain, I keep my phone charged up, keep watching Netflix. It turns out Netflix, I like watching Netflix anyway, it's always on in the background while I'm editing. It turns out it's quite a useful distraction, because by the time the recovery vehicle turned up to actually put it onto the flatbed, the guy looked at me and he just said, Simply, get in the cab, get warm. [00:08:47] I could barely move, my legs were shaking, I was beginning to get hypothermic. You stay out of the car for safety reasons, but I'm beginning to think it was more dangerous being not in the car than it was being in the car, which is an absolute nightmare. He had to open the door for me, my hands were so cold I could barely pull the handle. [00:09:04] I climbed into the cab, which turned out to be like a sauna, and sat and defrosted as he hitched up the car. and took me halfway home. Yeah, halfway. Because I was so far away, they couldn't drive me all the way back to home. So of course I'm in touch with Sarah, I've told her what's going on. They parked me at Northampton Services where they're going to send another recovery vehicle out for me. [00:09:27] And again, it says it's going to be an hour and a half. And I wait and I watch as the time increases, two hours, three hours, four hours. It's not clear, they never, they're never clear about how long it's going to take. And they, they deliberately obfuscate, I think, so that you can't say, well you said you'd turn up then. [00:09:44] They give you a range and then they keep telling you the range is creeping out. And, apart from the gas, I'm not the only person that needs recovering. And the driver did give me a. a heads up. He said to me as he left, he said, you might be a while because you're no longer in live traffic, so you're no longer in danger. [00:10:02] You're just sitting in a services. Now I would agree with him about the danger bit, but sitting in Northampton services at what were we now? Sort of midnight, 11 o'clock I think I arrived there. Maybe 10. 30 we arrived. And it's not a place you'd want to sit. There's nobody else around. Then luckily for me, I have a, you know, guilty pleasure in McDonald's and KFC and things. [00:10:23] Can't help myself, the smell of it. And I thought, I'll get myself a McDonald's. And so I got, I did, I got myself a burger. Some coffee and some chips, and sat chewing on those. And within two minutes of me buying it and getting it, I noticed that McDonald's had changed their sign. The big signs outside say that it's open 24 hours. [00:10:43] Big sign. McDonald's. 24 hours. Five minutes after I buy my burger, they put up signs that say, Sorry, only serving coffee. So that's not Open. That's not, that's a complete breach of contract as far as I'm concerned. They said they'd be, I'm thinking it's alright, I'll just get a burger and if I need one in a few hours I'll get another one. [00:11:02] Nope, none of that. I could get a coffee but couldn't get a burger in spite of the sign saying 24 hours. I'm gonna come back to this point because it's quite important for us as photography businesses. Anyway, I'm sitting there. The great and good of those that probably need a little bit of help from mental support and social services came and went, came and went, came and went. One or two drug deals were going on out in the car park. I don't know how, the police don't spot it. You can see it a mile away. So it's a fairly lonely thing. So I recorded a podcast. I recorded what was going to be this podcast. I got my recorder because it was in the car. [00:11:37] Obviously, I'd been recording with Stuart. And so I sat and I recorded a pretty, I think it was a pretty good, quite emotive podcast, I sat clutching my coffee because obviously that's now all that McDonald's was serving. It's fairly lonely except for the rantings of one chap who was telling me all about his relationship with the Queen. [00:11:57] I don't think he was very well, if I'm honest. I also don't think he was sober. So I recorded this, what I think was a rather excellent podcast, very Radio Four very radio documentary, you know, lots of background sounds and lots of life real life going on. And at the end of it, I sat back and thought to myself, that, that is going to be an excellent podcast, and I noticed that I hadn't hit the record button. [00:12:23] I was just so tired by now and a bit stressed. just forgot to do it. And so that was the end of that really, and I never, I didn't have the heart to do it again, even though I did have the time, because I was there for another couple of hours. I think in the end I waited there for four hours front to back. [00:12:39] Recovery vehicle, the phone rings, he says, I'm here, but where are you? And I look across six lanes of moving traffic, and he's on the other side of the motorway. Heading North. So, I'm heading South, so I have to direct him somewhere. Surely the guys have told you where I am, and they had, but not very well. [00:12:58] And he had to drive up to the next junction, turn around and come back and pick me up. And then, on it goes, and, and, we drop the car, I nominate to drop the car at our next stop. The guys that service it, my local, well it's not local, it's about 10 miles away, but the garage that services the Land Rover on a regular basis. [00:13:15] I dropped it in there lay by, switched on the immobiliser, locked it all up and Sarah picked me up and I got home at just about quarter past four in the morning. Now having left Leeds at about Two in the afternoon to get home at four in the morning was, well, a little bit heartbreaking. By now I was fairly fed up, fairly cold, incredibly tired, and I knew I had to wake up really early to let the guys know at the garage they've got a service to land over and also to get on with our day that was already in the diary. [00:13:49] So rang up the garage the next day, he didn't sound at all surprised. I'm glad to hear from me having spotted my Land Rover and he knows If the Land Rover's there, it needs something doing. And, obviously I got the engine, I went over, I got the engineer out to have a look at it, and even he rubbed his chin a bit. [00:14:05] And the only good news was there was still oil in the engine, which gives you hope. If there's oil in the engine, you haven't seized it. That's the good news. Anyway, 24 hours later, I get a ring from the engineer who says Found the problem, you've got a hole in Piston 2. Now, I don't, I'm not a mechanic, but I've been around engines all my life, and I know that if you hear the line, you've got a hole in Piston 2, you're in trouble. [00:14:33] And so it has proved to be, because to get a piston out to replace it, you have to take the entire engine apart. There's no getting away from it. The engine has to basically be dismantled, almost certainly taken out and put back in. Or in a Land Rover, they can actually lift the bodywork and service the engine on the chassis, but it depends what they're doing. [00:14:53] On this, I haven't asked the guys, I haven't been back to get it yet, and this is three weeks ago. So, So he explained to me that if an injector is maladjusted and is running a little bit rich, the additional heat from the fuel burns a hole through the aluminium. And I said, well, should I have done something? [00:15:08] And he said, no, there's no way of knowing. It's just not something that you could detect. And it's something that used to go wrong a lot. He hasn't seen it for a while with the later engines, but this one, he said, we used to see this quite a bit. For the past three weeks, they have been replacing the hole or replacing the pixel. [00:15:22] Piston with the hole in it in my Land Rover. I got a phone call yesterday, Saturday, but unfortunately I was in a shoot, and this is how the phone call went. He said, We've road tested your Land Rover. It's ready to drive. You can come and pick it up, but please bring your piggy bank with you. I kid you not, he used the phrase, bring Piggybank with you. [00:15:43] So I couldn't pick it up yesterday, can't pick it up today, can't pick it up tomorrow because I'm running a workshop, so I'll go over on Tuesday. I still don't know how much it is because the garage hasn't told me, in spite of me asking because it's a labour led cost. So the parts have been 1000 plus VAT, I know that much. [00:16:01] The labour is 75 an hour and I reckon, he reckoned it was 4 5 days work. So I know I'm in it for quite a large amount of outlay. Unplanned, bad time of year. I've got to find, who knows, anywhere between four and seven thousand pounds, who knows. So again, no clarity. Something I'm gonna come back to. [00:16:27] However, rest of the week, not so bad. And Another story. I think about podcasts, right? I could just tell you the facts, but it wouldn't be that much fun to listen to. Well, I don't think it would be fun to listen to. I wouldn't listen to it. 20 years ago, and I only know this because I picked up the light that I still have and looked at the Flash Center's service and and Quality Assurance sticker on it, and the light I bought second hand was serviced by the Flash Centre in 2003. [00:17:00] There's a sticker on it, and I remember going to the Flash Centre in London, scratching my chin, and I can't remember the guy's name, he's still in the industry, he doesn't work with the Flash Centre anymore and I, he said, can I help? And I said, yes, I want my first strobe, please. He said, I said, I'm happy to buy second hand, I don't know whether this is something I'm gonna do, but Would you recommend? [00:17:20] And we looked at the shelves, and, and, if you've ever been to the Flash Centre in London, it was brilliant. It wasn't a posh shop. It was, in some ways, it was like the drum shops I used to go to when I was a working musician, and it's just got racks and racks and racks of stuff. You know, there'd be a posh rack somewhere with all of the new bits and pieces from then, Bowens and Elinchrom, but then there'd be sort of, you know, Shelves and cupboards with interesting little bits of second hand kit and cabling and softboxes and umbrellas And it was brilliant and I was like toy a kid in a sweet shop And he said I think this would do you and he lifted off the shelf a second hand Elinchrom 500 so that's an Elinchrom 500 as this is a A strobe but it's got the old school analog sliders on it. [00:18:09] There were two sliders, one that controlled the strobe power, and one that controlled the power to the modeling light. And if you wanted them to stay the same, you move the sliders together. The slider's been designed to be close together, so you move them up and down, which, to me, having worked on audio mixing desks for concerts in the music industry, was absolutely brilliant. [00:18:32] Perfect. It was absolutely brilliant because I knew, it felt completely natural. Now, of course, one of the things was you never had the same Bower twice. It was already a second hand light when I bought it, and not a new one. So, whenever you set the lights in the studio, you had to reset your aperture to suit. [00:18:51] Because the things, it didn't matter. It didn't matter that you put a mark against the sliding scale. The sliders were so worn that lighting power would go up and down all the time. But it was metal cased. It's got a fan. It was quite loud. It's quite loud. And I bought that light. I. I bought a big tripod and I bought an Octabox, a six foot Octabox. [00:19:14] That was the three things I bought. A tripod, an Elecrom 500, an Elecrom tripod, Elecrom six foot Octa. Took it home and for the next year or two, practiced lighting. It wasn't part of our business for quite a long time because I never really had the space to do it. At that time I didn't have a studio. [00:19:34] I just knew that was the road we were going to go down, or I thought I might go down. But I didn't understand studio lighting, and so I needed time to get my shit together. So, I used to practice, I bought a polystyrene head, so there's a shop in London called the London Graphic Centre, which sell stuff. They sell art pens and graphics and it's two glorious floors of anything you can think of to be creative. It's absolutely fantastic. And in there, for some reason, they sold polystyrene heads. I don't know what they're for. You know, if they were in a hat shop, I'd understand it. If they were in a wig shop, I'd understand it. [00:20:14] In a graphics shop? I've no idea. What do you do? Sit with your pen in your hand looking at a fictitious head going, What do you think of this? Having a conversation with Polybeads, and I don't know. Anyway, I bought one. It was like three pounds or something. Carved out the eyes like something from a CSI episode. [00:20:31] I got a penknife, carved out the eyes, got a couple of big glass marbles, and shoved them in. I mean, it was quite macabre, but if ever, I'm found out to be a psychopathic, sociopathic, you know, mass murderer. Everyone will go back to this head and say, Well, we could see it then. Look what he did to the eyes. [00:20:49] But I popped those in because what I wanted to understand was how I move light around, what happened to the face, And what happened to the reflections in these glass marbles? It was just a very simple way of me being able to, without having models, because I didn't have a reputation back then, I didn't have a client base back then, I didn't have a steady stream of people that would come to the house to be photographed, but I needed to understand it. [00:21:15] So this polystyrene head, with its macabre eyeballs, was my go to. I stuck it, I skewered it, like Queen Elizabeth would have done. And off with the head, I said! I skewered it on a pole of some description and stuck it in the middle of the room. And, that's how I learned to light. It was all with this Elinchrom 500, the, the, this brilliant bit of light, and I still own it. [00:21:40] I still have it, it's still in the attic, unfortunately the tube was blown, you can actually see that there's black in there. The rest of it I'm sure still works so if I actually sent it back for a replacement tube, I could probably get it working again. I don't know that I will maybe I will, maybe I will, because the footnote to this story is that last week, Elinchrom asked me if I would be an ambassador. [00:22:03] for them. Now, this comes off the back of a conversation where I'd looked at the Elinchrom lighting at the London the Society's Convention of Photographers in London, and got chatting to the guys, Simon Burfoot and the, and the guys, uh, at Elinchrom, people I've known for quite a long time. He used to work at the Flash Sensor, he's now looking after Elinchrom, so I got to chatting to him about the lights had a look over the product, had a look at what they're producing, both in terms of the technology, in terms of the roadmap in terms of the light that these things produce, and the light has the same quality that I remember with my Elinchrom 500. [00:22:38] Now the thing is, if you look at the cover of the box, Book, Mastering Portrait Photography. That was shot in a study in somebody's house with my very first light. It was shot with my Elinchrom 500, my 6 foot Octa, which was wedged in because the ceiling was only just 6 foot, so we had to wedge this thing in on its tripod in their room with some black velvet behind. [00:23:01] Pinned to the curtain rail, and it's still, to this day, one of my favourite ever shots. And, when you go to Elinchrom, one of the things I've always loved about them is the colour accuracy of the tube. Now, every time you ignite um, Xenon in a tube, it gives off a very particular light. For all sorts of reasons with the, to do with the design of the circuitry and the light, getting that right is really important. [00:23:26] And Elinchrom have always had this really beautifully consistent quality of light out of the units. Now I moved away from Elinchrom about six, seven years ago, I think to Profoto for the simple reason that And maybe it's a bit longer, but for the simple reason that when I went looking for a battery powered, rather than a mains powered monoblock. [00:23:48] Now a monoblock strobe is simply when everything is in the head, as opposed to a battery pack and the small flying heads. I didn't want that. I wanted something that was self contained. I wanted something with a battery. I wanted something with no cabling. And so when I went to Elinchrom at that time, they didn't do anything. [00:24:04] I think even now I have eight Elinchrom lights up in the attic. And I had to retire them because I went over to ProPhoto who produced the B1. The B1 is an excellent light. It's brilliant. There's, you know, it did everything and has done everything that I would ask of a light over the years. Beautiful kit, beautiful lighting, beautiful modifiers. [00:24:26] They're having said that I've kept all of my Elinchrom soft boxes because the Rotalux system is the best in the world and I still prefer it to my Profoto stuff. But nonetheless, you know, there's no doubting the quality of the Profoto units, and there's no doubting that I've created some images that I really like with it, But I've never felt the same nostalgia as I have with Elinchrom. And so when Elinchrom showed me their kit at the convention, it's you know what, I would absolutely love, love to switch back. It's about time that I thought about it. And so I asked the guys if I could get a price on a full rig of kit, switch over to Elinchrom and it went a little bit quiet if I'm honest. [00:25:12] I'd sent the email, I'd listed out what I wanted and then I got a quick message saying was I around the other morning, could they pop into the studio and come and see us, and Simon and Mark from Elinchrom popped into the studio, had a look around, and during that conversation asked if I would be an ambassador for Elinchrom. So for the first time in quite a long time I got a little bit emotional about kit. I do get attached to kit. Even though the Profoto stuff is brilliant, I've never felt that way about that. But with Elinchrom, it was that first light. It was that first moment that I learned to read and and understand Studio Lighting. [00:25:54] And to be asked to be an ambassador is, it has a couple of angles on it. I mean, the first and most important is that what an honor, you know, this is a lighting company who I have so much of an emotional connection with, and here I am 20 years after buying my very first secondhand light, here I am as an ambassador for them. [00:26:17] So I'm quite emotional about that. But also the kit is so. Phenomenal. There's something about the way it works, the way it operates. It feels like photographers designed it for photographers. So, I'm very happy. They've lent me some kit at the moment. Now, I have a bit of a challenge tomorrow. Tomorrow, I'm running a workshop. [00:26:35] It's a workshop. All around, using studio lighting of various types in small spaces. Because if you go out into location, you very often end up in a boardroom or a kitchen. Well, the other day we ended up in a storeroom for computer equipment. It was quite bizarre where we were working. And you have to very quickly read the room, figure out what you're gonna do, and create something. [00:26:59] Magical from it. So, that's what we're doing tomorrow. And of course, it's premised on using my strobes. Now, understandably and I suppose predictably, Elinchrom are not that keen that I continue to use Profoto kit, my Profoto lighting for my workshops. So at 9. 30 tomorrow morning on the day of workshop, I am expecting a delivery of a whole load of Elinchrom kit that I'm going to actually then use for the training day. [00:27:33] Interesting, huh? It's a good job that not only did I learn to use light, but I'm really quick to get my head round the technology. Now they did leave me the other day with an Elinchrom 5 and an Elinchrom 3. And fortunately I have a trigger. I have a dedicated Elinchrom trigger anyway. Bye! From some Rotolight kit, which also uses, thankfully Elinchrom radio telemetry. [00:28:00] So, I've got the, I've got the Elinchrom trigger. Now, as an aside, here's a little bit of detail, right? This is just a bit of detail. It doesn't, it has no bearing on anything, really. My Profoto dedicated Nikon trigger. The something or else, something or else. Is it AirTTL, TTL, TTL? Unit. If I leave the batteries in it, it goes flat in about 10 days, even if it's switched off. [00:28:25] I pulled the Elinchrom trigger out of its box, having not used it as a trigger in probably three years, forgot that I'd left the batteries in there, which is a dreadful thing to do, never leave batteries in kit when you store it, but I had, so I hit the power button thinking, oh, that's not gonna work. Nope, fired up instantly. [00:28:43] There is a joy when you're When someone designs kit properly, there is a joy in it. This Elinchrom trigger has had those batteries in it for as long as I can remember. I can't remember the last time I used it as a trigger, and it fired up instantly. I know for a fact my Profoto unit would have been dead in 10 days. [00:29:02] And as designers of kit, this is a plea to everybody who designs for our beautiful industry. It's for good. Goodness sake, think this stuff through properly. You know, if you're going to turn something off, it shouldn't be draining enough current to flat a pair of AAA's in 10 days. It just shouldn't. [00:29:21] Because many of us don't pick up our triggers in those kinds of time frames. Many of us would just be out, you know, location photographers that use the strobes intermittently. So think about that. Think about how, um, The kit is going to be used in design. Even the circuitry has to be designed in a way that makes sense. [00:29:40] You know, Elinchrom, this unit, it's been in its box. It's still boxed. It's been in its box for a few years. Powered it up because I'd forgotten to take the batteries out. Nope, quite happy. Right, where do I go? Downloaded the new firmware because it's so old that It doesn't actually know about or didn't know about 3. [00:29:57] They weren't on its list of recognized Elenchrom lighting. Connected it up, and off it went. Just genius. That's I'm sorry though, that is an aside. Anyway, tomorrow morning, tomorrow morning, I've got a handful of delegates we've got a room full of people, a couple of models, and some lights that I have never ever seen. [00:30:13] ever used in anger. It's going to be an exciting day. Other good news this week so that's, I mean that is my good news this week, but other good news this week is that I finally managed to get our broadband account sorted out. We live in funny times my broadband contract had come up a little while ago with BT. [00:30:32] Um, I've got both the house and the studio are on the same contract because primarily we use it. all of the bandwidth for when I'm working, and I like to be able to work from home a lot. And we're paying, I don't know, I think nearly, I think we're paying 300 quid a month for the two. So I'd rung BT a couple of weeks ago and said, right, it's time to renew because I'm out of contract. [00:30:53] I will stay with BT although there are other providers in the village now, their reputation is awful, so I can't build my business on that. And while BT might be a little bit dull. They're also the most reliable. This is British Telecom. It used to be British Telecom. Isn't it interesting how a brand evolves to be known as BT? [00:31:12] But it has to have such a long history. You know, if you say BA, we know we're talking about British Airways. If you say BT, you know you're talking about British Telecom. You know, I've no idea in any more what ICI Stands for, we know what it does though. Interesting to see if the BIPP, the BIP, or the British Institute of Professional Photography can evolve the same way. [00:31:33] Time will tell. Anyway, BT, so I rang them up spent the best part of half a day on the phone because you have to. I'm sorry, we're experiencing a very high volume of calls at the moment. Your call is important, and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Yeah, right. There's only, there's one call handler, but I have no idea, but there's certainly not enough. [00:31:52] So anyway, I got through a long conversation, got both contracts more or less nailed, or the one contract with both lines more or less nailed, and our bill came down by two thirds. My speed went up, I'm on a digital line, my bill came down. You have to think, maybe I was being stitched before, or maybe I built a bad contract before, but anyway, that was half a day well spent. [00:32:15] So, and it's, I mean, it's like, you know, it's 300 quid a month, or was. It's now for the two lines, 100 quid a month and I've got gigabit down, 100 megabit up, and life is pretty good. But the delivery cycle of it, I've no idea. I mean, I get random boxes, I get random texts from DHL, or FedEx, or Royal Mail, as to what's going to arrive when, it's I couldn't make head nor tail of it. [00:32:39] Sarah said, when are they connecting us? Well, I've got this date, Monday the 11th. Okay, Monday the 11th, that's brilliant. Monday the 11th, that's when they're going to connect everything up. Monday the 11th. Right, are we sure about that? Yeah, Monday the 11th, I've got an email here. Monday the 11th. F Thursday, before that, what's that, 11th, 10th, 9th, 8th, so Thursday the 7th, I get I walk into the office 10 o'clock, and Michelle says, phone line's dead, and I'm like, can't be dead. [00:33:05] Why would it be dead? I look at the hub for the broadband, the broadband's working okay, but no telephone, and they say, oh, you are kidding me. They've switched it over four days early. Now, I'd had some text saying the engineer was working on our line, and the engineer had completed his work, but at no time, at no time, did it tell me which of the two lines were being affected and what they'd done. [00:33:30] So I rock up on Thursday to find no telephone. Now, again, fortunately, we'd had the digital phones arrive. They were in their boxes, but I hadn't set anything up yet because I had been told it was all going to happen on Monday the 11th of March. Have I got those dates right? Yeah, I'm sure it's Monday the 11th of March. [00:33:49] Monday whichever day it was, only the Monday of March. And, so I'm very frantic, because at this point, anybody that rings us up isn't going to get through. I didn't know even if we had voicemail because I got, none of it is done as far as I'm concerned. So we rattly, a bit of a rattly morning as I sort of ripped out the old phones, put in these new digital lines, logged in, set it all up, got admin rights, because of course it's basically VoIP is nothing more than Zoom without pictures. [00:34:18] So. And I got all of that set up and all of it is now working, but it got me thinking, and here we go. This is the point of this bit of this podcast. Now, I don't know whether the second half of the podcast is gonna be the second half of this podcast as I drive back from the photography show or whether I'm gonna release that as an entirely self-contained episode. [00:34:39] I guess it depends how much news I find at the photography show. But let's assume. This is a self-contained driving to the NEC Podcast, and it's done. This is the point of this podcast. I've told you three stories, okay? I've told you about the RAC, I've told you about the garage, and I've told you about British Telecom. [00:34:59] All of these have been suppliers that I would say on the whole, I rate pretty highly, the RAC. They've got me out of a pretty horrible situation. I pay money for that. By the way. It's not like they're, they're definitely not a charity. It's not the NHS, but. They rescued me when I needed it. Admittedly, they weren't clear about when and how, and it took quite a long time, but I'd have been in a lot of trouble if I couldn't have got off that motorway, and the car was undriveable. [00:35:26] Our garage. I know they fixed it because they always fixed it. But I do wish they'd be clear. I do wish they'd tell me how much, to the best of their knowledge, it's going to cost me. I don't like obfuscation. I don't like not knowing how long it's going to take. They've had the car for three weeks to do a week's worth of work. [00:35:44] Again, I know they've had to order parts. In a sense, I'm an experienced buyer. And then there's BT, who They told me certain things and then did them in a different order on different dates and put me into a flat spin when they disconnected the phone line to my business. All of these are quite important. [00:36:04] It's about clarity. It's about being clear with your client. It's about When you say you're going to do something, you do it. Now there is a theory about under promising and over delivering. So being, having things connected early, in theory, should be a good thing. But it's only a good thing if your client's ready for it and their new phone's ready. [00:36:25] If they're not, what you've basically done is disable part of their business for part of a day. Clarity is really important. For me, even now, I go back through the BT, various texts and emails, and even I After the event, couldn't tell you exactly what was supposed to happen, and the order. I still have some stuff to do, I still have to send some kit back, but, because I've got these two lines into two different buildings being contracted at the same time, none of the emails make sense, because they send both emails, or rather they send emails for both lines, on the same contract number. [00:37:02] It's never clear exactly what is going on. It's not clear. that some kit is going to work and some kit is not going to work. It's not clear quite what should have happened. And that can't be a good thing. That can't be a good thing when I'm sitting here telling you about three suppliers who I rate actually pretty highly. [00:37:21] I've chosen them through years of experience, I've picked them out of the crowd, and I've decided who I'm going to use. Are they all working now? Well, as far as I know, they are. RAC rescued me, the garage has rung me to say the car is ready, and I have Absolutely electric connectivity in our building or buildings, but the confusion is unnecessary. [00:37:43] The confusion, had that confusion happened in the sales process, I don't know whether I would have bought. It didn't happen in the sales process, it happened in the fulfillment side. So the sales guys, they got it nailed. When I bought my RAC, Membership, I don't know how many years ago. The guy was utterly convincing. [00:38:05] When I bought my BT contract, the guys were utterly convincing and of course when I go to the garage, well, the first time I went to the garage, I went reputationally because somebody else had recommended them. I bought instantly because they were They were utterly convincing. The problem happens in the fulfilment stages. [00:38:27] And as such, I think we need to keep an eye on that. We need to be very clear to our clients, exactly what it is that we're going to do, and when we're going to do it. I was doing a wedding pitch yesterday. And I had to be, and I've, I mean I've well practiced at it, I've done it a long time. I say to them, okay, here's the process. [00:38:45] I actually talk them through the fulfillment process. We talk loads about the wedding, but then I go through to the fulfillment process, and I suspect occasionally I lose a gig because of it, because maybe it sounds just a little bit too boring. Precise. I don't know. But, I said to the client yesterday, who are buying with us, by the way, you come to the studio two to three weeks after your wedding. [00:39:10] That gives you enough time to have a short honeymoon. If it needs to be longer, or you want it shorter, we can do that. Two to three weeks, you're gonna come, you're gonna have lunch. During that meeting, we are gonna show you a slideshow. We're gonna melt your hearts. I do say this. We're gonna say, I'm gonna soften your wallet, [00:39:27] We are gonna make life very difficult for you to say no to any pictures. Then we're gonna bring up those pictures and we're gonna, we are gonna help you choose the pictures that are going to go in your album. It's a lovely process, but it's not an easy process, so we're going to give you some lunch. [00:39:42] It'll take a few hours. At the end of that, you're going to pay for the extra images you put in your album. I'd say that a little bit softer, but that's what I'm saying. You're going to settle up with us as to the images that are going to go into your album, on top of the ones you've already paid for as part of your initial contract. [00:40:00] Then, We're going to give you a USB that has watermarked images of everything we've shown you, and the slideshow of the, uh, that we showed you in that reveal. We license the music, by the way, with the MCPS, so you can have any music you like. So, you let us know what music you like. That's what your slideshow will be set to. [00:40:19] It'll be on a USB. At the end of the meeting, when you've settled up with us, that's what you take away with you. The next morning, we start working on that design. Within a week, maybe two, depending on what's going on in the studio, we will send you a PDF that shows that design. You have a look at it and decide whether you like it or not, or if there's anything you'd like to change. [00:40:40] And the things we're looking for from you are A. Do you like the design? And B. Is there anything in any of the images that needs additional retouching? Fire exit signs, those kinds of things. When you eventually sign off the design, and you can go backwards and forwards as much as you like, by the way, because the most important thing is that you love your album more than anything else in the world. [00:41:02] You're going to have that for the rest of your lives together. You must love it. You make as many changes as you want. Yes, okay, by iteration number seven or eight, we might be rolling our eyes at you. But we will still do it, and we will get it perfect for you. When you're happy, you sign that off. We will do two things. [00:41:20] Firstly, we will order your album and any copy albums you need. I don't say it like this, I'm saying it really clearly because I'm driving a car at 70 mile an hour and I'm trying to make this clear. But nonetheless, this is the process, right? Uh, I say we will order that album and any additional copies you'd like. [00:41:35] Eight weeks after that, as a maximum, you will have your album in your hands. The actual order time, by the way, is shorter than this, but we always say, 8 weeks, because then I'm under promising and over delivering. You will also receive a link online that has a link to the finished images. The edits that we've done for you without the watermarks, because part of what we do is any image a client puts in their album, we will give them a digital copy of that as part of the contract. [00:42:06] We charge quite a lot of money for this, so it's fine that they can have the files, but we only release the finished files. When the album design is signed off. Why do I do it that way? Well, it gives me a couple of things. Firstly, it gives me a lever to pull when people are saying, Can I have a file? And I say, Yeah, as soon as you sign off your album. [00:42:23] The second thing is, The only hi res files that go out are fully retouched and finished. There's no danger that an artist Unretouched image can end up in a big frame on someone's wall. So that's why we do it that way. And I'm really clear about that fulfillment process to the client. Now, I think there's other bits of our business where we're not so clear and I'm figuring out those areas and trying to work out and make sure that everything we do is super, super clear because the experience I've had with three suppliers who genuinely, I rate, genuinely. [00:42:58] I'm happy to pay for their services. I think it's been a little bit muddled and a little bit muddy. And that, well, that can never be a good. Do you know what? I'm going to round this podcast off there and I'm going to make the journey away from the photography show another edition which I might release at a later date because that gives me extra content, right? [00:43:20] For those of you, for those of you who are part of our workshop community, we released a new challenge last night. So we, inside, anyone that's been on our workshops, you get invited into a secret and private Facebook group. The only way you can get in there is by being on one of our workshops because that is creating a super concentrated little audience, a little community rather. [00:43:42] of like minded people who can ask questions in a way that is safe, a way that is positive, and you get feedback from others in there. It's a really nice community. On top of that, people like Simon and Mark from Elinchrom are inside the group, so that if you have any specific questions about flash photography not only will you get answers from people who run the group companies based around this kit. [00:44:06] Of course they're going to bias their answers towards Elinchrom, but hey, I'm an ambassador for them. So what else would you expect me to say? Likewise Jeremy and Miranda and the team from Neal and the team from Graphistudio are in there. So if you have any questions about albums and those kind of things, it's just a really nice place to be. [00:44:21] But we run these image challenges. The current challenge which I released last night is the one chair challenge. Take a subject, take one chair, just one chair, and pop a photograph into the community. And then at the end of the month, I have a run through them, pick out my favourite, do a video critique, and set a new challenge. [00:44:41] And we did this one because the article is featured in Professional Photo Magazine this month from us. We do an article every month, but this particular one is of Lucy in a chair, and it's just a simple shot of a teenager. Just looking super cool in what is my Nan's old throne, old armchair. So that's that community thing. [00:45:02] Workshops, if anyone's interested in any of our workshops, just Google Paul Wilkinson Photography Workshops. You will find them they'll pop up in Google and And then you can see what's going on at the moment. The tomorrow's workshop is all about small spaces and it wasn't, but it now is about how to use Elinchrom lighting in small spaces. [00:45:21] We'll see quite how that adventure goes, so to wrap up, let's overtake this tanker in tons of spray. Thank you for listening to this podcast. It's kept me entertained for at least half of my journey up to Birmingham. If you have any questions, please do email paul@ paulwilkinsonphotography.co.Uk. I've had a couple of really nice emails in the past few weeks. Apologies. I know I've been a little bit slow in getting back to everybody, but it really has been a . a tiny bit, a tiny bit crazy at the studio but also head across to masteringportraitphotography. com which has a heap of stuff all around this beautiful skill of ours or topic of ours the joy, the creativity and the business of portrait photography. [00:46:08] Head over to masteringportraitphotography. com and do please subscribe. Hit that subscribe button. I don't know how you're listening to this right now, but I'll lay you a bet there's a subscribe button there somewhere. Subscribe to the podcast and then it just arrives. You know, you didn't even know you were going to listen to me today, and there you are. [00:46:26] Forty minutes later, whatever it is, I've no idea how long I've been driving and talking forty minutes later, you are sitting thinking, Well, that was worthwhile! Do you know what? I'm really glad I hit that subscribe button. Also, if you get a chance, leave us a review. [00:46:39] If it's a nice review, stick it somewhere public. If it's not such a nice review, email it to me, and then we can make changes to make things better, which is a constant process of evolution. Me and Darwin, well, we'd be great mates. And whatever else, as I head my way north, be kind to yourself. Take care.

In this week's episode, I rate the movies and TV shows I shaw in Winter 2024. This week's coupon is for the audiobook of GHOST IN THE PACT as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy. You can get the audiobook of GHOST IN THE PACT for 50% off at my Payhip store with this coupon code: MARCHEXILE The coupon code is valid through April 5th, 2024, so if you find yourself needing an audiobook to leap into spring, we've got one ready for you! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 192 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is March 15th, 2024, The Ides of March, which we're traditionally told to beware, and today we are looking at my Movie and TV Review Roundup for Winter 2024. Before we do that, we will do Coupon of the Week, an update on my current writing projects, and our Question of the Week. So first up, Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon is for the audiobook of Ghost in the Pact, as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy. You can get the audiobook for Ghost in the Pact for 50% off at my Payhip store with this coupon: MARCHEXILE and that is spelled MARCHEXILE. As always, the coupon code will be in the show notes. This coupon code is valid through April the 5th 2024. So if you find yourself needing an audiobook on this Ides of March, we've got one ready for you. So an update on my current writing projects. I am about 56% of the way through the first edit of Ghost in the Veils. That means the book should be on track to come out before Easter (which is at the end of March this year), if all goes well. I'm also 40,000 words into Wizard Thief, so hopefully that will come out before too much longer after Ghost in the Veils. I'm 11,000 words into Cloak of Titans. So that is where we're at with my current writing projects. 00:01:19 Question of the Week Now on to our new feature: Question of the Week. This week's question is inspired by the fact that I've spent a lot of the last few weeks setting up my new computer and getting it configured properly. So the question is: what is the first computer you ever used? No wrong answers, obviously. Joachim says his first personal computer was an Atari 1040 ST with 1 MB of RAM. I participated in the “religious war” with the Amiga 500 users, which was better and looked down at the MS-DOS PCs, which only has 640 kilobytes of RAM. Justin says: my first computer was a Timex Sinclair. It had two kilobytes of RAM and I forked out $50 for the 16 KB RAM extender module. The manual that comes with it says you will never need this much memory. I use a cassette tape recorder/player to record more programs and it ran a 300 baud. Todd says his first computer was in 1994. I purchased a 486 DX 2 8 megabytes of RAM for use in school. I believe the hard drive was about 250 MB. The monitor weighed a ton. I wrote a bunch of machine code and played Wolfenstein 3D like crazy. Tarun says in 1993 it was a 386 with four megawatts of RAM with Windows 3.1. I played a lot of Prince of Persia and got bad grades in school. Then the computer was locked up. In my educational defense, I did do some Pascal programming. AM says: my first computer was an Apple IIe at school. Getting to play Number Munchers or Oregon Trail on it was some kind of behavioral reward (and a very effective one at that). William says his first computer was a Macintosh SE in my parent's home office, though “using” is an overstatement since all I did was play a few simple preinstalled games. I also have fond memories of playing the original King's Quest with said parents and something like a Compaq Portable. Rich says Commodore 64 with cassette drive. Didn't have cassette the first day. Spent the whole day punching in code for a blackjack game. My sister walks into the room to turn the computer off, erasing everything. That is a bummer. Juana says: a Gateway. My whole family came to gawk at it, and me setting it up! It had 120 megabytes of RAM. Twice what was the ones that used in the college computer lab! I thought I was set for life. Venus says Commodore Vic20. We played Radar Rat Race and Mom gave us a stack of computer magazines and tape recorder, so we played every game that was in the magazines at the time after we typed in the programs and saved them to the tapes. You are the first person outside my family that ever heard also had one. More on that later. Cheryl says: we got our first computer in the early ‘90s: an Amstrad with an AWA printer. I was doing courses for work, so I needed something to print the assignments, but we also played games on it: Wolfenstein, Lemmings, and Stock Markets. They're the only ones I can remember. Craig says: Apple IIe. I'm oldish. With dot matrix printer and handheld modem, dial-up Internet access, the one you had the dial phone into the holding cradle after you called it in. Tracy says: at college we used the TRS80s. I think she may win the award for oldest computer mentioned in this topic. And Perry says: IBM PC clone at school, a friend's family had a Commodore 64. Our first family computer was a Commodore 128. For myself, I had the same first computer as Venus earlier in the thread. That would be a Commodore Vic20. It had 20 kilobytes of RAM and the Word file for the rough draft of Ghosts in the Veils, which I'm editing right now, is 355 kilobytes in size. So to load the Microsoft Word document of Ghosts in the Veils in Microsoft Word format, I would need about 18 different Commodore Vic 20 computers. That's like 1 computer per chapter and a half. So it is amusing to see how computer technology has changed quite a bit over time. 00:04:56 Winter 2024 Movie/TV Review Roundup Now to our main topic. We are inching closer to spring, so I think it's time for my Winter 2024 Movie Review Roundup. I got a Paramount Plus subscription to watch the Frasier reboot and since Paramount owns Star Trek and the Frasier reboot was only 10 episodes long, I ended up watching a chunk of modern Star Trek this winter. This was a new-ish experience because the last new Star Trek I watched was Star Trek Beyond way back in 2016. That was only eight years ago, but it's been a very eventful eight years, you know? I did watch a lot of Star Trek back in the 1990s. If you had held a gun to my head and demanded, you know, if I consider myself a Trekkie, I would say no, because I think Gene Roddenberry's socialist/utopian vision for the Federation that he put into Star Trek is fundamentally kind of goofy. The shows and movies were at their best when they stayed away from it or subverted it, like how the Federation can only be a utopia because Starfleet seems to have a Black Ops section that does all the unsanctioned dirty work and regularly runs amuck. Or like how Starfleet seems to have an actual mad science division that cooks up all kinds of nasty stuff. So anyway, these are the movies and shows I watched in Winter 2024, and as always, my ratings are wholly subjective and based on nothing more rigorous than my own opinions. We will go through these in order from least favorite to most favorite. So the first movie I watched was Now You See Me, which came out in 2013. Last year, I compared Adam Sandler's Murder Mystery movie to a C- student, but a fun C- student who everyone likes for his great parties and goes on to have a successful career as a regional sales manager. By contrast, Now You See Me is the sort of moody art student who always wears a black porkpie hat and thinks of himself or herself as deep and complicated, but in fact, they're just confusing. This is an apt comparison for this movie. Anyway, the plot centers around four sketchy magicians who are recruited by a mysterious organization called The Eye to carry out a series of high-profile heists using stage magic. I have to admit, that concept sounds even more ridiculous as I said the previous sentence. Anyway, after the first heist, the magicians become fugitives from the FBI but keep carrying on shows, sometimes staying ahead of law enforcement. The trouble is that nothing they do makes very much sense, and it all falls apart if you think about it for more than two seconds. Additionally, the movie overall feels very choppy since they rushed from scene to scene very quickly. The actors all gave very good performances that were entertaining to watch, but honestly, that was about the only thing the movie had going for it. Overall grade: D- Next up is The Marvels, which came out in 2023. This movie was logically incoherent, but actually rather charming and funny. It kind of reminds me of those ‘70s or ‘80s style science fiction movies that don't make much sense, though The Marvels was much lighter in tone than anything that came out in the science fiction space in the ‘60s or ‘70s. The movie got a bad rap because it didn't make back its budget, and apparently Disney rather shamefully threw the director under the bus. But to be fair, the budget for The Marvels was an enormous $274,000,000. To put this into context, the top three movies of 2023 (Barbie, Super Mario Brothers, and Oppenheimer) combined had a total budget across these three movies of $350 million, and together they grossed something like 15 times more than The Marvels did. Anyway, the plot picks up from the end of Ms. Marvel when Kamala Khan, Captain Marvel, and Monica Rambeau discover that their superpowers have become entangled. This means that if two of them use their powers at the same time, all three of them switch places randomly. This makes for a rather excellent fight scene earlier in the movie when the three characters don't know what's going on and are randomly teleporting between three different battles, much to the frequently amusing confusion of all participants. Once things settle down, Captain Marvel and her new friends realize that an old enemy of Captain Marvel is harvesting resources from worlds she cares about. So it's up to them to save Earth from this old enemy's vengeance. I have to admit, the plot of the movie didn't actually make much sense, but it was overall much funnier than Ant-Man 3 and Secret Invasion. The best thing about the movie was Kamala Khan and her family. Kamala, Monica, and Captain Marvel also had an entertaining dynamic together and the planet of space musicals was also pretty funny. I think the movie's biggest, unconquerable weakness was that it was the 33rd Marvel movie. There are all sorts of theories of why the movie didn't perform at the box office: superhero genre fatigue, everyone knew it would be on Disney Plus eventually, the lasting effects of COVID on movie theaters and the movie business, Disney throwing the director under the bus, Disney inserting itself into the US Cultural Wars, etcetera. All those reasons are subjective and subject to personal interpretation. What I think is objectively quantifiable is that The Marvels is the sequel to a lot of different Marvel stuff: The Avengers movie, Wandavision, Captain Marvel, the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Secret Invasion, and Thor: Love and Thunder. That's like 50 to 60 plus hours of stuff to watch to fully understand the emotional significance of all the various characters in The Marvels. 50 to 60 hours of watching sounds like almost an entire entire semester's worth of homework assignments at this point. As someone who has written a lot of long series, I know that you lose some of the audience from book to book. I think that's ultimately why The Marvels didn't make back its budget. The Marvel movies as a series have just gone on too long and are just too interconnected. Ultimately, I am grateful to The Marvels. Realizing and understanding the concept of Marvel Continuity Lockout Syndrome helped me decide to write something new that wasn't a sequel or even connected to anything else I had written, which eventually led to Rivah Half-Elven and Half-Elven Thief. Overall grade: B- Our next movie is My Man Godfrey, which came out all the way back in 1936. This movie is considered the progenitor or one of the progenitors of the screwball comedy genre. A homeless man named Godfrey is living in a trash dump in New York, though despite his circumstances, Godfrey remained sharp and quick on his feet. One night, a wealthy woman named Cornelia approaches him and offers $5 if he'll come with her. Godfrey is naturally suspicious, but Cornelia assures him that she only needs to take him to a hotel to win a scavenger hunt by finding a forgotten man, which was a term President Roosevelt used to describe people who have been ruined by the Great Depression and then forgotten by the government. I have to admit, Cornelia immediately reminded me of the way the more obnoxious YouTubers and TikTokers will sometimes pay homeless people to participate in dance challenges and suchlike. King Solomon was indeed right when he said that there is nothing new under the sun and what has been done before will be done again. Anyway, Godfrey is offended by Cornell's imperious manner but after he sees Cornelia bullying her kindly but none too bright younger sister Irene, Godfrey decides he'll go with Irene so she can win. A grateful Irene offers him a job as the family's butler. At his first day at work, Godfrey very soon realizes the reason the family has gone through so many butlers: they are all certified certifiably and comedically insane. In addition to these other problems, Cornelia is harboring a massive grudge against Godfrey for losing the scavenger hunt and wants payback. Wacky hijinks ensue. Fortunately, Godfrey has some hidden depths that he will need, which include being much smarter than his employers. Admittedly, this is not hard. 1936 was towards the second half of the Great Depression in the United States, so obviously the movie has more than a bit of social commentary. The characters joked that prosperity is just around the corner and wonder where they can find that corner. The rich characters are uniformly portrayed as some combination of frivolous, clueless, or malicious. I think the movie was pretty funny, if sharply so, but the big weakness was that the male and female leads were so clearly unsuited for each other but got together at the end of the movie simply because it was the end of the movie. Still, it was definitely worth watching because you can see how this movie influenced many other movies after it. I definitely recommend watching it with captions if possible, because while human nature has not changed in the last 90 years, sound technology has in fact improved quite a bit. Overall grade: B. Next up is Charade, which came out in 1963. This is a sort of romantic comedy, sort of thriller that has Audrey Hepburn playing Regina, an American living in Paris who is in the process of getting divorced from her husband. When she returns to Paris, she learns that her husband was murdered in her absence and it turns out that he was in possession of $250,000 he stole from the US government during World War II. Regina had no idea about any of this, but the US government thinks that she has the money stashed away somewhere. It turns out that her late husband also betrayed the men he worked with to steal the money and they're convinced that she has the money as well, and they're going to get it from Regina regardless of what they have to do. Regina's only ally in this mess is a mysterious man calling himself Peter Joshua (played by Cary Grant), who may or may not be one of the other thieves operating under an assumed identity. I liked this movie, but I think it had two structural problems. First, Regina wasn't all that bright, though she did get smarter as the movie went on, probably out of sheer necessity. Second, it had some severe mood whiplash. The movie couldn't decide if he was a lighthearted romantic comedy or gritty thriller, though finally snapped into focus as a pretty good thriller in the last third of the movie. Amusing tidbit: Cary Grant only agreed to do the movie if Audrey Hepburn's character would be the one chasing his character in their romance, since he thought their age gap would be inappropriate otherwise, because he was so much older than Hepburn at the time of filming. Overall grade: B+ Next up is the new Frasier series from 2023. I admit I had very, very low expectations for this, but it was considerably better than I thought it would be. My low expectations came partly because the original show was so good. Some seasons were stronger than others, of course, but the show had some absolute masterpieces of sitcom comedy throughout its entire run. Some of this was because I think the 2020s are a much more humorless and dour age than the 1990s, so I had my doubts whether the new show could be funny at all. Fortunately, my doubts were misplaced. The new Frasier is actually pretty good. It's interesting that the show's generational dynamic has been flipped on its head. In the original show, the pretentious Frasier lived with his working-class father. 20 years later, it's now Frasier who lives with his son Freddie, who dropped out of Harvard to become a firefighter and consciously rejected his father's love of intellectualism and cultural elitism. The inversion of the original dynamic works quite well. It has some moments of genuine comedy because, like his father before him, Freddie is more like his father than he realizes. The show also avoided the pitfall of bringing back legacy characters that Disney and Lucasfilm stumbled into with Star Wars and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Disney brought back legacy characters like Luke Skywalker and Indiana Jones but made them into sad, old losers. Frasier, by contrast, while frequently an unsympathetic comedy protagonist who brings his own misfortunes onto his own head, is most definitely not a sad old loser. He's famous, respected, and wealthy enough that he can afford to buy an apartment building in Boston at the drop of a hat. If you know anything about the United States, you know that the East Coast is the most expensive area of the of the country. Despite that, he remains the same well-meaning buffoon that he always was, the sort of man who, as a colleague aptly says, always goes that extra, ill-advised mile. There's a story that when Ricky Gervais was advising the creators of the American version of The Office, one of his chief pieces of advice was that Michael Scott could not be as incompetent as David Brent was in the original UK version of the show. American culture, Mr. Gervais said, was generally much less forgiving of incompetence than British culture. I thought of this as I watched Frasier because all the characters were in fact extremely competent at their jobs. Even Frasier himself, when he finally gets out of his own way, is a very good psychiatrist and teacher. Anyway, the show was funny and I think it deserves a second season. We'll see if that happens or not. Overall grade: A- Next up is Star Trek: Lower Decks Seasons One through Four, which came out from between 2020 and 2023. As I mentioned earlier, I ended up subscribing to Paramount Plus for a month after I watched Frasier, so I decided to watch Star Trek Lower Decks, since I'm forever seeing clips of that show turning up on social media. Lower Decks is a pitch perfect, affectionate parody of Star Trek from the point of view of four relatively hapless ensigns on the Cerritos, one of Starfleet's somewhat less prestigious ships. We have the self-sabotaging rebel Mariner, the insecure and ambitious Boimler, the enthusiastic science girl Tendi, and cheerful engineer Rutherford, who nonetheless has a dark and mysterious past that he can't remember. Season Four also adds T'Lyn, a Vulcan whose mild expressions of carefully measured annoyance make her a dangerous loose cannon by Vulcan standards. The show is hilarious because it makes fun of Star Trek tropes while wholeheartedly embracing them. The ensigns run into a lot of insane computers, random space anomalies, rubber forehead aliens, and other Star Trek tropes, including the grand and venerable Star Trek tradition of the Insane Admiral. Starfleet officers always seem to go off the deep end when they get promoted to Starfleet Command. The senior officers are also varying degrees of insane and drama generators. Starfleet, from the point of view of the Cerritos crew, is a vast bureaucratic organization that veers between ineffective idealism, blatant careerism, and whatever crazy project the Insane Admiral of the Week is pursuing. Yet since American sitcom characters have to be competent (like we just talked about above with Frasier), when the crisis really kicks into high gear, the Cerritos crew can pull itself together and save the galaxy with the best of them. I did like how the show grows from an affectionate parody to its own thing, with all the characters experiencing struggles and personal growth in their arcs. I liked it enough that when the 5th season of Lower Decks comes out, I'll subscribe to another month of Paramount Plus (assuming Paramount Plus still exists and hasn't been brought up by Warner Brothers or Skydance or something). Overall grade: A- Next up is Predator, which came out in 1987. When Carl Weathers died in early February of 2024, I realized I had never actually got around to seeing Predator. So I did and I'm glad that I watched it. Predator was an excellent blending of thriller, science fiction, and horror. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Dutch, who commands a team of operators who do Black Ops work for the CIA. Since it's 1987, the CIA is up to its traditional shenanigans in Central America and Dutch is dispatched to help out his old friend Dillon (played by Carl Weathers), who has been ostensibly assigned to rescue a Pro-American cabinet minister from rebel guerrillas in the jungle. Since this is the CIA, naturally there is more than the mission than is apparent on the surface. However, the mission quickly becomes irrelevant when Dutch and his team realize they are being hunted by an unknown creature with capabilities unlike anything they have ever seen before. It turns out the creature is the Predator, an alien hunter who comes to Earth and takes human skulls as trophies. Soon the movie turns into a death match duel between Dutch and the Predator. The movie did a very good job of showing the Predator's capabilities such as stealth, heat vision, and his shoulder laser without explicitly spelling them out for the audience. It was a very well put together piece of storytelling and it is of course the source of the famous Internet meme of a muscular white arm gripping a muscular black arm and also Schwarzenegger's famous line of “Get to the choppa!” Also to quote a famous Internet meme, if you had a nickel for every future governor of a US state who is in this movie, you would have two nickels, which is not a lot, but even two is pretty weird, right? Overall grade: A. Now for the favorite thing I saw in winter 2024. That honor goes to Star Trek: Picard Season Three, which came out in 2023. Honestly, this was so much better than I thought it was going to be. I thought I would watch one or two episodes and then give up. Instead I watched the whole thing in like two days over the New Year's holiday. I watched the first episode of Picard Season One way back in 2020 was free on YouTube, but I didn't like it enough to subscribe to CBS All Access (or whatever the heck it was back then). The first episode also seemed more ponderous and dour in the sort of 21st century realistic prestige television snooze fest than I really wanted to watch. But Season Three of the show got high reviews from people whose opinions I generally respect when it came out in early 2023. Since I had Paramount Plus for a month because of Frasier, I decided to give it a go. I'm glad I did. How to describe the plot? You may remember that back in summer 2023, I watched the Battleship movie. Battleship is objectively a bad movie, but it does have one interesting subplot that would make a good movie all on its own. When space aliens imprison most of the US Navy, a bunch of retired veterans take a decommissioned battleship out to war to save the day. This basically is the plot of Picard Season 3. The plot kicks off when Doctor Crusher contacts Admiral Picard after they have not spoken for twenty years. Apparently, Picard had a son named Jack with Crusher that she never told him about and mysterious assailants are trying to kidnap Jack. On the original show, Picard and Crusher definitely gave off the vibe that they probably got romantic whenever they were alone in the elevator together. The fact that Doctor Crusher got pregnant with Picard's son is not all that surprising. Picard had always been adamant about his desire not to start a family and given that any son of the legendary Captain Picard would be a target for his equally legendary enemies, Crusher decided to keep the boy a secret. Picard, understandably, is shocked by the news, but teams up with his former first officer, Captain Riker, to rescue his son. Jack has an extensive Robin Hood-esque criminal history, so it seems that his misdeeds might have caught up to him. It turns out that deadly weapon is locked in Jack's DNA and the people pursuing him aren't merely criminals but powerful enemies intent on destroying Starfleet and the Federation. Jack Crusher's DNA will give them a weapon to do it, which means it's up to the crew of The Enterprise to save the galaxy one last time. This was ten episodes, but it was very, very tightly plotted, with not many wasted moments. Sometimes you see movies that seem like they should have been streaming shows, and sometimes streaming shows seem like they really should have been cut down to movie length. But Picard's Season Three does a good job of telling a tense story that we've been impossible either in a movie or the old days of network television. The show very quickly plunges into the crisis and keeps moving from new tension to new tension. The gradual reveal where Picard at first feels guilty that he has to ask his friends to help rescue his estranged son and ex-girlfriend like he's living his own personal version of some trashy daytime TV show, only to slowly realize that something much more dangerous and much, much bigger than his personal problems is happening, was put together well. The show was also another good example of how to bring back legacy characters right. All the characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation are older and have been knocked around by life or suffered personal tragedies, but none of them are sad old losers like in a Disney or Lucasfilm project. The new and supporting characters were also great. Seven of Nine returns as the first officer to Captain Shaw, a by the book officer who thinks Picard and Riker are dangerous mavericks. He has a point. Shaw turns out to be extremely competent in a crisis. Amanda Plummer was great as Vadic, a scenery chewing villain who has very good reasons to hate Starfleet and the Federation. Vadic's love of spinning directly in her command chair was a great homage to Amanda Plummer's late father, Christopher Plummer, who played a villain with a similar tic way back in Star Trek VI in the ‘90s. It is also great how the show wrapped up some of the dangling plot threads from the ‘90s, like Picard's strained relationship with his former mentee Commander Ro Laren or the brief return of Elizabeth Shelby, Riker's former First Officer. A few people have complained that Worf is now a pacifist, but he's a Klingon pacifist, which basically means he'll attempt negotiation before cutting off your head, but he is still probably going to cut off your head. Less Conan the Barbarian, more serene Warrior Monk. I think Data had an excellent ending to his character arc, which started with his character's very first appearance way back in the ‘80s and Brent Spiner did a good job of portraying Data's fractured personalities and then how they achieved unity. I'd say the weakest point of the show was how consistently dumb Starfleet command is. The plot hinged around Starfleet gathering its entire fleet together for a celebration and then putting all those ships under a remote control system, which seems both exceptionally stupid and very convenient for the bad guys. But to be fair, this is Starfleet, an organization whose high command regularly spits out insane Admirals and also has an unsanctioned Black Ops/Mad Science division that it can't control, so it definitely fits within the overall context of Star Trek. I mean, that's like half the premise of Lower Decks. And if you've ever worked for a large governmental, military, healthcare, or educational institution, you understand. We all know that working in a large institution under leaders who are either insane or dumb isn't exactly an anomaly in the human experience. I mean, the Roman Empire circa 190 A.D. was the most powerful institution on the planet and the Empire's maximum leader liked to spend his time LARPing as a gladiator in the Coliseum. Anyway, the emotional payoff at the end of Picard Season Three was very satisfying, and how the show wrapped up a lot of threads from Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager was pretty great. It's like the people who were in charge of Season Three of Picard watched the Star Wars sequel trilogy and thought, you know, we can do better and then they did. Overall grade: A So those are the movies and TV shows I watched in Winter 2024. If you're looking for something to watch, hopefully one of them sounds like it will catch your interest. That's it for this week. Thanks for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. A reminder that you that you can listen to all the back episodes on https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review on your podcasting platform or choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.

Admittedly, we finance nerds tend to obsess a lot over topics that may or may not be super relevant to the general public. But what are some things that are overrated in personal finance? That's what our panel dives into in this special roundtable discussion. Joining us we welcome back financial educator and author, Brian Feroldi. He joins Paula Pant, creator of Afford Anything, and our resident CFP®, OG. On the second half of our discussion, sponsored by DepositAccounts.com, we debate more of what the most overrated concepts in personal finance are. And finally, our year-long trivia contest continues as Neighbor Doug whips out some charity-related trivia.  FULL SHOW NOTES: https://www.stackingbenjamins.com/the-most-overrated-ideas-concepts-and-beliefs-about-money Deeper dives with curated links, topics, and discussions are in our newsletter, The 201, available at https://www.StackingBenjamins.com/201 Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rethinking Economics is all about questioning the core foundations of economics. This series questions economic orthodoxy to better understand the forces and shifts shaping our society and the world. Together, we'll interrogate things like the efficacy of economic models, if mainstream assumptions are always correct, and why the ideas and concepts you learn about in textbooks may lead you astray. For our inaugural discussion of the series, we will be talking to our returning guest, and one of my favorite economists, Dr. Steve Keen. Our talk was recorded in March of 2024, and is hosted by me, Nathan Greene, a researcher here at the Henry George School. Many people, including myself, don't fully understand monetary theory or monetary economics. Admittedly, it's quite confusing. There are a lot of dynamics at play from banks, to households, money, and central banks, just to name a few. If you ever learned the terms money multiplier, monetary base, or reserve requirement ratio, but are not really sure what it means, you're not alone.  Dr. Keen is an expert on the dynamics of monetary economics and macroeconomics. We'll explore his critiques of the efficient market hypothesis to his more recent analyses of debt dynamics and financial instability. Together, we talked about the shortcomings of conventional economic thinking, and why it's so damaging not just to the economy, but the planet as well. By questioning fundamental assumptions, he invites us to reconsider our approach to economic policy and reshape our vision of a more equitable and sustainable future. At a time when the world is largely ignoring calls to abandon fossil fuels and the green transition feels painstakingly slow, his ideas and critiques feel more important now than ever before.  Dr. Keen received his bachelor's degree from the University of Sydney and went on to complete his master's and Ph.D. in Economics and Economic History from the University of New South Wales. He is the author of several books on economics, of which the two most famous are "Debunking Economics" and "The New Economics: A Manifesto." Both critique conventional economic theory. We were even lucky enough to hear about his upcoming book, "Rebuilding Economics from the Top Down." Dr. Keen has taught at the University of Western Sydney and Kingston University in London. He is currently leading the development of a software package called Minsky, a dynamics-based visualization tool for macroeconomic modeling. To check out more of our content, including our research and policy tools, visit our website: https://www.hgsss.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smart-talk-hgsss/support

Admittedly, I don't read a ton of fiction, but one fictional character I deeply enjoy is that of Jordan Manning, born from the mind of Tamron Hall, one of my favorite journalists. Tamron dipped her toe into writing novels with the publication of her debut work of fiction, As the Wicked Watch, back in October 2021. Now, today, March 12, book two in the Jordan Manning series is out, and it's a great sophomore effort: Watch Where They Hide, another delicious hit of crime fiction. By the way, Tamron addresses in our conversation whether there will be a third Jordan Manning book and…I'm just going to let her tell you. As our Women in Power series continues, Tamron is certainly among the most powerful women in journalism. Since September 2019, she has hosted her eponymous talk show, The Tamron Hall Show, to much success including two Daytime Emmy Awards. Prior to hosting her own talk show, Tamron was a national news correspondent for NBC News, a daytime anchor for MSNBC, host of the show MSNBC Live with Tamron Hall, and a co-host of the third hour of the Today Show. Tamron's new book, Watch Where They Hide, touches on domestic violence—a subject that, through her sister, Tamron knows all too well, unfortunately. In 2004, Tamron's sister Renate was murdered after experiencing domestic violence. Though police officers originally informed Tamron's family of their belief that they knew who murdered Renate, that person was never charged, and the case remains unsolved today. Tamron has made domestic violence awareness and ending domestic violence a cornerstone of her life since, and domestic violence is a part of the story of Marla Hancock in Watch Where They Hide. In the book Marla, a stay-at-home mother, disappears not long after leaving her abusive husband and moving to Indiana with her sister, Shelly, who knows Marla would never leave without bringing her kids with her. Shelly fears that Marla's disappearance won't get the attention it deserves, or worse, will go unsolved—see the parallels here?—so, a few weeks after filing a missing person's report, she enlists the help of TV journalist Jordan Manning, and the twist and turns from there will keep you on the edge of your seat. Plus, stick around after our conversation for two more upcoming television shows based on books to look out for, as well as 11 fiction writers I can't get enough of.   By Tamron Hall: As the Wicked Watch Watch Where They Hide   The entire collections of Emily Giffin Rebecca Wells Kathryn Stockett Fannie Flagg Terry McMillan Plum Sykes Candace Bushnell Taylor Jenkins Reid Carley Fortune Lauren Weisberger Jennifer Weiner   + television picks! Read: Chasing Hillary by Amy Chozick | Watch: The Girls on the Bus on Max, out March 14 Read: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles | Watch: A Gentleman in Moscow on Paramount+, out March 29

Japan offered a timely reminder of the unreliability of economic data. Fourth quarter GDP was revised from -0.4% to +0.4%. Admittedly, this is an annualized number, which sensationalizes and exaggerates changes, but it is still a notable revision. The revision was mainly due to stronger investment spending—Japanese consumer spending was revised somewhat weaker.

Transcript Eric Topol (00:06):Well, hello, this is Eric Topol with Ground Truths and I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Daphne Koller, the founder and CEO of insitro, and a person who I've been wanting to meet for some time. Finally, we converged so welcome, Daphne.Daphne Koller (00:21):Thank you Eric. And it's a pleasure to finally meet you as well.Eric Topol (00:24):Yeah, I mean you have been rocking everybody over the years with elected to the National Academy of Engineering and Science and right at the interface of life science and computer science and in my view, there's hardly anyone I can imagine who's doing so much at that interface. I wanted to first start with your meeting in Davos last month because I kind of figured we start broad AI rather than starting to get into what you're doing these days. And you had a really interesting panel [←transcript] with Yann LeCun, Andrew Ng and Kai-Fu Lee and others, and I wanted to get your impression about that and also kind of the general sense. I mean AI is just moving it at speed, that is just crazy stuff. What were your thoughts about that panel just last month, where are we?Video link for the WEF PanelDaphne Koller (01:25):I think we've been living on an exponential curve for multiple decades and the thing about exponential curves is they are very misleading things. In the early stages people basically take the line between whatever we were last year, and this year and they interpolate linearly, and they say, God, things are moving so slowly. Then as the exponential curve starts to pick up, it becomes more and more evident that things are moving faster, but it's still people interpolate linearly and it's only when things really hit that inflection point that people realize that even with the linear interpolation where we'll be next year is just mind blowing. And if you realize that you're on that exponential curve where we will be next year is just totally unanticipatable. I think what we started to discuss in that panel was, are we in fact on an exponential curve? What are the rate limiting factors that may or may not enable that curve to continue specifically availability of data and what it would take to make that curve available in areas outside of the speech, whatever natural language, large language models that exist today and go far beyond that, which is what you would need to have these be applicable to areas such as biology and medicine.Daphne Koller (02:47):And so that was kind of the message to my mind from the panel.Eric Topol (02:53):And there was some differences in opinion, of course Yann can be a little strong and I think it was good to see that you're challenging on some things and how there is this “world view” of AI and how, I guess where we go from here. As you mentioned in the area of life science, there already had been before large language models hit stride, so much progress particularly in imaging cells, subcellular, I mean rare cells, I mean just stuff that was just without any labeling, without fluorescein, just amazing stuff. And then now it's gone into another level. So as we get into that, just before I do that, I want to ask you about this convergence story. Jensen Huang, I'm sure you heard his quote about biology as the opportunity to be engineering, not science. I'm sure if I understand, not science, but what about this convergence? Because it is quite extraordinary to see two fields coming together moving at such high velocity."Biology has the opportunity to be engineering not science. When something becomes engineering not science it becomes...exponentially improving, it can compound on the benefits of previous years." -Jensen Huang, NVIDIA.Daphne Koller (04:08):So, a quote that I will replace Jensen's or will propose a replacement for Jensen's quote, which is one that many people have articulated, is that math is to physics as machine learning is to biology. It is a mathematical foundation that allows you to take something that up until that point had been kind of mysterious and fuzzy and almost magical and create a formal foundation for it. Now physics, especially Newtonian physics, is simple enough that math is the right foundation to capture what goes on in a lot of physics. Biology as an evolved natural system is so complex that you can't articulate a mathematical model for that de novo. You need to actually let the data speak and then let machine learning find the patterns in those data and really help us create a predictability, if you will, for biological systems that you can start to ask what if questions, what would happen if we perturb the system in this way?The ConvergenceDaphne Koller (05:17):How would it react? We're nowhere close to being able to answer those questions reliably today, but as you feed a machine learning system more and more data, hopefully it'll become capable of making those predictions. And in order to do that, and this is where it comes to this convergence of these two disciplines, the fodder, the foundation for all of machine learning is having enough data to feed the beast. The miracle of the convergence that we're seeing is that over the last 10, 15 years, maybe 20 years in biology, we've been on a similar, albeit somewhat slower exponential curve of data generation in biology where we are turning it into a quantitative discipline from something that is entirely observational qualitative, which is where it started, to something that becomes much more quantitative and broad based in how we measure biology. And so those measurements, the tools that life scientists and bioengineers have developed that allow us to measure biological systems is what produces that fodder, that energy that you can then feed into the machine learning models so that they can start making predictions.Eric Topol (06:32):Yeah, well I think the number of layers of data no less what's in these layers is quite extraordinary. So some years ago when all the single cell sequencing was started, I said, well, that's kind of academic interest and now the field of spatial omics has exploded. And I wonder how you see the feeding the beast here. It's at every level. It's not just the cell level subcellular and single cell nuclei sequencing single cell epigenomics, and then you go all the way to these other layers of data. I know you plug into the human patient side as well as it could be images, it could be past slides, it could be the outcomes and treatments and on and on and on. I mean, so when you think about multimodal AI, has anybody really done that yet?Daphne Koller (07:30):I think that there are certainly beginnings of multimodal AI and we have started to see some of the benefits of the convergence of say, imaging and omics. And I will give an example from some of the work that we've recently distributed on a preprint server work that we did at insitro, which took imaging data from standard histopathology slides, H&E slides and aligned them with simple bulk RNA-Seq taken from those same tumor samples. And what we find is that by training models that translate from one to the other, specifically from the imaging to the omics, you're able to, for a fairly large fraction of genes, make very accurate predictions of gene expression levels by looking at the histopath images alone. And in fact, because many of the predictions are made at the tile level, not at the entire slide level, even though the omics was captured in bulk, you're able to spatially resolve the signal and get kind of like a pseudo spatial biology just by making predictions from the H&E image into these omic modalities.Multimodal A.I. and Life ScienceDaphne Koller (08:44):So there are I think beginnings of multimodality, but in order to get to multimodality, you really need to train on at least some data where the two modalities are simultaneously. And so at this point, I think the rate limiting factor is more a matter of data acquisition for training the models. It is for building the models themselves. And so that's where I think things like spatial biology, which I think like you are very excited about, are one of the places where we can really start to capture these paired modalities and get to some of those multimodal capabilities.Eric Topol (09:23):Yeah, I wanted to ask you because I mean spatial temporal is so perfect. It is two modes, and you have as the preprint you refer to and you see things like electronic health records in genomics, electronic health records in medical images. The most we've done is getting two modes of data together. And the question is as this data starts to really accrue, do we need new models to work with it or do you actually foresee that that is not a limiting step?Daphne Koller (09:57):So I think currently data availability is the most significant rate limiting step. The nice thing about modern day machine learning is that it really is structured as a set of building blocks that you can start to put together in different ways for different situations. And so, do we have the exact right models available to us today for these multimodal systems? Probably not, but do we have the right building blocks that if we creatively put them together from what has already been deployed in other settings? Probably, yes. So of course there's still a model exploration to be done and a lot of creativity in how these building blocks should be put together, but I think we have the tools available to solve these problems. What we really need is first I think a really significant data acquisition effort. And the other thing that we need, which is also something that has been a priority for us at insitro, is the right mix of people to be put together so that you can, because what happens is if you take a bunch of even extremely talented and sophisticated machine learning scientists and say, solve a biological problem, here's a dataset, they don't know what questions to ask and oftentimes end up asking questions that might be kind of interesting from machine learning perspective, but don't really answer fundamental biology questions.Daphne Koller (11:16):And conversely, you can take biologists and say, hey, what would you have machine learning do? And they will tell you, well, in our work we do A to B to C to D, and B to C is kind of painful, like counting nuclei is really painful, so can we have the machine do that for us? And it's kind of like that. Yeah, but that's boring. So what you get if you put them in a room together and actually get to the point where they communicate with each other effectively, is that not only do you get better solutions, you get better problems. I think that's really the crux of making progress here besides data is the culture and the people.A.I. and Drug DiscoveryEric Topol (11:54):Well, I'm sure you've assembled that at insitro knowing you, and I mean people tend to forget it's about the people, it's not about the models or even the data when you have all that. Now you've been onto drug discovery paths, there's at least 20 drugs that are AI driven that are in the clinic in phase one or two at some point. Obviously these are not only ones that you've been working on, but do you see this whole field now going into high gear because of this? Or is that the fact that there's all these AI companies partnering with big pharma? Is it a lot of nice agreements that are drawn up with multimillion dollar milestones or is this real?Daphne Koller (12:47):So there's a number of different layers to your question. First of all, let me start by saying that I find the notion of AI driven drugs to be a bit of a weird concept because over time most drugs will have some element of AI in them. I mean, even some of the earlier work used data science in many cases. So where do you draw the boundary? I mean, we're not going to be in a world anytime soon where AI starts out with, oh, I need to work on ALS and at the end there is a clinical trial design ready to be submitted to the FDA without anything, any human intervention in the middle. So, it's always going to be an interplay between a machine and a human with over time more and more capabilities I think being taken on by the machine, but I think inevitably a partnership for a long time to come.Daphne Koller (13:41):But coming to the second part of your question, is this real? Every big pharma has gotten to the point today that they realize they need some of that AI thing that's going around. The level of sophistication of how they incorporate that and their willingness to make some of the hard decisions of, well, if we're going to be doing this with AI, it means we shouldn't be doing it the old way anymore and we need to make a big dramatic internal shift that I think depends very much on the specific company. And some companies have more willingness to take those very big steps than others, so will some companies be able to make the adjustment? Probably. Will all of them? Probably not. I would say however, that in this new world there is also room for companies to emerge that are, if you will, AI native.Daphne Koller (14:39):And we've seen that in every technological revolution that the native companies that were born in the new age move faster, incorporate the technology much more deeply into every aspect of their work, and they end up being dominant players if not the dominant player in that new world. And you could look at the internet revolution and think back to Google did not emerge from the yellow pages. Netflix did not emerge from blockbuster, Amazon did not emerge from Walmart so some of those incumbents did make the adjustment and are still around, some did not and are no longer around. And I think the same thing will happen with drug discovery and development where there will be a new crop of leading companies to I think maybe together with some of the incumbents that we're able to make the adjustment.Eric Topol (15:36):Yeah, I think your point there is essential, and another part of this story is that a lot of people don't realize there's so many nodes of ways that AI can facilitate this whole process. I mean from the elemental data mining that identified Baricitinib for Covid and now being used even for many other indications, repurposing that to how to simulate for clinical trials and everything in between. Now, what seems like because of your incredible knack and this convergence, I mean your middle name is like convergence really, you are working at the level of really in my view, this unique aspect of bringing cells and all the other layers of data together to amp things up. Is that a fair assessment of where insitro in your efforts are directed?Three BucketsDaphne Koller (16:38):So first of all, maybe it's useful to kind of create the high level map and the simplest version I've heard is where you divide the process into three major buckets. One is what you think of as biology discovery, which is the discovery of new therapeutic hypotheses. Basically, if you modulate this target in this group of humans, you will end up affecting this clinical outcome. That's the first third. The middle third is, okay, well now we need to turn that hypothesis into an actual molecule that does that. So basically generating molecules. And then finally there's the enablement and acceleration of the clinical development process, which is the final third. Most companies in the AI space have really focused in on that middle third because it is well-defined, you know when you've succeeded if someone gives you a target and what's called a target product profile (TPP) at the end of whatever, two, three years, whether you've been able to create a molecule that achieves the appropriate properties of selectivity and solubility and all those other things. The first third is where a lot of the mistakes currently happen in drug discovery and development. Most drugs that go into the clinic don't fail because we didn't have the right molecule. I mean that happens, but it's not the most common failure mode. The most common failure mode is that the target was just a wrong target for this disease in this patient population.Daphne Koller (18:09):So the real focus of us, the core of who we are as a company is on that early third of let's make sure we're going after the right clinical hypotheses. Now with that, obviously we need to make molecules and some of those molecules we make in-house, and obviously we use machine learning to do that as well. And then the last third is we discover that if you have the right therapeutic hypothesis, which includes which is the right patient population, that can also accelerate and enable your clinical trials, so we end up doing some of that as well. But the core of what we believe is the failure mode of drug discovery and what it's going to take to move it to the next level is the articulation of therapeutic hypotheses that actually translate into clinical outcome. And so in order to do that, we've put together, to your point about convergence, two very distinct types of data.Daphne Koller (19:04):One is data that we print in our own internal data factory where we have this incredible set of capabilities that uses stem cells and CRISPR and microscopy and single cell measurements and spatial biology and all that to generate massive amounts of in-house data. And then because ultimately you care not about curing cells, you care about curing people, you also need to bring in the clinical data. And again, here also we look at multiple high content data modalities, imaging and omics, and of course human genetics, which is one of the few sources of ground truth for causality that is available in medicine and really bring all those different data modalities across these two different scales together to come up with what we believe are truly high quality therapeutic hypotheses that we then advance into the clinic.AlphaFold2, the ExemplarEric Topol (19:56):Yeah, no, I think that's an extraordinary approach. It's a bold, ambitious one, but at least it is getting to the root of what is needed. One of the things you mentioned of course, is the coming up with molecules, and I wanted to get your comments about the AlphaFold2 world and the ability to not just design proteins now of course that are not extant proteins, but it isn't just proteins, it could be antibodies, it could be peptides and small molecules. How much does that contribute to your perspective?Daphne Koller (20:37):So first of all, let me say that I consider the AlphaFold story across its incarnations to be one of the best examples of the hypothesis that we set out trying to achieve or trying to prove, which is if you feed a machine learning model enough data, it will learn to do amazing things. And the space of protein folding is one of those areas where there has been enough data in biology that is the sequence to structure mapping is something that over the years, because it's so consistent across different cells, across different species even, we have a lot of data of sequence to structure, which is what enabled AlphaFold to be successful. Now since then, of course, they've taken it to a whole new level. I think what we are currently able to do with protein-based therapeutics is entirely sort of a consequence of that line of development. Whether that same line of development is also going to unlock other therapeutic modalities such as small molecules where the amount of data is unfortunately much less abundant and often locked away in the bowels of big pharma companies that are not eager to share.Daphne Koller (21:57):I think that question remains. I have not yet seen that same level of performance in de novo design of small molecule therapeutics because of the data availability limitations. Now people have a lot of creative ideas about that. We use DNA encoded libraries as a way of generating data at scale for small molecules. Others have used other approaches including active learning and pre-training and all sorts of approaches like that. We're still waiting, I think for a truly convincing demonstration that you can get to that same level of de novo design in small molecules as you can in protein therapeutics. Now as to how that affects us, I'm so excited about this development because our focus, as I mentioned, is the discovery of novel therapeutic hypotheses. You then need to turn those therapeutic hypotheses into actual molecules that do the work. We know we're not going to be the expert in every single therapeutic modality from small molecules to macro cycles, to the proteins to mRNA, siRNA, there's so many of those that you need to have therapeutic modality experts in each of those modalities that can then as you discover a target that you want to modulate, you can basically go and ask what is the right partner to help turn this into an actual therapeutic intervention?Daphne Koller (23:28):And we've already had some conversations with some modality partners as we like to call them that help us take some of our hypotheses and turn it into molecules. They often are very hungry for new targets because they oftentimes kind of like, okay, here's the three or four or whatever, five low hanging fruits that our technology uniquely unlocks. But then once you get past those well validated targets like, okay, what's next? Am I just going to go read a bunch of papers and hope for the best? And so oftentimes they're looking for new hypotheses and we're looking for partners to make molecules. It's a great partnership.Can We Slow the Aging Process?Eric Topol (24:07):Oh yeah, no question about that. Now, we've seen in recent times some leaps in drugs that were worked on for decades, like the GLP-1s for obesity, which are having effects potentially well beyond obesity didn't require any AI, but just slogging away at it for decades. And you previously were at Calico, which is trying to deal with aging. Do you think that we're going to see drug interventions that are going to slow the aging process because of this unique time of this exponential point we are in where we're a computer and science and digital biology come together?Daphne Koller (24:52):So I think the GLP-1s are an incredible achievement. And I would point out, I know you said and incorrectly that it didn't use any AI, but they did actually use an understanding of human genetics. And I think human genetics and the genotype phenotype statistical associations that they revealed is in some ways the biological precursor to AI it is a way of leveraging very large amounts of data, admittedly using simpler statistical tools, but still to discover in a data-driven way, novel therapeutic hypothesis. So I consider the work that we do to be a progeny of the kind of work that statistical geneticists have done. And of course a lot of heavy lifting needed to be done after that in order to make a drug that actually worked and kudos to the leaders in that space. In terms of the modulation of aging, I mean aging is a process of decline over time, and the rate of that decline is definitely something that is modifiable.Daphne Koller (26:07):And we all know that external factors such as lifestyle, diet, exercise, even exposure to sun or smoking, accelerates the aging process. And you could easily imagine, as we've seen in the GLP-1s that a therapeutic intervention can change that trajectory. So will we be able to using therapeutic interventions, increase health span so that we live healthy longer? I think the answer to that is undoubtedly, yes. And we've seen that consistently with therapeutic interventions, not even just the GLP-1s, but going backwards, I mean even statins and earlier things. Will we be able to increase the maximum life span so that people habitually live past 120, 150? I don't know. I don't know that anybody knows the answer to that question. I personally would be quite happy with increasing my health span so that at the age of 80, I'm still able to actively go hiking and scuba diving at 90 and 100 and that would be a pretty good place to start.Eric Topol (27:25):Well, I'm with you on that, but I just want to ask though, because the drugs we have today that are highly effective, I mean statins is a good example. They work at a particular level of the body. They don't have across the board modulation of effect. And I guess what I was asking is, do you foresee we will have some way to do that across all systems? I mean, that is getting to, now that we have so many different ways to intervene on the process, is there a way that you envision in the future that we'll be able to here, I'm not talking about in expanding lifespan, I'm talking about promoting health, whether it's the immune system or whether it's through mitochondria and mTOR, caloric, I mean all these different things you think that's conceivable or is that just, I mean companies like Calico and others have been chasing this. What do you think?Daphne Koller (28:30):Again, I think it's a thing that is hard to predict. I mean, we know that different organ systems age at different rates, and is there a single bio even in a single individual, and it's been well established that you can test brain age versus muscle health versus cardiovascular, and they can be quite different in the same individual, so is there a single hub? No, that governs all forms of aging. I don't know if that's true. I think it's oftentimes different. We know protein folding has an effect, you know DNA damage has an effect. That's why our skin ages because it's exposed to sun. Is there going to be a single switch that reverts it all back? Certainly some companies are pursuing that single bullet approach. I personally would probably say that based on the biology that I've seen, there's at least as much potential in trying to find ways to slow the decline in a way that specific to say as we discussed the immune system or correcting protein, misfolding dysfunction or things like that. And I'm not dismissing there is a single magic switch, but let's just say I think we should be exploring multiple alternatives.Eric Topol (29:58):Yeah, no, I like your reasoning. I think it's actually like everything else you said here. It makes a lot of sense. The logic is hard to argue with. Well, I think what you're doing there at insitro is remarkable and it seems to be quite distinct from other strategies, and that's not at all surprising knowing your background and your aspiration.Daphne Koller (30:27):Never like to follow the crowd. It's boring.Eric Topol (30:30):Right, and I do know you left an aging directed company effort at Calico to do what you're doing. So that must have been an opening for you that you saw was much more diverse perhaps, or maybe I'm mistaken that Calico is not really age specific in its goals.Daphne Koller (30:49):So what inspired me to go found insitro was the realization that we are making medicines today in a way that is not that different from the way in which we were making medicines 20 or 30 years ago in terms of the process by which we go from a, here's what I want to work on to here's a drug is a very much an artisanal one-off each one of them is a snowflake. There is very little commonality and sharing of insights and infrastructure across those efforts except in relatively limited tool-based ways. And I wanted to change that. I wanted to take the tools of engineering and data and machine learning and build a very different approach of going from a problem definition to a therapeutic intervention. And it didn't make sense to build that within a company that's focused on any single biology, not just aging because it is such a broad-based foundation.Daphne Koller (31:58):And I will tell you that I think we are on the path to building the thing that I set out to build. And as one example of that, I will use the work that we've recently done in metabolic disease where based on the foundations that we've built using both the clinical machine learning work and the cellular machine learning work, we were able to go from a problem articulation of this is the indication that we want to work on to a proof of concept in a translatable animal model in one year. That is pretty unusual. Admittedly, this is with an SiRNA tool compound. Nice thing about things that are liver directed is that it's not that difficult of a path to go from an SiRNA tool compound to an actual SiRNA drug. And so hopefully that's a fairly linear journey from there even, which is great.Daphne Koller (32:51):But the fact that we were able to go from problem articulation to a proof of concept in a translatable animal model in one year, that is unusual. And we're starting to see that now across our other therapeutic areas. It takes a long time to build a platform because you're basically building a foundation. It's like, okay, where's the fruit of all of that? I mean, you're building and building and building and nothing comes out for a while because you're building so much of the infrastructure. But once you've built it, you turn the crank and stuff starts to come out, you turn the crank again, and it works faster and better than the previous time. And so the essence of what we've built and what has turned into the tagline for the company is what we call pipeline through platform, which is we're building a pipeline of therapeutic interventions that comes off of a platform. And that's rare in biopharma, the only platform companies that really have emerged by and larger therapeutic modality platforms, things like Moderna and Alnylam, which have gotten really good at a particular modality and that's awesome. We're building a discovery platform and that is a fairly unusual thing.Eric Topol (34:02):Right. Well, I have no doubt you'll be discovering a lot of important things. That one sounds like it could be a big impact on NASH.Daphne Koller (34:14):Yeah, we hope so.Eric Topol (34:14):A big unmet need that's not going to be fixed by what we have today. So Daphne, it's really a joy to talk with you and palpable enthusiasm for where the field is going as one of its real leaders and we'll be cheering for you. I hope we'll reconnect in the times ahead to get another progress report because you're definitely rocking it there and you've got a lot of great ideas for how to change the life science medical world of the future.Daphne Koller (34:48):Thank you so much. It's a pleasure to meet you, and it's a long and difficult journey, but I think we're on the right path, so looking forward to seeing that all that pan out.Eric Topol (34:58):You made a compelling case in a short visit, so thank you.Daphne Koller (35:02):Thank you so much.Thanks for your subscription and listening/reading these posts.All content on Ground Truths—newsletter analyses and podcasts—is free.Voluntary paid subscriptions all go to support Scripps Research. Get full access to Ground Truths at erictopol.substack.com/subscribe

Lucho and Tawnee are back on for Ask the Coaches episode 363. Anonymous asks: Mental Toughness 101 How would you define toughness? (Admittedly, this is inspired by my recent start to reading Steve Magness' book Do Hard Things). What the coaches say: Listen to OMM 17 in which Tawnee outlines how mental toughness can certainly be […] The post ATC 363: Foundations of Mental Toughness: It Starts Within – Self-Awareness, Confidence, Boundaries and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.

Within trendspotting content (when I first started YouTube in 2018), I mentioned how the growing energy drinks market (with all those jolts of stimulation) would eventually lead to a state of overstimulation where consumers would increasingly start shifting more attention towards relaxation. Admittedly, A LOT of my mindshare given to that hypothesis was likely directed towards leveraging a particular trending agricultural ingredient. And this is where synchronicity between Ben Witte (Founder/CEO of Recess) and I likely began. Yet, this phenomenon continued as we both saw the evolving marketplace in a manner that required brands to market the solution, not the ingredient. And I mention all that “separate but intertwined” backstory because our “great minds think alike” dynamic builds extensive layers of insights within our conversation about arguably the next big CPG space. Ben and I will cover how spotting that early marketplace insight helped inform key decisions at Recess that built powerful strategic optionality. We also dive deep into what's driving the “better for you Relaxation” space and how Recess is intentionally building a broad-reaching platform business within that emerging category that's inclusive of three distinct product lines, numerous formats, and only slightly nuanced value propositions. Additionally, we breakdown the strategic differences between what is needed to create a new category versus going into an existing category and trying to capture market share. As a special bonus, I got Ben to walk us through his “Recess Flywheel” strategy that has been creating more and more rapid retail growth. But these are just a few of the fascinating topics within our recent conversation… FOLLOW ME ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS LINKEDIN - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaschallmba⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YOUTUBE - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/joshuaschall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TWITTER - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/joshua_schall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ INSTAGRAM - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/joshua_schall⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FACEBOOK - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/jschallconsulting --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joshua-schall/support

Vulnerability share: I had a really hard few days last week. For the first time in what felt like forever, I had a lot bubble up inside of my body. At first, I resisted. I pouted. I complained. (Like any other human does at the feeling of deep feels.) But then… eventually…  I surrendered. It got me thinking…   My God… us human beings have this massive capability of feeling emotions inside of our bodies. To help guide us and process our life experiences. To literally help us become healthier. Admittedly, it's very hard to feel it. It's uncomfortable to be present with your sadness, your grief, your anger. It takes self-worth to create enough space in your life, to process, cry and witness what wants to come up.    On top of this really hard part of being a human, we are taught to believe that these aspects of ourselves are wrong. Bad. Maybe we even believe they rise up because we aren't “good enough” at managing things. And it's so not true.    I realized in my experience that pain is so healthy. Pain is so natural. Pain is healing in motion. It helped me to discover so much about myself, about my life, about what my body needed, about what I can change for the better. Although it did not feel like it at the time, it was a total gift from God.   We all feel these intense emotions. They are nothing to be ashamed of. It's the price of being a human being.    So why not just feel them?    I released a new podcast today: Your pain wants to heal you. Here's how to let it.   It's to show you how to create enough safety within your mind and body to say yes, the next time your body is ready to feel the more difficult emotions.     You're not alone in having them. There's nothing wrong with you for having them. You are safe to feel them. Listen now.

Season 15, Episode 27: Admittedly we don't get onto the title topic until the end of this episode, but it starts with a glance at the Shield and ends up back there amid the conundrum of Will Pucovski. In between, the machinations of the New Zealand and Australia Test series, worries for Alex Carey, the trials of Vanuatu in World Cup qualifying including a very rare and dodgy tactical ploy and a remarkable old spinner's debut, Ireland notch their first Test win, and it's freezing in Dharamsala ahead of India England. Plus, which football team is Fran Fine? Your Nerd Pledge number this week: 5.72 - Matt Baker Support the show with a Nerd Pledge at patreon.com/thefinalword Get that sweet Nord VPN discount - nordvpn.com/tfw Sort your super with CBUS on their 40th birthday Run or donate to the 2024 Edinburgh Marathon for the Lord's Taverners All links at linktr.ee/thefinalword Find previous episodes at finalwordcricket.com Title track by Urthboy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Admittedly the first few episodes of this season have been about preparing ourselves for the remainder of the season.  We just figured you guys would like to listen to the sausage get made.  In this episode we hammer out the details for the upcoming GCL Drafts.  Enjoy. This link here  folks  https://jordanrannells.com/ https://waywardraven.com/ FOLLOW THIS […] The post Geek Cast Live 11.479 : Poonhounds Of Infinite Sadness appeared first on Geek Cast Live.

Whether it's what we're having for breakfast or how we're going to deal with an annoying co-worker, life is filled with choices. Admittedly, a lot of them aren't deal breakers (like bacon over sausage). But others (like giving in to a particular sin) literally can make or break you as a man, a husband, and a father. The key is equipping yourself to make the best choices possible so you can avoid the heartache and frustration. In Proverbs 12, you'll find some solid, time-tested advice for making the kind of decisions that make life go a little smoother.   Subscribe to the Biblical Fatherhood Newsletter, Mountain Monday.

We love our soaps! Every General Hospital Admittedly Fans Show (GH A.F.) includes a healthy panel discussion full of comedy about:Top story lines , Pet peeves,  & GH Trivia to test your fandom!In this 26-minute episode, T, J, Ma-Lin and G return to discuss a quick re-visit of Episode 1 predictions, top story lines, including the upheaval in Sonny's world, a deep track history of Jagger, a few Peeves, and a rollicking round of GH trivia!     Can you relate to our pet peeves?   -Sasha and Cody's non relationship is annoying                                                                                           -Tracy being turned soft? I mean, come on?                                                                                                     -Spencer's funeral had too many roses, lacked a montage…and a body                                         -Portia and Curtis will not run a good storyline until he can walk!                                                   -A Time to Kill…Off MollyHow about GH trivia?1.     Who shot young Michael Corinthos in a warehouse landing him in a long-term coma?2.     Kate Howard was the new neighbor and girlfriend of Sonny Corinthos. What was her real name and who was she related to?3.     How many current characters are a part of the Spencer family?4.     What was the name of the cult that Christina joined, and what was the name of the cult leader?5.     How many times was Laura Spencer married and to whom was she wed? General Hospital Admittedly Fans! is a Swing/MG original program that airs twice a month; a manageable dose and welcome escape for GHers.  For information about more shows or to be considered for an upcoming episode, visit http://www.swingmg.com and use the "Contact" button to reach us. Support Soaps! #GH #Soapfan #DaytimeTV #ABC #General HospitalShow Website: https://generalhospitaladmittedlyfans_swingmg.buzzsprout.comSupport the show

It's the 4th show, dark and long in the short month of February. The psychedelic and strange loom in a cloak of mystery. The Norwegian siren call can be heard in the distance. Wonderful delights and shadowy visions. Admittedly not everyone's cup of Chamomile. Some bangers but just as much experimental and abstract. Takes a growth-mindset pair of open ears and a soul willing to go on a music adventure. Just taking the piddle. But hopefully lost gems are rediscovered along the way and ‘new to you' soon to be favorites are discovered. It's deep dub remixes, extended plays, remixes, edits, and piddle. Featuring Röyksopp, New Order, Two Lone Swordsmen, One Dove, Boards Of Canada, Sigur Rós, Orbital and loads more. Tune into new broadcasts of Golazo, Wednesday 12 - 2 PM EST / 5 - 7 PM GMT.For more info visit: https://thefaceradio.com/golazo///Dig this show? Please consider supporting The Face Radio: http://support.thefaceradio.com Support The Face Radio with PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/thefaceradio. Join the family at https://plus.acast.com/s/thefaceradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is nothing more bizarre than having fans message us or approach us. While we know we post publicly, and are heard internationally, it is so crazy to have people talk to us about it. Admittedly, pure embarrasment hits first, followed by thoughts of "damn, people actually listen!". It makes us feel like we should be inspirational, use our platform for the greater good. But then we get in the room with each other, put the mics to our mouths, and just let our thoughts flow freely -- the end result: an utter mess of word vomit. But you're here for it and asking for more. Maybe you are a bunch of trash bags like us.

We love our soaps! Every GH A.F. show features a healthy panel discussion full of comedy about:Top story lines   Pet peeves and how we'd fix them  GH trivia past and present to test your fandom!In this 26 minute episode, the panel of T, J, Malin and G discuss the anger inside Drew Cain, Weeping Willow, the return of Jason and Lucky, and future love triangles!   Can you relate to our pet peeves?  The need for a mob war, Lack of chemistry between Drew and Carly, Too many young children and not enough evil, Maura West need of a good story line, BJ dies and no decent montage!?!How about GH trivia? Who was Dr. Patrick Drake's crazy ex-girlfriend? How many actors have played Jason Morgan?Who wrote the book on Spinelli?What product did Tracy inherit to save the family business? What and who is a part of the Maxie Jones Death Curse?General Hospital Admittedly Fans! is a Swing/MG Original Program that airs twice a month; a manageable dose and welcome escape for GHers.  For information about more shows or to be considered for an upcoming episode, visit http://www.swingmg.com and use the "Contact" button to reach us.Support the show

I grew up during what appears today to be the stone age of upland hunting. It's hard to believe we could simply throw on a bell and go out hunting. Admittedly, there were plenty of frustrating days when the dogs were having a really good time without us. It was just part of the gig back then. We talked to our dogs a lot, constantly commanding to keep them close and if possible, correcting what we could see and more often what we could hear. We were trained to follow the bell and never let it out of hearing range. When a dog went on point we would break into search parties to locate it. If we couldn't find it, a shot would be fired into the air in hopes we would hear a ding of the bell.  With the development of today's hunting technology, we now have the luxury of knowing more about our hunting dogs than ever before. We can hunt comfortably, saying very little to our dogs while enjoying all the sights and sounds our covers have to offer. We know where our dogs are, where they've been, how fast they are moving, when they are pointing, or when they are not. We are even able to extend our physical influence out for miles. Though electronic collars (e-collars) are amazing, it's important to recognize that they are your best friend and your worst enemy at the same time.

►► Download the 20 Ways To Start Writing A Song Cheat Sheet here: http://songwritertheory.com/freeguide/ In this episode of the Songwriter Theory Podcast, we're talking about another factor leading to or signpost indicating how good a song is. This time we're talking about honesty. A song doesn't have to be literally true, but it definitely should be communicating truth. Often, our songs are touching on themes and exploring different stories to try to glean some meaning from life. Our songs, like any other art, should represent reality. Again, not literal reality, but the reality of the nature of the world and creatures with free will. Just as Tolkien used fantasy characters to explore core human truths, so should we be writing with core human truths in mind. Are you characters consistent? Do your stories represent what is likely to happen in the real world? Do your characters seem like they would or could be real people? A part of what makes art great is the illusion of the lack of the hand of the artist- but yet art is completely created by an artist. But if the art feels honest and real, we don't see the hand of the artist. We do see the hand of the artist when the artist makes characters do things out of character so the rest of the plot can happen, or when they present a world that bears no resemblance to what we know of the reality around us. So let's talk about honesty as a factor leading to great songs! Transcript: In this episode, we are continuing our conversation about what makes a song great. It's a difficult conversation to have. It's not something that is super easy. It's not something that can just be made into a simple math equation. But we all have this sense that there is such a thing as one piece of art or one song being better than another. We all think, "How do I make my song better?" Which implies the existence of better. So, it's important to talk about what are the factors that lead to that. When I say that I want to make my second verse lyric better, what are some of the underlying principles or factors that go into making it better versus maybe making it worse? And we can apply that to all different parts of any given song. So, we're going to talk about things philosophically today, but we're talking about what makes a song great. But to... Hello, friend. Welcome to another episode of the Songwriting Theory Podcast. I'm your host, as always, Joseph Adala. I'm honored that you would take some time out of your busy day to talk songwriting with me. I could be listening to Rogan, but instead, you are here. And I'm sure that Joe Rogan is more entertaining than I am, given that, well, we are talking about things that are largely informational. So, as entertaining as I may or may not be as a human being, this podcast is no Joe Rogan show. Joe Rogan experience, I'm sorry. What's wrong with me? Goodness. That being said, I know that, you know, probably we have time for one, two, maybe three podcasts to actually keep up on in the fact that any podcast talking about songwriting, the craft of songwriting, and learning more about songwriting makes the cut for you, means that songwriting as a craft is really important to you. And that pumps me up, because it's important to me. That's why I do this. That's why we're 251 episodes in, something like that. I care about the craft of songwriting, and the fact that there's anybody out there listening at all, of course, means that other people care about the craft, too, which is the best. So, thank you for being here. I appreciate that. If you haven't already, be sure to grab my free guide. I always do always to start writing a song. We're talking philosophical today. So, makes sense to offer you something for free. That is purely practical, basically. It is, if you want to start a song, do this, or this, or this. And it's not a comprehensive list. But I think too many of us just kind of default to one way to start writing a song and never even entertain the idea that there's a bunch of different ways to start a song that can inspire us in different directions creatively, or can get us out of our creative rut. Too many times, I think we think that, "Oh, the muse hasn't visited me," or, "My creativity's just run out. I just can't write a song right now." But it's not because our creativity ran out. It's because our creativity with that specific thing has run out. Maybe right now, if I were to try to come up with a piano riff, I've just kind of run out for now, because I've done too many in the last several months. And I just need to go try to start a song with a bass line, or start a song with an interesting drum part, or perhaps start with a song title instead, something on the lyrical side. Start with what I think is a compelling story, and then figure out, "Okay, how do I tell that story via song?" So if any of that seems interesting to you, be sure to check out that guide, songartethery.com, slash, free guide. We guide 20 different ways to starting a song, whether from a lyrical standpoint or from a musical one. So in last week's episode, if you missed it, I would encourage you to go back and probably go back to the episode before that as well. In general, if you're new here, this probably isn't the episode I would recommend you start with. Probably start with something that's a little more hard teaching. This is, again, getting kind of philosophical, which I think is important sometimes. And here I think it's super important because this is foundational. If we can't even begin to have a conversation about what some of the factors seem to be of making art in general, things in general, but particularly songs better, then we can't really talk about how we can make our songs better, right? How can we possibly even have the audacity to say anything or ask any question about, "Well, how do I make this verse better?" Or, "How do I write better songs if we don't agree to some premise that better exists and then therefore there are factors that lead to whether something is better or not?" When I write the first draft of my lyric and I think this is deeply flawed, but, you know, hours of work later, rewrites, edits, and then finally I'm like, "Oh, this version compared to my first version is better." And most of us could look at the A and B and be like, "Wow, yeah, the edited version way better." How do we know that? And that's sort of the question that we're trying to answer with this series, where we're getting into what I think are some of the central factors. And last week we talked about sort of the cohesiveness or cohesion or synergy, if you will, of all the different parts in a song that they're all moving in the right direction, that theoretically there is no such thing as a perfect song, but if the perfect song existed, the melody alone would tell you the whole story. And then the lyrics would tell you the whole story perfectly. And also the music, the background music, just if you heard the chord progression alone, it alone would tell you the story. Now, of course, that's impossible, right? We can't have a chord progression tell a whole story. But the closer we can get, where just by listening to the chord progression, just by listening to the melody, just by reading the lyrics, they all are in agreement and push us towards feeling the same emotion and telling the same story, such that if you just heard the melody and you were to write down what you think the song is about, you would be correct. Again, that's impossible. Perfection is always impossible. But I think the closer we get to that, the closer we are to at least in one factor making our song better. So we're talking about a second factor today. And don't think this is in any particular order. For example, I'm not sure that I probably don't think that this is maybe even a top three factor. We'll see as I work through the list. But I do think it is an important factor. And I think it's one that's not talked about enough. And that is honesty. Now, when I say honesty, I don't mean honesty about literal truth. Literal truth, I think, doesn't matter much at all. For instance, if you write a song about something that happened to you, and you take artistic liberties and make adjustments to what acts you're doing, and you think that actually happened in your real life, or you're singing a song that's loosely based on your life, it's not factually accurate, who cares? That doesn't matter. Unless, of course, you identify who the person is and then you throw them under the bus publicly and say, "This song is about this person who broke my heart." That's crappy, right? But that's more of a moral issue than anything else. But it's important that it gets at real truth. And so, we can utilize real truth to tell a lie, and we also can tell the truth through fiction, which you could see as a lie, but it's not really a lie, right? Because it's not pretending to be literally true when it's fiction. Think of a parable would be an example of something that is factually not true. Whatever the parable is about, it's not even claiming that that thing literally happened. The purpose of the parable is a story to teach you a lesson, right? So, let's say the tortoise and the hare, right? It's a fable, right? But a fable and a parable are essentially the same thing, but a fable is designated for kids is maybe the difference. But essentially the same idea, right? The tortoise and the hare communicates a core human truth, even though the actual story, of course, never happened. Never in the history of the world has a tortoise and a hare talked to each other and raced. That's never happened. But the core truth of that, which is the idea that steadily making progress and not being arrogant, even if you're less talented or you're slower in that case, right? If you stick with it and you're the one who's more dedicated and take it more seriously, you can win. And then on the other side, you know, the hare, there's a bunch of different ways to interpret it, right? Which is a part of what makes it great, whether it's, you know, the talented versus the untalented, literally the fast versus the slow, sticking with something. And it being more important to be consistent than it is to be good or talented, or I feel like I'm going back to the talented thing. But there's many different ways to take that in a way that is communicating a core human truth. Or the boy who cried wolf, right? Why do we still talk about that? Because even though that is not a real story that happened, I'm sure it has happened in some form somewhere in the world, but it's just a story, right? That is meant to communicate a core human truth, which is absolutely true in your life or in our lives. If we ever do something where we claim something over and over again, and we've shown that when we say it, it's not true, then eventually people don't trust us. That's how it works, right? If you, this is maybe a weird direction to go, but if you falsely sued five, six people on the seventh time you sue, nobody's going to believe that they actually wronged you, right? Because you just keep making up reason to sue people, so nobody's going to trust you. And they shouldn't. They're right to do so. Because the evidence is what the evidence is. Or if you're on RoomMate 10, because none of them worked out, probably the problem is you, right? You had ten different people that you could live with? It might be you probably, right? Same thing with relationships, right, Taylor Swift? But I don't know why I did that. I actually planned on giving a compliment to her in one of these episodes, so I don't know why that, but also seriously. If I had a friend that had literally a third of the significant others of her, I would have an intervention. But it's a celebrity, so I guess slightly different rules, but silly. Anyway, not the point. So we're talking about real, core human truth, not factual truth. Now, factual truth, of course, becomes important if you're telling a story that is presenting as if it's actually true, especially if you were naming names or something, which you should never do in a song. It always comes across like classless at best. Whenever there's like diss tracks, it's always like, "This is gross." It's so petty and pathetic. I don't know. Anyway, so you can tell a fictional tale about anything and get at a human truth much better than some literally true stories. One example of this would be Lord of the Rings. Lord of the Rings is literally in a fantasy world that does not exist. It has creatures of all different kinds that do not exist. There's no such thing as elves. There's no such thing as hobbits or dwarves or orcs, right? None of those things are real as presented in Lord of the Rings. And that has nothing to do with whether Lord of the Rings is communicating this core human truth. And part of the reason, I think, that Lord of the Rings is like one layer beneath legend status of... And when I say legend status, I mean stories that at this point are going to probably last for the rest of time because it lasted for so long. So if you take Arthurian legends, right? Or Homer and the Iliad and Odyssey, those stories are so just... Or anything Shakespeare, basically. Those things are so entrenched in culture and have been for so long, or even like Aesop's Fables type stuff. A lot of that is so entrenched in culture and has been for so long, there's no reason to believe it would ever fade away. It's just so entrenched. Lord of the Rings, I think, is that level right below where, you know, there's other fantasy series that I really enjoy. I'm a big Brandon Sanderson fan. I think he's a great author. But I don't know. Are people going to be reading Mistborn 200 years from now? I hope so. But I don't know. People will absolutely output tons of money that people will still be reading Lord of the Rings 200 years from now. Absolutely. So it's in that, like, status right beneath clear legend that is at this point just a part of the lore of humanity, basically. Which things like Arthurian legends and things like that are already in that category. So the question is why. And there's a bunch of reasons why, of course. But one reason, and a very important one, I think, is that it communicates core human truths that will never go out of date. So talking about, you know, redemptive suffering, the idea that Frodo to do the right thing to save all of Middle-earth had to suffer, right? There was no, oh, he just prances into Mordor and is like, "See ya!" to the ring. No. Like, he had to go through a lot. He bears a great burden on his soul because of the draw of the ring, which does affect him. And there's just, I mean, we could talk for hours just about the core, like, human truths that Lord of the Rings gets at. But, you know, the real pull of humans to, like, this lust for power is a core thing. That, like, Frodo has to be the one to go do it and be the hero, even though he's the most unassuming, right? We have powerful elves, we have powerful cool dwarf guy. I forget his name. Gimli? Is that his name? I'm sorry. To all the Lord of the Rings fans, I probably take it. Is Gimli his name? I feel like that's right, but I don't want to double down because everybody's gonna be like, "Ah, Jesus, that's from a different thing!" But... That's gonna bother me. But I'm also now worried, like, are all these names of these different species correct? But it's a Hobbit, right? Not the magical elves or humans, which seem to be portrayed as sort of the, like, the best middle ground sort of, like, they're pretty average for power, they're pretty average for intelligence. Elves are always super OP in all fantasy, for whatever reason. I'm always like, "Why are elves..." Like, shouldn't the elves be the bad guys who are in charge of everything? Because they're, like, smarter, live longer, more powerful, both magically and, like, just somehow it seems like there's... I don't know. Anyway. But it gets a human truth, right? This, this, this, this, the allure of power. That even Frodo, who is good, has a draw to. And Frodo has to be the ultimate hero, rather than say Aragorn, who seems like he would be the traditional hero we would all think of, because he's a man who's drawn to that power. So it requires Frodo, somebody who's much more unassuming that nobody would think of when they think of a hero. Right? And no hero poster, do you imagine somebody that looks like Frodo, you imagine Aragorn. And yet he's the one that has to actually be the hero, which communicates a core human truth, too, right? Like, sometimes heroes, or the hero we need, is not what it appears. And even Frodo, in the end, wasn't totally strong enough, because he needed Sam to save him in the end, his friend. But Sam's not the real hero. Some people say Sam's the real hero of the... No, he's not. Because he didn't bear the burden of the ring the way Frodo did. Frodo needed help because he spent this whole journey bearing the burden of the ring. So anyway, there are so many, like, core human truths that are communicated in Lord of the Rings. And it's not preaching anything, right? It just is telling a story that feels like, yes, this has a lot of truth in it. Not that Tolkien sat down and was like, "Oh, I'm gonna make the hero be not the human because of..." Like, it's not preachy, it just is getting at core human truths via fantasy. Maybe a better example. I just decided to start with one that, like, is obviously not true, because it doesn't even take place in the real world. And it has species that literally don't exist, elves don't exist, much to all of our chagrins, sort of. But it's a wonderful life. It's a wonderful life is probably the epitome of what I'm talking about here. And don't worry, we'll get back to songs. But movies is an art form that I think everybody can relate to. Even if you're new to songs, you've never heard a song before. Like, it's just in the West. And any form, if you're anywhere in Western culture, movies, for better or for worse, are sort of the art form of the time where everybody tends to know some of these core movies. Whereas that's probably not true for paintings or sculptures or even books. But it's a wonderful life. So George, the main character, in the end, does not get what he wants. You might have watched that movie every year of your life and you could be 70 years old and never picked up on that because it doesn't make a point of it. But he doesn't get the thing that he spent basically the whole movie wanting. He wants to get out of that darned town of whatever it's called, Bedford Falls. And he wants to go be an architect and do amazing things, building huge, impressive buildings. That's who wants to do. I'm pretty sure that's right. He wants to be an architect, right? So he wants to go out and do great things in that sense. He wants to get out of Bedford Falls. But his whole life, they show us how he puts other people before himself. And we could go through all the different things, right? He risks his life to save his brother, loses his hearing. Which, by the way, even right there is getting at a core truth. It's not a Hallmark movie where he saves his brother and pays no consequence for his sacrifice. He actually sacrifices something. Hearing out of one ear. That's pretty significant. I don't know about you. I've actually, for a variety of reasons, I've had this ear blocked for the last couple of days. It's the worst. I hate it. It's the worst. That guy lived his whole life like that because of a sacrifice for his brother. Now, of course, any decent person would still do that all over again to save their brother's life. But still, he actually suffered a realistic consequence of doing the right thing. And the same thing happens with his boss when he's a kid at the drugstore or whatever he works at, where he saves his boss from essentially unintentionally committing manslaughter because he's sad about, I think, his son had died in the war. And this trend continues, right? He takes over the family business, not because he wants to, but because it's the right thing to do and it would help his family. And his father passes unexpectedly. And he puts his brother through college, and the deal was supposed to be that after that, his brother would support him so that he could go to college and go off and be the architect and get out of bed for falls and fulfills his dream. But because of the father passing and all these things, he ends up basically just sacrificing for his brother again. And his brother gets to go do the great things that he wants to do. If memory serves, I might have that part wrong. But regardless, again, he's sacrificing. The whole movie is him making sacrifice after sacrifice, putting other people before himself. And the Hallmark movie version, which would be intellectually dishonest, would be in the end, not only is all his problems solved, but somebody comes in from New York or Chicago or wherever he wanted to be an architect and says, "You've got a free, free ride scholarship to go learn what you wanted, go to college, learn that architecture stuff, and I want you to design the new tallest building in the world because I heard you're a good man." That's the Hallmark stupid, probably half of Hollywood movies today would do that sort of ridiculous thing. But that's not reality. Reality is sometimes even when you do the right thing, life doesn't turn out the way that you thought it would. Or you don't get this, you know, sometimes the dreams you receive are not the dreams you had in a way. He's shown that he has lived a wonderful life or a meaningful life, might be more precise. He is shown that the whole town he's from would be in shambles if it were not for all of his different sacrifices. That's what matters, the fact that he touched all those human beings' lives via unselfishness or selflessness. Not like, "Oh wow, you built a tall building, congratulations." And I'm not diminishing that, of course that's great and cool. But he doesn't get the thing he wants in the end, he doesn't. He evades going to jail for a crime he didn't commit because people give him money that frankly they owed anyway or that he had given them before. But he just avoids going to jail, his life still looks the same otherwise. Nothing about the life that he was miserable about changes in the end, he just learns to see it differently. And to know that he's blessed with the life he has, even though he didn't see it that way before. So that movie is fiction, right? But it communicates a lot of human core truths. It's an intellectually honest movie, it doesn't give us the hallmark, "ridiculous ending." That would actually really undermine the whole movie. It doesn't get or Potter, right? Portrayed as the bad guy. You know, it's one of those where like, when you really think about it, is he that? He's just kind of a business guy doing what he's doing. He's a little overly greedy and all that, sure, but he's a little caricatured admittedly. But generally the bad guy, right? And he doesn't get any comeuppance. Didn't think I was using that word today, but... He doesn't get punished for the fact that he's a selfish bad guy. He gets nothing, right? And he actually stole the money, if you remember, basically. And he was going to put George in jail basically falsely. And did it intentionally, and he could have bailed him out. And should have, because he knew that he took the money. That was like, he's the bad guy, and he doesn't get any punishment for it. And that's also reality sometimes. So that movie, through and through, seems like it's concerned with truth. What would really happen? Not with a "wouldn't it be nice if", which to me is that core, one of these core factors, that separates great art or good, better art versus worse. To go to songs, I think a great example of that would be "Casts in the Cradle". Where, again, it's something where the story itself is not true. It's loosely based on the songwriter's stepfather. It's loosely based on the songwriter's wife's stepfather. It's some, like, connection. But it's not overall a true story, nor is it pretending to be. But it gets that core truth, and it doesn't back away from the most likely consequences. Basic summary of that song is, man keeps putting off prioritizing his son until it's too late. And then son shows him largely the same amount of care and respect as he got. Or, you know, basically the son does back to him what he did to his son. Which is, most of the time, probably what would happen. The Hallmark version is the son just unconditionally is like, "Oh, but I'm still gonna put all this effort into spending time with my dad anyway." And sometimes that happens, and I think there's even a way to write the song in an intellectually honest way where that happens. You probably would have to tell the story from the son's perspective, and maybe the son has a specific reason, perhaps a religious belief or some other moral belief where he believes that despite what my father did, the right thing for me to do is to be a better son to him than he was a father to me. That could make sense and would be intellectually honest. He could be intellectually honest to explore it from a standpoint of the son feels that maybe even for his children's sake, he wants his children to have a relationship with his grand- with their grandfather, his father. So despite the fact that his father doesn't deserve it, and despite the fact that a little part of him resents that he's giving this to his father, but he knows it's the right thing to do so he doesn't anyway. So I think there's different ways to end the story differently that are also intellectually truthful and honest. You know, this isn't- this isn't- don't hear me say that like, oh, everything has to have a semi dark ending for it to be intellectually honest or true. I don't think that's the case. Although I do think that almost all true, like happy endings of like happily ever after, almost all of those are artistically not good just because it's just not- that's never true. I just as a side point, I have the side theory that you can have great art that is on the spectrum anywhere from like super depressing sad all the way to- if it's a spectrum sad happy and then in the middle, you can have art that's all the way- all the way to the far sad depressed and you can have real art that gets pretty decently into the happy, but still acknowledges, you know, that things aren't perfect. But I don't think you can have a 100% just straight up happy song that has any merit at all. Just because it's like- it's not real. There's no real thing in this world that doesn't have some level of sacrifice had to be made or- I don't know. This is just a side theory. That's not what we're talking about today. But I do think there's something to be said for like, I don't know, has anybody ever seen like truly just happy happy movie that everything's happy and great and there's any substance to it at all? Because even the happiest things in life are this conflict, right? The best thing ever happened to me is my daughter. But the idea that it's all positive is ridiculous. No, I now have new worries that I don't- that I didn't have before, right? I have a young life that I love more than anything in my hands. That's a burden to bear. It's a burden I'm super happy to bear. But it is like it's not all rainbows, right? I love her so much. Anytime away from her sometimes is excruciating and I hate it. But like I have to, right? I have to work out. So even the most blessed things, there's a bit of ying and yang to the thing. But anyway, so Castle in the Cradle to me is just intellectually totally honest. Fast Car would be another example. It's a bit tragic, right? The person that was supposed to be her ticket out of a life of, you know, poverty, essentially, and hopelessness does sort of end up being the ticket out, but then he doesn't complete the ride with her, right? He ends up becoming a deadbeat just like her dad. And, and, you know, that's tragic, but also makes sense. It's alluded to from the very beginning. That that's probably where that story is going. And it doesn't just have this, oh, and it miraculously turned everything around and everything worked out and happily ever after. Which maybe can be done in a way that's artistic and intellectually honest to a degree, maybe. But it's just harder to do. When you when you see, when you read Fast Car, you feel like this could be a real story. This feels intellectually true. It feels like if these characters were real people, this is more often than not probably more or less how the story would go. And a part of this, a big part of this, I think is, well, let's talk about the opposite. The opposite of this is if we ever are prioritizing message over truth, that basically by definition is propaganda. And propaganda, I think, is basically just anti art. It's like the antithesis to art. It's the opposite because art usually should be some form of exploration, right? You're exploring a theme, you're exploring a topic, you're exploring a character, you're exploring a what would the consequences be of X. It shouldn't be you sit and you're like, how do I convince people of my worldview? Or how do I convince people of certain political thing, I believe? Or how do I convince, you know, and obviously, when you think of propaganda, you mostly think of the most overt form, right? People think of things like from, you know, Soviet Union, that would portray like, oh, life is great here, even though like 100 million people died of starvation because, you know, we took out all the farmers and the productive members of society in the name of, you know, whatever. So we took away all the producers, so then there was no production, so then everybody died. Like, that's the reality. But, you know, in the propaganda, it possesses like, no, we're the good guys and the whole rest of the world is evil and horrible. And that is propaganda, right? But I think there's two things that people forget about propaganda. One is propaganda is still propaganda, even if you agree with it, or even if it's, I don't know if propaganda is ever true, per se. I think you can even have true propaganda, and it's still be propaganda. And you certainly can have propaganda you agree with, that is propaganda. In fact, probably most of the things I could throw onto the bus that I think are propaganda, not most of the things, a lot of things, are things that I might actually agree with some, a lot of the premise of the thing. But at the end of the day, I feel like it's approached in an intellectually dishonest way. And therefore, it's propaganda, it's not art. And so the opposite of pursuing something honestly and trying to get at the truth and being exploratory in nature is for you to be exploitative sort of, and to purposefully wield your art as a weapon to manipulate people essentially, and to presumably your way of thinking about any given thing. And I think something that's misunderstood is something can be true and be propaganda. Just like you can tell something that's true, like whenever people say numbers don't lie, like, well, that's partially true. But true numbers can be used to lie. Right? So just by omitting certain elements of the truth, you can effectively lie, even though you did tell the truth. Let me give an example. Let's say JFK. Right? JFK. You can make a movie about JFK that, you know, tells something about the story of his life, or how he got to the presidency, or, you know, maybe a Lincoln-esque movie where it ends with the assassination. I don't know. Maybe that even exists. And you could address him as a person and as a character in a way that appreciates the good parts, or shines a light on the good parts, which of course there are plenty, and also shines a light on the not-so-good parts. So for instance, if a movie portrayed JFK as a great husband to Jackie Kennedy, that's just a lie. Right? Like, he was an awful womanizer. I mean, he makes Bill Clinton seem like a decent dude when it comes to women. Maybe. Heavy maybe there, maybe. But JFK is like, and this isn't like, well-known. Right? Well-known. I think I saw a number that he might have cheated on his wife some like 20 times just while he was in the White House. Something ridiculous. That dude was not a faithful husband. And it has nothing to do with, you know, how much you like him as president or any of that other stuff. But it would be intellectually dishonest to have a movie that portrayed all the good parts of him, again, of which there are plenty. But not also, but you also, I guess, could just omit that part and be intellectually honest. But if you do show him as a husband and kind of pretend like, oh, he's just a great loving husband. No, no, that's just not true. And you can say the same thing and we'll keep it the same era with Martin Luther King, right? One of the greatest historical figures in American history. Super important. Great guy. A great man. Great guy. I feel like has different connotations. We're going to get to that part. But like, he also is like any other historical figure. We're all, we all have pluses and minuses, right? The greatest people often have some of the greatest flaws as well. And he's no different, right? I mean, again, for some, we're keeping with the cheating, but like also cheated on his wife. I think a lot. Certainly he did. And seemingly a lot. So yes, it's true that he was a very important historical figure. Did a lot of great things for the United States. One of the most important non political figures in the United States history, right? Non like politician figures. I Have a Dream is one of the greatest speeches certainly in American history and presumably is one of the great speeches, maybe of all time. All of that is true. Also true, terrible husband when it comes to faithfulness. So if we had a movie where we're like, Oh, but Martin Luther King was a great guy. So we have to like, a great man. So we have to portray him like he's flawless. No, no, that's intellectually dishonest. Just like with the JFK thing. And this can be applied to basically any historical figure, right? You got to take. Be honest about the whole person. That also makes it more compelling, right? It makes him a good thing, right? But in the context of a movie, it actually makes a more compelling movie when you're a little split about like, Hey, this Martin Luther King guy did a lot of great stuff for the world. But he did a lot of bad stuff for his family, namely his poor wife. You know, that's actually a really interesting conflict. That's more interesting than just hero for the world. Like, okay, that's good. But like, it's not as compelling as this interesting juxtaposition that you can play with of like, you know, his own family. Not good, especially faithfulness with his wife. But for the world, great. That's just it's interesting. That's way more interesting, way more artistic. And again, honest. It's honest. So what's an example of a dishonest song? A lot of you are gonna love this. Imagine. Imagine is overt propaganda. Overt. Like, it doesn't even remotely pretend how it is that this isn't just accepted reality that everybody agrees on is so beyond me. I think it's because people don't pay attention to lyrics. A lot of people just don't pay attention to lyrics. But, but before you are like start typing some hate comment about how it's not, let me read you a quote quote from John Lennon to help you avoid embarrassment. It's a quote from his biography. Again, by John Lennon himself. So he talked about imagine as is anti religious, anti nationalistic, anti conventional, anti capitalistic, but because it is sugar coated, it is accepted. Now I understand what you have to do. Put your political message across with a little honey that this is what we do to try to change the apathy of young people. He literally is saying that he is sugar coating and in the other quote, using a little honey with his political message specifically targeted at young people. This could not be more. The short version of that is it is propaganda. It is. It's also not. It's one of those weird like it's like the worst form of propaganda ever, but also like so many people buy into it. That's like, I guess it's effective. But boy, if you read the lyrics, it's like laughably bad and ridiculous. I mean, the whole thing is just absurd on its face. He's basically the whole lyric is wouldn't it be great if there were no countries and nothing to live for except today and there was no God and there was no religion and there was like, oh, so like before all those things became a thing, partially because back when it was just a bunch of tribes or different human beings without even a tribe, tribalism. Yeah, that resulted in me right now would have to be nervous that my next door neighbor was staging a coup right now and there would be no punishment for it because it's just anarchy like dude, this is why we made society because it's horrible. It doesn't work and we know that and that's what like that doesn't mean there aren't flaws in what exists now, but the idea that it would be better without those things is nutty. It's nutty. It's like even the core says you may call me a dreamer like no, John, I'd call you a moron like you're basically saying wouldn't it be great if for a bunch of things where it's like if you know anything about humans or human history at all or about like how things have gone in different countries, you know for a fact that everything you just outlined is no, it's horrible. It ends horribly 100% of the time. So no, it's not like I'm not going to imagine and be like, Oh yeah, wouldn't it be great? Not to mention always hilarious guy who who passed being worth 200 million, which would be 620 million in today's money. So over half of a billionaire talking about specifically mentions wouldn't be great if there were no possessions. Well, John, you were more than welcome to give up all of your money in possessions. Little thing, though, notice you didn't do that with that in today's money over half a billion net worth classic do as I say, not as I do, which of course doesn't reveal an overt hypocrite or anything. Also, he could have moved the USSR, but he didn't. Can't imagine why. Can't imagine why. So regardless of how you feel about the message he's trying to put across, it's propaganda, right? Like it's not even slamming it to call it overt communist propaganda. It literally is that he actually says it. He actually says it. So it's like, I'm sorry, it's just the idea that we're supposed to all buy. It was a brilliant. No, it's not. I could write a song that's like, wouldn't it be nice if fairies floated through the sky and just gifted us with pixie dust that always kept us high? Like, that's the level of delusion in that song is just like, what's no, not to mention, sad thing, because this drives me crazy. So if you're one of those people, I just want you to reconsider this. So many people will say in a discussion as if it means anything at all. Like, wouldn't it just be nice or we just need to get along? Would it be nice if everybody just left each other and got along? Yes. What is your point? Like, do you think if you just say that loud enough, everybody will be like, oh, you have a good point. And it will just like all turn out. Like, have you been alive on the planet? Like, just just as a frame of reference, if you're watching this, you probably can scroll down if you're on YouTube and see a bunch of hate comments, because I dared to like call out the obvious truth that like imagine is is straight up a communist propaganda song. You can like it, but that is what it is. And people are going to be so mad about and these are probably the people that are like, Oh, peace, love, man, wouldn't it be great if we had no and these are the people that are probably calling me cussing at me in the comments because I dared to point out that a song that they like is exactly what it is that the guy who wrote it himself admits it is right. So anyway, don't be that person that's like, wouldn't it be nice if we all just love each other? Like, yes, of course, we all agree that as nothing to the discussion. Of course, everybody thinks that would be nice. But that's not reality, which goes back to the main point here. Honest, right? Gonna be honest about how humans actually are. Most people, I think, generally have a pretty good flag of when when something is being presented to them, that's not real. Admittedly, in today's world, I'm starting to question that because there's a lot of stuff. It's like, wow, that's overt. Just the world is not like that. It's just not. But people are like, exactly how my life is. Just speaks to me. It's like, what? What kind of delusional fairyland do you live in? The world is not like that at all. So there is a lot of that, unfortunately. But I think I think most people I think most people have a firm, a decently firm grasp of when something is presented to them. That just is not true. And, and whether people have that sense or not, I think it's just irresponsible as an artist to we should be explorers of thought, not people who try to shove our message, no matter how good the message might be, no matter how important we think the message is. It's irresponsible to weaponize art, because it's just propaganda, then. Right? That's exactly what you're doing. And even if you think it's propaganda for the good, everybody who makes propaganda thinks it's for the good. Right? Like the USSR thought it was for the good. So, you know, it's the whole like everybody thinks that the good guy, right? They're the hero. So that doesn't make an aim better. So last point on this. I know this one's going long, but highly connected to this idea is the idea that I think as you approach great art, the hand of the artist should disappear. Which means a lot of art, I think, could come down to the premise of you start with a premise, you start with a character, you start with a situation, and then you ask what would actually happen from here. Right? Start with a premise and then tell the truth. Cast in the Cradle seems like a good example. Starts with a premise and then tells the truth about what probably would happen. What makes sense. This is why the Star Wars sequels in general suck, and especially Episode 8. It's obvious, if you know anything about the character of Luke Skywalker, that the director, the writer, just decided that Luke Skywalker would just be a totally different human being that operates completely out of character with the Luke that we knew from three movies. And he's just like, well, this is a story I want to tell, so I'm going to shoehorn Luke into a character that just isn't Luke. He didn't start with what would Luke do, which is what you should do. We already have the character of Luke. It should be intellectually honest about what would Luke do. Because a part of art, and I think the tension that is inherent within art, is of course art requires the hand of the artist. We're literally creating something from nothing. But I think a way to look at art and somewhat measure it, to a degree, is how much you don't see the hand of the artist. Propaganda would be an example of you can see the hand of the artist all over it. But a part of what makes something great is if a character in a movie or something feels like that would be a real person. And it feels like the decisions they make are an actual human making decisions. Not that the writer is like, I need this to happen in the plot so the character makes that decision. We've all seen the movies where somebody makes a totally out of character decision, and we can tell and are immediately bothered. We're taken out of the fantasy of the thing because we saw the hand of the artist being like, well, I need the plot to happen. So even though we established that this girl is brilliant, it doesn't make this sort of mistake. She's going to make the single dumbest decision in the whole movie just so I can make the rest of the plot happen. And we're all like, no, that doesn't make sense. You showed that she's super smart for like two hours, and then you decided all of a sudden she's going to do the dumbest thing imaginable. That doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense. So the hand of the artist is attention that I think is just always there. It's an interesting one. But art is of course the hand is there. We're creating something from nothing. But a factor, I think it's connected to this honesty thing, is theoretically you need to let the story go. You need to let the song go to a degree where we can maintain the illusion that the story you're telling in your song is a true story. And that character would actually do or that character would actually say, Luke Skywalker would do this thing, you know, based on what we know of the character of Aragorn who would make this decision in the third movie. These are the important things because it allows us to continue the idea that the hand of the artist isn't actually there. That's an indication that it's well done and it's being honest and truthful. If we can see the hand of the artist, that's an indication that it's not being honest and truthful. And we certainly don't like it in movies. We shouldn't like it in music either. Anyway, hopefully this was helpful to you. I know that these are philosophical and all that. But again, I think it's important to talk about because philosophical matters. This is the underpinning to everything we talk about, really. So if you haven't already, be sure to grab my free guide, 20 Different Ways to Start Writing a Song. I appreciate every single one of you. And I will talk to you in the next one.

Please Subscribe and Review: Apple Podcasts | RSS Submit your questions for the podcast here News Topic: Oreo Cookie Treatment Lowers LDL Cholesterol More Than High-Intensity Statin therapy in a Lean Mass Hyper-Responder on a Ketogenic Diet: A Curious Crossover Experiment Show Notes: Precision Health Reports Dr. William Cromwell discusses the LMHR Coach Cinnamon Prime Questions:    High Blood Sugars Eric writes: Hi Robb & Nicki - long time listener and fan! I'm hoping you have some thoughts or suggestions on this one. Background: I'm a lean, 56 yo male who follows a lower carb (50-75g daily) / higher protein diet (1+g/body weight). I'm very in tune with my diet given my wife is a T1D following Bernstein. I lift weights 3x/week and run about 20 miles/week (because I enjoy it). Admittedly, my work stress is high and I work about 50-60 hours/week. I get about 7.5 hours of sleep nightly and do all the sleep hacks to ensure I'm getting restful sleep. I've been wearing a CGM in hopes to better understand a recent A1c test of 6.0. I also had my fasting insulin level checked and it was 3 - so I don't think I'm insulin resistant. The CGM consistently shows fasting glucose around 115 and staying there through mid afternoon, when I'll typically drop into the 90s. I see spikes for exercise as high as 160, but come back down within 1-2 hours. I'm trying berberine (even though I don't have a carb load) and l-theanine for the stress spikes, but so far, I'm not seeing much change Could this all be stress related? Any suggestions on how to fix this? Could this be gluconeogenesis from too low calorie? I don't think I eat too few calories and am about to embark on some tracking to see where I am.   Keto and xanthelasma Fredrik writes: Hi Robb and Nikki, I have a question about a condition I heard you mention once on the podcast, xanthelasma. Basically yellow spots around the eyes. I have been on paleo since 2009 and keto since 2012 and you were some of the first people I found on my journey. It really has changed my life for the better. Back in 2009 I was training 5-6 days a week as a 28-year old with good performance but still had a less than optimal body composition and generally did not feel great. Now many years later on keto, as you guys often say, I look, feel and perform much better. There is just one nagging issue, yellow spots around my eyes. They started to occur after about three years on keto and I had a couple of them removed surgically but they are now coming back slowly. Obviously I cant keep on having surgery, so what to do? I have theorized that dairy might be a contributing factor but the problem of just trying to remove something is that I will not know if it is effective until years later. I have tried but it is very hard to find any useful advice for this online. Some people mention that supplementing with bile salt could help, what do you think? Physically and mentally I feel my absolute best on keto bordering to carnivore so I really want to maintain that. Dairy has also been really helpful for me to get enough calories for my workouts (three days a week of heavy weights and two days of either running or cross country skiing). So how do I know what to do and is dairy a likely contributor? Also, what else, other than dairy, could I eat to get in the calories for not just maintaining but building muscle? Protein is at 150-200 grams per day btw and aiming for around 2600-3000 calories a day. Thanks for all your great work with the books and podcast! Fredrik   Weight loss/mind change Mark writes Robb, Long time follower, my wife and I went to Nutrition seminar in 2009 at crossfit Monrovia. I like listening to yall. I am the former football/rugby player that eats too much food and sits at a desk. It has come to a point now that Life Insurance is requiring me to lose 60 pounds. I need to get to 231 pounds at 6'0". Currently i range between 285-295. I have tried diets the last couple of years for challenges, clean it up for a month and lose 30 pounds, super focused, lift, train without burning the joints. Skip meals, Skip Carbs. I lose the weight. Then i go back to normal life and eat my normal food which is too much. The question is how do i reset my need to eat and take in extra calories. Should I consider counseling? I eat as a feeling. I eat the same as I used to when I was playing rugby. I do also follow Dan John and I try to use Easy Strength for lifting. But I have not found a balance where i steadily lose. I have been maintaining my weight at about 285 with what i normally eat. My sleep is ok, Normal is 10:30 pm to 6 am. I sit at a desk 30 hours a week. I lift 15 minutes once a week. I play/run/yard work one time a week also. I have heard you talk about this before where we have been trained to gain and grow. Now that I am not trying to keep muscle mass on I have trouble shutting off eating. I still have not written my food down, like in the ketogenic reset. Is it habitual and I need to change how I eat for 25 days? Or is there another mental change needed? Mark   Sponsor: The Healthy Rebellion Radio is sponsored by our electrolyte company, LMNT. Proper hydration is more than just drinking water. You need electrolytes too! Check out The Healthy Rebellion Radio sponsor LMNT for grab-and-go electrolyte packets to keep you at your peak! They give you all the electrolytes want, none of the stuff you don't. Click here to get your LMNT electrolytes Transcript: Coming soon...

Finally, you can easily access Bitcoin in a low-cost ETF with the VanEck Bitcoin Trust (HODL). Visit https://vaneck.com/HODLFG to learn more. VanEck Bitcoin Trust (HODL) Prospectus: https://vaneck.com/hodlprospectus/ __ Follow VanEck on Twitter https://twitter.com/vaneck_us Follow Jack Farley on Twitter https://twitter.com/JackFarley96 Follow Forward Guidance on Twitter https://twitter.com/ForwardGuidance Follow Blockworks on Twitter https://twitter.com/Blockworks_ __ Use code FG10 to get 10% off Blockworks' Digital Asset Summit in March: https://blockworks.co/event/digital-asset-summit-2024-london __ Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction (00:50) What Is Private Credit? (07:51) Private Credit Is Doing The Riskiest Deals In Leveraged Finance (16:04) How Will Private Credit Perform If Defaults Pick-Up? (Very Little Data In Previous Cycles Because The Asset Class Has Grown So Much) (19:24) Private Credit Is Very Illiquid (20:54) Debt Covenants In Private Credit Are, Admittedly, Usually Very Strong (26:31) VanEck Ad (27:14) Interplay Between Private Credit and Rest of Fixed Income Universe (32:35) Private Equity Is Using Private Credit To Pay Itself Via Dividend Recaps (35:13) Private Credit Is Refinancing Some Of The Riskiest Deals In Leveraged Loan Market, Which Perhaps May Be Bullish For Leveraged Loan (& High-Yield Bond) Market (38:00) Default Outlook In High-Yield Bond And Leveraged Loan Market (43:09) Moderately Bullish View On Duration (I.e. Rates) (58:43) Maturity Wall High-Yield Bond Is Very, Very Termed Out (01:02:56) Opportunities In Securitized Products Market Appear Interesting (01:04:57) Single Borrower Commercial Real Estate Loan Market Offers Interesting Opportunities To Fundamental Credit Investors (01:07:48) Most Common Investing Mistake In Credit: Herd Mentality __ Disclaimer: Nothing discussed on Forward Guidance should be considered as investment advice. Please always do your own research & speak to a financial advisor before thinking about, thinking about putting your money into these crazy markets.

We're back! It's Valentine's Day, and there's nothing we love more than Podcasting....EXCEPT Marvel casting news! Admittedly, we recorded this before the full cast was revealed today, but you can listen or watch and see how close we got! So light some candles, put on some romantic music, and get ready to have your earholes penetrated by that sweet nerdy news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We had the pleasure of interviewing Brooklyn Juliana over Zoom video!Canada-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Brooklyn Juliana, has released his first single of 2023 “Thinking About You,”. "Thinking About You" is a deeply personal and introspective song inspired by Brooklyn Juliana's own experiences, and the communication challenges faced by his generation. Brooklyn not only showcases his powerful vocals on the track, but also demonstrates his versatility as a musician by writing the music and playing the guitar. The single seamlessly combines elements of alternative and pop, with a catchy guitar groove and rich vocals that will undoubtedly resonate with a wide range of music lovers.In a music landscape dominated by rock crossovers, the release of "Thinking About You" marks a new era for Brooklyn as he brings a fresh and relatable perspective, while also offering a warm and authentic story for his fans to connect with. While people might be expecting sterile, digital perfection as a holdover from his K-Pop days, Brooklyn delivers his affinity for all things analog in a warm and universal story for his fans to enjoy. Admittedly a chronic over-thinker, Brooklyn puts this trait on full display with the intent that listeners will find an outlet through his new song. Despite his rise to fame through viral TikTok videos, Brooklyn remains grounded and true to his artistic vision, emphasizing the analog warmth that permeates his music. With only 5 songs to his name, as of today, Brooklyn has amassed a dedicated fan following with millions of views and streams across social media and YouTube/Spotify.Hailing from Canada, Brooklyn Juliana gravitated towards music from a very young age. As a teenager, he would occasionally skip class to sing and play the piano in his high school auditorium. Brooklyn's passion for entertainment captured the attention of fans online and led to performing around the world throughout 2018 and 2019 (Canada, South Korea and France), in tandem with his first official single release of “Young Love.” Brooklyn kicked off the Summer of 2022 with his first North American tour, weaving through the U.S. and Europe. Days before the final show, a fan's TikTok video of him went instantly viral. Within 18 hours, Brooklyn's personal TikTok account gained over 200,000 followers, introducing a wave of enthusiastic new fans to his music. This earned him headline appearances at various music events and festivals around the world. Fans of Brooklyn – who refer to themselves as ‘Butterflies' – have fallen in love with his voice and passion for performing. Brooklyn is currently writing and recording material for his upcoming debut album, coming soon.We want to hear from you! Please email Hello@BringinitBackwards.comwww.BringinitBackwards.com#podcast #interview #bringinbackpod #BrooklynJuliana #NewMusic #ZoomListen & Subscribe to BiBhttps://www.bringinitbackwards.com/followFollow our podcast on Instagram and Twitter! https://www.facebook.com/groups/bringinbackpod

620 The Lord Disciplines the One He Loves,  A Guided Christian Meditation on Hebrews 12:4-7 with the Recenter With Christ app  The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ.  Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate. Scripture for Meditation Hebrews 12 NKJV 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?  NIV 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,     and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,     and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? Meditation: Quote from Proverbs 3:11-12 The central most important message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the recognition that salvation comes only through the sacrifice and atonement of Jesus Christ. It is through the grace of God that any meaningful conversation about improvement can occur. With that said the gospel of Jesus Christ makes place for spiritual discipline as mentioned here. Through the eternal and never ending love of Christ, and the holy spirit, we have been offered the opportunity to understand a portion of God's will. Admittedly this is a profoundly limited amount of information that our human minds can comprehend, but it is enough to recognize that we at times violate what we should do. I believe that God's desire with these moments of self reflection, where we discover actions we could change, is that it draws us into the loving embrace of the Grace of Christ that allows us to leave those destructive thoughts and behaviors behind. Equallally, in opposition to God's messaging I think the enemy wants us to wallow in hopeless depression, embarrassment and stubbornness about our human faults.  In the moments when we truly are connected to the love of God, we can see this loving influence to speak correction into our lives. This is the nature of ideal heavenly discipline. The light of Christ convicts our heart of our need for God and impresses us with the love available through Jesus Christ. One where the spirit of God shows us the ways we could improve, and we are encouraged and motivated to leave everything behind that diverts from God's desires for us. If we maintain this sort of loving feeling we have been successfully disciplined by God. It is in moments when we become careless or have our eyes closed to God's intent for us, or are in denial of our faults, that His discipline becomes uncomfortable.  During this time ponder the ways in which God's loving embrace can offer you corrective guidance. What things would help you divert your attention more fully to the life God would have you live. As we remain completely dedicated to the highest Good, namely the name of Jesus and the respective truths of God, we can embrace a spirit of Change that is joyful as it draws us along the path of spiritual maturation God has for us.  Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind?  FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod  

Live from Bitcoin Beach in El Zonte, El Salvador, this episode's guests Carla and Blake shared how their lives are transformed by Bitcoin. How Bitcoin works is not just about it as a financial tool, but how it affects the lives of the people who use it. Admittedly, there are fewer ladies in the Bitcoin Twitter, but finding love in the Bitcoin space is possible. A true Bitcoin Twitter love story, Carla and Blake's story is one of shared belief in financial freedom and community building.Carla and Blake developed their relationship over Bitcoin-themed merchandise and financial conversations turned into personal connections. This shows the power of the Bitcoin community bringing people together who share the same purpose and vision.Inspired by the conferences they have attended, they built their Bitcoin business of creating Bitcoin-themed shirts @hodlingapparel. Discover how the couple turned their business venture into a means of spreading awareness, Bitcoin promotion, and community building.They also talked about the growing Bitcoin communities in other countries like Guatemala and the Philippines and the present technology of the lightning network that's a game-changer for Bitcoin users.As they build a life with Bitcoin, they share their highs and lows and their insights on how embracing these challenges is an opportunity for one's growth.This conversation about transformation inspired by Bitcoin and how their relationship grew is proof of how Bitcoin can truly affect one's values, decisions, and even life direction. Beyond the decentralized finance and peer-to-peer transactions it offers, we are seeing how Bitcoin is instrumental in different aspects of society and even a person's life.Check out Carla & Blake's Bitcoin business:http://hodlingapparel.comhttp://twitter.com/hodlingapparelhttp://instragram.com/hodlingapparelhttps://www.youtube.com/@hodlingapparelhttps://twitter.com/HodlingCarlahttps://twitter.com/bleighkyFollow Ushttps://twitter.com/Bitcoinbeachhttps://www.tiktok.com/@livefrombitcoinbeachWeb: https://www.bitcoinbeach.comLive From Bitcoin Beach

We follow up last episode with the second half of our discussion with writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson - this time we're talking James Bond, John Stewart, and the Incredible Hulk! Plus a meaningful discussion on patriotism, and Anthony & Doc make a pitch to work with PKJ ;) Creators on the Couch - Phillip Kennedy Johnson 3 Intro Superman One last question: Metallo giving everything for his sister - where did that idea come from? James Bond (11:52) Based more in Fleming novels vs. films? Was there a particular Bond you had in mind while writing? What makes him such an enduring character, in light of the constant reboots and takes on him? Admittedly only read first half - could not access God & Country John Stewart (23:12) Given your military background, did you gravitate towards John vs. other Lanterns? Focus on John's family life - mother with dementia and loss of younger sister Revenant Queen - like her speech style (35:18) Obviously it's ongoing, but how far out do you have mapped storylines? Incredible Hulk (39:05) This story is much more monster-oriented than previous Hulk runs - was this intended to shift away from internal/mental focus like the Ewing run? Body horror - story and art focus on the pain and effects of transformation What inspired Charlie? Feels like more than just audience surrogate What's next for you? (52:24) Ending Next episodes: Speedball, Deathstroke Plugs for social References: Marvel Team-Up #145 - PKJ (2:55) GonnaGeek Network Apple Podcasts: here Google Play: here Stitcher: here TuneIn: here iHeartRadio: here Twitter Facebook Patreon TeePublic Discord

California is strengthening protections for tenants. I discuss. It's already a disadvantageous state for real estate investors.  My Property Manager had my tenant's $1,550 rent payment stolen from his drop box last year. He expects me to take the loss. I won't. Who is liable for the payment - the thief, bank, tenant, manager, or the investor (me)? Tom Wheelwright, CEO of WealthAbility, joins me. We discuss the role of property tax in funding essential services.  The conversation touches on the regressive nature of property tax, alternatives to it, and the importance of understanding tax strategies. US taxes of all types keep ratcheting higher over time. But they're still lower than most world nations.  The episode also considers the impact of elections on tax policies, emphasizing the need for informed voting regarding taxation. You need a tax professional that knows how to find you all the deductions for real estate investors here: GetRichEducation.com/Tax Timestamps: Landlord-Tenant Relationships (00:00:00) Discussion on landlord-tenant relationships, stolen rent payment, and potential elimination of property tax. New Renter Protections in California (00:02:30) Overview of new laws in California regarding upfront deposit amounts, eviction protections, and banning of crime-free housing policies. Options for Homeowners in California (00:03:50) Details about new housing laws in California, including more options for accessory dwelling units and their impact on the housing crisis. Stolen Rent Payment Dilemma (00:05:53) Narrative about a stolen rent payment, liability concerns, and the property manager's proposed resolution. Feasibility of Eliminating Property Tax (00:13:45) Discussion on the possibility of abolishing property tax and its funding of schools, fire departments, and police services. Property Tax Funding (00:18:37) Insights into the funding of property tax and its allocation to schools, fire departments, and police services. Property Tax and Its Impact (00:19:37) Discussion on the challenges and implications of property tax as a wealth tax and its regressive nature. National Property Tax Rates (00:20:40) Exploration of the national average property tax rate and its impact on property value and inflation. Proposition 13 in California (00:21:34) Analysis of the impact and benefits of Proposition 13 in California, which limits property tax increases for homeowners staying in the same home. Alternatives to Property Tax (00:23:27) Exploration of alternative taxation methods, such as transaction tax and the potential elimination of property tax in favor of a transaction tax. Primary Residence Capital Gains Tax Exemption (00:25:16) Insights into the primary residence capital gains tax exemption and its impact on homeowners, including the need for inflation adjustments. Future Taxation Trends (00:27:24) Discussion on the potential for heavier taxation and comparisons with taxation policies in other countries. Potential New Tax Types (00:29:16) Exploration of the possibility of new tax types, including the concept of a poll tax and its implications. Value Added Tax and Tax Reduction Strategies (00:31:17) Insights into the potential implementation of a value-added tax in the United States and strategies for tax reduction through understanding the tax code. Selecting the Right Tax Advisor (00:33:00) Advice on choosing a qualified CPA and the importance of having a knowledgeable tax advisor for effective tax planning. Election Year and Taxation Policies (00:34:54) Analysis of the potential impact of the upcoming election on taxation policies and the importance of considering tax implications when voting. Property Tax and School Funding (end) Perspective on property tax funding for schools and the broader community impact, addressing objections to paying property tax. Property Tax (00:37:07) Discussion on the controversial nature of property tax and its impact on property ownership. Tax Strategy and Deductions (00:38:13) Importance of finding the right tax professional for real estate investors to maximize deductions and benefits. Disclaimer (00:39:25) Legal disclaimer regarding the information provided in the podcast and the need to consult appropriate professionals for personalized advice. Resources mentioned: Show Page: GetRichEducation.com/486 Get matched with the right tax pro: www.GetRichEducation.com/Tax Tom's book, “Tax-Free Wealth”: https://www.amazon.com/Tax-Free-Wealth-Massive-Permanently-Lowering/dp/1612681204 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  You get paid first: Text FAMILY to 66866 Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review”  Top Properties & Providers: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREmarketplace.com/Coach Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Keith's personal Instagram: @keithweinhold   Complete episode transcript:   Keith Weinhold (00:00:00) - Welcome to GRE. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold. California and new renter protections. My own property manager had my tenants rent payments stolen from his drop box, and he wants me to take the loss. Then Tom Wheelwright joins me for a discussion about can we abolish the property tax today on get rich education? If you like the Get Rich Education podcast, you're going to love our Don't Quit Your Daydream newsletter. No, I here I write every word of the letter myself. It wires your mind for wealth. It helps you make money in your sleep and updates you on vital real estate investing trends. It's free. Sign up and Get Rich Education. Com slash letter. It's real content that makes a real difference in your life, spiced with a dash of humor. Rather than living below your means, learn how to grow your means right now. You can also easily get the letter by texting GRE to 66866. Text GRE to 66866.   Speaker 2 (00:01:06) - You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world.   Speaker 2 (00:01:13) - This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold (00:01:22) - Welcome to GRE! From Montpelier, France, to Montpelier, Vermont, and across 188 nations worldwide. And Keith Weinhold, in your listening to get rich education across the United States, it's fortunate for us that states with landlord friendly policies also tend to be those states where the numbers make sense to. And for landlord tenant relationships, it's the state and local policies that often trump the national ones. Now, of course, in residential real estate or any real estate for that matter. I mean, you can make money in all 50 states, of course, but there's a reason that we generally avoid certain places, and that includes California. One difficulty in California has long been the process of getting a prompt eviction. It can be hard to do that even if you have just cause, where it can take months and months, or even longer than a year to get an eviction. Let's listen in to this minute and a half clip on how tenants rights are being strengthened in California. Just a little more.   Speaker 3 (00:02:30) - Well, every month, renters in California spend a hefty portion of their paychecks on housing. And as we kick off, 2024, seven is on your side with the new laws. Renters should know to save some money and also protect themselves against eviction. Before you lock in an apartment, you usually need your first month plus a security deposit in advance. Well, now the amount you have to pay up front could potentially drop by thousands of dollars.   Speaker 4 (00:02:54) - Landlords can now charge just one month of security deposit up front, and previously they could charge two months if the unit was unfurnished or even up to three months of the unit was furnished.   Speaker 3 (00:03:05) - Renters are also getting new eviction protections. Soon, it will be harder for landlords to evict a tenant under the no fault, just cause policy. Currently, a tenant can be evicted if the landlord or landlord's family is going to move in, but starting April 1st, the landlord or their family will have to move in within 90 days and live there for at least a year.   Speaker 3 (00:03:24) - Local governments are also now banned from crime free housing policies. Cities and counties can't mandate penalties or evictions against people who have been charged, convicted or had police called on them. The ban also applies to the family members of tenants. Now, renters are not the only ones benefiting from the new housing laws. Homeowners will now have more options when it comes to so-called granny flats or accessory dwelling units.   Speaker 4 (00:03:50) - Now they can separate and either build or sell an Adu and accessory dwelling unit and sell that separately as a condo. Lawmakers think that that's something that's going to help the state's housing crisis.   Speaker 3 (00:04:02) - And with housing prices sky high, this could give many would be homebuyers the opportunity they need to afford a starter home.   Keith Weinhold (00:04:09) - Yeah. So there it is in California this year. Lower upfront deposit amounts for tenants and more protection from evictions. California landlords, they can now charge just one month of security deposit upfront. That's the most they can charge. Previously, they could charge two months if the unit was unfurnished and up to three months security deposit if the unit was furnished.   Keith Weinhold (00:04:36) - Now, on the flip side, you've got to give California credit for helping homeowners, existing homeowners. They will now have more options when it comes to so-called ADUs accessory dwelling units, which some people call granny flats, because now they can separate and either build or sell in Adu. They could sell that separately as a condo, and that might help California's affordable housing crisis and the housing shortage crisis that could give more California homebuyers the opportunity that they need to afford a starter home. So that is better for first time homebuyers in California. And whether you live there or not, this matters. California has the same population as all of Canada in between 11 and 12% of all US residents are indeed Californians. Let me tell you about a completely weird situation that I have with one of my property managers. Now, I own rental properties in different states around the US, and each of those local markets has their own manager, and you might have this situation as well. Or perhaps that's what you would soon like to do to have this situation of having properties in multiple markets.   Keith Weinhold (00:05:53) - Well, about 12 months ago now, I got a message from a property manager that manages a bunch of single family homes for me in this one particular area, and he let me know that I was not going to be seeing a rent payment for one of my tenants. And that's because the tenant paid the rent, but they paid it with a paper money order that was left in the manager's overnight drop box and the mail from that box. Was broken into by a thief and stolen. And then apparently the thief converted the money order at the bank by in this house. Unbelievable. By waiting out the name of the money order recipient, which I guess would have been the manager. And then the thief wrote in his own name on the Wite-out. Now there were three tenants that had their payments stolen from my property manager like this. So mine was one of the three from my tenant. And the thief also broke into two other real estate offices around the same time. So the thief broke into three offices total, apparently.   Keith Weinhold (00:07:01) - Now, the question that we're leading up to here is, I tell you more about this. Who is liable for this missing payment? And really, there are five parties here where you could give an answer. Is it the thief, the manager, the tenant, the bank or me? The investor who is liable for that stolen payment? Who should make good on it? Who will make good on it? Now, the amount that we're talking about is a stolen rent of $1,550. Okay. This is a rental single family home that I have. So I've been out this $1,550 for about a year now. And by the way, the tenant that had the rent payment stolen a full year ago, they still live there in their rent is now 1750, but it was 1550 them. Now I'm only making a thing of this a full year later and starting to ask my manager to make me whole now. And that's just because I've got a lot going on in life and $1,550. That's just not enough to make that big of a deal over.   Keith Weinhold (00:08:03) - But when life took a pause and I got to thinking about this some more, the principle of it is really bothersome. Wouldn't it bother you? I mean, if I let others like my manager get away with something like this, then I could get walked all over in other ways. Now, when I requested that the manager paid me because it was their drop box that it was stolen from, really, the only answer that they want to give me is that they can't pay because they don't have insurance to cover that type of loss. Well, I don't either. Now, should the bank be the liable party here for processing a payment where the pay to name was whited out, and then the criminal wrote over it with his name? And by the way, the criminal used his real name. And that's also part of how he got caught, which is unbelievable. And they also, though they do know who the criminal is because they have video surveillance of him at the bank depositing the money orders. I mean, how should he have been able to catch them? But the process of trying to get the criminal to remedy this or the bank to remedy this, those approaches have not worked.   Keith Weinhold (00:09:14) - And I think that the manager wants me to take the loss and pay because he doesn't want to take the loss. And you know, something? Admittedly, between the tenant, the manager and I, I'm probably the one that could most afford the loss, but that does not make it right now. At last, check the property manager who keeps refusing to pay up. They propose something ridiculous that I want to share with you in a moment. You're not going to believe it. Well, as you know, you have a written management agreement when you enter in an agreement to have your manager manage your property for you and that management agreement that's between you, the investor and your manager, just those two parties. And as we know, one job that your manager does for you is that they collect the rent for you. So I figured what I would go do is look at my management agreement, and I'm going to go cite that line where it says that the manager collects the money for the property owner.   Keith Weinhold (00:10:16) - But would you believe it? Nowhere in our agreement does it state that the manager collects the payment for the owner. So here's one lesson. The next time you're signing a new management agreement, see that that line is in there. I think it's just kind of easy to assume that it is. But, you know, those agreements, they're typically written by the property management company. So they might write it in ways that protect them. But here's the thing. The manager still doesn't want to pay $1,550 and was stolen from the drop box. They had proposed something that seems wild to me when I said I'm not going to let go. They told me that their plan is to ask the tenant to pay by adding an extra 150 or $200 to their monthly rent payment until the deficit is paid up. So that would be what, something like eight months of payments. Now, I doubt that the tenant would agree to something like that. If the manager is accepting rent in a drop box, it seems like it's the manager's responsibility to make sure that it's secured.   Keith Weinhold (00:11:20) - So to me, of the five parties involved here, it should be either the criminal, the bank for processing the payment that way, or the manager that should be held liable. One of those three parties, not the property owner and not the tenant. So you've got to believe that I consider firing this property manager and using someone else. And by the way, whenever you have to do that, if you ever do have to do that, and I've had to do it before, you can ask the provider that sold you the property for new property management recommendations, or you can find some new property managers by checking online forums with other clients that have actually used property managers. If you replace your manager. What that does is that your manager, they're going to lose more than just that 8 to 10% monthly management fee. They'd also lose future leasing fees. They lose any arrangements that they have with service providers to service your property, like plumbers and electricians. When it comes time for you to sell your properties that your manager manages for you, that manager might also lose the ability to collect referral fees at that, manager has the real estate license so you can make firing your manager hurt them more than you might think.   Keith Weinhold (00:12:40) - Now, I don't like hurting anyone in business. That's why I'm trying to find a constructive way to resolve this. But the manager has had a long time to make this right with me. They're probably just hoping I would forget about the whole thing. The property manager does not want to take the loss, and I will not either. I'll keep you updated on how this weird situation concludes here, but yeah. Hey, I'm an investor just like you. I want to dig in and get involved sometimes and see if something like a stolen rent payment happened with a stock that you own. I mean, you might take the loss there and you wouldn't even know that it happened. So I like real estate investing trends agency with a manager. I don't have the day to day involvement responsibility, but yet I can see a lot of what's going on with the monthly statements that they send me. Or if I have a concern, I know who I can directly contact to remedy something. And if you're a new real estate investor, please be mindful that this situation with my manager and the stolen rent payment is not typical at all.   Keith Weinhold (00:13:45) - In 20 years of doing this, I have never had a situation like this. In a few minutes here, we're going to discuss how feasible it is that America could eliminate the property tax altogether. And our guests. He's also going to tell us why he's been seeing more people like you paying tax on the gain from the sale of your primary residence. Hey, would you like to see me at breaking down real estate investing concepts on a whiteboard? Yes, a magic marker in hand with a whiteboard and an easel. Well, you can watch me do that from the comfort of your home. Over on our YouTube channel, we recently launched our explained series, and I begin it by breaking down basics and just showing you an actual net worth and actual cash flow statement, and then figuring out how you can take those and learn exactly when you can quit your job and retire. It's easier to do the numbers over there than it is here on an audio format, and later I'll whiteboard some more advanced concepts for you soon, like explaining an inverted yield curve.   Keith Weinhold (00:15:00) - Watch me on the whiteboard in our explained series. It is free on YouTube right now and our channel is pretty easy to find because it's called get Rich education. Eliminating the property tax. Next I'm Keith White hold. You're listening to get rich education. Role under the specific expert with income property, you need Ridge lending group and MLS 42056 in gray history, from beginners to veterans, they provided our listeners with more mortgages than anyone. It's where I get my own loans for single family rentals up to four Plex's. Start your pre-qualification and chat with President Charlie Ridge personally. They'll even customize a plan tailored to you for growing your portfolio. Start at Ridge Lending group.com Ridge lending group.com. You know, I'll just tell you, for the most passive part of my real estate investing, personally, I put my own dollars with Freedom Family Investments because their funds pay me a stream of regular cash flow in returns are better than a bank savings account up to 12%. Their minimums are as low as 25 K. You don't even need to be accredited for some of them.   Keith Weinhold (00:16:20) - It's all backed by real estate and that kind of love. How the tax benefit of doing this can offset capital gains and your W-2 jobs income. And they've always given me exactly their stated return paid on time. So it's steady income, no surprises while I'm sleeping or just doing the things I love. For a little insider tip, I've invested in their power fund to get going on that text family to 66866. Oh, and this isn't a solicitation. If you want to invest where I do, just go ahead and text family to six, 686, six.   Speaker 5 (00:17:02) - This is author Christine Tait. Listen to get Rich education with Keith Reinhold and don't quit your Daydream.   Keith Weinhold (00:17:19) - A renowned tax and wealth expert is back on the show with us today. He's also a CPA, and he's the CEO of a terrific tax firm called Wealth Ability. He's the best selling author of the Mega-popular book Tax Free Wealth, which you may very well want to check out again, because he just updated that book with a third edition. I have the original tax free wealth on my bookshelf.   Keith Weinhold (00:17:40) - Welcome back to Dr. Tom Wheelwright. Thanks, Keith. Always good to be on your show. Tom, we have a lot of real estate investors listening. Why don't we talk about property tax? It applies to one whether they own income, property or whether they own a primary residence. Tom, I thought about the discussion that we were going to have today. I was thinking about it yesterday. And you know what happened? I looked out my window and the garbage had just been picked up from the curb, and this was shortly after my driveway was plowed of snow. Okay, now, if an alien came down from another planet and we described that there's a property tax in the United States, so we'll probably believe, oh, all right. Well, they're going to like, pick up your trash and like, plow your driveway for you and everything for that property tax you pay. It's like, oh no. Well those are separate services that I pay. So really what I'm getting at is maybe more philosophically in big picture, should there be a property tax? That's a big question.   Keith Weinhold (00:18:37) - Yeah. But let's do talk about what property tax funds. So property tax funds schools. It's the primary funding mechanism of schools. If you talk to an old timer they still call it school tax sometimes. Yeah it funds schools. It funds fire departments. It funds the police. So those are the three big services that have funds. This is why, by the way, Keith, when there was that group in Seattle that took over that section of the city and the government refused to send to kick those people out. I don't know if you remember this a couple of years ago. And I'm going, wait a minute, why are we paying property taxes? Because the police force and the fire department were being paid by property taxes on the buildings that had been taken over by this renegade group. Wow. And so I have a commercial property. I pay a huge property tax on that commercial property doesn't house children, so I don't send children to school, but I still pay tax for education. Why? Because I need educated employees, so I'm happy to do that.   Keith Weinhold (00:19:37) - I pay for fire protection. I pay it for police protection. I think what the money is used for generally is fine. I don't have an issue with that. The challenge I have with the property tax is twofold. One is it is a true wealth tax. If your property goes up in value, you pay more tax and it's a tax on inflation, because if you're a property goes up in value because of inflation, you pay more tax. And then second of all, you're out to sell your property. But it's also a regressive tax. So people who have no more income, they're on fixed income, they're Social Security. They have a pension plan whatever that their property goes up because of inflation, not because it's a better property and they're paying more tax even though their incomes not going up. That's my biggest challenge with property tax. That's really a good point. I had never thought about it that way before. The property tax can be a regressive tax. Therefore you pay a higher rate with a lower income, which is what a regressive tax means.   Keith Weinhold (00:20:40) - I know that some jurisdictions try to help senior citizens out with that. Maybe you both say like the first 100 K of assessed property value is exempt. But yeah, on basis you're right about that. With it being a regressive tax. Tom, I kind of look around the landscape. We deal with a lot of markets and properties and providers nationwide here at gray, and I seem to see a national effect of property tax rate of about 1%, something like that's pretty common 1% of value on a 500 K property. You're going to pay about $5,000 in property tax. Of course, that varies substantially. New Jersey is a really high one. So the states in the Deep South are really low ones. But what are your thoughts about that 1% average national effect? Think about that tax rate. Let's say you bought that property for $50,000. You bought the property for $50,000 based on your income. You bought it for $50,000. Now, because of inflation, it's $500,000. Now it's really a 10% of what you bought it for.   Keith Weinhold (00:21:34) - So it's not really 1% anymore. It's 1% of the price value. It's not 1% of what you paid for it. This is where California with prop 13 they apt their property tax. Right. If you didn't move into a new property. I loved that proposition. Frankly, I love prop 13 because what I said was, look, if you're staying the same home, your property tax isn't going to go up. Because you get no more value out of it than you did when you bought it. So why are you getting more tax even though you're not getting more value? That makes no sense. I'm not a big fan. You know, like Texas has a they rely heavily on property. Remember we have three types of taxes. We have an income tax. We have a transaction tax which the biggest one is sales tax. But it's also excise taxes. And then we have property tax. And property tax and estate tax are the only two wealth taxes we have. And property tax is a true wealth tax.   Keith Weinhold (00:22:29) - Why is it allowed. Why can we have a property tax in our hometown. But we can't have a federal property tax because Constitution doesn't allow a federal property tax. But our state constitution probably does allow a state property tax. And so robbery taxes are really interesting. I talk about in tax free wealth. Tax wealth has a chapter on property sales and property tax. It's my least favorite tax because again A it's regressive and B it's a tax on something I've never realized. The only benefit I have is that I live in it. But that benefit's not gone up even though the property tax goes up. You brought up so many interesting things there. Sure, that proposition in California is what kept people staying in their homes for a very long time. But we think about property tax and should there even be one? As we ponder that big question, what do other nations do? Because a lot of times I know you look at foreign nations tax policies. Most localities. A lot of them have a local property tax.   Keith Weinhold (00:23:27) - I don't think it's uncommon. What's interesting to me is that Missouri is looking at getting rid of their property tax and putting in a transaction tax instead. So in other words, you don't pay a tax for owning the property. You only pay a tax when you sell it. Well, that actually makes more sense. You know, in previous episode we talked about more versus United States. We talked about that whole idea of a wealth tax and realized gain. And some states do this already. California does this, Hawaii does this, Pennsylvania does this where you have a tax when you sell the property, an excise tax when you sell the property, or a transfer tax, if you will? That makes some sense because you did get the money. You actually have the ability to pay the tax. It's not coming out of your earnings. It came out of the sale of the property. So it's a tax on the sale. Frankly, if I had to choose, I would probably choose the transaction tax.   Keith Weinhold (00:24:23) - I mean, I would choose to have very little tax. I think we need fire. We need police. Those two things we absolutely need we need roads. We should have taxes to pay for those school. I'm a fan of school choice. And should we have property tax pay for those? Or is that something that we ought to pay for some other way? I don't know, there is argument that, again, that should be maybe you ought to pay that out of sales tax or a transaction tax. Yeah. I think I'm feeling your vibe on that one time that a transfer tax of real estate is somewhat more palatable than this ongoing property tax that you have to pay, because the transfer tax probably is realizing a gain there. Along with that, even though we probably don't like that piled on top of ongoing property tax, for sure. We think about property taxes, something that applies to every homeowner, whether they own income, property or not, is the pretty well known primary residence capital gains tax exemption for quite a while.   Keith Weinhold (00:25:16) - That's been 250 K if you're single and 500 K if you're married. Can you tell us more about that and where the direction of that's going? And is that adjusting with inflation or what are your thoughts. Yeah, it's not adjusting for inflation unfortunately. It's interesting. Some things adjust for inflation. Some things don't. Tax brackets adjust the exclusion for your primary residence doesn't. And your deduction for miles driven for charity doesn't adjust for inflation. But your deduction for miles driven for work does adjust for inflation. So it's very interesting to see what does Congress say. We're going to adjust for for inflation. What they don't. That came into effect under Bill Clinton prior to his presidency. You had to actually put your new house, had to be worth more than your old house is very much like a 1031 exchange where as long as you bought a new house that was equal to or greater in price than the sales price of your old house, you paid no tax but the minute you went down. So when, for example, you're retiring and you decide, well, I don't need all this house, my kids are gone, I'm going to go move into a condo on the golf course, or I just don't need that much space.   Keith Weinhold (00:26:25) - Then you had to pay tax. What happened in the Clinton era was we actually got this exclusion, which is as long as you live in the house for two years, two out of the last five years, you get 100% exclusion on the gain, up to 250, like you said, 250 single, 500 joint. I would love to see them index that. I think it needs to be indexed. Frankly, they need to adjust it retroactively because too many people got caught in this last run up where for the first time ever, I saw a lot of people paying tax on the gain from the sale of their house. Yeah, that's something that you hope that you don't have to do. We'll see if and when they do adjust that for inflation. I'm not always talked about property tax bill. Why don't we open it up somewhat more and talk more about what we discussed the last time you were here on the show with us? Well, I think we already learned then whether Americans, just over time, over the long term, are more likely taxed or more heavily taxed.   Keith Weinhold (00:27:24) - It seems like they're always piling on more and more taxes. What are your thoughts with where we're going on lighter taxation or heavier taxation? I said, well, we rarely get taxed less. We're actually taxed less than just about any other country. Just to be clear, we pay a lower share of our income in taxes than just about any other country. But of course, we have much, many fewer benefits. We don't have national health care. We have Social Security, but it's a small amount, right. In France, remember, they had these big protests, right? Because the French president raised the retirement age from 62 to 64. Why were so many people protesting that? Well, it's because in France the salaries aren't enough to keep up. And so they're relying on that. They can't save up and say, I'm going to retire earlier because I've saved up money. There's not enough income for them to save. So they're relying on the government to save for them. That was a hard thing for them.   Keith Weinhold (00:28:18) - We have a hard time understanding that in the US because our tax rates are so much lower. France, for example, I was. Reading. That's the other day. 50% of GDP goes to taxes in France. In the US it's about 26% of GDP. So we're almost half of what percentage of our GDP goes to taxes. So they're the highest. What's happening is you're seeing Germany. There's this going up Korea. Theirs has gone up, Japan theirs has gone up. And the US, they expect ours to be up. It's 28% of GDP within a few years. So it's all relative, right. The problem is, is that the taxes are more and more as a proportion of our gross domestic product. If you think the government should stay out of our lives, then you're on the wrong end of that stick, because that means that the government's getting more and more involved, and more and more money is being spent by the government instead of the private sector. Well, Tom, you've been here on the show with us a lot of times.   Keith Weinhold (00:29:16) - We've talked about how your rental income gets taxed. We've talked about capital gains tax and property tax and sales tax and income tax, one tax type we haven't talked about. When we think about whether things just get worse as the government piles on more taxes, is there any threat in your mind of a tax for those that don't know what that is? That's basically a head tax. That's a tax that's imposed on you just for existing. Is that a possibility? Zionist capitation tax and not a decapitation tax. It might feel like one. Yeah. It's, uh, commonly called the poll tax write poll. As in poll. You go to the polls that the number of people that is actually allowed, the government could impose that that is allowed under a constitution, a poll tax. Great Britain has a poll tax. So it's not unheard of. I haven't heard a lot of people talk about. The problem is, is that a poll tax is a tax on voters. And we know politicians don't want to put a tax on voters.   Keith Weinhold (00:30:16) - Right. So where's the incentive to vote? They're more likely to put a tax on corporations who don't vote. I'll tell you the favourite tax. The favourite tax is to put a tax on out-of-towners. Somebody who's coming into your place like a travel tax. One of the key policy points of any tax unit is you want to export your tax to people who don't vote for you. So you're always trying to put the tax on somebody who doesn't can't vote for you. Because if you put on people who do vote for you, you will soon lose your job. Interesting point. That's why you see taxes on Ubers and taxis and hotels, resort taxes. You see those kind of tax skills are basically export tax, right? They're taxing people who don't live and vote in your state or in your location. A poll tax would be a tax on people who do live in your state or location. I have a hard time seeing that one coming down the line. More likely is you really wanted us to be more competitive with the rest of the world.   Keith Weinhold (00:31:17) - We'd have a value added tax in the United States, we do not have one. And if you wanted to make us more competitive with the rest of the world, if you really want to raise funds or you want to pay off the deficit, or you want to get rid of an income tax, the best way to do it would be a value added tax. Well, maybe you, the listener, just have a shred of a little something to be thankful for. There are tax types you've heard of that we don't actually have yet. There actually are some remaining. It seems like they'll all get used up. Europe has a. Europe uniformly has a 20% value added tax that just goes to increases the price of your meals at a restaurant, increases the price of every product you buy. That's a value added tax. That's a national sales tax that is common in the rest of the world. We're the only major developed country that doesn't have one. Well, at least in Europe, they're not asking that.   Keith Weinhold (00:32:06) - When you get your restaurant meal bill that you add a tip onto the tax about, like what's happening a lot of times here. And I think a lot of people aren't even aware of that. That's another absurdity. Yeah. Another absurdity of being a consumer in the United States today. Tom, you're really an expert in helping people understand that there are so many parts of the tax code out there for reducing one's taxes. The tax code, mostly most of the pages are about tax reduction. There are just a few pages about the tax tables. And then basically the rest of the tax code says you have to pay the tax in those tables if you don't do these other things. So tell us more about how one and everyday people can learn and get informed by being matched up with the right professional, so they can learn about all those exceptions to paying those taxes in the tables. I appreciate your promotion of tax free wealth because that's the starting point. You really do need to understand the concepts, and the concepts are all in tax free wealth.   Keith Weinhold (00:33:00) - Okay, so really inexpensive way for you to get an education. Once you've got the education though, you do need a team around you. And what I think the most important person, well outside of your bookkeeper, who I actually think is the most important person of that team, I think your number two person is your CPA. And I'm going to be very specific. There are a lot of people who hold themselves out as tax advisors, and I would not touch them with a ten foot pole. Whether it's I don't want a financial planner giving me tax advice, nor do I want a CPA, give me financial advice. Let's have a specialist do the specialist work. I don't want an enrolled agent. And the reason I don't want enrolled agent. If I'm really simple, that's great. But remember enrolled agent, they have very little education. They took a test. An IRS test that takes a couple of hours. That's all they did. If you're a business owner, you're a serious investor. You need a CPA and you need a CPA who cares more about you than they do about protecting themselves from the IRS.   Keith Weinhold (00:33:59) - This is one of my big complaints about some of my fellow CPAs is they seem to be so concerned about an audit. And my question is, if you're so concerned about an audit, does that mean you're afraid of the IRS? And if your CPA is afraid of the IRS, it's probably time to get a new CPA. That's right. Well, please, I tell you, we have a resource on our website where you can connect with Tom's team and get messed up with the right advisor. That is it. Get rich education complex. But like Tom said, a good thing to do is read his book, Tax Free Wealth first. That way you'll be able to ask the right questions so you can get the right answers from the right professional that you can be messed up with. Tom, do you have any last thoughts? Here is we're still relatively new in a year here when it comes to taxation, and one taking their plans forward through the year. Let's remember that we have an election coming up this year.   Keith Weinhold (00:34:54) - And one of the biggest issues in this election is going to be taxation. There's certain politicians that would like to take the 2017 tax reductions and extend them. There are others that would like to eliminate them and actually raise taxes. A couple of years ago, we had a proposal called Build Back Better. Great. Started as a $6 trillion proposal and ended up being $2 trillion and change the name to, quote unquote, the Inflation Reduction Act, or as I like to call it, the Inflation Enhancement Act. But that's going to be back. So you may love one party. You may hate the other party. Just know that when you go to vote, think about you are voting for a tax increase or a tax decrease depending on who you vote for. Look at their policies. Look at what they propose. Look at what they've been talking about. Don't believe for a second that they're gonna all of a sudden say, well, we're not going to raise taxes, when in fact they're looking at you and they're going, is that my money in your pocket? It is a presidential election year.   Keith Weinhold (00:35:59) - The good news is you now have a way for your voice to be heard this year in taxes are part of that, Tom. We're right. It's a great having you back on the show. Thanks, Keith. Sometimes I hear people that pay property tax but yet don't have any children themselves. They say that, well, since property tax often funds schools that they're opposed to paying it. Well, let's look at it this way. I'm a person that doesn't have any kids yet. And even if I never do have kids, well, when I was a kid myself, I attended public school. So therefore I was the beneficiary of adults paying property tax to fund the school that I went to. So therefore, when you think of it in those terms, it's more palatable for a, I suppose, non father like me to pay it forward, pass it along and pay school tax for others. So though there may be other objections to paying property taxes, not having children, that's often not such a valid reason when you think about it that way.   Keith Weinhold (00:37:07) - Now, I think that the Liberty First Society's Christian Hall, she has an interesting take on property tax. Here's what she said. And I quote, property tax should end when you complete the sale or purchase, just like you do when you buy groceries or a bicycle. It's theft of ownership to keep paying property taxes, especially when government has the authority to take your property. When you don't pay your taxes for three years. That's not property tax, that's rent, and you're a tenant in your own home. Property tax makes government the owner of your property, not you. End quote. And again, that is from the Liberty First Society's Chris Ian Hall, thought provoking, if nothing else. Now, when it comes to finding the right professional to get real estate investors, all of our generous and legitimate deductions that we enjoy, I mean, it is one of the five ways real estate pays. After all, you do need to find the right pro so that they can find all the deductions for you.   Keith Weinhold (00:38:13) - And this is just the time of year to get that right. For more than ten years now, I have had the world's number one tax firm do my wealth strategy, my tax strategy and my tax preparation. I even use my bookkeeper through them. They understand what real estate investors need. They make sure that I don't miss out on optimizing benefits and deductions for mortgage interest and tax depreciation and property tax and cost segregation, which accelerates my deductions. And they make sure I get infinite capital gains tax deferrals and bonus depreciation and so much more. All the good things that real estate investors get when you work with an investor centric tax professional. In this way, you can also legally write off many of your expenses for property management and maintenance and utilities and even your travel. So you can do that by connecting with Tom's team by visiting get rich education.com/tax. That is this week's actionable resource. Until next week I'm your host Keith White. Hold don't quit your day dream.   Speaker 6 (00:39:25) - Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice.   Speaker 6 (00:39:29) - Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get Rich education LLC exclusively.   Speaker 7 (00:39:53) - The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building. Get rich education.com.