Podcasts about aright

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 1 Surviving a horrible plague has unusual conditions. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Forward: This story occurs within the Quaranteam universe created by CorruptingPower. If you have not red the original, or any of the other spinoffs, they are highly recommended. That is not required to understand this story, they're just good, and a lot of fun. This fictional drama coincides with the timing of the 2nd wave outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic. The modified cold virus escaped from a Chinese laboratory and directly killed more than 7 million people, but is suspected of indirectly causing the early deaths of over 20 million, in about 24 months. The DuoHalo virus that this series of novels pertains to, is far more deadly, and can only be combatted with a gene therapy injection, but it wears off in just days, unless followed up by human hormones, and only through a continual booster through both male and female genital fluids. Only the female body is capable of enduring the inoculation gene therapy dose, but she still needs the catalyst of male genital fluids, which then activates both physical and psychological mutations. Her libido goes into hyper drive. The corresponding male partner also absorbs the hormone-based anti-viral, by absorbing the woman's rich antiviral genital fluids. The world order undergoes a fundamental rest, and the fight for survival of the species becomes dependent on heterosexual mating ‘bareback', with women devoting themselves to monogamy, while men retain a capacity to be the catalyst for however many females their stamina allows. The most notable psychological mystery is the absence of female jealousy and possessiveness. Cohabitation is an essential accommodation to make the treatment work. Chapter 1. September 18, 2020. Dave Belsus sat on the floor of his hallway texturing the wall over the patch he'd installed a few days earlier. It had taken a sizable piece of sheetrock (from a layman's perspective) to repair the big gaping hole in his wall. There wasn't really a right or wrong pattern to the texturing and Dave was simultaneously restless and reluctant to move on to a different task. He finally stood, gathered his tools and materials, and hauled them down to the garage. There are still things to do. There are people depending on him. He went out to his greenhouse and stopped, closed his eyes and smelled the green. Let it soak into him. He needed to feel life around him. He just stood there for; he wasn't sure how long. Not long enough. He still felt dead inside. But he had work to do. David started harvesting some veggies to exchange with his neighbor, Lupie. Inspecting the cucumber plants, he could see two large ones were ready. He'd keep one for his own salads and send the other next door. Becca, Lupie's houseguest (once babysitter) had developed a taste for them after Dave offered one a few months ago. Several beefy tomatoes were ready, so he plucked them, keeping a few for himself. Maybe a tomato sandwich tonight or tomorrow. That'd be nice. Three heads of redleaf lettuce (he'd staggered his lettuce so a few heads were harvestable every week) were next, again, one for Dave, two for next door. Finally, a handful of strawberries were perfectly ripe. He'd let Lupie and the girls have all of those. Esme, Lupie's daughter loved strawberries. Well, who didn't? Cute little girl. Always gave Dave fierce, friendly hugs. Dave missed the farmer's markets on the weekends where he could trade or buy/sell for other varieties and veggies he didn't have space or time for. Well, now he had all sorts of time, but he still didn't have the space. Dave brought the harvested veggies into the house and sorted the veggies. Stuff for him went on the counter basket. Items for Lupie, Becca and Esme went back in the basket he'd carried into the greenhouse. Dave grabbed the basket and walked over to what had been a parlor just off his entryway. Now it was a decon area. Dave added a plasticized suit over the clothes he'd been wearing. Mid-September was still toasty in Texas, but fortunately not as bad as late August. That had been brutal. Hot enough Dave had thought about adding a water bottle with a straw to the inside of the suit. He hadn't come up with a way to attach it without breaching the suit's integrity, so he nixed the idea. He doubled down on pre-hydrating when it was absolutely necessary to go out in the damn thing. Dave gathered up the basket in the clumsy gloves. He'd gotten fairly good at manipulating medium size items while wearing the gloves. The gloves were disposable dish gloves, tucked into the suit and duct taped to it for a seal. He opened his door and crossed the lawns over to Lupie's porch. He carefully transferred the veggies over to Lupie's porch pickup box, then gathered the dozen eggs she'd left him. Lupie had several hens in a large coop in her back yard. Dave had helped her install some anti-predator devices to the top of her fence and around the coop in the before times. Being that close to Lupie was a fond memory. Nothing romantic between them, just very comfortable. And it had paid off well too. He got a dozen eggs twice a week, and sometimes a whole chicken, plucked and dressed. Sometimes even separated into parts. If he was really lucky, after bringing her some good meat, he'd get homemade tamales. Lupie was a great cook. Her cooking wasn't the only thing Dave appreciated about Lupie. Absolutely lovely inside and out. She wasn't beauty pageant pretty, she was normal girl pretty. What a lovely face to wake up to. A face that'd make a man want to come home. Nice figure too. She never wore anything too showy, but she wasn't one for baggy stuff either. Sure, she's in her early thirties and has a real job and a kid to keep track of, so she most certainly wouldn't have a washboard tummy under her shirts. Or dresses. God, Lupie looks fantastic in a dress. The way they billow around her calves always caught Dave's eye. And that hair. Long, lovely, raven black hair. Hopping back onto his own porch, Dave put the basket down and flipped on the UV lights he'd installed in the porch awning. Step one in his decontamination process. Arms straight out from his shoulders, he turned slowly. One full circle palms down, another palms up. He flipped off the light, opened the door and grabbed the basket. Inside, he stripped off the outer suit, hanging it on hooks in the entryway, set the basket in the kitchen, then went straight to the upstairs shower, the one near the unused bedrooms. Excessive? Possibly. But Dave wasn't going to be another statistic. Viruses don't negotiate. Dave didn't either. That's what Lysol was for. Not that the average person could get much of that anymore. Still, if you weed out the essential oils nuts, there were some good recipes for home sanitizers online. You just had to pay attention to the recommended duration. Some were stronger than others and didn't need to be left on a surface as long. After toweling off and tossing the towel in the hamper, Dave went to the master bedroom to put on fresh clothes. Then he went back down to wash the lettuce and cucumber and started making a small salad. Dave didn't like eating right before exertion, but he hadn't eaten in a day and a half. He need to workout the anger surging through him too. So he compromised - a small salad, then beat the crap out of imaginary opponents. Lettuce base, quartered tomato, quartered boiled egg, diced cucumber, and balsamic vinaigrette. Tasty enough that he'd finish it. Small enough he wouldn't blow chunks while he's exercising. Kitchen cleanup gave the food a little time to settle. Dave walked across the house to get his staff from the gym, then went back to the sliding glass door separating the living room from the backyard. He walked to the large flat platform in the middle of the yard, stretching his arms as he went. He stretched his legs when he got there. Then he took a several minutes with warm up motions. He ran through each of the basic strikes and defenses in a pattern he practiced at least three times a week. He repeated the sequence five times. Then he launched into a series of combination motions. Half-staff upper hand strike on the right, followed by the left. A horizontal block leading into a full staff strike starting from the lower left into the upper right. On and on. Each pattern repeated. Each repetition faster. Turning. Striking. Blocking. Faster. Dave's face, initially a blank mask, grew pained, then angry. Anger flowed into rage. In his rage, Dave lost track of his position on the platform. He unknowingly stepped off the platform. It was only two or three inches high, but that was enough. He caught his fall with his staff and avoided an unceremonious face plant. Still, the interruption pulled him out of the mental space he'd been in. His breathing was ragged. Sweat soaked his clothes, dripped from every part of his body. The air was no longer flinty, but it was still too hot for heavy, continuous exertion. He felt a small wave of nausea roll through his belly. Time to pack it in. He cleaned off the end of the staff he'd use to stop his fall, then walked inside, stowed the staff back in the gym, and went up to the master suite shower stall. The shower refreshed Dave's body. Time to give his mind something to do. Eastfield College had only partially re-opened, just a few online classes. He had one section of astronomy to teach for the folks that wanted something more exciting than physical science for their science core requirement. No one was taking chemistry or physics this semester. The chemistry instructor was still alive. She'd laid down the law in her house and they had taken lockdown seriously. They just didn't have a good substitute for teaching the lab part of the class yet. The full-time physics guy had inexplicably taken the same attitude as too many in the county. He died before the spring semester ended. The guy had a doctorate in physics, twelve published papers to his name and spent twenty years living in scientific circles. You'd think he'd know better than to fall in with the idiot brigade. Hell, maybe the college would take Dave on full time to cover the physics courses once they opened up for real. Dave logged into to the course website, checking grades in the online homework column and looking for any labs submitted by the faster, more diligent (or just bored) students. No new work since yesterday. Maybe the rest would wait until last minute on Sunday night. On no, a procrastinating college student. What a surprise! A text message notification pulled him out of his reverie. It was from Lupie. "Please say yes." He was about to reply, asking her what he was supposed to say yes to, when he heard the doorbell. Crap. Dave rushed downstairs to the door, hearing a second ring on the way down. He grabbed a mask and slipped it on quickly just before opening the door a crack with his shoulder braced against it if he needed to slam it shut again. A man in a hazmat suit stood on Dave's porch, carrying a small case and wearing what appeared to be a watch on his right wrist. "Good morning sir, my name is Arthur Samuelson, I'm with the CDC. May I come in?" "You ain't a vampire are you?" The grin on Dave's face indicated he was joking. Arthur chuckled. "No sir, just administering tests checking for DuoHalo and making arrangements for vaccination." Dave got the impression a few details were being skipped here, as if the man in front of him was easing him in with the broadest strokes first. "A vaccine? Holy shit. Yeah, come on in dude." Dave backed up and opened the door fully. After making sure the door was fully closed, Dave led Arthur to the dining room table. Arthur immediately pulled out sterile cotton swabs, the kind with wooden stems and cotton only on one end, a small box. Arthur tapped the face of the watch and then typed in a numeric sequence when a digital number pad popped up. "It's a monitor. Some folks have taken a militant approach since the lockdowns started. Every time the watch buzzes at me, I have to enter a code within 30 seconds or they send a squad of troops to my coordinates." Dave reacted briefly, but nonverbally. Well, some people try to drown the lifeguard that's there to save their ass. Whoever said we've evolved past our caveman days isn't paying attention. Arthur handed one of the hospital style cotton swabs to Dave. "Just swab the inside of your cheek very well, no brain tickling this time." Dave swabbed as instructed, then handed the stick back to Arthur. Arthur set about processing the sample and placing it in the testing device. "This will take a few minutes. While we are waiting, is there anyone else to be tested here?" "No, I live alone." "Big place." "Yeah, I . . . had other plans, but they didn't pan out. Been here by myself for a few years now. Nice neighbors, especially next door, Lupie." Dave mentioned Lupie intentionally. Given the short time span between the text and the doorbell, it was possible, but not certain, the two were connected. "Yes, I just came from there. Nice ladies." "So, are you going door-to-door doing this, like somebody selling steak knives?" Arthur guffawed. "Not quite. We used electric usage rates to determine which houses still have people living in them. Then we set routes for each test administrator for a day. Also, you're going to like what I'm offering a lot more than steak knives, but they won't all come at once." Dave chuckled, but held back a bit. "So multiple booster shots?" "Something like that." Arthur's grin was slightly cryptic, like he was hiding a joke he wasn't ready to reveal just yet. "I hate needles man. I put up with them, but I usually have to look away when I get stuck for shots or blood donations." "We'll see what we can do to make it easier on you." The cryptic grin hadn't receded. Then the box trilled a three note sequence. Arthur checked it. "Congratulations, you are virus free. Let's make arrangements to keep you safe from this thing." Arthur pressed a button on the box, which then printed out a strip of paper. He handed the strip over to Dave. "So here's the deal: you know by now DuoHalo is deadly, especially to men. Like an 80% fatality rate for us guys." Dave's eyes hooded over. "I'm aware." "Yes, well it seems directly administering the vaccine is 100% fatal to men." "How the fuck is that supposed to help? Leave a planet of Valkyries that only survives if they solve cloning or learn to create artificial semen in one generation?" Dave shouted, but managed not to rise out of his seat. Arthur leaned back somewhat, as if subconsciously giving Dave a little extra space. "No sir, we have a solution, just please hear me out." Dave calmed himself and prepared to listen to what comes after three of the worst words to hear. Whatever followed those three words was either incredibly good, or monumentally bad. Dave wasn't holding his breath for the former. "No, no, nothing like that. It turns out that women can act as intermediaries for the vaccine, sort of a buffer solution. I'm sorry, that may not - " "I know what a buffer solution is and how it functions." "Oh, excellent. You see, we have found that if a vaccinated woman has intercourse with a man, her body buffers the vaccine serum and her immunity transfers - in part - to the man." "Intercourse? As in sex?" Arthur smirked "Someone at the office started referring to this as the STV - Sexually Transmitted Vaccine." Dave rolled his eyes briefly, then closed them and shook his head. "Okay, there is a website with text and videos to explain more details, but a few more things I should say before I leave. First, it takes more than one woman to keep a man safe. That means you will have multiple women 'sharing' you." Dave's eyebrows shot up, but he kept his mouth shut and listened for now. "The vaccine also creates some kind of bond between men and women, so once they sleep with you, they can't be with another man. Ever. It's extremely dangerous for the woman." Seeing Dave start to object, Arthur rushed along "The website I gave you is a highly detailed and personal survey. Women take the same survey. The results get processed through a system called Oracle that has been rigorously tested to match people. We don't want someone stuck with a person they can't stand." Hearing this, Dave was somewhat mollified. Arthur's haste from a moment ago clearly intended to forestall Dave's objection. Of course, Arthur probably thought the concern was for Dave being stuck with an objectionable woman. Dave was equally concerned with a woman getting stuck with him. "Alright so last few questions, how much space is there in this house?" "Oh, well, I have a king size canopy bed in the master bedroom. There are four more bedrooms upstairs, two of which have twin beds in them. The other two have no furniture." "You're going to want to change that. Your first partner will likely arrive tomorrow, with more coming every week, maybe four days apart, at least until we get you up to four partners. Eventually, you will be assigned at least twelve women. Oh, and one more thing." Arthur handed Dave a plain white letter envelope bearing Dave's name in a flowing script. "Your neighbor Lupie asked me to give this to you. I'll step out to the living room to give you some privacy, but I'll need an answer before I leave." Dave was puzzled and concerned but nodded Arthur towards the couch visible through the archway separating the dining and living rooms. Dave pulled out his pocketknife and slit the envelope open. His eyes widened at the first line. First line, hell - the salutation! Dearest David, Words cannot express just how wonderful it is just to address you in that way. I don't know when I began falling for you. I can tell you that last year, when I said I wanted a man who could make a living for us so that I could stay home, raise our kids, and love him with my whole heart, I was thinking of you. Yes, I know it's a bit silly to some, since I earn quite a nice income without any help, but that does not make me feel whole. I want to love you, and Esme, and the children we have together. Yes David, I want to bear your children and raise them with you. I wanted that before all of this lockdown and death started. And now, with all that's been lost, I want to feel life in my body. I want you to put it there. I never want to be away from Esme again. I want to manage your household and love you and our children and whomever else comes into our lives with the way the world is changing. I understand from the gentleman that came to our door that the vaccine has some unusual effects, including emotional and psychological impacts. This is why I am writing to you now, before I take the vaccine. I want to make sure you know this is really what I want. Before anything affects me. I love you. I want to be with you for a lifetime. You should also know that Becca wants to be with you as well. I suspect you will have objections based on her age. Yet, you know she is incredibly mature and responsible. You know what she went through to protect Esmeralda. You know what she has suffered through. Her world is completely unmoored. You, Esme, and I are all that she has left. Your heart and your mind know these things to be true. One thing you may not be aware of - Becca considers you her hero. For so many things big and small that you have done for us during this lockdown. Besides, she's a sci-fi and gaming nerd too, you two will get along quite well if you give her a chance. I love you desperately David. Please say yes. For both of us. Forever yours, Lupie. Dave reached into his back pocket for a handkerchief to dry his eyes. Lupie wanted him all along? Images flashed through his mind. Lupie laughing in a flowy dress on a pleasant spring day. Lupie's hands touching his as they exchanged eggs or produce. Lupie bringing him a glass of ice water while he repaired her fence because he couldn't bear the thought of her blowing money on a contractor. Lupie's proud grin as he thanked her and expounded on the deliciousness of the fresh tamales she brought over late last fall. Their hands had touched then too, hadn't they? No, she touched his hand. Not an accident. Dear God what an idiot! Hell yes he wanted Lupie in his life! And she had been showing him she wanted him in hers. Then his mind turned to Rebecca. Just barely eighteen, and him already forty-six. If she were five years older, she'd still be half his age! Everything Lupie said in her letter was true though. The four of them had gotten through this lockdown together - Lupie, her nine-year-old daughter Esme, and Becca, the young babysitter that had taken on so much when this first started. Loyalty to someone that had weathered the storm with him. Sympathy for someone who'd lost her entire family, even her extended relations. Admiration of the strength, character and resilience she'd shown. Mix in a little lust, 'cuz she's kinda cute. Nerdy cute. But then, Dave is a nerd, he likes nerd girls. Among others. So the only thing holding him back was a number? He'd seen that girl show more loyalty and honor than women twice her age! David took a cleansing breath and blew it slowly out. Arthur picked up on the change, stood and strode back to the dining room. "Have you made a decision?" "Yes. I will accept them both. I'd be a fool not to. How do we do that though? You said something about a matching program?" "Right, however a man may ask for a particular woman. The computer jockeys have to do some manual work for this to happen, so it's not a common occurrence. The two profiles are run through Oracle and the woman is informed of the request, the man's brief bio, and the match percentage of their profiles. Then she can choose to assent or decline." "Sounds like something waiting to be abused." "Hmm. I don't know of any such abuse occurring. I can see the potential you're talking about, but that would require one or more well placed conspirators in one of the vaccination centers." "And that never happens?" "Not to my knowledge. Not yet anyway. I need to get going. I'll inform your neighbors you've agreed. They'll pack a small suitcase and be ready to get picked up tonight or possibly tomorrow morning. You should expect your first partner to arrive sometime tomorrow. As long as you get that profile filled out. And be ruthlessly honest. It's quite thorough. Some questions might make you a bit uncomfortable. Fudging the answers could lead to poor results. And get it in quick. As soon as - Lupie and Becca? -" Dave nodded "are entered in the system, they will be compared to you. If your profile isn't there when the programmers run the comparison, they will be given a random match." Dave nodded his understanding, then rose to walk his guest out. Guest. After all these months, isn't that a hell of a thing? "Remember man, completely, brutally honest." With that, Arthur left. Dave closed the door behind him. He pulled out his phone and started typing. Yes To both of you. The little dots started dancing while he was still typing the second line. Thank you, David! Thank you so much! I'm sorry I held back so long! I have a lot to say to you too. But I want to say it in person. To look you in the eyes. Lupie, you have made me very happy. Happier than I feel I am worthy of. I can't wait to see you again. Face to face. Dave's phone buzzed with an incoming message, but there was nothing new from Lupie. He popped back to the inbox screen, finding an entry from Becca with an image. He opened it and just stared for a moment. He blinked when he realized his mouth was hanging open. Framed in the image was Becca, clearly taking a selfie, from just above her head to the bottom of her ribcage. She was biting her bottom lip and blushing furiously. Probably because the hand not holding the phone was holding her shirt and bra pulled up above her tits. Dave was embarrassed for a moment, then decided why not savor it? Hell, he'd be sharing a bed with her. He would see more than just her pert young boobies then. He sent a thumbs up, followed by: When you're all in, you're really all in huh? ; Laugh emoji ; Yeah, is that ok? ; Do you like them? Are they too small? They're beautiful. They're a part of you, and that makes them wonderful. Always remember that your body, as lovely as it is, is merely a bonus. You won me over with the strength of your character, your courage, your resilience. ; crying emoji, heart emoji ; You make me want to come over right now. ; peach, eggplant, water spurt ; See you in a few days. ; Lover. Dave had made it back to his office and woke his computer with a quick mouse shake. As he logged in, his phone buzzed again. This time it was Lupie. ; Is everything ok? Becca is acting really skittish, and she's blushing like she's embarrassed. Didn't you say yes to her? I did and do. If she doesn't want to tell you, I won't either. Yet. ; monocled raised eyebrow emoji I promise. I'll see you both - all three of you soon. Tell Esme she's getting a big hug. ; I will. I'll have a really nice hug for you too. Looking forward to it. Oh wow. GuadaLupie Jimena Angelina Gutierrez Ramos is itching to live in his house, share a bed with him, and spend her life with him? Fairy tales .. can come true.. it can happen to you; Dave forced himself to focus. He typed in the u r l Arthur had given him. Things started out bland enough. Girls, boys, both? Ladies only. Age range? Dave's first instinct was to set the bottom age to around 25 or 30. He's forty-six for God's sake. Yeah, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out repopulation was going to be an issue, and younger women had both more years of fertility and were more fertile, so at some point, someone would force the issue and each man would be paired with some women under twenty five. But Becca. If Dave set the minimum above eighteen, she might not even get a chance to match with him. That would likely separate her from Lupie and Esme as well. But that left the door open for other teens. Well, Arthur did say women got to pick who they paired with. Fuck it. I'm not screwing over Becca. That's not even a choice. We'll deal with whatever else results as we go. By the time Dave finished the Oracle survey, his stomach was growling. He wasn't quite done yet though. He only had a bare minimum of sheets and towels, so he went online and ordered three changes of sheets for both of the twin beds (there was already one set on each now), two full-sized beds for the two unfurnished rooms, four changes of sheets for those, and four dressers. He went down to the kitchen and pulled out the half tomato left from his lunch salad and started slicing it. After making his tomato sandwich, he added some chips and pickles to the plate. He sat quietly, alone, at the table, realizing that this may be the last dinner he has by himself. Arthur said multiple women. This whole house would be full of people. Full of life. What a difference a day makes. Dave was cleaning up from breakfast the next morning when he heard a knock at the door. He had just turned the water off at the sink, so it was possible this wasn't the first knock. He rushed to the door, grabbing a mask enroute. When he opened the door, a soldier stood there with a clipboard, a young lady beside and behind him. "You David Belsus?" "I am." "Meet your new partner sir, sign here please." Dave signed by the red x. "Y'all have a good day." He tipped his ball cap bill "Ma'am" and walked off. "Hi, I'm Janice Hoppler." She stuck out her hand and Dave shook it while processing what he was seeing. She was cute, late twenties or early thirties, distinctly Korean features, and jet black hair reaching the middle of her back. Dave had marked long hair as one of his desired traits in a woman, giving it a seven out of ten priority. Short hair can be nice, but nothing is so distinctly feminine as long hair. He'd pass up big boobs if a woman had long hair. Not that he'd mind getting both. Not even a little. "Can I come inside?" Dave realized he'd been shaking her hand for a bit too long and not saying anything. "Oh, sure. Sorry, this is kinda surreal." She grinned. "Ya, I know. First a pandemic kills off a huge part of the population, and now the solution is to fuck like bunnies and every man gets like a dozen women? Sounds like some high school boy's fantasy dream." Her dark eyes danced as she laughed. Dave brought her in to sit in the living room, mindful to sit somewhat close so he didn't appear distant, but not all up in her personal space. "Yeah, well, the hard part will be keeping up with the libidos of ten or twelve women. Especially since the videos mentioned you're each going to have an accelerated sex drive." "They also said you would get some invigoration as well. But don't worry, I'll make sure your part is plenty hard so it can do its work." Janice giggled when Dave blushed and closed his eyes. "Sorry, that's not the kind of thing I'd normally say out loud, but they did say all of us ladies will wind up much more forward than we had been before." "That could be helpful, I'm not great at picking up on subtle signals. When it happens, I just think a woman is being nice, but not interested. Or I think she's interested and she's just being nice." "Well, I'm interested enough to choose to be bonded with you for the rest of my life so consider this carte blanche to get frisky anytime you feel like it." She stood, strode to his chair and planted a smoky kiss on his lips, but no tongue. Dave took a breath to recover and register that this was really happening. "So, would you like to see the place first?" "Sure." Janice took his hand as he stood. "You've seen the entryway and parlor," Dave said guiding Janice past the couch into the dining room and beyond into the kitchen. "So here's the kitchen. The small door in the corner is the pantry. Upper two cabinets next to the fridge are dry foods. The other two are dishes and glasses. Lower cabinets are pots, pans, etc." Janice sniffed the air. "You cook much? Smells like you just had breakfast." "Yeah, I had just finished dishes. Did y'all have to knock more than once?" "Twice. But that's worth it for a man that can cook." "You cook much?" "I have to follow box directions carefully to get mac n' cheese to come out decent. I can only do cakes with help from Betty or Duncan and even that is an iffy proposition. Is that a problem, that I don't cook?" "Oh no, not at all." Dave led her out of the kitchen, winding back through the dining room and living room. "Up the stairs are the bedrooms, a full bath, my office, and the master suite." Her eyes glimmered. "Shortly." He paused. "Wow, that's new, me being the one to hold off." "I can see you want it. It's kinda sexy you wanting me, but not just jumping me." "Hmm. I 'll keep that in mind." He hoped his eyes were conveying his interest. Guess they were. "So, we were talking about cooking. I love to cook and so does Lupie. Becca enjoys it I think, but she's still learning. Not bad. She made me birthday cupcakes over the summer. Of course, we had to do the careful packaging and cleaning bit. She wanted to so bad after I made her a birthday dinner and cupcakes." "Who are Lupie and Becca?" "Oh, right, my neighbors." "Oh, the Latina woman and her daughter?" "The daughter is Esme. She's nine. Becca is the eighteen year old blonde. When did you see them?" "They were loading -" Dave and Janice had just arrived at the first door off the hallway past the living room. A former guest bedroom, Dave had done some renovations, adding the closet space of the room onto the half bath and converting that into a full bath. The rest of the room he had filled with bookshelves and comfortable chairs. A few small tables sat near the chairs to rest a drink or a book on. One table bore a good-sized and fairly recent globe. A map of the U S A and a world map adorned one wall in the sitting area. And of course, all the shelves were loaded with books. Janice took a few steps into the room past Dave, who had stopped the moment she cut herself off, wondering what was wrong. When she spun to face him, he saw the look of a kid walking into a candy store with a hand full of monthly allowance. Janice swiftly crossed the small distance between them, launched her short frame into his arms and kissed him fiercely. "Fuck me. Fuck me right here, right now." Dave's brain was not keeping up with the changes. Janice wasn't waiting anyway. She quickly unbuckled his belt, unbuttoned and unzipped his pants and shoved them to his ankles, along with his boxers. She dropped to her knees and started kissing and licking his cock. As it began to fill out, she took it in her mouth and bobbed her head along its length. Dave had always been self-conscious about his cock. It wasn't anything impressive as far as he knew. It didn't help that it shrank in both length and girth in the flaccid state. A cheating ex-wife didn't help things either. And yet, here was this beautiful woman, on her knees, hungry for his cock. Janice's eyes rolled back in her head and a deep, guttural moan issued from her chest. She stilled for a moment, falling back with her ass on her heels. She looked like she might fall over, so Dave took hold of her shoulders. After a minute or so, She looked up at him, happy and hungry. "That. was. Awesome!" Then her eyes zeroed in on his cock again, taking the same look as a hawk spying a squirrel. He was fully erect now. Janice rose up enough to shove his hips. "On the ground baby. Time to finish this. Make me your horny little bitch for life." Dave lay down, Janice not even waiting until he was all the way down to crawl up his body and straddle him. The sensations he picked up from the tip of his cock as she settled herself told him she wore no panties under her loose skirt. She quickly lined him up with her entrance and sat back forcefully. "Fuck yeah. This thing feels so damn good baby. God, how the hell are you still single? I'd fucking sell my soul to you if you promised to fuck me." She started rising a bit, then shoving herself back down, then grinding her clit against him. "Fucking perfect fucking thickness and length. I feel so stuffed, and not painful." She placed her palms over his nipples and began focusing her efforts on riding up and down, her breathing getting ragged. Janice emitted several moans and grunts as she worked herself and Dave up to a pinnacle. For his part, Dave was just hoping to last long enough for her to enjoy this. It had been a while since he'd been with a woman and Rosy Palm just isn't the same. He felt his pleasure rising rapidly and focused on holding it back. Just then she threw her head back and howled in pleasure as her inner muscles ran riot gripping him. He crested too, shooting up into her. Her howl nearly became a scream, her whole body shaking, seizing. Dave grasped her torso at the bottom of her ribcage to give her some stability. She collapsed like a ragdoll, her arms, limbs and neck going limp, dangling from her still vertical body in Dave's hands. Dave lowered her body to his and gently rolled them over, one hand behind her head to keep it from flopping around. He pulled up his boxers and pants so his legs could move enough to stand. Doing so, he tucked himself back in and fastened his pants. Dave crouched beside his sleeping beauty, gave her a soft kiss on her forehead, then scooped her into his arms and carried her up to the master bedroom. He laid her out gently on top of the covers and draped a light blanket over her. Then he went back to his computer to watch some of the videos he had skipped. Clearly, he had missed a few important facts. Janice has Dave all to herself for one day. Chapter 2 - Janice's Day. September 19, 2020. Dave fought the urge to go straight to his computer and watch more videos on this vaccine. He'd anticipated the chanting of 'imprinting' but he'd skipped over the parts of the videos on sexual effects, thinking it would wait, or not even matter. That reaction was not natural. Okay, he's somewhat decent in bed, but that shit was next level, pornstar stuff. No way a woman got that excited over his crank. Before he could go video surfing, he needed to get over and feed Lupie's chickens. No telling when they'd be back, probably tomorrow, and the chickens had to get fed. At least he wouldn't need to truss up. He wasn't running into anyone else. Dave slipped through the fence gate separating Lupie's front yard from her backyard. She left it unlocked all the time. Dave only mentioned it once, and then remained low-level worried for her when she never locked it. Dave was pulled out of his musing by a low growl. In the backyard, glaring at him, was a large dog, a mutt with a lineage that ran thick and muscular. The eyes looked somewhat red, but the muzzle showed clear evidence of dried blood. Most likely a neighbor had died, thus cutting of the dog's food supply. It broke out of its own backyard and had been killing other dogs, cats or squirrels thus far. Now it was thinking squab for breakfast and Dave had just interrupted. Well, first good news, no foaming at the mouth so it's probably not rabid. Still a good idea to not get bit though. Holding stock still, Dave scanned the area, moving his eyes only, searching for anything that could be helpful. Ironically, Dave had a number of weapons at home that would have solved this little problem for the neighborhood. Not that they were doing him any good right now. A shop broom. Lupie kept a shop broom on the back porch, and it was just a few feet away. Well that's something. Dave took a small step sideways and the growling turned to a couple of loud barks. The dog leaned to one side, as if anticipating the need to intercept Dave running sideways. Dave's hand reached out slowly, causing the dog to bark harshly and take two steps closer. Dave's hand connected with the broom. When he began pulling the broom to him, the dog charged, open mouth, teeth bared. Feeling a little ridiculous, Dave snapped into ready position, the brush part of the broom held low. He thrust the broom under the dog's muzzle, the bristles splaying out absurdly. The dog reared back, possibly about to leap over the broom, so Dave adjusted his motion upward, catching the dog's chin and flipping it up and back. The dog kept his back feet planted and swiveled its head to take the broom head in its mouth. It swung its head back and forth, attempting to pull the broom from Dave's hands. Dave took a firm grip and unscrewed the handle from the broom, with a few added jabs to keep the dog off balance as he did so. The dog noticed the moment the head come loose from the handle. It threw down the head and came charging again. Dave of course was ready for this, swinging the metal threads on the head end of the handle in an arc that delivered an upper cut to the dog's jaw. With an angry yip, the dog pulled back, barked, and circled. Dave turned with the dog, waiting for the next charge. When it came, Dave snapped the end of the handle on the dog's head in a downward strike that connected, but did not stop the dog. Dave slipped sideways as he brought the other end of the handle around, catching the dog in the shoulder. At this point, Dave realized scaring the dog off might not work at all, and if it did, the dog would be back in an hour or so. He was going to have to kill the dog to keep the chickens safe. Dave had already maneuvered to the concrete porch in Lupie's backyard. He slammed the end of the broom handle in a downward strike on the porch, snapping the end off and leaving a splintered point on the end. He now had a spear. The dog charged again. This time, Dave waited until the dog reared up to leap before plunging the sharpened end of the handle into the dog's torso. A sickening yelp issued from the dog as the makeshift spear drove into its chest cavity. The dog fell, pulling Dave's weapon from his hands, and lay growling, panting and whimpering on the porch. Mortally wounded, the dog was still dangerous. It was also in pain. Dave needed to dispatch it quickly. Every moment it wasted away would wear on his soul. He spotted Lupie's garden trowel. Moving swiftly, he grabbed it, slipped behind the dog, and drove the trowel into the base of the skull, ending the animal's pain. Once he was sure the animal was neither a danger nor in pain, Dave sat back on his haunches and wept bitter tears. Hell, he'd kill deer and turkey before, but that was hunting. What meat he didn't eat or give to Lupie was donated to a local charity to feed the poor or homeless. The butcher he used sold the deerskin and turkey feathers to local crafters for their works. This animal was dead because it was hungry and targeted the wrong prey. Feeling like an utter wimp, Dave wiped his eyes and face dry. He went back to his own garage, pulled out a tarp, and headed back to Lupie's yard. Dave wrapped the dog in the tarp, then carried it through the back gate, and tossed the carcass in the rolling garbage bin. More waste. More death. By the time Dave got back, the chickens had largely settled down. He scattered some seed into their enclosure and filled the water tank from the backyard hose. Dave left the backyard, pulling Lupie's gate closed tightly behind him and returned to his own home. He went upstairs to the master suite bathroom and scrubbed his arms thoroughly. Partly to remove any fluids that might have gotten on him. Mostly as a psychological exercise, trying to wash away what happened. Emerging from the bathroom, Dave was captured by Janice's sleeping face. He climbed into bed and lay beside her, watching her gently breathe. Drinking in the feeling of another life nearby. But he had work to do. And some research on what happened this morning. Maybe watching the videos first would help get his head settled again so he could focus on his project. Rewatching the video he'd skipped parts of, he hit the part explaining the bonding effect of the serum on women with a male partner. Did that work in reverse? Is that why he found Janice's muttering of 'imprinting' slightly sexy, but not the lady in the video? His thoughts were interrupted by his text warning bing. Lupie sent; Can you look a few things up for me? There's a lot of terms here I don't know and I can't ask Lupie face to face. And I can't look it up without leaving the survey. Sure, what do you need defined? If I don't know, I'll search it up for you. Lupie sent; Okay, the first one is fictophilia. That one I'll need to look up. Oh, okay, that's having an attraction to a fictional character. Not sure if that's the same as cosplay or not. Lupie sent; So if I had that, would you dress up as Malcom Reynolds for me? Sure. But I might want reciprocation. Lupie sent; Zoey, Kaylee, or Inara Sera? Yes. Lupie sent; huge crying laughing emoji ok, how about lactophilia? I mean, it's tasty, but I'm not fixated on it. She posted a question mark. Oh, sorry, it means you like for your partner to suckle mother's milk from you during foreplay or sex. Or, you know, you want to suckle *from* them. Another lady I mean Lupie sent; Oh Shit, I didn't know that was a thing! Okay, I kinda like the idea of you sucking on me during, you know. Not sure I'm into other girls though. Eventually we are going to get better at finishing those sentences kitten. We'll be 'you knowing a lot. Lupie sent; laugh emoji And you don't have to do anything with another woman Never, if you aren't interested. It took a few minutes, and Dave was about to hit play again on the video when another text from Becca came in. Lupie sent; somnophilia? It means you get aroused seeing a sleeping person. Or you want to be taken in your sleep. Lupie sent; Oh god, I just had this thrill run through me at the idea of waking up with you already in me, on top of me. So we're doing that? Lupie sent; Oh yeah. oh, and I hit yes on watersports too. I'd love to do it in the shower, or a pool. God, wish we had a pool, that would be awesome. No no no no! That is not; what watersports means! Watersports means pee! You want to be pee'd on or you want to pee on your partner! Lupie sent; Oh Gross. barf emoji People do that? Surely you've seen porn pics of girls squatting and peeing in a field or on a road? Lupie sent; Yeah. Well, that's what it's for. Lupie sent; No offense Dave, but that's a hard no. We are in absolute agreement kitten. Lupie sent; Okay, finally finished. I hit submit, now the great microchip brain gets to spin our data and tell us how close we are. Lupie sent; I'm a little scared David. What if it doesn't match us? Becca, worrying isn't going to help you at all. Just get a snack, talk with Esme or Lupie. Or talk with another lady if there's someone nearby. Lupie sent; I miss you already. The text went quiet. Dave waited a few more minutes and then turned his attention to his computer. Time to focus on his side project. The secret one. For his public side job, Dave did data analysis, but no one was sending him new numbers to crunch or putting out bids at the moment. Government types probably had more data than they knew how to process, but Dave had never done government jobs and never had any clearance level. His 'quiet' side job was less boring but could be problematic if some prudish Karen found out. Well, some folks knew, because they paid him money. But no one had connected his online persona with him. Dave had written two adult visual novels, with good reviews. Now he worked on a game with adult themes. And pictures, of course. Fitting his personal fiction interests, the background was an apocalyptic scenario, and the main character built a harem of capable and beautiful ladies to; survive. Even with software support, Dave wasn't much of an artist, so he had an arrangement with someone else to render the images and short video scenes. Version 0.3 had been out for three months, so he was working intently to complete 0.4 before Thanksgiving. The artist was reliable and good. Dave just needed to give him (her? They used anonymous internet handles) clear and detailed descriptions of what he wanted. That meant figuring out what was happening in this next update. Lockdown had somewhat helped. Dave had more free time available. He'd gotten 0.3 out early, but that just meant his paying supporters wanted more. And they are paying, even in months he didn't produce anything. Half an hour of banging his head against code (and thinking strongly of banging his head against the wall) Dave finally got 'in the flow' and cranked out the last bit of story structure over the next two hours. That ended when his grumbling stomach informed him of his neglect. First though, he'd look in on Janice. It was both strange and comforting, seeing this lovely woman in his bed, sleeping peacefully. His heart warmed at the sight, but a nagging fear rose in him as well. He knew this was only due to this strange vaccine. How long until the bio geeks find a solution so women were not stuck with a guy forever? That would be a very telling day. One which Dave would welcome, but also feared. Feeling the need for some comfort food, Dave made himself a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches, then piled two handfuls of chips on the plate. He didn't keep soda in the house unless company was coming, so he grabbed a lime flavored seltzer. He liked soda, but that's why he didn't keep it around. After cleaning up from lunch, Dave headed back to his office space to check in on his Astronomy class. They had a project due this past weekend, so it was time to grade the results. Thirty minutes later, he felt like his eyes were bleeding reading the same errors repeatedly. Most of them were doing the math correctly, but they were measuring completely wrong. Which didn't make sense, given that Dave had made a video explicitly showing how to take the measurements. It was a simple parallax trick astronomers used for gauging distance to stars. It told also be used by surveyors to measure distance across a river or gorge. If you do it right. What he wanted to do was bang his head against a wall for ten minutes, then arrange a live zoom session with his students to find out what they didn't understand, and then have them do the project again. But there may not be enough time to complete all the semester topics. Fuck it, put out another tutorial video on the topic so they can get the parallax questions right on the midterm, and just be a little lenient grading this set of work. Work email popped a new message. From the dean. What the fuck? Seriously? Online physics? For majors? The whole point of slipping physics into the degree plans of doctors and other professionals has more to do with analytical techniques and detailed, careful experimental training than the topics covered. Yeah, several of the topics apply closely to those future careers also, but mostly it's used to make sure these kids understand the precision needed in scientific professions, how to analyze data, read graphs and use equations. And since it's tough, it weeds out those without the dedication or talent to go the distance. Dave shot back a reply email, asking for clarification. Will there be a budget to buy kits so kids can do experiments at home? How long to I have to assemble my own kits, or source some third party? What's the budget limit? Dave groaned. Just two years ago they'd gotten a grant to buy some great new lab equipment. But he only had one classroom set, and it was expensive. No way could he send out this gear to the students. Not enough for each one to have a set. And even if no one tried anything fishy, basic forgetfulness would result in a third of the equipment missing by the end of the semester. This shit was way too expensive for that. A second email from the dean, not a reply to his reply, a new topic. At least she was dependably methodical on that. Different topic required a different email chain. She might be a squishy (the dean was a microbiologist, Dave referred to all life science degreed folks as 'squishies') with little imagination on administrative matters, but she was very consistent and precise. Okay, so she's giving him a heads up on; a vaccine? Cute. Dave sent back a reply, thank her for the information, but his first partner arrived this morning and is currently passed out. She shot back a reply, relieved that he was safe, followed by an observation that departmental parties with spouses were going to be much larger from now on. Then she replied to the other email, pointing out that several big universities do online, without hands on labs. They sent the students pre-collected data and had them only do the analysis. Dave could go that route if he wanted. Of course, if Dave chose to put a few labs requiring data collection by the students, along with other labs that only used canned data, that would make their online physics more rigorous than those other schools. Just saying'. Lovely. Dave went back to grading and finished the column out. At least for those that had already submitted. A half hour surfing science kit supply companies left him unimpressed, so he pulled out a sheet of paper and outlined a video on parallax. His head wasn't right to shoot it today, but he could plan it. The day was wearing on and Dave had already gotten a lot done. Time for a brain break. Dave locked out the computer and headed downstairs to the library. Standing in the fiction area, He browsed for a bit before pulling out an old favorite, Executive Orders by Tom Clancy. He settled into a lounge chair in the library and let his mind and body relax. As usual, Dave lost all track of time while immersed in a book. He was midway through a particularly engrossing passage when Janice came through the library door with a huge grin. She'd changed out of her clothes from this morning, now dressed in his 'not procrastinating, just doing side quests' shirt and a pair of her panties. Well, maybe panties. The shirt hem was low enough to reach an inch or so below her groin. She was not wearing a bra however. The pinpoints sticking out of the shirt proclaimed that fact loudly. Dave smiled, setting the book aside and began to rise. Janice placed a soft hand on his chest and then settled herself in the lounger alongside him. She kissed him firmly on the cheek and temple, then rubbed the side of her face against his. They ended the nuzzling nose to nose, looking into each other's eyes. "Have a nice nap?" "Best sleep ever." Janice took another look around the room, taking in a deep breath. "God I love the smell of books." She snuggled in tighter. "Your profile mentioned reading as one of your pastimes, but nothing about having a full-on library in your house. I saw the smaller bookshelves in the entryway, but this really blew me away. And you have another bookshelf in the bedroom!" She stopped to deliver another steamy kiss. "It's hard sometimes finding other bookworms, except at work. I love it, but sometimes I just want to enjoy books, ya know?" "What is it you do? It feels like I should already know that, before we, um; " "Before I jumped you?" Dave nodded, then chuckled. "I just texted Becca this morning about being free talking with each other about sex, and here I am all tongue tied." Janice laughed with him. "Well, lover, I'm a librarian over at Cedar Valley." "Wow. Obviously a love of books could drive you into that career, but does it ever get to you? Make you want to get away from books?" Janice just stares at him. "I withdraw the question and humbly beg the court's forgiveness." She chuckled and kissed him on the nose. "How about you feed me something, I'm starving." "Starving, or starving?" Dave said, pushing lightly towards her with his pelvis along with the second iteration. After a hearty laugh, Janice said "Both, in that order. Give me the meat buster." Dave chortled while lifting her off him and setting her, standing on the floor. He stood beside her, giving her side eye as they walked side by side, holding hands, to the kitchen. "You give this appearance of coquettish innocence and then talk saucy enough to get me half hard before you remove so much as a single button. Is that due to the vaccine?" Janice rubbed first her shoulder, then her tit against his arm while looking up into his eyes. "Mostly just me, a few friends have said I give a reserved air until I'm with people I trust. The vaccine's effects might lower that veil a bit faster." A brief wash of pain passed over Janice's face. Dave didn't inquire, knowing it must be concern or mourning for friends no longer living. Dave took a quick look through the fridge. "We can do steak, mashed potatoes, and broccoli in about an hour, mostly because of the potatoes. Or we can do broccoli beef, probably about 45 minutes. Or we can do sloppy joes and chips in about twenty or twenty-five minutes." "Sloppy joes it is." Dave grabbed the thawed pound of ground beef, an onion, and a green bell pepper from the fridge. "Can you go into the pantry and grab a can of tomato sauce?" Dave said, while pointing to the pantry door. He remembered pointing it out this morning, but reinforcement usually helps assimilate new information. When Janice came back out, Dave had two skillets on the stove, and spices on the counter alongside a cutting board, knife and the two veggies. "Can I help?" "Sure, how's your knife skills?" "Well, I can cut a bitch if I have to; " Dave burst out laughing, lowering the knife to the counter just to be safe. He turned to Janice, giving her a fierce kiss. "Oh, I think I needed that." He wiped a few tears from his eyes and got back to dicing the pepper and onion. "Aright, how about you sauté these while I get the meat started?" With a light grimace, she asked "How?" "Toss 'em in the skillet on medium-low heat, about a tablespoon of butter" Dave looked at the veggies again, "maybe two, a couple shakes of salt. Keep the veggies in the butter, stirring a bit once in a while, until the onions start to look clear." Janice set to work sautéing, while Dave got the ground beef browning. He stepped aside from the stove to the adjacent counter to leave her more space. Dave poured 'eyeball' measured amounts of powdered garlic, paprika, cumin (very little), salt, and chili powder in to a small bowl and swirled the bowl to mix everything. When he leaned towards the stove to tend the beef, Janice leaned her head against his shoulder. "Comfy?" Janice nodded her head. Dave kissed her on the crown and she hummed. "Think you could watch both of these? Just make sure to turn the beef and keep chopping it into small bits so we get crumbles instead of big chunks. I'm going to toast some bread. Sorry, we don't have any buns." "That's okay, I know what buns I want to bite." Janice punctuated her statement with an impish wink. Dave just shook his head, grabbed the loaf out of the cabinet and got to work with the toaster. A few minutes later, Janice called out, "The beef is sizzling and sticking. I'm getting some brown in the bottom of the pan." "Perfect, pour in the veggies, then the tomato sauce." Seeing her do that he added, "Great, now sprinkle the spices over the top, as evenly as you can. Good, Now just stir that up a bit. Let it cook down some, boil off some of the liquid. Stir it every few minutes." Dave had finished the toast well before Janice had called out, but she seemed to be doing well so far and he wanted to let her get more comfortable in the kitchen. Sounded like something she wanted, based on what she'd said this morning. He did walk up behind her and give her a gentle, loose hug as she worked the skillet. Janice rested her head back on his chest. "This is so thoroughly domestic. Thank you." "You don't have to cook you know. There'll be three cooks in the family by tomorrow evening." "Yeah, and one is an eighteen year old girl who's fifteen years younger than me." "That teen girl has been through the wringer. She's shown some serious maturity. That's why I accepted her. She's the only reason I set my age range that low." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound dismissive." Dave was quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry for coming off snappy. We lived in separate houses, but the four of us rode this mess out together." Janice nodded. "How about you tell me more over dinner. Starting tomorrow they're going to be family." With the meat reaching its final stage, Dave put a hot pad on the table for the skillet, and grabbed two open bags of chips from the cabinet. He'd already placed the toast on the table as soon a

Week 11 on Alright Bet! and here's the numbers so far this year. NCAA football 198-85-1 NFL 125-54 ML DAWGS! 37-41 Mikey and Andy have all your #betting insight and plays for the week of Nov.6th-10th of #NCAAFootball and #NFL its all here. #MoneyLine #Spreads #Teasers #PetThatDawg #HeadToHead #Akron5 #Parlays #Sportsbetting #DWMODpod #gamblingtips #KuttinLooseNetwork #AlrightBet # #RustBeltClub

Pastor Femi Paul delivered this message titled “If You Turn Aright, Things Will Turn Around!” A divine reminder that the direction we choose determines the outcome we experience. Drawing from Ecclesiastes 7:8, PFP emphasised that “the end of a thing is better than its beginning”, but only for those who remain steadfast in their walk with God. He admonished believers not just to start right, but to end well, because consistency in doing right is what guarantees a glorious turnaround. Quoting Jeremiah 29:12–14, PFP highlighted God's promise: “When you come looking for Me with all your heart, I will make sure you won't be disappointed — I will turn things around for you!” He explained that divine turnaround is not automatic; it is triggered by a genuine heart that seeks God above all else. To “turn aright” is to realign with God's will, to walk in obedience, and to delight in Him (Psalm 37:4). When we take delight in the Lord — aligning with His ways and values — our desires begin to match His purpose, and transformation follows naturally. PFP concluded with this encouragement: start right, stay right, and you'll end well — because when you turn aright, God turns everything around!

Hey Team,In the latest episode of the Fireside PM podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Jake McKee—one of the early advocates of modern community strategy in tech. Jake's résumé is legit: he's helped companies like Lego, Apple, and Southwest Airlines transform how they engage their most passionate users—not just as customers, but as collaborators. We covered a ton of ground, and I left the conversation with one overwhelming takeaway:"Features can be copied. Community relationships are the true moat."Jake didn't say that verbatim—but he may as well have. If you're an early- or mid-career product manager trying to build something people will love, advocate for, and stick with, then keep reading. This post is packed with practical advice, examples, and yes—plenty of quotes—to help you rethink how you build products.From Plastic Bricks to Passionate BuildersLet's start with Lego. Jake joined the company during a time when the 18+ fan base—the adults building elaborate train sets and sculptures—was considered almost irrelevant. Lego was laser-focused on their core audience: boys ages 7–12.Jake recalled:“They weren't even considered a segment, let alone a priority. When I joined, the adult fans made up 1% of the business. Today it's closer to 45%.”How did that shift happen?Jake and his team didn't just ask adult fans to buy more products—they encouraged them to share their creations, hold public exhibits, and advocate for Lego in the real world. And they did it for free. These superusers weren't incentivized by checks; they were driven by passion. Jake simply gave them tools and encouragement. He even coached them on things like how to invite media to their events or partner with local retailers for promotions.“I was whispering in their ear—‘Have you ever thought about getting the media here? Handing out coupons?' That kind of thing. I was a connector.”For PMs, the lesson is simple: sometimes the most impactful growth strategy isn't a new feature—it's unlocking what your users already want to do.Community Development ≠ Social Media ManagementBefore we go further, let's get clear on what Jake means by “community.”“It's the formal and informal, direct and indirect ways to connect the company with customers in a way that leads to shared positivity for both sides.”This isn't about launching a Discord or running a Twitter account. It's about building systems of feedback, advocacy, and co-creation—structures that allow customers to influence product development, feel heard, and ultimately take pride in your company's success.And it doesn't always require a fancy platform. It might look like a customer advisory board. A monthly AMA with your PMs. A product preview group of superusers giving you feedback at the 75% build stage.It also doesn't require massive budgets.“I'd much rather give somebody a T-shirt that has the program name on it—something we came up with together—than a $100 gift card. The card gets forgotten. The T-shirt gets worn for years.”That example came from his time at Apple, where they created custom luggage tags for top contributors in the support forums. The packaging was signature Apple. The note inside? “Thank you for being on this journey with us.” No gimmicks. Just gratitude.Community-Driven Product Development: The FrameworkJake has developed a system he calls Community-Driven Product Development (CDPD). It's a four-part framework that any product team can apply:* Find the Right PeopleNot just your loudest users, but a cross-section of your audience: new users, power users, skeptics, experts, novices. Diversity isn't just about demographics—it's about experience and perspective.* Right TimingInvolve users at the right phase of the product cycle. During ideation, you might want 3–4 brainstorming partners. At the 75% mark, you might have 40 people test real workflows. Jake stressed the importance of moving beyond “transactional” feedback loops, like one-off surveys, toward relational ones that evolve over time.* Define OutcomesBe clear on what you're trying to learn. Is it usability? Emotional resonance? Feature clarity? Align your engagement format with your research questions.* Design the Right ActivitiesMake participation meaningful and rewarding—not necessarily with money, but with access, voice, and recognition.“The most joy we saw was when our users were talking directly to product managers. And funny enough, the PMs got more energized too. It made the work feel like it mattered again.”Advice for Silicon Valley PMsJake's message to product managers is blunt: You can't outsource community to marketing. You can't delegate empathy to a survey.“I always say: What's the ROI of a conversation? Of a relationship? You can't calculate it with a spreadsheet. But you feel it when it's gone.”If you're in the middle of building something, consider these tactical shifts:* Invite users early. Don't wait until beta to get feedback. Build relationships during ideation and prototype stages.* Create champions. Identify customers who already love your product and ask them to be part of a long-term council or program.* Think about connection, not control. Your job isn't to “manage” the community—it's to help the company be more transparent, accessible, and human.* Narrate the journey. Share the “why” behind roadmap decisions. Let users see the people behind the product.Overcoming Internal ResistanceJake told a story from his Lego days that really stuck with me. Early on, no one in marketing would accept his meeting invites. So he stood outside their offices and waited for their meetings to end—then slipped in for a five-minute chat.“That happened enough times that they figured, ‘He's gonna talk to me anyway—I may as well put him on the calendar.'”The point? Start small. Be persistent. Show the value through stories, not just decks. Find one internal ally who “gets it” and help them shine.He also emphasized starting where you are.“Do something small that you can grow. A T-shirt. A call. A visit. That's your leverage.”The Value of Real RelationshipsOne of my favorite moments from our chat was when Jake described the joy his scale modeling friends bring him compared to showing his creations to his family.“My family says, ‘That's cool.' But my friends? They ask, ‘How did you make that cut? What glue did you use?' They get it. They care.”That's the energy you want between your product team and your users. Not applause. Understanding.In a world where PMs are drowning in dashboards and AI-generated summaries, that kind of emotional signal is rare—and priceless.My Own Experience: Two Projects, Two OutcomesTalking to Jake made me reflect on two product launches I've led in the past decade.In one, we had users in the office every month. We built trust. We showed them early wireframes. We even debated scope and direction together. That product launched smoothly and hit its adoption goals within months.In another, we did a lot of user research—but it was more transactional. Surveys. Interviews. Data. There was a clear wall between us and the users. The product eventually found its footing, but it took longer and didn't inspire the same loyalty.Why? Because in the first example, our users were co-conspirators. In the second, they were “subjects.”Why This Matters NowJake and I talked about AI, and how it's automating more and more of our day-to-day work. The question becomes: What do we do with the time we save?“We're entering a new phase of creative culture. Hobby and craft are more respected now than ever. The next gen gets that.”That applies to users—but also to us. Community work isn't some soft, squishy side project. It's how you future-proof your product and energize your team.“Nobody is loyal to a brand. They're loyal to a belief, an experience, a person. If you want loyalty, build those.”TL;DR: Takeaways for PMsHere's your tactical cheat sheet:✅ Start early. Bring users into the conversation before the roadmap is locked.✅ Build relationships. Find 5–10 users who are willing to go deeper than surveys.✅ Share your why. Don't just ask for feedback—share your constraints and goals.✅ Create artifacts. T-shirts, notes, community-only events—they go further than money.✅ Help your PMs feel human. Let them talk to real users. It will energize the team.✅ Use community to de-risk launches. Your best advocates are built before launch day.✅ Make it sustainable. One-time research projects are fine, but community is a flywheel.Learn more about Jake here.If you found this valuable and want to build a more community-driven product culture at your company, I'd love to help.

Send us a textIf you're feeling stuck in fulfillment mode, overwhelmed by client demands, and unsure how to scale your agency without burning out—this episode is a must-listen.In this episode of the Catalytic Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Anthony Mink, co-founder of the $50M+ brand Live Bearded and host of the Entitled to Nothing podcast. We dive into the mindset and leadership shifts necessary to break free from the chaos and step into scalable business growth. Anthony shares powerful lessons on radical responsibility, leadership development, team building, and what it takes to go from burnout to building a high-performance culture.If you're a digital agency owner using tools like GoHighLevel, managing a small team, and trying to reduce churn while scaling to seven figures, this conversation will resonate. Discover what it really takes to scale your business without sacrificing your sanity—and why scaling starts with radical self-leadership.Connect with Anthony MinkTo connect with Anthony Mink, visit AnthonyMink.com or follow him on Instagram at @AnthonyMink. If his story resonated with you and you're ready to build a business that reflects your values and vision, reach out directly—he's passionate about helping entrepreneurs scale through self-leadership aRight now, you can get an extra 20% off your ticket for the Scale with Stability Summit with my exclusive code CATALYTIC20 at checkout.Visit scalewithstability.com to grab your ticket—I hope to see you there! Right now, you can get an extra 20% off your ticket for the Scale with Stability Summit with my exclusive code CATALYTIC20 at checkout.Visit scalewithstability.com to grab your ticket—I hope to see you there! Right now, you can get an extra 20% off your ticket for the Scale with Stability Summit with my exclusive code CATALYTIC20 at checkout.Visit scalewithstability.com to grab your ticket—I hope to see you there!Support the showJoin Dr. William Attaway on the Catalytic Leadership podcast as he shares transformative insights to help high-performance entrepreneurs and agency owners achieve Clear-Minded Focus, Calm Control, and Confidence. Free 30-Minute Discovery Call:Ready to elevate your business? Book a free 30-minute discovery call with Dr. William Attaway and start your journey to success. Special Offer:Get your FREE copy of Catalytic Leadership: 12 Keys to Becoming an Intentional Leader Who Makes a Difference. Connect with Dr. William Attaway: Website LinkedIn Facebook Instagram TikTok YouTube

Send us a textBurnout is not just a personal problem—it's a leadership crisis costing digital agencies millions in lost productivity, team turnover, and stalled growth. In this episode of the Catalytic Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Rachel Platt, founder of PLATTinum Consulting, to expose the hidden costs of poor leadership and the urgent need for a people-first strategy.Rachel shares why most businesses—especially fast-scaling digital agencies—fail to implement feedback systems, leadership development, or team alignment strategies that actually stick. We unpack the connection between leadership blind spots and high client churn, low retention, and team burnout. If you're struggling to scale your agency or lead a small team through growth, this conversation is packed with insights on building a sustainable workplace culture, creating systems that retain top talent, and avoiding the mistakes that sabotage long-term agency success.We also dive into the overlooked role of people strategy in mergers and acquisitions, and how ignoring the human side of your business can kill ROI. Whether you're a digital agency owner using GoHighLevel, part of a mastermind group like Seven Figure Agency, or a founder trying to lead through chaos—this episode is a must-listen.Connect with Rachel PlattRachel is active on LinkedIn and always open to conversations around leadership, workplace culture, aRight now, you can get an extra 20% off your ticket for the Scale with Stability Summit with my exclusive code CATALYTIC20 at checkout.Visit scalewithstability.com to grab your ticket—I hope to see you there! Right now, you can get an extra 20% off your ticket for the Scale with Stability Summit with my exclusive code CATALYTIC20 at checkout.Visit scalewithstability.com to grab your ticket—I hope to see you there! Right now, you can get an extra 20% off your ticket for the Scale with Stability Summit with my exclusive code CATALYTIC20 at checkout.Visit scalewithstability.com to grab your ticket—I hope to see you there!Support the showJoin Dr. William Attaway on the Catalytic Leadership podcast as he shares transformative insights to help high-performance entrepreneurs and agency owners achieve Clear-Minded Focus, Calm Control, and Confidence. Free 30-Minute Discovery Call:Ready to elevate your business? Book a free 30-minute discovery call with Dr. William Attaway and start your journey to success. Special Offer:Get your FREE copy of Catalytic Leadership: 12 Keys to Becoming an Intentional Leader Who Makes a Difference. Connect with Dr. William Attaway: Website LinkedIn Facebook Instagram TikTok YouTube

Soren writes, "The one whose calm eyes seek only God...this inwardness is guarded as a sacred fire within a person."

1. The Beautiful Testimony2. The Proper Partakers3. The Necessary Supervision

1. The Beautiful Testimony2. The Proper Partakers3. The Necessary Supervision

In our modern secular culture, we are okay with a Jesus who is not Lord over our lives. We often like to create a caricature of Jesus because of the incessant human desire to be in charge of our own lives. How do you view Jesus?Blog Link: https://kuzaapp.com/do-you-view-jesus-aright/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kuzaapp Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kuzaapp Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kuzaappBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/kuza--3674993/support.

A new MP3 sermon from Covenant Reformed Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Help us to Number our Days Aright (Psalm 90:7-11) Part 3 Subtitle: Wednesday Prayer Devotion Speaker: Mark Powell Broadcaster: Covenant Reformed Baptist Church Event: Prayer Meeting Date: 10/2/2024 Bible: Psalm 90:7-11 Length: 21 min.

Continuing our Summer Encouragement Series! Which I love =) Has something or someone been screwing with your ability to acknowledge your own value (or values)? Take a few minutes to walk down this road with me and let's see if we can end up someplace different. Thrilled that you're sharing this time with me, C

Prophetess Cynthia Kelly, expounding and exhorting in the written Word of God, with a prophetic message of revelation, "Holding On Aright to the Horns of the Altar, Ignites Hunger for the Holy Spirit." Let "US" press-in and stretch-out as this podcast message is listen to and the written content at the website. http://www.destinedforagreatwork.network/weekley-inspiration.html. Aired live on May 19, 2024.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/motivationalwisdom--2303121/support.

Send us a Text Message.Nate Parrish is a singer-songwriter and guitarist currently based out of Bakersfield, CA. Originally from Stockton, CA, his travels have taken him up and down the central valley playing music, as well as ministering alongside his wife Rachel (also an accomplished musician) to those eager to hear the good word. In this episode, you'll hear about Nate's early life, the power of punk rock, finding salvation, the evolution of Christian rock, touring with popular Christian alt-rock band, Kutless, landing in Bakersfield, releasing his own original music at www.nateparrish.com, and much more! Plus - a preview of Magdalene Hope's 15th anniversary event - "An Evening of Rock and Conversation with Brian "Head" Welch of KORN," Spoken and Nate Parrish on MAY 28th at The Historic Fox Theater. Tickets and info HERE!*Episode features the Nate Parrish song: "Bad Excuse," "I'm Aright", "God Knows."**Episode also contains excerpts from the songs: "Armour of God" by Hating Evil, "God Rules", "Jesus For Me" by Undercover, " "Mind Field" by Petra, "What Faith Can Do" by Kutless.Sponsored by Chain Cohn Clark - Kern County's leading accident, injury, and workers' compensation law firm. Subscribe to Bakotunes at all podcast outlets and follow our socials!Instagram / More LinksContact: mattomunoz@gmail.com

So when will you die? You don't know, but you know that it's real. So may you learn to number your days aright and gain the wisdom of God. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/peace-devotions/support

SHARE this podcast: https://anchor.fm/daily-orthodox-catechesis — LINKS to all our podcasts: https://anchor.fm/orthodox-christian-teaching — E-MAIL: livebyfaith888@gmail.com — ON SPOTIFY: Send a message through the Q&A in the programme notes — A READING FROM: The Smaller Catechism of the Orthodox Church (St Philaret of Moscow)

Put God first and everyone will be ALRIGHT

On the heels of every great victory comes something that plunges us back into the low place. Elijah's life is an example.  Many times he walked by faith and yet in fear he made an about face to walk by sight.  The lesson is that we must put our focus on God and His will and not on our circumstance.  God's will is found in the small things, not in the big neon signs.  He has a purpose and a commission for us to walk the life of faith. VF-1881 1 Kings 19 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com  Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2023 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved

In August 2023, Matt announced his diagnosis of Cancer (Multiple Myeloma).  Matt has since turned to creating music in a way that channels positivity, in what would otherwise be a challenging situation.  Matt has managed to write and produce ‘It's Aright' whilst undergoing intense chemotherapy and specialist treatment.  In conjunction with the release of ‘It's Alright,' Mashd N Kutcher will donate 100% of the Band's Streaming Royalties for the song in perpetuity to Cancer Research, Support and Awareness, via Myeloma Australia. Join the Whānau on Instagram, Facebook & Tik Tok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fr. Roger J. Landry Columbia Catholic Ministry, Notre Dame Church, Manhattan Monday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I Memorial of St. Margaret Mary October 16, 2023 Rom 1:1-7, Ps 98, Lk 11:29-32   To listen to an audio recording of today's homily, please click below:  https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/10.16.23_Homily_1.mp3   The following points were attempted […] The post Responding Aright to the Greater than Jonah and Solomon, 28th Monday (I), October 16, 2023 appeared first on Catholic Preaching.

Fr. Roger J. Landry Columbia Catholic Ministry, Notre Dame Church, Manhattan Friday of the 26th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I Memorial of St. Bruno and Bl. Marie Rose Durocher October 6, 2023 Bar 1:15-22, Ps 79, Lk 10:13-16   To listen to an audio recording of today's homily, please click below:  https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/10.6.23_Homily_1.mp3   The […] The post Learning From Our and Others’ Mistakes How To Listen Aright to God, 26th Friday (I), October 6, 2023 appeared first on Catholic Preaching.

Many times in scripture God is revealed to us as full of compassion, plenteous in mercy and slow to anger. And while we are never able to earn His favor or repay His goodness, we are expected to respond aright. Too often, in receiving God's mercy, many become proud and cheapen God's overwhelming gift. Instead, as we see in today's readings, our trust in and response to God's character and providence requires patience, humility and mercy extended to others. Readings: Genesis 45:1-15; Romans 11:1-2a, 25-36; Matthew 15:21-28. 👉🏼 Blessed by our teachings? Consider saying thank you with a small (or large) donation. www.christchurchjerusalem.org/donate/ 
👉🏼 This sermon is also available on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/christchurchjerusalem

♥follow us on YouTube to learn more:  https://youtube.com/c/ymclearnchinese  This is a download from YMC Learn Chinese on YouTube. I'm Lucky Yancy! 我们一起学习吧! Let's go! The Fisherman 垂钓者的故事 一个晴朗的下午, 杨先生开着车去钓鱼。 On a sunny afternoon, Mr. Yang drove his car to go fishing. 他把车停在了湖边。 He parked his car by the lake. 在他准备钓鱼的时候,一个摄影师和一个记者走到了他的身边。 As he was preparing to fish, a photographer and a journalist walked up to him. 记者问他, The journalist asked him, “对不起, 先生。打扰您一下。” ”Excuse me, sir. Can we disturb you for a second?“ 我们是电视台的。想采访您一下, 行吗?” “We are from a television station. Can we do an interview with you for TV?” “嗯。” "Sure". “您贵姓啊?”  "What's your last name?"  “姓杨。” “My last name is Yang.” "噢, 杨先生, 您看着镜头。" "Aright, Mr. Yang. Please look at the camera." ”嗯“。 ”okay.“ “杨先生, 我们想问您, 如果您有一百万, 您愿意捐给那些需要帮助的人吗? ”Mr. Yang. We'd like to ask you a question. If you had one million yuan, would you be willing to donate it to people in need?" 杨先生低头想了一会儿, 然后抬头看着记者说,“都捐了啊?” Mr. Yang lowered his head and thought for a moment, then looked up at the journalist and said, "Donate all of it?“ “您看着镜头。” “Please face the camera. " “诶诶。”   "Eh eh, alright." “对, 都捐了。”    ”Yes, all of it.“  “愿意。”    ” Sure. “  “您有一千万呢?”    "What if you had 10 million?"   "愿意。“ “Of course." “您有一个亿呢?” “Even 100 million?" “十个亿都行。” "Even a billion is no problem, if I had it." “那您如果有一辆汽车, 您愿意捐给别人吗?” "Let's say you had a car, would you be willing to donate it? 杨先生看了一眼他的车, 然后对着记者摆了摆手表示不愿意。 Mr. Yang glanced at his car and then shook his hand to the journalist showing his unwillingness . “为什么呀?” "Why not?" “别的都行, 就是汽车不行。” “Anything but the car." "您有十个亿您都愿意捐。为什么车就不行了?” “You'd donate one billion yuan. Why not the car?" “因为我真有一辆汽车。” “Because I actually have a car."   For more Chinese stories to help you practice your beginner and intermediate Chinese, please visit our YouTube channel, YMC Learn Chinese. Thank you for watching and listening! I'm Lucky Yancy. Good luck to you everyday! 下次见!＾０＾~   ♥follow us on YouTube to learn more: https://youtube.com/c/ymclearnchinese

There were plenty of crazy moments in Hollywood and the world of Social Media. MrBeast passes PewDiePie, The return of Brenda Fraiser, Heidi Klum dressed as a worm for Halloween, Rihanna had a baby, Julia Fox & Kanye West, Ben Affleck back with J Lo & off the Jamesons, Pete Davidson dating everybody, every school teacher on earth quitting to get on Only Fans, Elon Musk taking over Twitter, The Try Guys cheating scandal, Harry Styles Spitting on Chris Pine, Billie Eilish Deep Fakes, Tom Brady splits from Giselle and half of Hollywood is exposed for Crypto scams. That's just a short recap of some of the Hollywood headlines from this year and none of those made it into our list of the Top 5. For my full recap be sure to stay tuned. We also had a huge number of celebrity deaths which I will cover in a follow-up video titled 2023 In Memorium, few names on there include Bob Saget, Takeoff, of course, The Queen, Aaron Carter & more. That stuff is a little glummer so let's get on with the show and talk about the biggest moments of 2022. Also, be sure to let me know who you think is the biggest star of the year in the comments down below – based on our analytics it's Ice Spice quickly followed by Glorilla. Aright, enough intro. Let's get into this video.

From today's episode, you'll learn why mindfulness is valuable, what it is and 21 simple mindful activities you could start right away. It's important to point out that one should learn the science behind shifting your mindset, as well as more advanced meditation techniques, but I wanted to start with the most actionable stuff first. We can take a look at those elements in future episodes. Aright, mindfulness, here we go! What is it? How do you achieve it? Why does it matter? And what is one way to be successful in building mindfulness habits?FOLLOW JUSTIN JKL WEBSITEInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok -  @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just Tries

A new MP3 sermon from Bible Believers Fellowship is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: 336 "Using Knowledge Aright" (Proverbs 15:2) Our Daily Greg Subtitle: Expository Study: Proverbs Speaker: Gregory A. Miller Broadcaster: Bible Believers Fellowship Event: Devotional Date: 9/19/2022 Bible: Proverbs 2:5; Proverbs 15:2 Length: 5 min.

A new MP3 sermon from Bible Believers Fellowship is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: 336 "Using Knowledge Aright" (Proverbs 15:2) Our Daily Greg Subtitle: Expository Study: Proverbs Speaker: Gregory A. Miller Broadcaster: Bible Believers Fellowship Event: Devotional Date: 9/19/2022 Bible: Proverbs 2:5; Proverbs 15:2 Length: 5 min.

A new MP3 sermon from Bible Believers Fellowship is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: 336 "Using Knowledge Aright" (Proverbs 15:2) Our Daily Greg Subtitle: Expository Study: Proverbs Speaker: Gregory A. Miller Broadcaster: Bible Believers Fellowship Event: Devotional Date: 9/19/2022 Bible: Proverbs 2:5; Proverbs 15:2 Length: 5 min.

A new MP3 sermon from Bible Believers Fellowship is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: 336 "Using Knowledge Aright" (Proverbs 15:2) Our Daily Greg Subtitle: Expository Study: Proverbs Speaker: Gregory A. Miller Broadcaster: Bible Believers Fellowship Event: Devotional Date: 9/19/2022 Bible: Proverbs 2:5; Proverbs 15:2 Length: 5 min.

A new MP3 sermon from Bible Believers Fellowship is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: 336 "Using Knowledge Aright" (Proverbs 15:2) Our Daily Greg Subtitle: Expository Study: Proverbs Speaker: Gregory A. Miller Broadcaster: Bible Believers Fellowship Event: Devotional Date: 9/19/2022 Bible: Proverbs 2:5; Proverbs 15:2 Length: 5 min.

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Aright aright aright WE ARE BACK, Talking about JetBlue Buying Spirit, Monkey Pox, Chucky Cheese Racism, Will Smith Apologies, Shakira facing spanish prison, Drake got the Covid, Beyonce saying slurs on her new album, Gray Man, Marvel Letting it rip, Andor, Deshaun six game suspension, RIP bill russell, Lots of wrestling VInce McMahon, Steph McMahon, HHH, Nunes decisive victory over Pena, Moreno shuts Kai down with liver kick, Hill -315 vs Santos +265 Holler at us - Twitter: https://twitter.com/GenGpodcast IG: https://www.instagram.com/gengpodcast/

In this episode the boys take some listener responses in what gives life meaning, tangents abound in this one good buddies.

On the heels of every great victory comes something that plunges us back into the low place. Elijah's life is an example.  Many times he walked by faith and yet in fear he made an about face to walk by sight.  The lesson is that we must put our focus on God and His will and not on our circumstance.  God's will is found in the small things, not in the big neon signs.  He has a purpose and a commission for us to walk the life of faith. VF-1881 1 Kings 19 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2022 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved

Hey everyone! Welcome back to another episode of ITI, featuring Sam Setton, a recording artist and Senior Strategy Consultant for a prominent company in the financial services space. As an artist, Sam writes, sings, and plays his own music on multiple instruments as well as graphic designs and paints. Everything about this guy's artistry from the subway sounds or real voicemails in his songs to the paintings on his walls - he is entirely original. As you'll hear in this episode, Sam's identity as a creative goes beyond his artistry and carries over into strategy consulting. This duality is something I'm fascinated by because when people try put a cap on an individual you can break down those barriers, remove those labels, and be who you are. I'm excited to introduce Sam – his work ethic, talent, and openness are admirable so please enjoy this episode and before I forget, please rate, review and subscribe to the show if you haven't already. Aright, let's get to it! Please welcome to the show, my friend, Sam Setton @SamSetton

On the heels of every great victory comes something that plunges us back into the low place. Elijah's life is an example.  Many times he walked by faith and yet in fear he made an about face to walk by sight.  The lesson is that we must put our focus on God and His will and not on our circumstance.  God's will is found in the small things, not in the big neon signs.  He has a purpose and a commission for us to walk the life of faith.  VF-1881 1 Kings 19 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2022 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved

ARIGHT! FINE! WE'RE WATCHING IT! On this episode we cover the pilot of DC's latest attempt to make you feel bad for enjoying something, Peacemaker staring, friend of the pod, John Cena. If you enjoyed this episode we would love if you left us a review. You can also check us out on: Facebook: www.facebook.com/piloterrorpod/ Twitter: @PilotErrorPod Instagram: @piloterrorpodcast Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCy4uiM4VAM0lTJW7WK0v4IQ TikTok: @PilotErrorpod or you can email us at piloterrorpodcast@gmail.com if you have any suggestions for shows or movies you would like us to watch, questions, or any topics you would like us to cover. We would love to hear from you.

305-2Season - Total Episodes-1265 Warriors Nation Prayers Availeth Much

Time is so important to us. Seconds are ticking off the clock while you read this. We are people of calendars, dates, times, schedules. We are driven to get as much done in the time we are given. But do we actually leave time to do what matters? If someone needs you to pray with them, do you have time to do it? Sometimes our drivenness erodes our purposefulness. No one lived with a higher and greater purpose than Jesus. And yet, it seems He never lived one day by a schedule or calendar or clock. He wandered where He was needed and detoured where He was interrupted. And spent plenty of time eating and conversing. Sometimes we have to stop following our calendar and start paying attention. Especially when God visits. Most of us live afraid we're almost out of time. But we are heirs of eternity. We aren't short of days. We just need to number them aright.Support the show (https://pushpay.com/pay/divinesaviorchurchsienna/)

What Does It Mean to Number Our Days Aright?

This episode of the Out of the Question Podcast marks its fourth anniversary as the co-hosts delve into the idea of what it means to make the most of the time God gives His people on earth.

Fr. John Whiteford preaches from Luke 13:10-17.

Fr. John Whiteford preaches from Luke 13:10-17.

Miller Piano Specialists will be hosting our third annual MPS Award Show on October 24th at 7:00 pm. And to talk more information about this premier event, Miller Piano Specialists General Sales Manager Sherry Carlisle Smith joins John Haggard on the show. Together, they discuss the following topics: Sherry's Music Background Famous Musicians Sherry Had Worked With What the MPS Award Show is All About How the Nomination Process Goes How the Folks Can Vote How the Program Will Go And Dress Code Famous MPS Awardees MPS Award Show Live on their FB Page How To Reserve Seating For the Event Transcript John Haggard 0:13 Welcome to the Miller Piano Podcast on a special event, upcoming Thursday, October 24th at 7:00 pm. It's named the third annual MPS - Miller Piano Specialists Award Show. I'm your host, John Haggard, and on the podcast today, for a repeat performance. It's Sherry Smith, the general sales manager at Miller Piano in Cool Springs. Welcome back to the podcast, Sherry! Sherry Carlisle Smith 0:37 Hey, John! It's good to hear from you again. John Haggard 0:39 Well, good to have you back. You know, since we spoke last about a month ago, just a quick question, any exciting, breaking news in the piano world or something big in your life that you'd want to share? Sherry Carlisle Smith 0:51 There is always breaking news and big things in the piano world. Come by Miller Piano Specialists in will show you John Haggard 0:58 All right! (laughs) That sounds good to me. Well, hey, how about a quick bio review of you? Maybe somebody here for the first time as a listener or a first time guest to the MillerPS.com website. Just to know about Sherry Smith because, I know, having spoken to you last time, you have quite a musical career background. Can you tell the folks just a little bit about that? Sherry Carlisle Smith 1:21 As we talked before, if you guys didn't hear it, I moved to town Sherry Carlisle and moved here to sing. And of course, when you get to town, you got to have a day job. And I was trained by the Yamaha Dealer Claude P Street Music and I got that under my belt. And then went on the road, did some singing, did some writing and come full circle and I am back with Miller Piano Specialists now. John Haggard 1:48 Now would there be some people when you were on the road, names that we would know? Sherry Carlisle Smith 1:54 The Jordanaires, Johnny Paycheck... A lot of the country artists, the once that I grew up, they were my idol. Ones that I couldn't wait to get on the radio and hear what new song they had out. So I got to do what I always wanted to do. And that was work with some of the people that I looked up to so highly growing up as a child. And I did perform actually, there's some exciting news I performed for the Duluth Fine Arts in Duluth at their theater, the Red Clay theater last weekend. John Haggard 2:28 Okay, so what did you do? Sherry Carlisle Smith 2:30 I actually opened and sang backup for Mike Booth, who works on the Gem Shopping Network. And he's one of their hosts. And he used to do a show with the Jordanaires and I, so we just kind of rekindled and did a show for the fine arts. John Haggard 2:45 Yeah, you know, the Jordanaires, that is a really big name. And for folks who may have heard of the Jordanaires but don't really know some of their history, could you tell the folks about that? Sherry Carlisle Smith 2:56 They actually started out they were a backup group and Gordon's Joker, Alan Secor is his son, he runs the Country Music Hall of Fame. But Gordon and the other guys did backup for people like Ricky Nelson, Patsy Cline. Their biggest, I guess, one of the ones that they love the most to work with was Elvis Presley. John Haggard 3:18 Wow. Think about that. How long, any idea how long they were with Elvis? Sherry Carlisle Smith 3:22 Oh, it was a long time, until the Vegas days. They were doing so many sessions back then when he did go to Vegas and the Stamps went in to join Elvis in Vegas. The Jordanaires were just working so much and with their families, they stayed in Nashville. John Haggard 3:38 Yeah. Aright, so the upcoming event, Sherry, the third annual MPS Award Show. Thursday, October 24th at 7pm. So first off what is the annual MPs Award Show? Sherry Carlisle Smith 3:52 The MPS Award Show was something we came up with about three years ago that recognizes artist in the area. And they can be artist that people nominate throughout the year. We have just like you would have on a... let's say a People's Choice Awards or the CMA Awards Show that you see on TV. We have different categories that fans nominate throughout the year. We have people actually in these categories from coast to coast to have seen them either on the Internet or they been by and done a show here at the store. We have categories like Instrumentalist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Composer of the Year, Vocalist of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Awards, which have been really good and, we started a new one last year, the Horizon Award. John Haggard 4:47 So in other words, it could be anyone across the United States? Sherry Carlisle Smith 4:52 It is. Because of our web presence and our social media presence, we have a lot of artists that are coming coming through Nashville that actually use our show room to do shows or pickup shows or actually to perform in the show room here at live events. So we have quite an array of artists that are local but ones that are also east coast or west coast. John Haggard 5:17 Okay so you said fans do the nominations Is that right? Sherry Carlisle Smith 5:21 Throughout the year, the fans will say at the MPS Award Show, I'd like to nominate Jon Jones for Entertainer of the Year. So what we do is we take the nominations and then the ones that get the most nominations, they are put up in the top 10. Then the top 10 we announce about six weeks before the show and the fans actually vote. They go to our Facebook page - Miller Piano Specialist, they go to messenger and, Dakota, who works here, will put the votes in a hat when they come in. They can vote twice a day either in the show room or online. And then those are sent off about 24 hours before, well, the top 10 are voted on. And then about three weeks before we'll announce the top five. And then the top five vote till 24 hours before and we send the votes out. And they're tallied. And we know the night of the show. John Haggard 6:23 All right, so you can you go online now and see what's going on. Sherry Carlisle Smith 6:27 You can go online and vote right now. You can go online and vote and you can go on our timeline and see the top five nominees for each category. John Haggard 6:36 Alright, so the website to get there is www.millerps.com. Is that right? Sherry Carlisle Smith 6:42 It is. John Haggard 6:42 Okay. And then once you get there, what do you look for? Sherry Carlisle Smith 6:45 Well, they're going to vote on our social media page. Miller Piano Specialists Facebook. John Haggard 6:52 Got it. Alright, so who's the sponsor of the annual Miller Piano Specialists Award Show? Sherry Carlisle Smith 6:59 Well, of course Miller Piano Specialists started sponsoring it in the beginning and Yamaha got involved and we started working with Yamaha. So it is a Yamaha since we are the authorized dealer for the area. They help in sponsoring this event. John Haggard 7:16 All right. Well, you know, there's so many award shows out there today. So why do another award show? Sherry Carlisle Smith 7:22 Why not? John Haggard 7:23 Well, there you go. (laughs) Why not? Sherry Carlisle Smith 7:27 Because we feel like doing this. We're supporting talent. Things have changed, John. What used to be labels and what used to be, you got picked up by a label, and they press records or they press CDs or even eight tracks back in the day. People are found on the Internet now. Deals and people have gotten piano deals, writing deals, book deals, from showcasing at Miller Piano Specialists and actually having their stuff out there on the net. And that's what caused a stir. And we have been very blessed and fortunate. And the people that have come in here that we just kept saying, keep going, keep going. And it's amazing when you see the award show what people have accomplished, and a lot of it is through the Internet. John Haggard 8:23 All right, so just a little bit off topic. And you kind of brought this up as you were speaking there. Is it true? I have heard, and like you said, back in the old days, you had to have a major record label, and all the promotion team and everybody behind you in order to make it, so to speak. But can you today, because of the Internet, and like you said everybody's found on the internet, could you become a star without having a major label deal? Sherry Carlisle Smith 8:50 Yes and no. What do you consider a star? John Haggard 8:54 Well, I don't know. I was going to ask you because you're, you know, you're in the business. But maybe somebody who could sell I've heard stories where people have been able to sell over a million songs on the Internet and never have a record deal. Sherry Carlisle Smith 9:07 There are two or three really big success stories. And one of them was an artist that actually did a lot of functions in the store for us and a lot of benefits for us, that actually using social media. And she was just written up in Music Row magazine. If you saw the figures that she was making from her front porch, and now from the shows and the recognition she's got, she's traveling all over the world performing. If you can make a living that is more than what some executives make, and you can do what you love. You're a star in my book. John Haggard 9:50 Yeah, I mean, that's really something because again, the Internet is sort of the, I guess I would call it the leveler. You don't have to have millions of dollars behind you to get a lot recognition. Would you agree? Sherry Carlisle Smith 10:02 I agree. It's knowing your fan base and your social media. John Haggard 10:07 All right, so back to the third annual MPS Award Show. So are there commercials throughout the program just like an award show? Sherry Carlisle Smith 10:15 There is, it's so much fun! We have it's it's laid out like a two-hour award show. So we actually have entertainers that will be singing. The Red Ridge Riders will be with us. We also have commercials and we do these kind of like Super Bowl. We take Yamaha products and different items. Some are serious, some are funny. It's like everybody can't wait to the Super Bowl to see what commercial is going to be aired. Remember there was the Bud frog or, you know, that kind of thing. So we have got, every year I think we can't top the year before, but with the help of Deborah Sheridan does videography and photography, and some of the wonderful magic she does and the wonderful products of Yamaha and the crazy crew here at Miller Piano Specialists, I think we've topped the last two years. So the commercials are going to be fantastic. You're going to love them. John Haggard 11:12 All right. So as we think about that, and you know, you mentioned the Budweiser frogs. I'm just going to go off topic for a sec and then come back to the award show. But I met one of the Budweiser frogs. He worked for a company called Hummingbird. You remember Hummingbird? Have you heard of them? Okay. His name was Ronnie, I can't remember his last name but you know, he did jingles and all that kind of thing. And he told me he was one of the one of the Budweiser frogs. I mean, what a phenomenal, neat idea that was. Sherry Carlisle Smith 11:42 It was and it drew and then after the commercials are done, this will be aired live on on our social media, Miller Piano Specialists, so you can tune in. We only take 60 reservations. So there's very limited seating, I am about half full right now. And I still have some that haven't turned in that are in the show that will be here. So if you're going to make a reservation please call 615-771-0020 because we want to make sure it is what we call a black tie event. Now in national black tie could be jeans and boots and a jacket. It could mean sequins. It could mean anything. John Haggard 12:30 Well that's true in Nashville, it could mean anything. Sherry Carlisle Smith 12:35 And we are so blessed. A lady at Black Diamond culinary that does a lot of our catering that will be opening a culinary school, like said with catering. And she has been catering all of our functions. So we are blessed. We're going to have a really nice little spread with Black Diamond, culinary food for after party mixer. John Haggard 12:58 Alright, so now who are some of the past winners? Sherry Carlisle Smith 13:02 Some of the past winners we've had... last year was really neat to have the Horizon Award and Rachel Webster was one of our winners. We have seen her grown up and become a piano player on a lot of these streaming radio stations. We've had a vocalist Angela Peterson has been one of our past nominees, and award winners Ed Bazell, Eric Bikales. Our Lifetime Achievement Awards that we started last year actually, were the Jordanaires as we talked about and DJ Fontana. And their families all came in recognition and there was a video kind of, of what they have done throughout the years and Franch Forbes came from Yamaha and he actually presented these awards to the families. John Haggard 13:52 Yeah, so now you said there are only 60 seats there. Sherry Carlisle Smith 13:56 Yes. John Haggard 13:56 All right. So and you said you can see it streaming live on social media? Sherry Carlisle Smith 14:01 Yes, on Miller Piano Specialists. John Haggard 14:03 Okay, so where do you go? What social media? Where could folks see the show? Sherry Carlisle Smith 14:07 They would go to our Facebook page, Miller Piano Specialists, and they would watch it, it will go live at about 10 till seven. We may, you might want to start kind of looking about 6:30 pm because we are going to, this year, incorporate a little red carpet and some interviews. So that will be happening somewhere between 630 and seven. The show will start at seven. John Haggard 14:31 The show will start at seven. The red carpet 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm and then... and that'll be live as well. Is that right on streaming? Sherry Carlisle Smith 14:37 Yeah, we're gonna have live interviews going on, yes. John Haggard 14:40 All right. So anything else that folks should know about the Miller Piano Specialists Award Show? Sherry Carlisle Smith 14:46 It's just a night of recognition and fun, and recognition to artists that are well-deserved, and trying to support the music community. They have been so good to support Miller Piano family here and it's kind of, the musicians hang out, singers hang out. And we are blessed to have Yamaha and their line to represent to the community of Nashville and all the Middle Tennessee. John Haggard 15:13 Alright folks, you've heard it right there. That Sherry, Sherry Smith everybody, the general sales manager at Miller Piano talking about the third annual MPS Award Show that's going to be Thursday, October 24. At 7:00 pm. One more time, Sherry, if somebody wanted to make reservations, what's the number to call and how can they get there? Sherry Carlisle Smith 15:32 Please call 615-771-0020 and you can make reservations with Dakota or Sherry. And also let me tell you too; parking gets very limited sometimes. You may park in the back and we have a back entrance. But just remember after 6:30 pm, you can't do that, because we'll be having equipment brought in through the back. But you can park around back if you're coming early. Doors will open about 6:00 pm. John Haggard 16:01 All right. There's also a transcript of today's podcast in case you wanted to pick up a particular piece of information. It's right there for you here on the website. I'm your host, John Haggard, and we'll see you next time.

Dave Stamback - New Year's Eve

Psalm 90:1-17 • "To Number Our Days Aright" from Covenan Presbyterian Church by Rev Randy Martin • Released: 2017