Podcasts about Arriving

Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions. When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or create an investment account after clicking a link here, we may earn a fee. Engage to support our work.Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.Devin: What is your superpower?Dr. Anshu: Thinking outside the box.Preventable blindness in Haiti affects countless lives due to the lack of accessible eye care. Dr. Anshu Chandra, founder of the Global Eye Project, has dedicated her career to solving this crisis. Since 2015, her nonprofit has worked to provide free eye exams, advanced treatments, and a sustainable care model by training local staff.During today's episode, Anshu shared how her transformative journey began. After witnessing the dire conditions during a mission trip to India, she decided to focus her career on providing eye care to underserved communities. “I saw how much need there was for eye care and how rare it was for people to have access,” Anshu explained. This realization ultimately led her to Haiti, where the need for care was “so tremendous” she couldn't look away.In 2015, she moved to Haiti with two suitcases—one filled with personal items, the other with medical equipment. Partnering with a local hospital, she established a clinic that has grown into a vital resource for the entire country. The clinic has provided over 132,000 free eye exams and performed more than 7,000 advanced procedures, including laser treatments and surgeries.But the impact doesn't end there. Anshu's commitment to sustainability has led to the training of local staff, many of whom now run the clinic independently. “Some of my staff members are orphans, and they're now supporting their families and caring for their community,” she shared.The Global Eye Project is now raising $300,000 to build a new facility that will expand its services. The proposed clinic will include a surgical center and an optical lab, enabling the nonprofit to become more financially independent. It will also allow the team to continue offering free consultations to ensure no one is turned away.By addressing a critical need with compassion and ingenuity, Anshu is not only restoring sight but also creating opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive. You can support this life-changing work by visiting GlobalEyeProject.org and contributing to their campaign.tl;dr:Dr. Anshu Chandra founded the Global Eye Project to combat preventable blindness in underserved communities.The nonprofit has provided over 132,000 free eye exams and 7,000 advanced treatments in Haiti.Anshu's sustainable model trains local staff to deliver care, empowering the community long-term.The Global Eye Project is raising $300,000 to build a new clinic with expanded capabilities.Anshu's journey highlights the power of thinking outside the box to solve pressing global challenges.How to Develop Thinking Outside the Box As a SuperpowerAnshu's superpower is her ability to think outside the box to solve complex challenges. Reflecting on her work, she explained, “I didn't see a reason why this couldn't happen. How hard could it be to go there, put up a clinic, and train locals?” Her innovative mindset enabled her to approach Haiti's eye care crisis creatively, building a sustainable model that trains locals to provide care independently.One of the most striking examples of Anshu's superpower is how she started her clinic in Haiti. Arriving with minimal resources, she trained local staff by having them practice on volunteers. Without advertising, word spread, and lines of patients formed. Over time, she transformed a rudimentary clinic with dirt floors into a well-equipped facility with 11 exam rooms, advanced diagnostic tools, and a sustainable care model.Tips for Developing the Superpower:Reframe obstacles as opportunities.Focus on the goal rather than the limitations.Start small but think big—break projects into manageable steps.Commit your time, energy, and resources to what you believe is possible.Build partnerships and accept help from others.By following Anshu's example and advice, you can make thinking outside the box a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileDr. Anshu Chandra (she/her):Founder, Global Eye ProjectAbout Global Eye Project: Founded in the United States, the Global Eye Project has grown to include volunteers and donors from all over the world. Together we are empowering local communities by building locally managed sustainable eye clinics through education initiatives and volunteer run professional training services to reduce the need for outside support. With your support, we will make eye care a right, not a privilege.Website: globaleyeproject.orgCompany Facebook Page: facebook.com/Global-Eye-Project-254480721322382Instagram Handle: @globaleyeprojectCompany Twitter Handle: @EyeCareForAllBiographical Information: Anshu has worked in Haiti for the last 15 years building and advancing eye care for the poor. She is working to end disparities in eye care globally by bringing this service to remote areas and giving them health equity. She's leading our efforts in Haiti and has built a permanent eye clinic in Fond-des-Blancs which provides client care and training for local residents. She's also collaborating with other institutions in Haiti providing care via mobile clinics to address the immediate need as well as working on more permanent solutions by helping to further develop the Haitian ophthalmology residency program in Port-au-Prince. This would provide advanced training and access to equipment and supplies so ALL Haitians can have high quality eye care.She holds a Doctor of Optometry degree and did her residency from SUNY College of Optometry in New York. She was raised in India and the USA where her mother worked as a social worker with under-served communities and created programs to strengthen various skills to make members more independent. These influences have given Anshu an understanding of the needs of disadvantaged populations as well as practical, simple solutions to address those needs. Anshu has also provided eye care to communities in Nepal, Haiti, Peru, Lebanon, Tanzania, Honduras, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Indonesia, and India.The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, is proud to have been named a finalist in the media category of the impact-focused, global Bold Awards.Support Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include rHealth, and SuperCrowd26 featuring PurposeBuilt100™️. Learn more about advertising with us here.Max-Impact Members(We're grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.)Brian Christie, Brainsy | Cameron Neil, Lend For Good | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Hiten Sonpal, RISE Robotics | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Justin Starbird, The Aebli Group | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Mark Grimes, Networked Enterprise Development | Matthew Mead, Hempitecture | Michael Pratt, Qnetic | Mike Green, Envirosult | Nick Degnan, Unlimit Ventures | Dr. Nicole Paulk, Siren Biotechnology | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.SuperCrowd Impact Member Networking Session: Impact (and, of course, Max-Impact) Members of the SuperCrowd are invited to a private networking session on March 17th at 1:30 PM ET/10:30 AM PT. Mark your calendar. We'll send private emails to Impact Members with registration details. Upgrade to Impact Membership today!SuperCrowdHour March: This month, Devin Thorpe will explore how investors can align profit with purpose in a powerful session titled “Why You Should Make Money with Impact Crowdfunding.” As CEO and Founder of The Super Crowd, Inc., Devin will share practical insights on generating financial returns while driving measurable social and environmental impact through regulated investment crowdfunding. Register free to get all the details. March 18th at Noon ET/9:00 PT.SuperCrowd26 featuring PurposeBuilt100™️: This August 25–27, founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders will gather for a three-day, broadcast-quality global experience focused on disciplined capital formation, regulated investment crowdfunding, and purpose-driven growth. We're bringing together leading voices in impact investing, compliance, digital marketing, and circular economy innovation to deliver practical frameworks, real-world case studies, and actionable strategies. The event culminates in the PurposeBuilt100™️ Showcase, recognizing 100 of the fastest-growing purpose-driven companies in the U.S. Register now to secure your seat and get all the details. August 25–27, streaming worldwide.Community Event CalendarSuccessful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events.If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 10,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.Manage the volume of emails you receive from us by clicking here.We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

In moments like this, when immigration conversations feel heavy and uncertain, it becomes even more important to center lived experience.This week on Corporate Cafecito, Nallely sits down with Reyna Grande, who crossed the border at nine years old as an undocumented child.She shares what that journey felt like. Being caught twice. Hiding from helicopters. Running across a freeway in the dark. Arriving hungry. Living in survival mode.But what stayed with us most was what came after.Family separation.Reunification that was painful and complicated.Feeling emotionally homeless.Choosing education as her pathway forward.Right now, when immigration is reduced to headlines and political talking points, listening to stories like Reyna's matters.Because behind every debate are children.Behind every policy are families.Reyna has written nine books that center immigrant voices with dignity and truth. Her work reminds us that immigration is human.

Anastasia Canonica was born in post-Soviet Russia in 1991, the year the USSR collapsed and the monetary system reset overnight, erasing everyone's savings. She was placed in an orphanage at age 4 after her parents turned to alcohol amid the poverty crisis, spending ages 4-16 in Orphanage Number 5 in Novokuznetsk, Siberia. After her father's death when she was 11, she became consumed with anger and resentment, developing a physical growth on her body. At 13, she experienced a miracle healing through Louise Hay's book "Heal Your Body," learning to release resentment and forgive. After a two-year adoption process, Anastasia came to America at 16, right as the 2008 financial crisis hit. Ana shares her awakening journey and Bitcoin adoption, seeing it as a source of hope that the parallel centralized dystopian world doesn't have to be the only option.→ Please like, comment, share & follow — to help me beat the suppressing algo's. Thank you!– SPONSORS –→ Access liquidity without selling your Bitcoin with Ledn — learn more at https://ledn.io/Efrat → Get your TREZOR wallet & accessories, with a 5% discount, using my code at checkout (get my discount code from the episode - yep, you'll have to watch it): https://affil.trezor.io/SHUn→ Have you tried mining bitcoin? Stack sats directly to your wallet while saving on taxes with Abundant Mines: https://AbundantMines.com/Efrat - Claim your free month of hosting via this link– AFFILIATES –→ Get 10% off on Augmented NAC to detox Spike protein, with the code YCXKQDK2 via this link: https://store.augmentednac.com/?via=efrat (Note, this is not medical advice, please consult your MD)→ Join me at Europe's largest bitcoin conference - BTC Prague, June 11-13, 2026. Code EFRAT for 10% off: http://btcprg.me/EFRAT→ Be good to your eyes & health, and get the Daylight tablet - a healthier, more human-friendly computer, zero blue light & flicker. Use code EFRAT for $25 off: https://bit.ly/Efrat_daylight → Get a second citizenship and a plan B to relocate to another country with Expat Money, leave your details for a follow up: https://expatmoney.com/efrat→ Watch “New Totalitarian Order” conference with Prof. Mattias Desmet & Efrat - code EFRAT for 10% off: https://efenigson.gumroad.com/l/desmet_efrat→ Join me in any of these upcoming events: https://www.efrat.blog/p/upcoming-events– LINKS –Ana on X: https://x.com/nastyhodl Ana on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anastasia_living_life/ Efrat's X: https://twitter.com/efenigsonEfrat's Channels: https://linktr.ee/efenigsonWatch on all platforms: https://linktr.ee/yourethevoiceSupport Efrat's work: ⁠https://bit.ly/zap_efrat– CHAPTERS –00:00 - Coming Up... 01:33 - Introduction to Ana04:15 - Ana's Backstory, Soviet Collapse & Monetary Reset 09:42 - Ad-Break: Ledn & Trezor 13:00 - Orphanage at Age 4 18:35 - Grandma's Worthless Fiat Money 24:44 - Father's Death at Age 11 31:02 - The Physical Side Effects of Stuck Anger 33:59 - Ad-Break: Abundant Mines & New Totalitarian Order Conference36:20 - Louise Hay's Book: Heal Your Body 41:17 - The Miracle: Physical Healing Through Forgiveness 45:20 - Ana's Brother Adopted by American Family 51:03 - The Adoption Offer59:44 - 2008: Arriving in America During Financial Crisis 01:03:24 - Music School & Finance School 01:05:40 - Learning the Broken Monetary System & Finding Bitcoin 01:09:44 - Covid Started The Great Awakening 01:15:06 - Energy, Bitcoin & Hope

Etiquette, manners, and beyond! In this episode, Nick and Leah answer listener questions about dropping state names, double-thanking for gifts, arriving early for funerals, and much more. Please follow us! (We'd send you a hand-written thank you note if we could.)Have a question for us? Call or text (267) CALL-RBW or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ask.wyrbw.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠QUESTIONS FROM THE WILDERNESS:When is a city sufficiently well known not to need the state name with it?Is it bad form to text a photo of yourself enjoying a gift after you've already sent a thank-you note?Is it true that you should arrive at weddings and funerals half an hour early?What should I do about a holiday postcard that was misaddressed and includes a lot of personal information?What should I do about store employees who address me as "dear," "hun," or "sweetheart"?Bonkers: Grabbing produce bags at the supermarketTHINGS MENTIONED DURING THE SHOWClip from "Hoosiers"Janet Evanovich's "One for the Money"YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support our show through Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe and rate us 5 stars on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Call, text, or email us your questions⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our official website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for our newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy some fabulous official merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CREDITSHosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nick Leighton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leah Bonnema⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Producer & Editor: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nick Leighton⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Theme Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rob Paravonian⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ADVERTISE ON OUR SHOW⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here for details⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TRANSCRIPT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Episode 297See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ahead of the hotly anticipated Scream 7, we thought we would discuss the last time Kevin Williamson wrote a Scream film. Scream 4 sees Wes Craven's final directorial duties, as Sydney Prescott returns to Woodsboro just in time for another slaughter. Arriving after a slew of torture porn, paranormal films and a bunch of gritty reimagining of classic horror remakes, Scream 4 centres around the idea of remakes and the state of horror in the early 2000s. But how does Scream 4 stack up when compared to the rest of the franchise? Why does it look so weird? Is it a worthwhile instalment or is this one that makes Scream feel dated? Remember to hit that subscribe button and leave us a lovely review. There's new episodes every week, and we cover horror movies from new releases with spoiler filled and spoiler free reviews, to old classics and B movie gems.  You can find us on twitter and instagram @cmthpodcast or check out our website at https://castmetohell.podbean.com Theme by Dan Motti   

Grab a coffee and join us at the holiday cottage! We're recording straight from our annual Shropshire retreat to catch up on everything happening in our creative lives right now. With the cost of living crisis changing how couples plan their big days, we dive deep into the rising trend of reduced-coverage weddings. Are these shorter, "smash and grab" days a refreshing change of pace, or do they rob us of the chance to truly connect with our couples? We also debate the modern relevance of bridal prep and detail shots - do brides really want a photo of their shoes on a tree, or are we just shooting out of fear of missing something?We're also pulling back the curtain on the very first British Wedding Film Festival! We debrief on the incredible highs of the glamorous night at the Manchester Art Gallery, the financial realities of hosting a major industry event from scratch, and the controversy of international filmmakers dominating the final shortlists. Plus, we talk through our plans and category changes for next year.Finally, we share our weekly highs and lows, featuring the magic of Victorian tintype photography, the sheer terror of M6 traffic, the sting of buying four new car tires, and a painfully relatable vent about couples treating our Zoom consultations like interviews only to ghost us afterward.Timestamps00:00 - Morning Coffee & Shropshire Holiday Vibes02:40 - Are Reduced Coverage Weddings the New Normal?07:30 - The "Smash and Grab" Reality of Short Weddings08:30 - Do Couples Actually Want Detail Shots Anymore?14:50 - The Danger of Missing Crucial Props (The Pen Story)16:35 - Shooting a Bar Mitzvah & Traffic Nightmares20:10 - Our Worst "Late to a Wedding" Stories & Box Breathing23:25 - Identity Crisis: Are We Still Calling Ourselves Photographers?25:55 - The British Wedding Film Festival Debrief33:00 - The Financial Reality of Hosting an Industry Event35:00 - The Controversy of International & Destination Winners42:20 - Highs & Lows: Victorian Tintype Photography in Shrewsbury48:30 - Highs & Lows: £650 Tyres & Toddler Colds50:10 - Why Are Couples Ghosting After Great Zoom Consultations?52:45 - Dinner Debates & Wrapping UpSay hi on Instagram @ourcreativecommuneGet a free 14 day trial of Musicbed: https://www.musicbed.com/invite/935CyThe British Wedding Film Festivalhttps://www.britishweddingfilmfestival.com/Lawson Film School: https://www.lawsonfilms.co.uk/lawson-film-schoolliamandbee.comlawsonfilms.co.uklawsonphotography.co.uk#weddingphotography #weddingvideography #filmphotography #creativepodcast #weddingindustry #ourcreativecommune Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

0:00 – **Welcome & Guided Grief Meditation Introduction** 3:45 – **Arriving in the Present Moment (Safe Enough to Rest)** 7:20 – **Calming Breath & Grounding for Grief and Anxiety** 10:30 – **Hand on Heart Self-Compassion Practice** 14:25 – **Gentle CBT for Grief: Thoughts as Passing Clouds** 19:15 – **Full Body Scan Relaxation for Grief** 29:55 – **Releasing "I Should" Thoughts & Self-Blame** 35:15 – **Healing Heart Space & Planting a Seed of Kindness** 46:10 – **Grief in the Body: Hips, Legs, Feet & Feeling Supported** 58:40 – **Deep Rest with Grief: Soothing Affirmations & Closing**

I sit down with Guillermo Zapata—actor, producer, entrepreneur, and the visionary behind the iconic West Hollywood landmark, SUR.Guillermo's story is the quintessential Los Angeles epic. Arriving from Argentina at 22 with no English and only $500, he embodies the "die and be born again" spirit required to survive and thrive in this city. We discuss his new film, Clouds (directed by Eduardo Pinto), the "Law of the Soul" in acting, and how he balanced the cutthroat world of Hollywood with the brutal logistics of the restaurant business.The Argentinian Soul in LA: Building a Legacy from ZeroGuillermo doesn't just talk about success; he talks about the discipline of desire. We explore why he chose to start as a dishwasher despite being an established actor in Argentina, and how he used the "character" of a happy worker to fuel his ultimate rise.In this episode, we cover:The Anamorphic Life: Exploring the "Angel vs. Devil" themes in his film Clouds.Dying to be Reborn: Why you must leave your old personality behind to succeed in a new country.The "Ambassador" Mindset: How Guillermo used the restaurant business to connect with powerful people without ever "asking" for a favor.The Zapata Legacy: The complex relationship with his famous father and the choice to never "push" his own daughters into the industry.The Science of Style: Why presentation is a form of respect and the launch of his new brand, City Of.Longevity Secrets: How to stay "handsome" and energized in your 50s through internal brain-heart connectivity.Episode Chapters0:00 The light at the end of the tunnel0:42 Exploring the "Angel vs. Devil" in the film Clouds1:45 The electricity of a one-page synopsis2:50 Independent Filmmaking: Finding the right team3:50 Dying and being born again: Surviving LA5:13 22 years old with zero English and 10 days of vacation6:31 Leaving your old personality at the border7:44 "This is my home": That first Manhattan Beach sunset8:33 The Dishwasher Era: Why reality is the best fuel10:45 Creating the "Happy Character" to survive the grind11:50 Accelerating English: Exiting the comfort zone13:30 The "Ambassador" Strategy: Networking with powerful people15:00 The Kitchen is the Heart: Lessons from restaurant management18:10 "Directing is my passion, but I don't want to be broke"18:41 What I learned about money: "You are the money"20:34 The Zapata Legacy: Growing up with a famous father22:00 Being a Father: Why I refuse to "push" my kids24:14 Going back to Argentina to film Clouds25:17 Transitioning from Actor to Producer: Managing the weight26:40 The Chef vs. The Director: The parallels of leadership28:00 Mental Health and childhood trauma in Clouds31:16 The future of cinema: Following your heart over the algorithm33:55 The secret to staying young: Discipline and desire35:43 Style and Presentation: Why looking good matters36:38 City Of Star: A tribute to the people of Los Angeles38:00 Finding the right partner: Marriage and destination41:00 Advice for the fall: Standing up strongerSponsored by:Red Axe Media: https://www.redaxemedia.com/servicesContndr: https://contndr.com/r/axelAlphagvrd: https://alphagvrd.com/?aff=34Connect with Guillermo ZapataTHE CLOUDS: https://youtu.be/c3qXbg5FPB0?si=PhnJskvO9-5MJHNGImdb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0953180/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gzsur/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GZSur/SUR Restaurant: https://www.surrestaurant.com/ Vanderpump Rules: https://www.bravotv.com/vanderpump-rulesPress: https://ebbymagazine.com/guillermo-zapata-succeeds-through-resilience-and-perseverance/Connect with Axel Axe:https://www.instagram.com/axelaxeofficialhttps://twitter.com/AxelAxeOfficialhttps://www.facebook.com/heyaxelarzola/https://www.tiktok.com/@axelaxeofficialhttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm5399415/

Chairman of Migration Watch UK, Alp Mehmet, joins journalist Nigel Nelson for a detailed discussion on the growing controversy surrounding illegal migrants receiving compensation payouts of up to £500,000 after their mobile phones were seized upon arrival in the UK.In this in-depth conversation, they examine the legal basis for these claims, the role of the Home Office, and the wider implications for UK border policy. They explore whether compensation at this level should be awarded, what precedent it may set, and how it could impact public confidence in the immigration system.The discussion also looks at the legal arguments behind compensation claims, the reasons mobile phones are seized at the border, the balance between human rights and national security, the potential financial impact on taxpayers, and what this could mean for future immigration enforcement.This debate goes to the heart of the UK's ongoing migration challenges and raises important questions about accountability, policy decisions, and fairness within the system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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4.  Guest: Hampton Sides. Arriving in the Society Islands, the crew enjoys Tahiti while Cook focuses on settling Mai. Cook attempts to secure Mai's future, but Mai refuses an arranged marriage. Red feathers become valuable currency. Ultimately, Cook leaves Mai at Huahine, sharing a tearful, final goodbye with the man he viewed as a son.

It was very different times for Marvel when, in the 1990s, it struck an assortment of deals over screen rights for its characters. For the purposes of this tale, the Incredible Hulk, for whom Universal snapped up the rights. The deal done then continues to have some ramifications now, but the first fruits of it? Ang Lee's 2003 movie Hulk, starring Eric Bana. Arriving the year after Sam Raimi's Spider-man, it turns out there was an early alarm bell that they might have got the tone a little wrong... More on the film, and the ongoing sequel issues, in this episode... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fire As A Weapon for Murder: A Retired California Cop's Experience With Trauma Few Are Prepared For. When most people think about murder, they imagine firearms or knives. Rarely do they consider fire itself as the weapon. Yet according to retired law enforcement veteran Charles “Chuck” Sherman, fire is one of the most brutal and psychologically devastating methods of killing, not only for victims, but for every Cop forced to witness its aftermath. The Podcast is available and shared for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and most major podcast platforms. Drawing from decades of Retired California Police Experience, Sherman now shares his story publicly through a Podcast and across platforms like their Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify, Medium and other social media platforms. He is hoping to spark conversations about officer Trauma, training gaps, and a form of violence many people, including police are unprepared to face. The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast social media like their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. “People don't realize fire can be used as a weapon just like a gun,” Sherman said. “And when you see it firsthand, it changes you.”  Supporting articles about this and much more from Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast in platforms like Medium , Blogspot and Linkedin . Understanding Fire As A Weapon for Murder Arson is legally defined as the willful and deliberate act of setting fire to or charring property. While commonly associated with buildings, arson can also involve vehicles, boats, forests, or other property. The crime is typically charged as a felony, with harsher penalties when human life is endangered. Fire As A Weapon for Murder: A Retired California Cop's Experience With Trauma Few Are Prepared For. Available for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and most major Podcast networks. In some cases, arson is committed for insurance fraud or to conceal crimes such as burglary or homicide. When a death occurs, prosecutors may pursue manslaughter or murder charges. But Sherman emphasizes that arson statistics only tell part of the story. “Quite often people die in building fires,” he explained. “But there are also cases where someone is intentionally set on fire. That's homicide and it happens more than people think.” Each year in the United States, deaths involving fire include accidents, suicides involving self-immolation, and murders where fire becomes the primary weapon. A Veteran Officer Caught Off Guard At the time of the incident that would leave a lasting mark on his career, Sherman was a recently promoted Police Sergeant with years of experience behind him. He had already handled violent crimes, major investigations, and countless critical incidents. Fire As A Weapon for Murder: A Retired California Cop's Experience With Trauma Few Are Prepared For. Look for The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on social media like their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. Nothing prepared him for this call. While on duty, Sherman was alerted by a citizen to a violent crime unfolding nearby. Arriving on scene, he discovered a man who had been doused with a flammable liquid and intentionally set on fire. “I caught the call on view after someone flagged me down,” Sherman recalled. “Within seconds I realized this was something completely different from anything I'd handled before.” Despite decades of training, Sherman says the moment exposed a serious gap in law enforcement preparation. “We train for weapons, tactics, and survival,” he said. “But almost nobody trains you for the emotional impact of seeing someone burned alive.” A Career of Service and an Unexpected Reality Sherman's law enforcement career spanned approximately thirty years. He began as a Detention Officer with the Kern County Sheriff's Department, serving about a decade before joining the Bakersfield Police Department as a full-time officer. During his seventeen years with Bakersfield Police, he worked as a detective, field training officer, and academy coordinator before promoting to Sergeant. Later, he continued public service as an investigator with the Kern County District Attorney's Office until 2022. Fire As A Weapon for Murder: A Retired California Cop's Experience With Trauma Few Are Prepared For. Available for free on their website and streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and other podcast platforms. By every professional measure, Sherman was seasoned and experienced. Yet he says nothing in his background prepared him for what he encountered that day. “You think experience prepares you for everything,” he said. “It doesn't.” The Hidden Trauma Police Carry Deaths involving fire are far more common than many Americans realize. Police officers regularly encounter fatal fires, whether accidental, suicidal, or criminal, yet many departments provide limited training on handling the psychological aftermath. It is discussed across News platforms and shared on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Apple, and Spotify, where true crime audiences continue to get their content. According to Sherman, the trauma can be immediate and long-lasting. “It hits every sense at once, sight, smell, sound,” he said. “Your brain doesn't forget that.” Many officers quietly struggle after such incidents, even while continuing daily duties. “You go from something horrific straight to the next call,” Sherman explained. “There's rarely time to process what you just experienced.” Fire As A Weapon for Murder: A Retired California Cop's Experience With Trauma Few Are Prepared For. You can find the show on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn, as well as read companion articles and updates on Medium, Blogspot, YouTube, and even IMDB. He believes fire-related deaths are among the most frequent yet least discussed sources of officer trauma nationwide. When Support Falls Short Sherman says the incident was shocking enough on its own, but what followed left an equally lasting impression. The criminal sentence handed down to the murderer surprised many involved in the case, raising questions about how fire-related homicides are viewed compared to other forms of murder. Even more troubling to Sherman was what he describes as a lack of compassion from leadership afterward. “Sometimes you expect understanding from your own organization,” he said. “And sometimes it just isn't there.” The experience reinforced his belief that law enforcement agencies must address mental health support as seriously as operational training. Fire As A Weapon for Murder: A Retired California Cop's Experience With Trauma Few Are Prepared For. Free on their website and streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and other podcast platforms. Murder Beyond Guns and Knives Under U.S. law, murder is defined as the unlawful killing of another person with “malice aforethought,” meaning intent or conscious disregard for human life. First-degree murder involves premeditation, while second-degree murder involves intentional killing without planning. Manslaughter differs by involving reckless or emotionally provoked actions rather than deliberate intent. While public perception often centers on shootings or stabbings, Sherman says fire-related killings reveal another reality of violent crime. “Fire is slow, painful, and terrifying,” he said. “It's one of the cruelest ways someone can take a life.” The City Behind the Story Sherman's career unfolded in Bakersfield, California, the county seat of Kern County and a major agricultural and energy-producing region in the southern San Joaquin Valley. With a population exceeding 400,000 residents, the Bakersfield Police Department serves a large and diverse urban community with more than 590 sworn officers and professional staff. Fire As A Weapon for Murder: A Retired California Cop's Experience With Trauma Few Are Prepared For. The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on social media like their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. In recent years, the city has seen encouraging reductions in violent crime, including a drop in murders from 60 in 2021 to 26 in 2024, along with a significant decrease in shootings. But statistics rarely capture the emotional impact carried by first responders. Turning Experience Into Awareness Today, Sherman shares his experiences through the interview on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, it's social media, and long-form conversations online, using modern platforms to reach audiences who consume News in new ways. His goal is simple: increase awareness about the realities officers face and encourage departments to improve training and mental health support. “Cops are expected to handle the worst moments of humanity,” Sherman said. “But we're still human beings absorbing trauma every day.” By speaking openly, Sherman hopes conversations about Fire As A Weapon for Murder will expand beyond criminal justice discussions to include officer wellness, compassion, and preparation. Fire As A Weapon for Murder: A Retired California Cop's Experience With Trauma Few Are Prepared For. Available for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and most major Podcast networks. Because long after the flames are extinguished, the psychological scars can remain. “Some calls stay with you forever,” he said. “And this was one of them.” Be sure to follow us on X , Instagram , Facebook, Pinterest, Linkedin and other social media platforms for the latest episodes and news. Background song Hurricane is used with permission from the band Dark Horse Flyer. You can contact John J. “Jay” Wiley by email at Jay@letradio.com , or learn more about him on their website . Find a wide variety of great podcasts online at The Podcast Zone Facebook Page , look for the one with the bright green logo. Be sure to check out our website . Fire As A Weapon for Murder: A Retired California Cop's Experience With Trauma Few Are Prepared For. Attributions CRI Wikipedia Google Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

CRUISE TO MARS | THREE DUCKS ON A JOURNEYMama duck had two daughters, and she loved taking them on trips to faraway places. The two ducklings had few friends, but they often went out and about.They played in the farmyard pretending to be a group, and even on their birthday, they ate the big cake all by themselves.As a gift, Mama decided to take them on a cruise to Mars. She organized the trip on a spaceship for tourists, got tickets for an intergalactic Martian party, and departure as soon as possible — before you could say "quack quack."While all three of them were in the yard ready for the trip, they saw a strange object flying low over the farm. Landing on the ground, a small square figure appeared at a hatch and said:"Excuse me, are you the ones with three tickets to Mars and three for the intergalactic party?"The ducklings looked at each other in amazement. They had never seen a square creature before — square head, square eyes, even the smile seemed square."Yes, that's us!" replied Mama duck."Quack! Quack! Quack!" chimed the ducklings in chorus, hopping with excitement."Please, come aboard," said the Martian with a little squared bow. "The journey to Mars is about to begin."And in one leap they boarded the spaceship, so curious and excited for this new adventure. The strange vehicle took off as fast as a gust of wind.In space, it was rush hour. The spaceship found itself in a queue, and the Martian pilot honked the horn: "Bleep, bleep!"He leaned out the window and grumbled: "It's getting harder and harder to travel! Look at that, there's even a playful little planet spinning around on itself like it's a carousel! Oh, what fun — move over, let me pass, and keep on playing!"Due to the cosmic traffic jam, the spaceship landed on Mars slightly behind schedule."How wonderful!" exclaimed the ducklings when they saw a ship made entirely of glass, ready for the cruise, where they were invited to come aboard.There was a great bustle of small square Martians."Good morning, Mrs. Duck, please make yourself comfortable!" they said with a bow, while the ducklings — quack, quack, quack — chattered and hopped about happily.In the background, square guitars played Interplanetary Rock.The three travelers, with their little faces pressed against the windows, gazed in wonder at the red color of the planet.The ship set off slowly across the sand, but suddenly the engines began to roar and up, toward the top of a mountain, then down over the red rocks — it felt like being on a roller coaster, up and down, up and down. Then it would settle again and slowly cross immense valleys."What a strange sight! What a strange vehicle that travels over rocks and sand!" the tourists commented.The hours passed amid wonders and discoveries. Time flew by.Evening came. On the Martian ship, Mama duck and the ducklings showed up all dressed up, with bows and ribbons, for the intergalactic birthday party.The waiters danced, offered their arms to the tourists, and served to the sound of Rock music. Small Martians approached the ducklings and, showering them with compliments, hopping and dancing, played with them.The party had begun."Everything here is square — the glasses, the bottles!" the ducks whispered to each other.The sweet treats were salty, the salty ones were sweet, the cake was... well, well, what kind of world is this!The balloons with "Happy Birthday" written on them were — guess what — square.The evening was coming to an end and fireworks lit up the sky to celebrate the tourists... and they were square too."How kind and lovely these Martians are!" said Mama duck, and continued: "We made it to Mars, we've seen what there was to see, we've had our fun. Now let's think about going back to Earth."Suddenly, the ship commander's voice announced the imminent arrival of a spaceship for the return trip.The three ducks couldn't wait. They said their goodbyes and, crossing a connecting bridge, stepped directly into the spaceship. And down, toward their planet.Watching the tourists depart through the ship's windows, the Martians in their waiter uniforms launched dozens of colorful balloons into space.In the universe, under a starry sky, satellites wandered around the spaceship. Venus shone in the distance, and the Moon, ever closer, smiled with her full face.Arriving back on Earth, all three stepped down onto the farmyard, happy.Square balloons with "Happy Birthday" written on them floated in the air.What a surprise! This is certainly the work of the Martians.And by telling everyone about their galactic adventure, the two ducklings made lots of friends. Everyone wanted to hear about their trip to Mars.Our planet may be round, may be big, may be small, may be beautiful, and it will always be our home.— Written by Lucia & Marco Ciappelli Each story is currently written and narrated in both Italian and English.The translation from Italian (the original language) to English and the reading of the stories are performed using Generative Artificial Intelligence — which perhaps has a touch of magic... We hope it has done a good job!If you like it, make sure to tell your friends, family, and teachers, and subscribe to this podcast to stay updated. You'll be able to read or listen to new stories as soon as they become available. Visit us On The Official Website https://www.storiesottolestelle.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This evening, we give thanks to our heavenly Father for atruly remarkable milestone: 45 years of ministry in Canada by Brother and Sister Singh. Arriving in January 1980, they brought the gospel of the kingdom to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), already seasoned veterans in God's service.Brother Singh began full-time ministry in his native Guyana at the age of 18.After marrying, the couple welcomed their daughter Nadine, and together this little family faithfully labored in the Lord's vineyard, trusting God for each meal. Little did they know then that, just a decade later, they would find themselves braving a Canadian winter in the heart of a bustling city that scarcely noticed their arrival.

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Join me, as I talk with one of my VBAC Lab Students and Calm Mama Society Members, Cassie.She's going to be sharing her birth story and how the techniques we've been working on in class, have helped her to move through her birth trauma from her first birth and prepare for an empowered VBAC.Join the Calm Mama Membership: labornursemama.com/cmsLeave a review and include your Instagram username for a chance to win our monthly raffle!Cassie gives us all the details, shares the highs and lows of her birth experience, and how ultimately she was able to bring her baby into the world in a way that she was proud of.This episode is packed with so much information and is really empowering for all the mamas out there who want to have an empowered birth.So grab a cup of coffee or tea and settle in for a chat with Cassie.Helpful Timestamps:00:00 Meet Cassie: A VBAC Lab Student02:16 Cassie's First Birth Experience03:28 Discovering the VBAC Lab07:11 Facing Challenges with the Provider17:53 Preparing for Labor at Home21:34 Arriving at the Hospital24:47 Labor Begins: Early Contractions and Support30:30 Challenges and Swelling33:19 Decision for a C-Section35:48 Meeting the Baby37:52 Reflecting on the Birth Experience40:45 Advice for Expecting MothersJoin The Calm Labor Birth Bundle - everything you need from bump to baby! Use code POD50 for $50 off!Over 15k mamas have used our classes to prepare for a birth that they love

Poetry and baring the soul.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Arriving at her house, Leah and I carried my clothes up to the spare bedroom. I thanked Leah once again, then kissed her.Leah softly whispered, “Jorunn is downstairs!”I replied in the same whisper, “Then kiss me quietly.” And she did.I spent the remainder of the day doing my laundry, once Leah showed me how to use her Norwegian washing machine. Leah opened the clothes drying rack, and when done, I laid my clothes out to dry.For dinner, Leah prepared salmon fillets with boiled potatoes. As Jorunn and Leah washed the dishes, I sat on the center seat of the sofa, reflecting on the day. When they finished, both Jorunn and Leah rushed into the living room, extremely excited, and sat down on either side of me. Jorunn turned on the television and switched to Norwegian National Television. I wondered what the fuss was about.“Five more minutes,” yelped Jorunn.After a brief introduction, an old black-and-white movie started. Both Jorunn and Leah snuggled up tight against me and I put my arms around them. It felt great. The show, called “Dinner for One”, featured a 90-year-old countess celebrating her birthday. She invited four friends but outlived them all. Her butler decides to impersonate each of the four missing guests. As he slips into each of the roles, he drinks a toast, and quickly becomes intoxicated, leading to numerous sight gags. It felt good to laugh along with people again. It was rather short, and when it ended, Leah told me it was the most repeated television show of all time and is quite popular in Scandinavian countries and northern Europe.Leah and Jorunn went around rearranging and straightening Christmas decorations, then announced it was time to make Julekurver. I heard of them, but never actually made one. Made of paper, they are heart-shaped and filled with sweets.We quickly cleared the dining room table, then covered it with red and white paper, a plastic rule, a plastic circle, and scissor. Leah and Jorunn both moved quickly, folding a sheet of paper of each color, and I followed their action. Then it was time to measure and cut, and fortunately, they slowed down to allow me to keep up. Using a circle, we marked a half circle and cut the excess away. Then cut strips into the paper, not going all the way across. We wove the red and white papers together in a checkerboard pattern and unfolded them into a perfect heart shape. I thought the process rather inefficient and decided to show off my engineering skills from 3M by making a fancier one. As I unfolded it, Jorunn and Leah laughed, and a moment later, I discovered one way not to make a Julekurver.After a long and active day, I was tired, so I went to bed. Both Jorunn and Leah were talking softly in the living room as I drifted off to sleep.A nocturnal visitorDecember 23rd - Just Before MidnightI was startled awake when I heard my bedroom door close, followed by a soft, “Shush!”I listened closely in the total darkness for footsteps and heard someone approach my bed. Leah must be ready to resume what we started back at the hotel! A hand pulled back the covers, and instinctively I slid toward the middle of the bed to make space. Leah slid in next to me and drew the covers back over us.Leah moved and shifted, and a hand found the back of my head. I expected her lips to follow, and they did. Soft and gentle, a wonderful way for my nocturnal visitor to say hello. Leah told me at the hotel she did not want to feel rushed, so there was no urgency. Her lips retreated, and her hand slid down to caress my cheek, as delicate fingers gently stroked me.I reached out and found her left shoulder as Leah faced me, then marveled at the smoothness as my hand traced her arm downward. Approaching her hand, I extended further to touch her hip. I began softly rubbing, but her ass beckoned, and my hand moved to cup and squeeze her firm cheek. My fingers began shooting sensations of warmth, softness, and inner firmness directly to my brain. I pulled Leah tight against me and discovered she was already completely naked.Leah swung her left leg over me and moved to an upright position, straddling my crotch. Beneath my boxer shorts, my erect cock fought for release. Her hand found my cock within its shelter but did not liberate it. Instead, her hand pushed my cock flat against my lower stomach, and she slid forward, trapping it with the swollen outer lips of her pussy. Leah began slowly gyrating, and even through the fabric of my boxers, I felt her pussy lips spreading as they slid along either side of my hidden cock.The hushed sounds of Leah cooing and moaning barely reached my ears, as dampness built between us. I reached up with both hands, found her small breasts, and used my thumbs to tease her nipples to an erection. A heavy breath followed by a long ‘uh. Oh; Ah!’ brought me close to premature orgasm, but this was not what Leah wanted, so I held back.Leah must have sensed I was close. She stopped gyrating, lifted herself, and then began inching herself up my torso. She paused for a moment and sat on my chest, then her hands reached out to touch my face. Two fingertips began touring my facial features as if Leah wanted to memorize every feature of my face. In the darkness, my senses heightened, her fingers swirled, and circled, and glided over me. I never would have imagined how erotic it felt.Leah resumed moving higher, her knees passing over my shoulders until they rested on either side of my head. I reached up to confirm what lay just inches above my face and grazed the same hairy splendor I sampled back at the hotel. Inhaling deeply, I picked up traces of the same body wash on her thighs. I was ready to dive back in, so I reached up and grabbed Leah’s hips, then pulled her pussy down toward my awaiting tongue. I paused as her short curly hair began painting her scent onto my face. The scent of arousal overpowered my senses. But? Something strange? I froze. The contradiction awoke my twilight dream state.“Why did you stop, Gunnar?” From the darkness came Jorunn’s voice! The dream of Leah's nocturnal visit was replaced by the reality of a beautiful young woman revealing her devotion and desire to this 56 year old guy.I was stunned. I couldn’t reveal the real reason I stopped; was uncertainty. Jorunn’s pussy smelled different than Leah’s! I hadn’t noticed any difference between Leah’s and Jorunn’s tall, fit bodies. If there were any, they were undetectable in the darkness, especially with only my brief exposure to Leah. “I can’t do this with you, Jorunn.” I softly and sincerely spoke.“I want to make love to you tonight, Gunnar. More than anything in the world. Am I not pretty enough? Has not enough time passed since your wife’s funeral? You are the only man in the world I can love to, without fear of being hurt.”“Jorunn, you are an incredibly beautiful woman. For months, I fantasized about holding you in my arms, kissing you, and wishing to be exactly where I am now. But yesterday, I met your mother.”Jorunn asked, “Did she order you not to have sex with me?”I replied, “It’s not that. I think I’m falling in love with Leah. We spent a wonderful day together, and she swept me off my feet. If that love turns out to be mutual, I am prepared to pledge my heart totally to her and her alone. A lifetime commitment, one I will never dishonor. The only reason you and I got this far tonight is that in the darkness and my dream state, I thought you were Leah. I never would have done it otherwise.” But you are a lovely and desirable woman. I respect you and Leah. So much that I cannot be false to either of you. And I cannot dishonor myself, by doing what I know is dishonorable.”Jorunn shifted positions and lay next to me in the bed. In the darkness, Jorunn whispered, “You are so unlike my father. He always put himself first. I was ready to give myself to you tonight. You could have kept quiet and let it happen. Then lied about it to my mother in the morning. But you didn’t. You are a better man than my father ever was, and I know you will make my mother happy. Please don’t be afraid to give her, and yourself, a chance. She really needs someone like you in her life.”I heard a soft sob and reached out to touch Jorunn’s face. She was crying. Jorunn came into my bedroom tonight, looking for someone to love. She didn’t know about Leah and me, or what happened between us at the hotel. I very much doubt her mother would have told her. I admired what Jorunn just did. She was sacrificing her chance at love so that her mother might have one. Jorunn knew that she bore the duty to initiate affection, after so harshly rejecting my romantic advances, last week.Silence followed, before Jorunn finally said, “What you have shown me, Gunnar, is that there are still good men in this world. But I am still afraid to look for them.”I thought back to the day Jorunn and I went sledging. “Remember what you told me at Korketrekkeren? You don’t need to be afraid of looking for a man, Jorunn. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try looking for a man. Promise me that you will push off, just like riding a sledge, and start looking. When you reach the bottom of that scary hill, you will no longer be afraid, and someone you love will be waiting there for you.”“I will, Gunnar. I promise. And thank you.” Jorunn climbed out of my bed and closed the door as she left.Christmas EveDecember 24 - MorningI woke up in the guest room bed. Hearing noises and holiday folk music in the kitchen, I dressed and went downstairs. Leah smiled and said, “God Jul!”, Norwegian's way of saying merry Christmas. Then she made me scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Afterward, I enjoyed a slice of fruited Christmas Cake with coffee.“Leah, there is something I need to tell you. Jorunn came into my room last night looking for a man to love. In the darkness and my dream state, I thought it was you. It took a moment for me to realize it was Jorunn, and I stopped myself before going too far. Jorunn and I talked, and I confessed my love for you, to her. She understood, and asked that I give that love a chance. I want to do that. I asked Jorunn to no longer be afraid to look for love, and she agreed.”“Thank you for telling me, Gunnar. I have struggled to get Jorunn to go on dates after her father hurt her so badly. You must be a special man to find a place in her heart.”Leah sat down at the table with me, and continued; “I trust Jorunn, and now I trust you. So you will know, I will come to you tonight, bearing a lighted candle.”I said, “That sounds romantic.” My cock jolted to attention, under my trousers. I smiled and winked.Leah replied, “Wait until you see what I will be wearing.” She stood and returned to her baking, as the soft holiday music filled the busy kitchen. Leah's hips softly gyrated to the soft beat as she hummed with the lyrics.Jorunn came down later for breakfast, and after eating, she announced she would be working on edits and voiceovers for her recent videos. Since they were related to Christmas, she wanted to finish them to post them later tonight.Just before lunch, Leah led me back to the television and as we snuggled on the couch, she turned on “Tre Notter til Askepott”, a 1973 Czech reenactment of Cinderella, dubbed into Norwegian. The story was familiar, with Cinderella granted three wishes. It was enjoyable, but the dubbed dialog did not quite match the lips of the actors, so I needed to concentrate on what they were saying. Leah mentioned that this show is so popular in Norway, that storms of protest arose one year when they decided not to broadcast it. They ended up sending it out later in the holiday.Jorunn joined Leah and me for lunch. We ate Risengrynsgrot, which is rice porridge cooked with milk, sugar, and vanilla. We each had a bowl, and hiding in one of the three bowls was an almond. I suspected possible cheating such that I would be the one getting the almond, but as it turned out, Jorunn got the lucky bowl. As her prize, Leah gave Jorunn a chocolate-covered marzipan pig, an oddity for certain, but part of the tradition. There was porridge left over, and Leah said she would use it to make Riskrem, the delicious rice dessert eaten after tonight’s dinner. Solveig’s Riskrem was one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and I was looking forward to tasting Leah’s.Leah turned to me and said, “If you want to eat, you must help in the kitchen.”Cooking was not something I knew very well, and after Leah led me into the kitchen, I let her know that. But since we were alone, I moved behind her, pulled her blonde hair aside, and nuzzled her neck.Leah said, “If you don’t stop, Gunnar, it will take longer before we eat.” But she wiggled her hips into my crotch before spinning out of my embrace.I helped Leah remove a large roasting pan from the refrigerator and put it in the oven. “That’s a strange-looking piece of meat,” I said.Leah replied, “It is called Ribbe, or roasted pork belly. It is one of the most popular Christmas meals in Norway. I scored the fat layer on top two days ago into a checkerboard pattern. Once cooked, the bottom meat stays tender while the cracklings on top get crispy.”Leah handed me a vegetable peeler and pointed to a bag of potatoes. I needed no further instructions on this. While I worked, Leah flittered around the kitchen, preparing the side dishes. She looked genuinely happy, and we talked and laughed and told tales of Christmases long ago.Just as we pulled the Ribbe from the oven, church bells began ringing from multiple sources. It was 17:00.“It seems like an odd time for church bells,” I said.Leah replied, “In Scandinavia, a new day traditionally starts at sundown, not midnight. Following the old ways, Christmas Day has arrived. It is time to eat.”Jorunn joined us in the mad flurry of activity as places were set, and food moved from the kitchen to the dining room. On the table was Ribbe, boiled potatoes, meatballs, gravy, sausages, sauerkraut, prunes, and lingonberries. Leah poured each of us a tall glass of juleøl, a dark spiced ale, brewed during Christmas all over Norway. She said at one time, a Norwegian king made it illegal to Not brew Christmas Ale. Everything was delicious, and I ate until I could stuff in no more.After dinner, we cleaned up and went into the living room to enjoy coffee, cookies, and a small bowl of Riskrem. I wondered why Leah brought out four bowls of Riskrem. Three topped with whipped cream and a berry sauce, one with only a blob of butter in the middle.Leah said, “We set out a bowl of porridge every Christmas for the fjøsnissen. The tradition evolved from the days when farming families would offer porridge to their barn elf, or nisse. The nisse takes care of the animals in the barn during winter so they don’t get sick. If you don’t do this, the fjøsnissen will play tricks on you.”As we nibbled, Jorunn set the bowl of porridge outside the front door for the fjøsnissen. Then we sat and watched an American Christmas movie on television. After it ended, Leah announced it was time to open the presents. I suspected this would happen and was glad I bought a gift for both Leah and Jorunn. We each dispersed, returned with our packages, and placed them under the Christmas tree.As expected, Leah and Jorunn shared the most gifts for each other, opening the usual mix of chocolates, clothing, and kitchen items. Then Jorunn handed me a gift from her. I opened it and found a DVD labeled, 'Christmas in Norway Tour’, along with a link and instructions to download the video if I preferred. Jorunn told me she made an hour-long video of all the things we did together over the past week, adding music and voiceovers so I would remember the now-completed tour. In exceedingly small letters, at the bottom of the instructions, I saw a link for a story with a similar name and suspected it might be one full of adjectives.Jorunn then opened my gift to her. I remembered the small camera she used this past week and bought her a new top-of-the-line digital camera. From her reaction, I did well.Leah then opened my gift to her. I purchased a genuinely nice Advent star to hang in her window, since she did not have one. It was large and electrically lit and after opening it, she wanted to hang it up right away, which we did. Then we went outside to see how it looked. Leah kissed me and whispered that the Advent Star possessed a special meaning for her this year, a sign of brighter days ahead.Seeing us standing outside, a Julenissen crossed the street and came up to us. The man, dressed in a red jacket with a matching pointed red hat, carried a cloth sack. He was older, and his white beard looked genuine.Jorunn yelled, “God Jul, Julenissen!”As the Julenissen joined us, Leah said, “Nice to see you again, Mr. Bjornstad.”The Julenissen opened a small cloth sack, pulled out a straw goat wrapped with red ribbons, and handed it to Jorunn. Leah explained that the Julenissen come around to houses on Christmas Eve to hand out presents and chocolate to the children. Often, more than one Julenissen would knock on your door during the evening. Unlike America, children get to meet the Julenissen in Norway.“It wouldn’t be the same this year without one of your julebukk!” said an excited Jorunn. Mr. Bjornstad had been coming to Jorunn’s house for a long time, and told us he likes to keep alive the old Norse traditions, such as the julebukk. In addition to handing out hand-made gifts, he tells folklore stories and tales from the days of the Vikings. What a wonderful thing to do to preserve the ancient Norse legacy of sagas and storytelling.Leah excused herself as Mr. Bjornstad started telling such a tale to Jorunn and me. He described Valhalla, where Odin and the brave warriors would train by day, and feast on roast boar and ale at night. Leah returned a moment later with four glasses of Aquavit. We toasted the season and sipped our Aquavit with the Julenissen after the story ended. We then sang a Christmas song together.Then we went back inside and watched the DVD that Jorunn made. The tour sounded exciting and full of fun, which indeed, it was. It also gave Leah another chance to see me in action. It was a full evening, and close to 23:00 when the DVD ended. We were all tired, and it was time for bed. Jorunn told us she was going upstairs to take a shower. Leah and I followed her up to our two bedrooms.A Single CandleDecember 24th - Late EveningFive minutes later, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Opening it, Leah stood there, holding a single candle, and wearing a lavender-colored silk nightgown and robe set. The half-sleeve wrap robe only partially covered her nightgown, leaving the lace-trimmed bustline and hem of her nightgown exposed. She put a finger to her mouth and whispered, “Shhh!” Then she led me by hand to her bedroom. The only light inside came from her single candle.My eyes quickly adjusted, or perhaps it was just my intent stare, “You look incredible.”Leah

Poetry and baring the soul.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Arriving at her house, Leah and I carried my clothes up to the spare bedroom. I thanked Leah once again, then kissed her.Leah softly whispered, “Jorunn is downstairs!”I replied in the same whisper, “Then kiss me quietly.” And she did.I spent the remainder of the day doing my laundry, once Leah showed me how to use her Norwegian washing machine. Leah opened the clothes drying rack, and when done, I laid my clothes out to dry.For dinner, Leah prepared salmon fillets with boiled potatoes. As Jorunn and Leah washed the dishes, I sat on the center seat of the sofa, reflecting on the day. When they finished, both Jorunn and Leah rushed into the living room, extremely excited, and sat down on either side of me. Jorunn turned on the television and switched to Norwegian National Television. I wondered what the fuss was about.“Five more minutes,” yelped Jorunn.After a brief introduction, an old black-and-white movie started. Both Jorunn and Leah snuggled up tight against me and I put my arms around them. It felt great. The show, called “Dinner for One”, featured a 90-year-old countess celebrating her birthday. She invited four friends but outlived them all. Her butler decides to impersonate each of the four missing guests. As he slips into each of the roles, he drinks a toast, and quickly becomes intoxicated, leading to numerous sight gags. It felt good to laugh along with people again. It was rather short, and when it ended, Leah told me it was the most repeated television show of all time and is quite popular in Scandinavian countries and northern Europe.Leah and Jorunn went around rearranging and straightening Christmas decorations, then announced it was time to make Julekurver. I heard of them, but never actually made one. Made of paper, they are heart-shaped and filled with sweets.We quickly cleared the dining room table, then covered it with red and white paper, a plastic rule, a plastic circle, and scissor. Leah and Jorunn both moved quickly, folding a sheet of paper of each color, and I followed their action. Then it was time to measure and cut, and fortunately, they slowed down to allow me to keep up. Using a circle, we marked a half circle and cut the excess away. Then cut strips into the paper, not going all the way across. We wove the red and white papers together in a checkerboard pattern and unfolded them into a perfect heart shape. I thought the process rather inefficient and decided to show off my engineering skills from 3M by making a fancier one. As I unfolded it, Jorunn and Leah laughed, and a moment later, I discovered one way not to make a Julekurver.After a long and active day, I was tired, so I went to bed. Both Jorunn and Leah were talking softly in the living room as I drifted off to sleep.A nocturnal visitorDecember 23rd - Just Before MidnightI was startled awake when I heard my bedroom door close, followed by a soft, “Shush!”I listened closely in the total darkness for footsteps and heard someone approach my bed. Leah must be ready to resume what we started back at the hotel! A hand pulled back the covers, and instinctively I slid toward the middle of the bed to make space. Leah slid in next to me and drew the covers back over us.Leah moved and shifted, and a hand found the back of my head. I expected her lips to follow, and they did. Soft and gentle, a wonderful way for my nocturnal visitor to say hello. Leah told me at the hotel she did not want to feel rushed, so there was no urgency. Her lips retreated, and her hand slid down to caress my cheek, as delicate fingers gently stroked me.I reached out and found her left shoulder as Leah faced me, then marveled at the smoothness as my hand traced her arm downward. Approaching her hand, I extended further to touch her hip. I began softly rubbing, but her ass beckoned, and my hand moved to cup and squeeze her firm cheek. My fingers began shooting sensations of warmth, softness, and inner firmness directly to my brain. I pulled Leah tight against me and discovered she was already completely naked.Leah swung her left leg over me and moved to an upright position, straddling my crotch. Beneath my boxer shorts, my erect cock fought for release. Her hand found my cock within its shelter but did not liberate it. Instead, her hand pushed my cock flat against my lower stomach, and she slid forward, trapping it with the swollen outer lips of her pussy. Leah began slowly gyrating, and even through the fabric of my boxers, I felt her pussy lips spreading as they slid along either side of my hidden cock.The hushed sounds of Leah cooing and moaning barely reached my ears, as dampness built between us. I reached up with both hands, found her small breasts, and used my thumbs to tease her nipples to an erection. A heavy breath followed by a long ‘uh. Oh; Ah!’ brought me close to premature orgasm, but this was not what Leah wanted, so I held back.Leah must have sensed I was close. She stopped gyrating, lifted herself, and then began inching herself up my torso. She paused for a moment and sat on my chest, then her hands reached out to touch my face. Two fingertips began touring my facial features as if Leah wanted to memorize every feature of my face. In the darkness, my senses heightened, her fingers swirled, and circled, and glided over me. I never would have imagined how erotic it felt.Leah resumed moving higher, her knees passing over my shoulders until they rested on either side of my head. I reached up to confirm what lay just inches above my face and grazed the same hairy splendor I sampled back at the hotel. Inhaling deeply, I picked up traces of the same body wash on her thighs. I was ready to dive back in, so I reached up and grabbed Leah’s hips, then pulled her pussy down toward my awaiting tongue. I paused as her short curly hair began painting her scent onto my face. The scent of arousal overpowered my senses. But? Something strange? I froze. The contradiction awoke my twilight dream state.“Why did you stop, Gunnar?” From the darkness came Jorunn’s voice! The dream of Leah's nocturnal visit was replaced by the reality of a beautiful young woman revealing her devotion and desire to this 56 year old guy.I was stunned. I couldn’t reveal the real reason I stopped; was uncertainty. Jorunn’s pussy smelled different than Leah’s! I hadn’t noticed any difference between Leah’s and Jorunn’s tall, fit bodies. If there were any, they were undetectable in the darkness, especially with only my brief exposure to Leah. “I can’t do this with you, Jorunn.” I softly and sincerely spoke.“I want to make love to you tonight, Gunnar. More than anything in the world. Am I not pretty enough? Has not enough time passed since your wife’s funeral? You are the only man in the world I can love to, without fear of being hurt.”“Jorunn, you are an incredibly beautiful woman. For months, I fantasized about holding you in my arms, kissing you, and wishing to be exactly where I am now. But yesterday, I met your mother.”Jorunn asked, “Did she order you not to have sex with me?”I replied, “It’s not that. I think I’m falling in love with Leah. We spent a wonderful day together, and she swept me off my feet. If that love turns out to be mutual, I am prepared to pledge my heart totally to her and her alone. A lifetime commitment, one I will never dishonor. The only reason you and I got this far tonight is that in the darkness and my dream state, I thought you were Leah. I never would have done it otherwise.” But you are a lovely and desirable woman. I respect you and Leah. So much that I cannot be false to either of you. And I cannot dishonor myself, by doing what I know is dishonorable.”Jorunn shifted positions and lay next to me in the bed. In the darkness, Jorunn whispered, “You are so unlike my father. He always put himself first. I was ready to give myself to you tonight. You could have kept quiet and let it happen. Then lied about it to my mother in the morning. But you didn’t. You are a better man than my father ever was, and I know you will make my mother happy. Please don’t be afraid to give her, and yourself, a chance. She really needs someone like you in her life.”I heard a soft sob and reached out to touch Jorunn’s face. She was crying. Jorunn came into my bedroom tonight, looking for someone to love. She didn’t know about Leah and me, or what happened between us at the hotel. I very much doubt her mother would have told her. I admired what Jorunn just did. She was sacrificing her chance at love so that her mother might have one. Jorunn knew that she bore the duty to initiate affection, after so harshly rejecting my romantic advances, last week.Silence followed, before Jorunn finally said, “What you have shown me, Gunnar, is that there are still good men in this world. But I am still afraid to look for them.”I thought back to the day Jorunn and I went sledging. “Remember what you told me at Korketrekkeren? You don’t need to be afraid of looking for a man, Jorunn. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try looking for a man. Promise me that you will push off, just like riding a sledge, and start looking. When you reach the bottom of that scary hill, you will no longer be afraid, and someone you love will be waiting there for you.”“I will, Gunnar. I promise. And thank you.” Jorunn climbed out of my bed and closed the door as she left.Christmas EveDecember 24 - MorningI woke up in the guest room bed. Hearing noises and holiday folk music in the kitchen, I dressed and went downstairs. Leah smiled and said, “God Jul!”, Norwegian's way of saying merry Christmas. Then she made me scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Afterward, I enjoyed a slice of fruited Christmas Cake with coffee.“Leah, there is something I need to tell you. Jorunn came into my room last night looking for a man to love. In the darkness and my dream state, I thought it was you. It took a moment for me to realize it was Jorunn, and I stopped myself before going too far. Jorunn and I talked, and I confessed my love for you, to her. She understood, and asked that I give that love a chance. I want to do that. I asked Jorunn to no longer be afraid to look for love, and she agreed.”“Thank you for telling me, Gunnar. I have struggled to get Jorunn to go on dates after her father hurt her so badly. You must be a special man to find a place in her heart.”Leah sat down at the table with me, and continued; “I trust Jorunn, and now I trust you. So you will know, I will come to you tonight, bearing a lighted candle.”I said, “That sounds romantic.” My cock jolted to attention, under my trousers. I smiled and winked.Leah replied, “Wait until you see what I will be wearing.” She stood and returned to her baking, as the soft holiday music filled the busy kitchen. Leah's hips softly gyrated to the soft beat as she hummed with the lyrics.Jorunn came down later for breakfast, and after eating, she announced she would be working on edits and voiceovers for her recent videos. Since they were related to Christmas, she wanted to finish them to post them later tonight.Just before lunch, Leah led me back to the television and as we snuggled on the couch, she turned on “Tre Notter til Askepott”, a 1973 Czech reenactment of Cinderella, dubbed into Norwegian. The story was familiar, with Cinderella granted three wishes. It was enjoyable, but the dubbed dialog did not quite match the lips of the actors, so I needed to concentrate on what they were saying. Leah mentioned that this show is so popular in Norway, that storms of protest arose one year when they decided not to broadcast it. They ended up sending it out later in the holiday.Jorunn joined Leah and me for lunch. We ate Risengrynsgrot, which is rice porridge cooked with milk, sugar, and vanilla. We each had a bowl, and hiding in one of the three bowls was an almond. I suspected possible cheating such that I would be the one getting the almond, but as it turned out, Jorunn got the lucky bowl. As her prize, Leah gave Jorunn a chocolate-covered marzipan pig, an oddity for certain, but part of the tradition. There was porridge left over, and Leah said she would use it to make Riskrem, the delicious rice dessert eaten after tonight’s dinner. Solveig’s Riskrem was one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and I was looking forward to tasting Leah’s.Leah turned to me and said, “If you want to eat, you must help in the kitchen.”Cooking was not something I knew very well, and after Leah led me into the kitchen, I let her know that. But since we were alone, I moved behind her, pulled her blonde hair aside, and nuzzled her neck.Leah said, “If you don’t stop, Gunnar, it will take longer before we eat.” But she wiggled her hips into my crotch before spinning out of my embrace.I helped Leah remove a large roasting pan from the refrigerator and put it in the oven. “That’s a strange-looking piece of meat,” I said.Leah replied, “It is called Ribbe, or roasted pork belly. It is one of the most popular Christmas meals in Norway. I scored the fat layer on top two days ago into a checkerboard pattern. Once cooked, the bottom meat stays tender while the cracklings on top get crispy.”Leah handed me a vegetable peeler and pointed to a bag of potatoes. I needed no further instructions on this. While I worked, Leah flittered around the kitchen, preparing the side dishes. She looked genuinely happy, and we talked and laughed and told tales of Christmases long ago.Just as we pulled the Ribbe from the oven, church bells began ringing from multiple sources. It was 17:00.“It seems like an odd time for church bells,” I said.Leah replied, “In Scandinavia, a new day traditionally starts at sundown, not midnight. Following the old ways, Christmas Day has arrived. It is time to eat.”Jorunn joined us in the mad flurry of activity as places were set, and food moved from the kitchen to the dining room. On the table was Ribbe, boiled potatoes, meatballs, gravy, sausages, sauerkraut, prunes, and lingonberries. Leah poured each of us a tall glass of juleøl, a dark spiced ale, brewed during Christmas all over Norway. She said at one time, a Norwegian king made it illegal to Not brew Christmas Ale. Everything was delicious, and I ate until I could stuff in no more.After dinner, we cleaned up and went into the living room to enjoy coffee, cookies, and a small bowl of Riskrem. I wondered why Leah brought out four bowls of Riskrem. Three topped with whipped cream and a berry sauce, one with only a blob of butter in the middle.Leah said, “We set out a bowl of porridge every Christmas for the fjøsnissen. The tradition evolved from the days when farming families would offer porridge to their barn elf, or nisse. The nisse takes care of the animals in the barn during winter so they don’t get sick. If you don’t do this, the fjøsnissen will play tricks on you.”As we nibbled, Jorunn set the bowl of porridge outside the front door for the fjøsnissen. Then we sat and watched an American Christmas movie on television. After it ended, Leah announced it was time to open the presents. I suspected this would happen and was glad I bought a gift for both Leah and Jorunn. We each dispersed, returned with our packages, and placed them under the Christmas tree.As expected, Leah and Jorunn shared the most gifts for each other, opening the usual mix of chocolates, clothing, and kitchen items. Then Jorunn handed me a gift from her. I opened it and found a DVD labeled, 'Christmas in Norway Tour’, along with a link and instructions to download the video if I preferred. Jorunn told me she made an hour-long video of all the things we did together over the past week, adding music and voiceovers so I would remember the now-completed tour. In exceedingly small letters, at the bottom of the instructions, I saw a link for a story with a similar name and suspected it might be one full of adjectives.Jorunn then opened my gift to her. I remembered the small camera she used this past week and bought her a new top-of-the-line digital camera. From her reaction, I did well.Leah then opened my gift to her. I purchased a genuinely nice Advent star to hang in her window, since she did not have one. It was large and electrically lit and after opening it, she wanted to hang it up right away, which we did. Then we went outside to see how it looked. Leah kissed me and whispered that the Advent Star possessed a special meaning for her this year, a sign of brighter days ahead.Seeing us standing outside, a Julenissen crossed the street and came up to us. The man, dressed in a red jacket with a matching pointed red hat, carried a cloth sack. He was older, and his white beard looked genuine.Jorunn yelled, “God Jul, Julenissen!”As the Julenissen joined us, Leah said, “Nice to see you again, Mr. Bjornstad.”The Julenissen opened a small cloth sack, pulled out a straw goat wrapped with red ribbons, and handed it to Jorunn. Leah explained that the Julenissen come around to houses on Christmas Eve to hand out presents and chocolate to the children. Often, more than one Julenissen would knock on your door during the evening. Unlike America, children get to meet the Julenissen in Norway.“It wouldn’t be the same this year without one of your julebukk!” said an excited Jorunn. Mr. Bjornstad had been coming to Jorunn’s house for a long time, and told us he likes to keep alive the old Norse traditions, such as the julebukk. In addition to handing out hand-made gifts, he tells folklore stories and tales from the days of the Vikings. What a wonderful thing to do to preserve the ancient Norse legacy of sagas and storytelling.Leah excused herself as Mr. Bjornstad started telling such a tale to Jorunn and me. He described Valhalla, where Odin and the brave warriors would train by day, and feast on roast boar and ale at night. Leah returned a moment later with four glasses of Aquavit. We toasted the season and sipped our Aquavit with the Julenissen after the story ended. We then sang a Christmas song together.Then we went back inside and watched the DVD that Jorunn made. The tour sounded exciting and full of fun, which indeed, it was. It also gave Leah another chance to see me in action. It was a full evening, and close to 23:00 when the DVD ended. We were all tired, and it was time for bed. Jorunn told us she was going upstairs to take a shower. Leah and I followed her up to our two bedrooms.A Single CandleDecember 24th - Late EveningFive minutes later, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Opening it, Leah stood there, holding a single candle, and wearing a lavender-colored silk nightgown and robe set. The half-sleeve wrap robe only partially covered her nightgown, leaving the lace-trimmed bustline and hem of her nightgown exposed. She put a finger to her mouth and whispered, “Shhh!” Then she led me by hand to her bedroom. The only light inside came from her single candle.My eyes quickly adjusted, or perhaps it was just my intent stare, “You look incredible.”Leah

Poetry and baring the soul.Based on a post by Jorunn, in 4 parts. Listen to the ►Podcast at Connected.Arriving at her house, Leah and I carried my clothes up to the spare bedroom. I thanked Leah once again, then kissed her.Leah softly whispered, “Jorunn is downstairs!”I replied in the same whisper, “Then kiss me quietly.” And she did.I spent the remainder of the day doing my laundry, once Leah showed me how to use her Norwegian washing machine. Leah opened the clothes drying rack, and when done, I laid my clothes out to dry.For dinner, Leah prepared salmon fillets with boiled potatoes. As Jorunn and Leah washed the dishes, I sat on the center seat of the sofa, reflecting on the day. When they finished, both Jorunn and Leah rushed into the living room, extremely excited, and sat down on either side of me. Jorunn turned on the television and switched to Norwegian National Television. I wondered what the fuss was about.“Five more minutes,” yelped Jorunn.After a brief introduction, an old black-and-white movie started. Both Jorunn and Leah snuggled up tight against me and I put my arms around them. It felt great. The show, called “Dinner for One”, featured a 90-year-old countess celebrating her birthday. She invited four friends but outlived them all. Her butler decides to impersonate each of the four missing guests. As he slips into each of the roles, he drinks a toast, and quickly becomes intoxicated, leading to numerous sight gags. It felt good to laugh along with people again. It was rather short, and when it ended, Leah told me it was the most repeated television show of all time and is quite popular in Scandinavian countries and northern Europe.Leah and Jorunn went around rearranging and straightening Christmas decorations, then announced it was time to make Julekurver. I heard of them, but never actually made one. Made of paper, they are heart-shaped and filled with sweets.We quickly cleared the dining room table, then covered it with red and white paper, a plastic rule, a plastic circle, and scissor. Leah and Jorunn both moved quickly, folding a sheet of paper of each color, and I followed their action. Then it was time to measure and cut, and fortunately, they slowed down to allow me to keep up. Using a circle, we marked a half circle and cut the excess away. Then cut strips into the paper, not going all the way across. We wove the red and white papers together in a checkerboard pattern and unfolded them into a perfect heart shape. I thought the process rather inefficient and decided to show off my engineering skills from 3M by making a fancier one. As I unfolded it, Jorunn and Leah laughed, and a moment later, I discovered one way not to make a Julekurver.After a long and active day, I was tired, so I went to bed. Both Jorunn and Leah were talking softly in the living room as I drifted off to sleep.A nocturnal visitorDecember 23rd - Just Before MidnightI was startled awake when I heard my bedroom door close, followed by a soft, “Shush!”I listened closely in the total darkness for footsteps and heard someone approach my bed. Leah must be ready to resume what we started back at the hotel! A hand pulled back the covers, and instinctively I slid toward the middle of the bed to make space. Leah slid in next to me and drew the covers back over us.Leah moved and shifted, and a hand found the back of my head. I expected her lips to follow, and they did. Soft and gentle, a wonderful way for my nocturnal visitor to say hello. Leah told me at the hotel she did not want to feel rushed, so there was no urgency. Her lips retreated, and her hand slid down to caress my cheek, as delicate fingers gently stroked me.I reached out and found her left shoulder as Leah faced me, then marveled at the smoothness as my hand traced her arm downward. Approaching her hand, I extended further to touch her hip. I began softly rubbing, but her ass beckoned, and my hand moved to cup and squeeze her firm cheek. My fingers began shooting sensations of warmth, softness, and inner firmness directly to my brain. I pulled Leah tight against me and discovered she was already completely naked.Leah swung her left leg over me and moved to an upright position, straddling my crotch. Beneath my boxer shorts, my erect cock fought for release. Her hand found my cock within its shelter but did not liberate it. Instead, her hand pushed my cock flat against my lower stomach, and she slid forward, trapping it with the swollen outer lips of her pussy. Leah began slowly gyrating, and even through the fabric of my boxers, I felt her pussy lips spreading as they slid along either side of my hidden cock.The hushed sounds of Leah cooing and moaning barely reached my ears, as dampness built between us. I reached up with both hands, found her small breasts, and used my thumbs to tease her nipples to an erection. A heavy breath followed by a long ‘uh. Oh; Ah!’ brought me close to premature orgasm, but this was not what Leah wanted, so I held back.Leah must have sensed I was close. She stopped gyrating, lifted herself, and then began inching herself up my torso. She paused for a moment and sat on my chest, then her hands reached out to touch my face. Two fingertips began touring my facial features as if Leah wanted to memorize every feature of my face. In the darkness, my senses heightened, her fingers swirled, and circled, and glided over me. I never would have imagined how erotic it felt.Leah resumed moving higher, her knees passing over my shoulders until they rested on either side of my head. I reached up to confirm what lay just inches above my face and grazed the same hairy splendor I sampled back at the hotel. Inhaling deeply, I picked up traces of the same body wash on her thighs. I was ready to dive back in, so I reached up and grabbed Leah’s hips, then pulled her pussy down toward my awaiting tongue. I paused as her short curly hair began painting her scent onto my face. The scent of arousal overpowered my senses. But? Something strange? I froze. The contradiction awoke my twilight dream state.“Why did you stop, Gunnar?” From the darkness came Jorunn’s voice! The dream of Leah's nocturnal visit was replaced by the reality of a beautiful young woman revealing her devotion and desire to this 56 year old guy.I was stunned. I couldn’t reveal the real reason I stopped; was uncertainty. Jorunn’s pussy smelled different than Leah’s! I hadn’t noticed any difference between Leah’s and Jorunn’s tall, fit bodies. If there were any, they were undetectable in the darkness, especially with only my brief exposure to Leah. “I can’t do this with you, Jorunn.” I softly and sincerely spoke.“I want to make love to you tonight, Gunnar. More than anything in the world. Am I not pretty enough? Has not enough time passed since your wife’s funeral? You are the only man in the world I can love to, without fear of being hurt.”“Jorunn, you are an incredibly beautiful woman. For months, I fantasized about holding you in my arms, kissing you, and wishing to be exactly where I am now. But yesterday, I met your mother.”Jorunn asked, “Did she order you not to have sex with me?”I replied, “It’s not that. I think I’m falling in love with Leah. We spent a wonderful day together, and she swept me off my feet. If that love turns out to be mutual, I am prepared to pledge my heart totally to her and her alone. A lifetime commitment, one I will never dishonor. The only reason you and I got this far tonight is that in the darkness and my dream state, I thought you were Leah. I never would have done it otherwise.” But you are a lovely and desirable woman. I respect you and Leah. So much that I cannot be false to either of you. And I cannot dishonor myself, by doing what I know is dishonorable.”Jorunn shifted positions and lay next to me in the bed. In the darkness, Jorunn whispered, “You are so unlike my father. He always put himself first. I was ready to give myself to you tonight. You could have kept quiet and let it happen. Then lied about it to my mother in the morning. But you didn’t. You are a better man than my father ever was, and I know you will make my mother happy. Please don’t be afraid to give her, and yourself, a chance. She really needs someone like you in her life.”I heard a soft sob and reached out to touch Jorunn’s face. She was crying. Jorunn came into my bedroom tonight, looking for someone to love. She didn’t know about Leah and me, or what happened between us at the hotel. I very much doubt her mother would have told her. I admired what Jorunn just did. She was sacrificing her chance at love so that her mother might have one. Jorunn knew that she bore the duty to initiate affection, after so harshly rejecting my romantic advances, last week.Silence followed, before Jorunn finally said, “What you have shown me, Gunnar, is that there are still good men in this world. But I am still afraid to look for them.”I thought back to the day Jorunn and I went sledging. “Remember what you told me at Korketrekkeren? You don’t need to be afraid of looking for a man, Jorunn. What you need to be afraid of is being too afraid to try looking for a man. Promise me that you will push off, just like riding a sledge, and start looking. When you reach the bottom of that scary hill, you will no longer be afraid, and someone you love will be waiting there for you.”“I will, Gunnar. I promise. And thank you.” Jorunn climbed out of my bed and closed the door as she left.Christmas EveDecember 24 - MorningI woke up in the guest room bed. Hearing noises and holiday folk music in the kitchen, I dressed and went downstairs. Leah smiled and said, “God Jul!”, Norwegian's way of saying merry Christmas. Then she made me scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Afterward, I enjoyed a slice of fruited Christmas Cake with coffee.“Leah, there is something I need to tell you. Jorunn came into my room last night looking for a man to love. In the darkness and my dream state, I thought it was you. It took a moment for me to realize it was Jorunn, and I stopped myself before going too far. Jorunn and I talked, and I confessed my love for you, to her. She understood, and asked that I give that love a chance. I want to do that. I asked Jorunn to no longer be afraid to look for love, and she agreed.”“Thank you for telling me, Gunnar. I have struggled to get Jorunn to go on dates after her father hurt her so badly. You must be a special man to find a place in her heart.”Leah sat down at the table with me, and continued; “I trust Jorunn, and now I trust you. So you will know, I will come to you tonight, bearing a lighted candle.”I said, “That sounds romantic.” My cock jolted to attention, under my trousers. I smiled and winked.Leah replied, “Wait until you see what I will be wearing.” She stood and returned to her baking, as the soft holiday music filled the busy kitchen. Leah's hips softly gyrated to the soft beat as she hummed with the lyrics.Jorunn came down later for breakfast, and after eating, she announced she would be working on edits and voiceovers for her recent videos. Since they were related to Christmas, she wanted to finish them to post them later tonight.Just before lunch, Leah led me back to the television and as we snuggled on the couch, she turned on “Tre Notter til Askepott”, a 1973 Czech reenactment of Cinderella, dubbed into Norwegian. The story was familiar, with Cinderella granted three wishes. It was enjoyable, but the dubbed dialog did not quite match the lips of the actors, so I needed to concentrate on what they were saying. Leah mentioned that this show is so popular in Norway, that storms of protest arose one year when they decided not to broadcast it. They ended up sending it out later in the holiday.Jorunn joined Leah and me for lunch. We ate Risengrynsgrot, which is rice porridge cooked with milk, sugar, and vanilla. We each had a bowl, and hiding in one of the three bowls was an almond. I suspected possible cheating such that I would be the one getting the almond, but as it turned out, Jorunn got the lucky bowl. As her prize, Leah gave Jorunn a chocolate-covered marzipan pig, an oddity for certain, but part of the tradition. There was porridge left over, and Leah said she would use it to make Riskrem, the delicious rice dessert eaten after tonight’s dinner. Solveig’s Riskrem was one of my favorite parts of the holiday season, and I was looking forward to tasting Leah’s.Leah turned to me and said, “If you want to eat, you must help in the kitchen.”Cooking was not something I knew very well, and after Leah led me into the kitchen, I let her know that. But since we were alone, I moved behind her, pulled her blonde hair aside, and nuzzled her neck.Leah said, “If you don’t stop, Gunnar, it will take longer before we eat.” But she wiggled her hips into my crotch before spinning out of my embrace.I helped Leah remove a large roasting pan from the refrigerator and put it in the oven. “That’s a strange-looking piece of meat,” I said.Leah replied, “It is called Ribbe, or roasted pork belly. It is one of the most popular Christmas meals in Norway. I scored the fat layer on top two days ago into a checkerboard pattern. Once cooked, the bottom meat stays tender while the cracklings on top get crispy.”Leah handed me a vegetable peeler and pointed to a bag of potatoes. I needed no further instructions on this. While I worked, Leah flittered around the kitchen, preparing the side dishes. She looked genuinely happy, and we talked and laughed and told tales of Christmases long ago.Just as we pulled the Ribbe from the oven, church bells began ringing from multiple sources. It was 17:00.“It seems like an odd time for church bells,” I said.Leah replied, “In Scandinavia, a new day traditionally starts at sundown, not midnight. Following the old ways, Christmas Day has arrived. It is time to eat.”Jorunn joined us in the mad flurry of activity as places were set, and food moved from the kitchen to the dining room. On the table was Ribbe, boiled potatoes, meatballs, gravy, sausages, sauerkraut, prunes, and lingonberries. Leah poured each of us a tall glass of juleøl, a dark spiced ale, brewed during Christmas all over Norway. She said at one time, a Norwegian king made it illegal to Not brew Christmas Ale. Everything was delicious, and I ate until I could stuff in no more.After dinner, we cleaned up and went into the living room to enjoy coffee, cookies, and a small bowl of Riskrem. I wondered why Leah brought out four bowls of Riskrem. Three topped with whipped cream and a berry sauce, one with only a blob of butter in the middle.Leah said, “We set out a bowl of porridge every Christmas for the fjøsnissen. The tradition evolved from the days when farming families would offer porridge to their barn elf, or nisse. The nisse takes care of the animals in the barn during winter so they don’t get sick. If you don’t do this, the fjøsnissen will play tricks on you.”As we nibbled, Jorunn set the bowl of porridge outside the front door for the fjøsnissen. Then we sat and watched an American Christmas movie on television. After it ended, Leah announced it was time to open the presents. I suspected this would happen and was glad I bought a gift for both Leah and Jorunn. We each dispersed, returned with our packages, and placed them under the Christmas tree.As expected, Leah and Jorunn shared the most gifts for each other, opening the usual mix of chocolates, clothing, and kitchen items. Then Jorunn handed me a gift from her. I opened it and found a DVD labeled, 'Christmas in Norway Tour’, along with a link and instructions to download the video if I preferred. Jorunn told me she made an hour-long video of all the things we did together over the past week, adding music and voiceovers so I would remember the now-completed tour. In exceedingly small letters, at the bottom of the instructions, I saw a link for a story with a similar name and suspected it might be one full of adjectives.Jorunn then opened my gift to her. I remembered the small camera she used this past week and bought her a new top-of-the-line digital camera. From her reaction, I did well.Leah then opened my gift to her. I purchased a genuinely nice Advent star to hang in her window, since she did not have one. It was large and electrically lit and after opening it, she wanted to hang it up right away, which we did. Then we went outside to see how it looked. Leah kissed me and whispered that the Advent Star possessed a special meaning for her this year, a sign of brighter days ahead.Seeing us standing outside, a Julenissen crossed the street and came up to us. The man, dressed in a red jacket with a matching pointed red hat, carried a cloth sack. He was older, and his white beard looked genuine.Jorunn yelled, “God Jul, Julenissen!”As the Julenissen joined us, Leah said, “Nice to see you again, Mr. Bjornstad.”The Julenissen opened a small cloth sack, pulled out a straw goat wrapped with red ribbons, and handed it to Jorunn. Leah explained that the Julenissen come around to houses on Christmas Eve to hand out presents and chocolate to the children. Often, more than one Julenissen would knock on your door during the evening. Unlike America, children get to meet the Julenissen in Norway.“It wouldn’t be the same this year without one of your julebukk!” said an excited Jorunn. Mr. Bjornstad had been coming to Jorunn’s house for a long time, and told us he likes to keep alive the old Norse traditions, such as the julebukk. In addition to handing out hand-made gifts, he tells folklore stories and tales from the days of the Vikings. What a wonderful thing to do to preserve the ancient Norse legacy of sagas and storytelling.Leah excused herself as Mr. Bjornstad started telling such a tale to Jorunn and me. He described Valhalla, where Odin and the brave warriors would train by day, and feast on roast boar and ale at night. Leah returned a moment later with four glasses of Aquavit. We toasted the season and sipped our Aquavit with the Julenissen after the story ended. We then sang a Christmas song together.Then we went back inside and watched the DVD that Jorunn made. The tour sounded exciting and full of fun, which indeed, it was. It also gave Leah another chance to see me in action. It was a full evening, and close to 23:00 when the DVD ended. We were all tired, and it was time for bed. Jorunn told us she was going upstairs to take a shower. Leah and I followed her up to our two bedrooms.A Single CandleDecember 24th - Late EveningFive minutes later, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Opening it, Leah stood there, holding a single candle, and wearing a lavender-colored silk nightgown and robe set. The half-sleeve wrap robe only partially covered her nightgown, leaving the lace-trimmed bustline and hem of her nightgown exposed. She put a finger to her mouth and whispered, “Shhh!” Then she led me by hand to her bedroom. The only light inside came from her single candle.My eyes quickly adjusted, or perhaps it was just my intent stare, “You look incredible.”Leah

Chaim Bloom spoke with reporters on Thursday in Jupiter and shared that Lars Nootbaar will be delayed in arriving to Cardinals camp. Don't panic: The reason seems like a pretty understandable one.Plus, an update on Ivan Herrera's WBC participation.

Subscribe: https://barstool.link/3vOJjvs Chapters: 00:00 - 05:00 - Landing in SF, and walking the red carpet 05:01 - 18:18 - Arriving at the suite 18:19 - 25:35 - Meeting Tom Brady 25:36 - 35:05 - Getting trolled by John Hamm 35:06 - 40:26 - Traveling with Dave/Half time show 40:27 - 45:40 - New York Post article 45:40 - 50:47 - Jerry Thornton 50:48 - 1:02:30 - Trish travels to Turkey/closing thoughts Pat recaps his trip to the Big Game, meeting Tom Brady, John Hamm, and what it's like traveling with Dave Portnoy. Plus a breakdown of the halftime show and debunking a New York Post article about Barstool employees. That plus an ode to Jerry Thornton and a preview of Pat's trip to Turkey. LIke this video PUH-LEASE!! Love you all hehe SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: Green Chef: Head to https://Greenchef.com/50about and use code 50about to get 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months with free shipping. Stella Blue: All-new Stella Blue Coffee canned lattes now available at stellabluecoffee.com.You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/outandabout

Doug Marcaida of Forged in Fire on the History Channel brings the Filipino Martial art of Kali to the world of comics in Lineage. Estranged Brothers Miguel and Virgil are reunited by the death of their father and the trauma of a mysterious cult that has haunted them since they were children. Miguel and Virgil must remember the training given to to them by their father as the Blades passed down by generation are very distinct to their culture. The story not only brings the action you would expect from a martial arts comic, but the studies and philosophies built in the foundation of Kali and the idea of Legacy and Mentorship in the reunion of Family. Arriving 2/16 on KickstarterConcept/Story by Doug MarcaidaWritten by Justin Quizon & Earl BaylonArtwork by Felix MoralesColors by Raymund LeeLetters by PatricioGinelsaSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-faqs-project-hosted-by-james-grandmaster-faqs-boyce/donations

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Australia correspondent Nomi Kaltmann joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Thousands gathered across Australia on Monday to protest the arrival of President Isaac Herzog, who is on a multi-city trip aimed at expressing solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community. Herzog is visiting Australia this week at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the aftermath of the December 14 shooting at a Hanukkah event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that killed 15. The visit has attracted the ire of some people in Australia, who accuse Herzog of being complicit in civilian deaths in Gaza. Pro-Palestine, anti-Israel groups organized protests in cities and towns across the country on Monday evening. We hear how the Australian Jewish community is welcoming the president's visit, what Herzog's goals may be in Canberra and whether there could be unintended negative consequences in light of the allegations of police brutality from Monday's explosive anti-Israel protest. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Will Herzog’s Australia visit and new legislation assuage Jews’ fears after Bondi attack? Australia urges calm after violent clashes in Sydney over Herzog visit Protests in Sydney against Herzog’s visit turn violent amid scuffles with police Arriving in Australia, Herzog pays tribute to Bondi terror victims: ‘We shall overcome’ Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: Pro-Palestinian protesters take part in a demonstration against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Australia in Sydney on February 9, 2026. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever struggled with how to meditate when your mind feels too loud, too anxious, or just won't slow down? In this solo episode, I'm sharing what actually happened when I spent seven days at a monastery — and why the experience completely changed how I understand meditation. I didn't find instant peace. I met my own restlessness, overthinking, and discomfort first. I even got the flu! But that's exactly where the learning began.  If you've struggled with how to start meditation, or felt like meditation for anxiety just doesn't work for you, this episode offers a gentler way in. We talk about simple meditation techniques that support your nervous system instead of forcing stillness, and the real benefits of meditation that go far beyond relaxation. This is about learning how to sit with yourself without needing to fix or change what you find there.   Key Moments 02:12 — Arriving at the monastery: meeting my busy mind instead 08:40 — How to start meditation when stillness feels uncomfortable 16:05 — Meditation for anxiety: why nothing needed to be controlled 23:30 — Meditation techniques I learned from living alongside a monk 31:10 — The deeper benefits of meditation    Listen for… a softer, more honest way to meditate — one that helps you feel less at war with your thoughts and more at home in your own mind. How to meditate without trying to empty your mind or "do it right" What seven days with a monk revealed about anxiety and overthinking How to start meditation even if you've struggled to stick with it before The emotional and nervous system benefits of meditation  Meditation techniques that bring calm through understanding, not control     Resources Mentioned…  

Painted across the 1860s, it isn't a single memory – it's grief revisited.

Last time we spoke about The Battle of Suixian–Zaoyang-Shatow. Following the brutal 1938 capture of Wuhan, Japanese forces aimed to solidify their hold by launching an offensive against Chinese troops in the 5th War Zone, a rugged natural fortress in northern Hubei and southern Henan. Under General Yasuji Okamura, the 11th Army deployed three divisions and cavalry in a pincer assault starting May 1, 1939, targeting Suixian and Zaoyang to crush Nationalist resistance and secure flanks. Chinese commander Li Zongren, leveraging terrain like the Dabie and Tongbai Mountains, orchestrated defenses with over 200,000 troops, including Tang Enbo's 31st Army Group. By May 23, they recaptured Suixian and Zaoyang, forcing a Japanese withdrawal with heavy losses, over 13,000 Japanese casualties versus 25,000 Chinese, restoring pre-battle lines. Shifting south, Japan targeted Shantou in Guangdong to sever supply lines from Hong Kong. In a massive June 21 amphibious assault, the 21st Army overwhelmed thin Chinese defenses, capturing the port and Chao'an despite guerrilla resistance led by Zhang Fakui. Though losses mounted, Japan tightened its blockade, straining China's war effort amid ongoing attrition.   #188 From Changkufeng to Nomonhan Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Well hello again, and yes you all have probably guessed we are taking another detour. Do not worry I hope to shorten this one a bit more so than what became a sort of mini series on the battle of Changkufeng or Battle of Lake Khasan. What we are about to jump into is known in the west as the battle of khalkin Gol, by the Japanese the Nomohan incident. But first I need to sort of set the table up so to say. So back on August 10th, 1938 the Litvinov-Shigemitsu agreement established a joint border commission tasked with redemarcating the disputed boundary between the Soviet Union and Japanese-controlled Manchukuo. However, this commission never achieved a mutually agreeable definition of the border in the contested area. In reality, the outcome was decided well before the group's inaugural meeting. Mere hours after the cease-fire took effect on the afternoon of August 11, General Grigory Shtern convened with a regimental commander from Japan's 19th Division to coordinate the disengagement of forces. With the conflict deemed "honorably" concluded, Japan's Imperial General Headquarters mandated the swift withdrawal of all Japanese troops to the west bank of the Tumen River. By the night of August 13, as the final Japanese soldier crossed the river, it effectively became the de facto border. Soviet forces promptly reoccupied Changkufeng Hill and the adjacent heights—a move that would carry unexpected and profound repercussions. Authoritative Japanese military analyses suggest that if negotiations in Moscow had dragged on for just one more day, the 19th Division would likely have been dislodged from Changkufeng and its surrounding elevations. Undoubtedly, General Shtern's infantry breathed a sigh of relief as the bloodshed ceased. Yet, one can't help but question why Moscow opted for a cease-fire at a juncture when Soviet troops were on the cusp of total battlefield triumph. Perhaps Kremlin leaders deemed it wiser to settle for a substantial gain, roughly three-quarters of their objectives, rather than risk everything. After all, Japan had mobilized threatening forces in eastern Manchuria, and the Imperial Army had a history of impulsive, unpredictable aggression. Moreover, amid the escalating crisis over Czechoslovakia, Moscow may have been wary of provoking a broader Asian conflict. Another theory posits that Soviet high command was misinformed about the ground situation. Reports of capturing a small segment of Changkufeng's crest might have been misinterpreted as control over the entire ridge, or an imminent full takeover before midnight on August 10. The unexpected phone call from Foreign Minister Maxim Litvinov to the Japanese embassy that night—proposing a one-kilometer Japanese retreat in exchange for a cease-fire along existing lines—hints at communication breakdowns between Shtern's headquarters and the Kremlin. Ironically, such lapses may have preserved Japanese military honor, allowing the 19th Division's evacuation through diplomacy rather than defeat. Both sides endured severe losses. Initial Japanese press reports claimed 158 killed and 740 wounded. However, the 19th Division's medical logs reveal a grimmer toll: 526 dead and 914 injured, totaling 1,440 casualties. The true figure may have climbed higher, possibly to 1,500–2,000. Following the armistice, the Soviet news agency TASS reported 236 Red Army fatalities and 611 wounded. Given Shtern's uphill assaults across open terrain against entrenched positions, these numbers seem understated. Attackers in such scenarios typically suffered two to three times the defenders' losses, suggesting Soviet casualties ranged from 3,000 to 5,000. This aligns with a Soviet Military Council investigation on August 31, 1938, which documented 408 killed and 2,807 wounded. Japanese estimates placed Soviet losses even higher, at 4,500–7,000. Not all victims perished in combat. Marshal Vasily Blyukher, a decorated Soviet commander, former warlord of the Far East, and Central Committee candidate, was summoned to Moscow in August 1938. Relieved of duty in September and arrested with his family in October, he faced charges of inadequate preparation against Japanese aggression and harboring "enemies of the people" within his ranks. On November 9, 1938, Blyukher died during interrogation a euphemism for torture-induced death.Other innocents suffered as well. In the wake of the fighting, Soviet authorities deported hundreds of thousands of Korean rice farmers from the Ussuri region to Kazakhstan, aiming to eradicate Korean settlements that Japanese spies had allegedly exploited. The Changkufeng clash indirectly hampered Japan's Wuhan offensive, a massive push to subdue China. The influx of troops and supplies for this campaign was briefly disrupted by the border flare-up. Notably, Kwantung Army's 2nd Air Group, slated for Wuhan, was retained due to the Soviet threat. Chiang Kai-shek's drastic measure, breaching the Yellow River dikes to flood Japanese advance routes—further delayed the assault. By October 25, 1938, when Japanese forces captured Hankow, Chiang had relocated his capital to distant Chungking. Paradoxically, Wuhan's fall cut rail links from Canton inland, heightening Chiang's reliance on Soviet aid routed overland and by air from Central Asia. Japan secured a tactical win but missed the decisive blow; Chinese resistance persisted, pinning down a million Japanese troops in occupation duties. What was the true significance of Changkufeng? For General Koiso Suetaka and the 19th Division, it evoked a mix of bitterness and pride. Those eager for combat got their share, though not on their terms. To veterans mourning fallen comrades on those desolate slopes, it might have felt like senseless tragedy. Yet, they fought valiantly under dire conditions, holding firm until a retreat that blended humiliation with imperial praise, a bittersweet inheritance. For the Red Army, it marked a crucial trial of resolve amid Stalin's purges. While Shtern's forces didn't shine brilliantly, they acquitted themselves well in adversity. The U.S. military attaché in Moscow observed that any purge-related inefficiencies had been surmounted, praising the Red Army's valor, reliability, and equipment. His counterpart in China, Colonel Joseph Stilwell, put it bluntly: the Soviets "appeared to advantage," urging skeptics to rethink notions of a weakened Red Army. Yet, by World War II's eve, many British, French, German, and Japanese leaders still dismissed it as a "paper tiger." Soviet leaders appeared content, promoting Shtern to command the Transbaikal Military District and colonel general by 1940, while honoring "Heroes of Lake Khasan" with medals. In a fiery November 7, 1938, speech, Marshal Kliment Voroshilov warned that future incursions would prompt strikes deep into enemy territory. Tokyo's views diverged sharply. Many in the military and government saw it as a stain on Imperial Army prestige, especially Kwantung Army, humiliated on Manchukuo soil it swore to protect. Colonel Masanobu Tsuji Inada, however, framed it as a successful reconnaissance, confirming Soviet border defense without broader aggression, allowing the Wuhan push to proceed safely. Critics, including Major General Gun Hashimoto and historians, questioned this. They argued IGHQ lacked contingency plans for a massive Soviet response, especially with Wuhan preparations underway since June. One expert warned Japan had "played with fire," risking Manchuria and Korea if escalation occurred. Yet, Japanese commanders gleaned few lessons, downplaying Soviet materiel superiority and maintaining disdain for Red Army prowess. The 19th Division's stand against outnumbered odds reinforced this hubris, as did tolerance for local insubordination—attitudes that would prove costly. The Kremlin, conversely, learned Japan remained unpredictable despite its China quagmire. But for Emperor Hirohito's intervention, the conflict might have ballooned. Amid purges and the Czech crisis, Stalin likely viewed it as a reminder of eastern vulnerabilities, especially with Munich advancing German threats westward. Both sides toyed with peril. Moderation won in Tokyo, but Kwantung Army seethed. On August 11, Premier Fumimaro Konoye noted the need for caution. Kwantung, however, pushed for and secured control of the disputed salient from Chosen Army by October 8, 1938. Even winter's chill couldn't quench their vengeful fire, setting the stage for future confrontations. A quick look at the regional map reveals how Manchukuo and the Mongolian People's Republic each jut into the other's territory like protruding salients. These bulges could be seen as aggressive thrusts into enemy land, yet they also risked encirclement and absorption by the opposing empire. A northward push from western Manchuria through Mongolia could sever the MPR and Soviet Far East from the USSR's heartland. Conversely, a pincer movement from Mongolia and the Soviet Maritime Province might envelop and isolate Manchukuo. This dynamic highlights the frontier's strategic volatility in the 1930s. One particularly tense sector was the broad Mongolian salient extending about 150 miles eastward into west-central Manchukuo. There, in mid-1939, Soviet-Japanese tensions erupted into major combat. Known to the Japanese as the Nomonhan Incident and to the Soviets and Mongolians as the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, this clash dwarfed the earlier Changkufeng affair in scale, duration, and impact. Spanning four months and claiming 30,000 to 50,000 casualties, it amounted to a small undeclared war, the modern era's first limited conflict between great powers. The Mongolian salient features vast, semiarid plains of sandy grassland, gently rolling terrain dotted with sparse scrub pines and low shrubs. The climate is unforgivingly continental: May brings hot days and freezing nights, while July and August see daytime highs exceeding 38°C (100°F in American units), with cool evenings. Swarms of mosquitoes and massive horseflies necessitate netting in summer. Rainfall is scarce, but dense morning fogs are common in August. Come September, temperatures plummet, with heavy snows by October and midwinter lows dipping to –34°C. This blend of North African aridity and North Dakotan winters supports only sparse populations, mainly two related but distinct Mongol tribes. The Buriat (or Barga) Mongols migrated into the Nomonhan area from the northwest in the late 17th to early 18th centuries, likely fleeing Russian expansion after the 1689 Treaty of Nerchinsk. Organized by Manchu emperors between 1732 and 1735, they settled east of the river they called Khalkhin Gol (Mongolian for "river"), in lands that would later become Manchukuo. The Khalkha Mongols, named for the word meaning "barrier" or "shield," traditionally guarded the Mongol Empire's northern frontiers. Their territories lay west of the Buriats, in what would become the MPR. For centuries, these tribes herded livestock across sands, river crossings, and desert paths, largely oblivious to any formal borders. For hundreds of years, the line dividing the Mongolian salient from western Manchuria was a hazy administrative divide within the Qing Empire. In the 20th century, Russia's detachment of Outer Mongolia and Japan's seizure of Manchuria transformed this vague boundary into a frontline between rival powers. The Nomonhan Incident ignited over this contested border. Near the salient's northeastern edge, the river, called Khalkhin Gol by Mongols and Soviets, and Halha by Manchurians and Japanese, flows northwest into Lake Buir Nor. The core dispute: Was the river, as Japan asserted, the historic boundary between Manchukuo and the MPR? Soviet and MPR officials insisted the line ran parallel to and 10–12 miles east of the river, claiming the intervening strip. Japan cited no fewer than 18 maps, from Chinese and Japanese sources, to support the river as the border, a logical choice in such barren terrain, where it served as the sole natural divider. Yet, Soviets and Mongolians countered with evidence like a 1919 Chinese postal atlas and maps from Japanese and Manchukuoan agencies (1919–1934). Unbeknownst to combatants, in July 1939, China's military attaché in Moscow shared a 1934 General Staff map with his American counterpart, showing the border east of the river. Postwar Japanese studies of 18th-century Chinese records confirm that in 1734, the Qing emperor set a boundary between Buriat and Khalkha Mongols east of the river, passing through the hamlet of Nomonhan—as the Soviets claimed. However, Kwantung Army Headquarters dismissed this as non-binding, viewing it as an internal Qing affair without Russian involvement. Two former Kwantung Army officers offer a pragmatic explanation: From 1931 to 1935, when Soviet forces in the Far East were weak, Japanese and Manchukuoan authorities imposed the river as the de facto border, with MPR acquiescence. By the mid- to late 1930s, as Soviet strength grew, Japan refused to yield, while Mongolians and Soviets rejected the river line, sparking clashes. In 1935, Kwantung Army revised its maps to align with the river claim. From late that year, the Lake Buir Nor–Halha sector saw frequent skirmishes between Manchukuoan and MPR patrols. Until mid-1938, frontier defense in northwestern Manchukuo fell to the 8th Border Garrison Unit , based near Hailar. This 7,000-man force, spread thin, lacked mobility, training, and, in Kwantung Army's eyes, combat readiness. That summer, the newly formed 23rd Division, under Kwantung Army, took station at Hailar, absorbing the 8th BGU under its command, led by Lieutenant General Michitaro Komatsubara. At 52, Komatsubara was a premier Russian specialist in the Imperial Army, with stints as military attaché in the USSR and head of Kwantung's Special Services Agency in Harbin. Standing 5'7" with a sturdy build, glasses, and a small mustache, he was detail-oriented, keeping meticulous diaries, writing lengthy letters, and composing poetry, though he lacked combat experience. Before departing Tokyo in July 1938, Komatsubara received briefings from Colonel Masazumi Inada, AGS Operations Section chief. Amid planning for Changkufeng, Inada urged calm on the Manchukuo-MPR border given China's ongoing campaigns. Guidelines: Ignore minor incidents, prioritize intelligence on Soviet forces east of Lake Baikal, and study operations against the Soviet Far East's western sector. Familiar with the region from his Harbin days, Komatsubara adopted a low-key approach. Neither impulsive nor aggressive, he kept the green 23rd Division near Hailar, delegating patrols to the 8th BGU. An autumn incident underscores his restraint. On November 1, 1938, an 8th BGU patrol was ambushed by MPR forces. Per Japanese accounts, the three-man team, led by a lieutenant, strayed too close to the border and was attacked 50 meters inside Manchukuo. The lieutenant escaped, but his men died. Komatsubara sent an infantry company to secure the site but forbade retaliation. He pursued body recovery diplomatically, protested to MPR and Soviet officials, and disciplined his officers: garrison leaders got five days' confinement for poor troop training, the lieutenant thirty days. Despite this caution, pressures at AGS and KwAHQ were mounting, poised to thrust the 23rd Division into fierce battle. Modern militaries routinely develop contingency plans against potential adversaries, and the mere existence of such strategies doesn't inherently signal aggressive intentions. That said, shifts in Japan's operational planning vis-à-vis the Soviet Union may have inadvertently fueled the Nomonhan Incident. From 1934 to 1938, Japanese war scenarios emphasized a massive surprise assault in the Ussuri River region, paired with defensive holding actions in northwestern Manchuria. However, between mid-1938 and early 1939, a clandestine joint task force from the Army General Staff  and Kwantung Army's Operations Departments crafted a bold new blueprint. This revised strategy proposed containing Soviet forces in the east and north while unleashing a full-scale offensive from Hailar, advancing west-northwest toward Chita and ultimately Lake Baikal. The goal: sever the Transbaikal Soviet Far East from the USSR's core. Dubbed Plan Eight-B, it gained Kwantung Army's endorsement in March 1939. Key architects—Colonels Takushiro Hattori and Masao Terada, along with Major Takeharu Shimanuki—were reassigned from AGS to Kwantung Army Headquarters to oversee implementation. The plan anticipated a five-year buildup before execution, with Hattori assuming the role of chief operations staff officer.  A map review exposes a glaring vulnerability in Plan Eight-B: the Japanese advance would leave its southern flank exposed to Soviet counterstrikes from the Mongolian salient. By spring 1939, KwAHQ likely began perceiving this protrusion as a strategic liability. Notably, at the outbreak of Nomonhan hostilities, no detailed operational contingencies for the area had been formalized. Concurrently, Japan initiated plans for a vital railroad linking Harlun Arshan to Hailar. While its direct tie to Plan Eight-B remains unclear, the route skirted perilously close to the Halha River, potentially heightening KwAHQ's focus on the disputed Mongolian salient. In early 1939, the 23rd Division intensified reconnaissance patrols near the river. Around this time, General Grigory Shtern, freshly appointed commander of Soviet Far Eastern forces, issued a public warning that Japan was gearing up for an assault on the Mongolian People's Republic. As Plan Eight-B took shape and railroad proposals advanced, KwAHQ issued a strikingly confrontational set of guidelines for frontier troops. These directives are often cited as a catalyst for the Nomonhan clash, forging a chain linking the 1937 Amur River incident, the 1938 Changkufeng debacle, and the 1939 conflict.Resentment had festered at KwAHQ over perceived AGS meddling during the Amur affair, which curtailed their command autonomy. This frustration intensified at Changkufeng, where General Kamezo Suetaka's 19th Division endured heavy losses, only for the contested Manchukuoan territory to be effectively ceded. Kwantung Army lobbied successfully to wrest oversight of the Changkufeng salient from Chosen Army. In November 1938, Major Masanobu Tsuji of KwAHQ's Operations Section was sent to survey the site. The audacious officer was dismayed: Soviet forces dominated the land from the disputed ridge to the Tumen River. Tsuji undertook several winter reconnaissance missions. His final outing in March 1939 involved leading 40 men to Changkufeng's base. With rifles slung non-threateningly, they ascended to within 200 yards of Soviet lines, formed a line, and urinated in unison, eliciting amused reactions from the enemy. They then picnicked with obentos and sake, sang army tunes, and left gifts of canned meat, chocolates, and whiskey. This theatrical stunt concealed Tsuji's real aim: covert photography proving Soviet fortifications encroached on Manchukuoan soil. Tsuji was a singular figure. Born of modest means, he embodied a modern samurai ethos, channeling a sharp intellect into a frail, often ailing body through feats of extraordinary daring. A creative tactician, he thrived in intelligence ops, political scheming, aerial scouting, planning, and frontline command—excelling across a tumultuous career. Yet, flaws marred his brilliance: narrow bigotry, virulent racism, and capacity for cruelty. Ever the ambitious outsider, Tsuji wielded outsized influence via gekokujo—Japan's tradition of subordinates steering policy from below. In 1939, he was a major, but his pivotal role at Nomonhan stemmed from this dynamic. Back in Hsinking after his Changkufeng escapade, Tsuji drafted a response plan: negotiate border "rectification" with the Soviets; if talks failed, launch an attack to expel intruders. Kwantung Army adopted it. Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Otozaburo Yano flew to Tokyo with Tsuji's photos, seeking AGS approval. There, he was rebuffed—Changkufeng was deemed settled, and minor violations should be overlooked amid Tokyo's aversion to Soviet conflict. Yano's plea that leniency would invite aggression was countered by notes on Europe's tensions restraining Moscow. Yano's return sparked outrage at KwAHQ, seen as AGS thwarting their imperial duty to safeguard Manchukuo. Fury peaked in the Operations Section, setting the stage for Tsuji's drafting of stringent new frontier guidelines: "Principles for the Settlement of Soviet-Manchukuoan Border Disputes." The core tenet: "If Soviet troops transgress the Manchukuoan frontiers, Kwantung Army will nip their ambitions in the bud by completely destroying them." Specific directives for local commanders included: "If the enemy crosses the frontiers … annihilate him without delay, employing strength carefully built up beforehand. To accomplish our mission, it is permissible to enter Soviet territory, or to trap or lure Soviet troops into Manchukuoan territory and allow them to remain there for some time… . Where boundary lines are not clearly defined, area defense commanders will, upon their own initiative, establish boundaries and indicate them to the forward elements… . In the event of an armed clash, fight until victory is won, regardless of relative strengths or of the location of the boundaries. If the enemy violates the borders, friendly units must challenge him courageously and endeavor to triumph in their zone of action without concerning themselves about the consequences, which will be the responsibility of higher headquarters." Major Tsuji Masanobu later justified the new guidelines by pointing to the "contradictory orders" that had hamstrung frontier commanders under the old rules. They were tasked with upholding Manchukuo's territorial integrity yet forbidden from actions that might spark conflict. This, Tsuji argued, bred hesitation, as officers feared repercussions for decisive responses to incursions. The updated directives aimed to alleviate this "anxiety," empowering local leaders to act boldly without personal liability. In truth, Tsuji's "Principles for the Settlement of Soviet-Manchukuoan Border Disputes" were more incendiary than conciliatory. They introduced provocative measures: authorizing commanders to unilaterally define unclear boundaries, enforce them with immediate force "shoot first, ask questions later", permit pursuits into enemy territory, and even encourage luring adversaries across the line. Such tactics flouted both government policy and official army doctrine, prioritizing escalation over restraint. The proposals sparked intense debate within Kwantung Army's Operations Section. Section chief Colonel Takushiro Hattori and Colonel Masao Terada outranked Tsuji, as did Major Takeharu Shimanuki, all recent transfers from the Army General Staff. Tsuji, however, boasted longer tenure at Kwantung Army Headquarters since April 1936 and in Operations since November 1937, making him the de facto veteran. Hattori and Terada hesitated to challenge the assertive major, whose reputation for intellect, persuasion, and deep knowledge of Manchuria commanded respect. In a 1960 interview, Shimanuki recalled Tsuji's dominance in discussions, where his proactive ideas often swayed the group. Unified, the section forwarded Tsuji's plan to Kwantung Army Command. Commander Lieutenant General Kenkichi Ueda consulted Chief of Staff General Rensuke Isogai and Vice Chief General Otozaburo Yano, seasoned leaders who should have spotted the guidelines' volatility. Yet, lingering grudges from AGS "interference" in past incidents like the Amur River and Changkufeng clouded their judgment. Ueda, Isogai, and Tsuji shared history from the 1932 Shanghai Incident: Tsuji, then a captain, led a company in the 7th Regiment under Colonel Isogai, with Yano as staff officer and Ueda commanding the 9th Division. Tsuji was wounded there, forging bonds of camaraderie. This "clique," which grew to include Hattori, Terada, and Shimanuki, amplified Tsuji's influence. Despite Isogai's initial reservations as the group's moderate voice, the guidelines won approval. Ueda issued them as Kwantung Army Operations Order 1488 on April 25, 1939, during a division commanders' conference at KwAHQ. A routine copy reached AGS in Tokyo, but no formal reply came. Preoccupied with the China War and alliance talks with Germany, AGS may have overlooked border matters. Colonel Masazumi Inada, AGS Operations head, later noted basic acceptance of Order 1488, with an informal expectation—relayed to Hattori and Terada—of prior consultation on violations. KwAHQ dismissed this as another Tokyo intrusion on their autonomy. Some Japanese analysts contend a stern AGS rejection might have prevented Nomonhan's catastrophe, though quelling Kwantung's defiance could have required mass staff reassignments, a disruptive step AGS avoided. Tsuji countered that permitting forceful action at Changkufeng would have deterred Nomonhan altogether, underscoring the interconnectedness of these clashes while implicitly critiquing the 1939 battle's location. Undeniably, Order 1488's issuance on April 25 paved the way for conflict three weeks later. Japanese records confirm that Khalkha Mongols and MPR patrols routinely crossed the Halha River—viewed by them as internal territory, 10 miles from the true border. Such crossings passed uneventfully in March and April 1939. Post-Order 1488, however, 23rd Division commander General Michitaro Komatsubara responded aggressively, setting the stage for escalation. The Nomonhan Incident ignited with a border clash on May 11–12, 1939, that rapidly spiraled into a major conflict. Over a dozen "authoritative" accounts exist, varying in viewpoint, focus, and specifics. After cross-referencing these sources, a coherent timeline emerges. On the night of May 10–11, a 20-man Mongolian People's Republic border patrol crossed eastward over the Halha River (known as Khalkhin Gol to Mongols and Soviets). About 10 miles east, atop a 150-foot sandy hill, lay the tiny hamlet of Nomonhan, a cluster of crude huts housing a few Mongol families. Just south flowed the Holsten River, merging westward into the broader Halha. By morning on May 11, Manchukuoan forces spotted the MPR patrol north of the Holsten and west of Nomonhan. In the MPR/Soviet perspective, Nomonhan Hill marked the Mongolia-Manchuria border. To Manchukuoans and Japanese, it sat 10 miles inside Manchukuo, well east of the Halha. A 40-man Manchukuoan cavalry unit repelled the Mongolians back across the river, inflicting initial casualties on both sides—the Manchukuoans drawing first blood. The MPR patrol leader exaggerated the attackers as 200 strong. The next day, May 12, a 60-man MPR force under Major P. Chogdan evicted the Manchukuoans from the disputed zone, reestablishing positions between the Halha and Nomonhan. The Manchukuoans, in turn, reported facing 700 enemies. Sporadic skirmishes and maneuvering persisted through the week. On May 13, two days post-clash, the local Manchukuoan commander alerted General Michitaro Komatsubara's 23rd Division headquarters in Hailar. Simultaneously, Major Chogdan reported to Soviet military command in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital. What began as a Mongolian-Manchukuoan spat was poised to draw in Soviet and Japanese patrons. Attributing the May 10–11 violation hinges on border interpretations: both sides claimed the Halha-Nomonhan strip. Yet, most accounts concur that Manchukuoan forces initiated the fighting. Post-May 13 notifications to Moscow and Tokyo clarify the record thereafter. Midday on May 13, Komatsubara was leading a staff conference on the newly issued Kwantung Army Operations Order 1488—Major Tsuji Masanobu's aggressive border guidelines. Ironically, the first Nomonhan combat report arrived mid-discussion. Officers present recall Komatsubara deciding instantly to "destroy the invading Outer Mongolian forces" per Order 1488. That afternoon, he informed Kwantung Army Headquarters of the incident and his intent to eradicate the intruders, requesting air support and trucks. General Kenkichi Ueda, Kwantung commander, approved Komatsubara's "positive attitude," dispatching six scout planes, 40 fighters, 10 light bombers, two anti-aircraft batteries, and two motorized transport companies. Ueda added a caveat: exercise "extreme caution" to prevent escalation—a paradoxical blend of destruction and restraint, reflective of KwAHQ's fervent mood. Ueda relayed the details to Tokyo's Army General Staff, which responded that Kwantung should handle it "appropriately." Despite Kwantung's impulsive reputation, Tokyo deferred, perhaps trusting the northern strategic imbalance, eight Japanese divisions versus 30 Soviet ones from Lake Baikal to Vladivostok, would enforce prudence. This faith proved misguided. On May 14, Major Tsuji flew from KwAHQ for aerial reconnaissance over Nomonhan, spotting 20 horses but no troops. Upon landing, a fresh bullet hole in his plane confirmed lingering MPR presence east of the Halha. Tsuji briefed 23rd Division staff and reported to Ueda that the incident seemed minor. Aligning with Order 1488's spirit, Komatsubara deployed a force under Lieutenant Colonel Yaozo Azuma: an armored car company, two infantry companies, and a cavalry troop. Arriving at Nomonhan on May 15, Azuma learned most MPR forces had retreated westward across the Halha the prior night, with only token elements remaining, and those withdrawing. Undeterred, he pursued. The advance met scant resistance, as foes had crossed the river. However, Japanese light bombers struck a small MPR concentration on the west bank, Outpost Number 7, killing two and wounding 15 per MPR reports; Japanese claimed 30–40 kills. All agree: the raid targeted undisputed MPR territory. Hearing of May 15's events, Komatsubara deemed the Mongolians sufficiently rebuked and recalled Azuma to Hailar on May 16. KwAHQ concurred, closing the matter. Soviet leaders, however, saw it differently. Mid-May prompted Soviet support for the MPR under their 1936 Mutual Defense Pact. The Red Army's 57th Corps, stationed in Mongolia, faced initial disarray: Commander Nikolai Feklenko was hunting, Chief of Staff A. M. Kushchev in Ulan Ude with his ill wife. Moscow learned of clashes via international press from Japanese sources, sparking Chief of Staff Boris Shaposhnikov's furious inquiry. Feklenko and Kushchev rushed back to Ulaanbaatar, dispatching a mixed force—a battalion from the 149th Infantry Regiment (36th Division), plus light armor and artillery from the 11th Tank Brigade—to Tamsag Bulak, 80 miles west of the Halha. Led by Major A. E. Bykov, it bolstered the MPR's 6th Cavalry Division. Bykov and Cavalry Commander Colonel Shoaaiibuu inspected the site on May 15, post-Azum's departure. The cavalry arrived two days later, backed by Bykov (ordered to remain west of the river and avoid combat if possible). Some MPR troops recrossed, occupying the disputed zone. Clashes with Manchukuoan cavalry resumed and intensified. Notified of renewed hostilities, Komatsubara viewed it as defiance, a personal affront. Emboldened by Order 1488, he aimed not just to repel but to encircle and annihilate. The incident was on the verge of major expansion. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The ghosts of the Changufeng incident have come back to haunt both the USSR and Japan. Those like Tsuji Masanobu instigated yet another border clash that would erupt into a full blown battle that would set a precedent for both nations until the very end of WW2. 

Miracles can happen on Christmas Eve.Based on a post by auguy86, in 2 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at My First Time.“I; I don’t want to just be a charity case,” Ken replied. “If you do this, Gabrielle;”“It will only be because I want to. Promise,” Gabby replied, finishing his thought. “Now, your first lesson in kissing: making the move. I’m a young, attractive woman who has been making eye contact with you all night and finding every excuse in the book to touch you. You may not realize it, but when a woman does that, it means she’s ready for you to make the move. Try it on me, just like I did.”Mimicking Ken, Gabby closed her eyes, waiting for the moment that Ken would kiss her once more. He leaned in as she had done, trying to take his time and not rush anything. As he was about to kiss her, he remembered that agonizing wait when he could sense her almost on top of him. Pausing mere centimeters from her lips, he allowed the tension to build up for a few moments. Soon, a huge smile began to form on Gabby’s lips; she was enjoying this, and he hadn’t even touched her yet! Ken collected his courage and finally met her lips with his, moving them ever so slightly as he kissed her. He only had his instincts to guide him, but she didn’t seem to mind one bit.“Umm; that was very nice,” Gabby whispered as they parted. “Good job in mimicking my technique. Let’s try one more. This time, lick your lips just a bit before you kiss me, and try to let our mouths fit together like a puzzle. You can take my lower lip between yours, or I can take your lip between mine. Tilting your head to the side a bit is also a natural position. The possibilities are almost endless. When you’re ready, don’t be afraid to put your tongue in my mouth. In the future, you’ll want to be careful about doing this too soon, but for our purposes tonight, go right ahead.”Ken did as she instructed, and found that the increased moisture to be quite pleasant. It allowed each of their lips to slide along the other’s with little effort. All too soon, he felt Gabby take his lower lip in hers, sucking lightly and even nibbling for an instant. After she did this a second time, Ken took the hint and reciprocated in kind, eliciting a contented murmur from Gabby. As their kissing became more passionate, he could no longer resist the urge to taste this gorgeous woman. Still tentative, he pressed his tongue against the crease of her lips, which parted to allow him entry. Though he didn’t know what to do once he was in, he soon found himself enthralled in Gabby’s passions. Her tongue danced with his, exploring his mouth in a slow, methodical fashion. This gave him the perfect gauge to judge his own efforts by. After nearly twenty minutes of making out, they finally separated, their faces flushed from the experience.“Holy shit.” Ken sighed.“You, my friend, are one quick study. The next girl that kisses you may well get addicted and refuse to let you go,” Gabby agreed with a playful grin. Leaning back on the sofa, she reached down and unbuttoned the top button of her jeans, asking, “You ready to learn something else?”In spite of his hardening cock, Ken couldn’t help but feel like he was doing something he shouldn’t. “Look, you seriously don’t have to;”“I want to,” she said with confidence. “Ken, you are such a sweet, special guy, and I want to show you that. I want to prove to you how lucky a girl I would be to have a guy like you.”Would be? What’s that supposed to mean?“I’ve never made love to a virgin, Ken,” she continued. “But I know what I love in bed, and I think I can help you get quite good at this. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, but if you’ll allow me, I’d love nothing more than to take your virginity tonight.”Ken was torn. This woman certainly drove him crazy, but part of him worried this was all an elaborate setup. Women never came on to him like this, let alone one this beautiful! Then again, she hadn’t balked in the slightest in kissing him. Hell, she had even encouraged him to French kiss her. In spite of the fact that he had every reason to be distrusting after Jacqueline’s message, he recognized that she had shown him nothing but kindness and patience. He didn’t believe in destiny or fate, but if there was a moment in which he was supposed to lose his virginity, this had to be it.“Okay; I want to,” he whispered.“I’m glad,” she replied with a warm smile.Fumbling with his belt, he said, “I guess I’d better;”“There’s plenty of time, Ken,” Gabby reassured him. “If we do this, I want to do it right. I want to show you the proper way to take a girl around the world. That starts with what we were doing earlier, only this time, you can start removing my clothes in the process.”As Ken leaned in and resumed their kissing, Gabby guided his hands lower and slipped them underneath her sweater. He spent a few moments enjoying the warm sensation of skin-to-skin contact before tugging her sweater up. They separated for a moment so that Gabby could finish peeling her top off, revealing a simple, black silk bra. As they continued making out, Ken reached behind her, trying to decipher the key to unhooking the ever-hated bra.“Want some advice?” Gabby asked with a slight giggle.“Sure,” Ken signed, beginning to get frustrated.“Feel for the crease, then slip one finger under and one finger over. Squeeze together and rub your fingers until it unhooks.”Concentrating, Ken did as she instructed. The clasp itself was easy to find, and her descriptions were spot on. To his surprise, it only took one unsuccessful attempt before he managed to snap the garment open.“Impressive,” Gabby marveled.“Thanks, but that was all you. I’d be lost without your instructions.”“You’re a natural student; you take direction well. Ready for the next lesson?”“Oh yeah,” Ken said with anticipation.“Your kissing skills have grown by leaps and bounds in just a few minutes. Now you should remember that you don’t have to kiss just my lips. My cheeks, my neck, my shoulders; my entire body is your playground. Few things turn a woman on more than a man whose only desire is to worship every inch of her form.”With that, Gabby shrugged her shoulders and slipped her bra off, revealing her ample D-cup tits to Ken. He was utterly speechless at the sight he now beheld. They were not only large, but quite perky as well. Her tiny pink nipples, already hard from their making out, were the perfect accent to Gabby’s most notable assets. As he drank her in, he felt her guide his hand towards her, reaching him out to touch her tit. It barely fit into his hand, yet it was so soft and warm that it felt like it just belonged there. Taking a deep breath, Ken now reached in with both of his hands, squeezing her tits together and exploring every inch of their surface. Remembering her words from a moment ago, he leaned in once more and began to kiss his way from her lips down to her chest.“Yes; just like that.” she cooed.Arriving at the valley of her bosom, he made his way to one side, kissing her tit while also stimulating her nipple with his finger.“That’s so good, Ken; ooh, you can suck on them too,” she whispered with encouragement.Ken’s heart leapt at her suggestion, and he moved to take one of her tiny nipples in his mouth. He sucked with eagerness at first, but Gabby soon coaxed him to go slower.“Careful there; be gentle.”“Sorry.”“Quite alright, they’re just a bit sensitive,” she said with a sweet giggle.Ken spent quite some time lapping at her tits, alternating sides every so often. At first, Gabby advised him on when to change so as not to over stimulate one side or the other. Soon, though, Ken was moving back and forth all on his own, driving her wild with lust in the process. After several minutes of this, she lifted his head up, a wicked grin on her face.“Ready for the big reveal?” she asked, lowering the zipper of her jeans.“Uh; uh huh.”Lifting her hips up, Gabby slipped her jeans over her curvy ass and down her long legs before kicking them off with her boots. She then turned to recline back on the sofa, spreading her legs a tiny bit. The smoldering come hither look she gave Ken was enough to bring any man to his knees.“Come on, Ken; you’ve got a Christmas present to open.”Ken’s mouth went dry as he stared at her black thong panties, mesmerized in disbelief by what was about to happen. With trembling hands, he slipped his fingers into her waistband and slid the silky garment off, revealing Gabby’s shaven pussy at last. In that moment, Ken had completely forgotten that he was still wearing all his clothes.“I just love the way you’re looking at me,” Gabby breathed, breaking his trance. “It’s like you won the lottery or something.”“I; think I did.”“So sweet. Now then, time to learn how to really make a woman happy. Most women are at least willing to engage in oral sex, but you always need to give at least as much as you receive. It’s only polite. And there’s no better way to make a woman want to suck your cock; than to eat her pussy without prompting. With that said.”Gabby now spread her legs wide for him, beckoning him to explore her delectable womanhood. Following a trail she laid with her fingers, Ken began to kiss his way up her leg and inner thigh. After repeating the action on her other leg, he arrived at her soaked pussy, breathing in the musky aroma seeping from within her.“Spread my lips, Ken,” Gabby whispered.Using a gentle touch, he did as she asked, gazing deep into her slick tunnel. He soon leaned forward, touching his tongue to the folds of her labia. She tasted different than he had expected, perhaps a bit salty, but nothing unpleasant in Ken’s mind. He continued to taste and tease her lips for a few moments, and she began to squirm and writhe under him in pleasure.“Oh, yes; that’s just right, Ken; you can move a little higher, too. See that little bump there? That’s my clit. She’s sensitive, but if you pay enough attention to her; something good is bound to happen.”He tilted his head upwards a bit, running his tongue along her lips as he arrived at her clit. Flicking the nub a couple of times, he was surprised at just how strong Gabby’s reaction was. Ken liked that. She was having the time of her life, and it was all because of him. Feeling a twinge of confidence, he redoubled his efforts and began lapping at her clit again and again, never giving her a chance to rest.“Yes; yes, that’s fucking incredible!” she cried out.As Gabby’s hips began to buck, Ken looped his arms around her thighs on instinct, helping her to remain still. He continued his worshipping of her womanhood, savoring every drop of her juices as she squirmed and squealed in delight. Soon, he began to sense that her thrashing was reaching a crescendo and an ultimate plateau. He received almost immediate verbal confirmation of this.“Holy shit; Fuck that’s awesome! Oh, Ken don’t stop; don’t; stop; please don’t stop don’t stop don’t stop; ah!”Ken knew in an academic sense that women could achieve powerful orgasms. Still, he had never actually seen it happen, let alone experienced it by his hand, or rather his tongue. Yet lying beneath him was the most beautiful woman he had ever met in his life, and she was becoming even more beautiful by the second as her body erupted in ecstasy. The look of pleasure on her face as her eyes fluttered closed was awe-inspiring. A few final licks to her pussy, and she gently pushed his face away from her crotch.“That’s quite enough; but oh so wonderful.” she sighed. “You’re a natural, Ken.”“Thanks. That’s; got to be the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Seeing you lose control like that, it was surreal.”“So sweet,” she said, sitting up straight on the sofa. “For all your supposed awkwardness, you sure know how to pay a girl a compliment.” She leaned forward, planting a long, slow kiss on his lips. As they parted, she whispered, “Ready for your due reward?”With a slight gasp, he replied, “Oh, hell yes.”Gabby stood from the sofa, smiling the entire time. Reaching behind the armrest of the sofa, she pulled out a dark blue sleeping bag and began to spread it out on the thick rug in front of the fire.“It’s a tradition,” she explained, seeing the look of confusion on Ken’s face. “When I was a little girl, I swore I’d catch Santa in the act by sleeping next to the tree. He’d never be able to sneak past me. Well, my parents told me to go for it, but that it wouldn’t work; he’s too good. Sure enough, he had come and gone the next morning. He even left a note next to my pillow that said, ‘Nice try, Gabby. Merry Christmas.’ Ever since then, I’ve slept by the tree every Christmas Eve.”“Love it,” Ken grinned.By now, she had finished spreading the sleeping bag out on the floor and affixed a couple of pillows at the head for them. As it was designed for one person, she had opened it completely and laid it out flat, making it large enough for two to lie on. Seeing what she was doing, Ken grabbed a large throw blanket from the sofa to cover up with.“Why, thank you,” she said. “But don’t you think you’re a bit overdressed?”“Huh?” Ken had been so entranced with Gabby’s naked body that he’d forgotten that he was still wearing his clothes. “Oh, uh, I guess so.”“Can I help with that?” she asked with a mischievous grin.“Sure.”Gabby sauntered over to him, wrapping him in a warm hug as they stood next to the fireplace. After kissing his lips, she moved to his cheek and neck, just as he had done to her before. As she began to drive him crazy, she slipped her fingers into his tee shirt and pulled it off of him, exposing his bare chest to her. Now with a new playground to explore, Gabby continued from where she left off. She first lingered around his neck and shoulders, then down his chest before finally reaching his stomach. As she knelt before him, she unbuckled his belt and slid his jeans and boxers down to his ankles, freeing his rock hard cock at last.Ken was not large my most standards, being only about five inches in length at full staff, but to Gabby he was perfect. She had no hesitation as she began to lightly stroke his length in her hand, and soon began to take him in her mouth bit-by-bit. Ken was in blissful agony; not only was he receiving is first blowjob, but he also had to keep from exploding too soon, all while concentrating on standing still. She sucked him for a few seconds more before releasing him.“If you get close, let me know, okay? I want this inside my pussy, too.”Ken could only nod in reply. She soon resumed her pleasuring of his member, sucking him with gleeful determination. He had been so good to her tonight; she only wanted to reward his efforts. Slowing her pace, she gazed up at him with her smoldering eyes, her pretty face framed by her long blonde hair. As Ken began to lose himself in her beauty, he also felt a familiar bubbling up in the pit of his stomach. Though he panicked for a moment, he soon had the presence of mind to tap Gabby on the forehead.“I think you’d better slow down,” he stammered.Releasing his cock from her mouth with a pop, Gabby grinned and replied, “Good. Because I think it’s time for me to take your virginity.”After switching off the gas logs, she stretched out on the open sleeping bag and held part of the blanket up, beckoning Ken to slide in with her. He did so with eagerness, though was still nervous as hell; he had no idea what he was doing! Sensing his doubts, Gabby spoke with soft confidence and reassurance.“Let’s go you on top to start. That way you can control it so you don’t go off too soon. Honestly, though, don’t worry about stamina. You’ve already lasted through one of my blowjobs, which is no small feat, if I do say so myself. You ready?”“Um, yeah; I think so. But do we need any; protection? I don’t have a condom or anything.”With a warm smile, she replied, “Don’t ever change, Ken. Sweet, humble, and considerate, that’s what you are. I don’t have any diseases per my last doctor’s visit two months ago, and I know you’re a virgin so I don’t think there’s any concern.”“That’s good. But; what if you get pregnant? I’m not sure I’d be able to pull out in time.”“Well,” she paused, her smile becoming more bittersweet. “It’s a long story, but trust me when I say that there’s no risk of me becoming pregnant. We’re clear to let loose with this, as long as you’re comfortable with that, of course.”“I am. I just; wanted to be sure.”“Thank you, Ken. Now, if you please, my pussy is aching for your cock, and you’d best make her happy.”Positioning his pelvic region between her legs, Ken attempted to push into her, but his slick cock merely grazed the surface before slipping up to her belly. Gabby just smiled and reached down, taking a gentle grip on his cock with her hand and guiding him to the entrance of her pussy. Feeling a bit of give, he followed his instincts and penetrated her at long last, his virginity melting away in the process. She was divine, far tighter than Ken had ever imagined in his wildest dreams and fantasies.“Oh Ken; that’s just where you belong,” she cooed in satisfaction.“Holy fuck; so tight.” he could only reply.Ken began to thrust in and out of her, keeping his tempo moderate at the start to get a feel for how sensitive he was. The sensations of making love to this goddess were only enhanced by the look of sheer enjoyment in Gabby’s eyes. He prayed that he would be able to last and enjoy it all, even if only for a few minutes. As he continued thrusting into her, Gabby began to get a mischievous look in her eyes.“You’re thinking something,” Ken observed.“Uh huh. Wanna learn a trick that’ll drive any girl nuts?”“Sure.”“Come up on your knees and keep your torso straight up. Try to get to where you can keep yourself inside me without having to balance on your arms.”“Like this?” he asked, relaxing back on his folded knees.“Exactly. You can also stretch my leg out against your chest to help you balance.”“Very nice,” he said as he followed her instructions.&ld

Miracles can happen on Christmas Eve.Based on a post by auguy86, in 2 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at My First Time.“I; I don’t want to just be a charity case,” Ken replied. “If you do this, Gabrielle;”“It will only be because I want to. Promise,” Gabby replied, finishing his thought. “Now, your first lesson in kissing: making the move. I’m a young, attractive woman who has been making eye contact with you all night and finding every excuse in the book to touch you. You may not realize it, but when a woman does that, it means she’s ready for you to make the move. Try it on me, just like I did.”Mimicking Ken, Gabby closed her eyes, waiting for the moment that Ken would kiss her once more. He leaned in as she had done, trying to take his time and not rush anything. As he was about to kiss her, he remembered that agonizing wait when he could sense her almost on top of him. Pausing mere centimeters from her lips, he allowed the tension to build up for a few moments. Soon, a huge smile began to form on Gabby’s lips; she was enjoying this, and he hadn’t even touched her yet! Ken collected his courage and finally met her lips with his, moving them ever so slightly as he kissed her. He only had his instincts to guide him, but she didn’t seem to mind one bit.“Umm; that was very nice,” Gabby whispered as they parted. “Good job in mimicking my technique. Let’s try one more. This time, lick your lips just a bit before you kiss me, and try to let our mouths fit together like a puzzle. You can take my lower lip between yours, or I can take your lip between mine. Tilting your head to the side a bit is also a natural position. The possibilities are almost endless. When you’re ready, don’t be afraid to put your tongue in my mouth. In the future, you’ll want to be careful about doing this too soon, but for our purposes tonight, go right ahead.”Ken did as she instructed, and found that the increased moisture to be quite pleasant. It allowed each of their lips to slide along the other’s with little effort. All too soon, he felt Gabby take his lower lip in hers, sucking lightly and even nibbling for an instant. After she did this a second time, Ken took the hint and reciprocated in kind, eliciting a contented murmur from Gabby. As their kissing became more passionate, he could no longer resist the urge to taste this gorgeous woman. Still tentative, he pressed his tongue against the crease of her lips, which parted to allow him entry. Though he didn’t know what to do once he was in, he soon found himself enthralled in Gabby’s passions. Her tongue danced with his, exploring his mouth in a slow, methodical fashion. This gave him the perfect gauge to judge his own efforts by. After nearly twenty minutes of making out, they finally separated, their faces flushed from the experience.“Holy shit.” Ken sighed.“You, my friend, are one quick study. The next girl that kisses you may well get addicted and refuse to let you go,” Gabby agreed with a playful grin. Leaning back on the sofa, she reached down and unbuttoned the top button of her jeans, asking, “You ready to learn something else?”In spite of his hardening cock, Ken couldn’t help but feel like he was doing something he shouldn’t. “Look, you seriously don’t have to;”“I want to,” she said with confidence. “Ken, you are such a sweet, special guy, and I want to show you that. I want to prove to you how lucky a girl I would be to have a guy like you.”Would be? What’s that supposed to mean?“I’ve never made love to a virgin, Ken,” she continued. “But I know what I love in bed, and I think I can help you get quite good at this. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, but if you’ll allow me, I’d love nothing more than to take your virginity tonight.”Ken was torn. This woman certainly drove him crazy, but part of him worried this was all an elaborate setup. Women never came on to him like this, let alone one this beautiful! Then again, she hadn’t balked in the slightest in kissing him. Hell, she had even encouraged him to French kiss her. In spite of the fact that he had every reason to be distrusting after Jacqueline’s message, he recognized that she had shown him nothing but kindness and patience. He didn’t believe in destiny or fate, but if there was a moment in which he was supposed to lose his virginity, this had to be it.“Okay; I want to,” he whispered.“I’m glad,” she replied with a warm smile.Fumbling with his belt, he said, “I guess I’d better;”“There’s plenty of time, Ken,” Gabby reassured him. “If we do this, I want to do it right. I want to show you the proper way to take a girl around the world. That starts with what we were doing earlier, only this time, you can start removing my clothes in the process.”As Ken leaned in and resumed their kissing, Gabby guided his hands lower and slipped them underneath her sweater. He spent a few moments enjoying the warm sensation of skin-to-skin contact before tugging her sweater up. They separated for a moment so that Gabby could finish peeling her top off, revealing a simple, black silk bra. As they continued making out, Ken reached behind her, trying to decipher the key to unhooking the ever-hated bra.“Want some advice?” Gabby asked with a slight giggle.“Sure,” Ken signed, beginning to get frustrated.“Feel for the crease, then slip one finger under and one finger over. Squeeze together and rub your fingers until it unhooks.”Concentrating, Ken did as she instructed. The clasp itself was easy to find, and her descriptions were spot on. To his surprise, it only took one unsuccessful attempt before he managed to snap the garment open.“Impressive,” Gabby marveled.“Thanks, but that was all you. I’d be lost without your instructions.”“You’re a natural student; you take direction well. Ready for the next lesson?”“Oh yeah,” Ken said with anticipation.“Your kissing skills have grown by leaps and bounds in just a few minutes. Now you should remember that you don’t have to kiss just my lips. My cheeks, my neck, my shoulders; my entire body is your playground. Few things turn a woman on more than a man whose only desire is to worship every inch of her form.”With that, Gabby shrugged her shoulders and slipped her bra off, revealing her ample D-cup tits to Ken. He was utterly speechless at the sight he now beheld. They were not only large, but quite perky as well. Her tiny pink nipples, already hard from their making out, were the perfect accent to Gabby’s most notable assets. As he drank her in, he felt her guide his hand towards her, reaching him out to touch her tit. It barely fit into his hand, yet it was so soft and warm that it felt like it just belonged there. Taking a deep breath, Ken now reached in with both of his hands, squeezing her tits together and exploring every inch of their surface. Remembering her words from a moment ago, he leaned in once more and began to kiss his way from her lips down to her chest.“Yes; just like that.” she cooed.Arriving at the valley of her bosom, he made his way to one side, kissing her tit while also stimulating her nipple with his finger.“That’s so good, Ken; ooh, you can suck on them too,” she whispered with encouragement.Ken’s heart leapt at her suggestion, and he moved to take one of her tiny nipples in his mouth. He sucked with eagerness at first, but Gabby soon coaxed him to go slower.“Careful there; be gentle.”“Sorry.”“Quite alright, they’re just a bit sensitive,” she said with a sweet giggle.Ken spent quite some time lapping at her tits, alternating sides every so often. At first, Gabby advised him on when to change so as not to over stimulate one side or the other. Soon, though, Ken was moving back and forth all on his own, driving her wild with lust in the process. After several minutes of this, she lifted his head up, a wicked grin on her face.“Ready for the big reveal?” she asked, lowering the zipper of her jeans.“Uh; uh huh.”Lifting her hips up, Gabby slipped her jeans over her curvy ass and down her long legs before kicking them off with her boots. She then turned to recline back on the sofa, spreading her legs a tiny bit. The smoldering come hither look she gave Ken was enough to bring any man to his knees.“Come on, Ken; you’ve got a Christmas present to open.”Ken’s mouth went dry as he stared at her black thong panties, mesmerized in disbelief by what was about to happen. With trembling hands, he slipped his fingers into her waistband and slid the silky garment off, revealing Gabby’s shaven pussy at last. In that moment, Ken had completely forgotten that he was still wearing all his clothes.“I just love the way you’re looking at me,” Gabby breathed, breaking his trance. “It’s like you won the lottery or something.”“I; think I did.”“So sweet. Now then, time to learn how to really make a woman happy. Most women are at least willing to engage in oral sex, but you always need to give at least as much as you receive. It’s only polite. And there’s no better way to make a woman want to suck your cock; than to eat her pussy without prompting. With that said.”Gabby now spread her legs wide for him, beckoning him to explore her delectable womanhood. Following a trail she laid with her fingers, Ken began to kiss his way up her leg and inner thigh. After repeating the action on her other leg, he arrived at her soaked pussy, breathing in the musky aroma seeping from within her.“Spread my lips, Ken,” Gabby whispered.Using a gentle touch, he did as she asked, gazing deep into her slick tunnel. He soon leaned forward, touching his tongue to the folds of her labia. She tasted different than he had expected, perhaps a bit salty, but nothing unpleasant in Ken’s mind. He continued to taste and tease her lips for a few moments, and she began to squirm and writhe under him in pleasure.“Oh, yes; that’s just right, Ken; you can move a little higher, too. See that little bump there? That’s my clit. She’s sensitive, but if you pay enough attention to her; something good is bound to happen.”He tilted his head upwards a bit, running his tongue along her lips as he arrived at her clit. Flicking the nub a couple of times, he was surprised at just how strong Gabby’s reaction was. Ken liked that. She was having the time of her life, and it was all because of him. Feeling a twinge of confidence, he redoubled his efforts and began lapping at her clit again and again, never giving her a chance to rest.“Yes; yes, that’s fucking incredible!” she cried out.As Gabby’s hips began to buck, Ken looped his arms around her thighs on instinct, helping her to remain still. He continued his worshipping of her womanhood, savoring every drop of her juices as she squirmed and squealed in delight. Soon, he began to sense that her thrashing was reaching a crescendo and an ultimate plateau. He received almost immediate verbal confirmation of this.“Holy shit; Fuck that’s awesome! Oh, Ken don’t stop; don’t; stop; please don’t stop don’t stop don’t stop; ah!”Ken knew in an academic sense that women could achieve powerful orgasms. Still, he had never actually seen it happen, let alone experienced it by his hand, or rather his tongue. Yet lying beneath him was the most beautiful woman he had ever met in his life, and she was becoming even more beautiful by the second as her body erupted in ecstasy. The look of pleasure on her face as her eyes fluttered closed was awe-inspiring. A few final licks to her pussy, and she gently pushed his face away from her crotch.“That’s quite enough; but oh so wonderful.” she sighed. “You’re a natural, Ken.”“Thanks. That’s; got to be the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Seeing you lose control like that, it was surreal.”“So sweet,” she said, sitting up straight on the sofa. “For all your supposed awkwardness, you sure know how to pay a girl a compliment.” She leaned forward, planting a long, slow kiss on his lips. As they parted, she whispered, “Ready for your due reward?”With a slight gasp, he replied, “Oh, hell yes.”Gabby stood from the sofa, smiling the entire time. Reaching behind the armrest of the sofa, she pulled out a dark blue sleeping bag and began to spread it out on the thick rug in front of the fire.“It’s a tradition,” she explained, seeing the look of confusion on Ken’s face. “When I was a little girl, I swore I’d catch Santa in the act by sleeping next to the tree. He’d never be able to sneak past me. Well, my parents told me to go for it, but that it wouldn’t work; he’s too good. Sure enough, he had come and gone the next morning. He even left a note next to my pillow that said, ‘Nice try, Gabby. Merry Christmas.’ Ever since then, I’ve slept by the tree every Christmas Eve.”“Love it,” Ken grinned.By now, she had finished spreading the sleeping bag out on the floor and affixed a couple of pillows at the head for them. As it was designed for one person, she had opened it completely and laid it out flat, making it large enough for two to lie on. Seeing what she was doing, Ken grabbed a large throw blanket from the sofa to cover up with.“Why, thank you,” she said. “But don’t you think you’re a bit overdressed?”“Huh?” Ken had been so entranced with Gabby’s naked body that he’d forgotten that he was still wearing his clothes. “Oh, uh, I guess so.”“Can I help with that?” she asked with a mischievous grin.“Sure.”Gabby sauntered over to him, wrapping him in a warm hug as they stood next to the fireplace. After kissing his lips, she moved to his cheek and neck, just as he had done to her before. As she began to drive him crazy, she slipped her fingers into his tee shirt and pulled it off of him, exposing his bare chest to her. Now with a new playground to explore, Gabby continued from where she left off. She first lingered around his neck and shoulders, then down his chest before finally reaching his stomach. As she knelt before him, she unbuckled his belt and slid his jeans and boxers down to his ankles, freeing his rock hard cock at last.Ken was not large my most standards, being only about five inches in length at full staff, but to Gabby he was perfect. She had no hesitation as she began to lightly stroke his length in her hand, and soon began to take him in her mouth bit-by-bit. Ken was in blissful agony; not only was he receiving is first blowjob, but he also had to keep from exploding too soon, all while concentrating on standing still. She sucked him for a few seconds more before releasing him.“If you get close, let me know, okay? I want this inside my pussy, too.”Ken could only nod in reply. She soon resumed her pleasuring of his member, sucking him with gleeful determination. He had been so good to her tonight; she only wanted to reward his efforts. Slowing her pace, she gazed up at him with her smoldering eyes, her pretty face framed by her long blonde hair. As Ken began to lose himself in her beauty, he also felt a familiar bubbling up in the pit of his stomach. Though he panicked for a moment, he soon had the presence of mind to tap Gabby on the forehead.“I think you’d better slow down,” he stammered.Releasing his cock from her mouth with a pop, Gabby grinned and replied, “Good. Because I think it’s time for me to take your virginity.”After switching off the gas logs, she stretched out on the open sleeping bag and held part of the blanket up, beckoning Ken to slide in with her. He did so with eagerness, though was still nervous as hell; he had no idea what he was doing! Sensing his doubts, Gabby spoke with soft confidence and reassurance.“Let’s go you on top to start. That way you can control it so you don’t go off too soon. Honestly, though, don’t worry about stamina. You’ve already lasted through one of my blowjobs, which is no small feat, if I do say so myself. You ready?”“Um, yeah; I think so. But do we need any; protection? I don’t have a condom or anything.”With a warm smile, she replied, “Don’t ever change, Ken. Sweet, humble, and considerate, that’s what you are. I don’t have any diseases per my last doctor’s visit two months ago, and I know you’re a virgin so I don’t think there’s any concern.”“That’s good. But; what if you get pregnant? I’m not sure I’d be able to pull out in time.”“Well,” she paused, her smile becoming more bittersweet. “It’s a long story, but trust me when I say that there’s no risk of me becoming pregnant. We’re clear to let loose with this, as long as you’re comfortable with that, of course.”“I am. I just; wanted to be sure.”“Thank you, Ken. Now, if you please, my pussy is aching for your cock, and you’d best make her happy.”Positioning his pelvic region between her legs, Ken attempted to push into her, but his slick cock merely grazed the surface before slipping up to her belly. Gabby just smiled and reached down, taking a gentle grip on his cock with her hand and guiding him to the entrance of her pussy. Feeling a bit of give, he followed his instincts and penetrated her at long last, his virginity melting away in the process. She was divine, far tighter than Ken had ever imagined in his wildest dreams and fantasies.“Oh Ken; that’s just where you belong,” she cooed in satisfaction.“Holy fuck; so tight.” he could only reply.Ken began to thrust in and out of her, keeping his tempo moderate at the start to get a feel for how sensitive he was. The sensations of making love to this goddess were only enhanced by the look of sheer enjoyment in Gabby’s eyes. He prayed that he would be able to last and enjoy it all, even if only for a few minutes. As he continued thrusting into her, Gabby began to get a mischievous look in her eyes.“You’re thinking something,” Ken observed.“Uh huh. Wanna learn a trick that’ll drive any girl nuts?”“Sure.”“Come up on your knees and keep your torso straight up. Try to get to where you can keep yourself inside me without having to balance on your arms.”“Like this?” he asked, relaxing back on his folded knees.“Exactly. You can also stretch my leg out against your chest to help you balance.”“Very nice,” he said as he followed her instructions.&ld

Miracles can happen on Christmas Eve.Based on a post by auguy86, in 2 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at My First Time.“I; I don’t want to just be a charity case,” Ken replied. “If you do this, Gabrielle;”“It will only be because I want to. Promise,” Gabby replied, finishing his thought. “Now, your first lesson in kissing: making the move. I’m a young, attractive woman who has been making eye contact with you all night and finding every excuse in the book to touch you. You may not realize it, but when a woman does that, it means she’s ready for you to make the move. Try it on me, just like I did.”Mimicking Ken, Gabby closed her eyes, waiting for the moment that Ken would kiss her once more. He leaned in as she had done, trying to take his time and not rush anything. As he was about to kiss her, he remembered that agonizing wait when he could sense her almost on top of him. Pausing mere centimeters from her lips, he allowed the tension to build up for a few moments. Soon, a huge smile began to form on Gabby’s lips; she was enjoying this, and he hadn’t even touched her yet! Ken collected his courage and finally met her lips with his, moving them ever so slightly as he kissed her. He only had his instincts to guide him, but she didn’t seem to mind one bit.“Umm; that was very nice,” Gabby whispered as they parted. “Good job in mimicking my technique. Let’s try one more. This time, lick your lips just a bit before you kiss me, and try to let our mouths fit together like a puzzle. You can take my lower lip between yours, or I can take your lip between mine. Tilting your head to the side a bit is also a natural position. The possibilities are almost endless. When you’re ready, don’t be afraid to put your tongue in my mouth. In the future, you’ll want to be careful about doing this too soon, but for our purposes tonight, go right ahead.”Ken did as she instructed, and found that the increased moisture to be quite pleasant. It allowed each of their lips to slide along the other’s with little effort. All too soon, he felt Gabby take his lower lip in hers, sucking lightly and even nibbling for an instant. After she did this a second time, Ken took the hint and reciprocated in kind, eliciting a contented murmur from Gabby. As their kissing became more passionate, he could no longer resist the urge to taste this gorgeous woman. Still tentative, he pressed his tongue against the crease of her lips, which parted to allow him entry. Though he didn’t know what to do once he was in, he soon found himself enthralled in Gabby’s passions. Her tongue danced with his, exploring his mouth in a slow, methodical fashion. This gave him the perfect gauge to judge his own efforts by. After nearly twenty minutes of making out, they finally separated, their faces flushed from the experience.“Holy shit.” Ken sighed.“You, my friend, are one quick study. The next girl that kisses you may well get addicted and refuse to let you go,” Gabby agreed with a playful grin. Leaning back on the sofa, she reached down and unbuttoned the top button of her jeans, asking, “You ready to learn something else?”In spite of his hardening cock, Ken couldn’t help but feel like he was doing something he shouldn’t. “Look, you seriously don’t have to;”“I want to,” she said with confidence. “Ken, you are such a sweet, special guy, and I want to show you that. I want to prove to you how lucky a girl I would be to have a guy like you.”Would be? What’s that supposed to mean?“I’ve never made love to a virgin, Ken,” she continued. “But I know what I love in bed, and I think I can help you get quite good at this. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, but if you’ll allow me, I’d love nothing more than to take your virginity tonight.”Ken was torn. This woman certainly drove him crazy, but part of him worried this was all an elaborate setup. Women never came on to him like this, let alone one this beautiful! Then again, she hadn’t balked in the slightest in kissing him. Hell, she had even encouraged him to French kiss her. In spite of the fact that he had every reason to be distrusting after Jacqueline’s message, he recognized that she had shown him nothing but kindness and patience. He didn’t believe in destiny or fate, but if there was a moment in which he was supposed to lose his virginity, this had to be it.“Okay; I want to,” he whispered.“I’m glad,” she replied with a warm smile.Fumbling with his belt, he said, “I guess I’d better;”“There’s plenty of time, Ken,” Gabby reassured him. “If we do this, I want to do it right. I want to show you the proper way to take a girl around the world. That starts with what we were doing earlier, only this time, you can start removing my clothes in the process.”As Ken leaned in and resumed their kissing, Gabby guided his hands lower and slipped them underneath her sweater. He spent a few moments enjoying the warm sensation of skin-to-skin contact before tugging her sweater up. They separated for a moment so that Gabby could finish peeling her top off, revealing a simple, black silk bra. As they continued making out, Ken reached behind her, trying to decipher the key to unhooking the ever-hated bra.“Want some advice?” Gabby asked with a slight giggle.“Sure,” Ken signed, beginning to get frustrated.“Feel for the crease, then slip one finger under and one finger over. Squeeze together and rub your fingers until it unhooks.”Concentrating, Ken did as she instructed. The clasp itself was easy to find, and her descriptions were spot on. To his surprise, it only took one unsuccessful attempt before he managed to snap the garment open.“Impressive,” Gabby marveled.“Thanks, but that was all you. I’d be lost without your instructions.”“You’re a natural student; you take direction well. Ready for the next lesson?”“Oh yeah,” Ken said with anticipation.“Your kissing skills have grown by leaps and bounds in just a few minutes. Now you should remember that you don’t have to kiss just my lips. My cheeks, my neck, my shoulders; my entire body is your playground. Few things turn a woman on more than a man whose only desire is to worship every inch of her form.”With that, Gabby shrugged her shoulders and slipped her bra off, revealing her ample D-cup tits to Ken. He was utterly speechless at the sight he now beheld. They were not only large, but quite perky as well. Her tiny pink nipples, already hard from their making out, were the perfect accent to Gabby’s most notable assets. As he drank her in, he felt her guide his hand towards her, reaching him out to touch her tit. It barely fit into his hand, yet it was so soft and warm that it felt like it just belonged there. Taking a deep breath, Ken now reached in with both of his hands, squeezing her tits together and exploring every inch of their surface. Remembering her words from a moment ago, he leaned in once more and began to kiss his way from her lips down to her chest.“Yes; just like that.” she cooed.Arriving at the valley of her bosom, he made his way to one side, kissing her tit while also stimulating her nipple with his finger.“That’s so good, Ken; ooh, you can suck on them too,” she whispered with encouragement.Ken’s heart leapt at her suggestion, and he moved to take one of her tiny nipples in his mouth. He sucked with eagerness at first, but Gabby soon coaxed him to go slower.“Careful there; be gentle.”“Sorry.”“Quite alright, they’re just a bit sensitive,” she said with a sweet giggle.Ken spent quite some time lapping at her tits, alternating sides every so often. At first, Gabby advised him on when to change so as not to over stimulate one side or the other. Soon, though, Ken was moving back and forth all on his own, driving her wild with lust in the process. After several minutes of this, she lifted his head up, a wicked grin on her face.“Ready for the big reveal?” she asked, lowering the zipper of her jeans.“Uh; uh huh.”Lifting her hips up, Gabby slipped her jeans over her curvy ass and down her long legs before kicking them off with her boots. She then turned to recline back on the sofa, spreading her legs a tiny bit. The smoldering come hither look she gave Ken was enough to bring any man to his knees.“Come on, Ken; you’ve got a Christmas present to open.”Ken’s mouth went dry as he stared at her black thong panties, mesmerized in disbelief by what was about to happen. With trembling hands, he slipped his fingers into her waistband and slid the silky garment off, revealing Gabby’s shaven pussy at last. In that moment, Ken had completely forgotten that he was still wearing all his clothes.“I just love the way you’re looking at me,” Gabby breathed, breaking his trance. “It’s like you won the lottery or something.”“I; think I did.”“So sweet. Now then, time to learn how to really make a woman happy. Most women are at least willing to engage in oral sex, but you always need to give at least as much as you receive. It’s only polite. And there’s no better way to make a woman want to suck your cock; than to eat her pussy without prompting. With that said.”Gabby now spread her legs wide for him, beckoning him to explore her delectable womanhood. Following a trail she laid with her fingers, Ken began to kiss his way up her leg and inner thigh. After repeating the action on her other leg, he arrived at her soaked pussy, breathing in the musky aroma seeping from within her.“Spread my lips, Ken,” Gabby whispered.Using a gentle touch, he did as she asked, gazing deep into her slick tunnel. He soon leaned forward, touching his tongue to the folds of her labia. She tasted different than he had expected, perhaps a bit salty, but nothing unpleasant in Ken’s mind. He continued to taste and tease her lips for a few moments, and she began to squirm and writhe under him in pleasure.“Oh, yes; that’s just right, Ken; you can move a little higher, too. See that little bump there? That’s my clit. She’s sensitive, but if you pay enough attention to her; something good is bound to happen.”He tilted his head upwards a bit, running his tongue along her lips as he arrived at her clit. Flicking the nub a couple of times, he was surprised at just how strong Gabby’s reaction was. Ken liked that. She was having the time of her life, and it was all because of him. Feeling a twinge of confidence, he redoubled his efforts and began lapping at her clit again and again, never giving her a chance to rest.“Yes; yes, that’s fucking incredible!” she cried out.As Gabby’s hips began to buck, Ken looped his arms around her thighs on instinct, helping her to remain still. He continued his worshipping of her womanhood, savoring every drop of her juices as she squirmed and squealed in delight. Soon, he began to sense that her thrashing was reaching a crescendo and an ultimate plateau. He received almost immediate verbal confirmation of this.“Holy shit; Fuck that’s awesome! Oh, Ken don’t stop; don’t; stop; please don’t stop don’t stop don’t stop; ah!”Ken knew in an academic sense that women could achieve powerful orgasms. Still, he had never actually seen it happen, let alone experienced it by his hand, or rather his tongue. Yet lying beneath him was the most beautiful woman he had ever met in his life, and she was becoming even more beautiful by the second as her body erupted in ecstasy. The look of pleasure on her face as her eyes fluttered closed was awe-inspiring. A few final licks to her pussy, and she gently pushed his face away from her crotch.“That’s quite enough; but oh so wonderful.” she sighed. “You’re a natural, Ken.”“Thanks. That’s; got to be the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Seeing you lose control like that, it was surreal.”“So sweet,” she said, sitting up straight on the sofa. “For all your supposed awkwardness, you sure know how to pay a girl a compliment.” She leaned forward, planting a long, slow kiss on his lips. As they parted, she whispered, “Ready for your due reward?”With a slight gasp, he replied, “Oh, hell yes.”Gabby stood from the sofa, smiling the entire time. Reaching behind the armrest of the sofa, she pulled out a dark blue sleeping bag and began to spread it out on the thick rug in front of the fire.“It’s a tradition,” she explained, seeing the look of confusion on Ken’s face. “When I was a little girl, I swore I’d catch Santa in the act by sleeping next to the tree. He’d never be able to sneak past me. Well, my parents told me to go for it, but that it wouldn’t work; he’s too good. Sure enough, he had come and gone the next morning. He even left a note next to my pillow that said, ‘Nice try, Gabby. Merry Christmas.’ Ever since then, I’ve slept by the tree every Christmas Eve.”“Love it,” Ken grinned.By now, she had finished spreading the sleeping bag out on the floor and affixed a couple of pillows at the head for them. As it was designed for one person, she had opened it completely and laid it out flat, making it large enough for two to lie on. Seeing what she was doing, Ken grabbed a large throw blanket from the sofa to cover up with.“Why, thank you,” she said. “But don’t you think you’re a bit overdressed?”“Huh?” Ken had been so entranced with Gabby’s naked body that he’d forgotten that he was still wearing his clothes. “Oh, uh, I guess so.”“Can I help with that?” she asked with a mischievous grin.“Sure.”Gabby sauntered over to him, wrapping him in a warm hug as they stood next to the fireplace. After kissing his lips, she moved to his cheek and neck, just as he had done to her before. As she began to drive him crazy, she slipped her fingers into his tee shirt and pulled it off of him, exposing his bare chest to her. Now with a new playground to explore, Gabby continued from where she left off. She first lingered around his neck and shoulders, then down his chest before finally reaching his stomach. As she knelt before him, she unbuckled his belt and slid his jeans and boxers down to his ankles, freeing his rock hard cock at last.Ken was not large my most standards, being only about five inches in length at full staff, but to Gabby he was perfect. She had no hesitation as she began to lightly stroke his length in her hand, and soon began to take him in her mouth bit-by-bit. Ken was in blissful agony; not only was he receiving is first blowjob, but he also had to keep from exploding too soon, all while concentrating on standing still. She sucked him for a few seconds more before releasing him.“If you get close, let me know, okay? I want this inside my pussy, too.”Ken could only nod in reply. She soon resumed her pleasuring of his member, sucking him with gleeful determination. He had been so good to her tonight; she only wanted to reward his efforts. Slowing her pace, she gazed up at him with her smoldering eyes, her pretty face framed by her long blonde hair. As Ken began to lose himself in her beauty, he also felt a familiar bubbling up in the pit of his stomach. Though he panicked for a moment, he soon had the presence of mind to tap Gabby on the forehead.“I think you’d better slow down,” he stammered.Releasing his cock from her mouth with a pop, Gabby grinned and replied, “Good. Because I think it’s time for me to take your virginity.”After switching off the gas logs, she stretched out on the open sleeping bag and held part of the blanket up, beckoning Ken to slide in with her. He did so with eagerness, though was still nervous as hell; he had no idea what he was doing! Sensing his doubts, Gabby spoke with soft confidence and reassurance.“Let’s go you on top to start. That way you can control it so you don’t go off too soon. Honestly, though, don’t worry about stamina. You’ve already lasted through one of my blowjobs, which is no small feat, if I do say so myself. You ready?”“Um, yeah; I think so. But do we need any; protection? I don’t have a condom or anything.”With a warm smile, she replied, “Don’t ever change, Ken. Sweet, humble, and considerate, that’s what you are. I don’t have any diseases per my last doctor’s visit two months ago, and I know you’re a virgin so I don’t think there’s any concern.”“That’s good. But; what if you get pregnant? I’m not sure I’d be able to pull out in time.”“Well,” she paused, her smile becoming more bittersweet. “It’s a long story, but trust me when I say that there’s no risk of me becoming pregnant. We’re clear to let loose with this, as long as you’re comfortable with that, of course.”“I am. I just; wanted to be sure.”“Thank you, Ken. Now, if you please, my pussy is aching for your cock, and you’d best make her happy.”Positioning his pelvic region between her legs, Ken attempted to push into her, but his slick cock merely grazed the surface before slipping up to her belly. Gabby just smiled and reached down, taking a gentle grip on his cock with her hand and guiding him to the entrance of her pussy. Feeling a bit of give, he followed his instincts and penetrated her at long last, his virginity melting away in the process. She was divine, far tighter than Ken had ever imagined in his wildest dreams and fantasies.“Oh Ken; that’s just where you belong,” she cooed in satisfaction.“Holy fuck; so tight.” he could only reply.Ken began to thrust in and out of her, keeping his tempo moderate at the start to get a feel for how sensitive he was. The sensations of making love to this goddess were only enhanced by the look of sheer enjoyment in Gabby’s eyes. He prayed that he would be able to last and enjoy it all, even if only for a few minutes. As he continued thrusting into her, Gabby began to get a mischievous look in her eyes.“You’re thinking something,” Ken observed.“Uh huh. Wanna learn a trick that’ll drive any girl nuts?”“Sure.”“Come up on your knees and keep your torso straight up. Try to get to where you can keep yourself inside me without having to balance on your arms.”“Like this?” he asked, relaxing back on his folded knees.“Exactly. You can also stretch my leg out against your chest to help you balance.”“Very nice,” he said as he followed her instructions.&ld

Chapters:0:00 Intro0:20 Leaving Cairo9:18 Egypt is full of scammers22:06 Traveling to the Red Sea24:37 Leaving Egypt for Saudi Arabia47:51 Ferry across the Red Sea52:31 Arriving in Saudi Arabia1:00:34 Finally finished with AfricaFull-Length Saudi Arabia Vlog -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JclGs2LZfsMMy website - https://smallbrainedamerican.tvBuy my merch or you're a racist https://www.smallbrainedamerican.storeSupport the show on Patreon to get access to unfiltered travel content. Early access to every video, extended cuts, and uncensored content. https://www.patreon.com/smallbrainedamericanMy gear: DJI Action 5https://amzn.to/44fJbZIDJI Wireless Mics https://amzn.to/3KkYo4cFollow the show ⬇️ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/realsmallbrainedamericanInstagram https://www.instagram.com/smallbrainedamerican/Twitter https://x.com/SBAmerican_Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/small-brained-pod/id1724261259

Miracles can happen on Christmas Eve.Based on a post by auguy86, in 2 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at My First Time.Ken Dix flipped through the TV guide at a moderate pace; “500 channels, and nothing but Christmas specials on.”Finding nothing but disappointment at every turn. As it was Christmas Eve, every show was a mushy feel-good romp spouting lines about family and goodwill to others. None of that spoke to Ken in the slightest.“Ken?” a voice came from the kitchen.“What’s up, Mom?”“I’ve got my hands full with making everything for dinner tonight, but I’m going to run short on a couple of ingredients,” Helen Dix said, poking her head into the living room. “Can you run to the store real quick for me please?”“Sure thing,” Ken replied, seeing as he had nothing better to do.“Great, thank you. I made a list on the counter for you. The store should be open for another hour or two. The main things would be the eggs; I don’t have enough to finish my famous chess pie. If they have tea by the gallon, grab one sweet and one unsweet. The rest are great if you find them, but not essential.”“Got it,” Ken said as he took the list from the counter.Heading out to his car, Ken cranked up his Honda Civic and pulled out of the driveway. As he made his way into town, Ken reflected on his current situation. Though he loved his mom, being home for the holidays was always nerve-wracking for him. His hometown of Alpharetta, Georgia was crawling with former high school classmates of his, people he’d just as soon never see again. But up at MIT, he was actually among peers that he could relate to on an intellectual level. Not that he’d made that many friends up there. As a nineteen-year-old freshman, he was still stuck in the same boring math and science classes as everyone else. He couldn’t wait until he could start his health sciences training. Maybe then he could meet some decent people, perhaps of the female variety.Ken soon arrived in the parking lot of the local Kroger. It was soon obvious that the place was packed with last-minute shoppers, all trying to find that one final ingredient they were missing. Locking his car, Ken sauntered into the store, grabbing a shopping basket along the way. He found the shelves of the store well picked over, striking out on the nonessential items on his mom’s list. Making his way to the drinks aisle, he was pleased to see that the store was keeping the gallon jugs of tea well stocked for the holidays, and picked up a pair.Ken soon arrived in the refrigerated section of the store. Almost every shelf was empty, but he did manage to find one last carton of six eggs, just what his mom needed. Depositing the carton in his shopping basket, Ken made his way back to the front of the store, checking out in the express lane. He gripped the shopping bags tightly, being careful that the eggs weren’t harmed from the swinging of the bags. Arriving back in the parking lot, he was pleasantly surprised to see one of his former classmates, Jacqueline Brown. As he approached, she saw him coming.“Ken? Kenneth Dix?”She was extremely pretty, as was befitting one of the most popular girls in school, and kept her chestnut-brown hair cut just below her jawline. Her soft, warm facial features and bubbly personality belied the sharp intellect hiding underneath. She and Ken had been partners a few times in various subjects, and he had helped craft her entrance essay to the University of Washington. This earned her a full ride scholarship. In spite of her popularity, they had worked well together, and Ken even dared to call her a friend, at least in his own mind. They had never hung out on a social basis; her circle of friends would never have let her live that down. Still, times had changed. They were both out of high school, after all. What could it hurt to ask?“Jacqueline? Wow, I never thought I’d see you back here. Thought you escaped to cooler climates?”“Yeah, Seattle is nice, but nothing beats Christmas at home,” she replied, adjusting her UW sweatshirt. “You back for the same reason?”“Uh huh. Mom pretty much insisted. She won’t settle for anything less than a full family gathering on Christmas Eve. I’m just grabbing a few last things for her. But yeah, it’s great seeing you again. You, uh, you look good.”“Um; thanks,” she replied with hesitation.“I’m, uh, gonna be home for a couple of weeks. Would you want to, I don’t know, hang out sometime? Maybe grab a bite to eat? My treat.”“Well, Ken, that’s sweet of you to ask.” she said almost to herself. As she paused, her eyes suddenly lit up as if she had gotten an idea. “Alright! Here, let me give you my number.” She scribbled a series of digits down on a scrap piece of paper, writing her name next to them. “I’ll, um, talk to you later, I guess?”“Sounds great!”Ken couldn’t believe it; he had actually done it! He had asked out the prettiest girl he had ever known! Moreover, she had given him her number! Things were definitely looking up.“Dick!” a voice behind them yelled.Ken turned, immediately recognizing Jason Brown, Jacqueline’s fraternal twin brother, along with his two flunkies, Brian and Barrett Sullivan. Jason had been the star quarterback at his high school, and the Sullivan boys were his best offensive linemen. They often served as his muscle off the football field, as well. Ken was intimately familiar with these three, as they had made it their mission in high school to make his life a living hell. Being stuffed in lockers, having his wallet stolen, all were commonplace with them. The three approached, attempting to appear imposing, which they were from the perspective of the ever-scrawny Ken.“I’ve got nothing to say to you guys,” Ken muttered as they approached.“Well I’ve got something to say to you, Mr. Kenny Dick,” Jason growled.“Just shut up and leave me alone,” Ken replied, his blood boiling at the use of Jason’s longtime nickname for him.“No! You shut the fuck up and listen!” Jason said, grabbing Ken by the collar of his tee-shirt and flinging him against his car. In the process, Ken dropped his shopping bags, the jugs of tea landing directly on the egg carton.“Jason! Stop it!” Jacqueline protested.Undeterred, Jason threatened. “Listen fuck-wad, you stay the hell away from my sister!”“She’s an adult, dickhead! She can have anyone she wants as a friend!” Ken protested.“You don’t belong on the same Planet as her! You’re nothing’! A pathetic sack of guts your dumbass mother decided to give a name to! Know what? Just do us all a favor and drop dead!”Enraged at the insult to his mom, Ken swung a wild haymaker at his assailant, but Jason was more than ready, pinning Ken’s arm back against his car. Jason then delivered a crushing punch to Ken’s gut, dropping him down to his knees. Before leaving, Jason knelt down next to his gasping victim.“Next time, I won’t be so nice. Next time; I might just kill you myself. See ya around. Dick.” Turning to his sister, Jason said, “Come on, time to go home.”Jacqueline looked down at the pitiful form of Ken before muttering, “Sorry, Ken.”The trio of boys sauntered off across the parking lot, laughing and high-fiving at their antics. Jacqueline followed right behind them. Ken picked himself up and inspected his groceries, discovering the crushed eggs in his bag. Swearing and cursing, he grabbed the misshapen carton and went to throw it in a nearby trash can.“No chess pie tonight.”As Ken returned to his car and began his drive home, Jason and his flunkies watched on from his car, still pleased with their efforts.“You shouldn’t have done that,” Jacqueline said in a lecturing tone.Jason turned to face his sister. “I do what I gotta do, Jacqueline. That fuck-wad has no business getting friendly with you. He needs to learn his place.”“Be that as it may, I can take care of myself,” she replied firmly.“Take care of yourself? Wait; you didn’t?”“I did. Jason, someday you’ll learn that there are more subtle and effective ways to ward off undesirables. Trust me, Ken won’t bother me ever again.”Back at Home.Upon arriving back home, Ken couldn’t bring himself to tell his mom about the incident with the eggs. He instead told her that the store had run out altogether. She had spent many sleepless nights in the past worrying about the constant bullying her son was subjected to in school. Ken didn’t want to give her anything else to worry about. By this time, has uncles had started arriving, and the living room was soon filled with the sounds of football games. In Ken’s mind, these were no more thought provoking that the mindless Christmas specials he had found earlier. Ken went up to his room to take a hot shower, as well as get some alone time in the process. As he stripped down, he saw a bruise beginning to form on his stomach from Jason’s punch. He winced in pain as he touched the tender skin.Shit; that’s not going away for a while.Ken took some Tylenol for the pain before stepping into the shower. The hot water helped relax his body, and the steam gradually built up, clearing his mind a bit. He finished after a while and, after making sure his door was shut, flopped facedown onto his bed. After laying there for around an hour or so, his mom finally called him down to rejoin the family for dinner.Taking his seat at the table, Ken glanced around the room at his various family members. His mom had two older brothers, Lee and Stan. Though Lee was tall and still relatively youthful looking at forty-five, Stan was shorter and beginning to bald as he approached fifty. Still, both of them had one notable thing in common as far as Ken was concerned: they were both still jocks at heart. Ken had never known his father; it had always just been him and his mom. He could tell that his uncles tried to be male role models for him, but their efforts were usually ill-conceived attempts to “man him up.” Never once did they understand his introverted tendencies, and always tried to get him to be more of a people person. After a while, Ken stopped paying their advice any attention.It was striking to Ken how similar Lee and Stan’s families were. They had both married beautiful, blonde cheerleaders, and now both had sixteen-year-old daughters, both of whom were among the most popular girls in school. It all sickened Ken; they were just perpetuating the stereotype of pretty and popular being the be-all, end-all in life. As the family ate, Ken remained silent for the most part. The adults were engrossed in discussions about their jobs, and the two daughters were giggling and playing on their phones the entire time. None of this was relevant to Ken.“You know, I saw something interesting today,” Lee said as dessert was being brought out. “I was at Kroger filling up my car, and saw you in the main parking lot, Ken. Looked like you were, uh, having some words with a few guys out there.”Shit! He saw that?Not wanting to worry his mom, Ken replied, “It; it was nothing.”“Nothing, eh? Is that why that punk punched you in the gut?”With a worried look on her face, Helen asked, “Ken, sweetie, what is he talking about?” She walked around the table to Ken’s seat and lifted up his shirt, seeing the bruise on his abdomen. “Was it that Jason boy again?”“Mom, just let it go.”“No! Ken, you know I worry about you!”“You worry about Me? I think you need to worry more about your brother!” Ken shouted, his anger exploding at last. “Right, Uncle Lee? Come on, you see your own nephew being ganged up on in a parking lot, yet you do nothing to help him out?!”“A man’s gotta learn to fight his own battles,” Lee replied in a calm voice.“No. You want to know what a man does? A man sticks up for his Family! No. Matter. What! You stood there and watched your own nephew get beaten up. That says a hell of a lot more about you than it does me. And if that’s family; I don’t want any part of this one.”Without a word, Ken stood and left the dining room. He then grabbed his MIT hoodie and headed for the front door. As he was about to get into his car and drive off, he saw to his frustration that his uncles’ cars were parked in the driveway behind him, blocking him in. Cursing under his breath, he prepared to leave on foot.“Ken! Come back inside, please!” Helen called after him, running down the driveway.“No. I’ve got to go out; clear my head.”“Ken, it’s Christmas Eve. Please, come be with your family.”“Mom, aside from you, not a single person in that house feels like family to me,” Ken replied coldly. “I’ll; I’ll call you after while.”Ken walked off into the cold Georgia night, not knowing for sure where to go or what to do. Nobody else was out, as they were all at home with their families. Remembering the square in historic downtown Alpharetta, he decided to head in that direction. Maybe the quiet walk would do him some good.Arriving in the town square, Ken walked along the sidewalks for a bit, peering into the darkened windows of the various shops and restaurants. Everything looked so different to him with everyone gone for the day; it all seemed so peaceful. As he continued to walk, he soon saw City Hall in the distance. In front of the building was a large green space, which was teeming with a surprising amount of activity for it being Christmas Eve. Ken moved closer, now spying a large gathering of people sitting on picnic blankets, all bundled up in coats and hats. Ahead of them, a large screen projected the classic film, It’s a Wonderful Life.Though Ken was never into the Christmas cheer, as it were, he felt strangely drawn to watch a few minutes of the film from a distance. He soon began to regret that decision, as the movie had reached the point where George Baily had an arrest warrant out for him, lashing out at his family in anger. Watching him get drunk and punched in a bar fight, Ken began to feel sick with anger. Despite all his efforts to help better the world around him, the universe conspired against George Baily; just as it seemed to be conspiring against Ken. Unable to watch a moment more, he turned and walked into the nearby park.Again alone with his thoughts, Ken sat on a bench near the fountain in the center of the park. He contemplated many things, as he often did in solitude. He thought about his piss poor excuse for a family, intent on changing him into what they say he should be. If only they could love him as he is. He thought about Jason Brown, a perpetual asshole that managed to get all the beautiful women his heart desired. If only the universe would serve up his just desserts, rather than conspiring against Ken. Sighing in frustration, he stuffed his freezing hands into his jeans pockets.Jacqueline!Feeling the scrap of paper still in his pocket, Ken suddenly felt a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dreary day. He needed something, anything to lift his spirits, and hearing her kind, sweet voice might just do it. Hell, he didn’t even care anymore if she was interested in him in a romantic sense; he just needed someone to listen and understand him. Digging out his phone, he dialed the number. After a single ring, a message began to play, seeming to be read by a game show host.“Congratulations! You’ve reached Live 95.5 FM’s world-famous Loser Line! Live 95.5; featuring the best entertainment in Seattle! If you’ve reached this message, you have attempted to hit on a girl Way out of your league! That poor young lady wants nothing to do with you, but you just couldn’t help creeping on her! That’s where we come in! Now you know what a loser you really are! So leave the girl alone, loser! You’re doing everyone a favor! If you’d like to leave a message for the world-famous Loser Line, begin speaking at the tone!”Beep!Ken hung up the phone in quiet disbelief. How could he have been so wrong about Jacqueline? They had worked so well together in school, and he even considered her a friend! She always spoke so kindly to him, how could this have happened? Was she really as nasty and shallow as her dumbass brother? Was she really just that good of an actress? As he pondered all this, Ken’s rage finally exploded out of him.“That two-faced bitch! Who the fuck does she think she is?! I trusted her! Hell, she would never have gotten a full scholarship without my help! All I ever did was Like her! And after all that, she doesn’t even have the decency to turn me down to my face?! What The Fucking Hell? At least her brother was honest about his disdain. She’s far worse! I can’t imagine how evil she’d be if a person actually offended her?”Slumping back down onto the park bench, every thought that entered Ken’s mind brought him lower. Jason was an ass, but then again, he didn’t know how to act any different. Uncle Lee was a moron, but then again, he had no malicious intent. But Jacqueline; she was the last straw. He had trusted her, opened up to her, and she repaid him by committing the single most cruel and senseless act Ken could ever imagine. Everything was crashing down around him. As he continued to sulk, Jason’s words entered into his mind once more.“I should just do everyone a favor and drop dead; is that what you want, Jacqueline? Seems like you agree with your brother, or you wouldn’t have given me that number.”Ken reached into his pocket, withdrawing a folding knife. It had been a high school graduation present to him from his grandfather, before he passed a few months later. A far cry from the typical Swiss Army knife, he unfolded the shiny, four-inch blade, which stood in beautiful contrast to the wooden handle. Inscribed in the wood were Ken’s initials. He had not used it for anything yet, never had any need to. As he stared at his reflection in the blade, Ken kept replaying Jason’s cruel words in his mind, to do the world a favor and drop dead.“Maybe that’s not such a bad idea.” Ken mumbled.Just as he took a firm grip on the handle, preparing to take the knife to his throat, an unfamiliar voice came from off to the side.“Hey!”Gabrielle’s Christmas night.Gabrielle Libertine relaxed in a lawn chair, savoring the crisp, cold air of Christmas Eve. This was her favorite time of the year, and being able to enjoy an outdoor showing of her favorite Christmas film, It’s a Wonderful Life, made it even better. It all fit in perfectly with her life philosophy: live for happiness. Not only her own, but as much as could be had for the world around her too.“You want the moon? Just say the word, and I’ll throw a lasso around it and

Miracles can happen on Christmas Eve.Based on a post by auguy86, in 2 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at My First Time.Ken Dix flipped through the TV guide at a moderate pace; “500 channels, and nothing but Christmas specials on.”Finding nothing but disappointment at every turn. As it was Christmas Eve, every show was a mushy feel-good romp spouting lines about family and goodwill to others. None of that spoke to Ken in the slightest.“Ken?” a voice came from the kitchen.“What’s up, Mom?”“I’ve got my hands full with making everything for dinner tonight, but I’m going to run short on a couple of ingredients,” Helen Dix said, poking her head into the living room. “Can you run to the store real quick for me please?”“Sure thing,” Ken replied, seeing as he had nothing better to do.“Great, thank you. I made a list on the counter for you. The store should be open for another hour or two. The main things would be the eggs; I don’t have enough to finish my famous chess pie. If they have tea by the gallon, grab one sweet and one unsweet. The rest are great if you find them, but not essential.”“Got it,” Ken said as he took the list from the counter.Heading out to his car, Ken cranked up his Honda Civic and pulled out of the driveway. As he made his way into town, Ken reflected on his current situation. Though he loved his mom, being home for the holidays was always nerve-wracking for him. His hometown of Alpharetta, Georgia was crawling with former high school classmates of his, people he’d just as soon never see again. But up at MIT, he was actually among peers that he could relate to on an intellectual level. Not that he’d made that many friends up there. As a nineteen-year-old freshman, he was still stuck in the same boring math and science classes as everyone else. He couldn’t wait until he could start his health sciences training. Maybe then he could meet some decent people, perhaps of the female variety.Ken soon arrived in the parking lot of the local Kroger. It was soon obvious that the place was packed with last-minute shoppers, all trying to find that one final ingredient they were missing. Locking his car, Ken sauntered into the store, grabbing a shopping basket along the way. He found the shelves of the store well picked over, striking out on the nonessential items on his mom’s list. Making his way to the drinks aisle, he was pleased to see that the store was keeping the gallon jugs of tea well stocked for the holidays, and picked up a pair.Ken soon arrived in the refrigerated section of the store. Almost every shelf was empty, but he did manage to find one last carton of six eggs, just what his mom needed. Depositing the carton in his shopping basket, Ken made his way back to the front of the store, checking out in the express lane. He gripped the shopping bags tightly, being careful that the eggs weren’t harmed from the swinging of the bags. Arriving back in the parking lot, he was pleasantly surprised to see one of his former classmates, Jacqueline Brown. As he approached, she saw him coming.“Ken? Kenneth Dix?”She was extremely pretty, as was befitting one of the most popular girls in school, and kept her chestnut-brown hair cut just below her jawline. Her soft, warm facial features and bubbly personality belied the sharp intellect hiding underneath. She and Ken had been partners a few times in various subjects, and he had helped craft her entrance essay to the University of Washington. This earned her a full ride scholarship. In spite of her popularity, they had worked well together, and Ken even dared to call her a friend, at least in his own mind. They had never hung out on a social basis; her circle of friends would never have let her live that down. Still, times had changed. They were both out of high school, after all. What could it hurt to ask?“Jacqueline? Wow, I never thought I’d see you back here. Thought you escaped to cooler climates?”“Yeah, Seattle is nice, but nothing beats Christmas at home,” she replied, adjusting her UW sweatshirt. “You back for the same reason?”“Uh huh. Mom pretty much insisted. She won’t settle for anything less than a full family gathering on Christmas Eve. I’m just grabbing a few last things for her. But yeah, it’s great seeing you again. You, uh, you look good.”“Um; thanks,” she replied with hesitation.“I’m, uh, gonna be home for a couple of weeks. Would you want to, I don’t know, hang out sometime? Maybe grab a bite to eat? My treat.”“Well, Ken, that’s sweet of you to ask.” she said almost to herself. As she paused, her eyes suddenly lit up as if she had gotten an idea. “Alright! Here, let me give you my number.” She scribbled a series of digits down on a scrap piece of paper, writing her name next to them. “I’ll, um, talk to you later, I guess?”“Sounds great!”Ken couldn’t believe it; he had actually done it! He had asked out the prettiest girl he had ever known! Moreover, she had given him her number! Things were definitely looking up.“Dick!” a voice behind them yelled.Ken turned, immediately recognizing Jason Brown, Jacqueline’s fraternal twin brother, along with his two flunkies, Brian and Barrett Sullivan. Jason had been the star quarterback at his high school, and the Sullivan boys were his best offensive linemen. They often served as his muscle off the football field, as well. Ken was intimately familiar with these three, as they had made it their mission in high school to make his life a living hell. Being stuffed in lockers, having his wallet stolen, all were commonplace with them. The three approached, attempting to appear imposing, which they were from the perspective of the ever-scrawny Ken.“I’ve got nothing to say to you guys,” Ken muttered as they approached.“Well I’ve got something to say to you, Mr. Kenny Dick,” Jason growled.“Just shut up and leave me alone,” Ken replied, his blood boiling at the use of Jason’s longtime nickname for him.“No! You shut the fuck up and listen!” Jason said, grabbing Ken by the collar of his tee-shirt and flinging him against his car. In the process, Ken dropped his shopping bags, the jugs of tea landing directly on the egg carton.“Jason! Stop it!” Jacqueline protested.Undeterred, Jason threatened. “Listen fuck-wad, you stay the hell away from my sister!”“She’s an adult, dickhead! She can have anyone she wants as a friend!” Ken protested.“You don’t belong on the same Planet as her! You’re nothing’! A pathetic sack of guts your dumbass mother decided to give a name to! Know what? Just do us all a favor and drop dead!”Enraged at the insult to his mom, Ken swung a wild haymaker at his assailant, but Jason was more than ready, pinning Ken’s arm back against his car. Jason then delivered a crushing punch to Ken’s gut, dropping him down to his knees. Before leaving, Jason knelt down next to his gasping victim.“Next time, I won’t be so nice. Next time; I might just kill you myself. See ya around. Dick.” Turning to his sister, Jason said, “Come on, time to go home.”Jacqueline looked down at the pitiful form of Ken before muttering, “Sorry, Ken.”The trio of boys sauntered off across the parking lot, laughing and high-fiving at their antics. Jacqueline followed right behind them. Ken picked himself up and inspected his groceries, discovering the crushed eggs in his bag. Swearing and cursing, he grabbed the misshapen carton and went to throw it in a nearby trash can.“No chess pie tonight.”As Ken returned to his car and began his drive home, Jason and his flunkies watched on from his car, still pleased with their efforts.“You shouldn’t have done that,” Jacqueline said in a lecturing tone.Jason turned to face his sister. “I do what I gotta do, Jacqueline. That fuck-wad has no business getting friendly with you. He needs to learn his place.”“Be that as it may, I can take care of myself,” she replied firmly.“Take care of yourself? Wait; you didn’t?”“I did. Jason, someday you’ll learn that there are more subtle and effective ways to ward off undesirables. Trust me, Ken won’t bother me ever again.”Back at Home.Upon arriving back home, Ken couldn’t bring himself to tell his mom about the incident with the eggs. He instead told her that the store had run out altogether. She had spent many sleepless nights in the past worrying about the constant bullying her son was subjected to in school. Ken didn’t want to give her anything else to worry about. By this time, has uncles had started arriving, and the living room was soon filled with the sounds of football games. In Ken’s mind, these were no more thought provoking that the mindless Christmas specials he had found earlier. Ken went up to his room to take a hot shower, as well as get some alone time in the process. As he stripped down, he saw a bruise beginning to form on his stomach from Jason’s punch. He winced in pain as he touched the tender skin.Shit; that’s not going away for a while.Ken took some Tylenol for the pain before stepping into the shower. The hot water helped relax his body, and the steam gradually built up, clearing his mind a bit. He finished after a while and, after making sure his door was shut, flopped facedown onto his bed. After laying there for around an hour or so, his mom finally called him down to rejoin the family for dinner.Taking his seat at the table, Ken glanced around the room at his various family members. His mom had two older brothers, Lee and Stan. Though Lee was tall and still relatively youthful looking at forty-five, Stan was shorter and beginning to bald as he approached fifty. Still, both of them had one notable thing in common as far as Ken was concerned: they were both still jocks at heart. Ken had never known his father; it had always just been him and his mom. He could tell that his uncles tried to be male role models for him, but their efforts were usually ill-conceived attempts to “man him up.” Never once did they understand his introverted tendencies, and always tried to get him to be more of a people person. After a while, Ken stopped paying their advice any attention.It was striking to Ken how similar Lee and Stan’s families were. They had both married beautiful, blonde cheerleaders, and now both had sixteen-year-old daughters, both of whom were among the most popular girls in school. It all sickened Ken; they were just perpetuating the stereotype of pretty and popular being the be-all, end-all in life. As the family ate, Ken remained silent for the most part. The adults were engrossed in discussions about their jobs, and the two daughters were giggling and playing on their phones the entire time. None of this was relevant to Ken.“You know, I saw something interesting today,” Lee said as dessert was being brought out. “I was at Kroger filling up my car, and saw you in the main parking lot, Ken. Looked like you were, uh, having some words with a few guys out there.”Shit! He saw that?Not wanting to worry his mom, Ken replied, “It; it was nothing.”“Nothing, eh? Is that why that punk punched you in the gut?”With a worried look on her face, Helen asked, “Ken, sweetie, what is he talking about?” She walked around the table to Ken’s seat and lifted up his shirt, seeing the bruise on his abdomen. “Was it that Jason boy again?”“Mom, just let it go.”“No! Ken, you know I worry about you!”“You worry about Me? I think you need to worry more about your brother!” Ken shouted, his anger exploding at last. “Right, Uncle Lee? Come on, you see your own nephew being ganged up on in a parking lot, yet you do nothing to help him out?!”“A man’s gotta learn to fight his own battles,” Lee replied in a calm voice.“No. You want to know what a man does? A man sticks up for his Family! No. Matter. What! You stood there and watched your own nephew get beaten up. That says a hell of a lot more about you than it does me. And if that’s family; I don’t want any part of this one.”Without a word, Ken stood and left the dining room. He then grabbed his MIT hoodie and headed for the front door. As he was about to get into his car and drive off, he saw to his frustration that his uncles’ cars were parked in the driveway behind him, blocking him in. Cursing under his breath, he prepared to leave on foot.“Ken! Come back inside, please!” Helen called after him, running down the driveway.“No. I’ve got to go out; clear my head.”“Ken, it’s Christmas Eve. Please, come be with your family.”“Mom, aside from you, not a single person in that house feels like family to me,” Ken replied coldly. “I’ll; I’ll call you after while.”Ken walked off into the cold Georgia night, not knowing for sure where to go or what to do. Nobody else was out, as they were all at home with their families. Remembering the square in historic downtown Alpharetta, he decided to head in that direction. Maybe the quiet walk would do him some good.Arriving in the town square, Ken walked along the sidewalks for a bit, peering into the darkened windows of the various shops and restaurants. Everything looked so different to him with everyone gone for the day; it all seemed so peaceful. As he continued to walk, he soon saw City Hall in the distance. In front of the building was a large green space, which was teeming with a surprising amount of activity for it being Christmas Eve. Ken moved closer, now spying a large gathering of people sitting on picnic blankets, all bundled up in coats and hats. Ahead of them, a large screen projected the classic film, It’s a Wonderful Life.Though Ken was never into the Christmas cheer, as it were, he felt strangely drawn to watch a few minutes of the film from a distance. He soon began to regret that decision, as the movie had reached the point where George Baily had an arrest warrant out for him, lashing out at his family in anger. Watching him get drunk and punched in a bar fight, Ken began to feel sick with anger. Despite all his efforts to help better the world around him, the universe conspired against George Baily; just as it seemed to be conspiring against Ken. Unable to watch a moment more, he turned and walked into the nearby park.Again alone with his thoughts, Ken sat on a bench near the fountain in the center of the park. He contemplated many things, as he often did in solitude. He thought about his piss poor excuse for a family, intent on changing him into what they say he should be. If only they could love him as he is. He thought about Jason Brown, a perpetual asshole that managed to get all the beautiful women his heart desired. If only the universe would serve up his just desserts, rather than conspiring against Ken. Sighing in frustration, he stuffed his freezing hands into his jeans pockets.Jacqueline!Feeling the scrap of paper still in his pocket, Ken suddenly felt a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dreary day. He needed something, anything to lift his spirits, and hearing her kind, sweet voice might just do it. Hell, he didn’t even care anymore if she was interested in him in a romantic sense; he just needed someone to listen and understand him. Digging out his phone, he dialed the number. After a single ring, a message began to play, seeming to be read by a game show host.“Congratulations! You’ve reached Live 95.5 FM’s world-famous Loser Line! Live 95.5; featuring the best entertainment in Seattle! If you’ve reached this message, you have attempted to hit on a girl Way out of your league! That poor young lady wants nothing to do with you, but you just couldn’t help creeping on her! That’s where we come in! Now you know what a loser you really are! So leave the girl alone, loser! You’re doing everyone a favor! If you’d like to leave a message for the world-famous Loser Line, begin speaking at the tone!”Beep!Ken hung up the phone in quiet disbelief. How could he have been so wrong about Jacqueline? They had worked so well together in school, and he even considered her a friend! She always spoke so kindly to him, how could this have happened? Was she really as nasty and shallow as her dumbass brother? Was she really just that good of an actress? As he pondered all this, Ken’s rage finally exploded out of him.“That two-faced bitch! Who the fuck does she think she is?! I trusted her! Hell, she would never have gotten a full scholarship without my help! All I ever did was Like her! And after all that, she doesn’t even have the decency to turn me down to my face?! What The Fucking Hell? At least her brother was honest about his disdain. She’s far worse! I can’t imagine how evil she’d be if a person actually offended her?”Slumping back down onto the park bench, every thought that entered Ken’s mind brought him lower. Jason was an ass, but then again, he didn’t know how to act any different. Uncle Lee was a moron, but then again, he had no malicious intent. But Jacqueline; she was the last straw. He had trusted her, opened up to her, and she repaid him by committing the single most cruel and senseless act Ken could ever imagine. Everything was crashing down around him. As he continued to sulk, Jason’s words entered into his mind once more.“I should just do everyone a favor and drop dead; is that what you want, Jacqueline? Seems like you agree with your brother, or you wouldn’t have given me that number.”Ken reached into his pocket, withdrawing a folding knife. It had been a high school graduation present to him from his grandfather, before he passed a few months later. A far cry from the typical Swiss Army knife, he unfolded the shiny, four-inch blade, which stood in beautiful contrast to the wooden handle. Inscribed in the wood were Ken’s initials. He had not used it for anything yet, never had any need to. As he stared at his reflection in the blade, Ken kept replaying Jason’s cruel words in his mind, to do the world a favor and drop dead.“Maybe that’s not such a bad idea.” Ken mumbled.Just as he took a firm grip on the handle, preparing to take the knife to his throat, an unfamiliar voice came from off to the side.“Hey!”Gabrielle’s Christmas night.Gabrielle Libertine relaxed in a lawn chair, savoring the crisp, cold air of Christmas Eve. This was her favorite time of the year, and being able to enjoy an outdoor showing of her favorite Christmas film, It’s a Wonderful Life, made it even better. It all fit in perfectly with her life philosophy: live for happiness. Not only her own, but as much as could be had for the world around her too.“You want the moon? Just say the word, and I’ll throw a lasso around it and

Miracles can happen on Christmas Eve.Based on a post by auguy86, in 2 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at My First Time.Ken Dix flipped through the TV guide at a moderate pace; “500 channels, and nothing but Christmas specials on.”Finding nothing but disappointment at every turn. As it was Christmas Eve, every show was a mushy feel-good romp spouting lines about family and goodwill to others. None of that spoke to Ken in the slightest.“Ken?” a voice came from the kitchen.“What’s up, Mom?”“I’ve got my hands full with making everything for dinner tonight, but I’m going to run short on a couple of ingredients,” Helen Dix said, poking her head into the living room. “Can you run to the store real quick for me please?”“Sure thing,” Ken replied, seeing as he had nothing better to do.“Great, thank you. I made a list on the counter for you. The store should be open for another hour or two. The main things would be the eggs; I don’t have enough to finish my famous chess pie. If they have tea by the gallon, grab one sweet and one unsweet. The rest are great if you find them, but not essential.”“Got it,” Ken said as he took the list from the counter.Heading out to his car, Ken cranked up his Honda Civic and pulled out of the driveway. As he made his way into town, Ken reflected on his current situation. Though he loved his mom, being home for the holidays was always nerve-wracking for him. His hometown of Alpharetta, Georgia was crawling with former high school classmates of his, people he’d just as soon never see again. But up at MIT, he was actually among peers that he could relate to on an intellectual level. Not that he’d made that many friends up there. As a nineteen-year-old freshman, he was still stuck in the same boring math and science classes as everyone else. He couldn’t wait until he could start his health sciences training. Maybe then he could meet some decent people, perhaps of the female variety.Ken soon arrived in the parking lot of the local Kroger. It was soon obvious that the place was packed with last-minute shoppers, all trying to find that one final ingredient they were missing. Locking his car, Ken sauntered into the store, grabbing a shopping basket along the way. He found the shelves of the store well picked over, striking out on the nonessential items on his mom’s list. Making his way to the drinks aisle, he was pleased to see that the store was keeping the gallon jugs of tea well stocked for the holidays, and picked up a pair.Ken soon arrived in the refrigerated section of the store. Almost every shelf was empty, but he did manage to find one last carton of six eggs, just what his mom needed. Depositing the carton in his shopping basket, Ken made his way back to the front of the store, checking out in the express lane. He gripped the shopping bags tightly, being careful that the eggs weren’t harmed from the swinging of the bags. Arriving back in the parking lot, he was pleasantly surprised to see one of his former classmates, Jacqueline Brown. As he approached, she saw him coming.“Ken? Kenneth Dix?”She was extremely pretty, as was befitting one of the most popular girls in school, and kept her chestnut-brown hair cut just below her jawline. Her soft, warm facial features and bubbly personality belied the sharp intellect hiding underneath. She and Ken had been partners a few times in various subjects, and he had helped craft her entrance essay to the University of Washington. This earned her a full ride scholarship. In spite of her popularity, they had worked well together, and Ken even dared to call her a friend, at least in his own mind. They had never hung out on a social basis; her circle of friends would never have let her live that down. Still, times had changed. They were both out of high school, after all. What could it hurt to ask?“Jacqueline? Wow, I never thought I’d see you back here. Thought you escaped to cooler climates?”“Yeah, Seattle is nice, but nothing beats Christmas at home,” she replied, adjusting her UW sweatshirt. “You back for the same reason?”“Uh huh. Mom pretty much insisted. She won’t settle for anything less than a full family gathering on Christmas Eve. I’m just grabbing a few last things for her. But yeah, it’s great seeing you again. You, uh, you look good.”“Um; thanks,” she replied with hesitation.“I’m, uh, gonna be home for a couple of weeks. Would you want to, I don’t know, hang out sometime? Maybe grab a bite to eat? My treat.”“Well, Ken, that’s sweet of you to ask.” she said almost to herself. As she paused, her eyes suddenly lit up as if she had gotten an idea. “Alright! Here, let me give you my number.” She scribbled a series of digits down on a scrap piece of paper, writing her name next to them. “I’ll, um, talk to you later, I guess?”“Sounds great!”Ken couldn’t believe it; he had actually done it! He had asked out the prettiest girl he had ever known! Moreover, she had given him her number! Things were definitely looking up.“Dick!” a voice behind them yelled.Ken turned, immediately recognizing Jason Brown, Jacqueline’s fraternal twin brother, along with his two flunkies, Brian and Barrett Sullivan. Jason had been the star quarterback at his high school, and the Sullivan boys were his best offensive linemen. They often served as his muscle off the football field, as well. Ken was intimately familiar with these three, as they had made it their mission in high school to make his life a living hell. Being stuffed in lockers, having his wallet stolen, all were commonplace with them. The three approached, attempting to appear imposing, which they were from the perspective of the ever-scrawny Ken.“I’ve got nothing to say to you guys,” Ken muttered as they approached.“Well I’ve got something to say to you, Mr. Kenny Dick,” Jason growled.“Just shut up and leave me alone,” Ken replied, his blood boiling at the use of Jason’s longtime nickname for him.“No! You shut the fuck up and listen!” Jason said, grabbing Ken by the collar of his tee-shirt and flinging him against his car. In the process, Ken dropped his shopping bags, the jugs of tea landing directly on the egg carton.“Jason! Stop it!” Jacqueline protested.Undeterred, Jason threatened. “Listen fuck-wad, you stay the hell away from my sister!”“She’s an adult, dickhead! She can have anyone she wants as a friend!” Ken protested.“You don’t belong on the same Planet as her! You’re nothing’! A pathetic sack of guts your dumbass mother decided to give a name to! Know what? Just do us all a favor and drop dead!”Enraged at the insult to his mom, Ken swung a wild haymaker at his assailant, but Jason was more than ready, pinning Ken’s arm back against his car. Jason then delivered a crushing punch to Ken’s gut, dropping him down to his knees. Before leaving, Jason knelt down next to his gasping victim.“Next time, I won’t be so nice. Next time; I might just kill you myself. See ya around. Dick.” Turning to his sister, Jason said, “Come on, time to go home.”Jacqueline looked down at the pitiful form of Ken before muttering, “Sorry, Ken.”The trio of boys sauntered off across the parking lot, laughing and high-fiving at their antics. Jacqueline followed right behind them. Ken picked himself up and inspected his groceries, discovering the crushed eggs in his bag. Swearing and cursing, he grabbed the misshapen carton and went to throw it in a nearby trash can.“No chess pie tonight.”As Ken returned to his car and began his drive home, Jason and his flunkies watched on from his car, still pleased with their efforts.“You shouldn’t have done that,” Jacqueline said in a lecturing tone.Jason turned to face his sister. “I do what I gotta do, Jacqueline. That fuck-wad has no business getting friendly with you. He needs to learn his place.”“Be that as it may, I can take care of myself,” she replied firmly.“Take care of yourself? Wait; you didn’t?”“I did. Jason, someday you’ll learn that there are more subtle and effective ways to ward off undesirables. Trust me, Ken won’t bother me ever again.”Back at Home.Upon arriving back home, Ken couldn’t bring himself to tell his mom about the incident with the eggs. He instead told her that the store had run out altogether. She had spent many sleepless nights in the past worrying about the constant bullying her son was subjected to in school. Ken didn’t want to give her anything else to worry about. By this time, has uncles had started arriving, and the living room was soon filled with the sounds of football games. In Ken’s mind, these were no more thought provoking that the mindless Christmas specials he had found earlier. Ken went up to his room to take a hot shower, as well as get some alone time in the process. As he stripped down, he saw a bruise beginning to form on his stomach from Jason’s punch. He winced in pain as he touched the tender skin.Shit; that’s not going away for a while.Ken took some Tylenol for the pain before stepping into the shower. The hot water helped relax his body, and the steam gradually built up, clearing his mind a bit. He finished after a while and, after making sure his door was shut, flopped facedown onto his bed. After laying there for around an hour or so, his mom finally called him down to rejoin the family for dinner.Taking his seat at the table, Ken glanced around the room at his various family members. His mom had two older brothers, Lee and Stan. Though Lee was tall and still relatively youthful looking at forty-five, Stan was shorter and beginning to bald as he approached fifty. Still, both of them had one notable thing in common as far as Ken was concerned: they were both still jocks at heart. Ken had never known his father; it had always just been him and his mom. He could tell that his uncles tried to be male role models for him, but their efforts were usually ill-conceived attempts to “man him up.” Never once did they understand his introverted tendencies, and always tried to get him to be more of a people person. After a while, Ken stopped paying their advice any attention.It was striking to Ken how similar Lee and Stan’s families were. They had both married beautiful, blonde cheerleaders, and now both had sixteen-year-old daughters, both of whom were among the most popular girls in school. It all sickened Ken; they were just perpetuating the stereotype of pretty and popular being the be-all, end-all in life. As the family ate, Ken remained silent for the most part. The adults were engrossed in discussions about their jobs, and the two daughters were giggling and playing on their phones the entire time. None of this was relevant to Ken.“You know, I saw something interesting today,” Lee said as dessert was being brought out. “I was at Kroger filling up my car, and saw you in the main parking lot, Ken. Looked like you were, uh, having some words with a few guys out there.”Shit! He saw that?Not wanting to worry his mom, Ken replied, “It; it was nothing.”“Nothing, eh? Is that why that punk punched you in the gut?”With a worried look on her face, Helen asked, “Ken, sweetie, what is he talking about?” She walked around the table to Ken’s seat and lifted up his shirt, seeing the bruise on his abdomen. “Was it that Jason boy again?”“Mom, just let it go.”“No! Ken, you know I worry about you!”“You worry about Me? I think you need to worry more about your brother!” Ken shouted, his anger exploding at last. “Right, Uncle Lee? Come on, you see your own nephew being ganged up on in a parking lot, yet you do nothing to help him out?!”“A man’s gotta learn to fight his own battles,” Lee replied in a calm voice.“No. You want to know what a man does? A man sticks up for his Family! No. Matter. What! You stood there and watched your own nephew get beaten up. That says a hell of a lot more about you than it does me. And if that’s family; I don’t want any part of this one.”Without a word, Ken stood and left the dining room. He then grabbed his MIT hoodie and headed for the front door. As he was about to get into his car and drive off, he saw to his frustration that his uncles’ cars were parked in the driveway behind him, blocking him in. Cursing under his breath, he prepared to leave on foot.“Ken! Come back inside, please!” Helen called after him, running down the driveway.“No. I’ve got to go out; clear my head.”“Ken, it’s Christmas Eve. Please, come be with your family.”“Mom, aside from you, not a single person in that house feels like family to me,” Ken replied coldly. “I’ll; I’ll call you after while.”Ken walked off into the cold Georgia night, not knowing for sure where to go or what to do. Nobody else was out, as they were all at home with their families. Remembering the square in historic downtown Alpharetta, he decided to head in that direction. Maybe the quiet walk would do him some good.Arriving in the town square, Ken walked along the sidewalks for a bit, peering into the darkened windows of the various shops and restaurants. Everything looked so different to him with everyone gone for the day; it all seemed so peaceful. As he continued to walk, he soon saw City Hall in the distance. In front of the building was a large green space, which was teeming with a surprising amount of activity for it being Christmas Eve. Ken moved closer, now spying a large gathering of people sitting on picnic blankets, all bundled up in coats and hats. Ahead of them, a large screen projected the classic film, It’s a Wonderful Life.Though Ken was never into the Christmas cheer, as it were, he felt strangely drawn to watch a few minutes of the film from a distance. He soon began to regret that decision, as the movie had reached the point where George Baily had an arrest warrant out for him, lashing out at his family in anger. Watching him get drunk and punched in a bar fight, Ken began to feel sick with anger. Despite all his efforts to help better the world around him, the universe conspired against George Baily; just as it seemed to be conspiring against Ken. Unable to watch a moment more, he turned and walked into the nearby park.Again alone with his thoughts, Ken sat on a bench near the fountain in the center of the park. He contemplated many things, as he often did in solitude. He thought about his piss poor excuse for a family, intent on changing him into what they say he should be. If only they could love him as he is. He thought about Jason Brown, a perpetual asshole that managed to get all the beautiful women his heart desired. If only the universe would serve up his just desserts, rather than conspiring against Ken. Sighing in frustration, he stuffed his freezing hands into his jeans pockets.Jacqueline!Feeling the scrap of paper still in his pocket, Ken suddenly felt a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dreary day. He needed something, anything to lift his spirits, and hearing her kind, sweet voice might just do it. Hell, he didn’t even care anymore if she was interested in him in a romantic sense; he just needed someone to listen and understand him. Digging out his phone, he dialed the number. After a single ring, a message began to play, seeming to be read by a game show host.“Congratulations! You’ve reached Live 95.5 FM’s world-famous Loser Line! Live 95.5; featuring the best entertainment in Seattle! If you’ve reached this message, you have attempted to hit on a girl Way out of your league! That poor young lady wants nothing to do with you, but you just couldn’t help creeping on her! That’s where we come in! Now you know what a loser you really are! So leave the girl alone, loser! You’re doing everyone a favor! If you’d like to leave a message for the world-famous Loser Line, begin speaking at the tone!”Beep!Ken hung up the phone in quiet disbelief. How could he have been so wrong about Jacqueline? They had worked so well together in school, and he even considered her a friend! She always spoke so kindly to him, how could this have happened? Was she really as nasty and shallow as her dumbass brother? Was she really just that good of an actress? As he pondered all this, Ken’s rage finally exploded out of him.“That two-faced bitch! Who the fuck does she think she is?! I trusted her! Hell, she would never have gotten a full scholarship without my help! All I ever did was Like her! And after all that, she doesn’t even have the decency to turn me down to my face?! What The Fucking Hell? At least her brother was honest about his disdain. She’s far worse! I can’t imagine how evil she’d be if a person actually offended her?”Slumping back down onto the park bench, every thought that entered Ken’s mind brought him lower. Jason was an ass, but then again, he didn’t know how to act any different. Uncle Lee was a moron, but then again, he had no malicious intent. But Jacqueline; she was the last straw. He had trusted her, opened up to her, and she repaid him by committing the single most cruel and senseless act Ken could ever imagine. Everything was crashing down around him. As he continued to sulk, Jason’s words entered into his mind once more.“I should just do everyone a favor and drop dead; is that what you want, Jacqueline? Seems like you agree with your brother, or you wouldn’t have given me that number.”Ken reached into his pocket, withdrawing a folding knife. It had been a high school graduation present to him from his grandfather, before he passed a few months later. A far cry from the typical Swiss Army knife, he unfolded the shiny, four-inch blade, which stood in beautiful contrast to the wooden handle. Inscribed in the wood were Ken’s initials. He had not used it for anything yet, never had any need to. As he stared at his reflection in the blade, Ken kept replaying Jason’s cruel words in his mind, to do the world a favor and drop dead.“Maybe that’s not such a bad idea.” Ken mumbled.Just as he took a firm grip on the handle, preparing to take the knife to his throat, an unfamiliar voice came from off to the side.“Hey!”Gabrielle’s Christmas night.Gabrielle Libertine relaxed in a lawn chair, savoring the crisp, cold air of Christmas Eve. This was her favorite time of the year, and being able to enjoy an outdoor showing of her favorite Christmas film, It’s a Wonderful Life, made it even better. It all fit in perfectly with her life philosophy: live for happiness. Not only her own, but as much as could be had for the world around her too.“You want the moon? Just say the word, and I’ll throw a lasso around it and

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Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/hypnosis-and-relaxation-sound-therapy9715/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Clint and Kevin dive into the news and notes of the day involving your Los Angeles Dodgers! A handful of players have reported to the Dodgers' spring training facility early, headlined by reigning NL MVP Shohei Ohtani. Who else is at Camelback Ranch, and how ready are we to 3-peat? Reactions! It's the 6 year anniversary of the famous Mookie Betts trade from the Red Sox. Clint and Kevin wax nostalgic about all of LA's success since. Plus, a look around the league with the Tigers and Padres making some moves. Tube in all offseason long! Leave a voicemail or text the Friend of the Show hotline! (562)373-4095 Join our Discord by supporting the show on Patreon! patreon.com/realFRG Or on YouTube Members! youtube.com/@alldodgers/join All Dodgers is presented by FanDuel, part of the Bleav Network of podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send us a textIn Episode 239, host Andrea Atherton and Mazona Shahar, a guide in spiritual work, ancestral wisdom, and human evolution, explore what it truly means to choose oneself in a culture that fears being alone. Together, they gently unpack the difference between loneliness and conscious solitude, inviting listeners to reconsider aloneness not as a deficit, but as a sacred initiation. This episode speaks directly to those who have felt pressure to constantly give, perform, or stay connected at the cost of their inner truth and are quietly yearning for something more authentic and whole.Andrea and Mazona dive deeply into boundaries as an act of love for self and for others, revealing how overgiving and self-sacrifice often lead to a slow loss of identity. Through stories and reflections, they illuminate the importance of sitting in silence, listening beneath the noise, and allowing space for the Self to be known rather than having to perform. Ritual and creativity are explored as essential pathways back to our essence and healing our wounds, ways humans have remembered who they are beyond roles, expectations, and survival patterns inherited through lineage and culture.As the conversation broadens, the episode shifts toward the collective moment we are in, with 2026 being framed as a threshold year, one that calls us to reclaim our true gifts and step into our divine purpose. While solitude is honored, so too is the essential need for community rooted in authenticity rather than obligation. This episode offers both grounding and inspiration for anyone navigating identity shifts, spiritual awakening, or a longing to live more aligned with their soul's truth, reminding us that when we return to ourselves, we become better able to show up for one another and for the world.Mazona Shahar     https://www.instagram.com/mazonashahar?igsh=dGpmcXA5NDc1a2Rthttps://www.facebook.com/share/1Fyk3ygwPw/?mibextid=wwXIfrhttps://medium.com/@peace30-minute Consultation with Andrea https://www.andreaatherton.com/booking-calendarAndrea Atherton Websitehttps://www.andreaatherton.com/Love Anarchy Websitehttps://www.andreaatherton.com/podcasthttps://loveanarchypodcast.buzzsprout.comLove Anarchy Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/loveanarchypodcast/Andrea Atherton Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/andreaatherton-17/

This week Landon and Jeremiah analyze Austin FC's friendly against NYCFC, and discuss what Rodo should do with the two extra international slots. Other questions and topics include:- NYCFC Friendly- Analyzing the attacking shape - Deciphering Rosales's position- What does "arriving" mean in soccer?- When everyone will be healthy- Facu Torres Press Conference- Two international slots- Sell them or sign Alastuey?- Coachella Valley Invitational preview- Join the Patreon- Free parking at Amplify- Free Ticket Giveaway by Sage Wilson RealtyMoontower Soccer is brought to you by FVF Law and McGuire Woods ConsultingSupport the show

Your route doesn't have to be a grind. We unpack the simple habits that separate smooth, profitable days from chaotic ones, drawing on three decades of pool service experience to show how routine, timing, and smart planning eliminate headaches before they start. The heartbeat of the conversation is a reliable workflow: show up the same day and roughly the same time each week, then run the same sequence at every stop so nothing gets missed. We explain why dosing chemicals last prevents second-guessing, and how a quick look back for a chlorine floater catches mistakes. For safety, we share a small skimmer trick—run your hose over the deck into the skimmer so you won't step into an open lid—and the mindset that keeps you from getting distracted in the first place.We also talk timing strategy. Arriving while the pump is already running turns hidden problems into visible ones: slow leaks reveal themselves, cleaners that should be moving stand still, and cloudy water is obvious on sight. Starting early adds buffer and beats heat and wind, but it works best with respect for neighbors and homeowners. We cover quiet gear choices, like carbon fiber poles that won't start a chorus of barking dogs, and route planning that avoids bedrooms and noisy yards at dawn.Then we zoom out to route design and resilience. Build crossover so Tuesday and Thursday zones overlap, making last-minute checks or holiday stacking easy. Carry doubles of essential tools—two poles, two leaf rakes, two brushes—so a broken cam lock or a sunken vacuum head doesn't stall your day.• building a consistent weekly schedule clients can rely on• creating a fixed on-site workflow with chemicals last• preventing injuries around skimmers with simple safeguards• arriving when equipment is running to spot issues fast• starting early while avoiding noise and disturbances• designing crossover in your route for flexibility• doubling essential tools to avoid downtime• timeboxing pump priming and troubleshooting to eight minutes• resetting and returning with clariSend us a textSupport the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA https://bit.ly/HASAThe Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100https://store.thebottomfeeder.com/Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days:https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBAPool Guy Coaching: https://bit.ly/40wFE6y

Speaker | Randy Tarr The Power of Arriving On Time Sunday February 1, 2026 Sermon Slides

Arriving in Farthen our heroes search out an expert to help Oswald with his curse. Played by the wonderful GM over at the Spirits and Monsters of Old seattle podcast. Our opening is from our good friends at - https://www.spiritsandmonsters.com/You can support us at -patreon.com/BigCampaignStorieshttps://ko-fi.com/bigcampaignstoriesA special thanks to Nihilore for the music -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.nihilore.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Find us all over - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/big_campaign_stories⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠And thanks to for the soundeffects - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pixabay.com/music/search/Join us on discord at - https://discord.gg/kcD3mXUeew

In this week's episode... Arriving with JUST enough time to spare at his father's fifth wedding, Kavlaran is given a task of the greatest importance. Keep his father's previous wives away from each other and do his best to avoid anyone making ANY scenes!

White House border czar Tom Homan made his first public remarks Thursday after arriving in Minnesota earlier this week to oversee federal immigration enforcement. Homan is assuming leadership of the surge of federal agents from Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, who had been the face of the operation.MPR News host Emily Bright spoke with MPR's Estelle Timar-Wilcox, who was at this morning's news conference, about what she heard.

A healing birth can change the way you understand everything that came before it. In this episode, Dr. Dekker talks with EBB Childbirth Class graduate Michaela Raines about experiencing a deeply healing birth after a first birth that didn't go as planned. Michaela shares her first hospital birth story—including unexpected interventions, a long pushing phase, perineal trauma, and a NICU stay—and how those experiences shaped her postpartum recovery. She then walks us through how education, intentional preparation, and support helped her approach her second pregnancy differently, leading to a fast, unmedicated water birth at a freestanding birth center. Michaela also reflects on how this birth felt both physically and emotionally redemptive and what she would share with parents preparing for a subsequent birth after a challenging experience. (03:13) Michaela's first birth expectations vs. reality (04:15) Unexpected interventions, epidural, and long pushing (08:16) Postpartum recovery and feelings of embarrassment (09:27) Discovering Evidence Based Birth® and choosing a birth center (12:10) Preparing mentally for an unmedicated birth (13:26) Birth center transfer protocols and emergency preparedness (14:34) Early labor and false starts (19:40) Arriving at the birth center and a rapid water birth (21:13) The healing impact of her second birth (24:58) Freedom of movement and choosing birth positions (30:35) Birth affirmations that carried her through labor (31:36) Advice for parents preparing for a healing second birth Resources EBB 292 – Confronting the Unknowns in Childbirth with Liesel Teen of the Mommy Labor Nurse EBB 318 – Advocating for Waterbirth in Hospitals with Dr. Liz Nutter, DNP, CNM, and Retired Lieutenant Colonel

Presented by Julie Busteed What does Scripture teach us about the meaning and purpose of our work? Let's look at some examples of how work can be an opportunity to use our God-given abilities to serve others. The story of Ruth the Moabite comes to mind when thinking about an example of working to serve others. This short, four-chapter book of the Bible is packed with so much to reflect on, but today I want to focus on how Ruth's work blessed others, specifically her mother-in-law Naomi. A fly over recap: Naomi was not only a widow, but she also lost both of her sons. There was no one to provide for her and she was living in a foreign land. Her daughter-in-law, Ruth, was also a widow who loved Naomi deeply and followed Naomi back to her homeland in Bethlehem. They arrived back in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. Arriving empty handed and no way to feed themselves, Ruth said to Naomi, let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor (Ruth 2:2). God provided a way for the poor to feed themselves. He said, when you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God (Leviticus 19:9-10). Naomi was certainly poor, and Ruth was a foreigner. God's law made provision for this situation. But someone had to go out in the field and put in some effort to gather the leftover grain. There was work involved. This was physical work. Ruth may not have been accustomed to it, but it didn't keep her from attempting to provide for Naomi and herself. I imagine it was not creative work, and commentaries indicate it could have been dangerous even for her. But God provided for and protected her in this as well, since she “happened” to end up working in Boaz's field, a relative of Naomi's husband. And as the narrative goes, he became the kinsman redeemer, providing more than Naomi and Ruth could have imagined. All this to say, Ruth, through the unglamourous work of gleaning barley in the fields, not only provided temporary nourishment for Naomi, but also was the catalyst for providing a kinsman redeemer—someone to rescue them from poverty. In the end, Boaz married Ruth and had a son who carried on the name of Naomi's husband. Best of all, their son was the grandfather of King David and ultimately in the lineage of Christ as we read in Matthew chapter 1. I just love how God uses us where we are. No matter what work we are doing, however humble or elevated our jobs might be if we are working for him and doing our best, he can and will use us.

Shawn Johnson shares his story of growing up in poverty in New Jersey, getting pulled into street life, and eventually joining the Bloods. He breaks down how a murder charge led to a 60-year sentence in New Jersey State Prison, what it took to survive nearly two decades behind bars, and how prison life reshaped him mentally and emotionally. Shawn also opens up about the long road to freedom, the legal fight for clemency, and what it meant to finally walk out of prison after 19 years, when he was granted clemency by the governor in 2025. _____________________________________________ #PrisonStories #TrueCrime #NewJerseyPrison #SurvivingPrison #LifeBehindBars #RealStories #CrimeDocumentary #youtubepodcast _____________________________________________ Thank you to PRIZEPICKS for sponsoring this episode: Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/IANBICK and use code IANBICK and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! _____________________________________________ Connect with Shawn Johnson: YouTube: Shawn Robert Johnson TikTok & Instagram: shawjohn1222 _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ Shop Locked In Merch: http://www.ianbick.com/shop _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Shawn's Case Overview & What Led to 19 Years in Prison 02:22 Growing Up in New Jersey: Childhood & Early Influences 09:05 Juvenile Charges, Family Struggles & Early Warning Signs 18:00 From Trouble to the Streets: Choices That Changed Everything 24:45 The Incident, Arrest & Facing Serious Charges 36:13 Trial, Sentencing & Life in County Jail 43:41 Arriving in Prison: Survival, Routine & Reality Shock 48:01 Daily Life in Prison: Politics, Social Dynamics & Rules 55:04 Avoiding Trouble, Growing Up & Mental Survival 01:00:01 Appeals, Legal Setbacks & Holding Onto Hope 01:08:05 Rehabilitation, Programs & Preparing for Release 01:15:15 COVID in Prison & a Major Legal Turning Point 01:20:32 Clemency Explained: Application, Review & Approval 01:25:11 Coming Home After 19 Years in Prison 01:28:18 Life Lessons, Advice & Final Reflections Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PREVIEW FOR LATER TODAY Guest: Brenda Wineapple. Wineapple describes William Jennings Bryan arriving in Dayton, Tennessee, like a movie star. Wearing a pith helmet against the heat, the former Secretary of State and three-time presidential candidate viewed himself as the "Great Commoner" and a man of the people, there to save the world from atheism.1912 WILSON AND BRYAN

WASHINGTON'S NAVY AND THE LIFEGUARD Colleague Patrick O'Donnell. Upon arriving in Cambridge in July 1775, George Washington formed a close bond with the Marblehead Regiment, relying on them for security and expertise. Facing a desperate shortage of gunpowder, Washington utilized the Marbleheaders to create an impromptu navy; Captain John Manley successfully captured a British ordinance ship, delivering vital supplies. Washington also established the "Lifeguard" (Commander-in-Chief's Guard) to protect himself and his papers, appointing Marbleheader Caleb Gibbs as commander. The segment describes Beverly as a crucial, difficult-to-navigate port that protected these new cruisers from the Royal Navy. NUMBER 41870