Podcasts about Avon

In this inspiring episode of the Stuck In My Mind Podcast, host Wize El Jefe sits down for an illuminating conversation with Suzanne Roberta Martens—entrepreneur, beauty industry veteran, and founder of the luxury clean beauty brand Adesse New York. This episode is a masterclass in resourcefulness, resilience, and the power of pursuing your dreams—no matter the obstacles. From Industry Titans to Indie Trailblazer The episode opens as Wize El Jefe introduces Suzanne Roberta Martens as someone who has not only worked for global icons like Estee Lauder, Avon, and Revlon but has also boldly stepped out to carve her own path within the competitive world of cosmetics. Listeners are treated to the backstory of a woman who dreamed of her own beauty brand since college, a vision fueled by her fascination with the ever-evolving beauty landscape. Working at the leading edge of brands reformulating their products for safety and wellness, Suzanne Roberta Martens learned every aspect of the business—from concept to market, branding to formulation, and manufacturing to positioning. She recounts how her specialty in skincare and color cosmetics paved the way for her to develop innovative approaches to product creation, especially as the industry transitioned towards clean ingredients. The Power of AI and Agility A key highlight of their discussion is the transformative role of technology. Both Wize El Jefe and Suzanne Roberta Martens share their experiences integrating AI into their creative and business processes, accelerating everything from product development to audience engagement. For Adesse New York, leveraging AI means not only tracking consumer trends but also using predictive modeling to ensure product launches meet real customer desires. Unlike larger corporations bogged down by long product development cycles, Suzanne Roberta Martens's agile team harnesses tech to innovate and adapt swiftly—something essential for indie brands seeking to disrupt established markets. Bootstrapping and Breaking In What makes Suzanne Roberta Martens's journey particularly inspiring is her candor about starting with almost no funding. She explains that, far from being a setback, this forced her to be inventive. By identifying a major gap—clean nail care in an industry otherwise moving towards wellness—she conceptualized Adesse as a skincare-for-nails brand. Approaching contract manufacturers with a vision, not capital, she convinced partners to work in small production runs. Her unique perspective, treating nail care as skin care and using high-quality color pigments, enabled Adesse to stand out immediately. Through strategic partnerships with top beauty subscription companies, Adesse achieved massive exposure early on and quickly scaled from selling thousands to tens of millions of bottles. Suzanne Roberta Martens reflects on the exhilaration and terror of leaving the security of corporate America, betting on herself—and how the sense of truly helping people reclaim their nail health propelled her forward. Making Clean Beauty Accessible Wize El Jefe and Suzanne Roberta Martens dive deep into what sets Adesse New York apart: clinically effective, clean, and vegan nail formulas free from harmful toxins. Their conversation explores why avoiding ingredients that penetrate the body through the nails is vital, especially for conscious consumers already committed to health in other areas of life. A Pivotal QVC Moment—and the Pandemic Pivot Listeners are taken behind the scenes of Adesse's big break: being selected as one of just 400 out of 20,000 brands to debut on QVC. Suzanne Roberta Martens recalls the grueling safety testing, the anticipation, and the heartbreak of COVID-19 shutting down the studio just as she was set to go live. Not to be deterred, she pivoted to a makeshift home studio, adjusting her expectations—and wardrobe!—and successfully launched a nail care solution exactly when the world desperately needed it. This segment is a testament to the entrepreneur's tenacity and ability to turn setbacks into opportunity. Carving a Niche Among Giants How does an indie brand thrive in the shadow of billion-dollar conglomerates? By staying nimble, deeply tuning in to consumer needs, and using digital platforms to level the playing field. New selling channels, from Amazon Live to direct-to-consumer apps like Whatnot, allow agile brands like Adesse to reach global audiences and control their destiny, without gatekeepers. Suzanne Roberta Martens shares her excitement about the democratization of retail and how indie founders today have unprecedented potential to build relationships with customers around the world. Redefining Success and Building Community The conversation shifts to the meaning of success. Suzanne Roberta Martens admits her early ambition was all about landing major retail partners. Today, she finds fulfillment in directly serving her loyal customers—their feedback, stories, and advocacy matter more than any department store shelf. The two discuss how genuine community and word-of-mouth have become the true engine of sustainable business, mirroring Wize El Jefe's own podcasting journey. Key Takeaways for Aspiring Entrepreneurs For listeners dreaming of launching their own ventures, Suzanne Roberta Martens shares priceless wisdom: it's not a lack of resources, but a lack of resourcefulness that holds most people back. She urges entrepreneurs to be persistent and consistent, pushing forward through long stretches without any obvious wins, trusting the process and the impact. Visions for the Future The episode closes as Suzanne Roberta Martens teases exciting new products and market launches for Adesse, outlines her vision for the future of truly clean beauty (grounded in transparency and consumer-driven standards), and reflects on the legacy she hopes to leave: pioneering clean nails and empowering people to feel proud of their hands. Listeners will walk away inspired by Suzanne Roberta Martens's example—proof that relentless perseverance, a commitment to positive impact, and the courage to leap even when unprepared can lead to extraordinary outcomes. Whether you're an aspiring founder or simply passionate about personal growth, this episode is an essential listen. To explore Adesse New York's range and story further, visit adesseny.com or find them on Amazon and social media. And remember: sometimes, having no resources is the very thing that makes you resourceful. Stay bold, stay resourceful—stay wise!

Ronnie Wood is a musician and artist who has been a major player on the UK music scene for over 60 years. In 1975 Ronnie became a member of the Rolling Stones, one of the most influential and enduring bands of the rock era.Ronnie's parents were born and worked on barges moving cargo up and down the canals between Manchester, Stratford-upon-Avon and London. Ronnie and his two older brothers were the first in the family to be born on dry land.Ronnie's brothers, Ted and Art, were accomplished musicians and played in highly respected bands. Ronnie made his debut at nine-years-old when he played the washboard in Ted's band during a performance at their local cinema. Ronnie formed his first band, The Birds, with some friends. In 1967 he joined the Jeff Beck Group with his lifelong friend Rod Stewart. Two years later they formed the Faces with the remaining members of the Small Faces. Ronnie joined the Rolling Stones in 1975, replacing the band's previous guitarist Mick Taylor. Ronnie's love of art developed in childhood and he studied at Ealing College of Art. His work has been shown in exhibitions around the world.Ronnie lives in Hertfordshire with his wife Sally and their two children.Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Paula McGinleyDISC ONE: Guitar Shuffle - Big Bill Broonzy DISC TWO: Shame, Shame, Shame - Jimmy Reed DISC THREE: Smokestack Lightnin' - Howlin' Wolf DISC FOUR: You Need Love - Muddy Waters DISC FIVE: Adelaide - Frank Sinatra DISC SIX: Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467: II. Andante "Elvira Madigan". Performed by Géza Anda (piano) and Camerata Salzburg (Orchestra) DISC SEVEN: Roll Over Beethoven – Chuck Berry DISC EIGHT: Maybe I'm Amazed - Paul McCartney BOOK CHOICE: Just for Today: Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts by Narcotics Anonymous LUXURY ITEM: A chest containing art materials and a carpet CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Smokestack Lightnin' - Howlin' Wolf There are more than 2000 programmes in our archive available for you to listen to. We have cast away other musicians and songwriters including Mark Knopfler, Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper. Ronnie's fellow Stones, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts, are in our archive too along with Ronnie's friend Paul McCartney. You can find their episodes on BBC Sounds or on our Desert Island Discs website.

RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey is joined again by Vidar Hjardeng MBE, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant for ITV News across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the channel Islands for the next of his regular audio described theatre reviews. This week we are back at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon  again as Vidar reviews Emily Burns' bold and contemporary production of Shakespeare's tale of justice and morality ‘Measure for Measure' with description by Professional Audio Describers Gethyn Edwards and Carolyn Smith. About ‘Measure for Measure' ‘To whom should I complain? Who would believe me?' If you knew you could get away with a crime - would you commit it? Shakespeare's razor-sharp thriller, directed by Emily Burns (Love's Labour's Lost, 2024) is brought up to date in a heart-racing, relevant new version. This Measure for Measure is unmissable theatre with its finger on the pulse of what it means to expose lies, abuse and, ultimately, the truth. For more about access at the Royal Shakespeare Company including details of audio described performances do visit - https://www.rsc.org.uk/your-visit/access   (Image shows the RNIB Connect Radio logo. On a white background ‘RNIB' written in bold black capital letters and underlined with a bold pink line. Underneath the line: ‘Connect Radio' is written in black in a smaller font)

Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 28 Sandwiches? In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.             Some masks hide who we are. Others show who we want to be                I could bowl Mercy over with a feather. Rio and I are doing the same social mechanics and come to the same conclusion. There are three reasons to marry a gay guy; 1.      money, 2.      social pressure and 3.      camouflage. Felicity doesn't need the money, so we simply assumed it to be number two. We totally missed the other reason; Felicity is a lesbian. Rio takes it in her slow and easy style. She walks up and puts Felicity in a gentle Mercy, Felicity, Rio sandwich. "I am going to have so much fun breaking you in," Rio whispers affectionately to Felicity. "When you get good at it, I'll let you play with Mercy, she likes to be played with but you have to be firm. Do you like it firm and hard, my most favorite and annoying little Ass-Tramp?" Subtle like a freaking tsunami. Mercy recovers from her shock to nod her head vigorously. "What about Barbie Lynn?" Felicity inquires with velvet hunger. "She's Zane's," Rio informs her. Felicity looks a bit disappointed. "Zane shares her though, so don't expect her to fall in love with you," then leans in and up, "but you'll find out her lips, titties and ass are to die for. Now let's go back to my room and let me show you some things," Rio grins, looks over her shoulder and gives me a wink. Who's room? Barbie Lynn pats my ass then skips after the trio. "We are going to lube up Mercy and try out some of the basics," Rio instructs Felicity. "We'll see what intrigues you then I'll send you home with some toys to practice with and, well, loosen you up a bit. Mercy didn't become fantastic overnight. I had to work on her a lot. See, and the conversation is drowned out by the rest of the students on the floor. No one has batted an eye about Mercy, Rio, and/or Felicity either. Maybe I really am the downfall of the Judeo-Christian tradition after all. Rio is taking responsibility for Mercy. Mercy just stepped out to the World as her true self, a tiny, tiny step anyway. Barbie Lynn is playing Dorm Mother in spades and in a manner way beyond the Handbook's job description. Valarie, Vivian and Iona have gathered together then when Vivian finger-beckons me over. I saunter over to see what's going to go wrong with my life next, and if they have any Tribbles hiding there I'm going to burn the little bastards in the sink. That's not what brings me over. "All the Advocate-candidates have been approached and agreed to serve," Vivian seems amused to inform me. "They want what little ceremony exists to be performed and the Advocates sworn in at 9pm." "Has someone worked on an Oath of Office," I groan. 'To one's self be true', what else can I say? "It seems some of the prelaw students actually had a little contest and they've put something together," Vivian smiles warmly. "It has been downloaded to your phone, it is under Advocate Oath of Office." "Why are you being such a smart ass?" I look her over. "Hasn't my day been bad enough?" "Zane, have you seen your phone log for the past twelve hours?" Vivian asks me. I have been ignoring my phone, in fact. I check it now and I bless those hard working Taiwanese and the huge memory capacity they've put in my global lifeline; otherwise my phone would have melted down hours ago. Fuck, I have phone calls from people I don't even know, who live in, France, Germany, Brazil and Belarus? I rack my mind to remember where Belarus is, blonde-haired, blue eyed Slavic ladies, now I know! The viewing of Star Trek humiliations seem to be universal but at least they don't know my name or face. There is some serious Time Lord Mafia paddling over this one. They've used my damn private phone number. "When do you think you'll talk to Rio," Iona asks cautiously. "I'll take care of that right now, while she's feeling happy and playful," I comfort Iona. "Besides, it could be worse; everyone is looking for a pudgy Sasquatch, not me." The three ladies all stare at me. "Oh fuck," I groan. "Well," Vivian looks away (oh hell), "the footage sort of shows you taking a shower plus your name and phone number." "But your transformation into is a fur-ball is truly precious," Valarie comforts/mocks me. "All my gal-pals out West think you are so cute; Phoenix, one of my Mom's jailbird friends, even used the 'too cute' emoticon and I didn't even think she knew what emoticons were. She sent it to all her buds still in lock-up too." "Great, I'm popular in a women's correctional facility, at least it is in another state," I sigh upward. I pray to God that never becomes relevant. "Hell, I have a housewife in Belarus she wants me as a house pet." "What does she look like?" Valarie seems curious. "How would I know?" I am somewhat offended. Valarie takes my phone but I don't resist too much. She scrolls a bit then hits the number. "Don't call her," I bark. Valarie laughs then hands me my phone back. She shows me the 'entirety' of the girl's message. Nice bikini, or what there is of it and I can't imagine it being too practical that far north. She is divorced, with a one year old son, 22 years old and fresh out of college with a job as a PR specialist for a real estate development firm. She also speaks seven freaking languages, I feel like such an underachiever right now, or male underwear model. Maybe I'll make her a pen pal ~ she's a half a world away. I should be safe. Right now I can't play it safe though; I have to go play with Rio and I know that violates my health insurance under the 'feeding dangerous animals' clause. "Zane," Iona offers to take my phone so I give it to her (why should I distrust her right?). Her delicate little fingers fly across it then she hands it back. "You now have a fifteen minute warning," she is trying to be helpful. "Paige seems to have vanished," I request, "so when you see her, tell her to give us some peace please." The three of the saner women I know give me a nod. I round the final screen and there is my sleeping platform. Barbie Lynn and Felicity are examining a stunning large collection of sexual aids (that my credit card must have paid for), which Rio is sedately explaining to them, sort of what you would expect from a Mary Kay or Avon saleswomen. Mercy is bent over the bed, pushing up her ass by standing on her toes, skirt and panties gone and surreptitiously undoing her blouse buttons when she thinks Rio isn't looking. Mercy even flashes a precious grin my way when she sees me. It is the 'Weeee! I'm about to get fucked' look. While amiably chatting away, Rio puts her hand over one of Felicity's hands and leads it over to Mercy's flank. Felicity puts up a token resistance. "Do that again and it will cost you," Rio purrs. Felicity stares at Rio's feral nature, seeing her truly for the first time then obeys. "Good girl," Rio coos in Felicity's ear. That reminds me what I've forgotten to do today, the air filters. I look around the various wardrobes for some sort of precision tool like a baseball bat, crowbar, sledgehammer, fire axe or chainsaw, I have a cricket bat? What the hell am I doing with a cricket bat? Isn't that the National sport of India; is it even played on this continent? It may be one of a kind; I'll spare it. "Zane!" Rio snaps. Apparently she's been calling my name for a second or two. "Yeah Bro, what do you need?" I answer. I'm not being attacked by someone so she must need something from me. "Felicity is self-conscious about being naked in front of us girls," Rio grins. "Could you pick out a swimsuit for her that is conservative and demur?" In Rio-speak that means three small circle Band-Aids and some dental floss. "What color would you like Felicity?" I ask. She says white; I groan because when you sweat/drip on white it becomes translucent. Maybe she's teasing me. I pick out a Rio-approved set (she has a whole drawer labeled 'Slut Wear' after all), hides it from her until I walk around and hand the 'suit' to Rio. Top lesson: 1.      Rio is in charge. Rio approved approves the look suit then hands it to Felicity. "You expect me to wear this?" Felicity gasps. "That's going to cost you Sweet-cheeks," Rio grins wickedly. "I can't wear this," Felicity stammers. Rio puts a finger to her lips to stop Felicity from saying anything else. "I apologize, Ms. Tolliver," Rio nods, "I think you are in the wrong place. Thank you for the books; good-bye now." Felicity is looking back and forth between Rio, Barbie Lynn, Mercy and me. Barbie Lynn gives Felicity a friendly shrug; I mirror that gesture while Rio takes up a medium lavender dildo, a bottle of lube and pours an expertly delivered thin stream on the tool and Mercy's asshole as if they are one. She's pointedly ignoring Felicity. Felicity is a 'Prom Queen' type and now some jumped-up freshman has dismissed her like she is nothing; I doubt that has ever happened before. On the other hand, Rio is brazenly open with her sexuality and sexual desires; a freedom Felicity has always felt denied her. Felicity almost makes a crucial mistake but I catch her starting to form the words 'I'm sorry' to me but I redirect her with a tilt of my head. "I apologize," Felicity whispers. "Zane, could you take over for me please," Rio says. I step around to her far side and start working my dildo slowly into Mercy's rectum. She wiggles her ass playfully to the intrusion. Rio steps up to Felicity, rises up on her tiptoes and grips Felicity's head firmly but gently. Rio tries to kiss Felicity but I can tell the taller blonde's jaws clench and her body stiffens. "One last chance," Rio insists. She lets the implications sink in then kisses her again. It is a close thing but Felicity finally breaks down and let's Rio's tongue master her tongue, mouth and lips. Felicity moan eradicates a decade of repression and denial and it is with some reluctance that the taller blonde lets the short, darker Rio settle down. Rio presses a finger to Felicity's lips again. "This is going to be the last time I'm nice to you for some time," Rio begins. She stops Felicity from speaking once more. "Zane and I are closer than family, he's number 1 in my book; there is no other. I will call you whatever I want to call you and you will not talk back. My safe words are 'That fucking hurts' or clapping your ankles together if you can't speak." "Mercy is mine; hurt her and I will bury you, my hand to God. Outside of that, I will use you like I want to. I will show you things you've only read about, make you dress in clothes that terrify you, and press you as hard as I can because I care about you Felicity. Are you a virgin?" Rio inquires. "Yes," Felicity moans somewhat frightened. "Your vaginal virginity is yours, your oral and anal virginity are mine," she explains. "When I say come over, don't make excuses, bring your ass to wherever I am. I am going to be hard on you and give you to my friends to play with because it amuses me, clear? Are you okay with this; if you aren't, this is your last chance to back out because I will hunt your ass down after tonight." "I can, I'm okay with this," Felicity says with less trepidation. "Okay Bitch," Rio growls, "Take off your shoes, panties and skirt; pick out the paddle you think you deserve to be spanked with and bed over the bed. That shirt better not be in the way. Oh, you are leaving your bra with me tonight, go home without it. You only wear panties if you have my permission as well." "Yes, Felicity falters. "Call me Rio," she clarifies. "I'm not afraid of who the fuck I am. You've looked down at people like me all your life and now you are going to be as degraded as what you wanted me to go through. Payback is a bitch." "Yes Rio," Felicity confirms softly. "Well, get to it," Rio snaps and swats Felicity's ass. "I want to waste some time on my beautiful, wonderful, annoying slut here," she moved to Mercy, "and her tricky little self has been taking off her clothes without my permission." The slap Rio plants leaves a red handprint on Mercy who exhales contentedly at Rio's attention. "Oh, you've been a naughty little fuck-slut, and you are wetter than the damn river," Rio whispers in Mercy's ear as one hand pumps the vibrator in her ass and the other strokes her wet cunt. Yeah Rio, that's putting the fear of God in Mercy, right. Felicity takes the most-wicked looking paddle available and I've never even seen Rio consider using. "Bro, we have a meeting at 9pm so we need to break it up in about an hour," I give the bad news. "Zane, damn, take over Mercy once more; I trust you with her but I want tears and if you could get her to bite up a ball gag, I'd appreciate it," Rio asks. Mercy has been placated and her position with Rio affirmed. She's a happy little Bottom once more because Rio finds her annoying, which means 'love' when translated into sane people-speak. "Barbie Lynn, warm her up for me," Rio requests of the blonde bombshell as she falls on Felicity's behind's like a Bedouin dying of thirst. I can see Felicity about to turn and plead for Barbie Lynn's attention because she mistakenly believes BLT will be hesitant. Boy, she's in for a surprise. Barbie Lynn's thumbs push the base of Felicity's softly resistant ass up and apart. Barbie Lynn is lapping like a dog at Felicity's cunny alternating flicks of the tongue along the labia and short, rapid intrusions. "What kind of sick masochist are you?" Rio snarls, waving Felicity's chosen paddle before her eyes. "I use this to crush the skulls of rogue water buffaloes; where was I supposed to hit you; on the asses of your ancestors cause that was where you were headed? What the hell was this even doing in my collection anyway?" "Also, what are you doing with your bra still on? I'm going to want those bad boys milked before you escape tonight," Rio grumbled. "You didn't, Felicity starts to protest even as Barbie Lynn twirls her toward orgasm. "Shut up!" Rio hisses. "Barbie Lynn, teach her a lesson." Barbie Lynn frees up one hand long enough to give her one 'moderate' spank. "Where is Paige; I need her nimble, spider-like finger of Evil." I can't seem to spot her so Paige is forced to clear her throat, she has carefully hidden herself behind my, pillow; she's hiding by the simple expedients of being in semi-darkness and being very still. It is so eerie I almost love her, love her. "Jesus H. Christ," Rio jumps. "I'd put bells on you but I'd probably end up with them in my cunt, now that actually, focus Rio!" she chastises herself. "Paige, help me strip my latest toy down and give her nipples a stress test," Rio requests. "Deal, but you need to do me one favor," Paige starts crawling over toward Felicity. "Sure, now get snappy," Rio urges her on as starts to pull Felicity's shirt over the girl's head. "Forgive me for forcing Iona to help me and the Time Lord Mafia," Paige cashes in her favor immediately. It is all the more self-sacrificial in that I suspect Cordelia kept Paige out of the whole plot. "Bitch," Rio seethes at Paige, "if you messed up Iona I'll still find a way to make you pay, I promise you." "You granted me a favor," Paige reminds Rio cautiously. "Zane, do something," Rio pleads. "I've already sworn not to make the responsible parties pay, beyond what Cordelia has already granted me," I grin. "I get Paige's ass whenever I want, how often I want, until the end of October," I add. Paige lowers her head and trembles with fear and anticipation; the 'threat' of anal sex is something Paige and I are working through plus, since Paige fears it, Rio will love the fantasy vision of Paige squirming on my 'meaty pole', see Barbie Lynn's thesaurus. Rio can't get away from Paige fast enough, falling into the narcotic pleasures of Mercy's treasures. Rio is often misunderstood; pain is a daily part of her life brought about by her blatantly aggressive lifestyle and the wraiths of her past. Mercy isn't in any danger; she could hardly be safer at the moment, figuratively speaking. Mercy's ass and cunt are getting a workout to the point I'm afraid that Rio is going to shove that dildo all the way into Mercy's colon and Rio's tongue might end Mercy's 'pesky' virginity by tongue-muscle action alone. Paige shoots me a sad smile before she gets on her back and starts sliding under Felicity. When they are face to face, but running in different directions, Paige and Felicity exchange some wistful kisses. "You are beautiful," Felicity moans down at the pale pink lips and snowy skin of someone who is working both overtime at being my lover and more importantly, a friend to my group of friends. "I know," Paige responds confidently before wiggling her way further under Felicity. Soon she has the first taste most likely anyone has had over of her breasts and nipples. I can tell when Paige draws in the first full gulp of tit because Felicity goes off like a bronco mare with a cougar cub on her back. She is making deep, guttural moans but at least she's not screaming her head off. "Rio, do you want Felicity to taste my tits?" Paige asks. Rio is being petulant. "Rio, if you want I'll never talk to Paige or Iona again because they are both Time Lord Mafia and they all had a part to play in this," I declare. "I know of only one who didn't, and if she's my sole friend with them after this, so be it, but you have to let me fight my own fights alone from time to time and let me decide what counts as a victory." "Fuck the bitches," Rio pops up, much to Mercy's astonishment, "One is more than enough." "Fine, Iona is out Rio. The only one who didn't have a part in this morning was Paige," I tell Rio. "I'll go tell her that you two are done, but I'll have you know she was operating under my orders, sort of. I told her not to go against Cordelia and she did as I asked." Rio seems truly conflicted for the longest time then she drapes herself over Mercy's body. "Honey-hole reach back, take over and keep yourself going or I'll make you feel up each Karate Club member during practice Monday," Rio purrs to her lover. Mercy hastily obeys because I think something about the way the situation playing out intrigues her. Rio shuffles down to Barbie Lynn, Felicity's posterior and Paige's head. "You fucking lied to me you freaky douche," Rio declares venomously at the albino Paige. Paige wisely keeps silent, there is nothing positive she can say. SheRio plants four resounding smacks on Felicity's exposed bottom. Felicity squeals, distracting Rio momentarily. "You'll pay for that, you skank," Rio hisses at Felicity. "Paige, how fucking dare you disappoint me," she growls. "How dare you act above my expectations; you are almost a human being," Rio finishes - as if the term 'human being' is as horrid a term as ATF agent or fashionista. Rio stands up and views her domain. Mercy is going all out though she clearly misses her Top and Felicity is panting herself toward another, more prolonged climax. "Barbie-licious, would you take care of my prize for me; you know what she likes," Rio requests with a hint of her normal madness. "Paige, give her some nipple-age and I'm going to break in Felici-hump's whore-hole." For the English-speaking public that means (I think) that Paige is to open her own shirt, unfasten her front-access bra and lead Felicity's lips to those translucent, succulent breasts I find so tasty. Felicity is clearly in a sexual buzz; otherwise she might spend precious minutes trying to figure out that Rio just declared her intention to introduce Felicity to anal sex of the strap-on variety. "Hey, pansy-boy," Rio mocks me and my reclining majesty, "get over here and give me some of that magic tongue and finger work that will turn her back into a straight." That's just mean. "Please don't make me like men," Felicity stammers. Her eyes are glassy and feverish. Rio smacks both buttocks this time and Felicity squeals louder. "You don't get to talk, you listen," Rio commands. "You are a perfect lover, a lesbian," Rio explains from some teasing twisted core. "We simply sleep with men to control them, but I don't want you sleep with Lance without my permission, is that understood?" Felicity keeps her words within her lips as well as going back to use another one of Paige's nipples for further succor. This is just bizarre, the bi-sexual is demanding/empowering the lesbian to not sleep with her gay fianc , I couldn't write stuff this weird and then avoid rehab. "In fact, Zane has an in with your future Mother-in-law and she'll tell him if she even suspects her baby boy is having sex with a woman," Rio double-pumps her eyebrows at me. Rio doesn't 'know' that I'm having sex with Rochelle Wellington; Felicity's soon to be MIL. We do both know Lance, the fianc , likes playing with other men's cocks. We have the video file to prove it too. "You step out on me and I'll sell you to that sorority next door to Zane's house for a weekend," Rio threatens. Felicity isn't Mercy, she's repressed while Mercy is perverse (by outside standards). Full exposure to the town at large frightens Felicity because she doesn't want deal with the social consequences of being labeled homosexual. Mercy is actually afraid of her sexual proclivities themselves as well as the real physical danger of exposure. Once Felicity finds her own identity her relationship will change, in essence she'll never replace Mercy in Rio's heart. There is never going to be that vulnerability and utter acceptance that those two have. Felicity is going to be fun and in time I think Hudson Lane may be a better match as a companion. Hudson and Felicity are adults where Rio fights adulthood with every breath. Rio's choice in strap-ons is odd to say the least; the only time Rio had shown it to Mercy, Mercy had been afraid, afraid that Rio would waste their time on something so, unimpressive. Until I noticed Mercy's distress that morning I didn't think Rio had something so, (training wheels?) in her arsenal; this was what Rio picked to break Felicity in. No one knows my buddy like I do. Rio is still working Felicity's bunghole over with a sole finger when she leans over the tall slender blonde's back. Rio uses one hand to cord that long hair until it is one thick mass, and then she pulls it back like a corded rein. It isn't until the tip of the dildo nestles into the cusp of Felicity's sphincter that Felicity figures out what's about to happen. "No Rio, please, I don't want this," Felicity panics. "Sssh," Rio coos, "it is going in and I'm going to teach you how." "Rio, I don't," Felicity trembles. "Why?" Rio whispers her question. 'Why is Felicity afraid of this violation' is what Rio is aiming for. They stay there locked and silent. After a minute, Rio picks up her actions. "When I begin to thrust forward, I want you to use your inner muscles to push back," Rio says tenderly. Rio goes forward and Felicity tenses so she stops. "Relax, it won't hurt, only feel funny," Rio assures her. Not always true but, This time things culminate with Felicity gives a sharp gasp followed by a whispered sigh. "Okay," Rio murmurs to her prey, "I am tired of doing all the work. You need to push back now," she continues. "Come back against me you cunt-loving whore." Felicity bucks slightly and shakes her head. "No, no," she pleads at barely above a whisper herself. "It's okay," Rio runs a hand along Felicity's spine. "You can come back later if you like. Your ass is mine but I'll wait for you to give it to me but, no cunt for you to taste or lips upon your cunt until then Felicity. I'll be taking care of Barbie Lynn for you". Rio winks at me, "Or more likely you are leaving her for Zane, man that he is; you know she'll get addicted to that cock eventually." Bang! Felicity looks heart-shot. Felicity starts working Rio's artificial cock down her asshole. Rio looks at me and gives the best 'Home Alone!' face I've ever seen. She's floored that Felicity has been sucked into our mad circus. She then puts both hands on Felicity's hips. "Slow down Felicity, and welcome to the club," Rio grins down at her. Felicity rests for about thirty seconds then Rio spanks each flank. "Giddy-up now; you still have four inches to go." "I thought I could stop," Felicity whined. "You said, "You stopped; I let you stop," Rio sneered, "Now I'm telling you to back your sweet ass up." I'm going to give Rio a Janus mask for Christmas. I'd get her medication for her insanity but I know she'd eventually slip it into my food no matter what. "Come on now Felicity-Sugah," Barbie Lynn joins it. "You always had such a gentle hand training me in Karate. It'd be a crying shame if no other girls got to feel the way you made me feel. You have always been so strong, be strong now." Felicity rotates her head somewhat foal-like and stretches the hair Rio is using as a rein before she pushes back again. This time when Felicity stops Rio slaps her ass lightly. My buddy also grins madly at me and mouths 'I am so going to Hell over this' then giggles. I mouth back 'Right beside you'. Felicity is finally all the way back and resting when Mercy begins to shudder violently. "Holygoddamnfuckingpieceofshit!!!!" Mercy howls into the sheets. Barbie Lynn hammers her bunghole and mangles her clit so much that she repeats the phrase three times in rapid succession and all the time she looks as compassionate as a mother changing a newborn. Felicity takes that inspiration and runs with it. Rio is pulling back with the strap-on when Felicity pushes back hard. Rio pushes her forward and rotates her hips for more of a sensation before snatching up a slender blue paddle that seems more flexible than rigid. She quickly makes good use of it, stinging Felicity's rump and making the ride home for her interesting. Paige starts flicking Felicity's clit but that is more than Felicity can take. Thankfully she releases Paige's right tit before she clamps her teeth and bows her back up and down multiple times as orgasm hits her. Rio has to grip Felicity's hips tightly to not be bucked off and she's loving it. Felicity collapses on Paige but I quickly roll Felicity on her back, Rio's strap-on slides out painlessly, so I can pull Paige to me. Paige and I exchange a heated kiss while Rio unfastens the dildo, lets it fall to the floor. Rio crawls on the bed, hooks a finger into Mercy's collar and forces the exhausted beauty to follow her farther up the bed. Rio reclines against the headboard with Mercy resting her head on her Mistresses stomach, hair cascading over Rio's stomach, crotch, and thigh as well as her own face. Rio is running her hands through her lover's hair with an affection few at the school would believe. Barbie Lynn decides to take her own approach with Felicity. She mentioned experimenting with girls before meeting me on the day I first moved into this dorm, downstairs and a long, long time ago it seems. With the fear that permeated this place, it was probably furtive touches at night in bed with your roommate or a quick grope in the showers. Felicity barely has the time to register Barbie's presence before Barbie Lynn has Felicity's legs up, bent at the knees and cunt full exposed. Barbie doesn't dive in, instead crawling onto Felicity's body until they are face to face. Felicity gets this surprised, I can't believe this is finally coming true' face, the Barbie Lynn's lips are pressing hers. "Hey Honey-Trap," Rio snaps playfully, "what do you think you are doing with my Thing Two?" (Note: Never combine Rio and Doctor Seuss on You Tube; legions of little minds will be forever corrupted) "Give it a rest Rio," Barbie Lynn looks up and grins at my Bud, "Felicity gets a time-out and she gets to have it with me, are we clear?" This is not a fight I'm stepping into and Rio, Mercy and Barbie Lynn know it. Barbie Lynn doesn't ask for much from Rio and is pretty tolerant of her so now that Barbie Lynn is making a stand and, "This is really hard on her," Rio says affectionately. "Take your time." I leave Barbie Lynn and Felicity to play and carry Paige around to the far side of Rio. Paige is coiled around my body so I doubt she could be happier outside of 'bouncy, bouncy'. "What's going on Babe," I whisper to Rio. "What's your game?" "Don't tell anyone because they won't believe you but I've been reading," she tilts her forehead against mine. "I've been reading the diary of an actual dominatrix by the firelight of me burning 'Fifty Shades of Someone Stupid'." "You are right," I snicker, "no one would ever believe you actually read a book." She punches me then Mercy shoots me a weak blow to the ribs. "Hey you," Rio tapped Mercy's nose, "who said you could get in a fight? I think someone is getting hog-tied and ice cubes rubbed up and down their spine." Mercy shivers happily. "Do you want to do anything like that with me," Paige purrs. "I want to sneak into your parent's room and fuck you hard on their bed in every position we can think of," I state calmly, as if I've given it great thought. Paige's dampness streams down onto my left hip and thigh as she shivers in delight. It is all about knowing your partner. This forbidden act knocks her right out of the ballpark. "Are we, you and I, any closer?" Paige murmurs. "You know who has my heart, Paige, but we are closer, if that matters," I tell her. "When did that happen?" Paige smiles up at me. "About fifteen minutes ago," I kiss the tip of her nose. "So I had to lie to a total nut-job to save another friend of yours and risk a beating to take us a step forward, and it wasn't the black leather micro-mini," Paige moans as finds the perfect spots on my chest and lap to settle into. It is a precious few minutes we share, with Rio alternating tender caresses with pinches to the nipples and slaps to the breasts, buttocks and thighs. Mercy makes mewling little sighs in response to both sets of gestures. Felicity has finally rolled Barbie Lynn over and engaging in every less-than-vanilla sexual act she thinks she's missed over the three years she's known, showered with, and competed with my Georgia Honey-box. By the play of Barbie's right hand, the thick, sloppy sound that's emanating from between Felicity's thighs and Felicity's shortness of breath, Barbie Lynn is driving her former classmate made with lust. "Bro, can I turn Mercy into an ice cream dispenser? Sort of 'squeeze these wonderful titties' then scoop out some Neapolitan from her cunt," Rio snickers my way. She loves yanking my chain, and Mercy's, from time to time. "No! That has to be cold as hell and you may not make Mercy poop or pee dairy products," I command, "Rio-saurus Rex!" "Oh, that's gross," Rio dares to look offended. "I would never put ice cream up my favorite Lust-receptacle's butthole. That is for the ice cream cones." "Fine, you may not stuff Mercy like an clair," I clarify. "I'm putting my foot down and if Paige and I have to do full body cavity searches to make sure you behave, so be it." Felicity erupts through her final orgasm of the night, her body twisting and stretching as sweat drips off her body. Barbie Lynn keeps subtle control of Felicity's body which is both touching and frightening, she's getting sexually wound up and she's going to corral my cock and drive it up her ass, my approval being optional. The dirty, sexy look she shoots me is as good a piece of proof as I need. "I can't have you two touching my bitch without supervision," Rio states angrily, yeah right. "I'll have to check out all her opening once you two get done, a triple check." Mercy looks over toward Paige and me. Her eyes are open wide with lust and anticipation. "I suppose we could simply trust Mercy and take her word for it," I tease. "No," Rio goes off, "I can tell you right now; she's one sneaky little slut." "I don't trust her," Paige nods. "The pretty ones always need to be kept in line, harshly." Mercy merely shakes her head vigorously in affirmation of her devious and untrustworthy nature. "Where are you people from?" Felicity pants through her fatigued smile. "The People's Republic of None of Your Damn Business," Rio slaps Mercy's thigh. "We keep Rio in a steel box," Barbie Lynn pets Felicity's left nipple. "The rest of us are regular students. Okay, Zane's a tad irregular, but he means well." My phone buzzes from the far side of the bed. "Time to wrap it up team," I give out the bad news. "Felicity, you can sweep step out with Barbie Lynn to the shower, different showers because giving the freshman student body an alternative lifestyle exhibition is not an option for tonight. The rest of us will give it a few minutes and go out and pretend the world is a normal place." "Felicity, I want your bra and panties up here on my pillow," Rio demands. "I'm going to use them to bind up Mercy tonight. She's been, umm, mediocre so I'm gagging her with that boring underwear and hooking her hands over her head with that sad, old bra of yours." "I thought you only wanted my bra," Felicity questions? "Spank her for me BLT," Rio growls. Barbie Lynn gave gives three sharp, alternating smacks on each ass cheek. Felicity bites her lower lip and whimpers. "No back talking now F; I said no bra tonight, but also no panties ever without my approval." Felicity nods. Barbie Lynn takes Felicity by the hand, over to the towel closet then leads her somewhat reluctantly out into the main floor. "Rio, did I do you a good turn," Paige asks. Rio thinks that over for a minute, making small circles in Mercy's hair. "Yes, yes you did, you albino deviant," Rio allows. "Can I have Mercy for my use for one night sometime soon?" Paige requests. "That's not how it works," Rio scolds Paige after a few seconds. "She's mine to use, no one else's. I can have someone use her for my pleasure but she's a damn human being, not a bean-bag chair. I will give you this though, because you can be so incredibly stupid about people, I'll let Mercy know that it would make me happy to see her with you; how is that?" Mercy is resting on her head on Rio's lap, so she clearly hears what's going on. Rio is really the best friend in the world, and one of the best people I've ever known. I can live with the crazy. Homecoming. So, it was Friday, Homecoming Day at FFU, and several dozen of us were not doing what we were supposed to do but I wanted this headache taken care of before the rest of the day's festivities. All the Advocates were gathered as was Ms. Goodswell, as a Student Advisor. Other people were gathered to observe the spectacle and guessing which way I would jump. This first major crisis of my role as Mediator since the creation of the Janissaries wouldn't have been complete without Iona, my trusty sidekick, and Rio, my chronic pain in the ass & truest friend. In fact, Rio was the reason for this meeting. She had been given the writing assignment of 'place the writings of a juvenile story into an adult setting'. The train wreck wasn't hard to foretell. Rio had chosen four works of the late, lamented Doctor Seuss (if he wasn't dead he would be after reading halfway through Rio's creation). Rio had attacked the project with a gusto that made Ms. Tucker, her English instructor, hopeful that Rio was finally fitting in (read: conforming). Rio turned in the pornographic Tales of a Cat with a Really Big Hat on Tuesday. Ms. Tucker had flunked the effort and dragged Rio down to Doctor Victoria Scarlett's office but that senior educator had volleyed this time bomb into my lap. I promptly told them to pick an Advocate and get back to me after dinner. Rio Talon/Christina Buchanan's argument had been that the vagueness of the instructions allowed for a liberal interpretations of the assignment. Athena Varna (representing the rest of Ms. Tucker's class)/Joy Jefferson had argued that the standard was what 'any reasonable individual going to a Christian school would find acceptable' as their defense, which meant that it wasn't acceptable in their opinion. Two days of mediation went nowhere and I wasn't going to let this matter fester through the weekend. I had called all the concerned parties to join me after breakfast and received Doctor Scarlett's blessing for missing Assembly where many of the students and their families were gathered in our daily religious/social function. "Okay, I've given the matter serious thought and I saw merit to both arguments but I found Ms. Jefferson's argument to be the more compelling," I led off. "We live in a society; each person should be free and act with freedom but that cuts both ways, we have to give our society some support to retain our harmony. This is my judgment." "I would hope that since Rio did make an exceptional effort in her creative writing work that Ms. Tucker would consider allowing Rio one additional week to make up the assignment since this is one-quarter of her grade and her effort, while misdirected, was acknowledged as a vigorous attempt. That is my suggestion anyway," I said hopefully since I wasn't sure if I could instruct a teacher in any manner, much less order a do-over for Rio. It took a few seconds for my words to sink in. This was hardly re-writing the Charter of the Commonwealth of Virginia but it did mean I'd ruled against my best friend and the woman I wanted to marry and several girls looked at me in some disbelief that I hadn't gone that way. "Thank you Mediator," Joy was the first to offer me her hand, and she was still technically the enemy, being in the Traditionalist faction here at school. "Your argument carried the day, Joy. I'm pretty sure there was no favoritism involved," I smiled. "I will get you next time," Christina came up and shook Joy's hand. She turned and clasped my hand after that. "You were wiser than I thought you'd be," Christina winked to me. A few people came by and went through the same routine until Rio approached last of all. She hit me in the shoulder causing multiple heads to swivel our way. "You threw me under the bus Bitch," she laughed. "Don't look so surprised," I rubbed my shoulder, "you built the bus I rolled over you with, ya Deviant." Iona gave me a shy wave right before she slipped out to go meet her parents and most of the girls did likewise. Finally it was Ms. Goodswell, Christina, Faith, Rio and myself. "Faith and I will polish off the minutes of your final decision Zane," Christina said before turning her imperious head away and leading Faith out to do what seniors do. "So, are you two going to be hiding out all day?" Virginia Goodswell looked Rio and my way. "I would but two dozen over-eager and overly-endowed students have asked Zane to be available to meet their ancestors or some other such cheesy crap," Rio ranted. "Besides, I'm sure there is some law or ordinance that causes the rest of you to never leave me alone." "Yes Ms. Talon," Ms. Goodswell said with some gravity, "That is the Self-preservation Act of 1908. You are listed under 'Elements with Corrosive properties." "Woot!" Rio hollered, "I'm a corrosive influence!" "Thanks Virginia," I addressed my teacher and Spiritual Advisor, "like she needed more ammo." Goodswell laughed and headed out toward the main campus while Rio and I headed for our dorm. "I think I'm going to become a superhero," Rio teased me. "My X-ray vision will vaporize the panties off of unsuspecting stuck-up babes." "Wasn't there a time when heroes were heroes and villains were villains; none of this gray crap?" I half-grinned. "Zane," Rio sounded exasperated and but motherly aka Ma Barker, "you keep saving girls and they keep kicking you in the teeth." "I look at it as opportunity to get back up again," I smiled. "That's called masochism, look it up," Rio sneered. "Let's go to my room," I said, rather redundantly, as we'd reached the elevator door and I'd hit the button. Rio became oddly close to me as we got on board and even let me wrap an arm around her. For me, being parentless today required I convince Aunt Jill that parking would be a bitch and I'd see her Saturday night, we had our first Marksmanship outing tomorrow morning in Kentucky, so I'd would be back to have dinner with my sole family member. Rio's parents hadn't asked Rio if she wanted them to come. They hadn't made any contact at all, denying Rio the ability to scream at her parents and tell them to 'fuck off'. Adding to the misery, Mercy's parents were here and everyone in our close circle had convinced Rio that being close to Mercy would be disastrous, in the belief that Rio had poor impulse control, imagine that. When the end of Assembly sounded and the parents began exiting the building to join up with their kids, we proceeded to my Solarium level of the dorm. The parents would meet their girl's friends, teachers, & the key members of their various clubs. We opened my 'vault' door and Rio led me upstairs then gave a start. I slipped around her to see what the problem was, Cordelia Dresden. To her credit, Cordelia and her Time Lord Mafia had either been behaving or doing things in such a sneaky manner as to avoid my notice. Besides the three of us, only three freshmen girls occupied the rest of the floor, leaving us effectively alone. "Hi Rio!" Cordelia led off, "Zane, I only want you to know you have our full support," was her cryptic statement that I was still digesting when Rio hurled herself at the slender brunette. Cordelia cried out as Rio toppled them both to the floor. Rio rose up on her knees and slapped Cordelia across the face. "Get her off me," Cordelia screamed as she raised her hands to defend herself. "What's the fucking secret you're hiding?" Rio growled. "Yank Rio off me right now. Zane," Cordelia snapped as she took a second slap to the cheek. "You know what I can do." "Cordy, Rio wants to live free or die trying; so you might want to consider your next words carefully," I shrugged. "She prefers to exist free of fear. Rio, I'm going to the shake dispenser; do you want something?" "A strawberry shake sounds good," Rio smiled as she began pinning Cordelia's wrists down. Once she finished that maneuver, Rio glared triumphantly down at Cordelia. "Great," Cordelia met that glare with one of her own, "what's your next brilliant plan; a little sexual assault to go with your brazen attack?" "Nope, I'm going to drool spit on your face and ears Cordelia-baby," Rio answered then began swirling her tongue in her mouth to gather up her first glob of spit. "Zane," Cordelia pleaded. "Rio, let her up," I requested (Rio knew my vocal tones). "She's agreed to help you with your Mercy problem." Cordelia had done no such thing but Rio would need help dealing with her lover's parents and Cordelia could be a powerful ally. Cordelia could lie her way out of things, except she would be lying to me and our trust was a fragile thing. If it was just Rio, Cordy would lie in a heartbeat but I believed I was somewhat special to her. Cordy said nothing and Rio got off of her. It wasn't Rio's style to offer Cordelia a hand up even though she knocked her down. Rio joined me making shakes and grinned evilly. "Cordelia, do you want a shake," I called over to her. "Peach," she replied. Somewhat reluctantly she walked over to us. Cordelia, like Rio and me, had no parents coming. "So, are you going to tell Zane what your secret is or do we go for the best two out of three falls?" Rio sneered. "Let it be Rio," I nudged her. "It isn't something bad. If it was bad, she would have coughed it up already." "I don't know what you see in this wacky Whore," Rio asked me, with Cordelia standing beside us. "She's Ra's al Ghul to my Bruce Wayne," I explained. "How can I step beyond the streets of my own personal Gotham without her?" "Wait, does that mean I'm Harlequin?" Rio mused. "No, you are the Joker, Rio," Cordelia huffed, "and yes, that makes Mercy Harlequin." "Cordy, there are times I wish you weren't so evil and manipulative," Rio observed. "Titles such as Evil, like genius, are the hobgoblin of small minds," Cordelia countered. "Zane sees that, which is why I tolerate the rest of you." "You just want to play jockey to his thoroughbred," Rio snorted. "Never said I didn't," Cordelia bantered. Rio stole a look toward the door so I leaned into Cordelia. "Thank you," I whispered. Cordy nodded. "Pist," Rio hissed. "Iona is here with a slightly larger version of herself and two guys who look vaguely related to her as well." I looked over and there was Iona pointing what had to be her mother my way. She didn't look furious but she wasn't beaming sunshine and happiness at me either. "Scatter," Rio whispered. "Pissed off Momma on the way," before dashing off behind the showers. "I'm gone," Cordelia gasped playfully, took her peach shake and slunk away. Iona "Mr. Braxton?" this conservatively dressed woman with a slight build and shoulder length black hair addressed me. I'd seen a few pictures of her on Iona's Facebook page. "Mrs. Beckett, I am Glenn Zane Braxton, but please call me Zane. Your daughter is one of my closest friends." She seemed to mull that over, whether to be stiff or to give me a chance. "Zane, is there a place we can talk in private?" she inquired. "Absolutely," I nodded; then led her to the far corner and sat down on a sofa with her so that we could both look out over the changing leaves on campus. "Mr. Brax, Zane, what are your intentions with my daughter?" she came right out with it. "She was my second friend here and constantly supportive of my often precarious situation and she's never asked for anything in return," I stated. "I'd paint her house if she asked me," I continued, "or drive across country to help her move. She's that great a friend." I didn't brag about killing or even hurting someone for her, though I would, because that wasn't the kind of extreme friendship her Mom was looking for. "Very well, Zane; but I am worried about you and Iona in another way," she sidestepped. "You are an attractive young man and there are rumors that you have several girlfriends on campus." "I think I can answer the real question with three statements of my own; the only person I have ever called girlfriend is Heaven Vickers, a senior here. "I love Heaven's best friend, Christina Buchanan, and they are both aware of our relationship. Second, your daughter is the second-smartest, most level-headed, and most forward thinking young woman I have ever met; you have done a wonderful job raising her," I related. "Lastly, I have offered to have sex with your daughter twice and she's said 'no'." "You did?" she studied me intently. "And she was naked in bed with me both times. She's seen me have sex, too, but she's decided that when she's ready, she'll ask me and I'll say 'yes' because I'm positive that she will pick the moment when it is right for her and no one else." "Wha, what?" Mrs. Beckett's eyes grew wide. "Naked in bed with you? And nothing happened?" "Yes; but I felt safe because I trust her," I said calmly. "You have to admit she is diligent and organized and she's not going to simply jump feet first into anything." "I have to admit I was afraid you were taking advantage of my daughter's kind nature; but you seem oddly frank about everything you two have done. I admit I expected you to be, more deceptive and evasive," she mused. "Do you have sex with any of the girls on campus?" "Tons; though thankfully, things eased off with midterms approaching," I smiled. "Is that so," she said in a clearly questioning tone. "I want you to understand that Iona thinks the world of you. She writes home every day, and you often figure in her experiences, though I knew she was editing some things, like why she appears to be friends with Ms. Talon." "When we started out, Rio and I were doomed to be expelled but Iona joined with us and together we survived some really rough times." "I recall getting several letters from the Chancellor from that time. Was Iona in any danger?" she asked. "Yes, she got a pair of bloody knees but please believe a whole lot of us were looking out for her," I responded. "Trust me, Ion has a fair number of friends who appreciate her numerous qualities." "Mom," Ion called out as she came over. "I hope Zane hasn't been scaring you." "Iona, it is only that you didn't have many friends in High School," her mother smiled at her daughter. "Mom, I had no friends in high school, but Zane gave me the courage and opportunity to come out of my shell," Iona interrupted. "Zane says you two have been sleeping in his bed, naked," Iona's mother met her daughter with an even gaze. "Yes," Iona blushed furiously, "but I bet he's also informed you that we haven't had sex," she leaned into her mother, "and there he lied." Mrs. Beckett stared at me, a bit peeved. "Mom, that is only because what Zane considers sex and what you would consider sex are two slightly different things. Suffice it to say, I am still a virgin as far as the marriage bed is concerned," Iona assured her parent. "And I have Zane well in hand, because I have control of his phone." "I keep telling you that smarts count for more to in life than a model's good looks," Iona's mother reminded her daughter. "I'm glad Iona has both," I chimed in. Both women looked my way then grinned. "He is such a good friend, Mother; that I forgive his exaggerations," Iona reached over and kindly touched my cheek. As that gesture ended, Iona's face grew shocked. "Mom, I think we need to go see Mrs. Worsham's class now, if we are going to get everything taken care of before lunch," Iona hurried her mother. "It was nice to meet you Zane," we shook hands as we both stood as well. Hope I followed Iona's gaze and my heart stopped. It was Hope, looking so do-able in her school-wear. With her were a petite woman, smaller and maybe a bit heavier than Hope, three more little Hope's in descending age and lastly, a male version of Hope, but this one was made out of Lego bricks, really big Lego bricks, it was Yeong Song. Yeong Song had charisma in spades; he wasn't the Angel of Death, he had grabbed that punk by the short and curlies and taken over his job. That was how he appeared to me at that moment. Oh yeah and he was looking right through me. As if on cue, Hope smiled and whispered something to her father and they both came my way. Imagine a choreographed interpretive dance troupe; you had Hope's three younger sisters spread out over the middle half of the room, having fun with some of the few freshmen girls that were hanging around. Yeong was like his eldest daughter in the way they moved, you could tell they were walking toward you but I couldn't recall their feet moving or even hearing footfalls. That was probably just my fear speaking. From personal experience I knew Hope was human with all our frailties and imperfections, she was simply more perfect than most. "Father, this is my good friend Glenn Zane Braxton, who is known by the name Zane to both his friends and enemies," demurred Hope. "Zane, this is my Father, Major of the Republic of Korea, retired, Yeong Song," she introduced her father to me. I extended my hand, he took it in a granite grip and gave it two sharp shakes. I stood there like an idiot but at least my heart was beating and I was breathing again. "Your pulse is racing young man, your palms are sweaty and you are staring at me with dilated pupils," Yeong noted dispassionately. "Well, since I've lain down with your naked daughter for a variety of bedroom antics on several occasions; I naturally assumed you had come here to kill me," I blathered. "You have been naked with my eldest daughter," he said in a way that could be contrived as a statement or a question. "You didn't know?" I groaned. I wondered if this counted as suicide. "You have honorable intentions toward my daughter," he informed me. Huh? "No," I gulped. "I was thinking we could fool around, mainly." "I understand you are the last of your line," he glared at me. Uh oh, wait. "You know who I am, so you must have already been told by Hope what's really been going on," I breathed a sigh of relief. "See Father, Zane's not dense," Hope hugged her father's arm, "he's simply terrified of you." "I noticed," Yeong almost smiled. "Mr. Braxton, I don't mind you seeing my daughter socially, but please learn at least to fight as well as my youngest daughter, she's nine." "You learn from people who are better than you, not from people you are

Indiana attorney general asks President Trump to send troops into Indianapolis. Arrests made in Harvard explosion. Avon school referendum approved. Social media is a dumpster fire. What last night's election tells us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 570,000 Hoosiers receive federal food benefits — including nearly 150,000 people across Central Indiana. Indiana voters decided several school tax questions Tuesday. The most-watched was in Avon, where a statewide official weighed in. The company behind a proposed data center in the Martindale Brightwood neighborhood filed a rezoning application with the city. The 25th anniversary of the Indianapolis LGBT Film Festival is the weekend. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org/news and follow us on social media to get comprehensive analysis and local news daily. Subscribe to WFYI News Now wherever you get your podcasts. WFYI News Now is produced by Zach Bundy and Abriana Herron, with support from News Director Sarah Neal-Estes.

Neste episódio do Voz da Consultoria, você vai conhecer tudo sobre Minha Loja, a plataforma oficial da Natura e Avon que já está ajudando milhares de Consultoras e Consultores a venderem mais. Agora, em um só link, você oferece Natura e Avon juntas, sem precisar investir em estoque, com pagamento rápido via Emana Pay e entrega garantida. Vem descobrir como dar os primeiros passos e aproveitar as oportunidades digitais. De quebra, você ainda leva dicas quentíssimas para vender mais nas grandes datas do varejo. Vamos?

ALSO: Myles Turner returns to Indy, vote on Avon schools referendum, and IMPD prayer vigil. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's show, we're chatting with Hailey and Hallie –two best friends who turned their high school thrifting hobby into a thriving brick-and-mortar vintage shop in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Hailey and Hallie met in high school gym class, and bonded over their shared love of thrifting, Tumblr, fashion, and magazines. They started thrifting together and listing their finds on Depop as a fun creative outlet after school. As they grew up, the shop's story evolved – the duo opened their first brick-and-mortar store in a tiny beach town while finishing up school. They've since moved their brick-and-mortar twice– landing in the heart of downtown Asbury Park. Along the way, they've built an incredible community, devoted customers, and hosted fashion shows that sold nearly a thousand tickets! In this episode, they share how they balance managing their store and their Depop simultaneously, why they pivoted from thrift store sourcing to private buying appointments, and their most memorable finds. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to dig through garages and attics for decades-old treasure with your best friend and business partner – well, listen up! It's a really fun one – let's dive right in! DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [3:54] Finding the styles they admired from Tumblr at the thrift store. [5:56] Hailey and Hallie met in high school gym class where they bonded over magazines, thrifting and fashion. [9:30] They launched Shedhead on Depop while still in high school. [14:45] Their first pop-ups were in other small businesses – local boutiques and coffee shops – where they learned the ropes of retail. [18:14] Opening their first brick-and-mortar store in a tiny beach town, Avon-by-the-Sea. [22:02] Moving locations three times to find the right vintage-loving community [27:32] The biggest lessons learned from running their business [30:45]  How they balance their store and their Depop simultaneously [36:49] Why they shifted from thrift store sourcing to private buying appointments [38:33] Their most memorable buys and finds. [41:34] Hosting a punk fashion show that sold almost 1,000 tickets EPISODE MENTIONS:  Shedhead Vintage @sheadhead.vintage Martha Peabody  Mini-documentary with Martha about Bestsey Johnson Pearl Street Consignment Devyn Crimson Emily Riboflavin LET'S CONNECT: 

Mita Mallick is a Wall Street Journal best-selling author and speaker, and former brand manager for companies including Avon and Unilever. Mita's book, The Devil Emails at Midnight: What Good Leaders Can Learn From Bad Bosses, is available now. Mita discusses her favorite fast food chain, stories from her career, and takeaways from her book.Follow To Dine For:Official Website: ToDineForTV.comFacebook: Facebook.com/ToDineForTVInstagram: @ToDineForTVTwitter: @KateSullivanTVEmail: ToDineForTV@gmail.com Thank You to our Sponsors!Coca-ColaAmerican National InsuranceWairau River WinesFollow Our Guest:Official Site: MitaMallick.comInstagram: @Mita_Mallick13LinkedIn: Mita Mallick Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Governor Braun calls a special session to redraw congressional maps in favor of Republicans, though it remains unclear if the GOP can muster the votes. A freeze on new childcare vouchers will be in place for at least one year with 31,000 children on the waitlist for low-income, working families. The Lieutenant Governor campaigns door-to-door against an Avon school referendum. Interim host Jon Schwantes is joined by Democrat Ann DeLaney, Republican Mike O'Brien, Ebony Chappel of Free Press Indiana, and Jill Sheridan of WFYI Public Media to debate and discuss this week's top stories.

RNIB Connect Radio's Toby Davey is joined again by Vidar Hjardeng MBE, Inclusion and Diversity Consultant for ITV News across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands for the next of his regular audio described theatre reviews. This week we have a new version of Edmond Rostand's ‘Cyrano de Bergerac' at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Swan Theatre, which Vidar says is one of the best productions he has seen in Stratford-upon-Avon with description by Professional Audio Describers Emily Magdij and Annette Stocken. About ‘Cyrano de Bergerac'  ‘No master to serve, no leash to bear. I walk as I please, and I speak as I dare.'   Poet, soldier and philosopher. Cyrano de Bergerac burns with brilliance. He's fiercely funny and intensely romantic – but behind the veil of wit is one large problem: his nose.   Haunted by doubts and too proud to beg, he watches from the shadows as Roxane – bold, beautiful and seemingly unreachable – falls for another man, Christian. But this handsome, tongue-tied young suitor knows his only hope of charming Roxane is to seduce her with words. And only one person can help…   Olivier Award-winning actor Adrian Lester (Riviera, Hustle, National Theatre Othello and Henry V) is Cyrano. Director Simon Evans (Staged, The Dazzle, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg) co-adapts with Debris Stevenson (Poet in Da Corner, My Brother's a Genius), bringing new life to this thrilling, lyrical tale of love and lies, longing and disguise. For more about access at the Royal Shakespeare Company including details of audio described performances do visit - https://www.rsc.org.uk/your-visit/access (Image shows the RNIB Connect Radio logo. On a white background ‘RNIB' written in bold black capital letters and underlined with a bold pink line. Underneath the line: ‘Connect Radio' is written in black in a smaller font)

On today's show: it's a rainy Thursday! Alyssa and her Mom went to re-watch "Twilight" in the theater last night. Dictionary.com has announced the "word of the year" (and it has something to do with our Halloween costume!) Hash It Out: Henry has a problem with his girlfriend's Halloween costume but she refuses to compromise. Alyssa's College of Knowledge! There's some trick-or-treat chaos in Avon and other cities as there's a conflict with high school football. Plus, how old is too old to trick or treat?

Hurricane Melissa has joined the record books with 185 mph winds, devastating Jamaica, Cuba, and The Bahamas before turning toward Bermuda. On this week's Carolina Weather Group, we discuss Melissa's Category 5 strength, new video from inside the storm's eye, and the Outer Banks' ongoing home collapses — five more this week in Buxton and Avon.Our guest Peter Forister joins to unveil his new “Most Memorable Hurricanes” map, a fascinating look at which storms stand out most in the Carolinas' collective memory, county by county. Plus, he gives a final fall foliage color update as the leaves peak across the Southeast.Later in the show, we preview the Mid-Atlantic Severe Weather Conference with organizer Chris White, highlighting emergency management topics, storm chasing stories, and meteorology education.

Evan is joined by Mark Naclerio, head coach of Avon Old Farms. The discussion delves into Naclerio's perspective on the fall hockey landscape, changes in player development, and the influence of specialized sports programs. Naclerio reflects on his time as an associate coach and his transition to head coach, the legacy of his predecessor John Gardner, and the evolving landscape of prep versus academy hockey. The episode also covers the importance of building personal connections with players, the effects of the CHL ruling on recruitment, and provides advice for young players starting out in hockey. The conversation ends with a fun 'overtime' segment featuring questions on sports betting and the number of games watched.   Topics 00:18 Meet the Guest: Mark Naclerio 00:58 Fall Hockey Season Insights 01:24 Changes in Prep School Hockey 03:02 The Importance of Multi-Sport Athletes 03:22 Fall Hockey Leagues and Team Dynamics 08:21 Coaching Philosophy and Challenges 08:34 Legacy of John Gardner 14:40 Academy vs. Prep School Lifestyle 17:05 CHL Ruling and Future Implications 18:06 Deciding Between High School and Junior Hockey 19:02 The Value of Staying in High School 20:28 NHL Draft Prospects and Prep School Hockey 23:03 The Impact of Online Sports Betting on Hockey 23:17 Overtime: Fun Questions and Insights 31:05 Final Thoughts and Farewell

The I Love CVille Show headlines: Crozet Development Vs. 5th St/Avon AlbCo Dev Special UVA BOV Meeting On Monday UVA Faculty Senate Want Answers From Mahoney What Local-To-CVille F&B Brand Would You Franchise? CVille Ale Trail Good Start To Downtown Revitalization What Is Most Likely Upset We Will See On Election Day? #15 UVA (7-1, 4-0) at Cal (5-3, 2-2), 345PM ESPN2 If You Need CVille Office Space, Contact Jerry Miller Read Viewer & Listener Comments Live On-Air The I Love CVille Show airs live Monday – Friday from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm on The I Love CVille Network. Watch and listen to The I Love CVille Show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, iTunes, Apple Podcast, YouTube, Spotify, Fountain, Amazon Music, Audible, Rumble and iLoveCVille.com.

In this, the first of what will be an annual Avon alumni episode, Dr. Wyndham catches up with three Avon High School grads, individuals who excelled in academics, arts, and athletics during their time in Avon and who are continuing to do great things in college and beyond. Alanna Porter (class of '22, IU class of 2025), Zainab Syed (AHS class of '23), and Nevaeh Wren (AHS class '25) joined via video call to share their insights. They talk about where they are and what they're doing. They reminisce about their time in Avon, shout-out some of the teachers and coaches who made the biggest impact on them, and give their advice to current Avon students. You'll find out how their time in Avon Schools shaped them, helped them uncover their passions, and equipped them to succeed in college and beyond.

In this episode of the "Get Your Fill" podcast, host Christine McCarron interviews John Solleder, a seasoned entrepreneur with over four decades of experience in network marketing. Solleder, a four-time author with two bestsellers, has mentored two billionaires and guided four network marketing companies. He explains network marketing as a model where distributors sell products manufactured by others, earning significant profits without bearing production costs. He clarifies that multi-level marketing (MLM) and direct selling are intertwined, with MLM involving a tiered commission structure and direct selling focusing on end-consumer sales. Solleder highlights the industry's historical roots, noting its origins in the 1920s with a Black woman in Mississippi and its growth through companies like Avon, driven initially by women earning "pin money" for small household expenses.

C'est l'homme aux multiples visages : William Shakespeare, le citoyen discret de Stratford-upon-Avon, laisse derrière lui une œuvre magistrale... mais une identité floue. Était-il un comédien de province ou bien un érudit caché ? Qui se dissimule vraiment derrière le masque de Shakespeare ? Une chose est sûre : ce personnage a su écrire sa propre légende. Percez l'énigme de celui qui, sur la scène du théâtre élisabéthain, a tenu son plus beau rôle. Crédits : Lorànt Deutsch, Ayrton Morice Kerneven. Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Recebemos a Juliana Barros, Diretora Executiva de Marketing e Comunicação da Natura / Avon Brasil. Ela tem quase três décadas de carreira dedicadas à Avon, onde começou como estagiária. ‌Reconhecida por equilibrar tradição e inovação, esteve à frente de cases icônicos como o “Batom da Marta”, vencedor do Grand Effie, e da entrada da Avon no varejo físico e omnicanal.‌Em uma conversa leve e dinâmica, Juliana nos trouxe os bastidores ao unir inovação, legado e criatividade nas estratégias de marketing da marca. Compartilhou aprendizados práticos do segmento da beleza, os desafios e também as oportunidades!

C'est l'homme aux multiples visages : William Shakespeare, le citoyen discret de Stratford-upon-Avon, laisse derrière lui une œuvre magistrale... mais une identité floue. Était-il un comédien de province ou bien un érudit caché ? Qui se dissimule vraiment derrière le masque de Shakespeare ? Une chose est sûre : ce personnage a su écrire sa propre légende. Percez l'énigme de celui qui, sur la scène du théâtre élisabéthain, a tenu son plus beau rôle. Crédits : Lorànt Deutsch, Ayrton Morice Kerneven. Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Vicki sets out to follow in her father's footsteps and swim down the River Avon from Bath to Bristol. She is joined on this adventure by her wife Oonagh. Along the way she meets up with her family for some reminiscing about her father, and talks to Johnny Palmer, a passionate swimmer and “disrupter” who inspires and enables many swims around Bristol. We also discuss swimming in the Avon with Luke and Charlie from All-Aboard Watersports who organise swimming in the Bristol docks. Vicki gets help from CK SUP and Paddle at Newbridge outside Bath, and then has a refreshing swim with Bart, one of her father's rowing friends. Becca Blease from the group Conham Bathing tells us about how much she likes her swim spot on the River Avon. To end we hear a beautiful poem about the river by Mrs Meg Avon. Find out how the swim goes….Find out more: ⁠@swimoutpodcast ⁠or ⁠⁠swimout.net⁠@johnny palmer@all-aboard watersports@conhambathing@CK Sup &Paddle@mrs_meg_avon

O câncer de mama é o tipo que mais atinge mulheres no Brasil, mas também é um dos mais curáveis quando diagnosticado cedo. Neste episódio, Zeca e Ana Júlia recebem a Líder de Políticas Públicas de Saúde para Mulheres, Mariana Lorencinho, para um bate-papo claro e direto sobre autocuidado, direitos das mulheres e o impacto das ações da Avon e do Instituto Natura na promoção da saúde. Você vai conhecer histórias reais, e aprender o que realmente faz diferença na hora de se cuidar. Ligue Câncer: 0800 773 1666Informação gratuita e acolhimento de segunda a sexta.

Who was the man from Stratford-upon-Avon who changed the world with his words?In this History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo travels back to 16th-century England to meet William Shakespeare — the boy who became the world's most famous playwright.Discover how a small-town dreamer wrote about kings, ghosts, love, and courage and explore the spooky, mysterious world of his play Macbeth, filled with witches, prophecies, and lessons about the choices we make.Perfect for curious kids and families planning a visit to Stratford or anyone who loves a little history with their drama.Sources:The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford-upon-AvonBritish Library: Discovering Literature – Shakespeare and Renaissance WritersRoyal Shakespeare Company Archives – Macbeth Historical ContextGreenblatt, Stephen. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare. W.W. Norton, 2004.Oxford University Press, Shakespeare's Life and TimesBBC History, “William Shakespeare: A Life of Drama”

Atenção (disclaimer): Os dados aqui apresentados representam minha opinião pessoal.Não são de forma alguma indicações de compra ou venda de ativos no mercado financeiro.Seleção das partes mais interessantes das Lives de segunda.Live 339 - Visão do Estrategistahttps://youtube.com/live/f3YZKMAxu84

#BeAGoodFriend and check out episode #149 of #FeeneyTalksWithFriends featuring Eric Bergenn and Ryan McGinnis. It was great to talk, eat and drink with my good #friends, Eric and Ryan at the office of Bergenn Financial Group. Ryan owns Ryan's Softwash and Eric owns Bergenn Financial Group. We talked about:Bergenn's podcast intro (minute 1)Podcast sponsors (minute 3)Float 41 (minute 4.30)Ryan Young and PeoplesBank (minute 6.30)Ryan Keating and Agent Shamrock (minute 7.40)4th Annual Friends of Feeney Golf Tournament (minute 8.30)Swing analysis from Dave at GolfTech  (minute 10)WeHa Whiskey Fest (minute 12)What makes Tom a good #friend? (minute 13.30)MGMT at Wesleyan University (minute 15.40)Dave Matthews Band (minute 17.40)Nicole (Wife of Feeney) calls in (minute 18.30)Compare/Contrast Ryan's Softwash to Bergenn Financial Group (minute 24)Eric's day (minute 30)Ryan's day (minute 33)Friends of Feeney at AC Petersens (minute 35)Eagle Rare bourbon tasting (minute 38)BFG logo (minute 40)Dan Hovey and Tony Sisti (minute 42)Ball clip giveaway from Goff Law Group (minute 44)Sally and Bob's food tasting (minute 47)Claudia and Sophia from Sally and Bob's (minute 50)Sweet Bear Coffee and past podcast guests (minute 53)Ryan attended the “Friends of Nicholas”  Yard Goats game (minute 54)Ryan and Anthony at Elmwood Barbershop (minute 55)Anthony's sister was a “mother's helper” for Feeney's twins (minute 56)Stefani's “Coldplay moment” at the Yard Goats game (minute 59)D. Locke (#58) calls in about fantasy football (minute 1.02)Bellu Jean Creative at Gveenah (minute 1.06)Friends of Feeney Toy Drive (minute 1.08)West Hartford Trivia (minute 1.09)The JCC (minute 1.11)Recommendations: Bandle app, E Bikes, It's Playtime in Avon (minute 1.13)Closing remarks (minute 1.17)Podcast Sponsors: Directline Media - www.directlinemediaproductions.com/The Fix IV - www.thefixivtherapy.comWest Hartford Lock - www.westhartfordlock.comKeating Agency Insurance - www.keatingagency.comGoff Law Group - www.gofflawgroup.netParkville Management - www.parkvillemanagement.comLuna Pizza - www.lunapizzawh.com/lunas-menuPeoplesBank - www.bankatpeoples.comFloat 41 - www.float41.comMaximum Beverage - www.maximumbev.comSally and Bob's - www.sallyandbobs.com

In this deeply emotional and inspiring episode, Bart Berkey sits down with Mike Cooper, founder and CEO of Cooper Disposal in Cleveland, Ohio — a blue-collar entrepreneur who rose from an unstable childhood to build a thriving, values-driven waste-management business.Their conversation—born from a spontaneous meeting in a Naples hotel lobby—unfolds into a raw and redemptive life story about grit, grace, and growth.Key Themes & Takeaways1. From Survival to SuccessMike grew up in Canton, Ohio, surrounded by hardship:His father was incarcerated his entire life.His mother raised six children alone and never once said, “I love you,” yet she was his rock.Football and the local coaches became his family and structure.He earned a college scholarship, but at age 18 was shot four times during a fight outside a bar—an event that nearly ended his life and football dreams. Still, he says, “I didn't know I was struggling until I saw the other side of the world.”2. Breaking the ChainMike married his high-school sweetheart Sheila, who “saved his life.”Her family showed him unconditional love and gave him a model of stability he had never known. Realizing he had to escape the violence of his hometown, he moved to Cleveland and began again—working three jobs and learning the waste business from the ground up.“It took a village to raise me. Now I'm building a new one.”3. Building Cooper DisposalAfter years of sales success at BFI Waste, Mike cashed out his 401(k) and bought his own garbage truck. Broke but determined, he founded Cooper Disposal in his driveway.He vowed that his company would stand on truth, service, and follow-through — promising customers, “If I say I'll deliver, I will.”He personally drove trucks, took service calls under fake aliases (“I'll call the owner,” when he was the owner), and built the business through authenticity, reputation, and relentless work ethic.“Most people talk about what they're going to do. I just do it.”4. Giving Back & Paying ForwardMike brought his beloved Canton football traditions—team dinners, community pride, mentoring youth—to Avon, where he now lives.He sponsors local programs, mentors young athletes, and regularly visits his old neighborhood to remind kids that “You can break the chain too.”His success mantra blends humility and humor: “Talking trash all day—but always delivering.”5. Mental Health, Vulnerability & HealingFor the first time publicly, Mike opens up about childhood abuse, lifelong anxiety, and recent therapy.He describes his commitment to self-care and his decision to sponsor local mental-health initiatives in Avon:“I've been running hard my whole life. It's time to breathe and enjoy life.”Bart connects with Mike on shared struggles panic attacks, performance pressure, and self-expectations and together they model masculine vulnerability and emotional honesty.6. Faith, Family & FulfillmentMike's story centers on faith, family, and gratitude:Married 39 years to Sheila, with three successful children and a new granddaughter.He's proud that “I broke the chain. My kids have my drive, my wife's brains, and our family's love.”Money matters less than meaning: “My richness is my family.”Lessons for ListenersWork Hard, Stay Humble – Luck favors those who show up every day.Break the Chain – You are not your past; your choices can rewrite it.Deliver What You Promise – Integrity is a long-term business strategy.Give Back What Saved You – Community builds purpose.Talk About It – Vulnerability is strength; mental health matters.Be Where Your Feet Are – Worry less, notice more, and find gratitude in now.

Michael Fenters, head coach Maconaquah, kicks off the third and final hour to describe his team's 21 to 13 win over Lewis Cass Kings. Then, Mike Skavara Tigers Sports Network covered Evansville Memorial’s 28-7 victory over Evansville Reitz. Head coach of the Tigers, John Hurley, joins as well. It didn’t take a miracle for the Shamrocks to defeat Avon 38-21. Still head coach of Westfield, Josh Miracle, joins to recap his team’s performance. Silver Creek defeats North Harrison 41-28 and David Deaton of WKLO breaks it down. Steve Kolb of WAXL talks about the stars of Heritage Hills and how they played in their win over Mount Vernon. Lastly, Eddie rounds out the show by reading through the best games in the state in week 7. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textIt was a weekend of highs, lows, and everything in between for the crew on Coach E: Game For All Seasons. Friday night brought tough struggles for the Twinsburg Tigers, as Coach E breaks down back-to-back shutouts and the lessons his team needs to learn heading into Homecoming weekend. Saturday offered some relief with tacos, tequila, and throwback performances from legends like Chingy, Ginuwine, and Lil Jon at Avon's festival. But Sunday? More struggles, as the Cleveland Browns took another tough loss to the Lions.The fellas dive deep into what's going wrong with Joe Flacco under center, Kevin Stefanski's outdated playcalling, and whether rookie Dylan Gabriel should finally get his shot. Conspiracy Island makes a return with Taboo Timmons dropping gems about predictive programming and the infamous “33.” And to close things out, the crew debates the Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists — and trust, some controversial picks get thrown in the mix.This week's post game word: Struggles. From Friday night to Sunday afternoon, that was the theme — but the question is, how long will it last?

Speakers:    Jake Richards MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Ministry of Justice Deputy Mayor Kate Green, Deputy Mayor for Safer and Stronger Communities, Greater Manchester Clare Moody, Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon & Somerset Cassia Rowland, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Fiona Rutherford, Chief Executive of JUSTICE   This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.   This event was held in partnership with JUSTICE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This event is part of the Institute for Government's Labour Party Conference 2025 fringe programme. Speakers: Jake Richards MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary at the Ministry of Justice Deputy Mayor Kate Green, Deputy Mayor for Safer and Stronger Communities, Greater Manchester Clare Moody, Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon & Somerset Cassia Rowland, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government Fiona Rutherford, Chief Executive of JUSTICE This event was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. This event was held in partnership with JUSTICE.

On this episode of Tell Me A Ghost Story, I've got a collection of real ghost stories from listeners that still give me chills. These aren't just spooky campfire tales — they're true ghost stories told over the phone by real people who have lived through terrifying hauntings.Here's what you'll hear:From Atlanta, Noah remembers playing hide-and-seek in a Mississippi antebellum mansion when a ghostly figure with red reflective eyes appeared. Years later, in a Las Vegas hotel room, he encountered the spirits of a grayscale boy and a father dressed in 19th-century clothing. (Noah also hosts Real Hauntings, Real Ghost Stories, where I joined him on the episode “Ghost in My Bed.”)Michael from Watertown, MA, tells me about the chilling appearance of a woman in a blue nun's habit. What started as strange sightings turned into escalating paranormal activity at home and a spiritual reckoning he'll never forget.Christina, in Phoenix, lived in an apartment next to a cemetery and endured some of the most unsettling hauntings I've ever heard: a little girl's apparition, phantom footsteps, children's laughter, and even a violently shaking coffee pot.Reid from Colorado Springs shares how a towering shadow person first appeared in their childhood bathroom, and later followed them to a new home years later.Cindy Ketron from Avon, IN, has been haunted by “Herbert,” an invisible entity that's been with her and her brother since childhood. Her haunted tale is a reminder that sometimes the scariest ghosts are the ones that stay with us for life. If you love ghost stories, haunted tales, and exploring the mysteries of the paranormal, this episode will leave you wondering what's out there and who might be listening when the lights go out.

What a treat to have Pete Orchard as our guest this month. Pete's been the river keeper at the famous Longford Estate for decades. The Hampsire Avon runs through his soul and so does some pretty crazy punk music. Pete has been known to sport a mohawk and a cravat on the same day, he's a really colourful character with endless stories to tell but it was the discovery of giant carp in this crystal clear river that became our talking point. Pete's tales of uncaught giants gliding between the streamer weed were wonderful but like many things in life you have to make hay while the sun shines, as nothing lasts forever. In addition Mike and Mark talk in depth about watercraft, the changing of the seasons and how this impacts tactics and of course we have another sermon drop from the Panther aka Tim Harris and if you're the first to get it right, you'll win a Baitworks bait bundle! Enjoy. 

Karie Mize has filled a variety of roles in Avon Schools since she did her student teaching here in the early 90s, and she is now the Principal at the White Oak Early Learning Center. She and her husband are long-time Avon residents and both of their children graduated from Avon Schools — her son even teaches here. Matt Shockley is in his 13th year as Principal at Avon High School. After starting in the role, he and his family sank their roots deep into the community. He and his wife live here and both their children graduated from AHS. Karie and Matt been leaders in our school district for long enough to have experienced many peaks and valleys, yet they've remained committed to our students, their colleagues, and our community. Listen in as Dr. Wyndham talks with Karie and Matt about their experiences in Avon Schools and hear from them as they give firsthand accounts of the impact of Avon's failed 2011 Operating Referendum and the voter-approved 2018 Operating Referendum. You'll learn how much the community's support has meant to Avon's 11,000 students and 1,600 employees.

Today we dive into the transformative world of yoga with Paola Cruz, a seasoned yoga and meditation guide. Discover how spirituality and mindfulness have shaped her life, and gain valuable insights into starting your own yoga practice. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, Paola's journey offers inspiration and wisdom for all. More about Paola: Paola Cruz is born and raised in Honduras. As a child she was always drawn to Indian Spirituality. She had the opportunity to study abroad in USA, completing her university studies there. It was in her sophomore year of university in 2008 that she began to practice Yoga. Over the years, she has visited over 53 countries, allowing her the chance to learn from different cultures and learn about different ancient traditions. In 2018, she traveled to India for a second time to study for her first yoga training. She has now visited this holy land several times and has been certified an 800HR E-RYT Yoga and Meditation Guide. Paola now has over 17 years of personal experience in yoga as a student and practitioner herself. She is also Certified in Mindfulness Therapy, Mudra Yoga, Pre & Post Natal, and Yoga Therapy.  Paola is considered a "Pioneer in Yoga" in her home country, Honduras, where she has helped to grow the Yoga community. She has taught at global organizations such as The NBA, Nestle, Avon, IHG Hotels, and others. She hosts retreats, classes and workshops around the world. Find Paola: www.instagram.com/bhagawati.dasi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we dive into the transformative world of yoga with Paola Cruz, a seasoned yoga and meditation guide. Discover how spirituality and mindfulness have shaped her life, and gain valuable insights into starting your own yoga practice. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, Paola's journey offers inspiration and wisdom for all. More about Paola: Paola Cruz is born and raised in Honduras. As a child she was always drawn to Indian Spirituality. She had the opportunity to study abroad in USA, completing her university studies there. It was in her sophomore year of university in 2008 that she began to practice Yoga. Over the years, she has visited over 53 countries, allowing her the chance to learn from different cultures and learn about different ancient traditions. In 2018, she traveled to India for a second time to study for her first yoga training. She has now visited this holy land several times and has been certified an 800HR E-RYT Yoga and Meditation Guide. Paola now has over 17 years of personal experience in yoga as a student and practitioner herself. She is also Certified in Mindfulness Therapy, Mudra Yoga, Pre & Post Natal, and Yoga Therapy.  Paola is considered a "Pioneer in Yoga" in her home country, Honduras, where she has helped to grow the Yoga community. She has taught at global organizations such as The NBA, Nestle, Avon, IHG Hotels, and others. She hosts retreats, classes and workshops around the world. Find Paola: www.instagram.com/bhagawati.dasi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textThanks to Avon, Harper Collins, and Olivia Dade for joining me to talk about her newest upcoming release, Second Chance Romance. This is book two in the Harlot's Bay series. Purchase Olivia's Books:Find the latest updates on her website. Second Chance Romance (Pre-order)Zom Rom-ComAt First Spite (Harlot's Bay #1)Spoiler AlertAll the FeelsShip WreckedBooks Mentioned in This Episode:Murder at Haven's Rock by Kelley ArmstrongDeath at a Highland Wedding by Kelley ArmstrongFor links to the books discussed in this episode, click the link here to take you to the Google Doc to view the list. For episode feedback, future reading and author recommendations, you can text the podcast by clicking the "Send us a message button" above. For more, follow along on Instagram @whereileftoffpod.

Whether you've ever been a boss or have ever had a boss, you know how much those singular individuals can shape the workplace. According to studies, a good manager can increase employee engagement by as much as 70%. And, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association, a whopping 75% of employees report their boss as the worst and most stressful part of their jobs.  So, how do we know if we're being a good boss or a bad boss?  Do we just know, or should we be looking out for specific things?   Enter the incredible stories that focus on what good leaders can learn from bad bosses, featuring the author of the brand-new book, The Devil Emails at Midnight, Mita Mallick.   What to listen for: The importance of time in creating a healthier workplace culture Accountability - and how to hold others accountable, as well as check in with yourself What boss archetypes Mita has found most personally challenging  The keys to being a good boss  About our guest   Mita Mallick is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling author. She's on a mission to fix what's broken in our workplaces. She's a corporate change-maker with a track record of transforming businesses and has had an extensive career as a marketing and human resources executive. Mallick has brought her talent and expertise to companies like Unilever, Pfizer, AVON, Johnson & Johnson, Carta, and more. She's a highly sought-after speaker and business coach to start-up founders, executives, and CEOs of public companies. Her highly anticipated second book, "The Devil Emails at Midnight: What Good Leaders Can Learn from Bad Bosses," comes out September 30, 2025.    For more about the book or to purchase The Devil Emails at Midnight:  What Good Leaders Can Learn From Bad Bosses, click here:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1394316488

Dr. Linda Henman is an advisor, speaker, coach, and author or coauthor of 11 books. She founded Henman Performance Group, a leadership consulting firm that works with C-suite leaders from organizations like Avon, Emerson Electric, Estee Lauder, Kraft, and Tyson Foods. Her work with executives is guided by her PhD research on how American POWS (including John McCain) maintained resilience by making pivotal decisions during their brutal imprisonment. Her strategies in decision-making to increase profitability, mergers & acquisitions, succession planning and other issues have never failed. Her work with John Tyson helped land one of the most successful acquisitions in the twenty-first century. Her new book is Healthy Decisions: Critical Thinking Skills for Healthcare Executives.   CONNECT WITH Dr. Linda Henman Website: https://henmanperformancegroup.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henman/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLWS2YZP     CONNECT WITH Marc Wolfe Website: https://www.marcawolfe.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcwolfe/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcawolfe/ X: https://x.com/marcawolfe Podcast: https://www.marcawolfe.com/podcast/     JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST FOOD INSECURITY   Join the fight against food insecurity here in the U.S. DONATE TODAY at Meet the Streets Outreach, INC. to fight hunger!    Meet the Streets Outreach provides essential support to Houston's food-insecure communities by offering over 2,100 hot meals each month. With your help, we can continue to serve those in need. Your support ensures that we can continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of Houston's most vulnerable residents. Thank you for considering this opportunity to invest in the well-being of our community.   Food Insecure Households For many families in the U.S., the past several years have been difficult. Higher food prices, economic instability, and other factors have made providing for a family even harder. 1 in 8 households in the U.S. is food insecure. That means these families don't have enough money or resources to buy enough food for everyone in their household. As recently as 2022, 7.3 million children lived in food insecure households. Also, 16.9% of children live in poverty.   SNAP Benefits More than 22 million U.S. households use SNAP benefits to help with food costs, as of April 2023. Sometimes known as “food stamps,” SNAP is the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. People who receive SNAP benefits can use it to buy groceries, seeds, and plants for food. SNAP cannot be used to purchase hot food or household items like cleaning supplies, vitamins, or diapers.   CONNECT WITH Cedric Francis Website: https://www.lead2greatness.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cedricbfrancis X: https://twitter.com/cedricbfrancis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cedricbfrancis/ • • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedric-b-francis-a0544037/

Core blimey! Avon loves computers but enough to run around inside one? For this is Ultraworld - every technophobe's nightmare. Menaced by both the bald and the elderly, our heroes must perambulate through a PC to save calamitous Cally and a particularly sweaty Avon, while hoping they don't mix up their minds. After all, Avon's personality in Cally's body doesn't bear thinking about. Is this the worst ever Blue Man Group gig? Why is Dayna dentally dangerous? Which Christmas crackers does Vila buy (and how can you avoid them)? And did Ultraworld blow Jim and Martin's minds or leave them brain dead? Listen to find out! This episode can also be found at iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible, Player FM, Pocket Casts, Podvine, Castbox and all other pod apps (as far as we know). You can also find us on Facebook, Mastodon at @mutoidpodcast@mstdn.social, and on Threads and Bluesky where we are @mutoidkrynoidpods. Thanks for listening! Some things to read (and not laugh at): Josette Simon interview Sheelagh Wells interview #1 Sheelagh Wells interview #2 Vila's Gags  

Tonight on Veritas, our special guest is Charles Ross. He was born in East Germany, raised in the heart of Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon, traveled through Africa, and now makes his home in Taiwan. That life journey has given him a perspective few can claim. It is the perspective of someone who notices what others overlook. Charles speaks of walking down streets in Taiwan and experiencing powerful deja vu. He sees train stations, cobbled alleys, Roman villages, even European architecture that simply should not be there. While most pass by without a second thought, he feels a memory that seems older than the place itself. It is as if the stones are speaking, and he happens to be listening. His research takes us across continents and across time. We will explore heraldry where Black royals appear in coats of arms, yet are later labeled as servants. We will ask why lions, towers, and crowns appear in families whose names remain common today. We will look at maps that once displayed Tartaria, a vast land now erased from mainstream history. We will study statues and crests that feature the double-headed eagle, a symbol carried by empires from Austria to Russia. Why does it appear everywhere, and what story does it tell? Charles also leads us into the world of technology and architecture. We will examine photographs of the great World Fairs, filled with palaces and domes that appeared and vanished within a season. We will discuss Tesla, the Baghdad battery, and energy systems that may have promised free power for humanity. We will consider pyramids in China that remain hidden from researchers, and the strange harmony between sacred geometry, human anatomy, and music itself. What emerges is not just a story about history, but about us. Who we are, where we come from, and why certain truths seem to be buried while others are celebrated. Tonight, Charles Ross joins us to bring forward those forgotten fragments, and to ask us to see with new eyes.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we're talking with Gina Mueller about an equipping event she's putting together for women in Christian leadership on October 18th in Avon, Connecticut.  Gina's the Disciple-Making Catalyst at Vision New England.She has more than two decades experience in a variety of leadership roles in a number of ministry. She's been working with other key female leaders to develop this event to equip, support and encourage women in Christian leadership.Follow Us!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visionnewenglandFacebook: https://facebook.com/visionnewengland  Website: https://www.visionnewengland.orgTo learn more, click here: Women's Equipping Day

Haiku by Avon (2000) + Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (1997) + Rob Marshall's Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) with  Haylie Olson 9/11/25 S7E64 To hear this episode and the complete continuing story of The Perfume Nationalist please subscribe on Patreon.

Host Rob Rua meets with Padma Jambunath, the Family Service Coordinator for Sewa International's Cleveland Chapter, to talk about the organization and their upcoming Run for Sewa 5k run & 1 mile walk fundraiser. Upcoming events happening in Avon Lake: September 13, 9:00 AM: Community Shred Day at the Public Works Building September 15, 7:00 PM: Collective Committee Meeting September 17, 9:00 AM: Boo by the Woods Ticket Sales Begin September 20, 10 AM: Big Trucks at the Avon Lake Safety Center September 22, 7 PM: City Council Meeting For information about these and future events/meetings in Avon Lake, please visit www.AvonLake.org/Events.

Send us a textStep into Stratford-upon-Avon with us as we review Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators (Season 1), now streaming on Hallmark Plus. Eric and Andrea dive deep into this quirky British cozy mystery series, unpacking the standout episodes, character dynamics, and whether it earns a place alongside favorites like Rosemary & Thyme and The Coroner. Expect lively debate, surprising takes, and a few laughs along the wayIn this episode, we cover:

Hey, friend. I'm pulling an amazing episode from the archives with over 400 episodes here on the Proof to Product podcast. There is a gold mine of information for you to help you grow your business, and, frankly, it can be hard to take it all in. Today's episode is a look back at an interview I did with Paper Camp alum Ashley Sutton of Hustle and Hope on the topic of grants. A lot of grants for small businesses are due during the fall season so we thought this was a perfect time to reair this episode. Ashley is a corporate gal turned entrepreneur. Her career began with marketing and developing the perfect shade of lipstick for Avon to creating buzzworthy toys at Mattel and crafting unforgettable marketing campaigns for leading TV shows for children such as Peppa Pig and PJ Masks. She's also creating the number one best-selling marketing campaigns for authors at Penguin Random House.  As a stationery lover and a consumer products professional, her goal was to channel her career experience into a product with purpose, and that is how she founded Hustle and Hope. The first 2 in one motivational greeting card company that includes free digital guides with every single card. A certified minority and certified woman-owned business, Hustle and Hope has retail placement at Buy Buy Baby, World Market, HomeGoods, Amazon, and over 45 other shops across the US. Today, Ashley shares Hustle and Hope's origin story. She talks about her experience participating in the Target Accelerator program, and we talk about how she's been utilizing grants for her business, including how she got started applying for grants, what she looks for, and how these grants have benefited her business. She also shares resources in case you want to get started applying for grants for your business. Today's episode is sponsored by our Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview series. To make a strong first impression with wholesale buyers, we need to do a few things really well: We need to make it easy for stores to purchase from us We need to have clear pricing and terms & conditions We need to clearly communicate and add value at each touchpoint We need to focus on building strong relationships with our customers. And all of this becomes infinitely easier when we actively listen to our customers. This on-demand interview series will give you a competitive edge by providing an exclusive window into what buyers want and need from you. And, the best part, it's only $27 bucks.  Get Access to the Unlock Buyer Secrets Interview Series

In this powerful episode of The ToosDay Crue, hosts Jake and Stephen sit down with Dr. Avon Cornelius, a U.S. Army Veteran with more than 22 years of distinguished service and a proven track record of building and leading high-performance teams across the military, public relations, marketing, and logistics sectors. Dr. Cornelius brings a unique blend of real-world leadership, problem-solving expertise, and strategic communication, backed by his Doctorate in Business Administration. From coordinating complex military operations to navigating corporate innovation and branding, he's a leader who adapts, overcomes, and inspires at every level. This episode dives into: ✅ Lessons in leadership from the battlefield to the boardroom ✅ The mindset of elite problem solvers ✅ Strategies for effective team communication and client relations ✅ Transitioning military skills into civilian success ✅ Why relationships and results are the real currency of influence If you're a leader, veteran, or entrepreneur looking for insight and inspiration, this episode delivers.

Send us a textIn this episode, Serena Ehrlich joins On Top of PR host Jason Mudd to discuss how AI-powered search engines take data from press releases, and how they decide on what to show their users.Tune in to learn more!Our Guest:Our episode guest is Serena Ehrlich. She's the go-to-market director at Notified, the parent company of GlobeNewswire, which provides global press release distribution services.Serena helps spread the “good word” of up-to-date, evolving PR strategies to help PR pros navigate an ever-shifting landscape.Five things you'll learn from this episode:1. How AI ingests press releases and what sticks 2. How the rise of AI-powered search engines parallels the rise of traditional search engines like Google3. Who actually reads press releases and why they're the most important to your business4. The current and future impact of fake press releases5. How to build a quality press release that will reach your intended audience Quotables@4:20 — “When somebody says a press release doesn't work, the very first thing I think of is, ‘Oh, you don't know what it's supposed to do.'” – Serena Ehrlich@13:33 — “Search, social, and AI.” – Serena Ehrlich@22:21 — “If it's as easy as you and me releasing a press release and having that impact AI, look at the opportunity.” – Serena Ehrlich@25:35 — “I love you guys, but your press releases are terrible.” – Serena Ehrlich@ - “People read in an F pattern. If you don't have images, you've lost them” – Serena EhrlichIf you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with a colleague or friend. You may also support us through Buy Me a Coffee or by leaving us a quick podcast review.About Serena EhrlichSerena Ehrlich is a veteran professional in the fields of investor relations, public relations, and marketing. She currently serves as the director of product marketing at Business Wire. Over more than 25 years, she has become a trusted authority on emerging communication technologies and strategies, helping guide organizations through evolving trends in media and consumer behavior. Her deep-rooted experience began in advertising, where she honed her understanding of large-scale branding before continuing through two decades in the newswire industry. She has driven successful local, national, and global campaigns for major brands such as Kraft, Kohl's, Avon, Mattel, and more.Serena transitioned into a strategic go-to-market and social media leadership role, currently serving as the go-to-market director at Notified. Known for her dynamic approach to modern media, she blends content creation, data insights, and format innovation to drive education, advocacy, and revenue. Her philosophy encapsulates this approach: Data + Content + Format = Education + Evangelists + Revenues. A recognized thought leader in the industry, she was named one of the Top 25 Women in Mobile to Watch in 2013 and continues to leverage her prSupport the show On Top of PR is produced by Axia Public Relations, named by Forbes as one of America's Best PR Agencies. Axia is an expert PR firm for national brands. On Top of PR is sponsored by ReviewMaxer, the platform for monitoring, improving, and promoting online customer reviews.