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In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we sit down with Umer Munawar, Co-Founder of SmartLane, one of Pakistan's fastest-growing logistics aggregation platforms.Umer shares how he exited Finja and jumped straight into solving Pakistan's most chaotic industry - e-commerce logistics. From integrating 31 courier companies, to processing thousands of parcels, to raising $2.3 million, this episode breaks down what really happens behind the scenes in Pakistan's delivery ecosystem.We discuss:Why e-commerce is the easiest business todayWhy logistics is brutally hard with razor-thin marginsHow SmartLane aggregates every major courierWhy delivery riders earn so littleWhy Pakistan's logistic pricing is totally unrealisticThe future of debt funding, blockchain, & capital accessAnd what Pakistan could look like by 2050A deep-dive into e-commerce, logistics, fintech, and the future of business in Pakistan.Socials:TBT's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/⁠⁠⁠⁠TBT's TikTok:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil⁠⁠⁠⁠TBT's Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings⁠⁠⁠⁠TBT Clips: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips⁠⁠⁠⁠Muzamil's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠Muzamil's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠Nayab's LinkedIn: pk.linkedin.com/in/umer-munawar-41a9a2125Endeavor's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/endeavor-pakistan⁠⁠⁠⁠Credits:Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan ZaidiAssociate Producer: Saad ShehryarPublisher: Talha ShaikhEditor: Jawad Sajid

A final thank you to everyone for thanking us for thanking you… get it? Fi dives into open-water faux pas, Spotify Wrapped, early-years parenting, and the future of AI - she's got range! Plus, we peel back a few more doors on Hetty's advent calendar. Also, lexicographer Susie Dent discusses her new book ‘Words for Life' with Fi and Rosie Wright. You can listen to our 'I've got the house to myself' playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2MkG0A4kkX74TJuVKUPAuJ If you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radioFollow us on Instagram! @janeandfiPodcast Producer: Eve SalusburyExecutive Producer: Rosie Cutler Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Republicans barely won in a Trump-friendly Tennessee district. With ‘Trump Accounts,' your baby could qualify for $1,000. Winter storm warnings stretch across northern US, bringing snow, cold and risky conditions. Comer targets Walz in new House investigation, citing nearly $1B in alleged Minnesota fraud. One-Hit Wonder Wednesday. The ‘travel team trap' that's sapping parents' time and bank accounts. Small business drive large 32K private payroll drop in November. Amazon Now. Former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández freed after Trump pardon. 

This week we have a message from Pastor Travis titled (Who Before Do) from Sunday Nov 30th 2025. The following are Scriptures that were referenced during the sermon:          Hebrews 1:1-3 (NKJV)1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had [c]by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,Romans 8:17 (NLT)And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.2 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT)3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires.Galatians 3:26-29 (NLT) 26 For you are all children[a] of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.[b] 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile,[c] slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children[d] of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you.Colossians 2:4-9 (NLT)4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5 For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.Colossians 1:15-17 (NLT)15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.Everything was created through him and for him.17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.Closing declaration:“I am a son/daughter of God. I am forgiven. I am righteous in Christ.”I Live holy because holiness flows from my identity.I will not see myself as: “Barely saved” “A dirty sinners trying to be better” “A Person God puts up with and doesn't enjoy”I refuse to live in shame and strive to modify my behaviour.God open my understanding to the truth that: “I am loved” “I am chosen” “I am seated with Christ” “I am an heir”Then holiness will be the fruit, of following Jesus.Thank you, God, that It's from Identity that my discipline is established.Thank you for listening and join us next time for more great teachings from The Word. If you feel led to give towards this podcast ministry you can do so through the same ways that you give your tithes & offerings by writing Podcast ministry.

Matt is back on The Challenge beat with energy these vets could only dream of having! (Barely....) What the hell is going on in those mountains? We've got a lot to break down from day one of the final ahead of next week's crowning of champions!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ALL our episodes available AD-FREE on Patreon! Plus WEEKLY bonus episodes, our group chat and community, suggest us shows to watch, and more!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast on BlueSky!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scally⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on BlueSky!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast on Twitter!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Matt⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scally⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Twitter!The Challenge 41 cast: Vets: Aneesa FerreiraAshely MitchellAviv MelmedCara Maria SorbelloCT TamburelloDerek ChavezDerrick KosinskiJohnny BananasLeroy GarrettMichaela BradshawNany GonzalezNia MooreOlivia KaiserRogan O'ConnorTheo CampbellTurabi "Turbo" ÇamkıranNew Threats: Adrienne NaylorAmerica LopezAyoleka "Leka" SodadeBen DavisBlue KimCedric HodgesDee ValladaresGabe WaiIzzy FairthorneJake CornishJustin HinsleyLeonardo DionicioSydney SegalTay WilcoxsonWill GagnonYeremi Hykel

"Yes, Mr. President, Ben AND Judah are in this one... No dles... Just the classics... My god... They're on the couch again..." - Some Moron in the Oval Office Probably---Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barelycoolcastYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOtAu8fBkbamv8OgY_UolRgTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@barelycoolcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/barelycoolcast/Twitter: https://twitter.com/barelycoolcast ---Intro by Heyden Reay: https://heydenreay.bandcamp.comOutro by Untimely Dosage: https://untimelydosage.bandcamp.com/music

Texas making a surprise bitcoin accumulation move is shaking the entire crypto market, triggering massive speculation and fresh volatility! Plus—rumors of a new Federal Reserve Chair are adding fuel to the fire, igniting major altcoin momentum across the board. Don't miss this explosive crypto news breakdown and what it means for the future of Bitcoin and the entire crypto ecosystem!

Today we have a very special guest speaker, Rev. Josh Herndon. Josh is married to Pastor David and Lynn's daughter, Phoebe. Josh also is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God. Currently, Josh serves as a Ministry Consultant and Vice President at GenFi Ministries where he helps churches with loans and investments; and pastors with investments and retirement. He and his wife also serve as lead pastors at Journey Church in Willamina, Oregon. Before Josh was at GenFi, he was a church planter and barista in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been ordained since 2011 and earned his Masters of Business Administration in 2024. When not at work, he's likely being a taxi driver with his wife to their 5-kids.

The Time Riders: Part 14 Visiting old friends, and Nanu discovers hot sauce. Based on a post by BiscuitHammer, in 16 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. A certain bedroom. If she'd been worried about feeling alone, she wasn't noticing at the moment. There were so many fascinating things around here, all requiring her examination. There was an entire world to explore, after all, and it was apparently much bigger than the one she'd left behind. It was hard to conceive of, really; a world larger than Rome, than the empire, but according to her Mistress, Re-be-kah, she was not going to run out of things to be stunned by. So far, Mistress had been right. Nanu was kneeling on the bed, minutely examining the fabric that made up the soft sheets they'd been sleeping on. She tugged at the material, noticing how it was so tough that she needn't worry about tearing it. She tugged and tugged, giggling with delight when she couldn't wreck it. How clever the people of tomorrow were! She clambered off the bed and walked over to the window. She had only briefly put on any clothes, and that was to see her Mistress to the door as she left for work. Becky had made sure Nanu understood how the front door lock worked before she left. Nanu was only wearing the burning cock-sack garment, the one with the symbol of the musical group Let Zeppli on it, but the second Mistress was gone, she'd shucked it off and scampered around naked, laughing in delight. She'd been so tempted to stand in the window wearing no clothes and shake her nude body at the world, because she promised Mistress she would stay out of trouble, because she didn't want the vigiles coming for her since she'd only just gotten here. Mistress' 'free country' wasn't as free as it sounded, at least in her opinion. The tiny Egyptian girl walked up to the window of the bedroom and leaned on the frame, sighing dreamily as she rested her chin on her arms and gazed out at the world beyond the glass. Trees were starting to be green, and the grass of Mistress' lawn was visible, along with plants that would apparently become lovely flowers. High up in the blue sky, a strange bird flew. It barely moved, just gliding along, and seemed to have an almost cruciform shape. It left a weird trail of white cloud behind. What strange animals there were in the world of tomorrow. She left the window and went into the bathroom, plunking herself down on the commode and peeing, giggling at the sound produced by the material the bowl was made from. Once she was done, she headed downstairs, feeling a mite peckish. She went up to the fridge and opened the door, fascinated by the chill she felt as she leaned in to see what was available. Re-be-kah had left food for her to eat, all prepared and with her name on it, so that she knew what was safe. Seeing as how the ba-lo had made her almost shit herself to death the day before. The parfait was sitting in a bowl, with yummy-looking red and black berries swirled into it, along with a cereal that Mistress had called 'granola'. She took that and then retrieved a few slices of homemade bread from a little wooden container on the counter. Mistress had left some utensils and butter on the table, and even the peanut butter! Nanu loved the peanut butter; she couldn't wait to have it licked off her cunt! Sated some minutes later, Nanu wandered around, examining little things about the house that she hadn't noticed yet. She was careful to not mess with any switches, because she didn't know what all of them did. Apparently they weren't all just for the lights. She jumped up and down on the sturdy long chair, which was apparently called a 'chesterfield', rolled around on the comfy rug, and diddled herself in front of a mirror, cumming loudly and shamelessly. She loved looking at herself while she masturbated, she was so beautiful! Nanu flopped back on the rug, breathing heavily after a lovely climax. Her whole body tingled, and wonderful images of herself and her Mistress fucking floated through her mind. The house was warm, in a way she'd never felt before. Living in the slave quarters, and wearing what amounted to little more than a poorly made sack for clothing, she had often been cold, and rarely warm enough to suit her. This was; wonderful. This new world confused and frightened her, but she also knew she would acclimate, and then she would be warm, well-fed, and she could fuck to her heart's content. She was going to love her new life, she was sure. She hoped Re-be-kah was having as wonderful a day as she was. The Education of Nanu, as 'The Gods Will It'. Mooredale Secondary. Becky sat behind her desk, trying to conceal the way her eyes were spiraling with exasperation and boredom. While not every student in her Physics class was a dunce, only a few of them truly cared and paid attention. Most were just doing what was required to pass. Even if they got great grades, they weren't interested in retaining the material. And then there was one young dunce in particular. She tried not to scowl at Mark, who was zoning out at his desk, looking out the window. She could see even from here that his notes were inadequate. He couldn't claim to be memorizing the material; he had the memory of a goldfish crossed with a sieve. How had he made it into this prestigious high school to begin with? She was ultimately happy he had, of course, since that meant three months from now (from his point of view), he would be taking her on adventures with the Holmes Field Device. But this twerp sitting in front of her wasn't that time traveler yet, was he? He was just some lazy kid who was going to fail her course. Then he'd come back in time to fuck her, and convince her to not fail him. She'd agree, as long as he showed her the time machine and took her on adventures. Looking at him now, she couldn't believe she'd made the agreement. But she had, and now she was stuck passing him. She couldn't get out of it if she tried. She'd solidified her personal future. Fating, as people in the time travel community called it. Once you knew for certain that something factually was going to happen to you down the road, there was nothing you could do to change it, no matter how hard you tried. You might even hurt yourself doing it. Time lock. It was a thing. So if you enjoyed feeling like you were in control of your destiny, then you did your best not to find out what was to happen to you in the future. Loose talk stops clocks, and all that. She looked at Mark again, still trying not to frown. It was so strange to think that this boy, who was weeks away from being eighteen, was the same knucklehead who would be her time-travelling companion. She'd be having sex with him, and they'd be sharing girls in the time stream, including Nanu, who was waiting for her back at home. The Mark in front of her was seventeen, almost eighteen. Time travel made the rules seem so arbitrary, and even dumb sometimes. She couldn't have sex with him right now. She couldn't sext him under her desk right now. It was illegal. Yet somehow, magically, in a few weeks, on a particular day, Mark's upcoming birthday would make him an adult, even though functionally nothing was different about his biology. This Mark didn't know that they were lovers. That they would be lovers, in any event. Like all the other dumb boys in the school, he talked about her being hot, and what he'd do to her, childish boasting and hormonal nonsense. They talked about how she tended to dress rather conservatively, but clearly she had a rocking' bod underneath her clothes. They'd seen her in the school gym a few times. Becky didn't know why she dressed so conservatively, now that she thought of it. There were certainly less attractive teachers on staff who dressed more sexily than she did. Connie Marangos, the English Lit teacher, was shaped like a pear and had a face like a foot, but she somehow managed to dress sexy. What was Becky's excuse? She didn't want to give the horny students any more masturbation material than they already got. Horny teenage boys were annoying. Even Mark was annoying. Would he get better by the time she caught up with him in the future, three months from now? She could hope, but she doubted it. He hadn't exactly proven so thus far on their adventures. Another quiet sigh escaped her as she glanced for a moment in his general direction. She wanted to pin that boy down right now and fuck him, hard. She couldn't, but she wanted to. It bothered her that she was starting to feel a tingle in her needy cunt, and there was nothing she could do about it. She'd have to wait to get home and take out her horny frustrations on Nanu. Not that the Egyptian girl would mind, of course. She thought back about what she and Mark had experienced so far in the time stream. They'd gone to seventeenth century France, gotten in several brawls, and Mark had been fatally shot, only surviving because he wasn't meant to die yet. She'd been kidnapped by Cardinal Richelieu and made a lady-in-waiting to Anne of Austria, and she'd met her own ancestor, the gorgeous, brilliant, and deadly noblewoman Alexandra D'Assaut, who had helped Mark rescue her from the Louvre, and out from right under the nose of the Sun King. Becky might have shot Porthos And might also have kicked Richelieu in the nuts. That sounded so weird, but it had happened. She was there. That, or she was on the world's longest and most intense acid trip. They went to Rome, to participate in a genuine orgy, and they'd met and bought the beautiful slave girl Nanu. The intent had been to set her free, and Becky had even paid gold for her; but Mark screwed everything up by getting arrested for fucking a Vestal Virgin, one of Rome's most sacred priestesses. One thing led to another, and they'd had to rescue him from being skewered by gladiators in the Colosseum, mostly by dropping the roof on the emperor. Mark, or 'Bonosus' as he was known in ancient Rome now, was probably the most notorious criminal in the empire not named Spartacus. It didn't surprise Becky that even in the time stream, everyone wanted to kill Mark. He had that effect on people. They'd finally brought Nanu forward in time with them, since she was hopelessly devoted to them, and leaving her on her own in Rome was dangerous for her, even if she had proof of her manumission. It had been an eventful few days since their arrival back home, with Nanu getting a crash course in the fact that everything wanted to kill her. At least to hear Nanu talk about it. Even common household items were absurdly dangerous for her, and noises that modern people just took for granted drove the younger girl nuts. Food was a big gamble with Nanu. Modern preservatives and nitrates wreaked havoc on her digestive tract, something she couldn't possibly have built any immunity to. To Becky's surprise, Nanu wasn't lactose-intolerant, because as a slave, she'd been given cow's milk, something peasants and slaves subsisted on and normal people were too good for. It was strange to Becky that bovine milk and beef had been considered low-class food back then. They'd probably change their minds if they'd ever had a filet mignon or a good porterhouse. Dumb ancient people. At least Nanu ate everything she possibly could. A yawn from Mark's direction brought her out of her reverie, and she restrained another scowl in his direction. It was nowhere near the first time he'd annoyed her with his lack of interest, but she was getting more irritated with it of late, because she knew what was coming. She had to put up with this. She had to fail him. Because his future self would come back in time and convince her to change his grade. She couldn't just give him a passing grade now to speed things up if she tried. Something would make her fail him. Which he so richly deserved. Why the universe gave this kid a time machine was beyond her. A retarded chimp would have deserved it more, and probably been less of a menace. She couldn't fuck him, not yet. But that didn't mean she couldn't fuck with him, right? "Mr. Simmons," she called in his direction, raising her eyebrow and getting everyone's attention, including his. She called him 'Mark' so regularly now that saying 'Mr. Simmons' seemed strange. "Since you are clearly well ahead of the curriculum, what with having time to yawn and stare out the window, I thought maybe you could explain the differences in the scalar and vector measurements to the class?" "I, uh;” he fumbled, looking worried now. "I;” "Well, go on," she said, gesturing with her hand. "We spent the entire second half of last week on the model, after all. The copious notes you took are still fresh, yes?" "I; that is; uh;” he said, going pale. "Dumbass," laughed one of the other boys from nearby. Several other students laughed, and Mark got pelted with crumpled-up balls of paper for looking like a dolt. Becky didn't bother feeling bad for him, since this had to happen in order for things to work out in the future. That, and the brat deserved it. A girl near the front, one Gina Felton, put her hand up, looking smug. She seemed to have the answers, generally. Becky restrained a sigh as she allowed the brown-haired girl to answer. Gina dutifully recited off the material they'd been given, even offering some explanation along the way to demonstrate that she understood what she'd been taught, not just parroting the lesson. She wasn't as smart as she thought she was, and she'd never be a physicist, but she came from a wealthy WASP family type that was so common in this neighborhood, and she was a kiss-ass to the faculty. Becky would give Gina her passing grade and get rid of her. If only were so easy with Mark. "That's, uh; that was I was gonna say," Mark added once Gina had finished her singsong response. More laughter and mockery was hurled his way. "Okay, enough, people," Becky announced, standing up to get their attention and put an end to the paper projectiles. "Miss Felton, well done. Mr. Simmons, you can stay after class and clean up the room, along with my chalkboards." Becky liked using chalk boards, because one of her two favorite professors in her university years had insisted on using them. It had seemed like magic to her when he'd used them, all these wondrous equations laid out for her, explained thoroughly, and then they were gone, replaced by more fascinating numbers, a guided tour into how the universe worked. Only he could- "Ma'am?" a voice called. "Miss Fischer?" Becky blinked, coming out of yet another reverie. She was beginning to think that maybe she shouldn't be giving Mark shit for doing it, since she kept zoning out during class, thinking about the profs. She and Nanu had a playdate with them later this week at Blackwell Manor, so she'd just have to keep it in her pants until then. "Sorry, I was remembering a lesson," she said, recovering and sitting down again, just in case she leaked through her slacks. Thankfully, they were moments away from the period ending, and she'd be free of these yahoos for another day. "Tomorrow, we'll stick our toes into the concept of Fleming's Left-Hand Rule and its application in electromagnetism. Whether you're working on the Large Hadron Collider, or your grandfather's ancient lawnmower in the future, this is a good thing to understand. Go ahead and get ready, just wait for the bell. Mr. Simmons, the chalkboard awaits your attentions." Yet more razzing at Mark's expense, while Gina just sat at her desk looking smug. As annoying as Mark was, Becky simply did not like Gina Felton. She was eighteen now, and Becky had good reason to suspect that the skinny little broad was carrying on with the History professor, Mr. Browning. The less she knew, the better. Kind of like about her own future. Ah well, she thought as she watched Mark dully begin wiping off the chalkboards and then pounding out the erasers. Not much longer to put up with this, and then the real fun begins. Just show some patience, girl. She somehow refrained from subtly taking a picture of Mark's ass with her phone. "Mistress, you're back!" Nanu chirped as she skipped up to the door, quite naked. "I didn't break anything!" "The fact that you led with that statement makes me suspicious," Becky sighed as she closed the door behind her. She then hung up her blazer on a peg and allowed the Egyptian girl to take her hand and pull her into the house. "Did you eat?" "Yes, Mistress, everything you left for me," Nanu announced proudly. "Nothing left. Did I do well?" "You ate everything I left you for you?" Becky asked, raising an eyebrow. Nanu dragged her into the dining room and gestured grandly at the table. The top was covered in plates, bowls, and containers, along with utensils. Even the peanut butter jar, which had been mostly full this morning, was seemingly licked clean. "Holy shit," Becky mumbled in English, gazing at the table. "You ate absolutely everything." "Did I do right, Mistress?" Nanu asked. What did Becky tell her? That Nanu had eaten the food she'd prepped and was meant to last for a few days? She hadn't exactly been that explicit, because she hadn't thought to tell Nanu that. She'd overlooked how voracious Nanu could be. A lifetime of slavery saw to it that Nanu ate every meal as if it might be her last. Well, that was on Becky. She'd just start again and be more concise next time about her expectations. "I'm proud of you for looking after yourself," she said finally, making the tiny girl beam with delight. "Did you have problems with anything I showed you?" "I played with the water makers a little bit, and practiced washing my hands," Nanu said, waiting impatiently while Becky started removing her work clothes. "Your soap is very different from what my masters used. It smells nice, not like piss." "Maybe because we don't use urine in our soap these days," the blonde observed as she tossed aside her skirt and then began undoing her bra. Nanu, predictably, just watched intently, almost salivating at the thought of her Mistress' tits. "So now you know how to keep yourself clean. Tonight, I'll let you try to work the shower, that way you can use it if I'm not home and you need to wash up." Nanu nodded. "It was awkward trying to get the peanut butter off my cunt. I am very flexible, but even I couldn't reach it all with my tongue. I used a cloth finally. But I tried, Mistress, I really did." "Nobody made you smear the peanut butter on yourself, silly," Becky laughed as she shucked her bra, revealing her lovely tits to Nanu. Then she bent over and peeled off her underwear. "But I'm glad you fed yourself and know how to get clean, my love. It sounds like you had a good day." "There were so many things to do, Mistress," Nanu breathed, enjoying the sight of Becky's hairless cunt. She'd never seen a more perfect cunt. "I was amazed by how strong your sheets are. And I glided up and down the hallway in my socks, and I listened to music and danced;” "I'm so pleased that you worked out the controller for the stereo," Becky cooed, caressing Nanu's cheek. The smaller girl closed her eyes, enjoying the touch before turning her head a little to kiss her Mistress' palm. "What music did you listen to?" "But I am proud to be your lover, and that you're my Mistress," Nanu protested. "And I am proud of you, Nanu," Becky assured her, giving her hands a gentle squeeze. "But just trust me on this, okay? Hearing people called 'Mistress' will be very weird to some of them. I want tonight to be fun, not awkward." Nanu sighed somewhat despondently and nodded. "So I must call you Re-be-kah tonight?" The blonde pondered the matter. "Can you say 'Becky'?" Nanu pursed her lips. "Beh-kee." "That's what all my friends call me," Becky said, pulling Nanu into a hug. It was weird to have their jackets in the way and not be able to feel their tits squashing together. "Except for M-ark," Nanu pointed out, enjoying the hug, even if she couldn't feel her mistress' tits. "He called you 'Beks'." "Well, Mark's an idiot, and he's lucky he's the one with the time machine, or I would flunk him into eternity," Becky muttered, preferring to not think about the bane of her academic existence. "Asshat." "Ass-hat;” Nanu repeated. "Mark is an ass-hat?" She's like a toddler, Becky thought, making a note to watch her language. She retains all the naughty words she shouldn't know. "Let's go, Noah Webster," Becky sighed, standing up again. "Your chariot awaits;” The Gardiner Expressway, heading south. Nanu was indeed turned sideways in her seat, despite the seatbelt, her face plastered to the window as she gaped in awe at the scenery that sped by. Aside from the endless metal monsters that were running with them or in the opposite direction, there were also tall buildings and houses, bright lights on tall posts, and even giant bridges that they went under and didn't fall on their heads! Nanu was too astonished to remember to be frightened of everything. Becky smiled as she drove, pleased that Nanu was distracted and not cowering in fear. Not that she would blame her. It had taken some convincing to get her into the car at all, but once she discovered how comfy the seats were, she warmed up to the idea quickly enough. Becky buckled her into her seat and even let Nanu honk the horn once before they pulled out. Nanu yelped in shock at the loud sound, but then clapped in delight, realizing that she could (if allowed) control the beast's roar. She took it slow at first, driving at a virtual crawl through her neighborhood, letting Nanu get a feel for the movement of the car. She was going places, but her legs weren't doing any of the work. It was like being in a palanquin or a chariot, only completely enclosed. The roar of something called an 'engine' surrounded her, replacing the clatter of iron-bound wooden wheels and horse hooves. It was almost twilight, and the lights on the tall posts glared brightly, making Nanu shield her eyes occasionally. She could see people in their own metal beasts, men and women, often with children riding along in the seats behind. She smiled brightly and waved back at one little girl who had seen her and waved to her. "We are going so fast," she breathed, almost wrenching her neck as she tried to watch cars whip by in the opposite direction. "Nobody in the world has ever gone as fast as this, I'll bet." Becky thought about that, realizing Nanu was probably right. She was going just over seventy kilometers per hour at the moment, but that was faster than anything had ever gone until locomotive engines came on the scene, once again in the mid-nineteenth century. It may have seemed slow to her, but it was light speed to Nanu. "Oh, we can go a lot faster than this, Nanu," she said casually, enjoying her lover's innocent wonder at everything. "Go faster!" Nanu urged in excitement. "Go faster than all the other metal beasts! Shame them!" "; except for maybe that one;” she added in a faltering tone as a red Ferrari whipped by, the roaring noise of its engine filling the interior of Becky's car. "How do you make the beast go faster, Mistress? I do not see reins or a whip." "It's not alive, remember? It's just a machine, a bunch of parts put together to make a mechanism," Becky answered, knowing most of this would go over Nanu's head. "I control its speed with the pedals at my feet, and which way it goes with this wheel in my hand." "Can we go faster and leave all these other beasts behind?" Becky smiled. "Not right now, my love. There are laws about how fast you're allowed to go when there are lots of other cars around. It prevents accidents." "But what could hurt us?" Nanu asked. "The beast is metal, we are surrounded by all this metal. We are invincible." "If we hit or got hit by another car, the metal won't protect us entirely," Becky pointed out, thinking that maybe she'd show Nanu some car crash safety videos, put the fear of the car gods into her. And if we hit a person, we'd pretty much kill them at this speed." Nanu thought about that. "But we'd be okay, right?" Becky sighed and resisted the urge to turn the car around. The Malted Cat, thirty minutes later. "Hi, everyone, sorry we're late," Becky called out, waving as she headed to the table where everyone was already gathered. "You know this time of night on the Gardiner, traffic was a bitch." "Bitch;” Nanu parroted, but was too far away still for anyone to hear her aside from Becky. Nanu was looking around at the establishment, which didn't remind her of any tabernus she'd ever seen before. This was loud and chaotic, with people everywhere and what might have been music blaring. People were wearing so many different outfits, some of which were almost nonexistent to Nanu. They walked up to the table, where five other people, three women, and two men, were already sitting. A few of them had the same straw-colored hair as her mistress. Two of the women were skinny, one was rather fat. One of the men was skinny and balding. She doubted he got fucked very often. Becky stopped at the table, with Nanu beside her. "Everyone, this is Nanu, she's staying with me." "Hi," Nanu said, holding up a hand and remembering the greeting word that people used in En-gush. "Hi." "Hello," they all said back pleasantly, smiling at her. She liked the fact that they greeted her and hadn't noticed she was a slave. Or at least, had been. Sometimes she worried it clung to her like a stench she would never be rid of. At least they'd brought her manumission documents with them from Rome to this world of tomorrow, just in case she had to prove it. "Nanu, let me introduce my friends and co-workers," Becky said in Latin, before pointing to people. "This is Kay, that's Shirley, this is Annie, that's Steve, and this is Ed." "What were you speaking to her just now?" Ed asked, seeming curious. He was the balding one. "Latin," Becky replied as room was made for them at the table, with Steve pulling up two more chairs. "She doesn't speak English, and I don't speak her native language, so we communicate in Latin." Becky's friends all looked at one another quizzically, but then realized that none of them spoke Latin. Becky would be interpreting all night. Frankly, that was just fine with Becky, since it allowed her to control things where Nanu was concerned. "Nanu-nanu!" Steve said to the new guest, holding his hand out sideways, fingers splayed apart in twos. Nanu seemed confused before she spread her own fingers tentatively and then slid them into Steve's, who grinned and began shaking up and down gently. "Good to meet you!" "Steve, I'm not drunk enough for Mork and Mindy jokes yet," Becky sighed, settling Nanu in a chair while the smaller girl looked at her hand curiously, still held open the way he'd shown her. What was that supposed to mean? Was it one of the standard greetings of this age? Then she started noticing small details, both of her new associates, and around the place. Her eyes widened when she saw a tattoo on the arm of the fat woman, Shir-lee. Then she noticed one on Steve. She looked around and saw that many people around this club had tattoos. She looked at Becky with concern. "So many people," she said quietly, hoping only Becky heard her. "They have stigma (tattoos). Some of your friends have them! Are we surrounded by criminals?" Becky thought about that for a moment and then shook her head. "No, Nanu. In my world, tattoos are just art. There have been times in the past where criminals or people considered undesirable have been branded, but this isn't a thing anymore. People wear tattoos because they mean something to them, or they're just art." Nanu sighed in relief. "I somehow avoided getting a tattoo or branded as a Flavian slave, I was lucky. Most of the other slaves had them, I found it humiliating." "Is she okay, Becks?" Annie asked curiously. "She looks a little spooked." Becky smiled and nodded. "The tattoos all around her freaked her out. Where she comes from, tattoos are brands on slaves or criminals and law-abiding citizens don't get them." "Well, I like to think I'm a bad girl," Shirley said in a sassy tone and wearing a wicked smile. "And I've got another tattoo in another place that'd prove it, for sure." This drew laughter from her friends, and she rolled onto one cheek subtly and patted the other one. Annie popped Shirley on the ass, making her squeak and more there was laughter around the table. "So, Nanu," Kay began, smiling across the table at her. Becky was on one side of Nanu, and Ed was on the other. Nanu almost needed a booster chair to sit at the table. Thankfully, the bouncer at the door had accepted her identification, even if he seemed skeptical at first. No doubt having Becky there helped. "Do you want a beer, honey?" Nanu knew she was being asked a question and looked at Becky, who translated. "Cervisia. Do you want one?" Nanu wrinkled her nose in distaste. "That is a barbarian's drink! I am civilized." "You thought cow's meat was barbaric until the other day too," Becky pointed out. "Now I can't keep you out of it. Your ancestors made beer before they discovered wine, you know. At least try it, it's polite. Do you remember what I told you about how to respond if someone offers you something?" Nanu looked at Kay and spoke slowly. "Please an-du fank you." Kay looked delighted and ordered beers for Nanu and Becky. The Egyptian girl settled in and just listened quietly while the conversation picked up around her. Becky had told her that she was free to simply listen, or look around the bar. If someone addressed Nanu, Becky would tell her. Nanu was more than happy to just sit quietly and observe. Beer arrived, with a tall pint glass for Becky, and a half-pint for Nanu. She frowned at her smaller glass. "Why did I get the child drink?" Becky almost laughed while Nanu seemed to glare at the golden liquid and the tiny bubbles. "First of all, children aren't allowed to drink beer because of the alcohol. Second, I got you a smaller glass in case you don't like it. Less goes to waste." Nanu glanced at Becky now. "So if I don't like it, I don't just smash the glass on the floor and demand a different drink I like?" Becky blinked. "No, darling. We are very respectful to our servers at all times." "But they are nobody." "Nanu, just; trust me on this, okay?" Becky almost pleaded. "Always be polite, always. When it time to not be polite, I'll let you know, I promise." "Fine," Nanu sighed, picking up the glass with both hands and tilting it so that she could take a sip while everyone watched. Her eyes widened and she put the glass back down on the table, her cheeks bulging as she looked at Becky in panic. "Swallow," Becky instructed. "It's fine." Hesitantly, the tiny girl swallowed and then gasped rather loudly and dramatically. "It is so cold, but it burns!" "You didn't mind when the pop was fizzing in your mouth," Becky said. "The pop was sweet. This is; why is this beer? It doesn't taste like beer at all!" "It's beer, I promise you, just that we make it differently than they did in your time." "Is she okay?" Steve asked, watching Nanu curiously. They all were, in fact. "She's never had beer like that before," Becky explained. "She only just tried pop for the first time the other day." "You said she's from Egypt?" Shirley queried. "Is she Muslim and she's not allowed to have alcohol?" "Trust me, she's not Muslim," Becky assured her co-worker while Nanu eyed her beer suspiciously. "She was a slave most of her life, and she has very limited experience with, well, just about anything. We're taking it slow, but I want her to see what her new life is all about and has to offer." "Would she like wine instead?" Kay asked. "No, let her figure this out," Becky replied, going back to her own beer. "I have yet to find anything she won't eat or drink, so give her a bit." Becky knew she'd have to get some food in Nanu before long, because Nanu's alcohol tolerance might be perilously low, especially on what was essentially an empty stomach. She'd let Nanu pick whatever sounded good, and just deal with the consequences later. There was only so easy she could make this for her. Her body needed to adapt to modern cuisine sooner or later, right? The conversation began again, mostly everyone venting about their stupid students and the idiotic things they said, did, or turned in. Every once in a while, someone asked Nanu something, and Becky translated, letting Nanu respond as best she could. But mostly, they simply adhered to Becky's rule of letting the new girl observe and listen. "I swear, this one girl is a complete moron," Annie groused. "Any of you have Angie Staples in any of your classes?" Nanu heard several of them moan and roll their eyes, almost slumping back in their chairs. They began griping about something or someone, repeating a word that sounded like a name. It reminded her of how her mistress complained about M-ark. "Hey, she's not a bigger dolt than Simmons," Becky pointed out. "That boy is hopeless in my class. If he made any less effort, he'd forget to breathe." "At least he's cute," Kay said, making Annie and Shirley laugh. "I'd totally fuck Mark if he was legal." At the mention of the name 'Mark' and the word 'fuck', Nanu perked up just slightly and then looked at Becky. And this was not lost on the other women. "Why did she just look at you when I mentioned fucking Simmons?" Kay asked, looked at Becky now. "I; no; Fischer, no;” "What?" Becky said rather defensively. "Rebecca Fischer, are you doing things with that boy?" Kay pressed, smiling slyly. Annie and Shirley's eyes lit up excitedly, whereas Ed and Steve remained silent, trying to not look put out. "Are you nuts?" Becky said rather more loudly than she should have. "He's my student!" "He's all of our students, and the only thing he's good at is Phys Ed," Annie laughed. "He's turning out to be a hunk, I saw him running track in the gymnasium with no shirt the other day. Kay's right, none of us would blame you if you were getting it in from him." "I assure you, I am not getting it in from that dough-head sitting in my classroom," Becky said firmly. It was technically true, if only because the Mark sitting in her classroom hadn't fucked her yet. "So why did Nanu look at you so suddenly?" Kay pressed, not willing to concede the point just yet. "She's heard me complaining about how abso-fucking-lutely useless he is in my class," Becky explained, which was also technically true. "He's failing harder than a SCUD missile. Makes me crazy." "I'd go crazy on him," Shirley quipped, smiling slyly behind her beer glass while Kay and Annie burst out laughing again. Becky sighed and shook her head, but at least she seemed to have deflected that particular line of inquiry. Despite Kay's contentions in private about her proclivities, most people believed Rebecca Fischer to be a prudish nun stuck in a porn star's body. Only this small crew ever saw her let her hair down, like tonight. Garlic bread, mozzarella sticks, and wings arrived at the table as an appetizer, and Becky encouraged Nanu to try everything. The teachers all watched in astonishment as she tried each of the items and then began devouring them in rapid succession. "Guess I'm buyin' this round of appetizers," Becky said, shaking her head as she watched her charge annihilate the food. "I'll buy the next round too, just to make sure everyone gets something." "Oh, I'm buyin' her a round as well, just to keep watching," Annie said in fascination while Nanu mowed through the appetizers like the Tasmanian Devil. "Do you ever feed her, Becks?" "I told you, she was literally a slave in her old life, and she eats everything in sight as a defensive measure," Becky sighed. "She's not being rude, I promise. I've literally watched her eat a pound of bologna and empty a full jar of peanut butter." "Ba-lo;” Nanu managed to mumble through a mouth full of biomass as she kept storming the appetizers. Everyone was enjoying watching, even if they had to wait for their own shares to arrive again. She also kept sipping at her beer, seeming to have dropped her objections to it. Becky realized she might actually need help from the time stream to keep this girl fed. Nanu had pretty much polished off all her food when the second round of appetizers arrived. She eyed Steve's basket of wings hungrily. He saw her staring and gestured to the steaming heap of saucy poultry. "Want to try one?" "Nanu, darling," Becky said, holding up a hand to interrupt. "You might find that' But Nanu had already stripped most of the meat off the tiny bones of one wing by the time Becky had begun to object. She was chewing away when she paused on her eyes went wide. "Steve, you jerk," Becky said, scowling at her co-worker while Nanu started trembling while still chewing, her face turning red and her eyes starting to water. "She doesn't know what suicide sauce is." Nanu had her forehead pressed against the table and was thumping her little fist against the surface, still resolutely chewing, even as she whimpered and moaned in pain. "Gotta admire her pluck, though," Kay mused, watching the tiny girl try not to writhe. "I didn't know she couldn't handle it," Steve protested. "Don't they have hot food where she comes from?" "See if I ever sub for you the next time you need a day off," grumbled the blonde, patting Nanu on the back gently while calling over a server. Fifteen minutes and a gallon of milk later. "I can't believe she ate all my wings," Steve murmured, watching Nanu polish off the last wing while staring directly at him defiantly. "A whole pound, I got like, one." "Serves you right," Becky grunted, making sure Nanu had lots of wet wipes and used them regularly in case she tried to rub her eyes. Milk wouldn't help then. "I can't believe she's still eating them," Annie said, watching with morbid fascination. "I mean, you can see they still hurt her, but she won't quit." "Now that she knows milk dulls the fire, she doesn't have to," Becky sighed, also watching while eating her own honey-garlic wings. Nanu had stolen half of those, too. The only reason Shirley and Kay's food was (mostly) safe was because Nanu was too short to reach across the table. "And she's mad at Steve, so she's making a point." She knew that she and Nanu could both regret this in a few hours, that Nanu might be up all night again in the bathroom, but apparently she was willing to risk that to get the message across; don't fuck with Nanu Tehemet. Nanu polished off the wings and then knocked back several glasses of milk Becky had lined up for her, followed by her beer. She put the last down and let out a thunderous belch that echoed around the area. Everyone's eyes widened at the noise, except for Becky, who just shook her head. People at other tables looked over, perplexed that someone so small could release such a giant noise. Annie cleared her throat. "Well, I; I hear that in some Middle Eastern cultures, burping is a sign that a person appreciates the food they were served." Nanu patted her chest with her little fist and sighed happily. "Nanu," Shirley said, getting her attention directly. She gestured to her shirt and then at Nanu's. "I like your shirt." Nanu realized what the fat woman was talking about and then beamed happily, thrusting her chest forward and thumbing at the logo. "Let Zeppli!" "Do you like them, honey?" Shirley asked. Becky translated and Nanu nodded eagerly. "Let Zeppli!" "I like them too," Shirley said, pleased to be connecting with the exotic foreign girl. "Shirley says she likes Led Zeppelin too," Becky explained, leaning in to be heard over all the noise. The karaoke had begun, and they were near the stage. "The fat one likes Zeppli?" Nanu asked, shocked. "Is she allowed?" "Nanu!" Becky gasped, bursting into snickers. "You can't just comment about people's weight like that!" "What's funny, Becks?" Annie asked, curious. Becky was still snickering as she tried to wave it off. "Pretty sure Nanu thinks only she's allowed to like Zeppelin. And maybe I'm allowed. Pop culture still eludes her." "Well, she's got the hot wings and big tits part down already, I'd say she's halfway there," Kay quipped, making everyone laugh. Shirley had excused herself from the table for a moment. More food was ordered, along with beer or cocktails, and the gripe session continued about what complete morons the kids of this day and age were becoming. And the ones that weren't morons were completely unlikable. "So how long is she stayin' with you?" Kay asked as she watched Nanu attack the jalapeno poppers. "For the foreseeable future, really," Becky answered. "Like I said, she was a slave back home, she has no life to return to, and it was borderline Stone Age subsistence. I can't just let her go, or turn her over to the system, she'll die. She knows nothing. I'm doing what I can to help her adapt and learn about her new world. One day, she'll be fine." "That's really noble of you, Rebecca," Ed stated, getting his share of an onion blossom before Nanu saw it and murdered it. "But it could be years. I'm not trying to make her sound like a pet dog, but this could be a long commitment on your part. How did you even meet her?" "Honestly?" Becky said, having a rehearsed answer already. She'd tried to anticipate as many questions as possible for tonight. "I met her in Rome. That's where I managed to get her out of her slavery life." "Wow, Becks, you have like a whole secret agent life goin' on," Annie said, sounding impressed. "When the heck did you even go to Rome?" "It seems like ages ago," Becky said rather evasively. "Frankly, things have been crazy of late and I almost can't keep track without a time machine." A round of laughter from her friends, and Becky heaved a sigh of relief. She didn't expect anyone to be making inquiries, but the fewer questions, the better. Nanu seemed oblivious, noshing away happily on more pub grub and seeming determined to try everything. She'd just plowed through the calamari Annie had bought for her. "Hey, everyone!" called a voice from the stage, sounding tinny over a microphone. Becky looked up and saw Shirley standing on stage, smiling at them all. "I'm dedicating this number to a new friend I met tonight, I hope she likes it! Nanu, this one's for you!" Nanu looked up at the mention of her name, right before the music began, blaring through the bar's speakers all around them. Her eyes flashed in excitement as she looked at Becky, grabbing her hands. "Zeppli! Zeppli!!!" she squeaked, bouncing up and down in her seat. "Yes, my love," Becky laughed. "Shirley is about to sing a Zeppelin song for you, and it's the one you know already." Nanu clapped and squealed some more, bouncing up and down in her seat as she watched the fat woman begin to sing. "Let me take you to the movie, Can I take you to the show, Let me be yours ever truly, Can I make your garden grow?" "Nanu, you should go up and dance," Becky suggested, bumping and gyrating in her seat. "I'm sure Shirley would love it." "Really, Mistress?" Nanu gasped, his features alight with eagerness. She'd forgotten to call her Mistress by her name, but nobody seemed to notice. "Just make sure you keep your clothes on, okay?" Becky warned, trying to sound serious, but winking at her lover. "Go have fun." Nanu was out of her seat like a shot and scrambling up onstage before she began to dance around, just like Becky had shown her. Everyone at the table hooted and cheered while Shirley laughed, still between stanzas. While Nanu bounced and wiggled around the stage, the teacher started singing again. The pneumatic effect Nanu's movement had on her body held everyone spellbound. Her jeans were snug enough to show off her amazing ass, and her Zeppelin shirt was stretched tight across her ample tits, which jiggled continuously. "From the Houses of the Holy, We can watch the white doves go, From the door comes Satan's daughter, And it only goes to show, that you know!" Becky laughed gaily as she watched, clapping along. She couldn't believe how well this was going! Nanu was having a blast, and even if she was going to be shitting herself all night because of the hot wings Steve had let her eat, it was a small price to pay to see the Egyptian girl absolutely radiant and doing what she did best, dancing. They'd have to do this more often, as long as she kept Nanu safe. Not that this bar was dangerous, of course. "There's an angel on my shoulder, In my hand a sword of gold, Let me wander in your garden, And the seeds of love I'll sow, you know!" Nanu spun and pranced around the stage, lost in the joy of her dancing. She never felt more alive than when she was dancing, even when she was fucking. Or at least very rarely, and pretty much never when she'd been a slave. This new world and new life were going to teach her so many wonderful new things! She stopped dancing for a moment, breathing heavily in excitement as she just watched Shirley sing, standing close enough to understand that she was singing into some little thing that looked like a black cock and made her voice echo all around the room. "So the world is spinning faster, Are you dizzy when you stall? Let the music be your master, Will you heed the master's ca" In her mounting excitement, Nanu had grabbed the microphone out of Shirley's hands and was now closing her eyes and singing into it with all her heart. "Ah; Wa-Oh-Gur-Oah! Or-Nyu-Wo-Ah!" The entire audience was just watching in confused and then stunned silence as Nanu wailed discordantly into the microphone, assaulting everyone's ears with the blistering noise she was making. Eventually, even the recording of the Zeppelin song was halted, and Nanu was screeching to a silent space. Realizing the music had ended, she opened her eyes and then paused, seeing everyone gaping at her. But then a group at one large table right next to the one she'd been sitting at burst into derisive laughter, jeering and mocking her, apparently imitating the sounds she'd been making, and also flailing their limbs about like they were having seizures. Their faces were screwed up, made to look like the cursed child jesters that the Roman elite kept at their courts and made fun of. They were making fun of her! "Hey, someone get the retard off the stage!" guffawed one man, still mocking her by slapping a limp hand and forearm against his chest and making the stupid face. His buddies howled with laughter as he imitated her sound again. Until he was spun in his chair and Becky's fist slammed across his jaw, snapping his head to the right and knocking him out cold. Everyone at the table went very still, not daring to move as Becky glared at them all, her blue eyes flashing menacingly. "Anyone else?" she challenged. The men all stayed silent, not daring to say a word of move a muscle. "That's what I thought," she growled, standing up now and looking down at them in contempt. "Fucking cowards." She looked over at the door and caught the attention of the bouncer on shift, an imposing guy named Jake. She tilted her head at the idiot she'd just coldcocked, and he nodded, knowing he was about to clear out that table and make them take their unconscious friend home. He'd seen Becky drop guys before, and it was always justified. If she hadn't dealt with them for mocking the screaming girl, he might have. Thankfully, it was seen to. "C'mon, honey," Becky said, walking up to the stage and removing the mic from Nanu's hands, while she just stared at her Mistress, seemingly frozen. "Shirley, take over, will you?" Shirley nodded and got another song going, beginning to sing again while Becky led Nanu back to her seat. Around the bar, things had returned to normal. Nanu still seemed silent and very out of sorts. Becky sat her down and took her hands, smiling at her. "I'm sorry, honey," she said softly, caressing the crestfallen girl's cheek. "What they did was wrong. He deserved to get punched, I promise you." Nanu looked up at her now, perplexed. "Am I; am I that awful to listen to, Mistress?" Becky apparently hesitated a split second too long, because Nanu seemed aghast at the lack of response. "I am terrible! Please, Mistress, tell me! How bad am I? Be honest." A deep breath as Becky composed her thoughts. "Truth, Nanu?" The Egyptian girl nodded nervously. "You; well, it; it sounded like a cat getting run over by a chariot with knives for wheels," Becky confessed, blushing while the other teachers looked on, having a fairly good idea what was happening, even if none of them spoke Latin. She smiled somewhat wanly. "Maybe; just stick to dancing, okay? You're so very good at that, after all;” Nanu slumped back in her chair, seemingly in disbelief, even failing to notice the table right next to them getting cleared out by the bouncer. She stared off into space for some seconds, not even noticing the other Zeppelin song that Shirley was now singing. "I'm terrible," she murmured to herself. "Cats getting murdered sounds better than me singing;” She then blinked and looked at Becky, seemingly her normal self. "Oh well. May I have more food and another beer now?" Becky laughed in relief and nodded. No trauma seemed to affect Nanu for too long. She always had food and fucking to retreat to. She ordered more hot wings, knowing Nanu felt she had even more to prove now. An hour later. "So you seemed like you had a good time, hmm?" Becky mentioned as she drove north on the Gardiner, taking them home. It was quite dark out, and she hoped against hope that Nanu wouldn't be up all night in the bathroom, or that she wanted to stay awake and fuck, because Becky had to work in the morning. "I did, Mistress," Nanu replied, nodding as she sat in her seat. She wasn't turned sideways with her face plastered to the window, watching the world race by. In fact, she was sitting rather placidly, her eyes somewhat unfocused. "And the food was all so good. And I think I'm drunk." Becky smiled. "We'll deal with that when we get home. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Should we do it again?" "Can we?" Nanu gasped in delight, seemingly excited. "Let's do it every night!" "Not every night," laughed the blonde. "I can't afford to go out to eat and drink every night. But if you're good, maybe we'll make a treat of it once a week. There are lots of other places to try as well." "As long as assholes don't make fun of me for singing," Nanu sniffed, determined to not get over being impugned. "I hope they dumped him behind the building and people walking by just put their dicks in his mouth while he was sleeping." Becky smirked. Nanu clearly had a vengeful streak in her. Not that she blamed her, mind. Nanu had to simply watch while Becky meted out the punishment. She doubted Nanu was capable of inflicting any real damage on people who slighted her. "Do you think you can teach me to drive this beast, Mistress?" the tiny woman asked. "That's a long way off, honey," Becky replied. Hell, she doubted Nanu could see over the dashboard and reach the pedals at the same time. "Let's conquer walking properly in running shoes before moving on to wheeled death machines, shall we?" Nanu huffed and crossed her arms, looking put out. "I wouldn't run down THAT many people;” she muttered. Becky's home, half an hour later. They managed to close the front door behind them before they fell to their knees, arms wrapped around one another and kissing hungrily. They moaned as they began removing their clothes, swallowing each other's tongues. Earlier, Becky had hoped to make it through the night without any romantic interludes because she had to work tomorrow, but in the car, Nanu had started being naughty, reaching over and rubbing Becky's crotch or fondling her tits. It also didn't help when she shimmied down her jeans and began fingering her cunt, teasing Becky and nearly causing her to drift off the road more than once. A trucker had cruised by them, looking down at them from his cab. Nanu had lifted her shirt to show off her tits, as well as stroking her nether lips plainly for him to see. He'd honked his horn loudly in approval, despite the late hour. And Becky was obviously hornier than she'd been willing to admit, and she couldn't even blame it on alcohol, since she'd only had two beers and one cosmopolitan. No, she just wanted to fuck, and Nanu

This is one in a series about possible futures, which will be published in Booch News over the coming weeks. Episode 6 appeared last week. New episodes drop every Friday. Introduction Legacy beverage corporations attempting hostile takeovers of kombucha startups failed to understand the living systems involved. Their sterile production methods eliminated beneficial microorganisms, while regulatory capture backfired as health authorities mandated probiotic content. Mega-Cola’s final CEO, James Morrison, desperately tried fermenting cola using SCOBYs, creating undrinkable disasters. This episode chronicles the corporation’s transformation from global giant to urban composting service, with former executives becoming mushroom farmers in Detroit’s abandoned factories. The $49 Billion Graveyard: When Giants Couldn’t Learn to Dance Harvard Business School’s legendary case study “The Mega-Cola Kombucha Catastrophe” became required reading for understanding how industrial thinking proved fatal in the biological economy. Between 2035 and 2042, legacy beverage corporations spent $48.7 billion attempting to acquire kombucha startups, only to discover that living systems couldn’t be purchased—they could only be cultivated. Mega-Cola’s acquisition spree began aggressively in 2035 under CEO James Morrison, a chemical engineer before ascending to the C-suite. He’d once loved the alchemy of bubbles and sweetness. His father had worked at a bottling plant; he’d grown up thinking carbonation was progress. He viewed kombucha as merely another “disruption” to be absorbed and had become a champion of “hydration portfolios”—a polite euphemism for diversifying out of soda into teas, waters, and ferments. The company spent $12.7 billion acquiring 47 kombucha brands, from market leader Health-Ade to smaller artisanal producers like Portland’s Brew Dr Kombucha. Morrison’s strategy seemed logical: leverage Mega-Cola’s distribution network and manufacturing scale to dominate the emerging probiotic market. The Sterilization Disaster The first catastrophic failure occurred when Mega-Cola attempted to scale Humm Kombucha production at its Oregon facility. Morrison stood before a 10,000-gallon fermentation tank—ten times the size of any used by the acquired kombucha companies. Chief Science Officer Dr. Hiram Walsh explained the modifications they’d made. “We’ve adapted our quality control protocols from our soft drink lines,” Walsh said proudly. “Every input is filtered, pasteurized, and chemically treated. We’ve eliminated 99.9% of microbial contamination risk.” Walsh pulled up charts showing their testing results. “Batch consistency is perfect. Zero deviation. Every bottle identical.” Morrison smiled. “Exactly what we wanted. When do we start distribution?” “Next week,” Walsh confirmed. “We’re calling it MegaBucha. Focus groups love the name.” One week later, Morrison sat in an emergency meeting. The first consumer feedback was catastrophic. Walsh read from report after report: “‘Tastes like carbonated vinegar.’ ‘Chemical aftertaste.’ ‘Nothing like real kombucha.’ ‘Dead and flat.’ Return rates are 87%.” Walsh looked confused. “I don't understand it. The bacteria counts are perfect. We followed their recipes exactly.” On the teleconference screen, Health-Ade founder Vanessa Dew shook her head. “You killed it. Your ‘quality control’ eliminated every living organism. Kombucha isn’t about sterility—it’s about controlled biological diversity. You can’t pasteurize and filter kombucha and expect it to remain the same. You’ve simply made acidic sugar water.” Morrison spluttered, “We spent $2.1 billion acquiring your company. We’re not walking away because of ‘quality control’ issues.” “It’s not quality control—it’s biology,” Vanessa explained. “Kombucha cultures need biodiversity to thrive. Your system is built to prevent exactly that.” Morrison’s jaw tightened. “Then we’ll adjust the process. Keep some bacteria alive.” Vanessa sighed. “Your entire facility is designed to kill microbes. Your pipes, your tanks, your air filtration, your worker protocols—everything optimized for sterility. You’d have to rebuild from scratch. And even then, you’d need to fundamentally rethink how you approach production. Living systems don’t work like machines.” The company had overlooked the success of the UK’s ROBOT Kombucha, the “A.I. Cola” replicated cola’s taste in a fermented drink, becoming the beverage of choice for adults who had first tasted it as teenagers when it was introduced in 2025. Founder Pascal du Bois had selected his ingredients from a range of different organic botanicals from which the flavor was extracted. He then created a complex blend of more than a dozen types of bacteria and four strains of organic yeast. After fermenting for seven weeks they add a teaspoon of 100% organic honey, sourced from France, to each can. This mimics the familiar cola taste without added sugars or aspartame. The result was a healthy alternative designed to appeal to cola lovers, not a standardized Frankenbooch. Dr. Kenji Nakamura—the former Genentech researcher who later founded the Eastridge Mall Kollective—was hired as a $5 million consultant to solve the Mega-Cola problem. His report sat on Morrison’s desk—200 pages detailing why Mega-Cola’s approach couldn’t work. “I’ll cut to the conclusion,” Nakamura said. “Your industrial infrastructure is fundamentally incompatible with living beverages. Your entire supply chain is designed to kill exactly what makes kombucha valuable.” Morrison leaned forward. “We paid you to find solutions, not problems.” “The solution is accepting that some things can’t be industrialized,” Nakamura replied calmly. “Kombucha succeeds because of microbial relationships that develop over time through careful cultivation. You’re trying to force-manufacture relationships. It’s like trying to raise children in a morgue—the environment is hostile to life. Your kombucha tastes bad because you’ve optimized the life out of it. You can’t ‘optimize’ life—you can only cultivate it.” Mega-Cola CFO Samantha Chen pulled up financial projections. “We’ve now spent $14.8 billion on kombucha acquisitions and infrastructure. We need to either make this work or write off the entire investment.” Nakamura shook his head. “Every dollar you spend trying to industrialize kombucha is wasted. The companies you acquired succeeded because they were small—they could maintain microbial diversity, respond to batch variation, cultivate living systems. Scale destroys those advantages.” Morrison’s face reddened. “Are you telling me that a bunch of hippies in Portland can do something Mega-Cola, with our resources and expertise, cannot?” “Yes,” Nakamura said simply. “Because they’re not trying to dominate biology. They’re partnering with it. Your entire corporate culture is about control, optimization, standardization. Living systems require adaptation, diversity, patience. Those are fundamentally incompatible approaches.” Morrison stood. “We’ll find someone else. Someone who can make this work.” Nakamura gathered his materials. “You’ll spend millions more reaching the same conclusion. Biology doesn’t care about your quarterly earnings or your market cap. You can’t buy your way out of this.” After Nakamura left, Morrison and Chen sat in silence. Chen finally spoke. “He’s right, you know.” Morrison didn’t respond. The Regulatory Trap: When Capture Became Captivity Legacy corporations had initially celebrated the FDA’s Probiotic Verification Act of 2038, which they had lobbied for extensively. The law required all “live beverage” products to contain minimum concentrations of beneficial bacteria, verified through independent testing. Mega-Cola’s legal team believed this would create barriers for small producers while giving large corporations with deep pockets competitive advantages through regulatory compliance costs. The strategy backfired catastrophically. While artisanal kombucha producers thrived under the new standards—their naturally diverse microbial ecosystems easily exceeded requirements—corporate products consistently failed testing. Mega-Cola spent $20 million on fermentation consultants and biotechnology acquisitions, but its sterile facilities couldn’t maintain the mandated bacterial diversity. Meanwhile, in the company boardroom, a tense meeting took place. Chen read the headline from a Wall Street Journal article: “Mega-Cola’s ‘Kombucha’ Contains Fewer Probiotics Than Yogurt, FDA Testing Reveals.“ Morrison stared at the headline. “How did this happen?” “Our sterilization processes,” Walsh admitted. “We can’t maintain bacterial counts through our production and distribution systems. The small producers can because they’re working with robust, diverse cultures in small batches. We’re working with weakened, standardized cultures in massive volumes. The bacteria die.” The legal counsel shifted uncomfortably. “The regulation we pushed for is now our biggest problem. We can’t legally call our product kombucha. We could petition the FDA to lower the standards—” Morrison’s voice was quiet. “How much have we spent trying to fix this?” Chen checked her tablet. “$20.3 million on fermentation consultants and biotechnology acquisitions. None of it worked.” The Medical Tsunami: Soda as Poison By 2040, the medical evidence against sugar-laden sodas had become overwhelming. The American Heart Association officially classified high-fructose corn syrup as a “Class II toxin,” requiring warning labels similar to tobacco. The crisis came to a head when the Journal of the American Heart Association published “The Corporate Diabetes Epidemic: A Century of Metabolic Warfare” in 2041. The paper demonstrated that diabetes and obesity rates directly correlated with Mega-Cola’s market penetration across 147 countries. Areas with higher Cola consumption showed disease patterns resembling chemical contamination rather than natural illness. Dr. Harold Lustig presented twenty years of longitudinal research to a packed auditorium. The screen behind him showed stark data: “Regular soda consumption increases diabetes risk by 340%. It shortens lifespan by an average of 7.4 years. We’re officially classifying high-fructose corn syrup as a Class II toxin, requiring warning labels similar to tobacco.” Mega-Cola CEO Morrison watched from the back. His phone buzzed constantly—board members, investors, media requesting comment. Lustig continued: “Children who drink one soda daily show measurable delays in brain development compared to peers consuming fermented beverages. Brain imaging reveals high-fructose corn syrup literally shrinks the prefrontal cortex.” A reporter raised his hand. “Are you saying soda causes brain damage?” “I’m saying the evidence strongly suggests regular soda consumption impairs cognitive development,” Lustig responded. “Meanwhile, children consuming diverse fermented foods show superior health outcomes across every metric we measured.” Morrison left before the Q&A. In the hallway, CFO Chen was waiting. “The stock dropped 12% during the presentation,” she said quietly. “Investors are calling soda ‘the new tobacco.'” Morrison stared out the window at the Washington Monument. “We knew sugar was problematic. We’ve been reformulating—” “It’s not just sugar,” Chen interrupted. “It’s the entire category. Industrial beverages versus living fermentation. We’re on the wrong side.” “We’re a $300 billion company,” Morrison said. “We can’t just pivot to kombucha. We tried that. It failed.” Chen’s voice was gentle but firm. “Then maybe we need to accept that some companies don’t survive paradigm shifts.” The Educational Exodus: Schools Declare War on Soda The Los Angeles Unified School District’s vote to ban all non-fermented beverages in schools attracted phalanxes of Mega-Cola lobbyists and lawyers. A Mega-Cola representative presented their case: “Banning our beverages punishes students from low-income families who can’t afford expensive alternatives. We’re prepared to offer healthier formulations—” A parent cut him off. “You’ve been promising ‘healthier formulations’ for thirty years while marketing addictive sugar-water to our children.” Dr. Rebecca Scharf's groundbreaking research demonstrated that children who were given an alternative to sugar-sweetened soda were healthier. The school district called her as an expert witness. She summarized her findings: “Two years after schools switched to kombucha dispensaries with on-campus fermentation labs, we see 67% reduction in behavioral problems, 45% improvement in test scores, 89% decrease in childhood obesity.” A high school student approached the microphone. “I’m sixteen. I grew up drinking your soda. I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes at fourteen. Since switching to fermented beverages, my health has improved. But my little brother is eight—he’s never had soda, only fermentation. He’s healthier than I ever was. You took my health. Don’t take his.” By 2052, 43 states had implemented similar bans. The “Fermentation Generation”—children who grew up drinking school-provided kombucha—showed dramatically superior health outcomes compared to predecessors who consumed soda. These children literally rejected Mega-Cola on a physiological level; their optimized gut microbiomes found industrial beverages repulsive. Medical Prescriptions Against Corporate Beverages The American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2044 guidelines required doctors to “prescribe against” soda consumption, treating it as seriously as smoking cessation recommendations. Insurance companies began covering kombucha prescriptions while penalizing patients who tested positive for high-fructose corn syrup consumption. Dr. Chen’s research (detailed in Episode 2) provided the scientific foundation for these medical interventions. Her studies proved that even occasional soda consumption disrupted the personalized gut microbiomes that enabled optimal cognitive function. Doctors began prescribing specific kombucha strains to repair metabolic damage caused by years of consuming industrial beverages. Morrison’s Tower Disaster: Industrial Control Meets Living Systems Following his 2050 visit to Aberdeen’s agricultural tower, Morrison commissioned twelve “MegaTower” facilities across North America, investing $8.4 billion in what he called “industrial-scale fermentation infrastructure.” His engineers replicated the physical structure perfectly—1,200-meter climate-controlled spires with alternating tea cultivation and kombucha production floors. The catastrophe unfolded within months. Morrison’s towers, designed for efficiency optimization, automated every process that Aberdeen’s workers performed intuitively. Computer algorithms regulated temperature, humidity, and nutrient delivery with microsecond precision, eliminating “human inefficiency.” The tea plants withered. The SCOBYs died. Dr. MacLeod’s warnings proved prophetic: Morrison had copied the machinery while killing the ecosystem. His sterile protocols eliminated the beneficial fungi, bacteria, and insects that made Aberdeen’s floors function as living environments. His “optimized” nutrient solutions lacked the complexity of naturally composting tea waste. His automated systems couldn’t respond to the subtle biological cues that experienced cultivators recognized instinctively. By 2053, all twelve MegaTowers stood empty—$8.4 billion monuments to the fundamental incompatibility between industrial control and biological partnership. The failure accelerated Mega-Cola’s eventual bankruptcy, proving that living systems cannot be purchased; they can only be cultivated. Morrison’s Desperate Gambit: Fermented Cola Stung by his failed “MegaTower” experiments, Morrison staked Mega-Cola’s survival on developing fermented cola using modified SCOBYs. The “New Cola Kombucha” project consumed $67 million over three years, employing thousands of microbiologists and fermentation specialists. The results were universally catastrophic. Dr. Park, a fermentation specialist hired from Korea, led Morrison through the lab. Rows of fermentation vessels bubbled with dark liquid. Scientists monitored bacterial counts, pH levels, sugar content. “We’ve engineered SCOBY cultures that can ferment in the presence of cola flavorings,” Park explained. “It’s taken three years, but we have a stable culture.” Morrison looked hopeful for the first time in years. “And it tastes good?” Park hesitated. “It tastes… interesting.” They entered a tasting room where twenty focus group participants sat with cups of dark, fizzy liquid. Morrison watched through one-way glass as participants tasted the fermented cola. The reactions were immediate and universal: grimacing, coughing, one person actually gagged. “Fizzy coffee grounds mixed with cleaning products,” one person said. “Like someone fermented tire rubber,” another offered. “I think I can taste failure,” a third concluded. Park pulled Morrison aside. “The SCOBY cultures are stressed by the chemical additives in cola formulation. They’re producing unusual compounds—not toxic, exactly, but profoundly unpleasant. They’re causing gastrointestinal distress in 89% of test subjects.” Morrison stared at the focus group, then turned to Park. “Give me options. Can we adjust the flavor profile? Different additives?” “We’ve tried 47 formulations,” Park explained. “The problem isn’t the recipe—it’s the fundamental incompatibility between cola chemistry and healthy fermentation at this scale. The bacteria are literally stressed by the environment we’re asking them to live in.” “So what you’re telling me is that fermented cola is impossible?” Park hesitated. “I’m telling you that your version of fermented cola—one that tastes like Mega-Cola but contains living bacteria—is impossible. If you were willing to let go of the cola formula entirely and create something new…” “Then it wouldn’t be Mega-Cola,” Morrison insisted. “That’s what I’m trying to save.” Morrison sank into a chair. “How much have we spent on this?” “$67 million,” Park confirmed. “And it’s undrinkable.” “Yes.” Morrison laughed bitterly. “We can put a man on Mars, but we can’t ferment cola.” Park’s voice was kind. “We can’t ferment cola because we’re trying to put it on Mars. Fermentation requires accepting biology on its own terms. We keep trying to force it into our industrial model. Biology keeps refusing.” The FDA’s emergency recall of Morrison’s prototype batches in 2059 triggered the final collapse of investor confidence. The Bankruptcy Cascade: Industrial Liquidation Mega-Cola declared bankruptcy on November 1, 2060—the Mexican Day of the Dead seemed grimly appropriate for the death of an American institution. The company’s $284 billion in debts exceeded its assets by a factor of three, as brand value evaporated alongside consumer demand. The company was not alone. BigSoda collapsed six months later, then Dr Gipper —the third-ranking cola in the world —creating a cascade of corporate failures worth over $1.2 trillion. Morrison sat alone in his office as the board meeting proceeded via video conference. The board chair spoke: “The FDA has issued an emergency recall of all New Cola Kombucha prototypes after test subjects required hospitalization. Our stock price has fallen 89% from its peak. Our debt exceeds assets. We have no choice.” Morrison knew what he must announce. “Mega-Cola Corporation is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, effective immediately.” On screens across America, news anchors delivered the story. Morrison watched employees leave the building carrying boxes. Fifty thousand jobs ending. A century-old brand dying. Chen entered his office quietly. “I’m sorry, James.” Morrison didn’t turn from the window. “You tried to warn me. Back in 2035. You asked if we could industrialize biology without killing what made it valuable.” “I did.” “The answer was no.” “I guess I just didn't listen.” Morrison was quiet for a long moment. “I spent my whole career optimizing systems, maximizing efficiency, scaling operations. I was good at it. But biology doesn’t care about efficiency. It cares about diversity, resilience, relationships. Everything I knew how to do was wrong for this.” Chen sat beside him. “What will you do now?” Morrison laughed without humor. “I’m 62 years old. My entire career has been corporate optimization. I don’t know how to do anything else.” “You could learn,” Chen suggested. “Learn what?” Morrison asked. “How to brew kombucha in my garage? I destroyed people’s livelihoods trying to industrialize something that shouldn’t be industrialized. I don’t deserve to be part of what comes next.” “Maybe that’s exactly why you should be,” Chen said softly. “You understand what doesn’t work. That’s valuable knowledge.” The liquidation auctions became symbols of industrial obsolescence. Mega-Cola’s Detroit headquarters sold for $47 million to the Georgia Fermentation Kollective, which converted the building into vertical kombucha gardens. The iconic “Land of Cola” museum became the “Museum of Metabolic Harm,” displaying artifacts from humanity’s sugar-addiction era alongside warnings about corporate food manipulation. Urban Composting: From Soda to Soil Morrison’s personal transformation paralleled that of his company. After Mega-Cola’s bankruptcy, he founded “Regenerative Detroit,” converting abandoned bottling plants into urban composting facilities that produced soil for vertical tea gardens. His memoir, From Syrup to SCOBY: A CEO’s Redemption, became a bestseller, chronicling his journey from corporate predator to ecological steward. Nakamura, the consultant who told Morrison his approach would fail, visited the facility. “You were right,” Morrison said without preamble. “Everything you said in that meeting. I spent five more years and hundreds of millions trying to prove you wrong, only to end up proving you right.” Nakamura watched Morrison teach a teenage girl how to inoculate a growing medium with mushroom spores. “This is unexpected. I thought you’d retire to a beach somewhere, try to forget.” Morrison laughed. “I tried that for six months. I was miserable. Spent forty years destroying things. Figured I should spend whatever time I have left trying to build something.” “Why composting?” “Because it’s the opposite of what I did at Mega-Cola,” Morrison explained. “There, we tried to force sterility, eliminate variability, control every process. Here, we cultivate diversity, encourage complexity, work with biological systems rather than against them. We take waste and transform it into something useful. It’s… healing, I guess.” A teenager approached. “Mr. Morrison, my mushrooms are growing!” Morrison’s face lit up. “Let me see!” He examined her cultivation tray with genuine excitement. “Beautiful! You maintained perfect humidity. These will be ready to harvest in two weeks.” After the children left for lunch, Nakamura and Morrison walked through the facility. “How many people work here?” Nakamura asked. “Forty-seven,” Morrison responded. “Thirty-two are former Mega-Cola employees. When the company collapsed, they lost everything. I felt responsible. So I used what was left of my savings to buy this facility and train them in regenerative agriculture.” “And the composting is profitable?” Morrison shrugged. “We break even. Barely. But that’s not really the point. The point is transforming industrial waste into living soil. The point is teaching the next generation that decay isn’t the enemy—it’s the beginning of new life. The point is learning to think like an ecosystem instead of a corporation.” They stopped before a wall displaying Morrison’s memoir: From Syrup to SCOBY: A CEO’s Redemption. “I read your book,” Nakamura said. “Brutal self-assessment.” “Had to be,” Morrison replied. “I spent decades helping build a system that made billions by making people sick. If I’m going to do anything meaningful with the rest of my life, I need to be honest about what I did wrong.” Nakamura gave him a piercing look. “What’s the hardest lesson, James?” Morrison thought for a moment. “That you can’t buy relationships. Mega-Cola tried to purchase kombucha companies and force them into our industrial model. But the reason those companies succeeded was because they maintained living relationships—between bacteria, between brewers and their cultures, between producers and customers. We thought we could commodify those relationships. We were wrong.” Nakamura looked into the other man’s eyes. “Do you regret your career at Mega-Cola?” “Every day,” Morrison said. “But regret without action is just self-pity. I can’t undo the harm I caused. I can only try to spend whatever time I have left doing things differently.” The two men stood silent. “And now?” Nakamura eventually asked. “Now I’m learning that the same principle applies to everything. Healthy soil requires relationships between millions of organisms. Healthy communities require relationships between people. You can’t manufacture relationships. You can only cultivate them.” A former Mega-Cola executive, now managing the composting operation, approached. “James, the new batch is ready. Want to check it?” They walked to a massive composting area where industrial waste had been transformed into rich, dark soil. Morrison picked up a handful, letting it sift through his fingers. “Five years ago, I couldn’t have told you what healthy soil looked like. Now I can diagnose it by touch, smell, and sight. I know the difference between soil that’s alive and soil that’s dead. I wish I’d learned that forty years ago.” Business School Autopsies: Failed Integration Studies Mega-Cola’s failed acquisitions became business school case studies teaching a fundamental lesson about the new economy: you couldn’t buy biological relationships, only nurture them. Companies that thrived in the fermentation future were those that learned to think like ecosystems rather than machines, valuing symbiosis over extraction and cooperation over control. The old extraction-based capitalism of brands, advertisements, and artificial scarcity had dissolved in the acid of transparency. In its place rose a commerce of connection, a network of exchange based on trust, craft, and living value. No one “sold” kombucha anymore. They shared it—encoded with local identity, story, and microbial lineage. Each brew was a living signature, traceable back to the brewer’s SCOBY ancestry through transparent bio-ledgers—open microbial blockchains that recorded not profits, but relationships. Harvard Business School’s legendary case study “The Mega-Cola Kombucha Catastrophe” had become required reading for understanding how industrial thinking fails when confronting biological complexity. Professor George Santos—a reformed fraudster turned champion of ethical business studies at Harvard—projected key figures on his classroom screen summarizing the Mega-Cola meltdown: $48.7 billion spent on kombucha acquisitions and infrastructure Zero successful products launched 94% loss of beneficial bacteria in acquired brands Complete corporate collapse within 15 years Morrison sat in the audience, invited as a guest speaker. The students didn’t know he was there yet. Santos lectured: “Mega-Cola’s failure wasn’t about lack of resources or expertise. They had the best food scientists, unlimited capital, and a dominant market position. They failed because they tried to apply industrial logic to biological relationships. It’s a category error—treating living systems like machines.” A student raised her hand. “But couldn’t they have just left the kombucha companies independent? Kept them small-scale?” “Good question,” Santos responded. “But that would have defeated the purpose of the acquisition. Morrison wanted to leverage industrial efficiency to dominate the market. He couldn’t accept that efficiency itself was the problem.” “Sounds arrogant,” another student said. “It was,” Morrison spoke from the audience. “Unforgivably arrogant.” The room went silent as students realized who he was. Santos smiled. “Class, we have a special guest. Mr. Morrison has agreed to discuss his decisions and their consequences.” Morrison walked to the front slowly. At 72, he looked older than his years. “I’m here because Professor Santos asked me to help you understand how intelligent, well-intentioned people can make catastrophic mistakes,” Morrison began. “In 2035, I was confident, even cocky, firmly believing we could apply our industrial processes to kombucha. I have degrees from Wharton and McKinsey experience. I’d successfully optimized dozens of operations. I didn’t see kombucha as a challenge—I saw it as an opportunity.” “What changed?” a student asked. “Repeated failure,” Morrison said simply. “We acquired kombucha brands. We killed them by trying to scale them. We hired consultants. They told us what we were doing wrong. We didn’t listen. We tried to ferment cola using SCOBYs. We created undrinkable disasters. Eventually, even I couldn’t ignore reality: you can’t industrialize living relationships.” “Why not?” another student challenged. “We industrialize lots of biological processes. Agriculture, pharmaceuticals—” “Different scale, different complexity,” Morrison explained. “Kombucha requires dozens of organisms in complex relationships. You can’t standardize that without destroying what makes it work. And more fundamentally, I didn’t respect what I was trying to control. I saw bacteria as inputs to be optimized, not as living partners to be cultivated. That disrespect guaranteed failure.” Samantha Chen, sitting in the back, spoke up. “I was Mega-Cola’s CFO. I warned James from the beginning that we were trying to commodify relationships. He didn’t listen until we’d burned through billions and destroyed the brands we’d acquired. The lesson isn’t just about fermentation—it’s about recognizing when your core competencies are incompatible with what you’re attempting.” A student asked the obvious question: “Mr. Morrison, you lost billions of dollars and collapsed a century-old company. Why should we listen to you?” Morrison smiled sadly. “Because I failed spectacularly at something many of you will attempt: forcing biological systems into industrial models. Climate change, environmental restoration, and sustainable agriculture—you’ll all face situations where industrial thinking fails. If hearing about my failures helps even one of you recognize that trap earlier, then bankrupting Mega-Cola will have served some purpose.” Cola Coda The demise of Mega-Cola and Morrison's redemption was celebrated in song by a young group of Baltimore kombucha brewers whose anthem ‘It's an Unreal Thing' was played on college radio stations by retro-70's leather-jacketed DJ's with pierced ears. Here’s Hexotronix: Go now, take what you think will lastBut whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fastAll your failed investments, they’re all going homeYour fermentation formula had the wrong biomeYour scientists who just walked out the doorHave taken all their SCOBYs from the brewery floorThe towers too have failed to come throughAnd now it's time to go find something new. [Chorus]You sold your soda to a worldThat you thought you'd taught to singIn perfect harmonyBut it's an unreal thing, an unreal thing. You bought up all our breweries, didn't you?Your fake fermented drinks just didn't come through .You killed what made kombucha realSo how does it feelTo be completely unreal?How does it feelTo be a joker?How does it feelTo be a bankrupt, down at heel?With the whole world laughingAt your soda? [Chorus] Your beverage was a bustYour dreams all turned to dustThe missing partWas our SCOBY heartRight there at the startBut you didn't seeWhat we sawDidn't feelWhat we feltDidn't knowWhat we knewDidn't loveWhat we loved. [Chorus] Leave your corporate life behind, something calls for youThe dream that you once had is clearly through.Forget the drinks you've served, they will not follow youGo tell another story start anewThe compost and mushrooms, they now call to you. [Chorus] Epilogue: The Next Discovery Morrison’s transformation from CEO to mushroom farmer illustrates that recognizing failure honestly opens paths to genuine learning. His redemption isn’t about success—it’s about accepting that some approaches are fundamentally wrong and committing to something different. However, one man’s transformation was only the beginning. While corporate executives struggled to understand living systems, a brilliant citizen scientist was making discoveries that would prove the human brain itself required biological partnerships to reach its full potential. Check back next Friday as the gripping tale of ‘Our Fermented Future’ continues. Disclaimer This is a work of speculative fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination, assisted by generative A.I. References to real brands and organizations are used in a wholly imaginative context and are not intended to reflect any actual facts or opinions related to them. No assertions or statements in this post should be interpreted as true or factual. Audio Listen to an audio version of this Episode and all future ones via the Booch News channel on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you just want to listen to the music (classic 80’s punk!) tune in as follows: Hexotronix, It’s an Unreal Thing, 36:17 Lyrics ©2025 Booch News, music generated with the assistance of Suno. The post Our Fermented Future, Episode 7: Corporate Death Spiral—How Cola Became Compost appeared first on 'Booch News.

Paul Catalina — Host of 365 Sports and creator of Paul Catalina's Top Five — breaks down the five coaches who will “barely make it out alive” this season, spotlighting the men who survived the hot seat but won't escape the pressure in 2025. Paul explains why Chris Klieman, despite past success, faces growing frustration in Manhattan, and why Dabo Swinney's situation at Clemson is beginning to mirror the final years of Mack Brown. #collegefootball #cfb #cfp #acc #big12 #bigten #sec #top5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob and Jeremy took some time from Thursday's BBMS to recap Maryland's overtime win against Mount St. Mary's, a game they were expected to win handily. Should we be worried that they were pushed to the brink by what many believe is an inferior team?

Why watch Jaws II and IV? Carter explains. Also, retro gaming stores in China Town, bad time at The Special Noodle, drawing Frankenstein, Luke's legacy, finding the devil in the bacon, moving friends into another house, your questions and emails and a crap ton more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why watch Jaws II and IV? Carter explains. Also, retro gaming stores in China Town, bad time at The Special Noodle, drawing Frankenstein, Luke's legacy, finding the devil in the bacon, moving friends into another house, your questions and emails and a crap ton more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this raw, unfiltered conversation, John & Vanessa reveal the emotional, financial, and spiritual journey of entering — and surviving — the mental health world. From burnout and red tape to awakening and purpose, this episode exposes the hidden side of the therapist pipeline and why so many helpers feel lost, exhausted, or misled. They share: Their completely different grad-school experiences The “breadcrumb theory” for finding your path Why the therapist licensing system burns people out What no one tells you about the 3,000-hour internship The dangers of the unregulated coaching world How Inner Compass Academy was born A new model for training helpers with soul and depth If you're curious about becoming a therapist, coach, or spaceholder — or you've been through the fire yourself — this episode will hit home.

Cardy, Matt, and Jesse are here to talk all about running men, shooty men, detective men, and one lonely woman. Yes, Pluribus is amazing, but what about Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, The Seance of Blake Manor, and The Running Man? Check out the official IGN UK Podcast "Respect the Sea" shirt, which you can buy here: https://store.ign.com/products/ign-uk-podcast-respect-the-sea-t-shirt  Remember to send us your thoughts about all the new games, TV shows, and films you're enjoying or looking forward to: ign_ukfeedback@ign.com. IGN UK Podcast is a part of the Geek Media Podcast Network, an IGN Entertainment Brand. Visit Geek.com for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No American runner made more noise in 2025 than Nico Young.The 23-year-old prodigy smashed the 5,000m American record, claimed his first national title, and battled the world's best in Tokyo. In June, he stormed through the Bislett Games in Oslo, running 12:45.27 for 5,000 meters, which was a new American record. Barely two months later, he claimed his first U.S. title at 10,000 meters in Eugene, clocking 29:02.12 to solidify his dominance on home soil. Then, on the world's biggest stage in Tokyo, Young placed fifth in the 10,000m at the 2025 World Championships, closing his breakout season in a dynamic way.Young's rise has been meteoric but methodical. A former NCAA champion from Northern Arizona University, he first stunned the sport in 2024 by debuting at 26:52.72 for 10,000 meters–an NCAA and American collegiate record–then qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he finished 12th. Turning pro with Adidas that summer, he entered 2025 with sharper focus and the freedom to train through longer, uninterrupted blocks under coach Mike Smith in Flagstaff, Arizona.Now a national champion, world finalist, and record holder, Young owns personal bests of 12:45.27 (5,000m), 26:52.72 (10,000m), and 7:37.73 (3,000m). His performances are redefining what's possible for American distance runners, and he's doing it with trademark composure and humility.Tap into the Nico Young Special.  If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I'll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!S H O W  N O T E S-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs-Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz

My Ex-wife Followed Me Into A Trap & We Barely Made It Out Alive When The Killers Came For UsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-cheating-wives-and-girlfriends-stories-2025-true-cheating-stories-podcast--5689182/support.

Join AST Nation and become a member today! https://www.youtube.com/@AllSteelersTalk/membership The Best Steelers Shirts On the Internet! https://blackandgoldapparel.myshopify.com/ Review Our Podcast (Please!): Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4w67Psucw757d4pdH4jBDD?utm_medium=share&utm_source=linktree Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1627248534?ign-itscg=30200&ign-itsct=lt_p Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vc3RlZWxlcnMtdG8tZ28 Everywhere else: https://linktr.ee/allsteelerstalk Follow Our Socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@allsteelerstalk?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsteelerstalk/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AllSteelersFN Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllSteelers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We got a power hour edition in both meanings with the Patriots making it seven straight victories after yesterday's win in Tampa. Looking back on the best moments from the win over the Bucs and why any critique is moot at this point. Then, Mike Vrabel showed an ultra sign of aggression at the end of the first half which is a perfect way of coaching so far. And, giving credit to not only Vrabel, but Josh McDaniels for how they've excelled in coaching Drake Maye in his second season.

My Ex-wife Followed Me Into A Trap & We Barely Made It Out Alive When The Killers Came For UsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-cheating-wives-and-girlfriends-stories-2025-true-cheating-stories-podcast--5689182/support.

BP boys review the 1st ODI between Pakistan and South Africa. Use code "BP15" for an exclusive 15% off your purchase at Yashi Sports: https://www.yashisports.com

Halloween Horror Nights 2025 was a night for the ages! We had an incredible time on our annual trip to Orlando, and we BARELY survived the Terrifier house and are here to tell the tale! Halloween week continues on YHS with our complete breakdown and review of HHN 2025!

DJ &B PK discussed why the crowd in attendance at College GameDay at Utah almost immediately started chanting "F--- BYU" and what to take away from the situation.

Nearly half of U.S. adults have driven while so tired it affected their ability to stay safe behind the wheelIn an American Academy of Sleep Medicine survey, 41% of adults admitted they've been so drowsy while driving that it impaired their performance, including 50% of men and 33% of women To subscribe to The Pete McMurray Show Podcast just click here

Barely a day seems to pass without Donald Trump's name in the headlines, and the courtroom drama over the past week has been nothing short of remarkable. Right now, as we find ourselves on October 31, 2025, the former president is juggling a trio of active criminal cases, not to mention the aftermath of his high-profile conviction in New York back in May 2024. The Brennan Center for Justice reports that these are not just legal battles; they've become central to the country's political discourse and national mood.Let's get right to it—the New York criminal case, where Trump was convicted of multiple felonies related to falsification of business records, continues to cast a long shadow. To this day, his legal team is deep into appeals, but that conviction sent shockwaves through both legal circles and politics, signaling that no one, not even a former president, sits above the law.But that's only the tip of the iceberg. Down in Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is still aggressively pursuing Trump and his associates for their alleged roles in attempting to overturn the state's 2020 election results. Courtrooms have become stages for heated arguments over evidence, witness lists, and the ever-present question of whether a trial might bleed dangerously close to the next presidential election cycle.Meanwhile, the federal courts are staying busy. Special Counsel Jack Smith's prosecution concerning Trump's role in the January 6 Capitol events is ongoing. Testimony from former aides and Capitol security experts dominated recent proceedings. Legal analysts point out that the intersection of free speech, presidential power, and criminal responsibility is right at the heart of these hearings.Lawfare Media has been closely tracking nearly 300 active cases that challenge Trump administration actions, from immigration enforcement in sanctuary cities—such as the recent denied injunction in City of Chelsea v. President Trump, decided earlier this month—to ongoing litigation over executive orders, national security issues, and challenges brought all the way to the Supreme Court. Some cases, like those invoking the Alien Enemies Act, are still pending, with states and civil rights groups arguing over the scope of presidential authority during perceived national emergencies.Amid all this legal maneuvering, names like Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington D.C., defense attorney Todd Blanche, and prosecutors from both state and federal offices are appearing on airwaves and in headlines almost daily. Court dates, delays, and rulings all slip easily from legal language into everyday conversation, as Americans wait to see whether any outcome will deliver closure or only add to the division.For many, the thicket of cases—spanning the Supreme Court dockets, federal courts, and local criminal trials—highlights a fundamental moment for the country's legal system. Are the courts delivering justice, or is politics warping the process? That's the debate echoing across living rooms, campaign rallies, and, of course, social media.Thanks for tuning in to this week's whirlwind through the Trump trials. Be sure to come back next week for more developments and insights. This has been a Quiet Please production—if you want more, check out QuietPlease.ai.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.aiThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

What's up, dudes? Little #1 herself, Cecilia, and Art Kilmer from A Cozy Christmas join me to talk about the cat who hates Mondays: Garfield! That's right! It's “Garfield's Halloween Adventure!”Garfield wakes up to discover that it's Halloween! Hearing about candy, he decides to go trick or treating. After scaring Jon, he drags Odie upstairs to try on some costumes. Ultimately, the duo decide on pirate costumes.As the night passes, they fill their bags with candy until they run out of houses. Spotting more across a river, the duo traverse and find a dilapidated mansion. The old resident then tells them about some ghost pirates. Of course, the pirates emerge and chase Garfield and Odie. Barely escaping, the return home and the former shares his candy with the latter.Binky the Clown? Check. Withered old cabin boy? Yep, over a hindered years old! Ghost pirates? Only if they're scarier than “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl!” So grab your peg leg, out on your eye patch. And trick or treat to this episode on “Garfield's Halloween Adventure!”A Cozy ChristmasFB: @cozychristmaspodcastIG: @cozychristmaspodcastBlueSky: @cozychristmas.bsky.socialGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

Featuring Guest Host - Host of ‘Kennedy Saves The World,' Kennedy Story 1: Kennedy, in for Will, sits down with FOX News Contributor Tom Shillue to discuss their thoughts on SNAP benefits running out at the end of the month as Democrats take the blame for the government shutdown. Kennedy and Tom also look at the growing divides within the Republican and Democrat parties and what a four-party America might look like. Story 2: Kennedy is joined by the Host of ‘Walk-Ins Welcome' & ‘Dumpster Fire,' Bridget Phetasy, to react to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) changing his story on his son's Charlie Kirk fandom, before sharing their predictions for the next presidential election. Story 3: Kennedy brings in The Crew to test the accuracy of Elon Musk's new AI powered Wikipedia alternative, 'Grokipedia.' Subscribe to ‘Will Cain Country' on YouTube here: ⁠⁠Watch Will Cain Country! Follow ‘Will Cain Country' on X (@willcainshow), Instagram (@willcainshow), TikTok (@willcainshow), and Facebook (@willcainnews) Follow Will on X: ⁠⁠@WillCain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This hour, Ian Hoch drops the 2 O'clock News Bomb; Trump finally gets the memo that he has to kick rocks in 2028. then, Andrew Schwarz, Professor of IT in the E. J. Ourso College of Business at LSU, joins the show to discuss how AI may already be slipping out of our control.

Brandt, Tyler, and Brennan, get real with their thoughts on the last MLS regular season match and the play in game that saw RSL exit the playoffs before they actually started up in Portland. Discussion on Pablo Mastroeni's record and if it stacks up to being resigned The moves by the FO this season and are they to blame And so much more, sometimes positive reinforcement, from your friends at the RSL Random Fan Podcast! Listen, Share, and Subscribe

Sponsor: Learn more about Zenith Health's Pregnancy Evidence Navigator -Penny- tool and their Pregnancy Evidence Project at www.zenithhealth.io The Birth Hour Links: Know Your Options Online Childbirth Course (code 100OFF for $100 OFF!) Beyond the First Latch Course (comes free with KYO course) Access archived episodes and a private Facebook group via Patreon!

Tori is a hairstylist, a single mom, and a survivor. For two long years, her world was consumed by stalking, harassment, and terrifying violence—ending in a brutal fight for her life that she barely escaped. Her abusive ex, the father of her child, was finally arrested and locked away. But even with felony stalking charges, he's serving just two years. And Tori knows—that's nowhere near enough. Today, she's breaking her silence. Urged by her best friend—who was also one of his victims—Tori is sharing her story to protect other women and expose the darkness he left behind. HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED STALKING? LET US KNOW: strictlystalkingpod@gmail.com OTHER LINKS lovelustfear | hosted by Jake Deptula Apple Podcasts | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lovelustfear/id1735876283?uo=4 Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/0e3ndcf5u8lZ5lhN1lvWec Amazon Music | https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b06d0ea8-cb29-4c3a-98e6-0249d84df748 Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/lovelustfearpod/ Submissions | https://lovelustfear.aidaform.com/lovelustfear The Last Trip - Podcast - hosted by Jaimie Beebe Listen & Subscribe to The Last Trip - https://audioboom.com/channels/5119581-the-last-trip Follow The Last Trip on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thelasttripcrimepod/ And Subscribe for all the updates on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/TheLastTripPodcast Instagram: @strictlystalkingpod @feathergirl77 @jaked3000

Barely a month into her new role as editor in chief of CBS News, Bari Weiss is already making her mark. Media critic Oliver Darcy tells AURN News her early moves could signal a Trump-friendly shift under new ownership. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A couple appears before a judge in the brutal beating death of their 4-year-old son. A Wayne New Jersey elementary school teacher accused of taping a 9-year-old student’s head to a desk has surrendered his teaching license. Drew Nelson reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 104 - It's week 2 of our October coverage of Horror Remakes, and we are covering the 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead, which was directed by special effects legend Tom Savini. In addition to covering these remakes all month, we will also be joined by a new special guest each week. For this one we are joined by superfan Barely Ashley. You would be hard pressed to find a bigger fan, not only of this film, but of the horror genre in general. We had a blast. Join us for the fun.And join us next week as we cover The Thing (1981) with another special guest.Email all questions, comments or gripes to mracfilmclub@gmail.com

Seattle's Georgetown Morgue is often ranked as one of the scariest haunted houses in the U.S. What sets it apart from the rest? Paige Browning got a tour, and spoke with the owner and operator Scott Kolling, who's been scaring Seattleites for nearly 20 years. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this recap, Lesley and Brad revisit their inspiring interview with Jill Allen, founder of Jill Allen & Associates and host of Hey Docs. They reflect on the lessons of grit, confidence, and letting go of the “do-it-all” mindset that keeps entrepreneurs stuck. Together, they share why delegation, structure, and brave decision-making matter more than perfection—and how asking “What's the worst that can happen?” can unlock fearless growth in both your business and in your life.If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:Ankle and wrist weights in Pilates and when, if ever, to use them.How self-confidence builds credibility and trust with clients and teams.Why grit and resilience often outperform talent and quick success.How the “Superwoman Syndrome” creates burnout and stagnation.How time-blocking and brave choices create momentum toward success.Episode References/Links:Cambodia Retreat Waitlist - https://lesleylogan.co/retreatsWinter Tour - https://opc.me/eventsPilates Journal Expo - https://xxll.co/pilatesjournalAgency Mini - https://prfit.biz/miniContrology Pilates Conference in Poland - https://xxll.co/polandContrology Pilates Conference in Brussels - https://xxll.co/brusselsSubmit your wins or questions - https://beitpod.com/questionsPractice Results Website - https://www.practiceresults.comHey Docs Podcast - https://www.practiceresults.com/hey-docsGrit It Done by Reid Tileston - https://a.co/d/2rKh0ZcBrave, Not Perfect by Reshma Saujani - https://a.co/d/2jjcF9u If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Brad Crowell 0:00  Something that I've told myself over the years is that I work better under pressure, or I work better under a deadline, right? And I think that it's, it definitely makes you go like, you have to get the, get it done. But what if you don't? I've been in that position where I've actually missed deadlines. I have failed because I waited until I needed that feeling of pressure, you know. So there's just so much that goes along with this Superman, Superwoman syndrome when we're trying to do it all.Lesley Logan 0:30  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 1:09  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap where my co-host in life, Brad, and I are going to dig into the demystifying convo I have with Jill Allen in our last episode. If you haven't yet listened to that interview, feel free to pause us now and go back and listen to that one or you can listen this one and then see if you align with what we liked in that one. Maybe you like something different. Brad Crowell 1:32  Maybe. Lesley Logan 1:33  So today is October 23rd, 2025 and there was no good days. So yesterday, the 22nd was National Make A Dog's Day. And I'm going, I don't want to forget this, so pause. You guys, on the day that we're recording this is a month from when this is releasing, and so a month ago from when you're listening to this, and two days, was like National like Amazing Wife's Day and my husband did not know, and he didn't announce anything. No public displays of affection on Instagram, nothing. I'm just saying, it was a very important holiday, and it will never land on a Thursday, because it's always on the third Sunday of every month. Brad Crowell 2:12  What date was that? Lesley Logan 2:14  It was September 21st and if you look at 10 days, and the reason I know is because my and Rick. Rick posted about my and he said it was National Amazing Wife's day on the third Sunday of every month. He actually must have also gotten his day from the same exact same website. So anyways, back. Brad Crowell 2:33  That's pretty badass, Rick. Lesley Logan 2:35  Back, no, I don't think he listens. But anyway, he doesn't.Brad Crowell 2:38  You're showing me up. You're making me look bad over here. Lesley Logan 2:38  But just like that, we took him right back down, because he does not even listen to this. Anyways, I'm just telling you that we don't do this on the Sundays, and you're missing out on good holidays that could involve celebrating me, but today, but today, we are celebrating National Make a Dog's Day. And so October 22nd, yesterday, National Make a Dog's Day is how we use this day to ensure that the dogs around us enjoy themselves as best as possible. Oh, my Lord, this is a day to spread information about dogs importance in our lives and how much they can improve our days with love and loyalty. Brad Crowell 3:18  In case you didn't already. Lesley Logan 3:20  Is there any scientific, is there any scientific evidence of this, other than, like, it makes us feel good? Like, is there, I only know anecdotal. Like, yes, my dog is better because of my life is better because of my dog. But like, is there any science behind this? Did the day give us anything? No, so we're just, we're just gonna say it. We also use this day to encourage people to adopt from shelters and provide a better life for at least one puppy. May I suggest an older dog. Go to your local SPCA. We donate to the Nevada one, and we got to tour the facility. And it is amazing. OPC donates to them and the time of this release, Cody and Onyx better be adopted you guys, because it's, I'm really fucking struggling, like I just want, Brad, I think, wanted to invite Onyx in because she's 11 and she's like a little black version of Gaia. I'm not even kidding. Same underbite, same, same everything, very agile. Actually, Gaia was not that agile at 11. We'll say that. And I want Cody, and Cody is way too big, and we don't have time for that energy right now. But go to your local SPCA and go meet the dogs, go play with the dogs, become a volunteer and walk the dogs. You can even read to the dogs, right? Because clearly that is going to make your life better. And you can also foster, if you know, like, I'm only in town for a couple weeks at a time, you can become a foster, and you won't even fail, because you are like, oh no, I'm gonna be a professional foster. I'm only gonna take a dog for as long as I'm in town, or things like and they they supply the food and the medical, and you're just the house, you just get the love of the dog, and it's quite great. So we mean the world for a dog, and it's time we insure they get everything they deserve. I'm gonna say our dogs are so spoiled that this kind of holiday feels like a dog made it up. But, at any rate, we, our lives are better because they're in it. It's for sure.Brad Crowell 5:09  There's no question about that. Well, hey, I'm really excited to be home. We just got back from Cambodia and Singapore. Lesley Logan 5:15  We just got back and we're hugging our dog and making his life better. Brad Crowell 5:20  We're hugging our dog. Lesley Logan 5:21  How nice of us to come home just in time for this holiday. Brad Crowell 5:24  How nice of, yeah, you better feel special Bayon. We came home just for you. Yeah, he abandoned us. So it was, you know, look, Cambodia is magical. What an amazing experience. And you're missing out if you haven't joined us yet. So you should go get on the wait list for next year. Go to crowsnestretreats.com crowsnestretreats.com. We will be making the announcement pretty soon about next year's trip, but I'm going to tell you secret listener, insider info, it's in October of next year, and it's going to be.Lesley Logan 5:56  The dates are on the site. Brad Crowell 5:56  The 18th to the 23rd. Lesley Logan 5:56  Yeah and January is when we will announce the. Brad Crowell 5:56  I don't think the dates are on the site yet, so we're just telling you right now. Yeah. Lesley Logan 5:56  Okay, So you get the insider (inaudible). Brad Crowell 5:56  You get the insider info. Lesley Logan 5:59  If you are on the waitlist already, you got that information, and in January, only the waitlist people get the discount. So just saying, save some money, get on the waitlist and snag your spot. We already have released the Winter Tour event. We actually have, the time we're recording this, have not seen the whole schedule, but I have seen several cities, and I have approved several workshops. So I think with confidence I can say Lexington, Kentucky. I think with confidence I can say DC. Brad Crowell 6:38  Yeah. Lesley Logan 6:39  I think with confidence, I can say, Tampa.Brad Crowell 6:46  Here, let's just do this because this is a. Lesley Logan 6:48  This feels like a guessing game. You're not even helping me out.Brad Crowell 6:51  Well, because. Lesley Logan 6:52  What? What? With confidence, what can you say? Pensacola. Brad Crowell 6:56  All right, so Colorado Springs. Lesley Logan 6:57  Oh gay. Brad Crowell 6:58  Fayetteville, Arkansas. Lesley Logan 6:59  Oh so fun. Brad Crowell 7:00  Louisville. Lesley Logan 7:02  Oh, that's different than Lexington. Brad Crowell 7:03  Oh, sorry, I said it wrong. St Louis, I'm reading two things here, then Lexington, then Columbus, Ohio. Lesley Logan 7:11  Oh, oh, we're going back?Brad Crowell 7:15  We've never been to Columbus (inaudible). Lesley Logan 7:19  Oh, sorry, sorry. That was such a bad move that was like a California move, like, I've been there.Brad Crowell 7:27  That one's not locked in yet, Columbus, but we're close. We're going to be in Fort Wayne for a day off. Then we're going all up to Detroit. Lesley Logan 7:34  Whoa. Brad Crowell 7:35  Yeah, we're going to hit it this time. Finally, then it looks like we're swinging around. We are doing our best to line up a spot in Pittsburgh and possibly Rochester. So unfortunately. Lesley Logan 7:45  Sounds like these are these are not real. Brad Crowell 7:47  Canada is out. Canada is out. Lesley Logan 7:49  You guys, I'm hearing this for the first time. Brad Crowell 7:51  It's true. Lesley Logan 7:52  Don't, this is the thing, you can't get mad at, at us, and you can't get mad I don't think it's the Canadian government this time. I think this is a host issue. Brad Crowell 7:59  This is a host issue. We've been having trouble connecting with studios. It's insane. Like in Toronto and Ottawa, just like, nothing. (inaudible)Lesley Logan 8:07  And we know you want us to come and they're just not (inaudible). Brad Crowell 8:10  Like, really, can't understand that. But yeah, I mean, at this point we're having, we're gonna have to look at the following year, because this stuff has already been negotiated. Saratoga Springs a private event. Boston, Mass is public. Cape Cod Mashpee, Providence is a private event. New Haven, Connecticut is day off. Torrington, we're going to teach in Torrington, I think, which is Connecticut. Hershey, PA, then we got. Lesley Logan 8:35  I feel like we're not giving them insider on anything, because they're like, I could just go to the website and they can they're hearing days off. They're hearing this might be.Brad Crowell 8:42  Well, this is like, you started this. Lesley Logan 8:45  I know, but it was more fun the way I was doing it. It's like a guessing game. Brad Crowell 8:52  We're gonna be in Rehoboth Beach. Lesley Logan 8:56  Where the fuck is that? Brad Crowell 8:56  Yeah, we're gonna that's Delaware. Lesley Logan 8:56  Okay, Delaware. (inaudible)Brad Crowell 8:55  We're gonna be in D.C. Lesley Logan 8:56  It's just a small state if you say Delaware, Virginia. We're coming back. We love beach. Brad Crowell 8:56  We're gonna be in we're working on Charlotte right now, but not sure yet. We're still working that out. Lesley Logan 9:04  That was definitely been a problem. Brad Crowell 9:04  Savannah, Georgia. Then, Fort Lauderdale.Lesley Logan 9:06  Wow, we found something in Savannah. No way. Brad Crowell 9:09  I'm pretty sure. Lesley Logan 9:09  No, it didn't happen, like, the last two trips. Are you sure that's not like a day off, or we're just spending the night? Brad Crowell 9:14  Could be a day off. Then we're gonna go down to Fort Lauderdale. We are teaching. Tampa, we are teaching.Lesley Logan 9:14  You know what you can do everyone, go to opc.me/events and you can see which of these are days off and which of these are real stops.Brad Crowell 9:27  I'm just gonna read through the rest of this, Pensacola, New Orleans, Houston and Austin. Houston, we're still working on. And then Phoenix. We're probably most likely teaching Phoenix. Either Phoenix or Tucson. We're still figuring that out. But that's that's the path. Lesley Logan 9:40  We had some people in Tucson who wanted us to come so (inaudible). Well, there it is, folks, opc.me/events to get the actual lineup with the for sure, settle dates and snag what spots remain.Brad Crowell 9:52  We are recording this a month ahead of time. So by the time you're hearing this and seeing that, it will be a lot more clear. Lesley Logan 9:56  Now you can see it's really a lot of work. And it's really hard, because we got a ton of people when we were going to Canada the first time in the Toronto area, want us to come, but none of them have studios, and we can't, we, we specifically, because we're crossing the border, we actually have to be invited. Like, we can't just, like, wing it. And then when the tour ends, we come home, kick off, eLevate Six and then we head to Huntington Beach for the Pilates Journal Expo. Go to xxll.co/pilatesjournal. I've decided that's how I'm saying it xxll.co/pilatesjournal, and you're going to be able to get your tickets. There's a, it's a huge lineup. A lot of my friends are doing it. It was kind of fun. Like I knew I was doing it, but they didn't tell me who else is doing it. Like one of the girls that I train to be a teacher is doing it. So, like, so cool. So, so, so cool. And I did that so long ago. That's how long she's been a teacher. Because, like, that was a long time. It was almost 10 years ago. February, Agency Mini is happening. You want to get on the waitlist at prfit.biz/mini P-R-F-I-T that's profit without the O, dot biz slash mini, and that is for Pilates instructors and studio owners who would like to ditch all the chaos, the noise, the overwhelm, and get their business to work for them.Brad Crowell 10:07  A lot of people, a lot of people have been asking us, when are we doing it again y'all, so we're giving you a lot of a heads up here to get ready, get prepared. Go to prfit.biz/mini to get yourself on the waitlist so you can catch that early bird when we when we roll that out. In March, we are going to go to Europe, and we're really fired up about it. We're going to be in Poland, and then in Brussels. So go to xxll.co/poland xxll.co/brussels for those two events, and then in April.Lesley Logan 11:41  P.O.T. London, time of this recording, we don't have a link for you to go to. I'm sure it's already been announced. And I'm sure there's an early bird that you don't want to miss. And I am, for sure, doing the Joe's Gyms, and I still haven't signed the contract, so. Brad Crowell 11:42  It's a party. Lesley Logan 11:52  I am, I am pretty sure I am teaching two amazing workshops, which is super cool. They are not any workshops that I've ever taught in England before. So if you just came to the Mullet Tour, or you've been to a Mullet Tour, neither of these workshops have ever seen the light of day in that country. So you want to go. Okay, before we get into the lovely Jill Allen, we have a question to respond to.Brad Crowell 12:23  We totally do. The, let's see. Hold on. Mary star Pilates. Mary star Pilates. I'm on the wrong one. We're just gonna leave that in. We're leaving that in. Don't worry about it. DeniseStargazer said, hey, I would love your opinion about ankle and wrist weights while doing Pilates. How heavy, how often, is there a leg or ankle preference or brand?Lesley Logan 12:52  Well, I do love that both two questions in a row will have the name star in them, which is quite cool, but okay, so how do I answer this? Joe Pilates did mess around with some foot weights. They were the shape of a shoe, and my friend Joel Crosby made me a pair, and I think I still have them and. Brad Crowell 13:12  Oh yeah. Lesley Logan 13:12  They are really hard for me to do Pilates with. Brad Crowell 13:16  Oh yeah, they're hard. Lesley Logan 13:17  In fact, I think that they're.Brad Crowell 13:20  They're literally like a weighted sole that you strap onto the bottom of your feet.Lesley Logan 13:24  And I, and I'm going to preface this with both Brad and I are hyper mobile bodies. And so because of that, and I have the longest legs already, so because of that, I actually think that just a general statement of ankle or leg weights in Pilates is probably not necessary. I do see. Brad Crowell 13:49  The longest limbs. Lesley Logan 13:51  I do see how these things that Joe was creating, that Joel created, could be useful to someone who's not hyper mobile, someone who's already very strong in the practice. And also, if someone has a foot boot on, like a foot boot, that's a redundancy. A boot on like they have a foot injury, I think a weighted ankle weight on the other leg would be helpful, because then you have, like an evenness to what's happening distally on the leg. But in general, I think these things are a fitness fad that looks freaking cute on the skinny girlies, and they match their outfits, and it's just esthetically pleasing. But I think it is a waste of time. I think it's so easy for your joints to do the moves, whether you're doing Pilates or not. I think it's so easy for the joints to do the moves. I think it is asking a lot of the connections your body needs to have. So if you are a super strong, connected, non hypermobile person, and you don't feel your hip flexors take over, your back takeover, have the most fun. Bala makes super cute ones, by the way. I mean, if you're going to put these ankle weights on and look like a Jane Fonda, it should at least be cute. But I do think that the average person just needs to get started. And I feel like this is just another thing someone have to buy and invest in, get out, dust off, to get their movement practice in. So I'm a not fan of them, and I don't use them.Brad Crowell 15:11  Well, that's fair. Yeah. I mean, I think also too, just the just from cursory listening to y'all teaching and doing all that stuff. Most people are picking up two to five pound weights. And I know you every time you're like, just use ones.Lesley Logan 15:28  In Pilates, you're using one, and in the gym, you're going to pick up heavy weights, okay? And if you want to use ankle weights at the gym, that is not my my fortress. I go there and I work out. My trainer gives me things. If she told me I needed ankle weights, because she's so smart, I would listen to her. But in Pilates, like, if you have a super if you have a Michael Phelps torso and short legs, maybe ankle weights would help balance your torso to your leg situation, some exercises. But I really think before you add tools to things you might need to he was like a dolphin. Brad's looking at how long his spine was. He was like a dolphin. He had a ridiculously long spine. But, like, I just think that, like, it's just one more thing that we're. Brad Crowell 16:13  It still is. He's alive, right? Lesley Logan 16:14  Well, yeah, he's alive. Brad Crowell 16:14  Still is like a dolphin. Lesley Logan 16:12  He still is like a dolphin. So I just think that, like, you know, the other thing I'll say about this is ankle weights are like a prop. And Joe never used a prop throughout every single exercise. He used props as tools to teach a connection you needed, and got rid of them. So if you are a teacher who's like, oh my god, Lesley, I use the the ankle weights for this one exercise to help people. Great. Don't at me. I'm good. I celebrate you. I think it's wonderful. But I just think that, like, how often, how long? Like, it's just another thing out there that I don't think is as needed. I think, I think we can get so much out of Pilates without having to make it harder to do. That's my personal opinion. And I love this question so much. I want more questions like these. Send them to the beitpod.com/questions or what's the phone number, because it's not what I want. Brad Crowell 17:00  310-905-5534Lesley Logan 17:01  I mean, at least it's 310. Brad Crowell 17:05  Yeah, sure. Lesley Logan 17:06  Good area code. Brad Crowell 17:07  We'll take it. 310-905-5534 or go to beitpod.com/questions and send us your wins or your questions. Stick around. We'll be right back. We're gonna dig into this really heartfelt convo with Jill Allen and she, she coaches orthodontics offices.Lesley Logan 17:25  Are you not gonna take a break at all? Brad Crowell 17:26  Wait for it, she coaches orthodontics offices. And the thing that's crazy is that the conversation is applicable to people of all walks of life.Lesley Logan 17:36  It really is. We didn't even talk about orthodontists. Brad Crowell 17:39  Yeah, stick around. We'll be right back.Brad Crowell 17:41  Welcome back. Let's talk about Jill Allen. Jill is the founder of Jill Allen and Associates. Lesley Logan 17:47  Doesn't that look like she should be also a lawyer? Brad Crowell 17:50  Oh, a lawyer or like. Lesley Logan 17:51  Should be like a legal office. Brad Crowell 17:52  Luxary handbags. Lesley Logan 17:54  Oh, Jill Allen, I see that.Brad Crowell 17:56  Yeah. She's an orthodontic consulting firm. She's over 30 years of experience in the industry, and specializes in helping doctors launch their own, their own, their own orthodontic practices, focusing exclusively on startups and supporting new owners who often lack formal business training. That sounds so familiar. She is also the host of Hey Docs, a podcast where she shares business fundamentals, and interviews experts to provide valuable insight for all entrepreneurs. Dr. Allen finds her greatest inspiration in seeing her clients grow their practices into thriving, multimillion dollar businesses, which is pretty epic. I love that, and I felt like I commiserated with her a lot, because we, obviously, service, you know, we serve the Pilates industry. And so it's really interesting to hear her talk about, when she started her consulting firm 19 years ago, there was no like people were not using the internet for this kind of stuff. Barely using the internet. Social media was barely starting, right?Lesley Logan 19:02  I know because I hadn't. I mean, I had an orthodontist when I was in June, like, sixth grade. And like, I mean, my parents had to, like, just find one in the yellow pages.Brad Crowell 19:11  Yeah, probably the yellow pages, or referral word of mouth, most likely. Lesley Logan 19:16  Like, maybe, and I, because I doubt our I don't, our insurance paid for Orthodontic work. You know what I mean? I, for sure, didn't, because my siblings didn't get the same situation as I did. So yeah, so which is something everyone likes to bring up, but, I mean, 19 years, even the coaching, but she coaches them has changed, because now.Brad Crowell 19:32  Oh yeah, everything has changed, but it's fascinating, because when we, you know, like there wasn't anybody doing what she was doing when she got started, and we felt the same way with Agency, there wasn't anybody coaching, you know, Pilates business owners. Lesley Logan 19:46  Yeah I felt a lot of same synergy. But I also want to say, like, everything I want to say to you applies to anybody who's got a dream or a goal or a business. She said, confidently stand in the space like you got to be confident in the space that you're in. You know, people, and this is so true, people are not going to walk around and believe in you more than you believe. I mean, I believe in our members. I think sometimes when they believe in them. But the reality is, is that like, like, random, random people an be like, oh my god, you're the like, you have to believe in you, like, people want to, especially when you are in a service-based business, orthodontics, Pilates, anything, people want the confident person they don't want the person like, I think I know what I'm doing. Like, we, just before we hit record, our car's in the shop, and we have a new mechanic because we have a new car, and you know, you're like, God how much they're gonna rip me off for. It's kind of like taking your dog to the vet. It's like, what's the bill gonna be? And you just, like, spin the wheel. And this guy is like, okay, here's a video of, here's where we saw this. We saw this. We're just gonna watch this. He was so he stood in his confidence. He could be bullshitting me. I don't know what I'm looking at, but like, he was so confident. I was like, I told Brad, I was like, I love these guys. These are our mechanics. We're not switching, like, just that, just that confidence in there. And so I just highly recommend that for anyone who is on a mission. She also stated that being a business owner requires grit and hard work. And there's an incredible, I can't think of her name, it's on the tip of my tongue, but there's an incredible TEDx talk on grit. And the truth is, is that the reason why most businesses, the businesses that become like successful, they found it's not like they hit lightning in the bottle. It's most of the time that people just had grit. They just kept going. They just kept going. And then she also said there is this pressure on business owners to hit these big financial goals, and then that leads to imposter syndrome. And we've had Brad Bizjack on a couple weeks ago, and he talks about how, like, he misses all of his goals, but he's the most confident person you've ever met because, like, how he talks to himself, how he pumps himself up, and how he has confidence, not in that he achieved a goal, but in a work that they he did. And so she says, like, you have to keep pumping yourself up, even if you don't believe it 100% yet, because that is going to help you with the confidence and showing up and doing the hard work. And we got to take pressure of ourselves to hit the goals yesterday or this, I mean, like, people are like, okay, I'm charging my rates, but I still don't have enough clients. It's like, right, one step at a time. Like, you know, I don't know. I just loved it. What did you think? What did you love?Brad Crowell 22:22  Yeah, the the okay, so actually, I was just going to bring up, I'm trying to remember if we had him on the pod, Reid Tileston. Do you remember Reid? Super, super tall professor who owned, like many, many gyms, gyms over the years. Lesley Logan 22:40  Oh, we never had Reid on. Brad Crowell 22:41  Okay, well, he wrote a book, and it's called Grit It Done, and it's, it's like, low risk entrepreneurial tips and stuff. So anyway, I know that's not, that's more for people who are starting a business, but you know, when you started talking about grit, it started making me think about Reid and. Lesley Logan 22:55  Hi, Reid. Brad Crowell 22:56  Yeah. Hi, Reid. But I really loved when y'all know exactly what I'm going to talk about here, because I keep coming back to this across different interviews, where we have the the idea of the Superman or the Superwoman syndrome. It's the solopreneur complex is another way to put it, right, where I have to be the one doing it. I'm the, you know, I'm I can do it better than everybody else. I don't have the money to do, to outsource, or any of that kind of thing. And she talked about, she specifically honed in on the the idea that it makes us feel like we're getting we are actually working. It validates our own internal feelings, right? I need to be doing it all. And she said, it's an internal conflict, and it also creates overwhelm, right? So it's this both thing, where, like that feeds our ego, but it also creates overwhelm, and it kind of gives us the idea that we are working so hard, right, that we're getting something, we're moving the ball forward somehow. Lesley Logan 24:00  But we're just treading water. Brad Crowell 24:01  But a lot of the time we're treading water. Lesley Logan 24:04  Which is really hard to do. Have you just tried treading water recently? Like. Brad Crowell 24:04  Oh, recently, no, but I used to have to do that. Lesley Logan 24:08  We had to do it in swimming lessons. Brad Crowell 24:12  Yeah, for like, 15 minutes, yeah. That was a long freaking time. Lesley Logan 24:16  Especially for you. Brad Crowell 24:18  No, to be a lifeguard or something. (inaudible)Lesley Logan 24:20  No, not like you don't have the strength or endurance. I mean, your attention span, like you couldn't do anything else, your usual. You couldn't, like, tap something or click something, or like you just had to do one thing. I just can't, it will the longest 15 minutes for you.Brad Crowell 24:38  Well, you know this idea of the Superman, Superwoman syndrome really creates, like, debilitating pressure on on you because when it's not getting done, when something isn't getting done, whose fault is it? It's always our fault. Why? Because we're in the middle of every single project, every single possible thing. And you know, it really it creates, sometimes we, like, I think something that I've told myself over the years is that I work better under pressure, or I work better under a deadline, right? And I think that it's it definitely makes you go, like, you have to get the, get it done. But what if you don't? I've been in that position where I've actually missed deadlines, have failed because I waited until I needed that feeling of pressure, you know. So there's just so much that goes along with with this Superman, Superwoman syndrome when we're trying to do it all. And she also talked about like, it, you know, the irony here is that that overwhelm of like, what if you don't actually know what you're doing? What if you don't get it done? Or, you know, the you can be overwhelmed by this realization that I don't know how to do it all, while thinking I have to do it all or I'm the only one that could do this.Lesley Logan 25:53  That sounds like a terrible torture room to be in your mind.Brad Crowell 25:58  She said, she said, how do you overcome this? Right? And ultimately, it comes down to trust, trusting others to be able to execute or implement in a way that you would be doing it or as close to you as possible, right? And she, she said, take it like eating a cookie, just one little bite at a time, and keep moving forward, but, but then be sure to look back and high five yourself. So in this case, what she's talking about is, as you're delegating, you know, go back and look at little pieces of it and make sure that it's up to the standard that you need. And then you get the high five them, high five yourself. I mean, if you're not running a business here, if this isn't like you're not trying to do that. What if it was walking the dog and you delegated it to a child of yours? Or what if it was cleaning the house? Chores.Lesley Logan 26:48  We used to have those neighbors, the Brazilians, who, like, legitimately, the child was, like, eight years old, and the other one might have been like, I don't know, six, and they walked that dog, and the dog is, like, way bigger than them. And we were like, oh my god, should they be doing this? But they did it every day. I watched them do it every day, you know. And so, like, I thought that was, what a great responsibility, it's an easy block, like, it was not on a dangerous road. They're not crossing any streets, you know.Brad Crowell 27:13  But you know, or, or it is, you know, it can be.Lesley Logan 27:18  I think also you may have said this, but, like, you also don't have to do some things, like, they just don't get done. Like, you can just park okay, you know what's gonna happen. We're going to do laundries on Sunday, and that means everyone has to have enough underwear to get to Sunday. That's how it's got to go. That's when laundry is going to get done. Like, I understand there's a story that a lot of people tell themselves it has to be clean for me to get my work done, bullshit. It does not have to be clean. You have to be able to sit at your desk. And there might be some, like, some interesting things about yourself that you might need things to be clean, but it's often an excuse to not do the thing, because you have another reason to not do the thing. And I would just challenge yourself to, like, figure out, like, like, so, like, there's a whole idea, like, so what, so, and then what, and then and like, follow the path and like, the reality is, a lot of the things that we busy ourselves doing do not lead to the actual goal that we have. And that's what I have to say about that.Brad Crowell 28:16  Yeah, I love it. Well, you know, I think, I think that we're setting ourselves up for failure when we attempt to do everything all by ourselves, and and you know, there are times in our world, in our life, whether that's just due to relationships or finances or whatever, where you know, we are kicking off a project and we are the one ideating and creating, but when it comes to executing and being creative, it's really hard to wear those two hats at the same time, and it really does help you to train someone properly, to help you get all the work doneLesley Logan 28:57  Well and the other thing I just want to say is or hire a coach to help advise you on what's the most like the thing that's priority right now? Brad Crowell 29:04  Yeah, sure. Lesley Logan 29:04  Because if you're trying, if you're actually not sure what you're supposed to be focusing on, you could hire help and then be focused on the wrong thing. And so Jill is a perfect example that there is a coach out there for every fucking niche. So if you are not a Pilates instructor and you're not an orthodontist, I promise you there is a coach out there for you. There is someone who coaches lawyers. There's someone who coaches social workers, or someone who coaches, you know, like. Brad Crowell 29:26  Pilates instructors. Lesley Logan 29:26  Well, yeah, I just said, I said, I said, if you're not one of those already, if you, there's someone who coaches yoga instructors, or someone who coaches, you know, managers of franchises. Like, there are people out there who coach all these things, and this is a matter of finding the one that resonates with you, that gets you. So don't just fall for a really good, you know, funnel. Talk with them. Ask them, like, what you're nervous about, share like, here's my biggest fear. I'm gonna sign up with you, and this is what's gonna happen. And like, you know, make sure that they have a money back guarantee, and then do the work. You know, but there's people out there who will help you. Brad Crowell 30:03  Yeah, well, stick around. We'll be right back. We're gonna dig into a couple of those Be It Action Items that we got from Jill right after this. Brad Crowell 30:05  All right, so finally, let's talk about those Be It Action Items. What bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted action items can we take away from your convo with Jill Allen? She said, hey, you gotta block time schedule, yo. She strongly advocates for block time scheduling for any business owner, even for those who dislike rigidity, which would be me. Lesley Logan 30:30  Except for, we just looked up things that help ADHD CEOs, and one of them is a fucking block schedule.Brad Crowell 30:36  Yeah. Well, you know, because it's like a it's like a sandbox that you get to do whatever you want with within that time. So yeah, she explained that without a plan, a business owner can find 100 things to do with their day, which is the story of my life.Lesley Logan 30:52  I just watched you start to put together the towel thing during a work day. And I was like, that has nothing to do with the work today.Brad Crowell 31:02  I was just listening to things, and I had but then I got this. I got ADD because I, my drill stopped and I couldn't use it. Good times. So there's that. She said, explained, without a plan, business owners can find 100 things to do with the day. And by creating start and stop times, just for tasks, this prevents you from getting sidetracked, which helps manage an otherwise unstructured day. So we definitely.Lesley Logan 31:27  We love a kitchen timer. Brad Crowell 31:28  We love a kitchen timer. Lesley Logan 31:29  Like our time cubes are really great. I was just telling Agency members at some office hours we did the other day. I said, literally, I have to, especially when overwhelmed and I am in the reentry, because I'm always over when we get back to work, even though I am like, we did all the work I needed to do so I could start, you know, fresh. I still have to start. I'm not ahead. And I go, Oh God, I have to touch this inbox. And I set the timer for 15 minutes, and I scan for the most important emails, the timer goes off. Okay, 15 minutes in this Slack. Okay, 15, like, before you know it, you're caught up on things, the overwhelm starts to dissipate, because you actually have seen that. There's not really any fires that are going on and the stories in your head are not true, but time blocks. It's so because I won't work on other things because I'm on the timer of the first thing. Brad Crowell 31:29  Yep. Well, what about you? What was your biggest takeaway? Lesley Logan 32:01  She said before making a decision or starting a new venture ask yourself, what's the worst thing that's gonna happen? Brad Crowell 32:01  I really, I really appreciated this. Lesley Logan 32:01  I love this, because if you can, if you determine you can handle the worst case outcome, you'd move forward with it. I mean, I forget.Brad Crowell 32:01  I mean, she, she specifically said when, like, because she was working in the orthodontics industry, but wanted to start coaching new orthodontic business owners. She said, what's the worst that could happen is we could get no clients, and then I go bankrupt, and that will affect my credit score, and then, you know, what am I going to do? Right? She's like, but there is a path after that. She's like, so once I embraced that, then it wasn't as scary as this amorphous black hole of like, what if things just don't go right? Lesley Logan 33:01  Well, we have this, we have this idea we're talking about and and not that we have any time for it, but we were talking about doing this thing, and I kept just thinking, like, oh my god, there's so much uncertainty right now. It's gonna cost us so much money. I'm not gonna find this thing that I want, and if it doesn't work out, then we're like, fucked right? Like, it could actually cost us things. And then we came with this idea. We're like, oh, we could just build it in the backyard. And it's like, because the worst case is the idea sucks, it doesn't work, and we have a beautiful ADU in the backyard. And so I want to move forward with that. Brad Crowell 33:34  Yeah, I'm excited about it. Lesley Logan 33:38  All right, the other thing she said I want to bring up before we move on is, be brave, not perfect. And she was referencing a book. And I am sorry, guys, I am forgetting the name of that book but, be brave. Brad Crowell 33:46  I think the book is called Be Brave, Not Perfect. Lesley Logan 33:47  Brave not perfect. Brad Crowell 33:48  That's by Reshma Saujani.Lesley Logan 33:52  Oh, is it Reshma? Brad Crowell 33:53  Reshma Saujani.  Lesley Logan 33:55  But Reshma, the Reshma? Hold on. Brad Crowell 33:58  I don't know who the Reshma is, so. Lesley Logan 34:00  If it's the Reshma, she has the best, the best college graduating speech. If it's her.Brad Crowell 34:07  She's a lawyer, politician, civil servant, founder of the nonprofit Girls Who Code.Lesley Logan 34:10  This woman is absolutely incredible. She's the one who, like, talked about bike face. If you haven't, like, look her up, Google bike face college speech. And it's this whole thing that back when, like, bikes were invented, when bicycles were not just invented, but like more popular poor people can have them, they started telling women they were gonna have, they had bike face, because now women could just get around on their own. I kid you not. The number of times that women finally get like, a fucking inch of independence, and they're like, oh, let's just like, fuck this up. So what happened is, women couldn't ride the bicycles in their in their dresses, so they started wearing trousers. And people didn't like they're wearing trousers, that's a problem. And they also could get around without a male and they could be independent and they could, I don't know, have a fucking dream and life of their own. Anyways, they would tell them and be careful you're gonna have bike face. You won't be attractive, and then no one will marry you. Anyways, that is not it, but that is who Reshma is, and I am obsessed with her. So Brave, Not Perfect. Well, we should all read that book. We should have maybe next year, I should have a book club, a Be It Pod Book Club. I don't know that I can get the authors every time, but maybe I could figure that out.Brad Crowell 35:28  If you like that idea, let us know by texting 310-905-5534, what do you think about a Be It Pod Book Club, the Be It Pod squad. Lesley Logan 35:38  Yeah. Oh, that's what I want to call you guys instead. I call you Be It babes. And I kind of want to call you the Be It Pod squad. I just, I also need to know, like, does that sound good, or does that sound like I'm creating, like a cult. Just don't want to create a cult.Brad Crowell 35:51  You're not creating a cult, you're creating a squad.Lesley Logan 35:54  But, but if it was a, but if it is a book club, I do believe that I would want the somehow the club has to be a podcast episode, you guys, my team will freak out if we add another Zoom call that does not produce an episode or a class. So, so anyways, okay, well, Jill Allen, thank you for being you, and thank you for just reminding us that we should have grit and stand in confidence and just go for it. It was just such a wholesome, wonderful interview. And I'm really excited for every orthodontist who gets to work for you, because I'm sure most of our listeners' kids are going to benefit from that, including our listeners. You know what, adults with braces it's a thing now. Brad Crowell 36:17  It's true. Lesley Logan 36:18  And share this with a friend who needs to hear it and Be It Till You See It. Brad Crowell 36:35  Bye for now.Lesley Logan 36:36  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod. Brad Crowell 37:18  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 37:24  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 37:28  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 37:35  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 37:38  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week, Andy Zaltzman is joined by Tom Ballard and Ria Lina for another round of international nonsense.

Barbara made it to the house. Barely.Ben's about to turn it into a war zone.Ben spins suddenly inside the kitchen door and the movie stops being polite. This is where Romero strips the fantasy out of survival and leaves you with splinters, sweat, and the sound of a man trying to think faster than death moves.Zeke Alton plays Ben like a man who's already lost but refuses to lie down. He hammers, he plans, he moves. Barbara, still shattered in Olivia Graham's haunting performance, watches him build their coffin and calls it hope. The boards go up. The windows disappear. The house becomes a box.Then Ben does the unthinkable - he lights the dead on fire.A corpse burns in the yard like a funeral no one asked for. The flames push back the night, and for thirty seconds, it feels like winning. But fire doesn't last, and the dead don't quit. They just wait.The radio crackles to life: "Stay inside. Stay calm."Ben laughs without sound. Calm died an hour ago.Romero doesn't give you relief. He gives you wood, nails, and the slow realization that every choice Ben makes is the wrong choice and the only choice. Barbara floats through the room like a ghost practicing for the real thing. The house groans. The dead press closer. And somewhere in the static, the world pretends it still has answers.By the time Ben mutters, "All right, this is your decisions," and they move toward the glow of the television, the farmhouse has stopped being shelter. It's a tomb with a TV set, and the truth is about to crawl out of the screen.Romero doesn't write escape.He writes what happens when the walls hold but the people don't.The dead are patient.The living are coming apart.CASTNarrator: Jack DanielBen / Truck Driver: Zeke AltonBarbara: Olivia GrahamHarry Tinsdale: Jim ConnorHelen Cooper: Wendy ShaperoTom: Charlie BodinSheriff McClelland: Rob FitzgeraldTV Commentator: Adam PilverZombies / Ghouls: Natalia Castellanos & Josh SterlingLight a match. Lock the door. Press play.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 This episode's guests:Yana Yakushina, Lawyer and Researcher.James Lowenthal, Astronomer.Vicky Derksen, Night Sky Tourist.Bill's News Picks:Randomised trial reveals a mismatch between preferences for and hormonal responses to anthropogenic light colour temperatures, PLOS One. Light Wavelength Modulates the Effects of Lighted Nights on Sleep, Metabolism and Oxidative Stress in Female Zebra Finches, Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological and Integrative Physiology. The Great New Zealand Road Trip: ‘You New Zealanders take your stars for granted' - the striking words of a tourist that helped turn this Kiwi region dark, Shayne Currie, The New Zealand Herald. This Chappell Roan song boosted interest in a Canadian dark sky preserve by 1,800%, Elizabeth Howell, Space.com. Inside New Brunswick's ambitious plan for the world's densest dark-sky corridor, Jamie Carter, Space.com. Subscribe:Apple PodcastSpotifyYoutubeSend Feedback Text to the Show!Support the showA hearty thank you to all of our paid supporters out there. You make this show possible. For only the cost of one coffee each month you can help us to continue to grow. That's $3 a month. If you like what we're doing, if you think this adds value in any way, why not say thank you by becoming a supporter! Why Support Light Pollution News? Receive quarterly invite to join as live audience member for recordings with special Q&A session post recording with guests. Receive all of the news for that month via a special Supporter monthly mailer. Satisfaction that your support helps further critical discourse on this topic. About Light Pollution News: The path to sustainable starry night solutions begin with being a more informed you. Light Pollution, once thought to be solely detrimental to astronomers, has proven to be an impactful issue across many disciplines of society including ecology, crime, technology, health, and much more! But not all is lost! There are simple solutions that provide for big impacts. Each month, Bill McGeeney, is joined by upwards of three guests to help you grow your awareness and understanding of both the challenges and the road to recovering our disappearing nighttime ecosystem.

We're gonna be gonna be golden! This week on the show I am joined by Aaron Klaassen from Super Ghost and Chris Dominguez from Consoles and Stuff to talk about the GBA JRPG Golden Sun! I first got Golden Sun back in the early 2010s from a Game Stop near me and never touched it until my patrons voted for it for Backlog Month this year and I am so happy they did. Aaron, Chris and I had a ton of fun discussing the game's mechanics, visuals, music and much more! Does this game have a really fun and interesting battle system? Yes! Does it teach it to you at all? Barely! Find out all about it in this episode. Follow Super Ghost on Bluesky! https://bsky.app/profile/superghost.site Follow Consoles and Stuff on Bluesky! https://bsky.app/profile/consolesandstuff.bsky.social Check out the Superpod Network here! https://superpodnetwork.com/ Check out Echoes of History Here! https://lnkfi.re/1YFL0t Shout-out Song: Angarian Vigil Artist: TSori, GuitarSVD Original Composer: Motoi Sakuraba https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04091 End Song: Streets of Tolbi Artist: TSori, thebitterroost, Alex Hill, dannymusic, Deedubs, JohnStacy, SirCorn Original Composer: Motoi Sakuraba https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR04125 Get Still Loading Podcast merch! https://www.teepublic.com/user/still-loading-podcast Check out the Bit by Bit Foundation! https://www.bitbybitfoundation.org/ Support the Podcast! https://www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod

Nebraska is once again 5-1…this year they don't head to a buzzing Indiana team like last year in an embarrassing 56-7 loss to the Hoosiers….is scheduled the biggest reason why they won't fall apart or is it something more? If you say it's schedule, a reminder that Nebraska had a chance last year to get bowl-eligible in early November with a home game vs. UCLA and fell behind by 20 points before losing the game….that team was trying to get to a bowl game for the first time since 2016, though. That monkey is off their back…so what's the next barrier to break? Show Sponsored by MIDWEST BANKOur Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out Hims: https://hims.com/EARLYBREAK* Check out Infinite Epigenetics: https://infiniteepigenetics.com/EARLYBREAKAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Luke survived! Barely, but still he's alive! Even though it seemed like he had a death wish every time he mentioned going back for his wife and his daughter, but we know that he's just a good guy with literally no survival skills. Now he's in Canada thanks to a woman. Of course a woman is the reason that he got out. God bless the women inside and outside of Gilead.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news… but this is the last episode of Barely Filtered! But this isn't goodbye! Over the past two years, we've laughed, cried, and been through it all—my divorce, dating disasters, and unexpected love.In this final episode, I reflect on my wild ride through the dating world and share the lessons I've learned about self-worth, red flags, and putting yourself out there. I also open up about meeting Zac and how believing in the process led me to exactly what I wanted.Don't worry! Barely Filtered is transitioning to YouTube—so keep your subscription, follow along, and watch all the surprises unfold—from engagements to everyday moments you won't want to miss.Produced by Dear Media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, the girls are back from their Dallas tour stop and kicking things off with a little travel drama ✈️. From the wild emergency that happened mid-flight to the people who cannot wait to jump up the second the plane lands (we all know the type), Jaci and Chelsey have thoughts. After a quick chat about Dancing with the Stars week three, they dive into the main event: your dating horror stories. Getting stood up at dinner to chaotic kissing sessions, and a special golf game ending with a splash — this episode has it all. Buckle up for secondhand embarrassment, laughter, and stories that will make you so glad you're not on Hinge this week.// COME SEE US ON TOUR // PHONIEX: OCTOBER 17, CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS. LA: OCTOBER 28, CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS. // WHAT WE ARE WEARING/MENTIONING // https://shopmy.us/shop/whatwesaidpodcast SHOP OUR MERCH: https://shop.dearmedia.com/collections/what-we-said !!! FOLLOW US !!!INSTA: @WHATWESAID, @JACIMARIESMITH, @CHELSEYJADECURTISTIKTOK: @CHELSEYJADECURTIS, @JACIMARIESMITHYOUTUBE: WATCH WHAT WE SAID, CHELSEY JADE, JACI MARIE// SPONSORS //Columbia: Head to columbia.com to get your hands on an Amaze Puff jacket—they'retough on cold, soft on you.Clean Simple Eats: Visit cleansimpleats.com and use code WHATWESAID at checkout for 20% off your FIRST order PLUS free shipping. Square: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/WHATWESAID. Asics: Visit asics.com and use code WHATWESAID at checkout for 10% off of your order. Exclusions may apply. Clearstem: Go to clearstem.com/WHATWESAID and use code WHATWESAID at checkout for 15% off your first order. Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.Produced by Dear Media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

HOUR 4: People barely ever courtesy wave anymore, let alone return courtesy wave. full 2037 Thu, 09 Oct 2025 22:00:00 +0000 ey7YUTWMjAm3oOCIg1fEddeXumyVJ1zg news The Dana & Parks Podcast news HOUR 4: People barely ever courtesy wave anymore, let alone return courtesy wave. You wanted it... Now here it is! Listen to each hour of the Dana & Parks Show whenever and wherever you want! © 2025 Audacy, Inc. News False https://pla

A very not triumphant return.

Narrator: Thomas Jones

Support the pod and join our beautiful soccer community: https://www.patreon.com/samsarmy PREMIER LEAGUE: people are saying Pep tacitly admitted City don't got the juice this year with his approach to Arsenal match. Amorin receives a red-carded aided stay of execution. Unai Emery may not be so lucky. Another tough matchup (in an underwhelming weekend) coming up for Arteta's lads on Sunday. HALFTIME: Mykhailo Mudryk-related Weekly What If ROUND THE WORLD: Thoughts on Ballon d'Or jumping the shark and MLS Hit-It-N-Quit-it Minute STOPPAGE TIME: Ivan Toney's Best Bets and GOAWs

Here for the chaos you didn't know you needed. On this Barely Famous episode, Kail links up with Tracy DiMarco and Jessica Romano of Bad Examples to spill on Jerseylicious days, how “produced” reality really was, mom-life double standards, breakups (yes THAT breakup) and their pizza-review alter egos Two Girls, One Slice. We also touch on the Glitter & Greed/Lisa Frank drama , rebuilding after brand heartbreak, and a spicy Never Have I Ever that's equal parts unhinged and useful. If you love candid best-friend energy, dating chaos, and zero-filter mom talk this episode is for you.Follow the ladies and subscribe to the show!Jess Romano: @jesshottieTracy DiMarco: @tracydimarco_Bad Examples Podcast: @badexamplespodcast • Patreon.com/BadExamplesTwo Girls, One Slice: @twogirlsonesliceFor full video episodes head to patreon.com/kaillowryThanks for supporting the show by checking out the sponsors!Hiya: for 50% off their best selling children's vitamin head to hiyahealth.com/famousShopify: Start your one dollar a month free trial period at shopify.com/famousSearch for your newest home on apartments.comOPositiv: Take proactive care of your health at opositiv.com/famous for 25% off your first purchaseWayfair: Cozify your space and head to www.wayfair.com right now See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.