Podcasts about Bavarian Alps

There are so many amazing destinations in Europe.However many places are very popular and can get quite crowded.So let's talk about alternative destinations in Europe.You know, those places that you can travel to instead of one of the more popular spot.These destinations are often just as special, beautiful and amazing as their more popular counterpart, but you'll find you won't be rubbing elbows with as many people.In this episode I'll offer up 10 alternative destinations in Europe for you to consider for your next getaway.And I'll even give you a wee bonus one too!Want to chat about some this topic more?Then send me an email at Lynne@WanderYourWay.com.In this episode:1:32: Intro3:41: Instead of the Isle of Skye…7:37: Instead of Paris…10:01: Instead of the Bavarian Alps…12:25: Instead of Tuscany…15:13: Instead of the Ring of Kerry…18:16: Instead of Stonehenge…22:08: Instead of Lake Bled…24:22: Instead of the Greek Islands…26:55: Instead of the Costa del Sol…29:06: Instead of the Mediterranean Sea…31:52: Bonus33:45: Recap35:26: Wrapping it up38:04: Listener reviewImportant links:Isle of Lewis & HarrisIsle of MullParisHochkönig PiedmontPiedmont TourismBeara PeninsulaAveburyLake BohinjStoupa GreeceCosta de la Luz TourismMy 10 Favorite Wonderful Underrated Destinations in EuropeBattleface InsuranceWander Your Way ResourcesWander Your Way AdventuresSupport the showThanks to Callisa Mickle who edits the audio.Follow Wander Your Way:InstagramFacebookPinterest ★ Support this podcast ★

  What is this Movie? After the death of her mother, 17-year-old Gretchen moves from America to the German Alps with her father Luis, stepmother Beth, and mute half-sister Alma.  Gretchen isn't very thrilled at her current situation feeling like the 3rd wheel in her new family, butting heads with her stepmother, harboring jealousy towards her younger half-sister, and feeling ignored and resented by her own father.  She's offered a job by the local hotel manager Herr Konig, where things start to get a bit loopy.  Half-dressed women randomly showing up in the hotel lobby drinking sprite and vomiting, a beady, red-eyed hooded woman chasing her through the night dressed like she fell out of a Hitchcock film, and Alma randomly having seizures all give Gretchen the impression that Herr Konig isn't just a hotel manager, and she might need to get the hell out of town before it literally kills her.   What is this Film? Cuckoo is absolutely cuckoo.  From the moment this family shows up in the Bavarian Alps, you get why Gretchen looks like she's being dragged here against her will.  Hunter Schafer pretty much carries this film until Dan Stevens fully shows up in the 3rd act, outside of a few creepy moments shared between he and Hunter earlier in the film.  You have this young girl who's now forced to live in this foreign land, where one minute people are speaking German, and the next they're speaking French.  The hotel she works at closes at 10PM for reasons no one wants to explain.  She's constantly passing out in one place, then waking up in a totally different place.  This part could just be the editing and not necessarily indicative of her circumstance.  Aside from hotel guests, nobody in this town feels trustworthy.  Then there's the old woman from Birds in a raincoat with the hood up and not a drop of rain in site that keeps chasing Gretchen all over town.  Multiple times she's nearly killed, and her father could careless, even going as far as telling her go on ahead and get if she's not happy there and wants to leave so damn bad.  Then the late-night screeching starts.  Is that a banshee?  There's a damn banshee in this movie!  This wild feral sound causes the audience to experience déjà vu in reverberation hell.  I thought my screener was fried or bootlegged.  It took 3 of these scenes before I realized the editing was done this way on purpose to disassociate the audience from time and reality.  The beauty here is while you're experiencing these loops along with the characters on screen, you see them start to realize the déjà vu around the same time you've realized it and some of them know what this means.  Others aren't so lucky.  The monster here is so menacing you just can't turn your eyes away from the screen.  Add to that this was shot in 35mm film giving you that nostalgic late 70's horror cinema where creepy things are way creepier and loud noises feel way louder, and you've got one of those horror films you start to resent watching alone.  This is definitely some bring a friend horror. The story isn't overbearing or too complex once you get deep into the 3rd act and Herr Konig is given more exposition.  But That still won't keep you from either needing to watch this multiple times or at best rewinding it over and over again creating your own loops to help put the dark pieces together.  Not being able to figure out what the hell was going on is what made this movie so good to me.  I found myself at the climax of this film stumbling over the sense I couldn't make of any of it and asking things like, “Wait that creature thing is a what?”, “These scientists are trying to do what with it?”, and my favorite “So is that person dead now??  Another film about women being sacrificed in the name of science and experimentation, I'm kind of starting to hate being a man.  And this one has a such a weird twist.  I finished it and started thinking we just might need to ban men from doing science stuff.

  What is this Movie? After the death of her mother, 17-year-old Gretchen moves from America to the German Alps with her father Luis, stepmother Beth, and mute half-sister Alma.  Gretchen isn't very thrilled at her current situation feeling like the 3rd wheel in her new family, butting heads with her stepmother, harboring jealousy towards her younger half-sister, and feeling ignored and resented by her own father.  She's offered a job by the local hotel manager Herr Konig, where things start to get a bit loopy.  Half-dressed women randomly showing up in the hotel lobby drinking sprite and vomiting, a beady, red-eyed hooded woman chasing her through the night dressed like she fell out of a Hitchcock film, and Alma randomly having seizures all give Gretchen the impression that Herr Konig isn't just a hotel manager, and she might need to get the hell out of town before it literally kills her.   What is this Film? Cuckoo is absolutely cuckoo.  From the moment this family shows up in the Bavarian Alps, you get why Gretchen looks like she's being dragged here against her will.  Hunter Schafer pretty much carries this film until Dan Stevens fully shows up in the 3rd act, outside of a few creepy moments shared between he and Hunter earlier in the film.  You have this young girl who's now forced to live in this foreign land, where one minute people are speaking German, and the next they're speaking French.  The hotel she works at closes at 10PM for reasons no one wants to explain.  She's constantly passing out in one place, then waking up in a totally different place.  This part could just be the editing and not necessarily indicative of her circumstance.  Aside from hotel guests, nobody in this town feels trustworthy.  Then there's the old woman from Birds in a raincoat with the hood up and not a drop of rain in site that keeps chasing Gretchen all over town.  Multiple times she's nearly killed, and her father could careless, even going as far as telling her go on ahead and get if she's not happy there and wants to leave so damn bad.  Then the late-night screeching starts.  Is that a banshee?  There's a damn banshee in this movie!  This wild feral sound causes the audience to experience déjà vu in reverberation hell.  I thought my screener was fried or bootlegged.  It took 3 of these scenes before I realized the editing was done this way on purpose to disassociate the audience from time and reality.  The beauty here is while you're experiencing these loops along with the characters on screen, you see them start to realize the déjà vu around the same time you've realized it and some of them know what this means.  Others aren't so lucky.  The monster here is so menacing you just can't turn your eyes away from the screen.  Add to that this was shot in 35mm film giving you that nostalgic late 70's horror cinema where creepy things are way creepier and loud noises feel way louder, and you've got one of those horror films you start to resent watching alone.  This is definitely some bring a friend horror. The story isn't overbearing or too complex once you get deep into the 3rd act and Herr Konig is given more exposition.  But That still won't keep you from either needing to watch this multiple times or at best rewinding it over and over again creating your own loops to help put the dark pieces together.  Not being able to figure out what the hell was going on is what made this movie so good to me.  I found myself at the climax of this film stumbling over the sense I couldn't make of any of it and asking things like, “Wait that creature thing is a what?”, “These scientists are trying to do what with it?”, and my favorite “So is that person dead now??  Another film about women being sacrificed in the name of science and experimentation, I'm kind of starting to hate being a man.  And this one has a such a weird twist.  I finished it and started thinking we just might need to ban men from doing science stuff.

How Mary Kringle replaced Kris with a set of dildos & her elf girlfriends.By cb summers. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. Things really started changing quickly after that. For one thing, Mary moved out of her apartment to be nearer the test room and the small sex toy manufacturing facility she was setting up. I hardly saw her anymore. I resisted the urge to go to the viewing room that week, for fear of dallying with Snowbell again or some other adorable elf.There was something in the air on the factory floor… a buzz of excitement. Wherever I went, I saw elves smiling up at me and whispering to each other. I figured they were talking about the new clothing Mary was designing. But I worried that they knew what Mary and I had done with Snowbell and the other elves… it was too horrible to contemplate! Whatever it was, I found their ancient eyes on me unnerving.I had at least one reason to suspect our dalliance had gotten out: my loyal secretary Blizzard, who'd been my assistant for 85 years, suddenly started flirting with me. At first I didn't realize what she was doing, but eventually I noticed that she'd left her frumpy striped blouse unbuttoned a bit too far. She bent over a few times, and I saw the top of her cleavage to the lacy top of her little elf bra. Then I noticed she wasn't wearing the red and green striped hose I made the female elves wear. She was showing me her bare powder blue legs for the first time ever, and I was shocked by how shapely they were. Blizzard, who was named for her snowy white skin, had always taken care of me. I'd always considered her a mother figure. But now…When I asked her to take a letter, she sat and crossed her luscious legs… slowly… so as to give me a glimpse of her little elf panties. Then, as I dictated, she looked at me intently over the top of her glasses, and every once in a while she'd slowly lick her lips. It was a seductive expression if I ever saw one. All at once I realized the implication of what was going on. She would do anything I wanted. Anything. No questions asked. Any of the elves would. It was pure, unadulterated temptation.I had no idea how I was going to resist. But I held out as long as I could.Every day I fought off the urge to go to the viewing room. But after the eighth day, Snowbell sent me a message saying that Mary was running the last test today. If I was interested in watching, this would be my last opportunity. That pushed me over the edge. Snowbell wanted me to come. Snowbell wanted me to cum! I couldn't resist, but I made up my mind not to do anything naughty. I wanted to be true to Mary, as I was sure she was trying to do too. So as I walked to the viewing room at the appointed time, I was determined to tell Snowbell to leave, and I would lock the door behind her. I wanted to masturbate alone, watching my naked wife play with sex toys, like a normal husband!When I entered the viewing room, my plan went up in smoke. Snowbell was waiting for me, wearing a thin, see-thru, pale blue teddy. I could see her dark blue nipples through the snowflake pattern. I forgot all about my plan.“Glad tidings, Santa! I'm so happy you're back.” She was glittering with happiness. “Here, have a seat. The test hasn't started yet.”I sat on the couch. Snowbell stood nearby, just looking at me, beaming with happiness. It was a good thing I'd worn baggy pants, because my cock was already growing just looking at her amazing little body.“How are you today, Snowbell?”“Wonderful, Santa, now that you're here. I was so worried you wouldn't come. I've missed you.”“Really?” I asked.“I had so much fun last time. I've told all the elves about it.”“Christmas crackers! You shouldn't have!” I snapped, even though I'd suspected as much.She put her delicate hands to her mouth, and her eyes filled with tears, “Oh… Santa… was I naughty?”Elves are ancient and wise, but quite emotional sometimes. I hated the look of despair on her face, so I put my hand on her little shoulder and said, “No, it's okay…I'm just… shy, I guess.”She smiled again, glad I wasn't angry. “Well, Santa, you have no reason to be shy. Elves aren't. We only wear clothes because you want us to. In our homes, we take everything off… well, not everything. Sometimes we like to wear things that make us look sexy.”“Really? I didn't know that.” I had to admit.“No, of course not Santa. You told us not to talk about those sorts of things thousands of years ago. You thought we were naughty.”“No, I'd never think elves are naughty.” I admitted.“Really? That's good to know.” She said, a mischievous gleam in her ancient elfin eyes.I crossed my legs to hide my growing erection and said, “I was actually afraid you'd think I was naughty after… you know.”“After you anointed me?” She giggled. “Don't be silly Santa! I've been anointed before. But that was the first time Santa anointed me! Everyone is so happy for me! Oh, you were so delicious! Yummy, yummy, yummy!”“I'm not the first?” I asked.“Of course not, silly! Elves anoint each other all the time!”“You… have sex too?”She laughed, “Of course, Santa! All kinds… all the time! We play every night after closing time in the little houses you made for us!” I'd always assumed those parties I heard were just… parties. But were they orgies? I've always considered elves pure goodness. If they had sex all the time… maybe having sex all the time was a good thing.She put her hands on my knee and leaned toward me, batting her elfin eyes, her breasts pushing up beautifully between her arms.“How do you like it?” she said, glancing down at her body.“You're beautiful, Snowbell.”She giggled, “Thank you Santa, but I didn't mean that. I meant what I'm wearing!” She spun in a little circle. “Mrs. Claus designed it.”“Is that… the new uniform?” I asked with a gulp.“No, not really. Mrs. Claus says there won't be uniforms anymore. She's designing a bunch of different things, shirts, robes, pants, and dresses. She says we get to wear whatever ones we want! I chose this one. It's my favorite. You can see my little nipples through it!” She giggled as if that was so funny. Elf humor, I guess. I heard a jingling and looked down to see single little bell hanging from a little strap around her waist. It was dangling right in front of her perfect vagina and ringing playfully as she laughed. She looked amazing but… was this the future? Would the factory be full of half-naked elves walking around looking like… this? I had to talk to Mary about this whole concept.Just then, Mary entered the test room. She was wearing red lingerie. Holy, Blitzen! I'd given it to her as a Christmas gift in 1872, but she'd never worn it before. Somehow seeing her in that skimpy red lace shift, beaded with pearls, made her look even more erotic to me than when she was totally naked. Maybe I just have this thing for red and white… but whatever it was, she looked utterly amazing. Then it got even better. She reached up and removed whatever it was that held her hair up in that abominable bun, and her long Christmas-red hair tumbled down her shoulders.I suddenly remembered why I fell in love with her.In the summer of 1702, I visited a remote Bavarian mountainside to collect the special syrup I'd been harvesting from the trees every year. I heard the beautiful echoing voice of someone singing a Christmas Carol. Lasst Uns Froh Und Munter Sein, to be precise (one of my favorites). I followed the sound and came across the most wonderful sight I'd ever seen. A pretty, redheaded Bavarian girl, standing with her back to me, a few feet out in the shallows of a clear mountain lake. She was wearing nothing but a loosely fitting red undergarment which the sun was shining through. I could see every detail of her silhouette: her long gorgeous legs, her curvaceous hips, and delicious buttocks. She'd already removed a big blowsy dress and had thrown it over a nearby stump. A moment after setting my eyes on her gorgeous figure, she reached up behind her head and undid her hair, with the intention of washing it. Her silken hair, which was the color of holly berries, cascaded down over her shoulders, like a red waterfall. I fell in love with her. Right there. Right then.I stepped on a twig and she turned with a start. Her eyes grew wide. She knew who I was the second she saw me. Everyone knows Saint Nicholas in Bavaria! She was so surprised and in awe of me, she didn't notice that the front of her undergarment was wide open, and I could see her beautiful breasts as plain as day, illuminated magically by sunlight reflecting off the surface of the lake. I gulped, my eyes riveted to her perfect tits. They were about the same size as her head and had large, fawn colored areolas decorated with tiny little nipples. As an added bonus, I could see the very top tuft of her beautiful red bush.Rip! My cock grew instantly hard, ripping upward through the leg of my pants, until it was pointed right at this lovely stranger. Her eyes opened even wider. That's not something you see every day. We just stared at each other for the longest time, not wanting this perfect moment to end.At just the right moment, I walked toward her, not bothering to cover my cock. She backed up a little almost slipping on a stone. She must have thought I was going to ravish her on the spot, but I wasn't that sort of man. I walked out into the shallow water, got down on one knee, and took her hands in mine.“Marry me,” I said.“Yes,” she replied.That's how we did it in the old days. None of this premarital sex stuff. You just saw a girl you fancied and you married her. Her parents were thrilled. Their last name was Christmas, which tells you that they were pretty big fans of yours truly. It just seemed like perfect symmetry that their daughter would grow up to marry Saint Nicholas.After the charming little wedding we boarded my sleigh. With the whole village cheering, we took off into the sky, heading north over the Bavarian Alps. Mary's long red hair was dancing about her head in the breeze. The little white flowers she'd braided in it were flying out, leaving a trail of petals falling earthward behind us. Her face was so happy, so young, so full of life. She excitedly asked me questions about the North Pole and insisted on calling me Saint Nicholas, even though I'd told her my real name was Kris Kringle. I didn't mind. It was charming. I felt a happy feeling that nothing in the world could buy.As we talked I grew more and more enchanted by her beautiful blushing face and flashing eyes. I had intended to bed her at the North Pole, but I couldn't wait any longer. The reindeer knew the way home, so I put down the reins and began to kiss Mary and touch her body, feeling the firmness of her large breasts for the first time. My cock was hard, but I'd strapped it down before the wedding, afraid it might misbehave during the ceremony. Mary ran her fingers along length of the hard log strapped to my thigh.“My… Saint Nicholas, how big you are!”“Would you like to see it… again?” I asked her, breathless with lust.“Yes, Saint Nicholas,” she said, shyly. She crouched in front of me, and pulled off my boots, carefully putting them aside. Then she unhooked my suspenders. Then she unbuttoned my pants, tense with anticipation, and pulled them down, followed by my red and green striped boxers. She stopped for a moment to stare at my enormous cock. The strap holding it down was digging into my thigh.“That looks painful!”“It is. Why don't you take it off for me?”She kneeled and breathlessly unhooked the leather strap, her fingers brushing against my naked flesh thrillingly. She had to pull hard to unhook the belt, and when she did my cock popped up and bonked her on the chin so hard that she said, “Ow!” and giggled.I chuckled along, but our laughter died out as she began to study my ruddy penis with intense interest. It was probably the first one she'd ever seen. She probably didn't know that it was unusually large, but she was impressed nonetheless. She began to touch it tenderly with her exquisite fingers. She ran her hands delicately around and around, then circling under my balls, and feeling the weight of them in her hands. I was utterly transfixed by the sensation! Then she bent over and kissed the head of my cock with her beautiful lips. I was so excited! No woman had ever seen it, much less kissed it! Then she opened her mouth as wide as she could and tried to swallow it. I'd heard lots of bawdy talk from lumberjacks and their trappers, so I knew all about blowjobs, but I'd never thought I'd be given one. She was a tall girl, very big boned, so she was able to get the head of my cock in her mouth, although it didn't go very far inside. She started stroking my shaft with her soft, large hands, lubricating everything with her saliva. As she did this, I took off my coat and shirt. I was in heaven.I felt a little surge of pre-cum shoot into her mouth. She looked at me in surprise. Then she suddenly stood up, her eyes wide with lust, and sat on the dashboard of the sleigh. She propped her feet on the seat on either side of me. I wasn't sure what she was doing, but I just watched her, transfixed by the beautiful sight of her hair was whipping about her head as she stared at me, her face tense with excitement.“Father told me to make sure you see.” She pulled up her dress, slowly, revealing her beautiful, long, naked legs. Much to my delight, I discovered she wasn't wearing any underwear. I was looking right at her glorious pussy. She reached between her legs, and pulled the pussy lips open to show me she that she was still a virgin. I leaned forward, ostensibly to inspect her hymen, as the preacher had insisted I do, but the instant I got close enough I had the overwhelming urge to kiss her there. I ran my hands up her thighs to grab her naked ass in my eager hands and buried my mouth between her wet lips. I tasted her sweetness and breathed in her musky scent, my nose buried in her holly berry bush. She groaned in pleasure, shocked I think, at the sensations I was giving her. A delicious liquid began to ooze from the little hole in her hymen. I lapped it up with my tongue then played with the thin membrane of her hymen, knowing that soon it would exist no more.I sucked and kissed her virgin pussy, wanting to extend our innocence as long as possible. But, desperate with passion, she pushed me back, and kept pushing until we both stumbled and tumbled over the seat into the back of the sleigh. I landed on my back on my magic sack, which, though empty, did protect me from getting splinters. In a twinkling, Mary was straddling me, looking down with an almost crazy expression on her face. Then she lowered herself onto my cock in one swift move and cried out in pain as I pierced her hymen. We were no longer virgins.“Mary, are you alright?”“Mother said it would hurt at first,” she whimpered. She forced herself farther down on me, grimacing in pain… she was so damned tight! Then, when about a third of my manhood was inside her the tip pressed against the back wall of her vagina, making her yelp in pain again. She stood up and my cock popped out of her. She looked at me, her face almost frightened from the pain it had caused her.“Saint Nick… I knew you were large… but… Oh, my!”“Mary! You're bleeding!”She looked down at the trickle of blood running down her thigh. “Mother said I would bleed. It's nothing.” But I sat up and tenderly kissed her pussy, and wiped away the blood with a corner of my magic sack.“I'm so sorry I hurt you, Mary.”“No, we need to do this. Just… give me a second.” She made me lie back again, as she screwed up her courage. Then she lowered herself again onto my shaft. I was about four inches thick, and it took all her effort not to scream as I penetrated her. She was so tight around me, it felt like I was ripping her open. But I saw determination in her face. She began to go up and down on me, faster and with greater ease. Then the pain on her face turned to pleasure. She smiled a large beautiful smile and began to groan.“Oh… Saint Nick!!! Sing for me!”I was always happy to take requests, even while making love to my beautiful bride. I began to sing a traditional Bavarian sleighing song. I sang with gusto. I'm always the loudest one when the caroling begins! Oh, what fun it was to sing a sleighing song that night! Mary was riding herself up and down on me with more and more power, in tempo with my singing, making the bells on the side of the sleigh jingle with each thrust. Then she started singing along, laughing from time to time at the gleeful absurdity of it all. She was fucking Saint Nicholas in his sleigh, the Bavarian Alps towering all around!I stopped singing when a surge of intense pleasure hit me in the guts. I felt something powerful building up inside me, from the tips of my toes and the top of my head. And all of that power was surging down to my balls, then started galloping up my shaft to the tip. I bellowed with joy as I came inside my lovely bride. I hadn't had an orgasm since before I was transmogrified. I'd been required to swear an oath to be celibate until I was wed. I guess I had a bit of a backlog of cum from centuries of disuse, because it went on and on, gush after gush for at least two full minutes, until it was pouring out of her around my cock, and across my balls, and pooling up around my ass. She moaned in pleasure, having an orgasm just from the sensation of three quarts of cum shooting inside her. It was an absolutely amazing moment, made doubly wonderful because of the love I felt for this beautiful woman.As I watched Mary let down her hair in the test room, I thought…I don't love her anymore.It was a shock to realize it. But I don't think I'd loved her in ages. Oh, she was still a beautiful, sexy woman, and I was enjoying the sight of her smoking hot bod, but… I wasn't all that interested in fucking her any more.Snowbell, on the other hand… I looked at her and I felt a tingling in my heart and in my cock. Love. If only I weren't a married man… I opened my arms and said, “Come here Snowbell.”She happily hopped sideways into my lap, right on top of my growing erection, which made her giggle. I hugged her playfully and cuddled her up to my face, her cheek to mine. I loved the way her body wiggled as she giggled. I was trying to desexualize her by treating her like a pet. But it didn't work. I wanted Snowbell to touch my cock again… but I resisted the urge and put her on my left knee, away from my erection.“Let's just watch, Snowbell. Okay?”“Yes, Santa, I would love to watch with you!”We looked into the test room. Mary was waiting expectantly on the fluffy bed, looking at a door on the blank white wall. The door opened and a blonde woman walked in. What the…? I had no idea who she could be. The nearest arctic station was about twenty miles away. Besides, this woman was built like a porn star. Then I realized I was seeing the life-sized sex doll! It was freakishly realistic. It was a high quality sculpture of an actual porn star, cast out of silicone, with real human hair woven on its head and pussy. It had an articulated skeleton, and realistic, fuckable openings in the mouth, pussy and anus. Freaky. A group of scantily dressed female elves were standing on each other's shoulders, manipulating the doll like a puppet, so it appeared to be walking. The doll was platinum blonde, dressed in a flimsy pink negligee, and white fishnet hose held up by a garter. It had bigger boobs than Mary. Obscenely large in fact. Its face was blank and its blue eyes empty of life. But when it moved… it came to life… it became a ‘she'. Elves are natural puppeteers.It was probably the weirdest thing I've ever seen, and it just got weirder.Mary looked at… I'll call her Dolly… appraisingly, as if deciding how best to use her. She reached out and squeezed Dolly's breasts with her hands. One of the elves giggled, and I realized she was voicing the part of Dolly. Mary smiled shyly, looking coquettishly at Dolly's eyes.“You have very pretty breasts,” said Mary, somewhat awkwardly.“So do you,” said Dolly, as she reached out to touch Mary's breasts. Mary arched her back lustfully, and pulled the front of her shift down, exposing her beautiful mammaries to Dolly's hands. Tinsel, a beautiful blue elf, stood between Mary and Dolly, and reached up past Dolly's inanimate hands to do the touching for her. Tinsel's long delicate blue fingers fondled Mary's perfect breasts, pinching her nipples.At the same time Mary squeezed and pinched Dolly's breasts and the elves groaned, “Oh, Mrs. Claus, that feels so good.”This went on for a while, the two of them… or the three of them, touching each other all over. I thought Dolly was creepy, but it was wonderful to see Tinsel's blue hands fondling Mary's breasts and ass. It was naughty… but utterly erotic.I felt Snowbell's hand starting to stroke my erection through the velvet.“Let's just watch, Snowbell.”“Okay,” she sing-songed, taking her hand away. But a minute later her hand was touching my erection again. That was odd. Usually you told an elf to do something and they did it. You never had to tell them twice. Never. But she was deliberately disobeying my orders. Still… it felt good… and it wasn't really like we were having sex… or so I told myself. So I let her continue.Mary kissed Dolly on the lips. Passionately! I felt a little surge of jealousy. Mary hadn't kissed me with that much passion in an elf's age. But she was kissing a hunk of petroleum byproducts like it were George Clooney!“If you want to masturbate, Santa, I won't mind,” said Snowbell, hugging me sweetly.“Well… Why not? Just… don't touch me there, please, Snowbell.”“Oh? You liked the way I touched you there before.”“I'm married. It's naughty for me to… to have sexual relations with anyone other than Mrs. Claus.”She laughed, “Oh, yes, I read about that silly custom on the human internet. I didn't know that rule applied to demigods!”Actually… I didn't know either. I had just sort of assumed it. I was born a human, so I'd always figured the same rules applied to me even after I was transmogrified. “Just, please Snowbell. I'm trying to be good.”“I understand, Santa. I won't touch.”I took out my cock, and Snowbell reached between her legs and offered me a dewdrop of her magical juices. I thought I probably shouldn't… but I took it, remembering how wonderfully tingly it felt. I broke the delicate drop open against my cock and spread Snowbell's pussy juice all over. Oh, elf magic… Um. I masturbated slowly, sensuously, as I watched my beautiful wife have sex with a rubber doll.Mary tried various things with Dolly… weird approximations of lovemaking. It was strange seeing her attempting to have sex with a woman. I knew some of the sample sex toys were strap-on dildos, so I wondered why she didn't just strap one of them onto Dolly. But I soon found out. Mary got on her knees, put her head between Dolly's legs and licked and sucked her silicone vagina, either enjoying it or pretending to, while the elves made Dolly appear to writhe and moan in pleasure. Dolly pulled at Mary's hair, and Mary responded by driving her tongue insistently into Dolly's plastic pussy. Mary reached between her own legs and began fingering herself with her ass aimed right at me. Oh, Mary… my heart ached for the past, when she'd wanted me to touch her there. It was an exciting sight to masturbate to, but angering as well, because I knew that Mary wouldn't let me touch her pussy with a ten-foot pole. She'd reduced me to this pathetic voyeurism.Then Mary lay on her back, and now Dolly crawled to the floor and pushed Mary's legs wide. Tinsel crawled under Dolly's head and put her elfin mouth on Mary's vagina. I felt a surge of anger. Why does an elf get to do that but not me? Then I berated myself. What did I care? I didn't really want to do that stuff to Mary anymore. I just wanted her to want me to.But then I started wondering… these tests had been going on all week… had Mary been having sex with her elves all that time? I'd sort of assumed she was as ashamed as I was about what happened. And whenever I did see her, she and her elves seemed to be all business. This was supposed to be research testing, but this had nothing to do with a sex toy! It's not like the women receiving these presents would have a bevy of little elfin beauties eat out their pussies. It was as plain as the elf in Mary's pussy… she was cheating on me!! Sure, I did it one time with Snowbell, but Mary had been doing it all week, who knows how many times?! I was furious! I imagined myself breaking through the window, throwing Dolly and the elves aside and ramming my huge cock inside Mary's inconstant pussy and fucking her, in spite of her protests, shouting, “Kris Kringle calls the shots around here!!!”But of course, I'd never do that kind of thing, and the anger began to dissipate. I noticed Snowbell was staring hungrily at my cock as I stroked it. She was still perched on the edge of my thigh with my left arm around her back, but now her legs were open and she was quietly playing with her perfect little pussy, sinking her long willowy fingers deep inside herself, while fingering her clit with the other hand. I itched to reach around her back and cup her little round breast in my hand. But I refused to betray Mary even though I was watching her betray me with Dolly and Tinsel right now.Mary was moaning with pleasure. I noticed now that Tinsel had a long tongue; probably six inches long. It was pale blue and agile, like a Giraffe's tongue, and whenever Tinsel went deep inside, Mary would grab Dolly's hair and shout in joy. I vaguely remembered seeing a long elf tongue centuries ago. It had grossed me out so much that I told the elves to keep their tongues in their mouths when they were in the factory, and they'd happily obliged. But now I could see Tinsel putting that long tongue to good use, probing Mary's vagina, feeling out places a cock or finger could never reach. Mary was writhing in ecstasy, and I was jerking myself off like there was no tomorrow. Tinsel was on her knees, and another elf, Greentree, reached over and lifted the back of Tinsel's robe and sunk her fingers into Tinsel's shimmering pussy. Fuck, that was hot! I felt my balls tingling. Then I noticed it was Snowbell's foot. She'd bent it back and was now tickling my balls with her long, agile toes as she masturbated herself!I wanted to tell her to stop… but I didn't. I looked down at her beautiful aqua body, which was flickering with pale magenta flashes in her glittery skin. She was fingering herself and her little baseball sized breasts were bouncing around under the flimsy teddy. I didn't know where to look… at Greentree touching Tinsel's pussy, or Tinsel going down on Mary's pussy, or Snowbell fingering her own. I felt a surge that told me I was going to come any second now… but I stopped rubbing my cock just in time to stop my orgasm.“Are you okay, Santa?” asked snowbell.“I'm okay… just trying not to… you know.”“Oh, good idea, Santa. You should never waste it unless you plan to anoint someone. You can anoint me, if you like.”She was looking up at me, four long fingers inside her vagina, smiling, hoping I would say yes. The bell between her legs was jingling like crazy as she finger-fucked herself. Our eyes were locked when she came, emitting a high pitched squeal of pleasure. It was like looking into eternity; she was so ancient, yet so pure and full of love. When she came, her toes squeezed my balls in a powerful reflex. It's a good thing I'm Santa, or it could have hurt me. But my balls aren't delicate little Christmas ornaments.Snowbell, humming in pleasure after her orgasm had passed, reached over casually and wrapped her hand around my naked cock and began to stroke me with her juice-covered fingers. It felt so good… but I needed to stop her! Whatever else may happen, I didn't want Mary to ever find out I had cheated on her.But then… I began to wonder again why Snowbell had disobeyed my orders not to touch me. With a sudden flash of realization, I remembered that she wasn't my elf. She was Mary's elf. Duh! No wonder she wasn't following my orders!I took her hand off my cock and calmly asked her, “Did you tell Mrs. Claus what you and I did the other day.”Snowbell, still in a post orgasmic state, answered woozily, “Oh yes, Santa. I tell the mistress everything.”I should have known… but Mary hadn't shown any sign of anger at all! Actually she'd been more pleasant to me lately than she'd been in years.Snowbell continued, “She told me to make you happy, Santa. I was happy to do it. I love Santa. His cum tastes like nutmeg!”So… it was Mary's idea for Snowbell to… what? Seduce me? Why? Then I knew why. It was so I wouldn't complain about what she was doing right now. If I could cheat, so could she!Mary's moans of pleasure developed into a powerful orgasm, even more insistent and amazing than any of the previous ones. Tinsel's long tongue was really going to town on Mary's pussy now. Dolly was reaching up, and the elves were pinching and twisting Mary's tits for Dolly.Strangely, I didn't feel mad. Because, it was obvious… Mary didn't love me either.To be continued..By cb summers for Literotica

We've heard the call, and it's coming from inside our idyllic Bavarian Alps resort! That's right, we're checking in on another recent Neon release, the daffy and disturbing CUCKOO!! Don't worry - we've got a non-spoiler reaction upfront before we pipe in with our in-depth reactions to the movie, including how we like to “Porky Pig-it” in the hotel lobby, the “horror” of blended families, appreciate Jazz flute control, consider Dan Stevens' best Weird Little Guy roles, and make a few Crimson Rivers comparisons!! All this, plus we worship at the alter of Hunter Schaffer, we open up about some bad hotel stays, two good sisters, nominate terrible people we'd like to see get juiced like an orange in outer space and bring you a tuneful edition of Choose Your Own Deathventure!! Make a nest and listen to an all-new Kill By Kill today!! Part of the BLEAV Network. Get even more episodes exclusively on Patreon! Artwork by Josh Hollis: joshhollis.com Kill By Kill theme by Revenge Body. For the full-length version and more great music, head to revengebodymemphis.bandcamp.com today! Our linker.ee Click here to visit our TeePublic shop for killer merch! Join the conversation about any episode on the Facebook Group! Follow us on IG @killbykillpodcast!! Join us on Threads or even Bluesky Check out Gena's Substack called Gena Watches Things!! Check out the films we've covered & what might come soon on Letterboxd!

In this week's episode of The Nowhere Office, fresh off the UK government's budget announcement, Julia Hobsbawm and Stefan Stern welcome economist Vicky Pryce. They delve into the Economy of Work, exploring workforce inactivity and persistent challenges to productivity, with a special focus on the overlooked challenges faced by women in the workforce and the economic cost of prisons.  In our My Working Life segment, meet an entrepreneurial couple who run a cutting-edge retreat in the Bavarian Alps—one of whom sees himself as the “Winston Wolf” of tech. This sponsored feature is brought to you in association with Whitefox, exceptional publishers for exceptional stories. Discover more at wearewhitefox.com. The Nowhere Office is a Fully Connected Production in association with Sandstone Global Productions. Music by Julian Brezon. Learn more at Workathon.io and https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/thenowhereoffice/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  Contributors are listed here: Danielle S. Castillejo (Rueb), Cyon Edgerton, Rachael Reese, Chasity Malatesta, Debby Haase, Kim Frasier, Briana Cardenas, Holly Christy, Clare Menard, Marjorie Long, Cristi McCorkle, Terri Schumaker, Diana Frazier, Eliza Cortes Bast, Tracy Johnson, Sarah Van Gelder, Marwan, and more Welcome to the Arise Podcast, conversations on faith, race, justice, gender, and spirituality. You'll notice there's going to be some updated changes and different voices on the podcast this season. It's season five. It's October 1st, 2024. I haven't recorded a podcast since June of 2023, and at that time, if you've been following along in my town in Kitsap County, we were working through what would prove to be an extensive and prove to be an extensive fight for justice in our school district. And at this time, we have made some very significant shifts. I want to get into this episode to kind of catch you up on where I'm at, where the podcast is at, and hopefully as you listen to myself and some different voices on these upcoming podcasts, you understand that we have this fundamental common theme amongst us, which is our humanity. And when we drop down into that humanity, because our work, our lives, our families, there's all these poles and all these different ways for us to separate ourselves from our humanness and be busy or accomplish this or accomplish that.(00:01:52):And I know because I'm in there too, we actually separate ourselves from our neighbor. And so I'm hoping as we engage tough topics of politics and we get into the sticky points of it, that there's a sense that, yeah, I don't agree with that person or I agree with that person, but there is a sense that there is shared humanity. And so as we talk about these different subjects, I wanted to emphasize that first, an article was released in the fall last year saying in September of 2023 saying that there was, the school district's investigation had concluded and they had deemed that there was no racism in the North Kitsap School district. As you can imagine, a report like that on the front page of the paper, after all we'd been through after sitting through numerous hours of meetings listening to families and their experiences was disheartening.(00:02:45):We came to find out that some of the families felt or experienced what they deemed to be threatening tones from the investigators or understood that they could possibly be under penalty of perjury depending on what they answered. And I'm not saying that this was always the case, but the threat was on the table. And when you're dealing with working with majority world peoples who are marginalized in the United States, that threat can be very real. And the impact of it is very great. So I began to understand that this investigation wasn't actually looking for the truth and how to solve the problem. It was actually looking for a way of complete and utter defense against what these families had reported their students had experienced. It's a very different thing. And I think there were rumors like were these families going to sue the district, bring a lawsuit to the district?(00:03:41):And we've seen in neighboring school districts, just in recent times, lawsuits have been filed for much less. I mean, we had 90 original complaints. We have more people that had come forward as time had moved on. And yet there was never a move to actually file a lawsuit. We didn't file a lawsuit. We continued to move forward with our lives and think about our students. I think at some point in last fall of 2023, there was just a sense of deep despair like we put in years of effort. And the result was this report that basically attempted to delegitimize all the stories of all these families. It was horrible and heartbreaking and followed the fall. And in the late winter there was going to be a vote for this school bond. And as the yes for the bond campaign rolled out, led by a committee of yes folks, which included some Paul's Bowl rotary members and then the superintendent, it became clear to different community members that there were a lot of questions still to be asked, a lot of information we wanted to have and a lot of things that just felt like they were missing.(00:04:57):I'm not saying they were all missing, but there were pieces and details that appeared to be missing. And when we asked the questions similar to what happened with the complaints, we didn't get answers. The answers were couched in long paragraphs or explanations, and the architects seemed like they didn't have access to the buildings. Again, we didn't know all the details of what happened. And this is just a general recap. You can look at the ensuing political drama online. If you Google superintendent signs and polls Bowl, Washington, P-O-U-L-S-B-O Washington, you will find articles on NBC to Fox News to video clips, all of the above. There were signs all over our county, as I'm sure in your different counties or if you live in Kitsap, you've seen them political signs, vote yes on the bond, vote no on the bond, et cetera. And it appeared that signs were going missing.(00:06:02):And in one case, the signs were going missing often in one particular location and a pair of folks who are not married who became allied because they were both against the bond and had been putting up no on bond signs, decided to put up a wildlife cam and we're able to capture a person destroying the signs on video. And again, Google sbo, Google signs, Google Superintendent look for February 20, 24 articles and you'll see the ensuing reports of what happened. This became a chance for us actually to revisit our story because there's a theme of dishonesty from the top leadership. There was a theme of hiding. There's a theme of not giving all the information a theme of there's any extent we can go to that bumps up against the law. By the way, I think it's against the law to destroy political signs. So there's just this theme that you could break the law and get away with it.(00:07:08):We've seen in the top politics of our country down to the low level politics of our country. And what was our community going to do with all of this? We rallied together. For the first time in many years, there were literally hundreds of people on a zoom call for a school board meeting. News agencies showed up again, and sadly, our district was in the news for something else negative related to the top leadership. And it was very sad. The process. The superintendent was put on leave and resigned in June, but stopped working essentially closely with the school board. I think it was in March or April of 2024. I just remember that when the harm stops, when someone harmful is told by law enforcement or the law or someone else in a higher power to stop harming it, it's a relief. But also that's the time when all of the residual trauma sets in the trauma that you've been going through to be in proximity to someone in leadership and you're literally powerless to address it.(00:08:19):And I guess I bring this up to say that as we think about politics nationally, locally, whether it's a school board member or a president, I remember feeling challenged When I live in a small town, paulville was a small town. It is not like Seattle size. It's like got rural folks. There's folks that commute into the city of Seattle. We're, we're a mix of all different kinds of socioeconomic backgrounds. Our school district is now 38% Spanish speaking this year. There is a genuine mix. So when you're out and about in this small container, Kitsap's also very small too. It's rural, it's small. We're kind of contained on our own peninsula. When you're in this environment, the chances that you're going to see someone that you're know are really high, it's not like if you hate someone about, you're not going to run into Donald Trump here.(00:09:11):You're not going to run in here, run into Kamala Harris here. It's not like you're running into those folks, but you might run into your representative. You might run into the school board member from this district or another district. And how are you going to see that person that actually you not only disagree with, but you felt has been unjust to you? Costs a lot. I mean, money's one thing, but time, effort, family, reputation, allies, there is so much time involved and the way forward. You think it's clear when you're fighting on behalf of kids, you're advocating on behalf of kids. That feels really good. But the process to work through that advocacy often doesn't feel that great. You have to become allies with people you don't agree with. And so I think that just brings me back to where do we find our common humanity?(00:10:06):Where do we find space to occupy a same piece of land or a same meeting or a similar, we have similar causes, but maybe there's deep hurt between us and maybe that hurt is to the point where we're not going to ever talk to that person again, and how do we still see them as human? How do we still see them as valuable in this world? How do we still gain compassion? Those are things I ask myself and I don't have the answers. So I've included a number of folks asking a similar questions about humanness, about politics, about where they locate themselves in their various positions, their race, ethnicity, et cetera, and how do they come at this? And I hope you enjoy the following conversations because I conversations or talks from these people, commentary from these people as we hear all different perspectives. Now you may hear someone and be like, I can get down with that. I agree with that. And then there's another person you might be like, no way, no effing way. And so I encourage you to listen, stay curious with yourself and have talks with your family about how you're going to engage this political season.Speaker 2 (00:11:26):Danielle asked me how I see being human in the age of politics, and I'm struggling answering this because A, I am not a politician or have really any experience as a politician. I have experience as a community based organizer. So I am speaking on this on the outside of things. And then also I'm a white woman able bo, heterosexual woman. And the politics and the systems of power were built for me as a white person to thrive. And so I just want to locate myself in that because my view is of a privileged view. White folks can step in and out of politics without it really harming us. And that's a problem, obviously, and it distorts our view of politics.(00:12:55):But with this question, I have become more and more angry and upset with politics, policies, systems of power, the more that I unlearn and learn about my internal white supremacy culture and ways of being. And as the genocide in Palestine and other countries continue, I don't think the political structures are here for us. They're not people centered, they're not community centered. I think all politics are really about power. And so as an outsider, as not a politician and as a white woman, so those are flawed views. I'm coming from a flawed view. I see how politics change people or they make bad people even worse. I know local white folks that are in it for power and just continue on searching for more and more power. And I've witnessed community organizers join politics to really try to change the systems. But I don't think politics or the system was made to help humans. I don't think the system is for humans. And it hurts people, it divides people. I don't really know how to answer this question because I don't think politics and humanists can actually go together, not the way that they're set up now.Speaker 3 (00:15:09):These questions are so beautiful and just so right on time for this time, we're in right before an election where there's so much stress. My name is Sara Van Gelder and I am a friend of Danielle's and a resident of Kitsap County for many years have I was one of the founders of YES magazine. I also founded a group called People's Hub, which teaches community folks how to do local organizing, actually peer to peer teaching. I didn't do the teaching, but connected people together to teach each other and been associated as a ally of the Suquamish tribe at various times in my life, but I did not ever speak for them.(00:15:54):So my own humanity in the context of this political moment, I like to stay in a place of fierce love and do when I can. I can't say I'm always there. I'm often triggered. I often go into a place of feeling really fearful and anxious about what's going on in the world and more particularly the polarization and the rise of which what I don't like to call, but I think is actually a form of fascism. And when I talk about fierce, it means being willing to say the truth as I see it, but also love, which is that that is the motivator. I don't like seeing people get hurt and I'm willing to stand up and be one of the people to say what I see, but not in a way that is intended to degrade anybody. I am a mother, I'm a grandmother, I'm a daughter, I'm a sister. And being connected to people through love and that sense of willingness to protect one another, that's at the core. So even if I disagree with you, I'm not going to wish you harm.Speaker 1 (00:17:12):Wow. Wow. Even if I disagree with you, I'm not going to wish you harm. And I think what I've heard just particularly lately around the talk of immigration, let's say for an example, is the talk about immigration in the context of a particular city. For instance, they've used Springfield, Ohio over and over. It's come up many times and the demonization, the dehumanization of those immigrants, the miscategorizing of their status, it seems like some of this can get point hyper-focused on one particular example to make a political point or to drive fear home across different context, different communities. So when you think about that, do you wish those people harm that are making those accusations? How do you engage a tough subject like that?Speaker 3 (00:18:15):Yeah, it's a really hard one, and I could tell you what I aspire to do and what I actually do a lot of times is avoid people who have that level of disagreement with, because I'm not sure I have enough in common to even have a good conversation. So I don't feel like I'm as good at this as I'd like to be. But what I try to do is to first off, to recognize that when we're in the fight or flight sort of reptilian brain, when we're super triggered, we have the least capacity to do good work of any kind. So I try to get out of that mindset, and in part I do that by trying to listen, by trying to be an active listener and try to listen not just for the positions. The positions are ones that will likely trigger me, but to listen for what's beneath the positions, what is somebody yearning for?(00:19:10):What is it that they're really longing for beneath those positions that I find so harmful and so triggering. So in many cases, I think what people are looking for in this immigration debate is a sense of belonging. They want to believe that their community is a place where they belong and somehow believe that having other people who are from different cultures move in reduces the chances that they'll be able to belong. So what would it mean if they could feel like they belonged along with the Haitians in their community that it didn't have to be an either or is there a way to have that kind of conversation that what if we all belong(00:19:54):In that respect? The thing that I am sometimes most tempted to do, which is to cancel someone, if you will, that actually feeds into that dynamic of not belonging because I'm telling that person also, you don't belong in my life. You don't belong in my community. So it's not easy to do, but I do feel like we have a better chance of doing that locally than we have doing it nationally because locally we do have so many things we have in common. We all want to drink clean water, we want clean air. We want places our kids can go to school where they will belong and they will feel good. So if we can switch the conversation over to those deeper questions, and I think one thing I've learned from hanging out with indigenous folks is the way in which they think about the seven generations and how much more expansive of you that can give to you when you think that way.(00:20:54):Because instead of thinking about again, that immediate threat, that immediate personal sense of anxiety, you start thinking, well, what's going to work for my kids and my grandkids? I don't want them to be experiencing this. Well, that means something about having to learn how to get along with other people, and we want our kids to get along with each other. We want them to have friends and family, and when they marry into a different culture, we want to feel good about our in-laws. I mean, we want our neighborhood to be a place where our kids can run around and play outside. I mean, there's so many things that once you start expanding the scope to other generations, it makes it so clear that we don't want that kind of society that's full of hate and anxiety.Speaker 1 (00:21:44):Wow, seven generations. It is true. I do a lot of reading and I think about res, are you familiar with Resa and my grandmother's hands? And he talks about that the shifts we want to make in society, the shifts towards being more in our actual physical bodies and present with one another and the reps that it takes, the way we're disrupting it now to make a dent in the 400 plus year history of slavery and the act of embodying ourselves from the harm that has been done is going to take five to seven generations. It's not that he's not for change now. He absolutely is. And just having that long term, almost like marathon view perspective on what change has either for ourselves that can give ourselves grace and that we can also give others in our proximity grace, while also not engaging in active harm. I think there's an important part there. Does that make sense?Speaker 3 (00:22:51):Oh, it makes so much sense. And it's like that long-term view doesn't suggest we can put off working. It only even happens in the long term if we start today, we take the first steps today. So yes, absolutely makes sense. I'm not sure I'm patient enough to wait for all those generations, but I want to be keeping them in my mind and heart when I act. How is this going to contribute to their possibilities? So part of that is by thinking about these questions of belonging, but it's also questions of exclusion more structurally. I think the fact that our society has such deep exclusion economically of so many people, there's so many people across the board who feel so precarious in their lives. I think that sets us up for that kind of scapegoating because ideally what we'd be saying is, if you can't afford to go to college, if you can't afford a medical bill, if you can't afford a place to rent, there's a problem with our economy.(00:23:56):Let's look at that problem with our economy and do something about it. And I believe people have gotten so disempowered. So feeling that that's beyond them to do that. Then the next thing that the demagogues will do is say, well, let's look for a scapegoat then. Let's look for a scapegoat of somebody who's less powerful than you and let's blame them because that'll give you a temporary sense of having power. And that's how, I mean it's not unique to our situation. It's how fascism so often unfolds and how historically groups have been scapegoated. And I think we need to turn our attention back to what is the real cause of our anxiety. And I think the real cause of our anxiety is economic and political disfranchisement. Once we can actually tackle those topics, we can see how much more we can do when we work together across all isms and make things happen for a world in which everyone has a place.Speaker 1 (00:24:55):So then if you know people in your sphere, let's say, and don't name them here, that border on the narrative that says, if you disenfranchise someone less powerful than you, that will bring you some relief. If you have people like that in your life, Sarah, how do you approach them? How do you engage with them if you're willing to share any personal experience?Speaker 3 (00:25:28):Yeah, so my biggest personal experience with that was working as an activist alongside the Suquamish tribe when a lot of their immediate neighbors were trying to keep them from building housing, keep them from building relationships with other governments and actually took them to court trying to actually end their sovereign right to be a tribe. So that was my most direct involvement and that was 20 years ago. So it seems like ancient history, but I learned a lot from that, including from working with tribal elders who provided a lot of leadership for us and how we should work. And one of the things that I've learned from that and also from being a Quaker, is that the notion of how you talk to people in a nonviolent way, and a lot of that starts with using I statements. So when people in my neighborhood would say really disparaging things about the tribe, I would respond with, I feel this. I believe the tribe has sovereign rights. I believe they have always been here and have the right to govern themselves and build homes for their members. And it's harder, it's not as triggering when somebody says, I instead of starts with a word(00:26:58):When somebody says, you immediately have this responsive defensiveness because it's unclear what's going to come next and whether you're going to have to defend yourself when you say I, you're standing in your own power and your own belief system and you're offering that to someone else with the hope that they might empathize and perhaps even perhaps be convinced by part of what you have to say. But in the meantime, you haven't triggered a worsening of relationships. And one of the things I really didn't want to do was create anything that would further the violence, verbal most cases, violence against the tribe, sort of getting people even further triggered. So it was just really important to always be looking for ways to be very clear and uncompromising on really important values, but be willing to compromise on ones that were not important. So for example, when we were working on getting the land return to the tribe that had been a state park, we asked people what's important to you about how this park functions in the future? Because the tribe can take that into account they, but the idea that it is their land, the home of chief Seattles, that was not something we could compromise on.Speaker 1 (00:28:17):I love that using I statements intentionally checking in with yourself so you're not engaging in behaviors that trigger another person further into more defensive mode. Sarah, what are some resources or recommendations you could leave with me or us? When you think about engaging people and staying very present, it's a very human stance to say, I think I believe this versus an accusatory tone like you are this, you are that.Speaker 3 (00:28:50):I think the nonviolent communication that Marshall Rosenberg developed is very powerful. He has a very specific technique for having those kinds of conversations that are very focused on that notion about the I statement and also reflecting back what you hear from other people, but then being willing to use statements about what I need because saying that puts me in a position of being vulnerable, right? Saying I actually need something from you. You obviously have the choice of whether you're going to give it to me or not, but I need to be in a place where I can feel safe when we have these conversations. I need to feel like I live in a community where people are so then the other person has that choice, but you're letting them know and you're again standing in your own power as somebody who's self-aware enough, it also invites them to be self-aware of what they need.Speaker 1 (00:29:46):I love that. Yeah, keep going.Speaker 3 (00:29:50):I think there are other resources out there. I'm just not calling 'em to mind right now, but I think nonviolent communications is a really good one.Speaker 1 (00:29:58):And locally, since you talked locally, what are maybe one or two things locally that you regularly engage in to kind of keep up your awareness to keep yourself in a compassionate mode? How do you do that for youSpeaker 3 (00:30:16):Being out in nature? Okay,Speaker 1 (00:30:19):Tell me about that.Speaker 3 (00:30:22):Oh, in Japan, they call it forest bathing, but it's just a fancy term for being in some places it's really natural. There's beautiful walks. We're very fortunate here in the northwest that there are so many beautiful places we can walk. And when you're surrounded by preferably really intact ecosystems where you can feel the interactions going on among the critters and the plants and just let that wash over you because part of that as well, it kind of helps take some of the pressure off. It sort of releases some of us being kind of entangled in our own ego and lets us just have greater awareness that we're actually entangled in this much larger universe. It's much, much older and we'll go on way after we're gone and extends to so many different ways of being from a bird to a tree, to a plate of grass, and we're all related.Speaker 4 (00:31:33):Hey, this is Kim. So just a brief background. I am a 41-year-old biracial woman. I am a mom, a nurse, a child of an immigrant, and I identify as a Christian American. Thanks Danielle for asking me to chime in. I just wanted to touch base on this current political climate. I would say as a liberal woman, I really enjoy diversity and hearing and seeing different perspectives and engaging in meaningful conversation. Unfortunately, I feel like right now we are so polarized as a country and it's not like the air quote, good old days where you could vote for a politician that you felt like really represented your ideals and kind of financially what you value, policies, et cetera. Now I feel like it has become really a competition and an election of human rights, and I think for me, that's kind of where I draw my own personal boundary.(00:32:40):I think it's important to share different perspectives, and I think I do have a unique perspective and I enjoy hearing others' perspectives as well, but for me, I do draw the line at human rights. So I have learned over the years to just not engage when it comes to issues of individuals being able to choose what to do with their body, women in particular, it's terrifying to me as a nurse and a woman and a mother of a daughter who could potentially be in a situation at some point and not be allowed to make choices about her own body with a doctor. Also as the child of an immigrant, I was raised by a white mother, Irish German Catholic, and my father is an immigrant that has been here since 19 76, 77. He is from Trinidad and Tobago. He's actually served in the military and I have a hard time with vilifying people of color trying to come to this country and make a better life for themselves and for their future and their future generations, which is exactly what my dad was doing. So to me, it's a no-brainer, right? Not to tell anybody what to do or how to vote, but I think that it's really hard right now to hold space for individuals who may be attacking my rights as a woman, my ability as a nurse to be able to care for patients and really what this country was supposedly built on, which is being a melting pot and allowing any and everyone here to be able to pursue the American dream and make a life for themselves and their loved ones.Speaker 5 (00:34:34):As soon as the topic turns to politics, I feel myself cringe, and then I want to internally retreat a bit. Looking back over the past eight plus years, I realize I have been feeling like this for a long time. My body holds memories of heated, uncomfortable confrontive distancing and sometimes horrifying conversations with friends and at times, even with family, I'm tired as most people tired from the collective traumas. We have all lived through political, racial, and pandemic related. Eight years ago, I think I worked to try and remain objective. I told myself that my job was just to hear the other person with curiosity, but doing that was not enough to help me stay well in the midst of what I truly could not then and cannot still control. I've come to realize that I have to stay connected to my own feelings, to my own limitations.(00:35:37):I have to make space to feel my disappointment, my disgust, my fear, my sadness, my powerlessness, my ache, even my longing still when it comes to the realm of politics, I have to make room for my own humanity and then I have to be willing to share that, not simply be a listening ear for others. What's been most difficult for me as politics has driven division and disconnection is the loss of healthy dialogue and conversation. It feels to me like relational loss is there where it doesn't seem like it always has to be. I am passionate about the table, about creating and cultivating space at a table for all the voices and for all of the stories to belong. I still believe in this, and when I'm connected to my own humanity, it makes me far more open to the humanity of another, knowing my own stories that are being stirred up and activated by injustice, by what I perceive to be irresponsible politicians and policies that don't make sense to me and at times scare me when I'm in the presence of those who hold very different political views from me.(00:37:02):I have to actively choose to not just tolerate listening to them, but instead to try and listen for something more. I try to listen for the fear that often fuels their positions. The fear is always storied and the stories offer taste of their humanity and oftentimes their experience of suffering, which always offers the opportunity for empathy. I can't do it all the time. Some situations don't afford the time for curiosity and sharing. When that happens, I need space afterwards, space to release what I don't need or want to hold that I heard space to feel my own humanity again, and then space to choose to remember the humanity of the other person, and that is all an active practice. I think that othering people into political camps and categories is easily available and every time it happens, we lose more and more of our collective humanity and we feed the machine of hate that profits from our conversational and emotional laziness.Speaker 6 (00:38:11):I can't say it's always easy, that's for sure. What I try to do is see another person, whether it's around the political views or other things that I may not agree with somebody about or I might even actually see them as a quote enemy, is for one thing, I drop into my heart and get out of my head about ideas, views, and just try to be present in my heart as much as possible with as little judgment as possible and recognize the essence of the other person, the essence that's inside all the beliefs and the views, and recognizing also that we all have some sort of wounding from our lives, maybe our lineages, our generations, maybe even past lives and or trauma, and that that can obscure the essence of who we are, and I try to really remember that essence in another person.(00:39:34):And in relation, how do you see your own humanity? The other question you ask, how do you see your own humanity in the context of political dialogue? I have to say that's not really a question I thought about. I thought about how to see the humanity in others, so I really appreciate this question. I think if I start othering the other, if I get into too much judgment, I feel like I lose my own sense of humanity or at least the type of human I hope and wish to be. What helps me to I guess, discern when I'm in my own humanity, when I'm in the best of places, I guess I don't know how else to word that is I tune into my values. What do I value most and am I living by those values in the way that I want to be human In this world, for example, for me, integrity is super important as well as respect and compassion.(00:40:44):I'm not saying I'm always in this place, but these values that I aspire to live by help bring me into my own humanity and almost like check, checking in, tuning in checkpoints in a way, when I speak about compassion, sometimes people, all of what I'm saying, I want to, even though I'm maybe trying to see the essence of someone, I do try to discern that if there's being harm done, I'm not okaying any harm at all. And when I try to live by compassion, I feel like that's when I can really see the humanity in others and compassion for myself. I view compassion as a very active verb, a little bit different than empathy. Just that compassion is seeing the suffering, but wanting to do something about it and doing something for me. Compassion includes action, and sometimes that action is helping to disrupt or interrupt harm that's happening, and that's how I can show up in my humanity for others is the best I can do is acting as well as being that balance both, andSpeaker 7 (00:42:23):I'm Diana, she her and I didn't use to see myself in politics the way that I do now. It took decades for me to really start to get a grasp about who I actually am and how the ways I view politics, the ways I vote, who I support, how it actually affects me, and I spent a lot of years voting for things that hurt me without even realizing I was doing that because I was following the messaging and believing it. Ultimately that being a good fill in the blanks meant voting for fill in the blanks or being a good fill in the blanks meant donating to or supporting or whatever, fill in the blanks. And I hurt myself by doing that because I wasn't listening to my own knowing or my own intuition or looking in the mirror at who am I? What kind of world do I want to live in? I didn't ask myself those questions. I did what I thought I was supposed to do to fall in line, and there were people in my life during that who spoke truth, and it was true because it was individual to them. It was, here's what I know about me and here's what this policy means for me. And I didn't get it. I certainly didn't get it.(00:44:09):I judged it inside my own head, and yet those people who spoke their own individual truth are the people who were able to shed light through the cracks in my facade. And years later, I remember some of the things that people said or that they posted or whatever because those were the light that I saw through the cracks and it was so memorable, even though at the time I might have been irritated by it, it was memorable because I loved and respected these people and so their words didn't matter to me, even though at the time I very much disagreed and I hope that I will be allowed to be the light in some people's cracks because I know for a fact there's so many people like me who haven't actually looked at who they are, what they want, what kind of world do they want to live in if they separate themselves from the ideology of where they work or where they go to church or their family of origin or what their spouse is telling them, no honey, who are you? What do you want? And when people can be brave enough to do that, its everything up.Speaker 8 (00:45:46):My name is Marwan Cameron, and I was asked to answer a couple questions here, and the first question was, how do you see your own humanity in the context of political dialogue? And I had to think about this question. Our humanity is front and center when we talk about politics primarily because the issues that affect us, meaning the black community are often sidelined or ignored. I'll share some examples of that. Democrats and Republicans both speak about healthcare, the economy crime, but when they have centered those conversations around the realities they face, when do you actually see that take reparations. For example, we hear a lot about tax cuts or healthcare reform, but nothing about reparations for chattel slavery, for foundational black Americans which are owed to black people for centuries of exploitation. You can even look at our prison system where men are going to prison without HIV and very low percentages and then coming out several times higher when they are released from jail and prison, and I'll get into some of those stats. Also.(00:47:15):When we look at black men that are falsely accused of sexual assault, unfortunately we go back to Emmett Till and we never really talk about the contemporary men. I have a list of a hundred black men that have been falsely accused in the last five years alone. Albert Owens 2023, Christian Cooper, 2020, Joshua Wood, Maurice Hastings, Jonathan Irons, 2000, Anthony Broadwater, 2021, Mark Allen, 2022, Franklin, west 2020, Michael Robertson, Shaw, Taylor, Dion, Pearson 2021, Stanley Race 2019 Rashan Weaver 2020. Henry Lee McCollum, 2020. David Johnson, Jamel Jackson, Charles Franklin, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Corey Wise, you, Celine, Aron McCray, Brian Banks, which is a pretty famous name, Wilbert Jones. That's just 20 names in the last five years of a list of a hundred that I have that have been falsely accused of sexual assault, these aren't things that we talk about. Question two, how do you make space for folks in your proximity who did not share your political views as a heterosexual black male in this country, you really have no choice but to make space for others' Political views as in question number one, we are really only allowed to speak about injustices or political needs in the framework of the black community as a whole.(00:49:25):Matter what side you find yourself on, whether you're a Republican, we're oftentimes they straight up say, we're not acknowledging what your needs are. We're not going to do anything about your needs. You can come over here and vote with us if you want. As Trump said, what have you got to lose? What have Democrats done for you? Or you can look at the democratic side where in the last three elections, it's been existential against Donald Trump. And when Donald Trump won and then lost and is running again, we still haven't seen things like the repeal of qualified immunity, things like atoning for the most heinous crimes that the United States has committed in chattel slavery against black men. I've made space. We have made space as black men in regards to those who do not share our political views. Black men have fought in every war for the United States of America. We have stood up, stood behind, been sacrificed for the good of almost every cause, and we're told not yet. It's not the right time. We too need, have needs, and it becomes a zero sum game.Speaker 9 (00:51:19):Growing up, we had Sunday dinners at my grandparents. Conversation was always lively with my family, talking loudly, fast, and often right over each other. We talked about everything, what was happening around us, our community, what was in the paper and on the news that evening. We didn't always agree. In fact, I think my grandparents debated opposite sides. Just for fun, I fondly remember my grandmother saying, your grandpa and I are canceling each other's votes at the polls. They would both smile and sometimes laugh. Considering my upbringing, I was surprised to hear my instructor at cosmetology school lay down the law. Politics and religion were never to be discussed, not in school, and certainly not if we wanted to be successful professionally. I learned to smile and nod. I strive to find common ground with the opinion of guests. I was raised not to look for any offense with ideas that contrasted my own.(00:52:16):It takes both a left and a right wing to make the eagle fly and what a boring world this would be in if we all agreed. But then Trump happened up until he achieved power. Generally speaking, whether the law or policy was written by conservatives, liberals, moderates, there was a basis of bettering the American way of life. To be clear, this wasn't always the advancement of protection we agreed with, but we could see the logic of it. For the most part, Trump's leadership consists of a hatred for people who are not like him. Early on in his campaign, he told Americans to police their neighbors if they were of a specific religion he has built upon dehumanization and vilification every day sense. My mother lived in Germany for a few years and a town not far from Dau. It was the early 1960s and not yet recovered from World War ii.(00:53:21):This quaint little town overlooks the Bavarian Alps with architects right out of a storybook and a stunning view of Munich. It was evidence that the residents of this charming quiet village were aware that 800,000 people came in and no one left. History books paint the picture that everyone was scared of speaking up for fear they would be next. But with critical thinking, we know many of those approved. They've been listening to the nonsense of their leaders, their beliefs that Jews, the disabled homosexuals, immigrants were a burden on the healthcare system, education system, taking their German jobs, businesses, and homes. They were demonized so strongly, so powerfully. They were no longer human, no longer their neighbors, doctors, teachers, bakers seamstresses their talents, their skills and their very humanity no longer existed. We know this to be true, but what we don't talk about is the slope that good people slid down that enabled this to take place in the coffee shops, birthday parties, sitting with friends, playing cards, Sunday family dinners, these words came up.(00:54:43):Hitler's rhetoric spread and thoughtful kind people did not correct their friends, family, guests and clients. There were Nazis and sympathizers, but there were good people that saw through Hitler's dumpster fire of lies. These are the people I wonder if they ever slept well again. Could they ever look at themselves with honor and integrity? Trump proudly uses this method. He has people willing to do his bidding. He has sympathizers, but what he doesn't have is my silence, my obedience. My voice is the born power. I have to stand strong and correct the lies he tells and the people in my circle repeat. I will lose clients and friends taking this action, and that's a price I'm willing to pay, but I'm not willing to live out the rest of my days knowing that I didn't do everything in my power to stop in.Speaker 10 (00:55:49):How do you make space for folks in your proximity who don't share your political views? I am lucky that I live next to my parents and that my mother-in-law lives in a small home on our property. For years, there was a constant strife between my parents, myself, husband, and my mother-in-law due to political and religious beliefs, uncomfortable dinners, having to watch what you say, an aura of judgment that would seem to permeate family gatherings. They were quite the norm. And each time that they would leave, I would feel a sense of relief. Sometimes someone would decide not to come or just tell us that they needed a break. This would create less tension, but I worry that someone would feel left out or that they would feel judged if they weren't present. And actually that would happen more often or not, especially in my time of anger before and during Covid.(00:56:40):As mentioned before, when I decided that I needed to focus on my own sense of happiness and live up to my values and beliefs, I decided that my home would become a politics, religion free zone. I wanted my home to be a safe for everyone. And this was a tough transition. And what was most difficult was creating boundaries for our parents, having the hard conversations about why we're asking people to withhold their opinions on politics and religion and to focus on grandkids sports and family celebrations, et cetera. For the first few months, I was constantly reminding everyone of the rule, but eventually we all seemed to settle in and even catch ourselves when we deviated from how sex expectations, dinners and events became more pleasant. And when our guests would leave, I didn't have to decompress or worry about how to fix an issue or soothe someone's feelings.(00:57:27):This one simple step has been a game changer, and it's not always perfect, and sometimes people will slip up, but instead of taking on the issue, we will move the conversation to another topic. Some would say that we need to talk about the issues and debate their merits so that we can grow and come together. But no, after finding my purpose, I don't believe that being right is more important than someone else's feelings. I want everyone who sits at my table and breaks spread with me to feel loved and valued. It's not perfect because we're human, but we're trying one dinner at a timeSpeaker 11 (00:58:03):To how do I hold my own humanity? In the context of political dialogue, one of the first things that comes to mind for me is, at least in political conversations, what defines my humanity? When I think about politics, much of our politics is really about power and privilege, of which I happen to have both. And so when I'm thinking about politics, I'm thinking about my social location as a able-bodied, middle class, heterosexual Christian White woman, I carry privilege in almost every aspect of that identity, at least here in the United States. And so when I'm thinking about humanity and political dialogue, our political system has historically always been and continues to be set up to serve people with my type of humanity very well. The thing that I'm constantly trying to keep in my mind is what about the humanity of my brothers and sisters experiencing oppression, marginalization when it comes to my voice and my vote in political situations, I have over the years had to learn to think less about how can I use my vote and my voice to engage in politics in a way that benefits me because I'm already benefiting from our system.(00:59:42):Our system is set up to benefit people like me who carry great levels of social privilege. What I really want to know as I'm trying to use my voice and my vote wisely now, is how do I leverage both of those things, my voice, my vote, as well as my power and privilege to engage in political dialogue in ways that fix broken systems. So I am oftentimes not actually voting or advocating for the things that would benefit me the most or necessarily align perfectly with my theological or political ideals. I'm looking at where are the most broken places in our system? Where is our government currently oppressing individuals the most? And how can my vote and my voice be used to leverage our politics in such a way that those broken systems begin to get fixed and healed over time so that those whose humanity looks different than mine are receiving the same amount of privilege of assistance of power that they should be.(01:00:57):And when it comes to dealing with those that I'm in proximity with who have very different political ideologies than myself, of which I will say in my current context, there are quite a few. I am constantly having to remind myself to focus on core values, values over stances that our conversations and our engagement with one another centers not so much around opinions about specific political stances or issues as much as the core values that we share. If my core value is for equality and equity, if my core value is that we're caring for the poor and the marginalized, then regardless of what stances I might have on certain issues, my voice and my vote represents those core values. And I've found that even when certain stances might be different, when we dig into the core values that are at the root of our decision-making, there's oftentimes a lot more common ground than I ever expect there to be.Speaker 12 (01:02:06):This recording is for the fabulous Danielle Castillo. I think what I am seeing right now as I think about how to welcome people's humanity and politics are a few key things that are both shocking and I would say disappointing in a day and age where we seem to want to tolerate people not being locked into binary spaces, we have relegated differences and opinion and viewpoints into a bipartisan politic. And what that does is that means that there are people who are in and who are out. And we've had to embrace things that we both love and hate if we ascribe to any one of those bipartisan objectives. And so we've had to in some ways, in our own humanity, violate pieces of ourselves to say, well, I align this part one way, but even though I categorically reject their views on this another way. And then regardless of whatever spectrum you're on inside of that political continuum, and it's hard because at that point, if we say in a lot of other spaces that there's space for nuance and there's space for gray, then why here do we land in those spaces?(01:03:16):And so that would be the first that it is an either or, and we seem to be comfortable, most comfortable that way. And then to demonize and villainize somebody who's in the either or space, instead of allowing for the gray, you're either all for me or all against me, and you can't live somewhere in the middle. The second thing that would be shocking and disappointing for me is the way that we've been able to start arranging the things that we can tolerate. And so I can say, well, I love this candidate because I love these three things and I agree with them and I hate these four things, but they're not that bad. And you love this candidate, you love the other candidate for these three things, but you hate them for those four things. And the fact that you don't hate 'em enough over those four things means that you're a terrible person.(01:04:02):And I find that just so interesting and so sad that we've been able to say, well, the four things I can stomach that I don't like are somehow more or less worse than the four things you feel like you could tolerate or not tolerate. And so my list of sins or offenses that are easily navigable, somehow I get to become the moral compass over what should be enough or not enough to disqualify somebody for public service. I think at the end of the day, what makes us hard is that we see people in the middle as somehow exhibiting some sort of cowardice. And I think we're pushing people to violate their own humanity and say, as my experience changes and as the neighborhood changes and the people around me change, and my own philosophy changes that I can't stand in a faithful middle and say, well, I agree with some of this, but I don't agree with some of that.(01:04:54):And we've called those people cowards instead of principled moderates, and we've shamed them into saying, well, you have to choose something. And I think that is so unkind. And I think really at the end of the day, we are asking people to violate their own humanity and their own understanding of who they are and their own sense of who they are as a person by saying that they have to agree one way if they want to be a human or be a woman or be a person of color or be a person of faith. And I think it's both sides. I think every side is complicit. At the end of the day, what is really hard is that I think most people want to vote for the person that is going to lead well, and they want that person to be a good person. They want them to be an upright person.(01:05:37):They want them to be an authentic person, the same person behind closed doors as they are in the public face. And I would say, I don't think that's most people who choose politicking as a vocation, I believe that so much of their job is diplomacy and having to be a lot of faces in a lot of places. And so asking for that kind of authenticity and consistency in a social media world is almost asking the impossible. I don't think it totally is impossible, but I think it's exceptionally hard. Many of the things that we want to ascribe to one individual and how they uphold or represent their own party are carefully crafted narratives by a team of people who are professional politicians and marketers, and to ask them to give you an authentic person, their job is to not give you an authentic person. Their job is to give you an avatar that you feel you can most connect with so you can make the decision they want you to make.(01:06:33):And that is really for me, the reality of what we're up against right now is that we want to say we're voting for ideologies, and in reality we're voting for a carefully crafted narrative that is crafted by people who want you to believe a particular way. And I know that feels kind of negative, and that makes me so sad to even voice that out loud and to vocalize that out loud. But I would say that I hope in some way that we experience real freedom and real understanding of what it means to be a global citizen and to be a citizen of this country, is that we understand that. And the complexity of who I am as a person and how I interact with other people and how they understand their own complexity and their own humanity means that I can believe a lot of things that belong in a lot of different camps.(01:07:19):And that's okay. That's what honestly, being intrinsically American means, but also just to understand our own humanity in the global context is there are things that I will feel one way about and they squarely belong in one camp, but there are other things I believe that belong in another camp. And both of those things can be true for me without somebody demanding that I carry some sort of alliance or allegiance to one person. I think that's so gross and so foul at the end of the day. I think what makes America so interesting and so fascinating, but I also think so beautiful and so compelling and so desiring for people who are coming into our borders, is that there is this understanding that I can stand squarely as an individual person and be able to express myself as who I am as an individual and also belong to a collective that makes space for that.(01:08:14):And that is intrinsically what it means to be America. I'm free to be us, but I'm also free to be me. And so I think politics pushes us into a narrative that is against intrinsically who we say we are, and that really is the basis of freedom. And so that's what I would feel about that. Now, this is an added bonus, and I know you didn't ask for this, Danielle, but I'm going to give it to you anyways because I firmly believe this. I think it is more dehumanizing, and I think it is so incredibly sad that we don't allow for people to be principled moderates. That we are sanctifying the ability to castrate people's ability to be able to stand in the middle. And we vilify them as being weak or vilify them as being cowards because their understanding of what is actually evil is.(01:09:09):It's a broad spectrum. And to say that there is good everywhere, it is true to say there is evil everywhere is true. And how people interface with both of those things is true. And so I hate that we have become okay at using our theology and using our social media platforms and using our politicking as throwing stones for people who say, I want to hold a faithful middle. And that faithful middle means that I can believe a multitude of things and that I stand in the own gray and the nuance of who I am and how I understand my neighbors and what that looks like. And we know that some of those people are standing with compassion and with courage. And to call those people cowards, I think is the most ignorant, I'm trying to find the kindest way to say this, right? So I think it is just absolutely ignorant.(01:10:00):And then we've used quotes out of context and scriptures out of context to tell those people that somehow they're bad and evil people. And it's just not true that they're honestly sometimes the bridge builders and the unifier in places where they are trying to be peacemakers and they're trying to be people of peace. They're trying to be people of belonging and welcome. And so they're holding a faithful middle to say, my heart is going to take enough of a beating where people may misunderstand me, but I'm going to make it big enough and available enough where everybody can come sit under my tent. And I think that's brave work. I think that is courageous work, and I think that is humbling work that we could learn more from instead of castigating really more than anything else. So those are my 2 cents, honestly, more than anything else.(01:10:51):The last 2 cents I could probably give you that I think is so shameful is I am tired of any political party that tells me that they are doing more for working class Americans or doing more for poor people, and yet they're spending 2 billion to fly somebody around and send me junk mail to my home. I would much rather you stop buying ad space and then you actually go and serve the poor and somebody takes a picture of you doing that on accident. And I actually get to see that and go, oh my gosh, they're actually serving the poor. Do not tell me you're serving the poor or serving working class Americans and you haven't talked to one or seen one in a very long time. And my God, you have not lived in our shoes. You have not lived on our pay scales. You have not come in and volunteered regularly, and you only show up when there's a camera crew doing that.(01:11:34):That is so gross to me, and I hate that you send me mail about it and spend 2 billion fundraising for things like that. And yet that money could go to the poor and that money could go to programs. If there's one thing that makes me want to soapbox so bad, it is that more than anything else, I don't want to hear what your fundraising dollars have done to actually help your campaign. And that thing becomes a total waste when you lose. And that money doesn't go into the pockets of people. That money goes into the pockets of advertisers and radio stations and TV stations and social media influencers and all sorts of nonsense and actually doesn't go into the pockets and the hands of people who are feeding the poor that is garbage. So I feel very strongly about that, but I dunno if this is what you need, but that's how I make space. I make space for people who live at Principled Middle because I think blessed are the peacemakers and I want them to feel safe with me.Speaker 13 (01:12:26):Good morning. My name is Luis Cast. How do I see my own humanity in this political context? Well, it's simple as that. I'm a human being. I'm not a pawn or a little peace on a game. I'm a human being born and raised in Mexico, but I live here in the United States over half of my life now, and I'm a human being. And no matter what the promises they give me or what they're going to do in government, I'm still just a human being that wants the best for me and my family. And that's what they need to address the human being in us regarding not regarding color or race or where they come from. Treat us a as human beings. And the other question, how do I make space for folks who do not share my political view?(01:13:46):Well, again, it's just simple. I was taught that love whoever disagree with you or even your enemy. But to be honest, that's the hardest thing to do. People that don't agree with you or you don't agree with them, and sometimes they even hurt you. But I try to do my best, honestly, just to listen and sometimes put myself in their shoes because everybody has been brought up differently in families, cultures, regions of the country from the south, from New England, they call in the west in California. So we all have different views. So I just don't have an ear and sometimes an opinion, but mostly an ear so they can really listen to what they, I believe, where they come from, where they come from. So that is what I try to do. No, perfect, but that's what I try to do.Speaker 14 (01:14:59):Hi, my name is Claire. I am a white, cisgender, heterosexual woman. I live in Paulsboro, Washington. So the first question is how do I see my humanity in the context of this current political moment? And I'd start off by saying I come from a pretty privileged place, like my own personal humanity isn't very threatened just because I'm white, I'm straight, and yeah, my own family background. I have a lot of support and I'm not ever threatened with becoming homeless or something if I can't pay my bills. But still things are really scary for so many people right now. So I definitely feel that all the time. And I would say that it's just a really disheartening time. A lot of the, I mean, pretty much all politicians, I'd say are very untrustworthy at a local and national level. And I think we're all seeing that, especially in the context of what's happening in Gaza.(01:16:26):For the last over a year now, all these politicians that felt like they were progressive and would speak out when heinous things happened, most of them have gone silent or completely denied what's happening in Gaza, or just said really brief empty words, always proceeded by talking about Israeli hostages. So yeah, it's been terrifying because we realize the extent of politicians care for the general public and for the global wellbeing of humanity. And it only stretches so far because first and foremost, they're concerned about their own and standing in the political world because we've seen a lot of people lose their reelections for standing up for Palestinians.(01:17:38):And I think what's really disheartening is seeing it at a local level. In some ways, we expect national politicians to be pretty sleazy and skirt around really big, terrible, important issues. But seeing it at a local level has been really terrifying because I mean, they said it was then a couple decades ago, like 30, 40 years ago, there's more crises going on. And that really, for me, I've always thought, well, this is how it's always been. There's just the media reports on more stuff. We have social media, we can't hide a lot of things. So I don't know if that's true or not, but I mean, it probably is. We're in a time of climate crisis too, so it makes sense that things are just, they're not slowing down.(01:18:49):I don't know where I was going with that, but yeah, I guess I would just say humanity. It feels threatened on so many levels for my queer friends, for my friends of color, for any women or female identifying people just on so many levels, it just feels like our rights are being threatened and everything feels tenuous. If Trump wins, what the hell is going to happen to this country? And if Kamala wins, what the hell is going to change? I don't believe in politicians. They're not going to save us. That's how it feels. We have to save each other that are diehard Trumpers or something. I'd say all those people are my relatives that live in Wisconsin or a couple of coworkers, and we don't talk about politics, but on a deeper level, I try to remember that it's hard, right? Because hard, it's hard not to hate people for what they believe. I guess that's a horrible thing to say, isn't it? But I see the consequences of people who vote for Trump and put him in office the first time, their direct consequences because they voted for Trump and because of their beliefs and because of what they repost online. That just has bred so much hatred, and it's led to people being terrified for their lives and people losing their lives. There's so much propaganda being shoved down people's throats, the people that have Fox News plane 24 7.(01:21:06):I don't know the last time I watched Fox News, but I've overheard it. That stuff is crazy. They're being fed lie after lie after lie. So yeah, it's like people are also a product of their culture and it's hard to fight against your culture. So I try to give people some grace with that, but I also don't know how they can't see their own beliefs as harmful and full of hatred. I really don't understand. So yeah, it's hard. It's hard to remember people's humanity, but I have obviously my own blind spots and my own ways that I'm super ignorant and willfully ignorant in the things I look away from and the things like I'm resistant to learning because it's inconvenient or uncomfortable for me. So I try to hold that space for people too, because we're all learning. Yeah, it's a process of trying to remember people's humanity. And I think, yeah, but it just feels like when people support someone that spews so much hatred, it's really hard not to pin that blame on them as well, because they're also at fault for putting people like that in power. So I don't know. Yeah, it's a tough one.Speaker 15 (01:22:55):I feel like as somebody with various subordinated identities, whether that's being queer, being Latina, having a disability, being a woman, all of those things are increasingly politicized. And so for me, I find that political discourse specifically is often really dehumanizing and even performative on the other end of the spectrum. So our two major parties, Republican and Democrat with Republican, it's we well known that those political parties as they exist currently are working to strip away rights from people in all of those identity and affinity groups. While the Democrats, which I won't even say left, because current Democrats are right of center, when you look at a global pe

The co-German and American film CUCKOO arrived to theaters in August of 2024. Neon, the film company that has been releasing some fairly interesting films, got it a general release. Small as it is, the film received a bit of buzz from genre fans. But what is the film about? Is it a monster film? A film about cryptozoology? Demons? Aliens? Whatever it is, many reviewers wondered as much as the audiences did.Synopsis: 17-year-old Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) moves to a resort in the Bavarian Alps with her father, stepmother, and mute half-sister. The resort is managed by the enigmatic Herr König (Dan Stevens). As Gretchen starts working at the resort's front desk, she encounters strange and unsettling occurrences that may put her life in danger.The film is written and directed by German filmmaker Tilman Singer. It stars Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwirk, Marton Csoskas, Jan Bluthardt, and Greta Fernandez. Before its theatrical release, it played at the Berlin International Film Festival, South By Southwest, and Fantasia. Your co-hosts take a look at this odd film and give their thoughts.

If I had a nickel for every horror movie starring a main cast member of Euphoria released this year, I'd have three nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it's happened thrice. This episode we talk about Cuckoo a new limited release horror movie out now in theaters written and directed by Tilman Singer. Stay tuned whores Synopsis This movie is about an American girl dragged along to a resort in the Bavarian Alps. Something seems off about the way that random guests barf all the time, and how time loops back on itself for some reason. I mean, it could drive a person Cuckoo! Review of Cuckoo This one has a lot going on in it, and in the best of ways feels like an X-files episode. It's hard to guess where it's going. It was really twisty turny. I mean they usually do twisty turny, but this one is REALLY twisty turny.  Hunter Schafer plays the protagonist Gretchen, the moody teen overcoming a recent tragedy, and she does really well in this. Her performance is helped with some of the most convincing bruise and cut makeup as she is pretty beat up through the majority of the film The scares are few, but the tension is high. Singer does a good job at maintaining the feeling of being trapped in various ways. First as being a teen dragged along with the family, then as a patient in a hospital, then as a prisoner almost of the resort. Dan Stevens also is great as the smarmy resort owner bad guy. It is engaging throughout, but starts to get a little sketchy towards the end where it feels like it has to wedge in all the necessary exposition. I'm still confused about why some stuff happened at the end and felt like there were still some loose ends with explaining the “Cuckoo”, but overall it felt satisfying. Score 8/10

CUCKOO MOVIE REVIEW Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) is a grieving teen who can't really deal with the death of her mother. Being not quite 18, she reluctantly moves with her father (Marton Csokas), stepmother (Jessica Henwick) and mysteriously mute little half-sister Alma (Mila Lieu) to a quaint resort town in the Bavarian Alps. Her father is… Read More »Highly Suspect Reviews: Cuckoo

CUCKOO MOVIE REVIEW Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) is a grieving teen who can't really deal with the death of her mother. Being not quite 18, she reluctantly moves with her father (Marton Csokas), stepmother (Jessica Henwick) and mysteriously mute little half-sister Alma (Mila Lieu) to a quaint resort town in the Bavarian Alps. Her father is… Read More »Highly Suspect Reviews: Cuckoo

We're back! And we've got one of those accidental theme episodes, with characters who are stuck in unpleasant situations and are desperate to break free. First, we catch up with "Trap," the latest M. Night Shyamalan thriller. We both agree that Josh Hartnett gives a terrific, multilayered performance -- and that the movie loses all the tension it's built once it leaves the arena concert setting. The movie has been in theaters for a few days, but we still tried to offer our thoughts without spoilers. On the other end of the spectrum (and the globe), it's "Cuckoo," starring Hunter Schafer as a young woman trapped at a resort in the Bavarian Alps with her father, his new family, and a deliciously menacing Dan Stevens. We love when he shows off his fluent German. "Cuckoo" will be in theaters starting this Friday. And we did a LIVE spoiler chat about "Deadpool & Wolverine" over at our YouTube channel. This was a lot of fun, and we're thankful to our folks for waiting for us to get back in town from our travels. Come on back for more on Friday -- we look forward to seeing you then. Subscribe to Christy's Saturday Matinee newsletter: https://christylemire.beehiiv.com/    

Many years ago, I interviewed the legendary cold and breathwork guru Wim Hof (you can find those two episodes here and here). Now, I'm thrilled to announce an opportunity to join me for an unforgettable Wim Hof Method adventure this December 11th–15th in the stunning mountains of Germany. Imagine diving deep into breathwork, cold exposure, mindset training, emotional healing, sweat lodge ceremonies, and much more while surrounded by nature's beauty. Joining me at the immersive Wim Hof retreat isn't just a four-day getaway in the majestic Bavarian Alps — it's a transformative experience you'll cherish for the rest of your life. For more details, you can click here an watch a video about the retreat here (and keep reading to get a taste of what's to come in today's podcast with Michael Nuss and Maximilian Freiler, the hosts of Wim Hof Method Retreats in Germany, Austria, and Poland). Michael Nuss is the author of the soon-to-be-released book, Alive: The Real Power of Ice Bathing. He discovered the life-changing power of the Wim Hof Method when grappling with depression and addiction. Using the power of ice, breathwork, and a newly formed mindset, he broke free from his old patterns, trained with Wim Hof, and is now one of the most active Wim Hof instructors in Europe, hosting around 20 retreats each year. After experiencing a life-altering transformation through the Wim Hof Method, Maximilian Freiler also became one of the leading Wim Hof instructors in Europe. Shifting from a career in investment banking to a path of personal and spiritual development, his journey included training with the Austrian special forces, studying finance and behavioral psychology, and learning in person with people like Laird Hamilton, Ido Portal, and Wim Hof. In this episode, Michael, Maximilian, and I will explore the scientific links between breathwork, CO2 tolerance, and enhanced cardiovascular function. You'll also get to delve into the remarkable benefits of cold therapy and hear personal narratives ranging from rigorous physical activities to ancient Native American rituals like the Sundance sweat lodge, revealing the profound impact of these practices on consciousness and connection. Michael and Maximilian will also discuss what you can expect at our upcoming retreat which blends ancient traditions with modern techniques to create a transformative experience. Watch a video about the retreat here.  Full Show Notes: https://bengreenfieldlife.com/wimhofpodcast Episode Sponsors: UltraLux Health: Go to ultraluxhealth.com and use code BENGREENFIELD20 for 20% off. ProLon: Right now, you can save 15% on your order when you go to ProLonLife.com/GREENFIELD. Clearlight Sauna: Go to HealwithHeat.com and use code: BEN for a discount and free shipping. TUSHY: Get 10% off TUSHY with the code BENGREENFIELD at hellotushy.com/BENGREENFIELD. Our Place: Go to fromourplace.com and enter my code BEN at checkout to receive 10% off sitewide.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Germany is a wonderful and diverse country.And I finally made a trip there!Focusing on 2 areas that intrigued me — the Black Forest and Bavaria — I got a nice taste of what these 2 regions of Germany are like.So in this episode I'm going to give you an overview of these destinations — where to go and what there is to do.And I'll offer up my thoughts and some tips for visiting the Black Forest and Bavaria.Want to chat more about these destinations?Send me an email at Lynne@WanderYourWay.comIn this episode:1:49: Intro3:15: Placing the Black Forest on the map4:53: Destinations in the Black Forest / Baiersbronn  11:08: Freudenstadt 16:16: Placing Bavaria on the map16:36: Destinations in the Bavarian Alps / Krün24:36: Zugsptitze & Herzogstandbahn26:30: Walchensee27:51: Linderhof Castle30:05: Munich32:49: Wrapping it upImportant links:Black ForestBaiersbronnFreudenstadtBavaria TravelWalchenseeZugspitzeHerzogstandbahnGasthof Schöttlkarspitz KrünAlpentraum (where we stayed in Krün)MunichVisiting Neuschwanstein & Hohenschwangau Castles • GermanyWander Your Way AdventuresSupport the Show.Thanks to Callisa Mickle who edits the audio.Follow Wander Your Way:InstagramFacebookPinterest

-The Locus Award shortlist is out. The fantasies are:* To Shape a Dragon's Breath, Moniquill Blackgoose (Del Rey)* The Keeper's Six, Kate Elliott (Tordotcom)* Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Heather Fawcett (Del Rey; Orbit UK)* Dead Country, Max Gladstone (Tordotcom)* The Water Outlaws, S.L. Huang (Tordotcom; Solaris UK)* Paladin's Faith, T. Kingfisher (Argyll)* He Who Drowned the World, Shelley Parker-Chan (Tor; Mantle)* My Brother's Keeper, Tim Powers (Baen; Ad Astra)* City of Last Chances, Adrian Tchaikovsky (Ad Astra)* Witch King, Martha Wells (Tordotcom)The YA fantasies are:* The Sinister Booksellers of Bath, Garth Nix (Tegen; Gollancz)* Divine Rivals, Rebecca Ross (Wednesday; Magpie UK)* The Siren, the Song, and the Spy, Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Candlewick)-The Bookseller has announced the winners of the 2024 British Book Awards, also known as The Nibbies. Here once again we see the trending dominance of Romantasy and in particular Rebecca Yarros. The fantasies that came up were:* Iron Flame, Rebecca Yarros (Piaktus)* Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros (Piatkus) [winner in Page Turner category]* Impossible Creatures, Katherine Rundell (Bloomsbury Children's) [winner in Children's fiction category]* Powerless, Lauren Roberts (Simon & Schusters Children's)* Skandar and the Phantom Rider, A.F. Steadman (Simon & Schusters Children's)For the complete list of winners, see the official website.-Not strictly book news, but you've probably heard that they're making a new Lord of the Rings film about Gollum. I'm not very hopeful after the messes that were the Hobbit films. On the other hand Andy Serkis is a genius. We'll see…Your free and discounted fantasy ebook and audiobook sales for this month:And a little Romantasy one I snuck in to see if any Romantasy readers are interested in jumping on to the story of Ryn and Nuthea… / / /What I've been reading:I like to read something similar in form to whatever I'm working on, and I started out this month editing and submitting some short stories so I thought I would read some too. One of the stories I had was comedy-fantasy (see below), so I decided to read Terry Pratchett's short stories. I've not read any Pratchett for a while, but I spent most of my teens working through the Discworld novels. I realise now just how much Pratchett affected my writing style—which I think is good and bad! Lots of these were not that memorable. On the other hand, one or two were absolute gems, but they did depend somewhat on prior knowledge of Discworld characters. Pratchett was the king of comedy-fantasy, but seemed (by his own admission) to do best with novels…What I've been listening to:To be honest I'm still listening my way through THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA since it's so massive, however in the meantime here's a hot audio tip: If you haven't discovered the free fantasy short stories podcast PODCASTLE yet (from genre stories podcast group ESCAPE POD), you should check it out! In particular I recommend their full-cast recording of IN THE STACKS, a hilarious short story about some students returning a book to a vast magical library, also written by Scott Lynch.What Jo's been reading:What I've been working on:I edited and submitted three fantasy short stories to different venues this month for something different before editing SAGA OF THE JEWELS VOL. 1 in response to the professional editorial feedback I paid for. I've got one request for a full story from a partial sub so far, so that's something! I've only aimed relatively low because it's been a while since I sold any short stories, but we'll see if anything comes of them. Then I got to editing something I wrote at Christmas—a short story about a teacher in a magic school, rather than a student, for once. I'd already written a second follow-up scene, and I had a few more ideas, so I just kept going—and now I have 16,000 words of draft of a novel. Whoops. It may be total garbage, but I just wonder if this might be the mansucript that I work and work and work on until I get it house-published… I think it has potential, but I need to know if there are any other fantasy novels out there about teachers in magical schools. I've done some research and so far found two, both indies: A DREAM OF FIRE by J. R. Rasmussen and TEACHING MAGIC by Amy Cocke. I've not read these yet, though now I'm going to have to: Does anyone know of any other fantasy novels about magic school teachers?If you do, please let me know in the comments or by email reply!In other newsThis newsletter is being scheduled from The Past because at the time it goes out we will be traveling back from Bavaria! (Knowing my luck lots of important fantasy books news will have dropped in the interim…) We were given some money by the parents of a friend to go on a holiday after Jo's cancer treatment, but she hadn't been well enough to go before now. She had carte blanche to pick anywhere she wanted to go, and this is where she chose: a retreat centre in the Bavarian Alps! If you've read or listened to Saga of the Jewels Season One, this is a bit how I imagine the Zerlanese town of Nevva in the episode ‘Rest Stop'. It's meant to be family friendly, but I'm a little wary of how it's going to be with a 6yo and 1yo… Nonetheless, we are super grateful and excited. See you on the other side!Previously on Saga of the Jewels…The life of seventeen-year-old RYN, bookish son of a wealthy landowner, changes forever when his hometown is destroyed by the EMPIRE and everyone he has ever known is killed. Ryn discovers that the Empire are seeking TWELVE PRIMEVAL JEWELS which grant the power to manipulate different elements, and that his father had been hiding the Fire Ruby. He sets out to take revenge on the Imperial General who killed his family and retrieve the Ruby, and along the way meets NUTHEA the lightning-slinging princess, SAGAR the swaggering skypirate, ELRANN the tomboy engineer, CID the wizened old healer, and VISH the poppy-seed-addicted assassin. Together the adventurers decide to find all of the Jewels in order to stop the evil EMPEROR from finding them first and taking over the world. They have thus far succeeded in retrieving the Fire Ruby, borne by Ryn, and the Lightning Crystal, borne by Nuthea. They have now come to the land of FARR where they are on their way to the ‘Earth Temple' in order to attempt to find the EARTH EMERALD under the guidance of Farrian monk HULD…Saga of the Jewels Episode 25. Huld, The MonkHuld made his way through the undergrowth of the Farrian jungle, leaning on his staff, pushing a particularly big, leafy branch out of the way and taking care not to snap it.He held it back for the foreigners to allow them to get past and continue further along the trail, which also gave him an opportunity to count them off in his head as they walked by.He was having trouble remembering their names. There was the red-brown-haired fireboy, who didn't say much. Huld liked that, though he was highly cautious of the boy's flame-projection powers. One.There was the long-golden-haired girl who talked too much. It was her fault that this whole mission was happening, really. He wasn't sure what he thought about her, though he guessed her intentions were probably noble and she was probably harmless. She hadn't shown if she really had any ‘powers' yet. Two.Then there was the boy with the silly coat and the ponytail. He talked far too much, and didn't know when to hold his tongue. Huld was sure that this one's intentions were not noble. This was definitely one to keep an eye on. He smiled at the boy as he walked past.“Stop grinning at me like that,” the ponytail-boy said as he went by. “You're giving me the creeps.”“My apologies,” said Huld, without meaning it.Three.Next there was the engineer boy with the short purple hair. No, wait, this was a girl, he had now established. Actually, he still wasn't entirely sure, to be honest. She was nice enough and had been quite friendly to him so far. She seemed as though she was simply going along with the rest of the group in order to help them out, without being especially invested in their goal. Huld could understand that. Four.Then there was the old man with the beard. The only one with any sense in the whole group, as far as Huld could tell. He spoke carefully, thoughtfully, and did not rush into things. Very sensible. Five.And lastly, bringing up the rear, was the supposedly ex-Imperial masked Shadowfinger, dressed all in black. Huld was deeply suspicious of this one. He could sense a fearsome strength sealed up in this man's body, in his tense poise and the way he carried himself so deliberately as he walked which showed that he knew how to use it. This was the one to really watch. Six.And I make seven. All present and accounted for. Huld let go of the big branch, allowing it to snap back to its original place, and followed after the group.Really, this whole mission was a bad idea. It was a bad idea for anyone to be trying to interfere with the Earth Emerald, let alone a band of filthy foreigners. It had caused enough trouble the last time it had been in possession of the Republic. The previous Governor, Lord Restra, had been very sensible to have it sealed away in the Shrine to Eto. Where it should stay.But Huld lived to serve, and his life was service. If he wasn't loyal to the Republic of Farr and to his Lord Governor, then what was he?Nothing at all.So he had received his orders cheerfully with a smile on his face, as usual, and set out obeying them cheerfully with a smile on his face, as usual.The Governor's instructions had been very clear:“Make use of the foreigners' skills in order to retrieve the Earth Emerald from the Shrine, and then take it and bring it back to me”“How much further to this place anyway, baldy?” called ponytail from up ahead in the line of walkers, derailing Huld's train of thought.“Not much further,” the monk called back. The boy was rude, but Huld didn't mind the insulting term of address, really. His head had been shaved to show his devotion to Eto and the Republic. Better a ‘baldy' than having that stupid long hair tied back like a woman's. “Just keep to the trail,” he said pleasantly, “it will not be long from here.”They hadn't been able to land any closer to the Shrine in the party's airship due to the dense jungle they were now making their way through. Still, Huld was glad to be off the airship sooner rather than later. He hated the things. They were unnatural contraptions.He much preferred being here, on solid earth. He much preferred being here, hiking through the undergrowth, feeling the grassy ground through his bare feet and with the base of his straight wooden staff, surrounded by a panoply of green life, listening to the noises of buzzing insects and croaking frogs and chirping birds, breathing in the thick, warm air, smelling the refreshing fragrance of recent rain, keeping his attention on one step at a time, because that was all you could do. This was his home. This was where he belonged.Huld bumped into the Shadowfinger in front of him.The man spun round in an instant, lifting his hand to the hilt of his blade which was sheathed on his back. When he saw that it was only Huld, he relaxed again.“Look where you are going,” said the Shadowfinger cooly.“My apologies, Master Vish,” said Huld, bowing his head slightly. He had remembered this one's name. It was the only one he had. “A careless accident.”It turned out the Shadowfinger had stopped because the rest of the group had too; Huld hadn't been paying proper attention to their progress.The obscure flattened grass trail that they had been walking through the trees had come to an abrupt end, and all of a sudden the tall, densely packed trees opened up into a massive clearing.And there, looming up in the middle of the clearing, was the Shrine to Eto.The Earth Temple.“Well, that's something, I suppose,” said ponytail.Ignorant foreigner, thought Huld. It's more than ‘something'. It's one of the great wonders of Mid.The shrine was enormous, built of bricks of baked, brown earth arranged in layers one on top of another that got narrower with each layer, much like the way that Shun Pei had been built. Except unlike Shun-Pei, the layers here were square, not round, and there were no peaks or points—instead each layer was flat, creating the effect of a series of steps on four sides that climbed to reach a single cubic grey-stone summit with a flat top. Though ‘steps' was probably not the right word. You would have to be a giant to ascend these steps.It wasn't so much that the Shrine reached up to the sky, but that it reached down from the sky into the earth, widening out and fusing with it, and yet also made of it and already part of it, a vast, monolithic monument to Earth herself. Huld approved.“Where's the entrance?” asked the fire boy.“We have approached from the east,” Huld said. “I believe that the entrance is on the western side.” He had never actually visited the Shrine before, only heard stories about the ancient abandoned Shrine to Eto. The stories were surpassed by the real thing, however. Excitement fluttered in his chest at the prospect of actually going inside, though he just wished that he wasn't visiting it for the first time under these circumstances.They walked round to the western side of the Shrine, which took them a good ten minutes, such was its size.“Here we are,” said the golden girl.In the middle of the wall of the base layer of the Shrine on this side were two gigantic doors, each twice the height of Huld, which was saying something. They were made out of the same baked brown earth the colour of fertile soil as the rest of the Shrine, but you could tell that they were doors because they were cut slightly differently from the rest of the wall, three vertical lines presumably hiding hinges and the space where the doors met, and had two huge circular bronze handles hanging from halfway up each of them. The handles had to be just for show though, because they were so big, and impossible to reach.“How are we gonna open those?” said the engineer girl.The foreigners all looked at Huld with stupid expectant stares.“I am not sure…” he said after a moment. He hadn't been briefed by the Governor about this. He genuinely didn't know what to do.He walked up to a door and placed a hand on its surface. The earth it was made from was strangely warm to the touch, like it was being fed by some inner energy.Huld pushed, but the door did not budge one inch.The old man appeared at his side. “Perhaps there is some sort of password?”“Perhaps,” grunted Huld. “Though I have never heard of such a thing.” They had never had anything like that at any of the shrines or temples where he had trained. Normally doors just...opened. Like they were supposed to.“Are there any particular words or phrases that you would associate with this place?” said the old man. “Or with the worship of Eto?”Huld thought about it. “I suppose that there are.”“Perhaps you could try saying some of them out loud?”“Alright then…” Huld felt foolish, but he tried saying some of the phrases out loud anyway in his most confident, clear voice.“Hail Eto, our Mother the Earth!”Nothing.“Strength in numbers! Freedom in service! Glory in sacrifice!”Nothing.“When we strike as one we will move mountains!”Nothing.The massive door just stood there still, unmoving as the earth.“Open Sesame!” someone shouted behind him.Huld looked round and raised an eyebrow at the purple-haired engineer girl.She shrugged. “What? I heard it in a story somewhere. It was worth a shot.”Huld sighed.“Well this is going well,” said ponytail.“There must be some way in,” said goldengirl.  “Perhaps a physical technique, instead?” the old man suggested.“Hmmm,” rumbled Huld. “Yes.” This was more his language.He laid his staff on the grass and searched in his mind for a technique.Of course. Why did I not think of it before?He dropped into chocobo stance, spreading his legs just over shoulder-width apart, bending his knees, keeping his back straight, and also bending his arms but turning his palms upwards like he was holding two eggs in line with his hips.“What are you doing?” said fireboy.“Hush, if you please,” said Huld. “A fighting technique. It is called ‘Moving the Earth,' appropriately enough.”He focused on his breathing.In.Out.In.Out.He gathered the energy inside himself on his next breath in, willed it to transfer from his chest, down his arms, and into his hands, then drew his elbows back, and as he breathed out—“HA!”Huld thrust his hands forward, twisting them round as he did so, slamming his open palms into the earthen door, putting all the energy and strength of his being behind them.His palms stung at once from the impact as they met the door's resistance. They made a dull slapping noise as they connected. Huld fancied he felt the door tremor, ever so slightly.He took a step back and looked up, rubbing his tingling hands, then frowned.Nothing had moved.Someone screamed behind him.Huld span round and back into his chocobo stance.On the grass in front of the entrance to the Shrine, figures were sprouting from the ground, composed of it, literally climbing out of it. Brown figures of soil and stone with bits of grass and tree bark and foliage on them.Figures of earth.*Nuthea screamed shrill and high on reflex.A creature made of earth and soil had just risen up out of the ground next to her. It was humanoid in shape, with no facial features, but it had crude hands bunched into fists.It took a swing at her and Nuthea jumped back out of the way, screaming again.“Bolt!” she yelled, instinctively reaching for her lightning projection, and thrust her hand out.But no bolt came. She didn't even feel the play of energy along her arm.No! Not again!The creature ran towards her, pulling back its earthen fist for another strike. She wasn't going to have time to get out of the way.Earth clanged against metal as Sagar interposed one his blades between Nuthea and the attack.The skypirate pushed the golem (now Nuthea remembered the proper name for these magical creatures) away with his sword and it stumbled back a couple of paces.“Wind!” Sagar yelled, thrusting his other hand forwards.Air rushed from Sagar's open palm at the golem, but it just dug its feet into the ground, fusing with it. The wind rippled over the golem, riffling the leaves that were stuck to some of its body, but it remained completely unmoved, unharmed.“Uh-oh…” said Sagar when his wind attack was spent.Sense returned to Nuthea and she drew her own sword from its sheath at her side--a straight Manolian blade with a golden hilt and a wicked point. If lightning and wind weren't going to work on these creatures, they would have to resort to steel.The golem ran at Sagar, its feet easily detaching from the earth when it needed them to, and this time it was Nuthea's turn to step in and block its punch with her sword.Her blade bounced off the golem's fist, each knocked away by the other, sending a shudder of vibrating pain down Nuthea's arms. Whatever combination of earth and stone it was made of was tough, tough enough even to turn away Manolian steel.The others were yelling and shouting behind her. In her peripheral vision she could see more golems moving around, but for now she had to focus on the one in front of her and Sagar.“Thanks for the save, princess,” Sagar said. Did he have to make it sound so sarcastic? The pirate lunged forward, pressing the attack against the golem, trying a thrust with his swordpoint.The golem didn't respond quickly enough and this time Sagar's sword went into its chest area, puncturing it and sticking out the other side…...and not slowing it down at all.The golem punched Sagar in the face with a clay fist and he fell backwards with a shout, losing his grip on his sword and landing in a heap on the floor. He did not get up.“Sagar!” Nuthea called in concern.There wasn't time to tend to him now. The golem kept its momentum and strode towards Nuthea, throwing more punches at her, Sagar's sword still embedded in its torso.Nuthea blocked the blows, but it was so strong, and now that she saw no way of fighting back her heart began to thump rapidly in her chest as she began to panic.“Someone! Help!” she cried.The golem forced her backwards. She lifted her sword to block a particularly vicious strike, and the golem hit it so hard that it knocked it spinning out of her hands.Nuthea stumbled from the impact and fell backwards.The golem stood over her and raised its two big earthen fists above its head, about to crush her.Nuthea raised her hands to cover her face on reflex and winced, crying out in terror.“Fire!” yelled Ryn from somewhere nearby.A blast of orange flame engulfed the upper part of the golem. It immediately started batting at itself to try to extinguish the flame, but its hands only caught fire too. It collapsed to the ground, black smoke pouring off it, burning rapidly and writhing about. In a matter of moments it was a pile of smoking ash—entirely consumed by the fire.Nuthea sighed with deep relief, then retrieved her sword and stood up.“That worked well!” she said, turning to where she thought Ryn was.But Ryn wasn't there anymore. He was ten paces away, manically throwing fire at more golems, shouting focus-words one after another but sometimes not even having the time to do that. There were so many of them, closing in in a circle around the party and, apparently seeing Ryn as a threat, now the majority of them were advancing on him. He was struggling to keep up with the onrush of earthen warriors, blasting them with fire one by one, some of them getting dangerously close to him before he sent a barrage of flickering red and orange into them. Nuthea was sure he would not be able to keep this up forever.She looked for the others. Elrann was unloading her pistols at the golems one by one, blowing chunks of earth out of their bodies, but the holes she left only reformed and the golems came on. Huld was fighting a pair of golems with his hands. Cid had his sword drawn and was desperately trying to fight his way to the fallen Sagar, whom the golems now ignored. And Vish was currently occupied with fighting four golems at the same time, slashing and cutting but unable to do any lasting damage to any of them.Ryn was the only one who seemed capable of halting the golems with his fire projection. But he couldn't fight them all on his own, and he would surely run out of mana soon.Nuthea had an idea.“Ryn!” she yelled.The young man turned his head to look at her as he continued to throw fire at the onrushing creatures.“Can you localise some flame projection around my blade?”“What?” Ryn called back.“Can you hit my sword with a fire spell so that it lights on fire?”“What?!”“Just do it!” Nuthea called impatiently. “I know you can do it!” She held out her sword to him with one hand, blade pointing up.Ryn's brow furrowed, but all the same he pointed two fingers of one hand at her. “Fire!”Flame leapt from Ryn's outstretched fingers—two pointed fingers, in this case, rather than a whole thrust-out hand, perhaps because he was holding back, or perhaps because this is how his body instinctively shaped and controlled the fire to aim it more precisely.The flames hit Nuthea's raised swordblade…...and settled on it. Her whole blade became enveloped in flame and glowed red hot. The fire stopped leaping from Ryn's fingers, but it continued to burn on her blade, red and orange, covering it in a blazing, incandescent aura.“You did it!” she called. “I knew you could!”A golem was coming for her.Nuthea sprinted towards the golem, meeting it head on, and brought her flaming blade down and then up in a deadly arc from right to left across its torso, orange trailing in its wake.The blade tore through the golem's body with barely any resistance at all and passed out the other side of it, severing it in two. At the same time, the golem caught fire.It collapsed to the ground in two halves, and both halves thrashed around uselessly while they burned.“It worked!” Nuthea cried in elation. She turned. Ryn was still desperately throwing fire at the golems, sometimes missing, sometimes hitting, while the others were struggling to fend them off. “Ryn!” she shouted. “It worked! Do the same thing for the others!”“They're a bit busy right now!” Ryn called back.Nuthea looked for them. They were losing ground to the golems, getting forced backwards and closer together. Huld was now dealing with three at once, catching their fists with his palms or blocking them with his forearms, throwing back punches and kicks of his own but with little effect. Elrann stood behind and to the side of him, still desperately trying to slow their advance with her pistols, apparently not knowing what else to do and unwilling to try her whip on them. Cid was now fighting off two together with his sword, only barely managing to defend himself, but not to retaliate. And Vish had about six on him now, dancing and weaving around them as he held them at bay.Him first.“Shadowfinger Vish!” Nuthea cried. “To me!”The Shadowfinger looked up from his combat, saw her, then bent his knees and kicked off from the ground, executing one of his astonishing leaps, soaring upwards, twisting round in midair, and landing smartly next to her.“What?” the Shadowfinger said irritably, as though he had been interrupted in the middle of doing something he enjoyed, though it may have also been from frustration at the golems.“Hold up your blade! Let Ryn season it with fire!”“What?!”Why don't people just listen to me? Nuthea thought. I'm clearly the most intelligent and knowledgeable member of this adventuring party. And I'm royalty.“It won't hurt you,” she explained hurriedly. “It's a cooperative elemental projection technique. I've seen it done with lightning back home in Manolia, though I've not learned how to do it yet. But it works with fire too. Look.” She held up her own flaming sword by way of explanation.Vish slitted his eyes at her, but then held up his black sword in front of him without saying another word.“Ryn!” Nuthea called. “Over here! Do Vish's sword too!”Ryn looked over mid-spell, then hurriedly threw a hand out to perform the same technique on Vish's sword that he had done for Nuthea's.Fire jumped from his pointed fingers to set Vish's blade alight, too.The Shadowfinger's eyes went wide as he held it up to inspect it, the fire now continually burning on his blade reflecting in his grey irises.“Try again now!” said Nuthea.“Argh!” Ryn cried out.He dropped to his knees and doubled over, putting both hands out on the ground. He must be out of mana, or almost out of it. His eyes were shut in pain or concentration.The flames coming from Nuthea's and Vish's swords died down momentarily, but then Ryn grunted with exertion and they returned to their former intensity.Of course. He needs to concentrate to keep the flames burning on our swords.“Hold on, Ryn!” Nuthea called. “We're coming!”She ran towards the golems about to plough into Ryn, even as Vish leapt into the air.The Shadowfinger came down before she reached them, setting upon them as a vicious streak of black and orange, slicing earthen arms and legs from bodies, severing their heads, cleaving them in half.Nuthea joined him, and together the two of them tore through the golems, their swords leaving trails of fiery colour in the air.In no time at all they had fought their way back to Ryn and the others, and Nuthea pierced the back of the golem that was nearest to Cid, then ripped her sword out of it by kicking it to the floor. Vish made quick work of the golems besetting Elrann and Huld.A matter of moments, and all the remaining golems lay in pieces on the ground, burning up into nothing but dust and dirt.Nuthea and Vish had defeated them easily with their flame-assisted weapons.Cid ran over to the fallen form of Sagar at once and knelt down next to him, placing both his hands on the skypirate's head. “Cure,” he said.“Urrrrrrrggghh,” said Sagar as he came back to consciousness. “What the hells happened?”“One of them got you,” Nuthea called over from where she stood. “I don't think wind attacks are going to be very effective against earth elementals.”“Rrrrr,” Sagar growled quietly.“That's a cool trick, princess-girl,” said Elrann nearby, pointing at Nuthea's sword with one of her pistols.Nuthea looked at the still flaming blade. “Wait...Ryn!”Her eyes found the flame-wielding farmboy a little way away, still kneeling on the ground with both hands on it, hunched over, his eyes scrunched shut, concentrating hard.She sprinted over to him.“Ryn, it's alright!” she said between pants. “We defeated the golems! That cooperative technique did it! You can quench the flames on my and Shadowfinger Vish's swords now!”Ryn whimpered, and the flames around Nuthea's swordblade died down. His arms trembled, then gave way completely, and he fell face down onto the earth, lying flat on his front.“Grandfather!” Nuthea called out at once. “Ryn needs your help too!”Cid was already running over. He knelt next to Ryn and put a hand on his head.“He's spent all his mana…” Cid said. “Cure.”Ryn sighed a note of relief. He opened his eyes, and shakily pushed himself up, then rearranged himself so he was sitting on the ground.“That's better,” he said, rubbing his hands. “Why did that hurt so much?”“If you keep projecting when all your mana is spent, it causes you physical damage and pain,” said Cid. “The element-magic draws its energy directly from the body's physical resources, rather from your spent mana pool. I will need to give you some of my mana too. He placed a hand on Ryn's shoulder. “Syphon.”Ryn shut his eyes again for a moment and his head rocked back. “Woah. I can feel my projection powers are back. Thanks, Cid.”“That's alright, lad. It seems that we are going to be relying on your abilities quite a lot to retrieve this particular Jewel… I have a larger mana pool than you do, as I'm more experienced and have been at this game for longer, but I still only have a finite supply.”“It feels like I have...more than before,” said Ryn. “Is that because of you?”“No,” said Cid, “that's because you just pushed your mana beyond its limit, so your capacity has grown now that you've been healed. It's a very dangerous but nonetheless, aha, very sure-fire way to increase your mana capacity. It's a bit like forcing a sustained limit break. I just topped up your newly increased reserves, but I can't increase your capacity for you.”“What's a limit break?”“...I'll explain another time.”“What are you lot waffling on about?” asked Sagar as he walked over.“Oh, nothing,” said Cid, “just some of the ins-and-outs of elemental projection.”The others came over to join them too.“That was good thinking there, princess-girl,” said Elrann. “Your little trick probably saved our lives.”“It was nothing,” Nuthea said with complete sincerity. “I've seen a similar thing done with lightning in Manolia, so I just had the idea to repeat it with fire.”“Yeah,” said Sagar, “well done and everything, I'm sure we're all glad that's over, but it doesn't actually help us get into the Shrine, does it?”“Er,” said Ryn, “actually it does.”He pointed.At some time while they had been talking, the doors to the Earth Temple had opened inwards, revealing an earthen corridor beyond which receded into darkness.“Well that's creepy,” said Elrann.“Most peculiar…” said Huld.“They must have opened when we defeated the earth elementals…” said Cid.A heartbeat.“Looks like we're going in then,” said Sagar.“Wait!” said Nuthea, not wanting them to get ahead of themselves. “We need to talk about our strategy. It would appear that wind and lightning attacks were ineffective against these golems.” No need to tell them that I didn't even get a chance to test my lightning on them. What's happening to me? I'll have to ask Grandfather Cid about it later.“Where did those things come from, anyway?” said Ryn. “Huld?”“I… I'm not sure,” said the monk slowly. “I have never encountered such creatures anywhere in Farr before…” He seemed somewhat shaken.“Cid?” said Ryn.Grandfather stroked his beard. “My best guess is that they were created by the Earth Emerald itself. The Jewels have a...habit of making themselves difficult to be found. It doesn't mean that they are impossible to obtain, as we know, but they can be very difficult to get hold of. My guess is that the Emerald quite enjoys being shut up here, surrounded by all this earth, and so raised those guardians with its magic to try us before granting us entry to the Temple. This sort of thing does happen from time to time. But we appear to have passed the test, because they have stopped appearing.”“Great,” said Sagar. “Well, thanks for the warning, old timer.”“I did not know if such things would happen here or not…” Cid said, a touch defensively. “I have only ever encountered them happening on a few other occasions before…”“Never mind,” said Ryn, “like you said, we've beaten them now. Let's go inside and get this Jewel.”“That's easy for you to say, farmboy,” said Elrann. “Your fire worked well on them. The rest of us are a bit more defenceless.”“That's a good point,” Nuthea said. “Ryn, it seems we will need to rely on you if we encounter any more...earth enemies. You should conserve your mana as much as possible.”“That's right,” said Grandfather. “I topped you up, and I have a bigger mana pool than you do due to my experience, but I don't have infinite reserves and I can feel that I'm starting to run low. Make sure you don't burn through yours too quickly, or we might really get into trouble.”“That cooperative technique you had him perform was useful,” said Vish unexpectedly. The Shadowfinger almost never spoke up in group conversations. Everyone else looked just as surprised as Nuthea felt. “Make sure you save enough ‘mana' to do that again if we need you to, boy.”“I'll do my best,” said Ryn with unforced earnestness. Nuthea decided she liked that trait of his. It was growing on her, anyway. “Come on. It's time to enter this ‘Earth Temple'.”And in they went. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sagaofthejewels.substack.com

Welcome back, travelers! In today's episode, we're diving into the stunning landscapes and rich history of Berchtesgaden, Germany. We continued on to Berchtesgaden after our time in Munich celebrating Oktoberfest to enjoy the stunning Bavarian Alps. Join us as we recount our adventures hiking through the national park, cruising on the crystal-clear waters of Konigssee Lake, exploring the iconic Eagles Nest, marveling at the Wimbachklamm Waterfalls, and venturing on a day trip to the charming city of Salzburg, Austria. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Trips: ⁠⁠⁠⁠New River Gorge Rafting Weekend June 7-10, 2024⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Napa Valley Wine Weekend November 1-4, 2024⁠⁠⁠⁠. Shop: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Trip Itineraries⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Storefront ⁠⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠⁠TSP Merch⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Liquid IV⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Use promo code TRAVELSQUADPODCAST for 20% off Connect: ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠and contact us at travelsquadpodcast@gmail.com to submit a question of the week or inquire about guest interviews and advertising. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/travel-squad-podcast/support

Our newest Signature Tour journeys to the heart of the Reformation - Germany! This September, we will trace the life, ministry, and theology of Martin Luther and other Reformers whom God used to reignite the evangelical movement. Listen to this episode as Rich Ferreira and trip leader Rich Liverance describe the uniqueness of this itinerary: being in Europe vs. the Middle East, walking instead of hiking, singing hymns along the way, discussing WWII and figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, visiting historical sites and seeing stunning spectacles like the Neuschwanstein castle in the Bavarian Alps.From the medieval streets to the pastoral countryside to the modern cities of Berlin and Munich, this tour will encompass the best of German culture and cuisine. In addition, Rich will teach us the history of theology and the defense of the Gospel! Explore Germany and the relevance of the Reformation with us. It just might light a spark in your life as we discover again God's power to save.Space is limited! Register today at gtitours.org/reformationGTI Signature Tour of Germany, Sept. 11-19, 2024

Germany is a combination of uber cool and timeless tradition, with stunning landscapes and buzzing metropolises. Tourists flock to the Bavarian Alps, the Black Forest, the Rhine castles and the happening cities of Berlin and Munich, but this diverse country has so much more to see. So in today's episode, follow along on our journey through Germany's unique heritage sites. Host Aaron Millar will interview travel writer Andrew Eames, who will guide us through Northern Germany from the Baltic Sea on the east coast to the North Sea on the west coast.Along the way we'll uncover fascinating UNESCO heritage sites, quaint baroque towns, fairytale castles, recently unearthed ancient fossils, and a string of vacation islands. Yes, Germany has islands with spa resorts and perfectly placed beach towels. This will be a fantastisch journey! You can find more of Andrew's work on his website, andreweames.com. Find more of Wanderlust and subscribe at wanderlustmagazine.com. Wanderlust: Off the Page is produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Find more at armchair-productions.com.

Join Milo + Nico for the first of two extra special ooky spooky season episodes. On this episode, we'll be decamping to the Bavarian Alps to ask if it's gay to avoid your fiancée in order to construct a second boyfriend with your first boyfriend in a castle in the woods.

From the summit of Hitler’s Eagle's Nest high in the Bavarian Alps, Rabbi Ammi Hirsch gazed upon now-tranquil Europe and reflected: “The brilliant Jewish intellectuals who helped create and define […]

Steve Auch is back on Singletrack and barely recovered from a massive weekend race directing the popular City und Trail event in Bad Reichenhall in the Bavarian Alps in Germany. We talk about the beauty and the challenges of directing races, the inspiration and the difference between races in the US and Europe and how to transition from behind the megaphone to putting the bib back on yourself. LINKS Steve Auch on Instagram City und Trail City und Trail on Instagram Zugspitz Ultra Rennsteiglauf Connect with Singletrack on: Singletrack.fm Instagram

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to fly a large passenger Boeing 777? Or have the responsibility of safely getting a plane full of passengers to their destination? Ever wonder what it's like to travel globally for work and do something many told you wasn't possible? If so, tune in to episode #77 of the 2B Bolder Podcast for a fascinating story of a woman who followed her dream of flying despite numerous setbacks.Susanne Pries is quite inspirational. She is a successful woman who, throughout her career, never allowed others to stop her from achieving her dream of flying planes. Susanne is an airline captain & line check pilot, training new pilots and new captains and checking out current pilots regularly to ensure standards and safety are upheld. Her International Aviation Experience includes flying the Boeing 777/757/767 and other large aircraft such as Airbus 320/319, Boeing 737, Embraer 135/145, Dornier 328, and Fokker 28. She has a B.S. in Aviation.Susanne grew up in the Bavarian Alps. She has always had an innate appetite for adventure and exploration. When she's not flying, she loves to travel, spend time with her two kids in college, loves to cycle, and enjoys thermal springs worldwide and lagoons in Iceland. To learn about becoming a pilot check out the Federal Aviation AdministrationThe 2B Bolder Podcast provides first-hand access to some amazing women. Guests will include women from leading enterprise companies to startups, women execs, coders, account execs, engineers, doctors, and innovators.Support the show

"The Monk and the Hangman's Daughter" - CBS Radio Mystery Theater - March 4, 1976 Two monks from the order of St. Francis, Friars Ambrosius and Romanus are sent to the monastery in Berchtesgaden, high in the Bavarian Alps. In the cold of the village, Ambrosius meets the beautiful and pitiful Benedicta, who is scorned by all for being the hangman's daughter. He soon earns the ire of the villagers, along with the hatred of the son of the town's most powerful man who desires Benedicta in his bed. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/waldina/message

Grammy winning new age pianist Peter Kater and Paul Cardall, also an award winning pianist, discuss Peter's career and the history new age music. They talk about building successful and prosperous independent music careers in a genre often misunderstood and overlooked by the commercial market. ABOUT PETER KATERWebsite: http://www.peterkater.comFacebookTwitterYoutubeInstagram Listen to Peter KaterSpotifyApple MusicAmazon Music Peter Kater was born of German parents in the Bavarian City of Munich. At the age of seven, not long after moving to New Jersey, his mother insisted that he take classical piano lessons. At the age of 18 Peter left New Jersey with his backpack and his music books and hitch-hiked all around the continental US for over a year. He slept in parks and on beaches and roadsides across the country while stopping to play piano at restaurants and lounges for tips and meals. After logging in over 30,000 miles on the road Peter landed in Boulder, Colorado, finding comfort and inspiration in the Rocky Mountains which reminded him of his childhood upbringing in the Bavarian Alps. Shortly thereafter he started listening to the music of pianist Keith Jarrett; the avant jazz group, Oregon; and the Paul Winter Consort. This opened a whole new musical world and he began improvising 3-4 hours a night at clubs and lounges throughout the Boulder/Denver area sometimes 5 to 6 nights a week. After several years he tired of playing clubs and lounges and quit all his engagements and began renting out small churches and self-promoting small concerts through out Colorado. In 1983 Peter released his first album of solo piano compositions and improvisations entitled SPIRIT. His music was very well received and started charting in the Top 10 of National Contemporary Jazz Airplay charts and within a short couple of years Peter went from playing small churches to performing at 3,000 seat concert halls and at national jazz festivals at the age of 27. In 1985, Actor ROBERT REDFORD asked Peter to play at the then brand new Sundance Institute & Film Festival in Utah. Peter became the featured performer at many of Redford's “green” political fundraisers and events attended by many Hollywood A-list actors, directors and celebrities such as Alan Alda, Sidney Pollock, James Brooks, Dave Grusin, Laura Dern, Mathew Broderick and Ted Turner to name just a very few. In his concerts around Colorado, Peter started to share the stage with some of his favorite artists from his teen years such as DAN FOGELBERG and JOHN DENVER. John Denver asked Peter to coordinate the music for his ground breaking Choices for the Future Symposiums every summer in Aspen, Colorado and also invited him to perform at concerts in Japan and at World Forum events performing for dignitaries and celebrities such as Mikael Gorbachov and Shirley McLain. These collaborations with John Denver went on for almost 10 years until John's untimely death in 1997. Peter's music also caught the attention of New York City's legendary director and Circle Rep Theater co-founder, Marshall Mason and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Lanford Wilson. Peter's music became the score to their Tony-Award winning Broadway production of Burn This starring John Malkovich and Joan Allen which ran for over one year. As the newest member of their “A-team” in the following years Peter scored the music for 11 On- & Off-Broadway dramatic plays receiving widespread critical acclaim. As Peter's music spread across the world he scored more music for television and films and worked closely with his favorite environmental and humanitarian organizations such as Greenpeace, the National Wildlife Federation, the Nature Conservancy and ChildReach. In 1989 a close friend gave Peter a cassette called Earth Spirit by Native American flutist, R. CARLOS NAKAI. Peter was completely taken by the beauty and earthiness of the Native flute. Peter tracked down Nakai and asked him to collaborate with him on a recording. In the studio they felt as if they'd been playing together forever and their first album, Natives, was completed effortlessly in just a few hours. When recording with Nakai, Peter felt he was embarking on a little “personal” indulgence, temporarily diverging from his thriving mainstream contemporary jazz career. But to his surprise, while his recordings like Coming Home, Two Hearts, Gateway and Rooftops were charting in the Top 10 of National Jazz charts; the new recordings with R. Carlos Nakai quickly became immensely popular in the alternative market selling 100's of thousands of units each and generated a solid and much more personal fan base. Because of the deep satisfaction Peter felt in co-creating this beautiful music with Nakai, he quickly lost interest in the “jazz” genres and shifted his focus to music of a more intimate “healing” nature. Peter then recognized a need for music in support of the healing arts that could actually aid in deep personal healing and transformation. He recorded albums like Compassion and Essence that provided not only a loving supportive musical landscape but also an invitation to dive deeply and safely into one's essential emotional and spiritual nature. Many more CD's in support of the Healing Arts followed as did more recordings with R. Carlos Nakai, seven of which charted in the Top 20 of Billboard's New Age chart. Peter's love and appreciation for the earth and indigenous cultures inspired him to invite more indigenous musicians to record on various projects with him including Native American vocalists Joanne Shenandoah, Bill Miller and Rita Coolidge; Native American flutists Robert Mirabal, Joseph Firecrow, Mary Youngblood, Douglas Blue Feather, Kevin Locke; and South American flutists Jorge Alfano and Ara Tokatlian. Peter also composed two songs for the immensely popular Sacred Spirit recording which sold over 5 millions copies in Europe alone. Peter's music continued to grow and evolve and found it's way into the 2000 and 2004 World Olympics, the Kentucky Derby, the Wild World of Sports and countless television shows like Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, LifeStyles of the Rich & Famous and Bay Watch to name just few. He's scored the music for acclaimed television series like How The West Was Lost; Wild America; Civil War: The Untold Story; Eco-Challenge and Joseph Campbell's Mythos series and films like Sirius, The Legend of Secret Pass and 10 QUESTIONS FOR THE DALAI LAMA. He's given concerts throughout the USA, Europe, Japan and South Korea including performances at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, JFK Stadium in Washington DC, Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver and the United Nations in NYC where he received the prestigious United Nations Environment Leadership Award. Possibly one of Peter's strongest attributes is his love for collaboration with other artists such as Singer/songwriter Kenny Loggins; Tibetan flutist, Nawang Khechog; Sting guitarist Dominic Miller; Sacred Chantress Snatam Kaur and of course his legendary collaboration with Native American flutist, R. Carlos Nakai. He's also enjoyed performing and recording with many other talented musicians such as virtuoso reedman Paul McCandless; Maverick Cellist David Darling; Peter Gabriel's legendary Bassist, Tony Levin; and renowned Brazilian cellist Jaques Morelenbaum. Peter has often been called prolific and is said to have the “gift of melody”. His love and enthusiasm for the creative process, self-exploration, the healing arts and the natural world continues to inspire a well-spring of composing and recording. In a thriving career spanning over 3 decades and going strong, Peter Kater has recorded over 60 albums resulting in the sales of millions of units; has scored the music for well over 100 television and film productions including 11 On- and Off-Broadway dramatic plays; ands the recipient of dozens of awards and honors including 14 Grammy® nominations and a Grammy Award win for his 2017 Dancing On Water recording and his 2019 Wings recording. But most importantly his music has uplifted, soothed, healed and inspired the lives of millions of people all around the world.  ABOUT THE HOST PAUL CARDALLhttp://www.paulcardall.comhttp://www.facebook.com/paulcardallmusichttp://www.youtube.com/cardallhttp://www.instagram.com/paulcardall LISTEN TO HIS MUSICAPPLE MUSIC - https://music.apple.com/us/artist/paul-cardall/4312819SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/artist/7FQRbf8gbKw8KZQZAJWxH2AMAZON - Ask Alexa to play Peaceful Piano by Paul Cardall Paul Cardall is an artist who has given a new meaning to the phrase, a change of heart and how he used this radical change to take his music to an unexpected place.  Despite being born with a potentially life-threatening heart defect Paul Cardall has become a world recognized pianist. He is even endorsed by Steinway & Sons as one of the finest pianist of our time. A Dove award winner for his Christmas album, Paul's recordings have debuted on 11 No. 1 Billboard charts along with 46 other chart debuts. His music has 25 million monthly listeners with more than 3 billion lifetime streams and is often categorized as Classical, Christian, and Holiday. Although most of albums are instrumental, Paul has songs that feature Grammy winning gospel legend CeCe Winans, Matt Hammitt (Sanctus Real), Kristin Chenoweth, Country duo Thompson Square, David Archuleta, Tyler Glenn (Neon Trees), Audrey Assad, Steven Sharp Nelson (The Piano Guys), and more.    Paul has performed for audiences worldwide including the White House. Forbes, American Songwriter, Jesus Calling, Lifestyles Television, Mix Magazine, and countless other media outlets have share his remarkable journey of receiving a life changing heart transplant and using music as a tool to help God heal spiritual, mental, and emotional hearts.

How Mary Kringle replaced Kris with a set of dildos & her elf girlfriends.By cb summers. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.Things really started changing quickly after that. For one thing, Mary moved out of her apartment to be nearer the test room and the small sex toy manufacturing facility she was setting up. I hardly saw her anymore. I resisted the urge to go to the viewing room that week, for fear of dallying with Snowbell again or some other adorable elf.There was something in the air on the factory floor… a buzz of excitement. Wherever I went, I saw elves smiling up at me and whispering to each other. I figured they were talking about the new clothing Mary was designing. But I worried that they knew what Mary and I had done with Snowbell and the other elves… it was too horrible to contemplate! Whatever it was, I found their ancient eyes on me unnerving.I had at least one reason to suspect our dalliance had gotten out: my loyal secretary Blizzard, who'd been my assistant for 85 years, suddenly started flirting with me. At first I didn't realize what she was doing, but eventually I noticed that she'd left her frumpy striped blouse unbuttoned a bit too far. She bent over a few times, and I saw the top of her cleavage to the lacy top of her little elf bra. Then I noticed she wasn't wearing the red and green striped hose I made the female elves wear. She was showing me her bare powder blue legs for the first time ever, and I was shocked by how shapely they were. Blizzard, who was named for her snowy white skin, had always taken care of me. I'd always considered her a mother figure. But now…When I asked her to take a letter, she sat and crossed her luscious legs… slowly… so as to give me a glimpse of her little elf panties. Then, as I dictated, she looked at me intently over the top of her glasses, and every once in a while she'd slowly lick her lips. It was a seductive expression if I ever saw one. All at once I realized the implication of what was going on. She would do anything I wanted. Anything. No questions asked. Any of the elves would. It was pure, unadulterated temptation.I had no idea how I was going to resist. But I held out as long as I could.Every day I fought off the urge to go to the viewing room. But after the eighth day, Snowbell sent me a message saying that Mary was running the last test today. If I was interested in watching, this would be my last opportunity. That pushed me over the edge. Snowbell wanted me to come. Snowbell wanted me to cum! I couldn't resist, but I made up my mind not to do anything naughty. I wanted to be true to Mary, as I was sure she was trying to do too. So as I walked to the viewing room at the appointed time, I was determined to tell Snowbell to leave, and I would lock the door behind her. I wanted to masturbate alone, watching my naked wife play with sex toys, like a normal husband!When I entered the viewing room, my plan went up in smoke. Snowbell was waiting for me, wearing a thin, see-thru, pale blue teddy. I could see her dark blue nipples through the snowflake pattern. I forgot all about my plan.“Glad tidings, Santa! I'm so happy you're back.” She was glittering with happiness. “Here, have a seat. The test hasn't started yet.”I sat on the couch. Snowbell stood nearby, just looking at me, beaming with happiness. It was a good thing I'd worn baggy pants, because my cock was already growing just looking at her amazing little body.“How are you today, Snowbell?”“Wonderful, Santa, now that you're here. I was so worried you wouldn't come. I've missed you.”“Really?” I asked.“I had so much fun last time. I've told all the elves about it.”“Christmas crackers! You shouldn't have!” I snapped, even though I'd suspected as much.She put her delicate hands to her mouth, and her eyes filled with tears, “Oh… Santa… was I naughty?”Elves are ancient and wise, but quite emotional sometimes. I hated the look of despair on her face, so I put my hand on her little shoulder and said, “No, it's okay…I'm just… shy, I guess.”She smiled again, glad I wasn't angry. “Well, Santa, you have no reason to be shy. Elves aren't. We only wear clothes because you want us to. In our homes, we take everything off… well, not everything. Sometimes we like to wear things that make us look sexy.”“Really? I didn't know that.” I had to admit.“No, of course not Santa. You told us not to talk about those sorts of things thousands of years ago. You thought we were naughty.”“No, I'd never think elves are naughty.” I admitted.“Really? That's good to know.” She said, a mischievous gleam in her ancient elfin eyes.I crossed my legs to hide my growing erection and said, “I was actually afraid you'd think I was naughty after… you know.”“After you anointed me?” She giggled. “Don't be silly Santa! I've been anointed before. But that was the first time Santa anointed me! Everyone is so happy for me! Oh, you were so delicious! Yummy, yummy, yummy!”“I'm not the first?” I asked.“Of course not, silly! Elves anoint each other all the time!”“You… have sex too?”She laughed, “Of course, Santa! All kinds… all the time! We play every night after closing time in the little houses you made for us!” I'd always assumed those parties I heard were just… parties. But were they orgies? I've always considered elves pure goodness. If they had sex all the time… maybe having sex all the time was a good thing.She put her hands on my knee and leaned toward me, batting her elfin eyes, her breasts pushing up beautifully between her arms.“How do you like it?” she said, glancing down at her body.“You're beautiful, Snowbell.”She giggled, “Thank you Santa, but I didn't mean that. I meant what I'm wearing!” She spun in a little circle. “Mrs. Claus designed it.”“Is that… the new uniform?” I asked with a gulp.“No, not really. Mrs. Claus says there won't be uniforms anymore. She's designing a bunch of different things, shirts, robes, pants, and dresses. She says we get to wear whatever ones we want! I chose this one. It's my favorite. You can see my little nipples through it!” She giggled as if that was so funny. Elf humor, I guess. I heard a jingling and looked down to see single little bell hanging from a little strap around her waist. It was dangling right in front of her perfect vagina and ringing playfully as she laughed. She looked amazing but… was this the future? Would the factory be full of half-naked elves walking around looking like… this? I had to talk to Mary about this whole concept.Just then, Mary entered the test room. She was wearing red lingerie. Holy, Blitzen! I'd given it to her as a Christmas gift in 1872, but she'd never worn it before. Somehow seeing her in that skimpy red lace shift, beaded with pearls, made her look even more erotic to me than when she was totally naked. Maybe I just have this thing for red and white… but whatever it was, she looked utterly amazing. Then it got even better. She reached up and removed whatever it was that held her hair up in that abominable bun, and her long Christmas-red hair tumbled down her shoulders.I suddenly remembered why I fell in love with her.In the summer of 1702, I visited a remote Bavarian mountainside to collect the special syrup I'd been harvesting from the trees every year. I heard the beautiful echoing voice of someone singing a Christmas Carol. Lasst Uns Froh Und Munter Sein, to be precise (one of my favorites). I followed the sound and came across the most wonderful sight I'd ever seen. A pretty, redheaded Bavarian girl, standing with her back to me, a few feet out in the shallows of a clear mountain lake. She was wearing nothing but a loosely fitting red undergarment which the sun was shining through. I could see every detail of her silhouette: her long gorgeous legs, her curvaceous hips, and delicious buttocks. She'd already removed a big blowsy dress and had thrown it over a nearby stump. A moment after setting my eyes on her gorgeous figure, she reached up behind her head and undid her hair, with the intention of washing it. Her silken hair, which was the color of holly berries, cascaded down over her shoulders, like a red waterfall. I fell in love with her. Right there. Right then.I stepped on a twig and she turned with a start. Her eyes grew wide. She knew who I was the second she saw me. Everyone knows Saint Nicholas in Bavaria! She was so surprised and in awe of me, she didn't notice that the front of her undergarment was wide open, and I could see her beautiful breasts as plain as day, illuminated magically by sunlight reflecting off the surface of the lake. I gulped, my eyes riveted to her perfect tits. They were about the same size as her head and had large, fawn colored areolas decorated with tiny little nipples. As an added bonus, I could see the very top tuft of her beautiful red bush.Rip! My cock grew instantly hard, ripping upward through the leg of my pants, until it was pointed right at this lovely stranger. Her eyes opened even wider. That's not something you see every day. We just stared at each other for the longest time, not wanting this perfect moment to end.At just the right moment, I walked toward her, not bothering to cover my cock. She backed up a little almost slipping on a stone. She must have thought I was going to ravish her on the spot, but I wasn't that sort of man. I walked out into the shallow water, got down on one knee, and took her hands in mine.“Marry me,” I said.“Yes,” she replied.That's how we did it in the old days. None of this premarital sex stuff. You just saw a girl you fancied and you married her. Her parents were thrilled. Their last name was Christmas, which tells you that they were pretty big fans of yours truly. It just seemed like perfect symmetry that their daughter would grow up to marry Saint Nicholas.After the charming little wedding we boarded my sleigh. With the whole village cheering, we took off into the sky, heading north over the Bavarian Alps. Mary's long red hair was dancing about her head in the breeze. The little white flowers she'd braided in it were flying out, leaving a trail of petals falling earthward behind us. Her face was so happy, so young, so full of life. She excitedly asked me questions about the North Pole and insisted on calling me Saint Nicholas, even though I'd told her my real name was Kris Kringle. I didn't mind. It was charming. I felt a happy feeling that nothing in the world could buy.As we talked I grew more and more enchanted by her beautiful blushing face and flashing eyes. I had intended to bed her at the North Pole, but I couldn't wait any longer. The reindeer knew the way home, so I put down the reins and began to kiss Mary and touch her body, feeling the firmness of her large breasts for the first time. My cock was hard, but I'd strapped it down before the wedding, afraid it might misbehave during the ceremony. Mary ran her fingers along length of the hard log strapped to my thigh.“My… Saint Nicholas, how big you are!”“Would you like to see it… again?” I asked her, breathless with lust.“Yes, Saint Nicholas,” she said, shyly. She crouched in front of me, and pulled off my boots, carefully putting them aside. Then she unhooked my suspenders. Then she unbuttoned my pants, tense with anticipation, and pulled them down, followed by my red and green striped boxers. She stopped for a moment to stare at my enormous cock. The strap holding it down was digging into my thigh.“That looks painful!”“It is. Why don't you take it off for me?”She kneeled and breathlessly unhooked the leather strap, her fingers brushing against my naked flesh thrillingly. She had to pull hard to unhook the belt, and when she did my cock popped up and bonked her on the chin so hard that she said, “Ow!” and giggled.I chuckled along, but our laughter died out as she began to study my ruddy penis with intense interest. It was probably the first one she'd ever seen. She probably didn't know that it was unusually large, but she was impressed nonetheless. She began to touch it tenderly with her exquisite fingers. She ran her hands delicately around and around, then circling under my balls, and feeling the weight of them in her hands. I was utterly transfixed by the sensation! Then she bent over and kissed the head of my cock with her beautiful lips. I was so excited! No woman had ever seen it, much less kissed it! Then she opened her mouth as wide as she could and tried to swallow it. I'd heard lots of bawdy talk from lumberjacks and their trappers, so I knew all about blowjobs, but I'd never thought I'd be given one. She was a tall girl, very big boned, so she was able to get the head of my cock in her mouth, although it didn't go very far inside. She started stroking my shaft with her soft, large hands, lubricating everything with her saliva. As she did this, I took off my coat and shirt. I was in heaven.I felt a little surge of pre-cum shoot into her mouth. She looked at me in surprise. Then she suddenly stood up, her eyes wide with lust, and sat on the dashboard of the sleigh. She propped her feet on the seat on either side of me. I wasn't sure what she was doing, but I just watched her, transfixed by the beautiful sight of her hair was whipping about her head as she stared at me, her face tense with excitement.“Father told me to make sure you see.” She pulled up her dress, slowly, revealing her beautiful, long, naked legs. Much to my delight, I discovered she wasn't wearing any underwear. I was looking right at her glorious pussy. She reached between her legs, and pulled the pussy lips open to show me she that she was still a virgin. I leaned forward, ostensibly to inspect her hymen, as the preacher had insisted I do, but the instant I got close enough I had the overwhelming urge to kiss her there. I ran my hands up her thighs to grab her naked ass in my eager hands and buried my mouth between her wet lips. I tasted her sweetness and breathed in her musky scent, my nose buried in her holly berry bush. She groaned in pleasure, shocked I think, at the sensations I was giving her. A delicious liquid began to ooze from the little hole in her hymen. I lapped it up with my tongue then played with the thin membrane of her hymen, knowing that soon it would exist no more.I sucked and kissed her virgin pussy, wanting to extend our innocence as long as possible. But, desperate with passion, she pushed me back, and kept pushing until we both stumbled and tumbled over the seat into the back of the sleigh. I landed on my back on my magic sack, which, though empty, did protect me from getting splinters. In a twinkling, Mary was straddling me, looking down with an almost crazy expression on her face. Then she lowered herself onto my cock in one swift move and cried out in pain as I pierced her hymen. We were no longer virgins.“Mary, are you alright?”“Mother said it would hurt at first,” she whimpered. She forced herself farther down on me, grimacing in pain… she was so damned tight! Then, when about a third of my manhood was inside her the tip pressed against the back wall of her vagina, making her yelp in pain again. She stood up and my cock popped out of her. She looked at me, her face almost frightened from the pain it had caused her.“Saint Nick… I knew you were large… but… Oh, my!”“Mary! You're bleeding!”She looked down at the trickle of blood running down her thigh. “Mother said I would bleed. It's nothing.” But I sat up and tenderly kissed her pussy, and wiped away the blood with a corner of my magic sack.“I'm so sorry I hurt you, Mary.”“No, we need to do this. Just… give me a second.” She made me lie back again, as she screwed up her courage. Then she lowered herself again onto my shaft. I was about four inches thick, and it took all her effort not to scream as I penetrated her. She was so tight around me, it felt like I was ripping her open. But I saw determination in her face. She began to go up and down on me, faster and with greater ease. Then the pain on her face turned to pleasure. She smiled a large beautiful smile and began to groan.“Oh… Saint Nick!!! Sing for me!”I was always happy to take requests, even while making love to my beautiful bride. I began to sing a traditional Bavarian sleighing song. I sang with gusto. I'm always the loudest one when the caroling begins! Oh, what fun it was to sing a sleighing song that night! Mary was riding herself up and down on me with more and more power, in tempo with my singing, making the bells on the side of the sleigh jingle with each thrust. Then she started singing along, laughing from time to time at the gleeful absurdity of it all. She was fucking Saint Nicholas in his sleigh, the Bavarian Alps towering all around!I stopped singing when a surge of intense pleasure hit me in the guts. I felt something powerful building up inside me, from the tips of my toes and the top of my head. And all of that power was surging down to my balls, then started galloping up my shaft to the tip. I bellowed with joy as I came inside my lovely bride. I hadn't had an orgasm since before I was transmogrified. I'd been required to swear an oath to be celibate until I was wed. I guess I had a bit of a backlog of cum from centuries of disuse, because it went on and on, gush after gush for at least two full minutes, until it was pouring out of her around my cock, and across my balls, and pooling up around my ass. She moaned in pleasure, having an orgasm just from the sensation of three quarts of cum shooting inside her. It was an absolutely amazing moment, made doubly wonderful because of the love I felt for this beautiful woman.As I watched Mary let down her hair in the test room, I thought…I don't love her anymore.It was a shock to realize it. But I don't think I'd loved her in ages. Oh, she was still a beautiful, sexy woman, and I was enjoying the sight of her smoking hot bod, but… I wasn't all that interested in fucking her any more.Snowbell, on the other hand… I looked at her and I felt a tingling in my heart and in my cock. Love. If only I weren't a married man… I opened my arms and said, “Come here Snowbell.”She happily hopped sideways into my lap, right on top of my growing erection, which made her giggle. I hugged her playfully and cuddled her up to my face, her cheek to mine. I loved the way her body wiggled as she giggled. I was trying to desexualize her by treating her like a pet. But it didn't work. I wanted Snowbell to touch my cock again… but I resisted the urge and put her on my left knee, away from my erection.“Let's just watch, Snowbell. Okay?”“Yes, Santa, I would love to watch with you!”We looked into the test room. Mary was waiting expectantly on the fluffy bed, looking at a door on the blank white wall. The door opened and a blonde woman walked in. What the…? I had no idea who she could be. The nearest arctic station was about twenty miles away. Besides, this woman was built like a porn star. Then I realized I was seeing the life-sized sex doll! It was freakishly realistic. It was a high quality sculpture of an actual porn star, cast out of silicone, with real human hair woven on its head and pussy. It had an articulated skeleton, and realistic, fuckable openings in the mouth, pussy and anus. Freaky. A group of scantily dressed female elves were standing on each other's shoulders, manipulating the doll like a puppet, so it appeared to be walking. The doll was platinum blonde, dressed in a flimsy pink negligee, and white fishnet hose held up by a garter. It had bigger boobs than Mary. Obscenely large in fact. Its face was blank and its blue eyes empty of life. But when it moved… it came to life… it became a ‘she'. Elves are natural puppeteers.It was probably the weirdest thing I've ever seen, and it just got weirder.Mary looked at… I'll call her Dolly… appraisingly, as if deciding how best to use her. She reached out and squeezed Dolly's breasts with her hands. One of the elves giggled, and I realized she was voicing the part of Dolly. Mary smiled shyly, looking coquettishly at Dolly's eyes.“You have very pretty breasts,” said Mary, somewhat awkwardly.“So do you,” said Dolly, as she reached out to touch Mary's breasts. Mary arched her back lustfully, and pulled the front of her shift down, exposing her beautiful mammaries to Dolly's hands. Tinsel, a beautiful blue elf, stood between Mary and Dolly, and reached up past Dolly's inanimate hands to do the touching for her. Tinsel's long delicate blue fingers fondled Mary's perfect breasts, pinching her nipples.At the same time Mary squeezed and pinched Dolly's breasts and the elves groaned, “Oh, Mrs. Claus, that feels so good.”This went on for a while, the two of them… or the three of them, touching each other all over. I thought Dolly was creepy, but it was wonderful to see Tinsel's blue hands fondling Mary's breasts and ass. It was naughty… but utterly erotic.I felt Snowbell's hand starting to stroke my erection through the velvet.“Let's just watch, Snowbell.”“Okay,” she sing-songed, taking her hand away. But a minute later her hand was touching my erection again. That was odd. Usually you told an elf to do something and they did it. You never had to tell them twice. Never. But she was deliberately disobeying my orders. Still… it felt good… and it wasn't really like we were having sex… or so I told myself. So I let her continue.Mary kissed Dolly on the lips. Passionately! I felt a little surge of jealousy. Mary hadn't kissed me with that much passion in an elf's age. But she was kissing a hunk of petroleum byproducts like it were George Clooney!“If you want to masturbate, Santa, I won't mind,” said Snowbell, hugging me sweetly.“Well… Why not? Just… don't touch me there, please, Snowbell.”“Oh? You liked the way I touched you there before.”“I'm married. It's naughty for me to… to have sexual relations with anyone other than Mrs. Claus.”She laughed, “Oh, yes, I read about that silly custom on the human internet. I didn't know that rule applied to demigods!”Actually… I didn't know either. I had just sort of assumed it. I was born a human, so I'd always figured the same rules applied to me even after I was transmogrified. “Just, please Snowbell. I'm trying to be good.”“I understand, Santa. I won't touch.”I took out my cock, and Snowbell reached between her legs and offered me a dewdrop of her magical juices. I thought I probably shouldn't… but I took it, remembering how wonderfully tingly it felt. I broke the delicate drop open against my cock and spread Snowbell's pussy juice all over. Oh, elf magic… Um. I masturbated slowly, sensuously, as I watched my beautiful wife have sex with a rubber doll.Mary tried various things with Dolly… weird approximations of lovemaking. It was strange seeing her attempting to have sex with a woman. I knew some of the sample sex toys were strap-on dildos, so I wondered why she didn't just strap one of them onto Dolly. But I soon found out. Mary got on her knees, put her head between Dolly's legs and licked and sucked her silicone vagina, either enjoying it or pretending to, while the elves made Dolly appear to writhe and moan in pleasure. Dolly pulled at Mary's hair, and Mary responded by driving her tongue insistently into Dolly's plastic pussy. Mary reached between her own legs and began fingering herself with her ass aimed right at me. Oh, Mary… my heart ached for the past, when she'd wanted me to touch her there. It was an exciting sight to masturbate to, but angering as well, because I knew that Mary wouldn't let me touch her pussy with a ten-foot pole. She'd reduced me to this pathetic voyeurism.Then Mary lay on her back, and now Dolly crawled to the floor and pushed Mary's legs wide. Tinsel crawled under Dolly's head and put her elfin mouth on Mary's vagina. I felt a surge of anger. Why does an elf get to do that but not me? Then I berated myself. What did I care? I didn't really want to do that stuff to Mary anymore. I just wanted her to want me to.But then I started wondering… these tests had been going on all week… had Mary been having sex with her elves all that time? I'd sort of assumed she was as ashamed as I was about what happened. And whenever I did see her, she and her elves seemed to be all business. This was supposed to be research testing, but this had nothing to do with a sex toy! It's not like the women receiving these presents would have a bevy of little elfin beauties eat out their pussies. It was as plain as the elf in Mary's pussy… she was cheating on me!! Sure, I did it one time with Snowbell, but Mary had been doing it all week, who knows how many times?! I was furious! I imagined myself breaking through the window, throwing Dolly and the elves aside and ramming my huge cock inside Mary's inconstant pussy and fucking her, in spite of her protests, shouting, “Kris Kringle calls the shots around here!!!”But of course, I'd never do that kind of thing, and the anger began to dissipate. I noticed Snowbell was staring hungrily at my cock as I stroked it. She was still perched on the edge of my thigh with my left arm around her back, but now her legs were open and she was quietly playing with her perfect little pussy, sinking her long willowy fingers deep inside herself, while fingering her clit with the other hand. I itched to reach around her back and cup her little round breast in my hand. But I refused to betray Mary even though I was watching her betray me with Dolly and Tinsel right now.Mary was moaning with pleasure. I noticed now that Tinsel had a long tongue; probably six inches long. It was pale blue and agile, like a Giraffe's tongue, and whenever Tinsel went deep inside, Mary would grab Dolly's hair and shout in joy. I vaguely remembered seeing a long elf tongue centuries ago. It had grossed me out so much that I told the elves to keep their tongues in their mouths when they were in the factory, and they'd happily obliged. But now I could see Tinsel putting that long tongue to good use, probing Mary's vagina, feeling out places a cock or finger could never reach. Mary was writhing in ecstasy, and I was jerking myself off like there was no tomorrow. Tinsel was on her knees, and another elf, Greentree, reached over and lifted the back of Tinsel's robe and sunk her fingers into Tinsel's shimmering pussy. Fuck, that was hot! I felt my balls tingling. Then I noticed it was Snowbell's foot. She'd bent it back and was now tickling my balls with her long, agile toes as she masturbated herself!I wanted to tell her to stop… but I didn't. I looked down at her beautiful aqua body, which was flickering with pale magenta flashes in her glittery skin. She was fingering herself and her little baseball sized breasts were bouncing around under the flimsy teddy. I didn't know where to look… at Greentree touching Tinsel's pussy, or Tinsel going down on Mary's pussy, or Snowbell fingering her own. I felt a surge that told me I was going to come any second now… but I stopped rubbing my cock just in time to stop my orgasm.“Are you okay, Santa?” asked snowbell.“I'm okay… just trying not to… you know.”“Oh, good idea, Santa. You should never waste it unless you plan to anoint someone. You can anoint me, if you like.”She was looking up at me, four long fingers inside her vagina, smiling, hoping I would say yes. The bell between her legs was jingling like crazy as she finger-fucked herself. Our eyes were locked when she came, emitting a high pitched squeal of pleasure. It was like looking into eternity; she was so ancient, yet so pure and full of love. When she came, her toes squeezed my balls in a powerful reflex. It's a good thing I'm Santa, or it could have hurt me. But my balls aren't delicate little Christmas ornaments.Snowbell, humming in pleasure after her orgasm had passed, reached over casually and wrapped her hand around my naked cock and began to stroke me with her juice-covered fingers. It felt so good… but I needed to stop her! Whatever else may happen, I didn't want Mary to ever find out I had cheated on her.But then… I began to wonder again why Snowbell had disobeyed my orders not to touch me. With a sudden flash of realization, I remembered that she wasn't my elf. She was Mary's elf. Duh! No wonder she wasn't following my orders!I took her hand off my cock and calmly asked her, “Did you tell Mrs. Claus what you and I did the other day.”Snowbell, still in a post orgasmic state, answered woozily, “Oh yes, Santa. I tell the mistress everything.”I should have known… but Mary hadn't shown any sign of anger at all! Actually she'd been more pleasant to me lately than she'd been in years.Snowbell continued, “She told me to make you happy, Santa. I was happy to do it. I love Santa. His cum tastes like nutmeg!”So… it was Mary's idea for Snowbell to… what? Seduce me? Why? Then I knew why. It was so I wouldn't complain about what she was doing right now. If I could cheat, so could she!Mary's moans of pleasure developed into a powerful orgasm, even more insistent and amazing than any of the previous ones. Tinsel's long tongue was really going to town on Mary's pussy now. Dolly was reaching up, and the elves were pinching and twisting Mary's tits for Dolly.Strangely, I didn't feel mad. Because, it was obvious… Mary didn't love me either.To be continued..By cb summers for Literotica

How Mary Kringle replaced Kris with a set of dildos & her elf girlfriends.By cb summers. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.Things really started changing quickly after that. For one thing, Mary moved out of her apartment to be nearer the test room and the small sex toy manufacturing facility she was setting up. I hardly saw her anymore. I resisted the urge to go to the viewing room that week, for fear of dallying with Snowbell again or some other adorable elf.There was something in the air on the factory floor… a buzz of excitement. Wherever I went, I saw elves smiling up at me and whispering to each other. I figured they were talking about the new clothing Mary was designing. But I worried that they knew what Mary and I had done with Snowbell and the other elves… it was too horrible to contemplate! Whatever it was, I found their ancient eyes on me unnerving.I had at least one reason to suspect our dalliance had gotten out: my loyal secretary Blizzard, who'd been my assistant for 85 years, suddenly started flirting with me. At first I didn't realize what she was doing, but eventually I noticed that she'd left her frumpy striped blouse unbuttoned a bit too far. She bent over a few times, and I saw the top of her cleavage to the lacy top of her little elf bra. Then I noticed she wasn't wearing the red and green striped hose I made the female elves wear. She was showing me her bare powder blue legs for the first time ever, and I was shocked by how shapely they were. Blizzard, who was named for her snowy white skin, had always taken care of me. I'd always considered her a mother figure. But now…When I asked her to take a letter, she sat and crossed her luscious legs… slowly… so as to give me a glimpse of her little elf panties. Then, as I dictated, she looked at me intently over the top of her glasses, and every once in a while she'd slowly lick her lips. It was a seductive expression if I ever saw one. All at once I realized the implication of what was going on. She would do anything I wanted. Anything. No questions asked. Any of the elves would. It was pure, unadulterated temptation.I had no idea how I was going to resist. But I held out as long as I could.Every day I fought off the urge to go to the viewing room. But after the eighth day, Snowbell sent me a message saying that Mary was running the last test today. If I was interested in watching, this would be my last opportunity. That pushed me over the edge. Snowbell wanted me to come. Snowbell wanted me to cum! I couldn't resist, but I made up my mind not to do anything naughty. I wanted to be true to Mary, as I was sure she was trying to do too. So as I walked to the viewing room at the appointed time, I was determined to tell Snowbell to leave, and I would lock the door behind her. I wanted to masturbate alone, watching my naked wife play with sex toys, like a normal husband!When I entered the viewing room, my plan went up in smoke. Snowbell was waiting for me, wearing a thin, see-thru, pale blue teddy. I could see her dark blue nipples through the snowflake pattern. I forgot all about my plan.“Glad tidings, Santa! I'm so happy you're back.” She was glittering with happiness. “Here, have a seat. The test hasn't started yet.”I sat on the couch. Snowbell stood nearby, just looking at me, beaming with happiness. It was a good thing I'd worn baggy pants, because my cock was already growing just looking at her amazing little body.“How are you today, Snowbell?”“Wonderful, Santa, now that you're here. I was so worried you wouldn't come. I've missed you.”“Really?” I asked.“I had so much fun last time. I've told all the elves about it.”“Christmas crackers! You shouldn't have!” I snapped, even though I'd suspected as much.She put her delicate hands to her mouth, and her eyes filled with tears, “Oh… Santa… was I naughty?”Elves are ancient and wise, but quite emotional sometimes. I hated the look of despair on her face, so I put my hand on her little shoulder and said, “No, it's okay…I'm just… shy, I guess.”She smiled again, glad I wasn't angry. “Well, Santa, you have no reason to be shy. Elves aren't. We only wear clothes because you want us to. In our homes, we take everything off… well, not everything. Sometimes we like to wear things that make us look sexy.”“Really? I didn't know that.” I had to admit.“No, of course not Santa. You told us not to talk about those sorts of things thousands of years ago. You thought we were naughty.”“No, I'd never think elves are naughty.” I admitted.“Really? That's good to know.” She said, a mischievous gleam in her ancient elfin eyes.I crossed my legs to hide my growing erection and said, “I was actually afraid you'd think I was naughty after… you know.”“After you anointed me?” She giggled. “Don't be silly Santa! I've been anointed before. But that was the first time Santa anointed me! Everyone is so happy for me! Oh, you were so delicious! Yummy, yummy, yummy!”“I'm not the first?” I asked.“Of course not, silly! Elves anoint each other all the time!”“You… have sex too?”She laughed, “Of course, Santa! All kinds… all the time! We play every night after closing time in the little houses you made for us!” I'd always assumed those parties I heard were just… parties. But were they orgies? I've always considered elves pure goodness. If they had sex all the time… maybe having sex all the time was a good thing.She put her hands on my knee and leaned toward me, batting her elfin eyes, her breasts pushing up beautifully between her arms.“How do you like it?” she said, glancing down at her body.“You're beautiful, Snowbell.”She giggled, “Thank you Santa, but I didn't mean that. I meant what I'm wearing!” She spun in a little circle. “Mrs. Claus designed it.”“Is that… the new uniform?” I asked with a gulp.“No, not really. Mrs. Claus says there won't be uniforms anymore. She's designing a bunch of different things, shirts, robes, pants, and dresses. She says we get to wear whatever ones we want! I chose this one. It's my favorite. You can see my little nipples through it!” She giggled as if that was so funny. Elf humor, I guess. I heard a jingling and looked down to see single little bell hanging from a little strap around her waist. It was dangling right in front of her perfect vagina and ringing playfully as she laughed. She looked amazing but… was this the future? Would the factory be full of half-naked elves walking around looking like… this? I had to talk to Mary about this whole concept.Just then, Mary entered the test room. She was wearing red lingerie. Holy, Blitzen! I'd given it to her as a Christmas gift in 1872, but she'd never worn it before. Somehow seeing her in that skimpy red lace shift, beaded with pearls, made her look even more erotic to me than when she was totally naked. Maybe I just have this thing for red and white… but whatever it was, she looked utterly amazing. Then it got even better. She reached up and removed whatever it was that held her hair up in that abominable bun, and her long Christmas-red hair tumbled down her shoulders.I suddenly remembered why I fell in love with her.In the summer of 1702, I visited a remote Bavarian mountainside to collect the special syrup I'd been harvesting from the trees every year. I heard the beautiful echoing voice of someone singing a Christmas Carol. Lasst Uns Froh Und Munter Sein, to be precise (one of my favorites). I followed the sound and came across the most wonderful sight I'd ever seen. A pretty, redheaded Bavarian girl, standing with her back to me, a few feet out in the shallows of a clear mountain lake. She was wearing nothing but a loosely fitting red undergarment which the sun was shining through. I could see every detail of her silhouette: her long gorgeous legs, her curvaceous hips, and delicious buttocks. She'd already removed a big blowsy dress and had thrown it over a nearby stump. A moment after setting my eyes on her gorgeous figure, she reached up behind her head and undid her hair, with the intention of washing it. Her silken hair, which was the color of holly berries, cascaded down over her shoulders, like a red waterfall. I fell in love with her. Right there. Right then.I stepped on a twig and she turned with a start. Her eyes grew wide. She knew who I was the second she saw me. Everyone knows Saint Nicholas in Bavaria! She was so surprised and in awe of me, she didn't notice that the front of her undergarment was wide open, and I could see her beautiful breasts as plain as day, illuminated magically by sunlight reflecting off the surface of the lake. I gulped, my eyes riveted to her perfect tits. They were about the same size as her head and had large, fawn colored areolas decorated with tiny little nipples. As an added bonus, I could see the very top tuft of her beautiful red bush.Rip! My cock grew instantly hard, ripping upward through the leg of my pants, until it was pointed right at this lovely stranger. Her eyes opened even wider. That's not something you see every day. We just stared at each other for the longest time, not wanting this perfect moment to end.At just the right moment, I walked toward her, not bothering to cover my cock. She backed up a little almost slipping on a stone. She must have thought I was going to ravish her on the spot, but I wasn't that sort of man. I walked out into the shallow water, got down on one knee, and took her hands in mine.“Marry me,” I said.“Yes,” she replied.That's how we did it in the old days. None of this premarital sex stuff. You just saw a girl you fancied and you married her. Her parents were thrilled. Their last name was Christmas, which tells you that they were pretty big fans of yours truly. It just seemed like perfect symmetry that their daughter would grow up to marry Saint Nicholas.After the charming little wedding we boarded my sleigh. With the whole village cheering, we took off into the sky, heading north over the Bavarian Alps. Mary's long red hair was dancing about her head in the breeze. The little white flowers she'd braided in it were flying out, leaving a trail of petals falling earthward behind us. Her face was so happy, so young, so full of life. She excitedly asked me questions about the North Pole and insisted on calling me Saint Nicholas, even though I'd told her my real name was Kris Kringle. I didn't mind. It was charming. I felt a happy feeling that nothing in the world could buy.As we talked I grew more and more enchanted by her beautiful blushing face and flashing eyes. I had intended to bed her at the North Pole, but I couldn't wait any longer. The reindeer knew the way home, so I put down the reins and began to kiss Mary and touch her body, feeling the firmness of her large breasts for the first time. My cock was hard, but I'd strapped it down before the wedding, afraid it might misbehave during the ceremony. Mary ran her fingers along length of the hard log strapped to my thigh.“My… Saint Nicholas, how big you are!”“Would you like to see it… again?” I asked her, breathless with lust.“Yes, Saint Nicholas,” she said, shyly. She crouched in front of me, and pulled off my boots, carefully putting them aside. Then she unhooked my suspenders. Then she unbuttoned my pants, tense with anticipation, and pulled them down, followed by my red and green striped boxers. She stopped for a moment to stare at my enormous cock. The strap holding it down was digging into my thigh.“That looks painful!”“It is. Why don't you take it off for me?”She kneeled and breathlessly unhooked the leather strap, her fingers brushing against my naked flesh thrillingly. She had to pull hard to unhook the belt, and when she did my cock popped up and bonked her on the chin so hard that she said, “Ow!” and giggled.I chuckled along, but our laughter died out as she began to study my ruddy penis with intense interest. It was probably the first one she'd ever seen. She probably didn't know that it was unusually large, but she was impressed nonetheless. She began to touch it tenderly with her exquisite fingers. She ran her hands delicately around and around, then circling under my balls, and feeling the weight of them in her hands. I was utterly transfixed by the sensation! Then she bent over and kissed the head of my cock with her beautiful lips. I was so excited! No woman had ever seen it, much less kissed it! Then she opened her mouth as wide as she could and tried to swallow it. I'd heard lots of bawdy talk from lumberjacks and their trappers, so I knew all about blowjobs, but I'd never thought I'd be given one. She was a tall girl, very big boned, so she was able to get the head of my cock in her mouth, although it didn't go very far inside. She started stroking my shaft with her soft, large hands, lubricating everything with her saliva. As she did this, I took off my coat and shirt. I was in heaven.I felt a little surge of pre-cum shoot into her mouth. She looked at me in surprise. Then she suddenly stood up, her eyes wide with lust, and sat on the dashboard of the sleigh. She propped her feet on the seat on either side of me. I wasn't sure what she was doing, but I just watched her, transfixed by the beautiful sight of her hair was whipping about her head as she stared at me, her face tense with excitement.“Father told me to make sure you see.” She pulled up her dress, slowly, revealing her beautiful, long, naked legs. Much to my delight, I discovered she wasn't wearing any underwear. I was looking right at her glorious pussy. She reached between her legs, and pulled the pussy lips open to show me she that she was still a virgin. I leaned forward, ostensibly to inspect her hymen, as the preacher had insisted I do, but the instant I got close enough I had the overwhelming urge to kiss her there. I ran my hands up her thighs to grab her naked ass in my eager hands and buried my mouth between her wet lips. I tasted her sweetness and breathed in her musky scent, my nose buried in her holly berry bush. She groaned in pleasure, shocked I think, at the sensations I was giving her. A delicious liquid began to ooze from the little hole in her hymen. I lapped it up with my tongue then played with the thin membrane of her hymen, knowing that soon it would exist no more.I sucked and kissed her virgin pussy, wanting to extend our innocence as long as possible. But, desperate with passion, she pushed me back, and kept pushing until we both stumbled and tumbled over the seat into the back of the sleigh. I landed on my back on my magic sack, which, though empty, did protect me from getting splinters. In a twinkling, Mary was straddling me, looking down with an almost crazy expression on her face. Then she lowered herself onto my cock in one swift move and cried out in pain as I pierced her hymen. We were no longer virgins.“Mary, are you alright?”“Mother said it would hurt at first,” she whimpered. She forced herself farther down on me, grimacing in pain… she was so damned tight! Then, when about a third of my manhood was inside her the tip pressed against the back wall of her vagina, making her yelp in pain again. She stood up and my cock popped out of her. She looked at me, her face almost frightened from the pain it had caused her.“Saint Nick… I knew you were large… but… Oh, my!”“Mary! You're bleeding!”She looked down at the trickle of blood running down her thigh. “Mother said I would bleed. It's nothing.” But I sat up and tenderly kissed her pussy, and wiped away the blood with a corner of my magic sack.“I'm so sorry I hurt you, Mary.”“No, we need to do this. Just… give me a second.” She made me lie back again, as she screwed up her courage. Then she lowered herself again onto my shaft. I was about four inches thick, and it took all her effort not to scream as I penetrated her. She was so tight around me, it felt like I was ripping her open. But I saw determination in her face. She began to go up and down on me, faster and with greater ease. Then the pain on her face turned to pleasure. She smiled a large beautiful smile and began to groan.“Oh… Saint Nick!!! Sing for me!”I was always happy to take requests, even while making love to my beautiful bride. I began to sing a traditional Bavarian sleighing song. I sang with gusto. I'm always the loudest one when the caroling begins! Oh, what fun it was to sing a sleighing song that night! Mary was riding herself up and down on me with more and more power, in tempo with my singing, making the bells on the side of the sleigh jingle with each thrust. Then she started singing along, laughing from time to time at the gleeful absurdity of it all. She was fucking Saint Nicholas in his sleigh, the Bavarian Alps towering all around!I stopped singing when a surge of intense pleasure hit me in the guts. I felt something powerful building up inside me, from the tips of my toes and the top of my head. And all of that power was surging down to my balls, then started galloping up my shaft to the tip. I bellowed with joy as I came inside my lovely bride. I hadn't had an orgasm since before I was transmogrified. I'd been required to swear an oath to be celibate until I was wed. I guess I had a bit of a backlog of cum from centuries of disuse, because it went on and on, gush after gush for at least two full minutes, until it was pouring out of her around my cock, and across my balls, and pooling up around my ass. She moaned in pleasure, having an orgasm just from the sensation of three quarts of cum shooting inside her. It was an absolutely amazing moment, made doubly wonderful because of the love I felt for this beautiful woman.As I watched Mary let down her hair in the test room, I thought…I don't love her anymore.It was a shock to realize it. But I don't think I'd loved her in ages. Oh, she was still a beautiful, sexy woman, and I was enjoying the sight of her smoking hot bod, but… I wasn't all that interested in fucking her any more.Snowbell, on the other hand… I looked at her and I felt a tingling in my heart and in my cock. Love. If only I weren't a married man… I opened my arms and said, “Come here Snowbell.”She happily hopped sideways into my lap, right on top of my growing erection, which made her giggle. I hugged her playfully and cuddled her up to my face, her cheek to mine. I loved the way her body wiggled as she giggled. I was trying to desexualize her by treating her like a pet. But it didn't work. I wanted Snowbell to touch my cock again… but I resisted the urge and put her on my left knee, away from my erection.“Let's just watch, Snowbell. Okay?”“Yes, Santa, I would love to watch with you!”We looked into the test room. Mary was waiting expectantly on the fluffy bed, looking at a door on the blank white wall. The door opened and a blonde woman walked in. What the…? I had no idea who she could be. The nearest arctic station was about twenty miles away. Besides, this woman was built like a porn star. Then I realized I was seeing the life-sized sex doll! It was freakishly realistic. It was a high quality sculpture of an actual porn star, cast out of silicone, with real human hair woven on its head and pussy. It had an articulated skeleton, and realistic, fuckable openings in the mouth, pussy and anus. Freaky. A group of scantily dressed female elves were standing on each other's shoulders, manipulating the doll like a puppet, so it appeared to be walking. The doll was platinum blonde, dressed in a flimsy pink negligee, and white fishnet hose held up by a garter. It had bigger boobs than Mary. Obscenely large in fact. Its face was blank and its blue eyes empty of life. But when it moved… it came to life… it became a ‘she'. Elves are natural puppeteers.It was probably the weirdest thing I've ever seen, and it just got weirder.Mary looked at… I'll call her Dolly… appraisingly, as if deciding how best to use her. She reached out and squeezed Dolly's breasts with her hands. One of the elves giggled, and I realized she was voicing the part of Dolly. Mary smiled shyly, looking coquettishly at Dolly's eyes.“You have very pretty breasts,” said Mary, somewhat awkwardly.“So do you,” said Dolly, as she reached out to touch Mary's breasts. Mary arched her back lustfully, and pulled the front of her shift down, exposing her beautiful mammaries to Dolly's hands. Tinsel, a beautiful blue elf, stood between Mary and Dolly, and reached up past Dolly's inanimate hands to do the touching for her. Tinsel's long delicate blue fingers fondled Mary's perfect breasts, pinching her nipples.At the same time Mary squeezed and pinched Dolly's breasts and the elves groaned, “Oh, Mrs. Claus, that feels so good.”This went on for a while, the two of them… or the three of them, touching each other all over. I thought Dolly was creepy, but it was wonderful to see Tinsel's blue hands fondling Mary's breasts and ass. It was naughty… but utterly erotic.I felt Snowbell's hand starting to stroke my erection through the velvet.“Let's just watch, Snowbell.”“Okay,” she sing-songed, taking her hand away. But a minute later her hand was touching my erection again. That was odd. Usually you told an elf to do something and they did it. You never had to tell them twice. Never. But she was deliberately disobeying my orders. Still… it felt good… and it wasn't really like we were having sex… or so I told myself. So I let her continue.Mary kissed Dolly on the lips. Passionately! I felt a little surge of jealousy. Mary hadn't kissed me with that much passion in an elf's age. But she was kissing a hunk of petroleum byproducts like it were George Clooney!“If you want to masturbate, Santa, I won't mind,” said Snowbell, hugging me sweetly.“Well… Why not? Just… don't touch me there, please, Snowbell.”“Oh? You liked the way I touched you there before.”“I'm married. It's naughty for me to… to have sexual relations with anyone other than Mrs. Claus.”She laughed, “Oh, yes, I read about that silly custom on the human internet. I didn't know that rule applied to demigods!”Actually… I didn't know either. I had just sort of assumed it. I was born a human, so I'd always figured the same rules applied to me even after I was transmogrified. “Just, please Snowbell. I'm trying to be good.”“I understand, Santa. I won't touch.”I took out my cock, and Snowbell reached between her legs and offered me a dewdrop of her magical juices. I thought I probably shouldn't… but I took it, remembering how wonderfully tingly it felt. I broke the delicate drop open against my cock and spread Snowbell's pussy juice all over. Oh, elf magic… Um. I masturbated slowly, sensuously, as I watched my beautiful wife have sex with a rubber doll.Mary tried various things with Dolly… weird approximations of lovemaking. It was strange seeing her attempting to have sex with a woman. I knew some of the sample sex toys were strap-on dildos, so I wondered why she didn't just strap one of them onto Dolly. But I soon found out. Mary got on her knees, put her head between Dolly's legs and licked and sucked her silicone vagina, either enjoying it or pretending to, while the elves made Dolly appear to writhe and moan in pleasure. Dolly pulled at Mary's hair, and Mary responded by driving her tongue insistently into Dolly's plastic pussy. Mary reached between her own legs and began fingering herself with her ass aimed right at me. Oh, Mary… my heart ached for the past, when she'd wanted me to touch her there. It was an exciting sight to masturbate to, but angering as well, because I knew that Mary wouldn't let me touch her pussy with a ten-foot pole. She'd reduced me to this pathetic voyeurism.Then Mary lay on her back, and now Dolly crawled to the floor and pushed Mary's legs wide. Tinsel crawled under Dolly's head and put her elfin mouth on Mary's vagina. I felt a surge of anger. Why does an elf get to do that but not me? Then I berated myself. What did I care? I didn't really want to do that stuff to Mary anymore. I just wanted her to want me to.But then I started wondering… these tests had been going on all week… had Mary been having sex with her elves all that time? I'd sort of assumed she was as ashamed as I was about what happened. And whenever I did see her, she and her elves seemed to be all business. This was supposed to be research testing, but this had nothing to do with a sex toy! It's not like the women receiving these presents would have a bevy of little elfin beauties eat out their pussies. It was as plain as the elf in Mary's pussy… she was cheating on me!! Sure, I did it one time with Snowbell, but Mary had been doing it all week, who knows how many times?! I was furious! I imagined myself breaking through the window, throwing Dolly and the elves aside and ramming my huge cock inside Mary's inconstant pussy and fucking her, in spite of her protests, shouting, “Kris Kringle calls the shots around here!!!”But of course, I'd never do that kind of thing, and the anger began to dissipate. I noticed Snowbell was staring hungrily at my cock as I stroked it. She was still perched on the edge of my thigh with my left arm around her back, but now her legs were open and she was quietly playing with her perfect little pussy, sinking her long willowy fingers deep inside herself, while fingering her clit with the other hand. I itched to reach around her back and cup her little round breast in my hand. But I refused to betray Mary even though I was watching her betray me with Dolly and Tinsel right now.Mary was moaning with pleasure. I noticed now that Tinsel had a long tongue; probably six inches long. It was pale blue and agile, like a Giraffe's tongue, and whenever Tinsel went deep inside, Mary would grab Dolly's hair and shout in joy. I vaguely remembered seeing a long elf tongue centuries ago. It had grossed me out so much that I told the elves to keep their tongues in their mouths when they were in the factory, and they'd happily obliged. But now I could see Tinsel putting that long tongue to good use, probing Mary's vagina, feeling out places a cock or finger could never reach. Mary was writhing in ecstasy, and I was jerking myself off like there was no tomorrow. Tinsel was on her knees, and another elf, Greentree, reached over and lifted the back of Tinsel's robe and sunk her fingers into Tinsel's shimmering pussy. Fuck, that was hot! I felt my balls tingling. Then I noticed it was Snowbell's foot. She'd bent it back and was now tickling my balls with her long, agile toes as she masturbated herself!I wanted to tell her to stop… but I didn't. I looked down at her beautiful aqua body, which was flickering with pale magenta flashes in her glittery skin. She was fingering herself and her little baseball sized breasts were bouncing around under the flimsy teddy. I didn't know where to look… at Greentree touching Tinsel's pussy, or Tinsel going down on Mary's pussy, or Snowbell fingering her own. I felt a surge that told me I was going to come any second now… but I stopped rubbing my cock just in time to stop my orgasm.“Are you okay, Santa?” asked snowbell.“I'm okay… just trying not to… you know.”“Oh, good idea, Santa. You should never waste it unless you plan to anoint someone. You can anoint me, if you like.”She was looking up at me, four long fingers inside her vagina, smiling, hoping I would say yes. The bell between her legs was jingling like crazy as she finger-fucked herself. Our eyes were locked when she came, emitting a high pitched squeal of pleasure. It was like looking into eternity; she was so ancient, yet so pure and full of love. When she came, her toes squeezed my balls in a powerful reflex. It's a good thing I'm Santa, or it could have hurt me. But my balls aren't delicate little Christmas ornaments.Snowbell, humming in pleasure after her orgasm had passed, reached over casually and wrapped her hand around my naked cock and began to stroke me with her juice-covered fingers. It felt so good… but I needed to stop her! Whatever else may happen, I didn't want Mary to ever find out I had cheated on her.But then… I began to wonder again why Snowbell had disobeyed my orders not to touch me. With a sudden flash of realization, I remembered that she wasn't my elf. She was Mary's elf. Duh! No wonder she wasn't following my orders!I took her hand off my cock and calmly asked her, “Did you tell Mrs. Claus what you and I did the other day.”Snowbell, still in a post orgasmic state, answered woozily, “Oh yes, Santa. I tell the mistress everything.”I should have known… but Mary hadn't shown any sign of anger at all! Actually she'd been more pleasant to me lately than she'd been in years.Snowbell continued, “She told me to make you happy, Santa. I was happy to do it. I love Santa. His cum tastes like nutmeg!”So… it was Mary's idea for Snowbell to… what? Seduce me? Why? Then I knew why. It was so I wouldn't complain about what she was doing right now. If I could cheat, so could she!Mary's moans of pleasure developed into a powerful orgasm, even more insistent and amazing than any of the previous ones. Tinsel's long tongue was really going to town on Mary's pussy now. Dolly was reaching up, and the elves were pinching and twisting Mary's tits for Dolly.Strangely, I didn't feel mad. Because, it was obvious… Mary didn't love me either.To be continued..By cb summers for Literotica

In November 1938, Better Homes & Gardens featured Hitler's Bavarian Alps home.More Ghost Town: https://www.ghosttownpod.comSupport the show: https://www.patreon.com/ghosttownpodInstagram: https;//www.instagram.com/ghosttownpodSources: http://bit.ly/3Ed00WI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In November 1938, Better Homes & Gardens featured Hitler's Bavarian Alps home. More Ghost Town: https://www.ghosttownpod.com Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ghosttownpod Instagram: https;//www.instagram.com/ghosttownpod Sources: http://bit.ly/3Ed00WI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar, Mike and Stephanie get lost in the Bavarian Alps with two members of the KC Symphony brass section, associate principal trumpet Steven Franklin and bass trombonist Jahleel Smith. As the orchestra prepares to perform An Alipine Symphony, we marvel at Strauss' harmonious orchestration and the feat of actually fitting 106 musicians on stage in Helzberg Hall. Speaking of all these musicians, we wax poetic about the bass trumpet, discuss Wager tuba technique and learn what the heck a heckelphone is. All that and the kitchen sink, this week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1c7gpY4O2I9RYkni1x7Vzg?si=6e7f17869ac74731 (Episode 603 Playlist)

The Schloss Elmau in the Bavarian Alps hosted dignitaries as they tried to present a united front against Russian aggression and tackle the global food crisis. James Landale also found the castle had an interesting story of its own when he was reporting from the summit. Russian soldiers have employed brutal tactics throughout the Ukrainian invasion. Attempts to escape cities like Severodonetsk and Mariupol often proved perilous for Ukrainians, fleeing in bullet ridden cars, under constant threat of attack. Hugo Bachega, met with some of the people who managed to get away. The ripple effect of the war in Ukraine is far-reaching – from grain shortages to a surge in electricity prices globally. Even energy rich Australia has found itself asking citizens to ration their use of electricity. Its new Prime Minister has pledged a greener future for the country, with less reliance on coal. But this transition may be harder than it might seem, says Shaimaa Khalil. Panama may be known for its banking secrecy and the canal, but more than half the country is covered in tropical forests and mangroves. Grace Livingstone recently visited the indigenous community of Arimae, in the east of the country, which is finding innovative ways to defend and protect their land. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong handover and Beijing has in the last few years been tightening its grip. In recent weeks, one of the city's most famous institutions, the Jumbo Floating Restaurant, closed its doors and subsequently sank. The restaurant failed to survive the impact of the pandemic. But it remains a symbol of a bygone era, says Louisa Lim. Presenter: Kate Adie Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinators: Gemma Ashman and Iona Hammond

Shona Murray, Europe Correspondent, Euro News, on Day 2 of the G7 Summit in the Bavarian Alps.

Behind the Alpine glad-handing at this year's G7 summit is an agenda packed with discussion points focussing on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Leaders of the world's seven wealthiest nations will look to reach consensus on how to deal with the war's impact on global food and energy supply, all with the spectre of Covid's re-emergence looming large.At Schloss Elmau, in the Bavarian Alps, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky beamed in virtually to appeal for weapons and shore up support.It comes as Russian missiles struck the capital Kyiv over the weekend, the first attacks in three weeks.Ahead of the G7 summit, US president Joe Biden also unveiled a financial package aimed at addressing health, climate and energy security, gender inequality and digital connectivity.So, why is this G7 summit so critical? And what happens behind the scenes in those corridor stop-and-chats?After awkwardness at Nato in March, Prime Minister Boris Johnson did his best not to be pictured alone again at a summit, and cracked a joke about Vladmir Putin's pectoral muscles to colleagues.To help us unpick the policy nuance of this year's event, we're joined by Evening Standard deputy political editor David Bond. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The G7 is taking place in the Bavarian Alps, and they have vowed to stand with Ukraine for as it long as it takes, promising to keep squeezing Russian finances. Russia might default for the first time in since 1998. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This spot in the Bavarian Alps is not only picturesque, it's also the perfect location security-wise. The luxurious hotel Schloss Elmau will be the venue of the G7 summit for the second time.

We here at Bald Headquarters, LLC are thrilled to announce our new collaboration with Fleügghendorfen Air Conditioners! Straight from a snow-drenched chalet in the Bavarian Alps comes Europe's oldest and most-respected HVAC specialist, Fleügghendorfen Air Conditioners. As Trixie deals with the vocal cords of an 80-year-old cigar smoker and Katya is finally on the road to recovery after quadruple hip-replacement surgery, the one thing that brings both of our esteemed hosts a respectable degree of bodily comfort is the cool, mountain air that can only emanate from a genuine Fleügghendorfen Air Conditioner. As they say in the Alps, Fleügghendorfen: for those hot and humid moments when a Scheisseberger simply won't do. Follow Trixie: @TrixieMattel Follow Katya: @Katya_Zamo To watch the podcast on YouTube: http://bit.ly/TrixieKatyaYT Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or by using this link: http://bit.ly/baldandthebeautifulpodcast If you want to support the show, and get all the episodes ad-free go to https://thebaldandthebeautiful.supercast.com/ If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be helpful! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: http://bit.ly/baldandthebeautifulpodcast To check out the Trixie and Katya Live Tour, go to: https://trixieandkatya.com To pre-order your copy of our new book, "Working Girls", go to: workinggirlsbook.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to Series 3! In this series, Sarah and Ceri will be opening their toolkit and giving you an insight into their realtime adventures. They share tools to help you to go on similar adventures. In our first episode of the series, Ceri, the Outdoor Adventurer and mountain hiking guide, reveals her top tips for packing for day hiking in the Bavarian Alps. #tips #hiking #bavarianalps #packing #wandern #realtimeadventures Stay up to date with The Grow Zone - Real Time Adventures: Website: thegrowzone.de Instagram: @the.growzone To connect with Sarah and Ceri you can find and follow them here: Sarah Hübner Website: www.improverin.com Facebook: @improverin Instagram: @improverin LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/improverin/ E-Mail: sarah@improverin.com Ceri Temple Website: www.4elements.eu Facebook: @4elements.eu Instagram: @4elements.eu or @ceri_temple LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ceridwentemple E-Mail: ctemple@4elements.eu Podcast editing by: www.7daysaudio.com

Johannes Quodt is the co-founder and co-CEO of Koio, a modern luxury footwear brand. At Koio, Johannes oversees the brand's creative direction and design, marketing, manufacturing, and business development. Prior to founding Koio, Johannes worked as a management consultant for McKinsey and Company in Zurich, Switzerland. He earned his MBA at the Wharton School, from which he graduated as a Palmer Scholar. Johannes also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Switzerland's University of St. Gallen, and an MSC in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics. Johannes was born in Munich, Germany, and grew up in a small village at the foot of the Bavarian Alps. Outside of the office, Johannes enjoys exercising, meditating, flying a Cessna 182, and playing the guitar. In this episode, Michael and Johannes discuss the benefits of a water-only fast, how to overcome struggles with mediation, and the pros and cons of caffeine consumption. Head over to kreaturesofhabit.com and enter the promo code KOHPOD20 to receive 20% off your first order.

It is the year 1632. The beautiful, remote town of Oberammergau nestles in the Bavarian Alps of Southern Germany - quietly and securely isolated from the turmoil and torment of the Bubonic plague that ravages the rest of Europe.A humble woodcarver, Kasper Schisler returns to his home in Oberammergau from his labours in a nearby village. But unbeknown to him and the other inhabitants of the town, he silently carries with him the seeds of a calamity that will wreak havoc, terror, and destruction on Oberammergau and its people. Within a year of this day, over one-quarter of the residents of the town will be dead - claimed by the dreaded plague, the Black Death. This will give rise to an extraordinary covenant with God that still resonates to this day.

Readings* Psalm 62* Psalm 98* Isaiah 62:1–12* Luke 2:1–20* Large Catechism, I, 311–323CommemorationToday we commemorate J. K. Wilhelm Löhe, Pastor. Johann Konrad Wilhelm Löhe served as the pastor of Neuendettelsau in the Bavarian Alps in the 1800s. Although he never left Germany, Löhe had a significant impact on Lutheranism in North America. Recognizing the need for Church workers, Löhe assisted in the training of missionary pastors to be sent to the New World and Australia. A number of the men sent by Löhe would become founders of what is today the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (the LCMS). It was also due in part to Löhe's financial backing that a theological school in Fort Wayne, IN, and a teachers' institute in Saginaw, MI, were established. Löhe is widely recognized and fondly remembered for his confessional integrity and his dedication to Christian charity.ReaderCorey J. MahlerCopyright NoticesUnless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.Unless otherwise indicated, all quotations from the Lutheran Confessions are from Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, copyright © 2005, 2006 by Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. All rights reserved. To purchase a copy of Concordia, call 800-325-3040.Support the show (https://confident.faith/donate/)

Mark Simpson compares recordings of Richard Strauss's Eine Alpensinfonie and chooses his favourite. The epic Alpine Symphony is Strauss's vivid evocation of the thrills and spills of a day out in his beloved Bavarian Alps, including dangerous moments and a glacier on the way up to a spectacular view from the summit. On the way down there's a violent thunderstorm and at the end, as the sun sets and night falls, the deep, emotional satisfaction of having completed an arduous and exhausting journey. The 1915 tone poem thrillingly tests an orchestra, at once collectively, its individual sections and its principal players. And it also tests a conductor who has to convincingly marshal a score calling for 130-plus musicians including 34 brass players (with 12 offstage horns) and a percussion section stocked with, among other things, wind machine, thunder machine and cowbells. Spare a thought, too, for the recording engineers... Presented by Andrew McGregor.

When it comes to knowing your UHD from your HDR, are you struggling to see the wood from the trees? Then fear not because today we're talking Ultra High Definition, High Dynamic Range AND - ironically - trees. No, really we are…  Through the eyes of cinematographers, colourists and camera experts we'll learn how a super pixel count can make a real difference. Both in the cinema and in our homes; watching the latest movie or that all-important live sport fixture. To paint a picture of why mastering the detail matters we follow the story of a violin being made - from the Bavarian Alps to the performance floor. Satellite Stories is presented by SES Senior Creative, Kristina Smith-Meyer.  For more about what we do, visit SES.com

Today on the Creatively Christian podcast is novelist Jason Joyner. Host Bill Brooks talks to Jason about how superheroes and speculative fiction can be used to wrestle with Christian topics. Jason also explains the importance of confidence in your voice when marketing as well as how to turn a story idea into an actual story. Jason C. Joyner is a physician assistant, a writer, a Jesus-lover, and a Star Wars geek. He's traveled from the jungles of Thailand to the cities of Australia and the Bavarian Alps of Germany. He lives in Idaho with his lovely wife, three boys, and daughter managing the chaos of sports and superheroes in his home. His debut book is Launch, an award-winning YA superhero novel, which is the first book in the Rise of the Anointed series. You can follow him on Twitter (@JasonCJoyner) or visit his website www.jasoncjoyner.com. This episode can also be found on YouTube. Show Notes The following resources were mentioned in the show or are useful resources recommended by the guests. Links might be marked as affiliates, meaning we earn a commission if you buy through the link. Realm Makers Consortium Facebook GroupRealm MakersThe Hero's Hangout Credits This show is produced by Theophany Media. The theme music is by Bill Brooks and Andrea Sandefur. Our logo is by Bill Brooks. Our wonderful hosts are Brannon Hollingsworth, Lynn Baber, Andrea Sandefur, and Bill Brooks. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Since his Parkinson’s diagnosis 12 years ago, Alex Flynn has completed a staggering number of adventures – from finishing a 160-mile run in the Bavarian Alps in Germany, to cycling, climbing, kayaking and running his way across 3,256 miles of America. He tells us about his approach to fundraising for the condition – and what motivates him to keep moving https://www.alexflynn.co.uk/

Rachel Marshall is the Co-founder and owner of Rachel’s Ginger Beer. After a five-year post-collegiate stint living in the Bavarian Alps, Rachel returned home to Seattle and couldn’t find the kind of ginger beer she’d fallen in love with abroad—bold, acidic, fresh, and not overly sweet. So she got to work perfecting her recipe to share with others. In 2011 Rachel and her partner Adam Peters, founded Rachel’s Ginger Beer. Working in a borrowed kitchen space, they created a beverage meant to play nicely with your favorite spirit—from vodka to tequila to bourbon—but serve you just as well the morning after. The company’s workspace has since turned into a 10,000-square-foot production plant in SoDo, with 6 different locations, and a roster of flavors, parlaying 40 combined years of hospitality experience into their true passion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 99, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: 3Rd Graders Know This Stuff 1: The 15th, 17th, 19th, 23rd, 24th and 26th ones of these are specifically concerned with voting. constitutional amendments. 2: The predicate of a sentence tells what this part is or does. the subject. 3: Zero divided by 6 yields this quotient. zero. 4: The size of this body part changes, depending on the light. the pupil. 5: Of I'm, they've, you're or won't, the contraction that lost the most letters. won't. Round 2. Category: You've Got Our Number 1: Use a pedometer to try to reach the goal of this many steps a day, the usual number given to maintain long-term health. 10,000. 2: The Schwinn Continental, introduced in 1960, had this many gears. ten. 3: The EPA doesn't want kids breathing air with more carbon monoxide than 9 parts per this. million. 4: An editor of Forbes' 2006 list of the World's Richest People said this "just isn't what it used to be". a billion dollars. 5: We're sure you scored well above this in standard IQ tests; it generally indicates average for one's age. 100. Round 3. Category: European Geography 1: Ports on this bay include Bilbao, Spain and Bayonne, France. the Bay of Biscay. 2: Alphabetically, the countries in Europe run from Albania to this tiny landlocked nation. Vatican City. 3: Malta lies about 60 miles south of this largest Mediterranean island. Sicily. 4: Yding Skovhoj, Denmark's highest point, is located on this peninsula. Jutland. 5: Germany's tallest peak, Zugspitze, lies in these Alps. Bavarian Alps. Round 4. Category: A Literary Tour 1: Perhaps you'll draft your Nobel Prize acceptance speech at NYC's Algonquin Hotel, as this Mississippi man did in 1950. Faulkner. 2: Have a homey lunch at this author's Salinas, California birthplace; it's now a restaurant. John Steinbeck. 3: Chat about Lady Chatterley at this author's birthplace museum in Nottinghamshire. D.H. Lawrence. 4: To see the Great Bed of Ware mentioned in "Twelfth Night", go to this museum named for a royal couple. the Victoria and Albert Museum (Victoria and Albert accepted). 5: Head to Odense, Denmark to see his childhood home and sculptures inspired by his fairy tales. (Hans Christian) Andersen. Round 5. Category: Hints From Heloise 1: After you thread them through a toddler's shoes, knot the ends of these so they can't be pulled out. shoelaces. 2: A marshmallow placed inside the bottom of the cone will help keep this treat from dripping through. ice cream cone. 3: In an emergency you can replace the pull tab on one of these fastening devices with a paper clip. zipper. 4: If you push each of these birthday items into a marshmallow, wax won't drip onto the cake. candles. 5: Wear these when handling hot peppers; the peppers can irritate your skin. rubber gloves. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia!

With a unique combination of researcher, doctor, and Buddhist practitioner, Dr. Emeran Mayer has been leading the movement to “bring the brain back into medicine” for the past 40 years. His work at the David Geffen School of Medicine has illumined the mysterious connection between the mind and the gut, which Mayer understands to be the body's "second brain".  “The gut contains wisdom,” Mayer says, and we’d do well to pay attention to it. In his best-selling book, The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Astonishing Dialogue Taking Place in Our Bodies Impacts Health, Weight, and Mood, Mayer explains how microbes in the human gut outnumber human cells 10:1. Imagine a world of darkness, nearly void of oxygen, where 100 trillion microbe inhabitants have been learning the art of peaceful coexistence and perfecting the science of wordless communication for billions of years. This is the mysterious ecosystem of the gut. So when the brain sends signals to the gut and the gut sends signals to the brain in a two-way conversation, occurring 24-7 and even when we’re sleeping, this micro-ecosystem—influenced by what we eat, drink, think, feel, and inherit—functions as the most sophisticated information gathering organ in our bodies. It influences our overall health, moods, appetites, and personalities. Mayer grew up in the Bavarian Alps in a line of four generations of German confectionery storeowners. Until he was 17, he worked in the family business and made pastries and cakes for all sorts of occasions. He recounts: ”I started to associate the sweet aromas of chocolate and vanilla and other ingredients with the seasons and the major holidays, without conscious awareness that I was laying the blueprints for my future career studying the complex interactions between food, the mind, and the gut.” When it was time for Mayer to go to college, he agonized over the decision to follow in the family tradition or pursue other interests. Pro-and-con lists proving futile, he chose to follow his “gut feeling.” He studied science at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich and went on to Ludwig Maximilian University Medical School. Upon graduating, Mayer followed his passion in documentary filmmaking and traveled the world to study and film native healers in the Yanoama tribes of the Amazon rainforest and the Asmat people in current-day Papua New Guinea in Indonesia. Across cultures, he explored his interest in the gut-brain connection. At UCLA, Mayer runs the G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience and co-directs the Digestive Diseases Research Center (CURE). He has published more than 370 scientific papers, co-edited 3 scientific books, and received numerous awards, including the 2016 David McLean Award from the American Psychosomatic Society. His current research focuses on the role of brain-gut interactions in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, autism, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease. Mayer co-produced the award-winning documentary “In Search of Balance,” an exploration of a new paradigm of health, science, and medicine, based on the interconnections between us and Nature. He is currently working on a new documentary, “Interconnected Planet,” and a forthcoming book, The Gut-Immune Connection. In addition to his intellectual pursuits, Mayer is a deep student of Buddhism. He was a member of the UCLA Zen Center for several years, and he and his wife were married by Choekyi Nyima Rinpoche in a Tibetan monastery in Kathmandu. He has also practiced other mind-based strategies like Ericksonian hypnosis and autogenic training, a relaxation-desensitization technique.  Please join Andrew Kim and Cynthia Li in conversation with this pioneering doctor, scientist, and teacher.

With a unique combination of researcher, doctor, and Buddhist practitioner, Dr. Emeran Mayer has been leading the movement to “bring the brain back into medicine” for the past 40 years. His work at the David Geffen School of Medicine has illumined the mysterious connection between the mind and the gut, which Mayer understands to be the body's "second brain".  “The gut contains wisdom,” Mayer says, and we’d do well to pay attention to it. In his best-selling book, The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Astonishing Dialogue Taking Place in Our Bodies Impacts Health, Weight, and Mood, Mayer explains how microbes in the human gut outnumber human cells 10:1. Imagine a world of darkness, nearly void of oxygen, where 100 trillion microbe inhabitants have been learning the art of peaceful coexistence and perfecting the science of wordless communication for billions of years. This is the mysterious ecosystem of the gut. So when the brain sends signals to the gut and the gut sends signals to the brain in a two-way conversation, occurring 24-7 and even when we’re sleeping, this micro-ecosystem—influenced by what we eat, drink, think, feel, and inherit—functions as the most sophisticated information gathering organ in our bodies. It influences our overall health, moods, appetites, and personalities. Mayer grew up in the Bavarian Alps in a line of four generations of German confectionery storeowners. Until he was 17, he worked in the family business and made pastries and cakes for all sorts of occasions. He recounts: ”I started to associate the sweet aromas of chocolate and vanilla and other ingredients with the seasons and the major holidays, without conscious awareness that I was laying the blueprints for my future career studying the complex interactions between food, the mind, and the gut.” When it was time for Mayer to go to college, he agonized over the decision to follow in the family tradition or pursue other interests. Pro-and-con lists proving futile, he chose to follow his “gut feeling.” He studied science at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich and went on to Ludwig Maximilian University Medical School. Upon graduating, Mayer followed his passion in documentary filmmaking and traveled the world to study and film native healers in the Yanoama tribes of the Amazon rainforest and the Asmat people in current-day Papua New Guinea in Indonesia. Across cultures, he explored his interest in the gut-brain connection. At UCLA, Mayer runs the G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience and co-directs the Digestive Diseases Research Center (CURE). He has published more than 370 scientific papers, co-edited 3 scientific books, and received numerous awards, including the 2016 David McLean Award from the American Psychosomatic Society. His current research focuses on the role of brain-gut interactions in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, autism, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease. Mayer co-produced the award-winning documentary “In Search of Balance,” an exploration of a new paradigm of health, science, and medicine, based on the interconnections between us and Nature. He is currently working on a new documentary, “Interconnected Planet,” and a forthcoming book, The Gut-Immune Connection. In addition to his intellectual pursuits, Mayer is a deep student of Buddhism. He was a member of the UCLA Zen Center for several years, and he and his wife were married by Choekyi Nyima Rinpoche in a Tibetan monastery in Kathmandu. He has also practiced other mind-based strategies like Ericksonian hypnosis and autogenic training, a relaxation-desensitization technique.  Please join Andrew Kim and Cynthia Li in conversation with this pioneering doctor, scientist, and teacher.

My guest today is Dietmar Mueller-Elmau, the third generation owner of famed retreat in southern Germany, Schloss Elmau. The property is set at the foothills of an unimaginably beautiful stretch of the Bavarian Alps, where you can hike, bike, swim, visit castles, and enjoy the spectacular views. Then you can relax in one of the 6 world-class spas and dine in a Michelin star restaurant. But these trappings of typical 5* hotels are not what defines Schloss Elmau. We talk a lot about contradiction in this episode but after reflecting on what Dietmar says, I think the place is more about intense individuality. Each visitor experiences Elmau in a different way. For intellectuals coming to meet others in lively discussion the property boasts the biggest hotel bookstore in the world, for music lovers, Elmau is the 2nd largest promoter of classical music in Germany and hosts almost 200 concerts per year. And families, outdoor enthusiasts, spa lovers, couples - Dietmar has made it possible for you to create your own experience as well. We discuss everything from Angela Merkel to fine dining, German-Jewish relations to the ideal pool temperature, and from WWII history to the architecture of King Ludwig II. Learn more at www.luxtravelinsider.com Connect with me on Social: Instagram LinkedIn

In a village of the Bavarian Alps, a young scientist named Henry Frankenstein and his assistant Fritz, a hunchback, piece together a human body.  Frankenstein desires to create a human, giving this body life through electrical devices he has perfected. But he still needs a brain for his creation. Henry's fiancée Elizabeth speaks with their friend Victor Moritz about the scientist's increasingly peculiar actions and how he secludes himself. Elizabeth and Victor ask Dr. Waldman for help in understanding Henry's new behavior and Waldman reveals he is aware Dr. Frankenstein wishes to create life. Concerned for Henry, they arrive at the lab just as the scientist makes his final preparations. With a pulley system, Frankenstein and Fritz raise the operating table high in the room, moving it toward an opening at the top of the tower. The creature and Frankenstein's equipment are exposed to the lightning storm and empowered. The hand of Frankenstein's creature begins to move. The scientist triumphantly shouts, 'It's alive!'Frankenstein's Monster, despite its grotesque form, seems to be an innocent, childlike creation. Dr. Frankenstein welcomes it into his laboratory and asks his creation to sit, which it does. Thinking that it is not fit for society and will wreak havoc at any chance, they leave the Monster locked up, where Fritz antagonizes it with a torch. As Henry and Waldman consider the Monster's fate, they hear a shriek from the dungeon. Frankenstein and Waldman run down and find that the Monster has strangled Fritz. The Monster lunges at the two but they escape, locking the Monster inside. Realizing that the Monster must be destroyed, Henry prepares an injection of a powerful drug and the two conspire to release the Monster and inject it as it attacks. When the door is unlocked the Monster lunges at Frankenstein as Waldman injects the drug into the Monster's back. The Monster falls to the floor unconscious.Henry collapses from exhaustion, and Elizabeth and Henry's father arrive and take him home. Henry is worried about the Monster but Waldman reassures him that he will destroy it.With preparations for the wedding completed, Henry is serenely happy with Elizabeth. They are to marry as soon as Waldman arrives. However, Victor rushes in, saying that Doctor Waldman has been found strangled. Henry suspects the Monster. Meanwhile, the Monster enters Elizabeth's room, causing her to scream. When the searchers arrive, they find Elizabeth unconscious on the bed. The Monster has escaped.Maria's father arrives, carrying his drowned daughter's body. He says she was murdered, and the villagers form a search party to capture the Monster and bring it to justice, dead or alive. In order to search the whole country for the Monster, they split into three groups: Ludwig leads the first group into the woods, Henry leads the second group into the mountains, and the Burgomaster leads the third group by the lake. During the search, Henry becomes separated from the group and is discovered by the Monster, who attacks him. The Monster knocks Henry unconscious and carries him off to an old mill. The peasants hear his cries and they regroup to follow. They find the Monster has climbed to the top, dragging Henry with him. The Monster hurls the scientist to the ground. His fall is broken by the vanes of the windmill, saving his life. Some of the villagers hurry him to his home while the rest of the mob set the windmill ablaze, with the Monster trapped inside.At Castle Frankenstein, Frankenstein's father, Baron Frankenstein, celebrates the wedding of his recovered son with a toast to a future grandchild.

Readings* Psalm 65* Psalm 98* Isaiah 62:1–12* Luke 2:1–20* Large Catechism, Part I ¶¶ 311–323CommemorationToday we commemorate J.K. Wilhelm Löhe, Pastor. Johann Konrad Wilhelm Löhe served as the pastor of Neuendettelsau in the Bavarian Alps in the 1800s. Although he never left Germany, Löhe had a significant impact on Lutheranism in North America. Recognizing the need for Church workers, Löhe assisted in the training of missionary pastors to be sent to the New World and Australia. A number of the men sent by Löhe would become founders of what is today the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (the LCMS). It was also due in part to Löhe’s financial backing that a theological school in Fort Wayne, IN, and a teachers’ institute in Saginaw, MI, were established. Löhe is widely recognized and fondly remembered for his confessional integrity and his dedication to Christian charity.ReaderCorey J. MahlerCopyright NoticesUnless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.Unless otherwise indicated, all quotations from the Lutheran Confessions are from Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, copyright © 2005, 2006 by Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. All rights reserved. To purchase a copy of Concordia, call 800-325-3040.Support the show (https://confident.faith/donate/)

Prepare yourselves for one of the strangest tales ever told! In this electrifying episode of The Monsters That Made Us, "The Invisible Dan" Colón and "Monster Mike" Manzi head deep into the Bavarian Alps where a mad scientists seeks to conquer the mysteries of life and death! Join them as they discuss Boris Karloff's brilliant performance, Jack Pierce's iconic make-up, the flawless German Expressionist production design & more in James Whale's classic 1931 production of Frankenstein! If you enjoy this episode, and want to support the show, check out our Patreon!

When a large stranger visits a small village in the Bavarian Alps in 1935, all hell breaks loose. Villagers of all varieties are found murdered throughout the town and the surrounding forests, but is the stranger to blame? What do these murders have to do with the near-fatally injured Dr. Frankenstein or the disgraced Dr. Pretorious who have locked themselves in a spooky tower for days on end? Will the mystery ever be solved? True Horror. Fake Crime. namelessdeadpodcast.com https://www.patreon.com/namelessdeadpodcast

At nearly 10,000 feet, the Zugspitze is Germany's highest mountain. A cable car zips visitors up to the summit, where breathtaking views of peaks in Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland await. The summit also marks the border between Germany and Austria, making for one of the most thrilling border crossings in Europe. More info about travel to the Bavarian Alps: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/germany/bavarian-alps

At nearly 10,000 feet, the Zugspitze is Germany’s highest mountain. A cable car zips visitors up to the summit, where breathtaking views of peaks in Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland await. The summit also marks the border between Germany and Austria, making for one of the most thrilling border crossings in Europe. More info about travel to the Bavarian Alps: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/germany/bavarian-alps

In this episode we learned a few things about Oberstdorf. As always Steven got to read some German sentences about it and tried to translate them into English. Here are the sentences again: Oberstdorf ist eine Gemeinde und Ski- und Wanderstadt in Deutschland. Oberstdorf is a municipality and skiing and hiking town in Germany. Es liegt in der Allgäuer Region der bayerischen Alpen. It is located in the Allgäu region of the Bavarian Alps. Es ist die südlichste Gemeinde in Deutschland und eine der höchstgelegenen Städte. It is the southernmost municipality in Germany and one of its highest towns. Das Nebelhorn ist ein Berg östlich von Oberstdorf. The Nebelhorn is a mountain to the east of Oberstdorf. Er ist, je nach Jahreszeit, zum Wandern oder Skifahren beliebt. It is popular for hiking or skiing, depending on the season. Der Christlessee ist ein See 5 km südlich von Oberstdorf. The Christlessee is a lake 5 km south of Oberstdorf. Er ist kein sehr großer See, aber seine Farben reichen von Smaragdgrün bis Türkis. It is not a very big lake, but its colours range from emerald green to turquoise. Der See hat die Besonderheit, dass er nie zufriert. The lake has the peculiarity of never freezing.

Yosemite Ranger, Shelton Johnson, shares his stories as a Buffalo Soldier re-enactor. In addition, Shelton will talk about his experience hosting Oprah Winfrey and a group of her friends on their first camping experience at Yosemite. Shelton's experience as a four year old standing in the Bavarian Alps planted the seed leading to him becoming a ranger. He talks about his historical novel, Gloryland, which tells the story of Buffalo Soldier Elijah Yancy. Shelton Johnson starred in the Ken Burns docu-series on National Parks. As a result, he is arguably the National Park Service's most famous ranger. Yosemite Ranger Shelton Johnson is a master storyteller. Get his book Gloryland, here.

In today's episode I am joined by the remarkable Alex Flynn, who is an adventurist. Alex was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at 36 years old (since 2008) and decided to raise funds for and awareness of Parkinson's disease - since then he has undertaken some of the most gruelling challenges around the world. In this episode we talked all about the reality of the disease, the incredible challenges he has undertaken to raise money for Parkinson's UK and to try to find a cure. How he uses his mind to keep his body going during these challenges and how mentally compartmentalising his pain through them, is what has allowed him to achieve the things he has. “Rarely does one hear about such an inspirational and heroic Briton as Alex Flynn. The challenges he has successfully undertaken would be considered seriously hard by anyone's standards and are, in my view, independently worthy of recognition.” – Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE   Alex's diagnosis became the catalyst in his life for showing people the possibility of creating positive change in the face of adversity. He can be found doing some of the more complex, unexpected and surprising challenges across the planet to raise awareness and hopefully more than £1million towards vital research to find a cure.    Under the banner of a challenge entitled 10MillionMetres, Alex has completed many marathons, ultra endurance races, and triathlons, examples of which include:   Completing the gruelling Marathon des Sables (250 km race across the Sahara Desert);   running 160 miles across the Bavarian Alps in 52 hours;   1,457 miles from London to Rome in 30 days to meet the Pope (400 miles of which was run with a stress fractured right tibia and completing the first 20 marathons in 10 days); and   becoming the first person to traverse the 3,256 miles from Santa Monica to New York using four distinct disciplines. He achieved this distance in 35 days and appeared on BBC One, One show over two consecutive nights.   In 2013 he crossed 200km of the Amazon Jungle, climbed and ran 90 km of the Dolomites and 236 km across the Colorado Rockies, achieving all three within an 8-week period;    On the 24th January 2014, the 10MillionMetres Challenge was completed at the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon. He had covered a distance more than 6,200 miles around the world.   In the summer of 2015, he competed in the Men's Health USA Ultimate Guy Competition, successfully reaching the final nine competitors out of over 1000 including Special Forces and the US Marines.  He was also honoured by the then UK Prime Minister, David Cameron.   2016 brought a new challenge of completing 5,566 press-ups in 22 days to raise funds and awareness of PTSD, which affects military personnel and first responders. Alex managed to continue for 18 days reaching total of 3,762 press-ups before his shoulder gave out.   In February 2017, Alex returned from the Arctic after attempting a 450 km expedition of Sweden's Kungsleden (Kings trail) in freezing temperatures of -29°C. His participation was cut short due to Alex ripping a tendon in his right ankle. Undeterred, he continued to pull a 135lb pulk and 10kg backpack across a further 25km, including two mountain passes before the onset of hypothermia caused Alex to call it a day.    In 2018, he undertook the brutal and extremely challenging Lost Islands Ultra in Fiji, flying round the world to present the Alex Flynn award for and on behalf of the Cure Parkinson's Trust and two weeks after finishing the Fiji ultra, Alex completed the Virgin Money London Marathon.   In September 2018 Alex flew to British Columbia, Canada to take part in Primal Quest. As part of a team, which included five times world adventure racing Champion Mike Klosser, they took on the Primal Quest Pursuit Race across 240 miles of mountainous and challenging terrain including glaciers, and white water rapids in big Bear Country. The team completed the challenge in four days and five hours despite Alex suffering badly with Parkinson's and also a slipped disc in his neck cutting off any feeling to his right arm and hand.   So far in 2020, during lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, Alex decided to take on and complete his Isolation Double Everest Challenge. The idea was simple, to raise money for Parkinson's UK, Alex would climb a vertical Marathon (26.21 miles/42.196 m) up the stairs in his house.  This required him to climb and descend his stairs 3516 times covering approx 210,600 stairs. The distance vertically would be the same as 2.3 times the height of Everest. It took Alex 7.5 days to successfully complete the ascent.    Sir Ranulph Fiennes, OBE, stated that Alex's effort was "Herculean" emphasising both the physical and mental strength to achieve the distance.   There's more to come...   Alex says: “I've decided to do this as there has to be better treatments or even a cure for a disease that robs, the young and old alike, of their independence, their ability to move, talk, swallow, have sex, write, in fact everything most people take for granted. If I told you that the youngest person diagnosed was a 2 year old boy you might come close to experiencing the anger I feel towards this disease. We have to do something!”   “I want a cure for millions around the planet and hope you do too. Together we can make change happen!” #KeepMoving    www.alexflynn.co.uk  

The sleep meditation begins with a short breathing exercise. After the breathing exercise follows a 30-minute audio recording when I got caught by heavy wind in the bavarian alps on a hike to Hochgern, near Chiemsee.

The sleep meditation begins with a short breathing exercise. After the breathing exercise follows a 30-minute audio recording when I got caught by heavy wind in the bavarian alps on a hike to Hochgern, near Chiemsee.

Readings* Psalm 62* Psalm 98* Isaiah 62:1–12* Luke 2:1–20* Large Catechism, Part I ¶¶ 311–323CommemorationToday we commemorate J.K. Wilhelm Löhe, Pastor. Johann Konrad Wilhelm Löhe served as the pastor of Neuendettelsau in the Bavarian Alps in the 1800s. Although he never left Germany, Löhe had a significant impact on Lutheranism in North America. Recognizing the need for Church workers, Löhe assisted in the training of missionary pastors to be sent to the New World and Australia. A number of the men sent by Löhe would become founders of what is today the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (the LCMS). It was also due in part to Löhe’s financial backing that a theological school in Fort Wayne, IN, and a teachers’ institute in Saginaw, MI, were established. Löhe is widely recognized and fondly remembered for his confessional integrity and his dedication to Christian charity.ReaderCorey J. MahlerCopyright NoticesUnless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.Unless otherwise indicated, all quotations from the Lutheran Confessions are from Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, copyright © 2005, 2006 by Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. All rights reserved. To purchase a copy of Concordia, call 800-325-3040.Support the show (https://confident.faith/donate/)

Every year, in early December, a creature roams the Austrian and Bavarian Alps. While the nice children get gifts from St. Nicholas, those who are naughty find themselves at the mercy of Krampus.

Walt Disney based Sleeping Beauty's castle -- the centerpiece of Disneyland and the Disney logo -- on a real castle in the Bavarian Alps of Germany. Learn about Neuschwanstein Castle's strange and tragic history in this episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

This week on Creatively Speaking, Steven James sits down with Writer, Stand up Comedian, Color Commentator and owner of @capitolwrestling Mr Entertainment' @harryterjanian Steven and Harry talk Harry's journey from a young girl in the Bavarian Alps in Nazi occupied Germany to the multi media mogul he is today

Natalie interviews Kris Barber, resident of Grand Marais, Minnesota, and author of AFRC: How I Spent Your Tax Dollars on Lift Tickets and Beer. Natalie talks to Kris about his time as a ski instructor in the Bavarian Alps and one of his great passions: pipe making. Kris creates beautiful pipes that are on display at the Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais. Check out the collection at edwinpipes.com. Enjoy this outstanding episode!Support the show (https://www.facebook.com/NatopiaPodcast/)

Come join me this week as I explore Munich.  The Bavarian capital is home to 1.5 million people and is the multi-cultural hub of southern Germany.  This well known center is also home to a host of global companies as BMW, Siemens and Allianz, not to mention its the gateway to the Bavarian Alps. In fact, the perfect place to begin your next European adventure!

Ollie and Gertie do their best to honor Anna in The Bavarian Alps... Join our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/259079591460160/ Listen on iTunes:https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/keystrokes-amid-the-cobwebs-podcast/id1443628823 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gi4p9olCD4&list=PL7lgrCMuFrqb7ViqdnVlZlBNRTajUw-7j Listen on Stitcher:https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=243936&refid=stpr Email:keystrokesamidthecobwebs@gmail.com

This week on Creatively Speaking, Steven James sits down with Writer, Stand up Comedian, Color Commentator and owner of Capitol Wrestling 'Mr Entertainment' Harry Terjanian. Steven and Harry talk Harry's journey from a young girl in the Bavarian Alps in Nazi occupied Germany to the multi media mogul he is today. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/eltorospodcast/support

My friend and fellow traveler Wade joins me in today's episode to discuss his recent solo trip to Bavaria, Germany's Southern-most state and home to the picturesque Bavarian Alps. We discuss his eight-day travels through Munich, Berchtesgaden, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Füssen.  He also shares his must-sees and could-misses, his itinerary planning process, and advice for solo traveling. This is an excellent episode for those interested in traveling to Germany and first-time travelers!  Mentioned in today's episode:  Thrifty TravelerDuolingoPimsleur Audio  Neuschwanstein CastleThe ZugspitzeKönigsseeHerrenchiemsee Note: Geoffrey is in the room with us and he does a bit of growling at a closet door that was left open that was NOT supposed to be like that. So don't be alarmed if you hear that in today's episode.   

Episode 45 of the Ideas to Books Podcast features an interview with Young Adult author Jason Joyner. Meet Jason: Jason C. Joyner is a physician assistant, a writer, a Jesus-lover, and a Star Wars geek. He’s traveled from the jungles of Thailand to the cities of Australia and the Bavarian Alps of Germany. He lives Read More The post Interview with Jason Joyner – I2B045 appeared first on Linda Fulkerson.

Steve and James and Face2Face host David Peck talk about their new history television series Hunting Nazi treasures, Hitler’s obsession with art, complicity, the nature of evil, trading art for lives and the greatest heist in history. Synopsis The new investigative series Hunting Nazi Treasure takes viewers on an epic search across four continents to locate valuable objects and artwork missing since the Second World War and return them to their rightful owners. The series chronicles the systematic looting by the Nazis, and provides new insights into the motivations of top Nazi leaders like Hitler and Goering, and explores how artwork and cultural artifacts are targets during times of war. With hundreds of thousands of stolen treasures still missing to this day, including a painting by Italian master Raphael estimated to be worth upwards of $100 million, a $2 billion hoard of stolen Italian gold, and the legendary Amber Room from the Catherine Palace in Russia, the search into these historically significant “cold cases” is comprised by a team of present-day investigators. The team is led by Robert Edsel, author of the New York Times #1 bestselling book-turned-movie The Monuments Men, and Founder and Chairman of the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art, investigative journalist Conor Woodman, Second World War historian James Holland, along with top experts on the Nazi era. The hunt takes the team across 14 countries; searching for items hidden in caves, castles, museums, and even under water while gaining access to Nazi dossiers, archives, and declassified intelligence reports. As the series unfolds, the viewer is introduced to Hitler’s grand plan to become “the curator of the German people” atop one of the world’s most spectacular art collections, and the desperate last-act by the Nazis to hide an unimaginable trove of gold, most likely in the Bavarian Alps. ---------- For more information about David Peck's podcasting, writing and public speaking please visit his site here or check out the site of his podcast on film, social change and much more. With thanks to producer Josh Snethlage and Mixed Media Sound.   Image Copyright: Saloon Media. Used with permission.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rai Südtirol TV Pro & Contra Max Rossberg joined the TV-debate from Rai Südtirol in their program ‘Pro und Contra'. The question is whether the Wolf returning to Südtirol, the Austrian and the Bavarian Alps  should be eradicated and the alps turned into a wolf-free zone. This is what the farming associations and the hunting organizations in these countries are demanding. Max Rossberg discussed this with Siegfried Rinner, the director of the Südtiroler farmers' association. Watch the full program here. Rai Südtirol Radio Mittagsmagazin Furthermore, Max Rossberg joined the Rai Südtirol radio-show Mittagsmagazin. During the show, Max answered the various calls and questions from the listeners all demanding the eradication of the wolf in the alps. In addition, stunningly a major of an Italian village announced that he would advise his game wardens to shoot any wolf regardless of the protection status as defined in the FFH directive as well as the Italian law. Click here to listen to the show here (start at 36:40 min). Stay up to date on the Wilderness news, subscribe to our Newsletter!

Jackalope Rabbit Breed - Wolpertinger - Skvader - Al-Miraj - Mayan Folktale - Knowledge - Lobelia Learn more about Rabbit Breeds, history, superstations, news, folk tales, and pop culture. Discover cool facts, Rabbit Care, resources and Rabbit Breed Info at the website http://www.hareoftherabbit.com/ If you would like to support the project, you can support through Patreon for one dollar a month. Patreon is an established online platform that allows fans to provide regular financial support to creators. you can also support the podcast, and help keep the lights on, whenever you use Amazon through the link at Hare of the Rabbit on the support the podcast page. It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what. The jackalope legends of the American Southwest are stories of a more recent vintage, consisting of purported sightings of rabbits or hares with horns like antelopes. The legend may have been brought to North American by German immigrants, derived from the Raurackl (or horned rabbit) of the German folklore tradition. http://www.terriwindling.com/blog/2014/12/the-folklore-of-rabbits-hares.html Jackalope The jackalope is a mythical animal of North American folklore (a fearsome critter) described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns. The word "jackalope" is a portmanteau of "jackrabbit" and "antelope", although the jackrabbit is not a rabbit, and the pronghorn is not an antelope. Also, many jackalope taxidermy mounts, including the original, are actually made with deer antlers. Jackrabbits are actually hares rather than rabbits though both are mammals in the order Lagomorpha. Wyoming is home to three species of hares, all in the genus Lepus. These are the black-tailed jackrabbit, the white-tailed jackrabbit, and the snowshoe hare. The antelope is actually a pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) rather than an antelope, although one of its colloquial names in North America is "antelope". Some of the largest herds of wild pronghorns, which are found only in western North America, are in Wyoming. The adults grow to about 3 feet (1 m) tall, weigh up to 150 pounds (68 kg), and can run at sustained speeds approaching 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). Tall tales The jackalope is subject to many outlandish and largely tongue-in-cheek claims embedded in tall tales about its habits. Jackalopes are said to be so dangerous that hunters are advised to wear stovepipes on their legs to keep from being gored. Jackalope milk is particularly sought after because it is believed to be a powerful aphrodisiac—for which reason the jackalope is also sometimes referred to as the ‘horny rabbit.’ However, it can be incredibly dangerous to milk a jackalope, and any attempt to do so is not advised. A peculiar feature of the milk is that it comes from the animal already homogenized on account of the creature’s powerful leaps. Stores in Douglas sell jackalope milk, but The New York Times questioned its authenticity on grounds that milking a jackalope is known to be fraught with risk. One of the ways to catch a jackalope is to entice it with whiskey, the jackalope's beverage of choice. Once intoxicated, the animal becomes slower and easier to hunt. The jackalope can imitate the human voice, according to legend. During the days of the Old West, when cowboys gathered by the campfires singing at night, jackalopes could be heard mimicking their voices or singing along, usually as a tenor. When chased, the jackalope will use its vocal abilities to elude capture. For instance, when chased by people, it will call out phrases such as, “There he goes, over there,” in order to throw pursuers off its track. Reportedly, jackalopes are extremely shy unless approached. If you encounter a jackalope, quickly fall to the ground, and remain calm and still while humming the Roy Rogers song, “Happy Trails to You.” It is said that jackalopes, the rare Lepus antilocapra, only breed during lightning flashes and that their antlers make the act difficult despite the hare's reputation for fertility. Whether the jackalope actually exists or is simply a hoax popularized by a Douglas, Wyoming resident in 1939, is still hotly debated today. For those who believe, the jackalope is said to be an antlered species of rabbit, sometimes rumored to be extinct. One of the rarest animals in the world, it is a cross between a now extinct pygmy-deer and a species of killer-rabbit. However, occasional sightings of this rare creature continue to occur, with small pockets of jackalope populations persisting in the American West. The antlered species of rabbit are brownish in color, weight between three and five pounds, and move with lighting speeds of up to 90 miles per hour. They are said to be vicious when attacked and use their antlers to fight, thus they are sometimes called the "warrior rabbit.” History: Origins Plate XLVII of Animalia Qvadrvpedia et Reptilia (Terra) by Joris Hoefnagel, circa 1575, showing a "horned hare" Stories or descriptions of animal hybrids have appeared in many cultures worldwide. A 13th-century Persian work depicts a rabbit with a single horn, like a unicorn. In Europe, the horned rabbit appeared in Medieval and Renaissance folklore in Bavaria (the wolpertinger) and elsewhere. Natural history texts such as Historiae Naturalis de Quadrupetibus Libri (The History Book of Natural Quadrangles) by Joannes Jonstonus (John Jonston) in the 17th century and illustrations such as Animalia Qvadrvpedia et Reptilia (Terra): Plate XLVII by Joris Hoefnagel (1522–1600) in the 16th century included the horned hare. These early scientific texts described and illustrated the hybrids as though they were real creatures, but by the end of the 18th century scientists generally rejected the idea of horned hares as a biological species. The Jackalope was first encountered by John Colter, one of the first white men to enter what would one day be the State of Wyoming. Thought to be a myth by many, the jackalope is alleged to actually exists in remote areas of Wyoming. The New York Times attributes the American jackalope's origin to a 1932 hunting outing involving Douglas Herrick (1920–2003) of Douglas, Wyoming. Herrick and his brother had studied taxidermy by mail order as teenagers, and when the brothers returned from a hunting trip for jackrabbits, Herrick tossed a carcass into the taxidermy store, where it came to rest beside a pair of deer antlers. The accidental combination of animal forms sparked Herrick's idea for a jackalope. The first jackalope the brothers put together was sold for $10 to Roy Ball, who displayed it in Douglas' La Bonte Hotel. The mounted head was stolen in 1977. Mr. Herrick made only about 1,000 or so horned rabbit trophies before going on to other things. His brother kept churning out jackalopes. Mr. Herrick grew up on a ranch near Douglas and served as a tail gunner on a B-17 during World War II. He worked as a taxidermist until 1954, when he became a welder and pipe fitter for Amoco Refinery until his retirement in 1980. Once he (and soon his son) began to produce jackalope mounts, it seemed to take only moments for the world to embrace this weird icon of the West. By the time Herrick senior passed away at the age of 82, the two men had fashioned thousands. The jackalope became a popular local attraction in Douglas, where the Chamber of Commerce issues Jackalope Hunting Licenses to tourists. The tags are good for hunting during official jackalope season, which occurs for only one day: June 31 (a nonexistent date as June has 30 days), from midnight to 2 a.m. The hunter must have an IQ greater than 50 but not over 72. Thousands of "licenses" have been issued. In Herrick's home town of Douglas, there is an 8-foot (2.4 m) statue of a jackalope, and the town hosts an annual Jackalope Days Celebration in early June. Before discovery of uranium, coal, oil and natural gas doubled the town's population to about 7,500 in the mid-1970s, Douglas specialized in selling jackalope souvenirs. The Herricks fed the increasing demand for the stuffed and mounted trophies. Tens of thousands have been sold. Proud city fathers later added a 13-foot-tall jackalope cutout on a hillside and placed jackalope images on park benches and firetrucks, among other things. Building on the Herrick's success, Frank English of Rapid City, South Dakota has made and sold many thousands of jackalopes since retiring from the Air Force in 1981. He is the only supplier of the altered animal heads to Cabela's, a major outdoor-theme retail company. His standard jackalopes and "world-record" jackalopes sell for about $150. Stuffed and mounted, jackalopes are found in many bars and other places in the United States; stores catering to tourists sell jackalope postcards and other paraphernalia, and commercial entities in America and elsewhere have used the word "jackalope" or a jackalope logo as part of their marketing strategies. Folklorists see the jackalope as one of a group of fabled creatures common to American culture since Colonial days. These appear in tall tales about hodags, giant turtles, Bigfoot, and many other mysterious beasts and in novels like Moby-Dick. The tales lend themselves to comic hoaxing by entrepreneurs who seek attention for their products, their persons, or their towns. But here’s the kicker: rabbits with horns are real as rain! Dr. Richard E. Shope, discoverer of the vaccine for HPVIn a strange twist of fate, around about the time that Herrick was becoming the Frankenstein of the bunny world, Dr. Richard E. Shope was hard at work in his lab. He had seen prints and drawings of horned rabbits going back to the 1500s and wondered if there was anything to them. References to horned rabbits may originate in sightings of rabbits affected by the Shope papilloma virus, named for Richard E. Shope, M.D., who described it in a scientific journal in 1933. Shope initially examined wild cottontail rabbits that had been shot by hunters in Iowa and later examined wild rabbits from Kansas. They had "numerous horn-like protuberances on the skin over various parts of their bodies. The animals were referred to popularly as 'horned' or 'warty' rabbits." He had a hunch that a virus caused rabbits (and other animals) to sprout crusty protrusions that looked like horns. He even had samples of the “horns,” and his tests showed they were made of keratin, the same stuff that our hair and fingernails – and animal horns -- are made of. Turns out Dr. Shope was right. His experiments proved that the horns appearing on rabbits were created by cells infected by the Shope papilloma virus (you discover it, you get to name it, I guess). And they could appear anywhere on the animal, not just the head. In addition, a version of the virus can produce the same effect in humans, called “cutaneous horn.” So yes, there are horned human beings trotting around! Shope’s discovery lead to research into the development of the human papilloma virus vaccine, which is based on the rabbit virus. Legends about horned rabbits also occur in Asia and Africa as well as Europe, and researchers suspect the changes induced by the virus might underlie at least some of those tales. In Europe actually various species of rabbit who have become unfortunate victims of Shope papilloma virus, which causes cancerous horny growths upon the animal. Cases in humans are almost unknown, although we have one example within the collection. This rabbit specimen shows one single large horn from the top of the cranium, and several smaller horns protruding from its spine. Analysis of this specimen did show however that the growths did not afflict the animals ability to live a normal life, were not cancerous and there is evidence that the virus would easily be transmitted to its young. According to Merrylin, a colony of rabbits infected with a unique strain of the virus were found in Lucerne, Switzerland, and all animals lived healthy lives despite their horns, which were apparently “strangely uniform.” Merrylin hypothesised that it would be possible to consider this as a benign inherited mutation caused by the virus, because the growths themselves were not malignant or life threatening, and appeared in all generations. In Central America, mythological references to a horned rabbit creature can be found in Huichol legends. The Huichol oral tradition has passed down tales of a horned rabbit and of the deer getting horns from the rabbit. The rabbit and deer were paired, though not combined as a hybrid, as day signs in the calendar of the Mesoamerican period of the Aztecs, as twins, brothers, even the sun and moon. Official recognition In 2005, the legislature of Wyoming considered a bill to make the jackalope the state's official mythological creature. It passed the House by a 45–12 margin, but the session ended before the Senate could take up the bill, which died. In 2013, following the death of the bill's sponsor, Dave Edwards, the state legislature reintroduced the bill. It again passed the House but died in the rules committee of the Senate. In 2015, three state representatives put forth the jackalope proposal again, this time as House Bill 66, and again it passed the House but died in a Senate committee. One of the co-sponsors, Dan Zwonitzer, said, "I’ll keep bringing it back until it passes." In 2014, the Wyoming Lottery adopted a jackalope logo for its lottery tickets and marketing materials. Lottery officials chose the fictitious animal, which they named YoLo, over the bucking horse and other state symbols. In popular culture The town of Douglas, Wyoming, has declared itself to be the Jackalope capital of America because, according to legend, the first jackalope was spotted there around 1829. In 1965, an eight foot concrete statue was erected in downtown Douglas and today billboards, and jackalope images can be seen all over Douglas -- on park benches, fire trucks, motel signs, and a 13-foot-tall jackalope cutout on a hillside. The city is also very good about warning visitors of the "vicious” animal’s propensity to attack, so tourists will see a number of posted warning signs throughout the town: "Watch out for the Jackalope." Jackalope Country, now plans to build yet another giant jackalope. Towering over I-25, the giant fiberglass jackalope will stand 80 feet above the plains. The student magazine of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design in New Mexico is called The Jackalope. On the other side of the world, The Hop Factory craft beer cafe in Newcastle, Australia, uses a leaping jackalope as its logo. In 1986, James Abdnor, a senator from South Dakota, gave U.S. President Ronald Reagan a stuffed jackalope (rabbit head with antlers) during a presidential campaign stop in Rapid City. Many books, including a large number written for children, feature the jackalope. A search for "jackalope" in the WorldCat listings of early 2015 produced 225 hits, including 57 for books. Among them is Juan and the Jackalope: A Children's Book in Verse by Rudolfo Anaya. The WorldCat summary of Anaya's book says: "Competing for the hand of the lovely Rosita and her rhubarb pie, Juan rides a Jackalope in a race against Pecos Bill." A short story, "Jackalope Wives" by Ursula Vernon, has been nominated for a 2014 Nebula Award. Musicians have used the jackalope in various ways. R. Carlos Nakai, a Native American flute player, formerly belonged to a group called Jackalope. In the late 1980s, it performed what Nakai called "synthacousticpunkarachiNavajazz", which combined "improvisation, visual art, storytelling, dance and dramatic theatrical effects." Nakai said he wanted people to dream as they listened to the music. Jakalope is a Canadian alternative pop/rock group formed in 2003 by Dave "Rave" Ogilvie. The band Miike Snow uses the jackalope as its logo. Band member Andrew Wyatt said during an interview in 2012 that the logo was meant to signify experiment and adventure. Of the 225 Worldcat hits resulting from a search for "jackalope", 95 were related to music. Jackalopes have appeared in movies and on television. A jackalope named "Jack Ching Bada Bing" was a recurring character in a series of sketches on the television show America's Funniest People. The show's host, Dave Coulier, voiced the rascally hybrid. In 2003, Pixar featured a jackalope in the short animation Boundin'. The jackalope gave helpful advice to a lamb who was feeling sad after being shorn. Jackalopes have appeared in video games. In Red Dead Redemption, the player is able to hunt and skin jackalopes. Redneck Rampage, jackalopes, including one the size of a bus, are enemies. Jackalopes are part of the action in Guild Wars 2. A low-budget jackalope mockumentary, Stagbunny, aired in Casper and Douglas in 2006. the movie included interviews with the owner of a Douglas sporting goods store who claimed to harbor a live jackalope on his premises and with a paleontologist who explained the natural history of the jackalope and its place in the fossil record. Beginning in 1997, the Central Hockey League included a team called the Odessa Jackalopes. The team joined the South Division of the North American Hockey League before the 2011–12 season. An Odessa sports writer expressed concern about the team's name, which he found insufficiently intimidating and which sounded like "something you might eat for breakfast." Jackalope Brewing Company, the first commercial brewery in Tennessee run by women, opened in Nashville in 2011. Its four craft beers are Thunder Ann, Rompo, Bearwalker, and Leghorn. Scholarly interpretations Folklorist John A. Gutowski sees in the Douglas jackalope an example of an American tall tale publicized by a local community that seeks wider recognition. Through a combination of hoax and media activity, the town or other community draws attention to itself for social or economic reasons. A common adjunct to this activity involves the creation of an annual festival to perpetuate the town's association with the local legend. Gutowski finds evidence of what he calls the "protofestival" pattern throughout the United States. Common to these tales, Gutowski says, is the recurring motif of the quest for the mythical animal, often a monster. The same motif, he notes, appears in American novels such as Moby Dick and Old Man and the Sea and in monster movies such as King Kong and Jaws and in world literature such as Beowulf. The monster motif also appears in tales of contemporary places outside the United States, such as Scotland, with its Loch Ness Monster. What is not global, Gutowski says, is the embrace of local monster tales by American communities that put them to use through "public relations hoaxes, boisterous boosterism, and a carnival atmosphere... ". He traces the impulse and the methods to the promotional literature of colonial times that depicted North America as an earthly paradise. Much later, in the 19th century, settlers transferred that optimistic vision to the American West, where it culminated in "boosterism". Although other capitalist countries advertise their products, Dorson says, "...the intensity of the American ethos in advertising, huckstering, attention-getting, media-manipulating to sell a product, a personality, a town is beyond compare." The Jackalope also appears to have a European cousin, in Germany, known as the wolperdinger, and in Sweden, a related species called the skvader. Illustrations of horned hares go back as far as the 16th century in scholarly European works. Wolpertinger In the Bavarian Alps, a strange-looking creature with antlers, fangs, wings and a tail roams quietly through the forests - according to folklore, that is. This mythological creature is what Germans call a Wolpertinger - a hybrid species that you've probably never seen before. Some kids in Bavaria grow up believing in the Wolpertinger and may even search for the rare animals when walking through the woods. Bavarians have done a pretty good job at making the myth believable: tourist shops sometimes sell stuffed animals that look like Wolpertinger and the Deutsches Jagdt- und Fischereimuseum in Munich even has a permanent exhibit on it. It is not known exactly when or where the myth of the Wolpertinger originated, but the museum in Munich suggests that it may have come from a town called Wolterdingen, where glass makers created shot glasses in the form of animals and called them Wolterdinger. This could in fact be true, since different regions have different names for the creature, ranging from Woipertinger to Woiperdinger to Wulpertinger. Bavarian folklore tells of the wolpertinger (also called wolperdinger or woiperdinger), a mythological hybrid animal allegedly inhabiting the alpine forests of Bavaria in Germany. These mythological creatures are known by every Bavarian as being mischievous. Description Germans don't have a clear definition. A Wolpertinger is basically a creature made up of many different animal parts. For example, it could have a squirrel's body, a rabbit's head, deer antlers and wings. Some might have the head of a fox; others may have the feet of a duck or a pheasant. Stuffed "wolpertingers", composed of parts of actual stuffed animals, are often displayed in inns or sold to tourists as souvenirs in the animals' "native regions". The Deutsches Jagd- und Fischereimuseum in Munich, Germany features a permanent exhibit on the creature. Images of creatures resembling wolpertingers have been found in woodcuts and engravings dating back to the 17th century. According to folklore, the hybrid animals are shy and difficult to catch. They primarily eat other small animals, herbs and roots. But no matter how hard you try, the chance of finding a Wolpertinger in Germany are about as slim as finding a jackalope in the United States. The best way to catch a Wolpertinger, according to legend, is to be a beautiful young woman (or be in the company of one), since Wolpertingers have a weakness for female beauty. The woman should go out into a forest at night while the moon is full and find a secluded nook where a Wolpertinger is likely to be. Hopefully, the creature will soon reveal itself. When it does the woman should expose her breasts. This will cause the Wolpertinger to instantly fall into a stupor, allowing it to easily be bagged. In popular culture Wolpertingers feature in the MMORPG RuneScape as creatures that can be summoned. It is depicted as a combination of a rabbit and a wolf. Wolpertingers are the main characters in the novel Rumo by Walter Moers. The novel depicts them as anthropomorphic dogs with small horns. Wolpertingers and Skvaders appear in "Adventure Path #61: Shards of Sin" for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game as encounters and also as new familiar options for spellcasters. A wolpertinger features on one of the special animal tiles in the Winter Edition of Carcassonne. The wolpertinger features as a monster in Here Be Monsters. The game can also be found on Facebook. Wolpertingers are an obtainable pet in the MMORPG World of Warcraft during the Brewfest event. Wolpertingers are an obtainable mount in the MMORPG Tibia. Wolpertinger is the German translation for jackalope in the game Guild Wars 2. The Wolpertinger is a monster encountered in the jungle in the text-based MMORPG Improbable Island. Wolpertingers are common background creatures in the Land of a Thousand Fables adventure in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine. The San Francisco storytelling group Odd Salon uses a Wolpertinger (named Harvey) as their mascot. Wolpertingers are usually found in the forests of Bavaria. (It is common for Bavarian pubs to display stuffed wolpertingers.) Variant regional spellings of the name include Wolperdinger, Woipertinger, and Volpertinger. They are part of a larger family of horned mammals that exist throughout the Germanic regions of Europe, such as the Austrian Raurackl (which is basically identical to the wolpertinger), the Thuringian Rasselbock (which looks more like the American jackalope), and the north Hessian Dilldapp (kind of hamster-like). They're also related to the Swedish Skvader, as well as being a European cousin of the Jackalope. Also in other cultures, you can find such animals just like the “Jackalope (or Jackrabbit)” in the USA, the “Skvader” in Sweden and the “Dahu” in France. You can find a stuffed specimen in the Deutsches Jagd- und Fischereimuseum (German Hunting and Fishing Museum), located in Neuhauser Str. 2 near Marienplatz (city center) and Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). So if you’re in Munich make sure to have a look at one of the Wolpertingers. Either in the Hunting and Fishing Museum or in traditional Bars and Pubs. Skvader skvader The skvader is a species of winged hare indigenous to Sweden. According to legend, this unusual animal was first discovered by a hunter named Håkan Dahlmark in 1874. Eventually a stuffed specimen of the creature was put on display in the Historical Preservation Society in Sundsvall where it remains to this day. Visitors report that the animal looks rather like a cross between a hare and a wood grouse cock. A statue of a skvader was also erected in a small park in Sundsvall in 1994. Although the skvader is much beloved in Sweden, the term itself is often used colloquially to mean "a bad compromise." The skvader [ˈskvɑːdər] is a Swedish fictional creature that was constructed in 1918 by the taxidermist Rudolf Granberg and is permanently displayed at the museum at Norra Berget in Sundsvall. It has the forequarters and hindlegs of a European hare (Lepus europaeus), and the back, wings and tail of a female wood grouse (Tetrao urogallus). It was later jokingly given the Latin name Tetrao lepus pseudo-hybridus rarissimus L. The name is a combination of two words, and this is the explanation provided by the Svenska Akademiens ordbok (Dictionary of the Swedish Academy): "The prefix skva- from 'skvattra' (quack or chirp), and the suffix -der from 'tjäder' (wood grouse)". Origins The skvader originates from a tall tale hunting story told by a man named Håkan Dahlmark during a dinner at a restaurant in Sundsvall in the beginning of the 20th century. To the amusement of the other guests, Dahlmark claimed that he in 1874 had shot such an animal during a hunt north of Sundsvall. On his birthday in 1907, his housekeeper jokingly presented him with a painting of the animal, made by her nephew and shortly before his death in 1912, Dahlmark donated the painting to a local museum. During an exhibition in Örnsköldsvik in 1916 the manager of the museum became acquainted with the taxidermist Rudolf Granberg. He then mentioned the hunting story and the painting and asked Granberg if he could re-construct the animal. In 1918 Granberg had completed the skvader and it has since then been a very popular exhibition item at the museum, which also has the painting on display. A strikingly similar creature called the "rabbit-bird" was described by Pliny the Elder in Natural History. This creature had the body of a bird with a rabbit's head and was said to have inhabited the Alps. A road sign on the approach to the museum warns drivers for skvaders on the road. The skvader has since then often been seen as an unofficial symbol for Sundsvall and when the province Medelpad was to be given a provincial animal (in addition to the provincial flower) in 1987, many locals voted for the skvader. The final choice was a kind of compromise, the mountain hare, which is the front-end of the skvader. Other uses The term "skvader" is nowadays used colloquially in Swedish to mean "a bad compromise" or "a combination of contradicting elements". "Skvader" also became the nickname in the 1950s and 1960s for a combination bus and lorry (truck) which was commonly used on small bus routes in Norrland; the front-end was a bus taking passengers and the back-end was an open loading bay, often used for delivering milk from small farmers to the nearest dairy. "Skvaderns" is also an herbal liqueur made with herbs from the forest Lunde Skog, the place Skvaderns first were shot at. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackalope http://www.legendsofamerica.com/wy-jackalope.html http://www.jackalopearts.org/jajackalope.html https://yeoldecuriosityshop.com/blogs/news/17793604-are-jackalopes-real https://jackalope.com/the-legend-of-jackalope/ http://www.merrylinmuseum.com/jackalope/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolpertinger http://hoaxes.org/animals/comments/wolpertinger http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/en/__pr/GIC/TWIG__WoW/2014/40-Wolpertinger.html http://munich-greeter.de/en/2014/10/was-ist-ein-wolpertinger/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skvader http://hoaxes.org/animals/comments/skvader Folktale: Al-mi'raj From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Al-mi'raj (Arabic: المعراج al-mi'raj) is a mythical beast from Arabic poetry said to live on a mysterious island called Jezîrat al-Tennyn within the confines of the Indian Ocean. Its name can be broken up several different ways, though is generally seen truncated as Mi'raj, Mir'aj or just Miraj. Its name is also synonymous with Muhammad's ascent into heaven. Al-mi'raj is a large, harmless-looking yellow rabbit with a single, 2-foot-long (0.61 m), black, spiraling horn protruding from its forehead, much like that of a unicorn. Despite its docile appearance, Al-Mir'aj is actually a ferociously territorial predator known to be able to kill animals and people many times their own size with a few stabs of its horn. It also has an immense appetite and can devour other living things several times its size without effort. Al-Mir'aj frightens other animals and they will always flee from its presence due to this. The people of the island were so terrified of Al-Mi'raj eating them and their livestock that they would turn to witches to ward them away as soon as the rumor of a Miraj met their ears. It was reported that only a true witch would charm the Miraj, rendering it harmless so the people could remove the Miraj from the area. It is possible this myth originates from observations of the effects of any one of several diseases in rabbits that can create horn-like growths upon the bodies of animals, most commonly Fibromatosis and Papillomatosis. Papillomatosis is the result of a virus infecting the skin, causing a large, red, swelling growth on the skin of the subject. These red marks may have appeared to be where horns had broken off or were shed. Fibromatosis is a similar virus which infects the skin and causes the flesh of the rabbit to mat with hair, hardening into long, hard horn-like protrusions. Both diseases could account for the appearance of wild, fierce (with pain) rabbits with "horns" as infected specimens have been found, catalogued and are well documented. Now this is a MAYAN tale about the rabbit http://www.kstrom.net/isk/maya/rabbit.html Translated and edited by Fernando Peñalosa and Janet Sawyer RABBIT AND HIS CAP OF ANTLERS Once when the rabbit, that is, the mayor, still had his antlers, he met a deer. The rabbit said to the deer: "Brother, look at the cap [antlers] Our Father gave me." "Come here, brother," said the deer, "Lend it to me," said the deer to the rabbit. "You're too small, it doesn't fit you, but I'm big.Maybe your cap will fit me, I'm going to try it on my head." The rabbit handed his cap to the deer and the deer put it on his head:. "Look brother, how nice it looks on me. I'm going to dance so you can see. Then I'm going for a walk and afterwards I'll come back here to you and I'll give you your cap back," said the deer to the rabbit. The deer went off and didn't come back with the rabbit's cap. The rabbit was waiting for him, just waiting and crying because he didn't have his cap any more. It occurred to him to get up from where he was crying and go notify his king. He came before the king: "Father!" said the rabbit to the king. "What have you come to tell me, my son?" the king asked the rabbit. "My brother went off with the cap you gave me, father. My brother, the deer told me he was just going to try it on, and I gave him the cap you had given me, father." "'Why did our father give it to you?' the deer asked me. 'Our father should have given it to me, because I'm big. Your cap fits me well,' my brother said. I thought he was my brother. So I gave it to him, but he just went off with it any way. He left, and I just sat waiting for him to come back with my cap. He didn't come back and I got tired of waiting for him so long. That's why I have come to ask you, father, to give me another cap in place of the one my brother took, and also make me taller because my uncle deer said I was too little." "'That cap doesn't fit you,' he told me, father. That's why I want to grow as big as my uncle deer." "All right, I'll make your taller, my son. I'll make your body grow. If you do what I say, I'll give you what you ask for," said the king to the rabbit. "What shall I do for you, father?" asked the rabbit. "Now I'm telling you that if you want to be as big as your brother the deer, I'm going to grant your wish," said the king to the rabbit. "Now, go and bring me fifteen loads of skins. If you bring them to me I'll make your body grow and I'll give you your cap back." "All right," said the rabbit, and went off to the fields, to the mountains and to the sea. The rabbit bought himself a guitar. When he came to a plain he sat down to rest. He had been playing music with his guitar for a while when an old snake came up to him. "What are you doing, brother?" the snake asked brother rabbit. "I've come to play music for you, uncle," said the rabbit to the snake. "Oh, your song** is sad, uncle," said the snake to Uncle Rabbit. "Yes," said the rabbit to the snake. "May I dance a little?" the snake asked Uncle Rabbit. The rabbit answered: "Of course you may dance. That's why I came to play a song for you. But I would just like to ask you, uncle, where is your weak spot? Because my marimba stick*** might reach your weak spot. Show it to me, so I can see where it is," said the rabbit to the snake. "All right, brother," said the snake. "Here's my weak spot, right at the end of my tail." "All right, brother, now that I've noticed where your weak spot is, you can dance without worrying," Uncle Rabbit told the snake. The rabbit needed to collect skins, but the snake didn't suspect what the rabbit was planning to do to him. "Dance! Go ahead and dance. Enjoy your dance," said the rabbit to the snake, " because that's why I came to play near your house. Dance, enjoy, and don't be afraid. Here, come close to me." When he saw him nearby, the rabbit thought: "He's mine now. I know where his weak spot is." The snake danced and came near the rabbit. "Bring your tail near," said the rabbit to the snake. The snake raised his tail near the rabbit. The rabbit saw that the snake was near him and he killed him. Then he skinned him and went off with his skin. The rabbit came to a mountain and began to play his guitar once more. Shortly after he had come to the mountain a big old lion approached Uncle Rabbit. He was playing his music when the lion arrived. "Hey, uncle, why have you come here to play?" the lion asked the rabbit. "I've just have come to play, brother," the rabbit said. "Do you like music?" "Yes, I like music." said the lion. "Do you like to dance?" the rabbit asked the lion. "Yes, I like to," the lion answered. "If you'll play a song for me, I'll be wanting to dance," said the lion. "I'm going to play some music for you, because the reason I came to your house was to play music. Dance, enjoy your dance. Don't be afraid, Good, dance, only tell me where your weak spot is. I'd just like to ask you where your weak spot is. Dance, enjoy your dance," said the rabbit to the lion. "All right, brother, here's my weak spot, right here, on the back of my neck." "All right brother," said the rabbit. "Dance uncle, dance, dance, dance. Don't be afraid, come closer, come here beside me. I know where your weak spot is, so I won't hit you there. I know where it is. Try to dance a little bent over." The lion became careless while he was dancing, and the rabbit hit him on the head. The lion died, the rabbit skinned him and took away two more skins, two large skins. The rabbit walked, and walked and walked. He took his skins to a place on the beach, and played there once more. An alligator heard the rabbit playing a song and came up to him: "Is that you playing, Uncle Rabbit?" the alligator asked. "Yes, I'm the one who is playing for you," said the rabbit, "for I want you to dance. I thought maybe uncle would like a song. So I came to play a song for you." "Oh, is it true what you say? I like songs and I would like you to play one for me," said the alligator. "All right, I'll play you a song, but you have to dance." "Yes, I'll dance, for I really like to," the alligator told Uncle Rabbit. "I'd like to ask you where your weak spot is. Just tell me where your weak spot is. Don't worry, just show me where it is. If my marimba stick hits you, you could die," said Uncle Rabbit to the alligator. "All right, brother, my weak spot is here, right at the end of my tail," said the alligator. "All right, so dance. Dance with all your might and stretch out your tail." While he was dancing the alligator became careless and the rabbit hit his weak spot. The alligator died and the rabbit skinned him. The rabbit left the beach and came near a plantation where there was sugar cane, where there were bananas, where there were oranges, where there were sapotes. Near the plantation there was a house with monkeys and coatis, as well as two other households. He came to one of the houses bringing bananas. "Ah," the monkeys said to him "do you have bananas, uncle?" "Here, have some." said the rabbit to one of the monkeys. "All right," said the monkey. The monkey ate the bananas. Then the rabbit said: "Here you're just starving, but I have a plantation nearby where there are a lot of good things to eat. There are bananas, there is sugar cane, there are oranges, there are sapotes," said the rabbit to the monkeys. "All right, uncle, give us some," said the monkeys to the rabbit. "There's a lot of food, and it's just going to waste, because there's no one to eat it," said the rabbit to the monkeys. "Tomorrow we'll go to my plantation, all of you and your families, and if there are some others they can come with us too. Aren't there some other friends of ours here?" the rabbit asked the monkeys. "Oh, if you please, there's another family of our friends that are hungry; they have no food," the monkeys told the rabbit. "Tomorrow you're all going to go with me," the rabbit said to the monkeys. The next day all the monkeys and all the coatis set off for the plantation and arrived there. "Eat, brothers, enjoy the food," said the rabbit to all of them. "All right," they said and they were happy. That day passed. "Are you all satisfied?" the rabbit asked them. "Yes, we're fine, brother." "So let's go. Each one of you can take something along," the rabbit said to them. "All right, uncle," they said and set off. They came to a plain. "We're going to rest," the rabbit said to them. They rested on the plain. The monkeys were playing with the coatis and didn't know that the rabbit was plotting against their lives. The rabbit said to them: "Bring two nets, brothers." "What are you saying uncle, are we going to play?" "I want you to make me two nets," the rabbit said to them. "Why?" they asked. "I'm going to weigh you, so we can see who weighs the most," said the rabbit. "All right," they said, and got into the nets. "All you monkeys, get in there, and all you coatis get in over there. Push your snouts out through the net so you'll be able to breathe and won't suffocate." "All right," the fools said. The rabbit closed up the nets and went to look for a club, saying: "When I come back you'll get out of the nets." But when the rabbit came back with the club he was ferocious, and struck them on the snout: "Now uncles, you're going to pay for the bananas you ate." He killed the uncles in the two nets. All those that were in the two nets died, and he skinned them all. He used an armadillo as a pack animal, the armadillo carrying the skins for him. He had collected them as the king had ordered, so that he would increase his height and give him back his cap. He returned and came before the king with fifteen loads of skins. The king didn't believe the rabbit was going to succeed, and so he didn't realize he was bringing all those skins. When he came before the king with the skins, the rabbit said: "See, father, I have brought the skins." The king was astonished. "Did you really go and get them?" he asked. "I don't believe you." "No father, they're here." "Let's see them," the king said. "Here they are, father." He took them out of his net one at a time and the king saw him take out the alligator's skin, the lion's skin, the big snake's skin, the monkeys' skins and the coatis' skins. "Oh," said the king," getting angry, "What do you want in exchange for these skins?" "I want you to make me taller and give me my cap back." "Oh," said the king, "what a shameless rabbit you are. In spite of everything you want to be big. You actually killed your own brothers. You actually killed them. You're so small. If you were larger, if I made you bigger, you'd kill all your brothers. Look here, you killed the lion, the alligator, and the snake, even though you're real little. "Well, now, you're going to have to forgive me, my son, but this is the punishment I've decreed: Bring me your ears so I can stretch them. You shameless thing, you already killed your brothers who are bigger than you. Now never come back here again. You're going once and for all, I'm just going to make your ears grow." Word of the Week: Knowledge Plant of the week: Lobelia   © Copyrighted

We are so excited to finally be launching This Grit and Grace Life Podcast! The “000 About Us” episode is a chance for you to meet our hosts, Darlene Brock and Julie Graham and learn a little bit about what you can expect from our weekly show. The full podcast starts Tuesday, August 29 and a new episode will be ready for download each Tuesday. Better yet Subscribe and you'll get them automatically! About This Grit and Grace Life Podcast Are you a strong woman or want to be? This Grit and Grace Life hosts, Darlene Brock and Julie Graham cross generational lines and draw from life experience to discuss all things life—from the boardroom to the bedroom, car-lines to college, being single, married or single again. Combining the two traits found in all women, grit and grace, they laugh, share insights and explore the road taken to find strength every day. Darlene and Julie will discuss everything from relationships to work-life balance, from parenting to empty-nesting and when they are stumped, bring in experts to help with these and other common issues women face. Join us, real talk for women embracing This Grit and Grace Life. #gritandgracelife About the Hosts   Darlene Brock: Darlene left home at 18, lived in a commune, spent 20 plus years in the music business and para-glided off the Bavarian Alps.; you can’t put this lady in a box, she can do it all. She recognized early that embracing grit and grace were the traits that got her through many trials and triumphs. This realization made one of her life missions to encourage other women to do the same, leading her to become the Co-Founder and President of the Grit and Grace Project with husband, Dan. Author of Help Wanted: Moms Raising Daughters, Darlene has appeared on numerous network TV shows; has been a guest columnist for CNN, Thriving Family Magazine and appeared on radio programs such as Family Life Today and Keep the Faith. Darlene raised two daughters while producing award-winning music videos, managing music groups, promoting concerts and serving as COO of ForeFront Records. This unique blend of author, mother, business woman, wife, and creative producer has shown her that it is indeed true, “life challenges should neither defeat nor define you.” And just so you know, she wears the tool belt in her family. Of course, she does. Julie Graham Julie is full of stories created from the years she was raised by her great-grandmother, in a house filled with cats (which she will never parent again). This wife and #boymom to a toddler never leaves you wondering what she’s thinking. She’s so demonstrative, Emoji is her second language. Guided by her personal mantra #beboldandjustbeyou she shares her heart, her fitness and fashion tips, and her frequent embarrassing moments willingly. Totally vivacious, stylish and real, her ability to be vulnerable and encouraging, engages you from her first words. Social media and past leadership roles at a large church have created a following of women who look forward to her wisdom and humor each day. Juggling home life with her work life she’s been a Special Events Coordinator, Assimilation Director, and now serves as the Brand Manager for The Grit and Grace Project. Where Julie feels the most comfortable is in front of the camera or behind a microphone. But remember, she’s winging it. Life, motherhood, her eyeliner, everything. Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love 10 Funny Things All Women Do I obviously have spent a whole bunch of years being a female, well actually my entire life (no surprise there). But something I have realized is that we are a funny bunch, aren’t we ladies? There are some things we do and say that are unique to us. I’ve done them, and I know if you admit it, you have too! So I’m just going to step up and confess to some of the funny things all women do. - More About The Grit and Grace Project About The Grit and Grace Project   Be sure to follow us on social media! Facebook

We are so excited to finally be launching This Grit and Grace Life Podcast! The “000 About Us” episode is a chance for you to meet our hosts, Darlene Brock and Julie Graham and learn a little bit about what you can expect from our weekly show. The full podcast starts Tuesday, August 29 and a new episode will be ready for download each Tuesday. Better yet Subscribe and you'll get them automatically! About This Grit and Grace Life Podcast Are you a strong woman or want to be? This Grit and Grace Life hosts, Darlene Brock and Julie Graham cross generational lines and draw from life experience to discuss all things life—from the boardroom to the bedroom, car-lines to college, being single, married or single again. Combining the two traits found in all women, grit and grace, they laugh, share insights and explore the road taken to find strength every day. Darlene and Julie will discuss everything from relationships to work-life balance, from parenting to empty-nesting and when they are stumped, bring in experts to help with these and other common issues women face. Join us, real talk for women embracing This Grit and Grace Life. #gritandgracelife About the Hosts   Darlene Brock: Darlene left home at 18, lived in a commune, spent 20 plus years in the music business and para-glided off the Bavarian Alps.; you can’t put this lady in a box, she can do it all. She recognized early that embracing grit and grace were the traits that got her through many trials and triumphs. This realization made one of her life missions to encourage other women to do the same, leading her to become the Co-Founder and President of the Grit and Grace Project with husband, Dan. Author of Help Wanted: Moms Raising Daughters, Darlene has appeared on numerous network TV shows; has been a guest columnist for CNN, Thriving Family Magazine and appeared on radio programs such as Family Life Today and Keep the Faith. Darlene raised two daughters while producing award-winning music videos, managing music groups, promoting concerts and serving as COO of ForeFront Records. This unique blend of author, mother, business woman, wife, and creative producer has shown her that it is indeed true, “life challenges should neither defeat nor define you.” And just so you know, she wears the tool belt in her family. Of course, she does. Julie Graham Julie is full of stories created from the years she was raised by her great-grandmother, in a house filled with cats (which she will never parent again). This wife and #boymom to a toddler never leaves you wondering what she’s thinking. She’s so demonstrative, Emoji is her second language. Guided by her personal mantra #beboldandjustbeyou she shares her heart, her fitness and fashion tips, and her frequent embarrassing moments willingly. Totally vivacious, stylish and real, her ability to be vulnerable and encouraging, engages you from her first words. Social media and past leadership roles at a large church have created a following of women who look forward to her wisdom and humor each day. Juggling home life with her work life she’s been a Special Events Coordinator, Assimilation Director, and now serves as the Brand Manager for The Grit and Grace Project. Where Julie feels the most comfortable is in front of the camera or behind a microphone. But remember, she’s winging it. Life, motherhood, her eyeliner, everything. Articles We Mentioned or Know You'll Love 10 Funny Things All Women Do I obviously have spent a whole bunch of years being a female, well actually my entire life (no surprise there). But something I have realized is that we are a funny bunch, aren’t we ladies? There are some things we do and say that are unique to us. I’ve done them, and I know if you admit it, you have too! So I’m just going to step up and confess to some of the funny things all women do. - More About The Grit and Grace Project About The Grit and Grace Project   Be sure to follow us on social media! Facebook

If you like war memoirs — and WWII memoirs in particular — then you have to read Band of Brothers. Hell, even if you don’t like war memoirs (or don’t know if you like them) but do like to read about how ordinary people find the courage and capability to do extraordinary things, then you should read it, because Band of Brothers is so much more than a clinical recounting of battles or analysis of soldiering. It’s an inspiring story of how a motley crew of freewheeling young bucks became one of the most elite and effective light infantry units to fight in the European theater, and it follows them from beginning to end, from their grueling basic training to jumping into Normandy on D-Day, holding the line in the Battle of the Bulge, and, in the end, drinking Hitler’s champagne in the Bavarian Alps. Band of Brothers also made me #thankful365 that Hitler had to fight the GI Generation and not our current crop of spineless, self-absorbed, “safe space” Peter Pans and Pams that can’t even stomach the basic realities and responsibilities of adulthood, let alone fighting the Nazi war machine. Methinks the latter would have rather stayed home, smoked a bowl, and spluttered a few “sieg heils”… Want to be notified when my latest book recommendations go live? Hop on my email list and you’ll get each new installment delivered directly to your inbox. Click here: www.muscleforlife.com/signup/  

HELEN, GEORGIA – Pennie Tour visited the North Georgia town of Helen to partake in Oktoberfest 2010.  Not sure what we liked better – the Ompah music or the Bavarian beer!  Since 1970, Georgia’s tranquil little town of Helen transforms into the ultimate North Georgia party town!  Helen’s Oktoberfest offers Bavarian food, chicken dancing, Polka dancers in native costume, and German beer. Helen became a tourist attraction after the town changed its appearance to make the store fronts look like a Bavarian Alps village.  Helen copied Munich, Germany and started celebrating Oktoberfest to draw in even more tourists.  Nestled along the Chattahoochee River, Helen receives many tourists in the summer months that take advantage of the river tubing, hiking and other outdoor activities offered.  When fall arrives, even more people invade this Bavarian town to view the changing leaves and to involve themselves in Oktoberfest! Helen’s Oktoberfest begins on the second Thursday of September and runs through the first Sunday of November.  A parade on the first Saturday of the festival kicks off the celebration.   Pennie Tour took in the Bavarian influence of the partygoers and even experienced Helen’s famous dancing man who is a staple of Oktoberfest at Café [...]

In Germany thermophilic Campylobacter spp. and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) are - apart from Salmonella spp. and Yersinia spp. - the most frequent bacterial sources of human gastroenteritis. Analyzing the development in other European countries as well as in the USA and Canada, one can presume, that in near future thermophilic Campylobacter spp. will be at the top of the national statistics of food poisoning. The objective of this study was a possible STEC or thermophilic Campylobacter spp. contamination of natural food produced on alpine pastures, as in Bavarian Alps the food production on alpine pastures is still of great importance. In additon to this aspect of consumer´s health protection, it was on the other hand the intention to collect knowledge concerning a possible change of STEC and thermophilic Campylobacter spp. excretion between winter and summer time.