Podcasts about Boy Scouts

This is a Tribute episode to Tom Lehrer, who passed away last week at age 97. For anyone unfamiliar with him and his music, he was a brilliant musical satirist who wrote incredibly clever, interesting and topical songs in the 1950s and 1960s. He was not a full-time musician. His true love was mathematics and he was employed for years as a professor at Harvard and MIT. Periodically, however, he emerged to perform and record several albums of his songs.He was trained as a classical pianist. All of his songs were performed just with him playing the piano and singing. His lyrics were sharp, intelligent, incisive and always on point. Here are some of his “Greatest Hits”.“Poisoning Pigeons In The Park” is about one of the pleasures of springtime.“Be Prepared” is his Boy Scout “marching song”.“I Hold Your Hand In Mine” is his necrophiliac ballad.“The Vatican Rag” is his response to the Vatican's attempt to “make the Church more commercial”, as he liked to say.And perhaps his most famous song is “The Elements”, where he names all of the elements to a Gilbert & Sullivan melody.Tom Lehrer will be missed.------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries!Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Groupings Click here for Guest TestimonialsClick here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email UpdatesClick here to Rate and Review the podcast—----------------------------------------ROBERT'S NEWEST ALBUM:“WHAT'S UP!” is Robert's new compilation album. Featuring 10 of his recent singles including all the ones listed below. Instrumentals and vocals. Jazz, Rock, Pop and Fusion. “My best work so far. (Robert)”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com 

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/791 Presented By: Pescador on the Fly, Patagonia, Mountain Waters Resort, Intrepid Camp Gear. Sponsors: Https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors On this episode, we sit down with Wesley Hodges, a decorated military veteran turned premier fly fishing and hunting guide in Virginia. Wesley shares the wild journey that led him from a cane pole in Texas to discovering fly fishing at a Boy Scout camp, to a life-changing decision made in a tiki bar in Ecuador. What followed was the creation of Virginia's first dedicated fly fishing and hunting lodge—an operation that now runs year-round across some of the most remote and productive water systems in the Eastern U.S. Right now, you'll discover why Virginia may be the "New West" for fly fishing, how to rethink your entire approach to trip planning, and the subtle techniques that make all the difference when targeting trophy Smallmouth bass. Wesley unpacks the essence of crafting full-circle outdoor experiences—one that fuses drift boats, dogs, wild trout, and grouse—all under one roof. Whether you're a seasoned angler or new to the game, this one is loaded with tactical gold.   Wesley with a Smallmouth Bass Show Notes on Smallmouth Bass with Wesley Hodges 1:13 - Wesley Hodges discovered fly fishing as a teen at a Boy Scout camp, but it wasn't until after his military service that he returned to the sport. That rediscovery led him to launch Virginia's first dedicated fly fishing and hunting lodge, where he now guides guests through some of the state's wildest rivers. 5:41 - After a transformative period living in Ecuador, Wesley Hodges returned to Virginia and launched a guiding business that evolved into the state's first true fly fishing and hunting lodge. Located in Eagle Rock at the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson rivers, his lodge now operates year-round with a full staff, offering multi-day fishing and hunting experiences across a vast, fishable watershed. Here for more information. 9:58 - While Virginia has trout, Wesley Hodges positions the state as a true smallmouth bass destination. With fishable waters nearly year-round—from March through Thanksgiving—he emphasizes that fly fishing is a tool for all species, and smallmouth are the primary focus across his guided trips. 11:34 - Wesley explains that smallmouth bass fishing in Virginia transitions from pre-spawn in early spring to a topwater-focused season from mid-June through early October. During summer, anglers throw frog patterns and poppers all day, targeting big fish in just 1.5 feet of water, only inches from the riverbank. 14:01 - Wesley emphasizes that the biggest smallmouth are often found just inches from the riverbank, citing an old rule: “one inch from the bank equals a 20-inch fish.” Subtle depressions and undercut edges create ideal ambush spots for fish feeding on crayfish, cicadas, and frogs, making precise casting near the bank both strategic and more engaging for anglers. 15:24 - Wesley and his team primarily use Blue Ridge drift boats for guiding, having moved away from rafts due to the boats' quiet, low-impact design, ideal for shallow Virginia waters. Built from durable UHMW material, these boats slide silently over rocks—minimizing fish disturbance—and come with exceptional on-site support, making them perfect for their smallmouth operations. 21:21 - Wesley leads summer topwater floats through Virginia's river systems, favoring evening windows from 6:00 to 8:30 PM when the smallmouth bite peaks. His team utilizes highly technical rigs—customized floating lines, 10 to 13-foot leaders, and lightweight crayfish patterns—to quietly target fish in low, clear water, where precision and stealth are essential. 24:45 - Wesley's team targets calm tailouts with floating lines, casting downstream close to the bank so flies reach the fish before the boat does. In these slow waters, they dead-drift subtle poppers for up to 20 seconds, drawing in large smallmouth with minimal movement and intense visual takes. 27:19 - Wesley and his team primarily use Boogle Bugs in size 4 for topwater—favoring yellow, white, and electric blue sliders or poppers depending on fish behavior. When bass grow picky, they switch to more subtle patterns like Mr. Wiggle Legs, observing how fish react and adjusting presentations based on subtle visual cues. 33:42 - Wesley shares that his guides typically float rather than anchor, covering 4 to 12 miles depending on water levels, through remote stretches of western Virginia rivers where development is scarce. With vast tracts of farmland and surrounding public lands like George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, anglers experience a true wilderness float, often without seeing another boat all day. 36:27 - Wesley shares that anglers from around the world, including Europe and beyond, are now traveling to Virginia to fish its wild rivers and experience its remote beauty. They've trademarked the phrase “Virginia is the New West” to highlight that the state's rugged landscapes rival those out west, with strong local efforts to keep it preserved. 38:46 - In addition to fishing, Wesley's operation offers a standout upland bird hunting experience focused on wild grouse and woodcock. His team has spent over a decade scouting remote Appalachian terrain to locate thriving bird populations rarely accessed by other hunters. 40:45 - Wesley's outfitting service offers popular turkey and upland bird hunts, with seasons spanning October to March for grouse and woodcock, and April to May for turkey. His cast-and-blast packages are highly sought after, often selling out early due to his expert-guided approach and deep understanding of Virginia's diverse terrain. 42:58 - Wesley's team regularly welcomes newcomers to hunting, offering educational experiences centered around wild game and conservation. Beginners are guided through the full process—from casting or dog-assisted upland hunts to cleaning and preparing the birds—without needing to purchase any gear upfront, making it accessible and informative. 47:00 - In spring, Wesley notes that anglers enjoy prime smallmouth bass and wild trout fishing as warming waters trigger aggressive pre-spawn feeding. This season also offers the chance to mix in a day of bird hunting before preserve seasons close in mid-to-late April. 51:33 - Wesley explains that anglers with personal boats can freely access the region's smallmouth waters via public launches. However, trout fishing on the Jackson River is more complicated due to King's Grant laws—some sections legally prohibit fishing, even while floating through. Because of this, he recommends hiring a guide to avoid potential trespassing fines, which can be severe. 56:38 - Wesley shared that in summer, his essential gear includes Chaco flip flops and Patagonia's natural fiber sun hoodies for breathability and sun protection. He also highlighted the Orvis Tippe boat bag and Helios rods, noting their beginner-friendly design that makes it easy to feel the rod load for more effective casting. 60:31 - Wesley emphasized that proper casting tempo and thumb positioning are crucial for fly casting success. He advises anglers to slow down their cast and lead with the thumb on both the back and forward casts, helping maintain control and avoid excessive wrist break, which can misalign the rod and fly line. 63:00 - Wesley emphasized that smallmouth bass are almost always willing to eat, especially if anglers present a crayfish imitation, which makes up the bulk of their diet. While known for their aggression, he noted they can also become selective, often requiring smaller flies and longer leaders in shallow, clear water to entice strikes. 67:00 - Wesley shared that he's been living full-time in his 30-foot Airstream, which he keeps parked at the lodge during the season and uses to travel for bird hunting in the off-season. From a third-party perspective, his deep appreciation for the Airstream reflects his commitment to durability, mobility, and comfort. This lifestyle choice complements his work as a guide and outdoorsman.   Conclusion with Wesley Hodges on Smallmouth Bass In this episode, Wesley Hodges shares expert insight into smallmouth bass behavior, fly presentation, and how subtle changes in river topography—like those shallow bankside ditches—can hold surprisingly big fish. He explains the legal complexities of Virginia's Jackson River, offers practical tips for solo anglers, and emphasizes the value of hiring a guide to avoid trouble. Wesley also reveals his must-have gear, from Chaco flip-flops to the latest Orvis rods, and explains why crayfish patterns are a reliable go-to when targeting smallmouth. From stealth casting tips to surprising shallow-water hotspots, this episode is packed with knowledge for serious anglers. What's the most surprising place you've ever hooked a big smallmouth bass? Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/791

SHOW US SOME LOVE BY SUBSCRIBING TO OUR PATREON! patreon.com/KeepingUpWithTheNerds   We partnered with Dubby to bring you your new favorite energy drink!  Check out dubby.gg and use code "KEEPUPNERD" for 10% off your next order.   The MCU strikes back at this weekend's movie box office as Fantastic 4 finally hits theatres.  Marvel's first family finally gets its long-awaited debut into the cinematic universe, and... come on, let's face it, there wasn't that big of a hurdle to jump.  Fantastic 4: First Steps hits the ground running, but the real question is, was it better than its Boy Scout neighbor?  Does it even matter if it was?  All this and more on this week's issue of Keeping Up With The Nerds!   This Issue is Brought to You by: Bryan Quevedo, Rene Bravo, Sean Rodriguez & Nick Valero   Podcasts can also be found here! YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y6luw7uq Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/y4q64run Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y4ztkn2o   Follow us on our socials! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keepingwiththenerds/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KeepitNerds Ask us questions and leave us a like and comment! Don't forget to subscribe and leave a follow!

Susie and Kylee dive deep into Nick Cutter's disturbing horror novel "The Troop," a visceral tale about a Boy Scout troop stranded on an island with a mysterious, ravenous stranger harboring a deadly parasitic infection.• Immediate trigger warnings for horror elements, animal abuse, and graphic body horror• Discussion of the five Boy Scouts and their distinct personalities—Kent the bully, Ephraim the troubled kid, Max the regular guy, Newt the smart one, and Shelly the sociopath• Exploration of the military-created parasitic worms that cause insatiable hunger while breeding inside human hosts• Analysis of Shelley's disturbing psychological development and sadistic behavior toward the other boys• Breakdown of the Lord of the Flies-like descent as the boys struggle to survive while infection spreads• Detailed examination of the most horrific scenes including the cave sequence and medical experiments• Reflection on the ambiguous ending and theories about Max's final fate• Rating of 4-4.5 stars for the novel's effectiveness as pure, old-school horrorIf you're looking for a genuinely scary horror novel that will get under your skin (literally and figuratively), "The Troop" delivers—but proceed with extreme caution.#BookReview #BookDiscussion #BookChat #BooksOfInstagram #ReadingCommunity #BookLovers #AmReading #BookAddict #TBR #Bookstagram#BookPodcast #PodcastEpisode #NewPodcast #WhenGirlsTalkBooks #WomenWhoPodcast #PodcastLife #PodcastReview #ListenNow #PodcastRecommendations #PodcastersOfInstagram#HorrorBooks #ThrillerReads #CreepyReads #ScaryBooks #DarkReads #PsychologicalThriller #GoryBooks #IntenseReads #HorrorFiction #PageTurner#TheTroop #NickCutter #NickCutterBooks #TheTroopReview #TheTroopBook #TheTroopDiscussion #TheTroopPodcast #TheTroopReaction #WildernessHorror #BioHorror#HorrorLit #GruesomeReads #BodyHorror #IslandHorror #SciFiHorror #YAThriller #MenacingReads #CampHorror #FreakyFiction #ContemporaryHorror#WomenWhoRead #GirlsWhoRead #WomenInBooks #BookishGirls #BookishWomen #FeministReaders #ReadingWithGirls #WomenSupportingWomen #BookishBesties #WomenInPodcasting#MustRead #BookTok #BookTokRecs #TikTokReads #Bookstagrammer #BookstagramFeature #InstaBooks #BookObsessed #ReadersOfInstagram #ViralReads#WhatDidIJustRead #ThisBookTho #ICantEven #MindBlown #SoCreepy #BookHangover #Unputdownable #WTFBook #ShockingRead #BookReactions#SurvivalHorror #StrandedStory #IslandTerror #ScienceGoneWrong #ExperimentalHorror #NatureHorror #ParasiticTerror #FeralFiction #BioThriller #MutantReads#ExplorePage #ContentCreators #IGReads #BoostYourContent #ViralPodcasts #AlgorithmBoost #CreativePodcasts #NextRead #CurrentlyReading #BookishContentSupport the showEditing done by Connor Luther @clfilms.coMusic by @thundercatlouisMerch Here

Clark Fredericks' life was forever changed by one of the darkest betrayals imaginable—he was groomed and abused by his Boy Scout leader, a man who was also a respected police officer. That trauma led Clark down a destructive path filled with addiction, gambling, and mob debt. But everything came to a head years later when he ran into his abuser again… and snapped. Clark was charged with murder—but the truth behind what happened changed everything. In this emotional and raw episode, Clark opens up about the abuse, the moment he took justice into his own hands, his time behind bars, and how he's finally found peace after the storm. #TrueCrimeStory #SurvivorTestimony #PrisonRedemption #JusticeSystem #ChildAbuseAwareness #MurderToManslaughter #AbuseSurvivor #LockedInPodcast Connect with Clark Fredericks: https://konect.to/freelike-me08808 Buy his book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668018659?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apan_dp_0BFKHXN4B89PVPJMS5Q6_1&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apan_dp_0BFKHXN4B89PVPJMS5Q6_1&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apan_dp_0BFKHXN4B89PVPJMS5Q6_1&bestFormat=true&csmig=1 Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ Get 50% off the Magic Mind offer here: https://www.magicmind.com/IANB50. #magicmind #mentalwealth #mentalperformance Presented by Tyson 2.0 & Wooooo Energy: https://tyson20.com/ https://woooooenergy.com/ Buy Merch: http://www.ianbick.com/shop Timestamps: 00:00:00 Intro 00:06:46 The Hidden Dangers of Trust and Secrets 00:14:36 Manipulative Relationships in Childhood 00:22:33 Living in Silence 00:30:47 False Allegations and Their Consequences 00:38:59 Coping Mechanisms and Consequences 00:47:13 Navigating Youth and Self-Awareness 00:56:00 Deep in Debt: Owing the Mob $77,000 01:03:57 Face-to-Face with a Crime Family Threat 01:11:49 Struggles 01:20:33 Confronting the Past: A Return to the cop's Home 01:28:37 Confrontation with Law Enforcement 01:36:14 Prison Life and Unexpected Support 01:44:11 First Day in Prison: Challenges and Adjustments 01:52:06 Reflections on Incarceration and Release 01:59:08 An Inspirational Journey Through Adversity 02:06:37 Promoting Healing with "Scarred" Book Powered by: Just Media House : https://www.justmediahouse.com/ Creative direction, design, assets, support by FWRD: https://www.fwrd.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Paden-Powell took twenty boys to Brownsea Island, Poole on 29th July, 1907, to embark on a ten-day camp. The trip was, essentially, a laboratory for his subsequent books - and, therefore, the global Boy Scout movement.  Each day started with cocoa and exercises, and ended with campfire yarns. In between, there was a lot of knot-tying, parading and praying. By the time of the Second World War, 3.3 million British children were enrolled as Boy Scouts. In this episode, Olly, Rebecca and Arion explore the link between the Boer war and B-P's ‘Scouting Book for Boys'; unearth the racist and homophobic elements of the global Scout movement; and explain why Indonesia has more Scouts than anywhere else... Further Reading: • ‘Brownsea Island: The First Camp', from The Scouting Pages: https://thescoutingpages.org.uk/the-first-camp/ • ‘Boy Scouts of America reaches $850BILLION settlement with 60,000 child sex abuse victims' (Mail Online, 2021): https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9748029/Boy-Scouts-America-reaches-pivotal-agreement-victims.html • ‘Who Was Baden-Powell? & How B-P Changed the World!' (Scouter Stan, YouTube 2020): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OY9pv8iF4wg This episode first aired in 2021 Love the show? Support us!  Join 

Prager University Part 56. Six Video Clips Should You Homeschool? Girling the Boy Scouts The Government Doesn't Make Money—You Do Do Tax Cuts Work? What's Not to Love about Socialism? COVID Lockdowns: The Real Cost   Should You Homeschool? https://youtu.be/azBn-_XFh9I?si=VS-wWi9wsnXC7BNT Should You Homeschool? | 5-Minute Videos | PragerU PragerU 3.37M subscribers 541,259 views Premiered Apr 28, 2025 5-Minute Videos Should you homeschool your kids? Many parents worry about time, money, and socialization—but are those concerns valid? In this PragerU 5-Minute Video, author and education advocate Sam Sorbo shares her personal journey from skeptic to homeschooler. She explores the myths surrounding homeschooling, the benefits for families, and why more parents are choosing to take control of their children's education.

Hidden in the woods near Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Boy Scout Lane is a lonely, half-mile dirt road that has inspired decades of chilling folklore. Local legends tell of an entire troop of Boy Scouts who perished here—murdered by a deranged leader, lost in the forest, or burned in a freak fire. No official record supports these tales, yet visitors report phantom footsteps, glowing lanterns, and ghostly handprints on their vehicles. The BOOKBY US A COFFEEJoin Sarah's new FACEBOOK GROUPSubscribe to our PATREONEMAIL us your storiesJoin us on INSTAGRAMJoin us on TWITTERJoin us on FACEBOOKVisit our WEBSITEStories:Sources:https://stevenspointarea.com/blog/post/ghost-story-boy-scout-lane/https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/wisconsin/haunted-boy-scout-lane-wi/https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/boy-scout-lanehttps://www.wisconsinhaunts.com/places/boyscout.htmlhttps://www.legendsofamerica.com/wi-boyscoutlane/https://www.strangewisconsin.com/boyscoutlane.htmlhttps://www.themidwestweekender.com/paranormal/boy-scout-lanehttps://www.newspapers.com/newspage/270885798/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfXplElEAdAhttps://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/boy-scout-lane/https://www.reddit.com/r/Paranormal/comments/7rhz8i/boy_scout_lane_stevens_point_wisconsin_my_story/https://www.strangerdimensions.com/2012/09/20/the-ghostly-legends-of-boy-scout-lane/https://scarycarries.com/urban-legends-wisconsin-boy-scout-lane/Sarah and Tobie xx"Spacial Winds," Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licenced under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licencehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/;;;SURVEY Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 A pair of letters from life down under. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. Story 1:  Can I Hold Your Hand The guy who had something extra, gives it to her. By Baztrachian My name is Dennis. Growing up on our ranch in Western Australia, I lived a pretty isolated life. Starting at around age twelve, I was bussed into town, and had to adjust to big classrooms, and girls. Some of them were already well developed by the time I hit my, shall we call it, ‘growth spurt'?  I noticed I had a weird effect on girls but more so on women. If they touched my hands they'd act weird and sometimes just get quiet and stare at me. It was weird so I didn't tell my parents but by the time I was thirteen I wore gloves all the time. That way I could do all the normal things everyone else did like shake hands and stuff like that without causing a problem. At first, Folks assumed I had an injury or skin rash.Soon folks thought I had some OCD about germs. Yes, as hard as it was to wear gloves all the time it was even harder not to wear them. You never know how much people touch each other with their hands until you can't do it. Try refusing to shake someone's hands sometime. You'll see. Fortunately for me the hand thing had no effect on my own household members, including my mother & sister. Perhaps it's a pheromone thing, I don't know? At a family reunion when I was 14, my female cousins went numb like the girls at school, so after that, I always wore gloves around them. Unless I wanted them to shut up, then it was kind of handy! As I transitioned from middle school to high school, the female reactions to my touch brought on more immediate & expressive sexual attraction. The younger girls were confused by their feelings, the older and sexually active girls weren't confused at all. They knew they were horny. Granted, I took off the gloves like when I was out with my Boy Scout troop, playing sports at school, and some other social events where there were no women around. Avoiding girls as a practice, made some people think I was gay; so it was a relief when I went off to Perth for Curtin University, where being weird was much more acceptable. But more to the point here, is I wasn't gay. I really did want a girlfriend. In my speech class I met a cute girl named Melody. She was perky, a little offbeat, average in size, and she wore her dark hair in very feminine pixie cut that showed off her sexy neck. Taking a chance, I started to hang out more with Melody and her group of friends from Bunbury, a city further south on Australia's west coast. One night she came to a rugby game I was in. Afterward, she came down on the field & impulsively leaned in and kissed me on the lips, before going home with her gals. I discovered that I could kiss her and she was just fine, with no odd side effects. A month later, a few of us were in her off-campus apartment after class, for lunch. After eating, the others suddenly left for class, leaving just the two of us. Mel was looking at my gloved hands. She asked why I wore gloves around campus, but not in always? She even saw me at Rugby practice last week without gloves on. I tried brushing it off with a witty joke. I had several rehearsed one-liners ready, for such inquiries. She laughed, then added; “But seriously; why? I tried a tall-tale far-fetched narrative for my next come back. That didn't deter her persistency either. I paused, then decided to risk it and just explain to her about the gloves and the true impact of my hands, but I think she thought the truth was just an even crazier tale to cover for some Obsessive Cumpulsive thing on my part. "Dennis, do you think it would be okay for me to touch your hands without the gloves? Do you trust me?" It had been a few years since the last time I'd deliberately touched a woman, and that was in another place, hours away from college. Maybe here & now it would be okay? Besides, I was longing to touch her and feel her lovely skin. "Alright, but don't say I didn't tell you what might happen." With that I removed my gloves. "Your hands look so soft! I've never seen a guy with hands as soft as yours..." and that's where her sentence ended. Mel had her hand on mine and now she had that glazed-over look, which I remembered so well. As she sat there staring at me, I took the chance to gently touch her face and then steal a caress of her gorgeous neck. That stirred her up a bit. "Oh, my God; that's amazing!" she finally said. Then her face turned a little red. "What's it like?" I asked her. Hate to admit but I was really curious about it. "It's like riding a roller coaster and getting that feeling you get when it goes over a hill!" She squirmed in her seat. "Oh, that's doing things for me!" Then she got up and strided over to her bathroom. I got up and cleared the table, grabbed my gloves, then sat on the couch. A couple minutes later she came back out, looking calmer. She sat down by me and said; “I thought I might have peed my panties. False alarm; sort of.” She sat back down at the table & looked at me in wonder as the effect started to wear off. "Fuck, Dennis! You weren't lying were you? Oh my God, that must have been a bitch to grow up with that. You poor thing." Her hands impulsively went to mine again, and she touched me before I had a chance to react. Her head dropped back against the backrest, & her jaw went slack. She just seemed to melt into the couch. I let go of her hands and her recovery was a little faster this time. She was definitely experiencing it pretty intensely. She was looking at me like she was starving and I was a bacon cheeseburger. (Yeah, virgin Dennis was stupid enough not to realize that she was sexually aroused.) "Oh, my. I think we need to explore this a little more..." she said as she reached for me again. This time I pulled my hands back and slipped on my gloves. "Mel, I think I'm gonna to the library, and maybe let you get yourself together, okay?" I stood up and left her on her couch. She looked a little confused so I left, to let her recover in private. It was maybe twenty minutes later when she texted me, asking me to come back to her place. I sighed and texted back that I was on my way. I figured if she was okay enough to text me then she was okay, right?  I guess I had some responsibility to make sure she was okay. It was twenty minutes for me to walk back to her place. When she opened the door for me, I caught my breath. The object of my desire was standing before me in a long t-shirt. I immediately noticed her stiff nipples, and concluded that the t-shirt was perhaps the only thing she was wearing. She still had that craving hungry look. She managed to compose herself & politely invite me in, and had me sit on her couch. "I think we need to talk." she said, as she sat down next to me and let her soft boob lean against my horny arm. "Okay,” I said. “About what?" Then she looked me in the eyes and boldly said; "I think you need to fuck me so we can find out what this does." She said this with an impish smile while reaching for down my cock, which was hard. To be honest, I'd been very smitten by Mel since we first met on campus. Hence, it was usually hard when I was around Mel, so this wasn't all that remarkable. What was remarkable was my virgin cock getting its first female attention. I immediately decided that I liked this. Loved this. Quite a lot. "Mel, this is probably going to be a very bad idea. Are you sure you want to do this, because I know I do." She bit her lip and in a very exaggerated nod, said; “God, yes.” Leading me to her bedroom, she unbuttoned my shirt and pushed it off my shoulders. My shorts came next and I let them drop as I stepped out of my sandals. I was almost naked except for my gloves. Mel pulled her t-shirt over her head, and there she was. In all her feminine glory! She smiled at me and then kissed me lightly on the lips. Her hands went to my gloves. "Mel, I have to tell you something..." She looked a little surprised and she smiled. "Okay, the hand thing wasn't enough? What else? And please don't tell me you have herpes." "I'm a virgin." She giggled and smiled as she held her hands against her chest, "So am I! Isn't this crazy? I was planning to wait, but now all I can think about is you!" She yanked my arm and tugged me to the bedroom. Then she pulled back the blankets and climbed onto the middle of the waterbed. Patting on the bed she meant for me to join her. My cock jutted out from my body like a diving board. I briefly had an ethical discussion with myself about what I was doing and if it was fair to Mel. I quickly realized that I loved her, I wanted to be with her, and sooner or later we were going to have sex so why not now? Besides, she liked me, right? I went to get on the bed and had one knee on the blankets when she held up her hand. "Gloves. Off. Now." I drew in a breath for the moment of truth and took off my gloves. Being careful not to touch her too soon I got onto the bed next to her and laid on my side. She rolled over to face me, we rocked a bit from the waves. "Touch me." she said. "Where?" She smiled. "Any damn where you want. But do it now." I slowly moved my hand to her breast and then gently palmed it. Her reaction was instant. She sighed as a feeling of arousal and euphoria swept over her. I may have been a virgin but I knew what serious arousal looked like and this was it! Her face was flush, again. The glassy look in her eyes returned, but she held it together better. We kissed and started making out. Her hands were all over me and my hands were all over her. I noticed that her pelvis was rhythmically rocking. I don't think she knew. It wasn't maybe even two or three minutes when she rolled onto her back and pulled me on top of her. I had no idea what I was doing but my cock certainly knew where it wanted to be and I started pushing and prodding. "Here." she said, as she reached between us and firmly grabbed my rod and guided me until my sensitive tip felt her warm cunt. She moved my cock across her furrow a few times and then suddenly I felt the silky smooth wetness of her treasures. I hesitated and looked into her eyes. "Please." she lusted. I slipped into her glorious heaven. It was snug and tight and shallow, but with a twerk of her hips, she burst open her depths. “Ah, ahah!” she groaned for a moment, her eyes expressing some pain. And then she rocked her hips up and swallowed my full length. It was wet, warm, & snug. And it blew my mind to finally have my cock inside the girl of my dreams. "Oh, Jesus...fuck..." she uttered as I started to fuck her. Her eyes rolled back and then she closed them, panting heavily. She fell limp as my hips rose and fell on hers. I'd love to tell you it went on and on but, you know...virgin. I was new to this, and too soon I felt my cum rising. I think my last wet dream last longer than this. The college health class came back to me at that moment. I briefly thought about stopping. Then looking at Mel, my desire took over and I pressed deep into her and let loose! It felt so great to cum in her. We laid there embracing for a few more minutes as her breathing relaxed. “Look at me, Dennis,” she said. As I looked at her, she started twitching and moaning. Her hips moved to meet mine and I shot out another few squirts of cum. We did this routine again, until my cock and balls were starting to feel a little sore from the effort. When I was done, Mel lay there senseless. She was still twitching and moaning, and now her hands felt her own body. It was amazingly erotic. This thing she was doing went on and on, but then tapered off for several minutes at which point she fell soundly asleep. I got up and turned around to look at the lovely woman who gave herself to me. I looked down at my spent dick. It had a bit of a blood stain at the base. I guess this is what's referred to as ‘popping her cherry?' I grabbed my clothes and took a quick rinse in her shower, then got dressed enough to be presentable. Sitting down in her living room I fiddled with my hands and eventually turned on the TV. The sun set in the west. Right around eight o'clock  I heard her stirring. When she came out of the bedroom she had this silly smile on her face. And the t-shirt. Just the t-shirt. I could tell she was still aroused. Anyone would have seen that. "Lover, that was absolutely fucking ah, mazing!" "You're okay?" Really I was concerned for her. I loved her after all. She sat down on the couch next to me and kissed me. "I'm fine. I had no idea that was what sex was supposed to be like. Fuck." Her hand went to my chest. "Dennis, you're like the best psych drug ever invented!" "You've done drugs?" I asked. "Only when I had my wisdom teeth pulled. And this was way the fuck better than that! When your dick touched me it was like the whole world felt at peace and everything was going to be wonderful and then you started fucking me. Damn, that was intense! When you came in me it was like getting injected with a rainbow!" She went on and on about the experience, and as she did it was pretty clear she wanted more. I touched her face and she flushed with arousal; and this time we didn't even make it back to the bed. I fucked her right there on the couch. I lasted a little longer before I felt the unstoppable urge to cum in her. This time she gave a little cry and then fell limp. It took me a little time to calm down and when I did, I picked up Mel and carried her to the bedroom. She was totally passed out and I figured to let her sleep it off so after covering her up I got dressed and headed to my dorm. She called me late the next morning, explaining how she'd slept in and missed her morning classes. She didn't seem to care about it too much, and told me she would make her afternoon classes. But she also insisted I had to come over for dinner. Naturally I spent my time in class thinking about Mel. By the time I made it to her place I was getting hard before I got to her door; with the near certainty that I was going to get laid. When she opened her door for me she radiated sexiness. Her movements were different and she simply appeared more beautiful than before. It harkened to me some classic literature references to ‘the power of a woman's glamour', her charms, as another author phrased it. She was a new woman. A viral woman, a woman awakened to seduction and seducing. There was also a resoluteness to her now, and she made clear that she desired me. I knew that most of this was from my condition, the potent effect of my bare hands upon a female prospect. Still, it was getting me laid, right? We made it through dinner and then we managed to talk for a short time. Mel was amazed at herself for what she was doing with me. She said it was totally against her nature and upbringing to have given up her virginity, and to keep risking pregnancy with me; but she couldn't help herself. Twenty minutes later she passed out after I'd filled her cunt again. As she lay there sleeping it off I realized that when she got a dose of my cum it was sedating her, so the little swimmers in my semen would have time to travel upstream into her womb. I looked at the sleeping girl and realized that my cum was doing double duty trying to get her pregnant. When she woke up, she wanted to go again and so did my cock. In due time, she quit school because she didn't care about it anymore. And then the day she told me she was pregnant, the tears were flowing and she was crying...right until I took off my gloves and touched her face. I took her to visit my parents that next weekend; apprehensive of my parents' reaction. My father spoke first; “Son, this is a huge relief. My health issues require that I stop ranching, or get a lot of help. I was hoping to delay the matter until you finish college, but I was going to ask you to come home and take over the business. If the two of you could settle down here with us, I'll get the home builders out here, next week. We'd just gotten our first royalty check from the new natural gas wells that were drilled last year. Dad needed a way to reinvest it in the ranch, or he'd have to pay some very high taxes on the windfall. We got married the following month in Mel's home town. Then my parents threw a big reception at the family ranch a few weeks later. As the baby grew Mel became very calm and tranquil. She definitely had a ‘baby glow'. We'd still fuck and it still had the same effect on her; but even when we weren't fucking she'd still be very Zen-like. I understood it, when the baby was born; and Mel would get a sedated, glazed-over expression whenever little Gary (named after my father), put his hands on her tits and latched on to suckle them. It didn't sexually arouse her, but it still sent her into a trance-like condition. My boy was going to be a chip off the old block! I nicknamed him ‘Chip'. By Baztrachian for Literotica Story 2: New Step Siblings In Aussie Lockdown Teens meet in Melbourne for their parents' wedding, then get left together in locked-down Australia. By Baztrachian When my father told me that he was getting married again I accepted it as good news. He'd been alone and depressed since the divorce and when he met Debbie she clearly brought back his smile and his joy. So of course I was happy for him. It was just after Thanksgiving in 2019 when they decided on getting married the following June. The plan was for four of us to take a family trip together instead of doing the traditional honeymoon vacation. The four of us included my father, Debbie, myself, and my new step-sister, Taylor. The June date was set to coincide with Taylor graduating high school. Taylor was pretty happy about the plan to take a trip to Australia because their drinking laws would allow even a freshly minted eighteen year old to enjoy a visit to a bar. Over the ensuing months I got to know Taylor fairly well and we ended up getting along despite some serious differences. Where I was a devoted outdoorsman who loved hiking, off-road sports, climbing, and working out Taylor was your typical ginger. She was alabaster white and would get sunburned if she was in the sun for much more than a few minutes. She was also nearsighted and she had to wear glasses to see past her arm. She was cute in a dorky sort of way and I had no problem enjoying her company. The news of COVID started up in January but most everyone I knew dismissed it as being an overhyped flu. Granted, we took it more seriously as time went on but we still had plans to visit Australia and we kept to them. The wedding took place the weekend after Taylor's graduation. The next morning was a flurry of activity as we headed off to the airport. There had been a lockdown in Melbourne that May but it ended soon enough that our plans were not affected. It wasn't easy to get into Australia but we did and when we arrived we headed off to the house we'd rented for the vacation. We'd be there three weeks and we'd head home on July 9th just as planned. One thing we quickly discovered is that July is in the depths of winter, for the Aussies. The rental house was pretty amazing. It was in the town of Port Campbell situated on the ocean and that meant I had quite a lot to do every day. I quickly found myself a kayak and spent several of my days exploring the coast and getting in some decent fishing. My father and Debbie had a good time, of course, and Taylor made the best of it staying in the shade and catching up on her books. You know how when you go on vacation you allow yourself to detach from the world and not have much care for the news? Yep, that was our mistake. Living in our little vacation bubble we had no idea that not only had COVID not blown over but it was getting worse. We only got an idea that things were getting serious when my father got a toothache and decided to cut the honeymoon short by a couple days and go home. Turned out that a lot of Americans were trying to get out of Australia at that point, so airline seats were at a premium. The best my father could pull off were two seats for himself and Debbie. Taylor and I would have to wait for our flight on July 9th before we'd get home. Where we'd only be waiting a couple days for the flight my father paid for me and Taylor to stay in a decent enough Melbourne apartment with a view of the beach and the cruise pier. It was a great location and even though we'd just be there a couple days I was looking forward to making the most of the winter-time beach. The airport situation was a little crazy so we ended up saying our goodbyes at the apartment and then Taylor and I watched as the taxi took our parents away. That afternoon we went to a local store to get a few things and noticed that the other shoppers were all stocking up. Something about their faces alarmed me. "What're you doing?" asked Taylor as I put down our handbasket and instead took a 'trolley' as they call grocery carts down under. "I'm just being cautious is all. Look at these people, they're all freaked out and getting ready to hunker down. I don't know what's really happening but I want to make sure we've got everything we might need just in case." Taylor was a little irritated as I started picking up sundries, snacks, toiletries, and enough food for a couple weeks. I told her that if nothing happened then I'd just leave the stuff out for someone else. She made a remark about how I was wasting my money and I ignored her. On the way back to our apartment I slipped into a liquor store and picked up two cases of beer, six liters of vodka, six liters of whisky, and assorted mixers. Just in case, of course. The news that evening confirmed my fears. Melbourne was going into six weeks of lockdown. We were going to be shut into our apartment and only allowed outside for two hours of exercise and one hour to go visit a store. I made a few frantic calls to the airline and it was the seventh time I tried that I got through to find out our flight was cancelled. A few more calls followed and I confirmed we weren't going to be allowed to leave for at least the entirety of the six weeks. That led to calling my father back at home in the US. He handled the news with aplomb as if this was no big deal. I appreciated his confidence and doubly appreciated his promise to drop enough money in my account to see me and Taylor through the six weeks of lockdown. I felt better when I got off the phone and shared this news with Taylor. The next day was the start of the lockdown and it was immediately apparent that the police were in no mood to play with anyone. We looked over the balcony of the apartment and saw people on the beach getting chased away or even arrested by the aggressive police. At one point one of the cops even yelled at us to go inside or get arrested! It was really shocking to see the city become a big prison. You just don't expect that kind of thing to happen in a Western country and in this case it had happened so fast that there wasn't even time for anyone to protest. Although we were supposedly allowed to go out to exercise I convinced Taylor to stay in due to wanting to avoid a problem with the police. Where we were set on food for a while I also decided against going shopping until we absolutely had to. When we'd arranged for the apartment I was sleeping on the couch and Taylor had the bed. But a couple days into the lockdown Taylor had me switch because the bed was going to be more comfortable for me. Hate to say, but I didn't argue with her about that. We passed our time talking a lot. I got to hear about her high school experience, her debate club victories, her attempts at art, and her plans to study higher mathematics in college. Taylor got to hear about my hiking trip to Nepal, my fishing adventure in the Red Sea, my close encounter with a bear in Alaska, and etc. We even made it six days before I opened a case of beer. Despite the cold weather we made a point of sitting out on the balcony at night. We would sit and chat and sip a drink and enjoy breaking one of the oppressive rules. Naturally we stayed out of sight because even though we were rebels we didn't want to push our luck. An odd thing took place during our confinement as we tacitly agreed on some domestic practices. We never had to discuss it as we started doing laundry, cleaning dishes, and doing all of the normal things you do when you live together. For whatever reason we got along well as roommates and one day we both acknowledged this fact and each considered ourselves fortunate to have family we could like. I don't recall precisely which day it was but a day came along where we didn't need to leave the apartment and neither of us bothered to get dressed. I spent the day in a t-shirt and boxers, and Taylor spent the day in her night-time chemise and panties. That started a habit with us of being rather casual around the apartment. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to giving her body serious consideration. I did my best to play it off but when I was in the shower by myself I found her to be the object of my fantasies as I'd relieve my pent-up needs. July 31st was a Friday, and that particular day stood out to me. Taylor and I had been into drinking a bit more than usual and when it came time for bed she followed me into the bedroom. It was cold and cloudy outside and the apartment had a bit of a chill to it so Taylor's explanation made sense. "It's too fucking cold to sleep on the couch," she slurred, "hope you don't mind but I'm in here tonight." It was the first time I'd heard her swear. Myself, I didn't mind the prospect of her company so I held up the blanket and let her slide in. Then I cuddled up behind her and my prescription from Doctor Johnny Walker put me to sleep. In the morning I woke to feeling Taylor's warm ass pressing against my body. It was a couple moments before I realized that my cock was out of my boxers and snugly gripped by Taylor's panty-protected thigh gap. I really had to fight back the urge to try to fuck her but at the same time it just wasn't right. She gently moved against me as I withdrew my cock. I swore she was wanting me, but I had to tell my ego to calm down. I got up from the warm bed and headed out to the kitchen to make some much needed coffee. As the coffee was brewing I went out on the balcony to get some cold air. That helped me wake up and it also settled down the spike jutting out from between my legs. The day that followed was more or less normal. I was quietly relieved when Taylor didn't speak of what my cock had been up to during the night and I was quite set on making sure there were no repeat performances. At the same time the thought that my cock had been separated from Taylor's cunt by just a flimsy bit of fabric had me somewhat aroused all day. Around noon there was a knock on the door from one of our neighbors. I opened the door after putting on the requisite mask and the cheerful fellow mentioned how he'd overheard us on the balcony talking about vodka. He needed some and we had it. A trade was completed and now we had a bottle of gin and a couple bottles of tonic water. That night Taylor and myself sat down watching Sky News mostly because they were the only channel with news from the USA. At a certain point Taylor got up and made two pint glasses full of gin and tonic. Needless to say by bedtime we were both toasted and the two drinks were just a bit more than half gone. I made my move getting up to go to bed while Taylor put the two leftover drinks in the fridge. When she joined me in bed she had me spoon up behind her and then she snuggled into me. I have to admit that it was really nice. When I put my arm around her she didn't mind that my hand ended up holding her tit. Sleep overtook me before anything else happened and at the moment I was grateful. Sometime during the night I woke to feeling Taylor's ass pushing back at me. It was a very gentle motion but it was enough that my cock was responding. I couldn't help myself but to pull her tight against myself and strain to push my crotch at hers. She pulled away just enough to get her hand between us. She went right to my cock and rubbed it under my shorts. Again, she was very gentle but she was also making clear what she wanted. Fishing around my shorts she found the opening and I sighed as her soft hand wrapped around my pole and pulled it out of my shorts. Her hand exited the space between us and I felt her ass push up against me again. My cock rubbed between her ass cheeks. They felt silky and smooth. She moved again and this time lifted a leg to allow my cock to fit between us. The tip of my cock rubbed against something warm and moist. I woke up a bit more and did an exploratory thrust and realized that she wasn't wearing panties. "Taylor?" I asked. "Yeah?" she huskily replied. "Do you want me to stop?" She didn't hesitate. "No." She pressed her ass at me and I couldn't help myself but to thrust. We bumped a few times and then we both caught our breath as my cock found the right place. My cock was just pressed into the mouth of her cunt. I took a moment to savor the feeling and then felt her press back. I didn't move and instead felt her body open up for me as the first inch or so of my cock entered her. My instincts took over at this point. "Uh, ah!" she exclaimed as I started to drive myself into her. I felt her body twitch as I tried to get deeper. "Oh, God." she uttered as she moved her hips allowing me to plunge all the way inside of her. Between the effects of the alcohol and my need I wasn't the least bit interested in being gentle. All I knew was my cock was in her cunt and it was absolute Heaven! I started fucking her hard and my hands wrapped around her. I mashed one of her tits while she grunted from getting her cunt slammed. She put a hand on my hip to try to push me back a little and all I did was fuck harder. Taylor cried out as I drove deep and started spewing my load into her. She tried to move away from me and I held her tight until I was done shooting my cum into her. She was silent in the aftermath of our coupling. When my cock finally relaxed and slipped from her body she moved away from me just enough to get some space. As I started to feel the embrace of sleep I swore I could hear her quietly sobbing. It was a bit before sunrise when I awoke. The memory of the evening flooded in on me and I had that brief moment of disbelief where I thought it could have been a dream. During the night Taylor had moved to where she was sleeping a little away from me. I explored her body with a hand and felt her bare thigh. Moving up I found her bare hip and the fact that she was naked below the waist made me hard again. I brushed her hair with my hand and then caressed her cheek. "Taylor? You awake?" I asked. Her snoozing continued informing me she was deep in sleep. My hand moved down her body. I undid the ties on her chemise and treated myself to feeling the soft skin of her breasts. She gave a pleasant little purr as my fingers played over her nipples. I removed my hand and let her go back to snoozing. Taking her hip with my hand I gently pulled her against me. As her body moved against me my cock neatly fit into her thigh gap again. She lay quietly as I gently rutted against her. When I poked her in the right place she moaned and moved her leg. I stopped for a moment and then started gently moving again as I heard her moan in approval. When she'd moved her leg she exposed her cunt to me and it wasn't long before I felt her moisture on my cock. As gently as I could I changed my angle and pushed. Her cunt opened for me and I stifled a moan as I slipped into her again. I was determined to be gentle and took my time getting myself fully embedded in her. Taking a little time just to savor the moment I started a very slow and deliberate rhythm. Somewhere along the line Taylor stirred. She reached between us to where our bodies met and explored. Then she just relaxed and let me keep going. Soon enough I felt her hips moving in response to mine and then I felt her tense. "Fuck..." she whispered as she came. I felt her cunt clench around my cock and that did it for me as I unloaded my cum into her again. We had a moment where I just held her but then she was up and off to the shower. When she was done she excused herself to the kitchen and it was my turn to clean up. I needed it. And after I was dressed decently I went out to talk to her. "Good morning." I said, wondering what her response would be. She smiled at me. "It is." Naturally we had to talk about our new relationship. And that's what we did for a while before deciding to take a walk together. It was eerie to be in a big city and have it so quiet. We got over to the beach but between signs saying the beach was closed and glares from the police we decided to stay close to the apartment. Lunch was a simple affair of bread and cheese. While we ate I asked Taylor why she'd wanted to be more to me than just a step-sister. "I guess I never would have known you if our parents didn't get married. You're like the total opposite of me. But being around you I got to know you and then there's the thing where you're not so hard to look at, Mister." I smiled at her. "You're not so hard to look at yourself." When I asked her about the possibility of pregnancy she just shrugged. "I can go to the store if you want me to." I offered. "What if I didn't want you to?" she asked. "You mean you don't want to have sex anymore? I can understand that." She shook her head, "No, what if I just want us to keep doing this; whatever it is. Would you be okay with that?" I looked in her pale green eyes and realized that I was looking at the woman I'd marry. "Of course I would." And that, my friends, was the closest we ever came to a marriage proposal. After that it was just a given that we would marry and have a family. Naturally, it was no surprise that when we were finally allowed to return to the USA, Taylor was sporting a very modest bulge. I guess my biggest surprise in all of this was when we got home and broke the news to our parents. They looked at each other, smiled, and then my new step-mom says, "Yeah, we kind of figured you two would find a way to pass the time." By Baztrachian for Literotica

 A pair of letters from life down under. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. Story 1:  Can I Hold Your Hand The guy who had something extra, gives it to her. By Baztrachian My name is Dennis. Growing up on our ranch in Western Australia, I lived a pretty isolated life. Starting at around age twelve, I was bussed into town, and had to adjust to big classrooms, and girls. Some of them were already well developed by the time I hit my, shall we call it, ‘growth spurt'?  I noticed I had a weird effect on girls but more so on women. If they touched my hands they'd act weird and sometimes just get quiet and stare at me. It was weird so I didn't tell my parents but by the time I was thirteen I wore gloves all the time. That way I could do all the normal things everyone else did like shake hands and stuff like that without causing a problem. At first, Folks assumed I had an injury or skin rash.Soon folks thought I had some OCD about germs. Yes, as hard as it was to wear gloves all the time it was even harder not to wear them. You never know how much people touch each other with their hands until you can't do it. Try refusing to shake someone's hands sometime. You'll see. Fortunately for me the hand thing had no effect on my own household members, including my mother & sister. Perhaps it's a pheromone thing, I don't know? At a family reunion when I was 14, my female cousins went numb like the girls at school, so after that, I always wore gloves around them. Unless I wanted them to shut up, then it was kind of handy! As I transitioned from middle school to high school, the female reactions to my touch brought on more immediate & expressive sexual attraction. The younger girls were confused by their feelings, the older and sexually active girls weren't confused at all. They knew they were horny. Granted, I took off the gloves like when I was out with my Boy Scout troop, playing sports at school, and some other social events where there were no women around. Avoiding girls as a practice, made some people think I was gay; so it was a relief when I went off to Perth for Curtin University, where being weird was much more acceptable. But more to the point here, is I wasn't gay. I really did want a girlfriend. In my speech class I met a cute girl named Melody. She was perky, a little offbeat, average in size, and she wore her dark hair in very feminine pixie cut that showed off her sexy neck. Taking a chance, I started to hang out more with Melody and her group of friends from Bunbury, a city further south on Australia's west coast. One night she came to a rugby game I was in. Afterward, she came down on the field & impulsively leaned in and kissed me on the lips, before going home with her gals. I discovered that I could kiss her and she was just fine, with no odd side effects. A month later, a few of us were in her off-campus apartment after class, for lunch. After eating, the others suddenly left for class, leaving just the two of us. Mel was looking at my gloved hands. She asked why I wore gloves around campus, but not in always? She even saw me at Rugby practice last week without gloves on. I tried brushing it off with a witty joke. I had several rehearsed one-liners ready, for such inquiries. She laughed, then added; “But seriously; why? I tried a tall-tale far-fetched narrative for my next come back. That didn't deter her persistency either. I paused, then decided to risk it and just explain to her about the gloves and the true impact of my hands, but I think she thought the truth was just an even crazier tale to cover for some Obsessive Cumpulsive thing on my part. "Dennis, do you think it would be okay for me to touch your hands without the gloves? Do you trust me?" It had been a few years since the last time I'd deliberately touched a woman, and that was in another place, hours away from college. Maybe here & now it would be okay? Besides, I was longing to touch her and feel her lovely skin. "Alright, but don't say I didn't tell you what might happen." With that I removed my gloves. "Your hands look so soft! I've never seen a guy with hands as soft as yours..." and that's where her sentence ended. Mel had her hand on mine and now she had that glazed-over look, which I remembered so well. As she sat there staring at me, I took the chance to gently touch her face and then steal a caress of her gorgeous neck. That stirred her up a bit. "Oh, my God; that's amazing!" she finally said. Then her face turned a little red. "What's it like?" I asked her. Hate to admit but I was really curious about it. "It's like riding a roller coaster and getting that feeling you get when it goes over a hill!" She squirmed in her seat. "Oh, that's doing things for me!" Then she got up and strided over to her bathroom. I got up and cleared the table, grabbed my gloves, then sat on the couch. A couple minutes later she came back out, looking calmer. She sat down by me and said; “I thought I might have peed my panties. False alarm; sort of.” She sat back down at the table & looked at me in wonder as the effect started to wear off. "Fuck, Dennis! You weren't lying were you? Oh my God, that must have been a bitch to grow up with that. You poor thing." Her hands impulsively went to mine again, and she touched me before I had a chance to react. Her head dropped back against the backrest, & her jaw went slack. She just seemed to melt into the couch. I let go of her hands and her recovery was a little faster this time. She was definitely experiencing it pretty intensely. She was looking at me like she was starving and I was a bacon cheeseburger. (Yeah, virgin Dennis was stupid enough not to realize that she was sexually aroused.) "Oh, my. I think we need to explore this a little more..." she said as she reached for me again. This time I pulled my hands back and slipped on my gloves. "Mel, I think I'm gonna to the library, and maybe let you get yourself together, okay?" I stood up and left her on her couch. She looked a little confused so I left, to let her recover in private. It was maybe twenty minutes later when she texted me, asking me to come back to her place. I sighed and texted back that I was on my way. I figured if she was okay enough to text me then she was okay, right?  I guess I had some responsibility to make sure she was okay. It was twenty minutes for me to walk back to her place. When she opened the door for me, I caught my breath. The object of my desire was standing before me in a long t-shirt. I immediately noticed her stiff nipples, and concluded that the t-shirt was perhaps the only thing she was wearing. She still had that craving hungry look. She managed to compose herself & politely invite me in, and had me sit on her couch. "I think we need to talk." she said, as she sat down next to me and let her soft boob lean against my horny arm. "Okay,” I said. “About what?" Then she looked me in the eyes and boldly said; "I think you need to fuck me so we can find out what this does." She said this with an impish smile while reaching for down my cock, which was hard. To be honest, I'd been very smitten by Mel since we first met on campus. Hence, it was usually hard when I was around Mel, so this wasn't all that remarkable. What was remarkable was my virgin cock getting its first female attention. I immediately decided that I liked this. Loved this. Quite a lot. "Mel, this is probably going to be a very bad idea. Are you sure you want to do this, because I know I do." She bit her lip and in a very exaggerated nod, said; “God, yes.” Leading me to her bedroom, she unbuttoned my shirt and pushed it off my shoulders. My shorts came next and I let them drop as I stepped out of my sandals. I was almost naked except for my gloves. Mel pulled her t-shirt over her head, and there she was. In all her feminine glory! She smiled at me and then kissed me lightly on the lips. Her hands went to my gloves. "Mel, I have to tell you something..." She looked a little surprised and she smiled. "Okay, the hand thing wasn't enough? What else? And please don't tell me you have herpes." "I'm a virgin." She giggled and smiled as she held her hands against her chest, "So am I! Isn't this crazy? I was planning to wait, but now all I can think about is you!" She yanked my arm and tugged me to the bedroom. Then she pulled back the blankets and climbed onto the middle of the waterbed. Patting on the bed she meant for me to join her. My cock jutted out from my body like a diving board. I briefly had an ethical discussion with myself about what I was doing and if it was fair to Mel. I quickly realized that I loved her, I wanted to be with her, and sooner or later we were going to have sex so why not now? Besides, she liked me, right? I went to get on the bed and had one knee on the blankets when she held up her hand. "Gloves. Off. Now." I drew in a breath for the moment of truth and took off my gloves. Being careful not to touch her too soon I got onto the bed next to her and laid on my side. She rolled over to face me, we rocked a bit from the waves. "Touch me." she said. "Where?" She smiled. "Any damn where you want. But do it now." I slowly moved my hand to her breast and then gently palmed it. Her reaction was instant. She sighed as a feeling of arousal and euphoria swept over her. I may have been a virgin but I knew what serious arousal looked like and this was it! Her face was flush, again. The glassy look in her eyes returned, but she held it together better. We kissed and started making out. Her hands were all over me and my hands were all over her. I noticed that her pelvis was rhythmically rocking. I don't think she knew. It wasn't maybe even two or three minutes when she rolled onto her back and pulled me on top of her. I had no idea what I was doing but my cock certainly knew where it wanted to be and I started pushing and prodding. "Here." she said, as she reached between us and firmly grabbed my rod and guided me until my sensitive tip felt her warm cunt. She moved my cock across her furrow a few times and then suddenly I felt the silky smooth wetness of her treasures. I hesitated and looked into her eyes. "Please." she lusted. I slipped into her glorious heaven. It was snug and tight and shallow, but with a twerk of her hips, she burst open her depths. “Ah, ahah!” she groaned for a moment, her eyes expressing some pain. And then she rocked her hips up and swallowed my full length. It was wet, warm, & snug. And it blew my mind to finally have my cock inside the girl of my dreams. "Oh, Jesus...fuck..." she uttered as I started to fuck her. Her eyes rolled back and then she closed them, panting heavily. She fell limp as my hips rose and fell on hers. I'd love to tell you it went on and on but, you know...virgin. I was new to this, and too soon I felt my cum rising. I think my last wet dream last longer than this. The college health class came back to me at that moment. I briefly thought about stopping. Then looking at Mel, my desire took over and I pressed deep into her and let loose! It felt so great to cum in her. We laid there embracing for a few more minutes as her breathing relaxed. “Look at me, Dennis,” she said. As I looked at her, she started twitching and moaning. Her hips moved to meet mine and I shot out another few squirts of cum. We did this routine again, until my cock and balls were starting to feel a little sore from the effort. When I was done, Mel lay there senseless. She was still twitching and moaning, and now her hands felt her own body. It was amazingly erotic. This thing she was doing went on and on, but then tapered off for several minutes at which point she fell soundly asleep. I got up and turned around to look at the lovely woman who gave herself to me. I looked down at my spent dick. It had a bit of a blood stain at the base. I guess this is what's referred to as ‘popping her cherry?' I grabbed my clothes and took a quick rinse in her shower, then got dressed enough to be presentable. Sitting down in her living room I fiddled with my hands and eventually turned on the TV. The sun set in the west. Right around eight o'clock  I heard her stirring. When she came out of the bedroom she had this silly smile on her face. And the t-shirt. Just the t-shirt. I could tell she was still aroused. Anyone would have seen that. "Lover, that was absolutely fucking ah, mazing!" "You're okay?" Really I was concerned for her. I loved her after all. She sat down on the couch next to me and kissed me. "I'm fine. I had no idea that was what sex was supposed to be like. Fuck." Her hand went to my chest. "Dennis, you're like the best psych drug ever invented!" "You've done drugs?" I asked. "Only when I had my wisdom teeth pulled. And this was way the fuck better than that! When your dick touched me it was like the whole world felt at peace and everything was going to be wonderful and then you started fucking me. Damn, that was intense! When you came in me it was like getting injected with a rainbow!" She went on and on about the experience, and as she did it was pretty clear she wanted more. I touched her face and she flushed with arousal; and this time we didn't even make it back to the bed. I fucked her right there on the couch. I lasted a little longer before I felt the unstoppable urge to cum in her. This time she gave a little cry and then fell limp. It took me a little time to calm down and when I did, I picked up Mel and carried her to the bedroom. She was totally passed out and I figured to let her sleep it off so after covering her up I got dressed and headed to my dorm. She called me late the next morning, explaining how she'd slept in and missed her morning classes. She didn't seem to care about it too much, and told me she would make her afternoon classes. But she also insisted I had to come over for dinner. Naturally I spent my time in class thinking about Mel. By the time I made it to her place I was getting hard before I got to her door; with the near certainty that I was going to get laid. When she opened her door for me she radiated sexiness. Her movements were different and she simply appeared more beautiful than before. It harkened to me some classic literature references to ‘the power of a woman's glamour', her charms, as another author phrased it. She was a new woman. A viral woman, a woman awakened to seduction and seducing. There was also a resoluteness to her now, and she made clear that she desired me. I knew that most of this was from my condition, the potent effect of my bare hands upon a female prospect. Still, it was getting me laid, right? We made it through dinner and then we managed to talk for a short time. Mel was amazed at herself for what she was doing with me. She said it was totally against her nature and upbringing to have given up her virginity, and to keep risking pregnancy with me; but she couldn't help herself. Twenty minutes later she passed out after I'd filled her cunt again. As she lay there sleeping it off I realized that when she got a dose of my cum it was sedating her, so the little swimmers in my semen would have time to travel upstream into her womb. I looked at the sleeping girl and realized that my cum was doing double duty trying to get her pregnant. When she woke up, she wanted to go again and so did my cock. In due time, she quit school because she didn't care about it anymore. And then the day she told me she was pregnant, the tears were flowing and she was crying...right until I took off my gloves and touched her face. I took her to visit my parents that next weekend; apprehensive of my parents' reaction. My father spoke first; “Son, this is a huge relief. My health issues require that I stop ranching, or get a lot of help. I was hoping to delay the matter until you finish college, but I was going to ask you to come home and take over the business. If the two of you could settle down here with us, I'll get the home builders out here, next week. We'd just gotten our first royalty check from the new natural gas wells that were drilled last year. Dad needed a way to reinvest it in the ranch, or he'd have to pay some very high taxes on the windfall. We got married the following month in Mel's home town. Then my parents threw a big reception at the family ranch a few weeks later. As the baby grew Mel became very calm and tranquil. She definitely had a ‘baby glow'. We'd still fuck and it still had the same effect on her; but even when we weren't fucking she'd still be very Zen-like. I understood it, when the baby was born; and Mel would get a sedated, glazed-over expression whenever little Gary (named after my father), put his hands on her tits and latched on to suckle them. It didn't sexually arouse her, but it still sent her into a trance-like condition. My boy was going to be a chip off the old block! I nicknamed him ‘Chip'. By Baztrachian for Literotica Story 2: New Step Siblings In Aussie Lockdown Teens meet in Melbourne for their parents' wedding, then get left together in locked-down Australia. By Baztrachian When my father told me that he was getting married again I accepted it as good news. He'd been alone and depressed since the divorce and when he met Debbie she clearly brought back his smile and his joy. So of course I was happy for him. It was just after Thanksgiving in 2019 when they decided on getting married the following June. The plan was for four of us to take a family trip together instead of doing the traditional honeymoon vacation. The four of us included my father, Debbie, myself, and my new step-sister, Taylor. The June date was set to coincide with Taylor graduating high school. Taylor was pretty happy about the plan to take a trip to Australia because their drinking laws would allow even a freshly minted eighteen year old to enjoy a visit to a bar. Over the ensuing months I got to know Taylor fairly well and we ended up getting along despite some serious differences. Where I was a devoted outdoorsman who loved hiking, off-road sports, climbing, and working out Taylor was your typical ginger. She was alabaster white and would get sunburned if she was in the sun for much more than a few minutes. She was also nearsighted and she had to wear glasses to see past her arm. She was cute in a dorky sort of way and I had no problem enjoying her company. The news of COVID started up in January but most everyone I knew dismissed it as being an overhyped flu. Granted, we took it more seriously as time went on but we still had plans to visit Australia and we kept to them. The wedding took place the weekend after Taylor's graduation. The next morning was a flurry of activity as we headed off to the airport. There had been a lockdown in Melbourne that May but it ended soon enough that our plans were not affected. It wasn't easy to get into Australia but we did and when we arrived we headed off to the house we'd rented for the vacation. We'd be there three weeks and we'd head home on July 9th just as planned. One thing we quickly discovered is that July is in the depths of winter, for the Aussies. The rental house was pretty amazing. It was in the town of Port Campbell situated on the ocean and that meant I had quite a lot to do every day. I quickly found myself a kayak and spent several of my days exploring the coast and getting in some decent fishing. My father and Debbie had a good time, of course, and Taylor made the best of it staying in the shade and catching up on her books. You know how when you go on vacation you allow yourself to detach from the world and not have much care for the news? Yep, that was our mistake. Living in our little vacation bubble we had no idea that not only had COVID not blown over but it was getting worse. We only got an idea that things were getting serious when my father got a toothache and decided to cut the honeymoon short by a couple days and go home. Turned out that a lot of Americans were trying to get out of Australia at that point, so airline seats were at a premium. The best my father could pull off were two seats for himself and Debbie. Taylor and I would have to wait for our flight on July 9th before we'd get home. Where we'd only be waiting a couple days for the flight my father paid for me and Taylor to stay in a decent enough Melbourne apartment with a view of the beach and the cruise pier. It was a great location and even though we'd just be there a couple days I was looking forward to making the most of the winter-time beach. The airport situation was a little crazy so we ended up saying our goodbyes at the apartment and then Taylor and I watched as the taxi took our parents away. That afternoon we went to a local store to get a few things and noticed that the other shoppers were all stocking up. Something about their faces alarmed me. "What're you doing?" asked Taylor as I put down our handbasket and instead took a 'trolley' as they call grocery carts down under. "I'm just being cautious is all. Look at these people, they're all freaked out and getting ready to hunker down. I don't know what's really happening but I want to make sure we've got everything we might need just in case." Taylor was a little irritated as I started picking up sundries, snacks, toiletries, and enough food for a couple weeks. I told her that if nothing happened then I'd just leave the stuff out for someone else. She made a remark about how I was wasting my money and I ignored her. On the way back to our apartment I slipped into a liquor store and picked up two cases of beer, six liters of vodka, six liters of whisky, and assorted mixers. Just in case, of course. The news that evening confirmed my fears. Melbourne was going into six weeks of lockdown. We were going to be shut into our apartment and only allowed outside for two hours of exercise and one hour to go visit a store. I made a few frantic calls to the airline and it was the seventh time I tried that I got through to find out our flight was cancelled. A few more calls followed and I confirmed we weren't going to be allowed to leave for at least the entirety of the six weeks. That led to calling my father back at home in the US. He handled the news with aplomb as if this was no big deal. I appreciated his confidence and doubly appreciated his promise to drop enough money in my account to see me and Taylor through the six weeks of lockdown. I felt better when I got off the phone and shared this news with Taylor. The next day was the start of the lockdown and it was immediately apparent that the police were in no mood to play with anyone. We looked over the balcony of the apartment and saw people on the beach getting chased away or even arrested by the aggressive police. At one point one of the cops even yelled at us to go inside or get arrested! It was really shocking to see the city become a big prison. You just don't expect that kind of thing to happen in a Western country and in this case it had happened so fast that there wasn't even time for anyone to protest. Although we were supposedly allowed to go out to exercise I convinced Taylor to stay in due to wanting to avoid a problem with the police. Where we were set on food for a while I also decided against going shopping until we absolutely had to. When we'd arranged for the apartment I was sleeping on the couch and Taylor had the bed. But a couple days into the lockdown Taylor had me switch because the bed was going to be more comfortable for me. Hate to say, but I didn't argue with her about that. We passed our time talking a lot. I got to hear about her high school experience, her debate club victories, her attempts at art, and her plans to study higher mathematics in college. Taylor got to hear about my hiking trip to Nepal, my fishing adventure in the Red Sea, my close encounter with a bear in Alaska, and etc. We even made it six days before I opened a case of beer. Despite the cold weather we made a point of sitting out on the balcony at night. We would sit and chat and sip a drink and enjoy breaking one of the oppressive rules. Naturally we stayed out of sight because even though we were rebels we didn't want to push our luck. An odd thing took place during our confinement as we tacitly agreed on some domestic practices. We never had to discuss it as we started doing laundry, cleaning dishes, and doing all of the normal things you do when you live together. For whatever reason we got along well as roommates and one day we both acknowledged this fact and each considered ourselves fortunate to have family we could like. I don't recall precisely which day it was but a day came along where we didn't need to leave the apartment and neither of us bothered to get dressed. I spent the day in a t-shirt and boxers, and Taylor spent the day in her night-time chemise and panties. That started a habit with us of being rather casual around the apartment. I'd be lying if I didn't admit to giving her body serious consideration. I did my best to play it off but when I was in the shower by myself I found her to be the object of my fantasies as I'd relieve my pent-up needs. July 31st was a Friday, and that particular day stood out to me. Taylor and I had been into drinking a bit more than usual and when it came time for bed she followed me into the bedroom. It was cold and cloudy outside and the apartment had a bit of a chill to it so Taylor's explanation made sense. "It's too fucking cold to sleep on the couch," she slurred, "hope you don't mind but I'm in here tonight." It was the first time I'd heard her swear. Myself, I didn't mind the prospect of her company so I held up the blanket and let her slide in. Then I cuddled up behind her and my prescription from Doctor Johnny Walker put me to sleep. In the morning I woke to feeling Taylor's warm ass pressing against my body. It was a couple moments before I realized that my cock was out of my boxers and snugly gripped by Taylor's panty-protected thigh gap. I really had to fight back the urge to try to fuck her but at the same time it just wasn't right. She gently moved against me as I withdrew my cock. I swore she was wanting me, but I had to tell my ego to calm down. I got up from the warm bed and headed out to the kitchen to make some much needed coffee. As the coffee was brewing I went out on the balcony to get some cold air. That helped me wake up and it also settled down the spike jutting out from between my legs. The day that followed was more or less normal. I was quietly relieved when Taylor didn't speak of what my cock had been up to during the night and I was quite set on making sure there were no repeat performances. At the same time the thought that my cock had been separated from Taylor's cunt by just a flimsy bit of fabric had me somewhat aroused all day. Around noon there was a knock on the door from one of our neighbors. I opened the door after putting on the requisite mask and the cheerful fellow mentioned how he'd overheard us on the balcony talking about vodka. He needed some and we had it. A trade was completed and now we had a bottle of gin and a couple bottles of tonic water. That night Taylor and myself sat down watching Sky News mostly because they were the only channel with news from the USA. At a certain point Taylor got up and made two pint glasses full of gin and tonic. Needless to say by bedtime we were both toasted and the two drinks were just a bit more than half gone. I made my move getting up to go to bed while Taylor put the two leftover drinks in the fridge. When she joined me in bed she had me spoon up behind her and then she snuggled into me. I have to admit that it was really nice. When I put my arm around her she didn't mind that my hand ended up holding her tit. Sleep overtook me before anything else happened and at the moment I was grateful. Sometime during the night I woke to feeling Taylor's ass pushing back at me. It was a very gentle motion but it was enough that my cock was responding. I couldn't help myself but to pull her tight against myself and strain to push my crotch at hers. She pulled away just enough to get her hand between us. She went right to my cock and rubbed it under my shorts. Again, she was very gentle but she was also making clear what she wanted. Fishing around my shorts she found the opening and I sighed as her soft hand wrapped around my pole and pulled it out of my shorts. Her hand exited the space between us and I felt her ass push up against me again. My cock rubbed between her ass cheeks. They felt silky and smooth. She moved again and this time lifted a leg to allow my cock to fit between us. The tip of my cock rubbed against something warm and moist. I woke up a bit more and did an exploratory thrust and realized that she wasn't wearing panties. "Taylor?" I asked. "Yeah?" she huskily replied. "Do you want me to stop?" She didn't hesitate. "No." She pressed her ass at me and I couldn't help myself but to thrust. We bumped a few times and then we both caught our breath as my cock found the right place. My cock was just pressed into the mouth of her cunt. I took a moment to savor the feeling and then felt her press back. I didn't move and instead felt her body open up for me as the first inch or so of my cock entered her. My instincts took over at this point. "Uh, ah!" she exclaimed as I started to drive myself into her. I felt her body twitch as I tried to get deeper. "Oh, God." she uttered as she moved her hips allowing me to plunge all the way inside of her. Between the effects of the alcohol and my need I wasn't the least bit interested in being gentle. All I knew was my cock was in her cunt and it was absolute Heaven! I started fucking her hard and my hands wrapped around her. I mashed one of her tits while she grunted from getting her cunt slammed. She put a hand on my hip to try to push me back a little and all I did was fuck harder. Taylor cried out as I drove deep and started spewing my load into her. She tried to move away from me and I held her tight until I was done shooting my cum into her. She was silent in the aftermath of our coupling. When my cock finally relaxed and slipped from her body she moved away from me just enough to get some space. As I started to feel the embrace of sleep I swore I could hear her quietly sobbing. It was a bit before sunrise when I awoke. The memory of the evening flooded in on me and I had that brief moment of disbelief where I thought it could have been a dream. During the night Taylor had moved to where she was sleeping a little away from me. I explored her body with a hand and felt her bare thigh. Moving up I found her bare hip and the fact that she was naked below the waist made me hard again. I brushed her hair with my hand and then caressed her cheek. "Taylor? You awake?" I asked. Her snoozing continued informing me she was deep in sleep. My hand moved down her body. I undid the ties on her chemise and treated myself to feeling the soft skin of her breasts. She gave a pleasant little purr as my fingers played over her nipples. I removed my hand and let her go back to snoozing. Taking her hip with my hand I gently pulled her against me. As her body moved against me my cock neatly fit into her thigh gap again. She lay quietly as I gently rutted against her. When I poked her in the right place she moaned and moved her leg. I stopped for a moment and then started gently moving again as I heard her moan in approval. When she'd moved her leg she exposed her cunt to me and it wasn't long before I felt her moisture on my cock. As gently as I could I changed my angle and pushed. Her cunt opened for me and I stifled a moan as I slipped into her again. I was determined to be gentle and took my time getting myself fully embedded in her. Taking a little time just to savor the moment I started a very slow and deliberate rhythm. Somewhere along the line Taylor stirred. She reached between us to where our bodies met and explored. Then she just relaxed and let me keep going. Soon enough I felt her hips moving in response to mine and then I felt her tense. "Fuck..." she whispered as she came. I felt her cunt clench around my cock and that did it for me as I unloaded my cum into her again. We had a moment where I just held her but then she was up and off to the shower. When she was done she excused herself to the kitchen and it was my turn to clean up. I needed it. And after I was dressed decently I went out to talk to her. "Good morning." I said, wondering what her response would be. She smiled at me. "It is." Naturally we had to talk about our new relationship. And that's what we did for a while before deciding to take a walk together. It was eerie to be in a big city and have it so quiet. We got over to the beach but between signs saying the beach was closed and glares from the police we decided to stay close to the apartment. Lunch was a simple affair of bread and cheese. While we ate I asked Taylor why she'd wanted to be more to me than just a step-sister. "I guess I never would have known you if our parents didn't get married. You're like the total opposite of me. But being around you I got to know you and then there's the thing where you're not so hard to look at, Mister." I smiled at her. "You're not so hard to look at yourself." When I asked her about the possibility of pregnancy she just shrugged. "I can go to the store if you want me to." I offered. "What if I didn't want you to?" she asked. "You mean you don't want to have sex anymore? I can understand that." She shook her head, "No, what if I just want us to keep doing this; whatever it is. Would you be okay with that?" I looked in her pale green eyes and realized that I was looking at the woman I'd marry. "Of course I would." And that, my friends, was the closest we ever came to a marriage proposal. After that it was just a given that we would marry and have a family. Naturally, it was no surprise that when we were finally allowed to return to the USA, Taylor was sporting a very modest bulge. I guess my biggest surprise in all of this was when we got home and broke the news to our parents. They looked at each other, smiled, and then my new step-mom says, "Yeah, we kind of figured you two would find a way to pass the time." By Baztrachian for Literotica

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Kent Merrell, author of the book The Conquest of Liberty. Meet A. Kent Merrell, a man whose creative spark has ignited award-winning advertising campaigns, inspired global leadership talks, and now fuels the pages of his vivid historical fiction. With his latest book, The Conquest of Liberty, Kent invites readers on a rollicking journey through the reformation in Europe, the discovery of the New World, and the dramatic fall and liberation of the Inca Empire. His storytelling, steeped in travels to far-flung lands and two years living atop the Andes, breathes life into history with a flair only a master of “ideas that work” could muster.   Kent's creative journey kicked off in a small Utah town, where he co-founded an advertising agency fresh out of Brigham Young University. His knack for crafting messages that make phones ring and perceptions shift drew heavyweights like Disney, VISA International, HBO, and Comcast to his doorstep. Recognized as a creative trendsetter in direct marketing, Kent's trophy case boasts 27 international awards, and his creative presentation expertise has lit up stages from Europe to Latin America. In the mid-1980s, a Madison Avenue legend advised him to stay in Utah, promising the work would come—and it did, in spades.   But Kent's story isn't just about ads that pop. Leadership runs deep in his veins, sparked by watching his father, an entrepreneur with no formal power, wield profound influence through honorable character. After his father's passing when Kent was 16, he devoured leadership books and seized every chance to lead—from Boy Scout troops to serving as President of Utah's Vocational Industrial Clubs of America in high school. Later, Dr. V. Dallas Merrell tapped him to transform “Leading Global Principles” into accessible wisdom, crystallizing Kent's understanding of influence and impact. Whether guiding corporate giants or mentoring youth, Kent's leadership is as creative as his advertising, always aiming to inspire and engage. Kent's take on leadership brings with it tasty chocolate chip cookie recipes with each leadership principle. Soon to be published will be the first ever delicious leadership recipe book “Leaderchip Cookies.   Now, Kent channels his global adventures and creative prowess into historical fiction. His debut, The Blade of Safavid, whisks readers across Ancient England, Persia, India, Africa, and the Americas. The Conquest of Liberty continues this tradition, blending meticulous research with storytelling zest. When he's not penning epics, Kent's busy with his wife of 46 years, raising five children and doting on 22 grandchildren. Follow his literary adventures at www.kentmerrellauthor.com or catch his broader musings at www.kentmerrell.substack.com.   With Kent, expect a tale well-told and a legacy that inspires.   In my book review, I stated The Conquest of Liberty is a detailed, many POV, Renaissance historical fiction. We follow the journey of several people - all of whom have incredible stories - and it isn't until the very end that we find out how all of these stories wind together into one. I was immediately hooked despite knowing next to nothing about the Moors, monarchs, and monks of the time.   Kent is a master at creating characters. For instance, Miguel, an archbishop's right hand man who lives in Granada should be very foreign to me. But within a few pages, I felt as if he were alive in my living room as he fled persecution, was kidnapped by pirates, and found himself questioning both his King and his Pope. Then, there is Alessandro, a young boy in the care of Balboa, the explorer, Maria, a women who fled her home and lived with the Gitanos, and Vano, the next leader of the Gitanos, not to mention Sayyida al-Hurra, a Morracan Privateer, Jalaf Morisco, a Morracan Exile, and Talavera, the Archbishop accused of heresy.   This novel is far more than a historical fiction - it contains within the pages action, adventure, mystery, and love. You won't be able to put this book down.   Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1   Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290   You can follow Author Kent Merrell Website: https://kentmerrellauthor.com/ FB: @KentMerrell IG: @akmerrell LinkedIn: @A Kent Merrell     Purchase The Conquest of Liberty on Amazon: Paperback: https://amzn.to/3HqCg6A Ebook: https://amzn.to/43ZaOFQ   Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor IG: @terimbrown_author X: @terimbrown1   Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors   #kentmerrell #theconquestofliberty #historicalfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Kevin Byrne is the President & CEO of TUFF, recognized for his innovative solutions to capital challenges faced by institutions. He specializes in non-traditional public-private partnerships and real estate financing for university research parks and innovation districts. Kevin holds an MBA with honors from the Wharton School and graduated with honors from Furman University, where he now serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He has served as President of the Association of University Research Parks and is involved in various community and advisory boards, including Young Life Metro Atlanta and the Boy Scouts of America.

The cape is back, the tights are real, and that soundtrack!This week, we dive headfirst into James Gunn's shiny new take on the Last Son of Krypton — the 2025 Superman reboot.We ask the important questions:-Is this Superman a Boy Scout or a bad boy with a heart of gold?-Is Lex still doing real estate scams, or has he upgraded to NFTs?-Can a modern Superman movie fly without crashing into a CGI multiverse?-Break down the new cast, suit, and tone-Compare it to past Supes (Cavill, Reeve, Routh — the whole Kryptonian Rolodex)And dig into James Gunn's attempts to make Superman fun and groundedHousekeeping:Trivia is on break till the fall of 2025. Subscribe to stay informed.Production CreditsRecorded at Sick Bad Panda Studios Art by Micheal PetrowHosts: Micheal Petrow Jimmy Skinner Charles FernandesProduction Credits:- Producer: Micheal Petrow- Editor: Micheal Petrow- Sound Engineer: Micheal PetrowContact Information: thereeldebaters@gmail.comGET ON THE SHOW:Join the debate now and leave your idea on our voicemail or ask a question on our QuoraAsk a QuestionRD voicemail SOCIAL MEDIA:FacebookInstagramYoutubeDonate to the causeAbout UsSet in the backdrop of Winnipeg's booming film industry, The Reel Debaters Podcast is a motley crew of film-obsessed nerds and selected colleagues that sit down each episode, blending comedy and a deep insight of cinema with ridiculous, satirical debates and facetious musings on media.Examples are but are not limited to:Could James Bond be a nanny?Best new SNL Cast?What would Indiana Jones and Lara Croft's wedding look like?What if Conan The Barbarian could teach Sex Ed?When not arguing the world of make-believe, you can listen to the reel talk sessions, which get more conversational with the best of film and TV as well as industry interviews from inside the Manitoba film industry, across Canada, and to Hollywood's front door.New episode every SaturdayMeet your cast:Micheal Petrow Film And Entertainment Sales/Executive Producer/HostMartin Navarro Comedian/HostJimmy Skinner Comedian/HostRob Strachan Home Theatre Expert/HostIan Bawa Filmmaker/HostMark Cowell String Bean Comics/HostCharles Fernandes The Nerdgasm Show/HostEmily Clark Dodge baller/Host

Porque el verdadero punk rock es ser bueno, en este episodio (sin spoilers) les contamos las razones por las cuáles AMAMOS esta nueva versión de Superman.Este es nuestro pliego petitorio para que vayan al cine con la mente abierta para disfrutar esta nueva versión de nuestro Boy Scout favorito.

The Short Box Podcast: A Comic Book Talk Show - Ep. 466:Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's a new Short Box Pod!Before making our way to First Coast Comic Con, Drew and I recorded a spoiler-filled review and breakdown of James Gunn's 'Superman' movie. SPOILER WARNING: We discussed everything from our favorite characters, standout scenes, and what we want to see next from James Gunn's DC Universe. Stick around to the end to hear about Drew's One Piece journey, and my review of Jeff Lemire's new graphic memoir: 10,000 Ink StainsLINKS: Subscribe to The Short Box Podcast YouTube channel for video episodes!Join our Patreon Community, and get access to bonus episodes, free comics, and other rewards! Try a FREE 7-day trial: HERETake your comic shopping experience to the limit, by shopping online at Gotham City Limit!The Schiller Kessler Group  We read Fan Mail, send us some! Proudly sponsored by Gotham City Limit!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showREACH OUT!

Did Dry Kill Logic Just Make the Ultimate Comeback at RockvilleOn this explosive episode of Today's Boondoggle, Bill catches up with Cliff Rigano of the legendary band Dry Kill Logic! From pounding on noisy toy drum kits as a kid to blowing minds at Welcome to Rockville after a 20-year hiatus, Cliff takes us on an unforgettable journey. Hear the band's origin story from the gritty days at 7 Willow Street, the rise and fall of HINGE, and how it all came full circle. We dive into recording sessions with Greg Thomas and Will Putney, the raw energy of returning to the stage, and their upcoming performance at the Inkcarceration Festival—filmed at the iconic Shawshank Redemption site! Cliff even shares why being a Boy Scout was lowkey metal. You don't want to miss this wild ride through music, memories, and mayhem! So… do YOU think Dry Kill Logic is back to take over the metal world again?   Today's Boondoggle fans can receive 10% off their orders at dreemnutrition.com by using the promo code BOONDOG10 at checkout.? Today's Boondoggle fans can receive 10% off their orders at TNT-Health.com by using the promo code BOONDOGGLE at checkout.? Enjoy our additional segments featuring music from the Flo White Show and Stories from the VFW Hall.? Please Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.? Please subscribe to our YouTube, Rumble, Odysee, Brighteon, and Bitchute channels, and hit the notification button. As well as seen on Wowza TV on Roku.Remember Boondoggle Listeners Matter, so e-mail us at todaysboondoggle@gmail.com and let us know your thoughts so we can read them on air.X us @2daysBoondoggleFollow us on Instagram and Facebook @todaysboondoggle? Please subscribe and give 5 stars and review. Every review we receive on either Apple Podcast or Google Music we will mention you on a future episode and our Social Media pages.? Follow Today's Boondoggle also on DomainCle.com and on Anchor.fm? Today's Boondoggle logo designed by Stacy Candow. Additional music by Evan Crouse? Also please consider financially supporting us at Today's Boondoggle using Venmo, our GoFundMe, or sponsoring us on our Anchor.fm page, so we can continue to provide you with quality entertainment.? Please subscribe and give 5 stars and review. Every review we receive on either Apple Podcast or Google Music we will mention you on a future episode and our Social Media pages.  Click Here For All of the week's highlighted content:? https://rumble.com/c/TodaysBoondoggle? https://rumble.com/user/TodaysBoondoggleClick Here for the full UNCENSORED episode:? https://cmspn.substack.com/s/todays-b...  NOTE: Everything said here, and on every episode of all of our shows are 100% the opinions of the hosts. Nothing is stated as fact. Do your own research to see if their opinions are true or not. Please SUBSCRIBE, click the notification bell, leave a comment or a like, and share this episode!Domain Cleveland Entertainment LLCToday's Boondoggle PodcastHashtags:#DryKillLogic #CliffRigano #TodaysBoondoggle #WelcomeToRockville #InkcarcerationFestival #ShawshankRedemption #MetalComeback #HardRockInterview #BoyScoutsLifeSkills #MusicIndustryEvolution #WillPutney #GregThomas #MetalPodcast #MetalCoreLegends #NuMetalRevival #UndergroundMetal #PodcastInterview #RockFestivals2025 #HingeBand #7WillowStreet #MetalScene #BandHiatus #RockReunion #MusicComebackStory #ClevelandPodcast #SupportIndieMusic #BandOriginStory #TattooFestivals #BackOnStage #CMSNetwork #BoondoggleUncensored

Pastor Emeritus William H. (Bill) Montague served Mt. Tabor Church Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America from the spring of 2002 until the September Presbytery of 2011 where he asked to be relieved of duties because of an on-going illness. He was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1943 and came to Tennessee in 1961 to attend Knoxville College (PCUSA). From birth to 1969 he was a member of Haymount United Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville, NC. He completed high school at Boggs Academy in Keysville, Georgia which was owned and operated by the Presbyterian Church United States of America. While enrolled at Knoxville College he served as a lay-minister to New Market Presbyterian Church. Upon graduation from college in 1966, he chose to delay seminary and went to work as an Assistant District Scout Executive for Boy Scouts of America-New York City. After 6 months he was drafted into the United States Army and served as an Instructor for Special Purpose Equipment and Vehicles at Fort Lee, VA until deployment to Vietnam in 1969. Upon returning from Vietnam, he came to Jackson, TN as a Police Officer, later joining Mother Liberty C.M.E. Church and answered the “call” to the ministry. In 1973 he was ordained and assigned churches in Hardeman County.TN. By 1976 he had completed graduate school and was assigned to churches across the state until 2002 when he asked to go on “Leave of Absence” status to come to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America as Pastor at Mt Tabor. Pastor Montague had a dual career as a bio-vocational minister along with 30+ years of duty as a Correctional Professional (teacher, Principal, Deputy Warden, Jail Administrator, and Prison Operations Administrator). He was married to Jacque Carolyn Cole until her death. They have five children. He has been married to Deborah Montague since 1996. In 2005 he completed Seminary at Memphis Theological Seminary with a Master's of Divinity degree. Music is provided by Pierce Murphy, Caldera Blue. Source:  https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Pierce_Murphy/through-the-olive-branches/caldera-blueComments: http://freemusicarchive.org/Additional comments:  modifications made to shorten and loop song for introduction and closing of podcast.Copyright Attribution and License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Ever wanted to build a breeder reactor in your backyard? Turns out, it isn't that hard if you have the Golden Book of Chemistry. The Deep Lore Boys delve into the story of David Hahn, the Radioactive Boy Scout, but not before learning just how dangerous radiation can be from examining the Demon Core. Also, Jackson makes a horrendous movie poster. ---DEEP LORE DISCORD: https://discord.com/invite/V7hqXWDg9pINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/deep_lore_boys_podcast/YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@deeploreboys/featuredIntro: City Lights — Babasmas [Audio Library Release] Music provided by Audio Library Plus Watch: https://youtu.be/W9IQfypOkkYFree Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/city-lightsMusic: Jazz In Paris - Media Right Productions https://youtu.be/mNLJMTRvyj8

Cameron Jerde finds a rare break in his packed schedule to sit down with me for an insightful and inspiring conversation.Cameron and I met Boy Scouts as kids. After our time there, he poured his energy into various pursuits — one of which was music. What began as a student passion in band eventually evolved into a career, leading Cameron to become a Band Director at a local high school.In this episode, we explore his journey from scout to educator, and we dive into his work with SIMDE, a nonprofit organization he's passionate about. SIMDE focuses on providing equitable opportunities and resources through music education.

Our guest tonight is Tom from New Jersey in the US. When Tom was just nine years old, a Boy Scout camping trip in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey turned into something unforgettable. In this episode, we hear Tom's firsthand account of strange lights, an unnatural silence, and a massive black triangle that hovered silently over the forest clearing. But the story doesn't start or end there. From early childhood memories of impossible bedroom lights to dreamlike encounters with invisible forces and faceless figures, Tom has spent a lifetime wrestling with experiences that changed everything.More information on this episode on the podcast website:https://ufochroniclespodcast.com/ep-342-the-triangle-above-the-pines/Hidden Cults (Promo)It is a documentary-style podcast that digs deep into the world's most extreme, elusive, and explosive fringe groups. Listen on all podcast apps: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Q0kbgXrdzP0TvIk5xylx1Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-cults/id1816362029If you enjoy this podcast, please support the show with a virtual coffee:https://ko-fi.com/ufochroniclespodcastFollow and Subscribe on X to get ad free episodesX: https://x.com/UFOchronpodcast/Want to share your encounter on the show?Email: UFOChronicles@gmail.comOr Fill out Guest Form:https://forms.gle/uGQ8PTVRkcjy4nxS7Podcast Merchandise:https://www.teepublic.com/user/ufo-chronicles-podcastHelp Support UFO CHRONICLES by becoming a Patron:https://patreon.com/UFOChroniclespodcastAll Links for Podcast:https://linktr.ee/UFOChroniclesPodcastThank you for listening!Like share and subscribe it really helps me when people share the show on social media, it means we can reach more people and more witnesses and without your amazing support, it wouldn't be possible.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ufo-chronicles-podcast--3395068/support.

Our guest tonight is Tom from New Jersey in the US. When Tom was just nine years old, a Boy Scout camping trip in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey turned into something unforgettable. In this episode, we hear Tom's firsthand account of strange lights, an unnatural silence, and a massive black triangle that hovered silently over the forest clearing. But the story doesn't start or end there. From early childhood memories of impossible bedroom lights to dreamlike encounters with invisible forces and faceless figures, Tom has spent a lifetime wrestling with experiences that changed everything.More information on this episode on the podcast website:https://ufochroniclespodcast.com/ep-342-the-triangle-above-the-pines/Hidden Cults (Promo)It is a documentary-style podcast that digs deep into the world's most extreme, elusive, and explosive fringe groups. Listen on all podcast apps: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Q0kbgXrdzP0TvIk5xylx1Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-cults/id1816362029If you enjoy this podcast, please support the show with a virtual coffee:https://ko-fi.com/ufochroniclespodcastFollow and Subscribe on X to get ad free episodesX: https://x.com/UFOchronpodcast/Want to share your encounter on the show?Email: UFOChronicles@gmail.comOr Fill out Guest Form:https://forms.gle/uGQ8PTVRkcjy4nxS7Podcast Merchandise:https://www.teepublic.com/user/ufo-chronicles-podcastHelp Support UFO CHRONICLES by becoming a Patron:https://patreon.com/UFOChroniclespodcastAll Links for Podcast:https://linktr.ee/UFOChroniclesPodcastThank you for listening!Like share and subscribe it really helps me when people share the show on social media, it means we can reach more people and more witnesses and without your amazing support, it wouldn't be possible.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/ufo-chronicles-podcast--3395068/support.

Episode 609 of The Knife Junkie Podcast features an inspiring conversation with Lance Strahl of Ironwood Outfitters, a Virginia-based maker who creates functional knives that seamlessly blend adventure and tactical aesthetics.Host Bob DeMarco discovered Strahl's work at Blade Show 2025 through a recommendation from Matt Chase of Hogtooth Knives, leading to this deep exploration of a maker's 16-year journey from Boy Scout camp knives to professional craftsmanship.Strahl's story begins with childhood fascination and a chance encounter at an Alaskan knife shop, evolving through years of self-taught learning using books like Wayne Goddard's "The $50 Knife Shop" rather than YouTube tutorials. His function-first philosophy ensures every piece - from Japanese-wrapped tactical knives to mammoth ivory hunters to fusion-style chef's knives - is built to be used, not displayed."Every piece I make, I expect to be used. I don't remake wall hangers," he explains.The conversation covers Strahl's evolution from backyard forging with bricks, charcoal, and a hairdryer to modern stock removal in his basement workshop, his diverse material choices that range from traditional curly maple to modern synthetics, and his knife-making classes that introduce newcomers to the craft. His design process combines digital modeling with hands-on prototyping, always prioritizing ergonomics and functionality over pure aesthetics.Strahl's recent Blade Show debut not only validated his place in the knife community but opened doors to new friendships and learning opportunities. His willingness to experiment with everything from aqua fortis wood finishing techniques dating to the 1700s to modern stainless steels like Nitro V demonstrates a maker who respects tradition while embracing innovation. Whether discussing his tactical fighters, outdoor utilities, or culinary creations, Strahl's commitment to functional artistry shines through every piece he creates.Listen to the full episode at https://www.theknifejunkie.com/609 and explore Lance Strahl's work at https://ironwoodoutfitters.com or follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ironwood_outfitters.Be sure to support The Knife Junkie and get in on the perks of being a patron, including early access to the podcast and exclusive bonus content. Visit https://www.theknifejunkie.com/patreon for details.You can also support The Knife Junkie channel with your next knife purchase. Find our affiliate links at https://theknifejunkie.com/knives.Let us know what you thought about this episode and leave a rating and/or a review. Your feedback is appreciated. You can also email theknifejunkie@gmail.com with any comments, feedback, or suggestions.To watch or listen to past episodes of the podcast, visit https://theknifejunkie.com/listen. And for professional podcast hosting, use The Knife Junkie's podcast platform of choice: https://theknifejunkie.com/podhost.

Strange Stories of Missing BOY SCOUTSBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

Lyn Ulbricht : Mother Of Ross Ulbricht "Silk Road" FreeRoss.orgUlbricht grew up in the Austin metropolitan area. He served as a Boy Scout,[5] attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.[6] He attended West Ridge Middle School,[7] and Westlake High School, Austin, Texas. He graduated from high school in 2002.[8]He attended the University of Texas at Dallas on a full academic scholarship,[6] and graduated in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in physics.[8] He then attended Pennsylvania State University, where he was in a master's degree program in materials science and engineering and studied crystallography. By the time Ulbricht graduated he had lost interest in his major and was interested in libertarian economic theory. In particular, Ulbricht adhered to the political philosophy of Ludwig von Mises and supported Ron Paul, and participated in college debates to discuss his economic views.[7][9]Ulbricht graduated from Penn State in 2009 and returned to Austin. By this time Ulbricht, finding regular employment unsatisfying, wanted to become an entrepreneur, but his first attempts to start his own business failed. He eventually partnered with a friend to help build an online used book seller, Good Wagon Books. His limited business success, combined with a breakup with his on-and-off girlfriend from Penn State, left Ulbricht deeply dissatisfied with his life.[7][10]Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

The big blue Boy Scout is back! But before we see what James Gunn did, it's only right that we take it back to the Richard Donner and Christopher Reeve version. Dallas and Cassie are watching another 70s movie! This time it's a first time watch! Does this classic movie hold up almost 50 years later? Will we get to play another game of “count the Black people”? And who knew Lois Lane was so thirsty? Fly in and watch […]

Luke shares the journey from that first bed build with his church youth group to leading an international movement powered by volunteers, local chapters, and companies eager to make a difference. More than just building beds, they are a community working together to restore dignity, comfort, and hope, one child at a time.If you've ever wondered how a single act of kindness can create a wave of positive change for so many, Luke's conversation will beautifully demonstrate this. Luke Mickelson transformed a simple family project into Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an international organization that has provided over 300,000 beds to children who were previously sleeping on floors. What began as a bunk bed built with Boy Scouts in his Idaho garage has evolved into over 400 chapters across four countries, addressing the hidden crisis of "child bedlessness" that affects approximately 3% of children in every community.Let's enjoy his story. Returning the Favor with Mike RoweCNN HeroesCNN Heroes All-Star TributeNBC Nightly News with Lester HoltThe NBC TODAY ShowHallmark Home and Family ShowStrahan, Sara and Keke –GMASend BEHAS a text.Support the showTo Share - Connect & Relate: Share Your Thoughts and Shape the Show! Tell me what you love about the podcast and what you want to hear more about. Please email me at behas.podcast@gmail.com and be part of the conversation! To be on the show Podmatch Profile Ordinary people, extraordinary experiences - Real voices, real moments - ​Human connection through stories - Live true storytelling podcast - Confessions - First person emotional narratives - Unscripted Life Stories. Thank you for listening - Hasta Pronto!

STRANGE Cases of MIssing Boy ScoutsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

How do we raise kids who look beyond themselves and become true agents of generosity in a self-centered world? In this heart-stirring episode of Christian Parent/Crazy World, Catherine welcomes an extraordinary guest whose story proves that one small act of service can ignite a global movement. Luke Mickelson—founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace—shares how a simple urge to meet a need in his own community became a mission to ensure that “no kid sleeps on the floor in my town.” What began as a Christmas service project in his garage alongside his children and Boy Scout group has since grown into a national nonprofit providing hundreds of thousands of beds—literal safe havens—for children in need. Luke Mickelson’s journey began in a small Idaho town with an ordinary Saturday, a crisis of faith, and the realization that kids in his own community were literally sleeping on the floor. Instead of writing a check, Luke rolled up his sleeves, gathered some tools, and invited his own children—and a group of energetic Boy Scouts—to build a bed from scratch. That humble act of service didn’t just meet an immediate need, it filled a void in Luke’s life and eventually sparked a nationwide movement that has provided over 300,000 beds to kids in need. Key insights and moments from this episode include: How parents can teach their kids generosity by modeling it and making service hands-on and family-focused The importance of taking ownership for the brokenness in our own communities—and the power of the motto, “No kid sleeps on the floor in my town” The surprising scope of child bedlessness in America—and why so few people are even aware this need exists What it feels like to step out in faith and put everything on the line for a God-inspired calling Why meaningful service is the antidote to the emptiness that so many parents and children feel How ordinary community members (including retirees, families, and youth groups) can get involved in building and delivering beds—or even start a Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapter Practical ways to help, from raising awareness, volunteering, donating, or simply showing up for one kid in your town Luke's credentials as CNN’s Top 10 Hero, as well as his features on NBC News, PBS, and Mike Rowe’s Returning the Favor, uniquely position him to speak to the transformative power of hands-on generosity. His story is a forceful reminder that “God’s hands are your hands”—and that taking action, not just dreaming, is what transforms lives. Whether building beds, delivering hope, or finding creative ways for your family to serve, this conversation will equip and inspire you to become the hands and feet of Christ in your neighborhood. Guest Bio: Luke Mickelson is the founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP), a nonprofit that builds and delivers beds to children in need. What started in his garage as a holiday project in 2012 has grown into a global movement, with over 350 chapters in four countries and more than 250,000 beds delivered. As the cause kept growing, Luke left an 18-year career to devote himself fully to the cause. SHP now has volunteers devoting 550,000 hours on average every year. Built on the belief that giving a bed is about more than comfort — it’s about dignity, purpose, and connection. Key Links: Learn more and get involved: shpbeds.org DONATE to SHP Watch Sleep in Heavenly Peace on Mike Rowe’s “Returning the Favor” Free parenting resources: catherine@catherinesegars.com Takeaway:You don’t need to change the world—just meet a need around you with your kids by your side. Faith comes alive when paired with action, and generous families don’t just bless others…they find the fullness of life God intends. Don’t miss this motivating and deeply practical conversation—perfect for families who want to model Christ’s love in real, tangible ways. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Are terrifying winged creatures stalking the skies? In this episode, we explore chilling Mothman encounters and eyewitness reports of flying humanoids across the U.S. From Point Pleasant to modern-day sightings, these mysterious beings have left behind fear, confusion, and endless questions.Timestamps:2:40 - The Mothman Legend is Born12:29 - Red-eyes creature seen in Flagstaff, Arizona16:01 - Two men see a winged humanoid crossing the road21:59 - Two friends driving on a highway at night spot a flying humanoid30:07 - Boy Scouts encounter Mothman in a field at night

Porn, apps, and missing fathers created a male crisis of loneliness. Here, ManTalks podcast host Connor Beaton breaks down the data and offers solutions.Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1178What We Discuss with Connor Beaton:Male loneliness epidemic: 15% of men report having no close friends (up from 3% in 1990), and 28% of men aged 18-24 have no close friends. This represents a massive social crisis.Fatherless homes crisis: 43% of US children live without their father. This correlates with 90% of homeless youth, 85% of behavioral disorders, 85% of youth in prison, and 90% of repeat arsonists.Porn addiction epidemic: Starting as young as 9-11 years old, chronic porn use creates desensitization, erectile dysfunction, unrealistic expectations, and replacement of real relationships.Collapse of male spaces: Traditional male-oriented spaces like Boy Scouts have disappeared, leaving young men without mentorship or models for healthy masculinity.Connor Beaton recommends that men spend two nights per week with male friends for optimal mental health. Building real friendships through taking social risks — joining teams, starting conversations — combats loneliness.And much more...And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps! Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors:The Cybersecurity Tapes: thecybersecuritytapes.comBetterHelp: 10% off first month: betterhelp.com/jordanShopify: 3 months @ $1/month (select plans): shopify.com/jordanProgressive: Free online quote: progressive.comHomes.com: Find your home: homes.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cannon really had to clean up her rep these last couple episodes. She can't have us thinking that she doesn't do anything. She was reading prenap stories and now we watch her doing homeschool with the Little Ones. The pop-up did say that Jessa helps, "occasionally." Sure, Jan. It's ATI Conference time! We get a flash of the Lost Boys at Alert Cadet Camp. The "little ladies" are, of course, taking care of children. The whole crew attends an "International Day" at a local Elementary School. We watch them make "torteelyuhs".In our Dig, we take a look at the genesis of the ALERT Academy and ALERT Cadet program. It's so inspirational it made IBLP Dads weep. We look at how they sell the Cadet program as: it's just Boy Scouts with a splash of religion. Behind the scenes it's a group based in dogma to develop a righteous army for the Lord...with Smores!Enjoy what you hear? Feel like you have a Servant's Heart? Would you like to help support a snarking couple in Arizona? Get on the Gus Bus and head on over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.buymeacoffee.com/diggingupthedug⁠⁠⁠ . ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you would like to grab a jar and become one of the Pickle People, you get ad-free episodes, and even get them early. We post bonus episodes with Duggar content, personal topics, Mildred Mondays (gotta give the people what they want), recipes and other goodies. Join us on insta ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@digginguptheduggarspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We also have a P.O. Box 5973, Glendale AZ, 85312

STRANGE Cases of MIssing Boy ScoutsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

In episode 126 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Matt Hugg discuss the unique landscape of nonprofit careers.  Together, they explore:  what makes nonprofit work meaningful and distinctive, including the opportunities and challenges for those transitioning into or advancing within the sector.  how nonprofit professionals can align their skills and passions,  how to navigate career shifts, and maintain their connection to mission-driven work.  This conversation offers nonprofit leaders practical wisdom on supporting their teams and nurturing their own professional journeys. Timestamped Highlights: [00:9:12] The Uniqueness of Nonprofit Careers   [00:13:25] Beyond 501(c)(3): The Breadth of the Nonprofit Sector [00:07:51] Transitioning from the Private Sector [00:15:11] Networking and Defining Your Niche [00:18:25] Exploring Support Roles and Vendors [00:20:01] The Rise of Nonprofit Education Programs   [00:22:30] Moving from Volunteer to Staff: A Shift in Expectations [00:26:02] Passion, Mission, and Boundaries [00:27:20] Dispelling Misconceptions About Nonprofit Organizations [00:32:43] Consulting and Group Decision-Making [00:36:21] Nonprofit Fundraising: Diverse Skills, Diverse Roles [00:40:20] Embracing Nonlinear Career Paths [00:41:46] Managing Fundraisers: A Need for Education [00:43:20] Staying Grounded in Mission   Guest Bio: Matt Hugg is president and founder of Nonprofit.Courses, an on-demand, eLearning resource for nonprofit leaders, staff, board members and volunteers, with thousands of courses in nearly every aspect of nonprofit work. He's the author of The Guide to Nonprofit Consulting, and Philanders Family Values, Fun Scenarios for Practical Fundraising Education for Boards, Staff and Volunteers. Hugg has held positions at the Boy Scouts of America, Lebanon Valley College, the University of Cincinnati, Ursinus College, and the University of the Arts. In these, Matt raised thousands of gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations and government entities, working with hundreds of volunteers on boards and fundraising committees, in addition to his leadership responsibilities. Matt has taught fundraising, philanthropy, and marketing in graduate programs at Eastern University, the University of Pennsylvania, Juniata College and Thomas Edison State University via the web, and in-person in the United States, Africa, Asia and Europe, and is a popular conference speaker. He has a BS from Juniata College and an MA in Philanthropy and Development from St. Mary's University of Minnesota. Mr. Hugg has served on the board of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Nonprofit Career Network of Philadelphia and several nonprofits. Important Links and Resources: Matt Hugg Nonprofit.Courses Focus Search Hub Career Focus Search DRIVE The High Price of Materialism   Be in Touch: ✉️ Subscribe to Carol's newsletter at Grace Social Sector Consulting and receive the Common Mistakes Nonprofits Make In Strategic Planning And How To Avoid Them

On today's poddy, bananas are for Boy Scouts. Follow The Big Show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haurakibigshow Subscribe to the podcast now on iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! Featuring Jason Hoyte, Mike Minogue, and Keyzie, "The Big Show" drive you home weekdays from 4pm on Radio Hauraki. Providing a hilarious escape from reality for those ‘backbone’ New Zealanders with plenty of laughs and out-the-gate yarns. Download the full podcast here: iHeartRadio: www.iheart.com/podcast/1049-the-hauraki-big-show-71532051/?follow=true Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hauraki-big-show/id1531952388 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/20OF8YadmJmvzWa7TGRnDI See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we revisit a favorite Patreon Junk Drawer episode featuring Max Kelso's unsettling experiences at a Boy Scout camp in the heart of Ohio. We explore Max's first encounter as a young scout when he saw a shadowy figure watching him through the window of his cabin late one night. Years later, during a game at the same camp, Max experiences something even stranger. The Junk Drawer is a more casual, conversational show than our regular program and is usually only available to our patrons at patreon.com/astonishinglegends. It's a great time to check out our Patreon because this Sunday, June 29th, 2025, we're doing our first-ever live AMA on video there!

At a Marsh supermarket in Troy, Ohio, a packet of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum became the first ever product to have its barcode scanned - at 8:01 a.m. on June 26th, 1974. Inspired by the morse code training of his Boy Scout days, Norman Joseph Woodland first sketched out a barcode on a Florida beach in 1948, drawing dots and dashes in the sand. Together with fellow Drexel Institute graduate student Bernard Silver, he received a U.S. Patent in 1952 - but it would be another 20 years before IBM produced the technology that could be rolled out to grocery stores. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the invention accelerated the growth of the largest retailers; consider Woodland's original ‘bullseye' barcode design; and reveal why conspiracy theorists think barcodes are the DEVIL's work… Further Reading: • ‘How the barcode changed retailing and manufacturing' (BBC News, 2017): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38498700 • ‘N Joseph Woodland obituary' (The Guardian, 2012): https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/dec/16/n-joseph-woodland • ‘How Do Barcodes Work?' (sciBRIGHT, 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfeVckbQxdQ Love the show? Support us!  Join 

Mark and Tom discuss the 1991 action comedy The Last Boy Scout. Directed by Tony Scott, and starring Bruce Willis, Damon Wayans, and Halle Berry, the movie focuses on what happens when two washed up guys get into some Shane Black written shenanigans. In this episode, they also talk about Shane Black, grimy buddy comedies, and Tony Scott's filmography. Enjoy!Please make sure to rate, review or subscribe to the show!

5 More Boy Scouts Who Went MISSING in the WILDERNESSBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

Vanishing BOY SCOUTS #2Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

On todays Show Charlotte and James are joined by Mark, Glenn, Dwayne for a round table talk about various topics, including the relevance of universities in the face of AI advancements, the need for rigorous education, and the challenges of maintaining academic standards. The group debated the effectiveness of current education systems, citing issues like social and cultural passing and the impact of tenure on teacher evaluations. They also discussed the importance of leadership training, referencing Boy Scouts and military programs. Additionally, they touched on international tensions, particularly regarding Iran's nuclear capabilities and the potential for military intervention. The conversation concluded with reflections on the role of higher education in preparing students for the future. The discussion centered on the 2020 election fraud, focusing on Donald Trump's efforts to expose election irregularities and the role of China in producing fake IDs. Speaker 1 emphasized that the issue was not voter registration but computer manipulation. They mentioned the use of fake IDs in states with lax verification, predicting legal repercussions for states like Colorado. Speaker 5 highlighted the discovery of 20,000 fake Chinese IDs, suggesting China's exploitation of U.S. election vulnerabilities. Don't Miss It!

When BOY SCOUTS Disappear #2Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/missing-persons-mysteries--5624803/support.

How Oche Bridgeford Turned Career Success into Community Impact

Get ready, folks, because hurricane season is knocking at our door, and wildfire season isn't far behind! In today's midweek update, I'm diving into the essentials you need to prep your home for these wild summer antics. We'll chat about food and water supplies, how to keep your loved ones safe, and even the best ways to protect your home from those pesky wildfires. But that's not all! We've got some big recalls to keep an eye on, including power tools, air conditioners, and boilers that could turn your summer from chill to thrill in no time. So stick around as we get you prepped and informed—because nothing says summer like being ready for a little chaos!As summer rolls in, the ominous clouds of hurricane and wildfire season loom large, and Eric G is here to ensure we're all prepped and ready to tackle whatever nature throws at us. He dives headfirst into the importance of having an emergency plan in place. We're talking about essentials like food, water, and safe spaces. Eric emphasizes the need to have your most cherished items ready to grab at a moment's notice. Picture this: you're standing at your front door with a timer ticking down from 15 minutes. Can you grab everything that matters to you and your family? If the answer is a hesitant 'maybe,' then you might want to reevaluate your emergency strategy. He's got tips on securing your home from wildfires and ensuring you have a stash of supplies that would make a Boy Scout proud. But wait, there's more! This week is a big one for recalls that could affect your home improvement projects. Eric lists several power tools, air conditioners, and boilers that are making headlines for all the wrong reasons. From NTI brand boilers that might turn your cozy home into a fire hazard, to Midea air conditioners that could be a breeding ground for mold—Eric breaks down the recalls in a way that's both informative and entertaining. With millions of potentially dangerous items out there, it's crucial to stay informed. He urges listeners to check their gear and be proactive about safety, because the last thing anyone wants is for their summer project to go up in flames—literally!In this midweek update, Eric G doesn't just keep us informed; he keeps the conversation light and engaging, peppering in humor and relatable anecdotes to drive home the importance of preparedness and safety. So whether you're a DIY enthusiast or just someone hoping to survive another summer, Eric's got your back. Tune in to be equipped with the knowledge you need to navigate the wild world of home improvement and safety this summer.Takeaways: Hurricane and wildfire seasons are upon us—better be prepared with essentials like food, water, and tarp! Keep an eye out for major recalls on power tools, air conditioners, and boilers that could pose serious risks. Did you hear about the Midea air conditioner recall? Mold exposure could be lurking in your U-shaped unit! It's time to think about your safety—if you had 15 minutes to grab valuables during a disaster, could you do it? Important recalls this week include NTI and HTP boilers due to fire hazards—check if yours is affected! Remember, preparation is key—are you ready for this summer's wildfires and hurricanes? Companies mentioned in this episode:Monument Grills Lowe's 1620 Workwear NTI HTP Direct Scaffold Supply DR Power Midea Lutron Renai America To get your questions answered by Eric G give us a call in the studio at 833-239-4144 24/7 and Eric G will get back to you and answer your question and you might end up in a future episode of Around the House. Thanks for listening to Around the house if you want to hear more please subscribe so you get notified of the latest episode as it posts at

New Podcast from the COLD Team: As news coverage of the search for Eric Robinson spreads, a Boy Scout leader tells of spotting Eric far off the Uinta Highline Trail. This encounter along Yellowstone Creek raises questions about Eric’s state of mind, and expands the search area to include an even greater swath of High Uintas Wilderness. Was Eric lost? Uinta Triangle host Dave Cawley poses a new theory. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who knows the meaning of the term “Business Continuity management” without looking it up? Our guest this week, Alex Fullick, is intimately familiar with the term and its ramifications. I first met Alex when we were connected as participants in a conference in London this past October sponsored by Business Continuity International. The people involved with “Business Continuity management” were described to me as the “what if people”. They are the people no one pays attention to, but who plan for emergency and unexpected situations and events that especially can cause interruptions with the flow or continuity of business. Of course, everyone wants the services of the business continuity experts once something unforeseen or horrific occurs. Alex was assigned to introduce me at the conference. Since the conference I have even had the pleasure to appear on his podcast and now, he agreed to reciprocate.   Our conversation covers many topics related to emergencies, business continuity and the mindsets people really have concerning business flow and even fear. Needless to say, this topic interests me since I directly participated in the greatest business interruption event we have faced in the world, the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.   Alex freely discusses fear, emergency planning and how we all can improve our chances of dealing with any kind of emergency, personal or business related, by developing the proper mindset. He points out how so often people may well plan for emergencies at work and sometimes they even take the step of developing their own business continuity mindset, but they rarely do the same for their personal lives.   Alex is the author of eight books on the subject and he now is working on book 9. You can learn more about them in our podcast show notes. I think you will gain a lot of insight from what Alex has to say and I hope his thoughts and comments will help you as you think more now about the whole idea of business continuity.       About the Guest:   Alex Fullick has been working in the Business Continuity Management, Disaster Recovery, and Operational Resilience industries as a consultant/contractor for just over 28 years. Alex is also the founder and Managing Director of StoneRoad, a consulting and training firm specializing in BCM and Resilience and is the author of eight books…and working on number nine.   He has numerous industry certifications and has presented at prestigious conferences around the globe including Manila, Seoul, Bucharest, Brisbane, Toronto, and London (to name a few). In July of 2017 he created the highly successful and top-rated podcast focusing on Business Continuity and Resilience ‘Preparing for the Unexpected'. The show aims to touch on any subject that directly or indirectly touches on the world of disasters, crises, well-being, continuity management, and resilience. The first of its kind in the BCM and Resilience world and is still going strong after thirty plus seasons, reaching an audience around the globe. Alex was born in England but now calls the city of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, his home. Ways to connect Alex:   www.linkedin.com/in/alex-fullick-826a694   About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Well, hello, everyone, wherever you happen to be, welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet and unexpected is anything that has nothing to do with inclusion or diversity. As I've said many times today, our guest is someone I got to meet last year, and we'll talk about that. His name is Alex Bullock, and Alex and I met because we both attended a conference in London in October about business continuity. And I'm going to let Alex define that and describe what that is all about. But Alex introduced me at the conference, and among other things, I convinced him that he had to come on unstoppable mindset. And so we get to do that today. He says he's nervous. So you know, all I gotta say is just keep staring at your screens and your speakers and and just keep him nervous. Keep him on edge. Alex, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're really glad you're   Alex Fullick ** 02:19 here. Thanks, Michael. I really appreciate the invite, and I'm glad to be here today. And yeah, a little nervous, because usually it's me on the other side of the microphone interviewing people. So I don't fit in this chair too often   Michael Hingson ** 02:33 I've been there and done that as I recall, yes,   Alex Fullick ** 02:37 yes, you were a guest of mine. Oh, I guess when did we do that show? A month and a half, two months ago? Or something, at least,   Michael Hingson ** 02:45 I forget, yeah. And I said the only charge for me coming on your podcast was you had to come on this one. So there you go. Here I am. Yeah, several people ask me, Is there a charge for coming on your podcast? And I have just never done that. I've never felt that I should charge somebody to come on the podcast, other than we do have the one rule, which is, you gotta have fun. If you can't have fun, then there's no sense being on the podcast. So, you know, that works out. Well, tell us about the early Alex, growing up and, you know, all that sort of stuff, so that people get to know you a little bit.   Alex Fullick ** 03:16 Oh, the early Alex, sure. The early Alex, okay, well, a lot of people don't know I was actually born in England myself, uh, Farnam Surrey, southwest of London, so until I was about eight, and then we came to Canada. Grew up in Thunder Bay, Northwestern Ontario, and then moved to the Greater Toronto Area, and I've lived all around here, north of the city, right downtown in the city, and now I live an hour west of it, in a city called Guelph. So that's how I got here. Younger me was typical, I guess, nothing   Michael Hingson ** 03:56 special. Went to school, high school and all that sort of stuff. Yeah, yeah, no.   Alex Fullick ** 04:02 Brainiac. I was working my first job was in hospitality, and I thought that's where I was going to be for a long time, because I worked my way up to I did all the positions, kitchen manager, Assistant Manager, cooks, bartender, server, did everything in there was even a company trainer at one point for a restaurant chain, and then did some general managing. But I got to a point where computers were going to start coming in to the industry, and I thought, well, I guess I should learn how to use these things, shouldn't I? And I went to school, learned how to use them, basic using, I'm not talking about building computers and networks and things like that, just the user side of things. And that was, did that for six months, and then I thought I was going back into the industry. And no fate had. Something different for me. What happened? Well, my best friend, who is still my best friend, 30 years later, he was working for a large financial institution, and he said, Hey, we need some help on this big program to build some call trees. When you're finished, he goes, get your foot in the door, and you could find something else within the bank. So I went, Okay, fine. Well, they called the position business recovery planner, and I knew absolutely nothing about business recovery or business continuity. Not a single thing. I'd never even heard the term yeah and but for some reason, I just took to it. I don't know what it was at the time, but I just went, this is kind of neat. And I think it was the fact that I was learning something different, you know, I wasn't memorizing a recipe for Alfredo sauce or something like that, you know, it was completely different. And I was meeting and working with people at every level, sitting in meetings with senior vice presidents and CEOs and giving them updates, and, you know, a data analyst, data entry clerk, and just talking. And I went, This is so much fun, you know, and that's I've been doing that now for over 28 years.   Michael Hingson ** 06:14 Well, I I had not really heard much of the term business continuity, although I understand emergency preparedness and such things, because I did that, of course, going into the World Trade Center, and I did it for, well, partly to be prepared for an emergency, but also partly because I was a leader of an office, and I felt that I needed to know What to do if there were ever an emergency, and how to behave, because I couldn't necessarily rely on other people, and also, in reality, I might even be the only person in the office. So it was a survival issue to a degree, but I learned what to do. And of course, we know the history of September 11 and me and all that, but the reality is that what I realized many years later was that the knowledge that I learned and gained that helped me on September 11 really created a mindset that allowed me to be able to function and not be as I Put it to people blinded or paralyzed by fear, the fear was there. I would be dumb to say I wasn't concerned, but the fear helped me focus, as opposed to being something that overwhelmed and completely blocked me from being capable and being able to function. So I know what you're saying. Well, what exactly is business continuity?   Alex Fullick ** 07:44 You know, there are people who are going to watch this and listen and they're going to want me to give a really perfect definition, but depending on the organization, depending on leadership, depending on the guiding industry organization out there, business continuity, Institute, Disaster Recovery Institute, ISO NIST and so many other groups out there. I'm not going to quote any of them as a definition, because if I if I say one the others, are going to be mad at me, yell at you, yeah, yeah. Or if I quote it wrong, they'll get mad at me. So I'm going to explain it the way I usually do it to people when I'm talking in the dog park, yeah, when they ask what I'm doing, I'll say Business Continuity Management is, how do you keep your business going? What do you need? Who do you need the resources when you've been hit by an event and and with the least impact to your customers and your delivery of services, yeah, and it's simple, they all get it. They all understand it. So if anyone doesn't like that, please feel free send me an email. I can hit the delete key just as fast as you can write it. So you know, but that's what a lot of people understand, and that's really what business continuity management is, right from the very beginning when you identify something, all the way to why we made it through, we're done. The incident's over.   Michael Hingson ** 09:16 Both worked with at the Business Continuity international hybrid convention in October was Sergio Garcia, who kind of coordinated things. And I think it was he who I asked, what, what is it that you do? What's the purpose of all of the people getting together and having this conference? And he said, I think it was he who said it not you, that the the best way to think about it is that the people who go to this conference are the what if people, they're the ones who have to think about having an event, and what happens if there's an event, and how do you deal with it? But so the what if people, they're the people that nobody ever pays any attention to until such time as there is something that. Happens, and then they're in high demand.   Alex Fullick ** 10:03 Yeah, that that's especially that being ignored part until something happened. Yeah, yeah. Well, well, the nice thing, one of the things I love about this position, and I've been doing it like I said, for 28 years, written books, podcasts, you've been on my show, YouTube channel, etc, etc, is that I do get to learn and from so many people and show the value of what we do, and I'm in a position to reach out and talk to so many different people, like I mentioned earlier. You know, CEOs. I can sit in front of the CEO and tell them you're not ready. If something happens, you're not ready because you haven't attended any training, or your team hasn't attended training, or nobody's contributing to crisis management or the business continuity or whatever you want to talk about. And I find that empowering, and it's amazing to sit there and not tell a CEO to their face, you know you're screwed. Not. You know, you don't say those kinds of things. No, but being able to sit there and just have a moment with them to to say that, however you term it, you might have a good relationship with them where you can't say that for all I know, but it being able to sit in front of a CEO or a vice president and say, hey, you know, this is where things are. This is where I need your help. You know, I don't think a lot of people get that luxury to be able to do it. And I'm lucky enough that I've worked with a lot of clients where I can't. This is where I need your help. You know. What's your expectation? Let's make it happen, you know, and having that behind you is it's kind of empowering,   Michael Hingson ** 11:47 yeah, well, one of the things that I have start talking a little bit about with people when talk about emergency preparedness is, if you're really going to talk about being prepared for an emergency. One of the things that you need to do is recognize that probably the biggest part of emergency preparedness, or business continuity, however you want to term, it, isn't physical it's the mental preparation that you need to make that people generally don't make. You know, I've been watching for the last now, five or six weeks, all the flyers and things down here in California, which have been so horrible, and people talk about being prepared physically. You should have a go bag so that you can grab it and go. You should do this. You should do that. But the problem is nobody ever talks about or or helps people really deal with the mental preparation for something unexpected. And I'm going to, I'm going to put it that way, as opposed to saying something negative, because it could be a positive thing. But the bottom line is, we don't really learn to prepare ourselves for unexpected things that happen in our lives and how to react to them, and so especially when it's a negative thing, the fear just completely overwhelms us.   Alex Fullick ** 13:09 Yeah, I agree with you. You know, fear can be what's that to fight, flight or freeze? Yeah, and a lot of people don't know how to respond when an event happens. And I think I'm going to take a step back, and I think that goes back to when we're young as well, because we have our parents, our grandparents, our teachers, our principals. You know, you can go achieve your goals, like everything is positive. You can go do that. Go do that. They don't teach you that, yeah, to achieve those goals, you're going to hit some roadblocks, and you need to understand how to deal with that when things occur. And use your example with the fires in California. If you don't know how to prepare for some of those small things, then when a big fire like that occurs, you're even less prepared. I have no idea how to deal with that, and it is. It's a really change in mindset and understanding that not everything is rosy. And unfortunately, a lot of people get told, or they get told, Oh, don't worry about it. It'll never happen. So great when it does happen. Well, then was that advice?   Michael Hingson ** 14:25 Yeah, I remember after September 11, a couple of months after, I called somebody who had expressed an interest in purchasing some tape backup products for from us at Quantum. And I hadn't heard from them, and so I reached out, and I said, So what's going on? How would you guys like to proceed? And this was an IT guy, and he said, Oh, well, the president of the company said September 11 happened, and so since they did, we're not going to have to worry about that anymore. So we're not going to go forward. Or worth doing anything to back up our data, and I'm sitting there going, you missed the whole point of what backup is all about. I didn't dare say that to him, but it isn't just about an emergency, but it's also about, what if you accidentally delete a file? Do you have a way to go back and get it? I mean, there's so many other parts to it, but this guy's boss just basically said, Well, it happened, so it's not going to happen now we don't have to worry about it. Yeah,   Alex Fullick ** 15:27 like you hear on the news. Well, it feels like daily, oh, once in 100 year storm, once in 100 year event, once in 100 year this. Well, take a look at the news. It's happening weekly, daily, yeah, yeah. One in 100   Michael Hingson ** 15:44 years thing, yeah. Nowadays, absolutely, there's so many things that are happening. California is going through a couple of major atmospheric rivers right now, as they're now calling it. And so Southern California is getting a lot of rain because of of one of the rivers, and of course, it has all the burn areas from the fires. So I don't know what we'll see in the way of mudslides, but the rain is picking up. Even here, where I live, we're going to get an inch or more of rain, and usually we don't get the rain that a lot of other places get. The clouds have to go over a lot of mountains to get to us, and they lose their moisture before they do that. Yeah,   Alex Fullick ** 16:23 yeah. We just had a whole pile of snow here. So we had a snowstorm yesterday. So we've got about 20 centimeters of snow out there that hasn't been plowed yet. So bit of   Michael Hingson ** 16:36 a mess. There you go. Well, you know, go out and play on the snow. Well,   Alex Fullick ** 16:41 the dog loves it, that's for sure. Like troubling it, but, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 16:46 I don't think my cat would like it, but the animal would like it. He'd go out and play in it. If it were here, we don't get much snow here, but Yeah, he'd play it. But, but it is. It is so interesting to really talk about this whole issue of of business continuity, emergency preparedness, whatever you want to consider it, because it's it's more than anything. It's a mindset, and it is something that people should learn to do in their lives in general, because it would help people be a lot more prepared. If people really created a mindset in themselves about dealing with unexpected things, probably they'd be a little bit more prepared physically for an emergency, but they would certainly be in a lot better shape to deal with something as like the fires are approaching, but they don't, but we don't do that. We don't teach that.   Alex Fullick ** 17:43 No, we it's interesting too, that a lot of those people, they'll work on projects in their organization, you know, and they will look at things well, what can go wrong, you know, and try to mitigate it and fix, you know, whatever issues are in the way or remove roadblocks. They're actually doing that as part of their project. But when it comes to themselves, and they have to think about fires or something like that, is now that won't happen, you know. And wait a minute, how come you've got the right mindset when it comes to your projects at work, but you don't have that same mindset when it comes to your own well being, or your families, or whatever the case may be. How come it's different? You go from one side to the other and it I've noticed that a few times with people and like, I don't get it. Why? Why are you so you have the right mindset under one circumstance and the other circumstance, you completely ignore it and don't have the mindset,   Michael Hingson ** 18:45 yeah, which, which makes you wonder, how much of a mindset Do you really have when it comes to work in all aspects of it? And so one of the things that I remember after September 11, people constantly asked me is, who helped you down the stairs, or was there somebody who was responsible for coming to get you, to take you downstairs and and the reality is, as I said, I was the leader. I was helping other people go downstairs. But by the same token, I'm of the opinion that in buildings like the World Trade Center towers, there is people talk about the buddy system. So if somebody is is in the building, you should have a buddy. And it doesn't even need to be necessarily, in the same office, but there should be an arrangement so that there is somebody looking out for each each other person. So everybody should have a buddy. I'm of the opinion it isn't a buddy. There should be two buddies, and at least one of them has to be outside of the office, so that you have three people who have to communicate and develop those lines of communications and work through it. And by that way, you you have a. Better chance of making sure that more people get whatever communications are necessary.   Alex Fullick ** 20:06 Yeah, you create your like a support network, absolutely,   Michael Hingson ** 20:10 and I think at least a triumvirate makes a lot more sense than just a buddy. Yeah,   Alex Fullick ** 20:14 you you might be freaked out, you know, nervous shaking, but with a couple of people standing there, you know, talking to you, you're going to come right back hopefully. You know, with that, the calmer, you know, stop shaking when a couple of people are there. Yeah, you a lot of times when you have the same one person doing it, usually, oh, you're just saying that because you have to. But when you two people doing it, it's like, okay, thank thanks team. You know, like you're really helping. You know, this is much better.   Michael Hingson ** 20:48 Yeah, I think it makes a lot more sense, and especially if one of them isn't necessarily a person who's normally in your work pattern that brings somebody in from someone with the outside who approaches things differently because they don't necessarily know you or as well or in the same way as your buddy who's maybe next door to you in the office, right across the hall or next door, or whatever. Yeah, yeah. I agree. I think it makes sense well, the conference that we were at a lot to well, to a large degree, and at least for my presentation, was all about resilience. What is resilience to you? How's that for a general question that   Alex Fullick ** 21:31 has become such a buzzword, I know it   Michael Hingson ** 21:35 really is, and it's unfortunate, because when, when we start hearing, you know, resilience, or I hear all the time amazing and so many times we get all these buzzwords, and they they really lose a lot of their value when that happens. But still, that's a fair question. I   Alex Fullick ** 21:53 do think the word resilience is overused, and it's losing its meaning. You know, dictionary meaning, because it's just used for everything these days. Yeah, you know, my neighbor left her keys. Sorry. Her daughter took her house keys this morning by accident. She couldn't get into her house when she got him back, and she had a comment where she said, you know, oh, well, I'm resilient, but really, you just went and got some Keith, how was that so? So I'm, I'm starting to get to the point now, when people ask me, you know, what's resilience to you? What's it mean to you? I just, I start to say, Now, does it matter? Yeah, my definition is fine for me, if you have a definition of it for yourself that you understand you you know what it means, or your organization has a definition, we'll take it and run. Yeah, you know what it means. You're all behind that. Meaning. We don't need a vendor or some other guiding industry organization to say this is, this must be your definition of resilience. It's like, well, no, you're just wordsmithing and making it sound fancy. You know, do it means what it means to you? You know, how, how do you define it? If that's how you define it, that's what it means, and that's all that matters. My definition doesn't matter. Nobody else's definition matters, you know, because, and it's become that way because the term used, you know, for everything these days. Yeah, I   Michael Hingson ** 23:30 think that there's a lot of value in if a person is, if we use the dictionary definition, resilient, they they Well, again, from my definition, it gets back to the mindset you establish. You establish a mindset where you can be flexible, where you can adapt, and where you can sometimes think outside the box that you would normally think out of, but you don't panic to do that. You've learned how to address different things and be able to focus, to develop what you need to do to accomplish, whatever you need to accomplish at any unexpected time.   Alex Fullick ** 24:06 Yeah, and you're calm, level headed, you know, you've got that right mindset. You don't freak out over the small things, you know, you see the bigger picture. You understand it. You know, I'm here. That's where I need to go, and that's where you focus and, you know, sweat all those little things, you know. And I think, I think it's, it's kind of reminds me that the definitions that are being thrown out there now reminds me of some of those mission and vision statements that leadership comes up with in their organizations, with all this, oh, that, you know, you read the sentence and it makes no sense whatsoever, yeah, you know, like, what?   Michael Hingson ** 24:45 What's so, what's the wackiest definition of resilience that you can think of that you've heard?   Alex Fullick ** 24:51 Um, I don't know if there's a wacky one or an unusual one. Um, oh, geez. I. I know I've heard definitions of bounce forward, bounce back, you know, agility, adaptability. Well, your   Michael Hingson ** 25:07 car keys, lady this morning, your house key, your house key, lady this morning, the same thing, yeah, yeah. I don't resilient just because she got her keys back. Yeah, really, yeah. Well,   Alex Fullick ** 25:17 that's kind of a wacky example. Yeah, of one, but I don't think there's, I've heard any weird definitions yet. I'm sure that's probably some out there coming. Yeah, we'll get to the point where, how the heck did are you defining resilience with that? Yeah? And if you're looking at from that way, then yeah, my neighbor with the keys that would fit in right there. That's not resilient. You just went and picked up some keys.   Michael Hingson ** 25:45 Yeah. Where's the resilience? How did you adapt? You the resilience might be if you didn't, the resilience might be if you didn't panic, although I'm sure that didn't happen. But that would, that would lean toward the concept of resilience. If you didn't panic and just went, Well, I I'll go get them. Everything will be fine, but that's not what people do,   Alex Fullick ** 26:08 yeah? Well, that that is what she did, actually. She just as I was shoveling snow this morning, she goes, Oh, well, I'll just go get her, get them, okay, yeah. Does that really mean resilience, or Does that just mean you went to pick up the keys that your daughter accidentally took   Michael Hingson ** 26:24 and and you stayed reasonably level headed about it,   Alex Fullick ** 26:28 you know, you know. So, you know, I don't know, yeah, if, if I would count that as a definition of resilience, but, or even I agree resilience, it's more of okay, yeah, yeah. If, if it's something like that, then that must mean I'm resilient when I forget to pull the laundry out after the buzzer. Oh yeah, I gotta pull the laundry out. Did that make me resilient? Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 26:52 absolutely, once you pulled it out, you weren't resilient, not until then,   Alex Fullick ** 26:57 you know. So, so I guess it's you know, how people but then it comes down to how people want to define it too. Yeah, if they're happy with that definition, well, if it makes you happy, I'm not going to tell you to change   Michael Hingson ** 27:11 it. Yeah, has but, but I think ultimately there are some some basic standards that get back to what we talked about earlier, which is establishing a mindset and being able to deal with things that come out of the ordinary well, and you're in an industry that, by and large, is probably viewed as pretty negative, you're always anticipating the emergencies and and all the unexpected horrible things that can happen, the what if people again, but that's that's got to be, from a mindset standpoint, a little bit tough to deal with it. You're always dealing with this negative industry. How do you do that? You're resilient, I know. But anyway, yeah,   Alex Fullick ** 27:56 really, I just look at it from a risk perspective. Oh, could that happen to us? You know, no, it wouldn't, you know, we're we're in the middle of a Canadian Shield, or at least where I am. We're in the middle of Canadian Shield. There's not going to be two plates rubbing against each other and having an earthquake. So I just look at it from risk where we are, snowstorms, yep, that could hit us and has. What do we do? Okay, well, we close our facility, we have everyone work from home, you know, etc, etc. So I don't look at it from the perspective of doom and gloom. I look at it more of opportunity to make us better at what we do and how we prepare and how we respond and how we overcome, you know, situations that happen out there, and I don't look at it from the oh, here comes, you know, the disaster guy you know, always pointing out everything that's wrong. You know, I'd rather point out opportunities that we have to become as a team, organization or a person stronger. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 29:01 I guess it's not necessarily a disaster. And as I said earlier, it could very well be that some unexpected thing will happen that could be a very positive thing. But again, if we don't have the mindset to deal with that, then we don't and the reality is, the more that we work to develop a mindset to deal with unexpected things, the more quickly we can make a correct analysis of whatever is going on and move forward from it, as opposed to letting fear again overwhelm us, we can if we practice creating This mindset that says we really understand how to deal with unexpected situations, then we are in a position to be able to the more we practice it, deal with it, and move forward in a positive way. So it doesn't need to be a disaster. September 11 was a disaster by any standard, but as I tell people. People. While I am still convinced that no matter what anyone might think, we couldn't figure out that September 11 was going to happen, I'm not convinced that even if all the agencies communicated, they would have gotten it because and I talk about trust and teamwork a lot, as I point out, a team of 19 people kept their mouth shut, or a few more who were helping in the planning of it, and they pulled off something that basically brought the world to its knees. So I'm not convinced that we could have stopped September 11 from happening. At least I haven't heard something that convinces me of that yet. But what each of us has the ability to do is to determine how we deal with September 11. So we couldn't prevent it, but we can certainly all deal with or address the issue of, how do we deal with it going forward? Yeah,   Alex Fullick ** 30:52 I agree. I I was actually in a conversation with my niece a couple of months ago. We were up at the cottage, and she was talking about school, and, you know, some of the people that she goes to school with, and I said, Well, you're never going to be able to change other people. You know, what they think or what they do. I said, what you can control is your response. You know, if, if they're always picking on you, the reason they're picking on you is because they know they can get a rise out of you. They know they it. Whatever they're saying or doing is getting to you, so they're going to keep doing it because it's empowering for them. But you can take away that empowerment if you make the right choices on how you respond, if you just shrug and walk away. I'm simplifying it, of course, yeah, if you just shrug and walk away. Well, after a while, they're going to realize nothing I'm saying is getting through, and they'll move away from you. They'll they won't bug you anymore, because they can't get a rise out. They can't get a rise out of you. So the only thing you can control is how you respond, you know. And as you keep saying, it's the mindset. Change your mindset from response to, you know, I'm prepared for what this person's going to say, and I'm not going to let it bother me. Yeah?   Michael Hingson ** 32:08 Well, bullying is really all about that. Yeah, people can't bully if you don't let yourself be bullied. Yep, and whether it's social media and so many other things, you can't be bullied if you don't allow it and if you ignore it or move on or get help to deal with the issue if it gets serious enough, but you don't need to approach it from a shame or fear standpoint, or you or you shouldn't anyway, but that's unfortunately, again, all too often. What happens when we see a lot of teenage suicides and so on, because people are letting the bullies get a rise out of them, and the bullies win.   Alex Fullick ** 32:51 Yep, yep. And as I told her, I said, you just mentioned it too. If it gets out of hand or becomes physical, I said, then you have to take action. I don't mean turning around and swinging back. I said, No, step up. Go get someone who is has authority and can do something about it. Yeah, don't, don't run away. Just deal with it differently, you know. And don't, don't start the fight, because then you're just confirming that I'm the bully. I can do this again. Yeah, you're, you're giving them license to do what they want. Yeah, but stand up to them, or tell, depending on the situation, tell someone higher up in authority that can do something and make make a change, but you have to be calm when you do it.   Michael Hingson ** 33:39 I remember when I was at UC Irvine, when I was going to college, my had my first guide dog, Squire. He was a golden retriever, 64 pounds, the most gentle, wonderful dog you could ever imagine. And unfortunately, other students on campus would bring their dogs. It was a very big campus, pretty, in a sense, rural, and there were only about 2700 students. And a bunch of students would bring their dogs to school, and they would just turn the dogs loose, and they go off to class, and then they find their dogs at the end of the day. Unfortunately, some of the dogs developed into a pack, and one day, they decided they were going to come after my guide dog. I think I've told this story a couple times on on this podcast, but what happened was we were walking down a sidewalk, and the dogs were coming up from behind, and they were growling and so on. And squire, my guide dog, jerked away from me. I still held his leash, but he jerked out of his harness, out of my hand, and literally jumped up in the air, turned around and came down on all fours, hunkered down and growled at these dogs all in this the well, about a two second time frame, totally shocked the dogs. They just slunked away. Somebody was describing it to me later, and you know, the dog was very deliberate about what he did. Of course, after they left, he comes over and He's wagging his tail. Did I do good or what? But, but he was very deliberate, and it's a lesson to to deal with things. And he never attacked any of the dogs, but he wasn't going to let anything happen to him or me, and that's what loyalty is really all about. But if something had happened and that hadn't worked out the way expected, then I would have had to have gone off and and I, in fact, I did talk to school officials about the fact that these dogs were doing that. And I don't even remember whether anybody did anything, but I know I was also a day or so later going into one of the the buildings. Before he got inside, there was a guy I knew who was in a wheelchair, and another dog did come up and started to try to attack squire, this guy with in the wheelchair, pulled one of the arms off his chair and just lambasted the dog right across the head, made him back up. Yeah, you know. But it was that people shouldn't be doing what they allowed their dog. You know, shouldn't be doing that, but. But the bottom line is, it's still a lesson that you don't let yourself be bullied. Yeah, yep, and there's no need to do that, but it is a it's a pretty fascinating thing to to see and to deal with, but it's all about preparation. And again, if we teach ourselves to think strategically and develop that skill, it becomes just second nature to do it, which is, unfortunately, what we don't learn.   Alex Fullick ** 36:48 Yeah, I didn't know that as a kid, because when I was a little kid and first came to Canada, especially, I was bullied because, well, I had a funny voice.   Michael Hingson ** 36:57 You did? You don't have that anymore, by the way, no,   Alex Fullick ** 37:01 if I, if I'm with my mom or relatives, especially when I'm back in England, words will start coming back. Yeah, there are words that I do say differently, garage or garage, yeah. You know, I hate garage, but garage, yeah, I still say some words like that,   Michael Hingson ** 37:18 or process, as opposed to process.   Alex Fullick ** 37:21 Yeah, so, you know, there's something like that, but as a kid, I was bullied and I there was, was no talk of mindset or how to deal with it. It's either put up with it or, you know, you really couldn't turn to anybody back then, because nobody really knew themselves how to deal with it. Yeah, bullies had always been around. They were always in the playground. So the the mechanisms to deal with it weren't there either. It wasn't till much later that I'm able to to deal with that if someone said some of the things now, right away, I can turn around because I've trained myself to have a different mindset and say that, no, that's unacceptable. You can't talk to that person, or you can't talk to me that way. Yeah, you know, if you say it again, I will, you know, call the police or whatever. Never anything where I'm going to punch you in the chin, you know, or something like that. Never. That doesn't solve anything. No, stand up saying, you know, no, I'm not going to accept that. You know, which is easier now, and maybe that just comes with age or something, I don't know, but back then, no, it was, you know, that that kind of mechanism to deal with it, or finding that inner strength and mindset to do that wasn't there,   Michael Hingson ** 38:43 right? But when you started to work on developing that mindset, the more you worked on it, the easier it became to make it happen. Yep, agreed. And so now it's a way of life, and it's something that I think we all really could learn and should learn. And my book live like a guide dog is really all about that developing that mindset to control fear. And I just think it's so important that we really deal with it. And you know, in this country right now, we've got a government administration that's all about chaos and fear, and unfortunately, not nearly enough people have learned how to deal with that, which is too bad, yep, although,   Alex Fullick ** 39:30 go ahead, I was going to say it's a shame that, you know, some a lot of people haven't learned how to deal with that. Part of it, again, is we don't teach that as well. So sometimes the only thing some people know is fear and bullying, because that's all they've experienced, yeah, either as the bully or being bullied. So they they don't see anything different. So when it happens on a scale, what we see right now it. It's, well, that's normal, yeah, it's not normal, actually. You know, it's not something we should be doing. You know, you should be able to stand up to your bully, or stand up when you see something wrong, you know, and help because it's human nature to want to help other people. You know, there's been so many accidents people falling, or you'll need their snow removed, where I am, and people jump in and help, yeah? You know, without sometimes, a lot of times, they don't even ask. It's like, oh, let me give you a hand,   Michael Hingson ** 40:33 yeah. And we had that when we lived in New Jersey, like snow removal. We had a Boy Scout who started a business, and every year he'd come around and clear everybody's snow. He cleared our snow. He said, I am absolutely happy to do it. We we wanted to pay him for it, but he was, he was great, and we always had a nice, clean driveway. But you know, the other side of this whole issue with the mindset is if we take it in a more positive direction, look at people like Sully Sullenberger, the pilot and the airplane on the Hudson, how he stayed focused. He had developed the mindset and stayed focused so that he could deal with that airplane. That doesn't mean that he wasn't afraid and had concerns, but he was able to do something that was was definitely pretty fantastic, because he kept his cool, yeah,   Alex Fullick ** 41:23 I think he knew, and others in other situations know that if you're freaking out yourself, you're not going to fix the issue, you're going to make it worse. We see that in Hollywood tends to do that a lot. In their movies, there's always a character who's flipping out, you know, panicking, going crazy and making everything worse. Well, that does happen, you know, if you act that way, you're not going to resolve your situation, whatever you find yourself in, you know. And I tell people that in business continuity when we're having meetings, well, we'll figure it out when it happens. No, you don't know how you'll behave. You don't know how you'll respond when, oh, I don't know an active shooter or something. You have no idea when you hear that someone you know just got shot down in the lobby. Are you going to tell me you're going to be calm? You sorry? You know you're going to be calm and just okay, yeah, we can deal with it. No, you're going to get a wave of panic, yeah, or other emotions coming over you, you know. And you have to have that mindset. You can still be panicked and upset and freaked out, or however you want to describe that, but you know, I have to stay in control. I can't let that fear take over, or I'm going to get myself in that situation as well. Yeah, I have to be able to manage it. Okay, what do I have to do? I gotta go hide. You know, I'm not saying you're not sweating, you know, with nervousness like that, but you understand, gotta think beyond this if I want to get out of this situation. You know, I'm going to take these people that are sitting with me, we're going to go lock ourselves in the storage closet, or, you know, whatever, right? But have that wherewithal to be able to understand that and, you know, be be safe, you know, but freaking out, you're only contributing to the situation, and then you end up freaking out other people and getting them panicked. Course, you do. They're not, you know, they don't have the right mindset to deal with issues. And then you've got everyone going in every direction, nobody's helping each other. And then you're creating, you know, bigger issues, and   Michael Hingson ** 43:37 you lose more lives, and you create more catastrophes all the way around. I remember when I was going down the stairs at the World Trade Center, I kept telling Roselle what a good job she was doing, good girl. And I did that for a couple of reasons. The main reason was I wanted her to know that I was okay and I'm not going to be influenced by fear. But I wanted her to feel comfortable what what happened, though, as a result of that, and was a lesson for me. I got contacted several years later one time, specifically when I went to Kansas City to do a speech, and a woman said she wanted to come and hear me because she had come into the stairwell just after, or as we were passing her floor, which was, I think, the 54th floor. Then she said, I heard you just praising your dog and being very calm. And she said, I and other people just decided we're going to follow you down the stairs. And it was, it was a great lesson to understand that staying focused, no matter what the fear level was, really otherwise, staying focused and encouraging was a much more positive thing to do, and today, people still don't imagine how, in a sense, comet was going down the stairs, which doesn't mean that people weren't afraid. But several of us worked to really keep panic out of the stairwell as we were going down. My friend David did he panicked, but then he. He walked a floor below me and started shouting up to me whatever he saw on the stairwell, and that was really for his benefit. He said to have something to do other than thinking about what was going on, because he was getting pretty scared about it. But what David did by shouting up to me was he acted as a focal point for anyone on the stairs who could hear him, and they would hear him say things like, Hey, Mike, I'm at the 43rd floor. All's good here. Everyone who could hear him had someone on the stairs who was focused, sounded calm, and that they could listen to to know that everybody was okay, which was so cool, and   Alex Fullick ** 45:38 that that probably helped them realize, okay, we're in the right direction. We're going the right way. Someone is, you know, sending a positive comments. So if, if we've got, you know, three, if he's three floors below us, we know at least on the next three floors, everything is okay.   Michael Hingson ** 45:56 Well, even if they didn't know where he wasn't right, but even if he they didn't know where he was in relation to them, the fact is, they heard somebody on the stairs saying, I'm okay, yeah, whether he felt it, he did sound it all the way down the stairs. Yeah, and I know that he was panicking, because he did it originally, but he got over that. I snapped at him. I just said, Stop it, David, if Rosell and I can go down these stairs, so can you. And then he did. He focused, and I'm sure that he had to have helped 1000s of people going down the stairs, and helped with his words, keeping them calm.   Alex Fullick ** 46:32 Yeah, yeah. It makes a difference, you know. Like I said earlier, you doesn't mean you're still not afraid. Doesn't mean that, you know, you're not aware of the negative situation around you. It's and you can't change it, but you can change, like I said earlier, you can change how you respond to it. You can be in control that way, right? And that's eventually what, what he did, and you you were, you know, you were controlled going downstairs, you know, with with your guide dog, and with all these people following you, and because of the way you were, like, then they were following you, yeah, and they remained calm. It's like there's someone calling up from below who's safe. I can hear that. I'm listening to Michael. He'll tell his dog how well behaved they are. And he's going down calmly. Okay, you know, I can do this. And they start calming down,   Michael Hingson ** 47:28 yeah, what's the riskiest thing you've ever done? Oh, word. Must have taken a risk somewhere in the world, other than public speaking. Oh, yeah, public speaking.   Alex Fullick ** 47:40 I still get nervous the first minute. I'm still nervous when I go up, but you get used to it after a while. But that first minute, yeah, I'm nervous. Oh, that there's, I have a fear of heights and the so the the two, two things that still surprised me that I did is I climbed the Sydney bridge, Harbor Bridge, and, oh, there's another bridge. Where is it? Is it a Brisbane? They're both in Australia. Anyway. Climb them both and have a fear of heights. But I thought, no, I gotta, I gotta do this. You know, I can't be afraid of this my entire life. And I kept seeing all these people go up there in groups, you know, on tours. And so I said, Okay, I'm going to do this. And I was shaking nervous like crazy, and went, What if I fall off, you know, and there's so many different measures in place for to keep you safe. But that that was risky, you know, for me, it felt risky. I was exhilarated when I did it. Though, would you do it again? Oh, yeah, in a heartbeat. Now, there you go. I'm still afraid of heights, but I would do that again because I just felt fantastic. The other I guess going out and being self employed years ago was another risky thing. I had no idea, you know about incorporating myself, and, you know, submitting taxes, you know, business taxes, and, you know, government documents and all this and that, and invoicing and things like that. I had no idea about that. So that was kind of risky, because I had no idea how long I'd be doing it. Well, I started in what 2007, 2007, I think so, 18 years, yeah, so now it's like, I can't imagine myself not doing it, you know, so I'm but I'm always willing to try something new these days. You know, even starting the podcast seven and a half years ago was risky, right? I had no idea. Nobody was talking about my industry or resilience or business continuity or anything back then, I was the first one doing it, and I'm the longest one doing it. Um, I've outlived a lot of people who thought they could do it. I'm still going. So that started out risky, but now I. Imagine not doing it, yeah, you know. And you know, it's, you know, I guess it's, it's just fun to keep trying new things. You know, I keep growing and, you know, I've got other plans in the works. I can't give anything away, but, you know, I've got other plans to try. And they'll, they'll be risky as well. But it's like,   Michael Hingson ** 50:21 no, let's go for it. Have you ever done skydiving or anything like that? No, I haven't done that. I haven't either. I know some blind people who have, but I just, I've never done that. I wouldn't   Alex Fullick ** 50:32 mind it. It's that might be one of those lines where should I? I'm not sure about this one, you know, but it is something that I I think I wouldn't do it on my own. I think I would have to be one of those people who's connected with someone else, with someone   Michael Hingson ** 50:51 else, and that's usually the way blind people do it, needless to say, but, and that's fine, I just have never done it. I haven't ever had a need to do it, but I know I can sit here and say, I'm not afraid to do it. That is, I could do it if it came along, if there was a need to do it, but I don't. I don't have a great need to make that happen. But you know, I've had enough challenges in my life. As I tell people, I think I learned how to deal with surprises pretty early, because I've been to a lot of cities and like, like Boston used to have a rep of being a very accident prone city. Just the way people drive, I could start to cross the street and suddenly I hear a car coming around the corner, and I have to move one way or the other and draw a conclusion very quickly. Do I back up or do I go forward? Because the car is not doing what it's supposed to do, which is to stop, and I have to deal with that. So I think those kinds of experiences have helped me learn to deal with surprise a little bit too.   Alex Fullick ** 51:52 Yeah, well, with the skydiving, I don't think I'd go out of my way to do it, but exactly came along, I think I would, you know, just for the thrill of saying, I did it,   Michael Hingson ** 52:03 I did it, yeah, I went ice skating once, and I sprained my ankle as we were coming off the ice after being on the ice for three hours. And I haven't gone ice skating again since. I'm not really afraid to, but I don't need to do it. I've done it. I understand what it feels like. Yeah, yeah. So it's okay. Have you had any really significant aha moments in your life, things that just suddenly, something happened and went, Ah, that's that's what that is, or whatever.   Alex Fullick ** 52:30 Well, it does happen at work a lot, dealing with clients and people provide different perspectives, and you just, Oh, that's interesting, though, that happens all the time. Aha moments. Sometimes they're not always good. Aha moments, yeah, like the one I always remember that the most is when I wrote my first book, heads in the sand. I was so proud of it, and, you know, excited and sent off all these letters and marketing material to all the chambers of commerce across Canada, you know, thinking that, you know, everyone's going to want me to speak or present or buy my book. Well, ah, it doesn't happen that way. You know, I got no responses. But that didn't stop me from writing seven more books and working on nine. Now, there you go, but it was that was kind of a negative aha moment so, but I just learned, okay, that's not the way I should be doing that.   Michael Hingson ** 53:34 Put you in your place, but that's fair. I kind   Alex Fullick ** 53:37 of, I laugh at it now, a joke, but you know, aha, things you know, I You never know when they're going to happen.   Michael Hingson ** 53:47 No, that's why they're Aha, yeah.   Alex Fullick ** 53:51 And one of one, I guess another one would have been when I worked out first went out on my own. I had a manager who kept pushing me like, go, go work for yourself. You know this better than a lot of other people. Go, go do this. And I was too nervous. And then I got a phone call from a recruiting agency who was offering me a role to do where I wanted to take this company, but that I was working for full time for that weren't ready to go. They weren't ready yet. And it was kind of an aha moment of, do I stay where I am and maybe not be happy? Or have I just been given an opportunity to go forward? So when I looked at it that way, it did become an aha moment, like, Ah, here's my path forward. Yeah, so, you know. And that was way back in 2007 or or so somewhere around there, you know. So the aha moments can be good. They can be bad, and, you know, but as long as you learn from them, that's exactly   Michael Hingson ** 54:57 right. The that's the neat thing about. Aha moments. You don't expect them, but they're some of the best learning opportunities that you'll ever get.   Alex Fullick ** 55:06 Yeah, yeah, I agree completely, because you never know that. That's the nice thing, and I think that's also part of what I do when I'm working with so many different people of different levels is they all have different experiences. They all have different backgrounds. You they can all be CEOs, but they all come from a different direction and different backgrounds. So they're all going to be offering something new that's going to make you sit there and go, Oh, yeah. And thought of that before,   Michael Hingson ** 55:38 yeah. So that's, that's so cool, yeah,   Alex Fullick ** 55:42 but you have to, you know, be able to listen and pick up on those kind of things.   Michael Hingson ** 55:46 But you've been very successful. What are some of the secrets of success that that that you've discovered, or that you put to use?   Alex Fullick ** 55:55 For me, I'll put it bluntly, shut up and listen.   Michael Hingson ** 55:59 There you are. Yeah. Well, that is so true. That's true. Yeah.   Alex Fullick ** 56:03 I think I've learned more by just using my two ears rather than my one mouth, instead of telling people everything they you should be doing. And you know, this is what I think you should do. And like talking at people, it's so much better just talk with people, and then they'll, even if you're trying to, you know, really, really, really, get them to see your side, they will come onto your side easier and probably better if you let them realize it themselves. So you just listen, and you ask the odd probing question, and eventually comes around, goes, Oh, yeah, I get it. What you mean now by doing this and going, Yeah, that's where I was going. I guess I just wasn't saying it right, you know. And have being humble enough to, you know, even though I, I know I did say it right, maybe I just wasn't saying it right to that person, to that person, yeah, right way. So listening to them, and, you know, I think, is one of the big keys to success for me, it has, you know, and I've learned twice as much that way. And maybe that's why I enjoy answering people on the podcast, is because I ask a couple of questions and then just let people talk,   Michael Hingson ** 57:18 which is what makes it fun. Yeah,   Alex Fullick ** 57:21 yeah. It's sometimes it's fun to just sit there, not say anything, just let someone else do all the talking.   Michael Hingson ** 57:29 What you know your industry is, I would assume, evolved and changed over the years. What are some of the major changes, some of the ways that the industry has evolved. You've been in it a long time, and certainly, business continuity, disaster recovery, whatever you want to call it, has, in some sense, has become a little bit more of a visible thing, although I think people, as both said earlier, ignore it a lot. But how's the industry changed over time?   Alex Fullick ** 57:54 Well, when I started, it was before y 2k, yes, 96 and back then, when I first started, everything was it focused. If your mainframe went down, your computer broke. That's the direction everyone came from. And then it was you added business continuity on top of that. Okay, now, what do we do with our business operations. You know, other things we can do manually while they fix the computer or rebuild the mainframe. And then it went to, okay, well, let's bring in, you know, our help desk. You know, who people call I've got a problem with a computer, and here's our priority and severity. Okay, so we'll get, we'll respond to your query in 12 hours, because it's only one person, but if there's 10 people who have the issue, now it becomes six hours and bringing in those different aspects. So we went from it disaster recovery to business continuity to then bringing in other disciplines and linking to them, like emergency management, crisis management, business continuity, incident management, cyber, information security. Now we've got business continuity management, you know, bringing all these different teams together and now, or at least on some level, not really integrating very well with each other, but just having an awareness of each other, then we've moved to operational resilience, and again, that buzzword where all these teams do have to work together and understand what each other is delivering and the value of each of them. And so it just keeps growing in that direction where it started off with rebuild a mainframe to getting everybody working together to keep your operations going, to keep your partners happy, to keep your customers happy. You know, ensuring life safety is priority number one. When, when I started, life safety was, wasn't really thrown into the business continuity realm that much. It was always the focus on the business. So the these. The sky, the size and scope has gotten a lot bigger and more encompassing of other areas. And I wouldn't necessarily all call that business continuity, you know it, but it is. I see business continuity as a the hub and a wheel, rather than a spoke, to bring all the different teams together to help them understand, you know, hey, here's, here's how you've Incident Management, you know, help desk, service desk, here's how you help the Disaster Recovery Team. Here's how you can help the cyber team. Cyber, here's how you can actually help this team, you know, and being able to understand. And that's where the biggest change of things is going is now, more and more people are understanding how they really need to work together, rather than a silo, which you know, a lot of organizations still do, but it's those walls are starting to come down, because they can understand no One can do it alone. You have to work together with your internal departments, leadership, data analysts, who have to be able to figure out how to rebuild data, or your third parties. We need to talk with them. We have to have a relationship with them our supply chain, and understand where they're going, what they have in place, if we or they experience something. So it's definitely grown in size and scope   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:27 well, and we're seeing enough challenges that I think some people are catching on to the fact that they have to learn to work together, and they have to think in a broader base than they have in the past, and that's probably a good thing. Yeah, well, if, if you had the opportunity, what would you tell the younger Alex?   Alex Fullick ** 1:01:50 Run, run for the hills. Yeah, really, no, seriously, I kind of mentioned a couple of them already. Don't sweat the small things. You know, sometimes, yeah, and I think that comes down to our mindset thing as well. You know, understand your priorities and what's important. If it's not a priority or important, don't sweat it. Don't be afraid to take risks if you if you do your planning, whether it be jumping out of a plane or whatever, you know the first thing you want to do is what safety measures are in place to ensure that my jump will be successful. You know, those kind of things. Once you understand that, then you can make knowledgeable decisions. Don't be afraid to take those risks. And it's one of the big things. It's it's okay to fail, like I said about the book thing where you all those that marketing material I sent out, it's okay to fail. Learn from it. Move on. I can laugh at those kind of things now. You know, for years, I couldn't I was really like, oh my god, what I do wrong? It's like, No, I didn't do anything wrong. It just wasn't the right time. Didn't do it the right way. Okay, fine, move on. You know, you know, don't be afraid to fail. If, if you, if you fail and get up, well then is it really a failure? You learned, you got back up and you kept going. And that's the part of resilience too, right? Yeah, if you trip and fall, you get up and keep going. But if you trip and fall and stay down, well then maybe you are   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:30 failing. That's the failure. I mean, the reality is that it isn't failure if you learn from it and move on. It was something that set you back, but that's okay, yeah,   Alex Fullick ** 1:03:41 my my favorite band, Marillion, has a line in one of their songs rich. Failure isn't about falling down. Failure is staying down. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:50 I would agree with that. Completely agree   Alex Fullick ** 1:03:53 with it. He'll stand by it. W

Clark Fredericks is a motivational speaker, author, and advocate who survived horrific childhood sexual abuse by a former Boy Scout leader and Sheriff, Dennis Pegg, in New Jersey. Today, Clark joins us in the tent to discuss his upcoming book “Scarred: A Memoir of a Childhood Stolen and a Life Reclaimed” which will be releasing on July 29. Clark walks us through the timeline of childhood tragedy, vengeance by stabbing and killing his abuser, recovery, and advocacy. Welcome to Camp

Lock and load, doves: this is SWIMFANS: FULL CLIP! In the first installment of Action Movie Summer, we're talking buddy pairs, evil gay guys and powerful divorced energy in 1991's THE LAST BOY SCOUT! swimfanspod.com patreon.com/swimfans

Look, up in the sky! It's a billboard, for a new Superman movie! And to celebrate, we're spending this summer talking all about the big blue Boy Scout, but we're not talking about his adventures on the silver screen, we're talking about all the different versions that appeared right in your very home! We're kicking off going all the way back to the 1950s and one of the very first superhero tv shows to appear. Do not adjust your TV set, this IS in black and white. But does it hold up? Listen and find out!

Once a first-rate Secret Service agent, Joe Hallenbeck (Bruce Willis) is now a gruff private investigator whose latest gig is protecting a pole dancer (Halle Berry). When she's murdered, he grudgingly teams up with her boyfriend, Jimmy Dix (Damon Wayans), an ex-quarterback with a gambling problem, and the two go after her killers. Before long, they stumble onto a plot by a well-known football magnate (Noble Willingham) to bribe federal legislators into legalizing sports gambling.

In this recap, Lesley and Brad reflect on their convo with Aletta Rochat, a trailblazing and executive presence coach, who shares what it really takes to show up with confidence. Together they unpack why owning your strengths—and saying no when it matters—can shift how you lead, speak, and connect with others. With this episode, you'll leave feeling grounded, energized, and ready to give yourself full permission to belong. If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co.And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:The real-world script for gracefully exiting client relationships.Why permission and belonging unlock authentic confidence.The danger of saying yes out of guilt or reflex.The difference between reaction and intentional action.Why your greatest strengths may be things you take for granted.Episode References/Links:OPC Summer Tour https://opc.me/eventsOPC UK Mullet Tour https://opc.me/uk eLevate Mentorship Program - https://lesleylogan.co/elevatewaitlistPilates Income Accelerator … prfit.biz/accelerator Cambodia October 2025 Waitlist - https://crowsnestretreats.comAletta Rochat Website - https://www.alettarochat.comFemGevity - https://www.femgevityhealth.com/?via=lesleyCliftonStrengths by Gallup - https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/ Resources:·        Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-g·        Lesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/·        Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/·        Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/·        Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQ·        Profitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/ Follow Us on Social Media:·        Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/·        The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-g·        Facebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilates·        LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/·        The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Brad Crowell 0:00  Because we don't recognize this as a strength, we hold back articulating our value. We don't identify that we have something that most people might not have, and that becomes our superpower. Lesley Logan 0:13  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Lesley Logan 0:55  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap where my co-host in life, Brad, and I are going to dig into the emboldening convo I had with Aletta Rochat in our last episode. If you haven't yet listened to that episode yet, you are missing out. She's amazing. She's a badass. You're gonna wanna listen to it after you listen to this one, if you can just go back into your feed. I mean, she's the first president-elect who's a female for the International Toastmasters. Brad Crowell 1:19  Yeah, international president-elect, yeah. Lesley Logan 1:21  Insane, amazing. And that's not even what she went to school for, or thought she'd be doing. So I just think it's great. We'll get into her in just a second. But first, today is May 29th 2025 and it's World Digestive Health Day. World Digestive Health Day is celebrated every year on May 29th around the world. I think it's really funny whenever they describe the day, and then the description is the same thing with the words. Brad Crowell 1:44  Yeah, it's also like today is May 29th. On May 29th we celebrate. Yes.Lesley Logan 1:51  The holiday provides resources and tools for gastrointestinal (G.I.) diseases to help more people in the general public make better decisions around their health. Awareness can lead to early diagnosis and treatment of G.I. diseases including cancer. It should also be known that G.I. diseases can lead to obesity. It can also create more understanding and better support for patients experiencing digestive diseases when their issues and conditions are better understood by the general public. I just think it's so important, if you are dealing with some stomach stuff, most people are not realizing how long they've been dealing with it, and it can lead to, as I mentioned, diseases, cancer, crazy stuff. You can have an imbalance of hormones, your mind, your actual mindset, how you feel, your emotions, are related to your gut, and if your gut biome is a fucking mess, and then you are also like, why does the world hate me? No amount of therapy is going to help you if your gut is telling your brain some other things. And so I highly, highly recommend, if you've got gut stuff going on, go advocate for yourself. If your G.P. is not listening to you, go talk to somebody else. We just had someone come to the house, which blew our mind. Our crappy insurance sent works to the company, and that company came to our house and literally sat down was like, what doctor referrals do you need? And I was like, oh, you can do that for me? And so you all know from over the last year how much FemGevity helped me with my gut stuff. Like, it's been really amazing to know the difference between like, I'm not feeling awesome, and, oh, this is my gut problem and. Brad Crowell 3:22  But it still doesn't change the fact that you have to go to a doctor locally to get blood drawn or things like that, right? Lesley Logan 3:28  Yeah, you still have to go do stuff, yeah? Well, FemGevity sends something to you, but you don't have to use it, like, you have to go, like, it is annoying to go advocate yourself. It is annoying to feel like you're crazy. It's annoying to feel like you're not being listened to. But literally, if you have H. Pylori, and you let it go on its own thing, it can lead to cancer, okay? If you have other things, it can lead like you don't get to ignore your gut, you don't get to. So I'm really excited that this day has its own day, which is May 29th, and it's a world holiday. Brad Crowell 3:56  It's a world holiday. Lesley Logan 3:58  Go talk to your G.I. about your shit, like literal shit. Okay, OPC Summer Tour tickets.Brad Crowell 4:06  Don't tell us about your shit when we meet you on tour. Lesley Logan 4:09  No, please don't. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to talk about my shit. I don't want to hear about your shit. But do you want to go on the West Coast tour? The tickets are already available. I actually don't even know how many cities we're going to at the time that we're recording this, but the team does.Brad Crowell 4:22  I haven't actually. Lesley Logan 4:22  We are, here's what I do know, we are spending a fuck ton of time and money to cross the border and go to Canada. So we are finally adding an international options to our West Coast tour. And so you're going to definitely want to the other Canada stops and or I know that we're hitting when I say West Coast, I mean California, Oregon, Washington. I know that we are hoping to do Idaho and Utah. Obviously while we're recording this, I don't have it in front of me, but I do know that the tickets sell fast, because our seventh tour, which is our winter tour, our last one, had literal cities sell out in 24 hours. So go to opc.me/events to see all the locations. Next up is September. We're going to be in the U.K. We have two cities with two day events at each one, Leeds and Essex.Brad Crowell 5:06  Nineteen.Lesley Logan 5:08  19 cities? Brad Crowell 5:08  I think we're on track for 19 cities with classes. Lesley Logan 5:12  Cool. Brad Crowell 5:12  Yeah, on the Summer Tour. Lesley Logan 5:13  Okay, well, thank you. So now we're on to Essex and Leeds and so this is our business in the front, Pilates in the back event, and it's two days long. Super fun, super affordable. You get six workshops, two classes for 550 pounds. Brad Crowell 5:29  I mean, it's kind of a steal, not a lot, yeah. Lesley Logan 5:32  Yeah, it's nuts, it's insane, and it's really fun. We get to spend a lot of time together, and the space is really limited and Leeds is like (inaudible).Brad Crowell 5:38  I think it's 485 pounds, 400, it's like 500 pounds. Somewhere around. Lesley Logan 5:41  Oh, maybe it's only 500 pounds. Brad Crowell 5:42  Yeah, because this is exchange thingy, so I can't remember exactly, but. Lesley Logan 5:46  Don't, don't listen to either of us quote a price. Just go to opc.me/uk. Brad Crowell 5:51  Yes. Lesley Logan 5:51  Because the early bird is over, but they're still a deal. Because the actual events, if we were to charge you for each one by itself, is like 2000 pounds, it was something ridiculous. Brad Crowell 5:59  That's way, way, way, way, way more. So yeah. Lesley Logan 6:02  So, opc.me/uk for the Leeds event or the Essex event. Leeds only has 16 spots, and I know we only have four left at the time we're recording this and then (inaudible).Brad Crowell 6:11  And it's not just Lesley who will be teaching, it'll be me, too. I'm actually gonna be there helping out. We're gonna do a couple of business life workshops, and then we're gonna do four Pilates workshops where you're digging into actual Pilates stuff, then I'm not teaching those. And then Lesley is also going to do a couple of classes and all the things, and then we're going to hang and, you know, all of it's going to be a blast, so. Lesley Logan 6:32  It's going to be so fun. And here's the deal, if you're like, oh, I'll go to the next U.K., I'm already in talks. Brad Crowell 6:37  Literally don't know when that's going to be. Lesley Logan 6:38  Yeah, I'm already in talks with several other countries that are across the world. And to be honest, Brad and I actually do like living in Vegas. So we are no longer doing multiple 12 hour flights in a year, just like not a thing for us. So I don't know that we'll hit the U.K. in the next two years after this. Brad Crowell 6:57  Yeah, at least.Lesley Logan 6:57  Even though that Brad loves it, we'd be there for vacation and not for work. So opc.me/UK is where you get your tickets there. What else, Brad? Brad Crowell 7:04  Okay, next up we got eLevate, y'all. If you've not heard of it, it's Lesley's Pilates mentorship program. It's a nine-month program, and you should do it, because it's going to change the way that you teach in incredibly dramatic way. You're going to feel way more confident about everything. People who take this program have told us they've stopped class planning. Their voices are not shot by the end of the day. They are not afraid of a random client walking in the door that they wouldn't necessarily know what to do with or prepare for. They don't have to do those things anymore, because when you go through this program, what you're going to do is you're going to dig in to all the different pieces of equipment, okay? And you're not just like learning exercises on them, although you will do that, you will learn everything that Lesley learned from Jay Grimes over the more than 10 years she studied with him and with Sandy Shimoda. You are actually going to be connecting the dots across the pieces of equipment that is going to allow you to understand why are you doing this thing with this person on the chair? Why would you then take them over to the barrels and do this other thing over there? And then, you know, because ultimately, you're understanding what their goals are, and then you can create the path through the equipment and through the exercises for them to reach their goals. Okay, how cool is that for you to just be able to understand that and not necessarily have to, like, go hit your books and be like, oh, I can't remember what I need to do with this person. No, when you go through elevate this stuff really comes together. And the the amount of confidence that has brought the people who have finished, which at this point, we got about 50 grads and 25 more people going through it this year. It's just been overwhelming feedback and in a positive way. And we want you to come. We're gonna do just the workout. Come get you know, move with Lesley, and then hang out afterwards. We're gonna do a Q&A talk all about eLevate. We are literally more than 50% sold out for 2026 so there's not that many spots left, but to find out about when this class is going to happen, go to lesleylogan.co/elevatewaitlist elevatewaitlist.Lesley Logan 9:09  I love this program so much. It's so much fun, and I'm really excited because next year we are going to do the two, two rounds again. We're not going to do it for the following year. This is the last time we can really commit to doing that, mostly because we just had so many people interested. We really, really didn't want you to wait. So we opened up another section, and like Brad said, it's almost sold out. It's just one of my favorite things. I get to spend so much time with you guys, and you, the progression, and then also, when you graduate, you're in the alumni group, and then I get to and then we're still together, and I'm still watching people elevate it's just (inaudible).Brad Crowell 9:25  We actually have a smaller group inside of the alumni who all virtually get together once a week to take an OPC class together and encourage each other and just get their movement. Lesley Logan 9:51  From around the world. Brad Crowell 9:52  From around the world. It's super cool. You know, we didn't set that up. They set it up. It's awesome. Anyway you want to be at this class. Go to lesleylogan.co/elevatewaitlist that'll be this summer. Brad Crowell 10:04  All right, next up, we got the Pilates Income Accelerator. If you are taking money from any person to teach them anything, whether that's Pilates or yoga or whatever, probably Pilates, because of who our audience usually is, I want you to come to this free workshop that I'm doing called the Pilates Income Accelerator. Go to prfit.biz/accelerator that's profit without the O dot biz slash accelerator. We're going to be covering three major secrets, about mindset, about money, about the numbers, and about marketing, and the messaging, the language you're using. We're going to be digging into those things, and then afterwards, I'm going to be able to answer questions about your business. So you can send in a question early, and I'll have it prepared so I can read through these questions and make sure everybody gets some kind of an answer here. I want you to come. It's free. You should do it. So go to prfit.biz/accelerator. Finally, Les, where are we going in October?Lesley Logan 10:59  Crowsnestretreats.com that's where we're going. We're going to our house in Siem Reap we have a lovely retreat planned for you. Oh my goodness. It's so wonderful. It's so cozy. It's a small group that can attend this event. We do Pilates five days. We go to the temples for two days. We take you to a lotus farm. We take you on a water tour. You get massages, and you also get to, like, really figure out what it is that you want when you leave, when you go home from the retreat. Brad Crowell 11:26  Yeah, so those are all what are we doing, but why would they go? Lesley Logan 11:30  Oh, I mean, because you're gonna feel like a freaking rock star when you come back, like you're actually gonna feel so good, you're gonna feel like you actually were in wonderment for a week. Wouldn't you like to get in wonderment for a week? I think so.Brad Crowell 11:43  Yeah. Wonder. Lesley Logan 11:45  Why do you think? Brad Crowell 11:46  When you think about Angkor Wat, it does create that intense curiosity, that wonder. How was it possible that they did what they did 1000 years ago, and for it to still be standing today, with all this epic, intricate carvings and all this stuff. You know, when you go on a journey like this, it's an adventure. You get to meet other amazing, adventurous people. We've also had, similar to eLevate, we've had retreaters stay connected afterwards. We've had like group retreat calls afterwards. We've had retreaters come back, bringing other people, because it was so inspirational. Lesley Logan 12:24  This coming one in October has someone from the last one, and then someone she's bringing her friend. And then last October, we had someone coming for the second year in a row, so like, just fun. Brad Crowell 12:34  Three or four times now, you know, yeah, we've had it happen over the years. Lesley Logan 12:38  It's a true like, when we hear the word retreat, it's like a true retreat. You get to really turn off what's going on in the world and focus on you and being in awe.Brad Crowell 12:47  Yeah, that's what's in it for you, y'all and you should join us. Go to crowsnestretreats.com. Before we get to Aletta, we have an audience question but. Lesley Logan 12:55  Yes, okay, I'm hijacking the questions again. Brad Crowell 12:57  Yeah, before you ask the question, I'm just gonna give it a quick preface. We spent the better part of a year building a tool that allows you to effectively have your own internal Google search situation going on through an AI tool that allows you to understand all the answers that Lesley and I have been giving to people for the past 10 years of coaching for fitness business. We call it the Pocket LL. And this tool, it was trained on 10 million words, where blog posts, webinars, courses, coaching, calls, group coaching calls, all these things where we're answering all these questions. And then we compiled it all into this insane database. And then we've got this awesome tool that you get to use when you're an Agency member. And today, we wanted to feature a question anonymously. We're not going to say the person's name, but we're going to feature a question that somebody actually asked the Pocket LL, so here you go.Lesley Logan 13:48  Yeah, so I have a problem client that gives me anxiety every time she comes in, but I owe her another six sessions in her 10 back. How do I fire her? Brad Crowell 13:57  That is, that's tough. Lesley Logan 13:58  And Pocket LL, said firing a client is never easy, but it's often necessary for your peace of mind and the health of your business. The image you see here captures an essential truth, it will never feel good to fire a client, but the sooner you take action, the fewer issues you'll have. Holding onto a problematic client can cost you more than just your sanity. It can affect your energy, your other clients and even your team. Here's how you can handle this gracefully. One, acknowledge sessions owed. You can refund the remaining six sessions or offer them to another instructor if you have one available, this ensures you're honoring the financial commitment without continuing the relationship. Two, be direct, but kind, say something like, thank you so much for working with me. I've realized that I'm no longer the best fit for your Pilates journey. I'd be happy to recommend another instructor or studio that might suit your needs better. Three, stick to your boundaries. If this client has been violating your policies or creating undue stress, don't feel obligated to explain or justify your decision. As I said before, you're not going to convince crazy. Keep it professional and move forward. I love when she quotes herself, which is me. Brad Crowell 15:00  You're not gonna convince crazy. That is amazing.Lesley Logan 15:03  I know. I mean, like I said that, so that's what I love about this. Okay. Four, prepare for pushback. Some clients may try to argue or guilt you into staying. Stay firm. Remember, you're creating space for better clients who respect your time and energy. And number five, focus on the opportunity. Once this client is gone, you'll have room for someone who uplifts you and aligns with your business values. Trust that the universe will fill that space with someone amazing. And then she always prompts with other questions. If you want to continue the conversation or you can just go start it's all good. Brad Crowell 15:32  Yep. Yeah. I mean, listening to those answers, I actually know the story behind every piece of that answer, because it's multiple conversations, over multiple calls, over multiple years, over multiple courses. And it's amazing that this, this tool is a, this search tool, is able to gather all that information and turn around and present it to you in a way that is cohesive, concise, and also you can actually use to take action. So. Lesley Logan 15:57  And it's and it's from all the years of experience of coaching thousands of businesses, and also all of my years of being and everything in this industry you could be. So I just really am so proud of the Pocket LL. And I do go through once a week and edit anything. And I'll, first, I stick with the things where people trigger an alert, because you could say avocado, if she makes sense to you. And then also I'll just go through for quality control and just read some of our answers. Sometimes I add another sentence because I'm like, oh, here's another idea. You know, now that I'm this many more years or I've helped this many more people, so it's always evolving. It's always getting better, and it's there for you no matter where you live in the world, as long as you're an Agency member. Brad Crowell 16:36  Yep, yeah. So if you're interested in what that even means, what that is, come to my free webinar like I was talking about go to prfit.biz/accelerator we will talk about Agency at the end, before I answer questions and come check it out.Lesley Logan 16:48  And then also, we'll go back to answering the questions you send in. I just wanted to hijack it because it's my podcast. Brad Crowell 16:53  I love it. I love it. All right. Well, stick around we'll be right back. We're going to dig into the conversation you have with Aletta Rochat. It was very inspirational. She is really good at bringing out excellence in people, so we'll be right back. Brad Crowell 17:09  All right. Welcome back. Let's talk about Aletta Rochat. Aletta is a public speaking coach and executive presence mentor based in Cape Town, South Africa. So an executive presence mentor, okay? She coached and trained in 21 countries, and will soon become the first woman from Africa the and only the 10th woman in 100 years to be the international president of Toastmasters International. So the 10th woman in the in what the last 100 years. She helps clients become more confident presenters by communicating with clarity, owning their presidents and reclaiming their sense of belonging. She also has been involved with Toastmasters since 2008. She has gone through all their educational material, and she's like the highest educator that they certify all the things she actually had a really great story about how she started to realize public speaking became like her survival mechanism, and then how it went on to now become her, you know, how she's supporting others succeed. I thought that was pretty cool. Lesley Logan 18:10  I also just, you know, like you like you hear, I heard about Toastmasters, like. Brad Crowell 18:14  I've heard about it so many times and I've never done, I don't even know what it was. Lesley Logan 18:16  And you kind of think like, oh, it's kind of like a Moose Club, like the Moose Lodge. Like, it's just, you know what I mean, but it's not, it's like, still going so strong, and it's helping a lot of people.Brad Crowell 18:26  She said they're in 150 countries. Lesley Logan 18:27  Yeah and it made me go all the people who are like, I need a friend. Go to fucking Toastmasters. Like, hear their stories. You'll connect. Yeah, you have to publicly speak, but you're gonna be around people.Brad Crowell 18:37  Well, she said you're guaranteed claps and guaranteed support, or you're guaranteed an audience and you're guaranteed claps. Lesley Logan 18:43  It sounds better than AA, where you also get both of those. I just think it sounds amazing. I'm so excited we're gonna highlight this. She said, "I show up differently when I think I belong." And she said that someone once told her, remember that you belong. That phrase helped her stay relaxed and be more spontaneous and likely to share her ideas. And I think that that's so important because for her to be where she's at in, in the world, but also in Toastmasters, each time she leveled up, there'd be, like, a reason to go, oh my God, who let me in here? They're gonna find out, like Maya Angelou is like, someone's gonna find out that I don't know what I'm doing. But if you remember that you belong, it changes how you show up. And you show up willing to be more yourself, which is going to allow you to connect with more people. And it's just so, so important. Brad Crowell 19:32  Well, I think also not only the vibes, the vibes are weird when you feel like you don't belong, but when you feel like you belong, you will approach the group, the conversation, the experience, in a much different way, because you're gonna participate. I mean, honestly, that's like the biggest thing. When you feel like you belong, you feel like you're allowed to participate, and if you feel like you don't belong, what do you do? You stand there and listen. You don't talk, you don't do anything. So I thought it was really, also, like, amazing that advice, hey, remember that you do belong. Remember that you do and she said, this was instantaneously a life-changing statement for her. Lesley Logan 20:11  Yeah. And so she even said, even though it wasn't a Be It Action Item yet, she said, "If you belong, how would you show up? How would you speak up?" And she says, like, it's like a fundamental building block of confidence and executive presence. And I just thought, yeah, we need to put that on our mirrors everywhere we can read them before we walk into a room where it's new for us. We're feeling a little nervous. I just thought was brilliant.Brad Crowell 20:32  I really dug in when she was talking about when to say yes, because you, you were asking her, it's like, wow, you seem willing to say yes to things. And she said, to my own detriment, sometimes I've said yes when I shouldn't have, but she said, the worst thing you could do is say yes to something that you don't want to do. And she was talking about, I think her example was like the Boy Scout troop, they asked her to do some specific role and and she said, thanks, but that's not the right role for me. I you know, she said there was nothing about it that lit me on fire, nothing that was exciting in any way to me, and to other people it might be really exciting, but for her, it wasn't. And she she said something very specific. She said when you say yes to something that you don't want to do, you literally start off building resentment from the, from day one. Lesley Logan 21:19  Yeah, she's correct. Honestly, I can look back going to the question, like, how do we fire a client? I remember taking the check going, I don't really want to teach her. And then the moment she texts me the next week, can I change my time? I'm like, like, it was, like a zero to 60 resentment, as opposed to someone I was really fired up to teach but like, oh yeah, this is your first time. We can do it, but not after that, you know. So she is 100%.Brad Crowell 21:44  Yeah, that was so poignant that she identified the resentment factor right out of the gate, you know. And we, why do we say yes to things that we don't want to do? Probably because we feel stuck, you know, like we feel like we have to. We feel like we're, you know, social pressure, guilt, money, something. There's underlying fear there that is making us do it. Could be family. That's like forcing us to do it, and it just builds that resentment. She said it should be both sides of the coin. You want to say yes because you want to do it and you also want to learn. I mean, what are the stories we tell ourselves? I have to say yes because I'm the right person for the job. I have the most experience. I just have to do it. No one else is going to do it, so I'm going to do it. These are a lot of reasons why we say yes, but we don't want to. Ultimately, it's important to offer service. I'm not arguing that we shouldn't be serving people, but even that service should be also doing something for you.Lesley Logan 22:37  Yeah, because you won't show up the same you just won't show up the same way. And I had someone who we actually really love and support in a lot of ways financially, and they'd ask me to be on a board. And if you guys have ever been around me, you know I've been on a board before I got burned. It was traumatizing. It was a whole thing. And I was like, I'll never be on an unpaid board again. And of course, I get this invite to apply. And I was like, there's a part of me is like, oh, they want me. And then I was like, oh, I can't do this. And then I was like, oh, I'm gonna let them down. I have, I know they need someone. Maybe I could do it if it's just, like, this much time a week, I was literally doing like, mental gymnastics to figure out how to say yes to the thing I already knew would not be the right thing. And then it took me forever to write up a thank you. But no, thank you. And you know what they said? We totally understand and thank you for being so honest. We don't want anyone to do this because they feel obligated, you know, and know that the door's always open if you, if anything ever changes and I was just like, oh, it could be that simple. It could be that simple. And honestly, if they'd answered any other way, I've been like, we're so disappointed. That is a fucking red flag to run away from. But if they're willing to be grateful, and you know, if they asked me, like, Who else do you do you know anyone else who could be right for this? I would have absolutely sent them some people, you know. So I just think that, like you can also see the true colors of the person if you're, if you're being authentically honest about whether you can say yes or no. Brad Crowell 24:09  I was laughing when she started to, to, she basically said, if you have helium hand, where just your hand goes up and you can't seem to stop it. I was laughing. I was like, what did she say? I literally rewound it. Listened to it twice. She said she's now learned to sit in her hands every now and again. So, good for her. And she said, you know, just make sure saying yes is not a reaction or a reflex reaction, but it's a concerted action. It's a decision that you're making. So awesome. Brad Crowell 24:37  Well anyway, great takeaways right there from Aletta. Stick around. We'll be right back. We're going to dig into those Be It Action Items. Brad Crowell 24:46  All right, welcome back. Let's dig into those Be It Action Items from Aletta Rochat. What bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted action items can we take away from your convo? She said, hey, here is how you identify your superpowers, which I'm all about. She said what are the clues to your superpowers? It's what other people keep asking you for help with. What is, what is it that you are consistently asked about, like, hey, can you help me, like, prep this thing or cook this dish or organize this event or be on the board or whatever. What is the thing that you keep being asked to do? She shared that most people overlook their strength, strengths because A. they come supernaturally to you. You might not even realize that they are a strength that you have, that others don't. They often become the most powerful gifts, right? Like, my mom has the gift of gab. That's what everybody said. Wow your mom, she's amazing. She talks to everybody. She's got the gift of gab, right? Well, sometimes the gift of gab was like, my dad was like, are we ready to go? Are we ready to go? So the way that I grew up, sometimes the gift of gab was a negative thing, because it was like, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, right? And it wasn't until later that I realized that it can also be a positive thing. So sometimes we look at what actually is a strength in the wrong light.Lesley Logan 26:04  Because somebody may have told you, yeah, told you you talk too much, or you're a big jokester, or you don't take things seriously, but there's always a positive side to a coin. Brad Crowell 26:12  Yeah, and I'm not trying to do my dad a disservice there, but I called him out, that's not what I meant.Lesley Logan 26:17  If Steven listens to this. Hi, Steven. You can come visit anytime.Brad Crowell 26:30  Aletta said that somehow society, that's a very inside joke, y'all, and I don't think literally, anybody except for my family, would get that. Aletta also said somehow society has conditioned us that we tend to verbalize what we're good at saying, oh, it's nothing, no big deal. Oh, yeah, you know, glad to help. You know, but we don't actually identify that it's really a superpower. An example that I didn't understand when I was in my band in when I first moved out to L.A. and I'm like, running around getting us set up to do the get the show, I talked to the venue owner, I like, figured out the night of the week that the band could do it. We rehearsed. We had to do a bunch of rehearsals. We get in there. We made a little marketing flyer. We distributed the marketing flyer, got it out into the community. All to do what? I just wanted to play. I just wanted to play on stage, right? And so I'm doing all the things to so that I can get up on stage and play. And what I didn't understand was that doing all those things that's actually part of my superpower. I saw the path through, how do I get to the end goal, you know? And then what are the steps that we need to do to do it? And ultimately, when I, when I finally identified that this was a strength of mine by doing the Strengths Finders exam, the first time I took it in 2010, it was this mind-blowing thing, because I was like, oh, everybody doesn't do that. I thought this was just the what you just do, what you have to do. I guess. That's the way I saw it. And it wasn't until I understood that this was actually valuable that I was able to go get a job to do literally that, and that's how I got into operations instead of companies. Kind of crazy. (inaudible) Yeah, you know, she said, We trivialize it because we don't recognize this as a strength. We hold back articulating our value. We don't identify that we have something that most people might not have, and that becomes our superpower. It can, it should. When we look at it through that lens, suddenly you're like, oh, this is something I'm inherently good at, and that is really a superpower. It's amazing. Like my mom's gift of gab is a superpower. You know, figuring out a way through the chaos is my superpower. But how do you identify that? Right? Then, when you finally are able to identify that again, I do recommend Strengths Finders, Clifton Strengths, they call it now. Now you get to finally say, my superpower is x, right?Lesley Logan 28:48  Yeah. Brad Crowell 28:49  What about you? Lesley Logan 28:50  Okay, so I said it before, but I think it's real. I really love that it's back here in the Be It Action Items, just in case you need to hear it again. She said, reclaim your sense of belonging and give yourself permission to belong. Aletta urged us to reclaim the feeling of belonging if we've lost it. She emphasized, it's within our power to grant ourselves permission to belong. And once you reclaim it, start playing with it. You can start thinking and start speaking and start acting as if you belong. It might feel like you're this is like the true be it till you see it, it's gonna feel like you're acting. There was an interview that's coming out, or it may have already been out, where someone talked about how they love the podcast name, because every day, we allow actors to play a role in a movie, and we believe them, right? We believe that they are that person for that period of time. And being it till you see it is like acting as it. And so you are going to reclaim it, and you're gonna play with it. You're gonna play with belonging, all that stuff, and before you know it, you'll have played it so much that you become it. That's it. You become the person that belongs. You're giving yourself permission. So I just thought, I was like, that's a be it till you see it right there. That's why this exists. So thank you, Aletta, for being you. You're so amazing. I'm so glad we're able to make this happen. I'm Lesley Logan. Brad Crowell 30:03  And I'm Brad Crowell. Lesley Logan 30:04  Thank you so much for listening. I hope this was really awesome for you. I really loved it. I also just love her voice. I love the way she explained things, the helium hand, like there's just so many things to go back to and listen. So please take another listen through if you haven't already, share it with a friend who needs to hear it, especially the ones who need to sit on their hands, but also the ones who need to be reminded that they belong and until next time, Be It Till You See It. Brad Crowell 30:26  Bye for now.Lesley Logan 30:28  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod. Brad Crowell 31:10  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 31:15  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 31:19  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 31:26  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 31:30  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy