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Want more MTM Vegas? Check out our Patreon for access to our exclusive weekly aftershow! patreon.com/mtmvegas Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at mtmvegas dot com Episode Description This week we got news that another Vegas area casino is closing. Following the closure of Whiskey Pete's last year, it has been announced that the iconic Buffalo Bill's in Primm will be closing this weekend. What does this mean for the rides and Primm. Can anything be done to save this once vibrant area? In other news gambling tax laws have changed and it isn't making a lot of people happy. We also discuss: Resorts World's viral social media battle, an insane wind storm that hit Vegas, how to score $50 Cirque tickets, Flamingo's weird bathrooms, Rio's new tier match, Rio Rita and the gambling monk. Episode Guide 0:00 The Vegas gambling monk 0:29 Insane winds & storm strikes Vegas 2:13 Rio's new tier match is here & meet Rio Rita! 3:57 Vegas WTF - Man riding on the back of the bus 4:32 Vegas WTF - Flamingo's unique urinal 5:05 New gambling tax laws are bad for many 8:04 $50 Cirque Vegas ticket sale 9:22 What free Vegas attraction will get cut next? 11:04 Red Rock vs. Resorts World viral social media battle 13:57 Buffalo Bill's casino is closing 16:22 What are the odds that Primm survives the next 5-10 years? 17:50 How Primm can be saved Each week tens of thousands of people tune into our MtM Vegas news shows at http://www.YouTube.com/milestomemories. We do two news shows weekly on YouTube with this being the audio version. Never miss out on the latest happenings in and around Las Vegas! Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or by searching "MtM Vegas" or "Miles to Memories" in your favorite podcast app. Don't forget to check out our travel/miles/points podcast as well!
From Mean Girls to Cirque du Soleil, Mackenna Tolfa has played it all—and played it well. In this episode, she reveals how staying curious led to world tours, composing original works, and becoming one of the first female drummers to be featured with Blue Man Group. We talk about initiative, identity, and what it means to discover who you are while staying in motion.Mackenna Tolfa is a global performer, composer, and trailblazer in percussion. She's toured over 20 countries and currently plays drum set for the Mean Girls National Tour. Previously, she made history as the first featured female drummer for the Blue Man Group World Tour. Her compositions and collaborative projects celebrate the power of music across cultures. Mackenna's links:Website: https://www.mackennatolfamusic.com/
Ses premiers mots d'entrevue ont été « quête de sens » et « identité ». Au son du chant des grenouilles, on a parlé de familles, de rencontre déterminante ou encore du pouvoir rassembleur du cirque. Entre culture inuite, tournées internationales, promesses, accidents et rencontres, de la toundra à la forêt lanaudoise, se dessine une vie forgée avec philosophie autour des arts du cirque. Je m'appelle Alice, et pour ce nouveau portait de cirque, je vous propose Guillaume Ittuksarjuat Saladin. Bonne écoute.
Mort de Ctibor Turba, homme de théâtre et de cirque et lien irremplaçable entre scènes tchèque et française
Mort de Ctibor Turba, homme de théâtre et de cirque et lien irremplaçable entre scènes tchèque et française
437- Are Disney's Monorail Resorts worth the cost? Rob & Kerri reveal the insider secrets that make Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian & Wilderness Lodge the ultimate Disney World experience! Let us take away the stress of navigating the very complicated Disney Parks and curate the perfect vacation for you and your travel style. Click here to connect with us about your vacation.
Les granotes de Montjuïc. Crítica teatral de l'obra «Le Petit Cirque». Basat en l'àlbum «Saisons», de Pomme. Direcció artística i de disseny: Marie Bourgeois, Yoann Bourgeois i Claire Pommet. Intèrprets: Marie Bourgeois, Kim Amankwaa, Yurié Tsugawa, Kiley Dolaway i Pomme. Arranjament musical: Pauline Denize. Quartet de corda: Pauline Denize, Camille Garin, Eva Sinclair i Maïa Collette. Disseny i actuació de vídeo: Alexandre Machefel. Vestuari: Mélodie Wronski i Ségolène Chavaren. Disseny de so i tècnic de so: Chloé Barbe. Disseny d'il·luminació i tècnic d'il·luminació: Jérémie Cusenier. Disseny d'escenografia: Marie Bourgeois, Yoann Bourgeois, Claire Pommet, Camille Duchemin i Olivier Clausse. Construcció escènica: La Fabrique à projets, C3 Sud Est i Atelier OHM. Assessorament màgic: Maxime Tabart. Tècnic principal: Olivier Clausse / Pierre-Philippe Bouard. Regidor: Etienne Debraux / Alexis Rostain. Producció: Yoann Bourgeois Art Company. Fotografies: Geoffrey Serguier, Lawrence Fafard, Domino Aurora. Coprodució Grec 2025 i Les Nuits de Fourvière de Lió. Festival Grec 2025. Teatre Grec, Barcelona. Del 26 al 28 de juny 2025. Veu: Andreu Sotorra. Música: Le temps des fleurs. Interpetació: Pomme. Composició: Pomme. Àlbum: Saisons, 2024.
Jon Jordan and BlockchainGamer.biz editor Jenny Jordan talk through the week's news including:[01:10] Animoca Brands and Moca Foundation have announced Moca Chain. [01:35] Originally this was the Mocaverse NFT collection, which has become Moca Network. [06:25] They've tried to build a reputation and privacy-focused ID system. Not clear who's using it.[12:25] The issue is you have to build something 10x better and still people won't use it. [17:59] Nexon has launched a Credit Level system to reduce botting in MapleStory N.[26:43] Wildcard will be launching on Steam in October 2025.[30:42] The project's longterm success is more about the Thousands streaming platform, however.[32:19] Startup Spekter Games has raised $5M. Its first game is Telegram roguelite Spekter Agency.[37:58] The Sandbox is partnering with Cirque du Soleil for the forthcoming Alpha Season 6.
Cirque du Soleil froze—then came back with startup fire. Enter Duncan Fisher, Chief Strategy Officer.One of the world's most iconic entertainment brands.Gone.Zero revenue. 5,000+ employees let go.Bankrupt.But instead of folding, they reimagined everything.
In this Summer Sip, Jenn and Shelby revisit their conversation with former Cirque du Soleil creative director Krista Monson. From reclaiming the word just to literally lying in a vineyard to watch bees, Krista shares how slowing down, restoring creativity, and honoring your voice are essential survival tools — not luxuries — for leaders and creators alike. Key Takeaway When you minimize your words, you minimize your work. Language shapes the world — so speak with intention, not apology. Guest: Krista Monson Krista Monson is a renowned creative director, speaker, and former Artistic Director with Cirque du Soleil. Over 13 years, she led casting and directed performances for some of the company's most iconic shows, including O in Las Vegas. Krista has choreographed and produced global events — from the UN's World Humanitarian Summit to global athletic games opening ceremonies. Today, she helps families reconnect with creativity, purpose, and presence through storytelling and artistic insight. Find more about Krista here: https://sincerelyyoursmemoirs.com/ Host: Jenn Whitmer Jenn is an international keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and the founder of Joyosity™, helping leaders create positive, profitable cultures through connection, curiosity, and joy. With a background in communication, conflict resolution, and team dynamics, Jenn helps leaders and organizations navigate complex people challenges, reduce burnout, and build flourishing workplaces. Her insights have resonated with audiences worldwide, blending real-world leadership expertise, engaging storytelling, and a dash of humor to make the hard stuff easier. Whether on stage, in workshops, or with coaching clients, Jenn equips leaders with the tools they need to solve conflict, cultivate communication, and lead with purpose. Her upcoming book, Joyosity, hits shelves on October 21, 2025, offering leaders a fresh approach to joy at work that builds real results. Co-Host: Shelby Merryweather Shelby produces many live streaming shows and podcasts, including Joyosity™. She is also founder and CEO of Sunshine Lane, where she helps creative entrepreneurs lead with clarity and calm. Connect with Shelby at shelbymerryweather.com. Pour Yourself a Full Glass: November 2024 Episodes Episode 62: Connections are the Glue of Healthy Leadership with Jenn Whitmer Apple, Spotify, or YouTube Episode 63: How to Stop Burning Out Doing What You Love with Krista Monson Apple, Spotify, or YouTube Episode 64: Eight Survival Tips for Leaders with Krista Monson Apple, Spotify, or YouTube Episode 65: ICYMI: The Art of Uncommon Leadership with Jenn Whitmer & Shelby Merryweather Apple, Spotify, or YouTube Joyosity Book Coming this Fall: Join the Joyosity™ Works Very Important Party and get: Early sneak peeks of the book with real tools to help you in your life, your work, and in your leadership. An exclusive chance to shape this message, including cover art, and help other leaders create positive culture with complex people. Behind-the-scenes updates and bonuses. Get in here: https://jennwhitmer.com/books Resources & Links: Free 99 Steps: Why Do I Keep Doing This? Enneagram Motivations. You're not broken. You're just being run by a well-meaning but slightly unhinged internal script. Meet the five motivations behind your leadership quirks and learn how to flip the script with this quick guide. Joyosity Explorer Map will guide you to understanding the deeper purpose and story you tell yourself about your work. Joy is linked to purpose and productivity increases by 20% or more when you directly link your purpose to your work. Ready to Make a Plan: Joyosity™ Jumpstart Get crystal clear on what you want, what's in the way, and what's actually working. In this powerful strategy session, we'll use the Joyosity™ Compass to name your roadblocks and map a leadership plan you can actually follow. No fluff, just traction. Schedule your session here. Starting the Journey: Enneagram Navigator Tired of trying to figure out your Enneagram type from freebie quizzes that leave you more confused than a group text with no context? In this 1:1 session, I'll help you decode your motivations and blind spots so you can finally lead (and live) with clarity, not guesswork. Book your Navigator session here. Ready to Dive In: Joyosity™ Intensive What if you could clear the fog, realign with your values, and build a practical plan for joyful leadership — in just one transformative day? This personalized experience combines deep self-awareness, strategic clarity, and honest-to-goodness joy to help you lead with purpose *and* still like your life. Start the process here. A Party for More: Book Jenn to Speak When your whole team needs the spark — not just the spark notes — I bring the energy, expertise, and real talk that shifts culture. With contagious joy, practical tools, and plenty of laughter, I help leaders connect, communicate, and make. Loved this episode? Rate, review, and share with a fellow leader who's ready to ditch the drama and lead with more joy, curiosity, and clarity — in a quick sip.
In this luminous episode of the Create and Grow Your Brain Capital podcast, I have the joy of speaking with Caitlan Maggs—movement expert, creativity director, former ballerina, and 20-year Artistic Expert with Cirque du Soleil.
Quaranteam – Book 1: Part 17 Andy has his interview for primetime. Based on a post by CorruptingPower, in 25 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. It turned out that a dozen women all getting ready for television appearances was, in fact, a major operation. The master bathroom was large enough that four of the girls could use the mirror at the same time, but beyond that, they had to party up with "prep buddies," each making sure they were getting themselves ready as well as their prep buddy. Andy was, of course, ready long before anyone else was, even with Emily, Sarah, Ash and Niko sharing him in the shower. He left the four of them in there, although they emerged not long after, each running a hair dryer while they applied their make up and got into their outfits. He was glad to escape the bathroom as early as he did. The girls were in go mode now, and the last thing he wanted to do was get in anyone's way, so he took the time to prep the house. The house had a large empty room that seemed like it was meant to be used as a ballroom. They'd used it as their poker room on and off, but it was also just a nice place where lots of people could stand around and talk. It also had French windows opening into the garden, so the lighting of the room was excellent. Andy figured it would be the best place for the group interviews to take place. Katie and Nicolette helped him get enough chairs for everyone into the room, while Jenny was prepping a large lunch for all of them, a massive batch of jambalaya, so they would have a bit of leftovers in case the 60 Minutes crew arrived hungry. They were scheduled to arrive at one in the afternoon, and had asked them not to make plans into the evening, so clearly the interviews would take as long as they took. Nicolette had been doing cleaning a bit at a time for the last two weeks, so the only thing that really needed to get a major touch up was Andy's writing room, which the 60 Minutes people had asked to use for their one on one interviews, something he'd agreed to, although he was going to lock his laptop away before they arrived. He didn't imagine they'd want to steal his writing, but he was notoriously paranoid when it came to that sort of thing. The cats seemed extremely confused by all the hustle and bustle, but also seemed content to just rub up against the leg of whoever was closest, and follow people around when it seemed like they were going from one place to another. Andy also took time to check in with both Tala and Jade, making sure they doing okay and still on board with talking to 60 Minutes, something he was glad he did. Tala, as expected, was starting to feel the mental itch from having been primed the day before but not yet imprinted, though she was handling it far better than Sheridan had, even if she wasn't as far along with it. She said she'd never felt quite so sexually frustrated before, but that it was a great feeling to have, and that she enjoyed her body acting with wills and wants of its own. Jade had news for him as well. "I want you to imprint me as soon as you're done imprinting Tala, Andy," the bubbly blonde said to him. "And I want you to record it. Not for 60 Minutes, though, but for my father. He has tried to control me my entire life, and I'm just friggin' sick of it, so I want him to see that his dang control is broken, and that I'm giving that control to another man, a better man. So you can use my phone to make the video of it, and I don't care what it shows and what it doesn't, as long as he sees my face when I'm taking that orgasm, when I'm starting that imprinting process, so he knows that he can't push me around any more." She'd been talking with a sort of intensity that he'd never seen from her before, and he let her finish. When she stopped talking, it was almost as thought it dawned on her how forcefully she'd been lecturing him on what to do. "That's, that's okay, right?" "You're sure about this, Jade?" he said, taking her hand in his own. "I'm sure he's done some rough things over the years, but he's still your father, and you want to be careful not to do anything you'll come to regret." "The only thing I regret is being that asshole's daughter," she said, wrath in her voice. "I know it's a lot to ask, especially since I'll be sucking you off, which means that it'll be hard not to get your cock at least a little in the shot, but it's important to me, okay? I'm, I'm reclaiming a part of myself that bastard's taken from me. So you asked me earlier what I wanted, and that's what I want. And I want him to see it while I'm imprinting, so there's no way he can talk to me about it." He nodded. "Alright then. You can change your mind at any time between now and then, but if you don't, then that's what we'll do, just for your father, just at your request. Although, you probably also want to record a message for him to go along with it before hand, so he's not just randomly getting that video without any context." She bristled in mirth, nodding quickly. "Good point. I'll record that on my phone after lunch." "Or during the time they're doing one on one interviews with anyone else. I know they're planning on doing smaller interviews, one with Emily and Sarah and one with just me, but I don't know who else they're going to want to talk to." "If they want to talk to me, they can, and if the 49ers organization has a problem with it, well, the heck with them, I don't have to continue being a cheerleader for them anymore." "Give it some thought. You've still got time." By lunchtime, everyone was ready except for the staff, who'd gone to get themselves ready once lunch had been served. Nobody was sure if the 60 Minutes crew would want to talk to them, but Andy felt it best to make sure that anyone who was willing to have a conversation with Katie Couric was in a state where they could. Nicolette had said she didn't care one way or another, and while Katie wasn't thrilled about the idea of being interviewed, she agreed that if Katie Couric wanted to talk to the two of them, she and Jenny would make themselves available for it. Over the course of lunch, it was clear the girls were doing everything they could to keep Andy's mind off the interview, as the family got to know both Tala and Jade better, while Whitney was still in Nicolette's chambers, in the middle of the imprinting process, and Fiona and Moira were in the early stages of it in the master bedroom. Tala had decided that her first project, once she got her workshop set up in the poolhouse, was going to be to make Andy a puzzle desk of his very own, and once that idea had been voiced, all the girls had thoughts and ideas on things to incorporate, with Sarah filling in suggestions based on his books, and Aisling filling in suggestions based on his life. Niko thought it should also incorporate all the girls' names, so that he might have a better time remembering everyone, which made everybody laugh, simply because the family had indeed grown so large. They were just finishing cleaning up after lunch when the doorbell rang, and Andy's heart felt like it stopped just a little. Ash poked him with a smile. "It's just the media, babes," she teased. "You'll do fine. Go say hi." He headed up from the dining room and down to the front door, where Nicolette was standing in the doorway, greeting the visitors. Standing in the doorway was Katie Couric, one of the best known journalists in America, with a couple of crew members behind her. "Hey, Ms. Couric," he said to her as he approached. "Welcome to my home." He held out his hand and she seemed thankful for the normalcy of shaking hands. "Please, Mr. Rook, call me Katie," she said, "and thank you for inviting us for the interview. I know the President's office had something to do with it, but you could have said no if you didn't want to. Having a couple of famous faces like Miss Stevens and Miss Washington selling the new normal will help the general population of the nation make more sense out of this tragic new normal." "Well, I'll call you Katie if you'll call me Andy," he said. "How's your tour of New Eden been so far? Niko mentioned you did a short interview with her at the base, although you mostly just talked with Dr. Varma and my boy Phil." "You're friends with Mr. Marcos?" she said. "Is that how you got in here?" "Well, there's a story behind that. I can tell you now, but I suspect you'd rather get it down on camera. It's not all that long a story, nor is it really that interesting. I suspect Phil's story was a lot more engaging than mine will be." "Did you get your writing room all set up for our interview?" "I did," he said, "and we also set up our ballroom with chairs, so you can talk to all of us together first. I know Em and Sarah are willing to talk to you either in their little studio, or you can use my writing study instead. It's up to you." "I'll have my team take a look at both locations while we're getting set up in the ballroom. Is everyone in the house willing to take part in the interviews?" "Two of my partners have chosen not to take part, simply because they aren't sure how their employers would react to it, but everyone else in the house is willing to chat," he said, as he felt a hand sliding onto his shoulder. He turned around to see Lauren standing behind him. "Actually, Andy, Sheridan and I have decided we're going to do it anyway, and if the Niners or the people at Cirque have a problem with it, fuck'em, we'll sue their asses into the ground," the tall blonde Aussie told him. "If this is gonna be the new normal, pretendin' like it's not is just as bad as sayin' it ain't, so we'll be there." "You're sure, Lauren?" he asked her, smoothing his hand over her hip, knowing it usually soothed her nervous when she was wound up. She placed her hand over his and gave it a soft squeeze, smiling at him. "Yeh, 'sides I dunno how much of management's gone at this point already. You gambled with us, so let us have a turn at the plow fer a change." He leaned up and kissed her softly. "Well, I've known you long enough, hon, to know if your mind's made up, there's no point in trying to talk you out of it." Andy glanced back at Katie Couric, shrugging. "Guess you get your pick of the litter then." Behind her, the crew had started ferrying in lights, tripods and camera equipment. While Andy had thought he'd only seen two additional people at first, it turned out Katie Couric traveled with a crew of nine, and there had been a second and third S U V behind the van that he hadn't seen. It felt a little like his house was being invaded, but he did his best to not get in anyone's way, as Nicolette started to lead a producer away, to show her where both Andy's writing room and the actresses' little studio were located. "C'mon, I'll take you down to the ballroom, and we can get settled there," he said, starting to lead Katie and her two companions down the hallway. One of them, Geraldine Amato, was the unit's head producer, and the other, Poppy Delgato, was the lead camera woman. "Was your crew mostly women before the plague hit?" "Mostly," she said, "although I've got a couple of men in here as well, and thankfully, they've been given the treatment via their wives. My husband has been getting it through myself as well, for about a month now." "I'm a little surprised they let your whole crew into New Eden," he said, as they headed down the stairs to the lower level. "They've been fairly paranoid about letting people in, I've been told, so I imagine you had to quarantine for a little bit after you got here." "We did," she said, stopping to look at one of the promotional posters on the wall, this one in particular for "The Trouble With Werebears." She glanced over at him with that winning smile she loved flashing on the news regularly. "In fact, Geraldine here's now sharing my husband with me, because she didn't have anyone before hand, and needed someone she could count on to be around while doing her job." She reached up and tapped at the words 'New York Times Bestselling Author' on the poster. "It says here you're a bestselling author, but I have to admit that before preparing for this interview, I'd never heard of you." He shrugged with a little smile. "There's leagues of difference between a Bestselling Fiction author and a Bestselling Genre Fiction author, I'm afraid. When you're talking non genre, you're talking hundreds of thousands of copies, but for genre, well, drop a zero off there, so if you're not into urban fantasy, I won't take it as a slight. Jim Butcher, who's probably the most popular of us working in the field, only sold a couple hundred thousand copies for his most recent Dresden Files book, and that series has a huge following, far bigger than my little corner. Hell, I think the reason a publisher finally took a gamble on me was that I was playing in a similar wheelhouse and they were hoping to piggyback off his success." "E. F. Winston is a genre writer, but her books have sold in the hundreds of millions," Katie countered. "So clearly there are breakout stars." "Ah, but those are young adult books, and the teen fiction genre has a handful of crossover success that never seemed to roll over into other things in our genres," he sighed. "The Dagger Academy books were definitely science fiction, but you didn't see a spike in sales for people like John Scalzi or William Gibson when those books took off, did you? The same for those Harry Potter books. Sold by the truckload, and yet, did many of those kids go and read works from Roger Zelazny, Fred Saberhagen, Emma Bull, Terry Pratchett, Steven Brust, Simon R. Green or any of the other massively prolific fantasy masterminds we've had working for decades? No, we're not all that different than any other form of entertainment, everyone's just hoping that they get one big bite from the apple at some point during their career." "But I heard they're making a movie based on your books?" "Well, when two high profile actresses are willing to sign onto a project, that goes a long way into pushing it out of Movie Hell," he laughed. "The option had been signed years before that, but once Sarah and Emily expressed interest in playing supporting roles, well, that got the whole thing into turnaround quite quickly. It's like the screenwriter William Goldman always said, 'Nobody in Hollywood knows anything.'" Andy shrugged a little bit as they entered the ballroom. "Besides, I figured you'd want to get all this out during the on camera interview." "Oh, we'll go over it again then, but it doesn't hurt to do a little pre camera screening, just so I know what kinds of things you're likely to say, so I can facilitate the conversation in moving in the right directions," she said. "You've been interviewed several times before. Hasn't anyone ever done that?" "Nope," he said, moving to sit in one of the chairs in the front row. "But then again, I've never been interviewed for television before." They'd originally set up the 17 chairs as one chair facing two rows of eight, but Geraldine started moving the two rows of eight into four staggered rows of four. "We'll bring in some risers, so we can get everyone into one big shot," Geraldine told Katie. Poppy nodded. "We'll need to set up four cameras in here," she said, as she started to help Geraldine block out the room. "One for the group shot, one for Katie, one for Andy and one to rove to whoever's answering questions in the group setting. We can use fixed cameras for the first three, and I'll manage the fourth. We'll have them all rolling all the time and you can just pick and choose what you want in the editing room." "How do you want to order them, Katie?" Geraldine asked her. "Well, Andy here in the front corner, then Niko, the woman we interviewed yesterday next to him. That'll be our link between the segments. Then Sarah and Emily next to her, because star power up front. Beyond that, we can figure it out." "I'd like to insist Aisling, my first partner, be up front with me," he said, just as Ash was walking into the room, along with Emily. "The balance might be a little weird," Poppy frowned. "No no," Geraldine, "we can make that work. We'll just do five in front and three in the top row, so we frame Andy in the center, with Niko and Aisling on one side, Emily and Sarah on the other." "Good," Katie said, "that reinforces the whole 'large family' front and forward as our first visual cue, so that the viewer has to confront it right away. Does that work for you?" she said, asking Andy his opinion for the first time. "That'll work," he replied. "You can even put the three staff at the back, since they're willing to be here for this, but aren't likely to volunteer much in the way of answers." "Jenny and Katie, er, Kate might not, Master," Nicolette said, entering the room with the rest of Katie Couric's crew in tow, "but I'm certainly planning on speaking my mind given a chance, because I don't want people to be given the wrong idea." "What's the wrong idea?" Katie asked, tilting her head just a little bit. "That we're here involuntarily, or that this isn't what we wanted, or, hell, even that Master Rook here wouldn't let us change if we wanted," the French maid teased. "You know if I had a nickel for every time he's sort of reminded me I don't have to call him Master, and I've had to remind him that I like calling him Master, well, I could enjoy a nice two week stay in the Bahamas, once it's opened up again. In fact, little secret, every time he reminds me of it lately, I've just gone out of my way to say it even more, so I can watch him blush." "I think you like watching him blush," Ash said, moving to close in around Andy. "Katie Couric," Andy said, "this is my first partner, Ash Blake, and I'm sure you've probably already met Emily Stevens." Katie made it a point to shake Ash's hand first. "A pleasure, Miss Blake." She then turned to Emily, taking the tiny blonde's hand and shaking it as well. "I've actually interviewed you before, Miss Stevens, although I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't remember. You seemed quite busy on that press junket, and I know they were just wheeling journalists in and out for you." "I keep a diary of anyone who's interviewing me, Ms. Couric," Em said, a wry grin on her face, "so I assure you, I remember the interview quite well. Any surprises we should be wary of?" "Oh, I've always got a few things planned to lighten up an interview," the journalist said, somewhat evasively. "It's not like I'm interviewing Vladimir Putin or anything. You're not going to have me murdered for a question you don't like." "Well," the Brit said, "I still wouldn't anger Sarah too much. She's, excitable, and prone to fits of exaggeration." "I'm fairly certain she's never poisoned anyone to win a role, Em," Andy said to her. Emily clicked her tongue in amusement. "Let's not be too hasty with that judgment, Andy. Anyway, shall I round everyone up and we can get started?" "Yes, I think my team will be ready to start in about twenty minutes, so if you can get everyone together, that would be excellent." By the time all the girls were in the ballroom, risers had been placed under the seats, the lights and sound were set up, a boom microphone used to cover the majority of the girls, although clip on mics were used for Katie and Andy. They also had a handheld microphone that the girls could pass around if anyone wanted to give a detailed answer. They were structured as had been discussed, with Niko and Aisling to Andy's left in the front row, and Emily and Sarah to his right. Behind them, Lauren, Taylor, Sheridan and Piper sat. The third row had Asha, Hannah, Tala and Jade. In the back row sat the staff, Kate (his Katie), Jenny and Nicolette. All of the fiancees were up front, and everyone else was sat in order of arrival, with the exception of the staff, who were at the back, at their own request. It felt right that Ash was on one side of him and Emily was on the other, as if the two of them wanted to be close in case he needed support. It wasn't until Andy saw it framed up in the monitor as they were showing Katie that it dawned on him just how big his household was growing, and even still, he knew there were already three more in the house not in this shot. He was always aware of how big his family was, but seeing everyone together in one single framing shot, it really drove the size of it home, and it felt huge. "Okay, Andy, let's start with how you telling us a little bit about yourself and how you got here." For the next few minutes, Andy gave the shortest possible version of his bio, how he'd moved to California a decade and a half ago, his writing for the Silicon Valley companies, as well as his novels, which transitioned nicely into him talking about how he got his vaunted level 5 status, regaling 60 Minutes with the story of how the guy who'd come to test them, Dave, had been a big fan and given he and his then roommate Eric level 5 status as a return gift for Andy having given him an advanced copy of his next novel. "I hope I'm not getting Dave in any trouble by telling that story," he finished. "No no, each member of the initial Bay Area team was given five level 5 statuses to give away as they saw fit," Katie Couric told him. "Most of them just gave them to friends or family, but Dr. David Straussman hadn't used any of his until he met you, and there were no rules on who he could or couldn't give them to, so that's fine." "Straussman," Andy repeated. "Huh. You know, I didn't even know his last name until right now. I hope he's doing okay." "He's doing quite well," Niko said. "I see him every so often wandering around the base." "So Andy," Katie said, bringing them back on task, "how did you fill out the form you were given with the testing process?" "Well," Andy said, "Dave stressed to us when he gave us the link that we should be honest, and to answer the questions knowing we wouldn't be judged for our responses. I don't actually remember a lot of it, because it was a very long questionnaire, like, ridiculously thorough. But I suppose what you're getting at is what key things do I remember answering." "Yes, that's what I'm asking." "There were definitely questions about my sexual preferences, like, a lot of those, but there were also basic demographic questions about what range of people I felt comfortable dating, was I into women, men or both, and how did I feel about polyamory." "Did that surprise you?" she asked him. "Sure, but not as much as I expect it probably shocked people back in the Midwest. It's not what I would call common place around here, but you see it mentioned often enough in people's online dating profiles that most people have at least some awareness of it here in the Bay." "And how did you answer the polyamory question?" "I actually put 'no preference,' but you have to remember, to some extent when this started, we thought this was all some temporary thing, and we certainly didn't know that the casualties to men in America were going to be as high as they were," Andy said, sighing a little bit, Ash taking his hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "Do you remember what ages you put that you would be comfortable with?" "The low end was set to 18, and I didn't adjust it, and I set the high end to 35. I suspected no one younger than their mid twenties would be interested in me, so the low end didn't really matter." "You can start to see how his mind works," Hannah teased, "and how he just misses things sometimes." That let the girls have a soft laugh, releasing a little bit of the tension. "Were there any things that you said were absolute deal breakers?" Katie asked. "Just two," Andy admitted. "Must not be allergic to cats, and must not smoke, although we ended up with someone who vapes." "And who is that?" "That'd be me," Sheridan said, "but I'm working on quitting, so, it's a stopgap on the way to that. And it's been much easier stepping down from that than it was stepping to that from smoking." "Who showed up first?" "Aisling showed up I think it was actually the very next day," Andy said. "I was a little surprised how quickly everything moved. Usually anything the government's managing is a total clusterfuck, but I think since we were basically right by the site where the treatment was developed, they were rushing it out in order to keep as many people safe as they could." "Aisling, let me ask you Aisling, was Andy the sort of man you dreamed about ending up with when you entered into the process?" "At first, my head was a little clouded, because the process when it started wasn't as refined as it is now, so when I met Andy, my mind was a little fogged up with lust, but he ticked all the boxes of what I wanted out of a man. He didn't look exactly like I expected him to, but yeah, within a couple of days, I knew I loved him pretty hard. Still do." "Would he have been the kind of person you would've gravitated to in a bar?" Katie asked her. "I would've thought he was cute, but I was horrible at dating, and only had a couple'a boyfriends before him, so I'm a bad judge of character for that sort of question." "How many of you would've approached Andy in a bar?" Katie asked the group of them. Andy chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Be honest." Sarah put her hand up immediately, and Tala raised her hand as well, as the rest of the group giggled a little bit. "As progressive as we all like to think we are, Katie," Niko said, "women still generally don't approach men in bars, so maybe that's more on us than saying anything about our tastes." "Sarah, I saw you put your hand up," Katie asked. "You're an Oscar nominated actress who's know worldwide. What about Andy would've made you approach him?" Over the next couple of minutes, Sarah and Emily related the story of how they'd attended one of Andy's Q&As at ComicCon in costume, so that nobody would recognize them, and talked about how she'd had a crush on him because of his writing for a long time, which Katie laughed about, and Andy was certain would make for good television. "So how many of you would say you're in love with Andy now?" she asked the group after Sarah finished her story. About half of women raised their hands, although several of the others looked like they were considering raising their hands. The front row all raised their hands, as expected, but Lauren and Piper also raised their hands, which surprised Andy a little. "So those of you who wouldn't say you're in love with him, how would you describe your relationship with him?" "Deep respect and affection, but not at the love stage, not yet anyway," Sheridan said. Most of the other girls seemed to nod and agree with that. "Why do you say 'not yet,' Sheridan?" "You have to keep in mind, Katie, a lot of us have only known Andy a few weeks right now," she said, leaning forward just a little bit. "We had to make probably the biggest choice of our lives, and we had to do it basically on a hunch. Our choices were to defer treatment and go on being afraid we were going to die, or take the treatment and get paired up with a man for the indefinite future. That's a hell of a gamble to ask of anyone." "Who's unhappy with the decision they made, raise your hand," Katie said, only to get no hands raised in response. "Everyone's happy being paired with Andy, maybe for the rest of your lives?" "Look, Ms. Couric," Hannah said. "You're going to find every one of us girls has a different story, a unique story, and each one of us came to where we are now on an entirely different path, m'kay? But we'll all tell you the same thing, Andy's treated us with an immense amount of respect and affection, and he's made sure that nobody's doing anything they aren't comfortable with. Shit, he's even done stuff he's been a little uncomfortable with because it's made us feel more comfortable, and how many women can say that about their partner? So while a bunch of us aren't in love with him, yet, we all admire and respect how much he's gone out of his way to make sure we feel like we're part of a goddamn family, a good goddamn family." "Do you want to continue to grow the family, Andy?" "If you ask him," Em said, jumping in before he could respond, "he wanted to stop growing it a while ago." All the girls laughed at that. "But at this point, I think we're all doing what we can to stick together, and a lot of us girls wanted to protect our friends, to keep them safe, so we took turns presenting them all to Andy, trying to convince him to bring them into our home and into our family." "Everyone had someone they wanted to pitch?" Katie said, smiling at Andy. "That must have been overwhelming." "Not everyone wanted to pitch someone, but almost everyone," he said with a laugh. "And it was a lot of names and faces that were presented all at once. I said upfront, though, that I wasn't going to bring everyone on, and that there was only so much of me to go around. In the end, I think we mostly made it work to everyone's satisfaction." "So how many more people are coming?" "Well, we have three people who are in the imprinting process right now, and two more people arriving tomorrow, and if I have any say in the matter, that will absolutely, positively, definitively be the limit of women I can handle in my life," he chuckled. "And how much say do you actually have in that matter, Andy?" "Very little!" Emily joked, and all the girls laughed, as did Katie. "It would take a super compelling case for us to add, like, anyone else to the family past that," Sarah said, "but I think it's totally for the best that we never say never. Sometimes exceptions have to be made." "Like I told you yesterday, Katie," Niko said, "I think if Andy had total control of the matter, he would've probably put a hard limit in after myself, Ash and Lauren were in his life. He told me multiple times early on that he barely felt like he deserved one amazing woman, and at that point, he already had three, so it's been a growth process." "But this is the new normal now," Katie said. "Or at least it's going to be. Families with one man and several women, because so many men in the US have died. Raise your hand if you know a man who's lost their life to the plague here in the US." All the women raised their hands, and of course Andy had his raised as well. "How does that feel?" "I think we're all suffering from some degree of post traumatic stress disorder," Piper said. "The losses, they're too big for any of us to process, so we're sort of clinging to one another, holding on to the only family that we know for certain that we can protect." "Piper, you were actually supposed to have competed in the Olympics by now. How does that feel, knowing that when it starts up again next year, the US basically doesn't have almost any of their male athletes to compete?" "At this point, it's impossible for it to even make sense in my head any more, Katie," she sighed. "Most of the people I trained with have died over the last several months. A lot of my trainers died. I've lost colleagues, friends and family members. I don't even know where to start mourning, because there's so damn many people to mourn. I consider myself lucky that my sister's husband took everything seriously, and completely refused to leave the house this year since the word of the plague got out." "It's something we've talked about in here a bunch," Andy said. "And we sort of keep coming back to that famous Stalin quote. 'A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths are a statistic.' It's so many dead men that the mind can't even make sense of it. It's like 9/11, but if each of the Twin Towers was holding exclusively almost every man each of us knew and loved. My own brother died a few weeks back, and he was one of the kindest and most careful souls I know, but he ran out to help someone get their storm shutters up before a particular bad thunderstorm rolled through, and a few weeks later, he was just gone, almost overnight. It happened so fast, I didn't even hear about it until after he was already gone." "It's actually unproven that's a real Stalin quote," Tala said. "I read an article that said it was attributed to a French humorist." "Sure, but even if Stalin didn't say it," Andy said, "it's still pretty relevant here. It doesn't really matter who said it, it's the sentiment that's important. We're talking about a matter of scale, and the human mind's capacity to comprehend that scale. At the end of the day, that's a hell of a lot for anyone to handle. So we're all just doing our best." "Normally," Emily said, "when a friend or loved one dies, there is typically a funeral or a wake, a gathering of all that person's surviving circle coming together, to celebrate their passing and remember them, but we have been denied that, and it has made all their passings that much harder to process, somehow transformed them all into seeming less real, because our normal emotional milestones haven't happened along the way. We are adrift in our emotional morass." "That's true," Katie said. "We, as Americans, haven't had to confront all the deaths simply because we aren't allowed to go out and do so, and that somehow makes it feel less concrete." "It hits you every day," Jade said, "little by little. Lauren described it to me a few weeks ago as a slow motion car crash that we're all stuck in, and nobody can get out of." "So, Jade, I understand you're one of the newest arrivals here," Katie said. "Have you gone through the imprinting process yet?" "Not yet," she said. "Tala and I arrived yesterday, but we wanted to wait a little bit, to spend some time with Andy and his family, to makes sure that we would be happy getting melted into their pot. I'm happy to say we're both going to do it, but it's the kind of commitment you gotta be certain of, you know?" "Have you seen what the imprinting process is like?" "Um, yes?" she said, trying not to blush a little. "When we arrived yesterday, we had a third person with us, another woman who was joining the staff and faculty of the house, but not the family itself, a young woman named Whitney." "So, Andy, explain to me the difference between family and staff, and how you decide that." He immediately put his hands up, almost like he was at gunpoint. "First and foremost, I do not decide that," he laughed, and all the girls laughed with him. "When the military came and relocated us from our little condo and brought us here to New Eden, the house also came with three members of staff attached with it, all of whom I was told had been selected to mesh with me, and whose boxes I would tick as well." "That was the three of you in the back, Nicolette, Jenny and Kate, yes?" Katie asked. "We had all been told a bit about Andy before he arrived," Nicolette said, "and his answers to the questionnaire implied that he would eventually be willing to play into our tastes." "Eventually?" Katie asked. "Well, sure," Nicolette giggled. "I know the first few times I called him Master, it rattled his cage a little bit, but he eventually realized I liked saying it, and nobody was making me do it. One of the things that we girls all figured out early on was that just because Andy was okay with something didn't mean he had any real experience with it, so we would need to hand hold him a bit through it. So while Andy said he was okay with bondage and discipline stuff in his questionnaire, he didn't have any real practical experience in it. So we've found ways to teach him about that kind of thing without it ever feeling like we were lecturing to him. He sort of set that expectation up front when he told us communication was everything, and he couldn't have been more right." "And Kate? I hear that you and Jenny had a different experience," Katie asked. "Damn, uh? Andy?" Kate (his Katie) asked. "How real you want us to get here?" "We're not hiding anything," he chuckled, "so fire away." "So, uh, Katie," Kate coughed. "I'm actually a lesbian. Not a bisexual who mostly identifies as a lesbian, I mean straight up, hardcore, one hundred percent, unrepentant fully committed lesbian. And Jenny here is my wife, but she's bisexual." "Hi!" Jenny cheerily said with a wave. "When we signed up for this, we, ah, we were planning on hiding that from Andy, and I was simply going to fake it, and go along with the ruse, so that we could stay together, and we could still get the treatment, which, as you already know, takes both a female and a male component to work," she sighed. "So I, er, we lied, and claimed we were both bisexual. Since we were married, wherever we went, we were going to go together, and we figured we could just keep up that lie as long as we needed and make it work." "And what happened?" Katie asked. "Day two, I folded, before we'd even been imprinted," Jenny said with a shrug. "When we met him, Andy wasn't at all what any of us were expecting him to be, but I mean that in a really good way. It didn't feel right lying to him. We'd had a few days together before he showed up, the three of us, us two and Nicolette. We'd talked about it, and Nicolette volunteered to go first, so that if it didn't go well, my Katie and I could request to be moved elsewhere, since we were a little more particular than she was about how we got paired up." "What do you mean, you folded?" "I started talking to Andy, and, and it all just came tumbling out, how we were a little unsure, how my Katie wasn't really into men, and, I just felt like I had to tell him everything before we were committed to anything." "How did you react to that, Andy?" "I could tell they were afraid that I was going to be angry," Andy said, his tone as breezy and relaxed as he could keep it, "but I wasn't. Why would I be? I simply wanted to talk with them about how they wanted to handle it, because at that point, I knew a bit more about the physiological affects of the treatment than they did, so I wanted to prepare them for it, if they wanted to move forward." "Do you still consider yourself a lesbian, Kate?" Katie asked her. "Absolutely. I don't feel any sexual attraction to Andy what so ever," she said. "Now, with that said, I can also admit that I have received biochemically induced orgasms from him regularly as part of the treatment process, and I don't think that affects my sexual identity in any way. But Andy and I haven't ever had direct sex. He's offered, but he's also never pressured. I might take him up on it some day, to see if the chemical and neurological changes the treatment have made to me might compensate for my lack of sexual attraction to him, but then again, I may not. That's my decision, well, our decision, to make," she said, taking Jenny's hand in hers. "And nobody's going to tell me who and what I am. I get to decide that, and fuck anyone who says otherwise." "So if you haven't had direct sex with him, how are you getting what you need from him to keep your treatment managed? Go ahead and be as direct as you want, and we can bleep parts of it out if we need to, but I think they're just going to air it as we send it." "Well, to be frank about it, I don't ever actually fuck Andy, but that doesn't mean I don't swallow his semen. I do that around once a week, either directly from him, or second hand from my wife. I consider sucking his cock just to be another task around the house that needs doing now and again. No offense, Andy." He laughed, waving a hand in his air. "None taken, but you already know that." "And that's enough?" Katie asked. "Just swallowing semen, either directly or second hand?" Kate nodded. "It's fine. I haven't had any adverse side effects, and it's easy enough right before he's about to pop for him to point it elsewhere, or for Jenny and I to split it after he does pop. I'm never going to have an encounter with Andy without Jenny present, and she's always my focus, not him, because she's my wife, and he's just, my boss." "And everyone in the house is okay with that?" "This is the world we live in now," Lauren said. "Lotsa fellas used to get all hung up onna things that they did and didn't like, but who's got time for that anymore? Life's too short to hold onta old grudges, so if we can, we're all gonna take it on the chin and just keep movin' on together." "Now Lauren, I understand you're also a lesbian." "Nah Katie," the tall blonde Aussie corrected. "I'm definitely bisexual, but I just lean a lot more towards the ladies than I do the fellas. I very much enjoy my sexual encounters with Andy, but I'm not one of his primary partners, despite showing up so early. I'm in love with him, like he is with me, but he's not my Big Love, if you folla. I've got me own primary partner here, in Taylor. We'd split before New Eden, and when she came back, I was right pissed off, but we've worked it out, and now she and I are back to being a couple again." "Does that put you on the outs with Andy?" "Nah," she laughed, "it just means the master bed doesn't need triple reinforcement. I love Andy and all he's done for me, for alla us, but I ain't interested in being one of his wives. I wanna marry Taylor at some point, but that doesn't mean I don' wanna stay part of this family. That works for us, so, y'know, fair play." "How many people do sleep in bed with you on any given night, Andy?" "There's always at least five of us in the bed," he answered. "Myself, Ash, Niko, Emily and Sarah. But sometimes more people want to cram in, and we never say no." "What's the most the bed's ever held for a night?" "Oh, uh, everyone who isn't staff, I think, but last week, so before some people had arrived," he said, trying to remember, "so, what, 11?" "Yes, that was the maximum. On the day when we found out Andy's brother died," Emily said, "we all crawled into bed with him and just wrapped our arms around him, as we all shared a good cry, then fell asleep holding one another, but that's extremely uncommon." "Five or six would definitely be the average," Ash said. "So the four of you would say you're closer to Andy than the rest of the women in the house?" "Well, we're all his fiancees, so we'd better be, Katie!" Sarah laughed. "He asked Ash first, and then Niko asked him before he could even get the words out to her, so once he freakin' told us, me and Em, we both demanded he propose to us as well immediately, because we come as a package deal." "What do you mean by that, Sarah?" "Okay, well, here's the thing. Emily and I have been a couple for almost two years now, but we're both, well, we're both totally into dudes and chicks. So while we super love each other, we also knew we were going to need a regular cock in the equation. When we found out that the writer of my favorite freaking book series of all time was in play, we decided we had to freaking have him." Andy was a little amazed Sarah could do so much to self censor, but realized she'd probably been doing it for interviews forever. "So you put in a request for the two of you to be paired up with Andy, and the government made that happen?" There was a long pause, as everyone was trying to decide what to say and how to say it, but eventually Emily broke the silence. "Something like that, yes," she lied. "We'll put a pin in that and come back to it later," Katie said, and Andy's guard was immediately up. He'd been wondering what sort of problems this interview was going to throw up, and now he felt like he knew what one of them was. "Have you had to send anyone back, Andy? Had any partners show up that you didn't think would be compatible?" "Just one," he admitted. "My ex girlfriend was sent to me, because she hadn't disclosed that we'd been together about a decade ago. She was eager to rekindle the relationship, but I was not. It ended on terms that made me unwilling to revisit it again, so we helped her make other arrangements. We hadn't been compatible back then, and I didn't feel comfortable gambling that she'd grown enough that I would've been compatible with her now." "You didn't send her back to the government?" "New Eden isn't that large of a community, so sometimes we just see if we can make things work among ourselves first, and we found a solution that everyone seemed happy with, including my ex. In fact, the people that my partners here pitched to me that I didn't think would be good matches for our family, we worked to pair them up with other people here in New Eden instead, so they were still local and safe. It's a small town, so we have to look out for one another. Problems here are rare and generally manageable." "Not always, though, we've heard," Katie said. "I take it you've heard about the fatality that New Eden had last week?" Everyone nodded. "It was horrible, hearing about someone dying from something so easily preventable," Hannah said. "Like, they totes warned us about that ish before we left the base, so why the hell would someone chance it?" "They did warn you?" "Very thoroughly," Emily insisted, horror in her voice. "They told us multiple times, again and again and again, that if we took in semen from any man other than the one we were paired up with, it would be toxic, if not fatal. They even showed us a recording of a woman who'd already been imprinted getting semen from a man she wasn't paired up with on her skin, and the large, violent rash that immediately broke out. I am told they show that footage to everyone, to drive the point home. Seeing that sort of instantaneous reaction should've been enough to discourage anyone from testing those boundaries." "They're talking on base about showing some of the autopsy photos from the fatality to the people who are getting the treatment now," Niko said, "to make sure everyone understands how serious it is not to dally outside your family." "Have any of you ever been tempted?" "I think we all value our lives too much for that," Sarah joked. "And love Andy far too much for that," Ash said. "Definitely," Emily agreed. "Why would anyone task such a pointless risk?" "Did any of you know the woman who died, or the man she partook from that killed her?" Katie asked them. "I met her briefly," Andy said, "but I wouldn't say I knew her. And none of us ever even met the man accused of doing it to her." "Major Peters told us yesterday he's currently imprisoned at the base, pending local law enforcement being able to take custody of him. They're going to charge him with murder, they were telling us." "They should," Sarah said. "They told everyone when they brought them here to New Eden what would happen if people engaged in any form of sexual activity with anyone they're not paired with, and they fucking did it anyway!" "The problem," Andy sighed, "is that the man, whoever he is, already has multiple women paired up with him, which means that whatever they do to him is going to affect those women as well, even if it's just that they have to come to a prison for their weekly intake. Those women are already tied to him. I'm sure they're looking into some way to remove the binding and reimprint a woman onto a new person, but there's only so many problems they can solve at once." "Does it bother any of you that your health is tied to Andy's?" Katie asked the group. "Bother is the wrong word," Sheridan said, annoyance in her tone of voice. "Concern is the right word. We're very protective of Andy, because he knows our lives are all fully dependent on his for the time being, and that if he dies, we all probably die with him. So, sure, we're concerned, but I think all of us feel comfortable in knowing that Andy's got our best interests at heart, and is keeping that all in mind." "One of the two people arriving tomorrow is going to be his bodyguard," Jenny said. "A friend of mine from college, who's going to guard his life with her own." "Who's the other?" "A director friend of mine," Emily said, "whom I thought would be an excellent addition to the house. She was one of the AD's on some of the latter Dagger Academy movies." Katie Couric clapped her hands together. "Okay, why don't we take a break, then do some of the one on ones, and then we can circle back and do another group interview to close out the day. Our team can leave you one of our cameras here tonight, so you can get that video of someone being imprinted, and we'll come by and pick it up tomorrow before we leave town. We appreciate you trusting us with that, as I know it can't have been an easy decision to make, but I think that footage will go a long way to convincing people this treatment is in their best interest. As for today, we'll go ahead and finish getting set up in Andy's office, and when you're ready Andy, we can sit down and do our one on one and drill down on some things I've got further questions on." "Sure," he said, as all the girls were standing up and stretching. "Let me go grab a quick drink, and I'll meet you in my office in about ten minutes, okay?" "Sounds good." Katie and her crew were escorted by Nicolette down to Andy's office, while the girls stood up and started chatting among themselves, while Emily and Ash closed it around Andy. "That went about as well as can be expected," Emily said to them. "I feel like we've got some kind of curveball coming," Ash said, taking Andy's hand in her left and Emily's hand in her right. "After you're done, Andy, we'll talk a bit again. I'm sure you'll get surprises before any of us do." He took his time, grabbed a bottle of Vanilla Coke, drank it then headed down to his office, which today felt a little like going into a lion's den. With all the girls in the ballroom, the large group session had allowed the attention to bounce around a great deal, and he felt like he could catch his breath, but here, it was just going to be the two of them, and he didn't have anyone to run interference for him from time to time. Andy headed into his office and saw that even his cats weren't in there, likely having been moved by the production crew, as Andy moved to sit down in his writing chair, Katie Couric sitting across from him. "Are you ready?" she said to him. "Yep," he answered. "Let's do it." After the mics were checked, the cameras were tested and the lights were adjusting, Andy's one on one began with a softball question. "So how'd you fall into writing urban fantasy, Andy?" "The best advice I ever got was 'if the stories you want to read don't exist in the world, it's your job to put them there,' so I've stuck with that," he said. "I knew what kind of stories I wanted to read, and nobody was really writing those, a sort of fantasy western/samurai hybrid. I mean, you had Butcher's Dresden books, but those were more of fantasy noir hybrids, and I wanted to get into the sort of stories that people like Akira Kurosawa and Sergio Leone used to tell, where you could kill off characters, where actions had consequences and where you never really knew when the next gunfight was coming, because it felt like they could happen at any time. Joe Abercrombie does it in high fantasy, but I wanted something that was happening in our time, in our world.&am
Olivia Vivian was never meant to win.She wasn't the strongest.She wasn't the tallest.And after being cut from Cirque du Soleil and dismissed by critics, she could've quit.But she didn't.Instead, she became the most decorated woman in Australian Ninja Warrior history and one of the most respected athletes in the country.
Mon invité aujourd'hui est une véritable légende du Club Med. Il a travaillé pour l'entreprise de 1985 à 1990. Il a commencé son parcours au Club Med Punta Cana en tant que – croyez-le ou non – responsable du Mini Club, avant de passer au Cirque et de finir par devenir responsable du Cirque. Depuis 36 ans, il est un visage familier de la télévision en tant qu'animateur et produit actuellement trois émissions différentes. Sa voix a également résonné sur la scène internationale, puisqu'il a été l'announcer officiel en francais aux Jeux olympiques de Vancouver en 2010 et de Sotchi en 2014. Au cours des seize dernières années, il a également contribué à former la prochaine génération de G.O. en tant que recruteur sur le terrain pour le Club Med. Et comme si ca ne suffisait pas, son fils perpétue aujourd'hui l'héritage en tant que chef de l'animation au Club Med Charlevoix. Je vous invite à accueillir avec moi, M. Alain Cyr! Dans cet épisode, nous nous plongeons dans chacune des saisons d'Alain au Club Med, en explorant les moments forts, les défis et les moments inoubliables. Nous découvrons également sa carrière impressionnante à la télévision et dans le domaine du sport après son passage dans l'entreprise. Alain revient sur les trois choses qui lui manquent le plus dans son ancien rôle et partage une histoire forte, qui boucle la boucle, impliquant son fils et un moment significatif sur le trapèze. C'est un épisode à ne pas manquer! **Le podcast My First Season a toujours été sans publicité et gratuit à écouter. Il est disponible en téléchargement sur: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora et Listen Notes. Et si vous aimez ce que vous entendez, n'hésitez pas à laisser un commentaire sur Apple Podcasts. Veuillez consulter les liens ci-dessous pour voir les émissions de voyage d'Alain: Épisode #7 Club Med Québec Charlevoix, Le Massif - Destination Ski Épisode # 8 Club Med Val Thorens - Destination Ski Épisode #4 La Martinique - Jeter l'ancre En voyage
Quaranteam – Book 1: Part 14 Andy reconnects with his past, and Emily explores. Based on a post by CorruptingPower, in 25 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. And, after two weeks of trying to subtly discern it from her, Andy eventually just asked Taylor what she did for a living, and Taylor informed Andy that she'd been a phlebotomist before moving into the Rook household, and once she was done with her time in the penalty box, she would go back to it. It was the first step she had taken towards eventually becoming an anesthetist, which was her long term goal. She'd met Lauren when the Aussie had needed someone to come in and blood test a few of the 49ers she was training. Taylor insisted that if Andy ever wanted her to stay in his bed for a night, she would without reservation, but that otherwise, she would be sleeping in the same bed with Lauren, who had set up her own bedroom now, so as to not wake Andy when she left early in the morning for practice. Piper and Sheridan had also set up their own bedrooms, for similar reasons. Piper insisted her workout routine begin at the butt crack of dawn, and she also had a tendency to go to bed almost immediately after dinner, and Sheridan had started joining her in those hours, although the two women had very different work out routines in the morning. Andy had never been awake for any of them, but both of the women had filmed themselves working out, so he could see what they were up to in the wretched early hours. Aisling, Niko, Emily and Sarah had flatly refused to sleep away from Andy, although the order they laid against one another in the bed at night varied quite regularly. At various points over the last few days, he'd woken up in the night to find Emily quietly making out with each of the other three. He was a little surprised that Emily and Sarah didn't want another bedroom for times when the two of them wanted to fool around with just each other. He'd asked them about it, but Sarah had just teased him and insisted that when they did, he should be nearby in case he wanted to watch or join in. The craziest part of the day, however, was when Emily came to track him down in his office just before dinner with a rather baffling request. He'd spent most of the day writing, knowing that tomorrow there would be new women joining the household, and that he'd likely get very little work done on that day. He felt like he was very close to considering the draft for what he was now calling "The Doppleganger's Identity," the next book in the Druid Gunslinger series, ready for his first pass readers to take a look at, and hoped to wrap it up today. It would certainly stop Sarah from asking him yet again when she could read it, since she had insisted she get a spot on that esteemed small council. He kept the door to his office open most of the time, but Emily insisted on knocking before entering the room anyway. "Andrew, love, I know you're writing right now, but might I bother you for just a skosh?" she said, smiling at him in that disarmingly charming English way of hers. "It's never a bother, Em," he said, closing up his laptop. "You know, you're the only one of my partners I'm okay with calling me 'Andrew?' Anyone else does it, and I know I'm in trouble, but you somehow make me not hate the sound of my full name. C'mon in. Sit down, talk to me." The blonde Englishwoman sashayed into the room before lifting one of his legs so she could sit down on the footstool in front of his writing chair. She was wearing a billowy floral print dress that hung down past her knees, loose fitting but still draped enticingly well. Andy wondered if maybe it was tailor made for her, but before he could think to ask, she launched into the reason she'd come to see him. "My agent received a rather odd request today, and I wanted to come and talk to you about it before I answered it. If you're not comfortable with it, I would completely understand that, but I personally think that it would be an excellent thing for us to do, so I hoped we might talk a bit about it before you came to any decision, and perhaps I could bring you around to my way of thinking." Andy set his laptop on the coffee table to the side of his writing chair and shifted to sit up a little bit. "Who's the request from, and what is it that you think I might be uncomfortable with?" "It came from the office of the president, if you can believe it. My agent said President Pelosi didn't call personally, but a member of her staff did." Emily took his large hands in her small ones, holding onto them softly as she kept his gaze focused on her sapphire blue eyes. Clearly whatever they were going to discuss was of great importance. "When the announcement hits next week, they're expecting much of the nation to be in rather dire shock. Such massive casualties means the American way of life going forward is going to have to be something extremely different than what it once was, something radical and new." She licked her lips, a touch of nervousness Andy wasn't sure he'd seen from the usually confident young woman before. "Something like us. To sort of help assert the new norms in the minds of the general public, they want a handful of celebrities to do talk show appearances, with the hosts who are still alive anyway, and most of them seem to have made it out okay, and talk about their new family units, how polyamory is going to be the lay of the land, and how the laws are immediately being changed so that a single man can have multiple wives, to help repopulate the country after the severe losses." Andy laughed a little bit. "If you want to go on television, Em, you certainly don't need my permission. What makes you think I'd be against that?" She smiled at him kindly, and he realized immediately he'd missed what she'd been specifically asking him. "I don't just want to go on television by myself, Andrew. I want to go on television with you and with Sarah and maybe with a couple of the other girls, Niko in particular. I think it's important that we get out there as a new family unit, on The Daily Show, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night With Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, anyone who wants to talk to us, so that we can help put the country a little more at ease that we are going to get through this. Normally, I would be most in favor of shielding all of you from the horror that is the paparazzi, just to keep my personal life simply that, personal. But this is a very strange new world we find ourselves in, Andrew, and we need to help our fellow humans become comfortable with their new reality." "You sound pretty committed to the whole idea," he said, trying to keep his voice as non committal as possible, but Emily had gotten very good at reading him in the short time they'd been together, so he knew she could tell he wasn't entirely opposed to it, simply gauging how it would all work. The particulars of opening his private life to the entire world seemed a little daunting at first blush, but certainly not insurmountable. "We wouldn't be the only ones, I think it's important to stress that, love," she said, squeezing his hands a little bit. "And Sarah and I would also be coming out about our relationship with each other, so you wouldn't have to field a lot of questions if you didn't want to. We could take on the brunt of the questions if that makes it any easier. But I just know many people in this adopted homeland of mine are going to be frightened, and I think the idea to show them the way through would be a step in the right direction." She leaned her head down and kiss the tops of his hands before looking up at him. "Oh! And you could also use it to promote your books, if that might sweeten the pot a smidge. It might help, having twenty minutes of prime mental real estate for your face and your writing?" He chuckled, nodding his head. "You know as well as I do that my agent would string me up by my toes if I had a chance to get this much free publicity for my next novel and didn't take it, so how can I say no? I'm not going to hide from journalists. I'll do my fair share. Tell me how all this is going to work." She smiled, leaned in and kissed him, soft and tender, but for what felt like a delicious eternity. "We will set up the camera and microphones in Sarah and I's little studio, and then we'll just take an hour or so a day for a few weeks to record segments with whoever asks. The president's office wants us to do a 60 Minutes interview even before the announcement is made, as our sort of grand unveiling. For that, they're actually going to send Katie Couric here with a camera woman to do the interview in a few days. They're likely to want to do that in a larger room, or maybe out on the back deck, by the pool. They're going to do an entire show all about the deaths, the vaccine and the new post pandemic world we're starting to grow into. The ten to twenty minute interview with us will just be part of the larger package. They were hoping to have us for a day on the 14th. They're going to be filming at the base on the 13th and doing interviews with President Pelosi on the 15th. The president's representative seemed to think Niko might be a good link between the two segments, if she was one of the people helping to give the tour of the base, and the vaccination process. I asked Niko about it, and she said she wouldn't mind if you didn't, but that I had to ask you first. The whole episode of the show is going to air immediately after the President's speech on the 20th." "Good lord, sounds like they've got all this planned out. I'm surprised I didn't hear from the Office of the President personally." Emily offered him another smile, and considered her next words carefully. It wasn't that she worried about bruising his ego, because Andy had never come across that way, but she also didn't want to seem too full of herself. "Love, I've been a very well known movie star for a decade now, so I think they figured out where I was first and went from there. That's no slight against you! I'm just saying that you aren't a household name that millions of people recognize, and, for better or worse, I am. The Dagger Academy movies were everywhere, as were the books. Simon, my costar in the movies, he's still living in England, so he's in an entirely different world than we are here in the States." Andy grinned. "Oh, I know, I know. All I'm saying is that it wouldn't hurt for the President to have called me herself, y'know. But that's fine. It's fine." "Well, when the paparazzi are struggling to get topless photos of you in Ibiza, then we'll have a conversation about how you aren't being taken seriously as an artist, alright darling?" She giggled a little. "It was fun, teasing them, knowing they so desperately wanted to get images of my tits to sell, and that a bidding war would erupt for the image." "They are excellent tits, Em." "Bless you, love. But you're never going to convince me they're as nice as, say, Sarah's or Hannah's. And all those tits, theirs and mine, are exclusively the purview of this family now and forever more, so the paparazzo can fuck right off. So, the interview? You'll do it? You'll dance for the media circus with us, for the good of the nation?" "I'll do almost all of it, sure." She tilted her head slightly in confused amusement, that coy smile on her pink lips, as her tender fingers squeezed his thigh. "Almost all of it? Which part of it am I going to have to have to convince you for?" He rolled his eyes a little, a playful smirk on his lips. "I'll do all the evening shows, magazines, newspapers and website interviews you want me to, but doing Good Morning America might be a hill too far, simply because of how goddamn early I'd have to get up for it." "Or we could simply stay up very late and do it before bed," she said, moving to slide off the footstool so she could climb into his lap. "I'm sure we could find some way to keep you awake and alert that far into the night. Four thirty in the morning our time could give us the opportunity to go on live television with sex hair," she said, waggling her eyebrows at him lasciviously. "Oh, and I'm not gonna do Fox News." "Christ, love, haven't you heard? They're barely running a skeleton crew over there. Most of their on air talent died over the last few months, and now that the women are in charge over there, they're losing some of that ridiculous bullshit they used to be spouting." Andy chuckled, shaking his head a little bit. "All it took was most of the men dying." "It's pretty hard to pretend the plague isn't a real thing when it keeps killing people off left and right, dear," she said. "The rescheduled Presidential election next month is going to be between Senators Kamala Harris and Susan Collins, two women. That's never happened before in the history of this country. The vast majority of people voting in the election are going to be women. This is all completely unprecedented, so all those women who have felt powerless for so many years, this is their chance to shine. But the old tribal lines are still going to be there, even if the genders of the people leading those parties has changed. Republicans will still be Republicans and Democrats will still be Democrats. But there's too many dead people for everyone to go on pretending like the plague isn't real, or that it's not better to not get a grip on the new reality. One side was already telling their people that the plague wasn't real, so more of their men died than the on the other side. They can't afford to do that any more. So the new Fox News agenda is to go back to simple fiscal conservatism, pro military and pro old school Christianity stances. They're just going to drop all the anti woman bullshit that they've been poisoning their own wells with for so long." "And all it took was most of their men dying." Andy rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll leave it up to you on whether or not you want to do any of the Fox News shit." "Oh heavens no," Emily laughed, shaking her head. "No, you couldn't pay me enough to appear in front of those horrid people. They've been trying to tell me they have the right to regulate my body for decades but that I should keep my mouth shut when it comes to how they spend the money I pay in taxes. At least a few of their remaining hosts have called me horrible things for daring to disagree with them. 'Entertainers should be sit down and be quiet when it comes to politics,' they've said about me for far too long. Fuck that, darling. I'm having none of it." "Well, on that we can agree." "Now, I do believe I have some convincing to be doing," she said, licking her lips playfully, as she slid off his lap and down onto her knees before him, pushing his legs apart. "That's really not necessary, Em," he said, reaching forward to put a hand on her shoulder, but her delicate fingers moved to grab his wrists, lifting them so that one of his hands was along the back of her neck, and the other was sliding up into that radiant cascade of blonde hair. "It might not be necessary, Andrew, but that isn't to say I wouldn't enjoy it anyway," she said, her hands moving to unbutton his jeans, slowly drawing the zipper down. "Because sometimes a girl just needs to get her fix, you know?" She leaned down and kissed part of his exposed stomach. "You wouldn't deny me that, would you, love? Not innocent little me?" "I don't know that I could deny you anything, Emily," he chuckled. She licked her lips, those inescapable blue eyes of hers looking up at him. "That's what I like to hear. Because it's time for me to do something before Sarah does." She fished out his cock, tucking his balls over his boxers to protect them from accidentally getting caught in the zipper of the jeans, because she wasn't willing to wait long enough to pull his jeans off. "I let her have first go at you, but I'm entitled to have some firsts with you before she gets a chance. That's fair, isn't it?" She leaned down and pressed her pink lips against the head of his cock, covering it in tiny kisses. "I think we can both agree that's only fair." "I seem to recall you and Sarah taking turns blowing me at the same time," he said, tilting his head a little. "I wouldn't say she got there first." "She got to fuck you first though, Andrew," she sighed, stroking his cock tenderly. "And I understand why. She's madly in love with you because of your writing, although she's very much fallen in love with the man behind that writing as well." Her tongue slipped out and dragged a long trail across the bottom of his cock, from the base up to the tip, teasing the slit with the tip of her tongue for only a split second. "Me, on the other hand, I fell in love with the man first, when I heard all the lengths you'd gone to in protecting the women who'd chosen to hitch their wagons to your train. Niko painted such a wonderful portrait of you, and you haven't failed to live up to that yet." "I'm always going to put my family's needs above my own, Em," he said, shivering as he felt her pursing her lips around the mushroom tip of his circumcised cock for a long moment. "So what is you want to do before Sarah, hmm?" "Oh, bless, Andrew, I would've thought it would've been obvious," she giggled, blowing air along his cock, teasing his balls with her finely manicured fingernails. "I want you up the serviceman's entrance. I want you in my ass, before Sarah thinks to ask you to do it to her. We've had fingers and small toys up both hers and my asshole before, naturally, but never the real thing, and I'm afraid I simply cannot risk the chance that she get the opportunity to convince you to do it to her before you do it to me. I want to have at least one first of my very own with you before she does, and while I'm a little nervous, I must confess I am also rather excited. First times are always so exhilarating." Andy licked his own lips, swallowing a breath of air. "First times can also be quite intense, Em. Even overwhelming." "Yes yes yes Andrew, that's why I'm going to ask you if you can remember a color code when you're worked up. I know those kinds of sensations can be, distracting to self control, but you've always struck me as level headed." Her tongue took a long swirling path around the underside of the head of his cock, and his fingers tightened in her sandy hair a moment, clenching a fistful of it, which evoked a clear quiver of delight from the girl. "What do you mean a color code?" "You see, when Sarah and I are adventuring into, shall we say, uncharted sexual waters between the two of us, we use a color code. If one of us says 'green,' then things are wonderful, enjoyable and the other should carry on full steam ahead. If one of us says 'yellow,' then perhaps a bit of caution or easing back is needed. If one of us says 'red,' then a moment's rest is needed, or second thoughts are being had, and it's best to stop, until the other is ready to go again. Like a stoplight. We strike the use of those colors for any other uses when we're on the code." She looked up at him with those tender azure orbs again, soft and warm, as her fingertips stroked his shaft and juggled his balls. "Would that be alright, Andrew?" He leaned forward and kissed her again, and this time he found her not only pliant but a touch more eagerly wanton than she'd been moments ago. "Of course, love," he said to her. "But just be careful and remember you can't use those words for anything else while we're in color code mode." She titled her head to the side, a curious expression of amusement on her face. "Oh? Do you anticipate me slipping? I'm quite bright, you know," she teased, winking at him. "I have a degree in feminist studies from Cambridge and everything." He smirked a little bit. "I simply thought you might ask me to paddle your ass red, and then I'd have been more than a little conflicted from the mixed signals." She began to giggle fiercely, having even to take one of her hands from his cock up to cover her mouth, as she nodded furiously, her blonde curls falling in front of her face before her hand lifted from lips and pushed it from her eyes. "You're right! You're right you're right you are absolutely right, I most certainly would have done that, said that without even thinking about it, and what a right git I would've looked, while you would've been standing there frozen in fear that you'd gone too far." "You think you can keep that in mind, then?" She nodded once more, this time more slow and deliberate, before she pressed her hands on the tops of her thighs, moving to stand herself up. "I had Nicolette conceal a couple of bottles of lube in nearly every room of the house, in case this particular stripe of lust struck one of us. She seemed to think it was an excellent idea." Andy couldn't help but snicker a little bit. "I'm sure she did. She seemed to enjoy the hell out of it when she got her turn at it a couple of days ago." Emily giggled again as she reached behind the couch in the corner of his writing studio, her fingers reemerging with a small bottle of lube in them. "I did notice her walking a little funny yesterday, but she wouldn't tell me when I asked her about it. She simply blushed a wonderful shade of crimson and walked away from me. So I take it you gave her the ol' heave ho?" He tried to keep that ain't I a stinker smile from spreading on his face, but in the end, he just couldn't help it. "She told me she likes to be a bit bratty and put into her place, so I stuffed her panties in her mouth while I had a go at her ass. She seemed to like that quite a bit." While Emily approached him, he stood up and tugged off his jeans and boxers, not wanting to get any of the lube on them, setting them on his writing chair. For the hell of it, he pulled off his shirt as well. The idea of resembling Donald Duck appalled him. Emily's eyes widened in amusement and delight, shaking her head frantically. "You didn't! You absolutely didn't! Tell me that you didn't, Andrew!" "I surely and truly did, and she loved it. She even made a point to tell me that it was exactly how I should have a go at her moving forward." "Well, not this time, but I might like to try something like that at some point in the future," she said, as she walked over to him, lifting her dress up and over her head, tossing it aside, revealing she was completely naked beneath it. "Mostly because it wouldn't let me speak the color code if need be, but also because I'm simply not wearing any panties today." She flashed him another saucy wink, as she moved to set up her cell phone to point at the couch. Andy suspected she might be filming it to show to Sarah later, or perhaps just for her own personal edification. "Now let me pour some of this lube on your cock, and you can tell me what position I should be in for my first time at this." He shivered a little as she drizzled clear fluid onto his prick, her slender fingers stroking his shaft again, making sure to get every inch of his thick cock slicked up as much as possible. "If you want total control, you could climb on for a ride, but some women think the sensations are just too intense, and tend to seize up, so they prefer to have the man controlling things. If that's more your speed, then you probably want to get on your knees on the couch, laying your arms down on the top of it, your head resting on your arms, or with your arms behind you, so you can grab at your legs, or rub on your clit. Lauren rubbed her cunt her entire first time, saying it helped the nerve endings get all tangled up in one another." She licked her lips, that tiny hint of reticence fading away the moment he saw it, as she nodded. "I do think it will all be simply too much for me to keep my head clear, so I think I will try the position on the couch, and you can be in the driver's seat." She handed him the small bottle of lube. "Make sure you get me slicked up before you go rampaging in, however." "You sure you " His sentence was interrupted by her grabbing the back of his head, smearing lube on his skull while she pulled him into a feral, almost delirious kiss, her tongue rampaging into his mouth with a carnal frenzy that he didn't normally associate with his more restrained and reserved partner. When she pulled back, she didn't let her face move more than an inch away from his, her blue eyes peering directly into his greens. "I have been a posh prig my entire life, Andrew," she cooed at him in a sing song fashion. "Now it's time for you to take that stick out of my prim ass and jam this wicked cock up it instead. If you don't, I may well go mad, and that wouldn't be ideal for either of us, I somehow think. Now let's get to it." "As the lady requests," he said, watching her sashay away from him. She slid one knee up on the couch demurely, followed by the other, bending forward at the waist, leaning down until she was resting on her hands and knees on the plush sofa. God, she was gorgeous, he thought to himself. Almost criminally so. She held pose there as he walked over towards her, but as he got closer, she lowered her shoulders down towards the top of the couch, sliding her hands back behind her, to cup her perky porcelain white ass. "This is all yours, Andrew," she moaned. "Virginal. Unspoiled. Unsullied. Uncharted territory." She shivered and he could see goosebumps run across her skin as the lube started to drizzle down the cleft of her ass, smearing over that rosy pucker. "God, I feel so wanton and exposed like this, ready to be debauched and debased, your eager whore, giddy for you to introduce her to these new delights, to expand her horizons and blow her mind." Andy set the bottle on the table next to the couch, then moved to use two of his fingers to smear the clear liquid along her anus, seeing her body twitch and wriggle just a little bit, as he smeared the substance around, pushing his index finger inside of her, hearing her gasp sharply following by a tiny, high pitched yelp, as she clamped down on that digit. "How are we doing, Em?" She drew in a long breath that sounded like it took some effort before she exhaled, a slow controlled push of air over her lips, as that sphincter muscle relaxed around his fingertip. "Green! We're green, Andrew. I just, I simply needed a moment to compose myself once more. Your fingers are quick thicker than Sarah's," she said with a nervous laugh. "You're going to be getting something much bigger than that in a moment," he said. "If you still want it, that is. Not too late to change your mind." "I have come too far to back out now, Andrew." "You haven't cum at all, I don't think," he teased. "Shows what you know," she giggled once more, looking over her shoulder at him to stick her tongue out in his direction. "I definitely came when you pushed your finger in. The pre fuck jitters, one might think. Like a bloody schoolgirl, I am, right now." "Alright then," he said, as he slipped his fingertip out, her asshole closing up immediately. "Remember, you merely have to say what you want, and I'm going to listen." She nodded again, one hand reaching between her legs to rub her fingertips against her cunt, stroking her finely manicured digits against her cunt, as her other hand reached up and over behind her, grabbing one of her asscheeks, pulling it aside, as if to make sure she was open and exposed for him. "Let me feel it, Andrew, but go slow. Just a bit at first." Andy nodded, as he moved his hips, settling the tip of his cock against her asshole, which he felt spasm just a little when the mushroom head of his cock made contact with it. He gave her half a second to relax once more, then began to push forward. He leaned his body against hers, feeling some initial resistance, but after a few moments, the head of his cock popped through that ring of muscle, and a guttural, almost primitive moan erupted from her throat, loud and carnal. "Fuck that's big that's so fucking big yellow yellow Andy, yellow,” she rambled, and immediately Andy held perfectly still. "Too much?" he said, feeling her ass clinging onto the head of his cock with an intense amount of pressure. "Stop? Pull out? Just wait?" "Don't pull out! Are you fucking crazy?" she said, a borderline delirious laugh cackling from her lips. "I just, I just, just give me a moment, please, you're fucking big, you know that? You and your fat fucking cock feel like you've shoved a telephone pole up my tight young virgin ass, so I'm going to need a god damned moment, thank you very much, but don't you dare fucking slip out, or I will beat you bloody senseless with a cricket bat!" Andy blushed a little bit, a wry smile on his lips, as he held perfectly still. "In your own time, Em." The tiny blonde Brit drew in a long breath, then slowly exhaled it, like she was doing some form of yoga and trying to center her chi. She did it again, and Andrew started to get worried that maybe she simply wasn't ready for this, but just about the time that thought started to roll around in his head, he felt her starting to lean back against him just a little bit. "Green, Andrew, but,” she said, shifting her body just enough so that she could look back at him, "please, for heaven's sake, take it slowly." He nodded to her, and began to lean forward, feeling her body almost being pried apart as his cock worked his way inside of her virginal asshole. Her fingertips were rubbing down firmly on her clit, and while he tried to keep the forward momentum as slow as possible, when he was nearly half way into her ass, she suddenly pushed back into him, engulfing the rest of his cock in her back door, as a wash of goosebumps rolled across her flesh, starting at the small of her back and blossoming outwards in an instant flare, followed by a hard tremble intermingled with a high pitched whine that started racing upwards in octaves and volumes until it crested, breaking and dissolving into a frantic, almost demented giggle, as his balls rested against her fingers which hadn't stopped stroking at her cunt. "You alright, Em?" he asked. "Alright? Alright? Are you asking if I'm alright now, Andrew?" she hissed, although the tone was giddy and excited. "I am green, super green, all the greens! I am awesome, fucking brilliant. That felt,” she drew in a long breath, "So fucking good, and I came So fucking hard." Her head whipped to look directly at her cellphone camera. "Sares, it's like it builds and builds and builds, and you're getting more and more and more tense and then,” she said, pulling her hips forward, sliding his cock mostly back out of her ass before, "Wham!" she said as she slammed her ass back onto his cock hilt deep once more, and let out another unearthly moan. "Holy fuck, that feels so good. Your cock just jammed up right my ass, your balls resting right on my cunt." Her head snapped again to look back at him, and her soft and kind blue eyes had gone more than a little crazy. "Go on then, in for a penny, in for a pound. Pound your little penny. Go on, you dirty wanker. Do it to me! Fuck my ass!" At this point, he was pretty sure that if he had said 'red,' she would've ignored him and just played on through. The kind of wild lust in her eyes would've been completely unfamiliar to him if he hadn't seen it before, briefly, with both Piper and Sheridan, though those had been chemically induced. Later in the evening, he'd consider whether maybe she'd tapped into that same mental state that being deprived of his semen developed in women, but in that particular moment, the only thing he could do was to fuck Emily Stevens, film sweetheart of a generation, within an inch of her sanity. His hips drew back and then thrust forward, a solid grind on his first real pump, which was met by a hard squeeze of her ass around his cock and a burbling, uncorked moan oozing from her lips. He drew back again, but this time his forward thrust was met by the snap of her hips pushing her ass back into him, making her toned asscheeks ripple just a tiny amount. "Oh fuck, Andrew," she babbled, "I want more, but I know I'm going to cum soon, and once I start again, it's not going to stop, so I need it, I need you, I love you, I need you to fucking cum inside of my ass, fill it up with that hot spunk for the first time. Mark your territory with your seed! Please Andrew, I'm fucking begging you, let me have it, show my ass you love it, teach me this final thing. Fucking cum in my ass!" The entire time, she was doing more of the thrusting than he was, although he was trying to keep pace with her. And just towards the end, he knew that he wouldn't be able to stave off the impending orgasm for long, so at her insistence, he let loose a hot jet of jizz right into her ass. The minute he felt the first spurt escape him, it felt as though she clamped down on him in a fist like grasp, and then he felt a heavy rush of liquid against his balls, her cunt gushing all over them and down the inside of his thighs. The very sensation of it made him splattered a handful more blasts of cum into her ass before he stopped, one of his hands holding onto the back of the couch for dear life, as he felt her fingertips fall away from her cunt as her arm slumped downwards. He'd gone soft almost right away, but her ass was still trying to milk any last remaining droplets of cum from his cock with gentle squeezes, even as he finally slid out of her. Her body was mostly propped up by her knees, although her face was buried into the couch cushions. He waited a minute or so before he finally said, "You alright, Em?" She began giggling, slowly moving to roll onto her side, so he could see her face had turned bright red, the color of Sarah or Aisling's hair, and she was clutching one hand to her mouth, trying to contain the infectious laugh that would not be suppressed. "Holy fucking Christ, Andrew, I am so so so embarrassed by that," she whimpered. "I've, fuck, I've never done that before. I didn't know I could fucking do that, Christ, I'm made such a mess, how awful of me. I'm horrible." Andy knelt down alongside the couch, and leaned in to press his lips against hers. She struggled for half a moment, still caught up in her own awkwardness of the moment, before she gave in and simply returned the kiss, which he held for an endlessly long time. "Did you enjoy it?" he said, when he finally gave her a moment to breathe again. "Fuckin' 'ell, Andrew," she stumbled, "I think that would've been bloody obvious." "Then who the fuck cares about the mess?" He kissed her again, one hand stroking her sweaty hair from her face, the energy cooling down a little, as they both came down from the orgasmic plateaus they'd just been dancing in. "Besides, I'd have thought you'd enjoy the idea of telling Nicolette to come and clean my office without giving her any explanation into why." Emily face almost hurt from smiling so much as she nodded. "Thank you for this, Andrew, and for making me feel at home in my own body as it learns new things about itself." She looked down then looked up at him, almost a touch of fear in her eyes. "I know I've said it before, but it's important to me that you know this, Andrew. I well and truly love you, like no other man I've known before." "I love you too, Emily," he said, making sure he was looking directly into her eyes when he said it, so she would understand there were no reservations. "And I'm very glad you agreed to marry me. You've been not only good for me, you've been good for the whole house." "Oh shush, now my heart's all aflutter," she said, moving to stand up, pausing to wince for a second. "Well, I'll jolly well feel that for the next few days. It's sore and it's still tingling in pleasure. Both, together, at the same time. What an odd delight." He laughed, grabbing her dress for her, holding it out. "Go on, get dressed and bring Nicolette in here to see the mess that you've made for her to clean up. I'll bet she's not at all embarrassed, and more than a little jealous." "You know, I suspect you might well be correct, Andrew. Brilliant." A cast list intermission for Quaranteam The House of Rook Andy Rook, A 38 year old content writer for Netflix, who also lives a double life as semi successful urban fantasy writer Blake Conrad, known for his Druid Gunslinger books. Shaved head, neatly trimmed brown beard, 5'11", hazel eyes, tattooed on the chest with a griffon, could stand to lose a few pounds. Originally from Ohio, has lived in the Bay Area for over a decade. Our protagonist, such as he is. Still reaping the benefits from one random act of kindness to a stranger named Dave. Aisling (Ash) Blake, A 27 year old graphic design contractor for Google. Originally from Dublin, she's lived in the States for 4 years. Red hair, freckles, short (5'4"), fit. Outgoing and charming, but also protective of Andy. Aisling showed up first (at the same time as Lily) and has helped keep Andy level headed and sane throughout the entire ordeal. Pregnant with Andy's child. Engaged to Andy. Lauren White, A 35 year old personal trainer for the San Francisco 49ers. Originally from Australia, she's lived in the States for 2 years. Very tall (6'6"), very tan, blonde, athletic, emotionally involved with Taylor as much as (if not more so) Andy. Lauren is big and boisterous, but has a tendency to not think things fully through. 2nd Lieutenant Niko RedWolf, A 22 year old Air Force Security Forces officer (military police). Originally from South Dakota. Half Lakota, one quarter Mexican and one quarter Japanese. Long black hair, toned and slender. 5'4". Sarcastic, wry and witty, Niko has basically become Andy's right hand woman, along with Ash, whom she considers her best friend. She's helped provide endless insight to the vaccine program being managed at the local Air Force base, where she works. Also pregnant with Andy's child and engaged to him. Nicolette (Yvette) Seydeaux (staff), The 22 year old maid of Rook Manor. Blonde, with long curly hair. Extremely buxom. 5'9" or 6'1" (in heels). Second generation French American. Enjoys wearing classic maids outfits and being a bratty submissive. Pretended to be named Yvette at first, at the suggestion of Phil. Katie Rodriguez (staff), The 32 year old gardener of Rook Manor. Hispanic, butch, 5'8", with short black hair cut in a bob, almost always seen in overalls and a button up shirt. Lesbian and wife of Jenny Peters. Had reservations about the program, but wanted to ensure safety for her and her wife, so they took the deal and came to join the House of Rook. Jenny Peters (staff), The 31 year old cook of Rook Manor. Midwestern and plump, 5'8", with brown bushy hair. Wears large circular glasses. Tends to be overly motherly. Bisexual and wife of Katie Rodriguez. Taylor Morrison, The 25 year old ex ex girlfriend of Lauren White. Platinum blonde, stacked, short (5'2"). Currently still in the doghouse for cheating on Lauren almost a year ago, but close to working her way out of her trouble. As part of her current punishment (dictated by Lauren), she is not allowed to wear clothes. Piper Brown, A 26 year old Olympic Volleyball player. Brunette, tall (6'2"), muscular but lean, blue eyed. Went viral for a video of her pre game warm up dance. Still slightly recovering from abusive treatment at Andrew Covington's home. Asha Varma, An 18 year old college student and daughter of Dr. Charlotte Varma. Half Indian, half French, raised in London until last year. Brown skin, black hair, pierced navel, wild child attitude. 5'6". Party girl and socialite, Asha tends to enjoy causing trouble, as it gets her attention. Has some growing up to do. Sarah (Sares) Washington, A 31 year old actress. 6'2", redheaded, quirky, clumsy and a bit dorky. Originally from New Jersey. Swears like breathing. Very girl next door. Huge fan of the Druid Gunslinger books, and had a crush on Andy before she even met him. Big lover of Broadway theater and musicals, both attending and performing in. Partner of Emily Stevens. Engaged to Andy. Emily (Em) Stevens, A 30 year old actress, 5'1", blonde, blue eyed, pale, slender, very posh, British. Left London for L A just a few years ago. Incredibly charming and witty, with an almost supernatural social sense. Grew up as a child actress in a wildly popular series of movies called "The Dagger Academy" series, but has since struggled to establish a successful acting career outside that role. Partner of Sarah Washington. Engaged to Andy. Sheridan Smith, A 32 year old acrobat and performer for Cirque Du Soleil. 5'7" Blonde, frizzy hair, slender and extremely flexible. Very laid back and go with the flow. Has been teaching the girls of the house yoga in her spare time. Hannah Nakamura, And 18 year old college student and former cheerleader. Half Hawaiian, half Japanese. Short (5'1"), Asian, with long black hair with blonde stripes in it. Curvy, very well endowed (44G) and a firecracker of energy. Originally supposed to be joining the House of Watkins, she is much happier being part of the House of Rook. The House of Yang Eric Yang, A 39 year old engineer, and Andy's former roommate. Second generation Japanese American. Short (5'5") but athletic, if a bit shy and bookish. Piggybacked on Andy's one good deed into a complete life change he wasn't expecting. Andy and Eric are friends, but not overly close ones, despite having shared a condo for most of a decade. Lily Wu, a 25 year old coder for Door Dash. Second generation Japanese American. Dyed purple hair, short (5'2"), punkish. Eric's first partner, who expected to be his only partner only for life to get majorly in the way. Lily is the iron fist that runs the House of Yang, sometimes making decisions for Eric so he doesn't spend too long dwelling on them. Jenny Carnero, a 28 year old meteorologist for the local Fox News channel. Statuesque brunette (5'10") who always remains overly tanned. Lily's ex roommate who had to be rescued after fleeing from the person she was supposed to be paired up with, before getting paired up with Eric. Threatened to tell her story to the reporters at the station she worked at, but Lily convinced her that doing so would be bad for all involved. Phil cleaned the mess up. Sarah Wilson, a 26 year old HR specialist with Adobe Systems. Short (5'3"), blonde, Nordic and curvy. Originally from Kansas. The House of Marcos Phil Marcos, a 34 year old Filipino project manager for Boeing, working in conjunction with the Air Force to manage the vaccine development/distribution program trying counter the epidemic. Probably involved in a sizable amount of heavily classified shit. Tall (5'11"), slender and usually exhausted. Has a deep love of fighting games and mischief. Phil always knows more than he can talk about. Audrey Percy, a 29 year old Hispanic psychologist. Short (5'1"), very curvy. Also a big fighting games fan. Has been doing her best to keep Phil sane throughout the apocalypse. One of the first successful recipients of the current vaccine. Pregnant with Phil's child and engaged to him. Captain Linda Hayes, a 35 year old Caucasian captain in the Air Force. Blonde, fit, lethal. Also doubling at Phil's bodyguard most days. Tamika Jefferson, an 18 year old African American college student. Short (5'2"), curvy, disaffected and disinterested in most things. Yuko Takahashi, a 22 year old first generation Japanese immigrant and video game engineer. Very short (4'10"), very slender but extremely agile. The most sarcastic of Phil's partners. Dr. Charlotte Varma, a 44 year old French infectious disease researcher working with the Air Force and Boeing. Lead developer on the current vaccine. Average height (5'7"), blonde, matronly but also a bit bougie. Originally from Paris, she moved to London and married Dev Varma, before they emigrated to the US earlier this year with their teenage daughter, Asha (now part of the House of Rook). Was rescued by Andy but chose to go with Phil. The House of Covington Arthur Robert Covington IV, a 63 year old investment banker. Considers himself the most important person in New Eden. Certainly is the richest. A horrible prick with a rumored proclivity for making his partners do awful things. Runs a regular poker game where people are used as stakes. The person Andy hates the most. Lisa Davis, a 25 year old graphic design contractor for Google. Ex colleague of Aisling. Partner for Covington, who does not allow her to speak in public. Ash has been trying to find ways to talk to her on the side. Rachel DeMarco, a 28 year old infectious disease researcher working with the Air Force and Boeing. Has only been spoken of, not actually see in the story thusfar. Veronica DeLaCruz (deceased), a 27 year old Hispanic card dealer for the House of Covington privately, as well as professionally over at a local casino. Cheated on her partner (Arthur) with a man named Brian Morrison, and the sexual encounter resulted in her death. The first fatality in New Eden, her death is being used to remind women the dangers involved in being unfaithful in the new world. The House of Vikovic Gregor Vikovic, a 52 year old business owner. Russian, huge (6'2", 275lbs), mucular, with a big braided silver beard and a fondness for expensive things, particular food and drink. One of the more elite members of New Eden. The House of Watkins Nathaniel Watkins, a 41 year old investor and insanely rich self made gadfly. Tall (6'1"), lean and Waspy, Nathaniel tends to look more like an out of work yoga instructor than the forty first richest man in the world. His brown beard is always somewhat disheveled, and seems to relish always walking around in socks and Birkenstocks. Has a friendly relationship with Andy, whom he gave a shitload of money to, seemingly to punish his son. Benny Watkins, an 18 year old high school student. Benny is Nathaniel's biggest failure, spoiled and thoughtless, entitled and arrogant. His claiming of Deborah Barnes resulted in his punishment by his father, and the reassignment of Hannah to Andy. Deborah Barnes, a 34 year old veterinarian from Los Gatos, originally from Kansas. She was originally assigned to Nathaniel, who used her as a stake in one of Covington's poker games. She was won by Andy, but Benny claimed her before she could be relocated. As part of Benny's punishment, Deborah's been assigned control of Benny. Erin Donegal, a 36 year old pharmaceutical representative. Dated and lived with Andy about a decade ago until she gave him an ultimatum “ "either your friends go, or I do." Andy gave her the boot, and she stalked him on and off since then. Second generation Irish American. Blonde (but dyes her hair brown), curvy. Andy refused to bring her into his house, and she was reassigned to the House of Watkins. The House Of Haunton Mayor James Haunton, the 54 year old mayor of New Eden. Portly and short tempered. Has a mustache that whole bowls of soup could get lost in. Major Monica Peters, the 36 year old wife of the mayor, who doubles as the greeter and tour guide of New Eden for the most recent arrivals. The House of Jacobson Jake Jacobson, the 49 year old owner of the AllStore chain of department stores. Jet black hair with a pencil thin mustache. More reptilian than human, with beady eyes and a perpetual sneer on his face. Hot tempered, petty and vindictive.. The House of Baker Xander Baker, a 38 year old auto mechanic and car restorer from Ohio. Andy's oldest and best friend. Being relocated to New Eden to get paired up with Captain Betsy Ross. Covered in tattoos, ridiculously muscular, Xander is a gentle giant. Not to be allowed near karaoke machines under peril of death. Captain Betsy Ross, a 34 year old Air Force officer, working on the reconstruction program, rebuilding America's heavily damaged infrastructure. Soon to be Xander's first partner. Brooke Maloney, a 24 year old Olympic swimmer, and friend of Piper. Second generation Swedish American. Blonde, short (5'4") and extremely athletic. Originally, Piper was trying to convince Andy to bring Brooke into the House of Rook, but Andy immediately recognized her personality would be a better fit for Xander, and asked Phil to help redirect her. The House of, Dave? Dave, something or other?, a thirty(ish) something(?) quarantine management engineer for the CDC, who came to test Andy and Eric, and found out that Andy was secretly Dave's favorite author. In exchange for an advance copy of the newest unpublished Druid Gunslinger book, he put Andy and Eric into the system as Top Level V I P, which has changed their life forever. Nice dude, but Dave's just this guy, you know? Chapter 29 The next day, Andy and Ash met up with Eric and Lily for lunch in a restaurant, something they still weren't accustomed to, even though they'd done it a couple of times since moving into New Eden. They'd been in quarantine so long that the basic things like eating out felt alien. They'd found a nice little BBQ joint that someone had opened within the walls of New Eden, and Andy was ecstatic. Andy's hope was that they were going to keep getting more varieties of food in their new home town. The little 1950s dinner was nice, but the village needed things like a Mexican joint, a Chinese restaurant, a ramen house, a place where he could get a banh mi, Andy realized he really just needed the place to be less exclusively white. The guy who owned and ran the BBQ was a big black guy named Bryant Walters who'd apparently played football for the 49ers a couple of decades ago. He'd settled in the Bay after his football career ended, and he had brought his love of southern BBQ to opening his own restaurant, called "Smoke On The Water." He had a dozen of his own BBQ sauces, brisket that he smoked for at least twelve hours and some of the best damn ribs Andy had ever tasted. It didn't hurt that Bryant was also massively friendly, making sure to come out and talk to patrons of the place. The wait staff was comprised of his partners, five women in all, at least one a former 49ers cheerleader. Over lunch, Andy made sure to tell Bryant that he should have delivery service for the community, and the big burly man told him that was an excellent idea, and that he'd start working on a website for online orders. The meal was the first chance that Andy and Eric had really been able to sit down and catch up one on one since they'd gotten to New Eden. Sure, they'd seen each other at parties and big gatherings, but with just Ash and Lily there, it felt like a throwback to the first days of the whole adventure when they'd been a pair of new couples sharing a tiny little condo. "So yeah, what with all the casualties on my team, I've been promoted up the food chain to be director of the division," Eric said, poking at his brisket with his fork. "I like the responsibility and the increase in pay, but it's also incredibly depressing to think about all the former coworkers that died, none of whose funerals I can attend, because nobody's allowing funerals." "Yeah," Andy sighed, "Phil told me they're moving to mass cremations now, since so many people died. They'll probably build some sort of memorial after we're through all of this, like the Vietnam Wall or Ground Zero for 9/11." "It's so strange, seeing all the names on Slack that aren't lighting up any more," Eric sighed. "At some point, the death toll crossed from a number I can understand to a number I can't." "Kill one person and it's murder; kill a hundred thousand and it's a statistic. Good ol' Stalin," Lily joked, squeezing his hand reassuringly. "Don't try and think about it, dear. You're only going to get angry or depressed again, and we're having a nice lunch here, with everyone getting a chance to see one another. I mean, I love Niko to death, but if Andy shows up with his entire tribe, it takes over the whole room. How many are there now, fifty?" Ash giggled, rolling her eyes. "It really isn't tha' bad, Lily. How many're over there?" "Seven, including Lily," Eric said. "I refuse to let them send any more," Lily growled. "Each of the girls gets one day a week to spend with him, and he gets Sundays off." "Then when do ya get time with him?" "Any time I fucking want to," Lily laughed, waggling her beer in Eric's direction. "We're trying to have a kid now, and I'm refusing to let any of those other bitches get a go at getting knocked up until I'm well and truly swollen. Once I'm half way through my second trimester, then I'll let'em get off their birth control, and not a minute fucking sooner." "Still got Eric under your thumb, huh, Lil?" Andy teased. "Thumb, palm, e
Derek Jones and I go way back—think Myspace days! We'd been in touch for quite a while before finally meeting up at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to catch the Cirque du Soleil masterpiece, KA, about fourteen years ago. Luckily, we scored some exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and got an inside look at Derek's journey during that time.Flash forward to today, and Derek has been holding it down on bass for KA for over two decades, crushing well over 8,000 shows!But that's just the tip of the iceberg… he's also been recording his own album, jamming with countless bands, diving into creative projects, contributing to Bass Musician Magazine, repping the gear he endorses, and being an awesome family man.I figured it was about time we caught up… so without further ado, here's Derek Jones!This interview first appeared in Bass Musician Magazine in May 2025Go to jazzguitartoday.com and bassmusicianmagazine.com more interviews and lessons.
John Lennon literally said it best: "All You Need Is Love: The Cirque Du Soleil Soundtrack, on CD in multiple editions, streaming with bonus tracks on iTunes, and on a making of DVD." And in 2020, a younger, dumber, sadly Casey-less Gab Two gabbed fab and dished deep on this album! Now, for the first time, here's the Deluxe Edition remaster, in 5.1 Dolby NR Cr02 Color. See you next week with an all new episode! EPISODE LINKS Like and subscribe! Please support our scrappy show. Score some sweet merch or find us on Patreon. Come hang with us on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram! Drop us a review on Apple Podcasts! ----- [Originally released September 19, 2020] In this episode of Pizza Talk, T.J. and Tony get acrobatically off-topic trying to discuss The Beatles collaboration with Cirque du Soleil. It contains 101 local Chicago references. We think this episode will sell a lot of tickets for the Vegas show.
Today's guest is Carolene Méli, a ghostwriter for live entertainment executives and whose career has been anything but predictable.She started out studying nutrition, but what followed was a 20-year adventure in the live entertainment world. Carolene spent 11 of those years as the Guest Experience Manager of VIP Experiences at Cirque du Soleil, traveling to 17 countries, managing six different shows, and creating magical behind-the-scenes moments for audiences across the globe.Then—like so many of us—the pandemic flipped everything upside down.Carolene gets real about what it was like to lose a job she loved, face the uncertainty of solopreneurship, and navigate the deeply humbling moment of asking her parents for financial help. But her story doesn't stop there. With the help of therapy, community, and a ghostwriting mastermind, she found her footing again—this time, by helping top-tier execs in entertainment shape their personal brand and voice on LinkedIn.If you've ever had to rebuild, reroute, or reinvent yourself completely, this one's for you. Carolene's story is packed with honesty, courage, and the kind of hope you might need to hear right now.Episode TakeawaysCarolene Méli unique career journey from nutrition to ghostwritingHer 11-year experience with Cirque du Soleil and the leadership and storytelling skills she developedThe impact of the pandemic on her career and the pivot to solopreneurshipThe emotional and financial challenges that come with starting over—especially asking for helpThe role of therapy in her healing and professional rebirthHow community and collaboration (like a ghostwriting mastermind) helped her growLessons in resilience, reinvention, and letting go of "shoulds"Why personal branding matters, especially for execs in creative industriesConnect with CaroleneLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolenemeli/ Thanks for listening to The Career Flipper!If you enjoyed this episode, let's spread the word! Share it with a friend, subscribe, and leave a review—it helps other career flippers find the show.Let's Stay Connected:Join the community: thecareerflipper.comTikTok: @thecareerflipperInstagram: @thecareerflipperpodGot a career flip story? I'd love to hear it—and maybe even have you on the podcast! Whether you've completed your flip, are just starting, or are in the thick of it, submit your story here: https://www.thecareerflipper.com Want to support the show?Looking for a speaker? I'd love to talk about career changes at your next event.Collaborate through sponsorships or affiliates! Let's work together.Email me: hello@thecareerflipper.comCheck Out My Customer Service CoursesBefore my career flip, I led customer experience teams and created online courses that have helped over 12,000 students worldwide. Whether you're switching to customer service or sharpening your skills to run your own business, these courses are packed with practical tips. Learn more at thecareerflipper.com/courses.Other Ways to Get Involved:Buy me a coffee!Explore my furniture flipsMusic CreditsSeason 1: Intro and outro music by audionautix.com. Season 2: Intro and outro original music by Jenny Dempsey, recorded in a home studio.What's the best that could happen?
“What does hump day mean to you?” That's how this wild ride kicks off—before spiraling into espresso-fueled chaos, heartfelt reflections, and laugh-out-loud moments that only The Ben and Skin Show can deliver.In this unforgettable episode, Ben Rogers, Jeff “Skin” Wade, Kevin “KT” Turner, and Krystina “K-Ray” Ray bring the full force of their chemistry, comedy, and candid storytelling to the airwaves. From Skin's hilariously awkward “power thrust” explanation of hump day to KT's pet sounds bit gone off the rails, the crew is in rare form—and you won't want to miss a second.But it's not all jokes and espresso highs. The heart of the episode lies in a powerful, behind-the-scenes look at the team's journey through the DFW radio landscape. Skin opens up about his appearance on the Cirque du Sirois podcast, revealing untold stories from their time at The Ticket, ESPN, Live 105.3, The Fan, and The Freak. The conversation is raw, real, and surprisingly emotional:“Honestly, we shouldn't be here… We are here because of Ben.”“No, we wouldn't be here without you.”It's a rare moment of mutual admiration that reminds listeners why this crew has endured—and why their bond is the secret sauce behind the show's success.Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the show, this episode is a perfect blend of comedy, nostalgia, and insider radio talk. It's a celebration of friendship, perseverance, and the absurdity of live radio.
durée : 00:04:12 - Le Zoom de France Inter - Zoom ce matin sur la fabrique d'instruments à vents Selmer qui fête ses 140 ans. Et qui prépare son SELMER Music Festival, les 27 et 28 juin au Cirque d'hiver Bouglione, à Paris.
On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sundy 8 June 2025, Artistic Director for Cirque du Soleil's Corteo, Olaf Triebel, shares insights into just how his artists pull off their high risk stunts. Much loved Kiwi cook Annabel Langbein has a new home ... in France. She tells Francesca just how hard it was to buy a house in France and why she's made the move. South Island boys schools are banding together to help our young men with societal issues, principal Steve Hart tells us why. Who will win the war of words between Trump and Musk? US correspondent Dan Mitchinson with the latest. And did you know it's not your hands hitting each other than makes the sound when you clap? Dr Michelle Dickinson with the latest research into clapping. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
World-renowned circus company Cirque du Soleil will bring one of its longest-running and most beloved touring shows to Auckland's Spark Arena this October. Corteo, which premiered in Montreal under a Big Top tent in April 2005, has wowed more than 12 million spectators in 30 countries with a mix of comedy, performance art, music, illusions and acrobatics. Artistic director and long-time circus performer Olaf Triebel says many of these performers have backgrounds in tumbling or gymnastics or trampolining - and the training's fairly straightforward. "Their body is already completely trained, so then what they have to focus on is more the artistic side of it - to learn how to move or to dance or to become an artist on stage." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, the Conversation is revisiting interviews with the creators and performers in Cirque du Soleil's ʻAuana!
Vancouver police provided an update Friday on the vehicle that crashed into the Pacific Coliseum entrance at a Cirque du Soleil show Thursday. A man was arrested under B.C.'s Mental Health Act. CBC reporter Jessica Cheung breaks down what we know so far.
Buckle up for a side-splitting episode of Jeff & Jeremy as they sit down with comedy dynamo Brad Williams ahead of his "Growth Spurt" tour stop at Cal Poly's Performing Arts Center on June 6th! In this uproarious morning show interview, Brad, the 4'4” king of comedy, dishes on everything from riding on Roller Coasters to navigating the wild world of Tinder's height filters. Expect gut-busting stories from his days with Cirque du Soleil, roller coaster adventures, and why 5'4” guys are the unsung heroes of the dating scene. Plus, Brad's got a wild tale about “Big Dick Magoo” you won't want to miss! Tune in at 9:40 AM at the Pac or get tix at Pacslo.org. Don't miss this hilarious, unfiltered chat packed with laughs and insider scoop on Brad's must-see performance! #BradWilliams #GrowthSpurtTour #ComedyPodcast
Rory Bratter is a local Atlanta Stuntman extraordinaire! With credits like bad Boys: Ride or Die, Motor City, Dominion and Absolute Dominion, there's nothing this guy hasn't done! When he isn't on set kicking ass, he's running his stunt studio, Diamond Action Design or reminiscing about his time in Cirque du Soleil. Enjoy this intriguing episode about another side of the industry! Don't forget to like and subscribe!
Your host, Catherine Cantey, talks with 12x author, Sylvia di Giusto.In this episode, we explore the invisible forces that shape our leadership, sales effectiveness, and brand impressions — starting with perception. Our guest, a former corporate leader turned keynote speaker, shares how lessons from retail, Cirque du Soleil, and the global pandemic reshaped her view on leadership and influence.We talk about:-CEO disease-Micro moments-10-10-10 rule for work-life balanceTo learn more about Sylvie's work, visit Sylviedigiusto.com.If you'd like to be a guest on The Business Vitality® podcast, click HERE.For more information, visit CatherineCantey.com.
About the GuestsDavid Harman is the founder of Native Maps, where art and place intersect. His hand-screen-printed neighborhood maps are more than just designs, they are stories—capturing the communities, coffee shops, parks and record stores that make a city feel like home. These maps, sold in stores across the country, are not meant to help you navigate streets but to help you get lost in the places you love. Nearly ten years ago, David co-founded The Maker City, helping build Knoxville's creative ecosystem and proving that artists and makers can thrive as entrepreneurs. He also runs Sunday Studios, a creative space for artists and photographers.Siobian Jones is the founder of A Mighty Wig, a custom wig design business that serves both theatrical productions and individuals experiencing hair loss. With a career spanning salon education, Broadway, Cirque du Soleil and independent business ownership, Siobian brings artistry, craftsmanship and a deep commitment to helping others feel confident and empowered.Why This MattersTurning a creative passion into a sustainable business is no easy feat. It requires more than just talent, it takes financial clarity, adaptability and a willingness to navigate the uncomfortable realities of entrepreneurship.This episode is for artists, makers and anyone who has ever wondered, Can I actually make a living doing what I love? Spoiler alert, yes, but not without some trial, error and plenty of perseverance.A big thank you to Nancy Solomon, a creative leader in Knoxville and co-founder of The Maker City, for kicking off the conversation with a thought-provoking question on what it really takes to build a creative career beyond passion alone.Key Takeaways:There is no cruise control in creative business. Success is not a single breakthrough, it is continuous learning, refining and adapting.Financial vigilance is key. Budgeting, pricing and long-term planning matter just as much as artistic skill.Mastery takes practice. Making a craft look effortless requires years of discipline and iteration.Boundaries matter. Saying yes to everything leads to burnout, true professionalism means valuing your time.Community is everything. The support of like-minded creators can be the difference between surviving and thriving.Selling is just as important as making. A great product does not sell itself, you have to actively put it in front of people.Why It Matters to YouDavid and Siobian bring unfiltered honesty about what it takes to build a career in the creative world. From pricing their work to managing imposter syndrome, they have faced and continue to face the realities of making a living as an artist. Their insights are invaluable for anyone trying to turn their craft into something sustainable.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Listen to all episodes of the Big Ideas Welcome podcast, available now on your favorite streaming platforms, YouTube, and at bigideaswelcome.com. This Big Ideas Welcome podcast is brought to you by Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, hosted and curated by KEC Chief Experience Officer Chris McAdoo, and produced and edited by Palm Tree Pod Co. A special thanks to K BREW for making this episode possible. Original theme music “Thinking of You” courtesy of and copyright Kelsi Walker.
Unlock all the Disney World 2025 magic! Dive into every detail of DVC Welcome Home Weeks, new restaurant rules, and our Ultimate Guide to choosing the perfect Disney World hotel. Plus: Festival of Fantasy Parade updates, Big Thunder Mountain construction, and a Cirque du Soleil kids' ticket deal. Money-saving tips, and more—tune in for your most magical trip ever!
Anne-Sophie s'est rendue à l'ESAC, l'Ecole Supérieure des Arts du Cirque de Bruxelles. Une école comme il n'en existe que 4 dans le monde, vous imaginez? A Montréal, en Suède, en France et chez nous ... à Anderlecht, sur le campus du CERIA. C'est simple, l'ESAC, c'est un peu la Harvard des Ecoles de cirque. Mais avec beaucoup moins d'étduiants! 60 répartis sur les 3 années de cursus. 30 nationalités. La crème de la crème. Merci pour votre écoute N'hésistez pas à vous abonner également aux podcasts des séquences phares de Matin Première: L'Invité Politique : https://audmns.com/LNCogwPL'édito politique « Les Coulisses du Pouvoir » : https://audmns.com/vXWPcqxL'humour de Matin Première : https://audmns.com/tbdbwoQRetrouvez tous les contenus de la RTBF sur notre plateforme Auvio.be Retrouvez également notre offre info ci-dessous : Le Monde en Direct : https://audmns.com/TkxEWMELes Clés : https://audmns.com/DvbCVrHLe Tournant : https://audmns.com/moqIRoC5 Minutes pour Comprendre : https://audmns.com/dHiHssrEt si vous avez apprécié ce podcast, n'hésitez pas à nous donner des étoiles ou des commentaires, cela nous aide à le faire connaître plus largement. Distribué par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
Analyse, reportage, décorticage : les GG vous expliquent le gros dossier de la semaine !
durée : 00:36:55 - Secrets d'info - par : Benoît COLLOMBAT, Cellule investigation de Radio France - D'anciens élèves et certains enseignants dénoncent des violences régulières au sein des écoles de cirque. Enquête derrière le rideau du monde du spectacle. - réalisé par : Christophe IMBERT
durée : 00:04:08 - Le Zoom de France Inter - Châlons-en-Champagne, Châtellerault, Amiens… Ces dernières années, la parole s'est libérée dans les écoles de cirque sur de nombreux cas de propos sexistes et d'agressions sexuelles. Face à ces situations, un plan de prévention a été mis en place par la Fédération française des écoles de cirque.
In this reflective episode of The Book Fix, Yajaira and Cheli respond to a listener's question about the books that shaped them as children. They start by unpacking their reading habits today, from the struggle of book slumps and bulk reading to the tools that help them reset—like cinematic playlists, 20-page test runs, and audiobooks during long commutes.The conversation shifts to childhood reads, where they reminisce about series like Junie B. Jones, Magic Tree House, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and The Boxcar Children. They also revisit their experience with darker books like A Child Called It and Flowers in the Attic—stories that left a lasting impact, but not necessarily in a good way. The duo also breaks down their recent attempt to revisit Cirque du Freak and its movie adaptation, which sadly didn't hold up to the magic they remembered. Join in the conversation by letting everyone know which books shaped you growing up! Support the showOur Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thebookfix?utm_source=linktree_admin_sharebecome our Patron ♡ https://www.patreon.com/BookFixbuy us a book ♡ https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thebookfixBusiness Inquiries: thebookfixpodcast@gmail.comfollow us on Tiktok! ♡ https://www.tiktok.com/@thebookfix
Les Grandes Gueules ne savent rien de ce qui les attend... Et pourtant ils vont devoir débattre sur une actu qu'ils vont découvrir en direct !
Susan Magsamen makes her life at the frontier: the frontier of neuroscience, of institutional change, of the intersection of art and science. Her's is a life full of wisdom for how to live amongst mystery and befriend complexity.Origins Podcast WebsiteFlourishing Commons NewsletterShow Notes:spontaneous "you are my sunshine" (02:00)T. S. Eliot (08:00)implementation science (08:40)therapeutic recreation (11:00)Trabian Shorters and asset framing (15:00)Daniel Kahneman (16:00)neuroplasticity (22:30)Howard Gardner and Kurt Fisher and Mind, Brain, and Education Program at Harvard (26:15)Karl Alexander (27:30)Curiosity Kits (28:30)NeuroArts (32:00)Gileadby Marilynne Robinson (36:00)more than scientific knowledge (38:00)"Social Support and the Perception of Geographical Slant" (45:00)Resmaa Menakem (46:30)NeuroArts Blueprint Initiative (46:40)"Cirque du Soleil and the neuroscience of awe" on Vox (47:40)Global Watering Hole (51:30)Renée Fleming Neuroarts Investigator Awards (52:30)Rachel Naomi Remen (56:30)Lightning Round (01:03:00)Book: Silent Spring by Rachel CarsonPassion: horseback ridingHeart sing: grandchildrenScrewed up: articulation in these timesFind Susan online:International Arts + Mind LabLogo artwork by Cristina GonzalezMusic by swelo on all streaming platforms or @swelomusic on social media
Molly and Carrie journey to the Cirque of the Towers. They discuss the best tent for The Winds, why you should always check behind your cat hole, the campsite element that makes them think twice, how they keep from fantasizing about food and what makes a pass go from intimidating to doable. Cross Texas Pass with them, swim in Lonesome lake, go off trail, admire Pingora Peak and wonder at the loudmouthed little Pikas.
Don't Give Your Kids A Beater of a Car: We used this statistic to talk about the cars we had as kids, prompting listeners to use the talk-about their first car. Got some good hits.Ask Yourself These Questions Before You Commit To Anything: How long is the event going to be?Is this something casual?Is it okay if I bring someone?How many people are going to be there?What are you most looking forward to?Is it okay if I leave early?Is it possible that this event will go overtime?Will I know anyone there, or are these new people?Will we have time to talk, or will it be too hectic?Will the event only be there, or will we be going to other places?Is there anything else I should know about beforehand?Don't Ask These Questions On A First Date:“Why are you still single?” “Have you had any work done?” “How much money do you make?”“Do you think I'm hotter than your ex?”“What's your body count?”“How many kids do you want?”Second Date Update: Matthew and Taylor both live in Walnut Creek. They have a ton in common, they both love going to shows. The date went so well Matthew was thinking of taking her to Cirque du Soleil for their next date. Was there something about his relationship with his mom that turned her off?
Matthew and Taylor both live in Walnut Creek. They have a ton in common, they both love going to shows. The date went so well Matthew was thinking of taking her to Cirque du Soleil for their next date. Was there something about his relationship with his mom that turned her off?
Below Deck Down Under deepens the tension with a circus theme background as Tzarina and Lara go head to head and one storms off in tears over literally nothing. To watch this recap on video, listen to our Traitors bonus episodes, and participate in live episode threads, go to Patreon.com/watchwhatcrappens. Tickets for the Mounting Hysteria Tour are now on sale at watchwhatcrappens.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Pat & JT recap a wild Derby weekend that included a sold-out live show with Dance Moms icon Abby Lee Miller—who insisted on Long John Silver's for lunch (LOVE), dropped meet-and-greet pose rules, and had fans screaming like it was 2011. JT defends Larry Birkhead's sweet Derby tradition with Anna Nicole's daughter, while TikToker Griffin brings horse racing to Gen Z. Also: a Cirque du Soleil breakout star from Lincoln, Abby's savage Bravo regrets, and a surprise Cinco de Mayo shoutout to Amigos. Subscribe, rate, and review our podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss an episode! Also follow up on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram This is another Hurrdat Media Production. Hurrdat Media is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat Media Network by going to HurrdatMedia.com or the Hurrdat Media YouTube channel! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Playoffs are heating up
Get every episode of The Dumb Zone by subscribing at DumbZone.com or Patreon.com/TheDumbZoneWe're live today from the 17th green at TPC Craig Ranch for the Byron Nelson tournament thanks to Tito's Vodka. We're joined by Cirque du Sirois and one half of The Mom Game as we take in golf and try to find a Belichick/Jordon couple (00:00) - Open: Live from the Byron Nelson (37:29) - Snake bites and 9/11 guilt (01:07:42) - Emily Jones: Wireless at the Byron (01:39:19) - News: Triple murders and DUI stories (02:10:57) - VM birthdays/Today in History ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
durée : 00:52:07 - Répliques - par : Alain Finkielkraut - Quand un auditeur intervenait si fréquemment dans une émission de radio que l'animateur finissait par lui confier une chronique... - réalisation : Alexandra Malka - invités : Laurent Nunez Ecrivain et éditeur; Thibault Raisse Journaliste spécialisé dans les dossiers criminels et les sujets de société, auteur
Our Lean(ing) King is heading to Sin City! Vegas is filled with drugs. Sex. Cirque du Soleil. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Except when it's murder. Murder stays there. When a military man is killed in his own home, Keith and some very dramatically filmed detectives are on the case. And they're not just solving a murder, but other mysteries like which aisle is the pickup aisle in Walmart, and why is it the digestion aids aisle? How did Dick Van Dyke offend the employees of a strip mall telemarketing company that is definitely not a front for shmugs? All those questions answered and more in PART OF THE PLAN! Official Description from Peacock: Las Vegas detectives investigate the fatal shooting of a U.S. Air Force Airman. Keith Morrison reports. Take a minute to check out some amazing offers from our fantastic sponsors! Pretty Litter helps keep your house smelling fresh and clean. Save 20% on your first order and get a free cat toy with code DATEDATELINE at .PrettyLitter.com/DATEDATELINE Give all the moms in your life a unique, heartfelt gift you'll all cherish for years, StoryWorth! Right now save $10 on your first purchase when you go to storyworth.com/datedateline! It makes the most memorable gift that lasts for generations! For a limited time only, get 35% off plus an additional 50% off your first order when you head to smalls.com and use code DATEDATELINE! To advertise on this podcast please email: ad-sales@libsyn.com Or go to: https://advertising.libsyn.com/ADatewithDateline Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This week we welcome Minnesota native and dance super star, Tyrese Parker! Listen in on his journey from a small town to SYTYCD to dancing around the world before landing his role as Artist Coach at Cirque du Soleil's Mad Apple! Parker shares his creative process in choreographing and his hopes for the industry in years to come. Be sure to review, subscribe, and drop a review. Happy dancing!SOCIALS:Tyrese - @tyreseparkerUs! - @insidedanepodcastAlex - @alexyonkTaylor - @tbradchoreoSupport the show
Episode Summary:Caitlin Wheeler, a multifaceted dance professional with an impressive resume spanning creative direction, choreography, and event production. Originally from Australia, Caitlin has worked globally with top artists such as Drake, Adele, and T-Pain, and brands like Nike and Reebok. She shares insights into her journey from a dancer to a choreographer and creative director, emphasizing the importance of connections, staying open to opportunities, and continually evolving.Caitlin reflects on how saying "yes" to unexpected challenges has shaped her career, including her transition into the world of corporate event production with Blueprint NYC. She encourages young dancers to embrace risks, remain professional, and focus on building a strong reputation, as talent alone is often not enough. Caitlin's story highlights the power of resilience, networking, and the willingness to pivot in the pursuit of long-term success in the dance industry.Her advice to the next generation of dancers is to keep learning, remain adaptable, and always approach challenges with confidence and gratitude. This episode is a wealth of knowledge for aspiring dancers and creatives looking to navigate the diverse opportunities within the entertainment world.Show Notes:0:00 – Introduction to the podcast3:00 – Caitlin's Early Dance Journey7:00 – Transitioning to the U.S.12:00 – The Power of Networking17:30 – Creative Direction and Choreography22:30 – Working with Cirque du Soleil28:00 – The Shift to Production and Event Management35:00 – Advice for Aspiring Dancers40:00 – Navigating Career Transitions45:00 – Final Thoughts and Words of EncouragementBiography:Caitlin's credits hail from all over the world such as Australia, USA, UK, India, Europe and Africa, and include a scope of Creative Directing, Choreography, Performance, Event Production, Hosting and Teaching.Caitlin has worked with an extensive list of Artists, Celebrities, Brands, and has worked on Television Shows, Industrials, Live Shows, Movies and Music Videos. Some of these esteemed names include - Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Glady's Knight, T-Pain, Adele, LaToya Jackson, Raven Symone, Fifth Harmony, Michelle Williams, Seal, Joey Fatone, Daughtry, Donny Osmond, Kelly Osborne, Paulina Rubio, “Carlton” Alfonzo Remeiro, Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy, Neymar, Carl Lewis, Gabby Douglas, Russell Wilson, Serena Williams, Colin Kapernick, Bo Jackson and Michelle Obama just to name a few.Brands such as Sony, Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Jay-Z, Stila, Nickelodeon, Buxom, Planet Fitness, Snapchat, In & Out, Miss USA and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.Caitlin has a strong passion and skillset for Creative Directing, Choreography and Event Production. Some of her credits include Assistant Director & Associate Choreographer for Cirque Du Soleil's Vegas show “R.U.N”.Choreographer on Fox's hit Tv show “The Masked Singer”, New Years Rockin Eve featuring Alfonso Ribeiro, “Unleashed” on Nickelodeon, Nike Forum Fashion Week New York, “Obsessed with the babysitter” premiering on Lifetime Movies, The Rose Bowl Parade, Ringling Bros Circus “Circus Extreme”, Nickelodeon Kids Sports Awards, Nike “Born Mercurial” London, Snap Chat Annual New Years Eve Gala, In & Out Annual Gala, Nike's Strongest Plus one Brunch, India's Rawstar, Nike Olympics Puerto Rico Live Show, Reebok Global Live Summits, So You Think You Can Dance (Australia/USA), Nike “Let's Move” campaign with Michelle Obama, Miss World Tourism, Miss Angola, UNICEF, Westfield, Bachelor's Ball, and Buxom.Caitlin was also a Competition judge and Director for over 12yrs, and was a featured host on Lifetime's hit show "Dance Moms" and Jojo Siwa's "Dance Revolution". Caitlin now works Full time as a Producer for New York based esteemed Meeting and Event production company BlueprintNYC.Connect on Social Media:https://www.instagram.com/caitlinaussiefithttps://www.facebook.com/caitlinwheeler11
Marketing today feels like an endless game of chasing trends, tweaking strategies, and trying to keep up with ever-changing algorithms. It's exhausting to pour time and energy into content that barely gets noticed while competitors seem to have it all figured out. The flood of tech tools promises to make things easier, yet often, they just add more confusion. And underneath it all, that nagging feeling creeps in—wondering if you're even doing it right or if everyone else just knows something you don't. Natan Verkhovsky is an elite energy coach with over 30 years of experience helping more than 15,000 individuals, from Olympic athletes to business professionals, optimize their mental, physical, and emotional performance. As the founder of Allura Creative Agency and host of the daily podcast Frequency of Abundance, now in its fourth season, he brings a unique blend of energy management, medical hypnotherapy, and high-performance coaching. His background includes working with Cirque du Soleil performers and national sports teams, giving him a distinctive perspective on peak performance and resilience. Today, Natan shares his insights on overcoming imposter syndrome, building meaningful business communities, and helping entrepreneurs amplify their message while staying true to their purpose. Stay tuned! Resources Allura Creative Agency: Attract. Engage. Delight. | "To the EVOLUTION of your BRAND!" Follow Nathan Verkhovsky on Facebook Connect with Nathan Verkhovsky on LinkedIn Follow Allura Creative Agency on YouTube
Do you avoid chaos? Can you recognize when your body is trying to tell you something? Are you afraid of the unknown?In this conversation, Sarah is joined by former Cirque du Soleil acrobat turned somatic depth coach Antonia Dolhaine. Working in a way that Sarah describes as the future, Antonia has mixed multiple modalities with her own experiences to make her work unique. Antonia shares her journey to working as a somatic depth coach and details common themes that arise with her clients, from mind-body disconnections to fear-led success. They also discuss depth psychology, nervous system healing, and why shapeshifting is imperative for growth.You'll learn:Why chaos is a needed ingredient of changeHow to harness the unknownHow to build embodied awarenessHow to access your unconsciousThe power of your imaginationIf you feel like there are missing components in your integration practices, this episode is for you.Antonia Dolhaine is a former Cirque du Soleil acrobat turned somatic depth coach and author of the weekly substack, SpaceUnknown. She specializes in supporting uncommonly creative and ambitious powerhouses to transform the fear-driven patterns of struggle that fueled their current success into the freedom and ease needed to inhabit the next octave of their unique genius.Sign up to Antonia's Substack hereCheck out Antonia's Instagram here and website hereMOON STUDIO WORKSHOP LINKSFuture Self Workshop.Our Hermit Year.Mystic Vision Workshop.Join the Moon Studio Patreon.Buy the 2025 Many Moons Lunar Planner.Subscribe to our newsletter.Find Sarah on Instagram.
To start off the new season we're getting into the science of one of the most controversial and taboo sex topics around. Squirting! For some people, it's a major sex goal — but for others, it's a source of major embarrassment. And it turns out that people have been writing or talking about squirting and female ejaculation for CENTURIES. So in this episode, we're going to find out: what IS squirting (like, what is this fluid??), how common is it, and if you want to start doing it … how can you? We'll hear from Sex Educator and World Record Holder, Lola Jean. As well as Professor Caroline Pukall, Dr. Nan Wise, Professor Helen O'Connell, and Dr. Samuel Salama. Find our transcript here: bit.ly/4iIVQcc In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Welcome to Cirque du Squirt (08:26) History of female ejaculation (13:18) Suspect 1: Vaginal lubrication (15:55) Suspect 2: Pee (24:41) Suspect 3: Chemical X? (29:47) Female prostate (36:00) Why does it feel like that? (39:26) What about penises? (42:03) Can you learn to squirt? Credits: This episode was produced by Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, with help from Blythe Terrell, Wendy Zukerman, Meryl Horn, Michelle Dang, and Rose Rimler. We're edited by Blythe Terrell. Video editing, audio mix and graphics by Bobby Lord. Graphics help from Michelle Dang. Illustrations by Scarlette Baccini. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Music by Bobby Lord, Peter Leonard, Bumi Hidaka, and So Wylie. Interpreting by Kana Hatakeyama, translation help from Ben Milam. Thanks also to Dr. Devon Hensel, and Dr. Leslie Rickey. Recording and logistics help from Michelle Kitchen, Spencer Howard and Nick Johnson. Recording help from Abi McNeil. Special thanks to Roland Campos. Thanks to Cameron Silzle and Arsonhouse Entertainment. Thanks to Lola Jean and everyone who spoke to us at Cirque du Squirt. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices