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FLORIDA IS NOT THE PLACE TO BE DUE TO HIGH PRICES, HIGH TAXES, HIGH FEES, WEATHER, SNAKES, CROWDING, BAD ROADS, FUCKED UP LEGISLATURE, AND SO MUCH MORE....LISTEN IN AND LEARN BEFORE YOU MAKE THE MISTAKE OF A LIFETIME.
Governments need to better join-up policy development with operational delivery to ensure they can meet the growing challenges they face – but such collaboration can be difficult to implement in practice. In this podcast, experts from the UK, Estonia and Brazil share best practice on harnessing people-powered insight in policymaking, examining how governments are working to understand citizens' lived experiences and to turn their ideas into public services that really work. Co-creation isn't always easy. It often requires the building of trust between a range of stakeholders with competing interests – even bitter contentions – but as we hear, with the right approach, government teams can identify areas of consensus amongst a diversity of perspectives. Showcasing a paradigm shift from designing for citizens to with citizens, the experts give a range of examples of successful innovations: ones that helped iron out Brexit trade issues in a high-charged environment, led to inclusive budget design at local government level, and empowered children to help their families understand what state benefits they might be eligible for. This human-centred approach to policy design and implementation takes much experimentation, testing and learning as well as upfront investment in time and money – but as we find out, the benefits can be huge. This podcast is based on a webinar held on 11 February. Find out more about the speakers on the webinar page: Crowding in innovation: how to open up policy development to people-powered insight, and view GGF's upcoming webinars to register to join future conversations. Global Government Forum's Innovation 2025 conference will bring together government innovators from around the world in London on 25-26 March 2025. Find out more and register to attend.
Today on AirTalk, we'll start by talking to County Supervisors for any fire-related updates. Trump has put a freeze on federal funding, what does that mean for the people who depend on it? An author will be previewing his new book about socializing in a digital age. We're taking a look at the implications of Trump's recent executive order on sex and gender with a legal expert. A new study finds a morning-after pill that can be used, in higher doses, as an abortion drug. We'll end the show talking with listeners about the dumbest arguments they have ever had with their partners. Today on AirTalk: County Supervisors give fire update (0:15) Trump's federal funding freeze (17:03) Superbloom: book on socializing in a digital age (32:36) Trump's LGBTQ+ policy changes (51:27) The morning-after pill that may be used for abortions (1:09:17) The dumbest argument you've had (1:23:38)
Was EDC Orlando 2024 everything we hoped for? In this episode of Rave Culture Cast, I'm breaking down the festival with YOUR feedback on the biggest pros and cons
As far back as 2013, the Office of Inspector General of the Nebraska Correctional System has issued an annual report. Specific subjects in each of these reports change year after year, but some correctional concerns never leave the list, including over-crowding and staffing shortages.
Run Clubs - they're in your city. Crowding the sidewalks, stinking up breweries, and, apparently, replacing dating apps. In this episode we investigate (with many lengthy tangents) why this long time fitness staple is experiencing a surge in popularity. Is the hype real? Are people really finding love at the run club?
This week's episode of the SEANC View Podcast focuses primarily on the State Treasurer's race, which is one of the most important to state employees and retirees. SEANC sponsored a debate between the candidates seeking to replace Dale Folwell — Brad Briner and EMPAC-endorsed Rep. Wesley Harris — in conjunction with the Institute of Political Leadership, which aired on Sunday on Spectrum News. In the debate, Briner, a personal investment manager, repeated a false claim that the pension system costs 16% of the overall state budget, which is more than three times what it actually costs. Executive Director Ardis Watkins points out in this episode that this inaccuracy makes it seem like our retirees are a huge burden to the state, which is untrue. Briner even said the pension system is "crowding out so many other priorities of the state." We also discuss the ongoing Hurricane Helene relief and recovery effort, highlighting the amazing work of state employees and our favorite fall traditions.
More information about Brain Lenses at brainlenses.com.Paid BL supporters receive an additional episode of the show each week.Read the written version of this episode: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit brainlenses.substack.com/subscribe
River access sites across Montana are seeing more users. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks recently formed a citizen River Recreation Advisory Council to find solutions.
Michael Wall asks PJ is it an Irish thing that bus passengers congregate by the front door and luggage area? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This Week in Impact: host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha's top stories with editor David Bank. Blending billions Call roundup. Finding the alpha at climate week.
This Week in Impact: host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha's top stories with editor David Bank. Blending billions Call roundup. Finding the alpha at climate week.
Connection is so important for a marriage. When connection is cut off, the relationship falters. When a marriage is disconnected, the marriage is at risk. But many people think they are connecting... and they are actually crowding. Crowding, in a struggling marriage, is as toxic as disconnecting. Does it feel like a tightrope? Well, it really isn't. As long, that is, as you understand the underlying principle: Connect, Don't Crowd. In this episode of the Save The Marriage Podcast, I give you access to one of ten principles I cover in my VIP program (an advanced program for those who have my System, but want to be more effective or need more help). Resources in the VIP program are generally restricted only to VIP members, but I wanted to make sure you don't fall into the "crowding trap." I see it far too often. Especially for people who have realized they hit the Pause Button on their marriage... and are trying to reconnect. Listen in to find how to connect without crowding. Don't fall into the trap! RELATED RESOURCES: Pause Button Marriage Connection is the Life Blood Connection Tools Save The Marriage System
Guest anchor Michael Steele breaks down state of the presidential race with Molly Jong-Fast and Matthew Dowd as Kamala Harris and Tim Walz draw energetic crowds while Donald Trump melts down. Plus, Jen Psaki's wide-ranging interview with House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi about the new Democratic ticket, her relationship with President Biden after his decision to withdraw from the race, and her new book "The Art of Power". Later, Michael fact-checks JD Vance's attacks on Tim Walz's military record joined by Rep. Jason Crow, who calls the attacks "a flat-out disgrace."Check out our social pages below:https://twitter.com/InsideWithPsakihttps://www.instagram.com/InsideWithPsaki/https://www.tiktok.com/@insidewithpsakihttps://www.msnbc.com/jen-psaki
A @Christadelphians Video: Description: Jehoshaphat was one of the three great kings of Judah who taught the people. He made mistakes and unwise alliances but because he sought Yahweh with all his heart, Yahweh gave him some wonderful victories and for these he never failed to thank his God. note: There appears to be a misquote on the overheads. When the people brought presents the overhead says 1 Chron 18:2, but it should be 2 Chron.17:5 # Summary The presentation focuses on Jehoshaphat, a biblical figure whose heart was devoted to Yahweh. It discusses his reign, his initial actions to strengthen Judah, his efforts to remove idolatry, and his educational reforms to teach the people the laws of Yahweh. ### Highlights -
It's tiring to constantly get worked up about other people's lives, trying to control their actions and beliefs. Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar encourage believers to become disciplined in knowing when to keep quiet. The concept of leading a quiet life, minding our own business, and working with our hands serves as a witness to the gospel. Increasing knowledge can lead to sorrow, as Solomon experienced, surrounded by less wise people. When our children don't heed our advice, they often learn through hardships rather than through guidance. It's crucial to lay a foundation of what God calls us to be stewards of. A quiet life focuses on family, church, and neighbors, avoiding unnecessary anxiety. God didn't create us to be all-knowing, as our phones make us.E.Z. mentions Ray as an example of not meddling in people's business. When E.Z. married Ray's daughter, Ray understood that they were their own family unit and refrained from interfering. A common issue for married couples involves handling holidays. Mark addresses this by giving his kids and their families the freedom to make their own choices without pressure, fostering closeness. Crowding someone only pushes them away.When we see people in our circle going through difficulties, do we wait for them to come to us? This depends on our hearts. A genuine desire to mind our own business naturally shows through. Being discerning is essential, but checking up on one another is good. It's how we approach the person that matters. 1 Peter 4:15 highlights the seriousness of being a busybody, as it can destroy a family. The sin that causes us to meddle is often comparison, leading to legalism, pride, and hatred, making us feel more righteous than others.Ultimately, meddling violates love. Have we prayed for the person before talking about them? Have we earnestly prayed for their well-being? Convictions can be a challenging area. Some believers may struggle with listening to secular music but need to let others have their own experiences. However, if someone listens to vulgar music, it might be worth discussing. Our experiences differ, so we should give ourselves to prayer and encouragement. When approaching others, do so with a humble, gentle spirit, being a breath of fresh air to them.In summary, a quiet life that focuses on family, church, and neighbors helps us avoid unnecessary anxiety and meddling in others' affairs. By praying for others and approaching them with humility and gentleness, we can foster stronger relationships and live in a way that honors God.Send us a Text Message. Thanks for listening! If you've been helped by this podcast, we'd be grateful if you'd consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro
In this episode, Gene Tunny explores the relationship between government spending and wealth creation. He talks about President Obama's memorable expression, “You didn't build that”, and how economists think about the role of government and wealth creation. Gene discusses the roles of both the government and private sector in generating wealth and their impact on productivity, GDP and living standards. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please email us at contact@economicsexplored.com or send a voice message via https://www.speakpipe.com/economicsexplored. What's covered in EP247Government role in the economy - private sector vs public sector. (0:00)Government spending and its impact on the economy. (5:52)Keynesian economics and the role of aggregate demand in determining GDP. (11:51)Government spending and its impact on productivity. (18:13)Government intervention in the economy, with a focus on public goods and cost-benefit analysis. (25:11)Government's role in the economy, potential for crowding out the private sector. (31:32)Government impact on the economy and living standards. (38:20)TakeawaysGovernment Spending and GDP: Government expenditures can contribute to GDP, but their efficiency and the type of spending critically determine their economic impact.Private Sector's Role: The private sector is essential in wealth creation due to its efficiency incentives, but it also depends on government-provided infrastructure and services.Crowding-out Effect: Excessive government spending can crowd out private investment, potentially reducing overall economic efficiency and growth.Cost-Benefit Analysis: It is vital to conduct thorough cost-benefit analyses for government projects to ensure that public funds are used effectively and do not become a drain on the economy.Links relevant to the conversationDan Mitchell's article on the impact of government spending on economic growth:https://www.heritage.org/budget-and-spending/report/the-impact-government-spending-economic-growthDan's article “OECD Economic Research Finds that Government Spending Harms Growth”https://danieljmitchell.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/oecd-economic-research-finds-that-government-spending-harms-growth/Episode on Alvin Hansen and Evsey Domar:https://economicsexplored.com/2024/06/19/popularizing-keynes-how-alvin-hansen-and-evsey-domar-shaped-post-war-macroeconomics-ep245/Episode on Thatcher:https://economicsexplored.com/2020/12/06/ep64-adam-smith-margaret-thatcher-with-dr-eamonn-butler/Bacon and Eltis's 1978 book “Britain's Economic Problem: Too Few Producers”:https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-349-15863-8 Lumo Coffee promotion10% of Lumo Coffee's Seriously Healthy Organic Coffee.Website: https://www.lumocoffee.com/10EXPLOREDPromo code: 10EXPLORED Full transcripts are available a few days after the episode is first published at www.economicsexplored.com.
There's been some decent ink spilled recently on the “dispersion trade” which has profited from the epically low level of realized correlation among stocks. If winning trades attract capital and erode the margin of safety in the process, is this exposure crowded and vulnerable to an unwind? In this short pod, I lay out a 5-part, informal framework for thinking about risk-off episodes. In the process, we consider the pricing of vol and correlation. While the spill-over risk from dispersion trades gone wrong doesn't appear to be high, the pricing of index volatility that results from never seen before levels of implied correlation offers a uniquely attractive cost of macro insurance.I hope you enjoy and find this useful.
Cynthia Williams resigns from Wizards of the Coast and leaves behind her D&D legacy, Critical Role showcase Daggerheart rules on stream, and Pathfinder has new classes for you to playtest. Get Monsters of Drakkenheim: https://ghostfiregaming.com/GGYT_DDMD_2024_4_131 Email your questions to podcast@ghostfiregaming.com Ben: @TheBenByrne Dael: @dailydael James: @JamesJHaeck Shawn: @shawnmerwin Editor: @ZsDante Topics: 00:00 - Intro 06:30 - Cynthia Williams resigns 14:42 - Steve Jackson Games 25:04 - CR advertises Daggerheart 25:46 - Campaign SPOILERS 29:00 - Spoilers end 30:18 - Monsters of Drakkenheim 31:35 - Pathfinder news 42:41 - Baldur's Gate 4 47:59 - Crowded TTRPG industry
Download the free guide to feel better fast: https://www.brendawinkle.com/feelbetterfast In this podcast episode, Brenda Winkle, host of "Your Yes-Filled Life," explores how to live more joyfully by overcoming subconscious barriers. She introduces the "Yes to Me" challenge, a free event designed to help people embrace joy and discern their true desires. Brenda shares her own "year of yes" experience, emphasizing the growth that comes from stepping outside one's comfort zone. She advises practicing genuine generosity, setting boundaries to prevent burnout, and engaging in somatic practices to build resilience. Brenda also suggests sharing positive experiences early in conversations to foster a celebratory atmosphere and encourages listeners to download a workbook for further guidance. She concludes with the importance of gratitude, appreciation, and personal responsibility in creating a fulfilling life. Listen to hear... Concept of a "yes-filled life" Tips for overcoming subconscious barriers Why you might want to join the "Yes to Me" challenge Importance of true generosity Somatic practices for resilience "Crowding out" obligations with joy-filled activities Sharing positive experiences early in conversations Practicing appreciation and gratitude Starting conversations with something positive Personal responsibility in shaping your reality Register for the Yes to Me Challenge https://www.brendawinkle.com/yestome Connect with Brenda Winkle Try Breathwork free https://www.brendawinkle.com/breathe Contact Brenda Website: https://www.brendawinkle.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendawinkle/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.winkle111 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brendawinkle111 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendawinkle/ Time Stamps Introduction (00:00:01)Brenda Winkle introduces the podcast and encourages listeners to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast. The concept of a "yes-filled life" (00:01:02)Brenda discusses the concept of a "yes-filled life" and the importance of discernment in saying yes. Yes to Me Challenge (00:02:09)Brenda promotes the "Yes to Me" challenge and its potential to change lives. Practicing true generosity (00:04:34)Brenda emphasizes the importance of true generosity and giving only when there is genuine capacity to do so. Taking breaks and self-care (00:08:09)Brenda shares personal experiences and the importance of taking breaks and prioritizing self-care. Somatic practices for resilience (00:13:32)Brenda discusses somatic practices for increasing resilience and balancing the nervous system. Crowding out obligations with things that light you up (00:15:49)Brenda encourages the practice of "crowding out" obligations with activities that bring joy and fulfillment. Sharing positive experiences early in conversations (00:18:10)Brenda advises sharing positive experiences early in conversations and setting boundaries with individuals who discourage this. Shifting mindset and intentionality (00:19:09)Brenda discusses the subconscious tendency to downplay positive experiences and the importance of shifting mindset and intentionality. Mind Shift and Positive Conversations (00:21:34)Brenda discusses the mind shift that changed her life and the importance of starting conversations with positive experiences. Nervous System Regulation and Healing (00:22:38)Brenda talks about healing and re-patterning the nervous system to embrace positivity and shares details about the "Yes to Me" challenge. Appreciation vs. Gratitude (00:24:53)Brenda explains the difference between appreciation and gratitude and guides listeners to practice appreciation. Impact of Appreciation (00:26:05)Brenda demonstrates the impact of appreciation on improving mood and encourages listeners to practice appreciation. Starting Conversations with Positivity (00:29:00)Brenda emphasizes the importance of starting conversations with positive experiences and the impact it has on the energy of the conversation. Balancing Positivity and Acknowledging Challenges (00:30:01)Brenda discusses the importance of acknowledging challenges while also finding something positive to share in conversations. Setting Energetic Configuration (00:32:12)Brenda explains the impact of setting a positive energetic configuration at the beginning of conversations and its influence on the listener. Creating a Field of Positivity (00:33:16)Brenda discusses the concept of creating a field of positivity and how it can contain negative experiences in conversations. Manifesting Abundance through Positivity (00:35:36)Brenda explains how speaking about positive experiences can manifest abundance and impact one's reality. Recap and Invitation to Join Programs (00:36:40)Brenda summarizes the three key practices and extends an invitation to join the "Yes to Me" challenge and the "Second Chapter" program. Empowerment and Transformation (00:39:32)Brenda shares details about the "Second Chapter" program and emphasizes its potential to bring about transformation and empowerment. Call to Action and Conclusion (00:41:39)Brenda encourages listeners to take action, shares resources, and expresses her desire for everyone to live a "yes-filled life." Keywords: yes-filled life, Brenda Winkle, podcast, overcoming barriers, "Yes to Me" challenge, generosity, somatic practices, personal growth, ratings and reviews, discernment, year of yes, self-care, burnout, well-being, "Feel Better Fast" workbook, positive experiences, gratitude, appreciation, personal responsibility, live group coaching program, Second Chapter, martyr syndrome, boundaries, healthy relationships, Your Yes Filled Life Podcast, podcast, breathwork
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3149: In "Stop Crowding Out Your Happiness," Sarah Von Bargen of YesAndYes.org sheds light on the paradox of self-sabotage where we unintentionally dilute our joyful moments with overbooked schedules and incessant mental clutter. Through relatable anecdotes and actionable advice, she urges readers to safeguard their slices of joy and immerse fully in life's happy moments, offering a guide to living more mindfully and contentedly. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.yesandyes.org/2017/05/crowding-out-happiness.html Quotes to ponder: "Much of our lives consist of boring, responsible, logistical things. The shining moments of joy – a great conversation, a long-awaited holiday, amazing food – are the minority." "In the pie chart of our lives, joy is a pretty small slice." "Give your happiness some space to breathe, dude." Episode references: Roadtrippers: https://roadtrippers.com/ Atlas Obscura: https://www.atlasobscura.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of NDO Podcast Casey and Cayla talk Badlands mule deer hunting, real and perceived social and biological pressures, a recent survey the Department contracted to investigate this more and some of the possible changes up for discussion.
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3149: In "Stop Crowding Out Your Happiness," Sarah Von Bargen of YesAndYes.org sheds light on the paradox of self-sabotage where we unintentionally dilute our joyful moments with overbooked schedules and incessant mental clutter. Through relatable anecdotes and actionable advice, she urges readers to safeguard their slices of joy and immerse fully in life's happy moments, offering a guide to living more mindfully and contentedly. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.yesandyes.org/2017/05/crowding-out-happiness.html Quotes to ponder: "Much of our lives consist of boring, responsible, logistical things. The shining moments of joy – a great conversation, a long-awaited holiday, amazing food – are the minority." "In the pie chart of our lives, joy is a pretty small slice." "Give your happiness some space to breathe, dude." Episode references: Roadtrippers: https://roadtrippers.com/ Atlas Obscura: https://www.atlasobscura.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3149: In "Stop Crowding Out Your Happiness," Sarah Von Bargen of YesAndYes.org sheds light on the paradox of self-sabotage where we unintentionally dilute our joyful moments with overbooked schedules and incessant mental clutter. Through relatable anecdotes and actionable advice, she urges readers to safeguard their slices of joy and immerse fully in life's happy moments, offering a guide to living more mindfully and contentedly. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.yesandyes.org/2017/05/crowding-out-happiness.html Quotes to ponder: "Much of our lives consist of boring, responsible, logistical things. The shining moments of joy – a great conversation, a long-awaited holiday, amazing food – are the minority." "In the pie chart of our lives, joy is a pretty small slice." "Give your happiness some space to breathe, dude." Episode references: Roadtrippers: https://roadtrippers.com/ Atlas Obscura: https://www.atlasobscura.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We're all equipped to hold on to the things that ground our lives and give them meaning. But that tool is too often enlisted in ways that do neither. Too often we hold onto rules, money and time in ways that make our minds crowded and noisy, and prevent us from letting in the things that really feel good. Join me in a discussion of psychological hoarding, the obsessive-compulsive tendency that runs in the background far more than we like to imagine.
Seducing the Wizard's Wife – 4 days of wizardry. By BradentonLarry - Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. Chapter 10 Day One Toshia's day with the satyrs When Don awoke, he found himself lying on his back upon a large four-poster bed. There was sunlight pouring in from somewhere, and he had a woman on his left with her head on his chest and another curled up on his right. Trying not to disturb the sleeping women, he opened his eyes a bit further and raised his head to have a look around. [[MORE]] The woman with her head on his chest was Shelonda, and the one on his right was Amy, who was spooning Nicole. They were all still clothed, and in what seemed to be a large bedroom. Don couldn't help but remember waking up in the Manor next to Toshia what seemed like a very long time ago. That time the room had been dark and mysterious, and rather Spartan. This time, though, the room was brightly lit as two large windows let in a great deal of light. Although there was definitely the rather serious and looming question of how in the world they had been brought here, there was nothing even vaguely sinister about this room. Adding to the benign aspect of the room was, no doubt, the profusion of cut flowers that covered every available horizontal surface. As Don lowered his head again, Shelonda shifted and then raised her head to look around. When she saw that Don was also awake, she gave him a confused smile. He smiled back as reassuringly as he could and caressed her back. He wasn't terribly surprised to feel her hand moving up along the inside of his thigh. "If danger isn't threatening it must be time for sex" seemed to be the default rule among Eros dwellers. Don tried to think of a good reason to deny himself and Shelonda. He knew they were someplace strange, the guests of some new set of kidnappers, and that they had very likely completely lost track of Toshia, but all of those things had been true for hours, since they had apparently slept through the night, and if anyone meant them any harm, they surely would have carried through on that desire while they had been unconscious, rather than putting them on a comfortable bed. So, when the beautiful woman pushed his kilt up and began to stroke his cock, Don didn't resist and instead pulled her up so he could kiss her warmly. After all the stress of the last couple of days, with the plants, the watchers, the human attackers, and the chase after Toshia – not to mention seeing her cavorting with actual satyrs -satyrs! - it felt very good indeed to lay back and feel Shelonda's mouth on his, her tongue pushing past his lips, and her warm hand on his quickly thickening cock. Moving slowly, so as to not wake Amy and Nicole, Don moved his right arm up so he could get his hand on Shelonda's full breast, squeezing it gently through her tank top. This prompted her to squeeze and pull on his cock more strenuously. Don decided that two could play at that game, and, rolling onto his side a little, moved his right hand from her tit down to her strong left thigh. Slipping up under her skirt, Don's hand slid along her smooth brown skin and around to squeeze her firm ass tightly. Shelonda moaned her approval very quietly. Don kissed her more deeply in a vague attempt to get her to be quieter. Don worked his hand around in front of Shelonda. She parted her legs for him, raising her left one and wrapping it around Don's legs. This left Don free to run his fingers over her very moist lips. He teased her a bit before parting those lips with his fingertips and spreading her juices over her inner lips and clit. Soon his fingers were inside her, slipping in and out of Shelonda's pussy, as Don's thumb pressed against and rubbed her clit. Shelonda liked this quite a bit, and showed her approval by rolling back on the bed, pulling Don with her. They continued kissing as he moved naturally into position over her. Her legs spread and her hand pulling him forward, Don slipped into Shelonda's welcoming pussy. As he sank deep into her hot, wet sex, she reached down to clasp his butt in both of her hands, squeezing and pulling him into her. Their bodies were pressed tightly together as they fucked and kissed, moving slowly against each other on the bed. It was a passionate, loving and intense encounter there in the strange bedroom. Don had become extremely fond of the beautiful young woman, and he knew she felt the same way. The connection between the two of them was stronger and deeper than the casual sex relationship either or both of them shared with the other two women. Amy was a great sexual athlete, Nicole was a playful little minx, but Shelonda had a seriousness about her that made sex with her more than just sex. If it wasn't a romantic coupling, and it hardly seemed quite like that, it was a bit more than friends-with-benefits. Don resisted the urge to fuck Shelonda more vigorously, partly because he didn't want to disturb the others, and partly because the way they were screwing was building up its own intensity. Shelonda pulled him into her tightly with her legs and arms, kissing him intently. Then she threw her head back, gasping through clenched teeth. She let go of his ass to clench the sheets at her side, and then was burying her face into his shoulder. Don pushed himself deep into her clasping, clutching pussy riding out her quiet, intense orgasm by holding her in his arms. When Shelonda slowly relaxed, and lay back on the bed, he smiled down at her happily. She actually blushed and turned her face away. "Well, that looked like a good one," Amy said. Don looked over to see that the curvy blonde had rolled over onto her back to watch him and Shelonda. Nicole was also watching, but was resting her head on Amy's soft breast. Nicole's hand had already found its way down between Amy's thighs and was busy making mischief there. "Got enough to share with the rest of the class, Professor?" Nicole asked with a smirk. "I just might," Don grinned over at the two women. Then he leaned down to kiss Shelonda again. By the time he had withdrawn from Shelonda's exquisite embrace, Nicole had gotten down between Amy's legs and was giving some serious head, and Amy had pulled her tank top up over her head and thrown it aside. Don moved around behind Nicole and coaxed her up enough that he could get his cock down and into her waiting cunt. He admired Nicole's narrow waist and tight, brown ass as he began to fuck in and out of her. Shelonda moved over to be close to the action, and soon reached around so she could get her fingers on Nicole's clit. Nicole was only barely able to make Amy come, gasping and twisting on the bed, before she was coming herself. Don still hadn't come, and he was acutely aware of that fact. He pulled out of Nicole and urged her over toward Shelonda. Moving up between Amy's legs, he smiled down at her happy face, and said, "Where do you want it?" "Come on my tits, Professor," she said immediately. Don nodded, but took a moment to push his cock deep into Amy's juicy twat. After fucking Shelonda and Nicole, he only needed a couple of thrusts into her tight pussy before he was ready to blow. He pulled out of her and quickly straddled her abdomen. He had planned to jerk himself off, but Amy's hands beat him to it. She took him in a tight, enthusiastic grip and pumped his thick organ several times until a huge spout of white cum burst out of him and splattered over her chest, neck and chin. Several days of abstinence, coupled with the XYZ in his system and the sex leading up to this moment made Don's orgasm both extremely intense and voluminous. A second stream of jizz splashed over Amy's tits and then a flood of it spilled over her hands onto her belly. Don felt like he was coming for minutes. As he finally took a deep breath and opened his eyes, Shelonda and Nicole clapped and laughed. He managed to get off Amy while the other two girls closed in on her and began to play with and lick up the cum he had left there. As soon as his head stopped reeling from the intense orgasm, Don decided it was time to have a better look around. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he noticed that there were not only two big windows, but also three sets of doors, all double and all closed. The room had a thick carpet. Don reached down and took off his sandals, and enjoyed the feeling of the carpet on his bare feet. There was a couch against the wall opposite the bed, as well as a large framed mirror. There was a low table in front of the couch and a pair of overstuffed chairs at either end of the table. One of the chairs had their satchels piled on it. Don and Shelonda's staffs were standing in a corner. All of the furniture was in an overly ornate style that Don thought of as rococo, though he wasn't confident that that was the right term. (Perhaps it was baroque, or regency; he could never tell.) Don got off the bed and moved over to one of the windows. They were apparently on the second or third floor and overlooked a vast well-tended and colorful flower garden. There was no one to be seen among the flowers or paths of the garden. He moved over to one of the sets of doors, and was surprised when they swung open of their own accord. Don stepped onto the tiled floor of a large and ornate bathroom, illuminated by an impressive skylight over a huge tub. Strewn about this room were more flowers and a liberal supply of towels and toiletries. As Don moved closer to the tub, water began to pour out of the four faucets set around it. The sound of the steaming, fragrant water quickly filling the bathtub drew the attention of the girls, who quickly crowded into the bathroom with Don. Clothes were quickly stripped off and thrown aside. Although they had only been out of the Manor for a few days, and had hardly been living a hard life outdoors, the opportunity to bathe properly was most welcome. They took quite a while, scrubbing each other clean, which naturally enough led to more splashing about than was strictly necessary as well as more fondling and play. Don was the first to get out of the tub, and so was the first to notice that their clothing had somehow been removed. He dried himself with a heavy, soft towel and then padded out into the bedroom naked. His sandals and Amy's top had also been removed. He moved toward one of the other sets of doors. When they failed to open for him, Don tried the handles, but they wouldn't budge. Frowning, he turned to the last set of doors, which did swing open as he approached. This time he found a large walk-in closet, full of clothing. On the right, taking up about a quarter of the available space was an assortment of strangely old-fashioned men's clothing. On the floor was a good selection of footwear. Don chose a pair of light cotton slacks and a buttoned shirt, and tried them on. He was not at all surprised that the clothes fit him perfectly. As he came out of the closet, the girls were just coming out of the bathroom. Seeing his attire and catching on that there were new, fresh clothes to be had, they swarmed around him and into the closet. They were each able to find at least a quarter of the closet that had clothing perfectly fitted to them, and spent some time selecting outfits. Don was amused to watch them trying various combinations. Ultimately they came out to model their selections, and he smiled to see their individual styles come through. Shelonda was wearing a light vest and a pair of loose silk pajama bottoms that were bloused at the ankles. Amy had on a low cut top and stockings and a garter belt, and a short pleated skirt that flared out from her waist. Nicole had on a form fitting sheath dress with slits running up the lengths of her legs. While Don was complimenting them on their outfits, the third set of doors swung open, revealing a long marble hallway. Cautiously, the four of them moved out into the corridor. There was nowhere else to go, so they proceeded along, until a large pair of doors opened before them. On the other side of this portal, they found a vast dining room, lit by a dazzling number of candles. There were a dozen chairs around the large, long table in the center of the room. There were also bowls full of fruit and gleaming glasses of water. On each of the three walls without doors there were large mirrors. Don eyed those reflective surfaces suspiciously, his mind on the likelihood that they were being observed through those mirrors. Like the trusting souls they were, Amy and Shelonda had made themselves comfortable at the table, drinking and eating freely. Don and Nicole shared a glance, but then joined the others in dining. Only when they had each eaten a small amount of fruit and drank a whole glass of water – in short, when they had their fill – did someone broach the subject that was on everyone's mind. Amy said, "Well, where are we anyway?" "I have no idea," Don admitted. "You are in my home," said a deep voice. They turned sharply to see a tall man standing in the doorway. He had white hair and a beard, a prominent brow adorned by bristling eyebrows, a pronounced hawkish nose, and bright eyes glittering at them in the candlelight. He wore a deep blue robe, like one would expect to see worn by a magician in a fantasy movie. He was over six feet tall, and stood erect and easily. Though his deeply lined face indicated great age, he carried himself as if he were quite healthy. "And you are?" Don asked. "I am called the Wizard of the Wood," declared the man in that voice that reminded Don of a not quite ancient John Carradine. "Well, I am Don, and this is Amy, Nicole and Shelonda. We're grateful for your hospitality. May we ask why you brought us here?" "Of course you may," the Wizard intoned. "I brought you here so that you might assist me with a particular task." "Um, well, we were trying to find a friend of ours..." "The one who was, and has been copulating so vigorously with those three satyrs, I suspect." "Yes," Don nodded, "that would be her." "She is in no danger. The satyrs mean her no harm. I believe they are enjoying her company far more than they expected to. She is quite spirited and has a great deal of stamina." "Well, you seem to be quite well-informed and have resources at your disposal." "You mean magic," the Wizard said. "I have magical resources." "Um, sure," Don said. "If you could bring our friend here like you did us, we'd be happy to help you with your task." "There are three problems with that proposal." The Wizard gestured and a chair slid out from the table. As he took his seat, he said, "One, I have no reason to trust you. This is of small consequence, though, because you would still have your freedom to gain. Two, I believe the desire to be reunited with your friend will be a better motivator in any case. Three, as a matter of fact, I cannot at this time bring your friend here." "Why not?" Nicole asked. "My power is largely focused upon this location. Within the bounds of this house and the grounds I have great power, but to exercise that power to bring people here is ... difficult. I do however have the means to convey you to your friend, which means I will make available to you following the completion of your task. I assure you, the task is within your power, and I will compensate you well for your efforts. You will not regret helping me." Don frowned, "And what if something should happen to our friend while we're here?" "I am monitoring your friend's situation and will find a way to intervene if she should actually be endangered. I am afraid I can only offer you my assurances as to this and my other promises. I hasten to point out that you do not seem to have any other viable options." "We could try to escape," Don pointed out. "Feel free," the Wizard shrugged. "You will only waste time and energy, uselessly." "Can you give us some evidence that you can actually know how and where Toshia is?" "Your friend? Yes, I think so," the Wizard nodded toward the large mirror to his right. Looking at that mirror, they could suddenly see Toshia. She was lying back against a satyr, while another satyr was in front of her. Her legs were around the front satyr's haunches and her hands were on his shoulders. It seemed clear that both of the satyr's were fucking her, and, moreover, that Toshia was enjoying herself quite a bit at the moment. "Alright," Don said after taking a moment to take in the expression on Toshia's face as the satyr's had their way with her, or she had her way with them. "What do you want us to do?" "I want you to seduce my wife." Don looked at the Wizard of the Wood to see if he was joking. He looked to the girls and saw that they were as confused as he was. "Well," Don said, "first, you're the first person I've met in Eros who's even in a monogamous relationship, let alone married." "Yes," the Wizard nodded, "we have always had an unconventional relationship." "OK," Don shrugged. "Why do you want us to seduce your wife?" "Well, it is not so much all of you, as you yourself, Don, though the others may of course help." "Alright, why do you want me to seduce your wife?" The Wizard stood up and began to pace alongside the table as he spoke. "We live alone here. The house and my power see to it that we want for nothing. I love my wife very much. She is a wonderful woman and a good companion. However, I am aware of what goes on out there in the world. I see the fun people have in the woods. I can watch the witches of the glen working their orgiastic magic. I know what goes on in that Manor. I want to enjoy some of that fun, Don. I want to convince my wife to have an open marriage." "Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that," Don admitted. He noticed that Nicole was having a very hard time keeping a straight face, while Amy and Shelonda simply seemed confused. "Have you talked to her about this?" asked Don. The Wizard shook his head, saying, "Oh, she would never agree to it. She is far too jealous and possessive. She would think I do not love her any more and that I just want to couple with other women." "But, you do want to 'couple' with other women," Nicole pointed out. "By all the gods, yes!" the Wizard shouted. "I want to so very badly. But it is only sex. Do you know how long we have been married?" "No, of course..." "A very long time, believe me! I love her madly, of course, but I need some variety now and then. I honestly believe it would do each of us and both of us as a couple a great deal of good to enjoy other people. Having sex with just the same person for many years is simply not healthy." "Well, I can't argue with that," Don smiled. "So, what are you thinking?" "If you seduce her, make her want to sleep with you, it will give me the opportunity to broach the subject." "That's extremely indirect," Don mused. "What if she doesn't want to sleep with Don, or just wants to sneak around on you?" Nicole asked. "My wife would never do such a thing," the Wizard insisted. "Perhaps," Don said, "but, as much as I hate to ask this, what about that other option? What if I can't seduce her?" "If you give a good faith effort to seduce her but she does not succumb, I will grant you your freedom and help you find your friend." "Are you sure you don't just want us to help you talk to her?" Don asked. It had just occurred to him that the Wizard's wife was going to be as ancient as he was. "No," the Wizard said with finality. "I have given this a great deal of thought, and I am certain that would never work. It has to be done this way." "Alright, then," Don said. He looked around to gauge the reactions of the women; Nicole shrugged, while Amy and Shelonda both nodded. "We'll help. I take it you have a plan, then." Day Two Toshia is caught by the warrior women and is taken to their castle The next day, the Don and the three women had a brief conference, during which they considered the merits of attempting to escape from their luxurious prison. It was Nicole who pointed out that even if they were able to get out of the house and the grounds, however far those might extend, they would have no idea where they were or how to find Toshia. It did seem that their best bet was to cooperate with the Wizard of the Wood and trust that he would honor his end of the bargain. So, they passed the day exploring the immense house, going only where the doors would allow them to pass. There was no sign of anyone else in the building, though everything was dusted and the flowers and fruit were freshly laid out. They found a large library, an indoor pool, and a billiard room, among other less well-defined rooms. Following the spirit of the Wizard's plan, they deliberately resisted the urge to fill the day with sexual play. Instead, they built up their frustration by engaging in playful banter and flirting. Things became particularly heated during their skinny-dip in the pool. Don had to herd the women into the showers, which did frankly very little to help, except that it introduced an all-too-ephemeral break in the action. Amy was particularly wound up by the time they returned to their room to change for dinner. "I will tell my wife that we have guests," the Wizard had explained. "I'll say that you were travelers who I rescued from hooligans using my magic, and that I offered you hospitality for a few days." "Hooligans?" Amy had asked. "That's what I call the bands of ill-mannered men who roam about the forest attacking anyone they come across." "We met some of those," Don had nodded. "It didn't end well for them," Nicole said quietly, looking across the table at Don. "They are thoroughly unpleasant," the Wizard had scowled. "Anyway, I will tell my wife that you seem to be very interesting people, and I will arrange to have her looking in on you during your dinner. You use that time to, shall we say, put on a show for her." "A show?" asked Shelonda. "Yes, well, a demonstration of unfettered sexuality," the Wizard explained. "You want us to have sex for your wife to watch," Nicole said. "Yes," the Wizard nodded. "I know my wife enjoys reading books with erotic scenes in them, and I suspect seeing one played out in front of her eyes will titillate her. Moreover, the fact that there are more than just two of you will work to our advantage if we are to be successful in tempting her toward a more open attitude toward sex." "I think we can manage that," Don smiled at the three women. He knew Amy in particular would rise to the occasion. "Remember, though," the Wizard had admonished before bidding them goodnight, "it must seem spontaneous. If my wife suspects chicanery she'll never go along with the rest of the plan." The three women all wore outfits that were at once frilly and feminine and were also simple enough that it would be quite easy to have sex in them. Nicole wore a form-fitting, backless dress with a very short skirt and puffy sleeves, all in black with large bright red flowers. Shelonda wore a frilly little sundress in light pastels. Amy wore a silk negligee and a long, sheer robe. All of the girls surprised Don by wearing high heels. For himself, Don wore dress slacks, a white shirt and a dark blue jacket. As an afterthought, he added socks and perfectly shined, black dress shoes. Arm in arm en masse the foursome left the bedroom and headed to the dining room. Along the way, Don reminded them to act as if no one was watching. "But, also make sure we put on a good show," Amy pointed out. "How are we supposed to do that?" Shelonda wanted to know. "Well, make sure that anyone looking can tell what you're doing; don't cover up anything," Amy suggested. "And make noise," added Nicole. "Let everyone hear that you're having a good time." "Wow," Don said, "that's really good advice. You're making me horny already." "You have to wait a bit, Professor," Nicole winked. With that they came to the dining room and gathered around the middle of the table, Don and Shelonda on one side and Amy and Nicole on the other. "Who do you think puts out this fruit and water?" Amy asked, as she picked up and examined a red apple. "I have no idea," Don shrugged. "Perhaps the same person who washed our clothes and put them back when we weren't looking yesterday." "Our host, maybe?" wondered Nicole. "The Wizard?" Amy laughed. "I doubt that." "He doesn't exactly seem the sort to do housework," Don admitted. With a mischievous gleam in her eye, Amy sank her teeth into her apple and leaned over toward Nicole, who, catching on immediately, bent in to take a bite out of the opposite side of the fruit. While they were doing this, Shelonda said, "Well, whoever's doing the cleaning and other stuff, it sure is nice of the Wizard to let us stay here." "We should try to find a way to thank him," Amy said around a mouthful of apple. "Oh? What did you have in mind?" Don asked with a laugh. "There are lots of ways a girl can thank a man," Amy smiled, taking another bite of the apple. "She can say, 'Thank you very much, Mr. Wizard, sir,'" Nicole smiled coyly while she toyed with a strawberry. "Exactly," Amy laughed, "but that wasn't exactly what I had in mind." "Whatever could you mean?" Nicole asked. She had now turned toward Amy and was running her hand up and down her arm. "Oh, you mean..." "Exactly!" Amy grinned and grabbed a nearby banana. She proceeded to peel it slowly. "But isn't he rather old?" Nicole persisted mischievously. "He seemed healthy enough to me," Amy said as she pulled the last peel down. "Anyway, I think I like older men. Plus, he's quite tall, and that usually means..." "You think so?" Shelonda joined in. "I do," Amy said. "Anyway, I'd be happy to show my appreciation." To demonstrate her capabilities, she slid the length of the banana into her mouth and down her throat. Don and the girls laughed, and Don said, "Well, fruit's one thing. Are you quite sure you're up to the real thing?" "Quite sure, sir," Amy said after swallowing the last of the banana down. "I'm unconvinced," Don said with a frown. "Well, how in the world can I convince you?" "You could show him on his cock," Shelonda said with exasperation. Don thought she was the best actress of the bunch. "Alright, Professor, hop up here on the table and let's see what you've got," Amy grinned. Don stood up and took off his jacket and kicked off his shoes, while the women pushed the bowls and glasses out of the way. Then, he climbed up on the table and knelt in front of Amy. Getting into her act, Amy ran her hands up along Don's thighs and made a show of unfastening his pants. She slipped her hand into his slacks and took hold of his quickening cock. Pulling it out, she held it up for Nicole to see. "Very nice," Amy said, "but it needs more work, I think." She lowered her head to Don's lap and took the entire length of his cock into her mouth. Pulling on it with both her lips and hand, she quickly had him fully hard. While Amy was doing this, Shelonda climbed up on the table next to Don so she could see too. Amy pulled back to show the girls that Don was now erect. "That's more like it, Professor!" Amy said. "Now, what was it I was going to do with this?" "Oh, I can show you," Shelonda offered quickly. "By all means," Amy laughed. To be continued. Nicole & Amy Seek To Seduce The Wizard Shelonda leaned in over Don's lap and immediately lowered her mouth all the way down his cock, letting his fat head slip into her throat. She accompanied this with a loud, very satisfied, "Um!" When she came up for air, Shelonda smiled at Amy and Nicole and said, "That's what you were saying you could do." "Oh, yes, I remember now. Let me see if I've got this right," Amy laughed. Straight away, she took hold of Don's cock and lowered her mouth and throat on him. Don took advantage of the situation by gently grabbing Amy's head and holding her there on him so that he could flex himself in and out of her throat a bit. Following Shelonda's lead, Amy gurgled and moaned her approval of this maneuver loudly enough for everyone to hear. Always happy to oblige, Don fucked her throat a bit longer before letting her go. As soon as Amy was up again, Nicole jumped in with, "Let me give that a try!" Crowding in front of Amy, Nicole inhaled Don's shaft in one eager motion. Once he was in all the way, she bobbed her head up and down on him, murmuring her pleasure while he moved in and out of her throat. When she backed up off him, she gave the slippery head of his cock a kiss and flashed a grin around the room. "Is that all you'd do to thank the Wizard?" Shelonda asked. "Don't you think that's enough?" Amy asked. "Not nearly," Don said with a smile. "Oh, well, I might be able to come up with something else," Amy said thoughtfully. "Like what?" Shelonda asked as she reached over to stroke Don's wet cock, which was twitching in anticipation. Amy shrugged out of her sheer robe, said, "Well, I could do this," and, using her chair as a step up, climbed up on the table with Don and Shelonda. Amy planted her feet on either side of Don's thighs, and pulled up her silk negligee to expose her bare pussy and ass to view. "Now that looks delicious!" Don grinned. He leaned forward to kiss Amy's nether lips, reaching up between her legs to get his hands on her ass. Holding her in place, Don reached out with his tongue to lightly lick over the soft curve of her lips. Pushing up between them, he tasted her juices and slipped his long tongue up inside her. Amy moaned and pushed forward a bit, encouraging him to do more. He proceeded to fuck his tongue in and out of her, and then began to lick at her clit. Shelonda was still stroking Don's cock, or was until Nicole took Amy's chair and got into position in front of Don and began to suck on his cock with great enthusiasm. Shelonda leaned back for a moment, admiring the sight of Amy standing on the table while Don buried his face between her legs. Then she decided to get back into the fun. Pulling her sundress up over her head and casting it aside, but leaving her heels on, she got up to stand behind Don. She reached forward and took Amy's head in her hands and pulled her forward into a long, slow passionate kiss. Amy, who had been holding on to Don's head, both for a little support and to keep him there where he was giving her so much pleasure, reached up to get her hands on Shelonda's full tits. She moaned into Shelonda's mouth while squeezing and caressing those beautiful breasts. She moaned again when she felt Don pushing several fingers up inside her grasping pussy. When she felt Shelonda tugging at her negligee, Amy took a few seconds to quickly pull that garment up and over her head. She wasn't sure where it fell; it was out of her mind as Shelonda began to kiss and suckle on her tits. Then Don's tongue was making her come. Amy remembered Nicole's advice and cried out enthusiastically as the explosion of delight erupted in her clit and pussy and then spread through her body, making her shake and sob. "Oh fuck yes!" Amy gasped loudly. "That's so good! Don, you've got the best tongue. Damn!" Shelonda embraced Amy, whose legs were suddenly unsteady, and helped her to lie down with her on the table behind Don. Don took advantage of the momentary break to push Nicole back enough so that he could get off his knees. Instead, he sat on the edge of the table with his feet dangling. Nicole wasted no time, though, and climbed up on the table with the others. Pushing Don back so that he was leaning on his arms, she pulled up her short black dress and straddled Don's lap. She rose up as high as she could, to give anyone watching a clear view, and lifted Don's cock straight up. Pushing the head into her, Nicole slowly slid down its length, moaning happily as it filled her. Don grinned up at her and took her narrow waist in his hands. As soon as she was all the way down on him, Nicole pushed herself back up, almost all the way off, and paused there so anyone could see his thick pole disappearing into her tight pink sleeve as well as the shiny wetness she left on him. Then, finally she let herself down on him again, until his head was pressed against her cervix. Up again and pause, then down, harder this time. Don's strong hands and arms helped to raise and lower her, sparing her thighs some work. With each descent on his shaft, Nicole let out a happy, lustful moan. Soon she was grunting and crying out as she rode up and down on him with almost violent abandon. She began to throw herself into the performance aspect of the evening. "Fuck yes! God yes! That feels so good! Fuck me, Professor! Fuck me!" Nicole cried out. Don was pushing up into Nicole each time she came down on him. He was quietly amazed at how hard a fucking the tiny girl was taking and enjoying. As she bounced on his cock, he watched as she clawed at her dress to pull it aside and get her hands on her little breasts and hard nipples. Then she was coming on top of him, still bouncing as she screamed and shook. "Yes! Yes! Fuck yes!" she called. Then abruptly, she stopped and slumped forward on Don, gasping for air. "Damn!" she whispered, "I guess I like having an audience." "Well, it suits you," Don whispered back, kissing her ear. When Nicole pushed herself up a bit, they noticed that Shelonda and Amy had worked themselves into a 69. They lay on their sides, with Amy's feet and back toward Don and Nicole's side of the table. They could see the top of Shelonda's head as she worked her tongue over Amy's slick lips and sensitive clit. Both girls were moaning enthusiastically while they kept their mouths busy. Nicole pushed herself the rest of the way up, and struggled to get out of her dress. Don finally got around to unbuttoning his shirt, and when Nicole climbed off him to walk down the table, naked but for her heels, Don took the opportunity to get out of his clothes. By the time he got back on the table, Nicole was down by Amy's head, reaching around to get her fingers on and probably in Shelonda. Don decided he would make himself useful at this end of things. Lying down behind Amy, he scooted in and guided his cock between her legs. He felt Shelonda's breath and then tongue on the head of his cock just as he felt the wetness of Amy's waiting pussy. He didn't pause, but just went ahead and pushed himself in. Amy let out a particularly loud moan as he filled her in one sure motion. Steadily he began to fuck her, enjoying the sensation of her slippery cunt squeezing and pulling at him as well as Shelonda's tongue brushing against him. What Amy and Nicole were doing to Shelonda had the desired effect, because she was the next one to come, crying out loudly in ecstasy. This precipitated some rearrangement on the table, as Shelonda disentangled herself. Amy turned her head and said over her shoulder, "Get on your back, Don." Don quickly rolled back, reluctantly pulling out of Amy in the process. She wasn't done with him yet, though. Without turning around to face him, she got up over him. She took his cock and lifted it up and pushed the broad head of it up into her ass. Don said, "Oh, god that feels so good – so hot and tight!" "That's right, baby," Amy grinned back at him. Then she pushed herself down on him, taking his thick cock deep into her bowels. She leaned back then, and Nicole came around and knelt in front of her, pushing several fingers up into her pussy and attacking Amy's clit with her tongue. Meanwhile, Shelonda straddled Don's face, so that she could have her pussy licked while she reached around to play with Amy's tits. Don reached up to adjust Shelonda's position a little and began to lap at her very wet pussy and clit. His nose slipped into her vagina and then teased her ass as he moved back and forth over her. All the while, he could feel Amy moving up and down on him and Nicole's fingers inside her pussy. He couldn't see what was going on, but he could definitely tell when Amy began to come again. Not only did her ass clench and relax on him as she came, but she cried out in a dramatic and heartfelt wail. As the girls climbed off him, Don realized that he still had not come. He also knew that there was one woman he had not yet fucked that evening. He caught hold of Shelonda's narrow waist and quickly coaxed her into position on her hands and knees. As the other two girls focused their attention on Shelonda's pretty face and swinging breasts, Don drove his cock into her waiting vagina. Once he was good and slick again, though, he pulled back and then pushed himself firmly into Shelonda's tight ass. He remembered the night in the disco when he had first been welcomed into that sweet embrace. He smiled down at her dark, muscular back and fucked her with passionate abandon. She pushed back at him eagerly. "Come inside my ass, Don!" Shelonda called out. "Fill me with your cum!" He felt Amy's fingertips moving on Shelonda's pussy lips and clit, and tried to hold off until Shelonda was coming, but it was too late for that. Everything up until that moment had brought him to the brink and he was too far gone to hold back. He threw his head back and groaned, shoving himself deep into Shelonda as his cock spasmed and filled her ass with hot cum. This helped carried Shelonda over the edge too, and she cried out as her own orgasm swept through her leaving her and Don lying collapsed on the table in a quivering, laughing pile. The other two girls lay down with them, caressing and kissing their hair and sweaty skin. The next day Don was allowed to find his way out into the garden. Since the Wizard had let him know beforehand that this would happen, he was wearing clothing that would allow him to practice his kung fu in the open center of the garden – loose pants, shoes that were almost moccasins, and a light vest. After taking the time to stretch thoroughly, Don began to put himself through a full routine. He was very happy to notice that he was not only maintaining his conditioning but seemed to be in quite a bit better shape than he had been when had arrived in Eros. He was able to hold his stances longer and lower, had more stamina and endurance, and was able to kick and jump higher and more nimbly. He was enjoying the workout so much that he had almost forgotten that he was supposed to have an ulterior motive. Upon finishing a particularly long and demanding open-hand form, he was a little surprised to hear a woman's voice saying, "That was very graceful, sir." Don smiled, turned and bowed, "Thank you..." He was about to add, "milady," because it sounded like the appropriate way to address the Wizard's wife, but he was suddenly caught off guard. He had expected a woman who more or less resembled the Wizard. Not necessarily so tall, or quite so old, perhaps, but certainly older and not particularly attractive. Instead he beheld a beautiful young woman with long auburn hair falling over her bare shoulders in loose curls. She wore a white gown with flowing skirts and a cinched bodice that accentuated her very thin waist and full, medium-sized breasts. Her smiling lips were red, and her emerald green eyes were framed by long lashes. Don thought she bore a striking resemblance to Rita Hayworth, and found himself wondering if she had gorgeous dancer's legs. Still smiling, Don said, "My name is Don, are you the lady of the house?" She inclined her head and said, "I am. My name is Madeleine." "It is an honor to meet you, milady. My friends and I are your very grateful guests." "Ah, yes," she murmured. "And where are your three enthusiastic friends?" "I believe they are swimming in the pool. Would you like me to go fetch them?" She laughed a little. "No, that's quite alright. I am only taking my daily walk through the garden. Would you care to accompany me?" "It would be my pleasure," Don bowed again. He approached her and offered her his arm. Without hesitation, she slipped her arm through his and laid her warm hand on his sweaty wrist. "Do you have a customary path, milady?" "I do," she nodded, "but perhaps it is a good day to try something new." This certainly seems to be going well, Don thought. "My husband tells me that you seek a friend of yours who is lost in the forest." "Yes, he has graciously offered to help us find her." "How generous of him," she smiled. "He strikes me as a particularly generous man," Don nodded, thinking of things quite different than the offer of assistance. "Yes, I'm sure. And you are determined to find this friend of yours?" "Certainly." "She is perhaps more than just a friend?" "Much more, milady." "And yet you have three other friends, with whom you are apparently on rather intimate terms." Don decided to play coy, "Milady?" She paused a moment, then said, "So my husband has informed me." "Yes, well, my three companions are my friend's friends as well." "Interesting," Madeleine smiled, "and does this include intimacy as well." "It certainly does, milady," Don chuckled, "and quite a bit of it at that." "And neither you nor your friends are jealous of each other?" "No. We want each other to be happy, and to experience as much joy as possible." "How open minded and generous of you, Don. Let us sit there by that fountain." He led her to the indicated fountain and sat next to her on a stone bench. "Now we can speak directly," she said with a smile that was almost a grin. "My husband can't hear us here, though he is no doubt still watching." "Milady?" "I know what my husband is up to," she laughed. "I've known all along. The horny bugger wants you to seduce me so that I'll let him sleep around, or so we can both sleep around." "Um, the latter," Don nodded. "And I'll bet he's holding out the promise of helping you find your friend to get you to play along." "Yes," Don smiled, "but that was before I met you. If he had just let me meet you first I would have been quite happy to help him in this regard." She smiled and patted his knee, "You're sweet. However, things aren't quite as he would have you believe." "No?" "He wants to believe I'm terribly jealous, but the real problem is that he's quite insecure. I know my husband, and if I agree to an open marriage too easily he'll be plagued with doubts and utterly baseless worries. I know the difference between love and sex, Don. Moreover, I know the difference between sex and fucking amazing sex – and what you four showed off last night was fucking amazing sex!" Don was a bit taken aback to hear her saying "fucking" so freely. "I love my husband more than any other man or woman, and I knew plenty of both before I met him, let me tell you! And, I know my husband loves me. It doesn't bother me that he wants to screw the occasional hottie, or three. I certainly want to let you fuck me till I can't walk straight." Don smiled broadly, and said, "I'm glad to hear that, because..." "Hold on there, stud," she laughed. "We've got to play this just right. It's important that my husband thinks it was his plan that did the trick. That way he won't think I just let the first guy with a nice dick and a talented tongue, fuck me." "I don't suppose the two of you would consider just talking to each other," Don offered, hoping she would reject the idea. He was quite taken with the idea of seeming to seduce this gorgeous woman. "Oh, certainly," Madeleine smiled. "We've talked. He knows that I found the show you put on last night very titillating. I practically attacked him as soon as you were done. He's mentioned the open attitude of most of the people in Eros frequently enough that I know what's on his mind. But, as I said, I know my husband, and I know what it will take to make this work." "OK then," Don nodded, "what's next then?" "I will play hard to get, but intrigued, until tomorrow," she said. "I suspect he'll want you to put on another show this evening. Would you mind going down on the other two girls?" "No, not at all!" "Wonderful! That looked divine," she sighed. "Then, after he drops a few more hints, I'll suggest something like... Oh, I know. I'll tell him that if someone like you were to slip into my bedroom without warning I wouldn't mind being ravished, or something to that effect." "That does sound a little awkward," Don admitted. She waved that off, "I'll work it out. Maybe I'll just wait until he's got his cock in me. He'll get the gist then without paying attention to the way I phrase it." "Um, yes, I can see that." "Then, all you have to do is follow through," she smiled. "Think you can do that?" Don chuckled, "Yes, I'm quite sure." "Wonderful." Then she lowered her voice, though she had said they couldn't be overheard, "I really am looking forward to letting you have your way with me." "The feeling is quite mutual, milady!" "It's a date, then," she laughed. "Now, would you be so kind as to escort me back to the house?" Just as Madeleine had said, the Wizard came to them before dinner time and said that, although she found Don charming, she still wasn't quite sold on the idea of doing anything intimate with anyone. He suggested that they put on yet another show with dinner, and our four heroes were quite happy to oblige. This time, Don made a point of making each of the three women come with his lips, tongue and – here and there – his teeth. Don repeated his kung fu routine in the garden. Again, the Wizard's wife met him, and again they walked back to the fountain. She confirmed that she had dropped the appropriate hint to her husband, and then said, "Now, grab me and kiss me." Don had been thinking how much he wanted to kiss those ruby red lips since the day before, so he didn't need to be told twice. He quickly slipped his arm around her slim waist, and pulled her to him. Holding the side of her face gently in his hand so she couldn't turn away, he pressed his ardent lips against hers. He thrilled to feel her arms slip around him and hold him for a moment. She began to return his kiss, but then pushed him away. She slapped him then, but not too hard, and he was able to catch her wrist. Holding her hand to his face, he turned and kissed her palm. Yanking her hand away and scowling angrily, Madeleine said, "That was perfect, I can't wait to do more of that!" Then she made a show of storming off to the house. Don shook his head, and then made his way back inside. He was relaxing with the girls in the shallow end of the pool when the Wizard came to see them. Though he was obviously a bit distracted by the naked women, he was intent on his plans in regard to his wife. The Wizard paced back and forth by the pool as he enthused, "Everything is going perfectly!" "Are you sure?" Don asked, though he was pretty confident on that particular score. "Yes, she insists that she is angry with you for kissing her, and perhaps she is, but she is much more excited than angry." "How can you tell?" Shelonda wanted to know. "The ardor she displayed during our lovemaking just after her walk in the garden was exceptional!" the Wizard explained. "I know just how to proceed tonight. She said she was afraid you might steal into her bedroom and ravish her. I could tell this thought excited her very much, though." "Well, alright," Don said, "but how will this help convince her to try an open relationship?" This was a point of the plan that remained sincerely murky to him, and the wife's complicity hadn't helped clarify matters. "Ah," the Wizard smiled, "that will depend upon me getting her to admit that she had a good time." "Assuming she has a good time, eh, Professor?" Amy winked at Don. "Well, I'll do my best," Don grinned. That evening, while the girls were as frisky in the dining room as before, Don remained aloof. He had no doubt that he could perform more than adequately later even if he did play with the girls, but he frankly wanted to concentrate his attention on the Wizard's lovely wife at least for tonight. For himself, the Wizard had said that, though he would be sure she was again watching the dining room, he would find some reason to be unable to satisfy any resulting "urges" his wife might develop that evening. Later, after the girls had given a good warm-up show and after the door out of the bedroom opened of its own accord, Don left his three companions and followed the opening doors into a part of the house he had not yet seen. He was wearing only a soft, dark dressing robe he had found in the closet. He eventually found himself climbing a staircase up to at least the fourth floor of the large building. As the stairs stopped at this level, Don supposed this was the top floor of the house. There were only two doors available to him in the short corridor, and he had been told to go to the left one, which he now did. The door did not swing open as he approached, so he put his hand on the lever and slowly pushed it down. Madeleine was expecting him, but he was sure the Wizard would be watching and he wanted to make things look convincing. In the back of his mind, Don was worried that if the Wizard caught on to his wife's subterfuge he might withhold his assistance in finding Toshia. Don opened the door just enough to slip through into the candlelit bedroom. This chamber was even larger than the rather large bedroom Don had been sharing with his companions. Across the room, near the large, canopied bed, Madeleine sat in front of a gilded table and mirror brushing her long auburn hair. She was wearing a sheer robe of pink. She was turned three-quarters away from him, and the mirror was facing the wrong way to reflect Don as he crept into the room. Apparently sensing his entrance anyway, she said, "Ah, couldn't carry on with me after all, eh?" Don waited until he was almost to her before he said, "What man could?" Madeleine twisted and rose in a single lightning motion, raising her hairbrush as a weapon against him. "You!" she gasped. "What are you doing here?" Don paused a moment to admire the feminine form only barely obscured by her see-through robe. He had been right to imagine that she had long, dancer's legs. Her waist was narrow, her belly flat, and her breasts full, but not too big. She was glaring at him with a good semblance of shock, fear and anger. "I have followed where my desire led," Don said taking a step forward. "It brought me here." "Well, it had better lead you back the way you came." He slowly reached up and took hold of the hand holding the brush, saying, "I don't believe you want me to leave." "But I tell you that I do," Madeleine insisted. "Your eyes tell me that you lie," Don smiled. He moved a bit closer, and took the brush from her hand. "My eyes?" "They dwell too long on my bare flesh, and on my lips, and when you look me in the eye I see that you want more of what I started in the garden." He slipped up close enough to her that he could set the brush on the table behind her. Madeleine leaned back away from him, and said, "I look at your bare flesh because I'm shocked that you would come into the bedroom of another man's wife wearing only that robe. I look at your lips because I remember the liberty you so rudely took. As for what you think you see in my eyes, well, you see what you want to see." Don moved his hand – the one that had put the brush down – to her lower back, lightly touching her. Very slowly he raised his right hand up to brush his fingers along her jaw. "I do see what I want," he smiled. She kept her hands at her sides, hands now grasping the edge of her dressing table, "I will scream for my husband." "Scream then," Don leaned in closer, so that his nose was next to hers. They were both whispering now. "Do you think I could be here now if he didn't permit it?" "How dare you!" she hissed. He held her soft cheek in the palm of his hand and said, "If you tell me to leave, I will leave." "I have said it," she murmured. "But you don't say it," Don smiled. His lips brushed against hers. "If I do anything that displeases you, say so and I'll go." "And if what you don't do..." Don kissed her then, not quickly like in the garden but slowly and sensuously. She returned the kiss, tentatively at first but with increasing passion. He felt her hands on his sides, holding him in place. To be continued. By BradentonLarry for Literotica
Mastering Asparagus: A Chef's Guide to Care, Cooking, and Creativity With its tender spears and delicate flavor, asparagus is a quintessential ingredient that marks the arrival of spring. Home cooks and chefs love its versatility and nutritional benefits. However, to truly elevate this vegetable to its full potential, one must understand the nuances of its care, cooking methods, and potential pitfalls. In this brief and comprehensive guide, we'll explore the best practices for handling and cooking asparagus and creative ideas to inspire your culinary endeavors. 1) Shopping for asparagus: When buying asparagus, there are several key factors to consider to ensure you select the freshest and highest quality spears: Color: Look for bright green spears with minimal browning or discoloration. The tips should always be tightly closed and compact, without any signs of wilting or drying out. Texture: Choose asparagus with firm, smooth stalks. Avoid spears that feel limp, rubbery, or mushy, as these are likely past their prime and will lack the desired texture when cooked. Thickness: Asparagus spears come in varying thicknesses, ranging from thin to thick. While thin and thick spears can be delicious, thinner spears tend to be more tender and cook quickly, while thicker spears have a more robust flavor and slightly longer cooking time. Select based on your preference and intended use. Uniformity: Look for bundles of asparagus that are relatively uniform in size and shape. This ensures even cooking and presentation when preparing dishes that require uniformity, such as salads or stir-fries. Tight Tips: Verifying that the asparagus tips are firmly closed and compact is crucial. Avoid spears with open or flowering tips, as this may indicate that the asparagus is past its prime and starting to deteriorate. Freshness: Finally, trust your senses. Fresh asparagus should have a clean, grassy aroma. If the spears have a strong or unpleasant odor, it's a sign that they are no longer fresh and may have started to spoil. 2) Caring for Asparagus: Selection: When selecting asparagus, look for firm, bright green stalks with tightly closed tips. Avoid any spears that appear wilted or have signs of shriveling. Storage: To maintain freshness, trim the woody ends of the asparagus and place them upright in a jar or glass with about an inch of water. Taking the proper steps to keep your asparagus fresh and crisp is essential. Before storing trimmed asparagus tips in the refrigerator, cover them with a damp paper towel. This ensures that the asparagus stays moist and doesn't dry out, preventing it from getting moldy. Preparation: To remove dirt or debris before cooking, rinse the asparagus in cold water. Trim the tough ends by snapping them off or using a knife to cut them where they naturally bend and become tender. 3) Cooking Methods: Steaming: Asparagus can be steamed for 4-6 minutes until tender but still crisp, which preserves its delicate flavor and vibrant color. Place the spears in a steamer basket over boiling water. Grilling: Grilling adds a smoky char and depth of flavor to asparagus. Toss the fresh asparagus in extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper, and grill over medium-to-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side until lightly charred and tender. Roasting: A well-executed roasting brings out the natural sweetness of asparagus while creating caramelized edges. Arrange the spears on a baking sheet, drizzle with good quality olive oil, adjust seasoning with sea salt and pepper, and gently roast in a well-preheated oven at 425°F (220°C) for 10-12 minutes or until they feel tender and slightly browned. Sautéing: Sautéing quickly cooks asparagus, imparting a golden hue and savory flavor. Heat extra virgin olive oil or unsalted butter in a wide skillet over low-to-medium heat, add the asparagus spears, and cook for 5-7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until tender and lightly browned. 4) Creative Cooking Ideas: Asparagus Risotto: Incorporate tender, diced asparagus into a creamy risotto for a luxurious dish that celebrates spring. Asparagus Salad: Toss blanched asparagus with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, shaved Parmigiano cheese, and a tangy vinaigrette for a refreshing salad. Asparagus Pesto: Blend blanched asparagus with basil, sliced garlic, toasted pine nuts, Parmigiano cheese, and olive oil to create a vibrant pesto sauce that pairs beautifully with pasta or grilled fish. Asparagus Tart: Arrange blanched asparagus spears on puff pastry, top with ricotta cheese, lemon zest, and thyme, then bake until golden brown for an elegant tart. Asparagus Soup: Purée cooked asparagus with onions, garlic, vegetable broth, and a touch of cream for a silky-smooth soup perfect for chilly evenings. 5) What Not to Do: Overcooking: Avoid overcooking asparagus, as it can become mushy and lose its vibrant color and crisp texture. Underseasoning: Asparagus benefits from seasoning, so don't be shy with salt, pepper, and other flavor enhancers like garlic, lemon zest, or Parmesan cheese. Crowding the Pan: Avoid overcrowding the pan when sautéing or roasting asparagus, as this can lead to steaming rather than caramelization. Using Old Asparagus: Freshness is essential when it comes to asparagus, so avoid using spears that are limp, woody, or have started to develop an unpleasant odor. 6) Loss of Nutritional Value: Asparagus is a nutrient-rich vegetable with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. However, improper cooking methods or prolonged storage can lead to a loss of nutritional value. Overcooking, in particular, can cause the breakdown of vitamins such as C and folate. To preserve the nutritional integrity of asparagus, opt for quick cooking methods like steaming or sautéing and consume it soon after purchase for the freshest taste and maximum nutritional benefits. The final thought! Mastering the art of cooking asparagus involves careful selection, proper handling, and creative cooking techniques. By following my tips and exploring some inventive recipes, you'll be able to enjoy the delicate flavors and nutritional benefits of asparagus to the fullest. So, embrace this versatile vegetable and let your culinary imagination soar with endless possibilities. The best time is now! More podcasts by Chef Walter --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/walter-potenza/message
Seducing the Wizard’s Wife – 4 days of wizardry.By BradentonLarry - Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.Chapter 10Day One Toshia's day with the satyrsWhen Don awoke, he found himself lying on his back upon a large four-poster bed. There was sunlight pouring in from somewhere, and he had a woman on his left with her head on his chest and another curled up on his right. Trying not to disturb the sleeping women, he opened his eyes a bit further and raised his head to have a look around. The woman with her head on his chest was Shelonda, and the one on his right was Amy, who was spooning Nicole. They were all still clothed, and in what seemed to be a large bedroom. Don couldn’t help but remember waking up in the Manor next to Toshia what seemed like a very long time ago. That time the room had been dark and mysterious, and rather Spartan. This time, though, the room was brightly lit as two large windows let in a great deal of light. Although there was definitely the rather serious and looming question of how in the world they had been brought here, there was nothing even vaguely sinister about this room. Adding to the benign aspect of the room was, no doubt, the profusion of cut flowers that covered every available horizontal surface.As Don lowered his head again, Shelonda shifted and then raised her head to look around. When she saw that Don was also awake, she gave him a confused smile. He smiled back as reassuringly as he could and caressed her back. He wasn’t terribly surprised to feel her hand moving up along the inside of his thigh. “If danger isn’t threatening it must be time for sex” seemed to be the default rule among Eros dwellers.Don tried to think of a good reason to deny himself and Shelonda. He knew they were someplace strange, the guests of some new set of kidnappers, and that they had very likely completely lost track of Toshia, but all of those things had been true for hours, since they had apparently slept through the night, and if anyone meant them any harm, they surely would have carried through on that desire while they had been unconscious, rather than putting them on a comfortable bed. So, when the beautiful woman pushed his kilt up and began to stroke his cock, Don didn’t resist and instead pulled her up so he could kiss her warmly. After all the stress of the last couple of days, with the plants, the watchers, the human attackers, and the chase after Toshia – not to mention seeing her cavorting with actual satyrs -satyrs! - it felt very good indeed to lay back and feel Shelonda’s mouth on his, her tongue pushing past his lips, and her warm hand on his quickly thickening cock.Moving slowly, so as to not wake Amy and Nicole, Don moved his right arm up so he could get his hand on Shelonda’s full breast, squeezing it gently through her tank top. This prompted her to squeeze and pull on his cock more strenuously. Don decided that two could play at that game, and, rolling onto his side a little, moved his right hand from her tit down to her strong left thigh. Slipping up under her skirt, Don’s hand slid along her smooth brown skin and around to squeeze her firm ass tightly. Shelonda moaned her approval very quietly. Don kissed her more deeply in a vague attempt to get her to be quieter.Don worked his hand around in front of Shelonda. She parted her legs for him, raising her left one and wrapping it around Don’s legs. This left Don free to run his fingers over her very moist lips. He teased her a bit before parting those lips with his fingertips and spreading her juices over her inner lips and clit. Soon his fingers were inside her, slipping in and out of Shelonda’s pussy, as Don’s thumb pressed against and rubbed her clit. Shelonda liked this quite a bit, and showed her approval by rolling back on the bed, pulling Don with her. They continued kissing as he moved naturally into position over her. Her legs spread and her hand pulling him forward, Don slipped into Shelonda’s welcoming pussy. As he sank deep into her hot, wet sex, she reached down to clasp his butt in both of her hands, squeezing and pulling him into her.Their bodies were pressed tightly together as they fucked and kissed, moving slowly against each other on the bed. It was a passionate, loving and intense encounter there in the strange bedroom. Don had become extremely fond of the beautiful young woman, and he knew she felt the same way. The connection between the two of them was stronger and deeper than the casual sex relationship either or both of them shared with the other two women. Amy was a great sexual athlete, Nicole was a playful little minx, but Shelonda had a seriousness about her that made sex with her more than just sex. If it wasn’t a romantic coupling, and it hardly seemed quite like that, it was a bit more than friends-with-benefits.Don resisted the urge to fuck Shelonda more vigorously, partly because he didn’t want to disturb the others, and partly because the way they were screwing was building up its own intensity. Shelonda pulled him into her tightly with her legs and arms, kissing him intently. Then she threw her head back, gasping through clenched teeth. She let go of his ass to clench the sheets at her side, and then was burying her face into his shoulder. Don pushed himself deep into her clasping, clutching pussy riding out her quiet, intense orgasm by holding her in his arms.When Shelonda slowly relaxed, and lay back on the bed, he smiled down at her happily. She actually blushed and turned her face away.“Well, that looked like a good one,” Amy said. Don looked over to see that the curvy blonde had rolled over onto her back to watch him and Shelonda. Nicole was also watching, but was resting her head on Amy’s soft breast. Nicole’s hand had already found its way down between Amy’s thighs and was busy making mischief there.“Got enough to share with the rest of the class, Professor?” Nicole asked with a smirk.“I just might,” Don grinned over at the two women. Then he leaned down to kiss Shelonda again.By the time he had withdrawn from Shelonda’s exquisite embrace, Nicole had gotten down between Amy’s legs and was giving some serious head, and Amy had pulled her tank top up over her head and thrown it aside. Don moved around behind Nicole and coaxed her up enough that he could get his cock down and into her waiting cunt. He admired Nicole’s narrow waist and tight, brown ass as he began to fuck in and out of her. Shelonda moved over to be close to the action, and soon reached around so she could get her fingers on Nicole’s clit. Nicole was only barely able to make Amy come, gasping and twisting on the bed, before she was coming herself.Don still hadn’t come, and he was acutely aware of that fact. He pulled out of Nicole and urged her over toward Shelonda. Moving up between Amy’s legs, he smiled down at her happy face, and said, “Where do you want it?”“Come on my tits, Professor,” she said immediately.Don nodded, but took a moment to push his cock deep into Amy’s juicy twat. After fucking Shelonda and Nicole, he only needed a couple of thrusts into her tight pussy before he was ready to blow. He pulled out of her and quickly straddled her abdomen. He had planned to jerk himself off, but Amy’s hands beat him to it. She took him in a tight, enthusiastic grip and pumped his thick organ several times until a huge spout of white cum burst out of him and splattered over her chest, neck and chin. Several days of abstinence, coupled with the XYZ in his system and the sex leading up to this moment made Don’s orgasm both extremely intense and voluminous. A second stream of jizz splashed over Amy’s tits and then a flood of it spilled over her hands onto her belly. Don felt like he was coming for minutes. As he finally took a deep breath and opened his eyes, Shelonda and Nicole clapped and laughed. He managed to get off Amy while the other two girls closed in on her and began to play with and lick up the cum he had left there.As soon as his head stopped reeling from the intense orgasm, Don decided it was time to have a better look around. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he noticed that there were not only two big windows, but also three sets of doors, all double and all closed. The room had a thick carpet. Don reached down and took off his sandals, and enjoyed the feeling of the carpet on his bare feet. There was a couch against the wall opposite the bed, as well as a large framed mirror. There was a low table in front of the couch and a pair of overstuffed chairs at either end of the table. One of the chairs had their satchels piled on it. Don and Shelonda’s staffs were standing in a corner. All of the furniture was in an overly ornate style that Don thought of as rococo, though he wasn’t confident that that was the right term. (Perhaps it was baroque, or regency; he could never tell.)Don got off the bed and moved over to one of the windows. They were apparently on the second or third floor and overlooked a vast well-tended and colorful flower garden. There was no one to be seen among the flowers or paths of the garden.He moved over to one of the sets of doors, and was surprised when they swung open of their own accord. Don stepped onto the tiled floor of a large and ornate bathroom, illuminated by an impressive skylight over a huge tub. Strewn about this room were more flowers and a liberal supply of towels and toiletries. As Don moved closer to the tub, water began to pour out of the four faucets set around it. The sound of the steaming, fragrant water quickly filling the bathtub drew the attention of the girls, who quickly crowded into the bathroom with Don.Clothes were quickly stripped off and thrown aside. Although they had only been out of the Manor for a few days, and had hardly been living a hard life outdoors, the opportunity to bathe properly was most welcome. They took quite a while, scrubbing each other clean, which naturally enough led to more splashing about than was strictly necessary as well as more fondling and play.Don was the first to get out of the tub, and so was the first to notice that their clothing had somehow been removed. He dried himself with a heavy, soft towel and then padded out into the bedroom naked. His sandals and Amy’s top had also been removed. He moved toward one of the other sets of doors. When they failed to open for him, Don tried the handles, but they wouldn’t budge. Frowning, he turned to the last set of doors, which did swing open as he approached. This time he found a large walk-in closet, full of clothing. On the right, taking up about a quarter of the available space was an assortment of strangely old-fashioned men’s clothing. On the floor was a good selection of footwear. Don chose a pair of light cotton slacks and a buttoned shirt, and tried them on. He was not at all surprised that the clothes fit him perfectly. As he came out of the closet, the girls were just coming out of the bathroom. Seeing his attire and catching on that there were new, fresh clothes to be had, they swarmed around him and into the closet.They were each able to find at least a quarter of the closet that had clothing perfectly fitted to them, and spent some time selecting outfits. Don was amused to watch them trying various combinations. Ultimately they came out to model their selections, and he smiled to see their individual styles come through. Shelonda was wearing a light vest and a pair of loose silk pajama bottoms that were bloused at the ankles. Amy had on a low cut top and stockings and a garter belt, and a short pleated skirt that flared out from her waist. Nicole had on a form fitting sheath dress with slits running up the lengths of her legs. While Don was complimenting them on their outfits, the third set of doors swung open, revealing a long marble hallway.Cautiously, the four of them moved out into the corridor. There was nowhere else to go, so they proceeded along, until a large pair of doors opened before them. On the other side of this portal, they found a vast dining room, lit by a dazzling number of candles. There were a dozen chairs around the large, long table in the center of the room. There were also bowls full of fruit and gleaming glasses of water. On each of the three walls without doors there were large mirrors. Don eyed those reflective surfaces suspiciously, his mind on the likelihood that they were being observed through those mirrors.Like the trusting souls they were, Amy and Shelonda had made themselves comfortable at the table, drinking and eating freely. Don and Nicole shared a glance, but then joined the others in dining. Only when they had each eaten a small amount of fruit and drank a whole glass of water – in short, when they had their fill – did someone broach the subject that was on everyone’s mind.Amy said, “Well, where are we anyway?”“I have no idea,” Don admitted.“You are in my home,” said a deep voice.They turned sharply to see a tall man standing in the doorway. He had white hair and a beard, a prominent brow adorned by bristling eyebrows, a pronounced hawkish nose, and bright eyes glittering at them in the candlelight. He wore a deep blue robe, like one would expect to see worn by a magician in a fantasy movie. He was over six feet tall, and stood erect and easily. Though his deeply lined face indicated great age, he carried himself as if he were quite healthy.“And you are?” Don asked.“I am called the Wizard of the Wood,” declared the man in that voice that reminded Don of a not quite ancient John Carradine.“Well, I am Don, and this is Amy, Nicole and Shelonda. We’re grateful for your hospitality. May we ask why you brought us here?”“Of course you may,” the Wizard intoned. “I brought you here so that you might assist me with a particular task.”“Um, well, we were trying to find a friend of ours…”“The one who was, and has been copulating so vigorously with those three satyrs, I suspect.”“Yes,” Don nodded, “that would be her.”“She is in no danger. The satyrs mean her no harm. I believe they are enjoying her company far more than they expected to. She is quite spirited and has a great deal of stamina.”“Well, you seem to be quite well-informed and have resources at your disposal.”“You mean magic,” the Wizard said. “I have magical resources.”“Um, sure,” Don said. “If you could bring our friend here like you did us, we’d be happy to help you with your task.”“There are three problems with that proposal.” The Wizard gestured and a chair slid out from the table. As he took his seat, he said, “One, I have no reason to trust you. This is of small consequence, though, because you would still have your freedom to gain. Two, I believe the desire to be reunited with your friend will be a better motivator in any case. Three, as a matter of fact, I cannot at this time bring your friend here.”“Why not?" Nicole asked."My power is largely focused upon this location. Within the bounds of this house and the grounds I have great power, but to exercise that power to bring people here is … difficult. I do however have the means to convey you to your friend, which means I will make available to you following the completion of your task. I assure you, the task is within your power, and I will compensate you well for your efforts. You will not regret helping me.”Don frowned, “And what if something should happen to our friend while we’re here?”“I am monitoring your friend’s situation and will find a way to intervene if she should actually be endangered. I am afraid I can only offer you my assurances as to this and my other promises. I hasten to point out that you do not seem to have any other viable options.”“We could try to escape,” Don pointed out.“Feel free,” the Wizard shrugged. “You will only waste time and energy, uselessly.”“Can you give us some evidence that you can actually know how and where Toshia is?”“Your friend? Yes, I think so,” the Wizard nodded toward the large mirror to his right.Looking at that mirror, they could suddenly see Toshia. She was lying back against a satyr, while another satyr was in front of her. Her legs were around the front satyr’s haunches and her hands were on his shoulders. It seemed clear that both of the satyr’s were fucking her, and, moreover, that Toshia was enjoying herself quite a bit at the moment.“Alright,” Don said after taking a moment to take in the expression on Toshia's face as the satyr’s had their way with her, or she had her way with them. “What do you want us to do?”“I want you to seduce my wife.”Don looked at the Wizard of the Wood to see if he was joking. He looked to the girls and saw that they were as confused as he was.“Well,” Don said, “first, you’re the first person I’ve met in Eros who’s even in a monogamous relationship, let alone married.”“Yes,” the Wizard nodded, “we have always had an unconventional relationship.”“OK,” Don shrugged. “Why do you want us to seduce your wife?”“Well, it is not so much all of you, as you yourself, Don, though the others may of course help.”“Alright, why do you want me to seduce your wife?”The Wizard stood up and began to pace alongside the table as he spoke. “We live alone here. The house and my power see to it that we want for nothing. I love my wife very much. She is a wonderful woman and a good companion. However, I am aware of what goes on out there in the world. I see the fun people have in the woods. I can watch the witches of the glen working their orgiastic magic. I know what goes on in that Manor. I want to enjoy some of that fun, Don. I want to convince my wife to have an open marriage.”“Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting that,” Don admitted. He noticed that Nicole was having a very hard time keeping a straight face, while Amy and Shelonda simply seemed confused.“Have you talked to her about this?” asked Don.The Wizard shook his head, saying, “Oh, she would never agree to it. She is far too jealous and possessive. She would think I do not love her any more and that I just want to couple with other women.”“But, you do want to ‘couple’ with other women,” Nicole pointed out.“By all the gods, yes!” the Wizard shouted. “I want to so very badly. But it is only sex. Do you know how long we have been married?”“No, of course…”“A very long time, believe me! I love her madly, of course, but I need some variety now and then. I honestly believe it would do each of us and both of us as a couple a great deal of good to enjoy other people. Having sex with just the same person for many years is simply not healthy.”“Well, I can’t argue with that,” Don smiled. “So, what are you thinking?”“If you seduce her, make her want to sleep with you, it will give me the opportunity to broach the subject.”“That’s extremely indirect,” Don mused.“What if she doesn’t want to sleep with Don, or just wants to sneak around on you?” Nicole asked.“My wife would never do such a thing,” the Wizard insisted.“Perhaps,” Don said, “but, as much as I hate to ask this, what about that other option? What if I can’t seduce her?”“If you give a good faith effort to seduce her but she does not succumb, I will grant you your freedom and help you find your friend.”“Are you sure you don’t just want us to help you talk to her?” Don asked. It had just occurred to him that the Wizard’s wife was going to be as ancient as he was.“No,” the Wizard said with finality. “I have given this a great deal of thought, and I am certain that would never work. It has to be done this way.”“Alright, then,” Don said. He looked around to gauge the reactions of the women; Nicole shrugged, while Amy and Shelonda both nodded. “We’ll help. I take it you have a plan, then.”Day TwoToshia is caught by the warrior women and is taken to their castleThe next day, the Don and the three women had a brief conference, during which they considered the merits of attempting to escape from their luxurious prison. It was Nicole who pointed out that even if they were able to get out of the house and the grounds, however far those might extend, they would have no idea where they were or how to find Toshia. It did seem that their best bet was to cooperate with the Wizard of the Wood and trust that he would honor his end of the bargain.So, they passed the day exploring the immense house, going only where the doors would allow them to pass. There was no sign of anyone else in the building, though everything was dusted and the flowers and fruit were freshly laid out. They found a large library, an indoor pool, and a billiard room, among other less well-defined rooms. Following the spirit of the Wizard’s plan, they deliberately resisted the urge to fill the day with sexual play. Instead, they built up their frustration by engaging in playful banter and flirting. Things became particularly heated during their skinny-dip in the pool. Don had to herd the women into the showers, which did frankly very little to help, except that it introduced an all-too-ephemeral break in the action. Amy was particularly wound up by the time they returned to their room to change for dinner.“I will tell my wife that we have guests,” the Wizard had explained. “I’ll say that you were travelers who I rescued from hooligans using my magic, and that I offered you hospitality for a few days.”“Hooligans?" Amy had asked."That’s what I call the bands of ill-mannered men who roam about the forest attacking anyone they come across.”“We met some of those,” Don had nodded.“It didn’t end well for them,” Nicole said quietly, looking across the table at Don.“They are thoroughly unpleasant,” the Wizard had scowled. “Anyway, I will tell my wife that you seem to be very interesting people, and I will arrange to have her looking in on you during your dinner. You use that time to, shall we say, put on a show for her.”“A show?” asked Shelonda.“Yes, well, a demonstration of unfettered sexuality,” the Wizard explained.“You want us to have sex for your wife to watch,” Nicole said.“Yes,” the Wizard nodded. “I know my wife enjoys reading books with erotic scenes in them, and I suspect seeing one played out in front of her eyes will titillate her. Moreover, the fact that there are more than just two of you will work to our advantage if we are to be successful in tempting her toward a more open attitude toward sex.”“I think we can manage that,” Don smiled at the three women. He knew Amy in particular would rise to the occasion.“Remember, though,” the Wizard had admonished before bidding them goodnight, “it must seem spontaneous. If my wife suspects chicanery she’ll never go along with the rest of the plan.”The three women all wore outfits that were at once frilly and feminine and were also simple enough that it would be quite easy to have sex in them. Nicole wore a form-fitting, backless dress with a very short skirt and puffy sleeves, all in black with large bright red flowers. Shelonda wore a frilly little sundress in light pastels. Amy wore a silk negligee and a long, sheer robe. All of the girls surprised Don by wearing high heels. For himself, Don wore dress slacks, a white shirt and a dark blue jacket. As an afterthought, he added socks and perfectly shined, black dress shoes.Arm in arm en masse the foursome left the bedroom and headed to the dining room. Along the way, Don reminded them to act as if no one was watching.“But, also make sure we put on a good show,” Amy pointed out.“How are we supposed to do that?” Shelonda wanted to know.“Well, make sure that anyone looking can tell what you’re doing; don’t cover up anything,” Amy suggested.“And make noise,” added Nicole. “Let everyone hear that you’re having a good time.”“Wow,” Don said, “that’s really good advice. You’re making me horny already.”“You have to wait a bit, Professor,” Nicole winked.With that they came to the dining room and gathered around the middle of the table, Don and Shelonda on one side and Amy and Nicole on the other.“Who do you think puts out this fruit and water?” Amy asked, as she picked up and examined a red apple.“I have no idea,” Don shrugged. "Perhaps the same person who washed our clothes and put them back when we weren’t looking yesterday.“"Our host, maybe?” wondered Nicole.“The Wizard?" Amy laughed. "I doubt that.”“He doesn’t exactly seem the sort to do housework,” Don admitted.With a mischievous gleam in her eye, Amy sank her teeth into her apple and leaned over toward Nicole, who, catching on immediately, bent in to take a bite out of the opposite side of the fruit.While they were doing this, Shelonda said, “Well, whoever’s doing the cleaning and other stuff, it sure is nice of the Wizard to let us stay here.”“We should try to find a way to thank him,” Amy said around a mouthful of apple.“Oh? What did you have in mind?” Don asked with a laugh.“There are lots of ways a girl can thank a man,” Amy smiled, taking another bite of the apple.“She can say, 'Thank you very much, Mr. Wizard, sir,’” Nicole smiled coyly while she toyed with a strawberry.“Exactly,” Amy laughed, “but that wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”“Whatever could you mean?” Nicole asked. She had now turned toward Amy and was running her hand up and down her arm. “Oh, you mean…”“Exactly!" Amy grinned and grabbed a nearby banana. She proceeded to peel it slowly."But isn’t he rather old?” Nicole persisted mischievously.“He seemed healthy enough to me,” Amy said as she pulled the last peel down. “Anyway, I think I like older men. Plus, he’s quite tall, and that usually means…”“You think so?” Shelonda joined in.“I do,” Amy said. “Anyway, I’d be happy to show my appreciation.” To demonstrate her capabilities, she slid the length of the banana into her mouth and down her throat.Don and the girls laughed, and Don said, “Well, fruit’s one thing. Are you quite sure you’re up to the real thing?”“Quite sure, sir,” Amy said after swallowing the last of the banana down.“I’m unconvinced,” Don said with a frown.“Well, how in the world can I convince you?”“You could show him on his cock,” Shelonda said with exasperation. Don thought she was the best actress of the bunch.“Alright, Professor, hop up here on the table and let’s see what you’ve got,” Amy grinned.Don stood up and took off his jacket and kicked off his shoes, while the women pushed the bowls and glasses out of the way. Then, he climbed up on the table and knelt in front of Amy. Getting into her act, Amy ran her hands up along Don’s thighs and made a show of unfastening his pants. She slipped her hand into his slacks and took hold of his quickening cock. Pulling it out, she held it up for Nicole to see.“Very nice,” Amy said, “but it needs more work, I think.” She lowered her head to Don’s lap and took the entire length of his cock into her mouth. Pulling on it with both her lips and hand, she quickly had him fully hard.While Amy was doing this, Shelonda climbed up on the table next to Don so she could see too.Amy pulled back to show the girls that Don was now erect. “That’s more like it, Professor!” Amy said. “Now, what was it I was going to do with this?”“Oh, I can show you,” Shelonda offered quickly.“By all means,” Amy laughed.Nicole & Amy Seek To Seduce The WizardShelonda leaned in over Don’s lap and immediately lowered her mouth all the way down his cock, letting his fat head slip into her throat. She accompanied this with a loud, very satisfied, “Um!”When she came up for air, Shelonda smiled at Amy and Nicole and said, “That’s what you were saying you could do.”“Oh, yes, I remember now. Let me see if I’ve got this right,” Amy laughed. Straight away, she took hold of Don’s cock and lowered her mouth and throat on him. Don took advantage of the situation by gently grabbing Amy’s head and holding her there on him so that he could flex himself in and out of her throat a bit. Following Shelonda’s lead, Amy gurgled and moaned her approval of this maneuver loudly enough for everyone to hear. Always happy to oblige, Don fucked her throat a bit longer before letting her go.As soon as Amy was up again, Nicole jumped in with, “Let me give that a try!”Crowding in front of Amy, Nicole inhaled Don’s shaft in one eager motion. Once he was in all the way, she bobbed her head up and down on him, murmuring her pleasure while he moved in and out of her throat. When she backed up off him, she gave the slippery head of his cock a kiss and flashed a grin around the room.“Is that all you’d do to thank the Wizard?” Shelonda asked.“Don’t you think that’s enough?” Amy asked.“Not nearly,” Don said with a smile.“Oh, well, I might be able to come up with something else,” Amy said thoughtfully.“Like what?” Shelonda asked as she reached over to stroke Don’s wet cock, which was twitching in anticipation.Amy shrugged out of her sheer robe, said, “Well, I could do this,” and, using her chair as a step up, climbed up on the table with Don and Shelonda. Amy planted her feet on either side of Don’s thighs, and pulled up her silk negligee to expose her bare pussy and ass to view.“Now that looks delicious!” Don grinned. He leaned forward to kiss Amy’s nether lips, reaching up between her legs to get his hands on her ass. Holding her in place, Don reached out with his tongue to lightly lick over the soft curve of her lips. Pushing up between them, he tasted her juices and slipped his long tongue up inside her. Amy moaned and pushed forward a bit, encouraging him to do more. He proceeded to fuck his tongue in and out of her, and then began to lick at her clit.Shelonda was still stroking Don’s cock, or was until Nicole took Amy’s chair and got into position in front of Don and began to suck on his cock with great enthusiasm. Shelonda leaned back for a moment, admiring the sight of Amy standing on the table while Don buried his face between her legs. Then she decided to get back into the fun. Pulling her sundress up over her head and casting it aside, but leaving her heels on, she got up to stand behind Don. She reached forward and took Amy’s head in her hands and pulled her forward into a long, slow passionate kiss.Amy, who had been holding on to Don’s head, both for a little support and to keep him there where he was giving her so much pleasure, reached up to get her hands on Shelonda’s full tits. She moaned into Shelonda’s mouth while squeezing and caressing those beautiful breasts. She moaned again when she felt Don pushing several fingers up inside her grasping pussy. When she felt Shelonda tugging at her negligee, Amy took a few seconds to quickly pull that garment up and over her head. She wasn’t sure where it fell; it was out of her mind as Shelonda began to kiss and suckle on her tits. Then Don’s tongue was making her come. Amy remembered Nicole’s advice and cried out enthusiastically as the explosion of delight erupted in her clit and pussy and then spread through her body, making her shake and sob.“Oh fuck yes!” Amy gasped loudly. “That’s so good! Don, you’ve got the best tongue. Damn!”Shelonda embraced Amy, whose legs were suddenly unsteady, and helped her to lie down with her on the table behind Don.Don took advantage of the momentary break to push Nicole back enough so that he could get off his knees. Instead, he sat on the edge of the table with his feet dangling. Nicole wasted no time, though, and climbed up on the table with the others. Pushing Don back so that he was leaning on his arms, she pulled up her short black dress and straddled Don’s lap. She rose up as high as she could, to give anyone watching a clear view, and lifted Don’s cock straight up. Pushing the head into her, Nicole slowly slid down its length, moaning happily as it filled her. Don grinned up at her and took her narrow waist in his hands. As soon as she was all the way down on him, Nicole pushed herself back up, almost all the way off, and paused there so anyone could see his thick pole disappearing into her tight pink sleeve as well as the shiny wetness she left on him. Then, finally she let herself down on him again, until his head was pressed against her cervix. Up again and pause, then down, harder this time. Don’s strong hands and arms helped to raise and lower her, sparing her thighs some work. With each descent on his shaft, Nicole let out a happy, lustful moan. Soon she was grunting and crying out as she rode up and down on him with almost violent abandon. She began to throw herself into the performance aspect of the evening.“Fuck yes! God yes! That feels so good! Fuck me, Professor! Fuck me!” Nicole cried out.Don was pushing up into Nicole each time she came down on him. He was quietly amazed at how hard a fucking the tiny girl was taking and enjoying. As she bounced on his cock, he watched as she clawed at her dress to pull it aside and get her hands on her little breasts and hard nipples. Then she was coming on top of him, still bouncing as she screamed and shook.“Yes! Yes! Fuck yes!” she called. Then abruptly, she stopped and slumped forward on Don, gasping for air. “Damn!” she whispered, “I guess I like having an audience.”“Well, it suits you,” Don whispered back, kissing her ear.When Nicole pushed herself up a bit, they noticed that Shelonda and Amy had worked themselves into a 69. They lay on their sides, with Amy’s feet and back toward Don and Nicole’s side of the table. They could see the top of Shelonda’s head as she worked her tongue over Amy’s slick lips and sensitive clit. Both girls were moaning enthusiastically while they kept their mouths busy.Nicole pushed herself the rest of the way up, and struggled to get out of her dress. Don finally got around to unbuttoning his shirt, and when Nicole climbed off him to walk down the table, naked but for her heels, Don took the opportunity to get out of his clothes. By the time he got back on the table, Nicole was down by Amy’s head, reaching around to get her fingers on and probably in Shelonda. Don decided he would make himself useful at this end of things.Lying down behind Amy, he scooted in and guided his cock between her legs. He felt Shelonda’s breath and then tongue on the head of his cock just as he felt the wetness of Amy’s waiting pussy. He didn’t pause, but just went ahead and pushed himself in. Amy let out a particularly loud moan as he filled her in one sure motion. Steadily he began to fuck her, enjoying the sensation of her slippery cunt squeezing and pulling at him as well as Shelonda’s tongue brushing against him.What Amy and Nicole were doing to Shelonda had the desired effect, because she was the next one to come, crying out loudly in ecstasy. This precipitated some rearrangement on the table, as Shelonda disentangled herself. Amy turned her head and said over her shoulder, “Get on your back, Don.”Don quickly rolled back, reluctantly pulling out of Amy in the process. She wasn’t done with him yet, though. Without turning around to face him, she got up over him. She took his cock and lifted it up and pushed the broad head of it up into her ass. Don said, “Oh, god that feels so good – so hot and tight!”“That’s right, baby,” Amy grinned back at him. Then she pushed herself down on him, taking his thick cock deep into her bowels. She leaned back then, and Nicole came around and knelt in front of her, pushing several fingers up into her pussy and attacking Amy’s clit with her tongue. Meanwhile, Shelonda straddled Don’s face, so that she could have her pussy licked while she reached around to play with Amy’s tits.Don reached up to adjust Shelonda’s position a little and began to lap at her very wet pussy and clit. His nose slipped into her vagina and then teased her ass as he moved back and forth over her. All the while, he could feel Amy moving up and down on him and Nicole’s fingers inside her pussy. He couldn’t see what was going on, but he could definitely tell when Amy began to come again. Not only did her ass clench and relax on him as she came, but she cried out in a dramatic and heartfelt wail.As the girls climbed off him, Don realized that he still had not come. He also knew that there was one woman he had not yet fucked that evening. He caught hold of Shelonda’s narrow waist and quickly coaxed her into position on her hands and knees. As the other two girls focused their attention on Shelonda’s pretty face and swinging breasts, Don drove his cock into her waiting vagina. Once he was good and slick again, though, he pulled back and then pushed himself firmly into Shelonda’s tight ass. He remembered the night in the disco when he had first been welcomed into that sweet embrace. He smiled down at her dark, muscular back and fucked her with passionate abandon. She pushed back at him eagerly.“Come inside my ass, Don!” Shelonda called out. “Fill me with your cum!”He felt Amy’s fingertips moving on Shelonda’s pussy lips and clit, and tried to hold off until Shelonda was coming, but it was too late for that. Everything up until that moment had brought him to the brink and he was too far gone to hold back. He threw his head back and groaned, shoving himself deep into Shelonda as his cock spasmed and filled her ass with hot cum. This helped carried Shelonda over the edge too, and she cried out as her own orgasm swept through her leaving her and Don lying collapsed on the table in a quivering, laughing pile.The other two girls lay down with them, caressing and kissing their hair and sweaty skin.The next day Don was allowed to find his way out into the garden. Since the Wizard had let him know beforehand that this would happen, he was wearing clothing that would allow him to practice his kung fu in the open center of the garden – loose pants, shoes that were almost moccasins, and a light vest. After taking the time to stretch thoroughly, Don began to put himself through a full routine. He was very happy to notice that he was not only maintaining his conditioning but seemed to be in quite a bit better shape than he had been when had arrived in Eros. He was able to hold his stances longer and lower, had more stamina and endurance, and was able to kick and jump higher and more nimbly.He was enjoying the workout so much that he had almost forgotten that he was supposed to have an ulterior motive. Upon finishing a particularly long and demanding open-hand form, he was a little surprised to hear a woman’s voice saying, “That was very graceful, sir.”Don smiled, turned and bowed, “Thank you…” He was about to add, “milady,” because it sounded like the appropriate way to address the Wizard’s wife, but he was suddenly caught off guard. He had expected a woman who more or less resembled the Wizard. Not necessarily so tall, or quite so old, perhaps, but certainly older and not particularly attractive. Instead he beheld a beautiful young woman with long auburn hair falling over her bare shoulders in loose curls. She wore a white gown with flowing skirts and a cinched bodice that accentuated her very thin waist and full, medium-sized breasts. Her smiling lips were red, and her emerald green eyes were framed by long lashes. Don thought she bore a striking resemblance to Rita Hayworth, and found himself wondering if she had gorgeous dancer’s legs.Still smiling, Don said, “My name is Don, are you the lady of the house?”She inclined her head and said, “I am. My name is Madeleine.”“It is an honor to meet you, milady. My friends and I are your very grateful guests.”“Ah, yes,” she murmured. “And where are your three enthusiastic friends?”“I believe they are swimming in the pool. Would you like me to go fetch them?”She laughed a little. “No, that’s quite alright. I am only taking my daily walk through the garden. Would you care to accompany me?”“It would be my pleasure,” Don bowed again. He approached her and offered her his arm. Without hesitation, she slipped her arm through his and laid her warm hand on his sweaty wrist. “Do you have a customary path, milady?”“I do,” she nodded, “but perhaps it is a good day to try something new.”This certainly seems to be going well, Don thought.“My husband tells me that you seek a friend of yours who is lost in the forest.”“Yes, he has graciously offered to help us find her.”“How generous of him,” she smiled.“He strikes me as a particularly generous man,” Don nodded, thinking of things quite different than the offer of assistance.“Yes, I’m sure. And you are determined to find this friend of yours?”“Certainly.”“She is perhaps more than just a friend?”“Much more, milady.”“And yet you have three other friends, with whom you are apparently on rather intimate terms.”Don decided to play coy, “Milady?”She paused a moment, then said, “So my husband has informed me.”“Yes, well, my three companions are my friend’s friends as well.”“Interesting,” Madeleine smiled, “and does this include intimacy as well.”“It certainly does, milady,” Don chuckled, “and quite a bit of it at that.”“And neither you nor your friends are jealous of each other?”“No. We want each other to be happy, and to experience as much joy as possible.”“How open minded and generous of you, Don. Let us sit there by that fountain.”He led her to the indicated fountain and sat next to her on a stone bench.“Now we can speak directly,” she said with a smile that was almost a grin. “My husband can’t hear us here, though he is no doubt still watching.”“Milady?”“I know what my husband is up to,” she laughed. “I’ve known all along. The horny bugger wants you to seduce me so that I’ll let him sleep around, or so we can both sleep around.”“Um, the latter,” Don nodded.“And I’ll bet he’s holding out the promise of helping you find your friend to get you to play along.”“Yes,” Don smiled, “but that was before I met you. If he had just let me meet you first I would have been quite happy to help him in this regard.”She smiled and patted his knee, “You’re sweet. However, things aren’t quite as he would have you believe.”“No?”“He wants to believe I’m terribly jealous, but the real problem is that he’s quite insecure. I know my husband, and if I agree to an open marriage too easily he’ll be plagued with doubts and utterly baseless worries. I know the difference between love and sex, Don. Moreover, I know the difference between sex and fucking amazing sex – and what you four showed off last night was fucking amazing sex!”Don was a bit taken aback to hear her saying “fucking” so freely.“I love my husband more than any other man or woman, and I knew plenty of both before I met him, let me tell you! And, I know my husband loves me. It doesn’t bother me that he wants to screw the occasional hottie, or three. I certainly want to let you fuck me till I can’t walk straight.”Don smiled broadly, and said, “I’m glad to hear that, because…”“Hold on there, stud,” she laughed. “We’ve got to play this just right. It’s important that my husband thinks it was his plan that did the trick. That way he won’t think I just let the first guy with a nice dick and a talented tongue, fuck me.”“I don’t suppose the two of you would consider just talking to each other,” Don offered, hoping she would reject the idea. He was quite taken with the idea of seeming to seduce this gorgeous woman.“Oh, certainly,” Madeleine smiled. “We’ve talked. He knows that I found the show you put on last night very titillating. I practically attacked him as soon as you were done. He’s mentioned the open attitude of most of the people in Eros frequently enough that I know what’s on his mind. But, as I said, I know my husband, and I know what it will take to make this work.”“OK then,” Don nodded, “what’s next then?”“I will play hard to get, but intrigued, until tomorrow,” she said. “I suspect he’ll want you to put on another show this evening. Would you mind going down on the other two girls?”“No, not at all!”“Wonderful! That looked divine,” she sighed. “Then, after he drops a few more hints, I’ll suggest something like… Oh, I know. I’ll tell him that if someone like you were to slip into my bedroom without warning I wouldn’t mind being ravished, or something to that effect.”“That does sound a little awkward,” Don admitted.She waved that off, “I’ll work it out. Maybe I’ll just wait until he’s got his cock in me. He’ll get the gist then without paying attention to the way I phrase it.”“Um, yes, I can see that.”“Then, all you have to do is follow through,” she smiled. “Think you can do that?”Don chuckled, “Yes, I’m quite sure.”“Wonderful.” Then she lowered her voice, though she had said they couldn’t be overheard, “I really am looking forward to letting you have your way with me.”“The feeling is quite mutual, milady!”“It’s a date, then,” she laughed. “Now, would you be so kind as to escort me back to the house?”Just as Madeleine had said, the Wizard came to them before dinner time and said that, although she found Don charming, she still wasn’t quite sold on the idea of doing anything intimate with anyone. He suggested that they put on yet another show with dinner, and our four heroes were quite happy to oblige. This time, Don made a point of making each of the three women come with his lips, tongue and – here and there – his teeth.Don repeated his kung fu routine in the garden. Again, the Wizard’s wife met him, and again they walked back to the fountain. She confirmed that she had dropped the appropriate hint to her husband, and then said, “Now, grab me and kiss me.”Don had been thinking how much he wanted to kiss those ruby red lips since the day before, so he didn’t need to be told twice. He quickly slipped his arm around her slim waist, and pulled her to him. Holding the side of her face gently in his hand so she couldn’t turn away, he pressed his ardent lips against hers. He thrilled to feel her arms slip around him and hold him for a moment. She began to return his kiss, but then pushed him away. She slapped him then, but not too hard, and he was able to catch her wrist. Holding her hand to his face, he turned and kissed her palm.Yanking her hand away and scowling angrily, Madeleine said, “That was perfect, I can’t wait to do more of that!” Then she made a show of storming off to the house.Don shook his head, and then made his way back inside.He was relaxing with the girls in the shallow end of the pool when the Wizard came to see them. Though he was obviously a bit distracted by the naked women, he was intent on his plans in regard to his wife. The Wizard paced back and forth by the pool as he enthused, “Everything is going perfectly!”“Are you sure?” Don asked, though he was pretty confident on that particular score.“Yes, she insists that she is angry with you for kissing her, and perhaps she is, but she is much more excited than angry.”“How can you tell?” Shelonda wanted to know.“The ardor she displayed during our lovemaking just after her walk in the garden was exceptional!” the Wizard explained. “I know just how to proceed tonight. She said she was afraid you might steal into her bedroom and ravish her. I could tell this thought excited her very much, though.”“Well, alright,” Don said, “but how will this help convince her to try an open relationship?” This was a point of the plan that remained sincerely murky to him, and the wife’s complicity hadn’t helped clarify matters.“Ah,” the Wizard smiled, “that will depend upon me getting her to admit that she had a good time.”“Assuming she has a good time, eh, Professor?” Amy winked at Don.“Well, I’ll do my best,” Don grinned.That evening, while the girls were as frisky in the dining room as before, Don remained aloof. He had no doubt that he could perform more than adequately later even if he did play with the girls, but he frankly wanted to concentrate his attention on the Wizard’s lovely wife at least for tonight. For himself, the Wizard had said that, though he would be sure she was again watching the dining room, he would find some reason to be unable to satisfy any resulting “urges” his wife might develop that evening.Later, after the girls had given a good warm-up show and after the door out of the bedroom opened of its own accord, Don left his three companions and followed the opening doors into a part of the house he had not yet seen. He was wearing only a soft, dark dressing robe he had found in the closet. He eventually found himself climbing a staircase up to at least the fourth floor of the large building. As the stairs stopped at this level, Don supposed this was the top floor of the house. There were only two doors available to him in the short corridor, and he had been told to go to the left one, which he now did. The door did not swing open as he approached, so he put his hand on the lever and slowly pushed it down. Madeleine was expecting him, but he was sure the Wizard would be watching and he wanted to make things look convincing. In the back of his mind, Don was worried that if the Wizard caught on to his wife’s subterfuge he might withhold his assistance in finding Toshia.Don opened the door just enough to slip through into the candlelit bedroom. This chamber was even larger than the rather large bedroom Don had been sharing with his companions. Across the room, near the large, canopied bed, Madeleine sat in front of a gilded table and mirror brushing her long auburn hair. She was wearing a sheer robe of pink.She was turned three-quarters away from him, and the mirror was facing the wrong way to reflect Don as he crept into the room. Apparently sensing his entrance anyway, she said, “Ah, couldn’t carry on with me after all, eh?”Don waited until he was almost to her before he said, “What man could?”Madeleine twisted and rose in a single lightning motion, raising her hairbrush as a weapon against him. “You!” she gasped. “What are you doing here?”Don paused a moment to admire the feminine form only barely obscured by her see-through robe. He had been right to imagine that she had long, dancer’s legs. Her waist was narrow, her belly flat, and her breasts full, but not too big. She was glaring at him with a good semblance of shock, fear and anger.“I have followed where my desire led,” Don said taking a step forward. “It brought me here.”“Well, it had better lead you back the way you came.”He slowly reached up and took hold of the hand holding the brush, saying, “I don’t believe you want me to leave.”“But I tell you that I do,” Madeleine insisted.“Your eyes tell me that you lie,” Don smiled. He moved a bit closer, and took the brush from her hand.“My eyes?”“They dwell too long on my bare flesh, and on my lips, and when you look me in the eye I see that you want more of what I started in the garden.” He slipped up close enough to her that he could set the brush on the table behind her.Madeleine leaned back away from him, and said, “I look at your bare flesh because I’m shocked that you would come into the bedroom of another man’s wife wearing only that robe. I look at your lips because I remember the liberty you so rudely took. As for what you think you see in my eyes, well, you see what you want to see.”Don moved his hand – the one that had put the brush down – to her lower back, lightly touching her. Very slowly he raised his right hand up to brush his fingers along her jaw. “I do see what I want,” he smiled.She kept her hands at her sides, hands now grasping the edge of her dressing table, “I will scream for my husband.”“Scream then
Presented At Curwensville Alliance on 2/11/24 by Pastor Steve Shields. Listen as Pastor Steve discusses how to crowd out toxicity. How do you know if you are in a toxic environment? Here are some characteristics of a toxic environment. People don't respect others. People won't understand others. People don't care about others. There are several common problems leading to toxicity. Closing my eyes to the needs of others. Being unaware of the struggles of another. Being unaware of their shared brotherhood. How do you create a healthy environment? Take a look at yourself. Take a look at the King. Live a life worth imitating.
Accept this invitation to listen to the next LEADING THE WAY AUDIO with Dr. Michael Youssef. It’s a practical look at the first commandment: you shall have no other gods before Me. What does that mean for 2024? (Exodus 20)Support the show: https://au.ltw.org/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In part two of the Back to the Basics series, Eva explains a simple yet effective nutrition strategy known as the Crowding Out Method. Crowding Out is a deprivation-free approach to embracing nutrition. Tune in to learn how Crowding Out streamlines healthy eating without the need for restrictive meal plans and how it aligns perfectly with Intuitive Eating. If you missed part one of the Back to the Basics series, be sure to check out episode 120 first. KEY POINTS What is the Crowding Out Method? What are the benefits of Crowding Out? How to start using the Crowding Out Method with Eva's 5 simple and practical tips to seamlessly integrate the Crowding Out Method into your daily routine. How Crowding Out helps you become more intuitive with your body QUOTABLE "It creates a positive framework for implementing lasting change in your diet and nutrition. Another benefit of this method is as your body gets used to eating healthier foods, you'll find that you'll start to crave those foods. Once you establish your new baseline, your body starts to crave these healthier choices." - Eva Rodriguez
TODAY'S GUESTJason Wittrock is a personal trainer and national bodybuilding champion who specializes in weight loss and controlling blood sugar levels. Follow Jason on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jason.wittrockTiktok: https://tiktok.com/@bloodsugarkingON TODAY'S EPISODEModifying the ketogenic diet to suit individual needs can be beneficial for blood sugar management.Spiking blood sugar only once a day, preferably after a workout, can help maintain stable blood sugar levels.Calorie counting is not the most effective approach to weight loss and blood sugar management.Building muscle and staying active are crucial for blood sugar management.Food order does not significantly impact blood sugar levels. Protein is essential for satiety and can help prevent overeating.Oatmeal can spike blood sugar levels and should be avoided by individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance.Brown rice and white rice have a similar impact on blood sugar levels.Restricting sugar for children can be challenging, but it is important for their long-term health.Educating parents on proper nutrition for kids is crucial in preventing diabetes and obesity.Crowding out carbs with protein and fat can help stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce cravings.Taking action and making changes in diet and lifestyle is necessary to improve health.Saving the next generation from the diabetes and obesity epidemic requires collective effort.Collaboration and education are key in empowering parents to make healthier choices for their children.Continuous glucose monitoring can provide valuable insights into the impact of food on blood sugar levels.STAY IN TOUCH WITH ME:You can find me:On Instagram @daniellehamiltonhealth On Facebook at Danielle Hamilton Health.My website is daniellehamiltonhealth.com (scroll down to sign up for my Newsletter!)On my YouTube Channel (make sure you subscribe!)
When you hear the word “clown,” you probably picture a hacky kid's entertainer. Well, a group of super-talented LA-based performers are trying to change that. The Broad's “LA Intersections” is an upcoming festival-style exhibit of the music and spoken word scenes of LA. Punk rocker Keith Morris speaks to the importance of LA music history. Gathering around the table for a meal can ease America's loneliness crisis, says Natasha Feldman, author of “The Dinner Party Project.”
AP correspondent Julie Walker reports on Brooklyn Bridge Vendor Ban
This is part 2 of Jason's interview with Gretchen Morgenson. Jason discussed the Atlanta Federal Reserve bank data and housing affordability issue in the US. He highlighted the potential impact of a predicted housing shortage despite a lower population growth projection from the Census Bureau. Jason also talked about the structural labor shortage and its impact on unemployment rates and wage inflation, attributing it to a supply and demand imbalance. He expressed optimism about the impact of technology on job creation and promoted the 'Empowered Investor Guides Program.' FireYourManagers.com Jason welcomes Gretchen back as they finish the interview. They discuss how private equity's surge into single-family homes is reshaping urban landscapes, pricing out regular investors and first-time home buyers. They highlight concerns about these firms prioritizing profit over property maintenance, creating a semi-monopoly in the market. The impact stems from massive capital injections, largely sourced from public pension funds seeking high returns. Private equity's historical roots in leveraged buyouts are discussed, noting the industry's evolution and its current reliance on institutional investors. The conversation touches on rising interest rates affecting the real estate model and potential challenges for private equity firms. In closing, Gretchen warns individual investors of the industry's growing interest in their capital. #PrivateEquity #RealEstateMarket #Investing #HousingCrisis #Finance #EconomicImpact #PensionFunds #PropertyOwnership #MarketTrends #CapitalAllocation Key Takeaways: Jason's editorial 2:06 America's population statistics 11:11 Atlanta FED data 12:37 Affordability map 16:28 Peak of affordability 19:57 Affordability now 23:23 Ai and the new necessities 26:50 Empowered Investor Guide- 6 Zoom sessions coming up Gretchen Morgenson's interview part 2 27:48 Crowding out phenomenon 29:41 Where are they getting so much capital 31:46 Private equity timeline 33:54 How private equity will impact the real estate market 36:02 Getting hyper-focused on rents 39:37 Financing the single home purchases and it's cost of debt 41:01 What kind of capitalism do we want to have 42:33 Beware- they're coming for the individual investor Follow Jason on TWITTER, INSTAGRAM & LINKEDIN Twitter.com/JasonHartmanROI Instagram.com/jasonhartman1/ Linkedin.com/in/jasonhartmaninvestor/ Call our Investment Counselors at: 1-800-HARTMAN (US) or visit: https://www.jasonhartman.com/ Free Class: Easily get up to $250,000 in funding for real estate, business or anything else: http://JasonHartman.com/Fund CYA Protect Your Assets, Save Taxes & Estate Planning: http://JasonHartman.com/Protect Get wholesale real estate deals for investment or build a great business – Free Course: https://www.jasonhartman.com/deals Special Offer from Ron LeGrand: https://JasonHartman.com/Ron Free Mini-Book on Pandemic Investing: https://www.PandemicInvesting.com
Today's Pathfinder episode features Will Coffield, cofounder and General Partner of Riot Ventures. Riot has a proclivity for investing in early-stage companies with transformative tech ideologies dedicated to revolutionizing traditional industries. Today's conversation also features the space and space-adjacent companies that Riot has invested in including True Anomaly, Integrate, and Azimuth.In addition to Riot's origin story, Mo and Will discuss:Mapping real customer demandLiquidity within deep techCategorizing space investingDual-use technology…is it a cover for defense investing?And much more…This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/• Chapters • 00:00 - Intro & SpiderOak Ad02:31 - Will's background13:20 - Riot's investment strategy17:06 - Seed investments19:54 - Mapping real customer demand22:07 - Liquidity in deep tech industries25:52 - SpiderOak Ad26:40 - How do you categorizing space investments?34:21 - Is dual-use technology a cover up for defense investing?38:09 - Integrate and Azimuth42:58 - Crowding in the market47:02 - Starship's impact on the ecosystem48:48 - Technologies Riot is excited about49:54 - Outside of LA, where's the biggest space ecosystem?• Show notes • Riot's website — https://www.riot.vc/Will's socials — https://twitter.com/WillC_5Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload's socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes• About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 15,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We're also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world. Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers.Today, we're a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)
What does the future of snowsports look like? At our last Blister Summit, we asked Nina Waters (Blizzard-Tecnica), Dr. Len Necefer (Natives Outdoors & Sonoran Avalanche Center), Dan Abrams (Flylow), & Hanna Whirty (Icelantic) to discuss some of the current realities, biggest challenges, and significant opportunities for the outdoor sports industry. You can also check out the video of this conversation on our YouTube Channel.TOPICS & TIMESIntroductions (2:36) Expanding Involvement: Different Approaches (8:34)Crowding & Potential Solutions (38:35)Economic Barriers to Entry (43:22)Partnerships between Non Profits & Brands (49:58)DE&I, Advocacy, & Climate Change (53:08)RELATED LINKS:YouTube: The Future of SnowsportsBecome a BLISTER+ MemberBlister Summit 2024: Learn MoreCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:CRAFTED Bikes & Big IdeasOff The CouchGEAR:30 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What if you could replace your negative habits with positive ones effortlessly, not by depriving yourself but by simply "crowding out" the bad with the good? It's a fascinating concept that we unpack in this enlightening conversation, using it as a metaphor for growing in faith. Drawing inspiration from 2 Peter 1:5-7, we challenge the traditional narrative of Christian life being a restrictive checklist and instead portray it as an empowering, fun-filled adventure. Then, we navigate through the powerful lesson in Jeremiah 32 about maintaining faith in the face of adversity. The world around us can seem daunting with its negative news, and it's all too easy to surrender to it. But as followers of Christ, we are called to keep stepping forward in faith, sowing seeds in challenging times, and welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives. We hope this conversation leaves you feeling uplifted and brave enough to build, to sow, and to journey on the path of faith, one step at a time.
Iowa dog shelters are at their highest capacity in more than five years.
In this episode of the Planned Solutions Incorporated Podcast, Central banks have increased interest rates around the globe in an effort to bring down inflation. Now the Federal Reserve may be at the end, or getting close to the end, of its interest rate hiking cycle. However, the impact of higher long-term interest rates is not fully reflected in the financial or economic data, which will only occur when low-interest rate debt must be paid off or rolled over at higher interest rates. This impact will depend on debt management at the business and household level and the future path of interest rates. Also, Long-term interest rates have moved up recently as investors fear that large government deficits will require significant borrowing in the coming months. When government borrowing increases it often pushes up interest rates as the government must offer to pay higher rates to attract the funds it needs to borrow. This can also push out private borrowers as they are unable to compete with the government for funds or are unable to match the high-interest rates that the government will pay. New rules take effect in 2024 that will impact high-income earners who are age 50 or older and making catch-up retirement contributions. Effective January 1st, people who earned more than $145,000 in the prior year will be required to make retirement catch-up contributions to a Roth 401k. This may be an issue if the employer 401k does not offer a Roth option as it would disallow the catch-up contributions. In addition, Roth contributions are not tax deductible so it could lead to an increased tax bill. Plus a look at the Planned Solutions Incorporated Office Bulletin Board- The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) recently issued a nationwide alert regarding a surge in check fraud schemes targeting the US. Check fraud has increased by 84% so far in 2023 despite a decrease in check usage. In many cases, checks are stolen from the US mail and are altered to change the dollar amount and the recipient. It is official, We recently sent out the registration forms for our annual charity golf tournament. We are busy ordering the giveaways for the tournament and gathering donations for the silent auction. We hope you will be able to attend (either golf or attend the dinner) or donate to a cancer charity to support our efforts. The Planned Solutions Cancer Memorial Charity Golf Tournament Date: October 13, 2023 Location: Rancho Murieta Country Club – North Course 7000 Alameda Drive Rancho Murieta, CA 95683 Time: 1:00 pm shotgun start, 5:30 pm dinner All profits go to cancer research and education. You can help by attending the tournament or donating. Not golfing? Bring friends and attend the dinner. Chase Armer's book- Financial Planning Insights is now available at: https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Planning-Insights-Decades-Planner/dp/1098306279?ref_=ast_author_mpb To subscribe to the Personal Finance Review (the written form of all the content we discuss on the podcast) please e-mail Katie@PlannedSolutions.com The Personal Finance Review is published and distributed biweekly by Planned Solutions, Inc. for informational purposes only. Please seek the advice of a qualified financial planner before taking any action. Planned Solutions, Inc.
Picture of the Week. Security Now!'s 18th birthday! Closing the Loop. Firefox Multi-Account Containers. A question about Full Disk Encryption on SSD's. Should I run SpinRite before I back up my drives to a NAS? Overly complex password rules. DuckDuckGo's email alias. The new Russian Astra Linux based OS can not legally be possible. Regarding satellite crowding: The skies won't be darkening anytime soon. This is what came to mind on the Voyager 2 segment with the shout. Can you please share the name of the session manager that you use in Firefox? The numbers behind the Voyager recorrection. "Topics" Arrives. How Topics Works. Show Notes: https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-935-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Sponsors: cs.co/twit Building Cyber Resilience Podcast bitwarden.com/twit
Picture of the Week. Security Now!'s 18th birthday! Closing the Loop. Firefox Multi-Account Containers. A question about Full Disk Encryption on SSD's. Should I run SpinRite before I back up my drives to a NAS? Overly complex password rules. DuckDuckGo's email alias. The new Russian Astra Linux based OS can not legally be possible. Regarding satellite crowding: The skies won't be darkening anytime soon. This is what came to mind on the Voyager 2 segment with the shout. Can you please share the name of the session manager that you use in Firefox? The numbers behind the Voyager recorrection. "Topics" Arrives. How Topics Works. Show Notes: https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-935-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Sponsors: cs.co/twit Building Cyber Resilience Podcast bitwarden.com/twit
Picture of the Week. Security Now!'s 18th birthday! Closing the Loop. Firefox Multi-Account Containers. A question about Full Disk Encryption on SSD's. Should I run SpinRite before I back up my drives to a NAS? Overly complex password rules. DuckDuckGo's email alias. The new Russian Astra Linux based OS can not legally be possible. Regarding satellite crowding: The skies won't be darkening anytime soon. This is what came to mind on the Voyager 2 segment with the shout. Can you please share the name of the session manager that you use in Firefox? The numbers behind the Voyager recorrection. "Topics" Arrives. How Topics Works. Show Notes: https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-935-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Sponsors: cs.co/twit Building Cyber Resilience Podcast bitwarden.com/twit
Picture of the Week. Security Now!'s 18th birthday! Closing the Loop. Firefox Multi-Account Containers. A question about Full Disk Encryption on SSD's. Should I run SpinRite before I back up my drives to a NAS? Overly complex password rules. DuckDuckGo's email alias. The new Russian Astra Linux based OS can not legally be possible. Regarding satellite crowding: The skies won't be darkening anytime soon. This is what came to mind on the Voyager 2 segment with the shout. Can you please share the name of the session manager that you use in Firefox? The numbers behind the Voyager recorrection. "Topics" Arrives. How Topics Works. Show Notes: https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-935-Notes.pdf Hosts: Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/security-now. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit You can submit a question to Security Now at the GRC Feedback Page. For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6. Sponsors: cs.co/twit Building Cyber Resilience Podcast bitwarden.com/twit
Is your low energy a daily thing? Do you often feel worse instead of better when you have that little pick me up in the afternoon? Are you struggling with daily fatigue? Your lifestyle habits could be the cause of your daily fatigue and the foods that you are eating could be draining your energy even more. Inflammation in the body creates fatigue. WHAT ARE YOUR ENERGY STEALERS? What is creating inflammation in your body that is draining your energy? I am talking about 4 specific things you could be eating every single day that drains your energy even more. Are these 4 things a staple in your day? We don't have to make changing up our lifestyle to be healthier and making healthier changes to be so complicated. It's really quite simple. But it involves listening to your body and treating it with respect. Sometimes less really IS more. Crowding out the unhealthy with healthier options. Getting off the roller coaster once and for all with changing your mindset as a beginning point. Making changes starts with our mind. It's not about will power. It's about intentionally setting our minds to doing the things that will fuel us, fill us and not drain us. Ask yourself: Am I willing to give up the things that are making me sick? Hmmm... great question for us all. Remember, you are your best advocate for your health. You. And God doesn't desire for his children to be sick. Reclaim your health and get back your energy friend! You can do it and if you need help, I am here for you! I pray this blesses you today! XO, Michelle Do you want a functional eye on your labs? In one 60 minute session I can help you to understand your lab results using a functional health approach. We will discuss lifestyle tweaks you can make to improve your health so you can be proactive in caring for yourself well. Schedule your one time Lab Analysis Session Get my Functional eyes on your food and lifestyle in a non-judgmental way! In one 60 minute session, we will discuss what tweaks can be made in each area of your life and I will give you suggestions, recommendations and action steps. This is a great way to get a functional "eye" on your food and lifestyle. Know that you want to be ALL IN for 4 months of intentional lifestyle change and rid your body of toxic inflammation? Want to also improve your immune system as you begin to implement fresh, consistent changes? I have your back! Make the changes you need to move the needle forward in your health in a way that is doable. The SHAPE ReClaimed Anti-inflammatory Lifestyle Modification Program is for you! Constantly tired and feeling stuck on how to increase your energy? Book your 1 hour FATIGUE FREEDOM COACHING SESSION for only $47! In just one hour you will get clarity on what your personal fatigue causes or triggers are so that you can be intentional in your day to banish them and have more natural energy. You will walk away with a simple customized holistic health plan to take the next steps to where you want to go in your health journey. Grab your session now! Join me in my FB Group, Holistic Health for Christian Women over 40, to be supported, encouraged and educated in your health https://www.facebook.com/groups/933692933927629 Want more FREE tips on how to regain your energy in a natural way using clear daily action steps along with some delicious and supportive recipes? Grab my FREE Foggy and Fatigued Blueprint SIGN UP FOR SOLWIN.TV!! When you do, be sure to reach out to me on Solwin social! https://solwin.tv/?mref=michelle50 **Catch the Treasured Wellness Podcast on https://christianmix106.com/ and https://solwin.tv/ RELATED EPISODES: Ep. 131 Is your food causing Inflammation? Ep. 135 Fighting fatigue? Boost your energy & love your liver Ep. 145 Could your Inflammation be related to Erythritol?
A "soft landing" is impossible unless the government cuts both taxes and government spending at the same time interest rates are rising. This won't happen, so get ready for a hard landing. Original Article: "Crowding Out: The Fed May Be Killing the Private Sector to Save the Government"
Markets appear to be climbing a wall of worry. Hoping that everything works out. Big badminton news - not to be missed. An update on markets and the weekly stock picks. PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm Up - NEW CTP for PacWest Bank (PACW) - Wild one.. - US default - create problem fix problem (all politicians know) - Wall of Worry - climbing - Badminton news - this is big - Europe Bound - No Show Next Week - 1 month T-Bill 5.6% Market Update - Stocks impervious - resilient (Not much movement within range) - Close Call- Banks skidded by another potential weekend bailout - that's good.... - Big Tech leads by a wide margin - YTD - DJIA up 18% - Hedge Funds crowding a trade again - AI rage making the rounds again DONATIONS ! That was better - but we are going to hit the debt ceiling at DHUnplugged - need your help. Debt Ceiling - Now they are talking about July, if June is cleared - Will slow walk this right up until the last minute - Game of chicken, but just politics as usual - Default would be big BIG problem - global system would unravel Wonky action - US Treasuries - S/T debt moving around a bit - Last week, the yield on 1-month Treasury bills surged 23.8 basis points to hit a high of 5.689% and yields on 2-month bills climbed to a high of 5.283% as investors sold off notes that mature about the time the debt limit could be hit. Musk in the News - Elon Musk hires ex-NBCUniversal ad chief Linda Yaccarino to be Twitter's CEO - Already too many ads - obnoxious - At first, TESLA stock got a bid as the thought was that Elon would get back to work at Tesla - "I am excited to welcome Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter!" Musk tweeted. He said she "will focus primarily on business operations, while I focus on product design & new technology." - He added, "Looking forward to working with Linda to transform this platform into X, the everything app." More Musk........ There is always more Musk.... Tucker and Twitter - Tucker Carlson is starting a new show n Twitter - How does that work? One More Musk - Chief Executive Elon Musk has said that the company can make no new hires unless he personally approves them, including contractors - According to the report, Musk told executives to send him a list of hiring requests on a weekly basis, while also cautioning them to "think carefully" before submitting such requests. Crowded Trade - Hedge Funds releasing their quarterly additions and deletions - Crowding into mega-cap names - no wonder that the NASDAQ is so green this year - - Crowded trades make for tough exits M&A News - Gold giant Newmont Corp. secured a A$28.8 billion ($19.2 billion) deal to buy Australian rival Newcrest Mining Ltd., consolidating its position as the world's biggest bullion producer with mines across the Americas, Africa, Australia and Papua New Guinea. - The transaction, now unanimously approved by Newcrest's board but pending regulatory approval, is the gold mining sector's largest deal to date, surpassing Newmont's purchase of rival Goldcorp Inc. - In 2019. Newcrest, whose then chief executive officer stepped down abruptly at the end of last year, rejected initial overtures, though it had indicated earlier this month that it planned to recommend an improved takeover offer from its suitor. - Gold at high end of range is odd timing to get a deal (valuation based "cheapness") MCD Burns again - 4-year old - Remember the McDonald's Coffee lawsuits? - McDonald's and a franchise holder are at fault after a hot Chicken McNugget from a Happy Meal fell on a little girl's leg and caused second-degree burns
Scott Mitchell-Malm and Mark Hughes join Edd Straw to review the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the first of F1's modified sprint weekends. Amongst other things, they discuss Sergio Perez doing the double over Red Bull team mate Max Verstappen, and the worrying moment when Esteban Ocon entered the pits on the last lap to be confronted by a crowd standing in the pitlane. Follow The Race on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Check out our latest videos on YouTube Download our brand-new app on iOS or Android Click here to join The Race Members' Club and have the opportunity to ask a question on the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bomani Jones shares his thoughts on whether or not legislating the “hard foul” out of the NBA has actually made the product we are seeing in the postseason worse (0:52), as well as why he's skeptical of Formula 1's long-term attractiveness to fans in the United States (12:53). Plus, an IYHH including a second year of lost population for the state of California in a row after a century of growth (26:05), and your voicemails from that time mom "came up" to the school because you were "acting up" (35:43)!
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