Podcasts about Delicate

In this engaging Ask Away episode, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe fields practical and profound questions from participants:Swearing on a non-Jewish Bible in court: In the U.S., one can "affirm" (not swear) under penalty of perjury, avoiding oaths prohibited by Torah; bringing a Chumash is ideal but not required.Cohen status: Transmitted only patrilineally; a Cohen father's daughter does not pass Cohen status to her son.Yom Kippur and Rosh Chodesh coinciding: Impossible, as Yom Kippur is fixed on 10 Tishrei while Rosh Hashanah (1 Tishrei) is always Rosh Chodesh (but overrides it as a greater celebration).Asking Hashem for specific signs: Perfectly permissible and powerful—Hashem responds to sincere, simple requests.Eating in a kosher-keeping but non-Shabbat-observant home: Delicate; Shabbat observance generally indicates reliability in other areas, but during growth transitions, caution is advised to avoid offense.Visualizing during prayer: Avoid images (risking idolatry roots); focus on standing alone under the heavens before Hashem's throne, or the personal intensity of addressing the King of Kings directly.The episode blends halachic precision with inspirational stories, emphasizing prayer as intimate conversation with Hashem, sensitivity in relationships, and viewing challenges as opportunities for growth.Please submit your questions at askaway@torchweb.org_____________The Everyday Judaism Podcast is dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating the greatness of Jewish heritage and the Torah through the simplified, concise study of Halacha, Jewish Law, thereby enhancing our understanding of how Hashem wants us to live our daily lives in a Jewish way._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Marshall & Doreen LernerDownload & Print the Everyday Judaism Halacha Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RL-PideM42B_LFn6pbrk8MMU5-zqlLG5This episode (Ep. #80) of the Everyday Judaism Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Marshall & Doreen Lerner! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on December 7, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on December 22, 2025_____________Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Everyday Judaism PodcastApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everyday-judaism-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1600622789Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3AXCNcyKSVsaOLsLQsCN1CShare your questions at askaway@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#AskAway, #Torah, #Halacha, #Q&A, #Jewish, #Halacha, #Oath, #Kohen, #Prayer, #AskingForSigns #KosherKitchen #Shabbos, #JewishLaw ★ Support this podcast ★

In this engaging Ask Away episode, Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe fields practical and profound questions from participants:Swearing on a non-Jewish Bible in court: In the U.S., one can "affirm" (not swear) under penalty of perjury, avoiding oaths prohibited by Torah; bringing a Chumash is ideal but not required.Cohen status: Transmitted only patrilineally; a Cohen father's daughter does not pass Cohen status to her son.Yom Kippur and Rosh Chodesh coinciding: Impossible, as Yom Kippur is fixed on 10 Tishrei while Rosh Hashanah (1 Tishrei) is always Rosh Chodesh (but overrides it as a greater celebration).Asking Hashem for specific signs: Perfectly permissible and powerful—Hashem responds to sincere, simple requests.Eating in a kosher-keeping but non-Shabbat-observant home: Delicate; Shabbat observance generally indicates reliability in other areas, but during growth transitions, caution is advised to avoid offense.Visualizing during prayer: Avoid images (risking idolatry roots); focus on standing alone under the heavens before Hashem's throne, or the personal intensity of addressing the King of Kings directly.The episode blends halachic precision with inspirational stories, emphasizing prayer as intimate conversation with Hashem, sensitivity in relationships, and viewing challenges as opportunities for growth.Please submit your questions at askaway@torchweb.org_____________The Everyday Judaism Podcast is dedicated to learning, understanding and appreciating the greatness of Jewish heritage and the Torah through the simplified, concise study of Halacha, Jewish Law, thereby enhancing our understanding of how Hashem wants us to live our daily lives in a Jewish way._____________This Podcast Series is Generously Underwritten by Marshall & Doreen LernerDownload & Print the Everyday Judaism Halacha Notes:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RL-PideM42B_LFn6pbrk8MMU5-zqlLG5This episode (Ep. #80) of the Everyday Judaism Podcast by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe of TORCH is dedicated to my dearest friends, Marshall & Doreen Lerner! May Hashem bless you and always lovingly accept your prayer for good health, success and true happiness!!!Recorded in the TORCH Centre - Levin Family Studio (B) to a live audience on December 7, 2025, in Houston, Texas.Released as Podcast on December 22, 2025_____________Connect with Us:Subscribe to the Everyday Judaism PodcastApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everyday-judaism-rabbi-aryeh-wolbe/id1600622789Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3AXCNcyKSVsaOLsLQsCN1CShare your questions at askaway@torchweb.org or visit torchweb.org for more Torah content.  _____________About the Host:Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe, Director of TORCH in Houston, brings decades of Torah scholarship to guide listeners in applying Jewish wisdom to daily life.  To directly send your questions, comments, and feedback: awolbe@torchweb.org_____________Support Our Mission:Help us share Jewish wisdom globally by sponsoring an episode at torchweb.org. Your support makes a difference!_____________Subscribe and Listen to other podcasts by Rabbi Aryeh Wolbe: NEW!! Prayer Podcast: https://prayerpodcast.transistor.fm/episodesJewish Inspiration Podcast: https://inspiration.transistor.fm/episodesParsha Review Podcast: https://parsha.transistor.fm/episodesLiving Jewishly Podcast: https://jewishly.transistor.fm/episodesThinking Talmudist Podcast: https://talmud.transistor.fm/episodesUnboxing Judaism Podcast: https://unboxing.transistor.fm/episodesRabbi Aryeh Wolbe Podcast Collection: https://collection.transistor.fm/episodesFor a full listing of podcasts available by TORCH at http://podcast.torchweb.org_____________Keywords:#AskAway, #Torah, #Halacha, #Q&A, #Jewish, #Halacha, #Oath, #Kohen, #Prayer, #AskingForSigns #KosherKitchen #Shabbos, #JewishLaw ★ Support this podcast ★

There are fears an illegal protest organised at Cronulla beach could descend into violence Penny Wong apologises in the wake of Bondi attack Delicate operation to remove damaged crane on the Gold CoastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are fears an illegal protest organised at Cronulla beach could descend into violence Penny Wong apologises in the wake of Bondi attack Delicate operation to remove damaged crane on the Gold CoastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool. 2 It isn't good to have zeal without knowledge, nor being hasty with one's feet and missing the way. 3 The foolishness of man subverts his way; his heart rages against Yahweh. 4 Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend. 5 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who pours out lies shall not go free. 6 Many will entreat the favor of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. 7 All the relatives of the poor shun him; how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone. 8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good. 9 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish. 10 Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes. 11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense. 12 The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. 13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife's quarrels are a continual dripping. 14 House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh. 15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger. 16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die. 17 He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him. 18 Discipline your son, for there is hope; don't be a willing party to his death. 19 A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty, for if you rescue him, you must do it again. 20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end. 21 There are many plans in a man's heart, but Yahweh's counsel will prevail. 22 That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar. 23 The fear of Yahweh leads to life, then contentment; he rests and will not be touched by trouble. 24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. 25 Flog a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge. 26 He who robs his father and drives away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach. 27 If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge. 28 A corrupt witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity. 29 Penalties are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the backs of fools. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

Host: Cindy Allen Published: December 12 Length: ~11 minutes Presented by: Global Training Center In this “Cindy's Version” news roundup, Cindy Allen, CEO of TradeForce Multiplier, uses Taylor Swift's “Delicate” as the backdrop for a candid look at how fragile global trade feels right now. She walks through the latest data points on slowing U.S. imports, resilient China–world trade flows, and small-business confidence, then zooms in on a new Section 301 case against Nicaragua and what it signals about future trade actions. Cindy also breaks down a recent Cato Institute report on effective U.S. duty rates, showing how average tariffs have climbed far above historic norms and why pre‑tariff stockpiling temporarily masks the true cost picture. She explains the mounting complexity of stacked tariffs, derivative duties, and the end of de minimis, as well as the uncertainty created by ongoing 232 and IEEPA actions and the landmark Supreme Court case. Throughout, she stresses how this volatility affects planning, hiring, and cash flow for importers and exporters—leaving many in a “delicate” position heading into the new year.   Key Takeaways Average U.S. duty rates are far above pre‑tariff levels, and the true burden is still emerging. Legal strategy around injunctions and refund rights is now central to trade risk management. Tariff complexity and uncertainty have their own price tag—in planning, inventory, and talent. For many companies, 2025 planning is less about perfect forecasts and more about building resilience in a very “delicate” trade environment. Credits Host: Cindy Allen, TradeForce Multiplier Subscribe & Follow New “Cindy's Version” trade roundups periodically. Presented by: Global Training Center — providing education, consulting, workshops, and compliance resources for trade professionals.

Pining for Madison: Part 1 A school assignment changes everything. By Secretauthor2021, in 5 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels. The teacher sat there, just staring outward from his desk. He wore a look that said he didn't want to be here anymore than we did. The classroom itself was virtually empty. It was just me and one other student. It was a girl called Madison and she was sitting on the far end of the table, opposite me. I could see she was busy writing away on a piece of paper, prompting me to glance down at the piece of paper in front of me. I appeared to have written down 'I love Madison' at least a hundred times. The teacher stood up abruptly, the screech of his chair as it slid backwards against the floor, forced me to look up from my declaration of love for Madison. "I'm going for a smoke, you two finish your lines." With that, he left the room and slammed the door closed behind him. The noise echoed around the empty room. I looked across to Madison, who was now looking back at me smiling. I returned her smile with one of my own, when suddenly she stood up. I watched as she approached, standing over me briefly, her gaze alternating between my paper and me. As I prepared to speak, she gracefully lifted her leg and seamlessly positioned herself between me and the desk. With a confident move, she settled on my lap, facing me and assuming a straddling position. She began to gently grind on my lap, before touching the sides of my face, with her soft delicate hands. "Oh Adam! I want you so badly," she cried out, before starting to kiss me passionately. That's when she started to moan out my name. "Umm Adam, Adam, Adam." It was then I noticed the sound of her voice begin to change, it wasn't this soft seductive voice anymore, but more of a louder, persistent shouting. "Adam! Adam!" Madison faded away in front of me. "Adam! It s time to get up, you'll be late for school," a different, yet familiar voice called out. A chill swept over me as the duvet was abruptly pulled away. It was fortunate this time, that I wore underwear to bed. "Mom!" I cried back, then curled into a ball to keep warm. "Don't Mom me, I'm not your personal alarm clock. Now go get ready, and for god's sake, open a window, it stinks in here." I waited for her to leave the room, before slowly uncurling myself. She had just interrupted one of my favorite dreams about Madison, it was the one where we were stuck in detention, and we were just about to get to the best bit. I got up from my bed, yawned, stretched and then scratched. It was then I realized, I was pitching an almighty tent in my underwear. Glad mom didn't see that! I thought to myself. Like a zombie, I staggered to the bathroom slowly. Sliding the shower door open, I turned on the taps and removed my underwear to reveal what I had now began to refer to as the 'Madison Effect'. I jumped into the shower and let the water run over my face. As I relaxed under its warm embrace, my mind drifted back to Madison. She was perfect, she was pretty, she had a great body, and she was smart to boot. She ticked all my boxes, and I was crushing on her big time. It wasn't just the way she looked, sure she had beautiful long blonde hair that hugged her shoulders, a smile that could melt anyone's heart and eyes that sparkled like a mountain lake, but it was her smell, she always had this amazing floral scent, like an English garden. Before I knew it, I had started to fantasies again. I grabbed onto my raging boner and started to jerk off. My horny teenage mind, starting to peel off the layers of her clothing, imagining what her body would look like underneath. It didn't take me long to reach the point of no return. I held my swollen cock and did my best to angle it down towards the drain, which in itself was a challenge given the intensity of my arousal. I shot my load and watched the evidence disappear. Feeling slightly more awake, I continued to get ready for school. Not that I would ever thank her, but thanks to my mom's morning wakeup, I just managed to make the school bus on time. As I boarded the bus, that's when I noticed her - my beautiful Madison, seated in the front row. I couldn't help but smile at her to which she reciprocated. Walking past her, I caught a delightful whiff of that incredible floral scent, a fragrance that seemed to lift me up. A few rows behind her, my best friend Ethan had, as usual, reserved a seat for me. I settled in next to him, my attention divided as I found it hard to tear my eyes away from Madison. "Dude, you are so obvious," he said. "What?" "You're giving off all sorts of creepy stalker vibes." "I am?" "Yes, relax, play it cool," he suggested, as if he held the secrets to understanding all women. "Like you're the expert," I rebuked. "Excuse me, how many girls have you been with? That's right zero, whereas I have kissed one." "It doesn't count if she's your cousin Eth." "It does too." Ethan and I bantered back and forth like this until we reached school. The first thing we did was head to our lockers to grab our stuff for the upcoming lesson. As we collected our books, Ethan began discussing our plans for the weekend. In the midst of our conversation, Madison strolled past, gracing me with a quick sideways glance and a smile, effortlessly tucking her hair behind her ear. At this point, I had completely stopped listening to Ethan and I only had eyes for her. "So, how about it?" Ethan asked, nudging me and snapping me out of my trance. "How about what?" I responded, somewhat confused. "Were you even listening to me?" "Yeah, of course I was, but I just saw her." "Dude, you've got it bad." "I know, but she's perfect." "Okay, if you say so." "What? You don't think she's perfect?" I said defensively, ready to defend my beloved Madison. "She's alright, I guess. She's no Charlotte though," Ethan said, tilting his head towards the girl at the end of the lockers. Charlotte, head cheerleader, had all the boys chasing after her. "Please, Charlotte is just a walking pair of tits, she doesn't have a patch on Madison." I audibly swooned. "I can live with a walking pair of tits," Ethan then said smirking. "I bet you can, now let's get moving our we'll be late for class." Our first lesson was Biology. As we entered the classroom, we were immediately taken aback. Instead of the usual freedom to sit where we wanted, each seat had a name card in front of it. We all looked at each other at first, wondering what the hell was going on, before scanning the rows to look for our name and going along with it. It soon became apparent, that the seats were arranged in a way that every boy sat next to a girl. As I sat down in my allotted seat, I caught the scent of a very familiar fragrance. My whole body reacted to it and that's when she sat down next to me. I was now sitting next to Madison. This day just got a whole lot better. I pulled out my notebook and pen, and then watched as Madison did the same. Her things were so neat, and she was so organized, unlike me, where the corners of my notebook were all curled up from being haphazardly stuffed in my bag. "Okay, now that you're all settled." Mrs. Wrentmore announced at the front of the classroom. The class turned to fixate on the middle-aged woman, dressed in the long tan skirt and cream colored cardigan at the front of the room. "Today, we're going to talk about Sex! Yes, that's right, get your giggles out of the way now, because this is serious class." She said, pacing up and down the length of the classroom. "Today's lesson will be split into Two parts," she said emphasizing the word two, then pausing for a moment. "Part one - Sexual Health," she said holding up one finger in the air, "and part two Reproduction." she followed with a second finger, inadvertently making the sign for peace. "So, let's get started, shall we." Mrs. Wrentmore said clapping her hands together. "The CDC state that 78% of you, by the time you've reached the age of twenty would have had your first sexual experience." The class watched as she walked over to a drawer in the corner of the room. "So, in all likelihood, some of you, as you're all eighteen by now, have most likely had one. You're all technically adults, so no judgement there, but if you have, I hope you were all being responsible." The class started looking around at each other, no doubt mentally working out who were the ones most likely to be having sex. Mrs. Wrentmore pulled a bag from the drawer and walked to the end of the first row of desks. "As such, the school health board and the student body, have authorized me to hand out and make available to you these." She held up the bag for all to see. "No, they are not free balloons, but condoms. Designed to keep you safe from STD and of course, unwanted pregnancies." She handed out a few to the person sitting at the end of the desk. "Please pass these on to all the boys on the row," she asked the girl sitting closest to her. The condoms were passed down, one by one, until each boy on the row had one. Mrs. Wrentmore repeated the process, moving down each row in the classroom. When she reached my row, Madison handed me a condom, giving me a quick once-over that left me blushing, as if she were playfully imagining what I'd have to do with it. "I am giving these out to the boys, because it is Your responsibility to wear protection, not your partners." She went on to talk about the rise in STD and how we should all be practicing safe sex. This pretty much covered part one of her lesson plan. "Now that part one is concluded. I hope you've all learnt something valuable and that if you are sexually active, you continue to be safe. Now on to part two." She returned back to the front of the class and began talking about reproduction, the differences between males and females. We sat there listening and looking at diagrams in our text books. There wasn't much time left to the lesson, when Mrs. Wrentmore announced what the assignment would be. "Now, I bet you're all wondering, why I sat you all in this order. Well wonder no more, class! Your assignment is to work with the person next to you, and here's the twist." She paused for dramatic effect. "In an effort to foster a greater understanding of the opposite sex, which I think is incredibly important. Boy's you will write a report on the girls reproductive system and girls you will write a report on the boys, then when you've done your individual assignments, you will then need to work together, to combine your new found knowledge into a report." The class was somewhat stunned by this, with each of us looking at the person sitting next to us. Madison and I exchanged looks with each other. "I guess we're working together then," she said, tucking her hair behind her ear again. I wanted to sound cool, but all I could say was, "yeah." "Do you want to meet up in the library later to prep?" Madison asked. "Sure, yes, that would be great." I replied sounding a little bit too eager. "Okay, I'll see you there." She stood up and smiled at me once more and left with one of her friends. I could see them whispering amongst themselves, when just before they left the classroom, she looked back at me and gave me another one of her dazzling smiles. I was dumbstruck, I actually had a conversation with Madison, and not only that I get to work with her too. I'm not sure how comfortable I'll be with the subject matter, but hey, I get to spend time with the marvelous Madison, so who cares. I met up with Ethan, and he could tell how excited I was to be working with Madison. "Right, don't mess this up man. This is the perfect opportunity to ask her out." "I can't, what if she says no?" "Then at least you know." "I can't." "Yes you can. It's time dude, it's been like five years. You got this." I mulled over Ethan's encouragement; he was right of course. It had been five years, and I had done absolutely nothing about it. Was this my chance? After our lessons had finished, I left Ethan to go find Madison in the school library. As I pushed open the door, the smell of old books was over powering. I walked past the front desk and headed towards the study area. I couldn't see any sign of Madison, so I started to look up and down the book aisles, in case she was there. I headed to the science section, the most probable place to find her given the assignment. I passed through Physics, then Chemistry before finally reaching Biology. Bingo! There she was. When she saw me, she gave a little wave, and I approached her. "Hey." "Hey, so what are you looking at, books?" I responded, cringing internally. Books! Of course, books, you Tool! We're in a bloody library. "Yep, lots of books here," she said, smiling to herself as she skimmed through a page in the book she was holding. Slowly but surely, I was reaching peak nervousness, and it started to show. When nervousness shows, awkwardness isn't far behind. "Sorry, it was a stupid thing to say. Of course, it's books," I replied. "I'm Adam," I said. "I know who you are, silly! We've been in the same class for like five years." "Sorry, of course you do," I said, my face turning bright red. I then tried to recover from my complete lack of cool by leaning against the bookshelf. With my arm outstretched, I placed my hand and subsequently my weight on a row of books. It soon became apparent that there was no backing to the shelf holding the books in place. As a result, they all tumbled off the shelf onto the floor on the other side of the next aisle down, causing me to stumble into the bookshelf itself, humiliating myself further. I quickly pulled myself back and tried to compose myself. "Are you okay?" Madison asked, touching the side of my arm. "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little..." "Just a little what?" "Nothing, it's okay. So, what are we reading?" I said, keen to change the subject after making a complete tit of myself. "Well, I've found these books." Madison handed me a book to hold, but I didn't quite grab it properly, and it slipped out of my hand. Instinctively, we both reached down to catch it, causing us to bump heads. "Oww!" Madison cried out. "Oh my god, I am so sorry." As if things weren't going well already, my meeting with Madison was practically slapstick at this point. Please, Lord, just strike me down now and put me out of this misery. "It's okay. Guess we're both to blame for that one. Let's go sit down, in case we hurt each other again," she joked. We went over to the study area and sat down next to each other at a desk, placing our books in front of us. "So, where do we start?" I asked nervously. "Well, I guess I'm starting with the penis," Madison replied, with a little wink. "In that case, I'll start with your vagina, I mean the vagina. Sorry not yours, not that there's anything wrong with your vagina, I'm guessing, not that I've seen your vagina. Oh boy." I wanted to cram my fist into my mouth to stop myself, I had said the word vagina way too many times in one sentence. At this point, I had turned into what could only be described as a violent shade of red. Madison looked at me and burst out laughing. "You are so funny, you just dig yourself into all these little holes." "Yeah, it's quite the gift I've got. I think they call it foot-in-mouth disease." Madison laughed again. She had such a melodic laugh; I could have listened to it all day. "Let's just start reading shall we, then we'll compare notes." I nodded my head in agreement, in fear that I might say something stupid again. We red through our biology books in silence for the next ten minutes, when Madison declared she was bored of reading. She propped up her book, brought out her phone, and hid it behind the upright book. It looked as though; she was scrolling through pictures. It took me a moment to realize what she was looking at. Madison was busy scrolling through a photo gallery of men s cocks. Well this was certainly a side to Madison I didn't expect to see. "Um, what are you doing?" I whispered. "I'm just curious, I can't exactly write about something I've never seen before, now can I? Besides, I'm more of a visual learner you know. I like pictures and diagrams." "Maybe the school library, isn't the best place for that kind of learning." I said worried someone would see and report us. "Hmm, maybe you're right," she said, then closing her browser down, just as someone walked behind us. "Tell you what, why don't you come around to mine tonight and we can study then." Oh my god, Madison had just invited me to her house. Her actual house! The place where she lived. Be cool, be cool I recited in my head. "Sure, I can do that." "Great, here's my address." Madison wrote her address on the back page of my notebook. "See you at six?" "It's a date. I mean not a date date. A study date. Oh boy, I'm doing it again." "Uh huh," Madison said, amused by my awkwardness. "I'm sorry." "Don't worry about it, it's kinda adorable. Anyway, I'll catch you later." As I watched Madison walk away, I did everything I could to suppress my excitement. As soon as she left the library, I punched the air triumphantly, eliciting some strange looks from the other library users. I couldn't believe it; I was actually going to Madison's house. I know it's not an actual date, but it's gotta count for something right? and then there was that last remark, she called me adorable. Needless to say, I was on cloud nine from this point forward. As soon as school finished, I hurried home to get ready. I took a shower, then empty my closet and threw all my clothes on to my bed. What should I wear? It should probably be a little bit smart, I thought, then cleared my old t-shirts from the bed. I was left with a check shirt and one of my newer t-shirts. I couldn't decide on which one, so I thought I'd wear them both. I practically choked myself with deodorant, then got dressed. Once I was ready, I kinda sat there on my bed, willing time to go faster. I didn't want to be too early, or late in case it made a bad impression. It was coming up to five thirty. This was it, I'm leaving now I told myself. I grabbed my school bag and headed downstairs. I went into the living room, to tell my folks I'd be going out. "You look nice," my mom said. "Thanks." "So, where are you off too then?" my dad asked. "I've got a study session with a friend," "A 'Girl' friend?" my mom asked. "Mom!" I whined. "Well, I hope he didn't get dressed up like that for Ethan." My dad added. "Dad!" I whined again. "Yes, if you must know the friend is a girl, but she's not my girlfriend." "Is she pretty?" "Mom!" "What? I'm just asking." "Yes, mom. She is pretty." I replied, somewhat exhausted by this conversation. "Are you going to ask her out?" My dad chipped in. "We're not having this conversation." "What? Can your parents not take an interest in their son's life now," My dad protested. I sighed heavily. "Maybe, I don't know yet." My parents looked at each other. "Aww, our little boy is all grown up." My mom said in a somewhat cutesy yet mocking way. That was my cue to leave. As I closed the living room door, my dad shouted out. "Don't forget to use protection!" The last thing I heard as I left the house, was my mom scolding my dad for being so crass. I literally felt my eyes roll in my head. Parents! With Madison's address etched in my mind, I set off. Fortunately, she didn't live too far away. I approached what I thought was her house, double checking the house number against my notebook. This was it. I walked down the ornate garden path until I reached the front door. I could feel my heart begin to beat faster. I took a few deep breaths and rang the doorbell. Moments later, the door opened. A large thick-set man, with no neck answered the door. "Yes," he said with a deep gravelly voice. "I'm here to see Madison," He stood there looking directly at me and doing one hell of a job of intimidating me. "And you are?" "Adam, Sir." Madison made an appearance, squeezing in between him and the door. She was wearing black skin tight leggings and a baggy white sweater, with a monotone pattern on the front. "Daddy, would you let him in already." He stood aside and let me pass. "We've got an assignment to do." Madison added. I followed Madison up the stairs, feeling her dad's eyes on me the whole way. "Sorry about my dad, he can be a bit intense. Especially when it comes to boys." "That was your dad? I thought he was the bouncer." Madison laughed out loud. "Well, here we are." Madison said and then opened her bedroom door. I took in the view. A double bed adorned with an elegant black metal frame stood in the center, complemented by swirling patterns on the head and footboards. Delicate fairy lights hung from the bed, casting a soft glow. Adjacent to the bed, a desk held a sizeable mirror with pictures of friends tucked into its corners. On the opposite side, two large wardrobes completed the room's layout. Madison jumped onto the bed, sat down, and crossed her legs. I stared blankly around the room, wondering where I should sit. She could see me looking. "It's okay, you can sit on the bed." I dropped my bag to the floor and sat on the corner of the bed. "So, shall we get to it?" "Yeah, sure." Madison scrambled off the bed and grabbed her notebook, a pencil and her study book from off her desk and quickly jumped back on the bed. I reached into my bag and pulled out my stuff. Madison had opened her study book and placed it on her bed. I noticed she had opened it on a large diagram of the penis. She put the end of her pencil in her mouth, and gently bit down on it. She looked at the diagram intensely. I opened my own study book and went straight to the vagina diagram. Never in a million years did I expect to find myself sitting on my crushes bed looking at diagrams of vaginas, while she looked at penises. After ten minutes of quiet reading went by, Madison tried to say something. "Cou..." Madison began to say, then stopped abruptly. "No, never mind." She continued, talking to herself. "What?" I asked. "No, I can't." "Can't what?" "Nothing, forget about it." "What?" I asked again, trying to coax it out of her. "I... I was going to ask you something, but it doesn't matter." Now I had to know. "It's okay, you can ask me anything." Madison looked at me. I could see she wanted to say it. She took a deep breath. "Could I see it?" "See what?" I replied, a little confused. She pointed her pencil directly between my legs. "You want to see my..." Madison nodded her head. "It's just, I've never seen one and I want to make sure my report is, you know, accurate." I looked at her in disbelief. Did she really just ask to see my cock? I think she did. Madison picked up on my hesitation. "I mean, it's okay if you don't want too," she said leaning over and touching my knee. "But if you did, it would be our little secret. I won't tell anyone. I swear it," she added, putting her hand over her heart. I thought about it. Did I really want to do this? Could I trust her? My conscience battled it out, it's Madison, you love Madison, you would do anything for her. Do it, do it now. Show her you'd do anything for her. I took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll do it, but this is just between us." "Really?" Madison replied with a mixture of shock and excitement. "Yeah, If you really want me to." "Oh thanks Adam, that would be amazing. You are amazing!" She called me amazing. I definitely have to do this now. I stood up from the bed and turned to face her. I watched as her eyes fixated on my crotch. I reached down to my jeans and slowly began unbuttoning them. I pulled my jeans down to my knees, revealing to Madison my navy-blue boxer briefs. I can't believe I was actually going to do this. Was I crazy? I looked at Madison, who was patiently waiting for me to continue. I grabbed my waist band and pulled my boxers down to reveal myself to her. Madison's eyes widened. "Oh wow!" She blurted out, then covering her mouth with her hand. She stared at it intently. "It's so small, I mean compared to the ones I saw on the internet earlier." "Geez, thanks. Just what every boy wants to hear," I said, completed deflated by her comment. "Sorry, I didn't mean you're small, I just meant, it's... I mean it's cute, I like it." "Keep digging there, Madison." Madison's face turned red. It was nice though, to see someone else falling over their words for a change. "I'm so sorry. Here you are doing me a favor and I've just insulted your manhood." "You know the ones on the internet, are probably all porn stars. They're not all that big in real life you know." I said indignantly. I was about to pull my boxers up, when Madison stopped me. "Wait! Do you mind if I draw it?" She asked. "Draw it?" "Yeah, I'd like to draw it for the report." "Well, if you think it would help." Madison grabbed her pencil and quickly started to draw. I watched as she drew an outline, then went over it, shading areas and smudging it with her finger to get the right definition. When she was done, she flipped her book around and showed me what she had done. "What do you think?" I looked at her drawing. "It's... it's amazing." Her drawing skills were something else. It was so lifelike, so detailed. It reminded me of those old da Vinci drawings. "Do you mind if I measure it?" "Measure it?" "Yeah, with a tape measure." "What, so you can really laugh at me?" "I won't, I promise." "Well, as long as you promise, go on then." Madison clambered off the bed again and grabbed one of those fabric tape measures from her desk drawer. She dropped to her knees in front of me and held it directly below the thick tuft of my pubic hair. She was now close enough, that I could feel her warm breath on the tip of my cock. My cock twitched, startling her. "It moved! Was that me?" "Yeah. It s just reacting to the attention you're giving it." "Sorry! I'll be quick." She continued to measure. "From base to tip is three and half inches," she called out. "And girth is one and a half," she added wrapping the tape around the middle of my shaft. She got up from the floor and reached for her notebook on the bed and penciled in the figures next to her drawing. She sat back on the bed and looked at her work and then back at my crotch. "Hmm," she pondered, repeatedly tapping her pencil against her chin. "What is it?" "Um, um. Could I see it big, you know erect?" Madison asked holding her hands apart, with her pencil now horizontal between her teeth. "Um, is not lamp. I can't just flip a switch and make it bigger." "Can't you think of something sexual, you know, that turns you on?" My mind went blank. No doubt too nervous to think where this was heading. "I can't think of anything right now, my mind has gone blank." "Hmm, well it moved it a bit when I gave it attention. Should I try giving it some more attention?" I couldn't help but be wowed, by how swiftly this had turned from a visual presentation to a hands-on one. "Yeah, I guess you could try." I said, knowing full well she would achieve the 'Madison Effect'. Madison leaned forward and stretched out her hand. It hovered over it for a moment, before she plucked up the courage to touch it. Her soft fingers brushed against it as she gripped it with her hand. It was working and very quickly too. My cock sprang to life. Madison watched as it quickly grew larger in her hand. "Well, that didn't take long." She said in awe. She moved her hand away as my cock got harder and strained from my body, before eventually pointing upwards. "That is so cool, how it did that. I mean look at it, it's huge now. It's bigger than my hand," she said aligning her hand next to it from the bottom of her palm to her fingertips. Hearing her refer to it as huge this time, restored the confidence in the size of my manhood. Madison quickly took to her notebook again and began sketching. It felt weird standing there in front of Madison with a raging hard on as she quickly sketched away. As before, when she was done, she showed me. She had captured all the detail, the veins, the ridges. She was an exceptional artist. "Wow Madison, you're such an artist." "Thanks, I've always liked to draw." "It shows, you have quite the talent." "Thanks, is it alright if I measure again." "Sure, go for it." Madison grabbed the tape measure again and held it from base to tip. "Wow, it's doubled in size. Seven inches." She then measured the girth. "Three inches." She wrote the measurements in her book again. Before turning her attention back to my cock. "These things are so weird, but in a good way. I can't believe they can just grow like that and it's so hard now. And what's with all these peculiar ridges?" Madison, filled with curiosity, was now actively handling my erection, lifting it, pulling the skin back and forth, brushing her thumb underneath it and tracing the ridges of the head. "I red somewhere, that the shape of the head is an evolutionary thing. Back in the early days of man. Men could just mate with whoever they liked, you know. So when one man had sex with a woman and left his ahem, 'deposit' to impregnate her, when the next man came along and had sex with the same woman, when he sticks it in, the shape of the head scoops out the previous guys stuff so he can replace it with his own, making it more likely that he impregnates her." Madison looked aghast. "That is so gross," she said, shuddering slightly. Despite just saying that however, Madison continued to play with my cock, which was now starting to have an effect on me. I tried to manage it by tensing and controlling my breathing. "Madison, I think you should probably stop now." She continued to be engrossed, ignoring what I was trying to say and continuing to play. "Madison... I'm gonna.... argh!" It was too late, I broadsided her with three shots to her chest. "Oh, oh, oh!" She cried out, quickly letting go and looking down to her chest. "Oh my god Madison, I'm so sorry. You kept playing with it and... and..." "Adam, it's okay. It's my fault." "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to cum on you." I felt the need to keep apologizing to her. "So, this is the stuff then? The old baby making juice." She said, taking it surprisingly well, then looking down at the thick creamy colored substance clinging to her sweater. "I should probably take this off." Madison carefully removed her baggy sweater, as to not get her hair tangled in the mess. She was wearing a body-hugging vest underneath. "I'm sure this stuff washes out, right?" "Yeah, it should do." "Well, I guess that's a first for me. I've never had a boy cum on me before." "And for me. I mean cumming on a girl, not having a boy cum on me." Madison laughed at me. "You do get tongue tied a lot, don't you?" I was about to reply, when Madison grabbed a tissue from her desk and handed it to me. "Sorry, here, you're oozing a little." "Oh shit, sorry!" I said, taking the tissue from her and dabbing the end of my cock. "Hey Ad." "Yeah," I replied. "Thanks again for being a good sport about all of this. I know I've kinda pushed the boundaries on this one, but you've definitely helped satisfy my sexual curiosity... and of course helped with our assignment." "Don't mention it. Glad I could help you out." Madison started to play with strands of her hair and twisting it around her finger. "Is there anything you want to go through? I know we've spent a lot of time on your..." She pointed at my crotch. "Did you have any questions for me, that I could help you out with?" If I didn't know better, I think Madison was giving me an in, a pass to ask to see some part of her. I knew I had to take my chance. "Well, I showed you mine, so..." "Ha, figures. I guess I can't exactly say no now, can I?" She said with a cheeky wink. Oh my god, oh my god. She's going to do it; she's actually going to fucking do it. My heart went into overdrive. I was actually going to see the most intimate part of Madison. I had longed for this moment for so long. I could not believe how my evening was going. As I sat down on the corner of her bed, I found myself gripping the bed post. Madison reached to the waistband of her leggings, and peeled them down her long smooth legs, before removing them completely and showing me the soft pink panties, she was wearing. As my heart raced faster, I gripped even tighter on to the bed post. She slipped her fingers inside her delicate underwear and just before she pulled them down, she gave me a quick look, as if to say - are you ready for this. In one sweeping movement, her underwear was round her ankles. My jaw dropped. "So, what do you think?" "It's... it's beautiful." I didn't quite know how else to describe it. She walked over to me, so I could see it better. Her mound was shaven, but not completely hairless. The outline of her lips were visible. It was everything I thought it would be and more. "Do you want a closer look?" I nodded emphatically. Madison jumped up onto her bed, turned around to sit down and parted her legs. I sat there, just staring at it, as if I were in a trance. Madison had really surprised me by how uninhibited she was. "Do you want to draw it or something, for your report?" Madison asked. I fumbled for my notebook, not once taking my eyes off her. Then blindly fished for my pencil. I tried to put pencil to paper, but I couldn't. My hand was shaking too much. "Are you okay?" "Yeah, yeah. Peachy." I tried to draw again, this time breaking the pencil nib completely. "Um, my pencil broke," I announced. "Oh, here, take mine." Madison handed me her pencil and I tried again. "Here, you probably want some detail." With that, Madison put her fingers over her mound and parted her lips. I gulped loudly. Now I could see everything, oh my god, could I see everything. I still couldn't believe that Madison was showing me all of this. I had given up trying to draw, I could barely engage my brain at this point, let alone sketch out anything. "Any questions?" I had hundreds, but again, could I articulate them? Could I Fuck. "What's that?" I pointed at the small bump on the front, like the proverbial village idiot. "What?" "That," I repeated, then leaned forward pointing, my finger dangerously close to touching her. Madison looked down to see where I was pointing, she shuffled slightly and that's when it happened. My fingertip darted forward, and I touched it. "Whoa!" Madison cried out. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to that. Did I hurt you then?" "No, it was nice. You just hit my clitoris." "So that's what it was. So if I kept touching it, you would have..." "Oh yeah, big time." "Do you touch it a lot?" I asked, then suddenly realizing the personal nature of the question. "Are you asking if I 'take care of myself'?" "Sorry, you don't have to answer that." "Do you?" She quickly countered. At this point, given how much we had shared in such a short space of time. It didn't make sense to hold back. "Yeah, I do." "So do I. I tend to do it the shower." Madison was offering up a lot more information than I expected. "Me too." I added. "I like to hold the shower head between my legs and kind of ride the jets you know." I'm so glad I had recently cum, because the image of Madison in the shower, would have instantly made me cream my underwear. My cock was so hard right now, it was painful. "Do you wanna try it?" "Huh?" "Do you wanna try touching it again?" I think I had just died and gone to heaven. "Yes! I mean yes, okay." I said trying to compose myself. "Come closer then." I shuffled closer to Madison, to the point where I was now practically between her legs. "Here, give me your hand." I reached out my hand and Madison grabbed a hold of it. "Just lightly rub here." With that Madison pushed my fingers against her clitoris. She gasped as my fingers made contact. I started to rub my fingers over the raised bump. After thirty seconds or so she moved my hand again. So, this is the labia, and here is vagina, just push your finger in. I took my finger and pushed it inside her. It was warm and wet, and the walls felt so soft and spongy. She gasped again as my finger entered her. She pulled my finger out and placed it back on her clitoris. "Just keep rubbing here, okay." At this point Madison closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. After a few minutes of rubbing, I noticed my fingers getting wetter, allowing my fingers to glide over the bump easier. I started to go faster, and in return Madison started to breathe heavier and faster. "Don't stop Adam, don't you dare slow down either." I continued to rub at pace. Madison started to whimper quietly, then her volume increased. Her face was turning pinker, her cheeks rosier. Then out of nowhere, she grabbed my hand and held it down hard against her clitoris. I was unable to move my fingers, when Madison snapped her legs closed. Her face scrunched up and she let out a labored moan. My trapped hand could feel her body tremble. "Oh, oh, oh, Umm, Oh my god!" She exhaled deeply, pushing the air out between her pursed lips. "Did you just..." I asked. With her head back and eyes still closed, she slowly nodded her head. I had given a girl an orgasm. A first for me, and one more thing off my bucket list. Madison's body began to relax again, and I felt her grip loosen around my hand. When I removed my hand, my fingers were slick with her arousal. I rubbed the residue between my fingers until it dried up. "I'm so sorry Ad, but all this studying, I'm not gonna lie, has really turned me on big time. I so needed that release. God, you must think I'm a right hoe." "Absolutely not, I would never think of you as that. I mean I get it; everyone needs a release; I know I do." I replied, awkwardly shuffling my legs. "Do you need a helping hand with that?" Madison didn't wait for me to answer. "Come on, one good turn deserves another and all that. Slide back on the bed and lie down." I did as I was told, laying back and looking up at the ceiling. Then next thing I knew, Madison had climbed on to my legs and sat down just over my knees. She started to unbutton my jeans and tugging them down a bit, before pulling down the front of my underwear. My cock sprang out. "Whoa, this guy definitely needs attention." I felt Madison's warm hand grip around my aching cock. "God, this feels so hard. Does it hurt when it's like this?" "It can be a bit uncomfortable." "I bet." "So, how am I doing this exactly?" I reached down and put my hand over hers and mimicked a jerk. "Just keep doing this." I moved my hand away, and Madison took over, proceeded to jerk me off. This felt Amazing! Oh my god, did this feel good. She was so good at it as well, not too fast, not too tight. She was a natural. "Is this okay?" She asked, bouncing on my legs as she jerked away. "Yeah, that's good." My head was spinning. I was lying down on Madison's bed as she jerked me, with the added bonus, that she was naked from the waist down. We were so close to having actual sex, it was just so unreal. I could feel the pleasure starting to build up. This time, I clearly tried to warn Madison. "Mads, I'm close okay, just so you know." I uttered between my labored breath. "Okay Ad, message received this time." Madison continued to pump away. It was my turn to breathe heavily now. The feeling kept building and building. I tried to hold it back, I wanted this to go on forever. "Uh, uh, ah!" I cried out, my body hunched. Madison kept going, but this time placed one hand directly above my cock. My cum shot up wards into the palm of her hand several times. "Jesus, Jesus, oh my god Madison, Ah!. Stop, stop, that feels too good, I can't take any more." The feeling was incredible and the orgasm so intense, my body physically couldn't cope with her touch any longer. Madison slowed down to an eventual stop. I leaned up to look at Madison. She was holding her hand open, with a pool of my cum in it. "Bloody hell, no wonder boys are stronger than girls, my bicep had quite the workout then," she joked. I smiled at her and laughed, before resting my head back down on the bed. "That was incredible." I uttered. "Really?" "Yeah, your technique is..." I performed a chef's kiss. Madison seemed pleased with the compliment. "Cool, my first hand job and I aced it. Nice." Madison climbed off me and went to the desk and grabbed a handful of tissues and wiped her palm down. To be continued in part 2, By Secretauthor2021 for Literotica.

Delicate mouth sounds with trigger objects such as with tubes and reverb in close proximity to the sensitive microphones and clicks and pops from ear to earWelcome, Dreamer! I'm Bowman

Sal talks about the difficulty in timing out Thanksgiving meals with the three football games going on throughout the day.

with delicate feet upon old terraces - #4366 (95R25 percent 170 left) by chair house 251127 (again, William Butler Yeats from May 22, 2025) *** NEW CATCHPHRASE FOR PIANO TEN THOUSAND LEAVES *** " Gentleness, carried on 4,536 leaves of sound " =========================== The Complete Works of Piano Ten Thousand Leaves Vol.1-5 =========================== VOLUME1-5 just released! Gentleness, carried on 4,536 leaves of sound. --- youtube full video: https://youtu.be/keXS3AEO1a4 --- spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/album/4bNp2s3LQmQRKW20I9nqg6?si=J3ecOB_ySXKqrtjWViXNgA --- Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/jp/album/the-complete-works-of-piano-ten-thousand-leaves-vol-1-5/1851196335 --- amazon Music: https://amazon.co.jp/music/player/albums/B0G14M9TRF?marketplaceId=A1VC38T7YXB528&musicTerritory=JP&ref=dm_sh_AW167RpyD3hxpUR2jIAjg0SRa --- Line Music: https://music.line.me/webapp/album/mb0000000004ca05e8 --- AWA: https://s.awa.fm/album/79acc2b85cbe01e0a992 --- all music streaming services: https://linkco.re/GqnQvNyP?lang=en ######## Latest Album: 31st SELECTION ALBUM JUST RELEASED ######## "forest moon dream" - the 31st selection album of piano ten thousand leaves youtube: FULL VIDEO with 20 full songs in very high quality sounds https://youtu.be/hRY7rtkp-hw?si=dpSjSeY7rHAyOvtC spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/album/0GL5j2gohVbt5rgcbZqslM?si=Al-XczUJTJmNYgpcGbff7w apple Music: https://music.apple.com/jp/album/forest-moon-dream/1843588627 amazon music: https://amazon.co.jp/music/player/albums/B0FTMBPY75?marketplaceId=A1VC38T7YXB528&musicTerritory=JP&ref=dm_sh_dz30EicNlOoEQrCadNDGVEtSW all music streaming services: https://linkco.re/GzFhAvTg?lang=en *** "PIANO TEN THOUSAND LEAVE" COMPLETE WORK ALBUM SERIES START *** Now begins a new challenge: to compile all 4,536 pieces into 91 albums and deliver them to the future. Just as "Ten Thousand Leaves ( Manyoushu ) " carried the hearts of lovers across a thousand years, we hope these piano pieces will reach people a thousand years from now. =================== VOLUME1-5 =================== See the description above. =================== VOLUME1-4 =================== *** youtube full video: https://youtu.be/a77YDMMgv7o *** spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/album/3mISdsZNVdEAD2BMxCE0ku?si=2l36hot_TsyV_kCVnKwLBg *** Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/jp/album/the-complete-works-of-piano-ten-thousand-leaves-vol-1-4/1840586819 *** amazon Music: https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0FRMNGD1K?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_mFt4isWbmtWKlgKqqHDbRNiff *** all music streaming services: https://linkco.re/m0nqEtsg?lang=en =================== VOLUME1-3 =================== *** youtube full video https://youtu.be/ue7KsUBdLME?si=5UbdJelOAPjqboiJ *** spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/album/6BAV5XloL6HDGboFeiE3VF?si=e4E-3zI0RqCt8aQNrnMHrQ *** Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/jp/album/the-complete-works-of-piano-ten-thousand-leaves-vol-1-3/1834912123 *** all music streaming services: https://linkco.re/8RNRdEa3?lang=en =================== VOLUME1-2 =================== *** youtube: full video of 50 pieces 2 hours https://youtu.be/fBmIMLpM10g?si=MQmAdF95M7GCm4Ve *** spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/album/1KDM283kVS8x7fO9q79w2v?si=iIJ4sZidSqWW8ah59Y_a1g *** Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/jp/album/the-complete-works-of-piano-ten-thousand-leaves-vol-1-2/1832629621 *** all music streaming services: https://linkco.re/VeA0UreQ?lang=en =================== VOLUME1-1 =================== *** youtube: full video of 50 pieces 2 hours https://youtu.be/YERNF74cvKw?si=6FiU67TOdybggkQk *** spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/album/12vCnNiO4EfBz6eVPGhvOr?si=P3cL7RZSTV-87jeswyI8BA *** Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/jp/album/the-complete-works-of-piano-ten-thousand-leaves-vol-1-1/1831717286 *** all music streaming services: https://linkco.re/Y9VNVN23

(Nov 21, 2025) A village bill meant to protect immigrants in Saranac Lake sparked months of tension at board meetings. It's also left some locals questioning how their police force will respond to the growing threat of federal immigration enforcement. Also: Zohran Mamdani plans to push an ambitious agenda when he returns to Albany as New York City's new mayor.

This episode explores the dynamic world of live event production, with a special focus on the role of Delicate Productions within the Live Events brand. Chris and Lacy break down the levels of service, the collaboration across companies, and real-world examples that showcase how these teams elevate every show.

1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool. 2 It isn't good to have zeal without knowledge, nor being hasty with one's feet and missing the way. 3 The foolishness of man subverts his way; his heart rages against Yahweh. 4 Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend. 5 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who pours out lies shall not go free. 6 Many will entreat the favor of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. 7 All the relatives of the poor shun him; how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone. 8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good. 9 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish. 10 Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes. 11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense. 12 The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. 13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife's quarrels are a continual dripping. 14 House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh. 15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger. 16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die. 17 He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him. 18 Discipline your son, for there is hope; don't be a willing party to his death. 19 A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty, for if you rescue him, you must do it again. 20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end. 21 There are many plans in a man's heart, but Yahweh's counsel will prevail. 22 That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar. 23 The fear of Yahweh leads to life, then contentment; he rests and will not be touched by trouble. 24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. 25 Flog a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge. 26 He who robs his father and drives away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach. 27 If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge. 28 A corrupt witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity. 29 Penalties are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the backs of fools. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

Mandy is away at BravoCon but makes sure to record an episode first with her thoughts on RHOSLC and RHOP. But she also has two surprise guests - Ilya and Joyce, her dad and stepmom. They chat a bit about their Mediterranean cruise before Mandy asks her dad to share how his family was able to get out of the Soviet Union when the country made it difficult for Jews to emigrate. In honor of Mandy's dad, consider making a donation to HIAS, the refugee agency that resettled his family in the United States: https://hias.org Follow Mandy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandyslutsker/

In this episode, we perceive an animated reaction to a proposal, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 121, penned by Madurai Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. Set in the 'Paalai' or 'Drylands landscape', the verse relates the discomfort in a journey through this domain.

What happens when your passion becomes your paycheck?In this episode, San Holo and I unpack the real journey of turning your art into a business — and how to stay grounded when success starts pulling you in every direction. From his first viral remix on SoundCloud to headlining global festivals, San shares the mindset that's kept him authentic through it all.We talk about the creative struggle, the pressure to keep up with trends, and why staying different is both a blessing and a curse.

A hundred episodes. One imperfect couple. A ton of growth.In our 100th episode, we celebrate by recapping the first 50 episodes of Better Than Perfect — what still holds up, what we've refined, and the lessons that changed our relationship. We kick off with a spicy debate on bars and clubs, respect vs control, and then speed-run through episodes 1 to 50: marriage, boundaries, conflict, polarity, resentment, smut vs porn, “girls night out,” and more.Chapters00:00 Welcome to our 100th episode01:05 Bars, clubs, respect, and the “if I wouldn't want you to, I won't either” rule08:12 Ep 1 Is marriage still worth it10:58 Ep 2 The 5 rules that changed our relationship location sharing no exes no friends of the opposite sex no girls guys night out phone and email transparency15:45 Ep 3 Why 50 50 doesn't work for intimacy and polarity18:20 Ep 4 How to keep the honeymoon phase by clearing resentment21:02 Ep 5 He cheated the hard lessons and full ownership24:40 Ep 6 Fighting fair conflict that bonds instead of breaks27:10 Ep 7 Why women date “ugly” men confidence vs looks29:50 Ep 8 Why traditional beats transactional32:15 Ep 9 First date tips playful flirty purposeful34:05 Ep 10 How a man leads servant leadership not barking orders37:20 Ep 11 No girls night out or guys night out and why it is about respect41:05 Ep 12 Why jerks and losers sometimes win and what actually attracts women44:10 Ep 13 Men's biggest struggles today pride purpose and adversity47:40 Ep 14 When you mess up pausing an episode to repair in real time49:35 Ep 15 Two become one team vs two roommates52:00 Ep 16 Happy wife over happy mom cutting the cord kindly54:20 Ep 17 Can one person be enough forever and the reassurance dance56:30 Ep 18 Sex intimacy and frequency without scorekeeping58:35 Ep 19 Travel stress test before commitment01:00:55 Ep 20 Social media iPhones and modern temptation01:03:40 Ep 21 Kids change everything do not use them to fix problems01:06:15 Ep 22 How to romance a woman yes it starts long before the bedroom01:08:30 Ep 23 Should a woman propose we say no and why01:10:10 Ep 24 How women can be romantic feminine seduction done right01:12:30 Ep 25 Who settles more and why it looks different for men and women01:15:25 Ep 26 Should you take someone back rare exceptions and clear standards01:18:40 Ep 27 Men do not want boss babes they want kind feminine partners01:21:05 Ep 28 Passport bros why running away dodges the real work01:24:00 Ep 30 I love you but I don't like you dismantling contempt01:26:20 Ep 31 The Surrendered Wife key takeaways01:28:50 Ep 32 If she isn't a little scared you could cheat do you have any juice01:31:15 Ep 33 The biggest problem making men weak loss of pride and purpose01:34:00 Ep 35 Why men and women hate each other and how to stop01:36:45 Ep 36 Confident dominance vs controlling behavior01:39:30 Ep 37 Why women initiate most divorces and what men can do01:42:20 Ep 38 Why buy the cow if you give the milk away investment matters01:44:50 Ep 39 What men get from marriage beyond romance01:47:20 Ep 40 Delicate and strong vulnerability makes you invulnerable01:49:30 Ep 41 Are the five love languages enough and what's missing01:51:40 Ep 42 Our big fight and how we repaired01:54:10 Ep 43 Her role as support rocket fuel and why it matters01:56:40 Ep 44 Are men dangerous understanding fear and safety01:59:20 Ep 45 Polarity flips when she is masculine and he is feminine can it change02:01:40 Ep 46 Self-sabotage spotting insecurity before it sinks you02:03:55 Ep 47 Do traditional roles limit your life or create freedom02:06:30 Ep 48 Should we open our relationship we say no and why02:09:00 Ep 49 Is reading smut the same as porn and what it does to desire02:11:40 Ep 50 How women try to control men and how to let go02:14:20 Wrap next week we cover episodes 51 to 100

When it comes to grand gestures, painting your entire city in the one colour is quite something. So much for painting the town red. How about pink? Jaipur beckons as one of India's most enchanting destinations, where the Old City is harmoniously bathed in the same pink hue. The elegant capital of Rajasthan was painted in pink stucco in 1876 to welcome Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales, who was the son of Queen Victoria and later became King Edward VII. Jaipur's Maharaja chose the colour because pink symbolises hospitality in Rajput culture, and the gesture impressed the Prince so much that he nicknamed the city the "Pink City." The name – and the stucco - has stuck ever since. A year later, a law mandated that all future buildings in the Old City must be painted pink. As I swept into Jaipur on a private holiday Wendy Wu Tours, there's no denying how that welcoming palette sweetly seduces even the most jaded of travellers. Jaipur effortlessly casts you under its spell, as you delve into its rich history and treasury of enticements. There is an unmistakeable magic about the place. Nearly 300 years ago, an enlightened maharajah with a penchant for jewels and a keen eye for architecture built this planned city, wedged between the arid hills of northwest India. Built in the form of a rectangle, Jaipur was divided into nine blocks, seven for public use and two reserved for the state's most prestigious palaces and buildings. The entire city was girdled by a formidable protective wall. Called Jaipur after the city's founder, Jai Singh II, the planned city soon gave rise to astonishing royal palaces and vast workshops of artisans recruited to establish a new commercial hub. These days, gem cutters, jewellery designers and garment-makers are still doing a flourishing trade in Jaipur. And the royals still occupy a wing of the majestic City Palace, while gleaming mid-rise towers and a new subway system anchor Jaipur's forward march. But for all the contemporary progress, it's the architectural grandeur, proud sense of place and thriving craftwork traditions that make this destination so infectious. Street markets are splashed in colour and handicrafts, and Hindu temples can be found nearly every 100 metres. Though the streets heave with beeping and belching traffic, aimless tourists and dung-dropping cows, there is a charm and charisma to the carnival of commotion. Close to City Palace, my wonderful Wendy Wu Tours guide Vipin treated us to some sizzling old-school retail therapy. We walked under the peeling pink porticos of the roadside bazaars which were emblazoned with everything from puppets to pyjama pants; passing by carts of fried chickpea cakes, and marble-lined shrines with statues of Hindu gods. Garment-hunting was high on the agenda, for gifts to take home. Vipin led us to his favourite shop, where an explosion of colourful fabrics heaped in piles and stacked to the ceiling soon greeted us, as attentive staff served us Masala chai. Whether you're after local, authentic t-shirts, shirts, trousers, scarfs, saris, rugs, cushion covers, towels or table-cloths…this is textile and garment-shopping heaven. As my sister snapped up some sensational saris, I haggled down the price on a sublime tablecloth with block-printed red elephants. The other boom retail business is jewellery, because Jaipur is a global centre for cutting and polishing precious and semiprecious gems. Head to Jewels Emporium's stately white building and take a tour of the workshops, where cutters shape facets, and men at workbenches adorn gold settings with jewels, and rinse the gold dust from their hands in wash basins. That water is later sold to extraction companies. The quality of the workmanship is second to none, true Rajasthan's abiding legacy. Jaipur's Pink City bragging rights is best epitomised by the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of Winds. We stopped by to pose in front of this five-story palace façade, constructed from pink sandstone. Built in 1799, its iconic facade features 953 small windows which allowed royal women of the court to observe street processions without being seen while also creating a natural cooling effect. The palace's architecture is a blend of Rajput and Mughal styles, ornately designed with protruding bays of lattice stonework and cupolas mimicking Krishna's crown. Could there be a more glorious façade in the world? City Palace is a stirring complex to leisurely explore, peppered with mouth-watering architecture, tranquil courtyards and lush gardens. The prize draw is the Palace of the Breeze, a triumph in building design, whereby the air circulates so efficiently that it keeps the occupants cool even in the extreme summer months, when the mercury can nudge 50 degrees. The on-site museum is studded with royal treasures, costumes and curiosities. Out in the courtyard, I admired some massive silver vessels that carried the Maharaja's drinking water from the Ganges River to London in 1902 for Edward VII's coronation. You can see the royal reception rooms that are still in use, where Jaipur's royal family entertain guests in an ornate dining room and parlour, where chairs have silver lions for armrests. The walls are painted with gold dust and extracts of rubies and emeralds. Yipin pointed out where the royal family reside. There's a lot of tabloid tattle about Jaipur's current Maharaja, Pacho Singh. He's only 27, quite the polo-playing playboy and is currently living in the palace with his French girlfriend. But it's fully expected he cannot marry her, in deference to royal tradition and Rajasthan's adherence to arranged marriages and astrological alignment. Beyond the Old City, no visit to Jaipur is complete without savouring the sky-piercing magnificence of the four-hundred-year-old Amber Fort. (Pronounced Ah-meer.) Sprawling across the upper reaches of a hillside like a scene out Return of the Jedi, this fortress was previously the seat of power for the Rajput kings from 1599, before relocating to Jaipur's Old City just over a century later. En-route to the fort, Vipin led us to the most dreamy viewpoint, on the shores of Lake Maotha, where we gazed up in awe at this hilltop colossus. Brightly dressed elephants lumbered by, readying to carry visitors up the slope to the fortress. I had previously taken an elephant ride up to Amber Fort, but I've put weight on since then and am more mindful of animal welfare. We opted for a jeep ride through the skinny lanes snaking their way up to Sun Gate. From here, we marvelled over the China Wall-esque fortifications, the Amber Wall, riding across the ridgelines as far as the eye can see. ( It's 12km in length.) But this Rajput stronghold hooks in the tourist hordes principally for its gobsmacking array of palatial buildings and extravagant ornamental gardens. In shades of honey and rose stone, white marble and gilt decor, it's a frothy fusion of ornate Hindu and Islamic design. Amber Fort's exquisite craftsmanship is best exemplified by the Mirror Palace, or Sheesh Mahal. Candlelight dinners would have been next-level. A single lit candle spangles the beautifully cut Belgian glass panels and mirror mosaics that festoon the walls of the banquet room, transforming the space into a night-sky kaleidoscope across the walls and ceiling. Apparently, this room was made by the Maharaja so that the Maharani (queen) could see the stars at night, as she was not allowed to sleep in the open. Other highlights include the many-pillared Diwan-i-Am, the Hall of Public Audience; the Jal Mandir, or Hall of Victory, which features carved marble panels, a mirrored ceiling, and expansive views over the ramparts of the fort. The Sukh Niwas, the Hall of Pleasure, is another drop-dead-gorgeous marble room that was cleverly cooled with water. Here, the Maharaja reportedly relaxed with his ladies. Amber Fort is a resplendent blockbuster, reverberating with the glory days of Rajput rule in Rajasthan. Jaipur residents are rightly proud of their architectural showstoppers. One of the signature attributes to the city is the fact that some historic palaces, no longer required for the affairs of state, have been reimagined as beacons of hospitality. But I stayed at a brand-new luxury build that is a grand triumph of contemporary construction, fully inspired by Jaipur's landmarks and Rajasthani finesse. Introducing Anantara Jewel Bagh Jaipur. Whether it's for a big bling-bling Bollywood wedding or for immersive luxury experiences away from the heaving throng of Jaipur's tourist spots, this hotel delivers a tour de force in lavish Rajasthani living, with a contemporary take. It is splendour defined. As our Wendy Wu Tours driver pulled into the entrance, a troupe of Rajasthani dancers and costumed drummers serenaded our arrival in spectacular, effervescent style. Unfurling over 5.5 lush acres, the grand hotel's money shot is its sensational main façade, drawing rich inspiration from Amber Fort and Rajasthan's royal palaces. Features include majestic arches, intricately designed jharokhas (bay windows), and graceful chhajjas (overhanging eaves) and detailed carvings. It was thoughtfully painted in the same colours as Amber Fort's walls during golden hour. Rajputana history and heritage permeates the hotel. You'll notice it in the materials—yellowstone from Jaisalmer, marble from Banswara and Makrana, and locally sourced timbered. There's the treasury of sublime artworks, notably including portraits of Rajput warriors and royalty. Peek inside the Rang Mahal ballroom, where the walls are completely covered with celebratory nods to the state's heritage. It was handpainted over two-and-a-half years by third-generation artists. Delicate thikri glasswork, hand-carved wood accents, and intricate gold leaf detailing abound across the hotel. Amer Bagh garden venue unfurls like a verdant blanket at the base of the hotel – and is a stirring outdoor venue. Jai Bagh (victory garden is the main outdoor space for guest and I was absolutely enthralled delving into the daily bazaar that is staged here in the afternoon, complete with puppeteers, block printers, bangle makers and astrologers. Anantara's core DNA is to create hotels steeped in local elements and the Jaipur addition excels at delivering exactly that. You can even go chowk-hopping, vegetable shopping and cooking with local women. The hotel boasts 150 rooms and suites, layered across five categories, with most overlooking the inner courtyard or Jai Bagh. We stayed in the Anantara One-Bedroom Terrace Suite, which is kitted out with its own outdoor Jacuzzi and expansive terrace. I was transfixed here watching muscular monsoon thunderstorms tear up the sky and soak the land! Guestrooms do not skimp on celebrating the sense of place, with sumptuous comforts and artful design elements, from the zardozi on the pillows, thikri work on the headboards, wooden jharokas by the window nooks, and Mughal miniature art on the walls. If that's not enough to tempt you, Anantara's first outpost in India will enchant you with its gastronomic verve. Led by Executive Chef Sunil Jajoria, Sheesh Mahal is a pinch-yourself jewel box of a venue, to experience the true essence of Rajasthan with exquisitely fitted out with glittering mirror mosaics, dressed in 350,000 pieces of glass, inspired by the legendary Mirror Palace. Coud there be a more wondrous place to savour the true essence of Rajasthan's culinary brilliance? The menu marries traditional Rajasthani delicacies with global influences, paired with signature cocktails like the Jewel of Jaipur. Jajoria, a Rajasthan native, has been researching local cuisine for the last seven years. Perfected over 20 trials, his menu dives deep into how maharajas entertained. His tasting menu kicks off with hummus that tastes like Bikaneri bhujia, moving on to ker sangri kebabs, besan kebabs mimicking paneer (as there was no paneer in the history of Rajasthan, says the chef), and Shekhawati maas tacos. The menu is handwritten by the chef himself, on vintage paper he has been collecting since his he was a boy. Pair this menu with the ‘Echoes of Distillation' spirit tasting of heritage liquor from the royal family of Mahansar. It's mixology at its finest, with no shortage of artful theatre thrown in. Another cracking experience is Amrit Mahal, the vibrant all-day dining venue, which presents a diverse array of international and Indian specialties. There were too many highlights to recount, but the lamb baos, edamame truffle dimsums, lotus root on fire, Cantonese buttermilk prawns, soba noodles, and Japanese caramel cheesecake were all pleasurably devoured. The buffet breakfast here is like a royal banquet! The spa experience is a signature feature pillar of any Anantara property, and resident experts were brought in from Thailand to train the Jaipur team. The treatment repertoire remains consistent with their global spa menus—a mix of Ayurveda, Thai massages, and western therapies. I deployed my sister to the spa for some personal panel-beating and she is still buzzing about the deep tissue massage she savoured. She rates it as the best massage of her life, “life-affirming, age-reducing and liberating.” Another starring attribute of the hotel is its genuine sense of connection with the community. As a part of their grassroots outreach, the hotel works with local women to make the rotis on their menu on a chulha or traditional clay stove. You can take an early morning trip to the flower market or a guided farming experience. Even better, take a private visit to Hathi Gaon, which is a community of rescue elephants residing in their natural habitat. Or partake in a local culinary class. I was particularly impressed that the hotel takes care of their staff's accommodation needs, building nearby apartments to ensure they are well-housed. Hospitality is as sparkling as the palace-like hotel itself - faultless, ultra-attentive, charismatic and truly unforgettable. Treat yourself to a remarkable Jaipur escape at Anantara Jewel Bagh. You'll be royally treated from the moment you arrive. You will not want to leave. www.anantara.com Delve into India and the Golden Triangle with the award-winning tour specialists across Asia and beyond. I chose a tailor-made Classic India private holiday, that enables you optimise your itinerary and accommodation preferences, as much as you wish. The itinerary can be as active or as laid back as you are, with full flexibility over included meals and excursions. You'll be in the best of hands with Wendy Wu Tours. www.wendywutours.co.nz/india From New Zealand, it's just a one-stop connection to a multitude of destinations in India, including New Delhi, with Singapore Airlines, on their various daily services from Auckland and Christchurch to Singapore. Enjoy well-timed connections for an easy transit in Singapore. Across all classes of travel, the award-winning carrier has not only fostered a world-beating reputation for its exceptional customer service and in-flight product, but also its innovation. Become a KrisFlyer member and enjoy complimentary in-flight WiFi. For best fares and seats to suit head to https://www.singaporeair.com Mike Yardley is our resident traveller on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 3:7 - Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.

Delicate art of grilled cheese making. There are no dual floats. Crayons. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool. 2 It isn't good to have zeal without knowledge, nor being hasty with one's feet and missing the way. 3 The foolishness of man subverts his way; his heart rages against Yahweh. 4 Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend. 5 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who pours out lies shall not go free. 6 Many will entreat the favor of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. 7 All the relatives of the poor shun him; how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone. 8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good. 9 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish. 10 Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes. 11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense. 12 The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. 13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife's quarrels are a continual dripping. 14 House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh. 15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger. 16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die. 17 He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him. 18 Discipline your son, for there is hope; don't be a willing party to his death. 19 A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty, for if you rescue him, you must do it again. 20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end. 21 There are many plans in a man's heart, but Yahweh's counsel will prevail. 22 That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar. 23 The fear of Yahweh leads to life, then contentment; he rests and will not be touched by trouble. 24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. 25 Flog a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge. 26 He who robs his father and drives away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach. 27 If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge. 28 A corrupt witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity. 29 Penalties are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the backs of fools. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

Cabin Cousins: Part 5 The Gales of November. Based on a post by NewMountain80, in 6 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Connections. "Hmm" Melissa said, her face still buried in the pillow. She shifted and turned her head, and I moved to her side with one arm and a leg still draped over so we could look into each other's eyes. "Wow. That was..." She sighed. "...Wonderful." I smiled and kissed her cheek. "I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I did." She squinted at me. "Are you sure I'm not dreaming, and you're just a figment of my imagination?" She said playfully, though I could tell there was something serious behind the question. "I'm real, and I'm right here, in your bed, and I love you." She searched my eyes for a moment, rolled onto her side, and pulled me in close, kissing me deeply. When we stopped kissing to catch our breath, she whispered. "It's our bed, and I love you too." We held each other in silence for a long while. I knew that she had something else to say, but I didn't push her. Eventually, she broke the silence. "Do you want pancakes? I want pancakes." Not exactly the soul-baring statement I was expecting, but now that she had said it, by damn I wanted pancakes. "I'll help." I had made pancakes exactly once before, and it wasn't a complete disaster, so I felt that my inclusion in the process wouldn't be too much of a hindrance. She got a distant look in her eye, then rolled onto her back, and covered her face with her hands with a groan. "I don't have any pancake mix." She peeked at me through her fingers and we both started laughing. I'm not sure why but we both found it hilarious but we roared with laughter. I playfully pushed her towards the side of the bed. "Well, get dressed. I'll take you out for breakfast." Still laughing, she got up and opened a dresser drawer. Stepping into a pair of light blue panties, she asked. "Are you getting dressed too, or are you going to go like that?" "I'm thinking about it." I quipped, eyes following her every movement. I loved watching her move. She had a litheness and grace to her. Cat-like? No, that's not quite right. Amazonian? Maybe, but that implies a stature and bulk that Melissa didn't have. She was fit, not body builder muscular, and she wasn't particularly tall, just shy of my own five foot ten. She was perfect, and my eyes couldn't get enough of her. Let's leave it at that. "You'll give the old ladies at Perkins quite a shock." She shot back, still laughing. With an exaggerated sigh, I rolled off the bed. "For the sake of the old ladies, fine, I'll get dressed." Chapter Sixteen. The plate clinked as Melissa set down her fork. "Ugh. I ate too much, but that really hit the spot." She had attacked her "tremendous twelve" meal with murderous intent. All that remained was a scrap of crust from a piece of toast, and some maple syrup residue on an otherwise clean plate. She had even swiped a strip of bacon off of my plate, an act that left fork marks on my brother's hands on several occasions. I looked at my plate, with its pile of hash browns and a third of a stack of pancakes remaining, and set down my fork. "I guess I didn't work up as much of an appetite as you, cause I'm stuffed too." Melissa looked at me with her special smile and mischievous eyes. "Well, you'll have to try harder next time." "I need to work out more." "I can help with that." She replied, and we both giggled, knowing the truth of it. "Let's start with a walk." We left the Perkins restaurant, and with Melissa navigating, we drove north out of Duluth on Hwy 61. We pulled off and parked where a little river crossed under the road and spilled through a steep set of rocky rapids to Lake Superior below. We hiked down a little trail, and she led me out onto one of the big rocks. The scenery was spectacular, and the water rushing past the rocks had a hypnotic quality. It hadn't snowed last night, but the wind was blowing hard off the lake, and the constant mist from the rapids gave the crisp early November air some real bite. We sat for a while without speaking. Just two people holding hands, taking in the scenery and the roar of the water. There was a Gordon Lightfoot song that had something about the gales of November, how did it go? "When I left home," Melissa began, just loud enough to hear. I turned and watched her, careful to hear what she was saying over the noise of the rapids. I had been hoping for, and dreading this moment, when she decided to get the details of her past out in the open. I resolved to not interrupt and to let her tell it at her own pace. "This was the first place I went." She continued. "I didn't know where to go. I didn't have anywhere to go." She sniffed. We were alone but had someone been watching, her running nose and the tears on her cheek might have been assumed to have been caused by the cold, but I knew differently. I could see the deep down hurt that was welling up, and my heart ached. I squeezed her hand, and let her talk. "Every night for two weeks, I'd leave school, then go up the hill to the mall and sit in the food court to do my homework. When the mall closed, I came here, and parked for the night right over there." She pointed up to the little parking lot where my truck was. "I'd wake up, scrape the snow and frost off the windows, and go to school. I didn't tell anyone because then I'd have to explain why I was sleeping in a car in February. I had friends, but not close friends, you know? Like, not the kind of friends that I could talk to about..." She trailed off and wiped her nose on her jacket sleeve. "I had been lucky, it hadn't been as cold as it should have been, but then one night it got very cold. When I left the mall, I knew if I spent the night here again, I could be in serious danger. So I went to the laundromat. There was never anyone in there in the middle of the night, so I sat at one of the tables and fell asleep. The owner woke me up a couple of hours later, yelling at me that I couldn't sleep there, so I got in my car and came back here." She had been looking at the water as she spoke, but now turned and looked at me. I saw the fear and shame these memories invoked. I wanted to say something, anything to comfort her, but I knew that I should let her say what she needed to say, so I let her continue. "When I went to sleep on the back seat, I didn't think I was going to ever wake up, and I was okay with that. I didn't care that I was going to die. Nobody cared, nobody would miss me. The world would be better off without one more stupid girl. Why bother going on?" She looked away from me, east towards the vast lake, and her face twisted up in anger. "You know, the worst thing, the worst part of all of it, is they made me feel like it was all my fault. They had me so twisted up, that I believed that I was the cause of everything that happened." She turned back to me, the anger fading, leaving just a profound sadness. I wiped the tears from her cheek, and she leaned her shoulder against me. "Did your parents tell you what happened?" My throat was dry, and I swallowed hard before replying. "They were vague." She gave a little smile that was like a sunbeam on a stormy day. "I asked your mom and dad not to tell anyone. You're so lucky to have them." She looked back to the lake and spoke quietly enough that if her face had not been right next to mine, I wouldn't have been able to hear her. "When I was fifteen, when I started looking more like a woman, and less like a little girl, my dad started abusing me. Mom, she was drunk more than she was sober. She knew, she had to know, and she didn't do anything." As the River roared in its ceaseless path to Lake Superior, and the cold wind whistled and rattled through the leafless trees, Melissa spoke of abuse and divorce, lost jobs and social status, the failing of the system to help a girl who was too scared to ask for help and the blame that was assigned for all of it. "So that night, I remember when the state trooper knocked on my window." She gave a brief mirthless huff. "I thought he was an angel, with the way his flashlight lit up the frost on the inside of the window. I thought I was dead, that it was all over. I felt relieved." She shook her head. "The next thing I remember was being in a hospital bed, wrapped in electric blankets, and seeing the sunrise through the window. That trooper was there. He had stayed with me, way past the end of his shift, just to make sure I was alright. Turns out, when they went to my parent's house to see what was going on, my dad was out of town, and my mom ended up getting arrested for assaulting an officer and having a bunch of heroin. That's why she went back to him. Not for me, but for the money to buy her drugs. The trooper persuaded me to reach out to my friends. He said that people can be capable of unexpected acts of kindness, and I decided to believe him. So I called Ashley. We had always gotten along pretty well, and her parents were always super nice to me. They let me stay with them, which was really awkward at first. I just couldn't believe that a family could be so, so perfect. It was like stepping into an old sitcom. Maybe there was a little trouble now and then, but everyone loved each other, and it all worked out in the end. It was surreal, but eventually, I started believing that it was how families should be. That it was right and good, and normal." She looked me in the eyes then, and I saw her love burning through the hurt. "I didn't think that I would ever have that. I thought that there was no way I could ever open up and let someone love me, to be me, to be normal. Who could want me? Then your parents invited me back to the cabin, and I grasped onto a foolish hope that maybe you could. Ever since it's just been, It just doesn't seem real. Charles, I know you love me, but I'm still so afraid." I silenced her with a quick kiss on the lips. I held her cold, rosy cheeks in my hands and looked her in the eyes. "None of what happened was your fault. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be loved. I love you, I will always love you. Nothing in the past, present, or future will stop me from loving you until the end of time, and when we're both gone from this world, I'll find you in the next and keep loving you!" Fresh tears streamed down her face, not tears of remembered pain, but tears of joyful love. She threw her arms around me and we held each other tight. Overhead, a hawk called, adding its little part to the scene of wind, water, and young lovers. Chapter Seventeen. Getting in my truck and leaving Duluth that evening was the hardest thing I had ever done. The only thing that gave me the strength to leave was the knowledge that it was only temporary. Soon, very soon, I would never have to leave her again. When I got home, Mom was at the kitchen table reading a newspaper. She greeted me with a smile. I had to be very careful with how I was going to handle this conversation. I didn't want to lie to my mom, but I also didn't want to tell her the whole truth. "How was your weekend? I didn't get a call from the cops, so it couldn't have been too exciting." "I was the cop! We went to a Halloween party dressed as the Village People." "Fun!" Mom exclaimed, giving me a beaming smile. "Yeah, and something else happened. Do you know how I can get my employee discount at any store? Well, we stopped at one of the stores in Duluth, and I ended up talking with the yard manager. They've been having trouble finding someone competent to drive a forklift, and if I transferred up there, they'd give me a raise and make me an assistant manager. He said I could start working up there in two weeks." All of these individual facts were technically true, but it still felt like lying. "Good for you! It's great to have in-demand skills. That's a long way to drive though." "Yeah, it would be like, five hours of driving every day." "Did you look into getting an apartment up there?" Mom folded up the newspaper and gave me her undivided attention. "After the school year starts, there's literally nothing cheap available." "Where would you stay then?" She asked, looking concerned. "Well, on the way home, I was thinking about who I know that lives up there. Rob lives in a dorm, so I couldn't get away with staying there long-term. But then I remembered that Melissa lives in Duluth, I could maybe call her and see if she wants a roommate." Okay, this last bit was a lie. I didn't feel good about it, but it had to be done. "Our Melissa? Have you called her yet?" "Not yet. I'm pretty sure I have her number in my phone." "You should figure this out sooner rather than later." She looked at the clock. "It's not too late, give her a call now." I made a show of finding Melissa's number as if I hadn't memorized it weeks ago. Melissa and I had rehearsed this moment. I had the volume on my phone turned way up, so my mom was sure to hear Melissa's side of the conversation too. "Hello?" Melissa's angelic voice asked after three rings. "Hi Melissa, it's Charles." "Charles! It's good to hear from you! What's up?" "Well, I'm going to be transferring up there for work, and I was wondering if you would mind having me as a roommate until I found a place of my own." Another necessary lie. "Yeah, I guess that would be okay. You're not going to find anywhere else to stay until the end of the school year. Even then, I was lucky to get this place, this spring." "So, you're okay with me staying with you?" "Yeah, it'll be fun. Like staying at the cabin, but I don't think my landlord would approve of campfires." "I'll pay half the rent, and utilities, and everything." "Naturally," Melissa said. "I was going to ask one of my friends if they wanted to move in. Only paying half the rent will make saving for school a lot easier." "Cool. So, I guess I'll give you a call tomorrow, and we can figure out the details?" "Yeah, okay." "I'm talking with my mom right now, so I should probably let you go." "Hi Mom!" Melissa yelled. "Hi, Melissa," Mom replied, loud enough to be sure that the phone picked it up. "Talk to you tomorrow, bye!" Melissa said, much quieter this time. "Bye." I had to be very careful not to reflexively say I love you. I put my phone away and noticed that my mom was studying me with a funny little smile on her face. Then in the most casual tone, she asked. "So, does she love you as much as you love her?" My heart nearly stopped. I couldn't respond. "That was a lovely charade. Unnecessary, but lovely." I couldn't speak. My brain frantically searched for words but found only shocked silence. "Oh, honey." She began, in a soothing motherly voice. "You're my baby. Did you think I wouldn't know? It was plain to see at the cabin that you two are in love. You spent the weekend with her?" I forced myself to reply. "Yes," I said, fearing that it was all over. I felt like crying. "Good," Mom said simply. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Mom knew about me and Melissa, and she was... Happy for me? "So, you're not mad about us?" "Oh, Charles. Love is so precious. It doesn't matter where you find it, but when you do, you hold on with both hands and never let go." My tears came then, flowing hard as I released all my pent-up fears and anxiety. Mom held me as I cried on her shoulder. She gently rubbed my back like she used to do when I was a kid. When my crying subsided, she held my shoulders at arm's length. "Now, tell me about her." I did. In the conversation that followed, I was more honest and open about my feelings than I could remember being to anyone other than Melissa. I explained how we knew what each other was thinking or feeling, just by looking into each other's eyes. I told her how I wanted to improve myself, to be a better person for Melissa. And, looking back on it with a touch of horror, I did my best to explain the connection I felt with Melissa when we made love. Throughout it all, my mother was nothing but caring and understanding. After all the fear of this moment, it was surreal. It felt so good, so liberating to tell her how I felt about Melissa. When I was done, I asked Mom. "Does Dad know?" "Oh, I doubt he picked up on it." "Are you going to tell him?" Of all the people in the family, I was sure that Dad would be the least likely to accept. He had always been very traditional. Kind and gentle, but with a very strict moral compass. "Of course. He's my husband. The way you feel about Melissa, I feel about him." She hugged me again. "Don't be ashamed. Love her with all your heart, and everything else will work itself out." She kissed me on the cheek and told me that she loved me. I told her that I loved her too, and said goodnight. I went to my bedroom, shut the door, and called Melissa. "What's up?" She answered. "I didn't think I'd hear from you until tomorrow." Deciding to just be direct about it, I said. "My mother has officially given us her blessing." The line was silent as Melissa processed this. When she spoke, I could tell that she was crying. "How did she find out?" She asked. I recounted the whole conversation. "See? I told you your mom was the best." "She really is." "So, what now?" She asked, with a bit of anxiety. "She said that she had to tell everyone because it's better to have it out in the open than have to keep lying to the family. I agreed." After a short pause, Melissa said. "Me too." As it turns out, my family's reaction was both better than I had feared and worse than I had hoped. My parents had called a family meeting and all of my immediate family, and their spouses, showed up. There were those like my mom, and my brother Mark, who were supportive and genuinely happy for me. On the other end of things, there were people like my second older brother, Stephen, and his wife, who were disgusted and called me a pervert. Most were somewhere in the middle, either not understanding and being polite about it, or just ambivalent to the whole issue. Then there was my dad. He just sat there the whole time, with a frown on his face, and never spoke a word. I couldn't tell if he was ashamed, or angry, or what, and it tore me up inside. He had never in his life been shy about voicing his opinion. After my mom, he was who I needed acceptance from the most. I desperately wanted him to say something, anything, but he never did. His silence cut deeper than any insult or accusation ever could. At the beginning, and with prompting from my mom, I had stood before everyone, confessing Melissa's and my love for each other, and that I was moving out to live with her in Duluth. After the initial shock and spectrum of reactions, I sat down and answered questions. Now, not being able to bear my father's silence any longer, I stood again, interrupting several side conversations. I addressed the whole group, but my words were meant for my father more than anyone. "Melissa and I truly love each other. Nothing you do or say can change it. Accept it, accept us, or don't. I don't care." Dad didn't react, didn't even look me in the eyes. I rushed to my room and locked the door. I curled up on my bed and cried, harder than I could remember ever crying before. The stress of the family meeting and my dad's non-reaction had utterly destroyed me. I held a pillow over my head to muffle the sounds of my uncontrollable sobs, and to hide my face from the world. "What if they're right about you?" A part of my mind asked. "What if you're just a sicko. That's what they all think." "No! I really do love her!" Another part of my mind answered. "What kind of weirdo falls in love with his cousin? What kind of deviant fucks someone in his own family?" "No! Our love is pure and perfect!" "Yeah, perfect. The perfect fantasy of a clinically twisted pervert! You're just taking advantage of a poor broken girl." "No..." I moaned aloud, holding my head in my hands. Sometime after, someone knocked lightly on my bedroom door. I ignored it, lost as I was in terrible contradictory thoughts. The knock came again, and I heard my mom's voice. "Charles, honey. Can I come in?" I didn't respond, knowing that right then I couldn't bear to face anyone, even my mother. "Oh, my baby." She said through the door. "All I want is for you to be happy. Follow your heart, everything will work out. I love you." Her words quieted the thoughts whirling through my mind, and though my sobs faded, the tears continued to flow. I was exhausted, physically and emotionally. I closed my eyes and imagined Melissa lying next to me. I thought about how if she were here, she would comfort me, and wipe the tears from my face. I could see her so clearly in my mind, see how her icy blue eyes would pour her inexhaustible love into me. Soon, my tears stopped flowing, and I regained a sense of peace. I felt awful for doubting myself, for doubting Melissa, if even for a moment. Our love is right. It is pure and perfect. She made me complete, as I made her complete. I drifted off to sleep, with a smile on my face, thinking about Melissa, and dreaming about the future. Chapter Eighteen. Charles copes with changes, but the biggest is yet to happen. The armrests of the padded chair where I was seated were a little too high to be comfortable, so I kept my hands folded in my lap. I gazed at the paintings of calm rural scenes hung on the walls of the spacious office. I wondered absently if they were real places or just the artist's impression of idyllic country life. I glanced at the woman in the matching chair positioned across from me. She was patiently waiting for me to continue my story, with an encouraging expression on her face. "I moved my things into Melissa's apartment a few days later and spent the night with her a couple of times when I had the day off. After the two weeks were up, I started work at the Duluth store and lived with her from then on. I think the only word to describe the years that followed is heavenly. I wouldn't have changed a single thing." "Tell me more about how your family reacted," said the woman, Dr. Clarke. "Did your father and brother ever come around?" "Dad? Yeah, he just needed a little time to process it. After that, he was as good with it as Mom was. The thing with him was, years before, before anyone knew what had been going on with Melissa's dad, he'd known that something was wrong. I'm not sure how, but he knew. After Melissa left home, he would call and check in on her. He paid to have her car fixed and even paid the deposit on her apartment. He always went out of his way to make her feel like she had people that cared. I think he loved her as if she were his own daughter, so the whole thing with the two of us was kind of a shock. When Melissa and I went to my parent's place for Thanksgiving, later that month; and he saw firsthand how happy she was, it wasn't an issue." "And your brother, Stephen?" Dr. Clarke prompted. "That same Thanksgiving, I ended up knocking him down with a punch to the face. He said that Melissa's family were all degenerates and that Melissa was just bringing that degeneracy to our family now. That was the last time I ever saw him." I forced my clenched fists to relax and laid my palms flat on my thighs. "Have you ever thought about reaching out to him? People can change a lot in twenty-four years." "No," I said firmly. "It was his choice to ostracize himself from our family, and I want nothing to do with someone capable of being so deliberately malicious. He knew that she was just beginning to heal the trauma that had been done to her; and had said what he did, specifically to hurt her. Someone capable of doing that will always be capable of doing it." "You might be surprised by how much people can change," She said, as she scribbled a few lines in her notepad. "Maybe," I said, brows furrowing. Those words had made their way into Melissa's nightmares. My fists clenched again, as I remembered all the times I was awoken in the middle of the night by her sobs. I remembered how helpless I felt, being able to do nothing but console her; and hold her until she fell back asleep. My knuckles were white, and my fists trembled slightly. I saw Dr. Clarke glance down at my hands, but she did not indicate what she was thinking. Therapists must make superb poker players. "Some things just can't be forgiven," I said quietly, forcing my hands to relax. "Again, you might be surprised. We can talk more about that next week." She set aside her notepad and glanced up at the clock on the wall behind me. "Now close your eyes, and concentrate on your breathing. Take a slow deep breath, imagining all your negative emotions as a tangible thing. Now breathe out slowly as all those emotions evaporate and exit your body like smoke. Again, deep inhale, and out. Good. Feel your mind become still as your breath carries away the pain. Once more, in, and out. Good." For some reason, this technique worked for me. If left alone, my thoughts naturally gravitated to the bad memories, and each one brought two more with it until I became overwhelmed. I would become mentally gridlocked to the point of not being able to function in everyday life. "When I say the word joy, what is the first thing that pops into your mind?" My eyes were still closed, and I smiled. "Melissa's face when she first saw me that October weekend reunion, at the cabin." "Good. Keep up your breathing exercise. All the pain is gone, only the joy remains. Describe the scene for me. What else do you see? What do you smell and hear?" A single tear rolled down my cheek. I'm not sure why I started to cry, whether it was joy in the image of her, so happy and full of promise for the future, or sorrow because that future is gone. I would never again see her smile. "Sunbeams cut down through the trees, lighting up smoke drifting from the fire pit. She passes through one, and her hair glows like golden fire. I smell the white pines, strong in the soft breeze, and the smell of burning oak. A loon call echoes up from the lake, and all around the cabin yard, there is the quiet burble of conversations and laughter." I wiped the tears from my face with a flannel shirt sleeve and looked away from Dr. Clarke. I still felt embarrassed to cry in front of another person. "That sounds lovely. Hold on to that moment, use it as a refuge." She glanced at the clock again and stood. I stood as well, taking a tissue from the box on the coffee table to dry my eyes. She walked me to her office door. "Thank you for sharing today, Charles. I think you are doing very well." As she opened the door, she asked. "Have you gone to the aromatherapy shop we talked about last week?" "No," I said dejectedly. "I was going to, but..." I had meant to go, but sometimes certain things were just impossible to make myself do. Going into an unfamiliar place and talking to a stranger was one of those things. Sometimes I could, sometimes I couldn't. This hadn't been a particularly good week, and the thought of talking to someone new, someone who would ask questions about why I was there, questions that would bring up painful memories, was simply unthinkable. Yesterday, I had made it all the way to my car and had the key in the ignition, but then I just sat there, unable to make myself go through with it. "That's ok." Said Dr. Clarke. I knew she knew why I didn't go, and I had gotten to the point where I felt safe sharing my feelings with her, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of shame. "Addy is very good at what she does, and she has helped many of my clients. She's a friend." I nodded and started moving through the doorway. Ending conversations always seemed so awkward. I never knew what to say. "Thank you for being so open today, Charles. See you again next week." She was looking at my eyes, and I met her gaze briefly before looking away. In recent years, I had become very uncomfortable making anything more than the briefest of eye contact with people, especially women, so I was usually at a huge disadvantage when it came to reading people's motivations and emotions. In that brief glimpse though, I caught the impression of empathy and a real desire to help. It felt really good to know that someone cared. I gave her a genuine smile and left. I left her office with the intention of going directly to the shop she had recommended, but by the time I was in my car, I just... couldn't. This is what my life had become. I could go from being on the verge of drowning in a sea of sorrow to feeling positive and optimistic in an instant, then back just as fast. But mostly, it was what I called 'the gray'. I am self-aware enough to understand how it began. Instead of dealing with certain traumatic events, my brain decided that it was easier and far less painful, just to push them aside. The problem is, that those things don't just go away. No matter how hard you push them down, they keep bubbling back up, and you end up pushing everything away in the effort. Then one day you realize that living in the gray was the only way to survive because every little bit of emotion, good or bad, could open the gates and let all the pain come rushing in. I had pushed everything and everyone aside for the sake of self-preservation, and it was killing me. I knew I needed help. I knew that the person I was, wasn't really me. The problem was, I had been in the gray so long, that I couldn't remember how it was before, not really. I knew that I had been happy once, that I had hopes and dreams. But that was all gone, lost in the gray. Chapter Nineteen. The next day turned out to be one of the good ones. I was able to get myself out of bed, dressed, and in the car. I decided that I would finally make it to this aromatherapy shop Dr. Clarke wanted me to go to. I turned the key in the ignition, and my geriatric Honda Civic purred to life. I quickly released the emergency brake and shifted into reverse. I backed out of my parking spot with a sigh. There, I did it. The hard part was over, and now that I had started the task, it would be easier to go through with it. Don't ask me why that makes sense, I wouldn't know how to even start explaining. I enjoyed my drive across town. It was a beautiful day in Duluth. Down near Lake Superior, it was a little breezy and a comfortable 65 degrees, perfect for driving with the windows down. Climbing the hill on 194, the farther I got away from the lake, the hotter it got. By the time I got to the shop, it was nearly 80 degrees, and I had begun to sweat. A typical July day in the Twin Ports. I've always said, that this was one of the things I loved most about living in Duluth. It could be hot as hell up on top of the hill, but if the wind was right, it was always cool near the lake. I shut the car off and set the E brake. I wiped a bit of sweat off my brow, and it occurred to me that I was wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday and that I hadn't showered. Hit with a sudden wave of shame and embarrassment about meeting someone new in this state, I almost just left to go back home. With an effort of willpower, I opened the car door and stepped out. Task begun. I walked in and was greeted by a smiling older lady that I assumed was Addy. "Hi, um, Dr. Clarke sent me." Addy's smile widened. "Oh, come in, come in. I'm Addy." "I'm Charles," I replied, meeting her eyes for the briefest moment. "Pleased to meet you, Charles. How is Rose doing these days?" Dr. Clarke's first name was Virginia. She had grown up in Virginia, Minnesota, and I think she was still annoyed by her unimaginative parents, because she liked to use her middle name, Rose. I almost exclusively used 'Dr. Clarke' when speaking with or about her. "I've been seeing her for a couple of months now. She's nice." I never seemed to know how to answer questions like that. I grimaced inwardly at my awkwardness. "She's a sweetheart, and good at her job. I saw her for years." She led me over to a glass counter filled with hundreds of small labeled bottles. "So, are we looking for something to help you relax?" "Something to help me remember." I paused briefly, trying to find the right words. "Well, remembering isn't the issue." I felt a rush of awkwardness and a little bit of embarrassment in talking about something so personal with a stranger. My cheeks flushed, and I looked at the bottles in the case to ensure I didn't accidentally make eye contact. "I want to be able to focus on just the one thing." "Tell me about it." I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. "There's smoke from the campfire, mostly oak. Maybe a tiny bit of something acrid, like someone had thrown a plastic plate in the fire." As I spoke, I could hear Addy selecting a few bottles from a rack within the display case. "Pine trees. Even with the smoke, the pines smell strong." "Spruce?" Addy asked politely. "No, White Pine. The needles and sap are everywhere." "Anything else?" I took another deep breath but didn't reply. "Sometimes there's things around us that have a scent, but we're either too used to it, or its faint enough that we don't remember without smelling it. What else was there? Is this a campground?" Addy asked in what I recognized as being in a deliberately unobtrusive way. "It's a cabin," I replied, searching the mental image for things that may have a scent. "It's an old log cabin, surrounded by white pines. There's a log pile. My brother had been using the chainsaw earlier. My truck is parked in the driveway, it smells like gas because the tank leaks a little bit. Someone had mowed the little patch of grass in front of the cabin." "Is there anyone there, wearing perfume or aftershave?" I nodded my head in the affirmative. Addy gave me time to answer. "She..." I struggled to find words to describe Melissa's scent. How do you describe such a thing to someone? How do you describe a sunset to a blind person, or describe to a deaf person the emotions evoked by the Moonlight Sonata? She smelled like love, and I still smell her on the clothes I keep in her dresser. "You know how strawberry plants don't smell like strawberry? Not like the fake strawberry candy scent?" Of course, she did, but I went on. "A strawberry blossom. Delicate, faint, with just the promise of sweetness." "She was someone special," Addy said, in more of a statement than a question. "I ended up marrying her. She;" A tear rolled down my cheek. "Nine years ago;" I just couldn't force the words out of my mouth. I could tell Addy the exact date and time. I could tell her that we had just gone to see The Martian in the movie theater and that the night was clear and cool after the late August thunderstorm earlier that afternoon. I could tell her what song was playing on the radio. I could tell her the look on Melissa's face when the headlights crossed through the median in front of us. What I couldn't say, was physically unable to, was that nine years ago, Melissa died. "It's okay, dear," Addy said. She had a grandmotherly voice, full of kindness and understanding. For the briefest of moments, the power of that gentle voice made me believe that yes, everything would be okay. "Give me a few minutes, and I'll have something for you to try." I nodded and wandered away from the counter, absently browsing the candles and incense as I tried to compose myself. As I looked through the shop it occurred to me how posh the place seemed. High-dollar products are meant to be sold to people who have the luxury of ignoring price tags. I did not have that luxury. I felt anxiety and a general shame of the complete fuck up I had become. If this costs more than about forty dollars, I wouldn't be able to afford groceries this week. "Charles, it's ready," Addy called from the other side of the store. I walked over and closed my eyes as she extended a small glass bottle filled with clear liquid. I breathed deeply and conjured the scene in my mind. The scent of Addy's mixture hit me like a lightning bolt. It was like reading a book in the dark, and then someone turned on the lights. Everything came into sharp focus like I was there. The smoke, the pines, and, My breath caught in my throat. Buried deep within the mix there was something light, something so tenuous you hardly knew it was there. It was Melissa. In my mind, she threw herself into my arms, and I could smell her. I could smell her. "How?" I asked, looking her in the eyes for the first time since my initial glance. Addy smiled warmly, and I could see genuine care in her face, not just the politeness of a shop owner to a customer. "If she had been wearing perfume, it would have been harder. We remember scents much better than we think we do. Sometimes all we need is a little hint, and it's brought right to the front." Dr. Clarke was right, Addy was good. "Your idea about the strawberry flowers was good. They're very faint and don't smell like much at all, definitely not strawberries. But when you know that you have strawberry flowers, and you smell them, your brain brings up the memory of strawberries. Scents are all connected in our minds, and are rooted deep down at the very foundation of memory." Addy put a rubber stopper in the bottle and carefully placed the bottle in a velvet pouch with her shop's logo on it. She held it out for me to take. A tear dripped off my jaw, and I quickly wiped my face on a sleeve. "How much?" I started to ask, again acutely aware of my wrinkled clothes, my general lack of personal hygiene, and the depressingly small balance of my bank account. Addy cut me off with a raised hand. "Rose is a friend of mine, and any friend of hers is also a friend of mine." She pushed the velvet bag into my hands. "No, I can't;" Addy stopped me again. "Most of my clients just want something that smells nice in their bathroom, or to cover the smell of weed. I'm perfectly happy to take their money." She placed her hands on mine, still clutching the velvet bag. "It's very rare that I get to help someone. Take it as a gift, with my thanks." I was speechless, and fresh tears rolled down my face. I couldn't remember the last time someone was so altruistically kind to me. "Thank you." Was all I could say. To be continued in part 6. Based on a post by NewMountain80, in 6 parts, for Literotica.

In this episode, we perceive a mother's shock, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 105, penned by Thaayankannanaar. Set in the 'Paalai' or 'Drylands landscape', the verse depicts the unlikely journey of a young girl through a challenging terrain.

The combination of rose and pistachio is a classic flavor combination that appears in a myriad of desserts all around Europe. From Mahalebi in Cypress, Rožata in Croatia, and panna cotta alla rosa in Italy. Chef Rebecca Peizer from The Culinary Institute of America was inspired to deconstruct this dessert and make her own updated version using products from all over Europe, such as Croatian Rose Hip Jam and Italian Pistachio cream (Pistacchio Verde di Bronte PDO). This milk pudding with rose is light, refreshing, and a perfect summer night treat. Get the Rose Pudding recipe here. 

The polls continue to show a narrow, but diminishing, advantage for Mark Carney's Liberals. But the polls also show that Canadians hold some complicated, and at terms contradictory, views when it comes to the United States and the prime minister's relationship with Donald Trump. It's a delicate balancing act for Carney — one that could easily go badly for the Liberals if they risked (or were forced into) an election in the fall.The week on The Numbers, we talk about the federal polling landscape and what it shows about Canadians' views on our relations with the United States. We also take one last look at the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial election, as well as what the polls are showing ahead of next week's mayoral elections in Calgary and Edmonton. Then, we close with a Quiz.Looking for even more of The Numbers? If you join our Patreon and support this joint project of ours, you'll get ad-free episodes every week, bonus episodes several times per month and access to our lively Discord. Join here! https://www.patreon.com/cw/thenumberspodThe bonus episodes are also available via an Apple Podcasts subscriptionThis episode is available on YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yesterday in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El sheikh, the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey signed the declaration of the Gaza peace deal, making them guarantors of the agreement. President Trump described it as a “tremendous day for the world, and a tremendous day for the middle east,” . But although hostilities have ceased and hostages and prisoners have been exchanged, how delicate is the peace deal agreed?

Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding, as they look ahead to this weekend's United States Grand Prix! The trio discuss how McLaren will use team orders going forwards, and the opportunity it presents Max Verstappen.Rather watch the podcast? Click here!

Balancing school and sports as a Division I athlete requires discipline, mental fortitude, and often, late nights with little rest. Student-athletes at the University of Nevada say the workload both on the field and in the classroom can be overwhelming. For junior women's soccer forward Charlotte Bonney, one of the hardest parts is staying mentally present in class after long training days. “You end up being so drained physically and mentally that it's hard to focus sometimes,” Bonney said. She added that frequent travel for away games makes it easy to fall behind academically. Building strong communication with professors and classmates, she said, has become essential to keeping up. Junior forward Olivia Loomis faces a similar challenge. Majoring in public health, Loomis said the science heavy coursework can be difficult to balance with soccer's demanding schedule. “I try to finish assignments early so I can actually relax at night,” she said. Staying organized and creating daily to do lists, she explained, helps her manage the stress. Defender Natalie Borba said the experience of being a Division I athlete is both rewarding and exhausting. “It's taught me time management,” Borba said. “But it can definitely get overwhelming.” For Nevada athletes, the demands extend far beyond the field. Between classes, practices, film sessions, and travel, the mental strain often rivals the physical one. Still, many say the experience teaches resilience and balance, skills that will last long after their college careers end. Reporting by Ally Larkin

This is an emergency broadcast from the EIC newsroom, on the third of October 2025 Taylor Swift released her twelfth studio album, The Life Of A Show Girl.Here at EIC headquarters we had been warming to Taylor after a collective indifference, but it seems we may have potentially picked a bad time to enSwifticate ourselves. TLOAS tracks were leaked just before release, and immediately, the drama began.The album was recorded in Sweden with the producers Max Martin and Shellback, who she made "22," "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," "Blank Space," "Style," "Shake It Off," "…Ready For It?" and "Delicate."with, mostly during the European leg of the Eras Tour in 2024.The album consists of 12 tracks, with one featuring Sabrina Carpenter. It sold 2.7 million copies in traditional album sales — which include physical and digital formats — in its first day in the U.S. That's according to Luminate, an industry data and analytics company, breaking her previous record for most first week sales with TTPD.In the now infamous episode of her American Football playing fiance's podcast, Taylor described the album as “What was going on behind the scenes in my inner life during this tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant. It just comes from like the most infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic place I was in in my life.“And so that effervescence has come through on this record' she said ‘that the goal of the album was “melodies that were so infectious that you're almost angry at it” and also lyrics that “are as vivid, crisp, focused, and completely intentional.”‘This is the record I've been wanting to make for a very long time. Every single song is on this album for hundreds of reasons … It's just right.” she said.Controversy started with Actually Romantic, which is rumoured to be about Charli xcx, but that isn't her only eyebrow raiser. Some are upset at the highly sexualised nature of tracks like ‘wood', some are critcising her for releasing multiple variants with bonus tracks, or different recordings, to appeal to collectors and boost album sales by counting each variant as a separate purchase; some of the promo videos that used QR codes or other interactive elements were flagged by people online as possibly being made partly with generative AI, which has caused a stir not least because Swift has been vocal about artists needing control of their work and masters, but also because of the awful instance when people made a deepfake of her. However that is unconfirmed.What is confirmed is that for the first time potentially in Swift's career, it's her own fans saying they don't like the album, or are disappointed.We try to see the wood from the trees... see what we did there ;)Thanks so much for all of your takes on this topic, we appreciate you all! O,R,B xxPitchfork reviewRolling Stone reviewTaylor on Travis podcastGuardian reviewNME review BBC review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is a moment right before good things land when the body flinches. The compliment comes in, the sale hits, the room turns toward you - and your capacity to hold more starts to shake.A Delicate Radiance is a subconscious reprogramming for visibility, abundance, and ease. It teaches your body that admiration can be nourishing, that attention can feel quiet, that growth can arrive with systems and support instead of strain.In this episode, you'll receive the encoding for letting your radiance be both delicate and steady—carrying light without burning out, expanding into pleasure and praise without leaving yourself. This is where you learn that “more” can feel lighter, not heavier.

Are Aliens Just an Extension of Our Consciousness? Are psychedelics the only way to tap into a higher state of consciousness? Dr. James B. Glattfelder on the Transcendental Multiverse, Psychedelics, and the Fight for Meaning What if communicating with aliens isn't “out there”, but deep within? In this mind-expanding episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Dr. James B. Glattfelder, complexity scientist, metaphysical idealist, former quant, and author, dives deep into the true nature of consciousness, the limits of traditional physics, and the emergence of meaning in our increasingly fractured world. From psychedelic dimensions and the “transcendental multiverse” to the hidden role of identity in societal collapse, Dr. Glattfelder explores: - Why modern physics hits a wall when explaining consciousness, and why the pendulum is swinging back toward spiritual and philosophical truth - Whether alien contact during DMT trips is actually us tapping into a wider field of consciousness - Why he believes we live in a transcendental multiverse, and how you can train yourself to explore it - His personal experiences with psychedelics, and why he thinks they should be a last resort for accessing higher states - Natural ways to stimulate DMT production without substances - Potential mental health benefits of THC - Alternative modalities that lead to non-dual states and expanded awareness - Dangers of cosmic nihilism in today's spiritual seeking - Why identity is at the root of our collective dysfunction - Whether everyone should have access to higher consciousness, or if it's best left to the few - Why exploring your consciousness has the radical power to transform your life - Delicate balance between intuition, metaphysical signs, and grounded presence - Neuroscience vs philosophy: Why brain damage sometimes unlocks new genius abilities - How religion served humanity before it was weaponized, and what's next - Why we suffer, even if there's a loving intelligence behind everything - The real cure for our crisis of meaning? A return to re-enchantment with reality - Why so many plants have psychedelic properties, and what that says about consciousness itself This conversation will shake the foundations of what you believe is real! Dr. James B. Glattfelder's latest book, The Sapient Cosmos: What A Modern-Day Synthesis of Science and Philosophy Teaches Us About the Emergence Of Information, Consciousness, and Meaning: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/essentia-books/our-books/sapient-cosmos Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BialikBreakdown.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/mayimbialik⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this encore episode of Down the Garden Path, Joanne discusses how to extend the blooming season in your garden by adding asters. Topics covered in this week's episode: Gardens don't have to stop blooming in September. We can extend the season to October and November. It's very important to have because the pollinators still need something blooming. There are over 30 different species of asters. They have a huge variety of growing conditions, so there is an aster for whatever challenging growing condition you have. Here are the five asters discussed: New England Aster, Symphyotrichum nova-angliae The showiest, and likely the one you're most familiar with Native to most U.S. states and provinces It is large and very showy, with a bright, cozy blue flower with a yellow centre The leaves on the stem are densely arranged on the stem Prefer soil moist and they can grow in part shade One of the larger varieties: up to six feet tall Whitewood Aster Eurybia divaricata Delicate looking flowers Grows in dry shade which means it makes a wonderful addition to the shade garden Not super showy like most shade plants Found in Ontario in dry, deciduous forests So that's exactly what we want in our garden. If you have maple trees, pine trees, or something like that where the soil underneath is very dry and it's very shady, then this is something worth giving a try to Only gets two to three feet tall Smooth Aster Symphyotrichum laeve Similar to the New England Aster, it has leaves that are very smooth, lavender and blue Has a daisy-type flower with a yellow centre Blooms from August to October A huge pollinator for butterflies and a larvae host for the pearl crescent butterfly Heart leaf Aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium Lavender to light blue It is one of the latest ones to bloom and actually goes into November An excellent pollinator for butterflies and bees at late in the season Spreads slowly by rhizomes and it lightly self-seeds Two to three feet tall, sandy to loam soil, and part shade to full shade Panicled Aster Symphyotrichum lanceolatum This one blooms with sprays of white flowers, open spreading form, so also known as floppy Best grown with other plants to kind of support it If you already have a native garden, or if you're planting a native garden with other large tall plants, then this could be an addition if you want that Prefers moist soil, but it likes full sun You can purchase seeds from Wildflower Farm and you can again, sprinkle them or plant them in your garden this fall You can also start them like you normally would do if you wanted them to grow in February/March under lights and go through that type of thing indoors and then put them out next year Resources Mentioned in the Show: Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden Fall Mums and Asters Are you a landscape or gardening expert? We'd love to have you on the show! Click here to learn more. Find Down the Garden Path on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube: @downthegardenpathpodcast. Down the Garden Path Podcast On Down The Garden Path, professional landscape designer Joanne Shaw discusses down-to-earth tips and advice for your plants, gardens and landscapes. As the owner of Down2Earth Landscape Design, Joanne Shaw has been designing beautiful gardens for homeowners east of Toronto for over a decade. She does her best to bring you interesting, relevant and useful topics to help you keep your garden as low-maintenance as possible.  In Down the Garden Path: A Step-By-Step Guide to Your Ontario Garden, Joanne and fellow landscape designer Matthew Dressing distill their horticultural and design expertise and their combined experiences in helping others create and maintain thriving gardens into one easy-to-read monthly reference guide. Get your copy today on Amazon. Don't forget to check out Down the Garden Path on your favourite podcast app and subscribe! You can now catch the podcast on YouTube.

The environment within the cabin of a sleeper train is, well, unusual. Quite contradictory. It feels empty when you first step in, but full seconds later. It has a dead quiet feel, whilst also being noisy. It affords little physical space to move about in, yet anything you accidentally drop ends up out of reach. It would feel claustrophobic too if it weren't also strangely spatial when the lights are out. It has bareness and simplicity that somehow affords comfort. And the cabin often rocks about, as do you. The sound-feel within the cabin is unusual too. To start with there's rumble. Rumblings that roll constantly while the train is in motion. Sudden low frequency thuds and judders, as the carriages roll over joints and points in the track. There are regular pressure bumps in the internal air caused by trains passing close by in the opposite direction, and multiple strong humming sounds from the air conditioning and electric motors operating the train. Delicate sounds too. Tiny creaks and subtle shiftings in the fabrics and panelling that line the cabin, especially the ceiling which is made of flexible sound-absorbing slats.  To be conducive to sleep you'd have thought the cabin ideally needs none of this. Yet there is  an intense stillness. And during your considerable time in the cabin, twelve hours and more, these aural qualities interact, and form into their own rhythms. The mental chemistry of it all reacts to produce soporific calm. Set against my knees (as I slept) and the side wall of the cabin, with no inches to spare and bed clothes pushed up all around which would normally scupper any spatial recording, the Lento box recorded as the "night" began. Sleeping on a sleeper train is not like any normal night of course. The whole world around you is moving, rocking, as is everything in the soundscape. And yet you get your head into the comfortable hinged pillow (the back half goes up forming a bump protector) and you enter into a long aurally enhanced doze, that may, if you are lucky, become proper sleep.  Listening back the Lento box captured a true impression of being in a sleeper train cabin. Including occasional bed covers shifting and one of us popping out of the cabin briefly which is all part and parcel of the sound experience. This passage of time is somewhere between 3am and 4am. The train is speeding steadily across France, passing through lamplit towns and cities as it rolls on through the night. (It's hard to resist sleeping with the window blind part rolled up so you can witness these truly marvellous scenes.) The journey on this SNCF service is over 850km, departing Cerbere station on the extreme southern coast of France at 1850hrs, arriving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at breakfast time the next morning.

Stealthing, the removal of a condom during sex without a partner's knowledge or consent, has in recent years become a criminal offence in almost all parts of Australia. But experts say there is still a lack of awareness about what stealthing is and the dangers it poses.

1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool. 2 It isn't good to have zeal without knowledge, nor being hasty with one's feet and missing the way. 3 The foolishness of man subverts his way; his heart rages against Yahweh. 4 Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend. 5 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who pours out lies shall not go free. 6 Many will entreat the favor of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. 7 All the relatives of the poor shun him; how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone. 8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good. 9 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish. 10 Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes. 11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense. 12 The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. 13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife's quarrels are a continual dripping. 14 House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh. 15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger. 16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die. 17 He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him. 18 Discipline your son, for there is hope; don't be a willing party to his death. 19 A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty, for if you rescue him, you must do it again. 20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end. 21 There are many plans in a man's heart, but Yahweh's counsel will prevail. 22 That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar. 23 The fear of Yahweh leads to life, then contentment; he rests and will not be touched by trouble. 24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. 25 Flog a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge. 26 He who robs his father and drives away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach. 27 If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge. 28 A corrupt witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity. 29 Penalties are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the backs of fools. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

Today, the Spotlight shines On composer and pianist Robin Holcomb and cellist Peggy Lee.These two musicians have been creating music together for the better part of two decades. Their new album, Reno, out September 12, captures something rare: the kind of musical conversation that happens when two artists know each other's musical language inside and out. Robin's songs draw from American folk traditions while her piano work moves into territories that feel both classical and completely free. Peggy brings a cello sound that's equally at home with composed melodies and total improvisation.Their collaboration encompasses everything from Robin's early song cycles about utopian communities in the Pacific Northwest to pieces that came from her work on the Donner Party saga. It's music that's hard to categorize, which makes it all the more worth your time.This conversation in the Fall of 2024, off-hours and in person at Seattle music venue The Royal Room.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Robin Holcomb and Peggy Lee's album Reno)–Dig DeeperVisit Robin Holcomb at robinholcomb.com and follow her on Instagram and FacebookVisit cellist Peggy Lee onlinePurchase Robin Holcomb and Peggy Lee's Reno from Songlines or Qobuz, and listen on your streaming platform of choice.Wayne Horvitz - Robin's partner, frequent collaborator, and producer of RenoDig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, the Spotlight shines On composer and pianist Robin Holcomb and cellist Peggy Lee.These two musicians have been creating music together for the better part of two decades. Their new album, Reno, out September 12, captures something rare: the kind of musical conversation that happens when two artists know each other's musical language inside and out. Robin's songs draw from American folk traditions while her piano work moves into territories that feel both classical and completely free. Peggy brings a cello sound that's equally at home with composed melodies and total improvisation.Their collaboration encompasses everything from Robin's early song cycles about utopian communities in the Pacific Northwest to pieces that came from her work on the Donner Party saga. It's music that's hard to categorize, which makes it all the more worth your time.This conversation in the Fall of 2024, off-hours and in person at Seattle music venue The Royal Room.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Robin Holcomb and Peggy Lee's album Reno)–Dig DeeperVisit Robin Holcomb at robinholcomb.com and follow her on Instagram and FacebookVisit cellist Peggy Lee onlinePurchase Robin Holcomb and Peggy Lee's Reno from Songlines or Qobuz, and listen on your streaming platform of choice.Wayne Horvitz - Robin's partner, frequent collaborator, and producer of RenoDig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate Spotlight On ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of Spotlight On in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit spotlightonpodcast.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Spotlight On email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nolan Consulting Group Coach, Eamon Lynch shares lessons from scaling operations at a billion-dollar remodeling company and applying those systems to smaller trades businesses. From bay window sales gone wrong to the critical handoffs between sales and operations, Eamon breaks down why "we say a lot of things" isn't good enough and how to build accountability that scales. Learn his approach to cross-departmental meetings and the communication strategies that turn chaos into consistent growth.

Chris and Lacy dive into the legacy and evolution of Delicate Productions—spotlighting its groundbreaking work, recent partnership with the Live Events network, and its ongoing influence on live event technology. Listen for behind-the-scenes stories, historic client highlights, and what makes this powerhouse team stand apart in the modern production landscape.Chris and Lacy also welcome Delicate Productions as Geezers Of Gear Podcasts newest sponsor. #Podcast #DelicateProductions #Sponsor #FutureTech #AI #AIPodcast

It's back-to-school season and illness is in the air! Kris returns from her deathbed with tales of the flu (definitely NOT a recommendation) and Tara encounters her first COVID romance (which is a recommendation). Kris lays out tips for eBay seller success and Tara discusses her reaction to James Dobson's death as an ex-Evangelical (TL;DR: fuck that guy).  Official Recommendations  From Kris: Giant Little Ones (2018) Kris's official recommendation this week is Giant Little Ones (2018). It's a film about two high school boys who are teenage royalty and adored by the girls, whose lives are changed during an epic 17th birthday party. According to Kris, this story is full of drama, reminding her of how awful those teenage years are. There is some violence against gay people in this movie, but Kris still thinks the quality and the story are worth the discomfort if you're able. From Tara: Make or Break by E. J. Noyes Tara's official recommendation this week is Make or Break by E. J. Noyes. It's a sapphic romance novel that takes place on the set of a police drama between one of the leading actors and the key makeup artist. They've each had a crush on the other for years, but never knew if their crushes were returned. Tara says this one is a gentle romance with excellent character arcs. Works/People Discussed K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025) Alone (History Channel) Alone Australia (SBS) Hightown (STARZ) Hostage (Netflix) Great Canadian Baking Show (CBC) Somebody Feed Phil (Netflix) Forever Theirs by Anna Stone (Mistress, book 3) Guarded Desires by Anna Stone (Mistress, book 4) Sweet, Spicy, Delicate by Allison Ashton Who We Could Be by Chelsea M. Cameron Support & follow the show Buy us a Ko-fi Facebook Instagram Threads  Bluesky TikTok YouTube  Get all our links on Linktr.ee

Steve discusses with Ray their perspectives on the upcoming Fed and ECB meetings in September. They share insights and recommendations for the equities and bond markets, while also addressing the outlook for the USD and gold. Find out more from our latest Global Market Outlook report here.Speakers:- Steve Brice, Global Chief Investment Officer, Standard Chartered Bank- Ray Heung, Senior Investment Strategist, Standard Chartered Bank

The time has finally come. In what was initially slated to be our Season 5 premiere (pre “Showgirl” era), your hosts at long last return to The Muses miniseries to kick off the story of Joe Alwyn! In this highly anticipated episode, Olivia & Dani take you through the beginnings of Joe & Taylor's lengthy relationship. Where did they meet? When did it become official? Did Taylor cheat? What moments from this time inspired specific songs in Taylor's discography? We go through all of that and more during this hefty return to your regularly scheduled Taylearning programming! Subscribe to our new Patreon for behind the scenes content, citations, videos, live streams, and more! Head to our website, www.TaylearningPodcast.com/merch, and get yourself some new wearable merch! Calvin Harris Episode & Tom Hiddleston Episode Instagram: @Taylearning_Podcast, @danielle_winchester, @olivia_kotarski TikTok/Bluesky: @TaylearningPodcast Twitter (X): @Taylearning Email: taylearningpodcast@gmail.com Website: www.TaylearningPodcast.com Spotify Playlist: Click here! *Explicit: Language, Sexual References

In this episode, Jordan Grotzinger and Gregory Bombard discuss the Ninth Circuit's recent decision impacting the most litigated issue in trade secret cases – trade secret identification. 

1 Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in his lips and is a fool. 2 It isn't good to have zeal without knowledge, nor being hasty with one's feet and missing the way. 3 The foolishness of man subverts his way; his heart rages against Yahweh. 4 Wealth adds many friends, but the poor is separated from his friend. 5 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who pours out lies shall not go free. 6 Many will entreat the favor of a ruler, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts. 7 All the relatives of the poor shun him; how much more do his friends avoid him! He pursues them with pleas, but they are gone. 8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. He who keeps understanding shall find good. 9 A false witness shall not be unpunished. He who utters lies shall perish. 10 Delicate living is not appropriate for a fool, much less for a servant to have rule over princes. 11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger. It is his glory to overlook an offense. 12 The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass. 13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father. A wife's quarrels are a continual dripping. 14 House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh. 15 Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep. The idle soul shall suffer hunger. 16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, but he who is contemptuous in his ways shall die. 17 He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him. 18 Discipline your son, for there is hope; don't be a willing party to his death. 19 A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty, for if you rescue him, you must do it again. 20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end. 21 There are many plans in a man's heart, but Yahweh's counsel will prevail. 22 That which makes a man to be desired is his kindness. A poor man is better than a liar. 23 The fear of Yahweh leads to life, then contentment; he rests and will not be touched by trouble. 24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. 25 Flog a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence; rebuke one who has understanding, and he will gain knowledge. 26 He who robs his father and drives away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach. 27 If you stop listening to instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge. 28 A corrupt witness mocks justice, and the mouth of the wicked gulps down iniquity. 29 Penalties are prepared for scoffers, and beatings for the backs of fools. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast

Let your mind wander as I whisper unintelligible words and add soothing sounds to guide you into deep, peaceful relaxation. No need to understand just feel.

Send us a textThe moment arrives for every parent – watching your child transform from dependent teenager to independent adult. In this heartfelt conversation, we're joined by a special guest who offers a unique perspective on this pivotal transition from the young adult side of the equation.Cameron, a college student preparing for graduation and engaged to be married, shares candid insights about what truly helped him navigate the journey to independence. Rather than focusing on the moment of separation, he emphasizes how his successful transition resulted from years of gradual preparation – parents who allowed increasing autonomy while maintaining a reliable safety net of support.The conversation explores that delicate balance every parent struggles to find: providing enough freedom for growth while ensuring your child knows you're available when truly needed. As Cameron explains, knowing he was unconditionally supported gave him confidence to solve problems independently, navigate uncomfortable situations, and discover his authentic self away from home.For parents approaching this milestone, our discussion offers practical guidance on preparing teenagers for independence long before move-in day. We address the importance of transferring responsibility for everyday tasks, communicating expectations clearly, and acknowledging the emotional challenges parents face when their caretaking role fundamentally changes.Perhaps most reassuringly, we discuss how the parent-child relationship doesn't end but evolves into something potentially more rewarding – an adult friendship built on mutual respect. As one parent reflects, "To have an adult relationship with your kid is probably the greatest thing I didn't expect to happen."Whether you're years away from this transition or facing it imminently, this episode provides valuable perspective for nurturing independence while maintaining meaningful connection. Join us to discover how letting go might just be your greatest parenting achievement.Please be sure to checkout our website for previous episodes, our psych-approved resource page, and connect with us on social media! All this and more at www.thelylaspodcast.com

Send Mary and Kelsey a Message!In this episode, Mary and Kelsey sit down with Grammy-award winner and visionary film and music video director Joseph Kahn. They discuss Joseph's new 2000s nostalgia-packed horror comedy movie “Ick” which hits theaters for a limited time July 27-29, how he became one of the most sought-after music video directors in the industry, and his work with with the world's biggest names in music including Backstreet Boys (Everybody, Larger Than Life, Incomplete), Britney Spears (Toxic, Stronger, Womanizer), Taylor Swift (Blank Space, Bad Blood, Wildest Dreams, Look What You Made Me Do, End Game, Delicate) and more. Find Ick showtimes near you at www.icktheflick.comFollow Joseph at @josephkahn on IGSupport the show Instagram: @whentheypoppedpodTikTok: @whentheypoppedpodEmail: whentheypoppedy2k@gmail.comWebsite: linktree.com/whentheypopped Subscribe to our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=85610411

In the first of this summer's Little Gold Men book club series, David and Richard are joined by VF's Hillary Busis for a discussion of The History of Sound, the queer period romance starring Paul Mescal and Josh O'Connor and hitting theaters this September. The hosts discuss the original short story by Ben Shattuck, who also wrote the film adaptation, as well as the fascinating choices made in the shift from page to screen. Later, Shattuck joins the show to give us insights into his process writing two versions of this story, and where the inspiration came from.Our next Little Gold Men book club is Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell. We'll be discussing the novel and its upcoming film adaptation on our August 14 episode. Read along with us and send your questions to littlegoldmen@vf.com.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Geoff, Gavin and Andrew talk about Geoff is back, long flight, So... Alright, Russian driver, a plane ride, bailey's on the rocks, mile high puke club, six saltines, puke preferences, friendly skies, Rizzler, Virtual Weapon, Andrew's Fall Guys haunting, Limbo, Call of Duty Modern Warfare, Geoff the anus guy, helium fart, saffron, ice cream pranks, rarity scale, Big Bounce again, Deep Impact, shockwaves, and exploding houses. Sponsored by Shady Rays. Thanks, Shady Rays. Get 35% off polarized glasses at shadyrays.com - code REGULATION. Support us directly at https://www.patreon.com/TheRegulationPod Stay up to date, get exclusive supplemental content, and connect with other Regulation Listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices