Podcasts about Dutch

The FC crew react to Germany's dominant win over Slovakia and explain why Florian Wirtz looks so much better with Germany compared to his club team Liverpool. Plus, the guys react to Erling Haaland's comments following Norway's 4-1 win over Italy. Mario Melchiot also breaks down how he feels about the Netherlands' chances to win the World Cup after the Dutch qualified for the tournament. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Welcome to the Video Store Podcast.It's Turkey Time! The leaves are changing and the air is crisp. As the jack-o-lanterns turn into pumpkin pie I love to sit down and watch Thanksgiving movies. Some people will tell you there's only one Thanksgiving movie to watch this time of year, I disagree. I'm going to recommend four other Thanksgiving movies that will get you in the holiday spirit and hopefully become a permanent part of your Thanksgiving watch-list.First up we have Son in Law, the 1993 Pauly Shore movie. Becca, a small town Midwestern girl moves to Los Angeles to attend college. She meets Crawl (Shore) an eccentric surfer dude filled with chaotic energy. When Becca brings Crawl home for Thanksgiving the family and town aren't prepared for teh antics.John Hughes wrote two movies about Thanksgiving, one in 1987 and Dutch in 1991. Dutch is a road trip movie about a blue-collar and his spoiled, soon to be stepson. Along they way they each learn to view the world different and accept each other for who they are. The third movie on out Thanksgiving list is Home for the Holidays, directed by Jodi Foster. Home for the Holidays is a raw, unfiltered look at Thanksgiving through the lenses of a dysfunctional family. The Thanksgiving dinner scene alone is worth the price of the rental. It's not your normal ‘everyone hug and say I love you' happy ending. It's a fantastic movie and highly underrated.The final film on my list is Scent of A Woman from 1992. It's about the unlikely friendship between a prep school student and a retired Army officer. It stars the great Al Pacino and it is his movie through and through. From start to finish, he gives a master class in acting. In the end it reminds us that no matter what our situation there's always something and someone to be thankful for. No matter how you spend the holiday, with family, with friends or something else, have safe, enjoyable and relaxing holiday.We're thankful you stop by The Video Store Podcast, please come again for more great movies to add to your list.Thanks for reading Video Store Podcast! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.videostorepodcast.com

Clement Manyathela speaks with Michelle Johnson, Secretary General of the Indigenous First Nation Advocacy South Africa (IFNASA), who unpacks the origins of the Khoisan–Dutch Wars, the impact of colonial expansion, and the resilience of the Khoikhoi and San. She also discussed what more needs to be done to preserve and share these histories, and why telling these stories remains so important. The Clement Manyathela Show is broadcast on 702, a Johannesburg based talk radio station, weekdays from 09:00 to 12:00 (SA Time). Clement Manyathela starts his show each weekday on 702 at 9 am taking your calls and voice notes on his Open Line. In the second hour of his show, he unpacks, explains, and makes sense of the news of the day. Clement has several features in his third hour from 11 am that provide you with information to help and guide you through your daily life. As your morning friend, he tackles the serious as well as the light-hearted, on your behalf. Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Clement Manyathela Show. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 09:00 and 12:00 (SA Time) to The Clement Manyathela Show broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/XijPLtJ or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/p0gWuPE Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The story of how Ana Maria Borrero went from from €17/hr employee to nearly €10k/month in revenue with 6 reformers, 20 classes, and a waitlist in a small Dutch town.Find Ana here:https://movewithana.nl/ https://www.instagram.com/movewithanapilates/Mentioned in this episode:Get our help to grow your teamThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: AdBarker - https://adbarker.com/privacy

Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Navigating Art and Friendship: An Adventure in Amsterdam Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2025-11-16-08-38-20-nl Story Transcript:Nl: Het was een grijze, regenachtige herfstdag in Amsterdam.En: It was a gray, rainy autumn day in Amsterdam.Nl: De straten glommen van de regen en de bomen langs de grachten verloren langzaam hun bladeren.En: The streets glistened with rain, and the trees along the canals were slowly shedding their leaves.Nl: In het Rijksmuseum was het drukker dan normaal, de hallen gevuld met het gemurmel van bezoekers die beschutting zochten tegen het slechte weer.En: Inside the Rijksmuseum, it was busier than usual, the halls filled with the murmurs of visitors seeking shelter from the bad weather.Nl: Midden in deze drukte bevonden Lars, Sanne en Hugo zich, elk met hun eigen reden om hier te zijn.En: Amidst this hustle and bustle were Lars, Sanne, and Hugo, each with their own reason to be there.Nl: Lars was op een missie.En: Lars was on a mission.Nl: Hij moest "De Nachtwacht" van Rembrandt goed bestuderen voor zijn scriptie over de Nederlandse meesters.En: He needed to study "The Night Watch" by Rembrandt thoroughly for his thesis on Dutch masters.Nl: Sanne, zijn zus, was meer geïnteresseerd in de tijd die ze met haar broer kon doorbrengen dan in het schilderij zelf, maar ze verveelde zich al snel.En: Sanne, his sister, was more interested in spending time with her brother than in the painting itself, but she got bored quickly.Nl: Hugo, Lars' energieke vriend, bewaarde zijn gebruikelijke geduld niet.En: Hugo, Lars' energetic friend, was not displaying his usual patience.Nl: Hij had liever door de straten van Amsterdam gewandeld, genietend van het nabijgelegen Sinterklaasfeest met zijn marsepein en chocoladeletters.En: He would have preferred wandering through the streets of Amsterdam, enjoying the nearby Sinterklaas festival with its marsepein and chocolate letters.Nl: "Kom op, Lars," zei Hugo ongeduldig terwijl ze zich een weg baanden door de menigte.En: "Come on, Lars," Hugo said impatiently as they maneuvered through the crowd.Nl: "Hoe lang denk je dat dit gaat duren?"En: "How long do you think this will take?"Nl: Lars glimlachte, zichtbaar geconcentreerd.En: Lars smiled, visibly concentrated.Nl: "Ik wil gewoon even een goed zicht op het schilderij.En: "I just want to get a good look at the painting.Nl: Het is belangrijk voor mijn onderzoek."En: It's important for my research."Nl: Ze wurmden zich verder door de menigte.En: They wormed their way further through the crowd.Nl: De hoge plafonds van het museum versterkten het geluid van voetstappen en het gedempte geroezemoes van toeristen.En: The high ceilings of the museum amplified the sound of footsteps and the muted murmur of tourists.Nl: De lucht was piekerig van spanning en opwinding over het zien van het beroemde schilderij.En: The air was tinged with anticipation and excitement about seeing the famous painting.Nl: Eindelijk stonden ze voor "De Nachtwacht".En: Finally, they stood in front of "The Night Watch."Nl: Maar het zicht was geblokkeerd door een groep opgewonden toeristen.En: But the view was blocked by a group of excited tourists.Nl: Lars zuchtte gefrustreerd.En: Lars sighed in frustration.Nl: Sanne merkte hoe bezorgd hij eruitzag.En: Sanne noticed how worried he looked.Nl: "Misschien kunnen we Hugo's charme gebruiken," stelde Sanne voor, haar ogen glanzend van een plotselinge idee.En: "Maybe we can use Hugo's charm," suggested Sanne, her eyes gleaming with a sudden idea.Nl: "Vraag hen lief of ze even opzij willen stappen."En: "Ask them kindly if they could step aside for a moment."Nl: Hugo schudde zijn hoofd, maar om de vriendschap te behouden en te helpen, draaide hij zich om naar de groep toeristen.En: Hugo shook his head, but to maintain the friendship and help out, he turned to the group of tourists.Nl: Met een vriendelijke glimlach en een snelle knipoog, vroeg hij hen beleefd of Lars even kon kijken.En: With a friendly smile and a quick wink, he politely asked if Lars could have a look.Nl: Tot hun verbazing werkte het.En: To their surprise, it worked.Nl: De toeristen stapten opzij, nieuwsgierig naar Hugo's charisma.En: The tourists stepped aside, curious about Hugo's charisma.Nl: Een moment later stond Lars stil, met een open blik gericht op "De Nachtwacht".En: A moment later, Lars stood still, with an open gaze fixed on "The Night Watch."Nl: Hij ademde diep in en liet het historische werk op zich inwerken.En: He took a deep breath and absorbed the historical work.Nl: Sanne bekeek het schilderij ook, en voor het eerst voelde ze zich ontroerd door de kunst en het verhaal dat het vertelde.En: Sanne also looked at the painting, and for the first time, she felt moved by the art and the story it told.Nl: Toen ze uiteindelijk naar buiten liepen, voelde Lars een nieuwe waardering voor het schilderij en voor de hulp van zijn vrienden.En: As they finally walked outside, Lars felt a new appreciation for the painting and the help of his friends.Nl: Sanne had de schoonheid van de kunst ontdekt en Hugo, die meestal ongeduldig was, had iets onverwachts geleerd over geduld en samenwerking.En: Sanne had discovered the beauty of art, and Hugo, who was usually impatient, had learned something unexpected about patience and collaboration.Nl: De avond viel over Amsterdam.En: Evening fell over Amsterdam.Nl: Terwijl de regen nog steeds zachtjes tegen de ramen tikte, glimlachte het drietal om hun gedeelde ervaring, klaar om het Sinterklaasfeest te vieren met een nieuwe vriendschap en gedeelde herinneringen.En: As the rain still gently tapped against the windows, the trio smiled at their shared experience, ready to celebrate the Sinterklaas festival with a new friendship and shared memories. Vocabulary Words:gray: grijzeshedding: verliezenbusy: drukkermurmurs: gemurmelshelter: beschuttinghustle and bustle: druktethesis: scriptieimpatiently: ongeduldigmaneuvered: banenvisibly: zichtbaaramplified: versterktentinged: piekeriganticipation: spanningexcitement: opwindingblocked: geblokkeerdfrustration: frustratiecharm: charmegleaming: glanzendwink: knipoogcharisma: charismagaze: blikabsorbed: inwerkenappreciation: waarderingpatience: geduldcollaboration: samenwerkingtapped: tiktenmemories: herinneringenmuseum: museumview: zichtunexpected: onverwachts

Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Autumn Stroll Sparks Unexpected Connection in Vondelpark Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2025-11-16-23-34-02-nl Story Transcript:Nl: De zon scheen zachtjes door de bomen van het Vondelpark.En: The sun softly shone through the trees of het Vondelpark.Nl: Het was een warme herfstmiddag.En: It was a warm autumn afternoon.Nl: De lucht rook fris en de bladeren lagen als een kleurrijk tapijt op de grond.En: The air smelled fresh and the leaves lay like a colorful carpet on the ground.Nl: Kinderen lachten en renden door de bladeren.En: Children laughed and ran through the leaves, making sounds as if they were gold stars.Nl: Bram liep langzaam over het kronkelige pad.En: Bram walked slowly along the winding path.Nl: Hij hield van de stilte, van de rust die het park hem gaf.En: He loved the silence and the tranquility that the park offered him.Nl: Zijn blik bleef hangen bij de veranderingen van de natuur, op zoek naar inspiratie voor zijn volgende schilderij.En: His gaze lingered on the changes in nature, searching for inspiration for his next painting.Nl: Zijn gele jas viel op tussen de herfstbladeren, die zo geel, rood en bruin waren als een palet vol warme kleuren.En: His yellow coat stood out among the autumn leaves, which were as yellow, red, and brown as a palette full of warm colors.Nl: Ilse was ook in het park.En: Ilse was also in the park.Nl: Na een drukke werkdag zocht ze rust en ruimte.En: After a busy workday, she sought peace and space.Nl: Ze hield van de natuur en de energie die het haar gaf.En: She loved nature and the energy it gave her.Nl: Haar lachs was aanstekelijk en vaak begroette ze de honden die met hun baasjes voorbij kwamen.En: Her laugh was infectious, and she often greeted the dogs passing by with their owners.Nl: Terwijl ze de bomen bewonderde, voelde ze haar zorgen verdwijnen.En: As she admired the trees, she felt her worries disappear.Nl: Plotseling stopte Bram.En: Suddenly, Bram stopped.Nl: Zijn ogen waren gevangen door een groep kinderen.En: His eyes were captivated by a group of children.Nl: Ze gooiden bladeren omhoog alsof ze een regen van kleur creëerden.En: They threw leaves up as if creating a rain of color.Nl: Ilse stond toevallig naast hem, kijkend naar hetzelfde tafereel.En: Ilse happened to be standing next to him, watching the same scene.Nl: Hun blikken kruisten en een gemeenschappelijke lach brak de stilte.En: Their eyes met, and a shared smile broke the silence.Nl: "Mooi, hè?" zei Ilse, wijzend naar de kinderen.En: "Beautiful, isn't it?" Ilse said, pointing to the children.Nl: Bram knikte langzaam. Zijn schuchtere glimlach verscheen.En: Bram nodded slowly, a shy smile appearing on his face.Nl: Ze begonnen te praten.En: They started talking.Nl: Over kunst, de schoonheid van natuur en het leven in Amsterdam.En: About art, the beauty of nature, and life in Amsterdam.Nl: Bram voelde zich ongewoon op zijn gemak.En: Bram felt unusually at ease.Nl: Ilse's opgewektheid was als een zachte bries die zijn angst voor vreemde gesprekken wegblies.En: Ilse's cheerfulness was like a gentle breeze blowing away his fear of conversations with strangers.Nl: "Ik zoek inspiratie voor een nieuw schilderij," bekende Bram.En: "I'm looking for inspiration for a new painting," Bram confessed.Nl: Ilse antwoordde: "En ik zoek rust na lange werkdagen."En: Ilse replied, "And I'm looking for peace after long workdays."Nl: Ze realiseerden zich dat ze veel gemeen hadden.En: They realized they had a lot in common.Nl: Een liefde voor kunst en natuur verbond hen.En: A love for art and nature connected them.Nl: Ze besloten samen nog eens in het park af te spreken.En: They decided to meet again in the park.Nl: Misschien terug naar het Vondelpark, of naar een van de vele musea van de stad.En: Perhaps back to het Vondelpark, or to one of the many museums in the city.Nl: Toen ze afscheid namen, voelde Bram zich voor het eerst sinds lange tijd opgewekt.En: When they said goodbye, Bram felt uplifted for the first time in a long while.Nl: Hij had niet alleen inspiratie voor zijn kunst gevonden, maar ook een onverwachte band met een ander mens.En: He had not only found inspiration for his art but also an unexpected connection with another person.Nl: Ilse, aan de andere kant, voelde zich kalm en vredig.En: Ilse, on the other hand, felt calm and peaceful.Nl: De ontmoeting had haar dag verlicht.En: The encounter had brightened her day.Nl: De zon zakte langzaam achter de bomen terwijl Bram en Ilse zich omdraaiden en hun eigen weg vervolgden.En: The sun slowly set behind the trees as Bram and Ilse turned and continued on their paths.Nl: Het begin van een nieuwe vriendschap en een bron van inspiratie.En: The beginning of a new friendship and a source of inspiration.Nl: Beiden keken uit naar hun volgende ontmoeting, met nieuwe hoop en mogelijkheden.En: Both looked forward to their next meeting, with new hope and possibilities.Nl: Het Vondelpark had hen niet alleen rust gegeven, maar ook een onverwachte verbinding.En: Het Vondelpark had given them not just peace, but also an unexpected connection. Vocabulary Words:softly: zachtjesshone: scheenwinding: kronkeligetranquility: rustlingered: bleef hangengaze: blikinspiration: inspiratieyellow coat: gele jaspalette: paletenergy: energieinfectious: aanstekelijkadmired: bewonderdeworries: zorgencaptivated: gevangenscene: tafereelshy: schuchterat ease: op zijn gemakcheerfulness: opgewektheidconfessed: bekendecommon: gemeenconnected: verbondgoodbye: afscheiduplifted: opgewektunexpected: onverwachteconnection: verbindingpeaceful: vredigbrightened: verlichthope: hooppossibilities: mogelijkhedenfresh: fris

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Why does alcohol feel like the only way to quiet your mind? Drinking to deal with sensory overload and overwhelming 'white noise' was a daily necessity for Scot. After growing up surrounded by generational alcohol use, he turned to alcohol early in life, finding it was the only thing that allowed him to overcome shyness and function socially. It wasn't until later in life, after receiving a diagnosis of Autism and ADHD, that Scot finally understood the true battle he was fighting—a fight against his own neurodivergent needs that led him to a devastating cycle of returns to old patterns and regret. Scot and Coach Cole discuss: Scot's early years in a family shaped by heavy drinking and loss How local drinking culture and “always up for it” expectations influenced his choices Using alcohol as “Dutch courage” to socialize as a shy, neurodivergent teen Discovering autism and ADHD as a lens for self-understanding instead of self-blame Nightly wine, hidden bottles, blackouts, and the impact on his partner and kids His vivid description of mental “noise” and drinking to deal with sensory overload The moment with his daughter that sparked a clear decision to quit for good Embracing neurodivergent strengths and navigating social events alcohol-free And more… Related Episodes: I drink to f*ck my brain up, just for a little while. Can you help? | Reader Question | E80 | https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-80-reader-question-drink-fck-brain-just-little-can-help/ I Drink To Fit In | Nat's Naked Life | E439 | https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-439-naked-life-story-nat-x/ Highly Sensitive People and Alcohol Use | Halima - Where Are They Now? | E703 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-703-naked-life-story-hayley-where-are-they-now-halima/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

Colleen and Allard are back for another wild and wacky season of Stuff Dutch People Like. To kick off Season 5, they look back on Allard's time in Canada and pose the question: can a grown Dutchman ever really fit into a very Canadian summer? From the highs (customer service!) to the lows (the "Sorry's" are endless!), Allard brings us along to compare, contrast....and well, complain!And what about Colleen? She now likes her healthcare as Dutch as possible ("shitty tasting medicine and no beating around the bush") and got to see the Netherlands through the eyes of her visiting family from Canada (yep! Some hilarious Dutch service stories are coming up!)Come along for the ride! This season is just getting started!

Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Clogs of Creativity: Femke's Artistic Journey in Zaanse Schans Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2025-11-15-08-38-20-nl Story Transcript:Nl: De ochtendzon gleed zachtjes over de molens van de Zaanse Schans.En: The morning sun gently glided over the windmills of the Zaanse Schans.Nl: De geur van vers stroopwafeldeeg en warme koffie vulde de lucht.En: The scent of fresh stroopwafeldeeg and warm coffee filled the air.Nl: Femke stond onrustig aan de rand van het plein.En: Femke stood restlessly at the edge of the square.Nl: De herfstbladeren dansten rond haar voeten.En: The autumn leaves danced around her feet.Nl: Terwijl ze uitkeek over de kleurrijke kraampjes, voelde ze een mix van spanning en nieuwsgierigheid.En: As she looked over the colorful stalls, she felt a mix of tension and curiosity.Nl: Femke, een kunststudente, was naar de Zaanse Schans gekomen voor een weekendje weg.En: Femke, an art student, had come to the Zaanse Schans for a weekend getaway.Nl: Ze zocht naar inspiratie, iets om haar te helpen vertrouwen te krijgen in haar werk.En: She was looking for inspiration, something to boost her confidence in her work.Nl: Onbewust had ze een formulier ingevuld waarvan ze dacht dat het een kunstworkshop was.En: Unknowingly, she had filled out a form she thought was for an art workshop.Nl: Tot haar schrik ontdekte ze dat ze zich had aangemeld voor een klompenmaakwedstrijd.En: To her shock, she discovered she had signed up for a clog-making competition.Nl: Hans, een doorgewinterde klompenmaker, lachte hartelijk toen hij haar verwarring opmerkte.En: Hans, a seasoned clog maker, laughed heartily when he noticed her confusion.Nl: "Geen zorgen," zei hij vriendelijk, "iedereen begint ergens."En: "No worries," he said kindly, "everyone starts somewhere."Nl: Joris, een andere deelnemer, monsterde sceptisch haar dunne vingers met verfspetters.En: Joris, another participant, eyed her thin, paint-splattered fingers skeptically.Nl: Femke besloot dat ze er het beste van zou maken.En: Femke decided to make the best of it.Nl: Ze kreeg een blok hout en gereedschap.En: She received a block of wood and tools.Nl: Terwijl anderen ijverig begonnen te snijden en schaven, staarde Femke naar het stuk hout.En: While others diligently began to carve and shave, Femke stared at the piece of wood.Nl: Ze keek om zich heen.En: She looked around.Nl: De traditionele klompen glansden in de herfstzon.En: The traditional clogs glistened in the autumn sun.Nl: Maar in haar hoofd vormde zich een ander idee.En: But in her mind, a different idea was forming.Nl: Ze besloot haar eigen weg te gaan.En: She decided to go her own way.Nl: Femke pakte haar penselen, gedoopt in fel gekleurde verf.En: Femke picked up her brushes, dipped in bright-colored paint.Nl: In plaats van traditionele snijwerken begon ze de klompen levendig te beschilderen.En: Instead of traditional carvings, she began to paint the clogs vividly.Nl: Haar handen dansten over het hout.En: Her hands danced across the wood.Nl: De effen klomp werd een canvas vol kleurrijke patronen en speelse afbeeldingen.En: The plain clog became a canvas full of colorful patterns and playful images.Nl: Ze had nog nooit een klomp gemaakt, maar ze wist dat ze kunst kon maken.En: She had never made a clog before, but she knew she could create art.Nl: Naarmate de dag vorderde, kwamen de andere deelnemers dichterbij.En: As the day wore on, the other participants drew closer.Nl: Joris fronste zijn wenkbrauwen bij de eerste aanblik en mompelde iets onder zijn adem.En: Joris furrowed his brow at the first sight and muttered something under his breath.Nl: Hans daarentegen keek met bewondering naar het werk van Femke.En: Hans, on the other hand, looked at Femke's work with admiration.Nl: "Bijzonder," zei hij zachtjes.En: "Remarkable," he said softly.Nl: Toen het moment van beoordeling kwam, stonden de juryleden voor haar klompen.En: When the moment of judgment came, the jurors stood before her clogs.Nl: Aanvankelijk keken ze een beetje ongemakkelijk naar de onconventionele ontwerpen.En: Initially, they looked a bit uneasy with the unconventional designs.Nl: Maar langzaam vulde het plein zich met bewonderend gefluister.En: But slowly, the square filled with admiring whispers.Nl: Er klonk gejuich uit de menigte en kinderen begonnen vooraan te dringen om de kleurrijke klompen te zien.En: Cheers arose from the crowd, and children began to push to the front to see the colorful clogs.Nl: Femke voelde een warme golf van trots over haar heen spoelen, hoewel ze de prijs niet mee naar huis nam.En: Femke felt a warm wave of pride wash over her, even though she didn't take home the prize.Nl: Ze ontving een speciale oorkonde voor haar creativiteit en durf om de norm te doorbreken.En: She received a special certificate for her creativity and courage in breaking the norm.Nl: Joris gaf een kort, instemmend knikje, en Hans gaf haar een schouderklopje.En: Joris gave a short, approving nod, and Hans patted her on the shoulder.Nl: De zon zakte langzaam weg achter de horizon.En: The sun slowly slipped beyond the horizon.Nl: De fonkelende kerstlichtjes voor Sinterklaas verspreidden een warme gloed over het plein.En: The twinkling Christmas lights for Sinterklaas spread a warm glow over the square.Nl: Femke liep met een prettig gevoel weg van de Zaanse Schans.En: Femke walked away from the Zaanse Schans with a pleasant feeling.Nl: Ze realiseerde zich dat het er niet om ging te winnen, maar om zichzelf te durven zijn.En: She realized it wasn't about winning, but about daring to be herself.Nl: Haar zoektocht naar vertrouwen had haar gebracht waar ze nodig was, diep in haar eigen creatief hart.En: Her quest for confidence had brought her exactly where she needed to be, deep into her own creative heart. Vocabulary Words:gently: zachtjesglided: gleedscent: geurrestlessly: onrustigdanced: danstenedge: randcuriosity: nieuwsgierigheidgetaway: weekendje weginspiration: inspiratieunknowingly: onbewustshock: schrikcompetition: wedstrijdseasoned: doorgewinterdeheartedly: hartelijkskeptically: sceptischdiligently: ijverigtraditional: traditioneleglistened: glansdenvividly: levendigcanvas: canvaspatterns: patronendrew closer: dichterbij kwamenfurrowed: fronsteadmiration: bewonderingremarkable: bijzonderuneasy: ongemakkelijkwhispers: gefluistercheers: gejuichpride: trotscertificate: oorkonde

Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Rediscovering Sinterklaas: A Family Tradition Revived Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2025-11-15-23-34-02-nl Story Transcript:Nl: In een rustig Nederlands dorpje stond de wereld stil.En: In a quiet Nederlands village, the world stood still.Nl: De herfst had de bomen in gouden en oranje kleuren getooid.En: Autumn had adorned the trees in golden and orange hues.Nl: De bladeren ritselden zachtjes als Femke en Jeroen door het dorp liepen.En: The leaves rustled softly as Femke and Jeroen walked through the village.Nl: De geur van speculaas en verse pepernoten vulde de lucht.En: The scent of speculaas and fresh pepernoten filled the air.Nl: Het was bijna Sinterklaasavond en de opwinding was overal voelbaar.En: It was almost Sinterklaasavond and the excitement was palpable everywhere.Nl: Jeroen wilde zijn dochter, Femke, een magische Sinterklaaservaring geven.En: Jeroen wanted to give his daughter, Femke, a magical Sinterklaas experience.Nl: Hij hoorde haar echter steeds meer vragen stellen: "Papa, is Sinterklaas echt?En: However, he heard her asking more and more questions: "Daddy, is Sinterklaas real?Nl: Of zijn het gewoon verklede mensen?"En: Or are they just people in costumes?"Nl: Jeroen glimlachte en zei: "Laten we eens kijken wat Sinterklaas ons dit jaar brengt."En: Jeroen smiled and said, "Let's see what Sinterklaas brings us this year."Nl: Het dorp was druk bezig met de voorbereidingen.En: The village was busy with preparations.Nl: Er waren versieringen overal, van grote zakken met cadeaus tot kleurrijke vlaggetjes langs de straten.En: There were decorations everywhere, from large bags of gifts to colorful flags along the streets.Nl: Kinderen renden opgewonden rond met warme chocolademelk in hun handen.En: Children ran around excitedly with hot chocolate in their hands.Nl: Maar Femke bleef nadenken over haar vragen.En: But Femke kept pondering her questions.Nl: Jeroen wilde de magie bewaren.En: Jeroen wanted to preserve the magic.Nl: Hij had een plan.En: He had a plan.Nl: Hij zou een groot Sinterklaasfeest organiseren, compleet met een bezoek van Sinterklaas en zijn Pieten.En: He would organize a big Sinterklaas party, complete with a visit from Sinterklaas and his Pieten.Nl: Hij had cadeaus verstopt in de kelder en een prachtig het lied "Zie ginds komt de stoomboot" geoefend om samen te zingen.En: He had hidden presents in the basement and practiced the beautiful song "Zie ginds komt de stoomboot" to sing together.Nl: Op de avond van Sinterklaas veranderde Jeroens plan.En: On the evening of Sinterklaas, Jeroen's plan changed.Nl: Femke was al snel te ontdeugend en ontdekte per ongeluk de schuilplaats van de cadeaus.En: Femke became too curious and accidentally discovered the hiding place of the presents.Nl: Verbaasd keek ze naar Jeroen en vroeg: "Papa, waarom zijn deze cadeaus hier?"En: Surprised, she looked at Jeroen and asked, "Daddy, why are these gifts here?"Nl: Jeroen wist dat hij de waarheid moest delen.En: Jeroen knew he had to share the truth.Nl: Hij knielde voor Femke neer en vertelde zachtjes: "Femke, Sinterklaas is een traditie, een manier om vreugde en samen zijn te vieren.En: He knelt down before Femke and gently told her, "Femke, Sinterklaas is a tradition, a way to celebrate joy and togetherness.Nl: Het gaat om geloven in de magie van het moment, zelfs als je weet dat anderen helpen die magie te maken."En: It's about believing in the magic of the moment, even if you know others help create that magic."Nl: Femke dacht na en glimlachte.En: Femke thought for a moment and smiled.Nl: "Dus we kunnen het samen vieren en het speciaal maken?"En: "So, we can celebrate it together and make it special?"Nl: Jeroen knikte en omarmde haar.En: Jeroen nodded and embraced her.Nl: Samen besloten ze een nieuwe traditie te beginnen: ze zouden elk jaar samen speculaas bakken en de Sinterklaasliedjes zingen, zelfs als Femke ouder zou worden.En: Together, they decided to start a new tradition: every year, they would bake speculaas together and sing the Sinterklaas songs, even as Femke grew older.Nl: En zo werd Sinterklaasavond iets anders: een tijd om samen herinneringen te maken en het wonder van de traditie te omarmen.En: And thus, Sinterklaasavond became something different: a time to make memories together and embrace the wonder of tradition.Nl: Jeroen leerde dat het belangrijk was om tradities aan te passen en ze betekenisvol te houden.En: Jeroen learned that it's important to adapt traditions and keep them meaningful.Nl: Femke leerde dat het niet alleen om Sinterklaas ging, maar om de liefde en vreugde van het samen zijn.En: Femke learned that it wasn't just about Sinterklaas, but about the love and joy of being together. Vocabulary Words:quiet: rustigvillage: dorpjeadorned: getooidhues: kleurenrustled: ritseldenscent: geurexcitement: opwindingpalpable: voelbaarexperience: ervaringpreserve: bewarencurious: ontdeugendpondering: nadenkendecorate: versieringenembrace: omarmentradition: traditiemeaningful: betekenisvolwonder: wondermoments: momentencelebrate: vierentogetherness: samen zijnmagical: magischediscover: ontdektesurprised: verbaasdknelt: knieldeembraced: omarmdememories: herinneringencreate: makenpresents: cadeausbasement: kelderpractice: geoefend

“Predictions are hard,” Yogi Berra once quipped, “especially about the future”. Yes they are. But in today's AI boom/bubble, how exactly can we predict the future? According to Silicon Valley venture capitalist Aman Verjee, access to the future lies in the past. In his new book, A Brief History of Financial Bubbles, Verjee looks at history - particularly the 17th century Dutch tulip mania and the railway mania of 19th century England - to make sense of today's tech economics. So what does history teach us about the current AI exuberance: boom or bubble? The Stanford and Harvard-educated Verjee, a member of the PayPal Mafia who wrote the company's first business plan with Peter Thiel, and who now runs his own venture fund, brings both historical perspective and insider experience to this multi-trillion-dollar question. Today's market is overheated, the VC warns, but it's more nuanced than 1999. The MAG-7 companies are genuinely profitable, unlike the dotcom darlings. Nvidia isn't Cisco. Yet “lazy circularity” in AI deal-making and pre-seed valuations hitting $50 million suggests traditional symptoms of irrational exuberance are returning. Even Yogi Berra might predict that. * Every bubble has believers who insist “this time is different” - and sometimes they're right. Verjee argues that the 1999 dotcom bubble actually created lasting value through companies like Amazon, PayPal, and the infrastructure that powered the next two decades of growth. But the concurrent telecom bubble destroyed far more wealth through outright fraud at companies like Enron and WorldCom.* Bubbles always occur in the world's richest country during periods of unchallenged hegemony. Britain dominated globally during its 1840s railway mania. America was the sole superpower during the dotcom boom. Today's AI frenzy coincides with American technological dominance - but also with a genuine rival in China, making this bubble fundamentally different from its predecessors.* The current market shows dangerous signs but isn't 1999. Unlike the dotcom era when 99% of fiber optic cable laid was “dark” (unused), Nvidia could double GPU production and still sell every chip. The MAG-7 trade at 27-29 times earnings versus the S&P 500's 70x multiple in 2000. Real profitability matters - but $50 million pre-seed valuations and circular revenue deals between AI companies echo familiar patterns of excess.* Government intervention in markets rarely ends well. Verjee warns against America adopting an industrial policy of “picking winners” - pointing to Japan's 1980s bubble as a cautionary tale. Thirty-five years after its collapse, Japan's GDP per capita remains unchanged. OpenAI is not too big to fail, and shouldn't be treated as such.* Immigration fuels American innovation - full stop. When anti-H1B voices argue for restricting skilled immigration, Verjee points to the counter-evidence: Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Max Levchin, and himself - all H1B visa holders who created millions of American jobs and trillions in shareholder value. Closing that pipeline would be economically suicidal.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to 1865: the ORIGINAL Nottingham Forest Podcast, established 2008. In Part 2 of this podcast special, we hear more from former Forest striker and Dutch international Bryan Roy. We subject him to a quickfire round and hear about some of his favourite goals, players and more. Presented by Tom Newton - thanks to Bryan for joining us and generally being a good sport. Subscribe to 1865: The ORIGINAL Nottingham Forest Podcast via your podcast provider, and please leave a review, as it helps other Forest supporters find our content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 1865: The Nottingham Forest Podcast is part of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sports Social Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and partnered with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FanHub⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Deliver the win, then ring the bell. Make small mistakes fast; make big learnings faster. Think global, act local — but don't go native. Do the nemawashi before the meeting, not during it. Your salary is earned in the stores: go to the gemba. A 28-year Domino's veteran, Martin Steenks began at 16 as a delivery expert in the Netherlands. He rose to store manager, multi-unit supervisor, then franchisee, building his operation to eight stores by 2019. After selling his stores, he became Head of Operations for Domino's Netherlands, then CEO of Domino's Taiwan in 2021, and subsequently CEO of Domino's Japan. Previously he was Chief Orchestrator in Japan, focusing on operational excellence, culture, and scalable execution in one of Domino's most exacting service markets. He is known for hands-on store work, cross-training, "Friday F-Up" learning rituals, the Grow & Prosper bell for micro-wins, and quarterly "Go Gemba" days that connect HQ functions with frontline realities.  Martin Steenks' leadership arc runs from a three-minute job interview at 16 to orchestrating Domino's Japan — one of the brand's most demanding markets for service quality. The connective tissue is execution discipline: he has run stores, supervised regions, built and exited an eight-store franchise, owned national operations, and led two country P&Ls. That breadth gives him pragmatic empathy for franchisees and HQ alike, which he leverages to align incentives, simplify operations, and insist that every back-office salary is ultimately "earned in the stores." Japan sharpened his leadership. Coming from low-context, fast-moving Dutch and Australian business styles into high-context Japan, he learned that meetings signalling agreement can still stall without prior nemawashi — the groundwork with middle management and other stakeholders. He now invests in pre-alignment, translating intent into culturally legible action: fewer big-room debates, more quiet lobbying, more ringi-sho style consensus building for irreversible decisions, and a clear bias to test-and-learn for reversible ones. Rather than trying to "change the culture," he adjusted himself — becoming more patient while preserving speed by separating decision types and sequencing alignment before action. His operating system is human and tangible. He set a weekly rhythm of learning with a "Friday F-Up" session, where leaders share mistakes and what was learned — a radical move in a high uncertainty-avoidance culture. He celebrates micro-wins with the Grow & Prosper bell to make progress visible, sustaining morale during long transformations. He bridged HQ–store gaps with Go Gemba: each quarter, every function works a store shift; IT discovers why a workflow fails at the point of sale, marketing sees campaign friction at Friday night peak, finance hears cost-to-serve realities. He personally worked in stores four to five days a month, especially during crunch periods like Christmas, leading by example and rebuilding trust through competence. Marketing localisation is equally pragmatic. Deep discounting can signal poor quality to Japanese consumers; "customer appreciation weeks" preserve value perception while rewarding loyalty. Community building is pushed to the store level — managers engage local clubs and schools to turn footfall into fandom. Cross-training makes delivery experts confident product explainers at the door, restoring a human touch in a world where >90% of orders arrive online. Ultimately, Steenks' playbook blended cultural fluency with decision intelligence. He aligned stakeholders through nemawashi, codified learning rituals, chose language and campaigns that respected local signals, and keeps strategy tethered to the edge where pizzas are made, boxed, and delivered hot. The title "Chief Orchestrator" wasn't just whimsy; in a business of many specialists, he conducted tempo, harmony, and timing — the difference between noise and music.  What makes leadership in Japan unique? Japan's high service standards and high-context communication demand leaders who are both exacting and empathetic. Success depends on pre-work: nemawashi with middle managers, thoughtful ringi-sho style consensus for high-impact choices, and visible demonstrations of respect for the frontline. Uniforms (like Domino's iconic race jacket for store managers) and rituals create shared identity that motivates in a group-oriented culture. Why do global executives struggle? Low-context leaders often misread meeting "yeses" as commitment. Without groundwork, nothing moves. Impatience backfires in high uncertainty-avoidance environments; public criticism shuts people down. Leaders must separate reversible from irreversible decisions, secure alignment offline, and then move decisively. They should also avoid copy-pasting global marketing: in Japan, steep discounts can be read as "lower quality," eroding trust. Is Japan truly risk-averse? Japan is less risk-loving than many markets, but teams will take smart risks when safety and learning are explicit. Stanks normalises small, fast experiments, celebrates micro-wins, and protects people when bets misfire. This reframes risk as controlled uncertainty with upside — a shift from avoidance to improvement. What leadership style actually works? Lead from the front and the shop floor. Work stores every month. Tie HQ metrics to store impact. Use rituals — Friday F-Up, the Grow & Prosper bell — to institutionalise learning and momentum. Celebrate teams more than individuals, and praise privately when cultural norms warrant it. Think global, act local, but don't "go native": retain an outsider's clarity about pace and standards. How can technology help? Digital tools amplify decision intelligence when paired with gemba reality. Store-level dashboards, route optimisation, and digital twins of peak-hour operations can test scenarios before rollouts; telemetry from ovens, makelines, and delivery routes can reveal bottlenecks that nemawashi then resolves across functions. Tech should reduce operational complexity, not add it. Does language proficiency matter? Fluency helps, but intent matters more. Demonstrating effort — basic greetings, store-floor Japanese, and culturally aware email etiquette — earns trust. Tools that translate bidirectionally unlock participation, but leaders still need to read context and invest time with the middle layer. What's the ultimate leadership lesson? Do the cultural homework, orchestrate alignment before action, and keep your hands in the dough — literally. When people see you respect their craft, protect their learning, and tie strategy to execution, they'll go all-in. Timecoded Summary [00:00] Origin story: hired at 16 as a delivery expert in the Netherlands; stayed through school; first — and only — job interview; early leadership as store manager, then multi-unit supervisor. [05:20] Entrepreneurship chapter: buys a struggling store; builds to eight locations with his wife's support; sells in 2019 to become Head of Operations for the Netherlands, trading entrepreneurial freedom for strategic impact. [12:45] Asia leadership: becomes CEO Taiwan in 2021, then moves to Japan; discovers that despite common Domino's DNA, markets differ; Japan's service bar is the highest. [18:10] Cultural recalibration: early meetings show apparent agreement but slow follow-through; learns nemawashi and middle-layer alignment; patience becomes a leadership muscle; adopts "Chief Orchestrator" title to reflect cross-functional reality. [24:00] Store-first operating system: cross-training (makeline ↔ delivery ↔ service); >90% of orders online makes the delivery interaction critical; community outreach by store managers; hands-on leadership with 4–5 store days per month and peak-period shifts. [31:30] Learning rituals: Friday F-Up meeting reframes failure as fuel; Grow & Prosper bell celebrates micro-wins to sustain momentum; public recognition calibrated to cultural comfort; Domino's manager jacket signals identity and pride in Japan. [38:05] Marketing localisation: avoid pure discounting (quality signal risk); position as "customer appreciation"; test premium, limited campaigns; keep operations simple for peak. [43:20] Bridging HQ and field: quarterly Go Gemba embeds IT/Finance/HR/Marketing in stores; internal surveys (anonymous) surface issues; visible follow-through flips scepticism to trust. [49:40] Leadership philosophy: lead by example, protect experimenters, separate reversible vs irreversible decisions, and use decision intelligence (telemetry, digital twins) to derisk change while moving faster. Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan. 

We visit a quaint Dutch fishing village and attempt to unravel the mystery that unfolded there… a mystery that involved strange and curious letters and a voyage to the other side of the world. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mr-kaors-portrait Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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I'm answering your real-life menopause questions straight from the YouTube comments. If you've ever wondered which hormone helps with vaginal dryness, why progesterone can make your heart race, or how to test estrogen metabolism without spending a fortune, this episode is for you. We cover: Vaginal dryness and which type of estradiol works best locally vs systemically Headaches from estrogen patches and how to adjust your dose or delivery Heart palpitations with progesterone and what to do if symptoms worsen Progesterone intolerance and why some women sleep worse instead of better Breast tenderness on Oestrogel and how to find your optimal dose for long-term bone, brain, and heart protection Estrogen metabolite testing and DUTCH test alternatives MENTIONED: Apollo Health Cognoscopy Test HRT Deep Dive with Karen MartelSleep Solutions with Annika Carroll Where DEXA Goes Wrong Troscriptions Sleep Formula Everything You Need To Know About Melatonin Amy B Killen DUTCH Substack Article The Verdict On Hormone Testing - Carol Petersen High Dose Progesterone - Carol Petersen   Give thanks to our sponsors: Try Vitali skincare. 20% off with code ZORA here - https://vitaliskincare.com Get Primeadine spermidine by Oxford Healthspan. 15% discount with code ZORA ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - http://oxfordhealthspan.com/discount/ZORA Get Mitopure Urolithin A by Timeline. 20% discount with code ZORA at https://timeline.com/zora Try Suji to improve muscle 10% off with code ZORA at TrySuji.com - https://trysuji.com Try OneSkin skincare with code ZORA for 15% off https://oneskin.pxf.io/c/3974954/2885171/31050   Join the Hack My Age community on: YouTube: https://youtube.com/@hackmyage Facebook Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠Hack My Age⁠     Facebook Group: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠Biohacking Menopause⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠   Biohacking Menopause Private Women's Only Support Group: https://hackmyage.com/biohacking-menopause-membership/ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@⁠HackMyAge⁠    Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HackMyAge.com⁠    For partnership inquiries: https://www.category3.ca/  Some episodes of Hack My Age are supported by partners whose products or services may be discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation or earn a minor commission if you purchase through affiliate links at no extra cost to you. All opinions shared are those of the host and guests, based on personal experience and research, and do not necessarily represent the views of any sponsor. Sponsorships do not imply medical endorsement or approval by any healthcare provider featured on this podcast.  

Rob Jetten and Henri Bontenbal give Dilan Yesilgöz a taste of her own medicine by shutting the VVD out of the first round of coalition talks. Employers are struggling to entice workers to go back to the office, while the VVD quietly ditches plans to protect migrant workers from exploitation. Limburg protests against the removal of exhibits at a a US war cemetery honouring black liberators. The prefabricated houses donated to Zeeland after the devastating 1953 floods get heritage status. And we explain how there could be as many as five Dutch teams at next year's World Cup.

Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Autumn Ventures: Unveiling Secrets at Keukenhof Gardens Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2025-11-14-08-38-20-nl Story Transcript:Nl: De koude herfstwind speelde met de bladeren in de tuin van het Utrechtse internaat.En: The cold autumn wind played with the leaves in the garden of the Utrechtse boarding school.Nl: De voorbereidingen voor het Sinterklaasfeest waren al begonnen.En: Preparations for the Sinterklaasfeest had already begun.Nl: De spanning voor de jaarlijkse excursie hing in de lucht: een bezoek aan de Keukenhof Tuinen, nu omgetoverd tot een herfstige pracht van kleuren.En: The anticipation for the annual excursion was palpable: a visit to the Keukenhof Gardens, now transformed into a fall spectacle of colors.Nl: Lars keek om zich heen in de eetzaal, waar zijn klasgenoten luidruchtig spraken over de excursie.En: Lars looked around the dining hall, where his classmates loudly spoke about the excursion.Nl: Lars hield van de natuur en avontuur, maar voelde zich vaak onzichtbaar tussen zijn klasgenoten.En: Lars loved nature and adventure, but often felt invisible among his classmates.Nl: Femke, zelfverzekerd en altijd in het middelpunt van de aandacht, bedacht al plannen voor de groep.En: Femke, confident and always the center of attention, was already making plans for the group.Nl: Hoewel Lars bewondering had voor haar organisatietalent, voelde hij zich in haar schaduw.En: Although Lars admired her organizational talent, he felt overshadowed by her.Nl: Die avond, onder het zachte licht van een tafellamp, praatte Lars met Daan in de gemeenschappelijke ruimte.En: That evening, under the soft light of a table lamp, Lars talked with Daan in the common room.Nl: Daan was stil en hield van fotografie.En: Daan was quiet and loved photography.Nl: Hij wachtt altijd zijn momenten af om perfecte shots vast te leggen.En: He always waited for the perfect moments to capture shots.Nl: Lars had een idee.En: Lars had an idea.Nl: “Wat als we een geheime speurtocht maken in de tuinen?” stelde Lars voor.En: “What if we create a secret scavenger hunt in the gardens?” Lars proposed.Nl: Daan glimlachte stilletjes en knikte instemmend.En: Daan smiled softly and nodded in agreement.Nl: "We kunnen verborgen plekjes laten zien," zei Daan, zijn camera vasthoudend.En: "We can show hidden spots," said Daan, holding his camera.Nl: De volgende dagen werkten Lars en Daan in het geheim aan hun plan.En: In the following days, Lars and Daan worked secretly on their plan.Nl: Ze verzamelden aanwijzingen, maakten foto's van verborgen hoekjes en schreven kleine gedichten over de plekjes die ze wilden laten zien.En: They gathered clues, took photos of hidden nooks, and wrote little poems about the places they wanted to showcase.Nl: Ze keken ernaar uit om iets speciaals te bieden buiten Femke's plannen om.En: They looked forward to offering something special outside of Femke's plans.Nl: Toen de dag van de excursie eindelijk aanbrak, reed de bus door het schilderachtige landschap richting Keukenhof.En: When the day of the excursion finally arrived, the bus drove through the picturesque landscape towards Keukenhof.Nl: De tuin, meestal beroemd om zijn lente-schoonheid, verspreidde nu een warme gloed van herfsttinten.En: The garden, usually famous for its spring beauty, now spread a warm glow of autumn hues.Nl: Terwijl de groep zich verzamelde, vond Femke op de grond een envelop.En: As the group gathered, Femke found an envelope on the ground.Nl: Nieuwsgierig opende ze het en las een aanwijzing.En: Curious, she opened it and read a clue.Nl: De studenten verzamelden zich om haar heen, nieuwsgierig.En: The students clustered around her, intrigued.Nl: De speurtocht was begonnen.En: The scavenger hunt had begun.Nl: In kleine groepjes volgden ze de aanwijzingen die hen langs verborgen paadjes, oude bomen en kleine vijvers brachten.En: In small groups, they followed the clues that led them along hidden paths, ancient trees, and small ponds.Nl: Lars en Daan hielden hun adem in van opwinding.En: Lars and Daan held their breath in excitement.Nl: Hun inspanningen hadden succes.En: Their efforts were successful.Nl: De studenten waren gefascineerd.En: The students were fascinated.Nl: Ze vonden schoonheid in de tuinen die ze nooit eerder hadden gezien.En: They found beauty in the gardens they had never seen before.Nl: Uiteindelijk bevond de groep zich weer bij elkaar, stralend van het avontuur.En: Eventually, the group found themselves reunited, beaming from the adventure.Nl: Femke stapte op Lars af en zei: “Je hebt iets prachtigs bedacht.En: Femke approached Lars and said, “You thought of something wonderful.Nl: Dank je.” Lars voelde zijn zelfvertrouwen groeien.En: Thank you.” Lars felt his confidence grow.Nl: Hij had niet alleen de aandacht van zijn klasgenoten gewonnen, maar ook nieuwe vrienden gemaakt.En: He had not only gained the attention of his classmates but also made new friends.Nl: Bij terugkomst op het internaat was de sfeer anders.En: Upon returning to the interna, the atmosphere was different.Nl: De studenten praatten enthousiast over de speurtocht, en Lars kreeg nu de aandacht die hij zocht.En: The students talked enthusiastically about the scavenger hunt, and Lars now received the attention he had sought.Nl: Femke en Lars bedachten samen al plannen voor kerstactiviteiten.En: Femke and Lars, together, were already devising plans for Christmas activities.Nl: Met een glimlach realiseerde Lars zich dat zijn ideeën ertoe deden en dat vriendschap kon groeien door gedeelde ervaringen.En: With a smile, Lars realized that his ideas mattered and that friendship could grow through shared experiences.Nl: Het begin van een nieuw, sterker saamhorigheidsgevoel had zich ontwikkeld, net op tijd voor het feestelijke Sinterklaasfeest.En: The beginning of a new, stronger sense of camaraderie had developed, just in time for the festive Sinterklaasfeest.Nl: Lars, Femke en Daan hadden samen iets bijzonders meegemaakt, en niemand van hen zou deze onvergetelijke herfstexcursie ooit vergeten.En: Lars, Femke, and Daan had experienced something special together, and none of them would ever forget this unforgettable autumn excursion. Vocabulary Words:palpable: voelbaaranticipation: spanningexcursion: excursieinvisible: onzichtbaarconfident: zelfverzekerdovershadowed: in de schaduwcapture: vastleggenscavenger hunt: speurtochtunveiling: onthullennooks: hoekjespoem: gedichtshowcase: laten zienintrigued: nieuwsgierigfascinated: gefascineerdreunited: bij elkaarcamaraderie: saamhorigheidsgevoelnarrative: verhaalportray: weergevenbloom: bloeienglow: gloedspectacle: spektakeladventure: avontuurjoyous: vreugdevolunforgettable: onvergetelijkecaptivating: boeiendilluminate: verlichtensilhouettes: silhouettencharacter: karakterendeavor: pogingintuition: intuïtie

Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Making Sinterklaas Safe: A Tale of Friendship and Inclusion Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2025-11-14-23-34-02-nl Story Transcript:Nl: In de oude, statige gangen van het internaat in Utrecht hing een gevoel van opwinding.En: In the old, stately halls of the boarding school in Utrecht, there was a sense of excitement.Nl: De herfstwind blies de kleurrijke bladeren tegen de ramen, en de geur van Sinterklaas begon de lucht te vullen.En: The autumn wind blew colorful leaves against the windows, and the scent of Sinterklaas began to fill the air.Nl: Iedereen keek uit naar het Sinterklaasfeest, behalve Maarten.En: Everyone looked forward to the Sinterklaasfeest, except Maarten.Nl: Maarten was een stille jongen, die meestal zijn boeken koos boven de drukte van zijn klasgenoten.En: Maarten was a quiet boy who usually chose his books over the hustle and bustle of his classmates.Nl: Hij had een serieuze pinda-allergie, iets wat altijd als een schaduw boven hem hing.En: He had a serious peanut allergy, something that always hung over him like a shadow.Nl: Rond deze tijd van het jaar, met al het lekkers dat rondging, was hij extra voorzichtig.En: Around this time of year, with all the treats going around, he was extra careful.Nl: Hij wilde graag meedoen met de feestvreugde, maar de angst dat iets mis kon gaan hield hem vaak tegen.En: He wanted to join in the festivities but the fear that something might go wrong often held him back.Nl: Elise, zijn klasgenoot, was precies het tegenovergestelde.En: Elise, his classmate, was quite the opposite.Nl: Ze was bruisend en sociaal, altijd bezig om iedereen erbij te betrekken.En: She was lively and social, always busy getting everyone involved.Nl: Dit jaar had ze de leiding over het Sinterklaasfeest op school, en ze had grootse plannen.En: This year she was in charge of organizing the Sinterklaasfeest at school, and she had big plans.Nl: Ze wilde ervoor zorgen dat iedereen, zelfs Maarten, zich welkom en veilig voelde.En: She wanted to make sure that everyone, even Maarten, felt welcome and safe.Nl: Ze wist van zijn allergie, maar was vastberaden om het een feestje te maken waar iedereen van kon genieten.En: She knew about his allergy, but was determined to make it a party that everyone could enjoy.Nl: Toen Elise naar de klas liep, kwam ze Maarten tegen in de gang.En: As Elise walked to the class, she met Maarten in the hallway.Nl: "Hé Maarten," zei ze met een glimlach.En: "Hey Maarten," she said with a smile.Nl: "Ik wil dat je me helpt bij het organiseren van het feestje. Misschien kunnen we samen kijken naar de snacks?"En: "I want you to help me organize the party. Maybe we can look at the snacks together?"Nl: Maarten aarzelde even, maar stemde uiteindelijk in.En: Maarten hesitated for a moment but eventually agreed.Nl: Hij kende Elise als een goede vriendin en wilde haar vertrouwen.En: He knew Elise as a good friend and wanted to trust her.Nl: De dagen vorderden en de voorbereidingen voor het feest waren in volle gang.En: The days progressed and the preparations for the party were in full swing.Nl: Elise nam speciale maatregelen en zorgde ervoor dat alle traktaties veilig waren voor Maarten.En: Elise took special measures to ensure that all the treats were safe for Maarten.Nl: Desondanks bleef Maarten zenuwachtig.En: Despite this, Maarten remained nervous.Nl: Hij herinnerde zich de keren dat er toch iets fout ging, hoe voorzichtig hij ook was.En: He remembered the times when things had gone wrong, no matter how careful he was.Nl: Op de avond van het feest was de feestzaal prachtig versierd met lichtjes en Sinterklaasdecoraties.En: On the evening of the party, the party hall was beautifully decorated with lights and Sinterklaas decorations.Nl: Er was muziek en de geur van warme chocolademelk vulde de kamer.En: There was music and the scent of hot chocolate filled the room.Nl: Maarten stond aan de zijkant, een beetje nerveus, terwijl zijn vrienden begonnen te dansen.En: Maarten stood to the side, a bit nervous, while his friends began to dance.Nl: Plots zag hij een bord pepernoten op tafel staan, precies op de plek waar Elise had beloofd dat er geen pindaproducten zouden zijn.En: Suddenly, he saw a plate of pepernoten on the table, exactly in the place where Elise had promised there would be no peanut products.Nl: Zijn hart begon sneller te kloppen, en een golf van angst overspoelde hem.En: His heart began to race, and a wave of fear washed over him.Nl: Hij wist niet wat te doen. Moest hij iets zeggen of stilletjes vertrekken?En: He didn't know whether to say something or quietly leave.Nl: Op dat moment keek Elise op.En: At that moment, Elise looked up.Nl: Ze zag de paniek in Maartens ogen en begreep onmiddellijk wat er aan de hand was.En: She saw the panic in Maarten's eyes and understood immediately what was happening.Nl: Zonder aarzelen liep ze naar de tafel, pakte de schaal met pepernoten en wisselde deze voor een schaal zonder pinda's.En: Without hesitation, she walked over to the table, picked up the dish of pepernoten, and swapped it with a tray that had no peanuts.Nl: "Sorry, dat was een vergissing," zei ze vriendelijk, terwijl ze de situatie snel en rustig oploste.En: "Sorry, that was a mistake," she said kindly, quickly and calmly resolving the situation.Nl: Maarten haalde opgelucht adem.En: Maarten breathed a sigh of relief.Nl: Elise gaf hem een warme glimlach.En: Elise gave him a warm smile.Nl: "Kom je meedansen?" vroeg ze uitnodigend.En: "Want to come dance?" she asked invitingly.Nl: Maarten voelde zich eindelijk ontspannen.En: Maarten finally felt relaxed.Nl: Hij begreep dat hij zijn vrienden kon vertrouwen om hem veilig te houden.En: He realized he could trust his friends to keep him safe.Nl: Terwijl hij zich bij de groep aansloot, voelde hij zich eindelijk vrij om te genieten.En: As he joined the group, he finally felt free to enjoy himself.Nl: De muziek speelde, de lichten flonkerden, en eindelijk, voor het eerst in lange tijd, voelde Maarten zich echt deel van de groep.En: The music played, the lights twinkled, and finally, for the first time in a long time, Maarten truly felt like part of the group.Nl: Vanaf die dag wist Maarten dat hij altijd op Elise kon rekenen en dat hij zichzelf kon toestaan om te genieten, zelfs met zijn allergie.En: From that day on, Maarten knew he could always count on Elise and that he could allow himself to enjoy life, even with his allergy.Nl: Elise, op haar beurt, leerde hoeveel verschil kleine gebaren van zorg en inclusiviteit konden maken.En: Elise, in turn, learned how much of a difference small gestures of care and inclusivity could make.Nl: Het was een Sinterklaasfeest om nooit te vergeten.En: It was a Sinterklaasfeest to never forget. Vocabulary Words:stately: statigeboarding school: internaatexcitement: opwindingscent: geurfestivities: feestvreugdehustle and bustle: drukteshadow: schaduwcareful: voorzichtigopposite: tegenovergesteldelively: bruisendsocial: sociaalin charge: de leidinginclusive: inclusiviteitpreparations: voorbereidingennervous: zenuwachtigdecorated: versierdpanic: paniekmoment: momentresolve: oplossensigh: ademtrust: vertrouwenenjoy: genietengesture: gebaarmistake: vergissinginvite: uitnodigenrelaxed: ontspannencount on: rekenen opcare: zorgdifference: verschilpromise: beloofd

Tit for Tat: Part 1. Three couples head off for a wild weekend together. Based on a post by Many Feathers. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. It was the second year that the six of us had come up here to spend a long weekend together. Jeff and his wife Becky, Bucksy Becky, a tall very buxom brunette. Then there s Pete, and "Repeat", as we called her, Susan; because she looked more like his sister than his wife, each of them with dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes, and short in stature at not even five and a half feet, though again Susan too had fairly large tits. Though not as large as my wife's were, more noticeable because of her short size perhaps, almost looking top heavy. And then there was my wife Darlene and myself. Personally, I thought my fiery little redhead was the most attractive of the lot, though again; most likely, I was just prejudiced in that regard. But the thing I loved so much about Darlene was her total lack of inhibitions, and carefree attitude about life and love. That; and her almost too daring nature, especially when it came to matters of sexual persuasion. But once again; it was just another aspect about her personality that kept life extremely interesting, especially for me. David, dear; You know what day tomorrow is? Darlene said, as we turned off the highway to go down a gravel township road and the old family hunting cabin. Uh, Saturday? I stated. True, but more significantly, it s national nude day! Darlene winked. I m serving notice that I fully intend to hike nude, tomorrow. Please plan on joining my observance. You know it ll be worth your effort. But we have guests. Darlene? Leave that to me. She dismissed my objections. When the time comes for a hike, I plan to have the issue resolved. Probably a lot sooner. The old cabin we were staying in had been in the family for years, an old hunting cabin. It had a well with a hand pump. I d installed some solar panels for small appliances, radios, phone charging, and a few LED lights. The old icebox had big ice blocks, which we kept operational while away, so that perishable foods could last a weekend, even in cloudy conditions. But we heated the cabin with the big fireplace. It was northern Minnesota, so even summer nights got chilly. The cabin s purpose and intent had never been one of luxury or spaciousness, even though for an old cabin like it was, even then it was still pretty big. Inside, it was basically just one gigantic room. A fairly large fireplace filled one wall, an open area in front of it. Four Plywood double bunks accommodated air mattresses. Plenty large enough to sleep the three couples comfortably together, Two bunks on each side of the big stone fireplace. There was seriously no real privacy, though; which had limited everyone's libedos to some extent, as we'd all been forced to put up with the lack of sexual activities, the last time we'd been up here together. Though Darlene and I had snuck off once or twice, to fool around out in the forest, as we were pretty sure the rest of them had done as well, a time or two. There was a small kitchen area and a table just large enough to seat the six of us together, where we very often played cards late into the evening. Lighting was all by lantern or candlelight. We did most of the cooking outside on the porch, utilizing the barbeques or Dutch ovens we'd brought along with us. It was, needless to say, rustic in every aspect. But the scenery, serenity and quietness of the mountain area where the cabin was, made the trip up here well worth it. We'd already finished up with dinner, gotten a nice warm fire going as even the nights during the summer time could get pretty cool in the mountains. Darlene had already made up a batch of Margaritas for us to sit down and enjoy together which was usually the case. Later on cards perhaps; again, as usual. We'd already managed to kill off one pitcher of margaritas as Darlene began making another when Bucksy Becky asked me a question. "So David; how many years now has it been that the three of you've been coming up here anyway?" Jeff, Pete and I had been friends for years, growing up as kids in the same old neighborhood in fact. Years later, old enough to hunt, we'd started out coming up here with dad, and then later just by ourselves. When the idea and concept of hunting didn't appeal to any of us any more, we'd continued our yearly excursions up here even then for several years. Up until we'd all started getting married. And then hadn't done so for several years. Now; here we were again, just like in the old days; but now with our respective wives in tow. As we started in on the second pitcher of margaritas, and with everyone starting to feel their oats at this point, it wasn't too unexpected when Darlene brought up a rather embarrassing question. "So tell me honey; if you and your friends no longer came up here to go hunting, what did you do? Sit around and jerk off?" Unknowingly, she had hit the nail on the head so to speak. Early on when we'd been young, much younger, we'd actually done just that. And by the look in each one of our respective faces when she mentioned that, she knew; as did the other wives, she had inadvertently stumbled onto something. "You did didn't you! The three of you; sitting around, watching one another jerk yourselves off! Oh my god!" She laughed, as did the other wives, all teasing and jabbing at us now with their personal questions. In an effort to deflect part of that perhaps, though it was already too late to sit here and deny any of it, Pete did remember something and then curiously scrambled over to check out our old stash, wondering if it was still even there. Something I myself had completely forgotten about at this point. "You think your dad ever discovered our stash of Playboys?" he asked. I laughed, curious now myself. "I don't know; check it out, see if they're actually still there!" Long ago, we had in fact stashed a collection of old dog-earned Playboys, and then later, one or two really pornographic magazines up in the rafters. A portion of the ceiling area had been given a false shelf of sorts where dad sometimes stored things. It was there we had put up yet another false front in front of that, tacked down so we could still get at it easily enough, but where we had long ago placed our "Jerk off" material as we'd called it. Using the bench seat to stand on from the table, Pete easily pulled himself up into that old section. "Careful Pete! I don't want you hurting yourself up there," Susan warned. "I can just see us having to rush you to the hospital from falling and breaking your neck; or worse." "Yeah, like his hard cock if he actually finds those porn mags," Jeff quipped. Even I laughed at that; it had been Pete who'd been the first one brave enough between the three of us to actually whip his out and start whacking it off the first time we discovered what had then been dad's collection of magazines. We'd simply added to it after that with the far more dirty, filthy porn magazines we'd brought along. "Very funny," we heard Pete calling down as he rummaged around in the old creaky loft area looking for the false boards we'd nailed over one section of the ceiling. "Ah; found it!" he called out seconds later, and then using his knife to pry that section away, laughed out loud. "Oh my god! They're still up here!" "Bring them down; I want to see what the three of you used to look at when you jerked off," my wife said calling up to him. "And probably still do," she then said turning to the other girls, likewise making them laugh. Almost gingerly he handed four well-worn magazines down to my wife, lowering himself down seconds afterwards. By the time he had, Darlene had already taken them over to the table spreading them all out for us to look at. "This one might actually be worth some money," Bucksy Becky said thumbing through the really old Playboy. "I doubt it," I told her. The covers really torn for one thing, and I happened to remember, we; ah; well, the three of us sort of destroyed the centerfold as I recall, and ended up burning it." "Why'd you do that?" Susan asked curiously. "Was she ugly or something?" Darlene burst out laughing. "Oh honey; I doubt that. Remember now, they sort of admitted to sitting around jerking off looking at these, try and picture it unless I miss my guess; the three of them standing there mostly likely squirting their white sticky stuff all over the centerfold. Back then; boys did that when they didn't have anyone else to squirt it on," she continued chuckling. Though once again, my wife had nailed that one too. I could still clearly remember the day we had done that, and by the embarrassed looks on Jeff and Pete's faces, they could too. "I believe you're right Darlene, look at this one, some of the pages are actually stuck together!" Bucksy Becky exclaimed letting out a squeal of feigned disgust as she held it up trying to shake the pages apart. "God, how much cum did you guys squirt on this one anyway?" She continued to laugh poking fun at her husband Big Jeff, as well as Pete and myself. "A lot," I openly admitted. That was the first illegal X-rated porn magazine any of us had ever seen before. Needless to say, it became the primary one we used to look at, while jerking off to. First time any of us had actually seen anything where the men and women were really doing it. Where you could actually see that they were."     "Wow, no shit! Look at this one!" Bucksy Becky suddenly exclaimed, showing everyone the other X-rated magazine she held in her hand. One of the larger old black and white photos actually showed a guy standing there in the throes of climax. The camera had caught the precise moment he'd shot a ribbon of semen. It showed a long lengthy rope of it shooting off into the air, the look of orgasmic joy etched in his face, caught forever in time. "That's fucking hot!" She then added surprising everyone. And almost as one, we all turned looking at Jeff, his face beet red, though grinning. "Yeah, she likes it when I do that; like's ah; well you know, seeing me squirt." "Ditto that!" My wife said joining in. I Love seeing guys squirt, something very sexy; very provocative about seeing that." I had no idea where any of this was going of course, but I was starting to feel slightly uncomfortable. Not because of what was being said, but because I was actually getting horny standing here listening to it. "You know; maybe we should change the subject and play a game or something?" I suggested. Once again, my wife knowing full well of my sudden discomfort pounced on it. "Why is that honey? Getting a little too horny are we?" I just smile at her and nodded my head. No sense trying to hide the fact that I was, or that the air suddenly seemed a little sexually charged. "Yeah, maybe we should play a game," Darlene said turning towards the other two girls. She then walked over towards them, drawing them off to one side, whispering. "Ah oh; I said looking at my friends. "Something tells me, we're not in Kansas anymore." That too had been a running joke amongst the three of us. Having grown up in Kansas City, whenever we embarked on some adventure, or did something we were very likely to regret later, we had a tendency to say that. When I saw Susan suddenly look over towards where the three of us were standing, and actually blushing a bit; though nodding her head yes to whatever, I knew then; we were in trouble. If my wife could convince shy little Susan to go along with whatever she had in mind, then that didn't bode well for the three of us. They soon parted, coming back towards us, evil wicked smiles on each of their faces. "Okay; what?" I simply had to ask. "I know that look Darlene; what are you up to now?" "Like you suggested, a little game, something to pass the time, make things sort of interesting, for all of us." "What; kind; of; a; game?" I said slowly, worriedly. Like I said, I knew my own wife. "Let's call it; tit, for tat." "Tit for what?" Pete asked. "Boob's for cocks then," if you prefer. "Tits for tat; or rather that; them," she said pointing at our lower extremities. "You're kidding right?" Jeff asked anxiously; though more hopefully perhaps as his voice had gone up an octave upon asking that. "Girls?" Darlene said turning towards them. "Let's show them that we're serious here," and with that, all three suddenly reached down pulling off the tee shirts they were wearing. Now true; they all had bra's on. No worse than the bikinis we'd all seen them wearing before; but there was something about bras in general, especially when they were actually threatening, or rather promising; to show you more. "You're; you're serious!" I exclaimed realizing that my wife was anyway, though I still wasn't sure about the other two. "Very," she challenged back. "And as a sign of good-faith here," she now stood reaching behind her back, undoing the clasp on her bra, which I did think surprised Susan a little when she did that. She allowed it to fall away from her shoulders, though still managing to catch it against herself, not quite revealing her magnificent tits. "Well? Jeff? Pete? You don't count David; you've already seen my tits. But if they want to, then one of them at least, has to show us some cock here." "Oh for heaven's sake's Jeff, do it; pull your pants down," his wife challenged him. "You know how much of an exhibitionist you truly are; so now's your chance. Especially if you really want to see Darlene's tits, like you're always telling me about how much you'd like to," she said startling everyone including Darlene, who now smiled looking directly at him. "Well? Tit for tat. Last chance; now or never!" She said staring at him directly. And then Jeff began unbuckling his pants, though turning towards the two of us. "Don't look at me!" He exclaimed. "This might be a once in a life-time opportunity here, and if you guys think I'm going to pass this up; you're crazy!" Good old Jeff. He always could be counted on to be the first amongst us to do something like this, but in doing so; he also knew, the two of us would soon follow. Before I knew it, both Pete and I were now undoing our pants. All three of us at the point of dropping trow, though now it was up to the other two girls to get to the same point my wife was; tits free. To my surprise, both Susan and Bucksy Becky had reached back around themselves, likewise undoing their bras, though like my wife, still holding them firmly against their chests even after they had. "On the count of three then? We all show? One? Two? Three!" Pete, Jeff and I all dropped our pants, though funny enough; Jeff was the only one with a full blown erection. I was partially so, with Pete not even close. But then again, he'd also been the one most nervous around us, even after we'd gotten comfortable jerking ourselves off in front of one another years ago. Pete had without a doubt, the biggest cock I'd yet seen, and that included a few porn movies to boot. It didn't stay that way long however, nor did mine. Not with the three of us standing there looking at three gorgeous pairs of tits. And the night was just getting started. "Now then, that wasn't so bad was it?" My wife asked the three of us. And though they both stood there smiling, (Jeff and his hard cock) I knew that there was more to this than what was meeting the eye here. I could almost see it coming. "Now then; how about we move onto the next; tit for tat, especially seeing that good old Jeff appears to be more than ready for it." "Next; tit for; tat?" Pete asked worriedly. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. "Yeah, let's see if you guys can do as well as this picture of the guy here shooting his load," Bucksy Becky said speaking up. "You are joking right?" Pete said incredulously. "You really don't expect me to; to stand here and actually jerk myself off in front of you now do you? Really?" And now it was my turn to look incredulous as Darlene began undoing the shorts she had on, dropping them down around her ankles seconds later. "Well certainly not without a little additional incentive at least. Like I said; tit for tat. So; here's your next, well; not tit, but how's a bare-naked pussy sound? Willing to do it then?" Up until now I figured this was a little silly alcohol talking, and the girls just trying to yank our chains. My wife had upped the ante so to speak in seeing if any of us; including me, were that willing to take it to that extreme. Even Pete s little wife, Susan looked a bit skeptical at this point, her hands actually coming up to criss-cross over her tits as she stood there looking on; wondering. Jeff looked at his Bucksy Becky, but all she did was snicker, commenting to my wife in a half whisper. "He wants to So bad; look how hard his cock is, problem is; the other two. They're acting shy." "Men!" Darlene laughed snickering in agreement. "Hard to get them to do anything their uncomfortable doing; or don't want to do, let alone getting them hard. Well; Pete and David, anyway. Guess that might take a bit more coaxing then," my wife said turning towards her friend, and then kissed her. Full, on the mouth, for one thing, but for another, her hand came up cupping Becky's tit. Even that startled her for a moment, it had been so unexpected, but seconds later realizing the intent behind it more than anything else, she began playing along. Either that, or she was admittedly becoming aroused by it. And again, even Pete s little wife, Susan looked on in amused, though semi-shocked wonder as the two of them stood there kissing and fondling one another's tits. "Fuck you two! I'm doing this!" Jeff exclaimed and began pumping his cock watching the two of them. "Not so fast!" Darlene turned stopping him. "That's a taste; you want to see more pussy? All of us?" She added looking at Pete s little wife, Susan, letting her know in no uncertain terms she'd signed up for this earlier. "Then; it's all of you; or nothing. We can always get dressed again and start playing cards if you'd actually prefer." Jeff looked at Pete and I almost imploringly so. I almost laughed, his look reminding me of those days so long ago now when the three of us actually stood there together, jerking off. In particular that day we decided to spunk up the Playboy centerfold, standing there side by side squirting all over it together. "Not like we haven't done it before," I reminded them both; though it was obviously Pete now that needed convincing. "Shit man," he exclaimed. "We were horny kids then." "So? Now we're horny grown men? What's the difference?" Bucksy Becky took off her shorts, and then her panties, now standing beside my wife, the two of them still toying with one another's tits a little. "Like I said Pete; look at them, tell me you wouldn't mind jerking off to the likes of that as opposed to an old Playboy centerfold. Especially when two of them are standing there touching one another," I challenged him.     "Well?" Darlene asked first looking at Pete, and then at his wife, Susan. Susan sighed, and then to everyone's surprise, began removing the rest of her clothing. "Oh hell, why not? Hell of a lot better than playing cards," she giggled nervously. Finally Pete shook his head and relented. "Can't believe I'm actually doing this," he told everyone. And now we all stood in front of one another. Naked as they day we were born. I'll be the first one to admit, in the beginning it felt a little weird, a little strange. And though we had done it; and often in fact, years ago now, that was then. This was indeed now. And yet, surprisingly, after only a few minutes, and some additional coaxing and prompting, the three of us soon stood there jacking ourselves off in front of the girls. Though again, not without some real additional incentive for us to be doing so. They were too now. Tit for tat so to speak. I for one have always enjoyed seeing my own wife pleasure herself for me, something she has very often done without hesitation like I said in the beginning. And I of course have done the same for her as well, something she early on told me she loved seeing guys do; seeing me do. So I did. The only real difference I guess between that and this; was having a bit more of an audience, it was hard not to look over, see what both Pete and Jeff were doing, and likewise looking at the girls; all three of them. Pete s little wife, Susan was indeed an interesting character. At first shy, overly so; I'd heard through conversations with Pete in the past how she was in fact a real tiger in bed. Once heated, an almost anything goes kind of a woman. She was proving that out now; in spades. Having shucked off whatever final reservations or initial inhibitions she might have had, those had all fallen by the wayside now. Lying on the floor, all three of them side by side, looking up at the three of us as we stood over them jerking off was erotically intense. Perhaps even more so than any of us had realized it would be in the beginning. "Fuck I am already close; too fucking close!" Jeff announced almost dejectedly. "Nobody said you couldn't enjoy seconds; if you can manage it you know," Darlene assured him. "So whenever anyone's ready; just do it, you; or us," she stated the look in her eyes telling me she actually wasn't that far away from climaxing herself. And that of course, sent a tingling thrill down my shaft, jumping my own arousal up a notch. Unable to hold out any more, Jeff just looked down, his voice shaking. "Where? How?" He almost stammered gritting his teeth. "Where ever you want; Darlene said looking up at him, one hand cupping her own tit, the other busily working her clit, strumming it wildly at this point, another hint at her rapidly nearing climax. "Fuck!" Jeff cried out, his head snapping back, knees buckling just a little as he momentarily quit pumping his cock, just holding onto it for a moment more. And then; he unleashed. "Oh yeah! Fuck yeah; would you look at that?" Pete s little wife, Susan exclaimed, wild-eyed and lustier looking than I'd ever seen her before. Pete hadn't been lying when he'd told me about her before. Once his Susan was horny; truly horny, she became almost a completely different person. "Shoot that spunk! Shoot it! Squirt it! All over! All over! All over!" She lay crying out as Big Jeff did his level best to accommodate each one of the girls. Once again jacking his cock, pumping out streamer after streamer of his hot white juice which had begun landing over all three girls like he'd turned the hose on them. And that of course triggered my wife's climax, which I was fairly certain it would do. But it would also be only the first of many for her, as from this point on; she could easily roll from one right into another, almost at will after this. And one thing more that I knew; which the guys soon would of course, was how much Darlene tended to squirt whenever she did. Eyes wide in surprise, both Jeff and Pete stood there watching this tiny little fountainous squirt suddenly erupt from my wife's pussy. A tiny little arch of pussy pleasure shooting up in the air, splashing down again, soaking her, as well as the floor beneath her. Thankfully, we'd moved the sleeping bags out of the way, or we'd have been sleeping wet that evening. Inwardly I was certainly grinning. As much of a surprise as it had been for all of us; girls included, to see my wife lying there with her pussy squirting the way it did, I remembered back at something else. Pete had a surprise of his own too. He had a big cock, that much was evident, at least on the upper size scale of big cocks. Neither Jeff nor I were slouches in that department either, not by a long shot. Jeff might have been short in height, but just like his wife, his hard cock tended to look even bigger than it probably was just because of that. Pete on the other hand, was just fucking big; no, make that huge. And so was his cumshot as I remembered seeing it. Unless things had changed since then of course. But as I recalled, his semen tended to be quite copious in volume, easily duplicating mine and Jeff's put together. Something we had as young men growing up, gotten a weird kick out of when the three of us stood there blanketing that centerfold until it wasn't even recognizable as being one anymore. Half of which; had been Pete's doing. "Fuck, I'm gonna lose it!" Pete soon after announced. I couldn't help but turn and look, I'd been amazed in the past before. And I noticed in doing so; Jeff too had turned to specifically watch. After all; we both had a pretty good idea, as must have his Susan. She was the only one who actually closed her eyes, covering them with her hands, giggling as she did. "Thar she blows!" She said peeking through her fingers just as the first jettison of Pete's spunk exploded from the head of his cock. My Darlene and Buxom Becky had no idea. Had they, they might have been quicker on the hands to the face trick that Pete s little wife, Susan had already prepared herself for. Even for a guy; it was an amazing thing to see, to witness. I for one had never seen anything like it, not before or since. The only other man I'd seen even come close had been the Porn star Peter North. But even he would have been hard pressed to match Pete's delivery, even on a good day. Hard to explain it really, to describe it. It was like throwing cups full of milk. That's about the only way I can even attempt to put into words what it looked like. That first splash, a thick rope, not a slim stringy one, was just that. A rope of cum. Seeing it leap from the head of that fat cock of his was just the beginning of the wild spectacle he created. I saw it land on my wife, next or close to her pussy in fact, and then splash from there as though someone had actually tossed a scarf down onto her body. He hit her left tit from there, up to the side of her neck and into her hair; and then beyond that. Turning, another voluminous milking already on the way, as this one began bathing poor Bucksy Becky, her sudden squeal of delight and shock readily apparent. "Holy fucking shit!" She cried out watching the splash of his cream as it had hit my wife, only then seeing the second skyrocketing explosion leap from his cock, shooting directly at her. She lifted her hands, too late; that second squirt not quite purposely hitting her full on in the face, much of it actually hitting her in the mouth where she swallowed. She actually had no choice, it would have been nearly impossible not to, let alone breathe. And good old Pete, just as Jeff and I remembered, was far from being done. Not wanting to let his own wife feel left out, Pete spun on one heel, still wanking his cock, holding still then a second later as the third massive squirt shot out. Still covering her eyes, though still peeking through her fingers, she laughed as he sure enough; started there. In seconds her hands appeared glued together, a trail of semen working its way down from there between her gorgeous pink nippled tits, down across her belly, and along the side of her upper right thigh. The majority of his first few canon shots might be over, but he continued to pump his cock, which now just oozed like chocolate sauce being poured over ice cream. Only now taking her hands away, Susan opened her mouth as her Pete stood over her, his cream dripping from the head of his cock in what seemed like a never ending drool of cum-sauce which his little wife now tried valiantly to collect. "You've got to be fucking kidding me!" My Darlene quipped, now watching this, still trying to collect the liquid sauce running in small little rivers over her own body with her hands as she and Buxom Becky both ly there, eyes still glued to him and his magnificent specimen of a cock. "That's got to be; the most incredible cum shot I've ever seen in my entire life!" I couldn't help but laugh. "See dear? You're not the only one here, full of surprises." Mine wasn't nearly as copious of course as Pete's had been; but as far as cum-shots go, it wasn't half bad. I still managed to add a fair amount almost equally on all three girls. All three girls lying there now covered in joy juice, pretty much from head to toe.       As expected, My Darlene had worked herself through a small series of mini-orgasms, saving the big one for last, which would come later. That's basically how she preferred doing it. Both Buxom Becky and Little Susan had likewise gotten off, and it was again another bit of an unexpected surprise seeing Susan when she did. She tended to thrash wildly, her head rolling back and forth as she cried out, her hand now slapping her pussy, almost fiercely, the other hand, fingers inside working herself that way. That too was an amazing sight to watch. Poor Jeff almost looked disappointed, his cock once again stiff and hard, working himself up to what he obviously hoped would be another nice orgasm of his own. "Time for a break," My Darlene spoke, with both the other girls in agreement. "Fresh drinks, something to snack on; and then; see where things go from there." I was wondering about that myself, just as I knew the other guys were. We'd all been casting looks back and forth between one another, several questions I am sure remaining unasked. As the girls stood inside the small little kitchen area throwing together a few things to snack on, the hushed whispers of their voices alerted us to the fact they were obviously discussing something, occasionally throwing glances our way. "Throw some more wood on the fire, get it nice and warm in here for us," Darlene stated moments later. "We're going outside for a; to pee," she amended. "We'll be back in a few minutes." After fixing up some fresh drinks and snacks, the girls all went outside for a supposed pee-break. When they did, Pete turned to me worriedly asking. "Okay; admittedly, that was sort of fun; well, damn fun actually," he said sheepishly. "But I can't help wondering; I mean, we're not like; ah, you know, thinking about; "Swapping wives?" I said finishing for him. "No Pete, we're not. At least I'm fairly confident that isn't part of what's been going on here; or even will be. Though I'll agree with you on one hand, maybe it's something we should address with the girls once they come back inside again. See where all this is really headed, so that we all know what to expect, or not expect. I don't think any of us want to stumble into doing anything we're not comfortable with." I saw the relief in his eyes, as well as in Big Jeff's, as the three of us stoked up the fire a bit, making it even warmer, especially as we remained ass-naked at the moment. It was amazing to me as we went about doing that, how comfortable we had all seemed to become once again. Seeing one another naked again after all these years. Sure we had all changed and matured a little, during that time, though Pete's schlong continued to swing to and fro as he walked about, causing Jeff and I both to snicker while watching that. Just like old times. "It's taking them a hell of a long time to pee, don't you think?" Jeff asked. "I don't think that's all they're doing," I commented. "Something tells me, they're having a pow-wow out there, which means; I never finished however as the door suddenly opened, all three girls reentering the cabin. "Rules!" My wife said, the moment they came inside. "Rules?" Pete asked. "Yeah; rules. We thought it might be a good idea to go over a few simple rules, so that no one has any misconceptions or expectations regarding the weekend, since it appears we'll be spending much of it naked together." The guys looked at me, and I at them, and then back to the girls again. Obviously they'd been thinking along the same lines as we had. "Just so we're all on the same page here; this isn't about swapping partners. We're just having a bit of naughty fun is all; so beyond some touching perhaps, that's it. Unless we're comfortable doing things with our own partners, in front of anyone, that would be the only exception. Beyond that, it's strictly a touch only. Everyone okay with that?" Obviously the girls had come to a mutual consensus outside, which was fine with the three of us guys, too. Especially as we all readily agreed to that. "By touching; Pete asked a bit nervously, yet excitedly too by the edge we could all hear in his tone of voice. "Does that mean; "That it's okay if I walked up and fondled that sausage of yours?" Jeff s wife, Becky said; walking up in front of Susan s Pete, only inches away, though she didn't actually reach down and do it. "Hopefully; yes, as long as it's ok with you, and your wife," she said looking over towards Susan. Susan then walked over and stood in front of me, grinning. My wife, then standing directly in front of big Jeff, likewise grinning. "If you guys are good with just that; we are," my wife concluded. By the smiles on our faces they could see that we were, and then as though on some prearranged signal perhaps, all three reached down and clasped the three semi-flaccid cocks dangling there in front of them. Even then; I still tentatively reached out cupping Little Susan's firm full tits, taking delight in fondling them a bit, as the rest of the guys now began doing the same to the girls standing in front of them. It didn't take long, and the three of us were once again standing proud and tall. To be continued. Based on a post by Many Feathers, for Literotica.  

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Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Echoes of Change: A Love Story Amidst Activism Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2025-11-13-08-38-20-nl Story Transcript:Nl: De wind ritselde door de kleurrijke herfstbladeren op het Binnenhof in Den Haag.En: The wind rustled through the colorful autumn leaves at the Binnenhof in Den Haag.Nl: Tussen de kakofonie van stemmen en het gefluister van de vijver stonden Bram en Joris.En: Amidst the cacophony of voices and the whispering of the pond stood Bram and Joris.Nl: Bram, gepassioneerd en dynamisch, hield een spandoek omhoog: "Red het milieu, red de toekomst!"En: Bram, passionate and dynamic, held up a banner: "Save the environment, save the future!"Nl: Joris, zijn praktische vriend, keek om zich heen, zijn jas stevig om zich heen geslagen.En: Joris, his practical friend, looked around, his coat wrapped tightly around him.Nl: "Is dit echt de manier om iets te veranderen?"En: "Is this really the way to make a difference?"Nl: vroeg Joris skeptisch, zijn ogen gericht op de groeiende menigte.En: asked Joris skeptically, his eyes on the growing crowd.Nl: Bram knikte vastberaden.En: Bram nodded resolutely.Nl: "Het begint allemaal met bewustwording.En: "It all starts with awareness.Nl: Als mensen niets weten, verandert er niets."En: If people don't know, nothing changes."Nl: Terwijl de menigte zich verder verzamelde, trok een vrouw met een notitieblok zijn aandacht.En: As the crowd gathered further, a woman with a notebook caught his eye.Nl: Sanne, nieuwsgierige journalist en altijd op zoek naar een goed verhaal, wrong zich een weg naar voren.En: Sanne, a curious journalist always looking for a good story, made her way to the front.Nl: Haar bril glinsterde in het zachte novemberlicht terwijl ze haar eerste indrukken noteerde.En: Her glasses glinted in the soft November light as she noted her first impressions.Nl: "Wat brengt je hier?"En: "What brings you here?"Nl: vroeg Bram, zijn ogen verlicht door hoop.En: Bram asked, his eyes lit by hope.Nl: Sanne glimlachte.En: Sanne smiled.Nl: "Ik zoek naar een verhaal.En: "I'm looking for a story.Nl: Iets echt, iets wat mensen raakt."En: Something real, something that touches people."Nl: De protesten werden luider, toen enkele politici het pleintje opkwamen.En: The protests grew louder as some politicians entered the square.Nl: De lucht was bezwangerd met de energie van verandering en de geuren van pepernoten van de nabijgelegen kraampjes waar voorbereidingen voor Sinterklaas in volle gang waren.En: The air was filled with the energy of change and the scents of pepernoten from the nearby stalls where preparations for Sinterklaas were in full swing.Nl: Bram verzamelde al zijn moed en stapte naar voren om te spreken.En: Bram gathered all his courage and stepped forward to speak.Nl: "Onze planeet schreeuwt om hulp.En: "Our planet is crying out for help.Nl: We moeten luisteren voordat het te laat is!"En: We must listen before it's too late!"Nl: zijn stem droeg ver, maar een lokale politicus, met een schampere blik, onderbrak hem.En: his voice carried far, but a local politician, with a derisive look, interrupted him.Nl: "Wat weet jij nou over politiek?En: "What do you know about politics?Nl: Woorden zijn goedkoop," zei de politicus kouder dan de herfstlucht.En: Words are cheap," said the politician, colder than the autumn air.Nl: Maar Bram liet zich niet afschrikken.En: But Bram was not deterred.Nl: Hij ademde diep in en sprak verder.En: He took a deep breath and continued speaking.Nl: "Daden komen voort uit woorden.En: "Actions come from words.Nl: Samen moeten we de koers veranderen.En: Together, we must change the course.Nl: Onze toekomst, onze kinderen – het hangt allemaal af van de keuzes die we vandaag maken."En: Our future, our children—it all depends on the choices we make today."Nl: De menigte begon te applaudisseren.En: The crowd began to applaud.Nl: Sanne voelde de beweging van de menigte en haar hart kloppen in haar keel.En: Sanne felt the movement of the crowd and her heart pounding in her throat.Nl: Ze wist dat dit het verhaal was waar ze naar zocht.En: She knew this was the story she was looking for.Nl: Ze stapte naar voren, naast Bram.En: She stepped forward, beside Bram.Nl: "Mag ik dit de wereld in helpen?"En: "Can I help share this with the world?"Nl: vroeg ze, meer een bondgenoot dan een vreemdeling.En: she asked, more an ally than a stranger.Nl: In de weken die volgden, werkte Sanne met Bram aan een diepgaande feature.En: In the weeks that followed, Sanne worked with Bram on an in-depth feature.Nl: Haar artikel raakte de harten van velen.En: Her article touched the hearts of many.Nl: Het zorgde voor gesprekken en bewustwording.En: It sparked conversations and awareness.Nl: Tegelijkertijd veranderde iets tussen hen.En: At the same time, something changed between them.Nl: Hun gesprekken over werk veranderden in gesprekken over henzelf, een band die dieper ging dan voorheen.En: Their work conversations turned into conversations about themselves, a bond that went deeper than before.Nl: Joris zag de verandering in Bram.En: Joris saw the change in Bram.Nl: "Misschien had je gelijk," gaf hij met een klein lachje toe.En: "Maybe you were right," he admitted with a small smile.Nl: Bram glimlachte.En: Bram smiled.Nl: De skeptische stemmen waren er nog altijd, maar hij had geleerd dat verandering begint met een enkele stap, een enkele stem.En: The skeptical voices were still there, but he had learned that change begins with a single step, a single voice.Nl: Samen met Sanne had hij gevonden wat hij zocht: niet alleen een bondgenoot in zijn missie, maar ook in zijn leven.En: Together with Sanne, he found what he was looking for: not just an ally in his mission, but also in his life.Nl: Het verhaal eindigde niet enkel op papier, maar zat verweven in hun groeiende relatie en hun gedeelde visie voor de toekomst.En: The story didn't just end on paper, but was woven into their growing relationship and their shared vision for the future.Nl: De herfstbladeren vielen, maar er was een lente van hoop voor wat nog komen zou.En: The autumn leaves fell, but there was a spring of hope for what was yet to come. Vocabulary Words:rustled: ritseldecacophony: kakofoniewhispering: gefluisterdynamic: dynamischpractical: praktischeskeptically: skeptischresolutely: vastberadenawareness: bewustwordingcrowd: menigteimpressions: indrukkenglinted: glinsterdeprotests: protestenpoliticians: politicicourage: moedderisive: schamperedeterred: afgeschriktapplaud: applaudisserenpounding: kloppenally: bondgenootfeature: featuresparked: zorgde voorseeds: verwevenbond: bandskeptical: skeptischewoven: verwevenglinted: glinsterdepolitician: politicusnotebook: notitieblokvision: visiegrowing: groeiende

Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Sacred Trust: Unearthing Secrets in the Amazonewoud Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2025-11-13-23-34-02-nl Story Transcript:Nl: De regen viel zacht op de bladeren van het Amazonewoud.En: The rain fell softly on the leaves of the Amazonewoud.Nl: Het was lente, een tijd van vernieuwing en geheimen.En: It was spring, a time of renewal and secrets.Nl: Hier, diep in het bos, leefde een kleine inheemse gemeenschap.En: Here, deep in the forest, lived a small indigenous community.Nl: Hun dorpen waren een met de natuur, de huizen gemaakt van hout en palmbladeren.En: Their villages were one with nature, the houses made of wood and palm leaves.Nl: Het was op deze plek dat Joost zich bevond, een archeoloog met een passie voor het verleden.En: It was in this place that Joost found himself, an archaeologist with a passion for the past.Nl: Maar niet alles ging zoals hij had gepland.En: But not everything went as he had planned.Nl: De gemeenschap was op hun hoede.En: The community was on guard.Nl: Een belangrijk artefact, een heilig voorwerp, was verdwenen.En: An important artifact, a sacred object, had disappeared.Nl: En Joost, hoewel hij met goede bedoelingen kwam, voelde de koude blik van wantrouwen.En: And Joost, although he came with good intentions, felt the cold gaze of distrust.Nl: Samen met zijn onderzoekspartner, Liesbeth, moest hij voorzichtig zijn.En: Together with his research partner, Liesbeth, he had to be cautious.Nl: Liesbeth was sceptisch.En: Liesbeth was skeptical.Nl: Ze vond het verhaal van het verdwenen artefact te toevallig.En: She found the story of the missing artifact too coincidental.Nl: Maar Joost wist dat het hun plicht was het voorwerp terug te vinden.En: But Joost knew it was their duty to find the object.Nl: Hij besloot de hulp in te roepen van Miriam, een gids die de paden van het woud als geen ander kende.En: He decided to enlist the help of Miriam, a guide who knew the paths of the forest like no other.Nl: Ze was terughoudend, maar Joost was vastberaden om haar vertrouwen te winnen.En: She was reserved, but Joost was determined to earn her trust.Nl: "Je moet me helpen," drong hij aan, "het is belangrijk voor ons allemaal."En: "You have to help me," he urged, "it is important for all of us."Nl: Miriam keek hem onderzoekend aan, "Als je het echt meent, volg me dan."En: Miriam looked at him inquisitively, "If you really mean it, then follow me."Nl: Hun reis begon langzaam.En: Their journey began slowly.Nl: Het woud was levendig, vol geluiden en geuren.En: The forest was lively, full of sounds and smells.Nl: Vogels zongen hoog in de bomen.En: Birds sang high in the trees.Nl: Insecten zoemden rondom hen.En: Insects buzzed around them.Nl: Maar het pad was vol gevaar.En: But the path was full of danger.Nl: Bij elke stap groeide het begrip tussen Joost en Miriam.En: With each step, the understanding between Joost and Miriam grew.Nl: Hun angst voor elkaar maakte plaats voor respect, terwijl ze verdere de donkere jungle in gingen.En: Their fear of each other made way for respect as they ventured further into the dark jungle.Nl: Ze volgden een spoor, bijna onzichtbaar voor een ongetraind oog.En: They followed a trail, almost invisible to an untrained eye.Nl: De uren leken als dagen.En: The hours seemed like days.Nl: Uiteindelijk bereikten ze een verborgen open plek.En: Eventually, they reached a hidden clearing.Nl: Daar, midden tussen de bloemen, lag het verloren artefact.En: There, among the flowers, lay the lost artifact.Nl: De golvende lijnen op de oppervlakte glinsterden in het zonlicht dat door het bladerdak brak.En: The wavy lines on its surface glistened in the sunlight breaking through the canopy.Nl: Joost pakte het voorzichtig op, bijna eerbiedig.En: Joost picked it up carefully, almost reverently.Nl: Toen ze terugkeerden naar het dorp, voelde Joost de verandering in de lucht.En: As they returned to the village, Joost felt the change in the air.Nl: De gemeenschap keek met verbazing en, eindelijk, een sprankje vertrouwen.En: The community looked on in amazement and, finally, a hint of trust.Nl: Hij gaf het artefact aan de ouderen en knikte diep.En: He handed the artifact to the elders and nodded deeply.Nl: "Bedankt," zei een van hen zacht.En: "Thank you," one of them said softly.Nl: "Jouw daad spreekt van eerlijkheid."En: "Your act speaks of honesty."Nl: Miriam glimlachte voor het eerst naar Joost.En: Miriam smiled at Joost for the first time.Nl: "Je hebt je woord gehouden," zei ze.En: "You kept your word," she said.Nl: "Misschien kunnen we samen verder ontdekken."En: "Perhaps we can continue to explore together."Nl: En zo was een nieuw hoofdstuk geopend voor Joost.En: And so a new chapter opened for Joost.Nl: Hij leerde niet alleen van het verleden, maar ook van de mensen, en het levendige woud dat hysterische geheimen huisde.En: He learned not only from the past but also from the people and the vibrant forest that housed hysterical secrets.Nl: Hun vriendschap groeide, net als zijn respect voor de gemeenschap en hun tradities.En: Their friendship grew, as did his respect for the community and their traditions.Nl: Het Amazonewoud knisperde weer van het leven, en Joost wist dat de wraak van de natuur, even aanwezig, nu een beetje vriendelijker was.En: The Amazonewoud crackled with life again, and Joost knew that the wrath of nature, ever-present, was now a bit kinder.Nl: De mysteries van het bos snapten hem, en hij, hen.En: The mysteries of the forest understood him, and he, them. Vocabulary Words:renewal: vernieuwingsecrets: geheimenindigenous: inheemsecommunity: gemeenschapartifact: artefactsacred: heiligdistrust: wantrouwenskeptical: sceptischcoincidental: toevalligenlist: inroepenreserved: terughoudendgaze: blikinquisitively: onderzoekendventure: waaginvisible: onzichtbaarclearing: open plekglistened: glinsterdenreverently: eerbiedigamazement: verbazinghint: sprankjeelders: ouderenhonesty: eerlijkheidword: woordexplore: ontdekkenchapter: hoofdstukvibrant: levendigetraditions: traditieswrath: wraakkinder: vriendelijkermysteries: mysteries

learn how to describe things

Game Exercise: Close your eyes and follow along with an entire Chess game using the audio below. On each move, try to conceptualize the position clearly and understand how it has changed. Try to follow the game until the end to stretch the amount of moves you can see ahead. To learn more about Don't Move Until You See It and get the free 5-day Conceptualizing Chess Series, head over to https://dontmoveuntilyousee.it/conceptualization PGN for today's exercise: 1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5 e6 4. Nf3 Bb4 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 O-O 7. e3 Qe8 8. Ne5 d6 9. Nd3 e5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Nb4 Nc6 12. Bxf6 Rxf6 13. Qd5+ Be6 14. Qd3 Rd8 15. Qe2 a5 16. Nxc6 Qxc6 17. c4 b5 18. cxb5 Qc3+ {White resigns.} 0-1

PJ hears opinions on the proposed incinerator for Cork Harbour, learns about some hope for renters with dogs and other pets, chats to a Corkman playing in the Leinster Hurling Final for a Dutch hurling team (!) and more... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's celebration time here in the BGC office as Óran has news! It seems he is now calling himself a scriptwriter because his very first script has just been produced. It is for the super-fun, excellent and wonderful children's animation TV series: ‘Maddie + Triggs'. You may remember we had the star of the show, Bonnie O'Meara on the podcast, together with Turnip + Duck founders: Colm Tobin and Aidan O'Donovan. Óran's episode is #46 and is called 'Dogs with Jobs' which is about Lolo the guide dog. There are links to that interview, along with links to Óran's episode at the bottom of the show notes. Disclaimer: any resemblance to Larry the guide dog is not fictional! If you are not in the UK or Ireland, Maddie + Triggs is available in these countries and broadcasters: YLE (Finland); SVT (Sweden); NRK (Norway); RTS (Switzerland); ABC (Australia); CRTVG (Spain); DR (Denmark); JY Ent (China); TFO (French-speaking Canada); Knowledge Network (English-speaking Canada); VME (US Hispanic); Côte Ouest (Sub-Saharan Africa); France TV; Minika (Turkey). Óran has a question about the European Accessibility Act (EAA), and while he does trust our designated BGC lawyer and senior council, Mr Mohammed Laachair, he would appreciate comments from the wider community: blindguyschat@gmail.com. Clodagh has a reminder that there's a ‘Seen - Unseen goes Racing' day out at The Races in a non-visual way, in collaboration with HRI at Fairyhouse Racecourse on Saturday November 29th. Participation is free of charge. Email Claire on claremclaughlinemail@gmail.com or send a voice note or text to 086 3091653. We also have a listener asking us to recommend TV content with good AD, see list below. • On Netflix: Arcane, Stranger Things, and The Diplomat. • On Apple TV: Slow Horses series 5. • On other streamers: Game of Thrones. And please email us on blindguyschat@gmail.com to let us know what shows you've been enjoying. We're always looking for recommendations! So, shake off the damp November weather, tell winter to hold its horses, and settle in for the number 1 podcast as voted by readers of pre-school magazine 'Sleepy Times': Blind Guys Chat. 8 out of 10 dogs with jobs prefer it to having a job! Links mentioned in this show: • Dogs with Jobs news article: https://www.rte.ie/kids/2025/1106/1542541-larry-the-guide-dog-maddie-and-triggs-rte/ • BGC Episode 63 - Maddie and Triggs': The Unbeatable Team: https://tinyurl.com/BGC063 • Link to Óran's episode of ‘Maddie + Triggs' on RTÉ: https://tinyurl.com/MaddieTriggsEp46DogsWithJobs • Link to Óran's episode of ‘Maddie + Triggs' on BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002ls4q/maddie-triggs-series-1-46-dogs-with-jobs • Link to Óran's episode of ‘Maddie + Triggs' on DailyMotion (muted by default): https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9tlxfy • Seen, Unseen: Contact Claire on claremclaughlinemail@gmail.com or send a voice note or text to 086 3091653. • Dutch mountain song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpCUbmAsxwQ And don't forget to email us on blindguyschat@gmail.com! Support Blind Guys Chat by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/blind-guys-chatRead transcript

Welcome to 1865: the ORIGINAL Nottingham Forest Podcast, established 2008. In Part 1 of this podcast special, we are joined by a legend of the 1990s, Dutch striker Bryan Roy. He talks about his move to the City Ground, his partnership with Stan Collymore and playing in the Premier League and UEFA Cup, amongst other things. Join us for Part 2 in the next few days! Subscribe to 1865: The ORIGINAL Nottingham Forest Podcast via your podcast provider, and please leave a review, as it helps other Forest supporters find our content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 1865: The Nottingham Forest Podcast is part of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sports Social Network⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and partnered with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FanHub⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Season 8 of Lessons I Learned in Law continues in partnership with Wordsmith AI, the legal-AI platform built for in-house teams.This week, Scott is joined by Carolyn Herzog, Chief Legal Officer and Board Secretary at Elastic, the Dutch-headquartered, NYSE-listed global search and AI company. With a career spanning senior legal roles at Symantec, Arm, and now Elastic, Carolyn has led through major transformations in cybersecurity, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence.In this episode, Carolyn shares three lessons that have shaped her approach to leadership and modern legal practice. Her first, Perception is Reality, explores the importance of feedback and empathy—how understanding others' viewpoints, not proving you're right, is the key to influence. Her second lesson, Thriving in the Grey Zone, challenges the traditional black-and-white view of legal advice, focusing instead on partnership, pragmatism, and helping the business navigate complexity. And her third lesson, Make It Actionable, calls on in-house lawyers to move beyond advice into operational execution—turning words into outcomes.Carolyn also discusses Elastic's fully distributed work model, the rise of legal operations, and the responsible use of AI. She offers an optimistic take on how technology will reshape, not replace, the legal profession—urging lawyers to stay curious and proactive to future-proof their careers.Guest Recommendations

On this week's show, Steve, Dana, and Julia merge their consciousnesses—so to speak—to reflect on Pluribus, the latest television saga from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. In this unlikely body snatchers/sci-fi mashup, Rhea Seehorn plays a woman intent on saving the world from… eternal happiness? What exactly it needs saving from—or if it needs saving at all—is fodder for much discourse. Next, they turn to the ruminative and funny family drama Sentimental Value, directed by Norwegian auteur Joachim Trier and starring Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve. Finally, they take a look at a recent piece in The Ankler by Richard Rushfield crunching the numbers to reveal that, since #MeToo, troublingly few major films have been directed by women. In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, it's time to party! Or rather, it's time for a reflective discussion about parties as pieces of personal culture.  Endorsements Dana: Reading up on the historical figure Jean Ross, the writer and activist who inspired both the song “These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)” and the character Sally Bowles of Goodbye to Berlin/Cabaret notoriety. Julia: Kate McKinnon talking with Amy Poehler on Good Hang and Jennifer Lawrence talking with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang on Las Culturistas— celebrities interviewing celebrities isn't all bad! Steve: By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolaño and the Dutch indie rock band Bettie Serveert— especially this playlist. … Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about the podcast hereLearn more about Give Him Fifteen hereSupport the show

On this week's show, Steve, Dana, and Julia merge their consciousnesses—so to speak—to reflect on Pluribus, the latest television saga from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. In this unlikely body snatchers/sci-fi mashup, Rhea Seehorn plays a woman intent on saving the world from… eternal happiness? What exactly it needs saving from—or if it needs saving at all—is fodder for much discourse. Next, they turn to the ruminative and funny family drama Sentimental Value, directed by Norwegian auteur Joachim Trier and starring Stellan Skarsgård and Renate Reinsve. Finally, they take a look at a recent piece in The Ankler by Richard Rushfield crunching the numbers to reveal that, since #MeToo, troublingly few major films have been directed by women. In an exclusive Slate Plus bonus episode, it's time to party! Or rather, it's time for a reflective discussion about parties as pieces of personal culture.  Endorsements Dana: Reading up on the historical figure Jean Ross, the writer and activist who inspired both the song “These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)” and the character Sally Bowles of Goodbye to Berlin/Cabaret notoriety. Julia: Kate McKinnon talking with Amy Poehler on Good Hang and Jennifer Lawrence talking with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang on Las Culturistas— celebrities interviewing celebrities isn't all bad! Steve: By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolaño and the Dutch indie rock band Bettie Serveert— especially this playlist. … Email us your thoughts at culturefest@slate.com.  Podcast production by Benjamin Frisch. Production assistance by Daniel Hirsch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 103: Nolan, Anthony, and Oriana discuss the Dutch viral body horror The Human Centipede from 2009.

What does it take to future-proof Europe's electricity grid? How do you finance €65 billion in infrastructure without driving up consumer electricity costs? And can the permitting process be sped up to become fast enough for the energy transition?This week on Cleaning Up, Michael Liebreich sits down with Tim Meyerjürgens, CEO of TenneT Germany, the country's largest transmission system operator, to explore the physics and finance behind decarbonising Europe's power networks.From billion-euro transmission lines to the domestic and international politics of connecting the North Sea's vast offshore wind potential with Germany's industrial heartland, Meyerjürgens offers a rare inside view of one of Europe's most complex and capital-intensive transitions.The conversation dives into:• How TenneT split its Dutch and German operations to attract €9.5 billion in equity from investors like Norges Bank and GIC• The challenge of accelerating grid buildout from 20-year to 5-year timelines• The delicate balance between regulation, investment, and public acceptance• Why building our transmission across Europe is key to energy resilienceThis episode was supported by TenneT Germany.Leadership Circle:Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, Alcazar Energy, Davidson Kempner, EcoPragma Capital, EDP of Portugal, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation, SDCL and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live.Discover more:• TenneT Germany's website: https://www.tennet.eu/de-en/home • TenneT Germany successfully concludes syndication of €12 billion revolving credit facility: https://www.tennet.eu/de-en/news/tennet-germany-successfully-concludes-syndication-eu12-billion-revolving-credit-facility• The £60 Billion Plan To Rewire Britain | Ep227: John Pettigrew: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Lg1A958aA• Can Europe Survive the Renewables Transition? Ep201: Nikos Tsafos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUvKzs82Mi0

In this episode, I connect with Michela Grasso, a researcher and writer with the Urban Cycling Institute in Amsterdam, for a discussion about some of her recent projects, including the publication of A Manifesto for Cycling Futures and Planning the Cycling City: A Field Guide.Helpful Links (note that some may include affiliate links to help me support the channel):

Reminder, Kiss of the Spider Woman is now available on streaming rental services so Sean and Jeff revisited it in our news segment. RIP Sally Kirkland New Movies Christy Directed by David Michod Starring Sydney Sweeney, Ben Foster Christy Martin never imagined life beyond her small-town roots in West Virginia, until she discovered a knack for punching people. Fueled by grit, raw determination, and an unshakable desire to win, she charges into the world of boxing under the guidance of her trainer and manager-turned-husband, Jim. Flaunting a fiery persona in the ring, her toughest battles start to unfold outside of it as she confronts family, identity, and a relationship that just might become life-or-death. Die My Love Directed by Lynne Ramsey Grace, a writer and young mother, is slowly slipping into madness. Locked away in an old house in Montana, her increasingly agitated and erratic behaviour leaves her companion, Jackson, worried and helpless. Predator Badlands Directed by Dan Trachtenberg Starring Dimetrius Schuster Koloamatangi, Elle Fanning Cast out from its clan, an alien hunter and an unlikely ally embark on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary. Classic Predator (1987) Directed by John McTiernan Dutch, a soldier of fortune, is hired by the U.S. government to secretly rescue a group of politicians trapped in Guatemala. But when Dutch and his team, which includes weapons expert Blain and CIA agent George, land in Central America, something is wrong. After finding a string of dead bodies, the crew discovers they are being hunted by a brutal creature with superhuman strength and the ability to disappear into its surroundings.

Fluent Fiction - Dutch: Eva's Journey to Confidence: Embracing Growth with Grace Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/nl/episode/2025-11-12-23-34-02-nl Story Transcript:Nl: Het was een frisse herfstochtend in Nederland.En: It was a crisp autumn morning in Nederland.Nl: De lucht rook naar natte bladeren en de wind blies zachtjes tegen de ramen van het grote familiehuis van Eva.En: The air smelled of wet leaves, and the wind gently blew against the windows of Eva's large family home.Nl: Binnen was het gezellig en warm.En: Inside, it was cozy and warm.Nl: De woonkamer was versierd met kleurrijke tekeningen van Sinterklaas en schoorsteenvulling.En: The living room was decorated with colorful drawings of Sinterklaas and chimney stockings.Nl: De geur van zelfgebakken pepernoten zweefde door het huis.En: The scent of freshly baked pepernoten wafted through the house.Nl: Eva zat op de bank, haar boeken dicht bij zich.En: Eva sat on the couch, her books close to her.Nl: Ze voelde zich zenuwachtig.En: She felt nervous.Nl: Vandaag was het de ouderavond op school.En: Today was the parents' evening at school.Nl: Het was voor haar een belangrijk moment.En: It was an important moment for her.Nl: Ze wilde laten zien dat ze haar best deed op school.En: She wanted to show that she was doing her best at school.Nl: Haar ouders, Bram en Lieke, hadden hoge verwachtingen.En: Her parents, Bram and Lieke, had high expectations.Nl: Ze hoopte dat ze hen trots kon maken.En: She hoped she could make them proud.Nl: Eva herinnerde zich wat haar leraar, meneer De Vries, had gezegd over haar laatste toets.En: Eva remembered what her teacher, Mr. De Vries, had said about her last test.Nl: “Goed gedaan, maar er is altijd ruimte voor verbetering.” Die woorden bleven in haar hoofd hangen.En: "Well done, but there's always room for improvement."Nl: Ze besloot om voor de ouderavond met meneer De Vries te praten.En: Those words stuck in her mind.Nl: Misschien kon hij haar advies geven.En: She decided to talk to Mr. De Vries before parents' evening.Nl: Toen ze op school aankwam, liep ze direct naar meneer De Vries' klaslokaal.En: Maybe he could give her some advice.Nl: "Hallo meneer," begon ze voorzichtig.En: When she arrived at school, she went straight to Mr. De Vries' classroom.Nl: "Ik maakte me zorgen over de ouderavond.En: "Hello, sir," she began timidly.Nl: Heeft u misschien tips voor me?"En: "I'm worried about parents' evening.Nl: Meneer De Vries glimlachte vriendelijk.En: Do you have any tips for me?"Nl: "Eva, je moet trots zijn.En: Mr. De Vries smiled kindly.Nl: Je werkt hard, en dat ziet iedereen.En: "Eva, you should be proud.Nl: Luister goed tijdens de avond en wees niet bang om vragen te stellen."En: You work hard, and everyone sees that.Nl: Eva knikte en voelde zich iets gerustgesteld.En: Listen carefully during the evening and don't be afraid to ask questions."Nl: Die avond, met haar ouders aan haar zijde, luisterde ze aandachtig naar meneer De Vries tijdens de ouderavond.En: Eva nodded and felt a bit reassured.Nl: Hij sprak over haar prestaties, hoe toegewijd ze was.En: That evening, with her parents by her side, she listened attentively to Mr. De Vries during the parents' evening.Nl: Maar hij wees ook enkele gebieden aan waar verbetering nodig was.En: He spoke about her achievements, how dedicated she was, but also pointed out some areas that needed improvement.Nl: Precies zoals hij had gezegd.En: Just as he had said.Nl: Eva voelde haar hart sneller kloppen.En: Eva felt her heart beat faster.Nl: Dit was het moment van de waarheid.En: This was the moment of truth.Nl: Haar ouders keken naar haar.En: Her parents looked at her.Nl: Ze wist dat ze kon kiezen om verdrietig te zijn, of om het positief te zien.En: She knew she could choose to feel sad or to see it positively.Nl: Ze besloot het laatste.En: She decided on the latter.Nl: "Bedankt, meneer De Vries," zei ze zelfverzekerd.En: "Thank you, Mr. De Vries," she said confidently.Nl: "Ik zal eraan werken."En: "I will work on it."Nl: Na de bijeenkomst gingen Bram en Lieke met Eva naar huis.En: After the meeting, Bram and Lieke walked home with Eva.Nl: Ze liepen samen over de met bladeren bedekte stoep.En: They walked together over the leaf-covered sidewalk.Nl: Thuis, in de woonkamer, omringd door Sinterklaas-versieringen, zei Lieke: "We zijn trots op je, Eva.En: At home, in the living room, surrounded by Sinterklaas decorations, Lieke said, "We're proud of you, Eva.Nl: We zien hoeveel moeite je doet."En: We see how much effort you put in."Nl: Eva glimlachte opgelucht.En: Eva smiled in relief.Nl: Het voelde goed.En: It felt good.Nl: Ze besefte dat ze niet perfect hoefde te zijn.En: She realized she didn't have to be perfect.Nl: Haar ouders hielden van haar, ook zonder perfecte cijfers.En: Her parents loved her, even without perfect grades.Nl: Ze leerde dat kritiek een kans was om te groeien.En: She learned that criticism was an opportunity to grow.Nl: En dat was wat ze nu zou doen.En: And that was what she would do now.Nl: Met opgeheven hoofd keek ze naar haar ouders.En: With her head held high, she looked at her parents.Nl: Ze voelde zich klaar voor de uitdagingen, vol vertrouwen en vastbesloten.En: She felt ready for the challenges, full of confidence and determination.Nl: Terwijl buiten de bladeren bleven vallen, begon Eva aan een nieuw hoofdstuk in haar leven, eentje waarin ze vertrouwen in zichzelf had gevonden.En: While outside the leaves continued to fall, Eva began a new chapter in her life, one in which she had found confidence in herself. Vocabulary Words:crisp: frischimney: schoorsteenstockings: schoorsteenvullingwafted: zweefdenervous: zenuwachtigexpectations: verwachtingenproud: trotsimprovement: verbeteringtimidly: voorzichtigreassured: gerustgesteldattentively: aandachtigachievements: prestatiesdedicated: toegewijdtruth: waarheidopportunity: kansdetermination: vastbeslotenheidconfidently: zelfverzekerdleaf-covered: met bladeren bedekterealized: besefteperfect: perfectcriticism: kritiekchallenges: uitdagingenscent: geurrelief: opluchtingchapter: hoofdstukcolorful: kleurrijkeadvice: adviessidewalk: stoepfocused: gefocustcarefully: goed

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Heather Lynn and Caleb Francis are joined by Solomonica. From trying Taco Bell's new Baja Blast Pie to designing their own action figures (complete with milk, swords, lettuce heads, and skull accessories), this episode spirals beautifully into chaos. They cover everything from serial killer M.O.s to bounty hunting, Dutch winter food, hunting conservation, and Mad Dog cocktailsGet Exclusive NordVPN deal here → https://nordvpn.com/timeforpie It's risk-free with Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee! EVERYTHING tastes better with Firecracker farm HOT SALTExplore their selection and use code MILK to save 10%https://shop.firecracker.farm/pages/pieLet's level up your pouch routine with Lucy. Go to Lucy.co/PIE and use promo code (PIE) to get 20% off your first order. Lucy has a 30-day refund policy if you change your mind.

Tiff and Kristy spell out what it takes to onboard to the best of your ability. They touch on the questions a hiring manager should be asking themself during interviews, how an applicant will be learning about your practice, the appropriate vibes to give out for your business, and more.   Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: The Dental A Team (00:00) Hello Dental A Team listeners. I am here with you again today with my fave podcaster I'm sorry rest of the team. She's got that title right now. She's got the crown Miss Kristy is here with me today And this one we had to talk about it beforehand and I'm excited. I'm now excited for this We had to brainstorm a little bit before recording this podcast to ensure we were on the right track and like minded on this which I think speaks volume to the   you know, podcast topic, but also to how well our team works together and how well our team really is bonded. And Kristy, before we get into today's topic, first of all, welcome. Thank you so much for giving me, it's Monday today, so giving me your Monday afternoon so we could record a couple of podcasts. How are you?   DAT Kristy (00:50) Good, I always look forward to my Mondays when I get to spend them with you.   The Dental A Team (00:54) Thank you. I used to do these on Fridays, which was like, it's a fun way to end of the week. But I was like, I think it's a fun way to start the week too, because we get time together. And then I just like them better on Mondays. So hopefully you guys do too.   DAT Kristy (01:08) I agree.   The Dental A Team (01:10) So today's podcast, you guys, if you're subscribed to our newsletters, you know that our podcasts kind of follow the same topic and genre of our newsletters. If you're not subscribed to our newsletters, hop over to TheDentalATeam.com, hit subscribe because there's actually, I mean, we follow the same cadence and the same topics, but they're gonna be a little bit different. So if you're looking for more information, a lot of times they have downloads in them too. So if you're not subscribed, go do that.   Our marketing team would love me for that little plug, but truly if you're not getting those yet, you should be, so go grab them. ⁓ Today's topic may be, I think today's topic on podcast might be a little bit different than topic by newsletter. And Kristy and I wanted to take a stab at really kind of switching the mindset on this space. And Kristy, think I'm gonna like boost our egos. I think you and I actually do really, really well.   at seeing something and flipping it and being like, well, what if we looked at it from this angle instead of that one? I think you and I actually do really, really well at that. So thank you for working together with me on that. Today, you guys, your newsletter coming through, like I said, it's gonna be a little bit different. Today's podcast, we're really gonna be talking about not off-boarding, like what to do, how to let someone go, because we're really not here for that. Like the consulting team is here for...   doing everything we can to hire the right person and to make sure that there's complete clarity around everything that each individual is doing, that the path is set and you actually have no questions about keeping them on or off boarding them. Like that's in your court, that is not in our court. So we thought it would be more beneficial and more fun for the two of us to really talk about onboarding correctly and like even before you're onboarding, what that looks like.   Kristy, I think this might actually be fun. I'm just spinning us a little bit, but I kind of want to talk about us attracting you into the Dental A Team because you haven't always been here, right? We have met you, Kiera, I have met you a long time ago, but you haven't been with the Dental A Team forever, even though to us and likely to all of our listeners, it does feel like you have been a part of this team since   DAT Kristy (03:20) No.   The Dental A Team (03:33) the very beginning, which I think also speaks volumes to our topic today because that goes right along with what we're thinking. Now, how did that happen, Kristy? Like, how did Dental A Team, how did we attract you? You found us. ⁓ We are so thankful for it. But how did we attract you, who fit so seamlessly into the dynamics of our team, our goals?   you literally like consult just like we do like everything about you embodies who we are. How is that possible? How did we do that?   DAT Kristy (04:11) Yeah, you know, with every place you go, there's little things that may change a little bit, but the heart of things don't change. And so you're right, if we align not only in process, but also culture. so ⁓ when it came time for my journey to shift and change, it was important to find the like minded space and people. ⁓   not only for me to help them grow, but for you guys to help me grow, right? Like they say, look around who you surround yourself with because you're kind of like the top five people you hang around, right? And so ⁓ it was really important for me to find that culture and process both, you know, and I'll make sure we were aligned.   The Dental A Team (05:05) Yeah, thank you. I think if you guys can hear what she's saying, right, Kristy's saying that she was able to see that she was in alignment with who we are as humans, that our goals, our vision, our company standards really aligned with Kristy. While there might be some caveats and some spaces of learning or some spaces where it's like, okay, I thought it would look like this, but let's try this or and let's try and let's create this. ⁓   DAT Kristy (05:07) Yeah.   The Dental A Team (05:34) That's massive because offboarding, offboarding does, it's not easy, you guys. It's not, there's not an easy peasy process that takes emotions out and just makes it to where you're the robot that can easily just fire people whenever you want. What I do instead is I try to make sure that I'm representing our company to the best that I possibly can in everything that I do. So when I'm going through, I'm the hiring manager for our consulting team.   When I'm going through, I'm doing the same thing Kristy said she's doing. I'm looking to see, does this candidate align with who we are? the response is coming back in alignment with how we speak to each other or how we speak to clients. Is it in alignment with what I would love to see a timeline as, right? Like I've gotten, I've had candidates where I'm like, my gosh, their resume is fantastic. This is the experience that I want, spot on.   I'm gonna reach out to them and I don't hear from them for like a week. I'm like, well, that's not in alignment with us. And so ensuring that on both sides, we're taking a step back and we're questioning the alignment of those pieces, I think is a huge, huge reason why it's been successful. Now, in order to do that, this is a caveat, you guys. You can't just show up and just,   expect everyone to know how to show up, right? You've got to really lead by example. And in my opinion, we are leading by core values, mission and vision. We are driven by the why of this company. And that is what attracts people. That's what attracted Kristy. Kristy was attracted to the why of our company, our mission, our vision.   and how we show up, which are our core values. I show up in our core values, Kiera does, Britt does. When Kristy came to the interview, she was like, okay, got it. I can see it in real life. So Kristy, as an outsider, you're applying for a job. In what ways were you able to see that we did have an alignment or at least enough alignment to say, let's explore this in that... ⁓   hiring process, like in the application process, you're sending your resume outside of listening to us on on podcasts, I'm thinking how can offices kind of emanate and represent that in a space where like minded people can find them?   DAT Kristy (08:06) Yeah, if I'm understanding you correctly, think it's truly... ⁓   You have to make sure you're painting clarity for people on, you have to speak your culture. Like for instance, how many times do we talk to our own clients and say, do you have a mission statement? Do you have core values? And they'll be like, yeah, we do, somewhere. You know what I mean? You have to live it and you can't just say, yes, I have it. You have to show that you have it and you use it and it means something.   The Dental A Team (08:37) Mm-hmm.   DAT Kristy (08:47) Right? And so when I found you guys, you could recite it. You lived it. You wove it into your process. Right? And it told me that it means something to you and you live by it. Like it's our code of conduct, if you will. Right? And it can't just be put in a drawer. You have to keep it alive in order for it to serve the ultimate goal and mission, if you will.   The Dental A Team (09:15) Mm hmm. Yeah, I totally agree. And it's just a it's a rep an outward representation. And so I think even in our job ads, right, and I know I work a lot with clients on this. I know I see you guys doing it, too. I know Monica just helped a client last week with some job ads. But making sure those job ads speak to you because I can write a job ad. But if you copy and paste the job that I wrote, even writing it for you, even my clients that I've worked with for seven plus years,   DAT Kristy (09:16) Thank   The Dental A Team (09:44) I can write it for you and I know you, but unless you go in and speak some of yourself into that ad, it's not gonna hit, it just doesn't resonate. And so a lot of practices too are very different than who I am. So if I write your ad and I attract me to your practice and your practice doesn't, you're not me, that person is likely not gonna be a good fit.   DAT Kristy (09:51) Mm-hmm.   Right.   The Dental A Team (10:13) Right?   It's just, she could or he could for sure for the, maybe for the long run, but attracting that like-minded person takes really being able to know who you are and who you want to show up as and then doing that every single day. It makes me think of like, if I went and applied at Chick-fil-A, I know exactly how I'm supposed to show up. If I apply at Target, if I apply at Starbucks, I know exactly how I'm supposed to show up.   Dutch Bros. I wouldn't apply at Dutch Bros because it's too much energy output. I know that, right? But if I can go to Starbucks where it's still energy output, but not quite as much, it's a little tamer of a coffee process, I really want to be a barista one day. That's why I'm saying these. I would love to be a barista. ⁓ But I'm going to judge it. I'm going to judge where I'm applying based on those aspects. My son did the same thing. His first job even, he's looking at, is this a company I want to work for?   Is this a company that I can represent and be happy at? Because no matter what he understood as an employee, he's walking in as a representation of that facility. And if it's not a company that he is in alignment with, either what they're doing, he doesn't understand what they're doing, or he's not excited to be there himself, he knows that he's not gonna be able to represent that and he's gonna be a really just angry human.   And if they're not happy, that's where off-boarding comes in, right? Like now you're into the space of like this kid, dang it Brody, like you suck. He's like, yeah, cause I hate working here. Got it. Right. Or he sees like team members, employees that are like not loving life. Like he's judging these entry level positions based off of that. So to be in a position where we're high level, we're getting paid way better. We've got some schooling behind us.   DAT Kristy (11:48) See you.   The Dental A Team (12:07) Most of us at least see ease at least some sort of knowledge base or trying to get our foot into dental We're looking at those things as well Like how are people showing up and Kristy as I'm saying that I'm like that might be something that even is lost in the old like drop your resume off at the front desk like used to be able to drop it off and see what it was like to be like, ⁓ This is a place. I want to go or ⁓ okay, like   DAT Kristy (12:26) Yeah.   Mmm.   The Dental A Team (12:32) on and jot that down.   Yeah, so we lose some of that like visibility. But I do think this day and age people are looking at social media, people are looking at websites and people are researching. I know when we get when we get finally to the interview process, if I'm talking to a person who hasn't researched us, and they don't know who we are, they don't know how we show up, they haven't looked at the website, I'm like, well, that might not be a great fit. Because for our culture,   You've already done that. You know you fit and you're excited to work with us. You know?   DAT Kristy (13:04) I agree with you,   Tiff, so much. And I love that you use Dutch Bros. Hopefully everybody, even if you don't drink coffee, they have other things. But ⁓ I'm with you. I couldn't work at Dutch Bros. I appreciate what they do. But it's funny how many times that situation happens in practices and we want to make the employee wrong. And truly it was our process because we attracted the wrong person. I mean, if Dutch Bros. was attracting an introvert,   The Dental A Team (13:26) Hmm.   DAT Kristy (13:33) they'd be off boarding a lot of people, right? And so instead of, I mean, I like to say, I mean, when you and I looked at this topic, I literally was like, well, heck, if we're off boarding that many people, we've got to take some ownership on that side. You know, just like our patients, if there's attrition, we have natural attrition, they move away or death, that's gonna happen with employees too. But if we're having to off board a lot of employees, I think it's time that we take a step back.   The Dental A Team (13:36) Agreed.   DAT Kristy (14:01) and go, how are we attracting and who are we attracting? ⁓ One of the things with, we spoke about core values and our mission statement. I also think like, it's just not our why. And you made mention of this. It's also how we behave and how we show up. It's the why, the what and the how. And we get commitments around that. And if we're not getting that,   I'm always about extreme ownership. So how can I take a step back and attract the right person, attract the extrovert to Dutch brothers, not the introvert to, right? Because we're ultimately setting ourselves up for failure and for the person too. We didn't do right by them if we hired the introvert at Dutch brothers.   The Dental A Team (14:39) correct. Yeah.   I agree. And I think something you said there,   that's the like Simon Sinek, like what, what, how and why, right? And I think something that most practices nail is the what. We know what position we need to hire. We don't nail the how that position shows up for our company. So what, what is the how behind how that position contributes to our team? How do they show up for our team? And how do they show up for the patients? Meaning what is the job?   DAT Kristy (15:03) Thank   The Dental A Team (15:19) that they're doing and what are the metrics that tell us they are doing that job or not? Because oftentimes we also get stuck in the ⁓ mundane like feelings and emotions. And I'm not here to say that a stellar person, know, somebody, I've seen it. I've seen a manager who had stellar collections and like top-notch collections but couldn't communicate with the team. That's an issue, but that's a metric too. Like are we,   You know, how can we tie those things to the metrics? So if we can say your extreme ownership is massive, because if we can say as a leadership team or as an owner, I've done everything I can, they have complete clarity, I've had the conversations, offboarding then is much easier. Offboarding is difficult when there's still confusion, when either that person is gonna be confused because you let them go because they had no idea they did anything wrong.   or if you're confused because you can't even pinpoint why this person doesn't work with your team, you just know they don't work. That's the confusion. the what and the why. So what is the position? Why do you need it? And then how do we show up for that position? And what's the clarity around what that person's supposed to be doing?   DAT Kristy (16:41) I love that you say that, Tiff, because how many times do we even identify, let's just take an easy one. I need to hire a greeter, right? And they need to smile and they have to be able to answer the phone too, but it isn't just answering the phone. It's hearing the warm smile and we do it this way. How much of that did you portray? And even how much of that did you include in your interview process?   The Dental A Team (17:07) ⁓ uh-huh.   DAT Kristy (17:08) you know   what I mean? Did you have them answer a phone? This is really ⁓ a different way of looking at things, but I learned a different process when I was in practice where ⁓ at the end of the applying, it says, do not submit your resume. And we wanted somebody with detail. And so the people that submitted their resumes, mean, some of were great, but we threw it out, right? And we never ever   We also took bias, like people bias out of it. And so our first interview was always over the phone without seeing them. And we would instruct them to call at a certain time and how to handle the call. Like you're gonna schedule me an appointment for, and we wanted to hear, like we gave them specifics and hear how they deliver. Can you see how that then starts to align with our how and why? We painted the clarity of what to do.   and then listened for the results and saw how naturally they fit, if you will. It's a different strategy, but.   The Dental A Team (18:11) Absolutely, we used,   it totally is. used to do, ⁓ what's your favorite, respond to this with your favorite ice cream in the subject line or your favorite candy or your favorite baseball team. I've got offices that are in Chicago and you know, there's the Cubs and the White Sox are both Chicago. So it's like, what's your favorite ⁓ baseball team? Not to say, I love that baseball team too or yes, Sprinkles ice cream is the best, but to say, you caught that detail.   in there and I love that you said that, Kristy. used to, Kiera and I once upon a time had a recruiting company. We are not doing that anymore, everyone, and it is hard. I hated it. It was a long time ago. We don't need to go back there, but that's how I used to schedule the interviews. I would say, awesome. I will chat with you on Tuesday at 2 p.m. You call me. So if they didn't call me, if they missed that interview, they were out. It was an automatic out for me, or if they called late, but I do agree.   with getting the preliminary done, not having a face-to-face for the first time, listen for the details of what you need for that position. So if you're hiring a billing rep and you get someone you're like, I didn't love her on the phone, well, she's not talking to you, she's talking to insurance companies. So that might be okay. But if you're hiring a greeter that you're like, she was super shy, she didn't really, like she wasn't super forthcoming, she didn't have any questions for me, it wasn't engaging, is your patient gonna enjoy talking to that person on the other side? But then flip side of that, Kristy, I think you mentioned   something really, really beautiful you said, if we're hiring a greeter and we want that smiley personality, we want that bubbly person, like you're hiring for those things, but I've also seen practices, and this drives me a little nuts, I've seen practices that are like, I want the bubbly person who's building relationships with the patients, they're smiling, they're making eye contact, and they're excited to see the patients as soon as they walk through the door, they also answer the calls and they can pass it off. You find that person.   DAT Kristy (19:52) You   The Dental A Team (20:08) Right? And then they're like, her details suck and she can't multitask. Well, guess what? Those are two very differing personalities and you got to choose your heart. If she's stellar at building the relationships and your patients are fine waiting five minutes in the front lobby because she's sitting there talking to them and they're not angry when they go to the back, might be okay that she didn't call the insurance company for whatever, you know, whatever detail was.   miss, like then at that point it's do we have clarification of roles and are the duties in the right seat? Because personality will make a massive difference to the results that you want and you've got to figure out the type of person that you want in those seats as well.   DAT Kristy (20:46) Okay.   Yeah. The other factor in that too, Tiff, and I think in a way you touched on it was, it a skill thing or a will thing? You know, we've got to understand and also set benchmarks for time, right? I literally was talking to a practice last week and I just kept hearing, don't have time and we don't have time. And I'm just thinking, you know, we can always say, well, when I learned back in 19, whatever,   The Dental A Team (21:04) Yeah.   DAT Kristy (21:24) go there, but you know, we were just thrown in and that doesn't mean it's the right way. It doesn't mean it's the right way. And you know, we owe it to people to give them the time to onboard them and show them what we want. And it goes back to how you said, choose your heart. The time we spend early will reap rewards.   The Dental A Team (21:48) Totally agree. I think that's brilliant. we have worked so hard on our onboarding process to match it with our expectations and to match it with our core values and our mission and our vision because we want our team to be onboarded correctly, not willy-nilly. It was kind of like haphazard. honestly, we've hired a lot of amazing people and a lot of people who   They were, they are amazing humans. We've not hired anyone who's not an amazing human. I have loved everyone that we hired, but they may not have been the right fit for us, either at that time or just in general. It doesn't mean that they're not a good person. It just means that it didn't fit. And I am a firm believer in any aspect of life. If it's not fitting for me, it's not fitting for them either. It's not, there's no way.   we can coexist with one of us not working out and the other one working out. It just doesn't work that way. So this was so much more fun than the original topic we looked at. Thank you for taking that.   DAT Kristy (22:53) Yeah, agree, agree. Yeah, I'm with you   Tiff. mean, if we're off boarding so many people, let's just take a step back and focus on our onboarding and how we can choose differently. So, cause it's not fun off boarding. It isn't.   The Dental A Team (23:08) No, no,   and I don't want that to be like, eventually that is gonna be a conversation. It is a protocol that you do need to have in place. It should be very simple. There should be no questions asked and the person should be like, yep, got it, okay. They might still be angry, that's fine. That's an emotional situation, but there shouldn't be questions around it. And if you need help building that, fine. We've got references, we've got information, we've got documents we can help you with, but realistically,   take a step back and say, how can I prevent the need to off board someone? I want everyone here forever. having that protocol, sure, got it in our back pocket for if it is necessary, but how do I prevent that need? I don't want that at all. So go back through your hiring process and look at the team members that hired well. Like I'll look at Kristy and say, how did I attract Kristy to my team? How did I attract Trish to my team? Like Monica, to my team, Monica was a   referral from Trish because Trish knew that this was a fit for Monica. Trish knew it was a fit for us for the same reasons Kristy did. I actually, we didn't even realize until after Trish started the hiring process, she knew me previously, didn't even realize because it was a different space of life that we were connected. She applied to our company because she wanted to work with our company, not because of me. So it's just really cool to watch those things happen. So moving forward with hiring, I look at   DAT Kristy (24:28) Yeah.   The Dental A Team (24:34) the consultants that I have, Dana, and I say, what attracted this human, this perfect specimen of a consultant to our company? And how do I emanate that in the information I'm putting outward? Like the podcast, the job ads, those pieces, how do I make sure that I recruit those people again?   DAT Kristy (24:54) I agree with you. And you mentioned this early on too. One of my biggest tips would be make sure you're speaking to that employee in the beginning of your ad. So many times people write it about themselves. This is why, you know, but they're buying into what it's an emotional thing that it's going to bring to them. So make sure you're speaking to that, you know, on the onset of your.   The Dental A Team (25:20) I totally agree with you. That is a massive point. We get caught up in wanting people to want us. We want people to want to work with us. And I do want people to want to work with us, but I want people to first see themselves in the job, in the person that I'm describing. I want them to be able to check, check, check, say, yes, that's me, yes, that's me, yes, I want this, yes, I want to work with this company.   DAT Kristy (25:43) 100%. Yeah.   The Dental A Team (25:45) Awesome. All right, guys, I hope this was beneficial. think biggest takeaways, biggest action items, make sure number one, we talk about this all the time, you guys, core values, mission, vision, job descriptions are in alignment. We preach on this because you guys, it is the core of your company. So if those things, your org chart, those pieces are out of alignment, they're not solid yet, reach out, Hello@TheDentalATeam.com We can get on a call, kind of figure out what needs to happen. If you are our client, reach out to your consultant.   Easy peasy. Okay, don't reach out to hello. That gets a little confusing when things like that come through. So if you have a consultant on your team already on your side, reach out to your consultant. ⁓ Secondary to that, check and see like what's working, what's not working, and how can you duplicate what's working? How can you duplicate that higher and keep people for the long haul? I would love if every time we quote unquote off boarded someone, it was truly because they had a life change, not because   it was the wrong place for either of us. And sometimes we do outgrow each other. I do have to put that out there. If you're a team of seven today, and in a year and a half, you're a team of 13, 14, sometimes those team of seven team members need a team of seven. And that's okay too. That's an out, that's a life change. That's a, this space is no longer working for me. That's a life change. It's a growth space. That's okay too. It doesn't mean that there was something wrong. It just means that we're in a new space. So go check those pieces. If you're in the hiring world right now,   Check your ads, make sure your ads are speaking to you, and then check the kind of applicants that you're getting to your ads. Is there a trend in the type of applicants you're getting? Are they all wrong? Are they all right? Are they mediocre? Kind of check that and then revamp your ad to fit to attract someone different if you're not getting the right people. Kristy, thank you so much. This one was, like I said, this was really fun. At first I think we both were like, wow, that's a little wild. ⁓   DAT Kristy (27:39) What?   The Dental A Team (27:42) But I had a lot of fun with this one. So thank you for taking that journey with me, Kristy.   DAT Kristy (27:46) Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. Always a pleasure.   The Dental A Team (27:49) Thank you. Awesome. All right, guys, go drop us a five star review because you know this one was amazing. This was super fun for us. And also let us know what you loved. Let us know if there's anything we can do to help you. Again, if you're not yet a client, Hello@TheDentalATeam.com is a really easy space to reach us at. If you are a current client that we love and adore, we love and adore you on a consultant basis. So reach out to your consultant. She is here waiting to help you. All right, everyone, we'll catch you next time.  

#359: Micaela Riley is a Board-Certified Functional Nutritionist and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) Practitioner specializing in gut health, hormones, and metabolism. With advanced training in DUTCH, GI-MAP, and functional blood chemistry, she helps clients uncover the root causes of their health struggles and create personalized protocols for healing. After overcoming her own chronic gut and hormonal issues, Micaela is passionate about bridging the gap between traditional healthcare and functional wellness. Through in-depth lab testing, targeted nutrition, and strategic lifestyle shifts, she empowers individuals to restore balance, optimize metabolism, and feel their best.Topics discussed:Truth about what birth control actually doesHow to transition off of birth control with little to no impact and fluctuationsBasic supplements that are helpful for every woman to takeOpinion on Nutrafol and whether it's impactfulWhy eating breakfast is important, especially if you're in your fertile yearsAverage amount of protein and fiber to aim for per mealENJOY 10% OFF THE WHAT FULFILLS YOU? CARD GAME AT www.whatfulfillsyou.com - code "WHATFULFILLSYOU10"Follow Micaela Riley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bebalancedbymicaelaFollow Be Balanced Co. on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bebalancedcoFollow the What Fulfills You? Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatfulfillsyouFollow Emily Elizabeth's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyeduongSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/what-fulfills-you-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mike reflects on the post-election landscape, including Mamdani's win and the hype around Trump's election monitors who reportedly spent their time chatting about cats. Then Mike talks with Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon, hosts of The War on Cars and authors of Life After Cars. They discuss traffic fatalities, Dutch street design, the Brightline conundrum, induced demand, EV optimism vs. EV limitations, and what cities gain when they take traffic out of their cores. In the Spiel, Mike explains why expecting a state's congressional delegation to mirror its statewide vote share misunderstands how probability works, using the now-classic gumball example. Produced by Corey Wara Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠ad-sales@libsyn.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist Youtube Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist Instagram Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠GIST INSTAGRAM⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow The Gist List at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pesca⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Profundities | Mike Pesca | Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠

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As the country shifts away from fossil fuels, thousands of homes and businesses have been left on waiting lists to connect to its electricity grid. Has the Netherlands moved too fast in its switch to renewable energy, like solar, wind and hydropower?Some commentators are calling it a “grid crisis” – so, could this affect economic growth?If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, you can email us at businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by John Laurenson(Picture: A line of wind turbines in a field in the Netherlands. Credit: Getty Images)