Podcasts about Exquisite

There's a place where fire meets ice, where the sea sings stories older than time, and where the land pulses with the wild truth of transformation. Exquisite. Otherworldly. A sacred journey. Welcome to the ICELAND RETREAT. This is not just a trip — it's a curated journey for women who crave beauty, depth, and nourishment. This premium retreat is created for smart, soulful women who are ready to discover what's next in one of the most stunning locations in the world. On this sacred adventure in November in one of the most stunning spots in the world, you'll reconnect with your inner knowing, release what no longer serves you, and gain the clarity to take bold action toward your next level. On this episode, I share the retreat vision, travel details + why your next chapter is waiting to be discovered in Iceland. "To travel is worth any cost or sacrifice." - Liz Gilbert  < LET'S RISE > Iceland Retreat: Discover What's Next in the Land of Fire + Ice | November 2025 https://jennyfenig.com/iceland

A sophisticated restaurant blending European elegance with American flair. Exquisite dishes and drinks. They have an excellent California wine menu. Inviting ambiance and excellent service.

We discuss a few new incredible Image Comics books: Invincible Universe Battle Beast by Robert Kirkman & Ryan Ottley, Lost Fantasy by Curt Pires & Luca Casalanguida, and Exquisite Corpses by James Tynion IV & Michael Walsh. Plus Sleep, Spawn The Curse of Sherlee Johnson, Deadly Tales of the Gunslinger Spawn, Metal Hurlant, Dr Fate, Green Lantern, and Legion of Super-Heroes. #Skybound  #TinyOnion #DCComics You can follow us on Bluesky @comicsdiscourse114.bsky.social, Instagram: @comicsdiscourse114, Threads: @comicsdiscourse114, and Facebook: Facebook Comics Discourse 114 Also, please leave us a 5-star review at your favorite podcast platforms.  

 Karen Saves The Universe: Part 1Desperate aliens kidnap a Karen to save their world!Based on a post by LingeringAfterthought, in 3 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.On the starship Onan, the Priamites dubiously watched the screen display the creature. Dr. Fehr's algorithm had brought them trekking across the galaxy to a smallish, blue planet around an unimpressive star. While there was no denying the power emitted by the angry, festering organic matter before them, the thought of containing it and bringing it back to Priam was daunting. Still, the fate of their world hung upon the success of their mission."Do we have; uh; audio yet, Lieutenant Cavill?" Captain Hemsworth said, pausing briefly to joylessly ejaculate into his cumsuit, which quickly reclaimed the essence he emitted and channeled it into one of the suit's containment pouches to be resorbed as nourishment.Ever since the people of Eros had unleashed their horrific weapon on them, the Priamites orgasmed almost constantly. The Eros Curse, which seemed like a gift at first, became a tool of enslavement and oppression as the great Priam civilization devolved into listless people who passed the time sitting and staring at nothing in particular. Even special holidays were simply spent gathered in each other's' houses, grunting intermittently. The children of Priam, spared by the curse of Eros by living in growth pods, were never exposed to the disease or its effects until the seemingly arbitrary age of 18, so at least there was no trouble with the censors. The demands of orgasming so frequently took its toll on the Priamite's bodies. Dehydration, muscle spasms, and fatigue were common. The effects on the mind were worse. It wasn't until the invention of the cumsuit, which not only reclaimed the fluid loss and prevented dehydration, but also reduced arousing sensations until the wearer was nearly numb, that it was possible for them to journey out into the stars in search of a cure.Guided by the ancient journals of the revered Dr. Fehr, the Priamites had come to a small planet where it was foretold that there was a force of great and terrible power. It was hoped that this force could be used to break free of the cruel Eros Curse, but time was running out. Even wearing the cumsuits, the crew of the Onan, who were the most stoic, intellectual and sexless men of Priam, felt themselves progressively weakening to the Curse. It was only a matter of time until they lost all sense of duty and simply went adrift through the universe."No audio yet, Captain. The resonant frequency is so shrill that if we don't modulate the pitch; uh;” Lieutenant Cavill replied, closing his eyes and shaking as he orgasmed, then collapsed and stared blankly at the control panels as he recovered.Another crewman took over at the panel, "Captain, I can give you audio, but only for a short time. Even on their planet, they; they; oh; oh fuck;” the replacement said, stiffening as he spurted inside his suit, then shook his head to clear it and looked to their leader for orders. Captain Hemsworth braced himself in his chair and nodded for him to activate audio.A horrendous braying screech filled the bridge, “ No Idea Why You People Can't Even Take An Order Right! I Ordered The Cobb Salad With Extra Avocado! I Don't Care If It's Not On There Or Not! Fix The Damn Menu! I Have Been Coming Here For Over 15 Years And I Know For A Fact That You People Had Cobb Salad On There Two Years Ago When You Were Called Baker's Pie;"Another voice interjected, soft and conciliatory, "Oh, yes, ma'am; I see the confusion. The Baker's Pie that was here went out of business. This restaurant is Snooker's, now, so we don't have the same menu, but our club salad is very similar to;""Are You Actually Interrupting Me? Get. Me. A. Cobb. Salad. Extra Avocado! Do You Understand? Extra Avocado! Mucho Amortado! Comprendo Estupido?"Even in that short interlude, most of the Onan's bridge crew had begun bleeding from their ears and collapsing onto the deck. Captain Hemsworth, a man of rare tolerance and stamina, struggled past their unconscious bodies to the control panel and lowered the volume until it was barely audible. "Computer, disburse caffeline into bridge life support systems, 15 parts per million," he mumbled, leaning on the control panel for support as the strong stimulant hissed into the room. He didn't like to use the drug, because the heightened energy it gave often led to periods of prolonged involuntary masturbation, but he couldn't afford to waste time for the crewmen to awaken naturally. Not when conditions were so dire on Priam.Lieutenant Cavill groaned and rose weakly, climbing back into his console chair and checking the readings. "What happened, Captain? Our scans showed a primitive civilization on the planet without any meaningful defenses. What was that? Some kind of weapon?" he asked.Captain Hemsworth did a double-take at the crewman in wonder, but he said nothing. All around him, he watched the rest of the crew slowly getting to their feet and going back to their positions. All the men were alert, aware, and focused on their duties. Several of them were talking to each other; in full uninterrupted sentences. No one drooled, no one's eyes rolled back; not one of them stared off into space, as if dully re-living the curse that had infected their brains. He, himself, had not even felt the urge to sexually relieve himself once, even with the high levels of caffeline in the air. Indeed, he had not felt anything below the waist; not since he heard that voice. He doubted whether he would have the urge to orgasm ever again. They had finally done it."That was no weapon, Cavill; it is what we came here to find. It's the cure that Dr. Fehr told us was here all along. Contact High Command and tell them; tell them we found it. Tell them we have found; The Karen.The man-eating woman.After straightening out the incompetent waiter on her order, Karen Carmichael excused herself from her prayer group's table and walked to the restrooms, incensed. What kind of man actually cries when taking an order for a salad? Probably gay; or whatever kids were calling themselves these days. Was there such a thing as "gay" anymore, when people "identified" themselves as whatever the hell occurred to them? What was the point of picking a sexuality when people didn't even have a species anymore?Of course, Travis the Waiter had to play the victim about it, too, making the entire restaurant gawk over at their table like they were monsters. He probably knew they were a nice church group and went out of his way to make trouble. Sure, they all scream for "tolerance," but their types couldn't wait to attack nice people of faith like her who showed the world what it was to be decent and pure of heart. Well, he could just kiss his tip money goodbye! Tipping had gotten ridiculous anyway; a generation of whiny babies feeling entitled to extra money just for doing their jobs. ‘If ‘; they did their jobs. She couldn't even get a salad; and, by God, if the Manager didn't make things right, her Yelp review on this place would burn a hole through people's screens!Karen pushed on the door to the restroom tightly clutching her can of pepper spray, because sexual predators were always trying to rape women like her in public restrooms, and she nearly screamed when the door opened. Wet paper towels were everywhere. The garbage bin was overflowing, and some slob had splashed water all over the sink area! Now, she'd have to make the Manager take care of this, too! More drama, when she just wanted to have a nice lunch with her friends. And, of course, the Manager would just try to ‘handle ‘; her; as if she was some unreasonable bitch just for wanting to use a facility that wasn't absolutely disgusting! Then looking near her, but not at her, the Manager would apologize in that fake-nice voice and offer to comp her meal; offering her even more of what was bad in the first place. Managers and their fake apologies. They weren't sorry. The soulless jerks never meant it. They just wanted her to go away; acting like she was a scamming thief instead of someone who just wanted to be treated decently.She settled on the toilet and tried to calm herself. Lately, half the time she wanted to cry, or scream, or tear out her hair; but it wouldn't matter. Nothing would change. Everything changed around her, though. Menus; her children; hairstyles; prices; everything changed. It felt like everything had just left her behind. She looked everywhere for the things she used to love, but she couldn't find them anymore; and if she did find them, they weren't the same as they once were. Nothing made her feel her joy like she used to. That was it. Maybe she was done; that her turn at having any real joy was over. Now, the only time anyone tried to make her happy, or even looked at her, was when she screamed at them.Karen opened her eyes to a rattling sound at the door of her long, handicapped-bathroom stall. "Occupied!" she called out. To her dismay, the dial holding the sliding bolt turned all by itself and the door unlocked. "Hey! Get out!" she yelled, grabbing her pepper spray and holding it in front of her while she tried to stand and pull up her yoga pants."Nice human; good human;” a vaguely disembodied male voice said as a dark, hooded figure in a bizarre form-fitting spacesuit stepped into her stall holding what looked like a staff with a flexible loop affixed to the end of it. It slowly stepped toward her, as cautiously as one might approach a spooked animal. "Human want a nice piece of kale? Yes you do! Yes you do! Who's a good human?" it asked, holding out a curly dark green leaf to her and shaking it temptingly."What the hell?" she yelled, fumbling with the pepper spray can and trying to figure out how to make it work, just as the loop at the end of the staff went down over her head and around her neck, cinching tight.Karen choked, clutching at the loop with one hand, trying to loosen it so she could breathe, and with the other she emptied the can of pepper spray into the hooded face of her attacker. She struggled wildly, but the staff with the loop effectively controlled her and prevented her from landing any punches or kicks on her attacker. As darkness started creeping in on her vision, the last thing she saw was the figure deeply inhale the cloud of pepper spray and hold its breath, then say in a choked voice, "Ready for transport, sir; and man, they've got some good shit down here;”The forgotten leaf of kale fell down next to where Karen's cheek was pressed against the filthy bathroom floor, and with what she feared was her dying breath she choked out, "I want; to see; the; Manager;”Karen's ne victim."I used kale, Sir. Worked like a charm. It's one of the most nutritionally dense materials on the planet, so naturally, it was irresistible," a larger Priamite said to Captain Hemsworth, as he stripped out of his protective suit in a small enclave, bathed in an undulating light.Captain Hemsworth nodded. "Good work, Commander Momoa. Decontaminate for a full four cycles and I want protective measures in place for all personnel. God knows what this thing is capable of when it wakes."Karen heard garbled voices nearby, but kept her eyes closed and tried to steady her breathing. What had happened? The air smelled odd; almost crackling with ozone and energy, like a storm coming. The ambient sounds of the room told her she was not in Snookers anymore. Probably human traffickers. She saw a whole show about it. The bastards kidnapped her and were going to sell her into sexual slavery; except that she wasn't a teenager. She was 51 years old. Nobody would pay for sex with her, much less risk a felony conviction for it. Any ransom demands sent to her husband were going to have disappointing results, as well. So, what was going on? Why was she here? The kids were in college and wouldn't even notice she was gone until Christmas came. Her friends; her passive-aggressive competitors, if she was being honest; they'd just assume she left in a huff and stiffed them on the lunch check. The cold, hard truth was: nobody cared about her anymore and she knew it. That meant, if she was going to get out of this, she would have to do it herself. Her cheek hurt where it had hit that disgusting bathroom floor and she reached her hand up to touch it. The voices yelped in alarm and Karen opened her eyes to see two figures backing away from the enclosure she was imprisoned in."Who the hell are you, and what have you done with my purse?" she yelled, pushing herself to her feet. She walked toward them, crossing her arms and glaring. "I want whoever is in charge over here right now! I mean it!" she yelled, pointing as she walked toward them. One of the figures screamed, clutched at his ears and doubled over, staggering around the room dramatically. The other, larger one she recognized from the restaurant bathroom was in some tanning-booth-looking-thing, half naked and gorgeous in a likely-sexual-predator kind of way. Rather than flailing around the room, he seemed to have gone into a catatonic trance. God, people were useless. "You! Himbo!" she shouted, pointing at him. "Where is my purse? Did you even think to get it when you kidnapped me, or am I going to miss my Ozempic shot? I hope to God you assholes have good lawyers!"The beefy kidnapper in the tanning booth wobbled, then vomited loudly. Karen snorted as he slid down to the floor, unconscious. Pathetic. The smaller figure dove toward a panel on the wall next to her enclosure and pressed a few buttons and she heard the ambient noise of her room change, like it was encased, somehow."I've muted it. It's become even stronger than before;” Captain Hemsworth gasped, helping Commander Momoa to his feet again."How are we going to get it back to Priam? We could choke it out again every time it awakens; give the privilege out as a reward to the crew?" Commander Momoa suggested eagerly."No," Captain Hemsworth said, coming closer to the force field separating him from the angry Karen still yelling and pointing from inside the enclosure. "The cumulative effects of throttling it constantly might affect its functioning. We need The Karen at full power if we are to rescue Priam. We need to keep it conscious. We must feed it, provide it breathing gasses, and keep it clean; it appears to be constantly decaying. That reminds me ; cleaning duty goes to Ensign Holland. He's still on my shit list after the incident with the Zendayans.""Aye, sir."Captain Hemsworth cleared his throat and pressed another button on the side panel. "Hail Karen, bringer of blessed flaccidity, destroyer of abhorrent lust, and banisher of all erotic thought. We are men of the planet Priam. We mean you no harm. We come to you seeking aid, and we come in peace. Actually, until we found you, we would come almost constantly. It was disgusting. Everything was sticky. You see, our enemies from Eros sent us the most perfect pornographic images disguised in an innocent-looking email attachment. Once they were seen, they could not be unseen. They were burned into our brains, cursing us with perpetual arousal. The first wave of Priamites were taken by surprise once they activated the link. The next wave fell victim when the first wave posted the link on their social media because it was just so unbelievably; anyway, after the rest of our population fell out of curiosity or boredom, our civilization was nearly destroyed. We have been searching the stars for a cure, but to no avail. Then, just as all hope seemed lost, we found you; we heard your voice; and our loins finally withered. You are now a guest on my ship, The Onan, en route to my homeworld Priam. There, we will deliver your noxious, strident sounds to everyone, freeing them from their intransigent arousal. Then, after we are assured that all have been cured, we shall return you to your home."At this, Karen made an unpleasant face and began breathing on the clear wall of her enclosure, fogging it. Then, she quickly wrote a short message. "What does it mean?" Commander Momoa said, squinting at the squiggling lines she had made.At this, the computer made a chirp and began speaking, "The message, from the American dialect of the language English translates to: Why didn't you just make a recording?"Captain Hemsworth's shoulders slumped and he closed his eyes with a sigh. Commander Momoa's eyes went wide and he clapped his hand over his face in exasperation. "Fuck;” Momoa said in realization. "A recording;”"Dammit. We didn't have to take her at all, did we?" Captain Hemsworth groaned.Karen glared at them and wrote another word on the wall. As certain as Captain Hemsworth was that he did not need or want the translation, the computer was already on the job. "'Dumbasses,'" the computer cheerfully intoned, "a colloquial phrase, plural of the insult 'dumbass,' meaning 'a foolish or stupid person.'""End translation. Yes, Karen, if we had thought to record your voice instead of kidnapping you, this might have been a much shorter story, and considerably less inconvenient, but as it is, we are closer to Priam than Earth at this point, and our course is set. We will bring you to Priam and then return you home. Perhaps kidnapping you was not the most well-considered solution, but I defy you to think clearly after constantly watching porn for eons and let me know if you do any better."Karen's new calling.Great; as if getting old wasn't insult enough, I've actually become an intergalactic sexual repellent, Karen thought to herself as she paced around her cell. A lifetime of trying to do things right, and this is what it gets me. She wasn't so surprised that there were aliens in the universe, or that they had somehow weaponized porn, but that with all their advancements they were still so stupid!Sighing, she closed her eyes and listened to the ambient sounds of her cell. Life had been so noisy, the last 30 years. Everyone needing her, pulling on her for one thing or another. No peace. Lately though, with the kids gone and Cal; otherwise occupied; life had gone silent. The silence that she had wished for held no peace when it finally came. It just reverberated with the memory of things that had left her behind, making her anxious to fill the emptiness with noise. Nothing came to lure her mind away from the silence, no pleasurable temptations; her duties were done and it felt wrong to do, or even think about, anything else. My god, she had been kidnapped, was flying through the galaxy, and was surrounded by beefcake aliens and she was still thinking about that stupid loose tile in the master bathroom; she needed to get it fixed before the house was sold.A slight sound outside her cell drew her attention. "Who's there?" Karen asked, softly, opening her eyes.A wide-eyed figure peered around the edge of her cell, moving with cautious curiosity. It seemed younger than the other ones. It moved with a sense of barely-restrained eagerness, adorable and earnest. It also held a curved sort of wand in its hand."Honey, if you're here to anally probe me, I'll pass. I already had a colonoscopy this year, I'll have them send you the records;” she murmured, not expecting an answer.After a pause as the figure listened to the translation, its large eyes got even wider. "Is that how you poop?" he asked."What?" she asked, looking more closely at the young alien."I'm supposed to clean your cell when you poop; but you haven't pooped yet; wait, do colonoscopies make you poop?" it asked, scandalized.Karen closed her eyes and shook her head, "No. Colonoscopies put a small camera up your ass so that we can pay a doctor to do what we were afraid aliens like you would do to us if we got drunk in cornfields too much. They don't make us poop. In fact; well, never mind;” she trailed off, embarrassed.She still had vivid memories of her first colonoscopy earlier in the year, drinking gallons of preparatory laxatives, and the resulting quality time with her phone on the toilet. It was an odd experience; not awful, but not one that she could talk to anyone about. Her friends only talked about their kids and their successes, or whose husband cheated on them with some young thing, viciously salivating over their friends' misery with barely concealed glee. Forget about talking through her fears about it with Cal; that wasn't something he was interested in. Not anymore.After the procedure, she had been scared and disoriented from the sedation. For whatever reason, Cal hadn't shown up to give her a ride home. The stupid clinic wouldn't let her leave until someone could drive her home and take care of her. She just sat there getting more and more anxious. Eventually, she called an Uber and begged Xabiib the driver to pretend to be her neighbor; or just someone who cared about her. She spent the ride home trying to say his name correctly while he chuckled and repeated it for her. It was so horrifyingly embarrassing. It's one thing to have no one care about you, but another thing to have the whole world know about it when you were helpless and confused.Tears had rolled down her cheeks and she absently wiped them off with her hand. The young alien sat up and craned his head to look at the liquid on her hand. Karen snorted, "At ease, Holland. It's not poop. You're not getting anything out of me unless you have some heavy-duty magnesium supplements or yogurt."Holland's eyes went wide, "Are humans telepathic???" he gasped. "How did you know my name? Wow, that's so cool! Do it again! What am I thinking about now?"Karen suppressed a smile. Closing her eyes, she pressed her fingers to her temples and swayed from side to side, mysteriously. "I see something; something in the mist; something about; could it be; no, it makes no sense. Is it; a Zen; Zendayan? Does that make any sense to you?" she asked.Holland dropped his curved instrument in shock. "Yes! Yes! We just met them! We negotiated with them for supplies! I was there to carry stuff and; and;” he paused, shrinking in on himself a bit. "They are so beautiful. The Zendayans? So beautiful; and super nice; and just; like wow; I was supposed to just stand there until they were done with the talking and bowing and stuff, but they were just like so beautiful.""Well, what happened?" Karen asked."Captain introduced me and I bowed to them. I was feeling dizzy because, you know, their beautifulness just keeps radiating off them. Then; then; the most beautiful of them; she smiled." Holland stared at nothing, immersed in the memory, then wobbled, tipped over, and lay on the floor staring at the ceiling.Karen bit her lips in amusement. "I see. What did you do then?""I; I; I started talking and then I just couldn't stop because I was just trying to say how beautiful she was and how it just made my mind explode when she smiled and then I might have peed on the floor.""Oh dear," Karen said, cringing in sympathy. "We don't always put forward the face we want to when we are in our feelings, do we?" she said, quietly."Yeah; I've been cleaning poop ever since;” Holland sighed. After a while he sat back up, picked up the curved instrument and began twirling it in his hands. "So, like; what about you? Have you always made horrible noises?" he asked.Karen huffed, but then she saw the oblivious earnestness in Holland's face and sighed. "No; I wasn't always; like this. In fact, until about 30 years ago, I made beautiful noises. I was a pianist," she said."But, wait, they said you were a female;” Holland said, confused."Pee, an, ist," Karen repeated slowly. "I played the piano. It's an instrument; I was a musician. I was a student at Juilliard. It's a school on Earth; it was like a dream to even get in. I was on a scholarship, living in this shoddy apartment with my roommate Dana;” she trailed off, thinking about those days when everything seemed possible."Wait! Are you remembering?" Holland asked, breaking her reverie. "Can I remember it, too? Nobody wants to remember with me ever since the Zendayans, so I'm just left with my own memories and it gets so boring.""What are you talking about?""Well, it's kinda like; um; let me just show you. Computer, scan The Karen and project her memories," Holland ordered. A humming noise filled the room and a beam of light shot out of the wall and passed over her several times. Suddenly, her cell transformed into her shoddy apartment in Newark, New Jersey."Oh my gosh; it's just like it," Karen gasped looking around."Humans dream of getting into this?" Holland said, scrutinizing a cockroach scurrying along the floor."No, silly. This was our apartment across the river. We lived here when we weren't at school. Dana and I moved off campus in our second year. We took jobs on the side through an agency. That was when;” she sat down and a phone in the apartment's bedroom began ringing.A long, pale arm reached out of a pile of blankets on the bed and grabbed the phone. "Hullo?" Dana mumbled. A voice on the phone sounded irate. "Yeah, I'm almost there," she said and hung up.

 Karen Saves The Universe: Part 1Desperate aliens kidnap a Karen to save their world!Based on a post by LingeringAfterthought, in 3 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.On the starship Onan, the Priamites dubiously watched the screen display the creature. Dr. Fehr's algorithm had brought them trekking across the galaxy to a smallish, blue planet around an unimpressive star. While there was no denying the power emitted by the angry, festering organic matter before them, the thought of containing it and bringing it back to Priam was daunting. Still, the fate of their world hung upon the success of their mission."Do we have; uh; audio yet, Lieutenant Cavill?" Captain Hemsworth said, pausing briefly to joylessly ejaculate into his cumsuit, which quickly reclaimed the essence he emitted and channeled it into one of the suit's containment pouches to be resorbed as nourishment.Ever since the people of Eros had unleashed their horrific weapon on them, the Priamites orgasmed almost constantly. The Eros Curse, which seemed like a gift at first, became a tool of enslavement and oppression as the great Priam civilization devolved into listless people who passed the time sitting and staring at nothing in particular. Even special holidays were simply spent gathered in each other's' houses, grunting intermittently. The children of Priam, spared by the curse of Eros by living in growth pods, were never exposed to the disease or its effects until the seemingly arbitrary age of 18, so at least there was no trouble with the censors. The demands of orgasming so frequently took its toll on the Priamite's bodies. Dehydration, muscle spasms, and fatigue were common. The effects on the mind were worse. It wasn't until the invention of the cumsuit, which not only reclaimed the fluid loss and prevented dehydration, but also reduced arousing sensations until the wearer was nearly numb, that it was possible for them to journey out into the stars in search of a cure.Guided by the ancient journals of the revered Dr. Fehr, the Priamites had come to a small planet where it was foretold that there was a force of great and terrible power. It was hoped that this force could be used to break free of the cruel Eros Curse, but time was running out. Even wearing the cumsuits, the crew of the Onan, who were the most stoic, intellectual and sexless men of Priam, felt themselves progressively weakening to the Curse. It was only a matter of time until they lost all sense of duty and simply went adrift through the universe."No audio yet, Captain. The resonant frequency is so shrill that if we don't modulate the pitch; uh;” Lieutenant Cavill replied, closing his eyes and shaking as he orgasmed, then collapsed and stared blankly at the control panels as he recovered.Another crewman took over at the panel, "Captain, I can give you audio, but only for a short time. Even on their planet, they; they; oh; oh fuck;” the replacement said, stiffening as he spurted inside his suit, then shook his head to clear it and looked to their leader for orders. Captain Hemsworth braced himself in his chair and nodded for him to activate audio.A horrendous braying screech filled the bridge, “ No Idea Why You People Can't Even Take An Order Right! I Ordered The Cobb Salad With Extra Avocado! I Don't Care If It's Not On There Or Not! Fix The Damn Menu! I Have Been Coming Here For Over 15 Years And I Know For A Fact That You People Had Cobb Salad On There Two Years Ago When You Were Called Baker's Pie;"Another voice interjected, soft and conciliatory, "Oh, yes, ma'am; I see the confusion. The Baker's Pie that was here went out of business. This restaurant is Snooker's, now, so we don't have the same menu, but our club salad is very similar to;""Are You Actually Interrupting Me? Get. Me. A. Cobb. Salad. Extra Avocado! Do You Understand? Extra Avocado! Mucho Amortado! Comprendo Estupido?"Even in that short interlude, most of the Onan's bridge crew had begun bleeding from their ears and collapsing onto the deck. Captain Hemsworth, a man of rare tolerance and stamina, struggled past their unconscious bodies to the control panel and lowered the volume until it was barely audible. "Computer, disburse caffeline into bridge life support systems, 15 parts per million," he mumbled, leaning on the control panel for support as the strong stimulant hissed into the room. He didn't like to use the drug, because the heightened energy it gave often led to periods of prolonged involuntary masturbation, but he couldn't afford to waste time for the crewmen to awaken naturally. Not when conditions were so dire on Priam.Lieutenant Cavill groaned and rose weakly, climbing back into his console chair and checking the readings. "What happened, Captain? Our scans showed a primitive civilization on the planet without any meaningful defenses. What was that? Some kind of weapon?" he asked.Captain Hemsworth did a double-take at the crewman in wonder, but he said nothing. All around him, he watched the rest of the crew slowly getting to their feet and going back to their positions. All the men were alert, aware, and focused on their duties. Several of them were talking to each other; in full uninterrupted sentences. No one drooled, no one's eyes rolled back; not one of them stared off into space, as if dully re-living the curse that had infected their brains. He, himself, had not even felt the urge to sexually relieve himself once, even with the high levels of caffeline in the air. Indeed, he had not felt anything below the waist; not since he heard that voice. He doubted whether he would have the urge to orgasm ever again. They had finally done it."That was no weapon, Cavill; it is what we came here to find. It's the cure that Dr. Fehr told us was here all along. Contact High Command and tell them; tell them we found it. Tell them we have found; The Karen.The man-eating woman.After straightening out the incompetent waiter on her order, Karen Carmichael excused herself from her prayer group's table and walked to the restrooms, incensed. What kind of man actually cries when taking an order for a salad? Probably gay; or whatever kids were calling themselves these days. Was there such a thing as "gay" anymore, when people "identified" themselves as whatever the hell occurred to them? What was the point of picking a sexuality when people didn't even have a species anymore?Of course, Travis the Waiter had to play the victim about it, too, making the entire restaurant gawk over at their table like they were monsters. He probably knew they were a nice church group and went out of his way to make trouble. Sure, they all scream for "tolerance," but their types couldn't wait to attack nice people of faith like her who showed the world what it was to be decent and pure of heart. Well, he could just kiss his tip money goodbye! Tipping had gotten ridiculous anyway; a generation of whiny babies feeling entitled to extra money just for doing their jobs. ‘If ‘; they did their jobs. She couldn't even get a salad; and, by God, if the Manager didn't make things right, her Yelp review on this place would burn a hole through people's screens!Karen pushed on the door to the restroom tightly clutching her can of pepper spray, because sexual predators were always trying to rape women like her in public restrooms, and she nearly screamed when the door opened. Wet paper towels were everywhere. The garbage bin was overflowing, and some slob had splashed water all over the sink area! Now, she'd have to make the Manager take care of this, too! More drama, when she just wanted to have a nice lunch with her friends. And, of course, the Manager would just try to ‘handle ‘; her; as if she was some unreasonable bitch just for wanting to use a facility that wasn't absolutely disgusting! Then looking near her, but not at her, the Manager would apologize in that fake-nice voice and offer to comp her meal; offering her even more of what was bad in the first place. Managers and their fake apologies. They weren't sorry. The soulless jerks never meant it. They just wanted her to go away; acting like she was a scamming thief instead of someone who just wanted to be treated decently.She settled on the toilet and tried to calm herself. Lately, half the time she wanted to cry, or scream, or tear out her hair; but it wouldn't matter. Nothing would change. Everything changed around her, though. Menus; her children; hairstyles; prices; everything changed. It felt like everything had just left her behind. She looked everywhere for the things she used to love, but she couldn't find them anymore; and if she did find them, they weren't the same as they once were. Nothing made her feel her joy like she used to. That was it. Maybe she was done; that her turn at having any real joy was over. Now, the only time anyone tried to make her happy, or even looked at her, was when she screamed at them.Karen opened her eyes to a rattling sound at the door of her long, handicapped-bathroom stall. "Occupied!" she called out. To her dismay, the dial holding the sliding bolt turned all by itself and the door unlocked. "Hey! Get out!" she yelled, grabbing her pepper spray and holding it in front of her while she tried to stand and pull up her yoga pants."Nice human; good human;” a vaguely disembodied male voice said as a dark, hooded figure in a bizarre form-fitting spacesuit stepped into her stall holding what looked like a staff with a flexible loop affixed to the end of it. It slowly stepped toward her, as cautiously as one might approach a spooked animal. "Human want a nice piece of kale? Yes you do! Yes you do! Who's a good human?" it asked, holding out a curly dark green leaf to her and shaking it temptingly."What the hell?" she yelled, fumbling with the pepper spray can and trying to figure out how to make it work, just as the loop at the end of the staff went down over her head and around her neck, cinching tight.Karen choked, clutching at the loop with one hand, trying to loosen it so she could breathe, and with the other she emptied the can of pepper spray into the hooded face of her attacker. She struggled wildly, but the staff with the loop effectively controlled her and prevented her from landing any punches or kicks on her attacker. As darkness started creeping in on her vision, the last thing she saw was the figure deeply inhale the cloud of pepper spray and hold its breath, then say in a choked voice, "Ready for transport, sir; and man, they've got some good shit down here;”The forgotten leaf of kale fell down next to where Karen's cheek was pressed against the filthy bathroom floor, and with what she feared was her dying breath she choked out, "I want; to see; the; Manager;”Karen's ne victim."I used kale, Sir. Worked like a charm. It's one of the most nutritionally dense materials on the planet, so naturally, it was irresistible," a larger Priamite said to Captain Hemsworth, as he stripped out of his protective suit in a small enclave, bathed in an undulating light.Captain Hemsworth nodded. "Good work, Commander Momoa. Decontaminate for a full four cycles and I want protective measures in place for all personnel. God knows what this thing is capable of when it wakes."Karen heard garbled voices nearby, but kept her eyes closed and tried to steady her breathing. What had happened? The air smelled odd; almost crackling with ozone and energy, like a storm coming. The ambient sounds of the room told her she was not in Snookers anymore. Probably human traffickers. She saw a whole show about it. The bastards kidnapped her and were going to sell her into sexual slavery; except that she wasn't a teenager. She was 51 years old. Nobody would pay for sex with her, much less risk a felony conviction for it. Any ransom demands sent to her husband were going to have disappointing results, as well. So, what was going on? Why was she here? The kids were in college and wouldn't even notice she was gone until Christmas came. Her friends; her passive-aggressive competitors, if she was being honest; they'd just assume she left in a huff and stiffed them on the lunch check. The cold, hard truth was: nobody cared about her anymore and she knew it. That meant, if she was going to get out of this, she would have to do it herself. Her cheek hurt where it had hit that disgusting bathroom floor and she reached her hand up to touch it. The voices yelped in alarm and Karen opened her eyes to see two figures backing away from the enclosure she was imprisoned in."Who the hell are you, and what have you done with my purse?" she yelled, pushing herself to her feet. She walked toward them, crossing her arms and glaring. "I want whoever is in charge over here right now! I mean it!" she yelled, pointing as she walked toward them. One of the figures screamed, clutched at his ears and doubled over, staggering around the room dramatically. The other, larger one she recognized from the restaurant bathroom was in some tanning-booth-looking-thing, half naked and gorgeous in a likely-sexual-predator kind of way. Rather than flailing around the room, he seemed to have gone into a catatonic trance. God, people were useless. "You! Himbo!" she shouted, pointing at him. "Where is my purse? Did you even think to get it when you kidnapped me, or am I going to miss my Ozempic shot? I hope to God you assholes have good lawyers!"The beefy kidnapper in the tanning booth wobbled, then vomited loudly. Karen snorted as he slid down to the floor, unconscious. Pathetic. The smaller figure dove toward a panel on the wall next to her enclosure and pressed a few buttons and she heard the ambient noise of her room change, like it was encased, somehow."I've muted it. It's become even stronger than before;” Captain Hemsworth gasped, helping Commander Momoa to his feet again."How are we going to get it back to Priam? We could choke it out again every time it awakens; give the privilege out as a reward to the crew?" Commander Momoa suggested eagerly."No," Captain Hemsworth said, coming closer to the force field separating him from the angry Karen still yelling and pointing from inside the enclosure. "The cumulative effects of throttling it constantly might affect its functioning. We need The Karen at full power if we are to rescue Priam. We need to keep it conscious. We must feed it, provide it breathing gasses, and keep it clean; it appears to be constantly decaying. That reminds me ; cleaning duty goes to Ensign Holland. He's still on my shit list after the incident with the Zendayans.""Aye, sir."Captain Hemsworth cleared his throat and pressed another button on the side panel. "Hail Karen, bringer of blessed flaccidity, destroyer of abhorrent lust, and banisher of all erotic thought. We are men of the planet Priam. We mean you no harm. We come to you seeking aid, and we come in peace. Actually, until we found you, we would come almost constantly. It was disgusting. Everything was sticky. You see, our enemies from Eros sent us the most perfect pornographic images disguised in an innocent-looking email attachment. Once they were seen, they could not be unseen. They were burned into our brains, cursing us with perpetual arousal. The first wave of Priamites were taken by surprise once they activated the link. The next wave fell victim when the first wave posted the link on their social media because it was just so unbelievably; anyway, after the rest of our population fell out of curiosity or boredom, our civilization was nearly destroyed. We have been searching the stars for a cure, but to no avail. Then, just as all hope seemed lost, we found you; we heard your voice; and our loins finally withered. You are now a guest on my ship, The Onan, en route to my homeworld Priam. There, we will deliver your noxious, strident sounds to everyone, freeing them from their intransigent arousal. Then, after we are assured that all have been cured, we shall return you to your home."At this, Karen made an unpleasant face and began breathing on the clear wall of her enclosure, fogging it. Then, she quickly wrote a short message. "What does it mean?" Commander Momoa said, squinting at the squiggling lines she had made.At this, the computer made a chirp and began speaking, "The message, from the American dialect of the language English translates to: Why didn't you just make a recording?"Captain Hemsworth's shoulders slumped and he closed his eyes with a sigh. Commander Momoa's eyes went wide and he clapped his hand over his face in exasperation. "Fuck;” Momoa said in realization. "A recording;”"Dammit. We didn't have to take her at all, did we?" Captain Hemsworth groaned.Karen glared at them and wrote another word on the wall. As certain as Captain Hemsworth was that he did not need or want the translation, the computer was already on the job. "'Dumbasses,'" the computer cheerfully intoned, "a colloquial phrase, plural of the insult 'dumbass,' meaning 'a foolish or stupid person.'""End translation. Yes, Karen, if we had thought to record your voice instead of kidnapping you, this might have been a much shorter story, and considerably less inconvenient, but as it is, we are closer to Priam than Earth at this point, and our course is set. We will bring you to Priam and then return you home. Perhaps kidnapping you was not the most well-considered solution, but I defy you to think clearly after constantly watching porn for eons and let me know if you do any better."Karen's new calling.Great; as if getting old wasn't insult enough, I've actually become an intergalactic sexual repellent, Karen thought to herself as she paced around her cell. A lifetime of trying to do things right, and this is what it gets me. She wasn't so surprised that there were aliens in the universe, or that they had somehow weaponized porn, but that with all their advancements they were still so stupid!Sighing, she closed her eyes and listened to the ambient sounds of her cell. Life had been so noisy, the last 30 years. Everyone needing her, pulling on her for one thing or another. No peace. Lately though, with the kids gone and Cal; otherwise occupied; life had gone silent. The silence that she had wished for held no peace when it finally came. It just reverberated with the memory of things that had left her behind, making her anxious to fill the emptiness with noise. Nothing came to lure her mind away from the silence, no pleasurable temptations; her duties were done and it felt wrong to do, or even think about, anything else. My god, she had been kidnapped, was flying through the galaxy, and was surrounded by beefcake aliens and she was still thinking about that stupid loose tile in the master bathroom; she needed to get it fixed before the house was sold.A slight sound outside her cell drew her attention. "Who's there?" Karen asked, softly, opening her eyes.A wide-eyed figure peered around the edge of her cell, moving with cautious curiosity. It seemed younger than the other ones. It moved with a sense of barely-restrained eagerness, adorable and earnest. It also held a curved sort of wand in its hand."Honey, if you're here to anally probe me, I'll pass. I already had a colonoscopy this year, I'll have them send you the records;” she murmured, not expecting an answer.After a pause as the figure listened to the translation, its large eyes got even wider. "Is that how you poop?" he asked."What?" she asked, looking more closely at the young alien."I'm supposed to clean your cell when you poop; but you haven't pooped yet; wait, do colonoscopies make you poop?" it asked, scandalized.Karen closed her eyes and shook her head, "No. Colonoscopies put a small camera up your ass so that we can pay a doctor to do what we were afraid aliens like you would do to us if we got drunk in cornfields too much. They don't make us poop. In fact; well, never mind;” she trailed off, embarrassed.She still had vivid memories of her first colonoscopy earlier in the year, drinking gallons of preparatory laxatives, and the resulting quality time with her phone on the toilet. It was an odd experience; not awful, but not one that she could talk to anyone about. Her friends only talked about their kids and their successes, or whose husband cheated on them with some young thing, viciously salivating over their friends' misery with barely concealed glee. Forget about talking through her fears about it with Cal; that wasn't something he was interested in. Not anymore.After the procedure, she had been scared and disoriented from the sedation. For whatever reason, Cal hadn't shown up to give her a ride home. The stupid clinic wouldn't let her leave until someone could drive her home and take care of her. She just sat there getting more and more anxious. Eventually, she called an Uber and begged Xabiib the driver to pretend to be her neighbor; or just someone who cared about her. She spent the ride home trying to say his name correctly while he chuckled and repeated it for her. It was so horrifyingly embarrassing. It's one thing to have no one care about you, but another thing to have the whole world know about it when you were helpless and confused.Tears had rolled down her cheeks and she absently wiped them off with her hand. The young alien sat up and craned his head to look at the liquid on her hand. Karen snorted, "At ease, Holland. It's not poop. You're not getting anything out of me unless you have some heavy-duty magnesium supplements or yogurt."Holland's eyes went wide, "Are humans telepathic???" he gasped. "How did you know my name? Wow, that's so cool! Do it again! What am I thinking about now?"Karen suppressed a smile. Closing her eyes, she pressed her fingers to her temples and swayed from side to side, mysteriously. "I see something; something in the mist; something about; could it be; no, it makes no sense. Is it; a Zen; Zendayan? Does that make any sense to you?" she asked.Holland dropped his curved instrument in shock. "Yes! Yes! We just met them! We negotiated with them for supplies! I was there to carry stuff and; and;” he paused, shrinking in on himself a bit. "They are so beautiful. The Zendayans? So beautiful; and super nice; and just; like wow; I was supposed to just stand there until they were done with the talking and bowing and stuff, but they were just like so beautiful.""Well, what happened?" Karen asked."Captain introduced me and I bowed to them. I was feeling dizzy because, you know, their beautifulness just keeps radiating off them. Then; then; the most beautiful of them; she smiled." Holland stared at nothing, immersed in the memory, then wobbled, tipped over, and lay on the floor staring at the ceiling.Karen bit her lips in amusement. "I see. What did you do then?""I; I; I started talking and then I just couldn't stop because I was just trying to say how beautiful she was and how it just made my mind explode when she smiled and then I might have peed on the floor.""Oh dear," Karen said, cringing in sympathy. "We don't always put forward the face we want to when we are in our feelings, do we?" she said, quietly."Yeah; I've been cleaning poop ever since;” Holland sighed. After a while he sat back up, picked up the curved instrument and began twirling it in his hands. "So, like; what about you? Have you always made horrible noises?" he asked.Karen huffed, but then she saw the oblivious earnestness in Holland's face and sighed. "No; I wasn't always; like this. In fact, until about 30 years ago, I made beautiful noises. I was a pianist," she said."But, wait, they said you were a female;” Holland said, confused."Pee, an, ist," Karen repeated slowly. "I played the piano. It's an instrument; I was a musician. I was a student at Juilliard. It's a school on Earth; it was like a dream to even get in. I was on a scholarship, living in this shoddy apartment with my roommate Dana;” she trailed off, thinking about those days when everything seemed possible."Wait! Are you remembering?" Holland asked, breaking her reverie. "Can I remember it, too? Nobody wants to remember with me ever since the Zendayans, so I'm just left with my own memories and it gets so boring.""What are you talking about?""Well, it's kinda like; um; let me just show you. Computer, scan The Karen and project her memories," Holland ordered. A humming noise filled the room and a beam of light shot out of the wall and passed over her several times. Suddenly, her cell transformed into her shoddy apartment in Newark, New Jersey."Oh my gosh; it's just like it," Karen gasped looking around."Humans dream of getting into this?" Holland said, scrutinizing a cockroach scurrying along the floor."No, silly. This was our apartment across the river. We lived here when we weren't at school. Dana and I moved off campus in our second year. We took jobs on the side through an agency. That was when;” she sat down and a phone in the apartment's bedroom began ringing.A long, pale arm reached out of a pile of blankets on the bed and grabbed the phone. "Hullo?" Dana mumbled. A voice on the phone sounded irate. "Yeah, I'm almost there," she said and hung up.

Exquisite and Hannah take a slight detour because the best glitch ever interrupted their plans: Taylor Swift buys back her masters. Hear them discuss the outcome and then get into the song "Glitch" by Taylor Swift from her album Midnights. Enjoy the episode? ⁠Support The Taylor Seminars on Ko-fi! ❤️And don't forget to join the conversation with #MidnightsSeminars on X/TwitterFollow us on Twitter:- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠(Hannah)- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill⁠ ⁠⁠⁠(Exquisite)Cover Art by Alef Vernon: - ⁠@⁠⁠⁠alefvernonart⁠ ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram- ⁠@alefvernon⁠ on Twitter⁠⁠⁠Follow Alef on ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join Keith as he reviews all the comics of the week.

Karvin Cheung's influence on the hobby is probably more than you realize.  He's a risk taker who decisions have had positive effects. He returns for part 2 of our conversation on this episode.   Talking points on this episode may include: *The Evolution of the Hobby *Wearing different hobby hats *Working for Upper Deck, Working for Panini *The Legend of the Exquisite brand *Grail item *Would you like to see multiple licensing again? *Taking Risks *NSCC Discussion  Follow us on Social Media:  Website:https://www.sportscardnationpo....com https://linktr.ee/Sportscardna... Merch shop:https://sports-card-nation.pri...   To eliminate pre & post-roll adshttps://www.spreaker.com/podca...

Mr. Hollywood forgets his job as we talk Avengers delay. Alex picked Secret Six Vol.2 for the book club. Garrett brings a new book to the table. Leave a message: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.speakpipe.com/WednesdayComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠WednesdayComics.com⁠Sponsors:⁠⁠⁠⁠Rainbow Comics and Cards⁠⁠⁠⁠Roots of the Swamp Thing

Custom surface artists Lisa Donohoe and Brynn Gelbard met and fell in love in the queer underbelly scene of San Francisco in 2002, a time before bi-national same-sex marriage was legal. Their diverse community was built on love, curiosity and celebrating each other's differences. In an evolution that was equal parts organic maturity and cosmic intervention, Brynn and Lisa moved to Los Angeles and founded Londubh Studio, specializing in elaborate and maximalist hand-applied surface designs. Now the duo, often considered the design world's secret weapon, are translating their wildness, love, magic, and the sacred, through exquisite artistry and pristine craft, into visual celebrations that vibrate with love and emanate joy. Special thanks to our sponsor: Wix Studio:Web designers, Wix Studio lets you deliver your vision with less friction. Built for agencies and enterprises, you get total creative control over every last pixel, with no-code animations, tons of AI tools, reusable design assets, and advanced layout tools. Check out Wix Studio for your next project: https://www.wix.com/studio.For more from Byrnn and Lisa, head to cleverpodcast.com for a transcript (with links!) of this episode, images, resources, and over 200+ more episodes! Please help us out by completing a short LISTENER SURVEYSubscribe to our free substack for updates, bonus content, and new episode alerts.Please say Hi on social! Instagram and Linkedin - @CleverPodcast, @amydeversIf you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!Clever is hosted & produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Mark Zurawinski, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We didn't podfade! The boys are back to talk this week's new comic releases. Remembering Peter David Andor Exquisite Corpses #1 Superman Unlimited #1 Detective Comics #1097 Note: We did have some minor audio issues with our new software - we're working through them!

Karvin Cheung's influence on the hobby is probably more than you realize.  He's a risk taker who decisions have had positive effects. He joins us today on this episode.   Talking points on this episode may include: *The Evolution of the Hobby *Wearing different hobby hats *Working for Upper Deck, Working for Panini *The Legend of the Exquisite brand *Grail item *Would you like to see multiple licensing again? *Taking Risks *NSCC Discussion  Follow us on Social Media:  Website:https://www.sportscardnationpo....com https://linktr.ee/Sportscardna... Merch shop:https://sports-card-nation.pri...   To eliminate pre & post-roll adshttps://www.spreaker.com/podca...

Dan Slott moves to DC for the Summer of Superman! In this week's episode, it's Memorial Day weekend, so Joe and Matt are firing up the grill and roasting Dan Slott and Rafael Albuquerque's Superman Unlimited, Aunt Petunia's favorite Fantastic Four member in The Thing's new series, Kaare Andrews' channeling Todd McFarlane in the latest […] The post Spider-Man & Wolverine, Superman Unlimited, Invincible Presents Battle Beast, Exquisite Corpses & MORE! | New Comics Review Show #778 appeared first on The Two-Headed Nerd Comic Book Podcast.

Guess what? We are back and so is Butter Man!www.coolparents.co

With Larkin no longer in the picture, the investigators begin their search of the pyramid site. Watch the video here: ⁠⁠⁠https://youtu.be/TDGlU7zU7k4 For a limited time, use code "TFC" to save 15% on Cthulhu products at ⁠⁠chaosium.com⁠⁠. Access exclusive podcasts, ad-free episodes, and livestreams with a 30-day free trial with code "GCN30" at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jointhenaish.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join Troy Lavallee, Joe O'Brien, Skid Maher, Matthew Capodicasa, Sydney Amanuel, and Kate Stamas as they tour the country. Get your tickets today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.li/Q03cn8wr0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For more podcasts and livestreams, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hubs.li/Q03cmY380⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Watch new episodes when they premiere every Friday at 8PM ET on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/theglasscannon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, starting July 11th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

learn how to say 'exquisite' in Korean

In this episode of Sports Cards Live, we dive deep into one of the most significant hockey card purchases in recent memory. Stephen Ho joins us to share his thoughts on spending $381,000 on the iconic Alexander Ovechkin Cup RPA Gold 8/8. We discuss the card's importance, the mindset behind such a purchase, and the cultural and collector significance of serial number 8. Karvin Cheung, the creator of The Cup and Exquisite collections, adds insight into the design and historical relevance of the card, while Spinotron discusses the growing importance of rare serial numbers in the hobby. We also touch on the recent news that Joe Jackson and Pete Rose are now Hall of Fame eligible, NHL and NBA playoff updates, and the release of the latest The Cup set featuring game-used Connor Bedard RPA patches. Tune in for a jam-packed episode that covers the biggest stories and thought-provoking discussions in the hobby! Each week we tackle hot hobby headlines with a rotating panel of hobbyists, taking your questions and comments! We are likely to go into overtime so join us live grab your favorite beverage and snacks and bring your questions and comments as they will be in play. Saturday May 17 @ 7:00pm PST / 8:00pm MST / 9:00pm CST / 10:00pm EST Sports Cards Live has recently been ranked #5 among Feedspot's top 90 Sports Card podcasts https://podcast.feedspot.com/sports_card_podcasts/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon!NEWSSpider-Gwen gets 'Brand New Day' in new series launchMarvel reveals cover and Quesada talks 'Marvel Knights' The World to Come' #3'Marvel All-On-One' #1 anniversary one-shot coming August 2025'Imperial' gets new teaser promising spin-off one-shots, and issue 3 solicitSequel 'Cemetery Kids Run Rabid' #1 set for August releaseSkybound and Universal reteam for 'The Invisible Man'Casey Jones gets a solo seriesScott Snyder reveals new look at Bane and ‘Absolute Batman' vol. 2 titleDC Comics solicitaitons for August!New existential horror 'Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum' coming August 20252025 Eisner Awards nominees are in!Our Top Books of the WeekDave:Absolute Batman #8 (Scott Snyder, Marcos Martin)Spider-Verse Vs. Venomverse (2025) #1 (Mat Groom, Kyle Higgins, Luciano Vecchio)Alex:​​Exquisite Corpses #1 (Tynion, Michael Walsh)All-New, All-Deadly Gwenpool #1 (Cavan Scott, Stefano Nesi)Standout KAPOW moment of the week:Alex - Doom Snikt in OOUD #4Dave - Battle Beast #1 (Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley)TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEKAlex: The Vision & the Scarlet Witch #1 (Orlando, Lorenzo Tammetta), Absolute Flash #3 (Lemire, Robles)Dave: Into the Unbeing Part 2 #4 (Zac Thompson, Hayden Sherman)JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.Dave: The New Gods #6 (Nimit Malavia)Alex: The Ultimates #12 (Inhyuk Lee variant)Interview: James Tynion - Exquisite Corpses #1 out May 14, 20251. What drew you to the exquisite corpse method as a structural framework—and how did it shape your writing process across collaborators?2. You've said before that horror lets you explore personal fears in metaphorical ways—what fear sits at the heart of Exquisite Corpses for you personally?3. This project is filled with shifting tones and visual voices—how did you maintain thematic cohesion across multiple artists and chapters?4. You've tackled horror through multiple lenses—from psychological horror in The Nice House on the Lake to body horror in Something is Killing the Children. Where does Exquisite Corpses fall on your personal horror spectrum?5. You've spoken about burnout and choosing joy in your writing—did this collaborative process reawaken anything in you creatively?6. There's a class warfare element baked into the DNA of Exquisite Corpses. How important was it for you to make that commentary explicit rather than just subtext?7. You're known for big ideas in genre fiction. Was there ever a version of Exquisite Corpses that could've been a prose project or TV pitch—or was comics always the only way this could work?8. What's one element in Exquisite Corpses—a character, twist, or scene—that you're most excited for readers to finally experience, but can't say anything about yet?

Episode 980-Connectivity, Battle Beast Blind Bags, Exquisite Corpses, Jessica Jones, Gary Vee+ Sneak Peek at Next Week w/Kyle & DrewABSOLUTE FLASH #3 (W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Nick RoblesCATWOMAN #76 (W) Torunn Gronbekk (A) Patricio Delpeche (CA) Inhyuk LeeSongs by Drew - Static & Disconnect & Sync Need an LCS Kowabunga Comics https://kowabungacomics.com - Get FOC Access: http://eepurl.com/du7Wwf or Eric@KowabungaComics.com Like & Subscribe on our Youtube www.youtube.com/@comicsforfunandprofit5331Patreon https://www.patreon.com/comicsfunprofit  Merch https://comicsfunprofit.threadless.comYour Support Keeps Our Show Going On Our Way to a Thousand EpisodesDonate Here https://bit.ly/36s7YeLAll the C4FaP links you could ever need  https://beacons.ai/comicsfunprofit Listen To the Episode Here: https://comcsforfunandprofit.podomatic.com/

5/15/25: Dr. Jonathan Bayuk: RFK Jr v vaccines. Gazette & Recorder Ex Ed Dan Crowley: the headlines today & tomorrow. Rabbi David Seidenberg: Gaza, genocide, Trump & antisemitism. Ruth Griggs w/ jazz great, trumpeter & vocalist, Benny Benack III: exquisite family harmony & his upcoming Drake gig.

Join us as Exquisite and Hannah discuss the heartbreaking "Bigger Than the Whole Sky" by Taylor Swift from Midnights. Taylor writes purposefully vaguely about a tragedy in a life and yet so specifically that she's able to put words to people's sadness--even when she says "no words appear before me in the aftermath." Enjoy the episode? ⁠Support The Taylor Seminars on Ko-fi! ❤️And don't forget to join the conversation with #MidnightsSeminars on X/TwitterFollow us on Twitter:- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠(Hannah)- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill⁠ ⁠⁠⁠(Exquisite)Cover Art by Alef Vernon: - ⁠@⁠⁠⁠alefvernonart⁠ ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram- ⁠@alefvernon⁠ on Twitter⁠⁠⁠Follow Alef on ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠

I've been meaning to catch up with Eisner Winning comics writer and artist Michael Walsh (Universal Monsters:Frankenstein, Nullhunters) for some time on the show. As a big fan of his work on The Silver Coin, I was particularly excited about the news that he was working on a new project with James Tynion, and what a project this is. Exquisite Corpses is unlike anything else I've ever seen. It's an indy book with a production and marketing engine rivaling the big two and backed by the full force that is Tiny Onion and its plethora of talented worker bees. I'm not typically a single issue person, usually waiting for trades but after getting an advance sneak peek at this, I'm all in every month as it will be that read in the car book many people will anxiously await each month. They've assembled an all star team of rotating talent to work on different issues but retained the same letter and colorist to maintain some visual continuity throughout. As the architect of much of the visual language of the book and its various villains, it was a joy to hear all about Michael's character design process and the unique nature of collaborating that helped create the blueprint for what will be one of the most exciting series of 2025. Michael's website Michael's shout outs Becca Carey - project letterer Courtney Maynard Exquisite Corpses From the publisher Every five years on Halloween, the wealthiest families in America play a game. Twelve of the deadliest people in the world are dropped into a small town with just one goal: last killer standing wins. For the citizens of Oak Valley, Maine—this year's unlucky arena—the goal is much simpler. They must survive the night. Experience a comics event like no other, from the minds of JAMES TYNION IV & MICHAEL WALSH, as they lead a group of the most exciting voices in the industry. Over thirteen blood-soaked chapters, these creators will collaborate and compete to determine who wins and who dies—and the games begin in this triple-sized debut! Exquisite Corpses is an extended collaboration between Tynion and Walsh, who wrote the creative bible for the series, and some of the most acclaimed and popular creators in comics, including Adam Gorham (Hellhunters), Becca Carey (Absolute Wonder Woman), Che Grayson (Dark Spaces: Good Deeds), Claire Roe (Dark Spaces: The Hollywood Special), Gavin Fullerton (The Closet), Jordie Bellaire (Redlands), Marianna Ignazzi (Catwoman), Pornsak Pichetshote (The Good Asian), Tyler Boss (You'll Do Bad Things), and Valentine De Landro (Bitch Planet). PATREON We have a new Patreon, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CryptidCreatorCornerpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. Want to know more, you know what to do. ARKENFORGE Play TTRPG games? Make sure to check out our partner ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Arkenforge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Use the discount code YETI5 to get $5 off your order. THE LANTERN CATALOG Created on the premise of creating light in the dark, this is the the go to resource to keep you up to date on the indy projects and the creators you love. You can find them at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thelanterncatalog.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Make sure to check out our sponsor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠2000AD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Hannah and Exquisite as they discuss the first of Midnights 3am tracks. "The Great War" is a masterful self-written song that describes a tumultuous time in a couple's relationship that has a happy ending. But we see glimpses of other battles in the past and even foreshadowing of betrayal and heartache in the future.

On today's podcast, Founder and CEO of af&co., Andrew Freeman shares Expert Tips and Trends in Travel, Luxury Hotels and Fine Dining, and Strategies to stay relevant, resourceful, and respected in your industry   BACK STORY Named as one of the Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, and was named a PRNEWS CEO of the Year Honoree for 2023, Andrew brings a combination of deep industry experience, passion and creativity to every endeavor. With 40 years in the hospitality industry and af&co. celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, Andrew has built a legacy of innovation while staying at the forefront of industry trends. With over 200 restaurant and hotel launches, Andrew and his team have provided branding, marketing, PR, and operations consulting for hundreds more, including spirits, wine brands, and destinations. af&co. has also produced culinary events ranging from intimate dinners to festivals drawing over 10,000 guests. From 2016 to present, af&co. has been named by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the Top 50 LGBTQ-Owned Businesses in the Bay Area, consecutively moving up the ranks to its current position at number 34.  Andrew got his start in the restaurant business by working his way up through the ranks at several legendary New York City establishments. At the Russian Tea Room, Andrew opened the Cabaret, which became the toast of the town after only six months and he spent six years as VP of PR at The Rainbow Room, working alongside Joe Baum. He then moved onto the famed Windows on the World, Andrew was the VP of Public Relations and Marketing and oversaw the re-launch after the Trade Center bombing in 1992.  Before founding af&co., Andrew spent a decade as VP of Public Relations and Strategic Partnerships at Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, launching over 40 properties and expanding the brand globally. He also spearheaded Kimpton's award-winning LGBTQ+ travel program, helping it become the first hospitality company to earn a 100% score on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index—a distinction it has maintained since 2002. In addition to af&co., Andrew co-founded Carbonate in 2020, an independent branding and creative agency specializing in storytelling, identity, and positioning for the hospitality industry. Under Andrew's leadership, af&co. and Carbonate have become highly respected consulting firms with headquarters in San Francisco and Cincinnati, serving clients nationwide. The af&co. + Carbonate Annual Trends Report, now in its 17th year, continues to be one of the most influential industry resources, providing insights into emerging hospitality trends. When Andrew is not consulting with his growing list of notable clients, he dedicates any extra time he has to philanthropic efforts sitting on the boards of SF Travel, The Golden Gate Restaurant Association, Foodwise, and The Richmond Ermet AID Foundation. He's an honorary board member of Meals on Wheels San Francisco and a co-founder for Dress for Success San Francisco.  Andrew has been a driving force in initiatives that amplify and support hospitality businesses in the Bay Area. He is a co-founder of the Oakland Restaurant Collective and Savor Oakland and collaborates with Visit Oakland, Eat Drink SF, and The James Beard Foundation on yearly culinary events. He continues to advocate for hospitality businesses, ensuring they remain integral to the cultural and economic landscape. A regular contributor to industry publications, Andrew is a sought-after speaker at hospitality conferences worldwide. When not working – you can find Andrew at Barry's Bootcamp, catching the latest Broadway show (obsessed), exploring the wonders of San Francisco with his pooch Dolly and of course celebrating life's everyday moments at his favorite restaurants and hotels. Website: https://www.afandco.com/ Instagram: afandco SUBSCRIBE TO ICONIC HOUR If you enjoyed today's podcast, I'd be so appreciative if you'd take two minutes to subscribe, rate and review ICONIC HOUR. It makes a huge difference for our growth. Thanks so much!   ICONIC LIFE MAGAZINE  Stay in touch with ICONIC LIFE magazine. We invite you to join our digital VIP list and SUBSCRIBE!   JOIN OUR ICONIC COMMUNITY Website: iconiclife.com Instagram: @iconiclifemag Facebook: Iconic Life YouTube: ICONIC LIFE   FOLLOW RENEE DEE Instagram: @iconicreneedee LinkedIn: Renee Dee   Thanks for being a part of our community to Live Beautifully.

Originally Aired: 04/25/25 – We review Andor Season 2. We talk with artist Michael Walsh of Exquisite Corpses and also with artist Léo Chiola of Marvel Snap!. The post Geek Hard: Episode 776 – Andor's Exquisite Rivals appeared first on Geek Hard.

Exquisite and Hannah wrap up Track 13 of Midnights (the end of the standard album) with "Mastermind." This song mixes romanticism and manipulation to concoct the perfect closer (or is the closer?!?) that show how Taylor is clearly in control (or is she?!). Enjoy the episode? ⁠Support The Taylor Seminars on Ko-fi! ❤️And don't forget to join the conversation with #MidnightsSeminars on X/Twitter Follow us on Twitter:- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠(Hannah)- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill⁠ ⁠⁠⁠(Exquisite)Cover Art by Alef Vernon: - ⁠@⁠⁠⁠alefvernonart⁠ ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram- ⁠@alefvernon⁠ on Twitter⁠⁠⁠Follow Alef on ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠

NEWSFantastic Four Trailer: Thoughts?​​Marvel's Hellfire Gala continues with 'X-Men: Hellfire Gala Vigil' #1Time to get hot and bothered: ‘Marvel Swimsuit Special' returns July 9thMarvel teases the heir to Apocalypse coming in ‘X-Men' #19Ultimate Universe July 2025 first look reveals Ultimate Scarlet Witch and QuicksilverGail Simone writing 'Rebel Moon: Nemesis' prequelAIPT already covered, but updated release date and first cover for T.A.M.A. #1The War, from Ennis Cloonan, collected in one-shot Oni Press details EC Comics' 2025 'Summer of Fear''This Ends Tonight' revenge miniseries launching July 2025Sequel 'Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring' #1 coming July 2025DC Comics solicitations for July 2025DC reveals 'Superman Treasury' and July 2025 covers and detailsDC reveals five new Superman-themed corner boxes for 'Summer of Superman'Our Top Books of the WeekDave:Wonder Woman #20 (Tom King, Guillem March)Absolute Flash #2 (Jeff Lemire, Nick Robles)Alex:​​Ultimate Wolverine #4 (Chris Condon, Alessandro Cappuccio)Buried Long, Long Ago #1 (Anthony Cleveland, Alex Cormack)35Standout KAPOW moment of the week:Alex - Jean Grey from Ultimate WolverineDave - Wolverine #8 (Daniel Warren Johnson)TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEKAlex: Captain Planet #1 (David Pepose, Eman Casallos), Absolute Martian #2 (Deniz Camp, Javier Rodríguez)Dave: Assorted Crisis Events #2 (Deniz Camp, Eric Zawadzki)JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.Dave: G.I. Joe #6 (Lorenzo De Felici)Alex: Magik #4 (Rose Besch)Interview: Michael Walsh - EXQUISITE CORPSESThematic Exploration: Exquisite Corpses presents a deadly game orchestrated by the wealthy elite. What inspired this narrative, and how does it reflect on societal structures?​Character Design: With twelve unique assassins in the story, what was your approach to designing each character to ensure they stood out visually and thematically?​We're in a real horror renaissance in comics right now—whether it's the resurgence of EC-style anthologies, a wave of creator-owned horror books, or even Marvel events like Blood Hunt. How did Exquisite Corpses aim to stand out in such a crowded and creatively rich horror landscape?You mentioned in Kieron Gillen's newsletter you're now prioritizing creator-owned work and writing for yourself—but with so many collaborative roles still in play (writer, artist, visual coordinator), how do you protect your own creative bandwidth? Have you had to say no to projects you would have jumped at earlier in your career?You described the writer's room energy as electric, with unexpected story breakthroughs. Was there a specific moment or idea that surprised you the most—something that completely shifted the trajectory of the story or a character for you personally?Game Integration: The comic is accompanied by a trading card game. How did the development of the game influence the storytelling in the comic, and vice versa?​Artistic Challenges: Given the horror elements and action sequences, what were some of the artistic challenges you faced in bringing this world to life?​Influences: Were there specific films, books, or other media that influenced the aesthetic and tone of Exquisite Corpses?​Future Plans: Is there potential for expanding the universe of Exquisite Corpses beyond the initial thirteen issues, perhaps into other media formats?​Fun Question: If you were to participate in the deadly game depicted in Exquisite Corpses, which assassin would you choose to be, and why?Any romance in the series?What do you say to the haters who say, “This is just Squid Game!”?

Come crash out with Exquisite and Hannah as they talk about "Sweet Nothing," Track 12 from Taylor Swift's Midnights album. They analyze it as what it was when it was first released--a beautiful love song about being safe with someone--and then analyze it in hindsight, when we realize that this is a love that's been forgotten deep inside a pocket. And then see the full culmination of their despair and agony when they include the "Sweet Nothing x Hoax" mashup performed in Dublin (an hour train ride from Wicklow, btw) and fully give into the "what you did what just as dark." Strap in. Like literally. Also, we're so sorry. Enjoy the episode? ⁠Support The Taylor Seminars on Ko-fi! ❤️And don't forget to join the conversation with #MidnightsSeminars on X/TwitterFollow us on Twitter:- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠(Hannah)- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill⁠ ⁠⁠⁠(Exquisite)Cover Art by Alef Vernon: - ⁠@⁠⁠⁠alefvernonart⁠ ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram- ⁠@alefvernon⁠ on Twitter⁠⁠⁠Follow Alef on ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠

Join Hannah and Exquisite as they discuss the personification of "Karma" on this week's episode of The Taylor Seminars. Track 11 of Midnights, "Karma" has Taylor feeling carefree and reaping the benefits of her hard-earned work--while admonishing those who are addicted to betrayal. And we'd love for you to share: what is your karma?Enjoy the episode? ⁠Support The Taylor Seminars onKo-fi! ❤️ And don't forget to join the conversation with#MidnightsSeminars on X/TwitterFollow us on Twitter:- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠(Hannah)- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill⁠ ⁠⁠⁠(Exquisite)Cover Art by Alef Vernon: - ⁠@⁠⁠⁠alefvernonart⁠ ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram- ⁠@alefvernon⁠ on Twitter⁠⁠⁠Follow Alef on ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠

In Episode 20 of Undercurrents of Romance, Tracey Devlyn sits down with AdriAnne May to discuss her debut adult romantasy, EXQUISITE RUIN. Only a gifted storyteller could make a deadly maze this sexy. In EXQUISITE RUIN, AdriAnne May weaves simmering tension, jaw-dropping stakes, and the kind of romantasy that leaves a mark. A deadly maze. A forgotten past. Trapped with a dangerous demon she can't resist, a sorceress must uncover the truth of their tangled history to escape. But as passion reignites and secrets unravel, she begins to wonder if the real monster isn't lurking ahead—but already beside her… or within. Love the episode → Rate it ❃ Thumbs Up ❃ Subscribe → ❤ Show Notes:
 https://traceydevlyn.com/podcast #newrelease #bookrelease #romance #romancebooks #romantasy #adultromantasy #adriannemay #thelabyrinthseries #forcedproximity #amnesia #enemiestolovers #secondchance #gallerybooks #traceydevlyn #undercurrentsofromance #podcast #podcastepisode #podcastguest #authorsontheair #vidcast #authorinterview #authorssupportingauthors #videobookclub #books #bookrecommendations #bookaddiction

Join Hannah & Exquisite as they discuss the threads that connect the song "Labyrinth" from Taylor Swift's album Midnights with the story of the Minotaur. The bull-headed man, also known as Asterion, was trapped inside a maze--isolated and forever trapped and bred to be a monster who could never find love but only devour his victims. Does that sound similar to another self-professed "monster on a hill"? Explore these connections and more on this episode! Enjoy the episode? ⁠Support The Taylor Seminars onKo-fi! ❤️And don't forget to join the conversation with#MidnightsSeminars on X/Twitter Follow us on Twitter:- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠(Hannah)- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill⁠ ⁠⁠⁠(Exquisite)Cover Art by Alef Vernon: - ⁠@⁠⁠⁠alefvernonart⁠ ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram- ⁠@alefvernon⁠ on Twitter⁠⁠⁠Follow Alef on ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠

Join us for one of Taylor's prettiest and sparkliest pop songs -- and best believe it's also a threat. Hannah and Exquisite discuss "Bejeweld," track 9 of Midnights in both its historical context and with 20/20 hindsight. Enjoy the episode? ⁠Support The Taylor Seminars onKo-fi! ❤️And don't forget to join the conversation with#MidnightsSeminars on X/Twitter Follow us on Twitter:- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠(Hannah)- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill⁠ ⁠⁠⁠(Exquisite)Cover Art by Alef Vernon: - ⁠@⁠⁠⁠alefvernonart⁠ ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram- ⁠@alefvernon⁠ on Twitter⁠⁠⁠Follow Alef on ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠

Send us a textGROW Greatness Reached over Oppression through Wisdom For whom the bell tolls, God Almighty has called us to GROWIt is So Fascinating to learn about God, Me and LifeI am learning to Love me, knowing God Loves me has changed the way I thought about meI am God's ✨

Ever wanted to be a fly on the wall while women talked about their dating stories? Ever wondered what the men who have women feel both safe and turned on have in common?Here, four of us women discuss a specific skill that men have shown that has us feel taken care of and turned on. It boosts polarity like crazy, and it's relevant whether or not you're dating casually or you're in a committed, long-term relationship.What's extra intriguing is that while this is a relatively easy skill to master, it's not one that a lot of men know about. (We can guarantee that because it's pretty rare in the dating world!)If you want to be able to lead women in such a way that has them feel special, lit up, and excited to see you ... listen on.Bonus? When a woman feels safe and turned on, she's far more likely to fall in love.---Work with usWant to go deeper than the podcast? Jason and I are ready to work with you! We specialize in helping men break old patterns and transform their sex & love lives for good. If you're looking for high-quality relationship advice, we've got it.To see if there's a fit for our flagship program Pillars of Presence, book a call here. Start anytime. (https://evolutionary.men/apply/)

Join us this episode and come dressed for revenge as we're discussing "Vigilante Shit" from Taylor Swift's Midnights. We discuss the connections between this song and "No Body, No Crime," as well as other songs where Taylor has been provoked into action. And so join Exquisite and Hannah on this fun episode where we get to see how Taylor's self-written song is filled with zingers and amazing storytelling. From Taylor's Midnights prologue: "Why are you still up at this hour? Because you're cosplaying vengeance fantasies, where the bad bad man is hauled away in handcuffs and you get to watch it happen. You laugh into the mirror with a red wine snarl. You look positively deranged."Enjoy the episode? ⁠Support The Taylor Seminars onKo-fi! ❤️And don't forget to join the conversation with#MidnightsSeminars on X/Twitter Follow us on Twitter:- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠(Hannah)- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill⁠ ⁠⁠⁠(Exquisite)Cover Art by Alef Vernon: - ⁠@⁠⁠⁠alefvernonart⁠ ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram- ⁠@alefvernon⁠ on Twitter⁠⁠⁠Follow Alef on ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this thrilling episode, the heroes interrogate their prisoner. Keziah double doses him. Gale scolds him. Alecto flexes her muscles. They find another abandoned prisoner.   Join our Discord community! Follow this link and get in on the fun: https://discord.gg/tq88ZNcm3E   Meet the Cast:   Jeff Richardson as the Loremaster @eljefetacoma on all the socials   Jayme Antrim as Ebenezer Crunch @brandoff.dice.camp   Kristy Ockunnzi-Kmit as Keziah @kmitko3 Read her short stories at: vocal.media/authors/kristy-ockunzzi-kmit   AJ Ganaros as Gale Zauber @AJ_Ganaros or @AJ_the_Slayer   Ash Blair-Borders as Alecto Ashrender @doktormod on Bluesky   Theme Song: I'm Taking Off (Shield Your Eyes) by Space Knife released July 4, 2019, used under license, all rights reserved.   Get involved! Contact us: By email: shatteredworldspod@gmail.com or Twitter: @swrpgpod   Get your name on the show! Use the hashtag #swearpig when you tweet about us and we'll name a character after you!   Like our Facebook page - Shattered Worlds RPG   Join our Patreon and help us make more amazing content! Patreon.com/ShatteredWorldsRPG

Join Hannah and Exquisite as they connect "Question...?" from the album Midnights to other songs in the 1989-verse. Of course there is "Out of the Woods," but also "Is It Over Now?," "Now That We Don't Talk," "Slut!" and more!Enjoy the episode? ⁠Support The Taylor Seminars onKo-fi! ❤️And don't forget to join the conversation with #MidnightsSeminars on X/TwitterFollow us on Twitter:- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠(Hannah)- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill⁠ ⁠⁠⁠(Exquisite)Cover Art by Alef Vernon: - ⁠@⁠⁠⁠alefvernonart⁠ ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram- ⁠@alefvernon⁠ on Twitter⁠⁠⁠Follow Alef on ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠

On this week's episode, the guys discuss hospital visits, bad DC Comics TV, and what was under Destro's mask.

I can't imagine what it takes to be a full-time family law litigator, own your own practice for 40 years, then get multiple coaching certifications and show up with such zest for life and joy for being alive... while simultaneously beginning to understand that feeling doesn't happen in the mind, it happens in the body... and that there are no feelings that are wrong or bad, that we aren't wrong or bad, that all feelings are a beautiful part of Being Human. This has been the Exquisite journey of watching Rosie come into my Inner Circle coaching program, become a certified Allana Pratt method coach and do her first PSI.  In this intimate connection we also discussed... -How she'd never come across processes like mine before that weren't goal oriented but depth of presence, heart and truth-oriented.  -How she thought she was feeling all along but she wasn't, she was analyzing in her head versus surrendering to the flow of energy and trusting her body. -How in our one-on-one journey in Australia I was able to facilitate the resolution of why she still felt helpless even though she's extraordinarily capable.  -How integrating emotions of regret, unforgiveness, sadness and disappointment turned into building blocks of confidence, flow, creativity and alignment with the cadence and rhythm of the universe.  -How she's able to be the embodiment of Stillness and Presence in her day-to-day life which supports her shifting from litigation to mediation and coaching, while enjoying the of even her second knee replacement, awakening her sense of humor, being in the zone and in the flow with life.  -After her latest PSI with me in Australia, other Inner Circle members reported she looked so much softer and yet simultaneously stronger.  -She was able to articulate her transformation in a way that literally created breakthroughs for people in the group. It's the difference between being book smart and being the embodiment of divine wisdom.  -And all at the age of 71 years young! No excuses people :-) Let's keep evolving... and allowing decades of decadence to flow through us.  ________________________________________________________ ❤️ Successful professionally yet suck at deep intimate love? Can't get it right as hard as you try? Hate yourself because you know better, but the pattern still continues? Desire 1-on-1 support to integrate these subconscious trauma wounds? This is my genius. Let's set you free. Schedule your VIP Intimacy Breakthrough Experience with me here:   www.allanapratt.com/vip  Subscribers of my Intimate Conversations Podcast are eligible to use the Scholarship Code: INTIMATE ________________________________________________________ ❤️ As committed as you are, what's still repelling deep connection, fulfilling sex, and heart-centered intimacy? Your Blindspots. Unintegrated heartbreak. Let's move you from confused to clarity, insecure to confident, disheartened to hopeful... single to finding The One. We've got you.  Schedule your Intimacy Breakthrough Experience with me today https://allanapratt.com/connect  Scholarship Code: READYNOW ________________________________________________________ ❤️ Finding the One is Bullsh*t. Becoming the One is brilliant and beautiful, and ironically the key to attracting your ideal partner. Move beyond the fear of getting hurt again. Register for Become the One Introductory Program. http://allanapratt.com/becomeintro  Use Code: BTO22 to get over 40% off _________________________________________________ ❤️ Complimentary Intimacy Mini-Course ~ After 20 yrs as an Intimacy Expert, I've discovered the TOP 5 Mistakes that destroy a conscious relationship. Learn how to avoid them so you can thrive deliciously. https://allanapratt.com/top5mistakes  ________________________________________________________ ❤️ What's your Intimacy Blind Spot? Discover what may be stopping you from attracting or keeping a healthy soul shaking relationship. Take the quiz! https://allanapratt.com/quiz   ______________________________________________________ ❤️ The Magic Mind team created a super offer for me to share with you delicious people.You get up to 50% off your first subscription or 20% off your one time purchase with my code INTIMATE. You can get it at www.magicmind.com/intimallana and redeem the discount code INTIMALLANA. ________________________________________________________ ❤️ Let's stay connected: Exclusive Video Newsletter: http://allanapratt.com/newsletter Instagram - @allanapratt Facebook - @coachallanapratt 

On this episode, Hannah and Exquisite visit one of Taylor Swift's signature Track Fives: "You're On Your Own, Kid." Listen in as they trace how the song follows Taylor's growth from a young (precocious) child to her life in NYC to finally realizing that she's got something that no one can take away. Follow us on Twitter:- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠(Hannah)- ⁠@⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill⁠ ⁠⁠⁠(Exquisite)Cover Art by Alef Vernon: - ⁠@⁠⁠⁠alefvernonart⁠ ⁠⁠⁠on Instagram- ⁠@alefvernon⁠ on Twitter⁠⁠⁠Follow Alef on ⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠

We dive into the next sleepless night, and we are transported into the Red era. But everything has changed as Taylor reexamines that "passionate as sin" relationship from new angles in Track 2 of Midnights, "Maroon." This tumultuous love affair was chronicled throughout Taylor's fourth studio album, Red, especially in songs like "Red" and "All Too Well," which we definitely reference in this week's episode. Hannah and Exquisite discuss how Taylor dissects the "burning red" color and exposes its many different shades, before she eventually (and perhaps inevitably) identifies a richer, darker, more complex color: maroon. The two also discuss how this song demonstrates how Taylor is a master storyteller and wordsmith. She crafts parallel stories in each verse that have radically different conclusions. We also see how Taylor revisits themes of the power of memory and legacy in the chorus and bridge that she has in so many of her songs. And Hannah and Exquisite discuss how, at midnight, we can finally have an epiphany about the changes we need to make--because we see the connections between our past selves and our present--and so we need to run. BONUS: We also read some "Maroon" analysis from the new book Stars Around My Scars by friend of the podcast, Dr. Elly McCausland. Check out her book here, You can also follow her on Instagram! Enjoy the podcast? ⁠⁠⁠Send us a tip on Ko-Fi! ⁠⁠⁠ Join in on our conversation on Twitter/X with the hashtag #MidnightsSeminars Follow us on Twitter: Taylor Seminars Hannah Exquisite Cover Art by Alef Vernon Instagram Patreon

We met Taylor at midnight, and we were in for an album filled with questions, regrets, self-loathing, hope, fear, anger, and everything in between. Exquisite & Hannah dive into the Midnight's prologue, searching for clues to why she wrote the album--and how it even impacted The Tortured Poets Department. We also delve into the first track, "Lavender Haze," where they talk about analyzing the song as it was written AND how hindsight can change the way we look at songs--but BOTH are valid and important. Enjoying the podcast? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Send us a tip!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join in on our conversation on Twitter/X with the hashtag #MidnightsSeminars! Follow us on Twitter @ We're also trying to update an Instagram: ⁠@thetaylorseminars⁠ Cover art by Alef Vernon: Instagram: Twitter:

What if we told you we're going back to the Midnights era? For this season of The Taylor Seminars, we're going to examine the tracks of the 2024 Album of the Year Midnights by Taylor Swift. But before we dive into the album, we need to do some context. That's why for this pre-Midnights episode, Exquisite and Hannah discuss two songs that have not been released on a Taylor Swift album: "Renegade," in which Taylor collaborates with Big Red Machine and "You're Losing Me," which was released during the Eras tour, was written in 2021 (!!!), and released as a separate Midnights vault track (but not on any of the deluxe albums). Listen in so you can see why these two songs are crucial for understanding Midnights--and why they're both amazing songs and standouts in Taylor's discography. Enjoying the podcast? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Send us a tip!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join in on our conversation on Twitter/X with the hashtag #MidnightsSeminars! Follow us on Twitter: @ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @⁠sippingaugust ⁠(Hannah) @⁠exquisitewill ⁠(Exquisite) Cover Art by Alef Vernon: @⁠alefvernonart ⁠on Instagram @⁠alefvernon ⁠on Twitter ⁠Follow Alef on Patreon⁠

This episode features "The Exquisite Pull of Relentless Desire" by Will McMahon (©2025 by Will McMahon) read by Caleb Mose, and "Bone And Marrow, Woven Into Song" by Neon Yang (©2025 by Neon Yang) read by Stefan Rudnicki). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been an amazing 9-month journey we've been on with The Tortured Poets Department. We're off to one more trip to those shores with our recap episode, "The Aftermath." Listen in as Hannah and Exquisite share their final thoughts on the album (yes we include extra time on "So Long, London"), including what we would consider the "thesis statement" of the album. We'll be back next week... meet us at midnight? Join in on our conversation on Twitter/X with the hashtag #AnthologySeminars! Enjoy the podcast? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Send us a tip!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitter: @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Hannah @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Exquisite Art by Alef Vernon: @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alefvernon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Instagram) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alef's Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

On the latest episode of ‘New Classical Tracks' with host Julie Amacher, pianist Joanne Polk releases the second volume of her recordings featuring the music of French composer and pianist Cécile Chaminade. Listen now!

As we near the end of The Tortured Poets Department: Anthology, Exquisite and Hannah analyze the beautiful and melancholy "Robin," in which Taylor sings to Robin (herself?) and how she wishes to hel keep their innocence forever. They talk about the song's connection to the theme of innocence and innocence lost, which is found throughout Taylor Swift's discography in songs such as "Never Grow Up," "Would've Could've Should've", and "The Best Day." Join in on our conversation on Twitter/X with the hashtag #AnthologySeminars! Enjoy the podcast? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Send us a tip!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitter: @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠taylorseminars⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sippingaugust ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Hannah @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠exquisitewill ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Exquisite Art by Alef Vernon: @⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alefvernon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Instagram) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alef's Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Attention crew, lots of Star Trek news this week! We are learning more about the Section 31 streaming movie. We have an idea of what it's about. Also, Jeri Ryan spills the beans on the Seven of Nine show we almost got. And Sto-vo-kor welcomes another honored warrior as we say goodbye to Tony Todd. All that and more on Trekcast. News:Tony Todd Passes Awayhttps://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tony-todd-candyman-horror-icon-022458109.htmlWe Almost Got a Seven of Nine Showhttps://gizmodo.com/jeri-ryan-star-trek-seven-of-nine-spinoff-legacy-2000520959We are learning more about the Section 31 moviehttps://trekmovie.com/2024/11/07/interview-star-trek-section-31-cast-open-up-about-their-characters-backstories-and-more/Military Discount on Paramount Plushttps://www.military.com/discounts/paramount-veterans-day-military-discount.htmlTrekcast is a fan-made Star Trek podcast. We talk about all things sci-fi, nerdy/geeky, from Star Trek, Star Wars, Marvel, DC Comics, Stargate, and everything else. If you love dad jokes, saving dogs and bears you'll love Trekcast.Connect with us: trekcasttng@gmail.comLeave us a voicemail - (570) 661-0001‬Check out our merch store at Trekcast.comHelp support the show - ko-fi.com/trekcastBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/star-trek-podcast-trekcast--5651491/support.TV Drama Version 2 by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/