Podcasts about flitting

Ethereal, soul-stirring, and playful, Baby Cerberus (Buckrider Books, 2024) by Natasha Ramoutar traces joy and kinship across a multitude of lives. Flitting from myths and folklore to video games to imagined futures, each piece asks us to consider how we care for one another. As we move through sentient galleries, swashbuckling adventures, and the doors of Atlantis, the collection reorients us in each section with the riddles as two lost souls try to find each other through time. These poems tug on the invisible threads between us all, trying to find what tethers us together and, in turn, what keeps us here. While Baby Cerberus centers fun and nostalgia with allusions to video games, internet lore, and Tamagotchis, there are still heavy themes throughout which address misogyny, racism, and colonization. The unique integration of literary topics with some of the more pop culture references will distinguish the book in the minds of readers and expand what we can ask of poetry. More about Natasha Ramoutar: Natasha Ramoutar is a writer of Indo-Guyanese descent from Toronto. Her debut collection of poetry Bittersweet, published in 2020 by Mawenzi House, was shortlisted for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. She was the editor of FEEL WAYS, an anthology of Scarborough literature. She is a senior editor with Augur Magazine and serves on the editorial board at Wolsak & Wynn. About Hollay Ghadery: Hollay Ghadery is an Iranian-Canadian multi-genre writer living in Ontario on Anishinaabe land. She has her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph. Fuse, her memoir of mixed-race identity and mental health, was released by Guernica Editions in 2021 and won the 2023 Canadian Bookclub Award for Nonfiction/Memoir. Her collection of poetry, Rebellion Box was released by Radiant Press in 2023, and her collection of short fiction, Widow Fantasies, was released with Gordon Hill Press in fall 2024. Her debut novel, The Unraveling of Ou, is due out with Palimpsest Press in 2026, and her children's book, Being with the Birds, with Guernica Editions in 2027. Hollay is the host of the 105.5 FM Bookclub, as well as a co-host on HOWL on CIUT 89.5 FM. She is also a book publicist, the Regional Chair of the League of Canadian Poets and a co-chair of the League's BIPOC committee, as well as the Poet Laureate of Scugog Township. Learn more about Hollay at www.hollayghadery.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Ethereal, soul-stirring, and playful, Baby Cerberus (Buckrider Books, 2024) by Natasha Ramoutar traces joy and kinship across a multitude of lives. Flitting from myths and folklore to video games to imagined futures, each piece asks us to consider how we care for one another. As we move through sentient galleries, swashbuckling adventures, and the doors of Atlantis, the collection reorients us in each section with the riddles as two lost souls try to find each other through time. These poems tug on the invisible threads between us all, trying to find what tethers us together and, in turn, what keeps us here. While Baby Cerberus centers fun and nostalgia with allusions to video games, internet lore, and Tamagotchis, there are still heavy themes throughout which address misogyny, racism, and colonization. The unique integration of literary topics with some of the more pop culture references will distinguish the book in the minds of readers and expand what we can ask of poetry. More about Natasha Ramoutar: Natasha Ramoutar is a writer of Indo-Guyanese descent from Toronto. Her debut collection of poetry Bittersweet, published in 2020 by Mawenzi House, was shortlisted for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. She was the editor of FEEL WAYS, an anthology of Scarborough literature. She is a senior editor with Augur Magazine and serves on the editorial board at Wolsak & Wynn. About Hollay Ghadery: Hollay Ghadery is an Iranian-Canadian multi-genre writer living in Ontario on Anishinaabe land. She has her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph. Fuse, her memoir of mixed-race identity and mental health, was released by Guernica Editions in 2021 and won the 2023 Canadian Bookclub Award for Nonfiction/Memoir. Her collection of poetry, Rebellion Box was released by Radiant Press in 2023, and her collection of short fiction, Widow Fantasies, was released with Gordon Hill Press in fall 2024. Her debut novel, The Unraveling of Ou, is due out with Palimpsest Press in 2026, and her children's book, Being with the Birds, with Guernica Editions in 2027. Hollay is the host of the 105.5 FM Bookclub, as well as a co-host on HOWL on CIUT 89.5 FM. She is also a book publicist, the Regional Chair of the League of Canadian Poets and a co-chair of the League's BIPOC committee, as well as the Poet Laureate of Scugog Township. Learn more about Hollay at www.hollayghadery.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

Ethereal, soul-stirring, and playful, Baby Cerberus (Buckrider Books, 2024) by Natasha Ramoutar traces joy and kinship across a multitude of lives. Flitting from myths and folklore to video games to imagined futures, each piece asks us to consider how we care for one another. As we move through sentient galleries, swashbuckling adventures, and the doors of Atlantis, the collection reorients us in each section with the riddles as two lost souls try to find each other through time. These poems tug on the invisible threads between us all, trying to find what tethers us together and, in turn, what keeps us here. While Baby Cerberus centers fun and nostalgia with allusions to video games, internet lore, and Tamagotchis, there are still heavy themes throughout which address misogyny, racism, and colonization. The unique integration of literary topics with some of the more pop culture references will distinguish the book in the minds of readers and expand what we can ask of poetry. More about Natasha Ramoutar: Natasha Ramoutar is a writer of Indo-Guyanese descent from Toronto. Her debut collection of poetry Bittersweet, published in 2020 by Mawenzi House, was shortlisted for the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. She was the editor of FEEL WAYS, an anthology of Scarborough literature. She is a senior editor with Augur Magazine and serves on the editorial board at Wolsak & Wynn. About Hollay Ghadery: Hollay Ghadery is an Iranian-Canadian multi-genre writer living in Ontario on Anishinaabe land. She has her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph. Fuse, her memoir of mixed-race identity and mental health, was released by Guernica Editions in 2021 and won the 2023 Canadian Bookclub Award for Nonfiction/Memoir. Her collection of poetry, Rebellion Box was released by Radiant Press in 2023, and her collection of short fiction, Widow Fantasies, was released with Gordon Hill Press in fall 2024. Her debut novel, The Unraveling of Ou, is due out with Palimpsest Press in 2026, and her children's book, Being with the Birds, with Guernica Editions in 2027. Hollay is the host of the 105.5 FM Bookclub, as well as a co-host on HOWL on CIUT 89.5 FM. She is also a book publicist, the Regional Chair of the League of Canadian Poets and a co-chair of the League's BIPOC committee, as well as the Poet Laureate of Scugog Township. Learn more about Hollay at www.hollayghadery.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/poetry

and many idle flitting phantasies - #4007 (88R34 percent 529 left) by chair house 241203.mp3and many idle flitting phantasies■画像生成AIを活用して漫画を描いてみました。ピアノ万葉集のピアノ音楽創作プロセスの《迎在祀送》の説明の漫画。前に９コマ漫画で描いたことがあるのですが、今回は４枚漫画（２４コマくらいかな）を描きました。いやぁ難しいし、才能無い。物..

#4007 (88.34% 529 left): Dec.3 2024: And many idel flitting phantasies (E.H.Coleridge from Sep. 2, 2024) Today's pure primal piano music here. Happy if this music makes you feel peaceful.. : ) Looking for absolute natural beauty every day for Piano Ten Thousand Leaves. Target number is 4536: This piece may might have good 1/f fluctuation characteristic although I stopped investigating it each piece. CONTENT: daily "Piano Ten Thousand Leaves" movie Youtube PLAYLIST https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIo6A8vorVT3q25jUK8Jr3v0nIloQAf3x New Content: daily "Piano Ten Thousand Leaves" Movie here. https://youtu.be/jDvDBZKYOLA?si=hr_5i6HTaCu06WJ6 https://youtu.be/UFVogOG0urQ?si=AzUM77S-NxAavJDu https://youtu.be/SBHy32mYEUE?si=U78rik_4v3zlOpuw https://youtu.be/jX0eEL8fDuI?si=iHKwgP30rUSFGVqs https://youtu.be/uJqRVg0TqEM?si=J5m1eJpnPQQ4gP7E https://youtu.be/NfEk9_buEO0?si=iz4JXZxnybuvQPzm https://youtu.be/GyYdph65a2k?si=ts2hyX-OXK3ibht6 https://youtu.be/0owQ-2Jg57g?si=CCWlJ-ZKAGx2_equ https://youtu.be/hvn_pGf3suM?si=k4WEeul2zfdAm_Fv https://youtu.be/LnEeCGwd3sg?si=MMTLaBDytrBct1uO https://youtu.be/Am3TkLmr1BY?si=q9un36e8R6Y1XAim https://youtu.be/v4mrH5R704k?si=sttl8-857qlDmf84 https://youtu.be/A1gSpX0BSTk?si=vY8f9EQkbYbanH_W https://youtu.be/Kmv3OsX23tQ?si=kDrPOV41ekFx9csf https://youtu.be/4VsCYv3sGso?si=wCP2UM4T1xzntYJU ********** My new message: "Does it make sense to preserve it for 1000 years? Today's cover ART is created by #Midjourney (Art Generating #AI), according to my wish. Happy if you like it. spotify playlist 18 hours 449 songs, makes you fully relaxed. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0RCxA8SaySzoFzpQmTCLfo?si=92c44191513340ff Recent My Weekly Video Magazine of piano ten thousand leaves https://youtu.be/yCCufZCMnDQ?si=pLt98vOleJcioH-m Weekly Piano Ten Thousand Leaves Magazine ; super beautiful video .. https://youtu.be/nn5_M4Nrvhg?si=N7hL_xrnDqc46si_ ====== Piano Ten Thousand Leaves - Tweets Creation Note: An epic story of wandering music creation https://a.co/d/0RN78Ga ( 1.36US$ #amazon #kindle, #Paperback also available: 20.11US$) ====== I'm now making Archive site of Piano Ten Thousand Leaves project by utilizing #wordpress. Basically nice direction I've already gotten.. : ) Currently 1100 pieces already achieved. But this week I need to do something else, so I'm going to stop this task for a bit. ######## NEW 28th SELECTION ALBUM JUST RELEASED ######## "Forest in Moon Light" - the 28th selection album of piano ten thousand leaves youtube: FULL VIDEO with 20 full songs in very high quality sounds https://youtu.be/CwTVgfDHCn4?si=1QktmBR1FEGA-tQH spotify https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/album/1RxJBVCU5vdt5O6kGUMbnv?si=hLjW3kbTThegEBOjgTHUbw appleMusic https://music.apple.com/jp/album/forest-in-moon-light/1773383143 amazonMusic https://amazon.co.jp/music/player/albums/B0DJVSVF5K?marketplaceId=A1VC38T7YXB528&musicTerritory=JP&ref=dm_sh_V1XCbECO4uUYzRVs8apKAEEBl all music streaming services: https://linkco.re/SYNa3ueY?lang=en

How to Think Better for Success Are you ready to unleash the power of your own mind and turn those dreams into reality? This episode is all about learning how to think better—simple, down-to-earth strategies to shift your thoughts toward success. Through a mix of storytelling and practical tools, I'll share personal insights and experiences that have helped me along my journey. Together, we'll dive into the art of *intentional thinking* and explore ways to create your own “puzzle book” to spark creativity and keep your mind focused. You'll discover how dedicating even a little time each day to clear, intentional thinking can bring clarity, solve problems, and unlock fresh ideas. Writing, as you'll find, isn't just about putting words on paper; it's a way to expand your thinking and gain new perspectives. We'll also tackle some classic excuses we all have—“I don't have time!”—and explore why time isn't the barrier we think it is. Here's what's inside this episode: The Power of Intentional Thinking** – How setting a clear direction for your thoughts can lead to real breakthroughs. Creating a Puzzle Book** – A tool to help organize ideas, connect dots, and keep those creative juices flowing. Overcoming Excuses** – The “no time” myth, busted. I'll show you simple ways to make time for your own thinking sessions. Building a Thinking Habit** – Practical ways to make regular thinking a part of your life. What You'll Take Away: Clarity and Focus** – Get a handle on what's urgent vs. what's important, so you can move forward meaningfully. Confidence and Calm** – Experience that peace of mind that comes from having a clear direction. Inspiration to Act** – Feel ready to tackle new challenges and inspire others along the way. *Are you ready to think better?* Jump in and start your journey now. And hey, let's spread some good vibes—share this episode and let's create a wave of positive change. https://personaldevelopmentunplugged.com/418-how-to-think-for-success/ Shine brightly, Paul Shine brightly Paul Please remember you can leave a comment or email me with questions, requests and feedback.  If you have enjoyed this or any other episode please share and subscribe. Just email me feedback@personaldevelopmentunplugged.com If you want to subscribe to the podcast (I know you do) click here to learn more Or simply click here to go straight to Apple Music / iTunes to subscribe OR leave a review Remember for my specially designed programs for developing Supreme Inner Confidence, Free Your Life of Anxiety and specialize Hypnosis tracks go to PaulCloughOnline.com   If you want to access my FREE HYPNOSIS tracks go to paulcloughonline.com/podcast Follow and inter-react on twitter @pcloughie  I'm a therapist but not your therapist The information with this website or online work, techniques and exercises provided within these free and paid products are for educational purposes only. Do not use the techniques or exercises contained within some of these free or paid products whilst driving or operating machinery, or if you suffer from epilepsy, clinical depression or any other nervous or psychiatric conditions. The information provided is not a substitute for proper medical advice. If in doubt, please consult your doctor or licensed medical practitioner. Any decision you make having received any of Paul Clough's free or paid products are your own and you remain wholly responsible for any decisions and actions you take. Why not look for me and the podcast on  SPOTIFY AND the app Castbox I'm also in iHeart radio YouTube - copy n paste UC3BlpN4voq8aAN7ePsIMt2Q into search bar The Libsyn podcast page http://personaldevelomentunplugged.libsyn.com tunein, learnoutloud, Google Play Music Music by Wataboi from Pixabay, Music by DreamHeaven from Pixabay, Music by ccjmusic from Pixabay, >, Music by freegroove pixabay seduction-jazz-112149 from Pixabay, Music by prazkhanal Pixaby ventura-117073 from Pixabay, And the transcript WARNING if you're a lover of the written word this may make you frustrated, or angry - you have been warned - is it an 'ism     Hey, how to think better for success. Who am I to tell you? But I've got a couple of things, just got a couple of things that I know that if you did them, you would create success for your life and those dreams and goals would become your reality. And it all starts with stories, because we love a story. I got two or three of those. So come and dive in with me and learn. Or just sample a few ways of thinking better.     How to think better for success. Thought about this and I made loads of notes. And then looking at my notes again, I thought, who the nearly swore. Who am I to tell people how to think better? Now I do think I've got some things to share and it's not the only way, but I do think I'm on the right track. If anyone's listening to Jordan Peterson, I really think he's got it when he thinks writing is thinking. Because if you think about it, if you didn't think when you wrote, you just have a mass of lines everywhere and that'd be crazy. And I know you're thinking now, oh, shit, he's talking about writing it down again. Well, bit. Bit more than that. A bit more than that. I want to tell you a couple of stories. Maybe three. Maybe three sort of little stories. They're not much, but they're a little bit, you see, not. Well, a few years ago, A few years ago, my eldest son came to me and said, hey, dad, do you want to go away for a couple of days? I want to hire a barn, one of those converted barns. Not a barn with. With animals in, you know, but a converted barn for a couple of days. So we could just think. You think in one end of the barn, I'll think in the other end of the barn and we'll have lunch and then you'll think again and then we'll go out for dinner, and, then maybe one afternoon we'll just have a little ride around and things like that, see the countryside. But we'll. It'll be nice to be together, but also nice to get into a thinking mode, to plan. And I thought, that's a hell of an idea. Because you see, before I used to prattle on about, about sort of thinking and setting intentions, but it didn't really do anything. But going there was really setting intention. As soon as you walked through the door, you knew what you're going to do. We had a great time, did lots of thinking, still got me in my books, my notes I made, and so did he. And it was lovely to be with one of my sons just for a couple of days by ourselves. Awesome. And in my, My other life, when I used to be in, like a business type thing, and my partner, Mike, and he would often say to me, hey, Paul, we got this thing happening. It's like an issue. We've got a problem. Go away for a little while and think of how you think we could tackle it. Now, I'm an options man. I love options. And I would do, option one, option two, option C, D, four, five, whatever. And I'd come back to him with these lovely options. I'd really spend a lot of time thinking of the, different things, mitigations and all that stuff. I was following all different processes, and it really worked well. So I used to go away quietly by myself and do it. And then I'd go through with Paul. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Just before we go. Too bad. We. Which one? Well, I like to go through it with you. No, no, just tell me which one. Because you've done a lot of thought on this. You know the answer. You done a lot of thinking. So I came up with, well, I think it's this one. So we'll do it then, because we're going to use your plan, and if there's something better comes along and we find that we can do it even better, we'll just change course, we'll be flexible. And that's exactly what I liked. And I think that type of thinking with options and mitigations got me into, when I started into this, getting deeper into personal development and trying to solve my own issues. Because as much as I do all this work and I do hypnotherapy and I work with clients, you know, we all have issues, we all have stuff. you know, if you want to get better at life, you want to enjoy life, create a better life for yourself, have dreams and goals, you know, this podcast was just a little idea at one time, then it became something into reality, but came through this like a thought process that I did. And I think with these type of things, I developed this thing I call my puzzle book because I used to have a lot of journaling and thinking in journaling, but I wanted something more specific. And what is a puzzle book? Well, a puzzle book to me is a book with plain paper in it. Plain sheets of paper. That's all. I don't like lines because they. They restrict Me, my lines restrict me. M dots are quite good sometimes but I really prefer plain sheet. A4 size if I can get it slightly, maybe a little bit smaller. But when I open it out I've got a nice big double sheet type thing. Anyway, enough about the puzzle book because you can buy them anywhere because it's literally just a book with pieces of paper. But for me when I sit down with that, it in itself and of itself, I love that thing. It fires off my intention when I sit down. It's like triggering my unconscious mind. Thinking is anchored to the puzzle book and because of that I changed my state. I'm sure I changed my state. Love my mind maps in there. But they just things seem to flow not always straight away but it allows me to be open, open to ideas sometimes strange and weird thoughts, creative thoughts that just might work. And I've done a little podcast on spending a few moments, a day or a week just doing the most weirdest thoughts you could have about what you want in life. Not just weird thoughts because that would be weird. And writing those suckers down. And that's the whole point about this puzzle book. You write them down when you just spend time. And I know I made a note that the previous longer podcast about thinking about your hero, becoming your hero.     Cloughie says most of his ideas come from either his puzzle book or journal   The best version of yourself getting more something you can get hold of, something you can see more clearly. That came from just someone mentioning something than me going into the puzzle book and it just exploded into thoughts and I got more clear. So if you look at be your superhero or be your hero, something like that, it's only a couple of podcast episodes back that came from that. But when I thought about it, virtually every, everything I've talked about seems to come from either in my puzzle book or my journal. And what are they? They're all sitting down thinking and writing. Writing is thinking and it's a wonderful habit to get into. And as I said, a lot of my writing can be just in the form of a mind map which explodes in my mind sometimes giving me all the different options, different thoughts that I can develop them. And I say it just allows me to see options taking time. But I know what you're going to say, well, not you personally because I know you're in there, in here for the, for the long haul. But there's, there'll be some who will say, oh, Cloughie, I haven't got enough time. I haven't got enough time to sit down and think. And that's Bollocks. It really is. It's a load of old balls. That's just a petty, flimsy excuse. It's for wimps. It is, it's an excuse. People think, I think they haven't got time. And you see if you believe that and you haven't got time to sit down and think about things, what happens? And I made two or three notes about this. You know, they just react. They react there and then. There's no thought at all. React without thought. There's no plan. There's no plan of any kind. In fact, it's just a reaction, isn't it? Just a reaction with no real intention. And what tends to happen is they might get lucky. They might get lucky and come up with something, but they end up doing something. The first thing that comes to mind, a knee jerk reaction and that goes wrong. And then they find something else and that goes wrong. Then they get overwhelmed and then they. It's just such a waste of fucking time. And it could have been stopped so easily if they'd have stopped and thought, did a little bit of thinking first. And this thing about time. We waste time every bloody way, don't we? Have a look, have a look of how much you do on the typical things. Social media, maybe gossiping, maybe just actually just bonky stuff walking around. I even started putting in my diary. Instead of planning, along with planning the things I wanted to do in the day, I actually wrote down what I actually did. And as soon as I started writing down what I did, it made me think of what I'm going to do next. And I started to get more things done just by looking at it going, no, I don't want to keep writing down. I spent 15, 20 minutes looking at bloody social media. I want to be writing down that I'm making changes, doing stuff. Even if it was sitting down thinking 15 minutes. And what else happens when people don't think? Well, they end up just doing the urgent things that keeps things giving the impression that they're busy. Oh, I'm so busy. I'm so busy now. You're fooling yourself if that's the case because you're doing those urgent things, you're not doing the important things, you're just doing stuff. And there's that knee jerk reaction again. Does this make sense? maybe, I'm talking about me time ago. Hopefully I didn't do a lot of this, but I'd seen it. I see it so much, people just doing, you know, these urgent things. Flitting and flopping to each different thing and not making any bloody difference in the world. Certainly not making no difference to their life and creating more problems. I see a lot of this when I deal with clients because they come in, certainly when they come from business and I'm doing my coaching course, maybe overwhelm, because there's so much going on. And if they just resolved one thing from a place of clarity, the world would change. And it does change when we get there.     Putting 10 minutes aside to think about a particular subject can make life better   So how long. Here's a question to you. How long does thinking actually take? I got you thinking now. How long did that take? I didn't. I didn't plan that. That just came out that way. But thinking can be as much as five minutes, where you just stop and, pause and you think to yourself, what am I going to do next? Is this going to make my life better or worse? What a wonderful question. Because then you can go, actually, I need to stop and think maybe a little bit deeper about this because I don't know, maybe you don't know the answer. I don't know if it's gonna make. It seems to think I'm gonna make my life better. But on the other hand, oh, but least that stopping and pausing has got you to think of all. What would make my m. Life better? If this is gonna be it, how can I do it? Lovely questions again, but you're writing these things down. Because if you just sit there and think about it, great start. But then someone goes, hey, did you want a coffee or did you want this? Oh, yeah, that's great. How you been? And it's all gone. Those thoughts are gone, and you're back to reacting, doing the urgent stuff. Now. You could actually just put 10 minutes aside, allowing yourself to be open with the intention of thinking about a particular subject. So you got that first one is, something happens. I just stopped before you react. Have a little field book in your pocket or something like that, or just a piece of paper, scrap of paper, just notes. But ten minutes to think about something more specific. So you're getting close to that puzzly book type thing, because that's the next one. I think sometimes it's. I love. Let's Talk about Me. I. I love sitting there for about 30 minutes with a puzzle book. And it's not every day. I don't do it every day. Do it at least once a week. I think, on things I find that are important to me. They haven't got urgent yet, but they are important. And I might sit down for 30 minutes might be less, but the mere fact I get that puzzle book out again and says it fires my unconscious mind because I have an intention. And you see, when you think about that 30 minutes, that's nothing compared to that bloody time that you waste on that social media, on gossip, on just simply doom scrolling all that stuff. And the thing is when you're not wasting that time and you're doing, it's just an investment in you and it's such a small investment that has such a high return, the return on your investment, the RII return on investment, I think that's what it was in business, is so high that you can't help but being more successful. And with that success comes, I want to say happiness, but it comes with maybe a calmness, maybe it comes with a little bit of peace of mind, maybe it comes with awareness, maybe it comes with conviction, maybe it comes with an expectation because you know what you're doing, you get from that, you get confidence. And when you do this, and here's a kicker, your unconscious mind can start to think, hey, this is a safer way to be because we are creating a world, a life for ourselves with less stress. We're dealing with stress before it becomes stressful, we're dealing with anxiety before it become anxious. We're planning our success, you and I are then planning our, our success and mitigating, I'm going to say failure, but mitigating where our results aren't what we want or what, what may come and blindside us or may come along. We can mitigate that as best we can. And therefore again we get more confident because we know what we're intending to happen and we know how we can, you know, mitigate things that aren't quite, may happen the other way. And again we've got it covered. And your unconscious mind goes, this is a great place to be. And it only took 30 minutes and we weren't going down the route of doom scrolling gossiping. That's great to have, great to communicate. But now think when you've got yourself in control as much as control is, but when you feel great about yourself and you feel like you've got purpose and you feel like you've got everything in hand, those conversations you have with other people are so, so much more richer.     So I've got a challenge for you. Get yourself a bloody puzzle book. Now am I going to get those excuses? I don't know   So I've got a challenge for you. Get yourself a bloody puzzle book. Now am I going to get those excuses? I don't know where to get one. you talk about a field book. What's a field, A Field book is just a small, little thin book. Have a look on places like Amazon or ebay or whatever, they're cheap. Or you can get a larger book and call it a puzzle book. How much are they then? They're peanuts. A few dollars, few pounds. When I say a few. One, two or three. You don't have to go mad because it's a plain book or, you know, I nearly swore. But just get a piece of paper, you know, print some out the copy machine, anything, piece of paper. Get a pen, pencil, whatever you bloody like. And I want you in your diary. Oh, I haven't got a diary. Well, get a bloody diary page, a day diary, that's all you need. I have one with times on it, so I can really block it out. But I want you to block out some five minutes and some 10 minutes for thinking time daily, every day, at least a, ah, five minute, or I would suggest a ten minute, because once you get into it, you'll want to spend longer than five minutes. But 10 minutes is something where you go, well, I can put 10 minutes aside because I'm going to have my cup of coffee, I want to just sit down the first thing in the morning. Sometime in the day, lunchtime, my break time, anytime on my commute, unless you're driving, of course. And, block it in your bloody diary. So before you start the week, you know roughly what you're going to be doing most days. So block it down. You can move them around a little bit, but once they're blocked in, you have to do it. And, block in 1:30 minutes time for yourself. Time to create success, time to think. Time to really get deeper into a specific issue, a specific thing, a project that you want to just solve, resolve, get better at, maybe learn it. Because they don't have to be all issues, do they? Things that you might want to learn. So how can I learn this? And when you sit down and think that's what one of the questions just jumped in. How can, what do I need to learn? You ask yourself questions. You write those questions down. What do I really want? Is it going to make my life better or worse? How can I make it better? What do I know already? What do I need to know more of all these wonderful questions? And questions go on forever. There are so many people now who have questions that are, so brilliant. Tim Ferriss has lots of questions and I love his questions and they're very closely aligned to the type of things that I would ask myself and what we could do. Because I Always threatened to write a book about just the questions you ask yourself, but I thought that was a bit pretentious. But we could do another podcast episode on the type of things you could do in that 30, minute session. The type of questions you could ask that would get your unconscious mind going in a direction to find the answers. Because it's. And again, it's because you write these down, your unconscious mind goes and finds the answers. And the beauty of this, you sit down for 30 minutes, you might not get everything done that you wanted to. They're open questions. You haven't maybe found the answer yet. You've thought of some options, but you're not quite sure. One of the old Cloughie guarantees is you'll go away. You'll close the book, you'll go away and you'll come back suddenly go, ah. And you'll have that aha, moment, where's my book? I must make that note down. And you can't find that, so you put it in a little piece of paper or your field book, and then you come back to your thinking book in that. And it. Just because it's written down, you can always go back to it. And it gets richer and it gets more inspiring, more intuitive and it gets you to start to dream and think without you really sitting down hard because you just go, ah, becomes a habit that, that ideas muscle starts to really get strong. You begin to resolve and solve what? whatever you need to solve and resolve. I hope a lot of this, I hope this has made sense because, to be honest, I try, I always try to think of the meta side of all of this. What am I trying to do? And I'm really just. It's a reminder that, to me anyway, that there's so much more that you can find and it's all in you and there's so much more of you to find and to keep it, put it on paper. And I think it just makes so much sense. I love you to think, well, that makes sense. I'm going to do that. Take up my bloody challenge. Take up my challenge and find out. You see, I believe this is where your dreams are formed. And then they're made and then you plan them and then you begin to schedule. We've got that bloody diary again, haven't we? And then we start scheduling for stuff and then we review the week and we review our plans and without that puzzle book, without that diary, without you consciously committing to this, your life might just say the same. And I don't Want that for you. I want your life to get so rich. Rich in every way, shape or form. So colorful, so exciting, so passionate with wonderful emotions. And I know you might thinking, yeah, you're bigging this one up, Cloughie. I don't think I am. I really don't think I am. It comes from these simple little things. In simplicity, there's fucking genius. And this is so simple. Take up my challenge.     Go on, I dare you. Go away and have a think about thinking   Go on, I dare you. And then when you do, let me know how you got on. Always love your feedback. Hey, your feedback might be claphy. You're not swearing enough. Sorry, I have started swearing a bit more in here. but that's because I'm getting more passionate about some of the stuff I'm talking about now, I think. And it's me, but hopefully that's okay. But do email me feedback@personaldevelopment unplugged.com if there's any of those questions. Well, I'm sitting down, but I'm getting a bit stuck. Let me know what you're getting stuck on. I'll find something that will take that unstuckiness, away or that stuck in us away. I promise I will. I can. That's what I do. Please do that. And maybe get somebody else on the challenge as well by sharing this episode. Let them know it's just a thinking thing. And it is only thinking better because that's what you do. You think. So we might as well use that skill of thinking and get it better. Get that muscle really pumping. And when you do that, people will see you and they'll go, shit, look at them. Look at them go. I can do that too. You inspire people and you'll never know how far the ripples of that change go. You really won't. But you know, you're creating that change in you and other people. What a wonderful thing to do. All because you listened to Cloughie and you did that seven day challenge and you continued listening and you continue to subscribe. Because if you haven't subscribed, why the not, please press that subscribe button. But the feedback is great. I'd much more prefer, much more prefer the feedback, but I'd like to subscribe too. Okay. Anyway, that's all there is. Go away and have a think about thinking and then take up the challenge. I dare you, dare you to create your dreams and the life that you really want.     Personal development unplugged. It's time to fly on your own   Time to fly. Bye. Warning. You are now leaving the unplugged mind of Paul . It's time to fly on your own. Be brave, my friend.   Personal development unplugged. Personal development [self improvement] [self development] [NLP] [Hypnosis]

In this episode, Jo & Vicky discuss why getting out of your comfort zone is essential when running a dog business. Why do you need to push yourself to learn how to run a business professionally, start charging what you are worth, invest in your education by getting a mentor, and surround yourself with people who will help you grow?   KEY TAKEAWAYS Most self-employed people and sole traders have zero business training. Even people who have held senior corporate positions only have a limited understanding of what it takes to run an independent business. Winging it will only take your business so far.  Be patient with yourself don´t try something once, and then immediately give up because you think it hasn´t worked. Flitting from one thing to another is a sure way to waste your energy and resources. Always think about whether what you are planning to do will fit in with your long-term bigger picture. There is no need to feel uncomfortable about charging a decent amount for the service you provide. People are coming to you because they can´t do it themselves, they need your expertise. It is not your job to second guess how much someone can afford, you need to set your rate and stick to it unless you are running a promotion. Give value by providing the basics for free. Choosing someone to teach you everything you need to know is far more efficient than trying to learn things piecemeal.   BEST MOMENTS “That job didn't teach me the skills that I needed to be a business owner.” “It's a good comparison…. we are like, little reactive dogs.” “Business is a journey. The same way as you learning about dog behaviour is a journey"   SOCIALS AND IMPORTANT LINKS https://www.tiktok.com/@letstalkdogbusiness https://www.youtube.com/@LetsTalkDogBusiness Website www.caninebusinessacademy.com Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/caninebusinessacademycommunity/ ABOUT THE HOSTS Meet Jo and Vicky! They bring a combined 25 years of expertise in the canine industry. Jo, with a background in corporate business, and Vicky, a dedicated advocate for rescue organisations, form an unstoppable team. Beyond the mic, their lives are a whirlwind – managing two successful businesses, pursuing a full-time university degree, and parenting two little ones under four. Each of their homes combined is a lively menagerie, housing five dogs and an abundance of chickens. PODCAST DESCRIPTION The ultimate hub for dog business enthusiasts!  Join hosts Jo and Vicky as they unravel the entrepreneurial journey within the canine realm. This podcast delves deep into the business side of owning a dog business, spotlighting inspiring stories of individuals who've seamlessly woven their passion into a profitable lifestyle. Tune in for candid discussions on the human behaviour behind dogs, strategies to attract dream clients, and a behind-the-scenes look at Jo and Vicky's collaborative training ventures. Get ready for client interviews, tales behind the dogs, and insightful perspectives from actual dog owners on what they seek in a trainer. This is your go-to source for navigating the dynamic world where business meets the wagging tails.

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2865: U-Ming Lee highlights the pitfalls of chasing short-term trends and emphasizes the value of building deep expertise in a specific niche for long-term success. He also underscores the importance of developing social skills and community ties to navigate the changing landscape of retirement and life's challenges. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://themakingofamillionaire.com/traditional-retirement-is-dying-this-is-how-im-preparing-for-a-future-without-it-45829394ed3d Quotes to ponder: "Flitting from one trend to the next in search of the dopamine rush of a viral article is a lot of fun at first. But it is no basis for a long-term writing career." "Deep expertise, built on a foundation of meticulous thought and substantial real-world experience, is much rarer and thus more prized." "Developing social skills will be crucial as we navigate this new 'no retirement' age." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2865: U-Ming Lee highlights the pitfalls of chasing short-term trends and emphasizes the value of building deep expertise in a specific niche for long-term success. He also underscores the importance of developing social skills and community ties to navigate the changing landscape of retirement and life's challenges. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://themakingofamillionaire.com/traditional-retirement-is-dying-this-is-how-im-preparing-for-a-future-without-it-45829394ed3d Quotes to ponder: "Flitting from one trend to the next in search of the dopamine rush of a viral article is a lot of fun at first. But it is no basis for a long-term writing career." "Deep expertise, built on a foundation of meticulous thought and substantial real-world experience, is much rarer and thus more prized." "Developing social skills will be crucial as we navigate this new 'no retirement' age." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2865: U-Ming Lee highlights the pitfalls of chasing short-term trends and emphasizes the value of building deep expertise in a specific niche for long-term success. He also underscores the importance of developing social skills and community ties to navigate the changing landscape of retirement and life's challenges. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://themakingofamillionaire.com/traditional-retirement-is-dying-this-is-how-im-preparing-for-a-future-without-it-45829394ed3d Quotes to ponder: "Flitting from one trend to the next in search of the dopamine rush of a viral article is a lot of fun at first. But it is no basis for a long-term writing career." "Deep expertise, built on a foundation of meticulous thought and substantial real-world experience, is much rarer and thus more prized." "Developing social skills will be crucial as we navigate this new 'no retirement' age." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flitting from place to place like a butterfly from flower to flower. Talking about the focused attention that meditation offers, truthfulness and elevation of one's own consciousness, and how we let go.

One of the finest films having its Australian premiere at the festival is Jaydon Martin's stunning feature debut film Flathead. This fiction-documentary hybrid film follows Cass Cumerford, a bloke near the end of his days who returns to Bundaberg, the region he grew up. Swaying into the town, he finds consolation and support with various religious sects that have sprung up in the land before he flows into the life of Andrew, a Chinese-Australian fish and chip shop owner who is dealing with his own understanding of mortality.Flathead follows these real figures as they're nudged along a partly-fictional narrative, and as the film plays with a sublime black and white presentation, it sways into a dreamlike state, providing a highly affecting story about modern Australia.It's that notion of what a modern Australia is that drives the following conversation with Jaydon, who took four years to make the film and had to leave Australia to realise what it was that he needed to make. Flitting into some of the scenes, and delivering a closing duet with Cass, is fellow filmmaker Brodie Poole, a documentarian in his own right who has also essayed what modern Australia looks like on screen with his documentary General Hercules. Both Brodie and Jaydon are engaging in an essential conversation right now about Australian identity and culture, and in doing so, they're also reasserting the notion of who gets to tell stories on screen in this place we call Australia.Flathead is an experience like no other, and my words here barely scrape the thematic text of the film, nor do they do justice to what Jaydon is putting forward as a filmmaker. As a nation, there is a shortage of filmmakers who operate in the realm of social realism, and I'm hoping beyond hope that Jaydon continues down this path. If so, then we will be richly rewarded as his body of work builds over the years.For now, do what you can to see Flathead. It's one of the finest Australian films of the year.It screens on 12 June and 15 June at the Sydney Film Festival. For tickets, visit sff.org.au. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the finest films having its Australian premiere at the festival is Jaydon Martin's stunning feature debut film Flathead. This fiction-documentary hybrid film follows Cass Cumerford, a bloke near the end of his days who returns to Bundaberg, the region he grew up. Swaying into the town, he finds consolation and support with various religious sects that have sprung up in the land before he flows into the life of Andrew, a Chinese-Australian fish and chip shop owner who is dealing with his own understanding of mortality.Flathead follows these real figures as they're nudged along a partly-fictional narrative, and as the film plays with a sublime black and white presentation, it sways into a dreamlike state, providing a highly affecting story about modern Australia.It's that notion of what a modern Australia is that drives the following conversation with Jaydon, who took four years to make the film and had to leave Australia to realise what it was that he needed to make. Flitting into some of the scenes, and delivering a closing duet with Cass, is fellow filmmaker Brodie Poole, a documentarian in his own right who has also essayed what modern Australia looks like on screen with his documentary General Hercules. Both Brodie and Jaydon are engaging in an essential conversation right now about Australian identity and culture, and in doing so, they're also reasserting the notion of who gets to tell stories on screen in this place we call Australia.Flathead is an experience like no other, and my words here barely scrape the thematic text of the film, nor do they do justice to what Jaydon is putting forward as a filmmaker. As a nation, there is a shortage of filmmakers who operate in the realm of social realism, and I'm hoping beyond hope that Jaydon continues down this path. If so, then we will be richly rewarded as his body of work builds over the years.For now, do what you can to see Flathead. It's one of the finest Australian films of the year.It screens on 12 June and 15 June at the Sydney Film Festival. For tickets, visit sff.org.au. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Close your eyes and dream of things In a world beyond our own. A forest of colors and shapes and scents To dazzle your sleeping mind. PAUSE… If you could let your imagination roam, Let it build a realm from scratch, Who would live and breathe and love there? What would grow and thrive? PAUSE… Start with what you see on the ground, What sprawls around your feet. Picture a bed of lush green grass, Deep purple flowers everywhere. PAUSE… Between the flowers, chipmunks dart, Chasing each other up trees and down. Small birds the color of green apples, Watch from high above. PAUSE… The birds sing and chirp in upbeat tones, As they jump from branch to branch. Every now and then, a brave one swoops, Finding a new tree to call its own. PAUSE… Relax into the beauty of this place, hear the birds speak to your heart. Pull the sweet air into your lungs as you settle deeper into sleep. LONG PAUSE… The trees in the place are massive, So high the tops can't be seen. The light must trickle through them, Making bright patterns down below. PAUSE… They stand like tall protectors, Guarding all in their midst. Their leaves fill the air with rich freshness, And their trunks give the insects homes. PAUSE… So many creatures fill this place, It's hard to know where to look. The flourishing forest teems with life, Yet peaceful silence covers all. PAUSE… Anything seems possible here, A world of dewy, green magic. Let your spirit loose to explore the woodland, Flitting along with the butterflies. PAUSE… Inhale and feel the enchantment within, filling you with hope and fancy. Exhale and see what else you can discover, hiding in mossy depths. LONG PAUSE… The scents are as lovely as the sights, Heady and full of promise. Sun-soaked leaves and rain-soaked earth, The blend so intoxicating. PAUSE… It's as if nothing unpleasant or wrong can thrive here, Everything reaching for its greatest good. You, too, are like a creation of the forest, Adding power to the collaboration. PAUSE… This woodland is a place of wishes, Of simple desires made real. So what might you request of the trees? What might your heart long to feel? PAUSE… What deep desire have you been holding inside? Perhaps it's time to speak its name. What spectacular fantasy waits to unfold, If only you'll set it free? PAUSE… Breathe in and know that all can be yours, that the universe awaits your call. Breathe out whatever's been holding you back, and say your longing out loud. LONG PAUSE… Picture yourself growing stronger, The deeper you move into the wood. Made not only of wishes but healing, This place can transform you for good. PAUSE… Kindness and patience rush toward you, Lifting you up like the birds. You giggle as you realize your soul has grown wings, And it carries you up toward the skies. PAUSE… Beyond the canopy of sun-dappled leaves, Lies a brilliant canvas of blue. There is no limit to what's possible there, And that boundlessness now includes you. PAUSE… Your wish is not just yours anymore, It belongs to the sun and the sky. Whatever desire you once hoped to achieve, Has now swelled exponentially. PAUSE… Look down on the forest as you float in the clouds, See that it's just one of many. Your imagination holds dozens of places like this, Magical realms just waiting to be explored. PAUSE…

The Peddler & the Fairy: Part 7 Devin introduces the girls to the big city. In 10 parts, by Scholarly Mori. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. More mountainous and nearly impassable compared to the eastern half of the kingdom, the western region of Lindone was a natural fortress fortified by the jagged peaks of the Snowsquall mountains to the south. This natural border, running the entire length of the country, was intersected only by the Frigid Fingers Peaks that curved northwest. [[MORE]] Along with three valleys that were the only feasible means of travel in the region, the peaks formed a T-shape. Nestled in one of these valleys was Iceford, the second largest city in terms of area but first in population. It was too hilly for farmland and lacked any valuable resources aside from stone, so all other raw materials had to be imported. Its value lay in it's strategic location, being the only practical access point connecting the two halves of the north, allowing them to share their industrial endowments. —---- "So you're telling me your eyes change color in winter, giving you scotopic vision?!?" wondered Devin as Reina led their wagon through the valley leading to Iceford. Reina nodded. Her previously-amber eyes were now sapphire. "It's an adaptation that helps us Whitehorns see better in dim light." Even though it was late morning, the light waned this far north, becoming darker as the sun's warming fingers loosened its seasonal grip. "Whichever color they are, they are lovely." "Thank you, herd-mate." "If I ever add color to my sketches, I'll have to remember that," commented Azalea, sitting next to Devin and working on drawings of everyone they met during their recent escapades on the farm. Devin stretched, glancing at Azalea's progress. "Was Ryna's chest really that big?" She cocked her head to the side. "They were big enough that I couldn't wrap my arms around them, so considering the scale of the drawing, yes. Speaking of which," she grabbed one of the gifted milk bottles. While offering Devin one, she heartily downed the other. "So thick and creamy. Do you want to stop and have some, Reina?" "I appreciate the offer. I will later. I have a good pace going." Reina seemed to have become accustomed to being the sole puller of the wagon. She glowed with healthful vigor as she thoroughly enjoyed the exertion. Azalea returned the bottle to the basket and resumed her work. "I had so much fun at grandpa Gylan's, life-mate!" "Grandpa, huh?" "Yes, grandpa. I've never had one, and he acts like it, or so I imagine what one acts like, and Ellyn was so kind to let me help with the farmwork. I learned a lot about how to milk the satyrs. Which reminds me -- life-mate, we need to have an important talk. "Reina and I were discussing a few things last night, and we decided we want to do more to help, especially me, since Reina is already assisting with the wagon." "What do you mean?" Devin asked. "Food and things." "What did you have in mind?" "Well, we wondered if you could sell our milk," she replied, lightly cupping her breasts. Devin took a swallow of Cyna's milk, considering Azalea's idea. "We could. I don't know what your milk would sell for. I don't think anyone has even considered fairy milk as a possibility, let alone sell it at a market before. We can check the records for any past transactions.'' "I can't speak for the taste as I've never tried it. Also, I'm worried I won't produce very much -- by big people's standards, anyway." "It's not always about quantity. Quality plays an important factor. Connoisseurs will pay a lot for rarity or novelty. We could take a sample and get it appraised. Who knows! We might have discovered and cornered a new niche market, but the first major hurdle is that you're not currently making any." Azalea jumped up. "Not to worry! Two lactation crests coming right up, but we'll have to adjust our affinity-sharing with Reina. I don't have enough for both of you, which means you're going to have to learn how to use the glyph I'm going to re-paint on you." Devin dug around in his pocket. "I asked Jyora to jot down some pointers before we left. Let's see what she wrote." Perusing the neat and stylish penmanship, "Huh. It's not very detailed." 1. Focus (helps to relax) & Visualize 2. Sense & Feel 3. Manipulate & Adjust *Ask Azalea for Assistance "Different people have different approaches, life-mate, so you'll have to find a way that works for you." Azalea got on all fours, her ass swaying happily as she rummaged in her pack for more of her painting tools. Finding what she needed, she sat cross-legged and laid out various accoutrements between them: a small bag of charcoal, a vial of some clear liquid, several darker liquids, and a pestle and mortar set. She poured some charcoal into the mortar, grinding it into a powder with the pestle. "Maybe think of it as something you can touch and move. You kinda have to visualize a stirring motion to both see and use it." In demonstration, she measured some of the charcoal powder into her inkhorn followed by several drops from the clear vial and what might have been a cruse of oil. Then she stirred it with quick motions. "It also helps to be a little horny," Azalia added. Her breasts spilled forward as she bent over to reach for more charcoal. As she sat back, the leaves of her dress parted slightly, giving Devin a peek of her puffy vulva squished against the wagon seat. Unless she was blatant about it, Devin was never sure if her seductiveness was intentional or coincidental. "What do you visualize, Azalea?" She smiled sweetly. "It's changed since I met you." She pumped the handle of her brush suggestively. "I find it easier to imagine a liquid, so naturally, I picture lots of delicious cum, specifically yours, and stirring my fingers through it so it coats them thoroughly, so I can slowly savor every slimy drop." After wiping the drool from her mouth, she checked the consistency of her ink. "I had to make a double batch since Reina might take a larger crest. Are you ready, life-mate?" "I guess," he responded reservedly. "Could you remove your shirt for me, please? You're giving me the 'why' look. Well, aside from enjoying looking at your topless body, I'm going to remove the supplementary crest." She reached into a pouch and rubbed iridescent, flecked powder onto his arm and chest. To Devin's surprise, the markings of the supplementary crest flaked off. "I've been wondering for a while -- won't this come off in water or fade over time?" "If it was left without activating, yes. When you pass affinity through it, it inscribes itself in and on you." Azalea brushed away the last remnants. "Now that I've seen a real glyph in action, I can paint the proper one on you." She straddled his leg, loosened the string on his pants, and pulled them as low as she dared lest she become too distracted. Devin lazily watched her work as she dipped a brush in the ink, and then stiff bristles tickled his skin. He enjoyed her closeness, the weight on his leg, and her body's warmth. "Azalea, you're going to get my lap wet," he teased. "Huh? Oh, sorry, I was so absorbed I didn't notice I was humping you." Devin cocked an eyebrow. "It's true! I kinda just do it when something is between my legs." "I didn't say I didn't like it." He grinned. Azalea playfully ground her hips with a bit more exaggeration. Their playful banter helped to pass the time. Before long, Azalea brushed some hair behind her ear, smudging her cheek with ink. "There we go! All finished," she declared. Devin looked down. Under his navel, a decorative glyph, slightly taller than it was wide, was meticulously painted in the shape of his internal reproductive organs. "Now you just need to learn how to use it. I'll leave you to it. I'm going to start on Reina now." Reina's ears swiveled upon hearing her name. "Do you need me to stop?" "I should be able to manage." Flitting her way under Reina's belly, she ran her hands through the cold, resistant fur. She ascertained a rough idea of the dimensions, but there was another issue -- painting while flying was a hassle. "Life-mate, do you have some rope?" Feeling around the bed of the wagon, he pulled out a frayed coil of rope and held it up. "Will this work?" "I think so." After retrieving the rope, Azalea returned to Reina and wrapped several loops around the Whitehorn's midsection. She left them loose to form a makeshift hammock to support herself. Then she gathered up her tools and carefully laid on her back across the loops. Reina adjusted her gait, attempting to minimize Azalea's swaying. "I've never done this before, and as far as I can remember, no one in my herd possessed any affinity. What's it going to feel like?" "What? The crest or lactating?" "The crest." "It won't feel like anything when it's not active. When it actually starts working, if the girls on the farm are any indication, it will probably feel quite nice." She placed the ink bottle on her tummy, patted down some unruly tufts, and proceeded to paint. Meanwhile, Devin was puzzling things out. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and relaxed his body.'Ok, now what?' He flexed and tensed various parts of his body, trying to detect anything remotely magical. Nothing. "I'm going to need more to go on, Azalea." "Try to paint a picture in your head, something significant or important to you." A hand extended out from under Reina, making broad strokes in the air. 'A picture, huh?' Closing his eyes again, he retreated into his mind:'Let's try envisioning a lake; a tranquil lake, still as a mirror, reflecting the starry sky.' Still nothing. 'What if I add Azalea into the scene, flying just above the water, skimming and frolicking over the surface in an elegant dance, arms swaying gracefully while performing pirouettes?' From there, his imagination took liberties: with crest aglow, she danced amongst the shadows of a cloud-obscured moon. The more she danced, the darker the color of the moon became until it blazed a fiery crimson. Skipping and flitting closer to him, she stopped at eye level with her freckled face flushed, her breath heaving white in the moonlight. A few droplets fell from between her legs, causing ripples as they broke the lake's surface. 'There; what's this feeling? It's warm but very faint. It's barely enough to be called an impression, but now that I'm aware of it, I think I just need to bring it to the surface.' Focusing on the lake, he dipped his mental hands in the warm ripples. The lower he submerged them, the hotter and more viscous they became until he hit something and couldn't reach any deeper. Everything but the water faded into the background. If only he could go just a bit further. He tried digging through the barrier, scooping out the imaginary liquid, but it all just trickled through his fingers. "Basic outline is done," announced Azalea, disrupting his concentration. "Also, you really create a lot of heat, Reina. Some cold night, we should snuggle!" She buried her face into Reina's belly and hummed. Reina had grown increasingly antsy within the last hour. "I; I wouldn't mind doing that. My kind's body temperature increases the colder it gets, s, so our faces get flushed," she purred as she bit her lip, trying to stifle a gasp. "It has led to some rumors t, that we are always a, aroused." "Oh? You mean kind of like now?" "Y, yes, but not from the cold. Azalea, Yo, your feet, " "What about my feet?" she feigned innocence. "They are; are rubbing me down there." "Rubbing your what?" Azalea giggled. "My; my udder." Azalea pressed her small feet into Reina's udder. Her tiny toes kneaded and massaged. "I remember you being sensitive down here and how much I enjoyed playing with this squishy plumpness. Does it feel nice?" "Y, yes, but shouldn't you focus on painting?" "I can do both," she reassured her. "Remember when we first met, how I flicked your cute little teats like this? I'll take those shivers as a yes. I can't wait till they are full and heavy with milk," she cooed. ------------------ As they neared the mountains, their steady progress west saw the terrain transform from milder green valleys to rocky foothills. A narrow mountain ravine stretched out before them. Stocky trees and stubby bushes climbed the edges, giving way to jutting peaks freshly powdered with snow. Reina continued to experience Azalea's full attention as the hours whittled away with each brush stroke during travel. Azalea added the finishing touches and smiled satisfactorily. Wriggling out from under Reina, she flew onto her shoulder and shared, "Definitely the largest crest I've ever drawn, but it looks great. Maybe, if we can find a mirror in the city, I can show you. Now, we just need life-mate to figure his glyph out so we can activate it." Reina leaned her head onto Azalea's and accused, "you love teasing me, don't you?" Tensing, Azalea hesitantly asked, "Did I go too far?" "No; I'm getting used to it, and; I'm kinda liking it," she encouraged her. Azalea, feeling relieved, nuzzled into her. "Only because I love you, you tell me if it's ever too much, ok?" "I will. After it's active, how long before I start producing?" "Depends. For smaller races, a few days. I'd guess maybe a week for you." Azalea nibbled Reina's ear and whispered, "I love warm milk before bed. These tiny fingers are going to have lots of fun extracting it." Reina's heart fluttered at the mental image, but before she could comment, Azalea gave her a swift but passionate kiss on the lips. "I'm going to go check on life-mate. Looks like he's been trying really hard." With that, she flew off, landing on Devin's head. "Making any progress, life-mate?" Devin opened his eyes and looked up at the cheery face looking down. "Sort of. I think I felt something but can't quite grasp it." "Keep trying. I'm sure you'll figure it out. That's more progress than I made during my first time." "What was your first time like?" "Such boldness, life-mate, asking about a girl's first time!" She put her hands to her cheeks, acting embarrassed. She dropped to his thigh and flipped onto her back, her head toward him. The flaps covering her breasts fell to the sides. Walking her fingers up his chest, she hummed, "Maybe I'll tell you about it sometime. I'll just say it was with a girl who needed some; inspiration and first-hand experience." She made a V with her fingers and licked between them. "But for now, life-mate, just keep practicing. The sooner you figure it out, the sooner you get to see these lovely beauties bigger and fuller." She puffed out her chest, squeezing her breasts in her hands. "I wonder how big they'll get? More interestingly, I wonder how much Reina will produce since she has two pairs?!" Reina looked back. "Whitehorn young are considerable eaters. Sometimes we need wet nurses. Some herds make the excess into a drink." "Have you tried any?" "I have not, but I think I remember the recipe." "Maybe we could sell that, too, life-mate!" "Possibly. Some of the local pubs or brewers might be interested." —-------------- The late morning sun was nearing its zenith. It smiled coldly down upon Snowhush Vale. Cut from what the locals called Mammoth Trees, the lofty, double-palisade wall girded the great metropolis that sprawled before the travelers. Lashed together with great bands of iron, the walls slanted sharply inward. It was hewed with a thicker base than the top. Its purpose was the same as most walls -- to keep unwanted things out. Instead of invasion or attack, however, it was a defensive measure against avalanches. Devin shielded his eyes from the sun's reflection off the snow. A line of people serpentined outward from the gate, waiting their turn to enter the city. "What's with the line, life-mate?" Azalea asked. "Just a routine checkpoint for non-citizens. It shouldn't take long." The trio took their place at the back of the line with the wagon, behind a pair of gossipy-sounding ant girls. "Oh, life-mate, don't they look cute with their pickaxe and miner hats?" whispered Azalea. She flew over to land on Reina's antlers to get a better look. Partially armored in a glossy black carapace that matched their pupil-less eyes, they were harnessed to massive wagons laden high with ore. Strapped to their backs were shovels. Each of them had one of their four limbs holding a mattock against their shoulders while two limbs rested on the runners of their wagon. Their antennae animatedly pointed at different people in the line as they held each other's free hand, giggling between themselves. "Antabelle, see that gorgeous unicorn with the silky white fur and jeweled coronet over there? The one next to the handsome Griffin women bodyguard; do you think she's a princess from the royal family?" "Maybe? What could they be doing so far from the capital?" her friend replied. "I don't know. Maybe they secretly eloped and are fleeing the country to escape an overprotective family member." "Such a romantic adventure would make a great bard tale, wouldn't it? Can you imagine if our princess did that, or worse yet, the queen? There'd be chaos! I'd have to find a new colony. Smearing your scent to all your new co-workers can be such a chore too." "I can sorta understand from the queen's perspective, though. Her highness has so many attendants it looks a bit smothering. Sometimes you just want to get out of the nest for a while and stretch your legs." "Don't you mean spread your legs?" her friend tittered. "Well, that too, but sometimes don't you crave the excitement when digging a new tunnel, hoping to find something amazing? And suddenly discovering it?" "Not me. I'd love to be a queen, just lazing around all day, pumping out eggs while all the girls fawn over my body." "You always did like a good fingering after work." "I won't deny that, but also smearing my scent all over you, so everyone in the colony knows what we did, just feels so naughty." "You have plenty to spare, even after dripping your scent trail all the way from home." Devin looked below the wagon. An evenly-spaced trail of droplets stained the ground. "I know a store in town that sells toys to stuff that slutty hole. Should we go check it out?" Azalea couldn't hear what the one named Antabelle whispered to her friend, but it was enough to make her friend blush and lick her lips. Losing interest in the two, Azalea smoothed Reina's hair. "Reina would make a lovely queen with a crown and flowing dress." "She doesn't need a crown. She's already our queen," complimented Devin "That she is, life-mate, and I love pampering her." "I think your idea of pampering is different from most," Devin taunted. "Nu-uh. Pamper is gratifying tastes, appetites, or desires. We both know Reina can't reach back there and is usually too shy to ask, so when we are on the road, it falls to me to take care of her sexy-time needs." "But you just end up teasing her without the gratifying part." "I'm building up her tolerance for edging, so when she does cum it'll be all the more satisfying," she said smugly. "You know I'd rather be the one pampering you two," interjected Reina meekly. Azalea stroked Reina's hair. "When the opportunity presents itself, I'll let you to your heart's content." Returning to people-watching, Azalea enjoyed her front row seat to everything she'd only ever read in books. "I've never seen so many humans in one place!" "Nor so many different demi-humans. How many people live here, herd-mate?" "Hmm. The last census put the population at around a hundred thousand with a split of three-to-one, with demi-humans outnumbering humans." "How do so many people manage to live together in one place?" Reina asked. "Sometimes not easily. Iceford's early history was tumultuous. Its rapid growth was very chaotic and disorganized, almost to the point of anarchy. Some semblance of civic management was needed, but how do you go about finding a form of hierarchy everyone is ok with?" "You'd need to find a common basis point," suggested Reina. "Correct. They formed a council with select representatives from each species. Initially, there was concern this wouldn't be welcomed by those who lived in swarms, herds, colonies, and other large-group-oriented races since they have a more monarchy or top-down hierarchy, but this turned out to be a moot point since those demi-humans felt Iceford was too confining and opted to live elsewhere. They do retain relationships through trade and consultation, though." Devin reached into his vest and pulled out a small, flat metal plate attached to a chain around his neck. "What's that, life-mate?" "It's my citizen and guild membership identification." "Can I see?" Azalea flew over, and she held it up to the light after he handed it to her. She marveled at the craftsmanship. It was double-sided and gold plated with embossed silver filigree twisted in interweaving vines along the edges. Written in liquefied obsidian was his citizen information: Devon Ebonplume, Human, Male Weight: 158 Ibs | Height 5' 8" Birth Date: Spring 24, 3610 Year of the Dryad Citizen of Iceford On the opposite side was the same decorated border. Etched on the right half was a cart loaded with cargo. Amidst the cargo, standing tall, was a pair of scales chiseled from an amethyst. Resting on one plate was a stack of coins, and on the other, a milk jug. In glossy text, on the left half, was written: Merchant Guild Member Amethyst Rank Subsidy Commodities & Milk Distributor Azalea's eyes sparkled as she commented, "It's beautiful!" "I'm glad you think so because you and Reina will be getting one." "We will?! Why?" "It'll be useful for skipping the obligatory guard checkpoints, and they imply a degree of trust that you are a person who'll maintain the laws within the city, so certain government employees might be more generous with their time." "Also, it'll denote we are a family, though maybe we should wait. If we really can sell your milk, we might register you with the merchant guild at the same time. It'll give you discounts at certain businesses." Azalea held it up to her body. "I won't be able to carry it if it's this big." "I'm sure they'll make one for your size. There is no small number of craftsmen available." Finally next in line, Devin flashed his ID to the guardsman. His hauberk was emblazoned with a sundial. In each quarter of the sundial were the emblems of the city's prosperity: an anvil & hammer, needle & thread, saw & plane, bread & milk. Recognizing the well-traveled merchant, the guardsman waved him on, giving the two girls inquisitive looks. They passed under the massive, arched gateway and ventured past several chiseled statues, each engaged in a specific craft. Reina leaned over and scanned a placard: Bruni Leadfoot, Guild master "Who are all these statues of herd-mate?" "Guild masters, crafters of renown, experts in their field who contributed greatly to the city who helped found the different guilds. Since the cities founding, there are statues and monuments all over the places." The entryway of statues widened into an expansive plaza with people milling about, chatting, relaxing, and some enjoying an early lunch. "Everything is so huge!" exclaimed Azalea. She darted every which way, attempting and failing to take in everything at once. "I want to know about everything, life-mate!" "Everything is a bit much," laughed Devin. "Well, there are four main districts: the Entertainment District in the northwest, the Manufacturing District in the southwest, old town in the southeast, and right now, we are entering the northeastern gate of the Commons District." Great lodges with steep A-frame roofs lined the road. Azalea noted many of the two- and three-story buildings' top floor possessed a door stepping out onto a very unsafe-looking porch. "Why do most of these buildings have a door up there, life-mate? They seem very inaccessible to anyone who can't fly." "That's precisely who they are for. There is a large population of winged demi-humans in the city who make homes up there." "They look cozy. Does Mavis live in one?" "No, she still lives at home with her parents; says it's more cost-effective." "Are we going to see her today?" "Yep, her office is in the entertainment district on the other side of the city." The trio ambled along the well-tended cobbled street. It gently sloped upward until they were above even the tallest building behind them. A trestled stone bridge came into view that was wide enough for three of Devon's wagons to cross side-by-side. "Reina, when you get to the bridge, try to stay on the left side. This is one of the best views in the city." In silent response, Reina angled the wagon, pulling up alongside the parapet near the center, and halted. The grand manufacturing capital of the north stretched out below. Wisps of smoke gently rose into the sky from the many cottages lining the busy streets. Comparable to the rings of a great tree, avenues and alleyways separated by homes and businesses encircled the city. Three of the largest thoroughfares, running parallel to each other, were paved darker and appeared better-maintained than the innumerable other connecting roads. The two outer roads were wider and sandwiched the narrower middle one. "Breathtaking," voiced Reina with awe. Azalea eye's sparkled. "I can't believe people could build all this!" "Then, would it surprise you to learn that the lake in the center was dug manually?" Azalea's jaw dropped. "It's called Chill Mirror Lake. The original river was fed by runoff from the mountains. Over time, the river was widened and deepened as a way to tame the waters during the spring melt until it became that lake. Now, the river and its tributaries double as a way to ferry goods between the various craftsmen within the city. "Centuries ago, there used to only be a small village here, surviving mostly through tolls ferrying people across during late and early winter when the waters were high." "And what's that above it?" asked Reina, pointing to an opulent complex of buildings. "That's where the city council and administration reside. I guess you could say that is where the city leaders physically and metaphorically keep an eye over the city." In the center of the lake, sitting atop mighty granite pillars sunk deep into the lakebed, were a cluster of ice-covered edifices surrounding a monumental tower. Clock faces pointed in each cardinal direction at its peak. Four arched bridges extended in the intercardinal directions, connecting to each district. Another set of bridges, running north and south, connected to H-shaped warehouses on the shores. Azalea tore her eyes away from the vista and fluttered to the edge. Far below was an unnaturally smooth ravine with a strong, flowing river. "Are those mermaids, life-mate?" she queried excitedly. "Describe them for me." Azalea set her hands on the stone guardrail and squinted, "Gills on their neck, some near their ribs. Scales on parts of their shoulders and partially around their stomach. Some look to have a big fish tail, others look like they have two." "The ones with a single tail are merfolk. The others are sahagins. They have a pair of legs with fins and can walk short distances on land. Under this bridge is the lake's exit point. Loaded barges are sent north downriver, where they'll merge into one of the fjords before finally meandering to the ocean. Once unloaded, the aquatic demi-humans bring it back." Azalea jumped back aboard the wagon, unnecessarily scrambling up onto Devin's head to make as much physical contact as possible. There, she laid flat on her belly and stroked his cheek. "Hi, life-mate," she sang. "Hi, Azalea. Having fun?" "More than I can say, but it's only extra fun because I get to experience it with you two!" Reina stretched her arms. "I feel the same way, Azalea. Even though our meeting was unorthodox, I wouldn't be here if not for you two. I'd probably still be with my herd, wondering if I'd become an old spinster mare. What are we going to do first, herd-mate?" "Let's see; we should stop by the guild since it's closest. Then we can drop the special order off with the alchemist and collect the money to give Mavis to deliver to Gylan. Depending on the request that Mavis received, we might have time for some shopping." Reina set off again, descending the arched bridge. With Devin's guidance, she turned onto a connecting road, carefully threading her way downhill. Less distracted by the sights and more self-conscious, she noticed many curious glances from passersby. Before they even exited the side road they were on, the murmur of countless voices met their ears. Reina came to an abrupt stop, almost colliding with a river of people flowing to and fro among the various stalls, storefronts, and each other in an organized cacophony of bodies. Sharp barks from vendors, shouts from customers haggling over goods, and the hollering of advertisers formed the general din of the middle ring of the city. Reina motioned, 'this way?' to avoid yelling over the noise. Devin responded with a nod. Soon after crossing the deafening street, the noise faded into the background. They continued even further down the slope they were descending, arriving at the inner ring. Two burly dockworkers carrying lumber hustled past them. They were followed by a small, brown-hooded figure with a long, hairless tail. "This is arguably the busiest ring of the city. Here, all the freight and shipments are ferried around to their respective clientele," Devin related. A moment later, a large bell tolled, causing ripples over the water as it echoed throughout the city to alert residents it was noon. Presiding near the clock faces above the bell were six stone gargoyles. They were female in design, and their large, stone, bat-like wings acted as cloaks around their muscular bodies. Four sets of horns, one pair smaller than the other, adorned their heads. They perched on fearsome-looking claws gripping the tower's ledge. Most noticeable were creepy calligrapher's brush-stroked marks, unseen during the day, glowing orange along portions of their bodies. Rumors and mysteries abound about whether the gargoyles were alive or not. On more than one occasion, Devin had felt eyes on him when he visited the council building. Once, he swore that one had changed position. Due to the height of the tower, though, he couldn't be sure. "Is that where we'll receive our ID?" "Yes, Reina, for citizenship. The other side of the ID is done at one of the two guilds -- those two buildings there." To their right was one of the H-shaped buildings they had seen from the hill. A weathered sign hung above a smudged glass window: Merchant Guild Headquarters. Approaching it, she realized it was more storage than an office building. Surrounding the many multi-story warehouses were colossal wind and watermills powering equally immense cranes. "It's a very impressive building," Reina observed. "It is. The merchant guild handles distribution orders of raw materials to the various artisans and tradesmen around the districts. The craftsman guild is on the south end. They manage the exports of finished goods to places outside the city. "Reina, pull the wagon around to the side unloading dock. I'm just going to step inside and let them know we have cargo to unload." "Ok, herd-made." Azalea sprawled on Reina's back. "This place is amazing, isn't it? I haven't even seen a fraction of it, and I feel exhausted." "It certainly does feel a bit overwhelming," Reina remarked. Amidst the flurry of activity, Azalea noticed two beady red eyes peeking at them from between two crates. She sat up to get a better look, but several people passed by blocking her gaze, and by the time they crossed, the mysterious eyes were gone. "Reina, what would you say if I said someone was watching us?" "I'd say there have been many people staring at us since we arrived. You know we are a rarity in these parts. Was this particular person different in some way?" "I guess not, though I couldn't really see anything but their eyes." "Probably just a curious townsperson wanting a look." Devin returned a few minutes later. "We can leave the wagon. They'll send someone to unload it later. Shall we walk?" Azalea jumped to the ground, strutting a few steps before exaggeratedly heaving for air." I disapprove of this suggestion," she joked, acting silly. Devin scooped her up, cuddling her. "The view under your dress is much better when you're flying, anyway." Azalea did a little twirl in the air. "And when you're tired, then you are always welcome to ride on me." "I can? I know something I'd love to ride someday," She said in a husky voice. "One day, my little nymph." He kissed her forehead and put her on Reina's back. "I'll unharness you, Reina." After grabbing their belongings, they retraced their steps, arriving back at the thronged shopping district. There, they altered their course and made their way counter-clockwise around the city. "This area looks different than the other, life-mate, even though it's the same street," Azalea observed. "Different neighborhoods have their own unique flare to them. Also helps to differentiate where you are. This one likes to feature lit lanterns and colored paper streamers over the street. Gives it a warm, inviting ambiance." With Devin leading the way, they zigzagged their way through back alleys and disorienting pathways, arriving at the more subdued edge of the manufacturing district. Making a final turn, they arrived at a dead end. Eroded brick and vines ornamented a heavily-knotted walnut door. A faded metal sign read: Owl Things Potionary. "Is that supposed to be a pun, life-mate?" "Yes, it was all I could come up with." "You came up with it?" "This Is where my alchemist friend lives. She couldn't think of a name, so I offered some suggestions." "Maybe we can persuade her to change it," chuckled Azalea. "I'm not a spur of the moment type of thinker," Devin admitted and shrugged. "Just a heads up, my friend has had a secluded upbringing, so she talks and acts a little; odd." At that, Devin reached for the handle. The hinges complained loudly as he nudged it open. They stepped into the dimly-lit room, and his nose was assaulted by the familiar, pungent scent of sulfur, preserving agents, acids, and others he couldn't identify. Long, short tables, covered in a hodge-podge of jars, bottles, beakers, and all manner of tools and apparatuses, ran the room's perimeter. Hanging over a square fire pit were several cauldrons, some bubbling actively and others slowly simmering. Azalea was the first to notice a figure standing at one of the tables, looking very engrossed in their work. Tugging at Devin's collar, she pointed to the corner. "Life-mate, " Upon hearing an unexpected voice, the figure spun its head backward. Azalea nearly fell off Devin's shoulder in surprise at the unnatural movement. The head's body soon joined in facing their way. The odd figure proceeded to walk-hop over to the trio. It was a rather cute-looking motion until they tripped over their long robe in the process, landing face down on the floor. Springing back up, they closed the distance, in the same manner, as if nothing had happened. Stopping within a comfortable, conversational distance, they pushed their hood back. Two wide, piercing eyes blinked at them from within a feathery, saucer-shaped face. The short, little boreal owlchemist adjusted her brass magnifiers. She rummaged through her apron pockets, bulging with corked beakers, bundles of dried herbs, and other paraphernalia. She pulled out a worn notebook, glancing at it. With an earnest voice, seemingly at odds with her expressionless face, she stated: "It has been 30 days, 12 hours, and, " she glanced at a wall clock, "7 minutes since the Young Patron last visited. This one is joyful you have returned safe." Bobbing her head curiously at Reina and Azalea, she fluffed her white and brown feathers, exemplifying a very thick physique. "This one's name is Jeni-feather, alumna from Queen's Tundra Academy. Minor field of study: alchemical fluid dynamics. Major field of study: practical applications for golemantic peripherals. Latest hobbies: interactive, experimental studies in cross-species mating, and soon to be Young Patron's semen extractor." "You're gonna be my what?!" Devin asked, startled. Azalea jumped up into the air about to barrage Jeni with questions when Devin grabbed her. "Now hold on Azalea, I'm pretty sure I know what you're thinking, but before you start wanting to ask to join in, let me get some clarification." Azalea clamped her hands over her mouth. Devin took a deep breath. "Jeni, would you like to elaborate on what you mean by that and why the sudden change in hobbies? Last time I was here, you were completely infatuated with documenting all of the tiny things you saw under your magnifying device." "Young Patron is not wrong. The recent investigation into the world of things too small to be seen with the naked eye was most curious. The surfaces of many objects, including blood and organisms in water, were insightful, but of particular interest was semen. The variation in smell, the gelatinous consistency, as well as the power to create life, has stirred a particularly strong desire for further academic understanding!" Jeni's statement was accompanied by short motions of her head to look at each of her visitors, but primarily Devin. "Wait; is that why you special-ordered from Gylan's farm?" he exclaimed in realization. "Partially. As the major ingredient for affinity replenishment tinctures, funds are needed to subsist during the interim until this one can collect her own samples to further her hobby. As the second most trusted and only male friend, this one has chosen Young Patron as the primary donor," she declared matter-of-factly. Devin mouth hung open, speechless. Jeni continued, "But this one lacks the necessary knowledge to extract such a precious substance, so this one has attended establishments and gleaned material about human courtship to learn human's complicated mating rituals. She has practiced with her egg hole almost every night to learn skills and techniques she is certain Young Patron will find pleasing during the extraction process. "In order to encourage Young Patron's participation, this one listened to lectures from professors in the oratory arts of human romance and attended interactive lessons in order to better learn efficient methods for extraction." Azalea, no longer able to contain herself, blurted out, "Hi, Miss Feath, " "Jeni," she cut in. "Young Patron's companions may call this one Jeni." "Jeni, my name is Azalea, and this is Reina! I, too, am very interested in the study of interspecies mating! I'd love to hear more about what you learned!" Jeni, pleased that another was interested in her research, hopped closer. "Choices for establishments were based on popularity and strictly-human participants. At first, this one was given many strange looks, possibly due to being the only demi-human attending." "A few of the patrons inquired as to this one's purpose for being there. After informing them, she received several solicitations for assistance from several males, but they were ultimately declined as this one was interested only in observation and note-taking." "Further prompting and encouragement finally led this one to accept the offers for extra samples. The process was disagreeable, though, and led this one to theorize that human males have poor hand-eye coordination as they kept expelling their semen all over this one's feathers instead of the collection vials." Devin sighed. "So, in short, you listened to licentious bardic songs to learn how humans have sex and then went to a brothel known for orgies and got tricked into being covered in strangers' semen." Jeni nodded. Azalea had pulled her notebook out from somewhere and was rapidly drawing rough sketches of the scenes as she imagined them. "What else did you learn?" she asked excitedly. Jeni blinked several times, searching her memory for a response to Azalea's question. "This one was startled by the extensive number of positions humans possess for mating as well as made confused over the particular appreciation given to the fatty lumps female mammals possess on their chests." Jeni stared at Reina's and even Azalea's more-than-modest bosoms. Placing her wings against what appeared to be a very voluminous and pillowy chest, she applied a little pressure on her feather down, deflating the trapped air. "This one does not possess such an attribute. Additional observation of a large percentage of the participating males indicated a preference to insert their breeding rod into the excretory hole in addition to the breeding hole. This one theorizes that her egg-hole might be viewed as superior as it is multipurpose and can satisfy both desires at once!" she posited, sounding strangely proud of this theoretical revelation. "The recollection even now makes this one salivate from her lower hole in intellectual curiosity." As if to drive home the point, she spun around, lifted her tail high in the air, and pushed aside her downy feathers revealing a tightly-closed cloaca. "Jeni, you might just be aroused?" suggested Reina. Devin stared at her wrinkled opening. From between her legs, Jeni's unabashed expression was ascertaining his reaction. "This one is ready to collect Young Patron's samples at any time." "Jeni, aren't you embarrassed in front of strangers?" Devin asked. "This one can smell the arousal from little Azalea, and Reina's body language suggests she is shocked but not averse to observing more." Devin looked at Reina, who shrugged bashfully. "Does Young Patron not like this one's egg hole?" "No; I mean, yes; I mean, it's a very beautiful shade of pink." "This one has read of distant lands where spectacles are performed for those who wish to see the egg-laying process. This one is more than willing to present a close-up example of how it is done in exchange for Young Patron's samples." Devin was losing this battle and quite a bit of his composure when Azalea flew to the floor, landing between Jeni's legs. She admired the inviting orifice above her head. Looking into Jeni's upside-down face, she offered, "Your egg hole is very pretty." Then she lifted up the leaf covering her own cunt. "Thank you, small one. Your breeding slit is also very aesthetically pleasing." "Might I suggest spreading your hole a little for added motivation?" "This one is unable to due to the limited dexterity of her wings. If this one had an apprentice, " "I'd be more than happy to be your assistant! In fact, I've recently had some experience! May I?" Jeni nodded. Azalea stood on her toes and spread her wide. "She's really tight, life-mate. Such a rosy color, not quite wet enough, but that shouldn't be hard to fix!" Devin, by now, had his face firmly applied to his palm. "Azalea, Jeni, we have many errands to run before nightfall. Maybe we should continue this at a later time?" coaxed Reina. "Yes," they both said in unison. Azalea reluctantly stepped away, and Jeni put her tail down and turned around. "This one, as per previous arrangement, ordered the mating secretions and milk from a female sheepgirl and a satyr male." Devin handed her the wooden box containing her order. Lifting the lid, she extracted the phial of semen and vials of pre-cum. Then she pushed her goggles down and held them up to the light. "These are most adequate. This one thanks you for your continued patronage and is glad for your support in furthering her livelihood." She pulled out a small purse. "Ten vols, as per the current market price." Devin took the square coinage and remarked, "You know you are more than welcome, Jeni." He pulled the little owl in a warm embrace. "It was good seeing you again. We have another appointment, so we must be off." Jeni didn't let go. "Thi, this one would like to request another order." "Of the same thing?" "This one requests an order of mermaid caviar." "Coastal goods, huh? Sure. Any time limit?" "No time restraints." "Alright. I'll be heading up there in a few weeks," he said. Jeni squeezed harder, looking like she desperately wanted to say something but hesitating to vocalize the words for a few moments. "This one would like to inquire how long Young Patron and company is going to remain in the city." "Maybe about three weeks," Devin replied. "Has reservations been made at any place of lodging?" "Not yet." "Is everything all right, Jeni?" asked Azalea. "This one rarely interacts with others and has a strong desire to offer you lodging until you are ready to leave," she blurted out. Devin looked at Reina, who smiled and nodded. Azalea hovered behind Jeni, nodding enthusiastically as she stroked the feathery head. "Alright, we'll try not to get too much in the way." Jeni's eyes lit up. "This one will be a good host and will prepare rooms for everyone." He added to her head pats. She closed her eyes, relishing the affection. "We do have another appointment. Can we leave our bags here?" Jeni held out her wings. They all handed over the bags they wouldn't need in town. Struggling to carry the load, Jeni waddled over to an open corner of her work table and set their things down. "We'll be back," Devin announced. Leaving Jeni's, the trio headed northwest toward the entertainment district. "Your friend is so cute and has the most interesting hobbies, life-mate!" "I'm sure she would be happy to hear you say that. She doesn't get much of a chance to share her interests with others. She was adopted by an eccentric golemancer who shunned the public, so her only friends growing up were golems he had created. Mavis and I met her when we were younger. She was insatiably curious about the world, very observant and quiet, but when she did talk, she lacked any tact or delicacy when conversing with people. She didn't do it maliciously; she just lacked experience. Mavis devoted herself to helping her acclimate to society as best she could. She left for academy a few years after I became an independent merchant, so we lost contact until she returned and opened up her shop." "She seemed rather insistent we stay with her. Is she lonely, life-mate? Why not bring her with us on our journeying?" "Several reasons, really. She's well-established here and has a successful business. While being a traveling merchant is a lot of sitting, the stress of traveling in all kinds of weather and unforeseen circumstances does take a toll. She doesn't have the strongest constitution, so it would be hard on her. Most importantly, she has her dream of creating her own golem." "Is that hard to do?" "I don't know the details, but the materials needed are not cheap. Actually building it, I hear, can take years or even decades. She wouldn't be able to accomplish that if she traveled around with us. I do feel bad that I can't be around more often to spend time with her," Devin admitted. "How about we do something fun with her while we are here?" Azalea proposed. "Like what?" asked Reina. Azalea rested her chin on her hand. "I don't know. I'll think of something." "Returning to the rest of our errands, are we going to see Mavis now, herd-mate?" "Yes, her office should be about twenty minutes from here." "Which way?" "Turn right and head north." With the exception of Reina, the trio had a chance to stretch their legs and wings. The clumped groups of stores and endless throngs of people became more sparse as they went farther north. The road and walkways became cleaner and spacious houses, decadent with costly cedar and intricate engravings, lined the more expansive streets. "Is this the right district, herd-mate?" "Yes. Locals humorously divide it up into two sections: the quiet and the loud. The quiet area is where the affluent live -- government officials and other high rankers in society -- and the loud area is coming up." Passing under a nondescript archway, lively music and laughter drifted through the air. "Oh! Musicians!" cried Azalea. "And a great many street performers," added Reina. Humans and Demi-humans, dressed in colorful regalia, gathered around the many entertainers and food stalls lining the streets, enjoying the gaiety and festivities. Azalea looked around, a bit mystified. "Mavis works here, mate?" "Yes. That building in the distance." Devin stopped and pointed up to a spire of white and blue that rose five stories above them. On each level were small porches with doors, similar to the residences they had seen earlier. They approached the tower and entered a set of double doors, triggering a sharp ringing to announce their entrance. Inside, smartly-dressed foot couriers were sorting through boxes and letters. "Why are they all wearing different colored uniforms, herd-mate?" "To differentiate between the delivery categories: blue and white is for regular mail, yellow with purple trim for express, and purple with yellow trim is for priority. For a slightly higher fee, express is a favorite option. Only a handful of applicants qualify for the last one." "Doesn't Mavis wear those colors?" asked Reina. "Yes, she does. To be ranked a priority deliverer, a large degree of trust and discreteness is required. Most of the items being delivered by these few are very costly or rare items that require speed and special care to get to their destination." "Mavis doesn't seem like a discreet type of person." "Despite her very airy behavior, she takes her job quite seriously. She is one of the elite delivery harpies who has never lost or been late delivering a package." Devin stepped up to the front desk. Without looking up, a stern old-looking looking secretary with tired eyes requested, "Send or receive?" "Appointment," was Devin's response. Pausing her wax sealing, she looked up over her glasses. "With who?" "Mavis Ebonplume." "And you are?" "Devin Ebonplume. Brother." She looked him up and down dubiously. Devin held out his ID car, anticipating the need. She shook her head and directed, "Top floor; NOT the roof; room E20." "Thank you." Heading to a circular staircase on their left, Reina tentatively put a hoof on the first step. "Can this support me?" "It should be able to. There are certain standards for civic buildings to allow accessibility for all types of demi-humans, including the four-footed ones." She added more weight, still tentative. When nothing happened, she slowly took several more steps. "Seems alright." Without any incident, they arrived on the fifth floor. Searching for Mavis' office, they found it near the northeast side. Devin knocked, but not hearing an answer, he pushed open the door. That yielded a surprisingly organized room, aside from a pile of clothes in the corner, void of Mavis. As Devin stepped in, Mavis was exiting a co-worker's office down the hallway. Seeing Reina standing in her office doorway, she sidled up to her, and gave her a quick hug. Motioning for her to be quiet, she snuck up behind Devin as he turned around. Giving a cry of joy, she jumped into his arms. As he grabbed her shapely thighs, in surprise, to support the sudden weight that landed on him, she wrapped her wings around him. Then she tilted his head back and locked her luscious lips over his. Making good on her promise from when she had met them on the road. A firm tongue requested access to his mouth. Knowing it would be futile to resist, he granted her access. Their tongues danced around one another as her familiar scent washed over him, conjuring nostalgic memories of sad times when he was alone, and her family took him in, of happy times when she complimented his cooking, and even of confusing times when he was unsure what her underlying feelings were, under all the teasing. Mavis broke the kiss. Their breaths were heavy as they stared at each other. She normally wore her mask and armor of confidence and self-sufficiency well, and she had the talent and foresight to back it up, but the mask slipped ever so slightly. Giving him pause, her sharp ruby eyes showed concern. The way her wings grasped him as if she wanted something of him but was afraid he would disappear at the mention of it reminded him of a similar time thirteen years ago, when he was eighteen, and she had turned twenty one. She was procrastinating on certain life decisions. Her parents and family were putting pressure on her about her future, but the feather that finally broke the harpie's back was the suddenness of her first egg-laying. As far as Devin could remember, that was the first time she had shown him that his older sister, while much less than most people, sometimes wanted someone to just be there and to know that he had her back when she needed it. Surprised by how intently he was looking at her, as if reading her thoughts, she released him and straightened her hat. The mask was firmly back in place. "Now that's a proper family greeting," she cooed. Azalea flew up, twiddling her thumbs, "Um, can I have one too?" "Of course, my new little-sister-in-mischievousness." Parting her lips, she let Azalea take the lead. Her tiny tongue lapped happily at Mavis'. The kiss didn't last nearly as long as with Devin, but Azalea was happy, nonetheless, at feeling included. "I originally started this to tease Devin, but maybe we should make it a family tradition," she laughed. "Well, that's two of three." She turned her attention to Reina out of politeness at not excluding her. Believing her being shy and more reserved than Azalea and that she would turn her down, she was taken aback when Reina actually nodded shyly. It wasn't often Mavis was thrown off her game. She stepped toward the tall Whitehorn, unsure how to proceed. Reina bent down. Their kiss was tentative at first, letting their lips feel each other out. As they warmed to each other, Mavis prodded with her tongue, looking for Reina's comfortability limit. Soon, the two women were going at it passionately. Azalea had recovered and flapped up to her usual perch on Devin's shoulder. "I didn't expect Reina to actually do it, too. That's actually pretty hot." "I wasn't, either. I think she'd show a formidable personality if she were just a bit more assertive." "I do love the shy, passive Reina, but if she ever wants to do anything to me, I'm totally letting her." "Once she becomes fully comfortable with you, she might just do that." The Whitehorn and harpy finally came up for air somewhat reluctantly. They let the feeling linger a second before pulling away from each other. "It's very rare when someone can get me hot and bothered, my dear. You certainly know how to kiss!" "This was only my third time." "Really? Must be a natural talent. Who was your first?" "Herd-mate." "And your second?" "Azalea." "I'm glad to see you three are getting along so well, but enough playing. We should probably get to the business at hand, or Devin might chastise me for taking work too lightly again." She winked at him. She went to her desk. Sitting down, she opened a drawer and withdrew a scrap of parchment. Then she handed it to Devin, pulled out a small pouch of what sounded like money, and set it on the desk. Devin scanned the note. "This says they would like to discuss the possibility of me being a broker for a long-distance trade negotiation between two parties, and they would like to discuss the details over dinner at Whitegold." Mavis pushed the bag toward him. "What's this?" Devin queried, making no motion to take the pouch. "A foreshadowing of what kind of profit this deal could lead to. Also, since the meeting place requires you to dress up, a reimbursement for formal clothing." "What's wrong, life-mate?" "Few things are scarier to a merchant than money given before a job is finished." Mavis pulled the drawstring

“They're kind of flags mounted in occupied territory. That's the idea of a tattoo on the female form. Because the female form is a political space. It's a space of contention and conflict.” - Joelle Taylor A tattoo can tell the most profound story. Many have deep meanings to the people who wear them, and all of them serve as time capsules, allowing a person to revisit a moment in time again and again. Accomplished poet and playwright Joelle Taylor's debut novel The Night Alphabet introduces us to the heavily tattooed Jones, who regales us with the stories behind the ink that adorns her body. Flitting between past and future, the book takes us on a journey through time, tackling hard subjects like violence against women and generational trauma. Hear how Joelle navigated the move from poetry to prose, why she chose to tell such important stories through the art form of tattoos and hear the inspirational story of the impact her work has had on marginalised female communities. In this episode, you will learn: Why you should write stories about the issues you feel enraged by.  How to get creative when choosing how to tell your story. And how different stories demand different forms. Find out more about Joelle here. Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood. Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up for the newsletter here. You can buy copies of our anthology series here.  You can view the full transcript here. Connect with the show: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthespinepodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindTheSpine Twitter: https://twitter.com/BehindTheSpine Website: www.behindthespine.co.uk

An intuitive poem of 2 mins 45 written in a few minutes after listening to 'The World at One' on Radio 4 and then looking outside.  Feeling a  great need for calming ... and the birds and the trees spoke to me xSo wonderful writing these, having no idea really what will emerge... the process of writing and then reading them is always so surprising and calming for me.'This is the news' – an afternoon poemThis is the world at 1.45 says the news presenter on Radio 4. This is the news, firmly, this is the news at 1. 45. This is the news, says the wood pigeon outside my window. This is the news, says the collared dove who comes to eat at the bird table with her.  It's all okay Rowena, it's all okay. After the fighting, after the darkness, after the killing, after the bruises, it's all okay Rowena. And then the purring, the mala all along, its Buddha beads, my cat, in orange and white, breathing and purring like beads. Ginger. And softly sliding through different doors. A myriad to ignore, these doors. It's all okay Rowena. Feel the earth in your hands. Gritty, grounding. Outside of culture. Voices. Life out there. This is life. This is the world. To in here. In this culture, this extraordinary richness in this soil. The morning spins and it is gone.  The birds are still here. Onka, onka, onka. Flitting through myrtle leaves.One thing, one thing, one thing, one leaf.One shiny, one satin, one thing, Rowena, one thing.  The sycamores in their perpendicular bowing are in agreeance. Their branches are knotty, one thing, one thing. Bare, weighing up the wind. Comme ci, comme ça they say in the breeze. The camellia is full pink, blooming pink, and so healthy, so well, so new, full of buds and blossoms, she calls to me.......................................**  please see the donate button on 'Buy me a coffee' as so happy to find out about this! Any contributions towards coffees, poetry books and bird seed :)... (& of course the podcast/audio recording/editing costs!) gratefully received x...................................................................................................................................................................Please see more artwork, articles and info at www.rowenascotney.com Artwork by Rowena ScotneyEpisode cover - photo of my garden camelliaPodcast cover - 'Garden Robin' - feltingSupport the show

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Close your eyes and dream of things In a world beyond our own. A forest of colors and shapes and scents To dazzle your sleeping mind. PAUSE… If you could let your imagination roam, Let it build a realm from scratch, Who would live and breathe and love there? What would grow and thrive? PAUSE… Start with what you see on the ground, What sprawls around your feet. Picture a bed of lush green grass, Deep purple flowers everywhere. PAUSE… Between the flowers, chipmunks dart, Chasing each other up trees and down. Small birds the color of green apples, Watch from high above. PAUSE… The birds sing and chirp in upbeat tones, As they jump from branch to branch. Every now and then, a brave one swoops, Finding a new tree to call its own. PAUSE… Relax into the beauty of this place, hear the birds speak to your heart. Pull the sweet air into your lungs as you settle deeper into sleep. LONG PAUSE… The trees in the place are massive, So high the tops can't be seen. The light must trickle through them, Making bright patterns down below. PAUSE… They stand like tall protectors, Guarding all in their midst. Their leaves fill the air with rich freshness, And their trunks give the insects homes. PAUSE… So many creatures fill this place, It's hard to know where to look. The flourishing forest teems with life, Yet peaceful silence covers all. PAUSE… Anything seems possible here, A world of dewy, green magic. Let your spirit loose to explore the woodland, Flitting along with the butterflies. PAUSE… Inhale and feel the enchantment within, filling you with hope and fancy. Exhale and see what else you can discover, hiding in mossy depths. LONG PAUSE… The scents are as lovely as the sights, Heady and full of promise. Sun-soaked leaves and rain-soaked earth, The blend so intoxicating. PAUSE… It's as if nothing unpleasant or wrong can thrive here, Everything reaching for its greatest good. You, too, are like a creation of the forest, Adding power to the collaboration. PAUSE… This woodland is a place of wishes, Of simple desires made real. So what might you request of the trees? What might your heart long to feel? PAUSE… What deep desire have you been holding inside? Perhaps it's time to speak its name. What spectacular fantasy waits to unfold, If only you'll set it free? PAUSE… Breathe in and know that all can be yours, that the universe awaits your call. Breathe out whatever's been holding you back, and say your longing out loud. LONG PAUSE… Picture yourself growing stronger, The deeper you move into the wood. Made not only of wishes but healing, This place can transform you for good. PAUSE… Kindness and patience rush toward you, Lifting you up like the birds. You giggle as you realize your soul has grown wings, And it carries you up toward the skies. PAUSE… Beyond the canopy of sun-dappled leaves, Lies a brilliant canvas of blue. There is no limit to what's possible there, And that boundlessness now includes you. PAUSE… Your wish is not just yours anymore, It belongs to the sun and the sky. Whatever desire you once hoped to achieve, Has now swelled exponentially. PAUSE… Look down on the forest as you float in the clouds, See that it's just one of many. Your imagination holds dozens of places like this, Magical realms just waiting to be explored. PAUSE…

Due to illness among our hosts and holiday travel plans, we are airing a Best Of Series episode this week instead of our previously planned episode on The Mind of the Maker. Please enjoy this lighthearted discussion as you prepare for your Thanksgiving feasting, and join us right here next week for a very special 200th episode featuring our Friends and Fellows and introducing the 2024 Reading Challenge! Today on The Literary Life Podcast we bring you another fun episode in our “In Search of the Austen Adaptation” series. Hosts Angelina Stanford, Cindy Rollins and Thomas Banks are joined by resident film aficionado, Atlee Northmore to discuss film adaptations on Sense and Sensibility. The conversation opens by revisiting the question of what makes a good adaptation of a book when translating it for the screen. They talk about the challenges of showing modern audiences the characters and situations as Jane Austen meant them to be understood. Atlee gives a brief overview of the lesser known film adaptations, as well as a more in depth discussion of the 1995 and 2008 versions. You can access the PDF he created with links to watch here. Commonplace Quotes: Sound principles that are old may easily be laid on the shelf and forgotten, unless in each successive generation a few industrious people can be found who will take the trouble to draw them forth from the storehouse. Thomas Ruper, as quoted by Karen Glass His senile fury was not exhausted by endless repetition. Eric Linklater ‘Remember, no one is made up of one fault, everyone is much greater than all his faults,' and then she would add with a smile: ‘I find it much easier to put up with people's faults than with their virtues!' Charlotte Mason, as quoted by Essex Cholmondeley The great abstract nouns of the classical English moralists are unblushingly and uncompromisingly used: good sense, courage, contentment, fortitude, some duty neglected, some failing indulged, impropriety, indelicacy, generous candor, blameable distrust, just humiliation, vanity, folly, ignorance, reason. These are the concepts by which Jane Austen grasps the world. In her we still breathe the air of the Rambler and Idler. All is hard, clear, definable; by some modern standards, even naïvely so. The hardness is, of course, for oneself, not for one's neighbours. It reveals to Marianne her want ‘of kindness' and shows Emma that her behaviour has been ‘unfeeling'. Contrasted with the world of modern fiction, Jane Austen's is at once less soft and less cruel. C. S. Lewis Selection from With a Guitar, To Jane by Percy Shelley Ariel to Miranda:-- Take This slave of music, for the sake Of him who is the slave of thee; And teach it all the harmony In which thou canst, and only thou, Make the delighted spirit glow, Till joy denies itself again And, too intense, is turned to pain. For by permission and command Of thine own Prince Ferdinand, Poor Ariel sends this silent token Of more than ever can be spoken; Your guardian spirit, Ariel, who From life to life must still pursue Your happiness,-- for thus alone Can Ariel ever find his own. From Prospero's enchanted cell, As the mighty verses tell, To the throne of Naples he Lit you o'er the trackless sea, Flitting on, your prow before, Like a living meteor. When you die, the silent Moon In her interlunar swoon Is not sadder in her cell Than deserted Ariel. Book List: In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass The Story of Charlotte Mason by Essex Cholmondeley Robert the Bruce by Eric Linklater C. S. Lewis' Selected Literary Essays edited by Walter Hooper Support The Literary Life: Become a patron of The Literary Life podcast as part of the “Friends and Fellows Community” on Patreon, and get some amazing bonus content! Thanks for your support! Connect with Us: You can find Angelina and Thomas at HouseofHumaneLetters.com, on Instagram @angelinastanford, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ANGStanford/ Find Cindy at morningtimeformoms.com, on Instagram @cindyordoamoris and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CindyRollinsWriter. Check out Cindy's own Patreon page also! Follow The Literary Life on Instagram, and jump into our private Facebook group, The Literary Life Discussion Group, and let's get the book talk going! http://bit.ly/literarylifeFB  

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Quiet the mind, And let relaxing space fill it. Any thought that  Drops in, Just observe, And let it float by. PAUSE Now, let your mind  Drift to thoughts  Of love. Welcome the thoughts, And let them flow by you. PAUSE And, as these thoughts Gently parade before you, Breathe in. Breathe in love. And hold that  Loving space. PAUSE  Keep breathing in the love. And letting the  Love expand, And grow. It is limitless. Love is limitless. Allow yourself to really feel that. PAUSE And, while basking in These loving feelings, Notice a tiny whisper  Flitting by your ear: “Love comes forth Like sunshine after rain.” “Love comes forth Like sunshine after rain.” “Love comes forth Like sunshine after rain.” PAUSE Let these words of Shakespeare Roll and repeat All through you. PAUSE Now, visualize these words  That could change a mood, Or change an attitude… inside your heart. Inside your soul. Inside all of you. PAUSE Now, envision  Gently hold these words,  Holding their beauty, Holding their healing power. Hold them close. PAUSE And now, let the love From these words Spreading all around In, Around, And beyond you. PAUSE The more you feel  And embrace them,  The more they Expand outward To others. Visualize the love grow, And grow, And grow. All around the world. All of the time. Thanks to you. NAMASTE, BEAUTIFUL Thanks to our amazing Sponsor! Bring more ease into your life with HelloFresh! Get 50% off and free shipping at hellofresh.com/50mmwand use the code 50mmw. 

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Close your eyes and dream of things In a world beyond our own. A forest of colors and shapes and scents To dazzle your sleeping mind. PAUSE… If you could let your imagination roam, Let it build a realm from scratch, Who would live and breathe and love there? What would grow and thrive? PAUSE… Start with what you see on the ground, What sprawls around your feet. Picture a bed of lush green grass, Deep purple flowers everywhere. PAUSE… Between the flowers, chipmunks dart, Chasing each other up trees and down. Small birds the color of green apples, Watch from high above. PAUSE… The birds sing and chirp in upbeat tones, As they jump from branch to branch. Every now and then, a brave one swoops, Finding a new tree to call its own. PAUSE… Relax into the beauty of this place, hear the birds speak to your heart. Pull the sweet air into your lungs as you settle deeper into sleep. LONG PAUSE… The trees in the place are massive, So high the tops can't be seen. The light must trickle through them, Making bright patterns down below. PAUSE… They stand like tall protectors, Guarding all in their midst. Their leaves fill the air with rich freshness, And their trunks give the insects homes. PAUSE… So many creatures fill this place, It's hard to know where to look. The flourishing forest teems with life, Yet peaceful silence covers all. PAUSE… Anything seems possible here, A world of dewy, green magic. Let your spirit loose to explore the woodland, Flitting along with the butterflies. PAUSE… Inhale and feel the enchantment within, filling you with hope and fancy. Exhale and see what else you can discover, hiding in mossy depths. LONG PAUSE… The scents are as lovely as the sights, Heady and full of promise. Sun-soaked leaves and rain-soaked earth, The blend so intoxicating. PAUSE… It's as if nothing unpleasant or wrong can thrive here, Everything reaching for its greatest good. You, too, are like a creation of the forest, Adding power to the collaboration. PAUSE… This woodland is a place of wishes, Of simple desires made real. So what might you request of the trees? What might your heart long to feel? PAUSE… What deep desire have you been holding inside? Perhaps it's time to speak its name. What spectacular fantasy waits to unfold, If only you'll set it free? PAUSE… Breathe in and know that all can be yours, that the universe awaits your call. Breathe out whatever's been holding you back, and say your longing out loud. LONG PAUSE… Picture yourself growing stronger, The deeper you move into the wood. Made not only of wishes but healing, This place can transform you for good. PAUSE… Kindness and patience rush toward you, Lifting you up like the birds. You giggle as you realize your soul has grown wings, And it carries you up toward the skies. PAUSE… Beyond the canopy of sun-dappled leaves, Lies a brilliant canvas of blue. There is no limit to what's possible there, And that boundlessness now includes you. PAUSE… Your wish is not just yours anymore, It belongs to the sun and the sky. Whatever desire you once hoped to achieve, Has now swelled exponentially. PAUSE… Look down on the forest as you float in the clouds, See that it's just one of many. Your imagination holds dozens of places like this, Magical realms just waiting to be explored. PAUSE…  

"When we are anchored, we have a sense of being safely held so we can venture out without becoming adrift. We are connected to a state of regulation and have room to explore the world around us." - Deb Dana In this episode of The Gentle Rebel Podcast, I talk about the themes and topics we will explore on the podcast and in The Haven during Autumn 2023. Drifting Into Another Wake-Up Call I look at the clock. It's too early to be called tomorrow but too late to describe it as last night. A swirling limbo. The moment that catches me off guard. Drifting between worlds. It is sprung by the alarm bells ringing in my head. I'm mobilised yet unanchored, unable to stem or redirect the flow of thoughts that begin to flood my body. What am I ready for? What could my nervous system be preparing me to react to at this hour? I pause to observe the feelings accompanying this shift in state. They're hard to decipher. Flitting all over the place. I can't keep up. As I try to shut this down, I sense my breath quicken, and my heart beat faster. Checking behind and beneath every rock of thought I encounter, I frantically search for the source of this mobilised state. There's nothing obvious. Eventually, it becomes clear. It's...EVERYTHING. An undecipherable swirl of all the stuff my body holds as some threat. All the news stories, open loops, regrets, worries, intentions, expectations, unresolved requests, things I shouldn't have said, something I should have said, replies I need to send, relationships I have neglected, opportunities I've missed, things I forgot to do. Whoa! You have found everything…thanks, brain! No, wait, you probably haven't. This is only the surface. Imagine what else is lurking beneath that you haven't yet dredged up. Can we do that another time? Anchoring in Uncertain Times “When the inner workings of our biology are a mystery, we feel as if we're at the mercy of unknown, unexplainable, and  unpredictable experiences. Once we know how our nervous system works, we can work with it. As we learn the art of befriending our nervous  system, we learn to become active operators of this essential system.” - Deb Dana We live in unpredictable times. So many aspects of the world feel uncertain and like they are rapidly drifting, leaving our bodies in a perpetual underlying state of stress. We're regularly sleepwalking through the motions, trying to control/dominate each other (and ourselves), and attempting to maintain business as usual in highly unusual circumstances. The way we react to unprecedented situations can create a domino effect. If we are not responding from a state of safety and connection, we can often worsen the problem (or create new ones altogether). If you've ever panicked about being late for something, you might be familiar with this problem. As you rush to get ready to leave the house, you become more clumsy, forgetful, and unable to perform simple tasks effectively. You take the stressed feeling on your journey with you and arrive at the destination flustered and unable to focus. I don't know about you, but parts of the world feel like this to me right now. And we could benefit from taking a moment to re-anchor ourselves. There were similar responses to the Autumn survey, with people sharing their struggles with slowing down, letting go, and focusing on what they know is the healthiest path to follow. One thing is clear. Anchoring is essential right now. It can help us feel "safe enough to fall in love with life and take the risks of living". Befriending The Nervous System The autonomic nervous system can be the root of life's challenges for many highly sensitive people. It can get frazzled by the overload of information through the widened sensory aperture and deep processing of everything that pours in. In Anchored: How To Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory, Deb Dana helps us recognise and name the sounds, signs,

Have you ever wondered what's in a name? It turns out quite a lot! Tune in as Jethro explores the world of town name translations, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Brace yourself for a rollercoaster of laughter and intrigue as we navigate through a map of linguistic curiosities that prove language can be just as quirky as it is captivating.Then, step into the world of aristocratic eccentricity with the captivating tale of Lord Bridgewater. Join us on a journey through time as we unravel the life and times of this unconventional noble. From his extravagant pet menagerie to his obsession with canals, Lord Bridgewater's idiosyncrasies knew no bounds. With a penchant for the unusual and a knack for leaving a trail of stories in his wake, this episode paints a vivid portrait of a man who lived on his terms.So, grab your headphones and prepare for a double dose of peculiar tales! Join Kat and Jethro as they celebrate the weird, the wonderful, and the wildly eccentric on this episode of The Box of Oddities.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this conversation with Debi Lewis, Enneagram 4, we discuss the Ennea-Dragons and yoga. Ennea-Dragon 1. The Reformer / Perfectionist, who wants so much to be a good dragon, in spite of his/her reputation for throwing fire in frustration from time to time. ​ Ennea-Dragon 2.  The Helper / Giver, who wants so much to love and be loved, and finds that he often gives too much and then ends up being resentful and exhausted. ​ Ennea-Dragon 3.  The Achiever, who strives for success and mastery, and finds that he is often so consumed by this drive to succeed, aren't dragons all supposed to hoard piles of gold? ​ Ennea-Dragon 4. The Individualist, who feels different and alone so often, is often paralyzed so much that he hides out in the hills and is hard to find. Ennea-Dragon 5. The Investigator, who feels safest when he understands the Ways of Life and Dragons in Great Detail. This dragon is very educated and knowledgeable, and since dragons are known to live a long time, has spent a good deal of it collecting information. ​ Ennea-Dragon 6. The Loyalist, who struggles with anxiety and is a Worst Case Scenario expert, and therefore is very organized and alert for any hint of trouble. ​ Ennea-Dragon 7. The Enthusiast. You would think that this dragon doesn't have a care in the world. Flitting and frolicking and always ready for a fun time. Ennea-Dragon 8. The Boss, who loves a good fight and can breathe fire masterfully. ​Ennea-Dragon 9. The Peacemaker wants above all else to avoid conflict and to be surrounded by peace. (Joyflow.com) ​ Debi is a musician, artist, author and yoga instructor (E-RYT 500). She is the former owner of Joyflow Yoga, which has served the Jackson-Ridgeland, MS area for almost 30 years. Debi offers private therapy sessions, which are a combination of private instruction, emotional-release bodywork, Thai Yoga, and Reiki. She is also a certified Enneagram teacher, and her book "Yoga Nine Ways" gives yoga recommendations based on personality patterns. She teaches inspiring workshops based on the Enneagram and/or Yoga around the world. On FB: Joyflow Yoga page Debi Saraswati Lewis-personal page Enneagram for Yogis group page Saraswati Designs (for artwork) On Instagram:  @DebiSaraswatiJoyflow  Contact Debi:  Email: deb@joyflowyoga.com Text: 601-613-4317 Website: https://www.joyflowyoga.com Certifications Registered with Yoga Alliance, E-RYT500 since 2001. Laughter Yoga, Yoga Meets Dance, Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, Enneagram, Reiki 1 & 2, Healing Touch 1, Thai Yoga 1. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christy001/support

60. Cello in Germany in the 19th Century: Hugo Becker "Love Scenes" Op. 7 Here is yet another little gem of a piece. While it requires some attention to higher positions in places, the over all accessibility for the upper intermediate player is in your grasp. As you will hear in my own recording, the amount of practice I got in did not satisfy except to the level of moderately good. But in reality, my goal is more at showing you that such much exists and should be played by more competent cellists than myself. That being said, I greatly enjoy recording these works and will continue on regardless. There are six movements or scenes that Becker has artfully reimagined as musical prose. 1. Begegnung ("First Sight" or "Meeting") 2. Zweifel ("Doubting") 3. Träumen ("Dreaming") 4. Tänderlei ("Flitting") 5. Frage ("Question") 6. Antwort ("Answer") Please support me as I continue to present worthwhile music for cellists to play in addition to all the great standards we already are accustomed to. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/travelingcello Paypal.me/travelingcello Purchase my arrangements, collections of annotated music for beginning cellists, and cleaned up early cello method: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/aaron-sinnett-sheet-music/3022778 Go to me Youtube channel and watch me play mostly well with a number of teeth grinding missed shifts: (Link coming soon once the video is fully edited.) --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/forgottencellomusic/message

When you compare the birds of a manicured lawn with those that inhabit a grove of chokecherries, the difference is stark. The lawn might support a few starlings and robins. Perhaps, late in spring migration, a handful of desperate Swainson's thrushes might stop by. The chokecherries, on the other hand, support an intricate community of life, from two-tailed swallowtail butterflies to dozens of species of songbirds. When the fruits ripen in late summer to a deep, juicy black, they attract cedar waxwings, Townsend's solitaires, western tanagers, American robins, and house finches. Meanwhile, throughout the growing season, the foliage supports a diversity of insects - and the birds that eat them. Flitting among the leaves, you can find Wilson's warblers, ruby-crowned kinglets, yellow-rumped warblers, and warbling vireos. 

To wrap up this three episode mini-series on theatre design, Drew talks to E.M. Parry, a transgender, trans-disciplinary artist, working and playing across scenography, performance, drag and visual art. Flitting between genres and platforms, they work with, through and for the queer body, squinting at history, flirting with ghosts and the things that go bump in the margins. Credits: Interview: E. M Parry Presented and co-produced by Drew McOnie and Siân Prime Produced and edited by Scratch Post Productions Music: “Seize the Day” by Andrey Rossi - made available by uppbeat.io The Theatre Blueprint is a collaboration between The McOnie Company and SYNAPSE, the programme of business development support at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Causeless curse

Chason Matthams' focus is on capturing the ephemeral experience of consciousness and pointing to its fragmentary nature. While at first glance his paintings seem to be contemplative experiments in mimesis, prolonged looking reveals threatening undertones. Matthams' employs specific combinations of colors, angles of perspective, and exhaustive detail to anthropomorphize each of his subjects, rendering them just barely sinister. Flitting between mechanical and organic objects, Matthams' exacting brushwork is the connective thread leading our eye through every sumptuous detail. Matthams graduated with a BFA in Fine Art from New York University in 2004 and an MFA from New York University in 2012. Previous solo exhibitions include A Hell for Rainbows, Thierry Goldberg Gallery, New York, NY (2019); Advances, None Miraculous, Thierry Goldberg Gallery, New York, NY (2015); and Tyler Wood Gallery, San Francisco, CA (2019, 2013). He was included in Blossom, a three person exhibition with Ted Pim and Marisa Takal organized by the Tong Art Advisory at the Artron Art Centre, Shenzhen, CN (2021); and his work was included in Artforum's “Portfolios” feature in March 2020. Previous group exhibitions include Stockholm Sessions at Carl Kostyál, Stockholm, Sweden (2021); Nature Morte at The Hole, New York, NY (2021); Cynthia Daignault's The Certainty of Others, Flag Art Foundation, New York, NY (2017); L'IM_MAGE_N, Ashes/Ashes, New York, NY (2017); Break Out, Frédéric de Goldschmidt Collection, Brussels, Belgium (2015); and Beyond the Pale, Interstate, Brooklyn, NY (2014). The book mentioned at the end of the interview is The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World, a 2009 book written by psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist that deals with the specialist hemispheric functioning of the brain. Chason Matthams, Corsage (aqua, blue, pink), 2022, Oil on linen over panel, 24 x 30 in., 61 x 76.2 cm. Chason Matthams, Untitled (RED, Sebastian rig - slider), 2021, Oil on panel, 72 x 60 in., 182.9 x 152.4 cm. Chason Matthams, Untitled (Fuji GX680, orange/purple), 2022, Oil on linen over panel, 36 x 29 in., 91.4 x 73.7 cm.  

Neil Gresham is a British climber and coach who has been at the cutting edge for over two decades. We talked about using ballet as part of his training for his FA of ‘Lexicon' E11, the importance of developing your finishing game, extensor training for stronger fingers, go-to ring and TRX exercises, sticking our training in the bank, thumb crimping, climbing his first 5.14c (8c+) at age 45, and much more.Listen to more top episodes!thenuggetclimbing.com/top-listsCheck out Frictitious Climbing!frictitiousclimbing.comUse code "NUGGET" at checkout for free shipping on your next order!Check out Petzl!petzl.comOr shop for Petzl quickdraws at your local climbing shop!Check out PhysiVantage!physivantage.com (link includes 15% off coupon)Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!Check out Crimpd!crimpd.comOr download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)Check out Arc'teryx!arcteryx.comArc'teryx Presents: Free as Can Be We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun Become a Patron:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbingShow Notes:  thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/neil-greshamNuggets:0:05:45 – The Mythical Challenge0:18:15 – “Flitting” between different styles of climbing to keep motivation high0:20:25 – Improving two sport grades and one trad grade between the ages of 45 and 50, and what it would take to climb 9a (14d)0:24:49 – Feeling satisfied after climbing Lexicon (E11)0:27:33 – Olympians, and being a series of sliders0:30:08 – Lexicon breakdown, and Steve McClure's 80-foot whipper0:39:10 – Why is bold trad climbing so glorified in the UK? And the “rules” for trad areas vs. bolted areas0:46:02 – Patron question from Elina, why Neil used ballet to train for Lexicon, and looking outside the box for ways to improve0:50:45 – Struggling to improve at climbing, and how that led to coaching0:58:52 – “People don't realize how hard they can climb.”1:01:47 – Goal setting and finishing game1:06:33 – Getting more specific with your goals, and being willing to learn from each project1:12:19 – The tactical and psychological skills in redpointing, and how many of the top climbers just go climbing1:14:59 – Don't expect your project to feel easy1:16:31 – Unlocking things on your project when you're feeling weak1:21:24 – “Hard routes have been climbed in every conceivable mindset.” - Dave MacLeod1:22:57 – Patron question from Doug: What old-school training methods get overlooked nowadays? What modern training methods got overlooked back then?1:25:15 – Injury prevention, and extensor training for stronger fingers1:30:23 – Rings and TRX training1:32:42 – Neil's go-to exercises on the rings/TRX, and feeling like an athlete after discovering rings training1:34:29 – How to combine extensor training with your other training and climbing, and Adam Ondra's rule for antagonist training1:36:57 – Neil's strength protocol for finger extensor training1:39:23 – How to incorporate rings or TRX training into your climbing and training, and finding the appropriate amount1:44:41 – Patron question from Jan: What should climbers who started at a later age (30s) focus on to improve, and would that be different from someone who started in their 20s?1:46:59 – Should beginners use hangboards?1:49:31 – How Neil and I both developed a weakness in the half crimp grip by avoiding the hangboard early on1:52:56 – “Stick the training in the bank.”1:56:58 – The way to make killer gains in your hangboarding: stop climbing! (And which types of climbers benefit from hangboarding)2:01:49 – Dan Varian from Beastmaker, and other people who have influenced Neil's climbing and training2:02:59 – How to combine hangboarding with climbing to make gains over the long term2:06:51 – How Neil addressed his weakness in the half crimp, and his thoughts on full crimping on the hangboard2:11:08 – Thumb crimping2:14:37 – Pinkie wrapping three-finger crimps, and how everything we do should be built up incrementally2:16:34 – Why Neil's climbing shot up between ages 45 and 502:23:33 – Neil's golden rule in coaching, and taking breaks from structured training2:27:33 – Finding balance2:30:58 – A teaser for the keto diet conversation (let us know if you want to hear us talk about that!)2:31:39 – Where to connect with Neil

Today on The Literary Life Podcast we bring you another fun episode in our “In Search of the Austen Adaptation” series. Hosts Angelina Stanford, Cindy Rollins and Thomas Banks are joined by resident film aficionado, Atlee Northmore to discuss film adaptations on Sense and Sensibility. The conversation opens by revisiting the question of what makes a good adaptation of a book when translating it for the screen. They talk about the challenges of showing modern audiences the characters and situations as Jane Austen meant them to be understood. Atlee gives a brief overview of the lesser known film adaptations, as well as a more in depth discussion of the 1995 and 2008 versions. You can access the PDF he created with links to watch here. You are not too late to join in this year's Back to School Online Conference! Go to MorningTimeforMoms.com to register and get in on the great talks, always live or later! Commonplace Quotes: Sound principles that are old may easily be laid on the shelf and forgotten, unless in each successive generation a few industrious people can be found who will take the trouble to draw them forth from the storehouse. Thomas Ruper, as quoted by Karen Glass His senile fury was not exhausted by endless repetition. Eric Linklater ‘Remember, no one is made up of one fault, everyone is much greater than all his faults,' and then she would add with a smile: ‘I find it much easier to put up with people's faults than with their virtues!' Charlotte Mason, as quoted by Essex Cholmondeley The great abstract nouns of the classical English moralists are unblushingly and uncompromisingly used: good sense, courage, contentment, fortitude, some duty neglected, some failing indulged, impropriety, indelicacy, generous candor, blameable distrust, just humiliation, vanity, folly, ignorance, reason. These are the concepts by which Jane Austen grasps the world. In her we still breathe the air of the Rambler and Idler. All is hard, clear, definable; by some modern standards, even naïvely so. The hardness is, of course, for oneself, not for one's neighbours. It reveals to Marianne her want ‘of kindness' and shows Emma that her behaviour has been ‘unfeeling'. Contrasted with the world of modern fiction, Jane Austen's is at once less soft and less cruel. C. S. Lewis Selection from With a Guitar, To Jane by Percy Shelley Ariel to Miranda:-- Take This slave of music, for the sake Of him who is the slave of thee; And teach it all the harmony In which thou canst, and only thou, Make the delighted spirit glow, Till joy denies itself again And, too intense, is turned to pain. For by permission and command Of thine own Prince Ferdinand, Poor Ariel sends this silent token Of more than ever can be spoken; Your guardian spirit, Ariel, who From life to life must still pursue Your happiness,-- for thus alone Can Ariel ever find his own. From Prospero's enchanted cell, As the mighty verses tell, To the throne of Naples he Lit you o'er the trackless sea, Flitting on, your prow before, Like a living meteor. When you die, the silent Moon In her interlunar swoon Is not sadder in her cell Than deserted Ariel. Book List: In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass The Story of Charlotte Mason by Essex Cholmondeley Robert the Bruce by Eric Linklater C. S. Lewis' Selected Literary Essays edited by Walter Hooper Support The Literary Life: Become a patron of The Literary Life podcast as part of the “Friends and Fellows Community” on Patreon, and get some amazing bonus content! Thanks for your support! Connect with Us: You can find Angelina and Thomas at HouseofHumaneLetters.com, on Instagram @angelinastanford, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ANGStanford/ Find Cindy at morningtimeformoms.com, on Instagram @cindyordoamoris and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cindyrollins.net/. Check out Cindy's own Patreon page also! Follow The Literary Life on Instagram, and jump into our private Facebook group, The Literary Life Discussion Group, and let's get the book talk going! http://bit.ly/literarylifeFB

“You have to be able to flit between the strategic, operational and tactical”, says Caroline as she shares her journey of being involved in an insurtech start-up. “There's been days when I've been operating as a Claims Handler as well as Chief Insurance Officer, thinking about underwriting strategy.” With an insurance career spanning 25 years, Caroline talks about joining Flock in the midst of the pandemic and how the business pivoted from drone insurance policies to entering a new vertical of commercial motor fleet insurance at the end of 2020. After a $17m Series A fundraise in June 2021 allowed the business to grow from 20 to a headcount of 60, Flock now use data to analyse road risk and incentivise good driving behaviour for connected motor fleets.    Caroline outlines the challenges to scaling the business and gives insight in to Flock's values, including ownership, growth, curiosity, transparency and creativity.  Whilst the lead time to recruiting new talent is a source of frustration, Caroline shares Flock's multi-faceted approach to recruitment, saying, “If you want a breadth of opinions and ideas, you have to take people from all walks of life. We try not to fish in the same pond.” Caroline explains Flock's approach to hybrid working as well as the value an insurance career can bring to the business and her advice to anyone looking to start or scale an insurtech, emphasising the importance of mapping out your hiring strategy.   “Your first hires are hugely important. You can easily burn through cash at the start with the wrong people.” Connect with Caroline on https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-garrow-dip-cii-5758283b/ (LinkedIn), email caroline.garrow@flockcover.com or find out more about https://flockcover.com/ (Flock).   The Insurance Coffee House Podcast is hosted by Nick Hoadley, CEO, https://my.captivate.fm/www.insurance-search.com (Insurance Search), the Executive Search Consultancy for growing Insurance and Insurtech businesses across the globe. To discuss identifying & attracting the very best talent to your team or being a podcast guest, reach out to Nick via nick.hoadley@insurance-search.com or connect on https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-hoadley-78a498143/ (LinkedIn) Copyright https://insurance-search.com/ (Insurance) https://insurance-search.com/ (Search) 2022 – All Rights Reserved.    

Ann's mowing the lawn after a day in the garden and is about to be rewarded with some pretty superb visitors. Her garden is a haven for local birds, who love to visit after she's cut the grass for a tasty, buggy snack.  

Ann's mowing the lawn after a day in the garden and is about to be rewarded with some pretty superb visitors. Her garden is a haven for local birds, who love to visit after she's cut the grass for a tasty, buggy snack.  

Have you ever felt like you were all over the place? Unproductive? Flitting from here to there? Like you're always saying yes when you wish, you could say no? Doing things that don't feel right or that aren't serving your priorities?You probably don't have solid boundaries in place. Boundaries are all about your mental health. If your head's not in the game, if your mind and priorities aren't clear enough to enforce boundaries, you've lost before you've even begun. Like a lot of things in life, these will be challenged. And when they do, you'll need some solid footing to stand on to move forward. In this episode I'll discuss the six things to do when creating (successful) boundaries, whether it's for your personal or professional life…or both!

Ibn Masud "When one of us would learn 10 ayats, he would not go beyond them until he understood their meaning and applied what was in them' Reported by Al Tabari Oh boy, this was not me. I was a book, course, arts and crafts, and recipe squirrel – collecting as I went and rushing from one thing to the next because it was all so good, but I ended up mentally overwhelmed and actually doing less.  Kate Hepburn, Lifestyle Transformation Coach    Episode 3 We are living in a world of MORE. A world that tells us with subtle, and not so subtle, cues at every turn that more is better… Do more, have more, be more, learn more… We have thousands of books, courses, events, seminars available to us at the touch of a button. Do you sign up for more than you could ever hope to complete.   Flit from one thing to another, often never finishing things. Books, courses, subscription lists, ebooks… Are you, like me, guilty of buying books and never getting around to reading them I have come to the conclusion that buying books and reading them, are completely different hobbies. Signing up for courses and not attending them. Downloading free content and never looking at it. Signing up for newsletters and then watching them clutter up your inbox. Busing arts and crafts resources, never using them. There is so much good stuff out there. We want to do it all. Busy has become our default. More has become a norm. Flitting from one thing to the next has become the status quo. It was not always like this and it doesn't have to be.  Tune it to find out how to turn down the noise!    This is the Finding Sakeenah Podcast – a journey to tranquility through simplicity.   Join the 'Inner Circle' - SISTERS ONLY!  SUBSCRIBE at www.findingsakeenah.com 

This is an oldie but a goody. You may have heard the term 'batching'. Batching tasks that are similar together and schedule them in your planner to do at the same time. Our fabulously comprehensive brain goes into different states of association when doing tasks of a similar nature. Flitting from one project to another take our brain some time to digest the changes. As an example of batching, you may be doing your figure work for your business, it requires focus and concentration. If the phone rings and it is a client your brain has to switch from task orientated focus and concentration association to one of social, higher energy levels and a different level of focus. The time the brain takes to switch back and forth from a doing focus to a social focus impacts in getting back into the rhythm of the task at hand. This is a simple example to illustrate how interruptions slow the process of our thought patterns. Batching like to like projects is a way to stay focused and get through the tasks quicker. Here are a few tips to consider Pick the time of the day that relates to the batching tasks, If in the afternoon you find it difficult to focus, schedule in your focus batching tasks in the morning. Schedule in your creative batching tasks when you feel fresh and full of creativity Consider using a diffuser with essential oils. Wild Orange or Lemon are fabulous and uplifting to stay refreshed. You may consider some of the many blends on the market including focus, or balance to name a few. Don't be afraid to turn your phone to airplane mode or off. If you need to concentrate and you want to stay on a batch of focus tasks, avoid interruption by not using the phone for an hour or two. In your creative batching some background music along with essential oils can help to get those creative juices flowing. Even moving from the office to an outdoor space can have a positive effect on your creativity. List all of the tasks you need to complete for a week and then batch like for like tasks and add them in to your planner for the week. Schedule in the time to achieve those tasks. Accounts and book work and targets maybe some you can batch together. Follow up phone calls, emails and text messages together. Writing blog posts, scripting a podcast and social media posts all require a level of creativity and this may also provide a means for re-purposing content. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/connecther/message

Hour 3 of A&G features Lanhee Chen on the Trump voter investigation and CA's covid curfews. Plus, our Warrior Foundation Freedom Station Give-a-Thon continues--donate at ArmstrongAndGetty.com. And, Jack talks about the failure of online learning. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Originally recorded before Season 3 Episode 1, the boys get together remotely to finish their conversation about weird email addresses from the past, and talk about the Covid-19 outbreak. Pancake is anxious, and staying home. Robin is Flitting around town. Music from Juice Newton and Michigan Rattlers.

A Flitting Target: Guidance on Identifying FLT3 Mutations in Relapsed/Refractory AML to Inform Treatment

A Flitting Target: Guidance on Identifying FLT3 Mutations in Relapsed/Refractory AML to Inform Treatment

There are three main ways that overwhelm can affect your business success. - It can induce a lack of confidence -  You lack organisation and automation - Flitting from task to task means less focus and proper execution of tasks. Anna Parker-Naples talks through how to implement tools and strategies to future-proof your business from personal overwhelm. 

In our last +1, we talked about how the Peak Performance guys recommend we craft our optimal work-to-rest ratio.    Pop quiz: You recall the ratio?    Pop answer: 50 to 90 minutes ON. 7 to 20 minutes OFF. Making nice rhythmic waves…   (More importantly: You practice it yesterday?)   Today, as promised, I want to talk about the importance of creating boundaries lest we teeter into the realm of burnout and/or never leave the realm of sub-awesome performance.   First, let’s talk about the boundaries required to get into true, 100% ON mode.    Guess what… All that multi-tasking? Flitting back and forth from one thing to another? That’s NOT awesome. (Cap’n Obvious here with a friendly public service announcement.)    We need to create bright-line boundaries and focus on ONE Thing—the most important thing—if we want to have a shot at operating in our upper threshold of productive performance.    We all know that. (Right?)   Yet…    Do you still paper cut your attention and never really go deep because you’re too busy multitasking? Well, as the Peak Performance guys put it: “For 99 percent of us, effective multitasking is nothing more than effective delusional thinking.”   So, to be ALL IN ON, we need to eliminate distractions and truly go ALL IN for our 50 to 90 minutes of peak performance work. Got it.   Then what?   Then we need to truly recover during that 7 to 20 minutes OFF phase. Go for a walk, meditate, take a nap. (If you’re a nut like me, go throw some spears in your backyard.)   But, whatever you do, don’t go online and read the news and/or catch up on your social feeds or anything else that’s going to blow up your brain (and nervous system and neurotransmitters) and not offer you a true recovery period.   Again, boundaries.    100% On. 100% Off. Repeat.   But only if you like sustainable peak performance.   Remember: Boundaries or burnout.   Oh! And this is even more important at the end of the day. Remember our chat about “Shut-down complete!”? Well, that’s a really good boundary to make sure you properly recover via some epic sleep while also ensuring some solid Deep Love time.    Boundaries = Awesome.

In our last +1, we talked about how the Peak Performance guys recommend we craft our optimal work-to-rest ratio.    Pop quiz: You recall the ratio?    Pop answer: 50 to 90 minutes ON. 7 to 20 minutes OFF. Making nice rhythmic waves…   (More importantly: You practice it yesterday?)   Today, as promised, I want to talk about the importance of creating boundaries lest we teeter into the realm of burnout and/or never leave the realm of sub-awesome performance.   First, let’s talk about the boundaries required to get into true, 100% ON mode.    Guess what… All that multi-tasking? Flitting back and forth from one thing to another? That’s NOT awesome. (Cap’n Obvious here with a friendly public service announcement.)    We need to create bright-line boundaries and focus on ONE Thing—the most important thing—if we want to have a shot at operating in our upper threshold of productive performance.    We all know that. (Right?)   Yet…    Do you still paper cut your attention and never really go deep because you’re too busy multitasking? Well, as the Peak Performance guys put it: “For 99 percent of us, effective multitasking is nothing more than effective delusional thinking.”   So, to be ALL IN ON, we need to eliminate distractions and truly go ALL IN for our 50 to 90 minutes of peak performance work. Got it.   Then what?   Then we need to truly recover during that 7 to 20 minutes OFF phase. Go for a walk, meditate, take a nap. (If you’re a nut like me, go throw some spears in your backyard.)   But, whatever you do, don’t go online and read the news and/or catch up on your social feeds or anything else that’s going to blow up your brain (and nervous system and neurotransmitters) and not offer you a true recovery period.   Again, boundaries.    100% On. 100% Off. Repeat.   But only if you like sustainable peak performance.   Remember: Boundaries or burnout.   Oh! And this is even more important at the end of the day. Remember our chat about “Shut-down complete!”? Well, that’s a really good boundary to make sure you properly recover via some epic sleep while also ensuring some solid Deep Love time.    Boundaries = Awesome.

Here is our newest episode talking about the next case in volume 13 of the Case Closed manga, The Illustrator Murder Case. This episode was release earlier on our Patreon so be sure to sign up for $1 to get … Continue reading →

1930's Paris, post-war London and the '60s in Sissinghurst; we've slipped the shackles of the studio for this month's podcast and gone on location for a special featuring apricot cocktails, top London trivia and a unique insight into one of the most famous gardens in the Garden of England. Will Rycroft talks to Sarah Bakewell about Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and modern existentialism whilst sipping apricot cocktails at Le Beaujolais. Alex Clark walks through London with Anthony Quinn as they discuss the landscape of his latest novel, Freya. She then gets an exclusive tour of Sissinghurst Castle from Juliet Nicolson, who grew up there during the 1960s. There's a time and a place for everything and this month the Vintage podcast takes you to three very specific times and places. An immersive listen for every type of reader. Follow us on twitter: twitter.com/vintagebooksSign up to our bookish newsletter to hear all about our new releases, see exclusive extracts and win prizes: po.st/vintagenewsletterAnthony Quinn - FreyaFreya Wyley meets Nancy Holdaway amid the wild celebrations of VE Day, the prelude to a devoted and competitive friendship…Freya, ambitious and outspoken, pursues a career on Fleet Street while Nancy, less self-confident, struggles to get her first novel published. Both friends become entangled with Robert Cosway, a charismatic young man whose own ambition will have a momentous bearing on their lives.Flitting from war-haunted Oxford to the bright new shallows of the 1960s, Freya plots the unpredictable course of a woman’s life and loves in extraordinary times.https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1089993/at-the-existentialist-cafe/9780701186586/ https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1110797/freya/9781910702505/ https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1099352/a-house-full-of-daughters/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Happy 2016 to you all, we hope you had a lovely Festive season and New Year! We’re jumping head first into it with a cracking new podcast from @anile. Matt’s music has been of a consistent quality since he first made his debut back in 2010. Since then he has continued to grace a plethora of quality labels such as Soul:R, CIA Deep Kut, Commercial Suicide and Cylon to name but a few. His wide-ranging output is indicative of an artist with a broad taste in drum and bass, someone who can pick out quality within the music whatever sub-genre it may line in. Fast-forward to 2015, and it saw Matt being picked up by none other than Med School for an album project – and what an album it was. Chock full of quality, styles and vibes – it showcased his production talent and variety in spades and is one that is sure to stand the test of time. And now he graces us with a sublime SUNANDBASS Podcast. Flitting beautifully from deep and dark to musical and uplifting, it’s just what you need for the start of 2016.

Flitting between the 50s and contemporary South Africa, A New Song, is an elegy, a lament and a triumphant new work by playwright, director and poet, Napo Masheane. Set in a middle class Johannesburg suburb, we are introduced to nine women who formally eke out their existence as domestic workers, juggling the struggle, intemperate madams and motherhood.

My grandmother used to call me Madame Butterfly and I loved it. My 7-year old mind understood that butterflies were pretty and could fly, and that was all I needed to know. Let's fast forward--later in life, I learned she called me that because she just never knew what I might do next. I have heard she told people that I "flitted from one thing to another looking pretty" but not accomplishing a lot. Dang, really?! That is not powerful at all. (Thank goodness she was wrong!) That puts a whole different spin on butterflies. So now I know, butterflies are beautiful but I shouldn't be one. I admit that I would often fall in love with projects and could think of nothing else for serious spurts of time. But then I would get bored and move onto a new project. Flitting from one thing to another? I don't think so, I was simply using my powers of elimination and discernment to figure out what I did NOT want to do. AND I was a child so, no harm, no foul. There is a business term, '3-day monk', which reminds me of my grandmother's assessment of my view of the world. That term is used to describe someone who gets obsessed with something in spurts, but quickly loses interest. See why it sounded familiar? Examples of these obsessions could include a new blog, a new business idea, a new way of eating, or (grab your panties!) a new relationship. Is that ringing any bells for you? This monk thing is characterized by lots of early interest with little to no results. Until we are willing to acknowledge what we do, we have no power to choose or change our behavior. — Iyanla Vanzant (@IyanlaVanzant) January 12, 2014 The bad news is that you cannot achieve success by flitting from one thing to another. Even if you look sugar-sharp while doing the flitting! You cannot have a measurable impact on your world if you lose focus before your work can be completed. You can't improve your health by eating veggies for only 5 days. And you can't draw your audience to you in 30 days. Nope and nope. The good news is that you can STOP being a 3-day monk and capture your butterfly. If you want to increase your influence and make meaningful progress on your goals, you have to show up every day. You don't have to invest 18 hours each day, but you need to act intentionally and consistently until your work is completed. How to Capture Your Butterfly: Work Every Day. Create a plan to invest time on your new focus every day. If you don't plan the time to work on your project, there will never be enough time in a day. It takes at least 21 days to develop a new habit to replace an old one. Doing 'something' each day will help you maintain focus and cement your new habits. If you do something for 2 days and stop, then start again 3 days later, that does not create strong habits and focus. Get Started Now. At this time of year, lots of women are talking about New Year's Resolutions. And some people actually think it's too late because January 1 has passed. Really? Why? You intend to keep living, right? So start today! It can be YOUR New Year any time you choose. There will never be a better time than right now. Don't Set Yourself Up for Failure. Newsflash: There are going to be days when you don't feel like doing the things you know you should do. It doesn't mean you don't really want to achieve your goal, it is just part of being human. And a woman. Some days, hormones are lying wenches. Give yourself a break and plan to build your empire in steps. If you give yourself all-or-nothing ultimatums, flitting is right around the corner. If you commit to doing something for 20 minutes a day, you can tell yourself that you can do anything for 20 minutes and believe it. Problem solved. Planning for only 20 minutes makes it easier to get started, and once you've worked for 20 minutes, you'll likely continue for even longer. Know and Do What You Love. Please do not commit to a project or goal that will require work that you don't enjoy.

We conclude our TV Fantasy Draft with the unveiling of our series pitches. Vampire and ghost detectives! Star Trek meets the West Wing! A sitcom starring a robot and an omnipotent being! A gritty techno-drama. A psychedelic drama set on a Zeppelin! And John Siracusa’s pitch seems awfully familiar somehow. Host Jason Snell with Dan Moren, Glenn Fleishman, John Siracusa, Scott McNulty, Serenity Caldwell and Steve Lutz.

When it comes to marketing, most service professionals shy away from it unclear how to create a system. But without a clear marketing strategy and system, you limit your firm's growth. Flitting from one marketing tactic to the next simply won't work. You need a strategy that gets buyers to "know, like, and trust" you and to then "try, buy, repeat, and refer" your services. Listen as John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing and The Referral Engine, discusses how to get started creating a marketing strategy and system that drives sales and produces long-lasting results.