Podcasts about Gently

Hello Beautiful, I'm so grateful you're here with me.

Andy and Mark want the same library book! How will they fairly choose who gets it first? Narrator: Male Story Begins: 4:19 Heads or Tales Excerpt: Andy nodded, eager to get going and find the book he was looking for. He walked past a group of kids doing a puzzle at a table and made his way to the familiar shelf that held his favorite book series. His eyes scanned the row until—yes!—he saw it. Book four! He reached out his hand for the top of the book's spine, but at that very moment another hand reached for the book too. Andy blinked and looked up, surprised to see a boy about his age, with dark skin and curly hair, holding the lower corner of the book. Today's Meditation: Relax your whole body from head to toe in this meditation. Creating the original bedtime stories and art for Be Calm on Ahway Island takes a lot of time and care. As a listener-supported podcast, we truly appreciate our members on Patreon. If you’re not already a member, please consider joining! Writing, recording, editing, and publishing episodes and managing digital platforms is an enormous endeavor. Our Patreon program will help continue to grow Ahway Island and we hope you will support us! You can choose from 2 different Membership Levels, all of which include access to our Archives and extra episodes every other month! Are you and your children enjoying our stories and self-soothing meditations? Looking for stories that emphasize acceptance, understanding, and empathy? You’ll find them on Ahway Island®. Be Calm on Ahway Island® Podcast offers original bedtime stories, like “Magical Chair,” paired with meditations for kids. We help them drift off to sleep with a guided relaxation and a calming story. Gently nestled within each podcast episode are mindfulness techniques and positive learning moments.  To learn more about our mission at Ahway Island and our team, please visit our website. In the press: Read about how and why we created Ahway Island in this feature from Global Comment! Zzz! The Boston Globe recommends “Be Calm on Ahway Island” as as one of “Eight Podcasts That Could Help You Get Some Sleep.” SheKnows recommends us as as a podcast you and your kids will love! Digital Trends warns listeners that “you may not make it through an entire episode fully conscious.” Yay! Thank you for listening. We're so glad you were here!

In tonight's sleep hypnosis with Jessica, we're reflecting on relationships that pull us out of alignment with ourselves. Gently exploring the difference between dramatic intensity and steady, supportive love, this meditation helps you reconnect with your inner strength and dignity - and let your own quiet clarity guide the way forward. As always, tonight's episode will start with a relaxing introduction from Jessica, before we sink into tonight's Sleep Hypnosis. If you'd like an extra immersive experience, you can also watch this episode on Spotify, complete with soothing visuals

When productivity starts to define you, pressure and quiet exhaustion follow. For high achievers who feel responsible for everything, this isn't a discipline issue — it may be identity misalignment, and a gentle invitation to release shame.There is a difference between working hard and letting productivity define you.For many high achievers, the pressure isn't just about deadlines or performance. It's about identity. When usefulness becomes intertwined with worth, rest can feel disorienting and responsibility can feel inseparable from who you are.This episode explores the subtle identity shift that happens when competence becomes belonging.We look at:• how high performers often learned early that capability created connection• why responsibility can become a stabilizing role in families, teams, and relationships• how burnout sometimes masks identity misalignment rather than exhaustion• the grief that surfaces when you realize you became “the steady one” too soon• the fear that loosening productivity will let others downIf you have ever felt that you only belong because you are useful, this conversation meets you there.We gently separate:-Work from worth.-Responsibility from identity.-Productivity from belonging.This is not a conversation about abandoning ambition. It is about understanding what shaped it.This episode also addresses the deeper fears beneath identity drift:-What happens to everyone else if I stop being the stabilizer?-If I loosen this, do I disappear?-Who am I when no one needs anything from me?Release does not mean dropping responsibility.It means carrying it without carrying your worth inside it.If you resonate with being the capable one, the reliable one, the one who steadies the system, you are not broken. You adapted well. Now you are simply learning that you can belong without performing.Today's Micro Recalibration:Choose one accomplishment from today.Notice the impulse to attach identity to it.Gently say, “That is something I did. It is not who I am.”Let it feel unfamiliar if it does.Release often feels subtle before it feels free.Explore Identity-Level Recalibration → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Learn about The Recalibration Cohort→ Join the next Friday Recalibration Live experience → Take your listening deeper! Subscribe to The Weekly Recalibration Companion to receive reflections and extensions to each week's podcast episodes. → Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Books to read (Tidy categories on Amazon- I've read/listened to each recommended title.) → One link to all things...

Hazel the airplane is nervous about her first air show, but the other airplanes help encourage her. Narrator: Female Story Begins: 3:31 Painting the Sky Excerpt: And finally, there was Hazel, the shiny blue plane. Hazel was the newest of the group. She watched the sky quietly, taking everything in. Today was her very first air show. As she looked out through the hangar doors, Hazel felt a fluttery feeling inside her engine. What if she messed up her performance? “It's a beautiful day,” Holly noted. “Perfect for an air show.” Hazel nodded. “It really is,” she said. “I'm excited… and a little nervous.” Today's Meditation: Imagine floating on a cloud, and relax into the feeling of lightness. Creating the original bedtime stories and art for Be Calm on Ahway Island takes a lot of time and care. As a listener-supported podcast, we truly appreciate our members on Patreon. If you’re not already a member, please consider joining! Writing, recording, editing, and publishing episodes and managing digital platforms is an enormous endeavor. Our Patreon program will help continue to grow Ahway Island and we hope you will support us! You can choose from 2 different Membership Levels, all of which include access to our Archives and extra episodes every other month! Are you and your children enjoying our stories and self-soothing meditations? Looking for stories that emphasize acceptance, understanding, and empathy? You’ll find them on Ahway Island®. Be Calm on Ahway Island® Podcast offers original bedtime stories, like “Magical Chair,” paired with meditations for kids. We help them drift off to sleep with a guided relaxation and a calming story. Gently nestled within each podcast episode are mindfulness techniques and positive learning moments.  To learn more about our mission at Ahway Island and our team, please visit our website. In the press: Read about how and why we created Ahway Island in this feature from Global Comment! Zzz! The Boston Globe recommends “Be Calm on Ahway Island” as as one of “Eight Podcasts That Could Help You Get Some Sleep.” SheKnows recommends us as as a podcast you and your kids will love! Digital Trends warns listeners that “you may not make it through an entire episode fully conscious.” Yay! Thanks for stopping by our cozy island. See you next time!listening. We're so glad you were here!

Simon has taken the news that Yumi started introducing a tiny bit of her digestive nemesis - GARLIC - into her diet, and he's run with it.Inspired by the recipe from Gizzi Erskine's seminal cookbook, SLOW, Simon has a way to do garlic that is pretty magical and also, supremely easy.Tumble 4-5 whole bulbs of garlic with the tops sliced off into a tiny saucepan. Cover it with good quality olive oil.Add herbs like rosemary, thyme to the oil IF YOU WANT.Gently and slowly cook until bubbles are forming around the bulbs - for 20-30 mins. Strictly DO NOT BOIL.Remove the garlic cloves. They are available to be used as a condiment, smooshed onto toast, blended through a salad dressing or part of a bean gratin.The oil, once cooled, can be used to flavour anything at all ...with fewer digestive complaints! And NO, Simon did *not* provide the show notes he said he would. However, we will do a whole episode on the Bean Gratin he mentions. Next! On your 5 Minute Food Fix. xxx Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sidney Snowplow creates a mountain of snow so the kids can go sledding. Hello everyone!  We hope you enjoyed our new stories this week. Now, welcome to Favorite Friday! Sometimes we like to listen to our favorites again. Please enjoy “A Mountain of Snow,” and we'll be back with a new story on Monday! Narrator: Male Story Begins: 4:12 A Mountain of Snow! Excerpt: Sidney loved to work in the snow, especially when it was freshly fallen. It was like playing in a pile of sugar all day long! Sidney loved how soft and fluffy snow could be, but he also loved how strong it could be when people built forts or figures out of snow. After a few minutes, Sidney's driver came out to the garage carrying a hot cup of coffee. The driver opened up the big garage door and took a seat in the driver's seat. Now they were ready to head out into the snow! Today's Meditation: Relax your whole body from head to toe in this meditation. Looking for ways to help your child learn emotional regulation and how to self soothe? You’ll find them on Ahway Island®. Be Calm on Ahway Island® Podcast offers original bedtime stories, like “Happy Dragon,” paired with meditations for kids. We help them drift off to sleep with a guided relaxation and a calming story. Gently nestled within each podcast episode are mindfulness techniques and positive learning moments. You can search for stories by Learning Message, Character Type, or Narrator Type on our Episodes page. To learn more about our mission at Ahway Island and our team, please visit our About page, or check out our FAQs. Creating the original bedtime stories and art for Be Calm on Ahway Island takes a lot of time and care. As a listener-supported podcast, we truly appreciate our members on Patreon. If you’re not already a member, please consider joining! Writing, recording, editing, and publishing episodes and managing digital platforms is an enormous endeavor. Our Patreon program will help continue to grow Ahway Island and we hope you will support us! You can choose from 2 different Membership Levels, all of which include access to our Archives and an extra episode each week! Are you and your children enjoying our stories and self-soothing meditations? We hope your child loved “A Mountain of Snow!” We ask for your positive reviews to help others find us, too! Please leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast app (such as Apple Podcasts). And, please follow, like, and/or share our social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram ) to help us bring our original stories with positive messages to even more listeners! In the press: Digital Trends warns listeners that “you may not make it through an entire episode fully conscious.” Yay! We're honored that the website of Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems includes us on their list of Technology to Boost Mental Health. Jooki recommends us as an outstanding podcast for preschoolers. We're reaching listeners internationally! Sassy Mama Hong Kong included us in their article on transitioning into the new year, Sassy Mama Singapore recommends us for limiting screen-time while sheltering at home, and Haven Magazine Australia included us in their tips for getting through the school holidays. Thank you to Anne Bensfield and Pamela Rogers of School Library Journal for listing us as one of “8 Podcasts To Encourage Mindfulness!” Thanks for joining us on this snowy adventure!

This is physics. This is metaphysics. This is the power move. A sneak peek from my new book, Bless & Release… We need a new relationship with our emotions and ambitions. Because clearly, the current one is not working. Here's a radical idea: Instead of repressing, rejecting, or ignoring our suffering, we bring it even closer. Within. Gently. As if we were blessing it. As if we were alchemists and energy workers. Because we are. Listen in for the 21 principles of blessing and releasing. The philosophical ground everything is built upon.  This is physics. And this is metaphysics. And this is the power move that will change everything.   As mentioned in this episode: Order Bless & Release and get early access to chapters dropped weekly: daniellelaporte.com/bless Join us on Sundays at 9am PT | 12noon ET for Bless Club. A free weekly LIVE practice with Danielle LaPorte. 15 minutes. Every Sunday. Starting March 1st. Save your seat: daniellelaporte.com/blessclub

This Virgo Full Moon on March 3rd carries the potency of a lunar eclipse — a portal of refinement, revelation, and sacred release.Eclipses can feel like a bit of a wild card.But they don't create change from nothing.They illuminate what has already been loosening.In this episode, we move beyond the surface story of Virgo as perfectionist and reconnect with her deeper archetype: the Priestess.The keeper of sacred order. The guardian of discernment. The one who tends the inner flame.This is not an invitation to fix yourself. It is an invitation to become more honest. More aligned. More devoted to what is essential.Here we explore:Virgo as Priestess rather than criticRefinement over self-improvementThe difference between scaling urgency and scaling safetyThe womb as an energetic truth anchorWater and fire in right relationshipThe alchemical cauldron withinIn the second half of the episode, you'll be guided through a 10-minute womb-centered ritual to:

In Compassionate Kindness, we begin where all healing begins, in the quiet sanctuary of the heart. Gently arriving there, we soften and remember the steady pulse of love that lives within us. From this tender space, you are invited to bring to mind an “other” — a beloved friend, a colleague, a circle of people — and to surround them with compassionate love and luminous light. No fixing. No striving. Simply blessing. Then, in a sacred turning, that same compassion is offered inward. The love you so freely extend becomes the love that restores you. And finally, the boundaries dissolve. From me and you… to we… to One. Resting in the awareness of a single divine essence that knows only life, only love. Together, we bow inwardly to that holy presence and offer our blessing to all of life. Want more meditations and early access? Join me on Patreon for exclusive content and bonuses: patreon.com/theoptimisticmeditator. Prefer a one-time way to support? Visit buymeacoffee.com/tammylorraine. Your support means the world!

Ballet Bunny is too awake for naptime, so she decides to make up a new dance! Narrator: Male Story Begins: 3:54 Tiny Tap Dance Excerpt: Since Ballet was usually sleeping at this time of day, she wasn't quite sure what to do. So, she decided to hop around the forest and see if any of her friends were awake. She began by heading over to the clearing where many of the animals liked to gather. There, she saw some birds flying overhead and some butterflies flitting about a flower patch, but she didn't see any of her friends. Today's Meditation: Picture floating in the safe and comforting waters of a tranquil pool. Creating the original bedtime stories and art for Be Calm on Ahway Island takes a lot of time and care. As a listener-supported podcast, we truly appreciate our members on Patreon. If you’re not already a member, please consider joining! Writing, recording, editing, and publishing episodes and managing digital platforms is an enormous endeavor. Our Patreon program will help continue to grow Ahway Island and we hope you will support us! You can choose from 2 different Membership Levels, all of which include access to our Archives and extra episodes every other month! Are you and your children enjoying our stories and self-soothing meditations? Looking for stories with positive learning moments for your little one?  You’ll find them on Ahway Island®. Be Calm on Ahway Island® Podcast offers original bedtime stories, like “Mystery Jug,” paired with meditations for kids. We help them drift off to sleep with a guided relaxation and a calming story. Gently nestled within each podcast episode are mindfulness techniques and positive learning moments.  To learn more about our mission at Ahway Island and our team, please visit our website. In the press: Read about how and why we created Ahway Island in this feature from Global Comment! Zzz! The Boston Globe recommends “Be Calm on Ahway Island” as as one of “Eight Podcasts That Could Help You Get Some Sleep.” SheKnows recommends us as as a podcast you and your kids will love! Digital Trends warns listeners that “you may not make it through an entire episode fully conscious.” Yay! Thanks for listening! Ballet says, ‘You can always dance, even if your taps are tiny.' See you next time.

Cast-aways At College: part 2Survivors savor the joy of living, and their bravery turns to romantic discovery.By SilverFoxMullet.Listen to the ►Podcast at Steamy Stories.Luckily for me, my room was on the ground floor, as my building has no elevators. I had my key on a lanyard around my neck, and I unlocked the door. I let her precede me inside, and I shut the door once I got in. She looked around the room, which I usually keep fairly neat, but lately it’s been immaculate. I am not as active with crutches, so I’ve stayed in a fair bit the last couple of weeks. And I clean when I get bored.“Your room is so neat. I expected, um, sorry, a pigsty. You know, ‘guy’?”“It’s not usually this nice, but I’ve been staying in a lot recently." Tapping my cast for emphasis.She looked at my leg, then asked "Can I sign your cast?”“Only if I can sign yours." I negotiated."Deal. Got a pen?” She inquired.“Desk, top drawer." I responded, and suddenly thought. Oh No. "Uh, I’ll get one for you.”She was too quick, you know, having moveable feet and all, and she pulled the drawer open. First thing she sees is the unopened box of condoms my dorm buddies gave me for Christmas. Her eyebrows rose, and she put a finger on the still-sealed box. Then she turned bright red, and picked up a sharpie.“Your cast is covered up, I can’t get at it.” she said in a slightly quavering voice. She looked nervous and fidgety. I knew I was nervous as all hell. That box of condoms was meant as a joke, as I was notorious for not getting anywhere with the ladies. I’d kissed a couple of girls, but that was as far as I’d ever gotten. I just wasn’t able to pursue them the way other guys did. I always backed off. Just couldn’t put myself forward like that.I looked down at my leg, covered by the sweatpants. It took every ounce of bravery I could muster to open my mouth and say the words. “I’ll have to uncover it I guess.”She knelt in front of me. I could see how nervous she was. Hell, I could feel how nervous I was. “Suzanne? I, uh, I never-”“Me too." She affirmed.I looked in her eyes and asked; "Are you sure?”“Yes.” she said, and she reached for my waistband.“Wait.” I interrupted.She stopped, and had a fearful expression on her face, like I’d just said something that hurt her. Damn, that hurts me, to see her look of feeling rejected.“Let me get on the bed first, this chair is so uncomfortable.”“Oh, Okay. Can I help you?”“Yeah, just hold the chair still?”She got behind it, and I heard her say “Hey there’s brakes.” Once the brakes were set, it was easy to get out of the chair and sat the bed. She unset the brakes and slipped the chair into the corner, then knelt down before me again. This time I leaned back on my elbows & she reached out to pull down my sweats with a little more confidence. She got them to my knees, and stopped to pull off the shoe on my good leg.The sweats slipped off my legs, leaving me semi-reclined in my polo shirt and briefs. The briefs were definitely bulging now. She stared at my crotch for long enough that I became self-conscious, and I blushed almost as red as she was.Grinning big, she picked up the sharpie, then wrote a note on my cast.“To Robert, I saved myself for the one who saved my life, Suzanne”It was difficult to read from my angle, so she read it out loud to me. My heart started to race, and I felt a little dizzy. "Really?“ I said.She blushed harder, as if that were even possible, and looked at the floor."I think I’ve been saving myself for someone like you, too.” I said.She looked up at me, with what I thought was panic at first, but the smile that grew from that look was anything but panicked. I held out my hand for the pen. She sat to my left and held out her arm. It was covered by her blouse, so I said “Uh, It’s covered”.“Then you’ll have to uncover it I guess,” she beamed.She shifted up over me and I reached up with trembling fingers to work the front buttons on her silky long sleeved top. It felt like I had never operated a button in my life, I was so uncoordinated. But I finally got the job done, and her blouse fell open. I slid it off her far shoulder, and she pulled her left arm free. I stared in wonder at her tits. She didn’t have a bra on, probably because she needed both hands to get it on and off. Oh My Fucking God.I absently drew her blouse off her right shoulder, and slid the puffy long sleeve down & off her right arm and it's cast. Only then did I take in the veritable wonder of an actual pair of real live tits in front of my eyes. “Wow” I said with bright eyes. Her tits were a smaller B cup, with areolas a shade darker than her skin tone, and stiff little nipples poking out.“They’re not too small?” she timidly asked.“God no, wow! You’re beautiful!” I said with a giddiness I couldn t suppress.She blushed and looked away shyly for a second. I remembered the pen in my hand, so I had her lay on her back so I could write on her cast.“To Suzanne, saving each other, saved for each other, Robert”As I was capping the pen her left hand pulled me down against her, and her lips rushed to meet mine. I had thought she had nice lips when I kissed her earlier, but that was mostly one-sided. This was phenomenal. I dropped the pen somewhere, and wrapped my arms around her. We kissed like this for minutes, or maybe it was days, I dunno, I didn’t care. She lay half across my lap, and I bent over her, our lips and tongues entwined for such a glorious time.It was never like this. I was always so nervous trying to kiss a girl before, but this was passion and perfection. We finally had to come up for air, and she smiled sweetly at me as she lay back on my bed. I guess that’s when she felt my erection pressing into her hip. Her eyes went wide, then she grinned up at me.“Am I as fetching as you thought?”“Yeah, fetching is not the half of it. Arousing, beautiful, and literally stunning. I have no more words.”“Shall I get the, um, the box, from your desk?” she offered.“Not yet.” I replied, hobbling up off the bed, then guiding her to her feet. I undid the zipper on her slacks, and slipped them down to pile up around her ankles. She kicked her shoes off and stepped out of her slacks. “Damn” I said. She was so pale and delicate. Not a small girl, probably the same height as me, but she was certainly slimmer than I was, overall.Her hands seemed to want to cover her boobs, but she fought that urge, standing before me as a lover, not a recently met stranger. I was drawn to her, & I could feel the pull, like gravity between us. She tentatively reached toward me, and I realized she wanted me as naked as she was, so we peeled off my polo shirt.She gasped, looked me up and down, her gaze settling on the sharply defined summit in my underwear. She reached out again, and clumsily pulled down the front of my briefs with her left hand. I hooked my thumb into the waistband behind me and it made her mission move along quickly. But as she leaned down to complete the descent, she nearly got poked in the eye.“Oh dear” she said as my stiff cock sprang free of its confinement and pointed upward toward her. “That’s so… different. Bigger.” Her eyes were wide now as she took in what was apparently her first sight of a full erection.I reached for her, and she started to back away, so I laid back down and waited. She fidgeted some more, some kind of internal debate, and then she knelt and leaned right up to me, nodding. “Okay” she said.I reached down again, and ever so slowly peeled her panties off. Fuck. A neat little triangle of sparse, dark hair was there, just above a puffy slit. I’d seen lots of porn, but this was not like any of that. All those porn stars shaved and trimmed and waxed away everything. This was whatever she had, all of it, come as you are.Her panties dropped to her knees, and I said “Wow. You’re beautiful.”“You think so?” she asked.“Oh yes, I know so.” I said with conviction.She smiled, then shifted nervously and flipped her panties to the floor. Then she paused again, a fleeting glance back to the desk. "Lay down here with me for a while.“ I said.Relaxing the tiniest bit, she laid alongside and half on me, and we embraced, as best we could with two limbs encased in plaster. We kissed again, and it was similar to before, but the extra skin contact made the sensation so much better. I put my hands to use, stroking her back, her neck, her tits, and her thighs as she shivered from my touch. Then she shifted onto her side and her left hand was around the back of my neck, drawing our kiss closer, pressing her pert tits into my chest, crushing me to her. As before, we kissed forever, it seemed. Once she let up on her clutching me, I gently rolled her onto her back, on the bed.I wanted to see that pussy. To touch it, smell it, taste it! I’d read about eating a girl out, I’d watched innumerable videos, and now I had the opportunity to try it. Some guys said it was gross, and wouldn’t do it. Some said it was the best way to get a girl worked up, so don’t mind the smell and taste, just do it. Me, I just wanted to find out what it was like, I didn’t care if it was good or bad, I was gonna do this.Gently, I scooted myself up, then farther down the bed. I pushed her legs apart, and she watched in wonder as I leaned down to look at her. Wow, this was amazing. "You’re beautiful” I said to her pussy. I leaned right in and kissed her patch. There was a sharp sour tang to her, but it wasn’t bad, just new, different. I swept my tongue along her slit, picking up even more of her strong flavour. Inside, it was different, still not good or bad, I guessed that this was just what a pussy tasted like.Again and again I lapped at her, and she got wetter and wetter. Her knees bent as she opened herself up, inviting me farther inside. This wetness might have been me drooling on her, or her arousal, I didn’t know. She was making joyous little noises up there, in time to my activities with my tongue. That felt good, really good, to me! I caressed her thighs, then ran my fingers through her delicate fur, and her hips moved in a way I had never imagined I would ever see. I could FEEL her arousal in that motion, she was so happy with what I was doing, and that made me happy!I knew her clitoris was supposed to be up here somewhere, so I began licking at the apex of her slit. Her soft cries and shudders let me now when I found it. Yes, there she was, and when I used my tongue the way I saw in those videos, she reacted with an astonishing cry and multiple thrusts of her hips. She practically bounced on the bed and yelped in her efforts to seemingly avoid my tongue and ram herself onto it at one and the same time.Her hand came down to twine her fingers in my hair, not too push me away, or even to draw me in, but just to make contact, to be part of what was happening to her. I continued to lick her clit gently, and her hips began a hypnotic rolling motion, over and over, slowly cycling up and down.I put a finger down where I thought her opening was, and moved it around, between her slick labia. I found what I sought, and as my finger slipped inside of her, the tone of her soft noises changed, from one of languid pleasure to one of lust and need. I continued this double activity, which came so much easier to me than the old patting-head and rubbing-tummy trick. I always botched that, but not this!I had thought that I’d made her cum a while earlier, when she’d made that louder noise, but I was wrong, or perhaps this was a new order of magnitude for her. This time her entire body tensed up, and she shook and made small gasping sounds for a half a minute. Now her hand was pushing me away, her breath rasping in her throat, as she’d had enough of this.“Oh, Robert” she whispered hoarsely.I sat up and let my casted leg hang over the side of the bed. Then I looked down upon her, spread out before me, spread eagle, gasping for air in her glory.“Did I do Okay?” I asked.She laughed weakly, then said; “I didn’t know it could be like that.”“Me neither.” I admitted.“Do, do we need those uh, things now?”“Condoms. Yes, we’ll need those, I hope?” I eager looked at her.“I’d get them, but I can’t seem to move right now, she revealed. Can I catch my breath for a bit?” She was still breathing heavily.“That’s Okay, we re in no hurry, I assured her.I felt like I would never tire of watching her when she was naked and aroused. Beautiful, amazing. After a while she struggled to sit up, difficult with one arm and tangled up with another person in bed. She stepped over to the desk and got out that box, then brought it to me. She sat down on the side of the bed and watched closely as I opened it and pulled out a strip of condoms. A folded instruction sheet fell out in my lap, and she picked it up. I tore one of the condom packages off the strip as she unfolded the paper & flipped it over to read the English side. I peered over her shoulder at the little diagram, and tore open the packet. Suzanne dropped the paper and looked closely at what I was doing as I squeezed the tip and rolled it on."That’s it?” she asked.“Yup, I think so, I surmised.She lifted her cast-encased arm and said "How do we do this?”“You on top, I think.”“On top?” she asked, “I don’t understand.”“Can I show you a video?” I offered.“Oh, Okay. You mean like, a porn video?”“Uh huh, so you can see what position might work.”“O, kay?”She got up, unplugged my laptop, and brought it over, placing it on our laps. I surfed to a site I knew had good videos. I typed cowgirl in the search box and scrolled through the resulting thumbnails. I soon found a promising one, and clicked on it. I had to fast forward through a lot of it, and she said “Go back to that last part.”I backed up a bit and she watched in rapt fascination as a girl on the screen took a guy’s cock deep into her mouth. “Can I try that?” she asked.“Sure! if you want.”The girl on the screen pulled away and continued to stroke the guy, his cum splattering her face, then she took him back in to finish.“Yew. Maybe not.”“Like I said, only if you want.”“Well, you did that for me, so maybe I should do that for you, too.”“Let’s find the bit we’re looking for first.”I skipped forward a bit more, then found the cowgirl segment. “See, she’s on top, our casts won’t be in the way too much like that. Plus, it gives you the ability to take things along as you re comfortable.We watched for a minute. "Okay, I can do that.” she said.Closing the laptop, she put it on the floor and slid it under the bed. She got off the bed, and let me shift around, and clambered back on. Straddling my thighs, she bit her lip and said, “It’s supposed to hurt the first time, isn’t it?”“I think so. You’ll have to be gentle.” That s why I wanted us to try it this way.She nodded, then reached down and grasped my cock. She took a few minutes to fondle and stroke my cock, with a look of curiosity, desire, and giddiness. She knelt straight up, and shifted her body forward to align her new play tool with her cunt, moving her hips and my cock, to find the right spot. Once engaged, she withdrew her hand and sank halfway down onto me.She froze, with a curious look on her face.“Huh” she groaned.“Oh god, Suzanne” I said, basking in the hot wet tightness of her pussy. It was incredible. I was gonna cum, and soon, this was so astonishingly good!She was descended in front of me, pert tits caped with tight hard nipples, hair hanging in disarray about her face, and her pussy - holy fuck - I could see my cock impaling her. Labia distended and wrapped around my shaft, and the sensations from inside her were amazing! As she raised back up, my cock looked like it had a pussy doughnut encircling it.It was like some weird sheathed hand, wrapped around my cock, with rippling touches here and there. Her thousand-yard stare suddenly focused back on me, and she said “Wow” and slid down my shaft until she bottomed out. “That didn’t hurt at all” she whispered in awe. “That feels so good! You feel so big inside me.”Recalling the video we’d previewed, she started humping and grinding and bouncing on my shaft. I was trying not to cum yet, I wanted to please her first, and luckily, what she was doing wasn’t over stimulating me. Except visually, I was getting so turned on by the sight of a naked girl getting turned on by my own cock! And guys are visual creatures, so it was difficult to hold back.But she did cum again, and hard, and I could feel it from the inside. Her orgasm was a rippling and clenching of muscles, both inside her pussy, and over her whole body. Her arms, her legs, her abs, everything tensed and shook. Maybe there s nothing so visually erotic as watching a sexy woman having a massive trance orgasm.And that was all I could stand before I exploded.I thought the condom was gonna explode, I pumped so much cum into it. The sight of her there, on me, cumming, fuck that was intense.When it had passed, she opened her eyes in wonder and looked down at me. “Oh god Robert, this is amazing! You’re amazing.” All I could do was smile up at her. Then she said “Did you finish yet?”“Oh Yeah."  I assured her.She smiled with a deep sense of accomplishment, then asked me; "Can I try that mouth thing?” Her innocence is so sexy.“A blowjob?" I asked."That’s a blowjob? she seemed inquisitive. I heard other people talk about it, but was always afraid to ask what it was. I really want to try that.”She rose up off of me and tried to get the condom off. Left handed wasn’t working well, so I removed it, and asked her to reach over to the desk for some tissues to clean up. “Thanks” she said, then she went around to the foot of the bed and crawled up to get at my cock.She sat cross-legged and leaned down to get closer to her new favorite sex toy.She held my semi-flaccid cock and gave the tip a tentative lick first, then smiled at me and licked harder. She spent a minute or so licking me like a popsicle. Wow, you taste sorta salty and manly she observed. Then she took my head into her mouth and I gasped and whimpered “Please, No teeth”.“Sorry.” she said. Then I was engulfed again, and she hummed on me, which wa

Before you spiral, send that text, or break up during Mercury retrograde, listen to this. Hey, welcome back to my podcast. Today we're talking about Mercury retrograde, yes, Mercury retrograde

Your skincare suddenly stopped working. Your skin looks puffier, drier, more reactive. And no matter what product you try, nothing really fixes it. Here's what I need you to hear: It's not that your skin suddenly aged. It's that menopause rewired it. And the biggest mistake I see women make in this season? Trying to fix menopausal skin with strategies built for 35-year-old skin. In this episode, I'm walking you through the most common skincare mistakes I see in menopause and how to gently recalibrate your routine so your skin can actually respond again. We're covering:  Why exfoliating MORE actually makes menopause skin worse (and what to do instead) The reason your "tried and true" routine isn't working anymore How to tell if that "puffiness" is actually inflammation, not fat gain Why chasing every new trend destabilizes menopause skin The internal support your skincare routine desperately needs This isn't about buying more products. It's not about aggressive correction or injectables. This is about understanding what has structurally shifted in your skin and rebuilding that foundation gently. Because in menopause, your skin rewards patience and precision—not intensity. If you've been layering more serums, exfoliating harder, and wondering why nothing's working… this episode will change everything. And if you're ready to stop guessing and want someone to look at YOUR skin specifically and tell you exactly what to do, I offer private Menopause Skin Strategy Intensive sessions. It's a 75-minute diagnostic where we build a clear, hormone-smart plan tailored specifically to you.   Learn more at lindseyholder.com Resources  Download my Free 7 Day Skincare Guide: HERE Listen to exclusive podcast content + download my FREE esthetician-led skincare app Apple iOS: HERE Google Play: HERE Favorite Skincare Products HERE

When Emily leaves snacks on a tree stump for forest fairies, she and her brother Billy discover tiny treasures in return. Who could be giving the gifts? Narrator: Female Story Begins: 3:59 Magic in the Woods Excerpt: “Why are you putting snacks on a stump?” asked Billy. Emily looked up at him, very serious. “I'm leaving a gift,” she said. “A gift for who?” Billy asked. Emily's eyes sparkled. “The magical forest fairy.” Billy frowned. “Fairies aren't real,” he said. Today's Meditation: Relax as you imagine sunlight warming you as you lie in a grassy meadow. Creating the original bedtime stories and art for Be Calm on Ahway Island takes a lot of time and care. As a listener-supported podcast, we truly appreciate our members on Patreon. If you’re not already a member, please consider joining! Writing, recording, editing, and publishing episodes and managing digital platforms is an enormous endeavor. Our Patreon program will help continue to grow Ahway Island and we hope you will support us! You can choose from 2 different Membership Levels, all of which include access to our Archives and extra episodes every other month! Are you and your children enjoying our stories and self-soothing meditations? Looking for stories with positive learning moments for your little one?  You’ll find them on Ahway Island®. Be Calm on Ahway Island® Podcast offers original bedtime stories, like “Mystery Jug,” paired with meditations for kids. We help them drift off to sleep with a guided relaxation and a calming story. Gently nestled within each podcast episode are mindfulness techniques and positive learning moments.  To learn more about our mission at Ahway Island and our team, please visit our website. In the press: Read about how and why we created Ahway Island in this feature from Global Comment! Zzz! The Boston Globe recommends “Be Calm on Ahway Island” as as one of “Eight Podcasts That Could Help You Get Some Sleep.” SheKnows recommends us as as a podcast you and your kids will love! Digital Trends warns listeners that “you may not make it through an entire episode fully conscious.” Yay! We hope this story made you smile! Come back soon for more!

There's a lot of pressure in the coaching world to ask the perfect question — the one that unlocks instant clarity or creates a dramatic breakthrough. But in real coaching sessions, that's rarely how it works. In this episode of The Coaching Edge, I'm sharing the most versatile, workhorse coaching questions I use again and again — not because they're clever or flashy, but because they reliably open insight across nearly any topic. These aren't scripts or “magic questions.” They're question types you can adapt moment-by-moment, depending on what your client actually needs. In this episode, I talk about: Why coaches often over-hunt for the “perfect” question — and why that usually backfires Why versatility and timing matter more than clever wording How powerful questions work because of how and when they're asked, not just what's said Five core question buckets I return to again and again in real client sessions Simple go-to questions you can always use when a session feels stuck You'll hear examples of questions that: Gently surface limiting beliefs without arguing or fixing Reconnect clients to agency and choice Expose unspoken assumptions driving the problem Bring emotions and the body back into the conversation Widen perspective without minimizing the client's experience I also share why learning when to use these questions matters more than memorizing them — and how this skill is something I teach explicitly inside the Confident Coaching Skills Intensive (CCSI). If you've ever left a coaching session with imposter syndrome and wondering whether you asked the “right” questions, this episode will help you trust yourself — and the simple questions that actually do the work. LINKS + RESOURCES

Sidney Snapdragon gets nervous easily, but his friends Bert Bumblebee and Sawyer and Summer Snapdragon help Sidney feel more comfortable. Hello everyone!  We hope you enjoyed our new stories this week. Now, welcome to Favorite Friday! Sometimes we like to listen to our favorites again. Please enjoy “Sensitive Snapdragons,” and we'll be back with a new story on Monday! Narrator: Male Story Begins: 3:58 Sensitive Snapdragons Excerpt: Summer thought every morning was a beautiful morning. When it was sunny, she enjoyed the light and the warmth. When it was rainy, she enjoyed the refreshing water to drink, and when it was windy, Summer enjoyed the feel of the air as it circled her leaves and blossoms. The little yellow snapdragon always said the sun made her feel like dancing. The only time she didn't think mornings were beautiful was in the wintertime… and that was only because she was asleep in the ground! “It sure is a beautiful morning,” Sawyer replied, still smiling. “Say, I wonder if our friend Bert Bumblebee will visit us today,” Sawyer continued. “Bert usually visits us on sunny days, especially if it's not too windy.” Today's Meditation: Imagine you are a twinkling star, receiving and sending energy through the universe in today’s meditation. Looking for a podcast to help settle your child in for nap time, bedtime or a break?  You’ll find it on Ahway Island®. Be Calm on Ahway Island® Podcast offers original bedtime stories, like “Nap Time or Not?” paired with meditations for kids. We help them drift off to sleep with a guided relaxation and a calming story. Gently nestled within each podcast episode are mindfulness techniques and positive learning moments. You can search for stories by Learning Message, Character Type, or Narrator Type on our Episodes page. To learn more about our mission at Ahway Island and our team, please visit our About page, or check out our FAQs. Creating the original bedtime stories and art for Be Calm on Ahway Island takes a lot of time and care. As a listener-supported podcast, we truly appreciate our members on Patreon. If you’re not already a member, please consider joining! Writing, recording, editing, and publishing episodes and managing digital platforms is an enormous endeavor. Our Patreon program will help continue to grow Ahway Island and we hope you will support us! You can choose from 2 different Membership Levels, all of which include access to our Archives and an extra episode each week! Are you and your children enjoying our stories and self-soothing meditations? We hope your child loved “Sensitive Snapdragons.” We ask for your positive reviews to help others find us, too! Please leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast app (such as Apple Podcasts). And, please follow, like, and/or share our social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram ) to help us bring our original stories with positive messages to even more listeners! In the press: Digital Trends warns listeners that “you may not make it through an entire episode fully conscious.” Yay! We're honored that the website of Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems includes us on their list of Technology to Boost Mental Health. Jooki recommends us as an outstanding podcast for preschoolers. We're reaching listeners internationally! Sassy Mama Hong Kong included us in their article on transitioning into the new year, Sassy Mama Singapore recommends us for limiting screen-time while sheltering at home, and Haven Magazine Australia included us in their tips for getting through the school holidays. Thank you to Anne Bensfield and Pamela Rogers of School Library Journal for listing us as one of “8 Podcasts To Encourage Mindfulness!” We hope this story made you smile!

In this powerful conversation, host Brian Freise sits down with Laura Duncan to explore why discipline and productivity alone can't deliver lasting freedom, and why learning to be still might be the most radical and healing thing we can do.Drawing from Andrew Huberman's podcast on brain science, Cal Newport's Deep Work, and timeless biblical wisdom (Psalm 46:10, John 8), they unpack:Why constant stimulation (phones, email, multitasking) blocks memory consolidation, learning, and real restHow boredom is often a disguised cry for connection, especially connection with ourselvesWhy forced abstinence (e.g. quitting social media cold turkey) rarely creates freedom, true freedom comes from connection, not just behavior changeThe neuroscience behind “gap time” and how brief moments of stillness actually accelerate neuroplasticityHow Jesus modeled living beyond the mundane by regularly withdrawing into stillness and presenceA dead-simple daily practice: the 5-minute attunement exercise → 2–3 minutes of silence → Gently notice body sensations, thoughts, and emotions (no fixing) → Anchor with one true-self word or feelingWhether you're overwhelmed by busyness, struggling with insomnia despite discipline, or just feel disconnected even when you're “doing all the right things,” this episode offers both the why (science + scripture) and the how (a practical starting point).

In the past couple of generations, there's been a lot of talk about finding one's passion. Many people find themselves dissatisfied with their work because it doesn't feel passionate enough. This begs the question, should our choice of vocation be fueled by practicality, passion, or calling? What even is a calling? And do we all have one? In today's conversation, we'll endeavor to define the differences between what lights a person up and what provides a deeper service. We'll explore one's moral obligation, if any, to share the gifts they were divinely given. What were you uniquely designed to do?What am I reading?Dinner at the Night Library by Hika Haradahttps://bookshop.org/a/111301/9780369774026Let Your Life Speak by Parker J. Palmerhttps://bookshop.org/a/111301/9781394235100https://bookshop.org/shop/witchywomanwalkingWhat's playing on repeat?Delete Ya by DjoWhat's for dinner? Spicy Canned Salmon Rice BowlIngredients:For the  Rice:1 cup uncooked Jasmine rice (or Basmati rice1 ½ cups waterPinch of saltFor the Spicy Salmon:2 cans high-quality canned salmon, drained 3 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise (like Kewpie, or regular mayonnaise)1-2 tablespoons Sriracha 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon rice vinegar1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger1 clove garlic, mincedFor the Bowl Assembly & Toppings:1 small cucumber, thinly sliced or diced1 medium carrot, julienned or grated½ cup shelled edamame, cooked (frozen works great)2 scallions, thinly sliced1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds½ avocado, sliced Nori seaweed snacks, crumbledInstructions: Rinse the rice thoroughly. Cook according to instructions. While the rice is cooking, prepare the salmon. Open and thoroughly drain. Flake the drained salmon with a fork. Add the Japanese mayonnaise, Sriracha, soy sauce,  rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, grated ginger, and minced garlic.Gently mix all the ingredients together until the salmon is well-coated and everything is combined.Prep veggies for topping. Build your bowls. Enjoy! Vegan Strawberry Shortcake BitesIngredients:½ cup cashew butter⅓ cup maple syrup⅛ teaspoon salt1 ½ cups almond flour2 tablespoons coconut flour¼ cup crushed freeze dried strawberriesInstructionsIn a medium bowl combine the cashew butter, maple syrup, and salt. Stir well. Add in the almond flour and coconut flour and stir until dough is formed. Stir in the crushed strawberries until well combined. Scoop into 1 inch balls and roll between palms to make smooth. Place in a glass container. makes 16-18 balls. Support the show

Research shows that reflecting on our shared humanity can increase self-compassion and life satisfaction while reducing feelings of isolation. In this practice, Dacher Keltner guides us to look beneath our differences and connect with the qualities that make us human together.This guided exercise draws on a meditation by Sean Fargo, a mindfulness teacher and former Buddhist monk.How To Do This Practice: Settle your body: Sit comfortably and take a few slow, steady breaths. Let your shoulders drop, soften your jaw, and allow your body to feel supported by the ground or chair beneath you. Notice what's here: Briefly scan your body and emotions. Whatever you're feeling—calm, tense, distracted, open—simply acknowledge it without trying to change it. Bring someone to mind: Think of someone you don't know well, feel distant from, or have mild tension with. Picture them as if they were in front of you. Reflect on your similarities: Silently repeat phrases like: This person has a body and mind, just like me; this person has felt sadness, joy, and pain, just like me; this person wants to be safe, loved, and understood, just like me. Gently extend kind intentions toward them: May you be well. May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you live with ease. Return and reflect: Bring your attention back to your breath and body. Notice if anything has shifted—perhaps a softening, a little more space, or a sense of connection—and carry that awareness into your day. This episode was supported by a grant from The John Templeton Foundation on Spreading Love Through the Media.Related Happiness Break episodes:A Meditation for When You Feel Uneasy: https://tinyurl.com/4x27ut3pA Meditation to Connect With Your Roots: https://tinyurl.com/ycy9xazcA Mindful Breath Meditation, With Dacher Keltner: https://tinyurl.com/mr9d22krRelated The Science of Happiness episodes:  Why Compassion Requires Vulnerability: https://tinyurl.com/yxw4uhpfHow to Feel More Hopeful: https://tinyurl.com/4tfwhbpbHow Holding Yourself Can Reduce Stress: https://tinyurl.com/2hvhkwe6Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPodWe'd love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aapHelp us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aapTranscription: https://tinyurl.com/4ju7rmtd

Dragon has an epic idea to hold a game event for Ahway Island! How will it come together? Narrator: Female Story Begins: 3:33 Dragon's Epic Idea Excerpt: Dragon nodded.  It sounded like a fun thing to watch and possibly to participate in. But these Olympic Games weren't being held on Ahway Island, and they probably were for humans only, so there would be no way for the creatures on Ahway Island to watch or participate. Unless…. Dragon had a thought. It was more than a thought, really. It was an idea… an epic idea, in fact. They could have their own games competition on Ahway Island, and creatures from all over the island could compete in events that reflect the skills they have practiced for a very long time. Anyone who did not want to compete could be a spectator and enjoy watching the action. Today's Meditation: Relax your whole body from head to toe in this meditation. Creating the original bedtime stories and art for Be Calm on Ahway Island takes a lot of time and care. As a listener-supported podcast, we truly appreciate our members on Patreon. If you’re not already a member, please consider joining! Writing, recording, editing, and publishing episodes and managing digital platforms is an enormous endeavor. Our Patreon program will help continue to grow Ahway Island and we hope you will support us! You can choose from 2 different Membership Levels, all of which include access to our Archives and extra episodes every other month! Are you and your children enjoying our stories and self-soothing meditations? Looking for a podcast to help settle your child in for nap time, bedtime or a break?  You’ll find it on Ahway Island®. Be Calm on Ahway Island® Podcast offers original bedtime stories, like “Nap Time,” paired with meditations for kids. We help them drift off to sleep with a guided relaxation and a calming story. Gently nestled within each podcast episode are mindfulness techniques and positive learning moments.  To learn more about our mission at Ahway Island and our team, please visit our website. In the press: Read about how and why we created Ahway Island in this feature from Global Comment! Zzz! The Boston Globe recommends “Be Calm on Ahway Island” as as one of “Eight Podcasts That Could Help You Get Some Sleep.” SheKnows recommends us as as a podcast you and your kids will love! Digital Trends warns listeners that “you may not make it through an entire episode fully conscious.” Yay! Thanks for listening…we'll see you soon on Ahway Island!

Creating Your Sexual Self-Identity: Becoming the Woman You Choose to Be Now In this powerful episode of The Midlife Sex Coach for Women Podcast, Dr. Sonia Wright invites you to rethink everything you've been taught about your sexuality and desire in midlife. So many women carry an outdated sexual identity formed in their 20s and 30s — shaped by culture, relationships, religion, body changes, menopause, and past experiences. But what if your sexual self-identity isn't something you "find"… but something you intentionally create? Inspired by identity-based coaching principles taught by Voss Coaching Co, this episode explores how lasting change doesn't start with willpower or techniques — it starts with who you believe yourself to be. When you shift your identity, your thoughts, behaviors, and intimacy naturally begin to change. In this episode, you'll learn how to:

Today, on Notable Leaders' Radio, I speak with  Melissa Muir, acclaimed jewelry artist and teacher. She highlights how embracing life's unexpected pivot points opens new paths for creativity, personal growth, and transformation. In today's episode, we discuss: Honor your pivot points. Notice the moments whernt feels like a dead end. What would be different if you chose to see it as a time to redesign? Use every closed door or "mistake" as information for your next step. Allow creativity to be learned. Release the belief that you're "not creative" and give yourself permission to practice, experiment, and grow your skills one imperfect attempt at a time. Come home to your own truth. Gently question inherited beliefs, rules, and expectations so you can build a true relationship with yourself, the divine, and others that feels loving, spacious, and genuinely your. Choose communities that help you flourish. Intentionally seek out people who are curious, creative, and kind, knowing that "creativity breeds creativity" and you don't have to do it alone. Talk gently to your younger self. Revisit the bullied, lonely, or hurting version of you and let them know what's coming, so you can release old pain and stand more fully in who you are now. RESOURCES: Guest Bio: Melissa Muir is a metalsmith, educator, and trusted voice in the jewelry industry, known for bridging traditional craftsmanship with modern tools and techniques. With decades of hands-on experience at the bench, she specializes in jewelry fabrication, welding, stone setting, and emerging technologies such as pulse arc welding and engraving. As an educator and public speaker, Melissa is passionate about making complex processes approachable for both professional jewelers and dedicated hobbyists. Through workshops, online courses, product testing, and in-depth tool reviews, she empowers makers to work more confidently, efficiently, and creatively. Her clear, honest teaching style has made her a go-to resource for jewelers seeking practical knowledge they can immediately apply. Melissa is also the founder of Melissa Muir Metalsmith, where she shares education, demonstrations, and industry insights through video content, webinars, and live events. Her work focuses on raising the standard of jewelry education worldwide while inspiring makers to embrace innovation without losing sight of craftsmanship. Whether at the bench, on stage, or behind the camera, Melissa Muir is dedicated to helping jewelers refine their skills, invest wisely in tools, and rediscover joy in the making process. Website/Social Links: Melissa@melissamuir.com Www.instagram.com/metalsmithmelissa   Www.youtube.com/melissamuir Www.tictok.com/metalsmithmelissa Belinda's Bio:  Belinda is a sought-after Leadership Advisor, Coach, Consultant and Keynote speaker and a leading authority in guiding global executives, professionals and small business owners to become today's highly respected leaders. As the Founder of BelindaPruyne.com, Belinda works with such organizations as IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, BBDO, The BAM Connection, Hilton, Leidos, Yale School of Medicine, Landis, and the Discovery Channel. Most recently, she redesigned two global internal advertising agencies for Cella, a leader in creative staffing and consulting. She is a founding C-suite and executive management coach for Chief, the fastest-growing executive women's network. Since 2020, Belinda has delivered more than 72 interviews with top-level executives and business leaders who share their inner journey to success; letting you know the truth of what it took to achieve their success in her Notable Leaders Radio podcast. She gained a wealth of expertise in the client services industry as Executive Vice President, Global Director of Creative Management at Grey Advertising, managing 500 people around the globe. With over 20+ years of leadership development experience, she brings industry-wide recognition to the executives and companies she works with. Whether a startup, turnaround, acquisition, or global corporation, executives and companies continue to turn to Pruyne for strategic and impactful solutions in a rapidly shifting economy and marketplace.   Website: Belindapruyne.com Email Address: hello@belindapruyne.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belindapruyne  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NotableLeadersNetwork.BelindaPruyne/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/belindapruyne?lang=en  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belindapruyne/ 

Hello Beautiful, I'm so grateful you're here with me.

In Nakd Classics we bring back your favorite episodes that focus on mindset, confidence and holistic health.  Original Episode 49:  Learn the 5 pillars to creating a flexible morning routine that works for you so that you can have more energy, focus and LESS stress! 

Gerry Robin and Bert Bluejay take shelter during a thunderstorm. Narrator: Male Story Begins: 4:05 Storm Safety Excerpt: Gerry nodded and took a bite of a berry herself. With the storm closing in, there was no time for small talk. The two birds sat side by side, eating the delicious berries until a boom of thunder rumbled in the distance. Gerry looked towards the clouds. “The storm is almost here,” she noted. “Yes,” Bert agreed before taking another bite of a berry. Gerry, too, continued to eat. Another crack of thunder exploded in the distance, then a streak of lightning flashed across the sky. Both birds looked up for a moment, then ducked back down to continue to eat. Today's Meditation: Imagine floating on a cloud, and relax into the feeling of lightness. Creating the original bedtime stories and art for Be Calm on Ahway Island takes a lot of time and care. As a listener-supported podcast, we truly appreciate our members on Patreon. If you’re not already a member, please consider joining! Writing, recording, editing, and publishing episodes and managing digital platforms is an enormous endeavor. Our Patreon program will help continue to grow Ahway Island and we hope you will support us! You can choose from 2 different Membership Levels, all of which include access to our Archives and extra episodes every other month! Are you and your children enjoying our stories and self-soothing meditations? Looking for ways to help your child learn emotional regulation and how to self soothe? You’ll find them on Ahway Island®. Be Calm on Ahway Island® Podcast offers original bedtime stories, like “Happy Dragon,” paired with meditations for kids. We help them drift off to sleep with a guided relaxation and a calming story. Gently nestled within each podcast episode are mindfulness techniques and positive learning moments.  To learn more about our mission at Ahway Island and our team, please visit our website. In the press: Read about how and why we created Ahway Island in this feature from Global Comment! Zzz! The Boston Globe recommends “Be Calm on Ahway Island” as as one of “Eight Podcasts That Could Help You Get Some Sleep.” SheKnows recommends us as as a podcast you and your kids will love! Digital Trends warns listeners that “you may not make it through an entire episode fully conscious.” Yay! Thanks for joining our cozy corner of Ahway Island. We’ll be back soon with more calm moments!

What's on Craigslist 2-16-2026 …Piano Free to someone willing to break their back …For Free: Crappy Rumba …Man in search of “Gently Used Fleshlights”

Young woman finds lust and love at Christmas.By JagFarlane. Listen to the ►Podcast at Steamy Stories.Mel swiped the credit card along the terminal, waited for the receipt to print, stuffed it into the restaurant’s portfolio along with a couple of Ande’s mints, and turned to stroll towards the table. She dropped it off to the table’s occupants and hurried off to the kitchen, trying to look busy though probably fooling no one. It was Christmas Eve after all and the bulk of the town’s part time residents, university students and staff, had all scattered off to home days ago leaving behind the few full time residents to keep the place from looking like a ghost town.She was a student at the university too, but had elected to remain behind this year much to the restaurant manager’s relief. Not that the money had been very good, with the vast majority of the students gone there were only a few souls that made it into the building each night and sometimes she wondered if it had even been worth it to the management to even turn on the lights. Stepping out to pick up the signed receipt and bus several dessert plates away, a glance was given to the tips section and a bit of a relieved sigh at the decent tip. At least the residents routinely tipped, she smiled a bit to herself.After taking a look around and finding no one else at any of her tables, Mel leaned up against the entranceway to the kitchen and allowed herself a quiet moment. Another Christmas Eve alone; not that she hadn’t gotten used to it during her stint in the Air Force. But they still were never easy to take. She’d gotten out and took the chance to move to the one area she’d dreamed of living ever since she was a little girl, Boise, Idaho. Shortly after arriving, she’d invested most of her savings into a condo figuring that not having a monthly house expense was the best route. From there she had enrolled in the local community college and after graduating moved to Boise State University.Between the part time gig as a waitress, her G I Bill money, and a couple small grants Mel was living a fairly comfortable albeit Spartan lifestyle. Still, it hadn’t left a lot of time for romance and it didn’t help that she spent most of her time around people who were a few years younger than her. Just finding someone she could sit at the bar with, legally, was a challenge sometimes and often the grad students were either too busy or in a serious relationship already. Fingers played in the curls of her long, dark red hair as she mulled over her current state in life. That is, until the snapping of fingers in front of her face brought her back to reality.“Hey, you’ve got one on table six.” Sandy smiled to her as she ducked into the kitchen.Shaking her head a little to clear the daze, frowning for a moment as she realized that Jingle Bells was playing for fourth time tonight, and then putting on her best smile, Mel made her way over towards table six. A quick glance at the clock revealed closing time was drawing near and she said a silent thanks to her shift being over soon. She just hoped this last customer wasn’t someone who had gone out to get drunk, and then stopped here on the way home.Phil looked up from the menu as the waitress approached, still mulling between the hickory burger and the spicy chicken sandwich. A moment was spent admiring the waitress’ legs, shown off by the green and black plaid skirt she was wearing. Slowly his eyes moved upwards, the thought of the hickory burger fading as he looked over her full chest and the red curls lying upon it. It had been a long day of travel then in the barn tending to the mare and the approaching woman was a welcome sight indeed, both for the eyes and the promise of getting a decent meal at some point today.She rolled her eyes a bit at the stare she was getting, some days she didn’t mind getting ogled but over the years it had grown quite annoying. So annoyed she was that she didn’t even notice that he appeared to be familiar. “Good evening and welcome to Terry’s. Can I start you out with a drink and perhaps an appetizer?” She put on her best server smile and hoped that perhaps his eyes would move up from her chest to at least her chin.“Can I get a Miller Light and a half order of mozzarella sticks?” He waited for her to write down the order, “And I’ll take a umm, hickory burger, medium rare.” Phil put down the menu to fish out his driver’s license and passed it to the waitress.She scribbled down the order and took the license as it was passed to her, glancing down at the date of birth then at the picture and passed it back to him. As Mel made her way back to the order station, the nagging thought of the familiar face in the picture was bugging her. She hadn’t red the name, and for once regretted not doing so. A glance over her shoulder as she input the order didn’t reveal much as his head was down to play with his phone.The sound of a skirt swishing as the waitress came up to the table caused him to glance up, just long enough to take the pint glass and take an appreciative sip of the amber liquid. Sure, it was a little watery but after the last two days it felt like heaven. Eyes glanced up to watch the waitress walk away, her red hair swaying behind her. Her shape reminded him a bit of someone else but he wasn’t fully sure who and made a note to try to look at her face the next time she came around.Sandy had taken the mozzarella sticks out to him so Mel stood off to the side; taking note that closing time was coming up in a few minutes. Of course the handful of customers still in the joint would be allowed to finish their meals but not to place any more orders after the doors were locked. Mel was fairly sure she’d figured out who her guest was, but wanted an up close look at his face to be sure. If he was the person she thought he was, it was to be a pleasant surprise, particularly since he’d never paid her figure that sort of attention before, even with there seeming to be a mental connection. A cross of her fingers, perhaps Christmas was looking up after all.Phil sipped at his third beer of the night, glad that the town bus system was still running through the holidays. The redhead hadn’t been by him since bringing the latest beer, a little more than he was used to consuming on a normal evening but it did mean she was coming by more often. He still hadn’t worked up the courage to look her in the face yet, or maybe he was just enjoying the other views, he wasn’t quite sure which one it was. The debate became moot when his head snapped up at the voice behind him and his eyes finally looked at Mel’s face.“Hey Phil, long time!” She was finally certain it was Phil Clauser, who had been the Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Intro to Equine class she’d taken to minor in equine studies. Mel could still remember how the muscles of his forearms threatened to tear the rolled up cuffs of his flannel shirt when he was teaching them out to do groundwork with a stubborn mare. There had been a couple of jokes among the girls about how they wouldn’t mind taking a roll in the hay with him but as far as Mel knew none had done more than chatted about it.For a moment he regretted having finished three beers already as it seemed they were fogging his brain. The face attached to the tall redhead was vaguely familiar. He thought he could place it in a classroom setting. What seemed like an eternity passed before he imagined her hair tied back, a pair of jeans instead of the skirt, and a sweatshirt; finally placed her as a former student of his. “Hey, Melissa. It has been a couple of years, hasn’t it?”She let out her breath a bit, in relief. Sometimes the red hair was nice in that it often helped people to remember her. For once that was playing into her favor. She set down the burger and another beer, “Merry Christmas Eve! I hope it’s going well for you.”“It’s going good now,” he gave her a faint smile and proceeded to tell her about how one of the mares under his charge had come down ill and he’d come back on short notice to oversee her care. He’d only gotten back this morning and had spent most of the day at the barn, only getting enough time to shower the barn smell off, change his clothes, and come in for dinner. “Such of the life of working in agriculture, but it’s worth it to me,” he offered a smile to her as she stole a fry from his plate. The sound of a lock clicking brought him back to the restaurant, “I guess I should eat up, don’t want to keep you late on Christmas Eve of all nights.”“Oh, it’s okay,” she looked up as the manager called out for the waitresses and slid from the table, “I’ll be right back.” Off to the backroom she went, leaving him to work on his meal.He looked up when she rejoined him at the table, sliding herself back into the chair. She placed a glass of eggnog in front of him with a little smile, “On the house. So, what are you doing for Christmas since you’re back on short notice?” He watched as she tilted her head and seemed to be anxiously awaiting his answer. “Oh, I’m not sure. I guess just go home for the night, have to spend some time with the mare, tomorrow and otherwise maybe I’ll just catch a few movies on the tv.” He took a sip of the eggnog and noted a hint of Southern Comfort. When he looked up, she just gave him a little smile. “You?”“Probably about the same thing, except for the mare part. Just catch up on some Christmas movies, have a couple of drinks, sleep in, and do the same tomorrow I suppose. Or,” she paused, grinned a bit at him, “or, maybe you could join me and at least we would have some company to enjoy during our movie watching.” Mel wagged her eyebrows just a bit in excitement.He watched her eyebrows in a bit of amusement, and chuckled softly “I think I would be a fool to turn down the offer. I would be glad to join you.”She smiled widely at that, and rose up to go retrieve the check and complete the formalities of shutting down the restaurant for the night. He watched her dart from spot to spot, helping with cleaning up tables and putting away silverware. A bit of wonder got to him, how different she was here, than in the classroom, where she had always been a bit formal. He wondered briefly if that had to do with her being a veteran. Perhaps it was because of how she’d lived. It wasn’t long though, before she popped up to the table and gently grabbed his arm to signal that it was time to go. Getting to his feet, he realized just about how much alcohol he’d had, but made it out the door and onto the metro bus, to her place.They walked the two blocks from the bus stop to the complex, where Mel’s condo was. Phil looked up, blinking, “I didn’t know anyone rented these out.” Mel just smiled and shook her head, “I own one. Much better than living in the apartments near campus, and especially much quieter and more private. Plus, I don’t have to compete with the younger women at the pool.” She gave a little wolfish grin at that last part and led him towards the door of her condo.Inside, he found the place lightly decorated for Christmas. Little figurines placed here and there, a few window decorations, Christmas cards taped above the entranceway to the kitchen. The condo itself was cozy. From what he could see it seemed like a two bedroom place and he smiled a little at the fireplace in the living room with a stocking hung to one side. The place had a very homie feel to it; something he hadn’t felt except at his parent’s place, in a long time.She ran around in the background, picking up a few things here and there. None of her plans had included company being over for the night. Normally she would have just come in, poured a glass of wine, stripped off her work uniform and caught up with her TiVo in panties. Obviously that wasn’t going to happen tonight though she stifled a little giggle as she imagined what his reaction would have been to that. “There’s beer, eggnog, and soda in the fridge and the cabinet above the freezer has the liquor in it. Feel free to help yourself, so long as you make me an eggnog with spiced rum in it. I’ll be out in a minute.”She pulled off the top and the skirt, throwing them into her laundry basket. After a moment thinking it over, her bra followed shortly afterwards, letting a heavy chest hang freely. Deciding to go all in and fully change, panties were thrown in last. Into the master bathroom she wandered, taking up a warm wet washcloth, and using it to wipe some of the sweat away from underneath her breasts, around her thighs, and a few other places. Fingers ran through her curly red bush. It was a little overdue for a trimming and there was a bit of a wish that she had the time to, but she figured if it came to that he probably wouldn’t mind terribly much. A few pats with a towel to dry off and she put on a stretchy sports bra, tee-shirt, and a pair of university sweat pants. Two spritzes from a bottle of warm vanilla sugar body spray then quick brushing of her hair and out the door she came.Phil had taken a seat on the end of the couch, having made two of the eggnog and spiced rum drinks. Slowly he sipped at one, just admiring her place and the country style décor she seemed to prefer. A smile crossed his face as she came out, a little surprised at how she could make even sweats and a tee-shirt look sexy. He was just content to watch her as she went over to the fireplace and got a compressed log lit, admiring her rear as she bent over to do it, then as she put a movie into the player and came over to the couch.They chatted idly during the first movie, discussing career goals, college experiences, and general background information. Phil purposely kept only slowly sipping away at his eggnog, making the drink last the entirety of the first movie and giving the alcohol time to course its way out of his system. As they chatted he found himself becoming more intrigued with this young woman, her variety of interests and the passion she brought to life. He liked how her face lit up as she talked about taking an internship at a dig in the Badlands and at having found actual dinosaur bones. Even if he wasn’t so interested in what she was studying, he just liked being around someone who was so happy doing what she was doing.The topic slowly turned towards their shared love of horses. He’d grown up on a horse ranch a few hours south of where they were and she’d only just started taking lessons after moving to Boise. He knew more of the technical side but she had the passion beyond that of someone who had just gushed over ponies as a little kid. When she came back from changing the DVD’s and accepted her second drink, he took note that she was sitting much closer to him than at the beginning of the evening. Each time she came back from getting up it seemed she moved a few inches closer till it was shortly after one am and upon coming back from putting in a new movie she was cuddled up against his figure. He could smell the faded scent of vanilla spice on her, it felt inviting, it just felt right.She knew it was the alcohol. She’d been making hers stronger than usual just so that she’d have the excuse to blame the alcohol. But now she found herself spooned up against Phil and having decided that she’d already crossed the line of no turning back. Mel gently guided his arm to rest over her stomach, snuggling herself fully against him, closing her eyes and just savoring the feeling. It had been too long since she’d last felt the comforting warmth of another person pressed up against her, this time with the bonus of his muscles giving her the protective feeling of being wrapped up. Through her sweats she could even feel the gentle pressing of a stiffening cock. She smiled to herself and gave a tiny wiggle just to get a better feel of it then pressed softly against him feigning snuggling in more.By about halfway through the movie and all of the way through her glass of eggnog curiosity and hormones couldn’t be contained much more. Her hand gently drifted to his pants and upon finding no resistance she unzipped the jeans and slipped her hand in, seeking the opening of his boxers. Fingers gently caressed the head of his swollen member and slowly she began to guide it out into the open. Slowly and gently she caressed him, just enjoying the feeling of his hard cock throbbing in her hand. When she felt his fingers touch the edge of her sweats, Mel arched a little to urge him to seek further. A contented sigh slipped from her lips as she felt his hand gently cup her swollen mound and fingers softly rub upon her clit and external lips.He had been hoping that there might be a little fun after she had been wiggling and adjusting against him during the movie. When she reached for his cock, it felt like he’d stiffened even more at the anticipation. The stroking was pleasant but it hadn’t compared to reaching within her sweats, finding her not wearing a pair of panties, and that she was already damp from the little bit of play they’d already gotten into. Gently he played with her clit, loving the little moans coming from her throat. When she felt wet enough he slipped two fingers within her and began to massage the inside of her cunt while caressing her clit. When he felt her fingers leave his cock for a moment he internally sighed at the loss, but seconds later he felt her sweatpants slip down and the soft skin of her rear caress against his stiff member.As much as Mel was enjoying having her cunt caressed by his fingers what she really craved was the stretching that only a thick cock could give her. Twisting her body a bit, she wiggled upwards till she could stand and straddle his feet. Facing away, she slowly lowered he beautiful ass into position. He guided her down with his two hands on her ass cheeks. Then he gently spread her cheeks until his cock head rubbed against her wet, swollen lips. She reached between her legs and gently grasped his shaft. Then she slowly rubbed the head against herself, enjoying the feeling and giving it enough time to get thoroughly wet. She had taken larger cocks, but he was up there in size and she knew that plenty of lube was her key to really enjoying the experience. When she felt she had gotten his cock wet enough, she pressed his head against her tight hole and slowly she began to wiggle herself down, allowing him to enter. A soft groan slipped from her throat as the head popped within, slowly followed by the thick, veiny shaft.Only when she finally felt her ass begin to press against his body, did she finally breathe out and just waited, feeling him within her.  Phil then slid both his hands upward. Very slowly, his manly hands slid around her ass. Then he slid them forward to her navel, sliding one finger into her tender dimple. She had goosebumps for a moment, and he waited until her body calmed. Then  he resumed his slow upward journey, maintaining a contstant firm contact along her narrow waist.Mel rested her back on Phil's chest. Tucking her head on one of his shoulders, she leaned her head alongside his.Finally, his hands slid up, under her tits. He turned his wrists to cup each of her tits, and her ass continued to gyrate on his lap. Her cunt continued to c

Young woman finds lust and love at Christmas.By JagFarlane. Listen to the ►Podcast at Steamy Stories.Mel swiped the credit card along the terminal, waited for the receipt to print, stuffed it into the restaurant’s portfolio along with a couple of Ande’s mints, and turned to stroll towards the table. She dropped it off to the table’s occupants and hurried off to the kitchen, trying to look busy though probably fooling no one. It was Christmas Eve after all and the bulk of the town’s part time residents, university students and staff, had all scattered off to home days ago leaving behind the few full time residents to keep the place from looking like a ghost town.She was a student at the university too, but had elected to remain behind this year much to the restaurant manager’s relief. Not that the money had been very good, with the vast majority of the students gone there were only a few souls that made it into the building each night and sometimes she wondered if it had even been worth it to the management to even turn on the lights. Stepping out to pick up the signed receipt and bus several dessert plates away, a glance was given to the tips section and a bit of a relieved sigh at the decent tip. At least the residents routinely tipped, she smiled a bit to herself.After taking a look around and finding no one else at any of her tables, Mel leaned up against the entranceway to the kitchen and allowed herself a quiet moment. Another Christmas Eve alone; not that she hadn’t gotten used to it during her stint in the Air Force. But they still were never easy to take. She’d gotten out and took the chance to move to the one area she’d dreamed of living ever since she was a little girl, Boise, Idaho. Shortly after arriving, she’d invested most of her savings into a condo figuring that not having a monthly house expense was the best route. From there she had enrolled in the local community college and after graduating moved to Boise State University.Between the part time gig as a waitress, her G I Bill money, and a couple small grants Mel was living a fairly comfortable albeit Spartan lifestyle. Still, it hadn’t left a lot of time for romance and it didn’t help that she spent most of her time around people who were a few years younger than her. Just finding someone she could sit at the bar with, legally, was a challenge sometimes and often the grad students were either too busy or in a serious relationship already. Fingers played in the curls of her long, dark red hair as she mulled over her current state in life. That is, until the snapping of fingers in front of her face brought her back to reality.“Hey, you’ve got one on table six.” Sandy smiled to her as she ducked into the kitchen.Shaking her head a little to clear the daze, frowning for a moment as she realized that Jingle Bells was playing for fourth time tonight, and then putting on her best smile, Mel made her way over towards table six. A quick glance at the clock revealed closing time was drawing near and she said a silent thanks to her shift being over soon. She just hoped this last customer wasn’t someone who had gone out to get drunk, and then stopped here on the way home.Phil looked up from the menu as the waitress approached, still mulling between the hickory burger and the spicy chicken sandwich. A moment was spent admiring the waitress’ legs, shown off by the green and black plaid skirt she was wearing. Slowly his eyes moved upwards, the thought of the hickory burger fading as he looked over her full chest and the red curls lying upon it. It had been a long day of travel then in the barn tending to the mare and the approaching woman was a welcome sight indeed, both for the eyes and the promise of getting a decent meal at some point today.She rolled her eyes a bit at the stare she was getting, some days she didn’t mind getting ogled but over the years it had grown quite annoying. So annoyed she was that she didn’t even notice that he appeared to be familiar. “Good evening and welcome to Terry’s. Can I start you out with a drink and perhaps an appetizer?” She put on her best server smile and hoped that perhaps his eyes would move up from her chest to at least her chin.“Can I get a Miller Light and a half order of mozzarella sticks?” He waited for her to write down the order, “And I’ll take a umm, hickory burger, medium rare.” Phil put down the menu to fish out his driver’s license and passed it to the waitress.She scribbled down the order and took the license as it was passed to her, glancing down at the date of birth then at the picture and passed it back to him. As Mel made her way back to the order station, the nagging thought of the familiar face in the picture was bugging her. She hadn’t red the name, and for once regretted not doing so. A glance over her shoulder as she input the order didn’t reveal much as his head was down to play with his phone.The sound of a skirt swishing as the waitress came up to the table caused him to glance up, just long enough to take the pint glass and take an appreciative sip of the amber liquid. Sure, it was a little watery but after the last two days it felt like heaven. Eyes glanced up to watch the waitress walk away, her red hair swaying behind her. Her shape reminded him a bit of someone else but he wasn’t fully sure who and made a note to try to look at her face the next time she came around.Sandy had taken the mozzarella sticks out to him so Mel stood off to the side; taking note that closing time was coming up in a few minutes. Of course the handful of customers still in the joint would be allowed to finish their meals but not to place any more orders after the doors were locked. Mel was fairly sure she’d figured out who her guest was, but wanted an up close look at his face to be sure. If he was the person she thought he was, it was to be a pleasant surprise, particularly since he’d never paid her figure that sort of attention before, even with there seeming to be a mental connection. A cross of her fingers, perhaps Christmas was looking up after all.Phil sipped at his third beer of the night, glad that the town bus system was still running through the holidays. The redhead hadn’t been by him since bringing the latest beer, a little more than he was used to consuming on a normal evening but it did mean she was coming by more often. He still hadn’t worked up the courage to look her in the face yet, or maybe he was just enjoying the other views, he wasn’t quite sure which one it was. The debate became moot when his head snapped up at the voice behind him and his eyes finally looked at Mel’s face.“Hey Phil, long time!” She was finally certain it was Phil Clauser, who had been the Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Intro to Equine class she’d taken to minor in equine studies. Mel could still remember how the muscles of his forearms threatened to tear the rolled up cuffs of his flannel shirt when he was teaching them out to do groundwork with a stubborn mare. There had been a couple of jokes among the girls about how they wouldn’t mind taking a roll in the hay with him but as far as Mel knew none had done more than chatted about it.For a moment he regretted having finished three beers already as it seemed they were fogging his brain. The face attached to the tall redhead was vaguely familiar. He thought he could place it in a classroom setting. What seemed like an eternity passed before he imagined her hair tied back, a pair of jeans instead of the skirt, and a sweatshirt; finally placed her as a former student of his. “Hey, Melissa. It has been a couple of years, hasn’t it?”She let out her breath a bit, in relief. Sometimes the red hair was nice in that it often helped people to remember her. For once that was playing into her favor. She set down the burger and another beer, “Merry Christmas Eve! I hope it’s going well for you.”“It’s going good now,” he gave her a faint smile and proceeded to tell her about how one of the mares under his charge had come down ill and he’d come back on short notice to oversee her care. He’d only gotten back this morning and had spent most of the day at the barn, only getting enough time to shower the barn smell off, change his clothes, and come in for dinner. “Such of the life of working in agriculture, but it’s worth it to me,” he offered a smile to her as she stole a fry from his plate. The sound of a lock clicking brought him back to the restaurant, “I guess I should eat up, don’t want to keep you late on Christmas Eve of all nights.”“Oh, it’s okay,” she looked up as the manager called out for the waitresses and slid from the table, “I’ll be right back.” Off to the backroom she went, leaving him to work on his meal.He looked up when she rejoined him at the table, sliding herself back into the chair. She placed a glass of eggnog in front of him with a little smile, “On the house. So, what are you doing for Christmas since you’re back on short notice?” He watched as she tilted her head and seemed to be anxiously awaiting his answer. “Oh, I’m not sure. I guess just go home for the night, have to spend some time with the mare, tomorrow and otherwise maybe I’ll just catch a few movies on the tv.” He took a sip of the eggnog and noted a hint of Southern Comfort. When he looked up, she just gave him a little smile. “You?”“Probably about the same thing, except for the mare part. Just catch up on some Christmas movies, have a couple of drinks, sleep in, and do the same tomorrow I suppose. Or,” she paused, grinned a bit at him, “or, maybe you could join me and at least we would have some company to enjoy during our movie watching.” Mel wagged her eyebrows just a bit in excitement.He watched her eyebrows in a bit of amusement, and chuckled softly “I think I would be a fool to turn down the offer. I would be glad to join you.”She smiled widely at that, and rose up to go retrieve the check and complete the formalities of shutting down the restaurant for the night. He watched her dart from spot to spot, helping with cleaning up tables and putting away silverware. A bit of wonder got to him, how different she was here, than in the classroom, where she had always been a bit formal. He wondered briefly if that had to do with her being a veteran. Perhaps it was because of how she’d lived. It wasn’t long though, before she popped up to the table and gently grabbed his arm to signal that it was time to go. Getting to his feet, he realized just about how much alcohol he’d had, but made it out the door and onto the metro bus, to her place.They walked the two blocks from the bus stop to the complex, where Mel’s condo was. Phil looked up, blinking, “I didn’t know anyone rented these out.” Mel just smiled and shook her head, “I own one. Much better than living in the apartments near campus, and especially much quieter and more private. Plus, I don’t have to compete with the younger women at the pool.” She gave a little wolfish grin at that last part and led him towards the door of her condo.Inside, he found the place lightly decorated for Christmas. Little figurines placed here and there, a few window decorations, Christmas cards taped above the entranceway to the kitchen. The condo itself was cozy. From what he could see it seemed like a two bedroom place and he smiled a little at the fireplace in the living room with a stocking hung to one side. The place had a very homie feel to it; something he hadn’t felt except at his parent’s place, in a long time.She ran around in the background, picking up a few things here and there. None of her plans had included company being over for the night. Normally she would have just come in, poured a glass of wine, stripped off her work uniform and caught up with her TiVo in panties. Obviously that wasn’t going to happen tonight though she stifled a little giggle as she imagined what his reaction would have been to that. “There’s beer, eggnog, and soda in the fridge and the cabinet above the freezer has the liquor in it. Feel free to help yourself, so long as you make me an eggnog with spiced rum in it. I’ll be out in a minute.”She pulled off the top and the skirt, throwing them into her laundry basket. After a moment thinking it over, her bra followed shortly afterwards, letting a heavy chest hang freely. Deciding to go all in and fully change, panties were thrown in last. Into the master bathroom she wandered, taking up a warm wet washcloth, and using it to wipe some of the sweat away from underneath her breasts, around her thighs, and a few other places. Fingers ran through her curly red bush. It was a little overdue for a trimming and there was a bit of a wish that she had the time to, but she figured if it came to that he probably wouldn’t mind terribly much. A few pats with a towel to dry off and she put on a stretchy sports bra, tee-shirt, and a pair of university sweat pants. Two spritzes from a bottle of warm vanilla sugar body spray then quick brushing of her hair and out the door she came.Phil had taken a seat on the end of the couch, having made two of the eggnog and spiced rum drinks. Slowly he sipped at one, just admiring her place and the country style décor she seemed to prefer. A smile crossed his face as she came out, a little surprised at how she could make even sweats and a tee-shirt look sexy. He was just content to watch her as she went over to the fireplace and got a compressed log lit, admiring her rear as she bent over to do it, then as she put a movie into the player and came over to the couch.They chatted idly during the first movie, discussing career goals, college experiences, and general background information. Phil purposely kept only slowly sipping away at his eggnog, making the drink last the entirety of the first movie and giving the alcohol time to course its way out of his system. As they chatted he found himself becoming more intrigued with this young woman, her variety of interests and the passion she brought to life. He liked how her face lit up as she talked about taking an internship at a dig in the Badlands and at having found actual dinosaur bones. Even if he wasn’t so interested in what she was studying, he just liked being around someone who was so happy doing what she was doing.The topic slowly turned towards their shared love of horses. He’d grown up on a horse ranch a few hours south of where they were and she’d only just started taking lessons after moving to Boise. He knew more of the technical side but she had the passion beyond that of someone who had just gushed over ponies as a little kid. When she came back from changing the DVD’s and accepted her second drink, he took note that she was sitting much closer to him than at the beginning of the evening. Each time she came back from getting up it seemed she moved a few inches closer till it was shortly after one am and upon coming back from putting in a new movie she was cuddled up against his figure. He could smell the faded scent of vanilla spice on her, it felt inviting, it just felt right.She knew it was the alcohol. She’d been making hers stronger than usual just so that she’d have the excuse to blame the alcohol. But now she found herself spooned up against Phil and having decided that she’d already crossed the line of no turning back. Mel gently guided his arm to rest over her stomach, snuggling herself fully against him, closing her eyes and just savoring the feeling. It had been too long since she’d last felt the comforting warmth of another person pressed up against her, this time with the bonus of his muscles giving her the protective feeling of being wrapped up. Through her sweats she could even feel the gentle pressing of a stiffening cock. She smiled to herself and gave a tiny wiggle just to get a better feel of it then pressed softly against him feigning snuggling in more.By about halfway through the movie and all of the way through her glass of eggnog curiosity and hormones couldn’t be contained much more. Her hand gently drifted to his pants and upon finding no resistance she unzipped the jeans and slipped her hand in, seeking the opening of his boxers. Fingers gently caressed the head of his swollen member and slowly she began to guide it out into the open. Slowly and gently she caressed him, just enjoying the feeling of his hard cock throbbing in her hand. When she felt his fingers touch the edge of her sweats, Mel arched a little to urge him to seek further. A contented sigh slipped from her lips as she felt his hand gently cup her swollen mound and fingers softly rub upon her clit and external lips.He had been hoping that there might be a little fun after she had been wiggling and adjusting against him during the movie. When she reached for his cock, it felt like he’d stiffened even more at the anticipation. The stroking was pleasant but it hadn’t compared to reaching within her sweats, finding her not wearing a pair of panties, and that she was already damp from the little bit of play they’d already gotten into. Gently he played with her clit, loving the little moans coming from her throat. When she felt wet enough he slipped two fingers within her and began to massage the inside of her cunt while caressing her clit. When he felt her fingers leave his cock for a moment he internally sighed at the loss, but seconds later he felt her sweatpants slip down and the soft skin of her rear caress against his stiff member.As much as Mel was enjoying having her cunt caressed by his fingers what she really craved was the stretching that only a thick cock could give her. Twisting her body a bit, she wiggled upwards till she could stand and straddle his feet. Facing away, she slowly lowered he beautiful ass into position. He guided her down with his two hands on her ass cheeks. Then he gently spread her cheeks until his cock head rubbed against her wet, swollen lips. She reached between her legs and gently grasped his shaft. Then she slowly rubbed the head against herself, enjoying the feeling and giving it enough time to get thoroughly wet. She had taken larger cocks, but he was up there in size and she knew that plenty of lube was her key to really enjoying the experience. When she felt she had gotten his cock wet enough, she pressed his head against her tight hole and slowly she began to wiggle herself down, allowing him to enter. A soft groan slipped from her throat as the head popped within, slowly followed by the thick, veiny shaft.Only when she finally felt her ass begin to press against his body, did she finally breathe out and just waited, feeling him within her.  Phil then slid both his hands upward. Very slowly, his manly hands slid around her ass. Then he slid them forward to her navel, sliding one finger into her tender dimple. She had goosebumps for a moment, and he waited until her body calmed. Then  he resumed his slow upward journey, maintaining a contstant firm contact along her narrow waist.Mel rested her back on Phil's chest. Tucking her head on one of his shoulders, she leaned her head alongside his.Finally, his hands slid up, under her tits. He turned his wrists to cup each of her tits, and her ass continued to gyrate on his lap. Her cunt continued to c

Young woman finds lust and love at Christmas.By JagFarlane. Listen to the ►Podcast at Steamy Stories.Mel swiped the credit card along the terminal, waited for the receipt to print, stuffed it into the restaurant’s portfolio along with a couple of Ande’s mints, and turned to stroll towards the table. She dropped it off to the table’s occupants and hurried off to the kitchen, trying to look busy though probably fooling no one. It was Christmas Eve after all and the bulk of the town’s part time residents, university students and staff, had all scattered off to home days ago leaving behind the few full time residents to keep the place from looking like a ghost town.She was a student at the university too, but had elected to remain behind this year much to the restaurant manager’s relief. Not that the money had been very good, with the vast majority of the students gone there were only a few souls that made it into the building each night and sometimes she wondered if it had even been worth it to the management to even turn on the lights. Stepping out to pick up the signed receipt and bus several dessert plates away, a glance was given to the tips section and a bit of a relieved sigh at the decent tip. At least the residents routinely tipped, she smiled a bit to herself.After taking a look around and finding no one else at any of her tables, Mel leaned up against the entranceway to the kitchen and allowed herself a quiet moment. Another Christmas Eve alone; not that she hadn’t gotten used to it during her stint in the Air Force. But they still were never easy to take. She’d gotten out and took the chance to move to the one area she’d dreamed of living ever since she was a little girl, Boise, Idaho. Shortly after arriving, she’d invested most of her savings into a condo figuring that not having a monthly house expense was the best route. From there she had enrolled in the local community college and after graduating moved to Boise State University.Between the part time gig as a waitress, her G I Bill money, and a couple small grants Mel was living a fairly comfortable albeit Spartan lifestyle. Still, it hadn’t left a lot of time for romance and it didn’t help that she spent most of her time around people who were a few years younger than her. Just finding someone she could sit at the bar with, legally, was a challenge sometimes and often the grad students were either too busy or in a serious relationship already. Fingers played in the curls of her long, dark red hair as she mulled over her current state in life. That is, until the snapping of fingers in front of her face brought her back to reality.“Hey, you’ve got one on table six.” Sandy smiled to her as she ducked into the kitchen.Shaking her head a little to clear the daze, frowning for a moment as she realized that Jingle Bells was playing for fourth time tonight, and then putting on her best smile, Mel made her way over towards table six. A quick glance at the clock revealed closing time was drawing near and she said a silent thanks to her shift being over soon. She just hoped this last customer wasn’t someone who had gone out to get drunk, and then stopped here on the way home.Phil looked up from the menu as the waitress approached, still mulling between the hickory burger and the spicy chicken sandwich. A moment was spent admiring the waitress’ legs, shown off by the green and black plaid skirt she was wearing. Slowly his eyes moved upwards, the thought of the hickory burger fading as he looked over her full chest and the red curls lying upon it. It had been a long day of travel then in the barn tending to the mare and the approaching woman was a welcome sight indeed, both for the eyes and the promise of getting a decent meal at some point today.She rolled her eyes a bit at the stare she was getting, some days she didn’t mind getting ogled but over the years it had grown quite annoying. So annoyed she was that she didn’t even notice that he appeared to be familiar. “Good evening and welcome to Terry’s. Can I start you out with a drink and perhaps an appetizer?” She put on her best server smile and hoped that perhaps his eyes would move up from her chest to at least her chin.“Can I get a Miller Light and a half order of mozzarella sticks?” He waited for her to write down the order, “And I’ll take a umm, hickory burger, medium rare.” Phil put down the menu to fish out his driver’s license and passed it to the waitress.She scribbled down the order and took the license as it was passed to her, glancing down at the date of birth then at the picture and passed it back to him. As Mel made her way back to the order station, the nagging thought of the familiar face in the picture was bugging her. She hadn’t red the name, and for once regretted not doing so. A glance over her shoulder as she input the order didn’t reveal much as his head was down to play with his phone.The sound of a skirt swishing as the waitress came up to the table caused him to glance up, just long enough to take the pint glass and take an appreciative sip of the amber liquid. Sure, it was a little watery but after the last two days it felt like heaven. Eyes glanced up to watch the waitress walk away, her red hair swaying behind her. Her shape reminded him a bit of someone else but he wasn’t fully sure who and made a note to try to look at her face the next time she came around.Sandy had taken the mozzarella sticks out to him so Mel stood off to the side; taking note that closing time was coming up in a few minutes. Of course the handful of customers still in the joint would be allowed to finish their meals but not to place any more orders after the doors were locked. Mel was fairly sure she’d figured out who her guest was, but wanted an up close look at his face to be sure. If he was the person she thought he was, it was to be a pleasant surprise, particularly since he’d never paid her figure that sort of attention before, even with there seeming to be a mental connection. A cross of her fingers, perhaps Christmas was looking up after all.Phil sipped at his third beer of the night, glad that the town bus system was still running through the holidays. The redhead hadn’t been by him since bringing the latest beer, a little more than he was used to consuming on a normal evening but it did mean she was coming by more often. He still hadn’t worked up the courage to look her in the face yet, or maybe he was just enjoying the other views, he wasn’t quite sure which one it was. The debate became moot when his head snapped up at the voice behind him and his eyes finally looked at Mel’s face.“Hey Phil, long time!” She was finally certain it was Phil Clauser, who had been the Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Intro to Equine class she’d taken to minor in equine studies. Mel could still remember how the muscles of his forearms threatened to tear the rolled up cuffs of his flannel shirt when he was teaching them out to do groundwork with a stubborn mare. There had been a couple of jokes among the girls about how they wouldn’t mind taking a roll in the hay with him but as far as Mel knew none had done more than chatted about it.For a moment he regretted having finished three beers already as it seemed they were fogging his brain. The face attached to the tall redhead was vaguely familiar. He thought he could place it in a classroom setting. What seemed like an eternity passed before he imagined her hair tied back, a pair of jeans instead of the skirt, and a sweatshirt; finally placed her as a former student of his. “Hey, Melissa. It has been a couple of years, hasn’t it?”She let out her breath a bit, in relief. Sometimes the red hair was nice in that it often helped people to remember her. For once that was playing into her favor. She set down the burger and another beer, “Merry Christmas Eve! I hope it’s going well for you.”“It’s going good now,” he gave her a faint smile and proceeded to tell her about how one of the mares under his charge had come down ill and he’d come back on short notice to oversee her care. He’d only gotten back this morning and had spent most of the day at the barn, only getting enough time to shower the barn smell off, change his clothes, and come in for dinner. “Such of the life of working in agriculture, but it’s worth it to me,” he offered a smile to her as she stole a fry from his plate. The sound of a lock clicking brought him back to the restaurant, “I guess I should eat up, don’t want to keep you late on Christmas Eve of all nights.”“Oh, it’s okay,” she looked up as the manager called out for the waitresses and slid from the table, “I’ll be right back.” Off to the backroom she went, leaving him to work on his meal.He looked up when she rejoined him at the table, sliding herself back into the chair. She placed a glass of eggnog in front of him with a little smile, “On the house. So, what are you doing for Christmas since you’re back on short notice?” He watched as she tilted her head and seemed to be anxiously awaiting his answer. “Oh, I’m not sure. I guess just go home for the night, have to spend some time with the mare, tomorrow and otherwise maybe I’ll just catch a few movies on the tv.” He took a sip of the eggnog and noted a hint of Southern Comfort. When he looked up, she just gave him a little smile. “You?”“Probably about the same thing, except for the mare part. Just catch up on some Christmas movies, have a couple of drinks, sleep in, and do the same tomorrow I suppose. Or,” she paused, grinned a bit at him, “or, maybe you could join me and at least we would have some company to enjoy during our movie watching.” Mel wagged her eyebrows just a bit in excitement.He watched her eyebrows in a bit of amusement, and chuckled softly “I think I would be a fool to turn down the offer. I would be glad to join you.”She smiled widely at that, and rose up to go retrieve the check and complete the formalities of shutting down the restaurant for the night. He watched her dart from spot to spot, helping with cleaning up tables and putting away silverware. A bit of wonder got to him, how different she was here, than in the classroom, where she had always been a bit formal. He wondered briefly if that had to do with her being a veteran. Perhaps it was because of how she’d lived. It wasn’t long though, before she popped up to the table and gently grabbed his arm to signal that it was time to go. Getting to his feet, he realized just about how much alcohol he’d had, but made it out the door and onto the metro bus, to her place.They walked the two blocks from the bus stop to the complex, where Mel’s condo was. Phil looked up, blinking, “I didn’t know anyone rented these out.” Mel just smiled and shook her head, “I own one. Much better than living in the apartments near campus, and especially much quieter and more private. Plus, I don’t have to compete with the younger women at the pool.” She gave a little wolfish grin at that last part and led him towards the door of her condo.Inside, he found the place lightly decorated for Christmas. Little figurines placed here and there, a few window decorations, Christmas cards taped above the entranceway to the kitchen. The condo itself was cozy. From what he could see it seemed like a two bedroom place and he smiled a little at the fireplace in the living room with a stocking hung to one side. The place had a very homie feel to it; something he hadn’t felt except at his parent’s place, in a long time.She ran around in the background, picking up a few things here and there. None of her plans had included company being over for the night. Normally she would have just come in, poured a glass of wine, stripped off her work uniform and caught up with her TiVo in panties. Obviously that wasn’t going to happen tonight though she stifled a little giggle as she imagined what his reaction would have been to that. “There’s beer, eggnog, and soda in the fridge and the cabinet above the freezer has the liquor in it. Feel free to help yourself, so long as you make me an eggnog with spiced rum in it. I’ll be out in a minute.”She pulled off the top and the skirt, throwing them into her laundry basket. After a moment thinking it over, her bra followed shortly afterwards, letting a heavy chest hang freely. Deciding to go all in and fully change, panties were thrown in last. Into the master bathroom she wandered, taking up a warm wet washcloth, and using it to wipe some of the sweat away from underneath her breasts, around her thighs, and a few other places. Fingers ran through her curly red bush. It was a little overdue for a trimming and there was a bit of a wish that she had the time to, but she figured if it came to that he probably wouldn’t mind terribly much. A few pats with a towel to dry off and she put on a stretchy sports bra, tee-shirt, and a pair of university sweat pants. Two spritzes from a bottle of warm vanilla sugar body spray then quick brushing of her hair and out the door she came.Phil had taken a seat on the end of the couch, having made two of the eggnog and spiced rum drinks. Slowly he sipped at one, just admiring her place and the country style décor she seemed to prefer. A smile crossed his face as she came out, a little surprised at how she could make even sweats and a tee-shirt look sexy. He was just content to watch her as she went over to the fireplace and got a compressed log lit, admiring her rear as she bent over to do it, then as she put a movie into the player and came over to the couch.They chatted idly during the first movie, discussing career goals, college experiences, and general background information. Phil purposely kept only slowly sipping away at his eggnog, making the drink last the entirety of the first movie and giving the alcohol time to course its way out of his system. As they chatted he found himself becoming more intrigued with this young woman, her variety of interests and the passion she brought to life. He liked how her face lit up as she talked about taking an internship at a dig in the Badlands and at having found actual dinosaur bones. Even if he wasn’t so interested in what she was studying, he just liked being around someone who was so happy doing what she was doing.The topic slowly turned towards their shared love of horses. He’d grown up on a horse ranch a few hours south of where they were and she’d only just started taking lessons after moving to Boise. He knew more of the technical side but she had the passion beyond that of someone who had just gushed over ponies as a little kid. When she came back from changing the DVD’s and accepted her second drink, he took note that she was sitting much closer to him than at the beginning of the evening. Each time she came back from getting up it seemed she moved a few inches closer till it was shortly after one am and upon coming back from putting in a new movie she was cuddled up against his figure. He could smell the faded scent of vanilla spice on her, it felt inviting, it just felt right.She knew it was the alcohol. She’d been making hers stronger than usual just so that she’d have the excuse to blame the alcohol. But now she found herself spooned up against Phil and having decided that she’d already crossed the line of no turning back. Mel gently guided his arm to rest over her stomach, snuggling herself fully against him, closing her eyes and just savoring the feeling. It had been too long since she’d last felt the comforting warmth of another person pressed up against her, this time with the bonus of his muscles giving her the protective feeling of being wrapped up. Through her sweats she could even feel the gentle pressing of a stiffening cock. She smiled to herself and gave a tiny wiggle just to get a better feel of it then pressed softly against him feigning snuggling in more.By about halfway through the movie and all of the way through her glass of eggnog curiosity and hormones couldn’t be contained much more. Her hand gently drifted to his pants and upon finding no resistance she unzipped the jeans and slipped her hand in, seeking the opening of his boxers. Fingers gently caressed the head of his swollen member and slowly she began to guide it out into the open. Slowly and gently she caressed him, just enjoying the feeling of his hard cock throbbing in her hand. When she felt his fingers touch the edge of her sweats, Mel arched a little to urge him to seek further. A contented sigh slipped from her lips as she felt his hand gently cup her swollen mound and fingers softly rub upon her clit and external lips.He had been hoping that there might be a little fun after she had been wiggling and adjusting against him during the movie. When she reached for his cock, it felt like he’d stiffened even more at the anticipation. The stroking was pleasant but it hadn’t compared to reaching within her sweats, finding her not wearing a pair of panties, and that she was already damp from the little bit of play they’d already gotten into. Gently he played with her clit, loving the little moans coming from her throat. When she felt wet enough he slipped two fingers within her and began to massage the inside of her cunt while caressing her clit. When he felt her fingers leave his cock for a moment he internally sighed at the loss, but seconds later he felt her sweatpants slip down and the soft skin of her rear caress against his stiff member.As much as Mel was enjoying having her cunt caressed by his fingers what she really craved was the stretching that only a thick cock could give her. Twisting her body a bit, she wiggled upwards till she could stand and straddle his feet. Facing away, she slowly lowered he beautiful ass into position. He guided her down with his two hands on her ass cheeks. Then he gently spread her cheeks until his cock head rubbed against her wet, swollen lips. She reached between her legs and gently grasped his shaft. Then she slowly rubbed the head against herself, enjoying the feeling and giving it enough time to get thoroughly wet. She had taken larger cocks, but he was up there in size and she knew that plenty of lube was her key to really enjoying the experience. When she felt she had gotten his cock wet enough, she pressed his head against her tight hole and slowly she began to wiggle herself down, allowing him to enter. A soft groan slipped from her throat as the head popped within, slowly followed by the thick, veiny shaft.Only when she finally felt her ass begin to press against his body, did she finally breathe out and just waited, feeling him within her.  Phil then slid both his hands upward. Very slowly, his manly hands slid around her ass. Then he slid them forward to her navel, sliding one finger into her tender dimple. She had goosebumps for a moment, and he waited until her body calmed. Then  he resumed his slow upward journey, maintaining a contstant firm contact along her narrow waist.Mel rested her back on Phil's chest. Tucking her head on one of his shoulders, she leaned her head alongside his.Finally, his hands slid up, under her tits. He turned his wrists to cup each of her tits, and her ass continued to gyrate on his lap. Her cunt continued to c

Anora and Julia have a sleepover together at Anora’s house. Together they learn that the rain is not so scary after all. Hello everyone!  We hope you enjoyed our new stories this week. Now, welcome to Favorite Friday! Sometimes we like to listen to our favorites again. Please enjoy “Stormy Music,” and we'll be back with a new story on Monday! Narrator: Female Story Begins: 3:38 Stormy Music Excerpt: Julia sat inside the fort, looking around at all of Anora's colorful blankets, and wrapped herself up in the edge of one of the blankets. The fort was small but cozy. She started to say something to Anora, when the girls heard a boom! from outside. Julia froze at the sound of the loud rumble of thunder. That first thunderclap was quickly followed by several bright flashes of light and more thunder. Then the rain began falling in earnest. The two girls could hear the heavy raindrops pounding against the roof of the house. Julia pulled the blanket over her head to hide. Today's Meditation: Relax your whole body from head to toe in this meditation. Looking for a story that helps your children build confidence and face challenges with courage? You’ll find it on Ahway Island®. Be Calm on Ahway Island® Podcast offers original bedtime stories, like “Berry Brave,” paired with meditations for kids. We help them drift off to sleep with a guided relaxation and a calming story. Gently nestled within each podcast episode are mindfulness techniques and positive learning moments. You can search for stories by Learning Message, Character Type, or Narrator Type on our Episodes page. To learn more about our mission at Ahway Island and our team, please visit our About page, or check out our FAQs. Creating the original bedtime stories and art for Be Calm on Ahway Island takes a lot of time and care. As a listener-supported podcast, we truly appreciate our members on Patreon. If you’re not already a member, please consider joining! Writing, recording, editing, and publishing episodes and managing digital platforms is an enormous endeavor. Our Patreon program will help continue to grow Ahway Island and we hope you will support us! You can choose from 2 different Membership Levels, all of which include access to our Archives and an extra episode each week! Are you and your children enjoying our stories and self-soothing meditations? We hope your child loved “Stormy Music.” We ask for your positive reviews to help others find us, too! Please leave a 5-star review on your favorite podcast app (such as Apple Podcasts). And, please follow, like, and/or share our social media profiles (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram ) to help us bring our original stories with positive messages to even more listeners! In the press: Digital Trends warns listeners that “you may not make it through an entire episode fully conscious.” Yay! We're honored that the website of Southwest Virginia Community Health Systems includes us on their list of Technology to Boost Mental Health. Jooki recommends us as an outstanding podcast for preschoolers. We're reaching listeners internationally! Sassy Mama Hong Kong included us in their article on transitioning into the new year, Sassy Mama Singapore recommends us for limiting screen-time while sheltering at home, and Haven Magazine Australia included us in their tips for getting through the school holidays. Thank you to Anne Bensfield and Pamela Rogers of School Library Journal for listing us as one of “8 Podcasts To Encourage Mindfulness!” We're grateful you chose to relax with us today!

Hello Beautiful, I'm so grateful you're here with me.

A little family of paint markers waits and wonders who will choose them. Then they become a birthday surprise and get to make their very first colorful picture! Narrator: Female Story Begins: 3:16 Marvelous Markers Excerpt: In the art supply store on Ahway Island, a little family of paint markers sat on the shelf, waiting to be selected. They were seven colors all together: black, red, yellow, blue, orange, green, and purple. As they waited in their pouch, hoping to be purchased, the markers liked to spend time guessing who would one day choose them. Today's Meditation: Relax as you imagine sunlight warming you as you lie in a grassy meadow. Creating the original bedtime stories and art for Be Calm on Ahway Island takes a lot of time and care. As a listener-supported podcast, we truly appreciate our members on Patreon. If you’re not already a member, please consider joining! Writing, recording, editing, and publishing episodes and managing digital platforms is an enormous endeavor. Our Patreon program will help continue to grow Ahway Island and we hope you will support us! You can choose from 2 different Membership Levels, all of which include access to our Archives and extra episodes every other month! Are you and your children enjoying our stories and self-soothing meditations? Looking for ways to help your child learn emotional regulation and how to self soothe? You’ll find them on Ahway Island®. Be Calm on Ahway Island® Podcast offers original bedtime stories, like “Happy Dragon,” paired with meditations for kids. We help them drift off to sleep with a guided relaxation and a calming story. Gently nestled within each podcast episode are mindfulness techniques and positive learning moments.  To learn more about our mission at Ahway Island and our team, please visit our website. In the press: Read about how and why we created Ahway Island in this feature from Global Comment! Zzz! The Boston Globe recommends “Be Calm on Ahway Island” as as one of “Eight Podcasts That Could Help You Get Some Sleep.” SheKnows recommends us as as a podcast you and your kids will love! Digital Trends warns listeners that “you may not make it through an entire episode fully conscious.” Yay! Thanks for relaxing on the island with us. See you again!

Today's meditation is about being gentle in our approach and perspectives. Your morning mantra: I tread gentlySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello Beautiful, I'm so grateful you're here with me.

(Overnight | Music) Gently Releasing Judgment Around Love & Relationships by Jason Newland

(Short | Music) Gently Releasing Judgment Around Love & Relationships by Jason Newland

(Long | Music) Gently Releasing Judgment Around Love & Relationships by Jason Newland

(Overnight | Voice Only) Gently Releasing Judgment Around Love & Relationships by Jason Newland

(Long | Voice Only) Gently Releasing Judgment Around Love & Relationships by Jason Newland

(Short | Voice Only) Gently Releasing Judgment Around Love & Relationships by Jason Newland

Gently hyping the BARLOW FAMILY GENERAL / WORKS ON PAPER Valentine's pop-up shop (Feb 7-8, 11-4, 44 Chapman St. Greenfield MA!) Lou plays Adelle his favorite love song. Love by John Lennon.WATCH THIS:https://youtu.be/WDgGJIOUc10we started OUR Substack ages ago! It's still going!https://barlowfamilygeneral.substack.com/The Barlow Family General Store is ALWAYS on-line!!!Get some handwritten lyrics!https://barlowfamilygeneralstore.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello Beautiful, I'm so grateful you're here with me.

When practicing feels impossible, it's not because you're lazy or undisciplined. In this episode, I walk you through the simple mindset shifts and practical strategies that help you stop pushing and start showing up with more ease, clarity, and self-respect. You'll learn: ·         Why waiting for motivation doesn't work ·         A five-step mental reset to ease into practice ·         How to reduce friction and make your routine feel lighter ·         A quick trick to spark momentum on low-energy days ·         How to leave a session feeling proud—even when it wasn't perfect If you've been feeling stuck or resistant, this episode will help you reconnect with your purpose and make practicing feel more doable again. If you're ready to step on stage with confidence, perform at your best, and finally feel secure in your playing, let's talk! Book a free discovery call and let's create a plan to get you there. Are you ready to take your playing and career to the next level and create a life that feels purposeful and joyful? Let's connect and explore how personalized coaching can support your journey. Click here to schedule your free consultation, and let's start turning your goals into reality.   Book your FREE Music Mastery Experience Discovery call with Renée HERE Book your free consultation with Renée HERE Download the transcript from this episode HERE   Mind Over Finger Click www.mindoverfinger.com/coaching to book your free consultation with me. Visit MindOverFinger.com for my online courses as well as free resources on peak performance. Grab my free workshops and PDF downloads by going to www.mindoverfinger.com/resources. Connect: https://www.youtube.com/@MindOverFinger https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfinger https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/     THANK YOU: Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme:  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson.      

Discover what happens to our well-being when we respond to suffering with compassion, collective action, and why choosing to care can help us hold on to our shared humanity.Summary: In the face of widespread suffering, many of us struggle with how to respond without becoming overwhelmed or numb. Drawing on research and real-world experience, this episode of The Science of Happiness examines the psychological impact of bearing witness, acting in alignment with our values, and showing up for others—even when it's hard. We look at how compassion, agency, and a sense of common humanity can both strengthen resilience and carry real emotional costs, and why people continue to act anyway.Take our 5-minute survey https://tinyurl.com/happyhappysurvey. Thank you for helping us make the podcast even better!How To Do This Practice: Pause and name what's happening: Take a moment to notice what you're feeling as you witness suffering or injustice—anger, grief, numbness, confusion. Naming the emotion helps calm the stress response and keeps you from shutting down or looking away. Reconnect with common humanity: Remind yourself: there are no “good people” and “bad people”—there are people.  Clarify your values on paper: Write down one to three values that matter most to you right now (for example: compassion, integrity, dignity, justice). Studies show that writing values down lowers stress and makes it more likely you'll act in alignment with them. Gently ask yourself: “What does a person like me—with these values—do in a situation like this?” Consider what access, safety, or influence you may have, and what constraints you face. Acting with integrity looks different for everyone, and this step helps you choose a response that is both values-aligned and realistic. Choose a safe, doable action: Action doesn't have to be loud or risky. It might be writing, speaking up in a meeting, supporting someone directly, or adding your voice to a collective effort. Even small actions strengthen agency and social connection. Reflect and reconnect: After you act, check in with yourself. Notice any sense of alignment, relief, meaning, grief, or fear. Acting with integrity won't erase pain, but it helps protect mental health and shapes who we become over time. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.Today's Guests:DR. FEROZE SIDHWA is a trauma, and critical care surgeon in California. He has also worked as a physician in Haiti, Ukraine and Palestine. Learn more about Dr. Feroze Sidhwa here: https://www.ferozesidhwa.org/DR. AKIVA LEBOWITZ is a physician and critical care specialist.Learn more about Dr. Akiva Lebowitz here: https://akivaforbrookline.com/DR. SUNITA SAH is a social scientist, author, and psychologist.Learn more about Dr. Sunita Sah here: https://www.sunitasah.com/Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod.Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aapTranscription: https://tinyurl.com/48wz2vru

Psychologist and stress expert Elissa Epel leads us in a gentle, science-backed practice to calm our nervous systems and meet uncertainty with greater ease and acceptance.We want to hear from you! Take our quick 5-minute survey to tell us what you love, what you want more of, and how we can make the show even more inspiring and useful. Everyone who completes the survey can enter a drawing to win a copy of The Science of Happiness Workbook: 10 Practices for a Meaningful Life. Click the survey link in the show notes wherever you're listening, or go directly to: https://tinyurl.com/happyhappysurvey. Thank you for helping us make the podcast even better!How To Do This Practice: Settle in: Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Close your eyes or soften your gaze, and begin breathing in through your nose with long, slow exhales through pursed lips. Scan your body: Gently move your attention from the top of your head down to your toes, noticing areas of tension with a kind, curious awareness. Breathe into tension: Wherever you feel tightness, breathe into that area and soften it with each exhale, allowing your nervous system to relax just a little more. Notice uncertainty: Turn your attention to your thoughts and feelings. Ask yourself what feels uncertain right now, and name any emotions that arise without trying to change them. Ask yourself: What is on my mind right now? Am I thinking about the past, the future, or am I right here in the present?” What do I feel most uncertain about right now? What expectations might I be holding? Am I striving to control something? What feelings do I have right now? Release control: Notice where you may be holding expectations or trying to control the future, and gently practice letting go, reminding yourself that uncertainty is part of life. Rest in the present: Lean back, relax your shoulders, and focus on the safety and ease of this moment, repeating a phrase like “Things are exactly as they are right now.” Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.Today's Happiness Break Guide:ELISSA EPEL, PH.D, is a Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, at University of California, San Francisco.Learn more about Elissa Epel here: https://www.elissaepel.com/Related Happiness Break episodes:Loving Kindness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2kr4fjz5Embodying Resilience: https://tinyurl.com/46383mhxA Meditation for When You Feel Uneasy: https://tinyurl.com/4utrkyh5Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPodWe'd love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aapHelp us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aapTranscription: https://tinyurl.com/2x4pe95j

We're back with one of our favorite episodes of the year: the trends of the year episode where we scour the internet for the hottest trends forecasted for 2026. Your resident besties, Kristin and Deena officially give the tired mom stamp of approval of which trends we're into, which ones are crazy AF and which trends need to be stopped, stat.We're talking:• Fashion hot takes (including the audacity of the internet declaring leggings are dead

This week, Trump turns up the volume, and America shouts right back. ICE is no match for Minnesota nice. The Federal Reserve chair is forced to get less reserved, and Greenland gives America the red light. Robin Thede picks the ultimate rom-com bestie, while Michael Urie and Ted McGinley of Shrinking talk about acting with animals, babies, and Harrison Ford.  And we end the show with Lovett and our three fabulous guests expressing a few very recent second thoughts. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.