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Lost At Christmas: Part 1 His First Christmas away from home, & His best gift ever. Based on a post by Tx Tall Tales, in 2 parts. Listen to the Podcast at My First time. After my first semester in College, I was eager to go home for the holidays. I was going to school in Rochester, New York, and anybody who'd experienced the lake-effect winters on the Great Lakes would understand my desire to get to somewhere warmer. For me, that somewhere warmer was a long ways away. As a military brat, home was often a moving target, and that winter it was Santiago, Chile, where my father was stationed and where I'd graduated high-school. It was summer in Santiago, and I was looking forward to a pool-party with my old school mates for the Holidays. We didn't have a lot of money, but I was allowed to travel space available on a military flight as a Navy ROTC student. I had to get down to Charleston, South Carolina, and catch an international C1 41 flight that made a loop through Latin America. After finagling a ride to Virginia followed by a very long bus trip down the coast, I finally made it to Charleston AFB. ROTC travel orders in hand, I checked in at the desk, and verified I was on the standby list for the flight leaving on the 23rd. I wouldn't get home until Christmas Day, but better late than never. With pockets nearly empty, a hotel room was out of the question so I slept in the terminal and snacked on the cheapest eats I could get away with. There was a festive mood in the terminal, so many people rushing to get home for the holidays, and I was getting caught up in the feeling, eagerly looking forward to that very long plane ride, first to Panama, then Lima, and finally Santiago. After what seemed an interminable wait, we were an hour away from boarding when I got bumped off the flight by a group of Marines headed to Panama on Active Duty travel orders. I was devastated. The next flight left early the morning of the 26th. At least that one was a huge plane, and nearly empty so I was virtually guaranteed to get aboard, but what was I going to do for Christmas? Looking up at the outgoing flight schedules, I saw a flight listed for Tyndall AFB, Panama City, Florida. "When is the flight to Tyndall headed out?" I asked the airman behind the desk. "In an hour-and-a-half, and it's all but empty. You want on?" He asked, offering some recompense for my last minute bump. I'd lived in Panama City during 9th and 10th grade, and still had some close friends there, many I still kept in touch with. Maybe I could find someone to spend Christmas with there. It had to be better than sleeping in the terminal for 2 more days. "Please," I told him, "but hold my space for Santiago. I'll be back for that flight." I recalled there being a pretty big Greyhound station in Panama City, so I called Greyhound and checked on a bus being able to get me back in time for the flight. They had one, a 7:30 am bus on Christmas morning would get me back before midnight on Christmas. I could easily make the flight the next morning, even if it were delay a few hours. I bought a ticket, using the emergency Am Ex card my parents had given me when I headed off to college. I'd explain the $67.00 to my parents. I called my family in Santiago with the news. It had to be short call because of the expense, so I let them know I had been bumped but would be there on the 28th. I told them I was headed to Panama City, and would be taking a bus back in plenty of time for my flight. My mother cried, and my father told me to go ahead and use the credit card, but to try to keep the expenses reasonable. By the time I hung up I was pretty depressed, but at least I had a plan. Before I could try to contact anyone in Panama City, an announcement was made and suddenly I was on my way to Florida for Christmas, with no place lined up to stay, and practically broke. I was feeling a bit melancholy, but was determined to make the best of it. So there I was, at Tyndall Air Force Base, at 11:20 pm on December 23rd. I was debating who to try first. I had several close friends nearby and I expected they'd all be home for Christmas. After a short internal debate, I had narrowed it down to two. I had always gotten along well with their entire families, and I was still in pretty regular contact with both of them. Mike lived the nearest to me in the old days. He came from a big family, with 6 siblings, including Peggy, who'd been one of my first real deep infatuations. When I had been in 9th grade she'd been a senior, and was pretty and sophisticated. My yearning for her was unrequited, but I relished the idea of seeing her again after four years. She was a college senior, and would probably be home. I knew they'd welcome me, but I was concerned it would be an inconvenience. They did not have a large house, and it was bound to be crowded, particularly with three college kids home for the holiday. On top of that who knew if they had anyone else in tow? Tommy on the other hand came from a relatively well-off family who always lived well within their means. He had an older brother, who was working in Japan and unlikely to be home, a sister, Sheri, just a year behind us in school, and two much younger siblings, who I guessed would be around 9 and 10 by now. They had a spacious house, each kid had their own room, and I wouldn't be putting anybody out if I stayed there. I'd always had a crush on Sheri, but although I'd dated her best friend, I'd never gone out with her. Getting a chance to see her again would be an extra bonus. Feeling nervous and awkward, I dialed Tommy's number from memory, and luckily got him on the first call. If I'd gotten somebody else, I would have really felt uncomfortable. Tommy's answer was unmistakable. He had a funny way of saying hello when he answered the phone, and the sound of his voice took me straight back down memory lane. "Hee-ello," he answered. "Tommy! Guess who?" I asked. I guess my voice must have been similarly recognizable, since he didn't hesitate a second. "Steve-o! What are you up to? Where're you at?" He answered eagerly. It put a smile on my face. Nice to hear a happy, upbeat voice that seemed genuinely pleased to hear from me. "Funny you should ask. It's a long story, but I'm in a bit of a bind. I'm at Tyndall, and stuck here until Christmas Day." I told him. "What happened to Chile, and Rochester?" He asked. "I was on my way home to Chile, when I lost my seat on the plane in Charleston. I couldn't get out again until the 26th, so when I saw an empty plane headed this way, I just hopped on and hoped for the best." I explained. "That's Great!" He almost shouted. "Not great that you couldn't get home, but great that you're here. You want to stay with us? You can have Greg's room, he won't be here, and I'm sure Sheri and Mom would love to see you. The place is kind of 'down' with Greg canceling his trip home at the last minute. Having you here should cheer things up a bit." He did sound enthused, and I couldn't help grinning in reply. "Don't you think you should check?" I laughed. A scream in my ear was the answer, as I heard half of a shouted conversation. "Mom! Guess Who's In Town." "No, Not Greg." "No, Go Ahead Guess." "Guess Again." "Ok, Ok - Steve." "Yeah, Steve Pelland. He's Stuck Here In Town 'Til Christmas Day." "Of Course I Told Him He Should Come Here, I'll Go Get Him." "I Will." "Yes Mom; Yes; I Won't; I Will." I was holding the phone a little away from my head, and almost missed it when he came back on. "Where should I pick you up?" He asked. "The Main Terminal, you know where that is right?" I answered. "Sure - be there in about 30 minutes. Man, this is Great!" I hung up with a big smile on my face, feeling 100% better than I had just 10 minutes earlier. I stood outside waiting for him, and about 20 minutes later the strings of Christmas lights shut off one at a time, as the place closed up for the night. It was dark and quiet, and I started to get nervous again, wondering if this had been such a good idea. I was 500 miles from my flight home and completely at the mercy of old friends. But as far as friends go, I couldn't do much better than mine, and figured at the least I wouldn't be sleeping in a lonely terminal in Charleston for two days, slowly eating my way through my meager funds. When Bob pulled up around midnight, I could see he'd gotten rid of the VW Bug he'd inherited from his mother upon turning 16, and was now driving his brother's old Two-tone Cougar. We spent a minute saying hi, and loading my gear into the trunk, and then we headed back into town, catching each other up on history. When I had first moved to Santiago, I used to write about once every couple of months, as well as call a couple of times a year. In the beginning I'd written Sheri a lot as well. She was one of the most prolific writers among my old friends, and would typically write twice to me for every one I wrote to her. Over the years, that had degenerated into holiday cards and a surprise call maybe once a year. I knew he was attending Florida State, and that Greg had graduated from Georgetown, and had moved to Japan on business. That was about it. Tommy told me all about the old gang, who was in town, who was going to what schools, what people had been up to. I told him a lot more detail about what I'd been up to. "So," he asked, "Got a girl?" "Not now. Thought I had one after the ROTC Christmas ball, but that seems to have been my mistake." I admitted. "Hard to believe. You always had someone. Every letter, every phone-call, just seems like they didn't stay the same all that long." He teased. "I don't know. I had several relationships last pretty long. Two were more than 6 months long." I argued. "Oh! Six Months!" He laughed. "How about you then," I asked in defense. "Still Erin. Almost two years now." He asked. "Shit. What does she see in you? She could do so much better." I teased. "Oh really? Like how?" "Like me!" I laughed. "Right, like that would ever happen! Don't even think about it, or you'll be sleeping in the street." He was laughing as well. "Not if I called Erin I wouldn't," I shot back. I thought it was a great comeback, but it earned me a sock in the arm. We pulled up to his house, which still looked exactly the same, and things were pretty quiet. They used the same window lights, same roof lights, same bush trimmings year after year. It was just as I remembered. Who says you can't go back? "Mom's got to work tomorrow, so I'm sure she's in bed, and you know Dave crashes early, so we better keep it down. We've got lots to do tomorrow anyway." We entered quietly and put my bag in Greg's old room. Tommy stayed and chatted for a few minutes then bid me good night, telling me to sleep in as long as I wanted, as long as it wasn't past 9:00 am, and left me to get settled. Past 9:00? Now I remembered, they'd always been an early-bird household. For me 9:00 am Was the crack of dawn. Tommy and I had breakfast at about 9:30. He was already chiding me for sleeping in and missing the whole family. We had the house to ourselves. He'd been on the phone arranging our day, and once we'd finished the pancakes, we were off to see Mike and his family. Entering Mike's house was the same as it had ever been, but more-so. People everywhere, noise, laughter, roughhousing, it was all taken in stride by Mrs. Frey. We spent a few hours visiting, and getting fed again before we could leave. Mike's older sister Peggy still looked cute to me, but not the amazing creature my memory had somehow stored away. I had to tease her about the Christmas gift she'd given me three years earlier. She'd bought me a Richard Pryor tape, thinking it was Bill Cosby. When I played it for her in my car, she exploded, calling me names and accusing me of vile intent. At the time I had felt bad, confused, angry and a host of other feelings, now thankfully we could laugh at it. When I'd been 16 I'd been somewhat in awe of her, now things were comfortable. Mike's older brother was home as well, with his live-in girlfriend who seemed awfully ill-at-ease, and must have been at least 5 years older than Dan, maybe more. That was a story I'd have to hear more about. The biggest surprise was Alice. She'd been a few years younger than us. I wasn't sure if she was 16 or 17 now, but she was a bombshell. And she was coming on to me like gangbusters. I was really nervous, with her acting all touchy-feely with her mother and Peggy there. I was suddenly glad I had chosen to stay over with Tommy. With a pretty, stacked girl that seemed so infatuated with me around, I'm afraid I might have gotten into a whole lot more trouble than I needed. When we left there Mike joined us, and it was off to see Jack and Russ. They were a year apart in age. Russ had been in our class, and we'd been friendly with him, but Jack, although a year younger was our buddy. We played on the basketball team together, and when Tommy and I formed our first band, Jack was our bassist. At the Chambers house, we once again reminisced, and had to relive our first 'gig'. We had decided to play in the school talent show. With Tommy on piano and Jack on bass, I played guitar. We had a fourth guy on drums we'd all lost contact with. We had played Elton John, Deep Purple, The Eagles, and The Beatles. We had opened with the opening riff of "Smoke on the Water", and had been a hit. We were pretty lousy, but the audience was our friends, our parents and the parents of our friends, and at the end the parents even took up a collection for us. Pretty heady stuff. We'd called ourselves Bronze Myth, and had already designed our first three album covers before we had our first birthday party gig. Jack had been tall then, and had not stopped growing; he was now 6'7" and was attending University of Florida, playing basketball. He reminded me of the time when we went on our first dates together. I had gone with Kathryn Best, easily the most lusted after girl in the whole school, who was in Jack's class a year behind me. Jack, on the other hand, had gone out with our "Valentine's Day Queen", Anne, who was in my class and almost two full years older than Jack. He was always precocious. There had been a third couple with us, Dennis and Suzanne, and Jack broke the news that Suzanne had gotten knocked up, just before I left to go overseas, and she and Dennis had gotten married. There was a huge scandal, but they stuck together, and had the baby. They lived with Suzanne's parents. Dennis was doing alright, working for Suzanne's father. While we were visiting, several friends dropped in, including the aforementioned Kathryn who lived one street over. Kathryn, the stunning brunette who had the body of a 20 year old when she was 15, and had a beautiful face with features that just slayed me. Kathryn, the very first girl I had gotten to Third Base with. She was as pretty as I remembered, and I found out she was going to be attending Mt. Holyoke the following year, which was an odd coincidence since my girlfriend from High School was a sophomore there. Going out with Kathryn, a year younger than me had been a total fiasco. We'd sat together on an out-of-town bus trip and ranked high enough in the pecking order that we got the right hand seat second from the back. These trips were our biggest dates back then. Ours was a small parochial school, and on the bus trips, the athletes, cheerleaders and student fans all rode the same bug. The 30-90 minute trips were like pep rallies on the way out, and like the back of movie theatres on the way back. There were frequent "hand-checks" and the lights would come one as our coaches would walk the aisle, but it seemed like after our wins, the checks would be a little less frequent. Our win at Pensacola was my first real 'make-out' session, as we cuddled and kissed the whole trip home. I even got a chance to play with her breast through her sweater. Less than a week later I asked her to the movies, and we sat in the back with the two other couples, probably both scared spitless and nervous as goldfish in a blender. We'd started necking, which got more and more intense, and my hands boldly went where no hands had gone before. An hour into the movie I was almost out of control, and feverish with desire, and it seemed she was willing to let me do whatever I wanted. If I'd had a little more confidence, or a little more knowledge, who knows what might have happened? As it is, I went pretty far, probably too far, and I was scared to death afterwards. She was the first girl whose flesh I'd touched underneath her clothing. I didn't call her for several days, and even avoided her at school, not knowing what to say. In short I was a total jerk. Everyone thought we should be together, she was the pretty captain of the cheerleaders, with the big boobs, and I was the Big Jock, playing all the sports, while at the same time excelling in school. She was voted "Most Popular." I was "Most Likely to Succeed." However, in this case it turned out she was "Most Slighted", and I was definitely "Most Inept." After waiting several days, amazingly patient in retrospect, she had tasked her best friend Sheri, Tommy's sister, with letting me know that she thought we shouldn't go out. Next thing you know, she was going out with some geeky looking kid, and she dated him for the rest of the school year. I'd changed schools at the end of that year, and had seen her only infrequently the following year, before moving to Santiago. Outside in the backyard, Kathryn and I walked off together and finally had a few minutes alone. "You know Kat, I don't think I ever apologized for being such an idiot, after our first date. I really am sorry." She was quiet for a while. She had a sad little look. "You know, I waited by that phone night after night, crying myself to sleep. I saw you dodging me at school and it broke my heart." "I was young and stupid. I'd never done Anything with a girl before, and could hardly even believe I was with the hottest girl in school. After all the stuff I did, God, I was so embarrassed that I'd overstepped the boundaries, and I had no idea what to say." She sat down underneath the big tree in the backyard and I sat beside her on the circular bench around it. "You could have said something to Jack maybe, or Tommy, and let them tell me. At least let me know that you liked me, or had fun. Something." She looked on the verge of tears, even 3 years later, and I felt even worse. "I know. I kept kicking myself over it. I was so angry with myself and jealous when you went out with Ricky." I admitted. "He was nice to me when I needed it." "But it seemed such an odd fit. He was a nobody; the only thing he ever did noteworthy was date you." I told her. "He lived two houses down. We'd grown up together, and when my heart was broken he picked up the pieces. He could tell something was wrong, and really made me feel a lot better." She confessed. That brought on a short period of silence. It did let me think better of Ricky, who wasn't just lucky or an opportunist. "You know, that was one of the most memorable moments in my life. Touching a girl like that for the first time. I had no idea what I should do, or what I could do, but I kept looking down the row at Dennis and Suzanne, and figured I should be able to do that too. I was in heaven; you were so amazing to be with." I told her, reaching out and taking her hand in mine. Her palm was moist. "You're telling me? You were the big 9th grader with the learner's permit and motorcycle. Big Man on Campus. The guy every girl wanted. And you wanted me. I had no idea what we should or shouldn't do on a date. I was hoping you knew." We laughed at that, remembering the intensity of those feelings. "Given a chance to do it over, I'd have camped out on your doorstep and professed my undying, eternal love the moment you walked out the door." I told her, half serious. "As I recall, you professed your love for me that evening, just before opening the top of my pants." She said with a wicked grin. I'm sure I blushed mightily. "I can't really ask forgiveness, but I really am sorry. Sorry now and sorry then. I fantasized about you for years afterwards, thinking of what could have happened if I hadn't been such a jerk. You have no idea how many of my fantasies you starred in back then." "If only you'd have let me know. Ricky was my first. It could have been you. Given half a chance, it would have been you." She had moved close and was speaking softly. "And this is my punishment. Knowing how bad I fucked up. Seeing you here, as beautiful as in my dreams, and knowing I've screwed up any chance of being with you." I placed my hand behind her head, stroking her hair. "I wouldn't say you'd screwed up Any chance, but you certainly blew that one." We were looking deeply in each other's eyes, recalling strong, painful feelings. I wanted her now, as I'd wanted her then, with a deep burning need, and I leaned forward those last two inches, and captured her lips with mine. She slid forward and melted against me, kissing me with every emotion boiling to the surface. She took my hand and placed it on her incredible chest, and I squeezed her breast, my thumb reliving that first caress of her nipple from so many years earlier. We stayed like that for a couple of minutes, and then broke apart. Her eyes glistened. "I've got a boyfriend." She confessed. I nodded understanding. "If I didn't?" I reached forward pressing my index finger to her lips. "I know. I missed my chance. It's my loss." We just sat side by side a minute, in silence. "You know," she said softly, "what you did to me that night, that was part of the problem." "I know. I'm sorry if I stepped over the line." I said, even now embarrassed at the liberties I'd taken. "No, not anything wrong. What you did to me, how you made me feel. You made me cream my jeans more than once that night. It was the first time I'd ever come. I'd heard about it, but it was almost unreal. Your fingers just drove me wild. It was over a year before another guy was able to do the same." She put her hand between her legs, seemingly remembering that first night. "That makes two of us. I don't know if you knew, but I came in my pants too, and you never even touched me there. By the time I got home I was a terrible sticky mess. I snuck out and threw that underwear away before my mother could find them and ask uncomfortable questions." I told her, laughing. She gave me an odd little look, and then slid around the tree, placing its 3 foot wide trunk between us and the house. She reached out for me, and of course I followed. "Could I, I mean would you mind?" She seemed lost for words. "What? Just ask. I certainly owe you one." I told her. She didn't ask, she just started unbuckling my belt. "I always wondered, and never really had a chance to find out." With the belt open she unbuttoned and unzipped my pants. "I mean, that night, you got to find out pretty much ALL about me, but I didn't; " I lifted my hips and let her pull my pants down a short ways, and then she reached up and pulled my underwear down exposing my fully erect monument to her sexiness. "I knew it, you bastard. Look at that." I didn't have to look. I knew it pretty well. And it was certainly standing tall and making me proud. She took me in hand and stroked me up and down, which after all the discussion and reminiscing was almost enough to get me off. "I just knew it. This should have been my first." She slowly stroked me up and down, and then she leaned over and took me in her mouth for just a second, sucking me deep and then releasing me. That was it. It was too much for me, and I stood up and shot my wad a good two feet out from where we were sitting. She giggled, as she helped me through my release, then pulled my underwear up back over my still dripping cock, and wiped her hand on the front of my briefs, before helping me pull my jeans back up. "If I wasn't tied up, I'd have you paying reparations," she told me as we both stood, and she slapped my hands away from my belt and finished straightening me out herself. "Let's consider it a delayed payoff. If things don't work out for you, maybe we can try it again. Rochester isn't That far from Amherst." Little did I know what the future held in store for us, but that's a different story. We walked back to the house hand-in-hand, laughing at the folly of youth, from the wizened experience of our 18 and 19 years. She had to leave shortly after, as did we, and I kissed her goodbye at the door. Once the door was closed I heard an exclamation from behind me. I turned to Tommy who said, "Now I've seen everything." "Amen," said Jack. "What?" I asked. "After how you treated her after our first date, I was certain you were on her shit-list for life." Jack explained. "Absolutely." Tommy chimed in. "Sheri said that Kathryn fantasized about doing mean and nasty things to you for years. I mean, hell, you did use her pretty bad." "I was a dope. I did some things I'd never done before, and was so embarrassed I didn't know how to even face her. So I screwed up and avoided her. I just made my apologies and we worked things out. I think she understands that I didn't try to be mean; I was just young and stupid. I didn't know what I was doing, and regretted it for years." I told them. "Geez. I always wondered how you could pass on that, when she was so available to you. You really did fuck up, didn't you?" Tommy pointed out. "Yep, not the first time, and I'm certain not the last. But we've buried the hatchet it seems." I answered "I'm just astounded that hatchet isn't in your back." Jack added. We left just a short while after that. We had one last visit to make. Teri Branson was passing through town, and wanted to see us if she could. She was just there for the day, and none of us wanted to miss out on that chance. The summer before 10th grade, I'd practically lived at Teri's. It was football time, and we were doing twice-a-days. We'd have morning practice, then a break so we wouldn't be out all day in the noon-time Florida summer sun. After the break it was afternoon practice. Teri was at our school and I never really knew her until that summer. She lived only a block from Mike, and we had run into her one day out washing the family car. We struck up a conversation, and the rest was history. I spent every football break at her house that summer. Mike didn't play football, but I'd pick him up on the way over there, and we'd hang out. She had a pool table, and a private rec-room with a stand-up arcade game. Her mother would always bring us snacks and drinks. Teri had not been popular, and was new to the school as well. But in a period of just a few months she went from a boyish figured tom-boy, to a devastatingly beautiful teen. Her breasts seemed to almost explode outwards, and once we'd met her mom, we knew where she got it from. She lost some weight, traded glasses for contacts, grew tits, lost the braces, and suddenly this beauty was in our midst, and nobody even knew about her but us. She was our secret. Tommy was going to a different high-school from me and Mike, but we still hung together most of the summer, and we had to let him in on our secret. The closest we'd come to having anything happen was a bizarre game of spin-the-bottle underneath the pool table. Mike, Tommy, me and Teri. Just an excuse for us to take turns kissing her. Her father was being transferred again at the end of the summer. I told her I was going to have a birthday party, and that we were going to play spin-the-bottle, I had hoped she'd be there, but now she was leaving. We were all upset. Tommy suggested we play now, since she couldn't make it then, and we did. It was strange but wonderful. Two weeks later she was gone. We met Teri at the mall, our planned rendezvous. We couldn't miss her; she was the center of a lot of attention. And still gorgeous. We ran up to her and had hugs all around. "I can only stay about 20 minutes," she told us with a pout. "Damn," was all I could say. So the three of us toured the mall, observing all the changes. It had been brand new the year we had been together. We grabbed some drinks, and wandered back outside, our time almost up, and barely even caught up. "Teri, I have a confession." I told her. "I know we acted pretty much like friends, but I was crazy about you. That summer I went home every evening and dreamed of you." "Hell, we all did." Tommy admitted. "We were such idiots," she said. She reached up to my collar and pulled me down for a kiss. Teri stood maybe 5 foot 1, so I had at least a foot on her in height. Bent over I let her kiss me, and I returned it eagerly. Finally she released me. "I was so confused. One day I'd like you, and then the next day you," she said nodding around the group, "and then you. I kept wondering who was going to be my first real boyfriend. I just knew it was going to be one of you. And then it was all over." She looked up at me. "I Still dream about you sometimes." All we could do was laugh it off, and say we'd get together sometime. She was living in Phoenix now, finishing high school, and it looked like she'd be going to Stanford. It was going to be hard to ever make that commute work out, not that she didn't seem like it would be worth the effort. Then her parents drove up. We said hi to her mom (who had been a secret fantasy of mine back then) and then with a last set of hugs it was goodbye to Teri. It was getting late so we dropped Mike back off at his house, driving mostly in quiet. I imagine we were all lost in thought over the quirks of fate and what might have been. For me, it was thoughts of Kathryn and Teri, two incredible opportunities that any teen would kill for, and I'd let them slip through my fingers. We dropped Mike off, but didn't go inside. As it was we were running late, and knew that if we went in, it would be a while before we got out of there. From Mike's it was a 5 minute drive back to Tommy's, but we drove past Teri's old house, just for nostalgia's sake. At Tommy's we were running late. Dinner was going to be at 6:00 pm, and somehow we'd burned the whole day. It was 5:45 before we even walked in the door, and we both wanted to clean up before dinner. The kid's rooms were served by two separate bathrooms, one at the end of the hall, and one off of Greg's room. So I stripped down to my shorts, and went to take my shower. I hadn't expected the bathroom to be full. Sheri was in their, applying the last of her makeup. Fortunately (or unfortunately) she was dressed. When I walked in, she gave a squeal, and came over and gave me a big hug. "I can't believe you're here! You're looking good." She said, stepping back and giving me the once over. "Wow, Sheri, you look great!" was all I could say. She had always been pretty. But the difference between a 15 year old Sheri and this one was night and day. The more mature Sheri was a beautiful young woman. "Thanks," she said, "I'll be out of here in a second, and you can have the place to yourself. I'm dying to talk to you." "I'll be here all night." I joked, stepping back into the room I was using, before my underwear had to undergo any more strain. I sat on the bed waiting, and after just a minute or so she poked her head in and said "It's all yours." She left the door open and walked out the other side of the bathroom. So that was one change at least that I hadn't noticed. Back in the day, this was Greg's bathroom. But since then someone had taken out the linen closet, and the old closet door now opened into Sheri's room. In retrospect it should have been obvious. With Greg away, the bathroom had a lot of stuff in it, although very neat. If I'd opened a cabinet or drawer, I would have seen all the makeup and girl's things. I was using Sheri's bathroom. I rapidly cleaned up and dressed. I was in a bit of a hurry, wanting to still wrap a couple of small presents for my hosts. I had bought several music tapes for my sister as a Christmas present, and decided to gift Tommy with one of them. I also had a photo in a frame for my mom, and decided to make the frame a family gift. It was simple, hand-made by yours truly from apple-wood. After borrowing some paper, tape, and scissors, I was ready to join everyone else just a few minutes later. To be continued in part 2. Based on a post by Tx Tall Tales, in 2 parts, for Literotica

Lost At Christmas: Part 1 His First Christmas away from home, & His best gift ever. Based on a post by Tx Tall Tales, in 2 parts. Listen to the Podcast at My First time. After my first semester in College, I was eager to go home for the holidays. I was going to school in Rochester, New York, and anybody who'd experienced the lake-effect winters on the Great Lakes would understand my desire to get to somewhere warmer. For me, that somewhere warmer was a long ways away. As a military brat, home was often a moving target, and that winter it was Santiago, Chile, where my father was stationed and where I'd graduated high-school. It was summer in Santiago, and I was looking forward to a pool-party with my old school mates for the Holidays. We didn't have a lot of money, but I was allowed to travel space available on a military flight as a Navy ROTC student. I had to get down to Charleston, South Carolina, and catch an international C1 41 flight that made a loop through Latin America. After finagling a ride to Virginia followed by a very long bus trip down the coast, I finally made it to Charleston AFB. ROTC travel orders in hand, I checked in at the desk, and verified I was on the standby list for the flight leaving on the 23rd. I wouldn't get home until Christmas Day, but better late than never. With pockets nearly empty, a hotel room was out of the question so I slept in the terminal and snacked on the cheapest eats I could get away with. There was a festive mood in the terminal, so many people rushing to get home for the holidays, and I was getting caught up in the feeling, eagerly looking forward to that very long plane ride, first to Panama, then Lima, and finally Santiago. After what seemed an interminable wait, we were an hour away from boarding when I got bumped off the flight by a group of Marines headed to Panama on Active Duty travel orders. I was devastated. The next flight left early the morning of the 26th. At least that one was a huge plane, and nearly empty so I was virtually guaranteed to get aboard, but what was I going to do for Christmas? Looking up at the outgoing flight schedules, I saw a flight listed for Tyndall AFB, Panama City, Florida. "When is the flight to Tyndall headed out?" I asked the airman behind the desk. "In an hour-and-a-half, and it's all but empty. You want on?" He asked, offering some recompense for my last minute bump. I'd lived in Panama City during 9th and 10th grade, and still had some close friends there, many I still kept in touch with. Maybe I could find someone to spend Christmas with there. It had to be better than sleeping in the terminal for 2 more days. "Please," I told him, "but hold my space for Santiago. I'll be back for that flight." I recalled there being a pretty big Greyhound station in Panama City, so I called Greyhound and checked on a bus being able to get me back in time for the flight. They had one, a 7:30 am bus on Christmas morning would get me back before midnight on Christmas. I could easily make the flight the next morning, even if it were delay a few hours. I bought a ticket, using the emergency Am Ex card my parents had given me when I headed off to college. I'd explain the $67.00 to my parents. I called my family in Santiago with the news. It had to be short call because of the expense, so I let them know I had been bumped but would be there on the 28th. I told them I was headed to Panama City, and would be taking a bus back in plenty of time for my flight. My mother cried, and my father told me to go ahead and use the credit card, but to try to keep the expenses reasonable. By the time I hung up I was pretty depressed, but at least I had a plan. Before I could try to contact anyone in Panama City, an announcement was made and suddenly I was on my way to Florida for Christmas, with no place lined up to stay, and practically broke. I was feeling a bit melancholy, but was determined to make the best of it. So there I was, at Tyndall Air Force Base, at 11:20 pm on December 23rd. I was debating who to try first. I had several close friends nearby and I expected they'd all be home for Christmas. After a short internal debate, I had narrowed it down to two. I had always gotten along well with their entire families, and I was still in pretty regular contact with both of them. Mike lived the nearest to me in the old days. He came from a big family, with 6 siblings, including Peggy, who'd been one of my first real deep infatuations. When I had been in 9th grade she'd been a senior, and was pretty and sophisticated. My yearning for her was unrequited, but I relished the idea of seeing her again after four years. She was a college senior, and would probably be home. I knew they'd welcome me, but I was concerned it would be an inconvenience. They did not have a large house, and it was bound to be crowded, particularly with three college kids home for the holiday. On top of that who knew if they had anyone else in tow? Tommy on the other hand came from a relatively well-off family who always lived well within their means. He had an older brother, who was working in Japan and unlikely to be home, a sister, Sheri, just a year behind us in school, and two much younger siblings, who I guessed would be around 9 and 10 by now. They had a spacious house, each kid had their own room, and I wouldn't be putting anybody out if I stayed there. I'd always had a crush on Sheri, but although I'd dated her best friend, I'd never gone out with her. Getting a chance to see her again would be an extra bonus. Feeling nervous and awkward, I dialed Tommy's number from memory, and luckily got him on the first call. If I'd gotten somebody else, I would have really felt uncomfortable. Tommy's answer was unmistakable. He had a funny way of saying hello when he answered the phone, and the sound of his voice took me straight back down memory lane. "Hee-ello," he answered. "Tommy! Guess who?" I asked. I guess my voice must have been similarly recognizable, since he didn't hesitate a second. "Steve-o! What are you up to? Where're you at?" He answered eagerly. It put a smile on my face. Nice to hear a happy, upbeat voice that seemed genuinely pleased to hear from me. "Funny you should ask. It's a long story, but I'm in a bit of a bind. I'm at Tyndall, and stuck here until Christmas Day." I told him. "What happened to Chile, and Rochester?" He asked. "I was on my way home to Chile, when I lost my seat on the plane in Charleston. I couldn't get out again until the 26th, so when I saw an empty plane headed this way, I just hopped on and hoped for the best." I explained. "That's Great!" He almost shouted. "Not great that you couldn't get home, but great that you're here. You want to stay with us? You can have Greg's room, he won't be here, and I'm sure Sheri and Mom would love to see you. The place is kind of 'down' with Greg canceling his trip home at the last minute. Having you here should cheer things up a bit." He did sound enthused, and I couldn't help grinning in reply. "Don't you think you should check?" I laughed. A scream in my ear was the answer, as I heard half of a shouted conversation. "Mom! Guess Who's In Town." "No, Not Greg." "No, Go Ahead Guess." "Guess Again." "Ok, Ok - Steve." "Yeah, Steve Pelland. He's Stuck Here In Town 'Til Christmas Day." "Of Course I Told Him He Should Come Here, I'll Go Get Him." "I Will." "Yes Mom; Yes; I Won't; I Will." I was holding the phone a little away from my head, and almost missed it when he came back on. "Where should I pick you up?" He asked. "The Main Terminal, you know where that is right?" I answered. "Sure - be there in about 30 minutes. Man, this is Great!" I hung up with a big smile on my face, feeling 100% better than I had just 10 minutes earlier. I stood outside waiting for him, and about 20 minutes later the strings of Christmas lights shut off one at a time, as the place closed up for the night. It was dark and quiet, and I started to get nervous again, wondering if this had been such a good idea. I was 500 miles from my flight home and completely at the mercy of old friends. But as far as friends go, I couldn't do much better than mine, and figured at the least I wouldn't be sleeping in a lonely terminal in Charleston for two days, slowly eating my way through my meager funds. When Bob pulled up around midnight, I could see he'd gotten rid of the VW Bug he'd inherited from his mother upon turning 16, and was now driving his brother's old Two-tone Cougar. We spent a minute saying hi, and loading my gear into the trunk, and then we headed back into town, catching each other up on history. When I had first moved to Santiago, I used to write about once every couple of months, as well as call a couple of times a year. In the beginning I'd written Sheri a lot as well. She was one of the most prolific writers among my old friends, and would typically write twice to me for every one I wrote to her. Over the years, that had degenerated into holiday cards and a surprise call maybe once a year. I knew he was attending Florida State, and that Greg had graduated from Georgetown, and had moved to Japan on business. That was about it. Tommy told me all about the old gang, who was in town, who was going to what schools, what people had been up to. I told him a lot more detail about what I'd been up to. "So," he asked, "Got a girl?" "Not now. Thought I had one after the ROTC Christmas ball, but that seems to have been my mistake." I admitted. "Hard to believe. You always had someone. Every letter, every phone-call, just seems like they didn't stay the same all that long." He teased. "I don't know. I had several relationships last pretty long. Two were more than 6 months long." I argued. "Oh! Six Months!" He laughed. "How about you then," I asked in defense. "Still Erin. Almost two years now." He asked. "Shit. What does she see in you? She could do so much better." I teased. "Oh really? Like how?" "Like me!" I laughed. "Right, like that would ever happen! Don't even think about it, or you'll be sleeping in the street." He was laughing as well. "Not if I called Erin I wouldn't," I shot back. I thought it was a great comeback, but it earned me a sock in the arm. We pulled up to his house, which still looked exactly the same, and things were pretty quiet. They used the same window lights, same roof lights, same bush trimmings year after year. It was just as I remembered. Who says you can't go back? "Mom's got to work tomorrow, so I'm sure she's in bed, and you know Dave crashes early, so we better keep it down. We've got lots to do tomorrow anyway." We entered quietly and put my bag in Greg's old room. Tommy stayed and chatted for a few minutes then bid me good night, telling me to sleep in as long as I wanted, as long as it wasn't past 9:00 am, and left me to get settled. Past 9:00? Now I remembered, they'd always been an early-bird household. For me 9:00 am Was the crack of dawn. Tommy and I had breakfast at about 9:30. He was already chiding me for sleeping in and missing the whole family. We had the house to ourselves. He'd been on the phone arranging our day, and once we'd finished the pancakes, we were off to see Mike and his family. Entering Mike's house was the same as it had ever been, but more-so. People everywhere, noise, laughter, roughhousing, it was all taken in stride by Mrs. Frey. We spent a few hours visiting, and getting fed again before we could leave. Mike's older sister Peggy still looked cute to me, but not the amazing creature my memory had somehow stored away. I had to tease her about the Christmas gift she'd given me three years earlier. She'd bought me a Richard Pryor tape, thinking it was Bill Cosby. When I played it for her in my car, she exploded, calling me names and accusing me of vile intent. At the time I had felt bad, confused, angry and a host of other feelings, now thankfully we could laugh at it. When I'd been 16 I'd been somewhat in awe of her, now things were comfortable. Mike's older brother was home as well, with his live-in girlfriend who seemed awfully ill-at-ease, and must have been at least 5 years older than Dan, maybe more. That was a story I'd have to hear more about. The biggest surprise was Alice. She'd been a few years younger than us. I wasn't sure if she was 16 or 17 now, but she was a bombshell. And she was coming on to me like gangbusters. I was really nervous, with her acting all touchy-feely with her mother and Peggy there. I was suddenly glad I had chosen to stay over with Tommy. With a pretty, stacked girl that seemed so infatuated with me around, I'm afraid I might have gotten into a whole lot more trouble than I needed. When we left there Mike joined us, and it was off to see Jack and Russ. They were a year apart in age. Russ had been in our class, and we'd been friendly with him, but Jack, although a year younger was our buddy. We played on the basketball team together, and when Tommy and I formed our first band, Jack was our bassist. At the Chambers house, we once again reminisced, and had to relive our first 'gig'. We had decided to play in the school talent show. With Tommy on piano and Jack on bass, I played guitar. We had a fourth guy on drums we'd all lost contact with. We had played Elton John, Deep Purple, The Eagles, and The Beatles. We had opened with the opening riff of "Smoke on the Water", and had been a hit. We were pretty lousy, but the audience was our friends, our parents and the parents of our friends, and at the end the parents even took up a collection for us. Pretty heady stuff. We'd called ourselves Bronze Myth, and had already designed our first three album covers before we had our first birthday party gig. Jack had been tall then, and had not stopped growing; he was now 6'7" and was attending University of Florida, playing basketball. He reminded me of the time when we went on our first dates together. I had gone with Kathryn Best, easily the most lusted after girl in the whole school, who was in Jack's class a year behind me. Jack, on the other hand, had gone out with our "Valentine's Day Queen", Anne, who was in my class and almost two full years older than Jack. He was always precocious. There had been a third couple with us, Dennis and Suzanne, and Jack broke the news that Suzanne had gotten knocked up, just before I left to go overseas, and she and Dennis had gotten married. There was a huge scandal, but they stuck together, and had the baby. They lived with Suzanne's parents. Dennis was doing alright, working for Suzanne's father. While we were visiting, several friends dropped in, including the aforementioned Kathryn who lived one street over. Kathryn, the stunning brunette who had the body of a 20 year old when she was 15, and had a beautiful face with features that just slayed me. Kathryn, the very first girl I had gotten to Third Base with. She was as pretty as I remembered, and I found out she was going to be attending Mt. Holyoke the following year, which was an odd coincidence since my girlfriend from High School was a sophomore there. Going out with Kathryn, a year younger than me had been a total fiasco. We'd sat together on an out-of-town bus trip and ranked high enough in the pecking order that we got the right hand seat second from the back. These trips were our biggest dates back then. Ours was a small parochial school, and on the bus trips, the athletes, cheerleaders and student fans all rode the same bug. The 30-90 minute trips were like pep rallies on the way out, and like the back of movie theatres on the way back. There were frequent "hand-checks" and the lights would come one as our coaches would walk the aisle, but it seemed like after our wins, the checks would be a little less frequent. Our win at Pensacola was my first real 'make-out' session, as we cuddled and kissed the whole trip home. I even got a chance to play with her breast through her sweater. Less than a week later I asked her to the movies, and we sat in the back with the two other couples, probably both scared spitless and nervous as goldfish in a blender. We'd started necking, which got more and more intense, and my hands boldly went where no hands had gone before. An hour into the movie I was almost out of control, and feverish with desire, and it seemed she was willing to let me do whatever I wanted. If I'd had a little more confidence, or a little more knowledge, who knows what might have happened? As it is, I went pretty far, probably too far, and I was scared to death afterwards. She was the first girl whose flesh I'd touched underneath her clothing. I didn't call her for several days, and even avoided her at school, not knowing what to say. In short I was a total jerk. Everyone thought we should be together, she was the pretty captain of the cheerleaders, with the big boobs, and I was the Big Jock, playing all the sports, while at the same time excelling in school. She was voted "Most Popular." I was "Most Likely to Succeed." However, in this case it turned out she was "Most Slighted", and I was definitely "Most Inept." After waiting several days, amazingly patient in retrospect, she had tasked her best friend Sheri, Tommy's sister, with letting me know that she thought we shouldn't go out. Next thing you know, she was going out with some geeky looking kid, and she dated him for the rest of the school year. I'd changed schools at the end of that year, and had seen her only infrequently the following year, before moving to Santiago. Outside in the backyard, Kathryn and I walked off together and finally had a few minutes alone. "You know Kat, I don't think I ever apologized for being such an idiot, after our first date. I really am sorry." She was quiet for a while. She had a sad little look. "You know, I waited by that phone night after night, crying myself to sleep. I saw you dodging me at school and it broke my heart." "I was young and stupid. I'd never done Anything with a girl before, and could hardly even believe I was with the hottest girl in school. After all the stuff I did, God, I was so embarrassed that I'd overstepped the boundaries, and I had no idea what to say." She sat down underneath the big tree in the backyard and I sat beside her on the circular bench around it. "You could have said something to Jack maybe, or Tommy, and let them tell me. At least let me know that you liked me, or had fun. Something." She looked on the verge of tears, even 3 years later, and I felt even worse. "I know. I kept kicking myself over it. I was so angry with myself and jealous when you went out with Ricky." I admitted. "He was nice to me when I needed it." "But it seemed such an odd fit. He was a nobody; the only thing he ever did noteworthy was date you." I told her. "He lived two houses down. We'd grown up together, and when my heart was broken he picked up the pieces. He could tell something was wrong, and really made me feel a lot better." She confessed. That brought on a short period of silence. It did let me think better of Ricky, who wasn't just lucky or an opportunist. "You know, that was one of the most memorable moments in my life. Touching a girl like that for the first time. I had no idea what I should do, or what I could do, but I kept looking down the row at Dennis and Suzanne, and figured I should be able to do that too. I was in heaven; you were so amazing to be with." I told her, reaching out and taking her hand in mine. Her palm was moist. "You're telling me? You were the big 9th grader with the learner's permit and motorcycle. Big Man on Campus. The guy every girl wanted. And you wanted me. I had no idea what we should or shouldn't do on a date. I was hoping you knew." We laughed at that, remembering the intensity of those feelings. "Given a chance to do it over, I'd have camped out on your doorstep and professed my undying, eternal love the moment you walked out the door." I told her, half serious. "As I recall, you professed your love for me that evening, just before opening the top of my pants." She said with a wicked grin. I'm sure I blushed mightily. "I can't really ask forgiveness, but I really am sorry. Sorry now and sorry then. I fantasized about you for years afterwards, thinking of what could have happened if I hadn't been such a jerk. You have no idea how many of my fantasies you starred in back then." "If only you'd have let me know. Ricky was my first. It could have been you. Given half a chance, it would have been you." She had moved close and was speaking softly. "And this is my punishment. Knowing how bad I fucked up. Seeing you here, as beautiful as in my dreams, and knowing I've screwed up any chance of being with you." I placed my hand behind her head, stroking her hair. "I wouldn't say you'd screwed up Any chance, but you certainly blew that one." We were looking deeply in each other's eyes, recalling strong, painful feelings. I wanted her now, as I'd wanted her then, with a deep burning need, and I leaned forward those last two inches, and captured her lips with mine. She slid forward and melted against me, kissing me with every emotion boiling to the surface. She took my hand and placed it on her incredible chest, and I squeezed her breast, my thumb reliving that first caress of her nipple from so many years earlier. We stayed like that for a couple of minutes, and then broke apart. Her eyes glistened. "I've got a boyfriend." She confessed. I nodded understanding. "If I didn't?" I reached forward pressing my index finger to her lips. "I know. I missed my chance. It's my loss." We just sat side by side a minute, in silence. "You know," she said softly, "what you did to me that night, that was part of the problem." "I know. I'm sorry if I stepped over the line." I said, even now embarrassed at the liberties I'd taken. "No, not anything wrong. What you did to me, how you made me feel. You made me cream my jeans more than once that night. It was the first time I'd ever come. I'd heard about it, but it was almost unreal. Your fingers just drove me wild. It was over a year before another guy was able to do the same." She put her hand between her legs, seemingly remembering that first night. "That makes two of us. I don't know if you knew, but I came in my pants too, and you never even touched me there. By the time I got home I was a terrible sticky mess. I snuck out and threw that underwear away before my mother could find them and ask uncomfortable questions." I told her, laughing. She gave me an odd little look, and then slid around the tree, placing its 3 foot wide trunk between us and the house. She reached out for me, and of course I followed. "Could I, I mean would you mind?" She seemed lost for words. "What? Just ask. I certainly owe you one." I told her. She didn't ask, she just started unbuckling my belt. "I always wondered, and never really had a chance to find out." With the belt open she unbuttoned and unzipped my pants. "I mean, that night, you got to find out pretty much ALL about me, but I didn't; " I lifted my hips and let her pull my pants down a short ways, and then she reached up and pulled my underwear down exposing my fully erect monument to her sexiness. "I knew it, you bastard. Look at that." I didn't have to look. I knew it pretty well. And it was certainly standing tall and making me proud. She took me in hand and stroked me up and down, which after all the discussion and reminiscing was almost enough to get me off. "I just knew it. This should have been my first." She slowly stroked me up and down, and then she leaned over and took me in her mouth for just a second, sucking me deep and then releasing me. That was it. It was too much for me, and I stood up and shot my wad a good two feet out from where we were sitting. She giggled, as she helped me through my release, then pulled my underwear up back over my still dripping cock, and wiped her hand on the front of my briefs, before helping me pull my jeans back up. "If I wasn't tied up, I'd have you paying reparations," she told me as we both stood, and she slapped my hands away from my belt and finished straightening me out herself. "Let's consider it a delayed payoff. If things don't work out for you, maybe we can try it again. Rochester isn't That far from Amherst." Little did I know what the future held in store for us, but that's a different story. We walked back to the house hand-in-hand, laughing at the folly of youth, from the wizened experience of our 18 and 19 years. She had to leave shortly after, as did we, and I kissed her goodbye at the door. Once the door was closed I heard an exclamation from behind me. I turned to Tommy who said, "Now I've seen everything." "Amen," said Jack. "What?" I asked. "After how you treated her after our first date, I was certain you were on her shit-list for life." Jack explained. "Absolutely." Tommy chimed in. "Sheri said that Kathryn fantasized about doing mean and nasty things to you for years. I mean, hell, you did use her pretty bad." "I was a dope. I did some things I'd never done before, and was so embarrassed I didn't know how to even face her. So I screwed up and avoided her. I just made my apologies and we worked things out. I think she understands that I didn't try to be mean; I was just young and stupid. I didn't know what I was doing, and regretted it for years." I told them. "Geez. I always wondered how you could pass on that, when she was so available to you. You really did fuck up, didn't you?" Tommy pointed out. "Yep, not the first time, and I'm certain not the last. But we've buried the hatchet it seems." I answered "I'm just astounded that hatchet isn't in your back." Jack added. We left just a short while after that. We had one last visit to make. Teri Branson was passing through town, and wanted to see us if she could. She was just there for the day, and none of us wanted to miss out on that chance. The summer before 10th grade, I'd practically lived at Teri's. It was football time, and we were doing twice-a-days. We'd have morning practice, then a break so we wouldn't be out all day in the noon-time Florida summer sun. After the break it was afternoon practice. Teri was at our school and I never really knew her until that summer. She lived only a block from Mike, and we had run into her one day out washing the family car. We struck up a conversation, and the rest was history. I spent every football break at her house that summer. Mike didn't play football, but I'd pick him up on the way over there, and we'd hang out. She had a pool table, and a private rec-room with a stand-up arcade game. Her mother would always bring us snacks and drinks. Teri had not been popular, and was new to the school as well. But in a period of just a few months she went from a boyish figured tom-boy, to a devastatingly beautiful teen. Her breasts seemed to almost explode outwards, and once we'd met her mom, we knew where she got it from. She lost some weight, traded glasses for contacts, grew tits, lost the braces, and suddenly this beauty was in our midst, and nobody even knew about her but us. She was our secret. Tommy was going to a different high-school from me and Mike, but we still hung together most of the summer, and we had to let him in on our secret. The closest we'd come to having anything happen was a bizarre game of spin-the-bottle underneath the pool table. Mike, Tommy, me and Teri. Just an excuse for us to take turns kissing her. Her father was being transferred again at the end of the summer. I told her I was going to have a birthday party, and that we were going to play spin-the-bottle, I had hoped she'd be there, but now she was leaving. We were all upset. Tommy suggested we play now, since she couldn't make it then, and we did. It was strange but wonderful. Two weeks later she was gone. We met Teri at the mall, our planned rendezvous. We couldn't miss her; she was the center of a lot of attention. And still gorgeous. We ran up to her and had hugs all around. "I can only stay about 20 minutes," she told us with a pout. "Damn," was all I could say. So the three of us toured the mall, observing all the changes. It had been brand new the year we had been together. We grabbed some drinks, and wandered back outside, our time almost up, and barely even caught up. "Teri, I have a confession." I told her. "I know we acted pretty much like friends, but I was crazy about you. That summer I went home every evening and dreamed of you." "Hell, we all did." Tommy admitted. "We were such idiots," she said. She reached up to my collar and pulled me down for a kiss. Teri stood maybe 5 foot 1, so I had at least a foot on her in height. Bent over I let her kiss me, and I returned it eagerly. Finally she released me. "I was so confused. One day I'd like you, and then the next day you," she said nodding around the group, "and then you. I kept wondering who was going to be my first real boyfriend. I just knew it was going to be one of you. And then it was all over." She looked up at me. "I Still dream about you sometimes." All we could do was laugh it off, and say we'd get together sometime. She was living in Phoenix now, finishing high school, and it looked like she'd be going to Stanford. It was going to be hard to ever make that commute work out, not that she didn't seem like it would be worth the effort. Then her parents drove up. We said hi to her mom (who had been a secret fantasy of mine back then) and then with a last set of hugs it was goodbye to Teri. It was getting late so we dropped Mike back off at his house, driving mostly in quiet. I imagine we were all lost in thought over the quirks of fate and what might have been. For me, it was thoughts of Kathryn and Teri, two incredible opportunities that any teen would kill for, and I'd let them slip through my fingers. We dropped Mike off, but didn't go inside. As it was we were running late, and knew that if we went in, it would be a while before we got out of there. From Mike's it was a 5 minute drive back to Tommy's, but we drove past Teri's old house, just for nostalgia's sake. At Tommy's we were running late. Dinner was going to be at 6:00 pm, and somehow we'd burned the whole day. It was 5:45 before we even walked in the door, and we both wanted to clean up before dinner. The kid's rooms were served by two separate bathrooms, one at the end of the hall, and one off of Greg's room. So I stripped down to my shorts, and went to take my shower. I hadn't expected the bathroom to be full. Sheri was in their, applying the last of her makeup. Fortunately (or unfortunately) she was dressed. When I walked in, she gave a squeal, and came over and gave me a big hug. "I can't believe you're here! You're looking good." She said, stepping back and giving me the once over. "Wow, Sheri, you look great!" was all I could say. She had always been pretty. But the difference between a 15 year old Sheri and this one was night and day. The more mature Sheri was a beautiful young woman. "Thanks," she said, "I'll be out of here in a second, and you can have the place to yourself. I'm dying to talk to you." "I'll be here all night." I joked, stepping back into the room I was using, before my underwear had to undergo any more strain. I sat on the bed waiting, and after just a minute or so she poked her head in and said "It's all yours." She left the door open and walked out the other side of the bathroom. So that was one change at least that I hadn't noticed. Back in the day, this was Greg's bathroom. But since then someone had taken out the linen closet, and the old closet door now opened into Sheri's room. In retrospect it should have been obvious. With Greg away, the bathroom had a lot of stuff in it, although very neat. If I'd opened a cabinet or drawer, I would have seen all the makeup and girl's things. I was using Sheri's bathroom. I rapidly cleaned up and dressed. I was in a bit of a hurry, wanting to still wrap a couple of small presents for my hosts. I had bought several music tapes for my sister as a Christmas present, and decided to gift Tommy with one of them. I also had a photo in a frame for my mom, and decided to make the frame a family gift. It was simple, hand-made by yours truly from apple-wood. After borrowing some paper, tape, and scissors, I was ready to join everyone else just a few minutes later. To be continued in part 2. Based on a post by Tx Tall Tales, in 2 parts, for Literotica

Mark Steel's In Town has just completed it's 14th series, and listeners from Shetland to Rutland and beyond have been tuning in. But what do they make of it? And what goes into putting each episode together? Mark joins presenter Andrea Catherwood on Feedback to answer your questions and unravel how the programme works.Some listeners also had questions about Radio 4's Materials of State, which is being broadcast this week. The first programme in the series covered the story of the UK's national flag - listeners claimed calling it the Union Jack was wrong. Malcolm Farrow, President of The Flag Institute, weighs in to clear up any confusion.And there's one final nomination for Feedback's Interview of the Year before nominations close. It comes from a listener who tuned in to Test Match Special Podcast to hear the BBC's Chief Cricket Reporter Stephan Shemilt interviewing veteran cricketer David Larter. Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Pauline Moore Assistant Producer: Rebecca Guthrie Executive Producer: David PrestA Whistledown Scotland production for BBC Radio 4

This week, we prepare for the 37th Annual Homeless Requiem to take place on November 3. Our guest speaker at today's Dean's Forum is Tracy Woodard, Program Manager for Homeless Services at Intown Cares. Tracy discusses how that agency is responding to the ever-increasing number of people facing food and housing insecurity and how we at the Cathedral can help.

First stop of the new series is Oakham, nestled in the UK's smallest county – Rutland.Rutland has a village that's proudly twinned with Paris (even if the Parisians don't know), has Europe's largest man-made lake (which required flooding a local village) and hangs its horseshoes the other way round (so the devil falls out, obviously).Joining Mark is Clare Balding, who's also in town to take him on a ramble around Rutland, which you can hear in Ramblings, this Thursday on Radio 4.This is the 14th series of Mark's award winning show where he travels around the country visiting towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness. After thoroughly researching each town, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for a local audience. As well as Oakham, in this series, Mark be will also be popping to Wrexham, Cambridge, Lewisham and, Lerwick and Unst in Shetland.To hear more episodes from this series, search "Mark Steel's In Town" on BBC Sounds.Written and performed by Mark SteelAdditional material by Pete Sinclair Production co-ordinator Caroline Barlow and Katie Baum Sound Manager Jerry Peal Producer Carl CooperA BBC Studios production for Radio 4

Clare Balding's In Town! To kick off the new series, Clare is walking in Rutland with comedian Mark Steel. Since they're in the same place at the same time, Clare is also making a cameo appearance on Mark's hugely successful Radio 4 show, Mark Steel's In Town, in Oakham, Rutland's largest town.Mark has been making In Town for 450 years (he told us) and each show involves intense research before he performs a stand-up routine about the area to a local audience. As Clare and Mark amble around the Hambleton Peninsula, which stretches into Rutland Water, Mark and his producer Carl Cooper discuss what it takes to pull together an episode of In Town.Mark also discusses the theme of his new book, Leopard in My House, about his recovery from cancer. Guiding Mark and Clare is keen local walker Richard Cooper, who has lived in the area for 20 years and is both knowledgeable and passionate about Rutland. Mark Steel's In Town – Oakham, Rutland will be broadcast on Tuesday, 7 October, with Ramblings following on the 9th... with both available forever on BBC Sounds...Map: OS Explorer 234 - Rutland Water Map Ref: SK901075 for Ketton Road where they started the walkPresenter: Clare Balding Producer: Karen GregorA BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4

Imagine the convenience of grabbing dinner as you walk home from work or powering through the afternoon slump with a stroll around the park. When you live intown, those dreams can be your everyday reality! Derek Turner, owner and president of The Middle Housing Company, joins Host Carol Morgan on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss intown living and his new community, Knight Walk at Howell Station in West Midtown. Intown Living: Connection and Convenience Turner said, “Intown living is increasingly appealing because it offers a lifestyle that's built around convenience and connection.” The idea of walkable living is a major draw for many homebuyers and renters moving to the city. Mixed-use developments are popping up all over the metro area, bringing together restaurants, office spaces, shopping and residential opportunities. Intown living offers this same convenience for residents to walk to work, live near cultural venues and save time in their daily routines. Balancing Affordability in An Urban Climate Turner says creative design is the key to building affordable homes in the city. He starts with a smaller footprint that allows for higher-density housing and a lower cost per unit. Turner emphasizes that, while infrastructure and land costs remain high intown, the demand for walkable living makes it desirable to build there. Which homebuyers are gravitating toward the intown lifestyle? Turner identifies dual-income, millennial couples and higher-earning, single professionals as major buying groups for intown communities. These buyers seek a shorter commute to the city, especially when one or both residents work intown. While the monthly payments are relatively pricey, the savings on gas and time often override the cost. Knight Walk at Howell Station The Middle Housing Company recently opened for sales at its new, intown community, Knight Walk at Howell Station. Located in one of northwest Atlanta's historic neighborhoods, this community is nestled near Westside Paper and the Atlanta Beltline-connected Spur Trail. Knight Park, a historical greenspace, is just minutes from the community. Howell Station is long-renowned for its mixed architectural styles, including bungalows, craftsman-style, Victorian and Colonial revival residences. During the 1800s, it was developed around the Western Atlantic Railroad stop in Atlanta and still displays its industrial roots. “We drew from that architecture,” said Turner. “The brick, the concrete board, the darker palette, some of those industrial tones,” said Turner. “We want it to feel authentic to the neighborhood.” What can homebuyers expect to see at Knight Walk at Howell Station? Every home is an end unit! Instead of building traditional townhomes with four, six or eight units in a row, Turner opted for building townhomes in sets of two residences to maximize natural light and provide ample outdoor living. Each home is 1,400 square feet and boasts 14 windows, creating an open, inviting living space. Residents also enjoy 8-foot-deep covered porches that allow maximum outdoor living with plenty of space for outdoor furniture. “We made zero concessions when it comes to natural light,” said Turner. “It's an amenity here.” Community Influence on Smart Housing Solutions With innovation, discussion and pushback often occur. Turner points out that he appreciates collaboration because it holds him accountable and encourages conversations. When The Middle Housing Company is working to remedy zoning issues or trying to get a project approved by local officials, it approaches those concerns with flexibility and a willingness to meet conditions effectively. Thinking about putting down roots in Atlanta's west side? Tune in to the full episode to learn more about intown living. For more information about The Middle Housing Company, visit www.middlehousingcompany.com. About The Middle Housing Company The Middle Housing Company is an Atlanta builder dedicated...

With their first review in Rap Rankings history of the artist formerly known as Tity Boi, Moulz & Mel cover his debut album under the 2 Chainz rebrand, Based On A T.R.U. Story. -------------------------------------- Intro (0:00) -- The Rating System, Explained (5:19 - 8:00) -- Based On A T.R.U. Story Info (47:40) -- Track 1: "Yuck! (1:14:36) -- Track 2: "Crack" (1:23:34) -- Track 3: "Dope Peddler" (1:37:29) -- Track 4: "No Lie" (1:44:10) -- Track 5: "Birthday Song" (1:58:47) -- Track 6: "I'm Different" (2:11:18) -- Track 7: "Extremely Blessed" (2:30:09) -- Track 8: "I Luv Dem Strippers" (2:38:00) -- Track 9: "Stop Me Now" (2:51:41) -- Track 10: "Money Machine" (2:59:31) -- Track 11: "In Town" (3:01:54) -- Track 12: "Ghetto Dreams" (3:04:20) -- Track 13: "Wut We Doin?" (3:08:07) -- Track 14: "Countdown" (3:12:28) -- Track 15: "Like Me" (3:19:10) -- Track 16: "I Feel Good" (3:24:02) -- Track 17: "Riot" (3:28:18) -- Ranking Based On A T.R.U. Story (3:33:10) -- Outro (3:40:10)

In this episode, we sit down with Matt Crouse, the host of the acclaimed The Working Drummer podcast, to unpack the secrets behind his show's incredible 500-episode milestone. Matt shares insights on building meaningful relationships in the music industry, the art of networking, and the importance of specializing as a musician. He also discusses the evolving landscape of home recording, session work, and the vibrant drumming community in Nashville. Whether you're a drummer, a podcaster, or an aspiring creative, this conversation is packed with invaluable lessons on building a sustainable career. Tune in to discover the strategies that have made The Working Drummer podcast a resounding success.   Some Things Things That Came Up:  -1:00 Gifts! -3:30 500 Episodes of The Working Drummer Podcast -7:00 Being Thoughtful and hand written thank you notes -8:45 It doesn't take much to stand out these days  -10:30 Moving AWAY from home made all the difference! -11:45 Working at Jim Rupp's Columbus Pro Percussion -13:00 Covering all the styles in Columbus, Ohio  -13:20 Going to school with Jay DeMarcus  -16:00 Working at Fork's Drum Closet. Retail or Play?  -19:30 Matt works out!!! -22:30 A Big Fish in a Little Big Town  -26:00 Standing on the shoulder of giants  -30:40 Drummers are in a PRACTICE, like a doctor or a lawyer -34:00 Working with the Frontmen of Country Music  -37:00 “The Road” vs. “In Town” -41:50 Click vs. No Click  -46:00 Creating musical moments under pressure  -47:00 Lower Broadway is a source of experience -54:00 When you move to Nashville, you are STARTING a business  -56:30 Start a Podcast!!! Keeps your name front of mind with people -57:30 Savannah Jack -1:02 Home Studio Pricing and Psychology  -1:05:40 Relationships! -1:11:20 Looking back on the humble beginnings of Matt's podcast  -1:12:50 Co-Host Zach Albetta! -1:15:00 The skill of hosting  -1:26:00 Advertisers and dynamic ads on podcasts -1:28:00 The Music City Drum Show  -1:29:50 The Fave 5 -1:30:00 Bassist Luis Espaillat crashes the podcast!  1:32:40 THE Tribute band  FOLLOW: www.mattcrouse.net www.workingdrummer.net    Born and raised in Columbus Ohio, Matt caught the music bug early. When he was 7 years old, a friend's father was in the entertainment business. Hanging out at rehearsals and on the tour buses sold Matt on the idea of being a musician, or at the very least, a drummer. All this lead to spending his high school years at Fort Hayes vocational school for music and Capital University Conservatory of Music for college studying under drum instructor Bob Breithaupt. The musical diversity in Columbus gave Matt the chance to play with many great players and learning many different styles – from Big Band (Vaughn Weister's Famous Jazz Orchestra) and Brazilian to Afro-Cuban and Fusion. All the while, he was doing his share of gigs with original rock bands and top 40 bands. Matt moved to Nashville in the summer of 1999. Working as a freelance drummer based in Nashville has taken him to all 50 states in the U.S. and most of Canada, as well as overseas to Europe, Asia, The Middle East and The Caribbean. As well as the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Matt has performed in great local venues like the Ryman Auditorium, Mercy Lounge, 3rd and Lindsley, The 5 Spot, The Sutler, The Basement, The Wildhorse Saloon, and many clubs on lower Broadway.  Matt has toured both regionally and nationally, with the Adam and Shannon Wright, Mark Selby, Eddy Raven, Billy Dean, Stephen Simmons, Three Lane, Whiskey Cash & Roses, Michelle Wright - (throughout Canada), Julie Roberts, and The Frontmen of Country which is Larry Stewart of Restless Heart, Richie McDonald of Lonestar, Tim Rushlow of Little Texas. From 2009 to 2017 Matt was the full time drummer for the band Savannah Jack. He played percussion on their first studio record in 2010 opposite Steve Ferrone on drums. For their second studio record in 2015, Matt was the drumset and percussion player in the studio. In the studio, Matt has had the pleasure of working with talented producers including Eric Fritsch, Teddy Morgan, Jim Reilley and Brent Maher. Artist he's recorded with in the studio have included Sheryl Crow, legendary songwriter Buzz Cason and actor Kevin Costner. In 2015, Matt started a podcast for drummers called "Working Drummer", an interview based podcast that maintains a focus on the drummer that makes a living at his or her craft. Along with the help of co-host Zack Albetta, the podcast has a growing audience throughout the world with more listeners every week. www.workingdrummer.net   *******SUBSCRIBE/RATE/REVIEW!!! www.richredmond.com/listen     The Rich Redmond Show is about all things music, motivation and success. Candid conversations with musicians, actors, comedians, authors and thought leaders about their lives and the stories that shaped them. Rich Redmond is the longtime drummer with Jason Aldean and many other veteran musicians and artists. Rich is also an actor, speaker, author, producer and educator. Rich has been heard on thousands of songs, over 25 of which have been #1 hits!   Rich can also be seen in several films and TV shows and has also written an Amazon Best-Selling book, "CRASH! Course for Success: 5 Ways to Supercharge Your Personal and Professional Life" currently available at:   https://www.amazon.com/CRASH-Course-Success-Supercharge-Professional/dp/B07YTCG5DS/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=crash+redmond&qid=1576602865&sr=8-1   One Book: Three Ways to consume....Physical (delivered to your front door, Digital (download to your kindle, ipad or e-reader), or Audio (read to you by me on your device...on the go)!   Buy Rich's exact gear at www.lessonsquad.com/rich-redmond   Follow Rich: @richredmond www.richredmond.com     Jim McCarthy is the quintessential Blue Collar Voice Guy. Honing his craft since 1996 with radio stations in Illinois, South Carolina, Connecticut, New York, Las Vegas and Nashville, Jim has voiced well over 10,000 pieces since and garnered an ear for audio production which he now uses for various podcasts, commercials and promos. Jim is also an accomplished video producer, content creator, writer and overall entrepreneur.   Follow Jim:   @jimmccarthy www.jimmccarthyvoiceovers.com www.itsyourshow.co

Emily Marsh from the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce and Berit Brown from Intown Concord are back in the Concord TV podcast studio for this year's holiday episode. They talk about Spread Joy, Shop Concord and other holiday happenings.

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Emily from the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce and Berit from Intown Concord are in the Concord TV podcast studio for our 3rd annual holiday podcast talking about Spread Joy, Shop Concord, Midnight Merriment and other holiday happenings. Learn more at https://concordnhchamber.com/spread-joy-shop-concord/ and https://members.intownconcord.org/events/Details/midnight-merriment-849080.

Part 3 -- Bernie Sanders Breaks Up a Would-be Fist Fight on the U.S. Senate Floor. The Circus is In Town & Paine is Your Rogue Ringmaster. We Cannot Say Much of the 'Really Good Stuff' on Here That's Why We Created Paine.tv YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE SHOW BY CLICKING THIS LINK -- *** DONATE HERE *** GET the Intel that's Too Hot For Anywhere Else at P A IN E. TV CONTRIBUTE TO THE SHOW BY CLICKING THIS LINK -- *** DONATE HERE *** ...This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5788750/advertisement

Part 2 -- Bernie Sanders Breaks Up a Would-be Fist Fight on the U.S. Senate Floor. The Circus is In Town & Paine is Your Rogue Ringmaster. We Cannot Say Much of the 'Really Good Stuff' on Here That's Why We Created Paine.tv YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE SHOW BY CLICKING THIS LINK -- *** DONATE HERE *** GET the Intel that's Too Hot For Anywhere Else at P A IN E. TV CONTRIBUTE TO THE SHOW BY CLICKING THIS LINK -- *** DONATE HERE *** ...This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5788750/advertisement

Part 1 -- Bernie Sanders Breaks Up a Would-be Fist Fight on the U.S. Senate Floor. The Circus is In Town & Paine is Your Rogue Ringmaster. We Cannot Say Much of the 'Really Good Stuff' on Here That's Why We Created Paine.tv YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE SHOW BY CLICKING THIS LINK -- *** DONATE HERE *** GET the Intel that's Too Hot For Anywhere Else at P A IN E. TV CONTRIBUTE TO THE SHOW BY CLICKING THIS LINK -- *** DONATE HERE *** ...This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5788750/advertisement

Mark Somerson of Columbus Business News has the latest local business news including Figlio in Upper Arlington will close its doors

In podcast 432 Jerome travels from town to town. This musical journey takes you to big towns, boom towns, small towns, party towns, mean towns, dirty towns and even to the wrong side of town. Playlist: Artist - Album - Track. 1 Betty LaVette - Thankful n' thoughtful - Dirty Old Town. 2 Charlie Musselwhite - Mississippi Son - Drifting From Town To Town. 3 Billy Jones & Delta Blues Outlaws - Biggest House In Town. 4 Victor Wainwright & The Wildroots - Boom Town. 5 A Beat Combo - My Baby Wants to Kill Me - I'm Gonna Leave This Town. 6 Walter Trout Power Trio - Hardcore - Gotta Leave This Town. 7 Brother Dege - Farmer's Almanac - Country Come To Town. 8 Tiny Legs Tim - Melodium Rag - Happiest man In Town. 9 The Mike Eldred Trio - Baptist Town - Baptist Town. 10 Peter Karp - Alabama Town - Alabama Town. 11 Timo Gross - Fallen from Grace - Small Town Blues. 12 Dr Hall - You've got to give a little Deux - Mean Town Blues. 13 Kaz Hawkins Band - Feelin' Good - Belfast Town. 14 Tinsley Ellis - Kingpin - The Other Side Of Town. 15 Marcia Ball - Tattooed Lady and Alligator Man - Party Town. 16 Liz Mandeville - Playing with Fire - Joliet town. 17 Delta Moon - Low Down - Wrong Side Of Town. 18 Chris Finnen - To My Southern Town - To My Southern Town. Size: 185 MB (194,785,280 bytes) Duration: 1:21:07

This week's edition of T3 can only go by 1 TITLE: It's MARGARITA MADNESS!! That's right, we're matching up 8 of KC's TOP MARGARITAS in a Bracket Showdown to determine who has the TOP TAKE HOME MARGARITA in the Town!! We've got the Southwest Boulevard Region vs. the 39th St/Brookside & Beyond Region!! ON LOCATION AT THE HI-DIVE ON 39th With Special Guest Margarita/Martini Lovers and Lash Masters HEATHER & KAITYANA VILLINES from CHIC BEAUTY on the Plaza, our taste buds will determine who has the tastiest To-Go Margaritas!!! We've got MARGARITAS, EL PATRON, PONAK'S, TAQUERIA MEXICO, RUDY'S, LOS TULES, JALAPENOS & MISSION TACO JOINT! (And a Bonus Marg from Drunken Worm!) Our guests tell us their tips for great Margaritas, Margarita No Nos and their best drunken Margarita Moment (maybe this episode is one of them?) We read the Many Origin Stories of the Margarita! Which one is true? In the TACO TICKER we learn about the Margarita being 2023's Most Ordered Cocktail so far...but what 2 drinks are hot on it's (cock)tail?! In Town of The Taco, we ask "KC has the Best (Blank)" and "Places in KC I'll Never Eat Again!" Also: Taco Bell Secret Menu Ordering Tips! AND IN THE END: Dave and his guests power through and crown THE BEST MARGARITA IN KC!! WHO WILL WIN? WILL THEY SURVIVE?! DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME, KIDS! Editor: Matt Allen. Music: SUNEATERS COURTESY OF LOTUSPOOL RECORDS. Sponsors: DIPP IT SALSA. KCK TACO TRAIL. HEATH INJURY LAW. 

Christina convinced Maddie to watch The Good Bad Mother, and she has no REGRETZ. .... There's a lot to unpack in this drama, and lots of spoilers, so if you haven't watched The Good Bad Mother yet GO WATCH IMMEDIATELY (but you can listen to this review episode until (9:05), because we give a non-spoiler synopsis before then!) If you have watched, you know that this show is the bees knees in so many frickin ways. .... (ALSO ~ Fun fun fun times over here because Christina is IN TOWN, y'alls!!!! Maddie and Christina have the time of their lives actually sitting in the same room as each other while they record. Enjoy!!!) .... Thank you for listening to YA GIRL MADDIE!!! Follow Maddie on Instagram bc she has a bunch of fun over there: https://www.instagram.com/yagirlmaddie_pod/ ..... Support YA GIRL MADDIE on Patreon: www.patreon.com/yagirlmaddiepod?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maddie-bowser6/message

This week we are back in Mission, Kansas at the beautiful new Tortilla Ranch location with special guests BRITTANY TILANDER & PATRICK MOORE from The Pitch's THE BRITTANY & PATRICK SHOW Podcast! Brittany & Patrick (Yes, THAT Brittany & Patrick) tell us about their new podcast (currently up for Best KC Podcast in KC Magazine's BEST OF KC) and what KC luminaries they have interviewed! We also ponder what other 'Ranch' style restaurants that the Tortilla Ranch folks could add to their umbrella! (Sushi Ranch? Ranch Ranch?) We get a Pancho's/Rancho's Update and Patrick & Brittany tell us where to find the Best Club Sandwich in KC and if there will be applesauce on the side! We get some MEMORIAL DAY reflections, try to think of a new Summer Theme for the show and we wonder why Cadbury Eggs aren't as good as they used to be! AND DON'T MISS THE SPECIAL GIFT CARD SECRET WORD GIVEAWAY! In the TACO TICKER, we taco 'bout the closing of Salsa's Grill in Mission, the up to 400 Burger King's that will be closing across America in 2023 (maybe it's because of that new jingle) and TACO BELL is trying to get TACO JOHN's to relinquish their copyright on the term 'TACO TUESDAY'! ALSO: Patrick gives us his TOP SUMMER MOVIES SO FAR and what to look forward to! Will Smith's WILD WILD WEST Memories! WET B-WORDS & LARGE FISH TACOS AS BIG AS A HONDA CIVIC! AND What Food would make good Boxing Gloves! In Town of The Taco we ask: "What's the Best KC Concert You've Ever Attended?" & "KC has the best (Blank) in the World!" In Random Taco Question of the Week we ask: "If your hands were tacos would you eat them?" & Who has the BEST Chips n' Salsa in KC?!" So put on your bib and step up to the QUESO TROUGH!! TACO THE TOWN IS DOWN ON THE TORTILLA RANCH AND WE'RE NEVER LEAVIN'! HAVE A KICK ASS SALSA!! Editor: Matt Allen. Music: Suneaters courtesy of Lotuspool Records. SPONSORS: DIPP IT SALSA. KCK TACO TRAIL. HEATH INJURY LAW. 

Introduction: Welcome to Five & Thrive: a weekly podcast highlighting the Southeast's most interesting news, entrepreneurs, and information of the week, all under 5 minutes.  My name is Jon Birdsong and I'm with Atlanta Ventures. Companies Worth Applying To: We have two companies worth applying to right now that are worth taking a serious look.  First is ViewFi, the telemedicine company out of Atlanta led by CEO, Michael Williamson. ViewFi connects you with the world's top medical experts to get your pain or injury diagnosed, without the wait. They are hiring for a Sports Medicine Physician. The process for ViewFi helps you connect, diagnose, plan, and recover all through a simple application alongside a trusted and premier medical professional.  Next up, this past week, A.T. Gimbel and team hosted another fantastic Atlanta Healthcare Meetup with Ryan Jones, the CEO of Florence Healthcare. Florence frees clinical trials from bottlenecks, so they can accelerate and scale. Sites are drowning under the demands of today's clinical research trials, slowing clinical trials, increasing costs, and delaying cures. Florence's Site Enablement Platform helps sites streamline operations, enable remote monitoring, and integrate study workflows. They are hiring for several roles including a Senior Sales Executive, Salesforce Admin, and several others. We put the link in the show notes and if you didn't watch the live interview with Ryan, I highly recommend listening to our events page. Podcast of the Week: I have not listened to the entire episode because it is 3 and half hours in length and my bike ride is a crisp 30 minutes, but I'm well into it and it comes highly recommended from a trusted source. This podcast comes from the show Acquired and it is the full history of LVMH, and how Bernard Arnault turned a $15m investment in a bankrupt French textile company into the world's largest individual fortune. This story is equal parts Berkshire Hathaway, Barbarians at the Gate, Steve Jobs / Ted Turner etc and worth any entrepreneur's time. We put the link in the show notes. Quiet Giant: One of the Top 10 Most Innovative companies that piqued my interest last week from the TAG Summit was DataSeers. They have over 80 employees.  This is an enterprise solution for fintech and banking operations that helps with onboarding, ACH processing, anti-fraud, compliance, reconciliation, and Analytics. FinanSeer® converts raw transaction data to meaningful information that financial institutions can use to optimize their processes and protect their customers. It cleans data and automates workflows to increase operational efficiency across several aspects of the business. . Feature Release of the Week: Major major release and put I “release” in air quotes as this is a release of physical space, but Intown Golf Club in Charlotte opened their doors this week to the initial Founding 100 members and it was a spectacular event. If you are in Charlotte and love to play golf, socialize, and like good food and spirits, Intown Golf Club is the place for you. The outdoor patio, putting green, and firepit is just the beginning before you head indoors to 8 simulators, private dining, a massive bar and much more. Shout out to the team on creating another special location.   Raise a Glass: You know was I putting together this week's Five and Thrive and was a little surprised there had not been a funding announcement this week of any sort, and then all of sudden, right before I hit send on this bad boy, I see an update that Jason Rubbotom's Clovery just raised a very impressive $19M let by GroTech Ventures. Cloverly built the first API in the world for carbon credits and the company has grown to become the leading digital infrastructure powering the voluntary carbon market. Their software is helping any company scale their impact by providing the infrastructure to supply or buy carbon credits with the click of a few buttons.   Congratulations to Cloverly and team on the next phase of growt!  Annnnnd that's five minutes! Companies Worth Applying To: ViewFi, Florence Healthcare  Podcast of the Week: Acquired: LVMH Feature Release of the Week: Intown Golf Club Raise a Glass: Cloverly  

This week we gathered three KC Twitter Celebs JEREMY '@GuysSnacks' SMITH, DANIELLE '@danielleRoyalKC' NELSON & CHRIS '@TheFakeNed' KAMLER to taste test the tasty tacos at the new GUY'S BROADWAY BODEGA in the Crossroads and talk everything KC from the Royals to the the NFL Draft to the possible new Downtown Stadium! We chat about it all, folks! We even get into the Twitter Blue Checkmark debate! (Would you pay to get your blue checkmark back?) We even peer into KC's future to see what we might have to improve on when the World Cup comes to town! Our guests also tell us their favorite KC Taco spots and we ask "Why are there no Bodega Cats in the Broadway Bodega?" In the TACO TICKER, we Taco 'bout the KCK Taco Trail returning, McDonalds is competing with Taco Bell on the frozen drink front and Taco Bell bringing back Nacho Fries...now with Yellowbird Hot Sauce! Also touched up on: Banana Splits: Smash or Pass? Danielle reveals she's never eaten at Taco Bell! And the age old question, would you enter a promotion to win a Jimmy John's Bean Bag Chair? In Town of The Taco we ask: What's your KC Guilty Pleasure? (Danielle's Only Fans?) We uncover some KC Lies! And our guests reveal the one restaurant they hoped visitors checked out during the NFL Draft! In Random Taco Question of the Week, We reveal Unpopular Taco Opinions, What's the Proper Way to Hold and Eat a Taco and we ask: "Have you watched any good Taco themed TV shows recently?" ALL THIS AND: Jeremy gives us the lowdown on the Guy's Snacks Empire! TACO THE TOWN AT GUY'S BROADWAY BODEGA!! At the confluence of Broadway and Southwest Boulevard yet snuggled up right next to your taco heart! Editor: MATT ALLEN. Music: SUNEATERS courtesy of LOTUSPOOL Records. Sponsors: DIPP IT SALSA. HEATH INJURY LAW. SUNEATERS NEW ALBUM ON LOTUSPOOL RECORDS.   

Introduction: Welcome to Five & Thrive: a weekly podcast highlighting the Southeast's most interesting news, entrepreneurs, and information of the week, all under 5 minutes.  My name is Jon Birdsong and I'm with Atlanta Ventures. Companies Worth Applying To: The market is on fire with Greenzie, an Atlanta Ventures company. Greenzie adds autonomous operation to commercial zero-turn mowers which reduces labor costs, increases productivity, and enhances safety. Clients range from universities like Texas A&M, Georgia Southern University, and Purdue to traditional lawn maintenance crews. They are hiring two business development reps. If you are, or you know someone self-starting and eager to drive revenue, apply right now - the job description is in the link below!  Another company hiring today is Intown Golf Club. There are two roles open and these roles do not avail themselves often. First is an Operations Manager of Interior Design. This role is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the design team and ensuring the team runs smoothly and efficiently. It will include working with leadership to negotiate, buy, and store all the interior design assets and collateral. The other role at Intown Golf Club is a Development Associate. This role will assist the Development leadership on building out new locations and ensure all existing locations are up to the IGC standards.  Company Coming Up: This company coming up is out of Raleigh-Durham and is called ResultId. Continuing on the AI theme from last week, ResultId works with companies to leverage their proprietary data by applying AI to it and generating insights that would take a data scientist weeks. The data they focus on ranges from product data, to customers success data, to research data. Insights from their analysis help craft narratives so you can build, market, and sell better. And I just love how they have the domain name resulted.com (as it sounds) but then redirects to their company name which is spelled as ResultId Podcasts of the Week:  The podcast of the week comes from YCombinator titled How to Build An MVP with Michael Seibel. This podcast is only 17 minutes long but it succinctly describes the iterative process required to build an MVP. It reminds much of how much a different skill uncovering a market niche, building a first prototype, gaining your first 100 raving customers and iterating on the process is so much different than operating a business post product market fit on towards scale. MVP's don't start with customer surveys or market research. They start with one raving fan, then another, and then another, and it's way better to have 100 people who crave your product than 1000 who are lukewarm fans. If you are thinking about starting a company or building a product or community, this is a must listen to. Blog Post of the Week: Jason Cohen, aka A Smart Bear, published a banger of a blog post titled “Excuse me, is there a problem?” He wrote around 8000 words about how to dissect a problem you've uncovered from a business perspective. He brings in TAM equations, flow charts, and qualifications and more. I can't recommend this post enough and quite frankly, I'm still digesting it. We put the link in the show notes.    New Fund Announcement: Big news coming out of Atlanta, Dallas, and New York this week. Braemont Capital closed their inaugural fund with $525M of committed capital. Well done for the team and their Managing Partner, Robert Covington, and local leader, Beau Allen. Braemont invests in technology and software companies across the country. We covered a deal they did not too long ago with Orlando based RedTeam software acquiring Nashville-based Paskr. Raise of the Week: Three Emory graduates are building Axle, the API for insurance companies and they just closed a $4M round. They are taking the playbook from Plaid – which was also co-founded by an Emory alum – and running with it in the insurance space. Imagine a user connecting their insurance account through Axle and immediately seeing if someone is up-to-date and to the extent of the insured. Before Axle, fleet managers, lenders, and gig services relied on legacy systems, paper, and long phone calls to verify personal insurance information. Today, it's one simple API call. Congrats to the team on their raise and success out of  YCombinator!  Annnnnd that's five minutes! Companies Worth Applying To: Greenzie and Intown Golf Club Product of the Week: ResultId Podcast of the Week: How to Build an MVP with Michael Seibel Blog Post of the Week: Excuse me, is there a problem?  New Fund Annoucement: Braemont Capital Raise of the Week: Axle, a Universal API for Insurance

The ‘path of most resistance' - that is essentially what Catherine Weetman faces as a specialist in the area of regeneration and the circular economy.  She talks to organisations about the need to ditch outdated business models and go beyond current thinking. She also challenges current practices around product life cycles and materials, and shares practical and meaningful strategies and plans for becoming more sustainable in a world with dwindling natural resources.  All of this is so that they are able to survive and prosper in the changing environmental and consumer landscape, and they also contribute to averting the wider peril affecting all of us. Catherine is an Award-winning author, keynote speaker and circular economy strategic advisor, and she is fascinated by the 'sweet spot' where strategy, stakeholder value and sustainability come together. Her award-winning A Circular Economy Handbook, published by Kogan Page, is now in its 2nd edition, and she hosts the popular Circular Economy Podcast, with listeners in over 150 countries. Catherine has been speaking about this topic for over 10 years and has evolved her content and delivery over that time to better connect with her audience where they are, in order to start them on the journey to where they need to be.  If you are looking for a great example of someone who makes the complex and abstract simple, engaging and relatable then you will love this episode. Not only will you broaden your knowledge in the area of the circular economy, but you will pick up some great speaking tips to boot! Enjoy! What you'll discover: What started Catherine on her circular economy journey. What made her go all in and what happened as a result. What a ‘super wicked problem' is and why that definition matters. How Catherine communicates the one idea that businesses need to understand in order to shift perspective and start taking action. Why companies should look to lead in the area of sustainability, rather than following the crowd. What the ‘circular economy' actually means. Identifying and tackling the myths around sustainability. The challenges Catherine has encountered getting people and companies on board. How Catherine has switched up her content and delivery style as a result of facing these challenges. The part that speaking has played in getting her message out there and building her authority and consultancy practice All things Catherine:   Website:  https://www.rethinkglobal.info/ Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-weetman-9419107/ The Circular Economy Podcast - https://www.rethinkglobal.info/circular-economy-podcast/   Books & Resources*: Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts (2008) by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson The Scout Mindset by Julia Galef  Rype Office https://www.rypeoffice.com/ Comedian Mark Steel – on BBC Radio 4 with Mark Steel's In Town https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rtbk8/episodes/guide   Resources: Want to get better at finding and sharing your stories then check out our FREE Five Day Snackable Story Challenge Practice your speaking & test your content in a safe space in The Speaking Club ‘Live' Membership Want to create a signature talk that sells, then check out our Nail Your Signature Talk in 60 Days programme.  Want to find out about working with me 121 then book a call here. https://www.saraharcher.co.uk   Thanks for listening!   To share your thoughts:   Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out:   Leave an honest review at https://www.ratethispodcast.com/tsc. Your ratings and reviews really help get the word out and I read each one.    Subscribe on iTunes.   *(please note if you use my link I get a small commission, but this does not affect your payment)

This week we take the show for a trip up North...NORTH KC, that is!! We're sampling the tasty tacos at CHEF TITO's with special guests from KC's Award Winning Musical Improvisation Comedy Troupe THE MAESTROS (maestroskc.com) JOANNA DE LEON & JERRY RAPP! They tell us about their upcoming show at the Underground Throwdown on April 8th at The Kick Comedy Theatre in Westport! Dave reveals what the W. in his name stands for (Is it Willshimer?) and also tells the gang about the time in his life when he was the KC Karaoke Champion and went by the name Kevin Peters! Will the Maestros attempt to get Kevin Peters to return from his long hiatus? YOU'LL HAVE TO LISTEN TO FIND OUT!! We chat a bit about St. Patrick's Day in KC and Spring Break (and do some bad Irish & Scottish accents!) And Joanna tells us about the time she went Salsa Dancing and tore up the dance floor at Chef Tito's! We also learn about Joanna's early years growing up in Salem, Oregon with skinny cows! And Jerry has a bone to pick with Chipotle!! In the TACO TICKER we cover the news story about Taco Bell marrying a couple in the METAVERSE (which derails the show as we attempt to enter said Taco Metaverse and live our lives there the rest of the episode!) We also taco 'bout Chipotle announcing they are starting a spin off restaurant concept! Will it have free breadsticks like Fazoli's? Chef Tito stops by our table and tells us his taco theory and serves us up some scrumptious OCTOPUS TACOS!!! In Town of The Taco, We make up some new KC Slogans and/or catchphrases! And we ruminate on Things KC Gets A Bad Rap About! ALL THIS AND: Don't Miss our guests singing some Good & Bad Reviews in Funny Voices! Joanna has one too many sips of her margarita! In Random Taco Question of The Week we ask: What is the proper order to layer your taco and Does a Taco place make a great first date location? ALSO: KEVIN PETERS RETURNS TO SING SOME BEE GEES! Will Dave/Kevin and his guests ever make it out of the Taco Metaverse?! DO THEY EVEN WANT TO LEAVE? The Answer is NO this week on a very special TACO THE TOWN! Editor: Matt Allen. MUSIC: Suneaters courtesy of Lotuspool Records. SPONSORS: Dipp It Salsa, Brew Biz KC Card game & Heath Injury Law.  

This week we're checking out one of the newest Taco spots in the KC area, TACOS 4 LIFE GRILL, with special Taco Reviewer guests Madame Marisa MacKay & Chelsea "Whiskey Go Go" Anglemyer from KC's Burlesque Downtown Underground! We taste test done tasty tacos and the guests tell us about their upcoming Valentine's Day shows this week on Feb. 11th at The Bird and Feb. 14th at J. Rieger's Hey Hey Club! What sexy hijinks are in store? We also run down a list of Good & Bad/Acceptable & Unacceptable Valentine's Day Gifts & Activities! What would you choo-choo-choose for your sweetheart? We even chat a little bit about the SUPER BOWL!! We also talk a lot about the delicious Puffy Taco shells at Tacos 4 Life! Chelsea tells us about her top taco spots in KC and we learn about the Old Arby's (Now Taco Republic) that has a basement! Who knew?! In the TACO TICKER we learn about Taco Bell bringing back Chicken Wings! Will you eat them? In Town of the Taco we ask our guests: What's the Worst KC Concert you ever attended? And what's your favorite interaction with a KC Celebrity? (Paul Rudd and Eric Hosmer Stories!) ALSO: We get to the bottom of the hard hitting questions like: How do you chose what end of the Taco you start to eat? And Would you date a Soap Person if you were Pro Cilantro? And the bigg one: Would you risk your life for tacos?! And don't miss Random Taco Questions of the Week: what's the longest you've ever gone without eating a taco? And what are the Best & Worst Fast Food Chain names? TACO THE TOWN AT TACOS 4 LIFE!! All we're askimg is for you to tattoo our logo on your lower back. No biggie! Editor: MATT ALLEN. Music: SUNEATERS. Courtesy of LOTUSPOOL RECORDS. Sponsors: Heath Injury Law & The new SUNEATERS album 'Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Fingers.'  

Take your hands off that Taco your holding and place them on your radio! It's time to make a pledge to eat more tacos in 2023!!! And we get this year off to a taco-riffic start by taste testing the tasty tacos at MACARENA'S in the Northland with guests Zeke & Codie and Patrick Moore from 106.5 The Wolf's Morning Show! Patrick tells us how he got in trouble with Amazon and the gang tells us about their Morning Show and Podcast and who exactly is the Glue and who is the Ooze! They also share their personal taco journies and we chat about their favorite Taco spots in KC and who has the strongest margaritas! We also chat about KC Restaurant Week and where you can get some great deals on some KC Tacos! We also break off some knowledge on The Macarena, the song that took over the planet in late 1996-Early 1997 and was named the greatest #1 Hit Wonder of All Time! In the TACO TICKER, we learn about some new Birria Tacos that Taco Bell is testing in two markets and the TGI Fridays Mozzarella Sticks Lawsuit! Don't Miss: Disturbing Tales of Objects Found in Food! Zeke wants a McRib Taco!! AND: 2023 TACO RESOLUTIONS! HAVE YOU MADE YOURS? In Town of The Taco we ask 'KC Needs A (Blank) and Things KC Gets a Bad Rap About! And in Random Taco Questions of The Week we ask our guests: Have you watched any good taco themed TV shows lately? What's your Dream Taco that you've never tasted? And How many Tacos do you think you could eat in a year? TACO THE TOWN!!! GET YOUR NEW OFF TO A TACO-LICIOUS START! EDITOR: Matt Allen. MUSIC: Suneaters courtesy of LOTUSPOOL RECORDS. Sponsors: Heath Injury Law & ABSINTHE MAKES THE HEART GROW FINGERS The new album by Suneaters.       

This week we're coming to you on location at Effing Candle Company with returning T3 Guest BIRDIE HANSEN, talking turkey, candles and tacos!! We check out the tasty tacos and chips n' guac from the new Westport Taco Spot, BRIX LATIN AMERICAN CUISINE and Dave asks Birdie what exactly a Taco The Town scented candle should smell like? (Bean dip & Leather?) We also read a long list of Birdie's delightful food tweets off Twitter! Each one opens a whole cornucopia of Food Dreams! (How much would 100 Chicken McNuggets cost? We unravel the Mystery of the Plaza Cheesecake Factory Trash Tunnel! And we reveal our 7 Course Dream Last Supper!) We taco lotta Thanksgiving this week as we discuss some Turkey Topics and Birdie tells us about Italian Thanksgiving, Hanukkah Dinner and her Grandma's Meatballs! In the TACO TICKER we discuss the Philadelphia Man who ate 40 Rotisserie Chickens in 40 Days! Would ya? Could ya? And we also learn about the Electric Charging Stations coming soon to 100 California Taco Bells! In Town of The Taco we ask Birdie about Places in KC She'll never Eat Again and KC LIES!! All this AND Birdie tells us 'bout her favorite Midtown Eats!! TACO THE TOWN AT EFFING CANDLE CO! STILL EATING TACOS AND STILL HAVEN'T GOT THE GOUT! Editor: Matt Allen. Music: SUNEATERS courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: Spanish Gardens Taco Sauce. Suneaters New Album "Absinthe Makes The Heart Grow Finger." On Lotuspool Records.   

There's not enough time in the day to spend it figuring out what to watch, hear and... do! So in Ross Recommends, Ross Stevenson does all the heavy-lifting for you with the help of experts and friends.In Episode 3, Ross recommends a movie with Paul Harris, a poem with David Armstrong and anecdotes with Gary Lechte. WATCH0:42 - Casablanca https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW4-fJ6sXMc13:06 - Paul recommends: The Thief, His Wife and The Canoehttps://binge.com.au/shows/show-the-thief-his-wife-and-the-canoe!16020 READ14:18 - Clive James poem, In Town for the March 23:38 - David Recommends: Mike Bassett: English Managerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQmCV7aUEj8 SAY24:50 - Anecdotes37:00 - Gary recommends: Aloxe-Corton WinesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's not enough time in the day to spend it figuring out what to watch, hear and... do! So in Ross Recommends, Ross Stevenson does all the heavy-lifting for you with the help of experts and friends.In Episode 3, Ross recommends a movie with Paul Harris, a poem with David Armstrong and anecdotes with Gary Lechte. WATCH0:42 - Casablanca https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW4-fJ6sXMc13:06 - Paul recommends: The Thief, His Wife and The Canoehttps://binge.com.au/shows/show-the-thief-his-wife-and-the-canoe!16020 READ14:18 - Clive James poem, In Town for the March 23:38 - David Recommends: Mike Bassett: English Managerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQmCV7aUEj8 SAY24:50 - Anecdotes37:00 - Gary recommends: Aloxe-Corton WinesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As many of you may know The Moon Under Water takes its name from an essay written by George Orwell, in which he outlines his idea of the perfect pub; what it looks like, what it contains, what fixtures and fittings are present. Earlier this month Landlord John and Robin ventured into the Other Realm to record a special LIVE episode as part of the Orwell Festival. Live from The Marquis Cornwallis in Central London (just round the corner from a blue plaque celebrating Orwell) they were joined by a guest who not only loves pubs, he knows a fair bit about Orwell too. It's comedian, author and broadcaster Mark Steel!Mark is one of the most beloved broadcasters in the UK. He regularly appears on radio and television, and his series Mark Steel's In Town is famous for documenting towns around the UK that don't often get much coverage (and his research often involves visiting pubs in said towns). We all know what happens when John, Robin and a guest are put into a REAL pub, so prepare to immerse yourself in The Moon Under Water once more.Want to hear an extended version of this episode (featuring a Patreon-only choice), gain access to our bonus podcast ‘Behind The Cellar Door' and support the upkeep of the pub? If so, head to moonunderpod.com and sign up to our Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

*This is part 2 of Mark Steel's episode. Though you are free to listen in whichever order you so desire we really do recommend listening to part 1 first or things might be slightly confusing*As many of you may know The Moon Under Water takes its name from an essay written by George Orwell, in which he outlines his idea of the perfect pub; what it looks like, what it contains, what fixtures and fittings are present. Earlier this month Landlord John and Robin ventured into the Other Realm to record a special LIVE episode as part of the Orwell Festival. Live from The Marquis Cornwallis in Central London (just round the corner from a blue plaque celebrating Orwell) they were joined by a guest who not only loves pubs, he knows a fair bit about Orwell too. It's comedian, author and broadcaster Mark Steel!Mark is one of the most beloved broadcasters in the UK. He regularly appears on radio and television, and his series Mark Steel's In Town is famous for documenting towns around the UK that don't often get much coverage (and his research often involves visiting pubs in said towns). We all know what happens when John, Robin and a guest are put into a REAL pub, so prepare to immerse yourself in The Moon Under Water once more.Want to hear an extended version of this episode (featuring a Patreon-only choice), gain access to our bonus podcast ‘Behind The Cellar Door' and support the upkeep of the pub? If so, head to moonunderpod.com and sign up to our Patreon! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week our Great Summer Taco-cation brings us to the new South OP/Leawood Taco spot VIVA TACOS & TEQUILA, an immaculate taco palace! We are joined by Special Taco Reviewer Guests AMANDA ROSE & TREVIN BARTEE from SERIOUSLY SINISTER: A True Petty Crime Podcast! They tell us about their show and we can't about some Taco related Petty Crime stories and some Non-Taco related Petty Crime stories! Amanda (a big fan of chips n' salsa) gives us a breakdown of her favorite chips n' salsa in the city and Trevin tells us about being raised on PEANUT BUTTER TACOS! We taste test some tasty tacos and margaritas...but not just any margaritas! These come in an awesome golden plane!!! In the TACO TICKER we taco 'bout KC being named a host city for the 2026 World Cup and how it's a huge chance for KC to introduce our delicious tacos to the world! Also Dave volunteers his services to the Mayor to help him get more tacos into the mouth's of World Cup visitors! Also we tackle to topic of the New Floating Bank-like Taco Bell design! Are the taco chutes a danger to small children? Is this the future we were always promised? In the Cheesy Gordita Crime segment of the show we tell the tale of the Prison Escapes who was captured while in the Taco Bell Drive Thru! In Town of the Taco, we ask our guests what their favorite Sandwich spot in KC is, their favorite Seafood spot and if they know of any KC LIES or KC Secrets!! All of this AND we ask: If you could only eat one fast food restaurant for the rest of your life what would you choose? And who has the BEST Margaritas in KC?! It's a busy T3 this week!! True Petty Crime, Tacos and a little plane that flies margaritas right into your heart!! Editor: MATT ALLEN. Music: SUNEATERS courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: KCK Taco Trail and Our Music by The Bump Band. 

This week on T3 we kick off our Summer Taco-cation as we once again venture into the World of TACO PIZZA but not just any Pizza! It's GUY'S DELI in Westport's SPANISH GARDENS TACO PIZZA!! That's right, we are ON LOCATION at the hottest new deli in town (Guy's Deli in the former Joe's Pizza-by-slice spot) and we're joined by guests HARTZELL GRAY & KITTY from the KC MORNING SHOW Podcast! Dave and his guests try out some delicious taco pizza, critique each other's pizza eating styles and go over some Guy's Snacks History as well as some Taco Pizza History! Hartzell speaks about his many jobs and Kitty rages over Taco Bell taking away the Mexican Pizza again! Also: Can we get a large Potato Chip fountain to honor KC being the birthplace of the BBQ Potato Chip? In the TACO TICKER, We try to get to the bottom of Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza bait-and-switch and we also taco 'bout the Burger King in Pennsylvania where a man walked in and there were no employees! We also get into some Tales from the Subway on Southwest Blvd! (What's up with that place?) In Town of The Taco we ask: What's the best place to see a concert in KC? And What's your Favorite KC Landmark? ALL OF THIS AND: Kitty tells us about making a Spaghetti Taco in her Youth! Should Guy's get into the Chocolate Covered Potato Chip Game? And Hartzell does NOT DIG Shrimp Tacos! In Random Taco Question of The Week We Find out: How do you pronounce 'salsa'? And what's the Strangest Thing You've Ever Done or Seen in a restaurant? (Family Fisticuffs at Perkins!) Also: A Special Tribute to Shannon Gaines Bowman. TACO THE TOWN & KC MORNING SHOW UNITE WITH GUY'S DELI!! A MATCH MADE IN KC FOOD HEAVEN! Editor: Matt Allen. Music: Suneaters courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: Spanish Gardens Taco Sauce, KCK Taco Trail & Bump Band 'Our Music'. 

This week we're honored to be joined by special guest BUMP FUNK, KC Funk & Soul Legend! Bump and Lotuspool Records just released his long awaited album 'Our Music' by The Bump Band which was recorded in 1983 and thought to be lost forever! Also joining us this week is Bump Band vocalist and bass player ROBERT KELLY, Bump's Son JEREMY SCOTT (who helped rediscover his Dad's music) and Lotuspool Records Head Honcho CHRIS 'LOST' (also from the Lost & Found & Rewound Podcast!) We review the tasty tacos from JALAPENO TACOS KC in the NORTHLAND! In this episode Bump and the crew tell the story of how the album OUR MUSIC was found and brought to Lotuspool Records for release and Bump and Robert tell us about the early days performing KC Funk! Bump also described his famous stage attire (futuristic arctic caveman diaper?) and we do a run down of some of the tracks on the OUR MUSIC album! In the Taco Ticker we taco 'bout a man who started a weight loss journey when Taco Bell took the Grilled Stuffed Nacho off the menu! And we also get into the Florida Bride and her caterer who were arrested for lacing their Wedding Lasagna with Marijuana! And don't miss Bump telling us about the time a young Bump accidentally stumbled upon The Beatles concert at Memorial Stadium in the '60's! In Town of The Taco we tackle The Best Italian Spot in KC, The Casinos and 18th & Vine! Also Don't Miss: Bump tells us about a bad taco experience he had in Tijuana! Chris Lost wants Dave to nominate him for the Buck O' Neil Seat at a Royals game! And Jeremy, Chris and Bump tell us about their bowling league! In Random Taco Question of The Week we touch on: Best Nachos in KC! What's the furthest you've traveled for tacos? Have you ever been in a fight over food? And do you have a song that you're embarrassed is on your listening device? TACO THE TOWN WITH THE BUMP BAND!! THE PERFECT ELIXIR FOR THOSE WHO WANT A TASTE OF FUNK WITH THEIR TACOS! Editor: Matt Allen. Music: SUNEATERS and BUMP BAND courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsored by: SPANISH GARDENS TACO SAUCE. KCK Taco Trail. OUR MUSIC by the Bump Band. 

Eric Baker with Keller Williams Realty and Ellen Hill with Atlanta Fine Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to chat about MUST Ministries, how they got started as volunteers as well as the organization's growth. Baker and Hill join host Carol Morgan on the Around Atlanta segment. Born and raised in Atlanta, Baker has been an active player in the real estate industry for over 10 years, partnering with clients from Canton to Intown metro neighborhoods and everything in between. From the metro area as well, Hill grew up in Marietta and has been a Realtor for nearly a decade. Hill has been named one of the top three agents in the Cobb Realtors group numerous times over the last several years. Celebrating 50 years in the Atlanta area, the core focus of MUST Ministries is homeless rehabilitation, spotlighting housing efforts, food insecurity and other efforts to get individuals back on their feet. The workforce development office gives clients the resources necessary for successful job placement, including resume workshops, application tips and more. The office also helps reduce preventative job entry barriers by fulfilling essential qualifications such as meeting uniform regulations and securing job certifications. Baker said, “Anything and everything that spans out from being in a homeless situation or being any kind of food insecure [or] housing insecure is pretty much what we are there for.” The expansive Must Ministries housing network offers emergency shelter in their newly opened homeless shelter as well as semi-supportive housing, including subsidized and permanent housing as individuals move towards stability. Other incredible efforts include the mobile food pantry, Summer Lunch Program, and a thrift store that offers clients interview-appropriate clothing for job placement. Growing up in the metro Atlanta area, Hill often heard of the fantastic efforts courtesy of the organization and distantly participated in food drives. When the pandemic began, Hill came across a social post detailing how Must Ministries was mobilizing efforts to feed less fortunate students who cannot afford school lunches. Hill said, “Here I am sitting [and] working with people who have great problems and there are so many across the street and right around me who are so much less fortunate.” Hill quickly sent a message to someone associated with the organization and became involved. Her love for Must Ministries continued to grow exponentially, leading to her position on the Board of Directors alongside Baker. Tune in to the full interview above for more information about Keller Williams, Atlanta Fine Homes and Must Ministries. To discover volunteer opportunities and upcoming events, visit www.MUSTMinistries.org. Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above! Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding, Keller Williams Realty, Atlanta Fine Homes and Must Ministries are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2022) New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000's list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta. The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the ho...

We're back on the South Plaza this week checking out the tasty tacos at THIRD STREET SOCIAL with special Taco Reviewer Guests NATALIE FIELEKE (Snack & Style Aficionado) and Savor & Swirl Co-owner HANNAH WILLIAMS! Natalie tells us about her days working at Taco Bell as a teen! (What secrets did she learn? Did she get to use the meat hose?) Hannah remembers her weird childhood Taco Bell order! (Sour Cream and Black Olive Taco?) Natalie fills us in on her recent trip to Mexico and DAVE WANTS TO PAINT A NEW TACO MURAL! WHO WANTS TO HIRE HIM? Also: Ketchup in Taco meat? Yay or Nay? In the Taco Ticker we taco 'bout Dolly Parton and Doja Cat releasing the parody musical "Mexican Pizza: The Musical" on Tik Tok to celebrate Taco Bell bringing back the Mexican Pizza! And we tell the tale of the Couple who found a bag of 1950's McDonalds good in the walls of their home while doing a renovation! Were the fries still crispy? What other fast food relics are out there waiting to be found?! Did Tom Pendergast leave a half eaten box of chicken in the walls of the building we are recording in?! In Town of The Taco we ask 'What's Your New KC Slogan'? And who is your favorite KC Historical Figure? Our guests sip on some delicious Spicy Margs as we chat with PO WANG the culinary director at Third Street who introduced us to his tasty tacos (and Burger)! That's right, we review our First Burger on T3 as we go HAM on the Animal BURGER! Dave eats a Taco that reminds him of a taco he ate in a past life centuries ago! And Dave also reveals what he thought of his first visit to Whataburger! In Random Taco Question of the Week we ask: If Tacos weren't called tacos what would you name them? And What would you fill your personal pinata with? TACO THE TOWN AT THIRD STREET SOCIAL! LIKE A PINATA FILLED WITH GUACAMOLE, THIS ONE IS CHOCK FULL OF GOODNESS! (Just don't hit us or green stuff with start spewing out.) Editor: MATT ALLEN. Music: SUNEATERS courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: Our Music by The Bump Band. KCK Taco Trail. 

Get the latest info about this year's Market Days Festival, thanks to an exclusive interview with Intown Concord's Event Coordinator Haylie Stoddard.

This week we step into the Fajita-verse to review the tasty Fajitas and Tacos at FAJITA PETE'S in Overland Park with special guests Mariah Kelli and Eliza Williams (KC Fashion Models, Fashion Honors Autism)! Mariah tells us about how she has recently abandoned tacos for quesadillas (WTF?) and Eliza gets shook when we tell her about the Pancho's/Rancho's name change! Our guests also tell us about their High School years flirting with a handsome Taco Bell employee that worked the drive thru window which might have also led to their love of Taco Bell! We get into some SIZZLIN' FAJITA CHAT (Did you ever go through a Fajita phase? What are the traits of a Fajita Guy/Girl? Are Fajita people all Geminis?) We also crack open some Fajita History or Faj-history and learn about the origin of Fajitas! In the Taco Ticker we taco 'bout the Taco Bell Nacho Fries shortage, get into some deep French Fry talk (Mariah has some serious thoughts on Fries!) and we also discuss Chipotle using influencers to promote their new Pollo Asado menu item! In Town of The Taco we answer the questions KC NEEDS A (FILL IN THE BLANK) and What's the Worst Idea KC Ever Had! All this and: Dave eats Bean Dip! We try not to celebrate National Burrito Day! Does Fajita Pete's deliver on little red scooters or not? Eliza puts our Burrito censor to work! CAT HAIR TACOS! A REAL TACO NO NO! And in Random Taco Question of the week we ask: 'Whats the Longest You've Ever Gone without eating a Taco?' and 'Whatcha Watchin'?' Hop on your Red Scooter and enter the Fajita-verse of Madness this week on T3!! Editor: MATT ALLEN. Music: SUNEATERS courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: KCK Taco Trail & 'Our Music' by the Bump Band. 

On this week's episode we finally unwrap (or should that be unbag?) the enigma that is the WALKING TACO down at UP DOWN in the Crossroads with guests JASON RAMOS and NICK FUSTON from Up Down and the It's A S I.N. Podcast! Jason and Nick tell us about their podcast and what it's like working at Up Down! Dave and his guests share some Arcade/Video Game stories from their past and Jason tells us about holding the Taco Eating Record at The Easy Inn (32 Tacos!!) We get down the the nitty gritty on Walking Taco history and finally determine if a Walking Taco is a taco or just taco adjacent! We also consider some other names that a Walking Taco could be called! (Taco Salad Bag? Taco Satchel? The No Tortilla Taco?) In the Taco Ticker we taco 'bout TikTok TV Coming Soon to Fast Food Restaurants and Medical Offices! We touch upon the avocado shortage and avocado inflation and also talk about the Communist Leader from Vietnam who ate a Gold-Flecked Steak from Salt Bae's restaurant in London! In Town of The Taco we cover 1.) "I always wondered this about KC!" and 2. Favorite spots in The Northland! In random Taco Question of the Week we ask: Would you eat a $60 Taco? And will our future be filled with Virtual Tacos or is it already? All this and: What's the best club sandwich in KC? A very violent answer to 'Would you ever turn down a taco?' NFT Tacos!! AND THE ULTIMATE QUESTION: WHERE ARE WALKING TACOS WALKING TO?! Taco The Town!! Extra Sour Cream Please!!! Editor: Matt Allen. Music: Suneaters courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: KCK Taco Trail, Una Familia Tequila and "Our Music" by The Bump Band from Lotuspool Records. 

Rebbetzin Dena Schusterman is the rebbetzin of Chabad Intown in Atlanta, Georgia. Rebbetzin Dena offers practical pointers on truly connecting with our children, as opposed to controlling them. Authentic connection leads to a strong parent-child relationship and ultimately leads your child to be more willing to cooperate you because they have formed a bond with you. She also talks about empathetic listening and really feeling the pain of your child so that they feel that you understand them and that you are not dismissing them. Rebbetzin Dena talks about the 3 brain states: Reptilian Brain (am I safe?), Emotional Brain (am I loved?), and the Pre-Frontal Cortex (makes meaning from our circumstances.) My favorite quote from this interview: Rejection is Hashem's protection! Really a strong and informative interview for those who have children or grandchildren! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vera-kessler/message

Anna Kilinski of Keller Williams and Intown discusses the importance of putting systems in place and delegating to automate as many tasks and responsibilities as possible. She explains how by answering a few simple questions, (i.e., Does this bring me joy or money? and What is my time worth?). By following the ‘do it, delegate it, or ditch it' philosophy, she has been able to create an organization which operates smoothly without her while she is away on vacation. Anna also shares the benefits her team has gained from being consistent and authentic in their marketing and social media messaging.  Agent Upgrade is proudly sponsored by Jasmine Mortgage Team.  Topics: - How Outsourcing can Increase your Real Estate Business with Anna Kilinski - Anna's start in Real Estate and advice for New Agents - What Anna wishes she'd done sooner - Creating Systems to prioritize tasks and time - Getting Comfortable releasing Control and Delegating Tasks  - The value of working on your business, not in your business - Anna's Incredible Real Estate Marketing Strategies - Taking small steps to becoming your best self - Anna's experience on the show “Buying It Blind” - Being Authentic on Social Media  - Work or chat with Anna Kilinski! Also, check out Alan's book, House FIRE, to blow your mind on how real estate investing FIRE method ('financial independence, retire early') can change your life.  JASMINE'S INFO:  -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasminemortgageteam/  -Tiktok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLje3oF7/ ALAN'S INFO:  -Twitter: https://twitter.com/thehouseofAC -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehouseofac/   -Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehouseofac -Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thehouseofac ANNA'S INFO: -Email: annak@annakintown.com  -Website: https://www.annakintown.com/  -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annakilinski/  -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnaKilinski  EPISODE LINKS:  - Inbox Zero Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ql1CQfxWxQ  - Loom: Async Video Messaging for Work: https://www.loom.com/  - Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0867ZJ151/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sout - Deborah Blue: https://www.acrossatlanta.com/  - Mark Spain: https://markspain.com/  - Atomic Habits: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits  - Buying It Blind: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8845428/  AGENT UPGRADE PODCAST INFO: -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agentupgradepodcast -YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqsg1xvT7t9o9BYoLx3-0yw -Website: https://agentupgrade.libsyn.com/ -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agentupgradepodcast

If a taco lover was to be a member of any club there might not be a better club than the TACO-HOLICS CLUB in Downtown Lee's Summit, MO! And that's where the show is this week with our special guest taco reviewers PAIGE FICKBOHM & SYDNEE OWENS from the ACTUALLY ACTUALIZED Podcast, a local KC podcast that helps it's listeners live a healthier and more productive life! Paige & Sydnee give Dave a little advice to help him Actually Actualize his Taco Easting Journey and to reach his full taco potential! Our guests also give tips on how to block time on your schedule to eat more tacos, solidify your morning breakfast taco routine & introduce us to a Taco High Five! (Will High Fives and Low Fives ever come back?) Paige tells us about being a Taco Bell Party Pack Girl from way back and Sydnee tells us about growing up in Lee's Summit and eating at that one place on the highway with the plane crashed into the side of it! Since we are at TACO-HOLICS CLUB, we run down a list of the different types of Taco-holics and find out what type our guests might be! (Happy, Sloppy, Sentimental, Infantile, Touchy Feely, Violent, Naked, Broken Down or Blackout!) ALSO: Have you ever whispered to your tacos? If so, what did you say? AND: Cold Left out tacos? Yay or Nay? In the TACO TICKER we discuss the new Taco Bell Cantina opening up in Westport and we taste test some of the new Brach's Late Nite Taco Truck Jelly Beans! Just in time for Easter!! In Town of the Taco we taco 'bout First Friday and the Crossroads and ask "What's the best place in town to bring Out-of-Town Guests?" We also wonder if you can purchase an insulated/heated fanny pack for keeping your tacos warm? ALL THIS AND: Sydnee reveals her hatred for BEANS!! In Random Taco Question of the Week we wanna know WHAT WOULD YOU PUT INSIDE YOUR PINATA? AND WHAT'S THE LONGEST YOU'VE EVER GONE WITHOUT EATING A TACO? Taco The Town at Taco-holics Club!! No Jacket Required!! Music by SUNEATERS courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsored by KCK Taco Trail. 

Nick Hancock and Chris England discuss new manager bounce, Chaddy the Owl, Tottenham, and how the COP26 affects football.  Nick and Chris are also joined by comedian, writer, broadcaster and Crystal Palace fan, Mark Steel. Nick, Chris and Mark chat about Palace, sporting commentary highlights, and they return to the Saudi/Newcastle takeover shitty business.  Mark's superb podcast is available here - https://apple.co/3bKbXoV Also, Mark Steel's In Town is the The Beatles of radio shows (by which I mean all should take from, and be as good as) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rtbk8/episodes/player If you have any thoughts, feelings or queries, please feel free to contact us on slopingpitch@gmail.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Intown Concord staff join us to talk about two fun upcoming events- Upstairs Downtown and Halloween Howl!

Mark Steel returns to Radio 4 with a short series of shows recorded outdoors during the coronavirus pandemic. For the first ever outdoor Mark Steel's In Town episode, and Radio 4 Comedy's first ever COVID-friendly audience show, what better place to start than on Brighton beach? Famous for its pavilion, piers and progressive nature as well as for being the playground of George, Prince Regent, Brighton welcomes Mark where he performs on the pebbles, accompanied by the sound of the waves, with a busy zip-wire ride and squawking seagulls overhead. A first for the show but a completely normal day in life of the people of Brighton. Written and performed by Mark Steel Additional material by Pete Sinclair Production co-ordinator Beverly Tagg Sound Manager, Jerry Peal Producer, Carl Cooper First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2020.

Mark Steel returns to Radio 4 for a fifth series of the award winning show that travels around the country, researching the history, heritage and culture of six towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness, and does a bespoke evening of comedy in each one. As every high street slowly morphs into a replica of the next, Mark Steel's in Town celebrates the parochial, the local and the unusual. From Corby's rivalry with Kettering to the word you can't say in Portland, the show has taken in the idiosyncrasies of towns up and down the country, from Kirkwall to Penzance, from Holyhead to Bungay. This edition comes from Birkenhead, Wirral, where the landscape may be dominated by the shipyard but the local life has also included monks, a "Bantam Army", one of the quirkiest bands in the country, and a pub inside a barbershop. You will also find out why this edition of Mark Steel's In Town was probably the inspiration for Woody Allen's Manhattan. From February 2014. Written and performed by ... Mark Steel Additional material by ... Pete Sinclair Production co-ordinator ... Trudi Stevens Producer ... Ed Morrish.

In this second series comedian Mark Steel visits 6 more UK towns to discover what makes them and their inhabitants distinctive. He creates a bespoke stand-up show for that town and performs the show in front of a local audience. As well as shedding light on the less visited areas of Britain, Mark uncovers stories and experiences that resonate with us all as we recognise the quirkiness of the British way of life and the rich tapestry of remarkable events and people who have shaped where we live. During the series 'Mark Steel's In Town' Mark will visit Dartford in Kent, Wilmslow and Alderley Edge in Cheshire, Dumfries in the Borders, Penzance in Cornwall, Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, and Kirkwall in the Orkneys. Episode 1 - In this first episode Mark performs a show for the residents of Dartford in Kent where he talks about the peasants' revolt, gypsy tart, Mick Jagger and what one resident calls the Road To Hell. From April 2010. Written by Mark Steel with additional material by Pete Sinclair. Produced by Julia McKenzie.

Intown Concord's 47th annual Market Days is coming up August 19, 20, 21! Learn more about this year's planned activities and visit www.marketdaysfestival.com for updated information.

Welcome to Mark Steel's In Town, Radio 4's comedy road trip across the UK. Join Mark as he visits a new town, meets the locals, finds out what makes the town unique and then performs a show to the people who live there. He makes fun of them, they make fun of him - and sometimes it gets pretty lively. Mark Steel's In Town is a BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4.