Podcasts about leaning

Ben Criddle talks BYU sports every weekday from 2 to 6 pm.Today's Co-Hosts: Ben Criddle (@criddlebenjamin)Subscribe to the Cougar Sports with Ben Criddle podcast:Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cougar-sports-with-ben-criddle/id99676

The fruit of the Spirit is… SELF-CONTROL. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this episode full of encouragement for anyone who's ever wrestled with self-control. Listen in as Ruth shares her journey toward self-control. All summer long, join us in meditating on what it means to abide and consider the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. These short episodes, full of Scripture, are designed to be an opportunity to pause and realign your heart with truth Scripture referenced:Galatians 5:22-23Proverbs 25:281 Corinthians 10:13James 1:19-201 Corinthians 9:24-271 Peter 4:7 Resources mentioned:GraceLaced Fruit of the Spirit Collection (gracelaced.com/FOTS) - use code POD15 to take 15% off items in the collection

Reclaim Your Heart After Betrayal And Addiction: Begin our 12 month Healing Journey online group program founded by Brannon and Tyler. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book Your Free Discovery Call⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is The Courageous Call-in Show for redemptive healing after betrayal and addiction. Learn how to restore broken trust alongside 2 bold and experienced therapists. Brannon Patrick LSCW and Tyler Patrick LMFT have been in the trenches of addiction and betrayal trauma therapy for over 15 years, but before they were therapists, they were die-hard brothers and friends. In this podcast, they have deep discussions to answer the most difficult and uncomfortable questions–head on. This podcast is all about restoring trust in relationships after betrayal and addiction, healing trauma and shame, and experiencing wholeness like never before. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ask your question⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let's have an honest conversation for a change. Join Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Register For Our Next Webinar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: National and Texas Democrats have already overplayed their hand on Texas Congressional redistricting and the Lefty show has just raised its curtain. The truth is is opposite of this headline: Texas Republicans struggle to defend redistricting as hearings grow contentious. Almost all attendance was from the shock troops of the Leftist fringe of the Democrat Party. Those people, and many of the office holders, were so “nasty” to committee members that it has bolstered their desire to move aggressively with the redistricting effort.A new proposed map has been released and it could give Texas Republicans five more seats (Dems five fewer) in the U.S. House – sources say the maps were easy to draw. What that really shows is that Republican leadership was too weak and gave away to many seats to Democrats in the last redistricting.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Your money at work: TWU research on ‘re-closeting' of older lesbians.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

In this transformative episode, Glenda Chen shares her journey from a seven-figure finance executive struggling with burnout to finding true fulfillment by aligning her inner worth with outer success. After a near-death experience, being hit by a bus during a business trip, Glenda completely rewired her approach to success and now helps high-achieving women break free from validation-seeking cycles through her work with Phoenix Realms and the Theta Collective. Her powerful insights into self-acceptance and redefining success offer a masterclass for anyone who feels empty despite external achievements. Episode Highlights"Success without self-worth is empty" - Glenda discovered that no amount of external validation could fill the void of not knowing and accepting herself.Changing your environment doesn't necessarily mean quitting your job - sometimes it means changing the conversations you have and investing in personal development.Glenda asks a powerful question of her clients: "Am I free to be me?" -revealing that many successful people feel trapped inside their achievements.Self-image is the key to sustainable success - we can change everything externally, but we will never outperform our internal concept of ourselves.By knowing herself better, Glenda transformed from a "no bullshit, cut the chitchat" executive to a calmer, more effective leader her colleagues recognize as being fundamentally changed.Personal development isn't just for leaving corporate life - Glenda uses her insights to mentor younger executives and create less toxic work environments.Featured on This Show:Click here to find out how to work with meClick here to access valuable free resources for coaches Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candymotzek/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candy-motzek/Glenda ChenFor over two decades, Glenda thrived in the financial industry, earning seven figures and achieving the accolades many dream of. Yet behind the polished success was an exhausting pursuit of worth one tied to constant achievements, external validation, and the belief that more work meant more value. A near-death experience forced her to confront a truth many high-achieving women face: Success does not feel as good as it looks, and success without self-worth is an empty victory. This realization led her on a journey to rewire the subconscious mind, break free from perfectionism, and reclaim success on her own terms. Now, as the founder of Phoenix Realms and The Theta Collective, Glenda helps professional women release self-judgment, rewrite their internal programming, and create wealth and success without burnout. By integrating neuroscience, subconscious reprogramming, and high-performance coaching, she empowers women to align their inner worth with their outer success.Glenda will share how your self-image shapes your entire reality and why shifting your internal identity is the missing key to achieving wealth,...

Our Guest Is Chef Travis Limoge.He Joins Us From Mexico…. Where He Recently Moved To Launch Some New Projects…He's Currently Working On A New Physical Location For His Concept Pirata…In Saladita…Aiming For A 2026 Relaunch….He's The Founder Of Cocina Pirata…A Creative House Of Activism…Which Includes De La Costa, A Non Profit Organization Focused On Building Infrastructure For Local Farms….Vianda, Bridging The Gap Between Local Producers And Community… While Creating A Vibrant Economy….Milpa, Representing A Way Of Life…Working Solely With Products From Local Farmers…And He's The Host Of Cocina Pirata Podcast.We Talk About:✅ Leaning Into Impermanence✅ Allowing The Universe To Lead Our Lives✅ Using Our Collective Purchasing Power To Make A Positive Difference On Our Planet✅ How Slowing Down Can Actually Speed Up The Path To Your Purposehttps://www.instagram.com/haveyoueatenyetpodcast/?hl=enhttps://www.tiktok.com/@haveyoueatenyetpodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxzx6an6DeVHLcIfN05MUg

In this episode, Bella & Lee discusses the significance of understanding attachment styles and their profound impact on communication and relationships. Through personal experiences, they highlight the journey of self-discovery, the importance of emotional vulnerability, and the necessity of healthy conflict in relationships. They emphasize the ongoing nature of personal growth and the need for community support, particularly for men who often struggle with vulnerability.TakeawaysUnderstanding attachment styles is crucial for personal growth.Communication breakdowns can lead to significant breakthroughs.Emotional vulnerability is essential for deepening relationships.Healthy conflict can strengthen relationships rather than weaken them.Self-discovery is a continuous journey that enhances relationships.Creating safe spaces for vulnerability is vital for connection.Leaning into uncomfortable conversations fosters trust and understanding.Personal growth requires ongoing effort and reflection.Community support is important for navigating challenges in relationships.Men often struggle with vulnerability and need supportive spaces.For more information on Thelo Forge visit www.theloforge.caAbout UsWe are real-life partners in marriage and business. We turned our breakdown into a breakthrough…a global mission and undeniable success.For more information visit https://thepiccoinstitute.com/ to see how we can help you master your relationship and your business.Don't forget to follow us and share the episodes so we can reach more amazing people like you! We appreciate you spending this time with us.Bell and LeeInstagramWe have a great line up of guests coming this season to share their stories on how they make it work. Tune in every Wednesday as we dive into the complex world of relationships and communication. We look forward to having you there.

Aunties on Air Episode 29: Leaning into the Healing: Connection & Community, the Two Critical ElementsThe Aunties are excited to share a new guest with our listeners! The guest we have today is someone deeply committed to partnership and strengthening the foundation of community. We are speaking with Betsy from the Downtown Bangor Partnership, and we are eager to share their work and our continued partnership together. In any thriving community, you will see connection at its core. You see this present in Wabanaki communities, where connection to culture, ceremony and values are integrated into everyday experiences. The Downtown Bangor Partnership is a non-profit organization that works with property owners, residents, business owners, community organizations, and governments entities to advance our collective vision for the future of downtown Bangor (https://downtownbangor.com). The values of the partnership closely aligning with whatWabanaki people know to be true: connection, community, and collaboration, heals. Wabanaki Words Used:Apc-oc (again in the future, parting, good-bye, farewell) https://pmportal.org/dictionary/apc-oc Topics Discussed:Umami Noodle Bar (Bangor) - Umami Noodle Bar Downtown Bangor -https://downtownbangor.com/Betsy Lundy - https://downtown.org/emerging-leader/betsy-lundy/Jamacia Plains - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaica_PlainWake up the Earth Festival - https://www.boston.gov/calendar/wake-earth-festivalNorth American Indian Center of Boston - http://www.naicob.org/Bernese Mountain Dog - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernese_Mountain_DogAdopt-a-Garden - Adopt-a-Garden ArticleKenduskeag Stream - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenduskeag_StreamNorumbega Parkway - https://www.tclf.org/landscapes/norumbega-parkwayUmbrella Sky Project - Umbrella Sky Project Bangor Beautiful - https://www.bangorbeautiful.org/Shenna Bellows - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenna_BellowsCloth Diaper - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloth_diaperChristopher Columbus Diaper Fact - https://kidsstoppress.com/why-you-should-buy-cloth-diapers-for-your-little-one/Walt Whitman, “Leaves of Grass” - https://www.amazon.com/Leaves-Grass-Original-Walt-Whitman/dp/1449505716HIV Outbreak in Bangor - HIV Outbreak in Bangor, MEMaine Family Planning - https://mainefamilyplanning.org/our-services/PCHC - https://pchc.com/Houlton, ME - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houlton,_MaineDowntown Ambassadors - https://downtownbangor.com/bangor-ambassadors/ Wabanaki Tribal Nations:Houlton Band of Maliseet  Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians | Littleton, ME (maliseets.net)Mi'kmaq Mi'kmaq Nation | Presque Isle, ME (micmac-nsn.gov)Passamaquoddy Tribe Indian Township  Passamaquoddy Tribe @ Indian Township | Peskotomuhkati MotahkomikukPassamaquoddy Tribe Sipayik  Sipayik Tribal Government – Sipayik (wabanaki.com)Penobscot Nation  Penobscot Nation | Departments & Info | Indian Island, Maine Special Thanks/Woliwon: Guests: Betsy LundyProducer: Gavin AllenPodcast Team: Becky Soctomah Bailey, Macy Flanders

Leaning on his engineering expertise and audio industry savviness is nothing new to Rob Jones—nor is launching brands into the CEDIA channel. This go, Jones is helping lead the charge for Magnetar Audio as the brand enters the North American market. In this conversation, we chat with him about Magnetar, their niche-yet-necessary product, and how it serves the evolving audio consumer's needs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QxOOa-53Hs

An inspector took a picture of a leaning building on Tuesday. On Sunday it collapsed, killing one. Hour 1 7/28/2025 full 2279 Mon, 28 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0000 q8Q383ESepOH59zxLlnf8gfUqGswb7Bt news The Dana & Parks Podcast news An inspector took a picture of a leaning building on Tuesday. On Sunday it collapsed, killing one. Hour 1 7/28/2025 You wanted it... Now here it is! Listen to each hour of the Dana & Parks Show whenever and wherever you want! © 2025 Audacy, Inc. News False

Sermon Title: Gathered and SentScripture: Acts 13:1–31. Everything flows from the heart.Howard Thurman said, “Everything we do flows from our center.” If our heart is centered in God, our actions will reflect God's love.2. Worship, prayer, and fasting come before mission.The early church didn't start with strategy or structure—they started with spiritual practices, then sent Paul and Barnabas into the world.3. We are not just gathered—we are sent.The church is called to gather for spiritual renewal and then go into the world to serve, love, and witness to Christ.4. Mission begins here.You don't have to go overseas to be a missionary. Your mission field is your workplace, your school, your neighborhood.5. You are a minister of the gospel.Your baptism is your commissioning. Whether or not you're a pastor, you are called to be a witness of God's love.6. Keep the rhythm.A healthy church (and believer) balances both gathering and sending. Leaning too far into one or the other weakens the body.7. The mission of God has a church.God's desire to love and save the world has us—the church—as its instrument. It's our shared calling to live this out daily.Reflection Question:Are you leaning too much into gathering or too much into going? How is God calling you to embrace both?Closing Encouragement:You are part of something bigger. You are gathered to be empowered—and sent to make a difference. Let's be the church our world needs.

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeWhat if the key to showing up as a great leader had nothing to do with your title, metrics, or credentials—and everything to do with knowing who you are outside of work?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with executive coach Charles Ruiz to explore how leaders can shift from external validation to authentic presence. Charles shares the origins of his mantra “Presence over Preference,” his Four Cs framework (Core, Craft, Community, Creativity) and the transformative practice of running an “identity marathon” through meaningful places from his past.You'll hear benefits of executives ditching scripted presentations for personal anecdotes (including burrito orders), reframing failure as fuel, and designing your own “games” and “seasons” of life instead of playing someone else's. Whether you're climbing the corporate ladder, pivoting careers or just questioning who you are beyond your job, this conversation will help you reconnect with your story—and turn it into your superpower.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox

Quaranteam-Northwest: Part 4 The House. Based on a post by Break The Bar. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels. The pounding on the front door echoed through the house again, and I literally fell out of the bed trying to disentangle my foot from the mess of the sheets. Erica and I had stumbled inside late as fuck, trying to be quiet and not wake up Leo and Dani, and now I could see we'd tracked in dirt and grass with us. The sheets were filthy. I got shorts on and stood, shaking Erica by the shoulder. "What?" she groaned. "Someone is at the door, and it's sun up. The worker might need to start working. I'll close the door and give you as much time as I can, but could you at least put on a top in case anyone pops in here by accident?" "Let 'em look," Erica grunted. "What happened to those being my tits, and mine alone?" I grinned. "..... Fine," she said and held up a hand in the air. I found her a shirt and put it in her hand, and she started trying to get it on without lifting her head from the pillow or opening her eyes. I shut the bedroom door behind me and met up with Leo in the hallway; he was only slightly more dressed than I was, with a single sock and an undershirt over his shorts. "Mornin'" he grunted. "Yep," I said, and we headed for the door. When I opened it I was expecting Vanessa and her big 'gorilla' work crew, but instead it was Agent Sourpuss. It was even earlier in the day than I had expected. "What took you two so long?" she said, sneering at the two of us. "Never mind, come with me." She started walking around the house, so Leo and I followed barefoot. Just as we were stepping out and shutting the front door, the crew vans started pulling in, ferrying the surveyors and workers. A few of them called and waved, taunting us for looking like we were getting called to the Principal's office. "We have solved the temporary housing issue for you two," Agent Sourpuss said as we rounded the corner, and she presented us with the new additions to the backyard. Hunkered up next to the two sea cans that all of our stuff was being loaded into for storage were two brand new, state-of-the-art, still gleaming chrome and white from the lot, RVs. The two fuckers were huge. I had no idea how anyone other than an 18-wheeler truck driver could pilot one of them. They had to be worth at least a couple hundred thousand dollars each. "God damn," I said, coming awake. "One for each of us?" Leo asked. "You and your partners," the Agent said. "Follow me." We did, crossing the backyard as the Agent told us that we would need to be ready to move them at a moment's notice; our presence couldn't be allowed to slow down the construction process. We were also in charge of maintaining them, and organizing with the construction general manager when they arrived on site to make sure they were getting properly emptied (the septic) and filled (the fuel). "Mr. Lacoste, you have the one on the left," the Agent said, handing a set of keys to Leo. He actually giggled with glee, taking the keys and darting to his new home. "Mr. Black, yours is clearly the right. As is your new partner waiting for you inside," she said. I blinked. "I'm sorry, what?" "Your second partner drove with us this morning. She's waiting inside for you and is ready for imprinting. I suggest not making her wait too long." Agent Sourpuss then began to walk away, back to her car at the front of the house. "Wait, wait, wait," I said, following her. "I already have a partner. Erica and I are bonded or whatever." "Not how it works, Mr. Black," the Agent said, still walking. "You're rated at Tier Four, and you must have been somewhat open to a non-monogamous relationship, as is Miss Lacoste. Your new partner is suited to the two of you. You shouldn't keep her waiting." There wasn't any stopping her, so I diverted and headed back into the house. "Erica!" I called, heading for the stairs. "What?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes but coming out of my room dressed in my shirt from last night, and a pair of her shorts. "The Agent just dropped off the big ass RVs we're living in," I said. "And a woman who I'm supposed to bond with." "Oh, shit. That was fast," she said. "What do you mean, that was fast?" I asked. "You knew about this?" "I mean, they said at the information seminar that it was possible people would begin getting partnered into existing relationships based on the matchmaking and available matches," Erica said. We were heading down the stairs again. "I assumed since I'm Bi, and you're a guy, it wouldn't be unlikely we'd get someone else eventually. I didn't think it would be day three, obviously. Why would this person pick us over a single guy?" We got outside and to the RV, and I knocked. "It's open," called a voice. It was light and feminine, but with a distinct accent. I opened the door and mounted the steps, stopping when I saw the woman within, only for Erica to push me the rest of the way up so she could see as well. She was dark blonde, almost brunette, and her hair hung in waves down just past her shoulders. The woman was slight, and obviously so because all she was wearing was lingerie made up of thin mesh through which I could see her rosy pink nipples on her smallish tits, and lots of buckles for straps. The right side of her body was fresh and clean, though down the center of her abdomen, from under her chin all the way to her pubic mound, was a thin black line of a tattoo splitting her in half. On the left side of that tattoo her body was designed with black ink in floral tribal patterns, fleur-de-lis motifs and other designs. She was smiling demurely despite her dress and the fact that she was lounging in the sitting area of the RV, her legs splayed as she absently rubbed her twat through her mesh thong. "Bonjour," she said, grinning even brighter as Erica followed me in. Her accent was distinctly French Canadian and she couldn't be older than twenty-three. "My name is Ivy Gauthier, and I was expecting just a cock, but I am more than happy to make Mommy happy too if she wants to sit on my face." "Fuck," Erica said, and looked at me. "Can we keep her?" Ivy Erica, as usual, took to the rapidly changing social situation a little faster than I did. "So you're sure about all of this?" she asked the girl, Ivy. We were sitting in the lounge area of the RV that the government had delivered to us that morning. "Well, it is too late for me to back out now," Ivy said. She was French Canadian, with that very specific Quebecois accent that extended vowels and clipped some consonants. I only really knew the difference between hers and a traditional French-from-France accent because I'd once drank with a unit of French soldiers while I was deployed in Germany. "I have already been poked with the needles. I chose Harrison because he reminded me of a sexy version of the boys I grew up with in the north of Quebec. Very sexy lumberjack, yes?" Erica smirked, glancing at me and patting my knee. "Yes, very sexy woodsman." "As I said, I was not expecting a sexy woman as well, but I am the bisexual," Ivy continued. "In fact, Erica, you are very much my type." "And what type is that?" Erica asked. Ivy grinned but blushed, biting her lip for a moment as if she were embarrassed, but I could see the hunger in her big, expressive eyes. "Most girls in my job, they have what you call the 'Daddy Issues', yes? Well, my father made many mistakes, but was always very good to my sister et moil. An ex I have, she said I have 'Mommy Issues' instead. I like strong women, older than me, with tits and ass like yours." The little minx actually reached out and caressed the side of Erica's tit when she said it. "What job is it you've been working?" I asked, though I had a feeling I knew the general field. "I am a dancer," Ivy said, turning back to me and looking all the world like a worried teenager, rather than the seductive woman clad in mesh lingerie that was sitting between Erica and me. "I hope that is not so bad to you, Harrison. I know some men, they think it means I am dirty or spoiled. But I am not." Then she got another little lascivious smirk as she tilted her chin down looking up at you through her lashes. "Well, I could also be a very dirty girl for the right man. Or woman." She touched Erica's leg without looking. "Okay, seriously Ivy," I said. "Unless this is really who you are, and who you want to be, you can tone down the seduction. Erica and I aren't going to turn you away, but you have got to be real with us." Ivy frowned, and it was like she went through a little transformation as she absorbed what I said and metabolized it. She bit the inside of her cheek for a moment, then nodded and stood up, crossed to the murphy table that was in the kitchenette and pulled a robe I hadn't even noticed from where it was hanging. She wrapped it around herself quickly and then sat back down. "I am sorry," she said. "I am; this vaccine is making me very horny. I did not know what to expect, yes? I thought it best to treat you like private clients." "Oh, sweetie," Erica sighed. "I know. The nervousness, that little itch all over?" Ivy nodded. "Maybe let's start from the beginning," I suggested. "Just be honest with us." "I was being honest," Ivy said. "My name is Ivy Gauthier, I was born in a little town in northern Quebec and raised by my father and grandmother, along with my sister. I am an exotic dancer. I started in Montreal, and decided to try and do a tour of the USA. My visa was running out when the Quarantine happened. They said it would not be a problem if I took the experimental vaccine." "Wait, hold on," I said. "Fuck. Would you have taken the vaccine if you weren't worried about your visa?" Ivy thought about it and then shrugged. "I don't know? Maybe? I never had to think about it without the visa on the table." "This is fucked up," I said. "And it's too late to change anything," Erica said. "Harri, you know it's too late." "I know," I grunted. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it." "And you know if it's not you, it'll be someone else." I took in a long breath and nodded. "Ivy, I assume you went through the whole set of meetings and videos that Erica did, but I just have to ask; are you absolutely sure you want this?" Ivy pursed her lips, looking between Erica and me. Her hands were in her lap, most of her tattoos covered by the worn, velvet red robe she was wearing. She looked younger and older at the same time. She ended up looking to Erica. "Is he a good man?" "The best," Erica said immediately. "And is she a good woman?" Ivy asked me. I took Erica's hand in mine. "Better than anyone could ever deserve." "Then I am fine with this," Ivy said. "It is the end of the world, oui? Why should I not be with two sexy people who love each other, and will share their bed with me?" Erica laughed. "Well, she's direct." "Alright. You know what the next steps are?" I asked Ivy. "You fuck me, and I will become your; how did they say.? Umm, bonded something?" "We haven't figured out the right word yet either," Erica said. "For now, it might be easiest if you're just our fuckbuddy." "I like this," Ivy said. "You two are a couple, and I will be your fuckbuddy." The way she said it made it sound a little sillier, a little naughtier. This girl would have been dangerous if Erica and I weren't in the current situation. "You have some time," I said. "Would you rather wait a bit, or do it now?" "Now," Ivy said. "I would very much like to taste you, Erica. While Harrison fucks my ass." "Wow, that's very hot and specific," Erica said. Ivy smiled. "I am what you would say is an 'Anal Queen.' My father, he had children with three different women. It made me afraid of pregnancy, so I learned as a girl to prefer it in my butt." "Well, I guess you're getting to crush some ass, babe," Erica said, smirking and then kissing me on the cheek. "Hey, you know what?" I asked. "However you want it, Ivy, I'm happy to provide. Is there anything else you'd like us to know before we go to the bed?" Ivy stood up, slipping the robe back off of her and hanging it back up. "I can be very loud," she said. "Just a warning. And I like many things, but this time, I think we keep it to a simple threesome, yes? I will suck cock and eat cunt, and I would very much like to be fingered, and fucked in the ass." "So simple," Erica chuckled. "Ivy, I think Harrison is still a little hesitant; he is a natural protector, so don't think he's timid. He's just worried and doesn't want to take advantage." "Oh," Ivy said, looking at me for a moment with a cocked head, taking my measure. "Now I; Okay, yes, I understand." She came forward and pushed me back by the shoulders until I was sitting fully upright on the cushioned bench seat instead of leaning forward. Then she crawled into my lap, on her knees with them outside my legs, and sat her perky bum on my legs. "Harrison, I have told you I think you are sexy, yes? Well here, I will prove it." She took my hand and brought my fingers to her lips, taking my pointer and middle fingers and sucking on them lewdly, then bringing them down between us to her crotch. She pulled the mesh panties aside and put my fingers against her hole and pivoted, taking my two thick fingers into her clenching cunt. "I want to fuck you. And I will tell you another thing about me; I like a man who takes me how he wants. Throw me on the bed, put my legs behind my head. Make me your little pretzel girl as you fuck my ass. I am sure I will love this 'big brother' you in time, too. But I need you first to be my man." Then she kissed me, grinding on my fingers. I breathed in through my nose, and she pressed her chest against mine, and I reached around her with the hand that wasn't busy at her cunt and grabbed her ass firmly. "Umm, yes," she mumbled into my mouth. "Like that." "God, I hope I didn't look that fucking horny when I kissed you that first time," Erica said. She was still sitting on the other end of the L-shaped bench from us, watching me get frenched by the little French minx who had just fallen into our lives. I pulled back from the kiss, and Ivy looked at me with concern, searching my face. "Go kiss Erica," I said. She grinned and slipped from my lap, my fingers leaving her cunt, and slid right onto Erica's lap and pulled my girlfriend into a hard kiss as their disproportionate tits pressed together. Erica was much bustier than Ivy, though the younger woman's figure was just as sexy. As they started to make out I stood up, walking to the back of the RV and surveying the space. The back of the vehicle was dominated by the bedroom, which had what looked like a bed that was too big for the space. I pulled the blanket and top sheet off of it, knowing how Erica had a tendency to leave wet spots after fucking, and then kicked off my boots and returned to the women. "Alright, come here," I said, and lifted Ivy off of Erica and tossed her over my shoulder so I was carrying her ass forward. She howled a laugh, kicking her legs, and I offered Erica my other hand up. "She is going to be a lot of fun," Erica said. "I know," I said. "But I need to ask you, too. Is this what you want?" Erica smiled, almost sadly, and shrugged. "I told you I'd introduce you to a lot of strippers. I just didn't know it would happen so fast. Like she said, it's the end of the world, at least as we know it. Why not?" I nodded, and then bounced Ivy on my shoulder and gave her a soft spank on the butt. "What are you giggling so hard for?" "Nothing," she said. "Everything." "Crazy French girl," I said, and carried her to the end of the RV and tossed her on the bed like she wanted. She landed and immediately twisted and turned, biting her lip as she positioned herself on her stomach, looking at me eagerly as she slowly kicked her legs and her little bum bounced, humping the air a little. "Oh, I think she wants to suck your cock," Erica said, coming up behind me and resting her cheek on my shoulder. She reached around my waist and started lowering my shorts. "Is that what you want, Ivy?" Ivy nodded, grinning. "Well, I've got a surprise for a naughty girl. You are very lucky, because you picked a man who happens to have a very nice, fat cock." Erica said, and dropped my shorts, letting my mostly-hard cock out. "Oh, fuck," Ivy said, her eyes going happily large. "It is a very good cock." She looked up at Erica. "May I please suck the very good cock?" "Good manners," Erica said. "Yes, Ivy, you may suck Harrison. But from now on you should call it his fat cock." "Yes, mo" the rest of what she was saying became garbled as she leaned forward and spoke with the head of my cock between her lips, and came. She hadn't been expecting it, and her legs started to kick as she tensed up and pulled away from my cock, lowering her face to the bed. Then her body released all its tension and she sucked in a deep, ragged breath. "Woah!" she exhaled, loud and wordless, as a second wave of the orgasm passed through her. Erica reached around and ran her fingers through Ivy's hair as the smaller, younger woman rode a third and final wave of the vaccine-induced orgasm. She was left panting, and rolled over onto her back and looked back up at us in confusion and what looked like drunken delight. "What was that? I have never come so fast," she said in wonder "Didn't they tell you to expect that?" Erica asked. Ivy shook her head. "Huh, that's weird. They told my group," Erica said. "That was the imprinting process starting. Can you feel that ache, down in your clit? That's the vaccine too. Soon you'll feel it on your tongue, aching to get Harri's come anywhere you can inside you." "I already wanted this," Ivy said, her grin not slipping. She rolled back over onto her stomach and opened her mouth, but then hesitated. "Does this,” "No," I said, "Not every time." "Too bad, but also good," Ivy said. "It would be very hard to suck your cock if this happened every time." Then she took me back into her mouth and began bobbing her head quickly. I had a feeling she was actually a brunette and dyed her hair up to the dirty blonde she wore it. The dark undertones were more real than the light ones. Erica came around me now and slipped out of her shorts, going down to her panties and my shirt she'd been wearing, and got on her knees on the bed next to Ivy. She sat tall, and I kissed her as Ivy suckled on my cock. "Enjoy yourself, babe," Erica assured me. "We both want this." I raised an eyebrow and reached around her, grabbing her meatier ass. "You don't need to keep reassuring me, E. Or does 'mommy' need a good seeing to as well?" "Oh, I always need a good seeing to," Erica grinned. She started to lower down slowly, maintaining eye contact with me. "But first I think I need to make sure our naughty girl here knows how to treat you properly. Let me see you suck his cock, Ivy." Ivy beamed up at me, eyes flicking between my face and Erica's as the older woman leaned close. "Good, really slobber on that cock," Erica said softly, stroking Ivy's hair. "It's going to be cracking that cute little ass of yours open soon, so it needs to be very hard and very slippery." Ivy mumbled something unintelligible. "But don't forget his balls," Erica said. Ivy immediately took my cock from her mouth and lifted it with a hand, trying to take my sack between her lips but only fitting one nut as she tongued and worked her mouth. Erica took Ivy's place at my cock, putting her lips around the head and starting to blow me. "Oh, fuck, that's new," I groaned, looking down at both women staring up at me with smiles in their eyes. I put a hand on each of their heads. Ivy didn't let up, switching from one ball to the other as my cock rubbed across her face, but Erica popped off of the end and grinned at me before sliding back on the bed and taking up a position behind Ivy. "Now, what do we have here?" Erica asked, wrapping her fingers into the elastic band of Ivy's mesh panties. "Someone is a very naughty girl, dressing so slutty. Look, I can see everything! So what could possibly be the point of this?" She started pulling the panties down over Ivy's ass, and the younger woman shifted her hips eagerly, letting her do it. "Back to my cock now," I grunted, and Ivy followed my orders. Once I was back in her mouth, I ran my fingers down the side of her face, just watching as she looked up at me with adoringly needy eyes. Erica had gotten Ivy's panties off, and she tossed them aside as she knelt next to the pale girl and started to massage her upturned butt. "Ivy, you have a very cute ass," she said, stroking the girl's smooth skin. Just like her front, Ivy had a thin black line running down the middle of her spine, bisecting her from her hairline all the way down to her ass crack. On one side of the line her pale, smooth skin was flawless. On the other, she sported a collection of black tattoos; most of them flowery and nicely designed, a few of them more 'witchy' like flying crows and a jagged, leafless tree. "M'ank 'oo," Ivy mumbled around my cock, and wiggled her butt. Erica quickly sucked two fingers into her mouth and, biting the inside of her lip as she grinned, slipped them down between Ivy's legs and began slowly, teasingly fingering the younger woman's cunt. Ivy immediately responded by shuddering and starting to blow me faster, bobbing her head as she moaned with my cock in her mouth, pressing against the inside of her cheeks. "For a girl who prefers it in the ass, our naughty little girl gets very wet," Erica said to me. "Is that right?" I asked, and looked down at Ivy and her big eyes. "Do you get wet and ready for a cock even if you don't want one in that hole?" "Umm hmm," she hummed and nodded, then pulled her lips from my cock. "When I am ready, the right man will have a very good time with my naughty cunt." Erica leaned forward, bringing her lips to Ivy's ear from behind. "And what about Harrison? Is he the right man?" I could see the conflict warring in Ivy. She didn't know; her instincts were to shy away. But the vaccine, that need and horniness it had put in Erica, was in Ivy as well. She wanted me, wanted my cum. Wanted it inside her, to match with the vaccine. Chemically, she wanted to say yes. "You don't need to answer that," I told her reassuringly, stroking the side of her face again. Then I glanced at Erica, who raised an eyebrow at me, but I just shook my head. Ivy, a thankful look in her eyes, quickly went back to blowing me while Erica played with her cunt. Eventually I pulled away, and in one move picked up and flipped Ivy over onto her back. She giggled, and I was glad that she'd been honest with me about wanting to be thrown around in bed; I would have likely asked, or maybe told, her to move. Instead she seemed to really enjoy the manhandling. "Get the rest of the lingerie off," I said. The mesh bra did nothing to hide her perky, small boobs from me, but I wanted her naked. There was a practical element; once the bonding process was completed, she was going to zonk out and having that strappy lingerie on for hours and hours wouldn't be good for her or it. But there was also a primal thing in me that just wanted this strangely innocent, strangely filthy girl naked for me. She stripped quickly, and Erica took that time to peel off my shirt that she was wearing as well, revealing her bigger, heavy tits. "Oh, my," Ivy said, and sat up, reaching for Erica's chest. "You are so beautiful, Erica." Erica grinned and leaned forward a bit, allowing Ivy to press her face into Erica's cleavage. "She's like a horny teenage boy," Erica laughed. Ivy was kissing and licking her cleavage all over. "So am I, when it comes to you," I said, and slipped off the bed to stand behind her, kissing her on the cheek and then down to her neck while I reached around and cupped her tits from below, lifting them for Ivy to feast on. "Oh, god, this is heaven," Erica moaned, leaning her head back on my shoulder. "Have you ever done a threesome before?" I asked her quietly. "Once. Three women," she mumbled. "Not that great, really." "Too much fake cock?" I asked. "That, and tribbing is stupid. Doesn't do anything for me, and they both loved it." "Hear that, Ivy? No tribbing," I said. "But can I eat her cunt?" Ivy asked, coming up for air from the bounty of tits she was enjoying. "I think my answer is 'whenever you want,'" Erica laughed. "First I want more of your mouth," I said to Ivy. "Lay back down. And Erica, I'd love to see you eat her out." Erica grinned. "Ever seen a lesbian act in person before?" "Nothing more explicit than two drunk girls kissing to rile up some guys at a party," I said. Ivy had lain back, spreading her legs, and Erica knelt between them and slowly brought her face down to Ivy's bare cunt. It was pretty, almost like the clean and clinical specimen you would see in a biology textbook. "Do you want me to lick your cunt, Ivy?" Erica asked teasingly. "Yes, please," Ivy said and grabbed the bedspread in her fingers in anticipation. Erica went to work, and Ivy moaned loudly and wordlessly as her body tensed and then relaxed into the sensations. "Is it good," I asked. "Uh-huh," Ivy nodded and moaned. I knelt down next to her head and turned her face sideways, tapping my cock against her lips. She immediately opened them, and I slid between her lips and she began suckling. Then, after looking down and seeing the smile in Erica's eyes as she watched me getting blown while she ate cunt, I began to thrust lightly into Ivy's mouth. The dirty blonde dropped her jaw, and worked her tongue, and soon I was pumping steadily, treating her lips just roughly enough to feel divine. I reached down and palmed her tit, which so far had been almost entirely ignored. I happened to grab the tattooed side of her, where the boob itself was still a blank canvas but was surrounded by them dark patterns. Her nipple was a firm little nub in my palm, and her moaning on my cock changed to a higher pitch when I grabbed her more firmly, and then began playing with her nipple between my fingers. Erica, seeing the change in Ivy, mimicked me and reached up for her other tit and grabbed it as well. "Muh," Ivy moaned, but didn't try to pull away from my thrusting. She whined on my cock, thrusting her hips up and down, grinding against Erica's face. Then, seeing her coming to a peak, I thrust in and held my cock deep in her mouth, but not to the point of gagging her. I pinched the nipple I was holding, and Erica focused on her clit, and Ivy went off with a long shudder and another muffled howl. I pulled my cock from her mouth when she was coming down. "Keep going," I told Erica. "Get her there again." Then I stepped off of the bed and behind Erica, whose panty-clad ass was up in the air at the edge of the bed. I pulled her panties down to her thighs, set my cock against her puffy cunt, and thrust inside firmly, claiming her as mine again. "Yes, babe," Erica gasped into Ivy's cunt. "Fuck, yes, my fucking stud." "Oh, fuck," Ivy groaned, eyes half-closed as she grabbed at her own tits harshly and watched me fucking Erica from behind. Within five thrusts I was burying deep into my girlfriend at a good, steady pace. "You two are so fucking hot," Ivy said breathily, her accent turning every croon into a delightful sentence instead of something that might have come across as crude. I fucked Erica steadily, one hand on her hip and the other keeping hold of her wonderful ass, and she thrust back at me while trying to keep her lips and tongue working. I wanted Erica to feel how desirable I found her, even in this threesome with a brand new woman between us. I wanted her to know she wasn't just forced on me; she was a choice. She chose me, and I chose her back. Leaning forward, I let go of her waist and ass and grabbed her tits hanging below her, palming them and lifting their weight as she remained ass up and face down in Ivy's cunt. "I fucking love you, E," I said. "I love your body, I love your personality, and I love your mind. And right now, I really love how fucking sexual you are." "Fuck," Ivy groaned. "Fuck, that is so hot." Erica was starting to falter in her fucking back at me, which I knew meant she was getting close but I wanted to push her farther. "Ivy," I said. "It's almost time. How much prep does your ass need?" Ivy licked her lips, that carnal need growing inside of her with every passing minute. "For most guys, two fingers would be enough. But for you, I think three, if Mommy will do it for me?" "What do you think, 'mommy,'" I grinned. "Are you up for prepping her?" Erica slurped off of Ivy's cunt and flipped the girl onto her stomach, then spread her ass cheeks and spit onto her asshole. "For her, and to watch you fuck this cute little ass, absolutely," Erica said. I really couldn't see all that much of the oral portion of the prep, since I continued to fuck Erica. I slowed, and thrust deep and firm instead of faster and harder, and gave her the chance to work. Soon enough, Erica had two fingers in Ivy's ass and was adding a third. "Oh, mommy, yes," Ivy moaned. "Finger my ass. Spread my asshole for our man. God, I want that fat cock up my ass so badly. Harrison, please don't make me wait. Please don't back out, I need it so badly." "Who does this ass belong to now, Ivy?" Erica asked her. "Fuck, fuck," Ivy gasped. Erica slapped the side of her ass cheek. "Who does this ass belong to now, dirty little girl?" "Harrison," Ivy moaned. "Oh, fuck, Harrison. Fuck my ass. Take my ass. Take it. Take it." I pulled out of Erica, watching for just a moment as her cunt was split by me and didn't want to let go, then hopped back up on the bed. Erica pulled her fingers out of Ivy's hole, and I spun the younger woman around on the bed and pulled her up onto her hands and knees. Ivy dropped her face to the mattress as she reached back and held her ass cheeks open, her butthole winking at me. "Fuck my ass. Please, Butt fuck me. Own my butt," she panted. I placed my cock to her asshole and pressed forward. "Oh, fuck yes," Ivy almost howled. "Oh, it is so good. Merci, merci, oh fuck yes." I was halfway in when she finally clenched and I stopped. Erica, meanwhile, had shifted her seating on the bed so she was on her ass, and she spread her legs in front of Ivy's face. "Hey, now it's time for you to lick my cunt, dirty girl," she said. Ivy lifted her head and groaned as she tasted Erica for the first time, and as she did Ivy's ass relaxed, and I pushed in the rest of the way. "Yes," she mumbled. "Yes, fuck, so good. So full." I slowly pulled back out, then pushed back in. I'd tried anal before, once with a German girl I met off base, but it had been tough going. With Ivy, it was like she was just built different. She squeezed back at me, pushed to get me deeper. "She really is an Anal Queen," I gasped to Erica, who opened her eyes and grinned savagely at me. "I can't believe you're fucking her in the ass right now," she said. "Neither can I," I said, and started to properly thrust into that tight but forgiving asshole. "She's fucking good with her tongue, too," Erica groaned. "I can feel myself getting soaked." "Careful," I snickered. "There are the only sheets we have right now." "Oh, fuck off," Erica laughed. I had just started fucking into Ivy harder still, and she was sucking in deep breaths and moaning like a pornstar, when there was a loud banging on the main door of the RV. There was absolutely no way they couldn't hear what was happening in here, let alone that I had to assume the RV was rocking a bit. "Don't stop," Ivy gasped, lifting her face from Erica's cunt and begging me over her shoulder. "Please, keep fucking my ass. You can't stop. I need you to keep going." "Fuck, I was so close," Erica groaned, and the knocking happened again, banging on the door. Erica rolled off the bed. "You can't stop now, you might break her mind. I'll deal with this." "Yes, Harri, fuck me. So good, fuck my ass. Fuck my ass!" Ivy moaned, even fucking louder now that she didn't have Erica's cunt to muffle her. Erica stalked naked out into the main area of the RV, and she slipped on the robe that Ivy had been using earlier. She pulled it closed in the front and opened the door. "Hey, so this is awkward,” I could hear Vanessa say, but then I was shocked when instead of going outside to talk to her, Erica reached out and pulled her inside the RV. "Fuck, E! You didn't shut the door," I said. "Oh, shit. Sorry!" Erica called, and I only half believed her. There was one long moment of chaos where Vanessa was inside, looking down the length of the RV right at me as I was thrusting away, my nuts slapping against Ivy's cunt as I fucked her ass at speed. "Fuck," I grunted, and I made to pull out. "No, please, merde. Don't stop fucking my ass. Don't stop. Fuck my little ass. Come inside, I need you to come inside. Rempli-moi, mon homme. Mon cher. Fuck, mon amour!" I couldn't stop. I was so fucking close to coming, but I also had to move. So I did the only thing I could do; I wrapped my arms around Ivy's torso, fucked my cock as deep into her ass as I could, and picked her up and lifted her off of the bed. "Fuck, mon amour. I love you fucking my ass. Own my ass, mon amour. Fill me, fuck me," she babbled. I got us out of direct line of sight, pressing Ivy against the wall of the RV just next to the door to the bedroom, and I fumbled with one hand and slammed it shut as I kept thrusting into her. "Fuck. Fuck! I want you, I want it inside. Je veux croquer la pomme. Je suis très mouillée pour toi, mon amour. Fuck me. I love you?" she gasped the last words, like she was unsure, but enlightened by the idea. And then I came, pressing her up against the wood paneling and carpet of the RV walls. I came deep inside her ass, and she leaned back into me as her entire body shook. Her jaw was clenched tight, a small whine coming through almost like one of those dog whistles. "Sorry about that, Vanessa," I heard Erica talking through the walls. "We got a new vaccine partner who moved in with the RV. We were just, um, going through the bonding process." "That is; I mean, I'm sorry?" Vanessa mumbled. "It was obvious what was... happening, but we kind of need to get to work again. I wasn't expecting you to..." "That's totally my fault," Erica said. "I was a little fuck drunk; Harrison is very capable, and our new partner Ivy has a very skilled tongue." ".....Okay," Vanessa exhaled. That was when it felt more like I was holding Ivy up, rather than her standing on her own, and I carefully pulled my cock from her still-clenching butt and scooped her up in my arms. "Imprinting. Imprinting," she was mumbling. "Still fucking creepy," I grumbled, shaking my head as I looked at her in my arms. She was all woman, but like this I couldn't help but feel protective of the young woman who'd been forced into making choices that led her to my bed. The whole experience was amazing, but it was still... ugh. I set Ivy down on the bed and lay the sheet over her, and she curled up around a pillow and continued to mumble. This let me find and pull my shorts back on and exit the room. Erica was sitting on the murphy table, which she'd folded down, and Vanessa was sitting on the L-bench. "Vanessa, I am so sorry you got an eyeful of me like that," I said. "No, it's fine," Vanessa said, raising a hand. "You guys explained some of it last night, and Erica was just telling me again about the whole vaccine process and stuff. I didn't realize that's what this was and you couldn't, ah, interrupt the process." I nodded, and during the following brief conversation I apologized a couple more times. We quickly went through the plan for the day; which included finishing up all the rest of the moving out of the house so that it could be demolished the next morning. "And that's it," Vanessa nodded. "Uh, before I go; could I see her?" "You mean Ivy?" Erica asked. "Yeah," Vanessa said. "I mean, not if she's in a compromising position or whatever. But last night you and Leo talked about the 'imprinting' thing, and I'm probably going to have to do that eventually. I'd like to see it beforehand." I sucked my teeth for a moment, then nodded. "Sure, I think she should be decent." I led Vanessa to the back of the RV and opened the bedroom door. Ivy was still where I'd left her. Vanessa scooted around the outside of the bed, leaning forward and watching Ivy's face as she smiled and mumbled 'Imprinting' over and over. "That's freaky," Vanessa whispered, standing back up and coming out of the room. "But she's also gorgeous." "Just wait until you see her tattoos," Erica said. "She has some really interesting work done." "Yeah?" Vanessa asked. "Cool. I'm looking forward to meeting her." Erica smiled. "So, uh, how long before you need us?" "Like, twenty minutes ago," Vanessa smirked. "No," Erica shook her head. "I mean, how long until you need us." "Oh!" Vanessa said again, her eyes going wide. "Um.. another... fifteen minutes?" Erica smiled and winked. "I'll make it work." Vanessa, blushing, left the RV and shut the door behind her, while Erica turned and dropped the robe, revealing her naked body to me again. "I need you to fuck my orgasm back to life, babe," she said, staring hotly. "Fuck me fast and hard." I pulled her into my arms, laughing along with her as I glanced around the RV, deciding which part of the big luxury vehicle we should christen first. With Ivy safely tucked away in the back of the RV, and Erica and I working the knots out of her system quickly, it really was time to get to work. While Erica and I had been busy, Leo had been equally busy, going to wake up Danielle and show her their new temporary home as well. "Come on, rabbits," Erica called, knocking on the back window of their RV. "You would have been so pissed if he did that to you," I said. Erica laughed and shrugged. "Yeah, so?" "You two have a very different relationship than me and my sister," I said. The curtain on the window pulled aside a little, Leo glancing out and glaring at Erica. "Fuck off," he said, flashing her the finger. "We need to get to work!" Erica called again. Leo looked like he was about to say something snarky, but was pulled away and Danielle was now in the open corner of the window. "Sorry," she said, barely audible through the glass and over the sounds of construction work happening nearby. "I'll make sure we're quick." Her angelic face flashed us both a smile, and then she dropped the curtain. "Did you see what I saw?" Erica asked, turning to me. "You mean her whole naked tit?" I asked. "God damn, it's like that girl was manufactured to be 'Sexiest Woman Alive," Erica chuckled. "I don't know about that," I said, taking her hand and leading her away. "You'd give her a run for her money." "Compliments will serve you well, boyfriend," Erica smiled, squeezing my hand and winking. It turned out that the surveyors didn't need major tours again yet, so I was more free to help with the packing and the moving. Once Leo and Danielle joined us; letting us know the water pressure in the RV showers was pitiful at best; the work went quickly. We moved our clothing and things we knew we'd need sooner than later into the RVs, everything else got moved into the storage containers. A third container was dropped off to help with housing Leo's woodworking equipment, which gave us more space to start organizing things as well. How long did a house take to build? How long until they even started on our houses? These were the sorts of questions we just didn't have answers to, so we had to guess we would probably be in the RVs at least through the fall and winter and into next year. It was around the middle of the afternoon, and I was busy securing my father's old gun safe in the storage container with the woodworking tools, when I heard the telltale sound of another vehicle pulling up the driveway. Not three days ago, that sort of commotion would have had me wondering who it could be, and why they were out here in the middle of nowhere. And that wasn't just because of the pandemic quarantine; it had been that way my whole childhood. There were three kinds of visitors to the Black family ranch; expected, in need, and unwanted. Now I heard vans and trucks moving almost constantly, and there must have been thirty or more people working just within fifty yards and I'd only met half of them. It was strange. "Excuse me, Mr. Black?" A man asked. I turned from the gun safe and found a scraggly-looking kid, maybe all of twenty and looking like he was all bones and unkempt facial hair. He was wearing a reflective construction vest and had a hard hat tucked under one arm. "Just Harrison is fine," I said, shutting the safe and spinning the dial to lock it. "What can I do for you? Is Vanessa looking for me?" "Who? No, I don't think so," the kid said. "I'm with the grading crew working on the highway? There's, uh, some people who showed up demanding to talk to you." I took a breath and nodded. It could have been a couple of different people. "What did they look like?" "Well," he hesitated. "There were two women and three men, and they pulled up in a green pickup truck and a white panel van." "Kid, are they all Natives?" I asked. "Um, yeah," he said, clearly uncomfortable. He'd likely grown up somewhere far from a reservation, and probably in a major city, so his experience was limited to a little bubble. "Alright, I know what this is," I sighed. Part of me considered opening the gun safe back up, but I ended up figuring it would just make things worse. Guns usually did. It was tempting, though. I followed the kid out to the front and waved down Erica and Vanessa as they were talking on the front stoop of the house. "Hey, I need to head down to t

Steffan and Gavia discuss the first good Superman movie since the Christopher Reeve era, a charming action-comedy from 'Guardians of the Galaxy' director James Gunn. Leaning into zany comicbook lore and the relationship between Clark Kent and Lois Lane, this reboot makes some vague attempts at political commentary - but is mostly about resetting Hollywood's vision of Superman as a lovable American icon.

Quaranteam-Northwest: Part 2 The Start of Something New Based on a post by Break The Bar. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels. Grierson finally sat forward, meeting me energy-to-energy as he kept my gaze locked in. "And yet, here we are, Mr. Black. We can either come up with a deal, or I swear to Christ and all the Saints that the government will seize this land for eminent domain under the emergency provisions of the pandemic and you won't be able to do a fucking thing about it." "Sell, or die," I said. "So you can build a 'resettlement camp?' Jesus Christ, yourself. If you know so much about my family history, you know building a fucking 'camp' of any sort on this land would be the absolute last thing I would bend over for." "I didn't say 'camp.'" Grierson said. "No matter what your Native, and Japanese, forebears had to go through, listen to me; this is the farthest thing from that." I was 1/32nd native from my father's side and 1/16th Japanese from my mother's side. Again, not the hardest thing to dig up, but while I had the black hair of both those ancestries, I mostly just looked like a tall white guy with a pretty generic last name. No one ever assumed I was anything else in passing. "What does that even mean?" Erica asked. "It means we aren't building concentration camps," Grierson said, glancing over at her. "We aren't building a reservation, or an internment camp, or any of the other shitty things our and other governments have done to people." He looked back at me again. "We're going to develop this land into a neighborhood. The God damned fanciest kind of gated community you can think of. Big houses, big properties, for people who do or did important work to settle in safety and stability as we try to survive this shit show virus." "None of this answers why," I said. "Why should I agree to this? Why shouldn't I make it so fucking annoying that you go find a different patch of land and leave me alone?" Grierson frowned, though I had the feeling he'd been planning this from the start. He wanted me to work to peel back the layers of information, to earn the answers because that would make me believe them more. It would tick off boxes in my psychology and experience. The fucking problem was even though I knew he was doing it, it was also working. "Because you'd be saving lives," Grierson answered. "Our pilot development down in California is called New Eden; the place is only two-thirds built to starting specs, and we're already out of room on the next five phases of development once it's opened. Now it's my job to set up the next locations and get them rolling because our current projections are that within the next six months, the death toll is only going to skyrocket. We can't even get a grasp on what the numbers might reasonably be because the range is so fucking staggering. Millions is the easy number, Mr. Black." It was my turn to say it. "Fuck." "Now, you're not going to hear that on the TV," Walters said. "You won't hear it from the CDC, or the other health agencies. The only reason we are cleared to tell you this is because folks in our circles have developed the preference to work with reasonable people when they are useful. And also, who would fucking believe you?" "Here's our offer," Grierson said, pulling out a slip of folded paper from inside his suit jacket and putting it on the coffee table. "That's the hard cash number we've designated for this deal. No taxes. Straight transfer from us to you. There will also be other perks, including homes inside the settlement for you and Mr. Lacoste. Things are about to get really weird in the world. Have you heard anything about the Tier system?" "Nothing," I said, but Leo spoke up. "I saw some rumors. It's supposed to be some kind of a terrifying triage, right?" he asked. "Who's the most worthy kind of shit. People started protesting, but I thought it got debunked." Grierson nodded. "Oh, we stopped the protests, but it's all too real. I won't hide it; I find the entire thing absolutely un-American. It's the kind of shit the Chinese government operates, but it is what it is." Walters drained the last of his coffee and set the mug onto the coaster on the coffee table politely. "Suffice it to say, it's a sort of social karma system. The more important you are to society, the more protections and comforts you're afforded as we roll out our limited resources on quarantine defenses. There's 5 tiers, one being the lowest and five the highest. Most of society will land in the 1's and 2's, including all three of you. This development we'll be building is mostly going to house 3's and 4's. As part of the deal, we'll place Leo at tier 3 for resettlement purposes, and you Harrison would be placed at tier 4 despite your lack of qualification in the matter." This entire conversation felt like I was running downhill trying to keep up with an avalanche. "That sounds an awful lot like a really great way to set up for corruption," I said. "A fucking caste society? Really?" "It's already done," Grierson said. "Believe me, there were a lot of in-the-know people against the idea. But it's the only idea that works in this situation. We've gamed it out to the Nth degree. Leo, your description is pretty much the best that we were able to make internally. We're triaging society to make sure it stays together and can weather this hurricane." "What would we tier at without this?" Leo asked. "Leo Lacoste," Grierson said, talking as if he were reading directly off of a portfolio even though he rattled it off without referencing anything. "Positives: Early thirties age bracket, relatively fit and healthy. Low-to-Mid career path; carpentry skills of moderate qualification. No criminal record. Negatives: No community investment. Likely rating: Tier 1." "Harrison Black," he continued. "Positives: Early thirties age bracket, relatively fit and healthy. Former military service including Military Police service, honorable discharge at the rank of MP Investigations Special Agent, no known psychological impacts. No criminal record. Negatives: No community investment, null-rank career; freelance artist. Likely rating: Tier 1." "To be fair, there is a big question mark on your file that we couldn't fill," Walters said. "Your honorable discharge happened mid-tour, without any reported incidents or injuries. It's surprising you haven't been called back into at least reserve service with the Emergencies Acts. A decent answer would probably bump you up to tier two." "I can't talk about it," I said. Erica snorted and rolled her eyes, and both men looked at her. "Erica," I warned her. "What?" she demanded. "They just called you 'low tier,' Harri. If you're not going to tell them then I will." "I can't talk about it," I said again. "Harrison knocked out an Air Force bigwig when he was an MP and stationed in Germany," Leo cut in. "The guy was abusing and trying to blackmail a female subordinate into sex. The only reason we know is because she tracked Harri down a few years ago and we met her in a bar in Portland." "The bigwig was politically protected and nothing happened in the end," Erica said. "At least, that's what she said. He got shuffled around, and Harrison got the boot." "I got an honorable discharge instead of a court martial for striking a very superior officer of a different branch," I said. "And part of that deal was that I not talk about it." "Well that explains some things," Grierson said. "It wouldn't change anything though. If you were doing something more useful with your life than painting little pictures, you might have made tier two or three without this offer." "Says you," Erica scoffed. "Art is useful. And important!" Grierson pursed his lips slightly. "Erica Lacoste. Not an official resident of the property, but I know enough. Positives: Early thirties age bracket, relatively fit and healthy. Negatives: Criminal record, including battery, two counts of public drunkenness, and public urination. No community investment. Null rank career; tattoo artist. Likely rating: Tier 1." "Hey, fuck you too," Erica said, and pointed her middle finger at Grierson, along with a scowl to go with it. Honestly, none of that was surprising news about Erica for me except for the Battery charge, I definitely needed to get that story out of her. "Okay, we get it," I said, interrupting what I had a feeling was about to become a degenerating path of conversation. "You know about us. You do realize this is all a little much, right? It comes across as insane." "Of course it does," Grierson sighed. "But a year ago, only bored analysts tripping on LSD were asked to think about these kinds of situations. Now we're in it, right in the damned middle of the clusterfuck." "You should really look at the offer," Walters said, gesturing to the folded paper I hadn't looked into yet. It sat on the coffee table like an accusing finger pointed at me by my father, and his father before him. How dare I even consider this? "So it's a butt load of cash," I said, still not opening the paper. "And we get treated like what, royalty? And in exchange, I lose my family legacy." "Royalty is a stretch; you're selling us land, not curing cancer. We'll take care of you like valued members of society. You'll also get early access to the vaccine," Grierson said. "There's a vaccine?" Leo immediately asked. "Social media has been wild with rumors but,” "It's still experimental," Walters said. "And undergoing trials. But it's functioning, with some unconventional side effects. They're still doing long-term tests down in California, but we're going to start rolling it out down there any day now once the doctors are happy with the plan. That's how bad we need it, FDA bullshit be damned." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Flipside, stick. If I don't cut a deal, you'll use the might of the US government to bend me over and rip my family legacy right out of my ass." "You got it. But like I said, we prefer working with people. There's always a silver lining to making friends," Walters said. "Fuck," I said again. Then I flipped one half of the paper open and looked at the number written on the inside. There were a damn lot of zeros. "I need to call my sister," I said. "But pending her approval, I'll lease it to you. All 560 acres, for a hundred years less a day; that's what people do, right? And Leo and I get to pick where our houses are built." "That's not how this works," Walters said. "It's my counter offer," I said. "Hold on," Grierson said, raising a hand to his partner. He narrowed his eyes as he looked me over again. He was a man who made judgment calls on the fly, despite his ability to reel off memorized facts like he'd been living with them for years. I could practically see the rusty old gears turning behind his grizzled facade. "Fuck it," he finally said. "We need to survive the next six months, year, five years and decade before anyone will be worrying about next century. Make your call." "You're really doing this?" Leo asked me as I stood up and fished in my pocket for my cell. "My family has had to defend this land from everything and everyone except the federal government," I said. "Up until now, they might be the only people who haven't thought they had some claim to it. Obviously, this will all need to be in writing before I make a final agreement, but look at the news; everything they're saying makes some sort of terrible sense. And I'd rather get the carrot than a stick so far up my ass it's tickling my brain stem." I went outside to the porch to make the call to Valerie, my older sister. It was quicker than I thought it would be; Val and her husband Brad were hearing horror stories from their nursing friends in the local hospitals, and she immediately understood the position we were in. We hadn't always gotten along the best growing up, but if Val had one thing it was a practical head on her shoulders. When I came back inside, I nodded to Grierson. "Add in another house for my sister and her family, and we've got a deal." "In exchange for the Lease, and the extra house," Walters said, "We're going to need your help in identifying the landscape. I assume you know it fairly well; we'll want you to walk our surveyors through to show any odd landscape elements, seasonal issues like flood areas, that sort of thing." "Done, as long as I can point out the shit they shouldn't fuck with and they actually listen," I said. "There are some pretty big old growth trees out there that would be a fucking shame to cut down." "I understand your concerns, son," Grierson said, as he stood and offered his hand. "But believe me when I say this; we aren't looking to build any high rises or pave over the place. These developments are for people important to society for one reason or another, and that means we're making sure to give them the best we can. Landscape included." One last deep breath and I reached out and hovered my own hand near his. "In writing before it's official." "The contract will be done by this afternoon and we'll email it over. Our lawyers work on our timeline, not their own," he said and grasped my hand in his. We both had larger hands than most, but I could immediately tell he had the grip of a man made from the iron bones of a hard life. I'd like to think he felt the same in my grip, but I had a feeling he'd shaken hands with much harder and scarier people than me. "When can we get vaccinated?" Leo asked. "If we're going to be working with surveyors and shit, shouldn't we all be as safe as we can?" "We have a testing site opening up in Portland as we speak, so it can get done as soon as possible," Walters said. "Though, as I mentioned, things are a little bit unorthodox right now. Harrison and Leo, you'll need these codes. Get online this afternoon, go to the website and fill out the questionnaire. It's extremely important you are entirely truthful. Your answers will affect how your tier ranking will play out for you as we roll it out over the next few months across the west coast." He pulled out two business cards from a pocket, each with their names, an URL and a twenty-five-digit passcode, and handed them to Leo and me. "What about me?" Erica asked. "Vaccination side effects and implementation are different between men and women," Grierson said. "Just like the virus is overly affecting men, the vaccine has different effects. If you want your vaccine immediately, Miss Lacoste, you're going to need to fly with us back up to Portland and attend the information session this afternoon that some of our volunteer human guinea pigs are doing. Then, if you agree to the risks and side effects, we can have you immunized as soon as tomorrow morning." Things moved quickly after that. Erica went to pack an overnight bag and put on her 'going out into the world' gear that she usually wore for grocery trips into town; she'd be put up in a quarantine hotel while in Portland for the night before she returned the next day. Within ten minutes she was ready to go and Walters was escorting her out, and the helicopter was warming up its rotors with a whining hum in the front yard. "I'm glad you agreed to the deal," Grierson said, offering his hand to me again, which I shook. "You may not fully understand what you've agreed to yet, but when you do I expect a more enthusiastic thank you. I get that the cash wasn't the important factor with you, son. I grew up on a ranch in North Dakota, I know what family land means. This place is going to do a lot of good for people." "Are you managing the development?" I asked, raising my voice to be heard over the rising thrum of the helicopter. "Not a chance," he said. "It'll be managed by the Air Force, they've been spearheading with the CDC on all these efforts. I'm just the pre-show, but I'll be around to check in on the progress every once in a while, and do the problem solving other people can't handle." "What does that look like?" I asked. "Any way it needs to," he grinned, and I saw the look that all veteran soldiers had. An acceptance that violence could come easily into the life of a person, and that they knew how to handle it when it came. "And don't be alarmed, but we've already had a crew starting to widen your driveway down at the highway. They'll work through the night and probably make it up here by tomorrow morning." "What's the rush?" I asked. Grierson barked a laugh as he started backing away from me towards the open helicopter door. Sour-puss lady was leaning out, holding onto the door and looking like she was about to try and scold Grierson for keeping them waiting. "Kid, in two weeks' time there's going to be well over a thousand lumberjacks, construction workers, surveyors and architects up here. Government moves slow, but OGA were designed to do the opposite. Your life is about to get a little crazy, I'd strap in." I had too many questions to even start one as Grierson hopped into the dark interior of the helicopter. The door slammed, the motor whined at a higher pitch, and it leapt into the sky and started heading north. "Hey, does this questionnaire strike you as way too fucking personal?" "Hmm?" I asked. I was sitting on the front porch with my laptop open, but I hadn't even keyed in the website URL. Instead, I'd been sitting there for over an hour just looking out at the trees, wondering if I'd just betrayed six generations of my family in under thirty minutes. "These questions," Leo said, holding up his own laptop. He'd stepped out the front door and had a look of confusion plastered on his face. "It's like... sex stuff. Shit I wouldn't talk to you about, let alone the government." "What?" I asked. "Are you sure you're on the right site? It's supposed to be about the tier thing." "Yeah, I'm sure. Dot-Gov link and everything." "Fucking OGA," I grimaced. "You and that Agent dude kept saying that. What does it mean?" I sighed. "Other Government Agency. It's kind of a military meme for when someone from the CIA doesn't want to say they are from the CIA. Or, if you're into conspiracies, it's completely separate from the CIA but they're so secretive they don't even have a name." Leo just shook his head and sighed before sitting down in the other deck chair. He joined me in looking out at the forested hills that had surrounded us for the last five years. "Did I fuck everything up?" I asked him. "What? No," he said. "Well, I mean, it's hard to know. But no, I don't think so." "This is all going to go away," I said, gesturing out to the wilds that had been my childhood, and our shared backyard. "My family has been on this land for over a hundred and fifty years, and I just agreed to let the government wipe it out." "It's not like you had much of a choice, Harrison. Carrot and stick, like you said. And whether those guys were CIA or something else, they definitely seemed to have a really big fucking stick. They flew in on a damn helicopter." "Still," I said. "I feel like I'm selling out my childhood." We talked for a while, reminiscing. Leo let me tell some old family stories he'd already heard a half dozen times before. We joked about the shit we'd gotten up to, living out in our backwoods paradise. "Maybe it's time for a change," I sighed. "This was never going to last forever." "Felt like it though, didn't it?" Leo asked. "Yeah, it did." Poing! Leo's laptop, sitting forgotten, made a horrible noise. He glanced at it, "Ah, shit. I timed out. Now I gotta start all over again." He started typing away, and I finally opened my own laptop. The first thing I did was open my emails, and sitting right at the top, already marked with an 'important' star, was the email with the contract. Everything is as discussed. Print and sign, someone will be by tomorrow to collect. Make sure you fill out the questionnaire!; Walters. "Jesus," I muttered. "They really are putting a lot of emphasis on this thing." I opened up the website, starting by filling out all the basic information. Then, just like Leo said, it started to get weird. It was like filling out the most invasive and specific dating app ever. "I feel like they're going to try and 3D Print me a girlfriend," Leo laughed at one point. "Maybe it's cloning," I snickered. "That's fair. I wonder if they can clone me an Angelina Jolie?" "Gone in 60 Seconds Jolie, or Wanted Jolie?" I asked. He snorted. "Mr. and Mrs. Smith Jolie will always be my peak. Or Tomb Raider." "Ugh," I scoffed. We went back and forth like that, laughing at the ridiculousness of the questions and suggestions. The list of kinks we were attracted to, or turned off by was immense. We had to help each other even figure out what some of them were. I found myself ticking off some that surprised me because I'd never considered them before but they sounded hot. Other stuff I down voted hard, and I couldn't believe someone would ever admit to the government that they were into them. Hell, one of the suggested kinks was the government. Who the fuck got hot under the collar about bureaucracy and paperwork? I mean, I guess someone would, somewhere, or it wouldn't have been on the list. "What did you put for that last one?" Leo asked me as I was closing my laptop. "The relationship style scale?" I asked. "Yeah. I put a full 10, polyamory all the way. How hot would it be to be some sheikh with a harem of ladies?" "I went for a 6," I said. "I'm not going to turn down a threesome or anything if that's what my girl wants, but I'm also not into the idea of sharing with another boner." Leo shrugged, closing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. "I don't know, my dude. The Agents did say the world is changing. Maybe the norm will be great big orgies next year, and we'll all be smashing like it's our jobs." I snorted and smirked. "Yeah, sure. Society threatens to collapse and we all devolve into Eyes Wide Shut perverts." "One can dream," Leo laughed. We spent the evening starting to pack. It was tough, since we weren't really sure what the actual plan was. The contract fully outlined that we'd be getting new residences in the development, which was being called 'Valhalla,' but it wasn't exactly clear what the timeline was. I pushed for Leo to get packing sooner than later. My days in the military had me trained to expect 'hurry up and wait' to never mean waiting on the little guy, and right now we were definitely the little guy. We were woken up in the middle of the night by the sound of machinery, and we got dressed and rode the ATVs down the driveway. The gravel trail stretched about a half mile from the highway up to the house, but we only made it around a couple of bends before we came to the lights and action. "Stop right there," someone with a megaphone called to us, and we pulled our rides to a halt and cut the engines. "Who the fuck are you?" the voice asked. "Harrison Black. You're on my,” I had to stop myself. As of that evening, I'd signed the contract. It wasn't mine anymore. "We live here," I corrected. "Oh, it's you," said the voice. One of the workers stepped forward. He had on a big, bright orange reflective vest, and had a clipboard in one hand and the megaphone in the other. "Keep working, boys!" he shouted, and the machinery ground into action again. He approached us and stopped about ten feet away, despite needing to shout to be heard over the machinery. "Sorry about the noise. We've got orders to get this road done up to your house by tomorrow." "We heard," Leo said. "How does this all work?" I asked. "Shouldn't you guys be in quarantine gear or something?" "We got tested twice over the last two days in preparation for the job," the guy said. "Everyone on the crew is clean, and we all damn well needed the work. Fastest turnaround and the highest pay I've ever seen. Still, we're supposed to keep our distance from anyone other than the team. You guys get tested?" "No," I shouted back. "But the Government guys who set this up didn't seem to care." "Yeah, they did that with us, too. Acted like they were immune. Hell, maybe they are," the worker said. "You hear about what that idiot in the White House said yesterday?" We traded some stories we'd heard. It was strange, usually Leo and I were pretty private with strangers, but after so long in isolation with just each other and Erica, and the fucking weird encounter with the Agents, it was nice to just shoot the shit with someone new and normal. Even if it was shouting over the sound of machinery. Williams was the foreman of the operation that was clearing the trees to either side of the road. Another crew was working behind them, and trucks were already dumping off heavy set gravel at the entrance to widen it into a three-lane road. By morning they expected to have all of the trees, stumps and all, ripped out and stacked up for processing, and the driveway would be graded and levelled by lunch. The speed at which the crew worked was almost frightening. They were all experienced hands and did everything safely, but it was clear that they were motivated. While we were talking, Leo and I had to back up our ATVs twice to clear space for the crew to move ahead. Eventually, we said good night to Williams and headed back up to the house. I went back to bed, wondering if I'd made a terrible mistake. True to their words, by the time Leo and I woke up in the early morning, the clanging and crashing was just fifty yards from the front door. We made a couple big pots of coffee and brought it out to the guys, and one at a time they all walked over to the stump we used as a table and poured it into their thermoses while we stayed back. I had to make two more trips with more fresh coffee to cover everyone; in the dark it had been hard to tell how many people were working stretched out along the driveway. The clearing crew itself had to be thirty people, and a tired but thankful Williams said the gravel grading and levelling crew was probably just as big. "I'm sure we'll see you around," Williams called as the workers started packing up their equipment and prepping their heavier machinery for transport. "Supposed to be lots more work to do up here, yeah?" "Guess so," I called back. "Where are you guys headed now?" "They set us up in a motel about 20 minutes south. We've got guys on the crew from all over; they recruited all of us to fly out for this work, all expenses paid. Gotta tell you, it felt like hitting the lottery after sitting around in quarantine with my savings siphoning away." They left behind stacks of logs and stumps along the side of the now widened driveway area, and soon Leo and I were prepping a whole new serving of coffee as the morning wore on and the grading crew made its way up my old driveway. The guys on that crew were a little more hesitant to chat since they felt like they were running behind schedule, but they were happy enough to take the hot coffee after a whole night of work. It was around noon when one of the grading crew came up and knocked on the front door of the house. I'd been busy cleaning out the attic; one of those jobs I'd always had on my list of things to do around the property but never got around to. If there was anything up there worth saving, I hadn't found it yet, but it was worth the look. I came down to the front door covered in dust. The guy took one look at me from where he'd backed to 'social distance' and started laughing. I took one look at him, covered in gravel dust with rings of sweat from where he'd taken off his hard hat, and laughed right back. "Sir," he finally said after a minute, "We just thought you should know that the crew down at the far end of the road said someone in a green pickup truck drove by real slow a few times. The third time they pulled over and asked what was going on, but the boys down there followed orders and didn't tell him anything, so he peeled out. Just figured we'd let you know." "I appreciate that," I said, and sighed in the way that only old family history could make me sigh. Deep, long and aggravated. "And I think I know who it probably was. Thanks for letting me know." He nodded and went back to work. I didn't even think to ask what all was going on down at the end of the new road they had installed until he was already at the other end of the yard. "What's up?" Leo asked when I went to join him in the barn. "One of the crew guys said they saw a green pickup doing drive-buys." "Hah! Well, I guess that's not going to be your problem anymore, is it?" Leo laughed. I smirked. "Not legally. I'm sure I'm still going to be on Kara's shit-list and get a fucking earful though." I ended up spending the early afternoon helping Leo pack up a bunch of his woodworking equipment. The smaller stuff was fairly easy, but he needed the extra body for some of the larger presses and table-mounted saws. It felt like we'd barely made a dent when the double-honk of a car broke our concentration. We both headed around the side of the barn to find Erica getting out of the passenger seat of a black town car that had eaten a whole lot of the fresh gravel dust and now looked like someone had dusted it with flour. Sour-puss Agent Maggie was getting out of the driver's seat. "Hey, sis, how was it?" Leo asked. "Umm-Hmm," Erica said, shaking her head and holding up a finger to keep him from hugging her. "I need to talk to both of you inside." She had nervous energy going on, bouncing her weight on one leg and chewing on the corner of her lower lip. "Give me twenty; no, give me thirty minutes." "Is everything alright?" I asked. Erica was already moving quickly into the house. She'd had a look on her face like she was sick, and flushed with a fever or something. I turned to Agent Maggie. "Did something happen? She didn't catch the virus, did she?" "No," sour-puss said, that permanent sneer never breaking. "She knows everything she needs to, and needs to talk. Just do what she says." "What are you talking about?" I asked. Leo had followed Erica inside to make sure she was Okay. "Look, prick. Your little 'send her to the car' thing yesterday made me look bad, and now I'm stuck as a glorified cab driver while my boss and my partner are off to another shitty corner of the country like this one to bribe someone else into handing over their property to the government. Just fuck off inside and enjoy your new fucking world, you Mamoa-wannabe jerk." She got back in her car and slammed the door closed, then started to peel away and spin the car around before slamming the breaks and rolling down the window. "I'll be back again in a few hours with Lacosta's partner. He needs to be here waiting." "What?" I asked. She just flashed me her middle finger as she drove away. God damn woman, I sighed, watching her kick up dust and loose stones as she drove way too fast down the brand new gravel road. I shook my head and went inside. Erica was already upstairs and I could hear the shower running. Leo just shook his head and shrugged, "She wouldn't say anything. Just muttered about needing to get ready for something." "This is weird," I said. "I'm really fucking hoping this whole thing isn't going to blow up in our faces." "If it is, we might as well take it head on. Too late to do anything else," Leo said. "That's too fucking true, my friend," I said. Thirty-five minutes later Erica, dressed in a pair of her tight jeans with all the holes 'stylishly' cut into them down the legs and a black Metallica hoodie, strutted down the stairs and immediately began pacing and fidgeting with the strings of her sweater hood. She had done her full makeup, and seeing her like that was almost as shocking as the first time she'd gone without it; it had been a month since she had bothered with makeup at all, since even when she went out on grocery runs she was entirely covered up. "Sit," she demanded when we joined her in the living room, pointing me to my usual chair and Leo to the couch. He furrowed his brow as he watched his sister's nervous energy, but I wasn't sure it was because he was worried or didn't like her ordering him around. Their whole twin thing had always been more bouncing off each other than working in parallel. "Alright, alright," I said, hands up as I went to sit. "What's going on, E?" She stopped pacing and looked at both of us, transferring her energy into tapping her foot. I'd only ever seen her like this once before, right before we'd had our big group conversation about her staying indefinitely through the quarantine. Later, she'd elaborated to me a little bit more as to why she'd been so nervous; beyond the pandemic dangers, and feeling alone if she left, Erica had been chipping in for groceries with us, but that was it; the woman couldn't work during the pandemic, and tattooing hadn't exactly fueled her savings accounts. Everything all piling on at once had turned her into a nervous wreck, the opposite of her usual self. So what was doing this to her now? "Erica," Leo said, snapping her out of the train of thought she'd lost herself in staring at me. Her gaze was intense, only added to by her sexy post-punk look. It was like she'd erected a wall of armor around herself, or was taking on a persona that she'd let drop. "Right, sorry, I'm just really fucking distracted," she said. "Look, there's no way to say this easily without sounding sort of crazy at first, Okay? So I'm just going to say it, and you both need to listen cause I'm only explaining it once, alright?" Leo and I both nodded. "Alright, so the vaccine isn't just like, a shot. Well, it is for women. I got it this morning, and I'm something like 97% immune to the virus. But for men it isn't a shot. I did that information session and they showed us a bunch of research I only half-understood thanks to my AP bio classes back in high school, but I definitely got the video. The vaccine is pretty much lethal for men, and it has some weird side effects for women. They couldn't remove those aspects, so they modified it in other ways to try and adjust." "So how are we supposed to get vaccinated?" Leo asked. Erica licked her lips, and I realized she was sweating slightly. She glared at her brother, then looked at me and her eyes softened, then hardened, and I couldn't tell if she was angry at me or what. Then she glared back at her brother again. "They basically turned the vaccine into an STD, and it's the only way for men to get vaccinated. It's not permanent and needs frequent upkeep in both men and women, and it turns women fucking horny as hell if they go without for too long." "I'm sorry, what!?" Leo burst out. "And you took the shot?" "Just shut up, Leo!" Erica tried to shout him down. "I heard all the evidence, I weighed my options, and I decided this was the best thing to do. The whole tier system thing? I did the same questionnaire as you guys did, and they gave me a list of good matches. People I could go become a partner of. Like, sexually, and maybe romantically. We'd live together in quarantine, screw each other into immunity, and be that way for the foreseeable future until they fix this vaccine." "That's so fucked up," I said. "They wanted you to just shack up with someone you didn't know?" "Yeah, except someone I did know was on my list," she said. "Who?" Leo asked. "Are you moving back to Portland?" Erica turned from her brother and looked right at me. "Oh, no," Leo said. "No, no, no. You two are not becoming fuck buddies. We discussed this, Erica!" "Wait, what?" I said. "You discussed,” "Not important!" Leo shouted. "It's not important. It's not happening." "It's too late, Leo," Erica said. Then she turned to me. "At least, it is if you're into it. Look, Harrison, you can say no. I can't make you do this. What's-her-name will come back and get me, and I'll pick someone else on that list they gave me, and I'll go stay with them wherever they are. No hard feelings, you've done so much for me already that I can't even start to say thank you properly. But fuck I really want to fuck you. I've been getting off thinking about you almost exclusively for weeks, and the only reason I never asked you out in all these years is because I promised Leo back in high school I wouldn't ever date his friends." "And this is better?!" Leo squawked. "Shut up, Leo!" Erica shouted back at him. "You're not seriously considering this, are you?" Leo asked me. "You can't; Why; Come on, dude. She's my twin sister, it would be like... ugh!" He threw his hands up in the air in frustration. I rubbed my face with both hands and took in a deep breath before looking back at the siblings. "Alright," I said slowly. "First off, Erica, is this the vaccine talking? Just try and focus, cause this sounds an awful lot like some crazy date-rape drug and not a vaccine." "God, fuck. Why do men have to make things so hard?" she said. "I've wanted to fuck you for ages, Harrison. You being on my compatibility list at the vaccine center just made the decision fucking convenient instead of a fantasy." I turned to Leo. "Would you rather it be me, or some freak you know nothing about?" "I'd rather it be no one!" Leo said. "That's not an option anymore," Erica growled. "I've already got the shot. I'm just going to get hornier and hornier until I fucking snap, Leo. Then I'll fuck anything that fucking moves, that's the way it works. I need to bond with someone or I'll lose my goddamn mind. There are still a few days before I apparently go full-on bitch-in-heat feral, but I'm already feeling an itch all over and the only thing that I know, I know, is going to relieve that itch is cock." "Jaysus," I muttered, sitting back. Erica turned back to me, hugging herself. "Please, Harrison? Just; just tell me yes or no. Standing here without an answer is killing me, cause I don't know if I need to fight the feeling or I can give in." "I; Erica, you are absolutely gorgeous. I always assumed you weren't interested in me, or just wanted a friend. Honestly, I sort of thought you were gay with the comments you make about the women you work on in your shop. You're always talking about perky tits and firm asses and stuff like that," I said. "I'm Bi," she clarified. "And I work with people's bodies all day. I know what's hot and what's not for me, and Harri, you've fucking revved my engine since that first weekend Leo introduced us. I just want to rub my body all over,” "Erica!" Leo interrupted her. "Sorry, sorry, too much," she said. "I told you, this fucking vaccine is damn distracting right now. I need some relief here." "I'll do it," I said. "I just; this feels like the drug or whatever talking, Erica. Are you absolutely sure?" She was on me, straddling my lap and pressing her mouth to mine. Erica grabbed my head in her hands as she started forcefully making out with me, muttering 'Thank you' over and over into my lips. Her tongue pushed against mine, and then she grabbed my hands with hers and pulled them around to grab her ass. It was wonderfully firm, with a good amount of muscle that kept it looking full even if it wasn't particularly plump. "At least go get a room," Leo growled loudly. I pushed Erica back far enough that we could look each other in the eyes. Hers were bright, lucid, and silently pleading with me in a way that made her seem smaller and more vulnerable than the tough chick I'd come to know. "Let's go upstairs," I said to her. "I didn't mean literally get a room, right now," Leo said. "We need to talk this over! You made me a promise, Erica." "Shut up, Leo," Erica said. "I'll make it up to you, this isn't the end of the world. Probably. I think." She grabbed my hand, scrambled out of my lap and started pulling me up out of my chair. "What the fuck am I supposed to do?" Leo asked. "How am I getting vaccinated?" "Whenever they find someone who actually wants to fuck you, dorkus," Erica told her brother. "That lady agent said she'd be back in a few hours with your 'partner,'" I told him as I passed by, still getting pulled by Erica towards the stairs. "I didn't know what she meant at the time, but I guess;?" "Is she hot?" Leo asked me. I was already getting pulled up the stairs. "How am I supposed to know?" I yelled down to him. It's funny how energy can rise and fall at the drop of a hat. Erica pulled me into the guest bedroom she'd been using as her bedroom, slammed the door shut and turned to me; and stopped. She bit her lip, one leg bouncing at the knee as she shifted her weight. "Second thoughts?" I asked. "No, no," Erica said, shaking her head. "Definitely not. God, fuck, no. I didn't want to get into it in front of Leo like that, but you're also just being so you that I feel like I need to explain myself more." "So tell me," I said, sitting down on the bed. Erica started pacing again but stopped after one back-and-forth. "Okay, look. What I said down there is true. I would have asked you out years ago, after that first time we met at Burleson's when Leo brought you around." "The pub around the corner from your shop? That wasn't the first time we met," I said. "I know," she replied. "That was when you were moving into Leo's apartment. We passed each other in the building lobby and I saw you glance at my tits. I thought you were just another fuckboy asshole." "Wait, I don't remember that," I said. "Why didn't you ever tell me that happened? I thought the first time was when you gave Leo the fish tattoo on his side." "That's the first time we actually spoke," Erica said. "And you had an uphill fucking battle to try and change my mind about my first impression of you. You only made it far enough that I didn't bitch about Leo bringing you to the pub a couple nights later. That was when I got to actually focus on talking to you instead of chatting while I was at work. I also remember being super fucking pissed at Leo that night, because I asked him if I could go back on our deal from high school and hook up with you, and he said no." "Okay, whoa; we could have been having sex for seven years and you held to an agreement you made in high school? What was this fucking thing, a treaty ratified by the Pope?" Erica snorted a laugh and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "No, it was stupid. And honestly, looking back, we probably would have had a lot better of a time if he and I had agreed on the opposite. But Leo was a jock, and I was a scene girl, and we made an agreement that we didn't want each other messing with our friend groups. So no dating, no crushing, no nothing if the other twin claimed them first. We wanted to guard what we had, instead of helping each other out." I huffed a soft laugh. "Sounds like teenage bullshit to me." "Yeah, well, I'll just claim twin loyalty, Okay?" Erica said. "But that's not the really fucked up thing about this. When you invited me down from the city to stay with you guys, Leo and I had a separate talk. Harrison, my brother fucking loves you. Not like in a sexual way, but you're the best friend he's ever had. Period. No doubt about it. And he may not have ever said it to you but he was really worried that I would screw up the dynamic you guys have; and now here I am doing it." Erica squeezed her eyes shut and tilted her face to the ceiling. "Shit, maybe this was a bad idea after all. Fuck, he's never going to forgive me, I,” "Hey, hey," I said, standing and pulling her into a hug. Erica was a tall woman, easily 5'9 or a bit more, but I still towered over her with my 6'6". She clung to the sides of my shirt instead of hugging back, but buried her face into my chest. "I didn't know any of this, E. But we're all adults, we can handle this better than making promises we don't want to keep." "I know," she mumbled into my shirt, and slowly let go of my sides and slid her arms around until she was hugging me back. "You should know that I would have asked you out in a second if I thought you were interested," I said. "I'm still not exactly comfortable with the big picture on all of this, but this right here? I will definitely take this silver lining." "God, you make me so hot, Harrison," Erica said, and she looked up into my eyes. I kissed her as we held each other. Her considerable chest was pressing against my sternum, and as she shifted her arms up to wrap them around my neck and pull me closer to her, I lowered mine until I hooked my fingers into the belt loops of her jeans. We held that for a while, eyes closed and enjoying the feeling like we were teenagers again. God, we're both over thirty, I laughed in my head. We should be a lot bet

Today's right-leaning media has acculturated a generation of Republican voters to focus on vanity and everything they can't influence rather than virtue and what they actually can change. On today's action-packed show, we cover everything from AI data centers and the increasing cost of living to judicial supremacism and failed immigration enforcement. Meanwhile, Congress is worse than ever and adjourned early without addressing the judicial coup against sovereignty just so they can avoid dealing with the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. If we don't change our focus, we will be stuck with illusory victories, while the uniparty continues to rack up enduring victories.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textThis week, the Madcaps discuss activity leading in Florida.  Leaning on their training and experiences, they discuss sharing some of the natural areas of Florida with others in a group setting.Please subscribe! Shares and reviews are much appreciated!Get your FREE sticker from the Florida Springs Council and sign up to be a springs advocate at https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org/madcapsQuestions and comments can be emailed at thefloridamadcaps@gmail.comRyan can be found on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/the_fl_excursionist/Chris and Chelsey can be found at https://www.instagram.com/sunshinestateseekers/?hl=en

I'd love to hear from you 'text the show'Welcome to this week's episode of the Treat Your Business podcast. Today I'm joined by two of Thrive's fabulous coaches, Philippa and Jodie. This week, we're talking about something I hear all the time from clinic owners, when things get tough, it's so easy to slip back into “I'll just do it myself.” We see it at every level, whether you're running a solo clinic or leading a big team. Your old habits and your ego want to keep you safe, but they also keep you stuck.What's inside this episode:Philippa shares a real story about a client who wanted to jump back into sales when conversions dipped, instead of trusting her team.Jodi talks about wearing all the hats, that fear of letting go, and why it's so tough to delegate.I'll be honest - I've had moments where I wanted to run away from my numbers too. But facing up to the truth is where real change starts.Key takeaways:You're not alone. Every clinic owner has wanted to run away at some point.Your comfort zone feels safe, but nothing grows there.Knowing your numbers gives you power, even when it's uncomfortable.You cannot do it all yourself. Delegating is hard but necessary.Community matters. Surround yourself with people who get it.If you're feeling overwhelmed or ready to give up, you're not failing, you're on the edge of growth. Take a breath, be honest about what's tough, and remember you can do hard things, and you don't have to do them alone.Thank you to Philippa and Jodi for joining me, and thank you for listening. Keep going and keep thriving.Episode Sponsor:VBS Medical Ltd, exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland of K-Laser Therapy & Indiba Radiofrequency Therapy.To learn more about K-Laser Therapy, visit: https://klaseruk.co.uk/why-klaser/To learn about Indiba Radiofrequency Therapy, visit: https://vbsmedical.com/product/indiba-radiofrequency/Book your free trial at https://vbsmedical.com/contact/ – quote "THRIVE" to receive a free set of goggles or Indiba cream with your equipment purchase.Treat Your Business podcast is proudly sponsored by MBST, the groundbreaking technology revolutionising recovery and rehabilitation. Offering a non-invasive, drug-free solution for musculoskeletal conditions and nerve injuries, MBST works at a cellular level to stimulate regeneration. Expand your services and deliver long-term patient improvements without increasing your workload.Learn more at mbstmedical.co.uk.

Talk Seward County welcomes Sadie Thompson and Becki Roberts from Wellbeing Initiative to the show. Wellbeing Initiative is peer-led support, education, and advocacy, empowering individuals facing mental health and substance to activate challenges to reclaim their well-being. Sadie and Becki tell us more about the programs they offer both in Lincoln and right here in Seward. If you are searching for answers to your own challenges or would like to be part of the peer-leaders through training, they have the information you need. After listening to this podcast check our their website: Wellbeing Initiative

This week, Damona takes on a question from longtime listener Vernee, who's back in the dating scene after a hiatus… and hitting a wall when it comes to finding someone who shares her political and social justice values. Vernee asks: "I'm politically progressive, very values-driven, and living in a purple state. I've tried everything — hints in my profile, direct chats — but nothing's working. Where are the men who believe what I believe?" If you've ever wondered how to communicate what matters without scaring people off — or how to find someone who's actually aligned — this one's for you. In this episode: • Why dating apps might feel harder now than they did just a few years ago • How political identity and core values have become deeply intertwined • What to say in your profile (and what to leave out) • Why texting about politics rarely works — and what to try instead • Where to meet values-aligned people beyond the apps • The line between staying open-minded and lowering your standards Submit your question: call or text 424-246-6255 Follow Damona on IG: @damonahoffman Get your free Date Tracker at damonahoffman.com Order F the Fairytale on Amazon, B&N, or from your local bookseller Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 74 Today's guest is the author of 10 books, a mom to 3, a wife to a fire chief of their small town, the founder of The Midnight Moms Devotional Community, has what she calls a neuro spicy brain, and is the author of the new book, Healing Rest: An Invitation for Mommas Who Carry So Much to Lean into the Arms of the One Who Holds It All.  Becky and I have a lot of fun together in this episode. We met long ago at my beloved Forest Home camp and just click. But we also dove into deep conversation, like the topic of her new book, which calls us to true, deep rest. Spiritual rest. I resonated so much with the topic of this book. I think so many of us moms can.  If you've been tempted to parent and live in anxiety, listen to this episode and get Becky's book. If you've been tempted to parent and live in fear, especially when it comes to protecting your kids from pornography, read my book It's Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn. Both these books will remind you of the truth that God really carries and protects your kids. It's not all on you.  I know you'll love this episode like I did! And if you do, please consider leaving a review of the podcast on iTunes. It only takes a moment but does a world of good. Thank you!  Where to find Becky: Find Becky's new book here Find Becky on Instagram here Find Becky's Midnight Moms Devotional Community here Find Becky's website here Find Becky's Bible study here  The Greta Eskridge Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Caryn and I planted some plants earlier this season, and I just noticed they're all leaning toward the sun. It got me thinking… am I doing that with Jesus?

FCS schools leaning into being a feeder Jake Retzlaff headed to Tulane as walk-on What You May Have Missed

Meredith Toering shares how heartbreak, caregiving, and emotional courage shape meaningful leadership. The post Ep 51. The Little House of Brave: Leaning Into Pain and Loving Deeply | A Summer Slow-Down Pick appeared first on The Do Business Better School.

Live at Echo Church Melbourne Sunday July 20th Speaker: Xavier, Jade, Chris & Kylie Title: Leaning Into Jesus If you'd like more information about Echo Church, go to echochurch.org.au

Parents are faced with a two sided coin. Leaning too far one way or the other can have a detrimental impact on our children. One side of the coin is the need to protect the innocence of our children. The other side of the coin bears the obvious need to train our youth so that they are prepared for the real world ahead. For many parents, these waters can be hard to navigate. Allow today's episode, a plea from the parents of the Proverbs 7 young man, to aid you in finding that right line today!

Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Amy Castoro, President and CEO of The Williams Group, where she leads a team dedicated to ensuring the smooth transfer of wealth across generations. Amy is a recognized expert in preparing high-net-worth families to successfully transition wealth while maintaining family unity and control over assets. She is also an accomplished author, keynote speaker, and senior family coach known for her direct yet compassionate approach, which fosters long-term relationships and delivers measurable results. Amy is the author of Bridging Generations—Transitioning Family Wealth and Values for a Sustainable Legacy. She is a long-time friend of FOX and has been a speaker at FOX events and council meetings. Amy has helped many UHNW families navigate intergenerational transitions, and she shares her experience on what are the hallmarks of a successful wealth transition and what role trust and communication play in achieving such successful transitions. Throughout her career, Amy has created a framework for how to build, repair, and manage trust in a family. She tells us about this framework and highlights how families can successfully leverage it. One practical tip Amy offers to many families is how to have challenging conversations and how to structure this often-uncomfortable process. She provides her recipe for success with necessary but difficult discussions within the family. Another practical tool Amy has developed is her “10 Questions Quiz” that she uses to help families strengthen relationships with each other and prepare for a smooth and successful intergenerational wealth transition. She describes the 10 questions and how she applies the quiz to help families succeed. Enjoy this insightful conversation with a leading advisor of UHNW families and practitioner in the field of family transitions and wealth transfer.

In this episode, Sam invites you to fully embrace your “too much” energy as the key to your next level of growth and fulfillment. She shares her journey through motherhood and business, highlighting how women are often taught to shrink and play small. Sam encourages you to lean into your edges, explore your deepest desires, and seek mentorship to support your expansion. Get ready to reclaim your “too muchness” and let it become your superpower. Key takeaways: You have full permission to be too much. Everything you've been shamed for holds your growth. Leaning into your edges unlocks your potential. Mentorship accelerates your journey. Small steps create big transformations. Let's connect on IG: @samanthajoharvey @fullout_podcast --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Grab Sam's free POWER PORTAL GUIDEBOOK with 7 days of actionable steps to come home to you and unlock your next level. Meet CLUB FULL OUT: The Membership your one stop shop for all things FULL OUT. Your membership includes:

What if you could really be exactly who you are, connect with people, and create your most successful business from that place? Wouldn't you want to?In this episode, Diana Murphy, life and mindset coach for high-impact leaders, owners, and entrepreneurs, shares:- How she landed in her most powerful niche yet- Why self-permission and body work have been the biggest game-changers lately- How to tap into your inner knowing and do things your way- The awesome way she's nurturing her community and gaining referralsThis episode is a great place to start asking some important questions and help you keep going on your path.What do you already bring to the table? It can always get more powerful. -----** If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to hit that subscribe button, share it with a friend, like and/or leave a comment. I appreciate each one! **Prefer video (with closed captioning)? Head to YouTube: ⁠https://youtu.be/bEPhyca4woA-----Here's the link to the episode Allison Hardy referenced in today's intro: ⁠Episode 423 | The Biggest Lie About Email Marketing⁠-----Diana Murphy is a life and mindset coach for: - CEOs- Entrepreneurs- Business leaders- Anyone making a significant shift (e.g., a new role or life circumstance, selling a business, etc.)…who wants to lead with integrity and heart.You can learn more about her and her services at dianamurphycoaching.com.Check out her podcast, The Leader's Table. Or connect with her on social (she's "Diana Murphy Coach" or "Coaching" in all the places).-----To learn more about me, Caryn Gillen, and the work that I do with high-integrity coaches and remarkable humans…Sign up for my weekly newsletter, The Playbook: ⁠https://caryngillen.activehosted.com/f/25⁠Connect with me on social: I'm ⁠@caryngillen⁠ in all the placesOr grab this free resource I made just for you, The 20-Minute Niche Cure: ⁠https://caryngillen.lpages.co/niche-cure/⁠I have lots of different options (and price points) for how I can support you.If you think I'm the coach for you, you're probably right! Message me to connect, and we can figure out together where you fit.

This episode is all about priorities—how they shift, how they shape us, and how we sometimes get them wrong before we get them right. We unpack what it means to live with intention, why peace and purpose matter more than hustle and grind, and how redefining success can change everything. From fatherhood and marriage to leadership and legacy, we take a raw, honest look at what it means to grow as a man—and why action is the bridge between what we say matters and how we actually live. If you've ever felt the drift or needed a reset, this one's for you.Here are 5 key takeaways from the episode:Priorities shift with seasons. What matters in your 20s may not matter in your 40s or 50s. Being willing to reevaluate and realign your priorities is part of growth.Peace is the new ambition. Hustle and grind have their place, but lasting success includes rest, clarity, and inner peace. You don't have to earn rest—it's essential.Brotherhood creates accountability. The right circle will call you out, lift you up, and keep your priorities in check. Growth happens best in community.Legacy matters more than image. At some point, it's less about what people see and more about the impact you leave behind—in your family, your business, and your life.Action reveals your real priorities. If you say something matters but aren't taking action on it, it might not be a true priority. Your choices expose what's really important.One Truth: Your priorities shape your reality—and if your actions don't align with what you say matters, it's time for a gut check.

This talk was given by Diana Clark on 2025.07.14 at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA. ******* For more talks like this, visit AudioDharma.org ******* If you have enjoyed this talk, please consider supporting AudioDharma with a donation at https://www.audiodharma.org/donate/. ******* This talk is licensed by a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License

Send us a textHave you ever needed something steady to hold onto when everything around you was shaking? "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" might be the quietest anthem of faith ever written—not making a grand entrance, but showing up faithfully when your strength doesn't.Unlike hymns of triumph and majesty, this beloved gospel song speaks to our deepest vulnerabilities. Born from real heartbreak when composer Anthony J. Showalter responded to two former students who had lost their wives, the hymn transforms the promise of Deuteronomy 33:27 into a melody of comfort: "The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms."What makes this hymn extraordinary is how it's transcended its origins to become part of our cultural fabric. From Mahalia Jackson to Alan Jackson, from The Night of the Hunter to True Grit, these simple lyrics about divine support have resonated even in secular spaces. Yet behind its cultural reach lies theological depth wrapped in the simplest language—fellowship that brings joy, a pilgrim journey made sweeter by divine companionship, and freedom from fear not because life is safe, but because God is good and walks with us.Whatever wilderness you're walking through right now, this episode invites you to lean in—to the arms that never weaken, the promises that never fade, and the fellowship that never lets go. Join us as we discover why, generation after generation, believers have found such comfort in these simple words: "safe and secure from all alarms."SHOW NOTES:Leaning on the Everlasting Arms performed by Nathan Drake of Reawaken Hymns from the album Hymns of the Father from The Trinity Project.To purchase the digital album and any or all of the amazing Reawaken Hymns worship resources for Hymns of the Father.Lyric videos, chord charts, sheet music available for "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” can be found on Reawaken Hymns.Acoustic version of this hymn also available from Reawaken Hymns.Support the show www.thebrightforever.comAll songs used by permission.

Bobby Burton and Gerry Hamilton are joined by The Voice, Craig Way to discuss the changing landscape of college sports, iconic calls, hanging out the press box window on 4th & 5 and more!  

In this episode of Stranger Fruit, we explore the word that so many of us chase: “Finally.” Whether it's the long-awaited match, graduation, or the completion of a major milestone, “finally” often marks an emotional finish line. But is it ever really the end? Or just the start of something new? Dr. Steven Johnson, PGY-1 neurology resident at Howard University, joins us to unpack what it means to enjoy the fruits of our labor without immediately chasing the next thing. Together, we explore the hedonic treadmill, the trap of endless striving, and the art of sitting still in satisfaction. Timestamps: 00:16 Exploring the Meaning of 'Finally': Triumph, Relief, and Determination 01:13 A Medical Student's Perspective on Reaching the 'Finally' Stage 03:51 Facing the Unknown: Preparing for Residency and Future Growth 05:30 Reflection and Confidence: Overcoming Obstacles on the Medical Journey 06:22 Analogies to the NFL Draft: Confidence, Weaknesses, and Leadership 08:28 The Hedonic Treadmill: Cultivating Gratitude and Avoiding Complacency 09:15 Constant Motion: Embracing Pain and Growth on the Treadmill of Life 11:33 Leaning into Difficulty: Embracing Pain for Accelerated Growth 12:49 Maintaining Momentum: Avoiding Stagnation and Static Energy 18:53 The Quality of Work vs. The People Around You 20:10 Reframing Happiness: Finding Contentment in the Present Moment 22:10 Gratefulness and Reflection: Breaking the Cycle of Always Looking Forward 25:29 The Keys to Your Heart and Mind 26:10 When Finally Isn't What You Thought: Dealing with Disappointment 28:07 Motivations and Reflections 29:13 Knowing the Journey is the Destination 30:36 Looking in the Mirror: Who Am I? 31:51 Seeing Someone You Don't Like 33:48 Moving Forward: Instilling Memories 35:51 Planting the Seed: The Word Finally Places Too Much Emphasis on the Destination 37:31 Embracing the Growing Pains for Future Success 40:47 When Was the Moment You Realized You Weren't Invincible? 43:35 What are You More Afraid Of? Success or Failure? 47:52 Final thoughts and closing remarks  

7/13/2025 5th Sunday after Pentecost Colossians 3:12-17 Toph Banke   Music for Sunday's worship gathering Leaning on the Everlasting Arms by Hoffman/Showalter Down by the Riverside by Traditional Great is Thy Faithfulness by Chisholm Flourishing by McCracken All the Poor and Powerless by All Sons & Daughters I’ve Got a River of Life by Lathbury He is Among Us by […]

Dr. Jeff Ross preaches about Colossians 1:1-14

Get my new book: https://bronsonequity.com/fireyourselfDownload my new special report - How to Use Inflation to Your Advantage - www.bronsonequity.com/inflationWelcome to our latest episode!Break free from fear and discover your purpose through small, intentional steps. Join host Bronson Hill and co-host Nate Hambrick, author of The 18 Laws of Leverage, for a transformative conversation with Julie DeLucca-Collins, Chief Innovation Officer, certified Tiny Habits coach, and author of Confident You. From her roots as a teacher to climbing the corporate ladder as a VP and C-suite executive, Julie faced the “friendnemy” of comfort that kept her stuck—until a layoff during the pandemic forced her to embrace change and launch her coaching business. Now, she empowers women and others to leave jobs they hate, build confidence through tiny habits, and pursue passion-driven lives. Sharing insights on reframing failure, finding “believing mirrors,” and creating systems to navigate setbacks, Julie offers practical strategies to move from stuck to unstoppable.TIMESTAMPS00:41 - Introduction: Embracing change for freedom 02:03 - Guest intro: Julie DeLucca-Collins journey 04:21 - Corporate traps: The Peter Principle and golden handcuffs 06:11 - Brené Brown's arena: Daring greatly despite setbacks 08:20 - Steps to quit: Building passive income and confidence 10:24 - Tiny habits: Starting small for big change 12:12 - Empowering women: Representation and believing mirrors 14:49 - Possibility vs. threat: Rewiring mindset for growth 17:19 - Leaning into failure: Becoming a badass through rejection 20:58 - Questioning stories: Shifting from stuck to possibility 22:38 - Falling and rising: Lessons from Bonnie St. John 26:07 - Faith and resilience: Coaching through life's setbacks 30:28 - Finding purpose: Passion, proficiency, and values 35:42 - Tiny habits in action: Pausing to recalibrate 37:52 - Connect with Julie: Website and resources 39:52 - Key takeaways: Friendnemy behavior and purpose-driven lifeConnect with the Guest:Website: https://goconfidentlycoaching.com/#EmbraceChange#FindYourPurpose#TinyHabits#FinancialFreedom#WomenEmpowerment#ReframeFailure#FriendnemyBehavior

After losing her first daughter Lily at birth, Lexi set out to feel it all. To her it was important for her to lean into her pain, her grief, and her motherhood to a baby no longer here. Lexi poured herself into her poetry, that she self published as a way to connect with Lily as well as take time and space to just BE with herself and her pain instead of pushing it away. Since Lily's death, Lexi has since had her little sister Daisy. We talk about the beauty and sadness in raising a living child after loss and the complexity of parenting one here and one in the sky. You can tell her love for her daughters and the strength she exudes despite her pain is inspiring. Find her book on Amazon "The First 40 Weeks" as well as connect with her on Instagram: @grief.and.lily *************************************NOTE: I am not a doctor or a therapist. The views of my guests are not always reflective of my own.  I am just a real life loss mom describing her experiences with life after loss. These are my experiences, and I'm putting it out there so you feel less alone. Always do your own research and make informed decisions!For more REAL TALK about baby loss and grief, hit subscribe to be notified when another episode drops!Support the podcast and shop the store!  At a Total Loss Shop Instagram @thekatherinelazar Youtube: @thekatherinelazarEmail: thekatherinelazar@gmail.comWebsite: www.katherinelazar.com Some helpful resources:https://countthekicks.org/https://www.measuretheplacenta.org/https://www.pushpregnancy.org/https://www.tommys.org/ Local to Atlanta:https://www.northsidepnl.com/

Harmony Kwiker (kw-eye-ker), MA, LPC, NCC, ACS, is a psychotherapist, author, and visiting instructor at Naropa University where she teaches mindfulness-based transpersonal counseling. She is the founder of the Institute for Spiritual Alignment where she offers holistic trainings for therapists, coaches, and healers. Her first book, Reveal: Embody the True Self Beyond Trauma and Conditioning, is a vulnerable self-help memoir, and her second book, Align: Living and Loving from the True Self , her third book, The Awakened Therapist: Spirituality, Consciousness, and Subtle Energy in Gestalt Therapy, is a text book, and her fourth book, Holistic Co-Regulation: A Practitioner's Guide to Working with Chronic Dysregulation, is now available.    https://awakenedtherapist.com/holistic-therapy-t   Want to be a guest on Unconditioning: Discovering the Voice Within? Send Whitney Ann Jenkins a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1631293280445x277643368444412160

Send us a textLetting go isn't easy—but in public school parenting, it often starts early. In this encore episode, we explore how one mom navigated the balance of trust and involvement, connection and independence, while raising her kids through the public school system. Whether your child is just starting out or you're deep into school years, this conversation offers real-life encouragement for staying present, intentional, and anchored in love.

Today's episode is a video solocast, so watching it here on YouTube allows you to hear it and see it! For the last year or so, God has been teaching me about the importance of a believer's posture. We know good posture is part of good physical health. Good posture isalso part of good spiritual health.It looks like standing firm on God's foundation, which I shared about in episode 117. Today's episode is about the posture of leaning on God. I discuss what itlooks like to lean on the world's ways to navigate challenges versus navigatingthem God's ways. The Greek word for lean is shaan. It's used in these verses in the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition: * Psalm 22:4-5 *Psalm 28:7 * Psalm 37:5 and 7 * Psalm 56:3-4 * Psalm 62:8 * Psalm 143:8 * Isaiah 26:3-4 * Colossians 1:4 * 2 Timothy 1:5 * Hebrews 6:11-12 A fight verse to remind you to lean on God is Psalm 112:7, which reads, "I shall not be afraid of evil tidings; my heart is firmly fixed, trusting (leaning on and being confident) in the Lord." When challenges intersect your path,check your posture. Are you standing firm? Are you leaning on God?Send me a COMMENT or QUESTION!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Have a comment about this episode? Click HERE and complete the form.

Don't go looking for an early ticket to heaven and listen to God – life is precious! -------- Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.     Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org   Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

What do we do when God's calling for our child's life looks nothing like we expected? This week's episode is such a gift. I'm joined by Katie Davis Majors, a mom, missionary, and founder of Amazima Ministries who shares her journey from a planned gap year to a lifelong mission in Uganda. Her story will stretch your perspective on calling, parenting, and what it means to truly trust God with your kids.Here are four key takeaways from our conversation:God's plans often surprise us. Katie's “one-year” mission trip became a lifelong ministry and calling.Katie talks about raising kids who care deeply for others and reflect the love of Jesus.Letting go is part of faithful parenting. We don't need to control the outcome, but we do need to walk in trust.Sustainable service requires surrender; serving others shouldn't lead to burnout when it's done from a place of abiding in Christ.Katie is the founder of Amazima Ministries in Uganda, a mother of fifteen through adoption and birth, and the author of multiple books including Kisses from Katie and Safe All Along. She lives in Uganda with her family, where she continues to serve and write about faith, motherhood, and surrender.This conversation will remind you that the bravest thing we can do as parents is trust God with the story he's writing in our kids' lives.Resources Mentioned:A Great Cloud of Witnesses Prayer JournalChristian Parenting resources(00:00) Katie's Journey to Uganda and Amazima(05:51) The Impact of Compassionate Parenting(11:57) Letting Go of Control in Parenting and Ministry(18:13) Amazima's Mission and Future GoalsThe Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.orgOur Sponsors:* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code CPPODCAST for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com* Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.com* Check out Marianne and the Maker: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.comPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Peter Egan is a legend in the world motorcycle journalism. He is best known for his work as an automotive and motorcycle writer. He gained prominence through his long-running columns and features in Road & Track and Cycle World magazines, where his storytelling combined mechanical insight with a nostalgic, often humorous style. Egan began writing for Cycle World in the late 1970s and later joined Road & Track in the 1980s. His writing stood out for its deep affection for classic vehicles, road trips, and the romance of travel and machinery. His popular columns, such as Side Glances (in Road & Track) and Leanings (in Cycle World), earned him a dedicated following. Peter joins us to share stories from his travels and talk about his newest book, Landings in America, where he and his wife traveled around the country in an old Piper Cub airplane with nothing more than a pup tent, a wad of cash, and a change of clothing. With Liza, Nak, Stumpy John, Miss Emma, Neal, Tim and Bagel. womenridersworldrelay.com/ wima-usa.com/2025-international-rally/ www.motorcyclesandmisfits.com motorcyclesandmisfits@gmail.com www.patreon.com/motorcyclesandmisfits www.zazzle.com/store/recyclegarage www.youtube.com/channel/UC3wKZSP0J9FBGB79169ciew adifferentagenda.com/products/the-lost-tribe-25 motorcyclesandmisfits.com/shop Join our Discord at discord.gg/hpRZcucHCT

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Send us a textIn this episode, I'm sharing what God's been teaching me lately—from the golf course to grandkid adventures to quiet moments of grief and growth. These past few weeks have been full of reminders to be present, to listen better (even when it's hard!), and to let go of old regrets so I can make room for the new things God is doing.I'll talk about making new memories after loss, the beauty of honest conversations in marriage, and why it's okay to not have it all together—as long as we keep showing up with open hands and hearts. If you've ever struggled to move forward while still honoring the past, this one's for you.

Today's topic really dives into such an important concept to life. We are given the option to live in a constant state of fear or set free and live through a faithful life. You are in control! In this episode we discuss: The universe is always on your side Leaning into Faith and Divine Plan What's higher than us? Ways to connect with the universe Thanks for tuning in and can't wait to see you next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a story in Joshua 9, which is very relevant to us today. Joshua and his people were doing very well, and all the neighboring countries were frightened of them because of their victories and the power they had from the Lord. One of their neighbors, the Gibeonites, decided to trick Joshua into a peace treaty. They made themselves look tired and dirty, like they had traveled a long way, and came to Joshua asking for a treaty. Verses 14 and 15 tell us: The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath (Joshua 9:14-15). Here was a business transaction facing the Israelites. A group of people made them an offer. The men of Israel looked at the outward evidence, decided it looked like a good deal to them, and signed the bottom line. They found out later they had been deceived. The facts were not as they appeared to be, and they had made a strategic mistake. Why? Because they trusted in their eyes and their minds, and did not inquire of the Lord. There are times we don't think we need to consult the Lord; it's just a cut and dried situation in our view. We make decisions in our own strength, based on our human reasoning. And that gets us in trouble. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6). Do you remember when Jesus told Peter to go fishing? Peter's own understanding of fishing told him there were no fish there, since he had fished all night and caught nothing. Besides, it was the wrong time and place to fish. But because Jesus told him to, Peter went fishing and caught more fish than ever before. Peter had to learn, as do we, you can't just depend on your own understanding. Leaning on our own understanding is the norm especially in the business world. But, as Christians, we should take all our decisions to the Lord and ask for his wisdom. Sometimes our own understanding is very shortsighted and incomplete. We need the eternal wisdom of our Savior; we need to inquire of the Lord. Remember to inquire of the Lord in any decision you face. Don't lean solely on your own understanding. That can get you in trouble.

Leaning

As we celebrate Independence Day and the incredible freedoms we enjoy in the United States, this special 4th of July episode of the Built Different Podcast invites you into a deeper conversation on the freedom that lasts — the kind that goes beyond borders and fireworks and reaches deep into the soul. Today’s guest is best-selling author, Bible teacher, and joy-warrior Margaret Feinberg, who joins us to discuss her latest book, The God You Need to Know. While our national freedom is preserved through sacrifice and service, spiritual freedom is offered through surrender and relationship — a gift from a God who wants to be known. Through the lens of Margaret’s powerful book, we explore how the Holy Spirit brings liberty, empowerment, healing, and joy into every part of our lives. This episode isn’t just about celebrating freedom — it’s about experiencing it.