Podcasts about lululemon

On today's episode, Clay is joined by Shawn O'Malley to discuss what he's learned through hosting The Intrinsic Value Podcast over the past year. They also dive into The Intrinsic Value Portfolio, which includes holdings like Uber, Alphabet, Lululemon, Nike, and Adobe. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:42 - How The Intrinsic Value Portfolio has performed this year 00:18:23 - Why a sizable portion of The Intrinsic Value Portfolio is invested in big tech companies 00:28:41 - How Shawn gets comfortable investing in retail companies 00:43:07 - Why Nike is included in The Intrinsic Value Portfolio 00:49:27 - The best opportunities Shawn sees in today's market 00:58:16 - Why Shawn is bullish on Adobe despite the collapsing stock price 01:17:23 - Shawn's estimate of the intrinsic value of Adobe 01:24:19 - Shawn's process for researching stocks Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join the exclusive ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIP Mastermind Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Check out The Intrinsic Value Podcast. Check out The Intrinsic Value Newsletter. Check out The Intrinsic Value Portfolio. Check out The Intrinsic Value Community. Mentioned Episode: TIP741: The Intrinsic Value of Uber & Reddit. Related Episode: TIVP019: Adobe (ADBE): Designing a Creative Empire. Related Episode: TIVP033: Lululemon (LULU): Still the King of Athleisure? Follow Clay on LinkedIn & X. Follow Shawn on LinkedIn & X. Related ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ mentioned in the podcast. Ad-free episodes on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Premium Feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Intrinsic Value Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We Study Billionaires Starter Packs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow our official social media accounts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIP Finance Tool⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Enjoy exclusive perks from our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠favorite Apps and Services⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠best business podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our ⁠sponsors⁠: Simple Mining Human Rights Foundation Unchained HardBlock Linkedin Talent Solutions Alexa+ Vanta Amazon Ads reMarkable Shopify Onramp Public.com - See the full disclaimer here. Abundant Mines Horizon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm

How is Spatial.ai mapping real retail demand?In this episode of Retail Retold, host Chris Ressa gets inside the mind of Lÿden Foust, the CEO and founder of Spatial.ai—the company turning real human behavior into a map retailers can actually use. If you think location strategy is still built on income bands and census data, this conversation flips that idea on its head.Foust explains how Persona Live Segmentation blends social signals, credit card trends, demographic nuance, and movement patterns to reveal who your customer really is—and where they live in the physical world. It's the engine behind brands like Patagonia and Lululemon choosing sites, growing market share, and targeting high-value segments others miss.Ressa and Foust dig into the elephant in the room: AI isn't spatial (yet). The technology can write decks and draw buildings, but it can't feel the difference between half a mile and a trade area boundary. The fundamentals still matter—and boots on the ground beat bots on the map.The two break down how value just overtook quality in consumer preference, why Dutch Bros is winning by going after unexpected segments, and how landlords can use psychographics to land better tenants and build smarter merchandising mixes.What You'll Hear:Why psychographic segmentation, not demographics, drives retail market shareHow Patagonia, Lululemon, and others use Persona Live Segmentation to find their best customersThe four data sources behind Spatial.ai's models: social, purchasing, demographics, movementWhy AI is not yet spatially aware enough to replace human site selectionWhat mobile data gets wrong and right about trade areasHow Dutch Bros disrupted the “crowded” coffee category by targeting unexpected segmentsWhy value is now outperforming quality in consumer decision-makingHow property owners can use psychographics to land the right anchor tenantWhere demographic trends are shifting: birth rates, immigration, Gen Z, and Gen AlphaThe surprising role of franchising as a growth engine for retail real estateChapters00:00 — Who Is Lÿden FoustChris introduces Lÿden and the origin story of Spatial.ai's Persona Live Segmentation platform.01:13 — Why Psychographics MatterLÿden explains why real behavior beats demographics when retailers choose locations.02:15 — The Data Behind Persona SegmentationSpatial.ai blends social signals, spending patterns, demographics, and movement to map customer segments.06:38 — Retailers Using It TodayPatagonia, Lululemon, and others use psychographics to find top customer groups and guide site selection.10:58 — AI's Limits in Real EstateChris and Lÿden debate why AI isn't spatial yet—and why human context still wins for site selection.12:41 — Mobile Data: Good and BadThey break down what mobile visitation data reveals, and where it misrepresents certain customer groups.14:27 — Building Trade Areas SmarterLÿden explains how mobile data reshaped trade area analysis and unlocked competitive insight.18:40 — Value Now Beats QualityThey explore why “value” just surpassed “quality” in consumer preference and what retailers should do about...

Lululemon's Founder is trolling its current CEO… Did Lulu forget how to be cool?6 of the top 15 crypto-holding zip codes?... They're military bases.The theme of this Cyber Monday was AI… It's become a deal-sniffing shopping concierge.Plus, the most viral brand on Giving Tuesday is Goodwill.$LULU $NKE $SPYMorgan Adams Foundation (for the Pauls): https://morganadamsfoundation.org/jackpaul/ Thon (for Allison): https://donate.thon.org/participants/124875NEWSLETTER:https://tboypod.com/newsletter OUR 2ND SHOW:Want more business storytelling from us? Check our weekly deepdive show, The Best Idea Yet: The untold origin story of the products you're obsessed with. Listen for free to The Best Idea Yet: https://wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/NEW LISTENERSFill out our 2 minute survey: https://qualtricsxm88y5r986q.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dp1FDYiJgt6lHy6GET ON THE POD: Submit a shoutout or fact: https://tboypod.com/shoutouts SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tboypod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tboypodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tboypod Linkedin (Nick): https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolas-martell/Linkedin (Jack): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-crivici-kramer/Anything else: https://tboypod.com/ About Us: The daily pop-biz news show making today's top stories your business. Formerly known as Robinhood Snacks, The Best One Yet is hosted by Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you know the difference between a high HRV and a low Resting Heart Rate? More importantly, do you know how to change your training based on that data?Today, Ross is joined by Peter Tierney, a veteran Sports Scientist and Performance Coach who has worked with elite organizations ranging from Leinster Rugby to Lululemon. Peter specializes in "connecting the dots"—taking complex physiological data and turning it into actionable coaching advice.In this episode, you will learn:The Wearable Trap: Why obsessing over your Whoop or Garmin sleep score might be hurting your performance, and which metrics (like temperature and morning HRV) actually predict illness.The "SHIT" Framework: A simple 4-step checklist (Stiff, Heavy, Irritable, Tired) to decide if you should push hard or pull back on training.Marathon Science: Why your taper feels wrong (but is right), and the specific math for effective carb-loading (liquid vs. solid carbs).Recovery Myths: Why "feeling" recovered is often more accurate than your data, and how to use naps as a stress "circuit breaker."Mentioned in this episode:Heart Rate Variability (HRV)The "SHIT" Recovery FrameworkCarbohydrate Loading strategies (6-10g per kg)Supplements: Creatine Monohydrate, Omega 3s, Beetroot shots (Nitrates)Quote of the episode:"A recovery strategy if you feel tired shouldn't be the same as if you feel stiff or heavy. That doesn't make physiological sense." — Peter TierneyIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share it with a running buddy!

The torture and murder of 30-year-old Jayna Murray inside the Lululemon store shocked the affluent community of Bethesda, Maryland. But was the rape of her colleague Brittany Norwood everything that it appeared to be? Police had to take a deep dive into betrayal, lies, fraud, and the "cult" of Lululemon to unveil a red collar psychopath. 

Welcome back to another episode! This week, we're diving deep into all the latest Peloton news and updates. From exciting new partnerships and features to instructor milestones and Black Friday deals, we cover everything you need to know to stay on top of your fitness game.Peloton has added a new guest instructor to its star-studded lineup.We discuss the latest updates and what might have happened to Lanebreak.Peloton announces a groundbreaking partnership with Formula 1, taking your fitness experience to the fast lane.The iconic Peloton brand was recently featured on the Las Vegas Sphere.Peloton now offers a convenient haul-away service for your old equipment.A look at the new features and improvements rolling out with the latest Peloton app updates.The Peloton Status page has added subcategories for more detailed information.We break down the can't-miss Peloton Black Friday sales.Peloton expands its European presence with a new partnership with Fitshop Berlin.A smaller discount for Australian Club Peloton members (20% at Lululemon) is causing some discussion.Instructors Emma Lovewell, Cody Rigsby, Alex Toussaint, & Becs Gentry were spotted at a recent F1 event.Matty Maggiacomo was featured in a recent New York Times article.Leanne Hainsby-Alldis is officially out on maternity leave.Sam Yo's new book is now available for preorder.Callie Gullickson is having a book release party at PSNY on December 7.We talk about Camila Ramon's recent bike malfunction during a class.Callie Gullickson announces she will be out until June.The latest Peloton Artist Series features country superstar Kelsea Ballerini.Peloton drops a special "Wicked: For Good" class featuring Cynthia Erivo.Actor Oliver Hudson was seen riding with Jess King.Spice Girl Mel C was spotted working out at Peloton Studios New York.Lane Kiffin gave a shout-out to Ross Rayburn on Instagram.In competitor news, Orange Theory is partnering with HYROX.Fitness tech company Whoop is reportedly contemplating an IPO.The full Peloton Turkey Burn lineup has been announced.Benny Adami has a Save-The-Date for his upcoming holiday ride.Assal Arian has shared a new 3-Day split program.New Rising Dance Classes have been added to the schedule.A new collection has dropped from Peloton Apparel.Kirra Michel launches her "Elevate Your Practice" yoga series.Christine D'Ercole has a SIIT (Sustained Intensity Interval Training) class coming in December.An "XOXO Cody" ride is scheduled for December 2.Happy Birthday to Jenn Sherman, who celebrates on December 1stSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Andy’s Brave New World: Part 3 The group leaves Yosemite, encounters Crystal. Based on a post by the hospital. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. They were halfway through clearing the third floor's residential wing when the smell hit them, that too-familiar sweet-sour scent they'd encountered far too many times in the past week. They found him in one of the bedrooms, a middle-aged man in diplomatic attire, Juyeon John Chu, collapsed across his bed as if he'd simply laid down for a moment's rest. "I'll take care of it," Andy said quietly, already moving toward the body. "We can't bury him here, we might need the soil for growing food later. I'll take him to the sea tomorrow morning." No one argued. They'd all seen too many bodies to be truly shocked anymore, but finding one in what was meant to be their sanctuary cast a pall. "Let's get the water system running," Andy suggested after they'd wrapped the body and moved it to the yard. "But hold off on the generator for now. No sense advertising our presence with lights until we're more settled." They chose their rooms quickly. Daniela picked a corner room with good sightlines to the street. Sarah chose one near the bathroom, while Crystal selected a smaller room. Andy took the room nearest the stairs, positioning himself between potential threats and the others. The work of unloading their supplies took the rest of the daylight hours, their movements becoming more efficient as they learned the building's layout. They gathered on the roof as the sun began to set, their camp stoves and rehydrated meals spread out on a foldable plastic table scavenged from the kitchen. The view was breathtaking, the Golden Gate Bridge silhouetted against the darkening sky, the bay waters reflecting the last orange rays of sunlight. Despite everything, despite the silence that had fallen over the city and the scattered signs of candlelight appearing in distant windows, the vista remained stubbornly, achingly beautiful. "It's so pretty here," Crystal offered softly. "And it has everything we need. Good choice." She smiled at Andy. "Yeah, I'm glad this place has a gym," Sarah said, picking at her camping meal. "If I could just order my Korean skincare products, I'd be set." She sighed. "God, my skin is going to be a disaster without my routine." Andy chuckled, leaning back against the low wall. "For me, it's Netflix and H B O, I'll miss most. And streaming new music." He shrugged at their surprised looks. "I know, I know, I'm a park ranger, I should be all about nature. And I am! But there's nothing like unwinding with a good show or a new album after a long day." "Ice cream," Daniela said suddenly, her voice softer than usual. "I really miss ice cream. It's probably all melted now. And YouTube. Dad and I used to;" she paused. "Watch together all the time. I learned so much from tutorial videos. How to fix things, how to make stuff." She stared at her bowl. Crystal set down her bowl and touched Daniela softly on the arm. "For me, a proper hot shower," she said wistfully. "And getting my hair done at the salon. Just the whole experience of it, someone washing your hair, the massage;" "Oh god, yes," Sarah groaned. "My colorist in L A, she was an artist. These highlights?" She tugged at a strand of her expertly highlighted hair. "They're going to grow out and look awful." "Who did you go to?" Crystal asked, perking up slightly. "In L A, I mean?" "Sadie at Salon Santa Monica," Sarah replied. "Once I could afford it." Crystal's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh! I knew some girls who went there. The agency had me going to Maurice at Atelier." She named one of the most exclusive salons in Los Angeles. "I mean, I couldn't afford it myself, it was part of the modeling contract." "Maurice?" Sarah's eyes widened. "I dream about getting an appointment there. Their balayage technique is incredible." They spent the next few minutes trading stories about L A salons and beauty treatments, their voices growing more animated as they compared experiences. Andy and Daniela exchanged bored glances, letting them have their moment of nostalgia. Finally, the conversation lulled naturally. Andy cleared his throat, his expression growing more serious. "For tonight, we'll get the Starlink array set up, then everyone can get some rest. Maybe have a shower." He gave Crystal a small smile. "Though it'll be cold for now, the water heater runs on natural gas, so that's going to take some time to sort out." He set his empty bowl aside. "Tomorrow morning, we should head to the Presidio, see what kind of organization is forming there. But before that, we need to think about security. Daniela, those anti-personnel mines you brought; think you can set up a perimeter?" Daniela nodded. "I also want to do a more thorough sweep of the building," he continued. "Check every desk, every shelf. Might find keys, documents, anything useful." The setting sun cast long shadows across the roof as he laid out his thoughts. "This place makes sense as a long-term base. The off-grid water and power should last us months, hopefully long enough to find renewable sources. If we can track down someone who knows electrical work, maybe get some solar panels up here on the roof with a battery bank, we'll be set." Sarah nodded, her expression open. "So we're staying?" A series of quick nods around the group confirmed their agreement. "In that case," Andy continued, "we should start doing serious scavenging runs. Stock up on preserved food, drinks, medical supplies, anything useful we can find. Crystal, can you look up all the grocery stores and restaurants, anywhere we might find food, and put them on a map? I saw a framed map of SF downstairs, we can use that for now." "Of course, glad to. I found a janitorial closet earlier too," Crystal said, her voice careful but eager to contribute. "But most of the cleaning equipment is electric. If we could get some manual supplies I could help maintain the place properly." "Good thinking," Andy acknowledged. "Add that to the list." He paused, considering. "You know, looking at our group, we've got, survival skills, combat expertise, " he nodded toward Daniela, "and you two are both eager and resourceful. But we're missing a lot. No medical knowledge beyond basic first aid. No electrical or mechanical experience. Nobody who knows construction or farming." He looked around the circle. "If we find people with those skills, we should consider inviting them to join us. This place is big enough." "What about the water situation long-term? We'll go through it faster if more join." Daniela asked. "Once our storage runs out, going down to the bay to refill with our trucks and purify would be inefficient. Maybe dangerous too." Andy nodded approvingly at her foresight. "You're right. But that's a problem we share with other survivors, so we can keep an eye out for solutions, maybe try to organize something collectively. A well, maybe? Or a water truck, get someone who knows how to swap its engine for a Tesla electric one." He paused and rubbed his chin. "Solar panels and batteries can last 25-30 years with minimal maintenance. Medium-term, we should look to electrify everything we can. Long-term;" he shrugged. "Hopefully society gets organized enough to restart battery and solar panel production or something." He sat up straighter. "Actually, that should be our top priority, medium term, reducing fuel dependency. All our fuel will degrade within a year anyway." He started counting off on his fingers. "Find an electrician. Scavenge solar panels and batteries. Track down some electric vehicles." A pause. "Everything else we need, food, medicine, weapons, we can stockpile, but fuel? That's our biggest vulnerability right now." "Makes sense," Sarah said, rising from her spot on the roof. "I'm going to set up the array and then hit the gym before bed." She glanced at Andy, her voice taking on a playful tone. "Want to join? I could use a spotter." Andy met her gaze, a slight smile playing at his lips. "Sure. Could use a workout after all that driving." Day 7, Evening The gym felt different in the dim glow of their camping lantern, shadows playing across the equipment. Sarah had changed into a matching set of compression shorts and sports bra in deep purple, the material clinging to every curve as she began her warm-up stretches. Why she felt the need to change from athleisure to athleisure was beyond Andy's comprehension, but he appreciated seeing her in yet another fitness-influencer outfit. She positioned herself where Andy could clearly see her, making each movement deliberately graceful, arching her back slightly more than necessary. "I usually focus on targeted exercises," she said, moving to the cable machine for some standing rows that emphasized her toned back and shoulders. She adjusted her stance, making sure he had a perfect view of her form. "You know, for the gains. But I guess those days are done." Andy let his gaze linger appreciatively on her athletic figure, toned legs, and firm ass. "Those isolation exercises clearly worked for you," he said, moving closer ostensibly to watch her form. "But with everything we're dealing with now, functional strength might be more important." Sarah adjusted her position, deliberately brushing against him as she moved. "Oh? What would you suggest?" "Compound lifts," Andy said, pointing to the power rack. "Deadlifts, squats, bench press. Works multiple muscle groups at once, builds practical strength." He walked over and demonstrated the deadlift form with an empty bar, aware of her eyes on him. Sarah approached the rack, copying his stance but imperfect. "Like this?" she asked, looking back at him over her shoulder. Andy stepped behind her to adjust her position, his hands firm but gentle as they guided her shoulders and hips into proper alignment. He stayed close, his breath warm on her neck. "Keep your back straight," he said, his voice low and intimate. "Engage your core." She completed the lift, then turned to face him, still holding the bar, their bodies inches apart. "That definitely feels different," she said, looking up at him. "More; intense." "It's better for overall fitness," Andy said, making no move to step back. "Not just for show." Sarah set the bar down carefully, letting her hand brush his arm as she straightened. "Well, I trust your expertise. As long as I don't get too bulky." She moved toward the bench press, adding an extra sway to her hips. Looking back at him, she smiled. "Though I have to admit, I don't think I'll be able to stop caring about aesthetic results too." "It really is impressive," Andy said sincerely, his eyes meeting hers. "You'd still be hot if you got bulky though. Amazonian." He said with a flex. She laughed. They worked out a few more minutes, then Sarah approached him, dabbing at her neck with a towel. After a moment's hesitation, she started. "Andy; can we talk serious for a sec?" He nodded, giving her his full attention. "Look, I'm just going to be honest," she said. "I'm attracted to you. How could I not be? You've kept us safe, led us through this nightmare;" She gave a small laugh. "Plus, you know, the whole ranger thing really works for you." Andy smiled, and let her continue, anticipating a "but". "But, well, we only met a few days ago, even if it does feel like it's been weeks. And with everything that's happened," She motioned vaguely at the world outside. "I'm not ready to jump into bed yet. I don't even know what a relationship would look like now. I hope you understand." "Of course," Andy said gently. "I'm attracted to you too, Sarah. Very much. But you're right, we're all still processing everything that's happened. There's no rush." Sarah stepped closer, a playful glint returning to her pretty almond eyes. "That said; maybe we could explore things gradually?" She glanced toward the gym shower. "For instance, I'm gonna shower right now. I need someone to wash my back." She gave him a flirtatious smile before biting her lip. "Though I can't promise you won't end up a little; frustrated." Andy's smile widened. "I think I can handle that risk." "Yeah?" Sarah asked, already backing toward the shower, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Yeah," Andy replied, following her lead. They walked together to the shower area, exchanging eager smiles. "Me first," Sarah said playfully, turning her back to him. She slowly peeled off her sports bra, exaggerating her movements and swaying her hips. The compression shorts followed, sliding down her toned legs with deliberate sensuality, revealing a plump and juicy ass. When she turned back, she had one arm draped across her tits and the other hand covering herself below. The lantern light played across her athletic figure; toned, gently muscled stomach, curved hips tapering to strong thighs, and a natural tan line from her usual workout attire. Her skin glowed golden in the dim light, a light sheen of sweat from their workout making her practically shimmer. Seeing Andy's appreciative gaze, she giggled and dropped her arm from her chest. Her cute B-cup tits were perfectly perky, defying gravity even uncovered, with small rosy nipples standing at attention. "Your turn," she said coyly, still covering herself below. Andy laughed and simply pulled off his tank top. "Aww, I give you a show and you just do it like that? No; ceremony?" Grinning, Andy turned and mimicked her earlier performance, slowly working his shorts down with exaggerated movements. When he turned back, he had one hand strategically placed over his junk. They both laughed at the playful awkwardness of the moment before simultaneously revealing themselves fully. "Oh," Sarah said appreciatively, her eyes widening slightly. "Nice; proportions." "Thanks, you too." He said, eyeing her up and down. Sarah laughed and led him into the shower by his arm, both of them very aware of his erect hardness brushing against her waist. She reached for the tap, and sighed luxuriously as the cold stream hit her. "Ahh, that's nice. I always shower cold. It's better for skin and post-workout inflammation." "What about this inflammation?" Andy quipped, making her giggle. They swapped places and as the ice-cold water hit him, Andy tensed slightly, trying not to show it. Sarah noticed anyway. "What kind of ranger isn't used to cold showers?" she teased, reaching for the soap. "Actually, I have the Korean no-B O gene," Andy admitted. "So I usually just skipped showers if there was no hot water." "Gross" Sarah said, as she began soaping herself. "Could you get my back?" she asked innocently, turning around. Andy's hands moved across her shoulders and down her spine. She turned back to face him. "Oh, and I think I missed a spot in front too;" Andy's breath caught as his hands cupped her tits. They were perfectly sized for his palms, simultaneously firm yet yielding, with hard nipples pressing against his fingers as he explored them. Sarah giggled at his expression of sacred reverence. "Are they that nice?" she asked playfully, mewling gently at his touch. "Yes, they are," he breathed. She took the soap and returned the favor, working her way down his back and across his stomach. When she reached his waist, she paused, looking up at him questioningly, her hazel eyes wide and innocent despite her intentions. At his smile, she wrapped her delicate fingers around his shaft, exploring every inch with careful attention. Andy watched as she traced the length with feather-light touches, circled the sensitive head with her thumb, stroked the tender underside, and gently cupped his balls. Her eyes never left his face, studying his reactions to each touch, noting every subtle change in his expression to learn what pleased him most. Turning off the water, she pressed closer, her wet skin sliding against his. "Think you can finish like this?" Her voice was soft but confident. "Yes," Andy managed, already breathing harder from her exploratory touches. She gripped him with both hands now, quickly establishing a rhythm. The soap acted as a perfect lubricant, letting her fingers and palms glide smoothly up and down his shaft. Her technique was precise, one hand working his base while the other focused on his sensitive head, occasionally twisting slightly in a way that made his knees weak. Her gaze was intense as she worked him harder and faster, her eager face showing clear enjoyment of the power she held over him. Water droplets ran down her face and neck, across her perfect tits, making her skin glisten in the dim light. She varied her pressure and speed expertly, reading his reactions and adjusting accordingly. When his hips began to thrust involuntarily, she matched his rhythm, her small hands providing the perfect amount of friction and pressure. Just as he felt his orgasm build, she shifted her approach, her left hand maintaining a steady stroke while her right hand moved lower to gently massage his balls. The change in sensation made him gasp, bringing him back from the edge while introducing a new kind of pleasure. She grinned at his reaction as she rolled and squeezed him gently. "Please, I was getting close" Andy breathed. With a mischievous wink, she resumed jacking him with both hands, drawing another sigh from Andy as he enjoyed the feeling of her soft fingers rubbing his shaft. Andy's breathing grew increasingly ragged as the pressure built. His hands gripped the shower wall for support as Sarah worked him relentlessly toward his peak. She seemed to sense when he was close, her movements becoming more focused and deliberate. Her eyes locked onto his face, eager to watch his expression as he came. When he finally reached his climax, it was intense, thick ropes of warm white cum erupting from his cock, splashing across her toned stomach and thighs. His whole body shuddered with each pulse as she continued to stroke him through his orgasm, maintaining perfect pressure to draw out every last wave of pleasure. She watched in fascination as his seed painted her skin, her expression one of satisfaction and pride at bringing him such intense release. "Wow, that's so hot." Sarah said, looking at the impressive volume. "Someone's been storing that up, huh?" Andy closed his eyes and smiled deeply. "Yeah." he breathed. "Been a while. Thanks." He ran a hand down her shoulder, savoring the feeling of her soft, cold skin, the post-nut clarity heightening his awareness. She examined her cum-covered hands and smirked. "Hey loves!" she chirped in her best content-creator voice. "Today, I'm so excited to share this amazing new product with you!" She winked at Andy. "Make sure to swipe up for the full review!" She delicately touched her finger to her tongue, then assumed a thoughtful expression. "Hmm, nice thick consistency, slightly sweet with just a hint of salt. Ten out of ten would recommend!" She sucked on her finger erotically, then dissolved into giggles at Andy's amused expression. "Don't forget to like and follow for more cum content!" She turned the water back on, laughing as Andy visibly flinched at the cold. "Really, some ranger you are!" The water washed away the evidence of their activities, and they stepped out to dry off. Andy felt wonderfully relaxed, tension draining from his shoulders. "What about you?" he asked softly. "Don't worry about me," Sarah smiled, toweling her hair. "I don't think I could anyway. Too much tension, and;" she paused, "I'd need to feel more emotionally connected." Andy looked puzzled. "Wait, so you're comfortable showering together, giving me a handjob, and even tasting my cum, and we haven't even held hands? Or kissed? Actually," he realized, "we haven't even hugged." Sarah giggled. "Those things are about love and emotional connection," she explained. "And for me, so is sex. This?" she giggled again, mimicking a handjob in the air. "This was just making sure my fearless protector," she emphasized those words with a sultry voice "is thinking with his brain and not his cock!" She gave him a playful grin. "And; tasting a new Korean sauce. If you're really good to me, maybe I'll be trying a new Korean skincare next time." They both laughed. She paused, letting the towel drop. "Although; I wouldn't mind a hug now, if you want." Andy opened his arms and she stepped into them. They held each other, feeling the warmth of skin on skin, this simple embrace feeling somehow far more intimate than what they'd just done. Day 7, Late Night Andy lay in bed, his phone's glow illuminating his face as he scrolled through Beacon. A soft, barely audible knock at his door caught his attention. He opened it to find Crystal standing in the dark hallway. Even in the dim light cast by his phone, her stunning figure was unmistakable. She wore a delicate black lace bra that cupped and lifted her full tits, creating an enticing cleavage. A matching garter belt hugged her narrow waist, leading to sheer stockings that emphasized her long, toned legs. High-cut lace panties completed the ensemble, leaving little to the imagination. The scent of her expensive perfume, a light, floral fragrance, wafted towards him, adding to the intoxicating effect of her presence. "May I come in?" Crystal whispered, her voice barely audible. Andy nodded, stepping aside to let her enter. As she passed, he couldn't help but notice how the lace hugged the curve of her perfect, heart-shaped ass. Crystal closed the door behind her, hesitated for a brief moment, then turned to face him. "I thought I might; fulfill my end of the bargain," she said softly, her posture shifting to emphasize her curves. She took a step closer, her blue eyes locked on his. "I'm here to show my appreciation, in whatever way you'd like." Andy smiled ruefully, taking in her body but thinking about his encounter with Sarah only a few minutes ago. He knew he almost certainly wouldn't be able to get hard so soon. Not wanting to reveal this, he decided to try to play it off, raising a hand to stop her. "Hey, relax, we just got here. You don't have to worry about that right now." He forced his eyes away from her perky tits and up to her eyes. Crystal's demeanor deflated slightly, a mix of surprise, relief and disappointment crossing her face. "Are you sure?" she asked, her voice small. "I; I wanted to be useful to you. I even put on this outfit, just for you, sir." She raised her arms above her head and twirled slowly like a ballerina, showing off her body from all angles. As she rotated, Andy's eyes were drawn to her long, shapely legs. The sheer stockings accentuated every curve, from her delicate ankles to her toned calves and up to her perfectly proportioned thighs. The high-cut panties drew attention to the junction where her legs met her torso, emphasizing the enticing curve of her hips. Her backside was a work of art, two rounded globes, neither too large nor too small, but ideally suited to her frame. The lace of her panties clung to the curves, outlining the heart shape of her ass and hinting at the soft valley between. Unable to help himself, Andy reached out, giving her ass an affectionate squeeze. His hand was met with an enticing balance of firmness and give, soft enough to be incredibly inviting, yet firm enough to maintain its shape, smooth and warm to the touch. Crystal jumped slightly at the contact but quickly tried to play it off, her body instinctively pressing back into his hand for a brief moment before she caught herself. "I appreciate it, truly," Andy said. "But there's no hurry. I'm sure there will be plenty of time for that later." He paused. "If you want to be useful, maybe you could start by making us all coffee in the morning." "I see," Crystal said, turning to face him again. She took a moment to regain her composure, a small smile playing on her lips. "Well, I promise it will be the best coffee you've ever had. The most mind-blowing, hot, tight, wet coffee ever." She winked. Leaning in close, she whispered in his ear, her breath hot against his skin. "If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me." With that, she turned and left the room, the soft click of the door the only sound in the quiet night. Andy sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair as he processed what had just happened. The image of Crystal in that lingerie was seared into his mind, and he knew it would be a long time before he could forget it. Day 8, Morning The early morning silence in the consulate was profound. Andy woke to sunlight filtering through the curtains, casting long shadows across his room. The building's stillness felt almost reverential, as if the world itself was holding its breath. He rose and headed to the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face and quickly freshening up. The morning routine felt almost normal, a small piece of civilization preserved in their diplomatic sanctuary. Through the window, he could see fog rolling in from the bay, wreathing the silent city in gray. The building's old pipes groaned softly as he washed, the sound echoing through the empty corridors. Andy made his way downstairs to the break room adjacent the kitchen, settling into one of the chairs. Moments later, Crystal appeared carrying a tray with coffee and sugar. She wore loose-fitting silk pajamas that somehow managed to look both casual and elegant, the fabric draping softly over her curves. The absence of a bra was subtle but noticeable, with her perky tits shaking beautifully, and her hard nipples sticking up proudly. "I wasn't sure how you liked your coffee, sir. Unfortunately we don't have milk," she said, putting a soft emphasis on the word "sir" that sent a shiver down his spine. "This is fine, I like it black, thank you," Andy replied, reaching for the cup. "You're going to work on the map of scavenging sites in the area today, right?" "Yes sir. I'll get started on it after my yoga this morning," Crystal responded with a small smile before turning to leave. She paused at the doorway. "Enjoy your coffee, I'll be in my room if you need me." Andy sipped his coffee, appreciating its rich flavor, momentarily distracted by thoughts of Crystal, before returning to scrolling through Beacon on his phone. The posts about San Francisco painted a slowly emerging picture: survivors were gradually congregating at the Presidio, though organization remained loose. Someone had started cataloging available medical supplies across the city's hospitals. Another person was working on getting a solar array functioning at the city hall. A post from the Presidio account caught his attention, they'd designated Land's End as a mass grave site, with plans to begin proper burials soon. Several volunteers with construction equipment were already clearing space. Andy made a mental note, it would be a better option than his original plan of taking the diplomat's body to the sea. He composed a quick message to Mike: "Made it to SF. Secured shelter @ Korean consulate. How's drive north? Your mom?" A few more posts mentioned growing communities forming in Marin and the East Bay, but nothing substantial yet. Most survivors seemed to be following the same instinct, head toward major population centers, look for others, try to rebuild. The Presidio's natural defensive position and former military infrastructure made it an obvious rallying point. Andy finished his coffee, letting the now familiar routine of morning research ground him in this strange new world. The sound of footsteps on the stairs drew his attention. Sarah and Daniela appeared, both looking refreshed despite their slightly sleepy expressions. The consulate's secure walls had clearly provided them their first proper rest in days. "Morning," Sarah said, stifling a yawn. She wore her usual athletic wear, while Daniela was already dressed in camo pants and a t-shirt. "Crystal made coffee, there's some in the kitchen if you want some," Andy offered, gesturing with his empty cup. "Oh god, yes please," Sarah replied, heading for the kitchen. She paused, noticing Daniela's hesitation. "Have you never had coffee?" Daniela shook her head. "Dad said I was too young." "Well, you're basically living adult life now," Sarah said gently. "Might as well try it. Here, I'll make you one." They returned moments later, Sarah handling her cup with ease while Daniela examined hers with suspicion. She took a careful sip and grimaced. "It's; intense," she said diplomatically. Sarah laughed. "Try adding some sugar. Most people don't start with it black." Daniela followed the suggestion, her expression softening as she tasted it again. "Better," she admitted. "I can see why you like it." "Have either of you checked Beacon this morning?" Andy asked. Both shook their heads, so Andy summarized what he'd learned. They listened intently. He watched as a dark expression cast over them both when he brought up the Land's End grave. "Yeah, speaking of which," he added, his tone growing more serious, "we should probably deal with the, ah, body outside. Wrap it properly until we can take it to Land's End." "I'll help," Sarah offered, squaring her shoulders slightly. "I need to get better at handling this kind of thing. Can't be squeamish anymore." Daniela set down her coffee. "I know where the large garbage bags are. They're heavy-duty, should work until we can get something better." Day 8, Midmorning "You sure you don't want to wear something more; practical?" Andy asked, watching Sarah adjust her deep blue Lululemon set in the hallway mirror. "This is practical," she insisted, giving him a little view. The tight sports bra and leggings left little to the imagination, showing off her gentle abs and toned curves. She then covered herself in the North Face jacket he'd selected for her from their scavenged supplies. "Besides, first impressions matter. We want to seem approachable." Andy checked his holstered Glock, making sure it was secure but not too visible under his jacket. "Fine, but at least wear your boots instead of those running shoes." They'd packed their backpacks thoughtfully, bottles of antibiotics carefully wrapped in cloth, and several dozen apples from the fruit stand. "The medicine is what they really need," Andy explained as they prepared to leave, "but I think fresh fruit will mean more to them emotionally. A lot of it in the city will have spoiled by now." "Makes sense," Sarah nodded, shouldering her pack. "A little taste of normal." Andy turned to Daniela, who was studying a building layout. "You good here? Remember, no answering the door-" "Unless it's you guys, I know," she cut him off with a hint of teenage exasperation. "I'll figure out the best spots for the mines and come up with a defense plan." She pointed at a few spots she had already marked on the layout. "I've already found a few spots here." Crystal looked up from where she was marking locations on a large map of San Francisco. "I've marked three promising grocery stores within walking distance," she offered, her braless chest hanging downward as she bent over the map. "I'll have a full scavenging map ready by the evening." "Perfect," Andy said. "We shouldn't be more than a few hours. Mainly just want to get a sense of what's happening at the Presidio, make some connections." He glanced at Sarah. "Ready?" Sarah nodded, and they headed out into the quiet streets of their new city. The morning fog had mostly burned off, revealing a neighborhood frozen in time. Expensive cars sat in driveways, morning newspapers still sat on pristine lawns, and recycling bins waited patiently for a pickup that would never come. The silence was absolute except for the occasional bird call and the whisper of wind through untended gardens. "Look," Sarah pointed, "A Tesla, Model Y. And it's plugged in." Andy marked the location on his phone. "Good catch. That'll be useful later when we're looking for vehicles that don't need gas." They turned onto Jackson Street, where a dark blue Rivian R1T sat parked beneath a row of cherry trees. Andy added its coordinates to their growing list of resources. The houses stood as silent witnesses to the abrupt end of normalcy, gardens still meticulously maintained, windows spotlessly clean, patio furniture arranged for evening cocktails that would never be served. Just eight days ago, this had been one of San Francisco's most exclusive neighborhoods. Now it was a museum piece, preserved in perfect, haunting detail. "It's so weird," Sarah said softly, eyes scanning the immaculate homes around them. "Everything looks exactly like it did before. Like any minute now, people will start coming out to get their mail or walk their dogs." As they walked past another row of silent houses, Sarah glanced at Andy with a playful smile. "Sleep well?" Andy caught her eye and winked. "Very well. Mind's quite clear and focused today, thank you." "Good," she said softly, reaching for his hand and giving it a quick squeeze. "Maybe we can go for round two later today." Their fingers lingered together for a moment before separating, both of them smiling as they continued their walk through the quiet neighborhood. Movement ahead caught their attention, another woman walking alone toward the Presidio. She was in her early thirties, wearing expensive yoga pants and a Patagonia fleece that had seen better days. Her brown hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and she kept glancing around nervously as she walked. "Hey," Andy called out softly, not wanting to startle her. She jumped slightly anyway, then relaxed a bit when she saw Sarah. "Oh! Hi," she replied, maintaining a careful distance. Her wedding ring glinted in the morning light, though she was obviously alone. "Would you like an apple?" Andy offered, already reaching into his pack. "We just picked them yesterday." Her eyes lit up. "Really? Fresh fruit?" She stepped closer, accepting the apple with trembling hands. "Thank you. I've been living on protein bars and coconut water from my pantry." She took a bite immediately, closing her eyes briefly at the taste. "I'm Rachel, by the way." "I'm Andy, this is Sarah," Andy replied. "Heading to the Presidio?" Rachel nodded, wiping juice from her chin. "Yeah. I've been holed up in my apartment, but;" She gestured vaguely. "I figured I should see what's happening, maybe find other people. It's getting a little scary being alone. Are you two staying nearby?" "Yeah, we just got into the city," Andy said carefully. "We're a small group, set up at the Korean consulate." He made a mental note, another survivor with no immediately obvious useful skills for their core group. "Oh," Rachel said, seemingly hoping for an invitation that didn't come. "Well, I'm at 2740 Jackson if you; if anyone needs anything. Though I don't have much to offer." "Thanks." said Andy. "Let us know if you need anything as well." "Well, to be honest I could use some food. That's mostly why I'm going to the Presidio." "We don't have a ton to spare right now, but we are planning to go on some scavenging runs soon. We have a truck. If you wanted to join us, we could offer you a split of what we recover." "Oh, that would be great." said Rachel. "Let me get your Beacon handle, let me know when you decide to go." They walked together in silence for a few moments before Rachel spoke again. "Did either of you lose much family?" she asked quietly. "My husband was in New York for meetings when, you know." She twisted her ring absently. "We all lost people," Sarah said gently but firmly, cutting off that line of conversation. Rachel nodded, understanding the boundary. The walk continued in silence. They emerged from the tree line, and the main parade ground of the Presidio opened up before them. What had once been a pristine lawn had transformed into a makeshift settlement of perhaps four or five hundred survivors. Colorful camping tents dotted the grass in loose clusters, many bearing high-end outdoor brand names, testament to San Francisco's wealthy outdoor enthusiast population. Larger military-style tents had been erected at strategic points, including a prominent medical station marked by a red cross fashioned from spray paint. Two nurses in scrubs moved between cots visible through the open flaps. A row of folding tables had been set up near the old barracks, forming an impromptu marketplace. Someone had already established a basic trading post, advertising "batteries, solar chargers, and medicine." Next to it, a woman stood behind a table of sorted electrical equipment, carefully logging exchanges in a notebook. Hand-painted signs stuck in the ground advertised various needs and corresponding Beacon handles: "Needed: Electricians for solar project" "Volunteers wanted, water purification" "Medical Skills? Report to Tent 4" "Engineers needed, power grid planning" The gender disparity was immediately apparent, women outnumbered men significantly, matching the pattern they'd seen elsewhere. A few men in partial military or police uniforms walked the perimeter, rifles slung across their backs. One carried himself with particular authority, speaking into a handheld radio as he made his rounds. A group of women was setting up what looked like a communal kitchen, sorting through boxes of supplies. Nearby, someone had rigged a solar panel to charge phones and laptops, with a small crowd gathered around it. The air smelled of campfire smoke and cooking food, punctuated by the distinctive scent of unwashed bodies and physical labor. "Oh my god," Rachel breathed, taking in the scope of the settlement. "I had no idea there were this many," she noted, eyes wide. Andy studied the scene carefully, noting the mix of organization and chaos. While some basic systems were clearly being established, there was no real sense of central authority yet. Just people with useful skills trying to help where they could, while others waited for direction. A woman with a clipboard approached them, her manner friendly but professional. "Welcome to the Presidio Settlement. Are you here to join us or just checking in?" "The two of us are just checking in," Andy said, gesturing to Sarah. As another volunteer stepped forward to speak with Rachel, he continued, "We arrived in San Francisco yesterday, we've set up in the Korean consulate building. We brought antibiotics and some apples we snagged on the way here, wanted to offer them as a donation." He offered her one of the apples. "Donations are greatly appreciated," the clipboard woman said warmly, accepting the apple. "I'm Alice, by the way." "Are you a volunteer here?" Andy asked. "Yep, been here three days now. We're trying to make a directory of people in the area, if you're okay with me taking down your information?" Sarah glanced at Andy, who nodded. "Sure." "Okay, great." Alice flipped to a fresh page. "Name and age?" "Andy Rhee, 28." She nodded, writing. "We're cataloging useful skills. I'll read through the list, just let me know which apply: Medical training? Engineering? Electrical? Plumbing? Construction? Military experience? Hunting? Navigation? Survival skills? Agriculture? Animal husbandry? Radio operations? Vehicle maintenance? Water treatment? Solar installation?" "I was a park ranger before all this," Andy replied. "So yes to navigation, survival skills, and hunting. Basic first aid training. I'm good with radios too, amateur operator license." Alice made several check marks, nodding appreciatively. "That's actually really useful, we don't have many people with real wilderness experience. A lot of the survivors here worked in tech, myself included." She gestured at the camp. "Lots of programmers, not many who can track game or build shelters." "I'm sure," Andy said dryly. Alice turned to Sarah. "And you?" "I was;" Sarah hesitated, "just a biology student. UCLA, second year. Nothing really useful like Andy." "Hey, don't sell yourself short," Alice said kindly. "Most people here were also doing jobs that don't matter anymore. We're planning to set up training groups, teaching practical skills. Biology could be helpful with agriculture, medicine, lots of things." Sarah simply nodded, looking slightly relieved. "We have two others in our group," Andy added. "Daniela's fourteen, but she has extensive survival, hunting, and military training from her father, he was a Marine, and a; ah; prepper. She can do some vehicle maintenance too I think. And Crystal;" he paused, realizing he didn't know her age. "Well, she'd also need to reskill." Alice's eyebrows rose as she made notes. "A teenager with military training? Interesting." She flipped through her papers. "You should talk to Guillermo Herrera; he was in the Army. He's been trying to organize some basic defense planning for the Presidio. And Diana Wells has been looking for people with hunting experience, trying to put together expeditions to supplement our food supplies." She made a final note. "Do you have a Beacon handle? We're trying to keep a communication network going." Andy gave her his handle, which she copied down carefully. "Well, welcome to the Presidio," Alice said warmly. "We're glad to have people with real survival skills join the community. Even if they're not living here directly," she added with a smile. "Thanks. Oh also, you said 'We're trying to make a directory' earlier. Who is we? Some kind of leadership?" "Nothing formal yet, but there's a group. Mostly people with different types of expertise. I don't know all of them, but Megan Lunn is the one coordinating us. She's great, I trust her a lot." "Great, thanks." As they walked deeper into the settlement, Sarah moved closer to Andy, lowering her voice. "Are you sure it was smart to tell them so much? About where we're staying, our skills, Daniela's training?" Andy considered her question thoughtfully. "Well, here's what I'm thinking. The Presidio is almost certainly going to become the, or at least one of, the centers of power in San Francisco. It's inevitable. The location, the infrastructure, the natural defenses, and it's already starting to get established before anywhere else. If we ever get to a point where we regret having told them our information," He shrugged. "Well, by then we'd already be pretty screwed. We'd probably need to leave the city entirely anyway." "So little downside to being open?" Sarah asked, watching a group of women organizing supplies nearby. "Exactly. I think I'm going to try to talk to Megan and get myself involved early, try to shape how things develop." Andy kept his voice low but confident. "Being cooperative and open now gives us more influence later. If we tried to stay completely separate or, like, secretive, we'd just look suspicious. Then we'd be outsiders trying to affect things from the margins instead of a respected part of the community." Sarah nodded slowly, processing his logic. "If the Presidio is going to be the power here, might as well join it and be a leader within it. I get it." "Yeah. Don't worry," Andy assured her. To be continued. Based on a post by the hospital, for Literotica.

Andy’s Brave New World: Part 1 Ranger Andy survives, the apocalypse in Yosemite. Based on a post by the hospital. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Day 1, Yosemite National Park The park was busy with spring visitors when the first reports came in. Tourists coughing in the visitor center, a family requesting medical assistance at Upper Pines campground. Andy helped coordinate with the park's small medical team, radioing updates to other rangers. Standard protocol for illness in the park, nothing too concerning yet. That evening, things took a turn, with the news reporting an alarming spread of similar outbreaks across California, and the world. Possibly a new avian flu, they said. Day 2 Everything accelerated. Half the ranger staff called in sick. The small park clinic was overwhelmed. Andy helped organize an evacuation point at the visitor center, trying to get sick tourists to hospitals in Fresno or Modesto. His training kicked in, calm, professional, reassuring visitors even as his colleague Declan started coughing blood next to him. The ill began dying in droves. The park superintendent ordered all non-essential personnel to evacuate. Andy stayed, helping the remaining medical staff set up an impromptu care center in the lodge. By the evening, Andy felt a fever rise and was soon sweating through his clothes and coughing up a lung. He weakly barricaded himself in his cabin and prepared to die like the others. Day 3 The next morning, Andy woke to fine himself still alive, surprised to feel slightly better than the night before. He pulled himself out of his cabin and began his duties. The radio channels went quiet one by one. No response from Fresno hospitals. The lodge had become a morgue. He spent the morning doing rounds, checking campsites, finding mostly bodies or critically ill visitors who died within hours. By evening, he was the only ranger still moving around. He did his best to care for the sick and dying. Andy wasn't entirely sure if this was all just an awful dream. Day 4, Morning The cough remained in his chest that morning, but Andy forced himself to continue his rounds. The ranger truck's tires crunched over broken glass in the parking lot as he checked North Pines Campground. Most sites were abandoned, their occupants having fled days ago. Others contained what he couldn't let himself think about yet. His fevered brain kept switching between ranger protocol and survival instinct. Check each site. Document. Radio in-- no, the radio was silent now. Just static and occasional distant screams that were becoming less frequent. That's when he saw it, an expensive ultralight tent in millennial pink and gray, surrounded by matching gear that looked straight out of an R E I catalog. Too pristine, barely used. A small solar charger lay futilely pointed at the clouded sky. "Hello?" His voice was rough from coughing. "Ranger service. Anyone alive in there?" "Define 'alive,'" came a strained but steady voice, followed by a cough. Andy approached cautiously, unsnapping his holster out of habit though he knew he wouldn't need it. Inside, a young woman sat cross-legged in the tent entrance, her expensive Lululemon sports bra and high-waisted hiking shorts soaked through with fever sweat. Despite everything, the death, the horror, his own fever, Andy couldn't help noticing how the wet fabric clung to her curves. Her figure was exactly the type that dominated outdoor Instagram, slim waist, toned stomach, curved hips, the sports bra struggling to contain what was clearly meant to be shown off just enough to stay within platform guidelines. He tried to push the thoughts away and focus, but his eyes kept betraying him. She looked up at him with clear eyes, fever-bright but alert. Mixed Asian-white features that hit that perfect social media sweet spot, even through the fever, high cheekbones, full lips, almond-shaped hazel eyes. Her carefully highlighted hair was plastered to her neck, mascara smudged but intact, like she'd been maintaining her appearance out of sheer habit until the fever hit. A few light freckles stood out against her flushed skin. "I'm guessing the 'shelter in place' order isn't working out great for everyone else either?" "I'm Ranger Rhee. Andy," he said, noting how her hands trembled slightly as she reached for her water bottle. "You're sick, but; not like the others." "Sarah Chen-Mitchell," she managed between sips. "And yeah, I noticed. Been listening to people cough and die all night while I just sat here with what feels like a really bad flu. Not exactly the wilderness experience I was going for." Her attempt at humor was undercut by the raw edge in her voice. Andy saw her Instagram-ready camp setup, the coordinated cookware still in its packaging, the expensive camera carefully wrapped in a rain cover, the rose gold water bottle. "We need to get you somewhere safer. Can you walk?" "Yeah, just;" She stood unsteadily, unconsciously adjusting her sports bra, a reflexive gesture that seemed absurd given the circumstances. "My car's blocked in. I tried to leave but;" She gestured at the chaos of abandoned vehicles hemming in her pristine Subaru, many with now-deceased occupants. "Look, I've got medicine and supplies back at my ranger unit," Andy said. "Pack whatever clothes and valuables you need. Leave the camping gear, we can always come back for it if;" he trailed off, not sure how to end that sentence. "Right," Sarah said, still shivering slightly in her wet athletic wear. "I should probably change too." "Do you need help?" Andy asked, then immediately regretted how that might sound. "I mean, with packing. You seem pretty weak." "No, I've got it," Sarah said quickly, pulling herself more upright. "Just; give me a few minutes?" Despite everything, there was still a hint of self-consciousness in her voice. Andy nodded and stepped away from the tent. "Take your time. We're not exactly on a schedule anymore." He heard the tent zip closed, followed by the sounds of her moving around inside. The rustle of fabric as she changed. Multiple bags being opened and closed, more than strictly necessary for just grabbing essentials, he thought. A few quiet muttered comments to herself about what to take. The distinct sound of what had to be a hairbrush being used. Even now, even here, some habits die hard. Or maybe it was just her way of holding onto normalcy for a few more minutes. Andy stood guard, trying not to listen too closely to her movements, scanning the eerily quiet campground. A crow called somewhere nearby. The mountain air was cool and clean, carrying no hint of the devastation it had helped deliver. "Ready," Sarah called softly. The tent zipper opened and she emerged with a large designer backpack, now dressed in a black Alo Yoga tube top that showcased her toned shoulders and pushed up her cleavage, paired with high-waisted leggings that clung to every curve. Her face was scrubbed clean of makeup, but her dark hair was neatly brushed, falling in waves around her shoulders. The fever flush in her cheeks only enhanced her natural beauty, that calculated mix of exotic and approachable that had probably earned her thousands of followers. She caught Andy's gaze traveling over her body and gave a small, knowing shrug, arching her back slightly. "I know, I know. Not exactly survival wear. But it's what I brought for my Instagram hiking content, so;" She did a little pose, definitely more displaying than mocking now, the movement emphasizing her curves. Andy found himself watching much longer than he should, and her slight smile suggested that was exactly the response she'd wanted. "We can probably find you something more practical at the gear store," he managed, forcing his eyes back to her face. "Heavy duty pants, boots, proper rain gear." "Perfect," she smiled, her voice dropping slightly despite her obvious exhaustion. "Though I did bring some actually useful stuff." She knelt by her bag, the movement making Andy struggle to keep his eyes up. "Latest gen military water filter, my dad's company makes them for the marines. Handles way more volume than those little Life Straws. Satellite uplink that'll work even if the normal networks are down. And this;" She pulled out a sleek black device. "GoPro 12 with infrared. Not even on the market yet, I was supposed to demo it next month." Clean water for a larger group. Communications. Night operations. He tried not to sound too eager. "That; could all come in really handy." As they walked to his truck, both carefully kept their eyes forward, ignoring the abandoned cars and what lay inside them. Andy carried her bag despite her token protest, noticing how she stayed close to his side. "So," Sarah said once they were in the truck, adjusting the AC vent toward her flushed face. "How long have you been a ranger here?" The question seemed deliberately normal, almost absurdly so given the circumstances. "Three years here. Before that, two years at Joshua Tree." "Oh, I was just at Joshua Tree! That Hidden Valley trail at sunset, it was so beautiful." She spoke wistfully, her enthusiasm fading as the weight of everything they had experienced in the past three days settled back. Andy gestured at her bag. "Tell me about that gear, you said there was a satellite uplink?" "Right." Sarah dug through her bag, pulling out sleek boxes with military-style lettering. She started reading, her voice growing more confident as she went. "Okay, so this is a 'Starlink Tactical Ground Array', it's got four encrypted receiver units that can talk to each other from anywhere on Earth. Says here it can maintain 4G speeds even without ground infrastructure." She looked up. "Guess Dad's company wasn't just being paranoid with all this survivalist tech." "Wait, you mean that little thing has internet access? I don't see a satellite dish anywhere." "Yeah I think so. I think the array can mimic the behavior of a dish without actually needing one." "That's huge. We really need more information about what's going on." Andy said, feeling hopeful about something for the first time in days. She nodded and moved on to the water system. "This one's cool, processes up to 25 gallons per hour, removes everything down to 0.0001 microns. Works on chemical and biological agents too. If we can get some acid and lye we can keep reusing it forever." "And the camera?" Andy asked. "Let's see; Military-grade infrared imaging, 4K resolution in complete darkness, range up to;" she squinted at the manual. "Thermal detection at 200 meters." "Could probably rig that into a decent night sight," Andy mused, then caught himself. Sarah glanced at his holstered pistol, then out at the empty park road. After a long pause, she cleared her throat and went back to the manual, her voice quieter. "It's got some kind of A I field-of-view system too;" Day 4, Evening After getting Sarah settled at his unit, Andy continued searching for survivors and checking on the dying. Near the clinic, he found Miguel Martinez slumped against a supply cabinet, still in his blood-stained uniform but maintaining his ramrod-straight Marine posture even now. The room around him showed signs of his final efforts, organized medical supplies, careful notes on symptoms, a log of those he'd tried to help. He looked up weakly from his notebook when Andy arrived. "Rhee." Miguel's voice was barely a whisper. "You made it. Figured you might. Always had the look." "Miguel," Andy started, but the older ranger cut him off with a weak wave. "Save it. Listen. Daniela's following protocol at home. She got sick two days ago. But she's stronger. Already sounding better on the radio this morning. She must be immune, like you, alaba al Señor". Immune. Were they immune? The idea hit Andy like a truck. Andy knew Daniela, had helped train her on basic ranger procedures, watched her grow up these past three years. Though only fourteen, her prepper father had subject her to a rigorous marine-style training regimen that made her an extremely competent survivalist. She'd always seemed almost comically over-prepared, showing up to basic first aid training with a full combat medical kit. If there was anyone left to laugh, they wouldn't be now. "Her isolation ends tomorrow morning," Miguel continued. "She knows what to do, but;" Another coughing fit wracked him, blood spattering his arm. "She'll need;" He grabbed Andy's wrist with surprising strength. "You take care of her. After. Promise me." "If it comes to that. I swear." Andy attempted a smile. "Although, she might be the one taking care of me in the end." Miguel chuckled softly. Andy tried to help Miguel up, but the older ranger shook his head. "Too late for me. Already tried everything here. Nothing helps. Just;" He pulled himself straighter. "Just let me finish my notes. Document everything. Might help someone." Andy nodded, throat tight. He gripped Miguel's hand one more time, and they looked each other in the eyes. He gave Miguel a solemn nod, and headed to the Martinez cabin. Through a small clear section in the sealed window, he could see Daniela's silhouette moving around inside, her survival supplies arranged with precision. Just like her father had taught her. "Daniela?" he called softly. She approached the window, and even through the plastic he could see the fever flush in her cheeks. But her voice was strong, clear. "Ranger Rhee. Status report: began showing symptoms approximately 36 hours ago. Fever peaked at 101.2 last night. Currently maintaining isolation." A pause. "Dad mentioned you were coming." "Seems you're also OK, like me. I found another survivor too." Daniela nodded, processing. "Isolation ends at 0600 tomorrow. That's when Dad's supposed to come get me, " Her voice caught. "Is; is dad;? I haven't asked, but; he sounds really weak right now." "We'll see. He's not looking great to be honest, Daniela. I'm sorry." The poor girl tried to maintain composure but Andy could see her eyes well up. She turned away briefly, then turned back. When she spoke again, her voice was wavered slightly. "I'll maintain quarantine until morning." "Are you sure you don't want to go see him? You seem OK, I don't think it would hurt." She shook her head "No. I'll talk to him on the radio. Protocol is protocol." "OK. I'll come get you at six." Andy headed back to his cabin, to Sarah, the weight of Miguel's last watch at the clinic and his daughter's words falling on his shoulders. Tomorrow morning would come too soon, and not soon enough. Day 4, Late Night The commissary had been eerily quiet, its automatic doors frozen half-open. Andy had gathered what he could, protein bars, dried fruit, bottles of water. The walk back to his cabin felt longer than usual, each shadow holding the potential for another body, another victim. He saw the Starlink array before he reached his door, a sleek black apparatus that looked more like a piece of modern art than military hardware. Sarah had positioned the nodes in a complex nested arrangement. Andy was mildly impressed, it looked precisely done. The cabin door creaked slightly as he pushed it open. "Sarah, I got some-" He stopped short. She was curled up in his bed, wrapped in her sleeping bag despite the warmth of the evening. Her face was peaceful in sleep, the fever flush finally fading from her cheeks. Her dark hair spilled across his pillow, and he noticed she'd changed into a pale pink Alo Yoga tank top that looked brand-new. The transformation from her carefully curated daytime appearance was striking. She looked younger, more vulnerable. Andy set the supplies down as quietly as he could and backed out of the cabin. She needed the rest more than she needed food right now. Outside, his phone buzzed, the first notification he'd received in days. The Starlink array hummed softly, its status light steady green. He pulled out his phone with slightly trembling hands and watched as notifications began flooding in. Email. Twitter. News alerts. The world outside the park still existed apparently, somehow. He sat heavily in one of the wooden chairs on his small porch, opened his laptop, and began downloading the prepper manuals Miguel had mentioned so many times, "Emergency Protocols for Systemic Collapse", "Catastrophic Event Recovery, Reference Encyclopedia" and "Technology Bootstrapping, How to Restart Industrial Society". The download started immediately, the normalcy of a digital download almost shocking after days of internet silence. Then he opened Twitter, and his breath caught in his throat. The feed was sparse but active. Scattered voices calling out from around the world, trying to find others. A woman in Seattle reporting that her entire family had survived. A doctor in Mumbai documenting recovery rates. A thread from the CDC, last updated two days ago, describing it as an avian flu with aerosol human-human and human-bird transmission, confirming what Miguel had alluded to, some people got deathly ill, a tiny fraction just got sick and recovered, and there seemed to be no pattern to it. Someone, a software engineer in Morocco, according to the about page, had anticipated the grid's imminent collapse and created a simplified Twitter clone called Beacon. It apparently ran on a solar-powered home server farm with redundant battery backups, designed specifically to operate via Starlink. The site was bare-bones but functional: just a global chronological feed, basic search, hashtags, geotags, and posts limited to 280 characters. One tweet from a virologist caught his eye: "Preliminary data suggests  roughly a point 8% survival rate globally. Fascinating gender disparity, female survivors outnumbering male 7 to 1. Genetic factor? Hormonal? Need more data." Andy scrolled through location tags, trying to piece together the scale of it. The posts from major cities painted a chaotic picture, hundreds of survivors in New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, but all isolated, scattered across vast urban landscapes. No real organization yet, just desperate attempts to connect. "Anyone alive near Brooklyn Heights?" "S O S from Miracle Mile L A, have supplies, need medical." "Twenty survivors at Pudong Hospital Shanghai, seeking others." The shock was still fresh, the posts raw with grief and disbelief. Nobody was talking about rebuilding yet. They were still counting their losses. The manuals finished downloading, and Andy forced himself to close Twitter. He needed to focus on what he could control, keeping Sarah and Daniela alive, gathering supplies, and getting out of Yosemite to a more major population center. The wider world would still be there tomorrow, whatever was left of it. He looked up at Half Dome, now silvered by moonlight. The ancient granite face was unchanged, indifferent to the apocalypse that had just played out beneath it. Somewhere in the darkness, coyotes began to howl, a sound that had always made the park feel wild and untamed. Now it felt like a reminder: nature was already moving on, reclaiming what had briefly been borrowed. Andy opened the survival manual's PDF, finding the section on "Social Collapse and Communication Strategies." The manual laid out different strategies based on mortality rates, 30%, 50%, 70%, 90%, 99%. With a grimace, he scrolled to the 99% section. "In the immediate aftermath of a >99% mortality event, social structures will be broadly erased and surviving population density will be too low for the immediate formation of antagonistic groups. Unlike smaller-scale disasters where existing social structures remain partially intact, catastrophic collapse temporarily eliminates the organizational capacity for coordinated action, hostile or otherwise. Survivors in the first weeks will be focused on immediate personal survival. During this brief window, other survivors can generally be trusted to be cooperative and helpful, as the shared experience of massive loss promotes prosocial behavior." The manual continued, further down: "Warning: This cooperative phase is temporary. As basic survival needs are met, humans will inevitably begin forming new social groups, 'tribes,' and power structures to replace those lost. Competition for resources will resume once excess pre-collapse supplies have been exhausted. Early contact and alliance formation during the cooperative phase is essential for long-term survival." Upon reading this, Andy elected to make the following post on twitter: "Ranger Andy Rhee, Yosemite National Park. Three possibly immune, North Pines/Ranger housing. Food plentiful, limited medical. Starlink operational. Main roads clear, helicopter landing sites available. Will monitor channel here & @Beacon." He followed it up with a post linking the survival manuals. He then switched to Beacon, created an account, and made the same posts. A slight rustling from inside the cabin drew his attention back to their immediate situation. He quietly stepped inside, retrieving the digital thermometer from his first aid kit. Sarah stirred slightly as he approached but didn't wake when he gently pressed the thermometer to her temple. 99 point 1, much better than this morning. He checked his own temperature next: 98 point 9. Their mild cases seemed to be resolving as quickly as they'd come on. He set his phone alarm for 5:30AM, enough time to get to Daniela's cabin by six as promised. The couch wasn't particularly comfortable, but he'd slept in far worse places. As he settled in with a spare blanket, his ranger training kicked in, categorizing the night sounds filtering through the cabin walls. Crickets. An owl. The distant yip of coyotes. Normal sounds. Safe sounds. The last thing he saw before drifting off was the green status light of the Starlink array through the window, blinking steadily like a new kind of star. The group assesses their situation, plans to leave Yosemite. Day 5, Pre-Dawn The alarm's buzz jolted Andy awake, but another sensation immediately registered, the rich aroma of fresh coffee. Sarah was curled up in his reading chair, scrolling through her phone, but as soon as she heard him stir, she immediately switched it off and turned her full attention to him. She'd changed into a new Alo Yoga set, a lavender sports bra under a white cropped tank, paired with high-waisted leggings in a matching shade. Her hair was pulled back in a messy-but-somehow-perfect bun, showing off her neck and shoulders. The fever flush was completely gone, replaced by her natural warm complexion. "Morning," she said warmly, uncurling from the chair with a practiced, fluid grace. "Made coffee. The fancy pour-over kind I found in your kitchen. Hope that's okay." Her hazel eyes met his, lingering just a moment too long as she took in his rumpled ranger uniform. "Sorry about commandeering your bed. I just meant to take a quick nap." She gave him an apologetic smile. Andy accepted the steaming mug she offered, trying not to notice how the morning light played across her toned body. "No problem. I'm used to sleeping rough. Comes with the job." Sarah tucked her legs under her on the couch next to him. The expensive fabric of her leggings caught the light as she moved, and she settled slightly closer than necessary, her knee just barely brushing his thigh. "I need to head out in about thirty minutes," Andy said, checking his phone. "There's another survivor at the park. A ranger's daughter. Her quarantine period ends at six." Sarah's eyes lit up. "Wait, really? Someone else made it?" She sat straight. "Yes. Daniela. She's fourteen, Miguel's daughter, one of our senior rangers. He;" Andy paused, remembering Miguel's final words. "He's not gonna make it." He took a deep breath. "Miguel was a big prepper. He made sure Daniela would be ready for anything. Kid's probably better prepared for this than me, honestly. He was ex-Marine, trained her in everything, survival skills, firearms, emergency medicine. I've seen her take apart and reassemble a rifle blindfolded." Sarah's eyebrows rose. "Fourteen? God." Her expression softened. "Must have been intense, growing up like that. Learning survival stuff instead of just; being a kid." "Miguel was," Andy searched for the right words. "He was paranoid I guess. We used to joke about his 'disaster preparedness' lectures." He snorted gently, irony in his voice. "And her mom?" "Passed away years ago, while Daniela was a child. Aneurysm." Andy took another sip of coffee. "Miguel basically raised her alone." Sarah held her coffee mug, pulling her legs toward her and wrapping her arms around them. "Damn, she's been through a lot already, huh? I hope she's alright." She glanced down at her designer workout wear and gave a small, self-aware smile. "Well, we should probably get ready to meet our teenage survival expert. Think she'll judge my completely impractical apocalypse wardrobe?" Andy couldn't help but smile. "Probably." He paused, then added, "Have you found Beacon yet? The Twitter alternative?" "Yeah, I was just reading through it earlier," Sarah leaned forward, coffee forgotten. "There's a virologist who's been collecting data. Says survival seems almost completely random, except for this weird seven-to-one female-to-male ratio and a slight correlation with genetic relatedness,, like if your sister survived, you had maybe a tiny bit higher chance. But besides that;" She shook her head. "No pattern. Not health status, not location or exposure level, or ethnicity, not even age. Just random genetic lottery. Either your b-cells already make the right antibodies, or they don't. I'd guess there's actually some correlation with age like there is with any disease, old immune people might still die from the mild flu symptoms we had. But; well," she sighed. "I doubt enough people are surviving in the first place right now to get that kind of data." Andy raised an eyebrow. She caught his look and shrugged, waving her hand casually. "I'm a biology major. Molecular cell biology. We learned some of this stuff last year." She continued, "Anyway, other than that it was mostly random people and groups asking for help, or offering help. It seems like all our old governments, systems, whatever, they're all gone." "Yeah. It's a whole new world out there." Andy said. "Have you thought about posting anything?" "I wasn't sure if it would be safe," Sarah admitted. "Announcing our location." "Actually," Andy said, "I already made a post last night. I was able to download survival manuals last night and they had an interesting take on it, right after something this catastrophic, people are still in shock, focused on basic survival. They don't have the resources or organization yet to be really dangerous. It's actually the best time to make contact, before people start forming new power structures and competing for resources and territory." "I see," Sarah said, working through the implications. "So what did you post?" "Just the basics. That there were survivors at Yosemite, that we have Starlink, medical supplies. That the roads are clear if anyone needs to reach us. Links to the same survival manuals." He took another sip of coffee. "Figured we should make connections while people are still helping each other." Sarah's lips curved slightly into a soft grin. "So, if you'd found me a few weeks from now, you wouldn't have been so friendly?" "Hey, don't ask me," Andy raised his hands in mock defense. "The manual knows best. Apparently I'm destined to become dangerous and territorial any day now." "Guess I met you at just the right time then," she said softly, her eyes meeting his for a moment before looking away. A quiet moment passed between them, the morning sun slowly brightening the cabin. "Where are you studying?" Andy asked, then caught himself. "Or; were you studying?" Sarah's face flickered with something complicated. "Was. Am? I;" She took a breath. "Biology at UCLA. Second year." Her voice grew quiet. "I kept searching Beacon for anyone from campus, but; nothing yet." Day 5, Morning Daniela was already sitting outside on a bench by the cabin when they arrived, military-surplus backpack at her feet, a shotgun slung over her shoulder, dressed in practical outdoor wear that made Sarah look especially out of place. She stood as they approached. Her dark hair was pulled back in a tight, no-nonsense braid, and she sat with straight-backed posture, almost too straight, like she was holding herself together through sheer will. "Ranger Rhee," she said crisply, standing as they approached. She let her eyes drift to Sarah, taking in the expensive athleisure wear and aggressively feminine curves with a quick, assessing glance that held equal parts teenage girl's envy and survival expert's dismissal. "Daniela, this is Sarah," Andy said. "She's another survivor, immune like us." Daniela gave a short nod, then launched into what felt like a rehearsed speech. "Status report: fever peaked at 101.2 three days ago, now normal temperature for 48 hours. No remaining symptoms." She gestured to her pack, her words coming slightly too fast. "I've assembled primary survival gear, in case we need to leave in a hurry. Secondary cache inside includes a hand-crank radio set, four topographical maps of Yosemite and surrounding regions, California road atlas with marked backup routes, water filtration system, three weeks of MRE, six hundred feet of para-cord in various thickness, four heavy-duty tarps." She took a quick breath, her rehearsed rhythm barely faltering. "We also have a weapons cache. One Remington 700 bolt-action with scope and 1000 rounds, one Mossberg 500 shotgun with 1000 shells, four Glock 19s with 1000 rounds of 9mm, two semi-automatic AR-15s with 5000 total rounds. RPG-7 with eight rockets. Two cases each of fragmentation grenades and flashbangs. Ten pounds of C4 with detonators. A dozen anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines." Andy's eyes widened at the arsenal, and Sarah let out a quiet "wow." Daniela continued at top speed without acknowledging their reactions. "Two sets of Level IV body armor with trauma plates. Four tactical vests. Medical supplies organized by emergency type. Dad's old paper survival guides and field manuals. Solar oven. Basic vegetable seed packets. Shortwave radio. Antibiotics." She paused. "And a sewing machine. Manual one. For repairs." That last item seemed to crack her professional veneer slightly. She looked at Andy, her carefully maintained composure slipping. "Have you; have you seen my dad since;? He; he hasn't been responding." Andy's expression told her everything before he could speak. "Not since the clinic," he said softly. Daniela's chin trembled once, but she snapped back into her military bearing so quickly it was painful to watch, like a child playing soldier to keep the monsters away. Her voice was smaller but desperately steady when she spoke again. "What's our next move, sir?" Andy stroked his chin, considering his words carefully. "I've only got the broad strokes of a plan right now. We've got internet at my cabin, Sarah brought a military-grade Starlink array." He gave Daniela a quick overview of what they'd learned: the devastating global death toll, the seemingly random pattern of who lived and died. He mentioned the scattered posts they'd seen on Beacon, survivors in major cities trying to connect, the complete collapse of traditional infrastructure. "Here's what I'm thinking," he continued, in an attempted measured tone. "We can't stay in Yosemite. Winter's going to be tough up here, isolated, we could probably survive if we stay indoors and eat canned food or whatever we can hunt the whole time but what would that get us? We wouldn't be any closer to setting up a long term settlement, even with your father's preparations;" He paused, careful with his words. "We need to find more people. We need to probably get to a major population center. More people means more survivors means more knowledge, more resources, better chances of rebuilding something sustainable." Daniela nodded, her expression suggesting she'd already run similar calculations. "I'd say we take a day or two here first," Andy added. "Sweep the park a few more times for survivors. Gather whatever useful supplies we can find from the stores, visitor centers, other ranger stations." "Ok, that makes sense. Where's my dad?" Daniela said quietly. Andy didn't hesitate. "He's at the clinic. East wing, near the supply cabinets. Do you want us to come with you?" She shook her head. "I'll go by myself." She was already turning to leave. Andy watched her go, knowing that splitting up wasn't ideal but reasoning that the park was likely empty now except for them, and with her confident shotgun slung over her shoulder, she could probably take care of herself. "Meet us back at my cabin later," he called after her. "And keep an eye out for any large trucks or gas canisters while you're out. We'll be checking the valley store," he added. "See what we can salvage." Sarah spoke up. "I'm really glad to meet you, Daniela. It's; it's good to have another girl alive." She gave a small self-deprecating smile. "I'm obviously not as prepared as you, but; I'll do my best to not be a burden." Daniela merely nodded, wearing a worried, distant expression, and headed off toward the clinic, her stride purposeful but tense. Day 5, Morning The morning air was crisp as they headed toward the valley store, Half Dome looming above them in the clear sky. Sarah walked close to Andy's side, her earlier morning quietness replaced by an almost nervous energy. "She's so; composed," Sarah said, shaking her head in wonder. "I mean, she's cataloging military-grade weapons like she's reading a shopping list." She adjusted her designer backpack, suddenly self-conscious. "Did you see how she looked at me? I swear I could hear her mentally calculating how quickly I'd die in the wilderness." The path narrowed between some fallen trees and Sarah stepped ahead, her juicy curves swaying hypnotically as she walked. Andy gave in and let himself watch, taking in how her expensive leggings showcased her plump rear and hips rolling side to side with each step. Her ass was built for likes more than functionality but no less captivating for it. "You know, she's not actually hating on you," he said, forcing his attention back to their conversation. "She just processes everything as tactical information, it's how Miguel trained her. Analyzing strengths, weaknesses, capabilities." Sarah tucked a strand of highlighted hair behind her ear. "An RPG though? Like, an actual bazooka? Does he expect to fight a freaking tank?" "Maybe. I wouldn't put it past him." Andy replied with a shrug. "But explosives actually have a lot of use besides tanks you know. If you need to blow up a wall or car someone is hiding behind for example. In war, you're often running out of RPGs before you run out of bullets." Sarah paused, considering. "Where does a park ranger even get that kind of stuff anyway?" "Miguel had connections from his Marine days. Never talked about them much." "God, poor kid." Sarah's voice softened. "All that training, and she still lost him anyway." She was quiet for a moment, then added, "At least she knows what to do now. I'm totally useless here." Andy glanced at her. "Hey, you brought the Starlink. And the filtration system. That's not nothing." "Yeah, but I wasn't even planning to use them." She gave a small, self-deprecating laugh. "I didn't even know how they worked until yesterday. I was just supposed to make them look good in pictures." They rounded a bend in the path, the store's entrance coming into view. Sarah slowed slightly, her voice more thoughtful. "You know when Daniela was listing all that gear, there was something about the sewing machine. Do you think it was her mom's?" Andy nodded. "It was just;" She trailed off, searching for words. "Like for a second the whole soldier act dropped, and she was just a kid who lost her parents." Andy nodded, remembering the slight tremor in Daniela's voice at that moment. They reached the store's entrance, its glass doors standing partially open. Sarah instinctively moved closer to Andy's side as they faced the quiet and empty building. The morning light streamed through the store's high windows and skylights, illuminating neat aisles of outdoor gear and camping supplies. Everything was still in its place, the pandemic had moved too quickly for panic buying or looting. The store felt frozen in time, like its staff had simply stepped out for lunch and never returned. "Boots and outdoor gear are in the back left," Andy said, gesturing. "Look for something waterproof, with good ankle support. And grab some proper hiking pants, the kind with zip-off legs and plenty of pockets. I'm going to check our food supplies in the storage room." Sarah nodded, already moving toward the clothing section. "I'll try to channel my inner Daniela. No more Instagram fashion choices." Andy headed to the back of the store, past rows of camping equipment and climbing gear. The storage room door was locked, but a few solid swings with the fire axe he'd retrieved from its wall mount made short work of the deadbolt. Inside, he swept his gaze across rows of shelves stacked with boxes and crates. His shoulders relaxed as he took inventory, hundreds of cans of chili, soup, and vegetables. Sealed packages of dried fruits and trail mix. Energy bars by the case. Enough preserved food to feed a small group for months, maybe longer if they rationed carefully. Way more than they could possibly take with them. Returning to the main area, Andy methodically selected gear from the high-end section, a rugged Carhartt jacket, some water-resistant hiking pants, and a pair of well-reviewed Merrell boots to supplement his ranger gear. He grabbed a Leatherman Wave+ multi-tool, a pair of Vortex binoculars, and several high-end headlamps and lanterns with spare batteries. Making his way to the women's section, he found Sarah studying her reflection in a full-length mirror. She'd changed into a pair of olive-green tactical pants that, despite their utilitarian design, hugged her curves perfectly where they cinched at her waist. A cropped camo compression top showed off her toned midriff while providing actual support and protection. Black Salomon hiking boots replaced her pristine Nikes, and an Arc'teryx jacket in sleek black completed the ensemble. She'd managed to find gear that was both practical and flattering, the pants especially seemed designed to enhance rather than hide her natural assets. She turned slightly, checking the fit from different angles. "What do you think?" she asked, adjusting the jacket. "The pants are actually really comfortable. And this top breathes really well." She moved through a few stretches, testing the range of motion, the gear moving naturally with her body, causing her ample bust to jiggle pleasantly. Andy tried not to stare. "Those boots are perfect," Andy said, nodding approvingly. "Salomon makes some of the best. They'll last for years if you take care of them." Sarah bent down to grab another small pile of clothes from the floor. "I grabbed some things for Daniela too." "Good idea. How do you know what size she is?" Andy asked, eyeing the stack of clothing. Sarah laughed, a glint in her eyes. "Trust me, I can tell. It's a girl thing." She folded the clothes with efficiency, tucking them into a rugged canvas duffel bag and her new backpack. "Plus, everything I picked has adjustable waists and drawstrings. She'll be able to make it work." Day 5, Evening The crackling of the campfire filled the silence between them as they sat in front of Andy's cabin, the flames casting flickering shadows across their faces. Steam rose from their bowls of rehydrated beef stew. Daniela sat cross-legged on a log, her new pants and boots looking almost too perfect, still creased from their packaging. Her dark hair was pulled back in a fresh braid, but a few strands had escaped during the day's labor, clinging to her neck. Her spoon moved mechanically from bowl to mouth, her expression distant and detached. The blisters on her hands from digging the grave were hidden beneath fingerless gloves. Sarah sat on a camp chair, somehow making even that look graceful. She'd changed into black leggings and an oversized ranger station sweatshirt she'd found, her hair pulled up in a messy bun. Her eyes kept flicking to Daniela. Each time she caught herself watching too long, she'd look away quickly, taking small, careful bites of her stew. Andy was hunched over his phone, the light illuminating his face as he scrolled through Beacon posts. The Starlink array hummed softly behind them, its status lights reflecting off the cabin windows. "More reports coming in from the Bay Area," he said finally, breaking the silence. "Sounds like they're organizing some kind of central meeting point in San Francisco. Using the Presidio as a base camp." Sarah nodded, seizing the conversation attempt. "Makes sense. I've been there before. It's really pretty." Daniela continued eating mechanically, showing no response. The fire popped loudly, sending up a shower of sparks. Daniela's hand dropped down to her holster before she realized what she was doing, then went back to her food. Her face remained carefully blank, but her knuckles whitened around her spoon. Sarah's eyes met Andy's over the fire. She opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it again, turning her attention back to her own bowl. Andy set his phone down, choosing his words carefully. "We should probably talk about where we're heading. We've got some options to consider." Sarah chimed in again. "Yeah, like you said, the Bay Area seems to be organizing faster than anywhere else," she offered. "And my parents live in Palo Alto." She let the thought hang unfinished. "L A is an option, too;" Andy said, for now trying to brush past thoughts of Sarah's lost loved ones, and by extension his own as well. "More spread out, might be easier to find supplies. And Sarah you know the area pretty well I assume?" She nodded. He continued, thoughtful. "The Central Valley has farming potential, but no real organization showing up yet. Portland and Seattle are possibilities, but that's a long trek north. If we want to go south, Vegas and Phoenix also exist." The logo of Fallout New Vegas appeared in his mind's eye. "South is out," Daniela spoke suddenly, her voice flat. "Can't farm without major irrigation infrastructure. Nobody's maintaining those systems anymore." It was the most she'd said since returning from the clinic. Andy nodded. "True. We could probably gather enough fuel to make it across the country if we wanted to risk it, but;" "That's a lot of unknown territory to cover," Sarah finished. She pulled out her phone, scrolling through Beacon posts. "Though from what I'm seeing, the East Coast isn't doing any better than we are. Maybe worse, winter is coming." "The cold and snow would be a major disadvantage," Daniela said, her voice taking on the precise tone she used when reciting her father's lessons. "Increased resource consumption, limited farming windows, higher risk of mechanical failures in vehicles and equipment." She set her empty bowl aside. "California's the logical choice. Better climate, more stable growing seasons." "Agreed," Andy said. Daniela seemed to find stability in talking about this. "So that brings us back to L A versus the Bay." "The Bay Area is the only logical choice between the two." Daniela began ticking points off on her fingers, echoing discussions that had happened many times before. "The peninsula provides natural defensive positions. Multiple deep-water harbors for future maritime operations. Significantly more unpaved space for urban agriculture compared to the L A concrete sprawl." She continued briskly. "Plus, direct river access to the Central Valley farming regions around Stockton, where there's plenty of water for farming. From L A, you'd have to cross the Transverse Ranges to get to Bakersfield- that's a major liability for supply lines." Her voice took on an edge of disdain. "And farming that far south in the Valley isn't going to be viable anymore anyway, they're almost as reliant on irrigation as Phoenix or Las Vegas." She shook her head decisively. "The L A positioning is completely unsustainable. Anyone there should be evacuating to the Bay immediately." Andy nodded slowly, impressed but not surprised by the depth of analysis. He'd seen this level of preparation in everything Miguel and Daniela did. He glanced at Sarah, eyebrows raised in silent question. Sarah gave one of her small, self-deprecating smiles. "Don't look at me for expertise. The most strategic thinking I've ever done is planning photoshoots." She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "But Daniela's logic makes perfect sense. I mean, it's clearly been; thoroughly thought through." "The Bay it is then," Andy said, straightening up. "We should take two days to prepare; we can stock up on food, supplies, and then pick cars. There are plenty of abandoned vehicles in the valley, we'll need time to find the right ones and load them properly. It's not a long drive, but we should be thorough." He looked between them both. "We leave in three days." To be continued. Based on a post by the hospital, for Literotica.

Send us a textTune in to the Midlife with Courage™ podcast with your host Kim and special guest Kathryn Henry. Kathryn shares her inspiring journey from a corporate director at Lululemon to an author of the book 'A Dime to Say I Love You.' She talks about showing vulnerability in her writing, the power of moments of courage, and the importance of resilience. Discover how Kathryn turned her life's challenges into growth opportunities and embraced spirituality to find strength. Don't miss this heartfelt conversation about love, loss, and the power of storytelling.00:00 Introduction to Midlife with Courage00:20 Meet Kathryn Henry: Author and Corporate Director02:05 Kathryn's Journey and Career Path03:35 The Story of Lisa: Love, Forgiveness, and Resilience10:25 Spiritual Growth and Personal Challenges13:28 The Significance of Dimes and Final Thoughts24:15 Conclusion and FarewellYou can learn more about Kathryn on her website.Reserve your spot today to get in on the very first Courage & Confidence Hour!Support the showKim Benoy is a retired RN, Certified Aromatherapist, wife and mom who is passionate about inspiring and encouraging women over 40. She wants you to see your own beauty, value and worth through sharing stories of other women just like you. Are you looking for more? You should check out my Courage & Confidence Circle! Join a supportive group of other midlife women who are ready to live with courage and stop waiting for someday! This 3-month program starts again in March 2026 and I would love to see you there! REGISTER HERE Want to be a guest on Midlife with Courage™-Flourishing After Forty with Kim Benoy? Send Kim Benoy a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1646938231742x613487048806393700 Would you like to get each episode delivered right to your inbox a day early? Subscribe to my website to get my weekly inspirational message and a link to that week's podcast episode. Just click the link below to get on the list! SUBSCRIBE WEBSITEFACEBOOK

Max won and then Lando finished second but then actually just kidging he's disqualified and oh wait so is Oscar?? The race may have been dull but the aftermath certainly isn't. Was Lance robbed or is Emma just actually insane? You know who is robbed though..every second driver at RB but that's an ongoing conversation. Anyway Lewis now works at Lululemon. (IYKYK)

Lululemon built an empire by obsessing over community, culture, and the women they served. Then something changed. The stores lost their personality. The customer workshops disappeared. The soul got diluted.Sound familiar? It should. Because what happened to Lululemon happens to almost every brand that prioritises growth over identity. The investors start calling the shots. The quarterly targets become more important than the customer. And slowly, the thing that made you special becomes the thing you sacrifice first.In this episode, the team at Good unpacks what went wrong at Lululemon—and more importantly, what it teaches us about keeping brand at the centre when everyone's screaming for more revenue, more stores, more growth. Because here's the truth: most leadership teams don't want to hear: your brand foundations should dictate your growth strategy, not the other way around.About Good, Brand ConsultantsGood Brand Consultants helps B2B organisations turn brand strategy into commercial reality. Based in Scotland and working globally, we partner with clients to tackle everything from foundational brand positioning to practical implementation frameworks. If you're wrestling with brand challenges or want to explore how strategic brand work can deliver real business results, we'd love to hear from you. To learn more about us, visit goodbrandconsultants.com.

So, the man who invented "vibe shifts" has announced another one. We're all living through it and it's why you're doing way more lurking and way less posting these days. And, a new profile of Meghan Duchess (or Duchess Meghan, if you insist) has attracted a whole lot of attention for a very specific social moment. But can the woman just do no right? Also, leggings are over but are we really exercising in wide-leg pants now? And where does that leave the camel toe? Asking for a friend (Jessie). Plus, Holly, Jessie and Amelia on the new pregnancy test that might just put an end to weeing-on-a-stick, what to wear on planes and what has Jessie got against tote bags? Support independent women's media What To Listen To Next: Listen to our latest episode: ‘I Was An Ugly Child’ & The 5-Second Underthinking Rule Listen: Everything That Shouldn't Be Embarrassing But Absolutely Is Listen: So That's The Reason I Feel Bad About… My Eyelids? Listen: Big Brother Australia, The Golden Bachelor & The TV ‘Algorithm Theory’ Listen: Get My Boss Out Of My Bed & The Last Relationship Taboo Listen: Squirting, Dawn Culture & The Most Motivating Word Listen: Letters To Juliet & 'The One' Question Everyone Is Asking Listen: The 'Australia Effect' & Meghan and Harry's Curious Party Edit Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts Discover more Mamamia Podcasts here including the very latest episode of Parenting Out Loud, the parenting podcast for people who don't listen to... parenting podcasts. Watch Mamamia Out Loud: Mamamia Out Loud on YouTube What to read: We've compiled the 12 biggest revelations from Meghan Markle's new profile. 32 kilometres from home, Hannah Neeleman started the 'Ballerina Farm effect'. And locals hate it. Apparently you need to put your leggings in the bin and get these instead. A custom gown and a surprise venue change: The details from inside Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s wedding. THE END BITS: Check out our merch at MamamiaOutLoud.com GET IN TOUCH: Feedback? We’re listening. Send us an email at outloud@mamamia.com.au Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message. Join our Facebook group Mamamia Outlouders to talk about the show. Follow us on Instagram @mamamiaoutloud and on Tiktok @mamamiaoutloudBecome a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TRANSCRIPT Gissele : [00:00:00] Hello and welcome to the Love and Compassion Podcast with Gissele. We believe that love and compassion have the power to heal our lives and our world. Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more amazing content. Today we’re talking to Krysti Beckett, who’s a passionate plus size personal trainer and pelvic fitness specialist. Her goal is to get moms to move with confidence and build strength at any size without worrying about their size or weight. Krysti resides in Burford, Ontario with her husband, three children and beloved dog Ozzy. Please join me in welcoming Krysti Hi Krysti. Krysti Beckett: Hi. Thanks so much for having me. Gissele : No, thank you for being with us. I wanted to ask you if you could tell the audience how you got started in this business that you’re in. Krysti Beckett: Yeah, I mean, as a young person, fitness was not [00:01:00] really on my radar. I’ve been a plus size my whole life, but I actually was a nanny in my early twenties and one of the women I was a nanny for had a fitness business and she said, you know, you’d be really good at this. So I kind of started doing admin work and then I got certified as an instructor and really like, found movement that I liked. ’cause I think for a lot of women I grew up. Just doing fitness, like you exercise to be skinny. And it had to be hard and it had to be uncomfortable. But I kind of fell in love with it, trying different things and decided that that was the career path I would take. So I became a personal trainer and I kind of did follow the grain for a long time with the fitness industry and selling weight loss and teaching people how to basically always be on the journey to lose weight And then I kind of understood and, and saw some research that showed that [00:02:00] most diets are actually designed to fail. That’s how we make our money. And started to learn more about. The benefits of strength training for longevity to relieve pain. the benefits for your bones, all sorts of things that have nothing to do with the scale whatsoever. And through that, also becoming a mother at the, around the same time learning about pelvic health. So as a pelvic fitness specialist, I’m working with women to overcome things like pain, leaking, painful sex something called prolapse, where your pelvic floor, if it’s not supportive enough, the organs can actually descend from your body. And it’s actually fairly common, but it’s, it’s something we just don’t talk about enough. Gissele : Mm mm I love everything you just said. Krysti Beckett: Thanks. Gissele : The first thing is really that, you know, reflecting on as a society we’re very plus size phobic, right? Like we, we think that skinny is the place to [00:03:00] be in. When you think about. You know how much we try to get everyone to fit in a box, right? Even like plastic surgery, everything. Everybody has the same nose, everybody has the same face, everybody has to have the same body, and that is such a disservice. What sort of messaging did you see around the fitness industry about people embracing their own sort of like body shape? Krysti Beckett: So unfortunately, I think the industry as a whole doesn’t, if you were to Google Fitness, if you were to Google Gym, you’ll find young, white, thin bodies. that’s the general representation that comes to the fitness industry. But it’s interesting because first of all, we white people, I mean, I’m a white person. We are the global minority. It’s people of color, the global majority, and yet this [00:04:00] industry has only reflected that in, you know, visually especially it’s become an aesthetic rather than about health. There are certainly other professionals like myself that serve as health at any size or fitness at any size, but there’s comparatively very few of us. Gissele : Hmm. You just got to triggering in my head, when I think about fitness and I think about what you were just talking about, I envision sort of the Lululemon. Yes. Even like yoga has sort of been sort of taking over. ’cause yo yoga’s supposed to be a spiritual practice as well as a physical one. Krysti Beckett: Mm-hmm. Gissele : Right? But then you, and then I’m not trying to judge the Lululemon wearing. Yoga people. It’s just that, you know, I sort of envisioning how everyone’s trying to fit that mold. And if you don’t have workout gear, that makes you look acceptable. I was one of [00:05:00] those, I never had workout gear that would be presentable, right? I half the time didn’t remember to shave my legs And so, yeah, the messaging that people are receiving is that they’re not good enough, right? Krysti Beckett: A hundred, a hundred percent. And to tie in into what you just mentioned a lot of traditional practices that belong to other cultures. Like yoga have been whitewashed. And so there’s this, I can’t even think of the comedian’s name, but she is East Indian and she has this hilarious bit where she talks about like, if you are rushing to yoga, you are doing it wrong. The whole purpose of yoga is to slow down and restore yourself, and it’s something people do in their pajamas. But in our western culture, it’s people hustling to get to class and they’re taking their fancy yoga mat and they have to, like you said, the Lululemon [00:06:00] clothes. And it’s you know, on, on Instagram, especially when we see these influencers, they’re very thin. They’re wearing all the fancy gear and, and doing the very extreme poses, handstands and floating and, it’s incredible the things we can do with our bodies, but it’s also an, that’s an ableist perspective. Most of the population cannot move their body that way, could they? With training and display, I mean, it’s very possible, but for most people, that’s not what their bodies do, and that’s not necessarily what fitness looks like for them. Gissele : Yeah. And I was just contemplating on the fact that there have been now yoga studios that do drinking and yoga, right? Krysti Beckett: Oh yeah. Gissele : And so they do drinking and yoga, and then they do like the puppy and that, that’s all great. Like if that’s what you wanna do. But like you said, like, are we abiding by the true essence of [00:07:00] the practice? Right? Right. And are we creating environments that are. Open to different body shapes, different sizes, and let me know your thoughts about this, because I always thought these sorts of things are just a mirror of us, how we reject ourselves, right? plastic surgery these are billions of dollars. So these are people that are realizing or thinking that they’re not enough, that they need to look a certain way. the diet industry is billions of dollars. Ozempic, I’m interested in all your thoughts. Krysti Beckett: Yeah. I, so to start off, culturally, we are people that expect instant everything. I mean, we no longer wonder or search for information in our brain. Like, what was that actor’s name again? Or what was that thing that happened last week in the news? We instantly can pull up our phones and we can get the [00:08:00] answer in seconds. And so when it comes to something like our bodies, everything takes time, everything. And so to expect that you can change your body, particularly in appearance instantaneously, is not realistic. And. Unfortunately, I think a lot of pressure is put on us. One of the ways that the diet indu industry really messes with our heads is before and after pictures. And though the intention maybe, and I did, I used them for a time as a personal trainer. The, the intention was to show if you put in the work, you will get results. But that’s not what it ends up doing. What it ends up doing is telling our brains, here’s a body ideal. Here’s what you have. It’s not enough, it’s not worthy. Here’s what you can [00:09:00] have that is worthy. You will be a better person. We will respect you more. We will see you as far more valuable if you have a smaller, more chiseled body. And with Ozempic it’s such a weird time for us. In the states, especially celebrities can market pharmaceuticals. So we have Gissele : mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: These beautiful people Gissele : mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: Who may or may not be using the drug being paid to market it. So using their influence in order to sell it. And I’ve had three clients that were on ozempic, two of them for diabetes but all three with the goal of weight loss. All three of them women in their fifties and no, maybe sixties have come off it because even though they did say it did help them reduce their eating, they found that they were always overeating and they were always thinking about food. They all reported low [00:10:00] energy and muscle loss. And no one is talking about this because especially after 50 perimenopause, when your estrogen drops, it is harder to keep your muscle, let alone, to grow it, to make more muscle. Mm-hmm. With ozempic. You are making it astronomically harder because it’s actually removing some of that muscle. And above and and above that there are other things that people are reporting. It’s hard, it’s hard to really know what the, the landscape is going to look like. Yeah. Over the next decade or two because it is so popular and seeing the effects. But every single medication out there, and I’m not knocking medication. I have used medication, you know that is a discussion between you and your doctor. But that discussion should always, always include the risks. And there are always risks to medication. You have to make that decision with your doctor. Is the risk worth it? Are [00:11:00] you going to get significant benefits to improve your health and your life? Right? But going on Ozempic because you saw a celebrity selling it because you think it’s going to solve all your problems with weight loss. I don’t know. I don’t know that it is. Gissele : Yeah. And I think one of the things that you just mentioned, which triggered in my head, it’s one thing to take a pill to help yourself, like as a stepping stone, But if it’s impacting your ability to create healthy habits, that you can continue beyond that pill, I think that’s where I start to wonder whether or not it’s really helping. Right? So if you take for example, something that can help you, manage your pain so you can start walking and out there and getting more physically fit, Krysti Beckett: right? Gissele : That makes sense, right? You wanna manage the, the symptom in the moment. But if it’s impacting your ability in the long term, and you and I have chatted before about Blue Zones [00:12:00] and about the importance of movement, right? And so if that’s preventing you from moving and creating those long-term habits, it’s would be concerning to me that that’s an option. Krysti Beckett: I think even, and speaking from experience with you know, having seasons of debilitating mental health, there were periods of time where I did need medication to function. I did need medication to get out of bed to be able to think clearly without I go back to the word debilitating, right? There are seasons of our lives where we need this, and of course there are, you know, lifelong chronic struggles where people are dependent on medication, and I’m so grateful that we live in a time where so much is available, but again, we have to have those discussions with knowledgeable professionals to know what we’re getting into because it can, it can lead [00:13:00] to alternatives that maybe we weren’t anticipating or thinking about. Gissele : Yeah. Yeah. I just wanna clarify for my listeners, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to change, right? Like, so there’s nothing wrong with, you know, wanting to be thin or wanting to be plus size or wanting to be fitter. Mm-hmm. It’s the way that it is marketed, the way that the messaging is you are not enough. Krysti Beckett: Mm-hmm. If Gissele : you are not thin, you’re not enough. If you don’t look a certain way. I think that’s probably the most damaging thing, that we accept those messages and then change ourselves because it is okay to love and accept yourself and choose to change. Krysti Beckett: Absolutely. Gissele : Right. And say, you know what, because I, I dye my hair, I just like my hair darker right now. It doesn’t mean I, I don’t like my gray hair. And sometimes I grow up my roots quite a bit. I’m not rejecting myself either way. I [00:14:00] just have a preference, but it’s not gonna make or break me if I don’t go a month or two months without dying my hair. what has been your experience around the women that you have supported about their worthiness, around weight issues? Krysti Beckett: Yeah, it’s interesting ’cause what you just said about being content with who you are, but also wanting something different is, is not a bad thing. And I a hundred percent agree with you. It is a very uncomfortable conversation to have with yourself, to sit with the reasons why you’re doing something when it comes to your body. When you really start to think about, am I doing this because I want it? Or am I doing this because someone said something? Am I doing this because my mom commented on what’s on my plate at Thanksgiving? Am I doing this? Because every time I look at my pre-pregnancy jeans, I cry, am I [00:15:00] doing this because I saw another ad on my phone that’s telling me that I can lose 20 pounds in just six weeks? And why can’t I just do this on my own already? the conversations I have with my clients are truly, is it what you want or do you need to set boundaries with your mom? Is it what you want? Or do you need to get rid of those jeans and just spend the money and buy jeans That feel good? Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: Is it what you want or do you need to tell that ad on your social media? No more? Like, what is that function where you’re Gissele : like, I don’t Krysti Beckett: wanna Gissele : see this kind of ad anymore. Krysti Beckett: there are things that we can do. We do have choices. And understanding that you can take that power back. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: You can. You can. And it’s, again, it’s uncomfortable, which I think is why it stops us. I’m totally guilty of not being assertive to somebody [00:16:00] in the moment and saying, I don’t like what you’re saying to me. Sometimes I go back, sometimes I let it fester. Like I’m gonna be totally honest, right? Gissele : Like, yeah, yeah, we do that. Yeah, Krysti Beckett: we, we do that. And that’s, Gissele : mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: Some of it’s human nature. Some of it’s how we were raised, some of it is cultural. Women are not to be loud. If we are if we are assertive, like we are called a bitch, like it’s Gissele : mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: Right? Like there are just things that culturally are not acceptable or that we’ve just learned to act a certain way. And so sometimes with my clients, it’s before they gain the confidence to do something different, they have to sit with that discomfort and give themselves permission to do whatever the heck they want and what’s actually going to benefit them. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Bravo I think figuring out like whose voice are we listening to, and is [00:17:00] it our true desire from our heart or is it someone else’s criticism of us that we’re listening to and maybe some people were raised with parents that, taught them those self-regulation skills. I certainly was not, my parents really didn’t know how to emotionally regulate themselves, and so I was not taught how to sit with those uncomfortable feelings. for you, what do you find helps you sit longer in that conversation or dialogue without pushing the eject button? Krysti Beckett: Ooh, I find that journaling is helpful because otherwise I ruminate. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: And one of my. Funny enough, one of the, the pelvic physios that I’ve had and her assistant were like, absolutely life changing because they came at pelvic health and physiotherapy from a perspective of rest. Gissele : Mm. Krysti Beckett: So it wasn’t about what can you do to fix this? It was about [00:18:00] slowing down and breathing and releasing tension before you went to the exercises. And Al Pat is her name and she taught me the phrase, rest is productive. And so in our sessions sometimes she would walk me through a meditation and then she’d say, whatever came up for you right now, let’s journal it. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: What came up for you in that time? Where did your brain wander? And she presented me with this concept that I didn’t realize how often I do it, but she called it time traveling. So like chopping vegetables, I’ll be standing at the counter chopping vegetables and I’ll start to think about that thing I said to that person in the grocery store that I was really embarrassed about. Or I’ll start worrying about what my kid is going to do at that play date with that other kid that he’s been fighting. You know what I mean? Like, we start to either worry about things that have happened that we can’t change or worry about things that have [00:19:00] not even happened yet, or maybe they won’t ever happen. We, we are really good at this. Gissele : Yeah. Krysti Beckett: And so journaling and just bringing ourselves back to the present and telling ourselves, Nope, I’m not thinking about that right now. No, I don’t need to think about that right now. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Yeah. Thank you for that. It’s interesting ’cause one of the things I’ve learned about myself is that. What I find when I do too much past, it kind of leads me to feel more depressed and too much future can cause anxiety. So really being in the present moment is important. And I love what you said about those monotonous behaviors because I now use my monotonous behaviors to envision my ideal life. Krysti Beckett: Ooh, Gissele : I love that. So if I’m doing something, the socks, either I’m listening to someone that is inspiring, or I am daydreaming I’m going to use that time to think about what I wanna create, to think about the things that are exciting me, because I used to do the same thing. It was like that constant [00:20:00] back and forth past future, past, future, past, future, in my mind was not kind to me, right? Like it would go to the most negative thing. So I’m like, you know what? I’m wasting my energy. I’m wasting my time. That time could be better spent planting the seeds that I want to create. Right. Krysti Beckett: Yeah, absolutely. Gissele : Yeah. I wanted to switch gears a little bit and talk about pelvic health. Krysti Beckett: Hmm. Gissele : Because, and that’s obviously related to movement because like you said, it’s something that’s not really talked about in women unless you live in like Denmark or something, or one of those Scandinavian countries where they actually apparently invest in women’s pelvic health. Why do you think we don’t talk about it? Why is it so taboo? Krysti Beckett: Oh gosh. Okay. So yes, you are right in some European countries, including France. Oh, of Gissele : France. That’s the one. Yeah. Yeah, you’re right. Krysti Beckett: So France is like, they are like the topnotch country, in my opinion, when it comes to pelvic health. Mm, Gissele : [00:21:00] mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: Women postpartum are given 12 weeks of pelvic physio. Women in France do not pee their pants. They do not deal with incontinence. It is part of their healthcare system. And here in Canada and the US physical therapy is generally not part of our healthcare. It occasionally is part of a surgical rehab. Although major abdominal surgery, like C-sections, hysterectomies, my ectomies, there is no rehabilitation investment whatsoever from our healthcare system, which is mind blowing, considering how small, how common it’s, Gissele : yep. Krysti Beckett: But when it comes to our healthcare system and, pelvic health, I think we don’t talk about it, number one, because it’s quite honestly, it affects women The most. Men have pelvises. They can have pelvic dysfunction, they can leak, yeah, they can [00:22:00] have pain during sex, things like that. But generally speaking, it’s not as big of a male issue. It is a female health issue. And when it comes to all the research that we have, women get a smidgen, they get like a little bit. And even the stuff that we do have, it’s geared towards, again, white women. And a lot of the standards that we have are, are based on the general population and not even for women. So for example menopause. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: Had men included in the studies up until the nineties. Gissele : Wow. Krysti Beckett: So only the research. Yes. The research that we have for menopause. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: Only in the last 30 years was it exclusively women. Gissele : Wow. talk about not generalizing to your target population. Krysti Beckett: When you think you, you think about the struggles that women have in health [00:23:00] and we’ve been taught not to complain and the common complaints are incontinence, so leaking pee when you don’t want to. So jumping, running, sneezing, laughing, coughing or painful sex, which is talked about even less. Gissele : Yeah. Krysti Beckett: And then prolapse I mentioned, or just pain in general in the pelvic area. They’ve become very common jokes in our culture. Like now that you’ve had a baby, you’re gonna have to wear Depends. Gissele : I was just gonna say that. How, how have we come to just accept that now there’s a diaper aisle for people? Krysti Beckett: Yeah. Gissele : Like, have you seen those commercials that are just basically like, here’s a diaper. Oh, this one feels comfortable. Like, why are we accepting that Krysti Beckett: and they market them sexy. Why are we Gissele : accepting that? Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: They market them as sexy, like the, the, it’s like invisible panty lines, but it’s like invisible diapers. Like you can’t tell that you’re wearing it underneath [00:24:00] Gissele : diaper. Krysti Beckett: Yeah. Yeah, it’s, it’s really interesting and I think the quick answer is that anything that can be capitalized is. Like truly, Gissele : ah, that’s, Krysti Beckett: yeah. Gissele : We’re accepting it, like you said. Krysti Beckett: Yeah. Gissele : We are giving it power. We are choosing to just use that instead of saying, no, I’m gonna heal this. Right. Yeah. The only advice I got post having two babies that like to some real movement down there and it, it was basically just do like as many Kegels as you can during the day. And I gotta be honest, that’s so freaking uncomfortable. I would never do them. I would never, ever do them. Like I’m telling you, it’s, it was until I started having some issues and then I’m like trying to kele myself to death. Right. And there are some tools out there that you can use, right? There’s the, there’s like a thing that you can like. [00:25:00] Exercise, right? There’s like that. Oh Krysti Beckett: yeah, yeah, Gissele : yeah. Krysti Beckett: So there’s, there’s lots of things out there, whether or not they’re beneficial, mm-hmm. To everyone’s situation. Really, really depends. so Kegels, for anyone that’s listening or watching and doesn’t know what that is, but that is the term for the pelvic contraction of the muscle. So the tightening, and you have several muscles in there. Think of them as like, think of your pelvis. Your pelvis is actually two bones that joins at. Your spine think of that as like a basket. And the lining of the basket is a whole set of muscles and they have many functions. But they do hold in your urine and your feces and they do provide sexual function and pleasure. They hold up your organs, they actually contribute to blood flow in your body to help return blood flow back to your heart. So they, they do have a lot of functions and just like any other muscle. Every [00:26:00] muscle that functions in your body needs to be able to lengthen and contract. So when you’re feeding yourself cereal, when you reach for the spoon, you’re lengthening. And when you’re pulling the spoon towards your face, you’re contracting. Okay? When you do a bicep curl, you lower the weight. That’s a lengthen. When you bring it towards you, that’s contracting. You’re making the muscles shorter. So when we do Kegels, when we tighten them, that’s making the muscles short and strong. What happens to a lot of women and a lot, a lot of women, whether they’re doing Kegels or not, we tend to have an imbalanced pelvic floor. We tend to be very tight on one side and not tight enough in another, and that’s what causes the dysfunction. So dysfunction is anything that is not working properly. So to tell someone to just do Kegels, well, if you’re already too tight and you add more strengthening. It’s going to not help, it might [00:27:00] even make the problem worse. So in that case, that person might need to do some relaxation to release the muscles. And I don’t know about you, but having children is not relaxing most of the time. So for most women who have had children and over 85% of women will become mothers. Mm-hmm. They will have pregnancies and births. They need to manage their pelvic floor rather than worrying about being too tight or tight enough or pleasing their partner with their pelvic floor, which is another really awful message in our culture that pleasure is only for the man. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: Sex should not hurt like ever. Gissele : No. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I’m glad you said that. I just wanted to go back to what you had said that your mentor had said about relaxing before doing the Kegels. Krysti Beckett: Yeah. Gissele : Can you talk a little bit about that? Krysti Beckett: Sure. So, a common thing that we do when we are stressed is we tense [00:28:00] muscles. Mm-hmm. We might not be conscious of how we do it, I’ll talk about three of the most common ones that affect your pelvic floor. One of them, which you can kind of think might directly relate is you actually clench your butt. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: So your glute muscles are not part of the pelvic floor, but every single muscle in the body does not work on its own. Every single muscle works with other systems, with other muscles. So there, there groups and there are pairs. And so your glutes, your butt muscles support your pelvic floor. Well, by clenching the butt we cause an imbalance. So that’s one area of tension. Another area of tension. Gissele : Sorry to interrupt you, but if, if somebody has constipation, that could also be indicative of Krysti Beckett: Oh yeah. Gissele : Yeah. Krysti Beckett: Okay. Constipation is a pelvic floor killer too. ’cause it causes a lot of pressure and strain on the pelvic floor. Gissele : Mm. Krysti Beckett: Yeah, there’s a lot. And dehydration contributes to that as well. Mm-hmm. Yeah, [00:29:00] that’s another one. Another area of tension is a lot of us like to clench our jaws. Gissele : Mm. Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: And there is fascia. Fascia is like like a netting, like a saran wrap that kind of covers our muscles that intertwine through our whole body. It’s a really amazing thing in our body. Mm-hmm. When we clench our jaw, that fascia runs from our jaw. There is fascia that runs from our jaw down our spine directly to our pelvic floor. And so they together. Gissele : Oh, Krysti Beckett: tighten. Another one is breath holding. So every time you breathe in your diaphragm, which is your breathing muscle under your lungs, it actually works like a sub pump with your pelvic floor. And when we hold our breath, whether that’s just thinking and ruminating, or maybe it’s every time we lift the laundry basket or, or lift our toddler or whatever, if we hold our breath, we create pressure in that canister. And by not releasing the air, by not breathing [00:30:00] through activities, by not breathing through our stress, we are creating tension. And again, that pressure can lead to other issues as well. So honestly, the, the best thing we can do is rest. To relieve tension, to breathe. And I think it’s such a, it’s become such a cliche thing. Oh, just breathe. Oh, just relax. And if somebody tells you that when you’re stressed out, we just get more mad. It’s not helpful. Fair enough. But, but truly, if we allowed ourselves to slow down, to breathe to rest, to actually believe that rest is productive mm-hmm. It would help us regulate our nervous systems. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: It would help us relax these tight muscles. It would allow us to actually be present, be in the moment, and [00:31:00] enjoy what’s going on, rather than always worrying about what’s next and worrying about how to fix something. Because sometimes the things that we need to fix start with stopping and slowing down. Gissele : Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Thank you for that. Yeah. I always thought there was a connection with, especially with like incontinence, that there might be an association with a fear or, or Right. Because think about kids when they’re young. Like if they have fears, they usually will pee the bed or they have nightmares, right? So like is there an emotional component to the pelvic? Krysti Beckett: So the, the kids part. So from a physiological standpoint, it’s incredibly common. More so in boys. Mm-hmm. Up to 2% of boys with what? The bed until 14 years old. And the highest contributor to that is actually constipation. Oh, so poor diet or you mentioned fears and I have [00:32:00] heard people say, well, it’s ’cause it’s strict parenting. But like, I think you kind of have to see, you have to know kind of your research before making. Gissele : Yeah, of course. Those, Krysti Beckett: those things. But from a physiological standpoint, Or they might be afraid of what might happen in the bathroom. And these are real fears. I mean, I was just talking with my clients in a class recently about how. Do you remember in middle school, like hiding the pad in your pocket and then when you got to the bathroom, you waited till the bathroom was completely empty to open the wrapper. Like you, we couldn’t mm-hmm. Have anyone know that we were menstruating. We like, it was just so, it embarrassing. So we’ve created kind of these conversations as young people. And then to add to that, I think that a lot of people generally have a, distrust and a shame when it comes to their pelvises, when it comes [00:33:00] to their genitals, because we over sexualize bodies. Gissele : Mm. Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: And so it no longer becomes, you know even the simple concept of saying the words penis and vagina, these are not dirty words, these are anatomy. Gissele : Yeah. But we didn’t even call it that before. Krysti Beckett: No. Gissele : Right. Like Coie and Chacha and all these other words. Yeah. We have, I think now our kids are, yeah. Before, like during my time, people didn’t really talk about it. And I love what you just said about it’s, it’s so true. This is part of our anatomy, but we have shamed ourselves. I think this is why we have so much shame and guilt in, in the antidote to that is to have compassion for ourselves and to be kinder to ourselves when it comes to that discomfort that comes from having these conversations, which is why I love that we’re having it, we’re talking about, you know, pelvises and the importance of that health and, but you are right, like we are so used to [00:34:00] fighting these aspects of ourselves that we don’t talk about it and then we suffer in silence. Like, how many of us are suffering in silence, not knowing anything about pelvic health or not anything about the things that women are going through, right? Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: I think so many of us were taught messages, you know, like, you know, starting from a young age, you have private parts, you don’t show anyone else. Well, for some of us that led to hiding in change rooms. Gissele : Yeah. Krysti Beckett: No one’s allowed to see this and you’re not allowed, like, don’t look. Mm-hmm. And then going into sexual relationships and not understanding that painful sex is not normal. Gissele : Yeah. Krysti Beckett: Or understanding that like. Self, like self lubrication, like your body does to an extent, makes some, but if it doesn’t, like using a lubricant [00:35:00] is 100% okay. And encouraged so that you can actually enjoy being intimate on top of that. Self pleasuring is not a bad thing, it’s not a shameful thing. Mm-hmm. You can enjoy that beautiful body you have. And if, if you were raised in a church like I was, guess what God gave you that amazing body. Yes. And he gave you all those amazing functions. And guess what? It’s okay to enjoy what he gave you. Gissele : Yeah. And then you think that if we made like masturbation and all those things. Okay. Like if we, if there was a messaging then, then maybe people might be less likely to experiment with like penetration, maybe leading to less pregnancies. I think it would open up the likelihood that women are more likely to have full expressive orgasms and have those like great experience and probably lead to less risky behavior. I don’t know. What do you think? [00:36:00] Krysti Beckett: I think, I think maybe it’s a bold statement, but I think men would be too afraid of how powerful we would be if we had complete control and enjoyment of our bodies. It’s a bold statement, Gissele : You know, there’s lots of people talking about like, the key to manifesting is using the O method. Have you heard of that? Krysti Beckett: I have not heard Gissele : this. Using an, using an orgasm to manifest your Right. Well, you’re about to orgasm. You think about your manifestation. If you just Krysti Beckett: wanna manifest orgasms, can you start there? Gissele : Exactly. That was brilliant. I gotta take my hat off of that one. In terms of pelvic health, are you seeing sort of a shift in terms of people engaging in more conversations with less shame and guilt over their bodies? Krysti Beckett: I think once women become aware of what is normal and what is common, like leaking is common. But a healthy pelvic floor, [00:37:00] you can control, you can pee when you want to. And you can enjoy sex and live pain free pain is your alarm system, right? So once people kinda hear, oh, I can do something about this. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: I do find that more women are taking those steps to book their assessment with a pelvic physiotherapist to understand how they need to change some habits to feel better. And for some women it’s as simple as drinking more water. And for some women it is a little bit more work like doing the exercises. And of course there are still barriers, physiotherapy, like I said, it’s not covered in our healthcare system. And as a fitness professional, I can’t diagnose your symptoms. I can help you improve your symptoms with my knowledge, but I can’t do an internal exam or anything like that. [00:38:00] So there still are going to be barriers where women will just not have the money to go get an exam. But we do the best with what we can. And I’m really glad to see the conversation shift that women are open to having these discussions, that they’re open to saying, okay, yeah, I did have painful sex, or I am having painful sex. Mm-hmm. And I would, I would like to not like to actually enjoy it again. Gissele : Yeah. Do you find certain ages are more open and receptive to talk about things like pelvic health? Krysti Beckett: Yeah, there’s a lot of women I think in the childbearing ages because you do tend to talk about your symptoms a lot in the pre postpartum period with your healthcare professional. When women start to talk and compare their experiences, that’s happening a lot and I’m seeing it a lot now, [00:39:00] particularly in women over 40 in perimenopause, which is also something that was very taboo. We just kind of had these stories about what women did and how they acted in menopause and you feared them. They were angry women with hot flashes, right? Mm-hmm. But, but now we’re seeing more women come, come forward and talk about their experiences and. I think that’s not only changing our healthcare, but it’s changing our communities as women, because we need that connection. We need to support each other. Hmm. And you know, your body, you’re gonna have it your entire life. Right. We have to learn how, how to manage it. And so having these conversations can not only validate you in your experience, [00:40:00] but it can open up doors to find what can help you through your experience. And even if there isn’t a remedy, then maybe it can at least help you understand that, okay, this, this is normal and I can manage it. Gissele : as you were talking, I was reflecting on something you said. Which really stuck out to me, which is we used to have all this secrecy about our bodies but secrecy is what leads to abuse, right? Like keep it secret, don’t tell anyone. Whereas making it out in the open forming community like you are. Putting people together as a support system, I think goes a long way in helping us lift each other up and support each other through our most challenging circumstances. I think there we’re sort of in a epidemic of loneliness and isolation that people are feeling I have to suffer through this alone in these opportunities of bringing women together in conversation, in discussion, in support, I [00:41:00] think are so amazing and I think something that definitely should be done, especially about, what people consider taboo topics, right? Like pelvic health. Yeah. Krysti Beckett: And when you know you’re right, secrecy can contribute to abuse. Absolutely. But also when you are suffering with something in your body, and even if it involves absolutely no one else, keeping it to yourself, often spirals into shame. And I have had clients who stopped having sex with their partners because it was uncomfortable and they didn’t feel comfortable having that conversation with their partner. So they just stopped. And that created disconnect in their relationship. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: Because it wasn’t just about being in the bedroom. Right. Sex and intimacy is not just physical, it’s about the relationship above and beyond that. Mm-hmm. You [00:42:00] know, when. The second leading cause of being put into a senior’s home is incontinence. The first is dementia and Alzheimer’s. Gissele : Really? Wow. Krysti Beckett: Yeah. So I mean, you’re, our health is incredibly intricate, but also so huge. Like it’s intricate in that there’s so many different things going on, so many systems and our bodies really are so amazing how they work for us every single day. But in that same token it is just one part of you. Like we are multifaceted beings and so Gissele : mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: Your mental health, your emotional health, your physical health, all of those. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: Like those three categories even have like several subcategories. Your physical health, your pelvic health is not like independent of you. It’s connected. So if you [00:43:00] tend to clench your jaw, ’cause your stress relates to your pelvic health, and then maybe that’s causing your leaking or your pain, and then maybe that leaking your pain is stopping you from going out with the girls on Saturday night. And then that contributes to your mental health too, because you’re not connecting with your friends. So you’ve got like all these steps and they’re all connected because you yourself are a multifaceted being and you need. Not just physical care, but emotional care, mental care. And, and I think that’s another thing that we don’t do very well culturally, or at least I wasn’t raised that way, was to really look at you as a whole person. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. And, but that’s how the medical system is, right? Like, again, not to judge it, it has, does very like a number of things really well, which is deal with like sort of acute problems, right? Like you get a cut, you need pain meds. All of those are amazing, grateful to have it right, but it doesn’t do well [00:44:00] with chronic. and it’s all symptom management, right? I’m handling this symptom, but I might give you this pill for this other symptom. And sometimes like multiple pills you’re taking for this symptom and that symptom, it doesn’t treat historically the whole person, at least not the North American model. I know that models in other countries are different, so we’re seen as just body parts. Right. That we’re treating instead of seeing holistically the whole person. Right. What’s going on for you stress wise that might be leading to this particular physical reaction? like people acknowledge that there is the research out there to connects things like stress with heart disease But we are still sort of treated as limbs as part of a body instead of a whole being that has all of these social relationships. Was it you who was talking to me about like the doctors answer? if you’re a, a person who’s plus size, the doctor’s first answer is always lose weight. Krysti Beckett: Oh, yeah, Gissele : yeah, yeah. Okay. Share that story. That’s so [00:45:00] important. Krysti Beckett: Yeah. It’s very common, especially for women that if they go to their doctor with a health concern. And the doctor will usually go through a series of questions, do you do this? Do you do this? And usually if they can’t come up with a quick answer, they’re almost always the answer is just lose weight. And in my experience, I haven’t had my current doctor tell me that. But there was a conversation where I was struggling with low energy and we’re going through the markers. And now I was, I don’t remember how many months or years postpartum I was, but I was inexplicably tired. I was getting enough rest. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: And at the time he’s, he said, well, let’s do some blood work. And when it came back, everything was like, textbook or better than textbook. And he said to me, your triglycerides are better than [00:46:00] textbook. And he’s like, did you forget to tell me about a medication you were on? And I was like did you not hear the part where I weight train and I teach five fitness classes a week? Like I’m incredibly active. It’s not abnormal for someone who’s physically active as me to have load triglycerides like that. They should be, you know? Yeah. But, but no, it was though, though, not a direct accusation, but I did feel as though he was saying that I had lied or failed to share some information. And I have had clients, you know, report things like neck or back pain and inexplicable. So they were told just lose weight. Where, you know, they are strength training, they’re walking, they’re doing whatever, and, mm-hmm. In one case, it was a client. She needed she finally got an MRI, she had degenerative discs. Something that cannot be fixed by dieting. So there’s, [00:47:00] there’s so many things out there, and unfortunately between pharmaceuticals, between the diet industry, which is often supported by pharmaceuticals our, our doctors are often kind of, that’s what they’re trained in. Yeah, Gissele : yeah, yeah. And like you said, as consumers, we should be looking for more holistic approaches in trying to find people that are creating the whole body and supporting the whole body. I love the idea of interprofessional workers together. Like I would want as a woman to have a pelvic health specialist with my gynecologist, with all of these different individuals working together to talk about. The whole me. Krysti Beckett: Mm-hmm. Gissele : Rather than having me go with all these different individuals separately and have to spend that money separately to come together to have, to figure out how to put all these plans together. [00:48:00] I think as a society, I’d hope that we move to having all of these individuals supporting the whole body, and also the need for physiotherapy and all of these other, additional therapies to be supported by our, healthcare. Mm-hmm. Like if we’re truly having inclusive healthcare, all of these options should be available. For individuals. Right. So I do hope that we get there. Krysti Beckett: I would love that too. I mean, if, if you have a good job with benefits, fortunately, you know, my husband’s benefits provide so much for us in that way. I’m able to have a lot of my physiotherapy, massage therapy, osteopathy, naturopathy chiropractor. Like there are lots of things that are covered. But again, that’s because of his work benefits. It’s not covered by our healthcare. Not yet anyways. Gissele : Right. And so if people don’t have work that provides those benefits, then who might you punish? Are you punishing people that are [00:49:00] more vulnerable that don’t have those, those that kind of employment that might be higher paying, better wages? So from that perspective, we have to wonder, ’cause I kind of have this belief that the quality of the government. Is demonstrated by its ability to take care of its most vulnerable citizens. Krysti Beckett: what an incredible place we would be in if, everyone made a living wage. Yeah. Gissele : Yeah. They talked about basic income, but I guess that went the way of the dodo. because the research on basic income. and there’s certain, European countries that do basic income and people that don’t need it actually say, oh, I don’t want it, right? Krysti Beckett: Mm-hmm. Gissele : But they give it to the majority of their citizens. And people have a higher standard of living, more likely to be better educated. So people don’t use that just to sit around. Krysti Beckett: No. Gissele : Right. Like there’s this perception, the research and it was Canadian research [00:50:00] prove that people’s lives improve when they were outta survival and they had more income. And so there, there was a contemplation that it was something that they were considering applying. But then that just kind of quietly went away. At least here in Canada. But who knows? But yeah, it would be fabulous to have, those, those sort of options for different people. There’s also like countries that do away with homelessness by providing people homes, right? Yeah. They give people little tiny homes that they can have space and they’re more likely to then wanna take it to the next step in terms of getting jobs, getting off drugs, and all of those things. So I think when we, when we reach out and help people and see them as a whole being and care about their wellbeing, I think that’s what societies improve and get better about. Krysti Beckett: There’s really no downside to investing in people. Gissele : Yeah. Krysti Beckett: I mean, I’m so grateful in Canada that [00:51:00] we have a mat leave, which Wow. Seems like, so in my mind, basic because. we’ve had it for so long. Yeah. But then when I take on a client from the states and they tell me that Gissele : Yeah, Krysti Beckett: at the most, at the most they get 12 weeks. Gissele : Yeah. Krysti Beckett: And a lot of it depends on either what state you’re in or what your employer allows. It may or may not be paid. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Krysti Beckett: But wow. Like in one case I was supporting a mom, a c-section after twins, and she was going back at 12 weeks postpartum as a neonatal nurse. So she’s leaving her babies behind to go take care of other babies. Meanwhile, she’s had major abdominal surgery and she’s gonna be on her feet for like, 12 hour [00:52:00] shifts. So she needs her body. And here like. Their system was not supporting her. So I just feel so grateful for where we live and that we, you know, even as a self-employed person, I didn’t get a mat leave for my third birth, mm-hmm. But I still had culturally here, the understanding that I was postpartum, I was stepping back, I was doing things differently and I was well supported during that time. Yeah. You know, by family, by clients. You know, certainly the respect of understanding that that was happening, no expectation for me to rush back into things. Mm-hmm. But like, what a different world we would be in if we, if we set kind of those bare minimums, those standards of taking care of people. Gissele : Mm-hmm. Yeah. I was thinking about the time when I had my first baby and I returned back to work, it was [00:53:00] like. Like you opened up floodgates. I was crying all the time. I was crying at work. This was a year after, like Right. I had been for a whole year with my baby. Right. I can’t even imagine having, giving birth. And then a few weeks later it just like, well, okay, I gotta go. Oh my God. I think I, I think I might’ve quit.So a couple of more questions. I ask all my guests what their definition of unconditional love is. Krysti Beckett: Ah, unconditional love is being able to give when you are at Any season really at your absolute worst, at your absolute best, but being able to still give no matter what kind of resources you have. Gissele : Hmm. Krysti Beckett: [00:54:00] Emotional or other. Gissele : Hmm. Thank you for that. So last question. Where can people work with you? Where can they find you? Tell us about your website, anything you wanna share with the audience? Krysti Beckett: Sure. Yeah. My website is http://www.theconfidentmama.ca and I have a blog and I have free core guides and things like that. You can always message me for a free consult. I love meeting people. I love chatting about health and, and whether it’s working with me or just getting connected to somebody that can help you. I really do love having those conversations. I am on social media and LinkedIn, so if you’re looking for the Confident Mama and yeah, and if you’re in Southwestern Ontario yeah, hit me up. Brant Burford. I’m often in Kitchener and gray Bruce area and Niagara Gissele : Do you support people in both the physical activity part and the pelvic health as well? Krysti Beckett: Yes. So I’m a personal [00:55:00] trainer with pelvic fitness specialty, so whether virtual or in person, I offer coaching and personal training, so I work one-on-one. I also have fitness classes here in Burford. But if, if somebody needs help getting started or doing something differently in their fitness, I certainly can help them with an exercise program. Or if they just need coaching so that they can feel better in their bodies, feel more confident make their health a priority, then I’m your gal. Gissele : Oh, amazing. Thank you so much, Krysti for such an awesome conversation. I’m so, so excited for our listeners to, to listen to this conversation because we’ve been talking about things that have been taboo and haven’t really been talked about. So thank you so much for being on the show, and please join us for another episode of The Love and Compassion Podcast with Gissele. Krysti Beckett: Thanks. Have a good night. Gissele : Bye.

#realconversations #Stanford #author #family #marriage#bicultural #facilitator #memoirCONVERSATIONS WITH CALVIN WE THE SPECIES hosted by CalvinSchwartzMeet CHANCHAL GARG “Before our scheduled interview, we setaside a few minutes to get acquainted. Those minutes morphed into sixty. Andthen some. Beyond chemistry. Chanchal's solitary journey from Louisiana, whereshe was a “dutiful Indian daughter,” to being a facilitator at Stanford'sGraduate School of Business (the most popular class, Interpersonal DynamicsLearning) to her deeply personal and hugely brave memoir, ‘Unearthed.' Somewords now from the interview. Spiritual and sexual abuse. Womanhood. Courage.Faith and leaving. Bicultural. Motherhood. Real Space. Authentic Connections.Struggles. Hamilton (the play). Reclaim. For more on these words, check out myinterview with Chanchal Garg.  Curiously, I'm listening to the music theme from Cast Awayas I'm writing this. Ethereal. And so it goes.” Calvinhttps://www.youtube.com/c/ConversationswithCalvinWetheSpecIEs655 Interviews/Videos  9200 SUBSCRIBERSGLOBAL Reach. Earth Life. Amazing People.  PLEASE SUBSCRIBE ** CHANCHAL GARG; Author, ‘Unearthed'(Memoir); Exec Coach(RealSpace); Facilitator, Stanford Univ Graduate School of Business; Speaker; LIVEfrom CaliforniaYouTube:LINKS: linkedin.com/in/chanchalgarg22chanchalgarg.com (Company)realspaceco.com (Company)Unearthed on Amazon:  https://amzn.to/4oidoP1**BIO/ MEMOIRChanchal Garg is a speaker, author, executive coach, andconscious leadership facilitator. She transforms lives by helping clients breakthrough limiting beliefs and build authentic, liberatory connections. Drawingon her MBA and her lived experiences, she addresses difficult truths directlywhile fostering environments of openness and collaboration. For over eightyears, Chanchal has facilitated Stanford University's Graduate School ofBusiness's most popular elective course on interpersonal dynamics, impactingover 500 future business leaders. She is also the founder of Real Space, athriving coaching practice, where she guides leaders to transcend cultural andsocietal constraints, harnessing their personal power in both work and life.Chanchal wrote Unearthed: The Lies We Carry and the Truths They Bury as adeeply personal reclamation-and as an offering. Her voice has been featured atevents like Lululemon's International Women's Day gathering and on podcastssuch as She Has the Mic and The Healing Place.**WE ARE ALSO ON AUDIOAUDIO “Conversations with Calvin; WE the SpecIEs”ANCHOR https://lnkd.in/g4jcUPqSPOTIFY https://lnkd.in/ghuMFeCAPPLE PODCASTSBREAKER https://lnkd.in/g62StzJGOOGLE PODCASTS https://lnkd.in/gpd3XfMPOCKET CASTS https://pca.st/bmjmzaitRADIO PUBLIC https://lnkd.in/gxueFZw  

SUMMARY:In today's episode, Steph takes listeners deep into one of the most shocking workplace murders in recent history — the Lululemon case. This story follows the lives of Jayna Murray and Brittany Norwood, two women who started life on remarkably similar paths: athletic, ambitious, intelligent, and deeply loved. But as adulthood unfolded, their journeys diverged dramatically.Jayna lived a life full of adventure, discipline, and exploration — from her childhood in Australia to her graduate studies at Johns Hopkins. Brittany, once a standout soccer star with a promising future, quietly battled an impulse she never confronted: a cycle of compulsive stealing that grew more dangerous over time.On March 12, 2011, those two paths collided inside a Lululemon store in Bethesda, Maryland.Listeners will hear:Jayna's international upbringing, athletic excellence, academic brilliance, and deep devotion to her familyBrittany's competitive childhood, collegiate soccer career, and the long-standing pattern of theft that followed her into adulthoodA detailed breakdown of the crime scene and Brittany's initial account of the attackThe investigation's early focus on an unrelated suspect, Keith Lockett, and how detectives ultimately cleared himThe disturbing inconsistencies that led police to re-examine Brittany's storyThe emotional second interview, including the pivotal moment Brittany's brother confronted herThe psychological insight behind kleptomania—why the urge to steal can become an addictionThe truth about the altercation between Jayna and Brittany that nightHow Brittany staged the scene, lied, and ultimately confessedThe heartbreaking details of Jayna's injuries and the trial that followedThis episode explores:How compulsive behaviors, when left untreated, can escalate into tragedyThe consequences of avoidance, secrecy, and escalating bad choicesThe systemic failure of Lululemon to address repeated employee misconductHow confrontation — especially over conduct long hidden — can trigger catastrophic outcomesThe bravery of Jayna Murray and the life she deserved to continue livingSteph closes the episode with a powerful discussion on how we often trivialize stealing as harmless or childish — when in reality, it can become its own addiction cycle. Brittany's reluctance to get help or face consequences created a storm she could no longer outrun, and Jayna lost her life because of it. This tragedy stands as a reminder that ignoring patterns doesn't erase them… it allows them to grow.-----------------------------------------------------------------Giveaway Instructions Subscribe to the Murder in the Black YouTube channel.Choose any video on our channel and leave a comment.That's it — you're entered!The giveaway closes November 30th, so don't wait — jump in now!LINK BELOW⁠https://youtube.com/@murderintheblack?si=cr03m4ITJTzz01qX⁠Sources for This Episode:The Washington Post – In-depth reporting on the Lululemon murder, trial transcripts, and investigative findings.ABC News – Coverage of Brittany Norwood's arrest, trial, and details surrounding theft allegations and motive.NBC Washington – Local reporting from 2011 including interviews, community statements, and crime-scene updates.The Baltimore Sun – Reporting on Brittany Norwood's confession, trial proceedings, and sentencing.Montgomery County Court Records – Trial filings, witness statements, and verdict documentation from State of Maryland v. Brittany Norwood

After starting her career as a professional ballerina, Brynn Putnam's pivot into the tech world revolutionized at-home fitness in 2018 when she launched Mirror, the interactive smart device that brings studio fitness classes to the comfort of your home. After selling Mirror to Lululemon for $500 million in 2020, Brynn Putnam is back to revolutionize yet another industry with her newest creation, Board, a first-of-its-kind tabletop game console specifically designed to bring players of any age or skill level together. Join us as we discuss Brynn's entrepreneurial journey, how she turned Mirror from an idea into a multi-million dollar business as a tech outsider, and the inspiration behind Board. Don't miss this episode of Claim Your Confidence where we talk about:How Brynn's side hustle teaching fitness classes eventually led to the creation of MirrorDesigning products to solve specific problems and how constraints lead to creativityWhat to know when scaling your business and forming your teamWhat Brynn learned while creating Mirror and the lessons she's taking with her as she launches BoardBuilding your network, taking the leap, and how failures ultimately lead to successFind Brynn:www.board.funX: @BrynnPutnamLinkedIn: Brynn Jinnett PutnamFollow Lydia:www.lydiafenet.comIG: @lydiafenetLinkedIn: Lydia FenetQuestions or comments, we'd love to hear from you...send us a text!Record a question here so we can answer it on the next episode of Claim Your Confidence.To stay up to date with Claim Your Confidence and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram and on YouTube.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple or Spotify or where ever you get your podcasts.Recorded at The Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center.Thank you for listening.

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If you are ready to UNSUBSCRIBE™ from judgment and feel confident in who you are, this episode will speak directly to you. I sit down with Kathryn Henry for a powerful conversation about letting go of judgment, releasing fear, building confidence, and creating a life that aligns with your values.This conversation blends healing, personal growth, emotional intelligence, and mindset shifts. It gives you practical UNSUBSCRIBE™ tools to remove what drains your energy so you can move forward with clarity and ease.Kathryn Henry is known not only for her wildly successful corporate career as an executive for organizations like Gap, Levi & Strauss, and Lululemon, but also for her grounded wisdom and her ability to help people release old stories. She shares the moments that changed her life, how she stopped judging herself, and how letting go created space for her to grow, lead, and live more intentionally.If you are searching for guidance on healing, confidence, boundaries, emotional wellness, or personal reinvention, this episode will meet you exactly where you are.If this conversation resonates with you, share it with someone who needs encouragement or clarity. Sharing helps the podcast grow and helps more people find UNSUBSCRIBE™.CONNECT WITH KATHRYN:INSTAGRAMWEBSITECONNECT WITH GINNY:INSTAGRAMMerch, Speaking, VIP Day, brand partnerships: UnsubscribeOfficial.comSign up for the NEWSLETTERSponsored by Thrifty Traveler. Find mistake fares, hidden deals, and cheap flights AND save $20 on your first year with THIS LINK.Follow the podcast for weekly conversations that help you grow, heal, and UNSUBSCRIBE™ from what no longer serves you.Leave a 5 star review to support the show.

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CC445: It's time for Kindles & Candles! Kail explains the wonderful world of hermit crabs and was appalled at the thought of almost eating an octopus. On a more serious note, Kail shares her personal experience with SNAP benefits, the wide problem of food insecurity and the importance of community support. In true crime world, Jack the Ripper makes headlines once again and there are big thoughts on Ed Gein. Lindsie and Kail chime in on Lululemon's dupe trademark. Lastly, today's Foul Play is a shoutout to stool softeners during pregnancy - you have the worst timing!Thank you to our sponsors!Better Help: This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/coffee today to get 10% off your first month.Booking.com: Head over to Booking.com and start your listing today!Branch Basics: Get 15% off Branch Basics with the code Coffee at https://branchbasics.com/Coffee #branchbasicspodRocket Money: Cancel unwanted subscriptions by going to RocketMoney.com/COFFEECONVOSThrive Causemetics: Save 20% off your first order at Thrivecausemetics.com/COFFEESee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Big earnings shocks and tariff twists keep markets on edge. DBS and UOB headline today as Q3 earnings diverge, with UOB hit by a 72% plunge while DBS holds up better than expected. In the U.S., tariff-linked stocks like Lululemon, Macy’s, and Mattel rallied as the Supreme Court heard challenges to Trump-era import duties. We also play Up/Down with McDonald’s, Pinterest, Snap, Apple, Google, HKEX, PropNex, and Yangzijiang Shipbuilding. Yangzijiang sinks after a major BlackRock selldown, while Singtel finds a bid. Hosted by Michelle Martin with Ryan Huang.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rabbi Kalish

Childhood Trauma, Suicide Attempt, Profound Grief and Loss, and a Remarkable career with Lululemon, Gap, and Levi Strauss & Co. in-between. In this deeply moving episode of "How I Made It Through," host Bernadette Thompson sits down with Kathryn Henry, a spiritual seeker and business leader whose life journey is a testament to the power of resilience and transformation. Through raw personal storytelling, Kathryn shares her incredible story of overcoming childhood trauma, navigating the profound grief of losing her wife, Lisa, to cancer, and ultimately finding a path to self-realization and spiritual awakening.Kathryn's story is one of tragedy and triumph, illustrating how life's most challenging moments can lead to profound personal growth and spiritual enlightenment. She recounts her early struggles with childhood abuse, her journey through a Christian home, and the pivotal moments that shaped her understanding of spirituality. Kathryn also shares how she found solace and guidance in spiritual practices, leading her to a successful career in the corporate world and beyond.Throughout the episode, Kathryn and Bernadette explore themes of love, loss, and the enduring connections we share with those who have passed on. Kathryn's experiences with signs from Lisa after her passing offer a powerful testament to the spiritual connections that transcend the physical world.Join us for an inspiring conversation that delves into the depths of human resilience, the beauty of spiritual awakening, and the importance of finding meaning and purpose in life's challenges.Connect with Kathryn Henry: www.kathrynhenry.comKathryn's Book: “A Dime to Say I Love You ” Available at amazon : https://www.amazon.com/Dime-Say-Love-You-Spiritual/dp/B0F787W89LConnect with Bernadette: www.tellmeourstory.comBernadette@tellmeourstory.com**Chapter Markers:**- **[00:00] Introduction**- Bernadette introduces the podcast and welcomes Kathryn Henry, highlighting her background and achievements.- **[03:00] Kathryn's Early Life and Challenges**- Kathryn shares her experiences with childhood abuse and her time in a Christian home, setting the stage for her spiritual journey.- **[06:00] Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth**- Discussion on how Kathryn's spiritual journey began, exploring different belief systems and finding tools for healing.- **[09:00] Love and Loss: Kathryn's Relationship with Lisa**- Kathryn talks about meeting Lisa, their life together, and the impact of Lisa's cancer diagnosis.- **[12:00] Coping with Grief and Finding Spiritual Connections**- Kathryn describes the spiritual connections she maintains with Lisa after her passing and the significance of signs and messages.- **[15:00] Overcoming Career Challenges and Finding Success**- Kathryn shares her unconventional path to a successful career and the lessons learned along the way.- **[18:00] Embracing Service and Helping Others**- Discussion on Kathryn's current endeavors, including mentoring and sound healing, and her commitment to service.**Resources:**- Kathryn Henry's Book: "A Dime to Say I Love You"- Information on sound healing and energy healing practices- Meditation and spiritual study resources**Call-to-Action:**Thank you for tuning in to this episode of "How I Made It Through." If Kathryn's story inspired you, please share this episode with friends and family who might benefit from her insights. Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast for more inspiring stories of resilience and transformation. Connect with us on social media to join the conversation and stay updated on future episodes. If you have a story you'd like to share or feedback on this episode, reach out to us through our website. Your journey matters, and we're here to support you every step of the way.

It's another wild week in pop culture, politics, and business — and we're diving straight into the chaos.This episode breaks down Ms. Rachel calling out the government and Trump, Chipotle getting caught slipping again, and Julia Fox's latest headline-making — and arguably classless — Halloween costume.We're also talking about Lululemon teaming up with the NFL, Vogue's take on what makes a “good boyfriend,” and the rise of Waymo, the self-driving car company changing the future of transportation.Plus — we wrap things up with your favorite segments: Questions of the Day and a brand new Nuclear Opinion that's guaranteed to stir the pot.Tap in to Episode 637 of the Productive Conversations Podcast—available now on all podcast platforms and YouTube.Ms.Rachel vs Trump (6:32)Chipotle Caught Slipping (14:00)Julia Fox Wears Classless Halloween Costume (25:52)Lulu lemon and the NFL make a deal (41:52)Vogue on Boyfriends (47:00)Waymo (1:07:12)Questions of the day (1:10:17)Nuclear Opinion (1:13:30)Tap in to Episode 637 of the Productive Conversations Podcast—available now on all podcast platforms and YouTube.Best way to contact our host is by emailing him at productiveconversationspodcast@gmail.com or mbrown3212@gmail.comThis show has been brought to you by Magic Mind!Right now you can get your Magic Mind at WWW.MAGICMIND.COM/ PCLT20 to get 20% off a one-time purchase or up to 48% off a subscription using that code PCJUNE. Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/productive-conversations-with-matt-brown/id1535871441 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7qCsxuzYYoeqALrWu4x4Kb YouTube: @Productive_Conversations  Linktree:https://linktr.ee/productiveconversations

This week on The Rock Fight, Colin, Eoin, and Producer Dave break down a packed slate of outdoor industry headlines, from financial shakeups to listener drama.On the docket!VF's Up-and-Down Quarter: North Face & Timberland steady the ship while Vans still struggles. HOKA's Plateau: Deckers cools expectations as HOKA's U.S. sales flatten but international growth keeps soaring. Is the bubble finally bursting or just shifting?Marmot's Resurrection: Newell Brands shows signs of life, prompting Producer Dave to upgrade Marmot from “zombie” to “revenant.”2026 Outdoor Trade Show Watch!Outdoor Retailer's “Leadership Village” expands with new names from Cotopaxi, Garage Grown Gear, and Founded Outdoors plus a focus on small and emerging brands.ISPO Moves to Amsterdam: Europe's biggest outdoor trade show changes cities and strategy, raising questions about timing, purpose, and relevance.Lightning Round!Wolverine Named Footwear News Company of the Year (and somehow not Nike).Lululemon x NFL Collab would Chip Wilson have ever approved?Specialized E-bike Lawsuit: The latest in “gear that tries to kill you.”The Parting Shot presented by Garage Grown Gear!A listener calls The Rock Fight “Patagonia's biggest haters.” The crew responds (with vigor) clarifying that critique comes from love, not spite.Thanks for listening! The Rock Fight is a production of Rock Fight, LLC. Sign up for NEWS FROM THE FRONT, Rock Fight's semi-weekly newsletter by heading to www.rockfight.co and clicking Join The Mailing List.Please follow and subscribe to The Rock Fight and give us a 5 star rating and a written review wherever you get your podcasts.Want to pick a fight with The Rock Fight? Send your feedback, questions, and comments to myrockfight@gmail.com.

This week on the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels unpack the news that Amazon is laying off about 14,000 people from its corporate workforce. They discuss what this says about how corporate America is responding to economic circumstances as well as the role of AI in reshaping workflows. Next, they talk through Lululemon's NFL collaboration and what it reveals about the athleisure giant's attempts to win over new audiences. From there (15:40), Barkho and Daniels sit down with Lawrence Berger, the co-founder of private equity firm Ames Watson that recently acquired Claire's following its Chapter 11 filing. Berger explains how the company's experiences reviving Lids, another legacy mall brand, are helping inform its Claire's playbook as it looks to update the stores and brand for a new era. Their discussion covers: The challenges Claire's faces with outdated merchandising and inefficient corporate practices  The behind-the-scenes fixes, like merchandising and store refreshes, that Ames Watson is planning  Why Ames Watson sees itself as an “atypical” private equity firm that aims for long-term brand revival rather than quick flips

On the Glossy Podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week. This week, we talk about the closure of Gen-Z-favorite underwear brand Parade, six years after its founding. We also talk about Lululemon becoming the latest fashion brand to partner with the NFL. And we discuss layoffs at big companies like Amazon and what they mean for American consumers' dim outlook on the economy. In the second half of the episode (23:30), we're joined by Glossy editor-in-chief Jill Manoff to discuss the new rules of the denim market. Denim is a perennially popular category, and there's more diversity and competition in denim than ever. We talk about the trends that are dominant and the ways the denim customer is changing, plus we group together some of the current top brands to provide a better sense of how the sector is evolving.

Send us a textIn this episode, I sit down with Leah Yingling, an internationally ranked trail and ultrarunner from Salt Lake City, Utah. Leah has achieved multiple top-10 finishes at Western States and UTMB, and has represented Team USA at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. In addition to her racing career, she's the co-host of the Trail Network Podcast, works full-time in Population Health, and runs for Lululemon, Osprey, Garmin, and Hydrapak. Leah is also a new mom, recently welcoming her first child, Monte, in July.We dive into what it means to pursue longevity in sport, how she balances full-time work and elite-level training, and what it looks like to plan a sustainable running career while growing her family. Leah shares insights on goal setting through different life seasons, increasing visibility for women in ultras, and the power of building a supportive community.We talk about:-Longevity in running-Balancing full-time work and training-Planning a long sustainable running career-Goal setting with family planning-Increasing visibility of ultras-Building your communityTime Stamps1:00 Introduction2:32 comparing ultras to parenthood3:31 moms in the ultra community9:09 the problem solving aspect of ultras12:24 deferals for races20:43 competing while pregnant24:44 navigating postpartum29:45 resources for pregnancy and delivery34:14 mom walks and being outdoors41:06 winter activities with a baby48:30 rapid fire questionsCONNECT WITH CARRIEIG: https://www.instagram.com/carriepagliano/Website: https://carriepagliano.comCONNECT WITH LEAH:IG: https://www.instagram.com/leah_yingling/Strava: https://www.strava.com/pros/9911694Tail Network Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-trail-network-podcast/id1738325869The Active Mom Podcast is A Real Moms' Guide to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause & beyond for active moms & the professionals who help them in their journey. This show has been a long time in the making! You can expect conversation with moms and professionals from all aspects of the industry. If you're like me, you don't have a lot of free time (heck, you're probably listening at 1.5x speed), so theses interviews will be quick hits to get your the pertinent information FAST! If you love what you hear, share the podcast with a friend and leave us a 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and review. It helps us become more visible in the search algorithm! (Helps us get seen by more moms that need to hear these stories!!!!)

Chris and Anne tackle the week's quirkiest retail stories: Netflix bringing Stranger Things' finale to theaters, Target's Weirdly Hot Santa returns for year two, Lululemon's NFL licensing sparks more debate, and Red Bull drops a $50 advent calendar. Fast takes, sharp opinions, and laughs from retail's most entertaining podcast duo. Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.

Lululemon announces its first-ever licensing deal, partnering with all 32 NFL teams to release officially branded apparel. Anne sees opportunity in solving the women's fan gear problem, while Chris warns it cheapens the brand and signals an identity crisis. Who's right? Plus, debate whether this should have been a college athletics play instead, and whether you'll ever see Viking yoga pants in a Lululemon store near you. Sponsored by the A&M Consumer and Retail Group, Mirakl, Ocampo Capital, Infios, and Quorso.

It's the 2010s, and the athleisure market has exploded. As Lululemon has grown into one of the world's biggest athletic wear companies, brands like Nike and Adidas want a piece of the pie—and new, smaller companies are adding to the competition. Soon, everyone will be selling the same type of yoga pants that Lululemon created. To survive, Lululemon will need to expand its business-model. That means distancing itself from its founder and venturing into a brand new world: tech.Be the first to know about Wondery's newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now."See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lululemon in the NFL, McDonalds game plan for when pennies stop being made, and we talk about things we’ve done that haven’t made the air. You can join our Wally Show Poddies Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/WallyShowPoddies

In this episode of Scratch, Eric chats with Bronwen Foster-Butler, CMO of Finisterre, the cold-water surf brand from Cornwall proving that purpose and performance can coexist. Bronwen shares how community became Finisterre's real growth engine, from “creating through community, not for it,” to rethinking top-of-funnel marketing and focusing on relationships over reach. She shows how listening to your customers can lower CAC, build loyalty, and create true advocates.Finisterre began with a simple insight: the surf industry's glossy, tropical image that didn't reflect the real, rugged world of UK surfers. Today, it's a B Corp and leading challenger brand proving that you can grow profitably without losing your soul.And finally, she dives into how a strong sense of place in Cornwall's coastline and the shipping forecast origins of the Finisterre name and thus gives the brand its distinct voice. Ultimately, the takeaway for marketers is clear: scaling through a niche isn't limiting but it is the future. Staying true to who you are as a brand, and give a platform to your community to carry the story forward.Watch the video version of this podcast on Youtube ▶️: HERE          

Brynn Putnam is the founder of innovative tech companies Mirror and Board. Before entering the tech space, she spent her first life as a professional ballerina. In between performing with big productions and studying at Harvard University, she taught fitness classes on the side to make ends meet. Her side hustle became her full-time one after college when she started her own fitness boutique in New York. Putnam's pivot into the fitness space would then lead her to tech with her invention of Mirror, a high-tech piece of equipment that could seamlessly bring personalized fitness classes directly into your home. When she launched Mirror in 2019, it was a huge hit—especially during the pandemic when folks were confined to their homes during lockdown. Her company saw so much success that she soon sold it to Lululemon in a deal valued at $500 million. Now, after establishing herself as a tech pioneer, Putnam is onto her next venture in the space—this time with Board, an innovative, first-of-its-kind product that blends the magic of video games with the feel of board games. It also just launched at TechCrunch Disrupt today.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Topics discussed on today's show: National Chocolate Day, Dodgers 18 Inning Game, Lululemons and NFL, Diddy Release Date, Hurricane Melissa, Microreactor, Birthdays, Oldest President, Max TV Resolution, History Quiz, Licking Toads, AI Sports, AI Marriages, Upselling, Cheating, Studio Session: Rock Voices, and Apologies.

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Mirakl. In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:Amazon teams up with USPS to offer doorstep pickup for customer returns, expanding convenience options ahead of peak holiday returns season.Whole Foods Market opens its fourth and largest Daily Shop location in Arlington, Virginia, marking the first expansion of the smaller-format concept outside of New York City.Lululemon announces its first-ever NFL partnership, launching officially-licensed apparel for all 32 teams starting October 28th.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights. Be careful out there!

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton welcomes back Supply Chain Dive senior reporter Max Garland for a fast-paced look at the biggest logistics stories shaping Q4 2025. Max breaks down the latest peak season surcharges, noting how FedEx, UPS, and Amazon are raising fees while newer players like U-Speed and GoBolt are winning business with “no-fee” strategies. He also shares how shippers can protect margins through early planning and carrier diversification.The conversation continues with updates on Amazon Shipping's growing market share, UPS's first-ever driver buyouts, and the widespread impact of the de minimis rule's repeal, which has cost brands like Lululemon hundreds of millions. They wrap with coverage of the Canada Post strike, exploring what it means for holiday deliveries and why U.S. shippers should take note. Insightful, data-driven, and timely, this episode offers practical takeaways for supply chain professionals heading into peak season.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Intro(02:39) 2025 peak season fees overview(05:19) Amazon Shipping's market moves(08:35) UPS buyouts and workforce changes(10:16) End of de minimis and its impact(13:15) Canada Post strike updatesResources:Connect with Max Garland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxgarland/ Learn more about Supply Chain Dive: https://www.supplychaindive.com/ Connect with Scott Luton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwindonluton/Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVkWEBINAR- Optimizing End-to-End Logistics: Efficiency, Collaboration, and Innovation- https://bit.ly/4ml2TZhWEBINAR- Empowering Decision-Making in 2026 with Supply Chain Orchestration: https://bit.ly/3W7swlLWEBINAR- Inside Outdoor Cap's Warehouse: How Voice Picking Elevated Daily Operations: https://bit.ly/49m4D1zWEBINAR- Supply Chain Strength: Strategies that Deliver in any Economy: https://bit.ly/4hqTnTHThis episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Joshua Miranda, Trisha Cordes, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/breaking-news-now-1498

The Moneywise Radio Show and Podcast Monday, October 27th BE MONEYWISE. Moneywise Wealth Management I "The Moneywise Guys" podcast call: 661-847-1000 text in anytime: 661-396-1000 website: www.MoneywiseGuys.com facebook: Moneywise_Wealth_Management LinkedIn: Moneywise_Wealth_Management Guest: Matt Clark, Managing Partner with Chain, Cohn, Clark Attorneys  website: https://www.chainlaw.com/ office: 661-616-9829

Lululemon (LULU) announced that it will begin selling an NFL apparel line for all 32 teams with men's, women's and accessories offerings. "It's a sign that Lululemon is becoming a more mature sports company," says Morningstar's David Swartz. He says LULU has a big opportunity in men's retail believing sports-related apparel could expand that consumer base. David does say the move will more directly square LULU against Nike (NKE) and adidas (ADDYY) in the sports retail space.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-...Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-...Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/19192...Watch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplu...Watch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-net...Follow us on X – / schwabnetwork Follow us on Facebook – / schwabnetwork Follow us on LinkedIn - / schwab-network About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Stock market update for October 27, 2025.Follow us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@therundowndaily⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This video is for informational purposes only and reflects the views of the host and guest, not Public Holdings or its subsidiaries. Mentions of assets are not recommendations. Investing involves risk, including loss. Past performance does not guarantee future results. For full disclosures, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Public.com/disclosures⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Fabletics co-founder and CEO Adam Goldenberg took on giants like Lululemon and Nike and won. From launching his first company in sixth grade to building a billion-dollar brand, Adam shares the secrets behind Fabletics' meteoric rise to global success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the late 90s, Canadian entrepreneur Chip Wilson identified a new market emerging in North America: young women taking on yoga as a hobby. Wilson recognized that athletic wear for yoga didn't exist, and invented the yoga pants that have become ubiquitous today; he also created an empire. In the coming years, Lululemon will rapidly expand across Canada and the US. With no real competition and an expanding market, Lululemon should be unstoppable. But soon, the company's founder will start to get in the way.Be the first to know about Wondery's newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lululemon in the Back Bay had been hit. The kiosks on Boston Common are being vandalized. The government is going on three weeks of shut down this week. Trump will meet with Chinese president. Amazon webservices are back. The world series is set, the Blue Jays will play the Dodgers.  

In this deeply moving episode, artist Hannah Morris shares her powerful journey from teaching and managing at Lululemon to becoming a full-time painter whose work is led entirely by faith. After walking through unimaginable loss, Hannah found healing and purpose through painting — what began as a form of worship became a calling. Today, her textured, spirit-filled pieces reflect layers of surrender, hope, and divine inspiration. We talk about:– How creativity became a path through grief– Balancing faith and business as an artist– The story behind her Rooted and Overflow collections– What it means to run a God-led creative business– Letting go of comparison and trusting the process Whether you're an artist, entrepreneur, or someone searching for purpose, this episode will remind you that beauty can rise from brokenness. Listen now to hear how Hannah's faith and creativity became one — and why she believes her art is more than a career, it's a calling. Connect with Hannah:Instagram — @hannahpmorrisartWebsite — hannahpmorrisart.com Thank you to our sponsor:The Next Chapter Travel — designing all-women, small group luxury tours that blend adventure, authenticity, and connection. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Arielle and Dr. Thema discuss being the fullness of yourself despite the opinion of others. They discuss the homecoming journey for those who are often called "too much." Dr. Thema and Arielle discuss the journey of self-acceptance, freedom, love, and unfolding. The invitation to stop shrinking and begin embracing your authentic self is explored including Arielle's powerful poem for Wild Flowers from the book The Unfolding. Arielle Estoria (R-E-L EH-STORY-UH) (she/her) is a multi-passionate poet, actor, author, and speaker whose work lives at the intersection of storytelling and soul. With a mantra of “words not for the ears but for the soul,” Arielle creates transformative experiences through performance, poetry, and presence. A Sofar Sounds Los Angeles artist with over ten shows across California, Arielle has also worked as a teaching artist with Get Lit and facilitated writing workshops for incarcerated youth and adults, helping individuals tap into freedom through words. Her artistry has been featured in ESSENCE, POPSUGAR, OWN, and Well+Good, and she has collaborated with brands like Google, Lululemon, SKIMS, and TEDx. As both performer and facilitator, Arielle brings intentionality, connection, and warmth to every room she steps into, making her a sought-after voice for events, conferences, and creative communities worldwide.

The Weekly News RundownThe episode opens with a fast-moving retail update. New DataWeave analytics reveal that Nike has raised prices significantly — by 17 percent for footwear and 14 percent for apparel — as tariff cost mounts, potentially disrupting their turnaround plans. Steve and Michael then examine the continuing U.S. government shutdown and its potential economic ripple effects. Despite flagging consumer confidence, September retail sales surged 5.4% year-over-year, led by sporting goods and apparel, while big-ticket categories such as furniture and home improvement stalled. They turn next to Adobe's holiday sales forecast, calling for 5.3 percent online growth — the slowest in years. AI-driven shopping, meanwhile, is expected to grow fivefold, underscoring how rapidly technology can reshape consumer behaviour.The Interview — Scot Wingo on Agentic CommerceReturning guest Scot Wingo brings a veteran entrepreneur's perspective on the next leap in retail innovation. Leveraging his ChannelAdvisor roots to his latest venture, ReFiBuy.ai, Wingo describes how AI agents are poised to reshape the shopping journey — from research, to finding, and buying — through "agentic commerce." He details how ChatGPT's new checkout feature effectively turns it into a merchant-friendly marketplace and why this could challenge Google and Amazon's ad-tax models. Wingo explains how Google is evolving from a search engine to an "answer engine," already costing retailers organic traffic, and outlines the steps brands must take to prepare their catalogues for AI-driven visibility. He also explores how personal-shopping agents and vertical AI start-ups in fashion and re-commerce are creating hyper-custom experiences, while warning retailers not to block "good bots" in their fear of AI scraping.Stories That Spread and A Peek Around the CornerIn their closing segment, Steve and Michael discuss some recent remarkable stories including the revival of brands like Bed Bath & Beyond, Toys "R" Us, and Forever 21, as well as Lululemon founder Chip Wilson's latest shot at his former company. They close by discuss what's on their mutual radar screens for the weeks ahead. About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada's Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.

On this week's Stansberry Investor Hour, Dan and Corey welcome their colleague Whitney Tilson back to the show. Whitney is the editor of multiple newsletters at Stansberry Research, including our flagship Stansberry's Investment Advisory, Commodity Supercycles, and the free Whitney Tilson's Daily. Whitney kicks things off by discussing how he became a "make money" investor, his simple method for picking winning stocks, and a few lessons he has learned from decades in the market. He advises listeners to let their winners run and to hold them for a long period of time, as that's the only way to outperform index funds. Whitney also shares the story of missing out on Netflix's 100-bagger gains, makes a bullish case for Salesforce, and gives his thoughts on particular players in the AI space, such as Palantir Technologies. (0:00) Next, Whitney talks about the cannabis stock bubble, scam Chinese stocks, and why he's "pounding the table" on Alphabet and Meta Platforms. Using Adobe as an example, he tells listeners to start considering how AI will affect existing businesses and their share prices, especially if it's in negative ways. Plus, he goes in depth on index funds – their benefits, how his strategy has shifted to include market-cap-neutral funds, and which funds he likes today. (22:28) Finally, Whitney explains the power of compounding and discusses the opportunity today in clothing maker Lululemon. Despite "really struggling with" the stock, he believes it could be a big winner down the line. The secret, Whitney says, is finding good companies with headwinds that knock the stock way down but that are temporary. And to close the show out, Whitney covers the pitfalls of short selling, why you should never bet against companies that make products people love, and his most speculative stock idea today. (41:59)

Liz and Sarah have been pingponging around on various projects for months. Now several of their projects are converging, and it’s controlled chaos! In Take A Hike, they issue the Control Your Algorithm October Challenge. Stop doomscrolling and get more good in your feed! Next, Liz and Sarah introduce their brand new segment — Disproportionate Joy. Sarah’s getting joy from Violet’s new swim meet times and Liz is giddy about certain members of her Survivor Fantasy League. This week’s Hollywood Hack will save you money AND is good for the environment: Shop your favorite brand’s secondhand section. Finally, Liz recommends Lena Dunham’s Substack newsletter, Good Thing Going. Sign up for Liz & Sarah’s free weekly Substack newsletter at https://happierinhollywoodpod.substack.com. It will come right to your inbox! Get in touch on Instagram: @Sfain & @LizCraft Get in touch on Threads: @Sfain & @LizCraft Visit our website: https://happierinhollywood.com Join our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/HappierinHollywood/ Happier in Hollywood is part of ‘The Onward Project,’ a family of podcasts brought together by Gretchen Rubin—all about how to make your life better. Check out the other Onward Project podcasts—Happier with Gretchen Rubin, andSide Hustle School . If you liked this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your friends! LINKS: Legend Planner: https://amzn.to/3KN9q1K Clare V Le Resale: https://leresaleclarev.com Patagonia Worn Wear: https://wornwear.patagonia.com Apiece Apart Archive: https://archive.apieceapart.com/ Lululemon: https://likenew.lululemon.com/ Eileen Fisher Renew: https://www.eileenfisherrenew.com/ The North Face Renewed: https://www.thenorthfacerenewed.com Levi’s Secondhand: https://www.secondhand.levi.com/ Lena Dunham’s Good Thing Going newsletter: https://goodthinggoing.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips Photo by Lance Grandahl on UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After pressure from US President Donald Trump, Israel's Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has been strong-armed into agreeing a deal for Gaza. Will Hamas sign up too? Our correspondent analyses the path to peace. Lululemon needs a legging-up. And why leopards, crows and monkeys populate India's cities.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After pressure from US President Donald Trump, Israel's Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has been strong-armed into agreeing a deal for Gaza. Will Hamas sign up too? Our correspondent analyses the path to peace. Lululemon needs a legging-up. And why leopards, crows and monkeys populate India's cities.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.