Podcasts about Murmurs

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 8 Intruders! Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. October 26, 2020. Monday afternoon, Reena took lunch duties. Lunch was often individual or in small groups, but she really wanted a crack at cooking for everyone. She said it could be 'come and go' to still facilitate varied schedules around the house. Her idea was ramen. But, it wasn't just basic out of the package. Well, it was, but with a variety of add-ons. You could pick your flavor of ramen, then she'd prepared chopped carrots, nori, sesame oil, diced onion, spam, eggs (fried up for each bowl individually) and Korean red pepper powder that Jan had gotten added to the spice rack. Oh, Reena still cooked it up, but each bowl was individual, and made on request. When Jan came in for lunch, she laughed warmly. Beaming, Reena asked hopefully, "Just like mom would make?" Jan placed a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. "Not exactly dear. This is ore like what my Caucasian aunt would make when she tried to be authentic." Reena's face and shoulders seemed to suddenly melt. Jan stepped in beside the teen, wrapping her arms around her. "And the one time I made fun of my aunt for it in my mother's hearing was the last. She pulled me aside and scolded me for being insensitive, and ungrateful. Mom said that ramen was always about making something tasty, with love and what ever ingredients were available." Jan made a point of looking over the prepped ingredients arrayed on the counter. "And this is exactly what you have done." She kissed Reena on her cheek. "Thank you. Thank you for the meal, and thank you for reminding me of two lovely, caring women in my life." Reena hugged her. Then she got the specifics of what Jan wanted and got busy making it. Dave stepped out of his office and got two steps down the hallway when Lupie found him. "Dave, could I use your office and computer for a bit? It's kind of urgent. I was in the middle of some trades and my laptop died." "Again?" Dave chuckled. Lupie looked chagrined and rolled her eyes. "Good thing you have your software installed in there already. Just log me off and do what you gotta do. How long do you need me to stay out?" "Rest of the afternoon?" "Okay." Dave started to walk away but Lupie snagged him by the shirtfront and tugged him towards her. They kissed softly. They didn't hear the small footsteps approaching. "Oh gag me with a tamale." Both adults laughed too hard to maintain the kiss. "I do need to get in there," Lupie said. A quick peck and she scampered into the office. Dave knelt down and wrapped Esme in a hug. "And you, rascal, need to give it a rest. We keep a lot out of your sight because; well because it should be out of your viewing. So give us a break on the kissing once in a while, huh?" "Yessir" her tone sounded reluctant, but the grin was hard to suppress. She took four quick steps away from him before turning. "Dave?" "Yes, sweetie?" "Thanks for making mom happy." "Never have I ever; used a pay phone," Reena said with a wicked grin. Shawna and all the ladies over thirty took a drink. Dave first reached into his pocket, pulled his hand back out, and tossed a quarter at Reena. Then he took a drink. Liv busted out laughing. "One of Dad's favorite songs!" she cried as she cackled loudly and leaned a bit too far over into Mel. They'd been going for over half an hour. And she and Mel had pre-gamed. "Song?" Reena asked. "Pay phones used to cost a quarter to make a call. Early nineties, there was a country breakup song called 'Here's a Quarter, Call Someone Who Cares'," Dave filled in. Reena pouted, then stuck out her tongue. "Okay, Lupie, your turn," Jan prompted. 'Never have I ever; done the splits." Reena threw one back. Liv joined her, while Dave laughed. "That laugh suggests a story," Nessa observed. "Yeah, yeah," Liv replied. "I was; oh, about ten or so?" "Eleven," Dave corrected. "Right. Anyway, the girlie girl types were saying I was not really a girl if I couldn't do the splits. So I did." Dave cleared his throat. Liv blushed. "On top of the monkey bars." All the older ladies burst out laughing. "Well, that showed them!" Shawna rejoined. "And I believe it's Dave's turn now." "Alright, never have I ever; taken a nude or semi-nude selfie." Reena's eyes bugged out. She reached for her drink, threw back a slug, then covered her face with her hand. Mel, Liv, and Nessa followed suit. That was no shock to anyone. Jan doing so caught a few looks. "Nope, not gonna talk about it." Jan's face was as red as Melanie's hair. "Okay, moving on; " "Not yet. Someone hasn't drunk." Dave said. He looked at Becca, clearing his throat. "What?! I've never sent nude selfies. You're the first guy I ever got naked for!" "I believe you." Then Dave held up his phone and waggled it. Becca's eyes got wide. "Oh, crap, I forgot about that!" The young blonde blushed about six shades of red before reaching for her drink. "Oh, this I gotta hear." Melanie breathed. Becca hid her face in her hands, peeking between two fingers. Lupie laughed loudly. "Okay, you busted me out, so spill." Becca looked pleadingly at Dave, then shrugged her shoulders, giving him a nod. "Loops, you remember that very first day, when the vax guy came around?" Lupie nodded in reply. "And you wondered why Becca was acting all embarrassed after I told you I'd accepted you both?" "Yes?; oh!" "I told you she'd be the one to say it was okay to tell you what happened? She just did." Lupie just nodded in reply. "Uh, care to fill the rest of us in?" Mel asked. "So the CDC guy came around mid-September. He got to Lupie's house first. She sent him over here with a letter asking that I request her and Becca, giving her reasons why I should say yes. After setting things up with Arthur, I texted both of them that I would make the request. Becca replied with a selfie. With her shirt and bra pulled up. Still have it by the way." Dave winked at Becca. "Shit, we shoulda thought of that! Right after the video call!" Liv groused, nudging Mel. "Another missed first." "Becca was weeks before that call, so still first. Well, first amongst this group, not first ever." "Oh, yeah?" Dave dodged. "Old girlfriend, long time ago. So, who's turn is it next?" Thankfully, they let it slide. October 27, 2020. Dave descended the stairs to see Olivia, Becca and Reena watching a 90's movie. The two teens were making a concerted effort to take in as much of the movies and songs that Dave had grown up with, particularly the ones he had physical copies of. Reena had taken some adjusting to the idea of watching without streaming. Not that they didn't stream at all. Last night, Dave had discovered several of his partners, including Reena, hadn't yet seen Hamilton. That required immediate correction. "Wow, really? It's a great story, well executed, and it's historical. I mean, yeah, they take some liberties, but Miranda was pretty true to the essence of the characters." "But history?" Reena whined. "It's just a bunch of old white guys." Dave looked askance at her. "You're sleeping with an old white guy." Reena's face fell, and Dave's heart with it. In a soft voice, she said, "You're not just an old white guy to me." Her head wasn't exactly hanging, but she didn't meet his eyes. Fuck, emotional landmine triggered. Splash damage accumulating. Dave got up swiftly, without rushing, to stand in front of her and take her in his arms. He kissed the crown of her head as her face nestled in his chest. "I'm sorry honey, I didn't mean to sound so disparaging." Reena slipped her arms around Dave and took him in a hug. Several others joined in, circling the pair in their arms. "Reena, honey?" Shawna prompted. "The guy who wrote it had a vision to make the story more interesting than 'just a bunch of old white guys. Give it a try. I think you'll like it." As often happened, Shawna was spot-on. This morning though, the trio were watching Dave's blu-ray of Twister. "You know, we'll have to watch this in April. Before or during the first severe thunderstorm warning." Dave said as he rounded the back corner to pass them without blocking their view. All three girls chuckled lightly and accepted the kisses Dave planted on them as he passed behind them on his way to the library. Entering, he found Vanessa lounging with a book. He took a seat in easy speaking distance without crowding her. "So, how are you settling in?" "Pretty well. It's; so peaceful here. I really expected a house with this many people in it to be more chaotic. I mean, there's a fun energy here, and a lot of life, but it's; so soothing here. Thank you, David. For accepting me, for just; being here to match with." "I'm enjoying having you here. Beyond the obvious, I mean." Nessa snickered at that. "You've slipped rather smoothly into the family and already I couldn't imagine this place, or us, without you." "That's so sweet, thank you." "Maybe once the whole state's vaccinated, we'll get some normalcy and get out to do the usual family things together." "When we get some normalcy again, you ought to marry Lupie." "I should marry all of you." "No. No, I don't feel that way. Lupie does. Olivia does. And maybe Janice. Shawna too, she has it bad for you. Becca is still young and sorting it all out. Same goes for Reena and Mel. I don't share that depth of bond. I wouldn't want to cheapen what they have with you by sharing a marriage ceremony when I don't have that connection. I damn well better be one of the bridesmaids though" A wry smile crossed Vanessa's face. "I care for you. I love you. I love this family. I am not in love with you." "If it weren't for this damn serum, you would be free to find someone to have that bond with." Vanessa's eyes watered. "Don't ever say that again." There was steel in every syllable. "I may not be in love with you, but this is one of the best relationships I've ever had. I have more joy; not mere happiness; joy in my life now than I have had in a very long time. If the serum caused this, then Thank God and bring it on. I wouldn't change what I have right now for anything. I know you care for me. I can feel it. I feel it from each of the others. What we have is special and I don't ever want to let it go." Dave stood and walked towards Vanessa. From one eye, a tear rolled down her cheek. "I haven't felt this safe and accepted since I was a little girl that didn't know what emotional pain was." She closed her eyes, surrendering, hopeful, to what he might do next. Dave bent down, bringing his face to hers. He kissed each eye gently. He kissed each tear streak. He kissed her gently on the nose, eliciting a small giggle. He kissed her lips, softly at first, growing firmer as she responded. She broke the kiss and opened her eyes in time to see his eyes opening. She could see the tears watering them. "You're going to make me fall in love with you aren't you?" "No. I'm going to give you every reason to, and let you decide." Dave reached underneath Vanessa and lifted her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him as he carried her. Olivia noticed them coming out of the library. With a small grin she began singing in a soft voice "Who; knows what to-morrow brings; in a world; few hearts survive ;” Dave tried scowling at her, but he couldn't get the grin off his face. As they neared the base of the stairs, Vanessa ceased her slow circuit of kissing Dave's cheek, neck and lips. "I think you better let me walk from here stud." Dave chuckled and lowered her feet to the floor. They rose up the stairs, side-by-side joined at the hips, shoulders, and lips. From below, they heard Olivia mutter "God that's hot." Reena Umm-hmmed her agreement. "My nipples are freaking diamonds right now." Entering the bedroom, Dave and Vanessa began removing each other's clothes, quickly, but without frenzy. They stood naked, at the end of the bed, kissing, holding and softly groping each other. Dave pressed in close and gripped Vanessa under the curve of her ass. He lifted her and tossed her into the middle of the bed. She squealed happily as she flew. Dave slowly crawled up the bed, kissing Vanessa as he went. He started by kissing the big toe of her left foot and proceeded down the top of her foot to her ankle. Then he switched to her right foot. When he reached her ankle, he continued laying soft, gentle kisses up her shin. Then again up her left shin. He avoided the backs of her calves, her kneecap and the inside of her knee. These spots were very ticklish for Vanessa. Becca loved the loss of control when Dave tickled her. Becca and Janice loved the counter play of tickling and sexual stimulation. Vanessa would mule-kick him through a wall if he tickled her. And be out of the mood. And be pissed for a few days. So no tickle-y He kissed his way up the tops and outsides of each leg. He kissed a wandering path around her abdomen, taking time at her belly button like a caravan merchant at an oasis. Vanessa moaned. Her belly button was one of her favorite places for Dave to play with. Dave began working his way upward again, kissing in a straight line that ran up from her navel between her tits. He looked up as he rose, seeing her eyes locked on him, hungry and happy. Pure joy radiated from her face. He reached the hollow of her neck and alternated kissing with light nibbling. Vanessa moaned again and shifted beneath him. This was another of her favorite spots. He kissed up to her jaw, across her jawline, to her lips. "Umm" Vanessa hummed as Dave settled in, his body pressing firmly against hers. He rested his weight on his elbows and knees (outside of hers) and took her hands in his, out to the sides of her head, their fingers interlaced. It was more sensual than sexual. After several minutes, Dave slipped his hands loose and moved lower for the next step. He broke the kiss. Vanessa whimpered and opened her eyes. She bit back a complaint about the end of the kiss, because she knew what was coming would be better. Dave kissed her chin, then her shoulder. He stroked the outside of each tit with his fingertips. He kissed from her shoulder down to the top of her tit. He kissed around her tit, never touching the areola. Then he placed tiny, soft kisses just at the border of her areola without brushing her nipple. Vanessa whimpered. His hand played with her other tit, likewise avoiding the areola. Vanessa squeaked as he took her nipple and areola in his mouth and suckled, flicking his tongue against her nipple. "Yes; ;” she clutched the sheets and writhed beneath him. It was delicious torture. He had her worked up and ready, but kept the foreplay going rather than enter her. One finger of his hand lightly brushed across her other nipple. Back and forth. Back and forth. Light pinch. "Oh, David, please baby." Dave chuckled. He met her eyes as he descended down her body again, taking less time than when he rose. He kissed her hip, then across her pelvis and down. He kissed her mound of Venus and descended with his mouth hovering over her labia, but not touching. He let his breath brush over her entrance. Then he pulled back further and kissed her inner thigh. He heard a strangled whine from above. He nibbled. He switched thighs. More shifting and squirming. Dave latched his mouth onto Vanessa's labia and suckled like a newborn. "Yes!" Her body lifted off the bed for several seconds. He flicked his tongue against her entrance before easing it inside of her. She let out a contented moan. He slid his hands along her sides and thighs. Dave lifted his eyes to look at Vanessa. Her eyes were closed in bliss. He moved marginally forward and took her clitoris into his mouth, massaging it with his lips and tongue. "Oh God!" her eyes flew open. Hands gripped sheets and pulled hard. Her feet lifted. Dave backed off, giving her a moment. He started crawling up the bed, over top of her. Vanessa pouted and locked eyes with him. Desire and need echoed back and forth between their eyes. Dave inserted himself into her wet, relaxed passage and slid forward purposefully. Vanessa issued a sound that was both a sigh and a moan signaling her satisfaction. Once again, Dave interlaced his fingers with hers. With his hands on top of hers, and all four hands beside Nessa's ears, Dave began to rock his body overtop of her. He held himself just low enough that his chest and ribs softly grazed over her erect nipples. With slow, gentle strokes, he raised the two of them towards ecstasy. Kissing softly, they communicated without words, just sighs, moans, and hums. Time stopped and the world fell away. Just two lovers wrapped in gauzy layers of lovemaking. Nessa's body trembled with anticipation for what felt like an eternity as Dave caressed and stimulated her, hitting all her pleasure spots just so, raising her gently to one delicious climax. He buried himself to the root within her as the dam burst forth. Her erotic writhing alternatively pushed him away and strove to swallow him within her. The oscillations of her wet passage seized his organ and sent him cascading over the cliff with her. Struck by the serum induced orgasm, Nessa clutched him tightly and howled her pleasure. When Nessa's grasp loosened, Dave slipped to lie beside her, holding her close. Drifting back into the conscious world, Nessa snuggled in close, draping an arm over him. "Hmm, so that's what the girls have been calling 'the full Dave', huh? I like it." Shawna's rotating early shift was today, allowing all of us to sit down as a family and finish discussing housing preferences. Mel came in from the kitchen once Shawna arrived. "We didn't quite get there last time, but with 12 or more people, we need a bigger kitchen." Lupie said emphatically. "Preferably with a double oven and a cooktop with five burners and a grill. Four burners and no grill is still okay. And gas, not electric." "Anything else for the kitchen?" "Well, an island, preferably with power to it, but with a cutting board top, and large enough for rolling out dough." Lupie paused, looking pensive. "Did I go too far?" "Not at all, that sounds great. Especially if I actually get to use it." Dave grinned back. Lupie smirked and rolled her eyes. "Oh, and one other condition; a nice big batch of tamales after we move in." Lupie's eyes danced. "Absolutely." "I was thinking," Reena said, "how about a backyard deck?" Dave interjected "Not really necessary. It would be good to have, but I can build a reliable deck. Especially with Livy involved. You can help too if you want." "If you can do renno, I may have work for you." Vanessa smirked. Dave laughed. "I still have a day job. Our house sure, but I'm not looking to make it a job. Oh, and what ever we get needs plenty of electrical outlets. If it's really necessary, I could run a few new breakers and circuits, but seriously, I'd rather stay away from that." Shawna looked alarmed. "Baby, I believe you when you say you've got skills, but I don't want you around one-ten, or worse, two-twenty." Dave returned with a scowling laugh, "That's why you turn it off at the box, dear." "Just be careful honey." "Yes, Peaches." That earned a laugh all around, as Shawna blew a kiss at him. Nessa looked at her. "Are you from Georgia?" "No, but my parents met there in college. Mom's from Georgia, Dad was just there for school. They raised me and my brother in St. Louis." "And you went there for your degree?" "Oh no. I knew I wanted to be a meteorologist since I was a young teen. I went to O U. With the National Weather Service center right there, I got experiences I could never have gotten elsewhere. Spent a good chunk of my upper-class and grad years chasing storms." "Sounds like a lot of fun." "Oh yeah." Nessa grinned with Shawna, then turned to Dave. "I have been asked to press the idea of the towers one more time. Not so much our immediate supervisor here, but the folks back in DC. Their argument is that it's more efficient." "Unbelievable." Dave managed to avoid grumbling. "You do realize that the same people that want to shove us into a shoebox are the same little hypocrites that scream their heads off when a CEO lays off workers to make his company more efficient. Both of them are promoting the math of what they want, ignoring what they don't, and neither actually gives a shit about the people they are using like pawns." Shawna, seated beside him, stroked his arm, a slight grin on her face. "Yeah, okay, I'll climb down off my soap box. But no, I do not want to live in an apartment tower. A neighborhood, sure. A diverse neighborhood sounds great. I'm not a fan of monochrome anyway." "Clearly," Nessa said. "Just looking around the room proves that." "I'm sorry, but the whole 'I know better than you' crowd pisses me off, whether it's the church variety, the lefty variety, or the old money variety." "Okay, okay," Nessa replied light heartedly. "I had to bring it up again. I've done so, and you've been quite clear. I'll get on the search tomorrow. It may take a bit, but I'm sure we can find something that meets our requirements." The conversation turned to other subjects, and the family splintered into little knots of discussions. Mel slipped back out to check on the meal she was making. Dave didn't know what it was, but it smelled really good. Well, he knew it was something with chicken. He decided to join Mel in the kitchen. "Hey, Mel, how's it goin'?" "Almost done." Mel turned her face to his and received the offered kiss. "Smells really good. Chicken soup?" "Chicken and dumplings. From scratch. I boiled the chicken earlier this afternoon. It's about time for me to mix the dumplings. After that, it'll be ready to eat in twenty minutes." Dave wrapped his arms around her, holding her close from behind as she watched the pot. "Perfect choice for a dreary day like today. And, I haven't had chicken and dumplings in a long time." "Well, I hope you like mine." "Oh, Mel," Dave said as he nuzzled his head against hers, "you know I like your dumplings." He traced the middle finger of each hand up her sides, pulling away before reaching her tits. She cackled, turning to face him. With a light smack on his shoulder she said, "You're an old lech," she stepped in for a kiss. "But you're my old lech." She waggled her eyebrows. Dave chuckled, resting his forehead against hers. Then the doorbell rang. "Go, I need to get on the dumplings anyway." Mel swatted him on the ass as he walked away. Jan was already at the door when Dave arrived. The soldier was just handing over the clipboard. Beside her stood a young black woman with her hair in several tight braids. She stood about 5'6", with eyes that appeared to prefer laughing, but bore the potential to penetrate obfuscation, a cute button nose and a bright red lipstick on her perfectly sized mouth. Large golden hoop earrings in her ears and tight black jeans on her legs were the only attire visible other than her thick coat. Given the near-freezing temperatures and drizzle that had gone on all day long, Dave could hardly blame her. The black handle and ribbing stood out starkly from the vivid, deep pink of her umbrella canopy. It looked thoroughly functional, and infinitely girlie; maybe a bit more Wednesday Addams than cheerleader, but that didn't bother Dave in the slightest. Jan handed the clipboard back to the soldier, who departed immediately. "Hello, my name is Janice, though I prefer Jan." She held out her hand, which was taken without trepidation. "And this is Dave." He likewise reached out and shook the lady's hand. "Come on inside. We were just about to sit down for dinner." "About twenty minutes," Dave supplied. "Mel; Melanie; is making chicken and dumplings." "Oh, that sounds really good. Especially with this weather." She pulled her roller case through the foyer and parked it just inside the living room. The ladies approached her, no more than three at once, and the early few drew her towards the center of the room as they greeted her and introduced themselves. Mel, having not taken a seat yet, exited to the kitchen again, reappearing barely a minute later. "It'll be about ten more minutes," she replied to the expectant faces that turned her way. Becca and Olivia immediately stood, heading to the kitchen. Apparently, it was their turn to set the table. The light conversations and sharing continued through the meal, interrupted only by nearly everyone asking for a second bowl (Dave had four, but made sure everyone else was done eating before the last two.) Of course, each family member took multiple opportunities to praise Mel for the quality of the meal, and the excellent choice for the dreary conditions. Dave listened in on the conversations around him, paying special attention to the ones involving the new arrival, Niki. Between his own conversations with her, he learned her full name was Nicole Lassiter, and she worked as the network administrator and network security administrator for a bank headquartered in Dallas. With all the losses, she was now over all computer issues that were not customer facing. Her little brother was still in college, hunkering down in the UGA dorms. Niki, her mom, and her dad each called him at least once a week both for their own peace of mind and to keep his spirits up. Niki's parents were recently vaccinated. Her mother had styled her hair before 'her baby girl' left for the Vax Center. The tight braids she wore were called a Senegalese twist. Since her mother was a hairdresser (not that she was seeing customers at the moment) she had extensions on hand to do her daughter up right. Niki's dad had just retired from road construction work, looking to open up a barbecue restaurant; right before the lockdowns hit. Dave also noticed a slight unsteadiness on occasion when Niki walked. It made him concerned for her well-being, but he wasn't sure how to bring it up without being rude. As the evening wore on, he noticed Niki making furtive glances his way. The next time she did, he made eye contact, lifting one eyebrow. She bit her lip and nodded. Dave rose from his seat and strode to her side. A few eyes followed them as he took her hand and led her upstairs. Dave guided her to the master bedroom. Niki quickly took a seat on the bed. "You know, I didn't ask you earlier: do you want to do this here, or in a separate room? Here, you're going to wind up with several other women in the bed as well. We still have a room you could wake up in with some privacy. Shawna and I use it sometimes to spend time together when she gets home from work, and she stores clothes in there so she can dress and not disturb anyone when she has an early morning shift, but nobody uses the bed in there." "No, here's fine, thank you." Looked pensive for a moment. And a little pained. "Are you okay? If you don't want to do this; " "No, no I'm fine, really. Well, I'm not fine, but you aren't the problem, not by a long shot. I pushed myself too hard this evening. I should have spent less time standing." Dave waited while she ordered her thoughts. "I haven't been completely honest with you, Dave. I only recently got to a point where I can walk without a cane. Over a year ago, I was t-boned by a drunk driver. Shattered my legs. It'd be a good bet that half the metal in this room, is in my bones right now." She let out an annoyed snort. "I used to run track. Even got a partial scholarship that helped me get my degree. I spent months in a wheelchair, and then a walker. After that, I moved up to those forearm crutches. During lockdown, I couldn't go to the doctor, so when I felt annoyed enough with the crutches I shifted to a simple cane. And now I've been walking without any aid for over a month, but it hurts like hell; and it's tiring." "You are one tough cookie." Dave said from the spot he'd taken beside her as she spoke. "I don't feel so tough. I feel beat up and worn out." Dave hugged her. "You want me to tuck you in and let you rest? We could do the imprinting tomorrow." "No, no I want to do this with you Dave. I just may need you to go easy. And probably help me undress." "Just to be clear, you're asking me to strip your clothes off, handle your body gently, and blow a load inside you?" Dave said with a hint of sarcasm. Niki giggled. "You seem man enough to handle the job." Dave answered her with a kiss, full on the lips, pressing firmly but with moderation. His hands drifted behind her shoulder blades. Niki responded, humming into the kiss and parting her lips. When Dave's tongue probed undemandingly, hers welcomed the visitor. Dave's hands roamed slowly, taking the first steps in learning the body of his newest lover. He enjoyed the feel of her in his hands. There was a looseness, as would be expected for an athlete that had been benched. Beneath that slight layer, there was a firm core. She was; exciting. And excited. Whatever she wanted in a man, she seemed to think Dave had it. Well, that and the serum had her amped up. Dave was finally getting past feeling guilty about that. Mostly. Dave started consciously directing his hands, seeking the buttons or clasps or zipper to loosen the neck of the tight black top she was wearing. Solid black panels with a black lace overlay stitched in at regular intervals. Finding the short zipper took no time at all. He next dropped his hands, seeking the hem of her shirt under her jeans waist. There was no hem. As his hands quested, he found bare hip, with cloth from the top still diving down her front and back. Just like a swimsuit. Then it struck him. He came up for air and play scowled at her. "You could have just said it was a bodysuit." She snickered. "Aw, where's the fun in that?" Dave kissed her. Then he gently shoved her backwards onto the bed. Her torso lay flat on the bed, her legs dangling off. Dave stood and faced her. Reaching down, he unbuttoned her jeans and lowered her zipper. Niki's eyes twinkled as Dave took hold of the cuff of her jeans and pulled them off. He missed the worried look in her eyes as the scars on her legs were exposed. That's because his eyes were locked on her trim brown legs. They stayed fixated on those lovely legs as he kneeled between them and began kissing her legs, first one then the other. All over her thighs, then, gently lifting, careful not to lift too high, he kissed her calves and shins. He lavished every inch of her legs with his lips and tongue. Niki moaned. Then she sniffled. Alerted, Dave brought his head up, locking his eyes on hers. Tears watered the bottom of her almond shaped sockets. "You make me feel beautiful again." "You always were." He kept his eyes on her as he kissed the inside of her knee. The kiss extended into suckling. He gave the spot a little nip, then moved his position by a few inches and giving the same attention, adding in a few strokes of his tongue tip. Niki's chest heaved. Dave could hear sobs amongst the moans as he switched to her other knee. He would have been alarmed except for the clearly cathartic tone. "Umm, David, please, I need you up here." With a grin, Dave worked his way, unhurried but not dawdling, up her leg, kissing and huffing hot breath on her exposed skin as he went. Reaching her fragrant core, Dave brought his fingers softly to the three little snaps holding the gusset of her bodysuit together. A gentle flick separated the two soaked flaps of cloth and revealed that Niki wore nothing underneath. The engorged, richly black outer labia of her nethers drenched in her arousal. Her inner labia petaled outward, yielding a peek at the pink interior. Dave blew one long, slow hot breath over her bare, quivering sex before latching his mouth on her. He suckled her lower lips as her back arched. Niki keened her pleasure while her arms beat a tattoo on the bed. "David, now, please, now." Dave shucked his shoes and quickly slipped his cargo shorts and boxers to the floor. In a flash, Dave was over top of her, dragging her up the bed like a leopard securing his prey in a tree. Niki's breath caught as he took charge of her body. The fire in her eyes was unmistakable. He kissed her deeply, then pulled away. With his eyes locked on hers, he moved himself to her entrance and pressed his cockhead just barely inside. The fluids leaked all over his throbbing cock touched her most sensitive places and set off a riot only attributable to the serum. Dave anchored her motions with his knees, pressed against her rear, but not enough to force her legs too far apart. "Fuck that was good." She paused for a deep breath. "Hmm, I'm all yours now Dave. Send me off to neverland, lover." Dave worked within her, slowly and gently at first, picking up pace slightly and a little more force when she signaled it was needed and acceptable. Her hums and moans continuously reminding him his actions were still mutually desired. His peak arrived and he shot hot ropes of cum with his cock buried deep in her, his cockhead brushing her cervix. Immediately, she shuddered, racked with the serum induced pleasure that forever locked her life with his. Dave held her in her throes until she went limp muttering "Imprinting; imprinting; imprinting ;” He rose, going to the bathroom to clean himself before returning with a wet washcloth and a hand towel to clean Niki. Once she was cleaned and dry, he snapped her body suit closed again and arranged her comfortably on the bed, beneath the covers. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead before heading downstairs to spend social time with the rest of his family. As he descended the staircase into the mild buzz of the other eight women happily sharing his life, his home, and his bed, Dave marveled at how amazing his life was. Chapter 10; Storm Winds. October 28, 2020 4:18am David's hand was halfway to the palmprint secured gun safe on the back side of his headboard before he realized he was even awake. With the vertical placement, and the; activity frequently occurring in the bed, he'd installed two Velcro loops to hold the pistol and magazine inside. He released the pistol and placed it on his chest before reaching back for the clip. Fortunately, only two hands and a part of one leg were draped over him at the moment. The four younger girls were in their rooms, leaving Lupie, Jan, Shawna, Vanessa, and his newest partner Nicole to share his bed. Nicole was one of the hands, and the partial leg. By consensus, the ladies decided she should get to curl up next to Dave for her imprinting sleep. Gingerly, Dave slipped free of his partners' limbs and slid down the bed onto the floor. Only then did he insert the magazine and work the slide. Flipping the safety on, he padded softly but quickly to the closet to grab a pair of shorts. He decided not to wear slippers this time. He might need the extra footing. Keeping close to the wall, he approached the bedroom door. With the door still shut, he took the safety off, but kept his finger out of the trigger well for the moment. Slowly, Dave eased the door open. Slipping through, he noticed a shape in the hallway, against the wall, at the top of the stairs. Too dark to identify an individual, the figure made the 'Join Me' signal his friend Carter had taught him long ago. He did not raise his weapon. Sliding along the wall silently, just the way he'd practiced at least once every year, Dave approached. Proximity gave the reassurance the lighting denied at a distance. Liv crouched in the hallway, pistol in hand, wearing only a light nightgown that reached most of the way to her knees. With a quick series of hand signals, Dave told Liv to follow at a distance as he prepared to descend the stairs as quietly as possible. Liv signaled back that she should lead, but apparently had no signal for why. Dave negated the suggestion, and started down the stairs. He reached the lower landing with no incident. His nerves had been raw as he got halfway down and the solid wall gave way to railing. Now he crouched on one knee, Liv a few steps up from the landing, but with good vision on the living room area, both of them listening. The nighttime chirping of mockingbirds was absent. No flutter of wings or rustle of raccoons, possums, or skunks. Out here on the wild edge of the metroplex, there was always something moving at night. Dave signaled for Liv to post up on the landing and then moved along the wall of the stairs, in front of the media center to the corner of the living room where the downstairs hallway started. He was now directly below the spot Liv had occupied when he first emerged from the bedroom. And just two steps from his secured gun closet recessed under the stairs and hidden behind a normal looking panel. Dave had only one twelve round magazine. Liv had purchased a larger safe and had a spare ten round magazine in addition to the one in her weapon. It was a bit awkward carrying it since she had no pockets, but Carter had taught a variety of firing stances, one of which allowed carrying something in the non-dominant hand. By the absence of natural sounds, somebody was outside. He did not know how many, or how they were armed, but he was sure they weren't here in the oh-my-god-it's-early hours for a friendly visit. He slid the cover for the pin pad open so he could punch in the unlock code. Dave heard a crashing thump at the door followed by cursing. The security door worked just fine. He didn't get a chance to smile though. The glass door at the back of the living room shattered from several rounds. Dave squared his body with the opening just as two men stepped through. The first man fell as Dave brought his weapon up. The second went down just as his head turned to his right to see Liv's position flanking their breach. Dave heard a tinkling sound from the entry. Someone was breaking the window in the front parlor. Now he was worried. The thick pillar at the free corner of the landing would give Liv scant protection against a firearm. Dave stayed low, stepping away from his corner. It gave him protection against someone firing from the sliding door breach, but he had no angle to fire into the entryway. With the furniture screening him from the glass door breach, he approached the arch between the entry and living room. Loud whispers drifted in from his right. The remaining attackers on the deck seemed to be hesitant about testing themselves against the defenses. He was straining to pick out words when a head began to resolve itself in the entry. Dave fired two rounds. The body fell. He held his position, weapon ready. Out back he heard an angry growl, "Hey, one of those women is my sister!" The reply was too low to understand the words, but the snideness came through clearly. As did the answering gunshot. What the hell is going on? They're shooting each other now? Hey, they don't need to be on my property for that! The fallen body in front of Dave slid backwards. Hands appeared from the foyer and the broken glass door, but they were empty. The hands gripped a pair of ankles of one downed man each and yanked them back to where the hands came from. This repeated for the second body near the glass door. Wet sickening sounds ensued, backed up by an occasional retching noise. Murmurs were heard. Someone said something about a marker and a bag. "David?!" Shawna's voice called from up the stairs. That wasn't the only sound from upstairs. Roscoe was barking his head off. Furtive whispers indicated some of his family were at the top of the stairs with Shawna. "Keep everyone up there. Open up the armory in the main closet and distribute weapons to the adults. Everything Lt. Malcolm Reed gave us is in there. Arm up and take defensive positions upstairs." That was a bluff. Hopefully enough of one to drive the attackers away. Dave was sure Shawna would recognize the name of the armory officer from Enterprise and catch on. The sounds from the foyer and back deck took on a hurried pace before Dave heard footsteps rushing away. Dave and Olivia exchanged glances, and then immediately darted their eyes back to the penetration points. This happened a few more times over the next several minutes. "Looks like we're clear." "Yeah, just stay on your toes." "I know. I grew up under the same guy that trained you, remember?" "Vividly." Cautious footsteps descended the stairs. "David, Olivia, it's Shawna. I'm coming down." Slowly, Shawna came into view, feet first on the exposed portion of the staircase. Her pink satin nightgown falling just past her knees gave her some coverage, but made Dave aware of the cold, damp air pouring in from both breaches. "Are you two okay? Is it safe?" "For now. We've got two big holes in the house, so maybe keep everybody up there where it's warm unless they're needed down here." Dave paused for a second. "Ask Nessa and Mel to look out the upstairs windows. See if they can spot these guys leaving, or lying in wait." Shawna disappeared upstairs, then came back down after a brief verbal exchange. Shawna came down to the lower landing and spoke briefly with Livy, giving her a hug. Then she came to Dave. She hugged him fiercely. Her voice shook as she said thickly, "For a little bit there, I thought I was going to lose you." "We held." Dave managed to keep most of the nervous tension and post-adrenaline shake out of his voice. By the look in her eye, Shawna wasn't fooled a bit. Dave led her to the beginning of the hallway, the cubby under the stairs. He whispered the passcode in her ear so she could unlock it. That had been the galling thing during the attack. His full stash of weapons had been right beside his shoulder, but he couldn't spare the attention to unlock it. Clearly, he needed to rethink his arrangements. Shawna handed out a thigh holster for him, which he only saw peripherally as he kept watch. The weight told him immediately she'd placed two pre-filled magazines in there for him. He pulled one out for a quick check. No use him having Livy's mags. "I go to the pistol range about every other month. Nothing fancy, but I'm a decent shot and I know the difference between ten mil and nine mil. What? It's a very satisfying skill to have, and a great way to blow off some stress." Dave chuckled and turned his head, with a quick lean to her and gave her a peck on the cheek. Then he stepped back out to his post. He felt Shawna walking out, so he moved to the other side of the hallway so she could make her way to Livy with the other thigh holster without crossing Dave's line of sight. She paused at his shoulder. "Dave, do you want the other weapons in there?" Dave thought for a minute. He knew which ones Shawna had to mean. He sighed, "Yeah. A tac vest and one of the MP5's. Tac vests should already have six loaded magazines in the pockets. Get two and give the other vest and weapon to Liv. Then find out if anyone upstairs has any weapons training. You said you shoot, how good are you?" Shawna handed out a vest first, which Dave quickly donned. "With silhouette targets, I can put four out of five rounds through the heart. Now, I haven't gotten to shoot since the lockdowns, but I was pretty regular before." She handed him one of the MP5's which Dave quickly slung over his head and shoulder, inserted a magazine he'd pulled from the vest and chambered a round, then safed the weapon. "Are those; ?" "Semiauto. Carter went to a lot of work to make sure we had everything we could legally have, but never anything illegal. They do have the integral noise suppressor. It was expensive as hell and took forever plus a mountain of paperwork, but it's all legal. At least in Texas." "God Bless Texas," she said with a gleam in her eye. Shawna gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before sauntering over to Livy, a thigh holster clutched in one hand, a tac vest in the other, and an MP5 slung over her neck. A second thigh holster, with a nine millimeter and magazines was strapped to her sleek, powerful thigh. Shawna handed off the gear to Olivia, then swiftly moved back to the concealed weapons closet. She was in there for quite a while before emerging. "There was only one more pre-loaded nine mil mag, so I had to load a few or just walk around with one. The second choice didn't sound viable." "Agreed." Dave grasped Shawna's bicep and pulled her in for a quick kiss on the cheek. She beamed at him after returning the kiss, then headed upstairs. Dave heard Liv saying something to Shawna as she passed by. An eternity and a short time later, two sets of footsteps descended the staircase. Melanie followed behind Shawna. "Carter and Liv both took me to the range several times. I even went to a tactical course once my aim was; acceptable. But only with pistol. I've never shot anything else." "Good enough. There's another thigh holster and pistol inside. What did Carter train you on? "Nine millimeter. He said it was so common it made a good starting point. Once with Liv, we rented shotguns at an outdoor range and I was decent with it." "Pistol will do fine. Shawna, help her get some magazines loaded. Has anyone called for police?" Mel swallowed nervously. "I didn't see anyone waiting in the back yard, but the deck;” "Yes?" "It's; disturbing. Dave, be careful." Dave nodded, as did Liv. Shawna spoke up as she followed Mel in. It was tight with two adults in there, but doable. At three it would have been cramped. "Lupie called. They didn't know how long before someone responds. They're stretched thin and the night shift is the least staffed." Wordlessly, she handed over a t-shirt she'd grabbed while she was upstairs. Dave slipped the tac vest off, donned the shirt, then the tac vest again. While he dressed, he spoke with his partners. "Fuck. Okay, here's what's gonna happen. You two take defensive positions on the stairs. One of you take the lower landing, one further up, just below the ceiling line. Then Liv and I will go out through the deck, and check the exterior all the way around." "I'll take the landing," Mel said. "I've had training with Carter, I should be the one exposed." "You sure?" Shawna prodded. "Yeah." "Okay, take your positions then." Dave kissed each one on the cheek before they walked away. When both had taken their places, Liv came over to him. Dave had one more instruction for Shawna. "Oh, and tell Lupie to call the police again, let them know we are clearing the grounds so they don't just shoot us on sight." Shawna nodded and crept upwards. Jan came down the stairs, bearing a pair of shoes for Dave and Liv, a pair of socks stuck into one shoe for each of them. After handing over the shoes, Jan headed back upstairs. They shod themselves quietly. "So, me on point?" Liv asked as she finished. "No, I'll take point, you cover me." "Dave, if anything happens to you, we're all in big trouble." "That's why you're watching my back. Otherwise, I'd go out there solo and leave you in charge here." "Like hell you would. I ain't some; " "I know you are capable, but I'm still going to shield you from as much risk as I can." Liv rolled her eyes. "Gee, I feel safe and offended all at once." Dave stared at her stony. "Are we done here? Ready to go?" "Shit, Dad really rubbed off on you. Yeah, let's do this." Olivia fell in behind Dave as he headed straight for the glass door breach. Both held their weapons ready, jutting forward with the strap taut around their necks and backs. Dave paused at the breach. "Off safe." "Roger." Dave examined the scene visible through the broken glass and the flapping curtain. Blood trails led out the breach from the various points where the bodies of the invaders had landed. He could see the legs of a few of them still on the deck. He turned his head to catch first Shawna's then Mel's eyes, nodded, and proceeded cautiously but swiftly out the breach. He swiveled right going out, knowing Liv would go left, just as her father had taught them for years. Each stopped at the furthest extension of the deck in their direction, scanning the deck and yard in a full semicircle, their backs to the house. There was no damage to the fence, and no apparent damage to the greenhouse or anything else in the backyard. The deck however; well, it wasn't damaged. The bodies on it were. Each had the pants and underwear pulled down and a huge bloody mess where the genitals once were. Blood continued to ooze out of the wounds, though clearly it had poured out initially. Dave signaled his intent to clear the greenhouse. Liv followed him. It didn't take long to clear. They emerged quickly, rescanning the backyard as they did. With Liv trailing, Dave exited the backyard through the side gate. The side yard showed no disturbance. In the front yard, they found the same gruesome sight as the back deck. Here though, they found an empty plastic baggie with blood spatter. And a few bloody fingerprints. The bag snagged under the heel of the corpse, ensuring the light wind was insufficient to blow it away. Dave and Liv finished the sweep, checking the other side yard, which showed no signs of disturbance. "I think we're safe, for now. These guys bugged out." "Yeah, but why did they cut their buddies' junk off?" Dave shivered, and not from the crummy weather. Well, maybe a little from the weather. He was barely dressed after all. "Let's get inside." Since the front door was still locked, they traipsed back through the side yard to the gate and came in through the broken glass door. "Coming in." Dave called before entering. "No sign of anyone out there." The relief on Mel and Shawna's faces was evident. Their shoulders relaxed slightly. "Can you two keep watch here? I'm gonna talk to the others, then we'll both get dressed, and then I'll call the police again." At the top of the stairs, four of Dave's partners wrapped him in hugs muttering their relief that he was still in one piece. He could see Lupie gazing at him, beseechingly as she held Esme close, soothing her. A loud bang against a door at the end of the hall reminded Dave of other necessities. "You better go let Roscoe out so he can see that we're all intact," Dave chuckled. As Olivia opened the door, Roscoe bolted from the room, turning only when she bellowed "Roscoe, Heel." That cut through his canine brain fog of 'defense mode'. He turned to her, sniffing as if checking on her condition. Liv knelt in front of him. She placed her hands on either side of his face and began stroking his neck and back while speaking softly, in calm tones. After a few whimpers, he started aggressively licking her face and putting his paws on her shoulders. Addressing his family, Dave said, "Liv and I need to get dressed. We need to call the police again, and we need to get those holes sealed." "Holes?" Jan asked. "Yeah, they busted in the sliding door and a window in the parlor. It's not quite as cold and miserable downstairs as it is outside, but it's close enough. For now, stay upstairs unless you have something you need to do down there. You can still run down to grab a book, or make meals or snacks. For tv, use the spare room that Shawna uses when she has morning shifts." "We could just use our laptops for streaming, Dave. We'll be fine." Reena added. She looked a bit bleary. To be fair, everyone seemed caught in some whipsaw state of alert and drowsy. Not surprising, given what they'd just been through. Dave patted her on the shoulder and kissed the crown of her head in appreciation. Releasing Reena, Dave knelt in front of Esme, who was showing clear signs of worry and strain. He enveloped her in his arms and held her close. "It's okay now, baby girl. We're all okay now." He held her, stroking her hair and back soothingly. After several minutes had passed, he loosened his grip and began to stand. Esme's arms immediately came up, wrapping Dave in a vise-grip hug. She didn't say anything, she didn't cry or whimper. She just clutched him tightly. Dave eyed Lupie, but she just looked back at him imploringly. He reached a hand out to her and she grabbed on immediately. He looked around at the others and saw the need for reassurance was still there. Olivia had already slipped into her room with Roscoe to get dressed. Becca, Reena, Jan, Nessa and Lupie all rushed to surround him the moment he waved his hand to 'bring it in'. Esme was wedged between Dave and Lupie. She finally relaxed her grip on Dave, and switched over to her mother. With a silent chuckle, Dave kissed Lupie on the cheek and slipped off to the master bedroom. Jan followed after him. "I thought I'd call the police and put it on speaker so you could talk to them while getting dressed." Dave nodded, then wrapped her in a hug and gave her a closed mouth kiss that was no less affectionate for its chasteness. Reluctantly, he released her and headed into the closet to collect some clothes. Jan dialed 911 as soon as Dave emerged. Police staffing was so low, all calls went through the emergency center. Long held habits are hard to break, though. Especially when those habits are codified in a manual. That's what they call 'procedure'. "911, what's your emergency?" "We called earlier about a break in. The people trying to break in have left, except the ones we shot," Dave called out in clear, even tones for the speaker. "Is anyone injured?" The operator droned, as if she been on duty too long, too many days in a row. "No, ma'am," Dave said. "No one in my family was hit, and the ones we shot are dead." "Are you sure they're dead?" "Yes ma'am. The guy that taught me how to shoot didn't teach me to miss. Besides, before they left, the invaders; mutilated the bodies. If they hadn't died from the gunshots, they'd have died from the blood loss." Dave was watching Jan's face when he mentioned the mutilation. Not the best choice, since he nearly fell over pulling on his cargo pants. It did allow him to see the flinch that briefly flitted across her face before she reasserted control. "Did you say mutilated, sir?" The tones were even, obviously someone that had worked 911 for years. Still, there were notes of 'oh shit' blended with 'what fucking else?' "I did." "Would you please specify the nature of the mutilation?" "The genitals of the deceased were removed." A short silence reigned on the line. "Could you repeat that sir?" The operator's voice sounded slightly more alert. Dave pulled his pre-tied sneakers on as he said, "the scrotum was removed from each of the corpses." This conversation was now added to the thick stack of reasons to be very glad of the distance between the master bedroom and Esme's bedroom. Lupie and the others had taken her there when Dave walked away. Between the walk-in closet and Dave's office, there was little chance sounds from the bedroom penetrated that far. "Are you certain the perpetrators have left?" "Yes ma'am, one of my partners and I swept the area; our yard anyway; and found no one remaining. All we found were the bodies that the survivors had drug back out of the house and carved up." "So the shooting happened inside the house?" "Correct." "I'm noting all this in the file sir. I'm appending this report to the prior calls your partner made requesting assistance. Since you are no longer in immediate danger, I am diverting the patrol response. They will get to you to you after attending to higher level calls." Even as she spoke, the woman's voice grew more exhausted, like a Walmart employee on Black Friday at about 3pm. "It's been almost an hour since the initial break in. Why has it taken so long?" "Sir, I'm not at liberty to discuss that, but I do apologize. I have no control over response times. I will dispatch a detective to investigate as well. Until then, please leave the scene undisturbed." "How long will that take? Can you give me an estimate?" "Probably a few hours, sir. There are very few detectives working night shift, so they'll likely hand this over to the dayshift investigators." "Hours? These guys busted in my sliding door and broke a large window in the parlor. It's making for quite a chilly cross breeze. And that's not even counting the blood stains and blood trails in my living room and entryway." Dave's voice had begun to rise. "Sorry, I'm trying to maintain a level tone here, but that's a bit difficult given what's happened and what you're telling me." The voice on the other end reached its most hollow state. "I'm sorry sir, I can't change those realities. Please understand that it will be three hours minimum before a detective would reach you. More likely it will be three hours before a detective is assigned to your case. Patrol won't take that long, but it won't be immediate." Dave took a deep, cleansing breath. It was only marginally useful, but it helped him keep his tone level. "And what is the longest likely time before a detective gets out here?" "Possibly six to eight hours sir." "That's; " Dave caught himself. And formed a plan immediately. "Fine. We'll be ready when the detective arrives." He hung up. Dave took a deep breath, staring intently at the far wall, fully aware of Jan quietly and patiently waiting off to his right. He rubbed his face, then snatched up his t-shirt and pulled it on. "Okay, let's meet with everyone else. I have a plan, and we can deal with this." Dave said as he stood. With a concerned look to Niki's slumbering form, he strapped the thigh holster in place and fastened the tac vest as he walked. The MP5 he slung over his neck and shoulder, then pulled around to his back. To be continued in part 9, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

Episode Title: Inner Peace Found In Raindrops And Ocean Murmurs At NightDescription:In this episode of Thunderstorm: Sleep and Relax in the Rain, immerse yourself in the calming blend of raindrops gently falling and the soothing murmur of ocean waves under the night sky. Let the rhythmic sounds carry you away from daily stress, guiding you into a state of deep relaxation and tranquility. Imagine yourself by a quiet beach, where the rain softly taps on the shore while the ocean breathes calmly beside you.As you listen, feel your mind slow down and your body unwind. This peaceful soundscape is designed to help you find calmness, ease anxiety, or simply drift off into a restful sleep. Whether you need a moment of serenity or a restful escape before bedtime, this episode offers a comforting refuge wrapped in nature's gentle embrace.Tune in, close your eyes, and let the night's rain and ocean whispers lead you to inner peace.DISCLAIMER

Episode Title: Tranquility Increased Through Night Raindrops And Ocean MurmursDescription:In this episode, we immerse ourselves in the soothing sounds of night raindrops combined with the gentle murmurs of the ocean. Discover how these natural soundscapes can deepen your relaxation and promote a peaceful state of mind. We'll share tips on using these calming noises to enhance your meditation, improve sleep quality, and create moments of stillness in your busy day.Take a moment to breathe deeply and let the rhythmic dance of raindrops and ocean waves wash away stress, helping you find balance and serenity.Join us next time as we continue to explore simple ways to invite calm into your life.DISCLAIMER

Episode Title: Relaxation Supported with Gentle Stream MurmursDescription:In this episode of Thunderstorm: Sleep and Relax in the Rain, let the soothing whispers of a gentle stream guide you into deep relaxation. Imagine yourself sitting by a calm, flowing stream surrounded by soft rustling leaves and the tranquil sound of water gently moving over smooth stones. The peaceful murmurs blend perfectly with the distant rhythm of raindrops, creating a serene environment that helps quiet your mind and ease your tension.As you listen, the stress of the day melts away, and your thoughts become calm like the still waters. Whether you're winding down before sleep or taking a moment to recharge during a busy day, this episode invites you to find comfort and balance in the simple sounds of nature.Tune in, close your eyes, and let the gentle stream murmurs carry you to a place of calm and restfulness.DISCLAIMER

geinst.bandcamp.com/album/hiber-trace Drawing a coherent link between various influences, @geinst joins Never Late with Hiber Trace where his analog-driven productions expand and contract time and space. The clear consideration for detail combined with an essence of tight timing and drawn delays, sets the groundwork for this EP. The accompanying artwork reflects not only the music but keeps a connection to the human element, which is a common thread throughout his work. Stark rhythms take us on twists and turns with abundant drops of surprises throughout. One is only left asking: where will he take us now? Beyond Layers arrives with a purpose we are but to discover. All there is to do is let oneself be guided by the soundscape that Gëinst creates. From the first moment we hear the intention behind every current, every beat, every silence. It envelopes us, introducing a profound space wherein which we can land and take off from, guiding us deliberately with finely tuned clicks, hums and hisses. Murmurs opens with a mélange of calmness and suspense. Building on the soft syncopated rhythms, a muted voice reminds us we are not alone. This nicely preempts Hiber Trace, the EP namesake emerging as a crisp track with a steadily evolving groove. Muted hi-hats, snares, and kicks are balanced with strong drumbeats that travel through the body, activating muscles to contract with the same frequency. Euphoria introduces yet deeper elements as though now passing through an ancestral forest. Organic sounds, resembling digeridoos and croaks like those of frogs on the forest floor, are accompanied by a surge carrying us to the next destination – Mugen, where we are greeted by a focused drum ensemble to be overtaken by stretches of lasers whispering echoes of spatial descents – until finishing as brusquely as it began. Still within the same realm, we experience the power of Labyrinth. This may be the most intricate track of the EP, summing all the previous ones into a final, powerful crescendo. Delicious drone drops preempt a soft closing allowing us to find a moment to return with a gentle landing. Exquisite. Written, produced and mixed by Nathan Genestier Artwork design by Griff Fulton Mastered by Sven Weisemann

geinst.bandcamp.com/album/hiber-trace Drawing a coherent link between various influences, @geinst joins Never Late with Hiber Trace where his analog-driven productions expand and contract time and space. The clear consideration for detail combined with an essence of tight timing and drawn delays, sets the groundwork for this EP. The accompanying artwork reflects not only the music but keeps a connection to the human element, which is a common thread throughout his work. Stark rhythms take us on twists and turns with abundant drops of surprises throughout. One is only left asking: where will he take us now? Beyond Layers arrives with a purpose we are but to discover. All there is to do is let oneself be guided by the soundscape that Gëinst creates. From the first moment we hear the intention behind every current, every beat, every silence. It envelopes us, introducing a profound space wherein which we can land and take off from, guiding us deliberately with finely tuned clicks, hums and hisses. Murmurs opens with a mélange of calmness and suspense. Building on the soft syncopated rhythms, a muted voice reminds us we are not alone. This nicely preempts Hiber Trace, the EP namesake emerging as a crisp track with a steadily evolving groove. Muted hi-hats, snares, and kicks are balanced with strong drumbeats that travel through the body, activating muscles to contract with the same frequency. Euphoria introduces yet deeper elements as though now passing through an ancestral forest. Organic sounds, resembling digeridoos and croaks like those of frogs on the forest floor, are accompanied by a surge carrying us to the next destination – Mugen, where we are greeted by a focused drum ensemble to be overtaken by stretches of lasers whispering echoes of spatial descents – until finishing as brusquely as it began. Still within the same realm, we experience the power of Labyrinth. This may be the most intricate track of the EP, summing all the previous ones into a final, powerful crescendo. Delicious drone drops preempt a soft closing allowing us to find a moment to return with a gentle landing. Exquisite. Written, produced and mixed by Nathan Genestier Artwork design by Griff Fulton Mastered by Sven Weisemann

geinst.bandcamp.com/album/hiber-trace Drawing a coherent link between various influences, @geinst joins Never Late with Hiber Trace where his analog-driven productions expand and contract time and space. The clear consideration for detail combined with an essence of tight timing and drawn delays, sets the groundwork for this EP. The accompanying artwork reflects not only the music but keeps a connection to the human element, which is a common thread throughout his work. Stark rhythms take us on twists and turns with abundant drops of surprises throughout. One is only left asking: where will he take us now? Beyond Layers arrives with a purpose we are but to discover. All there is to do is let oneself be guided by the soundscape that Gëinst creates. From the first moment we hear the intention behind every current, every beat, every silence. It envelopes us, introducing a profound space wherein which we can land and take off from, guiding us deliberately with finely tuned clicks, hums and hisses. Murmurs opens with a mélange of calmness and suspense. Building on the soft syncopated rhythms, a muted voice reminds us we are not alone. This nicely preempts Hiber Trace, the EP namesake emerging as a crisp track with a steadily evolving groove. Muted hi-hats, snares, and kicks are balanced with strong drumbeats that travel through the body, activating muscles to contract with the same frequency. Euphoria introduces yet deeper elements as though now passing through an ancestral forest. Organic sounds, resembling digeridoos and croaks like those of frogs on the forest floor, are accompanied by a surge carrying us to the next destination – Mugen, where we are greeted by a focused drum ensemble to be overtaken by stretches of lasers whispering echoes of spatial descents – until finishing as brusquely as it began. Still within the same realm, we experience the power of Labyrinth. This may be the most intricate track of the EP, summing all the previous ones into a final, powerful crescendo. Delicious drone drops preempt a soft closing allowing us to find a moment to return with a gentle landing. Exquisite. Written, produced and mixed by Nathan Genestier Artwork design by Griff Fulton Mastered by Sven Weisemann

geinst.bandcamp.com/album/hiber-trace Drawing a coherent link between various influences, @geinst joins Never Late with Hiber Trace where his analog-driven productions expand and contract time and space. The clear consideration for detail combined with an essence of tight timing and drawn delays, sets the groundwork for this EP. The accompanying artwork reflects not only the music but keeps a connection to the human element, which is a common thread throughout his work. Stark rhythms take us on twists and turns with abundant drops of surprises throughout. One is only left asking: where will he take us now? Beyond Layers arrives with a purpose we are but to discover. All there is to do is let oneself be guided by the soundscape that Gëinst creates. From the first moment we hear the intention behind every current, every beat, every silence. It envelopes us, introducing a profound space wherein which we can land and take off from, guiding us deliberately with finely tuned clicks, hums and hisses. Murmurs opens with a mélange of calmness and suspense. Building on the soft syncopated rhythms, a muted voice reminds us we are not alone. This nicely preempts Hiber Trace, the EP namesake emerging as a crisp track with a steadily evolving groove. Muted hi-hats, snares, and kicks are balanced with strong drumbeats that travel through the body, activating muscles to contract with the same frequency. Euphoria introduces yet deeper elements as though now passing through an ancestral forest. Organic sounds, resembling digeridoos and croaks like those of frogs on the forest floor, are accompanied by a surge carrying us to the next destination – Mugen, where we are greeted by a focused drum ensemble to be overtaken by stretches of lasers whispering echoes of spatial descents – until finishing as brusquely as it began. Still within the same realm, we experience the power of Labyrinth. This may be the most intricate track of the EP, summing all the previous ones into a final, powerful crescendo. Delicious drone drops preempt a soft closing allowing us to find a moment to return with a gentle landing. Exquisite. Written, produced and mixed by Nathan Genestier Artwork design by Griff Fulton Mastered by Sven Weisemann

geinst.bandcamp.com/album/hiber-trace Drawing a coherent link between various influences, @geinst joins Never Late with Hiber Trace where his analog-driven productions expand and contract time and space. The clear consideration for detail combined with an essence of tight timing and drawn delays, sets the groundwork for this EP. The accompanying artwork reflects not only the music but keeps a connection to the human element, which is a common thread throughout his work. Stark rhythms take us on twists and turns with abundant drops of surprises throughout. One is only left asking: where will he take us now? Beyond Layers arrives with a purpose we are but to discover. All there is to do is let oneself be guided by the soundscape that Gëinst creates. From the first moment we hear the intention behind every current, every beat, every silence. It envelopes us, introducing a profound space wherein which we can land and take off from, guiding us deliberately with finely tuned clicks, hums and hisses. Murmurs opens with a mélange of calmness and suspense. Building on the soft syncopated rhythms, a muted voice reminds us we are not alone. This nicely preempts Hiber Trace, the EP namesake emerging as a crisp track with a steadily evolving groove. Muted hi-hats, snares, and kicks are balanced with strong drumbeats that travel through the body, activating muscles to contract with the same frequency. Euphoria introduces yet deeper elements as though now passing through an ancestral forest. Organic sounds, resembling digeridoos and croaks like those of frogs on the forest floor, are accompanied by a surge carrying us to the next destination – Mugen, where we are greeted by a focused drum ensemble to be overtaken by stretches of lasers whispering echoes of spatial descents – until finishing as brusquely as it began. Still within the same realm, we experience the power of Labyrinth. This may be the most intricate track of the EP, summing all the previous ones into a final, powerful crescendo. Delicious drone drops preempt a soft closing allowing us to find a moment to return with a gentle landing. Exquisite. Written, produced and mixed by Nathan Genestier Artwork design by Griff Fulton Mastered by Sven Weisemann

Episode Title: Relaxing Rain and Gentle Thunder Murmurs to Ease TensionDescription:In this episode of Thunderstorm: Sleep and Relax in the Rain, we bring you the calming sounds of soft rain accompanied by distant, gentle thunder murmurs. Let the steady rhythm of raindrops and the soothing rumble of thunder gently wash away your stress and tension. Whether you're winding down after a busy day or simply need a peaceful backdrop to relax, this episode offers a tranquil escape to help you find calm and restfulness.Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and allow the natural symphony of rain and thunder to guide you into a state of deep relaxation and renewed peace. Let the gentle sounds create a comforting cocoon that quiets your mind and soothes your soul.DISCLAIMER

Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning open the second hour alongside Gord Stellick, former Maple Leafs GM and friend of the show! He shares his thoughts on Toronto's shootout loss to the Canadiens, the overall state of the buds, the impact of Joseph Woll's injury, Dennis Hildeby's reliability, and the struggling power play. The guys then discuss concerns about the Olympic ice surface in Milan and the possibility of NHL players not attending, offering their own alternatives if the venue isn't ready. After the break, they shift to the news from the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando. The boys assess where the Blue Jays stand after signing Dylan Cease, their potential involvement with Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette, and what additional roster moves may be ahead. Ben and Brent wrap up with a look at the World Cup draw and its implications for Canada's group.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Episode Title: Thunder murmurs mixed with steady rain for restful momentsDescription:In this episode, we invite you to unwind with the soothing sounds of gentle thunder murmurs blending seamlessly with steady rainfall. These natural rhythms are perfect for creating a peaceful atmosphere that supports relaxation, restful sleep, and stress relief. Let the calming combination of rain and thunder wash away the noise of your day and bring you into a state of tranquility.Take a few moments to breathe deeply and let these sounds guide you toward calmness and renewed energy. Remember, making time for peaceful pauses can transform your daily routine.Stay tuned for our next episode as we continue sharing ways to nurture your mind and spirit.DISCLAIMER

Episode Title: Quiet Rain with Soft Thunder Murmurs to Ease AnxietyDescription:In this episode, we invite you to unwind with the gentle sounds of quiet rain accompanied by soft thunder murmurs. These soothing natural sounds are perfect for easing anxiety and helping your mind relax after a busy day. Learn how to use these calming audio landscapes to create peaceful moments, reduce stress, and improve your overall sense of well-being. Let the rhythmic patter of rain and distant thunder gently wash away tension and invite tranquility into your space.Take a few minutes for yourself today—simply listen, breathe, and let calmness settle in. Join us next time as we continue exploring ways to nurture your peace of mind.DISCLAIMER

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi has her day in court challenging Te Pāti Māori's president John Tamihere's leadership and her expulsion from the party.David Seymour loves the limelight and makes the most of his camera time answering questions as Associate Education Minister during scrutiny week. We also catch up with the delivery man of Seymour's well deserved cookie.More news is emerging that there is a divide in the National Party, with Bishop and Luxon not agreeing on the housing market.=================================Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of ⁠⁠#BHN⁠⁠ www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews⁠=================================Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter.@patbrittenden @Chewie_NZFollow us on BlueskyPat @patbrittenden.bsky.socialChewie @chewienz.bsky.socialEmily @iamprettyawesome.bsky.socialMagenta @xkaosmagex.bsky.social

In this episode, I get to sit down with Peter Martin of Third Coast Percussion, an ensemble I have admired for years. Peter and I dive into the inner world of a percussion quartet that tours the globe, creates new music, commissions major composers, collaborates with artists across genres, and somehow still manages to pack an unbelievable amount of gear into checked luggage.Peter had just returned from Paris, where the ensemble performed Philip Glass's August Amazonia Suite alongside a live painter, something they had never done before. From there, we talk about what it truly takes to tour as a percussion group, how they travel with twelve checked bags of instruments, how backlining works, what happens when a vibraphone arrives broken, and why they think about portability and footprint even before a new piece is written.Peter shares his personal journey from military-kid piano lessons to discovering the drum set, jazz vibraphone, and eventually falling in love with the marimba. We talk about his time studying with Michael Burritt at Northwestern, crossing paths with Brett Dietz and William James, and the surreal experience of watching his classmates become lifelong colleagues in orchestras, universities, and ensembles across the world.We also talk about the remarkable story of Third Coast Percussion itself, from its beginnings in the Civic Orchestra of Chicago to becoming a full-time, artist-run organization. Peter explains what it really means to run a chamber group from the ground up, how he unexpectedly became the ensemble's finance director, and why having control of the administrative side gives them total artistic freedom.Then we dig into the ensemble's Grammy win for their Steve Reich album, including the thrill of performing on the telecast and the artistic decisions behind putting their own interpretive stamp on such iconic repertoire. Peter describes what it was like working with producer Jesse Lewis and why that collaboration changed how they approached recording forever.Peter also talks about the emotional experience of recording Murmurs in Time with the legendary Zakir Hussain, who passed away shortly after the sessions. Hearing Peter reflect on Zakir's musicianship, generosity, and spirit is profoundly moving.We wrap with a look at what lies ahead for Third Coast Percussion, from new commissions to international touring to upcoming collaborations, including the premiere of a new work with Jlin. As Peter says, there is never a month when the ensemble is not creating something new, and their passion for pushing percussion forward is unmistakable.It was an honor to talk with Peter and get an inside look at the ensemble's artistry, work ethic, creativity, and humanity. Third Coast Percussion continues to redefine what chamber music can be, and I am grateful to share their story with you.To learn more about Third Coast Percussion, visit their website. Music from the Episode:Philip GlassAguas da Amazonia- Japurá River (Third Coast Percussion feat. Constance Volk)Steve Reich: Sextet- V: Fast (Third Coast Percussion)Zakir Hussain: Murmurs in Time: II: - (Third Coast Percussion with Zakir Hussain)Thank you for listening. If you have questions, feedback, or ideas for the show, please email me at brad@thebandwichtapes.com.

Thank you for tuning in to Bone Chilling Tales to Keep You Awake Podcast. Feel free to check out our sister podcasts, A Truly Haunted Podcast and True Whispers a True Crime Podcast. See you on the next dreadful episode. #scarystories #realstories #horrorpodcasts are #horrorpodcasts #horrorpodcast #horror #horrormovies #podcast #horrorfilms #horrorfilm #podcasts #horrormovie #film #films #movies #movie #horrorcommunity #horrorfamily #damnedmovies #moviesofthedamned #horrorobsessed #horrorfans #halloween #horrornerd #horrorfanatic #horrorpod #horrorfan #slasher #paranormal #horrorjunkie #horrorpodcaster #horrorgram #horrorcomedy #scarystories #scary #creepy #horrorstories #horror #scaryfacts #creepypasta #creepyfacts #creepystories #creepyfact #scaryfact #horrormovies #halloween #conspiracytheory #conspiracy #horrorstory #scarymovie #scaryposts #conspiracytheories #scarythreads #spooky #scaryvideo #horrorfacts #paranormal #horrorfan #horrors #scarymemes #haunted #horrorfact #ghost   Warning: This podcast may be: frightening · scaring · hair-raising · terrifying · petrifying · spine-chilling · bloodcurdling · chilling · horrifying · alarming · appalling · daunting · formidable · fearsome · nerve-racking · unnerving · eerie · sinisterBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bone-chilling-tales-to-keep-you-awake--4731503/support.

Are current AI models smart enough to rule the world — or just house cats with fancy vocabulary?This week, a tectonic shift is happening in AI: Meta's chief scientist Jan LeCun quits to chase world models, Fei-Fei Li launches Marble, a spatial intelligence engine, and DeepMind drops CMA-2, a self-taught gamer bot that might be the blueprint for AGI.Meanwhile, OpenAI releases GPT-5.1 — and China's Kimi K2 and Ernie 5.0 roll out shockingly powerful, ultra-low-cost models. The AI race isn't just about intelligence anymore — it's about who can afford to scale.If you lead a business, this episode explains why spatial intelligence, not language, may soon be your competitive edge. The next wave of AI isn't just about better answers, it's about deeper understanding, real-world interaction, and models that scale affordably. If you're not watching spatial intelligence, you're already behind.About Leveraging AI The Ultimate AI Course for Business People: https://multiplai.ai/ai-course/ YouTube Full Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Multiplai_AI/ Connect with Isar Meitis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isarmeitis/ Join our Live Sessions, AI Hangouts and newsletter: https://services.multiplai.ai/events If you've enjoyed or benefited from some of the insights of this episode, leave us a five-star review on your favorite podcast platform, and let us know what you learned, found helpful, or liked most about this show!

Myfanwy Gresham - Taller TogetherCam Cole - Ur So Beautifulquinn bailey - glass castleBernell Jones II - Love Sings (Clean)Energy Whores - The Second Civil War (Clean)House of Strangers - Asking Me WhyMichelle Sara - FalliingDumm Munee - J WalkingGisella Colletti - Good EnoughAlessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneBobby And The Crew - Lack of unityMM't VocalSeed – Sunlit reflectionMidnight Alexandr - Scared of the moonStephanie Happening – Don't Lookie look Close2You - Freiheit zu träumenMyles Lloyd & BUNT. – CrazyOliver Blessinger - LieblingsmenschAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hoursSILV - It's Love That Makes It Christmas (radio version) Shane Allenger - Searching for a MiracleChad Shue - Lonely, Lonely RoomMIKOLAS -FERRARIRewind - I'm in rewindDeborah Crooks - MarzipanAlex Krawczyk - Love Through Sound Novai - Someday Ashes Awaken - For you Bob Augustine - The Candy Wrapper Cathleen Ireland - In The City DIGNEY Fignus - American Rose Dust and Grace - He Made it All Eddy Mann - It's Time Lord Don Pasquale Ferone - Ricerca

Close2You - Freiheit zu träumenStephanie Happening – Don't Lookie look Midnight Alexandr - Scared of the moonAlessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hours Svarp The Harp - Irjentwat is' immerTAYSHA - FearlessRewind - I'm in rewindGisella Colletti - Good EnoughMyles Lloyd & BUNT. – Crazybadtaste - YouthPostindustrial Poets - Still A Stranger HereTwaang - Lazy MorningLa Need Machine - Rock and Roll ShowChad Shue - Lonely, Lonely RoomMIKOLAS -FERRARIDeborah Crooks - MarzipanDrea - CreepsSun Mahshene - Life Is JoyTor James Faulkner - Christmas DiscoLittle Brown Jug Brass feat. Ashley Ghostkeeper - My North Star HomeBroken Frequencies - Hold OnGennaro Fasano – A che serve il militareEsma – MotosegaNiky – Un'ultima danzaExzenya - Till I'm Drunk & Confused (Lost without You)Exzenya - Ugly When You Love MeKimberly Lourainne - ScentTomek Zdyb - Hey! You're NotMystic Aura - ShineBroken Frequencies - Hold OnMichel Valdes - Te vi LlegarMyfanwy Gresham - All my love

Gisella Colletti - Good EnoughKaty Broder – Could It be YouClose2You - Freiheit zu träumenSusanne TruVandi Bjarnason – GarbageJacopo Bonfanti - Un'altra estateBroken Frequencies - Hold Onfleabustiers - tragic carpetAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hoursZOCO "Restless"Number_i "Numbers Ur Zone"ZOCO - Diamond In The RoughIaNi - Our Favorite ThingsAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hoursRewind - I'm in rewindShaza - Anche se piove platinum versionMP GREY FEAT. RUDIGER - FriendsEmmanuel Carlos St.Omer - All I Need This ChristmasCollimare – Sta scrivendoFaida Clan – Only FaidaJack Cardigan – Io non vadoJack Cardigan – In un clickJack Cardigan – Tutto o nienteREX STAX, Irvin Fame - Sorry BabeFazzzad - Beyond the Flamezukrassverliebt - Way Too Hot

Gisella Colletti - Good EnoughIaNi - Our Favorite ThingsAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hoursTAYSHA - FearlessCollimare – Sta scrivendoFaida Clan – Only FaidaRewind - I'm in rewindAlessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneLeo Rizzuto - Senza dire una parolaShaza - Anche se piove platinum versionClose2You - Freiheit zu träumenMalin Schell (Brazil) - Mãe NaturezaStephanie Happening - Don't Lookie lookMidnight Alexandr - Scared of the moonMyles Lloyd & BUNT. – CrazySvarp The Harp - Irjentwat is' immerBog Witch - Mr. FlyOtim- Flip DatOLLIE HUNT - ah!Craymo - Last ChristmasFab Manzini Music - Through the fireMalin Schell - Mother NatureEclectic Whiz – White Noise (with Metal Media)Joseph Schwartz – Ready for DoomSvarp the Harp – Hoochie Coochie ManCosmiq – Dancing in the RainSatellite Train - James DeanEmmanuel Carlos St.Omer - All I Need This ChristmasPaul Garside - If this is going to workSalvo Migliorini - Bolero

Gisella Colletti - Good EnoughOliver Blessinger - LieblingsmenschZOCO "Restless"Number_i "Numbers Ur Zone"FEMILICIOUS - Heatwave featuring TwistaRewind - What a womanStephanie Happening - Don't Lookie lookMM't VocalSeed – Sunlit reflectionMarcello Romeo & Friends - La fatina dei fioriAlessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hoursKornelius Flowers - ControlClose2You - Freiheit zu träumenSusanne TruVandi Bjarnason – This is good musicSusanne TruVandi Bjarnason – Double messagesSeema Farswani - Sketches On The WallsCraymo - Last ChristmasZOCO - Diamond In The RoughFab Manzini Music - Through the fireMalin Schell - Mother NatureFalcon Junior - When It's OverGogo V - Wrapped 'Round My HeartGogo V (feat. Suno Vocalist) - Am I Still On YOur MindCris Mantello - I Made A messMP GREY FEAT. RUDIGER - FriendsOceanna - KoldunaiGaiga - ArmonikaAlt Blk Era - Okay (Cyber Racing)Eclectic Whiz – White Noise (with Metal Media)Joseph Schwartz – Ready for DoomTomás Jensen - 'Boum Boum Boum (feat. Bïa)

Leo Rizzuto - Senza dire una parolaClose2You - Freiheit zu träumenStephanie Happening - Don't Lookie lookMM't VocalSeed – Sunlit reflectionMidnight Alexandr - Scared of the moonAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hoursTAYSHA - FearlessJacopo Bonfanti - Un'altra estateGisella Colletti - Good EnoughAlessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneJackie Meadows - DreamsFazzzad - Beyond the FlameOliver Blessinger - LieblingsmenschZOCO "Restless"Number_i "Numbers Ur Zone"Liam Foody – The OneZOCO - Diamond In The RoughFab Manzini Music - Through the fireMalin Schell - Mother NatureFalcon Junior - When It's OverKornelius Flowers - ControlChang Carry – DollChang Carry - PaperFEMILICIOUS - Heatwave featuring TwistaCris Mantello - I Made A messChang Carry - AbandonedOceanna - KoldunaiGaiga - ArmonikaAlt Blk Era - Okay (Cyber Racing)Eclectic Whiz – White Noise (with Metal Media)Joseph Schwartz – Ready for DoomSvarp the Harp – Hoochie Coochie ManBill Barlow – Thought Goes to Sundays

Close2You - Freiheit zu träumenKornelius Flowers - ControlMM't VocalSeed – Sunlit reflectionMidnight Alexandr - Scared of the moonSvarp The Harp - Hoochie Coochie ManAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hours Jacopo Bonfanti - Un'altra estateMyles Lloyd & BUNT. – CrazyAlessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneMaBell - Quando non ci ameremo piu'Ciro Manni – La pecora e il lupoHayden Ryann - No Room for Bitchin'Bleu Spiruline - A contretempsJagger Viox – Perfect Imperfections Carlos Ucedda – DOSE OF LOVE Fatal Switch - ApexIaNi - Our Favorite ThingsExzenya - V.I.P.Soltronique - Summer of LoveFerenc Grez - 30onThe30theOliver Blessinger - LieblingsmenschDon Pasquale Ferone - RicercaRewind - What a woman

Leo Rizzuto - Senza dire una parolaStephanie Happening - Don't Lookie lookAugusta Scarlett - Flashdance...What a FeelingClose2You - Freiheit zu träumenMM't VocalSeed – Sunlit reflectionMarcello Romeo & Friends - La fatina dei fioriAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hours TAYSHA - FearlessJacopo Bonfanti - Un'altra estateMyles Lloyd & BUNT. – CrazyAlessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneMaBell - Quando non ci ameremo piu'Ciro Manni – La pecora e il lupoHayden Ryann - No Room for Bitchin'Bleu Spiruline - A contretempsExzenya - V.I.P.Soltronique - Summer of LoveFerenc Grez - 30onThe30theMicheál Quinn - She Look GoodEnergy Whores - The Second Civil War (Clean)Cam Cole - Rabbit (She's What I Want)Energy Whores - Pretty Sparkly Things (Clean)Noah & The Void - Icarusttwig - I Wanna Be A DogYUNHWAY - BIGGER (Clean)Oliver Blessinger - LieblingsmenschBill Barlow – AdvancesREX STAX, Irvin Fame - Sorry Babezukrassverliebt - Way Too HotSusanne TruVandi Bjarnason – Double messagesSusanne TruVandi Bjarnason – This is good musicMichel Valdes - Te vi LlegarBill Barlow – She's A Lonely Highway (Melancholic Exit)BigMay202xNuk – Pissed off

In this episode, we review the high-yield topic of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Heart Murmurs⁠ from the Cardiovascular section.Follow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Medbullets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on social media:Facebook: www.facebook.com/medbulletsInstagram: www.instagram.com/medbulletsofficialTwitter: www.twitter.com/medbullets

Leo Rizzuto - Senza dire una parolaBurniscous - The Stone Has Been RemovedFISH NIGHT - Bleeding WiresThe Arnea Project - Water on the MoonMerlin Swann - Needle In The Haystack On The HillBuddz Beatz - Inner BeautyDivineisll - Now Own WonRichard Standley - Neighbourhood Vibes1239¡ - THE MOREIaNi - Our Favorite ThingsMaBell - Quando non ci ameremo piu'Ciro Manni – La pecora e il lupoHayden Ryann - No Room for Bitchin'Bleu Spiruline - A contretempsExzenya - V.I.P.Soltronique - Summer of LoveFerenc Grez - 30onThe30theMicheál Quinn - She Look GoodEnergy Whores - The Second Civil War (Clean)Cam Cole - Rabbit (She's What I Want)Kornelius Flowers - ControlStephanie Happening - Don't Lookie lookMarcello Romeo & Friends - La fatina dei fioriAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hours TAYSHA - FearlessAugusta Scarlett - Flashdance...What a FeelingAlessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneNoah & The Void - Icarusttwig - I Wanna Be A DogYUNHWAY - BIGGER (Clean)Oliver Blessinger - LieblingsmenschRITMO QUANTICO - HIDDEN LOVEBill Barlow – Thought Goes to Sundays

Number_i "Numbers Ur Zone" Piuma – 6 di agosto Wally Echo - SkyeScarfell Sun - Let The Sunshine in this ChristmasAndrea Salvatori Brunella Platania - Qualcosa c'è dentro noiJack Cardigan – Io non vadoJack Cardigan – In un clickJack Cardigan – Tutto o nienteR∞AH - 42Tor James Faulkner – Step to Me Catalina Cara - What a FeelingCold Beaches - Up and DownEkolu - Don't Worry Just DanceLAMIA - AngelOut Run - Heart Shaped Glassunder:tones - CrossroadsF.T. – Ciao come vaAngelo Moncada, Dentiunsnarcos808 - AroundMerlin the Wizard - Beekeeper radio versionMyfanwy Gresham - Somewhere In TimeGabriele Saro & Bluombre - The Dot And The CommaGabriele Saro & Bluombre – Your Eyes Are Music Alessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneClose2You - Freiheit zu träumenStephanie Happening - Don't Lookie lookKornelius Flowers - ControlLeo Rizzuto - Senza dire una parolaAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hours TAYSHA - FearlessAugusta Scarlett - Flashdance...What a FeelingMyles Lloyd & BUNT. – Crazyzukrassverliebt - Way Too HotMichel Valdes - Te vi LlegarMM't VocalSeed – Sunlit reflectionLoti ft Moliy - Move

Number_i "Numbers Ur Zone" Piuma – 6 di agosto Wally Echo - SkyeScarfell Sun - Let The Sunshine in this ChristmasAndrea Salvatori Brunella Platania - Qualcosa c'è dentro noiJack Cardigan – Io non vadoJack Cardigan – In un clickJack Cardigan – Tutto o nienteR∞AH - 42Tor James Faulkner – Step to Me Catalina Cara - What a FeelingCold Beaches - Up and DownEkolu - Don't Worry Just DanceLAMIA - AngelOut Run - Heart Shaped Glassunder:tones - CrossroadsF.T. – Ciao come vaAngelo Moncada, Dentiunsnarcos808 - AroundMerlin the Wizard - Beekeeper radio versionMyfanwy Gresham - Somewhere In TimeGabriele Saro & Bluombre - The Dot And The CommaGabriele Saro & Bluombre – Your Eyes Are Music Alessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneClose2You - Freiheit zu träumenStephanie Happening - Don't Lookie lookKornelius Flowers - ControlLeo Rizzuto - Senza dire una parolaAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hours TAYSHA - FearlessAugusta Scarlett - Flashdance...What a FeelingMyles Lloyd & BUNT. – Crazyzukrassverliebt - Way Too HotMichel Valdes - Te vi LlegarMM't VocalSeed – Sunlit reflectionLoti ft Moliy - Move

Angelo Moncada, Dentiunsnarcos808 - AroundF.T. – Ciao come vaMerlin the Wizard - Beekeeper radio versionMyfanwy Gresham - Somewhere In TimeGabriele Saro & Bluombre - The Dot And The CommaGabriele Saro & Bluombre – Your Eyes Are Music Alessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneClose2You - Freiheit zu träumenKornelius Flowers - ControlStephanie Happening - Don't Lookie lookMidnight Alexandr - Scared of the moonAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hours Augusta Scarlett - Flashdance...What a FeelingRewind - I'm in rewindJacopo Bonfanti - Un'altra estateMichel Valdes - Te vi LlegarLeo Rizzuto - Senza dire una parolaNumber_i "Numbers Ur Zone" Myles Lloyd & BUNT. – CrazyFall of Passion – Never Gonna let you goZukrassverliebt – Für die Ewigkeit Rachel Sutton - DaytripOsea Codega - Joy

Kornelius Flowers - ControlClose2You - Freiheit zu träumenStephanie Happening - Don't Lookie lookAugusta Scarlett - Flashdance...What a FeelingMidnight Alexandr - Scared of the moonAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hours Jacopo Bonfanti - Un'altra estateAlessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneLeo Rizzuto - Senza dire una parolaSharon Marie Cline - SummertimeDylan Lotus - I Messed UpJ Ligg - Stand By MeRebecca Helen - This PlaceAnthony Mandarano - Together in Electric DreamsFreya Magee - Forget Yourself NotThe Dead Hearts - No Way of HealingRedLight – Hold onNathaniel Earl - shoesThe7thGatekeeper - You Are My SunshinePatti Zlaket - Clock Keeps Tickin'Exzenya - CaptivityTicket To The Universe (Gregor Vagner) - The Most Beautiful Song In The WorldMax Gozo - All I NeedREPYH - NICHT DU SELBSTKimble Funchess - On a clear day

Amara Fe - Come back homeCris Mantello - I Made A MessMidnight Alexandr - Scared of the moonELISABETH GREY - I FOLLOW YOUMarco Moretti - Be real!Plaza De Mundo Project - Feel LovedTHUMPER - BAD MOODApollo Junction - Settle DownSchool Disco - HappenTony Riggi feat. Progetto Genoma - SilenceBm Casso - HosannaJacopo Bonfanti - Un'altra estatemad/no/mad – People Are Strange Lupretinia – Origami Edgar Allan Pop - Vita stressataEsma - Petali e diamantiMvgentv,Do-Nothings,Jay Lock, Dj Symoz - Dona MaryStephanie Happening - Body ElectricKornelius Flowers - ControlMM't VocalSeed – Sunlit reflectionClose2You - Freiheit zu träumenMarcello Romeo & Friends - La fatina dei fioriRewind - Moment in TimeAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hours Alex Reese - Arcade Motel (Radio Edit)Augusta Scarlett - Flashdance...What a FeelingREX STAX, Irvin Fame - Sorry BabeFazzzad - Beyond the FlameAlessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneSusanne TruVandi Bjarnason – Double messagesShelita - BloomJ A Lena - Ana Elli HenaBig Rome - Who I AmBoris Metraux - Nena

School Disco - HappenTony Riggi feat. Progetto Genoma - SilenceBm Casso - HosannaHZPROD - War Within Amara Fe - Come back homemad/no/mad – People Are Strange Lupretinia – Origami Edgar Allan Pop - Vita stressataEsma - Petali e diamantiMvgentv,Do-Nothings,Jay Lock, Dj Symoz - Dona MaryKornelius Flowers - ControlClose2You - Freiheit zu träumenStephanie Happening - BecomingMM't VocalSeed – Sunlit reflectionMarcello Romeo & Friends - La fatina dei fioriAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hours Alessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneTAYSHA - FearlessAugusta Scarlett - Flashdance...What a FeelingJacopo Bonfanti - Un'altra estateMyles Lloyd & BUNT. – CrazyÖzgür Pamukçu - KeşkelerCosmiq - Cosmic LoveLipsleek - AOJoyce Lopez Jose - EchoesTom Minor - Next Stop BrixtonThe Cumberland River Project - Turquoise BlueRaubtier Kollektiv - Falkenflug für Charlie KirkAdhiLaker x Sh3therookie - AbundanceDivineisll - Game on SkipRusty Halo - The EndFEMILICIOUS - Heatwave featuring TwistaCold Math - What if...?Cold Math - SurrenderQuinton Jamar – My Story

Looking for more game-play.Based on a post  by a u guy86, in 3 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at My First Time. The entire walk home, Ashley was smiling like a little girl on Christmas morning, holding Michael's arm and walking as close to him as she could. Michael, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. Antonio's advice for him to be his normal dorky self had worked, but had it worked too well? Questions began to race through his mind. What if she invited him in? What if she invited him to bed with her? How would she react when he told her of his lack of experience? If she did want to sleep with him, he didn't dare try to hide the fact that he was a virgin; no way would that end well. Sighing mentally, he decided he'd just have to play it by ear and hope for the best.“I… had such a great time with you,” Michael said as they approached her door.“Me too,” Ashley agreed. “And… well, it's still kinda early.”“Uh… y-yeah?”Throwing caution to the wind, Ashley leaned forward and planted a long and sensuous kiss on Michael's lips. By the end of it, her tongue had found his for the first time, to both of their delights.“Why don't you come in and stay a while?” she asked as they parted.“But… wouldn't Liz mind?”“Liz already told me she'll be gone ‘til tomorrow. We have the place to ourselves.” Sensing his hesitation, she continued, “Michael, believe me when I say that I swore at the start of the night this wouldn't happen. No matter how well tonight went… I had no intention of inviting you in after one date. Yet, here we are, and I don't want the night to end. No pressure, no expectations, I just… I want to spend more time with you. I mean, it is Valentine's Day, after all, and I do consider you my Valentine.”“Now who's the cheesy one?” Michael laughed. “I'd love to spend more time with you tonight, but only if you're sure.”Another peck on the lips, and Ashley said, “Positive.”Taking Michael's hand, Ashley practically dragged him into the apartment and locked the deadbolt behind her. She then took Michael's suit jacket from him, hanging it on the back of a chair at the breakfast nook. Before long, she had kicked off her shoes and plopped down on the sofa.“Come on,” Ashley beckoned, patting the seat next to her. “I don't bite.”Michael smirked at this, discarding his own shoes and loosening his tie a bit. As soon as his ass touched the sofa cushion, Ashley was already hanging on him, running her fingers through his hair and moving her hand to his thigh. Still, he tried to play it cool and have no assumptions about her intentions.“Did… you wanna watch a movie or something?” Michael asked.Smiling, Ashley gave a few playful kisses to Michael's cheek before replying, “Is that really what you want us to do tonight?”“I… I-I um…”Michael was slowly losing control of his mental capabilities, and Ashley damn well knew it. After he had driven her crazy on the dance floor, seducing her without even realizing it, she was determined to do the same. Turning up the heat, she leaned closer to Michael and kissed his lips longingly. He was powerless to stop her as she pushed him to lie back long ways on the sofa. The feeling of her lithe body on top of his was almost too much to bear.“Ashley…” he moaned.Looking deep into his eyes, she said, “Michael, I can't tell you how into you I am. I know this sounds insane, and I don't want you to think I'm slutty or anything, but… I want you to stay the night. Unless you absolutely don't want to, I have no intention of letting you leave until tomorrow.”Michael's face twisted a bit at this. “Of course I want to be here with you! But why would you think I'd think you're slutty?”Snorting a bit, Ashley replied, “Come on, Michael. Here I am, throwing myself at you after one date. How is that not slutty?”Maintaining eye contact, he asked, “Do you respect yourself and your standards?”“Of course! I would never even consider inviting a guy in or certainly sleeping with him under normal circumstances.”“And what makes you consider doing that?”“Basically… he has to be boyfriend material. I mean… look, I'm gonna be honest with you, Michael. I've been pretty stupid around men in the past, sleeping with them while knowing they aren't even close to being boyfriend material. I guess I thought I could change them. Like I said, I was stupid back then. But now, I know I have to fall for a guy because of who and what he is before I'd even think of sleeping with him. I don't just hop into bed with any guy I meet, not anymore.”Michael grinned. “Sounds like the opposite of slutty to me.”Kissing him once more, Ashley replied, “You sure know how to pay a girl a compliment. You sure you're not the one seducing me?”“Hey, you're the one who called me ‘boyfriend material' a moment ago.”“I certainly did not call you boyfriend material!” Ashley said, feigning offense. “I merely stated that any man I'd consider sleeping with had to fall into that category. Nothing more.”“Gotcha. So I'm not boyfriend material,” Michael replied with a smartass grin.“You know damn well you are,” Ashley sighed, running her fingers along his cheek. “Most genuine guy I've ever met.”“After one date?” Michael asked, still a bit in awe of the situation.“Michael, you weren't afraid to be yourself out there, even with the real you being a big dork. To me, there's nothing more attractive than that sort of confidence. It makes me want to make you my big dork, and nobody else's.” Kissing him again, Ashley began to grind her hips along his obvious erection. “Hmm, something's got you going down there, eh?”Panicking a moment at how quickly things were progressing, Michael managed to pull back. “Ashley, wait. There's… there's something you deserve to know before we go any further.”“Aw, is this your first time?” she asked playfully. Though she had been teasing, the look of terror spread across his face told her the truth. “Oh my god… this really is your first time, isn't it?”“Yeah,” he sighed, bracing for the worst.“That's… fantastic!”“Wait, what?”“Michael, you have no idea how nerve-wracking it is for us gals, trying to figure out if a guy is for real or not. So many guys are out to use any trick in the book to get into our panties. But the one trick those guys don't use is the virgin trick; no guy I've ever met would lie about being a virgin. There's plenty that would lie about not being a virgin, but never the other way around. Hearing you say that… it's comforting, in a way. I know you'd never try to trick me or anything like that, if that makes any sense.”“So… you're not gonna kick me out?” Michael asked.“Hell no.” Remembering his religious upbringing, Ashley continued, “Listen, I don't ever want to pressure you into something that you aren't comfortable with or that you'd feel wrong about. If you need to leave, I'm cool with that; I'd still want to see you again. If all you want to do is sleep, that's perfectly fine, too. But if you're interested in turning in your V-card… I'm more than willing.”Michael's mouth dried up at this. He didn't necessarily share his parents' views that sex should only occur within a marriage. Still, he had always known he only wanted to lose his virginity to someone special, someone that he could trust implicitly. Was Ashley that person? A small part of him was still terrified that this might be a setup, but the look in Ashley's eyes was slowly eroding that fear. He wanted to trust her, no matter how much the logical side of his brain told him not to. Taking a deep breath, Michael Goldman decided to take a leap of faith.“I want to.”Without a word, Ashley stood from the sofa and pulled Michael to his feet, leading him to her bedroom. A pair of blue lava lamps in either corner emitted a soft glow, and the décor reflected Ashley's true gamer girl personality. A pair of plush toys, Pikachu and Yoshi, stood guard atop her bed, her computer screensaver depicted Princess Peach and Princess Daisy, and her TV in the corner had both a Super Nintendo and a N64 plugged into it.“Retro. Very nice,” Michael remarked, nodding his approval.“Sometimes, the old ways are best,” Ashley agreed with a smirk. Melting into his arms once more, she turned her back and held her hair aside, beckoning, “Unzip me, please.”Michael's hands trembled as he lowered the zipper down to the small of her back. The mere sight of her exposed skin was enough to bring him dangerously close to blowing his top right then and there, but a few deep breaths managed to calm him down. He fumbled for several seconds with the clasp at the top of the dress, but Ashley showed no signs of impatience; they had all the time they needed, after all. At last, he managed to unhook the clasp, and Ashley allowed the red dress to slide off her body and down to the floor. She turned, now clad only in a white strapless bra and matching panties.“I'll teach you more about how to get one of these off another time,” Ashley cooed. “But for now…”In one swift motion, she reached behind her back with one hand and undid her bra clasp. She was still pressed against Michael's chest, holding the garment in place for the time being, much to his disappointment. Ashley only grinned as she backed up out of his arms, holding the bra in place with her hands for a few moments longer.“Oh, come on…” Michael whimpered.“Poor boy,” Ashley teased. “Remember, anticipation is a huge part of foreplay.”“Anticipation or torture?”“Amazing how often those two coincide,” Ashley shot back with a giggle.Deciding Michael had waited long enough, Ashley lowered her arm and allowed the bra to fall to the floor. Michael stared in awe at her perky tits, high and firm on her chest. He certainly wasn't an expert, but they appeared to be about a B-cup, and her nipples were already rock hard, beckoning him to touch them. The rest of her body was just as amazing. Her milky skin contained not a single speck or blemish, save for the tattoo on her shoulder, and that only served to accentuate her beauty. He moved forward, reaching for her tits, but Ashley slapped his hands away.“Nuh uh,” she said, shaking her finger at him. “You don't get to touch until I see some of what you've got.”Ashley reached for Michael's clothes to try and speed the process along, but was soon stumped by his tie. Michael found this quite amusing, considering the difficulty men notoriously had with bras. He undid the knot and tossed the tie on the floor, beginning to unbutton his white dress shirt. At this point, Ashley just stood back and watched, as Michael had done with her. After he removed his dress shirt and undershirt, Ashley's eyes widened with lust and desire. As much as she wanted to jump his bones then and there, she managed to restrain herself. It was only fair, after her previous denial of his touch. Michael was clearly nervous as he undid his belt and lowered his suit pants. His boxers were tented from his erection and already stained with a bit of his precum, which Ashley took as a massive compliment.“Very nice,” she whispered in a husky voice.“Thanks,” Michael replied with a nervous grin.Hooking her thumbs into the waistband of her panties, she continued, “Time for the big reveal, then?”With a seductive grin on her face, Ashley began to lower the garment down her legs, her tits jiggling as she bent over to kick them off. Michael was frozen in place with sheer amazement at the sight before him. Here he was, in the presence of the most gorgeous girl he had ever imagined, naked as the day she was born. Her shaved cunt looked so warm and inviting; how he ached to feel her wrapped around him. After allowing him a moment to stare, she sauntered up to him and slipped her fingers into his boxers.“May I?” Ashley asked.All Michael could do was nod at that point, and Ashley planted her lips on his as she allowed his boxers to fall to the floor. She smiled as she took his member in her hand, feeling that he was indeed packing substantial weaponry. Ashley soon remembered that this was Michael's first time; it would be all he could manage not to go off too soon. She stopped her teasing for the moment and turned to her double bed. After slipping underneath the covers, she patted the spot next to her, which Michael readily occupied.They spent the next several minutes kissing and exploring each other's bodies with their hands and mouths. Michael was pleased to discover that Ashley's tits were indeed quite firm, fitting perfectly in his hands. As wonderful as feeling them was, he enjoyed tasting them even more, and especially the reactions this brought about from Ashley. All the while, she allowed her own hands to explore Michael's body. She found a particularly strong erogenous zone at the back of his neck where his hairline began. Soon, neither could stand it any longer; they had to make love.“Michael,” Ashley whispered, “I can see in your eyes that you're worried about performance. Don't be. You've already made this night more special than I ever imagined it could be. Just enjoy for as long as it may last.”“But-”“Trust me,” she continued, silencing him with a kiss. “This is only the first of many times we're going to do this.”As Ashley pushed him onto his back and straddled him, Michael had the presence of mind to ask, “Do we need any… protection?”Ashley stopped at this, stunned by his kind consideration. “Michael, you really are the best kind of guy around. You don't have to worry about me getting pregnant; I'm on the pill. I'm also clean per my last doctor's visit, but if you'd feel more comfortable with a condom, I'm happy to oblige. I keep a few spares in my nightstand.”Though the logical part of his brain told him to agree to it, Michael couldn't help but put his faith in this girl. “No, that's all right. I trust you're being honest. Just wanted to be sure.”Ashley sealed her lips around Michael's once more, positioning the head of his cock at her entrance as she did so. After a moment of silent understanding, he placed his hands on her hips and guided himself into her moist cunt. The feelings were exquisite, like liquid velvet squeezing his member. She made sure to keep a slow pace, allowing Michael to savor every new sensation that came along. After arriving at the base of his cock, Ashley sat straight up, displaying her pert tits for her lover.“Holy shit, Ashley…” Michael moaned.“You're mine, now,” she giggled. “And I don't plan on letting go of you anytime soon…”“No complaints from me,” he admitted with a grin.For the next five minutes, Ashley treated Michael to the ride of his life, teasing and tormenting his engorged cock with every inch of her cunt. She was pleasantly surprised to see that he was able to last so long on his first time, long enough even for her to reach a small orgasm of her own. All the while, Michael couldn't help but cup her perfect tits in his hands. As he drew close to climax, Michael pulled Ashley down to lie face-to-face with him and planted a sensuous kiss on her lips. The sensation of her fingers on his cheeks and running through his hair were too much at that point, and he sent his seed into her waiting cunt with a guttural moan of ecstasy.“Mmm… I love that feeling,” Ashley purred, savoring Michael's cock twitching within her folds.Spent and content, Michael couldn't even utter a word in reply, so Ashley slipped off his cock and rolled next to him

Looking for more game-play.Based on a post  by a u guy86, in 3 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at My First Time. The entire walk home, Ashley was smiling like a little girl on Christmas morning, holding Michael's arm and walking as close to him as she could. Michael, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. Antonio's advice for him to be his normal dorky self had worked, but had it worked too well? Questions began to race through his mind. What if she invited him in? What if she invited him to bed with her? How would she react when he told her of his lack of experience? If she did want to sleep with him, he didn't dare try to hide the fact that he was a virgin; no way would that end well. Sighing mentally, he decided he'd just have to play it by ear and hope for the best.“I… had such a great time with you,” Michael said as they approached her door.“Me too,” Ashley agreed. “And… well, it's still kinda early.”“Uh… y-yeah?”Throwing caution to the wind, Ashley leaned forward and planted a long and sensuous kiss on Michael's lips. By the end of it, her tongue had found his for the first time, to both of their delights.“Why don't you come in and stay a while?” she asked as they parted.“But… wouldn't Liz mind?”“Liz already told me she'll be gone ‘til tomorrow. We have the place to ourselves.” Sensing his hesitation, she continued, “Michael, believe me when I say that I swore at the start of the night this wouldn't happen. No matter how well tonight went… I had no intention of inviting you in after one date. Yet, here we are, and I don't want the night to end. No pressure, no expectations, I just… I want to spend more time with you. I mean, it is Valentine's Day, after all, and I do consider you my Valentine.”“Now who's the cheesy one?” Michael laughed. “I'd love to spend more time with you tonight, but only if you're sure.”Another peck on the lips, and Ashley said, “Positive.”Taking Michael's hand, Ashley practically dragged him into the apartment and locked the deadbolt behind her. She then took Michael's suit jacket from him, hanging it on the back of a chair at the breakfast nook. Before long, she had kicked off her shoes and plopped down on the sofa.“Come on,” Ashley beckoned, patting the seat next to her. “I don't bite.”Michael smirked at this, discarding his own shoes and loosening his tie a bit. As soon as his ass touched the sofa cushion, Ashley was already hanging on him, running her fingers through his hair and moving her hand to his thigh. Still, he tried to play it cool and have no assumptions about her intentions.“Did… you wanna watch a movie or something?” Michael asked.Smiling, Ashley gave a few playful kisses to Michael's cheek before replying, “Is that really what you want us to do tonight?”“I… I-I um…”Michael was slowly losing control of his mental capabilities, and Ashley damn well knew it. After he had driven her crazy on the dance floor, seducing her without even realizing it, she was determined to do the same. Turning up the heat, she leaned closer to Michael and kissed his lips longingly. He was powerless to stop her as she pushed him to lie back long ways on the sofa. The feeling of her lithe body on top of his was almost too much to bear.“Ashley…” he moaned.Looking deep into his eyes, she said, “Michael, I can't tell you how into you I am. I know this sounds insane, and I don't want you to think I'm slutty or anything, but… I want you to stay the night. Unless you absolutely don't want to, I have no intention of letting you leave until tomorrow.”Michael's face twisted a bit at this. “Of course I want to be here with you! But why would you think I'd think you're slutty?”Snorting a bit, Ashley replied, “Come on, Michael. Here I am, throwing myself at you after one date. How is that not slutty?”Maintaining eye contact, he asked, “Do you respect yourself and your standards?”“Of course! I would never even consider inviting a guy in or certainly sleeping with him under normal circumstances.”“And what makes you consider doing that?”“Basically… he has to be boyfriend material. I mean… look, I'm gonna be honest with you, Michael. I've been pretty stupid around men in the past, sleeping with them while knowing they aren't even close to being boyfriend material. I guess I thought I could change them. Like I said, I was stupid back then. But now, I know I have to fall for a guy because of who and what he is before I'd even think of sleeping with him. I don't just hop into bed with any guy I meet, not anymore.”Michael grinned. “Sounds like the opposite of slutty to me.”Kissing him once more, Ashley replied, “You sure know how to pay a girl a compliment. You sure you're not the one seducing me?”“Hey, you're the one who called me ‘boyfriend material' a moment ago.”“I certainly did not call you boyfriend material!” Ashley said, feigning offense. “I merely stated that any man I'd consider sleeping with had to fall into that category. Nothing more.”“Gotcha. So I'm not boyfriend material,” Michael replied with a smartass grin.“You know damn well you are,” Ashley sighed, running her fingers along his cheek. “Most genuine guy I've ever met.”“After one date?” Michael asked, still a bit in awe of the situation.“Michael, you weren't afraid to be yourself out there, even with the real you being a big dork. To me, there's nothing more attractive than that sort of confidence. It makes me want to make you my big dork, and nobody else's.” Kissing him again, Ashley began to grind her hips along his obvious erection. “Hmm, something's got you going down there, eh?”Panicking a moment at how quickly things were progressing, Michael managed to pull back. “Ashley, wait. There's… there's something you deserve to know before we go any further.”“Aw, is this your first time?” she asked playfully. Though she had been teasing, the look of terror spread across his face told her the truth. “Oh my god… this really is your first time, isn't it?”“Yeah,” he sighed, bracing for the worst.“That's… fantastic!”“Wait, what?”“Michael, you have no idea how nerve-wracking it is for us gals, trying to figure out if a guy is for real or not. So many guys are out to use any trick in the book to get into our panties. But the one trick those guys don't use is the virgin trick; no guy I've ever met would lie about being a virgin. There's plenty that would lie about not being a virgin, but never the other way around. Hearing you say that… it's comforting, in a way. I know you'd never try to trick me or anything like that, if that makes any sense.”“So… you're not gonna kick me out?” Michael asked.“Hell no.” Remembering his religious upbringing, Ashley continued, “Listen, I don't ever want to pressure you into something that you aren't comfortable with or that you'd feel wrong about. If you need to leave, I'm cool with that; I'd still want to see you again. If all you want to do is sleep, that's perfectly fine, too. But if you're interested in turning in your V-card… I'm more than willing.”Michael's mouth dried up at this. He didn't necessarily share his parents' views that sex should only occur within a marriage. Still, he had always known he only wanted to lose his virginity to someone special, someone that he could trust implicitly. Was Ashley that person? A small part of him was still terrified that this might be a setup, but the look in Ashley's eyes was slowly eroding that fear. He wanted to trust her, no matter how much the logical side of his brain told him not to. Taking a deep breath, Michael Goldman decided to take a leap of faith.“I want to.”Without a word, Ashley stood from the sofa and pulled Michael to his feet, leading him to her bedroom. A pair of blue lava lamps in either corner emitted a soft glow, and the décor reflected Ashley's true gamer girl personality. A pair of plush toys, Pikachu and Yoshi, stood guard atop her bed, her computer screensaver depicted Princess Peach and Princess Daisy, and her TV in the corner had both a Super Nintendo and a N64 plugged into it.“Retro. Very nice,” Michael remarked, nodding his approval.“Sometimes, the old ways are best,” Ashley agreed with a smirk. Melting into his arms once more, she turned her back and held her hair aside, beckoning, “Unzip me, please.”Michael's hands trembled as he lowered the zipper down to the small of her back. The mere sight of her exposed skin was enough to bring him dangerously close to blowing his top right then and there, but a few deep breaths managed to calm him down. He fumbled for several seconds with the clasp at the top of the dress, but Ashley showed no signs of impatience; they had all the time they needed, after all. At last, he managed to unhook the clasp, and Ashley allowed the red dress to slide off her body and down to the floor. She turned, now clad only in a white strapless bra and matching panties.“I'll teach you more about how to get one of these off another time,” Ashley cooed. “But for now…”In one swift motion, she reached behind her back with one hand and undid her bra clasp. She was still pressed against Michael's chest, holding the garment in place for the time being, much to his disappointment. Ashley only grinned as she backed up out of his arms, holding the bra in place with her hands for a few moments longer.“Oh, come on…” Michael whimpered.“Poor boy,” Ashley teased. “Remember, anticipation is a huge part of foreplay.”“Anticipation or torture?”“Amazing how often those two coincide,” Ashley shot back with a giggle.Deciding Michael had waited long enough, Ashley lowered her arm and allowed the bra to fall to the floor. Michael stared in awe at her perky tits, high and firm on her chest. He certainly wasn't an expert, but they appeared to be about a B-cup, and her nipples were already rock hard, beckoning him to touch them. The rest of her body was just as amazing. Her milky skin contained not a single speck or blemish, save for the tattoo on her shoulder, and that only served to accentuate her beauty. He moved forward, reaching for her tits, but Ashley slapped his hands away.“Nuh uh,” she said, shaking her finger at him. “You don't get to touch until I see some of what you've got.”Ashley reached for Michael's clothes to try and speed the process along, but was soon stumped by his tie. Michael found this quite amusing, considering the difficulty men notoriously had with bras. He undid the knot and tossed the tie on the floor, beginning to unbutton his white dress shirt. At this point, Ashley just stood back and watched, as Michael had done with her. After he removed his dress shirt and undershirt, Ashley's eyes widened with lust and desire. As much as she wanted to jump his bones then and there, she managed to restrain herself. It was only fair, after her previous denial of his touch. Michael was clearly nervous as he undid his belt and lowered his suit pants. His boxers were tented from his erection and already stained with a bit of his precum, which Ashley took as a massive compliment.“Very nice,” she whispered in a husky voice.“Thanks,” Michael replied with a nervous grin.Hooking her thumbs into the waistband of her panties, she continued, “Time for the big reveal, then?”With a seductive grin on her face, Ashley began to lower the garment down her legs, her tits jiggling as she bent over to kick them off. Michael was frozen in place with sheer amazement at the sight before him. Here he was, in the presence of the most gorgeous girl he had ever imagined, naked as the day she was born. Her shaved cunt looked so warm and inviting; how he ached to feel her wrapped around him. After allowing him a moment to stare, she sauntered up to him and slipped her fingers into his boxers.“May I?” Ashley asked.All Michael could do was nod at that point, and Ashley planted her lips on his as she allowed his boxers to fall to the floor. She smiled as she took his member in her hand, feeling that he was indeed packing substantial weaponry. Ashley soon remembered that this was Michael's first time; it would be all he could manage not to go off too soon. She stopped her teasing for the moment and turned to her double bed. After slipping underneath the covers, she patted the spot next to her, which Michael readily occupied.They spent the next several minutes kissing and exploring each other's bodies with their hands and mouths. Michael was pleased to discover that Ashley's tits were indeed quite firm, fitting perfectly in his hands. As wonderful as feeling them was, he enjoyed tasting them even more, and especially the reactions this brought about from Ashley. All the while, she allowed her own hands to explore Michael's body. She found a particularly strong erogenous zone at the back of his neck where his hairline began. Soon, neither could stand it any longer; they had to make love.“Michael,” Ashley whispered, “I can see in your eyes that you're worried about performance. Don't be. You've already made this night more special than I ever imagined it could be. Just enjoy for as long as it may last.”“But-”“Trust me,” she continued, silencing him with a kiss. “This is only the first of many times we're going to do this.”As Ashley pushed him onto his back and straddled him, Michael had the presence of mind to ask, “Do we need any… protection?”Ashley stopped at this, stunned by his kind consideration. “Michael, you really are the best kind of guy around. You don't have to worry about me getting pregnant; I'm on the pill. I'm also clean per my last doctor's visit, but if you'd feel more comfortable with a condom, I'm happy to oblige. I keep a few spares in my nightstand.”Though the logical part of his brain told him to agree to it, Michael couldn't help but put his faith in this girl. “No, that's all right. I trust you're being honest. Just wanted to be sure.”Ashley sealed her lips around Michael's once more, positioning the head of his cock at her entrance as she did so. After a moment of silent understanding, he placed his hands on her hips and guided himself into her moist cunt. The feelings were exquisite, like liquid velvet squeezing his member. She made sure to keep a slow pace, allowing Michael to savor every new sensation that came along. After arriving at the base of his cock, Ashley sat straight up, displaying her pert tits for her lover.“Holy shit, Ashley…” Michael moaned.“You're mine, now,” she giggled. “And I don't plan on letting go of you anytime soon…”“No complaints from me,” he admitted with a grin.For the next five minutes, Ashley treated Michael to the ride of his life, teasing and tormenting his engorged cock with every inch of her cunt. She was pleasantly surprised to see that he was able to last so long on his first time, long enough even for her to reach a small orgasm of her own. All the while, Michael couldn't help but cup her perfect tits in his hands. As he drew close to climax, Michael pulled Ashley down to lie face-to-face with him and planted a sensuous kiss on her lips. The sensation of her fingers on his cheeks and running through his hair were too much at that point, and he sent his seed into her waiting cunt with a guttural moan of ecstasy.“Mmm… I love that feeling,” Ashley purred, savoring Michael's cock twitching within her folds.Spent and content, Michael couldn't even utter a word in reply, so Ashley slipped off his cock and rolled next to him

Alessandra Milieri - Two Plus OneTAYSHA - FearlessAlex Reese - Arcade Motel (Radio Edit)FEMILICIOUS - Fire it upAugusta Scarlett - Flashdance...What a FeelingKornelius Flowers - ControlAline J. - The Murmurs of broken hours Big Rome - Who I AmShelita - BloomJ A Lena - Ana Elli HenaDJ Roko – DynamitePressgang Mutiny - Haul Away JoeCyclops - Ride Rhydm ANDREA CECCHI: ONCE UPON A BOY STEFANO SPANTO: IT' TRUE LOVE SOLTRONIQUE: SUMMER OF LOVE Café Noir - Ghost in the CityShy-Anne Hovorka - Fly awayJen Awad & Will Bates - "Doomed to Loving You" Lola Wild - "Girls in Hollywood" Sam Macdonald - "Distant Light" Exzenya - CaptivityDIGNEY Fignus - American Rose Olivia Millin - Soul for the Taking Pam Ross - Crazy Ride Fall of passion - Never gonna let you go Avem Paradisi - The Power of Jesuszukrassverliebt - Way Too HotREX STAX, Irvin Fame - Sorry Babeokafuwa & FR3SH TrX - Made up My MindJoshua - Boom, Boom, BoomRewind - I'm in rewindMIGLIO "Musica Elettronica"

Welcome to Spitting Nonsense—where two self-proclaimed amateurs, Jasmine and Zach, chat about all things nerdy (and plenty that's not). None of this is fact, but it's definitely our brand of nonsense! We're still recording regularly—no promises on hitting exact days anymore—but you can always count on us for plenty of off-the-wall commentary. And now, you can leave comments on Spotify! Tell us what's on your mind; we see every comment and might even respond on the show. Thanks for listening, and enjoy the nonsense!

Ōama, aka Temmu Tennō, ascended the throne in the Kiyomihara Palace--a rennovated version of his mother's Later Okamoto Palace.  Here he ruled with a tremendous amount of authority, continuing the leverage the Ritsuryo system to centralize power in the throne.  We'll look at the layout of the palace, and also talk a little bit about what life was like for the members of the court who were serving Oama, and the state at large. For photos, diagrams, and more, see our blog at: https://sengokudaimyo.com/episode-134 Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua and this is episode 134: An Image of the Court at Kiyomihara Maro sat under the eaves of the hall to which he was assigned.  The journey from Mino hadn't been so hard, but he was still far from his family, back home.  He knew as much as they did that serving at the court of the Great Lord was a tremendous opportunity.  He would be at the heart of the court, in the presence of those running the country, and he could learn a lot from them.  After passing his internship, he would have a chance to prove himself.  If he worked hard, he could look forward to continued promotion, with the greater stipend and influence that came with it. Maro had no illusions that he would someday be at the top of the court hierarchy, but perhaps he could make some modest improvements in his station.  His elder brother was expected to inherit their father's position back in Mino, but the court provided a different opportunity.  Maro had always been a quick learner, and had learned to read and write at an early age, devouring whatever knowledge he could get his hands on – and that had helped make him that much more desirable to the court.  Now he was learning the ins and outs of how it worked, mostly by doing odd jobs while observing the various interactions, the politics, and the rhythm of it all.  Life at the Court really was something.  And yet he still felt homesick.  And so here Maro sat, looking out at the full moon in the sky, its light so bright that he barely needed any other illumination.  Maro wondered at the idea that his family might be looking up at the same moon at the very same time.  As that image took hold, he could feel in the experience a poetic verse.  He took out one of the wooden slips used for labels and notes, scraped off the previous writing, and began jotting down his composition. He only got through a couple of lines before he heard his name being called, and since he was on night duty he put down the brush and the wooden slip.  Poetry would have to wait.  With everything put back away, he rushed off to find out what new task awaited him. So here we are, the year is 673 and we are at the start of a new era.  Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou, had defeated his enemies and was now in the process of taking the reins of power and officially ascending the throne.  In so doing he was moving the capital from Ohotsu, on the shores of Lake Biwa, back to Asuka.  Arriving back, he took up residence in what is called the Shima palace for a few days, presumably as they prepared the Okamoto Palace for him.  At the same time, we are told that a “palace” was erected for Ohoama south of the Okamoto Palace, and this was called the Kiyomihara Palace. I'd like to spend this episode talking about this Kiyomihara Palace, and what life was like there, not just for Ohoama but for his new court.  While we talked about some of the other palaces, this is perhaps one of the better known from the archaeological record, and it is the backdrop for so much that happens.  Ohoama is even known as the Sovereign from Kiyomihara.  So let's talk about what the palace consisted of, and what it was, and a little bit about what life was like there.  In addition to that, we've discussed in previous episodes how Ohoama's ascension to the throne kicked off a whole new era in the evolution of the Yamato state, with numerous innovations and new paradigms in the idea of the ruler and the court and their relationship – so it's worth taking a closer look at the setting where all of that was happening, so we can try and put ourselves in the shoes of those doing the work, and understand their daily grind, as it were. There is unfortunately plenty about the Kiyomihara Palace that we don't know - it isn't like there is a detailed account of the palace in the records - but its ruins are probably the most complete of all those found in Asuka.  This makes sense, given that it would have been built over the earlier palace sites.  In fact, for the most part, the Kiyomihara Palace is just the Later Okamoto Palace, in other words where Takara Hime, aka Saimei Tennou, ruled, but updated and expanded to fit Ohoama's and his court's needs.  Archeological work in Asuka has done some tremendous work to help us understand the Asuka Palace Site.  By studying the various post holes, ditches, and other evidence, along with occasionally discarded items, we have a general idea of the palace's shape, and when we combine this with what we know from other sites—the Naniwa Palace ruins in Ohosaka, the Fujiwara palace ruins in Kashihara, and the Heijo-kyo ruins in Nara, among others—along with an understanding of how palaces were being built on the continent, we are able to piece together what we think was going on.  Of course these interpretations aren't unanimous, and there are parts that scholars will no doubt quibble over—such as the use of the Ebinoko compound, which I'll talk about in a bit—but in general we have a picture of what things probably looked like, at least from a layout perspective, and how the site may have been used. To start, let's go back for a moment to the Toyosaki Palace in Naniwa, the first palace purpose built for the new governmental system being brought over from the continent.  This was the palace of Karu Ohokimi, aka Koutoku Tennou, uncle to Naka no Ohoye.  It was built in the aftermath of the Isshin Incident of 645, an architectural centerpiece of the Taika reforms.  As you may recall, this was a massive undertaking.  This palace was largely rectangular, and consisted of three compounds from south to north, ranging from most to least public. Most people would enter from the south gate, later known as the Suzaku-mon, the gate of the crimson bird of the south, a pattern that would generally hold true for other palaces.  Entering the compound, you would find yourself in the Choshuden, a space holding two pavilions with several rooms where officials could change into or out of their official robes.  The gates to the Choshuden would open at sunrise for the clerks and functionaries would enter.  At the northern end of the Choshuden was the Southern gate of the Chodoin, the main working area of the court.  There were 14 halls, or Chodo, each one dedicated to a different ministry.  The size of these halls varied, likely based on importance or at least the size of their government portfolio. Most of the middle area of the Chodoin was open, but at the northern end was the gate to the Dairi, the inner palace.  This gate was flanked by two octagonal buildings, and it led to an area between the Chodoin and the Dairi where there sat the building that would become the Daigokuden.  This was the main audience chamber for meetings with the sovereign, who would preside and make pronouncements in the early morning hours, at the start of the day. To the north of the Daigokuden was the rest of the Dairi, where the sovereign's personal quarters lay, including the quarters for his consorts and children, maintained by his personal servants.And there were other gates into and out of the Dairi—after all, the palace was so large you didn't want to have to go through the Choushuden and Choudouin just to get to the sovereign's quarters.  Those who lived in the Dairi and those who worked there would be able to have their own entrances and exits. Let's contrast all of this with the Okamoto Palace in Asuka.  More precisely the Later Okamoto Palace.  This was the successor palace to the Itabuki palace, both of which were built for Takara Hime, aka Kougyouku—and by this point Saimei—Tennou.  In fact, Itabuki palace burned down at the end of 654, just as Takara Hime came to the throne a second time.  This palace was, in total, maybe the size of the Chodoin of the Toyosaki Palace, if that.  For one thing, there wasn't as much flat land easily available in the valley, but for another, the builders maybe didn't think they needed quite that much space and that many buildings.  You see, while the Toyosaki palace in Naniwa was likely meant to model the kind of infrastructure necessary for the Tang court, in Chang'an, Yamato was still building up its fledgling bureaucracy.  It wasn't like there were a flood of reports and correspondences coming in from all over the archipelago that had to be handled by an army of clerks.  At least not yet. The Okamoto palace, from what we can tell, was also a rectangle, once again facing south , on the east side of the Asuka river.  This palace did not necessarily have the same kinds of dedicated spaces as the Toyosaki Palace. The main gate that we know of was in the south, leading to a courtyard with another building—possibly the Ohoandono, alternatively the Ohoyasumidono or the Daianden.  This may have been an audience hall for meeting with public officials.  The ground here was covered in gravel, a fairly common thing for palace compounds. Though we don't know exactly what the buildings looked like, we have some idea based on the size and number of post-holes.  We also haven't found any ceramic tiles in or around the ruins so far, which suggests that Okamoto Palace did not have ceramic tile roofs as were common on temple architecture, but instead were likely covered with wooden shingles, like the Itabuki Palace that used to be in relatively the same spot.  From an archeological perspective, any tiled building of this size leaves a lot of indications behind: over the years tiles fall off, break, get buried, etc.  Even if, as was common, the court meticulously dismantled the buildings down and reused as much as they could, we would still expect to see some tiles or tile fragments in the ground where the pillars are found, and yet we find nothing of the sort.  To the east and west of the Ohoandono were long, narrow structures, oriented north to south rather than east to west.  These are thought to have been the offices where government officials could do their work. Moving into the northern section of the palace, the ground was paved with river stones.  There were two large buildings with small wings, running east to west, lengthwise, and situated on the same line as the Ohoandono.  These may have been what have been called the To no Andono, or outer Hall, and the Uchi no Andono, the inner hall, and they would have been used for ceremonies for those of the appropriate rank. The middle hall it seems was modified from its original form.  While it was similar in size and footprint to the hall north of it, the western wing of the southern hall at some point was destroyed—whether on purpose or accidentally—and it was replaced with what appears to have been a pond. On each side of this central area we see more space for buildings, but only some of the post holes have so far been uncovered.  There were other buildings further in the northernmost third of the compound that were likely for the sovereign's private usage, as well as a well, and what may have been a building for some kind of semi-private religious ceremony. This palace, the Okamoto Palace, was essentially what Ohoama started from when he  relocated the capital back to Asuka – but when he ascended to the throne, he did make a few changes.  Most notable was the creation of something called the ebinoko-kuruwa, the Ebinoko enclosure.  This was to the southeast of the main palace, and had a rectangular wall surrounding one large building and two smaller ones.  Interestingly, the buildings would appear to be oriented in a symmetrical shape that would suggest a southern entrance, like the other palace compounds we've been discussing, and yet the gate was to the west, opening to the area between the Ebinoko enclosure and the main palace.  And based on postholes and other evidence, there appear to have been at least four other rectangular buildings stretching out to the south, outside of the walls.  Some have theorized that the large building in the Ebinoko  was an early form of the Daigokuden, a ceremonial hall where Ohoama held court, rather than reusing the facilities of the old Okamoto palace.  Alternately,  perhaps it was actually more like the buildings of the Chodoin in Naniwa, where the different departments of the court actually did business, but here with all of the officials working in one, single building.  A third idea that others have suggested that this was actually Ohoama's private residence—again, somewhat odd given the size and shape and the fact that there were the seemingly larger facilities of the Okamoto palace already right there for the taking. So which is it?  We do have a clue in the record of the 15th day of the 9th month of 672, and the lines following it.  According to the Aston translation of the Nihon shoki: He removed his residence from the Palace of Shima to the Palace of Okamoto. In this year a Palace was erected south of the Palace of Okamoto, and the Emperor removed his residence thither that same winter.  This was called the Palace of Kiyomibara in Asuka. So it does seem like something was built south of Okamoto and that is where Ohoama resided.  It is somewhat uncommon for a sovereign to reuse an old palace like this.  Traditionally, sovereigns had regularly moved to new palaces, seemingly because of the attempts to avoid ritual pollution associated with death.  Of course, it had been a while since Takara hime had passed away, and Naka no Ohoye had moved everything to Ohotsu, but nonetheless, is it possible that the Ebinoko kuruwa was built to, in some way, give Ohoama new quarters? We may never know for sure.  There are plenty of inconsistencies.  For one, if it was meant as a residence, I would expect more buildings for his consorts and others.  There are also some things to note about the account in the Nihon Shoki.  For one thing, although the initial account calls this the Kiyomihara Palace,  the Chronicles also suggest that it wouldn't actually get that name until the 20th day of the 7th month of 686, about 14 years later. That record describes how a new era name was also announced:  the Akamitori, or red bird, era.  I don't want to get too much into it right now, but suffice it to say that a red, three legged crow is often depicted as the symbol of the sun; and the important south gate of the palace, the Suzaku-mon, is named for the vermillion bird of the south, one of the four guardian animals.  When this era name—more commonly read as “Shucho”, today, since era names are commonly red in on'yomi reading rather than kun'yomi—well, when it was declared, we are told that the palace was titled the Palace of Kiyomihara of Asuka. What are we to make of this? Well, today, it is assumed that the Kiyomihara palace refers to the Okamoto Palace starting from the creation of the Ebinoko-kuruwa and its occupation during what is assumed to be Ohoama's rule.  Earlier in the Nihon Shoki we are told that Ohoama was known as the Kiyomihara sovereign, and so even though that name technically wasn't applied to the palace until later, it makes some sense just to assume it applied from the start of Ohoama's renovations. One more thing that I would point out.  While we talked about the original Okamoto Palace and the newly built Ebinoko enclosure, they were arranged as though around a large open area, like a courtyard.  The original palace stood at the north, where one could enter the south gate of the palace, and then the Ebinoko enclosure sat on the east side of the courtyard, with its western gate between the two.  The southern and western sides of the courtyard, on the other hand, followed the snaking flow of the Asuka River. From about 675 to 681, on or about the 17th day of the first month of the year, it's recorded that the court held an annual archery shoot in the court of either the West or South Gate—which would seem to refer to this large area.  This makes sense, as the space is large enough to accommodate plenty of room for the range and for others to watch The archery exhibition   was held here, in the space between the two compounds, like clockwork until 681, when we are just told that it was held in the “Courtyard”, which feels like it is referring to an area inside the main compound of Kiyomihara. There are no more mentions of the tradition after 681, though there is an archery shoot in front of the South Gate on the 5th day of the 5th month of 685, but that was probably done as part of the regular 5/5 celebrations—a holiday today known as Kodomo no Hi, or Children's Day, but more traditionally known as Tango no Sekku, the Iris festival.  Some form of celebration on this date seems to have occurred throughout East Asia up until the modern day. Whether the archery stopped or just became such a standard thing that it was no longer noteworthy in the record, I can't really say.  However, one can possibly imagine what it was like, with all of the courtiers out there watching as the arrows shot down the field.  The occasional twang of bows and the faint whistle as it sped towards its target, hitting the target with a sharp thwack.  Murmurs from the crowd regarding how well—or how poorly—any given person was doing. Beyond the courtyard and what we know of the two compounds—the Kiyomihara palace and the Ebinoko Enclosure—there is plenty still to discover.  There were likely other compounds around the palace, possibly as an extension of the palace.  And then there were the temples: west, across the river, was Kawaradera, and north of the palace and surrounding compounds was Houkouji, or Asukadera.  There is even some evidence on the northwest edge of the compounds, southwest from Asukadera, of an ancient garden surrounding several manmade ponds. And so, the entire valley appears to have been filled with buildings and official spaces , running up against and being constrained by the natural features of the valley itself.  As I mentioned above, there just isn't that much buildable space in the Asuka valley, compared to other places like Naniwa.  And this contributed to one of the other problems that the court would have experienced: according to tradition,  the front of the palace and other buildings were all oriented south, but for this location, this meant that they didn't face the expansive fields of the Nara basin, but instead they faced the mountains themselves.  All in all, there was not much room here to grow, and yet the government and the court had grown, at least by all accounts. Though, how much had the court grown? Maybe not as much as we might expect, despite Ohoama's ambitions.  First of all there had been the purge of the powerful ministers at the head of the Afumi court, but there are some startling omissions in the records from the beginning of Ohoama's reign.  There is no mention of the Daijin, or Great Minister.  There is no Minister of the Right or Minister of the Left.  There is no Inner Minister, and there is no Great Minister of State.  There are mentions of the “kugyou”, or “Ministers of State”, which traditionally includes the Daijin, but there is no mention of the Daijin, suggesting that the “kugyou” of this time may have only referenced the heads of the 8 ministries of the Dajokan, the Council of State.  What does this mean? Many scholars interpret this period as a time of extremely centralized power.  Coming off of his military victory, Ohoama seems to have ridden a wave of support and control.  Combine that with the continued absorption of Tang dynasty propaganda-slash-government theory that saw the sovereign—the emperor—as the central authority, and one can see how Ohoama may have been able to do something that few sovereigns in Japanese history were able to actually do, which is to wield real power.  This may seem odd for a position translated into English most commonly as  “Emperor,” but as we've seen, in glimpses through the way they are depicted in the Chronicles, or through the archaeological record, which shows different loci of power and authority across the archipelago in ancient times, the Ohokimi, later dubbed the Tennou or Sumera no Mikoto, was not necessarily all powerful.  Not only did they have to contend with rivals to the throne, but even various court nobles who made their way into the centers of power.  From figures like Takeuchi no Sukune, to the Ohotomo, the Mononobe, and more recently the Soga—in all of these cases various nobles often held considerable power, though often in tension with one another. Sources of authority also varied.  There were the individual religious centers through which families exercised some ritual authority, while there was also more secular authority in the various court positions.  The Ohokimi certainly were respected, from what we can tell, and had a powerful source of authority going back to at least the holy kami of Mt. Miwa.  They even spread that authority through their kannushi, their priests, which they sent out as an extension of the state.  But they weren't entirely independent, either. But Ohoama seems to have reached a point where he did hold a tremendous amount of authority.  Because there is another telling omission from the chronciles: we don't see any more Soga members.  With the death of Soga no Akaye, the Soga family's influence seems to have disappeared this reign.  We also don't see that much about other prominent families compared to earlier: we see the Mononobe as ambassadors, and we see the Nakatomi are still conducting rituals.  But we don't see any of them rising to the same positions as their forebears.  Instead, we see a lot of focus on the Princely class—those members who claim some descent from a previous sovereign, or even the current sovereign, and how they, themselves, are divided up with their own system of ranks that are outside the civil service ranking system. Speaking of civil service, it does always strike me that the ranking systems of various east Asian courts very much resemble the way that, even today, many modern bureaucracies create wage scales for their civil servants.  In the US the most common such scale is the GS or “General Schedule” pay system.  In that system, positions are associated with a particular grade, between 1 and 15, and federal employees are also referred to in terms of those grades.  Grade typically reflects some level of seniority and pay.  It isn't a one-for-one analogy, of course: the court ranks in Yamato were handed out by the sovereign, or at least through their authority, as were the various court positions, though I doubt that Ohoama was spending much personal time approving promotions for a low level clerk writing down inventories and suchlike—but who knows.  But it does emphasize that this system is built to be a centralized bureaucratic monarchy, based on the continental model, and it now seems to have come into its own.  The court seems to have bought into the idea, and now, intentionally or not, much of their own position in society was directly tied to the autocratic whims of the monarch, or Ohoama himself. Indeed, some of the first records from the year 673 are focused on the court and court system.  The very first thing this entailed:  a banquet on the 7th day of the first month of the new year.  We are told that it was a “drinking party” or “shuen”, and boy does that draw some parallels with modern Japanese companies.  We aren't exactly given the form of this party, but we do have later examples.  There was likely a formal start, with various nobles set out at assigned seats based on their rank.  It was an official event, so officials would have been expected to wear the appropriate clothing, including their caps of rank, letting everyone know exactly who's who, and reinforcing the social hierarchy imposed by the rank system in the first place.  I suspect that it started with ritual and formality.  Later, you would have the after party, where people might more freely mingle and drink and recite poetry.  This was both an official and social occasion, because there really wasn't much of a line drawn between the two.  As a ritual, it displayed Ohoama's power over the state through his ability to host them all.  As a social function it was an important time in the political life of the court, where everyone was together, and you could find your cliques and supporters. Drinking alcohol, while being something that many enjoy for its own sake, was also a kind of religious observance.  Sake was made to be offered to the kami, as well as to be used at parties.  It was made from rice, the staple on which the agricultural success of the archipelago was based, and which held a particularly sacred place in other rituals and ceremonies. And then there was the poetry.  As would be true for much of Japanese history, poetry infused all aspects of life at the court, and being able to compose good poetry was just as important to one's social standing as reading, writing, and other such skills. There were generally two kinds of poetry practiced at the court.  There was the traditional Japanese poetry, or waka, with alternating verses of 5 or 7 syllables—more properly morae, but no need to get into that.  Then there was poetry composed in the Sinitic style.  Known as “Kanshi”, which translates directly as “Han Poetry”, this mimics the poetic forms brought over in literature from the continent.  It required a certain amount of education to be able to compose and was based on the characters, or kanji, used.  Kanshi can generally be divided into at least two categories.  There is the Kotaishi, or the Old Style Poetry, which consists of poetic form used prior to the Tang dynasty.  Then there is Kintaishi, or Modern Style Poetry, which is based on the forms from the Tang dynasty and later.  Kintaishi is usually recognized for adhering to more rules of structure and composition, usually using lines of 5 or 7 characters, while Kotaishi is more fluid and less concerned with specific rules and rhythms. Poetry was also not necessarily a solo activity.  It was common in later eras to arrange poetry competition, where the court would divide itself, much like the bureaucracy, between the Left and the Right.  Each group would compose poetry, often on a set theme, and then  put up the poems they felt were the best against those of the other side and then the entire court would listen and judge.  The only tangible reward, assuming the sovereign was not so moved as to do something extraordinary, was bragging rights.  And yet, that social capital was important among the nobles of the court.  Image was extremely important to individuals, and embarrassment could be a political death sentence.  And so many would work hard at these poems to make sure that they were the best they could be. At this point, though, we are still in the early years of many of these traditions.  The poetry that we have appears to be less formulaic than we see in later eras, when there were so many precedents to which one was expected to adhere.  Poems could be about feeling and were not required to hearken back to previous poems and poetic allusions. By the way, official events like this are also one of the ways that we get compilations of poems, later on.  These events would get transcribed and then later those poems would be referenced, particularly if they were noteworthy or by noteworthy individuals.  This kind of event may have been where a lot of the poems from works like the Man'yoshu and the Kaifusou, the earliest compilations of Waka and Kanshi, respectively.  At some point I”d love to dig into the poetry more in depth, but for the moment, I think it is best to leave it there. Now besides one's skills at poetry there were other skills that the court was interested in.  The court system that they had lifted from the continent was based, at least theoretically, on the idea of a meritocracy.  The monarch, of course, was judged to be worthy to rule through the mandate of Heaven, which often demonstrated itself early in the regime through the Emperor's forces defeating their enemies, much as Ohoama had defeated his rivals in the Afumi court.  However, for the rest of the government, the sovereign needed to make sure that he had qualified individuals.  From an early point in history, people recognized that not everyone born into power and wealth was necessarily the best person to help run things.  If you could only find those of the greatest intellect, discernment, and moral compass, then those are the ones you would want to have running things, right?  And this is fine in theory. However, determining who has those qualifications can be a bit tricky.  We talked about this back in episodes 71 and 72 when we talked about the Han dynasty more generally.  In that case, while the civil service exam was open to any person, the reality was that only those with enough wealth and leisure time could afford to study to take the test.  And so while it did open up opportunities for some, it did not truly apply equally across all classes of people.  And this was likely fine with most of the ruling class at the time, since there were also still theories that there were different classes of people, and it simply reinforced their ideas that those in the lower classes just didn't have the same capabilities that they had.  In the Yamato court early in Ohoama's reign it isn't clear to me exactly how individuals were being chosen for service.  We know that rank was handed out as a reward for service, varying with the individual.  Ohoama handed out rank at the end of 672 to those who had helped him to come to power, and then, on the 29th day of the 2nd month of 673, just two days after he formally ascended the throne, we are told that he conferred cap-rank on those who had performed good service, each according to their situation. Of course, that is about how promotions were rewarded.  But what about how people entered into service in the first place?  How did you get introduced to a job in the bureaucracy in the first place?  Well for that we have Ohoama's pronouncement on the first day of the fifth month.  He addressed the court and set it up as follows: First, anyone who would take a government position would begin their career as an “ohotoneri”.  These were low level functionaries who supported the various bureaus as guards, messengers, and whatever else was needed.  Previously, this all would have fallen under the general term of “toneri”, who were those members of the nobility who had been sent to serve in the royal palace.  Aston translates this as a “chamberlain”, and thus equates oho-toneri—literally “great toneri”—as “high chamberlain”, though I'm not sure if that was actually the distinction or not.  It looks like the term “toneri” itself may pre-date the Ritsuryo system, but now was being more standardized, with expanded categories of “toneri” within the system itself.  Interestingly, there is only one other example I could find of Ohotoneri before the reign of Ohoama and that was in the account of Waketakeru no Ohokimi, aka Yuryaku Tennou, which makes me think that might be an anachronism.  We definitely see “toneri” used since just before that reign and continuously onward, and we see them in regards to not just the royal house, but as the functionaries and servants in various places and for other aristocratic families, but the “ohotoneri” seem to have been specifically connected to the royal family… and thus the state. Ohotoneri, despite being quote-unquote “great” toneri, were at the relative bottom of the hierarchy.  They were the night shift, the guards, the messengers, and the general go-fers.  They were essentially paid interns.  As they did their tasks, they were learning about how the various offices and ministries worked, and they were demonstrating their own aptitude.  Based on how they did, they would then be assigned to various offices as seemed most suitable. There were also offices that were staffed by women.  Though separate and distinct, women also had a role in the palace and thus the maintenance of the court and the state.   They were to be selected for service regardless of their age or even whether they were married or not, but they fell under a separate set of rules from the men, because, well, patriarchy. So that's what happened when people were selected to serve, but who was selected?  The chronicles don't say explicitly until a decree about three years later in the 4th month of 676, when it was decreed that all those from provinces outside of the Home Provinces could enter the service of the sovereign, no matter their family's rank, whether Omi, Muraji, Tomo no Miyatsuko, or Kuni no Miyatsuko.  They would also allow men of quote-unquote “distinguished ability” enter service, even though they were commoners. From that we can surmise that when they are talking about “all” people really they are talking about “all” the nobility—the only people for whom the Nihon Shoki was really intended, if you think about it.  Thus, logically it would seem that prior to this only members of the nobility were allowed to enter government service—but there is even more.  Because before this pronouncement in 676, only people in the Home Provinces were theoretically allowed to enter government service. The Home Provinces, or Kinai, are traditionally the five provinces of Yamato, Kawachi, Izumi, Yamashiro, and Settsu.  At this point, though, Izumi was still a part of Kawachi, so it would have just been the four.  These provinces were likely the first lands to really come under Yamato's direct control, and as such they all held a certain pride of place.  This is also where we assume that the powerful families of Yamato had their strongholds.  Certainly the Soga, the Mononobe, and the Ohotomo all had claim to traditional land in and around this region.  When the court had moved to Ohotsu it would have been the first time in many years that the capital was moved out of the Home Provinces, which was probably a large part of the dissent expressed at the time.  How would you like it if your job up and moved two states away and forced you to relocate with them, likely at your own expense? In 676, though, the court decreed that it would no longer restrict itself to noble families of the Home Provinces, but instead would open up service, and the lucrative stipends that came with it, to members of the nobility in the rest of the archipelago. This seems particularly intriguing given the two swords we have from the time of Waketakeru no Ohokimi, aka Yuryua Tennou, in the 5th century, where elites had served—or at least claimed to serve—at his court.  It is possible that during his day the influence of Yamato was more expansive, and that influence contracted after him. Or it could be that it was a different type of service that they had provided. And then there is the comment in Ohoama's decree that the court would also allow men of “distinguished ability” to also enter service, even if they were commoners.  How very progressive.  This seems clearly designed to suggest the meritocratic system that was the ideal, even if it was only truly observed in the breach. I can't help but think about how this symbolizes the court's expanded control across the archipelago, and the idea that all of the archipelago was truly under their control.  It also meant that they had opened up the candidate pool to a wider audience.  Does that mean that they were growing the size of the government, too?  I also can't help but wonder how the old guard took this—the traditional families from the Home Provinces who suddenly found themselves competing with people from the periphery.  Did they see them as equals, or the equivalent of upstart country bumpkins?  And let's not even get started on anyone who joined government service as a Commoner. On the other hand, I suspect these new functionaries would have owed their position even more directly to the sovereign and the court, and they might not have strong familial ties to the local area.  This is all just theory, but seems to follow with Ohoama's general efforts at centralization and accretion of power and authority to himself whilst further building out the structure that his brother, Naka no Ohoye, had set up.  Along those lines, at the same time that the sovereign opened up membership in the court to those outside of the Kinai region, he also meddled with the incomes of the various Princes and Ministers.  He insisted that those Princes and Ministers who were receiving taxes from fiefs in the West—by which I assume is meant western Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu—they should instead get their income from fiefs in the East.  So he was taking away the western fiefs and instead swapping them with eastern fiefs.  Those western taxes could then, presumably, come straight into the government coffers, and the princes and ministers would be connected with land in the east, which I suspect meant they would be expected to invest in those fiefs and encourage them to produce. This feels like it goes along with something from two years earlier, in 675, the third year of Ohoama's reign.  In the second month of that year he abolished the serfs granted to the various Uji back in 664, and he abolished any claims by Princes—Royal or otherwise—as well as Ministers and Temples to any mountains, marshes, islands, bays, woods, plains, and artificial ponds.  It seems clear that he claimed the right of eminent domain to himself and the state.  By extension, all land effectively belonged to Ohoama, and everyone else became, de facto, his tenants.  They paid taxes up to him, and he had the right to grant or take away the land as he saw fit. I can't imagine that went over well with those who had lost their rights to those lands, but either he compensated in them in some other way or his power had grown such that they didn't dare to oppose him.  Certainly not everyone was happy. In 677, Saita no Fubito no Nagura was banished to the island of Izu for apparently scoffing—or otherwise disrespecting—Ohoama.  Well, it says his vehicle, but Aston notes that this is probably just a polite euphemism for the sovereign himself. But that rebuke seems to have been pretty light compared to two years earlier when a man—we aren't even given his name, assuming it was known, hiked up the hill east of the palace, cursed Ohoama, and then cut his own throat.  How it was known that he had been cursing anyone isn't explained—though perhaps he had written it down or otherwise communicated his intentions.  Either way, it was certainly a rebuke. But if it phased Ohoama, we can't tell.  He did give those on duty that night a step in rank, presumably for the trauma they had experienced in dealing with everything. Possibly related—we are told that same month there was a great earthquake.  So was that thought to be the curse being fulfilled?  There is nothing to connect them except that the one immediately follows the other. And yet, Ohoama would continue to rule as he saw fit.  In fact, he would rule roughly 14 years, in total, right up to his death in 686.  A rather substantial reign compared to so many other sovereigns.  And he would continue to make his mark. Next episode we will continue our journey through the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tenno. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Chrystal Schleyer lives in South Carolina with her husband and children. Tucked away in a little black house on an old hay field, she happily lives in the middle of nowhere.  When not writing or reading, she can be found outside with her ever growing number of animals or scouring the shelves of the nearest thrift store.  A celebration at a turn-of-the-century manor takes a deadly twist, and everyone becomes a suspect. Twin brothers Easton and Weston are both in love with their childhood best friend Eloise. But headstrong Eloise prefers the younger brother, Wes, which is why she is heartbroken when, unexpectedly, Wes proposes to an heiress, and Eloise finds herself engaged to Easton—the twin she cannot stand. Then, during a week of celebration, Wes is poisoned. Murmurs of nightshade slip through the manor, and everyone seems to have a motive. Was it Della Drewitt—the heiress reluctant to marry Wes? Or did Easton decide killing his brother was the only way to secure Eloise's affections? Or was it the housemaid Violet, Wes's previous lover? As guests turn into suspects, attempts to kill Wes become more relentless than the storms churning the estate—who wants him dead, and why?

Content warning: Discussion of two suicides.   This week: Chaos unfolds around Chicago as Tony tries desperately to save Meg's life after she overdoses, Pratt eventually gets out of jail but is surprised to see who bailed him out, flames engulf the entirety of Sam's apartment building, and Ames kidnaps Kovac and severely injures him while going on a stroll down memory lane.   

On Episode 623 of The Core Report, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Moses Harding John, President & CEO at IndusInd International Holdings Limited, Mauritius. SHOW NOTES(00:00) Stories of the Day(01:00) Markets fall in late trade as financials lose for the 4th session(04:51) Oil prices could touch $60 by year end, says S&P Global(07:57) India may give in on imports of GM farm products from the US(09:07) Murmurs of dedollarisation are rising again(19:44) Indian Express launches a new print edition at a time most media houses are expanding digitally⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.investing-referral.com/aff303⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠For more of our coverage check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thecore.in⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠

JD goes over the dramatics in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, along with the "what if" of Sam Bennett signing with the Maple Leafs (00:00). JD then shifts focus to the NBA (12:00) as Sportsnet's Michael Grange checks-in from Oklahoma City to chat about the Raptors' chase for a star, if a NBA title will change Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's connection with Canadian fans, how the Indiana Pacers can make the finals competitive, and the NBA's parity era. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates. 

416. How Their Friendship Became a Revolution | Leisha Hailey & Kate Moennig of The L Word Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig, stars of The L Word, discuss their new book, “So Gay for You: Friendship, Found Family, and the Show That Started It All,” an intimate, hilarious memoir of art, friendship and queerness.  How Kate and Leisha met; their first impressions of each other and going in for the same role The impact and legacy of The L Word and Glennon's recent introduction to the show Rainbow capitalism, the pressure to publicly “come out,” and the joys of found family LEISHA HAILEY is an actor, director, executive producer, musician, and podcaster. Hailey is best known for her beloved breakout character Alice Pieszecki in the revolutionary Showtime series The L Word and the reboot, The L Word: Generation Q. Before making her mark on-screen, Hailey cofounded the band The Murmurs in the 1990s, recording three albums for MCA/Universal Records and touring worldwide, including with Lilith Fair. More than a decade later, in 2007, Hailey cofounded the indie pop band Uh Huh Her, which toured internationally and sold albums worldwide.  KATE MOENNIG is a critically acclaimed actor and executive producer whose work spans film, television, and theater. She is most known for her iconic role as Shane McCutcheon in the Showtime series The L Word and the reboot, The L Word: Generation Q. Moennig has also starred in Showtime's hit series Ray Donovan and in Freeform's breakout series Grown-ish. Moennig's film credits include the neo-noir legal thriller The Lincoln Lawyer, Lane 1974, and Terry Zwigoff's Art School Confidential. Most recently she can be seen in Liz Feldman's series No Good Deed on Netflix. She currently cohosts the podcast PANTS with Kate and Leisha. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us a textLive from L.A. Stories, a reading and fire relief fundraiser I presented at Murmurs Gallery on April 27th, 2025. Ticket sales benefited Altadena Girls. Featured readers included Wendy C. Ortiz, Anna Dorn, Jasmine Johnson, Alicia Novella Vasquez, Heather Jewett, Tasbeeh Herwees, Taleen Kali, Clement Goldberg, and Marcel Alcalá (you won't hear Alicia included here though–you'll have to wait for her publication for that!). I read something too! Thank you to Gabby Datau and Morgan Elder at Murmurs for hosting us!  Wendy's three books just got reissued! Buy them! Listen to Taleen's music–she's touring the west coast this summer. Read Heather's writing & listen to her podcast on Planet Heather.Make Anna's "Perfume and Pain" your first summer read.Tasbeeh has a fab new LA-centric Substack called NO BAD DAYS. See Marcel's painting "Anima" at Various Small Fires in Orange County through May 31st. Watch what Jasmine makes, always. Make Clement's "New Mistakes" your first summer read. Keep supporting Altadena Girls. Send me proof of your donation of $5 or more by the date specified in the episode to be entered into the raffle!Thanks to Margot Padilla for engineering and editing this episode. Please rate and review the show wherever you listen! My IG. My Substack. Write me: tierneytierneytierneytalks@gmail.com Support the show

#172:  Ever had a seemingly small decision spiral into years of unexpected consequences? That's exactly what happened with my under-eye filler journey that began a decade ago. What should have been a simple cosmetic enhancement has turned into a persistent medical saga involving multiple dissolving procedures, surgery, and ongoing complications. The lesson? Some fillers don't dissolve naturally as promised, and under-eye treatments deserve extra caution.But life carries on with its mix of mundane and meaningful moments. My Chihuahua recently needed dental surgery at age 11 (that's 60 in dog years, by the way – forget that "multiply by seven" rule we all learned). While under anesthesia, she provided some comic relief with her tongue hanging out while struggling to stay awake standing up. The procedure also revealed a mild heart murmur, adding another dimension to pet parenthood as she approaches her senior years.Meanwhile, severe weather patterns have me contemplating tornado shelters, and my beauty routine has evolved toward more natural approaches. Face taping has become my go-to alternative to injectables – using specialized Japanese tape designed specifically for delicate facial skin to prevent sleep wrinkles. Combined with a satin bonnet for hair protection, I might look "hella scary" at bedtime, but wake up looking better than ever. As one wise person noted, "It's not about what we look like going to bed, it's what we wake up looking like."This journey has highlighted the double standard in how society views aging – celebrating men who "age like fine wine" while expecting women to somehow stay youthful naturally while also pursuing every beauty enhancement available. Perhaps the real beauty breakthrough isn't found in procedures or products, but in finding comfort with our choices and our authentic selves. If you're navigating similar beauty dilemmas or pet parent adventures, you're not alone – share your experiences with me and join the conversation.You can now send us a text to ask a question or review the show. We would love to hear from you! Follow me on social: https://www.instagram.com/babbles_nonsense/

What happens when the person writing obituaries accidentally publishes his own? Tune in for an inspiring discussion with John Kenney on his new novel I See You've Called in Dead.Moments with Marianne airs in the Southern California area on KMET1490AM & 98.1 FM, an ABC Talk News Radio affiliate! John Kenney is the author of three novels and four books of poetry. His first novel, Truth In Advertising, won the Thurber Prize for American humor. He is also the author of Talk To Me, which received a starred Kirkus review. He is a long-time contributor to The New Yorker magazine's Shouts & Murmurs. For more show information visit: www.MariannePestana.com

In this episode of the radio show, the listener is drawn into an ominous narrative that showcases a thrilling tale, steeped in suspense and psychological tension. The setting begins in an evocative atmosphere by a warm fire, creating an inviting environment which sharply contrasts with the unfolding story's dread. The protagonist reminisces about stories from the past while setting the stage for what is about to unfold. The listener is encouraged to prepare for a gripping story titled “On a Country Road,” featuring Howard Duff and Ida Lupino, which serves as the backbone of the episode.As the narrative shifts focus, we meet a couple caught in a harrowing traffic jam, leading them to consider taking a shortcut through a lonely country road. This seemingly innocent decision is quickly complicated when they're warned of an escaped convict, Nellie Goller, described as a dangerous and unstable woman who has escaped from a mental hospital after committing heinous crimes, including a brutal murder. The tensions build as the couple debates their route, with the wife expressing fear over the warnings from the radio about avoiding lonely roads, a sentiment dismissed by her husband who is keenly focused on avoiding the traffic jam.The couple's fears are amplified as they encounter worsening weather conditions and the realization that their car is running out of gas. The descent into darkness, further complicated by the imminent storm, creates a suffocating sense of isolation. The woman's anxiety escalates as they find themselves stranded, forced to confront their worst fears. Murmurs of rain and thunder frame their conversation, setting the tone for growing dread and paranoia.As the couple anxiously waits for help, they begin to hear unsettling noises outside their vehicle, highlighting their isolation. The air grows thick with tension as they both grapple with the idea that the dangerous woman on the loose could be lurking nearby. Suddenly, a stranger appears: a soaked and frantic woman who begs to be let into the car, claiming she's being pursued. Her desperate plea creates chaos. The couple, mired in their own fear, struggles with the choice of whether to help this unknown woman amid the rising paranoia and uncertainty about her true identity.The tension crescendos as accusations and fears spiral out of control. Each character in the car exhibits growing distrust as they grapple with their survival instincts. Suspicion escalates to violence when the couple is pushed to their limits, leading to a tragic confrontation marked by panic and desperation. The couple's struggle reaches a climax when they confront the stranger; the chaotic energy of the moment leads to bloodshed at the hands of the husband in a desperate attempt to protect his wife.As the dust settles, the arrival of the police brings a reprieve, yet the confusion remains. The officer reveals the grim truth that the couple never encountered the real threat—the dangerous woman they feared had already been captured long before their encounter with the stranger. The husband faces the chilling reality of the situation, realizing he has critically misjudged the nature of both the real danger and the stranger begging for help.Toward the episode's conclusion, the atmosphere shifts from malignant to reflective as the narrator draws a poetic conclusion, reminding listeners of the cyclical nature of fear and the warmth of safety in familiar spaces. The show cleverly loops back to the warmth of the fire, contrasting the grim ordeal experienced by the couple. As the sun rises, a sense of hope is imparted that rekindles the listener's awareness of their own safe comforts amid the chills of night. The host's final words remind audiences of the complexities of human nature, the lurking dangers in the shadows, and the intrinsic warmth found in human connection—leaving them with a lingering sense of suspense, reflection, and appreciation for the safety of their own surroundings.

Send us a textIn today's episode, Alex and Tara have a thought-provoking and wisdom-filled discussion with John Kenney, author of three novels and four books of poetry, including LOVE POEMS FOR MARRIED PEOPLE. His first novel, TRUTH IN ADVERTISING, won the Thurber Prize for American humor. He is a long-time contributor to The New Yorker magazine's Shouts & Murmurs column and currently lives in Larchmont, NY. Listen as they discuss what it's like writing a darkly humorous book about death, the beauty and healing in confronting grief, the importance of writing realistic characters and stories, why he wanted to write fiction after being in advertising for years, who inspired the characters of I SEE YOU'VE CALLED IN DEAD, and how short fiction can help our long-form stories.  Due to character limitations, please find a full version of the show notes with applicable content warnings and links on our website at: https://www.tarakross.com/podcast-1→  Connect with John on his Instagram or visit his column on The New Yorker's website → Buy I SEE YOU'VE CALLED IN DEAD HEREThe Hope Prose Podcast's InstagramAlex's Instagram Tara's Instagram

Our host, Hilary Knight, interviews Anab Jain, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Superflux, to explore the studio's innovative work of creating visceral experiences that encourage audiences to imagine theoretical futures, and the power of tapping into human emotion.References:Superflux: https://superflux.in/#Anab serves as Professor of Design Investigations at the dieAngewandte, University of Applied Arts in Vienna: https://www.dieangewandte.at/en/institutes/design/industrial_design_2Mitigation of Shock, Singapore: https://superflux.in/index.php/work/mitigation-of-shock-singapore/#The Vault of Life, Museum of the Future, Dubai: https://superflux.in/index.php/work/the-vault-of-life-in-museum-of-the-future/#The Quiet Enchanting, London: https://superflux.in/index.php/work/the-quiet-enchanting/#LinkedIn:Anab Jain: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anabjainSuperflux: https://www.linkedin.com/company/superflux/Guest Bio:Anab is a designer, futurist, filmmaker and educator. As Co-founder and Director of Superflux, she catalyses the Studio's mission to leave a meaningful legacy for our planet and its future custodians. https://superflux.in/index.php/team/anab/#