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 Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 3 Houses Belsus bonds over pain. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Becca took a small sip of her drink. Her eyes flared lightly, but she didn't cough or choke. "Dave, tell me a story from when you were younger. Something stupid you once did." Dave's head fell back against the couch. "Oh boy. I didn't do any of the usual stupid stuff. Far too insular for that, no group of friends to drag me into wild, hilarious mistakes." Dave thought for a minute, trying to decide if he should tell this particular story. Or if he could. Hell, they were stuck living with him, they deserved to know. "Okay, so this happened in my second summer of college. I was tutoring a lot, and one lady in particular met with me at least once a week. Really nice person, pretty too. Her name was Kim Dawson. She'd gone all in on the late 80's media image of what pretty looked like; dyed blonde hair, boob implants, blue contact lenses. That helped her professionally of course; she worked as a stripper and did well enough to pay her tuition out of pocket, plus a small but nice rent house for her and her son." "You went to her house?" Dave nodded while swallowing the sip he'd just taken. "After the first several sessions, we got comfortable with each other, and it was helpful to her for me to come over on days she didn't have classes, especially if she had to go to work after our tutoring session." Dave paused for a moment, gathering the courage to continue. "So, about two months after we started working together, I'm at her house, sitting at her dinner table. It's a small round table to one side of her kitchen. Like I said, it's a small house, but good condition and she kept it well. Big enough for her and a six year old. Anyway, she gets up to take a brain break and decides she's going to change. She wasn't heading to work, and had come back from running errands, so she wanted to put on something more comfortable." Dave noted the ladies exchanging glances amongst themselves. "Just,; don't judge okay?" He paused again for a moment. "She left her bedroom door open, but the table was well away from the door, like a big angle away." Another look shared. "I didn't follow her with my eyes or anything, but she started talking to me through the open door, so naturally I turned my head towards the door. There was a mirror on the wall that I could see. Now, no, no she wasn't visible in the mirror. At least not from the angle and distance I was at." The looks passing among the ladies were both cryptic in the specifics and utterly obvious in the general meaning. "Oh, I forgot to mention that earlier we had discussed payment. She said this might have to be the last session for a while because she didn't think she could afford to pay. I had told her we could work something out." Three sets of eyebrows raised. "No, not like that. I just assured her I'd let her pay it out if she needed to. I was trying to be accommodating. She needed the help, she put in the work, I was just trying to be helpful." "Oh, baby." Jan said sympathetically. Dave winced. "So then she says she can't hear me well and asks me to come to the door to talk to her." He sighed. "I didn't. I told her I couldn't, I didn't want to violate her privacy. I don't think those were the actual words I used, but it was something like that." Dave couldn't even look at the others, just stared up at the ceiling. "She insists, says she strips to a G-string multiple times a night and she's already in a bra and shorts, she's just looking for a shirt, so it's no big deal." Another sigh. "Then she finally says she wants me to come back there; to; be with her. She; she said I could sleep with her in exchange for tutoring." "Oh my god, David you didn't did you?" Lupie asked. "No, no of course I didn't. And that was the problem. I couldn't. I felt frozen. What she was asking me to do was against everything I'd been taught about being a good guy. And I had nothing against her, but I'd been taught that all the guys at the strip club were abusing her, and I didn't want to do the same, so I stayed put and told her I couldn't do that to her, we can work something else out. After a bit more back and forth, she got pissed and told me to leave. My legs had been frozen the entire time, locked up. I finally managed to force myself up and walked out." All three ladies were absolutely silent. "That wasn't the end of it. After waiting a week, I tried calling a few times to see if she wanted a tutoring session. She never answered." More silence. "Two semesters later, I take organic chem, and one of my classmates and study partners is a friend of Kim's. I didn't know that at first, she waited until we had been working together awhile. She finally told me it was a ruse. Kim made enough in two or three nights to pay rent for a month, and another four covered all the groceries for a month. Mind you, this was early 90's so a lot of things were cheaper. Hell, gas was barely over a dollar a gallon. Kim had set it up to make a fantasy play and I blew it. According to Beth, Kim felt hurt. That was absolutely mind boggling to me. I just couldn't accept the idea that I could mean enough to a woman to hurt her in anyway, certainly not by not having sex with her." Becca shifted against him, turning toward him. "Yeah, I know. I'm an idiot." "You really had no idea?" Jan queried. "Not a bit. I just didn't want to hurt her. I didn't want to be the jackass. Turns out I was anyway." "David," Becca asked, "could I get some help with my math?" She kept her tone even, but her face belied her joke. "Oh hush." Becca worried about missing out on college, so Jan suggested she work through some of Dave's history and biography books as a substitute for a history course. The two were downstairs in the library, reading and talking. This left Lupie and Dave alone in bed. Both were certain it was not a mere coincidence. Lupie curled into Dave's side, her head resting on his chest. She wore a light camisole. He wore his usual; nothing. "David, I wanted to thank you for backing me up the other morning with Esme." "You're welcome. I just thought it was important she not get the idea she can play me against you." Lupie snuggled him tighter. "Still, I think it fair you know what she was about to say." "Only if you think it necessary." "It's a little embarrassing. I thought she was asleep. And I thought I was being quiet." Lupie paused, blushing. "Still it has been several years since I've,; um;” "Gotcha." "Yes, so, um, there have been times when I've; taken care of certain needs. And I was thinking of you. She must have been awake and heard me call your name." Lupie's head was buried as hard into his chest as possible without breaking ribs. "Well, now you don't have to imagine. You have me, and I have you." "You're not upset?" "More like flattered. And frustrated with myself. If I'd picked up on some signs, maybe;” "Let's not go down the 'what if' road David. You're right. We have each other now. We'll build from here." Dave tightened the hug for a moment. "You know, I passed by when you were on your computer earlier. It's kinda cool to see you work. You have this penetrating gaze, like you're dissecting everything you read, weighing each word in a balance and jettisoning the unworthy." "Hmm, must have been when I was working on that memo about handover protocols. Those details can give anyone a headache." Lupie kissed his jawline. "But I don't want to talk about work now. Just hold me, David." September 23, 2020. "What do you want to make for dinner tonight?" Dave asked as he and Janice entered the kitchen. "Not sure just yet. Tell you what, you check the fridge, I'll go into the pantry and check the shelves. Let's see what we come up with from what we see." "Okay." Dave started scanning the fridge shelves for ingredients when a thought occurred to him. The pantry was private. It had been a day or so for Jan. He walked over and opened the door. "Oh good, I was wondering if I'd have to play damsel in distress needing my big strong man to help me find something in this tight little space." "Well, I do have a probe made especially for tight spaces." He kissed her, balancing hunger with tenderness. Jan hummed into the kiss. She wrapped her arms around Dave's neck and pulled her body against his. "Umm-hmm, and that probe is so very good too." She nibbled lightly on his lower lip. Knowing they had little time, and Jan was up for a quickie, Dave took hold of her slacks and panties at the waist band and pulled them down to her knees. Jan emitted a delighted squeak. Her eyes shone with excitement as he stood and picked her up, carrying her to a bare patch of wall between shelves. He shoved his cargo shorts and boxers to his ankles, then hooked his hands under her thighs and lifted and folded her in one motion as he pressed her to the wall. She gasped and moaned, giving her approval and yielding herself to his power, confident that he would meet her needs as he saw to his own. Dave drove himself into her, the serum effects having made her fully wet already. He slid full length on the first thrust. She groaned happily, hungrily and gripped his shoulders. They were pressed for time, so he pounded into her hot wet tunnel with fervor. Such was her excitement that she reached her first climax in just a few minutes. Desperately trying to contain her enjoyment, Jan bit Dave's shoulder as he accelerated his thrusting, pounding more vigorously than he ever had, racing Jan to a second climax a minute before he burst inside her, kicking her over the orgasmic abyss a third time. Dave stopped, holding her in place as both panted for air. The enclosed pantry suddenly felt hot and muggy. His legs felt wobbly. He carefully lowered her legs to the ground, allowing himself to fall outside of her as he did so. Jan pouted for a moment, then dropped to her knees to clean off his cock. "Can't make a mess in here now can we?" She said with a wink. She pulled his shorts up before drawing her own pants into place. Then she sauntered out the door. Dave followed, but nearly ran into her when she stopped short two steps out the door. Lupie and Becca stood there, smirking and clapping. Jan blushed and turned, burying her face in Dave's chest. "Get over it girl, we're all gonna catch each other like that once in a while." Becca said. "I'll remind you of that when it's you," Lupie razzed. Dinner was only a little late, but it was good. Lupie winkingly attributed the good taste to the fact it was made with love. September 24, 2020. Dave looked into the kitchen and saw Lupie at the counter, her back to him, working away. He walked carefully up behind her and gently placed his hands on her hips. She started for a second, then settled into him, allowing her back to rest on his chest. She laid her work down and lay her head on his shoulder. "Hmm. This, this right here." Dave turned his head to hers and they shared a slow, soft kiss as he brought his hands around to her abdomen. They rocked slowly together, swaying to unheard music. What Dave had intended as a happy little moment escalated when Lupie started grinding her rear against his crotch. A moment later, she brought his hands up to her tits. Dave was caught between excitement and control. He very much wanted to paw at her lovely mounds. A wonderfully medium size, Lupie's tits were just barely less than a handful. About as pert as could be natural for a woman in her early thirties. She moaned as he groped. Lupie spun in his arms, kissed him, grabbed his hand, and took off to the bedroom. Dave kept up easily, grinning and laughing the whole way. He stopped her twice to pull her in for a kiss. Once the door closed, they each ripped off their own clothes and sprinted to the bed. Lupie pulled Dave on top of her, her legs apart, insistently rubbing her body against him. "Hungry much?" "What's going on is a tragedy of epic proportions, but I also feel more free than I have in ages. Since I was a teen. Now fuck your bitch in heat David." She snagged his head in her hands and kissed him passionately. Her legs wrapped around him, leaving him enough room to maneuver himself to her entrance. Her own thrusting and abundance of lubrication had him sinking deep into her the moment he lined himself up. She kept up her pelvic motions, timing them with Dave's thrusting. They fucked frantically, frenetically, neither pausing or relenting until Dave burst into Lupie, shooting several thick ropes into her warm, waiting depths. Lupie shuddered with his emissions, griping him tightly with her arms, legs, and inner muscles. They lay panting for a few moments and then looked at each other and laughed. September 25, 2020. Friday mid-morning found Dave on the couch, debating a point of fandom with Becca. "Picard was way wilder than Kirk. They just seem the other way around in contrast with their first officers." "That's crazy talk, Becca. Picard is the staid diplomat that negotiates treaties. Kirk is the bar-room brawler that fought every alien in the sector, or bedded them." "Kirk was the A-student that cheated on the big final exam but got a pass afterward since he was a teacher's pet. Picard was an athlete and got into a bar fight with Naussicans. And got stabbed through the heart." "How dare you speak so insultingly of Jean-Luc the great?" Dave mock-scowled. "Because he's good but not great." Becca giggled. "Blasphemy! I'll shall exorcise the demon from your mind young one!" "And just how to do you plan on doing that?" The grin was the same, but her eyes had picked up a hungry glimmer. Dave did not answer. He lunged at her, hands reaching for her ribs. And then he began tickling her. Becca let out an "Oh!" As Dave barreled into her, pressing her against the couch arm. As soon as he began tickling her, she let out a loud happy shriek, followed by a series of cackles. Dave relented briefly and she caught her breath. Becca gave him a quick kiss, then slipped from under him, heading for the stairs with a look over her shoulder. With a huge grin, Dave shot after her, catching her at the top of the stairs and tickling her again. Her legs gave out from under her during the pleasant bombardment on her sides. He scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way to the bedroom. He kicked the door shut, then walked over and tossed her on the bed before jumping atop her, kissing and groping. She responded in kind, hungry and happy. They started shedding clothes wildly, paying no heed to where they landed. Mutually nude, mutually aroused, hands roaming they rolled on the bed. Dave slipped his hands to her ribs again. Becca squealed in anticipation just as he began to tickle her. Laughing and cackling she wiggled about, half-heartedly trying to escape his grasp. In the commotion, Dave still managed to align himself with her entrance, and pushed himself partially inside. He stopped his assault on her ribs just as he penetrated. A cross between a gasp and a sigh ushered from Becca. Eyes closed, she grinned wildly. Dave drove himself slowly, methodically within her. She draped her hands around his back and her legs around his waist. A look of blissful contentment blazed forth from her. He coaxed her to climax three times before finally allowing himself to spill into her. Afterward, they lay spooning in bed, Dave's chest against Becca's back, his right arm draped over her side, hand resting on her tummy. Breathing, just being close. Until Dave heard soft sobs from her. "Becca?" "I'm sorry. It felt so great, and then I thought about telling my Aunt Teresa about how my life is changed, how good I feel in bed with you, having you in my life like this." She shuddered with grief. "She's; she's; I'll never get to talk with her again. She's the one; I could talk to. When mom was stuck on rote doctrine, Aunt Teresa talked to me. Even if she echoed mom's position, she talked to me. Now they're all just gone." Dave held her firmly, letting her cry, letting her know he was there with her. After several minutes of silence, he spoke. "We live in dark times, beloved. For now anyway, happiness comes in bursts, sadness in buckets." He paused to compose himself. "We cling together to weather the storm. Separately, we may all drown." She placed her hand on his, reassuring herself he was there, as she cried herself to sleep. She never noticed his tears falling in her hair. September 28, 2020. Dave opened the door, half-expecting a National Guardsman with a woman to add to his house. He wasn't wrong. The lady in question stood ready, with a bright smile. A telegenic smile. And Dave recognized her after a moment. "Holy crap. You're Shawna Cooper! How the hell did you wind up here?" "Well, according to Oracle, you were my best match at 93%" with that same rich, assuring voice he'd come to appreciate from the TV. "Wow, okay." Dave paused to sign the form. He hadn't paid too much attention the first two times so he scanned the document quickly. He burst out laughing. The soldier grinned. "Yeah, some chairborne ranger had a little fun with that one." Shawna looked at him funny. "Something I should know?" "I'll tell you inside, with the others. They should hear this too." Dave waved as the military truck pulled away, then lead Shawna into the living room. The rest of the house must have heard the door. All three ladies currently bonded to Dave were already in the living room. "Hello" said Shawna, cautiously attempting to engage the other women. "Hey aren't you; " "Shawna Cooper, Senior Meteorologist at WFAA. Although, I may get promoted to Chief Meteorologist soon." A short round of congratulations circulated for the next minute. "Wow, Dave, you're accumulating a real smorgasbord of women. A blonde, a Latina, an Asian woman, and now a black woman." Jan smirked. Dave shook his head and closed his eyes. Shawna chuckled. "If she hadn't said it, I would have." "I'm surrounded by smart alecks." "Each of whom was selected by a computer especially for you." Apparently, the new arrival wasn't giving a holiday on sass. The playful smile on her face was already enchanting Dave's heart. "God help me." "He did David, He sent you us." Lupie punctuated her statement with a quick kiss. The others laughed. "Okay, what was that at the door about the form?" Shawna inquired. "And something about an airborne ranger?" Dave smiled. "No, a chairborne ranger. It's the army version of a desk jockey. Someone that works an army office job, but probably has a bunch of military memorabilia. They think they're a badass, but they've never been in the field without a GP medium and a heater." "You served?" Jan asked. "No, but I had a good friend that was special forces. Taught me a lot." A grey cloud of uncertainty fell across Dave's face. He shook it off. "Anyway, desk jockeys handle the paperwork and sometimes make new forms. All government forms are identified by letters signifying the department that created it, followed by some numbers. The form I have to sign when y'all get dropped off must have been created by an army guy because it's Form DA-6969-R." After a two count, the meaning of the numbers sank in and everyone burst out laughing. "Hmm, now that's giving me ideas" purred Shawna, her eyes slightly hooded. "I try to give each of you some time to get used to me and the house before making that last leap." Lupie piped up, "But we do have precedent for no delay." Becca blushed. "Oh, poor baby," Shawna teased, "did the pretty little blonde jump your bones before you were ready?" "There were some extenuating circumstances, which you will learn in time. I'm sure it will be part of the family story as we go forward. We did know each other before she got vaxxed, so I had some comfort level that she wanted this without the serum effects." "Could I get a quick thumbnail description?" "I'm Dave's next door neighbor." Lupie pointed through the wall towards her house. "Becca was my babysitter," Becca gave a shy smile and a head nod "who was watching Esme, my daughter when the lockdowns hit. We all worked together, staying isolated to get through all this. When the CDC guy came, Becca and I asked Dave to request us. Jan," the lady mentioned waved her hand "was delivered the next morning to Dave's house as we were picked up to get the shot. Something bad happened at the vax center that I don't want to go in to fully at the moment, so Becca was adamant about not waiting when we arrived. Our tender loving man didn't get to be as tender with Becca's first time as he intended." "Sounds like I have a lot to catch up on later." A look of sorrow settled on Shawna. "I'm sorry to ask but where is Esme?" "Oh, she's upstairs reading. We didn't want her down here in case the conversation got a little; risqué." Lupie replied. "She's nine. According to the CDC people, she'll be safe when she reaches eleven. I didn't understand the full explanation, but the important part is she is safe and will remain safe from this thing." "Got it, so no mounting Dave on the couch." "Preferably not." Lupie's Cheshire cat grin matched Shawna's. "Then I think it's time we headed upstairs, tender loving man." In the bedroom, with the door firmly shut, Dave and Shawna stood before each other, gazing at each other's face, eyes roaming across the other's body. "Nervous?" Shawna asked. "Never been with a black woman before?" "My lifetime dance card is a little short, so yeah, still working through the nerves somewhat." Dave temporized. "And no, actually, I've never been with a black woman, but I suspect all the parts work the same." That made her laugh. "See, I can be a smart ass too. Actually, until the last week, I'd never been with a Latina, and Asian woman, or a blonde. Well, not a natural blonde. And I've dated a Latina, but it never went that far." Shawna kissed him. Dave gratefully accepted the interruption of his babbling and joined her. Lips gently merging, pressing. Slowly probing with tongues. Twirling against each other. Mutual tongue stroking turned to suckling on each other's tongue. Hands rubbed backs, pulling insistently. Her soft upper body sandwiched between them. His hands roamed to her sides, then to her bosom. Dave began unbuttoning her blouse. Shawna pulled Dave's t-shirt over his head. "Hmm, nice. Fit without being gross. I like a man that finds balance. Huh." Dave kissed Shawna's neck at the clavicle, suckling and licking. His hands finished with her buttons, he shucked her shirt over her shoulders and she shrugged to drop the shirt off. Cupping her bra-clad bosoms from below, Dave dove into Shawna's cleavage, reveling in the feel of her ample tits surrounding his face. "Yeah baby. Feast on these boobs. You lovin' the size or the taste baby? I'm different than the others in both respects." "Infinite diversity in infinite combination." Dave lifted his head to speak. He brought his hands around to the back to unclasp her lacy orange bra, but couldn't find the mechanism. He pulled his head back from her chest to focus his eyes. Shawna just chuckled as his hands came back to the front, in the center of her bra to release the imprisoned twins. Her hands roamed his back and tousled his hair as he dallied with her chest. With her bra tossed away, Dave took a nipple in his mouth and suckled. Shawna gasped and hummed appreciatively. Her hands moved down his sides, seeking his waist band. She caught hold of his shorts, hooked her fingers beneath them and his boxers, and shoved both to his ankles. One hand grasped his shaft, the other massaged his testicles. Dave groaned from the stimulation of her efforts. "Yeah baby, that's it. You and me, we're gonna give each other a lot of happy." Shawna cooed into his ear before nibbling on it. Dave switched his attention to the other nipple. One hand teased the wet nipple, while the other dropped to the waist band of her slacks. One handed, he unbuckled her belt and unsnapped her pants. He worked the zipper a few inches down one handed also, until they loosened. Then he tugged downward, revealing her lacy orange panties. Dave caught her under the curve of her rump in both hands and lifted her to his body. Shawna squeaked and then hummed her approval as he continued to nibble her neck. She wrapped her legs around his waist. In two steps, he had them at the edge of the bed. Dave crawled onto his knees on the bed and brought his hands under her shoulder blades before lowering their torsos to the bed. Dave hooked his fingers through the thigh straps of Shawna's panties and slipped them from her. Her naked essence now exposed, Dave brought his face to her core and inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent of an aroused woman. He pressed in, his lips and tongue investigating his new partner, caressing her most intimate area. "Hmm, baby that feels so nice, but I need you in me." Shawna tugged at Dave's head. "Dock that thing in the shuttle bay captain." Dave crawled up over top of her with a huge grin on his face. She was sloppy wet below, so he slid in easily as he moved up her body. They were instinctively in sync so that they aligned themselves without discussion or fumbling. Dave was aroused as well, of course, to the point he already had a few beads of precum at the tip of his cock. As he entered, Shawna's body stiffened, then shook. She let out a loud groan as all the air left her lungs. Dave held her until the shaking stopped. "Damn," she said when she caught her breath, "they weren't lyin'." Hunger dominated her features as a wicked smile spread over her face. She rolled them, still connected, taking the top spot. "Ride 'em cowgirl." Shawna laughed as she began rolling her hips, her body writhing sinuously with the motion. Her bounteous tits swayed rhythmically, hypnotically. Dave grasped them, curling his torso up to bring his mouth to her pec pillows and feasted greedily upon the supple flesh. Shawna moaned louder with the attention. Her hips moved faster, beginning to hop an inch or so with each swish of her hips. "Let's kick this to Warp 10 baby." Shawna braced her hands on Dave's shoulders, pushing him flat to the mattress. Using him as an anchor, she began lifting and lowering herself along his rod, riding him hard and fast. Immediately her vocalizations were louder, more primal. Dave could feel the tremors rising in her body just as his own arousal raced to the peak. Dave held off for several minutes before letting loose. As she received his load, Shawna's body shook like she had gripped a live electrical wire. Her torso collapsed on to him like a marionette with the strings cut. Dave heard her chant "Imprinting;” twice before the room started to spin and everything went black. September 29, 2020. When Dave awoke, he was alone in bed. For a moment, by the light level, he thought it had only been a few hours. Then he noticed the angle of the shadows and realized it wasn't later that afternoon, it was several hours past the following daybreak. On the plus side, he felt great. And,; something was wrong. He couldn't place it. No, was something right? It'd be easier to concentrate if Esme's giggles from the kitchen weren't punctuating his thoughts. He couldn't hear any words, but the background sounds sure made it seem like she was helping someone in the kitchen. What? How the hell could he hear them that far away? He hadn't heard that well since his early twenties. And Where The Hell Was His Tinnitus? Ho-lee shit. The high-pitched whine that filled his days and haunted his nights was gone. Shit, now it would be easier to hear women and kids again. Dave barely remembered to throw on shorts and a shirt before sprinting downstairs. He picked up Esme and spun her around. "I hear you! I hear you! All the way up in the bedroom and I could hear you!" He hugged her close. She giggled, once she realized he wasn't mad. Dave set her down and gave her a big kiss on her forehead. "You are officially my favorite stepdaughter." This apple didn't fall far from the tree. She narrowed her eyes and grinned. "I'm un-officially your only stepdaughter." "Still my favorite." He said, his voice receding with him. Dave went upstairs to his office. He had a Zoom call to make that he'd been putting off. "Hi, Uncle Dave." The deep brown eyes, framed by pale skin and equally brown hair of Olivia Barnes stared back at Dave from the screen. Her father's hawkish features softened by the influence of her mother's rounder ones. Except the skin around her eyes was reddened, and somewhat puffy. Dave feared he knew why his goddaughter had been crying. It had been more than a month since he'd heard from his best friends, Carter and Janelle Barnes. "Hey Livy Bean." Maybe his longtime nickname for her would be comforting, of a sort. She did brighten slightly. Like a slightly less dim twilight. "Sorry I haven't called in a while. Things have been changing a bit around here." "Oh, that's fine." She couldn't have sounded more like Eeyore if she tried. "I just; " Olivia was cut short by the playful screech of Esme rocketing into the room, obviously being pursued. She hid behind Dave's chair as Becca entered. "Hey, you two, settle down, I'm on a Zoom call." "Oh, sorry." Both said. "Dave?! What the hell are people doing in your house! Why aren't you quarantining!?" "Yeah, that's part of the busy." Dave looked to Becca and Esme, starting to leave. "Don't go just yet. I should introduce you. Liv, this is Esme, she's the daughter of Lupie, my next door neighbor. Becca was Esme's babysitter doing a long-term babysit when the lockdowns started. We quarantined in separate houses, but worked together to make sure we each had what we needed." They each waved as their names were mentioned. "I recognize the names from earlier conversations. So how are they in your house now Dave?" Energized by questions that needed answering, Olivia strangely seemed more alert than at the beginning of the call. Dave shooed Esme out, Becca following after her and shutting the door. "About two weeks ago now, a guy came to my door, telling me they had a vaccine for this virus. But it has some weird effects." "What kind of weird effects?" Olivia's redheaded roommate Melanie Ustanich popped her head into view. "Well, they can't give the vaccine to men at all. At least not directly." This is not the way he had intended this conversation to go, but here they were. "Women can take the vaccine, and then; transmit the immunity to a man." "How?" Melanie asked with a scowl. "Oh boy. That's were this gets surreal." Dave temporized. "Giving the vaccine directly to a man is 100% fatal. But, a woman can share her immunity with a man directly, through, um,; intercourse." "Okay, I'm calling bullshit." Melanie huffed out of frame. By her footstep sounds, she left the room Olivia was transmitting from. "That's crazy Uncle Dave." "Yeah, that's what I said. But then I red all the documentation, I took the survey. And I have four partners." "Four?" "The effects of the vaccine only partially transmit to the man, and have to be reinforced by frequent; contact. In order to keep a man; safe; he should have multiple partners." Dave winced. "Last I heard, the ultimate goal is twelve to fifteen women per man. And it's permanent. Once a woman gets the vaccine and; sleeps with a man, sleeping with any other man would be dangerous, even fatal." Dave paused while Olivia absorbed what he'd just said. "It's for a lifetime, Liv. Look, if you know someone you think you can make it work long-term with, you should find him and talk to him. The people doing the vaccination should be getting out to Stephenville in another week or so. Maybe you can find someone suitable by then." Dave squirmed in his seat. "I don't have to look anywhere Dave. I know who I'd want to bond with for the rest of my life. The same man I've yearned for; for years." "Good, you should call him immediately. And tell your roommate to think about who she'd want to partner with. And she might want to consider the same guy." With a small smirk Liv replied. "Not a bad idea. This guy likes redheads. But he has a blind spot though. Has trouble noticing when women like him. Especially younger women. He keeps passing it off as infatuation. 'Just a crush'." "Well maybe you need to; " Dave stopped with his mouth hanging open, frozen. He had to remind himself to blink. "Dave, you ok? Do I need to turn you off, then turn you back on?" The sarcasm snapped him out of it. "Very funny Liv." He gathered his thoughts, or tried to. They kept scattering like cats at bath time. "I'm more than twice your age Olivia. I changed your diapers for god's sake! I helped raise you. You came to me when you were afraid to talk to your parents. Biologically it's not incest, but damn." "It's not the same David! Please; " a knock at the door interrupted them. Shawna slipped in. "Is everything okay in here?" She brought herself into the camera's field of view. "Uh, hi. I'm Olivia, David's goddaughter. Who are you?" "I'm his newest partner. I just imprinted yesterday." Shawna settled gently on Dave's thigh, keeping part of her weight on her feet. "Imprinted?" "That's what they call the binding process that happens when the vaccine serum mixes with a man's semen inside a woman's body." "Huh." Olivia looked pensive. Melanie had come back into view. Presumably, she'd been in hearing range for a minute or so. Olivia squinted at the screen, as if trying to pick out an important detail. "Anyone ever tell you that you look like the weather lady on channel 8?" "It's been known to happen." Shawna said coyly. "You may have noticed I wasn't on the air last night. And I won't be for two more nights. Vaccination leave. Some places give longer, but there's only so much staff at the station these days. I couldn't drop that much load on the rest of the weather room staff." "Oh wow. Wow. Just. Okay. This is a lot all at once." Behind Olivia, Melanie typed furiously on her phone. When the site she searched for came up she held the phone out, as if beside Olivia's laptop screen, her eyes scanning back and forth between the two. "No fucking way. Your uncle is banging the channel 8 weather chick?" Shawna's eyes narrowed. "I have a master's degree in meteorology. I have five years' experience storm chasing, another four years' experience at NSSL, and six years' experience at the station. I am a scientist as well as a broadcaster. I am not a weather chick. Hell, I have three scientific papers as the PI." Melanie looked cowed. "I'm sorry. I got a little caught up in the moment. You're right that was out of line." She paused. "Wait, you're a detective too? How does that work?" "No," Shawna said with a hand to the bridge of her nose, "PI is principal investigator; it's the polite term on a scientific team for the HMFC; head motherfucker in charge." Dave stroked her thigh, keeping his face blank. He wasn't going to laugh at her phrasing, nor admonish her harshness. "Yeah, now I need to dial it back. Sorry girls." "Don't. It's fine. Kinda funny actually." Melanie's face began receding from its earlier attempt to match her hair color. "I apologize for being brusque, but can we get back to the topic at hand?" Olivia pleaded. "David, have you ever noticed or wondered why all my relationships never lasted longer than three months?" "I just figured they weren't good enough for you." "Well, you're not wrong there. I measured them; all of them; against you and they came up wanting." "I would have thought a better comparison would be your dad. I mean, let's face it, he's a much more manly guy than me." Dave hoped he'd kept the bitter tone out of his voice. No one showed any hint it registered with them. "I never wanted to fuck dad." Olivia stared at him like she could bore holes in the screen. "Damn girl." Shawna chuckled. Melanie turned her head to Liv with her eyes wide. "When I first heard about how babies were really made and what those parts of me were for, I thought about doing that with you. When I started feeling the desire to have sex, you were the one I wanted to be with. All of you said it was just a girlish crush. I tried dating other guys. I threw myself into relationships with, nice guys, good men, but none of them were you." She paused to catch her breath. Her argument was turning into an emotional plea. "I can't give you my virginity David, but I can give you all of me forever." "Olivia, I; I just; " "David, how about you let us girls talk for a bit. After all, she's been an important part of your life for many years. I'm your brand new partner. I'm sure she has some juicy stories to tell." Shawna winked at the screen. Dave nodded and left. Dave spent some time in the greenhouse, tending the plants and 'smelling the green'. A few grow beds had separated at the corner so he repaired them. He checked the time to find it had been almost two hours since he'd left Shawna on the Zoom call with Olivia. He went back in to discover the ladies all gathered in the library. They shooed him out the moment he opened the door. "Yeah, they wouldn't let me in either. I finished my last book and wanted a new one, but they have some important discussion going on, so here I sit, rotting my brain with TV," Esme said, with air quotes for emphasis. "You could always choose a documentary instead of anime." "You could always eat a tofu burger instead of red meat." Esme giggled. "Blasphemy." Dave said, ascending the stairs. That brought a full chuckle from his nine-year old housemate. Dave sat at his computer, working out a reasonable set of instructions for a physics lab students could do from home, with materials they already had. It was maddening to think they'd gotten a sizable grant only two years ago for some great equipment, which would now sit unused in a storeroom because everything was moving online. His focus was broken by Esme's voice. "Hey Dave, they're in the living room waiting for you. I'll be reading in my room." "Thank you, my sweet Esmeralda." Esme rolled her eyes, but accepted the hug. Entering the living room, Dave found all four of his partners smiling, but serious. In just a moment's read of the resolve written there, he knew which way this was going to go. Huh. Maybe he was getting better at this. He chose a seat that could easily view everyone else's and lowered himself. Then he realized, they probably chose their spots so he'd be in this spot. "So, what's up?" Lupie spoke up. "We think you should accept Olivia, David. Her roommate Melanie is interested, and we think you should accept her as well." "I spoke with both of them for about an hour and a half, David." Shawna added. "Olivia's earnest in her feelings for you. I work beside media types, onscreen talent and production executives. I have a good feel for when someone's bs ing me. If Olivia isn't in love with you, she's very close to that. My bet is, she madly in love with you. She'd be unhappy anywhere else." Dave stared at Shawna. That last bit hit home. Olivia's happiness meant a lot to him. He suspected that last sentence was calculated, not just a lucky shot. He swallowed once and looked away. "You don't understand. I've known this girl since before she was born. I changed her diapers. She's stayed over at my house. I helped her understand boys as she got older. I've watched over her while camping or at the pool. Hell, I've seen her in bikinis since the time she started developing tits and I've never allowed myself to think of her in; lascivious terms." "Do you think she's pretty?" Jan prompted. "Absolutely. She's as lovely as her mother." A very quiet ripple ran through the room. Dave realized he'd left an opening for another tale. One he did not want to get into. "And that's just the wrapping paper. She's got a hell of a lot more than her looks going for her." All the ladies grinned. "David, do you hear yourself?" Lupie prodded. "Not just what you've said, but how you say it?" "Yes, she is dear to me. I'd do anything for her." "Then do the one thing she needs you to do right now. Love her as a woman. Allow your love for her to grow to encompass the physical." Dave breathed heavily. A whole host of emotions welled up within him. "I held her in my hands; hand; when she was only a few hours old. I cleaned her boo-boos when she fell off her bike." He chuckled through tears. "You've given her unconditional love her whole life, David. Is it any wonder she fell in love with you?" "I just worry I'd be betraying their trust." "Who?" Shawna asked. "Carter and Janelle. Livy's parents." "So ask them." Shawna suggested. Dave replied with a pained expression. "I haven't heard from them in over a month. And when we started the Zoom call, Olivia's eyes were red and puffy." A sobering silence held the room in its grasp. "David, wouldn't that mean you're all she's got left?" Lupie asked tenderly. "Yes." Dave sighed. Well, he did know walking in how this would go. "Okay. Okay. I'll contact the vax center and see what it takes to put in a request." "And you need to include Melanie, Olivia's roommate in the request." Shawna added. "I know nothing about her." "We took the time to talk. Olivia told her enough about you she said she would be willing." "That's an awfully thin data set for a life altering decision that you can't take back!" Dave objected. "David," Lupie said in her most soothing tone, "when you requested Becca and me, we still got a sheet of information about you, our match percentage in Oracle, and the chance to say no. If we said no, we'd be given a list of ten other men with their data and match percentages." "This is a lot to take in." Dave paused. "You said a bio and a match percentage?" "Yes." "And she can refuse?" "Yes. "Okay. Hell, I like redheads anyway." Dave smirked. "And she's doing something in computers. That could be very handy. And if she can share a small off-campus house with Livy, she's probably reasonably compatible anyway." "So we're resolved on this?" Becca asked. She'd been quiet during most of the conversation, although she nodded in agreement with some of the points made by the other women. "Yes, Becca, I'll request both of them. I'll call them tomorrow to confirm, then I'll call the vax center." "David, when we finished the call today, I made sure to get a clear answer from each of them." Shawna said. "Go ahead and call the vax center first, then call them to let them know the request is in." Dave stared at her for a moment. "On something like this, I want to ask them myself. Hell, there's a chance with a night to think it over, they may have decided this is a bad idea. But I will call them a second time after I call the vax center." Becca "Um, Dave, so, a friend of mine from school has been talking to me." October 3, 2020. When Dave opened the door he was greeted by an enthusiastic "Woof!" and two paws immediately planted on his chest. "Roscoe!" Dave rubbed the large Rottweiler's flanks and dipped his head to kiss Roscoe's forehead, then quickly back to dodge the dog's tongue. "Oh look, you brought Livy and her roommate with you. Good boy." Dave signed the form, thanked the soldier, and led the ladies and Roscoe into the living room where most of the house waited. Roscoe spotted Esme and bolted to her. She let out a squeak, then giggled as he licked her face. "Roscoe, down! Heel!" The happy canine trotted back to sit beside Olivia's feet as she sat on one end of the couch. "He sure is friendly. I thought Rotts are supposed to be mean, like guard dogs." Becca said. "If you train 'em mean, or abuse 'em sure. Or if they are seriously inbred. You treat 'em like family they will love on you like nobody's business. And rip the head off anyone that hurts the family. So, Esme, you play with Roscoe anytime you want. He'll love it. He's great with kids." Lupie grinned appreciatively at Livy's suggestion. She'd clearly understood Livy's implied meaning of acclimating Roscoe to see Esme as family for the purpose of defending her. "Yeah, when we go to the park for walks, it can be a real job to keep him from running and frolicking with the kiddos." Melanie chimed in. "So where's Shawna?" Liv asked. "Work. Her new partner leave was up. She has the five and six o'clock broadcast, so she won't be back until this evening." "And she's the only one Mel and I have met, so to speak." Liv said dryly. Her big toothy grin capturing attention of everyone. "Although, I've heard bits and pieces about Lupie and Esme over the past few years." Olivia introduced herself, telling everyone she had been a junior studying horticulture at Tarleton State University when lockdowns started. She's into shooting and hunting, and lots of outdoor activities. Becca looked pensive. "Oh, but don't worry," Liv assured her, "I'm usually down for group games and such. I take it your more of an indoor person?" "Mostly. I mean, I like going to the pool, and sometimes the park." Becca's spoke in soft tones. "Great. You show me some games you like, and I'll show you how fun hiking and camping can be. Maybe even teach you how to shoot." "You can do that? I mean, teach me?" "Liv manages to hit the target once in a while." Dave chuckled. "Hey, I'm a better shot than you! I've taken a deer, first shot, every season I've gone out." "I was teasing Liv." Dave temporized. "I'm still working to wrap my head around; this." "Well for me this is the realization of a dream I couldn't let go of and didn't think I'd get." The room fell quiet for a moment. "Oh, one thing about Roscoe, I almost forgot. He has some hearing loss. He's still got some hearing and a great sense of smell, so he won't get jittery when surprised as long as there aren't any unfamiliar scents." "So give him time to sniff us and adjust for a few days before walking up behind him?" Jan smiled. "Sure. That would work. And if he does get spooked, just hold still and let him sniff. By the end of today, he might not register everyone here as family, but he will understand you're all accepted by Dave and me." Another moment of quiet, and all eyes turned to Melanie. "Oh, hi. I'm Melanie Ustanich. I'm Olivia's roommate. I was a senior last year at Tarleton. I'm working on a four plus one degree in cybersecurity and network administration." Melanie's green eyes and hair balanced between coopery and auburn accented the face set in a perpetual impish smile to tell of the Irish part of her ancestry. "Four plus one?" Becca asked. "It means I began working on my master's while I was still an undergraduate. Instead of four years for a bachelor's and then two or three years for a master's, I get both done in five years." "Oh cool." "It should have helped me get into the workforce faster with less student loan debt." Melanie rolled her eyes. "I think we're going to find the financial sector changes a lot with what's going on." Lupie supplied. "Hi, I'm Lupie, Dave's neighbor; well used to be. I also used to be an investment advisor until our firm shutdown." "Oh wow. So like stocks and bonds and shit?" Lupie nodded in reply. "Do any day trading?" "Yeah, it's been handy. The market tanked, but if you know what you're doing you can still manage something positive out of it." "Good to know. And thanks about the loan info. That's something I've been worrying about. Not in school means I have to start paying my loans, but I have no job so I can't, and there's no one answering the phone lines to set up a deferment." "I thought President Pelosi suspended all debt payments and interest accrual until Congress could get together and pass something permanent." "I wish." "I'll check into that later today. You shouldn't have to worry about debts in all this mess." "Thank you, that would be a huge relief if true." "So, Tarleton isn't holding any classes?" Jan asked. "Not this semester. They said they might hold some online classes in the spring, but wouldn't commit to it. They emptied the dorms too, but Liv and I had an off-campus apartment and a trickle of income to cover the basics. We still cut into some savings. The landlord was happy to still have some income, so she cut our rent in half since; May? June?" "June." "Yeah, so that helped." Everyone talked a bit about interests, hobbies, and happenings but eventually the suitcases loomed large and we decided it was time to get Olivia and Melanie's things put away in a dresser like they lived here. They each carried their own up the stairs, only using the roller wheels as they got to the upstairs hallway. "What happened here? Why is the wall patched? Dave?" Olivia curious expression evaporated when she looked at Dave. His face twisted in pain. His heart exploded with repressed mourning. "Eddie." That one word, spoken in anguish, struck Olivia like a poleax. She fell towards Dave in faltering steps as he thumped backwards against the wall and slid down, coming to rest in a wailing mess, his precious Livy Bean clinging to him, sobbing her heart out. Janice looked bewildered. Melanie furrowed her brow. "Liv has a friend named Eddie. They even tried dating, but decided to just stay friends. Really good friends." Lupie came flying up the stairs, having heard the heart-rending cry from below. "What happened?" Melanie and Jan both shrugged, trying to catch up still. "We don't know," Janice replied, "Olivia asked why the wall had been patched. Dave looked like his heart was being ripped out and said 'Eddie' and collapsed. Olivia collapsed with him." Lupie's eyes watered and her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, David." She squatted beside the weeping pair and placed a hand on Dave's shoulder. The other three looked at each other, mildly frustrated. More mourning and no explanation. Lupie glanced up at the confused trio. "Eddie is David's son." Chapter 5: Healing Begins. October 3, 2020. House Belsus was in mourning. Lupie and Jan got an arm under Dave's armpits and lifted him up, guiding him to the bedroom once he got his feet under him. Becca and Melanie did the same for Olivia. Together, the quartet removed the shoes and socks of the weeping pair and draped a blanket over them. Roscoe trailed behind the troupe, whimpering and trying desperately to get in close to Olivia. He planted himself firmly against her in the bed once she was positioned. The pent-up pain manifested itself in force. Edward, Carter, Janelle. Three faces Dave and Livy would never see again. Three laughs they would never hear again. Three hearts they would never touch or be touched by again. It was just too much to hold in any longer. As he wept, Dave could hear a rustling sound off to the side of the room. He knew one of the women of the household was sitting there, ready if he or Livy needed anything. It was one small reassurance as images of a happy little towheaded boy played through his mind. The boy he barely got to see after the divorce. More images of the angry young man, full of his mother's twisted commentary, coming to him, beginning to realize he may have been lied to. That may be the most painful memory. After years of trying to be a dad, and being rebuffed, his boy had sought him out. They'd rebuilt slowly from there, starting on Edward's fifteenth birthday. Eight years. Eight years he'd had with his son as he grew from his mid-teens into a young, twenty-three year old man. A damn good man. And now he was gone. A memory, frozen in time. Forever young, static and unchanging. Never to find love. Never getting to be a father himself. Eddie would have been a great dad. No more Carter either. His friend from college. The man that taught him the value of being prepared. Guided him to take a martial arts class. Taught him how to use a gun. Taken him hunting and fishing. Without that time with Carter, he never would have been able to take Eddie fishing in those early years before his ex began denying visitation. And sweet Janelle. That lovely face seemed so soft. Most would think she'd never keep up with Carter's active outdoorsy life. They were wrong. She would much rather do nearly anything in the city or suburbs, but the guy she'd fallen for was an avid hiker and camper. She took to it with a borrowed passion that never relented. Janelle did everything with so much energy you'd think she could power a city with her smile and peppy personality. She managed to stay just this side of sickening bubbly though. Thanks to his newly healed hearing, Dave picked up the telltale sounds of two people working in the kitchen. Dinner? How long had he lain here, whimpering like a little bitch? It was time to get up. Dave tightened his hug on Olivia briefly, then released her and went to the bathroom to wash up and take care of needs. And wash from the elbows down. Roscoe had taken to nuzzling and licking his hands and arms in an attempt to soothe. When he returned, Lupie sat on the bed speaking soothingly to a quiet Olivia. Roscoe's head briefly turned from Olivia to give Dave a baleful look as he re-entered the room. A quick whisper brought Olivia's head up and around, rolling slightly to see Dave. She sat up and rose shakily to meet him. He hugged her again, and they each steadied themselves to stave off another crying jag. Liv slipped around Dave to enter the bathroom. Lupie met him where he stood. She placed her arms loosely around his neck, bringing their foreheads together. "I love you, David. I wish you had shared this with me earlier, but I understand why it hurt too much to address." She kissed him softly on the chin, then looked into his eyes. "I'm here for you David. Even if all you can handle is a hug, I'm here for you." She hugged him tightly. Olivia emerged, her face cleansed of tear streaks and make up. She chose not to apply new makeup. Why bother when she's liable to start crying again? Her loose black blouse and the large ruffle attached to the neck showed creases and wrinkles from lying in bed. Her work-style jeans showed no such effects, having been made to take more punishment than lying in bed could dish out. As they passed Esme's room enroute to the stairs, they heard a shout of "Dave!" just before 80 pounds of love bug smacked into the man so named and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Esme had met Eddie a few times, had a few memories of him. More than that, she wanted to console Dave in his grief. He was a figure in her young life and he was hurting. The outpouring was almost enough to set Dave off crying again, but he choked it back. Lupie gave Esme a short time to show her support, then shooed her back to her room with a hug and a kiss. "Did you get something to eat mija?" "Yes, mama. And I have a few good books in my room. I'm good for awhile." The trio continued to the stairs and emerged into the living room. Becca sat on the couch fidgeting, not really watching an anime. When she looked up, she immediately rushed to Dave and hugged him fiercely. Their height difference left her cheek bone pressed against the top of his sternum, the top of her head nestled under his chin. Dave stroked her back softly. "All those times you comforted me about my family, and you never once mentioned Eddie was gone?" She said as she pulled her head back, looking up into his eyes. Her arms remained firmly encircled around his chest, not budging a millimeter. "If I wasn't hurting for you so much, I'd be peeved at you." "Wow, didn't take you long to start talking like a wife." "Better believe it buster." "Yes dear." Her eyes laughed as she pulled him down for a comforting kiss. Their eyes stayed locked for a moment after they broke the kiss. Shawna, Janice, and Melanie slipped in from the dining room after each dropped off an item from the kitchen. Shawna still wore her on-air clothes. Today it was a stylish, breezy blouse in a vibrant shade of orange that contrasted beautifully with her dark skin. A long, loose, tan skirt below it reached to mid-calf at its lowest point, the bottom cut at an angle that exposed her right knee when she walked. She typically wore short heels at work, but had already ditched them somewhere downstairs, her feet bare but for her sheer pantyhose. Without her heels, she was barely an inch shorter than Dave, the tallest among his household. She came straight to him and wrapped him up in a warm hug. In his ear she whispered, "Anytime you need me baby, whatever it is you need, just tell me." Dave nodded and she peeled away. Jan came to him next, gently leading Mel along with her. Jan gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, her eyes conveying her sorrow and support as eloquently as words or a hug. "I knew you may not be hungry David, but if you are so inclined, I asked Mel to make bruschetta for the grazing meal we've prepared." A week or so ago, Jan's culinary journey had turned to a discussion of favorite appetizers and finger foods. Dave's number one favorite was bruschetta. "Hey now, I just made the olive tapenade and the tomato topping, you assembled it, including toasting the bread." Melanie took Dave by the hand and led him to the table decked out with several offerings, from of course, bruschetta, to deviled eggs, pigs in blankets, and a charcuterie board assembled from things Dave knew they'd had on hand this morning. Except for the bowl of fresh rolls beside it. The aroma of fresh bread permeated the air. "It looks and smells wonderful. Thank you." He gave them each a soft kiss on the cheek. He stepped back to the living room. "Shawna, I take it you are also partly to thank for tonight's spread?" "Oh, they were well along in the making when I got in from work. I just slapped some canned dough around some smokies and baked 'em." He kissed the top of her head and hugged her from behind as she sat in one of the soft chairs. "Thank you." She patted his arm lightly before he pulled away. Not hungry, but wanting to show appreciation for Jan's thoughtfulness, Dave went back to the table and snagged a piece of bruschetta before returning to the living room. The only empty spot was on the couch, with Becca on one side, Olivia on the other and Mel between the arm and Olivia. Dave settled in before taking a bite. "Oh, wow. This is great ladies." Dave said after savoring for a moment. "And Jan, before you try to turn all of it aside to Mel, proper presentation is important. Besides, the toast is perfect. Just the right amount of olive oil, nicely crisp with just a little give. Those are important parts of getting bruschetta right. And; I really appreciate the thought and the effort." "Thank you," Jan beamed. The others took turns getting plates in pairs while everyone engaged in chit chat. To be continued in part 4, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

Don Wildman inspects a fighter jet from the cold war, examines an 1860s replica steam locomotive and investigates a rare print of the Declaration of Independence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show Notes: What does it take to move ICU rehab forward — and who's leading the charge? In this episode, co-hosts Dr. Leo Arguelles and Dr. Daniel Young sit down with Dr. Monica Silva Damasceno (MD Anderson Cancer Center) and Dr. Vinh Tran (University of New Mexico) — two clinicians who shared the stage at CSM's ICU Rehab panel alongside Dale Needham, Jen Ryan, and Chris Wells. Together, they unpack what's changing in critical care physical therapy — from dismantling barriers and writing mobility into unit culture, to building true interprofessional collaboration that lasts beyond a single champion. Monica shares her journey from Brazil to Houston Methodist's Critical Care Fellowship, and how mentorship shaped her vision for ICU practice. Vinh reflects on his path from cardiac medicine to academia, bridging implementation science with bedside experience. The conversation highlights the power of structure, communication, and persistence in advancing early mobility — especially in smaller hospitals where “doing more with less” is a daily reality. Today's Guests: Monica Damasceno PT, DPT, CCS monicasdapt@gmail.com linkedin.com/in/monica-silva-damasceno-pt-dpt-ccs-03989965 Vihn Tran PT, DPT, PhD, CCS https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinh-tran-169015200/ Guest Quotes: 15:25 Vihn “ I agree in the shorter duration just because by necessity, if they're in the ICU, they're medically unstable, right? So you're limited on how aggressive you can be, although I do think we can be more aggressive than the average person thinks. So yeah, I think that seems reasonable to, to shorter sessions, but perhaps more frequently. With a caveat that there is potential out there to do longer sessions in certain really niche or precise circumstances.” 20:24   Advice for those therapists that working like the smaller kind of rural community hospitals that wanna kind of make a dent and or wanna start implementing more ICU rehab? Vihn “ ..really, it's not just a PT or rehab driven process, right. Like we in rehab can just flick a switch and all of a sudden this happens. It requires an extensive amount of collaboration between providers, nurses, techs, your own staff, your equipment managers. Everyone needs to be on board with what the overall aim is. So in order to really get the ball rolling first to me, like identify champions in, in allied communities. So whether it's a nursing manager that potentially sees the value in early mobility, perhaps it's a Mutually beneficial relationship where we can provide higher quality therapy or an earlier timeframe. At the same time, we can relieve some of the mobility tasks that nursing might have to do or help them do it in a more safe aspect.” Monica “ ..having an agreement with your team and having the the champions. One from or  multiple people from different groups, a doctor, nurses, and then have a plan of what you see for your unit in the future with this, those people, and create your practices like every day. Cultivating that practice of mobility and encouraging and helping each other.” 29:06 Monica “ one of the strategies to try to encourage more mobility is asking. What is the mobility plan during the rounds? Any rounds you have to have an answer. Then, then you think about mobility.” Rapid Responses:  What's your go-to karaoke song?  Monica: “it is Mariah Carey. It's song Mariah Carey. Always Mariah Carey. Yeah. Any song that I can find? Mariah Carey. Which is the hardest to sing. Can you imagine talking about the scales there? Vihn: I'm from St. Louis and I love Nelly, so I just gotta go with Nelly.” You know you work in acute care when… Vihn: “ When you don't care what you're wearing in the work or how you look, I should say that way.” Monica: “ The scrubs have extra scrubs, I would say and all. And also having the safety pins in your pocket to secure the lines.” Links: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6275-4362

Mutually Exclusive Points of View “Mutually Exclusive Points Of View,” presents a model called the "world stage," a closed media system that dictates two polarized perspectives: "woke town" (extreme left) and "trutherville" (extreme right). This system, which includes the centrist "normville," is described as a "duopoly" or "false choice" where both sides are controlled opposition, arguing over responsibilities while agreeing on core issues and passively consuming manufactured media. The speaker advocates for an "off-world stage" perspective, characterized by active non-belief and the recognition that history is "proactively manufactured" through scheduled psychological operations and "systemic fakery." This "off-world stage" position aims to opt out of the media-driven "civil war," viewing media, politics, and historical events as a fully manipulated ecosystem.That is a great request. Drawing directly from the sources, here are five quotes that illustrate some of the key concepts discussed regarding the world stage, systemic fakery, and the off-world stage perspective:"The issue here is that the conspiracies that they all believe in, the people in Trutherville, are supplied to them by alternative media, just as the belief system on the far left is supplied to them through their academia, through their their own ideologues on their side. But what you have here is effectively a duopoly. It's a false choice.""So one of the things that characterizes the world stage is everything is triangulated by the programmers.""And I often state that you cannot completely and entirely deconstruct any event by solely relying on what's on the screen.""Instead of being believers or alternative believers, we are non-believers. Meaning, we know what they believe, but we subtract what we can't verify. So, we're informed disbelievers.""So systemic fakery is a thing. It's real. It's been in use for a long time. It has an accumulated effect on our world view because every day of fake news becomes weeks, months, years, decades of fake history. bent history."

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed at their first summit on Friday afternoon to promote a mutually beneficial strategic relationship between their countries.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on Tuesday reaffirmed their countries' commitment to promoting a mutually beneficial strategic relationship to build constructive and stable ties.

Why Short Histories Matter War has long been the domain of soldiers and scholars: studied by the few, practised by the fewer, but suffered by the many. In the absence of lived memory, the risk is that societies forget what war really means. This fading memory matters. The 20th century saw war reach its historical zenith through extreme industrialised conflict. It was a time of mass mobilisation, unprecedented global integration, and civilian populations on the front and rear lines like never before. But today, nearly a century later, no full generation left alive can truly compute the scale of destruction the first half of the 1900s wrought outside of study, media, or memory. Total war is often abstract. It is reduced to historical footage, elevated by academic study, rendered across film and games, or reflected through anecdotes by those who have experienced conflict in our lifetime. That makes public understanding not just desirable, but necessary. As Great Power Competition returns, we risk confronting future war without a logical and emotional foundation needed to respect its costs. That is the challenge Gwynne Dyer takes up in The Shortest History of War. If war must be made intelligible to the many and not just the few, then its complexity simplified is key. His message is clear: violence certainly exists in nature, and fighting is too common across the animal kingdom; but war is something distinctly human. It is an institutional practice born of hierarchy, sustained by coercion, and shaped by political purpose. What the Book Gets Right: The Impressive Scope Dyer's narrative unfolds in broad chronological arcs, but its power lies in rejecting determinism. War, he argues, has never been inevitable and has always been enabled. Elites choose it, institutions entrench it, and ideologies justify it. Going as far back as historically plausible for a self-respecting scholar, Dyer systematically dismantles romantic myths of honourable violence and the noble savage. Instead, he traces how conflict has been shaped by degrees of industrialisation across millennia, various forms of nationalism before and after Westphalia was even a thing, evolving methods of bureaucracy long before Mandarins, and even game theory as a thought experiment. These are forces, Dyer outlines, which rhyme across history, reinforcing the institutional logic of violence and escalating its lethality. War is not some immutable condition of humanity - it is a social technology. A political invention, forged in the surplus of early agriculture and sustained by organised power ever since. One of the book's most striking passages illustrates the intense changes in just the last few centuries. Outlining the use of phalanx-style tactics, Dyer observes that a well-trained army from 1500 BCE (if rearmed with iron instead of bronze) could plausibly hold its own against one from 1500 CE. Yet within just a century of that, the military revolutions of the 17th century made such continuity impossible. The accelerating pace of change, particularly in our lifetime, has transformed war's destructiveness beyond recognition. Where war once meant hours of bloody attrition with swords or muskets, today it can mean a nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile capable of erasing cities in minutes. The gap between what war was and what it could become has never been wider. Nowhere is this institutional absurdity clearer than in Dyer's analysis of Cold War nuclear doctrines. Mutually assured destruction (MAD), he writes, was not strategic brilliance but a global suicide pact rationalised into orthodoxy. What began as deterrence hardened into doctrine - a logic so widely accepted that he says its contradictions became invisible. But The Shortest History of War is not a book about tactics, doctrines, or battlefield dynamics. It is not concerned with how wars are fought, but why war became possible at all. Dyer is philosophical as any other scholar of war, but he nonetheless br...

DEAR PAO: Separation pay and retirement pay are mutually exclusive benefits | Aug. 24, 2025Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcherTune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein #TheManilaTimes#KeepUpWithTheTimesSubscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcherTune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein #TheManilaTimes#KeepUpWithTheTimesdv Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the show this week, Dr. Christopher Meyer, author of "Settle for More" and one of the Global Guru's Top 30 Thought Leaders in Negotiation for 2025, shares his expertise on the critical differences between negotiation strategy and tactics, and why a strong planning mindset is key to successful deals. Chris breaks down his unique approach to negotiation—shifting from a traditional "win-win" mindset to focusing on how everyone at the table can truly gain. He shares his favorite negotiation tactics, the importance of preparation, and how to handle those infamous hardball negotiation techniques from buyers. Additionally, Chris provides us with valuable dos and don'ts for negotiators and offers a memorable real-world example from his own high-stakes experience in the tech sector. Outline of This Episode [00:00] Consider long-term strategy and adapt tactics to each negotiation based on your relationship. [04:22] Adopt a gain-focused mindset in negotiation for mutual benefits. [07:08] Spend 80% of your time on planning to ensure smooth negotiations. [10:12] Focus on building relationships and value, not just achieving quotas. [13:22] Mutually beneficial relationships require both parties to gain. [17:29] The breakthrough moment shifted Chris's approach from adversarial to collaborative. Beyond Win-Win—Negotiation with a Mindset for Gain Negotiation lies at the heart of successful sales, but too often it conjures images of hard-nosed tactics, adversarial posturing, and zero-sum outcomes.  One of Chris's most compelling messages is about the mindset underpinning successful negotiation. Instead of getting stuck in old “win-lose” or even “win-win” mentalities, he encourages negotiators to focus on mutual gain so that everyone in the room can gain. Negotiation, at its core, should be about finding ways for all parties to walk away recognizing value, making the process constructive, not combative. This sets the stage for strong, lasting business relationships. When both sides gain, collaboration and repeat business become far more likely. Favorite Tactics: Trade Offs, Value Creation, and Contingencies With the right mindset in place, tactical execution becomes nuanced and effective. Chris shares his three preferred tactics: Trade-Offs: Look for opportunities to give the other party a gain in exchange for something valuable in return. Value Creation: Identify and offer unique, specific benefits in the negotiation that can enhance the outcome for all. Contingencies: Structure deals so that additional benefits are provided if the counterpart reciprocates—making negotiations dynamic and adaptable. These approaches move beyond bargaining chips and price discussions; they're about co-creating solutions that satisfy both parties' core interests. Planning is the Unsung Hero of Negotiation A recurring theme in the podcast is the overwhelming importance of planning. Chris advocates for an “80/20 rule,” encouraging negotiators to spend 80% of their time preparing and only 20% executing. Deep preparation isn't just about knowing your own needs, but also anticipating the objectives and potential moves of your counterpart. Thorough planning means you're never blindsided by tough questions or aggressive tactics, and you're positioned to create and communicate value confidently.  When it comes to those famously tricky buyer tactics—take-it-or-leave-it offers, extreme anchoring, and last-minute demands, Chris' advice is twofold: first, be prepared (so you spot them coming), and second, show grace. Rather than meet aggression with aggression, view these moves as products of outdated training and use the opportunity to steer negotiations toward collaborative problem-solving. Chris' Do's and Don'ts for Better Negotiations Chris offers a succinct checklist for sales professionals: Do: Ask Questions & Be Curious: Seek to understand before seeking to be understood Develop Value: Bring as much as you can to the table Ensure All Parties Benefit: Winning together encourages long-term success. Don't: Don't Lie: Honesty fuels trust Don't Obfuscate: Clear communication prevents misunderstandings Don't Threaten: Ultimatums close minds and kill creativity When both sides are focused on gain—and negotiators put in the work to prepare, ask, and listen—outcomes exceed expectations. For anyone in sales, the path forward is clear: trade old mindsets for a commitment to curiosity, collaboration, and planning, and you'll champion not just your own success, but the reputation of the entire profession. Connect with Dr. Christopher Meyer Christopher Meyer | Hankamer School of Business Meyer Negotiation   Connect With Paul Watts  LinkedIn Twitter    Subscribe to SALES REINVENTED Audio Production and Show Notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Brian Robinson really might be on his way out of Washington, as he is now not playing tonight.

Our F/Favorite Tropes Part 18: Mutually Oblivious The Lesbian Historic Motif Podcast - Episode 321 with Heather Rose Jones In this episode we talk about: The “mutually oblivious” trope in f/f historic romance A transcript of this podcast is available here. Links to the Lesbian Historic Motif Project Online Website: http://alpennia.com/lhmp Blog: http://alpennia.com/blog RSS: http://alpennia.com/blog/feed/ Twitter: @LesbianMotif Discord: Contact Heather for an invitation to the Alpennia/LHMP Discord server The Lesbian Historic Motif Project Patreon Links to Heather Online Website: http://alpennia.com Email: Heather Rose Jones Mastodon: @heatherrosejones@Wandering.Shop Bluesky: @heatherrosejones Facebook: Heather Rose Jones (author page)

Episode cover photo courtesy of Steve Brazill, used with permission. Welcome back to Photo Geek Weekly (weekly in name only!). Please enjoy this conversation with Steve Brazill about the music industry and contracts – something every photographer should be aware of. We then dive into gear and what should really be required these days, backup [...]

November 2019 | Volume 48, Issue 11“Faith and reason are mutually reinforcing”Clarence ThomasAssociate Justice, United States Supreme Court Hillsdale College held a dedication ceremony for its new Christ Chapel on October 3, 2019, during a two-day gala to celebrate the College’s 175th anniversary. The following are excerpts from the dedication address.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

November 2019 | Volume 48, Issue 11“Faith and reason are mutually reinforcing”Clarence ThomasAssociate Justice, United States Supreme Court Hillsdale College held a dedication ceremony for its new Christ Chapel on October 3, 2019, during a two-day gala to celebrate the College’s 175th anniversary. The following are excerpts from the dedication address.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Thanks to Bitcoin anyone can use the asymmetric defenses of cryptography to their economic advantage. A symmetry is at the heart of Bitcoin security. Hard to guess. Easy to verify. Cooperation is rewarded. Conflict is not. Your keys are private. The ledger is public. Defense is cheap. Disruption is incredibly costly.It is the asymmetry and cost that gives rise to the crypto economical game theory of Bitcoin. Peaceful and voluntary cooperation. Mutually assured preservation. Sovereignty through cryptography."~ Dergigi Bitcoin is more than software - it's a living, endless game of words, math, and values. In this piece from Dergigi, we explore why free speech, property rights, and sound money are inseparable, and how Bitcoin uses one to create and enforce the others. If you missed this read when it first came out, don't miss it this time around. Check out the original article: Inalienable Property Rights (Link: https://tinyurl.com/5ahjcv6x) Links Mentioned Cryptosovereignty by Erik Cason (Link: https://tinyurl.com/48ab5uzk) CRYPTOECONOMICS by Eric Voskuil (Link: https://voskuil.org/cryptoeconomics/) Denationalisation of Money: The Argument Refined by Friedrich A. Hayek (Link: https://tinyurl.com/59ra395s) Proof of Work, a pictorial essay by Adam Gibson (Link: https://tinyurl.com/4p79e7wp) THE LAW by Frédéric Bastiat (Link: https://tinyurl.com/3t565fk7) Shelling Out by Nick Szabo (Link: https://nakamotoinstitute.org/library/shelling-out/) Check out our awesome sponsors! Ledn: Need fiat but don't want to sell your Bitcoin? Ledn offers secure, Bitcoin-backed loans with no credit checks, flexible repayment, and fast turnaround—often within 24 hours. With $10B+ in loans across 100+ countries and transparent Proof of Reserves, Ledn is a trusted option for unlocking liquidity without giving up your Bitcoin. (Link: https://learn.ledn.io/audible) HRF: The Human Rights Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. Subscribe to HRF's Financial Freedom Newsletter today. (Link: https://mailchi.mp/hrf.org/financial-freedom-newsletter) OFF: The Oslo Freedom Forum is a global human rights event by the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), uniting voices from activism, journalism, tech, and beyond. Through powerful stories and collaboration, OFF advances freedom and human potential worldwide. Join us next June. (Link: https://oslofreedomforum.com/) Pubky: Pubky is building the next web, a decentralized system designed to put control back in your hands. Escape censorship, algorithmic manipulation, and walled gardens by owning your identity and data. Explore the Pubky web and become the algorithm today. Don't forget to find me on my Pubky ID here: pk:5d7thwzkxx5mz6gk1f19wfyykr6nrwzaxri3io7ahejg1z74qngo. (Link: https://pubky.org) Chroma

Solomon and Charlie are here with a new episode of Bleav in Bengals on the heels of the press conference given by Bengals owner Mike Brown and his comments on the Shemar Stewart holdout. The guys give their take on the scenario and where they believe the Bengals are headed from here. They also touch on what Charlie has seen from Training Camp thus far and what he shares should get any fans out there excited for the upcoming season! Listen right here ONLY on Bleav in Bengals! 00:01:14 – First impressions from Bengals training camp; increased physicality 00:01:30 – Mike Brown's comments on Shemar Stewart contract negotiations 00:02:39 – Discussion of “conduct detrimental” language and agent-player dynamic 00:03:44 – Historical context of contract language and Henry Ruggs situation 00:07:34 – Broader NFL contract negotiation trends and haggling over minor terms 00:08:26 – The importance of precedent in NFL rookie contracts 00:10:14 – Players seeking second opinions from NFLPA in negotiations 00:11:16 – Impact of the contract drama on Shemar Stewart's rookie narrative 00:14:18 – How timing and changing NFL contract practices complicate negotiations 00:14:59 – Mutually assured destruction: How the stalemate hurts both Stewart and Bengals 00:16:03 – Trey Hendrickson's feelings about lack of extension/guarantees; perceived disrespect 00:16:59 – The importance of past production in player valuation 00:19:18 – Debating quality and context of Trey Hendrickson's production 00:21:43 – Bengals' use of analytics in negotiations and fairness to Hendrickson 00:22:46 – Bengals' mixed messaging on Hendrickson's trade value vs contract offers 00:23:30 – Perspective on Bengals' defense: What excites and concerns the most 00:24:57 – The importance of pass rushers to Bengals' defensive success; closing remarks

Welcome back to the Empower Her Business Accelerator podcast! I'm your host, Philippa Channer, and today's episode is all about creating relationships that are truly win-win. We're talking beyond one-time projects and into long-term value-building partnerships that benefit everyone involved. Whether you're just getting started with collaborations or want to elevate your current ones, this episode gives you the four key elements of a mutually beneficial relationship. ⏱️ Timestamps (00:00) Welcome and Empower Her Updates (01:00) The Heart of Mutually Beneficial Relationships (01:30) Step 1: Start with Shared Intentions (02:30) Step 2: Clarify Roles and Expectations (03:30) Step 3: Create Value for Each Other's Audience (04:30) Step 4: Follow Up and Keep the Connection Warm (05:30) Final Thoughts & What's Next Coming Up Next Week: We're closing out the July series with a powerful conversation on nurturing long-term partnerships—because the real magic happens after the first collaboration. See you there!

Investors today have to consider sustainability and climate resilience across all asset classes in a diversified portfolio. In this episode, we speak with two professionals from Schroders to hear how these factors are integrated in energy infrastructure and real estate. David Boyce is Head of Schroders Greencoat US, which focuses on renewable energy infrastructure. Craig Morey is the Climate Lead for the Schroders Real Estate team, which makes direct real estate investments across the UK, Europe and Asia. Both of these teams reside inside Schroders Capital, the nearly $100 billion dollar private markets unit of Schroders, which also includes Private Equity, Private Debt & Credit Alternatives. The key message for SFP followers in this episode is that climate resiliency and returns are not mutually exclusive concepts. The current shift to climate resiliency in renewable energy and infrastructure is opening up very attractive investment opportunities, and enhancing current investments.

External affairs minister is on 2-day visit to China, his first since 2020 Galwan clashes. He's set to meet Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi before going to Tianjin for SCO meet.----more---- https://theprint.in/diplomacy/continued-normalisation-of-ties-can-lead-to-mutually-beneficial-outcomes-jaishankar-in-beijing/2689215/

As the designs for HS2 took shape, the new team behind it set out to prove its value to Ministers and MPs. But as Kate hears, long term flaws were being baked into the project, with an economic justification that centred on outdated assumptions. And, as the designers sought to make the justification, they adjusted the design - making it more expensive. The focus on speed was exciting - but it also distracted from the line's real purpose. The initial vision was becoming more muddled by the minute. Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Robert Nicholson Executive Producer: Will Yates Sound Design and Mix: Arlie Adlington A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Investors today have to consider sustainability and climate resilience across all asset classes in a diversified portfolio. In this episode, we speak with two professionals from Schroders to hear how these factors are integrated in energy infrastructure and real estate. David Boyce is Head of Schroders Greencoat US, which focuses on renewable energy infrastructure. Craig Morey is the Climate Lead for the Schroders Real Estate team, which makes direct real estate investments across the UK, Europe and Asia. Both of these teams reside inside Schroders Capital, the nearly $100 billion dollar private markets unit of Schroders, which also includes Private Equity, Private Debt & Credit Alternatives. The key message for SFP followers in this episode is that climate resiliency and returns are not mutually exclusive concepts. The current shift to climate resiliency in renewable energy and infrastructure is opening up very attractive investment opportunities, and enhancing current investments.

It's been 40 years since the French sunk the Rainbow Warrior. They wanted to stop the protests against nuclear testing at Mururoa. The terrorist attack by an allied country on on our soil was outrageous. Two years after the event, we cemented our nuclear free stance. We're officially against nuclear weapons. Testing is bad for the environment, no doubt. But let me ask you a question. Since Hiroshima and Nagasaki, have we had another world war? The answer is no. We've had decades of cold war between Russia and the West.We've had plenty of conflict - Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East.But nothing's escalated quite in the way it did in World Wars I and II. I think you've got to ask yourself why? Did we collectively realise the bloody cost of far away battles and drawing our friends into conflict?Did we wake up after the second round and think, oh, world wars aren't that great. Or we witness the power of atomic weapons in Japan and scare ourselves silly? The theory of nuclear deterrence basically says that yes nukes are evil inventions, but their existence deters your enemies from attacking you for fear you'll hit back with a nuke. Mutually assured destruction. It's like schoolyard bullies. You don't pick on a guy who's got a bunch of older brothers who could then come beat you up. The threat of getting totally annihilated deters you from picking on somebody with nukes, or, messing with their friends. Nukes are bad. But does anybody think without them we'd have gone 80 years without a major world war?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

0:00 - Brett says Calvin Booth isn't without criticism, BUT we're maybe hammering him a bit too hard. In fairness to Booth, he never actually got to see his vision carried out. He and Michael Malone sabotaged each other. Mutually assured destruction. 16:00 - If you looked at any ONE of the Nuggets moves from the past 48 hours, you'd say, "Wow, the team got better!" And somehow, the Nuggets made FOUR of those moves.34:13 - Let's take a live look at ESPN right now. The current topic: have the Nuggets done enough to "support Jokic."

This week's episode explores the powerful connection between vulnerability and professionalism in healthcare, inspired by a transformative wellbeing session at Bathurst Health Service. Dr. Jo shares how allied health professionals and hospital executives created a culture of rewarded vulnerability by openly discussing their daily emotional experiences and boundary-setting challenges. You'll discover why vulnerability isn't the opposite of professionalism—it's actually the foundation of it, and learn practical ways to create psychological safety in your workplace. The episode concludes with three powerful reflection questions to help you examine your own relationship with vulnerability and its impact on your professional growth.Resources:https://drjobraid.comwww.instagram.com/burnoutrecoverydrwww.linkedin.com/in/drjobraidhttps://tidycal.com/drjobraid/power-hour I acknowledge that I create this podcast on the traditional lands of the Wiradjuri people, who have been the custodians of this land around Orange, New South Wales, for thousands of generations. I pay my respects to Wiradjuri Elders past, present, and emerging, and recognize the continuing connection to land, waters, and culture. This acknowledgment is a small but important step in recognizing the sovereignty of First Nations peoples and the deep historical and ongoing relationship with Country. Disclaimer: The information provided on or through our Site, products and/or services is intended to be for informational purposes only. It does not constitute or replace professional advice for individual or specific situations and nor does it take into account your specific needs or circumstances. Under no circumstances should the content made available on our Site, or regarding our products and/or services be relied upon as professional legal, medical, financial, business or other advice. You agree to obtain these services if you need these. Our Site may have articles and content that is of a general nature and is intended to be for informational purposes only. Your access to and use of they Site is subject to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Good evening: The show begins in Istanbul where Ukraine and Russia exchange profoundly mutually unacceptable memos of their war aims. 1945 BERLIN CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR FIRST HOUR 9:15-9:30 1/2: Ukraine: Unviable memorandums. Anatol Lieven, Quincy Institute. 9:30-9:45 2/2: Ukraine: Unviable memorandums. Anatol Lieven. 9:45-10:00 1/2: Tariffs; What's wrong with the CIT decision that Liberation Day is unconstitutional? John Yoo, Civitas Institute. 10:00 2/2: Tariffs; What's wrong with the CIT decision that Liberation Day is unconstitutional? John Yoo, Civitas Institute. SECOND HOUR 10:00-10:15 Israel: Gaza aid. Malcolm Hoenlein @conf_of_pres @mhoenlein1. Ambassador Yechiel Leiter. 10:15-10:30 Iran: Trump administration jaw jaw. David Albright, Malcolm Hoenlein @conf_of_pres @mhoenlein1. 10:30-10:45 Antisemitism: Ananda and Australia campus tragedy. Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel. Malcolm Hoenlein @conf_of_pres @mhoenlein1. 10:45-11:00 Iran: The head of the snake. Jonathan Ruhe, JINSA. Malcolm Hoenlein @conf_of_pres @mhoenlein1. THIRD HOUR 11:00-11:15 #NewWorldReport: Mexico under Morena. Latin American Research Professor Evan Ellis, U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute. @revanellis #newworldreportellis 11:15-11:30 #NewWorldReport: Peru troubles. Latin American Research Professor Evan Ellis, U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute. @revanellis #newworldreportellis 11:30-11:45 #NewWorldReport: Bukele of El Salvador. Latin American Research Professor Evan Ellis, U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute. @revanellis #newworldreportellis 11:45-12:00 Suriname: The good news. #NewWorldReport: Latin American Research Professor Evan Ellis, U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute. @revanellis #newworldreportellis FOURTH HOUR 12:00-12:15 AI: Reducing headcount. #ScalaReport: Chris Riegel CEO, Scala.com @stratacache. 12:15-12:30 Mexico: Return of PRI as Morena. Mary Anastasia O'Grady, WSJ. 12:30-12:45 1/2: #Hotel Mars: Casey Dreier, Planetary Society. David Livingston: NASA in retreat from JPL. 12:45-1:00 AM 2/2: #Hotel Mars: Casey Dreier, Planetary Society. David Livingston: NASA in retreat from JPL.

We're living through a moment of global upheaval—where the old order is crumbling, and the future feels dangerously uncertain. At the heart of this instability is the evolving, uneasy relationship between the U.S. and China: two powers with the ambition and capacity to shape whatever comes next, yet with fundamentally different worldviews. In this episode of New Thinking for a New World, we hear from Chandran Nair, founder of the Global Institute for Tomorrow, a Pan-Asian think tank. Speaking from an Asian perspective, Nair argues that China may be more clear-eyed than the West about how the world should work. Is he right? Listen and decide for yourself.

The podcast episode discusses the advantages of User Generated Content (UGC) as a viable income opportunity compared to traditional network marketing models. It highlights how UGC allows creators to earn directly from brands without the need for recruiting or achieving specific sales metrics. **Key Points:** - **Direct Payment for Content:** Creators are paid upfront for their videos, eliminating the need for conversions or clicks to earn money. - **Skill Development:** UGC helps in developing marketable skills such as pitching, editing, and speaking confidently on camera. - **Income Potential:** Many have achieved significant earnings in a short time, with some reaching six figures within a year. - **Freedom and Control:** Creators have more control over their brand and the types of content they produce, aligning with their personal values and interests. - **No Need for Large Followings:** Unlike network marketing, UGC does not require a large social media following to be successful. 00:00 – Intro: Why UGC versus MLM 00:55 – The truth about MLM's business model 01:26 – UGC as a smarter income stream 01:47 – No recruiting required with UGC 02:04 – You get paid regardless of followers 02:20 – Paid upfront with no middleman 03:00 – No autoships or commissions to chase 03:14 – Faster path to income 03:37 – No gatekeeping or uplines 04:05 – Full control of your personal brand 04:27 – UGC is a long-term skill you can monetize 04:44 – Transferable skills: pitch, edit, and influence 05:12 – UGC has a bigger market and lower risk 05:50 – No following needed—just follow directions 06:13 – Creative freedom without pressure 06:31 – Mutually beneficial brand relationships 06:53 – UGC fits into diversified income 07:16 – Learn skills that MLM leaders wish they could teach 07:48 – Real results: $1K+ months, even as a beginner 08:16 – Final encouragement + where to learn more 08:37 – Outro & where to find me RESOURCES MENTIONED: → FREE RESOURCE: What I said to brands to get 10 PAID DEALS overnight -- https://stan.store/Kaylaybanez/p/the-message-that-got-10-brands-to-say-yes WORK WITH ME: Ready to monetize your skills as a non-influencer? -- Get ready to get paid high ticket for brand videos + retainer deals without having to post to social media - Lights, Camera Rehired -- https://stan.store/Kaylaybanez/p/lights-camera-rehired→ Check out my program, 2nd Job Alternative : https://stan.store/Kaylaybanez/p/2nd-job-alternative-30-day-program LET'S HANG OUT MORE: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imkaylaybanez TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@kaylaybanez MORE VIDEOS YOU'LL LOVE: @ImKaylaYbanez - check out my shorts https://youtu.be/NZWufOjFV6U https://youtu.be/-hhsi9__-RU Tell me in the comments: What was your biggest "OMG I NEEDED THIS" moment? Let's chat below — I reply to every single one! #UGC #UserGeneratedContent #CreativeEntrepreneurship #ContentCreation #DigitalMarketing #BrandCollaboration #VideoEditing #CreativeOutlet #MakeMoneyOnline #AgeIsJustANumber #networkmarketing #mlmbusiness #lifeaftermlm

In this episode, Dr. Oord re-engages with a new book from C.S. Pearce and Philip Clayton entitled, Science and the Sacred: Beyond the Gods in Our Image.In this beautifully written book, an atheist (Pearce) and a theist (Clayton) explore the intersection points of science and the Sacred. Despite their differences, both authors find themselves in agreement that believing in a God who is both good and all-powerful is problematic.

Anthony Saccaro says the delays and reneging in tariff policy are negotiation tactics, and Consumer Confidence is reflecting that reading. He discusses how to play volatility depending on where you are in life. He talks about how disinflation and tariffs are not mutually exclusive, and where he's looking to invest during this volatility. He's particularly focused on companies that pay dividends.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – / schwabnetwork Follow us on Facebook – / schwabnetwork Follow us on LinkedIn - / schwab-network About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Josh Hammer explains why "mutually assured destruction" is needed to end our escalating politicized law enforcement wars, excoriates the latest ridiculous comments from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, and assesses the new American-born pope and the prospects for a trade deal with China and nuclear deal with Iran.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

BREAKING NEWS - Penguins and Mike Sullivan mutually agree to part ways. Sullivan has an argument as the greatest coach in Penguins history. We recall the good Sullivan brought to the Penguins and what went wrong leading to the big change. Hockey reporter Arthur Staple of The Athletic joined the show and thinks there's a little over a 50% chance Mike Sullivan becomes the Rangers coach and the Rangers have wanted Sullivan for a while now.

A divine, shared, mutually deferential life of love.Tuesday • 4/22/2025 •Easter Week  This morning's Scriptures are: Psalm 103; Isaiah 30:18–21; Acts 2:36–41(42–47); John 14:15–31  This morning's Canticles are: following the OT reading, Pascha Nostrum (“Christ Our Passover,” BCP, p. 83);  following the Epistle reading, Canticle 18 (“A Song to the Lamb,” Revelation 4:11; 5:9–10, 13, BCP, p. 93)

Leroy's least favorite Hockey moment Haunts him during Panthers Loss last night News of the Day: Dolphins & Cornerback Jalen Ramsey mutually set to explore trade options Frogboy and Leroy are forced to apologize to "SlckRick" We dive into the implications of this report and what this means for the Fins Tobin gives his theory on what went wrong between the Dolphins and Ramsey Leroy reflects on his Career choices after seeing how "money driven" player decisions are now The guys explain why the Dolphins are currently at a "Pivot Point" Update on Pelle Larsson's injury status Marcus Morris has an interesting take that tickles Tobin's Fancy Giannis to the HEAT!?! Would the HEAT risk taking a chance on Dame following his Blood Clot problem? Panthers Lose yesterday but the guys are looking forward to Playoff season as the Cats limp to the finish

Mike Johnson and Abe Gordon react to the latest news, rumors, and reports in the NFL as they go In The Huddle.

In this episode, Robert breaks down one of the wildest weeks in market history unpacking what led to the near collapse of U.S. stocks, what actually ended the chaos, and why he shifted his entire portfolio before it all went down. He shares his updated outlook post Liberation Day tariffs, how he's re-entering positions, and what investors need to understand about buying in uncertain times. Plus, he answers a listener's question about navigating the next phase with confidence.

Read along to practice your English and to learn the English phrases MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL and THE FEELING IS MUTUALIn this English lesson, I wanted to help you understand the English term mutually beneficial. When something is mutually beneficial, it benefits both people. The other day in my lesson I used the term win win. When something's a win win, it means it's good for both people who are involved in whatever is happening. You could say the same thing here. When something is mutually beneficial, then both people are... both countries benefit. I will say this, I don't like to get political, but tariffs don't seem to be mutually beneficial. The world's a little crazy right now. Again, I don't like to comment on too much of the political spectrum, but I'm not sure everything is mutually beneficial right now in the world.WANT FREE ENGLISH LESSONS? GO TO YOUTUBE AND SEARCH, "BOB THE CANADIAN"If you enjoy these lessons please consider supporting me at: http://www.patreon.com/bobthecanadianThe other phrase I wanted to teach you today is the feeling is mutual. When someone tells you what they think about you or how they feel about you. And if you respond by saying the feeling is mutual, it means you feel the same way. If one of you didn't like me and said, Bob, you're not very nice and I thought the same about you, I would say, hey, the feeling is mutual. You can also use this to talk about, like if two people think the same way about something, you could say the feeling is mutual. Like if one of you said that you don't like tariffs, I could say, oh, the feeling's mutual. It means I don't really like them either. I hope I don't get too many comments from this lesson. But anyways, to review when something is mutually beneficial, it's good for both people or both parties or both countries. And when the feeling is mutual, it means that you and another person or a group of people and another group of people feel the same way about something.But hey, let's look at a comment from a previous video. This is from Mohd Ags. It's so good to see you Mr. Bob. Thank you for the useful phrase sight unseen. And thanks to the student that used it naturally, they basically taught us the phrase too, eh? Correct use of "eh" by the way. And my response? Yep, the people around me are unaware that they are inadvertently teaching all of you. So thanks Mohd Ags for that comment.And yeah, I've explained this before, haven't I? That what I do in order to figure out what to teach you today is I just listen to people and someone actually used the phrase mutually beneficial today. And then usually the second phrase, I just look for something that's kind of related. It doesn't always mean the same thing, but it usually has the same word in it or some version of that word.So yeah, what was I going to talk about today? Not politics. I'm not going to talk about that at all. Or did I already do that? Maybe a little bit. I know someone else commented, and I didn't have this comment on the screen that in the last video I was probably talking faster than I did in previous lessons on this channel. And that could be true. I'm a little out of practice In English, when you say you're out of practice, it means you haven't done something for a while, so you're maybe not as good at it or not doing it in the same way that you used to do it.So maybe I'm a little bit out of practice. I just intentionally started speaking a little bit more slowly, 10% more slowly than normal, and pronouncing all my words correctly. So we'll see. Now I feel like I'm thinking about it too much and adjusting how I speak too much. So I'll try to go back to normal. The idea with this channel is that I do speak close to my normal speed for the last two minutes, so hopefully I'm gettinSupport the show

Hello, media consumers! Bryan is still out on vacation, but Joel is here with two former colleagues, Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis. They kick off the show by discussing the first time Joel joined them on a podcast (0:44). Then they discuss the following: ‘Hang Up and Listen,' a sports show that was produced by a non-sports publication (14:00) The reason Josh and Stefan hate the Hall of Fame (28:34) Josh and Bryan's "mutually reinforcing weirdo tendencies" (32:01) How covering sports for ‘Hang Up and Listen' helped with their other work (52:34) How Josh and Stefan's relationship evolved as they worked together (57:33) Host: Joel Anderson Guests: Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis Producer: Brian H. Waters Additional Production Support: Bobby Wagner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This PBSE Podcast Episode 274, centers on a partner's heartfelt account of feeling objectified and emotionally disconnected during sex with her spouse, who is in recovery from porn addiction. Though he has given up porn and masturbation, their intimacy remains one-sided, leaving her feeling like a replacement for his addiction rather than a true partner in connection. Mark and Steve explore how sobriety alone isn't enough—emotional growth, mindfulness, and a complete rewiring of sexual expectations are essential for healing.Through neuroscience, they unpack how porn addiction distorts the brain's wiring around sex, creating a dopamine-driven pattern that prioritizes climax over connection. Recovery, then, requires more than behavioral change; it calls for a transformation of mindset, unlearning toxic scripts, and rebuilding intimacy through vulnerability and presence. The metaphor of “remodeling” becomes central: couples must tear down broken patterns and collaboratively design a new vision for their sexual relationship.Ultimately, the article calls couples to take back authorship of their story by replacing silence, shame, and autopilot sex with curiosity, honesty, and shared desire. With intention and effort, couples can elevate their sexual connection from a mechanical act to a space of mutual pleasure and deep intimacy—if they are willing to write that new narrative together.For a full transcript of this podcast in article format, go to:  Sed Isn't Mutually Pleasurable in our Relationship. Howe do We Elevate the Experience?Learn more about Mark and Steve's revolutionary online porn/sexual addiction recovery and betrayal trauma healing program at—daretoconnectnow.comFind out more about Steve Moore at:  Ascension CounselingLearn more about Mark Kastleman at:  Reclaim Counseling Services

AI has emerged as a critical geopolitical battleground where Washington and Beijing are racing not just for economic advantage, but military dominance. Despite these high stakes, there's surprising little consensus on how—or whether—to respond to frontier AI development.The polarized landscape features techno-optimists battling AI safety advocates, with the formerdismissing the latter as "doomers" who exaggerate existential risks. Meanwhile, AI business leaders face criticism for potentially overstating their companies' capabilities to attract investors and secure favorable regulations that protect their market positions.Democrats and civil rights advocates warn that focusing solely on catastrophic risks versus economic prosperity distracts from immediate harms like misinformation, algorithmic discrimination, and synthetic media abuse. U.S. regulatory efforts have struggled, with California's SB 1047 failing last year and Trump repealing Biden's AI Executive Order on inauguration day. Even the future of the U.S. government's AI Safety Institute remains uncertain under the new administration.With a new administration in Washington, important questions linger: How should government approach AI's national security implications? Can corporate profit motives align with safer outcomes? And if the U.S. and China are locked in an AI arms race, is de-escalation possible, or are we heading toward a digital version of Mutually Assured Destruction?Joining me to explore these questions are Dan Hendrycks, AI researcher and Director of the Center for AI Safety and co-author of "Superintelligence Strategy," a framework for navigating advanced AI from a national security and geopolitical perspective, and FAI's own Sam Hammond, Senior Economist and AI policy expert.

Mutually supporting and sustaining one another in marriage.

Author Zoe Whittal has written acclaimed scripts and books alike, and breaks down her life in books; Steven Beattie recommends three of his favourite funny books, all of which include serious undertones; musician Jordan Astra talks about funk music and Nike shoes; and writer Ian Williams partakes in ‘speed dating therapy”on this episode of The Next Chapter.Books discussed on this week's show include:The Passion by Jeannette WintersonHeroine by Gail ScottRat Bohemia by Sarah SchulmanThe Argonauts by Maggie NelsonShoe Dog by Phil KnightAnimal Farm by Geroge OrwellNot a River by Selva AlmadaThe List by Yomi AdegokeReally Good, Actually by Monica HeiseyThe Sellout by Paul BeattyThe Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence SterneWhat I Mean to Say by Ian Williams

Dan's new paper, “Superintelligence Strategy” ... “Mutually assured AI malfunction” ... Does China see America's AI policy as a grave threat? ... How likely is US-China conflict over superintelligence? ... How America's chip war makes war over Taiwan more likely ... Why did China-hawkism sweep Silicon Valley? ... Can we avoid AI doom without global governance? ... The key points of Dan's paper ... Heading to Overtime ...

Dan's new paper, “Superintelligence Strategy” ... “Mutually assured AI malfunction” ... Does China see America's AI policy as a grave threat? ... How likely is US-China conflict over superintelligence? ... How America's chip war makes war over Taiwan more likely ... Why did China-hawkism sweep Silicon Valley? ... Can we avoid AI doom without global governance? ... The key points of Dan's paper ... Heading to Overtime ...

This week on No Priors, Sarah is joined by Dan Hendrycks, director of the Center of AI Safety. Dan serves as an advisor to xAI and Scale AI. He is a longtime AI researcher, publisher of interesting AI evals such as "Humanity's Last Exam," and co-author of a new paper on National Security "Superintelligence Strategy" along with Scale founder-CEO Alex Wang and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. They explore AI safety, geopolitical implications, the potential weaponization of AI, along with policy recommendations. Sign up for new podcasts every week. Email feedback to show@no-priors.com Follow us on Twitter: @NoPriorsPod | @Saranormous | @EladGil | @DanHendrycks Show Notes: 0:00 Introduction 0:36 Dan's path to focusing on AI Safety 1:25 Safety efforts in large labs 3:12 Distinguishing alignment and safety 4:48 AI's impact on national security 9:59 How might AI be weaponized? 14:43 Immigration policies for AI talent 17:50 Mutually assured AI malfunction 22:54 Policy suggestions for current administration 25:34 Compute security 30:37 Current state of evals

Revenue Reimagined partners Adam and Dale join us to discuss the future of fractional work and how to choose the right one. How and when to take that leap of faith. Understanding people need to execute on the small tactical things while you are also focusing on the overall strategy. What are you waiting for?  Time to reserve your spot at www.surfandsales.com  

Mike and Beau react to ESPN and MLB mutually agreeing to end their broadcast partnership after the 2025 season.

Not long ago, a prominent Silicon Valley technologist told anyone who would listen that he believed he would never die because Artificial Intelligence was basically a God-like machine that could override all human frailties, including aging. This idea, says author and classicist Spencer Klavan, isn't new: the history of science is in large part the story of trying to take the Creator out of the picture, only to come back again to the same stirrings described so eloquently in the first chapter of Genesis. Klavan, the author of the new book Light of the Mind, Light of the World: How New Science is Illuminating Ancient Truths About God, talks to Liel about the future of AI, the arrogance of the new atheists, and the hopeful future that groundbreaking discoveries are ushering in by bridging the gap between faith and science. 

Krissy, Kelsey, and Chelsea dive into the trade-offs between peak athletic performance and peak wellness, uncovering why the two rarely go hand in hand. They explore the physical, mental, and social sacrifices required to excel in sport, touching on topics like the nutritional gaps that come with high volume training, the mental grind of competition, and the long-term health impacts of pushing limits. The conversation defines peak wellness as a balanced state of physical, mental, and emotional health—rooted in moderation, longevity, and sustainability. They also share practical insights on training periodization, reassessing training goals, and tuning into your body to strike a balance that works for your unique journey. Krissy's Bio & Instagram Kelsey's Bio & Instagram Chelsea's Bio & Instagram Nutrition Coaching Free Macro Calculator Free Downloads Blog

Colleague Chris Riegel of the #SCALAREPORT notes that the exchange of threatened trade restrictions—both tariffs and bans—represents preliminary negotiations between China and the US toward a mutually beneficial trade deal. 1890 China