Podcasts about Old Spice

CW: sexual assaultOn this episode, Ginger finishes up our discussion on Pete Hagsbreath, an block of wet cheese looking to Make America Lethal Again and whose own mom hates him. Featuring the Axe to Old Spice pipeline, pornos about getting stuck in dryers, and staging an intervention via Congress.Citations at thisfnguypod.com.

Are you practicing correct mouilettiquette?? Find out today with Hoax Parfum Co-Founder and Perfumer Joey Rosin! Hoax is a bespoke fragrance design and consultancy boutique, and Joey is its resident nose. In his short time as an independent perfumer, Joey has made waves in the industry landing notable projects like Sable Yong's Die Hot with A Vengeance, Tsu Lange Yor's Sala, and many fun fragrances you'll surely be smelling soon!FOLLOW:@hoaxparfum |hoaxparfum.comSMELLS LIKE LOVE TIX:https://www.caveat.nyc/events/perfume-room-presents-smells-like-love-2-15-2025LILAC SMELL CLUB: lilacsmellclub.eventbrite.comREAD HIGHSNOB ARTICLE:https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/how-to-become-a-perfumer/FRAGS MENTIONED:Vyrao Georgette (SOTD & gifted), Axe: Apollo, Phoenix, Dark Temptation; Old Spice, Imaginary Authors, D.S. & Durga Cowboy Grass, Debaser; Tsu Lange Yor Sala, Die Hot With A Vengeance, Floratica, Headspace: Absinthe, Tubereuse

Stugotz and Billy are living it up on Radio row in New Orleans. Guests include Warrick Dunn, Matthew Berry, Taylor Rooks, Jermaine Johnson, Quincy Williams, Will Shields, Ed McCaffery, Cam Jordan and the Old Spice guy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stugotz and Billy are living it up on Radio row in New Orleans. Guests include Warrick Dunn, Matthew Berry, Taylor Rooks, Jermaine Johnson, Quincy Williams, Will Shields, Ed McCaffery, Cam Jordan and the Old Spice guy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stugotz and Billy are living it up on Radio row in New Orleans. Guests include Warrick Dunn, Matthew Berry, Taylor Rooks, Jermaine Johnson, Quincy Williams, Will Shields, Ed McCaffery, Cam Jordan and the Old Spice guy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It takes more than an, R; rating to save the world.By kittybeaver, in 5 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels. Of course he was good looking. In fact, 'good looking' was an understatement. 6'4" and 240 lbs. of muscle clad in tight blue jeans and an equally tight red t-shirt, he was intimidatingly gorgeous. Dirk Allen made his living as a male model, so Tina had expected intimidatingly gorgeous. Good thing for her she wasn't easily intimidated.If he hadn't been her assignment, she would've entertained the thought of seducing him. Sometimes, when global safety was at stake, seduction was part of her assignment, so she had that skill set. Tina knew how to accidentally position herself in a man's line of vision and show her figure at the best angle. She could purposefully make the random eye contact that somehow led to the chance connection. She knew how to suggest he come back to her place in such a way that it was obvious she'd "never done this sort of thing before." And she knew how to ride a cock. She would have been more than happy to prove that to male model Dirk Allen.Tina could picture him sprawled naked on her living room floor. In that picture she was straddling him, impaling herself on his engorged manhood, rocking her hips to a rhythm that made him whimper. She could almost feel his silky, raven black hair as she fisted it and pulled him up into a sitting position, encouraging him to suck and bite her breasts. Oh God, her breasts ached for the touch of his full, pouty lips."Keep on mission, Agent Blondell," an authoritative voice chirped from the small communicator tucked behind Tina's ear."Stay out of my bio readings, Fact-Tel," she snapped.Generally it was helpful to have an artificial intelligence with access to every database in the world at Tina's beck and call. Usually it was a good thing Fact-Tel monitored her vital signs, making sure she hadn't been poisoned or wasn't bleeding internally. But at that moment, when Tina's nipples were so stiff they cast shadows on her silk blouse, Fact-Tel's omniscient omnipresence wasn't helpful or a good thing."This is why I don't like working with biologicals," Fact-Tel muttered. "You all get distracted by the mere thought of reproduction.""Target is heading west on Spruce," Tina said as Dirk Allen disappeared from view. "Possible destinations?""I don't know," Fact-Tel groaned. "There's like 80 coffee shops between here and 22nd Street. He's probably going to one of those.""You're a big help. Thanks." Tina casually slid around the corner onto Spruce Street, catching sight of her target almost immediately. With his broad shoulders and tight ass, he stood out in a crowd."He's not good breeding material," Fact-Tel warned her. "Sure he's got perfect DNA, but all my research indicates he's a mama's boy.""Not looking to breed," she said while she slipped through the lunch crowd lining up at a sidewalk hot-dog cart."Do you really want Delia Villa-Allen as your mother-in-law?" the AI asked. "She is kind of evil.""We haven't proved that yet," Tina reminded him. "And I'm not in the market for a mother-in-law, or husband, for that matter."Love wasn't a luxury she could afford. As the number one agent for the SWSO, Tina Blondell didn't have time for date nights or boyfriends. All her time was spent protecting the public from people like Delia Villa-Allen, CEO of Villa Pharmaceuticals. If reports could be trusted, Villa-Allen had developed the formula for Delectiovenenum and was planning to use it to enslave the human race.It was Tina's mission to infiltrate Villa Pharmaceuticals, find out if those reports were true and, if they were, stop the fiendish plot before it could be completed. She hoped hunky Dirk Allen was, in fact, a mama's boy. If he was the sort of son who diligently listened while his mother complained about her workday then perhaps he knew a thing or two about Villa Pharmaceuticals' alleged illegal experiments and maybe, just maybe, Tina could trick him into giving up those secrets and helping her save the world.For the last block and a half, Tina had stealthily followed Dirk. She noted his every move, never taking her eyes off of him. But she did have to blink and it was in that half second of blinking that she lost sight of him. One moment he was there, the next he wasn't."Fact-Tel," Tina gasped. "Where'd he go?""I, um, Ahh, " the AI stammered."Hack into the surveillance cameras on the neighboring buildings," she ordered. "There's got to be something. He was just here.""Maybe that alleyway," Fact-Tel suggested, but Tina could tell from the tone of his mechanical voice he had nothing.Sure enough, the ally was a dead end. There wasn't a single male underwear model hiding behind the dumpster. Tina sighed with frustration. If the human race was enslaved it would all be her fault, hers and her stupid, blinking eyes."Check architectural plans and recent building applications," she said, knowing it was hopeless, but she had to try. "Maybe there's a hidden door somewhere."At that moment a gust of wind stirred the back of Tina's skirt, almost lifting it past her hips. She spun around and found herself not two feet away from the elusive Dirk Allen. By God, he was even better looking up close, what with his pale green eyes and chiseled jaw."Did my mother send you?" he asked.Tina's face stayed deadly serious, but in her mind she smiled. She knew how to get the information she needed. It would be as easy as picking up a one night stand at a sports bar."She's worried about you, Dirk," Tina said, her eyes filling with concern. "We all are."Of course, the cute, little blonde worked for his mother. Dirk couldn't have been more disappointed.When he had noticed her following him three blocks back he'd hoped she was a fashion model groupie. He never actually had a groupie stalk him before, but he had heard stories and they all ended in filthy, unnatural, hate-yourself-in-the-morning sex.There were a few things he didn't particularly like about himself, things that definitely fell under the category of "unnatural." Heck, he was going to hate himself in the morning anyway. For the past few months it had been his constant mindset. If he was going to feel like shit, Dirk might as well get laid first.And the blonde was just his type, petite but with ample tits and ass. Dirk was a big guy and he had large hands. For him to get a satisfying handful there had to be a lot there to grab. This woman had a lot and he wanted to grab it all and squeeze.But, she worked for his mom. Squeezing was inappropriate.If she had been a groupie he would have grabbed her ample ass. He would've lifted her by her ass and let her wrap her legs around his hips. He'd lean her against the filthy alley wall, because that's how she liked it, filthy. Reaching up her skirt, he'd push her panties out of his way and sheath himself in her slick, hot cunt."Oh Dirk, Dirk," she would pant as he'd start to move inside her. "More, harder, "The more he'd give her the more she'd beg until his thrusts made her breasts bounce so hard the buttons would pop off her shiny, purple blouse. She'd scream his name one last time before she came, her inner muscles gripping his cock and forcing him to shoot his load.That's what probably would have happened if the blonde didn't work for his mother, but since she did she was going to do what his mother usually did; look at him like he was a big disappointment." and that's why she's worried about you," the cute, little blonde said. "You don't seem to be able to focus.""What?" Dirk asked. "I'm sorry. I wasn't listening.""She's concerned," she said, her voice taking on a bit of an edge, "that you may have inadvertently told someone about the Delectiovenenum.""Is that an STD?" Dirk shifted uncomfortably. "She knows I'm clean. She gets the blood and urine samples every week."Over the past month or so he'd begun to wonder if maybe there was something wrong with his relationship with his mother. Perhaps all scientists regularly collected and studied their children's blood and urine, or gave them vitamin injections, or made them sit under the "health" lamp so their skin could absorb all the "health" rays. It was possible all the things his mother did were the actions of a normal loving parent, but Dirk was beginning to think there was some connection to the mysterious abilities he had recently developed.Could it be that the health rays were the reason he could move so fast no one could see him? Maybe the vitamin injections were what made him so strong he could lift a car with one hand. Dirk felt a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach when he pondered whether or not his mother had performed experiments on him. Had she turned him into a monster, albeit an extremely attractive one?"You stopped listening to me again," the petite blonde said, her cute little nose twitching with annoyance. "Didn't you?""No," he said with feigned confidence. "Well, maybe a little. You were talking about detective something.""De-lec-ti-o-ven-en-um," she repeated slowly, enunciating every syllable. "It's the militarized airborne aphrodisiac Villa Pharmaceuticals was ordered not to develop.""Was I supposed to know about that?" Dirk asked. "Sometimes I forget to listen when people talk to me, so occasionally I don't know stuff I'm supposed to know."The woman sighed as if all hope was lost. "Either you're brilliant or unfathomably stupid.""Let's go with brilliant," he said, "because I'm not sure what unfathomably means.""I'll just have to figure something else out," she mumbled while she started to walk past Dirk."Wait a minute." He grabbed her arm as a stray thought rattled around in his head. "What is a militarized airborne aphrodisiac? Is it like a gas that makes people fall in love with the army?""Not exactly," she explained. "It's a chemical that, when inhaled, causes an uncontrollable need for sexual contact, a need that one would be compelled to satisfy immediately. If used as a weapon on a population, it could break the will of the people."Dirk shifted from one foot to the other. "Part of me thinks this Delective thing is wrong." He stopped to adjust the front of his pants. "If we were to get dosed right now, you and me, I'd be okay with it. It'd be awkward later, but I'm used to awkward." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "On the other hand, if it hit while I was home with my dog, well, that would be traumatic for both of us. This sex gas needs to be stopped."The blonde studied him for a moment. "You're not so dumb after all.""That's what brilliant means.""I haven't exactly been honest with you, Dirk," she said, "but I need your help so I'm going to tell you the complete truth." An angry squawking noise suddenly erupted from the woman's ear. "Shut up, Fact-Tel," she spat. "I'm doing this.""That's a little weird," Dirk said to himself.The woman held out her hand to him. "I'm Agent Tina Blondell with the SWSO.""SWSO?" he asked as he shook her hand. "South West Student Organists?""Secret World Security Organization," she corrected. "We're concerned your mother may use Delectiovenenum on the city of Middleburg. Now, I know you don't think your mother could do something--""No," he interrupted. "That's totally something my mom would do. She's very sneaky and controlling in a creepy kind of way."Tina grabbed his hand. "I need your help, Dirk. I have to get into Villa Pharmaceuticals' headquarters. You think you can get me in?"Technically Dirk was no longer allowed at Villa Pharmaceuticals. Growing up he used to go there all the time, but when he was a teenager he'd done something which the family referred to as "The Donkey Incident" and since then he'd been banned. But he wasn't going to let that stop him from helping what's-her-name save the world."Sure can." He scooped the tiny blonde up in his arms. "Let's go right now." And with that he started to run.Tina didn't scream. She would have liked to say it was her training that helped her keep her head, but really there hadn't been time for her brain to process what was going on and even less time for her mouth to scream. One moment she was in the alley, cradled in Dirk's strong and solid arms. There was a blast of wind and then quite suddenly she was still in Dirk's arms, but also halfway across town, in another alley next to the Villa Pharmaceuticals corporate headquarters."What just happened?" she asked as she rapidly blinked, trying to restore moisture to her eyes."Ah, " Dirk set her down on her unsteady feet. "I probably should've mentioned this before. I kind of can run really fast." He pried his fingers between a metal door and effortlessly ripped it off its hinges revealing a cement stairwell. "I'm also kind of strong. I think my mom's been experimenting on me.""Interesting." She stepped into the stairwell and peered up. It was an emergency exit and the stairs disappeared into the dark distance above. They most likely led straight to Delia Villa-Allen's penthouse office."Don't trust him," Fact-Tel whispered in her ear. "He's a mama's boy."Tina reached up her skirt and un-holstered the pistol strapped to her thigh. "If it came down to helping me save the world or helping your mother control it, which side would you pick?" she asked. "And Dirk, I need you to be honest with me.""I'll be completely honest." He held up a finger. "One, I don't remember your name and two," he held up another finger, "my relationship with my mother is complicated. Obviously, I love her. She is my mother. But I'm in my late twenties. I should have a say in whether or not I'm experimented on and given freakish superhuman powers.""That didn't answer my question." She slipped the safety off her gun. "And you can call me Tina.""I don't want her controlling me," he said. "I definitely don't want her controlling the world. I'll help you, Tina." He stopped for a moment to think and then added. "If you're going to kill her I may need to leave the room.""Fair enough." Tina motioned with her head. "Can you use your powers to get me up to her office?""No problem. I can run you up the steps." He swept her into his arms again. "Besides the strength and speed, I also have inhuman stamina." He moved toward the stairwell, but stopped to add, "I'm not trying to brag. I'm just stating a fact.""Duly noted." Tina patted his biceps straining against the soft, red fabric of his t-shirt. She pressed her face against his chest as a way to protect her eyes from the moisture stealing wind of his inhuman speed. There was the added benefit of surrounding her senses with his scent, an intoxicating concoction of musk and Old Spice. If things went according to plan and they were able to save the world, maybe later she'd test his stamina and find out all that Dirk Allen was capable of doing."Dirk, honey, what are you doing?"Tina looked up to see an attractive middle aged woman in an impeccable business suit sitting behind a large mahogany desk. Delia Villa-Allen. Even if Tina hadn't studied her case file, she would have recognized her from all the magazine covers and cable news show appearances.Delia casually, almost too casually, turned off the monitor on her computer and shifted some papers on her desk before standing up. "Is this your way of telling me you have a girlfriend?" she asked. "She's not good enough for you.""No," Dirk blurted out. "This is, this is, ah, " He looked at Tina, his lips curving into an equivalent of a question mark. "I've forgotten your name again.""Tina Blondell," she reminded him as she gracefully slipped from his arms. "Dr. Villa-Allen, I have some questions I'd like to ask you.""Yeah," Dirk said. "like why did you perform experiments on me? Why did you turn me into a freak?""That actually isn't one of my questions," Tina tried to say, but Delia talked right over her."I did no such thing." The older woman m

In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I sit down with Charlie Chappell, Vice President of Innovation, Research & Development at The Hershey Company, to explore what it takes to innovate in one of the world's most beloved brands. Charlie's journey is nothing short of fascinating, from his start in R&D at Kimberly-Clark, earning patents for his work, to shaping iconic brands like Pantene and Old Spice during his time at Procter & Gamble. Now at Hershey, he's leading the charge to bring bold new ideas to life. Charlie opens up about the joys and challenges of innovating in the food and beverage industry, particularly in confectionery. We talk about the creation of Shackalicious, a gummy line launched in collaboration with Shaquille O'Neal, and how Hershey partnered with Shaq to bring his larger-than-life personality into a product that's flying off the shelves. Charlie also dives into the innovator's dilemma—how to embrace change, take risks, and adapt without losing sight of what makes a brand iconic. This conversation is packed with insights on navigating trends, identifying what's meaningful versus fleeting, and having the courage to push boundaries—even when it means some ideas won't work out. If you're curious about how legacy brands like Hershey stay ahead of the curve and continue to bring joy to millions, this episode is for you. Tune in for a sweet discussion filled with inspiration, lessons, and plenty of chocolate. Let's innovate together!  

Today on 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe, Jonas Knox, Brady Quinn, and LaVar Arrington kick things off by grilling Producer Lee! Next, they dive into the Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Rams game being relocated to State Farm Stadium in Arizona from SoFi Stadium due to the fires affecting Los Angeles. Tune in for all that and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ESGDisclosureThe next wave of anti-ESG movement focuses on reduced disclosureDecrease in Director/NEO bio/photo disclosure in both proxy statements and corporate websitesAnti-DEI board compositionA sharp drop in new directors that are “diverse”An increase in overall board size; instead of outright replacing diverse directors, an increase of white male directors (who skew younger) are simply added to boardsMusk effectGreater re-domestication push: incorporate, headquarters, employees: SHPs reflect thisCEO pay reconfigured for higher payouts:Decrease in “longterm” CEO compensation performance periods to reflect shorter CEO tenure and general CEO greedNew players in proxy cage matches: toxic bros (maybe a bitcoin bro?)SEC moves to greatly restrict shareholders' right to submit proposalsWill lead to a significant decrease in E & S proposals: both in SHPs submitted and SHPs removedSHP support percentage will continue to decreaseBut I think we will see a new active conservative SHP machine to go along with the two CentersBlame game/oversight greenwashingIncrease in board-level committees (partly to due a thing and partly to pretend a thing was being done): AI, Cybersecurity, Succession PlanningSharp increase in “co-” arrangements: co-CEO; co-Chairs, etc. in order to shift blamePwC's figure that 49% of directors want someone on their board replaced (and 25% want two or more directors replaced) increases to 66% and 44%GeneralThe next “Bud Light” is… Kontoor Brands (Lee/Wrangler)Something deemed “woke” triggers the MAGA mob and when they discover in the proxy that the company “Increased board gender diversity in 2024” and was “undertaking a search for a potential additional gender diverse director” all hell breaks loose.Year of ZuckEven more so if TikTok failsThe obvious prediction is Musk buys a media company but maybe I think Zuck makes a pivotal acquisitionElon fades due to Tesla sucking and Trump battlesYear of Drones: a CEO is fired for either accidental or illegal misuse of dronesSignificant increase in the “banning” of social media and teen smartphone usePeopleBuffett diesTim Cook steps downAfter more than a decade of tenure, Doug McMillon begins leadership transition from Wal-Mart with eyes on 2028 PresidencyAI. Also Generative AI. And headwinds.Texas is the new FloridaTexas sees an influx of incorporation under the pretense of “regulation easing”, but every company that moves is basically just racistGoodbye shareholder rights, we hardly knew theeAbolish say on pay (not even advisory!)Every board moves to classified boardWhy not, investors don't challenge a single director anyway!Proxy voting policies are made illegal, as voting against the company in any way is considered discrimination against companiesAnti-ESG bills keep forgetting that G is in ESG… and they're banning it, which means no proxy voting at allWyoming includes language stating “assessing corporate board or employment” as “evidence of” having a social agenda, and therefore bannedCostco isn't aloneThe pushback against DEI pushback will come from the few, the strong, and the highly democratic boards with strong female power:1,023 mega, large, and mid cap US companies721 have diversity programs of some kind that are disclosed644 have disclosed targets or internal training around DEIOnly 94 companies have BOTH highly democratic boards (where power is dispersed evenly) AND top quartile female power on the board AND DEI programsThe most democratic is Costco - 32% female power (top quartile) and less than 3% deviation of power (4th most democratic in the entire US, tops for DEILayer in strong stock returns, and here are the companies who are likely to be targeted and push back:Procter & Gamble1yr/5yr up 8/31%Sell Braun, Gillette, Old Spice - man brands39% female power, 4% power deviationAltria1/5yr up 3/25%Cigarettes are still manly47% female power, 5% deviationMen FINALLY get some powerThe Meta Method: increase board size, add all men - went from one of the more gender diverse boards (fake, but still) to BELOW AVERAGE in one cycleThere are NINE board that by adding ONE more dude, they would become:Less than 50% femaleFrom positive to negative power gapRemain democratic (so dudes get a say) - here are the large caps:Cardinal HealthHPStryker CorpHonorable mention: Cracker Barrel, which is one Robbie Starbuck away from negating female powerThe US vs. Europe divide NARROWS… as the EU moves hard rightWatch 2025 elections: Norway parliament, German federal, Greece presidential, Czech parliament, Irish presidential (in which Conor McGregor is a viable candidate)The frameworks and regulations around environmental and ESG issues were so badly constructed, it's the perfect storm for pushback and rollback - watch the EU undo everything to catch up with the US in the race to the bottomThe rise of the director activistA new model in investor activism - director activism, not corporate activism - built on how people perform and whether they have the skills they should have on a particular boardFinding underperforming PEOPLE and replacing themFind underperforming companiesFind underperforming teams - globally…3,406 companies out of more than 10,000 with at least one director who has historically (and currently) performed in the BOTTOM THIRD of all directors on TSR726 of them, MORE THAN HALF THE BOARD is comprised of bottom dwelling directors196 of them MORE THAN HALF THE BOARD is comprised of bottom dwellers for BOTH TSR and carbonFind knowledge gapsIn the 196, Frontier Airlines has 8 directors with Econ backgrounds, but 4 with mechanical backgrounds, 2 with safety, and 2 with transportation backgroundsM&T Bank's largest expense is people… but there are ZERO directors with deep knowledge in HR or personnel management for highly paid employeesBegin a data driven vote campaign for cognitive diversityYou don't need an absurdly long powerpoint presentation with backing from Jeff Sonnenfeld to achieve this - your narrative is simple: we hire based on meritocracy, you guys stink.The absurd might not be so absurd?AIAI sues a company for discriminationIt was unfairly taught DEIAI is added to a board of directorsAnd labelled as “gender neutral” for the diversity matrixAI avatars to go to meetings for you, including your HR meetingsCowardsIn the wake of Brian Thomson's murder, Mark Zuckerberg figures out the new best use of the Metaverse: a place for boards and executives to meet without leaving their housesCompanies begin disclosing whether directors have guns, the horsepower of the engines of their cars, and whether they are “white” or a new race called “extra white”WokeThe first “woke parallel economy” investors begin popping up to combat the anti-woke parallel economy investorsWalled-off “woke zones” - like in stores that sold porn mags behind the counter, you can now request to enter the “woke zones” in stores where they keep pride merch and feminine products, but you need an ID to enter and children under 17 must be accompanied by an adult

Here's an intriguing question: Is there a scent that has the power to transport you back to your childhood? For me, that scent is Old Spice aftershave.

Discover the transformative power of rebranding in this episode of The Unified Brand Podcast, brought to you by Elements Brand Management. Learn how rebranding can help your business stand out, attract new customers, and align with your company's growth. Packed with real-world examples from brands like Apple, Old Spice, and Airbnb, this episode dives into the top 10 reasons to rebrand, including market differentiation, enhancing loyalty, and driving long-term growth. Whether you're considering a rebrand or curious about its impact, this episode will empower you to build a memorable and impactful brand that thrives in today's competitive market. PLUS! Take our FREE 4-minute Brand Power Test and receive a scorecard to pinpoint your brand's strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. https://bit.ly/2VksUSj Do Feel like your brand could use improving but not sure where to start? Or are you looking to build upon and grow your existing brand to create more impact?  Or are you seeking an impactful, iconic and memorable logo and brand identity system?Schedule a brand discovery consultation call here - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.elementsbrandmanagement.o.uk/schedule-a-call⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------------------------ SUBSCRIBE to our brand tip video series delivered straight to your inbox - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2A8kpif⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----------------------- Other Social Channels YouTube - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB1DttwtvyIL5wOAewMSeRw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/elementsbrandmanagement/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ElementsBrandManagement/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ElementsBrand ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/36BQX00⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the show Free Brand Development Resources How strong is your brand? Take our brand assessment and find out - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2VksUSj⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brand Building Course - Learn how to build a magnetic brand that stands out from the competition and grows your business - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2Zw5dos⁠⁠

#nikkihoward #podcast #podcastshow Nikki Howard is an American actress, comedian, model, and YouTuber based in Los Angeles. She began her career as a model at the age of 16 in Miami, Florida, later moving to New York City to study at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. After working in modeling and acting in New York, she relocated to Los Angeles, where her career expanded to include appearances in commercials for major brands like Sprite, Old Spice, American Express, and Xbox. Her acting portfolio features roles in films such as 5-Headed Shark Attack and Teenage Badass and TV shows like American Crime Story. Nikki is also a talented comedian, known for her work on the "Sorry Mom Podcast" and engaging comedy sketches on her YouTube channel. For more about her work, you can visit https://www.nikkiahoward.com/about Don't forget to like and subscribe FOR MORE INFO Nikki Howard - https://www.instagram.com/nikki_howard/ Joshua Eady - https://www.instagram.com/justblamejosh/ Storytime Podcast - https://www.instagram.com/storytimepodcastjosh/ LISTEN Spotify - https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/... Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Amazon Podcast - https://a.co/d/cyCUGeB

Back with Libra; but first some nonsensical news. In 25 parts, edited from the works of FinalStand. Listen and subscribe to the ► Podcast at Connected..  “Just as echoes pollute sound, the echoes of our histories pollute our view of the World.” Katrina Explains the ‘Ash Men' "Amazons keep rather accurate histories, basing everything on lunar cycles. Our records, with minor gaps, date back to the Great Betrayal," Katrina began. "By modern parlance, around 1000 BCE, our ancestors stopped a millennia of a nomadic existence to settle in the land between the Váh, Hron rivers and Danube rivers." "You bitches know who the Magyar are," I interrupted abruptly. Sure, that region was in current day Slovakia, but it bordered Hungary, my ancestral homeland, even though our residency was separated by over 1500 years. "Of course I know who the Magyar are," Katrina shook her head mirthfully. "I simply can't resist busting your balls." I muttered angrily while avoiding using actual words. "Our numbers were enough to seize and hold the land," Katrina continued. "For centuries before that, we raided for men from tribes whose land we were moving through. After a few seasons, we disposed of the men and took some more." "When we chose to settle down, our Council decided to raid distant tribes and steal boys to be raised among our people. At first the males were virtual slaves yet in three generations, our people began seeing males as fathers, brothers and sons. We trained them in crafts. A few generations later, we voted to train them to be guardians; protectors of our hearths while the Host made war." "For eighteen generations things went well. We prospered, grew rich and strong. The tribes around us feared our wrath which made us proud yet was our undoing. New, stronger tribes migrated into the region from the West; we now know them to be Celts. The genesis of House Epona is from those first meetings. Many Celtic women embraced the Amazon lifestyle." "Though they knew of our strength, the first of these new tribes quickly went from peaceful coexistence to warfare. The Host crushed them. The problem was that new tribes kept coming and coming. Dirges of Mourning replaced the sweet taste of victory around our fires. We were always winning the key conflicts but our numbers were diminishing." "The males came to the Council and begged for the opportunity to join the Host in battle. Twice we rejected them. The third time, we relented and allowed a select few males to join us in the fight and for a time the balance was restored. Our doom crept upon us. More conflict resulted in more men taking up arms to fight." "What the Council could not perceive was the insidious influence of our enemies and it swept upon us on the wings of ravens by night; druids. Masculine deities, ethos and egos combined with our own blind arrogance to bring about our downfall. Constant contact with the Celts brought a different cultural view to our men. They began to question why women should rule." "Somewhere around the year 680 BCE, it began. It was not a calamity over in a night, or even a week yet once it began there was no stopping it. Most of our males, never fighters, were taken as slaves by their former brothers and their new Celtic masters. Not all fighting males betrayed us. Those males risked their very lives to sneak into fallen towns and villages to rescue their daughters." "The penalty our enemies exacted on our remaining fighting males was meant to keep the rest in line. They burned those brave men alive, in public. They burned them slowly, in much agony; the druids showed them how it was done. There is no record of any of our fighting males switching sides, or failing to undertake any mission for the Host. We survived as a people because of them." "When all hope of remaining in our new homes faded, we fled east into the mountains. My ancestors were furious, frightened and shamed. They decided they had let down their guards around men and swore to never do it again. The only obstacle to this way of thinking was the handful of men who risked all for the Host's survival and still lived." "They sent those male survivors on one last, suicidal mission. They were to return home and incite the Celts' wrath against the traitor males. For the Hell they unleashed, the druids were chosen for this final act vengeance. Amazon males slew the druids. The angry Celts fell upon their former allies, slaughtering the lot. "Somehow, a tiny band returned to their mistresses. Their return was unexpected. In their absence, the High Priestess and Council decided to rectify their centuries' old error in judgment. Only a few Houses; Arinniti among them; knows how each Council member voted yet the final decision is something we are dealing with today." "The 'valiant' Host went to their defenseless sons and butchered them. When the last Amazon males made it back they were rewarded with death as well. It is recorded that they didn't even resist, loyal to their last drop of blood. In less than ten minute's time, the last of the male line of Amazons perished." "These are the 'Ash Men' Oneida mentioned. Burned to death by our enemies for their devotion to us, burned to ash by the Host to hide our shame after we killed them for the crime of never betraying us. All full-blooded Amazons are taught about the Second Betrayal; except that last, pathetic and tragic addendum," Katrina educated me. "Oh shit," I interrupted. I was sure Katrina had more to tell me but I felt the hideous weight of this; now shared; past. "You believe that when this gets out, as all secrets do, it will undermine everything you have built. You did more than utterly betray those loyal brothers, you murdered your own sons." "That is one of the most serious issues the Council is dealing with," Elsa finally spoke. "That makes sense, but you are forgetting something," I shook my head. "Times change, people change, circumstances change. The Host misses the point." "That point would be?" Katrina studied me. I believed this was more of a case she wanted me to make the logical next step. "You betrayed us," I stated. "The lesson is not that men were lured away from the Amazon cause, it was that despite every reason to save themselves, men stayed loyal to the grisly end. If the Host is mindful and respectful, we males would rather be 'Ash Men' and safeguard our sons and daughters." "Men volunteered to fight, they did fight and fought well yet the Host refused to acknowledge anything had changed," I then paused. "Which is why I'm learning how to shoot, and knife-fight and why Elsa is here. Katrina, with the upmost respect; you are a manipulative bitch." "Cáel, I let you get away with a great deal," Katrina smirked. "Don't take advantage of it." "You seem to forget that I consider being murdered by your ilk highly more desirable than slavery," I retorted. "I hope it doesn't come to that, but if it does, you know you can't win," Katrina pointed out. "I have more invested in the fight than you do," I stated. "I'm fighting for the future of my people. You know that," Katrina bantered. "I'm fighting for my sons to be allowed to live free of bondage, or thrown from the cliffs, and for my daughters to not be a plague on the human soul," I grinned. "You would turn my daughters into Fabiola and; you can't even agree on letting the other half of your own offspring live, as if that was something 'normal' mothers would ever discuss." "Fabiola? Not Aya?" Katrina prodded. "I ignore the reality of Aya because I love her. There is no saving her. Your reach makes it hopeless, she wouldn't understand and she is already too poisoned by the rest of you anyway," I explained. "Watching her inevitable slide into madness is another reason for me to seek death in battle." "I enjoy these chats," Katrina smiled as she stood up. "You are a very complex individual and crossing wits with you has been an unexpected pleasure. Good night." Elsa moved to follow Katrina to the door. "Elsa?" I called out. She half-turned. "Try going with French cut instead of boy shorts tomorrow." There was a fey light in Elsa's eyes. I continued to creep closer to having status in her eyes. Not a sentient; I was that already. Amazons didn't have a glorious rival. Strong rivals you killed as soon as possible. Cáel Nyilas had become a nebulous entity treading down unexplored pathways in her until-now internally consistent World. "I won't let you win," she gave me a molten, hungry look. "I bet you say that to all the guys," I shot back. "Only the ones I care about," she gave me one more promissory fuck-note, turned and left. I didn't have time to mull over my bleak future forecast. Yasmin was coming over and we were definitely not going out to eat.  (Wednesday Night) Yasmin had a kink I hadn't really had to deal with before. She liked having sex standing up; anywhere. Sure I had made love in hallways, showers and against a refrigerator once, but Yasmin took this to a whole new level. The most horizontal I got her was fucking her on my bedroom dresser. She was also an aggressive nibbler which is a kind way of saying she bites down hard without breaking the skin. The scars would fade by morning, but I was going to catch Hell from Timothy and Odette later tonight. Our experience was; enhanced by yet another reality I was unaware of. Yasmin's ex was an 'intellectual'. In Brazil that must translate as a small penis with limited stamina, but don't hold me to that. Since the birth of her son and the 'incident' with her husband, Yasmin hadn't much 'personal' time; read: not much finger, or vibrator usage. Yasmin was tight, famished and extra aroused by me kicking Felix's macho ass an hour earlier. I ushered Yasmin into my place, she was looking smoky yet contained, so I gave her the ten cent tour. When I turned around, her sandals, pants and shirt were off. Silky violet was a good color on her. Yasmin didn't rush the removal of her final items, using their skimpy allure to draw me in like a striker to the goal. My Brazilian MILF loved being appreciated for every nuanced curve, scent and taste. She let me slip off her bra first then she pulled off my shirt. She didn't let me get behind her. This allowed her to pace her own aggression. Cáel was along for the ride. This wasn't fem domination, just a very hungry lady looking for some first-rate sportsmanship. Lucky for me, I was a full service arena with overtime expertise. Every little 'Give and Go' and 'tackle' was received, or dodged to keep our game in play. Here I was thinking of swinging a little more upper body workout later tonight. Yasmin's gymnastics made that redundant. My first insertion was welcomed by her. Yasmin repaid my diligence with lip services, strong hands massaging my back and arms, plus timely input concerning what was good and bad without running over the passion. Yasmin was not at Buffy's level of competition. Instead she brought her own torrid spirit that was new and exciting. I had no idea how Yasmin's husband ever found the energy to cheat on her. Yasmin would seek breaks in our activities. The rest of the hour-plus she was either at a vivid simmer, or a full-on blowtorch. Half the time I didn't even have to direct our intimacy; Yasmin was happy to manage all of the movements using her thighs, stomach muscles and arms to make it a highly memorable performance. As we staggered down from the peak of my climax, a sweaty, panting Yasmin informed me that she was glad she had started doing handstand push-ups once more. For those not in the know, imagine doing a handstand facing a wall. Now push your body up the wall which is occasionally done with your fingertips if you are a true bad-ass; like Yasmin and Timothy. That is another exercise I'm going to have to work on. Jacking-off and squeezing stress balls wasn't going to cut it anymore. "Ora, ora, meu bombom precioso ;  muito bom," Yasmin purred as I put her legs down; I had been holding the back of her knees with my elbows. "I'm the bomb? Sweet!" I sounded as energetic as I was able. My Brazilian Nitro-girl began laughing. "What did the rest of it mean?" "With every orgasm you give me, I'll give you a word," she taunted me. I looked at the ceiling. "I'm looking for a downside to that challenge," I met her gaze. "I can't see one." "We'll see about that when I leave. I have a sitter until 11:00 p.m. so you have good deal of bravado I want you to back-up," Yasmin looked carnivorously-aroused. We did get around to getting cleaned up then hoofed it to a local Egyptian cuisine eatery. On the way back, I screwed her against a streetlamp with the light burned out. You see a good deal of humor about girls in super-tight pants and all the contortions they go through to get into them. Peeling them out is much, much easier. Maybe it is the inspiration that makes the difference. Best of all, the reactions of people walking around us, or across the street. Overt disgust, ignoring the whole situation, and, my favorite, the running commentary. (First couple) #1 Girl: "Why don't we ever do that?" #1 Guy: "Do you bend that way?" (Second couple) #2 Girl: "Do you think she's hotter than me?" #2 Guy: "Let's go down to the next lamppost and find out." (Third couple) #3 Guy: "Don't they have a bed, or are they homeless?" There was no way we were dressed like homeless! #3 Girl: "You have all the romance of a rhino." Somebody wasn't getting some tonight. And because we were in a major metropolis, (Fourth couple) #4 Girl (1): "Are you practicing safe sex? If not, I have a condom," she touched my shoulder. Me: "We are good. I use Durex normally, though I'll use Trojan too." #4 Girl (2): "Are you okay, Miss?" Yasmin: (unhappy): "I'm fine. Now either let my man get back to slaking my every lust, or join in." #4 Girl (2) "Are you serious?" to Yasmin. #4 Girl (1) "Are you okay with this?" she addressed me. "She's my girlfriend." A few seconds of grunting, gasping sex ensued. Yasmin: "Yes, I am serious and you two are killing the mood. Mount up, or get off my horsy." The two ladies looked at one another. #4 Girl (1): "She's very ho; attractive. What do you say? It is safe sex," hint, hint. And thus I had a lesbian four-way. The first girl, Evie, was bi- and worked at Planned Parenthood, explaining the condom lore. Girl two, Samantha, was a lesbian, but having a strong sex drive, decided that Yasmin was as luscious as I thought she was. Back at my place, it took Samantha thirty minutes to get used to sharing her bed with a man. By then she decided I wasn't the enemy, despite my penis and hunger for the female form. Evie and Yasmin had zip inhibitions and let the lesbian and the straight guy work our differences while they basked in each other's femininity. Yasmin insisted she wasn't a lesbian, or bi-sexual. She had no sexual hang ups and found American's confusing because they did. We had wrapped up the first round with Evie giving me a quick blowjob because I had been a good boy and kept my sperm holstered for the entire encounter. Samantha threw on one of Odette's t-shirts (I didn't explain) and went to the bathroom. I got washed up; Samantha gave me a dirty look from the toilet then I reminded her I'd just seen her naked. We both exited to the living room and took up spots on the sofa as we waited for our prospective partner. I heard my roommates keys jingle in the lock. He walked in, taking in the now familiar scene of me with a new girl on the sofa. "Timothy Denver!" Samantha squealed when my roommate showed up. "Sammy; what are you doing in my apartment; with him?" Timothy meant me. They (Timothy and Samantha) hugged each other, Timothy lifting her off the ground. "Me and Evie are sharing his girlfriend," Samantha explained. "Which one?" Timothy put her down. Samantha shot me a semi-hostile look. Yasmin and Evie came out of the bedroom; having found Evie's clothing. That was their story and I wasn't going to argue with it. "Hi Timothy!" Evie ran up and hugged him too. Up she went. "Timothy, this is Yasmin," I made introductions. "The Brazilian Hottie," Timothy noted. "Yasmin, is Cáel sleeping around you on you?" Samantha inquired. "No. Cáel has sex with far too many other women to cheat on me," she informed them. Samantha didn't know what to make of that. "That means she's aware that I date a lot," I explained. I would have asked how Samantha, Evie and Timothy knew each other except now all their body art made sense. "Timothy, are you and Cáel;” Samantha asked. Timothy rolled his eyes. "God, I wish," Timothy sighed dramatically. "The dick on this guy is phenomenal." "Sammy, I know you would never, ever, ever go that way, but if you did, do it with Cáel here," Timothy told her. "He is the most sensitive, skilled and empathic lover I've ever seen. He's not at all possessive and totally confident in who he is." Sammy didn't look like she was contemplating a gender-preference switch. She was getting between me and Evie. "As long as you understand you, me and Evie," Sammy warned me. "Sadly, fidelity is not one of my virtues," I shrugged. "I could lie to you about it. You seem to be Timothy's friend, so I should treat you better than that." "You can trust me around Cáel," Evie insisted. "No, we can't," Timothy, Sammy and Yasmin all spoke simultaneously. I wasn't trustworthy, but at least I was consistently untrustworthy. "Listen to your friends and the woman you barely know," I met Evie's gaze. "I know I couldn't control myself around you and we'd both regret it." No we wouldn't. I could see that fire deep in her eyes. We were going to have sex again, just me and she. I was a lowdown dirty dog who gave an incredible dicking and I'd already made an insertion into Evie's body and mind. Not that it was terribly important to me; she was okay at sex, though not great. My words were for the listening audience. Timothy knew me better. "Cáel," Timothy stated firmly. "For me, man; don't fool around with Evie." I'd lied to roommates all the time. Like the women in my life, I wanted to keep them happy, or happily neutral. That attitude suddenly didn't work for me. "How?" sort of spilled out. No one expected my plaintive cry for relationship help. "What?" Sammy gulped. Yasmin snickered. She knew the score. "Sammy, Cáel's nailed a girl who was making a food delivery to us. In around an hour and a half, a waitress he met for a minute and gave his number to, will be here. She moved into his room. They are not a couple," Timothy tried to explain. "She lives here to hang out with me and bangs Cáel when he doesn't have anyone else over, yet, I swear on Buddha's Belly, I've never seen him abuse a girl," Timothy continued. "It is the strangest damn thing I've ever seen. He's stacked them up like jets at LaGuardia." "He's a shit-head player," Sammy glared. "Do you feel used?" Yasmin pointed out. "You don't because you weren't. He's not trying to out-dick your vagina. He's not out to steal Evie. He is admittedly hormonally unbalanced. That doesn't make him a bastard. I'm not here looking for a boyfriend and if I was, it would never be Cáel." "If you can get past the fact he might have sex with your girlfriend from time to time, he's really a great guy," Yasmin added. "Cáel is fearless and as long as sex is not involved, completely reliable." Sammy was clearly not believing any of this, finally turning back to Timothy. "He gives an incredibly good dicking, he's a dog, and he's one of my best friends," Timothy shrugged. I had been 'one of the guys', a 'buddy' and 'dude'. I had never been considered a man's best friend before and I had never heard Timothy toss that term around about anybody. I went up and hugged him. "Dude, you have lousy taste in friends," I patted his back. "Cáel, I have plenty of friends who wouldn't abandon me in a fight. You are the only person I know who took an arrow for a little girl you barely knew," Timothy patted my back. "You don't find that dedication often. In the past two months we've been through more freaky shit than I've experience in the past ten years. Faults and all, this has been the best time of my life." I stepped back until we were at arm's length. "I take that back. You don't have lousy taste in friends; you are delusional," I blinked. "He got shot; took an arrow; for a little girl?" Sammy gulped. "How come this is the first I'm hearing about it?" "That would be the bandage on your leg?" Evie pointed. "I have a dangerous job," I regarded the new girls. "I test poultry for signs of intelligence. Let's just say that a sleeper cell got past me and chaos ensued." "Translation: he can't talk about it," Yasmin smirked. "What do you do you really do?" Sammy pressed. "I'm working on a special project. We are taping strobe lights to Garden Gnomes then, using hobby store-bought rockets, my corporation is going to sell them as a Developing World-friendly alternative to the current GPS system," I looked grim. "Really?" Sammy looked uncertain. "I work for a really sleazy corporation," I confessed. "There is nothing they wouldn't do for a buck." "That's heartless," Sammy protested. "Men like that are raping the planet and exploiting the poor." "Sammy, I work for Havenstone Commercial Investments. I am one of three men in the entire workforce; that is well over 10,000 women; undoubtedly more," I smirked. "If it is any consolation, I am treated as little more than a pin-up model by my co-workers." "Oh wow," Evie snickered. "Were you hired for your looks?" "Hardly," I declared with authority. "I majored in Business with a minor in Philosophy from Bolingbrook College in New Hampshire, an institute of higher learning renowned for its 70% female student population and nothing else. Still, I am working for a Fortune 500 company at a job I am totally unqualified for, earning an unheard of starting salary and constantly required to work shirtless, or naked." "Personally, I think it was my creative writing skills that won them over," I nodded sagely. "You are a jerk," Timothy snorted. "I hate it when you tell the truth and make it sound unbelievable. It is a skill I've never seen wielding so cuttingly." No one said anything for a few seconds. "It is really annoying that no one believes I earned my position because I'm actually intelligent and hard-working," I grumbled. "Welcome to the world of a Carnival dancer," Yasmin laughed. "I was going 'a blond bimbo'," Sammy agreed, "but that works too." That broke down the social ice. Letting yourself soak up a bit of ridicule can pay huge dividends. I was going to be back in bed with every single woman in the room; even the lesbian, though I'd be sharing a girl with her, wait and see. For some reason, Sammy remained convinced I was an asshole, so she dared me to kiss Timothy. I shrugged, Timothy shrugged, so we kissed. Seriously, I have no clue what I Won't do for sex. When Timothy slipped me some tongue I nutted him. As he doubled over, I told him I wasn't the kind of guy who went beyond second base on the first date. The group informed me that second base was touching my cock; whoops. Then Evie reminded me that I had sex with her within fifteen minutes of our initial meeting. I replied I hadn't had anal sex with her yet, but if that was the case, I was sure Timothy would be a good sport about it all. Timothy had finally gotten back to his feet. Again, he nodded. This time he snatched me up, bench pressed me over his head (man, we need to re-spackle the ceiling) and bounced me off the sofa. Timothy is really strong too. I hit the floor, face down, but with my knees and palms catching my weight. I quickly summersaulted and regained my footing. I trusted Timothy. Still, talking about anal sex with a big, buff gay man then assuming the doggy-style position; let's not tempt fate. My antics earned me another round of sex. After Evie exploded (figuratively) all over the place with her; third euphoria, I looked over Yasmin's shoulder to Sammy, who was sexing up my Brazilian from the other side. "I have totally and completely re-evaluated having a lesbian in bed with me, Sammy," I testified. "You rock!" Sammy shot me a look, realized I was expounding true praise and picked up her ravishing of Yasmin. After we demolished Yasmin, Sammy mounted me. She wanted a 'test drive' more than anything else; the experience of feeling the differences between the masculine and feminine skeletal and muscular textures and nuances. "Can I touch your breasts?" I requested. Sammy thought it over, eventually giving me an 'okay' look. She had those nice, banana-cone shaped breasts with huge areolas and sizable nipples. I started off by lifting and weighing each teat, taking it nice and leisurely. Sammy decided I was doing a passable job so she stopped studying me and got into the sensation of the moment. That little gasp cued me in that I had earned the right to move a little farther. Her nipples were already engaged. A half-dozen grazing passes and they were definitely joyous. Lesbians, bi-sexual and straight women all have the same physiology, yet different visually, audibly, and olfactory stimuli were specific arousal cues. Most lesbians didn't like Old Spice, The Firemen of New York calendars and Enrique Iglesias. At the very least they aren't throwing their panties at Enrique. Touch and taste tend to be unisex. Baring you having big, calloused man-paws, fingers are fingers and hands are hands. Taste is taste and more individual specific than gender-related. Sorry ladies, your sweat can stink as much as a men's does. It is more a matter of diet. Both sexes should clean up 'down there'. It is common sexual courtesy, so use it. When I can, I use a subtle cologne though I've used women's Secret deodorant on rare occasions. It earned me curious looks every time, but it never stopped them. Sammy was already taking quick gulps of air when her worried eyes looked down at me again. She wanted to tell me to stop. She was caught in a double bind; she was getting gratification and the only reason to refuse it was because I was a man; a man she had allowed to touch her. That would make her either sexist, or a bigot. Never ignore the allure of the female orgasm. Add to that, never ignore the power of friendship. As Sammy struggled to master her 'lesbian outrage', Evie sneaked behind her, wiggling two fingers. "Evie," Sammy moaned in protest. "Sammy-love, he's not trying to fuck you," Evie murmured to her companion. "You are liking what he's doing and you know you have dynamite nipples. Let him have a sample." To me, "She likes a whole lot of suction and a tiny bit of teeth." Sammy attempted some kind of protest. Yasmin stroking Sammy's upper thigh, hip and stomach breached the dam of her inhibitions. So, I had a lesbian lowering her body toward mine. First her palms rested on my shoulders. Sammy's body flowed up mine until her elbows replaced her hands. As advised, I applied a wet vacuum seal. I twirled my tongue around her savory flesh, bringing Sammy to the point she embraced her tantric titillation. "You should have longer hair," she purred as she ran one hand through my locks. "I don't normally go for butch girls." You guys go be indignant if you wish. These were some sweet teats I was indulging in and I had zero regrets about 'girling-up' for a lesbian. Sammy finally climbed to the mountaintop of her orgasmic quest and howled out her victory. She cascaded down on me, my lower stomach syrupy with her juices and her bosom muzzling my face. Yasmin went to her knees, leaned over Sammy's prostrate form and began seriously making out with Evie. I lived in a vortex of unexpected pleasure and fulfillment. I had taken part in making a lesbian sexually complete. "You are the best guy I've ever been with," Sammy murmured. "He's the only guy you've ever been with," Evie teased. "Fine. He's still the best. Cáel, have you ever thought about becoming a post-op transsexual?" Sammy giggled. "No!" Yasmin protested. "That's where I draw the line. Cáel keeps his tender bits." "Mmm Mmm," I added my voice against that proposal. To punish Sammy for even bringing that up, I latched onto a breast like a starving lamprey and went to town. Damn right that put her in her place. Fifteen minute later, she finally let me come up for air. Ten minutes after that, we stumbled out of the apartment. I was going to see Yasmin safely home; she snickered then, seeing my hurt feelings, told me I was very brave and could take her home. Evie and Sammy lived close by. They had known Timothy from his days working at an ink place in Queens, but had lost touch when he opened his own place on the East Side. They promised to stay in touch. Sometimes I don't even have to try. Maybe that's why Timothy got so pissy with me at times. As for Yasmin and me, I fucked her in the hallway right outside her domicile because she still had twenty minutes left on her babysitter and there was a convenient vertical surface. We both went home with smiles on our faces. I met up with Odette walking up to my; now our; place. She wanted all the juicy details, helped me change our sheets, promised to do our laundry tomorrow morning and then we had sex. I was set up on my feet, shins and knees, Odette facing away from me and grinding her lush tight end on my rod when the door opened and Timothy Nerf-shot me; cause I definitely deserved it. (Thursday) Thursday was good. I inspected artificial wood products for artificial termites. Actually, I started out with Constanza; really Naomi and her Merry Band now; and learned how to actually fire a personal defense weapon. No more 'spray and pray' for me. They told me they had a special surprise for me on Friday. Color me concerned. According to Medical, I was a lousy lab monkey. Then Katrina informed me it was Brian's turn today to get poked, prodded and forced to cough up millions of little Brian-lettes for Havenstone's perverse pleasures. I e-mailed Brian my best wishes. I was seriously starting to question those 'so-called' medical experts ethical integrity. I worked with Buffy, teamed up with the Daphne/Desiree combo. Why? Because there was an emergency board meeting on Friday. I wasn't told this, but Daphne and I figured it out. To put some extra butter on my hell-bound soul, an agent of Rhada's gave me a private note informing me she wanted to talk. Keeping to Amazon Princess Rape Fantasy Bondage protocols, I ate the message before Buffy could pry it from my hands. Bad enough was all these crazy females trying to kill me, I also had to keep track of which ones hated the other ones. It reminded me of dating sorority sisters, except this time out, I could never leave the sorority house and they almost never went to classes. Oh, and they are all related to Jason Voorhees (that's the maniac from the Friday the 13th movies for those who had lived constructive lives) and we were adjacent to an Ace Hardware store. Plus I had a date with Libra and I was dedicated to 'tapping that ass' at least once more before I died. And, there was more! Deena, the swimming, 'fingers in her cunt' buddy dropped me a line telling me she was 'expecting' me this afternoon. There was no way I could swing that, despite her request that could be only construed as an order. I simply didn't have the time. I e-mailed her back, pleading for her to be in a bikini with several suggested sites for her to visit. Before my designated knife training, I had a fucked-up brainstorm about what to do with Rhada. I wrote a letter in Old Kingdom Hittite, sealed it in wax with the imprint of the symbol 'Lowest' on it, representing me, though Rhada's submissive side could easily misinterpret that. To get it to her, I went to the only one who could meet her face to face who I could trust. Katrina? Laughable. She could do it but she wouldn't touch this disaster with a three meter pole made out of male vertebrae. The only other person who met all the criteria; Oneida. Yes, I was a fucktard, fuck-nut and a waste of human potential. "Oneida, I need a favor," I asked the moment I hunted her down in Acquisitions. "Of course," her eyes lit up, her lips moistened and breathe quickened. She wasn't wanting a quick tussle in a side room. The chick wanted to be held closely while I whispered love poetry into her ear for her to hear alone. I was letting her down abysmally. "I need this message hand delivered to Rhada," I pressed the missive into her hands. She didn't know how to wrap her mind around that. Rhada? She knew we had fought, but what contact had we shared since then? She made the sane 'girl-logic' assumption. "Cáel, are you in trouble," she worried. Oh, I wish it was only trouble. "Not that you can help me with. If you can't do this, I'll find another way," I sighed. Yes, I was playing her. Oneida would run over hot coals for me. "No, no; I'll do it; why? Why Rhada?" Oneida pleaded. "I can't say and you cannot look at the message. It is critical that she, and she alone sees this," I impressed on her the importance of saving my life without saying 'please save my life'. By asking her to not look at the message, I increased the odds she'd look. I had no choice. If I didn't say anything about it, she'd make an excuse to look and tell herself that I hadn't forbidden her to look. Add to that, she was my racial superior. In her case, this meant she had to look out for my best interest. Oneida nodded and watched me leave. Training with Pamela was hands on this day. I had a wooden blade with a lead core to give me a better feel for the proper weight. Pamela had a meter long wooden rod. She had a miraculous ability to move her baton in a blur yet not hurt my fingers, hand, or wrist. It was very instructional. I was practicing stabbing and a bit of slashing. I left with a sense I'd added something useful to my repertoire. I wasn't calling out Elsa anytime soon; heck, I wasn't calling out Europa, Aya's 13 year old sister either. As we were cleaning up, Pamela noticed my uncertainty. "What is it?" she asked. "Oh, it is that you've resisted the urge to cause me pain," I mused. "Normally, I find Amazons to be very harsh." "That is certainly a common training style here," Pamela nodded. "I chose showing a student how to do things right as opposed to reminding the student what they did wrong." "Good enough. Thanks for treating me like I matter," I grinned. "What makes you think that?" Pamela and I started to leave the little dojo. Note, she didn't say 'assume'. "Trust me, I'm a sperm donor with sex appeal to virtually every other screwy dame in this place," I smirked. "I know the difference between what I see in their eyes and yours," I winked. "Ash Man," Pamela remarked. She zinged me, alright. "My granddaughters talk of you and not in a way I would expect Amazon women to talk about a male." "That and an Egg McMuffin;” I shrugged. "Means you won't die hungry," Pamela shrugged along with me. "This is why I volunteered to teach you; you deserve every chance to go out unconquered." "Do you think I have a chance; of that?" I questioned. "Not really. I didn't think I would ever be talking to a man in my native language again either, so who knows," she added. "Do you think I'm an Ash Man?" I wondered. Male; OKH; again? "I haven't a clue what one is," she rolled her shoulders. "I am neither my House Leader, nor its Keeper of Records." "Oh; what are you then?" I asked. The response she gave didn't make sense. "Cliff-walker? I don't know;” I furrowed my brow. "I am past my useful life yet refuse to take myself to the cliffs," Pamela told me. "I have unfinished business to attend to in this World." "What is that; if that isn't too rude?" I inquired. "A dead man spoke to me. He told me I would never find my way to the halls of my ancestors until I replaced a life for a life," she related. "That's; umm; odd," I suggested. "Cáel, I severed his throat to the spine. Even had he somehow been alive, he could not have spoken. Then there is the matter of speaking the Amazon tongue," Pamela continued. "Did he tell you anything else?" I played along. "No." "How will you know what life you should save; to replace a life for a life?" I searched her out. "He had the most unforgettable emerald green eyes," she filled me in. Just like my eyes. We had stepped into the elevator when she told me that. There were five other Amazons with us. I didn't know any of them. I reached out and put my hand on Pamela's stomach. "Whatever happens to me, and I don't want you to die, or anything; I want you to know you've done what needed to be done," I assured her. Pamela's laugh was so loud, deep and resounding, I was stunned that it came from such a thin frame. "That, my friend, is what being an Amazon is all about," Pamela slapped my back. What she said was wrong in so many ways and the Amazons around us knew it. I wasn't an Amazon and equating me to one of them was insulting to their feminine martial ardor. Also, no Amazon had ever called me a friend and meant it in a non-sexual manner. Things were getting uncomfortable. "Matron," one of the Amazons spoke up, "are you feeling well?" That was a polite way of saying 'have you lost your mind?' "Do you know why there are twenty 'First' Houses?" Pamela addressed me and ignored the others. "Not really. It wasn't in the Havenstone Handbook," I tried to sound innocently curious. "The first Amazon to escape capture came back for the rest," Pamela related. "She was free and if she was recaptured she would have certainly been raped again and most likely killed. She came back because no risk is too great for one's family. Like the first of the Unconquered, you risk everything for the spiritual and physical safety of your sisters." "He is not one of us!" a different Amazon insisted. "How bizarre that none of these crazy bitches can see it," Pamela smiled. "Who are you again?" I gave Pamela a worried look. "A discarded heroine, Cáel," Pamela answered. "I am an embarrassment, an anachronism and an arrogant warrior humbled." Clearly this was part of Havenstone's history I wasn't supposed to be privileged to hear. "You don't date much, do you?" I changed things up. Pamela snorted. "This whole scarred scholar-warrior with a tragic past works better with your moping, 19th century literature-reading college types. Cavemen like me prefer slinky clothing and feigned idiocy." "I'll keep that in mind," Pamela snickered. By the bug-eyed expression of our fellow travelers, Pamela was indeed some kind of heroic figure. She held no position, but her status was undeniable. "How about this: I will forgo taking myself to the cliffs until you give me my first great-granddaughter." "As long as we agree that I'm never going without a condom for the next five years," I counter-offered. "By the way, which two am I going to be surreptitiously avoiding?" "Brielle and Daphne," Pamela appeared amused with my expression. "Holy crap!" I exclaimed. "I really like those two. This is going to be tougher keeping you alive than I thought." "How many more days?" Pamela teased. "67," I groaned as we stepped out onto the Executive Services floor. Technically, I had an hour left of my work-day. "Look on the bright side, our first great-grandchild could be a Son," Pamela joked. Pamela clearly enjoyed 'freaking out' the Normals; the normal Amazon population that is. "That would truly suck," I remarked. "You ladies have zero experience with male names and no boy of mine is going to be named Shirley. Picking the baby boy names is going to be all on me." "How about Augustus?" Pamela suggested. I looked stunned. Buffy, having heard my voice, hopped up from her station and came blazing my way. I hadn't done a damn thing wrong yet she was angry with me. She didn't know Pamela and I hoped to hell I wasn't hitting on; okay, Pamela was a bit odd-looking. I'd still do her. "Cáel," Buffy snapped. "What is going on? Don't you have a job to do; with me?" "Buffy, this is Pamela. She's my knife instructor," I said. "Pamela, this is Buffy DuBois, my (dead word spoken)." Literally in Old Kingdom Hittite that meant 'mountaintop'. Pamela clearly got the implication. Buffy's fury about me slipping into OKH was mitigated by Pamela's appraising look. "Okay," Buffy grumbled. "What was that?" "Pinnacle, peak, highest point, mountaintop," Pamela answered for me. "I would wager it is a term of endearment and praise, but feel free to be offended despite him using the word for my benefit as opposed to yours. He might have incorrectly thought you knew how much he cared for you." Verbal beat down! "Who are you, anyway?" Buffy struggled to be polite. "Pamela Pile," my instructor stated. "I am not employed by Havenstone anymore." "That's not; possible;” Buffy questioned. "She is Brielle's and Daphne's Grandmother, Buffy," I explained. "That's nice," Buffy was less than impressed. "Cáel, take care. Buffy, I know nothing of men, but I know camaraderie and I know you can throw that away as quickly as you earned it," Pamela gave an even stare. "By the way, Pamela, you clearly have never been a kid on a playground," I joked. Buffy was irritated while Pamela was amused. "With a name like Augustus, he's either going to toughen up really fast, or get flattened. Trust me. My name was Cáel aka Cabbage Head all through elementary school." "What did they call you in; middle school? It is middle school, correct?" Pamela inquired. "Yes; middle school. By 6th grade, I was firmly a 'nobody'," I enlightened her. "Hell, my teachers could barely recall who I was. I stayed that way until I graduated high school." "I had asthma as a child," Pamela related. "I barely made it through my 12th year." "What did you do when you; is the term 'casted', or 'choosing a caste?" I posed. "It varies. Sometimes we choose and sometimes the caste chooses us," Pamela answered. "I ended up here, in what is now known as Executive Services." "Great," I grinned. "I bet you were enticed by our intensive training in marshmallow juggling. Am I right?" "Not really," Pamela grew serious. "I came here so I could build obstacle courses for kittens. It is an unappreciated melding of animal conditioning and engineering." I was really liking Pamela. She was like a kindred spirit in this madhouse. "Speaking of 'animal conditioning', Cáel, we need to get to work," Buffy huffed and off I went. We finished up, had our after-work meeting and began to head-out for the day. "Daphne, I met your grandmother; nice lady," I told my 'new hire' buddy. "Really, what was she doing here?" Daphne smiled affectionately. I need to wear a dead rat around my neck; the deader the better. "She is teaching me how to knife fight," I told her. Her not knowing that was odd. "Oh; I didn't know she did that," Daphne frowned. "She worked in Executive Services," I said. That appeared news to Daphne as well. "I thought that was why you joined." "Katrina," Daphne looked to our boss, "was my grandmother in the (dead word spoken) service?" That word roughly meant 'darkness of night' in OKH, but like so many things in a 'dead' language, interpretation could be sketchy. "She was before my time," Katrina nodded. "I do recall her legacy though." "What did she do? Normally I wouldn't care, except Pamela is a laugh riot," I smirked. "She was the most lethal Amazon assassin of the 20th century," Katrina stated deadpan. "Grans?" Daphne gasped. "She's always been so odd; I mean nice." "What happened to her?" I muttered. "I don't know," Katrina mused. "She came back from her last mission then took herself to the cliffs. A few weeks later she returned with no explanation for that either." "Well crap," I groaned. "She's never going to forgive me for that 'wet willy' (getting a fingertip slick with your saliva then sticking it in an opponent's ear). I'm a goner." Daphne play-punched me. We all heard the subsonic rumbling from the door. According to Buffy, she was the only one allowed to cause me physical discomfort and resented Daphne horning in on 'her turf'. Buffy had a new weapon in her arsenal this afternoon. "Your (dead word spoken) wants you to come here," Buffy snapped. Even Katrina looked at her in some confusion. "I was told that was a good thing," Buffy sizzled. "It most likely interpreted as 'most prized', or 'most esteemed'," Tigger translated. "Precisely it means 'mountaintop'." Buffy stuck out her chin proudly. "Cáel, I believe I made my desire clear," she commanded. "No can do McGiggles Sissy-pants," I grimaced, "I have a date tonight that precludes me from me being overly bruised; again." I was heading for the door, leading the 'new hires' out of Katrina's office. "I know you like laugh at death, Cáel," Dora snickered, "but I'm not sure the rictus of death counts." "I've got that covered, Dora," I actually brushed up against Buffy. "I'm having a laugh track installed in my urn." "Who says they'll ever find your body?" Buffy moved rapidly at my side. "Whoa; cannibalism. Where I come from, normally the guy eats the girl," I joked. "With you, Buffy, I'm never quite certain of our gender roles. I'm still terrified of letting you snuggle up from behind." "I hate you," Buffy growled. She wasn't upset. Her eyes were dancing with laughter. "What are you going to do when he is relocated?" Fabiola murdered the mood. "Blame you," Buffy glared at Fabiola. "I'm so scared," Fabiola mocked Buffy. "Fabiola, don't be like that," I moped. "You have such full, plump lips that clearly know how to take hold of a problem and work it through. Your thighs are the product of diligent effort on your part and I'm sure that when you grapple with an opponent, no one can break that fearful hold." "I'm sure anything your hands touch, you don't release until you've milked every ounce of life out of your target. You are truly a complete woman," I concluded. The elevator doors opened and we flooded out. Oneida was waiting for me. Buffy began laughing so hard she couldn't keep up. "What is it?" Oneida looked to Buffy. "That is the most obtuse description of fellatio, fucking and a hand job I've ever heard," Buffy wheezed. "Fabiola, he called you a whore and you can never prove it." Okay, I didn't call her a whore; money was never mentioned. Oneida looked distressed. "Oneida, Fabiola insinuated that Cáel would be relocated soon," Daphne came to the rescue. I still had something to take care of. "I knew I forgot something," I realized. "Buffy, can you hold my jacket?" I handed it to her. She examined it then dropped it to the ground. I shrugged then kept stripping. "Cáel?" Oneida worried. "I don't have my biking clothes on," I pointed out. "We can't go biking unless I'm dressed in my biking clothes." Was Oneida still upset about me stripping in public? No. She was about to spend time with me because she mistakenly perceived me to be a good guy. My bike trip with Oneida to a neutral halfway point proved that while Oneida was in good shape, she wasn't a cyclist. Cycling emphasized an unusual muscle sequence, so if you don't cycle much, it shows. I stuck close to her. Not only did it endear me to Oneida, it kept our two shadows at a safe distance so they didn't impinge on their princess's joyful mood. I sent Oneida on her way, got home and immediately started making adjustments to my night's plans. First I had to deal with Libra. I got into an argument with her. I insisted she should wear only jeans, a t-shirt with no bra, and comfortable shoes. Libra was furious. She wanted to go clubbing and look hot; preferably enticing some guys to make me jealous. She certainly wasn't going to come giftwrapped for an easy screw. She wasn't that kind of girl. She didn't like that I was that kind of guy. I insisted that I was the kind of guy who was fascinated with her. I was also happy that Brooke had gotten us back together; you know Brooke, the girl I had fucked to help her get over Felix then refused to sleep with so I could be with Libra. I was blistered and lambasted. I also got my way. I also got to see Libra embrace the ogling her attire earned her in my working class neighborhood as we walked around and talked. "Everyone is staring at my breasts," Libra whispered to me after a bit. She wanted to make me think she was unhappy while her nipples were excited and she was relishing the turning heads. Brooke was better looking, in my opinion, but Libra was definitely a girl who shouldn't walk around without a bra. Her breast are really shapely, large and firm, possibly her best attribute. We were hanging around an authentic Italian pizza joint, Libra against the wall, face to face with me. Without warning, I slipped my hand down, popped her jeans button open and unzipped her pants. "Cáel!" she hissed. Yum, Libra had gone panty-less as well. "Cáel," she repeated. Libra tried to stop my fingers from exploring. She was hampered by her desire to not make a scene while I was insistent. Nice sexy jeans are not only nice and sexy, they hug the hips. This meant I could peel the front of her pants open and work two fingers past her pubic hair to her puffy lips. "Stop," she whimpered. I didn't. I slipped a finger between her labia and she was moist and steamy. I wiggled a finger inside with no effort. "No one will see us," I murmured into Libra's ear. I wiggled my finger in deeper. "You are horrible," she moaned quietly. Her hands started out on my shoulders. A few seconds later, she migrated her arms down. I wasn't positive where she was going with that until she hooked her thumbs into her pants and slid them farther down. "Get it over with," she mumbled. She followed that up with tender kisses to my neck. Her moving her pants down allowed me to move a second finger in. All of that was a prelude. With my two slick fingers, I searched up for her clitoris. She (a clit is definitely a 'she') was hungering for my contact and offered up her tenderness to my attention. Libra's hand began clawing my abdomen through my shirt. Her nasal breathing was becoming ragged, so I eased off on the tempo my stimulation. I wasn't going to bring Libra to an embarrassing public display of sexual release. It took her a few seconds to figure out I wasn't teasing her, but shielding her from an uncontrolled release. "You are mean," her eyes blazed with lust as I sucked my fingers clean of her vaginal secretions. "Kiss me, or I swear to God I'm going to take you on one of these tables," I referred to the small tables the pizza parlor had for diners. Now Libra looked sultry and in charge. She rubbed her hips against my erection, appeared to contemplate her options and deigned to give me a kiss. It was barely a French kiss. Just enough to remind me I had taken advantage of her person and was being punished with pleasure. The box with the pizza slices barely made the toss to the sofa as Libra and I grappled with one another, yanking off our clothes and staggered to my bedroom. "You are going to fuck me so good for all the hell you've put me through," Libra erotically demanded. Ma'am, yes Ma'am. Prepared to do my duty, Ma'am. I decided to do something new for Libra. Trust me, you develop a sense for what sexual deviancies your sex partner has broached. This helps you figure out what they'd like to explore. That leads you to worrying about your partner's sexual history, but is a story for another time. "Hey!" Libra squawked as I handcuffed her left wrist. I wasn't done. With her right wrist beside her left, I looped the chain around a bar in the headboard and snared her other limb. "Motherfu;” she got out before I smothered her with a lip-lock. She put her teeth on my tongue then decided not to chew it off. I broke off the kiss. "Now you are going to do whatever I want you to," I gloated. "Scream, the cops come and you end up splashed all over the society page." Most likely a lie. "I'll never," she snarled as I rammed my dick in to the hilt. "Ah; you bastard," she grunted. Now I picked up my pace. Except having her hands bound, Libra was clearly getting into it. Right before climax, I eased off. Libra whined piteously. "Not yet," I murmured. When I repositioned her in doggy-style, my cock got back to work. This time, I alternated seriously deep cock-thrusts (not pounding) with spanking. Libra went wild; one of her most intense orgasms yet. Libra should have realized two things: my neighbors knew by now and the screams my bedmates generated, and Libra herself was truly an Angelic choir of erotic gratitude. "That; that; that was intense," Libra gasped. She was all sweat and electric; tired yet begging for more. "It gets better," I promised her as I freed her up. Given two minutes to rebound, I rolled over onto my back at her side. The cuffs were handed over and I placed my hands over my head. Libra's countenance was an explosion of thermal desire and numerous unanticipated opportunities. She straddled me, strung me up then; left. Huh? Libra didn't go far. She noticed my 'goodie' box which I had left nonchalantly available when we first tumbled in. What she pulled out didn't make me jump for joy; an ostrich feather, lube and a body wand (imagine a small mace, except the head is actually a vibrating ball). "So, you've done this before?" I questioned. "There is a ball-gag in there. Shut-up, behave, or I'll put it on you," Libra gave me a saucy threat. I nodded. Libra settled in beside me, worked the wand controls then rolled it along my stomach. "To answer your question; no, I've never used anything like this before, but I've wanted to. Now I have a delectable, helpless male with tons of stamina laid out before me." "This is going to be so much fun," she squealed with delight. "Maybe I should call Brooke?" She wasn't soliciting my opinion, just thinking aloud. She called Brooke who begged Libra for the chance to come over and help out. Libra promised Brooke could 'next time'. After that came the feather tickles, lubing up my cock, a hand job and finally using the wand on my cockhead until she shattered my resolve and I ejaculated. Libra licked all my creamy cum up, keeping eye contact through most of the process. For thirty seconds she left me with the sneaking suspicion she was going for round two. She freed me, gave me a good series of kisses then dropped down to bring my penis back to attention. That accomplish, Libra rolled my condom on, mounted me and slowly squirmed down my rod while mesmerizing me with her eyes. "Oh," she purred, "you are so, so bad." I sat up so that I was eye-level with her chin. Libra laid her forearms languidly over my shoulders, while mine deftly cupped each ass. "Does this mean you are breaking up with me?" I gave her my best puppy dog eyes. Libra made that squichy-angry play face. I was teasing and she knew I was teasing. "Do I have to hand-cuff you again?" Libra snickered. I slipped my right hand farther back and down. Using the liberal amount of lube Libra had lavished on my penis, I slicked up my forefinger and picked her sphincter. Libra gave a quick intake of breath. "For the sake of your backside, that might be wise," I teased right back. Libra pouted. "Are going to ream my poor, abused Henie?" she moped deceptively. Rule One plus the addendum; make the girl happy. If you make the girl happy, she'll figure out what makes you happy and do it for you. I lifted Libra up until my cock flopped out of her. It didn't take her two seconds. Her hand found my cock, pointed it up and steered it into her asshole with zero need for encouragement. "I can't believe you are making me do this," she groaned as her sphincter parted and my glans slipped in. I wasn't rushing things. I certainly wasn't coercing Lira in anyway either. She certainly relished my upper body strength that allowed me to match her pace in penetrating her. Once Libra was fully impaled, I rocked us over so that she lay on her back with her knees touching her breasts. A casual, relaxed screw followed. Yes, I could have pounded Libra and she would have loved it, except she was here for more than a series of orgasms. She wanted some kind of confirmation there was an 'us'. She hadn't wanted a relationship when we first met, or even after our first fuck. I was a hook-up; nothing more. The post-Felix episode with Brooke had changed that. I was far from acceptable, but more than a random fuck. Our status had become an enigma to her thus my approach with the soft anal fuck. I could certainly be a late night booty call, salvaging a bad night and making it good. This was a 'take him out for a weekend as a friend' change of events. I was still not in the clubhouse. Thirty minutes in bedroom while 'changing to go down to the pool with her other friends' they'd all know why she'd brought me along. Had Libra forgotten I was a Pound Puppy of the worst sort? Yes, but I felt no desire to remind her. We'd revisit the issue during that first weekend; guaranteed. Libra kept up a quiet bit of banter for a few minutes. Her words were meaningless. Her tonal quality was what I was paying attention to. I kept up a conversation which I would never recall. It is an art form; coherent babbling. My partner's words faded away into groans and grunts. "Ready?" I rumbled my hunger for her wantonness. Libra nodded once, hesitated then nodded several times vigorous

Cáel's tombstone: For the love of women, women put him here.In 25 parts, edited from the works of FinalStand.Listen and subscribe to the ► Podcast at Connected..

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MUSIC Sean "Diddy" Combs found out that his trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges has been scheduled for May 5th, 2025. A former employee of Kanye West's has filed a lawsuit against the rapper, alleging emotional distress and retaliation. Disturbed will mark 25 years since the release of their debut album, The Sickness on a tour next year! For a first set they will play that album in its entirety, and then do a second set of greatest hits. We will see them on March 2nd at Enterprise Center. You can register for the pre-sale now at Disturbed.live through Monday morning. The pre-sale is slated for Tuesday, with remaining tickets going on sale Friday October 18th. Flavor Flav is sharing his smell-good secrets. The rapper shared with People that finding the right scent is a must. "When I was a kid, my dad used to always keep Old Spice in the cabinet in the bathroom. So that was the cologne that I used to wear when I used to go to school in the fourth grade." TV The 2024-25 NFL season marks Carrie Underwood's 12th year to perform the Sunday Night Football theme song  John Mulaney will return to Netflix. After a limited edition talk show during this year's "Netflix is a Joke" festival in Los Angeles, Mulaney will get a live weekly program on the streaming service. If you are a non-Apple person but want to see shows like Severance, you are in luck. The Apple TV Plus library has been added to Prime Video. MOVING ON INTO MOVIE NEWS: It seems insane that it's taken this long, but we're finally getting a live-action "Voltron" movie . . . and it'll star former Superman Henry Cavill. AND FINALLY If you're a fan of horror movies, then you know all about the final girl.  She's the woman who survives the killer, and usually kills him or her. People over at Ranker.com are voting for their favorite final girl. Here are the Top 10:  1. Laurie Strode from "Halloween", played by Jamie Lee Curtis  2. Sidney Prescott from "Scream", played by Neve Campbell  3. Ellen Ripley from "Alien", played by Sigourney Weaver  4. Grace Le Domas from "Ready or Not", played by Samara Weaving  5. Nancy Thompson from "A Nightmare on Elm Street", played by Heather Langenkamp     AND THAT IS YOUR CRAP ON CELEBRITIES! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We'll also dive into all of the top storylines around the league. Would Belichick come back to coach the Jets? Gronk will let us know. Flava Flav and Spice Adams will be joining me on behalf of Old Spice…things are going to get wild. And there's a lot going on with the Raiders right now, their former Pro Bowler Marcel Reece will be here to talk through all of that and more.  

 Special guest Barb Roose is the author of "Stronger Than Stress: 10 Spiritual Practices to Win the Battle of Overwhelm." She's also a speaker,  literary agent, and Bible teacher. According to her website, "She is a real woman who's experienced deep anxiety, parenting challenges, family addiction trauma, and long seasons of walking by faith in unanswered prayer." Lifestyle medicine has six pillars: restorative sleep, nutritional eating, physical fitness, minimizing harmful substances and social connectedness. But when we talk about stress, it affects all of them. It's an overarching theme to health.  Barb:  We know that stress is out there and we talk about it openly. "Oh, I'm so stressed." Like if you talk with people, stress is going to naturally come up. And so there's this social acceptedness that there is stress. The reason why I wrote the book and the reason why I want to engage in these conversations is because you and  I are aware of the damage.  And so it's a situation, particularly as women, we just live with stress. And so it is trying to elevate the hidden damage of chronic stress and to convince women not to set themselves on fire to keep everybody else warm.   The challenge is these days, as women, we want to protect what we love. We want to fix what's broken. We want to get things on track. I call it the good Christian woman syndrome. We will sacrifice ourselves trying to be everything to everybody.    We keep little people alive or a spouse.   We found keys every day so that a spouse could get to work.  In some ways, there was a season where so much relied upon us, but there are those practical moments where we have to remember that there is a God. And it's not us.    Dr. Vickie: That is so , absolutely true. There is a God and it's not us. And I think that's the thing. When we take on all that responsibility, we learn to depend on ourselves  and then we think we don't need God until our whole lives start unraveling. Barb: I use spinning spinning plates as a metaphor for  all of the things that we have happening in our lives. And I recognize the reality that there are some of you listening and you've  got spinning plates. The big picture of the book. is helping us recognize that God can actually take care of us and our spinning plates so that we can take care of ourselves.   Dr. Vickie: Practically speaking, how does that play out?   Well, my favorite chapter title of the book is, "Get Off the Cross, Honey. Somebody needs the wood." Sometimes we can't just convince people that they need to change.    They have to feel their need for change.   And what I want to do is create that feel for the need of change by using Jesus' words in Matthew. And so in this chapter, I cover Jesus' words and he says, "Come to me, everyone who is weary and heavy burdened." And, I think that pretty much everyone listening is going to say, yep. I am  weary and heavy burdened. In the original language,  weary was all about feeling like everything was on you. That self-sufficiency, that's what the weariness is that Jesus was talking about, and then carrying heavy burdens. That is about all of the expectations, all of the duties, all of the to-dos and the do mores. And so if you are exhausted by all of that, overwhelmed, Jesus doesn't tell you, you've got to read your Bible  five days a week. He doesn't say you've got to pray for 45 minutes a day. He says, "Come." It's an invitation. And what he wants to give us is rest. He wants to care. The work has to be done, but He wants to teach us how to live in him. So that we let Jesus carry the weight as we do the work of our lives.   When I think about that verse, like the word picture, Jesus goes on to say, take my yoke upon you. And yoke always felt like this really antiquated word, but yoke still exists. And most of us know that a  yoke is where they have one animal that is  basically harnessed to another animal and the visualization is that there is a more experienced animal that helps teach the younger animal the way to go. Now, Vickie, I don't know about you, but when I am left to my own  devices and I'm trying to live apart from God,   I am going to wander. I'm going to stomp on things that I shouldn't stomp on. I'm going to go too fast. I'm going to reckon the things. And so when Jesus says. Take my yoke upon you.  what Jesus essentially is saying, let me put  my arm around you, around  your shoulder, because essentially stress has us in a choke hold. It is a choke hold that is strangling us. We are often, Vickie, sometimes we try to run ahead of what God is doing in our lives. Can I get an amen?   And so Jesus, he's putting his arm around us and I find it very interesting that on a shirt, the shoulder area of the shirt in construction is called a yoke. And so Jesus is putting his arm around our yoke and he's saying, learn from me. Let me teach you. He's saying, let me teach you the right pace to live. Let me teach you the path  to follow. Let me guide you so  that you're not trying to run ahead and figure things out on your own.  so Jesus, who has the experience, who is our peace, is teaching us the pace so that we don't live stressed every day.   I love that picture of pace because I want to be productive. I want to do things. I want people to be able to depend on me. I want to fulfill my purpose. And it's just as bad for our health for us to live without intentionality and without purpose. And so the point is not just to say, Jesus, take the wheel. I'm just going to sit back and do nothing. It's let's walk this out together.   We have these things that God has called us to do. We, and women, if you're, or whoever's listening, men and women, we  should have purpose. We should have kingdom  oriented goals. We should have people we're investing with. Even if you're retired. I heard this years ago. This amazing story of a man. He was a neurosurgeon and he developed a spinal condition and after like a dozen surgeries, he was medically disabled.  That  man ran Bible study groups, on Zoom people around the world from his hospital bed in his home. So he still had work that he had to do.  We all  have work no matter where we're at.   But what Jesus wants to make sure of is that our work is not wrecking us, that we are not running in chaos from sun up till sun down. He wants us to experience his peace.  And the peace is only found in him.   Dr. Vickie: So true, and peace is really lacking. I feel like so many of us live on a merry go round. And sometimes we're busy without actually accomplishing anything that is of eternal value.   Barb: Well, yeah, because the urgent over the important. We're just playing whack a mole every day, trying to do the to do list. And again, we're doing it with the best of intentions. But part of why I wanted to write this book on spiritual practices, because  these are the practices that Jesus wants to teach  us so that our days have meaning and value. Because the last thing we want to do is get to whenever the end of our lives are, and us wonder if we made a difference. The way of Jesus is the way to help us make a difference.    Dr. Vickie: Resting in Him, peace in His methods, and a plan and a purpose  for our lives. It's all built on trust. I think so many times we think, but this is the way I want my life to go. So I'm pushing, pushing, pushing. When God's saying, come to me, slow down. That's, that's not my plan and purpose for you. And we just, we have to rest in that. We really do. And rest has always been a four letter word for me.   Barb: There is a spiritual practice. that incorporates rest. But if I can share a personal example, I recently had some blood work done. I'm a woman of a certain age now. I had gone into the  doctor to have blood work done so that I  could start hormone replacement therapy. And so she wanted me to have an extra panel done because she wanted to make sure I had all the options available. This was about a month ago. I go in, I get the blood work done and I, it's the day before my book party celebration.   So I have four interns who are in town, who've flown in, and I'm hosting a retreat for them. It was all planned out. No stress. I had my book launch party at my church that next day, all planned out, interns, no, no stress.  That morning when I woke up the day of the party at 7. 30am, the  first message I had was from my mother, who lives two  hours away, who's my emergency contact and said, the hospital lab has an emergency phone, they need you to call them. And Vickie, your listeners won't appreciate this, but you will. It was an emergency because my hemoglobin was only 5.6. Dr. Vickie: You were running on empty.  Barb: So here's the thing, no symptoms.  So at 8 a. m. that morning, I get this phone call that says, You are dangerously anemic. And what are you going to do about it? And I was like, well, okay,  the day goes on and there were things that just kept popping up. One of my kids had a sick dog. Another kid was throwing up in the bathroom. I had signs that weren't delivered. I had an ex boyfriend  that I hadn't seen in three years surprise  show up to the book launch party!  And so I share all of this because there are going to be unexpected things that happen. But what I have learned over the years of the spiritual practices  is what it looks like to keep Jesus' peace at the forefront of my mind. Now, did I feel Some pressure because I was like that's a lot to happen to somebody in one day . And  that's not everything that happened But I learned through the spiritual practices One of the cornerstones in the book is surrender. Most of our stress as women is because we are trying to stay in control of everything . The title of the chapter is the Surrender Prayer and it's "God, I can't. But you can,  and I will let you." And so I had to really focus on that surrender prayer. And then there's another practice of gratitude. It's in the celebration chapter. I want to keep a spirit of gratitude. I'm not ignoring  everything that's happening. I hadn't had a symptom. I had been sleeping fine, working out full energy, all of this. And I was like, Lord, I  have no idea what's happening here. My body is not doing great, but God, I feel great. And so I practiced gratitude. And so throughout the day, I was incorporating those spiritual simplicity when my day got chaotic. I was like, okay, Barb, let's stay  focused. You can't do everything, but if you can  only do one thing, what can that do? And so these practices help us to stay focused on what the most important things are, but we have to learn how to use them consistently over time.    Dr. Vickie: I would say in advance of a stressful moment, you obviously had some practice using those tools when all of that came at you. And I used to have women all the time that would come to me during their pregnancy and they're like, oh, I don't want an epidural. I don't want an epidural and I was like, then you need to go to the classes. You need to practice the breathing techniques when you're not in pain because all that stuff goes out the window the first time that contraction hits and it's the same thing with our spiritual walk.  You knew, okay, this is what I do. I surrender. I always say the place of perfect peace is the place of perfect surrender and you said that prayer But what I pray is whatever Lord just whatever. You also posted this morning on Facebook  the verse from Isaiah 41:10. It's one of my favorite verses and the reason is that when I got really really sick  I kept seeing that verse everywhere, but it was out of the message translation and it says in message translation, "Don't panic!" Our natural response to a stressful event is panic, because like you said, we're not in control.   Barb: When I was a pharmaceutical sales rep, one of the drugs that I sold was a very popular antidepressant. And I remember how valuable it was for me to just understand our body's response to stress. And so I cover that at the beginning of the book,  but I keep it at a very high level, but it is  helpful for me to remember that in my natural state, my body will react to what my brain perceives as threatening. And the way of Jesus,  when Jesus becomes our peace and our perfect peace, we feel less threatened by the world around us. And when we feel less threatened, our body is not going to react into  fight or flight as often. And for me, that  was really helpful to keep in mind, because there are going to be, and hear me, there are going to be situations in life when we should be stressed. If the doctor calls and says that your kid has type 1 diabetes, you're going to be stressed. And so stress was actually created by God as a protective indicator to tell us that we're reacting  a certain way to our environment. But chronic   stress, when you're stressed all of the time, afraid all the time, anxious all the time, irritable all the time, That's a spiritual issue, because you have what I take from 2 Timothy 1:7, the spirit of fear. When everything is making you anxious and afraid, that is something that Jesus wants you to address. Does that make sense?   Dr. Vickie: It makes perfect sense to me, and I love the way that fits into lifestyle medicine because we have all of the neurochemicals  that get released. We that fear area of our brain, like the amygdala and all of the neuronal synapses that can actually get wired or rewired because when you're worried and you're anxious, you literally create a neural  pathway that's like a rut in your brain. You just  keep going down that same rut. And so you have to do something to shift that. And we talk about stress management in lifestyle medicine, but there's no magic wand to make it go away. And even Jesus doesn't just make it go away. You have to have these spiritual practices to come to Him.   Barb: Right. And I love that you talked about the neuropathways and neuroplasticity. And so I want to share a story. I was in the eighth grade. Vickie and I have met, actually Vickie and I have a picture  of us standing together because I am  overly tall, which meant that when I was a kid, they immediately said this girl should play basketball. So I was in the seventh grade. I went out for the basketball team. Partly because I wanted to play basketball, but also because that's where all the popular girls were at on that team. And I wanted to be popular. So at basketball tryouts, I could run really fast, but, I wasn't that good of a dribbler and   I couldn't shoot all that well. So I didn't make the team. And I'm devastated. Well, the seventh grade coach, her name is Miss Bednarik, still remember her name. She said, Barb, you actually need to be stronger. She said, you're dribbling skills, you just don't have good muscle coordination or shooting. It's  because you need strength. And so she told me when the kids would go to the weight room. And so Vickie that following Tuesday, I showed up at the weight room at my junior high.  I was the only girl in this weight room filled with stinky, sweaty junior high boys. And, this is the eighties folks. We didn't have great  ventilation. We did not have windows. It was basically boys after school and their Old Spice had worn off by lunchtime.   And have there I was, and I had a choice that that I had to make that day. Was I going to keep showing up? And so I started learning how to lift weights.  As this only girl in these pot bottomed glasses, two giant front teeth, And I am oversized  and I'm there with the scrawny boys and every Tuesday and Thursday. I kept showing up and I had to learn how to lift the weights. And then I would struggle and they would help. And that is practicing. We're not going to be good at it at first, but what makes it matter, is that  we keep showing  up. If you just have one minute to read your Bible then read for one minute. The practice isn't valid just because you sit there for 20 minutes.  Just do it for 1 minute. If you can pray for one minute,  pray that one minute as often as you can.  God can do something with that.  Other practices are Sabbath.  Maybe you can't get to taking a whole day but can you take just 2 hours to just sit and  rest? Absolutely. But the most important value of practicing is to keep showing up. And so I kept showing up all that seventh grade year, and I got stronger. And I made the eighth grade basketball team. But more importantly, Vickie, I've been lifting  weights since that girl was in the seventh  grade. And now that I am over 50,  part of what the doctor's office told me when they called me last month,  they just said, it appears that the rest of your overall health is so strong. That's why your body has been covering for you this whole time.  Dr. Vickie: Now I can smell that junior high locker room.  That is such a powerful memory. I can smell it from here.    Barb: I can still smell it. And it's been 40 years. Whew! It was rough. Dr. Vickie: I think about the spiritual disciplines, you call them spiritual practices, but  practice always, always, always requires discipline. So I am super excited about your book and I would love for you to tell up our listeners where they can find you, where they can order your book. And I'm going to look and see if I can find that picture because I'm standing on the hearth, and you're standing on the floor, and you're still taller than me, and that's not saying much because I'm not very tall.   Barb: We made quite a sight together. My friends, I have to say, we looked as cute as cute could be, but definitely, one of us is, is, is super  action packed. That's me saying that you're short: Action packed. And then one of us is just real, real tall. There is actually a Bible study that goes with the "Stronger than Stress" book,  I am primarily a Bible study author. So for those  of you who do love Bible study, there is  a six week Bible study with video that you can access. Both book and Bible study are available anywhere you love  to purchase your books and Bible studies.  You can do them separately, what I recommend is that you get either a book club with some friends, or a Bible study group with some girlfriends so that you can all talk and journey together.    Dr. Vickie: Yes, there's so much power in together.   Barb: There is, there is. And, if women want more information or maybe they just want to check things out, uh, you can check over to barbroose. com. I have a link there where you can check out the book and the Bible study group.   And on top of that, you can actually watch the  first video session, so that you can decide whether you want to share that with some friends and say, Hey, do we want to get a group together and talk about how we can live less stressed with more peace every day?    Dr. Vickie: That is so awesome. Well, I appreciate you coming and talking to us about stress management. And I think it just fits perfectly with lifestyle medicine. I always say that that's one that you just absolutely cannot do without Jesus.    Barb: Amen. I love that wisdom. Love it.  Dr. Vickie: Wow, what words of wisdom from someone who has such a passion for following Christ. And I hope that that will make you want to dive into God's Word a little bit more. And if the Bible is unfamiliar to you, take a peek for yourself, because there is a peace that passes understanding, and there is a rest that is possible through Jesus Christ. And I would challenge you to check it out for yourself and see. But Barb really didn't tell  you all there is to know about herself. Go to her website.   You're going to want to know more about her. It's barbroose. com. I'll put a link in the show notes.   This is an edited transcript of this episode.  BarbRoose.com Stronger Than Stress Book Stronger than Stress Bible study

In Brick Talk's twenty-third episode, Braden Naquin and Melton Bell III discuss some rebrand successes. Facebook, Old Spice, Dunkin', Taco Bell, Lego, McDonald's, Burberry, Adobe, Mailchimp, Burger King, and Instagram. Brick By Brick ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠brickbrick.us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/brickbrick.us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Braden Naquin ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠bradennaquin.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/bradennaquin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Melton Bell III ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠meltonbell.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/meltonbell3⁠

On this episode of Own It, we're talking to Mindy Goldberg from Epoch Films. Mindy has worked in and around the movie and production industry for many years. Her experiences as a producer has touched famous directors and actors in both the U.S. and the United Kingdom. In 1989 after helping build a production company for others, Mindy and a partner went out on their own to start Epoch Films. They produce both motion pictures and television shows, but also create fantastic commercial advertising for major clients like Google, Old Spice, Toyota and Little Caesars, among others. We talked about her journey, her unique perspective on the agency world from the production side and the big picture of the gender gap in agency ownership. We so enjoyed this talk with Mindy. We know you will, too.  Thanks for listening to this episode of OWN IT with Mindy Goldberg from Epoch Films. You can find links to her LinkedIn profile and firm website in our show notes at untilyouownit.com.  If you're enjoying Own It, please find it on your favorite podcast app and drop us a rating and review. Those help more people discover the show and join our community.  Also, if you're a female or non-binary agency owner, or you want to own an agency someday, join our growing community at that same address … untilyouownit.com.

It takes more than an, R; rating to save the world.By kittybeaver, in 5 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels.Of course he was good looking. In fact, ‘good looking’ was an understatement. 6'4" and 240 lbs. of muscle clad in tight blue jeans and an equally tight red t-shirt, he was intimidatingly gorgeous. Dirk Allen made his living as a male model, so Tina had expected intimidatingly gorgeous. Good thing for her she wasn’t easily intimidated.If he hadn’t been her assignment, she would’ve entertained the thought of seducing him. Sometimes, when global safety was at stake, seduction was part of her assignment, so she had that skill set. Tina knew how to accidentally position herself in a man’s line of vision and show her figure at the best angle. She could purposefully make the random eye contact that somehow led to the chance connection. She knew how to suggest he come back to her place in such a way that it was obvious she’d “never done this sort of thing before.” And she knew how to ride a cock. She would have been more than happy to prove that to male model Dirk Allen.Tina could picture him sprawled naked on her living room floor. In that picture she was straddling him, impaling herself on his engorged manhood, rocking her hips to a rhythm that made him whimper. She could almost feel his silky, raven black hair as she fisted it and pulled him up into a sitting position, encouraging him to suck and bite her breasts. Oh God, her breasts ached for the touch of his full, pouty lips.“Keep on mission, Agent Blondell,” an authoritative voice chirped from the small communicator tucked behind Tina’s ear.“Stay out of my bio readings, Fact-Tel,” she snapped.Generally it was helpful to have an artificial intelligence with access to every database in the world at Tina’s beck and call. Usually it was a good thing Fact-Tel monitored her vital signs, making sure she hadn’t been poisoned or wasn’t bleeding internally. But at that moment, when Tina’s nipples were so stiff they cast shadows on her silk blouse, Fact-Tel’s omniscient omnipresence wasn’t helpful or a good thing.“This is why I don’t like working with biologicals,” Fact-Tel muttered. “You all get distracted by the mere thought of reproduction.”“Target is heading west on Spruce,” Tina said as Dirk Allen disappeared from view. “Possible destinations?”“I don’t know,” Fact-Tel groaned. “There’s like 80 coffee shops between here and 22nd Street. He’s probably going to one of those.”“You’re a big help. Thanks.” Tina casually slid around the corner onto Spruce Street, catching sight of her target almost immediately. With his broad shoulders and tight ass, he stood out in a crowd.“He’s not good breeding material,” Fact-Tel warned her. “Sure he’s got perfect DNA, but all my research indicates he’s a mama’s boy.”“Not looking to breed,” she said while she slipped through the lunch crowd lining up at a sidewalk hot-dog cart.“Do you really want Delia Villa-Allen as your mother-in-law?” the AI asked. “She is kind of evil.”“We haven’t proved that yet,” Tina reminded him. “And I’m not in the market for a mother-in-law, or husband, for that matter.”Love wasn’t a luxury she could afford. As the number one agent for the SWSO, Tina Blondell didn’t have time for date nights or boyfriends. All her time was spent protecting the public from people like Delia Villa-Allen, CEO of Villa Pharmaceuticals. If reports could be trusted, Villa-Allen had developed the formula for Delectiovenenum and was planning to use it to enslave the human race.It was Tina’s mission to infiltrate Villa Pharmaceuticals, find out if those reports were true and, if they were, stop the fiendish plot before it could be completed. She hoped hunky Dirk Allen was, in fact, a mama’s boy. If he was the sort of son who diligently listened while his mother complained about her workday then perhaps he knew a thing or two about Villa Pharmaceuticals’ alleged illegal experiments and maybe, just maybe, Tina could trick him into giving up those secrets and helping her save the world.For the last block and a half, Tina had stealthily followed Dirk. She noted his every move, never taking her eyes off of him. But she did have to blink and it was in that half second of blinking that she lost sight of him. One moment he was there, the next he wasn’t.“Fact-Tel,” Tina gasped. “Where’d he go?”“I, um, Ahh, ” the AI stammered.“Hack into the surveillance cameras on the neighboring buildings,” she ordered. “There’s got to be something. He was just here.”“Maybe that alleyway,” Fact-Tel suggested, but Tina could tell from the tone of his mechanical voice he had nothing.Sure enough, the ally was a dead end. There wasn’t a single male underwear model hiding behind the dumpster. Tina sighed with frustration. If the human race was enslaved it would all be her fault, hers and her stupid, blinking eyes.“Check architectural plans and recent building applications,” she said, knowing it was hopeless, but she had to try. “Maybe there’s a hidden door somewhere.”At that moment a gust of wind stirred the back of Tina’s skirt, almost lifting it past her hips. She spun around and found herself not two feet away from the elusive Dirk Allen. By God, he was even better looking up close, what with his pale green eyes and chiseled jaw.“Did my mother send you?” he asked.Tina’s face stayed deadly serious, but in her mind she smiled. She knew how to get the information she needed. It would be as easy as picking up a one night stand at a sports bar.“She’s worried about you, Dirk,” Tina said, her eyes filling with concern. “We all are.”Of course, the cute, little blonde worked for his mother. Dirk couldn’t have been more disappointed.When he had noticed her following him three blocks back he’d hoped she was a fashion model groupie. He never actually had a groupie stalk him before, but he had heard stories and they all ended in filthy, unnatural, hate-yourself-in-the-morning sex.There were a few things he didn’t particularly like about himself, things that definitely fell under the category of “unnatural.” Heck, he was going to hate himself in the morning anyway. For the past few months it had been his constant mindset. If he was going to feel like shit, Dirk might as well get laid first.And the blonde was just his type, petite but with ample tits and ass. Dirk was a big guy and he had large hands. For him to get a satisfying handful there had to be a lot there to grab. This woman had a lot and he wanted to grab it all and squeeze.But, she worked for his mom. Squeezing was inappropriate.If she had been a groupie he would have grabbed her ample ass. He would’ve lifted her by her ass and let her wrap her legs around his hips. He’d lean her against the filthy alley wall, because that’s how she liked it, filthy. Reaching up her skirt, he’d push her panties out of his way and sheath himself in her slick, hot cunt.“Oh Dirk, Dirk,” she would pant as he’d start to move inside her. “More, harder, ”The more he’d give her the more she’d beg until his thrusts made her breasts bounce so hard the buttons would pop off her shiny, purple blouse. She’d scream his name one last time before she came, her inner muscles gripping his cock and forcing him to shoot his load.That’s what probably would have happened if the blonde didn’t work for his mother, but since she did she was going to do what his mother usually did; look at him like he was a big disappointment.“ and that’s why she’s worried about you,” the cute, little blonde said. “You don’t seem to be able to focus.”“What?” Dirk asked. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening.”“She’s concerned,” she said, her voice taking on a bit of an edge, “that you may have inadvertently told someone about the Delectiovenenum.”“Is that an STD?” Dirk shifted uncomfortably. “She knows I’m clean. She gets the blood and urine samples every week.”Over the past month or so he’d begun to wonder if maybe there was something wrong with his relationship with his mother. Perhaps all scientists regularly collected and studied their children’s blood and urine, or gave them vitamin injections, or made them sit under the “health” lamp so their skin could absorb all the “health” rays. It was possible all the things his mother did were the actions of a normal loving parent, but Dirk was beginning to think there was some connection to the mysterious abilities he had recently developed.Could it be that the health rays were the reason he could move so fast no one could see him? Maybe the vitamin injections were what made him so strong he could lift a car with one hand. Dirk felt a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach when he pondered whether or not his mother had performed experiments on him. Had she turned him into a monster, albeit an extremely attractive one?“You stopped listening to me again,” the petite blonde said, her cute little nose twitching with annoyance. “Didn’t you?”“No,” he said with feigned confidence. “Well, maybe a little. You were talking about detective something.”“De-lec-ti-o-ven-en-um,” she repeated slowly, enunciating every syllable. “It’s the militarized airborne aphrodisiac Villa Pharmaceuticals was ordered not to develop.”“Was I supposed to know about that?” Dirk asked. “Sometimes I forget to listen when people talk to me, so occasionally I don’t know stuff I’m supposed to know.”The woman sighed as if all hope was lost. “Either you’re brilliant or unfathomably stupid.”“Let’s go with brilliant,” he said, “because I’m not sure what unfathomably means.”“I’ll just have to figure something else out,” she mumbled while she started to walk past Dirk.“Wait a minute.” He grabbed her arm as a stray thought rattled around in his head. “What is a militarized airborne aphrodisiac? Is it like a gas that makes people fall in love with the army?”“Not exactly,” she explained. “It’s a chemical that, when inhaled, causes an uncontrollable need for sexual contact, a need that one would be compelled to satisfy immediately. If used as a weapon on a population, it could break the will of the people.”Dirk shifted from one foot to the other. “Part of me thinks this Delective thing is wrong.” He stopped to adjust the front of his pants. “If we were to get dosed right now, you and me, I’d be okay with it. It’d be awkward later, but I’m used to awkward.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “On the other hand, if it hit while I was home with my dog, well, that would be traumatic for both of us. This sex gas needs to be stopped.”The blonde studied him for a moment. “You’re not so dumb after all.”“That’s what brilliant means.”“I haven’t exactly been honest with you, Dirk,” she said, “but I need your help so I’m going to tell you the complete truth.” An angry squawking noise suddenly erupted from the woman’s ear. “Shut up, Fact-Tel,” she spat. “I’m doing this.”“That’s a little weird,” Dirk said to himself.The woman held out her hand to him. “I’m Agent Tina Blondell with the SWSO.”“SWSO?” he asked as he shook her hand. “South West Student Organists?”“Secret World Security Organization,” she corrected. “We’re concerned your mother may use Delectiovenenum on the city of Middleburg. Now, I know you don’t think your mother could do something–”“No,” he interrupted. “That’s totally something my mom would do. She’s very sneaky and controlling in a creepy kind of way.”Tina grabbed his hand. “I need your help, Dirk. I have to get into Villa Pharmaceuticals’ headquarters. You think you can get me in?”Technically Dirk was no longer allowed at Villa Pharmaceuticals. Growing up he used to go there all the time, but when he was a teenager he’d done something which the family referred to as “The Donkey Incident” and since then he’d been banned. But he wasn’t going to let that stop him from helping what’s-her-name save the world.“Sure can.” He scooped the tiny blonde up in his arms. “Let’s go right now.” And with that he started to run.Tina didn’t scream. She would have liked to say it was her training that helped her keep her head, but really there hadn’t been time for her brain to process what was going on and even less time for her mouth to scream. One moment she was in the alley, cradled in Dirk’s strong and solid arms. There was a blast of wind and then quite suddenly she was still in Dirk’s arms, but also halfway across town, in another alley next to the Villa Pharmaceuticals corporate headquarters.“What just happened?” she asked as she rapidly blinked, trying to restore moisture to her eyes.“Ah, ” Dirk set her down on her unsteady feet. “I probably should’ve mentioned this before. I kind of can run really fast.” He pried his fingers between a metal door and effortlessly ripped it off its hinges revealing a cement stairwell. “I’m also kind of strong. I think my mom’s been experimenting on me.”“Interesting.” She stepped into the stairwell and peered up. It was an emergency exit and the stairs disappeared into the dark distance above. They most likely led straight to Delia Villa-Allen’s penthouse office.“Don’t trust him,” Fact-Tel whispered in her ear. “He’s a mama’s boy.”Tina reached up her skirt and un-holstered the pistol strapped to her thigh. “If it came down to helping me save the world or helping your mother control it, which side would you pick?” she asked. “And Dirk, I need you to be honest with me.”“I’ll be completely honest.” He held up a finger. “One, I don’t remember your name and two,” he held up another finger, “my relationship with my mother is complicated. Obviously, I love her. She is my mother. But I’m in my late twenties. I should have a say in whether or not I’m experimented on and given freakish superhuman powers.”“That didn’t answer my question.” She slipped the safety off her gun. “And you can call me Tina.”“I don’t want her controlling me,” he said. “I definitely don’t want her controlling the world. I’ll help you, Tina.” He stopped for a moment to think and then added. “If you’re going to kill her I may need to leave the room.”“Fair enough.” Tina motioned with her head. “Can you use your powers to get me up to her office?”“No problem. I can run you up the steps.” He swept her into his arms again. “Besides the strength and speed, I also have inhuman stamina.” He moved toward the stairwell, but stopped to add, “I’m not trying to brag. I’m just stating a fact.”“Duly noted.” Tina patted his biceps straining against the soft, red fabric of his t-shirt. She pressed her face against his chest as a way to protect her eyes from the moisture stealing wind of his inhuman speed. There was the added benefit of surrounding her senses with his scent, an intoxicating concoction of musk and Old Spice. If things went according to plan and they were able to save the world, maybe later she’d test his stamina and find out all that Dirk Allen was capable of doing.“Dirk, honey, what are you doing?”Tina looked up to see an attractive middle aged woman in an impeccable business suit sitting behind a large mahogany desk. Delia Villa-Allen. Even if Tina hadn’t studied her case file, she would have recognized her from all the magazine covers and cable news show appearances.Delia casually, almost too casually, turned off the monitor on her computer and shifted some papers on her desk before standing up. “Is this your way of telling me you have a girlfriend?” she asked. “She’s not good enough for you.”“No,” Dirk blurted out. “This is, this is, ah, ” He looked at Tina, his lips curving into an equivalent of a question mark. “I’ve forgotten your name again.”“Tina Blondell,” she reminded him as she gracefully slipped from his arms. “Dr. Villa-Allen, I have some questions I’d like to ask you.”“Yeah,” Dirk said. “like why did you perform experiments on me? Why did you turn me into a freak?”“That actually isn’t one of my questions,” Tina tried to say, but Delia talked right over her.“I did no such thing.” The older woman moved around the desk. Her every step was filled with an old world elegance. “I was merely studying you, trying to uncover the origins of these extraordinary abilities you’ve manifested.”“Do you expect me to believe that?” Dirk’s hands curled into fists. “Do you really expect me to understand all the big words you just said? Do you?”“If I could redirect the conversation,” Tina spoke in a purposefully calming tone, “there is the issue of a highly potent gas.”“It’s always the mother’s fault, isn’t it?” Delia’s voice rose in volume to match her son’s. “Of course you suspect me when this is exactly the sort of thing your father would do.”“Don’t bring Dad into this!” Dirk yelled. “He isn’t the one who made me eat Brussels sprouts!”Tina sighed with resigned frustration. This wasn’t going to end anytime soon and she hadn’t worn comfortable shoes. No one noticed as she slipped behind Dr. Villa-Allen’s desk and sunk down into her stylish, ergonomic chair.“I will not apologize for being the responsible parent,” Delia snapped. “Do you truly think your father loved you more simply because he let you stay up late and taught you demonic incantations?”Tina absentmindedly balanced a pen on the back of her finger and yawned.“No,” Dirk said. “I think he loved me more because he didn’t change me into a monster.&rdquo

Did you know a simple logo change, combined with a strategic visual rebrand, has the potential to more than double—or even triple—your revenue? Just look at the success of Old Spice after their iconic rebrand, which led to a 125% increase in sales.But on the flip side the wrong rebrand can cost you sales... Tropicana's redesign led to a 20% drop in sales, costing the company $30 million in just a few weeks. They quickly reverted to the original design after realizing the new look did not resonate with customers.Before you get all jittery, know that a well-executed rebrand can bring immense success. I'm here to ensure you're in the Old Spice category and not tripping over Tropicana-type errors.Join me in this episode, as I walk you through the must-know steps of rebranding, from understanding why you need to rebrand, to doing your niche-specific research, all the way to testing and getting feedback before that exciting launch.Plus, I spill the beans on how you can get hands-on support in my Co+Creation Design Club.So, if you're ready to craft a brand that not only looks stunning but strategically boosts sales and connects deeply with your audience, hit play now! Let's make your rebrand a smashing success together. If you want to rebrand RIGHT and have fun while doing it I think you'll love The Co+Creation Design Club: www.whitedeer.com.au/clubPast episodes in the rebranding series:1. How to rebrand the right way: https://whitedeer.com.au/rebranding-your-business-the-right-way/2. Steps BEFORE you rebrand: https://whitedeer.com.au/rebranding-foundations/3. How do design a logo: https://whitedeer.com.au/rebranding-logo/4. Rebranding Mistakes: https://whitedeer.com.au/rebranding-mistakes/Full Youtube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlkZ8zWZqkWaE2XLtdJCQ2zyDaKZ48EUh&si=GpTAvQcqHqQTIwTUHow to launch new brand: https://whitedeer.com.au/brand-launch/

You're listening to Burnt Toast!We are Virginia Sole-Smith and Corinne Fay, and it's time for another Indulgence Gospel. It's the last week of our summer break, so we'll be back after Labor Day with all new podcast episodes for you. We so appreciate everyone who has been continuing to listen and support the podcast during our hiatus. It means a lot to know that our community enjoys our work and cares that we're able to make it sustainable too. So as a thank you for listening, today's Indulgence Gospel rerun has no paywall. We've realized that so many of you on the free list almost never get to hear how hilarious and smart Corinne is — and as paid subscribers know, Indulgence Gospel episodes are truly the heart of the podcast. They are the most fun to make, because they are the episodes where we feel truly in conversation with all of you.If you love this episode, of course we hope you'll consider a paid subscription to Burnt Toast so you can get every paywalled episode we make. And we also hope you'll subscribe to Big Undies, Corinne's new Substack about clothes. And, if you subscribe to Big Undies, you can take 20 percent off your Burnt Toast subscription or vice versa – either way, it gets you all of our content for under $12 per month.This episode contains affiliate links. Shopping our links is a great way to support Burnt Toast! Episode 157 TranscriptVirginiaYou're listening to Burnt Toast! This is the podcast about diet culture, fatphobia, parenting, and health. I'm Virginia Sole-Smith I also write the Burnt Toast newsletter.CorinneAnd I'm Corinne Fay. I work on Burnt Toast and run SellTradePlus, an Instagram account where you can buy and sell plus sized clothing.VirginiaWe have so many good questions this month. A lot of parenting food questions. I think maybe because I just ran the lunchbox piece in the newsletter it's on everybody's minds. But also, as usual, some fat fashion stuff. Clogs are coming up later. And Ozempic, because obviously. So it's gonna be a good one.VirginiaSo before we dive in, how are you doing? What's new with you, Corinne?CorinneI'm doing well. One thing that's new with me is: I just signed up to do a powerlifting meet. So I'm feeling nervous. VirginiaWell, yeah. Is this like a competition thing, where people come and watch? CorinneI think so. I mean, obviously, I've never done something like this before. It's in Albuquerque, and it's being run by my gym. And it's all women's. VirginiaThat sounds very cool. CorinneI'm just having a little of like, Oh, what did I do? Let's see. Wow. Am I going to be the most amateur, weakest person there? I might.VirginiaBut you'll still be super strong and amazing. Because the weakest person at a powerlifting competition is still the strongest person in most other rooms.CorinneThat's a good point. And I think one great thing about lifting is, it's really more about your own goals and competing with yourself. But still.VirginiaSo is it like whoever lifts the most is the winner?CorinneSo my understanding is very loose, but I know there are different weight classes. So you compete against people who are roughly around the same size?.Virginia Interesting. Okay.CorinneAnd then I think it's a cumulative weight of how much you lift, like combined squat, deadlift, bench press. VirginiaWow, that's so cool. Julia Turshen recently did one of these.CorinneI feel like I was slightly influenced by Julia Turshen.VirginiaDid she enable you? Julia, good job! The pictures and videos she posted of it looked super exciting. And it looked like a very professional athletic setting. I would be intimidated for sure.CorinneThe other thing that I'm sure we'll end up talking about again, but you have to wear a singlet which is like, where am I gonna find a singlet? And knee socks.VirginiaKnee socks! Why knee socks? CorinneI'm like, oh my God, I'm never gonna find knee socks that fit me, but I'm trying to figure out if I can wear Universal Standard body shorts as a singlet, because I already have one of those. VirginiaThat feels like a great solution. CorinneIt's singlet-esque? But I don't know what the actual requirements are.VirginiaGirlfriend Collective also has a shorts body suit thing.CorinneI should look into that. VirginiaBut I feel like you should be able to work with what you have. Especially for your first one. Once you're a pro and doing this all the time, you'll get, like, something with rhinestones. CorinneOnce I'm a sponsored Olympic athlete. Yes.VirginiaI love that like we're getting to follow along on the journey. Obviously we're going to need another installment on this afterwards.CorinneOkay, yes. And just to be clear, the meet isn't until July, so, so I have a lot of time to think about it.VirginiaI'm just saying though. A few months ago, you were recommending Casey Johnston and her couch-to-barbell program. And you were like, “I'm just using a broomstick.”CorinneIt's true. VirginiaAnd now!CorinneIt's true and now I'm lifting actual pounds.VirginiaVery, very cool. CorinneYeah, what's new with you? VirginiaI feel like what's new with me is that I am surviving, not thriving a little bit. So this is going to come out in mid-April. So we'll be two weeks out from book launch. So I will either be better or I will be way worse. I mean, having had two children, it's sort of similar to the last month of pregnancy when you're like, it's all you can think about, this thing is happening, but you have no control over it. I mean, at least with the book, you know, like the date it's coming. Which with pregnancy, they have yet to really figure out, unless you're scheduling. But I counted it up this morning, I have recorded 18 podcasts so far. Of other people's podcasts. Like for talking about the book. 18 people's podcasts. CorinneOh whoa. That's wild.VirginiaAnd like, seven of them were in the last week and a half? So I feel like my voice is hanging on by a thread. And I'm just getting a little mush-brained about it. I need to step back a little.Obviously, I am super grateful. I love that people want me to talk about the book. I love that people are excited about the book. I cannot wait for it to be out. But it's just at a point where there are a lot of details. Like, review all the press release materials, review the marketing plan…. I forgot we were recording today. And it's not the first thing I've forgotten. Like, I forgot the kids had a dentist appointment. We made it, but I'm just like, my brain is holding too many pieces of information. Some things are getting dropped. I'm just coming in with a sort of scattered energy. But I've got the Throat Coat Tea that I'm living on right now. And we're gonna do it! CorinneDo you have any upcoming book promo stuff that you're really excited to do?VirginiaWell, I did an interview yesterday that I can't talk about yet, because I don't think it will be out by the time this launches. CorinneTop secret. VirginiaThere are two top secret ones that will be coming out in the week or two after this podcast episode. And they're both very exciting. And I will say that I was very happy with my outfit for one. So that was good. And the other one the outfit matters less because it is not visual. I will say no more! And yeah, that part's been fun, actually figuring out clothes for like the book tour Dacy has been helping me and maybe some time we'll do a follow up about finding clothes for this. Because it's a very specific level of, how dressy do you want to be versus comfortable? So maybe there will be an essay of what I wore for the book tour.CorinneI would love to read that.VirginiaOkay, so we're going to do some questions! The first one is a hot take opportunity. This came in over Instagram multiple times. People would like to know what we saw of Jia Tolentino's Ozempic piece in The New Yorker.CorinneOkay, well, now is my time to be embarrassed when I admit that I read it really lightly. I did a really light skim sort of read, and was like, seems fine. And then I've seen everyone else being like, “This article is horrible.” And I've been like, wow, I really need to revisit that and find out why people are so upset.VirginiaI'm glad to hear people are saying they're upset! I felt like no one was talking about it at all for a little bit. And I was like, what is happening? I feel like the New York magazine piece came out, which I wrote about and that was not great. And then this piece comes out two weeks later, and I'm just like, why? Why did it come out? It's the same piece really. And I want to be clear that I love Jia's work. I loved Trick Mirror. I think she writes phenomenal stuff. The piece she did on Angela Garbes last year was just incredible. And this was… not that. It is very much centering the story on thin people who would like to be thinner if they take Ozempic. There's one fat person interviewed for the story. And, you know, of course, every fat person is entitled to their own experience of fatness. But her quotes just reinforced so many stereotypes. She talks about wanting to lose weight because she feels like she can't hike or run at her current size. And it's like, come on. We can do better. CorinneIf you want to hike and run, you could work on hiking and running?VirginiaRight! There are so many fat hikers and runners on Instagram. CorinneI thought the compounding pharmacy thing was kind of interesting.VirginiaOh, like explaining how sort of like loosey goosey it is and getting the drugs? CorinneBecause I've seen a lot of people on TikTok being like, I'm getting this patented drug from a compounding pharmacy. And I'm like, wait, is that real? Like, what is that? So I thought that part was interesting.VirginiaIt was interesting. But when she goes through the process of getting it herself, I always just worry—this is the eating disorder handbook stuff.Corinne True true. You're literally telling people how to do it. VirginiaAnd I get that that's not hard to find. We all have Google. But is that something The New Yorker should be doing? Does The New Yorker need to teach us how to get our weight loss drugs? I don't know. I feel like the general trend in the Ozempic coverage–And this is not just Jia, not just New York Magazine. But by and large, this coverage has this underlying question of: If we have now found a silver bullet that will make people thin, does that mean we can just forget about anti fat bias? And that is so dark. We cannot just say, now that we have a way to make everybody thin, it's okay to hate fat people, because we can just make them thin.CorinneThat's a good point.VirginiaI'm not judging anyone's individual decisions about this. But this larger discourse is not helpful. That's my hot, grouchy take. CorinneThat's the hot take! I would love to know also, if any listeners have strong feelings about it? VirginiaYes. Comments are open!CorinneOkay, the next question is:Q: The one thing I can't shake as a new mom is worrying about making my daughter fat. How do I shake that? I grew up fat and it was hard. I want better for her. But does that mean dieting?VirginiaThis is a very understandable fear. But no, it does not mean dieting. CorinneI want to validate this parent's worries, because you're coming from a place where it sounds like you struggled a lot. And you don't want your kids to struggle, and that totally makes sense.VirginiaI think what I'm stuck on is, “I grew up fat and it was hard.” Yes, absolutely. Not denying that. But was it hard because you were fat? Or was it hard because the world made fat not okay?And so, this is kind of the Ozempic thing, right? Is the answer to erase fatness by which we mean erase fat people? Or is the answer systemic change and unlearning this bias on a personal level? But I know, that is a terrible question. You cannot make all those systemic changes by yourself. That is not doable. So it is really, really hard.CorinneThe one thing that's sort of not explicit in this question is whether the kid is actually fat.VirginiaShe says she's a new mom. So I'm thinking she has a baby. So she probably doesn't know? CorinneBecause my next thought was, you could talk to your kid about it being hard. But maybe not for a newborn.VirginiaBut maybe start now! Get the conversation going.CorinneStart thinking about it. You can talk to yourself about it. I think now might be a time to start therapy. VirginiaTherapy, always a great option.You are not going to make your daughter thin or fat. You don't actually control her body size. The number of factors that go into determining body sizes is this sort of endless and murky list, and no one really knows what are the largest drivers. But how you feed her, and how much you make her run around are not the largest drivers of her body size. And putting all your energy there is only going to cause damage, which you yourself probably know, because when you say it was hard, I'm guessing that some kind of childhood dieting might have been a piece of that.So I feel like we need to let you off the hook of the “I'm gonna make her fat.” She may be fat. There is nothing wrong with that. It is not your fault. And what she really needs is for you to unconditionally accept her body.CorinneI also think this could be a really good time to think of some advocacy you could do, whether that's looking into school policies about bullying or even at the legislative level, like laws about anti fat bias. Or just trying to be an advocate in your community for body liberation or fat liberation? VirginiaI love that. And I just wanna say this is hard. It is really unfair that that is asked of us. But that is where we are on this issue. And we're only going to make progress if we all approach it from that perspective. CorinneAnd I want to reiterate: The thing about bias is, the solution is never to get rid of the people we're biased against. Or to change them somehow.VirginiaRight. So it's okay. Maybe your daughter is going to be fat and how are you going to support her and advocate for her and make your home a safe space for her body?CorinneAll right, I'm going to read the next one too: Q: I am trying very hard to be very neutral about food with my son who's four years old. From the start, I have not labeled foods as good or bad. I have not restricted access to sweets or desserts. But lately, I've started questioning this. I've always felt pressure because I am not able to manage cooking meals. So from the start, my son was fed using a grazing technique where I would put together various foods and he would eat what he wanted. As he has gotten older, he is more specific in his tastes in a way that feels normal to me, pretty much macaroni and cheese or similar foods most of the time. There are other things he will eat, but I feel a lot of grief about my inability to get it together and provide regular hot balanced meals, also for myself. Recently, I've been trying to limit his intake of sweets just a little bit and it feels like a backside but I've been confused. Only two cookies and even suggesting he eats something before he gets the cookies. This week's mailbag episode made me reorient when you talked about not doing this and reminded me why I wanted to avoid this restriction based language. And I admit the reason I started thinking about this was twofold. I filled out a research survey that made me admit a lot of things about our household eating that I feel low level guilty about and I felt the sting of perceived societal shaming.And my son started talking about treats. I was a bit miffed as categorizing something as a treat, as opposed to food which he labeled the rest as, was something I was trying to avoid. Then I realized this could have come from daycare television, the fact that we give the dog treats, and so I am overreacting. I find it's so hard to be consistent in my parenting in many avenues and food encroaches on that too. Giving food as a reward for example, this is something I do for myself, and I like it. But perhaps it is part of the problem of saving food for a special occasion as opposed to having it because you want it.I need some perspective, please. Is it ever useful to direct a child to a more balanced diet as opposed to just modeling it? I do not mean telling them that specific foods help your eyes. What a relief to see that debunked, but more that many foods are yummy. And basically some form of kid specific ‘everything in moderation.'VirginiaThe first thing I want to say is: You are doing a great job. You are feeding your child. It does not matter that you are not cooking. And that the food is not hot or homemade. It does not matter at all. You are meeting your son's needs by making sure he is fed every day, and making sure that he has enough to eat in order to grow. That's the most important thing and you're doing it. You're winning! You're doing great. And this really drives home for me the stigma we have around the idea that you can't feed kids processed foods, you have to cook meals. All of this is so unhelpful because there are just so many reasons why that model of family meals is not a good fit. There could be disability issues. There could be cost issues, time bandwidth issues, all sorts of hurdles. There could also just be that you don't like cooking. You can still be a good parent and not like cooking. It's not a requirement. SoI just want to encourage you to take some of the shame away. Corinne That's a great place to start. I totally agree. I was thinking about the study that you mention in FAT TALK about how it doesn't matter what you're eating and it much more matters that kids are just eating. VirginiaOh, that's a quote from Katherine Zavodni, who's one of my favorite pediatric dietitians. So teaser for everyone who hasn't read the book yet, but it's a quote that I want to put on our fridge! She says, “The most important thing about good nutrition is making sure kids have enough to eat.” Because if you have enough to eat, all the minutiae of micronutrients, and macronutrients tends to work itself out. Now, obviously, there are kids with severe food issues like feeding disorders, allergies or other medical conditions where it may be more complicated. Their nutritional needs may be more specific. But if your kid is not dealing with one of those things, and has enough to eat on any given day, you have done your job as a parent.CorinneAnd you also talked about the studies on family meals, right? And how the benefits come from eating together rather than making sure it's a home-cooked meal. VirginiaI'm so glad you brought that up. All the research on family dinners, which talks about how important they are for kids' overall well-being and health—it's because families are spending time together. So you could do that around breakfast, you could do that around a snack, you could do that in ways that have nothing to do with food. Like maybe you regularly have a long car ride to commute to school and work together. And that's when you talk and catch up on your day. Kids need connected time with their caregivers. Food is just one helpful way to do it.CorinneIt doesn't matter if you are eating snack plates, or macaroni. VirginiaSome of my most connected meals with my kids are when we're eating takeout or bowls of Cheerios for dinner! Because everyone is relaxed and you can focus on each other. And you're not in this place of, “I put all this work into this meal and nobody likes it.”. So then let's talk about feeling like you need to limit his intake of sweets. I think you're going there because you're feeling ashamed about what you're doing. So I'm hoping just lifting some of the shame lets you step back from that a little bit. I also think the research shows pretty clearly that requiring kids to eat in very specific ways, like micromanaging their plate by saying “you have to eat something else before you get the cookies” or “only two cookies,” does not. in the long-term, serve kids' relationship with food. It tends to result in kids who are overly fixated on the foods that have a lot of rules around them. You're going to find yourself in power struggles where it's like, why only two cookies, why not three cookies, why not two and a half cookies.Don't feel bad that you've done this, because I think we all get into these sort of panic moments where we do this because we're just struggling and it feels like the “right thing to do.” But I don't think it will ultimately serve you or serve your child. I think modeling eating a variety of foods is the best thing we can do. And even using phrases like “balance” or “everything in moderation,” I don't love because not every day is going to be about moderation. And that can turn into a rule. Because what is “moderation?” And then the last thing I'll say is, I think we touched on this in a previous episode. But I don't think treat needs to be a bad word. Yes, we give the dog treats. Dogs' existences are largely treat-based, at least in my house. We give ourselves food as rewards when we're stressed out or we need some extra comfort. When we talk about keeping all foods neutral, I think we can take it too far, to this place where it feels like we're not supposed to have any feelings about food at all. And that is not realistic or fair, or in line with how humans interact with foods.So we do use the word treat in our house. And this came up with the lunchbox piece because I have a category of treats on the little chart I made for Beatrix and folks were like, “I can't believe you have a treat category.” And I realized they had a different definition of that word. If you don't have restrictive rules around when or how much treats you can eat, then treat is a neutral word. It just means foods that feel extra fun. Just something extra fun you want to have on your plate along with your other foods. And if you're not saying “we only eat treats once a day,” or “we only eat treats on Saturdays;” if it's not paired with restrictive language, then it's still keeping foods neutral. Does that make sense?CorinneI think especially with the lunch box example, you're using treat as a category to make sure you're getting a treat. That seems really positive.VirginiaBecause I want them to know that those foods are welcome in their lunchboxes. Yes.CorinneOr required, even! VirginiaNone of it's required, Corinne, they can skip the treat if they want! But it's a part of the meal. CorinneMaybe that's a way that this person could reframe it. It feels like you're hearing your kid say treat and thinking they're feeling like it's something to be restricted. When could you be like, “Let's make sure you're getting enough treats.”VirginiaThat's a great re-framing. I hope this helps. This is a big question. And I can tell you're working through a lot of big stuff. So we would like an update. Please keep us posted!CorinneYou're doing a great job.VirginiaYes. CorinneI'm gonna read the next one as well. Q: My daughter is in fifth grade. At school she's often given food in addition to what she brings for her lunch and snacks. Candy is handed out as an incentive. Snacks, as well as non-edible items, are available to purchase with Classroom Bucks earned for good behavior. Several days a week she has after school activities that include a good deal of snacking. For the most part, I've accepted that I have no control over what she eats when she's away from me. However, she is regularly coming home not hungry for the dinner I've prepared. It's becoming more frequent lately that she'll snack so much at school, and at after school activities, that she will eat only a couple bites of dinner, and occasionally nothing at all. Dinners are usually meals she likes and she always has the opportunity to choose a backup option if she doesn't. So I don't think it's an issue of filling up because she won't get food she likes at dinner. She chooses and packs her own lunch and snack. We generally have a rule that if you put it on the grocery list, Mom will buy it, which is to say she has a lot of control of choice and regular access to candy and snack foods, both at home and in her lunch.Is it diet culture to expect her to come to dinner ready to eat? Or is it valid for me to feel miffed that she's already full? And yeah, I realize we'll all have an off day or skip a meal once in a while. This is becoming a regular occurrence though.VirginiaI don't think it's diet culture exactly. I think it's performative parenting culture a little bit, where we are very tied to this idea that, again, the family dinner is this all-important cornerstone of the day, where we have to provide a certain kind of meal. And that it is only successful if our children eat the meal. If they participate in, and enjoy the meal. And even if we're like, “they can choose how much they're hungry for,” if they don't want to eat it at all, it's really hard.I say this from extensive personal experience. It's really hard to not feel like you failed because you're like, “I just spent 40 minutes making this and you ate two bites and ran away.” But what I also want to say is: 9 out of 10 family dinners in my house involve one or both children eating two bites of the meal and running away. I think it's very, very, very common at sort of all ages. And yes, it is often because they had a lot of snacks in the afternoon. Because that is when they were really hungry and needed to eat. And so my expectation that 5:30 or 6:00 pm is when we're all going to sit down and eat this big meal together is out of line with the reality of at 3:30 or 4:30 pm, they are ravenous and need to eat. And so we're just always going to have that mismatch and it is what it is. Nobody needs to feel bad.CorinneThis relates back a little to the parent who's feeling guilty about not cooking meals. It's kind of the flip side where this parent is cooking meals and feeling bad about them.VirginiaI also want to speak to the piece about food given out at school. I don't love candy being handed out as an incentive in class. And that is not because I don't want the kids eating the candy. It's because I think it does play into making candy seem so special and coveted. And for kids who have more restrictive relationships with candy at home, I don't feel like it's helpful. Does that make sense? I don't have a problem with there being a birthday party in class and everyone's eating cupcakes or candy just being there, like if the teacher just wants to have a candy jar on their desk and kids can help themselves. But it's layering on the messages about earning the candy that I really don't love. Because diet culture is going to teach kids so many different ways that you have to earn your treats.But I have not figured out a way to eradicate this practice from the American public school system. It's a very common tactic. And I think teachers have very, very hard jobs and if handing out M&Ms for getting math problems right makes it easier to do their job? I don't know, man, I think that's where we are. CorinneYeah. VirginiaAnd if it's happening in the context of, your child also has all this great regular access to candy and treats because like you said, you're involving her in the grocery list and lunch packing and all that, then I don't think it being handed out as an incentive is going to do that much damage.They can understand that at school, M&Ms are being given as a reward. And at home, there is a bag of M&Ms that I can just eat.CorinneWith the teachers handing out candy as incentives, I'm worried more about the kids who are not getting candy as incentives.VirginiaOh, what a terrible message. That's so sad. You did this wrong. No candy for you. It is tricky. And I mean, I don't mind kids purchasing snacks with Classroom Bucks. That feels a little more diffuse to me. That's giving them some independence. And after school activities should include snacks because the majority of children are starving after school. I think the key here is don't demonize the way she's eating because she's getting her needs met. Just maybe take some pressure off yourself. If dinner is usually something she likes, if there's an option to choose a backup option and she doesn't, then she's just not hungry. CorinneAnd maybe that can take some of the pressure off dinner. Like maybe you just make a snack plate.VirginiaSomething simpler. Or make something you're really excited to eat.CorinneSomething you like! VirginiaThat's what I often do when I can tell the kids are not in like super dinner oriented phases. I'm like, Okay, then I'm picking what I want. And we also do a bedtime snack. And in fifth grade, she's probably staying up late enough that she's up a few hours after dinner. And if she was really hungry for dinner at 3pm, and then she wasn't that hungry for real dinner at 6pm, by 8 or 9pm, she probably needs something before she goes to bed. Alright, should I read the next one? Q: My question is about restricting food, not for dietary reasons, but because of the financial and waste concerns. My spouse and I wince when we see our kids drowning their waffles in maple syrup and leaving a plateful of it, eating all the prepackaged expensive foods we try to save for their lunches and eating all the Girl Scout cookies so they don't have to share them with a sibling.I've told my kids that they never need to hide food, but I find them doing so in order to get the last of something like the Oreos they want to keep from their brother. I buy Oreos every time we go to the store, and our house has plenty of sweets and other snack foods, but eventually we will run out of things. How do we keep them out of the scarcity mindset while still dealing with the realities of eating with a family? I really feel you on the syrup. It's so expensive. CorinneI know I was thinking you're basically watching your kid pour gold on their pancakes. VirginiaIt's so much. CorinneI mean this whole question is relatable to me. I definitely had some anxiety growing up about like, I feel like my dad would always eat stuff that I wanted, like leftovers or like the last cookie or something, you know?VirginiaYeah, it's really tricky because the bummer answer to this is: A finance-based scarcity mindset can be just as damaging as a diet-culture based scarcity mindset.CorinneSo true. VirginiaKids who grow up without enough to eat, or with this sort of ever-present worry about there being enough to eat often end up with some disordered eating stuff down the road, understandably, because when there is food, they'll feel like, “I have to eat it all. Because I don't know what I'm going to eat it again.” It's totally logical. So this can be really tough. And I'm not sure from this question, if you are struggling to afford these foods? Is there a true food insecurity issue in your house? Or if it's more just, you are on a budget. CorinneYou only go grocery shopping once a week and Oreos don't last the whole week.VirginiaSo I'm not sure which one we're dealing with. But I just want to say if affording food is really hard for you, then obviously, your first priority is getting whatever support you can around that. Which could be finding out if you're eligible for SNAP benefits, making sure your kids are on the school lunch program, all the stuff that I am sure you are already doing. And don't need me to explain to you.If it's more just the “Good God, that was a $9 bottle of syrup” moment, I think it's okay to say to kids, “This is a more expensive food.” So we're going to be mindful of that. With syrup, if you have little ramekins or bowls, you can say, “We're going to give everyone their own syrup.” And pour generously! Don't flood the plate the way they would flood the plate, but pour generously enough so that every kid feels like they have their own and they don't have to share it.We do this sometimes with something like brownies. Or if we have cake or some dessert that we don't have as often. When I know the kids are going to be really excited about it, I often will just go ahead and portion it out. Not because I'm trying to control how much they eat. But because I want them to know, “I'm definitely getting mine.” This actually just happened with Cadbury Mini Eggs, which are just a prime example of a scarcity mindset food because you can only get them for a month a year and they're the best candy. It's so hard! Dan brought home a big family-size bag from the grocery store. And between me and the girls, it was gone by the next night and he was like, “Really? Really? There are none left?” I think he was mad he didn't get any. But I was like, “Yeah, no there are none left.” I know that you thought that was a big bag, but we haven't had these in ages and we're all real jazzed about it.CorinneYou need to start portioning out some for Dan.VirginiaI suppose that would have been nice of me. CorinneSo if you're portioning out the brownie—what does that mean? Like you cut the brownies into four squares and give everyone a square? VirginiaI usually give everyone two squares because I feel one brownie is never enough.CorinneOh, you cut them into normal sized pieces. VirginiaOh yes. I just cut up the brownies. But rather than put the pan of brownies in the middle of the table, which might make everyone worry, like, “Am I going to get the piece I want?” Especially because, in my household, center-of-the-pan brownies are highly coveted. It's a whole thing.  So I'll just go ahead and be like, “Here's your center brownie.” So they don't have to be anxious about whether they'll get one.Maybe also, talk to your kids about which foods they worry about wanting the most. It's useful to know what that is. So you can think about how to ease up that fear, in a way that is in line with your budget. But maybe the kid who's hiding the Oreos, you buy them their own jumbo bag of Oreos and they don't have to share. And maybe if that's in your budget, you do that for a few weeks and see how that goes. And maybe every kid gets their own favorite snack food in that kind of quantity, which they don't have to share with a sibling. And then it's understood that all the other stuff is shared. It's not teaching restriction or scarcity to say, “Okay, let's make sure everyone has their seconds before you have thirds.” That's manners. That's okay. CorinneOr to maybe just one week buy like super extra amounts of Oreos and be like, eat as many Oreos as you want this week. VirginiaAnd see what they do with that. That would be interesting.CorinneAll right. Here's a question for you: How comfortable are your Charlotte Stone clogs?VirginiaThey are comfortable for clogs, is what I would say. And I love clogs very much. But they are a little bit of a scam in that they are not actually the most comfortable shoe. So I do not equate them to sneakers. For sure sneakers are more comfortable. Birkenstocks are more comfortable. But I wear my Charlotte Stone clogs the way other people might wear a ballet flat, or a loafer, like a dressier shoe. And I feel like no dressy shoe is ever really that comfortable. They're pinchy or they give you blisters. And so by that standard, these are quite comfortable. Because they have a built-in memory foam padding situation. So you're not walking on a block of wood the way you are with some clogs. I feel like I got shin splints from those, back in the day. They're definitely more comfortable than that. But I wore them downtown yesterday. And I did move my car to avoid walking two blocks because it was uphill. So I don't wear them for extensive walking. CorinneBut you would say they're more comfortable than some clogs?VirginiaI think yes. Of the various cute clog brands.CorinneFashion clogs.VirginiaThey are the most comfortable fashion clog I have tried and I have tried probably three or four brands. Like they're better than Number Six. They're better than Swedish Hasbeens. CorinneMy issue is that clogs are always too narrow for me. I can never find clogs that fit.VirginiaYeah, and I mean I have narrower feet, so I don't know how useful Charlotte Stone is on that front.CorinneThey do have a lot of sizing info. I tried some Charlotte Stone non-clogs, like they had a cute sneaker-ish thing, because they go up to size 12. Which should be what my size is, but they were way too narrow. Like I could not even get my foot in.VirginiaThat's such a bummer. Somebody could get into the wide width clog market and do very well.CorinneOh God, seriously. I found one clog that works for wide-ish feet. It's called Haga Trotoffel or something.VirginiaThat sounded like a very accurate pronunciation. CorinneI've had a pair, but it's the non-padded pure wood kind. So it's just not super comfortable to me.VirginiaThose are rough. Ever since I sprained my ankle, I am very cautious. Where am I going to wear these clogs? What sort of terrain am I walking? I really want to find some cute ones with a strap at the back for more stability. I think Charlotte Stone has ones with a strap that I'm thinking about trying, except I don't need more clogs. CorinneNumber Six also has some that are really cute and the base is almost flat. That might be more uncomfortable. I don't know.VirginiaWell I wear the lowest height Charlotte Stone clog. I do not go for their super platforms. I am not 22. That chapter of my life is closed. But they're not a Dansko clog! Let's be clear. And, I would say to be realistic that if you live on the east coast, or the Midwest, they're like, a three month a year shoe. They're great in the spring. They're great in the fall. They're going to be too hot in the summer and they're going to be useless in the winter. So factor that in. Okay, so next up: Q: I have a question about chafing. Since giving birth for the second time in 2021, my body has changed and I probably fall in the small fat category. I've dealt with chafing between my thighs and in the summers before, but now that I have to wear outside clothes and get out of the house more, I am dealing with chafing in the groin area even in the winter, which is the thing I didn't I don't have prior experience with. I am looking for recommendations for underwear that have a wide enough gusset to hopefully prevent this. And any other tips to be more comfortable in this regard with this new body of mine? Corinne, you're the underwear queen!CorinneI have a lot of thoughts about this.VirginiaYou are the resident Burnt Toast underwear expert.CorinneMy first thought is: Are we sure this is a chafing issue? VirginiaOh, what else could it be? CorinneWell, another thing that can happen when you become fat is you get irritation in your skin folds area. So just something to throw out there, because I've heard people having confusion around that before. It's like a yeast infection you can get in your skin folds. It's like a diaper rash. And you can treat it with diaper rash cream or zinc cream.VirginiaAquaphor?CorinneNo! Aquaphor? Isn't Aquaphor like Vaseline?VirginiaYeah, but I used it on my kids' butts when they had diaper rash. CorinneOkay, well, maybe I don't know anything about diaper rash.VirginiaMaybe that was a bad move.CorinneI feel like a lot of diaper rash cream has zinc in it, and it coats your skin to protect it. VirginiaI know what you're talking about now.CorinneIn terms of wider gusset underwear, there are not a lot of good options. The one option that I have found out about which I have not tried but have ordered and am currently waiting on is this underwear from the brand Panty Drop. I'm kind of confused about what's going on with them because it seems like they merged with another brand which was Kade & Vos. Okay. But they claimed to have wider gusset underwear. And another thing you could consider would be boxers or boxer briefs.VirginiaI was wondering about even a boy's short underwear. Something that has a longer thigh situation.CorinneIt goes down further.VirginiaOr bike shorts as underwear. CorinneAnd I mean, people definitely make chafing shorts. VirginiaYes! I just ordered some from Snag.CorinnePeople also like Thigh Society. So you could shop around and look for chafing shorts that you could just wear as underwear. VirginiaRight, just under your jeans or other hard pants, And where are you on MegaBabe or the other chafing balms? Do you have one you like?CorinneI have MegaBabe. I almost never need it. Just, whatever way that I'm designed, it's not an issue for me right now. Virginia I get chafing but I haven't tried MegaBabe. I actually have a very low tech hack. But I use Old Spice antiperspirant, which is my husband's antiperspirant, and I use that as my antiperspirant. And so then I just put it between my thighs as well. And I find that holds up pretty well. I sometimes have to reapply it during the day, like on a very hot day. And one of the reasons I think I don't wear dresses as much anymore is, chafing is an automatic reality in dresses. And some shorts too, depending on how they're cut. So we feel you. This is a reality of fat life for sure! CorinneIf you have fat friends, you can talk to them about it because a lot of people have this problem.VIrginiaIt's an evergreen conversation. Everyone will have opinions.CorinneOkay, next question: Q: Any tips on changing the dialogue with mom friends or friends in general who are progressive and informed otherwise, but still mired in diet culture? I feel like I'm the only one who isn't intermittent fasting or doing keto.VirginiaI posted a meme on Instagram today, there was something like to all the women who are bullying each other to order salads, aren't you so sad that you hate your life so much. And my DMs are currently flooded with people asking some version of this question: How do I keep going out to dinner with my friends who are so in this space? One person was telling me about being out to dinner and this group of women were trying to split tacos. Like tacos are small to start with. And they were all like, “Well, I can't eat a whole one.”CorinneI'm like, “Am I ordering 9 or 12.”VirginiaCorrect. The number of tacos I need to be full is a very high number. I would not split one in two. It's already only two bites!CorinneIt's like trying to split a popsicle.VirginiaIt's a total mess. So I feel like my first piece of advice is, can you make new friends? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I know. CorinneMy first piece of advice is just like, Man up. Tell them you don't want to talk about it.VirginiaThat's better than mine.CorinneI mean, maybe it's harsh. It's a little tough love. Your advice is good too. There's gotta be other people out there who are sick of this. Like, every person I know could benefit from some examination of their relationship with diet culture. So I just feel like, you can't be the only one who's struggling.VirginiaThere are almost 30,000 people subscribed to this newsletter, who probably feel the same way as you because why else are they reading the newsletter and listening to this podcast?.CorinneOkay. Actually, this is a little off topic. But can I tell you something? So, as previously discussed, I go to the gym. I have a trainer there. And this week, when I saw her, she was like, “Hey, so this person contacted me who found me through Burnt Toast.” VirginiaYay! CorinneSo I'm just saying what that basically means is there is another person in the city that I live in, who's reading Burnt tToast who I don't know. And none of my friends know. VirginiaRight! But who maybe would be an awesome friend. CorinneOr who at least also has some skepticism of diet culture stuff.  So that's got to be true for you as well.VirginiaAnd you have powerlifting in common! Yes, in my close group of friends, we really never talk about this. And maybe it's because they read the newsletter and know that I'm not the friend for this. CorinneThey're scared. VirginiaBut we have so many better conversations because this is off the table for us. And we never made a conscious decision to do it. It just kind of happened. I do feel like in the past, we had more diet-y conversations. And we've all kind of shifted away from it. And it's been lovely and great for our friendships. And so maybe you do need to officially say it to these people: I love you. But I just don't want to talk about diets. This really isn't good for me. I just end up feeling shitty about myself. And there are so many more interesting things to talk about here.CorinneYeah. I think it's good for people to know that too. If people are totally unaware that talking about their diets constantly is hurting people, then they should know. And they deserve to know that.VirginiaCompletely agree. And often this talk is very performative because we think we have to talk this way. And so you being the first one to say, “What if we just ordered what we wanted to eat and didn't do this whole dance?” I call it like playing the game of Salad Chicken, where you're like,“Could I order the pasta? No, not if she's ordering the salad.” Like, if you could not do that? Man, dinner is gonna be way more fun. So just give people permission to not do it and see what happens. And if they really can't get there, then I circle back to: Can you have other friends? Or can you say to them, I don't want to spend our time talking about this but I'm really sorry you're struggling and how can I support you?CorinneOh my God, I love the idea of responding to someone who's excited about intermittent fasting with, “I'm sorry, you're struggling.”VirginiaHow can I support you in this starvation?CorinneI'm so sorry that you're not eating food.VirginiaYou're right. That might not be the moment.CorinneNo, I like it. VirginiaI think it could work? I think it's an option. CorinneI mean, I think this is also that sort of situation where you can be like, “It's so interesting that we're all so focused on our weird diets.”VirginiaThe patented Corinne “It's so interesting!”CorinneJust an anthropological, outsider observation.VirginiaIt's always, always a good moment for that. All right. Should we do Butter? CorinneYes. I do have a Butter. What I want to recommend is this recipe called Trouble Cookies. It's from a cookbook called Mother Grains, but it's also on the Bon Appetit website. And I feel like it's a little annoying to recommend because it does have a really annoying to find ingredient which is sorghum flour. [Reminder that if you preorder FAT TALK from Split Rock Books, you can also take 10 percent off any book mentioned on the podcast!]VirginiaOh Lord.CorinneBut you can order it from the internet!VirginiaCorinne will find a link for you.CorinneBob's Red Mill's has it. So if you have that kind of grocery store. Anyways, they also have coconut cashews and toffee bits and are extremely delicious. I've been trying to get my mom to make them for like a month and now I'm moving on to the Burnt Toast community. Please make Trouble Cookies and tell me how good they are.VirginiaI will try them. I will report back if I can get it together to get sorghum flour. I could use a new cookie. We're just a standard chocolate chip cookie household. CorinneI feel like chocolate chip cookies are good. But sometimes, a different direction is really good, too. VirginiaIs there chocolate in it? CorinneNo, it's coconut toffee bits cashews.VirginiaCould I put chocolate chips in instead of the toffee bits.CorinneI mean, I feel like you could? But it's really good. Do you not like caramel-y, coconut-y stuff?VirginiaAmy will tell you it is very hard for me to have a dessert that doesn't have chocolate in it.CorinneOkay, this one is not for you. VirginiaI'm just always like, but where's the chocolate? CorinneOh my God.VirginiaWhat am I doing here?Corinne I'm the opposite. And I mean, I really like chocolate. But I also really like a coconut-y caramel-y vibe. VirginiaI do too. I'm just like, but how much better if there was chocolate. That's all I'm saying.CorinneI feel like maybe you could dip it in chocolate? VirginiaAll right. I don't know. I'll try them out. I'll report back. Maybe I'll do half the batch with the toffee, half the batch with the chocolate chips. I can tell you my kids won't touch them if there's no chocolate. So that's like a non-starter. CorinneReally? Wow.VirginiaOh, please. CorinneI feel like a lot of kids don't like chocolate. VirginiaThat is not the case in the Sole-Smith home. See previous anecdote regarding Mini Eggs consumed in a day. And center brownies. It's very clear what we've come here to do.CorinneAll right, what's your Butter?VirginiaAll right, my Butter is, I am breaking up with underwire bras. Breaking news. CorinneThis is big news. VirginiaYou've all been wondering. I'm not totally breaking up with them because I haven't quite found a non-underwire bra that works under every outfit. Because there can be a uniboob situation? But I have recently purchased some non-underwire bras. And I realize now that I don't know how I made it through the whole pandemic while still wearing underwire bras every day. Every day!CorinneMe neither! I feel like when we originally talked about bras on a mailbag episode, I recommended the bras that you ended up getting.VirginiaThe True & Co bras? CorinneYes! And you were like, “Oh, never heard of them.” VirginiaWell, you influenced me. And then Marielle Elizabeth really influenced me. And I bought a bunch of them and they're awesome.CorinneThey're really good. The sizing is super flexible. I can wear anywhere from a 1x to a 3x. And I have a big chest.VirginiaYou do have to look for the full cup. Because I ordered some that were like a half cup and they do not work if you are someone with a big chest. CorinneYes, they have full cups and regular cups. VirginiaSo you have to look for the full cup. I can only find them on Amazon right now. I don't know. CorinneThey're only on Amazon now. VirginiaIt's really irritating. I would like there to be other options. But the other one I'm wearing a lot of, is I have some of the Paloma bras from Girlfriend Collective. And actually, this one isn't the Paloma, it's the high necked? I don't know. But I like it because it feels just like a tank. Yeah, I don't know why it's taken me so long to get here. I will be 42 a few weeks after you hear this episode. It's taken me a while. But now, I realize that I don't have to accept permanent marks on the side of my body from bras. Like what was I doing? I think I thought I really needed more structure. I'll unpack it all in an essay at some point. But for now, I just want to report the liberation that I am wearing underwire bras much less frequently. And it's delightful. CorinneI love that. VirginiaAll right. Thank you all so much for listening to Burnt Toast!CorinneIf you'd like to support the show, please subscribe for free in your podcast player and leave us a rating or review. These really help folks find the show.The Burnt Toast Podcast is produced and hosted by Virginia Sole-Smith (follow me on Instagram) and Corinne Fay, who runs @SellTradePlus, and Big Undies—subscribe for 20% off! The Burnt Toast logo is by Deanna Lowe.Our theme music is by Jeff Bailey and Chris Maxwell.Tommy Harron is our audio engineer.Thanks for listening and for supporting anti-diet, body liberation journalism! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe

In Episode 16, James and Sean flip the script and James interviews Sean about founding the Zevo brand and his time in the P&G Ventures studio. Sean is the co-founder and President of Cincy Brands (a CPG operating company), Co-host of BrandBusters, and Co-Founder of the Zevo Brand. Sean spent a decade at Procter & Gamble in Brand Management - leading brands like Iams pet food and Old Spice deodorant. He was the former CMO of Amify (sold to Cart.com). Sean has worked as an executive for private equity and venture capital-backed CPG and eCommerce businesses. In this episode, we discuss: 1. The leap from leading established brands like Old Spice at Procter & Gamble to founding the Zevo brand within P&G Ventures. 2. How Sean identified the insect control category as ripe for disruption and the challenges of launching a brand within a large, risk-averse corporation. 3. The importance of consumer education and feedback, and how early product hurdles were overcome to build a successful brand. 4. Zevo's strategic retail launch, starting with an exclusive partnership with Home Depot, and expanding to Target and Walmart by aligning distribution with brand awareness. 5. Key lessons on the entrepreneurial mindset needed to succeed in a big company, the value of mentorship, and staying curious in the face of challenges. Sean shares invaluable insights on navigating corporate innovation, offering practical advice for anyone looking to launch a new brand, especially within a large organization.

Jack and Dan with special guest Ryan McCarthy of “No Credentials Required” discuss an AFC West preview, plenty of football discussion with wrestling and these three numskulls have fun with some Old Spice (no we're not sponsored by them yet) This podcast is supported by Belly Up Sports and Belly Up Media Like, Follow and Subscribe to the Show on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok Subscribe to our page for new Episodes of Time to BS with Staniel Smooth, The Sports Cave and BS Sessions Tags: #BellyUpSports #BellyUpMedia #Podcast  Social Pages: Twitter/X: @stanielsmooth, @TimetoBSPodcast, @BellyUpSports, & @BellyUpMedia Instagram: @stanielsmooth, @TimetoBSPodcast, @BellyUpSports, & @BellyUpMedia Threads: @stanielsmooth & @timetobspodcast TikTok: @stanielsmooth Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TimetoBSPodcast?utm_source=linktree_admin_share Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2010, Old Spice increased the sales of a failing flagship product by a whopping 60% using a super simple psychology hack. Their agency worked for months to develop a strategy that would save the brand. I'll teach you how they did it in just 10 minutes.   Learn more at: https://www.sarahlevinger.co Twitter: https://x.com/SarahLevinger Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahlevinger/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarah.levinger/ Watch me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKwfjt_7PU5N_2fTfHemXXg   Thanks to Cytrus for the theme song, “Sky High” You can follow and find them on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/track/1oKGDsxjRdQlf2xHLZsiSJ?si=8fbd275dbbb54cbf  

Desmond Marzette is a sports, lifestyle, and entertainment marketing expert with over 20 years of experience working with the biggest names and Brands in the industry: Gatorade, Levi's, Corona, Jordan Brand, Beats, 2K Sports, EA Sports/Fifa (Hispanic Market), Nike, Old Spice, Target, Coke, and many more. He now sits as Executive Creative Director at ChiatDay Los Angeles.  Desmond gains the most satisfaction from creating epic pop culture moments for the world to enjoy and be inspired by, just as much as he does.

In this episode, Rob & DT take a deep dive into everything about our '24 Buffalo Bills defense with positional room breakdowns. Is McD ready to turn the play calling duties over to Bobby Babich after calling the plays just last season? It would be odd to promote Bobby B in name only so the fellas think it'll be his turn to call the defense this year.  The fellas play a game a word association for each positional group of the defense and have some fun along the way.  DT - Clone / Rotisserie DE - Pissed / Eminem LB - Speed / M*A*S*H* CB - Zone / Eyes, hips & feet S - Shoe filler / Old Spice deodorant --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/buffalofambase/support