Podcasts about Personally

Episode 2723 - Vinnie Tortorich and Chris Shaffer discuss adding protein to processed foods, GLP-1s, and how it's all "lipstick on a pig." https://vinnietortorich.com/2025/11/lipstick-on-a-pig-episode-2723 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Pure Vitamin Club Pure Coffee Club NSNG® Foods VILLA CAPPELLI EAT HAPPY KITCHEN YOU CAN WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE - @FitnessConfidential Podcast Lipstick On A Pig Vinnie and Chris have been working hard on manufacturing challenges. (3:00) There is a change in marketing around diet. (10:00) Pop-Tarts is claiming it has a high-protein version. They review the ingredients list. (15:30) It's essential to develop the persistence to achieve the success you want. (24:00) Other junk foods, such as Doritos, add protein. But don't be fooled! Adding protein to crappy food doesn't make the crappy food "healthy." (25:00) It's just putting "lipstick on a pig"! Metabolic damage can be seen in just a few short weeks when eating ultra-processed foods. (26:30) Chris discusses a study on weight gain from consuming ultra-processed foods. (27:00) Even if a brand you have used before has clean ingredients, you need to be vigilant and keep checking the ingredients, since companies will often add things that aren't good, such as seed oils. (33:00) California has claimed it will be ridding school lunches of junk food, but it is spreading the goal out over several years. (38:00) There Are Choices GLP-1s are now available as oral medication, but do they cause the same effect as the injectable ones? (49:30) The same dose is marketed as "similar." (51:00) People who have followed and stuck to NSNG have gotten off multiple medications. Personally, Vinnie stays away from certain meds, including hormones, because he wants to avoid a recurring cancer. (53:00) There are often a lot of things you can do before you turn to meds in many cases. (55:00) Proper nutrition, exercise (especially weight training), and things like vitamin D and magnesium help! Vinnie gives an example of how he has naturally improved his testosterone levels. You have to actually push yourself beyond a certain comfort level to see and feel a difference. (1:02:30) Sarcopenia happens to everyone, but you can absolutely fight it. (1:04:00) Don't forget to sign up for the NSNG VIP group. Vinnie's video workouts will be free to all members! (1:05:00) You can get on the wait list -https://vinnietortorich.com/vip/ Also, you'll want to join as soon as it opens, because once it closes again, it will be closed indefinitely. You can book a consultation with Vinnie to get guidance on your goals. https://vinnietortorich.com/phone-consultation-2/ More News Serena has added some of her clothing suggestions and beauty product suggestions to Vinnie's Amazon Recommended Products link. Self Care, Beauty, and Grooming Products that Actually Work! Don't forget to check out Serena Scott Thomas on Days of Our Lives on the Peacock channel. "Dirty Keto" is available on Amazon! You can purchase or rent it here.https://amzn.to/4d9agj1 Please make sure to watch, rate, and review it! Eat Happy Italian, Anna's next cookbook, is available! You can go to https://eathappyitalian.com You can order it from Vinnie's Book Club. https://amzn.to/3ucIXm Anna's recipes are in her cookbooks, website, and Substack — they will spice up your day! https://annavocino.substack.com/ Don't forget you can invest in Anna's Eat Happy Kitchen through StartEngine. Details are at Eat Happy Kitchen. https://eathappykitchen.com/ PURCHASE DIRTY KETO (2024) The documentary launched in August 2024! Order it TODAY! This is Vinnie's fourth documentary in just over five years. Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: https://vinnietortorich.com/documentaries Then, please share my fact-based, health-focused documentary series with your friends and family. Additionally, the more views it receives, the better it ranks, so please watch it again with a new friend! REVIEWS: Please submit your REVIEW after you watch my films. Your positive REVIEW does matter! PURCHASE BEYOND IMPOSSIBLE (2022) Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: https://vinnietortorich.com/documentaries REVIEWS: Please submit your REVIEW after you watch my films. Your positive REVIEW does matter! FAT: A DOCUMENTARY 2 (2021) Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: https://vinnietortorich.com/documentaries FAT: A DOCUMENTARY (2019) Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: https://vinnietortorich.com/documentaries

Send us a textCould “personally performed” services be compared to a self-driving vehicle? In this episode, Captain Integrity Bob Wade talks the parallels under the Stark Law. Hear why “personally performed” is frequently quoted in the Stark Law and Stark Law exceptions, what deems a service to be a referral, why a referral would not meet the Stark Law exceptions, whether the situation gets tricky, and Bob's experience with a Zoox autonomous vehicle. Learn more at CaptainIntegrity.com

We've got ourselves a good old-fashioned legislative brawl over hemp. The Senate just shut down Rand Paul's amendment that tried to strip out restrictions on intoxicating hemp products from the new government funding deal. This is the kind of hemp that doesn't quite fall under marijuana, the THCA and Delta-9 stuff that's skirted federal legality thanks to a 2018 farm bill maneuver. Paul, joined by Ted Cruz and a solid group of Democrats, argued this would gut the hemp industry in Kentucky and beyond. Mitch McConnell, of all people, led the charge in cracking down — he wants to shut down what he sees as a loophole before he exits stage right in 2026.Politics Politics Politics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The hemp industry is pissed. They lobbied hard, warning this will lead to job losses, ruined crops, and wiped-out businesses. But some law enforcement groups, anti-drug organizations, and even alcohol and legal marijuana folks were all in favor. They argue the current situation puts minors at risk and needs to be cleaned up. Rand Paul says his fight wasn't about holding up the government funding, but rather making sure someone in the Senate stood up for hemp farmers. Still, the amendment failed, and the broader bill — restrictions included — is going to move forward. And unless something magical happens in the House, it looks like the loophole days are done.Personally, I'm pretty skeptical of the idea that we're one bad gummy away from chaos in the streets. I've never bought the whole “kids are going to die if we don't regulate this tomorrow” pitch. That's not to say we shouldn't have age restrictions and public usage laws — we definitely should — but we need to be real about this. America needs a consistent weed policy. We're in this weird limbo where it's both legal and illegal, regulated and unregulated, and the result is that nobody really knows what's what.The 50-Year Mortgage PlanDonald Trump floated the idea of a 50-year mortgage on Truth Social, and it immediately got dragged on cable news. Fox Business host Charlie Payne slammed the plan as a bad way to fix housing affordability. The math doesn't lie: you might pay less per month, but in the long run, you'd nearly double the total cost of the house. That didn't stop Bill Pulte, head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, from calling it a game-changer. But Pulte's now facing heat because this idea just doesn't have a lot of fans.The appeal is pretty simple. You give younger buyers a way into the housing market with a lower monthly payment. Maybe that helps them get in the game earlier, buy a house in their twenties, start building equity. But let's be honest — the problem isn't just the monthly payment. It's the cost of everything. I didn't buy a house in my twenties because I wasn't ready, and I wanted to live a little. That's not a mortgage issue. That's a culture issue.And when I finally did buy, I didn't care how long the mortgage was. I cared about location, timing, and whether I actually wanted to settle down. A 50-year mortgage might help on the margins, but it's not the silver bullet for housing affordability. Maybe it gets a few people in the door earlier. Maybe not. But it's certainly not going to fix the system.Schumer on the Hot SeatChuck Schumer is taking incoming fire from all directions. After eight Senate Democrats voted with Republicans to end the shutdown, a lot of progressives decided enough was enough. Groups like MoveOn and Indivisible are now calling for Schumer to resign. Even some moderates are joining the chorus. They say he's out of touch, ineffective, and unable to confront Trump in any meaningful way.MoveOn claims 80% of their members want Schumer out. Representatives like Rashida Tlaib, Ro Khanna, and Seth Moulton have all voiced their displeasure. But over in the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is standing by Schumer. He gave a full-throated endorsement, saying Schumer is the right man for the job and that his fight during the shutdown was valiant. So at least publicly, Schumer isn't going anywhere.But this does shine a spotlight on the growing rift within the Democratic Party. The progressives want more aggression, more resistance, and less compromise. Schumer's old-school Senate style — the backroom deals, the procedural wrangling — doesn't cut it for them anymore. Whether or not this turns into an actual leadership challenge is still up in the air. But the frustration is loud and growing, and Chuck is smack in the middle of it.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:02:39 - Latest on Shutdown00:04:21 - Interview with Kirk Bado00:29:16 - Update00:29:52 - Hemp Products00:33:57 - 50-Year Mortgages00:37:58 - Calls for Schumer to Resign00:41:41 - Interview with Kirk Bado (con't)01:08:10 - Wrap-up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

What's up Bros? We are headed to the quarter finals and the competition is heating up. The fan vote is also causing a lot of discourse online. Is it fair that Andy is still around? Personally, we feel like that's what this show is truly about. But what do we know? (Not a lot) As we get down to the wire, who will be left standing with the mirror ball trophy? Can Whitney maintain her dominance? Or are Jordan and Alex closing the gap? Maybe Robert will make a late push, who knows? All we know is this show is awesome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to season 4, episode 5 of the Stock Trading for Beginners Podcast!When I first started trading, I felt totally overwhelmed staring at price charts without knowing when to enter. Then I discovered a one-rule strategy that changed everything: only buy at support. After six months of trading real money, my portfolio jumped 144%, and I only spent minimal time scanning charts. In this episode, I break down this simple, stress-free approach that delivers real results—no fancy setups required. Listen to get the framework, then check out our free trading group for video lessons and examples.Resource:Join our FREE Skool group: https://www.skool.com/tradingKey Topics:Building a Watchlist of Bullish Stocks I start by explaining how to spot bullish stocks without needing screeners or scanners. Use AI tools like Grok or ChatGPT to generate a list of 30-50 stocks in trending sectors (e.g., Palantir, Tesla, Amazon). Plug them into TradingView, check for higher highs and higher lows on the weekly timeframe, and use the Ichimoku Cloud for a quick bullish/bearish confirmation—above the cloud with a green future cloud means it's a keeper.Learning from Past Mistakes with Market Structure I share my own story with Tesla: It hit an all-time high around $414.50 in late 2021, then shifted to bearish lower highs and lows, dropping to $100 by January 2023. I held through massive unrealized losses because I ignored technicals and focused only on fundamentals. Fast-forward to now in late 2025, and Tesla's showing positive structure, building a base above that old $414.50 resistance—proving why bullish market structure keeps you on the winning side.Identifying Support Zones for Safe Entries Once you've confirmed a bullish trend, I dive into finding support zones where buyers step in and prices are likely to hold. Use historical price data (like old resistance turning into support), plus tools like the Ichimoku Cloud, Fibonacci retracements, and Gann squares. Don't fear pullbacks in bull markets—they're prime buying opportunities for better risk-reward. I emphasize accumulating shares here to keep things low-stress.Taking Profits at Resistance (or Holding for Momentum) Finally, I cover when to sell: at resistance zones identified the same way as support—historical levels and indicators. If you like trading in and out, lock in gains here to avoid mistakes. Personally, I prefer holding through volatility in bullish stocks to ride the momentum, but either way, never buy at resistance.TakeawaysThis boils down to one rule: only buy at support in bullish stocks—it's shockingly simple but tough with emotions in play. I've seen great results personally, and beginners in our group are up and running with positive gains in weeks. Trading doesn't have to be overwhelming; this strategy proves it.Join the Skool group at https://www.skool.com/trading for our free course with video modules, weekly analysis, a list of 30 bullish stocks, and community support to see this in action.Send me some feedback!Join Our Free Community on Skool:https://www.skool.com/trading

  “When I was Leader of the Opposition in the UK and some time out from an election which we were expected to win, I visited President Clinton at the White House. As we began our set of meetings, he said: “Remind me to tell you something really important before you leave.”  I was greatly taken with this and assumed I was about to have some huge secret of state imparted to me.  As I was leaving, I reminded him. He looked at me very solemnly and said, “Whoever runs your schedule is the most important person in your world as a Leader. You need time to think, time to study and time to get the things done you came to leadership to do. Lose control of the schedule and you will fail.”  I confess I was a little underwhelmed at the time. But he was right.”   That's an extract from former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's book. On Leadership: Lessons for the 21st Century. And it's perfect for the theme of this week's episode—finding time to do the important things.  Links: Email Me | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Linkedin Join the Time And Life Mastery Programme here. Use the coupon code: codisgreat to get 50% off. Get Your Copy Of Your Time, Your Way: Time Well Managed, Life Well Lived The Time Sector System 5th Year Anniversary The Working With… Weekly Newsletter Carl Pullein Learning Centre Carl's YouTube Channel Carl Pullein Coaching Programmes Subscribe to my Substack  The Working With… Podcast Previous episodes page Script | 392 Hello, and welcome to episode 392 of the Your Time, Your Way Podcast. A podcast to answer all your questions about productivity, time management, self-development, and goal planning. My name is Carl Pullein, and I am your host of this show.  It's nice when our systems work. We follow our plans for the day and the week, and when we arrive at the end of the week and look back, 80% or more of what we set out to accomplish is crossed off. Unfortunately, those weeks are rare—even for the most productive of people. There are far too many unknowns that will pop up each day and week for us to consistently get what we plan to do, when we plan to do it, done.  But that doesn't mean that productivity systems are a waste of time. They are not. A solid productivity system keeps you focused on what's important to you and gives you a way to prioritise what matters most.  And it doesn't matter where you are in life. You might be nearing retirement and in the early stages of preparing your business for sale, or you could be starting out on a university graduate programme.  There will always be things to do, some important, some less so. The key is to remain consistent with your system so you know each week, you are nudging the right things forward, even if you're not getting everything done.  And that leads me to this week's question, AND… The Mystery Podcast Voice is back! So, let me hand you over to the Mystery Podcast Voice for this week's question.  This week's question comes from Serena. Serena asks, Hi Carl, I have implemented productivity systems to keep me on track with my academics as a graduate student, and they have worked well when I consistently followed the steps. The problem is that when I get stressed out, I fall behind on deadlines. When the weekends come, I just want to decompress and do nothing. What can I do to get back on track with the system and continue to practice good personal productivity practices? Hi Serena, thank you for your question.  When I was at university, we had four core subjects each semester. It was on these that we would be expected to write essays and be examined on at the end of the academic year.  This is nice because from an organisational standpoint, class times will be predefined for you. They would go onto your calendar. These become your weekly commitments.  And while you may not know the deadlines for the essays at the start of the semester, you will know roughly when they will be due. That would be the same with your exams; you may not know the precise date of the exams at the start of the academic year, but you will know roughly when they will be held.  This is often the same for many of you in the workplace. You may know which quarter a project deadline falls in, but you may not know exactly which date the deadline will be.  One thing you do know, though, is that there is a deadline. Now, whatever we are working on we all have four limitations to deal with. Time itself, there's only 168 hours each week. The fact that you can only work on one thing at a time, our emotions—sometimes we're just not “in the mood” —and, as humans, we get tired and need to take a break.  There's nothing we can do about these four limitations.  You can “optimise” the human things though, ensuring you get sufficient sleep being the obvious one, and becoming as stoical as you can be in any given emotional situation (a lot easier said than done)  Given that one of the “fixed” limitations is time itself, the first place to lock down is your calendar. As you will likely know when your lectures will be, the area where your calendar becomes powerful is locking down your personal study times.  For example, if you have a two hour lecture on a Monday morning, and a second two hour lecture in the afternoon, there's going to be a gap somewhere in the day that will give you an hour or two “free”.  My wife's currently back at university, and on Wednesdays she has a lecture from 9:10 am to 11:00am. Her next lecture begins at 4:00 pm and runs until 5:50 pm. For her, Wednesdays are her study and homework days.  There's a five hour gap between lectures and so she can go somewhere quiet and study for the next test (they love tests at my wife's university)  She calls Wednesday her study day. She'll often do another two hours of studying after dinner on a Wednesday too.  This goes to something called “theming”. Theming given days for specific activities.  We all do this to a certain degree. For many of you, Monday to Friday are work days and weekends are rest days. But you can go further.  I do this with my week. Monday and Tuesday are writing days, Wednesday is audio/visual day, and Saturday mornings are my planning and admin mornings.  This does not mean all I do on those days is write or record videos and podcasts; it means that the bulk of what I do on those days is in line with that day's theme.  This goes back to the limitation of being able to do only one thing at a time. However, if you know that on a Tuesday you will study a particular subject, the only decision you will need to make is what you will study. This means you avoid being overwhelmed by choice.  It's Tuesday, so it's anatomy day. That's your theme, you study anatomy, for example. Now, if you find yourself falling behind, there are a number of things you can do. The most effectively one is to stop. Grab a piece of paper, a pen or pencil, and a highlighter, and write down everything you have fallen behind on.  Use the highlighter to highlight the most important items and start with them.  Then open your calendar and protect time for doing that work. Remember, you can only work on one thing at a time, so pick one and start. It's surprising that once you make a start on something, anything, how the anxiety and stress begin to fall away.  Many of my coaching clients have found that going back to their calendars and blocking two or three hours in the evening or on weekends to “catch up” also relieves stress and anxiety.  I know not taking work home with you is something many people strictly adhere to, but if not taking work home with you is causing untold amounts of stress and anxiety, leaving you with poor-quality sleep and emotions all over the place, perhaps that strict rule may be more damaging to your long-term health, than sacrificing two or three hours on a weekend to catch-up. The thing is, you don't have to do this every night or every weekend. It only comes into play when you identify a backlog or you feel you are seriously behind with something.  What you will find is the decision to work on something at a particular time, instantly takes the pressure off you. (Of course, you do need to carry through with your commitment to yourself to do the work at the time you set). Another thing you can do with your calendar is to reserve some time each week as “catch up” time. Personally, I do this on a Saturday morning. The house is quiet and I have complete control over what I do at that time.  You don't need to do this Saturday mornings. Many people I work with block Friday afternoons to catch up on work they are behind on, their communications, and admin. Of course this will depend on your lecture times.  If you have lectures on a Friday afternoon, there's likely to be another day in the week when you have a block of time you could designate as your catch-up time.  It's this “catch-up” time that gives you the peace of mind knowing that you have time at some point in the week to catch up.  The benefit of having these blocks of time for study, research, and catching up is that you start the week knowing you have enough time, and all you need to do is respect your calendar.  Now, I know that if you haven't used your calendar as your primary productivity tool before and rarely use it to plan your day, it's going to be challenging to develop the habit initially. All positive habits are difficult at first. You have to focus on it, and it's easy to forget. However, there are two ways to build this habit.  The first is to set aside five to ten minutes at the end of the day to open your calendar and look at what you are committed to the next day. Then mentally plot out when you will do what needs to be done.  The second is to do it in the morning; however, I've found the most effective way (and the least stress-inducing) is to do it before you end your day.  As an aside, talking to a couple of my longer-term clients recently, they both mentioned that the best thing they ever did was to set aside five to ten minutes after dinner to plan the next day. Both have recently switched to paper notebooks, and each new page marks a new day.  At the top of the daily page, they write out the two or three most important tasks for the day. Underneath, they capture notes from the day and when they do the daily planning, they transfer any important information or commitments into their digital system.  It's simple and an A5 notebook is small and non-intusive. So there you go, Serena, be aware that the limiting factor involved in maintaining your productivity system is time itself. How will you allocate what needs to be done over the 168 hours you have each week? Be clear about when you will do what needs to be done, and try to protect some catch-up time each week.  Thank you for your question and thank you for listening too.  It just remains for me now to wish you all a very, very productive week.   

Seth talks about the new dino he PERSONALLY discovered and the guys welcome a rock and roll hall of famer to their FDWTS recap. Rate Us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on Apple Podcasts! Connect With The Show:  Follow Us On Instagram  Follow Us On Twitter  Follow Us On TikTok  Visit Us On The Web    

Welcome back to Snafu with Robin Zander. In this episode, I'm joined by Kevan Lee and Shannon Deep, co-founders of Bonfire – a creative studio reimagining what it means to build brands, tell stories, and live meaningful lives. We talk about how Bonfire began as a "Trojan horse" – a branding agency on the surface, but really a vehicle for deeper questions: What does fulfilling work look like? How do we find meaning beyond our careers? And how can business become a space for honesty, connection, and growth? Kevan and Shannon share how their partnership formed, what it takes to build trust as co-founders, and how vulnerability and self-awareness fuel their collaboration. We explore their path from tech and theater to building Bonfire, hosting creative retreats, and helping founders tell more authentic stories. We also dive into how AI is changing storytelling, the myth of "broetry" on LinkedIn, and why transparency is the future of marketing. If you're curious about what's next for creativity, leadership, and meaningful work, this episode is for you. And for more conversations like this, stay tuned for Responsive Conference 2026, where we'll be continuing the dialogue on human connection, business, and the evolving role of AI. Start (0:00) How Bonfire Started (14:25) Robin notes how transparent and intentional they've been building their business and community Says Bonfire feels like a 21st-century agency – creative, human, and not traditional Invites them to describe what they're building and their vision for it Kevan's response: Admits he feels imposter syndrome around being called an "entrepreneur" Laughs that it's technically true but still feels strange Describes Bonfire as partly a traditional branding agency They work with early-stage startups Help with brand strategy, positioning, messaging, and differentiation. But says the heart of their work is much deeper "We create spaces for people to explore what a fulfilling life looks like – one that includes work, but isn't defined by it." Their own careers inspired this – jobs that paid well but felt empty, or jobs that felt good but didn't pay the bills Bonfire became their way to build something more meaningful A space to have these conversations themselves And to invite others into it This includes community, retreats, and nontraditional formats Jokes that the agency side is a Trojan horse – a vehicle to fund the work they truly care about Shannon adds: They're agnostic about what Bonfire "does" Could be a branding agency, publishing house, even an ice cream shop "Money is just gas in the engine." The larger goal is creating spaces for people to explore their relationship to work Especially for those in transition, searching for meaning, or redefining success Robin reflects on their unusual path Notes most marketers who start agencies chase awards and fame But Shannon and Kevan built Bonfire around what they wished existed Recalls their past experiences Kevan's path from running a publication (later sold to Vox) to Buffer and then Oyster Shannon's shared time with him at Oyster Mentions their recent milestone – Bonfire's first live retreat in France 13 participants, including them Held in a rented castle For a two-year-old business, he calls it ambitious and impressive Asks: "How did it go? What did people get out of it?" Shannon on the retreat Laughs that they're still processing what it was They had a vibe in mind – but not a fixed structure One participant described it as "a wellness retreat for marketers" Not wrong – but also not quite right Attendees came from tech and non-tech backgrounds The focus: exploring people's most meaningful relationship to work Who you are when you're not at your desk How to bring that awareness back to real life — beyond castles and catered meals People came at it from different angles Some felt misaligned with their work Others were looking for something new Everyone was at a crossroads in their career Kevan on the space they built The retreat encouraged radical honesty People shared things like: "I have this job because I crave approval." "I care about money as a status symbol." "I hate what I do, but I don't know what else I'd be good at." They didn't force vulnerability, but wanted to make it safe if people chose it They thought deeply about values – what needed to be true for that kind of trust Personally, Kevan says the experience shifted his identity From "marketer" to something else – maybe "producer," maybe "creator" The retreat made him realize how many paths are possible "Now I just want to do more of this." Robin notes there are "so many threads to pull on" Brings up family business and partnerships Shares his own experience growing up in his dad's small business Talks about lessons from Robin's Cafe and the challenges of partnerships Says he's fascinated by co-founder dynamics – both powerful and tricky Asks how Shannon and Kevan's working relationship works What it was like at Oyster Why they decided to start Bonfire together And how it's evolved after the retreat Kevan on their beginnings He hired Shannon at Oyster – she was Editorial Director, he was SVP of Marketing Worked together for about a year and a half Knew early on that something clicked Shared values Similar worldview Trusted each other When Oyster ended, partnering up felt natural – "Let's figure out what's next, together." Robin observes their groundedness Says they both seem stable and mature, which likely helps the partnership Jokes about his own chaos running Robin's Café – late nights, leftover wine, cold quinoa Asks Shannon directly: "Do you still follow Kevan's lead?" Shannon's laughs and agrees they're both very regulated people But adds that it comes from learned coping mechanisms Says they've both developed pro-social ways to handle stress People-pleasing Overachievement Perfectionism Intellectualizing feelings instead of expressing them "Those are coping mechanisms too," she notes, "but at least they keep us calm when we talk." Building Trust and Partnership (14:54–23:15) Shannon says both she and Kevan have done deep personal work. Therapy, reflection, and self-inquiry are part of their toolkit. That helps them handle a relationship that's both intimate and challenging. They know their own baggage. They try not to take the other person's reactions personally. It doesn't always work—but they trust they'll work through conflict. When they started Bonfire: They agreed the business world is unpredictable. So they made a pinky swear: Friends first, business second. The friendship is the real priority. When conflict comes up, they ask: "Is this really life or death—or are we just forgetting what matters?" Shannon goes back to the question and clarifies  Says they lead in different ways. Each has their "zone of genius." They depend on each other's strengths. It's not leader and follower – it's mutual reliance. Shannon explains: Kevan's great at momentum: He moves things forward and ships projects fast. Shannon tends to be more perfectionist: Wants things to be fully formed before releasing. Kevan adds they talk often about "rally and rest." Kevan rallies, he thrives on pressure and urgency. Shannon rests, she values slowing down and reflection. Together, that creates a healthy rhythm.  Robin notes lingering habits Wonders if any "hangovers" from their Oyster days remain. Kevan reflects  At first, he hesitated to show weakness. Coming from a manager role, vulnerability felt risky. Shannon quickly saw through it. He realized openness was essential, not optional. Says their friendship and business both rely on honesty. Robin agrees and says he wouldn't discourage co-founders—it's just a big decision. Like choosing a spouse, it shapes your life for years. Notes he's never met with one of them without the other. "That says something," he adds. Their partnership clearly works—even if it takes twice the time. Rethinking Marketing (23:19) Kevan's light moment: Asks if Robin's comment about their teamwork was feedback for them. Robin's observation  Notes how in sync Shannon and Kevan are. Emails one, gets a reply CC'd with the other. Says the tempo of Bonfire feels like their collaboration itself. Wonders what that rhythm feels like internally. Kevan's response  Says it's partly intentional, partly habit. They genuinely enjoy working together. Adds they don't chase traditional agency milestones. No interest in Ad Age lists or Cannes awards. Their goal: have fun and make meaningful work. Robin pivots to the state of marketing (24:04) Mentions the shift from Madison Avenue's glory days to today's tech-driven world. Refers to Mad Men and the "growth at all costs" startup era. Notes how AI and tech are changing how people see their role in work and life. Kevan's background  Came from startups, not agencies. Learned through doing, not an MBA. Immersed in books like Hypergrowth and Traction. Took Reforge courses—knows the mechanics of scaling. Before that, worked as a journalist. Gained curiosity and calm under pressure, but also urgency. Admits startup life taught him both good and bad habits. Robin notes  Neither lives the Madison Avenue life. Kevan's in Boise. Shannon's in France. Shannon's background Started in theater – behind the scenes as a dramaturg and producer. Learned how to shape emotion and tell stories. Transitioned into brand strategy in New York. Worked at a top agency, Siegel+Gale. Helped global B2B and B2C clients define mission, values, and design. Competed with big names like Interbrand and Pentagram. Later moved in-house at tech startups. Saw how B2B marketing often tries to "act cool" like B2C. Learned to translate creative ideas into language that convinces CFOs. Says her role often meant selling authentic storytelling to risk-averse execs. Admits she joined marketing out of necessity. "I was 27, broke in New York, and needed a parking spot for my storytelling skills." Robin connects the dots  Notes how Silicon Valley's "growth" culture mirrors old ad-world burnout. Growth at all costs. Not much room for creative autonomy. Adds most big agencies are now owned by holding companies. The original Madison Avenue independence is nearly gone. Robin's reflection  Mentions how AI-generated content is changing video and storytelling. Grateful his clients still value human connection. Asks how Bonfire helps brands tell authentic stories now that the old model is fading. Kevan's take  Says people now care less about "moments" and more about audiences. It's not about one viral hit—it's about building consistency. Brands need to stand for something, and keep showing up. People want that outcome, even if they don't want the hard work behind it. Shannon adds Notes rising skepticism among audiences. Most content people see isn't from who they follow, it's ads and algorithms. Consumers are subconsciously filtering out the noise. Says that's why human storytelling matters more than ever. People crave knowing a real person is behind the message. AI can mimic tone but not authenticity. Adds it's hard to convince some clients of that. Authentic work isn't fast or easily measured. It requires belief in the process and a value system to match. That's tough when your client's investors only want quick returns. Robin agrees  "Look at people's incentives and I'll tell you who they are." Shannon continues Wonders where their responsibility ends. Should they convince people of their values? Or just do the work and let the right clients come? Kevan says they've found a sweet spot with current clients. Mostly bootstrapped founders. Work with them long-term instead of one-off projects. Says that's the recipe that fits Bonfire's values and actually works. The Quarter Analogy (35:36) Robin quotes BJ Fogg: "Don't try to persuade people of your worldview. Look for people who already want what you can teach, and just show them how." He compares arguing with people who don't align to "an acrobat arguing with gravity – gravity will win 100% of the time." The key: harness momentum instead of fighting resistance. Even a small, aligned audience is better than chasing everyone. Kevan shares Bonfire's failed experiment with outbound sales: They tried reaching out to recently funded AI companies. "It got us nowhere," he admits. That experience reminded him how much old startup habits – growth at all costs, scale fast – still shape thinking. "I thought success meant getting as big as possible, as fast as possible. That meant doing outbound, even if it felt inauthentic." But that mindset just added pressure. Realizing there were other ways to grow – slower, more intentional – was a relief. Now they've stopped outbound entirely. Focused instead on aligned clients who find them naturally. Robin connects it to a MrBeast quote. "If I'm not ashamed of the video I put out last week, I'm not growing fast enough." He says he doesn't love the "shame" part but relates to the evolution mindset – Looking back at work from six months ago and thinking, I'd do that differently now. Growth as a visible, measurable journey. Robin shifts to storytelling frameworks: Mentions Kevan and Shannon's analogies about storytelling and asks about "the quarter analogy." Kevan explains the "quarter" story: A professor holds up two quarters: "Sell me the one on the right." No one can – until someone says, "I'll dip it in Marilyn Monroe's purse." That coin now has emotional and cultural value. Marketing can be the same – alchemy that turns something ordinary into something meaningful. Robin builds on that: You can tell stories about a coin's history – "Lincoln touched it," etc. But Kevan's version is different: adding new meaning in the present. "How do you imbue something with value now that makes it matter later?" Shannon's take: It's about values and belonging. "Every story implicitly says: believe this." That belief also says: we don't believe that – defining who's in your tribe. Humans crave that – community, validation, connection. That belonging is intangible but real. "Try selling that to a CFO who just wants ROI. Impossible — but it's real." Kevan adds: Values are one piece – authenticity is another. Some brands already have a genuine story; others want to create one. "We get asked to dip AI companies into Marilyn Monroe's purse," he jokes. The real work is uncovering what's true or helping brands rediscover it. The challenge: telling that story consistently and believably. Robin mentions Shannon's storytelling framework of three parts – Purpose → Story frameworks → Touch points. Shannon breaks it down: Clients usually come in with half-baked "mission" or "vision" statements. She uses Ogilvy's "Big Ideal" model: Combine a cultural tension (what's happening in the world) with your brand's best self. Then fill in the blank: "We believe the world would be a better place if…" That single sentence surfaces a company's "why us" and "why now." It's dramaturgy, really — same question as in theater: "Why this play now?" "Why us?" Bonfire's own version (in progress): "We believe the world would be a better place if people and brands had more room to explore their creativity." Kevan adds: it's evolving, like them. Robin relates it back to his own story: After selling Robin's Café, he started Zander Media to tell human stories. He wanted to document real connections — "the barista-customer relationships, the neighborhood changing." That became his north star: storytelling as a tool for change and human connection. "I don't care about video," he says. "I care about storytelling, helping people become more of who they want to be." Kevan closes the loop: A good purpose statement is expansive. It can hold video, podcasts, even a publishing house. "Maybe tomorrow it's something else. That's the beauty — it allows room to grow." Against the Broetry (49:01) Kevan reflects on transparency and values at Bonfire He and Robin came from Buffer, a company known for radical transparency — posting salaries, growth numbers, everything. Says that while Bonfire isn't as extreme about it, the spirit is the same. "It just comes naturally to invite people in." Their openness isn't a tactic – it's aligned with their values and mission. They want to create space for people to explore – new ideas, new ways of working, more fulfilling lives. Sharing their journey publicly felt like the obvious, authentic thing to do. "It wasn't even a conversation – just who we are." Shannon jumps in with a critique of business culture online Says there's so much terrible advice about "how to build a business." Compliments Robin for cutting through the noise – being honest through Snafu and his newsletter. "You're trying to be real about what selling feels like and what it says about you." Calls out the "rise and grind" nonsense dominating LinkedIn: "Wake up at 4 a.m., protein shake at 4:10, three-hour workout…" Robin laughs – "I'll take the three-hour workout, but I'll pass on the protein shake." Shannon and Kevan call it "broetry" The overblown, performative business storytelling on social media. "I went on my honeymoon and here's what I learned about B2B sales." Their goal with building in public is the opposite: To admit mistakes. To share pivots and moments of doubt. To remind people that everyone is figuring it out. "But the system rewards the opposite – gatekeeping, pretending, keeping up the facade." Shannon says she has "no patience for it." She traces that belief back to a story from college Producer Paula Wagner once told her class: "Here's the secret: nobody knows anything." That line stuck with her. Gave her permission to question authority. To show up confidently even when others pretend to know more. After years of watching powerful men "fail upward," she realized: "The emperor has no clothes." So she might as well take up space too. Transparency, for her, is a form of connection and courage – "When people raise their eyes from their desks and actually meet each other, that's power." Robin thanks Shannon for the kind words about Snafu. Says their work naturally attracts people who want that kind of realness. Then pivots to a closing question: "If you had one piece of advice for founders – about storytelling or business building – what would it be?" Kevan's advice: "Look beyond what's around you." Inspiration doesn't have to come from your industry. Learn from other fields, other stories, other worlds. It builds curiosity, empathy, and creativity. Robin sums it up: "Get out of your silos." Shannon's advice: "Make the thing you actually want to see." Too many founders copy what's trendy or "smart." Ask instead: What would I genuinely love to consume? Remember your audience is human, like you. And remember, building a business is a privilege. You get to create a small world that reflects your values. You get to hire people, pay them, shape a culture. "That's so cool, and it should make you feel powerful." With that power comes responsibility. "Everyone says it's about making the most money. But what if the goal was to make the coolest world possible, for as many people as possible?" Where to find Kevan and Shannon (57:16) Points listeners to aroundthebonfire.com/experiences. That's where they host their retreats. Next one is April 2026. "We'd love to see you there."   Companies/Organizations Bonfire Buffer Oyster Vox Zander Media Siegel+Gale Interbrand Pentagram Reforge Robin's Café Books / Frameworks / Theories Traction BJ Fogg's behavioral model Ogilvy's "Big Ideal" Purpose → Story Frameworks → Touch Point People Paula Wagner BJ Fogg MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) David Ogilvy Newsletters Snafu Kevan's previous publication  

Husky voice, Friday night whiskey, and a mountain of cheese from the book launch. In this episode I lift the lid on what really happens inside a print judging room. The rotation of five from a pool of seven. Silent scoring so no one nudges anyone else. How a challenge works, what the chair actually does, and why we start with impact, dive through craft, then finish on impact again to see what survives. Layout over composition, light as the whole game, and a final re-rank that flattens time drift so the right image actually wins. If you enjoy a peek behind the curtain, you will like this one. You can grab a signed copy of the new Mastering Portrait Photography at masteringportraitphotography.com and yes, I will scribble in it. If you already have the book, a quick Amazon review helps more than you know. Fancy sharpening your craft in person? Check the workshops page for new dates and come play with light at the studio.  The book: https://masteringportraitphotography.com/resource/signed-copy-mastering-portrait-photography-new-edition/ Workshops: https://masteringportraitphotography.com/workshops-and-mentoring/   Transcript [00:00:00]  Hey, one and all. How are you doing? Now? I'll be honest, I still have the remnants of a cold, and if you can hear that in my voice, I do apologize, I suppose you could call it slightly bluesy, but you can definitely hear that I'm ever so slightly husky. It's Friday night, it's eight 30, and I was, I've been waiting a week to record this podcast, hoping my voice would clear it hasn't, and so I've taken the opportunity having a glass of whiskey and just cracking on. So if you like the sound of a slightly bluesy voice, that's great. If you don't, I'm really sorry, but whichever, which way I'm Paul. And this is the Mastering Portrait Photography podcast. So it's been a busy month or two. You can always tell when it's busy [00:01:00] 'cause the podcasts. Get, don't really get delivered in quite the pace I would like. However, it really has been a busy couple of weeks the past few. Let me, I'm gonna draw your attention to it. The past couple of weeks, we've, there's a ton of stuff going on around us for a moment. I was up in Preston. I've been up in Preston twice over the past couple of weeks. The first one was working as a qualifications judge for the BIPP, the British Institute Professional photographers. Um. Which I love judging. I love judging. It's exhausting, but I love it. And that was qualifications, panels. Then last week was the launch. Of the updated edition of Mastering Portrait Photography, the book, which is where it all started, where Sarah Plata and I published this book that seems to have been incredibly popular. 50,000 copies translated from English into four other languages. Chinese, Korean, German. And Italian, do not ask me, do not ask me the logic on why the book is in those [00:02:00] particular languages. To be fair, we only found out about the Chinese and Korean when we were trying to get some marketing material together to talk about the new book Nobody had told us. I'm not even sure the publisher knew, to be honest. Uh, but we have found copies. We have a Chinese copy here in the studio. I'm still trying to get a Korean version. So if you are listening to this. Podcast in Korea. Please tell me how to get hold of a version in Korean because we'd love to complete the set. There's, in fact, there's two Italian versions. We knew about that. There's a German version we knew about that hardback version. It's great. It's really beautiful. Very I, like I, I don't live in Germany and I don't like to stereotyping entire nation, but the quality of the book is incredible. It's absolutely rock solid, properly engineered. Love it. We have a Chinese version here but the Korean version still alludes us. However, this week the new version, mastering portrait photography is out. And as you know, I, Sarah interviewed me for the podcast last week to talk about it. Well, it's out. We've had our launch party, uh, we invited everybody who [00:03:00] has featured in the book who, everybody, every picture in the book that we asked the person in it to come to the studio for a soiree. And it was brilliant. I've never seen so much cheese in all my life, and by I don't mean my speech, I mean actual cheese. We had a pile of it, still eating it. So it's been a week and I'm still eating the cheese. I dunno quite how, well, quite by how much we vacated, but probably by several kilos. Which I'm enjoying thoroughly. I've put on so much weight this week, it's unreal, but I'm enjoying the cheese. And then on Sunday we had an open day where we had set the studio out with some pictures from the book and some notes of the different people. Who featured and what I might do, actually, I'd, I wonder if I can do a visual podcast. I might do a visual podcast where I talk about those images, at some point on the website, on masteringportraitportraitphotography.com. I will do the story and the BTS and the production of every single image that's in the book, but it's gonna take me some [00:04:00] time. There's nearly 200 images in there. Um, and every one of them, bar one is a new image or is, is. It is, it is a new image in the book, and it has been taken in the 10 years or the decades subsequent to the first book, all bar one. Feel free to email me. Email me the image you think it might be. You'll probably guess it, but it's it's definitely in there. Um, and so it's been really busy. And then at the beginning of this week, I spent two days up in Preston again, judging again, but this time it was for the British Institute of Professional Photographers print Masters competition. Ah, what, what a joy. Six other judges and me, a chair of judges. Print handlers, the organizers. Ah, I mean, I've seen so many incredible images over those 48 hours, and in this podcast I want to talk a bit about how we do it, why we do it, what it feels like to do it, [00:05:00] because I'm not sure everybody understands that it's it, it's not stressful, but we do as judges, feel the pressure. We know that we are representing, on the one hand, the association as the arbiters of the quality of the curators of these competitions, but also we feel the pressure of the authors because we are there too. We also enter competitions and we really, really hope the judges pay attention, really investigate and interrogate the images that we've entered. And when, when you enter competitions, that heightens the pressure to do a good job for the authors who you are judging. So in this podcast, I'm gonna talk through some of the aspects of that. Forgive me if it sounds like I'm answering questions. It's because I wrote myself some questions. I wrote some [00:06:00] questions down to, how I structures the podcast usually, uh, the podcast rambles along, but this one I actually set out with a structure to it, so forgive me if it sounds like I'm answering questions. It's 'cause I'm answering my own questions. What does it feel like? How do you do it? Et cetera, et cetera. Anyway, I hope it's useful. Enjoy. And it gives you an insight into what it's like to be a competition judge. Okay. As you walk into the judging room. For me at least, it's mostly a sense of excitement. There's a degree of apprehension. There's a degree of tension, but mostly there's an adrenaline rush. Knowing that we're about to sit and view, assess, score these incredible images from photographers all over the world, and let's remember that every photographer when they enter a print competition, which is what I'm talking about primarily here. Every photographer [00:07:00] believes that print that category that year, could win. Nobody enters an image thinking that it doesn't stand a chance. Now you might do that modest thing of, I don't know, you know? Oh no, I don't. I I just chance my arm. No one enters a print they don't think has a chance of doing well. That just doesn't happen. It's too expensive. It takes too much time. And as judges. We are acutely aware of that. So when you walk into the room, lots of things are going in your on, in your heads. Primarily, you know, you are there to do a job. You are there to perform a task. You are going to put your analytical head on and assess a few hundred images over the next 48 hours. But as you walk in, there's a whole series of things. You, you are gonna assess the room. You see that your fellow judges, you're gonna see the print handlers. You're going to see the chair, you're gonna see the people [00:08:00] from whichever association it is who are organizing it, who or who have organized it. You'll see stacks of prints ready to be assessed. There's a whole series of things that happen. A lot of hugging. It's really lovely. This year the panel of judges, uh, had some people in it I haven't seen for quite a few years, and it was beyond lovely to see them. So there's all of that, but you, there's this underlying tension you are about to do. One of the things you love doing more than anything else in as part of your job. So there's the excitement of it and the joy of it, but there's always this gentle underlying tone of gravitas of just how serious it is. What we are doing. So there will be plenty of laughter, plenty of joy, but you never really take your eye off the task in hand. And that's how it feels as you go to take your seats on the judging [00:09:00] panel. So the most important thing, I think, anyway, and I was chair of qualifications and awards for the BIPP for a number of years, is that the whole room, everybody there is acting as a team. If you are not gonna pull as a team, it doesn't work. So there has to be safety, there has to be structure. There has to be a process and all of these things come together to provide a framework in which you assess and create the necessary scores and results for the association, for the photographers, for the contestants. So you take your seats, and typically in a room, there are gonna be five judges at any one time assessing an image. It's typically five. I've seen it done other ways, but a panel of judges is typically five. The reason we have five is at no point do all of the judges agree. [00:10:00] We'll go through this later in more detail, but the idea is that you have enough judges that you can have contention, you can have. Disagreements, but as a panel of judges, you'll come up with a score. So you'll have five judges sitting assessing an image at any one time. To the side of the room, there'll be two more judges typically. Usually we have a pool of seven, five judges working, two judges sitting out every 10 prints or 10 minutes or whatever the chair decides. They'll we'll rotate along one, so we'll all move along one seat and one of the spare judges will come in and sit on the end and one of the existing judges will step off. And we do that all day, just rotating along so that everybody judges, broadly speaking, the same number of images. Now, of course there is a degree of specialism in the room. If a panel has been well selected, there'll be specialists in each of the categories, but you can't have, let's say there's 15 categories. You [00:11:00] can't have five specialist judges per category. That's simply impractical. Um, you know, having, what's that, 75 judges in a room, just so that you can get through the 15 categories is. A logistics task, a cost. Even just having a room that big, full of judges doesn't work. So every judge is expected to be reasonably multi-talented, even if you don't shoot, for instance, landscapes. You have to have a working knowledge of what's required of a great landscape. Because our job as a panel isn't that each of us will spot all of the same characteristics in an image, all of the same defects, all of the same qualities. Each judge has been picked to bring their own. Sort of viewpoint, if you like, to the image. Some judges are super technical, some judges, it's all about the atmosphere. Some judges, it's all about the printing and there's every bit of image production is [00:12:00] covered by each of the individual specialisms of the judges. And so while there is a degree of specialism, there will be a landscape. Specialist in the room or someone who works in landscape, there will be plenty of portrait photographers, wedding photographers, commercial photographers. The idea is from those seven, we can cover all of those bases. So we have seven judges all at fellowship level, all highly skilled, all experienced. And then there's the chair. Now the chair's role is not to affect the actual score. The chair's role is to make sure the judges have considered everything that they should be considering. That's the Chair's job, is to make sure the judges stay fresh, keep an eye on the scores, keep an eye on the throughput. Make sure that every image and every author are given a. The time and consideration that they are due. What do I mean by that? Well, I just mean the photographers spent a lot of time and effort and [00:13:00] finance putting this print in front of us, and so it's really important that we as judges give it due consideration. The chair, that's their role is to make sure that's what really happens. So the process is pretty simple, really. We will take our seats as a panel of judges and when we are settled. The chair will ask for the print, one of the print handlers. There's normally a couple of print handlers in the room, one to put the image on, one to take the image off. The print handler will take the first image or the next image off the pile and place it in front of us on the light box. They will then check the print to make sure there's no visible or obvious dust marks, um, or anything, and give with an air blower or with the back of a a handling glove, or very gently take any dust spots away. They will then step back. Now, the way the judges are set, there are five seats in a gentle arc, usually around the light [00:14:00] box. The outer two judges, judges one and five will step into the light box and examine or interrogate the print carefully. They will take as much time as they need to ascertain what they believe the score for that image should be. They will then take their seats. The next two judges in, so let's say Judge two and four, they will step in to interrogate the print and do exactly the same thing. When they're ready, they'll step back and sit down. And then the middle judge, the final judge in seat three, they will step up and interrogate the print. And the reason we do it that way is that everybody gets to see the print thoroughly. Everybody gets to spend enough time. Examining the print. And at that point, when we all sit down, we all enter our scores onto whatever the system is we're using either using iPads or keypads. There's all sorts of ways of doing it, but what's really important is we do all of this in total silence and we don't really do it because we need to be able to [00:15:00] concentrate. Though that has happened, sort of distracting noises can play havoc. Um, we really do it so that we are not influencing any other judge. So there's no, oh, this is rubbish, or, oh, this is amazing. Or any of this stuff, because the idea is that each judge will come to their own independent score. We enter them, and then there's a process as to what happens next. So that's the process. If at some point a single judge when the image appears, says, I can't judge this for whatever reason, usually it's because they've seen the image before. I mean, there's one this week where I hadn't directly influenced the image. But the author had shown me how they'd done it, so they'd stepped me through the Photoshopping, the construction, the shooting, everything about the image. I knew the image really well, and so when the image appeared on the light box, I knew while I could judge it, it wasn't fair to the author or to the other [00:16:00] competitors that I should. So I raised my hand, checked in with the chair, chair, asked me what I wanted. I said, I need to step off this. I'm too familiar with the work for me to give this a cold read, an objective read. So I if, if possible, if there's another judge, could they just step in and score this one image for me? And that means it's fair for all of the contestants. So that's that bit of process when we come to our score. Let's assume the score's fine. Let's assume, I dunno, it gets an 82, which is usually a merit or a bronze, whatever the system is. The chair will log that, she'll say that image scored 82, which is the average of all five of us. She'll then check in with the scores and the panel of judges. He or she rather, uh, they, so they will look at us and go, are you all happy with that result? That's really important. Are you all happy? Would that result? Because that's the opportunity as judges for one of us, if we're not comfortable that the image is scored where we think it probably should. And [00:17:00] remember with five of you, if the score isn't what you think, you could be the one who's not got your eye in or you haven't spotted something, it might well be you, but it's your job as a judge to make sure if there's any doubt in your mind about the scoring of an image that. You ask for it to be assessed again, for there to be discussion for the team to do its job because it might be that the other members of the panel haven't seen something that you have or you haven't seen something that they have, that both of those can be true. So it's really important that you have a process and you have a strict process. And this is how it works. So the chair will say you are happy. One of the judges may say. No, I'm not happy or may say I would like to challenge that or may simply say, I think this warrants a discussion. I'm gonna start it off. And then there's a process for doing that. [00:18:00] So the judge who raises the challenge will start the dialogue and they'll start in whichever direction it is that they think the scoring is not quite right. They will start the dialogue that way. So let's say the score, the judge who's raising a challenge says the score feels a little low. What happens then is raise a challenge and that judge will discuss the image or talk to the image in a way that is positive and trying to raise the score. And they're gonna do that by drawing attention to the qualities that they feel the image has, that maybe they're worried the other judges haven't seen when they're done, the next judge depends, depending on the chair and how you do it. The next judge will take their turn and he goes all the way around with every judge having their say. And then it comes back to the originating judge who has the right of a rebuttal, which simply means to answer back. So depending on how the [00:19:00] dialogue has gone it may be that you say thank you to all of the judges. I'm glad you saw my point. It would be great if we could give this the score that I think this deserves. Similarly, you occasionally, and I did do one of these where I raised a challenge, um, where I felt an image hadn't scored, or the judges hadn't seen something that maybe I had seen in the image, and then very quickly realized that four judges had seen a defect that I hadn't. And so my challenge, it was not, it's never a waste of a challenge. It's never ever a waste because it's really important that every image is given the consideration it deserves. But at the end of the challenge that I raised, the scoring stayed exactly the same. I stayed, I said thank you to all of the judges for showing me some stuff that I hadn't noticed. And then we moved on. More often than not, the scores move as the judges say, oh, do you know what, you're right, there is something in this. Or, no, you're right. We've overinflated this because we saw things, but we missed these technical defects. It's those kinds of conversations. So that's a, a chair, that's a, a judge's [00:20:00] challenge. Yeah, this process also kicks in if there's a very wide score difference between the judge's scores, same process, but this time there's no rebuttal. Every judge simply gives their view starting with the highest judge and then working anywhere on the panel. Um, and then there's a rare one, which does happen which is a chair's challenge, and the chair has the right in, at least in the competitions that I judge, the chair has the right to say to the panel of judges. Could you just give this another consideration? I think there might be things you've missed or that feels like you're getting a little bit steady in your scoring. 'cause they, the chair of course, has got a log of all the scores and can see whether, you know, you're settling into like a 78, 79 or one judge is constantly outta kilter. The chair can see everything and so your job as the chair is to just, okay guys, listen, I think this image that you've just assessed. Possibly there's some things one way or the [00:21:00] other that you might need to take into consideration. It doesn't feel like you have. I'd like you to discuss this image and then just do a rescore. So those are the, those are the mechanisms. So in the room you've got five judges plus two judges who are there ready to step in when required either on the rotation or when someone recuses themself and steps out. Usually two print handlers and then usually there's at least one person or maybe more from the association, just doing things like making sure things are outta their boxes, that the scores are recorded on the back of the prints, they go back into boxes, there's no damage because these prints are worth quite a lot of money. And so, there's usually quite a few people in the room, but it's all done in silence and it's all done to this beautiful process of making sure it's organized, it's clear it's transparent, and we're working as one team to assess each image and give it the score that it deserves. so when the print arrives on the box. It has impact. Now, whether you like it or not, [00:22:00] whether you understand it or not, whether you can define it or not, the print has an impact. You're gonna see it, you're gonna react to it. How do you react to it? Is it visceral? Does your heart rate climb? Do you. Do you explore it? Do you want to explore it? Does it tell a clear story? And now is when you are judging a competition, typically the association or the organization who are running the competition will have a clear set of criteria. I mean, broadly speaking, things like lighting, posing layout or composition storytelling. Graphic design, print quality, if it's a print competition. These are the kinds of things that, um, we look for. And they're listed out in the competition guides that the entrant, the author will have known those when they submitted their print. And the judges know them when we're assessing them, so they're kind of coherent. Whatever it is that the, the entrance were told, that's what we're judging [00:23:00] to the most important. Is the emotional connection or the impact? It's typically called visual impact or just impact. What's really important about that is that it's very obvious, I think, to break images down into these constructed elements like complimentary colors or tonal range or centers of interest, but they don't really do anything except create. Your emotional reaction to the picture. Now, we do use language around these to assess the image, but what we're actually looking for is emotional impact. Pictures tell stories. Stories invoke emotions. It's the emotions we're really looking for. But the trick when you are judging is you start with the initial impact. Then you go in and you in real tiny detail, look at the image. Explore it, interrogate it, [00:24:00] enjoy it, maybe don't enjoy it. And you look at it in all of the different categories or different areas, criteria that you are, that the judges that the organization have set out. And then really, although it never gets listed twice, it should do, impact should also be listed as the last thing you look at as well. Because here's the process. You look at the image. There's an impact. You then in detail investigate, interrogate, enjoy the image. And then at the very end you ask yourself, what impact does it still have? And that's really important because the difference between those two gives you an idea of how much or how well the image is scoring in all of the other areas. If an image has massive impact when you, let's put 'em on the light box, and then you explore it and you [00:25:00] enjoy it, and you look at it under the light, and then at the end of it you're still feeling the same thing you did when it came on the light box, that's a pretty good indicator that all the criteria were met. If on the other hand, as you've explored the image, you've realized. There are errors in the production, or you can see Photoshopping problems or blown highlights or blocked blacks, or things are blurred where they should be sharp or you name it. It's these kinds of things. You know, the printing has got banding in the sky, which is a defect. You see dust spots from a camera sensor. These gradually whittle away your impact score because you go back to the end and you ask, what impact does the image now have? And I've heard judges use terms like at the end of the process, I thought that was gonna be amazing when it first arrived on the light box. I just loved the look of it from a distance, but when I stepped in, there were just too many things that [00:26:00] weren't quite right. And at the end of it, I just felt some would, sometimes I've heard the word disappointed you. So that's certainly how I feel. When an image has this beautiful impact and the hair stand up on the back of your neck and you just think, I cannot wait to step in and explore this image in detail. 'cause I tell you one thing, most authors don't own a light box. When you see a print on a beautiful light box, the, there's something about the quality. The way the print ESS is you actually get to see what a print should look like. So when you step in, you are really excited to see it. And if at the end of that process you're slightly disappointed because you found defects in the printing or problems with the focusing or Photoshop or whatever it is. You really are genuinely disappointed. So that's how you approach it. You approach it from this standpoint of a very emotional, a very emotional connection with the image to start with, and then you break [00:27:00] it down into its elements, whatever those elements are for the competition. And then at the end, you ask yourself really, does it still have the impact? I thought it would because if it does, well, in that case, it's done really, really well. one of the things that's really interesting about judging images is we, we draw out, we write out all of these criteria and. Every image has them really. I mean, well, I say that of course every image doesn't have them. If you are, if you're thinking about landscape or a picture of a shampoo bottle, it doesn't have posing, for instance, if that's one of your criteria. But typically there's a standard set of criteria and every image has them layout, color uh, photographic technique, et cetera. So if we look at let's say composition, let's talk about composition. Personally, I like to use the term layout rather than composition because it [00:28:00] feels a little bit more like a verb. You lay the image out, you have all of the bits, you lay them out. I like that because when we are teaching photography when we say to someone, right, what are all of the bits that you have in front of you? How are you gonna lay them out? It feels a lot more, to me, at least more logical than saying, how are you gonna compose the image? Because it allows. I think it allows the photographer to think in terms of each individual component rather than just the whole frame. So we are looking for how the image is constructed. Remember that every photographer really should think about an image. As telling a story, what's the story that you want somebody else? Somebody that you've never met. In this case a judge, but it could be a client or it could just be somebody where your work is being exhibited on a wall. What do you want them to look at? What do you want them to see? Where do you want that eye to go? And there are lots of tricks to [00:29:00] this, and one of them is layout or composition. So we've got through the initial impact, boom. And the excitement. And then you start to think, is the image balanced? I like to think of an image having a center of gravity. Some photographers will use center of interest, which is a slightly different thing, but I think an image has a center of gravity. The component parts of the image create balance. So you can have things right down in the edges of the frame, but you need something to balance it like a seesaw. You can't just. Throw in, throw parts of the puzzle around the frame. So you are looking for where do they land? And of course, as photographers, we talk about thirds, golden ratios, golden spirals, all of these terms. But what we are really looking for is does the image have a natural flow? Does it feel like everything's where it should be? Does your eye go to the bit that the author probably wanted you to look at? Have they been effective in their [00:30:00] storytelling? And by storytelling, I don't necessarily mean storytelling as in photojournalism or narrative rich photography. What I mean is what did they want you to see, and then did you go and see it? Separation? Is the background blurred? And let's say the, the subject is sharp. That's a typical device for making sure you look at the subject. Is the color of the background muted in a way that draws your attention? Again to whatever it is in the foreground. So layouts one of those tools. So we work our way around it and try and figure out does the positioning of all of the elements of the image does their positioning add or distract from the story? We think that author was trying to tell. Let's remember that it's not the judge's job to understand the story. It's the author's job to tell the story in a way that the judges can get it. Too often, you know, when I, when I've judged [00:31:00] a competition, someone will come and find me afterwards and say, did you understand what that was about? I was trying to say this, and it's like, well, I didn't see that, but that's not my fault. You know, it's, it's down to you to lead me pictorially to. Whatever it is you're trying to show. Same with all judges, all viewers, clients. It doesn't really matter. It's the author's job, not the judges. So at the end of that, you then move on to whatever's the next criteria. So you know, you assess these things bit by bit, and by the way, every judge will do it in a slightly different order. There'll be written down in an order. But each judge would approach it in a different manner. For me, typically it's about emotional connection more than anything else, it's about the emotion. I love that genuine, authentic connection of a person in the image. To me, the viewer. I will always go there if, if it's a portrait or a wedding or fashion image, if there's a person in it or a dog, I suppose, [00:32:00] then I will look for that authenticity, that, that visceral, it feels like they're looking at me or I'm having a dialogue with them. That's my particular hot button, but every judge has their room and that's how you approach it. So when it comes to a photograph in the end, you don't really have anything other than light when you think about it, right? That's, you pick up a camera, it's got a sensor, it's got film, it's got a lens on the front, and a shutter stopping light coming, or it goes through the lens, but the, the shutter stops it hitting a sensor. And at some point you commit light to be recorded. And it's the light that describes the image. There's nothing else. It's not something you can touch or hear, it's just light. And of course light is everything. I think, I think the term pho photography or photograph is a mix of a couple of words, and it's a relatively recent idea. I think [00:33:00] it was Victorian and it's, isn't it light and art photographic or photograph, um. So that's what it is. It's capturing light and creating a reaction from it. So the quality of light is possibly the most important thing. There is too much of it, and you're gonna have blown highlights, nasty white patches on your prints, too little of it. You're gonna have no detail in the shadows and a lot of noise or grain, whether it's film or whether it's off your sensor. And then there's the shape of the light. The color of the light, and it doesn't really matter whether it's portrait, wedding, landscape, product, avant garde, it's light that defines things. It's light that can break an image. So with portraiture, for instance, we tend to talk about. Sculpting or dimensionality of light. We tend to talk about the shape of the subject. We talk about flattering light. We talk about hard and soft light, and all of these things [00:34:00] mean something. This isn't the podcast to talk about those in detail, but that's what we're looking for. We are looking for has the light created a sense of shape, a sense of wonder, a sense of narrative. Does the lighting draw your eye towards the subject? And when you get to the subject, is it clear that the lighting is effective and by effective, usually as a portrait photographer anyway. I mean flattering. But you might be doing something with light that's counterintuitive, that's making the subject not flattered. That's maybe it's for a thriller style thing, or maybe it's dark and moody. Harsh, as long as in tune with the story as we are seeing it, then the lighting is assessed in that vein. So we've seen some incredible beauty shots over the past couple of days where the lighting sculpted the face. It had damaged ality, but it was soft. There were no hard shadows, there were no [00:35:00] blown highlights. The skin, it was clear that the texture of the skin, the light, it caught the texture. So we knew exactly what that would be. It had. Captured the shape. So the way the gens or shadows ripple around a body or a face tell you its shape. They haven't destroyed the shape. It's it's catch shape, but it hasn't unnecessarily sculpted scars or birthmarks or spots, you know? And that's how lighting works. So you look for this quality, you look for control, you look for the author, knowing what they're doing. With landscapes, typically it's, it is very rare, in my opinion, for a landscape. To get a good score if it isn't shot at one end of the day or the other. Why? Well, typically, at those points of the day, the light from the sun is almost horizontal. It rakes across the frame, and you get a certain quality to the way the shadows are thrown. The way the [00:36:00] light, sculpts hills, buildings, clouds, leaves, trees, the way it skips off water, whether it's at the beginning of the day or the end of the day. It's quite unusual though we do see them for an amazing photograph of escape to be taken at midday. But you can see how it could be if you have the sun directly overhead, because that has a quality all of its own. And you know, if when an author has gone to the effort of being in the right place to shoot vertical shadows with a direct overhead son, well maybe that's so deliberate that the, the judges will completely appreciate that and understand the story. So it's looking for these things and working out. Has the lighting been effective in telling the story? We think the author was trying to tell? Lighting is at the heart of it. So when we've been through every criteria, whatever they are, lighting, composition, color, narrative, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, [00:37:00] we've assessed every image, hundreds of them. We've had challenges, we've had conversations. We have a big pile of prints that have made it over the line. To whatever is your particular association scoring, whether it's merit or bronze or whatever. The puzzle isn't quite complete at that stage because there is of course, a slight problem and that problem is time. So if you imagine judging a section of images might take a couple of hours to do 70 prints, 60, 70 prints might take longer than that. In fact, it might take the best part of an afternoon. During that time. There's every chance the scores will wander. And the most obvious time is if a category spans something like a lunch break. We try to make sure categories don't do that. We try to complete categories before going for a break. We always try to be continuous, but [00:38:00] you've still got fatigue. You've got the judges rotating. So all of these things are going on. It sometimes it depends what images come up in what order could conceivably affect the scoring. For instance there's an image that came up this year where I think probably I was the judge that felt the strongest about it. There was something about this particular image that needed talking about, and so when it came up and it was scores that I raised a challenge and my heart rate, the minute the print hit the stand, my heart rate climbed through the roof. It was. Something about it that just connected with me. And then when I explored the image on the lights, on the light box, to me, there was very little that was technically holding it back. There were a couple of bits, but nothing that I felt warranted a lower score. And so I raised a [00:39:00] challenge. I said my point, I went through it in detail. I asked the other judges to consider it. From my viewpoint, they gave their views as to why they hadn't. But each of them understood where I was coming from and unlike the challenge I talked about earlier where no one changed their mind on this one, they did on this one. They also saw things that I saw when we went through it. But at the end of the process, the image was got a higher score, which is great, but. I didn't feel that I could judge the next image fairly because whatever came in, my heart rate was still battering along after seeing this one particular image. And that happens sometimes. It's not common, but I felt I needed to step off the panel before the next image came up. Which I did in work, working with the chair and the team. I stepped off for a couple of prints before stepping back on [00:40:00] just to let my eye settle and let myself get back into the right zone. But during the day, the zone changes. The way you change your perception of the images, as the images come through is so imperceptible, imperceivable, imperceptible. One of those two words is so tiny that you don't notice if there's a slight drift. And so there's every opportunity for an image to score a couple of points lower or a couple of points higher than it possibly could have done. If it had been seen at another point in the day. Maybe it had been, maybe if the image was seen after a series of not so strong images, maybe it would get a higher score. Or of course, the other way round. Maybe after seeing a series of really, really powerful, impactful images that came up, maybe it scored be slightly diminished. Both of those can be true. And so it's really important that we redress that any possible imbalance and every competition I've ever done has a final round. And the [00:41:00] way this is done is that we take the highest scoring images, top five, top 10, depending on the competition, and we line them up. And all of the judges now, not just the judges who are the five on the panel, all seven judges. Get an opportunity to bring each image back onto a light box if they wish, if they haven't seen them already. Because remember, some of those images may not have been assessed by the, well. It cannot have been assessed by all seven of the judges, so there's always gonna be at least two judges who haven't seen that image or seeing it for the first time as a judge. So we bring them back, we look at them, and then we rank them using one of numerous voting mechanisms where we all vote on what we think are the best images and gradually whittle it down until we're left with a ranked order for that category. We have a winner, a second, a third, a fourth, sometimes all the way down to 10 in order, depending on the competition. And that's the fairest way of doing it, because it means, okay, during the judging, [00:42:00] that image got, I dunno, 87. But when we now baseline it against a couple of images that got 90 something, when we now look at it, we realize that that image probably should have got a 90 as well. We're not gonna rescore it, the score stands, but what we are gonna do is put it up into there and vote on it as to whether it actually, even though it got slightly lower, score, is the winning image for the category. And every competition does something similar just to redress any fluctuations to, to flatten out time. It takes time outta the equation because now for that category, all seven judges are judging the winner at the same time, and that's really important. We do that for all the categories, and then at the end of that process, we bring back all of the category winners and we vote on which one of those. Wins the competition. Now, not every competition has an overall winner, but for the one we've just done for the print masters, for the BIPP print masters, there is an overall winner. And so we set them all out [00:43:00] and we vote collectively as a winner on the winner. And then, oh, we rank them 1, 2, 3, 4, or whatever. Um, really we're only picking a winner, but we also have to have some safety nets because what happens if for instance. Somebody unearths a problem with an image. And this has happened, sadly, this has happened a couple of times in my career where a photographer has entered an image that's not compliant with the rules but hasn't declared it. And it's always heartbreaking when it does happen, but we have to have a backup. So we always rank one, two, and three. So that's some backups, and that's the process. That's how we finish everything off. We have finished, we've got all the categories judged, the category winners judged, and then the overall one, two, and three sorted as well. at the end of the process? I can't speak for every judge. I can speak for me, I feel, I think three things. Exhaustion. It's really hard to spend 48 hours or longer [00:44:00] assessing images one by one, by one by one, and making sure that you are present and paying attention to every detail of every image. And you're not doing an author or an image a disservice. You pay each image or you give each image, you pay each image the due attention it deserves. I feel exhilaration. There's something energizing about assessing images like this. I know it's hard to explain, but there's something in the process of being alongside some of the best photographers that you've ever met, some photographers that you admire more than any others, not just as photographers, but as human beings. The nicest people, the smartest people, the most experienced people, the most eloquent people. There's something in that. So there's this [00:45:00] exhilaration. You are exhausted, but there's an exhilaration to it. And then finally, and I don't know if every photographer feels this or every judge feels this, I do. Which is massively insecure, I think. Can't think of the right words for it. There must be one. But I come away, much like when you've been out on the beers and you worry about all the things you've said, it's the same process. There was that image I didn't give enough credit for. There was this image I was too generous on. There were the things I said in a challenge when it gets a little bit argumentative or challenging. 'cause the clues in the title, you know, maybe I pushed too hard, maybe I didn't push hard enough. There are images you've seen that you wished you'd taken and you feel like. I'm not good enough. There's an insecurity to it too, and those are the three things I think as you leave the room, it's truly [00:46:00] energizing. Paradoxically, it's truly exhausting, but it's also a little bit of a head mush in that you do tend to come, or I do tend to come away a little bit insecure about. All the things that have gone on over the two days prior, and I've done this a long time. I've been judging for, I dunno, 15, 16, 17 years. And I've got used to those feelings. I've got used to coming away worrying. I'm used to the sense of being an underachiever, I suppose, and it's a wonderful , set of emotions that I bring home. And every time I judge. I feel better for it. I feel more creative. I feel more driven. I feel more determined. I feel like my eyes have been opened to genres [00:47:00] of photography, for types of imagery, for styles of posing or studio work that I've never necessarily considered, and I absolutely adore it every single second. So at the end of that, I really hope I've described or created a picture of what it's like to be a judge for this one. I haven't tried to explain the things we saw that as photographers as authors, you should think about when you are entering. I'm gonna do that in a separate podcast. I've done so many of those, but this one was specifically like, what does it feel like to be a judge? Why do we do it? I mean, we do it for a million reasons. Mostly we do it because people helped us and it's our turn to help them. But every photographer has a different reason for doing it. It's the most joyful process. It's the most inspiring process and I hope you've got a little bit of that from the podcast. So [00:48:00] on that happy note, I'm gonna wrap up and I'm gonna go and finish my glass of whiskey which I'm quite excited about if I'm honest. 'cause I did, it's been sitting here beside me for an hour and I haven't drunk any of it. I do hope you're all doing well. I know winter is sort of clattering towards us and the evenings are getting darker, at least for my listeners in the north and the hemisphere. Don't forget. If you want more information on portrait photography or our workshops we've announced all of the upcoming dates or the next set of upcoming dates. Please head across to mastering portrait photography.com and go to the workshop section. I love our workshops and we've met so many. Just lovely people who've come to our studio. And we've loved being alongside them, talking with them, hopefully giving a bit of inspiration, certainly taking a little bit of inspiration, if I'm honest, because everyone turns up with ideas and conversations. Uh, we would love to see you there. The workshops are all are all there on the website and the workshop section. You can also, if you wish, buy a signed copy of the book from mastering portrait photography.com. Again, just go to the [00:49:00] shop and you'll see it there on the top. Amazon has them for sale too. It is great. Amazon typically sells them for less than we do, but we have a fixed price. We have to buy them from the wholesaler at a particular price, whereas Amazon can buy many, many more than we can, so they get a better deal if I'm honest. However, if you want my paw print in there, then you can order it from us and it's supports a photographer and it's really lovely to hear from you. When you do, uh, one thing, I'd love to ask anyone who has bought the updated edition of the book, if you are an Amazon customer. Please could you go on to amazon.com and leave us a review? It's really powerful when you do that, as long as it's a good review. If it's a rubbish review, just email me and tell me what I could have done differently, and I'll email you back and tell you, tell you why I didn't. But if it's a half decent review, a nice review. Please head over to Amazon. Look for mastering portrait photography, the new version of the book, and leave us a review. It's really important particularly in the first couple of [00:50:00] weeks that it's been on sale. Uh, it would be really, really helpful if you did that. And on that happy note, I wish you all well. I've grabbed my glass of whiskey and I'm gonna wrap up and whatever else you do. Until next time, be kind to yourself. Take care.   

Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 29 Barbie Lynn s Genetics In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.   Nymphomania, while enticing to consider, is still utter madness when experienced. "Why Mr. Zane, my Barbie Lynn has told us so many wonderful things about you," she sounded so sugary that the honeyed words flowed off her tongue in a manner that was barely coherent. Also, her eyes flickered to the shower where I'd nailed Barbie Lynn repeatedly for forty minutes not all that long ago. Next to me Thomas grunted something that sounded like 'hello'. "I'm sure she's exaggerated to my betterment," I pulled that banter out of my tush, my brain was suffering catastrophic blood loss. "I can't wait to live in this dorm next year," Laramie came across with a nearly a molasses like drawl as well. "Zane, will you let me use this room next year?" "Dude! This is your room?" Jefferson perked up. "Mom, I have to come here next year!" "Um, yes Laramie, I'm going to hold this room open to every girl, and perhaps guy, in the dorm. I don't need much space," I said, "so keep out of the way of housekeeping and we are good. Also, you are immune from Handmaiden's Duty while here." "Oh, I was thinking about the game stations, satellite dishes and cable hook-ups," Jefferson added. Jefferson Davis, that name rang a bell. "Come on now Honey, a man can't go to a women's," Savannah let that sentence die unfinished. For me, it was keep the lone male status quo; or to get a good night's sleep'. "Mrs. Masters, I offer a thin hope for your son; if your daughter could line up some upstanding seniors and juniors, he might slip in under the Zane Exception to the enrollment policy," I told her. "You'd do that for Jeff?" Savannah took off her sunglasses and bit one of its arms. "Ma'am, I'd wrestle an alligator blindfolded for your daughter. I would certainly put in a good word for her brother," I smiled. I had no idea how tough alligators could be but I knew about crocodiles and those were some mean mothers in their own right. Still, faced with alligator wrestling or no anal-sex with Barbie Lynn, I was getting a belt, handbag and new shoes, damn it. The odds of getting Jeff in were long, Victoria barely suffered Heaven being around, and it would take an act of the Southern Baptist Convention to bring in a male to replace me when I was gone. "It would give your Father another option for Jefferson if you could do this Barbie Lynn," Savannah politely replied. "That would be great," the kid rejoiced. Yes, he was a fully functioning teenage male. "Zane can move mountains when he sets his mind to it," Barbie Lynn winked at me. Thomas saw it but was caught off-guard. "Let me show you my bedroom," Barbie offered her kin. They turned and the women sashayed away while Jeff had an almost run-in with Raven and 'company'. Each woman shot a look over their shoulder and smiled at me at some point along their journey which boded trouble. "I apologize, Zane," Thomas mumbled. "I thought, deep down, you were weak for submitting to your lusts. Now, I don't, I don't think that anymore." "Don't sweat it," I smiled. "It is only another day for me ending in y." "And don't you be forgetting about me, and how tough it has been resisting Zane," Vivian warned the man she was hoping to marry. "A wife should obey her husband," he started, "and a husband should know when to shut up." Lunch and what comes after I dropped Ms. Reveal's lunch off with just enough sassiness to make her smile and believe that our bad episode was behind us. She sent me to the Vice Chancellor's office a minute later, and while Doctor Victoria Scarlett was conversing over the phone, I felt comfortable to set her meal up in front of her and mine across her desk. Victoria only had this canned ice tea in her mini-frig so I swiped two and set one before her and opened mine. I wasn't exactly sure what it was, it was pretending to be Southern Ice Tea and I pretended to like it. The best thing I could say about it was it was cold. This was our fourth "working" lunch where she would insidiously fill my head with her philosophy and I'd causally remind her that women ran this government, not me; I was a figurehead. "What are you doing for New Year's Eve?" she inquired as she daintily cleaned off some crouton crumbs on her cheek. Her look was very intense. I wasn't getting 'quite' sexual signs from her but something, somehow this was personal. That could only mean one thing. "I'm spending it with Ms. Rio Talen but no set location has been chosen," I replied. "Oh," she paused then, "There is a Science Fiction convention in Seattle that runs from December 29th to through the 1st. My friends and I are attending and Hical asked about you." "Deal but we have to fit Rio in," I agreed. "I can send some Universe, TV and movie series and well as costuming information for her to look over," Victoria agreed tentatively. "No need, she's a Klingon, a small craft captain whose Father betrayed the Empire and whose survival is a stain on her honor," I told her. "With that barely constrained fury, she's a natural. You teach her how to use that bat-a-rang and," "Batleth," Victoria interjected. "Wicked-curved-bladey thing," I continued, "and you'll see. Oh, I'll need an Orion Slave Girl outfit and some green body paint for Mercy and all of her stuff by October 30th, cost is not an object." "I'll call my outfitter when you leave and I must say you are taking this rather well," Doctor Scarlet noted. "Why? I had a blast in your office that time," I admitted. "As long as I'm not crawling in, screaming fur-balls, I'm okay. I'll be a human Starfleet Doctor Xeno-biologist who has done surgery on multiple species. A "Doctors Without Borders" kind of guy. I'll get Cordelia to build me an actual tricorder, trust me." We ate, she asked for my sizes, I gave her Rio's and Mercy's sizes; at the Con we were all 'Next Gen' except Mercy who would be Old School for Halloween. She offered me a chance to be a Borg but since they all looked to be in desperate need of a sun tan, I declined. All in all, it barely took twenty minutes. "You did a very good job as Mediator this morning," the Vice Chancellor added as I made to leave. "It is not so rough," I grinned. "WWKSD?" "Wha, oh," she smiled warmly. "What would King Solomon do, clever." "Hell, the Bible has a whole book called Judges. This shit ain't so hard," I laughed as I breezed out the door. Ms. Reveal was waiting, as was Heaven. Heaven had to exert some will to not kiss me on the spot. Christina had lectured us on P D A, public displays of affection, during Homecoming. The more people who knew about us, the more the outcry and the stronger Chancellor's radical decision to keep Heaven on as part as the student body, would be challenged. As it was, our hands would casually brush one another until we got inside my dorm where I chased Heaven up the stairs, pinching her ass every time I caught up. After entering my code, I gauged Heaven's mood deciding we needed some quiet time; there would be too much traffic over most of the floor, and Heaven being too vocal, to get away with sex; and cuddling would be fine anyway. I caught sight of Rio with one of my Marksmanship team mates, Genesis. "Hey Zane," Genesis stood up. She was a weird one, going from borderline contempt to grudging respect over the last two weeks. If I didn't know the impossibilities, I'd think she had a boyfriend. "Hope wants everyone at the Amory for an equipment check at seven. We leave at 8:15." Heaven held my hand tightly. "Boudoir occopodo," Rio snickered as Genesis made her exit. Heaven's grip nearly crushed my hand, ouch. "Babe," I whispered to Heaven, "let me check this out." I disentangled myself and went for the wall of screens that separated my bedroom area from the rest of the floor. "Get some popcorn and get ready to sit a spell," Rio joked to Heaven who grumbled. I went around to see who, or whom, were using my room. Inside was not what I expected. Savannah Belafonte Masters had taken off her top (which was peach) and was rummaging with growing frustration through Barbie Lynn's bra drawer. I saw some grape juice splashed on her beige skirt. She saw me, pulled up her shirt to cover her bra-covered assets while looking a bit fearful and upset. "What are you doing in here?" she asked softly. "It is my bedroom," I replied. "What are you doing in my bedroom?" "But, but Barbie Lynn's stuff is in here," she gasped. "That would because it is her room too, we sleep together," I answered. That slowed her up for a second. "Can I help you with something?" "I, I, I spilled juice on my shirt," she began. "And your skirt," I pointed out." "Oh no," she choked back a sob. "What am I going to do? I'm a mess and none of Barbie Lynn's bras, shirts, or skirts are going to fit me." I mused over that for a second. "I've stashed some bra extensions around here somewhere and that should allow for the difference is sizes between you and Barbie," I said. "Now give me your skirt and I'll find a replacement." She hesitated so I added. "I'm not going to molest one of my best friends' mom, Savannah. Give me your skirt and I'll take care of everything." This time she did it, though I had to turn my back. I padded back out to Rio and Heaven who had just returned with the popcorn. "Rio, Heaven, I need you to break into Chancellor Bazz' residence and steal a skirt like this," I offered up Savannah's. "Hell yeah," Rio exulted. "Time for a little Breaking  Entry." "Oh, what the fuck," Heaven shrugged. "Count me in." She gave me a quick kiss and the two miscreants headed out on their nefarious mission. I went back to the bedroom and stumbled into Savannah, now with her bra off, eyeing two of Barbie Lynn's double barreled slingshots. Our eyes locked. "Right," I spun away. "Bra extensions." "Zane, do you think I'm attractive?" Barbie Lynn's Mom asked. When women say that, they can mean three things;          the truth,          the lure, or          the lie. Some women want to know if you find them attractive. Others want you to find them attractive for nefarious means. Lastly, a few woman want to be reminded that they are beautiful. Savannah was the latter. "If you are asking me if you are as good looking as Barbie Lynn, Mrs. Masters, I'll have to say no but that's because you are a lady who is fully a woman and Barbie Lynn is still leaving some of the girl behind. There is no comparison. You are both hot," I affirmed. "I don't know," she sighed. "It is with my husband, then seeing you and Barbie Lynn, in the shower, What's wrong with you and your husband, if I may intrude?" I asked. "He had an accident at work, one of his factories, and he hasn't been the same," she sniffed. "Do you love him?" I questioned. "Honestly." "Yes, yes I do," she sighed. "But he's just not there." "Do me a favor; come over and sit next to me and I promise to be as well behaved as a Montana Miner (hey, it is where my family comes from)," I said as I sat at the foot of the bed. Savannah very, very reluctantly came over and sat at my bed, but I said nothing. "Yes?" she broke down and inquired finally. "I want you to laugh," I related to her softly. "Laugh, laugh like you do with small kids." "But, I'm not sure," she began then I poked her in the ribs. "What?" So I tickled her under her arms. Savannah covered her breasts by mistake so I got some finger in and began making her giggle and squirm. "Stop it," she gasped for breath, so I rolled onto my side and tickled her other underarm until she finally flailed in surrender. "See Savannah, I'm not the bad guy," I grinned. "I'm not seducing you because I think you love Barbie Lynn's Dad and you simple need to worry a little bit less, and love yourself a little bit more." "How do I do that?" she panted. "I want you to try on some of Barbie Lynn's new clothes and see what you like, and what your husband might like," I suggested. "I'm not asking you to dress like a teenager; but not every day is Sunday school either." Oh God, I was talking clothes therapy to someone's Mother. "But," she stammered. "There is a screen right over there," I pointed out, "that you can change behind and the armoire over here has a mirror." "But I'll be parading around here, in my bra and panties," she worried. "Well, that's a bonus for me," I shrugged, "but a lady with a body like yours should be wearing bikini's with less material. Look at it that way." "Well, don't ogle, alright?" "Sure," I lied. What was I going to say? 'I'll pluck out my eyes?' After several tentative steps walking to the dresser and looking over her shoulder at me with real worry that I might find her either too attractive or not attractive enough, I gave up. I covered my eyes because they gravitated toward her backside like a plant seeking the sun. A minute later she finally spoke up. "I can't find anything that I think will fit," she said in desperation. I had the answer to that; I went up and picked out the clothes Barbie Lynn wore to the concert a few weeks back. "I can't wear this," she gasped in fright. "Barbie Lynn wore this to a social function," I assured her. "It is perfectly fine and you aren't going to leave here in it, only try it on." You see, the beauty of this pants/halter top combination was the lacing. I knew it would fit her, but she'd be showing a bit more flesh than Barbie had. She looked mortified when she stepped from behind the screens, and a little better when she saw herself in the mirror. I withheld my comment until she looked at me. "I'm dressed like a hussy," she stated sadly. "No; a hussy dresses like that when she goes to the supermarket. A wife wears that around the house to remind her husband he's a man and that she's his woman," Caveman mentality. Savanna gave her reflection a second, longer glance. This time she took in the sides, and dare I say, her ass. All her curves were smoothed out and pulled tight by the leather. "My ass looks younger," I caught her whispering to herself. "My Boobs appear like they are about to bust free," she addressed me once more. "Yes Ma'am!  Yes ma'am, they do," I smirked. "That is the whole purpose of the design of the shirt but I assure you, Barbie Lynn hasn't had one escape yet." "Oh, that's nice," she went back to looking at herself in the mirror. "Now there are some nice shirts in there, as well as some, short, skirts," I directed Savannah. She came out in the first shirt, trying to make the buttons hook but they wouldn't. I came off the bed and helped her. That is, I left most of them unbuttoned. "But they, my husband can see my bra," she worried. "Mrs. Savannah, that would be the point," I nodded. "Let him get a peek of the bra." We both heard the quiet footfalls and it couldn't be Heaven and Rio back so soon. Savannah froze and I reclined passively on the bed. "Mom, Zane?" Barbie Lynn gazed back and forth. "Baby Child," Savannah blathered. "Wow Mom," Barbie clasped her hands in approval. "The golden shirt with the plum bra is a wonderful combination for you." See, I trusted Barbie Lynn more than her Mother did. "I was trying on some clothes and, um, Zane was helping me," Savannah gulped. "Oh Mom, don't worry about it," Barbie hugged her mother, "Zane sees eight girls getting dressed every morning. He's used to it." "Oh, she trailed off. "So he's safe?" "I'd never say that," Barbie Lynn glanced back my way and licked her lips. "But he's a good friend and I think that's more important. Let's try on this next; the black leather will look good with the knee boots." It continued like this for a while. Rio and Heaven slinked back in with the now rather redundant set of conservative attire. We retreated to the head of the bead with Heaven snuggling next to me and Rio right beside her. Heaven and I shared a pillow, on our laps. "Do you think they have any idea that we're all bi-sexual," Heaven whispered as Barbie Lynn was prying Savannah into a red bustier. "Momma Mia," Rio hissed. "Those are some mounds. Big fluffy mounds." "Seriously," Heaven nudged us both, "I'm going to need a blowjob if this goes on much longer." I moved my hand behind Heaven, worked it up her skirt and up against her panties until I was giving her bunghole quite a workout. "Fine," Heaven ground out. "You can fuck me but I'm coming all over the sheets damn it." "What was that?" Savannah called out. "Do you think this is too much?" "Oh no Mrs. Masters," Heaven gulped. "If I wasn't totally into guys I would think you look, delicious." "Why thank you Ms. Vickers," Savannah smiled. "And if I wasn't totally into guys I'd have you chained to this bed and be ripping your clothes off right now," Rio added gleefully. "Oh, huh, thank you?" Savanna responded more cautiously. When Barbie Lynn, now totally torturing us, convinced her mother to wear a thong and a short skirt something had to be done. I reclined sidewise on the bed while Heaven built a pillow fort behind me and Rio dove under the covers to suck my feisty transvestite off. It was a half-assed endeavor and a minor miracle that nothing went wrong. Finally Heaven yanked my shoulder back and took a big bite out of it. I could hear Rio slurping up Heaven's cum and prayed the others couldn't. Is everything okay?" Barbie Lynn called out. "Heaven's got a muscle cramp but we are working it out," I fibbed. Second later, Rio's tussled head reappeared and she punched Heaven in the ribs. "Shit Bitch," Rio scooped up some errant semen with her finger, "Have you been holding that up all week long. You nearly choked me." "Why don't you come by every morning and we can work out an installment plan?" Heaven shot back quietly. Regrettably, Savannah noticed our, acquisitions and reluctantly put them on but I caught sight of her running her hand over some of the racier things left lying around before she and Barbie Lynn left. I had barely gotten outside with Heaven and Rio, to see if I was needed, when a squeal manifested right behind my ear and a body slammed into me, bowling me over. Paige "Lover!" Paige greeted me. "Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend Zane." Now, I was on my back, on the floor with Paige in my arms and with her skirt flapping far, far too up her ass when darkness descended on my world. It took me a moment to realize that the two Joten (Norse giants), standing behind the sofa were her parents, they were freaking huge! Her Dad alone looked like he played two simultaneous positions on an NFL team. Paige's Mother was dainty, only in comparison to her husband. Not that she's fat, oh no, this woman was simply big boned and brawny. I had to ask myself: what happened genetically? "Zane, I want you to meet my parents," Paige studied my face. "Sure," my smile wasn't too forced, "but you have to remember to give me a kiss for luck, for tomorrow's match." We rose up and my arm easily wrapped around Paige's waist. Mom and Dad seemed guarded and wary. "What game do you have tomorrow?" the Dad, Roger; finally asked. "Marksmanship Sir. I'm the spotter to the team captain, Hope Song," I smiled. "I'm Zane Braxton, by the way." I can do this. I mean, how many other girls here think they have their hooks in me? "We have the impression that you and our daughter are, romantically involved," her Mom asked me. It was the way she stated it in disbelief that astounded me and pissed me off, as if a big healthy strapping guy like me would choose their 'flawed' daughter. "Paige is an upperclassmen so mainly we hook up for the hours of hot sex," I pulled her close. "Come here, you," I turned and looked down at Paige she pushed up and kissed me deeply. "What are you doing with my daughter?" Roger rumbled. "I'm kissing my lady," I smiled at him, "What does it look like I'm doing Sir?" "I don't know what you think you are going to get out of this," he snarled. "Paige," I addressed the sultry albino who was all but humping my leg at this point, "what do I get out of your relationship?" "Hot steamy White Russian sex," she purred in a Russian accent. Yes, this side of 'poor pitiful Paige' was new to her parents. "But our daughter can't," the Mom stumbled verbally. "Oh yeah, and I'm taking Paige with me on a cross country motorcycle trip this summer," I kept grinning. "I hope you don't mind, she's our computer tech and back-up bar bouncer." Maybe the bar-bouncer bit was too much. "She'll get hurt," Roger sputtered. "Ah, I bleed more than she does and there will be a dozen of us; so if she kicks someone's ass and ends up in jail we'll be able to bail her out," I kissed Paige's forehead. "Baby, Paige," Roger muttered softly. "How about we talk about this?" "Sure thing, Daddy," Paige agreed. "Zane, I'll catch up with you before you head out for the tournament." I swatted her ass, in full view of her parents, which Paige loved. She sauntered off like a woman victorious. "You are such an idiot," Rio snickered in my ear. "That girl is a nut-bag and you are feeding her dynamite." "Speaking of feeding someone some dynamite," Heaven took my hand. "No one seems to need me at the moment," I squeezed her hand back. "Let's run for it!" and we raced for the bedroom like lovers possessed. Heaven I lay between Heaven's legs, her thighs arching up against my own. She wiggled her hips against me and her cock against stomach. I bit down at her nose but she laughed and turned her face away so I nipped her proffered neck instead. "Oh," she gasped. To show me how much she liked it, she rotated her hips, rubbing my cock around inside her. "My Honey likes?" I teased. "You know I do you bastard," she panted. "Nice, slow and hard." I withdrew my cock and then eased it back into her depths. Heaven hisses out her pleasure and with her hands on my shoulders she pulls me in tight. "God, I love you," she whispered to me. "I love the woman grinding up against me too, Heaven," I smiled to her. She hiccupped in passion then began thrusting harder up against me until I could feel her ready to erupt. I took hold of her shoulders and begun pounding her in sympathetic penetrations. "God Damn!" she seethed into my collarbone. Dampness flushed up my stomach and onto my chest to the very edge of my neck. Face to face sex really appealed to Heaven and she was really shooting off hard because of it. I slowed down; I hadn't ejaculated yet but I didn't want to wear her down while I worked up to it. "Oh no you don't," Heaven gasped. "I, I know what you want," she giggled weakly. Heaven struggled against my hold. "You don't have to," I said softly. "I want to you dummy," she kissed me. "Now let go and I'll roll over." "No, let me," I related before I leaned in for a French Kiss full of need. She gave one more surge of defiance then relaxed. Then I shifted my arm down until I reached the back of her left knee. I pushed it up until she passed my hip. Heaven was glowing with anticipation. I was folding her up and then I was going to pound her thoroughly and fully. Heaven brought up her right leg all on her own but the real gift was the way she arched her back in ecstasy when I bottomed out in her with all the muscle power I could muster. We held eye contact as I drove into her time and time again. A tear escaped her eye and scarred her cheek. "Babe?" I worried and slowed down. "I'm happy Zane," she breathed deeply. "Happy." I resumed my energy and the very essence she was lending me set me off by surprise. "Oh God," I gasped and gave her my seed. Heaven bit her lower lip as I sizzled up her rectum with my hot semen. A smile must have etched my features because Heaven became quizzical. "What are you thinking about, Lover?" she asked softly. "I think I've had the best homecoming ever," I answered. It took her a second to get it. "You can keep coming home as often as you want," Heaven licked her lips and bucked her luscious ass against my still rigid rod. Brandi Hand in hand, Heaven and I had barely exited my bedroom when Brandi came rushing up with a girl in hand. "Hey!" she beamed. "This is my sister, March; and she's coming here next year. I wanted her to meet you, Zane." How bad could this be? I squeezed Heaven's hand. "Hello March, this is Heaven Vickers, my girlfriend," I shook March's hand with my free limb. "Hey Zane," March said shyly then, "Brandi says you do things, with lots of girls here?" "See how Heaven is smiling," Brandi whispered to her sister like some conspirator. "He makes me smile just like she is." Well, I had to think, not exactly like I do with you. "Brandi, what did you tell her?" Heaven intervened. "I told her," the two giggled, "that he's magic with his fingers and tongue; and he'll do all the things, to her." "You pimped Zane out?" Heaven snickered. "It, it isn't like that," Brandi back-pedaled. "I sent her a link to his website and told her to hide it from Mom and Dad." "And Brandi says we can have sex here with you, and God won't hold it against us," March piped up. I had to go 'What the Hell?' I give out dispensations from God? He really ought to tell me these things. "I wouldn't go that far," I got out. "Oh, being with Zane is a spiritual experience," Heaven snickered. "Ten minutes ago I swear I was seeing Angels." I wanted to stomp on her toes because March seemed to be buying it. "Are you a virgin?" March whispered to Heaven. "I swear on the Bible that Zane's never penetrated my cunt," Heaven raised up her hand to God. "Did he, you know, the other way?" Brandi leaned in expectantly. "Until I cried tears of joy," Heaven teased her right back. I really wanted to stomp on Heaven's foot. "What other way?" March joined the conversation. "You know, like Barbie Lynn," Brandi giggled to her sister. Oh fuck. "Didn't it hurt?" March sounded concerned. "Oh no," Heaven stroked March's arm. "He's slow and gentle." "Okay; fun conversation!" I declared. "I see someone who wants to kill me. March, you are a beautiful young lady with an exceptional sister and I'll see you next year." I stormed deeper into my apartment only to hear. "Look at that ass go," Heaven sighed. "Yeah," Brandi murmured. "Those pants are so tight. They are hot! Cappadocia Rio was getting downright mopey when we headed for dinner. As we were going in, I spotted Cappadocia and what had to be her little brother, mother and father. I wasn't sure if she wanted to have me meet the folks so I tried to quietly move passed. "Zane," she turned and called out. I deviated my path and went over. Rio tagged along. "Hello Cappadocia, Mr. and Mrs. Davis and, um, young man," I greeted them. "Tobias," the young guy offered his hand and I shook it. "This is my good friend Rio Talon," I brought her forward. Mr. Davis stepped up and shook my hand next. His grip was stronger than needed in that alpha male style. "It is good to meet you Mr. Braxton. My little girl says you are a promising candidate on the new to the first squad," he grinned smugly. "Well, Cappy would know, she's Team Captain and I'm sure she'll be Captain next year when she'll get to decide if I stay on First Team," I tried to be nice. "So does it feel bad to be beaten up by girls?" he joked. "Well, if I ever get beaten up by a girl I'll let you know," I gave him my best steely grin. "Here I get beaten up by women, really tough women." That brought the big guy up short. "Oh well, my daughters a real fighter alright," he stammered. "I believe you, she's knocked me unconscious once, in a practice session. She laid me out cold for about a minute," I enlightened him. "Zane knocked Coach Gorman down Father," Cappy came to my defense, "and took down three men who threatened some girls once." "You girls shouldn't be leaving campus," her mother chimed in. "Mother, we go out in groups and we are just fine," Cappy insisted. "Are you responsible for this new attitude?" the Dad asked. "Sir, I'm one freshmen in a school of 900 women," I shrugged. "The fearlessness was here before I ever arrived. It will be here long after I'm gone. I belief the unofficial motto for the Karate program is 'I kick ass for the Lord'," I sort of lied. Cappy said it and she smiled slightly the hear me repeat it. "Yes," he muttered, "we want our girls to be strong in their faith for the Lord. It is good to see Cappadocia having a vibrant faith." "Oh, I've seen Cappadocia vibrant," I smirked her way. She restrained herself from hauling me off and punching me because our act of vibrancy had everything to do with sex and nothing that she wanted to tell her parents. Her dad missed it, her young brother wasn't even paying attention but her mother caught our undercurrent. A smirk creased her face as she looked the two of us over. "Cappy dear, you to practice safety when you spar, don't you?" she cautioned her daughter. "Yes Momma," Cappy gave a sly smile of her own, "I'm always careful, even when I have Zane down on the mat." "As long as you keep control of the situation," the Mother nodded. "You keep winning Girl," the Dad rejoined the conversation, "because you have one more year of playing around then you need to find a job and let God give you a husband." Cappy didn't flinch but I knew how hard she struggled for the team and having it disregarded by someone who meant so much to her. "Maybe Cappadocia can either compete on a National level or train students when she goes home," I offered. "She's real hardcore," Rio added. "No one trains as hard as she does and the other girls know it. Hell, when I first met her I thought she was some Inner City Gangsta Chick, she was such a bad ass." There was my girl Rio, the Conversation Killer. Sure, Cappy was African-American but that never came up with us. As I recalled, she came from a moderately-sized town outside Atlanta Georgia. "What?" the father darkened. "Rio," I tried to pull her away. "No," Rio growled. "Listen buddy," she poked the man in the chest. "Your daughter is an athlete and a damn fine one. If she was a he and in football you'd want him to try for the NFL so why are you treating your daughter any different?" "I don't think you know what you are saying young lady," Cappy's father stated angrily. "Maybe I should have a word or two with your father." "My father is a self-righteous self-serving asshole," Rio began before I started dragging her away, "and he knows I'd kick his ass if he treated me this way!" she finished screaming at him. "Whoa Rio," I calmed her. "The truth is only going to rub that situation raw." "Cappy deserves more than that," Rio spat. "Face it, you are channeling some Mercy into this Bro," I said. "She'll be okay and back in your arms come Sunday. Cappy is tougher than her father knows." "You hope so!" she groused. "I swear, with some of these bitches, they are perfect bright and confident then you roll a man around and out go the lights, nobody's home." "Then we'll have to find a way to set them on fire so the light never goes out," I suggested. "Face it, you are the schools premier pyromaniac." "That I am," Rio grumbled. "I'll find a way to burn this shit up." Opal "Hey you two," Opal greeted Rio and I as we started eating diner. "What's wrong, Rio?" "Plotting the end of male domination of the Western World," Rio grinned wickedly. "Is there something I need to know," Opal looked from one of us to the other as she sat at my side. "Are we mounting a rescue mission for Mercy?" "Mercy?" Rio said suspiciously. "Sure," Opal sampled her fare, "give the word and I'll get six or seven girls together for a run at her family if you need it." Rio stared at her for a second. "Why would you?" Rio asked suspiciously. "A lot of us like her since she came over to our side," Opal grinned, "and she keeps you in line, most of the time." "Just to keep things straight," Rio sneered. "I keep her in line damn it." "Oh please," Opal rolled her eyes, "one little whimper and a look from those soulful eyes and off to the bedroom you two go." "Gurrr, as long as everyone knows that she's mine," Rio was now embarrassed. "And that's why we would come to help you, Rio," Opal gobbled a quick bite. I tried not to laugh. "Zane," Rio pointed her fork at me, "if you are trying to tell me I have friends, I'll bleed you like a little bitch." "Who me?" I grinned. "Perish the thought that anyone likes you or considers you 'user-friendly'." "I'm the soul of friendliness, fuck you," she snipped then smirked at me. "Opal, Rio met Cappy's dad and that didn't go well," I enlightened my shower buddy. "What went wrong?" Opal sighed. With Rio, you never knew. "It is the whole bullshit of get your degree, go home, get married and start pumping out babies because that's some twisted vision of God's will," Rio stated angrily. "Most of the girls here are like that Rio," Opal responded. "Now hold on, they want to get married but we can certainly help them find the right guy and not some bum foisted on them by their families." "Opal, that's positively human of you," Rio wondered. "I was the bad girl before you two arrived," Opal snickered. "I wasn't in your league but I had radical thoughts." "The first day in the shower showed me as much," I confessed. "Well, that first body wash confirmed you weren't a girl," Opal bumped my hip with hers. "With Rio, well, it took us a while to figure out she wasn't a guy with a really small cock." Rio reached across me and smacked Opal. "My desire to be in the driver's seat doesn't make me a guy," Rio griped. "You are only the second person on this campus to have a girlfriend Rio," Opal rubbed her shoulder. "Give us a chance to adjust." "Adjust? I'm hoping for some conversions," Rio quipped. "Okay then, what are you doing tonight? Brigit and I are at loose ends," Opal offered. Rio stopped eating and looked over at Opal. "Sure, but the first one to suggest a pillow fight or that we paint our nails gets an attitude adjustment," Rio demanded. "I can hear Brigit's quim quivering already," Opal leered. "It's a date." Raven, and Paige again We had packed the last of our firearms away in the van modified to be a secure courier when the families in attendance and some of the other students gather around the bus. I spotted Raven hanging back with an older woman who was a bit heavier than she was. I walked over to make sure she was okay. "Hey Raven," I slipped past her guard and gave her a hug. She tensed up and muttered something. "What?" I wondered. "This is my mother, Carol," Raven said softly. She kept looking down at the ground. "It is nice to meet you Mr. Braxton," Carol greeted me. She seemed to be studying me intently as if she was expecting something from me. "It is nice to meet you to Ma'am," I grinned. "Raven is a really good friend to me and I couldn't be doing as well in English without her." "Do you and my daughter have a close relationship?" she pried. I could feel Raven start to fold up next to me in embarrassment. "I don't know what you mean?" I inquired. "Mom, we are just friends," Raven said sadly. Oh, now I thought I understood. "Mrs., Raven's Mom, Carol, please understand that being the only male in such a large female student body, several girls put all kinds of pressures on me," I began. "Your daughter is unique in that she treats me like a student first and that she truly helps me get by. If I couldn't touch base with her from time to time I might go nuts." "Oh," the Mom sounded somewhat disappointed. "Raven, how many girls have you helped me get away from?" I tried a different angle. "I, Paige, oh God Paige," Raven rumbled then, "and Barbie Lynn, and Rio and that girl Iona." "You really do help him with other girls?" Carol sounded surprised. "Yes Mom," Raven perked up. "Girls are always swarming around Zane, they won't let him study unless I'm around." Not totally the truth but hey. "I hope you understand that my daughter thinks a great deal of you," Carol drilled me with her over-productive Momma eyes. "The feeling is mutual," I nodded. The bus's horn beeped, it was time for us to board. "Raven, give me a kiss for luck at the meet?" Raven looked shocked but reached up on her tip-toes and kissed me on the cheek. I reciprocated the gesture and turned to leave. I had made it half way when I got blindsided and staggered. Several kisses smothered my face. "Hey Lover," Paige panted. "Good luck shooting shit and taking names." "I'm a spotter Paige. I don't actually shoot things," I clarified. "Good," she purred then stroked my cock. "Save more of that for me." "Who is that?" I heard Carol ask her daughter. "That's Paige," Raven growled with menace. Yeah, lots of love there. "Zane," Hope said evenly. We were ready to go. I gave Paige one more kiss and a squeeze on her ass then slipped passed Hope and got on the bus. Hope got on after me and Gorman started up the bus. "Well, that's not a send-off I'm used to," Genesis chuckled over Paige and I. "If it breaks his concentration, it won't be the only thing I'm sending off," Hope informed the bus to even more chuckles. Hell, it's a gun club; a bit of bloodthirstiness was to be expected. Working Past Homecoming. As Rio and I pulled into the driveway of my house, I noted both the progress Aunt Jill's contractors were making on the extension being built to shelter the motorcycles that were now hanging out at the place and their number. I also saw a bike that I didn't recognize with a brazen gang emblem on the saddle bags, Stormrider's, not Valarie's. Rio was still sulking over Mercy being with her parents. It was Saturday night so she had less than a day to go before Homecoming ended and Fall Break began. The hope was that Mercy could convince her parents she was required to stay on campus for the week school was out. Considering what her family patriarch thought of women's opinions, we didn't think she had a prayer. "A lot of bikes," Rio noted. "I don't care what Jill says, I'm grabbing a few beers." "Don't run around the front yard naked or swing from the rafters and we'll do fine," I joked. I wasn't going to fight Rio on this, I was preparing for a hung-over Rio at Church in the morning. We heard laughter as we stepped onto the porch. I swung the door open and announced us. "Jill, it's me and Rio," I said. The laughter died down and I heard footsteps coming my way. Jill and I met at the entry to the living room. We hugged, kissed and then she showed us in. Belle and Willa were regulars and Valarie was expected. The ginger-haired woman with a beer and a smile was unknown to me, though. "Zane, Rio, this is Fontana Palmer, Valarie's mother," Jill introduced us. "How's the leg, Old Lady?" Rio grinned. That's Rio for you. Fontana turned to Valarie. "You were right, you can't go ten minutes without wanting to punch her," she chuckled. "I got it for you," Belle hopped up. Rio, in her foul mood, was ready to get in a scrap right then and there but I knew that was plain stupid. "Come on, Belle," I intervened. "GF problems." "Yours or hers?" Belle hesitated. "Hers," I answered. Belle leaned past me and looked seriously at Rio. "Mercy's in trouble?" Belle sounded concerned. Willa half-turned on the sofa to get a better view of things. "She's with her," Rio bit down on the expletive for Jill's sake, "parents." "Ah, what a bitch," Belle moved past me and led Rio to the sofa. "Isn't it great when the folks decide that you aren't good enough for their little pride and joy? Been there, done that." Belle handed Rio her beer then looked back at me. "Zane, two more beers," she ordered. "Hi, Zane," I mocked myself, "Glad to have you back. How did the match go?" "It is good to have you back, Zane," Jill touched my arm. "How did the match go?" "What was the match in?" Fontana inquired. "Oh, hi, Mrs. Palmer," I corrected my rudeness. "He was in a marksmanship competition," Valarie jumped in. "How did you and Hope do?" "Hope took top spot but it was close," I informed them. "The number two guy came in .02 points behind and third was .08. The team took third place." All I have to say is those two guys scared the crap out of me. Apparently they shoot moose with .22's in their spare time or some shit like that. "Congratulations, Zane," Willa grinned. The room followed suit, except for Rio. I motioned Jill to return to her chair and made for the stairs. "Beers, bitch," Belle teased me. "Sorry, Jill, beers, Punk." I opted to not make a scene so I dropped my bag, went to the fridge, and got two beers. By the time I got back, Rio had buried her first beer and grabbed for her second. Belle took hers and winked. "What? No tip?" I wondered. "Oh, what were you expecting?" Belle tilted back her head. I ran a hand through her hair, leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Our tongues darted forth, then danced back and forth within our mouths. I put a hand on her shoulder then let it migrate down to her breast. I squeezed it gently and Belle moaned. I broke the kiss and smiled at her. "That'll do," I chuckled. Belle's eyes were alight and she was smiling as well. Jill was looking into the fireplace and blushing, Rio was blas , working through her beer, but the other three women were staring at me. "Beer, Zane," Valarie leered. Fontana, far from being protective, patted her daughter on the shoulder. "Oh, hell no," I waved off. "I was crawling through the woods all morning then spent the rest of the day riding in a bus with other smelly athletes. I'm putting my bag in my room and taking a shower." "Are you sure you know what to do showering alone?" Valarie called after me. Bitch. The first thing I noted was that someone had been sleeping in my bed. My money was on Fontana. I'd deal with that later but at the moment, all I wanted to do was get clean. As the hot water scalded away the grime and sweat I thought happy thoughts about Hope. She hadn't complimented me but she hadn't a bad thing to say about my performance either. In a way I felt 'in the zone'. I caught the range, slope and wind changes like a pro and I thought her score showed it. I knew she wanted the team to do better but with the youth of the squad, coming in third out of a field of twelve felt good to me. For Hope, nothing short of first would do. By the time I got downstairs, I was shirtless, wearing gym shorts, and drying my hair with a towel. The group had migrated to the den, the TV was on, and the conversation was muted. Jill's look told me I should have put on more clothes. I only wanted to unwind. The looks the other women were giving me were far less motherly. I groaned, shook my head and went to the kitchen for some OJ. When I returned, I looked around for a seat and decided to sit down at Jill's feet. She leaned forward and patted my shoulder. That was fine. Valarie and her mother constantly stealing my glances my way was less so. Rio was nursing a beer and her hurt feelings, Belle was running her hand through Rio's hair in a strangely comforting gesture, and Willa seemed amused by the whole affair. At the commercial break, Fontana stood up. "Zane, can I talk to you alone for a minute, outside," she requested. "Sure," I half stood then, "Wait, does this involve me and pain?" She snorted mirthfully. "No," she smirked. "If you behave I won't hurt you too much." "Go on, you wuss," Rio teased. "It isn't like you've despoiled her daughter or anything." "But I didn't," I explained desperately. "That's right," Willa joked. "It isn't like you two have rolled around in that, it's not a bed. What is it?" "It is a sleeping platform," I mumbled. "I got tired of girls taking a header off my bed." "That's awful considerate of you," Fontana smiled warmly. "A moment, please." I followed her into the hall, then reluctantly outside to the porch. I was wearing shorts and it was cold so I folded my arms to conserve some warmth. Fontana moved a few more steps down the porch, turned, and looked me over. "Zane, thank you for being a good friend to Valarie," Fontana began. That wasn't what I was expecting to hear. "Umm, okay," I responded. "See," Fontana went on, "when her father forced this on her to make her into his mold of what a good Christian woman should be, I was afraid the experience would leave her bitter." "Why is she doing this anyway?" I asked. "She's eighteen and can make her own choices." "Oh," Fontana mused thoughtfully. She paced back and forth once. "She likes you so much I assumed she told you." She paused for a moment. "After my problem with the law, my ex threatened to keep my other two daughters from me unless Valarie came to FFU." "Oh, the fuck you say," I growled. My arms came down and I balled up my fists. "Listen, I know a pretty good lawyer if you want someone to have another go at your case, or I can shove his head down a toilet until he changes his mind." Fontana laughed. "No, you are doing enough. Stormriders take care of themselves most of the time but it's good to have friends too," Fontana smiled. "Valarie is having a great time at school. She likes the girls she's met, well, some of them, and she's happy that so many are heading out our way over the summer," Fontana went on. "She's very proud." "I would have never guessed," I replied sarcastically. "No, really," Fontana faked her surprise well. "I know she hides it well but she's really proud of where she comes from. Honest." She paused again. "Can I ask you a personal question?" "Sure," I shrugged. "Why haven't you and my daughter hooked up? She won't tell me," Fontana questioned. "I'm not sure," I worked out. "I've never pressed her. She may not like having sex with the eternal audience that hovers around me. Maybe she's respectful of all the other women in my life right now. All those answers sound plausible." "Ha," Fontana laughed. "Stormriders aren't exactly bashful. She says your girlfriend, Heaven, shares but I think she really likes you because you aren't hitting on her." "She likes me because I respect her boundaries? Oh, Gawd," I groaned. "At times I really wish I was an asshole. As it is, I'm afraid that one day my cock is going to fall off." Fontana walked up, patted my crotch. "That would be a pity," she whispered into my ear before heading inside. Because I Must Secretly Abhor a Good Night's Sleep Later that evening At school, I slept on a contraption that easily slept twelve and was often occupied by eight. I go home so I can sleep, on the sofa? See, Valarie and her mom were in my room, they were guests after all. In the prepared guest room, now Belle's room, Willa and Belle had crashed out. We had three other rooms upstairs but Jill hadn't gotten around into making anything of them. Rio was supposed to join Valarie and Fontana in my bed but somewhere between the 12 and 20 beers she and Belle were sharing; Rio decided to grab a throw pillow, curl up on the floor and pass out/go to sleep. An effort to rouse her failed so I put a quilt over her and let her sleep it off. After 11:00 Jill went upstairs and the rest followed her to bed. I put a few logs on the fire and laid down to sleep on the sofa. I couldn't have been asleep more than an hour when I felt something nudge my hip. I looked up to see Fontana's ass pressed against my side, her looking down into my eyes. Fontana was beautiful but in a hard, flinty way. She was mature but compact, like a she-wolf with little padding or softness to her. Her long ginger hair was pulled back in a ponytail though her bangs were hanging loose. She wore a tight grey t-shirt that said 'Eyes Up!' that highlighted her breasts. Sure, a bit of a sag in her 36C's but very nice. The shirt only came halfway down her belly, fully exposing her bright red bikini brief panties to my gaze. Her eyes were the same blue as Valarie's and danced in the fading fire's light. There were lines around her eyes and her face was weathered but strong. I could have stupidly asked what she wanted but, hey, she was sitting next to me, dressed like that after 'lights out'. I propped my upper body with my right elbow while reaching out with my left and cupping her right cheek. As I drew her to me, Fontana twisted her body around so that she straddled me. I had to scoot my body toward the edge to give her knee room to settle down. She kissed me with a steady intensity that slowly pushed my head back to my pillow. "Man, you are easy," she breathed playfully after we broke a long embrace. "I thought I'd have to explain myself or some other shit like that," she added. "If there's anything else I need to know, you'll tell me," I said softly as I brushed her bangs aside. "I fig

In this episode of Personally Speaking Msgr. Jim Lisante is joined again by television journalist and best-selling author Bill O'Reilly. Bill's latest book with author Josh Hammer is called, “Confronting Evil: Assessing the Worst of the Worst” which shows the concept of evil is universal, ancient, and ever present in today's world. “Confronting Evil” explains the endless struggle between good and evil and how it is a daily temptation, and choice, each of us is confronted with every day.Support the show

Lily Allen's viral new album, West End Girl, digs deep. It catalogs the unraveling of her marriage and the deeper pain that lives between the lines of her lyrical prose. This isn't tabloid fodder—it's what Pitchfork called her most “brutally candid” work, a rare space where a woman can hold an abuser, a system, and her own art in the same frame.While Allen insists the record is “fictionalized,” it's unmistakably laced with real life—even with the unavoidable layer of my own parasocial projection. The title track name-drops the couple's designer—“Found ourselves a good mortgage / Billy Cotton got sorted”—a pointed nod to their now-infamous Architectural Digest home tour, which, in hindsight, aged about as gracefully as Harbour's opening “bit,” greeting the camera crew like a mistress at the door. (Iconic, for all the wrong reasons…and very worth the watch. Psst. All relevant links are down at the bottom!)With almost no pre-launch marketing, the album shot up the charts, hailed by Variety, The New Yorker, and countless fans as her best work yet. (Personally, I've been devoted since her early-2000s protest anthem “Fuck You,” written about George W. Bush.) Still, West End Girl took over my social feed overnight. Yours too, maybe? This is because it touches something deeper than celebrity gossip or divorce voyeurism.Those of us who have spent years minimizing our needs, over-explaining our emotions in an attempt to have them recognized, or trying to contort ourselves into palatable versions of dominant cultural scripts feel a shock of recognition in every song. Allen articulates the quiet grief of being gas-lit into gratitude for crumbs.West End Girl isn't just about Lily Allen and David Harbour—it's about the way patriarchy teaches women to negotiate with our own erasure to serve the agenda of systems of oppression. She's writing from the same ache that so many of us have been metabolizing privately for generations: the manipulation, the gaslighting, the subtle minimizations that we stomach under the guise of love in an attempt to find it/have it/keep it.And that's exactly what the cultural moment is naming out loud. As Vogue recently asked in its viral essay, “Is It Embarrassing to Have Boyfriends Now?”, there's a growing recognition that heterosexual love has long demanded women trade dignity for proximity. Asa Serasin even coined a word for this in 2019—heterofatalism, or the idea that heterosexual relationships are doomed to fail, because women are too often expected to shrink our brilliance, temper our boundaries, and laugh off harm to keep men comfortable.Enter Left Standing: The PodcastI actually recorded the first episode of my new podcast, Left Standing, before West End Girl dropped—but they're part of the same conversation, and I knew I had to discuss them as such.The show is about the reclamation of our narratives: the language, myths, and cultural scripts that have been rewritten and manipulated to serve the false ideals of systems of oppression. In episode one we will trace the etymology of words like gossip (originally meaning “god-sib,” a woman who stands by you in difficult times), and hysteria (from hystera, the womb). We will also discuss the way in which patriarchy rewrites myth, starting with my favorite goddess, the true, often-erased story of Medusa—a survivor punished for being violated.The first episode unpacks these histories and the lineage of tone-policing that still shapes how we hear women like Lily Allen: as “dramatic,” “unladylike,” or “sharing too much.” In it, I quote Melissa' Febos' book Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative. She writes:Listen to me: It is not gauche to write about trauma. It is subversive. The stigma of victimhood is a timeworn tool of oppressive powers to gaslight the people they subjugate into believing that by naming their disempowerment they are being dramatic, whining, attention-grabbing, or else beating a dead horse. By convincing us to police our own and one another's stories, they have enlisted us in the project of our own continued disempowerment.Because when survivors tell the truth, someone will call it embarrassing, dramatic, attention-grabbing, unnecessary, not lady-like, or a lie.And every time we tell it anyway, we reclaims our power—and gives others permission to do the same.As this is our first episode, your shares, comments, likes and subscribes mean OH SO much to me!Details and resources below!Thank you Jacquline Burtney for designing this! If you want to know why we went in this direction—listen to the episode for the feminist story of the iconic Medusa!Housekeeping Notes:* What happened to Business Witch? Well…a random woman who said she owned the trademark for “The Business Witch” demanded I rebrand. In lieu of litigating over the matter, I did. And I like this title way better…what about you? That being said, our old episodes have been archived and are available on this platform for paid subscribers only. Additionally, I'll be releasing a mini business lesson in the form of a podcast once per month. To access this content, you also must be a paid subscriber. As a thank you for subscribing, if you join at the annual level you'll get access to my upcoming nervous system regulation class, Regulate To Rise happening on November 18. If you subscribe as “A Real Witch” you'll be entered to win free birth chart readings with me 2x a year PLUS all other paid subscriber benefits. This community space is subscriber-supported. To get access to archived content and exclusive business lessons, upgrade your subscription.* What does this mean for Business Witch: The Course? It will henceforth be known as The Feminist Business Framework. It relaunches in early 2026 and will be getting a make over! I'll be updating all course material, adding a module on Launching, and generally making the entire thing even better. When you Subscribe to this space, not only will you get access to old and archived episodes, you'll get first access to the re-launch and the ability to apply the cost of your Substack subscription to your course enrollment fee. Join the waitlist here.Resources mentioned in this episode:Melissa Febos' Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal NarrativeThe Feminist Origins of Gossip by Ashley D'ArcyThe History of Hysteria by Ada McVeanDemetra George's Mysteries of the Dark MoonVogue Is Having A Boyfriend Embarrassing NowLily Allen's AD Home TourLily Allen's West End GirlNew York Magazine: The Trouble With Wanting MenGo deeper with me…I have a few spots left for birth chart readings for the year. If you want to see where Medusa, or other such goddesses live in your chart, grab a spot before they sell out!I'll be running a special on intensives for coaching for Black Friday—there are limited spots…if you want to grab one before they go live, message me.I am so curious if you have a personal goddess of resonance…let me know if a story has spoken to/through you!What is your favorite track on West End Girl? Comment and let me know! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carakovacs.substack.com/subscribe

Ask Flora Funga Podcast anything OR Leave a ReviewBenjamin Ashpole is founder of NourishCap.com, the first marketing agency in the United States to focus exclusively on the unique needs of the mushroom sector. He also runs PromoterMotor, a marketing agency that has served the nonprofit sector for over a decade, and an accomplished computer scientist. Personally, Ben is a licensed mushroom forager and gourmet mushroom cultivator who loves all flora and fungi.All resources on www.florafungapodcast.com/190 Zbiotics: "FLORA10"Drink ZBiotics before drinking alcohol-Alcohol produces acetaldehyde, a byproduct that your next daySupport the showGoFundME If you like the podcast please think of donating to Keep the show happening $keenie19 on Cash App Follow my other social media sites to interact and engage with me:Email me to be on the podcast or inperson Interview: floraandfungapodcast@gmail.com FacebookInstagramTwitterTikTokYouTubePatreon --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zbiotics: "FLORA10"Drink ZBiotics before drinking alcohol-Alcohol produces acetaldehyde, a byproduct that your next day SUPPORT THE SHOW: Join my Patreon for only $1/month [THATS only .03 cents a day!] ***I am an affiliate with ENERGYBITS (your daily a...

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2787: Stella Grizont explores how to build emotional resilience by not taking things personally, offering practical tools to shift from reaction to curiosity and compassion. She then shares a heartfelt reflection on unconditional love through a simple yet powerful moment with her daughter, reminding us of the profound healing in being seen and accepted as we are. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.stellagrizont.com/blogs/the-abcs-of-not-taking-things-personally AND https://www.stellagrizont.com/blogs/what-my-daughter-taught-me-about-love Quotes to ponder: "Most of us walk around with a fragile sense of self-worth." "People's behavior is a reflection of their reality, not yours." "Even if someone intends to hurt you, it's still about them and their own pain." Episode references: Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg: https://www.amazon.com/Nonviolent-Communication-Language-Life-Changing-Relationships/dp/189200528X The Four Agreements: https://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Freedom/dp/1878424319

In this episode, Carl Britton, Jr. joins Nic across the lens to talk about AI and how it can benefit workers in the skilled trades and construction industry.Before Carl ran his own concrete company, now he's training men and women in the trades in how to implement AI in their work and life. He is the founder of Iron Thread Consulting and a family man. One use case Carl's mentions is how to let AI produce a safety briefing, manually verify its accuracy, and save a lot of time in the process.In his trainings Carl shows individuals how to build agents and GPTs to help automate some of the mundane tasks and other time-consuming tasks. Personally, he has uses it to help him improve his diet and nutrition as well as produce images for his presentations.They discuss the barriers to people using AI and recognize how those who know AI will likely be the ones who keep their jobs or replace those who don't know how to use AI.You can reach out to Carl at http://www.ironthread.online/.If you enjoy Nic and Tarina's podcast and get something from listening to “all this Nic Bittle Crap,” please hit the like button, share it with a friend, or both. Your recommendation goes a long way in helping us reach more people.Also if you have questions that you want Nic and Tarina to answer, email them at info@nicbittle.com.---

Welcome to this week's Rainbow Soulstrology forecast. If you've been feeling like you're on an emotional roller coaster lately, you're not alone—and you're not imagining it. This week brings some of the most intense cosmic energy we've experienced in a while, but I promise you: there's healing and breakthrough waiting on the other side.Watch This Week's Full Forecast Video (embedded above)The Week Ahead: A Cosmic Roller CoasterThis week is peak intensity as we navigate:* Mercury Retrograde beginning Friday (shadow period already active since last week at 20° Scorpio)* Mars entering Sagittarius on Tuesday, creating an explosive opposition with Uranus* Full Moon in Taurus on Wednesday* Venus moving into Scorpio on Thursday/Friday* Uranus re-entering Taurus on SaturdayIf you have Scorpio, Sagittarius, Taurus, or Gemini placements, you're probably already feeling this. The shadow part of Mercury retrograde has been warming up, and many of you—especially my fellow Scorpio risings—are dealing with old patterns, intrusive thoughts, and emotions you thought you'd already processed.Here's what I want you to remember: This is all part of the process. The universe is preparing you for your next chapter by helping you shed what no longer serves you.Key Transits This WeekMonday, November 3: Mars Opposite UranusThe week opens with Mars in late Scorpio opposing Uranus in Taurus. This is volatile energy—expect surprises, sudden communications, and potential conflicts. On the world stage, this could manifest as political intensity or market volatility. Personally, someone might say something that catches you completely off guard.Void Moon: 11:20 AM - 4:15 PM MT (almost all day)Tuesday, November 4: Mars Enters SagittariusMars moves into fiery Sagittarius, joining Mercury and creating an even stronger opposition to Uranus. This is explosive energy. Sagittarius Mars has a tendency to blurt things out before the brain filter kicks in—so be mindful of what you say. The void moon most of the day might actually help tame some of this intensity.Void Moon: Most of the day in CapricornWednesday, November 5: Full Moon in TaurusThe Full Moon at 14° Taurus amplifies everything. With Mars freshly in Sagittarius still opposing Uranus, and the Sun-Moon opposition adding emotional intensity, this could be the peak moment of the week. Expect things to bubble over—but remember, full moons bring things to completion and illuminate what's been hidden.This is likely when whatever's been brewing will come to the surface. It might feel overwhelming, but it's meant to happen.Thursday/Friday, November 6-7: Venus Enters Scorpio & Mercury StationsVenus moves from its rulership in Libra into its detriment in Scorpio, while Mercury slows to a standstill before going retrograde on Friday. This is when self-sabotage patterns are most likely to emerge.Venus in Scorpio can bring up issues around relationships, money, and self-worth. There's a yod (finger of fate) pointing at Venus from Neptune and your life path—this could reveal illusions or prompt you to question a vision you've been holding.My advice: Pause. Don't make major communications or decisions Thursday/Friday if you can help it. Wait until Monday if possible. Mercury stationing means anything you say could sabotage you, your relationships, or your financial situation.Saturday, November 8: Uranus Re-enters TaurusUranus moves back into Taurus, where it spent the last eight years (hello, rise of conservatism and “the way we've always done things”). This retrograde motion asks: Are you sure you've released what you needed to release?Sunday, November 9: Grand Trine in Water - HEALINGHere's your light at the end of the tunnel! A beautiful Grand Trine forms between the Moon, Jupiter in Cancer, and the Sun in Scorpio. This is major emotional healing energy. Grand trines in water signs bring emotional blessings, healing, and resolution. After the intensity of the week, Sunday offers a pause—a moment to integrate, heal, and recognize the transformation you've moved through.Your Weekly Horoscopes♈ Aries (March 21 - April 19)Hang in there, Aries! This Mercury retrograde is starting, and with Uranus thrown in opposing Mars and Mercury, it's going to throw in some surprises. You could be surprised by an action you take—and how effective it is.This retrograde is happening in your house of transformation and shadow work. While it's intense, by the end of the week you'll arrive at a blessing, an emotional healing moment where you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.Your advice: Take it one day at a time. This Mercury retrograde will help you discover who you are and clarify your values.♉ Taurus (April 20 - May 20)Taurus, you're definitely not out of this one. With Uranus coming back for a visit and Venus (your ruling planet) entering Scorpio later in the week, you're going to feel some intense stuff around relationships, other people's money, and topics you'd rather not discuss.This will be a roller coaster week, but Sunday brings relief. Plan your self-care day for Sunday—you'll need it and deserve it!Your advice: Watch the main broadcast for tips on managing self-sabotaging behaviors. By Sunday's grand trine, you'll experience healing and release.♊ Gemini (May 21 - June 20)Mercury is about to go retrograde, Gemini, so your communications might have some hiccups this week, especially by Sunday. This is happening in your houses of relationships and day-to-day life—think coworkers and people you see every day.With Mars in your opposing sign, you might find yourself easily frustrated. Try not to say too much on Thursday or Friday. If you can wait until Monday to have that conversation, it will probably go much better.Your advice: Be clear in your communications. The landing is the hard part—once we get past the actual retrograde, there will be a little break.♋ Cancer (June 21 - July 22)Cancer, this retrograde is happening in your house of work and day-to-day life. Communication patterns that aren't working well will prove quite frustrating this week, so try not to let yourself get too worked up.There's some fated energy this week—some things are meant to happen. With Venus moving into Scorpio, there could be self-sabotaging patterns around money or relationships emerging.Your advice: Review what you're saying before you say it, especially Thursday and Friday. Sunday brings ease and release. This Mercury retrograde is transforming your communication at work.♌ Leo (July 23 - August 22)Leo, this Mercury retrograde is happening in your house of children, creativity, and romantic relationships. You might also be dealing with family of origin issues or childhood trauma that you've processed through creative outlets.This won't be super intense for you unless you have Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Gemini, or Taurus placements. But the world will be on a roller coaster, so you'll be witnessing it.Your advice: Pay attention to what you're saying. You'll be very creative this week and might take quick creative action—that's okay! Just think before you speak. Give others lots of room; they might have emotional outbursts.♍ Virgo (August 23 - September 22)Virgo, this is going deep into your most intimate parts—your childhood home, how you grew up, your community, your neighbors. This Mercury retrograde will keep you on a roller coaster around home, where you're living, and how you're getting on with community.It's leading you to a better place, even if it doesn't feel comfortable. Remember: nothing on planet Earth grows without discomfort.Your advice: Take it easy on what you say, especially Thursday and Friday. Mercury stations on Wednesday/Thursday, so communication might feel like it comes to a halt. Sunday brings relief and the ability to breathe. Major life changes are happening—by December, you'll look back and see how much you've transformed.♎ Libra (September 23 - October 22)Libra, communication is going to be hard this week. Be careful not to communicate in a way that hurts or sabotages you, especially around finances. Don't say anything important on Thursday or Friday—wait until Monday.Something's going to surprise you this week, and you need to be prepared to say, “I don't know. I need to think about it.” Walk away from it. Don't jump in too fast.Your advice: With Venus (your ruling planet) moving into Scorpio on Friday, self-sabotage is a real risk. Go slow. If you must speak, run it by a trusted friend first. This retrograde is transforming your communication around money and community.♏ Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)Scorpio, this Mercury retrograde is happening in YOUR sign, intensifying everything. I know you've already had a really intense week, and now we're heading into another one. It's going to be a roller coaster.Be careful not to sabotage yourself, especially around money or your values, particularly Thursday and Friday. Try to hold back saying anything if you can. Wait until Monday if possible.Your advice: Go slow. Take one day at a time. This is happening in your house of identity and personal shadow. Let thoughts and feelings flow through you, then release them. You're meant to transform into a new person. Sunday brings healing and a breather before the retrograde continues.♐ Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)Sagittarius, some of this stuff has been coming out of nowhere from your twelfth house—the realm of the unseen, including hospitals, nursing homes, mental health centers, and your spirit guides. Major transformations are happening in your personal identity.There will probably be surprises around your day-to-day life. Don't be afraid to say what you need to say, but try to filter it and slow it down. Try not to blurt it out (although you probably will).Your advice: If you blurt something out, be prepared to apologize if needed. Hold back on Thursday or Friday if you can—wait until Monday. You know you'll land on your feet, Sag. Trust yourself. Sunday's grand trine will help you heal and see what's really on the horizon.♑ Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)Capricorn, this has everything to do with your friends, the people who influence you, and those who have power over you. Be careful what you say because you might explode or blurt out something you didn't mean to say.With Saturn (your ruling planet) retrograde in Pisces, this could come from an emotional place you didn't even recognize you were having. It might involve your creative energy, children, or romantic relationships.Your advice: Stay steady. Hold back on Thursday and Friday, especially with friends, bosses, coworkers, or anyone with influence over you. Wait until Monday if possible. Sunday's grand trine will help you release emotion so you can speak your truth without it being so charged.♒ Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)Aquarius, this is happening right at the top of your sky—your house of career and what you put out in the world. Be careful what you say, particularly Thursday and Friday, because you could easily say something that brings self-sabotage at work.I know Pluto's been direct and you've been making changes all over the place. Now you're ready to speak it out loud. But can we just try to wait until Monday? By Monday, you'll probably feel differently about it.Your advice: Your emotions could easily get in the way, even though you've intellectualized them. With Mercury retrograde in Scorpio at the top of your sky, hesitate before speaking. Wait until Monday—you'll feel completely different.♓ Pisces (February 19 - March 20)Pisces, you've been pushing for a spiritual awakening, and guess what? You're about to have one! This week brings major awakenings and higher learning. It could involve college, the law, or deep spiritual insights.There could be communication issues about this, so take it slow, especially Thursday and Friday. Something's happening behind the scenes that needs to happen. As Mercury goes retrograde on Sunday, you're going to have a huge emotional and spiritual awakening.Your advice: This year marks the end of major transits through Pisces—we're wrapping things up. This Mercury retrograde will help you recognize what you need to say and how communication needs to happen. Talk to someone you trust, someone sensitive and understanding. This involves other people's money, spiritual awakening, and trauma. By Sunday, it'll be like someone took mud off your eyes—you'll see everything differently.Tarot Guidance for the WeekI pulled three cards for us using the Love is Love deck:Past: Death - You already know what you're releasing. What transformation has been on the edge for you? What have you been trying to shed? The universe is reminding you that you know exactly what needs to go.Present: The Chariot - You have a choice to make. This is about movement, taking action, and choosing what's best for YOU. You have everything you need—your intuition, your astrology tool belt, your inner wisdom. Believe in yourself this week. Don't let intrusive thoughts or negative thinking take over.Future: Three of Cups - Celebration, emotional healing, spiritual connection! This card promises that after the intensity, there's coming together—whether with another person, with a solution, or with a healed version of yourself. You'll feel lighter, free from the burden you've been carrying.Survival Tools for This WeekBecause your frontal lobe (logic center) shuts down when you feel threatened, write down your coping strategies NOW and put them where you'll see them when you're upset:Your Crisis Toolkit:* Acknowledge the feeling - “I'm feeling this. This is hard. And that's okay.”* Challenge your story - Debate with yourself. Is there evidence to support that thought?* Catastrophize, then counter - Allow one worst-case scenario, then come up with TWO good scenarios* Move your body - Walk, yoga, dance, breathe deeply* Connect - Call someone you trust, or even talk to yourself out loud* Create - Do your art, play music, journal* Gratitude practice - Write 3-10 things you're grateful forRemember: You deserve to be connected. We all deserve to be connected to each other and to community. We're working on coming back together as a human race, and we WILL come back together.The Bigger Picture: Pluto in AquariusWhile the government and world systems seem to be self-destructing, look at the trines in our charts. Pluto direct in Aquarius is bringing We the People together. The more chaos happens at the top, the more humanity connects at the grassroots level.There's one thing we all share: our basic humanity. And none of us think people should be starving or suffering. Sometimes bad things have to happen for transformation to occur. Pluto in Aquarius must destroy in order to create.We all chose to be here at this time. There's something special calling you forward.Book a Reading with MeIf you're feeling overwhelmed by these transits or want personalized guidance for navigating this Mercury retrograde, I'm here to help.I offer:* Astrology with Mediumship Readings - My signature service combining your birth chart with messages from spirit (90-95% accuracy)* Death Astrology Readings - A unique blend of birth/death charts and mediumship for grief healing and understanding soul contracts* Coaching Sessions - Trauma healing, grief support, spiritual development, shadow work* Mercury Retrograde Navigation Sessions - Let's look at exactly how this retrograde affects YOUR chartBook your session at DivineAndrogyne.comJoin Mystics AcademyWant ongoing support and community as you navigate these cosmic energies? Join us at Mystics Academy, where we gather weekly for:* Cosmic Wisdom Hour & Messages - Tuesdays at 7pm MT (Discord, Facebook, YouTube)* Spirit Talk Tea Time with Mama Cole - Thursdays at 2pm MT* Monthly Readings Parties - Group readings, prize drawings, community connection* Free Learning Circles - All levels welcome!Join our Discord community: discord.gg/qB4BuJCkbqFinal ThoughtsMy friends, we have an intense week ahead. But intensity doesn't mean bad—it means transformational.You know what you've been dealing with. You know what needs to change. And you have everything you need to get through this.Don't worry—prepare. Worrying just makes you suffer twice.By Sunday, you'll be saying: “I survived part one.” And you'll feel lighter, freer, and more aligned with your authentic path.Hold on tight. Use your tools. Trust the process. And remember: the universe is unfolding exactly as it should, leading us all toward our better selves—individually and collectively.With love and light,Hollis Taylor- Divine AndrogyneP.S. - If you're a Scorpio placement like me, I see you. I'm right there with you on this roller coaster. We've got this.

In this episode of the Retirement Made Easy podcast, I delve into 401(k)s: how they work, why they matter, and how to maximize their benefits. I break down the basics in simple terms, just like I always aim to do, because retirement planning shouldn't be confusing. I discuss the differences between good and not-so-great 401(k) plans, the pros and cons of keeping your money in a 401(k) versus rolling it into an IRA, and how changes in providers can impact your investment options. I also share a helpful government site for tracking down old retirement accounts and explain why Roth conversions might be worth considering. My goal is to help you take control of your financial future with clarity and confidence. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in.... (00:00) Intro. (00:27) Overview of 401(k) Plans. (01:40) Resources and Services Offered. (02:48) Deep Dive into 401(k) Plans. (05:13) 401(k) Rollovers and Conversions. (10:53) Employer Contributions and Vesting. (19:52) 401(k) Loans and Company Stock. (22:58) Mega Backdoor Roth and Final Tips. Smart 401(k) Moves: What to Know About Matching, Vesting, and Rollovers I will explain how Roth conversions can be done while you're still working or after retirement, depending on your 401(k) plan's rules. Not all plans allow them, and some require a hefty 20% tax withholding, which could be a drawback. I also break down how employer matching works (some companies offer generous matches, others offer none, and vesting schedules determine how much of that match you actually get to keep). I stress the importance of checking your vesting status before leaving a job. Then I dive into profit-sharing, which can be even more valuable than matching, but it's never guaranteed. I clarify a common misconception: rolling over funds from an old 401(k) or IRA into your current 401(k) won't earn you a match. Finally, I talk about the pros and cons of rolling old 401(k)s into either your current plan or a rollover IRA. Personally, I favor rollover IRAs for their flexibility, investment freedom, and ease of Roth conversions. Unlocking 401(k) Opportunities and Avoiding Pitfalls I caution listeners about 401(k) loans. If you retire or get laid off, that loan must be repaid quickly, or it becomes taxable. Once you leave your employer, you can't take out new loans from your 401(k) or IRA. I also touch on company stock in your 401(k); if you have a large concentration, talk to your financial planner about a tax strategy called net unrealized appreciation (NUA), which could work in your favor. Additionally, I introduce the "mega backdoor Roth," another beneficial strategy that allows high earners to contribute beyond the standard limits if their plan permits it (up to $70,000 annually). Not all plans allow this, but it's worth asking.  I also share my frustration that there's no standardized way to compare 401(k) plans across companies. The best thing you can do is request your plan summary document and review it with a fiduciary advisor. Lastly, I offer a tip: some employers let you use unused vacation or PTO payouts as 401(k) contributions, which could help reduce your tax bill. It's a smart move to look into before you retire. Resources & People Mentioned 3 Steps to Retirement Planning FIVE 401(k) Secrets You Must Know Retirement Savings Lost and Found Database | Employee Benefits Security Administration Connect With Gregg Gonzalez Email at: Gregg.gonzalez@lpl.com Podcast: https://RetireStrongFA.com/Podcast Website: https://RetireStrongFA.com/ Follow Gregg on LinkedIn Follow Gregg on Facebook Follow Gregg on YouTube   Subscribe to Retirement Made Easy On Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts

In this episode of Personally Speaking Msgr. Jim Lisante is joined by Fox News Channel's Dana Perino. Dana currently co-anchors “America's Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino” and she serves as co-host of “The Five”, one of the most popular shows on cable television. Prior to joining Fox News Channel, Dana served as the White House press secretary for President George W. Bush. Dana is a New York Times bestselling author and her latest book is titled, “I Wish Someone Had Told Me…” She talks about her life, her career, her marriage and the faith and values that matter to her most.Support the show

How To Stop Taking Things Personally -  Marcus Aurelius (Stoicism) (Philosophy). In this podcast we will be talking about  How To Stop Taking Things Personally from the wisdom of Marcus Aurelius. Marcus Aurelius was a devout student of the philosophy of Stoicism and constructed a series of autobiographical writings, now known as the Meditations.  So here are 7 Ways to Stop Taking Things Personally from Marcus Aurelius-  00. Introduction  01. Expect the worst  02.  Understand that other people's actions reflect themselves, not you  03. You Control Your Response, Not Their Action  04. Understand that Everything Is Fleeting  05. See yourself as part of a larger whole  06. Focus on Your Own Virtue  07. Reflect on Your Day  I hope you enjoyed listening to this podcast and hope you find these insights form Marcus Aurelius will help you stop taking things personally. Even though Marcus Aurelius wrote it 2,000 years ago — his insights on Stoicism still carry strong weight today. Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the early 3rd century BC. Even though it is over 2000 years old, more and more people are discovering how Stoicism is not only relevant to modern times, but can be applied in very simple, yet strong ways. 

In this episode of 'More Than Work,' Rabiah sits down with Freddie Titcombe, co-founder of Evolve Journey. Freddie shares how he and his brother turned their personal journaling practice into a bestselling all-in-one journal and a thriving community focused on reflection, action, and accountability. He discusses the challenges of building discipline, the importance of balancing the four pillars of happiness, and how Evolve Journey helps people move from feeling stuck to making real progress. The conversation covers Freddie's career journey from tech sales to care work to entrepreneurship, the power of community, and practical strategies for building better habits. Plus, Freddie shares his favorite productivity tool, the story behind his “Eat the Frog” method, and answers the Fun Five questions.00:00 Introduction to More Than Work00:26 Meet Freddie Titcombe & Evolve Journey01:08 Freddie's background and the start of Evolve Journey03:10 Journaling, reflection, and building a business with his brother05:07 Why blank-page journaling didn't work—and creating a better system08:07 Developing the all-in-one journal and its unique features10:14 How the journal blends gratitude, habit tracking, and productivity tools12:00 Advice for people who struggle with daily journaling14:16 Launching the Accountability Academy and building community17:00 Coworking, office hours, and the power of accountability20:00 Consistency, discipline, and the value of partnership23:00 Balancing health, wealth, relationships, and freedom—the four pillars of happiness27:00 The “Eat the Frog” productivity method explained29:00 Building confidence and overcoming self-doubt32:00 Freddie's career journey: from tech sales to care work to startups36:00 Sam's background and their complementary skills39:00 The importance of service, helping others, and finding balance43:00 Fun Five Questions48:00 Freddie's inspirations and how to connect with Evolve Journey50:31 Closing thoughts and creditsNote from Host:This episode took me way too long to get from recording day to publish day.i Ihad to deprioritize or maybe just reprioritize the podcast for a little while. The next one will be out soon too and was recorded during the same week.I loved chatting with Freddie. We had fun and he shared a lot of wisdom along the way. Personally, I've started going through the journal he and his brother sell and think that journaling, in some form everyday, is the way to go. It is a form of mindfulness and can really compliment another practice. Check out Evolve Journey after you listen. +++++ Find FreddieInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/evolve.journeyWebsite: https://www.evolvejourney.co.uk/ +++++ More than Work Social Media: @morethanworkpod (Facebook, Instagram) and @rabiahcomedy (TikTok)Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email morethanworkpod(at)gmail.com!

Join Andrew Dunn and Chris Triebel as they discuss Peacemaker Season 2! Then stick around for a review of Birdking by Daniel Freedman, CROM, and Michael David Thomas! Personally, I think Big Bird is the TRUE Birdking. SUBSCRIBE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/c/themedialunchbreak?sub_confirmation=1 BUY SOME MERCH: https://the-media-lunch-break.creator-spring.com Twitter: twitter.com/MediaLunchBreak Patreon: www.patreon.com/TheMediaLunchBreak Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/TheMediaLunchBreak Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheMediaLunchBreak Instagram: @TheMediaLunchBreak Or email us at: TheMediaLunchBreak@gmail.com Listen to and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts! The Media Lunch Break on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/themedialunchbreak Graphic art by: Melinda Filonuk - www.melgraphics.com www.etsy.com/shop/melgraphicscreations Eric Scotolati - https://twitter.com/ericscotolati

If you would like more information about the resources Mona provides through Neurodiverse Love you can check out her website at neurodiverselove.com——————————————————————————During this session from the 2025 Neurodiverse Love Conference Nicole Knowlton, MA, MDR, JD   shares information about neurodiverse mediation. Neurodiverse Mediation focuses on resolving conflicts involving neurodivergent individuals, such as those who are autistic, or have ADHD, PTSD or a combination. It addresses challenges like communication differences, emotional dysregulation, and sensory needs, particularly in divorce, parenting, and estate disputes. Specialized mediators help create customized solutions and ensure fairness while managing the unique difficulties neurodivergent people face under stress. An additional part of understanding neurodivergence vulnerabilities includes a closer look at hormonal changes related to premenstrual syndrome (PMS), Premenstrual Dysphoria Disorder (PMDD), and menopause. These changes may have a significant impact on emotional regulation, medication efficacy, and relationship dynamics. By understanding these factors, mediators can foster more compassionate and effective conflict resolution. Nicole would describe herself as a neurodivergent specialist. She has personal and family experience with autism, ADHD, PTSD and PMDD. Her education and training includes a focus on ASD and ADHD assessments, marriage and family therapy, family law, and conflict resolution among neurodivergent individuals, couples and families. Personally, she was diagnosed with ASD and ADHD late in life. It was thanks to her children that she obtained the correct diagnosis. Nicole is divorced after a 13-year neurodiverse relationship and was initially drawn into this area to do her part to spread awareness, help identify other untreated or undiagnosed autistics, and help families and couples separate with a long-term plan of success. Nicole had a very messy divorce and if she had the right information, everyone would have suffered so much less. She is so grateful when families opt to mediate divorce when there are children involved. You can contact Nicole at the link below:NICOLE KNOWLTON | Neurodiverse Couples

When was the last time you wrote yourself a love letter? Not a text. Not a journal entry. But a real, handwritten message of love — sealed, stamped, and sent through the mail — to you.

I just don't understand the Scorpio hate. Personally, I've seen Leos do more damage. Marriage is not just a piece of paper; it's a very expensive legal document, and getting out of this partnership costs even more. This week's reading was for a nurse (00:08:33) looking to get out of her marriage. If you knew that your partner had been hung up on their ex this whole time, would you still feel so sentimental? New love will be on your horizon by the next season after filing for divorce. Libra and Scorpio had the best horoscopes this season. (00:31:42) Make sure to check yours out! I also wrote new sexting cards, and the deck is so big I can hardly handle it. I end with sexy messages from your future soulmate—a little whimsy and heat for your fantasies this week! ♏️ Happy birthday to all my Scorpios out there! Happy Halloween

In this honest and heartfelt conversation, Jeremy and Sid tackle a question every youth worker will face at some point: What do I do when I'm struggling personally (whether it's emotionally, spiritually, or mentally) and I still have to lead?They explore what it means to lead with integrity while feeling emotionally off, how to understand the difference between burnout and being overwhelmed, and how Scripture reframes our emotions as meaningful but not final. With stories from camp, personal leadership failure, and wise encouragement from Scripture, this episode is for every leader who has ever shown up tired, anxious, or unsure whether they should even be there.Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

As Pastor Jeff walked through 2 Timothy 4:1-5, we reflected on how to Reach Personally with Conviction, Courage, and Consistency.

Anne shares from Hebrews 8.

Ring True Co. is proving that businesses can be a force for social good. In this episode, we explore how the founders, Shannon and Amanda, are changing the lives of human trafficking survivors one piece of jewelry at a time. Listeners will learn how survivors are not just receiving help, they are gaining real-world skills, leadership opportunities, and confidence. From running internships in the Ring True office to developing their own roles in safe housing programs, these survivors are building futures they never thought possible. This episode is a heartfelt reminder that every small act of support can make a profound difference. Follow Ring True: @ringtrue_co Follow Morgan: @webgirlmorgan Follow Take This Personally: @takethispersonallySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Graham Platner saga just keeps delivering. Every time I think we've hit the ceiling on oppo drops, the elevator dings and we're in a whole new suite of controversy. It's not that the content was entirely new in tone. We've already seen him refer to himself as an Antifa supersoldier and admit to having an SS tattoo (which, to his credit, he covered up). But the latest batch of Reddit posts that surfaced added a thick layer of ugly homophobia. Explicit posts. Graphic anecdotes. And not from his teenage years or during some misunderstood youthful rebellion. These posts span several years, even continuing into the Biden administration.I've always said that if you're running as an outsider candidate, having some skeletons in your closet isn't necessarily a bad thing. It can actually help. Nobody expects a populist outsider to be perfect. The electorate doesn't want a robot. They want someone who talks like them, even if it means sometimes saying the wrong thing. And even as Platner tests the outer limits of that rule, here's the twist: the polling. A new University of New Hampshire poll of likely voters in Maine had Platner at 58 percent. That's not just a lead. That's a blowout. Janet Mills is at 24 percent. If those numbers hold up, then Chuck Schumer and company are right to be panicking.Politics Politics Politics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Still, Platner's campaign has been running scared. Apology videos. Zoom interviews. Carefully worded statements about how he doesn't think that way anymore. But from where I sit, this guy is doing everything but what he should. If I were advising his campaign, I'd be yelling: go on offense. The proper response to all of this should be simple — I deleted the posts before you ever knew my name. I deleted them because they didn't reflect who I am anymore. That's growth. That's accountability. And that's all anyone should expect. Instead, we get these soft, hedged statements. You're not going to convince anyone that you're the perfect candidate — stop trying.What kills me is how obvious the pressure is from the Democratic establishment. You can feel Chuck Schumer's fingerprints all over this. They're running the classic drip-drip-drip strategy, hoping to humiliate Platner into dropping out. But if you're Platner — and especially if you believe those polling numbers — why would you flinch? Schumer and Mills are the ones who should be sweating. They've failed to unseat Susan Collins time and time again. They trot out the same kind of “perfect” candidate every cycle and lose. And now, when someone is actually running strong in the polls, they're scrambling to blow it all up.I'm not defending what Platner posted. It was gross. And people are right to be upset. But this is a high-stakes game, and the voters of Maine seem willing to give him a shot. The question now is whether Platner will take the opportunity and run with it — or keep playing defense while the party machine steamrolls him. Personally, I'm tired of watching him take these hits and not swing back. I've been saying it all week. If you want to win, you have to punch. You can't win a Senate seat on your heels. So please, for the love of political strategy — say their names, take their power, and act like you're trying to win this damn thing.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:03:19 - Graham Platner00:17:55 - Update00:18:57 - SNAP00:21:40 - White House East Wing00:28:36 - Beef Prices00:31:08 - Interview with Juliegrace Brufke00:59:39 - Wrap-up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

In this episode of Personally Speaking Msgr. Jim Lisante is joined by Green Beret combat veteran, social media host, and politician Nick Freitas. Nick is a member of the Virginia General Assembly serving in the House of Delegates and he talks about the faith and values that matter the most to him.Support the show

Is our medical system truly designed to keep us healthy… or just to treat us when we're sick? Personally, I'm going through a fertility journey, my husband is dealing with ongoing health challenges, and we've both hit wall after wall trying to find real answers in traditional care. If you've ever felt dismissed by a doctor, told your labs are “normal” when you know something's off, or can't get ahead of autoimmune issues and hormone imbalances before they snowball into bigger problems, this conversation will open your eyes. Integrative wellness coach Megan Swan, alum of the Empowered AF 5X Certification program, is joining the podcast for the third time, and we're talking about why “Medicine 2.0” isn't serving us – and that's where Medicine 3.0 comes in.  Discover what it really means to take your health into your own hands and the power of tracking your biomarkers and optimizing your lifestyle metrics to shift your energy and longevity. Megan and her partner are bringing this beautiful vision to life in November at Altavita, an advanced diagnostics and personalized healthcare retreat in Chiapas, Mexico. I'll be there with my husband, and you can join us! Use code EUPHORICAF for $500 off your Altavita retreat.   IN THIS EPISODE: The radical shift from "Medicine 2.0" (sick care) to "Medicine 3.0,” which is all about empowering people with preventative strategies and personalized data Why “normal” lab results often mean “not sick yet” but NOT actually healthy, and how women especially get overlooked when it comes to diagnostics, research, and treatment Megan's insider scoop on Altavita, the diagnostic health retreat she and her husband are hosting in Mexico Biomarkers, wearable tech, and gut health, plus, what tests could be missing from your doctor's routine (hint: sleep, vitamin deficiencies, and lung capacity matter more than you think!)   LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED In this episode, Megan mentioned the book Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia, and she talked about the retreat she and her husband are hosting, Altavita, a wellness travel experience that addresses health from every angle in Chiapas, Mexico, this November. Use the code EUPHORICAF for $500 off and I'll see you there! If you know you're meant to help other people change their relationship with alcohol and achieve deep healing (along with their bigger dreams), be sure to get on the waitlist for the Empowered AF 5X Coach Certification Program – and get 5x certified as a world class alcohol-free empowerment coach, mindset coach, success coach, NLP practitioner, and hypnosis practitioner when applications open. This program includes a four-month business mastermind and live experience in Southern California. Check out Euphoric the Club, the premier club for successful women who don't drink (and the women who are becoming them) where you can get access to all my alcohol-free programs and methodology, coaching, and trainings for only $62.  Awarded the most empowering book in the sober curious genre, be sure to get your copy of Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You today and leave your review.  Follow @euphoric.af on Instagram. And as always, rate, review, and subscribe so we can continue spreading our message far and wide.

In this episode, Jaeden and Conor discuss their favorite AI tools and applications, sharing insights on how they use these technologies in their work. They explore various AI tools like Gemini, ElevenLabs, ChatGPT, and Claude, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. Get the top 40+ AI Models for $20 at AI Box: ⁠⁠https://aibox.aiConor's AI Course: https://www.ai-mindset.ai/coursesConor's AI Newsletter: https://www.ai-mindset.ai/Jaeden's AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle

Members of the House of Strauss community are, as noted, invited to do our NBA season over/unders contest over at Sports Predict. Personally, I am agonizing over the Warriors and their O/U of 46.5. We discuss this in the pod with Steve, plus other NBA trend subjects. Topics include…* Shoutout to Sid Kali for winning last week in NFL picks. Email me at houseofstrauss@substack.com if you wish to collect a prize* What's my overall strategy for making NBA picks now that I'm not deep in the weeds?* Steve is trying to break the NBA with an idea that, in my opinion, broke the MLB* The Rockets' style is gaining traction, but is it good for the sport? * That Houston Rockets O/U* I have a non analytical reason to love the Orlando Magic OVER* Steve and I disagree on the Lakers* Is weather is a HUGE underrated influence on quarterback performance?Oh, and again, details for entering the contest: The NBA Smart Predictor ChallengeThink you've got one of the sharpest NBA minds around?Here's your chance to prove it — and maybe pocket up to $1,000 while doing what you already love: thinking deeply about basketball.How It WorksThis is the Season Win Totals Challenge — a simple but revealing test of who really understands the league.You'll see the projected win totals for all 30 NBA teams for the 2025–26 season.Your job: for each team, pick Over or Under. Before the first game begins of the season begins. That's it.Scoring• Winner: Whoever gets the most correct picks.• Tie-breaker: If multiple people nail the same number of teams, we go to total net wins differential — meaning how right you were and by how much. It's a clean way to separate luck from skill. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

In this episode, Jeremy talks with longtime pastor, professor, and former youth leader Ian Lawson about something every youth worker eventually faces: what do you do when you're just not feeling it?Whether it's emotional exhaustion, spiritual discouragement, or the weight of a busy life, there are days when ministry feels heavy and it's tempting to pull back. Ian brings wisdom from decades of leadership, teaching, and front-line ministry to encourage youth workers not to give up too quickly, and to help us see how God meets us even in our weakness.Here are a few of the practical next steps from Ian's episode…Don't underestimate the power of simply showing upRemember that faithfulness over time is how fruit grows in ministryWhen you feel spiritual resistance or discouragement, text a friend and ask for prayerAsk God to use even your weakness, trusting that His power is made perfect thereHave a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community.

Anne shares from Hebrews 6.

In this episode, Dr. Ben Young reflects on how his podcast helps him stay connected with patients beyond the office, offering insights into both his professional philosophy and personal life. He shares his belief in gentle, consistent home care and regular checkups as the foundation of oral health, while encouraging patients to face dental fears with courage. Personally, he discusses his involvement in Al-Anon, his love of Airstream travel, and his commitment to reading, faith, and service. Professionally, he highlights his dedication to improving periodontal care through the LANAP laser procedure and making it accessible to more patients. Ultimately, his goal is to promote lifelong gum health and build trust through open communication and education.

Deliverance is a spiritual house cleaning. We are responsible for 3 areas. 1. Personally. 2. Getting witchcraft out of your family. 3. Purging the Land of Evil. God means for witchcraft to be destroyed and completely removed from your life. And it's not just evil that gets us in trouble. It is when we try to mix good and evil together. Comprise or agreement with the enemy at any level leaves an open door for the enemy. In Acts 19 they destroyed all the witchcraft books and objects by fire. Even objects from witchcraft must be removed. God wants and is willing to set you completely free, but witchcraft has to be completely cut out of your life.  

This is the second GeriPal podcast we've recorded live using this format, see this link to our prior podcast at the Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) meeting in Philadelphia.  Also look for our upcoming podcast recorded live from the São Paulo Geriatrics & Gerontology Congress, click here to register. Today we join you from beautiful Banff, Alberta, Canada at the National Palliative Care Research Center (NPCRC) annual Kathleen Foley retreat.  This meeting was bittersweet.  I've been fortunate to attend every meeting in one capacity or another since 2006.  The NPCRC made an enormous impact  on the growth and capacity for palliative care research nationally.  Personally, NPCRC funding was essential support as I was a new faculty member and had not yet secured longer term career development funding. More than anything, though, I will miss the NPCRC community.  I treasure those meals, hikes, sing-alongs with others dedicated to improving care of people with serious illness through research. On today's podcast, we invited Dio Kavalieratos, Prasanna Ananth, and Alexi Wright to join us to talk about three articles that spoke to them.  For each I leave you with a teaser of a hard question that was raised that we couldn't really answer. Prasanna chose an article by Abby Rosenberg about being fired in palliative care. We talked about why palliative care clinicians get fired, with Prasanna, a pediatric oncologist, raising the issue that it's more problematic when you're the oncologist providing primary palliative care and you get fired than if the consultant specialty palliative care provider is fired. Dio chose an article about the economic benefits of palliative care internationally, a call to action.  We talked about the needs of palliative care internationally, and Alexi raised the question: should the highest standard of palliative care (e.g. in the US) apply to palliative care in every country, a la the Partners in Health model pioneered by the late Paul Farmer? Or should we “settle” for access to affordable opioids? Alexi chose an article about cancer care in prison. Alexi used it as a springboard to talk about other populations at compounded risk for poorer care in the current political environment. We hope you enjoy this one as much as we did, dear listeners.  We're always trying to improve, and welcome your suggestions for how to improve upon this new “live” format.  So far we've heard we need to be better at summarizing the articles for the audience/listeners, and finding ways to involve our live audience to a greater extent than the occasional question. Please let us know if you have other suggestions! Final note - check out the wonderful video NPCRC created about their impact on the field of palliative care (Eric and I were filmed recording GeriPal). -Alex Smith   This episode of the GeriPal Podcast is sponsored by UCSF's Division of Palliative Medicine, an amazing group doing world class palliative care.  They are looking for physician faculty to join them in the inpatient and outpatient setting.  To learn more about job opportunities, please click here: https://aprecruit.ucsf.edu/apply/JPF05811

Our guest today, Simon Blair, is an ultra-endurance athlete and entrepreneur; who is also the founder of the successful London-based property company SHB He is a husband, and father of three. Diagnosed with ADHD later in life, Simon has turned his diagnosis into a source of strength, using ultra-endurance sport as a tool for personal growth and mental maintenance.  Today we discuss the intersection of ADHD, mental health, and extreme sports. Simon shares his journey from being diagnosed with ADHD later in life to using ultra-endurance sports as a tool for personal growth, brain management and mental clarity. The conversation delves into the challenges and triumphs of living with ADHD, the importance of diagnosis, and how Simon's documentary, "Beyond Limits," explores these themes. We're talking resilience, neurodiversity, and the power of pushing beyond perceived limits- enjoy! 01:27 - Introducing and welcome Simon Blair!! 01:55 - ADHD and Ultra-Endurance Sports Dive into his inspiring journey and documentary 'Beyond Limits.' Watch now on Amazon Prime! #ADHD #Endurance #Inspiration 02:43 - Personally speaking.. 05:50 - When were you diagnosed? 06:00 -  Influences of ADHD on daily life 09:08 - Finding balance through exercise, aka self-medication 11:51 - Connections between nature and mental health 14:51 - Documentary/learned insights and personal growth 17:41 - The many roles of neurodiversity in society 20:44 - What's next for you Simon? 22:20 - How can we find you? Website: https://shbre.co.uk/about Socials: @ LinkedIN: linkedin.com/in/simon-blair-a4000510 Thank you for being here- give us a shout anytime! https://linktr.ee/petershankman Email: peter@shankman.com Podcast: Faster Than Normal Do you know anyone who is doing wonderful things with #ADHD or their neurodivergent brain? We would love to have them on to learn how they are using their #neurodiversity to their advantage. Shoot me an email and we will get them booked! My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman

Today I have Devon Kuntzman, ICF-certified coach on the podcast. She is the founder of Transforming Toddlerhood, and author of the brand-new book, Transforming Toddlerhood: How to Handle Tantrums and Power Struggles, and Raise Resilient Kids Without Losing Your Mind. We're digging into what toddler behavior is really saying, how to set limits without losing the […] The post Stop Taking It Personally: What “I Hate You” Really Means at Age 3 with Devon Kuntzman appeared first on Nutrition for Littles.

The MMQB's Albert Breer joins Afternoon Drive on The Fan. He talks about Mike Tomlin's comments about the Browns trading Joe Flacco to the Bengals, if there's a market for Shedeur Sanders, Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski's job security, and more.

Today we're talking about a topic that's really important to me personally: donating and effective giving. Specifically, why donating 10% of your income to the most effective animal charities might be one of the most important things you can do to improve the world.To dive deep into this topic, I'm so excited to have Sjir Hoeijmakers on the show today. Sjir is the CEO of Giving What We Can (GWWC), the global organisation promoting effective giving and the 10% pledge. Even more impressive than this, he donates around 50% of his income to effective charities, so he really puts his money where his mouth is! In our conversation, we talk about the impact your donation can have, why it also makes sense for people who work full-time in the movement and why the act of pledging really matters. We also talk about another important part of Giving What We Can's work: Their evaluation of regrantors and evaluators, including the Effective Altruism Animal Welfare Fund and Animal Charity Evaluators. If anything we talk about today sparks your interest, I really encourage you to consider taking the trial pledge, where you can pledge to give just 1% of your income to effective charities. It's a great way to test it out and see if it works for you. Personally, taking the pledge is one of the things I'm proudest of. Because of this, I'll be donating £50 to Giving What We Can's effective animal advocacy fund for each person who takes the trial pledge or full 10% pledge, up to a total of £1000. So, if you sign up via the links below, there is a special tracker that will let me know how many people take it, and I'll donate accordingly. Take the

Welcome to another episode of Perspective Checks where I sit down with friends and folks from the TTRPG world and discuss what they love about this wonderful hobby!   This month's episode is with Kate the Great Cosplays talking about the many, many angles she approaches the TTRPG scene through. Not only a cosplay event coordinator including TTRPG cosplay photo sessions and meet-ups, but an actual play performer and producer of the Don't Kill My Character stream, Kate does a lot in the games world!    Personally, I couldn't agree more with her personal motto on games: "We never grow out of our need to play." Too true!   The conversation wanders throughout the episode, but Kate shines when talking about the meaningful choices of making a character, how to really inhabit them in play, through conscious choices and ongoing growth like curating music playlists, thinking about their physicality, outfits, etc. If you like Kate's vibes, I highly recommend the Don't Kill My Character backlog of videos on their YouTube and hopping into their live streams!   ----more---- Join the DMs After Dark Discord channel!   I made a Ko-Fi if you feel absurdly generous and want to help cover podcast hosting costs & all the upkeep. I'm still working on whether I want to offer anything special over there or just give my extreme gratitude (maybe some stickers or something in the mail) to those who donate, but no pressure whatsoever :)   Where to Follow Rene Plays Games: LinkTree |  BlueSky | Threads | Instagram | Facebook | DMs After Dark Rene's Games: MECH | MECH Cities 2 | One Last Quest email: RenePlaysGamesPod@gmail.com   Music in the Episode (in order of appearance): Rene Plays Games Theme written & produced by Dan Pomfret | @danfrombothbands

Welcome to the Celestial Insights Podcast, the show that brings the stars down to Earth! Each week, astrologer, coach, and intuitive Celeste Brooks of Astrology by Celeste will be your guide. Her website is astrologybyceleste.com.  

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Kelenda Annette Baird. Title: Miss Corporate America Roles: Chief Revenue Officer of Reed’s Hideaway & Founder of Limitless Location: Based in Chelan, WA; works in Monticello, MS

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Kelenda Annette Baird. Title: Miss Corporate America Roles: Chief Revenue Officer of Reed’s Hideaway & Founder of Limitless Location: Based in Chelan, WA; works in Monticello, MS

This week Jackie and MJ are joined by LPN's own TAYporter, Holden McNeely, who despite the sheen of sweat across their head, remain wrapped in their Taylor Swift Fartigan, as he gives his thoughts on "The Life of a Showgirl" and he's ready to throwdown! Then it's on to "KPOP DEMON HUNTERS" and Bad Bunny killin' on SNL in a very emotional way, after that Holden slithers off wrapped in his sweat soaked fartigan so MJ and Jackie can get on to HILARIA gettin' booted from DWTS, and Andy Richters gettin' showered in backhanded compliments, plus even more on this week's Second Helpings! Want even more Page 7? Support us on Patreon! Patreon.com/Page7Podcast  Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of Page 7 ad-free.Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Stephanie welcomes Lynn Rosenberg, an American Bible teacher and non-profit founder living in Jerusalem. Lynn is also married to Joel Rosenberg, a NYT bestselling author who's been featured on Gospel Spice before. Lynn tells us what it's like to live in Jerusalem today – and what it's been like since October 7, 2023. Lynn's story is a testament to faith enduring through turbulence, the importance of spiritual and practical community, and the power of everyday obedience. Her journey challenges us to find courage, unity, and hope in Christ, to love sacrificially, and to embrace the unique callings God has set before us—whatever our context may be. Lynn Rosenberg's journey begins with her upbringing in New Jersey in a church-going but not deeply faith-rooted family. Her personal faith ignited at Syracuse University, where she met both her husband, Joel, and Christ. From early on, Lynn and Joel felt called to cross-cultural missions, particularly with a heart for Israel, inspired by Joel's Jewish background and Lynn's close friendships with Jewish neighbors. After years of preparation and service in Washington, D.C., they moved to Israel 11 years ago with their four sons. They became Israeli citizens, and transitioned to life in Israel to fulfill their call to ministry. The Israeli culture, while appearing Western, is deeply Middle Eastern, characterized by tribal mentalities, bureaucracy, and a need to assert oneself daily. Navigating systems, integrating children into small believing communities, and language barriers all proved significant challenges. Church community, both Israeli and international, became a lifeline for practical and spiritual support, nurturing friendships and communal prayer. Lynn recounts the days surrounding October 7, 2023—a day that marked unprecedented violence and upheaval in Israel. Despite a sense of increasing peace before the attack, the reality of war shattered normalcy. With sirens wailing, families hunkered down in bomb shelters, and friends on the frontlines. The Joshua Fund, the nonprofit organization Lynn and Joel founded, rapidly mobilized, prioritizing humanitarian aid particularly for vulnerable populations near the Gaza border. Believers displayed extraordinary courage, continuing to deliver aid even under rocket fire, standing as beacons of light in darkness. A central focus of the Joshua Fund is supporting both Israel and her neighbors—including Arab Israelis and Palestinians. By investing in local churches, training, and humanitarian aid, they work to build unity and break down suspicion. The war has intensified collaboration among denominations, bringing unprecedented unity, generosity, and boldness among believers. Despite barriers, including limited access to Christians in Gaza, the Joshua Fund continues to support those in need, relying on partnerships and prayer. Personally, Lynn highlights the importance of seeking God's will daily and recognizing that each day holds prepared “good works” for us to walk in. She encourages abiding in prayer and Scripture, trusting God's sovereignty amidst uncertainty, and fostering radical hospitality and simple, loving neighborliness. For the next generation, she underscores the vital need for biblical wisdom and discernment, especially in an era of increasing complexity and deception. Simplifying faith to loving God and loving one's neighbor becomes both a countercultural and effective response. MORE ABOUT THE JOSHUA FUND https://joshuafund.com/ In this famous passage from the book of Genesis, the Lord promised to bless those who bless the children of Abraham and curse those who curse them. In Matthew 19:19, Jesus instructed His followers to “love your neighbor as yourself.” In Matthew 5:44, Jesus told His disciples to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus exhorted His followers to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, care for strangers, clothe the naked, care for those who are sick, and visit those in prison. Seeking to obey these biblical commands, the Rosenbergs established a non-profit educational and charitable organization that works closely with Jewish and Christian allies in Israel and the Middle East, as well as Christian allies around the world. As an educational organization, The Joshua Fund has sought to engage Christians globally about God's love and plan for Israel and her neighbors. The Joshua Fund has also worked in the Palestinian Territories, as well as in Israel's neighboring countries. DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Today I want to talk about why we shouldn't take things personally.  We are so quick to start a fight with friends, families, and even strangers.  I used to take things so personally, and ever since I have stopped life has been so much better!  So please, join me! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bulwark Capital  https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comHear directly from Zach Abraham as he shares insights in this FREE “Back To Basics” Webinar, THIS THURSDAY at 3:30 Pacific.  Register now at Know Your Risk Podcast dot com. Bizable https://GoBizable.comUntie your business exposure from your personal exposure with BiZABLE.  Schedule your FREE consultation at GoBizAble.com today. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/toddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here!  Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeThere is a problem with Democrat women in leadership. They're gross. So what do we do with this information?
Episode Links:Hillary Clinton continues to demonize white Christian men.KAMALA: “We have to remember nobody gives us our light. It's ours … Don't let them extinguish our light.”Emma Watson finally breaks her silence and shares her truth about the rift with JK Rowling. Spoiler alert- You may need some vinaigrette to consume this.Emma Watson is struggling with her cognitive dissonance. She knows JK Rowling is speaking the truth but wants to cling onto the lies of trans ideology regardless.If only there was someone who could have warned Emma Watson that nothing short of total & absolute surrendering to trans ideology is enough for them.NEW: Serena Williams speaks out against a cotton decoration at a New York City hotel, says it doesn't make her "feel great." -- "Personally, for me, it doesn't feel great," she said on IGThis woman is baffled because she found out a person she works with is conservativeWhat Does God's Word Say?Acts 16:16-20 Paul and Silas in Prison16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.