Podcasts about Sahara

Fjallað var um Tansaníu í Heimsglugga vikunnar og einnig kosningarnar í Bandaríkjunum sem voru í fyrradag. Jón Geir Pétursson, prófessor í umhverfis- og auðlindafræði við HÍ, þekkir afar vel til í Afríku, hefur búið og starfað í nokkrum löndum álfunnar og er einn höfunda bókarinnar Afríka sunnan Sahara í brennidepli II, sem kom út í fyrra. Tansanía er stórt land og þar búa um 47 milljónir manna en fréttir frá landinu eru ekki daglegt brauð í vestrænum miðlum. Ólga og blóðug mótmæli í tengslum við forsetakosningar þar í síðustu viku hafa verið í fréttum. Samia Suluhu Hassan var endurkjörin forseti með 98 prósentum atkvæða og augljóst að brögð voru í tafli. Jón Geir sagði okkur frá Tansaníu og við byrjuðum fyrir meira en hundrað árum.

Miguel Ángel González Suárez te presenta el Informativo de Primera Hora en 'El Remate', el programa matinal de La Diez Capital Radio que arranca tu día con: Las noticias más relevantes de Canarias, España y el mundo, analizadas con rigor y claridad. Miguel Ángel González Suárez te presenta el Informativo de Primera Hora en 'El Remate', el programa matinal de La Diez Capital Radio que arranca tu día con: Las noticias más relevantes de Canarias, España y el mundo, analizadas con rigor y claridad. Hoy hace un año: Una de cada cuatro personas en Canarias evita acudir al médico. Canarias activa otra prealerta que afecta a todo el Archipiélago Se suma a la alerta por riesgo de incendios forestales declarada este lunes en Gran Canaria y a la prealerta por el mismo fenómeno en la provincia occidental El episodio está marcado por aire seco y cálido con ligera calima, así como temperaturas anormalmente altas para noviembre, que podrían superar los 30 ºC. También se prevé baja humedad relativa (menos del 30 %) y viento flojo de componente este y sur. Hoy hace año: A estas horas con 469 votos electorales de 538 de la mañana Kamala Harris lleva 210 y Donald Trump 247. Los Demócratas 61.530.284 votos (47,4 %) Los Republicanos 66.336.659 votos (51,1 %) Hoy se cumplen 1.363 días del cruel ataque e invasión de Rusia a Ucrania. 3 años y 253 días. Hoy es jueves 6 de noviembre de 2025. Día Mundial del Saxofón. El 6 de noviembre se celebra el Día Mundial del Saxofón, una fecha emblemática para celebrar el natalicio del creador del saxofón, Adolphe Sax nació un 6 de noviembre de 1814, un músico y fabricante de instrumentos belga que, gracias al saxofón, popularizó uno de los movimientos musicales más difundidos en todo el mundo como lo es el jazz. Adolphe Sax fue un músico y fabricante de instrumentos musicales de origen belga, que con los años se dio a conocer por fabricar distintos instrumentos de viento. Fue con la invención del saxofón, cuando su fama y prestigio aumentó, ya que este instrumento empezó a ser utilizado por las grandes orquestas militares de la época y también en la ópera. 1520.- La expedición marítima de Fernando de Magallanes entra con sus naves en el estrecho que lleva su nombre. 1837.- El bandolero Luis Candelas es ajusticiado públicamente, mediante garrote vil, en una plaza pública de Madrid. 1860.- Abraham Lincoln es elegido presidente de EEUU. 1936.- Guerra Civil española: El Gobierno de la República fija su sede en Valencia. 1955.- Mohamed V vuelve al trono de Marruecos tras su exilio, decretado por Francia. 1975.- Unos 350.000 marroquíes inician la Marcha Verde hacia el Sahara español para forzar la retirada de las tropas españolas. 1982.- Santiago Carrillo dimite como secretario general del PCE. 1984.- El republicano Ronald Reagan es reelegido presidente de EEUU. 1998.- El Gobierno español, a petición del juez Garzón, acuerda cursar la petición de extradición de Augusto Pinochet al Reino Unido. 2013.- Bill de Blasio, primer alcalde demócrata de Nueva York (EEUU) tras 20 años de regidores republicanos. 2016.- Daniel Ortega es elegido presidente de Nicaragua y su esposa, Rosario Murillo, vicepresidenta. Santoral para hoy 6 de noviembre: santos Leonardo, Atico, Winoco, Severo y Felita de Milán. El cierre del Gobierno de EE.UU. se convierte en el más largo jamás registrado. ¿Quién es Zohran Mamdani? El nuevo alcalde de Nueva York que ha prometido acabar con "el fascismo de Trump" Telefónica presenta su plan para consolidarse como la operadora europea de referencia. Lobato y Sánchez Acera desvinculan a Moncloa y a la Fiscalía de la filtración de los mails del novio de Ayuso. Los dos fiscales que denunciaron un intento de soborno de Leire Díez abren las declaraciones de la causa. Bolaños lamenta la "difamación evidente" contra Torres y Feijóo insiste: "Está relacionado con una trama corrupta" Canarias confirma la gratuidad de los libros de texto. La Consejería pondrá en marcha a partir del próxima curso, de forma progresiva y en todas las etapas de enseñanza obligatoria, un programa que garantizará el acceso gratuito a libros y materiales curriculares. Brote de sarampión en La Palma: Sanidad confirma 14 contagios y refuerza la vigilancia en Canarias. La Consejería de Sanidad eleva a catorce los casos asociados al brote detectado el 20 de octubre y recuerda la importancia de revisar la vacunación infantil y del personal sanitario. Un 6 de noviembre nace en 1916.- Ray Coniff, músico y director de orquesta estadounidense.

Fluent Fiction - Italian: Unveiling the Sahara: A Journey of Instinct and Discovery Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/it/episode/2025-11-05-08-38-20-it Story Transcript:It: Il sole splendeva alto nel cielo del Sahara, proiettando ombre lunghe e misteriose sulle dune.En: The sun shone high in the sky of the Sahara, casting long and mysterious shadows over the dunes.It: Luca, con i suoi capelli scuri e gli occhi curiosi, osservava il deserto infinito davanti a lui.En: Luca, with his dark hair and curious eyes, observed the endless desert before him.It: Accanto, Giovanni camminava con passi misurati, mentre Sofia controllava il loro zaino.En: Next to him, Giovanni walked with measured steps, while Sofia checked their backpack.It: Cercavano un'antica città, sepolta sotto le sabbie, di cui avevano sentito parlare nei racconti dei beduini.En: They were searching for an ancient city, buried under the sands, which they had heard about in the tales of the Bedouins.It: Luca era affascinato dal deserto, ma nel suo cuore c'era un sottile timore: perdersi, senza mai trovare la via del ritorno.En: Luca was fascinated by the desert, but in his heart there was a subtle fear: getting lost, never finding the way back.It: Per questo aveva sempre con sé una bussola speciale, che indicava costantemente verso est.En: For this reason, he always carried with him a special compass, which constantly pointed east.It: Quel giorno, mentre l'autunno mitigava leggermente il caldo oppressivo, la sua bussola si fermò all'improvviso.En: That day, while autumn slightly mitigated the oppressive heat, his compass suddenly stopped.It: Luca la scosse, la osservò attentamente, ma l'ago della bussola era immobile.En: Luca shook it, observed it carefully, but the compass needle was still.It: La mente di Luca si riempì di dubbi.En: Luca's mind filled with doubts.It: "Come troveremo l'antica città ora?"En: "How will we find the ancient city now?"It: pensò.En: he thought.It: Sofia e Giovanni lo guardarono, aspettando una decisione.En: Sofia and Giovanni looked at him, waiting for a decision.It: Luca decise di affidarsi al suo intuito.En: Luca decided to rely on his intuition.It: Conosceva il percorso: le dune, le rare palme, le rocce solitarie.En: He knew the path: the dunes, the rare palms, the solitary rocks.It: Iniziò a camminare, usando il paesaggio come guida.En: He began to walk, using the landscape as a guide.It: Il cielo si scurì.En: The sky darkened.It: I venti iniziarono a soffiare con furia crescente.En: The winds began to blow with increasing fury.It: Una tempesta di sabbia si avvicinava.En: A sandstorm was approaching.It: Luca, sentendo il battito del suo cuore accelerare, cercò un riparo.En: Luca, feeling his heartbeat accelerating, looked for shelter.It: Con Giovanni e Sofia, trovò un riparo naturale tra le rocce.En: With Giovanni and Sofia, he found a natural refuge among the rocks.It: Le ore passarono, il vento ululava, il tempo sembrava eterno.En: The hours passed, the wind howled, time seemed eternal.It: Ma Luca capì che la tempesta, come ogni cosa, avrebbe avuto una fine.En: But Luca understood that the storm, like everything, would have an end.It: Quando finalmente il vento si placò e la polvere si sedò, Luca alzò lo sguardo.En: When finally the wind calmed and the dust settled, Luca looked up.It: Sul riparo roccioso, vide antiche incisioni nella pietra.En: On the rocky shelter, he saw ancient carvings in the stone.It: Linee e simboli che non lasciavano dubbi sulla direzione da prendere.En: Lines and symbols that left no doubt about the direction to take.It: Quella scoperta accese una fiamma di fiducia in Luca.En: That discovery ignited a flame of confidence in Luca.It: Aveva superato la tempesta e trovato un indizio importante.En: He had overcome the storm and found an important clue.It: Aveva imparato a fidarsi del suo istinto, superando la paura di perdersi.En: He had learned to trust his instinct, overcoming the fear of getting lost.It: Mentre il sole tramontava e la sabbia brillava di un colore aranciato, Luca si sentì parte del deserto.En: As the sun set and the sand glowed a shade of orange, Luca felt part of the desert.It: Con un sorriso, si preparò a proseguire il viaggio, più sicuro che mai della sua capacità di affrontare l'incertezza.En: With a smile, he prepared to continue the journey, more certain than ever of his ability to face uncertainty.It: Giovanni e Sofia, vicini, lo seguirono, sentendo anche loro il cambiamento.En: Giovanni and Sofia, close by, followed him, also feeling the change.It: Le dune continuavano a estendersi davanti a loro, ma ora sembravano meno minacciose.En: The dunes continued to stretch out before them, but now they seemed less threatening. Vocabulary Words:the shadow: l'ombramysterious: misteriosothe dune: la dunameasured: misuratothe city: la cittàburied: sepoltothe tale: il raccontothe compass: la bussolaoppressive: oppressivothe needle: l'agothe doubt: il dubbiointuition: l'intuitothe landscape: il paesaggiodarkened: scuritothe wind: il ventofury: furiathe storm: la tempestashelter: il riparoeternal: eternothe carving: l'incisionethe stone: la pietrathe clue: l'indiziothe fear: il timoreconfidence: la fiduciathe storm: la tempestatrust: fidarsito overcome: superarethe dusk: il tramontoready: prontouncertainty: l'incertezza

Fluent Fiction - Italian: Chasing Shadows: An Artist's Journey Through the Sahara Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/it/episode/2025-11-05-23-34-02-it Story Transcript:It: Il sole si alzava maestoso nel cielo del Sahara, illuminando le dune di sabbia che si stendevano infinite.En: The sun rose majestically in the Sahara sky, illuminating the endless stretches of sand dunes.It: Giulia, una giovane fotografa italiana, camminava con la macchina fotografica a tracolla.En: Giulia, a young Italian photographer, walked with her camera slung over her shoulder.It: Era in missione: catturare l'essenza del deserto in un'immagine perfetta per la sua prossima mostra.En: She was on a mission: to capture the essence of the desert in a perfect image for her upcoming exhibition.It: La sua sfida personale?En: Her personal challenge?It: Superare la paura di non essere all'altezza delle sue aspettative.En: To overcome the fear of not living up to her own expectations.It: Giulia si avventurava lontano dal suo campeggio, attirata dalla promessa di un tramonto mozzafiato.En: Giulia ventured far from her campsite, drawn by the promise of a breathtaking sunset.It: Le ombre delle dune si allungavano nel pomeriggio, creando un gioco di luci e ombre che affascinava il suo occhio artistico.En: The shadows of the dunes lengthened in the afternoon, creating a play of light and shadow that fascinated her artistic eye.It: Ma il calore del sole era implacabile.En: But the sun's heat was relentless.It: Sottovalutò la forza della natura, facendo affidamento su una mappa approssimativa e poca acqua.En: She underestimated the power of nature, relying on a rough map and little water.It: Mentre cercava l'angolo perfetto per scattare la foto, Giulia sentì la gola seccarsi.En: As she searched for the perfect angle to take her photo, Giulia felt her throat drying out.It: Realizzò allora di essere in difficoltà.En: She realized then that she was in trouble.It: "Devo tornare indietro," pensò, ma la tentazione di continuare era forte.En: "I must turn back," she thought, but the temptation to continue was strong.It: Aveva sentito parlare di un'oasi oltre la prossima duna.En: She had heard of an oasis beyond the next dune.It: Ma il deserto, con i suoi miraggi ingannatori, la confuse.En: But the desert, with its deceptive mirages, confused her.It: Con passi sempre più pesanti, Giulia si spinse avanti, il suo corpo gridava per l'acqua.En: With increasingly heavy steps, Giulia pushed on, her body crying out for water.It: L'oasi appariva davanti a lei, ma la scena sfocava e svaniva come un sogno.En: The oasis appeared before her, but the scene blurred and vanished like a dream.It: Era solo un miraggio.En: It was just a mirage.It: Disorientata e stanca, cadde ginocchio nella sabbia calda.En: Disoriented and tired, she fell to her knees in the hot sand.It: Stava per perdere i sensi, ma riuscì a lanciare un ultimo grido d'aiuto prima che il mondo intorno a lei diventasse un mare silenzioso.En: She was about to lose consciousness but managed to let out one last cry for help before the world around her became a silent sea.It: Il sole calava all'orizzonte quando Luca, un altro viaggiatore che aveva notato la sua assenza prolungata, la trovò.En: The sun was setting on the horizon when Luca, another traveler who had noticed her prolonged absence, found her.It: "Giulia!"En: "Giulia!"It: chiamò, scuotendola delicatamente.En: he called, shaking her gently.It: Spinse un sorso d'acqua alle sue labbra secche.En: He pressed a sip of water to her dry lips.It: La freschezza del liquido fu una benedizione.En: The freshness of the liquid was a blessing.It: "Calma, sei al sicuro ora," rassicurò.En: "Calm down, you're safe now," he reassured her.It: Giulia lentamente tornò in sé, il cielo si colorava di un arancione vibrante.En: Giulia slowly came to, the sky turning a vibrant orange.It: Con l'aiuto di Luca, raggiunse il campo.En: With Luca's help, she reached the camp.It: Anche se non aveva immortalato il tramonto, aveva imparato una lezione preziosa: il rispetto per la natura e una maggiore consapevolezza dei suoi limiti.En: Although she had not captured the sunset, she had learned a valuable lesson: respect for nature and a heightened awareness of her limits.It: Di fronte al fuoco del campo, Giulia rifletteva sull'esperienza, promettendo a se stessa di essere sempre preparata, e di non dimenticare mai la bellezza e la pericolosità del deserto.En: In front of the campfire, Giulia reflected on the experience, promising herself to always be prepared and to never forget the beauty and danger of the desert.It: Il Sahara l'aveva sfidata, e lei aveva scoperto forza e saggezza che non sapeva di possedere.En: The Sahara had challenged her, and she had discovered strength and wisdom she hadn't known she possessed. Vocabulary Words:the sahara: il saharastretches: le estensionithe campsite: il campeggiothe exhibition: la mostrathe expectation: le aspettativethe sunset: il tramontothe shadow: le ombrethe heat: il calorethe throat: la golathe temptation: la tentazionethe oasis: l'oasithe mirage: il miraggiothe knee: il ginocchiothe sip: il sorsothe freshness: la freschezzathe blessing: la benedizionethe challenge: la sfidathe wisdom: la saggezzathe photographer: la fotografathe image: l'immaginethe angle: l'angolothe cry: il gridothe silence: il silenziothe absence: l'assenzathe lips: le labbrathe awareness: la consapevolezzathe respect: il rispettothe danger: la pericolositàthe horizon: l'orizzontethe traveler: il viaggiatore

Fluent Fiction - French: Souvenirs of the Sahara: Éloise's Journey to Connection Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/fr/episode/2025-11-05-23-34-02-fr Story Transcript:Fr: Le soleil se levait dans le désert du Sahara, peignant le ciel de nuances rouges et dorées.En: The sun rose over the désert du Sahara, painting the sky with shades of red and gold.Fr: Éloise, Luc et Hugo se tenaient au bord d'un marché animé.En: Éloise, Luc and Hugo stood at the edge of a bustling market.Fr: Les bruits de la foule remplissaient l'air, mélangés aux appels des marchands et aux sons des animaux de la région.En: The sounds of the crowd filled the air, mixed with the calls of merchants and the sounds of regional animals.Fr: Éloise regardait autour, émerveillée par les couleurs vives des tissus suspendus dans les étals.En: Éloise looked around, amazed by the bright colors of the fabrics hanging from the stalls.Fr: Des tapis marocains, des bijoux en argent et des poteries artisanales s'étalaient devant elle.En: Moroccan carpets, silver jewelry, and handcrafted pottery spread out before her.Fr: Elle cherchait quelque chose de spécial, un souvenir qui représenterait son voyage.En: She was looking for something special, a souvenir that would represent her journey.Fr: Luc, son ami aventureux, s'approche d'une échoppe remplie de statuettes en bois.En: Luc, her adventurous friend, approached a stall filled with wooden figurines.Fr: "Regarde Éloise!"En: "Look Éloise!"Fr: cria-t-il, "Ces petits animaux sont adorables!"En: he shouted, "These little animals are adorable!"Fr: "Hugo," appela-t-elle à un marchand à la barbe grisonnante et au sourire accueillant.En: "Hugo," she called to a merchant with a graying beard and a welcoming smile.Fr: "Pouvez-vous me parler de ces objets?"En: "Can you tell me about these items?"Fr: Hugo hocha la tête avec enthousiasme.En: Hugo nodded enthusiastically.Fr: "Bien sûr," répondit-il, en tenant une sculpture en main.En: "Of course," he replied, holding a sculpture in hand.Fr: "Chaque pièce est unique, faite avec amour par des artisans du village voisin.En: "Each piece is unique, lovingly made by artisans from the nearby village.Fr: Cette statuette, par exemple, raconte l'histoire d'une légende ancienne.En: This figurine, for example, tells the story of an ancient legend.Fr: Elle porte chance à celui qui l'emporte."En: It brings luck to whoever takes it."Fr: Éloise écoutait attentivement, fascinée par les récits de Hugo.En: Éloise listened attentively, fascinated by Hugo's tales.Fr: Elle sentait que ces histoires donnaient vie aux objets.En: She felt that these stories brought the objects to life.Fr: Pour une raison qu'elle ne pouvait expliquer, Éloise se sentait attirée par un petit pendentif en argent, finement ciselé avec une pierre bleue en son centre.En: For a reason she couldn't explain, Éloise felt drawn to a small silver pendant, finely engraved with a blue stone at its center.Fr: "Quelle est son histoire?"En: "What is its story?"Fr: demanda-t-elle, en caressant doucement le bijou.En: she asked, gently caressing the jewelry.Fr: Hugo sourit et ses yeux brillèrent.En: Hugo smiled and his eyes sparkled.Fr: "C'est un talisman porte-bonheur.En: "It's a lucky charm.Fr: La pierre bleue symbolise le désert, éternel et magnifique.En: The blue stone symbolizes the desert, eternal and magnificent.Fr: On dit qu'il apporte paix et clarté à celui qui le porte."En: It's said to bring peace and clarity to its wearer."Fr: Éloise sentit une connexion immédiate.En: Éloise felt an immediate connection.Fr: Toutes ses hésitations s'évanouirent.En: All her hesitations vanished.Fr: Elle savait que c'était le souvenir qu'elle voulait.En: She knew this was the souvenir she wanted.Fr: "Je vais le prendre," dit-elle avec assurance.En: "I'll take it," she said with assurance.Fr: Elle paya Hugo et attacha délicatement le pendentif autour de son cou.En: She paid Hugo and delicately fastened the pendant around her neck.Fr: En quittant le marché, elle se sentait plus connectée à cette terre étrange mais magnifique.En: As she left the market, she felt more connected to this strange yet beautiful land.Fr: Elle se retourna vers Hugo et lui fit un signe de la main, un sourire large sur son visage.En: She turned back to Hugo and waved, a broad smile on her face.Fr: Sur le chemin du retour avec Luc, Éloise se sentit pleine de gratitude.En: On the way back with Luc, Éloise felt full of gratitude.Fr: Elle avait appris à écouter son cœur, découvrant que les histoires et les liens humains étaient bien plus précieux que n'importe quel objet.En: She had learned to listen to her heart, discovering that stories and human connections were far more precious than any object.Fr: C'était sa vraie découverte dans ce voyage au Sahara.En: This was her true discovery on this journey to the Sahara. Vocabulary Words:the desert: le désertthe shade: la nuancethe market: le marchéthe crowd: la foulethe merchant: le marchandthe fabric: le tissuthe stall: l'étalthe carpet: le tapisthe jewelry: le bijouthe pottery: la poteriethe souvenir: le souvenirsilver: l'argentthe figurine: la statuettethe sculpture: la sculpturethe legend: la légendethe pendative: le pendentifthe charm: le talismanthe connection: la connexionthe adventure: l'aventureancient: ancienmagnificent: magnifiqueeternal: éternelwelcoming: accueillantto vanish: s'évanouirthe gratitude: la gratitudeto carve: ciselerto symbolize: symboliserto fasten: attacherthe artisan: l'artisanto discover: découvrir

Today on Galway Talks with John Morley (Wednesday, 5th November 2025) 9am-10am Effects of tracker mortgage scandal 'far from over'  Galway Man to Run 250km Across the Sahara in Memory of Uncle Lost to Rare Cancer Fundraising page of Run For Iggy Coldvember Initative in Support of Galway Rape Crisis Centre  10am-11am Major Water Infrastructure Upgrade for Craughwell Welcomed MOTORING with GERRY MURPHY FeelTect Secures €1.5 Million Investment to Launch Groundbreaking Wound Care Device, “Tight Alright”  11am-12pm Financial Advice with Dave McCarthy Camogie - Inside the Championship  HISTORY TALKS – Lecture on Headford Lace 

Afrika råder over cirka en tredjedel af alle verdens mineraler - kobber, kobolt, coltan, lithium og andre rigdomme, som vi skal bruge til at bygge alt fra kampfly til elbiler. Det skulle man tænke var en gave for kontinentet, men som verdensøkonomien er indrettet lige nu, får de afrikanske lande forsvindende lille udbytte ud af deres ekstremt værdifulde forekomster. Nogle frygter endda, at mineralerne kan ende som en decideret forbandelse for de lande, de råder over allerflest af dem.

Spiritual teacher Sahara Rose is not here today to help you ‘find' your purpose. She is here to help you remember your purpose, your Dharma, for it has been alive within you all along. Sahara Rose is a 4x best selling author, an inspirational speaker, and the host of Highest Self Podcast. She has been called ‘a leading voice in the millennial generation' by Deepak Chopra. Today, Sahara will shine light on: Her path to spirituality and ayurveda How to discern if a path that is meant for you when you reach a crossroads in life Understanding dharma through Sahara's personal journey of feeling called to write a book The 5 stages of dharma discovery How to accept changes in your life that are meant to align with your growth Find Sahara's books and programs at www.iamsahararose.comFollow Sahara on IG @iamsahararoseConnect with Erin:⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Website Support Our Sponsors: COWBOY COLOSTRUM - Use code RAWBEAUTYTALKS at CowboyColostrum.com for 25%offJONES ROAD BEAUTY - Get a free Cool Gloss on your first purchase when you use the code ERIN at checkout https://www.jonesroadbeauty.com/HELLOFRESH - Go to hellofresh.ca and use the code RAWBEAUTYTALKS for 50% off your next order. KNIX - Go to knix.com and use code RAWBEAUTYTALKS for 20% off your next order.MITOPURE GUMMIES - Go to ⁠Timeline.com/ERIN⁠ and use the code ERIN for 20% off. LOLA BLANKETS - Go to LolaBlankets.com and use the code RAWBEAUTYTALKS for 35% off. SUPERBELLY POWDERS - Go to ⁠www.itsblume.com⁠ and use code RAWBEAUTYTALKS for 15% off.AQUTRU WATER FILTERS - Go to www.aquatru.com and use code RAWBEAUTYTALKS for 20% off. Please use link on left side of checkout page, not the coupon code box on the right. ⁠Leave Well Within a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts⁠! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 25 Being Subversive Isn t As Much Fun As It Looks In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.             Friends stand by you through the struggles your enemies create   "You are depraved and despicable," Mhain seethed. "I get that a lot; now get out," I growled back, "because I have a thousand other bitches who are, scratch that, 999 other bitches, Doctor Kennedy is growing on me; the rest I'm not so sure about, who are making my life miserable." "Don't get your hopes up, Mr. Braxton," Doctor Kennedy warned me. "I'm happily married." "Cool," I responded. "I hope to be like that one day." "Happily married?" Virginia inquired. "No; a female law professor at an all-girls school," I grinned. "It sounds like a real cool job." "Feel free to hit him," Dana interrupted. "I swear that is the only way to get him to learn anything; or the only way we will discuss at this moment." Ah, sex. I thought my life had gone on a bit too long without the mention of sex. "It is also a fun form of stress relief." A painful blow rocked my shoulder and nearly sent me sprawling. "You are right," Gabrielle noted clinically. "I feel better." Fuck, she hits hard. I look at her and try not to get pissed off and say something stupid. She makes my life difficult but my existence at FFU makes her life far too interesting as well. Whack! Someone hit me with a briefcase. "I have to agree," Doctor Kennedy confirmed. "It has a therapeutic quality to it." "Bloody hell," I blurt out. "Everyone, please stop physically abusing Zane," Ms. Goodswell snapped. "He's a student, for Pete's sake. He's not subject to corporal punishment." "Virginia, have you ever punched or slapped Zane?" Dana teased. "Give it a try before dismissing it out of hand." "He likes spanking," Barbie Lynn beamed happiness as she skipped by on her way to my/our bedroom. Technically, it is mine, Vivian's, Barbie Lynn's, Rio's, and Mercy's, plus whoever is feeling lonely on a given night. As for the spanking, I'm more of a giver than a receiver, but I doubt explaining that right now would be appropriate. "Uhmm, okay, I think that is my cue to leave," Virginia piped up. "I have rounds to make," Gabrielle added. "I'm going home to my family," Doctor Kennedy headed out. "I'm going to stay here, kick back, and watch some Pay-per-view," Dana grinned. "What are you going to watch?" Hudson inquired. "BBC America has this show called Copper that I've been meaning to catch," Dana informed her. "Mind if I watch an episode with you?" Hudson asked. "Sure, knock yourself out. You can pick the second show," Dana yawned. "It's only Zane's money after all." The rest of my guests filed out and I retired to the showers and then to my room. The day's stress revealed itself as the women curled into bed calmly and soon were cuddled together, including the odd ones out. On the far side we had the rather unusual appearance of Valarie. Next to her was Rio, who had her arms wrapped around Mercy. Mercy was snuggled against Barbie Lynn who held the middle spot. I was on my side, face-to-face with Barbie Lynn. After a few minutes, Vivian came to bed, wedged up against my back, and put an arm over me. I was in close proximity to several beautiful women but as long as no one doused the room with an aphrodisiac, we'd do just fine. "Zane," Barbie Lynn whispered, "my vibrator burned out this morning, and I'm terribly horny." Oh, fuck!   Barbie Lynn gazing down at me, I'm not sure another guy should ever see this because it could break one's heart to see it once and never again. She's built a faint sheen of sweat on her body already and she's looking at me with a definite Zen to fuck. My cock is cocooned deep inside her rectum, rubbing inside as she rotates forward on her hips. The distant, dreamy look in her eyes flashes to alertness as she catches me looking at her; 'hi' she whispers. I nod and smile so she inclines into me so that we can start kissing. She leads in with her tongue along my lips. I touch the tip of her tongue with my own, snaking inside her mouth before we are done. She starts murmuring, deepens our kiss, and begins rubbing my nipples. "Vivian?" Valarie says softly. She snuck around the bed to settle behind my guardian. "Yes?" Vivian replies. She is on her side watching Barbie Lynn and I. "I, umm, Valarie moans. Out of the corner of my eye I catch it as Val's hand brushes Vivian's hair off her neck and her lips start suckling on the exposed flesh. Vivian closes her eyes briefly but doesn't move Valarie away. "Oh, Baby," Barbie pants with barely an inch separating our lips, "I know I say this often but I so love this. You tear me up inside and I want it so bad all the time, it scares me." "Vaginal sex with you scares me," I tease back. "Will it be even better?" she draws in an even deeper, breast flaunting breath. "You never know, but you are so damn good at everything else, I can't imagine you doing anything but haunting my dreams forever," I say, as I coax her movements with my hands on her hips, flanks, and thighs. Barbie shows her appreciation by running her hand through my bangs and pushing my hair back so that she can cover my forehead, eyes and nose with kisses. "You like that romantic shit, don't you, Mercy-slut?" Rio grumbles playfully from the other side. "Yes," Mercy whispers. I know Rio well enough to know that when a spiteful reply isn't immediately forthcoming, she's dusting off (and unchaining) her Better Angel. Mercy is looking at Barbie Lynn and me, her head facing sideways as she lies on her back. Rio crawls on top of Mercy, prompting Mercy to open her legs, and locks her hands over her head to gaze down on her. "Your skin is so pure, your hair so black, and your eyes so full of passion, it breaks my heart to look at you, My Little Whore," Rio begins. She leans in and bites Mercy's earlobe, causing her victim to moan and buck up slightly. "Mercy, you give and give, making me so hot inside that I want to grab you and never let go." "Really?" Mercy gasps. "I, " "Don't get used to this," Rio growls with famished sexual enticement. "But, well, I want you to know that I hope all our children look just like you." Poor Rio was running out of material. It was terribly uncomfortable for me to show her where to go. I ran my hands over Barbie's body, which is an absolute torture I am forced to struggle through repeatedly. I start by massaging Barbie Lynn's tits, rotating three fingers over the nipples before rolling up the whole meaty breast in my palms. Barbie Lynn starts pushing back on my cock harder and grunting to the rhythm. "Damn, Mercy," Rio teases, "I love these titties." She accentuates by sucking the top third of one breast into her mouth and twirling her tongue around it. Vivian gives a visible shiver from her side of the bed; Valarie has done something to her beneath the sheets to turn her on. In the interim while I have been watching Rio and Mercy, Valarie has been working over Vivian, temple to shoulder, with her lips. Now I see Vivian pulling up her left (upper) leg until it is resting snugly against my upper ribs, giving someone easier access to her snatch. She's also put her left arm behind her back between herself and Valarie. I'm starting to wonder if there is something in the air filters of my place, some undiscovered aphrodisiac mold, fungi, or spores that turns nice, virtuous girls into promiscuous bi-sexual vixens. To the best of my knowledge and belief, neither Valarie nor Vivian had the slightest lesbian tendencies before they started coming to my room. I give Barbie Lynn's luscious orbs one final squeeze before migrating my hold down to her ass, giving each cheek a double-slap. Barbie Lynn exhales a huff of ecstatic relief as the impact travels through her. Rio smirks and follows suit, her hand reaching between their thighs, prying Mercy's leg up, up and up until Mercy's knee is nearly at her breast. "Your body is the first female form that I've ever lusted after," Rio murmurs as she rubs and pats Mercy's buttocks. "I think I've always wanted you, to taste you on my tongue, your scent strong in my mind and your sweet, sweet ass under my hand." Mercy brings one hand up to stroke Rio's cheek as she gives a strangled sob. No matter how much Mercy fears loving a woman, Rio can chisel that away and get her to love openly and freely. Barbie Lynn bounces up and slams down on me repeatedly as she is coming to the end of her fuse. "Zane, Zane, oh yeah," she pants. Vivian chooses this moment to sneak her climax in on the rest of us. I am vaguely aware of her biting her lip, rocking her hips under the sheets, and perspiration beginning to bead on her lower lip. "Holy God, Christ, and, my, hot damn, Val, ugh, Oh, God!" Vivian squeals as Valarie vigorously whips her hand in a tight pattern, cloaked from sight but obvious to the knowledgeable. Vivian's clit, lips, and the gateway to her cunt are all supers-stimulated. Valarie cools her down and holds her with enough strength to stop Vivian from rolling face-first into the sheets. "Jesus Loves Me!" Barbie Lynn screams one last time. Her body bows, her breasts thrust forward and up, bouncing so deliciously while her thighs tremble in climax. Her anal muscles rippling from sphincter toward my cockhead are grinding me toward orgasm. Finally, she collapses against me, still twitching and fighting for breath. With my arms wrapped around her, I roll us over toward Mercy and Rio, placing Barbie Lynn on her back. Barbie Lynn has her legs pulling back before I can even move to push them back. While I had never fully pulled out, I was nearly there. I shove my hips forward, forcing my cock back in hard, causing Barbie Lynn to grunt, her mouth to gape open, nostril flaring, as her eyes squeeze shut. "Oh, hell, yeah," Barbie Lynn gasps, "hammer me!" "Oh, fuck," Valarie moans, "I am so lonely." Vivian is still roaming her hands over Valarie's special place, picking up the pace as she's inspired by Barbie Lynn's passion. Rio expresses her perverse nature by going at Mercy slow while the rest of us are going gangbusters. "Here is my baby-smooth, tasty friend," Rio says as she kisses Mercy's bald twat. Rio pushes her thighs apart, her leg muscles taught while laying on the bed. Rio's restraint could only last so long. Every lick became more insistent, every nibble elicited a greater yelp, and every hip-thrust by Mercy into Rio's hungry mouth was more desperate. Valarie gives off one long, cavernous growl, then screams in between Vivian's shoulder blades. "Damn," Vivian whispers, as a sympathetic orgasmic shiver coasts through her body. I'm pushing up on my knuckles, Barbie Lynn's legs between them as I rise up until my bulbous head is fixed in her sphincter; then I slam down once more. She's rocking her hips up to maximize the depths I reach as she cries out, again and again and again. When I finally let go, I feel a volcano of lust, frustration, and fulfillment exploding out all at once. Barbie Lynn's head sways rapidly side to side as she comes unglued. "Zane, Jesus loves me, Jesus Loves Me!" she howls loud enough to shake the glass panels overhead. Those words ringing in my ears are going to haunt me in whatever church I go to. "Ugh, ugh, ugh, Love, right there, feels so good," Mercy drags out with shallow breathes. "Umm, Rio gurgles. Mercy has gotten quite wet and visibly aroused. I'm sure Rio has worked a finger or two into the action and in Mercy's ass. Mercy starts bouncing off the sheets as she hisses out the last of her restraint. "Mother-fucker-god-damn!" Mercy cries out. Rio growls, slurps, and sucks up Mercy's cunt juice while lapping up and down her slit. "That's my baby," Rio's fluid-marked face looks up from between Mercy's legs and smiles. "Was that good for you?" Rio asks? Mercy nods dreamily. "Are you a happy little whore?" Rio teases. Again, Mercy nods with pleasure. "Did you use the 'L' word, Ass-fuck slut?" Rio hardens. This time Mercy realizes her mistake and shudders. She raises her head and looks into Rio's eyes. "Yes. I'm sorry, Rio," Mercy mumbles. "Sorry isn't going to cut it this time, Bitch," Rio sneers. "Tomorrow morning you are going to get it coming and going, all day long." I am actually aware of what that threat means. "Okay," Vivian sighed, with more contentment than annoyance, "we've all cum so let's try and get some sleep." "I haven't gotten off yet," Rio chuckled. I knew what I had to do before someone else volunteered my services. "Come here, Rio." I smile to her and extend a hand. "Let me get another taste of my best bro." "I'll clean you up," Barbie Lynn grins up at me, as she wiggles her body around my own so she's on top again. She slithers down my torso, waggles my still mostly hard cock against her lips, then begins to take it into her mouth. Barbie Lynn's tongue licks along my shaft as she gobbles up more of my rod. I expect Rio to come over but Mercy, following along and lying on her belly, her head propped up on her hands and elbows as she watches my blonde angel's skilled fellatio, is a bonus. Rio ends up near my pillow, one hand on my chest and the other resting between Mercy's ass cheeks. Her fingers are definitely sliding in and out of Mercy's cunt. If Mercy is a bit sore, she's smart enough not to complain to her Mistress about it. "What do you have in mind, Zane?" Rio catches my gaze. "I want your teeth tearing up the mattress with your ass up in the air as I plow you through the headboard," I inform her. I make a focus group assessment of the situation by slipping a finger into her cunt, she's creaming already. For Rio, the greater physicality of the sex, the better it is for her. She'll let me have my foreplay and some good loving, but she goes wild over the raw, brutal act of sex itself. "I think you are ready to put that smile on her face," Barbie Lynn taunts Rio as she informs me she's finished. "Come with me," Barbie Lynn turns to Mercy. "My nipples need some attention. Can you do that for me?" After checking with Rio, Mercy gives a hungry look and lick of the lips at Barbie Lynn. Barbie crawls over Mercy to land on her back on the far side. Mercy twirls around and latches on to Barbie Lynn's left breast with such rapidity, it momentarily causes my visage to blur. "I want some of that," Valarie suddenly blurts out. She makes her own quick trek around Rio and me as we are still positioning ourselves to come swooping down on Barbie Lynn's right side. The right nipple disappears into our school biker girl's mouth with a decidedly audible smacking of the lips. Val's hand starts to stroke the inside of Barbie Lynn's thigh but Mercy's free hand reaches over and starts tweaking Valarie's closest nipple. Yes, I definitely must check the air filters. Rio resumes her sensually crawl my way and I give her a beguiling look to lure her in. I'm on her in a flash once she's close enough for me to make my move. She screeches like an alley cat but I've got a hand on the back of her head and the other on her hip as I slam her face first into the pillow. "Bastard," she screams through the fabric, but she's not following through with the anger. "Give it up, Bitch," I snarl back. My cock slides full-throttle all the way into her cunt on the first pass. Her cunt feels like slick, melted butter as I bottom out in her hole. At the same time, I let up on her head a bit. "Oh, fucking-A," Rio gasps. "Did someone sneak a gerbil up behind me or is it Needle-cock pretending he's a man?" I give her another powerful slam. "Oh, fuck, stop that." "What? Too much for the bitch whose had it all?" I tease Rio. "I swear, if I spit up, my ovaries," she chokes, "we are, going to have, words." "Words like I'm the best fuck you've ever had'?" I taunt Rio between packing her cunt as full and deep as I can. She's squealing and moaning yet thrusting back strongly against me all the way. I move my hand off Rio's hip and take hold of a breast, squeezing and torturing the nipple. She's snarling like a wounded tigress now. She possesses no acceptance of defeat, no surrender to exhaustion, and no fear of pain; in fact, what we are doing is a turn-on. I'm actually becoming beaten up by all the impact of my hips against Rio's ass. Within ten minutes, her fluids are all over her crotch and mine and she's actually starting to dribble down her thighs and onto the mattress. "Zane, don't forget she's your friend," Vivian sounds worried. "Shut, up," gasps Rio, violently and with passion. This is what Rio craves right now, a brutal fucking, and she's not going to be denied by Vivian's compassionate sensibilities. "Ah, fuck me, fuck me, break me, you bastard," Rio pants. "Hammer me, Bitch!" she screams, and that's all she can take. She has some sort of seizure, thrashing and pulsating all over the place. For the second time tonight I'm shooting my seed into a woman; this time Rio's cunt. I plunder Rio's barely responsive form for several more savage thrusts until I'm spent, collapsing with my full mass on top of her, which is not my normal form but I want Rio to feel warm and encompassed by me at this moment. I make sure that some of my weight is taken onto my knees and elbows so I don't suffocate my crazy best friend. "Zane," Rio pants a half-minute later, "that vice-like bump you were feeling with that horse-cock of yours, " "Yes?" I respond softly. I pull her hair out of her face as she turns it to the side so she can speak clearly. "That was my cervix, dumbass," she giggles. "Next time I want my uterus scrubbed, I'll call a fucking gynecologist." "Hardy-har-har," I chuckle. "Doing it with a Princess Barbie Pony Action Figure doesn't qualify as bestiality, you bimbo, and it certainly doesn't give you horse-cock experience." "Rio, you are kind of gross," Vivian chastises my buddy. "Thank you," Rio pants, "I knew you cared." "Behave, Rio, and next time it's going up your ass," I murmur into Rio's ear. "Oh, that's just cold, Bro," Rio pouts as she wiggles her tight ass against my semi-flaccid cock. "A person uses the threat of denying anal sex to a girl as a means of enforcing polite behavior," Vivian ponders as she flops on her back and stares up at the stars through the glass ceiling. "Worse, it makes sense to me. What has happened to my life?" "Rio, are you okay?" Mercy whispered. Rio turns her head the other way to address her lover: "My cunt is numb, my hips feel dislocated, I'll be pulling pillow fiber out of my teeth for a week, and I think he bruised a nipple, I feel fucking awesome." "I'd ask Zane to do it to me again but I know Vivian would choke me out," Rio snickers. "I know what I am going to do, though: In the morning I'm going to have Zane pounding your ass as hard as he fucked me right now so I can hear you cry and scream." "Um, okay," Mercy answered, trying not to sound too anxious. "Damn," Valarie mutters. "I hate being a virgin, and I'll pimp slap the first one who suggests anal sex. All I want to do is get laid without the repercussions." No one said anything for a minute. "I'll help with that," Barbie Lynn and I volunteered almost at the same time. "Bed," Vivian laid down the law. Thankfully, the rest of us were too tired to argue. POWER PLAYFULNESS At our five a.m. wake up, I swept up Valarie into a six-nine, her on top. Barbie quickly got behind Val and began licking my nose, the back of Val's cunt, and teasing her butthole with tiny probes. At first our biker babe resisted and grumbled with her mouth around my cock, but Barbie Lynn was as relentless as she was sensually enticing. Val returned the surprise by slamming her thighs together as the dam of her sexual frustration burst; she clamped her thighs tightly on my head and bucked so hard she bounced us off the bed as she screamed. There were no words to it; the scream was primal, violent and somewhat frightening. The other remarkable thing was that Barbie Lynn retained her hold on Valarie's ass cheeks and kept tongue-fucking Val's anus. Valarie's mouth had released my cock seconds before orgasm. She gave it an occasional swipe of the tongue until her last orgasmic quivers stopped. I motioned for Barbie to let up and when she did, Valarie collapsed beside me. "Oh," Valarie panted, "that was good. That should tide me over until lunch time." "Showers, everyone," Vivian reminded us. There were a few groans but cleanliness was an inevitable bonus for all of us, and Rio, if we bundled her up and took her squirming, griping form with us. Rio gained a measure of revenge by announcing to my shower buddies that I had an unresolved morning blowjob begging for attention. Brandi elbowed two girls aside to bend over at the waist and take me in. Opal was kind enough to stroke Brandi's kitty from behind, getting us off almost at the same time. Opal gave me several finger scoops of Brandi's nectar to slake my sexual thirst. I was busy getting a taste of Opal with a bonus clitoris massage when Iona dragged me away. Outside the showers, I bent down, wrapped my arms beneath Iona's towel-clad posterior, and lifted her up so that she was looking down at me. "Thank you," I smiled at her. "You've always got my back." "You are welcome," she beamed happiness back down at me, "and it is my pleasure, Zane. Do you think we can go motorcycle shopping Thursday?" "Sure, that won't be, oh fuck, it's Wednesday," I gasped. I realized I had confused Iona. "I told Erin I would call her Monday and totally lost track, of a woman," I blinked. "I don't think that's ever happened before." "You have a ton of things going on," Iona comforted me while hovering above me still. "I think she'll understand." "Thanks again, Iona," I sighed as I let her slide down my body. "Can I sleep with you tonight?" she asked. "Of course," I grinned. "Are you going to give me your scrumptious behind?" Iona's smile grew even brighter. "You will have to wait and see," she teased me before racing off to her room. I made my way up to my room for a short workout and a few minutes meditating. I was peripherally aware of Paige coming into my room and rummaging around (i.e., she wanted me to know she was there without noticeably ruining my concentration). The main distraction was Rio and Mercy getting dressed. They had both long since moved all their belongings into my place; that wasn't a problem because of the massive space I had. The problem was, it is insane to put two pseudo-lesbian young lovers who are new to their relationship into a space where they are constantly tantalized by each other's naked or scantily clad bodies. Mercy couldn't resist reaching out shyly and touching Rio's lesser erogenous zones. Rio couldn't resist bending Mercy over the bed, licking her from behind, and/or spanking her, just a few taps but that hardly helped them get their clothes on. Today, Rio added the extra complication of inserting a vibrating ass plug into Mercy's ass and taping a vibrating egg against her clit. She was finishing up the work when I felt a glimmer of evil intellect enter my mind. "Hey, Rio, why don't you do the same thing?" I suggested. "Are you going to ring my bell?" she teased me. "No. I actually thought you would share with Mercy," I clarified. "Share what?" Valarie questioned as she entered the room. "They are each going to have a vaginal and anal stimulation device, theoretically with the other having the controlling mechanism," Paige stated. She held up two pairs of bra & panties for me to examine, gossamer peach bow-knot or strawberry crotchless/cupless. "I don't know, Babe," I mused. "I'd have to see you naked to make a determination." "You've seen me naked, my Boy-toy," Paige gave a wicked turn of the lip. "I, I have no recollection of it," I confessed. "Maybe it was that blow Rio gave me upside my head. I guess I need to see your nude, nubile form once more." "Oh, my poor baby," Paige pouted. "Someone as helpless as you cannot afford to lose any of your already inadequate brain power. I really should help you out." She was knee crawling up the bed, unbuttoning her shirt. When she was only a few feet in front of me, she sat down and worked her skirt off as well. She wasn't naked; she still had her knee-high socks on. "You really ought to cover those little boobies up," Rio taunted Paige. "Someone is going to think Zane has a middle-schooler up here." Paige's head turned and I could feel her anger, but before she could spew forth her vitriol, I latched on hungrily to her closest teat and sucked it in on one gulp. Paige gasped and thrust her body against me. Soon her hands were running through my hair as I soaked up her tender flesh and swelling nipple. I also stroked my hands down her body. My left hand drifted from right below her suckled breast, along her smooth, flat stomach, before dropping south until I cupped her sex. My right hand went down the ribs and around to her ass. I weighed and fondled her small yet firm buttocks, then reached between her cheeks and rubbed over her sphincter without pressuring it. "Paige," I said quietly as I released her nipple, "today go with the peach." "Umm, maybe I will," Paige teased me with a nibble to my neck, "after all, there are a very few things you are good at, and female sexiness is one of them." "Paige?" I continued. She was a little more suspicious now. Our relationship had always been rocky. "I appreciate you giving me some space the last few days," I thanked her. "It has really helped me get my head on straight." Paige's eyes lit up once more. She had sacrificed (in her mind), and I had noticed and was grateful. "I'm surprised you noticed," she started to say, then abruptly softened. "You mean a lot to me, you really do." I put my hands on each side of her jaw and pulled her into close face-to-face contact. "Paige, bouncy, bouncy," I whispered into her ear. Paige gasped slightly and twisted her head to make eye contact, looking somewhat expectant. "Meet me for lunch and I'm going break that ass open," I taunted her quietly. Rocky the squirrel must have snuck up on me and then clubbed me with Bullwinkle the Moose because her response was, "Okay," while she looked at me with a mixture of fear and lust. "Are you sure?" I was curious. "If that is what you really want," Paige responded. "Oh, I don't want to do it until you feel ready, Paige. We'll wait," I confessed. "I will have to think of something else to do with you at lunch today." All Paige did was grin in a very mysterious way. She held that look until Valarie put a hand on each ass cheek and pulled them apart. This time, someone had snuck up on Paige. "Hey!" Paige gasped. "What are you doing?" "Encouraging you to get dressed," Valarie chuckled. "Otherwise, Zane and I are going to slip one finger into your pretty little cunt and rub them in and out like a buzz-saw. Then we will smear your juices over your face and force you to go to breakfast smelling like sex." My girls really need to work on their 'discouraging' speeches. "I should get dressed," Paige hiccupped with reluctance. "Peaches, got it." Paige scurried away and began dressing while eyeing Valarie and me. "Oh, yeah," I joked with Valarie, "that terrified her." "Ask her about the party; then it will make sense," Valarie snickered. In the annals of female migration through my bedroom, Vivian wasn't really sneaking up on anyone, but her presence didn't send up shockwaves of alarm either. "Zane, we need to be heading out soon," she greeted me. She greeted Valarie by putting a hand on her shoulder and rubbing it. Quickly enough, Paige got dressed, Rio and Mercy got their acts together, and we gathered up Iona, Barbie Lynn, Brandi and Opal before heading down to join the rest of feminine humanity that constituted my dorm. My old (way back in Chapter 3) buddy Easter Valentine had me rate the top ten Christian Rock bands which was made much more difficult by my utter disbelief that there was actually something called Christian Rock, color me biased. Breakfast passed uneventfully, as did Assembly, before things began happening. First off, I touched base with Erin now that she was most likely awake. "Hey Erin, this is Zane," I started off, "and I am so sorry that I blanked on my promise to call you. Can I make it up to you and Gerry?" "Oh,um,okay, I guess," she drew me out. "What do you have in mind?" That was a good question; what was I going to do to make it up to them? "Have you ever heard of the SYFY network?" I asked. "Sure, Eureka, Warehouse 13, Being Human, and Lost Girl," she answered. "Saturday night they are showing Ice Spiders versus Snow Beast, I know, great title; right? And I'd like it if you two would come over to my house, get some pizza, and watch it with me," I offered. "Let me think about it, yeah, we'd be glad to come by and eat something," I could feel her grin coming through the airwaves. "Okay, one more question; how do you feel about three-ways?" "I've never been part of one but I'm willing to give it a try," Erin sighed happily, "if I must." "It's a date, then," I agreed, and after trading 'goodbye's', I hung up and caught my crew gathering outside. As I made my approach I saw Heaven give me a look and a smile then turn on Rio. "Handmaiden's Duty, Rio," Heaven beamed maliciously. "What do you want, you old cow?" Rio sneered right back. "Give me your controllers." Heaven grinned as she held out her hand to Rio. Mercy gulped (the two boxes controlled her vibrators) and Rio looked stunned. "Hand them over." Technical Mercy would have been immune, except it was Rio with her controllers. "How?" Rio mumbled. She looked around for support but found some sympathetic eyes, not comrades in arms. She angrily slapped Heaven's palm as she handed them over. Heaven handed those two small white devices to Hope, then reached out toward Rio once more. "Give me the ones Mercy is holding for you, too," Heaven snickered. Rio snarled before motioning for Mercy to hand them over to her. In short order, she handed those over to Heaven as well. "I'll be expecting those back at ten o'clock (one hour from now)," Rio growled. "Of course," Heaven chuckled. "I'll see you then, Sweet-cheeks." "God damn it," Rio leaned into me and whispered, "who, ah, hmm, betrayed me?" Apparently, someone was playing with her controllers. By the way Mercy developed a little tremble and a blissful smile, someone was having a go at her too. "I swear to God, it wasn't me," I shrugged. "Well, it wasn't Iona, she'd never do that to Mercy," Rio mused, then, "Paige! That little cunt did this to me." "I don't know if she did it or not," I pleaded, "but please don't kill her." Rio was several seconds in responding as she wobbled slightly and skipped a step. "Two fucking vibrators," Rio glared at me. "What were you thinking?" "Liking it?" I teased. "Love it," Rio gasped. "Mercy?" "Mumph," Mercy gasped. Added to the smile on her lips, I had to see that as an affirmative. Ms.  Goodswell's class was good but what came afterwards was far more amusing. "What do you mean, you traded them to some random upperclassmen?" Rio snarled. "Oh, I had to explain what they did. When I told them they were inside you, they jumped at the chance," Hope nodded serenely to the furious Rio. "How am I, oh, oh, oh, yeah, supposed to get them back?" Rio fumed. "Maybe they will run out of power soon," Mercy put a positive spin on things. "I put long-life batteries in those bitches this morning," Rio grumbled. "They can go for 24 hours of continuous use." "I insisted that they be returned to Zane at nine this evening," Christina said in a detached manner. "I swear, I'm going to tie down all you bitches one weekend and then we will see who's so superior," Rio seethed; "Dildos and lube all around. Arrgh," Rio growled. She staggered over to the closest wall and put her hand against it to stop from falling over. "Some whore just discovered the '10' setting," she gasped. "I was going to say something cruel," Hope stated, "but now it would be redundant." "Rio and Mercy, stay hydrated," Chastity suggested. "I'll pick you up between classes to, decrease your difficulties." "Thanks, Chastity," I patted her arm. "Heaven and I will watch after Mercy," Christina chimed in; being surprisingly helpful to someone she had shown no interest in before now. Christina was all about responsibility and since this was Heaven's stunt (or so it seemed), she was doing 'the right thing'. "Classes everyone," Vivian insisted. Thankfully I had one capable adult in my life. I hoped that me turning her into a vibrant bi-sexual didn't change that. Today I received an hour's warning of my lunch appointment with Doctor Victoria Scarlett, our beloved Vice-Chancellor. I let Paige know that I had to postpone our get-together. "It is good to see you, she was going to say 'Mr. Braxton' but she was sensitive to my preferences, ", Zane. How are things going on this first full day of our experiment?" "Well, Doctor Scarlett, let me say that you are even more deftly beautiful than you are deceptively manipulative," I countered. "As to your question, my efforts to corrupt your intentions precede a pace." She smiled, shook her head, and walked around the table, stopping when she was in front of my chair-bound form. "Come now; the tribal elections have begun. Seven leaders have been named and the rest of the tribes should do the same tonight," she informed me. "What were you able to accomplish yesterday?" Oh, so that was today's tune. I stood up and cupped her facial cheeks. "What do you think you are doing?" Victoria Scarlett mumbled. I pressed in and kissed her, leading by example as opposed to words. Her hands pressed against me. She wasn't shoving so I didn't stop. Victoria didn't even make a token effort to keep her mouth shut, though her tongue refused to play an overly active part in my French kiss. My hands didn't wander and my body didn't thrust against her. "I think I'm working out our relationship, your Kahina to my Pelagius," I responded, our faces only inches apart. Victoria rested her hands on my hips so I placed mine on her shoulders. "Kahina, have you been reading my works?" she smiled far too seductively. You would figure that a dedicated, righteous Christian theoretician would have body proximity issues. Not Victoria, damn it. "The only things hotter than smart, sexy chicks are smart, sexy, and sensually lethal chicks," I allowed. "This could be construed as sexual harassment or inappropriate sexual behavior," Doctor Scarlett grinned, all bold and gracious. "A 'no' on your part would suffice," I assured her. "Not you, Zane; me," she corrected me. "You are my student, after all, and my hands are on your hips." I arched an eyebrow; she kept smiling so I went back in for a kiss. Three minutes later I had worked over her lips, eyelids, cheeks, jawline, and the left side of her neck, and it was getting me nowhere except closer to a sexual-deprivation induced coma. "Damn, you are good," I panted. "I think this is something we need to work through first before we can constructively move on," she related patiently. She was trying to break me with her highly developed self-control. I had to figure out what the hell I was doing wrong. Overt sexual contact, breasts, buttocks, pubic area, was off-limits, or was it? Lingerie; why did Scarlett wear racy lingerie? I slipped my arms around Victoria's waist and pulled her off the desk and into me. I caught a slight, over-confident smirk on her lips. We started kissing again, Scarlett somewhat passively, as always, and me out to disguise my intentions. She didn't protest when my fingers wandered below the beltline or when I traced out the very risqu lines of her panties. Fighting the urge to yank them up and make her squirm, I languidly let my fingers dig into her skirt and hook the bottom elastic of her panties, then slowly wiggled the fabric gently. She gave me a few uninterrupted seconds before I sensed her inner struggle begin; did she stop me and give me this round in the struggle, a psychological edge over her, or did she see if she could tough it out. She went with the spiritual resistance. Once I had my fingers inside, I could move freely forward and back. I avoided the cunt and the bottom of her ass. I was able to make the bottom of her panties a very tight fit, allowing the thrumming of my tugs to vibrate along her most sensitive spots. Victoria's nostrils flared, her breath caught, and after a daring but futile attempt to distract me with her tongue, she broke our lip embrace and put her head on my shoulder. I immediately stopped what I was doing and waited for her to speak. "Oh, this is not good," she muttered to herself. Then after a pause, "Thank you for stopping. How did you know what to do?" "Where to begin," I answered. "You are beautiful, passionate, and a woman who appreciates fine fabrics on your skin. I stopped because I'll fight you with every tool I can, but I won't violate you," I added. Victoria looked up into my eyes. "You see me as Kahina?" she changed the subject. "You have this tragic, fervent yet noble character that charges with a burning blade into the face of adversity," I waxed romantic. "The last Christian Queen of the Berbers who, when faced with the inevitability of her defeat, sent her sons to the enemy for their protection while she sought death in battle against the Islamic invaders." "I'm not very martial," she countered. "Ah, but in the Greco-Roman culture our faith grew up in, you would be considered a Patrician's daughter, versed in Socrates and Virgil as well as St. Augustine," I made my argument. "Besides, martial valor is in the job of the tribesmen; it is the job of the Queen to provide leadership, hopefully in the right direction. You are a smart damn cookie so the comparison is apt." "Thank you." She then pursued her agenda. "What have you been up to?" "I'm creating a democratic system with your tribal leaders as the parliament, a selected group of girls to become judges, and another group to become enforcers of the rule of law," I responded. "Technically, I remain the guy at the top of the pyramid, so that's a victory for you." Her look told me I hadn't made an end-run around her Grand Plan, which was pretty unsettling. I was missing something. "Why do you let me put my hands on you?" I questioned. "I can't take pleasure in the mannerisms of a proficient young man?" she countered. "Care to prove that?" I challenged. I had her in a minor trap of her own connivance. "Very well," she bowed with a smile on her lips. "Turn around and lean over your desk, if you dare?" I directed. She accepted my orders and did as requested. I knelt down behind her and placed my hands on her ankles before rubbing upward in slow but strong finger-furrows. I teased my way up to her stocking line, grinding the silk hose into her skin, making her flesh shiver from the stimulation. I had her trembling by the time I migrated upwards to the elastic at the top of the stocking, past the garter, and onto her pliant warm thigh. As I brushed against the tuck of her butt-cheek and thigh, Victoria moaned. "Stop," she whispered. "Do you really want me to stop," I inquired, "or do you want me to stop before you reveal something?" I ceased my activities, waiting on her reply. "You know the answer," she panted briefly. I moved off and up, placing my hands on her shoulders and pulling her back up to my chest. "Can you promise me to consider the possibility that a woman wants something outside the realm of motherhood and spiritual purity?" I suggested. Doctor Scarlett turned around while remaining in my grasp. "The body may feel a certain way but you must resist those impulses from the Devil," she told me. "Fortunately, you are the only one on campus that can elicit such response." "Huh? Seriously, I can only imagine the kind of sexual trouble the women on campus can get into, unless you don't believe in Sapphic impulses either," I grinned. "Homosexuality is a myth," Victoria stated firmly. "There are misdirected desires and abnormal passions, but men don't lie with men and women don't lie with women, except as a perversion of the normal, natural order of things." Oh, here we go again, I groaned. "I hate that you would think that way. It stands in opposition to God's Love in my eyes and portrays you as a weak creature given over to the Devil's lure of fearing, hating, and even denying what is mostly a good thing, namely, compassion for one another," I sighed. "How can you have compassion for instincts you can hardly understand?" she posed. "I've been with men before," I informed her; "on more than one occasion." "What?" Victoria was stunned. She struggled to get away from my arms and I let her. "You have such a strong ardor for so many female students. How can you be tricked into perverse practices?" On the bright side, I'd finally gotten under her cool exterior; on the downside, I had shaken her faith in me. "Can I incite a rational moment, please?" I said calmly. She was halfway around the desk when she stopped and nodded. "Okay," the Vice-Chancellor responded with a careful edge. "How am I any different than the man you thought me to be two minutes ago?" I led off. "I certainly liked your body and you appeared to appreciate the touches I gave you. How does anything I did with anyone else before touching you matter? You are very attractive to me. Am I now repulsive to you?" "Those are multiple questions," Victoria seemed suddenly weary. "You are the same person you were a minute ago, but I had forgotten that you are a boy, not a man, and boys have infatuations with unusual, rebellious ideas. With your Father dead, it seems you were rudderless. You are definitely not repulsive to me. I admire you, but you also reveal yourself to be immature. Would you please leave? I need to reconsider some things." "No," I replied. "No? No, you won't leave, or no, I've committed some grievous error?" she inquired. "You believe I'm a boy, you don't believe in homosexuality," I answered, though I fondly day-dreamed of Victoria and Barbie Lynn, or Hudson Lane, the school lawyer, in a lesbian tryst, "but I don't want your newfound doubts in me making you change, specifically how you treat yourself." "You want me to keep wearing lingerie," she sliced to the heart of the matter. "It is a simple pleasure you allow yourself, the only one I can detect. I will certainly be a source of displeasure for you in the future; don't let me do you harm over my careless confession," I pleaded. "My indulgence is a form of weakness," she argued. "Wrong," I fought back. "It is a 'fuck you' to temptation. It makes you stronger. Doctor Scarlett, I have never had a woman hold out as long as you did this afternoon. If you change the way you dress, then I win and you lose because I've proven you don't have faith in your own convictions." Victoria was contemplative for a moment, frowning, then slowly letting a smile win out. "Come here," she beckoned. I came up and she kissed me, not a fevered rush but a smooth, subtle thing, driven by curiosity more than passion. "You are going to require more work than I imagined," she eventually commented. "Have you forgiven me?" I asked. "Have I returned to being a good boy?" "Yes and yes." "Does this mean I can cop a feel? Ya know, a freebie?" I hoped. She kept looking up at me as she studied my features. "You are going to be a whole lot of work, Zane," she answered, "and no, no free fondling of my private parts." I growled up at the ceiling. "Damn it, woman," I snarled. "Stop trying to break me to your will." "Mr. Braxton," she patted me on the cheek, "I have no idea what you are talking about." Yeah, right. We ve Come So Far The Festivities Committee broke up once more. I was helping Mrs. Jaspers to her car since she'd taken a tumble in her home and her ankle was a bit sore. I had to return to the conference room to find my usual crowd of women overstaying the meeting, Mrs. Sahara Penny, Kendra Bainbridge, and Rochelle Wellington. "Hello, Kendra. Those frills around your collar are very enticing to the eye," I jibed. "Did you come tonight with some ulterior motive?" "No!" she snapped. "I am not that kind of woman." "Technically, if you've had children, you are that kind of woman," Sahara chimed in. "I am not a fornicator," Kendra defended herself. "No one said you were," Rochelle smiled at her rival's discomfort. "All Zane did was give you a compliment and a gentle teasing." "After his 'date' with the Reverend's wife, I am not sure any of us can be considered safe from Mr. Braxton's intentions," Kendra spat. Sahara's laugh was musical. "Yes, Kendra, I was positively scandalized that Zane would approach me with such blasphemous intentions as the Gospel of Judas, Pistis Sophia, and the origins of God's true word," Sahara grinned too sweetly. "I am sure that is what was on his mind," Kendra insinuated. She was probably coming to regret being tricked into talking to the Preacher's wife. "What would that be?" Rochelle prodded. Kendra's mouth gaped. "Well, we all know what Mr. Braxton is up to at school," she rebounded snootily. "Oh, so you have seen his website," Sahara pointed out. Kendra turned a deep shade of red. "Well, I, with everything going on," she sputtered, "we need to know how to keep our daughters safe." "Oh, Kendra, I agree," Rochelle smiled my way. "I think we can all agree that young Ms. Masters (Barbie Lynn) was lucky to escape Zane's clutches." "Yes," Sahara added sternly, "apparently she's been lucky on a nightly basis." Hey, now! Why is everybody picking on me? Half the time she's on top. "You make it sound like she enjoys, that, what he does to her," Kendra fought back. "Yes," sighed Sahara, "I can understand how horrible it must be to be crying out God's name while having sex." "Several times a night," Rochelle added. "I have such sympathy for the poor girl." "You do know that it is plausible Ms. Masters seeks me out for our mutual enjoyment," I groused. "After all, it's my bedroom and my shower we are seen in." "The Devil is known to be a great seducer," Kendra countered. "You've lured her into debauched behavior." "Oh, well, Kendra, you are on to me. I guess my deep-seated lust for you will remain unquenched," I groaned. "That's not fair," Rochelle chided me. "You are neither a tool of the Devil nor prone to give up on anything you desire, so apologize to Kendra for the sarcasm." "I apologize for making light of your concerns, Mrs. Bainbridge," I nodded toward Kendra. "Very well," Kendra snorted. "Perhaps counseling with Pastor William would do you some good." Oh, like that was going to happen; I was right in ol' Bill's preferred age range and gender. Added to that, I had sort of threatened to have him murdered for threatening Sahara Monday night. "I would prefer to be guided by someone I didn't have a desire to toss out of a fast moving aircraft," I allowed myself to say. Kendra gasped, Sahara became very still, and Rochelle choked. "Wha-, what makes you say that?" Sahara asked cautiously. "He insulted my Uncle Tim within the hearing of Aunt Jill," I answered. "I really couldn't stand Uncle Tim but would rather put my hand in a garbage disposal than let someone cause her pain. He apologized at that time but I have not forgotten." "Have you ever worried about being a bit too bloody?" Rochelle cautioned me. "I ask a lot out of life; I risk more than most and I accept that the price I pay may be higher," I replied. "I believe in the Rule of Law and I believe in punishing the wicked who attempt to abuse the rules for their own agenda. If the price is blood, then blood it shall be; if I can get a heartfelt repentance instead, so much the better." "Aren't you simply forcing your world view on everyone else?" Rochelle questioned me. "Absolutely," I admitted. "My world view is relatively easy to understand; keep to your word, accept that others will be different, and live and let live. I would prefer that my friends and I be left alone. If I have to use physical force to protect my views, I can live with that." "What of the Christian virtues of forgiveness and 'do no harm'?" Sahara countered. "I make a lousy Christian at times," I looked embarrassed. "You seem to have very little time for Christ in your life," Kendra responded snidely. "Really?" I muse. "I go to church six days a week, I get quizzed on some sort of Bible lore at least twice a day, and I come to this meeting once a week. I know sin is not a balancing act but I think I do some good." "Maybe if you gave less energy to carnal pursuits and more to Christian righteousness, you wouldn't have so many sins to balance," Kendra pronounced. "And here we are, three women of relatively good looks, discussing righteousness and virtue, Kendra," Sahara smiled. Kendra gawked at her. "Yes, I imagine I looked something like you look now when I saw Zane's devious trap Monday night." "What do you mean? We are talking about Zane's sexual lifestyle," Kendra rebutted. "No. You are talking about Zane's sex life; the rest of us are talking about sin, forgiveness, and virtue," Rochelle smiled in a superior manner. "But, but you, both, Kendra stammered. "I asked Zane about his world view," Rochelle corrected. "And I asked him about Christian forgiveness and 'do no harm', as I recall," Sahara smiled sedately. Kendra gaped like a fish out of water. "Yes, but now that I know about Mrs. Bainbridge's obsession with my bedroom antics, I'll make sure to show her more attention," I nodded. "I mean, there is an attraction that mature women possess that girls cannot equal. There was a long silence that followed that statement. "Zane, you wouldn't dare do, all, all of those lewd acts to one of us, would you?" Kendra stuttered. "I can't imagine what would make me refuse consensual sex with anyone in this room," I grinned at her. "But we are married women," Rochelle teased me. "Thus consensual, I don't want to break up a happily married couple but I don't like seeing a woman trapped in a relationship solely because she thinks there are no other options," I explained. "Women deserve to be free, and quite frankly, unhappily married women have built up an exciting reservoir of carnal energy." "Zane, I find it difficult to believe that a young man as kind to this committee as you have been would make us disrobe one article of clothing, run your rough hands over every inch of our bodies, and then force us to perform all kinds of vile sexual acts on and for you," Rochelle kept taunting me. My guess was that she was really pissed on learning her husband was having an affair with one of his employees in the Mayor's office. "You wouldn't do that to Kendra, would you, Zane?" Sahara quizzed me. "What do you mean?" I seemed confused. "She's one of the hottest MILF's in the parish; all the guys in Bible Study say so." "Wha, what?" Kendra gulped. "Milf, Mothers I'd Like to Fornicate with," I told her. "I know that!" Kendra snapped, clearly disoriented and unsure of herself. "Certainly you've noticed the men's eyes follow you around the church every Sunday after service?&

Hoy ponemos la mirada en una franja de tierra que no aparece siempre en los mapas, pero que define silenciosamente el equilibrio del continente africano. El Sahel —esa vasta zona que se extiende desde Senegal hasta Sudán— es mucho más que una frontera del Sahara: es un territorio de contrastes, de culturas milenarias, de sequías, desplazamientos y conflictos, pero también de resiliencia y futuro.En los últimos años, esta región se ha convertido en escenario de tensiones geopolíticas, migratorias y climáticas. Las potencias compiten por influencia, los recursos escasean, y millones de personas viven entre la aridez del desierto y la esperanza de la lluvia.Hoy queremos entender qué está pasando en el Sahel: por qué importa, qué fuerzas lo atraviesan, y cómo su destino puede influir en el equilibrio global.”Miembros de OIDEF (Organizacion de Internacionalistas y Diplomaticos en Formacion) nos visitan para analizar las aristas de estudio de una region que es sinonimo de inestabilidad y fracaso civilizatorio.

To be continued in part 23, By FinalStand for Literotica. Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 23 Zane Spars with the minds of the Faculty In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels. "You are quite the James T. Kirk in this Undiscovered Country of Freedom Fellowship University," Doctor Scarlett eventually spoke up. I didn't know who that was but I had a feeling it wasn't a modern Christian author. "Who?" I asked. Doctor Scarlett blinked. "James T. Kirk, Captain of the Starship Enterprise, from Star Trek," she seemed confused that I didn't know who this guy was. "Wait, you mean that bald guy? I thought he was named something else," I wondered. "That's Jean Luc Picard, who was the captain in the second series called Star Trek: The Next Generation," she corrected me. It was somewhat amazing to me that the Vice Chancellor was a science fiction buff. Who knew? "Oh, wait, you mean that guy that Chris Pine plays?" I thought I figured it out. "Thank you; he is kind of hot." "No," she corrected, "that is the new series of movies, but it is the same character." I nodded as the pieces slowly came together. "Ah, the Green Orion Slave Girl," I finally clued in, "and that black babe who later showed up on Heroes." Sensing Doctor Scarlett's exasperation I added, "I remember ladies better than I do men." "Obviously," she noted. "I did not call you to my office to discuss trivia, Mr. Braxton, " "Please, call me Zane," I interrupted then, "and I apologize for interrupting. May I call you Victoria?" "Doctor Scarlett will do," she shook her head. "As I was saying, I asked you here to discuss your integration into this school so that we can avoid some of the problems experienced in the past." I looked at her; she looked back, expecting me to say something, but I didn't. "As the sole eligible male on campus, what do you see as your role here?" she pressed on. "Uhmm, Doctor Scarlett, I am a student here, that is my role. Are you implying that I'm looking for something special because I am a guy?" I questioned. "Mr. Braxton, Zane, you are a guy, you have remodeled your personal quarters into a bordello, and there is evidence of you having sexual relations with multiple female students," she responded. "How is that not 'something special'?" "The administration stuck me in the attic, then told me I could set up my room any way I saw fit," I clarified. "The vast majority of my room is set aside for my fellow freshmen to have a place to unwind and relax." "I've never violated any girl's Purity Pledge, though a few have reconsidered it after meeting me," I admitted. "I've been in a few fights, I'm not proud of that. I did as much as I could do to resist Chancellor Bazz, I am proud of that. What she was doing was ten shades of wrong and I don't run away from a righteous fight." "Zane, I am not condemning you for defending the women in your life, nor for having a healthy libido," Doctor Scarlett stunned me with a lack of blame being tossed my way. I worked that over in my mind until I figured out what was going on. "So, do you have any recommendations on what I could do differently to fit in?" I inquired. The problem was, this wasn't about me fitting in. She wasn't lauding my sexuality and she was trying to throw me off-center by the little annoying phone call game, followed by this sympathetic interpretation of my school life to date. I knew she wanted to manipulate me but I didn't know why. I had to get her to tip me her hand so I could figure out what the game was. "Are you familiar with the concept of Christian Female Tribalism?" Scarlett opened. "I get the feeling it has something to do with the six framed articles from non-Christian magazines hanging on your wall," I noted. "Also, you are clearly the darling of the Christian media," I added, as I tallied up the dozen other articles attesting to her fame. "I haven't dedicated my life's work for the sake of popularity," Doctor Scarlett smiled (sure, right). "I am looking into the relationship between Jesus Christ's teachings, men and women. My research has led me to believe that women exist in a more spiritually pure form when solely in the company of other women." "Where do men fit into this picture?" I questioned. "Men provide the ultimate guidance, of course, as well as their roles in procreation and raising male children past the age of eleven," Doctor Scarlett related. "Women are happiest and most effective when they form their own networks and hierarchies." "You don't date much, do you?" I had to ask. "Mr. Braxton, I have lived a chaste life in pursuit of my studies," she answered. "Outside of your father, Victoria, have you ever lived under a man's guidance?" I wondered. It was a calculated move to use her Christian name. "It is Ms. Scarlett, Zane, and I have relied on a variety of pastors for spiritual guidance over the years," she stated. "Okay," I stood up, "we have nothing to discuss then." She didn't yell at me as I headed for the door. "You've never been in love and I can tell you have a poor estimation of romance." "You would be incorrect, Zane; I have been in love but I chose purity over sinfulness," she countered. "My faith is based on God being love, without reservation, restriction, or guilt. I know exactly where you are coming from," I said with my hand on the doorknob as I looked over my shoulder. "You are seeking validation for the mistakes you've made over your lifespan and you are willing to sacrifice the young ladies at the school." I was getting angry. "I was hoping for something better but it seems like a different conductor but the same old music, Doc." "That is not so," Doctor Scarlett stayed calm. "I am not attempting to drive you or any other student off campus. I am not your enemy." "That is simple enough to resolve," I nodded. "What is your perfect women's society view and response to promiscuity?" "Lust is a sin; women should resist sin as vigorously as men," she countered. "The seven deadly sins are Catholic, not the words of Jesus," I grinned. "In fact, the first list wasn't even created until the 4th century after Christ." "That does not make them any less valid," Doctor Scarlett offered. "What is the cut-off date for Bible legitimacy?" I turned and faced her. "1000 Ace? Today, here, and now? Who is to say I can't create new scripture, then?" "I apologize, Zane," she mused, "but you hardly seem to be someone touched by the hand of God with a gift of prophecy." "Do I have to lay on hands to prove it?" I beamed. I had finally been able to interject sexual innuendo into the conversation. She didn't respond like a damn normal person, no. Doctor Scarlett stood up, walked around her desk and came to a stop barely a foot from me. I am not so easily deterred. I leaned into the doctor until my nose was at the crux of her neck and shoulder. I used my cheek to push her hair aside and sniff my way up to her ear. She was really ironclad in her control of her passions. I trailed my nose up to her eyebrow ridge, circled over the forehead, down past the other eye, and over to her lips. We didn't kiss but I did get what I wanted. "How about I call you Victoria when we are alone?" I tested her. "No; call me Ms./Dr./Vice-Chancellor Scarlett," she corrected. "You are my student." "Cool," I shrugged. "Is there anything more for us to discuss?" "I would like to discuss my plans for this school and the role I think you can take on," Scarlett persisted. "We've had that discussion, I chose a messy democracy over any sweet-smelling dictatorial existence," I declared. "Your belief system stands for the denial of self-determination." "It does not, Zane. If anything, it gives women more power over their lives," she explained. "But the basis for your system retains men in charge, with the added 'benefit' of women being more removed from the critical decision-making processes," I replied patiently. "Don't you enjoy being in charge of so many women here at FFU, Zane? You have certainly convinced dozens of women to do what you want, even to their own detriment," Doctor Scarlett drove her point home. I laughed; I couldn't help myself. "I might enjoy being in charge if any of the women would give me the opportunity, Victoria. Honestly, I allow the women here to safely experiment with their sexually," I explained. "Thing is, I really don't mind because I help these ladies become more comfortable in their skins, with their desires, and allow them to share things they have discovered about themselves. If I was with only one woman, what peer could she talk to? You've put your blinders on to the fact that women want to examine those urges they all have," I proposed. "They don't surrender to lust; they acknowledge it, explore those frontiers, and then decide how to use that knowledge," I continued. "Most of the women in my life here don't lose their virginity. I think by challenging their Purity Pledge, they become stronger in their convictions. I'm not taking any choice from them; they are exercising their own will concerning their bodies." "If you deny the male role in the Christian relationship, doesn't that emasculate you?" Victoria asked, and I noticed she didn't chastise me for using her first name this time. "I'm not going to fall into the trap of mistaking sexual activity for true masculine activity," I headed her off. "I would like to think I mediate disputes, help with our studies, and protect them physically if needed. I don't like to fight, but I will fight to defend my ladies. So no, I don't feel less of a man because I listen to, occasionally obey, and always try to respect women." "I see your point, Zane, and I will give it some consideration," Doctor Scarlett lied to me. "Oh, wow, that condescension was unwarranted, Doc," I shook my head. "You would never accept that I could be the man who would alter your lifelong path. You have an unrealistic expectation of what that man would be like but it allows you to pursue your goal without male guidance and still be a good Christian woman." "So now you think I am a hypocrite?" She gave a patient smile. "Nope. I think you believe the theory you are selling, Vic. You are clever, attractive, but somewhat annoyed that your looks give your ideas less credence though you still use your looks when needed. You are manipulative because you are sincere and you want to keep the argument based on rational discourse, not passion." "That would make you my opposite," she observed. "You embrace your gut instincts and allow your emotions to override what you think is the safe course of action. It is a pity you perceive me to be your enemy; I thought we could do great things together." "You are the enemy, but you are not the bad guy; I respect those who have faith, even if it is faith in something I don't agree with," I pointed out. "You believe women are better off without male interference in their lives. I believe there is nothing better in Creation than a man and woman in harmony with one another," I stated. "Don't you believe in safeguarding these young ladies' souls?" Victoria pressed on. "If the ladies were children I could understand your interference," I countered, "but they are adults, capable of making adult decisions, and you do them a disservice by stealing their destinies from them." "You see yourself as a better alternative?" she remained serenely calm, that's so hot. "Lady, my life is a mess," I grinned. "I have a hard time figuring out what I'm going to do much less what I should tell someone else to do." "But you are making the decision that my solution is the wrong one. How do you justify that?" she countered my grin with a smile of her own. "Just because I don't have the right answer doesn't mean I don't recognize the wrong one when I see it," I reposted. "As I said earlier, we have nothing to discuss." "Very well," she allowed, "but please tell me what the whole sniffing thing was about." "It was more than sniffing, Doctor Scarlett. I was looking for your pulse reaction, sweat, what kind of perfume and body soap you use, as well as facial tics and eye dilation." "That is certainly odd," she pointed out. "Well, it tells me you are a mid-thirties virgin who likes feminine things. Your skirt is finely woven wool, your shirt is silk, and your cross is 24 K, as is the necklace, with a real ruby inset. Your bra is a black half-cup, which is very nice if you are wearing a white shirt. Lastly, you are wearing stockings, not pantyhose." "Since neither you nor Ms. Reveal is a lesbian, you are wearing these clothes for your own enjoyment because you are not interested in any man right now," I told her. "You are still holding out for your Mystery Man which is oddly romantic for someone who denies romance." "Ms. Buchanan was right," Scarlett laughed softly. "You would be interesting to deal with." Right as I made ready to ask her what exactly Christina said, my stomach began rumbling. "I'm off to lunch unless you need me for anything right now," I sighed. Victoria turned me around and directed me out the door. Rio, Mercy and Vivian were waiting for me. It rapidly became clear that Rio was Doctor Scarlett's next appointment. "Ms. Reveal," I inquired of Doctor Scarlett's assistant who glared in response. "I'm heading off to the dining hall, and since I doubt you've been able to grab a bite to eat, do you want me to pick up something for you and the doctor?" I doubted that was what she expected. She typed away at her keyboard for a few second, checking out today's menu. "Mr. Braxton, could you get me the Caesar Salad and Doctor Scarlett the trout?" she said. "Zane," Rio snickered softly, "how far did you get? I'd hate to have to sex her up all over again when I can go straight for the main dish." "Smooth, Bro," I groaned while Marisol looked like she was going to staple Rio's ear to the desk. "The Doctor and I talked and that is all," I cautioned Rio. "I suggest you do the same and keep it simple." Rio snorted and followed Doctor Scarlett into her office. Before she dropped out of sight, Rio half-turned, pointed at Victoria's ass, and mouthed 'Wow' and made out the hourglass curves. She was really subtle; only Mercy, Vivian, Marisol and I saw it, which meant all of us. "Mercy, are you going to be okay?" I inquired once the door shut and Mercy had sat down on the bench outside the office. "I need to stay for Rio," Mercy sighed. "Vivian, can you wait for Rio while Mercy and I take a walk?" I asked my guardian. "Absolutely, Zane," Vivian nodded. She took a seat while Mercy followed me wordlessly out the door. "You don't have to do this, Zane," Mercy spoke up after a while. "Own up to all you do, Mercy," I replied, "and by that, I mean I brought you and Rio into a collision course so I am as responsible for your happiness as I am for Rio's." "I, umm, thank you," Mercy worked out the words. "Rio can be too much to handle at times." "Yes," I wrapped a very inappropriate arm around her shoulder, "she can be, but I feel she's worth putting up with the bull crap. Don't be discouraged by her fooling around with other women, or men; Rio is far more loyal than people give her credit for. She may do things to piss you off, that's a given, but she wants to be with you. In fact, who do you believe she was thinking of when she bought that ass plug?" "You?" she meekly mocked me. "Ha, ha, ha," I chuckled. "That is the reason I don't sleep on my stomach these days, Mercy. She plays rough. She loves rough too, so I feel it is an adequate trade-off. If you want to snuggle with someone else from time to time, you are welcome on my pillow any night." "Zane, do you think I'm a lesbian? What I am trying to say is, I think I may be a lesbian but I'm not sure," Mercy confided in me. "It doesn't matter what I think but in my experience, you are bi-sexual, not a dedicated lesbian. That could mean that you like relationships with girls but the occasional fling with a guy," I said. "You have had sex with me and I know you enjoyed it. You are not in an environment that allows many men so now that you are coming into your sexuality, you are confronted by women. Sexual orientation is one thing; sexual preference is another," I went on to say, "At Spring Break we should put your ideas to the test. Until then, don't worry too much about it." "Not being a virgin would be horrible enough," Mercy related. "If my parents thought I was homosexual, they would die, or kill me." "Mercy, do you think what you are doing is sinful?" I questioned. Mercy had to think about that for a while. We gathered up three trays and made our way back to the Vice Chancellor's office. "Yes, yes, I do, Zane," Mercy muttered. "I am afraid I'm going to Hell." "Mercy, you are not going to hell, at least not for what you've been doing the past few weeks," I comforted her. "Think about the good you've done for Rio." "I am still steeped in perversions," she moped. "Trust me on this; the battle between Heaven and Hell will not be decided by the playful use of a dildo, ass plug, or vibrator," I whispered into her ear. Mercy rewarded me with a wicked little smile. "What matters is the happiness you bring, the trust you earn, and the powerless you protect. Don't knock yourself out because you too are feeling pleasure." Mercy stopped walking which brought me up short. She worried her lower lip as she worked some things out in her head. "Do you think I'm really Rio's best hope at salvation?" she asked softly. "You more than anyone else," I responded. I could see a weight lifting off her shoulders. "Thank you, Zane," she smiled at me. We entered the Administration building and headed for the Vice-Chancellor's office. "I'm going to have to tell Rio about his conversation," I told her. Mercy looked uncertain. "Someone deserves a spanking, don't you think?" That wonderful little lusty smile crept onto her lips once more. More Monday Mornings   Doing the correct thing is good; doing right and confounding your enemies at the same time is golden. Blow & Arrow "You are getting better, Zane," Molly Travers told me after my rotation to the shooting line. "If you say so," I shrugged. "I've yet to hit the rings twice in a row." "But you are hitting the target every time," she pointed out. "Great," I chuckled, "if I ever get attacked by a rhino or a barn door, I'll do fine." "If it is a big barn door, a really big barn door," she snickered in sympathy. "So, uhmm, what do you think your chances against Hope are?" "Huh," I looked to her, "are you betting on me and Hope's sparring match?" "It's not really a bet, more like a wager," Molly grinned. "Betting and wagering is the same thing, Molly," I pointed out. "Okay, fine, we are betting on the outcome," Molly admitted. "So what do you think the odds of you winning are?" "Barring the intervention of large fighting robots, I'd bet on the cute Asian chick to win," I joked. "Arrows," Chastity called out. It was my job to retrieve all the expended arrows from the field, being the junior member of the team. After that we did one more round, then we cleaned up and made our way to either study period or our next club. Chastity held me back so that we could go to Karate class together. "Don't be too hard on Hope," Chastity abruptly told me. "I'm not all that sure I can beat her, Chastity," I confided. "Oh, there is no chance of that," Chastity assured me. "She's going to destroy you. I only want to make sure you are a good sport about it because she really likes you and she's worried you might take this beating the wrong way." I stopped and stared at her somewhat incredulously. "Oh, come on," I grumbled. "I have some sort of chance. She's not that good." "If thinking that makes you feel better," she patted me on the back. "Well, if you believe I can't win, you will be willing to make a wager on the outcome then," I challenged Chastity. "What would it be?" Chastity mused. "You in a little, itty-bitty French Maid's outfit for twelve hours of my choosing," I said. "What do I get if Hope wins?" Chastity countered. "What would you want?" I grinned. "Any one favor to be decided on later," was what she came back with. "Oh, please, my favor is relatively precise while you want the world," I pointed out. "Okay, I want one 'forgiveness' in advance," Chastity offered. I groaned. "You just have to keep busting my chops, don't you?" I sighed. "Fine, I'll make the bet." For a private sparring match, Hope and I drew a great deal of attention. Christina, Heaven, Chastity, and Faith were expected, as was Coach Gorman. I had kind of hoped Cappadocia would hang around so we could hook up when the fight was over. Everyone else was rather distracting. Both Hope and I went shirtless, me bare-chested and she with a black sports bra, as well as barefoot. We set up four meters apart with Hope doing something that mimicked warm-up exercises. It took a second of eye contact for the fight to begin. I kicked out viciously; she collapsed beneath the blow and swept my legs. My back slapped the mats and before I could move or mount much of a defense, Hope was all over me. It was arm bar and she had my head in a scissor lock and that was that. I tapped out before she could render me unconscious. No one said anything as I regained my feet. I was careful not to make eye contact until I'd backed up a bit. I had no clue to what kind of Monkey Kung-fu she had just worked on me but I knew that what little Thai Kickboxing I had wasn't cutting it, but I knew even less Karate and even less of what Gorman and Black had shown me. It boiled down to making use of what I did know to the best effect. This time I danced to the left using a little trick Gabrielle Black had taught me (with some pain added). At first Hope mirrored my movements so when I lashed out with my first kick it caught her off-guard since I'd also been slowly closing the distance between us. She tried to snake within my reach but I kept shifting and kicking to hold her at bay. When she finally did get inside, I hit her with every fist/arm/elbow strike I knew. I knocked her back, pursued her, and for a moment it looked like I had a chance. Hope kept maneuvering with the grace of a gymnast so I couldn't pin her to the mat. Once she got to her feet I sensed I was rapidly running out of options. I certainly didn't expect a chop to my temple and that was pretty much all she wrote. She jumped up, put her knee into my diaphragm and rode me to the ground. I managed to block twice against her strikes as she straddled my stomach. I almost knocked her aside, we wrestled, and that was the totally wrong thing to do. I knew crap about wrestling. My tapping out was a foregone conclusion once she got me on my stomach. For a second I lay there marveling how quickly I'd gone down, twice. I noticed that Hope was still standing astride my body so I rolled over in place and looked up. For a second she had this look that reminded me of staring into the pitiless depths of the ocean. "My head hurts," I emphasized with a deep breath. That set off a flash of light in her eyes. "The important one or the one on top of your neck?" she smiled from above. Hope crossed her arms and helped me stand. "Are we okay?" she suddenly seemed worried. "Oh, hell, no," I gasped. "I've got to learn me some of those moves. You were freaking awesome." That outburst gained me a snort of amusement on her part. "I am not a master so I would have to consult my master before taking on a student," Hope informed me. "Your Father?" I was curious. "No; my Father had to get permission to teach my sisters and me. My Master is back in Korea," she answered. Hope and I parted ways and various friends now felt free to join the party. "Damn, Bro, she kicked your ass. I'm ashamed to call you family," Rio mocked me. "Rio, now you know how he feels about you every day," Valarie shot back. "I think he did pretty good, all things considered," Coach Dana Gorman stated. "I don't believe Zane's ever fought against a 'soft' or passive style." "Fifteen or twenty more years and I would have had her," I chuckled. "You are right, Coach; I've never seen her precise style. I've tried some of the exercises monks use but those were primitive compared to what Hope showed me today. Now I think I'm going to take a shower." "Everyone will clear out now," Coach ordered as I made my way to the showers. ZETAS "Honestly, Zane," Sahara lectured me deliciously, "did you have to flush my phone down the toilet?" "Technically, I only dropped it in," I corrected. "I didn't hit the handle. Besides, you know your husband would only annoy us with his incessant phone calls." "I still feel a little guilty," Sahara sighed. "He knew when I would be over and where we would be going if he wasn't going to be kind enough to be there," I pointed out. "The only reason to call you would be to ruin the moment he could have pre-empted by showing a little consideration for your feelings." "That is not fair," Sahara countered. "My husband is a community leader with many responsibilities." "So would you be if people would wake up and see you as I do," I answered. "Zane, I don't want any misconceptions about me," Sahara stared at me intently. "I am loyal to my marital vows." "I don't doubt that for a second," I agreed. "Betrayal leaves its own scars and I don't see any on you." Sahara didn't immediately react to that, instead taking a long sip of her tea. "Certainly you have heard the rumors by now?" she said softly. "Yes, and I believe them," I responded gravely. I let that hang there for thirty seconds. "Aliens did land in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947, and they interred the bodies at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base before finally moving them to Area 51." Sahara didn't know what to make of that for a second but slowly began to smirk. "What? Was there another rumor that I should be giving a damn about?" I concluded. "Some people compromise for the easy way out, some people remain mostly steadfast and take the hard road, but you are the only man I know who gladly skips through a minefield because even the hard road is too much of a compromise for you," she commented. "I can only be me," I replied. "I couldn't be you; I doubt the clothes would fit." "Oh, you are such a strange individual," she tilted her head. Before she could explain our food arrived and she felt it prudent to wait until there were fewer prying ears. "Do you think it is appropriate for me to, ask about Ms. Vickers?" "No," I responded patiently. "If you ever feel like it is your business, she's in church every Sunday and she's nice, if a bit nervous considering the current circumstances." "It is only that I hear things about you when my husband talks to other people and, much of it doesn't make sense," she added. "For instance, I believe I'm the only one who sees it but I'm sure you are having an affair with Rochelle Wellington." "I'm neither confirming nor denying anything but how does that make you feel?" I countered. "Infidelity is a crime," she answered after a few seconds, "but Mayor Wellington is a horrible, horrible man." And this was coming from the woman married to that bastard, Pastor Bill. "I confess that I find the whole thing very amusing, to the point where I pray to Christ for forgiveness virtually every night. That includes using me as a distraction for Kendra's nosey little self." "That was not my intent if that's any consolation," I sighed. "I simply thought we had a lot in common." "Such as?" she smiled. "Well, before we moved here, we had no idea where Lancaster, Virginia was," I started. "We both know that waving a Bible around doesn't make someone holy; a custom may be fine for you but it isn't for everyone and we know what it is to be judged by people who have never gotten to know us," I completed. "I also wanted you to know that I know about Bill and we are not alone." "Know? What do 'we' know?" she asked confidently enough. "We know why he let them think you were the one who was unfaithful," I clarified somewhat. Sahara stared at me, her face torn by a plethora of warring emotions; loyalty, anger over being betrayed, and relief that she didn't bear this terrible burden alone anymore were all there. "Men handle such things differently than women," Sahara told me in a distant voice. "My father wanted boys." "I imagine your Father-in-Law wishes he had raised his boy to be a man too," I joked. "That's unfair," I corrected myself. "I have nothing against men of a different persuasion. It is bastards I have a problem with." "Please, Zane, he is still my husband," Sahara admonished me. "Well, he had better start treating you better or I may re-familiarize him with Deuteronomy 23:1 (ty-jw)," I responded. "Your loyalty to him should be met with respect. That is the deal we make when we get married." "What makes you think you know so much about marriage?" Sahara inquired after a bite, some savory chewing and a gulp. "I'm smarter than I look. Okay, that's not too difficult, but I'm usually smarter than people give me credit for." "Smart things like inviting Ms. Kennan to services yesterday?" she taunted me. "I actually didn't invite her but don't tell anyone; I revel in people's opinion that I'm irreverent," I grinned. Sahara tried and failed to fight down her own smile in response. "I've actually invited Belle, Ms. Kennan, to live with me and Jill as well as giving her a job." "I, I don't know what to make of that," Sahara worried. "She's very pretty, I imagine." "Sahara, you need to become a better judge of people," I said. "I wouldn't trust Belle with my car keys or my favorite cuff links, but I'd trust her with Jill's life or my own." "Sometimes it helps to remember we are still listening to the words of a poor carpenter's son who suffered through exile," I pointed out, "who wouldn't do what the authorities told him to do, died because he was betrayed by a close friend, and went to the grave abandoned by all those who said they understood him; not most people's first choice for founder of the world's largest religion." "When you put it that way, it sounds depressing," Sahara agreed. "It also sounds exactly as it played out. It often does not occur to most believers that the flame of Christianity almost fluttered out before it ever really came to life." She looked for me to say something but all I did was grin. A few seconds later I saw that flicker of understanding come alive in her eyes. "Here you are, the star of multiple on-line sexual misadventures, sitting with the preacher's disreputable wife in the most romantic restaurant in town and we are discussing morality and religion," she chuckled. "No one will believe us despite this being the truth. I find your perverse and bizarre sense of humor very enchanting, Zane." "The important thing is that you are having a good time, Sahara," I explained. She laughed out loud, drawing attention to our little candlelit alcove of the eatery. I doubted she cared and I certainly didn't. We finished our meal, I paid, and we headed straight back to her place. The game was, we left zero time for any possible hanky-panky to take place. We wanted the people who were going to accuse us of impropriety to make real asses of themselves when we revealed our timeline established by my filling up of gas right before picking her up, our valet ticket at the restaurant, and finally, our credit card receipt for the restaurant itself. I had outlined my plan to Sahara and she heartily approved. Unlike the time her husband had screwed her over, she could fight this scandal. I pulled into the Penny's driveway and I rushed around to get her door for her (thank you, Heaven, for that bit of etiquette). We walked through the front door only to see Pastor Bill a few steps away from the door. "Where have you been?" he growled. Sahara dutifully lowered her head. "We were at Zetas," I stated calmly, "right where I told you we would be." Bill ground his teeth and glared at Sahara. "What have you been doing?" he snapped. "Nothing," I now grinned. "I accidentally left the lube and the box of condoms on your kitchen counter." Pastor Bill was rendered speechless. "I was the one who dropped her phone into the toilet; don't blame Sahara," I told him. "Sahara, this was fun. I don't often get to have an adult conversation about the basis of Christianity. I do appreciate your insights. I gotta go now. You two have a good evening and I guess I'll see you on Wednesday night, Sahara. Bill, I'll see you on Sunday." "I doubt you will be seeing my wife again," Bill finally ground out. "Sahara, please give me and your husband a moment alone?" I asked her. "Of course, Zane, and thank you again for an intellectually stimulating night," was her own way at rebelling. I could tell ol' Bill didn't appreciate her pleasant tone to me one bit. When she had moved out of sight I leaned into my so-called religious leader. "Bill," I whispered to him, "between you, me and God, if something happens to Sahara, I'm giving you one year and a day, then they'll never find your body. You know the kind of low-lifes I hang out with. I'm not bluffing. The only other injustice will be that you won't suffer nearly enough. Am I absolutely fucking clear?" "I'm not afraid of you, you sleazy scumbag punk," he hissed. "Whatever, Bill, but you might want to know that the circuit board for your home security system is manufactured by a company I own," I lied. I had no idea if there was a circuit board for his system or who the hell manufactured it, but I was pretty sure he didn't know either. Bill and I were at an impasse. He was a bully and a liar who was used to manipulating people using both other people's faith and sins to get what he wanted. My advantage was that I was well known to be willing to inflict pain to get what I wanted (I just wanted to protect my ladies) and he was averse to actual physical confrontation. Belle brought a whole new definition to the conflict at First Anointed Free-willed Fellowship of Christ Church. There were a growing number of people willing to resist the order Bill had crafted for his own power. Now people defied him and the normal techniques of censor had little effect. His best hope was that Zane Braxton would get hung in another bizarre encounter and remove himself from the equation without Bill's interference. That was his hope, anyway. ON The CRUX OF CHANGE "Hey, Briana," I told my buddy from Colorado State. I was standing outside the door that led to my floor once more. "Hey, Future Slave to my Desires," she giggled back. She was a whole lot more playful than the last time we'd talked. "Gak!" I played with her. "I'm pleased to find you in higher spirits tonight. I hope that means you are doing better?" "Actually, I had a freaky weekend," she sighed. "I met my boyfriend's other girlfriend, it was a totally psycho-girlfriend moment too. She came at me when I was training with some sisters for a 5K run. She appeared in the parking lot and started screaming at me. It was scary. I had three sisters and she brought two wacked-out friends. A pair of off-duty firemen broke it up; sadly, one is married and the other is gay." "Briana, I have a confession: I'm a gay man in denial and I'm tired of hiding the real me," I stated sincerely. Briana's laughter rocketed through the connection, followed by some off-screen conversation, then the phone being handed around. "If you want that lie to be believable, tell us you are secretly a lesbian," Jarunee snickered at me in her native Thai tongue. "Give me a second and I'll come up with something more believable," I chuckled back in the same lingo. "How have you been?" "Pretty good; better than you since that little Korean girl wiped your ass all over the mats," she responded in English. "Okay, she's not so little, and I have it on good authority she was a champion on the Tijuana Midget Fighting Circuit while still in preschool," I covered my ass, then a fear began clawing its way inside me. "Is there any suggestion that she and I may have gone to bed together?" "Of course; this morning's upload," Jarunee informed me. "Oh, in that case, please tell the rest of the Kappa Sigmas that I won't be doing Spring Break after all," I groaned. "What, why?" Jarunee gulped, wondering what she'd done wrong. "Her dad is going to kill me," I related jokingly. "I won't make it to the end of this semester, much less to March. It was a nice dream, though." "Are you serious?" Jarunee worried. "Apparently Hope's, that's Hope Song who kicked my ass, father is some sort of a South Korean superman who eats two-bit punks like me for breakfast," I shrugged. "It can't be, and the phone was taken away. "Oh, my God! Was that one of Yeong Song's daughters you banged that can now be seen all over the internet?" a different girl babbled. "You really are a dead man." "Ooo-kayyy, who are you, by the way? I'm Zane," I started off. "Sorry. I'm Chrissy and my father is in the Navy and he does, stuff. I don't know how bad that man is but I've seen SEALs scramble to get out of that man's way faster than they would for any admiral." "What? That's absurd," I joked. "No one is that much of a bad-ass." Except for Gabrielle Black, I am so going to die at this man's hands, aren't I? "All I know is that the Navy decided it was safer to put him up at our house as opposed to a motel. Mom got upset because apparently the North Korean government put a huge bounty on his head since he killed so many of their Special Forces guys, no lie." I said nothing for the longest time. "Maybe he'll think I'm good son-in-law material," I tried to sound upbeat. "Yes," Chrissy tried to sound positive as well. I, of course, was desperately trying to remember how many times I had made Hope suck my cock, and our discussion of anal sex wasn't worth mentioning. Curling up into a fetal ball wouldn't do anyone any good either. "Very well, Chrissy. Can I talk to Briana one more time?" I asked. "Of course, Zane, and don't worry; the whole Kappa Sigma Sorority will start working on this problem. We will figure out something," she assured me. "Hey, guy," Briana sounded apprehensive, "are you going to be okay?" "Babe, it is just another day ending in 'y'. I've got this," I said confidently. "Good night, now." Briana said her good-byes and I took a moment to get my thoughts together before heading upstairs. It turned out I had over seventy ladies in my place, none more surprising than Coach Dana Gorman. She was paired with Valarie against Millicent and Raven in what looked like a close match up on the pool table. Another totally bizarre image was Vivian and Rio laying stomach first on the floor near one of the TV's, calves kicking in the air with Vivian helping Rio with something oddly akin to schoolwork. Mercy, Opal, Brandi, and Brigit were gathered around the closest table having formed some sort of study group as well. Magically enough, in the twilight of my life (no, I am not over-reacting!) it is good to see one of my plans actually work in almost the way I had intended. No one had noticed me arrive so I turned to go to the drink bar, and walked right into Paige. "Hi!" she squealed in excited delight. Her tight little albino body vibrated with orgasmic energy. "Hey, Babe," I kissed her on the lips lightly. She kept her hands tightly clasped behind her back. "You don't smell like sex," she grinned. "I went out to eat with the preacher's wife, Paige," I groaned. "Not every date is an inevitable sexual hook-up. We had a nice meal and talked about our church, morality, and religion, honest to God." "I believe you," Paige wouldn't stop grinning. "Cordelia is in your room, waiting for you, and thank you, thank you, thank you." Paige was undoubtedly ecstatic over the red marker on Cordelia's face that read 'Paige is smarter'. To see that was one of Paige's deepest desires. Cordelia was working away on her tablet as I slipped into my room. She was fully on my sleeping stage, lying on her back and tablet held up over her head as she worked on it. "Hello, Zane," Cordelia said. "I like your place; it is very you." "Cordelia," I managed to say back in a civil tongue. "Did you know who Yeong Song is?" "Of course I do," Cordelia answered without looking away from her work. I didn't say too much because I had little polite to say to the girl at the moment. After a minute she finished up working on her computer, put it down, propped herself up on her elbows, and smiled my way. Her pigtails swayed as she looked me over. "You are upset," she noted. "Why are you here?" I inquired curtly. "Oh, now we are in the 'you are angry with me but doing an admirable job controlling your violent impulses and going to reduce your interactions with me yet not going to let me alter your lifestyle in any way' phase," Cordelia sighed. "I am not fighting the fact that you are the smartest person on campus, maybe the smartest person I've ever met, but I think we are done playing around. When I drive out of these gates for the last time four years from now, I'm going to forget you and go on with my life," I told her. Cordelia smirked, then laughed. "Zane, I made you, you are my creation," she giggled. I was about to get pissed, then I got another boot to the head. "I was drawn to your family's tragic death years ago, saw your return to the United States as an excellent opportunity for us both, created several identities, talked to your aunt on-line about FFU, altered the admissions software so your application would be accepted, and made sure your medical records weren't examined until you were on campus." "You put me and Rio together," I pieced together; Cordelia nodded. "Iona?" "Ah, she's loyal to you, but it was easy enough to put her in your class. She is the type of girl who runs across traffic to save a turtle crossing the road," Cordelia smiled. "I knew she'd rally to your side, just like I knew that would be enough to keep you here until other events unfolded," she seemed terribly pleased. "Now the sorority and Christina are all you as well as the run-ins with the law, but you are my weapon to use on this campus, Zane. I could never beat Chancellor Bazz without creating a scandal that would break the school apart," she informed me. "Your rebellion was a possibility I explored but your ability to enlist Christina and the freshmen wasn't something I could facilitate; again, that was all your doing." "I have respected you and Heaven," Cordelia pointed out. "Because Christina and I would kill you," I countered. "No; I kept her secret because I am not needlessly cruel," she said. I almost believed it. "Wrong, Cordelia; you didn't betray Heaven because Christina and I would leave FFU," I stated. "Your game would fall apart; not because either one of us is special but because you don't like playing with dumb people, there is no challenge to it." Cordelia's smile only got wider. "You don't disappoint," she remarked, without a hint of shame or guilt. "Am I forgiven?" It occurred to me that no matter how absurd on the surface, Cordelia wanted someone to know and, in a way, understand her genius. "I think we may be past that," I murmured. "How about this; the Time Lord Mafia needs, I need your help," she confessed, but I was wary. "When Ms. Black came here I was suspicious that her record was too clean," Cordelia related, "so when you gave me that warning, I began digging very carefully. Well, this morning something happened." "Oh, crap," I muttered. "How bad and how likely is it that you will be tracked back to here?" "I set up a blind station in Lima, Peru," she said matter-of-factly, "all paid for in cash by people who don't know the real me. I had surveillance on the place as standard practice. Late last night, Lima time, three armed men broke into the small room and tore the place up." "Who were they?" I was now more intrigued. "They spoke perfect Spanish so I had no clue until one of them screwed up and a cheap shelf fell on him. He cursed in Hebrew." Cordelia exhibited real shock. "They were Mossad. I check up on some other stuff and I really think they are Israeli intelligence." What in the hell was Mossad doing hunting Gabrielle? What the hell was the only guy in an all-girls university doing getting involved with all this? Fuck it all, I'm a horny eighteen-year-old boy with more girlfriends than any two sane men would want. Wasn't talking to yourself one of the signs of mental instability? I was saved by the phone, sort of. "Zane, this is Doctor Scarlett," the Vice Chancellor said, "I am at your door and I need to come up and talk to you for a bit." "Of course, Doctor Scarlett," I responded as I caught Cordelia's eye. I hung up and the two of us headed into the main area. As soon as we exited the screens, Cordelia went toward the closest group of students to warn them and I travelled down the stairs. "Hey, Doctor," I greeted my latest guest. I screened the keypad from her view, asked the system for a new password, and read it off to her as it popped up. Doctor Scarlett reentered the code and had it scan her thumbprint without comment. "Thank you, Zane," Victoria greeted me politely. "I would like to see your domicile as well, if that is convenient." "Sure thing," I told her. "We have about forty-five minutes before curfew so it's pretty occupied." "It is your room," she nodded. "I have every reason to believe you are responsible with its use." I wouldn't say that, but then in the past five minutes my life had gone to hell anyway, and I had to put up a good face until bedtime. "Ah, the pictures I've seen do not do the view justice, Mr. Braxton," Doctor Scarlett exhaled. "Relax, take a walk around, and/or help yourself to some food, Doc," I offered. "After nine o'clock you may call me Victoria, Zane," she allowed in return. I was a little stunned. No one seemed overjoyed that Victoria was here but they weren't stampeding toward the door either. "You provide a great deal of stability," she told me softly. "Your presence provides your guests with a sense of peace and safety." "Perhaps you missed Coach Gorman giving two of your students pool lessons right over there?" I suggested. "Dana is your guest too, though I doubt her mood is swayed one way or another by your sense of calm," she grinned, then was brought up short. "Zane, there are two women in, bikinis in your, " "It is a hot tub," I provided the identification, "and I also provide the swim suits for those who need them." Victoria stared at me for a few seconds and I could sense her ready to finally explode on me with some righteous rage toward my overtly sexual ways. "Why would you have women's swimsuits?" she asked patiently. "I have one-pieces as well," I responded. "What would be the point of installing a hot tub, showers, and a sauna if I don't also supply the girls with swimsuits and towels?" Those words put her back on an even keel. Still -- "Doc, I have women coming in my second-story bedroom window back home in the middle of the night for the purposes of sexual intercourse," I sighed. "I hardly need to give students here revealing clothing to feed any vicarious thrill. Do you want a suit to take a dip?" "Let me think about that," she replied quickly. "How long does it take you to obtain a girl a suit?" "I have a suit for you already; you are virtually Vivian's size. And I even have one in red if that is your preference," I said. "Do you really want me to be in a red bikini?" she wondered. It was a trick question. "It is a one-piece, and all I want is for you to be as happy as you can be without trampling on the aspirations of others," I answered. "So you feel responsible for all the girls at this school," she stated. It took me a moment to realize this was a statement, not a question. "Good night, Zane," Victoria smiled. "Good night, ladies," she called out to the room. A chorus of 'good night's' were returned. She disappeared down the stairs and I felt a deep desire to be alone. Peace and quiet sounded good, yeah, I know. "Bro?" Rio snuck up on me. She gave me a quick once-over, then tenderly wove her arms around my waist and hugged me tightly. "I'm okay, Rio," I muttered. "Don't lie to me," she squeezed me tighter. "Trust me; I know that desperate, hopeless look well and I can see it creeping up behind your eyes. Zane, I don't know what's wrong and I'm not going to ask, but I want you to know that I'm here for you." I tilted my upper body back and met her gaze. "Who are you and what have you done to my Rio?" I grinned weakly. "Hey," she remained scarily compassionate, "you've soaked up my pain often enough. It is about time you let me carry some of yours." "What can I do?" Iona wiggled up to my side. A further miracle was delivered when Paige appeared within my field of vision at over five feet away. "Guys, do you think I can have the night to myself? I need to work out things in my head," I begged. "Consider it done," Rio and Iona stated together. Iona departed to spread the word. Rio departed as well, but doubled back to give me another hug. "Zane, don't leave me," she whispered into my chest. "Three seconds ago I was going to knock you out, roll you up in a blanket, and take you with me when I scaled the walls and ran home," I sighed. "To the bitter end," I gave Rio's and my own little motto. "To the bitter end," she mumbled back. After that, going to bed was surprisingly easy. "Zane," Gabrielle greeted me with a ghostly voice. I had called her and said we needed to talk. "Someone did some poking around on you," I told her, "and as a result, three Mossad agents broke into a false station they had in Peru. Is there anything we need to know about why Israeli Intelligence sent three armed men looking for you?" "Three," she mused. "The back-up squad was outside. Since you made no mention of a grenade, I assume they wanted me alive. What are the odds of them tracing the search back to Freedom Fellowship?" As she talked, she sat down on the bed next to me, next to my hip. "Since I have no clue as to what resources they can bring to bear, I would feel safe enough remaining here if they were after me," I answered. "What's your next move?" For a reason that went way beyond insane, I suddenly didn't want her to leave. "I wait. I do not have infinite exit plans or resources," she told me. "You are taking this awful well," I noted. "As opposed to wasting energy becoming pointlessly annoyed? You will keep me apprised of further developments," she commanded then rose to leave. "Gabrielle, do you know a guy named Yeong Song?" I blurted out. "I know of him but I've never met him," she stop

durée : 00:15:33 - Journal de 12h30 - Au Maroc, des milliers de personnes ont célébré le vote du Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU sur le plan d'autonomie du Maroc pour le Sahara occidental. Le territoire était au centre d'un conflit vieux d'un demi-siècle. - invités : Chantal Birman Sage-femme, militante des droits des femmes

La noticia política del día es la posible financiación irregular del Partido Socialista (PSOE). El juez Leopoldo Puente investiga el origen de los pagos en efectivo, mientras el PSOE afirma cumplir la ley y el PP exige explicaciones. A nivel internacional, el Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU apoya el plan de autonomía de Marruecos para el Sahara, cambiando su postura histórica. En deportes, el Getafe gana en La Liga, y se esperan partidos importantes. En baloncesto, el Barcelona y el Baskonia vencen en la Euroliga, y se disputan las semifinales del Masters de París en tenis. COPE rinde homenaje a Oti Cavadas ("Coco Trucker Girl"), una camionera referente fallecida a los 41 años. El Dr. Fernando Mora ofrece consejos para la toma de decisiones conscientes y la gestión del estrés, recomendando mover pies, manos y boca diariamente. Finalmente, la cantante Jessie J habla de su diagnóstico de cáncer de mama, concienciando sobre los chequeos médicos.

durée : 00:15:33 - Journal de 12h30 - Au Maroc, des milliers de personnes ont célébré le vote du Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU sur le plan d'autonomie du Maroc pour le Sahara occidental. Le territoire était au centre d'un conflit vieux d'un demi-siècle. - invités : Chantal Birman Sage-femme, militante des droits des femmes

Los humanos pueden saber mucho sobre el mundo, pero todavía hay muchas preguntas que siguen sin respuesta. ¿Qué aspecto tienen las cimas de las pirámides en Egipto? ¿Puede el desierto del Sahara convertirse en un exuberante bosque verde? ¿Puede un aguacate matar a un caballo? ¿Por qué es necesaria la popó de pingüino para sobrevivir? National Geographic ha proporcionado respuestas a tus preguntas más candentes. ¡Ni siquiera puedes imaginar algunas de las cosas que no sabes sobre el mundo! Después de ver este video, podrás impresionar a todos tus amigos con estos datos increíbles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ehlert, Stefan www.deutschlandfunk.de, Informationen am Mittag

durée : 00:58:34 - Cultures Monde - par : Julie Gacon, Mélanie Chalandon - Comme chaque vendredi, une émission d'actualité en deux parties : retour de terrain avec Arthur Rayssiguier qui rentre du Libéria, puis table-ronde sur le Sahara occidental, où la perspective d'un règlement du conflit semble plus proche que jamais. - réalisation : Vivian Lecuivre - invités : Arthur Rayssiguier réalisateur indépendant; Khadija Mohsen-Finan Politologue, spécialiste du Maghreb et des questions méditerranéennes, membre du comité de rédaction d'Orient XXI; Adlene Mohammedi Chercheur et enseignant en géopolitique, expert associé au CERI

durée : 00:36:48 - Cultures Monde - par : Julie Gacon, Mélanie Chalandon - Pus de cinq décennies après le début du conflit, la question du Sahara occidental pourrait se régler. En effet, le Front Polisario semble accepter le plan de souveraineté marocain, tandis que les États-Unis soumettent une nouvelle résolution au conseil de sécurité de l'ONU. - réalisation : Vivian Lecuivre - invités : Khadija Mohsen-Finan Politologue, spécialiste du Maghreb et des questions méditerranéennes, membre du comité de rédaction d'Orient XXI; Adlene Mohammedi Chercheur et enseignant en géopolitique, expert associé au CERI

China se groeiende aptyt vir Namibiese beesvleis kan die vraag tot 20 000 ton per maand laat styg, maar kenners waarsku dat produksie nie tred sal kan hou nie. In 'n onderhoud met Kosmos 94.1 Nuus het landboukenner Wallie Roux gesê Namibië, die droogste Afrika-land suid van die Sahara, staar natuurlike beperkings in die gesig ten opsigte van hoeveel dit kan produseer. Die land se afhanklikheid van reënval beteken dat die uitbreiding van beesvleisproduksie met stygende koste sal gepaardgaan. Roux het meer.

Kritikere kalder Tanzanias valg for en maskerade og mener, at det tanzanianske demokrati i bedste fald er et skindemokrati. Jovist, der bliver afviklet valg, men har befolkningen reelt noget at vælge mellem? Syd for Sahara tager temperaturen på Tanzanias skrantende demokrati i anledning af dagens præsidentvalg i det østafrikanske land. Tidligere chefredaktør og formand for Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke, Knud Vilby, er i studiet. 

Have you ever wondered what it's really like to experience Morocco - including the medinas, the desert, and the Blue City - all in one trip? From camel rides in the Sahara to wandering the alleyways of Fez, this trip was all about embracing adventure, culture, and connection in one unforgettable journey. In this episode, Alex and Pam share how they explored Morocco on a whirlwind girls' trip using a mix of points, miles, and cash. Listen in to learn how to plan your own Moroccan adventure, from selecting riads and desert camps to understanding local customs and tipping etiquette. They share what surprised them most, which cities left the biggest impression, and how this trip proved that sometimes, the best use of points is creating once-in-a-lifetime memories. You can find links to resources mentioned in this episode plus the transcript here: travelmomsquad.com/152 Ready to get started with NEARLY FREE travel? Click here for the exact offers we would sign up for this month: travelmomsquad.lpages.co/bestoffers/ The Travel Mom Squad is also on YouTube! You can watch this episode here: youtube.com/@travelmomsquad Let us know what you want to hear on the podcast by sending us a DM on Instagram: instagram.com/travelmomsquad

Welcome to a very special edition of The Travel Diaries, where we're heading to a country that has enchanted so many of my guests over the years: Morocco.This Destination Special is a love letter to a place that casts a lifelong spell. In the first half, you'll hear unforgettable memories from past guests - Sir Michael Palin, Anya Hindmarch, Lyn Hughes, Sir Richard Branson, The Hairy Bikers, Amar Latif, and Jacqui Gifford - each sharing the moments that made Morocco magical for them: the colours of Marrakech, the silence of the Sahara, the scent of a tagine in the Atlas Mountains. Together, their voices weave a vivid tapestry of this extraordinary land.And it's no wonder UK visitor numbers are soaring. Morocco is that rare combination - just a short flight away, yet a complete change of pace: immersive, sensory, unforgettable.Then, in the second half, I'm joined by travel writer and Morocco expert Paula Hardy, who splits her time between the UK and Morocco. With over 15 years of experience, she takes us beyond the usual hotspots, from the Mediterranean feel of Tangier and Tetouan, to desert oases near Skoura, coastal towns like Asilah, and hidden Berber mountain villages. We dive into Morocco's traditions - crafts, cuisine and culture - and its exciting evolution, with high-speed trains, striking new architecture, and preparations for the 2030 World Cup.Whether you've visited before or it's been on your bucket list for years, this episode will open your eyes to a Morocco you may not yet know, and remind you why so many travellers return again and again.Destination Recap: Northern Morocco - Sir Michael Palin on why Morocco is his all-time favourite journeyMarrakech – Designer Anya Hindmarch and Wanderlust editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes on the city of artisans, colour and contrastsAtlas Mountains - Sir Richard Branson, The Hairy Bikers, and blind adventurer Amar Latif on Berber villages, snow-topped peaks and mountain escapesOuarzazate (the “door to the desert”) - Travel & Leisure Editor Jacqui Gifford on this cinematic frontier townPaula's Destination Recap:Tangier Villa Mabrouka, TangierAsilahTetouan Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay Dar Ambrosia, Asilah Mimi Calpe, TangierM'HamidErfoud Iriki Taroudant Dar Ahlam, OuarzazateSkouraMarrakechOualidia Riad Mina, Marrakech Berber Lodge, Marrakech Riad L'Atelier, MarrakechRosemary, Marrakech Tribalista, Marrakech The Memory RoadThanks so much for listening today. I'll be back with some fabulous Christmas specials in December. In the meantime, come and follow me on Instagram, I'm @hollyrubenstein, and you'll also find me on TikTok - I'd love to hear from you. Remember there's the first 15 seasons to catch up on, that's over 160 episodes to keep you busy. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Je vous raconte mes aventures en Algérie et mes dernières lectures !Les articles :"I knew in my head we were dying: the last voyage of the Scandies Rose" (The Guardian)"It's dead around here (Texas Highway)Pour envoyer une histoire ou un vocal, allez sur le site du Love GangAbonnez-vous à la newsletter du Love Gang : tous les mois, un podcast de récap culturel (livres, films, articles...) et un texte sur l'amour ! C'est 5 euros et un super moyen de me soutenir.La musique est de Timothy Infinite, remixée par Nahaa. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

A former Hollywood screenwriter with a sharp eye for aesthetics, Sahara Lotti turned her storytelling instincts into design innovation. Frustrated by salon lash extensions that were costly, damaging, and time-consuming, she set out to invent something better—and did. In 2016, she founded Lashify, launching the Fuse Control® Wand and Gossamer® lashes, designed to be applied beneath the lash line with her patented Underlash™ technique. What began as a personal solution has grown into a worldwide movement embraced by makeup artists, celebrities, and everyday consumers alike. Today, Lashify holds over 750+ patents and 1,000 trademarks worldwide—proving that independent innovation can stand up to an industry dominated by conglomerates. Through relentless IP defense, Lotti has become one of the few female founders to set legal precedent for protecting creative work. Independent, inventive, and unfiltered, she's built Lashify not just as a beauty brand but as a statement of ownership, vision, and freedom.In this episode, Sahara also discusses:Harnessing obsession as a driving force for successHow Lashify is transforming lives, from renewed confidence to weight lossExposing IP theft and the dark side of the beauty industryLeading global innovation in lash technologyThe brand's unexpected mission: a fierce love for dogsRevolutionizing lashes and the future of beautyWe hope you enjoy this episode and gain valuable insights into Sahara's journey and the growth of Lashify. Don't forget to subscribe to the Glam & Grow podcast for more in-depth conversations with the most incredible brands, founders, and more.Be sure to check out Lashify at www.lashify.com and on Instagram at @lashifyRated #1 Best Beauty Business Podcast on FeedPostThis episode is brought to you by WavebreakLeading direct-to-consumer brands hire Wavebreak to turn email marketing into a top revenue driver.Most eCommerce brands don't email right... and it costs them. At Wavebreak, our eCommerce email marketing agency helps qualified brands recapture 7+ figures of lost revenue each year.From abandoned cart emails to Black Friday campaigns, our best-in-class team manage the entire process: strategy, design, copywriting, coding, and testing. All aimed at driving growth, profit, brand recognition, and most importantly, ROI.Curious if Wavebreak is right for you? Reach out at Wavebreak.co

Black History Month Special (Part 2) AI - The Truth Exposed! The Black Spy Podcast 216, Season 22, Episode 0007   This week, host Carlton King continues his headfirst dive into the meaning of Black History Month — asking seemingly none provocative questions of Chat GPT such as Why do you and other LLM continue to use terms such as the Middle East” and why does this matter? Carlton argues that while race is a biological nonsense, it remains a powerful political reality shaping lives, identity, and history itself. To illustrate this, Carlton explores the true financial and political objectives and consequences of the British Empire, including how Britain came to rule world finances. Carlton also uncovers how AI is finally challenging a racist, euro-centric manipulation of history with true and evidenced fact, yet strangely Carlton notes that these answers are not provided questionaries in the first instance and he wants to establish why?. Carlton examines who decides who's “Black” and who's “White,” and how these definitions have been weaponised throughout history to dumb down Africa and it's diaspora's real historical legacy. Once again we hope you enjoy this week's episode and learn from it. So, please don't forget to subscribe to the Black Spy Podcast for free, so you never miss another fascinating episode.

Peter bringt wieder einige News mit, unter anderem die offiziell „neue“ Erkenntnis, dass die Douglasie hierzulande nicht gut wächst. Außerdem spricht er über Chinas neue Position zum Klimawandel und die Gründung eines Thinktanks für ökologisches Wirtschaften, dem Econics Institute, bei dem Peter mitwirkt. Die erste Studie daraus zeigt auf einer virtuellen Karte, wie intakt Naturlandschaften in Deutschland sind.+++Alle Rabattcodes und Infos zu unseren Werbepartnern findet ihr hier: https://linktr.ee/peterundderwald+++Report und Landkarte zum "Grün-Feucht-Kühl-Index" (Econics Institute): https://econics.institute/gruen-feucht-kuehl-index/+++Habt ihr Fragen oder Anmerkungen zu den Themen? Schreibt uns gerne eine E-Mail an podcast@wohllebens-waldakademie.de+++Wenn ihr mehr über den Wald und seine Wunder erfahren wollt, findet ihr in Wohllebens Waldakademie spannende Veranstaltungen & Fortbildungen: www.wohllebens-waldakademie.de +++Unsere allgemeinen Datenschutzrichtlinien finden Sie unter https://datenschutz.ad-alliance.de/podcast.html+++ Wir verarbeiten im Zusammenhang mit dem Angebot unserer Podcasts Daten. Wenn Sie der automatischen Übermittlung der Daten widersprechen wollen, klicken Sie hier: https://datenschutz.ad-alliance.de/podcast.htmlUnsere allgemeinen Datenschutzrichtlinien finden Sie unter https://art19.com/privacy. Die Datenschutzrichtlinien für Kalifornien sind unter https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info abrufbar.

Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 16 Too Many Hot Asses On Campus In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.             If you make one person happy, you save the World. Make a million people happy and you become a politician        "Wait," Vivian waved her hands sideways, "Zane is really sleeping with a bunch of women? I thought that was an exaggeration." "Did I come at a bad time?" Barbie Lynn spoke up. She was holding a suitcase and a carry-on bag. Behind her was Millicent with one suitcase and Raven with a dress bag. I was reminded that Barbie Lynn would be moving back into the dorm as dorm mother in the morning, but she was currently between places and clearly expected to spend the night here, in my room, with me. "Come on in," I offered Barbie Lynn as I crossed over to get her bag. Vivian stepped up and put a hand on my arm to stop me. "Barbie Lynn will not be staying in your room tonight!" Vivian laid down the law. "Vivian, you always ranked higher than me in the club hierarchy and I have a bad knee, but if you have a problem with me, face me, not Zane," Barbie Lynn growled. "Don't worry, Babe," I soothed Barbie, "I'm working on a solution right now." "Zane, slap this skank" (referring to Vivian), Rio snarled. "She put her hand on you so defend yourself all over her punk ass." "Vivian is only doing her job," I addressed Rio. "I'm not going to hold that against her." "Zane, is this another one?" Raven inquired about Vivian's sexual status with me. "No. She's my official guardian, and as soon as I kick her ass, she's going to sleep on one of the main room's sofas for a month," I explained. "No, when I win, I will exclude everyone from this floor except you, me and the dorm mother," Vivian countered. Valerie came bolting into the room with the clothes, Opal, and Cappadocia. "I will go change into shorts outside. Vivian, you change here. Coach, can you referee the match?" I tried to bring some order to the chaos. Vivian ground her teeth but took the clothes and started to strip before I got my own clothes. "Zane, stay on - change in the corner. There are too many freshmen girls out there," Vivian conceded. "You two should decide if you want to stick to Zane's bedroom or cover the entire floor," Dana stated. "I leave that to Vivian," I allowed. Vivian chose the full floor and Dana decided that things would remain cluttered, the students would remain on the floor as obstacles to fight around, believing we were good enough to not smack a civilian. "Good job, Vivian," Dana congratulated her senior student. "Use the terrain to counter his reach advantage. "Any advice for me?" I asked. "Yes. Don't get that pretty face beaten up," she smiled snidely at me. "That will teach Zane to take your side on anything," Rio sneered. "I'm not on your faction's side, Rio," Dana confirmed, "but it doesn't mean Zane and I aren't friends." "I'm fine," I assured Rio. "Tell us when, Coach." Dana looked Vivian and I over. "Go!" she snapped. Vivian caught me off guard by running away but I quickly gave chase. She compounded the situation by scrambling across a pool table in play then kicking at me when I came around the side. She followed up on that advantage with a series of punches that drove me over the back of a chair. Girls were screaming, squealing, and running all around us. She advanced around the chair so I bolted over the closest sofa. Now Vivian pursued. She launched a flying kick over the sofa. I folded under it and was a millisecond faster on the recovery. My punch hit her in the ribs and pushed her back. A flurry of blows rained down on me. I tried to drive her back but Vivian's technique was too close to perfect for me to beat through. Vivian switched up with a series of swift front kicks to buy some room, then started maneuvering again. "She's a righty," Valerie told me. That meant she was right-handed, thus she made most of her attacks and blocks from the right, covering the left instinctively. Since the right was not significantly stronger in most athletes, you could wear down an opponent by concentrating your attacks on the over-extended right, or so the theory went. Even then, it took two minutes to catch her calf with a kick and put her down. She rolled out of my attempted hold but ended up on her ass, back to a chair. "Five-minute break," I offered. Vivian blinked but took the hand I offered to help her stand up. "Drink," I motioned to the juice dispenser. She looked at me funny, then went to get one. "Be careful, Vivian; he's trying to get inside your head, convince you he's not such a bad guy," Dana counseled her female student. "No kind words for me?" I joked. "I already know you are a good guy, Zane. The only reason you cut Vivian some slack was that you would rather have her friendship than the win, which is far more dangerous to Vivian," Dana winked at me. I took a Grapefruit juice while Vivian drank some Gatorade, both with our backs to the sink. I caught her stealing some looks my way. "Next time I'll pin you," she told me while looking away. "We both have to be thinking that or we wouldn't be fighting," I responded. "The difference is that I am right," she said as we made eye to eye contact. "FFU doesn't teach you to be second best," I nodded, which brought a smile to her face. "Thirty seconds," Iona warned us. We picked spots ten feet apart and were ready when Dana gave the word. Since my previous strategy had relied on attrition, Vivian went for a quick, lightning series of attacks. She rebounded off sofas, tables, and chairs as she drove me about the room. At a crucial moment she drove her foot into my thigh above the knee and sent me sprawling into a crowd of observers. As Vivian closed in for the kill, I spilled a startled freshman into her. By the time she disentangled herself from my distraction, I was on my feet. Her glare told me she didn't approve of my move. We crashed together; she leveraged me over and threw me onto a sofa. We grappled and rolled off the sofa and onto the floor. Vivian rammed an elbow into my throat but I wedged a knee under her hips and propelled her over my head. "You've done a good job, Coach Gorman," Valerie lauded Dana on Vivian's performance. "She's either three or four on the team," Dana informed the group. "It is her or Evangeline fighting for third, with Cappadocia and Wilhelmina being second and first." "You have some weird damn names at this school," Valerie commented. "This from an outlaw biker chick with the handle of Valkyrie?" Dana teased. "Of course, I'm also still trying to figure out how a guy who is knocking boots with Barbie Lynn Masters is giving the time of day to Paige here." "Hey!" Paige squawked. "Zane thinks I am very good at sex, I'll have you know." "Trouble," Barbie Lynn moaned. Vivian had faked me out and put a foot into my stomach that sent me cartwheeling. Me, I'd have kicked me in the calves and thighs to weaken me up but Vivian went for a stomp to my diaphragm. I rolled away, then kicked out. This is where my greater reach came into play; Vivian couldn't fall back fast enough and I put my heel into her hip. I was up a hair before Vivian could make a counterstrike. I rolled her thrust under my arm, caught the limb and rolled the two of us onto the ground. She placed a hand underneath her and tried to shake free of me. I locked her arm, twisted, and leaned into her body. "Do you give?" I asked softly. I had her pinned and I doubted anyone here besides Dana could have escaped. "No," she hissed. I could sense people gathering around. "Time for another five-minute break?" I inquired a little louder. Vivian gave one last surge of resistance, then relaxed. "Fine," she grumbled, "five minutes." I rolled off and offered her a hand. Vivian ignored it, choosing to get on all fours, then stand. She was about to walk way when she turned and extended her hand to me. She shook and headed back to the closest bar. "Zane?" at least five different girls asked me at once. I wasn't sure why I'd let Vivian up either. "Dude, if you lose this, I am personally going to use my strap-on on your ass," Rio growled. "I'm going to go home and start researching the most painful applications of acupuncture possible," Paige enlightened us all. "I'll take care of your hurts," Barbie Lynn sympathized. "You are such a slut," growled Rio. "No," Opal interceded. "I think that Brandi, Barbie Lynn and I are going to be taking comfort with Zane when the rest of you bimbos have lost faith in him, leaving him lost and forlorn." "How many of you am I going to have to fight off?" Vivian sounded worried. It was beautiful music to my ears, not to be blamed for once. "There is me," Iona chirped, "and wait until Heaven shows up. Forty-eight hours without her Zane-fix and she's going to look forward to dismembering someone," she added with a pleasant sincerity. Vivian looked to me skeptically. "It is entirely my fault," I confessed with upraised hands, "I should learn to say 'no' from time to time. I keep leading these fine young ladies on." "Do you see why you need to win now?" Dana asked Vivian, who looked uncertain. "You are Zane's only hope of surviving the school year. You are a lifesaver." "Oh, okay; let's get back to it then," Vivian sighed. I rolled my shoulders and followed. The second Dana gave us the nod, we attacked one another. I had hoped to catch Vivian off-guard and clearly Vivian thought the same thing. In close, Vivian had the advantage. She got several blows into my right side and I never fully recovered. Vivian got a foot behind my left leg and tumbled me down as I grabbed her shirt. Her shirt tore, we rolled, first her on top, then me before we broke up. I jabbed, she tumbled back and regained her feet, I backed up and did the same. Vivian tossed her ruined shirt aside and readied herself. Maybe a half dozen people in the room followed the next exchange of blocks and blows, Vivian hammering away at my right while I clipped her left shoulder and stomach. I saw an opening, tried to flip her but she pulled me down and ended up on top. She cocked back her fist to strike with her right while pinning my shoulder with her left. I had a hand poised at her armpit and the other half-raised to block. Vivian realized she was about to clock me in the head hard; my block wouldn't be fast enough. Something passed between us at that moment. I hooked her under the arm, flipped us over, and landed on top. Vivian twisted her arms but I twisted my block into a wrist hold and pinned the other when she attempted to break the hold. For that second, I had her pressed to the ground, our breasts heaving from the exertion. "Okay," she said softly. I immediately let go of her wrists and got off of her in all haste. I offered to help her up and this time she took it without hesitation. We stood there, clasped hands held at her chest level, facing and studying the other's features. The cheering broke out the moment the freshmen student body realized the fight was finally over and that I had somehow come out on top. I tilted my head slightly because I really had to know why she let me win but I never got the words out. "I really don't know," Vivian whispered. My well-wishers pulled us apart and I was getting slapped on the back and kissed. I noted that Dana, Barbie Lynn, Valerie, and Mercy stood around Vivian. Valerie must have seen what really happened and wanted to know why. Mercy had probably been reminded of whose side she theoretically belonged to. Barbie Lynn would be Dorm Mother again, making Vivian her charge, and Dana was her instructor after, which explained everyone's presence. "So, can we have our own little celebration?" Paige requested, her pale eyes burning bright. "I have a church meeting in an hour," I frowned. Rio and Iona were in the room with us but were close to the screen entrance, giving Paige and I some space. "We could sneak something in," Paige winked hopefully. "You are many things to me, Paige, but you are not someone I want to leave after only a quickie," I looked down at Paige as I wrapped my arms around her. She pouted but clearly wasn't too angry with my decision. Outside her odd fascination with me, Paige was a clever, logical girl. "I believe Heaven is going to be all over you this evening," Paige sighed. "Friday is for your Aunt Jill and Saturday is the Block Party, so what are my chances for Thursday or Sunday?" "I was hoping to make Thursday night a sleep-over sort of thing and I'd like it if you were here," I asked. "I really don't want to commit my Sunday until I'm sure Heaven is okay. You have to admit she's had a really lousy week." "I don't have to admit anything, Zane, but I make allowances because you mean well," Paige smiled. "I chose to accept that your loyalty to Heaven is a mirror of the loyalty you show me." "It has nothing to do with bouncy, bouncy, bouncy?" I teased. "No," Paige wiggled tightly against me. "That would be an irrational decision based on memories of deep sexual pleasure and I'd never confess to that." I felt her place a gentle kiss on my chest. I answered with a kiss to the top of her head. "Now scoot," I commanded. "You are far too distracting and I do have to get going." Paige rubbed her body against me as she moved past to the entrance; Iona and Rio came my way as I got dressed. "I should have Mercy tied down, gagged, and blindfolded by the time you get back," Rio grinned. That was her way of asking my permission to use my room without actually asking. "I'll make sure Vivian is set up before you get back," Iona informed me with upbeat energy. "Iona, since I hate Mercy Chaplain, why don't you spend the weekend with me?" I asked. The implication was that Rio would be tearing Mercy up all weekend long. "I'd love to," Iona hugged me. "Sleep in his bed," Rio chuckled. "I plan to," Iona boasted. "Lose your virginity," Rio teased. "No," Iona gave Rio a raspberry. "Zane loves me the way I am." "Are we going to cuddle?" I smiled warmly down at her. "Damn Skippy!" she chirped. "I'll even sleep in the nude because I trust you so much." "Busted!" Rio laughed at me. I groaned, finished getting dressed, and made my own way out. Before I could make my escape from the main area, Vivian flagged me down. "Vivian, I'm going to, I started to say. She lifted up her phone in response. "Your schedule is online," Vivian pointed out. "What I was wondering was why you are still using the fifth floor showers when you have showers in the Solarium now?" "Wow, are you offering to shower with me?" I faux-gasped. "That didn't take you long." "No!!" Vivian glared with some exasperation. "I'm trying to limit your contact with naked women." No one within earshot was rude enough to laugh out loud. "I could say something like 'shower with me and I'll respect your virginity,' but I'll respect your virginity no matter what," I gazed upon Vivian. "I do formally request that you allow me to continue to shower on the fifth floor. I hope you don't disregard my request out of hand." Vivian levelly met my gaze, then nodded. "I'll think about it," she allowed. "Holy Smokes," Brandi whispered from nearby, "he's broken down the wall." Vivian flinched. "No," Opal whispered back, "but she's no longer ready to castrate him in the next fifteen seconds either." That observation made Vivian crack a glimmer of a grin. I took it as my cue to run for it. Rochelle Wellington and University depravity, sort of. Once they got over me 'borrowing' certain gear from some of the male committee rooms, the Festivities Committee fell in line with Rochelle Wellington's agenda. I sat back as normal while they hashed out how best to use the new imagery that I'd provided courtesy of the girls at FFU. At this, my second meeting, I chose to sit behind Sahara Penny, Pastor Bill's wife. I learned she was Lebanese Christian and she'd married William Penny when he was in the US Navy, before he became a priest. There were a ton of things left unsaid about her opinion of his ministry and I got the definite opinion that Bill had left his last post because everyone thought Sahara had an indiscretion with a young male parishioner. My guess was that if a young male parishioner was involved, the cheater was that bastard Bill. As an added insult, Sahara's name wasn't even Sahara; that was the name Bill had listed on their marriage certificate because he found her Lebanese name difficult to pronounce. Her minority background, coupled with her husband, the pastor, letting everyone think she was a cheating whore, made Sahara the pariah of this little community. Because I had absolutely nothing going on in my life, I had to avenge Sahara. Being dumber than a box of rocks certainly didn't hurt my determination. By the end of the session I had managed to accomplish four things. I'd helped Sahara feel better about herself and know she had a friend in me. If you have ever felt alone and isolated in the world you know how good that can feel. I had confused Mrs. Bainbridge as to my actual intentions; she thought I was cozying up to Sahara instead of Rochelle. The committee was mildly impressed that I had both shown back up and had appeared to bust my hump in contributing to their efforts at what their menfolk thought was a joke. Most importantly to me, I had gotten a few covert smiles from Rochelle Wellington for both my help to the other members and to my efforts with Sahara. As wife of the mayor, she wasn't supposed to make waves, which included things like befriending someone the men had designated to be on the 'Shunned' list. I was forgiven for my transgression because I clearly didn't give a fuck about what any of them cared. When the meeting broke up Kendra Bainbridge, Sahara, Rochelle and I were quickly the last ones left. I hovered close to Sahara as we made our way to the door. "Zane, you need to return this equipment to the proper room," Rochelle reminded me. "Sahara, why don't we walk to our cars together?" Kendra suggested sweetly. This was the most I had heard Kendra address Sahara in the short time I had known them. It was clearly also her attempt of a cock-block on Sahara and I, which was a fortunate misread on the situation between myself and the Pastor's wife. "That would be nice, Kendra," Sahara replied. She reached out and stroked my elbow. "Thank you, Zane," she added with a smile. Kendra departed, smug in her victory, leaving Rochelle and I alone. "I'll get this equipment put away and be right back," I told Rochelle. "Could you make sure all the new files are backed up to my account?" "Of course, Zane," she smiled warmly, and set to work. I raced to get things squared away and hurried back. She remained at the table completing her work, coat off, when I moved in behind her. "Are we still friends?" I asked softly as I leaned in next to her ear. "Of course," she turned her head so our gazes were only inches apart. I made to kiss her on the lips; she recoiled so I waited. I wasn't afraid I'd spooked her; she wanted passion and the sense of freedom that came for embracing a choice all her own. The fear drained away and she completed our encounter. She was tentative at first and I mostly let her take the lead for the first two minutes until she became more confident. When the time was right I turned her in the chair and pulled her up by each hand. My hands went to her neck while hers settled on my hips. "We have our boundaries?" Rochelle questioned me. "Absolutely," I confirmed. "Your neck," I kissed her neck, "ear," I kissed her ear, "and cheek are all on my side of the boundaries." I had gotten as far as fondling the breasts last time around but I had time to coax her that way and was in no hurry. "Where are your boundaries?" I inquired of Rochelle as I lowered my hands around her hips. "I definitely think we should keep the boundaries at the waistline," she suggested. "So you want my waistline, but was that up or down?" I smiled. "What?" she blushed. "Do you want to keep your hands above my waist, say to the stomach and chest, or you could go down below the belt?" I teased. "Just kidding," I let her off the hook. Instead, I moved my lips to her face and came to a stop there. "We shouldn't be doing this," Rochelle sighed. "Okay," I was disappointed, "but you will have to tell me to let go of you first." "That isn't fair," she moaned, as she pressed her body against me and rested her forehead on my shoulder. I doubted it helped her resistance when her stomach pressed against my highly aroused cock. "Zane," Rochelle choked out, "I've been a good wife for thirty years. I'm a pillar of the community and a loyal member of this congregation. What am I doing with a man younger than my youngest baby?" "Rochelle, I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do, but I'm not going to lie about wanting you." "I don't think you are running away from your husband and family; I think they have moved on without you, despite all you've done to make them a part of your life. If you end up alone three or more times a week, give us a shot; if not, you are doing okay and should stay where you are," I advised. "I don't want to lose you," Rochelle worried. "You are not going to lose me, Rochelle. You are beautiful and that is not going to change; even if you are unattainable and I have to watch you from afar," I soothed her. She seemed to swell up with happiness in my arms. "That isn't fair one bit," she moaned. "Fine. I don't find you attractive; I am going to forget you the moment I walk out this door and I'll never look at you again," I taunted her. "Happy? You are off the hook." "Maybe if you were a better liar," Rochelle looked up at me smiling, "Remember that I am married to a politician." "Oh, then tell me if I'm lying: I want to pick you up, press you onto this table and make love to you until you scream with pleasure," I challenged. "What about our boundaries?" she panted. "I'm trying really, really hard to honor them but you aren't making it easy," I confided in her. Rochelle decided to change tacks. She backed away and leaned against the table, facing me, with her arms supporting her upper body as she reclined. "We shouldn't do this," she told me, but even as she shook her head, she smiled and bit her lower lip provocatively. I pursued her, Rochelle spreading her legs to allow my body to better press down on her. I kissed her fervently several times before she spoke. "Stop," she whispered. "I can't." I began working open the buttons on her blouse. Rochelle rolled her head back so that my lips and tongue played along her throat. "Ah, Zane, you should stop that," she exhaled as she gently held one hand to the back of my head as I kissed her breasts through her bra. "There are three hooks," she added as I started slipping her bra off. She pushed away from the table so I could slip her shirt and bra down. Since I had her off the table temporarily, I elected to unzip her skirt from the side and drop that and her slip to the carpet. She was looking horribly vulnerable being so nearly naked, down to white panties, thigh high white stockings, and black shoes. Sure, she was plump in the middle and her rich, swelling breasts sagged, but they were gorgeous to hold and behold. I more than evened the playing field, stripping completely naked. Rochelle moaned when she saw me exposed and she trembled with lust. I was sure she thought about running away or running at me, but she chose something in between. Rochelle reached forward and tenderly grabbed my cock in one hand. "Oh, my," she gasped. I moved closer, brushed her hair aside and put my hand to the back of her head. I brought her into yet another kiss, this one longer and more passionate than the rest. "I am going to move one step at a time," I told her softly, our faces barely an inch apart, "but I am going to take you tonight." Rochelle's first nod was timid, but they became very enthusiastic. I rested my hands on the lush flesh just below the hips and lifted her halfway onto the table. "I think I'm violating your boundaries," I grinned wickedly. First her eyes flared, she looked surprised, and finally she let her giggle turn into a laugh. She gave my cock a delicious twist. "I think we are way beyond that," she panted happily. I pressed into her, bobbing in for a kiss, withdrawing for her smile, and going in again. It took over a minute for Rochelle eventually to feel comfortable and self-assured enough to kiss me on the neck. I thrust my pelvis into her as a response. That appeared to be what it took for Rochelle's emotional dam to burst. She wrapped her stocking clad calves around each thigh and began kissing my shoulder and chest with hungry little pecks. "Zane," she panted as she yanked on my cock, "I haven't had sexual intercourse in twenty years." My first thought was 'Crap, someone else trying to squeeze my cock off,' but I realized that was unfair, plus she had delivered five children. "Rochelle, can I be crass and crude with you?" I said softly. That clearly wasn't what she expected to hear; still she consented. "Rochelle, I know it has been a long time since you've had sex, and it has probably been very vanilla. Have you ever had sex bent over a table?" I wondered. "No," she blushed. "I've only had sex on a bed, on my back. Isn't that normal?" "Um, okay. I'm going to fuck you, Rochelle; I am going to nail you, make you scream and cry and beat your fists in ecstasy," I threatened her. "How does that make you feel?" "I, she gulped, "that scares me but, nothing was said for several seconds. "Damn it," I hissed, "your body is tormenting me." Rochelle gasped and trembled once more. I dove into her left breast and bit down. She pulsed against me; then I started pressing her down on the table. Removing her panties was remarkably easy after that. I let my cock, still in her hand, rub against her slit. When her labia parted her fluids quickly coated the tip. I moved it up and down while we kissed, and I mean kissed. Rochelle kept stroking my cheek and hairline. I began pulling and teasing her nipples. A moment later I hooked her legs up until she instinctively wrapped around my waist. When I was rubbing my member along her cunt lips we kissed. When I feasted on her nipples she moaned like a slut and arched her back to entice me further. "Put it in me," she begged, overwhelmed with desire, "Put it in me now, please." "Whatever you want," I whispered in her ear. Using both our hands (I got the feeling she wasn't sure what she was doing) I wedged my cockhead in between her labia and pushed. Rochelle was snug, not tight, and certainly wasn't trying to tear the skin off my cock going in. For her part, my partner was going off beneath me chanting 'yes, yes, yes' and rubbing her body against mine. By the way she was sparking against me, I knew she was close to orgasm. "Ugh, ugh, ugh," Rochelle squirmed, "Oh, God! Yes!" she exulted beneath my body. She thrust rhythmically multiple times before gracefully resting against the wooden surface. "Oh, my God," she gasped. "I've never had an orgasm that intense before, or had it happen so fast." "That was all you, Elle," I grinned. "You have built up a great deal of sexual energy over the years and I had better be careful with you or you'll tear me up." "Oh, wait, that is a good thing, isn't it?" she asked from deep within her heaving bosom. "What did I tell you? The bodies of true women are dynamite and need to be handled with care. My main concern is that I can satisfy you," I confided in her. She had no initial words in response, instead relying on an intense stare. "Elle?" she panted. "No one has called me Elle since my father died." "Would you prefer I call you something else?" I replied. "No. It was a surprise, that's all," she told me. I pushed a little farther into Rochelle as she finished speaking. "Oh," she murmured. I let Rochelle's legs fall to the side as I gently coasted in and out of her. I gave her a few minutes of tender sex before pulling out and kneeling between her legs. "What?" she started to mumble before my lips settled onto her cunt and my tongue rolled through her folds. "Oh, wow," she moaned. Her clitoris was already evident so after a few generous strokes of the tongue, I tilted up and encased her clit in my lips and sucked. Rochelle bucked her hips in reaction and started up a deeply passionate groan. To add to life's injustices, I was sure no one had ever gone down on Rochelle's love box before. Despite having already cum once, Rochelle climaxed again inside five minutes. "Oh, God!" was her guttural gasp. Her body jerked, trembled, and stiffened before going still once more. I licked my way up her body, teasing both sides of her belly button, slobbering over her right breast, and ending up driving my tongue into a muscular dance with hers. Kappa Sigma "Umm, is that what I taste like?" she panted, with thankfully a good deal of pleasure. "Now you know one of the reasons I'll be coming back for more," I teased. "One; what is the other one?" she grinned wearily. "No, you don't," I responded with a kiss to her nose. "You don't get to have that kind of fantastic reaction to me then act like it was nothing." "Oh, don't say that," Rochelle scolded me, "I know I'm not very good." "Are you dumping me?" I asked. "No," she exclaimed anxiously, and clutched me with her hands on my upper arms and thighs pressing on my hips. "Why are you acting as if I didn't enjoy myself?" I questioned. "You climaxed twice and guys love that kind of thing. My only problem is that we can't keep giving you the screwing you so richly deserve. If we are missing much longer, they are going to send out search parties." Rochelle continued to hold me tight but had calmed down a lot. It did take me a moment to figure out that I needed to carry the conversation. "How soon can we get together again?" I asked softly, which was precisely what she wanted to hear. "Maybe we shouldn't," she hesitated, but from my experience she was playing with me. "I know I've pushed this, Elle, but you are worth every effort. I see a sensual, mature woman abandoned by some guy who clearly didn't appreciate her finer qualities," I pledged. "Zane, the risks are so great," she worried intently. "We could really suffer over this, affair." "Fine," I sat up, "I'll give you up for your sake but you have to promise to do one thing for me." "What is it?" she hesitantly inquired. "How many young women have been in your husband's office less than five years?" I opened with. "Two," she recalled somewhat confused. "The one with the most seniority; tomorrow I want you to go into her office and tell her you know about her liaisons with your husband, her boss, the Mayor," I advised her. "Don't act angry. Instead, act comfortable with the news and put her at ease. She'll be glad to confide in someone, trust me." "What if she hasn't had an affair and goes to my husband with this accusation?" Rochelle bit her lip in concern. "Rochelle, you have a seriously hot body and incredible sexual energy. Since your husband hasn't been neutered that I'm aware of, he's been getting sex somewhere else. I haven't heard of a thriving sex industry in town so for discretion's sake, he is having sex with women he has power over; namely, employees," I explained. "How did you come up with all of that?" she marveled. "Elle, there is nothing greater in all of God's Creation than women, body and soul. I notice things that most people miss and appreciate qualities most ignore," I enlightened her. "You have a smoking body but if you weren't such a wonderful woman, I wouldn't be here." "Ah, you make me feel ten years younger," she sighed before kissing me on the nipple and chest. "Crap," I bitched. "That means I only have two more encounters with you before you become jail bait." That assessment made her laugh joyously. "I've lost my mind and I don't know why," she breathed in a terribly sexy way, hardly upset at all. "We are leaving now," I declared, "Because you are so sexy right this instant, if I stay, I'm going to hammer you so hard we are going to break this table. I'm not sure how we can explain that." "Does the 'hammer me through the table' line work on younger women?" Rochelle teased. "Do you want me to go grab a younger woman and find out?" I zinged back. "No!" she insisted. "I am sure we are not exclusive but I'm sure I don't want to share you with anyone I don't have to. I think we should get together again but I'll have to contact you." "Use Felicity's phone and have her call Rio," I directed. "She'll get a message to me." "Are you going to, seduce Felicity too?" Rochelle inquired warily. "Nope, that has never been my intention," I answered. I wasn't sure how to explain to Rochelle that the real worry was Rio kidnapping Felicity for a Lost Weekend of Sapphic splendor. A discussion about homosexuality and my acceptance of it wasn't in the cards for tonight. "I want her and Lance to have a shot at happiness," Rochelle said. "I want Felicity to be happy as well," I evaded. If she noticed my failure to mention her youngest son, she was good enough not to press the matter. We kissed before we walked out the door and left; she went home and I headed home to have dinner with Jill. We had hot dogs and green beans; Jill had a hard three days at work and she wasn't a diligent cook to begin with. My Shirt is not my Friend Before heading back to campus I stopped by the Kappa Sigma House. I got some rather comfortable attention from the ladies, which was a bit bizarre when it was tag-team action from two sisters I'm pretty sure are lesbians. I stopped by to see Tawny for a minute to talk to her about the block party I might still have an invitation too. I ended up spending a few minutes of alone time with Leigh (okay, Paris is on her bed pretending to study but it isn't a tiny room). "I know you need to go home soon," Leigh lured me in with a sympathetic voice. I let her come into my arms and while I was aware she was about to shift me I was still taken aback by her enthusiasm. I landed back-first on her bed and she ended up straddling my crotch with her legs folded underneath her. "Let me help you with your shirt," she grinned evilly. I wasn't aware my shirt was in the way or that I wanted it off but what the hell. I started to unbutton my shirt but she slapped my hands away. Instead, she pulled my shirt out of my pants and yanked it up and up until the top was over my head. Once she had it over my face and my arms pinned, she stopped and snickered. "What the, oh, come on, Leigh," I complained. "You like to be tied up, admit it," she teased me. "Is your webcam on?" I countered. "If I say yes will you be even more turned on?" she wiggled on my aroused crotch. "Somebody says you will." Leigh scooted down my body, then placed her tongue on my nipple and blew a cool breath on it. The arousal was agony. Things didn't get better when she set her lips to the other nipple. "That's it, Zane," Leigh moaned, "so fucking big and hard." She was rubbing her breasts and stomach along my rod, making me wish we were naked once more. Leigh was taking sadistic joy in working my nipples over too. It was so good that I was momentarily confused when she took in both of my nipples at once (honest, I don't have man-boobs). I had a second tormentor. "Hey, Paris," I gasped. "Zane, you are so sweet. I am going have to make use of your trellis Friday night because I can't sleep right remembering how you tongued and cocked me over at the party," Paris sighed happily. "Here, let me help you breathe." Paris helped move my shirt from over my chin and lips, which did help me take a deep breath, but in the intake, a nipple and a bit of breast were inserted past my lips. Paris was a 34B but could easily fit a C, and dining on her firm and vibrant flesh was no hardship for me. I figured that I could take two women at one time; I'd done it before. The third presence was perturbing but now both my nipples were covered. It was when a slick cold substance was placed upon my belly that I started to protest. I had the knowledge that there were four women over me when a newcomer initiated some licks, rubbing her flat tongue over me from sternum to belly button. "Oh, wow," she said, it is Ricky Frasier, another sister. "You have to try this." "Sure," yet another god-damn sorority sister chimed in. "Let's cover his cock in it and see how that tastes." That's it! I'm changing my damn aftershave because clearly it is too fucking much for these girls. "Won't the honey get stuck in his pubic hair?" Jersey, my latest jailor, inquired. "No. Zane shaves down there," Leigh chortled. "It makes the blowjobs that much nicer." "Cool," Ricky giggled. "Let's get his pants down and judge how much better he tastes." Screw it; I'm getting Swat on speed-dial, some flash-bang grenades, and a stun gun so I can fight my way out of these situations. All being nice has gotten me is the classification of hors d'oeuvre. "Enough, sisters," Tawny's voice called out before they could get my pants unbuckled. "Zane is our friend; he needs to get back to his dorm before he's missed and I don't think the other chapters will look kindly upon us sampling the prize before the end of the semester awards him to us," she chastised the ladies. "Let him up and say good night." Thankfully, coming from Tawny made that a command and not a mere suggestion. I got a series of 'sorry, Zane' and 'goodnight, Zane' comments as they pulled my shirt down and let me stand up. Ricky waggled a squeeze jar of honey at me suggestively. "Ricky, don't you have a boyfriend?" I noted. "I won't tell him if you won't," she grinned. "Webcam," I thumbed over to Leigh's computer. "Why don't you give him a call right now and tell him you've been experimenting with some tricks for this weekend," I suggested as a way out. She ran up and hugged me, then put her lips to my ear. "We really should keep you here," she whispered. A simple 'thank you' would have sufficed. I managed to make it out of the house escorted by Tawny and trailed by Leigh. As I opened my car door and tried to get in, Leigh cuddled up to me, looking all sweet, honest, and innocent. "Zane, I want you to pound me this weekend like you are laying down posts on a hundred acre farm," she purred. Tawny rolled her eyes in exasperation, Leigh looked hopeful, and I was suddenly contemplating cock-reduction surgery. "I wish I could, Leigh, but Friday I'm embracing Tibetan Buddhism, shaving my head, and moving to Nepal to live a life of celibate monasticism," I informed her. "Zane," Leigh murmured hungrily, "I crawled up your trellis for a night of sex. I'm pretty sure I could scale a thousand foot cliff to rescue you from an unguarded cell if the price of failure was never having you fuck me again." "Your mistake was telling her your plans," Tawny laughed. "I kind of figured that out," I groaned in despair. "Good night, now," I added as I made my getaway. Not Sleeping Alone I had one task to deal with before I climbed the steps to my place. A few freshmen waved goodnight as they left my place and made for their own rooms before curfew. I sat on the floor and gave Brianna Kincaid, the Kappa Sigma at Colorado State, a call. "Zane?" Briana said in a soft disbelieving voice. "Have I caught you at dinner?" I inquired. "If so I'll call you back later." "Sure, yes, no, I mean I'm at dinner but I can talk," Briana worked out. "What's up?" "I hadn't heard from you and I wanted to make sure you were okay with what the other Kappa Sigma houses have been telling me. I wanted to make sure you were okay with developments. My deal was exclusively with you after all," I explained. "I, no, I'm not okay with it," she whispered painfully. "Fine. I'm withdrawing from this contest, Briana. We'll work something out on our own." I sounded a bit pissed off. "You would, wouldn't you?" she mused. "Of course. Don't think I'm being noble and all that, though; you have a dangerous body and a bedroom voice," I dodged. There was a long pause. "Don't do it," she whispered. "Briana, I have a real low opinion of people who abuse another's trust," I told her. "Honestly, Zane, I'm okay with this, now more than ever. Besides, I'm going to win so it doesn't matter," she sighed with pleasure. "I'll be fine if my sisters don't kill me in the next few minutes." "Threaten them with my awesomeness if things get rough," I joked. "I promise you everything will work out," Brianna laughed. "So now that you've made my day, what's next for Zane Braxton?" "I'm going upstairs and going to bed," I replied. "How many and anyone we know?" she chuckled softly, getting over her funk. "Is it impossible to believe that I'm seeking out a good night's sleep alone?" I faux-groaned. "There was this evil internet rumor that, Jarunee says hey," she was interrupted. "The rumor was, you turned down a chance to have a go with a girl." "Technically, I sobbed as I refused the offer," I explained. "I was too exhausted to actually speak." "Cool," she snickered then, "Wait, Adele says you have another video up." "Aren't you ladies eating dinner?" I questioned. "Yes; consider yourself dessert," she teased. I could make out a cluster of women close to the phone and could barely make out (groan) Leigh's and Paris's voices. Fantastic, I was getting bound down and molested on the World Wide Web. I'm such a lucky guy. "Well, umm, at least they didn't drag you out into the woods this time," Briana offered sympathetically. "You are going to let me tie you down and lick you from head to toe; right?" "I'm all yours," I assured Briana. "I also have to go now because I know of at least five ladies waiting on me so I'm still a ways from letting sleep take me." "Take care, Zane, and you rock; night," Briana signed off. I made my way to the door and punched in my code right before two freshmen girls came running down the stairs. "Hey" they grinned as they slipped past. I couldn't stop myself from scanning their retreating forms, which turned out to be somewhat lucky. No sooner had the girls disappeared into the elevator than Mercy appeared with Rio. Mercy was in the lead, dragging Rio behind her. Mind you, Rio was running full out to keep up but Mercy was taller and in better shape. I whistled for their attention. Mercy and Rio pulled up short. "Come here," I motioned to Mercy with a 'come-hither' finger. I was somewhat stunned that Mercy looked back to Rio for permission. Rio couldn't help a burning light coming to her eyes. She pressed Mercy up against the wall, pushed her arms out to the sides then took Mercy's head in her hands and kissed her deeply. "Very good, bitch, now go see what Zane wants," she teased Mercy's lips with her tongue. Mercy flushed a deep red, then came my way. "Mercy," I lectured quietly, "you need to remember that you are supposed to be Rio's guardian and pretend you are keeping her in line." "But what if she tells me to do something else?" Mercy whispered back. I leaned into Mercy until my lips touched her ear. "Now, don't nod," I breathed into her ear, making sure Rio couldn't hear. "If the answer to what I ask is 'yes,' touch my shoulder. Do you understand?" Mercy touched my shoulder. "Do you like Rio owning you?" Another touch affirmed Mercy's desire. "If you want her to stay, you are going to have to be the sane one. That means you are going to have to take extra punishment from her in order to save Rio from herself." She waited long enough for Rio to start getting fidgety before she touched my arm. "If she tosses you aside, I'll work extra hard to get you two back together, I promise. Now go take her upstairs before she explodes," I finished up. Mercy backed up and reached for Rio. Rio snorted, tossed her head with indifference, and allowed Mercy to lead her upstairs. At the top I saw some of my compatriots gathered around the first living area, centered around Dana Gorman. Dana was drinking a beer and in conversation with Valerie and Vivian. Iona and Paige were sitting close but clearly working on different subjects. Finally, I had Raven, Brandi, and Barbie Lynn watching some television. I was sort of curious where Opal was. "Alright, everyone," Vivian called out as she stood. "Everyone out; Zane is back and it is almost 10:00 o'clock." "Can I finish my beer?" Dana nodded my way. "Yes," Vivian and I spoke simultaneously. "Thank you, Vivian, but I believe we should all remember this is Zane's room until you put a ring on his finger," Gorman gave Vivian a snarky smile. "I'm not going to marry him," Vivian declared indignantly. "He's eighteen, childish, and a philanderer." "It is his ability to screw me to unconsciousness as well as willingness to engage in a bi-sexual three-way whenever I want that are his most appealing features to me," Paige stated clinically. "I love the taste and feel of his cum on my tongue," Brandi perked up. "Oh, MY, God!" Vivian turned and gawked at Brandi, who refused to wilt. "I didn't need to know any part of that." "I want to know," Rio giggled. "No, you don't," Mercy tugged on Rio's arm. "I'm taking you to bed now and make sure you behave." "Oh, poo," Rio grumbled, but her eyes were clearly burning with hunger for Mercy who was doing an admirable job of not melting on the spot. "You are going to have Rio sleep in Zane's room?" Vivian spun around and addressed Mercy. "Where is Zane going to sleep?" "I'll sleep between them," Mercy replied. She left hanging out there that I'd be sleeping with her. "That's my cue to go to bed," Barbie Lynn gave a sexy, lopsided leer my way. "No," Vivian sputtered, clearly losing control of the situation. "Coach," Vivian pleaded to Dana. "I'm going to give you some advice, Vivian, not as a faculty member of FFU but as a combatant," Dana spoke clearly. "What is your goal for Zane? Think about it." "I'm to make him live by FFU standards and morals. That includes getting to his classes and sports as well as keeping him chaste and respecting the Purity Pledge," Vivian outlined. Dana preempted the laughter with a sharp glare. "Zane has missed three classes because of the fight he got into defendingtwo of his fellow students and two due to legal complications ordered by the Administration," Dana informed her. "No one is in more sports than Zane. We've all seen him go to his sessions crippled too. How do you plan to improve on what he's already done?" "In this case, that part of the job should be easy," Vivian countered. "And there you are doomed," Dana sighed. "Zane does what he does easily because it is not in his nature to go against the grain. Every chance he gets, he does what we want. That doesn't make him weak, though." "To the contrary, when he sets his mind to something, he drives at it with all his force, and when we get in the way, he fights with a rare desperate intensity and cleverness that many women here have come to admire. Zane didn't defeat the Chancellor and me; Christina Buchanan did. The thing is, it was Zane who convinced Christina to fight." "If you want to beat Zane, you are going about it all wrong; stop the women around him, not him," Dana concluded. "If you try to rein him in, he will slip past you, and a hundred girls will help him get away with it." "What should I do, then?" Vivian was stymied. "You are a good Christian girl; you'll figure something out," Dana winked. I knew what Dana was getting at, and while I didn't believe it would work, it was one of the best bets. A good Christian woman might be able to make me a good Christian man; seeing how Vivian might make that work wouldn't be boring. "I'm heading down to the bathroom," I announced into the confusion. Rapidly, Barbie Lynn, Mercy, and Rio went down at well. "Vivian?" I invited her to join us. "No. I'm not afraid to use the readily available facilities here," she answered snidely. Down in the bathroom Rio finished quickly, then came up behind Mercy, who was still brushing her hair. Rio's hold on sanity slipped away and she grabbed each of Mercy's ass cheeks in her hands, jiggled them up and down and giggled maniacally. "Damn it, damn it, damn it," Rio went off. "I love this ass so much!" "How do you feel about that, Sugah?" Barbie Lynn teased Mercy. Mercy lowered her face until her long hair obscured her expression. Balancing carefully on her hips, Mercy pulled her skirt up to give Rio a better view. Rio looked to me on the verge of crying. "Best, Slut, Ever," she wept tears of madness. "Alright," I chided Rio. "Get your stuff together, both of you, and we can get to bed. At the moment I thought I had the situation restrained, Mercy turned around and started to push past Rio. Rio jumped onto Mercy and slammed their bodies onto the counter, making guttural animalistic noises as she bit and kissed Mercy's shoulders, neck and lips. I scooped Rio by the waist and yanked her away. "No!" she growled. "Mine, damn it, mine!" She didn't claw at my arms but she struggled valiantly to get away. Barbie Lynn stepped up, put Mercy back in some sort of presentable order, and we finally exited the bathroom. By the time we got back to the Solarium, Rio had calmed down (enough) and Vivian gave me only a careful glance. She did signal me for a second of my time so once I had Rio stashed away, I returned to her. "I am still thinking about letting you shower downstairs," she allowed, "but only at the proscribed times. Tell me one thing and please be honest: Do you shower alone?" "No. Usually I shower with about eight to ten other girls," I answered. Vivian studied me intently, looking to see if I was having a joke at her expense. She took a deep breath, looked at the carpet, and finally nodded. "Thank you for your honesty," she told me. "This is how our fight begins, then," I grinned. "I'm not fighting you, Zane," Vivian responded. "Yes, you are," I countered playfully. "You are testing my moral boundaries and looking for a weakness you can exploit to make me feel guilty for how I treat the girls here." "Do you feel bad about the way you treat the female student body?" she inquired. "Nope. I want them to feel happy, safe, and free to express themselves," I replied. "I admire your approach; it shows your inventive and truthful nature at its best." "I'm not going to sleep with you," she smiled. "Nice try." "I hope you don't hold it against me for trying," I shyly responded. "I admit, this afternoon I would definitely have held it against you, but tonight I'll let it slide," she allowed me. "Zane, what do you sleep in?" I assumed she didn't mean 'my bed'. "Nude; I sleep in the nude. What do you sleep in?" I bantered. "Panties and a Dallas Cowboys jersey," she gave me her first wicked grin. "Baby Powder blue, since I'm sure you are going to ask,&

Live from the London Podcast Festival, Jamie Morton joins Dan, James and Andy to discuss onsens, letter bombs and Beerbohm. Visit nosuchthingasafish.com for news about live shows, merchandise and more episodes.  Join Club Fish for ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content at apple.co/nosuchthingasafish or nosuchthingasafish.com/patreon

Michelle is back from Morocco with sand in her shoes, stories in her heart, and a body that reminded her (loudly!) what it needs. In this reflective episode, she shares the surprising ways travel challenged her progress with food, body image, and self-care—and the simple, grace-filled practices she's using to land softly back home.In this episode:When growth meets real life: Why stepping out of routine reveals how far you've come—and where you're still tender.Joyful movement has limits: 200 km walked, 400 flights of stairs, desert heat, sore feet—and the lesson to plan rest on active trips.Food satisfaction matters: Loving the olives and fresh figs, struggling with bread-heavy meals and late dinners, and using gentle nutrition to re-stabilize at home.Old fears, new tools: Navigating moments of food scarcity and anxiety in the Sahara with grounding and self-talk.Body image in the wild: Feeling jealousy beside a conventionally “perfect” traveler, then touching deep gratitude for a face and body that tell a well-lived story.Sleep + perimenopause: “Penance mattresses,” heat, and night sweats—how fatigue can nudge us toward quick-energy foods.Water awareness: From hauling bottles in the desert to barely sipping at home—why she's rebuilding the hydration habit.Morning routine = nervous system medicine: The cost of losing meditation, energy work, and slow starts—and how she's reinstating them.Bringing it home: Practical reintegration plans—more soul-walks outdoors (with terrain-smart footwear), winter water time (lane swimming or aquafit), easy joyful meals, a fresh water bottle, and daily gratitude for a body that's carried so much.Questions or takeaways from your own travels? Email michelle@wayzahealth.com or say hi on Instagram/Facebook @WayzaHealth. If this episode resonated, share it with a friend and leave a review—it helps others find the show. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fáilte ar ais chuig eagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo ar an 22ú lá de mí Dheireadh Fómhair, liomsa Lauren Ní Loingsigh. I 1980 bhí triúir fear sa chúirt ar triail do dhúnmharú de Gharda I Ros Comáin. I 1993 tháinig sé amach go mbeadh an plean forbairt don rialtas leis an chostas 20 billiúin punt, laghdaithe go 16 billiúin punt I 6 bhliain. I 1980 tháinig sé amach gur cheannaigh sreang ollmhargaí Quinsworth an t-ionad siopadóireachta in Inis. I 1999 tháinig gaineamh ón Sahara agus an Spáinn agus bhí sé sin an fáth a raibh a lán dath meirg ar carr in Inis. Sin Meat Loaf le I'd Do Anything For Love – an t-amhrán is mó ar an lá seo I 1993. Ag lean ar aghaidh le nuacht cheoil ar an lá seo I 1999 tháinig sé amach go raibh Sinéad O'Connor ag iarradh eaglais a cheannach – áit a oirníodh ina gCaitliceach í. Bhí an eaglais ar dhíol do 70 míle punt. I 2005 tháinig sé amach go raibh Waterloo ó ABBA an t-amhrán is fearr ón Eurovision riamh. D'fhéach daoine ar seó speisialta I 31 tír timpeall an Eoraip agus bhí vótáil ag dul ar aghaidh chun ceiliúradh a dhéanamh do 50 bhliain. Agus ar deireadh breithlá daoine cáiliúla ar an lá seo rugadh aisteoir Jeff Goldblum I Meiriceá I 1952 agus rugadh aisteoir Christopher Lloyd I Meiriceá ar an lá seo I 1938 agus seo chuid de na rudaí a rinne sé. Beidh mé ar ais libh amárach le heagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo. Welcome back to another edition of Ar An Lá Seo on the 22nd of October, with me Lauren Ní Loingsigh 1980: 3 men facing charges of the capital murder of a Garda in Roscommon was on trial before the special criminal court. 1993: The governments much valued £20bn National development plan will be worth only £16bn or less in six years 1980: The Quinsworth supermarket chain has bought the Ennis shopping center. 1999: Sands from the Sahara or the high plateaus of Spain were probably responsible for the light coating of rust coloured deposits in vehicles in Ennis That was Meat Loaf - I'd Do Anything For Love – the biggest song on this day in 1993 Onto music news on this day In 1999 It was reported that Sinead O'Connor was attempting to buy the church where she was ordained into the Catholic sisterhood. The church was on the market for £70,000. 2005 Waterloo by ABBA was voted the best song in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest. Viewers in 31 countries across Europe voted during a special show in Copenhagen to celebrate the annual event's 50th birthday. And finally celebrity birthdays on this day – actor Jeff Goldblum was born in America in 1952 and actor Christopher Lloyd was born in America on this day in 1938 and this is some of the stuff he has done. I'll be back with you tomorrow with another edition of Ar An Lá Seo.

Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 12 Heaven s clock is ticking In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.             There is no firestorm without a spark, no ocean without a raindrop         I opened the door and there stood Christina, looking pretty depressed. "Do you want to come in?" I asked. "I know you have company," she replied. "Can we talk outside?" It wasn't too chilly but I wasn't wearing too much either. "Of course," I walked onto the porch, leaving the door mostly closed behind me. "What's wrong?" "I've worked things out with Faith and the other girls," Christina paced nervously. "We are all going to keep quiet about what you learned and see how we can turn this to our advantage." I didn't say anything because she hadn't come to tell me the news of what had been the obvious move on her part so I was left wondering what was going on, then I saw it. I opened my arms to the side, palms forward, and waited. She saw the move and looked me over with obvious reluctance for what would come next. Finally, she stepped up to me and rested her forehead on my shoulder and let me encase her in my arms. It sucks to be alone, but it truly sucks being alone and being the one in charge even more. "God, Zane, I fucked up. I could have ruined Heaven's life," she sighed. "The others trusted me and I let them down." "You are not doing Heaven any favors by being paralyzed with doubt," I told her. "You had no idea who you were up against and even if you had, you would still have weighed what was best for Heaven against the risks and pretty much acted in the same manner." "You don't understand Heaven," Christina said. "You don't understand her home life." "Her home life is not my concern, Christina," I pointed out. "The Heaven here and now is my concern, though, and it is the concern of several more friends she's made since coming to this school, friends she wouldn't have if she stayed in a hole." "What if I fuck up again?" she worried. "So many girls are depending on me to keep the Chancellor at bay." "I fuck up all the time and I'm still here," I countered. "I know what you mean, though. Sometimes when these girls look at me like they expect me to have all the answers and I've got nothing, I want to run and hide." "We don't have that luxury. We chose to stand up and now we must carry on in our struggle. I don't know about you, but I wasn't raised to quit," I related to her. "I made a mistake, Zane. I don't make mistakes," she declared. "I'm confused; have we lost?" I questioned her. "No," she grumbled, "and that is not what I meant. I brought Faith in, I misread her, and we all suffered because of it. I was deceived." "Well, someone should remind Christina Buchanan from time to time that she's human, and a pretty smart woman at that," I replied. "You don't have to win every battle, only the last one." "That is what my grandfather said," she mumbled into my shoulder. "He sounds like a clever guy," I said softly. "He should go far someday." Since he was one of the richest men in America, I was probably right. "You can be a real jerk at times," she muttered, but I noted she wasn't moving. "I have to agree with you," I said, as I got up on my tiptoes and kissed her on the top of the head. I leaned back and tilted her head to me with a finger under her chin. "Christina Buchanan, would you marry me?" No one said anything for a minute. "Can I think about it?" she finally whispered. "Of course," I assured her. "How could I be in love with you if I couldn't wait for you?" "How can you love me when you don't even know me?" she asked. "That's why it is love and not like," I answered. "There are times you really piss me off but there is never a moment I don't want to be with you." "You don't like me?" Christina studied me. "Right now I like you just fine, but you can be a real pain at times. See, I know what's right and you refuse to know your place," I responded. "And what place is that?" she smiled. "Above me, smiling down," I leaned in for a kiss. "No," she shook her head. "No?" I pleaded. "We have a long way to go before I let you treat me like another one of your girls," Christina informed me. "Okay," I agreed. "No hard sell in my emotionally vulnerable state?" she mused. "You are safe with me, Christina," I assured her. "That's good to know, Zane. Now go inside before Rio blows a gasket," she smiled, slipped out of my arms, and walked toward her car. I still soaked up the marvel of her receding silhouette. Rio was leaning against the wall just inside the hallway when I got back in. "I don't get the two of you," she grinned. "I love her," was my only response. "That's good, because she's fucking nuts about you," Rio laughed. I couldn't decide whether she was kidding or not. Later, we lay together in bed, Rio partially over me where she alternated between listening to my heartbeat and kissing my shoulder. She also had a hand between her legs and was doing some serious vaginal stimulation. "Zane." "Yes?" I replied. "I had an abortion," she confided in me. "Oh, okay," was all I could manage to come back with. "'Oh.' Is that it?" she sounded a bit hurt. "I figure there is more to the story than you had an abortion. So are you going to tell me what it is?" I inquired. She mulled that over for a few seconds. "I did some really stupid shit, like getting shit-faced drunk at some parties with people I barely knew, and pretty much got used like a whore. I didn't really care, and eventually I got knocked up," she told me. "My parents, the big Pro-Lifers that they were, smuggled me out of state to a private clinic and aborted the kid. They never asked my opinion on the matter but I imagine that having a pregnant daughter who couldn't even name the father wasn't on their agenda," she recited bitterly. I wrapped an arm around her, rolled over on her, and kissed her gently on the lips. "I don't know what to say," I began. "I can't imagine what it was like to go through that." "Huh," Rio snorted. "My parents slapped me with anti-depressants and an implant, my 'friends' told me it was for the best, not being teen Mom material and all, and I treated myself like a whore." "Hell, I sucked and fucked the entire lawn crew once; I fucked my little brother's friends; and I became known as the girl who would ride bareback at my school. It is a miracle I didn't contract herpes or AIDS," she recited sadly. "I think I hated just about everybody." "You know that none of that matters to me; right?" I asked. "You are still that woman I woke up next to on day one." "To the bitter end," she recited. "To the bitter end," I affirmed, my promise to stand by her no matter what. "Why couldn't you be in love with me?" she sighed. "You are asking an eighteen-year-old how this love thing works?" I teased her. "I've been lucky enough to meet five women in the past two weeks I'd like to spend forever with, and I love the one I'm least likely to end up with. I'm clueless." "Me, Iona, Barbie Lynn, Christina and Heaven?" Rio guessed. I nodded, which made her snicker. "You really want to spend forever with Heaven? You are a glutton for punishment." "Heaven can be really nice," I defended my girlfriend. "She's got a permanent case of PMS. Hell knows what would happen if she actually had PMS," Rio teased me back. "So you don't want to spend any more time with her?" I inquired. "Fuck that," Rio giggled, "I like them brave, bold, and saucy in the saddle. I'd love breaking her down, or having her break me trying." "Fine," I announced after a moment's contemplation. "Fine?" she asked. "I'm not going to break my word to Jill but I can't wait to fuck you until we get back to campus, so how would you like to screw on Pastor Bill's desk before Sunday school?" I suggested. "I'd love to leave a little something extra on that gold-plated conman's desk," Rio purred. "Now, Zane, do you think you could bend the rules ever so slightly and finger-fuck me? I'm ever so horny," Rio pleaded. I figured it couldn't hurt too much; right? I rubbed and rubbed one hand down to her crotch where Rio had already pulled her soaked panties down to mid-thigh. With my other hand, I pushed up her top, exposing her ripe nipples, chain and all. I plucked a nipple into my mouth, letting my tongue play along the stud before sucking in more of the breast, increasing the pressure on the nipple itself. Rio was well worked up already and now began to writhe beneath me. My free hand passed below her carefully groomed chevron-shaped pubic mound and along her clit. Her folds welcomed me like molten gold, so hot yet silky smooth to the touch. As she started to moan, Rio stuck the meat of her palm into her mouth and bit down in order to keep quiet. I spent a minute playing with her two studs in her labia before working two fingers deep inside her, twisting them, and seeking out her G-spot. "Gak!" Rio convulsed as I stroked it. Oh, yeah, I thought, as I began to seriously work it over. Rio's fluids were sloshing around my fingers, her other hand began pressing my whole mouth over her breast, and she kept bucking up against me. I now began to alternate between rhythmically tapping her special place and brutally finger fucking her, driving two fingers in and slapping her clit with my palm. "Uh, uh, uh, ugh, ugh, umm," Rio began panting, then her body arched and she screamed into her clenched fist. "Oh, fuck, that's good," she finally managed to get out. Before I could respond, she grabbed my head and drew me up for a fierce kiss. She tore at my lips and tried to steal my breath away. "Tell me you want me," she pleaded with a desperate hunger tinged with fear. "I want you, Rio, always," I responded with my own heat and need. Slowly the passion ebbed from Rio's eyes and a playful demeanor replaced it. "You are such a dumb blonde, Glenda," she sighed happily. Glenda had been the name that had allowed me admission to school in the first place, Glenn Zane Braxton, Glenda. I answered by pulling my fingers out of her cunt, taking a lick, then pushing them through her lips. Rio daintily sucked on them, pulling them in and cleaning them off before biting down like the little bitch she is and making tears come to my eyes. "What the fuck!" I hissed. "That's for not giving me your cock, Asshole," she snickered. When I looked ready to explode, she pouted her lips, rolled onto her stomach and stuck her bare ass up in the air for a spanking. I grunted and rolled over onto my side, away from her. "Good night, you witch," I sulked. There was some rustling behind me a minute later, then Rio snaked an arm around me and pressed her body to my back. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I act crazy at times." I rolled over to face her. "I know what I'm getting into, Rio," I comforted her. "That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt at times." I displayed my wounded fingers. She kissed my fingers, I kissed her lips, and we both finally went to sleep. Preacher William, Valerie, and the seeds of discord. Jill didn't know what to make of our prompt appearance Sunday morning for breakfast already dressed for church. I'd convinced Rio to not try a hard sell with my aunt, instead playing it calm, cool, and collected. The real reason we wanted to get to church early was because I'd come up with the idea of screwing Rio on Pastor Bill's massive mahogany desk before class and she'd become infatuated with the scheme. Gaining Definition We had to remember our Bibles before eagerly heading out the door. Mine went back to my missionary days while Rio's was brand new, a gift from Jill. She'd lost her old one on the trip from Arizona to Virginia, or so she'd told Jill. In reality, she had torn hers apart page by page and stuffed it down the airplane toilet during the flight, her way of spreading the gospel. Once at the church, we split up, Rio and I getting together a few minutes later. I was unsure about the security cameras in the hallway but Rio shrugged it off. She followed the wires to the closet the system was kept in, picked the lock, and deleted the last two hours of footage before deactivating the whole system. I was clever enough to wipe off all our fingerprints before we made for the pastor's office. This time, Rio's improvised, lock picks weren't necessary as the secretary kept the door unlocked. We slipped past her station to the larger office beyond and I chased Rio around to the 'big chair'. "So, Bad Boy, are you going to make me a Bad Girl?" Rio taunted me. I stepped up between her thighs and got ready to feast on her succulent cunt lips when she held me up. "I don't think we have time for that," Rio grinned. She slipped out of her panties, which I quickly pocketed (having learned from the first Barbie Lynn incident), and hopped up on the desk facing me. I unbuckled my belt, fixed the button, and unzipped my pants. My cock came smoothly out of my boxers and I lined up with Rio's slit. Her juices were already flowing by the time my cockhead graced her full lips. "Oh, that's what I've been looking for," Rio moaned, as I pushed forward inch after glorious inch inside her. She wrapped her arms around my neck and came close to doing the same with her legs around my waist by the time I was fully into her. I got a few half-thrusts into Rio, our faces only inches apart, when I began to push her back down on the desk. "No, I want to look into your eyes," she told me. I nodded and started driving my cock in a strong steady rhythm. "Rio," I said softly. "Yes," she breathed heavily. "I like saying your name," I explained. "I like the sound of it and the way it makes me feel." "I, I was sure she was fighting for a snarky reply but then she smiled and said, "Okay." "Oh. God, Oh, Fuck," Rio gasped, as we began, getting her close to climax. I stopped when I first heard the voices. "What?" Rio panted. I pulled her off the desk and looked for a place to hide. There were three other doors out of the room. I took the closest, yanked up my pants, and dragged Rio to it. It turned out to be a large closet with vestments, coats, and a few changes of clothing inside. Before I could finish shutting the door, Rio put her hand in the way. Before I could inquire why, the main office door opened and in came Pastor Bill and Lance Wellington. They were yammering on about something or other; I really wasn't paying attention. All that changed after Pastor Bill took his seat behind the desk and swiveled it to the side. Lance came around the desk and knelt before our spiritual leader. His body blocked my visual but I heard a zipper being undone and some clothes being pushed aside. What Lance proceeded to do was clear enough, though. Rio was between me and the door; she looked over her shoulder and grinned evilly. Before long, she had my cock in her hand and was maneuvering it back to her cunt from behind. I moved my hips down, she arched up, and I slipped back into the hole I'd been in not a minute before. I stayed still while Rio began to ride my cock up and down. There we were, two very different couples separated by less than a dozen feet, both fucking in different ways. Lance was giving Pastor Bill oral attention in a manner that dictated long familiarity to not only cock-sucking, but blowing Pastor Bill in particular. Rio had one hand placed against the door sill in order to stop us from spilling out of the closet while the other was tucked against her stomach. The four of us were pushing toward climax but Pastor Bill was the first one to the trigger. I was still feeling the oily smoothness of my cock inside Rio's cunt while rubbing both breasts through her shirt and bra when Lance began chocking and sputtering. The bastard hadn't even warned Lance that he was cumming. Good ole Pastor Bill reached across the desk to grab two Kleenex. As he did so, his other hand came down to rest on a slick spot Rio and I had left on his desk. He looked at his hand with disgust and wiped it off his hand before handing a tissue to Lance. "Get going to class," Pastor Bill told his cock-sucking companion. "Of course, Pastor William," Lance responded as he cleaned his face. As he headed to the door, he turned to the preacher. "Do I have to do another marriage counseling session with Felicity? She is so damn annoying," he whined. "Lance, you are going to have to keep up appearances and that means spending the occasional night with her," Pastor Bill lectured him. "As distasteful as she is, she is the socially acceptable choice for your spouse if you plan to have a political career." "I wish this whole marriage thing was over with already," Lance sighed. "Then I could stick her in the house and get her out of my life." "Remember, a woman is a duty, but you know how to get your pleasure. Take your pill when you have to lay with her, and if nothing else, use her back door," he chuckled. "I suppose so," Lance conceded, "but I'll have to shut her up. She blathers on and on incessantly and her voice is so grating." "Well," Pastor Bill laughed, "you can always use her mouth too." Lance snorted and left the room; Bill followed a minute later. For our part, the whole exchange between Pastor Bill and Lance got Rio hotter and hotter. She was rocketing back against me until I was afraid the slapping of our flesh would alert our host to our presence. Once he was gone, Rio went off. "Fuck me, damn it," Rio exulted. "I'm going to rape their asses." I wasn't sure how that would work. It wasn't like Rio's or my word would go all that far. I decided to spin her back around and kick her leg up over my arm so I could fuck her while gazing into her eyes. The first thing I noticed was the sheer joy etched all over her face. The second thing I noted was her phone in hand, set on record. There was going to be some severe damage over this and I had to do damage control, but first I had to screw Rio to orgasm. "Ah, ah, ah," Rio moaned. "You are churning me up inside, you fucking brute. This is so fucking good." "And the video?" I inquired. "Fucking brilliant," she panted, "My best idea yet." I drilled Rio several more strong strokes and she gripped me tightly and sexually exploded on me. She kept squeezing my cock with her vaginal muscles as I came in her as she was still cresting her wave. "Oh, Zane," she wept tears of joy on my shoulder, "You make all this other shit bearable." "No problem, bro," I sighed happily, "but we need to talk about the video." "Yeah," she snorted, "you have a plan. I'm going to bypass me having a temper-tantrum and get straight to you making me happy with how clever you are." "We find more ways to bring Felicity over to our side, then hit her with this when she's wavering," I detailed. "We still need credibility and that's going to take Barbie Lynn on our side. Once we get Felicity, we can get Mrs. Wellington too. That gives us access to everyone in the church." I set Rio onto her feet and handed her panties too her. Rio shimmied into them and grinned. "Now I'm all sloshy inside. Is that thing a damn fire hydrant?" "You weren't complaining a minute ago," I countered. "I'm not complaining, but all those bitches in class are going to know I've been fucked," she snickered. "Who are you going to blame?" I wondered. "Pastor William, our glorious shepherd; I can describe just what his cock looks like now," she grinned manically. "I think we are back to that whole 'credibility' issue," I reminded her. "You aren't going to let me have any fun," Rio pouted. "Well, work on this; I'm pretty sure Lance isn't the only guy here that the pastor is using. Lance was a tool, nothing more," I told her. "It could be fun to find out who his other toys are." "I hate you for having a better idea than me," Rio giggled, "but I love your deviant mind more." "I love you too, Baby," I said as I brushed her cheek. "Let's get to class before they get to ridicule us for arriving late." Rio grabbed my hand and sprinted with me out of the office. We were late to class but only just. This time I'd studied so Mr. Coleman wasn't able to humiliate me, though some wise-ass taunted me about being on a women's committee. "Yes, I do," I confirmed, "and what committee are you on?" "Athletics committee," he sneered. I gave him a shit-eating grin right back that gave him pause. "So I hang out with a bunch of MILF's, which is a pretty red-blooded American male thing to do, while you hang out with a bunch of guys, which is pretty homo-erotic," I chuckled. There was a deafening silence in the room. We had broken up for church service and a few guys were almost out the door. The target of my aggression was first stunned, then angry. "Mr. Braxton, that is quite enough out of you," Mr. Coleman snapped. "I'm sorry about that, Mr. Coleman. I thought he was ribbing me about my committee so I teased him back about his; I wasn't serious," I lied. Andy, the guy who'd given me a hard time, elected that moment to get in my face. "That wasn't funny, Braxton," he snapped. Mr. Coleman remained conspicuously silent. "Gosh, Andy," I quipped, "I don't know where to begin. How about, we are in a House of God and shouldn't be raising a fist against one another." "If that doesn't work, do understand that you get the first punch, then I break you like a twig," I continued with eagerness written all over my face. "You are an elementary school teacher and I have years of martial arts experience." Andy suddenly paled. "Mr. Braxton," Coleman growled again. "How dare you threaten somebody?" "Um, Mr. Coleman, Andy got in my face, so what exactly are you getting on my case about? Wouldn't the situation be better served if you stopped him in the first place?" I said. "Andy should be able to take a joke better," another guy in my class, Christopher Gilbert, joined in. "Besides, Zane's right; the wives on the committee are attractive and their husbands are lucky men." That seemed to end the matter because Chris Gilbert was the son of somebody and carried weight in this crowd. We continued to depart but I felt obliged to stop Chris. "Thanks, but I'm not sure why you just backed me up there," I questioned. "Maybe you're not such a bad guy," he grinned. I had to think that over. I barely knew Christopher Gilbert. He was 23, son of a big real estate guy, he was a property manager, whatever that was. "I have to appreciate the timing of your epiphany," I joked. "It came to me late Thursday night when I had a security issue at one of my properties," he grinned. Oh, crap. His daddy must own the mall where I had that little altercation. "Sorry if I cost you a good night's sleep," was all I could say. "Let me say that, 'damn, you're fast,' and it would have been mean of me to let Andy get his ass handed to him in front of all his friends," Chris related. "He's really not a bad guy either." "I'll keep that in mind," I nodded. We were making our way to the church hall when Rio, Iona, and Barbie Lynn intercepted us. "Hey, Ms. Masters," Chris said to Barbie Lynn. He looked at the other two girls. "Christopher Gilbert, this is Rio Talon and Iona Becket, two of my classmates and closest friends," I introduced my buddies. "So, Chris, how do you know Barbie-licious?" Rio smirked. "Huh?" Chris said. "Rio has an intense sense of humor, Chris," I intervened. "Pay her no mind." Before Rio cold make things worse, I placed an arm behind her and pinched her ass. "Behave," I warned her. "Okay, Zane," Chris chuckled. "Good luck with that one. To answer your question: I know Ms. Masters from a few years back at a youth retreat. We were both counselors. Take care now." He turned and walked off to his section of the tabernacle while the girls and I went off to ours. "So, Barbie, were you hot for Chris back at camp?" Rio persisted. "Chris? Nah, he had a girlfriend back then; they both went to the University of Virginia. I think they broke up right before they graduated but I'm not sure," Barbie Lynn informed us. "Besides, I had a fianc too." "Had? Have you tossed him over for Zane?" Rio teased. I sighed and Barbie Lynn blushed. "Nah, Shugah, I tossed him over for you," Barbie Lynn whispered into Rio's ear. "Just for that tantalizing tease, no Honey Glaze for those hot crossed buns of yours," Rio bantered right back. "Am I the only one who remembers we are in a church?" lectured Iona. "No, you are not," Christina surprised us. "Now stop trying to make a scene and sit down with the rest of us." We dutifully obeyed because three of us respected Christina and I had one of Rio's arms twisted behind her back. At the end of service there was no problem getting the gang to go down to the space between the pews and the podium where the important people gathered. I caught Pastor William shooting me a hooded look but I blew him off. I was here for someone else, as was Barbie Lynn and Rio. Iona was tagging along to make sure we kept out of too much trouble. "Hey, Sahara," I greeted the pastor's wife, who hovered near but wasn't part of the action. "Why, hello, Zane," she smiled. "Did you enjoy the service?" "I'm still a little fuzzy on the message of seeking wisdom in God's word instead of Man's technology," I grinned. "After all, I have an app that gives me helpful Bible verses on demand." "I think you missed the point, Zane," she shook her head with mirth. "We need to trust the Word of God over the simple technological solutions that fail to take in the moral implications of the results." "Wow, when you say it that way, it makes sense," I applauded. Sahara blushed and gave me another smile. Rio and Barbie Lynn had closed in on Felicity, allowing Iona and I to come up behind Mrs. Wellington. I put my hand on the small of her back and positioned myself at her side. "Hello, Mrs. Wellington," I greeted her. I knew her first look at me would define a lot about how she felt about last night. "Zane," she beamed at me. "How are you doing today?" "Better now," I grinned. "I just wanted to say that I'm downloading those files we discussed when I get to campus this afternoon." "Oh," Mrs. Bainbridge sneered, "is Mr. Braxton working on a special project already?" "Zane," Rochelle Wellington smiled to her rival sweetly, "send Kendra a copy of the notes you showed me. Kendra, Zane has a talent for 3-D imagery that the committee will find quite useful. I thought you might find it nice to have our newest member showing some interest." "Oh, it is his interest that I'm worried about," Kendra commented, with a pretty obvious look toward Sahara. Before I could respond to that jab, I felt a hand on my shoulder trying to pull me around. "Pastor William wants a word with you," Lance informed me. "Okay," I shrugged, then turned back to Kendra. "Mrs. Bainbridge, I admit that it is my fault that I find Mrs. Penny to be kinder, more compassionate, and more spiritually understanding than you. She is a gentle soul who better relates to what a young man needs." "Pastor William wants to see you now," Lance insisted. "That's nice, Lance. I'm talking to your mother," I said dismissively. "Rochelle, thank you for agreeing to mentor me; I appreciate you helping me understand this Church and this community by taking some of your valuable time to listen to my ideas." "Ladies, have a nice Sunday. Okay, Lance, let's go see what Pastor Bill wants now," I told him. "His name is Pastor William," Lance corrected me somewhat angrily. "No, his name is William Penny and he happens to be a pastor," I jibed. Lance's response was stymied by our arrival at Pastor Bill's circle of cronies. "Ah, Glenn," Bill greeted me. "I would like to invite you to dine with my wife and I tomorrow night." I was smart enough to know that wasn't really an invitation, but still, "I'd like to but this week is our first round of testing for the semester so I'm not sure I can break free," I answered. "You find time enough for other things, like jail," he lectured me in a personally degrading matter. "Pastor William, as you will learn about me, people who cross me or threaten the ones I hold dear, I beat bloody and leave broken on the ground," I smiled evilly right back. The confusion that threat caused was evident because I hadn't been quiet. "Jesus loves the Peacemaker," Pastor Bill bantered back. "Winners write the history books," I countered. "That is not very Christian of you," Mr. Wellington, the Mayor, pointed out. "Jesus Christ ended up nailed to a cross; Emperor Constantine, who converted the whole Roman Empire to Christ's worship, got to build his own city," I responded. "I won't be as famous but I'll do more and get to bury my enemies before I die," I added. "Are you sure you were a missionary in Thailand?" another church elder asked. "Oh, I was a missionary all right, but not a very good one. I left the hard work to my Uncle Tim and Aunt Jill," I informed them. "Did they convert many heathen souls to the World of our Lord?" a third man inquired. "It is not that simple. They taught people to read English and got them in the practice of reading the Bible," I explained. "They have over a thousand years of culture to work against and many of the tenents of Buddhism are close to our own Christian virtues so it is hard work." "So that would be a 'No'," Pastor Bill gloated. "Really?" I grinned. "When Uncle Tim went missing, 200 of his flock risked floodwaters in an eventually futile effort to save him. How many of us would risk drowning to save you, Pastor William? I would say that when lives were on the line, his flock did their Christian duty." I noticed Jill standing on the edge of the group listening, her eyes close to tears. Hey, I hated Tim, but I wasn't going to let these spineless bastards degrade the man in front of his widow, no matter how I felt. "I'm sure we would all rise to the challenge," Mr. Wellington pontificated. "Then you are as good a man as Uncle Tim," I trapped him with his own words. "Your Uncle Tim gave everything, including his life," Pastor Bill said with a smug, superior smile. "His willingness to give should be an example for all." "I'm already giving. The Festivities Committee's budget seems a bit anemic so I'm going to be funding some of their efforts," I enlightened him. "That is not how tithes are normally handled," Pastor Bill corrected me. "I'm not a normal guy," I grinned. "Pastor, I'll look over my schedule and call your house to let you know if I can swing dinner tomorrow. It has been a wonderful chat but I have to be going now." I turned and left them there, confident I hadn't made any friends among Bill's inner circle. The price of their friendship was way more than I was willing to pay and it wasn't just monetary. My girls swarmed around me, even Jill. "Thank you, Zane," Jill said softly. "Tim would have been proud." "Jill, I said that for you, not him. You stood by him and that shouldn't be trampled on by people who don't know any better," I comforted her. "I was getting ready to cry out 'Blood and Souls for my Lord Arioch," Rio grinned. "Why did you antagonize them?" Iona wondered. "They are used to bullying people and getting their way. I let them know I was more than willing to fight," I told Iona. "He also wanted the women to see what he was doing," Barbie Lynn said. "I saw a few females, Felicity included, who thought a great deal of how Zane handled the situation." "Girls love watching men fight over them," Rio laughed as we exited into the parking lot. "Is everyone coming to our place for lunch?" Jill asked. I took a quick look around the girls who nodded their approval. "Sure thing, Jill; we will be at home in an hour," I answered. Getting back to campus and into casual clothes wasn't a problem, nor was lunch with Jill. We sat around and shot the shit for an hour afterwards but school work demanded that we head back to school to do some actual classwork. I went by Raven's to pick her up because she'd left me a text (by way of Iona) that she'd made some progress over the weekend. "We really should study in the library," Raven told me as we headed to my room. "The last time I checked, the library didn't have a snack bar," I told her. Raven was less than convinced and a bit nervous until we opened the door to the bottom of the steps leading to the Solarium where I lived and the voices of multiple girls welcomed us. "You have company?" she questioned me. "All freshmen are welcome in my room, Raven. You'll see," I informed her. "Is there going to be anyplace for us to study, Raven began to confound me, then we came to the point where you could see past the side of the stairs into the Solarium. "Oh, God," she muttered at the scope of the room, "you, you have pool tables!" she ended up in a near squeal. "I love pool!" She took a few steps forward into the room before looking back at me. "What is all this? Where did this all come from?" "I was given the entire Solarium as my room, sort of, and I decided to convert most of it to a common area for the freshman class," I said. "How long has this been going on?" she wondered. "We did it yesterday," Iona said from the closest sofa. She put down her laptop and walked over to us. "Zane paid for the stuff and we students put it in. Let me show you around." "You do that, Iona," I told her, as I gave my diminutive friend a hug, "I'll be in my room." Iona led Raven deeper into the complex of entertainment while I headed to my room, which seemed to be the quietest place to study today. I passed around the Chinese silk screens that shielded my private area from the rest of the Solarium and saw my new monster-sized bed. I also saw the tall, honey-blonde Amazon reclining on it, looking my way. "Come here, my Love-Monkey," she said in a deep, husky voice. I'm sure my mouth gaped open. "Ah, I don't believe we've been introduced," I managed to finally say. She smiled and patted the bed beside her. "You are seriously hot and I'm positive I'd remember you if we'd met, but I don't and I do need to study so I'm going to ask you to please leave," I groaned. "Trust me, I really don't want to be asking you that either." I heard laughter from the far side of the bed and Rio slowly raised her body into sight. "Bro, the look on your face is priceless," she chuckled. "So this is really your room?" the other girl inquired. "I told you it was," Rio grinned. "Yes, it is," I responded as well. "In fact, this entire floor is mine, mainly because the Administration has nowhere else to stick me." "Rio, what's going on here?" I turned to my other friend. "Honest, Boss," she beamed, "I found her when I got home. She's my new dorm mate, your replacement." "You were her first roommate?" the newcomer asked. "For all of one night," I confessed. "Then everyone realized she had boobies, and I didn't, and I developed this current life of seclusion." "This is your version of seclusion?" she questioned. "What can I say?" I sighed. "I'm a man of creature comforts. That still doesn't explain you on my bed. Rio?" "She is Valerie Palmer, a new addition to the school," Rio started, "but that's not the cool part. She's a member of the Stormriders motorcycle gang." Seeing my lack of name recognition, Rio added, "They are a big deal in the West, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Nevada, and Arizona, of course." "Nice to meet you, Valerie." I knelt on the bed and extended my hand. "I'm Glenn Zane Braxton, but everyone calls me Zane. Welcome to FFU, and what brought you to us?" "Dad is a born-again Christian and he wanted me to come here, so here I am," she shrugged. Now, to me that made no sense, as she should have been eighteen, thus her own person, but who was I to press into her personal matters. "Damn it, Zane, I keep forgetting you were living in a cave for the past two years," Rio shook her head. "Her grandfather is Daniel 'Damien' Palmer." Again, I didn't know who that person was. "My grandfather is doing three life sentences," Valerie said with a degree of weariness. "Fine. I should take it the Stormriders are not a motorcycle club, then," I grinned at her. Valerie's eyes and mine locked for several seconds. "Are you arrogant, stupid, or really unconcerned?" Valerie asked me. "A little of all three," Rio chimed in. "You should never ask a man if he's arrogant because if he is, he won't know it," I responded. "I'm smart enough to get into this university, but them I'm dumb enough to be the only guy at this university," I continued. "I can honestly tell you I really don't care who you were before you came here. It is none of my damn business. If you want to be friends, I'm game." Valerie nodded. "Oh, and Rio is a nutjob, but if you hurt her, I'll make you suffer, I swear it." "Is that supposed to scare me, rich boy?" Valerie said, becoming very serious and sitting up, "because I'm not impressed." "I didn't say it to impress you, Valerie," I met her gaze, "I believe in fair warning. I don't care if you are damaged goods or you are one stone-cold, bad-ass bitch; you mess with Rio and I'll take her pain out of your hide." "Rio, I thought you told me this guy was cool," Valerie said to Rio while still looking at me. "Best guy in the whole God-damn world," Rio beamed. "Zane, have you ever stabbed somebody?" Valerie quizzed me. "On purpose or by accident?" I asked. "How do you stab someone by accident?" Valerie wondered. "You toss their ass into a stand of bamboo so hard the stalks break and they get impaled," I answered. "I take it you've done it on purpose." She shrugged. "Do you fight much?" she changed tact. "More than I should," I replied, "but I ass in where I don't belong too much." "Me too," Valerie nodded, "on the 'I fight more than I should' thing." "Well, I would rather talk shit upfront than spill blood later," I pointed out. "Like warning me about Rio," she nodded. "Please believe me, she's a nut and will get on your nerves, so please don't toss her out a window or down the stairs because I'm actually attached to her," I grinned. Rio flopped on the bed. "I should be mouthing empty denials but Zane's pretty much right," Rio snickered, "and if he hadn't fucked me silly on the preacher's desk this morning, I'd be in his face about this bullshit." "You had sex on your preacher's desk?" Valerie smiled. "Zane, what are these girls, what the hell?" Raven went off. "What kind of bedroom is this?" "Raven, you know Rio and this is her new roommate Valerie. Valerie, this is Raven," I groaned. "Hey, Raven," Valerie greeted her. "So do you normally walk into Zane's bedroom too?" "No," Raven blushed. "He invited me over to do some work on our English project." Iona stepped in behind Raven and waved to Rio. "Iona, Valerie; Valerie, Iona," I sighed. "Wait!" Valerie raised her hand and looked back to me. "Are you gay? Because I see a lot of girls strolling into your room and none of them have been identified as your girlfriend yet." "Technically, that would be Heaven," Iona volunteered. "She's a senior." "Can we get back to everyone being in Zane's room?" Raven grumbled. "And what is he doing with a bed as big as my entire room back home?" Valerie appraised the room. "Got it," she laughed. "You are sleeping with her (Iona) and her (Rio), but not you (Raven)." "Of course I'm not sleeping with him," Raven shot back. "I took a Purity Pledge, as should all of you." "I'm not a virgin," Valerie responded. "Me, either," Rio waved. "I am," Iona raised her hand. "That's nice," I directed. "Rio, Valerie, and Iona, please leave. I've invited Raven to my room so we can do actual classwork because I occasionally like to pretend I'm in college for an education." "On it, Zane," Rio snickered. "Come on, Valerie, let's go check out the hot tub. I wanted to show you to Zane so he could put you on his 'To Do' list." Iona shook her head and left. "I've got a boyfriend," Valerie clarified. "Thank God," I muttered, which drew looks from all three women. After Rio and Val left, Raven kept staring at me. "I, does this happen to you often?" she finally asked. "Yes, but I've learned to adjust," I pointed out. We sat down on the bed, Raven pulled out four library books on the period we were looking into, and we began going through them and taking notes. "Is Heaven really your girlfriend?" Raven asked after a while. "Yes, but it is more complicated than that. I love another girl but I don't know if she loves me, and I spend time with a dozen other girls here, plus I have friends at a Sorority House off campus," I explained. "And you sleep with Rio, who isn't a virgin, and Iona, who is," she stated, and I confirmed with a nod. "I was wrong. If you can keep all that straight in your head, you have a good grasp of details. We are going to do fine on this term paper." "Thank you, Raven," I smiled at her, and for a change, she smiled back. Gust Front I would have liked to spend the night with Iona and Barbie Lynn but Iona informed me that Coach Dana Gorman had tested her security code earlier in the day and I figured something was up; nothing good for me and my friends. Sure enough, at 12:10 in the morning, my little buzzer by the bed that informed me that a key code was being entered woke me up. I silenced the alarm (no sense in letting them know that I had it) and waited in bed. Shortly thereafter, the Coach and two female security guards came strolling in. "Alone?" Dana quipped. "You asking me out?" I grinned. "Get up; we need to check the bed, if that is what you call this thing," she motioned to my sleeping platform. I dutifully got out of bed. "What are you doing?" she snapped when she realized I was naked. "Getting out of bed like you asked me to. I sleep in the nude, or didn't you already know that?" I yawned. "Put some clothes on," she ordered. I picked up my robe and put it on while they stripped back my sheets and looked for bodily fluids under the dark light. I had been at my Aunt's the past two nights, so yes, my bed was still fresh. Unsatisfied, Dana and her two buddies began roughly going over my place. When they finally discovered nothing (my hiding places were specifically designed), the two officers turned and left. "I'll be keeping an eye on you, Zane. You can expect this to be a regular occurrence," she promised. I simply stared. We remained looking at one another for a minute because she knew I was up to something. "That's right, step out of line and make my job easier," she noted. Again I kept my silence. It would have been easy to take this personally but I'd told her this was War and I took that seriously. I doubted I was the sole beneficiary of their attention so I had to get ready to respond to their next move. "Nothing to say?" she asked. I kept staring. "Say something, damn it," she growled. "Good night, Coach," I obliged. She shook her head, turned, and walked away. When I saw the door close behind her I went back to my room and took out my phone. I made three calls to the concerned parties and a final call to Iona, to have her wipe my call log. I can't say I slept well that night. Showering in the morning was troublesome enough on normal days but this morning, Rio decided to invite Valerie to join us. I did my best to pretend to ignore her, which wasn't easy. Valerie was around six feet with milky skin where the sun didn't reach and tanned where it did. Her hair was golden-blonde and she was trimmed, not shaved. Her eyes were grey with a hint of blue around the edges; he breasts were a solid C without a hint of sag. There sure were a lot of blondes going to this school. I could see the mental calculations going through her head as she walked in and the other girls eyed her. In the hierarchy of this place, I didn't hold a place; proximity to me showed a girl's status among the crowd. Opal was top dog, but Rio and Iona were marked by their close relationship with me as well. Valerie clearly thought about walking away from it all to spare herself the drama and the grief. She countered that with the knowledge that she had to fit in somewhere in this school, and as non-traditional as she was, her best bet was with us. She answered that internal struggle by taking the shower one down from me, next to Opal. Opal expressed her dominance to Valerie by corralling me into a body massage and a show of mutual affection. I thought Valerie was unimpressed with those actions but as we got into it, I sensed she was intrigued by the notion of having sex without actually having sex, and the sexual arousal that came with it. As I settled in front of the sink to brush my hair, shave, and brush my teeth, Valerie took the sink beside me. "You don't seem to mind all these naked bodies around you," she noted. "Why should I? I enjoy them and they enjoy me. I like making them happy, and my presence certainly makes their lives more difficult so I'm glad to help," I explained. "So, do things ever go to the next level?" Valerie asked. "Not here, and not with most of these women; they are virgins and happy about that fact. They want to be virgins on their wedding nights and I respect that," I answered. "Rio makes you out to be some sort of sex-crazed stud monster," Val informed me. "Rio's not a virgin and her only plans for marriage involve her being a black widow to her old, rich husbands," I grinned. "Is she, bi-sexual?" Valerie whispered. "Yes, I can verify that she is," I replied quietly. "Has she hit on you yet? Wait, silly question, have you thrown her out of your bed yet?" "This morning I found her sucking on my nipple through my nightshirt," she smirked. "Rio needs constant reminding of where the boundaries are," I informed Val. "You two talking about me?" Rio came bouncing up. "Is there a three-way in our future? Who gets tied up?" Valerie groaned in response. "Rio, there is such a thing as personal space and acceptable roommate behavior," I told Rio. "Things like spontaneously feeling her up while she sleeps are Bad!" "God, damn it!" Rio squalled, "But did you see the size of those bad boys? They are huge and puffy and I swear, they were calling out to me across the room." "In my long and illustrious career with the female nipple, they have never talked to me. If you don't behave, I'm going to have to tie you up at the next orgy and make you watch," I warned. I couldn't threaten to take away something she had, like her piercings; that would make her dig in her heels. Instead, I went after the things she was looking forward to. "Don't forget to secure her hands over her head so she can't diddle herself," Valerie got into the sport of things. "Good point," I agreed. "Major buzz-kill, you two. Valerie, you are trying to make your first day here no fun at all," Rio teased. "Which reminds me; Valerie, has Rio warned you about Handmaiden's Duty?" I inquired. Rio looked offended that I would say such a thing while Val looked confused. "It is a tradition here that requires all freshmen to perform a task of a non-damaging nature for any and all upperclassmen. They cannot grab you in class or a dorm room, but anywhere else is fair game," I informed her. "My first task was to be a bench for someone to sit on," Rio grinned. "Mine was to kiss a girl," I nodded. "Kiss her? Cordelia damn near passed out, you kissed her so long and deep," Rio teased me. "The first one was very nice and chaste," Iona stepped up and added. "It was the second one that curled her toes and started the stampeded on Zane." "What do I do if a girl asks me to kiss her?" Valerie worried. "Tell her you are waiting for your herpes to clear up," Rio volunteered. "It isn't likely to happen," Iona came across with sounder advice. "Homosexuality is frowned on at this campus." "I'd tell you to kiss them and enjoy the moment, but I'm a guy," I shrugged. "I'm still not sure what is normal for this place," Valerie related. "Rio and Zane are aberrations," Iona offered. "Most of the girls here are fundamentalist Christian virgins who are looking to get married once they graduate this place." "What is your story?" Val asked Iona. "I was pretty much the girl I just described until I met these two," she smiled. "Now I feel that I have, options." "Options like prison time," Rio laughed, "or becoming a sex toy at an S&M club." "I was thinking more like taking a summer and roaming the country," Iona glared Rio. "Maybe I could teach you to ride a motorcycle and you can come with me," Valerie offered. "That would be wonderful!" Iona brightened up. "When could we start?" "This afternoon, if you like," Val responded. "My ride is in the parking lot." "You have a motorcycle, here?" Rio exclaimed. "Rio, it is hard to be in a motorcycle gang without a chopper," Valerie pointed out. "On that note, I have to go," I sighed. New girls were starting to migrate in, meaning I had to retreat to my room. "Take care, everyone." The crapstorm fell on us as we left the dorm. All kinds of upperclassmen snatched up freshmen as they appeared and shadowed Pro-Christina students they couldn't grab. Rio and I were able to shove off of Valerie before she was identified as being with one of us, so she made it to the Dining Hall unmolested. I didn't have to do anything too heinous, carry three backpacks while reciting the Gospel of Luke from memory (ugh). They made Rio sing 'Onward Christian Soldier' because it was the only religious song she'd admit to knowing. She did a horrific hack-job of it too. They had Iona going through the descendants of Noah; she knocked them back flawlessly, Brainiac. It got better at the Dining Hall door where Rhaine oversaw the removal of every electronic device from the incoming students, no phones, tablets or laptops, nothing capable of rapid communicat

In this episode, I had the most high-vibe, queen-energy conversation in Dubai with one of the city's finest expanders, the queen who pulls the energy of expansion forward in all of us, Regan Hillyer.   Regan is an internationally renowned manifestation teacher whose work bridges energetics, embodiment, and the quantum field. Her teachings remind us that we can literally sculpt our reality, collapse time, and create new visions for our lives that we never thought possible.   When I recorded this, I was in a moment of deep expansion, learning to stretch my capacity to receive and anchor into my royal frequency. Dubai, to me, represented that energy — a city of limitless possibility and creation.   Together, Regan and I explore:

Le 2 décembre prochain, le Maroc organisera une grande conférence anti-terroriste, avec notamment les trois pays de l'AES, l'Alliance des États du Sahel. C'est ce qu'annonce le site Africa Intelligence et ce que confirme ce matin Abdelmalek Alaoui, qui préside l'Institut marocain d'intelligence stratégique, basé à Rabat. Il y a deux ans, le Maroc a lancé le projet de relier les pays sahéliens enclavés à la côte atlantique. Et depuis 2023, le Maroc fait médiation entre les trois pays de l'AES et plusieurs pays européens, dont la France. Pourquoi cette stratégie ? En ligne de Rabat, Abdelmalek Alaoui répond à Christophe Boisbouvier. RFI : Il y a deux ans, en novembre 2023, le Maroc a lancé le projet de relier les pays sahéliens enclavés à la côte atlantique. Deux ans après, est-ce que ce projet avance ? Abdelmalek Alaoui : Le projet avance et il est structuré autour du port qui va être dans la région. Et il procède du triptyque sécurité, développement et intégration régionale. Il y a évidemment quelques retards sur toutes les dimensions route, parce qu'il y a des dimensions sécuritaires qui sont extrêmement importantes, mais c'est un projet qui est concret et qui est en train d'avancer. Alors, vous parlez des problèmes sécuritaires, concrètement, pour aller de Bamako, par exemple, au port de Dakhla ou au port de Laâyoune, il faut passer par la Mauritanie. Est-ce que ce pays est d'accord pour laisser transiter des camions ? Alors, au cours des deux dernières années, il y a eu beaucoup de discussions avec la Mauritanie sur les points de passage, sur la sécurisation de ces points de passage. Il y a eu des goulots d'étranglement, mais la situation à date est beaucoup plus fluide. Et puis Nouakchott et Rabat, au vu des derniers développements géopolitiques dans la région, sont alignés pour faire avancer ce projet. Et puis pour aller de Bamako aux ports de l'océan Atlantique comme Dakhla et Laâyoune, il faut aussi passer par le territoire disputé du Sahara occidental. Est-ce que les camions qui vont circuler dans cette zone ne vont pas être exposés à d'éventuelles représailles de la part du Front Polisario ? Alors la question de la sécurisation des routes lorsque l'on passe par le « no man's land » qui est cette zone sous contrôle de l'ONU, c'est une question qui est au cœur de la nouvelle approche sécuritaire du Maroc. Et le Maroc, au cours des dernières années, a montré qu'il était en capacité de pouvoir sécuriser ces routes. Lorsqu'il y a eu la résurgence d'actions violentes de la part du Front Polisario, à chaque fois, elles ont subi la condamnation des instances multilatérales et notamment des Nations unies. Mais le Maroc est confiant sur sa capacité à pouvoir projeter à la fois sécurité et fluidité dans toutes les zones qui permettent l'accès au port de Dakhla. Et concrètement, d'ici combien de temps pensez-vous que cette route pourra s'ouvrir entre Dakhla et Bamako par exemple ? Les dernières estimations, les plus sérieuses chiffrées d'économistes qui datent de l'an dernier, font état d'un investissement qui n'est pas loin du milliard de dollars afin de pouvoir sécuriser ces routes. Et il y a évidemment des retards qui sont inhérents, comme je vous l'ai dit, à la situation sécuritaire. L'horizon qui paraît le plus vraisemblable serait autour de 2027-2028, pour avoir une ceinture qui fonctionne à peu près. Alors, en décembre dernier, quatre agents de la DGSE française qui étaient détenus au Burkina Faso ont été libérés grâce à une médiation marocaine. Depuis le 14 août dernier, un agent de l'ambassade de France à Bamako, Yann Vezilier, est en prison. Est-ce que le Maroc peut trouver une solution à ce problème au Mali ? Je ne peux ici que vous rappeler la doctrine marocaine qui est celle d'agir d'abord et de parler ensuite. Le Maroc s'est imposé comme étant le pays qui était prêt à faire la médiation avec les différents pays de l'AES, là où les contacts sont rompus avec la France, mais également avec d'autres pays européens. Ça a été le choix du Maroc de garder ce fil du dialogue toujours vivant. Donc, on ne peut que supposer que le Maroc jouera son rôle s'il est sollicité. Et vous dites en effet que le Maroc est un médiateur très discret. Est-ce qu'il fait médiation aussi entre le pouvoir militaire aujourd'hui à Bamako et les groupes armés du nord du Mali ? Alors, sur la question du renseignement, le Maroc est organisé en deux pôles, un pour le renseignement intérieur qui est la DGST et le BCIJ, qui est le FBI marocain, et un avec la Direction générale des études et documentation qui, elle, organise la projection extérieure du Maroc, un peu à l'image de la DGSE. Cette DGED a, au cours de ces dernières années, été extrêmement présente à chaque fois qu'il y avait des discussions qui pouvaient être enclenchées entre des groupes extrémistes et les autorités. Mais moi, je ne suis pas dans le secret de ces institutions. On suppose qu'elle travaille encore une fois dans la discrétion. Il y a aussi des prisonniers maliens et des prisonniers russes aux mains des rebelles touaregs du FLA, Le Front de libération de l'Azawad. Que fait le Maroc de ce point de vue ? Comme vous le savez, cette zone où il y a les rebelles touaregs est une zone où il y a beaucoup d'influences. Il y a aussi une influence algérienne. Quant au Maroc, je ne peux pas vous dire avec précision ce qu'il fait sur place. Mais est-ce que le Maroc peut faciliter la libération des deux prisonniers russes aux mains du Front de Libération de l'Azawad ? Alors ce que je peux constater, c'est que le Maroc veut travailler avec tous les membres permanents du Conseil de sécurité. C'est le cas avec la Russie, puisqu'il vient d'y avoir à Moscou une rencontre bilatérale entre le ministre marocain des Affaires étrangères, Nasser Bourita, et son homologue russe Sergueï Lavrov, qui portait sur la coopération globale entre le Maroc et la Russie, et elle avait évidemment comme point la future résolution sur le Sahara occidental qui est attendue à la fin du mois. Je ne saurais vous dire s'ils se sont entretenus de la situation dans le Sahel ou au Mali.

Die finansminister het laat begin met die voorlesing van die middeltermynbegroting en dit wil voorkom asof sy min beweegruimte het. Ericah Shafudah sê daar is ‘n verlangsaming in globale ekonomiese groei vooruitskattings, ook vir Afrika suid van die Sahara.

[Mit Video!] An einem stürmischen Tag im Mai 1815 erleidet eine Crew aus Amerika vor der Westküste Afrikas Schiffbruch. Was folgt, ist eine beispiellose Odyssee. Ohne Vorräte am Rand der Sahara gestrandet, lassen sich die Matrosen versklaven. Von nun an sind sie auf ihr Durchhaltevermögen angewiesen - doch als sie dem Tod schon nahe sind, treffen sie mitten in der Wüste auf zwei unbekannte Karawanenhändler, denen sie ein Angebot machen. HIER GEHTS ZUM VIDEO!……Das Folgenbild zeigt David & Victor im Oktober 2025 im Comedia Theater in Köln :)……WERBUNGDu willst dir die Rabatte unserer weiteren Werbepartner sichern? Hier geht's zu den Angeboten!…….PREMIUMJetzt His2Go unterstützen für tolle Vorteile - über Steady!Klick hier und werde His2Go Hero oder His2Go Legend…….LITERATURKing, Dean: Weisse Sklaven: die wahre Geschichte von einem Schiffbruch in der Sahara, Hamburg 2005.Riley, James: Sufferings in Africa: Captain Riley's Narrative, 1817.…….UNTERSTÜTZUNGFolgt und bewertet uns bei Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podimo oder über eure Lieblings-Podcastplattformen.Wir freuen uns über euer Feedback, Input und Vorschläge zum Podcast, die ihr uns über das Kontaktformular auf der Website, Instagram und unsere Feedback E-Mail: kontakt@his2go.de schicken könnt. An dieser Stelle nochmals vielen Dank an jede einzelne Rückmeldung, die uns bisher erreicht hat und uns sehr motiviert.…….COPYRIGHTMusic from https://filmmusic.io: “Sneaky Snitch” by Kevin MacLeod and "Plain Loafer" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Hier bekommt ihr die Tickets zur "His2Go - Live Tournee" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christian College Sex Comedy: Part 9 The Sinister Science Club In 30 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the podcast at Explicit Novels.             Anyone can be who they want to be; the challenge is being who you need to be Raven Thorpe was awarded the 'honor' of working with me, a designation she groaned over, and other girls glared at her with jealousy. After class she attempted to shoulder past me but I tapped her arm. "Can we talk for a second?" I inquired. "Don't you have to scurry off and take care of your schedule?" she replied blandly. "Can you stop being a bitch for fifteen seconds so we can figure out which author we can work on?" I snapped angrily. She pulled up short as if she expects to be pimp-slapped next. "Okay, who do you have in mind?" she requested. "And if you say William Shakespeare, I am going to smack you with my book bag." "I was thinking the political works of Edmund Burke," I suggested. Raven blinked. "Seriously, I didn't think you even knew who Edmund Burke was, much less that he was the father of modern conservatism," Raven congratulated me. It was almost like she wanted to pat me on the head and give me a doggy bone. "I was thinking of concentrating more on his works during the American Revolution, but if that's what you are more comfortable with, we could cover his later period works instead," I offered. "Good point, Zane. Let's talk it over during lunch," Raven suggested. "Zane," summoned a female voice from outside the classroom. "Go on," Raven smirked, "enjoy your disproportionate level of abuse." "You act like I have any choice in the matter," I shrugged. It was of little consolation that Raven made it ten more feet from the door when she got snatched up too. This time out, my mistress got to point to a feature on her body and I had to give it a flattering description, I know, my life is utter hell. I had no idea where the Science Club met; I even began to get the sinking feeling they carefully controlled any information about themselves, sort of like a secret society, or the CIA. "Hello, I'm Paige," spoke this girl, who apparently materialized out of the ether. I'm not paranoid; I've spent the past two years in a region where you have to be alert because Tigers are common and I say this girl freaking ghosted me, Man. "I'm with the Science Club. You will come with me right now," she smiled like said predator cat trying to disguise herself as a white rabbit. "You are albino," I noted. She had long white hair, alabaster skin, and a red shadow to her eyes. She was also the only girl to date I'd seen with the dark blue jacket that was part of our winter uniform. She also had a jaunty blue hat and white stockings instead of socks. "You have eyes," she rolled hers, "now come along." I started to follow her. "So what is this meeting about?" I asked. "It isn't a meeting; we require you for something," she replied. "What is it?" I became more cautious. "It is a surprise," she mocked me. "Stop wasting my time and come along." "Cool, I'm out of here." I grinned, turned, and left. Paige staggered and seemed unable to grasp my departure. "Where are you going?" she snapped tartly. "To Archery Club," I replied, while still walking away. "But, but you said you would come," she stuttered. "Am I a person? Are you?" "Yes and yes," she replied with irritation. "Are you an idiot or a child? Because those are the only reasons to forgive your spoiled behavior," I turned and said. Paige glared. "So you assume you are smarter than me and can be rude to someone who is doing you a favor." "We are the ones doing you a favor," Paige snapped back. "Now we want you to repay us." "Did you discuss payment when you did me the favor of rewiring my room? No? Good, because if you had, I would clearly be suffering a form of amnesia," I gave back. "If you want something, you can ask as a friend or you can offer me something that makes it worth my while. Now go back to Cordelia and tell her you have returned alone because you were so much smarter than me. If you could only 'speak friend', I continued walking away. "Wait," Paige called out nervously. "I, I, and I could almost hear the wheels turning. "Speak friend and enter." I stopped in midstride. "So you read through my school records and know my top ten influences," I turned and responded. We stared at each other for almost a minute until she finally gave up and put on her sunglasses. I retraced my steps back to her. "Favorite member of the Fellowship?" I tested her. "Legolas," she responded. I scoffed and she had the human decency to look embarrassed. "Ha," I scoffed again. "Horny girls go for the elf; the marrying kind goes for Aragorn." "Who is yours, then, wise guy?" she volleyed. "Boromir," I declared my allegiance. "Ah, of course; the veteran warrior in a doomed struggle; he forsakes his honor only to redeem it in a hopeless fight, perishing in the arms of his brothers," Paige retorted. "I thought you would have gone for Aragorn, the Uncrowned King." "Hmm," I winced, "my second choice was actually Frodo but that would have sounded gay." "You can't be gay; you are not clever enough to conceal that," she stated. "See, now you are sounding like Saruman the White," I teased. "Let me guess: because I'm an albino," she grumbled. "You are an albino? I was talking about your facial hair and that arrogant, know-it-all vibe you've got going on," I joked. Paige stared at me, suddenly speechless, finally taping her chin. "At least you didn't call me Gollum," she admitted. "Nah; too much hair and not enough skin slime," I explained as I ran the back of one finger over her cheek. She flinched slightly. "Are you going to, please, come with me now?" she asked much more politely. "Are you going to have sex with me?" I grinned. "What?" she squawked. "Just joshing you," I smiled. "You are far too pretty to be interested in me. Let's go." I'd clearly unsettled her because she didn't say another word to me until we were going downstairs in the Clegger Science Building. "Do you really think I'm pretty?" she asked as we finished the last set of stairs. "I must confess I find most women attractive, but you are far prettier than most," I replied. "Do you still want to have sex with me?" she said in a casual voice. I took her hand and placed it on my heart. "Hah," she snorted, "I get it; your heart is beating so yes, you want to have sex with me." "I was going to say that a steady heartbeat indicated I was telling the truth, but someone keeps insisting they are smarter than me," I teased her. Am I really asking for another sex partner? What's wrong with me? Her reaction wasn't what I expected it to be and then I realized that she still had something over on me, the reason for me being here. Bitch. She opened a door into a dark room and ushered me in. There appeared to be about ten ladies in the room, playing with a variety of electronics. "Delivered as promised," Paige called out. "What did he hit you with?" a short caramel-skinned girl inquired. "Fellowship of the Ring," Paige grinned. Mother-fuckers! "Did he offer to have sex with you?" Cordelia asked playfully. "Yes. And not only gave me a 'pretty' but also a 'far prettier'." Paige gave me a smug look. "Ha, ha, ha," I muttered. Idiot me forgot that psychology is also a science, and the reason we don't have a chess club at FFU was also evident; the Science Club devoured them. "Come on, Zane," Cordelia batted her full lashes at me. "We need a little favor and it won't take fifteen minutes." "Couldn't you simply coerce me into doing this?" I stated. "I'm sure this whole rigmarole of making me think I'm doing you a favor has to be making things more difficult." "We are all friends here," Cordelia smiled. "No, if we were all friends here, Iona would be at my side," I scolded her. "I admit you did a great scam getting me in this room, but you aren't nearly as good at lying to my face as you think you are." "Iona, Paige started to say. "Don't!" Cordelia snapped, then took a deep breath. "If you threaten Iona he will hit you, no," she corrected, "He'll hit me," Cordelia reasoned out. "There are eleven of us," another girl, Pandora Jaspers, stated, somewhat angry and confident. "I've seen him fight, Pandora. I saw him drop Mercy Chaplain. I've seen him fight Cappadocia Davis and Coach Gorman too," Cordelia said coolly as we stared at one another. "Unless we curl up in a ball on the ground, he'll beat us down. We'll hurt him, but Zane can take more pain than we can because he cares about her." "On that note, I'm gone again. Good going Paige; I'm sure you can think of something to make your sisters understand," I shrugged and moved for the door. "Zane, I need you to strip down and let us attach a series of video and biometric sensors so we can create a 'Virtual Zane' for a little project we are working on," Cordelia blurted out. I had to think hard about this; not because I didn't want to do it but because I had to figure if this was an honest play or another convoluted turn of the screws. I turned and looked at Cordelia. "There was no way in hell you ever thought I was a professor and you miraculously materialized outside my first class with the knowledge I was actually a freshman, damn, Cordelia, can't you just ask for stuff?" I berated her. "If you ask, you depend on another to get what you want; if you deceive, you win or lose on your own abilities," she shrugged. "Besides, I did ask you to kiss me; remember?" "Good enough; where do you want me to stand?" I responded. "Wait," Paige gawked. "Now he is doing it." "Alright ladies," one girl grinned. "Everyone pay up. I told you we should simply ask him." With that, I stepped over to a table and began stripping. Slowly the girls around me stopped what they were doing and openly ogled me. I guess the real me was better than the video. "Aren't you curious about what we are going to do?" Pandora inquired. "You are probably going to tell me that I'm posing naked because it is easier to dress an 'uncluttered' form, or something to that effect, but really, I like Cordelia and Iona is one of my two best friends," I mulled it over. "Besides, in case you missed it, I've seen all your faces." Once they took that bit of news in, things went along smoothly, though they had some debate amongst themselves on whether my cock needed its own 'reference point', a sensor attached. The amusing thing was, when the girl running the computer imaging asked me to keep my cock still, I had to reply that certain reactions weren't under my control, which caused a rather awkward moment. When I was finally finished there was another quiet interlude as I got dressed. "So," Cordelia wondered, rocking back and forth on her feet, "if we need more, data, could we get you to come back?" "Sure," I smiled back, "you know where I live, and you certainly know what my digits are. Cordelia, I want you to consider that if something happens in my room that ends up on the web that betrays the trust people have put in me, I'm not going to come after all of you looking for excuses. Are we clear?" "Is that a threat, Zane?" Cordelia beamed playfully. "Cordelia, I'm always one step away from being tossed out of here on my ass, so those who chose to trust me and take up my cause are doing it because they are decent folk. I'm not like most people; I can't afford to toss friends away like most of the rest of the people in this room seem to be comfortable with." "Or what," Paige smirked, "you'll beat us up?" "No, Paige. I value trust, so if you take that away from me, I'll find out what you value and take that away from you," I stared at her intently. "I know what you are going to say, Paige," Cordelia jumped in, "and Zane being expelled will only mean that he has no other distractions from dealing with us and he'll still have people inside the school all too willing to help him." "Zane, how about if something is done, we give you an off switch for various sections?" Cordelia offered. "Sounds great; let me know how the project works out, but now I have to go to Archery," I replied, before slipping out the door. "How did he know we were going to wire his room?" I overheard Paige whisper to Cordelia. "You don't seriously think he came here solely because we tricked him, do you?" Cordelia answered. "He knew we would try something and he wanted us to know that he knew." Yes, I had bumbled into the message I'd wanted to get across despite myself. Does Anyone Want Me Here? I had escaped school with a double date for Thursday Night (Chastity and Hope), then stopped by the house to plead with Aunt Jill to let Rio stay for the weekend. I gave a rational case, a compassionate reason, and then fell down on my knees and told her I really, really, really wanted her to stay. Something in that last argument made Jill relent and I phoned the good news to Rio. All that groveling resulted in me making the Festivities Committee Meeting by only two minutes. I swept into the room abruptly and as the story of my life goes, everyone stopped talking and looked at me. A quick scan of the room told me that two of the eight women knew to expect me, or at least some guy, while the others clearly assumed I'd lost my way. "Can we help you, young man?" an older woman with hair mostly turned to gray. "Welcome, Glenn," Mrs. Wellington said. "Ladies, Pastor William has asked us to introduce Mr. Braxton to the good works of our Church." There was a pause. "Thank you, Mrs. Wellington, but no one alive calls me Glenn anymore, and I'm not old or accomplished enough to be Mr. Braxton, like my Father or Uncle Tim. My teachers call me Zane." "Oh, you are at the University?" a third woman asked politely. She was asking if I went to the University of Virginia. "No, I don't go to UV; I go to FFU, it is a long story," I replied with trepidation. "I have a daughter at Freedom Fellowship," one of the women responded with concern. "What is her name?" I tried to be polite, what were the odds? "Pandora Jaspers," Mrs. Jaspers answered. "Seriously? I've done Handmaiden duty for her, and today I saw her at the Science Club," I sighed with relief. "What did she have you do?" yet another woman inquired intently. "I helped her create an umbrella walkway when it was raining so that all the students could get to class without getting soaked," I informed them. "Have you been to 'camp'?" a sixth woman hinted at something. "Camp, no, I can't say I've ever been to a camp," I evaded, because I had no idea what they meant. "That's enough, ladies," Mrs. Wellington said. "We have business to take care of. We can worry about Mr. Braxton's confusion at a later time." Oh, they think I'm gay. Camp = Gay camp where fundamentalists are sure I could be cured of being homosexual. I try not to laugh. "Mr. Braxton, I want you to sit at the chair there," Mrs. Wellington pointed to a chair away from the table, against the wall. "I want you to take personal notes for the members, things that don't go into the official record. Doreen Saxon," she indicated the gray haired woman "is our secretary. She takes the official notes of the meeting, so pay attention." The Meeting for the first of September was called to order, the record of attendance including the difficulty of my name, they kept trying to call me Glenn Braxton while I politely asked for Zane. They went with Glenn. The rest of the group worked out like this: Rochelle Wellington was Chairwoman, Kendra Bainbridge was our Treasurer, and Doreen Saxon was the grey-haired Secretary. The rest of the group consisted of Claire Baker, Theresa Geiger, Columbia Jaspers, Heidi Moulin, and Sahara Penny, the Pastor's wife. As the meeting progressed there was little I could do but watch the group dynamics at work. For starters, Bainbridge was at Wellington's throat; they clearly didn't like one another. The other was an oddity; no one interacted with Sahara Penny. I wasn't sure if it was her non-white heritage (Middle Eastern of some sort), her meek nature, or some past sin, but I decided to take advantage of it. I got up quietly and began walking around the table. "Glenn," Mrs. Saxon asked, but I ignored her because, damn it, how many times do I have to tell them my name is Zane? I walked over and knelt by Sahara. "Zane," Mrs. Wellington addressed me, "are you looking for the bathroom?" Bingo! "No, Mrs. Wellington. I was hoping to get some background information on the current discussions as well as contact information for the group. Since the rest of you are treating Mrs. Penny like she has the plague, I figured she would be the perfect candidate to tell me what is really going on here," I grinned at her. "It is always the quiet ones who know the most." And everyone stopped talking. Sahara not only looked shocked and frightened to see me, she looked like she wanted to sink under the table when I told the rest of them my reason for being here. "I assure you, Mr. Braxton, we are fully including Sahara in the process," Mrs. Bainbridge snorted indignantly. "I will gladly accept your reprimand if you can please tell me the last five words you said to her since I arrived," I requested, with as much innocence as I could beg, borrow, or steal. "I asked her about the children's clothing for the Nativity this year," Kendra said after a long pause. "That was Claire, not Sahara," I corrected her. "It is in my notes, but I'm sure Doreen can corroborate my recall of events." "Well," she said testily, "I'm sure I said something to her." Silence. "I apologize for disrupting the meeting. I'll crouch here quietly and conference with Sahara while the rest of you complete the business of the day," I told them, then turned back to Sahara. "Now, what the heck is up with the live turkey at the Thanksgiving celebration?" In the end, I gathered my information, the meeting concluded its business, and the room emptied until it was me, Sahara, Kendra, and Rochelle. "A Christian gentleman would apologize," Kendra informed me. "Well, I guess that makes us both poor Christians, because a good Christian woman wouldn't have lied to me," I calmly replied. Kendra gaped like a fish out of water. "Rochelle!" Kendra snapped to the Committee head. "Zane, you apologize to Kendra right now," she commanded me, without much passion. "Kendra Bainbridge, I apologize for my rude and uncalled for behavior," I said with a bow. Neither woman had expected me to fold up like that, so all Kendra could do was huff and storm out of the room. "Thank you," Sahara whispered, as she touched my hand. "I don't always know the right side to fight on but it is usually by the side of the person being bullied," I grinned. "It is the Christian thing to do," I added with a wink. That left me with Rochelle Wellington: MILF, Lance the asshole's Mom, and wife of the Mayor. She looked like she wanted to stand up but couldn't. Me, I had a Sorority meeting to get to, I missed dinner so I had to grab something first, and why in the hell was I even thinking what I was thinking? I sat down beside her. "What's wrong?" I began. She looked at me, tired and somehow forlorn. "You wouldn't understand, Mr. Braxton, Zane," she sighed. "Try me; the worst that could happen is, I give the expression that every teenager gives an adult when something important is being said but we are too caught up in our own lives to understand." "Oh, good point, young man," she sighed, "but I'm afraid I don't have anything even remotely interesting to talk about." I waited patiently. "I'm feeling sorry for myself. My baby is leaving the nest and it has been so long since I've been alone in the house, I don't know what to do with myself." "Lance is an only child?" I wondered. "Oh, no, he is the youngest of five," she responded with sadness. My jaw dropped and she stared at me. "What, did you start having kids when you were ten?" I gawked. "What?" she sounded confused. "I have a hard time believing you are forty, much less the mother of five grown children," I stammered. At first Rochelle was embarrassed and a bit uncomfortable, but slowly the compliment seeped its way into her psyche. "I, I have a home gym," she suggested as an answer. "Well, whatever you've been doing has worked. Your husband is one lucky guy, and I hope he appreciates you and all you do to look, act, and feel so young," I wowed her. "I'm not feeling all that young right now," she slipped back into her depression. "Where does it hurt?" I changed my focus. "I don't know what you mean?" she asked. "People keep their stress in different places; the back of the neck, the mid-back, shoulders, or temples," I informed her. "I'm not comfortable talking with you about that," Mrs. Wellington replied warily. "Sure," I said popping out of my seat. "I apologize if I crossed any lines," and I made for the door. "Wait, Zane, I apologize. I'm tired and a bit cranky. I know you didn't mean anything and besides, I'm sure you already have a girlfriend," Rochelle admitted. "Please don't spread this around, but I have several girlfriends at the moment. They know about each other, I'm not going to lie about my sex life, but they are usually interested in different things," I told her. "You have, multiple girlfriends, different things? Like what kind of different things?" Rochelle spilled out her confused thoughts. "Some women like sexual contact," I related, "while others like romantic time together, and still others want companionship." There was another long pause. "But you are at Freedom Fellowship University, she trembled. "I've never taken a student's virginity, if that's what you are asking," I answered. "Oh, I understand. I've taught all my children that they should be virgins on their wedding day," Rochelle said with some pride. "I have to disagree with that," I shocked her, "but that is one of the reasons that women are better than girls." "And how would you know this?" She now turned in her chair to face me, trying to sound affronted but coming across as deeply curious. "Umm, I've had sex with girls in their teens and women in their forties, and women know more, pace themselves better, and generally have better bodies," I explained. "Teen girls need a few more years to fill out." Rochelle was utterly speechless, and part of that had to do with the fact that I was being frank and honest, yet not openly coming on to her. "You must not think much of me, then," she mused, "teaching my children my views on virginity." "Where did you get that from? If anything, you are proving yourself to be an intelligent, warm, caring, and compassionate woman and mother, who happens to look like she's less than forty years old," I added. "You did what you thought was right. I can't argue with that." "Well, good," she replied. "Now for my part, I was taught that a real man gives his lover multiple orgasms and he should never reach fulfillment before his partner does. Any man who does so is being selfish," I stated. "How did you come by this, thinking?" she inquired with a small voice. "Umm, I've had sex around five hundred times with thirty different partners," I told her, "so I've not only learned from very good teachers, I've field tested their ideas." "How can you possibly consider yourself a good Christian, Zane?" she accused me. "Compassion, respect for all living things, and forgiveness, that's what I believe in and what Christianity stands for in my eyes," I explained. "The Bible is clear on sex and the sanctity of the marriage bed," Rochelle insisted. "Mrs. Wellington, everything after the death of Jesus is conjecture. We both accept that Jesus was the Son of God, but after he dies, who is to say who was being touched by the Divine, who was building on JC's teachings, and who was simply making stuff up," I held up my hand to stop Rochelle's protest. "The Catholics have a thousand Saints, most of whom we don't hold to be divinely inspired. You chose to believe that virginity is a girl's sacred duty, but I don't recall Christ saying anything on the subject. You can certainly quote later Gospels or the Old Testament, but that makes it your choice, not the Word of God," I finished up. Another long pause followed. "I keep my stress in the top of my shoulders," she suddenly said. I stood up and moved behind her, deciding to not question her changing opinion of me. "It helps if you take off your jacket," I suggested, then helped her shimmy out of it. She tensed up as my hands weighed down lightly on her shoulders so I kept my touch gentle. Two minutes into the massage, I began squeezing harder and harder, moving my palms back and forth over her bra straps from upper arm to neck. "Rochelle," I whispered into her ear, "I am going to rotate your shoulders." I rolled over each shoulder one at a time but when I finished, I pushed her slowly forward until she was resting her elbows on the table and held her head on her upturned hands. When I went back to the massage, I worked her over harder and extended my reach from her mid-back to neck. This was clearly a case of begging forgiveness instead of asking permission. I took my time, relaxing her to a completely detached state. When I brought her back to reality, I was kneeling beside her and tapping her on the arm. "Rochelle? Are you okay," I asked in a gentle, caring voice. Dreamily, she turned her head from its resting place on her arms to look at my eyes straight-on and mere inches away. "What, huh?" she muttered. "How do the shoulders feel? Has your stress gone away?" I inquired. "Yes, yes," she popped up, alert once more. "It feels really good, in fact. I haven't felt this way in years," she added with a smile. "I think it is time for us to go," I suggested. "Can I help you with your jacket?" "Of course," she nodded. "Thank you for helping an old lady out." I held it while she put in one arm after the other but when I settled it on her shoulders, I stepped in and held her there for a moment while I pressed myself against her so she could feel how I felt about 'old ladies'. Rochelle froze when she felt my cock, rigid in my slacks, pressed against her ass. I was unsure if I'd gone too far when she pushed ever so slightly against me. "I've got to be going. I will see you on Sunday but I'm home all weekend with one of my girlfriends in case you need me," I informed her. I slipped out before she could respond because not only did I have a Sorority function to attend, I also needed to figure out where I could score some Viagra because I clearly had no common sense where sex was concerned. Besides, Sahara was obviously in need of attention because Pastor Bill wasn't giving it to her, and Bainbridge was lashing out due to years of sexual frustration, I repeat: I have no common sense. Every One Like a Fingerprint to Me When I was racing to get to the Kappa Sigma House, I hardly expected to be met by one of their pledges and absolutely no one else. After I sat down in the den and the pledge, Tina, got me a soda from the kitchen, we found ourselves staring at one another. "So, I'm here on the correct night; right?" I asked. "Yes, you are, Zane," she bubbled with anticipation. "Where is everybody?" I prodded her. "They are taking care of Sorority business but they will come get us when they are ready," she grinned. I knew I was missing something but I didn't know what it was. "Is it hot in here?" I wondered. "Yes," Tina said after a bit of concentration. "Tina, can I have some Advil? I'm getting a headache," I yawned. "Okay," Tina responded, still happy, and still sitting down. "Ah, fuck, you drugged me, didn't you?" I groaned. I doubted I could still stand and then proved my doubts as I slid off the chair. "Damn," I slurred. Tina walked over to me, took my drink away, and gently maneuvered my body to the floor. "If it is any consolation, I was selected as the pledge most likely to seduce you," she stated with real sympathy. I might have smiled at her, I wasn't sure, but I definitely passed out. Cough! Someone plunged cleaning detergent underneath my nose and fired me back to consciousness. Holy Mother of God, I'm cold, my wrists and ankles hurt, I'm outdoors in the woods illuminated by torches and surrounded in a semi-circle of bare-footed figures in ankle long brown robes and black hoods. I was cold because I was naked and my limbs hurt because I was suspended on a cross, not a 'T' cross but an 'X' cross. I certainly know some kinky, fucked-up people. "Zane," a modulated voice addressed me, "you are on trial before Kappa Sigma for your treatment of one of our sisters. You have abused the trust of one sister by seeking romantic relations with another. What do you have to say for yourself?" "If the question is that I had relations with Leigh, then had a similar encounter with Paris, then I confess. In my defense, I never sought to deceive either one and will make amends if permitted," I promised. "Sisters, we have heard his defense. Will any of you vote in his behalf?" she intoned. No one stepped forward. "Zane, we will give you one chance to save yourself. If you fail, you will be shaved bald and painted in a permanent purple dye." I assume that means seven days on human skin. "If you can pick out the woman you have wronged, beg her forgiveness, and are forgiven, you will go free." I was getting pretty nervous since they were all totally covered except for their toes when the 'leader' nodded and the girls all opened their robes to reveal string bikinis in a variety of colors. Their faces were still covered, though that wasn't really a problem for me anymore. "Choose Leigh and Paris, beg their forgiveness, and you may be pardoned," the 'leader' commanded. "That's not fair," I answered right back, "because they are not before me now." "Think carefully," the girl with the modulated voice cautioned me. "No, seriously; I'm looking at Josephine, Maria, Cynthia, Sarah, Ferrara, Petra, Yvette, Tawny, Jersey, and Monique," I named them left to right. "What?" Sarah gasped to her assembled sisters. "Do we have name tags on?" Behind me, I heard snickers turn into giggles, Leigh and Paris. Tawny stepped forward. "How did you know?" she inquired, clearly not the girl with the modulated voice. "Ah, Josephine has a birthmark on her ankle, Maria has the darkest skin tone, and Cynthia's breasts don't angle down the middle or to the side but somewhere in the middle." "Sarah has slender thighs and her calves curve just so below the knee; Ferrara always paints her nails in these crazy patterns; Petra scrapped her knee backpacking two weekends ago; Yvette, has that tattoo over her right nipple; Tawny, you have a slender neck, a, 38C chest, and a strong swell from your waist to your hips; Jersey is the tallest and has that scar she got in a boating accident in high school; and finally, Monique has the perkiest nipples and the most slender calves," I recited. Man, even the crickets went quiet after that. "Zane, did anyone help you with this test?" Tawny finally asked. "Nope." "How could they?" Leigh came to my defense. "You didn't make the line-up until thirty minutes ago." "Jersey, go check his phone log," Tawny directed her sister. "I'm getting really cold," I whispered to Leigh. She looked from my eyes to my waist with sympathy. Jersey walked out of the light but quickly returned with my phone. "His last call was at 2:10 p.m. but he did have a data download at 6:45, it seems to be a bunch of women's names and phone numbers," Jersey relayed the information to them. "It is my church group, I swear. Honestly, they are all married women in the Festivities Committee that bastard of a pastor assigned me to," I pleaded. "No phone calls?" Tawny persisted. "No phone calls," Jersey confirmed. "Okay, Zane, how did you know who we were with our faces concealed?" Tawny wondered. "Is that a serious question?" The deafening pause was its own answer. "You are women; I pay attention to women and to me, each female form is as exacting as a fingerprint. Until now I thought all of this was a joke," I related. "I mean, if you wanted to scare me, you would have given me something difficult to figure out." "And you picked all this up at one party?" Tawny sounded bewildered. "Have I mentioned how much I like women?" I reminded her. "But you brought twenty women with you; you always had a woman by your side. How?" Tawny still struggled to understand. "I repeat: have I mentioned how much I like women? I see nothing wrong with being with one woman and looking at others, but I believe it is wrong to be with one woman and thinking about someone else," I explained. "You should always appreciate the one you are with." "Umm, does any sister believe Zane has earned a reprieve?" For two seconds no one reacted, then Jersey stepped forward. "He knew about my scar," was her excuse. Five more stepped forward right after that and all had done so by the tenth second. "Very well Zane, you are forgiven," Tawny announced. Yay, me! "But I have one other issue to address. Zane, I can't have you cutting a swath through my girls so I'm going to demand that you stick to one and only one Kappa Sigma per semester." I stared at her until she finally had to question me. "What?" "I wish you would stop treating me like a child," I chuckled. "What makes you think I'm not being serious?" Tawny growled. "We've kissed. You can tell a lot about a person in the way they kiss, and you are very caring and thoughtful," I told her. "Why would I be out here in the woods naked if I didn't trust you?" "You kissed him!" yelped Leigh. Tawny smirked as she looked at her. "You left me alone with a naked Zane in your room; he looked cold and lonely," she told Leigh. I was cold and lonely because Tawny tossed Leigh out of her own room and then wouldn't let me get dressed, but only Tawny, Christina, and I knew that. "Besides, Zane, you are naked in these woods because we tricked you into our house and spiked your drink," Tawny pointed out. "Ah, but would I have been dumb enough to take that drink if I hadn't first trusted you enough to show up, wait, that didn't come out right," I mumbled. "Are you agreeing to my terms?" Tawny teased. "Nope. I prefer to hold to the illusion I'm living in the Free World," I declared. "You can certainly tell your sisters what to do because they volunteered for this but I only hang out here because all of you have been so nice to me. If I've been a poor guest, I'll just leave, because I'm not going to pretend I like one sister less than another." "Zane, you are deep in the woods, tied to a cross, and the only people who know you are here are all bound by Sacred Oaths of Sisterhood, Blood, and Secrecy," Tawny stated sweetly, as she came up and stroked my cheek. "You aren't in the best place to be dumping us." "Good point," I agreed defiantly. "Maybe I should wait to get on my high horse when I can actually get on a high horse, but I'm still not going to take it back." "We could always keep him in our secret basement," Monique suggested. When everyone looked at her she added, "Hey, he liked my nipples. Finding a guy who is good with nipples isn't as easy as you would think." Huh, what? I had a definite feeling I was losing control of events. "You have a secret basement?" I gulped. "I didn't know you had a secret basement." "Well, duh," Paris snickered. "It wouldn't be much of a secret if you knew about it." "We are not keeping Zane chained up for our amusement," Tawny warned the girls. "We specifically changed the Charter back in '02 so that we can no longer keep men on the premises for more than forty-eight hours." Yay? "We also can't leave him here," Tawny continued. "I'm sure Christina will have search parties out looking for you before sunrise." "I'll stay out here and stand guard over him," Leigh volunteered. "No," Tawny scolded Leigh. "We can't let him get fucked to death either." Leigh looked truly heartbroken. "I think we have to let Zane get off this time," Tawny sighed. "I was trying to get him off," Leigh grumbled. "Give it a rest, Leigh," Tawny demanded. "Paris, give our guest something to drink so we can wrap this up." Paris disappeared behind me, then reappeared with a glass of water. "Drink up," she smiled beatifically. "Just promise me I'm not going to wake up in some landfill or tied to a lamppost somewhere public," I groaned. "Drink it down right now and you might wake up next to me," Tawny challenged. Needless to say, I drank and quickly, because I'm an idiot who keeps too much blood in the wrong head. When I woke up, I was back in the Sorority house with a different sweet pledge smiling at me and that smell of ammonia in my nostrils. She handed me a folded piece of paper. I said 'you MIGHT wake up next to me' the paper read. 'P.S. See you and the Ladies at our Halloween Bash.' "What's your name?" I asked the pledge. This time the home was filled with the noises of occupancy. "Larissa," she giggled. "So, are you Leigh's boyfriend?" "Ah, no; I'm community property; the other sisters hand me around like a box of chocolates," I joked. "Really! That is so great," she bubbled with excitement. "I can't wait until I get initiated. I want you to make me scream the way you had Leigh singing." Does no one get my jokes? "Larissa, I am sure you will pass your initiation, no sweat," I told her as I stood up, feeling a bit drunk. Larissa walked with me to the door and gave me a quick peck on the cheek as I turned to head for my car. I made it to campus with seconds to spare. The crawl up to the Solarium was done in relative quiet, though Barbie Lynn decided to sample my tonsils before letting me up. Not two steps inside the door my phone rang. "Hello, is this Zane Braxton?" this familiar voice greeted me. "That would be me. What can I do for you this night?" I responded. "This is Felicity Tolliver. I wanted you to know that I had dinner with Rochelle Wellington tonight and I think having you on her committee has really improved her mood," she informed me. I reached the top of the landing and nearly dropped the phone. Iona sat nervously on my bed, which she had made up because I never do it that well. She was wearing lingerie that definitely made her whole form much more feminine. "Felicity, Rochelle and I talked mostly, plus I showed her some techniques to help alleviate stress," I related, "but you can tell her it was a pleasure to work with such a vibrant and beautiful woman. You two are a lot alike." There was a pause, then, "I'll tell her that," Felicity said. "I will be at my home in case she needs something this weekend. I would like to see both of you, as would my Aunt," I offered. "That would be nice," she sounded upbeat. "We could also discuss getting some FFU girls coming over to your place and the workshops you could teach on campus in October and November," I suggested. "That sounds great too," Felicity agreed. "I would like to spend some time at FFU and having some girls know where Lance's house is would be nice. When do you want to meet?" "How about after dinner, say 8:00 o'clock?" I suggested. "You can bring Lance." "After dinner is fine but Lance has a church workshop on Saturday nights," Felicity sighed. Oh hell, does this woman even get taken to first base? "He's always so busy with his fraternity at school, the Young Christian Men's Republican caucus, and the Christian Men's League at church." Does this guy spend any time with women at all? "Consider it a date," I replied. "Now I have a very good reason to go to bed, so good night." "Good night," she parted in a friendly manner, which allowed me to hang up and start undressing as I approached the bed. I looked down at my bed buddy once I'd stripped down to nothing. "You look lovely, Iona," I greeted her. "What do you want to do?" "I'll do whatever you want," Iona said with a tremor in her voice, looking down at her lap. She looked stunning in her burgundy bra and panties, which were far more lace than substance. I felt the hand of, Christina (?) in all this. "Thank you, Iona. What I really want is to lie down, you beside me so that I can look into your eyes and gently trace lines along your body, and then I want to go to sleep with you in my arms. That's what I really want." "Really?" she perked up in surprise and relief. I crawled under the covers, holding them open so she could join me. "I like this a lot," she murmured, as she settled in at my side, snug in the covers. I shifted to my side and cupped her chin before exchanging several soft kisses with her. Afterwards, I did as I told her I would; my hand caressed her body, avoiding nipples and cunt but doing my best to get everywhere else. I elicited sensual moans and ticklish giggles. When I had forced her to push me off so she could catch her breath, I felt I had given Iona what she wanted, and more importantly, what she could live with. I sat back and stared at the Moon through my glass roof. Iona's smiling face slowly invaded my view. "I give up, Iona," I pleaded. "Right now I want some sleep." "That's okay. I will sit here and watch over you," she sighed. "That's, that's a little creepy, actually," I confessed. "I've watched all of the Twilight movies so I know what secretive romances are all about," Iona explained. Unfortunately, I knew little of the Twilight series of movies. I knew it involved vampires and werewolves and some chick named Bella but I'd never actually seen any of that. Had I known it involved a 100-year-old vampire breaking into some teenager's room and staring down at her while she slept, I would have been much more concerned, but for now I went to sleep. A lesson in why I shouldn t get out of bed in the morning. I woke up to every heterosexual teenage boy's second favorite dream (the first being a morning blowjob) of a perfume-scented head resting on each shoulder as you wake. There were the tiny complications of only having gone to bed with one woman and that, by their breathing, I could tell they were both awake. "Good morning," I said cautiously; technically morning since it was 5:00 a.m. "Good morning, Zane," Iona and Barbie Lynn greeted me. They both ran hands over my chest, though they gave a sudden jolt when their hands touched. I had one arm around Iona and I used that to give her a hug. My other arm was pinned by my side by Barbie Lynn's body. I gave Barbie's thigh a squeeze and she wiggled in response. "Okay, Barbie Lynn, this is Iona's night, so what are you doing here?" I scolded my blonde nymph. "I'm sorry," Barbie demurred then looked to Iona and repeated the "I'm sorry." "I understand," Iona replied, hesitating before saying after further introspection as she snuggled in, "I want to wake up this way every morning too. I like the way he smells and the way he makes me feel all warm inside, and now you owe me a night, to be shared," she stated hopefully. "One of these days I'm going to get a say in how I spend my free time," I griped. Iona looked hurt but Barbie Lynn merely sneered. "Don't you worry none, Iona. Zane, if you could wake up next to myself and Iona tomorrow morning, would you?" she drawled like sweet molasses. "Yes," I grumbled petulantly, "but I'd still like to talk about it." "Trust us, Suga, we know what's best for you and what you want. Just let us girls take care of you and you take care of all the Man Stuff." "We'll take good care of you," Iona dog-piled on, but in a nice way. "If it makes you feel better, you can punish us," Barbie Lynn offered. "We've been bad." "Huh?" Iona and I questioned. Barbie flipped over and wiggled her ass against me. "Good point. You two get to the foot of the bed, facing away from me, now!" I demanded. "Why me?" Iona honestly worried. "What did I do wrong?" "Do it, Iona. This is virtually a rite of passage," Barbie Lynn lied to her. "No, it is not, and if you don't want to do it, you don't have to," I told her. She didn't know what I was going to do and she clearly was scared, but when Barbie Lynn crawled out from under the covers and moved to the foot of the bed, resting on all fours, ass toward me, she followed suit. "If Barbie Lynn is going to do this," she muttered, "then so am I." I followed them, positioning myself between their calves and massaging their ass cheeks lightly. Barbie shifted back and forth in anticipation; Iona couldn't de-tense. Smack! "Oh, Yes!" Barbie Lynn yelped, then playfully wiggled her other, unmarked cheek within reach. "I've been really bad!" she chirped cheerfully. "No! Bad Girl," I shook my finger at her. "I'm starting to believe you aren't learning your lesson." We both knew that spanking Barbie was like throwing gasoline on a fire. Unfortunately, my purpose right now was to get them both back to their rooms, not work off my morning arousal. I moved behind Iona and forced her legs apart. She was clearly uncomfortable when I put a hand on each hip and slowly rocked her back and forth. Barbie Lynn sat back and watched with an enchanting glow highlighting her features; clever, intuitive, and lovely all at once. I settled my body onto Iona's back, my hard-on pressing into her ass cleft and one hand rubbing her stomach. "Zane?" Iona whispered in a scared little girl voice. "Yes," I answered, while kissing her along her shoulder ridge. "You, you didn't do this to Barbie Lynn," she choked out. "Do you want me to treat you as if you were another woman?" I continued, brushing her hair to one side so I could tease her neck with my lips. That got her to finally relax. "No," she gasped. "Iona, you explaining sex to Zane is like a bobcat telling a wolf how to hunt deer," Barbie Lynn teased Iona. "He gets to know you, what you like, and what you want, even if you don't know what that is." I spent another two minutes giving Iona a sensual massage, rubbing her upper arms, down along her sides, then tracing the lines of her panties before finishing with her inner thighs. Smack! "Oh," Iona gasped from the light impact. "Why didn't you spank me as hard as you spanked Barbie Lynn?" she wondered. "Did you want me to leave a handprint on your ass?" I asked. "No, I guess not," Iona admitted. "Can you answer me something?" "I'll try," I replied. "Why do you have those marks on your wrists and ankles?" She inquired. The room was dark so Barbie Lynn hadn't seen my little gift from the Kappa Sig's until Iona showed her what to look for. "Zane?" Barbie Lynn demanded to know, her persona going from sensual lover to protective Dorm Mother. "Let's not get into this right now," I sighed. They looked past me to one another but thankfully respected the peace I had requested. Had they not left together, huddled in quiet conversation, I would have been happier, but I had to be satisfied with fifteen more minutes of sleep instead. By the time I made it to the shower, everyone already knew not to ask, they were already seeking answers on their own. Getting to breakfast involved a play-debate where I had to be the 'Bad Guy,' aka the Liberal, Baby-killing, Godless Democrat, while my mistress of the moment was the heroic Republican. I graciously allowed her to trounce me, to the cheers of my fellow classmates, when I declared that all churches should be converted to homes for unwed mothers and that church-endorsed marriage should be banned for not accepting homosexuality. Did I know my audience or what? Never a Simple Morning I love women, even though they will surely be the death of me. Case in point: breakfast. I'm about to sit down with my normal companions (Rio and Iona) when a blur shoves Rio aside and takes a seat next to me. "Zane, I've been going over the books in the school library and some, Raven began. "Bitch, you did not just bump me and steal my seat," Rio seethed. Raven looked over her shoulder at Rio. "We are not in kindergarten anymore. Grown-ups chose their own seat," Raven lectured. "Wait!" I cried out to forestall Rio's pelting Raven with the contents of her food tray. Rio gave me barely enough time to twist my tray sideways, half-stand, and pull the Hellion onto my lap. I wouldn't displace Iona and that was the only place in this section of the table for her to sit. "Nice hood ornament," Raven smirked. "You and me are far from done," Rio snarled. "What, you don't know what 'ornament' means so you opt for something out of 'Goodfellas'?" Raven taunted. "Stop!" I barked. "Rio, Raven, Raven, Rio; Rio is my twin-soul and Raven is going to help me get through English this semester so for my sake, would you both please play nice?" Neither girl would budge so I took the initiative. "Raven, I think we can get access to the libraries at UV and George Mason; I'm sure they have tons more material for us to use," I offered. "How are you going to manage that?" Raven was skeptical. "Yeah, Brainiac," Rio parroted. "How are you going to do that?" "I'll have one of the Sorority sisters help me with UV and we'll have Iona hack Lance Wellington's password from his phone," I explained. "That will get us into Mason." "Only an idiot would store their password on a portable storage device," Raven stated with confidence. "Someone smart enough to get into George Mason wouldn't do that." "Ha, ha, ha," Rio laughed. "Raven, there are smarts, then there are real smarts. Any knucklehead can crack some books and get into a law school but it takes an adult to know when the rules do and don't apply." "That makes no sense," Raven stated with authority. "Raven, would you even consider trying to access UV or George Mason?" I asked. "No," she admitted, "because we don't go there." "Men build fortresses to be impregnable; God inspires men to storm them anyway," I replied. "Which translates as, 'if Zane says he's going to get something for you, he'll do it," Rio said. "Okay," Raven mulled it over, then, "So, Zane, how did you get those rope burns on your wrists?" "Yeah, Zane, how did you get those marks on your wrists and ankles?" Rio inquired devilishly. I stole an accusatory look at Iona for ratting me out about my ankles. "I went over to the Kappa Sigma

Sahara Briscoe has a challenge for you: Do more with yarn. Knit your spinning, spin your knitting, rug hook with yarn, paint on your swatches, embroider with yarn, and question your assumptions about what your stash is for. Working from a compact Bronx studio, Sahara can't be easily classified under any label ending in -er except New Yorker. She spins, weaves on all kinds of looms, dyes, knits by hand and machine, crochets, hooks rugs, embroiders, designs custom fabrics for a range of clients, teaches, and writes, switching happily between them all and combining them as her interests lead her. At present, she is excited about scrappy knitting and a series of hooked-rug trivets. ”My textile life runs under two phrases: What if? And why not?” she says. Instead of staying in craft silos, where we pursue just one set of techniques at a time, she urges fiber folks to combine crafts fearlessly. In both her personal work and commissioned work, she is drawn to crafting for home. Surrounding herself with textiles she loves, especially ones that transform some treasured stash into something useful, make her life more enjoyable at the same time they promote a low-waste, circular way of living. “For me, beautiful home textiles . . . Well, it‘s like us as women,” she says. “We have to be durable. We have to perform a lot of tasks, you know, and we have to hold up and still look good.” “My whole design practice and textile practice is about—why can't the everyday look beautiful?” Links Sahara Briscoe's Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/saharabriscoe/) Sahara's Super String Theory Design (https://superstringtheorydesign.com/) custom textile studio Cochenille Design Studio (https://www.cochenille.com/) computer design software This episode is brought to you by: Treenway Silks is where weavers, spinners, knitters and stitchers find the silk they love. Select from the largest variety of silk spinning fibers, silk yarn, and silk threads & ribbons at TreenwaySilks.com (https://www.treenwaysilks.com/). You'll discover a rainbow of colors, thoughtfully hand-dyed in Colorado. Love natural? Treenway's array of wild silks provide choices beyond white. If you love silk, you'll love Treenway Silks, where superior quality and customer service are guaranteed. Susan Bateman started the Yarn Barn of Kansas back in 1971. She says, “Since the beginning, it's been important to us to teach the crafts we love—weaving, knitting, crochet, and spinning. Last year, we had nearly a thousand enrollments in our classes. We answered questions in store, by phone, and through email.” When you order from The Yarn Barn of Kansas, you aren't just ordering materials. You're supporting a business that can support you when you need help. Visit yarnbarn-ks.com. (https://www.yarnbarn-ks.com/) Have you heard of The Woolly Thistle? We're a brick-and-click yarn shop specializing in non-superwash, woolly wool yarns from the UK and Europe. We have fast and free shipping and you can check us out at TheWoollyThistle.com (https://thewoollythistle.com/), two L's in Woolly. (And let us do the international shipping and tariffs, so you don't have to.) Peace Fleece began in a small Maine town with a mission: to produce a yarn that brings together parties from areas of historic conflict, transcending boundaries through the commerce of wool. From Russian farmers to the Navajo Nation, the original owners set the foundation for meaningful trade. Today, the spinning mill at Harrisville Designs continues the tradition of sourcing fine wool from Navajo farmers, combining it with US wool and a touch of mohair to create the unique Peace Fleece blend. Visit our website at peacefleece.com (https://peacefleece.com/) to learn more.

We look at the new the new Google Pixel Watch 4. See more about the details of the watch here. Here comes the new Google Pixel Watch 4, reviewed We aimed to give the Pixel Watch 4, from here on, pixel watch, a good and thorough testing. First up, in a no brainer, but still helpful way, it is straight forward to configure for lefthanded wear - kinda obvious perhaps, but still good for those 20% out there who are not part of the majority in terms of handedness. The look and feel are pretty good, it feels smooth, elegant, while also seemingly durable too. In the product specs it lists sustainability aspects in regards to the materials used. This is a good thing, perhaps to be expected, but you at least want to have clear information about it. 100% recycled aluminium is mentioned, but of course we have no way to verify that within the scope of a product review. The packaging also seems to follow this ethos and quickly went into the compost. We wondered about the strap. It does work, and yet, was hard to find a setting that was not too tight, nor, Goldilocks-like, too loose. You loop over and then tuck it under itself. This makes it secure, but not super comfortable. At looser settings it then slightly dangles and shifts, not ideal either. This is all the more relevant when, or rather perhaps, if you are also planning to sleep with it. We are not sure about you, but we generally take off our normal (and looking slightly hang-dog at the moment, while the new toy is in town) watch when we go to sleep. If you want to get all the sleep tracking and good stuff, then you will however need to keep this watch on of course. It does give interesting information, REM sleep, awake, light sleep, deep sleep. Rating your sleep out of a 100 is perhaps taking the gamification a little too far. How do I, can I, improve my sleep score when you might have a baby, toddler, or older child coming into your bed? That said, using it for any nights was interesting and informative. One colleague said that, by sleeping with a similar watch on, it spotted irregular heart activity, which prompted him to visit the hospital and he ended up spending a week there to recover. Therefore, there could be clear benefits to devices like this, give or take the degree of their physical impact. We spoke to one fitness enthusiast, and we are talking hardcore, they are planning to run the Marathon Des Sables (250kms in 6 days across the Sahara!…). Their wise words of advice were, what do you want to track, what do you really need to know, this will guide how good a fit or otherwise any smart watch will be for you. The Pixel Watch delivers well on a few key areas. It is relatively unobtrusive, it is not heavy or chunky to wear. It charges pretty darn fast, as some of our testers opined, the challenge with earlier watches was the amount of time needed, off-wrist to get it charged up again. You will get a rapid reboot of charging from the charger for this watch, enabling you to keep it on for the rest of the day to get all the valuable data. Which is of course another pro/con, in terms of how connected you want, need to be, and the trade off in term of your personal health data. What is it being used for, by whom, how often? You can dial down some of this, and, as always, it is a transactional trade off, where it delivers interesting information about ourselves, to ourselves! You get used to moving around the screen fairly quickly, and soon you start to work out what your most desired places to go are. It still does somethings that we are not completely sure why, and talking to you, while you are still running, and have not stopped the run tracking yet, is a bit irksome. Maybe it was noting two miles hit, but it seemed a bit arbitrary. With all these things, the more you use it, the more you will work out these minor things. There are good user guides as always too. So far it is fun, and also definitely habit nudging. This is the area where it has the greatest potential for g...

We hear the word “surrender” all the time in spirituality, but what does it actually mean?   For most of my life, surrender didn't make sense. My mom fled war in Iran, my dad too, and everything I learned growing up was about fighting for freedom, not giving in. So when people said “just surrender,” I thought it meant giving up.   It wasn't until my marriage ended that I learned what real surrender was. I didn't have a choice anymore. I had to trust that Spirit was guiding me somewhere greater, even if I couldn't see where. That moment opened the door to a year of complete flow. I left everything behind, traveled the world with one suitcase, and discovered new archetypes within myself that I never knew existed.   But eventually, I realized there's a paradox in all of this. If we only surrender, we can lose direction. If we only control, we block the magic. The truth is, we need both.   ✨ In this episode, I explore: What surrender really means and how it shows up in our lives The balance between trusting the universe and taking aligned action The archetypes of “Surrender Sarita” and “Control Candace” How to know when life is asking you to release versus when it's time to focus Why both structure and flow are needed to create your dharma This conversation is a reminder that surrender isn't about giving up. It's about trusting that Spirit may have a bigger plan than the one you made for yourself.   If you are looking for a diverse + nourishing community of like-minded souls I'd love to invite you to join of Rose Gold Goddesses at https://www.rosegoldgoddesses.com   Get $20 off Use my promo code SAHARA and get $20 off at www.holisticgoddess.com/sahara    Sign up this week and get 25% off with this code: 25SWS at checkout! Speak With Soul Course   Explore the Fits Everybody collection at  https://www.skims.com/sahara   After you place your order, be sure to let them know I sent you! Select "podcast" in the survey and be sure to select My show “Highest Self Podcast” in the dropdown menu!   Discover Your Dharma - Order your copy now - https://iamsahararose.com/dharma   Stream the Intro + Outro Music: Trust Flow by Sahara Rose ft. WillyNoir here and watch the music video here.   To receive a free womb mediation, email a screenshot of your review of the Highest Self Podcast to sahara@iamsahararose.com    Follow me your spiritual bestie to active your fullest expression + laugh along the way: https://www.Instagram.com/iamsahararose  https://www.tiktok.com/@iamsahararose  https://www.Facebook.com/iamsahararose    Order My Books: https://www.iamsahararose.com/books    By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that the entire contents are the property of Sahara Rose, or used by Sahara Rose with permission, and are protected under U.S. and international copyright and trademark laws. Except as otherwise provided herein, users of this Podcast may save and use information contained in the Podcast only for personal or other non-commercial, educational purposes. No other use, including, without limitation, reproduction, retransmission or editing, of this Podcast may be made without the prior written permission of the Sahara Rose, which may be requested by contacting pr@iamsahararose.com.   This podcast is for educational purposes only. The host claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the information presented herein.

Around 6,000 years ago, the Sahara was a lush grassland. Then, as if a switch flipped, it began to dry out, becoming the desert that we know today. Tipping points are moments in Earth's history where gradual change suddenly becomes rapid and forms a new equilibrium. They're one of the most alarming threats of our planet's near future — and one of the most uncertain. When will a tipping point occur? Mathematicians are attempting to turn vague, apocalyptic visions into something that we can actually prepare for and deal with. On this week's episode, host Samir Patel speaks with contributing writer Gregory Barber about what tipping points can — and cannot — tell us about the future of our planet. This topic was covered in a recent story for Quanta Magazine. Each week on The Quanta Podcast, Quanta Magazine editor in chief Samir Patel speaks with the people behind the award-winning publication to navigate through some of the most important and mind-expanding questions in science and math. Audio coda courtesy of Gresham College.

Dans cet épisode, je reçois Ludovic Hubler qui a troqué ses études de commerce pour ce qu'il appelle son doctorat de la route : un tour du monde uniquement en stop. Voiture-stop, voilier-stop, cargo-stop, jusqu'au brise-glace pour atteindre l'Antarctique… son pouce l'a mené sur toutes les routes, du Sahara aux Andes, de l'Iran au Brésil.Il nous partage ses règles d'or du stoppeur (le fameux PPPPS), ses conseils sécurité, ses astuces pour traverser des océans en voilier-stop, et les pays où se lancer sans crainte. Un échangé bourré d'optimisme, de rencontres inoubliables et d'enseignements concrets pour tous ceux qui rêvent de voyager autrement. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Nature is not fixed, but ever changing. Some of the world's best known deserts were once fertile grasslands and forests, including the Sahara, the Mojave, the Kalahari, and Gobi deserts. Is it accurate to think of deserts as permanent? Ecosystem succession shows us that Nature can evolve from rock to forest as well as reverse itself back to dust or a barren state. According to National Geographic, drylands account for more than 40 percent of the world's terrestrial surface area. Human-caused desertification and soil erosion is changing the landscape of Earth, with Africa and Asia being particularly vulnerable; many in these regions rely on subsistence farming. Humans are accelerating the degradation of land through deforestation, urbanization, mining, monocrop industrial farming, and conventional ranching, however, turning land into desert is not a fixed or foregone conclusion. Our guest in this show recorded in 2023, Alejandro Carrillo, Managing Partner, Grasslands Regeneration Project for Las Damas Ranch, has been working to green the Chihuahuan desert in northern Mexico. Droughts, floods and erosion need not be permanent realities if we change the behaviors that are causing them. We have the power to align with and assist Nature in a process of evolution that benefits and sustains life. Las Damas, Alejandro Carrillo's 30,000-acre ranch, is one of the world's best known examples of what is possible on dry land, these arid and brittle environments that receive low rainfall. Due to rotational grazing and other strategies, like supporting the work of dung beetles and termites, native grasslands have proliferated. Thus, water infiltrates into more productive soil, wildlife and plant diversity thrive, encouraging a microclimate where rainfall increases. Resiliency is possible and Alejandro is here to share his remarkable, regenerative journey. For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio Alejandro Carrillo, Managing Partner, Grasslands Regeneration Project [https://www.desertgrasslands.com/], is a regenerative rancher in the Chihuahuan Desert in Northern Mexico. In the last ten years, he has been able to grow tremendous amounts of grasses, forbes, and legumes in a climate zone that receives only eight inches of rainfall, thanks to holistic, rational grazing management. This has benefited both his ranching endeavor and the life in general of all organisms below and above ground. He has also made rainfall more abundant by creating a microclimate for his ranch. Before joining his father's cattle ranch called Las Damas in 2004, Alejandro worked for several years in the software industry in the financial sector in various countries in the Americas and Europe. Carry Kim, Co-Host of EcoJustice Radio. An advocate for ecosystem restoration, Indigenous lifeways, and a new humanity born of connection and compassion, she is a long-time volunteer for SoCal350, member of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, and a co-founder of the Soil Sponge Collective, a grassroots community organization dedicated to big and small scale regeneration of Mother Earth. Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Executive Producer and Intro: Jack Eidt Hosted by Carry Kim Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats Episode 199

In this deep, soul-stirring conversation, I sit down with the incredible Sahara Valastro — naturopath, herbalist, and womb wisdom practitioner — to explore the sacred link between our bodies, our cycles, and our intuition.We talk about:

The Valley Girls chat with author Gail Straub about her newest book, Home Inside the Globe, about what she's learned on her journeys from Paraguay to Paris, from the Sahara to the Himalayas, solo travel for women, and the indomitable human spirit that connects us all. A huge thank you to our Season 4 sponsor, ⁠⁠Bryant Home Improvement⁠⁠! With over 20 years of experience in luxury home building, Bryant Home Improvement is dedicated to ensuring quality and efficiency in every project and bringing value to your home - right here in the Hudson Valley.Thanks for listening! To help support the Valley Girls, please follow our podcast from our show page, leave a rating and review, and please spread the word and share our podcast with others. We really appreciate your support!To stay up to date and for more content you can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠valleygirlspodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/ValleyGirlsPodNY⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/@ValleyGirlsPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and also check out the Newsletter and Pod Squad tab on our website to sign up for our e-mail newsletter and join ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠so you never miss a thing! All links can also be found in our Instagram bio.Episode music by Robert Burke Warren entitled Painting a Vast Blue Sky can be found at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠robertburkewarren.bandcamp.com/track/painting-a-vast-blue-sky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Dans cet épisode, on reçoit Ludovic, qui, étudiant, a troqué l'amphi pour… l'asphalte.Son pari ? Un tour du monde 100 % en auto-stop. Pas un an. Pas deux. Cinq ans de stop, d'auto-stop, camion-stop, voilier-stop, cargo-stop… jusqu'au brise-glace-stop pour toucher l'Antarctique.Au compteur : 59 pays, 170 000 km, 1 300 conducteurs et une avalanche de rencontres qui vous réconcilient avec l'humanité.Des routes alsaciennes de ses débuts aux stations-service de Shanghai, des passes des Tuamotu aux falaises des Andes, du Sahara aux neiges du Sud, Ludovic raconte l'inattendu permanent : nuits sous tente, cuisines de fortune, traversées d'océans “à la dure”, détours imprévus, portes qui s'ouvrent… et ce rendez-vous improbable avec le Dalaï-Lama, chez lui, en Inde.Ce tour du monde est surtout un tour des hommes. Des familles qui hébergent, des marins qui embarquent un inconnu, des profs qui ouvrent leurs classes, des ONG qui changent la donne. On parle hospitalité renversante (Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan), dialogues improbables, quiproquos de langue et ce “document magique” écrit dans 20 langues pour briser la glace en deux minutes.Il y a eu des sueurs froides : routes vertigineuses, conducteurs pressés, armes brandies par peur plus que par malveillance. Mais, surtout, il y a eu des milliers de gestes de bonté et cette conviction qui change une vie : “la grande majorité des gens sont honnêtes et gentils.”Ludovic partage sa méthode, simple et imparable : PPPPS — Propre, Poli, Patient, Persévérant, Souriant.Il nous raconte aussi pourquoi il préfère les stations-service au bas-côté, comment il choisit sa voiture, gère la sécurité, transforme une attente de 28 heures en cours de portugais accéléré, comment faire du voilier-stop (les bonnes saisons, où chercher), cargo, et ce qu'il faut (vraiment) mettre dans son sac pour tenir cinq ans… léger.Résultat : 350 conférences sur la route, un livre, une ONG… et même une histoire d'amour croisée en chemin.Retrouvez-nous sur @beauvoyage !**************************************Production : Sakti ProductionsMusique : Chase The Mississipi, Michael ShynesVous êtes une marque et vous souhaitez collaborer avec Beau Voyage ? Ecrivez-nous : mariegarreau@saktiproductions.com Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

#880. Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson and former NFL player Andrew East are back on the pod — and they're spilling on their boldest challenge yet: competing side by side on Special Forces. From brutal days in the Sahara desert to the heartbreak of leaving their three kids at home, Shawn and Andrew reveal how the show pushed them to their absolute limits — and what it uncovered about resilience, teamwork, and their marriage.And just when you think it can't get more real, the conversation takes a powerful turn. Kaitlyn, Shawn, and Andrew open up about faith, doubt, and the search for hope in a world that can feel overwhelming. It's raw, unfiltered, surprisingly hilarious, and guaranteed to leave you thinking long after the episode ends.If you're LOVING this podcast, please follow and leave a rating and review below! PLUS, FOLLOW OUR PODCAST INSTAGRAM HERE!Thank you to our Sponsors! Check out these deals!Boulevard: For a limited time, Boulevard is offering new customers 20% off your first year subscription. Learn more at JOINBLVD.com. Figs: If you're in healthcare—or shopping for someone who is—you can get 15% off your first order at wearfigs.com with the code FIGSRX.Progressive: Visit Progressive.com to see if you could save on car insurance.EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: (10:35) — Andrew drops 17 pounds in the desert—what they were actually eating on Special Forces(25:12) — Reality stars aren't always what headlines say—certain cast members blew them away behind the scenes.(34:58) — Kaitlyn's mental state hits peak chaos the last time Shawn & Andrew came over… you'll laugh and relate(45:10) — Deep, raw, and honest: has their relationship with God ever wavered?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.