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A Holiday Haunting: Part 3 Jack, Erin and Lucy deal with the final complication; Based on a post by zeon 67. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels. Jack visits the Franklin Home. Jack opened his eyes. He was instantly wide awake. It didn't take him long to realize that Jack was somewhere else, definitely not his bedroom. He was in his living room; yeah, it had to be. The room had the same shape, but there were no lights, electronics or anything modern. Ornate wood and gold-framed paintings filled the walls. The room felt smaller, but Jack noticed a massive fireplace that must have been removed before his parents bought the house. He had to be in 1898. It was the only thing that made sense. An older man walked into the room, but he didn't notice Jack sitting on the chair. Again, Jack was quick to understand; he was the ghost this time around. He couldn't touch anything, but could sit and stand, like Erin after the s ance. Looking down, he found himself wearing the same clothes before the ritual. The older man looked like he was in his sixties, overweight and balding salt and pepper hair. He reminded Jack of a railroad baron in old westerns. He had these large sideburns that went down to his chin. Jack couldn't help but stare at him. He guessed that the man was Jedediah Franklin. He poured himself a glass of whiskey and stood next to the fire. Jack could hear him speaking to himself but couldn't make out what he was saying. They were soon joined by another. A woman, in her sixties, walked into the room. Stone-faced and with grey eyes, she looked miserable. She was wearing this dark blue, nearly black ruffled dress that had this deep, sweeping skirt. If the man was Jedediah Franklin, she had to be Alice Franklin. She joined her husband at the fire and said, "Where is Robert?" "In the library," he answered. "And that jezebel?" "Fixing herself supper." "She cannot stay. She talks about marriage." "We cannot just force her out," Jedediah Franklin said, staring at the fire. "What? Let her marry your only son?" He turned and glared at his wife, "You think I would allow that Irish fucking whore to be part of this family? No, she must be silenced. She cannot speak to anyone about this." Alice Franklin slowly smiled and said, "Then we are at agreement. But it must be tonight." They both nodded and turned to watch the fire. Jedediah Franklin snaked an arm around his wife's waist while she rested her head on his shoulder. It would have looked like a heartwarming moment, but they were planning a murder, and it just pissed off Jack even more. The way they talked about death, so casual and just to avoid a minor scandal, disgusted Jack. Needed to get away, Jack caught Erin walking past in the hallway. He ran after her, following her into the kitchen. "Erin? Erin?" He said, standing in front of her. She didn't respond. It wasn't the Erin he knew. She had her hair tied in a bun, her face disinterested and a little tired. She slowly washed the dishes, staring dead-eyed at the water. Jack then followed her as she went about with her chores. He had called out for Erin, his Erin, but only got silence. Going back to the alive-Erin, Jack got it. He needed to see her die, to understand what happened to her. It made sense to him. A younger man, looking like a mix of Jedediah Franklin and weirdly enough for Jack, himself. Robert. Dressed in a black three-piece suit, he didn't have his father's impressive muttonchops but a simple beard. Jack watched him stare at Erin, taking in her every movement as she did her chores. Erin was putting away a jar, leaning up to place it in a cabinet when Robert approached her. He quickly trapped her in the corner of the room. He smiled and said, "Erin." She jolted, nearly dropping the jar. Erin then turned and clutched her chest. "Oh Robert, you frightened me." "I have to see you tonight." Robert stroked her cheek and grinned. "In the attic?" "Your mother and father?" "Please," he replied. Erin nodded. Lucy's Post Coital. Lucy shook awake. She was on Jack's bed, naked and warm. Her hand slithered down her nude body, liking how it felt, stopping at her crotch. A big dirty smile appeared on her face as Lucy slid her hand between her legs. Jack's cum dripped out, coating her fingers and her thighs. The guy knew how to fuck; she'd give him that. It was a hot show. But Lucy turned her head and realized that she was alone. No Jack. No Erin. She jumped off the bed and yelled their names. It was getting close to two in the morning. Lucy ran to Jack's bathroom and cleaned herself up, she usually would take her time with post-sex cleanup, but she rushed through it. Lucy then emptied out her overnight bag and quickly got dressed. Opening the grimoire, she tried to find clues on what had happened. Sex magic and resurrecting the dead don't make people disappear. Frantically flipping through the pages, this was not supposed to happen. Lucy could feel her heart thumping, and her hands were trembling, where did she send Erin and Jack. She then heard a thud from downstairs, and Lucy stopped. This was getting weird. Jack's parents, she realized. Fuck, if they were awake, she will be in a lot of trouble. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" Lucy yelled to herself and ran out of the room. An Attic Nightmere. Jack had followed Robert upstairs to the attic. He struggled to see how the space would be turned into his bedroom. A massive trunk, a decrepit dollhouse and an ancient full-length mirror covered in rust were the only things that filled the space. It looked more like a scene from a clich d horror movie. While Robert waited on Erin, Jack circled around him. He had this vibe that Jack really hated. Like he was some entitled frat boy. Jack had read about him, failed business ventures, multiple marriages, some for money. Robert finally lost it all in 1929 and disappeared from public record. They both turned, hearing someone coming up. Erin was carrying a lantern as she walked to Robert, a big smile on her face. This wasn't going to be pretty, Jack said to himself. "Robert," she said, resting the lantern on the trunk. Erin then gave him a long hug, wrapping her arms around him. Robert just kept his arms by his sides and looked away. Jack sighed, knowing that there was no point in getting angry. She then kissed him and said, "I'm so sorry. I was a fool and the drink got on me." "It is fine, my darling." Robert then rested his hand on her stomach. "Are you?" "No. I am not with child." Erin glanced at this hand and then back up, hopeful. "I want to be; with you." "I wish that as well. But soon. I; we have dealings that need to be cleared. But I wish it too. And when these deals;" Jack couldn't watch Robert struggle to pacify Erin with vague words anymore. He saw something move behind Erin. There was someone else. The figure then struck Erin in the back of the head. It took a step closer, Jedediah Franklin with a fireplace poker in his hands. Erin was on the floor, bleeding but still alive. Her eyes focused on Robert, and she called out his name. The elder Franklin aimed the poker and swung for the final blow. He had to look away. Jack couldn't watch her die; it was too much. But there Erin stood, alongside Jack; her hair undone and flowing and looking at him. Her apron was gone, and she had undone the first two buttons of her shirt like before. Her face dropping and she raised a hand, blocking her view of her own dead body. "I always hated this moment. Watching my body handled like meat," Erin said. Her tone was more of annoyance and disgust than sadness. "I'm so sorry." Erin took his hand and held it close to her. "There's nothing you could've done. This is where I was, whenever I wasn't with you. Seeing my death over and over." "Was that why you didn't want to believe in the ritual?" "Somewhat. While I couldn't touch anything, and possibly be treated as some curiosity. I would have taken being a specter than watch this again." Alice Franklin had joined them in the attic. She held on to the lantern as Jedediah and Robert lifted Erin's dead body, directing them down the stairs. Jack visibly winced as he heard the Franklins mock Erin and ask if someone should have done the last rites. "There is something that I must tell you," Erin said, taking a step closer. Their faces inches apart. "When Patrick died, he lost all our money in a card game. I was told that I've become too old to marry and I should just work. The Franklins gave me a job and I felt that was it. Then I met Robert. I felt my life had begun again." Erin gave a faint smile and carried on, "We courted for a few months, until he took me while his mother and father were in New York. Weeks passed and I thought that I was with child. I told him and he choked me." "I knew that I picked the wrong man. But still believed that I could be something more than a maid through him. That he could take me away from a bucket. Now I have you. You make me hopeful. What I want to say is that I love you. I know I am this spirit and; Jack interrupted her and said, "I love you too." He grinned. They kissed again. Erin wrapped her arm around his neck, pushing herself against his chest. She parted her lips and moaned, welcoming Jack's invading tongue. He had his hand resting on the small of her back, not letting her go, and their tongues twirled. Erin then broke their embrace. Her lips turned into a smirk; she had a dirty idea. "Let's leave. I hated this room. Well, until it was changed." She then took him downstairs. Both were soon running and laughing. Erin pulled him into the master bedroom and pushed him onto the bed. This room would later belong to Jack's parents. Thankfully for him and his erection, the room was completely different in 1898. A lot of heavy furniture, with drapes everywhere and a parquet floor. He was lying on the bed, a four-poster bed that was made out of solid wood, while the mattress was very soft and lumpy. Erin crawled and laid next to him. She quickly got on top of him and stared into his eyes, a small smile forming on her face. She pressed her lips to his, swiftly parting them and sliding her tongue out. The tips of their tongues met again, snaking over each other as their bodies grinded. They tore through their clothing, ignoring any damage as they got nude, Erin especially not caring at the state of her ripped uniform. She wished to never see it again. Jack kissed down her neck and reached her milky, perky tits. He instantly attacked them with his mouth, giving both nipples considerable attention. Erin's breathing was becoming more rapid; a deep, warm glow rippled from her crotch. She pulled Jack up, her eyes drifted down, focusing on his powerful erection. It was making her mouth water. She wanted another taste. Her delicate, soft fingers wrapped around his heavy shaft, and she looked back at Jack. Smirking at him. Just like minutes, hours or maybe days before, Erin kneeled in front of Jack's cock. She had no explanation for why he was here, in purgatory with her, but if this was to be the end, she really wanted one more taste of his cock. She made him groan as she brushed her lips against his swollen head. Erin parted her lips, ready to suck on his tip, but stopped. She looked up at Jack; he had this kind look, his eyes dilated, and he just smiled back at her. Erin could feel herself glow, and she went back to his cock, carefully guiding the head to her waiting mouth. She was scared for a moment, missing Lucy's guiding voice. But soon, Erin's cravings took over and she slurped on his tip, swirling her tongue around it. Erin then wrapped her fingers around the shaft, looked Jack in the eye, slowly bobbing her head up and down. It was easier this time. Erin felt more confident in swallowing his cock. She scooted forward, her perky tits pressing on his balls as she took in another inch of his cock. "Oh, god. Erin," Jack said, stunned. He couldn't believe the change in Erin. She was swallowing more and more of his cock with complete ease. But they both stopped and looked up; they had a visitor. Alice Franklin walked around the bed, going to the dresser, totally ignoring them as she searched the drawers. Jack pulled his focus away from her to Erin; she looked as confused as he was. She released his cock from her lips but slowly stroked it as she stared at Mrs. Franklin. Seconds passed, but there was no reaction from the older woman. Jack waved at her and even Erin called her name, addressing her formally as she used to do. But Mrs. Franklin didn't respond. She didn't just ignore them; to them, it felt like couldn't see them at all. Jack stroked Erin's chin and pointed to his cock. Erin grinned and lowered her mouth down, sensually kissing the tip. She then ran her tongue up and down the underside of his shaft before swallowing the head. Jack moaned again. Erin firmly sucked on the head, slurping on it as her hand worked the shaft. She had her eyes on him, watching Jack's contorted face. He loved it. Erin now hunched over Jack's cock, ready to take more of it. She took him deeper and deeper, his head grazing the back of her throat. She remembered Lucy's advice, taking it slow and breathe. Erin didn't gag, her throat stretched out and eagerly taking his full length. "Erin! Fuck. That feels so good." Erin was ecstatic hearing those words and moaned on his cock. She had her lips pressed against his crotch, completely buried and held him there till her eyes started to water. Slowly, Erin pulled back and wrapped her hand around his wet, drool-covered shaft, pumping her fist as she sucked on Jack's throbbing tip. With her eyes locked on his, Erin bobbed her head on his cock. She pulled her hand back and forced the rigid pole into her throat again. Jack grunted in appreciation, shuddering as he felt her tongue. He reached out, brushing strands of her auburn hair away from her face. He couldn't believe it, a teenage crush that he was now in love with, enthusiastically sucking on his cock. With his other hand, Jack grasped her perky tits, squeezing the flesh to her delight. Alice Franklin returned to the room, joined by Jedediah. But both Jack and Erin didn't care. She stayed focus on his cock, moaning on his shaft as she felt Jack pinch and pull her nipples. She actually wished the Franklins could see her, sucking a penis in their bed. "Oh god, Erin. I'm going to cum soon if you keep that up." Erin as tasted his precum, she remembered Lucy showing her videos of women swallowing men's semen. Seeing those women and recalling when she caught Lucy and Jack together, she was intrigued. She pondered the taste and how it would feel. She pulled his cock out of her mouth, beads of spit dripping down the corner of her lips. Erin narrowed her eyes and said, "I want to taste your cum, Jack." Erin then stuffed his cock back in her mouth. She frantically bobbed her head while pumping her fist along his veiny shaft. She would stop for a moment, swirling her tongue over the sore head, then going back to thrusting her mouth up and down. Erin knew that Jack was close; he was grunting and shaking, his cock wildly twitching in her mouth. "Oh, Erin. Fuck;" Jack clenched his fists, wanting to grab something as he released a torrid of cum in Erin's open mouth. Her eyes widened, but she kept on stroking his cock, filling the back of her throat with more jizz. They both groaned as more spurts erupted, hitting Erin in the lips and chin. Whatever magic that brought him here had an effect on his penis; he'd never cum that much. One more release, and Jack was done, collapsing on the bed. Erin raised her head, looking at him and swallowed his load. It tasted salty and unusual, but still, she craved more. Erin ran her fingers over her chin and lips, scooping up blobs of his jizz before sticking her finger in her mouth. She wanted to try that again. Jack pulled her up and gently kissed her on the lips. As Erin parted her lips and allowed his tongue to invade her mouth, Jack wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. She pressed her tits against his chest as their tongues dueled. Jack slid his hand down, feeling up Erin's toned ass. "That was perfect," Jack said, now kissing down her neck. "Thank; Oh," Erin replied, Jack's already erect cock. "You feel passionate," she said, stroking his cock, "We should try again? Dog-style?" Jack grinned and said, "You mean doggy-style?" "Okay," Erin laughed. Jack smirked back at her, she's so cute. He then slowly pushed Erin down, getting on top of her. His cock was already incredibly hard, painfully hard, rubbing against her thigh. He had never recovered this quickly after cumming. Jack just chalked it up to the sex magic. He broke their kiss and sat up. Reaching behind him, Jack grabbed a couple of pillows; both were very soft and lumpy. How did people in the nineteenth century sleep? Erin then gave him instant command of her body and Jack shifted her, so she was on her hands and knees. She looked over her shoulder and smirked back at him. He leaned over, quickly kissed her and said, "This is doggy-style." Jack then wedged the pillows under her stomach. Now staring at her tight, pert ass, Jack could swear that his cock grew another inch. He slipped his fingers between Erin's thighs, amazed at how wet she felt. Erin moaned as Jack teased her, slipping a finger deep past her lips. He added another one, sliding them further pass her moist folds. Over the sounds of her whimpers, Jack slowly thrust his fingers. He then grabbed hold of his cock and positioned his tip at the entrance of her pussy. Erin groaned as she felt the bulb of his cock rub up against her swollen pussy lips. Inhaling, Jack slid his cock into her cunt in one long, slow push. Erin grunted and moaned as she felt Jack's hard cock invade her pussy again. "Oh, yes; Jack!" Erin threw her head back and moaned in appreciation. Remembering how tight she felt around his cock, Jack left his cock deep inside her for a while. The tightening of her cunt caressed his cock, making him shake with delight. There was a mirror in front of them; there were several around them, and Erin nodded her head. She wanted more. Jack pulled his cock out till just his pulsating head was being clutched by her pussy. He then gently thrust it back in, getting another moan from Erin. "More," Erin yelled. Nodding his head, Jack grabbed her soft tits. He tugged on her nipples, while picking up the pace of his strokes. Erin let out another cry, sounding like she wanted it faster. It didn't take her long to push her ass back, meeting every one of Jack's powerful thrusts. Her pussy tightened around his shaft, giving him an indescribable feeling as he fucked harder and faster. Erin was now trembling and shaking. She would let out a short yelp after each hard thrust. Then someone else entered the room, Robert. He must have been back after staging her accident. The hatred she had for him, her love for Jack, and the lush sensation of his cock, fueled another orgasm for the night. "Oh yes; Oh yes; Oh Lord yes!" Erin cried out in a high-pitch tone. Jack drove his rampant cock all the way into her, over and over again, just as fast as she wanted. She was breathless and quivering; her body was on fire, never been filled like this before. Jack held her tightly, ignoring her cries, and rammed his raging cock. She was getting close. Robert was now standing in front of them, facing Jack. He wished that piece of shit could see them. Erin moaned again, tightly gripping Mrs. Franklin's sheets, panting. She arched her back and gritted her teeth. Her eyes rolled back, slamming her hips backwards, the walls of her pussy clamping down on Jack's mauling cock. Erin howled in delight, her fingers ripping the bedsheet, much to her delight, as she spasmed in an orgasmic frenzy. She crashed forward, whimpering as she trembled in post-climax high. Jack held on her ass tightly, still plunging his cock in and out of her soaked, velvet pussy. His heart was thumping, struggling to hold off his own orgasm. Jack could feel the pressure building in his balls. Erin slowly woke up and shook her ass, her pussy clamped around his charging cock again, making him cum. Jack grunted and roared as he erupted. Erin sighed and moaned, feeling Jack's cock explode deep inside her, making her tremble in ecstasy. Another rope of his jizz filled her womb, followed by another. Once finished, Jack collapsed next to her, his brain mushed in a post cum daze. She had a broad grin, smugly satisfied that her pussy was filled by her lover's cum, while the people she hated the most watched them. Quietly moaning, feeling the hot cum seep down her thighs, Erin leaned forward. Her tits pressed against Jack's chest as she kissed him. Recovering from the intensity of their orgasm, they passionately kissed before breaking, pressing their foreheads together. "I love you," they said in unison and kissed again. Erin quickly fell asleep. Jack remembered this was just like last time. He jumped up on the bed, his bed. They had returned back to his room. He checked the alarm clock; it was half-three in the morning. No Lucy. Jack stroked Erin's chin; he could still touch her, he guessed that was positive. "Erin; Erin; Erin," Jack said, trying to wake her. No response. She was trapped in a deep sleep. "Fuck!" Lucy yelled, standing by the door. She rushed to the bed. "You're back?" "Yeah?" Jack replied, looking back at Erin. "Is she asleep?" "I think." "Okay," Lucy nodded her head, "Your parents are still downstairs and they're acting fucking weird." The final complication. Jack rushed back downstairs, with Lucy following. Their footsteps thundered against the wooden steps, but it didn't wake Jack's still slumbering parents in the living room. They were fine; the concoction that Lucy had given them was making them roll around in their sleep. Not too serious. Slamming the door open, Jack found Erin still unconscious. He yelled her name and gently, then roughly shook her. Still nothing. He tilted her head back, opening her mouth; Jack then leaned in and felt her breath. Relieved, he sighed but still had no idea what to do next. "Still down?" Lucy asked, crouching down next to him. "Yeah. It's like she's in this deep sleep." Jack shook Erin again for Lucy's benefit. Still nothing. Lucy said, "Shit," annoyed. She lifted Erin's arm and let it go. "Wow." "What do we do? Call an ambulance?" "What are you going to tell the paramedic? My formerly-ghost girlfriend from 1890s is now in coma?" "You got any ideas?" Lucy prodded Erin in the arm and just said, "Fuck." "Where's the grimoire?" Jack asked. She scurried to the other side of the room and quickly returned. Jack watched her flip through the pages, her unblinking gaze not giving him much hope. It was going to be morning soon, and here he was with a sleeping naked woman and a medium. What would he say to his parents when they wake up? Lucy slammed the book and shook her head. "Fuck!" Jack yelled; it was starting to get exhausting. "Of course, it doesn't say anything." "Dude, this was written by a guy who works at Outback Steakhouse and is a BTS fan." "I'm sorry," Jack said, turning back to Erin, "What do we do with her?" "We should move her." Jack nodded his head. "Where?" "My apartment is like twenty minutes away. She can crash there until she wakes." "Fuck it." Jack said, shrugging. Jack looked around for her clothes, and found that her uniform had gone missing. They quickly dressed her in Jack's old sweats, then carried her downstairs. His parents were still sleeping, something else Jack would have to deal with, but later. They sat Erin down in the back with Jack by her side. Fifteen minutes later, they were at Lucy's apartment. At 3:30 am, there was no traffic to slow them down. Jack scooped Erin up in his arms, her petite frame weighing nothing. There was no one on the streets, no one that could catch a guy and a girl carrying an unconscious woman into the building. God, if he got arrested now. Lucy's apartment was small, a one-bedroom, and messy. Clothes everywhere, Wiccan d cor and a toy cauldron on the coffee table. They put Erin on the couch; a soft moan escaped her lips as she bounced against the cushion. He watched her lips curl into a smile; if she was dreaming, she was enjoying the dream. There was nothing else for him to do. Jack just had to pray that Erin would wake up soon. He still hadn't asked himself if she was actually human and if their sex magic worked. She could disappear again. He had to stay positive. Jack turned back to Lucy and asked, "Can you keep an eye on her?" "Yeah," she said, covering Erin with a blanket. "I'll let you know if anything happens." He thanked Lucy and left. Tired but still having to deal with his parents, Jack walked home. He took a couple of steps but then stopped. Squinting his eyes, Jack bobbed his head like he was trying to work something out. "Did I fucking time-travel?" Christmas In the Old Mansion. Jack thought about ignoring his sister and staying in bed. But it was pointless. He knew that his mom would be ringing him sooner or later, demanding that he come down. Reaching for his phone, it was 10:15 am on December 25th, Christmas morning. Still no messages from Lucy. Yesterday, she told him that Erin had awoken for a moment and moved her head, and then fell back asleep. Erin didn't say a word or ask where she was. The way Lucy explained it, Erin was just slowly recovering her energy since becoming possibly human. Jack still didn't know if the ritual had worked or not. It had been like this for the last couple of days. Looking at his past messages, a lot of them were about asking Lucy if she could still touch Erin. That could look weird. She could, which Jack took as a positive. It was the only thing that he had. He knew he had to be patient; maybe something would happen, or not happen. Jack was just sick of not knowing. He heard his sister yell his name again. Walking downstairs, his parents were on the couch, holding coffee mugs, while his sisters were sitting by the tree. It was like they were kids again, tearing through the wrapping paper. He didn't really care what he got, with Erin taking over his mind, but did his best to look enthusiastic when opening his presents. Lucy finally texted Jack hours later. But he was in the kitchen, with his sisters, and away from his phone. Beth saw that he got a message from Lucy, her face lighting up as she turned to Jack. He had a good relationship with both his sisters, loved them both, but they could annoy the shit out of him. Especially when they had something over him. Like that time when Beth found out he got caught with a joint by a cop. A month of being her chauffeur drove him mad. "So, who's Lucy?" She asked, barely hiding her grin. Beth moved away from the stove and stood by her sister, checking out the message. "Mom said that you met some girl called Erin?" "Yeah." Jack nodded, effortlessly taking his phone off them. He checked the text; Erin had been away for a while and drank something. "Lucy's Erin's roommate," he said, "Erin lost her phone and she's sick right now. I was just asking how she is." Beth went aww, while Katie stayed silent. Jack knew he was lucky that it was Christmas and there was stuff to do. The onslaught would have to wait for now. When they first met Laura, Beth wanted to know everything about her, the films she liked, what music she was into and how serious it was. Katie was different, less manic, just asking if he felt that Laura was cool. If everything had worked and Erin could actually meet people, Jack knew he needed to prep her before meeting his family. It would have to be soon. Knowing his sisters, Beth and Katie would demand it the next couple of days. It would need to be somewhere where they served a lot of alcohol. "Is she really an actress?" Katie asked, now waving a knife. Rolling his eyes, he wished she was more focused on dicing onions than on him. Opening another beer, he said, "Yeah. But it's an amateur thing and that she is covering for someone and that she will probably won't do it again." Both sisters then looked at each other. Something was up; Jack could see it. Was something he said, was that it, it had to be. Beth then turned back to him and asked, "What does she do?" Without thinking, Jack said, "House-sitter," and finished his beer. He was blessed that his father yelled his name, asking for help. After fixing the router, they sat down for dinner. They talked about the usual stuff during the meal; thankfully, no one mentioned Erin. Jack felt calm, probably because he was focusing on something other than his ghost girlfriend. The Sick and the tired. Jack now walked a couple of steps behind his parents. His sisters flanked him as they walked down the empty streets to the movie theater. He had no idea what everyone else wanted to watch; he prayed that it was something easy, he didn't want to pay attention. He was barely listening to his sister as they walked. They talked about the not-so-secret Taylor Swift Christmas concert. He just said uh-huh at the right moments, walking along, with a hand wrapped around his phone in case it buzzed. It finally vibrated minutes later. Lucy had messaged him. Erin was awake and had been for a while. She even sent him a photo, Erin still wearing his clothes, lying on the couch, her eyelids barely open. Lucy said that he should come now if he wanted to see her. "Hey Mom, Dad, I'm not feeling great right now," Jack said, clutching his stomach. It was the first thing that he could think of. He hoped that he could remember his acting techniques when he used to play sick during junior high. His mom turned around and asked, "What's wrong?" "I feel like; nauseous and everything really aches." Jack told his parents that he should probably skip the movie and rest back home. His mom threw a couple of questions at him, asking what was wrong, how it happened and if he needed anything. He mentioned Erin's name, saying that she was also sick. Katie perked up in the corner of his eye when he mentioned Erin. This was all he needed, a sister playing detective. He convinced them to still see the movie, saying that he would go straight to bed. That there was no point in them breaking from tradition. Jack walked away from them slowly. After a couple of blocks, he rushed back to the house and jumped in his car. Annoyingly, he would have to drive past the movie theater to get to Lucy's apartment. "Hey," Lucy said, opening the door, "You're fast." "Yeah." Jack nodded. He was pretty sure that he ran a couple of red lights getting here. He just needed to see her quickly, see if she was okay and then leave. "How is she?" "Okay. It's like she got the flu or something. I've been giving her some fluids and Tylenol." "Has she eaten anything?" "Vegetable soup," Lucy said, shrugging her shoulders, "I have no idea what she can eat. You know when you go abroad and you can't drink the water because of local bacteria or shit? I don't know if she can handle meat or dairy." Jack opened the door to the living room but turned to Lucy, "Thank you for everything. Sorry that you had to spend your whole day looking after her." "It's nothing. I want to help," Lucy replied, "Now get in there." Walking into the room, Jack found Erin still on the sofa. A couple of blankets covered every inch of her body apart from her head. There was no color on her face, reminding Jack how she used to look like. Bags under her eyes and her hair was a mess. She clasped a mug of something, inhaling the aroma. Erin then looked up and smiled, "Jack." She was weary, and her voice creaked. She tried to raise her arms, possibly hug him but gave up. He rushed to her side and asked, "How are you?" "I'm okay." Jack said, "You sure?" With a quiet tone, letting know her it was okay if she wasn't. Erin paused, then shrugged her shoulders. "No. I feel so tired and sick. And I hate everything." "Wow. Welcome to being an adult in the 21st century. We all feel like that." "Great." Erin threw her head back, then said, "So this is what being human feels like after so many years? It's painful. There is something else. I been having these dreams. That I am still with the Franklins. They follow me through your house. But your house how it looks now." "Oh. I'm sorry." Erin shook her head and said, "Please don't. It's not your fault. I think of them and I feel myself passing through the couch and then I remember I am here." Their hands touched, and Erin quickly began to smile. She then asked, "So, tell me about your Christmas. What presents did you get?" "Oh. My parents got me a new laptop bag and a cold brew bottle. My sisters went fifty-fifty and got me a pair of Jordans." Erin blinked and said, "I don't know what that means." She then yawned, and her eyes slowly shut. "Just tell me more about how your Christmas went." Jack gave her a brief breakdown on his Christmas, trying not to bore her. But there was really little to say; he had sleepwalked through the day. Jack saw a quick smile on her face when he told her that his sisters were pestering him for details about her. But slowly, she drifted off and was back asleep. "Hey Jack," Lucy said, calling him into the kitchen. "So, I'm thinking that Erin should see someone. Like a therapist?" For a second, Jack was surprised. "Really?" "She's been stuck in the same house for a hundred years, watching herself get killed over and over. That's got to fuck you up." "No. I know that's completely true and she should have someone to talk to. Just, didn't think that mediums were pro-therapy." "If you speak to ghosts, you would be pro-therapy as well. They are always fucked up. Most need Valium." Jack smiled. He looked back at Erin and said, "Suggest it to her. It'll probably be best coming from you. The problem is who can see her? Like she needs health insurance." "I'm been thinking about that. No way Erin can function in the real world. She hasn't got a social, birth certificate or a passport. She can't just depend on you for money." "I know." "And?" "I'm working on it." Jack had an idea or half one; he still needed to ask around. "You better work on it quicker. Erin's getting antsy. She wants to explore the world, go on a plane, see Paris." Jack nodded and looked back at Erin. "Keep her calm. She still needs to walk after she can run, or the other way round." "Sure." "I gotta go." Jack said. He left the kitchen and checked on Erin again; she was soundly sleeping. "I'll be here in the morning. Now excuse me, I have to pretend to be sick." "Hey, I have something that can help. It's like diluted ayahuasca." Jack stopped and turned around. He stared back at Lucy's grinning face just before gently closing the front door. Still, he had no idea if she was just joking. Erin Tours The Town. A couple days later, Jack was called to Lucy's place. He could hear voices behind the door and the sounds of footsteps as he waited outside Lucy's apartment. He had texted Lucy earlier; she said that Erin was more awake than before and he should come around. That was good to hear. Jack didn't like to be in constant worry. Also, it was way too early in the relationship for him to have to deal with stuff like this. He just wanted to spend time with his girlfriend and not think if she would fade away or be trapped in a house. Erin opened the door, smiling instantly at him. She looked better. Erin had discarded Jack's sweats for some yoga pants and hoodie, probably from Lucy's wardrobe. Color had returned to her face, and the bags under her eyes had disappeared. She had brushed her hair, tying it up in a loose ponytail. She had her arms around his neck, and Erin quickly pulled him down for a long kiss. She felt so good to touch. Jack didn't realize how much he missed having her in his arms. He wanted to take her somewhere private. When they stopped kissing, Erin smirked back at him, and Jack knew she had the same dirty thoughts. But then Erin yawned, and he knew that they had to take their time. "How are you?" He asked, trying not to wince. He guessed that Erin was getting sick of that question. She smiled, leading him to the sofa and sat down. Erin pulled her feet up and said, "Better. I can get up and walk and bathe. I had my first shower ;  a hot shower." Erin grinned and giggled to herself. Seeing that response, Jack realized he really didn't know that much about plumbing in the 1800s. "It felt so good. I feel like I'm getting stronger and have more vigor." "I'm guessing those are Lucy's clothes?" "Yeah," Erin said, blushing, "she said that I should wear something else. Her clothing looks strange but so interesting. Just disappointing that they don't really fit." Looking at her, she is right. Jack could tell that the clothes she had on were supposed to be for Lucy's curves, not Erin's petite frame. He needed to take her shopping. "I will return your clothes after I launder them." "No, no, no. You don't have to." "I want to. It was my job. And I need to know how to use these machines." The bedroom door opened, and Lucy walked in. She was dressed similar to Erin, yoga pants and a sweatshirt. She sat on the chair and said, "Morning." Jack greeted her and then asked them what their plans were for today. "I could do a coffee run? Erin could try her first latte." Lucy said. "How about we go outside," Erin replied, "I wish to leave the apartment for a while. And I'd like to see some of the city." Jack nodded and said, "Give her a tour of Portland and then brunch?" Their first stop was at the harbor. There used to be cheap apartment buildings around the docks, but the way Erin described it, they were more like slums. Her old apartment had disappeared. Jack looked it up for her, finding out that two years after she died, there was a huge fire which gutted the entire neighborhood. "Maybe I should thank the Franklins." Erin said with a wry smile. They walked a couple of blocks up and stopped at St. Dominic's Parish. It was the church that Erin used to attend regularly. She would be there every Sunday for Mass and would stop off after her shift ended for prayer. Erin left Jack and Lucy outside, knowing that it wasn't their scene and she needed to be alone for this. The church hadn't changed much; a new coat of paint was all she could see. There were a few people seated in the pews that ignored Erin as she walked to the statue of the Virgin Mary. They didn't care that she was dressed in casual clothes. A big difference from when she was alive, a woman in pants would be refused entry, and there would be talk of excommunication. Erin lit a candle and said a prayer. It was a quick one, honoring those she had lost since being trapped in that house. She could come back on Sunday and see how Mass had changed, or she wouldn't. Erin hadn't decided yet. She found Jack and Lucy both on their phones. They stopped and looked up at her, both giving Erin concerned looks. While she appreciated the gesture, she wanted something else and asked to eat. Lucy picked a place nearby but warned Erin about her choices. She, as well as Jack, was worried about what food that Erin could eat. They both suggested eating something simple, slowly get used to pasteurized milk, additives and pesticides. All Erin could do was nod her head and not scream in frustration, blocking out all the exciting food around her. "Wave-us ranch-us?" She repeated Jack's order. Erin listened to them and ordered a bowl of oatmeal. It was what she used to eat back in 1898. "Huevos rancheros," Jack said again. "It's eggs on tortillas with beans and salsa." "That sounds so intriguing. I really want to try." "Erin," Lucy said, "Just take your time. We just don't want you to take a bite and puke everywhere because your stomach isn't used to modern bacteria or something. It's like learning to drink. You start small, wine coolers and beer and build your tolerance and soon you'll be finishing a bottle of vodka all by yourself." Jack rolled his eyes and said, "Not in that way but yeah. It's a vaccine. Take a small bite of fruit or a sip of milk and get used of it." He took a sip of coffee and then shook his head. "Shit!" Jack said, but quiet enough that no one else heard. "I still haven't sorted out getting a physical or something. I mean Erin hasn't been vaccinated." "Yeah. There was this disease that you call polio and it affected people in Boston. The stories were terrifying. I really want to be protected." "Yeah, but how?" Lucy asked. "There's a way," Jack said, "A way?" Lucy repeated. "There's this guy in my building, he buys his sneakers and mushrooms on the dark web." Jack then turned to Erin and said, "The dark web is where you can buy illegal things. He said that you can buy passports, birth certificate, and socials. You can even get a high school diploma." "Really?" Lucy leaned in, "Like any school?" "Maybe," Jack replied. "I'd like to get an education by myself," Erin said, glancing at the two of them. "I know that I will have to take the fake social and birth certificate to survive. But I want to be in charge of my own future." "That's fair." Jack nodded. The food then arrived, and Erin stared at the bowl of oatmeal. It was like the gruel she used to have while growing up in Ireland. It tasted better than the watery sludge of oat she used to survive on. But looking at Jack's plate, it was not what Erin wanted right now. "So, what next?" Jack asked, putting his wallet away. "We could see more of the city? Also, Erin needs some clothes." Lucy replied. Erin finished her coffee and stared at the cup; it wasn't enough. "I would love to," she said, "but I feel so tired." Lucy nodded and said, "I think this is the longest you've been awake for." "Rest up and we'll talk later." Jack then leaned in and kissed her goodbye. *** Erin stared out of the window, watching in amazement as the plane climbed higher and higher into the sky. She was with Lucy, driving to a store, which meant going past the airport. She had remembered reading about airships and possible flight. But that was in 1898, now they have gone to the Moon and want to travel to other planets. Looking up at the plane, she was going to be there soon. Either with Jack or by herself, but definitely soon. In the last couple of days, Erin was eating more, developing actual stamina and didn't need to take frequent naps. With the increase in energy, she craved to be out of the apartment, exploring more of the city and finding out what else had changed. She had gotten lucky as Lucy's apartment was not that far from where Erin lived, and she could see how the neighborhood transformed. Lucy parked the car in the lot, and they both got out. Erin stared at the store ;  Target. Since being flesh and blood again, she had been borrowing Lucy's clothes, and she didn't like it. Erin felt terrible about being a burden on her, and Lucy's clothes didn't really fit her. "What do we need to get?" Lucy locked the car and said, "Just the basics." Erin nodded, looking away. Her eyes caught a girl, mid-twenties like her. She wore an overlong emerald sweater and boots that went past her knees. Also, sunglasses. Erin wanted to ask Lucy if this was common but was worried about sounding stupid. The nineteenth-century values of modesty and pureness, and calling chicken bosoms instead of chicken breasts, was still stuck in her. Seeing women her own age dressing so casually, showing off more flesh and wearing form-fitting clothes, Erin wanted to return to Lucy's couch. There were more changes that Erin had to get used to inside the store. She had thought of Target as a department store but larger. The sheer size of it shocked her. And that all the products, clothes, groceries and electronics were out in the open. There were no large, ornate wooden counters, wall-high glass cabinets, or mustached clerks in smocks. But there are a lot more options, and it's brighter. "You're like what? Extra small?" Lucy asked. "I guess." Erin said, taking her word for it. "What should I buy?" "I don't know, probably jeans, leggings, a couple of t-shirts and some tops. Also socks, bras and panties." Lucy paused, seeing Erin blush and try not to laugh. "Oh yeah, sneakers. How do those Nikes feel?" "Uncomfortable. I'm sorry." "No worries, I think you're size bigger." Erin nodded and asked, "How much did he give you to spend?" She was in the bathroom when Jack popped over at the apartment in the morning, overhearing them talk about shopping. Erin had to rely on Jack and also Lucy to survive, she accepted that, but it felt uncomfortable. "He gave me around two hundred." "Two-two hundred dollars?" "Yeah?" "That's impossible. That's more than what I earned in a year. He's given me too much." "Really?" Lucy pulled out her phone and searched for a dollar inflation calculator. Erin nodded. She hugged herself and looked away. Her eyes caught a sign, jeans for twenty dollars. That didn't sound right. "Oh," Lucy said, "He gave you the equivalent of six dollars and some change." "Still, that was two days of pay for me." They started shopping, and Lucy instantly took her to the underwear section. It took a while for Erin to get used to buying bras and panties. A store owner would never dream of displaying woman's bloomers. She felt herself going red, which she hated. Shaking her head, Erin took a deep inhale and asked Lucy how many bras she should get without blushing. Lucy then picked up a couple of hoodies, and Erin nodded, letting her drop them in the cart. Erin was amazed at how soft and comfortable the material felt as she ran her fingers over the fabric. Not stiff or feeling like burlap. Also, how simple it is. No corsets or bustles. No spending an hour dressing yourself or helping the lady of the house. "Is this what women wear now?" Erin asked. She noticed how everyone dressed so casual, like they were going to exercise. "It's very informal," she said, not knowing if it's a good thing or not. "That's the trend now." Lucy picked up a white t-shirt and raised it to her chest. "And you are going to see models, actresses, influencers wear t-shirts like these that cost thousand dollars." "A thousand dollars?" "Yeah," Lucy said, placing a pair of leggings in the cart, "And you're going to need more clothes later. These are cool for chilling in the apartment. But what you going to do later?" "What do you mean?" "Like your plans. You going to get a job? You said you want to go to college, what you going to major in? And are you going to stay in Portland?" Erin shook her head. She hadn't given that much thought. "Hey," Lucy said, "You can still stay with me. But I don't know what that sofa is going to do to your back. If Jack comes through with a social and ID, you can get a job." Erin nodded. But then she thought about what type of jobs could she really do. "I'm guessing you don't want to be a maid again." "I was not a maid." "No?" "No. A maid would live in the house with the family. I had my own room. I was a charwoman." Erin said. She picked up a sweater, liking the pattern and dropped it in the cart. "I cleaned houses because I had to. I'm not going to go back to that. I just need to think about what to do next. I want a real job." "I mean there is an obvious answer." "What?" "You go to college. You can major in nineteenth century U S history. It will be a breeze for you." "Wouldn't that be cheating?" "Fuck no." Lucy stopped the cart and smiled. "You went through all this trauma and now you're in a time where you can go to college and be who you want to be. Used any advantage you can." Erin nodded, and they went back to shopping. She liked the sound of going to college, something that was impossible the first time around. Studying history didn't really appeal to her, but Erin could see Lucy's point. It took them another hour to get to the checkout line. Looking at the cart, Erin hoped that they had gotten everything. Two pairs of jeans, in black & blue, leggings, four t-shirts, hoodies, sweaters, socks, a pair of white sneakers and underwear; Erin really hoped that was enough for her to live on. She caught herself staring at other women and then glancing back to the cart. Something didn't feel right. Last night, she and Jack had a long conversation over the phone. Now she could leave the apartment more often and didn't need to nap all the time; Jack said he would love to take her out. They then agreed on dinner tomorrow night. "Sorry to ask again. But you said that these clothes are okay to wear all the time? Like in the evening?" "Maybe." Lucy shrugged. Her eyes then narrowed, knowing that was something more. "Like in the evening? Like for a date?" Erin paused, remembering how the definition had changed. She nodded her head and said, "Yes." "Tonight?" Erin shook her head and replied with a small smile. Lucy looked at the pile of clothes and paused for a moment; she was working something in her head, Erin could tell. "Not for date night. Let's go to the mall." She quickly paid and grabbed Erin out of the store. They didn't drive long, maybe five minutes at most. Lucy told her about date nights and the need to dress up. It shocked her. She didn't see Lucy as a type of woman who would wear an evening gown for a dance. Erin told her what Jack had been thinking of, a simple dinner at a restaurant, maybe a quick stopover at a bar. Lucy drove to a mall, which Erin roughly knew as a building with lots of stores. It was quieter than she expected and hoped. She wanted more interaction with regular people, learning to talk to them and seeing if she could successfully fool them. Lucy dragged Erin into an H and M store and told her that it's a step above Target. Flipping through a rack, Lucy then said, "What you need is a really good dress." "Okay?" "But also, it's like 30 degrees outside. So probably something like a sweater dress." Lucy said, staring at the clothes. She pulled out a navy dress and pressed it against Erin's body. "Try this on." "I don't think this is necessary. We don't know what we are going to do." "This is your first date, like ever. Don't you want to dress hot?" Erin chuckled this time, still focused on the definition of date. She saw Lucy give her a curious look and replied, "Dating meant something different in my time. Having a date meant you would have paid a whore for the night." "Now you don't have to be a whore to dress sexy and fuck your boyfriend." Erin smirked and took the dress, slowly walking to the dressing room. Inside the stall, she quickly stripped Lucy's clothes and folded them neatly on the table. It was something that she had found herself doing a lot, muscle memory from over a hundred years ago. She slipped into the dress, remarking how comfortable the fabric felt against her skin. There were positives to the changes in fashion, she slowly understood. Erin remembered how her old clothes were stiff and heavy, realizing how much she hated wearing them. Zipping up the back, Erin then turned and faced the full-length mirror. Seeing her reflection there, she just moaned, a navy-blue dress fitted to her slender body, with long sleeves and a cowl neck. It was scandalous how the dress ended above her knees. But seeing herself, Erin praised Lucy's choice. She really looked sexy. Erin ran her hands up her sides, posing against the mirror. Something then felt off. Erin felt her heart thud in her chest. Sweat dampened her forehead. She had to get away. This was too much for her. She wanted the attic again. Her knees buckled, and she fell to the side. Instinctively, Erin raised a hand up to steady herself. But she phased through the stall, her forearm disappearing. "Oh Shit" A female voice screamed. The other stall door crashed open, and Erin could hear footsteps pounding away from her. She pulled her arm back and grabbed her chest. Breathing was hard. But Erin calmed herself down. It happened again. This was getting annoying and getting more frequent. Changing back to her regular clothes, Erin walked back to the shop floor. There was no one near her, no scared woman or guards. She found Lucy, holding a black dress. It was more revealing than the blue one she picked, but it made Erin smile. It looked cute. "You should get this also." "Yeah," Erin said. Her eyes wandered, trying to find a frightened woman. "It happened again." "Yeah. I figured. Saw some lady run out, screaming about a ghost arm." Lucy shrugged her shoulders, "I'm going to ask around. Just don't think about it." She turned her head and pointed at the intimate section. "You need to pick out some date night lingerie. Something revealing." "You are really invested." "After getting kinda fucked by Jack but hearing your voice, I'm definitely invested. It was a hot show." Lucy grinned. "Let's get you some lace bra and panties and some boots then we can go." "Do we have enough? I think we spent nearly all the money Jack gave us." Lucy paused and then said, "I still have the cash that Jack gave me. You know? From the first time. When you tried to possess me and kiss him?" A teenager walked past them and gave them a long stare. Both Erin and Lucy replied back with indifferent looks. Turning back to Lucy, Erin said, "I can't ask you spend your earnings on me. It's not;" "It doesn't matter. It's cool. I'll buy it for you. Call it a thank-you present for getting rid of that stain in the kitchen." "Thank you." Erin smiled. "I want to say that I really appreciate your support and friendship." She wrapped her arms aroun

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Sure it says "Movie Use Only" on it but this $20 looks mostly real

TALK TO ME, TEXT ITA counterfeit bill with a smirking face can do more than buy a soda—it can buy doubt. We start with Florida authorities flagging movie prop money drifting into everyday transactions and dig into why small details on a $100 bill can drain time, trust, and patience at the counter. From there, we pivot to a glossy legal drama stacked with big names and a stunningly bad reception, unpacking why audiences can smell stunt casting and hollow writing a mile away, and how that reaction reflects a deeper fatigue with hype over heart.The story widens as we examine wealthy New Yorkers scrambling to call advisors after a decisive local election. It's not just about a tax line; it's about safety, predictability, and the friction of moving people, payrolls, and lives. We map the real trade offs: high property taxes in the suburbs, the risk of uprooting teams, and the question every earner asks in private—where can I plan five years ahead without nasty surprises? Along the way, we connect these headlines with a personal memory of MTV's early days, that electric moment when a channel cracked open a wider world and taught a generation to read culture through sound and image.What ties it all together is the cost of verification in a noisy age. Whether it's spotting micro tells on currency, rejecting a prestige flop despite its cast, or rethinking your city's future, the burden of proof is shifting from institutions to individuals. We explore practical cues for detecting counterfeit notes, the signals that predict whether a show will earn your time, and the frameworks people use to decide if relocating is a hedge or a hassle. If MTV expanded our horizons and the internet erased the borders, the next frontier is clarity—slowing down enough to separate signal from spin.Listen, then tell us: what pop culture moment lives rent free in your head? Subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a quick review so more curious listeners can find us.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREE Thanks for listening! Liberty Line each week on Sunday, look for topics on my X file @americanistblog and submit your 1-3 audio opinions to anamericanistblog@gmail.com and you'll be featured on the podcast. Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREESupport the showTip Jar for coffee $ - Thanks Music by Alehandro Vodnik from Pixabay Blog - AnAmericanist.comX - @americanistblog

The National Security Hour with Brandon Weichert – America's unraveling mirrors the Soviet collapse, says Russian insider Andrei Martyanov. From military decay to political rot, Washington's elite stumble while Moscow sharpens its edge. As Putin watches and waits, U.S. power slips beneath the weight of arrogance and delusion—proof that empires often fall not by invasion, but by their own corruption...

The National Security Hour with Brandon Weichert – America's unraveling mirrors the Soviet collapse, says Russian insider Andrei Martyanov. From military decay to political rot, Washington's elite stumble while Moscow sharpens its edge. As Putin watches and waits, U.S. power slips beneath the weight of arrogance and delusion—proof that empires often fall not by invasion, but by their own corruption...

In the 8 AM hour, Larry O’Connor and Julie Gunlock discussed: WMAL GUEST: ERIC TRUMP (Executive Vice President, Trump Organization) on His New Book, 'Under Siege' VIDEO: 'Kamala Sounds HAMMERED' WMAL GUEST: DINESH D'SOUZA (Author, Commentator & Filmmaker) on His New Film, 'The Dragon's Prophecy' VIDEO: Greta Thunberg SMILES While Claiming She Was 'Abducted' and Subjected to 'Abuse' by Israel Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple, Audible and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Tuesday, October 7, 2025 / 8 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave's Journey Back To Nature: Part 3Jill, Mike, and Penny Contrive a publicity plan.Based on posts by Big galoot, in 6 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.On Thursday, Geri phoned. She spoke with Muriel for a while before being handed back to me,"How you doing?" Geri asked."Good. A strangely odd week, very hard for poor Muriel; but we're getting there.""How's the resort looking, have you got many bookings.""I think there's a couple for this weekend and Suzi and I are going to sort out the chalets tomorrow for them. A few more next weekend, after that I don't know, why?"" Remember I said I'd ask around, see if anyone had any ideas.""Yes.""Well Freddy Spencer, one of my old chums from the Arundel Naturist Resort, is now the editor of H & E magazine."Geri sounded really excited but I didn't know what she was talking about."H & E magazine is like the naturist bible, it's run for and by naturists.""Ok and?" I pressed."Well, like me, Freddy has some fond memories of coming down there with his parents. They were lovely, innocent, naked days,""That's great, but how does that help us now?""Well Freddy would like to come and do an article about the place, promote it as a fun, welcoming place to be. He says he'll give us a four page spread, and if we can make it look fun, with a good mixture of young and old, then it should do wonders for the resort's image and bookings.""Sounds great but how are we going to do it, there's very few people booked in for the next few weeks.""They normally use professional, perfect models for their shoots, but I think we can make it more real, more natural.""How so.""I've volunteered myself, Mary, you and Suzi to be models, I'm was also thinking about Muriel, but with Jim passing away I don't know."Fine for me, Suzi or Geri, But I could never see Mary agreeing. "What doe's Mary think of it?""I haven't told her yet."I found myself shaking my head and laughing. "Good luck with that."I told Muriel about it, and she was over the moon! Her spirits immediately lifted, chattering away about where we could take the photos and such.There was a knock at the door and I said I'd get it. Mike Squires and his wife, Penny, were standing there along with two other neighbors; come to show their condolences.When the visitors entered the living room, Muriel seemed pleased as she stood to greet them."So good of you all, to come over."To make ourselves useful; Suzi and I asked if anyone wanted tea,"Maybe something a bit stronger?" Muriel said.Everyone had a drink and they were having a good old natter, telling stories about Jim and 'the good old days'.We just sat and enjoyed listening, keeping everyone's glasses topped up. The conversation eventually got around to Muriel's plans for the future and for the holiday resort."Well I hope to keep it running, although my bookings are way down on previous years. But these two lovely young people are going to help, so we might manage.""Yes; I met Dave and Suzi the other day and the place is already looking better." Mike said, smiling at Suzi.Penny, Mikes wife, said; "It's the village festival, in two weeks, you've never really been involved before; but why don't you take a booth, this year, handing out fliers and letting people know about the place. With these two good-looking ones working here, you're bound to get a good response." I think she was looking at me, the same way Mike looked at Suzi, but I could be wrong."Hold on old girl, Muriel's probably got her hands full, what with making arrangements and such.""I think it's a wonderful idea, give me something to look forward to, and all publicity helps.""Well, if it's publicity you want, then I have an idea." We all turned to look at Jill, another neighbor who had hardly said a word since she arrived, concentrating on drinking Gin instead.Jill seemed happy with her audience and continued "Well this is a nudist resort isn't it?"Muriel nodded. "Well then what you have to do is something involving nudity."We were all just looking at her, waiting for her to continue. Once she managed to get her words straight in her head, she said; "I was reading about a village somewhere that has a Lady Godiva festival, very popular as you can imagine. Anyway, I was thinking that you could do something similar, maybe have someone ride nude through the village and into the festival center. The press would love it, maybe even the nationals."Mike was the first to say anything, "that's a bit much, I don't think the parish council would allow it.""Well, I'm on the parish council, and I think it's a marvelous idea." Penny said.We all looked at Muriel, who was just smiling; "I think it's wonderful."We all smiled, as much at Muriel's joy, as anything else. The talk soon got around to practicalities. Mike stared at Suzi as he asked, who could we get to play the lead role."I'll think of someone." Was all Muriel would say.I wasn't saying much, but an idea was starting to form in my head."Why don't we do something a bit different?" I blurted out. Everyone looked at me. "I know traditionally there was only one Lady Godiva, but why don't we have two, think up some silly reason for it. It'll definitely give us more bang for our money."I actually had a fully formed plan in my head, but didn't want to give all the details. I could see peoples' faces, thinking about what I had said."It could be interesting." Muriel said"I have two lovely mares we could use." Chipped in Mike.The chatter drifted off into matter s of Jim's funeral, and eventually it got late.When everyone had left, the three of us were sitting on the sofa."That was an interesting evening, what with H & E coming, and now Lady Godiva. I'm quite dizzy from it all." Muriel said.Suzi was looking at me and said, "I can see the cogs whirling. What are you thinking?""Lots of things. We need to decide who will be in the magazine pictures and I have a few ideas for Lady Godiva.""I bet you do.""Not what you're thinking. Things can't be too explicit, no worse than you might see on in some newspapers.""And?" Suzi pressed."Well, my idea would be to have a younger and an old Lady Godiva; hopefully you and Muriel." I stopped talking, letting my idea sink in, and waiting for reactions.Muriel was the first to respond, Suzi possibly a bit taken aback."Oh how exciting, there's a few in the village who have always disapproved of me, it'll give me a chance to rub their noses in it. What about you Suzi?""I don't know. I don't think I could, and besides I can't ride a horse.""Well we have two weeks to practice and I'm sure Mike would enjoy giving you lessons." Muriel said this with a glint in her eye and a small, knowing grin."Is there something we should know?" I asked, a smile on my face, knowing that whatever Muriel told us would be juicy."Well you'd never guess, looking at them now; but when Mike and Penny were younger they were wild, spending weekends over here, getting stoned and shagging. I don't think they ever considered themselves hippies like the rest of us. They just enjoyed the drugs and the sex. Then Mike took over the farm and they got married. They became respectable."I could sense there was more, and urged her to carry on."Over the years Mike has been a frequent visitor, ostensibly on the pretense of being neighborly, but really to see if there were any naked women he could stare at. I'm sure you made his day if not his year when he met you on Sunday."Muriel, for once, looked a little sheepish, before continuing "he would often come in the mornings when I was out for my walks and over the years we've developed a little thing.""A little thing?" I inquired.Muriel smiled, obviously wondering how much to tell us, but then decided to change the subject.Riding Like Godiva."I think you'd make a wonderful Lady Godiva, Suzi. And if you're very shy, I'm sure we can do something with your hair.""With my hair?""Yes, we can comb it so that it covers your boobs."Suzi didn't look convinced."Right, come over here and I'll show you what I mean."Both Muriel and Suzi stood up."Take your clothes off and we'll use this round ottoman as our pretend horse. Here, let me roll up a beach towel for you to place against your cunny. It's what a saddle will feel like. Plus, it'll keep this upholstery from smelling like a hussy's pussy."Suzi looked a little uncertain, but removed her jeans and t-shirt, hesitating before removing her bra, and going to sit on the ottoman."No-no, knickers as well. I want you to see how little you'll be exposing."I was enjoying the show, a raging boner in my pants and a smile on my face. When Suzi removed her knickers Muriel told her to sit astride the ottoman.Suzi sat straddling over the rolled up beach towel, facing me, spreading her legs as wide as possible, fully exposing her very moist-looking bald pussy. She was enjoying this as much as me."Now David I want you to get that thick sofa cushion and place it upwards, in front of Suzi, we'll pretend it's the horses head."As I did this Muriel was playing with Suzi's hair, bringing it over her shoulder and laying it over her boobs, the back of her hand rubbing against her nipples and causing Suzi to gasp and Muriel to smile. I was entranced and very turned on by the Suzi's nakedness, and Muriel fussing over her. My trance was only broken by Muriel's voice."Now David, come and have a look here."I moved to the back of the ottoman, beside Muriel. "All we can see is a little bit of your crack and when you're high up on the horse no one will see that, now bounce up and down for us as if the horse is moving."Suzi did as told, and it was a lovely sight, her cheeks flexing and fleeting glimpses of her puckered hole. Both Muriel and I were admiring the sight, when Suzi said, "my hair has fallen off of my boobs, we'll have to stick it down somehow."It sounded like Suzi had decided she'll do it. Muriel and I smiled at each other. "I'm sure we'll find something to keep it in place." Muriel said, smiling some more as she watched Suzi continue to bounce up and down."You can a slowly rock your hips, as if the horse is slowly walking, if you like.""Oh, this feels nice." Suzi said as she began grinding her crotch down on the plush terrycloth.Suzi was getting herself off on the cushioned ottoman. Her legs were spread wide, grinding herself against the roll. I felt my mouth going dry as I watched. Her hip action sped up as she worked herself into a frenzy. I felt Muriel rubbing my cock through my trousers. As I looked at the matriarch, she moved her other hand down to Suzi's tit. From Suzi's immediate groans, I guessed Muriel was pinching her nipple. I moved down behind Suzi, on the ottoman, kissing her neck and putting my hand on her other boob, squeezing it roughly and pinching the nipple."Oh god, this feels so good, pinch harder; oh, ah, ah, I'm gonna come, I'm gonna come." Suzi had stopped rocking, instead just pushing down harder and grinding her pelvis slowly. She shuddered as her orgasm ripped through her.I was astride the ottoman, holding Suzi and cuddling her from behind. Muriel was now in front, bending down and kissing her, Suzi's arms went up to Muriel's face returning her kisses with a passion. Both my hands pressed into Suzi's tits, while I kissed the back of her neck.As her breathing settled she gave a throaty laugh, "I think I've soiled your towel." We all laughed."He's a lovely horse, would you like a go?" Suzi offered the mount to Muriel.Muriel smiled and began to undress and as we watched. Suzi leaned back into me and said, "take your clothes off."I stripped rapidly, ripping off my t-shirt and jeans, Muriel took her time as we both watched her, the undoing of each button of her shirt drawn out exquisitely, her eyes alive and her smile teasing, as she watched us staring at her. I wish I could've seen Suzi's face, I imagine she was as transfixed as me.Muriel and I were now both standing naked. As Suzi went to stand, Muriel placed her hand gently on her shoulder, urging her to remain seated. Suzi looked around at me and nearly got poked in the eye, smiling and shaking her head, as if, 'watch where you pock that spear'.Muriel moved in closer and pulled my head to hers, in a kiss. This caused Suzi to be wedged between us. It was obvious where Suzi's head was, and what Muriel was hoping she would do. I had to see. I broke our kiss and looked down at Suzi, her head bobbing slightly and her face buried in Muriel's muff, and my cock bobbing next to her ear 'Wow'.Muriel's nipples stood out long and hard; and looked very inviting, I was going to suck them but then had the urge to bite. Muriel let out a yelp and grabbed my hair, pulling it hard but pulling me in closer as she did so. I applied more pressure and put my hand on her ass. My fingers slid between her cheeks, searching for whatever hole they could find. After a bit I stepped back behind Suzi and pushed my cock against the back of Suzi's head, and pulled Muriel closer at the same time, before releasing. I repeated and the girls caught on straight away as we found a rhythm. Me humping Suzi's head as her face fucked Muriel's cunny.

Dave's Journey Back To Nature: Part 3Jill, Mike, and Penny Contrive a publicity plan.Based on posts by Big galoot, in 6 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.On Thursday, Geri phoned. She spoke with Muriel for a while before being handed back to me,"How you doing?" Geri asked."Good. A strangely odd week, very hard for poor Muriel; but we're getting there.""How's the resort looking, have you got many bookings.""I think there's a couple for this weekend and Suzi and I are going to sort out the chalets tomorrow for them. A few more next weekend, after that I don't know, why?"" Remember I said I'd ask around, see if anyone had any ideas.""Yes.""Well Freddy Spencer, one of my old chums from the Arundel Naturist Resort, is now the editor of H & E magazine."Geri sounded really excited but I didn't know what she was talking about."H & E magazine is like the naturist bible, it's run for and by naturists.""Ok and?" I pressed."Well, like me, Freddy has some fond memories of coming down there with his parents. They were lovely, innocent, naked days,""That's great, but how does that help us now?""Well Freddy would like to come and do an article about the place, promote it as a fun, welcoming place to be. He says he'll give us a four page spread, and if we can make it look fun, with a good mixture of young and old, then it should do wonders for the resort's image and bookings.""Sounds great but how are we going to do it, there's very few people booked in for the next few weeks.""They normally use professional, perfect models for their shoots, but I think we can make it more real, more natural.""How so.""I've volunteered myself, Mary, you and Suzi to be models, I'm was also thinking about Muriel, but with Jim passing away I don't know."Fine for me, Suzi or Geri, But I could never see Mary agreeing. "What doe's Mary think of it?""I haven't told her yet."I found myself shaking my head and laughing. "Good luck with that."I told Muriel about it, and she was over the moon! Her spirits immediately lifted, chattering away about where we could take the photos and such.There was a knock at the door and I said I'd get it. Mike Squires and his wife, Penny, were standing there along with two other neighbors; come to show their condolences.When the visitors entered the living room, Muriel seemed pleased as she stood to greet them."So good of you all, to come over."To make ourselves useful; Suzi and I asked if anyone wanted tea,"Maybe something a bit stronger?" Muriel said.Everyone had a drink and they were having a good old natter, telling stories about Jim and 'the good old days'.We just sat and enjoyed listening, keeping everyone's glasses topped up. The conversation eventually got around to Muriel's plans for the future and for the holiday resort."Well I hope to keep it running, although my bookings are way down on previous years. But these two lovely young people are going to help, so we might manage.""Yes; I met Dave and Suzi the other day and the place is already looking better." Mike said, smiling at Suzi.Penny, Mikes wife, said; "It's the village festival, in two weeks, you've never really been involved before; but why don't you take a booth, this year, handing out fliers and letting people know about the place. With these two good-looking ones working here, you're bound to get a good response." I think she was looking at me, the same way Mike looked at Suzi, but I could be wrong."Hold on old girl, Muriel's probably got her hands full, what with making arrangements and such.""I think it's a wonderful idea, give me something to look forward to, and all publicity helps.""Well, if it's publicity you want, then I have an idea." We all turned to look at Jill, another neighbor who had hardly said a word since she arrived, concentrating on drinking Gin instead.Jill seemed happy with her audience and continued "Well this is a nudist resort isn't it?"Muriel nodded. "Well then what you have to do is something involving nudity."We were all just looking at her, waiting for her to continue. Once she managed to get her words straight in her head, she said; "I was reading about a village somewhere that has a Lady Godiva festival, very popular as you can imagine. Anyway, I was thinking that you could do something similar, maybe have someone ride nude through the village and into the festival center. The press would love it, maybe even the nationals."Mike was the first to say anything, "that's a bit much, I don't think the parish council would allow it.""Well, I'm on the parish council, and I think it's a marvelous idea." Penny said.We all looked at Muriel, who was just smiling; "I think it's wonderful."We all smiled, as much at Muriel's joy, as anything else. The talk soon got around to practicalities. Mike stared at Suzi as he asked, who could we get to play the lead role."I'll think of someone." Was all Muriel would say.I wasn't saying much, but an idea was starting to form in my head."Why don't we do something a bit different?" I blurted out. Everyone looked at me. "I know traditionally there was only one Lady Godiva, but why don't we have two, think up some silly reason for it. It'll definitely give us more bang for our money."I actually had a fully formed plan in my head, but didn't want to give all the details. I could see peoples' faces, thinking about what I had said."It could be interesting." Muriel said"I have two lovely mares we could use." Chipped in Mike.The chatter drifted off into matter s of Jim's funeral, and eventually it got late.When everyone had left, the three of us were sitting on the sofa."That was an interesting evening, what with H & E coming, and now Lady Godiva. I'm quite dizzy from it all." Muriel said.Suzi was looking at me and said, "I can see the cogs whirling. What are you thinking?""Lots of things. We need to decide who will be in the magazine pictures and I have a few ideas for Lady Godiva.""I bet you do.""Not what you're thinking. Things can't be too explicit, no worse than you might see on in some newspapers.""And?" Suzi pressed."Well, my idea would be to have a younger and an old Lady Godiva; hopefully you and Muriel." I stopped talking, letting my idea sink in, and waiting for reactions.Muriel was the first to respond, Suzi possibly a bit taken aback."Oh how exciting, there's a few in the village who have always disapproved of me, it'll give me a chance to rub their noses in it. What about you Suzi?""I don't know. I don't think I could, and besides I can't ride a horse.""Well we have two weeks to practice and I'm sure Mike would enjoy giving you lessons." Muriel said this with a glint in her eye and a small, knowing grin."Is there something we should know?" I asked, a smile on my face, knowing that whatever Muriel told us would be juicy."Well you'd never guess, looking at them now; but when Mike and Penny were younger they were wild, spending weekends over here, getting stoned and shagging. I don't think they ever considered themselves hippies like the rest of us. They just enjoyed the drugs and the sex. Then Mike took over the farm and they got married. They became respectable."I could sense there was more, and urged her to carry on."Over the years Mike has been a frequent visitor, ostensibly on the pretense of being neighborly, but really to see if there were any naked women he could stare at. I'm sure you made his day if not his year when he met you on Sunday."Muriel, for once, looked a little sheepish, before continuing "he would often come in the mornings when I was out for my walks and over the years we've developed a little thing.""A little thing?" I inquired.Muriel smiled, obviously wondering how much to tell us, but then decided to change the subject.Riding Like Godiva."I think you'd make a wonderful Lady Godiva, Suzi. And if you're very shy, I'm sure we can do something with your hair.""With my hair?""Yes, we can comb it so that it covers your boobs."Suzi didn't look convinced."Right, come over here and I'll show you what I mean."Both Muriel and Suzi stood up."Take your clothes off and we'll use this round ottoman as our pretend horse. Here, let me roll up a beach towel for you to place against your cunny. It's what a saddle will feel like. Plus, it'll keep this upholstery from smelling like a hussy's pussy."Suzi looked a little uncertain, but removed her jeans and t-shirt, hesitating before removing her bra, and going to sit on the ottoman."No-no, knickers as well. I want you to see how little you'll be exposing."I was enjoying the show, a raging boner in my pants and a smile on my face. When Suzi removed her knickers Muriel told her to sit astride the ottoman.Suzi sat straddling over the rolled up beach towel, facing me, spreading her legs as wide as possible, fully exposing her very moist-looking bald pussy. She was enjoying this as much as me."Now David I want you to get that thick sofa cushion and place it upwards, in front of Suzi, we'll pretend it's the horses head."As I did this Muriel was playing with Suzi's hair, bringing it over her shoulder and laying it over her boobs, the back of her hand rubbing against her nipples and causing Suzi to gasp and Muriel to smile. I was entranced and very turned on by the Suzi's nakedness, and Muriel fussing over her. My trance was only broken by Muriel's voice."Now David, come and have a look here."I moved to the back of the ottoman, beside Muriel. "All we can see is a little bit of your crack and when you're high up on the horse no one will see that, now bounce up and down for us as if the horse is moving."Suzi did as told, and it was a lovely sight, her cheeks flexing and fleeting glimpses of her puckered hole. Both Muriel and I were admiring the sight, when Suzi said, "my hair has fallen off of my boobs, we'll have to stick it down somehow."It sounded like Suzi had decided she'll do it. Muriel and I smiled at each other. "I'm sure we'll find something to keep it in place." Muriel said, smiling some more as she watched Suzi continue to bounce up and down."You can a slowly rock your hips, as if the horse is slowly walking, if you like.""Oh, this feels nice." Suzi said as she began grinding her crotch down on the plush terrycloth.Suzi was getting herself off on the cushioned ottoman. Her legs were spread wide, grinding herself against the roll. I felt my mouth going dry as I watched. Her hip action sped up as she worked herself into a frenzy. I felt Muriel rubbing my cock through my trousers. As I looked at the matriarch, she moved her other hand down to Suzi's tit. From Suzi's immediate groans, I guessed Muriel was pinching her nipple. I moved down behind Suzi, on the ottoman, kissing her neck and putting my hand on her other boob, squeezing it roughly and pinching the nipple."Oh god, this feels so good, pinch harder; oh, ah, ah, I'm gonna come, I'm gonna come." Suzi had stopped rocking, instead just pushing down harder and grinding her pelvis slowly. She shuddered as her orgasm ripped through her.I was astride the ottoman, holding Suzi and cuddling her from behind. Muriel was now in front, bending down and kissing her, Suzi's arms went up to Muriel's face returning her kisses with a passion. Both my hands pressed into Suzi's tits, while I kissed the back of her neck.As her breathing settled she gave a throaty laugh, "I think I've soiled your towel." We all laughed."He's a lovely horse, would you like a go?" Suzi offered the mount to Muriel.Muriel smiled and began to undress and as we watched. Suzi leaned back into me and said, "take your clothes off."I stripped rapidly, ripping off my t-shirt and jeans, Muriel took her time as we both watched her, the undoing of each button of her shirt drawn out exquisitely, her eyes alive and her smile teasing, as she watched us staring at her. I wish I could've seen Suzi's face, I imagine she was as transfixed as me.Muriel and I were now both standing naked. As Suzi went to stand, Muriel placed her hand gently on her shoulder, urging her to remain seated. Suzi looked around at me and nearly got poked in the eye, smiling and shaking her head, as if, 'watch where you pock that spear'.Muriel moved in closer and pulled my head to hers, in a kiss. This caused Suzi to be wedged between us. It was obvious where Suzi's head was, and what Muriel was hoping she would do. I had to see. I broke our kiss and looked down at Suzi, her head bobbing slightly and her face buried in Muriel's muff, and my cock bobbing next to her ear 'Wow'.Muriel's nipples stood out long and hard; and looked very inviting, I was going to suck them but then had the urge to bite. Muriel let out a yelp and grabbed my hair, pulling it hard but pulling me in closer as she did so. I applied more pressure and put my hand on her ass. My fingers slid between her cheeks, searching for whatever hole they could find. After a bit I stepped back behind Suzi and pushed my cock against the back of Suzi's head, and pulled Muriel closer at the same time, before releasing. I repeated and the girls caught on straight away as we found a rhythm. Me humping Suzi's head as her face fucked Muriel's cunny.

"Spin the odds. Hide the grudge. Shayne's got your number." GDAY! You brilliant brews of tea and true crime curiosities— Tonight, we plunge into the cigarette-hazed alleys and ticking silence of a world where justice wears a fedora and trouble never calls ahead. This is Michael Shayne: Old Time Radio—your gateway to gritty gumshoes, sharp-tongued suspects, and justice served with a side of bruised knuckles and bourbon breath. This episode? Oh, it's a double pour of noir nectar. A two-case special straight from the golden age of radio drama, featuring two standout mysteries that'll keep your ears wide and your tea warm:

It's Easter, which means it's time for fertility rituals, chocolate bunnies and historic peace deals — at least it used to be. Peace seems a long way off, no matter how many Germans go marching for it this weekend, and as for chocolate bunnies, well, they look a bit too Muslim for the AfD. Meanwhile, Friedrich Merz, Markus Söder, and the SPD agree a new coalition contract — no rush, lads — and Konrad goes on holiday to hospital. Nurse? I'll have my drugs now, please!   Megan's Megacan theme song by Eden Ottignon from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Planet OTT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy us a round, ask us a question! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/megansmegacan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Or follow us on whichever psychotic billionaire's data-fracking machine you like best:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/megansmegacan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/MegansMegacan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-o_U5nqe4_-yKfOm1CXOPA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Miracles can happen on Christmas Eve.Based on a post by auguy86, in 2 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at My First Time. Ken Dix flipped through the TV guide at a moderate pace; “500 channels, and nothing but Christmas specials on.”Finding nothing but disappointment at every turn. As it was Christmas Eve, every show was a mushy feel-good romp spouting lines about family and goodwill to others. None of that spoke to Ken in the slightest.“Ken?” a voice came from the kitchen.“What's up, Mom?”“I've got my hands full with making everything for dinner tonight, but I'm going to run short on a couple of ingredients,” Helen Dix said, poking her head into the living room. “Can you run to the store real quick for me please?”“Sure thing,” Ken replied, seeing as he had nothing better to do.“Great, thank you. I made a list on the counter for you. The store should be open for another hour or two. The main things would be the eggs; I don't have enough to finish my famous chess pie. If they have tea by the gallon, grab one sweet and one unsweet. The rest are great if you find them, but not essential.”“Got it,” Ken said as he took the list from the counter.Heading out to his car, Ken cranked up his Honda Civic and pulled out of the driveway. As he made his way into town, Ken reflected on his current situation. Though he loved his mom, being home for the holidays was always nerve-wracking for him. His hometown of Alpharetta, Georgia was crawling with former high school classmates of his, people he'd just as soon never see again. But up at MIT, he was actually among peers that he could relate to on an intellectual level. Not that he'd made that many friends up there. As a nineteen-year-old freshman, he was still stuck in the same boring math and science classes as everyone else. He couldn't wait until he could start his health sciences training. Maybe then he could meet some decent people, perhaps of the female variety.Ken soon arrived in the parking lot of the local Kroger. It was soon obvious that the place was packed with last-minute shoppers, all trying to find that one final ingredient they were missing. Locking his car, Ken sauntered into the store, grabbing a shopping basket along the way. He found the shelves of the store well picked over, striking out on the nonessential items on his mom's list. Making his way to the drinks aisle, he was pleased to see that the store was keeping the gallon jugs of tea well stocked for the holidays, and picked up a pair.Ken soon arrived in the refrigerated section of the store. Almost every shelf was empty, but he did manage to find one last carton of six eggs, just what his mom needed. Depositing the carton in his shopping basket, Ken made his way back to the front of the store, checking out in the express lane. He gripped the shopping bags tightly, being careful that the eggs weren't harmed from the swinging of the bags. Arriving back in the parking lot, he was pleasantly surprised to see one of his former classmates, Jacqueline Brown. As he approached, she saw him coming.“Ken? Kenneth Dix?”She was extremely pretty, as was befitting one of the most popular girls in school, and kept her chestnut-brown hair cut just below her jawline. Her soft, warm facial features and bubbly personality belied the sharp intellect hiding underneath. She and Ken had been partners a few times in various subjects, and he had helped craft her entrance essay to the University of Washington. This earned her a full ride scholarship. In spite of her popularity, they had worked well together, and Ken even dared to call her a friend, at least in his own mind. They had never hung out on a social basis; her circle of friends would never have let her live that down. Still, times had changed. They were both out of high school, after all. What could it hurt to ask?“Jacqueline? Wow, I never thought I'd see you back here. Thought you escaped to cooler climates?”“Yeah, Seattle is nice, but nothing beats Christmas at home,” she replied, adjusting her UW sweatshirt. “You back for the same reason?”“Uh huh. Mom pretty much insisted. She won't settle for anything less than a full family gathering on Christmas Eve. I'm just grabbing a few last things for her. But yeah, it's great seeing you again. You, uh, you look good.”“Um; thanks,” she replied with hesitation.“I'm, uh, gonna be home for a couple of weeks. Would you want to, I don't know, hang out sometime? Maybe grab a bite to eat? My treat.”“Well, Ken, that's sweet of you to ask.” she said almost to herself. As she paused, her eyes suddenly lit up as if she had gotten an idea. “Alright! Here, let me give you my number.” She scribbled a series of digits down on a scrap piece of paper, writing her name next to them. “I'll, um, talk to you later, I guess?”“Sounds great!”Ken couldn't believe it; he had actually done it! He had asked out the prettiest girl he had ever known! Moreover, she had given him her number! Things were definitely looking up.“Dick!” a voice behind them yelled.Ken turned, immediately recognizing Jason Brown, Jacqueline's fraternal twin brother, along with his two flunkies, Brian and Barrett Sullivan. Jason had been the star quarterback at his high school, and the Sullivan boys were his best offensive linemen. They often served as his muscle off the football field, as well. Ken was intimately familiar with these three, as they had made it their mission in high school to make his life a living hell. Being stuffed in lockers, having his wallet stolen, all were commonplace with them. The three approached, attempting to appear imposing, which they were from the perspective of the ever-scrawny Ken.“I've got nothing to say to you guys,” Ken muttered as they approached.“Well I've got something to say to you, Mr. Kenny Dick,” Jason growled.“Just shut up and leave me alone,” Ken replied, his blood boiling at the use of Jason's longtime nickname for him.“No! You shut the fuck up and listen!” Jason said, grabbing Ken by the collar of his tee-shirt and flinging him against his car. In the process, Ken dropped his shopping bags, the jugs of tea landing directly on the egg carton.“Jason! Stop it!” Jacqueline protested.Undeterred, Jason threatened. “Listen fuck-wad, you stay the hell away from my sister!”“She's an adult, dickhead! She can have anyone she wants as a friend!” Ken protested.“You don't belong on the same Planet as her! You're nothing'! A pathetic sack of guts your dumbass mother decided to give a name to! Know what? Just do us all a favor and drop dead!”Enraged at the insult to his mom, Ken swung a wild haymaker at his assailant, but Jason was more than ready, pinning Ken's arm back against his car. Jason then delivered a crushing punch to Ken's gut, dropping him down to his knees. Before leaving, Jason knelt down next to his gasping victim.“Next time, I won't be so nice. Next time; I might just kill you myself. See ya around. Dick.” Turning to his sister, Jason said, “Come on, time to go home.”Jacqueline looked down at the pitiful form of Ken before muttering, “Sorry, Ken.”The trio of boys sauntered off across the parking lot, laughing and high-fiving at their antics. Jacqueline followed right behind them. Ken picked himself up and inspected his groceries, discovering the crushed eggs in his bag. Swearing and cursing, he grabbed the misshapen carton and went to throw it in a nearby trash can.“No chess pie tonight.”As Ken returned to his car and began his drive home, Jason and his flunkies watched on from his car, still pleased with their efforts.“You shouldn't have done that,” Jacqueline said in a lecturing tone.Jason turned to face his sister. “I do what I gotta do, Jacqueline. That fuck-wad has no business getting friendly with you. He needs to learn his place.”“Be that as it may, I can take care of myself,” she replied firmly.“Take care of yourself? Wait; you didn't?”“I did. Jason, someday you'll learn that there are more subtle and effective ways to ward off undesirables. Trust me, Ken won't bother me ever again.”Back at Home.Upon arriving back home, Ken couldn't bring himself to tell his mom about the incident with the eggs. He instead told her that the store had run out altogether. She had spent many sleepless nights in the past worrying about the constant bullying her son was subjected to in school. Ken didn't want to give her anything else to worry about. By this time, has uncles had started arriving, and the living room was soon filled with the sounds of football games. In Ken's mind, these were no more thought provoking that the mindless Christmas specials he had found earlier. Ken went up to his room to take a hot shower, as well as get some alone time in the process. As he stripped down, he saw a bruise beginning to form on his stomach from Jason's punch. He winced in pain as he touched the tender skin.Shit; that's not going away for a while.Ken took some Tylenol for the pain before stepping into the shower. The hot water helped relax his body, and the steam gradually built up, clearing his mind a bit. He finished after a while and, after making sure his door was shut, flopped facedown onto his bed. After laying there for around an hour or so, his mom finally called him down to rejoin the family for dinner.Taking his seat at the table, Ken glanced around the room at his various family members. His mom had two older brothers, Lee and Stan. Though Lee was tall and still relatively youthful looking at forty-five, Stan was shorter and beginning to bald as he approached fifty. Still, both of them had one notable thing in common as far as Ken was concerned: they were both still jocks at heart. Ken had never known his father; it had always just been him and his mom. He could tell that his uncles tried to be male role models for him, but their efforts were usually ill-conceived attempts to “man him up.” Never once did they understand his introverted tendencies, and always tried to get him to be more of a people person. After a while, Ken stopped paying their advice any attention.It was striking to Ken how similar Lee and Stan's families were. They had both married beautiful, blonde cheerleaders, and now both had sixteen-year-old daughters, both of whom were among the most popular girls in school. It all sickened Ken; they were just perpetuating the stereotype of pretty and popular being the be-all, end-all in life. As the family ate, Ken remained silent for the most part. The adults were engrossed in discussions about their jobs, and the two daughters were giggling and playing on their phones the entire time. None of this was relevant to Ken.“You know, I saw something interesting today,” Lee said as dessert was being brought out. “I was at Kroger filling up my car, and saw you in the main parking lot, Ken. Looked like you were, uh, having some words with a few guys out there.”Shit! He saw that?Not wanting to worry his mom, Ken replied, “It; it was nothing.”“Nothing, eh? Is that why that punk punched you in the gut?”With a worried look on her face, Helen asked, “Ken, sweetie, what is he talking about?” She walked around the table to Ken's seat and lifted up his shirt, seeing the bruise on his abdomen. “Was it that Jason boy again?”“Mom, just let it go.”“No! Ken, you know I worry about you!”“You worry about Me? I think you need to worry more about your brother!” Ken shouted, his anger exploding at last. “Right, Uncle Lee? Come on, you see your own nephew being ganged up on in a parking lot, yet you do nothing to help him out?!”“A man's gotta learn to fight his own battles,” Lee replied in a calm voice.“No. You want to know what a man does? A man sticks up for his Family! No. Matter. What! You stood there and watched your own nephew get beaten up. That says a hell of a lot more about you than it does me. And if that's family; I don't want any part of this one.”Without a word, Ken stood and left the dining room. He then grabbed his MIT hoodie and headed for the front door. As he was about to get into his car and drive off, he saw to his frustration that his uncles' cars were parked in the driveway behind him, blocking him in. Cursing under his breath, he prepared to leave on foot.“Ken! Come back inside, please!” Helen called after him, running down the driveway.“No. I've got to go out; clear my head.”“Ken, it's Christmas Eve. Please, come be with your family.”“Mom, aside from you, not a single person in that house feels like family to me,” Ken replied coldly. “I'll; I'll call you after while.”Ken walked off into the cold Georgia night, not knowing for sure where to go or what to do. Nobody else was out, as they were all at home with their families. Remembering the square in historic downtown Alpharetta, he decided to head in that direction. Maybe the quiet walk would do him some good.Arriving in the town square, Ken walked along the sidewalks for a bit, peering into the darkened windows of the various shops and restaurants. Everything looked so different to him with everyone gone for the day; it all seemed so peaceful. As he continued to walk, he soon saw City Hall in the distance. In front of the building was a large green space, which was teeming with a surprising amount of activity for it being Christmas Eve. Ken moved closer, now spying a large gathering of people sitting on picnic blankets, all bundled up in coats and hats. Ahead of them, a large screen projected the classic film, It's a Wonderful Life.Though Ken was never into the Christmas cheer, as it were, he felt strangely drawn to watch a few minutes of the film from a distance. He soon began to regret that decision, as the movie had reached the point where George Baily had an arrest warrant out for him, lashing out at his family in anger. Watching him get drunk and punched in a bar fight, Ken began to feel sick with anger. Despite all his efforts to help better the world around him, the universe conspired against George Baily; just as it seemed to be conspiring against Ken. Unable to watch a moment more, he turned and walked into the nearby park.Again alone with his thoughts, Ken sat on a bench near the fountain in the center of the park. He contemplated many things, as he often did in solitude. He thought about his piss poor excuse for a family, intent on changing him into what they say he should be. If only they could love him as he is. He thought about Jason Brown, a perpetual asshole that managed to get all the beautiful women his heart desired. If only the universe would serve up his just desserts, rather than conspiring against Ken. Sighing in frustration, he stuffed his freezing hands into his jeans pockets.Jacqueline!Feeling the scrap of paper still in his pocket, Ken suddenly felt a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dreary day. He needed something, anything to lift his spirits, and hearing her kind, sweet voice might just do it. Hell, he didn't even care anymore if she was interested in him in a romantic sense; he just needed someone to listen and understand him. Digging out his phone, he dialed the number. After a single ring, a message began to play, seeming to be read by a game show host.“Congratulations! You've reached Live 95.5 FM's world-famous Loser Line! Live 95.5; featuring the best entertainment in Seattle! If you've reached this message, you have attempted to hit on a girl Way out of your league! That poor young lady wants nothing to do with you, but you just couldn't help creeping on her! That's where we come in! Now you know what a loser you really are! So leave the girl alone, loser! You're doing everyone a favor! If you'd like to leave a message for the world-famous Loser Line, begin speaking at the tone!”Beep!Ken hung up the phone in quiet disbelief. How could he have been so wrong about Jacqueline? They had worked so well together in school, and he even considered her a friend! She always spoke so kindly to him, how could this have happened? Was she really as nasty and shallow as her dumbass brother? Was she really just that good of an actress? As he pondered all this, Ken's rage finally exploded out of him.“That two-faced bitch! Who the fuck does she think she is?! I trusted her! Hell, she would never have gotten a full scholarship without my help! All I ever did was Like her! And after all that, she doesn't even have the decency to turn me down to my face?! What The Fucking Hell? At least her brother was honest about his disdain. She's far worse! I can't imagine how evil she'd be if a person actually offended her?”Slumping back down onto the park bench, every thought that entered Ken's mind brought him lower. Jason was an ass, but then again, he didn't know how to act any different. Uncle Lee was a moron, but then again, he had no malicious intent. But Jacqueline; she was the last straw. He had trusted her, opened up to her, and she repaid him by committing the single most cruel and senseless act Ken could ever imagine. Everything was crashing down around him. As he continued to sulk, Jason's words entered into his mind once more.“I should just do everyone a favor and drop dead; is that what you want, Jacqueline? Seems like you agree with your brother, or you wouldn't have given me that number.”Ken reached into his pocket, withdrawing a folding knife. It had been a high school graduation present to him from his grandfather, before he passed a few months later. A far cry from the typical Swiss Army knife, he unfolded the shiny, four-inch blade, which stood in beautiful contrast to the wooden handle. Inscribed in the wood were Ken's initials. He had not used it for anything yet, never had any need to. As he stared at his reflection in the blade, Ken kept replaying Jason's cruel words in his mind, to do the world a favor and drop dead.“Maybe that's not such a bad idea.” Ken mumbled.Just as he took a firm grip on the handle, preparing to take the knife to his throat, an unfamiliar voice came from off to the side.“Hey!”Gabrielle's Christmas night.Gabrielle Libertine relaxed in a lawn chair, savoring the crisp, cold air of Christmas Eve. This was her favorite time of the year, and being able to enjoy an outdoor showing of her favorite Christmas film, It's a Wonderful Life, made it even better. It all fit in perfectly with her life philosophy: live for happiness. Not only her own, but as much as could be had for the world around her too.“You want the moon? Just say the word, and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down.”“Oh, Jimmy Stewart, you charmer you.” Gabby sighed.Soon, her emotions welled up as the hopeless romantic that was George Bailey began to succumb to the pressures and injustices of life. He had blamed his own uncle for destroying their business, lashed out at his wife and children in anger, and gone crawling to his hated rival for a loan. The hardest scenes for her to watch were always the bar fight and the car crash. Still, she always stuck it out. The best was yet to come.Just as George stood atop the bridge, Gabby caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye. A young man of about nineteen or twenty was watching the movie from a distance away, leaning against a tree near the road. His face twisted in angst as he saw the pain on display in the film, and he soon spun around, walking into the nearby park. Gabby couldn't explain why, but something compelled her to follow him and make sure he was okay.Collecting her lawn chair, she walked along the perimeter of the green space, soon arriving at the entrance to the park. As she went, she began to hear angry shouting up ahead of her; it sounded like the young man was in distress. After a few minutes, she came upon the fountain situated in the center of the park. On a bench sat the man from earlier, appearing to be deep in thought. By the glow of the lamppost, Gabby could now get a good look at him. He appeared to be of average height, maybe 5'7”, and had shaggy black hair that seemed a bit unkempt. Still, it's color shone in the light of the park, and his white skin provided for quite a striking appearance. A pair of black horn-rimmed glasses framed his face, which combined with his red MIT hoodie to project a very specific image into Gabby's mind. He had to be incredibly intelligent.As she studied him, she saw the young man pull an object out of the pocket of his jeans. Catching a glimpse of something reflective, she could now see that he was holding a small folding knife. Gabby tensed up and wondered if she should run, but soon decided against it; he didn't seem to have even noticed her presence. In fact, the way he looked at the knife was quite unsettling. It was as if he saw that little blade as his best friend in the world. She knew the look in his eyes. She knew what would happen in a moment if she did nothing. Taking a deep breath, Gabby decided to act.“Hey.”Intervention.Ken was startled by the unfamiliar voice. Looking up, he now saw a woman in her early twenties standing across the way. She gazed at him with intent, but for what reason he did not know. Looking back at her, Ken's typical awkwardness began to kick in, as he could see that she was quite beautiful. Dressed warmly in a black winter coat and blue jeans, she wore a grey knit cap over her long blonde hair. Upon first glance, she appeared to be of some sort of Scandinavian descent, or perhaps German, though Ken couldn't be sure. His mouth went dry as he tried to find the words to speak.“Everything okay?” she asked.“Uh; fine. Why do you, um; why do you ask?”Smiling, she replied, “I saw you over on the green, watching the movie. By the look on your face, you were having a tough time with it. When I saw you walk off towards the park, I felt I should come and see if anything was wrong.”“No, nothing's wrong.”“Good. Then I shouldn't be concerned about the way you're looking at that knife of yours, right?”Shaking his head, Ken answered, “I'm not going to hurt you. Promise.”“That's not what I'm concerned about.”“Wha; what do you mean?” Ken asked, his eyes growing wide.“I've seen that look before,” she said, taking a couple of steps closer. “I am, sadly, all too familiar with it. You were about to hurt yourself, weren't you?”“You don't know a thing about me, lady,” Ken muttered, preparing to leave.“I don't have to know anything about you to be concerned,” she fired back.“Concerned,” Ken snorted. “How could you be concerned about me? You don't even know me!”“Easily rectified. Gabrielle Libertine. My friends call me Gabby,” she said, sticking out her hand with a warm smile. When he didn't respond, she smirked and continued, “This is the part where you tell me your name.”Sighing, he replied, “Ken. Ken Dix.”“A pleasure, Ken,” she said as they shook hands.“So; Gabrielle, eh? You supposed to be my Clarence or something?”With a playful gasp, she responded, “Oh my God! Does that mean you're Jimmy Stewart?! I've had the biggest crush on you for Years!”Ken gave a nervous laugh. “Alright, alright, I walked into that one. But in all seriousness.”“No, I'm not a Guardian Angel or the Word of God or anything like that. Just an average person like you.” Motioning to the bench, she asked, “May I?”“Sure, I guess,” Ken answered, scooting to the edge.“Thanks.” Taking a seat, she continued, “So tell me this, Ken: why would you want to hurt, maybe kill yourself?”His face twisted in pain. “You don't want to know.”“I do. Believe me, I do.”Sighing with reluctance, Ken relented and began to tell Gabby of the events of the day. He started with Jacqueline and Jason, then the confrontation with his uncle, and finally the fake phone number showing Jacqueline's true colors. Through it all, Gabby sat in silence, maintaining eye contact and nodding whenever appropriate. At last, he finished his story, and Gabby could feel her heart breaking within her chest.“Ken; I'm so sorry. I can feel the pain in your voice. No one deserves what you've gone through today. I know it's of little help, but I do understand what you're going through.”“Understand?” Ken said, incredulous. “How could a girl like you understand any of this? I mean, look at you. You're gorgeous, and I bet you've always been popular. Just like Jacqueline. Just like Jason. Just like Uncle Lee. None of you could ever imagine the world I live in.”With a stern look on her face, she replied, “I'm going to choose to let that slide, considering everything you've told me. Still, you need to know that what you just said was quite hurtful. Almost as hurtful as the things that have been said to you today.”Ken recoiled. He knew she was right. “I'm; I'm sorry. You're right; I should never have said that. You've been nothing but nice to me tonight.”“Apology accepted,” Gabby said with a smile. “Humility is a rare trait in men these days. Hang on to that.”Ken thought she might be mocking him, but bit his tongue nonetheless. He had already insulted her once, and he wasn't going to chance a second time.Seeking to turn the conversation to happier topics, she asked, “M I T, huh? You're an awful long way from home, aren't you?”“Huh? Oh, the hoodie. Yeah, I'm a freshman there this year, just home on break right now.”“Nice. Major?”“Health sciences. I want to go to medical school after MIT, though I'm still figuring out a specialty.”“Plenty of time to decide that. I'm sure you'll find the right career path,” she said with a grin.As nice as it was to talk about a familiar topic, a few things still bugged Ken's mind to no end. “I still can't figure it out; why would Jacqueline do this?”Frowning, Gabby replied, “Some people are cruel. Often the ones that are the cruelest disguise it with a kind, warm public demeanor. Jacqueline sounds like she fits that mold to a T.”“And she hid it all that time while we were in school?”“You were useful at the time, in her mind. She wasn't going to chance losing that. Once she got what she needed, she had no more reason to hide her true feelings.”“Yeah, but still. Why be all friendly to me in the store?”“In her twisted mind, she probably felt she was doing you a favor. She wanted to ensure you never tried to contact her again. To a cruel person like her; that's her idea of doing you a kindness,” Gabby replied sadly. “We just have to hope that there's enough real kindness in this world to counteract such cruelty.”Now noticing a silver cross hanging from her neck, Ken pointed to it and asked, “I guess this the part where you start lecturing me about suicide? That I'm being selfish and trying to go against God's plan?”“No,” she replied with simplicity.“No?”“No. Ken, I meant it when I said that I've seen that look before. I know better than most that suicidal thoughts are rarely that simple. There's no switch that can turn them off. It's a tide that must be turned back, bit by bit.”Stunned, Ken started to see that this woman understood what was important in life. Realizing he still had the knife in his hand, he folded it closed and put it back in his pocket.“Bit by bit,” she said with a smile. “My car's around the corner. Is there somewhere I can take you? Where do you live?”“I'm not going home. Not yet,” Ken replied. “Not with my uncles still there.”“No problem. I'm not going to force you.” Thinking a moment, she continued, “It's pretty cold out here. Why don't you come back to my place for a bit?”“That's; unnecessary. I'm fine on my own.”“Nice try, but no cigar,” she said. “I'm not leaving you alone with that knife, mister. And I'm certainly not leaving you alone on Christmas Eve. Nobody should be alone for the holidays.”“Thanks, but; won't your husband mind?”“He would, if I were married.”“Boyfriend?”“Nope, just my townhouse and me. Pretty cozy, all things considered. No problems with you coming over, but I do have one condition.”“And what's that?”Smirking, Gabby replied, “You call your mom right now and tell her you're okay.”Hesitating a moment, Ken soon relented. “Fine.” Tapping his phone, Ken waited as it rang. “Hey Mom, it's me; Yeah, I'm okay; No, seriously. I'm fine; Yeah I'm just hanging with a friend. I probably won't be back ‘til tomorrow; I will; Love you too; Bye.”“See? Now that wasn't so bad, was it?” Gabby teased him.Eying her, Ken asked. “You're seriously okay with bringing me to your home?”“Positive.”Taking his hand, Gabby led him to her car.Gabby's guest.The drive had been silent for the most part. Ken was still trying to comprehend everything that was happening. Who was this woman? Why would she go to such great lengths for a stranger she didn't even know? Gabby seemed to pick up on this, refraining from prodding him for any further conversation. She could tell he was still processing the events of the day. Soon, they arrived at her townhouse complex and pulled into her garage.“Come on in, make yourself at home,” she said as she turned on the lights. “Can I offer you something to drink? Coffee? Hot chocolate?”“Hot chocolate sounds good, thanks.”“Coming right up!”As she hung her hat and jacket up on a rack, Ken couldn't help but stare. He now saw that she wasn't just a pretty face; her entire body was sublime. She wore a tight burgundy sweater and a pair of tight, form-fitting jeans. This ensemble only served to accent her body even further. Her hourglass figure was delectable, her slim waist contrasting with her curvy hips and ample bust. She was also just as tall as him, perhaps a bit taller, with legs for miles. Though Ken had fantasized about some of his classmates, none of them could come anywhere close to Gabby. She was a woman, not a girl, and in the prime of her life no less.“Here you go,” she said, handing Ken a mug.After blowing on the hot drink, he took a sip, feeling the warm liquid spreading through his body. “Thanks,” he sighed.“No problem,” she replied with a smile. “Come on, let's go relax in the den.”She led him into an intimate area with a sofa and a loveseat. The only illumination came from the twinkling multicolored lights on her Christmas tree in the corner. As Ken took in the relaxing surroundings, smelling the delicious scent of her Frazier fir tree, Gabby stepped over to the fireplace opposite the sofa. Flipping a switch, she soon had a comfortable fire roaring from the gas logs. She then sat on the sofa, placing her mug on the side table and patting the spot next to her.“Come sit. I promise I don't bite,” she said with a playful grin.“Um, okay.” he mumbled, scooting as close to the armrest as he could to give Gabby plenty of space.“Tell me about M I T,” she inquired. “You mentioned you want to go into health sciences. Does that include medical school?”“Uh, yeah with any luck. Harvard would be my top choice, but I don't know if I could afford it. But assuming so, my dream has always been to be a brain surgeon.”“Brain surgeon?! That's so cool! They're like; the most badass of all the badass doctors! Not just surgeons, brain surgeons!” Gabby gushed.“It's, uh, not that big a deal,” Ken replied as he blushed with embarrassment.“Well, I could totally see you as a brain surgeon. Don't ever give up on it.”“Thanks.”“So, what then for you, Dr. Dix? What happens once you reach your dream?”Ken began to feel a strange amount of comfort with this woman, and started to open up to her. “Honestly; I don't know. I mean even if I become a brain surgeon, I'm still hopeless around girls. Maybe Jason's right. I'm gonna die a virgin.” Realizing what he had confessed to her, he turned to Gabby and blurted out, “Not that it's your problem, or anything. S-sorry, I just; I shouldn't have gone that far.”Gabby just smiled and moved closer to him, brushing her hand against his arm.“Don't worry about it. You have goals, both personal and professional, but aren't sure exactly how to achieve them. So you're a virgin. That's nothing to be embarrassed about, and it's healthy to express your anxiety about it. That can help you overcome your fears. In all seriousness, I think you underestimate yourself, Ken.”“Underestimate myself?”“Of course,” Gabby replied. “You're smart, considerate, polite, you even held the car door for me earlier! Any girl you'd want to be with is gonna swoon at traits like that. I can also tell that you still think of yourself as unattractive, but I disagree. You wear glasses, yes, but that doesn't make you a dork. Your hair is a little shaggy, but not greasy or anything. You may not have a tan, but your skin complexion is damn near flawless. You have nothing to be ashamed of, be it your looks or your personality.”“You're about the only woman who thinks so,” he sighed.“Doubtful, but if it's that big a worry for you, I can give you a couple of pointers, if you like.”“Um, oh, okay I guess.”“Great! Okay, so you definitely give off the ‘geek' vibe, but that's not a bad thing. Don't fight it; own it.”“How?”“Well, you can make just some slight alterations to your outward appearance that can change the way others see you. For example, you could switch to wire-framed glasses instead of your horn-rimmed ones. Your hair is a great color, and would do well in a short, clean-cut style, if I do say so myself. You can also change out your usual t-shirts for some casual polo shirts.”“So; the secret to getting women to notice me is to change who I am?” Ken asked, feeling more than a little offended.Cocking her eyebrow, Gabby replied, “Are you saying your glasses, hair length, and shirt choices define who you are?”“Oh, uh; fair point,” Ken conceded.“See? Humility. Such a rare quality these days,” Gabby said with a grin. “To be honest, all the changes I suggested are things my brother did a couple of years back. He was a complete geek, maybe even bigger than you. The poor boy was helpless around the fairer sex. But after he made these changes, he no longer came off as the socially awkward geek. He came off as a self-assured, confident geek, one who loves himself for who he is. I see that potential in you, Ken.” Grabbing her iPad from the side table, she pulled up a couple of pictures for him. “See? Here's before. And here's after.”“Woah,” Ken marveled. He could see the drastic difference. The guy hadn't done anything to make himself stronger or bulkier, nothing to increase his manliness, but the things he did change just popped in all the right ways. Was it really that simple?“That's great and all, but can new clothes and a haircut get rid of social awkwardness? I still don't have even a shred of confidence around women,” Ken said.“They can help, but a change in your mental confidence is completely based on your willpower. You have to love yourself as much as you want others to love you. If you don't, everyone else will pick up on it.”“Knew there was a catch.”Gabby bit her lip in frustration. There had to be a way she could give him the confidence boost he needed to love himself, but how? Getting one somewhat crazy idea, she moved closer to Ken.“I'm guessing from your previous statements that; you've never kissed a girl before. Is that right Ken?”Poor Ken Dix didn't even know what had hit him. Here he was, sitting with the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on, and the unthinkable was beginning to happen. She was moving closer, running her fingers through his hair, and now wanted to know if he'd ever been kissed! This was too much, way beyond any of his hottest dreams. Unable to find the words to respond, he managed to slowly nod his head.“Close your eyes,” she instructed in her sweet voice. When he only blinked in reply, she whispered, “Close; your eyes, Ken. Trust me.”Guided by an unseen force, Ken felt compelled to obey her. His eyes finally fluttered closed, and his breathing became more labored in anticipation of what was to come. A small part of him doubted that she was being truthful, thinking that she'd fake him out just like Jacqueline had. Those doubts were soon quashed, as he felt the warm sensation of Gabby's face leaning close to his. He could feel her breathing. He could smell her perfume. If there was a God, Ken prayed, then and there; that He could make this incredible moment last forever.After what felt like eons, Gabby finally released their building tension and touched her lips to Ken's. Her kiss was soft at first, allowing him to savor the new sensations he was feeling. Ken was so terrified and excited all at once that he could barely even move his lips in reply. Not that it mattered to Gabby. She had expected his fear, and made sure to keep her technique simple yet enjoyable. After around thirty seconds, she withdrew at last, her face aglow in the Christmas tree light.“Wow,” Ken managed to mutter as he opened his eyes. He soon noticed that he couldn't see Gabby at all; his glasses had fogged up from their kiss.“Here, let's just take these off,” Gabby said with a giggle. She slipped his glasses off and laid them on her side table. “Now then, since we've gotten your first kiss out of the way, ready to really dive in?”“Dive in to what?” Ken asked, his nerves beginning to fray.“Kissing, silly! You do know there's much more to it than what we just did, right?”“More?”“Of course! Look, one day you'll get the prime opportunity to kiss a special lady, and I want you to be ready when that chance comes.”To be continued in part 2, based on a post by auguy86, in 2 parts for Sex Stories.

Miracles can happen on Christmas Eve.Based on a post by auguy86, in 2 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at My First Time. Ken Dix flipped through the TV guide at a moderate pace; “500 channels, and nothing but Christmas specials on.”Finding nothing but disappointment at every turn. As it was Christmas Eve, every show was a mushy feel-good romp spouting lines about family and goodwill to others. None of that spoke to Ken in the slightest.“Ken?” a voice came from the kitchen.“What's up, Mom?”“I've got my hands full with making everything for dinner tonight, but I'm going to run short on a couple of ingredients,” Helen Dix said, poking her head into the living room. “Can you run to the store real quick for me please?”“Sure thing,” Ken replied, seeing as he had nothing better to do.“Great, thank you. I made a list on the counter for you. The store should be open for another hour or two. The main things would be the eggs; I don't have enough to finish my famous chess pie. If they have tea by the gallon, grab one sweet and one unsweet. The rest are great if you find them, but not essential.”“Got it,” Ken said as he took the list from the counter.Heading out to his car, Ken cranked up his Honda Civic and pulled out of the driveway. As he made his way into town, Ken reflected on his current situation. Though he loved his mom, being home for the holidays was always nerve-wracking for him. His hometown of Alpharetta, Georgia was crawling with former high school classmates of his, people he'd just as soon never see again. But up at MIT, he was actually among peers that he could relate to on an intellectual level. Not that he'd made that many friends up there. As a nineteen-year-old freshman, he was still stuck in the same boring math and science classes as everyone else. He couldn't wait until he could start his health sciences training. Maybe then he could meet some decent people, perhaps of the female variety.Ken soon arrived in the parking lot of the local Kroger. It was soon obvious that the place was packed with last-minute shoppers, all trying to find that one final ingredient they were missing. Locking his car, Ken sauntered into the store, grabbing a shopping basket along the way. He found the shelves of the store well picked over, striking out on the nonessential items on his mom's list. Making his way to the drinks aisle, he was pleased to see that the store was keeping the gallon jugs of tea well stocked for the holidays, and picked up a pair.Ken soon arrived in the refrigerated section of the store. Almost every shelf was empty, but he did manage to find one last carton of six eggs, just what his mom needed. Depositing the carton in his shopping basket, Ken made his way back to the front of the store, checking out in the express lane. He gripped the shopping bags tightly, being careful that the eggs weren't harmed from the swinging of the bags. Arriving back in the parking lot, he was pleasantly surprised to see one of his former classmates, Jacqueline Brown. As he approached, she saw him coming.“Ken? Kenneth Dix?”She was extremely pretty, as was befitting one of the most popular girls in school, and kept her chestnut-brown hair cut just below her jawline. Her soft, warm facial features and bubbly personality belied the sharp intellect hiding underneath. She and Ken had been partners a few times in various subjects, and he had helped craft her entrance essay to the University of Washington. This earned her a full ride scholarship. In spite of her popularity, they had worked well together, and Ken even dared to call her a friend, at least in his own mind. They had never hung out on a social basis; her circle of friends would never have let her live that down. Still, times had changed. They were both out of high school, after all. What could it hurt to ask?“Jacqueline? Wow, I never thought I'd see you back here. Thought you escaped to cooler climates?”“Yeah, Seattle is nice, but nothing beats Christmas at home,” she replied, adjusting her UW sweatshirt. “You back for the same reason?”“Uh huh. Mom pretty much insisted. She won't settle for anything less than a full family gathering on Christmas Eve. I'm just grabbing a few last things for her. But yeah, it's great seeing you again. You, uh, you look good.”“Um; thanks,” she replied with hesitation.“I'm, uh, gonna be home for a couple of weeks. Would you want to, I don't know, hang out sometime? Maybe grab a bite to eat? My treat.”“Well, Ken, that's sweet of you to ask.” she said almost to herself. As she paused, her eyes suddenly lit up as if she had gotten an idea. “Alright! Here, let me give you my number.” She scribbled a series of digits down on a scrap piece of paper, writing her name next to them. “I'll, um, talk to you later, I guess?”“Sounds great!”Ken couldn't believe it; he had actually done it! He had asked out the prettiest girl he had ever known! Moreover, she had given him her number! Things were definitely looking up.“Dick!” a voice behind them yelled.Ken turned, immediately recognizing Jason Brown, Jacqueline's fraternal twin brother, along with his two flunkies, Brian and Barrett Sullivan. Jason had been the star quarterback at his high school, and the Sullivan boys were his best offensive linemen. They often served as his muscle off the football field, as well. Ken was intimately familiar with these three, as they had made it their mission in high school to make his life a living hell. Being stuffed in lockers, having his wallet stolen, all were commonplace with them. The three approached, attempting to appear imposing, which they were from the perspective of the ever-scrawny Ken.“I've got nothing to say to you guys,” Ken muttered as they approached.“Well I've got something to say to you, Mr. Kenny Dick,” Jason growled.“Just shut up and leave me alone,” Ken replied, his blood boiling at the use of Jason's longtime nickname for him.“No! You shut the fuck up and listen!” Jason said, grabbing Ken by the collar of his tee-shirt and flinging him against his car. In the process, Ken dropped his shopping bags, the jugs of tea landing directly on the egg carton.“Jason! Stop it!” Jacqueline protested.Undeterred, Jason threatened. “Listen fuck-wad, you stay the hell away from my sister!”“She's an adult, dickhead! She can have anyone she wants as a friend!” Ken protested.“You don't belong on the same Planet as her! You're nothing'! A pathetic sack of guts your dumbass mother decided to give a name to! Know what? Just do us all a favor and drop dead!”Enraged at the insult to his mom, Ken swung a wild haymaker at his assailant, but Jason was more than ready, pinning Ken's arm back against his car. Jason then delivered a crushing punch to Ken's gut, dropping him down to his knees. Before leaving, Jason knelt down next to his gasping victim.“Next time, I won't be so nice. Next time; I might just kill you myself. See ya around. Dick.” Turning to his sister, Jason said, “Come on, time to go home.”Jacqueline looked down at the pitiful form of Ken before muttering, “Sorry, Ken.”The trio of boys sauntered off across the parking lot, laughing and high-fiving at their antics. Jacqueline followed right behind them. Ken picked himself up and inspected his groceries, discovering the crushed eggs in his bag. Swearing and cursing, he grabbed the misshapen carton and went to throw it in a nearby trash can.“No chess pie tonight.”As Ken returned to his car and began his drive home, Jason and his flunkies watched on from his car, still pleased with their efforts.“You shouldn't have done that,” Jacqueline said in a lecturing tone.Jason turned to face his sister. “I do what I gotta do, Jacqueline. That fuck-wad has no business getting friendly with you. He needs to learn his place.”“Be that as it may, I can take care of myself,” she replied firmly.“Take care of yourself? Wait; you didn't?”“I did. Jason, someday you'll learn that there are more subtle and effective ways to ward off undesirables. Trust me, Ken won't bother me ever again.”Back at Home.Upon arriving back home, Ken couldn't bring himself to tell his mom about the incident with the eggs. He instead told her that the store had run out altogether. She had spent many sleepless nights in the past worrying about the constant bullying her son was subjected to in school. Ken didn't want to give her anything else to worry about. By this time, has uncles had started arriving, and the living room was soon filled with the sounds of football games. In Ken's mind, these were no more thought provoking that the mindless Christmas specials he had found earlier. Ken went up to his room to take a hot shower, as well as get some alone time in the process. As he stripped down, he saw a bruise beginning to form on his stomach from Jason's punch. He winced in pain as he touched the tender skin.Shit; that's not going away for a while.Ken took some Tylenol for the pain before stepping into the shower. The hot water helped relax his body, and the steam gradually built up, clearing his mind a bit. He finished after a while and, after making sure his door was shut, flopped facedown onto his bed. After laying there for around an hour or so, his mom finally called him down to rejoin the family for dinner.Taking his seat at the table, Ken glanced around the room at his various family members. His mom had two older brothers, Lee and Stan. Though Lee was tall and still relatively youthful looking at forty-five, Stan was shorter and beginning to bald as he approached fifty. Still, both of them had one notable thing in common as far as Ken was concerned: they were both still jocks at heart. Ken had never known his father; it had always just been him and his mom. He could tell that his uncles tried to be male role models for him, but their efforts were usually ill-conceived attempts to “man him up.” Never once did they understand his introverted tendencies, and always tried to get him to be more of a people person. After a while, Ken stopped paying their advice any attention.It was striking to Ken how similar Lee and Stan's families were. They had both married beautiful, blonde cheerleaders, and now both had sixteen-year-old daughters, both of whom were among the most popular girls in school. It all sickened Ken; they were just perpetuating the stereotype of pretty and popular being the be-all, end-all in life. As the family ate, Ken remained silent for the most part. The adults were engrossed in discussions about their jobs, and the two daughters were giggling and playing on their phones the entire time. None of this was relevant to Ken.“You know, I saw something interesting today,” Lee said as dessert was being brought out. “I was at Kroger filling up my car, and saw you in the main parking lot, Ken. Looked like you were, uh, having some words with a few guys out there.”Shit! He saw that?Not wanting to worry his mom, Ken replied, “It; it was nothing.”“Nothing, eh? Is that why that punk punched you in the gut?”With a worried look on her face, Helen asked, “Ken, sweetie, what is he talking about?” She walked around the table to Ken's seat and lifted up his shirt, seeing the bruise on his abdomen. “Was it that Jason boy again?”“Mom, just let it go.”“No! Ken, you know I worry about you!”“You worry about Me? I think you need to worry more about your brother!” Ken shouted, his anger exploding at last. “Right, Uncle Lee? Come on, you see your own nephew being ganged up on in a parking lot, yet you do nothing to help him out?!”“A man's gotta learn to fight his own battles,” Lee replied in a calm voice.“No. You want to know what a man does? A man sticks up for his Family! No. Matter. What! You stood there and watched your own nephew get beaten up. That says a hell of a lot more about you than it does me. And if that's family; I don't want any part of this one.”Without a word, Ken stood and left the dining room. He then grabbed his MIT hoodie and headed for the front door. As he was about to get into his car and drive off, he saw to his frustration that his uncles' cars were parked in the driveway behind him, blocking him in. Cursing under his breath, he prepared to leave on foot.“Ken! Come back inside, please!” Helen called after him, running down the driveway.“No. I've got to go out; clear my head.”“Ken, it's Christmas Eve. Please, come be with your family.”“Mom, aside from you, not a single person in that house feels like family to me,” Ken replied coldly. “I'll; I'll call you after while.”Ken walked off into the cold Georgia night, not knowing for sure where to go or what to do. Nobody else was out, as they were all at home with their families. Remembering the square in historic downtown Alpharetta, he decided to head in that direction. Maybe the quiet walk would do him some good.Arriving in the town square, Ken walked along the sidewalks for a bit, peering into the darkened windows of the various shops and restaurants. Everything looked so different to him with everyone gone for the day; it all seemed so peaceful. As he continued to walk, he soon saw City Hall in the distance. In front of the building was a large green space, which was teeming with a surprising amount of activity for it being Christmas Eve. Ken moved closer, now spying a large gathering of people sitting on picnic blankets, all bundled up in coats and hats. Ahead of them, a large screen projected the classic film, It's a Wonderful Life.Though Ken was never into the Christmas cheer, as it were, he felt strangely drawn to watch a few minutes of the film from a distance. He soon began to regret that decision, as the movie had reached the point where George Baily had an arrest warrant out for him, lashing out at his family in anger. Watching him get drunk and punched in a bar fight, Ken began to feel sick with anger. Despite all his efforts to help better the world around him, the universe conspired against George Baily; just as it seemed to be conspiring against Ken. Unable to watch a moment more, he turned and walked into the nearby park.Again alone with his thoughts, Ken sat on a bench near the fountain in the center of the park. He contemplated many things, as he often did in solitude. He thought about his piss poor excuse for a family, intent on changing him into what they say he should be. If only they could love him as he is. He thought about Jason Brown, a perpetual asshole that managed to get all the beautiful women his heart desired. If only the universe would serve up his just desserts, rather than conspiring against Ken. Sighing in frustration, he stuffed his freezing hands into his jeans pockets.Jacqueline!Feeling the scrap of paper still in his pocket, Ken suddenly felt a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dreary day. He needed something, anything to lift his spirits, and hearing her kind, sweet voice might just do it. Hell, he didn't even care anymore if she was interested in him in a romantic sense; he just needed someone to listen and understand him. Digging out his phone, he dialed the number. After a single ring, a message began to play, seeming to be read by a game show host.“Congratulations! You've reached Live 95.5 FM's world-famous Loser Line! Live 95.5; featuring the best entertainment in Seattle! If you've reached this message, you have attempted to hit on a girl Way out of your league! That poor young lady wants nothing to do with you, but you just couldn't help creeping on her! That's where we come in! Now you know what a loser you really are! So leave the girl alone, loser! You're doing everyone a favor! If you'd like to leave a message for the world-famous Loser Line, begin speaking at the tone!”Beep!Ken hung up the phone in quiet disbelief. How could he have been so wrong about Jacqueline? They had worked so well together in school, and he even considered her a friend! She always spoke so kindly to him, how could this have happened? Was she really as nasty and shallow as her dumbass brother? Was she really just that good of an actress? As he pondered all this, Ken's rage finally exploded out of him.“That two-faced bitch! Who the fuck does she think she is?! I trusted her! Hell, she would never have gotten a full scholarship without my help! All I ever did was Like her! And after all that, she doesn't even have the decency to turn me down to my face?! What The Fucking Hell? At least her brother was honest about his disdain. She's far worse! I can't imagine how evil she'd be if a person actually offended her?”Slumping back down onto the park bench, every thought that entered Ken's mind brought him lower. Jason was an ass, but then again, he didn't know how to act any different. Uncle Lee was a moron, but then again, he had no malicious intent. But Jacqueline; she was the last straw. He had trusted her, opened up to her, and she repaid him by committing the single most cruel and senseless act Ken could ever imagine. Everything was crashing down around him. As he continued to sulk, Jason's words entered into his mind once more.“I should just do everyone a favor and drop dead; is that what you want, Jacqueline? Seems like you agree with your brother, or you wouldn't have given me that number.”Ken reached into his pocket, withdrawing a folding knife. It had been a high school graduation present to him from his grandfather, before he passed a few months later. A far cry from the typical Swiss Army knife, he unfolded the shiny, four-inch blade, which stood in beautiful contrast to the wooden handle. Inscribed in the wood were Ken's initials. He had not used it for anything yet, never had any need to. As he stared at his reflection in the blade, Ken kept replaying Jason's cruel words in his mind, to do the world a favor and drop dead.“Maybe that's not such a bad idea.” Ken mumbled.Just as he took a firm grip on the handle, preparing to take the knife to his throat, an unfamiliar voice came from off to the side.“Hey!”Gabrielle's Christmas night.Gabrielle Libertine relaxed in a lawn chair, savoring the crisp, cold air of Christmas Eve. This was her favorite time of the year, and being able to enjoy an outdoor showing of her favorite Christmas film, It's a Wonderful Life, made it even better. It all fit in perfectly with her life philosophy: live for happiness. Not only her own, but as much as could be had for the world around her too.“You want the moon? Just say the word, and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down.”“Oh, Jimmy Stewart, you charmer you.” Gabby sighed.Soon, her emotions welled up as the hopeless romantic that was George Bailey began to succumb to the pressures and injustices of life. He had blamed his own uncle for destroying their business, lashed out at his wife and children in anger, and gone crawling to his hated rival for a loan. The hardest scenes for her to watch were always the bar fight and the car crash. Still, she always stuck it out. The best was yet to come.Just as George stood atop the bridge, Gabby caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye. A young man of about nineteen or twenty was watching the movie from a distance away, leaning against a tree near the road. His face twisted in angst as he saw the pain on display in the film, and he soon spun around, walking into the nearby park. Gabby couldn't explain why, but something compelled her to follow him and make sure he was okay.Collecting her lawn chair, she walked along the perimeter of the green space, soon arriving at the entrance to the park. As she went, she began to hear angry shouting up ahead of her; it sounded like the young man was in distress. After a few minutes, she came upon the fountain situated in the center of the park. On a bench sat the man from earlier, appearing to be deep in thought. By the glow of the lamppost, Gabby could now get a good look at him. He appeared to be of average height, maybe 5'7”, and had shaggy black hair that seemed a bit unkempt. Still, it's color shone in the light of the park, and his white skin provided for quite a striking appearance. A pair of black horn-rimmed glasses framed his face, which combined with his red MIT hoodie to project a very specific image into Gabby's mind. He had to be incredibly intelligent.As she studied him, she saw the young man pull an object out of the pocket of his jeans. Catching a glimpse of something reflective, she could now see that he was holding a small folding knife. Gabby tensed up and wondered if she should run, but soon decided against it; he didn't seem to have even noticed her presence. In fact, the way he looked at the knife was quite unsettling. It was as if he saw that little blade as his best friend in the world. She knew the look in his eyes. She knew what would happen in a moment if she did nothing. Taking a deep breath, Gabby decided to act.“Hey.”Intervention.Ken was startled by the unfamiliar voice. Looking up, he now saw a woman in her early twenties standing across the way. She gazed at him with intent, but for what reason he did not know. Looking back at her, Ken's typical awkwardness began to kick in, as he could see that she was quite beautiful. Dressed warmly in a black winter coat and blue jeans, she wore a grey knit cap over her long blonde hair. Upon first glance, she appeared to be of some sort of Scandinavian descent, or perhaps German, though Ken couldn't be sure. His mouth went dry as he tried to find the words to speak.“Everything okay?” she asked.“Uh; fine. Why do you, um; why do you ask?”Smiling, she replied, “I saw you over on the green, watching the movie. By the look on your face, you were having a tough time with it. When I saw you walk off towards the park, I felt I should come and see if anything was wrong.”“No, nothing's wrong.”“Good. Then I shouldn't be concerned about the way you're looking at that knife of yours, right?”Shaking his head, Ken answered, “I'm not going to hurt you. Promise.”“That's not what I'm concerned about.”“Wha; what do you mean?” Ken asked, his eyes growing wide.“I've seen that look before,” she said, taking a couple of steps closer. “I am, sadly, all too familiar with it. You were about to hurt yourself, weren't you?”“You don't know a thing about me, lady,” Ken muttered, preparing to leave.“I don't have to know anything about you to be concerned,” she fired back.“Concerned,” Ken snorted. “How could you be concerned about me? You don't even know me!”“Easily rectified. Gabrielle Libertine. My friends call me Gabby,” she said, sticking out her hand with a warm smile. When he didn't respond, she smirked and continued, “This is the part where you tell me your name.”Sighing, he replied, “Ken. Ken Dix.”“A pleasure, Ken,” she said as they shook hands.“So; Gabrielle, eh? You supposed to be my Clarence or something?”With a playful gasp, she responded, “Oh my God! Does that mean you're Jimmy Stewart?! I've had the biggest crush on you for Years!”Ken gave a nervous laugh. “Alright, alright, I walked into that one. But in all seriousness.”“No, I'm not a Guardian Angel or the Word of God or anything like that. Just an average person like you.” Motioning to the bench, she asked, “May I?”“Sure, I guess,” Ken answered, scooting to the edge.“Thanks.” Taking a seat, she continued, “So tell me this, Ken: why would you want to hurt, maybe kill yourself?”His face twisted in pain. “You don't want to know.”“I do. Believe me, I do.”Sighing with reluctance, Ken relented and began to tell Gabby of the events of the day. He started with Jacqueline and Jason, then the confrontation with his uncle, and finally the fake phone number showing Jacqueline's true colors. Through it all, Gabby sat in silence, maintaining eye contact and nodding whenever appropriate. At last, he finished his story, and Gabby could feel her heart breaking within her chest.“Ken; I'm so sorry. I can feel the pain in your voice. No one deserves what you've gone through today. I know it's of little help, but I do understand what you're going through.”“Understand?” Ken said, incredulous. “How could a girl like you understand any of this? I mean, look at you. You're gorgeous, and I bet you've always been popular. Just like Jacqueline. Just like Jason. Just like Uncle Lee. None of you could ever imagine the world I live in.”With a stern look on her face, she replied, “I'm going to choose to let that slide, considering everything you've told me. Still, you need to know that what you just said was quite hurtful. Almost as hurtful as the things that have been said to you today.”Ken recoiled. He knew she was right. “I'm; I'm sorry. You're right; I should never have said that. You've been nothing but nice to me tonight.”“Apology accepted,” Gabby said with a smile. “Humility is a rare trait in men these days. Hang on to that.”Ken thought she might be mocking him, but bit his tongue nonetheless. He had already insulted her once, and he wasn't going to chance a second time.Seeking to turn the conversation to happier topics, she asked, “M I T, huh? You're an awful long way from home, aren't you?”“Huh? Oh, the hoodie. Yeah, I'm a freshman there this year, just home on break right now.”“Nice. Major?”“Health sciences. I want to go to medical school after MIT, though I'm still figuring out a specialty.”“Plenty of time to decide that. I'm sure you'll find the right career path,” she said with a grin.As nice as it was to talk about a familiar topic, a few things still bugged Ken's mind to no end. “I still can't figure it out; why would Jacqueline do this?”Frowning, Gabby replied, “Some people are cruel. Often the ones that are the cruelest disguise it with a kind, warm public demeanor. Jacqueline sounds like she fits that mold to a T.”“And she hid it all that time while we were in school?”“You were useful at the time, in her mind. She wasn't going to chance losing that. Once she got what she needed, she had no more reason to hide her true feelings.”“Yeah, but still. Why be all friendly to me in the store?”“In her twisted mind, she probably felt she was doing you a favor. She wanted to ensure you never tried to contact her again. To a cruel person like her; that's her idea of doing you a kindness,” Gabby replied sadly. “We just have to hope that there's enough real kindness in this world to counteract such cruelty.”Now noticing a silver cross hanging from her neck, Ken pointed to it and asked, “I guess this the part where you start lecturing me about suicide? That I'm being selfish and trying to go against God's plan?”“No,” she replied with simplicity.“No?”“No. Ken, I meant it when I said that I've seen that look before. I know better than most that suicidal thoughts are rarely that simple. There's no switch that can turn them off. It's a tide that must be turned back, bit by bit.”Stunned, Ken started to see that this woman understood what was important in life. Realizing he still had the knife in his hand, he folded it closed and put it back in his pocket.“Bit by bit,” she said with a smile. “My car's around the corner. Is there somewhere I can take you? Where do you live?”“I'm not going home. Not yet,” Ken replied. “Not with my uncles still there.”“No problem. I'm not going to force you.” Thinking a moment, she continued, “It's pretty cold out here. Why don't you come back to my place for a bit?”“That's; unnecessary. I'm fine on my own.”“Nice try, but no cigar,” she said. “I'm not leaving you alone with that knife, mister. And I'm certainly not leaving you alone on Christmas Eve. Nobody should be alone for the holidays.”“Thanks, but; won't your husband mind?”“He would, if I were married.”“Boyfriend?”“Nope, just my townhouse and me. Pretty cozy, all things considered. No problems with you coming over, but I do have one condition.”“And what's that?”Smirking, Gabby replied, “You call your mom right now and tell her you're okay.”Hesitating a moment, Ken soon relented. “Fine.” Tapping his phone, Ken waited as it rang. “Hey Mom, it's me; Yeah, I'm okay; No, seriously. I'm fine; Yeah I'm just hanging with a friend. I probably won't be back ‘til tomorrow; I will; Love you too; Bye.”“See? Now that wasn't so bad, was it?” Gabby teased him.Eying her, Ken asked. “You're seriously okay with bringing me to your home?”“Positive.”Taking his hand, Gabby led him to her car.Gabby's guest.The drive had been silent for the most part. Ken was still trying to comprehend everything that was happening. Who was this woman? Why would she go to such great lengths for a stranger she didn't even know? Gabby seemed to pick up on this, refraining from prodding him for any further conversation. She could tell he was still processing the events of the day. Soon, they arrived at her townhouse complex and pulled into her garage.“Come on in, make yourself at home,” she said as she turned on the lights. “Can I offer you something to drink? Coffee? Hot chocolate?”“Hot chocolate sounds good, thanks.”“Coming right up!”As she hung her hat and jacket up on a rack, Ken couldn't help but stare. He now saw that she wasn't just a pretty face; her entire body was sublime. She wore a tight burgundy sweater and a pair of tight, form-fitting jeans. This ensemble only served to accent her body even further. Her hourglass figure was delectable, her slim waist contrasting with her curvy hips and ample bust. She was also just as tall as him, perhaps a bit taller, with legs for miles. Though Ken had fantasized about some of his classmates, none of them could come anywhere close to Gabby. She was a woman, not a girl, and in the prime of her life no less.“Here you go,” she said, handing Ken a mug.After blowing on the hot drink, he took a sip, feeling the warm liquid spreading through his body. “Thanks,” he sighed.“No problem,” she replied with a smile. “Come on, let's go relax in the den.”She led him into an intimate area with a sofa and a loveseat. The only illumination came from the twinkling multicolored lights on her Christmas tree in the corner. As Ken took in the relaxing surroundings, smelling the delicious scent of her Frazier fir tree, Gabby stepped over to the fireplace opposite the sofa. Flipping a switch, she soon had a comfortable fire roaring from the gas logs. She then sat on the sofa, placing her mug on the side table and patting the spot next to her.“Come sit. I promise I don't bite,” she said with a playful grin.“Um, okay.” he mumbled, scooting as close to the armrest as he could to give Gabby plenty of space.“Tell me about M I T,” she inquired. “You mentioned you want to go into health sciences. Does that include medical school?”“Uh, yeah with any luck. Harvard would be my top choice, but I don't know if I could afford it. But assuming so, my dream has always been to be a brain surgeon.”“Brain surgeon?! That's so cool! They're like; the most badass of all the badass doctors! Not just surgeons, brain surgeons!” Gabby gushed.“It's, uh, not that big a deal,” Ken replied as he blushed with embarrassment.“Well, I could totally see you as a brain surgeon. Don't ever give up on it.”“Thanks.”“So, what then for you, Dr. Dix? What happens once you reach your dream?”Ken began to feel a strange amount of comfort with this woman, and started to open up to her. “Honestly; I don't know. I mean even if I become a brain surgeon, I'm still hopeless around girls. Maybe Jason's right. I'm gonna die a virgin.” Realizing what he had confessed to her, he turned to Gabby and blurted out, “Not that it's your problem, or anything. S-sorry, I just; I shouldn't have gone that far.”Gabby just smiled and moved closer to him, brushing her hand against his arm.“Don't worry about it. You have goals, both personal and professional, but aren't sure exactly how to achieve them. So you're a virgin. That's nothing to be embarrassed about, and it's healthy to express your anxiety about it. That can help you overcome your fears. In all seriousness, I think you underestimate yourself, Ken.”“Underestimate myself?”“Of course,” Gabby replied. “You're smart, considerate, polite, you even held the car door for me earlier! Any girl you'd want to be with is gonna swoon at traits like that. I can also tell that you still think of yourself as unattractive, but I disagree. You wear glasses, yes, but that doesn't make you a dork. Your hair is a little shaggy, but not greasy or anything. You may not have a tan, but your skin complexion is damn near flawless. You have nothing to be ashamed of, be it your looks or your personality.”“You're about the only woman who thinks so,” he sighed.“Doubtful, but if it's that big a worry for you, I can give you a couple of pointers, if you like.”“Um, oh, okay I guess.”“Great! Okay, so you definitely give off the ‘geek' vibe, but that's not a bad thing. Don't fight it; own it.”“How?”“Well, you can make just some slight alterations to your outward appearance that can change the way others see you. For example, you could switch to wire-framed glasses instead of your horn-rimmed ones. Your hair is a great color, and would do well in a short, clean-cut style, if I do say so myself. You can also change out your usual t-shirts for some casual polo shirts.”“So; the secret to getting women to notice me is to change who I am?” Ken asked, feeling more than a little offended.Cocking her eyebrow, Gabby replied, “Are you saying your glasses, hair length, and shirt choices define who you are?”“Oh, uh; fair point,” Ken conceded.“See? Humility. Such a rare quality these days,” Gabby said with a grin. “To be honest, all the changes I suggested are things my brother did a couple of years back. He was a complete geek, maybe even bigger than you. The poor boy was helpless around the fairer sex. But after he made these changes, he no longer came off as the socially awkward geek. He came off as a self-assured, confident geek, one who loves himself for who he is. I see that potential in you, Ken.” Grabbing her iPad from the side table, she pulled up a couple of pictures for him. “See? Here's before. And here's after.”“Woah,” Ken marveled. He could see the drastic difference. The guy hadn't done anything to make himself stronger or bulkier, nothing to increase his manliness, but the things he did change just popped in all the right ways. Was it really that simple?“That's great and all, but can new clothes and a haircut get rid of social awkwardness? I still don't have even a shred of confidence around women,” Ken said.“They can help, but a change in your mental confidence is completely based on your willpower. You have to love yourself as much as you want others to love you. If you don't, everyone else will pick up on it.”“Knew there was a catch.”Gabby bit her lip in frustration. There had to be a way she could give him the confidence boost he needed to love himself, but how? Getting one somewhat crazy idea, she moved closer to Ken.“I'm guessing from your previous statements that; you've never kissed a girl before. Is that right Ken?”Poor Ken Dix didn't even know what had hit him. Here he was, sitting with the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on, and the unthinkable was beginning to happen. She was moving closer, running her fingers through his hair, and now wanted to know if he'd ever been kissed! This was too much, way beyond any of his hottest dreams. Unable to find the words to respond, he managed to slowly nod his head.“Close your eyes,” she instructed in her sweet voice. When he only blinked in reply, she whispered, “Close; your eyes, Ken. Trust me.”Guided by an unseen force, Ken felt compelled to obey her. His eyes finally fluttered closed, and his breathing became more labored in anticipation of what was to come. A small part of him doubted that she was being truthful, thinking that she'd fake him out just like Jacqueline had. Those doubts were soon quashed, as he felt the warm sensation of Gabby's face leaning close to his. He could feel her breathing. He could smell her perfume. If there was a God, Ken prayed, then and there; that He could make this incredible moment last forever.After what felt like eons, Gabby finally released their building tension and touched her lips to Ken's. Her kiss was soft at first, allowing him to savor the new sensations he was feeling. Ken was so terrified and excited all at once that he could barely even move his lips in reply. Not that it mattered to Gabby. She had expected his fear, and made sure to keep her technique simple yet enjoyable. After around thirty seconds, she withdrew at last, her face aglow in the Christmas tree light.“Wow,” Ken managed to mutter as he opened his eyes. He soon noticed that he couldn't see Gabby at all; his glasses had fogged up from their kiss.“Here, let's just take these off,” Gabby said with a giggle. She slipped his glasses off and laid them on her side table. “Now then, since we've gotten your first kiss out of the way, ready to really dive in?”“Dive in to what?” Ken asked, his nerves beginning to fray.“Kissing, silly! You do know there's much more to it than what we just did, right?”“More?”“Of course! Look, one day you'll get the prime opportunity to kiss a special lady, and I want you to be ready when that chance comes.”To be continued in part 2, based on a post by auguy86, in 2 parts for Sex Stories.

This week on STICK TO WRESTLING we watch three episodes of pro wrestling from 1984! A episode of Memphis Wrestling, an episode of Southeast Championship Wrestling, and an episode of Southwest Championship Wrestling! We talk Jerry Lawler, Randy Savage, Tonga Kid, Mr. Wrestling II, Rick Rude, Blackjack Mulligan, Manny Fernandez, Jimmy Golden, Joe Blanchard, Kevin … Continue reading Episode 327: Smirking, Shirtless Jimmy Golden → The post Episode 327: Smirking, Shirtless Jimmy Golden appeared first on Stick To Wrestling with John McAdam.

Chapter 5 - An Excess of PhlegmQ1 - Tonks seems really sad and out of it at the beginning of this chapter…why?‘What do you like me to call you when we're alone together?' Even by the dim light of the lantern Harry could tell that Mrs Weasley had turned bright red; he himself felt suddenly warm around the ears and neck, and hastily gulped soup, clattering his spoon as loudly as he could against the bowl. ‘Mollywobbles,' whispered a mortified Mrs Weasley into the crack at the edge of the door. ‘Correct,' said Mr Weasley. ‘Now you can let me in.'Q2 - What do you think of Mollywobbles?Mrs Weasley made a noise that sounded like ‘tchah!' ‘Mum hates her,' said Ginny quietly. ‘I do not hate her!' said Mrs Weasley in a cross whisper. ‘I just think they've hurried into this engagement, that's all!' ‘They've known each other a year,' said Ron, who looked oddly groggy and was staring at the closed door. ‘Well, that's not very long! I know why it's happened, of course.Q3 - What do you think of Fleur coming back into the story?‘Nobody knows what it said, though,' said Hermione quickly. ‘It got smashed.' ‘Although the Prophet says –' began Ron, but Hermione said, ‘Shh!' ‘The Prophet's got it right,' said Harry, looking up at them both with a great effort: Hermione seemed frightened and Ron amazed. ‘That glass ball that smashed wasn't the only record of the prophecy. I heard the whole thing in Dumbledore's office, he was the one the prophecy was made to, so he could tell me. From what it said,' Harry took a deep breath, ‘it looks like I'm the one who's got to finish off Voldemort … at least, it said neither of us could live while the other survives.' The three of them gazed at each other in silence for a moment.Q4 - What do you think of Harry telling Ron and Hermione the prophecy?Harry did not really listen. A warmth was spreading through him that had nothing to do with the sunlight; a tight obstruction in his chest seemed to be dissolving. He knew that Ron and Hermione were more shocked than they were letting on, but the mere fact that they were still there on either side of him, speaking bracing words of comfort, not shrinking from him as though he were contaminated or dangerous, was worth more than he could ever tell them.Q5 - Why do you think Harry is feeling this?Q6 - What do you think of Harry's OWL results?Q7 - Do you remember what you got on your SATs?Harry looked back down at his results. They were as good as he could have hoped for. He felt just one tiny twinge of regret … this was the end of his ambition to become an Auror. He had not secured the required Potions grade. He had known all along that he wouldn't, but he still felt a sinking in his stomach as he looked again at that small black ‘E'.Q8 - So Harry can't become an Auror, what career path will he go down now?Chapter 6 - Draco's DetourHe spent most of his days playing two-a-side Quidditch in the Weasleys' orchard (he and Hermione against Ron and Ginny; Hermione was dreadful and Ginny good, so they were reasonably well-matched).Q1 - How much does Ron suck at Quidditch?‘And they've found Igor Karkaroff's body in a shack up north. The Dark Mark had been set over it – well, frankly, I'm surprised he stayed alive for even a year after deserting the Death Eaters; Sirius's brother Regulus only managed a few days as far as I can remember.'Q2 - What do you think about Igor Karkaroff being dead?Q3 - What do you think of Ollivander being gone?Q4 - How is Bill able to take money out of Harry's vault?‘I see that being Dumbledore's favorite has given you a false sense of security, Harry Potter. But Dumbledore won't always be there to protect you.' Harry looked mockingly all around the shop. ‘Wow … look at that … he's not here now! So why not have a go? They might be able to find you a double cell in Azkaban with your loser of a husband!'Q5 - Is Harry smart to instigate this?Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You SHOULD Be Worrying About U-NO-POO – the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!‘“Patented Daydream Charms …”' Hermione had managed to squeeze through to a large display near the counter and was reading the information on the back of a box bearing a highly coloured picture of a handsome youth and a swooning girl who were standing on the deck of a pirate ship. ‘“One simple incantation and you will enter a top-quality, highly realistic thirty-minute daydream, easy to fit into the average school lesson and virtually undetectable (side-effects include vacant expression and minor drooling). Not for sale to under-sixteens.” You know,' said Hermione, looking up at Harry, ‘that really is extraordinary magic!' ‘For that, Hermione,' said a voice behind them, ‘you can have one for free.'Q6 - How brilliant is the joke shop?Q7 - What is their best invention: Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, Decoy Detonators, or Shield Hats?They had drawn level with the only shop in Knockturn Alley that Harry had ever visited: Borgin and Burkes, which sold a wide variety of sinister objects. There in the midst of the cases full of skulls and old bottles stood Draco Malfoy with his back to them, just visible beyond the very same large black cabinet in which Harry had once hidden to avoid Malfoy and his father. Judging by the movements of Malfoy's hands he was talking animatedly. The proprietor of the shop, Mr Borgin, an oily-haired, stooping man, stood facing Malfoy. He was wearing a curious expression of mingled resentment and fear…‘… you know how to fix it?' ‘Possibly,' said Borgin, in a tone that suggested he was unwilling to commit himself. ‘I'll need to see it, though. Why don't you bring it into the shop?' ‘I can't,' said Malfoy. ‘It's got to stay put. I just need you to tell me how to do it.'Q8 - What is Draco trying to mend?‘No?' said Malfoy and Harry knew, just by his tone, that Malfoy was sneering. ‘Perhaps this will make you more confident.' He moved towards Borgin and was blocked from view by the cabinet. Harry, Ron and Hermione shuffled sideways to try and keep him in sight, but all they could see was Borgin, looking very frightened.Q9 - What did Draco show him?Chapter 7 - The Slug Club‘Malfoy, revenge? What can he do about it?' ‘That's my point, I don't know!' said Harry, frustrated. ‘But he's up to something and I think we should take it seriously. His father's a Death Eater and –' Harry broke off, his eyes fixed on the window behind Hermione, his mouth open. A startling thought had just occurred to him. ‘Harry?' said Hermione in an anxious voice. ‘What's wrong?' ‘Your scar's not hurting again, is it?' asked Ron nervously. ‘He's a Death Eater,' said Harry slowly. ‘He's replaced his father as a Death Eater!'Q1 - You think Harry is right about Draco being a Death Eater?‘Au revoir, 'Arry,' said Fleur throatily, kissing him goodbye. Ron hurried forwards, looking hopeful, but Ginny stuck out her foot and Ron fell, sprawling in the dust at Fleur's feet. Furious, red-faced and dirt-spattered, he hurried into the car without saying goodbye.Q2 - Is Ginny becoming a mean girl?‘They're staring at you because you were at the Ministry, too,' said Harry, as he hoisted his trunk into the luggage rack. ‘Our little adventure there was all over the Daily Prophet, you must've seen it.' ‘Yes, I thought Gran would be angry about all the publicity,' said Neville, ‘but she was really pleased. Says I'm starting to live up to my dad at long last. She bought me a new wand, look!' He pulled it out and showed it to Harry. ‘Cherry and unicorn hair,' he said proudly. ‘We think it was one of the last Ollivander ever sold, he vanished next day – oi, come back here, Trevor!'Q3 - Is Neville going to be better or worse now that he has a new wand?Q4 - Why did Draco forgo his role as Prefect?Every now and then students would hurtle out of their compartments to get a better look at him. The exception was Cho Chang, who darted into her compartment when she saw Harry coming. As Harry passed the window he saw her deep in determined conversation with her friend Marietta, who was wearing a very thick layer of makeup that did not entirely obscure the odd formation of pimples still etched across her face. Smirking slightly, Harry pushed on.Q5 - Does Marietta deserve this?Q6 - What do you think about Slughorn's little club?Q7 - Is Draco dating Pansy Parkinson?Malfoy yawned ostentatiously. ‘I mean, I might not even be at Hogwarts next year, what's it matter to me if some fat old has-been likes me or not?' ‘What do you mean, you might not be at Hogwarts next year?' said Pansy indignantly, ceasing grooming Malfoy at once. ‘Well, you never know,' said Malfoy with the ghost of a smirk. ‘I might have – er – moved on to bigger and better things.'Q8 - What do you think he means by this?‘I thought so,' he said jubilantly. ‘I heard Goyle's trunk hit you. And I thought I saw something white flash through the air after Zabini came back …' His eyes lingered for a moment upon Harry's trainers. ‘That was you blocking the door when Zabini came back in, I suppose?' He considered Harry for a moment. ‘You didn't hear anything I care about, Potter. But while I've got you here …' And he stamped, hard, on Harry's face. Harry felt his nose break; blood spurted everywhere.Q9 - What do you think of Draco besting Harry?Chapter 8 - Snape VictoriousQ1 - How do you think Tonks found Harry?‘Hagrid was late for the start-of-term feast, just like Potter here, so I took it instead. And incidentally,' said Snape, standing back to allow Harry to pass him, ‘I was interested to see your new Patronus.' He shut the gates in her face with a loud clang and tapped the chains with his wand again, so that they slithered, clinking, back into place. ‘I think you were better off with the old one,' said Snape, the malice in his voice unmistakeable. ‘The new one looks weak.'Q2 - What do you think of Patronus' changing form? How would it change form?Q3 - Why do you think Snape is mean to her?‘Fifty points from Gryffindor for lateness, I think,' said Snape. ‘And, let me see, another twenty for your Muggle attire. You know, I don't believe any house has ever been in negative figures this early in the term – we haven't even started pudding. You might have set a record, Potter.'Q4 - The points are stupid.‘Professor Snape, meanwhile,' said Dumbledore, raising his voice so that it carried over all the muttering, ‘will be taking over the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.' ‘No!' said Harry, so loudly that many heads turned in his direction. He did not care; he was staring up at the staff table, incensed. How could Snape be given the Defence Against the Dark Arts job after all this time? Hadn't it been widely known for years that Dumbledore did not trust him to do it?Q5 - What do you think of Snape getting the Defense against the Dark Arts job? And knowing the curse on the position, do you think he'll be there after a year?

This episode we're headed down south to Texas. America, meet Kodi Sawin (@KodiforTexas). She's running for the Texas House of Representatives in the 19th district and is up against some stiff competition. But her common sense, no nonsense approach might just have what it takes to win as an independent in deep red (but always independent) Texas. Welcome back to our groundbreaking “Meet The 2024 Independent Candidates” series—highlighting independent candidates of all kinds, for all levels of office, from all across America. In our third episode in the series we met Dan Osborn, an independent VETERAN candidate.  Kodi has served for years as the founder of the Sawin Group, specializing in public and government affairs for infrastructure and natural resource projects. She has been recognized for her knowledge and expertise in water issues in Texas and has worked with utilities, landowners, and non-profits to help fix the problems her community faces. It's a great look at the local level and the kind of race the national media never takes the time to look at, but the reality is that it's the kind of race that will make the most impact on the lives of the voters and the rest of the people that live in Sawin's district. If you're interested in independent politics—or American politics in general—this is a rare inside look at politics at the local level. If you're an independent, you've found your home. And an inspiring one at that.  Your host Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) rips into all of it in this all new episode of Independent Americans. And he's digging into the announcement of the two Biden/Trump Presidential debates, the latest primary result warning signs, the news out of Ukraine, and why a Fight Club scene is a good reflection of how millions of Americans feel this election year.   Because on Independent Americans, we're focused on not just what's happening now, but also on what's happening next. Every episode is the truth beyond the headlines–and light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's content for the 49% of Americans that proudly call themselves independent. And delivers the Righteous Media 5 Is: independence, integrity, information, inspiration and impact. Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope.  -Learn more about Kodi Sawin and her race on her campaign website.  -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -WATCH video of Paul and Kodi's conversation. -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours.  -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch.  -Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jared laughs in the face of NADDPOD Dungeon Court! Lilly (once again!) accuses the Ruadons of incest! Olivia and Campbell reveal how we adopted Jared, and our Patreon goes live in the middle of recording! Grab a snack and get the scoop in this historic study break. Join the party!To unlock juicy bonus content and support us on our adventures, subscribe to our Patreon.To talk with us, theorize, and send memes, join our Discord.To stay up to date on all things G&G, follow us @galsandgoblins on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Youtube.Don't forget to leave a 5 star review! If you write us something, we'll read it on the show!

Welcome. This time I trying something a little different. Some people have time to read, others would rather listen. So this time, you get your choice. Pick the one that suits you best. Or OD on both and get some sleep! Use the Comments section to let me know your preference.Thanks!Grab your Tin Foil Hat and read on…Everyone from Tucker Carlson to (insert Sage Pundit here) is saying “Something big about to happen.” You can feel it in the air. Things are super wrong and something's gonna pop. Soon.Do you agree? Are you getting that nervous tingle more now than then? It's OK. It's going around. Even cable “news” shows are mentioning “Armageddon” – but only in sentences that start with Trump and end with Elected! So what else could it be?Well, there are lots of theories out there. Some actually have more than a tad of credibility: The end of the petro dollar. The implosion of the Fed. EMP. Civil War III. Another pandemic. Epstein didn't commit suicide. Michelle Obama for President, and, of course, CLIMATE CHANGE!!!We've heard them all plenty of times. Most make the “News” frequently enough. But this new one is crafty, conniving cleaver and you haven't heard of it until now! It's not some flaming disaster that would wipe out millions in a matter of days. But just as deadly. Here it is: Destroy the Supreme Court and in doing so, the Constitution and Rule of Law will follow.Consider: The only branch of Government holding our three branch system together is the Supreme Court and its reliance of the Constitution and the Rule of Law. Like Extreme Democrats (and they're all Extreme), you may have a philosophical problem with certain SCOTUS decisions. Personally, I'm still pissed about Wickard v. Filburn. Today, the EDs are ripped about Marbury v Madison. Last week, it was Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.  Next week, they'll get back to dumping on the Alabama Supreme Court ruling on frozen embryos. But it's Marbury v. Madison that's threatens death to the Liberals', Progressives' and Democrats' addiction to power bordering on blood lust. Why Marbury? Because it established judicial review, allowing the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of laws and confirming the Supreme Court as a co-equal branch of government.With Trump's surprise win over HRC, Liberals started seriously sweating coming SCOTUS vacancies. Hillary's loss guaranteed Trump SCOTUS replacements would put the future of Roe V Wade, the Democrats (un)Holy Grail of Re-Election, in critical danger.  First came the Gorsuch nomination and the embarrassing confirmation hearings. Then came the Super Spectacle of the Kavanagh confirmation which exposed the obscene conduct of Senate Democrats and the extremes of character assassination they would employ to ruin an individual's reputation - all for the sake of abortion. In addition to the repulsive conduct of Democrat Senators during the televised confirmation, 83 ethics complaints were simultaneously filed against Kavanagh. Following his confirmation, protesters began singing, "We Shall Not Be Moved," outside the capitol and a gang of protesters broke through a police line, storming up steps to pound on the doors of the U.S. Supreme Court.Then came Roe v. Wade's second day in court. “Politico leaked an initial draft majority opinion written by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. The draft, which allegedly had five votes needed to constitute the majority opinion, would strike down the landmark case Roe v. Wade” (earthrights.org).That really set the Liberals on fire. This was proof President Orange Man had nominated Justices Kavanagh and Gorsuch specifically to overturn Roe, the Extreme Liberals nightmare and the Christian Right's sweetest dream. Always the Left's campaign wedge issue, it now became worse.  For over a year, protesters picketed outside SCOTUS houses in violation of Federal law. In what could be correctly identified as an early example of Lawfare, Attorney General Merrick Garland repeatedly ignored the violations. No arrests were made until a man was caught with a gun near Justice Kavanagh's residence, arrested notably by Montgomery County Police, not Federal agents.As angry reactions to the leaked draft grew, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer executed the most egregious action of all. Smirking and screaming into microphones before roaring protestors on the steps of the Supreme Court building, he bellowed his threats to Justices Kavanaugh and Gorsuch personally “I'm telling you Kavanagh, I'm telling you Gorsuch! You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price!” Denying this was a direct threat leveled at two Supreme Court justices confirms one's flaccid grasp of the English language or status as a frothing rabid Liberal as mentally diseased as Schumer. Of course, with MSM support, the bulletproof hubris of elected officials and the two-tiered system of lawfare practiced by liberal judges and the entire Biden DOJ, Schumer paid no price for his threats. The Secret Service has arrested law-abiding American citizens for less.It's constructive to remember Democrats and their evil spawn have a congenital fault. They dependably telegraph their actions and intentions by accusing their opponents of precisely what they are doing in real time or plan for the future. For this New Conspiracy Theory, you'll want to recall the overt war against the Supreme Robes had its first public showing during the 2010 SOTU presented by Barry O. This was followed by other SCOTUS decisions that did not sit well with the first Black megalomaniacal President.Now, direct your attention to MSNBC, Lisa Rubin, Sky News, Chris Hayes,   Joy Reid,  Wolf Blitzer  the Democrat's primary PR firm and their choreographed, invidious melt down over the recent SCOTUS decision to hear former President Trump's immunity claim. But the prime piece de resistance came from MD Representative Jamie Raskin in a chat with CNN's Anderson Cooper in which he said “the courts weren't fast enough. The people need to become “Engaged and aroused and demand action.”Notice all of the comments have been hyper-critical attacks on the Supreme Court and its unethical allegiance to Donald Trump's legal problems. These are the ‘dog whistles' Democrats like to talk about, the ‘clues' of subversion, racism, homophobia, only MAGA Republicans can hear – as translated by Extreme Liberals. This is the foundation of the New Conspiracy Theory.By example and current events, Extreme Democrats are desperate to do anything to prevent Donald Trump becoming President again. Yet, so far, all the rumors, fake Russian dossiers, salty language, strippers, taxes, family business, election interference, insurrection, business fraud ad nauseam have done nothing other than cost Trump millions in legal fees and hours of campaigning time in court while his poll numbers grow and grow and opponents lose and lose. With Extreme Dems hair on fire fanned by the ineffectiveness of their MSM's Yellow Journalists, it has come down to a Supreme Court decision.The seeds of chaos, social unrest, economic upheaval have all been sewn by Extreme Democrats, the “party of chaos”, the illegal immigrants Best Friends, the foster parents of Ukraine – all at the expense the American economy and the American Middle Class. And still Trump wins. The ‘fundamental transformation of America” cannot wait any longer. The backbone of America, the US Constitution, already downgraded to a relic for tourists and settling the occasional legal issue, is already ignored by the Chief Executive. He even brags about it. Respect and preservation of Constitutional principles, the Bill of Rights and Rule of Law must be destroyed in order to “save our Democracy.” If successful, it will obviously do the exact opposite. That's the Super Bowl Game Plan of the Extreme Dems.Having disparaged the Constitution as being written by white supremacist slave owners, Supreme Court decisions derided by a sitting President during the State of the Union address, attacking Trump appointed Justices, the refusal of the Attorney General to act in accordance with his Constitutional responsibilities by enforcing Federal law protecting Jurists, Biden threatening to ‘pack the court' to guarantee the passage of unconstitutional Liberal schemes, gives anticipatory credence to this New Conspiracy Theory. Now add the white hot hatred and blood curdling fear of another Donald Trump presidency that would cancel the cherished New Green Deal, close the border, rebuild the military and hold accountable those who have lead the treasonous efforts to betray the American dream. Extreme Democrats and their myrmidons will go to any and all lengths in their paranoid desperation to prevent another Trump presidency. In the months leading up to the November election, with a Supreme Court decision coming that can destroy the dreams of more than half of American voters and, likely, most of those in power, the New Conspiracy Theory, the “something big” now being bandied about will come to pass at some point. In some way. But the desperation of the Extreme Democrats all but guarantees it.Like any armature Conspiracy Theorist, you wish mightily to be wrong, that everything will return to the good Old Normal of Mom, God, apple pie, baseball, hot dogs and Chevy trucks. Of course, you're free to disregard it all; have some giggles, point and laugh with your friends. If I'm wrong, you'll read it here first. If I'm right, what are your choices?BWWell…there you have it! Mash the Buttons below to Subscribe and Share with everyone you've ever met through your entire life! That should take care of the entire weekend for ya!Back with The Two and Only in a couple days. Brian Wilson Writes is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Brian Wilson Writes at brianwilsonwrites.substack.com/subscribe

Schlüpfrig wird es heute beim Le Brunch von Insert Moin mit Micha, Manu und Michi - aber nur, weil die Drei so gut gelaunt sind und über merkwürdige Emojis und Death Stranding philosophieren. Das eskaliert. Vorher wird aber auch ganz klassisch über Spiele gesprochen, unter anderem Moonbreaker, das in Version 1.0 erschienen ist, Valheim oder das neue Tennis-Spiel Tie-Break. Micha hat mit Persona 3 Reload und Granblue Fantasy: Relink zudem JRPG-Schinken mitgebracht, während Manu alle Aufbau-Freunde heiß macht auf New Cycle. Wir wünschen wie immer viel Vergnügen.

Hellen, Coco, and John were 3 peas in a pod. Hellen was dating John but Coco was her best friend and they did everything together. Right now, they were sitting side by side planning what to do for Hellen's 19th birthday. Hellen and John shared suggestive looks with each other before the door opened and their nemesis walked in. Camellia. Hellen and Camellia had been in a fight over the same boys and it was coming to an end now. Hellen had finally put Camellia in her place. The 3 best friends' names were called. They stood up, smiled at each other, and made their way to the front. The judge read their charges - “kidnapping, assault, and torture.” How do you plea? “Not guilty.” They smirked and glared at Camellia. Full Source Notes: rottenmangopodcast.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, Karl and Vinnie try not to murder each other as they present their nominations for Creepiest Tattoo Artist. In WATC, we check in with a true crime "10" with a bizarre way of ending sentences on a show called Serial. In the Scum Parade, we meet a really dumb thief, a couple who enjoy the company of dogs, and a very progressive mom.The score is currently 1-0 in favor of Vinnie, visit thecreepoff.com to vote and decide this week's winnerCheck out the Scum Parade stories: Bright red Crocs lead detectives to Florida man accused of robbing bakery where he used to work (yahoo.com)Grandma pushed down stairs, hit with sauce can in fatal fight with daughter, cops say (yahoo.com)State police charge three in sexual assault of a dog in York County (yahoo.com)Smirking mum 'had sex with own daughter, 10, and invited paedo round to join in' - Daily StarWant to support the show? Find us on Patreon, Supercast & Backed.by to get exclusive merch an extra bonus episode every week! 

Chapter 6 - Draco's DetourHe spent most of his days playing two-a-side Quidditch in the Weasleys' orchard (he and Hermione against Ron and Ginny; Hermione was dreadful and Ginny good, so they were reasonably well-matched).Q1 - How much does Ron suck at Quidditch?‘And they've found Igor Karkaroff's body in a shack up north. The Dark Mark had been set over it – well, frankly, I'm surprised he stayed alive for even a year after deserting the Death Eaters; Sirius's brother Regulus only managed a few days as far as I can remember.'Q2 - What do you think about Igor Karkaroff being dead?Q3 - What do you think of Ollivander being gone?Q4 - How is Bill able to take money out of Harry's vault?‘I see that being Dumbledore's favorite has given you a false sense of security, Harry Potter. But Dumbledore won't always be there to protect you.' Harry looked mockingly all around the shop. ‘Wow … look at that … he's not here now! So why not have a go? They might be able to find you a double cell in Azkaban with your loser of a husband!'Q5 - Is Harry smart to instigate this?Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You SHOULD Be Worrying About U-NO-POO – the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!‘“Patented Daydream Charms …”' Hermione had managed to squeeze through to a large display near the counter and was reading the information on the back of a box bearing a highly coloured picture of a handsome youth and a swooning girl who were standing on the deck of a pirate ship. ‘“One simple incantation and you will enter a top-quality, highly realistic thirty-minute daydream, easy to fit into the average school lesson and virtually undetectable (side-effects include vacant expression and minor drooling). Not for sale to under-sixteens.” You know,' said Hermione, looking up at Harry, ‘that really is extraordinary magic!' ‘For that, Hermione,' said a voice behind them, ‘you can have one for free.'Q6 - How brilliant is the joke shop?Q7 - What is their best invention: Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, Decoy Detonators, or Shield Hats?They had drawn level with the only shop in Knockturn Alley that Harry had ever visited: Borgin and Burkes, which sold a wide variety of sinister objects. There in the midst of the cases full of skulls and old bottles stood Draco Malfoy with his back to them, just visible beyond the very same large black cabinet in which Harry had once hidden to avoid Malfoy and his father. Judging by the movements of Malfoy's hands he was talking animatedly. The proprietor of the shop, Mr Borgin, an oily-haired, stooping man, stood facing Malfoy. He was wearing a curious expression of mingled resentment and fear…‘… you know how to fix it?' ‘Possibly,' said Borgin, in a tone that suggested he was unwilling to commit himself. ‘I'll need to see it, though. Why don't you bring it into the shop?' ‘I can't,' said Malfoy. ‘It's got to stay put. I just need you to tell me how to do it.'Q8 - What is Draco trying to mend?‘No?' said Malfoy and Harry knew, just by his tone, that Malfoy was sneering. ‘Perhaps this will make you more confident.' He moved towards Borgin and was blocked from view by the cabinet. Harry, Ron and Hermione shuffled sideways to try and keep him in sight, but all they could see was Borgin, looking very frightened.Q9 - What did Draco show him?Chapter 7 - The Slug Club‘Malfoy, revenge? What can he do about it?' ‘That's my point, I don't know!' said Harry, frustrated. ‘But he's up to something and I think we should take it seriously. His father's a Death Eater and –' Harry broke off, his eyes fixed on the window behind Hermione, his mouth open. A startling thought had just occurred to him. ‘Harry?' said Hermione in an anxious voice. ‘What's wrong?' ‘Your scar's not hurting again, is it?' asked Ron nervously. ‘He's a Death Eater,' said Harry slowly. ‘He's replaced his father as a Death Eater!'Q1 - You think Harry is right about Draco being a Death Eater?‘Au revoir, 'Arry,' said Fleur throatily, kissing him goodbye. Ron hurried forwards, looking hopeful, but Ginny stuck out her foot and Ron fell, sprawling in the dust at Fleur's feet. Furious, red-faced and dirt-spattered, he hurried into the car without saying goodbye.Q2 - Is Ginny becoming a mean girl?‘They're staring at you because you were at the Ministry, too,' said Harry, as he hoisted his trunk into the luggage rack. ‘Our little adventure there was all over the Daily Prophet, you must've seen it.' ‘Yes, I thought Gran would be angry about all the publicity,' said Neville, ‘but she was really pleased. Says I'm starting to live up to my dad at long last. She bought me a new wand, look!' He pulled it out and showed it to Harry. ‘Cherry and unicorn hair,' he said proudly. ‘We think it was one of the last Ollivander ever sold, he vanished next day – oi, come back here, Trevor!'Q3 - Is Neville going to be better or worse now that he has a new wand?Q4 - Why did Draco forgo his role as Prefect?Every now and then students would hurtle out of their compartments to get a better look at him. The exception was Cho Chang, who darted into her compartment when she saw Harry coming. As Harry passed the window he saw her deep in determined conversation with her friend Marietta, who was wearing a very thick layer of makeup that did not entirely obscure the odd formation of pimples still etched across her face. Smirking slightly, Harry pushed on.Q5 - Does Marietta deserve this?Q6 - What do you think about Slughorn's little club?Q7 - Is Draco dating Pansy Parkinson?Malfoy yawned ostentatiously. ‘I mean, I might not even be at Hogwarts next year, what's it matter to me if some fat old has-been likes me or not?' ‘What do you mean, you might not be at Hogwarts next year?' said Pansy indignantly, ceasing grooming Malfoy at once. ‘Well, you never know,' said Malfoy with the ghost of a smirk. ‘I might have – er – moved on to bigger and better things.'Q8 - What do you think he means by this?‘I thought so,' he said jubilantly. ‘I heard Goyle's trunk hit you. And I thought I saw something white flash through the air after Zabini came back …' His eyes lingered for a moment upon Harry's trainers. ‘That was you blocking the door when Zabini came back in, I suppose?' He considered Harry for a moment. ‘You didn't hear anything I care about, Potter. But while I've got you here …' And he stamped, hard, on Harry's face. Harry felt his nose break; blood spurted everywhere.Q9 - What do you think of Draco besting Harry?Chapter 8 - Snape VictoriousQ1 - How do you think Tonks found Harry?‘Hagrid was late for the start-of-term feast, just like Potter here, so I took it instead. And incidentally,' said Snape, standing back to allow Harry to pass him, ‘I was interested to see your new Patronus.' He shut the gates in her face with a loud clang and tapped the chains with his wand again, so that they slithered, clinking, back into place. ‘I think you were better off with the old one,' said Snape, the malice in his voice unmistakeable. ‘The new one looks weak.'Q2 - What do you think of Patronus' changing form? How would it change form?Q3 - Why do you think Snape is mean to her?‘Fifty points from Gryffindor for lateness, I think,' said Snape. ‘And, let me see, another twenty for your Muggle attire. You know, I don't believe any house has ever been in negative figures this early in the term – we haven't even started pudding. You might have set a record, Potter.'Q4 - The points are stupid.‘Professor Snape, meanwhile,' said Dumbledore, raising his voice so that it carried over all the muttering, ‘will be taking over the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.' ‘No!' said Harry, so loudly that many heads turned in his direction. He did not care; he was staring up at the staff table, incensed. How could Snape be given the Defence Against the Dark Arts job after all this time? Hadn't it been widely known for years that Dumbledore did not trust him to do it?Q5 - What do you think of Snape getting the Defense against the Dark Arts job? And knowing the curse on the position, do you think he'll be there after a year?

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Munya, celebrity couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! You really belong with the cultural elite in NYC, not here in this winter terrorland with the rest of us. But thanks for slumming it to talk about the latest failures of our federal government in the face of mass death, and the latest dunk over the heads of our local government by outgoing hero Jenny Durkan. Please remember us when you are a brand.

Email Us Here: Disturbinglypragmatic@gmail.comWhere To Find Us!:  Disturbingly Pragmatic Link Tree!This Episode has EVERYTHING!It's got:Paul Needs a Massage!Dave is NOT a Good Druggie!We Talked With Our Friend in Detroit!France! What Are You Gonna Do??!Succession Shivs Us!Alan Ruck is 65?!?!Christmas Time Is Still Here!Paul is Shopped Out!Kink Shaming!Random Porno Stuff!Josh Duggar Has NOTHING To Smirk or Be Smug About!Michelle Duggar's Uterus Escape!TLC? Where is the Learning?The Toiletry of A&E, Bravo, and TLC!Paul Lures Dave out of the Rabbit Hole!Childhood Christmas Memories!Thanks Herpicol!Socks and Underwear Don't Belong in a Stocking! Prove Me Wrong!Melted Chocolate!We Have Magical Water Pressure!Tic Tacs!Boomers Are Entitled ASF!She Picked the WRONG BITCH, BITCH!Roadhouse!SNL Was Funny!A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, and Home Alone Are Perfect! Their Sequels Are NOT!Disney's Marvel In Trouble!Episode Links (In Order):"Wrong Bitch" by Todrick Hall!"Home Sweet Home Alone" - Amanda the Jedi Review!"Better Watch Out" Christmas Horror Film!MUSIC CREDIT! Opening Music Graciously Supplied By: John_Yasutis from Pixabay! 

Series: Be'erot, Love & Relationship with God. Synopsis: How Yitzchak's fear/reverence of G-d creates a context in which love can come about.   Episode Transcript It might help me to tell you that I'm feeling a little bit overwhelmed by the things I want to give over to you. With that said, I'll launch into what I believe is an appropriate continuation of we were exploring last time we met. And it revolves around the nature of how we become able to love and especially focused right now on how that happens with our relationship with Hakadosh Baruch Hu. And last time we spent time focused on the vulnerability that Hakadosh Baruch Hu allows for in His making of an other who can say no. And I want to continue with that this time and go into it more deeply. (Getting Chumashim with Rashi) The way I want to go about this is by introducing you to the idea of din in the world. The processes by which what we call din—judgment, gevurah, power—and that actually functions in a way in which we normally see that as being anitithetical to aspects of life that are love–oriented that have to do with chesed, with life enhancement, giving life, and yet, there is a most profound phenomenon, one of the deepest ironies by which we live: in order for there to be a relationship in which there will be a giver and a receiver, so there needs to be a withdrawal. By which I mean—and it's something we're all able to experience and know—if I truly desire the beloved, not that I should desire to be able to love, so then I need to withdraw myself, so that the beloved may become who he or she needs to become. And this, I'm going to pick up where we left off last time, the way Shlomo HaMelech begins Shir Hashirim, and he says, Shir Hashirim asher l'Shlomo, this is the Song of Songs of Shlomo, yishakeini m'neshikot pihu. Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth. Ki tovim dedecha mi yayin. Because Your dodim, Your love, is greater than wine. And if you look at that verse, you notice, that this is the Song of Songs of Shlomo, yishakeini m'neshikot pihu is said in the third person, Ki tovim dedecha mi yayin. And then in the second person, because Your love is greater than wine. M'neshikot pihu. Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth. We're talking to G-d. Ki tovim dedecha mi yayin. Because Your dodim, Your love, is greater than wine. And so in the verse, there is a shift from speaking to Him in the third person to speaking to Him in the second person. And this, if you remember , we explained, has something to do with, well as the Rabbis put it, a very profound difference between Torah she b'al peh, and Torah she b'dichtav, the Oral Law, and the Written Law, as it's usually reported as being. See, the depth of the difference between the Oral Law, and the Written Law is not that one is passed down orally and the other is passed down in writing (a phenomenon that is the result of something that's profoundly different about them), but rather that the Written Law refers to things which are directly given and revealed by G-d in the "face-on" relationship with G-d speaking face-to-face with Moshe, as the verse says, panim el panim, G-d spoke to him face-to-face. The Oral Law doesn't come about by G-d's revealing His face at all, but rather by G-d withdrawing, so that we should become those who will grow and create and develop by living in a space vacated from G-d's direct revelation, so that creativity will now be possible for those who live without a face-to-face contact with G-d. Let me say that a little more slowly. (What did you say about the Written Law?) The Written Law is what G-d, like I'm speaking to you now, says to you directly, which is what Moshe says directly. There's no real space there for you and what you need to become, create, and say, and what your life needs to say, and your particularity and specificity. Come on. The Law's the law, nothing to say, open the book, done. This is the Law, this is a chok, this is set in stone, literally. That's the nature of the Written Law. The fact of it being written is an indication of that. It's handed down in writing because that's the way it really is in its essence. But that's its essence. He's telling you like it is. But then there's this spaces (sic) In fact (8:53) one of the ways Rashi points this out is that the spaces between the words and sentences are very dear. And they express G-d's endearing, for instance, at the beginning of Vayikra, where it says Vayikra el Moshe, we're told that G-d told to Moshe, and He called him by his name. You should know that's a very crucial passage there at the beginning of Vayikra, because it describes how G-d reveals most of the Torah, from the Tent of Meeting to Moshe. Rashi reveals that he is called out by his name, yes, and there's another few statements that Rashi makes, but the important one I want to point out is the following. He says that He called to Moshe, the voice would come to his ears, the rest of the Jewish people didn't hear. Might it also be that G-d called Moshe for the spaces in between? (What do you mean, "the spaces in between"?) I'm just reading literally now. Because the spaces in between comes to tell you vay'daber. Called him for the speakings but not for the waitings. Well now, then what were the waitings for? Answer: To give Moshe a chance to integrate and to contemplate between teaching and teaching, and between one matter and the next. Certainly, Rashi goes on, when a regular person teaches and learns from a regular person; every time G-d spoke to Moshe, He would speak and wait. The waiting is the withdrawal, which allows for the moment during which Moshe Rabbeinu will himself be able to identify with and integrate what's been spoken. Okay, one level. The deeper level of the spaces in between, or the one we experience, are the space in between G-d having revealed Himself at Sinai, and the rest of history. The rest of history is one long pause, during which G-d is not speaking to us directly, but has rather withdrawn His direct revelation so that we should be mitbonen, which is to contemplate, draw out implications, draw out applications, creatively become involved in the process of revealing His word. So, that withdrawal is actually the path to the empowerment of the other to become what they are meant to become. In the case of G-d, ironically, withdrawal is what is necessary for us to reveal His own voice. His own revelation. But that's a complicating factor when it comes to G-d, so we'll put it aside for the moment and keep it first in what we know for life about how crucial it is. You see, oftentimes people mistake love for doting on someone, for being always there for them, for constantly being connected to them. That's devaikut. That's davak b'ishto. As you may remember, we saw in the Ramban, that couples completely couple together in communing. There's a constant awareness of the presence. That's what it's meant by Vdavak b'ishto. You know that Rashi says that therefore the man leaves his father and mother, joins his wife, and they become one flesh. That is that they are always in communion with one another. That's powerful and deep and connected to a relationship of love. But if that's all there is, then there cannot be love. And the reason for this is that love requires withdrawal, so that there can be an other whom I love. And that other must have the space within which to develop into that person of fullness, because they can blossom into the fullness they were meant to be by virtur of having been given the area and the arena in which that can happen. See, this is another aspect of what we were exploring last week when Adam Harishon has to discover his loneliness and the lack in order to truly enter relationship. That's from his perspective. But now we're looking at it from the perspective of the recipient of that love. If it would not be that there is a provision of space for you to be who you need to become, so that's not love, because I'm not allowing you to be the one who I'm in love with. Well, this is the way G-d made His world. And from the very beginning, there's the peculiar dance between ahava and deveikut, between love and full communion. With love involving actually a withdrawal which allows room for the other to be. And communion, deveikut, involving a full communing with that beloved. Do you have a little bit of a picture? Good, I really like it that I can just talk this way. But hopefully we'll bring it down even more alive for you. Let's appreciate this rather incredible dynamic upon which the world is created. This is the dynamic, that according to the Rabbis, Shlomo HaMelech is referring to when he says, "Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth." Because your love is greater than the love of wine, meaning the following: When in the third person, so to speak, I'm experiencing You—Him—kissing me with His mouth, that He has withdrawn. That's why it's in the third person, as withdrawn. When I'm experiencing Him kissing me with His mouth—third person—ah. Your love, I'm now experiencing You very intimately, Your love is dearer than the love of wine. And if you remember, I explained to you that wine is the Written Torah, the direct revelation, when He is totally with us, davek with us. Like we say, v'atem hadeveikim bashem elokeichem, like the Rabbis say, deveikim mamash, truly deveikim, as it says in the Gemara in Sanhedrin, truly davek, like a flask has its cover at one with it. Glued to it, so that it's one piece with it. That's how the Rabbis actually describe that deveikut. A full oneness in communing, as opposed to the tovim dodecha, your love which comes from when you have withdrawn, is greater than the wine, which we say is the Written Toah, meaning that it's that which sits—that's how they read that verse. (Who's they?) The Rabbis. It's a Gemara or midrash that reads this pasuk this way. Yishakeini m'neshikot pihu, let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth, that's the Torah she b'aal peh. Ki tovim dedecha—the Torah she b'al peh—is greater than yayin. So that there's a process of Him withdrawing, third person, and then I'm experiencing His love, His dodim, in the second person of Him begin near to me. And that experience, the third person to the second person, is far more dear than the wine, which the Rabbis say is the Written Torah. I'm bringing that as an illustration of the way G-d has made His world, and that is that, quite astoundingly, in order for there to be a space in which we can exist, He needs to withdraw. And that withdrawal is known as the tzimtzum. And that tzimtzum is an act of din. (Passing out sheets) The Chasdei David, who was one of the great mkubalim, says, (19:35) T'chilat hakol haya or ein sof baruch hu pashut. V'ein davar panui mimenu. In the very beginning, the infinite light of G-d was utterly simple, and there was nothing empty of Him and His presence. When there was an arousal of His will to create worlds, whatever that is, and how that came about, that there should be a knowing of Him. So He contracted Himself, and left an empty space in the middle. These are all geometric terms that are meant to arouse some level of undertstanding. U'vmakom hahu he'etilu kol haolamot. And in that place He eminated all the worlds. And that tzimtzum is the root of din. Din being that which is the power to give things a place that is appropriate to them. To mete out what is appropriate to them by making space for them. See, in my meting out to you by virtue of my making space for you, so I am actually acting from the principal from din, as opposed to from the principal of chesed, which is a flat, undifferentiating awarding of existnece. So the way this is working now, that in order for G-d to make an other with whom there can be a relationship of love, so there must first be a relationship of withdrawal. So the Rabbis say the following: it's quoted here also in Rashi, that bereshit barah elokim, the name of elokim which refers to him as din, is the creator of heaven of earth. At the beginning, G-d thought to create it in din only, And then he joined to it the midah the rachamim. That's the Rashi here. Even hikdim the midah of rachamim, he even preceded everything with the midah of compassion. Now here's the catch, and it's a beautiful one. The word rachamim is the same word that we use for womb, woman, her uterus, her place of carrying a baby. That's exactly it. The mother withdraws herself, so to speak, from occupying all the space of her body, in order to allow that there should be an other that will become formed within her, and so her uterus is, so to speak, the sod of the tzimtzum, that allows there to be an other to be formed within in. That's the depths of shitafei midat harachamim (22:56). He actually created a whole context for this withdrawl, that it should be a place within which life will form. Now, the reason this is important to me for us to recognize is because of there is whole principal that is going on that is withdrawal leads to creative love; withdrawal leads to relationship and is necessary for it. It's a simple point, but it's one which is not always so available to us, I mean when we're raising children, when we're in relationship with another. And certainly, living in this consciousness, when it comes to our relationship with G-d is very challenging, and we'll see why and how that is as we go along. This is all sort of by way of introduction. And what I want to do with you today is explore the experience of the personification of this through Yitzchak Avinu. The way I want to do that is maybe a little bit odd at first. To take a look at one of the readings of Yitzchak, which is the only story in the Chumash where he appears to be active. And I want us to understand something. You see, it's important to know about the avot, that they are archetypes in the sense that the avot are the lived qualities and principals that we are describing. If we want to learn about Yitachak, then we need to understand what it is to live as the withdrawn one. In other words, the one who experiences in the depth of his being, G-d's having withdrawn to make space. So that he knows that indeed G-d is the infinite one for whom, when he is present, there is no room for any other, and that G-d, so to speak, sacrificed Himself to make room for us. You can see that in his life, in the way he sacrificed himself to make room for G-d. But he deeply experiences this phenomenon that there is none other than He, than G-d. And this is the experience of the Akeidah, and we've seen this in the past. Hakadosh Baruch Hu coming to Yitzchak to tell him, "You will no longer live," really leaves him speechless. What is he going to say? There is nothing he is going to say to Hakadosh Baruch Hu at that moment, because he has no entitlement to life. G-d is freely and lovingly giving him life at every moment, just like every one of us. He experiences that more deeply than anyone else because there was never anyone who G-d came to and said, through his father, that the one who gave him life in this world, you are not going to live. I am going to take your life away from you, and there was no one who had the experience with such trauma that there is nothing that you could say that would justify your right to continue living. I mean, after all, what would you say, that I've done a lot of nice things in the world? Where is that going to go? The life that you did all those nice things with is the very life given to you by the One who is now saying, It's finished, it's enough, gone. –But there are many more things that I want to do! –Well, I don't want you to do them. In that dialogue, there is only the space for the consciousness that it's all G-d, it's all Him, there is really no essential existence to anything than His existence. So Yitzchak knows this, and Yitzchak experiences more deeply than anyone that G-d has, so to speak, made space for us. Now if you understand Yitzchak as being the one who lives that, then Yitzchak is the one who, so to speak, makes space. What is that like, being the one who is always making space? (Very humble) Very humble. So look at something really interesting about Yitzchak's appearance on the stage of activity. And what I'm talking about is chapter twenty-six, verse twelve through fourteen. This is where we find him actually doing something. But we have to look very carefully about (sic) what it is he is doing, and how the Chumash describes that doing. So Yitzchak sows and plants in that land, and he found in that year one hundred portions, and G-d blessed him. And he gets very great, and he gets even greater, until he got really really great, he's gotten really big. And then he had a lot of possessions, and because he had a lot of possessions, so the plishtim are jealous of him. In verse fifteen, it says that all the wells he had dug, that his father had dug, actually, well, the plishtim had filled them up with afar. Avimelech says to Yitzchak, get lost. You're too big, we're not going to allow you to be here any more. So Yitzchak goes away and he encamps in Nachal Grar, and that's where he lives. Yitzchak goes back, and he redigs the wells that his father had dug, or that had been dug in his father's time, and that the plishtim had filled in, we already know about them, that the plishtim had already filled them in after Avraham had died, and he called them the same names that his father had called him . So Yitzchak was a reflection of his father, and he was, in a sense, continuing his way and maintaining what his father had brought into the world—these wells—at least in this aspect. Then his servants, they dig wells, and there is an argument with the plishtim and then there is another well that his servants dig, and there is another argument about it, and then he goes and he digs one, and its rechovot, it's very broad. Why? He says, because now G-d has made breadth, and we can truly multiply in this land. G-d has made space so that we can be fruitful and multiply. It's exactly the picture of G-d has made space. And all of this activity of Yitzchak is nothing more than making space. It looks like he's doing something, but actually, regarding his father, being a conduit through which his father's work will be maintained and continued, and in terms of the earth, he is digging away to allow what is there to become revealed. He's not really doing anything. He's the one who is making the chalal panui. He's digging away the earth so that the waters that are there, should be able to flow forth. Even his planting, the way the Torah describes it, he's plans, and then, wow! he finds in that year, in that place, a hundred times what he could have expected G-d bless it all (sic) 32:31. That isn't me, I didn't do this. I just found it. Vayimtza bashanah hahi. But what I think is most interesting is the way in which the Torah orders the story. Take a look at this. If you were having to order the verses in the story— There is a thing you do when you're trying to teach a kid how to write compositions, so you take a paragraph, and you mix up all the sentences, and you try to figure out which sentence goes before what. So, take a look at verse fifteen. Where should verse fifteen go? All of the wells that have been dug by his father's servants, the plishtim had covered them up. Those next two verses are out of place, because the next move that is in response to that is eighteen, right? It says that Yitzchak goes back and digs the new wells, or he digs the wells of his father. So that description of what needed to be done, or what was wrong, should then be described after that by what he then went and fixed. Everyone agree on that? Those two sentences in the middle, they are not supposed to be there. But they are. If you leave the perspective of Yitzchak, they are. Because even the way life unfolds, is so to speak, it's not your doing, it's that there's these filled-up wells which need clearing. Well, let me tell you a story. Avimelech comes to Yitzchak and tells him that it's time for him to move on. So Yitzchak moves on. And where does he end up? Right near his father's wells that need to be cleared out. You hear? It's not like it happened that he had this situation with Avimelech and then he goes to the place where the wells are, but rather that he needed to get to where the wells are, so the situation with Avimelech erupted to get him to the place where the wells are. That's the way the Torah tells you the story. First it needs to be corrected. Then it tells you the story unfolding, which gets him to the place where he needs to be. (Technically, I'm confused. Where are the wells, and where is he?) He's been in the land of the plishtim, (So the wells are in the land of the plishtim) No, the wells are in the land of Grar, where he now goes to. (So he returned…) Either he's going back to eretz plishtim, (Well, how can the plishtim be filling them up, if they're not in their own—) Territory? It's a question. I'm not sure I understand vayashov yitzchak vayachpor et be'erot hamayim asher yachfru bimei avraham that he went back and redug the wells which had been dug in the time of his father. That's the vayashov. Why is it that the plishtim were taking such vigorous interest in what he's doing in Nachal Grar, that needs to be looked at better. But I think the simple meaning of the word vayashav is that he went back and dug again what his father had dug. (Pasuk yud ayin, you said they should be there.). They need to be there at some point, because they tell the story of how Yitzchak had to leave and ended up, in the way I'm reading, going to the place where Avraham had dug wells. I don't know why they would fill in those wells. I actually have something I want to say about the nature of his relationship with the plishtim, but that needs to be better clarified. (They were jealous…) They were jealous. Something that's going on between them and Yitzchak that makes them into his primary antagonists. Yeah, Chaya? (According to the Gur Aryeh, the wells were located in the valley of Grar while the valley had been un inhabited, the plishtim would stop them up to withhold them from the attacking armies. When Yitzchak moved to the valley (unclear because someone is moving a chair) 37:51 B'seder, that was the Maharal's perush on Rashi. So we have two things. The most important thing right now is to see how the story unfolds through Yitzchak. It's something that needs to happen, and it will happen through him, but not by virtue of his doing, but rather by virtue of its needing to be done. Which will be done. Okay, if you like the point, good. It's not crucial. I think it's important to see how the Torah has ordered the things. Yitzchak is the man who digs out space. His is the life of a man who is nothing more than space. He is that open space. Now, the interesting thing is, that there is a very deep quandry, problematic (sic) that we live in our relationship with G-d, Who has made space for us, and that is—get this— you see, the more you live out being in that space, which is a consciousness that He is not here so that I can be here, well, the farther you are from Him. Again, the more you live out the space of being in that space which G-d has vacated so that you can be here, so in a certain level, the further away you are from Him. The less you live the consciousness of separateness and individation, so the closer you are with Him, the more at one you are with Him. I'll put it to you in life, although it's not exactly parallel. The more your lover has distanced himself in order that you should have room to become who you must become, the more you become who you become, the more distant you are from the one who you're wanting to be with. It's even deeper with G-d. In order for us to live this life, viewing ourself as separate and independent entitites, so we need to live it, so to speak, with a consciousness which blocks out the all-present infinite presence of G-d in which there's no space for another. And the truth of what tzimtzum is, more deeply than G-d's withdrawing. It's He who has given us a consciousness and awareness which has it be as if He is not here. See, it's our consciousness that He's given us that creates the reality which we experience as being one in which He is not here. I'll try to make this a little less wacko-sounding, I don't know, but you see, our minds work on a certain frequency. We pick up certain things. We hear the clock ticking, we feel the table, we can see each other, because we're picking up what's around us on a frequency at which we pick it up at that level. There are other things going on in the room that we don't pick up because we're not tuned to them. If our minds were actually like a radio tuner, we'd actually be hearing the news right now, probably the weather report, because there would be an attunement to something which we're not now attuned to, which then we could access and receive. We're all familiar with this, but we don't think about it that way. What's real is what we see and feel and touch and hear, and everything else isn't really real. Until we get into radio waves which, yeah, I guess it is real, so how come I'm not seeing it if it's not real? Well, there are realities which you can't see. Well, why don't I see them? Because you're not attuned to see them. You're not attuned to see infra-red, but if you would, then you might actually be able to see through the wall. See through the wall? What, are you off the wall? Yeah, I'm off the wall! I've actually inside the wall. (?) 43:36 Go to the other side of the wall. Why? Because I'm able to see with a frequency that sees right through matter. What, you wouldn't see the matter? No, I wouldn't see the matter. Could it be that I would vibrate at a frequency where I wouldn't feel the matter either? You mean I could just walk through the wall? Like Superman? Yeah, if you would vibrate at a different frequency, then that's the way you would actually experience things. You wouldn't experience this as solid matter, which it barely is, you would just experience it as something which would pass right through. (That's actually what scientists are working on.) Yes, that's what scientists are working on. And they are probaly going to get there soon. Because it's not a big deal, it's just a matter of changing your frequency. And tune us up, just a little bit, and then our vibration shifts, and then the way we relate to matter shifts. Everything shifts. Everyone knows this, when your emotional state shifts. And all the people whom you thought were offensive and ugly or repulsive, suddnely, well, he's kind of okay, well half an hour ago you were— Well, I was just in a bad mood. Now I'm in a different state. I'm picking up a different wavelength about my emotions and it's all shifting all the time. Emotions shift more than anything else. That's why they are kneged ruach in the four types of realities, so emotions are related to the wind, the air, as opposed to the ground, which is the body, okay, we're not going to go through them right now. But we experience those shifts all the time because we're shifting our frequency. Just to say it in that simple sense, so you realize so maybe there would be like a divine frequency, when I don't see anything at all, but when I see things from a divine perspective? There is nothing but Him? Yes, there is such a thing. There is such a divine frequency, And you actually have a part of you that is always vibrating at that frequency. It's called the yechida. It's your highest level of soul. It's always at the frequency in which there is nothing but G-d. Wait a minute, but there is me, yeah? Right, just turn down the…..(talking slowly in a low voice) fre-quen-cy on…the…receiver, and everything comes back to independent and separate realities. In fact, in Chassidut it's taught that the tzimtzum really is a phenomenon of our consciousness. That we see things as separate. And it's the great gift of G-d that we should. It's not that it's a hazayah, an illusion, that I see you. Just like it's not an illusion when I pick up the radio waves. But there's a reality which is sort of a different vibration, frequency, in which you're not there. There's only G-d. There's only his presence. Now, on a ceratin level, the more I saw you, so the less I see Him. If I could just tune up my frequency and only see Him, then I wouldn't see you, you're in the way. I'm in the way. This is a painful irony, probably one of the most painful ironies and paradoxes of spiritual life. And it had lead all kinds of spiritualities to all kinds of crazy conclusions. Including the conclusion of maya, of illusion. Because, I'll put it like this (48:05)…if the world were with no willing Creator, if it wasn't that G-d had a will, then indeed the fact that you're there is just an illusion, we're just not tuned to the highest, most pristine and true frequency. So you're an illusion, you're in the way. (Pause) I'm just talking to myself. (Laughter). But if One who made all that consiousness, which is the consciousness we all live, the One Who has a will and desires that we should have it, well, that changes everything. Then it's not just some illusion. It's what He wills us to have. Yeah, but it's not real! Yes it is, It's as real as the one who is giving it to you, and He's the most real thing that is! Bad, thing, not a good word. Do you hear that? It's G-d who's making us see things this way, that there is a place where He is not. That G-d, so to speak, Who is making us see things this way, is Elokim, that's the name Elokim. And it's why of all the names of G-d, it's the only one in the plural, Weird isn't it? We, the big monotheists, have a name for G-d that;s in the plural? That's bad, it shouldn't be that way. We have kel, shem havaya, but Elokim? And what's worse, that same word, if you think about many gods, that's just elohim. Same word. Because multiplicity is a product of din, which is the withdrawal. But that withdrawal is the creation of a consciousness which will see things as if He is not there. It's like you've put on dark glasses. You're wearing now the polaroid glasses so that you're only picking up a certain reality. So now I want to shift out of that. I don't want to be apart from Him, I only want to be with Him. You just shift out of that and tune up to a place where all I know is Him. And be completely mitbatel, completely gone from my ego-consciousness which is creating a sense as if I'm separate from Him. I'm going to let that go. It's a sin to be in that state of separateness from Him, I'm going to let that go. No, wait a minute. He made me that I should have this consciousness. So, it would be a violation of the will of the very One that I'm seeking to come close to for me to strip myself of that consciousness so that it will be only with Him, because He made me such that I would see all of you and myself as separately and independently existing realities. So what do I do? To strip myself of that is to come close to Him. No it's not, it's a denial of His will. But to stay in this reality in which I don't have the experience of His being wholely and completely and fully present is to lose Him. This is the paradox and ultimate tension within which any divinely-attuned human being lives. And Yitzchak, more than anyone, has really seen that there is nothing other than G-d. In Chassidut it's explained that he lives in a state of the yechida. That's why he's the one who's called bincha, yechidcha, your son, the only one, because he's actually living the "onlyness" of G-d. But ironically, one who lives the onlyness of G-d, to become really close with Him—so to speak, by becoming like Him—has to live uniqueness here. So he becomes the unique one. And this is because, when one realizes that it's G-d whose wanting me to have this consciousness of separate individuated realities, then I am now going to give ultimate and full reverance to every single unique being that is here desired by G-d to be here. See, someone who's never experienced that as only G-d will never be able to experience the ultimateness and value and worth of every single creature that G-d has made here, because he will never know how much G-d, so to speak "gave up that He should contract himself, that we should be here, or how much, so to speak, G-d has awarded us by giving us the reality as living as a separate entity. This is why din always also is the origin of yirah, reverence. Of being fully aware of the divinity of the other. And always dances around the smallest of myself (55:39) or on a different level, the ultimate worth of myself. Where, depending on whether you're experiencing the all-present G-d or the small nothingness of myself, or G-d Who has withdrawn to make space for me! And is therefore living a full and deep relationship of responsiveness, which is what din is, when I'm responding to you. What you do, I do to you. That's when things become energetically connected in relationship. So that it's either all abnegation, or the full and whole presence of another to whom I respond. Because G-d, making that person now, he can't have come from anywhere else, if it weren't that G-d were making him now, giving him that consciousness now of existing as a separate entity, giving me the consciousness now to see him as a separate entity. Should we have a little interaction here? Should I give you people a little space? (57:15) Could I just treat you to one more thing here? Why don't you ask your questions. (You said that Hashem cannot feel the specialness of every animal?) Chas v'shalom, I didn't say that. You said creatures. Okay, Kol hanivraim. Yesh lahem erech muchlachat, mipne she haboreh olam hu machlit bchol regah latet lahem et he yishut shelahem. Vmachlit bchol regah, He is deciding at every moment to give me to see Him as separate from Him. You can hear now why if you just rest in this a bit. You can hear why the phlishtim are Yitzchak's greatest antagonist. Here's a deep thing that's really wild. The Rabbis say that phlishtim are leytsanim. They are mockers, scoffers, cynics. And they teach this in a wild place. There's a Gemara in Avodah Zarah, page eighteen. I'm starting to realize that I have another two hours of talking here. We'll divide it up. So the Rabbis say, Ashrei haish asher lo halach b'atzat reshaim u'bderech chataim lo amad. And b'moshav laytzim lo yashav. So you have this verse which is the way that David Hamelech opens up Tehillim He says, Happy is the man, or well-estabilshed is the man who didn't walk in the ways of the reshaim. And he didn't walk in the ways of the chotim and he didn't sit among the scoffers. Hm. So, he didn't walk like reshaim walk, he didn't stand like chotim stand, and he didn't sit like latzim sit. (Laughing) That's great. So the Gemara says, this is all about Avraham, who didn't walk the walk of those reshaim who built the tower of Babel. Nor did he stand the standing of the people of Sodom, about whom it says that they were raim l'chataim, nor did he sit the sit of leytsim, namely the plishtim. All right, what's the deal? So the Maharal says that the reshaim anre people who are actively evil, they go and do bad things. Chataim are people who withdraw from doing good. That's why the word choteh means a lack. Pull back, like the anshei Sodom don't give Tzedakah. And then there are the leytsim, they just sit, they're the scoffers. They just sit back and laugh, What, are you crazy? What, are you nuts? You think this really means something? It's all just a empty black hole, there's nothing here! What, do you think you're going to get close to G-d. What are you trying for? Smirking at anything that anyone tries to do. Sit kind of sit back and, why would you even try to move, or get up? You're just wasting your time. It's all just a figment of your imagination anyway. It's all just an empty hole. Nothing real can happen here. That's why the word phlisha actually menas to break through a hole, right? That's exactly what they do to reality, they break a hole in reality. Plisha, pleshet. It menas to clear it away. Why, you know what? Gee. They also dig holes in the sand, don't they, except the holes in the sand that they dig is all of the reality that you see. It's all just empty. Except for them, when they dig the hole, it doesn't reach water. Because mfulash means that it's open at both ends, just goes nowhere. Mefulash in Hebrew, hamavoi mefulash (1:03:21) is one which is opened at both ends, it's just totally broken through, there's no water at the end of it, there's nothing there. What do you think? What, are you crazy? And guess what the chachamim say. Where do we know that the plishtim are leystim, scoffers, from? It says about the anshei plishtim, vayhi, katovli bam. When they were like really feeling good in the time of Shimshon, vayomru, kiru l'shimshon. Call Shimshon in, vayisachek lanu, and let him make us laugh. Oh my goodness, let him make us laugh. And this is the risk that Yitzchak lives, to laugh a laugh of scoffing. Because the one who knows there's an empty space, we live in empty space, knows that the realness of it is only by virtue of an awarded consciousness, which is only seeing things on a certain frequency. So why bother doing anything. There's really nothing to be born here. Nothing happening. And in fact, Yitzchak's name is a result of two kinds of laughter, his mothers' laughter and his father's laughter. And anyone who's ever sought a chauvinistic interpretation in the Bible, well, he's got to be bothered by Avraham and Sarah's laughing. Avraham's laughing, and that's great, and the Targum translates, he was overjoyed. Rashi says, ah, Avraham is a joy of fullness. And then Sarah laughs, and the malachim get there: Look, she's laughing! I didn't laugh—yes you did! I didn't laugh—yes, you did! You were scaffing(?) (1:05:52). What's going on here? Well my husband laughed! Shh. Quiet, get back in the tent! (Laughter all aroud) Until you look at what they say. There's also the male-female thing, that's also a part of it, but it's too complicated. So put that aside for now. But just look at what Avraham says: Could it be that a man of a hundred would give birth? Could it be that a woman of ninety would give birth? Astounding! You mean there can be birth out of this nothingness of my wife and of myself. Oh gosh, unbelievable, what joy. But Sarah says, it says, she looked at herself and she said, Me? After I've gotten so old? I would give birth? She's seeing herself in the dimunitive—I'm nothing, can't do it, forget it. Scoffing. Avraham is looking, You mean there was nothing and now there's something? Whoa. Unbelievable. And Yitzchak, in a sense, can go either way, and you know why? On a certain level, he does. One son is called Esav. And the other one is called Yaakov, and we'll see, B"H, how these actually live out the life of scoffing, or of being present to, in full presence, with what something called tmimut(1:08:04). But tmimut which lives in the tent, lives in the consciousness which we have been awarded, but that maintains a connection with the one who has been awarding it at every moment. Whereas Esav becomes the scoffer, vayivez, despises the bechora—You know why he despises the bechora? Because he really despises life The first born is just the gift of life. I'm going to be dead soon anyway, man , the whole thing is nothing. How long were you around? It's just nothing. Why would I want bechora. It's not just he's despising it because it's avodat Hashem—that's the result—is that he doesn't experience himself as one who would possibly find enough value in himself as being a servant of G-d , because life itself, how much have you got and what the heck is your life? Seventy, eighty; in our days—ninety years? You know how much ninety years is? It's a speck of nothing. That's Esav, that's why he's walking around tired and bored. The only he can find to entertain himself with is killing, which is denying reality, denying the other, taking away life. That's why ultimately, with this we'll close, the Rabbis say, You know who the great-great grandson of Esav is? He's a man named Haman. And the Rabbis say, that same vayivez, et ha bechora that Esav despised—the "first-born-sonness"—became, many generations later, vayivez haman lishloach yad l'mordechai lvado. Haman despised killing Mordechai alone. And the Rabbis say, bazui ben bazui, the despised one, son of the despised one. That's Haman, who's the Amalakite, the great scoffers of reality. And what did he despise? That he kill one person. What the heck is one person? Man. If I'm going to kill, it might as well be an entire people. But the depth is, that vayivez, even though it says that he despised, the Rabbis say that he is the despised one, the despicable one, because anyone who despises, must also be experiencing himself as despicable on some level or another. You can't be despising another in their reality unless some place in your heart you're despising your own. So that the leytsanim are the great threat to Yitzchak. But that's not his life at all. B"H we'll see next time the real life of Yitzcahk and actually how he becomes the great source both of forgiveness, and of the ultimate valuing and adoration of life and other in reverence. How are we doing? I'll just check in with where people are holding. Confused? Enlightened by this? Or I need time to think about this, or this means something to me. I'm actually serious about the question. (I feel like I'm internalizing it. Me too. I'm like, observing it. Really grateful. You can be adversary. I need time to digest. It's big piece. It's beautiful.) Okay, that's a relief. I'm going to make closure now, then I'll take questions, then we'll take time for integrated work. How this is all related to loving, is Yitzchak is the principal of making space for love to come about. He himself, in his relationship with G-d, the Rabbis teach, is not in a relationship of love. Because he experiences love as non-existent in the presence of G-d. To be a lover, you need to be in existence. But he knows the great love of G-d in having made space that there should be an other. (01:15:50) Because the whole reason G-d made space that there should be an other is an act of love that there should be an other with whom He will have a loving relationship. And this is the meaning of the beginning of the parshah, where it says, Eleh toldot Yitzchak, These are the generations of Yitzchak. Avraham holid at Yitzchak. Avraham who is the principal of love, he gave birth to Yitzchak, he gave birth to the principal of contraction and withdrawal. Because the whole reason for the contraction and withdrawal is that there should be the appearance of Avraham, the appearance of love and compassion. All this withdrawal is for that. So he serves that purpose in the withdrawal, just like withdrawal serves that purpose. (So you're saying Yitzchak doesn't love Hashem?) The Rabbis say that he lives in total awe of G-d. Avraham is the lover of G-d. Chas v'shalom to say that he doesn't love G-d, but that's not his, these are archetypes, and his archetype is fear and awe. That there's nothing but Him. (That's what he represents.) Right. But he is in the consciousness that that vacating of there is nothing but Him, when G-d does make that space for there to be a world of love, and that's why he is the first one to love his wife, because out of that he sees, Wow, if there's someone there, and I have the consciousness to see her? That means that G-d is really, really wanting this; really, really wanting her; really, really wanting me. And so he experiences the depth of an other and himself with far greater intensity that anyone else can in their uniqueness and in their utter separateness. See, this is his power and it all is derived from a G-d who desires a world in which there should be love, and therefore again, paradoxically and ironically, withdraws Himself so that it may be. On a certain level, we blow this as parents, very often, when we think our children need us taking care of them, doting on them, watching them, guarding them, directing them, all the time, feeling our love for them all the time by our being there for them all the time. All the time for them. That's deveikut. But love also requires the principal of withdrawal. But as parents, oftentimes, we're afraid to withdraw, because our kids might stop loving us. Oh, No! Yeah. If I withdraw, then my kid won't love me. Hm. So who are you loving exactly? If you're really loving them, then you have to let them grow. Of course, guide them, teach them, etc. (sic) But there's a shift in the drivenness in I'm always wanting them to know that I'm loving them, and loving them. Is it coming from your neediness? Or is it coming from your wholeness, that will determine that. (I have a question about the zugim. Is it that Yitzchak and Rivka have like a giving and receiving side to each like sefirah that they represent?) I'll tell you something about Rivka, and it's like a really amazing thing to know, that if you look at the way she's chosen. I'll choose two deep things and I'll try to say them really briefly, and you can listen up, we talked about this last year. B"H I'll put this up on a website. I have a website but I don't know how to operate it… So,…the place the Rabbis learn that a woman has a say in the question of whether she gets married or doesn't get married to the man, is from Rivka. Up until then, you don't find the woman having any say, and he takes her, he takes her, he takes her, she gets pregnant, she gives birth, she gets pregnant, she gives birth, and they begat, and they begat. Begat, begin, begat, begin, right? But then, all of a sudden there's this wild scene where they say, Well of course we're going to send her with you; after all, it's clear that it's come from G-d. Scene two, wait a minute: what if she stays another year, or maybe a couple of months, or couple more weeks, and Eliezer says, No, no, it's time, it's time right now. Well, lo and behold they say, we have a drastic idea. Why don't we call her in and ask her what she thinks. Ta dum! Woman liberated. She becomes the other. She becomes the knegdo. And this appears first with Rivka because she's going to be living with Yitzchak who's the vacated space. So she must be the one who is in power to stand on her own two feet and be able to say no. That's the only presence that he'll really be able to love, from the vantage point of the one who is vacated space. Was she really three years old? Yeah. The point is, this is very important about Rivka. That's why we explained that camels were a very important thing in the story. That's why her test was whether she would give the camels to drink, because camels are about independent standing…But that's the nature of Rivka. This is why, by the way, and then we'll end this. (Sighs) Someone's got to create a kli here, someone's got to stop me, otherwise I just keep on unraveling. But, um—anyone volunteering? (I want you to keep going! [Laughter.]) What I really want to do is workshop work, because it's extremely vaulable. I'll just say one more thing. The reason why Eliezer goes out is, to seek the wife for Yitzchak, is a total representation of that. And that is that Avraham says to him, and very briefly, to go and get my (sic) wife from somewhere else. Well, maybe she won't come. Maybe she won't come? Of course she will come! G-d's going to send his angel who's certainly going to guarantee that this is going to be a success, and you're under oath, and you know what, if she doesn't come, then—forget the whole thing. That's mamash what Avraham says. You look at that and say, What? Where is his bitachon? And why isn't he certain that G-d is going to make it happen? Because you can't be certain that G-d is going to make it happen. You're dealing with another person, for whom there must be space within which to say, "no." And to know that and to know that it's all G-d, and it's His doing, and it's His reality, all at once. Sorry not to leave you with something clear, because it's not, it's a ratzo v'shov, back and forth, all the time, and it's from that space that real marriage comes about, and real love comes about, and the possibility for forgiveness comes about, too. I just want to remind us of what we want to look it. Okay. I'm stopping here. (You were talking about multiplicity. I didn't get it.) All I was saying was that din creates the possibilitiy that there will be significant others. So therefore there will be rebui, multiplicity, that there will be many. Chesed doesn't make room for many, chesed just gives existence. It's flat. (So it's not real self-centeredness. It's that you have that room open for another person to exist.) That's right. Okay. (So in order to be able— I don't know, I just feel like they're… one extreme and another, so is the goal not to be able live simultaneously in duality where we see the delusion and past the delusion? Yes, I would avoid calling it delusion. (Okay, the creation?) Yeah, and that will have everything to do with Yaakov. (All right.) Good. (That's awesome, and I want to find some way to experience it, not making it too cerebral, not thinking about it, where we could (write out/ride out?) places where we don't see G-d in our lives in our world. We might think about this one and think, how does this distance create love? To apply that kind of question to it, and maybe do it in some kind of meditational form. That seems like intellectualizing it instead of experiencing it, I feel that it would be valuable to experience what you're talking about. To experience that G-d is not in this situation and how do I experience that as a gift?) As His allowing me to become what needs to be for me as an act of love, and the way He allows that to be is in His withdrawing, the obviousness or overtness of His presence. That's big stuff. It even seems related to the last two exercises in that one was about recognizing the good and then feeling the lack of it, then praying for it, and one about the power of (inaudubible due to mike moving) the lack and asking to get the experience the, feeling the lack of not having your partner… that's the necessary step towards the fulfillment of it. This is different in that it's just feeling the lack. And knowing that G-d's in that. That's the higher level. Yeah. That's the higher level. So, how can we create a setting where people could just experience that? I want to say, first of all, regarding what I introduced last week, which was about accepting and being whole with the experience of the chisaron as a place from which the awareness of the need will lead to prayer or action, was very significant for me. I did it more than once. Accepting that is so crucial, and to do it open-heartedly and not in bitterness. Crucial. So I hear you, I think that can work, what you're describing. I think like, maybe just calling upon people to do that. Usually people need an interpretation, like a reframing to know that Hashem is in that. You know what I mean? I thought He was gone, but really He was there. And I see how He was there in those moments that were so painful and dramatic and difficult for me. That's usually how that kind of forgiveness is accessed. Wholeness with things is accessed. But here we're talking about before that. This act of withdrawal itself is the act of love. Giving me the opportunity to become an even more unique and different being. Right, this is the soil in which I am flourishing that G-d has given me. So pratically how to get there. So this is the idea that I have…

The Gridiron Throne Podcast is not the podcast for NFL analytics... it is for the RAW emotion of being a football fan! Jessie, Isaac and Tyler banter, talk trash, drink from their goblets, and get emotional! The only numbers that matter are the final scores! If you don't agree, TAKE A WALK!

thanks for listening! catch us in between episodes @kpoppillowtalk on both instagram and twitter! wanna support the pod? buy us a coffee! ko-fi.com/kpoppillowtalk --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

 “Shark Attack” is a lie… Sunscreen recall… Is it sad or a scam?... Words are a changing / Chicken / Pigs / Gypsy Moths offensive / no longer presumed innocent… Better Common Names Project… Subscribe to the YouTube Channel… Email to Chewingthefat@theblaze.com Subscribe www.blazetv.com/jeffy Promo code jeffy… Sewage spill in California / Andrew Heaton Poetry ‘Los Angeles is Hideous'… Tiger King given the wrong sentence… Officer charges teen with hate crime / Smirking in an intimidating manner… Restaurant closes for day because people are mean… Britney gets to hire own attorney… Naked lady gets stuck between two walls… Divinely immune from courts law… Family gets arrested from 1/6… VP Harris is not nice, “allegedly” Shep Smith not nice “allegedly” Cruise ship quarantine… Misinformation and scare tactics… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Hogan, TJ Ryan and Mark Landers join Anthony Daly to review the weekend's championship action. With Renault Ireland

Does Culley possess the personality of coach Caserio will look for as the process continues? CP3 and Arizona smirk in the direction of H-Town and Lopez's list. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recording of a Jenuine Healing private session

It's the adaptation we've all been waiting for. This week we are reviewing the newest Netflix release, Shadow and Bone. Join us in loving Jesper, being disappointed by Kaz, and losing our collective minds at Ben Barnes. Daddy Darkling we are ready! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/eatscast/message

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY We’re celebrating with a brand new Chapter: Gloating and Smirking come to life looking down on Lackeys and Boot-Lickers, with minty breath and better hair. Discover how manipulated selfies give you Swagger and better sex appeal. Dixon Ticonderoga gets introduced to the power of social media, and there's a new female superhero in town with powers of an ancient civilization. Dizzying cinematic excitement, big laughs,& Pep-Fortified Optimism guaranteed. 

ONE YEAR MENTAL ANNIVERSARY - 10 minute Version. We’re celebrating with a brand new Chapter: Gloating and Smirking come to life looking down on Lackeys and Boot-Lickers, with minty breath and better hair. Discover how manipulated selfies give you Swagger and better sex appeal. Dixon Ticonderoga gets introduced to the power of social media, and there's a new female superhero in town with powers of an ancient civilization. Dizzying cinematic excitement, big laughs,& Pep-Fortified Optimism guaranteed. 

The show is now a game! That's right each segment will be scored, scores will be tallied, and a winner will be crowned! Who scores the game? YOU DO!!  Head over to www.TheologyofGames.com/scorepad and select your winner and be entered to win a copy of The Kickstarter Edition of Cindr AND The Anniversary Edition of Cutthroat Caverns from Smirk & Dagger!  Today we have a guest host joining us! Curt Covert of Smirk & Dagger   Today's segments are! Fill in the Blank When a game is about __________(theme) I am instantly intrigued! The best game to play outdoors is _______. The game release I most anticipated was/is?________ Hot Takes - Curt shares the latest on Smirk & Dagger; The Night Cage, and The Spill! Lightning Round! King of all desserts is?  2.The Power goes out, what do you do to entertain yourself? Best Intellectual Property (IP) not made into a game yet that needs one Theology of Games Podcast is hosted by: Jeremiah Isley Scott Firestone and AJ Skifstad Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Don't forget to enter the contest for a copy of Space Park by scoring today's show at www.TheologyofGames.com/scorepad!

Today on TruNews, we discuss the new climate crusade being led by the billionaire bio-warrior who foresaw and profited during the pandemic. We dissect his interview with “former” CIA intern Anderson Cooper and address the Communist manifesto fueling the globalists’ Great Reset and their religious quest for population control to save the world for themselves. Rick Wiles, Doc Burkhart, Edward Szall, Matt Skow. Airdate 02/16/2021

Them boys is back babyyyyy. New episode covers everything from Lou's bladder problems, to horrific Tinder Bios, and much more. Tune in next week for our special guest, Lucian from Weekly Geekly! #RunningUpTheTab #RUTT #SynNationNetwork #Podcast #2020 #2021 #YourMomsHouse --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/runningupthetab/support

This week, Travolta/Cage hurtles inevitably into the over-amped action movie phase of our subjects’ careers, as John Travolta shacks up with Hong Kong action wunderkind Broken Arrow! Smirking and smarming his way into his first all-out villain role, Travolta plays an Air Force bomber pilot who decides to steal some nukes for some easy money, with only the wiry Christian Slater and Samantha Mathis to stop them. There are no doves, but there’s plenty of ‘90s cheese. Ain’t it cool? On the other side of the coin, Nic Cage is up to his usual tricks, playing the tic-heavy Little Junior Brown in Barbet Schroeder’s Kiss of Death, a remake of a 1947 film noir starring David Caruso (trying desperately to kickstart a film career post-NYPD Blue) as an ex-con wrapped up in a convoluted web of New York mob mayhem. Sure, it’s a bevy of that-guy character actors (Michael Rapaport! Stanley Tucci! Philip Baker Hall!), but it’s Cage, crying and gurning as an asthmatic tough-guy with a goatee and white tracksuit, who steals the whole thing out from under everyone. Riding shotgun with us on this wild ride is Fast Company culture writer (and author of American Cheese) Joe Berkowitz, diving through the air guns akimbo and bench-pressing strippers to prove his might. Pledge to our Patreon at patreon.com/travoltacage Follow us on Twitter @travoltacage Email us questions at travoltacagepod@gmail.com Podcast theme by Jon Biegen Podcast logo by Felipe Sobreiro

The cult film that launched a thousand dorm room posters. There was so much to discuss about the film and we tried to fit it in a super long episode.  We talk the impact of this film 20 years later, the vibes of Fincher, and the  fashion is just out this world amazing.--- GIVE US A 5 STAR RATING & SUBSCRIBE!Hosts: Lauren @lauren_melanie & Jai @jai_stylefactoryIntro & Outro music by Den-Mate @imdenmateFollow Fashion Grunge on Instagram @fashiongrunge and fashiongrunge.comemail us : info@fashiongrunge.com 

Is it a pig or a sweaty face? It's like the infamous dress or laurel/yanny, but a lot more obvious! We also discuss our personality types, gross shoes (for bowling and from dumpsters), and lose our minds over meteor and meatier and Google Meetier. It's a fun time! Send us your favorite tweets and viral moments of joy with the hashtag #mcdicklez, and follow us on twitter at twitter.com/retweetthispod! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/retweetthis/support

Notice how anger hides under agreeability

Just before Christmas of 1998 a young mother of two, Lynsey Quy would abruptly and mysteriously disappear from her home in Southport in the UK. Her family and friends were totally stunned by her departure and were adamant that Lynsey, who was devoted to her two young children, would never have simply just upped and left them. However, Lynsey’s husband of a few short years, Mitchell Quy was more frank about his wife’s sudden absence. In this episode I discuss about how he engineered, manipulated and almost became addicted to the media attention surrounding his missing wife. I’ll also explore the circumstances that led up to that fateful December over 20 years ago when Lynsey seemed to vanish without a trace. Why no one reported her disappearance for nearly seven weeks and who, the police had in their sights for the missing mum. And how simple greed would eventually be the downfall for detective’s number one suspect in the disappearance and murder of Lynsey Quy. Dr. Jane is a trained, qualified and experienced chartered psychologist specialising in the field of criminal behaviour.For show notes for this and all previous podcast please visit the Why Killers Kill webpage at whykillerskill.com - where you’ll also find a advice and help for domestic violence issues – Please do not suffer in silence.

Welcome to E20's bonus episode! This week Emma is in Iceland but we didn't want you to miss out so created a bonus episode for you to enjoy. Why not see this as an early Christmas present? This episode is packed with surprises. We react to EastEnders taking on Strictly for Children In Need and we read fan fictions. We also share outtakes from previous episodes. Next week normal service will resume and we will be discussing not 1 but 2 weeks of episodes.

The coverage of the new Joker film represents a deeper manifestation of cultural amnesia, 'smart homes' are really dumb, and one of the greatest PR stunts of all time. To support the show, please subscribe on Podbean, iTunes or Patreon Follow on Twitter @BoogieBumper Join the Discord Show links; The politics of the Joker, explained Why the Obama as Joker poster leaves a bad taste in the mouth Why ‘The Joker' Starring Joaquin Phoenix Is Causing Backlash TOP 10 BANE QUOTES Voice AI systems will be ‘everywhere' and ‘phones will disappear in 10 years' Riley Reid shows up to Area 51 and twerks...

Smirking on holiday - bush-whacked & gold Ropey, old bill-fold reach squalor for show Scissor prince dime bag may jones until dawn Bleeding that naturally, squeezed by the law

Ryan and Tucker come to the table with big goofy grins this week because they're so psyched to talk about July 31’s new books including POWERS OF X #1, BLACK PANTHER #14, VENOM ANNUAL #1, and FANTASTIC FOUR #12.

There's someone in there with you... Friend or Foe ...  Support or Judgement ..  Confident or Insecure ..  You believe that you are the compilation of all of these characters ... But..There is strength in knowing that YOU are the one aware of all of these versions,,  and YOU get to choose who comes along for the ride...  When you start to feel that you are "too Identified" with one of these Characters ... You just may feel your Higher Self... SMIRKING at you.... waiting with love patiently for you to understand you are limitless love.. and have access to Infinity ...   Have the best day ever !!

Twenty-two year old Sian O'Callaghan left a nightclub in Swindon in the early hours of 19th March 2011. She was never seen again. Why did Christopher Halliwell murder her? And what can we learn from the extraordinary investigation that brought him to justice? CREDITS:  Producer: Poppy Damon  Artwork: George Leigh Music: Dan Wansell CONTACT:  Twitter: @BloodTies_Pod Instagram: bloodties_pod Email: bloodties.podcast@gmail.com 

Smirking: The NEW Hate Crime | The Mark Harrington Show | 1.26.19   Routinely the March for Life is underreported but this year was different. What some Catholic High School students did after the 2019 March for Life garnered national media attention. Why because they dared to smile at a protester who was being provocative. Listen to The Mark Harrington Show to find out how we can respond to these blatant attempts to destroy efforts of God fearing Americans to express ourselves in the public square. Facebook Personal - https://www.facebook.com/MarkCreatedEqual Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/TheMarkHarringtonShow/ Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2kM_Q0sgCk9iVWAg8HNSFQ Twitter - https://twitter.com/markreformer Website - https://markharrington.org

The world LITERALLY explodes after a Native American man and white teenager stare into each others eyes for an extended period of time. The Government shutdown continues while negotiations turn to petulant child like fighting. SCOTUS, AOC, and more. Kava from Grassroots Kava House Water from Kroger Music by J.Titus --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/muddiedwaters/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/muddiedwaters/support

John and Matthew return to Parts Unknown to talk with John Jones now that he's revealed his Martian identity to the citizens. While still living a double life as John Jones, how will the Manhunter solve this new dual I.D. lifestyle? "Covert Affair" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Meg and Elle are back with several new chapters! We read chapters 19-23 of Cocky Surgeon, which led to so many new observations about Hopkins's writing. Instead of cats, we try to figure out if smirking penises are euphemisms for something, how doctor residencies actually work, and whether or not the author sticks with one theme throughout all 18 books.  Chapter 19 - How old are you when you learn your last name? Chapter 20 - weird sex and workout routines  Chapter 21 - in which we have an entire chapter dedicated to tetanus shots and stitches  Chapter 22 - The author proves she doesn't understand residencies Elle also goes on a rant about Twilight after recently rewatching the series!  Follow us on Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Group Music this season: "The Porn King" by The Funky Filter

This month, there have been tough questions about the latest NAMM show product releases: Can Yamaha restart the 'marketing valve' gravy train? Should TC Electronic be shipping their new plug-in with a free pencil-sharpener? And who will walk away with PSTB's coveted Straight To Landfill Award? For Facepalm Of The Month, Jon takes a break from mixing the heartbeat of the universe to explain how some gigs are too classy for their own good, and what it feels like to be smirked at by a slice of cucumber. Meanwhile, as we push the quality bar for Toast Foley to new lows, Mike asks what instrument is actually the most difficult to record. Plus, join our bid for Summer Anthem 2018, a viral video sensation boasting ninja puppies, Monteverdi duetting, and beards with everything. (Any excuse to shoehorn Prince and Jimmy Somerville into the same sentence. There, did it again!) Fancy more of this nonsense? Then please support the podcast!

This month, there have been tough questions about the latest NAMM show product releases: Can Yamaha restart the 'marketing valve' gravy train? Should TC Electronic be shipping their new plug-in with a free pencil-sharpener? And who will walk away with PSTB's coveted Straight To Landfill Award? For Facepalm Of The Month, Jon takes a break from mixing the heartbeat of the universe to explain how some gigs are too classy for their own good, and what it feels like to be smirked at by a slice of cucumber. Meanwhile, as we push the quality bar for Toast Foley to new lows, Mike asks what instrument is actually the most difficult to record. Plus, join our bid for Summer Anthem 2018, a viral video sensation boasting ninja puppies, Monteverdi duetting, and beards with everything. (Any excuse to shoehorn Prince and Jimmy Somerville into the same sentence. There, did it again!) Fancy more of this nonsense? Then please support the podcast!

Suzanne Urban runs the Etsy shops Smirking Goddess Studio and Suzanne Urban Art and this week she shares the story of her Etsy journey, including how she transitioned into a full-time entrepreneur running her business on Etsy. Visit  for more information.

"This has happened, look what you've done," the robot wrote. Chris sent Danielle to her death in deep space, but her estranged husband still comes to visit. "It's just garbage," the robot continued. Smirking, a besunglassed Nick Breckon catches a ride on a dolphin and breaks the surface in a graceful arc. "Video game & pop culture cast, hacking and robot-mongering awaits," the robot concluded, incorrectly. "It's a good one!"

This is The Spoon, where we like big bugs and we cannot lie. Quint Tunes, Guns N Roses, Sex Pistols, I Broke Rob, Musical Prejudice, Plank Spanking, Michael Schenker, Stoopid, They Don't Need Me, Rush & Styx, Anti-Fun, Pixies Scuttlebutt, Greatest Song, Anthony Ferrante Rules, Chat Room Buzz, The Man Filter, No Doubt & Green Day, Punk Appreciation, Pr0n Technology, Morrissey, OMD, Howard Jones, Spoon Feeding, TMV Backpack Drive Music By QUINT Spoon Feeding Stranger Things Turbo Kid Jack Davis The Men Of The Spoon Robbie Rist Chris Jackson Thom Bowers The Spoon on FacebookSubscribe via iTunesEmail: the_spoon_radio@yahoo.com Listen LIVE! Wednesdays at 7:00pm PST on TMV Cafe

MOSTLY HARMLESS LIVE: "HOLIDAYS FROM HELL!" Guests include Bree Davies (Welcome To Rock Island Podcast, Denver Westword), Comedian Kevin O'Brien (These Things Matter Podcast) & musical guest: Jack's Smirking Revenge (Alex Pelissero)! Recorded in front of a "studio" audience at Mutiny Information Cafe in Denver! This episode is brought to you by Ratio Beerworks!  In this month's live episode, Damian drinks too much while the gang discuss horrible holidays past, the joys of retail and MORE! The gang also play a fun and filthy game of Mad Libs!This live event features a solo set with Alex Pelissero as Jack's Smirking Revenge!

Old man ponders the big questions, When are you old, Pants & Smirking dogs

--{ Fear Tactics Working--Elites Smirking: "World Rulers Fearfully Praying People Stay Oblivious to the Spraying, Dying of Allergies, Intensified Fears, Though They've been Sprayed Over Ten Years With Metallic Particles Suggested by Teller, H-Bomb Inventor, Scientific Feller, In Conjunction with HAARP, He did Find Could Make Populations Pliable, Dull of Mind, Easily Led in Confused Disorder Into Regimented New World Order, Punch-drunk with Crises, We've Become Accepting of Tyranny Since 2001, Those Still Conscious Notice Lately All This Horror Under 'Peace and Safety' " © Alan Watt }-- Daily Aerial Spraying, Sky Photographs, Polymer Mush, Metallic Particles in Atmosphere - Sudden Rise in Mystery Illnesses, Allergies, Autism, Asthma - Bacterial-Viral Warfare. Global Warming/Climate Change Excuse - Media Newscasters - New Feudal System, More Sophisticated Slavery - Voting for P.R. Images. Headline Conclusion - BBC-British Propaganda - Stampeding the Herd - U.K. Mental Health Poll, "Culture of Fear" - Pavlov, Russian Schools. Tidy Planet, Plato - CCTV Surveillance, Thoughtcrime - Fear of Crime (Falling Rates), Perception - Statistic Offices, Anxiety Disorders - Monsanto, GM Food in Canada. Right to Vote in "Democracy", Legal Contract - Toronto Amalgamation Vote - Ireland, Lisbon Treaty Vote, EU Diplomatic Corps. - Managerial Dictatorship, Parallel Government. Existence, Needing "Purpose" to Live (Serving World State). Piracy Nonsense, Pillaged Seas, Fishing Fleets. Freemasonry, Serpent Eating Tail, Higher Noble Orders - Selection Process, Degrees - Albert Pike, "Morals and Dogma" book - Obedience of Superiors' Orders - Neoplatonism. (Articles: ["Rise in multiple allergy patients" by Sue Emmett (news.bbc.co.uk) - April 14, 2009.] ["UK society 'increasingly fearful' " (news.bbc.co.uk) - April 13, 2009.] ["EU trains a new diplomatic corps - without waiting for Lisbon Treaty" by Bruno Waterfield (telegraph.co.uk) - April 12, 2009.] ["Analysis: Somalia Piracy Began in Response to Illegal Fishing and Toxic Dumping by Western Ships off Somali Coast" by Amy Goodman (democracynow.org) - April 14, 2009.] ["Bouncers hired to control classes in school because they're cheaper than supply teachers" by Mark Ellis (mirror.co.uk) - April 13, 2009.]) *Title/Poem and Dialogue Copyrighted Alan Watt - April 14, 2009 (Exempting Music, Literary Quotes, and Callers' Comments)