Podcasts about Spring

If you've ever said, "My metabolism must be broken," this episode is your permission slip to stop blaming yourself. Because here's the truth: Your metabolism isn't broken. It's underfed, overtrained, and over the old diet games. In this Fit Girl Magic podcast episode, I'm breaking down why years of "doing it right" eventually backfire for women over 40 and why pushing harder is usually the exact thing keeping you stuck. We're talking about metabolic seasons and why fat loss isn't a year-round sport. I walk you through the four outcomes of my latest quiz and what your body is actually asking for right now, without another meal plan, reset, or January panic spiral. Inside this episode, you'll learn: Why being too good at dieting is often the real problem How under-eating and over-training quietly stall your metabolism Why fat loss works best when you stop chasing it The difference between restoring, refining, revealing, and rebuilding How muscle changes your shape, confidence, and long-term results Why maintenance isn't failure—and when it's time to move on from it I also explain why: Eating more can be the smartest next move Doing less can actually create more progress And why no one gets bonus points for suffering If you're tired of guessing, starting over every January, or feeling like your body stopped responding… this episode will help you make sense of where you are and what to do next.

Conversation with Jessica Cudnik starts at 2:20. California Spring Trials 2026: March 24-27 (Days and time may vary by location.) https://caspringtrials.us/ Tech On Demand host (and 20-year trials veteran) Bill Calkins collaborated with California Spring Trials registration managers at National Garden Bureau to produce a series of podcasts featuring representatives from just about every exhibiting company in an effort to get you excited about the iconic industry event and some of the new plant introductions you'll see on display in spring of 2026. California Spring Trials is the horticulture industry's “fashion week” and with more than two dozen participating companies bringing hundreds of new plants to market for 2027 and beyond, opportunities to get inspired and plan new additions to your crop mix abound! Registration for this annual even is essential to help hosts create an amazing, customized experience for all attendees. REGISTER FOR CAST 2026 NOW AT https://caspringtrials.us/. You'll also find a trip planner, location information and more. Be sure to schedule plenty of time at each stop and with each exhibiting company!

Conversation with Mike Annes starts at 2:20. California Spring Trials 2026: March 24-27 (Days and time may vary by location.) https://caspringtrials.us/ Tech On Demand host (and 20-year trials veteran) Bill Calkins collaborated with California Spring Trials registration managers at National Garden Bureau to produce a series of podcasts featuring representatives from just about every exhibiting company in an effort to get you excited about the iconic industry event and some of the new plant introductions you'll see on display in spring of 2026. California Spring Trials is the horticulture industry's “fashion week” and with more than two dozen participating companies bringing hundreds of new plants to market for 2027 and beyond, opportunities to get inspired and plan new additions to your crop mix abound! Registration for this annual even is essential to help hosts create an amazing, customized experience for all attendees. REGISTER FOR CAST 2026 NOW AT https://caspringtrials.us/. You'll also find a trip planner, location information and more. Be sure to schedule plenty of time at each stop and with each exhibiting company!

0:00: Justin talks about diving into the Kingdom experience while Helen’s just ready to talk about the news that happened over the past two weeks. A good amount of news happened! News 5:17: The two hosts discuss two pieces of AI dubbing news, one involving voice actors in Japan, and the other one intending to use AI in anime production and needless to say, it’s not looking great! 10:12: Both Helen and Justin wonder about TOHO and how big a player they’ll become in the anime industry following their acquisition of Anime Limited from PLAION PICTURES. 14:03: So yes, unless an actual acquisition happens, it’s safe to say TheOASG Podcast will not talk about Warner Bros. Discovery unless a deal actually goes through or is stopped after Paramount’s hostile bid was, in the end, rejected; If you’ve been watching certain anime for free with ads on Crunchyroll, you won’t be doing so anymore in 2026, as they’re going to end their free ad-supported service. 18:53: Ammitsu’s Gazing at the Star Next Door's on hiatus until Spring as the creator preps the new arc; Rumi Ichinohe’s I See Your Face, Turned Away recently seemed to come back after a long hiatus, and it’s gonna end in the next chapter; and Boichi’s The Marshal King will go on hiatus for an undisclosed reason. 22:17: Also sort of weird — after a long time, Yona of the Dawn, which just saw its manga end, announced there will be a sequel to the anime. Sure took its time! 26:05: And in final news of the episode, the two hosts send their condolences to the friends and family of long-time voice actor voice actor Tomomichi Nishimura, who died on November 29 at 79. Licenses 28:08: US companies had to end the year with some licenses, and we got a decent amount, starting with Yen Press: Chika Tōjō's Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury—Vanadis Heart Ema Okadachi, otori, & Kou Kusaka's A Timid Lady was Turned into an Ugly Cat, but on the Verge of Fainting Is Picked Up by the Most Fearsome Military Duke Chitose Kaido's Thank You for Taking Care of Our Boy Banri Yūya Sakamoto's The Daughter of the Demon Lord is Too Kind! Rocket Shokai, Natsumi Inoue, Gakuto Coda, &, MEPHISTO's Sentenced to Be a Hero manga Toshiya Miyata's Melody of the Boundary Honda's Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san released as a Complete Omnibus Konosuba – God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! TRPG Advanced Rule Book tabletop companion book New Yen Audio titles: Asato Asato’s 86–EIGHTY-SIX Alter.1: The Reaper’s Occasional Adolescence and Akumi Agitogi’s The Bubble Love of the Mermaid 31:37: And then TOKYOPOP: cojomo's Kyo Aizawa Doesn’t Laugh Akiko Kawano's The Villainess' Bride Tōko Amekawa, Sora Gōto, & Meiji Anno's Reincarnated in a Mafia Dating Sim LN Nanae Chrono's Vassalord (2-in-1 omnibus paperback and hardcover edition) Will release Misaki & Momochi’s A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation in 3-in-1 omnibus volumes 33:36: And then Seven Seas, who concluded their Wonderful Wednesdays this year with the following announcements: Akari Tsuchihashi's Flirting with my Bear-like Boyfriend (Steamship) Aira Yao & Umashi's Slime Saint Sasami Nitori’s Wonder Cats Natsue Shiomi & Daichi Matsuse's I Wish I Could Meet You Again on the Hill Where That Flower Blooms manga Ei Tozaki's Follow that Kiss Tsukamu Yoriwake's Nemu the Corpse Bearer 35:37: Meanwhile, a couple exclusive announcements of the following Titan Manga series were on ANN: Yokusaru Shibata’s Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider Yūnagi’s School for Wizards Old Enough to Learn Magic Paneguma’s The Assassin Laughs at Twilight Sakyuu Tottori’s Have Fun! It’s the End of the World!  rarutori, Ciavis, & Kō Narita’s High Elf with a Long Life manga Mizunomoto’s When I Was Reincarnated in Another World, I Was a Heroine and He Was a Hero The two then get into discussing which title they prefer that was translated into English: Modern Villainess: It’s Not Easy Building a Corporate Empire Before the Crash or It’s a Little Hard to be a Villainess of an Otome Game in Modern Society. 39:23: We have One Peace Books announcing exclusively on Behind the Manga the following new titles: Senya Mihagi, jaguchi, & Sato Pote’s Lockdown Life with the Class Beauty, Teika, Waka Sanada, & Hamu’s The Delinquent Girl Beside Me Suddenly Dyed Her Hair Black?!, and tera, Hayate Asakura, & Tetta’s The Villainess Who Came to Marry Into the Frontier Noble’s Household Is an Exceptionally Capable Wife, Isn’t She?; Hanashi Media announced a brand new license for their LN line; and Inoue’s #Gal x Gal Yuri manga is now on VIZ Manga. Streaming News 41:16: Part 2 of Rivals of the Great Detective Collection will drop on New Year’s Day, which means Justin has to be hyped about more Detective Conan. He also gets into the final Conan Cinema Saturdays movies, which will end January 3 with the first movie in the long-running franchise. 45:29: Helen then goes out of her way to talk about the Hatsune Miku anime film being the final bit of streaming news this week, only for Justin to remind her that she didn’t talk about Magic Kaito 1412 getting a dub on an obscure service (45:45). Cue much discussion that leads to somehow bringing up Conan, Yaiba, and Kaito Kid in a Cinematic Universe! Weird News 47:27: Helen goes over the strange situation involving physical copies of Higurashi: When They Cry Hou – Hou + having malware, which had MangaGamer having to recall it from stores. 49:50: Now it’s officially official: GAINAX is dead; the Naruto franchise is getting a Konoha land theme park in France; meanwhile a burger chain in Texas now has a Spy x Family burger for people to eat. 56:31: And final weird news for 2025, manga getting an anime years after it ends is unusual but over the past couple years it hasn’t reached the levels of what Psyren and then Iron Wok Jan! have inspired now! Both hosts discuss this unusual trend and also go back in time as to how they each got into these manga respectively! Feel free to send questions or any comments you might have about this week's episode in the comments section below, to contact at theoasg dot com, or to our Twitter account (@TheOASG). TheOASG wishes everyone who celebrates it a Merry Christmas! The post TheOASG Podcast Episode 234: Conan Cinematic Universe appeared first on TheOASG.

Today we are running back the tapes with one of your favorite episodes from 2023! Enjoy this rerun and hope you are having a wonderful holiday season! As you grow into higher-end weddings, your ability to communicate with planners becomes just as important as your filmmaking or photography. In this episode, Taylor and Kelley break down the key shifts wedding creatives need to make to build trust, stay professional, and become planner favorites.In this episode, we cover:✅ How communication changes when planners are involved✅ Common mistakes to avoid when working with planners✅ How to be a respectful, proactive creative partner✅ When it's appropriate to contact the couple directly✅ How to position yourself for future planner referrals

Here's another oldie that's a goodie we're offering up as a replay with a freshly recorded introduction. In this episode, we dive into what makes a good birth attendant (doula, birthkeeper, midwife)? As a mother, how do I recognize one? Or, as an aspiring birthworker, how do I become one? Where can I learn to do this holy work? These questions and variations of, are things we hear often and have lead to some great conversations. These conversations sparked a project that we first revealed in this episode in the summer of 2023! Tune in to hear our thoughts, hearts and what we're offering to the birth world for women of faith who want to uphold God's design for birth. Mentioned in this episode:Hearthmother Journey: Raising the Next Generation of Holy Wild BirthkeepersGet on the first-to-know list for the Spring 2026 cohort (enrollment opens in February)

Conversation with Alicain Carlson starts at 2:20. California Spring Trials 2026: March 24-27 (Days and time may vary by location.) https://caspringtrials.us/ Tech On Demand host (and 20-year trials veteran) Bill Calkins collaborated with California Spring Trials registration managers at National Garden Bureau to produce a series of podcasts featuring representatives from just about every exhibiting company in an effort to get you excited about the iconic industry event and some of the new plant introductions you'll see on display in spring of 2026. California Spring Trials is the horticulture industry's “fashion week” and with more than two dozen participating companies bringing hundreds of new plants to market for 2027 and beyond, opportunities to get inspired and plan new additions to your crop mix abound! Registration for this annual even is essential to help hosts create an amazing, customized experience for all attendees. REGISTER FOR CAST 2026 NOW AT https://caspringtrials.us/. You'll also find a trip planner, location information and more. Be sure to schedule plenty of time at each stop and with each exhibiting company!

Conversation with Joe Messer starts at 2:20. California Spring Trials 2026: March 24-27 (Days and time may vary by location.) https://caspringtrials.us/ Tech On Demand host (and 20-year trials veteran) Bill Calkins collaborated with California Spring Trials registration managers at National Garden Bureau to produce a series of podcasts featuring representatives from just about every exhibiting company in an effort to get you excited about the iconic industry event and some of the new plant introductions you'll see on display in spring of 2026. California Spring Trials is the horticulture industry's “fashion week” and with more than two dozen participating companies bringing hundreds of new plants to market for 2027 and beyond, opportunities to get inspired and plan new additions to your crop mix abound! Registration for this annual even is essential to help hosts create an amazing, customized experience for all attendees. REGISTER FOR CAST 2026 NOW AT https://caspringtrials.us/. You'll also find a trip planner, location information and more. Be sure to schedule plenty of time at each stop and with each exhibiting company!

In this episode of The WAG Diaries, I'm breaking down something that felt impossible to ignore. In the days leading up to the launch of the WAG Winter Lock-In, I kept seeing angel numbers 222, 444, and 777. Not once. Not twice. Consistently. And instead of brushing it off, I realized something: Alignment always shows up before expansion. So in today's episode, we're decoding what these angel numbers actually mean, why they tend to appear when you're making big decisions or entering a new chapter, and how to use their messages to stay focused, disciplined, and grounded during a 90-day transformation. This episode isn't about superstition. It's about awareness, intention, and using symbolism as fuel. In this episode, we cover: What angel numbers really are (and what they are NOT) The meaning of 222 (alignment, trust, and staying committed to the process) The meaning of 444 (discipline, foundations, and long-term stability) The meaning of 777 (momentum, spiritual confirmation, and expansion) Why these numbers often appear right before personal breakthroughs How to use angel numbers as confirmation, not motivation How to stay grounded and avoid spiritual bypassing Practical ways to anchor your mindset during the WAG Winter Lock-In How alignment + action create real transformation If you're starting the WAG Winter Lock-In, this episode will help you: Stay committed when motivation fades Trust the process instead of rushing results Build discipline without burning out Recognize when you're on the right path, even when things feel quiet This is your reminder that signs don't replace discipline, they reinforce it. Alignment is the signal. Action is the requirement. And if you've been seeing repeating numbers lately, this episode will help you understand what they're asking of you and how to respond like the woman you're becoming. Winter is for building. Spring is for blooming. Let's lock in.   In this episode of The WAG Diaries, Victoria officially launches the WAG Winter Lock-In, a 12-week (90-day) transformation sprint designed to help you step into your most elevated self across the three WAG pillars: Wealth, Abundance, and Glow. While everyone else is waiting for January 1st to start making resolutions they won't keep, the 11:11 Girls are choosing to start preparing for their transformation now. This episode breaks down why winter is the most powerful season for transformation. Fewer distractions, more focus, and the perfect environment to build in silence and emerge unstoppable by spring. Victoria walks you through exactly what the WAG Winter Lock-In is, how it's structured, and how to set goals that actually change your life. Not surface-level resolutions, but identity-shifting commitments. She also shares her personal 90-day goals, including saving aggressively while living elevated, releasing 25 pounds, building a new income stream, prioritizing rest, consistency, and fully upgrading her glow from the inside out. You'll learn: Why real transformation doesn't start on January 1st, it starts the moment you decide How to use winter to build momentum instead of falling off How to set aligned, measurable goals across Wealth, Abundance, and Glow Why discipline, consistency, and community are the real glow-up How the WAG Winter Lock-In will be supported through weekly podcast check-ins, daily accountability, and the 11:11 Girls community This episode is your invitation to lock in and to stop talking about becoming her and actually do the work. Because the woman you want to be isn't coming magically. She's built through 90 days of intentional action. This isn't a New Year's resolution. This is a complete transformation. Winter is for building. Spring is for blooming. And the WAG Winter Lock-In is your blueprint.   CONNECT: Instagram (Personal): @byvictorianicole Instagram (Podcast): @thewagdiariespodcast TikTok: @byvictorianicole Linktree: linktr.ee/byvictorianicole   Subscribe to The WAG Diaries so you never miss an episode! Apple Podcasts | Spotify 

Welcome to another powerful Sabbath Lounge interview! In this episode, we sit down with Matthew Martin to discuss his new Torah-focused community website designed to unite—not divide—Torah followers worldwide.   https://wholebiblecommunity.com/   This new platform allows Torah believers to: Find fellowships and local communities Connect with like-minded Torah followers Discover Torah-friendly goods and services Build real unity across the global Torah and Whole Bible community Unlike many online spaces, this platform is not a place for arguments or division, but a place for connection, encouragement, and shared faith rooted in the entire Bible. Coming Soon: The website will transition into a mobile app launching in Spring 2026, making it even easier to connect with Torah followers around the world. Be sure to check out Sabbath Lounge for more interviews, discussions, and topics focused on: Torah observance Sabbath and Feast Days Whole Bible faith Community, unity, and discipleship Like, subscribe, and share to help grow a united Torah community worldwide!   www.sabbathlounge.com    https://linktr.ee/Sabbathlounge   #sabbathlounge  #Torahfollowers #Torahcommunity #Torahinterview #MatthewMartininterview #Torahfellowship #Torahbelievers #WholeBiblecommunity #Torahobservance #KeepingTorah #Sabbathkeepers #Biblicalcommunity #Torahnetwork #MessianicTorah #Biblebelievingcommunity #Torahunity #Faithbasedcommunity #Torahwebsite #FindTorahfellowship #Torahgoodsandservices #biblicalunity  Music courtesy of a paid Canva Account  Your Colors (inst) Erloom ft Shanice Antonia Content found in 0:00 - 0:2344:27 - 44:49 Content type  Audio Claimants ORFIUM (HEXACORP LTD) on behalf of Audiosocket

Tue, Dec 23 2:48 PM → 4:42 PM CLEAR SPRING RD 1223 84228 Radio Systems: - Hennepin County MN West Armer

Join Dan Vega and DaShaun Carter for the Season 4 finale of Spring Office Hours! In this special episode, the hosts look back on an incredible year in the Spring ecosystem. They'll revisit their 2025 predictions from Episode 1, did they nail it or miss the mark? From the release of JDK 24 and 25 to Spring Boot 4, Spring Framework 7, and Spring AI reaching GA, it's been a landmark year. The guys will also reflect on 35 episodes of great conversations, conference highlights from JavaOne to SpringOne, and celebrate the community that made it all possible. You can participate in our live stream to ask questions or catch the replay on your preferred podcast platform.

The end of March wraps the forest in a subtle, expectant atmosphere. The back of winter has been broken, and the air smells of the damp forest and the awakening earth.A deep, restful stillness prevails in the woods. The rain has just ceased, but its traces still linger in the branches: the rain-drenched trees are heavy with droplets that fall softly onto the moss and sodden leaves. The scent is fragrant.In the midst of this peaceful dripping, a long-awaited sound rings out. A blackbird has returned from its migration and chosen a tall birch in its home forest as its singing perch. Its flute-like, rich, and slightly melancholic song fills the calm moment.The song does not break the peace, but rather deepens it. It is a promise of the coming spring.

We're headed on the road in Spring 2026! Buy tickets here:https://www.x1entertainment.com/bttb"JOJO! HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING!?!?!" might be an iconic TikTok sound now, but a decade ago it was just another Tuesday for Abby. Speaking of iconic tho, we have both our bitches under the same roof today! Our sound unfortunately got a little too noisy in the process and we're sorry about that, but hopefully a Producer's Notes heavy episode filled with never before seen fights and even some espionage will more than make up for it! It's the last stop before the ALDC arrives in LA, how much drama can we fit in there!?This week's group dance is based off of the Disney movie Frozen, and it's never been clearer than ever that Dance Moms has become an institution because what competition would ever allow you to bring your own fake snow? That's what money and fame gets you! What it doesn't get you is any sense of ease as Jess and JoJo are finding out quickly as Abby quickly turns on them. It was one thing when JoJo was just getting sassy with Abby, but adjusting to the abnormal ALDC scheduling doesn't give JoJo enough time to learn her new dance and Abby seems prepped to force the newcomer out.Jill and Holly's fears their daughters won't receive the same red carpet treatment as the Zieglers are all but confirmed when Abby announces Maddie has picked up a gig on the Disney Channel show Austin & Ally. Abby protests that the producers asked for Maddie specifically, but realistically they wouldn't have done that had Abby not spent the past few years elevating Maddies above all else.But Abby has bigger things to worry about when it comes to Maddie after this week's competition bumps Maddie into the Teen Division, which moves up the group dance into the Teen category as well. Will the ALDC be able to compete and pull of a victory before the LA move against stiffer competition?Quotes“This is literally Ed Gein teaches dance at the ALDC. There's gotta be 100 skulls on that necklace. Again, Ed Gein in the nipple belt = Abby Lee Miller in the skull necklace." (16:41-16:51 | Christi & Kelly)“That's kind of shady and I'm kind of here for it" (17:40-17:43 | Christi)“Now Melissa is calling out a kid? This is such chaos. They need us to be the moral compass in this room Kelly!" (40:49-31:31 | Christi)“Girl, that's a felony and a contradiction." (1:18:07-1:18:10 | Christi)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SEASON 4 FINALE!For the final episode of the year, I'm looking back at some of the most talked-about doll releases of 2025 — the good, the bad, and the truly baffling.

Conversation with Dwight Deppen starts at 2:20. California Spring Trials 2026: March 24-27 (Days and time may vary by location.) https://caspringtrials.us/ Tech On Demand host (and 20-year trials veteran) Bill Calkins collaborated with California Spring Trials registration managers at National Garden Bureau to produce a series of podcasts featuring representatives from just about every exhibiting company in an effort to get you excited about the iconic industry event and some of the new plant introductions you'll see on display in spring of 2026. California Spring Trials is the horticulture industry's “fashion week” and with more than two dozen participating companies bringing hundreds of new plants to market for 2027 and beyond, opportunities to get inspired and plan new additions to your crop mix abound! Registration for this annual even is essential to help hosts create an amazing, customized experience for all attendees. REGISTER FOR CAST 2026 NOW AT https://caspringtrials.us/. You'll also find a trip planner, location information and more. Be sure to schedule plenty of time at each stop and with each exhibiting company!

Conversation with Kathy McKay starts at 2:20. California Spring Trials 2026: March 24-27 (Days and time may vary by location.) https://caspringtrials.us/ Tech On Demand host (and 20-year trials veteran) Bill Calkins collaborated with California Spring Trials registration managers at National Garden Bureau to produce a series of podcasts featuring representatives from just about every exhibiting company in an effort to get you excited about the iconic industry event and some of the new plant introductions you'll see on display in spring of 2026. California Spring Trials is the horticulture industry's “fashion week” and with more than two dozen participating companies bringing hundreds of new plants to market for 2027 and beyond, opportunities to get inspired and plan new additions to your crop mix abound! Registration for this annual even is essential to help hosts create an amazing, customized experience for all attendees. REGISTER FOR CAST 2026 NOW AT https://caspringtrials.us/. You'll also find a trip planner, location information and more. Be sure to schedule plenty of time at each stop and with each exhibiting company!

True North Country Comics Podcast chats with Andy Brown about Conundrum Press offerings planned for spring 2026 The post Andy Brown reveals Conundrum’s spring 2026 lineup appeared first on True North Country Comics.

Christmas is here, and after a brief hiatus due to a hectic workload, Chris Fernandez-Packham returns with the traditional festive special. This year, we raise a glass to the Victorian origins of the cocktail—a “Golden Age” of social and technological evolution that saw the transition from traditional British punches to the precision of the American “sensation-drink”. From the “Ice King” who shipped New England ponds to Calcutta to the middle-class women of Chicago claiming public spaces one Manhattan at a time, we explore how spirits, science, and social change collided. We conclude, as always, with a classic Victorian ghost story: The Shadow in the Corner by M. E. Braddon. Key Topics Covered: The Original Manuals: Comparing Jerry Thomas's legendary Bar-Tender's Guide (1862) with the defensive British response in Drinking Cups & Their Custom (1869). The Science of Bitters: The medicinal origins and industrialization of Angostura and Peychaud's bitters. Technological Breakthroughs: How the Coffey Still revolutionized spirit consistency and Frederic Tudor created the global ice trade. Cocktails and Gender: The role of the cocktail in helping middle-class women claim public spaces in 19th-century Chicago tea rooms. New Orleans Chemistry: The multicultural melting pot that gave us the Sazerac, the Absinthe Frappé, and the labor-intensive Ramos Gin Fizz. Royal Habits: Queen Victoria's daily Scotch-and-wine habit and her curious refusal to use ice. Festive Ghost Story: A reading and analysis of The Shadow in the Corner by M. E. Braddon. Works Cited & Sources: Jerry Thomas: The Bar-Tender’s Guide / How to Mix Drinks. Henry Porter & George Roberts: Drinking Cups & Their Custom (1869). Emily A. Remus: “Tippling Ladies and the Making of Consumer Culture” (The Journal of American History). Angostura Bitters: “Our Story”. https://angosturabitters.com/our-story/ Scotch Whisky Magazine: “Whisky Heroes: Aeneas Coffey”. Statista: “U.S. Alcohol Consumption Per Person”. Big Edition: “Queen Victoria's Food Habits”. Smithsonian Magazine: “Did New Orleans Invent the Cocktail?”. “A Brief History of Ice.” The Alcohol Professor, 19 Mar. 2018, www.alcoholprofessor.com/blog-posts/blog/2018/03/19/a-brief-history-of-ice. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025. “Commercial Ice – Cambridge Historical Society.” History Cambridge, historycambridge.org/innovation/Ice.html. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025. “Planning and Control in the 19th Century Ice Trade.” Accounting Historians Journal, vol. 11, no. 1, Spring 1984, egrove.olemiss.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1196&context=aah_journal. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025. The Ice King: https://fee.org/articles/frederic-tudor-the-entrepreneur-who-brought-ice-to-calcutta/  Sazerac Recipe and History. New Orleans & Company, www.neworleans.com/drink/cocktails/sazerac/. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025. “The Sazerac Story.” The Sazerac Company, www.sazerac.com/our-company/our-story.html. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025. “What is a Coffey Still?” Whiskipedia, 22 May 2020, whiskipedia.com/fundamentals/what-is-a-coffey-still/. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025. The Emergence of New Orleans Cuisine.” The American Menu, 5 June 2024, www.theamericanmenu.com/2024/06/the-emergence-of-new-orleans-cuisine.html. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025. “History of Craft Cocktails in NOLA.” Where Y'at New Orleans, 20 Nov. 2024, www.whereyat.com/new-orleans-craft-cocktail-history. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025. “History of the Cocktail.” New Orleans & Company, www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/history/the-history-of-the-cocktail-and-new-orleans/. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025. The post Christmas special 2025: Anyone for cocktails? appeared first on AGE OF VICTORIA PODCAST.

MUSIC - Putney Dandridge - Santa Claus Came in the Spring (1935); Clarence Williams - Santa Claus Blues (1924); Bernie Cummins - I Told Santa Claus to Bring Me You (1937); Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Webb - Holiday in Harlem (1937); James P. Johnson - Snowy Morning Blues (1943); Fats Waller - Winter Weather (1941); Ozie Ware, Duke Ellington Hot Five - Santa Claus, Bring My Man Back (1928); Elzadie Robinson - Santa Claus Crave (1927).

These crispy Vietnamese spring rolls, or chả giò, are traditionally made filled with vermicelli noodles, wood ear mushrooms, pork and, sometimes, shrimp, though this can vary regionally. Chef Skylar Hanka from the Culinary Institute of America shows us how to make a vegetarian version, filled with tofu and vegetables. In Vietnam, these spring rolls are enjoyed as an appetizer, wrapped in lettuce and herbs before dipping in nước chấm. Get the Vegetarian Spring Rolls recipe here!

Elf on a Shelf: Part 1 Her stalker wasn't who she thought he was; Based on a post by LingeringAfterthought, in 3 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. Honey smiled at the long line of children waiting to see Santa, flipping her phone from Google Translate back to see the information of the next little girl in line, who was looking up at her somberly with large liquid brown eyes. In her small face was a familiar mixture of fear and hope. Wonder; it was wonder in her eyes, Honey thought. Unlike the tired and jaded adults, dutifully shifting their weight from foot to foot, holding overstuffed shopping bags and all the coats of their kids as they distracted themselves on their phones, the children got more and more excited as they drew near the man in the furry red suit with white trim. Honey loved working with the children; because like them, she sometimes could still see the magic. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Norman shift uncomfortably in the painted plywood throne made for him to sit with the children and discuss their good behavior and of the wishes that they hoped would come true. Even at age 62, Norman still saw the magic with his merry bright blue eyes, but it faded when his prostate pained him. When the photographer got the shot the parent wanted, Honey walked to where most of the long line could see her as Norman flashed her a look of worshipful gratitude. The adults' faces immediately fell, knowing what was coming. "I'm afraid Santa needs to take a quick break because apparently the reindeer have begun arguing again!" Norman put his gloved hands up to his real beard, pulled a comically dismayed face, jumped up from his throne, and ran off toward the restrooms. Honey shook her head mournfully and continued, "The reindeer were all practicing their Christmas carols when Comet and Cupid couldn't decide how many times Santa checks his list in Santa Claus is Coming to Town! Does anyone here remember how it goes?" she asked, scanning the line for people game enough to help. Honey scampered back and forth along the line trying to choose among the eager volunteers, her white-trimmed, pink fur skirt flaring out around her thighs, her long legs clad in sparkly curly-toed ruby slippers and candy cane swirl stockings catching the eyes of several fathers. Suddenly, she gasped listening carefully to her headset, "Nina?" she called out. "Comet and Cupid say they will only stop arguing if 'Nina' gives the answer. Is there a 'Nina' here today? Nina?" Honey looked around at the crowd carefully until the little girl with the big brown eyes, who had been quietly waiting 57 minutes in line, gathered the courage to raise her hand. "Oh! Are you Nina?" she asked, running over and crouching down near the girl. "We just adopted her; she only speaks Portuguese," the weary woman holding her hand said quietly. Honey gasped and smiled widely, "Voc fala portugu s Nina? Maravilhosa!" she said, watching the little girl's eyes brighten excitedly. "Voc pode me dizer quantas vezes o Papai Noel verifica sua lista?" she asked, holding her microphone out to the little girl. "Duas vezes!" Nina said confidently into the mic. Honey listened carefully to her headset, concentrating, "'Duas vezes' it is! They've stopped arguing!" she announced. "But now, they want us all to sing the song in Portuguese! Nina, voc vai me ajudar a ensin -los a m sica?" she asked. Nina nodded and slowly she and Honey taught the familiar song to the crowd in a new language. As always, a hush came on the crowd when Honey began to sing. Heads raised up from forgotten phones. Vague smiles drifted onto the turning heads of passers-by in the mall as they paused in their frenetic search for gifts. It wasn't so much that Honey's voice was beautiful, though it certainly was. It was more that when Honey sang, it seemed to make the things that didn't really matter melt away. To those that believed in such things, Honey's voice was magic. When she sang, people held their breath and didn't even miss the air. Honey closed her eyes as she sang next to Nina. It was a newly acquired habit. Though she had been taught to let her eyes slowly drift over the audience, letting them make a connection with each person as she sang, she didn't do that anymore. She knew he was out there. She felt his presence frequently as she worked, but it was only when she sang that he came out into the open. She couldn't hold her voice steady when she saw him watching her, so she closed her eyes and let the magic continue for the crowd. When the song ended, Honey opened her eyes as the crowd cheered, finding his powerful form immediately as if she had been commanded to look at him. Zach. He had changed a lot in the year since he brought his sister's children through the long Santa line, drawing her almost too-large dark blue eyes to him then, as easily as he did now. After bringing his nieces and nephews through the line, he'd gone home and brought all his neighbors' kids to see Santa in five more trips, watching her the entire time. He looked at her as if he'd never seen anything like her in the world, like he couldn't believe she was real. She had loved feeling his eyes on her then, hearing his voice. She had wanted to climb up in his lap, feel his large arms curled around her, whisper to him about how good she had been that year, and of how much she hoped he would make her wishes come true. Of course, all that was before he'd told her he wanted to kill her. Zach's face looked leaner now, though his body seemed even larger, if such a thing was possible. His brooding, deep-set eyes were not merry, as they had been when children climbed his tree-like body in her line last year. They weren't nervously soft and adoring of every part of her, as they had been at their candle-lit dinner. His eyes weren't rageful or insane as you might expect from someone visiting their object of murderous hate, but rather; they were tortured, trapped. Pain and quiet desperation had taken up restless residence in the windows to his soul. Honey knew she shouldn't look at him so much, but she just wished she could understand what she had done wrong. Once the line of children and parents had cleared, it was long past the official closing time. Honey cleaned up the display and prepared it for the next day while Norman took one last lingering trip to the restroom. Her phone showed numerous messages from work friends from her other job asking where she was. The firm had planned a Christmas party at Gatsby's, a gorgeous club worthy of F. Scott Fitzgerald's glamorous hero. It was also the place where Zach had taken her on their first and last date. The Gatsby's waiter had looked stunned and confused when she shakily ordered herself an "angel shot," the code-phrase used to quietly ask bartenders or wait staff for help when you felt threatened, but after his initial shock, the waiter immediately escorted her secretly to a taxi waiting outside before Zach returned to the table. Gatsby's had saved her life; but she didn't want to go back there. After avoiding call after call from Zach, she finally answered and politely asked him never to call her again. To her surprise, he didn't. He never spoke to her again. Unless she sang, she never even saw him, but she felt his presence almost everywhere. It felt like she was haunted by him; haunted by something wonderful and magical that, inexplicably, went horribly wrong. Her phone buzzed again, the display showing that the firm's senior partner wanted to FaceTime her. Steeling herself, she answered. "Honey Lane where in the hell; oh my god lookit you!" Aaron Timberman held the phone high above his head with his long ex-basketball-player arms and Honey saw a crowd of her co-workers crowd into the picture behind him. "Um, hi sir. Sorry I'm late to;" "You're an elf!" "Um, yeah. It's a volunteer thing;" "Wait, wait, wait; you have the shoes? You know, with the; toes?" he slurred, motioning his finger in a spiral motion. Honey bit her lips and tilted the camera down her body, showing her entire costume, tilting her foot to show off the curled toe. "I'm sorry it got late tonight, but I'll be there as soon as I can get home and get changed;" Timberman looked around at the crowd surrounding him, "Guys, do we wanna see Honey Lane here at the party in some boring old Anne Klein shit, or do we want the elf?" he yelled, pointing at the screen. Behind him, almost a dozen of her co-workers began chanting "Elf, Elf, Elf, Elf!" "Get yer ass over here, Elf," Timberman ordered, poking at his screen several times before effectively ending the call. A few minutes later, Norman finally came back from the restroom and gave Honey a ride over to Gatsby's in his red SUV bedecked with a bumper sticker that read, "My other car's a SLEIGH!" Honey hopped out after getting bits of advice from Norman that would have been appropriate several decades ago. With flaming cheeks, she brushed the furry white pompom from her hat out of her face and told the smirking ma tre d which party she wanted, sighing when he grinned widely and escorted her through the middle of the main dining area, much to her horror. When the doors to the party room opened and she was greeted by another round of "Elf, Elf, Elf, Elf," she didn't feel much better. She was starving, so she headed over to the buffet and began loading up a plate with delicious-looking things on ice in shot glasses, impaled on sticks, or immersed in flames. She just spied a quiet table in a dark corner and was winding her way toward it to it to scarf down her only food since breakfast before she could be drawn into a drunken debate. That was the plan, anyway. "Hunnybaby! Lookit you! C'mon we gotta dance!" Lee James slurred to her fur-trimmed tits. With a sigh, she smiled and laid her plate down on a nearby table, promising to herself that she would eat right after enduring a dance with the favored junior partner. Unfortunately, after Lee angled her awkwardly around the dance floor, they'd drawn so much attention that everyone wanted to get pics of themselves toasting and dancing with the Christmas elf. At some point, she found herself in Timberman's arms with a glass of champagne in her hand. "Um; what?" she said, almost asking herself how she had gotten there. "I said you look lovely, tonight, Honey. Much better than in a shawl and sheath dress," he said, quickly twirling her around as they reached the edge of the dance floor. "Twirling makes my skirt go up; I'm dizzy," she murmured. A familiar dark figure flashed in the background and disappeared as Timberman turned her again. She looked around, trying to find the figure again, but she couldn't see him anywhere. Why was he there? Had she been singing again? "Well, I'll make sure nobody twirls you, my dear," he said, twirling her and smiling as her skirt flew up her long candy-cane striped legs. "The wives wouldn't like it." "I like your wife's dress Mr. Timberman; looks warm. It covers her ass when she sits, too," she slurred, frowning in confusion at the dark red drink in her hand now. Zach was frowning, and then he just looked blurry again as she swirled around. Maybe swirling made it harder for him to kill her. Why did he want to kill her? It just wasn't fair. Timberman leaned down and dipped her, "I'll make sure to give her your compliments. You know, if you like what wives wear, you should consider getting married. Lee is quite taken with you, you know," he said, stroking his hand against the soft pink velvet of her dress. Honey found herself drifting away and wandering inside her head again, thinking about Lee; he was handsome in an overly-polished way, said funny things, but they always sounded a little mean, like he wanted to be the only one laughing; and he also took her away from the food plate that just floated by on a table. It was still full. She should have eaten that food. What time was it? "He likes my boobs; and he doesn't want to kill me," she agreed eventually, surprised to find that Timberman was gone and she was dancing with Lee James again. "Well, I can't blame him for that; they're fucking perfect; just like everything else. I'm gonna come on them after you suck me off; he murmured, pulling her closer against him. "Let me take you home, Honey; penthouse view of the city; "Umm; no, that's not home; I live in the; railroad place; with the trains?" Honey explained, pointing in what she thought was the direction of the Lowertown Commons. Why did every guy think she lived with them tonight? "Sounds charming, Eliza Doolittle; you should trade up. You don't know how much I'd love twist your arms back and fuck this ass wide open over my balcony tonight," he said, reaching his hand under her skirt and greedily squeezing her bottom. "You'd like that, wouldn't you Honey? I can tell; Lee whispered, his cologne invading her head and making her queasy. "I feel sick; Honey whimpered and staggered away, trying to find the quiet table where the food was that would make her less drunk. The dance floor was confusing, though, always turning around and thumping and flashing. She leaned against a pillar until she got a better sense of where she was. She liked the pillar. It was big and strong; and it stroked her hair. "Honey; wake up, Honey. Open your mouth. You need to take these," the vaguely familiar voice said, cutting through the sleep that had been blocking out some of the pain she felt everywhere. She obediently opened her mouth and the hand put two caplets on her tongue. A water bottle squirted a little cool liquid into her mouth until she moaned and sucked harder, desperate for more. "Not too much. Wait until you can hold that down. I'll give you more in a bit. You don't want that IV back, do you?" "Nuh" Honey groaned. She hated needles. Sure, just about every part of her body hurt more than a needle did, right now, but somehow needle pain felt personal. Like with Zach. He didn't seem like someone who went around wanting to choke everybody; just her. She was nobody special; just a simple girl who kept lawyers organized and tried to be nice. Then, someone wonderful like Zach thought she needed to die. That hurt. Something about her made him go from being tender and intensely loving to someone who; it just didn't make sense. What did she do? Mercifully, sleep faded the pain and clouded her thoughts. Voices below her intruded into a wonderful dream where she was bouncing on clouds. Though not in the same room, the voices seemed strangely clear. "I can't; Terry, she cries when I do that," the pills voice said, making her eyes fly open. She knew that voice. She hadn't heard it for a year, but she would never forget it. Her body reacted with a confused mix of emotions, her cheeks flushing and adrenaline searing a path all through her at the same time. "That's because it hurts her. You know what hurts more? Bedsores. Man up. Use the pillows to prop her weight against the parts that aren't hurt on whichever side. It's either this, or she goes back to the hospital, and I have it on good authority you won't be allowed to visit after what happened." "She was screaming; Zach gritted. "Yeah, well they were putting her shoulder back in. People scream. That still doesn't excuse what you did. Since when did you become such a pussy about pain?" Terry asked. "since her." "oh my god." "Shut up," Zach grunted. "Oh my god; "Yeah, that's not shutting up." "The great Z-dog has been taken down;" "Shut up, maggot, it's not like that. I'm just taking care of h;" "By a little bitty pink Christmas elf; Terry laughed. There was a scuffling sound and then a loud whoomp and a forceful exhalation of air. "So, I turn her every few hours until she can do it for herself?" Zach asked, casually. "Yes, sir," Terry choked. "Anything else?" "Clear liquids until she can hold stuff down. Talk to her. Ask her questions. If she seems disoriented or part of her face goes slack, she goes back to the hospital. Don't fuck around." "Got it. Are you squared away, or do we need to discuss this further?" "Squared away, sir," Terry choked, then gasped in relief, panting faintly. "Jesus Christ, you haven't lost your touch. We on for the hump tomorrow at 0 500?" "No. I'm gonna stick close here until she's;" "Got it. Hey, maybe they have those Baby Bjorn things in elf-size. Then, you could just strap her onto your ba; ow! ow! ow, ow, ow!" "You weren't particularly attached to the rest of that sentence, were you, maggot?" Zach growled. "Sir, no sir; Terry squeaked. "I didn't think so. You'll be back here Wednesday," Zach stated, more as an order than a question. "Yeah, if you want me to. Honestly, right now she just needs rest and TLC more than a medic. That stands for 'tender loving care' by the way, not;" "You were just going," Zach said, as the voices moved to another end of the room below her. "Hey, you wanna know what makes an elf's toes curl up like tha;" Terry asked, his question cut off by the slamming of the door. Honey listened, trembling and terrified as Zach paced the floor below her. Though his voice hadn't changed, he sounded nothing like the man that had wooed her so tenderly a year ago. He sounded dangerous, brutal even. He definitely sounded like the kind of person that went around wanting to choke everyone, she thought, strangely relieved that her heartbreak felt a little less personal. How could she have been so wrong in her impression of him? She looked around the room, understanding now how the voices had reached her so easily. She was in an open industrial loft bedroom that opened onto the main floor below. Looking around, she realized she must be in Zach's huge bed, though if the crisply made side next to her was any indication, he hadn't been sleeping in it with her. Looking down her body, she gasped quietly. Her left arm was in a sling strapped to her chest, her legs were covered in bruises, and the right leg that was being stabbed with an invisible knife right now, was wrapped up in an air cast boot. What had happened to her? The last thing she remembered was feeling sick as she tried to get away from Lee's groping hands on the dance floor. After that; nothing. How did she get here? A beeping noise sounded below and Zach walked across the room to what sounded like a kitchen. The sound of water being poured into a cup, the ringing of a spoon stirring it, a pill bottle being opened. Honey shivered, realizing he was probably coming up to her, soon. She closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing, feigning sleep. Steps ascending to the loft bedroom. Ankle stabbing, stab, stab, stab, stab with every panicked heartbeat. A tray went down on the nightstand next to her. A chair across the room was lifted and set down by the bed. Honey told herself to breathe slowly, willing the tears welling behind her lids not to leak out of her eyes. He would leave her alone if she was sleeping, wouldn't he? "You're not sleeping," Zach's voice stated, quietly, and her stomach clenched in fear. "You've been waking up for these pills every four hours like a junkie. I know you don't want to talk to me, Honey, but until you're squared away, you're gonna have to. So, cut the crap, open your eyes, and let's get this done." Honey opened her eyes to see his grim face looking down at her. With one blink, large tears rolled down her pale cheeks, and Zach's jaw set angrily. Sitting down in the chair, he put his elbows on his knees and leaned his massive shoulders forward, looking at her. His hands looked like they could crush rocks as he gripped them together. "Let's get some things straight. I don't know what you think you know about me, but acting like I'm some kind of psycho is pretty shitty. You want nothing of me, that's fine, but you're hurt because you screamed and flung yourself down some stairs rather than let me help you to an Uber. You're staying here until you're well, because some shithead at that party gave you enough roofies to be in a coma for almost 3 days and I'm not dragging my ass to that rat trap of yours in the Commons every day to make sure they don't come back while you're weak. Are we clear?" he asked. Honey swallowed and nodded, wincing at the pain in her neck and head. That just seemed to make Zach angrier. "While you are here, you will do as you're told. You will eat what you get, and you will not complain. You see these, here?" he said, holding up the magic caplets that made everything better. "These are the last ones you're getting. I'm switching you to ibuprofen and Tylenol because, unchecked, this Sackler shit will fuck you up for good and that's not happening on my watch. Do you understand?" he asked. "Yes," Honey whispered. At the sound of her voice, Zach's mouth twitched, but at least he didn't look as angry as when she'd nodded and winced. "You will follow your doctor's orders to the last goddamn word. You will rest. You will do your therapy. You will let me help you and you will ask me for what you need because I am not a fucking mind reader. And so help me, if you do anything stupid like get out of that bed without me here to help you, or push yourself away from me like you did at Gatsby's, or any other drama shit that hurts even one hair on that head again, I will personally make you regret you were ever born." "Yes, Zach," Honey breathed, confused. Two more tears rolled down her cheeks. Without thinking, she leaned over to wipe them off on her shoulder and cried out in pain. Zach squeezed his clenched hands together and several of his knuckles cracked. "You don't use my name. You don't get to use my name. You're not getting under my skin again, you hear me?" Zach growled, using his rough knuckle to wipe her tears. "Orders a fucking angel shot in my own fucking club; fuck you. I don't have a name, you don't have a name. You're nothing to me. Understand?" "Yes, sir," she whispered. Honey leaned forward and took the last spoonful of broth into her mouth and swallowed, looking longingly at the noodles at the bottom of the cup. Zach caught a drop of broth at the bottom of her lower lip with the spoon and returned it to her mouth. "No," he said, seeing where her eyes lingered. "I can do it," she pleaded. "Please; I haven't had anything solid since; how long has it been?" "I said, no. You throw up on another pair of my skivvies and I'll be doing laundry twice a week," Zach said, dabbing her mouth with a paper towel. "Why do I have to wear your boxer briefs anyway? They feel weird. They have this hole-flap thing; and there are some places that aren't supposed to feel a breeze," Honey said, lifting the blanket to look down at his underwear loosely covering her hips. "Are you complaining?" he asked quietly. Honey's eyes darted quickly to his face, "No sir," she murmured, looking down at her lap. "I just thought if I had some of my things here, you wouldn't have to do the laundry so much." "I'll worry about what I have to do, Honey," he said, unthinkingly using her name. Startled, she looked up to see his eyes wandering over her, his massive t-shirt sleeves going down past her elbows. She felt ridiculous and disheveled, but something about the way he looked at her made her hold her breath. Then, without another word, he slurped the noodles out of the cup and took the tray downstairs. After that, the two settled into a quiet routine of him feeding her, giving her medicine, and watching her sleep most of the day. She would sometimes awaken to the soft repetitive sounds of him running on a treadmill, or the clinking of him lifting weights downstairs where she couldn't see him. Then, he would go to the bathroom and shower. After his shower, he came upstairs again in his towel and took some clothes from his dresser before going back downstairs to change. Honey found herself looking forward to those few seconds each day, watching his droplet-covered torso twist as he leaned over his dresser. He frowned as he flipped through his carefully folded underwear. "You wearing the grey ones?" he asked, not looking at her. Honey peeked under the covers, "Um, yes sir," she replied. "I'm supposed to wear the grey ones today," he grumbled to himself. Honey didn't say anything. Zach was the one who picked out which underwear she wore today. He was the one who looked away while he painstakingly slipped the old ones off her hips and pulled the new ones over her boot and up her legs until her bottom was covered again. There was nothing about her life that wasn't chosen and executed by him. If he wasn't happy about the color of his underwear, that was his fault. Still, Zach kept rummaging around in his underwear drawer as if another crisply folded grey pair would somehow magically appear. Finally, rather than offend him by laughing, Honey spoke, "Um; you know, if they're clean, I could wear the pair I had on when I went to the hospital and you could have these. It would get you back on schedule; Zach lifted his head from the drawer and glared at her, as if he thought she was making fun of him. Honey held carefully still and shrugged her uninjured limb. She wasn't making fun, she just wanted to help. The movement caused the huge neckline to gape over to the side, revealing her bare shoulder. She waited as Zach stared impassively at her, the vein at his neck throbbing. After a long moment, he walked over and stood next to her, the tuck of his towel right next to her face. With every breath, she inhaled the scent of his wet body and the bar soap he used. A rivulet of water painstakingly slid from his chest and down his abdomen, until finally disappearing into the tightly twisted white cotton. Honey glanced up to see that he had been reading her face as she watched the droplet's progress. With a shaking breath, she blushed and pulled the covers higher with her good arm. With a twist of his mouth, Zach pulled the neckline back over her shoulder again and quickly left the room. That night, after leaving her with a video baby monitor watching her on the nightstand, Zach returned with a bag of her underwear and some of her nightgowns. After watching her excitedly sort through them, Zach pushed them aside and sat on the edge of the bed. "There were a bunch of boxes with tags on them in your living room. What's that about?" he asked. Honey's eyes dropped, "Oh; that's the charity gift thing for kids. You sign up and get them something they wished for and wrap it up so they can have something under the tree, when they wouldn't have something otherwise. It's nice, you know? I signed up for a bunch and I was supposed to wrap them and get them back to the law firm, but I guess; sorry kids," she trailed off. Looking furious, yet carefully impassive at the same time, Zach cursed under his breath and left again, returning with the packages and a huge stack of unused Styrofoam clamshells from Gatsby's, and dumped them on the bed next to her. For the next few hours, they "wrapped" the presents, Zach carefully fitting items into an appropriate-sized takeout box, and Honey trying to make them pretty with ribbons. As she watched him work, occasionally cursing under his breath, she found herself smiling at his frowning face when he was strategizing how to fit a basketball into three disassembled clamshells. "What are you laughing at?" he said, glaring when he caught her at it. "I wasn't laughing. I was smiling." "Why were you smiling, then?" he asked. "I guess; I just like you; sir," she said, glancing over at him. Honey saw a hopeful softness steal into Zach's eyes until he forcibly wrestled it down and a look of hooded sarcasm shaded them. "Yeah, well; fool me once," he sneered. Angry, Honey closed her eyes, blocking him out the only way she could. "You know, that's; that's not fair. Not after what you said; you scared me!" she said, frustrated that, once again, tears were rolling down her cheeks. Zach choked out a mirthless laugh, "I scared you? What did I say, Honey? What did I fucking say? God! I was on eggshells all night trying not to fuck it up with you and then you just; why? Those creeps you were dancing with at that party, those fucking 'nice guys' that drugged you, they were saying shit that made my skin crawl! I didn't even kiss you! I couldn't! I could barely breathe just for looking at you on our date; you looked just like a fucking angel. What did I say, Honey? What did I say?" Honey reached over and grabbed her phone, flipping through her photo album to a screenshot taken shortly before she blocked his number. "You didn't say it; you texted it. I remember watching you leave for the restroom thinking I'd met the love of my life and then you sent me this; she said, handing her phone to him. Zach took the phone, his face going from an angry red to pale horror in a matter of seconds. "This; this; he gasped, "I didn't; send this; to you; he said, shaking his head. "Whoever had your phone did, sir!" she said, emphasizing the last word, making him wince. "I spent the last year thinking you wanted to do that to me; to kill me. Every time I felt you watching me, every crowd I saw you show up in, every dark room I had to go into, that's what I thought about. I thought that a man I was head over heels about; that I could be so wrong about him. So, excuse me for thinking I liked you, sir. I promise it won't ever happen again!" Honey cried herself to sleep that night, refusing to speak to, or even look at Zach again. When she awoke, the bedroom was empty, and a glass of water and a pain pill were waiting on the nightstand. After swallowing the pill, she stared at the ceiling, furious. She didn't want to be there anymore, to be helpless and dependent on him, to obey all his stupid rules. He didn't deserve to take care of her. So, she tightened the straps on her boot and increased the air pressure to hold her broken ankle tightly enough to walk without her crutches. Then, she took off Zach's t-shirt, pulled on her elf dress, and called herself an Uber. It was when she saw the anticipated arrival time of 8 minutes that she realized her mistake. There was no way for her to get down from the loft and out of the apartment quietly in that amount of time. If she used the crutches, she would be able to descend the stairs quickly enough, but they made such a distinctive clicking racket that they would surely wake up her gorilla-like guard. If she hopped down the stairs on her good foot, it might have worked, but her good arm was on the opposite side and she kept losing her balance. Eventually she decided on the most painful course, of going down on her good and bad legs, using her good arm for support. Her boot thunked horribly the first few times, until she got the hang of it and could place it more quietly on the next step and then hop her good foot down to support it before the scream inside her could escape her lips. By the time she reached the bottom, though, she was shaking with pain and exhausted. Curiosity forced her to look around the rest of the apartment as she caught her breath, sitting on the bottom step. It was clean and unmistakably masculine. Exercise equipment took up a lot of the space not already claimed by a leather couch and TV arrangement. Zach lay on the couch, made up with sheets to act as a bed, his feet sticking out over the arm, his hand tucked under the back of his head, his chest rising and falling under the rumpled sheet. If she wasn't so angry, she'd find him handsome; or maybe he still was handsome, she thought grudgingly, closing her eyes miserably and looking away. Why couldn't he be ugly? Life wasn't fair. Uber. Right. Screwing up her courage for what was ahead, she stood and slowly hobbled across the hardwood floor, agonizing over every painful thump and noisy squeak until she finally reached the door. She unlocked the five locks on his large door, each of them being well-oiled and working perfectly. She expected no less of her anal-retentive, grey-skivvies-on-Tuesdays captor. Finally, she tugged open the heavy door to find endless flights of icy steel-mesh stairs leading all the way down to the street where her Uber was waiting. "Oh, you gotta be kidding me; she cried, breaking down into tears. A strong arm slid down around her waist and mercifully shifted her weight off her throbbing foot, "I know. It sucks. You should try it with a rucksack full of bricks," Zach said, leaning his head down and breathing into her hair. "I want to go home," she whispered. "Let me take care of you; please," Zach murmured into the top of her head, "I; it was my fault this happened to you. I scared you, I know that now; but, please believe me that I would never want to hurt or frighten you like that." "It wasn't just that text," she said, pulling her head away and looking up at him angrily. "All year, I never had a moment's peace. Even when I couldn't see you, I could feel you waiting in the quiet or dark places. Even if you weren't there;" "I was there," he confessed. "I was always there. I didn't understand what had gone wrong. You didn't want to talk to me, and the world just didn't make sense to me unless I knew where you were, what you were doing; unless I knew you were safe." "Maybe you knew I was safe, but I didn't! I thought I'd done something; that somehow I deserved to have this beautiful, scary monster hunting me. I couldn't stop thinking about what I'd done to destroy something that was so; wonderful." "You didn't do anything, Honey. Nothing at all. You were perfect. You were so perfect that I couldn't keep; you didn't do anything wrong. I never meant to send you that message; please, please believe me." "Why did you send it?" she asked, finally looking up into his eyes. The dark blue liquid pools of her eyes turned violet in the moonlight, and Zach felt a tightening in his chest. "I; I can't tell you that; but it was never meant for you." "You mean, you meant to send that message to someone else? To hurt them like that?" "Honey, I; Zach said, looking around, unable to meet her eyes, "Please, I can't; you wouldn't understand; my life isn't like that anymore." "I want to go home, Zach; please," she whispered. Zach closed his eyes for a long moment before he swallowed and nodded, looking like he was in more pain than she was. "I'll take you home tomorrow, okay? Or Terry will, if you don't want me to. He'll check the place out, make sure you're set up and safe there. You're tired, you're hurting, and your Uber's gone, now. Let me take you back upstairs and you can go in the morning. Please." At that moment, a throb of pain shot through her entire leg, and as angry as Honey was, she knew she couldn't face her empty apartment without a few more hours of rest. "Okay," she whispered. To be continued in part 2, Based on a post by Lingering Afterthought, in 3 parts, for Literotica.

Episode 104 (December 19, 2025)Ho-ho-holy frig! It's time for Christmas, Island style, with some traditional faves but mostly original tracks from PEI artists - including brand-new releases and even a little vintage goodness. isletunes is all genres. All decades. All-inclusive. All PEI. And Music PEI Award nominated!(This episode is dedicated to Gordon Cobb, who passed away suddenly December 14,)Catherine MacLellan - Calling You Home (for the Holidays)Katie McGarry & Dan Currie - Baby It's Cold OutsideDon Messer and His Islanders - C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-SDon Ross - The First NoëlTracadie Cross Consolidated - Ke'kwe'k KiknalLuka Hall & Brooke MacArthur - Maybe Next ChristmasAllyCat ft. Bill Dozer - Bill Bah HumbugJohn Donovan - The RiverOde à Noël - Un noël acadienTreble With Girls - The StoryLogan Richard - Stay in This MomentJeff Noye - Christmas in the ValleyLennie Gallant - Love Reigns on Christmas DayGrab isletunes merch of all descriptions on Spring at https://isletunes.creator-spring.com.Donate to the podcast through PayPal at https://tinyurl.com/isletunespaypal - thank you!!Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive videos: https://www.patreon.com/isletunes.Become an isletuner on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky!

Conversation with Sjaak Sijm starts at 2:20. California Spring Trials 2026: March 24-27 (Days and time may vary by location.) https://caspringtrials.us/ Tech On Demand host (and 20-year trials veteran) Bill Calkins collaborated with California Spring Trials registration managers at National Garden Bureau to produce a series of podcasts featuring representatives from just about every exhibiting company in an effort to get you excited about the iconic industry event and some of the new plant introductions you'll see on display in spring of 2026. California Spring Trials is the horticulture industry's “fashion week” and with more than two dozen participating companies bringing hundreds of new plants to market for 2027 and beyond, opportunities to get inspired and plan new additions to your crop mix abound! Registration for this annual even is essential to help hosts create an amazing, customized experience for all attendees. REGISTER FOR CAST 2026 NOW AT https://caspringtrials.us/. You'll also find a trip planner, location information and more. Be sure to schedule plenty of time at each stop and with each exhibiting company!

Conversation with Stephanie Vincenti starts at 2:20. California Spring Trials 2026: March 24-27 (Days and time may vary by location.) https://caspringtrials.us/ Tech On Demand host (and 20-year trials veteran) Bill Calkins collaborated with California Spring Trials registration managers at National Garden Bureau to produce a series of podcasts featuring representatives from just about every exhibiting company in an effort to get you excited about the iconic industry event and some of the new plant introductions you'll see on display in spring of 2026. California Spring Trials is the horticulture industry's “fashion week” and with more than two dozen participating companies bringing hundreds of new plants to market for 2027 and beyond, opportunities to get inspired and plan new additions to your crop mix abound! Registration for this annual even is essential to help hosts create an amazing, customized experience for all attendees. REGISTER FOR CAST 2026 NOW AT https://caspringtrials.us/. You'll also find a trip planner, location information and more. Be sure to schedule plenty of time at each stop and with each exhibiting company!

The Social Work Rants Podcast live show from Casa Wellness from October 2025. A live discussion on the intersection of mental health and finances in the Latino/X/E Community. In these trying times, we need to address financial anxiety, financial trauma and unhealthy money habits that affect our communities of color.The episode shows ways to address our personal finances and start to thrive financially in 2026.Special thanks to Ponce Bank for your sponsorship. Thank you to Redefine Stong Inc for your partnership. Without these two enteties this event would not have been possible. BREAKING NEWS!!!- I'm writing a new book to be released in Spring 2026.#socialwork #personalfinance

Rooted in storytelling, aromatherapy, and the essential oil of Scots Pine, this final episode of Season 4 explores seasonal wellness through themes of ancestors, darkness, the will to live, and wisdom of our conifer friends to celebrate the winter solstice.Join me as we reflect on winter as a time to rest, conserve energy, nourish the waters within, and honor lineage and continuity. The aromatic medicine of noble green beings—the conifers—is both symbolic and practical, supporting immunity, respiration, clarity, and our connection to the cycles of the year.A key feature of this episode is the Seneca story “How the Conifers Flaunt the Promise of Spring,” a reminder of resilience, the will to live and endure. Join me to slow down and participate in the turning of the year, as generations have before us.Sources: Storytelling + Research = LoiS: Parker - How the Conifers Flaunt the Promise of Spring - Keeping the Public in Public DomainArticle on Scots Pine: Plant Talk: Scots Pine Essential Oil - NYC Aromatica

This presentation will provide an overview of how to prepare for visits from Immigration and ICE officers, in light of increased ICE investigations, workplace raids, and community visits associated with immigration applications.Kathleen A. Spero has a long-standing interest in immigration and foreign relations. She graduated from San Diego State University magna cum laude with a dual major in Political Science and International Security and Conflict Resolution in 1999. She received her Master of Pacific and International Affairs, cum laude, from the University of California, San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy (formerly the Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies) in 2001. After earning her Master's degree, Kathleen joined the International Rescue Committee, an international refugee assistance and resettlement agency, as a Program Specialist in the company's headquarters. While at IRC, Kathleen discovered her interest in immigration law, decided to attend law school, and received her J.D. Degree, cum laude, from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California, in May 2008. For the Spring 2023 semester, Kathleen served as an instructor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, teaching a course on Immigration Law.Since her graduation from law school, Kathleen has dedicated her career to immigration law. She has held positions with Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy; the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program; and Malitzlaw. In addition to her work with Jacobs & Schlesinger, Kathleen has volunteered with Casa Cornelia, the Immigration Justice Project, UURise immigration legal services, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.Kathleen has worked for Jacobs & Schlesinger since 2016, where she focuses on providing legal assistance and counseling to families, businesses, and individuals seeking to navigate the complex immigration laws of the United States. She primarily handles employment-based cases, investor visas, family-based petitions, and naturalization cases.Kathleen is admitted to the State Bar of California and is licensed to practice law before the Supreme Court of California and the Department of Homeland Security nationwide.Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.org/

An airhacks.fm conversation with Johan Haleby (@johanhaleby) about: first computer experience with Commodore C64 and typing Basic programs from instruction manuals, early gaming experiences and interest in understanding load commands, transition to Amiga 500 Plus for demo scene scripting and composition, moving to PC era with 486 SX25 and four megabytes of RAM, learning Turbo Pascal and creating 2D Super Mario-inspired games, experimenting with inline assembler in Pascal and reading "The Art of Assembly Programming", reverse engineering games using Win32 disassembler to bypass license checks, studying computer science at Blekinge and Lund University in Sweden, first job at JayWay consultancy firm working on IKEA project in 2005, early adoption of Spring framework and automated testing practices, comparison of old-style EJB with heavy XML configuration versus Spring's lightweight approach, the evolution from XML-based configuration to annotation-based Java EE 5 and 6, creating PowerMock with colleague Jan Kronqvist to mock static methods and final classes, using asm and JavaAssist for bytecode manipulation instead of AspectJ, implementing custom class loaders where each JUnit method executed in different class loader, deep clone module for cloning object graphs between class loaders, tight coupling challenges between PowerMock and Mockito/EasyMock/JUnit versions, transition from EasyMock's record-replay pattern to Mockito's when-then approach, modern preference for avoiding mocks and testing against real cloud environments, optimizing for fast CI/CD pipelines rather than local simulation, structuring code to separate infrastructure concerns from pure business logic, using Java Records as pure data carriers versus adding behavior to records, Clojure-inspired philosophy of decoupling state from behavior and identity, Rich Hickey's "Simple Made Easy" talk and definitions of simple versus easy, multi-methods in functional languages as alternative to polymorphism, domain modeling example with network devices and fiber channel connections, benefits of object-oriented polymorphism for transparent persistence and simple code, avoiding religious adherence to patterns in favor of pragmatic solutions, Maven's stability and opinionated approach versus Gradle's flexibility, reducing external dependencies and Maven plugins in favor of CI/CD automation, the NPM ecosystem's over-modularization compared to Java's more reasonable approach, decline of OSGi hype and return to simpler monolithic architectures, Johan's current work on Occurrent Event Sourcing library and cloud events Johan Haleby on twitter: @johanhaleby

As the weather outside gets colder and colder, and it seems like Spring will never return - The Moth is sharing stories all about the magic, and the misery, of winter. From traveling down icy roads, to finding warmth with your loved ones. So instead of going outside, why don't you bundle up, pour a mug of hot cocoa, and listen to some stories This episode was hosted by Emily Couch. Storytellers: Cola Rum gets some help while driving in a snowstorm. Melissa Earley tries to hide an accident from her congregation. If you've been moved by a story this year, please text 'GIVE25' to 78679 to make a donation to The Moth today. 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

Father John Whitehead is Archpriest and pastor at St Jonah Orthodox Church in Spring, Texas. As well as delivering a learned exegesis on the first two octaves of the longest psalm, Psalm 119 (Psalm 118 in Orthodox and Catholic numbering), Fr John chats to James about everything from his early days as a Nazarene, Sola Scriptura, Dead Kennedys lyrics, which forms of sexual activity God most detests, and which are the best translations of the Bible. His website is http://fatherjohn.blogspot.com ↓ ↓ ↓ Buy James a Coffee at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/jamesdelingpole The official website of James Delingpole: https://jamesdelingpole.co.uk x

Chris Mack, R.J. Choppy and John Martin discuss the Quarterbacks that could potentially leave school early for the NFL Draft this Spring, and why they're not high on this crop of signal callers as potential pros. Plus, all of our best bets for this weekend's action.

Coming from a Greek family with deep restaurant roots, Dino Katris tried to escape his ultimate destiny – but he always came back to restaurants. In just a short time, Dino has become recognized for honoring the legacy of classic eateries while giving them renewed energy.  Most recently he helped bring a downtown restaurant back with Mr. Yee's, 5030 Sixth Ave., he is also involved in Yogi's Pud'n, 2302 52nd St – and coming in Spring 2026  - Melkat's, 7943 Sheridan Road. We talk to Dino about his past, present and future ventures, and his connection to Kenosha!  This episode was recorded on November 23rd, 2025 at the Better Call Parise Recording Studio in Downtown Kenosha – call on the Law Offices of Frank J. Parise when your bad day gets even worse! The Ktown Connects hotline is open! Visit us at ktownconnects.com, click on the phone and leave us a message telling us about the last great meal you had in Kenosha! Theme song performed by Dropping Daisies, written by James “Red” McLeod. Your hosts are Donny Stancato and Jason Hedman Get your Ktown Connects merchandise at The Lettering Machine, 725 50th St. Drop us an email at ktownconnects@yahoo.com Get additional episodes early and ad-free, along with bonus material with this week's guest and more great exclusive material by becoming a patreon supporter! Click here for more! Ktown Connects is brought to you by: Union Park Tavern, 4520 Eighth Ave. About Time Moving Systems Casey Family Options Funerals & Cremations, 3016 75th St Dickow Czak Tile Carpet One, 6403 75th St Shannyn Franklin – ReMax Elite Carbox, 1750 22nd Ave Franks Diner, 508 58th St Aaron Hunzinger of AHDidIt White Lilac, 5029 Sixth Ave Sallese & Co, 709 56th St Wink Beauty Boutique, 10909 Sheridan Rd A+ Mobility, 2324 18th St The Port of Kenosha Beverage House, 705 50th St Faded Barbershop for Men, 4807 7th Ave Lakeshore Pedal Tours, 5001 Simmons Island Dr Alpaca Art, 4326 Seventh Ave Public Brewing Company 628 58th St 

Send us a textIn this episode the babes finally get some closure discussing the end of the post season. We each share our favorite moments from the 2025 season, talk about offseason moves including signings, trades, promotions and new powder blues. Erin shares a far-fetched holiday wish for the team and we look ahead to Spring and the 2026 season.Support the showThis is a podcast created by fans of the Milwaukee Brewers and is in no way affiliated with the Milwaukee Brewers or with Major League Baseball. Follow us on Social Media!Bluesky: @BrewersBabesInstagram: @brewers_babesTwitter: @BrewersBabes

Episode 151 of the Award Travel 101 podcast, hosted by Angie Sparks and Joseph Petrovic, covers a wide range of travel and points news before diving into a full recap of ZorkFest. In the news segment, the hosts discuss Mesa unexpectedly shutting down accounts, changes to the Ritz-Carlton card's lounge guest policy, JetBlue's new Terminal 5 lounge with very limited access, and concerns around a Cathay Pacific transfer devaluation from Amex Membership Rewards. They also highlight year-end checklist reminders, such as expiring credits, point pooling, and spending thresholds. Angie and Joe share recent bonuses, card closures, and points earned, along with detailed trip updates involving Vegas, Japan, Orlando, Phoenix, and upcoming meetups.The main topic centers on ZorkFest, a unique event that blends traditional travel rewards with casino loyalty programs. Held at the M Resort in Henderson, Nevada, ZorkFest attracts attendees interested in high expected value opportunities, cost-effective stays (including bookings with Choice points), and hands-on learning through labs and live gaming experiences with experts. Both Angie and Joe recount their flights, hotel experiences, and why the event stands out: strong presenters, opportunities for new players, and a focus on maximizing rewards across both travel and casino ecosystems. The hosts note that the event just wrapped up and is likely to return next year.The episode wraps with miscellaneous trip highlights, community connections, and a “Tip of the Week” emphasizing adaptability. Joe stresses that points and miles opportunities are constantly changing, with earning avenues and redemption paths frequently disappearing. The key takeaway is to stay flexible, plan ahead, and be ready to pivot strategies as programs evolve—an especially timely reminder given the rapid changes discussed throughout the episode.Episode links:Mesa ShutdownRitz Lounge AccessJetBlue JFK LoungeCathay DevaluationWhere to Find Us The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community. To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1. You can also email us at 101@award.travel Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here Reserve tickets to our Spring 2026 Meetup in Phoenix now. award.travel/phx2026 Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions! Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card! Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

Conversation with Kris Carlsson starts at 2:20. California Spring Trials 2026: March 24-27 (Days and time may vary by location.) https://caspringtrials.us/ Tech On Demand host (and 20-year trials veteran) Bill Calkins collaborated with California Spring Trials registration managers at National Garden Bureau to produce a series of podcasts featuring representatives from just about every exhibiting company in an effort to get you excited about the iconic industry event and some of the new plant introductions you'll see on display in spring of 2026. California Spring Trials is the horticulture industry's “fashion week” and with more than two dozen participating companies bringing hundreds of new plants to market for 2027 and beyond, opportunities to get inspired and plan new additions to your crop mix abound! Registration for this annual even is essential to help hosts create an amazing, customized experience for all attendees. REGISTER FOR CAST 2026 NOW AT https://caspringtrials.us/. You'll also find a trip planner, location information and more. Be sure to schedule plenty of time at each stop and with each exhibiting company!

Conversation with Robert Bett starts at 2:20. California Spring Trials 2026: March 24-27 (Days and time may vary by location.) https://caspringtrials.us/ Tech On Demand host (and 20-year trials veteran) Bill Calkins collaborated with California Spring Trials registration managers at National Garden Bureau to produce a series of podcasts featuring representatives from just about every exhibiting company in an effort to get you excited about the iconic industry event and some of the new plant introductions you'll see on display in spring of 2026. California Spring Trials is the horticulture industry's “fashion week” and with more than two dozen participating companies bringing hundreds of new plants to market for 2027 and beyond, opportunities to get inspired and plan new additions to your crop mix abound! Registration for this annual even is essential to help hosts create an amazing, customized experience for all attendees. REGISTER FOR CAST 2026 NOW AT https://caspringtrials.us/. You'll also find a trip planner, location information and more. Be sure to schedule plenty of time at each stop and with each exhibiting company!

Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, sat down with Jeff Pulver of the vCon Foundation for an in-depth conversation on the rapid emergence of virtualized conversations (vCons), the intersection of AI and communications, and why the industry is standing at the threshold of an entirely new era. Pulver, widely regarded as a pioneer of internet communications and an early architect of Voice over IP, reflects on how lifelong curiosity—from amateur radio to building the first internet-based telephone networks—shaped his belief that communications innovation is always about enabling connections that were previously impossible. Today, that same philosophy underpins his work with vCons, which he describes as a foundational building block for the AI communications age. At its core, a vCon is a standardized container for conversations—voice, video, text, email, and more—designed to securely capture not only what was said, but also who participated, the context, consent, purpose, and related metadata. Often described as “a PDF for conversations,” vCons make it possible to preserve truth and memory across every interaction, while enabling AI systems to analyze conversations consistently and at scale. Pulver emphasizes that this matters because large language models were trained on open standards, including IETF specifications, making vCons uniquely well suited for reliable AI analysis without constant retraining or hallucination. Pulver argues that while 2025 marked the mainstream adoption of large language models, 2026 will be the year of the vCon, leveling the playing field between small and large organizations by giving all businesses access to deep conversational insights. From customer engagement and compliance to internal collaboration and operational efficiency, vCons allow organizations to move at the speed of AI—without sacrificing trust, consent, or accountability. A major focus of the discussion is the need for education and ecosystem building. Pulver describes the vCon Foundation's mission as combating the biggest obstacle to adoption: ignorance. By promoting interoperability, standards-based development, and collaboration among competitors, the Foundation aims to ensure that vCons become a shared industry asset rather than a fragmented set of proprietary tools. Pulver also previewed the upcoming Spring '26 vCon event in Dallas, scheduled for March 23–26, 2026. The conference will include pre-conference sessions on vCon strategy and theory, the first-ever vCon hackathon, deep dives into AI in business, and a vCon Foundation meeting—bringing together technologists, service providers, policymakers, and innovators to define what comes next. Looking ahead, Pulver believes vCons will soon become a strategic checkpoint for vendors, service providers, and investors alike. As AI and communications converge, organizations that embrace virtualized conversations will be positioned to create smarter services, scalable compliance, and entirely new business models. As he puts it, learning how to spell V-C-O-N is fast becoming another way to spell AI opportunity. To learn more about Jeff Pulver's work and the vCon Foundation, visit https://www.pulver.com/vconfoundation.

Are you feeling the pull to be connected this winter? We have some opportunities for you to be a part of New Mexican culture featuring art, history, science, poetry, and live conversations. Plus find out who loves winter and who does not... Encounter Culture host Emily or producer Andrea? Learn more about the Folk Art Apprenticeship Program & Apply: https://bit.ly/nmartsfolk Get details about the reopening of the Museum of Natural History & Science: https://bit.ly/nmnathistory Join Us For An El Palacio Reading:  January 11, 2026, 2pm @ FUSION, Albuquerque - https://bit.ly/elpaljan2026 February 22 at 2 pm in the Donnelly Library at New Mexico Highlands University - Details coming soon. Follow El Palacio on Instagram or Facebook for updates. Read more in El Palacio: Before the Famous Fossils: Ancient Life in the Paleozoic Era in New Mexico by Tamara Enz, Spring 2025 Winter 2025 issue! Your Encounter Culture Playlist: The American Mystique of the Cowboy Boot with Deana McGufin and Jes Márquez, Season 8 TIme Travel: From GIant Millipedes to Modern Landscapes with New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, Season 8 Ancient LIfe: There's No Shame in Extinction video on YouTube Big, Toothy, and Conveniently Dead: Why We Are Obsessed with Dinosaurs Featuring Anthony Fiorillo, Season 5 An Underground Love Affair, The Palace Seen and Unseen with Archaeologists Cordelia Snow & Stephen Post, Season 1 Everyone Wants to be Included in the Story of New Mexico: The Wonders on Wheels Mobile Museum, Season 9 Good Heart Work: Poetry as Medicine with Manuel González, New Mexico Poet Laureate,  Season 9 Don't miss the upcoming issues of El Palacio - SUBSCRIBE NOW! *** We'd love to hear from you! Let us know what you loved about the episode, share a personal story it made you think of, or ask us a question at elpalacio@dca.nm.gov.  OR leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Visit newmexicoculture.org for info about our museums, historic sites, virtual tours, and more.  Our favorite way to fully experience everything they have to offer is with the New Mexico CulturePass. Reserve yours online! *** Encounter Culture is a production of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, produced and edited by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios. Hosted by Emily Withnall, editor at El Palacio Magazine Executive Producer: Daniel Zillmann Technical Director & Post-Production Audio: Edwin R. Ruiz Recording Engineers: Collin Ungerleider & Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe Editor & Production Manager: Alex Riegler Associate Producer & Editor: Monica Braine (Assiniboine/Lakota) Theme Music: D'Santi Nava Instagram: @newmexicanculture and @elpalaciomagazine  

The purpose of The Advisor's Toolkit for 2026 is simple: To give you a clear, efficient look at what is actually working right now on college campuses — and how you can leverage proven programs, interventions, and resources as you plan for the year ahead. You'll hear from our full Greek University team tonight — speakers and consultants with diverse backgrounds, disciplines, and lived experiences. Each of them works directly with campuses and headquarters staff across the country and will share a concise snapshot of: • The programs and interventions they're delivering right now • The outcomes advisors are seeing in real time • The issues they're being asked to address most frequently • And how their work can support your goals for 2026 Think of tonight as a curated menu — not something you need to adopt all at once, but a way to identify the right tools, voices, and partnerships that align with your campus culture, challenges, and priorities. Whether you're preparing for Spring new member trainings, onboarding new officers, navigating conduct concerns, responding to mental health needs, or simply trying to be more proactive instead of reactive — our hope is that tonight gives you clarity, confidence, and options. At the end of the session, you'll know exactly which programs might fit your campus, and how our team can support you as a long-term partner heading into 2026. So again — thank you for being here, thank you for the work you do every day, and thank you for trusting us with your time.

Ken Carman and Anthony Lima take you through what you may have missed About Last Night!

This week, Maria shares more great gift ideas and dives into the Gilded Age traditions that have helped pave the way for our Christmas celebrations! She is also joined by Rachel Kennedy, an expert in the field of Hostessing! Enter, "The Maria Liberati Show," based on her travels, as well as her Gourmand World Award-winning book series, "The Basic Art of Italian Cooking," and "The Basic Art of..." Find out more on https://www.marialiberati.com-----music: "First Day of Spring" by David Hilowitz - available via Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://creativecommns.org/licenses/by-sa/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Amanda and Brooke take a trip down memory lane and reflect on what they have learned over the course of producing 146 episodes together, before Amanda takes a step back from the podcast to focus on her business. Brooke will be back in Spring 2026 to pick up where they left off. Visit www.goodenoughish.com for links to everything mentioned on the show.Support the podcast: Good Enough-ish on PatreonSnag Some Merch: goodenoughish.com/shopJoin the Good Enough-ish™ conversation in our private FB group: Good Enough-ish private Facebook groupIf you like this episode, please take a moment to share a positive review on Apple Podcasts, and share with others who may enjoy Good Enough-ish!We'll be back each week with new topics, stories, tips, and personal experiences, as well as some good old friendly banter and lots of laughter. Don't forget to find us on Instagram @goodenough.ish, or contact us with your episode ideas, questions, and comments.

If you're exhausted, craving everything, lifting weights, and still wondering why nothing is changing… this episode is for you. I'm sitting down with Dr. Aleksandra Gajer, an ER physician who left traditional medicine to focus on what actually helps women over 40 feel better: metabolic health, hormones, and peptides. We talk about what peptides really are (no, not steroids), why GLP-1s cracked the door open, and how midlife women can use these tools safely to support energy, sleep, recovery, muscle, and brain health without shortcuts or sketchy internet nonsense. Today's conversation is not about biohacking. It's about gaining clarity for women who are tired of being told "everything looks normal." What We Cover · Why unexplained fatigue is so common after 40 What peptides actually do in the body Why weight loss resistance ramps up in perimenopause Estrogen dominance, cortisol, stress, and belly fat made simple Why muscle is the real anti-aging strategy Peptides that support: · Energy Sleep Recovery Body composition Why peptides don't work if your lifestyle is a hot mess The danger of buying peptides from random dudes on Instagram What peptide "stacking" really means Brain health, anxiety, and what's coming next When it's time to run labs even if your doctor says you're "fine" Work With Dr. Gajer Website: theguyerpractice.com Instagram: @thegajerpractice https://the-gajer-practice.mykajabi.com/drgajer-nwlc-program-waitlist Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@TheGajerPractice We would love people to sign up for consultations If this episode clicked for you, screenshot it, share it, and tag your biggest "ohhh that makes sense" moment. That's how better conversations spread. Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/fitgirlmagic Tik Tok @kimbarnesjefferson Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kimjeffersoncoach/ Free Resources: https://www.fitgirlmagic.com/freeresources_podcast 12 week strength training program –Strong by Spring https://kimbarnesjefferson.lpages.co/strong-by-spring Website: http://www.kimbarnesjefferson.com

If you had told me when I recorded episode number one of HER Style Podcast that we'd get here — celebrating 300 episodes and nearly half a million downloads — I honestly don't know if I would've believed you.   Back then, it was just me, a microphone, a big passion for helping women feel confident in what they wear… and a lot of hope that someone, somewhere, would press play. And now? Here we are. It's you and me, friend.   So today's episode feels really special — because this milestone isn't just mine. It truly belongs to you. The woman listening on her walk, in the car, while getting ready in the morning… this show wouldn't be anything without you choosing to spend your time here and making this what it is.   Significant milestones like these call for something extra special. So we're going to take a little walk down memory lane, I'm going to reveal the top episodes and what they've taught me, what I would change now looking back, and of course, in typical HER Style fashion, we have a very exciting giveaway with some absolutely incredible prizes you're going to want to get your hands on!   Stick around to celebrate 300 episodes, almost 500,000 downloads, and a whole lot of style insights right after this…   FREE 5-MIN PERSONAL STYLE QUIZ: https://herstylellc.com/quiz HER STYLE ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/heatherriggsstyle/ JOIN HER STYLE COLLECTIVE: https://herstylellc.com/collective SUBMIT YOUR GIVEAWAY ENTRIES VIA INSTAGRAM @heatherriggsstyle OR VIA EMAIL TO support@herstylellc.com *** Enter for your chance to win one of 3 incredible prizes between Thursday, December 18 - Monday, December 22, 2025 at 11:59pm ET. Winners will be announced on 12/25/25. No purchase necessary. ***   Related Episodes: 268 – The Top Fall 2025 Fashion Trends to Know (and How to Wear Them) 241 – 7 Outfit Planning Habits That Will Change Your Mornings Forever 223 – Shop Your Closet: How to Fall Back in Love with What You Already Own 221 – Spring 2025 Fashion Trends and What to Wear This Season 2 – 7 Personal Style Types and How to Find Your Signature Look

Hi, Spring fans! In this installment, we talk to the legendary cofounder of Spring itself, Juergen Hoeller, about the awesome new Spring Framework 7 release. Happy holidays, one and all!

Conversation with Sarah Makiejus starts at 2:20. California Spring Trials 2026: March 24-27 (Days and time may vary by location.) https://caspringtrials.us/ Tech On Demand host (and 20-year trials veteran) Bill Calkins collaborated with California Spring Trials registration managers at National Garden Bureau to produce a series of podcasts featuring representatives from just about every exhibiting company in an effort to get you excited about the iconic industry event and some of the new plant introductions you'll see on display in spring of 2026. California Spring Trials is the horticulture industry's “fashion week” and with more than two dozen participating companies bringing hundreds of new plants to market for 2027 and beyond, opportunities to get inspired and plan new additions to your crop mix abound! Registration for this annual even is essential to help hosts create an amazing, customized experience for all attendees. REGISTER FOR CAST 2026 NOW AT https://caspringtrials.us/. You'll also find a trip planner, location information and more. Be sure to schedule plenty of time at each stop and with each exhibiting company!

Eve was in Jericho today. They visited the 1500 year old synagogue Shalom Al Yisrael; the Tel of this ancient city and the Spring of the Prophet Elisha. Celebrating the Festival of Lights with Tanach in hand and underfoot in a world rapidly getting darker is a great gift. We all need the Maccabee spirit more than ever. Photo: Eve's menora in the window openly celebrating the miracle & victories of Hanukkah.

It is that time again.  We may still be nine days from Christmas and have a lot of winter in front of us but spring will come before you know it.   In much of the country seeds should be started indoors some time between Feb 1st and the end of that month.  Folks I know it will sound crazy but February 2026 is just barely more than a month away. Now is the time to evaluate the equipment you have and upgrade or add the things you want in your system this year.  Select varieties of seeds to grow and … Continue reading →

This episode is a transmission. Recorded live with a studio audience as part of our pilgrimage preparation, this conversation with Robert Edward Grant is a distilled journey into the mathematics of consciousness, the intelligence encoded in sacred sites, and the way reality reshapes itself through collective coherence. Robert is a true polymath — mathematician, inventor, artist, and explorer of ancient technologies — whose work bridges geometry, music, consciousness, and the mystery traditions. In this conversation, he reveals how pyramids function as mirrors of human awareness, why math may be the original language of God, and how sacred structures were designed to activate future timelines. This isn't about believing anything new.It's about remembering what you already know. If you've ever felt activated by sacred sites, fascinated by ancient civilizations, or curious about how consciousness actually shapes reality — this episode will land like a remembering. In this episode, we explore: • Why pyramids are mirrors of consciousness, not monuments • How math, music, and geometry encode spiritual intelligence • The role of individuation in divine awareness • How collective coherence creates “Mandela cascades” • Why ancient civilizations were far more advanced than we've been taught • How sacred sites communicate across timelines • What it means to bring heaven to earth — literally Key Moments: 00:00:01 — The pyramid as a mirror of consciousness 00:01:06 — Individuation as the universe's greatest value 00:02:21 — Why sacred sites activate you personally 00:03:36 — Can consciousness build structures through intention? 00:07:20 — Math as the language of God 00:11:08 — The musical notes hidden in pyramid geometry 00:12:53 — How Robert identified two previously unknown pyramids near Giza 00:15:04 — The 15th-century maps that revealed structures hiding in plain sight 00:26:02 — Collective coherence & shifting timelines 00:49:14 — Sacred sites as accelerators of remembrance About Robert Edward Grant Robert Edward Grant is a polymath, mathematician, artist, inventor, and consciousness researcher known for discovering new chambers in the Great Pyramid and identifying previously unknown pyramids on the Giza Plateau. His work bridges ancient wisdom, modern science, geometry, and consciousness studies. Instagram: @robertedwardgrant Website: robertedwardgrant.com Feeling the Call to Go Deeper? Applications are open for the Level 3 Mastermind & Greece Pilgrimage — a high-touch, three-month initiatory container culminating in a sacred journey through Greece, Spring 2026.