Podcasts about Staring

After a childhood shadowed by night-terrors, phantom boot-steps, and a Confederate soldier spirit, our storyteller thinks the hauntings are behind him-until an experimental peyote trip unleashes a surge of psychic energy. Suddenly, telepathic moments with pets, a bookshelf message carved by unseen hands, and a towering faceless entity shaking him awake suggest something dark is attached to his family's 13th home. From binding spells in Mom's closet to icy presences slipping through the bedroom, this episode asks: when you open your “third eye,” who—or what-might be staring back? If you have a real ghost story or supernatural event to report, please write into our show at http://www.realghoststoriesonline.com/ or call 1-855-853-4802! Want AD-FREE & ADVANCE RELEASE EPISODES? Become a Premium Subscriber Through Apple Podcasts now!!! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/real-ghost-stories-online/id880791662?mt=2&uo=4&ls=1 Or Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/realghoststories Or Our Website: http://www.ghostpodcast.com/?page_id=118 

In this episode, Andrew finds himself embodying traumas the patient has experienced but has placed an explicit prohibition on articulating. During his therapy sessions with Rob, Andrew respects this prohibition. There is much else to speak about and the session feels lively. However, after every session Andrew feels strangely dead, reflecting a limit on his capacity to comfortably process powerful affects when words are off limit and the patient wishes to screen off pain and to avoid facing into the void. Questions are raised about the perils of going along with the patient's wish not to speak the unspeakable as well the dangers of not doing so.  All the while, the affective registration of Rob's screened off trauma persists at somatic and affective levels in Andew as an embodiment of Rob's traumatic memories. The power of this is barely tolerable and Andrew feels doomed if he does speak and doomed if he doesn't, but in the supervision he explores the possibility of a third way and finds a way out of the binary.

Real Golf Radio host Bob Casper

What began as a restless night in a sweltering college dorm turned into a terrifying encounter with something far darker than a bad dream. In this episode, one man recounts the night he dared a shadowy force—something he believes had followed him since childhood—to reveal itself. Staring into a dimly lit bathroom mirror, he challenged the darkness... and it answered. A chilling standoff with a figure that may have been more than a hallucination unfolded, lasting six hours—without him realizing. Was it a dream, a manifestation of trauma, or a direct glimpse into another realm? You decide. This is a daily EXTRA from The Grave Talks. Grave Confessions is an extra daily dose of true paranormal ghost stories told by the people who survived them! If you have a Grave Confession, Call it in 24/7 at 1-888-GHOST-13 (1-888-446-7813) Subscribe to get all of our true ghost stories EVERY DAY! Visit http://www.thegravetalks.com Please support us on Patreon and get access to our AD-FREE ARCHIVE, ADVANCE EPISODES & MORE at http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks

When the surgeon told me Gracie would be in the hospital for three months, my mind raced: The kids are at school. I've got a job to hold down. Bills to pay. How am I supposed to hold this together for three months? Staring at the wall, I quietly muttered to myself: "I can't do this for three months." The surgeon heard me. He gently placed his hand on my shoulder and said, "You're not going to do it for three months. You're going to do it for 24 hours." Then he pointed me to Jesus' words: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." (Matthew 6:34) That moment was more than 20 years ago. It still carries me. Caregiving often feels impossible when you try to take it all at once. But we were never asked to carry months or years — only today. Just today. By His grace. That's the 24-Hour Rule. Caregiving comes at you fast - take a minute. Get A MINUTE FOR CAREGIVERS - When Every Day Feels Like Monday today!

Warwick poet and musician D.K. Mckenzie presents excerpts from his spoken word and music podcast, The Poe Underground, in a Warwick Radio exclusive.In this episode, hear original music, the poems Sharaku Dreams by John Gould Fletcher and The Casket of Opals (Tenth Opal) by George Parsons Lathrop, and Hemingway City Nights, a reimagining of Ernest Hemingway's poetry.Sharaku DreamsI will scrawl on the walls of the nightFaces. Leering, sneering, scowling, threatening faces;Weeping, twisting, yelling, howling faces;Faces fixed in a contortion between a scream and a laugh,Meaningless faces.I will cover the walls of nightWith faces,Till you do not knowIf these faces are but masks, or you the masks for them.Faces too grotesque for laughter,Faces too shattered by pain for tears,Faces of such uglinessThat the ugliness grows beauty.They will haunt you morning, evening.Burning, burning, ever returning.Their own infamy creating,Till you strike at life and hate it,Burn your soul up so in hating.I will scrawl on the walls of the nightFaces,Pitiless,Flaring,Staring.The Casket of Opals (Tenth Opal)Colors that tremble and perish,Atoms that follow the law,You mirror the truth which we cherish,You mirror the spirit we saw.Glow of the daybreak tender,Flushed with an opaline gleam,And passionate sunset-splendor—Ye both but embody a dream.Visions of cloud-hidden gloryBreaking from sources of lightMimic the mist of life's story.Mingled of scarlet and white.Sunset-clouds iridescent,Opals, and mists of the day,Are thrilled alike with the crescentDelight of a deathless rayShot through the hesitant troubleOf particles floating in space,And touching each wandering bubbleWith tints of a rainbowed grace.So through the veil of emotionTrembles the light of the truth;And so may the light of devotionGlorify life—age and youth.Sufferings,—pangs that seem cruel,—These are but atoms adrift:The light streams through, and a jewelIs formed for us, Heaven's own gift!Hemingway City NightsNight comes with soft and drowsy plumes to darken out the dayTo stroke away the flinty glintSoftening out the clayBefore the final hardness comesDemanding that we stayIt is cool at night on the roofs of the cityThe city sweatsDripping and stark.Maggots of life crawl in the hot loneliness of the city.Love curdles in the cityLove sours in the hot whispering from the pavementsLove grows oldOld with the oldness of sidewalks.It is cool at night on the roofs of the cityDesire andAll the sweet pulsing achesAnd gentle hurtingsThat were you,Are gone into the sullen dark.Now in the night you come unsmilingTo lie with meA dull, cold, rigid bayonetOn my hot-swollen, throbbing soul.At night I lay with you and watched the city whirl and spin aboutThrough the hot, pounding rhythm of the waltzYou swung and whirled with eager, pagan graceTwo sleepy birds in their wicker cagesAnd I am dancing with the woman of the townCover my eyes with your pinionsDark bird of nightSpread your black wings like a turkey struttingDrag your strong wings like a cock grouse drumming with scaly clawsDip with your beak to my lipsBut cover my eyes with your pinionsVisit The Poe Underground ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠.Tune in to The Poe Underground ⁠⁠⁠podcast⁠⁠⁠.

It's a Super Smackdown Both RAW and Smackdown on hand before Money in the Bank The Dangerous Alliance let's us know what will happen at Money in the Bank Until Solo's crew comes out Jimmy needs the win bad I expected Zelina to splat Knight vs Black, how is it ruined So King and Queen of the ring aren't on their own ppv? Fatu overhears convo Tag div scared of Wyatts You can't handle the truth Lock in now. Go to MyBookie now, use my promo code [CONTROL] and boost your bankroll. Deposit $50, get an extra $25. Go bigger with $100, and MyBookie throws in $50.  Bet smart. Stay ready. And cash in when it counts. Only at MyBookie. Subscribe on patreon.com/LingusMafia for ad-free and video versions of the show, exclusive PPV/PLE reviews and bonus shows including every Wrestlemania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, and Saturday Night's Main Event ever. Get access to over 10 years of podcasts! Stay connected: All our social media (@LingusMafia) links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/lingusmafia We have merch! Shirts, hoodies, stickers and more: lingusmafiashop.printify.me/   Drop us an email with comments or questions: lingusmafia@gmail.com  

Have you ever had someone say, "You should start journaling!" Staring at a blank page can be intimidating, right?

Genesis 22:1-24

“Diddy, they're laughing at you! This is not a game!” The lady is screaming in the back of the courtroom. Everyone whips their heads around to stare - and there she is. Staring off 3 court officers and threatening them to take out their gun.  “Diddy is walking perfection. Take out your guns!” The woman has been banned from the courthouse, wore a scarf around her head (not for religious reasons), and snuck into the very courtroom where Diddy is now staring straight at her. Mouth agape.  This was the very important message that she had to deliver -  “They're laughing at you.” She is dragged out of the courtroom but that is not the last we will hear from her. She has been there almost every single day during the USA v. Sean Combs case and there have been rumors circulating that she is a paid actor.  But why?     Full show notes at rottenmangopodcast.com 

Our special mini-series, This Quest is a Ritual, leaps into the void with our first guest, Dutch wizard and creator of the Cosmosis quest app, Paul Staring. Paul is a longtime listener of This Podcast is a Ritual and has a fascinating approach to the concept of quests, using technology to help people reconnect with the magic in the world around them. Check out Cosmosis at: https://cosmosis.quest/ For the Stories of Soil & Stone Quest, use the password 'ancientearth'. This quest should be done outside. For The Night Within & Without Quest, use the password 'befriendthenight'. This Quest should be done indoors and can be started ~ 10 minutes before sunset. Follow along with Devin's quest adventures and get more magical bonus content by joining the ritual at: www.patreon.com/thispodcastisaritual

Staring at a blank screen when it's time to write an email?   Yep, I've been there too—more times than I can count. But what if I told you your next great email idea is already sitting in your DMs, call notes, or client convos?   In this episode, I break down: ✨ Why overthinking your emails is killing your consistency ✨ The one powerful prompt that makes writing easier (and more fun) ✨ How to turn client questions into content that connects ✨ Real examples you can swipe and try this week   If writing emails stresses you out, this reset is for you.   Book a Free Call: Simplified Marketing Services   Let's Connect: Website: https://simplifiedmarketingservices.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/biancamarissasmith/ Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/simplifiedmarketingservices

I am inspired to keep my life simple now. I'm exploring simpler ways to do everything, including celebrating life. At this moment, I'm typing these notes from the bed in my hotel room in Chicago, Illinois. Staring at me is the view of the city reminding me of the beauty and joy of simplicity and how it led me here on this solo vacation. Press play to find out how keeping it simple is making my life blissful.

Épisode 2. Cet accord qui peut tout changer. En 2004, la quasi-totalité des pays du monde entier se sont engagés dans une aventure diplomatique hors norme : construire, ensemble, un accord pour protéger l'océan et sa biodiversité. Un projet aussi ambitieux ne se concrétise pas du jour au lendemain, d'autant que les divergences entre États ont posé un défi majeur : comment concilier les intérêts de chacun tout en garantissant la préservation de l'océan et de ses richesses ? Cette aventure diplomatique a duré vingt ans. Vingt années pendant lesquelles des diplomates, des scientifiques, des ONG des quatre coins du monde ont œuvré sans relâche pour créer cet accord dit "l'accord BBNJ", ou Traité international pour la protection de la haute mer et de la biodiversité marine au delà des zones de juridiction nationale. Dans cet épisode, quatre personnes qui ont participé à ces négociations nous racontent les coulisses de cette aventure rocambolesque. Avec : Lisa Speer, directrice de l'ONG américaine Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), chargée des océans ;  Serge Ségura, ambassadeur à la retraite, chef de la délégation française pour l'accord BBNJ pendant 14 ans ;  Sandrine Barbier, directrice adjointe à la Direction des affaires juridiques, cheffe de la délégation française pour l'accord BBNJ ; Krystel Wanneau, docteure en sciences politiques et enseignante-chercheuse à Sciences-Po Grenoble, qui a travaillé sur les politiques environnementales internationales ------ POUR ALLER PLUS LOIN : L'accord BBNJ : parcourez la version intégrale de ce traité historique adopté en 2023 ;  Le fascinant et merveilleux "Atlas des abysses" (éd. Arthaud, 2024), de Stéphanie Brabant (journaliste), Jozée Sarrazin (océanaute), et illustré par Julie Terrazzoni, cet ouvrage poético-scientifique transporte ses lecteurs dans l'univers fascinant des fonds marin ;   L'indispensable guide "L'océan en 30 questions" signé Marina Lévy et Laurent Bopp (éd. La Documentation française, 2025) ;  ------ ARCHIVES & EXTRAITS : extraits de discours au One Ocean Summit à Brest en 2022 ; extrait de l'adoption de la résolution A/72/L7 lors de l'Assemblée générale de l'ONU en 2018 ; extraits des sessions de négociations du BBNJ enregistrées à l'ONU entre 2019 et 2023 ; extraits de journaux télévisés français, brésilien, américain et italien sur la pandémie de Covid en 2020 ; lecture d'une lettre de Rena Lee, présidente des négociations BBNJ, du 9 mars 2020 ------ CRÉDITS : Voix, écriture, production et réalisation : Diane Jean Illustrations et identité visuelle : Julie Feydel Doublage voix et édition : Mariane Schlegel Communication : Kaled Maddi et Matthias Lugoy Direction de production : Julie Godefroy Musique : Falling Angels, Ketil Lien ; Staring into the Abyss, 2050 ; DKNW, sunwo0o ; Ruin My Life, Jane the Boy ; Corals under the sun, Omri Smadar ; Cookie Jar, Hans Johnson ; Atlantique, AMF Beef ; Medusa the Mournful, Louis Adrien ;  Breath In Out, Nsee ; Cryostatis, Jamie Bathgate ; 1983, Angel Salazar (Artlist) ------ À PROPOS : « Qui gouverne l'océan ? » est une série du podcast Sources diplomatiques. Réalisé par le ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères, ce podcast vous propose des documentaires, décryptages, récits intimes et conversations pour plonger dans les coulisses de la diplomatie française et comprendre les grands enjeux internationaux. Sources diplomatiques est à retrouver sur toutes les applications d'écoutes et de streaming audio.

Interview by Kris PetersFusing death metal's raw brutality with melodic depth not generally associated with the genre, Bay Area metal outfit Ominous Ruin blend technicality and brutality with catchy, melodic hooks; think mind-melting riffs, groovy drums, mesmerising bass, and chaotic, unique vocals, and you are on the right path.After parting ways with original vocalist Adam Rosado following their debut album Amidst Voices That Echo In Stone, Ominous Ruin drafted newcomer Crystal Rose into the family and set about refining their sound even more with their dynamic new focal point.The result is out in the world now for people to enjoy, with Requiem unleashed on May 9 and offering a fresh take on an age-old genre of music. Requiem marks a shift from the band's early straightforward aggression, weaving in melodic and atmospheric chaos influenced by Necrophagist, Behemoth, and more. Now crafting their next release, the band hints at symphonic twists atop their signature heaviness and with Crystal Rose now leading the charge, Ominous Ruin are a band pushing extreme music's limits.HEAVY caught up with guitarist Alex Bacey earlier today to find out more."I think one of the things that I tried to avoid was the 'you sound like another hundred other bands' comment," he replied when we asked what Ominous Ruin were going for musically on Requiem. "And a lot of people so far have said that it sounds unique; it sounds different. It's got a plethora of genres mixed into one, and obviously, at its core, it's a technical death metal album. At the time, a lot of the songs were actually written, we had a lot of chaos going on between all of us individually and as a band. We had a vocalist change in between our last album and this album, so now we have Crystal, who it's her first project; first album she's ever recorded. And I think she did a great job, which plays into trying to sound unique."In the full interview, Alex detailed the band's creative process and the emotional depth of their music. He explained how the singles Seeds of Entropy and Staring into the Abysm represent different facets of the album, with the former linking to their previous work and the latter evolving from an instrumental piece to include lyrics.He emphasized the importance of musical variety for engaging live performances and the transition from a male to a female vocalist, and the challenges that presented. Alex mentioned plans for upcoming shows, aiming for performances by September or October, and encouraged fans to connect via social media platforms like Instagram, while expressing gratitude for their support and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

The DOGGZZONE welcomes back me, the resident clod. It's quiz time! What movie is made up of equal parts Kindergarten Cop, Cool As Ice, No Retreat No Surrender, Down To Earth, Only the Strong, Duets, Rush Hour, Rocky IV, Almost an Angel, starring an athletic alcoholic sex pest and funded by the D.A.R.E.program? If you answered, Seanbaby's 2003 mail order classic. "Hunk Along Chastity 3, Clap Slab's Revenge" - partial credit! The answer we were actually looking for is 1994's Kindergarten Ninja. Staring no one and featuring nothing... unless you're into montages of montages of ninja flavored slap fights. You are? Send a self addressed stamped envelope to- Oh. The ninja one. Yeah, just hit the play button.

Bianca Fernandez-Clark is a 7x Ironman finisher, Chair, and co-founder of Women in Tri UK, a charity on a mission to bring more women into triathlon and break down barriers in the sport. With no background in sport, Bianca laced up her trainers at age 29 to tackle a 10km as a way to manage her mental health. From there, she progressed to marathons and, in 2016, took on the challenge of learning to swim and cycle to complete her first triathlon. As a Black/mixed-race woman, Bianca has been vocal about the lack of diversity in triathlon, especially at long-distance events, and has worked to highlight the barriers faced by the Black community in accessing swimming.  In 2022, she co-founded Women in Tri UK, and the organisation has been growing ever since, working hard to make triathlon more inclusive and accessible for women everywhere. By day, Bianca works full-time in the financial sector, but every spare moment is dedicated to continuing her own triathlon journey and supporting the work of Women in Tri UK. ***  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.  Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.  Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x *** Show notes Who is Bianca Being based in London Being serious about the sport of triathlon Staring running at 29 and then moving into triathlon  in 2016  Working full time in the financial services Founding Women in Tri UK - which aims to break down barriers and make the sport more accessible for women Being at advocate for women, especially women of colour  Building a community to support women in the sport  Growing up in the Dominican Republic  Not being encouraged in sports from a young age Dealing with curly, afro hair  Having zero background in sports Not being naturally good at sports What changed at 29  Living in Spain to study for her Masters How running gave her a life line Going from the couch to 5k  Crossing the finish line of her first 10K race Feeling alive again Not falling in love with running straight away Going on a journey of self discovery Deciding to sign up for her fist Marathon  Discovering the group - the running bug in the UK Meeting a guy who could give her advice… Being with her partner for 10 years Being a part of the running community  Not being very fast and being more suited for endurance  Getting into triathlon Signing up for swim classes and learning to ride a bike for the first time Doing her first triathlon which was a women only event.  Wanting to take on an ironman  The stress of cutoffs  The time commitment involved in training  Making training work for her lifestyle  Doing the best training that she can with the time she has Having a goal of finishing the race Making training part of her lifestyle  Hair advice and tips Alice Dearing Hairstyles for women in triathlon Black women role models in the triathlon space  Sika Henry  The lack of swimming lessons for children  How Women in Tri UK came about Heading to Kona, Ironman World Championships  Using lockdown for fitness and training more  Women in Tri, First sponsored Athlete - Naomi Rumble  Coaching programs and having realistic training plans for women  Speaking with British Triathlon  Advocacy work and partnering with SheRaces  Barriers for women in triathlon and writing a detailed 63 page report   Making sure the sport also changes  The plans for Women in Tri over the next few years  Partnering with Cycle Sisters  The diversity of Women in Tri  Wanting to remove financial barriers Working with brands Working on her personal goals and wanting to go back to Kona Recovering from a broken foot How to connect with Bianca Women in Tri US - being closed Final words of advice for women who do want to take on a triathlon  “Women in Tri, Made me do it!”   Social Media Website  www.womenintriuk.org  Instagram  @biancatriathlon @womenintriuk   

And so, the Warriors of Light continued their long journey through a crystal tower, a series of unnecessary self-sacrifices, and the literal end of the world to end up here: Staring down the barrel of the story of Final Fantasy 7. Join us for Part 2 of our epic adventure through each and every mainline Final Fantasy game, highlighting the context you'll want in preparation for the upcoming Magic the Gathering set! Follow along with the complete Imgur library here: https://imgur.com/a/debate-this-flavor-text-final-fantasy-cnziCZe  But wait, there's more! Andrew recorded an entire appendix to this episode all about Final Fantasy music, and it's available now on our Patreon feed! For more information, check out our Patreon at patreon.com/debatethiscast. Have you seen our Instagram? instagram.com/debatethiscast  Have you seen our Threads? threads.net/debatethiscast Want to send us an email? debatethiscast@gmail.com Music for Debate This! is provided by composer Ozzed under a creative commons license. Check out more of their 8-bit bops at www.ozzed.net!

I'm a big fan of self-reliance, specifically as it pertains to starting your own business and designing your life the way you want to live it. There's a lot of loud, scary noise bombarding us all right now, and it can feel discouraging. In this episode, I discuss opting out of the chaos, guarding your mind from the toxicity of extremes and trusting your inner voice. Thanks for listening! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/figarellesfitness

Feminist sound scholar and musician Marie Thompson is a theorist of noise. She has also been one of the key thinkers in integrating the study of sound with the study of affect. Dr. Thompson is Senior Lecturer in Popular Music at the Open University in the UK. She is the author of Beyond Unwanted Sound: Noise, Affect, and Aesthetic Moralism (Bloomsbury, 2017) and the co-editor of Sound, Music, Affect: Theorizing Sonic Experience (Bloomsbury, 2013). She has developed Open University courses on topics such as Dolly Parton and Dub sound systems. Staring around the early 2000s, a number of scholars began to feel there was a tool missing in the toolbox of cultural scholarship. We had plenty of ways to talk about ideology and representation and rhetoric and identity, but what about sensation? How is it that a feeling like joy or panic can sweep through a room without a word being uttered? By what mechanism does a life develop a kind of texture of feeling over time? Affect studies is field interested in these questions, interested in how the world affects us. Words can produce affective states, but affect isn't reducible to words. So, it's easy to see why affect theory has been so attractive to sound and music scholars.  Noise is a notorious concept that means different things different people. In this conversation, Marie Thompson examines noise through the affect theory of Gilles Deleuze and Baruch Spinoza as well as the systems theory of Michel Serres. We'll also talk about her critique of acoustic ecology and a rather public debate she had with sound scholar Christoph Cox.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sound-studies

May 20, 2025 PHIL JOHNSON,Executive Director of “Grace To You”,the media ministry of world-renowned Bible teacher, author, conferencespeaker & pastor, Dr. John MacArthur,who will address: TOPIC #1: “LESSONS LEARNED FROMSTARING DEATH in the FACE” TOPIC #2: “UPDATES & REFLECTIONSon the CURRENT G3 MINISTRIESCONTROVERSY” Subscribe: Listen:

We talk about wearing helmets, clothing you can't wear, and childhood homes.

Staring down, what happens behind closed doors, recognizing your truth, destroying their views, claiming your victory, we live unapologetically.   Heart eyes, nonnas, last bullet, pop star academy, I am a killer, a deadly American marriage, the seat, Britain and the blitz.   Chicken scampi, gluten free, cucumber, tuna, and cream cheese tart, chicken fajita pasta, chicken and veggie one pan meal, cottage cheese bowl.   Happy Tuesday stars

In this episode of Girls with Grafts, Rachel sits down with Charlene Pell, a burn survivor and the founder of Facing Forward, a nonprofit dedicated to advocating for individuals with visible differences. ✨ Charlene shares her journey, from surviving a burn injury to advocating for face equality.Rachel and Charlene also dive into Face Equality Week, this year's theme, “My Face is a Masterpiece,” and why shifting the perception of beauty and identity is so important.

Lords: * Lena * Droqen Topics: * Kill gameplay * https://droqen.itch.io/the-end-of-gameplay * The thrill of firefighting on live service games, and how to stop * It was D and K who showed me the way * https://newforum.droqen.com/index.php?topic=705 Microtopics: * Great content. * Multiplayer games that are focused on human connection. * Farmers' markets. * Kinopio. (The mind-mapping software.) * Just barfing stuff onto the page. * Looking at a piece of software that someone has polished for fifteen years and being astounded. * Weird ego boosts. * Meeting hundreds of people whose names you recognize from the Internet and they're all like "I love the thing you made." * Pursuing the thing that other people say is good about your work and forgetting what you liked about it yourself. * A nebulous idea whose lot in life is to be dominated by more concrete ideas. * Making your next game with the intention of killing your most popular game. * Unlocking creative expression into a vessel. * Tolerating a combat system to get to the good parts of a game. * Playing a game because you enjoy pushing the buttons. * A museum exhibit of a hundred different platformer control schemes. * Using your ability to hang out with people to tell them a story. * A list of all the ideas you've ever had. * The safety of watching the numbers go up. * An interaction that exists to be self-perpetuating. * Advertising as a way to tell people that a thing exists vs. all the noxious cruft that we've grown on top of that idea. * Game addiction as a thing that is desirable. * Games that grip you as tightly as possible vs. games that gracefully end and allow you to stop playing. * Game developers accidentally discovering that they can Skinner Box people and then deciding "let's build our entire industry around that forever" * The mantra you use to remind yourself to not put gameplay in your games. * Trying to detect the humanity in a work of art. * Trying to express your experiences in a medium and knowing you at least have an audience of one. (Yourself.) * Disagreeing about color names. * It's Thanksgiving and people are at-ing you on Twitter that your online service isn't working. * Moving fast enough that you don't have time to sit with your thoughts and second-guess yourself. * The true meaning of a Lord. * How to sit with the discomfort of uncertainty. * Solving a problem before you get the chance to wonder whether solving the problem aligns with your values. * Running an online world that gets hacked and rolling back only 98% of the hack, leaving enough to remind people that this is a world with a living history. * Ruminating about your past actions as a way to learn how to behave in the future. * Acting without reflection because you can't reflect and act at the same time. * It doesn't matter what you do as long as you feel really bad about it afterwards. * How to stop. * Don't make live service games. * Sitting with the knowledge that you are going to make mistakes. * Staring at blue-green walls. * The most juicy fire-fighting that's available. * The horrible steak that is life. * Trying to construct your life so that you are doing something thrilling and important for one to four hours per day and then relaxing. * The introverted fire fighter who has his own personal cardboard box to cover his head with as he's hanging out at the station. * What's-his-letter? * If Heaven's so good, why haven't they made a Heaven 2? * Making a one-user forum for yourself. * Poetry 2: it's when you do something interesting with forum posts. * Doing something for brain reasons and then people who you inspire do the same things to so they can pretend to have the same brain reasons. * Adding everyone who ever influenced you to the credits of your game. * Intentionally excluding the U. * Suck it, English orthography!

Wondering what separates thriving entrepreneurs from those stuck in hustle mode?In this video, healing-centered business coach Suzy Wraines reveals the real foundation of business success: your self-belief and identity.Because here's the truth: You can't build a six-figure business if you still see yourself as “just a provider.”In this video, you'll learn:* Why mindset and self-image are the true strategy* How successful entrepreneurs think about their role in business* The belief that creates visibility, income, and traction* A powerful shift to help you embody your CEO identity nowWhether you're a nurse, therapist, or health professional stepping into entrepreneurship, this series will help you align with your purpose, show up with confidence, and attract the business you're meant to build.This is part 1 of a 6-part series: What Do Successful Entrepreneurs REALLY Believe?Don't forget to subscribe to get notified when the next video drops. Want help stepping into your six-figure identity?Explore coaching & retreats with Suzy here → https://www.startingabusinesssimplified.com/Comment below:What belief are you shifting in your business journey right now? Get full access to Staring a Business Simplified at startingabusinesssimplified.substack.com/subscribe

Ever felt like someone pulled your battery out mid-sentence? One minute you're go-go-go, and the next—you're a human puddle on the couch, brain offline, soul buffering. That, my friend, is an ADHD energy shutdown—a deeply misunderstood, very real experience where our nervous system essentially throws up the "Closed for Business" sign.

A good teacher makes a bad decision to help a student pass. by kotochaos. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.  Chapter One: First Time Morgan Klein stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, when Chris dropped his pants. To say she was impressed would be an understatement. A smile crawled slowly onto her face as she took in his limp manhood-boyhood, really-and found him larger than her husband at her husband's proudest moment. More impressive was the fact that Chris wasn't even hard yet, though he swelled rapidly under her gaze, growing to an even more impressive size when finished. She could hardly believe it when she took him in hand and found that her fingers could not meet around him.This was Morgan's third year teaching. She was a secondary English teacher and had, the year before, tutored Chris after school. Chris was a tall, brooding sort. He came from a broken home with a single mom in their struggling rural community. His mother did what she could, but she was uneducated herself and, between three jobs, hardly had time to help Chris at all. When he had moved on from eleventh grade, his mother had personally told Morgan's principal that Morgan was her savior. Since then, Morgan has taken a vested interest in Chris' development. Moving into twelfth grade when he should have been ready for graduation, Chris began struggling again. Morgan had been patient at first, but she saw her success quickly withering into failure. Desperate to make a turnaround, she had agreed to a deal which she never thought she would have agreed to before. In her desperation, she had agreed to give Chris an orgasm for a good grade, and Chris eagerly accepted. That was how he ended up fully erect in her face, his massive dick throbbing and leaking in her hand. Chris' penis was nothing like any she had ever seen before. It was something out of a practical joke or a legend. Not only was he thick, but he was monstrously long, too, and his crown was shiny red and dribbling precum as he pulsed and throbbed in her palm. Clearly aroused, she was surprised that he hadn't exploded all over her already. Despite her better judgement, she was flattered at his arousal. Chris stammered as Morgan stared down his shaft. She looked him in the eyes, and he looked away, blushing. “Y-you, Mrs. Klein, you don't have to.” Morgan smiled. Staring down this length, she wondered how he could be brave enough to suggest it but frightened when it happened. His bravado drained the moment he gave her the paper, but she was glad to see that he hadn't deflated at all once after his pants were opened. A lesser man might grow limp with anxiety, but Chris' nerves only seemed to make him harder. “No, Chris, a promise is a promise,” she said, stroking him slowly. She met his gaze again, and her smile broadened as she saw his cheeks growing red. “You got the grade, so you'll get your reward for it. I just wasn't expecting, um, it to be such a LARGE task.” She moved her hand to his root and held him at the base so that she could appreciate his full length. Morgan was a small woman, with small hands, and Chris looked only more impressive by comparison. Despite his length and girth, his pubic hair was sparse and thin, possibly due to his age, she didn't know. She felt silly to be in this situation at all, let alone contemplating the logistics of hair growth in teens. In her second year of teaching, she had been instructed to pick a student and make them her cause. Now, holding Chris hard in her hands, she feels even better about her choice. She held him in both hands and stroked him idly, gathering his precum and smearing it along his shaft. Not a virgin, Morgan has always been pretty and enjoyed male attention. She had never been with someone like Chris, though. Despite his youth, Chris was tall and fit. He still held the A in his hand, clutched tightly and slightly crumpled as she stroked him. He was embarrassed, but he was also throbbing and, measuring at least twelve inches in length and twice her husband' girth, he was more man than anyone she had ever met. Thumbing his crown, Morgan chuckled. Chris moaned in her grasp and, smiling at him, she said, “Someone's excited.” She didn't know who she was talking about, though. Her nipples were erect and chaffing her bra, while her pussy was wetting her panties in her arousal. Chris met her gaze and watched breathlessly as she stroked him with her tiny hands. “Sorry,” he choked, and Morgan laughed again. “Don't be sorry,” she said, and she licked her lips staring down his length. “This is all actually very flattering.” Leaning forward in her chair, she breathed along his cockhead and laughed as he throbbed again. He was steel hard, and she was sure he wouldn't last much longer. A hand job would likely be enough but, stroking him, she knew he wanted more. “Now then, I seem to remember that you had asked for a blowjob in exchange for an A.” Chris nodded, his eyes widening as her wet lips approached his manhood. Morgan licked her lips again and stroked him, gathering precum to his cockhead. Glancing down at him, she chewed her bottom lip. She had never been with a man as large as Chris before, and she was curious to see how well he would fit in her mouth. Though a tiny woman, she was excited to try, and thinking about the size difference between Chris and her husband only made her more excited. “Well, lucky you got an A, then.” Parting her lips, Morgan sucked Chris inside. Her jaw ached to accommodate him as she struggled around his girth. Lips tight, though, she took him to the edge of her throat and gagged briefly before meeting his gaze. Chris watched her in awed silence, his dick painfully hard and his balls tight. He had suggested a blowjob as a joke, and he had felt both guilty and afraid as soon as he said it. When she agreed, he had assumed that was a joke, too, all the way up until she had him in her mouth. Morgan, too, is awed in her own way. Despite being a boy by her estimation, Chris was hung like a man. Fully erect and swelling fatter, he was not only larger than her husband, but he had a more pronounced flavor as well. His precum was thicker than her husband's semen, and the taste of it was robust as it spread across her mouth. Closing her eyes, she focused on the way Chris filled her mouth, and as she bobbed her head on him, she grew drunk on his taste. She mewled, sucking him deep and stroking him with both her hands and her lips. With his flavor in her throat and on her tongue, she became tuned into Chris. His presence surrounded her and filled her. She could smell him suddenly, her nostrils burning with his boyish musk. His youth did nothing to counteract her arousal. In fact, that knowledge that he was still so young only served to arouse her further. She whimpered around him and, hearing this, Chris stiffened in response. Finally, his youth betrayed him. Body tight, muscles flexing, Chris quickened and came hard. Morgan had only just started when his thick semen filled her mouth. Her cheeks ballooned. She swallowed on instinct to keep from choking, but his sperm stuck to her throat. Sitting back to cough, she took the rest across her face. Chris stood still, his dick throbbing as he unloaded the thickest load of his life onto his favorite teacher. Chris' dick was easily twice the size of her husband's. His orgasm, by her estimation, was many times more than that and also many times thicker. He covered her in hot, sticky jelly that burned itself into her flesh. He marked her as his woman, as his slut, as his scalding seed cascaded across her face and torso. Morgan rode it out, her hair catching the semen and clinging to her cheeks. She breathed through it, shivering through her own climax as she smacked her lips. Chris' semen remained thick in her mouth and in her throat, and she could feel it warming her belly. Looking up, she met his gaze and held it as Chris pants and whined like the child he is. In all her life, she has never had a man taste so good. Her husband, in particular, could compete. Chris may have been a boy in many ways, but Morgan had come to recognize that he was a man where it counted most. Coming down from his orgasm, Chris panted. “Oh my God, Mrs. Klein.” Morgan, smiling, sucked him back into her mouth and bobbed her head on him. Chris' hands twitched. He thought to stop her, but he was too drunk on her to fight it. “That felt so good,” he whined. “My hands never felt that good.” Grinning, Morgan flourished her tongue, licking around his glans before holding him with her hands and kissing her way down his hard shaft. Even after the thickest, richest orgasm of either of their lives, he remained erect. She attributed it to his youth, though she found herself flattered by both his resilience and his continued interest. Stroking him idly, she licked his crown. “And that's just the beginning, Chris. Get another A, and we'll see what else I can give you.” She punctuated the statement with a wink. Throbbing in her grip, Chris groaned. “Oh, God!” Morgan laughed in response. That night at home, Morgan tried to have sex with her husband but could not find the willpower to follow through. Comparing him to Chris, she felt both disappointed and defeated. Not only did he fail to measure up to Chris, but his body was softer and his hair thinning. Still young, still fit, and having the interest of one both younger and more impressive than her husband, she found satisfaction in her fingers instead. She masturbated in the shower, teasing and tickling herself to a small climax equal to but less satisfying than the one Chris brought her with a facial. Rinsing herself afterward, she teased her small, pink nipples and later smiled at herself in the mirror. What she was doing was wrong, but it helped Chris and would last until he graduated. That is what she told herself, at least, but deep down she knew that this was only the beginning. Good intentions push a teacher to make another mistake. Chapter Two: Double Take Morgan woke up horny the next day. She woke up imagining Chris' fat cock throbbing and pulsing, and she remembered the hot musk of it as he shot across her face and her nose. She came home sticky with his semen and fingered herself in the shower, her husband was hardly a thought in her head as she did it. She fingered herself again in the morning, reaching a quiet but empty orgasm beside her sleeping husband before her alarm went off. He woke up oblivious, and she woke up angry. She remained horny as she dressed, and she eyed her pert body as well, imagining Chris there with her, equally naked. They would complement each other, Chris' big body looking even bigger beside Morgan's own petite frame. Every part of him was built to break her, but she looked young and could likely pass as his girlfriend in the right context. It flattered her that a man like Chris would show interest in her, and then she reminded herself that Chris was not a man but a boy with a man-sized cock, which did nothing to reduce her pride. The morning passed slowly and empty. She spied Chris passing in the halls but could hardly get him to look her in the eyes. That afternoon for tutoring he was quiet, unwilling or unable to speak to her at length. Morgan, meanwhile, kept hoping he had hidden another A from her and thought to just ask him to let her suck his dick again. She needed to come, and she knew her husband couldn't do it. A week passed and nothing. Thoughts and memories of Chris' dick floated in and out of her head. She tried again to fuck her husband but couldn't. He smelled wrong, and she ended up jerking him off to a meager and disappointing climax. By the next Tuesday, she resented her husband and increasingly looked to Chris for relief. Chris, meanwhile, remained the perfect gentleman. Sometimes, she noticed that he was hard, and though it brought a smile to her face, she wasn't brave enough to act on it. His grades weren't improving, and she didn't want to reward bad behavior. So, she just stared and waited for him to ask for help, and he didn't ask for help because of his embarrassment and his arousal. She had always thought he might have a crush on her, but she had never realized how intense his crush was. Tuesday, however, was too much. They passed in the hall and Morgan noted, with some amusement, that Chris developed a sudden limp. Recognizing her own arousal, she realized the truth–she would have to be the one to end this cold war. So, when tutoring started, she approached his desk and stopped beside him. Seated, he was almost as tall as she was standing. She found his pants tented, and she smiled. He looked at her, his eyes lingering on her small bosom before meeting her gaze. She smiled, and he stammered. “Uh–Um–Mrs. Klein?” Morgan shushed him with one dainty finger to his lips. “Shh,” she said, smiling. “You seem to be having a hard time focusing,” she said, leaning over onto his desk and giving him a glimpse of her breasts down her blouse. “Let me help you.” She ended the statement by cupping his swollen manhood through his pants. Chris gasped. “B-But I haven't gotten another A yet.” Hardly listening, Morgan undid his pants with one hand and pulled his hard dick out. He jumped into view, his dick erupting from the open fly of his boxers. Already long and rigid, he seemed massive compared to her husband, and she cooed as she took him in her hand. After days of fantasy, it felt good to hold the real thing again. “Oh! Do you see that, Chris? You're so big and hard right now, there's no way you can focus on what you're reading. At this rate, you'd be lucky to even get an F.” Taking him in both hands, she stroked him slowly. “Oh, you poor thing. It must hurt to be so big and hard all the time.” Pouting, she looked him in the eyes and found him staring at her breasts. “Is this what I do to you, Chris? Do I make it hard for you to learn?” Gasping and whining, Chris shook his head. His long hair danced as he did. “No, Mrs. Klein. No! You help me!” Morgan smiled. Reaching into his underwear, she cupped his balls and marveled at their weight and size. “That is sweet, Chris, but you don't have to lie.” She purred and held him by his root, staring in awe at his full length. Despite his size, he remained a quiet, mewling teen in the hands of a woman far more experienced. The age difference only helped to arouse her more, and her tiny hands around his dick made him appear bigger by comparison. Groaning, she stroked his full length with both hands. “No, the best thing I can do for you now is help you come. Then and only then can we get any real work done.” She made eye contact with Chris and was happy to find him speechless. Her entire life, she has been a good girl who made the right decision whenever faced with a challenge. Holding Chris now and measuring him against her forearm, she felt like this is the first bad decision of her life, and she was glad that she waited for the right one. Purring, she stroked him from base to crown, holding him as if she was tugging him toward her. “Mm, Chris, I made you this hard. So, I have to be the one who takes on the heavy, heavy burden of helping you find relief.” After that, Morgan lost herself in him. She stared at his shaft and reversed her grip, holding him with both hands and stroking him vigorously. Her husband was a tall man and very slender, and though he was not the only man she had ever been with, he was the one she had chosen to marry. To that point, she had been satisfied with him. Though she had been with bigger men, they had never been large enough to adequately outclass him. Chris, however, outclassed all of them. She had attempted to find pleasure and comfort in her fingers and in her husband for days and found each unworthy. Chris, however, has her wet at a glance. Holding him, stroking him, she could not help but imagine the way that he could and would fill her if given the chance. A facial had given her one of the best orgasms of her life. She knew on instinct that opening her legs to him would give her so much more. Staring at his huge dick as her hands glided across him, watching his swollen red crown leak precum, Morgan whined in her arousal. “Darn it, Chris, I can't believe how stinking big you are!” Gasping in her grasp, Chris whined, “I'm sorry!” Morgan stopped stroking him long enough to look him in the eyes and was hurt to find him anxious. His dick was steel hard, throbbing in her tiny hands, and his interest was obvious, but it was animal interest and little more. Chris was still a child, Morgan remembered, too young to understand her praise or to separate it from insult. She was treating him like a well-endowed stud, experienced and virile, and he could be that someday. Today, however, he was only a eighteen-year-old boy with a mammoth hard-on and a horny teacher. Stroking him more slowly, Morgan swallowed her arousal and put on a smile for him. Chris' big dick was confusing for her. It filled her with lust, but that lust was her burden and not his. He was still a boy, and she was his instructor. It was her job to keep him safe and to teach him the truth. Smiling gently, she whispered to him, “No, Chris. You don't need to apologize. You should never have to apologize for having a big dick.” She giggled, watching him thrust and whine as she stroked him slowly from crown to root. “When I tell you that your dick is big, I am complimenting you. Few men are this size, and I think yours is long, and thick, and gorgeous. So, whenever you're horny, whenever you're distract, bring your big, beautiful dick to me, and I promise to take care of it. Chris gasped, thrusting into her hands, leaking precum all over her fingers. "A-anytime?” Smiling at him again, seeing the hope and the shock in his eyes, Morgan squeezed his dick in open affection. Holding him, stroking him, it is easy to imagine him as a man, but looking him in the eyes reveals that he is only a boy with a man-sized cock that required man-sized attention. The girls at school wouldn't have his best interests at heart, and so Morgan resigned herself to taking care of him instead. “Anytime,” she purred. “Even without an A?” She giggled. “Even without an A.” Licking her lips a second time, she turned her attention back to the swollen, throbbing dick in her hands. She could tell he was getting close and could tell from the way he moved and the way he swelled in her hands. Chris could feel it, too, and seemed to be breathing through his arousal, desperate to keep himself together. Morgan found his efforts cute, but she also wanted to see him explode. Kissing his crown, she whispered, “So, what can I do to help you finish, Chris? What do you need from me? What do you want?” Panting like a dog, Chris barked, “Tits! I want to see your tits!” Smiling, Morgan stroked him with one hand while using her other hand to cup one of her breasts. Her hard nipple dug into her palm as she touched herself. “These little things?” Chris whined and nodded. His dick throbbed, producing even more thick, rich precum to spread across her palm. “Yes,” he panted. “Yes. I want to see them. I want to come on them.” “You want to come on them,” Morgan echoed, laughing. “My, my, you are bold, aren't you?” Releasing her breasts, she put a finger to his mouth as he opened it to apologize. He stared down at her, cross-eyed, around her finger. “Don't,” she said, holding his dick firmly in hand as precum wetted her skin. “Don't apologize, Chris. Women like it when a man knows what he wants, and with a big dick like yours, you have a lot of bargaining power. As for my tits.” Reaching down with her free hand, Morgan lifted her bra and blouse up smoothly over her slender stomach and small, plump breasts. Her nipples, more red than pink in color, stood fully erect and sensitive in the open air. Plucking one, Morgan looked down to regard her breasts before looking him in the eyes and finding him staring. “I can accommodate that request, but you'll have to help me out from here.” Guiding him, she turned him to face her instead of the desk and then moved his hand to hold her blouse up as she kneeled to hold hid dick to her breasts. She returned to stroking him, smearing his precum along his shaft with her palms. The mess spilled onto her chest, gathering in the valley between them. Morgan smiled up at him, and he stared back, jaw hanging, eyes wide and unblinking. She laughed in response. “Now, go ahead and come, Chris. Cover me in all your thick, sticky semen. Unload your big, teenage balls into your favorite teacher's bosom.” Morgan made sure to smile as she fed him the dirty talk, and she felt him quicken immediately. Holding him to her chest, she stroked him to his approaching orgasm and all the way to the end. She could feel his semen swell his shaft, surging and spraying, and she had her own orgasm before his semen even touched her. The feel of his hot seed spreading across her body, though, only amplified it. Like sexual alchemy, it transformed a small, buzzing orgasm into a hurricane of pleasure. By the end both were breathless and panting in climax. Chris' semen had gathered across her breasts and her collar bone, soiling her blouse and possibly ruining it. Morgan didn't care, however. She continued to stroke him before pulling him into her mouth on instinct to clean him. The taste of him elicited a long moan from her as she bobbed her head on him dutifully, both grateful for the orgasm he gave her and the one she received across her torso. Comparing him against her husband again only made her more grateful. When finished, she sat back to display the semen she had collected across her chest to him, and she saw his dick twitch before swelling gradually back to life. Taking hold of him again, Morgan stroked him idly. “Now, now, Chris,” she said, chuckling affectionately as he hardened in her hand. “I won't help you a second time today, no matter how distracted you get.” Taking hold of him by the root, she stared at his dick in awe. “At least, not if you don't earn it.” Eying his cock, she gave it a quick kiss before standing. “We don't have much time before your mother gets here, and I need to get cleaned up.” Watching her move, Chris stammered. Mrs. Klein was a tiny thing, not skinny but slender. She kept fit with rigid exercise, and it showed in the subtle way her body flexed as she moved. Breathless, he stammered, “O-Okay.” Morgan lowered her blouse, pulling it down over her cum-soaked breasts and showing off the stains he left in the fabric. She was partway across the classroom, her bare feet stepping lightly across the glossy tiles, before he called to her. Turning, she stared back at him and his hard dick with equal want. “Yes?” Chris, feeling suddenly self-conscious, looked away. “Tha, Thanks.” Morgan smiled. Eyes fixed on his dick, she said, “You're welcome, and put that big thing away before someone sees it and asks questions.” Chris, looking down at his dick, scrambled. “Yes, ma'am!” Morgan laughed from the doorway. “I'll be back soon, and then we can brush up on some key terms before you go home. Okay?” Chris gave a rushed affirmative as Morgan ducked out into the hall. She hurried to the teacher's lounge bathroom to rinse off but hesitated at the sink when she got there. Wearing his semen was oddly comforting and staring at her reflection made her feel somehow more confident in herself. Already a supremely confident woman, she realized that the pride she felt was in having Chris' interest to begin with. Rinsing herself, she watched the way the water molded her blouse to her figure and thought silently how it will be even harder to keep Chris focused. To be continued in a 10 part series, on Literotica by kotochaos, for Literotica [All characters in this story, are over the age of 18 years.]

Are you stepping into entrepreneurship after years in healthcare, only to find building trust with clients feels much harder outside the hospital walls? You're not alone! Many purpose-driven professionals discover that inspiring confidence in new clients—especially strangers—can be daunting after working so naturally with vulnerable patients. In this episode, Suzy Wraines reveals simple, actionable strategies to transfer your bedside trust-building skills into business success. Learn how to ask the right questions, track the right metrics, and truly connect with your audience—so your marketing genuinely resonates, and you see real results. If you're tired of posting with no engagement or feeling invisible despite your expertise, tune in and simplify your approach to visibility and trust. It's time to make your business growth as reliable as checking your patient's vital signs! The first step to leave the healthcare system and start a business is listening to the Starting a Business Simplified Podcast: https://www.startingabusinesssimplified.com/podcast Starting a Business Simplified Website: https://www.startingabusinesssimplified.com/ Higher Purpose Entrepreneur Community: https://www.skool.com/higherpurposeentrepreneur/about - Contents: (00:00) Intro (00:28) "Market Research Parallels Healthcare" (03:07) Developing a Strategic Marketing Plan (08:35) Vet Tech Guides Client With Care (11:25) "Building Trust Through Consistent Marketing" (15:03) "Join Our Supportive Community" (18:10) "Aligning Communication for Trust Building" (20:05) Tracking Metrics for Entrepreneur Success (23:05) Next Episode: Story & Data Confidence Get full access to Staring a Business Simplified at startingabusinesssimplified.substack.com/subscribe

Are you a nurse, PA, therapist, or other healthcare professional starting a business? Step one clearly defines what you're selling, not just a service, but a transformation. In this video, you'll learn how to describe your offer so potential clients understand exactly what you do and the outcome they can expect.Want to go deeper?Listen to the full 5-Step series to start your business after healthcare by clicking here:

One night, after finishing his schoolwork, he falls asleep, only to find himself in an eerily familiar room in his house. What starts as a typical dream soon turns into something far more sinister. Staring into a tall mirror, he experiences a feeling of being watched by a menacing, eight-foot-tall shadow man. As his nightmare intensifies, he finds himself physically moving in a half-asleep state, only to wake up the next morning to an unsettling discovery—a flashlight that was never part of the dream is lying next to him. Was it a sleepwalking episode? A paranormal experience? Or something darker? This is a daily EXTRA from The Grave Talks. Grave Confessions is an extra daily dose of true paranormal ghost stories told by the people who survived them! If you have a Grave Confession, Call it in 24/7 at 1-888-GHOST-13 (1-888-446-7813) Subscribe to get all of our true ghost stories EVERY DAY! Visit http://www.thegravetalks.com Please support us on Patreon and get access to our AD-FREE ARCHIVE, ADVANCE EPISODES & MORE at http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks

Learn about the retreat here: https://www.startingabusinesssimplified.com/virtual-retreatTo the medical professionals stepping into entrepreneurship. This one's for you.You've spent years, maybe decades, pouring your expertise and heart into patient care. However, as you transition into business ownership, pricing your services feels unfamiliar. Maybe even uncomfortable.You're not alone.Many former nurses, therapists, and clinicians I work with struggle to answer the question:What is my work really worth outside the system?Today, I went live with Kelly Marshall, one of the guest speakers for the upcoming Vision to Action Virtual Retreat. In just 10 minutes, we opened up a conversation that goes far deeper than dollars and spreadsheets. We talked about:How to set prices that reflect your true valueWhy undercharging isn't humble—it's a symptom of unhealed scarcityThe bridge between healing your relationship with money and building a profitable, purpose-driven businessKelly brings the wisdom of deep soul healing and the clarity of lived entrepreneurial experience. Together, we are creating a space where your gifts, your story, and your pricing can align with integrity and impact.If you've been wrestling with how to price your offerings, especially after a career of being told what you're “worth,” this retreat was created for you.If you've been wrestling with how to price your offerings, especially after a career of being told what you're “worth,” this retreat was created for you. Get full access to Staring a Business Simplified at startingabusinesssimplified.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Danielle tells Zee all about the most sinister town in the country - Skidmore, MO - which includes the disappearance of Branson Perry, the murders of Wendy Gillenwater & Bobbie Jo Stinnett, and the tale of Skidmore's most notorious bully, Ken McElroy. A man murdered in broad daylight surrounded by people, yet his killer remains unnamed. Stalk us here!Merch - ghosts-n-heauxsTwitter - ghostsnheauxsInstagram - ghosts_n_heauxsFacebook - GhostsnHeauxsPodcastAnd don't forget to send your stories to ghostsnheauxs@gmail.com

Reading: John 13:21-30Speaker: Clint JenkinSeries: "One Hit Wonders"     

Are you setting goals in your business but feeling lost when progress seems slow or setbacks pop up? You're not alone—many new entrepreneurs struggle to measure growth or know what numbers to track, leaving them frustrated and unsure if they're moving in the right direction. Thankfully, there's a simple way to shift your perspective. In this episode, host Suzy Wraines shows you how tracking your business goals can be just like monitoring healing after surgery: it's about celebrating small milestones, understanding that progress isn't always linear, and using the right tools and data to stay motivated. Discover how breaking goals down into actionable, measurable steps can banish overwhelm, help you realign your strategy, and keep you moving forward—even when you can't see huge results yet. Get ready to transform the way you track success and start building momentum in your business, one milestone at a time!The first step to leave the healthcare system and start a business is listening to the Starting a Business Simplified Podcast:https://www.startingabusinesssimplified.com/podcastStarting a Business Simplified Website: https://www.startingabusinesssimplified.com/Higher Purpose Entrepreneur Community: https://www.skool.com/higherpurposeentrepreneur/aboutContents - (00:00) Vital Signs & Goals are a Necessity (00:27) Into (00:56) Finances & Goal Setting(03:45) Dive into Goal Setting(05:10) Why Goals Matter(07:00) Medical to Business(09:00) Tracking Business Wins(10:16) Goal Action Pathway & The Higher Purpose Community Get full access to Staring a Business Simplified at startingabusinesssimplified.substack.com/subscribe

After an unforeseen hiatus due to technical issues, we're back with the one and only Sam Hinton. You may know him as samreay on reddit, or as the guy who made the amazing website where you can check out all the cover artists in the genre. Please check out Sam's books here:https://mybook.to/SoulRelicAnd his Website here:https://cosmiccoding.com.au/-------------------------------------------We have our own website now! It has all the info you need, a merch store, and more!https://critrpgpodcast.com/If you want to listen to the entire podcast without ads, PLUS at least ONE HOUR of additional content for EVERY EPISODE, consider subscribing to our Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/critrpgpodcastFind my own books and other links herehttps://linktr.ee/madix3I am active in these Discords and Groups! Check them out if you want to discuss LitRPG and progression Fantasy novels! https://linktr.ee/critrpglinksFor business inquiries: critrpgpodcast.social@gmail.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/critrpg-a-podcast-about-litrpg-progression-fantasy-and-their/donations

In this episode of General Witchfinders, we take a close look at The Creeping Flesh (1973), a British horror film from cult studio Tigon British Film Productions. Best known for low-budget horror that ran alongside the likes of Hammer Horror and Amicus, Tigon was founded in 1966 by Tony Tenser and operated out of Hammer House on Wardour Street in London. This marks our first dive into their back catalogue—and what a place to start.The Creeping Flesh stars Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee (#BigChrisLee) as brothers on opposing ends of a bizarre scientific discovery involving an ancient skeleton, reanimation, and some very shaky ideas about inherited evil. Lorna Heilbron plays opposite them as the increasingly disturbed Penelope.The film was directed by Freddie Francis, a key figure in British horror cinema. Francis replaced Don Sharp at the last minute and brought his usual visual flair, having previously directed Paranoiac, The Evil of Frankenstein, Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, and Tales from the Crypt. He's also better known in wider circles for his cinematography—earning two Academy Awards and five BAFTAs for work on Sons and Lovers, The Elephant Man, The Innocents, Return to Oz, and Glory. He also worked on Dune, Cape Fear, and even music videos for All Saints and Jimmy Nail. Cinematographer Norman Warwick handled the visuals on The Creeping Flesh. Warwick was also behind the camera for The Abominable Dr. Phibes (see Episode 10), Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde, and Confessions of a Window Cleaner. The film was shot at Shepperton Studios and Thorpe House in Surrey.We believe The Creeping Flesh was the 20th film pairing Cushing and Lee, likely falling between Horror Express (Episode 7) and Nothing but the Night (Episode 42). We're happy to be corrected—find us on BlueSky @generalwitch.Subscribe, listen, and join us as we explore the world of British cult horror, Tigon films, and everything in between. Get bonus content on PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/general-witchfinders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Staring at the staggering number of orphaned and vulnerable children worldwide, Eric and Leslie felt compelled to do something about the crisis. God encouraged them to start with one. This is the story of them doing exactly that. In July of 2007, Harper Grace Ludy made the trip from Seoul, South Korea to Windsor, Colorado and into the Ludy home—changing it forever.

Brett asks me what she was like when she was younger. I'm like, “Who?” He goes, “Our mother.” And it's random because I've never thought of the old dear ever being – like he said – young. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Staring down The Banjo Man, the group tries to make a break for it - only to realize a tear between worlds doesn't make it super easy to get away!- - - - - - - - - -CAST & CREWPlayers: Amy More, Carla Maxted, Tom Laird and Kyle ClasetDM: Russ MoreDialogue Editing & Sound Design: Russ MoreMusic & Sound Effects: Epidemic Sound, slip.stream, BOOM Library, Sound IdeasCover Art: Matt Garbutt (@artmonkeymg on Instagram)- - - - - - - - - -Enjoying Dumbgeons & Dragons?Consider becoming a Patron of Dumb Dragons Productions for as little as $5 a month with a 7-day free trial and now MERCH after 3-months of patronage! (https://www.patreon.com/dumbdragoncast)Buy our merch! (https://www.teepublic.com/stores/dumbgeons-dragons-podcast-store)Follow our socials and more! - https://linktr.ee/dumbdragons- - - - - - - - - -Advertise on Dumbgeons & Dragons: fableandfolly.com/advertise/Find and support our sponsors at: fableandfolly.com/partnersSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send Krystal a Text Message.Staring at your podcast numbers can feel like facing a report card for a test you didn't study for, and many creators share this experience. Whether you have millions of downloads or are just getting started, those metrics can feel personal. But it's important to remember that your numbers don't dictate your worth as a creator. By shifting our perspective, we can see metrics as valuable feedback rather than judgment.In this episode, I discuss my own journey from avoiding analytics to finding a system that works for me, which even includes emojis! We dive into the metrics that truly matter, from downloads over time to listener retention and email conversions. Understanding these numbers can inform your content strategy and help you create what resonates with your audience.No matter your relationship with analytics, this conversation aims to empower you to approach your podcast metrics with confidence. Ready to make peace with your data and leverage it for better content creation? Let's dive in together, and for additional support, check out our free Podcasters Connect community at crystalprofit.com/growth.

Turns out wine means different things to different folk in different times and places - but it all leads to the same place. Chit chat!

This week, we summoned the man, the myth, the legend... Mr. Joe Umphries from Big Tine! Joe's basically part of the furniture at this point—but like, the really comfy recliner everyone fights over.We cracked a few cold ones, swapped some wild hunting tales, and Joe casually dropped the fact that his 2024 season was hotter than a deer stand in July—dude tagged not 1, not 2, not 3, but FOUR wall hangers. (Save some for the rest of us, Joe!)He also spills the beans on some exciting new products hitting the market, plus he's got an exclusive deal that you likely will not hear anywhere else—unless someone bootlegs this episode, in which case... shame.Tune in for laughs, turkeys, and hunting stories that may or may not involve a little beer-fueled exaggeration⁠Vanguard Outdoors⁠⁠⁠⁠We are a Hunting, Fishing & Just general Outdoors Podcast based out of Michigan that likes to have a lot of fun, Talk tactics and tell our Terrible Stories from the field or on the water. We talk about:Hunting:Whitetail Deer, Turkey, Waterfowl, Small Game, Elk, MooseFishing:Northern Pike, Musky, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Salmon, Trout, Sturgeon, PanFish, Ice Fishing, Great Lake Fishing to Small River Fishing.We couldn't be more excited to partner up with our friends at Wes Point Shores Resort. The place that Ryan & Bob have been going to since they were 5 years old! Follow the links below to check them out and be sure to mention the show and save 10% off your bill!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wes Point Shores FaceBook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wes Point Shores Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠WesPointShores.Com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MI DNR Musky Survey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠O'Wacky Tool Starter Kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fishing Complete Inc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use Code: TERRIBLE & Save 20%!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Terrible Swag⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Terrible Outdoorsman Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tik Tok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on YouTube!⁠⁠⁠

Staring this month, Curious Kid Podcast will release a once monthly episode on Amazing Moments In Sports History.  Don't worry: the weekly episodes of Curious Kid Podcast aren't going anywhere.  This first bonus episode will be available for all listeners.  All future episodes of Amazing Moments In Sports History will be available to Patreon supporters only.  To help support the podcast on Patreon (for as little as $1), click on the link below.  All Patreon supporters get so many awesome goodies for supporting the podcast.  Thanks for your support! Support Us On Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/Curiouskidpodcast

Welcome back to Oddities the podcast where no topic is too *~*StRaNgE*~*!This week we have a little haunting and a lil history. Staring with a supposedly haunted park in Nebraska... It seems very possible but also very weird...Up next on the weird history series Cassie educates us all about the fake Paris of WWI... WHO KNEW?!?! This is pretty cool! Support the showFollow along on social media:FacebookInstagramWebsiteEmail: Oddities.talk@gmail.comHuge shout out to Kyle Head for our awesome new intro! Check out his amazing Music! Thank you Mana Peach for our adorable prattling cows! Check out her designs!Check out Lindsey Bidwell's designs (merch and new logo!)Check out the Moose Cottage! Check out our merch!

A Sermon for Easter Day Colossians 2:20-3:4 & St. John 20:1-10 by William Klock Sometimes there's a way that seems right, you try to follow it, and you just get yourself into trouble.  I parked at the Big Qualicum fish hatchery and went for a ride on my gravel bike on the Horne Lake-Cook Creek Forest Service Road loop.  It's a beautiful ride, but it's not the easiest.  There's a hill at one point that's so steep the logging trucks actually have to be towed to the top by one of those giant trucks with eight-foot tall wheels.  It's too steep to ride and even walking it while pushing your bike is hard, because your shoes just slip out from under you in the dry sand and gravel.  I saw that 20% grade in my mapping app and thought I'd be smart.  There's another logging road on the map that bypasses that big hill.  It would also cut the loop down from 90km to about 75km. So off I went down the mountain on that other logging road.  I should have known better.  My mapping app shows how heavily travelled various routes are.  I could see that everyone took the main road and went up the giant hill.  I could see that no one went the way I was going.  I thought I was smart and had found a secret no one knew about.  And then that shortcut suddenly ended at ravine.  There was a cliff on both sides and Nile Creek babbling away sixty feet below.  The logging company had decommissioned the road and removed the bridge.  I climbed about thirty feet down the cliff with my bike over my shoulder, sure I'd find a way.  I didn't.  And I had to climb back up and then ride back up the mountain, back to the main road with scraped knees and elbows to show for my folly.  I got to climb two big hills that day. We're always looking for the easy way, no one wants to take the hard and difficult way even if it's the right way to go.  Jesus' words were looping in my head as I rode back up that hill to the main road: The gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  I was picturing myself barreling down that road, happy I found the easy way, not paying attention, and riding right off that cliff.   This is what St. Paul's getting at in our Epistle today from Colossians when he writes, Think about the things that are above, not the things of earth.   Here's what was happening in Colossae—or, at any rate, what Paul feared would happen if the church there didn't get on the right track.  Just as in Galatia, the Christians were being tempted to fall back into a form of Judaism—to start finding their identity in things like circumcision, sabbath-keeping, and diet.  They were facing the same sort of persecution the Galatians were and it was very tempting to avoid it by backing away from their identity in Jesus and to instead identify themselves as Jews.  Jews were exempt from all the requirements of Roman religion.  But that wasn't the only thing that made Judaism tempting.  Even before Jesus came on the scene, there had been gentiles who were attracted to Judaism for its ethics and morality.  The ancient pagan world was grossly immoral and barbaric in ways that we—living in a world shaped for two thousand years by the gospel—it was filthy in ways we struggle to imagine.  And some of the pagans got sick of it.  Yes, the torah made heavy demands, but it also offered a way of life along very clearly delineated lines of holiness and purity.  That was attractive to some people.  This is what Paul is getting at, at the end of Colossians 2—which I think really needs to be part of today's Epistle if we're going to get a sense of the context.  Staring in Colossians 2:20 Paul writes: If you died with the Messiah, coming out from the rule of the worldly elements, what's the point of laying down laws as though your life was still merely worldly?  “Don't handle!  Don't taste!  Don't touch!”  Rules like that all have to do with things that disappear as you use them.  They are the sort of regulations and teaching that mere humans invent.  They may give an appearance of wisdom, since they promote a do-it-yourself religion, a kind of humility, and severe treatment of the body.  But they are of no use when it comes to dealing with the indulgence of the flesh.   Paul had in mind these gentiles who were thinking that the laws and regulations of the torah would give them a sense of wisdom and religion and humility, but it's not hard to see our own culture in his warning.  Everyone it seems is looking for some way to feel better about themselves.  Sometimes it's just a sort of generic do-gooderism.  Some people get this way with life-style and fitness routines, disciplining themselves in ways that become a sort of religion.  Some people pursue conservation and environmentalism with the fervency of religion.  Things like recycling or cutting down Scotch broom or driving an EV become almost sacramental.  These things atone—or at least begin to atone—for our sins and the sins of our ancestors.  And then there's the full-on Post-moderns who have bought into various critical theories and the whole dichotomy of oppressor and oppressed.  In that system, if you find yourself in the oppressor category—usually because you're white or male or heterosexual or—God forbid—all three—there is no atonement, there is no forgiveness.  You must simply spend the rest of your life genuflecting at the woke altar and confessing your sins and those of your ancestors.  There is no forgiveness, but at least you can feel better for constantly signaling your virtue and for being an “ally”.  You can even feel holier-than-thou and look down your nose—a Post-modern Pharisee—when you see your fellow oppressors who aren't kowtowing at the woke altar.  These are all just modern expressions of Paul's “do-it-yourself religion”.  They may make us feel better or feel like we're doing something or even that we're working to heal creation and make the world a better place, but to put it in his words, They are of no use when it comes to dealing with the indulgence of the flesh.  None of these things address our real problem.  None of these things will make us genuinely holy.  In the end, they turn out to be indulgences of the flesh themselves. They're shortcuts.  Instead, we need to take that hard and narrow way.  We need to take the road that climbs that giant hill, even though it means pushing the bike while your feet slip out from under you in the sand and gravel.  Because the hard way is the only way that will get us to the end goal.  Every other way will eventually turn into a dead end—with the emphasis on dead.  There is only one way that leads to life.  Brothers and Sisters, we have to die and be raised back to life.  That's the only way to get out of this worldly sphere and to escape the “worldly elements”—the powers and gods of the present evil age, the powers and gods that keep us perpetuating our sins and our rebellion against God.  Because no matter what we do, no matter how many good works we think we've done, as long as we're enslaved to those false gods and systems, we're just feeding, we're just perpetuating the fallenness of the world and this present evil age. Something has to change.  We have to leave behind the present age—it's days are numbered anyway and as Christians we should know that—and we need to take our place in the age to come, in God's new creation.  We all know that the world is not as it should be.  God didn't create us for pain and tears and it's good that we instinctively want to fix that.  But we can't.  Not on our own.  Our sin and rebellion have broken God's creation and there's no fixing it with the broken tools it offers.  To get back to where we should be—to get back to that place of fellowship with God, of living in his presence, of being the stewards of his world—means leaving behind the old and joining in the new. This is what drew people to Jesus during his ministry.  He was preaching good news, yes, but he was also wiping away the tears and giving people a taste of new creation.  He healed the blind and the deaf and the lame.  He cast out demons.  He even overturned death on a few occasions.  In Jesus, God's new world, Gods' new age was breaking in.  And then there's that first Easter morning that we read about in John's Gospel. We see Mary standing at the tomb and weeping.  Sin and death, all the powers of this evil age had risen up at once and killed Jesus.  If there was a time for tears, that was it.  The most evil of evil things evil has ever done.  Mary represents us all as we cry in the midst of this broken and fallen world full of evil.  She was so overcome with the sadness of it all that she doesn't seem to have been moved even by the presence of the two angels.  “Why are you crying?” they asked.  And she just kept sobbing.  “They've taken away my lord and I don't know where they've put him!”  And then Jesus walks up and asks her again, “Why are you crying?”  And she turns around and asks him, “Sir, if you've carried him off somewhere, tell me where you've put him.”  John says she thought he was the gardener.  We pass over that little detail without much thought.  At least I did for years and years.  But then I started noticing how so many artists in history depict Jesus that Easter morning with a shovel or a hoe in his hands.  There's something to that bit of detail.  John mentions it for a reason.  Mary mistook him for the gardener because he must have been doing gardener things.  So there was Mary crying at the tomb and talking to angels, while Jesus knelt nearby pulling up weeds or tending to a fallen plant.  The second Adam was alive.  God had raised him from the dead and rolled away the great, heavy stone from the tomb.  That was the greatest event on the greatest day in the history of the world.  When Jesus burst forth from the tomb, I like to say that he sent a shockwave of life through a dead world.  Nothing would ever be the same.  And yet what does he do?  He walks out of the tomb and starts tending to the garden.  My first thought is something like, “Doesn't he have bigger and better things to do?”  But it shouldn't really be surprising.  This is the same Jesus, God incarnate, who humbly took on our flesh and who humbly went to the cross for the sake of his enemies.  Why shouldn't he act the part of a humble gardener first thing after his resurrection?  But, too, it shouldn't be surprising, because this is what he came to do: to set his creation, broken by our sin and rebellion, he came to set it to rights.  Why not start with those weeds just outside the tomb and then that rosebush starting to fall over.  Mary keeps weeping uncontrollably.  And then he says her name and suddenly she knew, suddenly she recognised him.  “Rabbi!”she said.  And the tears stopped—or maybe they turned into tears of joy.  John doesn't say.  But the weeds, the rosebush, Mary's tears—Jesus didn't just burst out of the tomb to be some highfalutin and abstract doctrine of resurrection to be studied and discussed by theologians in ivory towers.  No, he came out of the tomb, resurrected indeed, but immediately working out that resurrection for his beloved creation and for his beloved people.  First the garden and then Mary, and pretty soon everyone. One by one Jesus has come to each of us as we've been confronted with the good news of the gospel.  He's spoken our names.  He's wiped away our tears.  We've believed.  We've been baptised.  And coming out of those baptismal waters, we've been filled with God's own Spirit and made new.  We still wait for the day when we will be resurrected as Jesus was, but the Spirit is a down-payment, an earnest on that day.  In our baptism we have died and been raised up with Jesus to a new life.  Like Israel delivered from Egypt at the Red Sea, we've been delivered from our slavery to sin and death as we've passed through the waters of baptism and now Jesus sends us out.  Now we're the gardeners, sent out into the world to proclaim and to live the good news.  To tend to the weeds and the falling rosebushes and the tears.  To do the things we knew all along needed to be done, the things maybe we tried to do, but that we could never really accomplish on our own or with the world's broken tools.  But now they get done, because the power of the Lord goes with us in the gospel and the Spirit. We are—again—like Israel.  Consider.  Israel passed through the Red Sea and then the Lord sent her to conquer Canaan.  And yet it wasn't Israel who won the victory, but the Lord.  Yes, Israel had to march and Israel had to fight, but it was always the Lord who won the battle.  And just so with us.  Jesus has brought us through the waters of baptism and now he sends us out into the world to reclaim what rightly belongs to him.  And it won't happen if we don't go, but at the same time, it is not we, but he who wins the victory.  The kingdom of God fills the earth because of the power of the gospel and the Spirit.  But, again, Paul's warning to the Colossians: We are so prone to forgetting all of this and we fall back into do-it-yourself religion.  And so he says in verse 1 of Chapter 3: So if you were raised to life with the Messiah, search for the things that are above, where the Messiah is seated at God's right hand.  Think about the things that are above, not the things of earth.  Don't you see: you died, and your life has been hidden with the Messiah, in God!  When the Messiah is revealed (and he is your life, remember), then you too will be revealed with him in glory.   Here's the good news.  Throw away all the do-it-yourself religion.  Get off those dead-end trails and get back on the main road.  Because if you belong to the Messiah, you're also already part of his new creation.  This is one of the greatest themes all through Paul's epistles.  Paul wants us to understand that what is true of Jesus is already true of us because we are “in him”—or as he puts it “en Christos”, “in the Messiah”.  It may not always feel like it, but this is one of the fundamental things about the life of faith that Paul wanted these new believers to understand.  It's often hard, but we need to learn to believe that this is true even if it doesn't always feel that way.  Because it's in those time when we're not feeling it—feeling like our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, feeling like we're far from God, feeling like there's no escape from sin, feeling like the world will never change—it's in those times that we're most prone to falling back into do-it-yourself religion. And there are two true things that Paul wants us to understand above everything else.  If we can remember these two things, everything else is going to fall into place.  Jesus has died and he's been raised from death.  And that means that if we are “in the Messiah”, then we have died with him.  You have died with him.  You are no longer a part of the old evil age.  You are no longer a slave to sin and death.  You don't need any do-it-yourself religion to get close to God or to make the world a better place.  You just need Jesus.  You have been raised with Messiah.  Even though we wait for the resurrection of the dead at the end of time, through the indwelling of God's Spirit, we have in part—here and now—the life of the age to come.  Jesus has made us part of his new creation. Our hope—and the hope of the world—lies with him as he sits at God's right hand.  In his incarnation, in his ministry, in his death, and in his resurrection, Jesus began the process of uniting heaven and earth, of bringing God and man back together.  One day that task will be finished, heaven and earth will be rejoined and we will be resurrected and—as Adam and Eve once did—we'll live in the full presence of God.  But in the meantime, we—his church—have been given the task of proclaiming the good news about Jesus and by our life together, giving a dark world a taste of God's light, of his new creation—of giving the world a taste of heaven. Brothers and Sisters, that's how the kingdom spread.  That's how Christendom came to be.  As Jesus' people set their minds on God's new creation and, as the church, lived it out in the midst of the darkness.  And just as the God of Isreal who gave his son for their sake was unlike any god they'd ever known as pagans.  This church, this community of people who identified with the Messiah and who gave their lives humbly for the sake of the world, who lived as one people regardless of whether they were rich or poor, slave or free, Jew or gentile, this people who taught the world what love and mercy and grace and justice are, this people showed the world the holiness it had been looking for, it showed the people how this broken world really can be set to rights—when we set aside our do-it-yourself ways and let the Messiah wash us clean and let his Spirit make us new. Brothers and Sisters, keep your eyes fixed on the things that are above.  Keep praying with Jesus: Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done, one earth as it is heaven.  One day heaven and earth will be fully rejoined, but only because the church, in the power of the Spirit, has proclaimed the gospel to the whole world.  In his book Surprised by Hope, Tom Wright wrote this, “People who believe in the resurrection, in God making a whole new world in which everything will be set right at last, are unstoppably motivated to work for that new world in the present.”  May that be true of us.  While we wait for God's new world to come in all its fullness, let us never tire of being that new world here and now: as we, empowered by the Spirit, proclaim the good news that Jesus has died, that Jesus has risen, and that Jesus is Lord, as we pull the weeds, and as we wipe away the tears. Let's pray: Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant us by your grace to set our minds on things above; that by your continual help our lives may be transformed; through the same, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

You might think that the transition from a working risk management professional to a working skydiver might be a pretty over the top choice, and you'd be right; but to Dave Cicciarelli it was one of the easiest choices he ever made. With roots in skydiving that stretch back to the late 80's, and a career that kicked off properly when he went to work managing the AFP program for Roger Nelson, Dave's career has gone from Illinois, to Florida, New Zealand to Australia. Staring down his 60's and still going strong as a working skydiver, Dave Cicciarelli is the perfect Lunatic Fringe example of longevity in a sport that isn't just for kids!

In the first episode of our new "Navigating Sports Media" series, Navigate's Head of Media, Umar Hussain, hosts two guests who are leading the way in the regional broadcast space.   Staring down a new local media rights reality and with just 9 months of prep time, the Texas Rangers launched Rangers Sports Network and DTC offering in partnership with Victory+. With the ongoing disruption in cable and streaming, teams will need to get creative and ensure that their content (especially games) are accessible and attractive in-market for both existing and new fans.   Jim Cochrane - Chief Business Officer at the Texas Rangers - and Jon Heidtke - Founder and Principal at Heidtke Sports Entertainment - discuss how this new strategy has put the organization in the best possible position in this new media marketplace.   Details: 2:25 - Rangers Sports Network 12:50 - Content beyond live games 15:25 - The next 5 to 10 years 18:15 - Baseball's TV product 28:05 - Rapid Fire Questions  36:55 - Umar's POV on sports media     For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.

TUESDAY HR 5 The K.O.D. - Good and bad flossing. Photo tips from Russ So they put fluoride in the water? No way! Monster Messages & Hot Takes