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How To Be Awesome At Not Letting Anyone Clip Your Wings—because sometimes, without even realizing it, we let the words and doubts of others make us dilute who we are. In this episode, we're talking about all the ways people (intentionally or not) try to clip your wings. They might question your big goals, list out all the reasons something might not work, or subtly discourage you in a way that makes you second-guess yourself. Sometimes it's huge dream-dampening conversations… and sometimes it's just tiny comments that plant seeds of doubt. But here's the truth: if you're here to do something extraordinary, you will absolutely encounter people who try to limit you. It might be from people who love you the most, an enemy or strangers on the internet. The best part about all of this… once you see it for what it is you just say… “Hey, don't clip my wings.” And I have the BEST ever song to put on to remind yourself of this daily. Defining: ‘Clip Your Wings' Clipping your wings = causing someone to play smaller than they're meant to be. It could be someone doubting your vision, warning you about risk, or even asking, “What's your backup plan?”
There is a different gospel being preached, one that differs from the gospel of grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. It is called Lordship Salvation, and many people will not recognize its subtlety--until they know what to look for. This episode explains what Lordship Salvation teaches about Faith, Repentance, Lordship, and Discipleship, then shows their erroneous thinking about these important issues. Also covered are the negative consequences of this perversion of the gospel. It affects one's assurance, motivation, Christian living, and interpretation of key Bible passages. The failure to see the distinctions between salvation and discipleship, or justification and sanctification, is a crucial error of the Lordship view. Listen and be equipped. #LordshipSalvation #GraceLifeMinistries #FreeGraceGospel #SimplybyGrace
In this episode of Recovery for the Narcissist, Dr. Eric Perry explores the subtle but powerful impact of frustration leaks in narcissistic relationships. This episode explores how unspoken emotional distress—expressed through sighs, muttering, or tension-filled body language—can quietly alter the emotional safety of a relationship without a single word being said.Dr. Perry unpacks the psychological mechanics of frustration leaks, highlighting how this behavior often reflects a deeper struggle with emotional regulation and vulnerability. He explains why individuals with narcissistic tendencies may externalize distress in indirect ways—and how those around them are left to absorb the emotional weight of what goes unspoken.Listeners will learn about: What frustration leaks look like in real-life dynamics Why narcissistic individuals often externalize emotional distress unconsciously The difference between self-regulation and emotional outsourcing How subtle expressions of frustration can create emotional pressure and distance Practical tools to contain emotion, name impact, and rebuild emotional safetyDr. Perry offers clear and compassionate insight for both those who have experienced the tension of frustration leaks and those who may be unintentionally creating it. Whether you have noticed a growing emotional distance in your relationship or felt the weight of someone else's mood without understanding why, this episode provides language, clarity, and a path toward change.Tune in to discover how frustration—when acknowledged rather than leaked—can become a moment of honest connection rather than quiet rupture. Healing begins not with denial or perfection, but with presence, ownership, and the choice to create emotional safety, one moment at a time.Connect with Dr. Perry: https://drericperry.comOwn Your Stuff Online Coaching Group: https://drericperry.com/ownyourstuffEmpathy Awakening Workshop: https://drericperry.com/empathyawakeningDisclaimer: The content contained in this podcast is for general information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Listeners should not rely on the information provided for their own health needs. All specific questions should be presented to your own healthcare provider. Listening to this podcast in no way creates a professional/working relationship between the listener and the host. If at any time you have an emergency while listening, please contact your local emergency center immediately.
Passive Aggressiveness in Relationships: Spot It, Understand It, Change ItA space created for professional women to explore what it truly means to cultivate inner peace—through the lens of career, relationships, and self-improvement. We offer practical wisdom and encouragement to help you lead a more fulfilling life.
This week, our hosts Dave Bittner, Joe Carrigan, and Maria Varmazis (also host of the T-Minus Space Daily show) are back sharing the latest in social engineering scams, phishing schemes, and criminal exploits that are making headlines. We start with some follow up, as Joe shares with us a complaint he has with Vanguard. Maria's story is on McAfee's latest research revealing that one in five Americans has fallen for a travel scam—often losing hundreds of dollars—despite many trying to stay vigilant, as scammers use fake websites, AI-altered photos, and phishing links to exploit deal-seeking travelers. Joe's got two stories this week: the first one is from Rachel Tobac on LinkedIn, breaking down how attackers like Scattered Spider are using phone-based impersonation, fake domains, and social engineering to breach insurance companies, and the second is on Aflac confirming it was hit in a cyberattack believed to be part of a broader campaign targeting the insurance sector, likely tied to the same threat group. Dave's story is on brushing scams, a scheme the United States Postal Service is warning about, where scammers send unordered packages—often low-cost items—to people's addresses so they can fraudulently post fake “verified” reviews online using the recipient's name and address to boost product rankings. Our catch of the day is from the scams sub-Reddit, where someone shared text messages from a scammer asking for only a small favor. Complete our annual audience survey before August 31. Resources and links to stories: New McAfee Report Finds Young Adults Fall for Travel Scams More Often Than Older Generations Rachel Tobac LinkedIn Aflac Latest Insurer to Suffer Cyberattack and Data Breach Brushing Scam - Unexpected Package US Postal Inspection Service Have a Catch of the Day you'd like to share? Email it to us at hackinghumans@n2k.com.
This week, the boys argue about the power of marketing, the state of original IP, and rank the movie versions of Superman.House KeepingBe sure to follow us on social media:FacebookTwitterInstagramBuy swag atTeePublicSubscribe to our exclusive contentMcSoss Private Reserve
In this episode of the Summer Q&A Series, Nicole responds to a powerful and timely question:“What happens when we dehumanize others, and what might we be avoiding in ourselves when we do it?” Rooted in Scripture and shaped by years of teaching and discipleship, Nicole explores how dehumanization—both subtle and overt—can reveal deeper emotional and spiritual struggles, particularly among women. Through biblical reflection and honest personal insights, she identifies three key areas often lurking beneath this behavior: fear, anger, and pride. Listeners will walk away challenged and encouraged to reexamine how they view others—and how they might bring hidden heart issues before God for healing and transformation. Main Takeaways Dehumanization is subtle but dangerous: We often strip others of their God-given dignity by grouping them into labels, roles, or categories. Words carry weight: Name-calling and group labels are not just emotional reactions—they violate the biblical truth that every person bears the image of God. Why we dehumanize: It's often an avoidance tactic for deeper emotional realities. Three Common Roots Behind Dehumanization in Women: Fear – Of being wrong, hurt, rejected, or vulnerable Anger – Especially unspoken or culturally suppressed anger Pride – The insidious belief that we know best, or can determine what's fair or right outside of God The Bible’s Response: God calls us back to humility, self-examination, and compassion. Transformation starts with asking God to search our hearts (Psalm 139). Bible Verse References Genesis 1:27 – “God created mankind in His own image…” Psalm 139:13–14 – “You knit me together in my mother’s womb…” Jeremiah 2:13 – God describes forsaking Him as abandoning living water Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things…” Psalm 139:23–24 – “Search me, God, and know my heart…” Calls to Action (CTAs) Subscribe to How to Study the Bible to follow the rest of the Summer Q&A Series. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more people discover the show. Visit nicoleunice.com for Bible studies, teaching tools, and Nicole’s books. Invite a friend to listen and reflect on this episode together—great for small groups or mentoring relationships. Join the conversation on Instagram @NicoleUnice or use #HowToStudyTheBible.
This is season 5. In this episode, Mike Charleston is joined with his wife Sarah. Every once and a while there are fad teaches that go through the church. Some stay for a few years, others stay a lot longer, some aren't very important, and others are. This week they are talking about one of those issues that have slipped into the church that most people have said, but is actually pretty dangerous when we really think about it. They do a "this or that" segment. Also, Sarah's song of the week.If you want to ask a question or make a comment: Talk@fellowshipofbelievers.orgOr record a voice message https://anchor.fm/mike-charleston/messagSarah's new book "You Can Run in Flip-Flops, But Is That the Best Way"Check out the website at www.fellowshipofbelievers.orgTo watch Every Step go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh8dX0VUPJw&t=s&ab_channel=RebekahCharlestonSubscribe on YouTubeOr watch it here Find the show on:Apple, Spotify, Anchor, Breaker, Google, Pocket Cast, RadioPublic, Audible, and now on YouTube
This daytime set leans into detailed rhythms and melodic twists. Subtle at times, playful at others. It's music that works in layers: drifting between clarity and blur, memory and movement. A soundtrack for late afternoons, quiet focus or simply letting the day unfold at its own pace. Tracklist 01 Minilogue - Seconds (Colour & Sound) 02 Isolée - Allowance 03 Rodriguez Jr. - Feathers & Bones 04 Superpitcher - In My Head (feat. Fantastic Twins) 05 Skatebård - Sgnelkab (Mental Overdrive RMX) 06 Robag Wruhme - Naila 07 Uusitalo - Dutchwallpaper 08 DJ Hell - Anything, Anytime (Dubspeeka Remix) 09 Fernie - Unearthly 10 Gusgus - Add This Song (Patrick Chardronnet Mix) 11 Guy Gerber - Stoppage Time (Reshuffle Remix) 12 Sasha - How To Wear Raybans Well (Nathan Fake Remix) 13 James Holden - The Wheel 14 Depeche Mode - The Darkest Star (Holden Dub) https://www.facebook.com/lowfrequencypodcast https://www.facebook.com/itsmestevedj https://soundcloud.com/st-eve_dj
Let's dive into some unconscious ways us women tend to sabotage our self-love—especially in times of collective stress, societal pressure, and emotional overwhelm. In a world that constantly demands more from women—more productivity, more perfection, more performance—it's no wonder we struggle to stay connected to our own self-worth.If you've ever felt reactive, rushed, or stuck in regret, this conversation will give you the mindset shifts and grounding reminders you need to return to yourself.You will learn how to...Stay rooted in self-worth when the world feels like it's on fireRecognize the difference between reacting and respondingFree yourself from the cycles of rushing and regrettingThis self-love podcast episode is meant to help you reflect rather than react, slow down instead of rushing, and trust yourself instead of spiraling in regret.We often think of self-love as something fluffy or indulgent, but the truth is: it's crucial. It's the foundation for how we show up in the world, how we treat others, and how we protect our peace. As you'll hear in this episode, the more you cultivate self-love, the less reactive you become. The more grounded you are, the less likely you are to betray yourself in moments of stress or uncertainty.Remember: self-love isn't a luxury—it's the foundation of personal and collective healing.If you enjoyed this self-love podcast, share it with your friends to spread the gift of self-love!Deepen your self-love journey with Mary's books:*The Gift of Self-Love,* an interactive workbook that will help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.*100 Days of Self-Love,* a guided journal with 100 prompts to help you calm self-criticism and learn to love who you are.Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcastMentioned In This Episode…Joy Sullivan's newsletter “Women at the Protest”Meditations for Mortals by Oliver BurkemanEp. 250 on Mary's Cup of Tea: Productivity Advice Meets Self-Compassion with Oliver Burkeman
The Juvenalia Book Club is back! We're talking about book 2 of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials series, The Subtle Knife. We talk about our love for new characters Will and Mary, the nature of dark matter in the His Dark Materials universe, whose dark material is it anyway?, trusting that a book will give you the answers you're looking for if you just keep reading. Also, Andrea probes Alan's understanding of what he's reading and Alan tries his best to answer her. Alan is @alan_maguire. Juvenalia is his main thing right now but he does a bit of standup sometimes too.Andrea @AndreaCleary_. Her other podcasts are My Favourite Album With Andrea Cleary and The Nialler9 Podcast. Her newsletter is at https://andrea-cleary.ghost.io/Thank you to Dee McDonnell for our artwork.We have a Patreon! You can get bonus episodes including our patreon-only show Started/Finished where we talk about the pop culture we started and finished recently. We also have some free lil bits of merch. It's patreon.com/juvenaliaThis episode was produced by Alan.Juvenalia is a Tall Tales podcast. Thank you Cassie.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE IF YOU'RE FEELING LIKE YOU'RE BLENDING IN, THINKING ABOUT A REBRAND, OR COULD USE A LEVEL UP IN YOUR BRANDBranding goes far beyond aesthetics; it's how people feel about your business. In this episode, we break down how to tell if your current branding is holding you back, when a rebrand is needed, and how to elevate without losing your brand's essence.We dive into:Subtle clues that your brand isn't converting like price objections, wrong audience attraction, or feeling like your visuals don't match your product qualityWhy jumping on branding trends can actually hurt your sales and make it harder to stand outHow to refresh your brandSimple questions you can use right now to audit your branding and see what needs attentionIf sales feel off, despite doing everything you think you should be doing, this episode might be the game-changer your brand needs.TOPICS WE DISCUSS: Brand Strategy, Emotional Branding, Visual Consistency, Brand Refresh, Small Business MessagingJOIN THE SBG FREE COMMUNITY // CLICK HEREFREE TRAININGS // CLICK HERE TO BROWSEEXPLORE PROGRAMS & SERVICES// CLICK HEREAPPLY TO WORK WITH ME //CLICK HEREFOLLOW MADI ON INSTAGRAM // @thisismadisonpaige
This episode has been published and can be heard everywhere your podcast is available.Book a One on One coaching session HEREUnchained -https://www.rawmotivations.com/unchainedWant to help support this podcast?https://anchor.fm/rawmotivations/supportListen to the wife's perspective on our new podcast Trauma, Drama & Life:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trauma-drama-life/id1639753152Tune in to hear the perspective of a self aware narcissist.That's me - Ben Taylor a a narcissist in recovery trying to promote awareness, healing, growth and change. I do that by these videos on here, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.Please reach out to me if you are a: Victim of Narcissistic Abuse -Helping provide closure, reduce guilt and break free from the trauma bond that toxic people imprison you in. Narcissist -I understand you better than you probably understand yourself because I have been there, I am there and I am fighting daily for a better life. You can do that too.From Fantasy to Reality: A Journal for after the Toxic RelationshipGrab yoursHERE.Platforms I am on:TikTok (71k followers) - https://www.tiktok.com/@raw_motivationsInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/rawmotivationsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/Raw-Motivations-105074738842639/Linkedin -https://www.linkedin.com/in/rawmotivations/YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/c/rawmotivations?sub_confirmation=1
The United States has just pulled off one of the most audacious bombing campaigns of the 21st century — attacking Iran's nuclear sites in a stunning show of military might. The Pentagon is calling it a surgical strike. Donald Trump? He's calling it a “obliteration.” Either way, it's one hell of a moment in global history.But this didn't come out of nowhere. This is part of a full-blown war that started just ten days ago, when Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran. Since then, it's been chaos. Missiles flying back and forth, and now — the world's most powerful military dropping bunker-busting bombs with chilling precision. And while Israeli officials are tight-lipped about regime change, Trump certainly isn't. Last night on Truth Social he posted: “If the current Iranian regime is unable to make Iran great again, why wouldn't there be regime change?” Then he added “MIGA” — yes, Make Iran Great Again. Subtle, it is not.To cut through the spin and propaganda, Venetia speaks with Dr Shany Mor a Senior Research Fellow at the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre, Darya Dolzikova from RUSI and co-host Roland Oliphant.https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/06/20/replace-khamenei-leader-of-iran/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/06/22/trump-stealth-bombers-mission-obliterate-iran-nuclear/https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Each Sunday we will tackle a subtle, often-overlooked sin that Christians tend to tolerate in themselves and others—sins that don't make headlines but quietly erode spiritual health and community life. Inspired by Jerry Bridges' book Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate, this series will help us examine our hearts and pursue holiness with humility and dependence on grace. Our goal is to shine the light of Scripture on sins we often excuse, minimize, or overlook – and to rediscover the power of the gospel to transform even the most “acceptable” patterns of sin.
Episode 503 | The Subtle Mindset Shift That Helps Me Love My Business Again If you're a therapist in private practice and lately you've been feeling disconnected, uninspired, or just tired of the day-to-day, this episode is for you. I created this episode because I had one of those days. The kind where everything feels harder than it should: emails feel heavy, marketing feels pointless, and even your client work feels like it's pulling more from you than it's giving back. And when you're in private practice, there's often no buffer because you are the business. In this conversation, I'm sharing a moment from my own week where I caught myself in that flat, resentful place. Instead of pushing through or slapping a gratitude band-aid on it, I tried something different. A mindset shift that was subtle, but powerful. One that helped me reconnect with my work without guilt, pressure, or performance. This shift helped me feel more in control, more calm, and yes, more in love with my business again. I want that for you, too. This episode is for you if: You're a counsellor, psychologist, social worker, or play therapist in private practice You've been feeling emotionally flat or resistant toward your business You want to feel motivated again without forcing gratitude or hustle You need a more sustainable, honest mindset tool that actually helps You're craving more alignment between your energy and your business demands What I share in this episode: A behind-the-scenes story of how I moved through emotional resistance The problem with some of the mindset advice therapists are given A one-sentence reframe that brought clarity and calm to my day How to stay in your power—without bypassing what you're actually feeling A mindset tool you can use any time you're feeling stuck or drained What you'll walk away with: A practical, no-fluff mindset shift that helps you reclaim your energy, realign with your purpose, and keep showing up for your private practice in a way that feels good, even on the hard days. Links I Mentioned: Website Wellness Check – Want to attract more clients from your website? I'll record a personalised video audit so you can finally know what's working and what needs to change: https://sales.brooklynstorme.com/website-wellness-check-up-aud/ Join my free therapist community: https://sales.brooklynstorme.com/ultimate-private-practice-upgrade/ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprivatepracticecoach/ Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theprivatepracticecoach Episode Time Stamps: 0:00 – Who this episode is for and why I'm sharing it 1:35 – A peek into the resistance I felt in my own business 3:12 – Why common mindset advice wasn't helping 5:05 – The reframe that changed everything (and took 60 seconds) 7:30 – How this one shift gave me emotional spaciousness 10:22 – A mindset reset you can use any time things feel too hard 12:01 – What this has to do with alignment and sustainability in your practice Quick Win Action Step: Think about a part of your business that feels draining right now—maybe it's client admin, marketing, or your calendar. Ask yourself: “What's a different way I could think about this, that would feel more honest and supportive?” This small shift can help you reconnect with your values, and fall back in love with your business (or at least like it again). #PrivatePracticeTherapist #TherapistsInPrivatePractice #WomenInPrivatePractice #TherapistBurnoutSupport #TherapistMindset #TherapyBusinessTips #PrivatePracticeGrowth #AlignedPrivatePractice #TherapistLifeBalance #MentalHealthEntrepreneur #PrivatePracticeJourney #CounsellorInPrivatePractice #TherapistCoach #TherapistSupportNetwork #PsychologistInPrivatePractice #SocialWorkerInPrivatePractice #TherapistSelfCare #TherapistMarketing #TherapistBusinessCoach #TherapistPodcast
In the evolving spectrum of human consciousness, shame lies at the lowest rung. According to Dr. David R. Hawkins in his renowned Map of Consciousness, shame calibrates at a vibrational frequency of 20—a level so corrosive to the psyche that it is often described as “near-death” for the soul.
In the evolving spectrum of human consciousness, shame lies at the lowest rung. According to Dr. David R. Hawkins in his renowned Map of Consciousness, shame calibrates at a vibrational frequency of 20—a level so corrosive to the psyche that it is often described as “near-death” for the soul.
In today's conversation, where we dive deep into the art and science of managing substantial ad spend in an unpredictable market.Our guest, Borja Cuan, isn't just a seasoned leader in the performance advertising world—he's seen nearly every twist and turn this industry can throw at you. Having started his journey way back in 1998, Borja brings hard-earned wisdom and fresh insights to the conversation, sharing how adaptability and resilient mindsets separate fleeting trends from truly great businesses. We explore how Borja's strategic business solutions have shaped client teams and sparked sustainable growth—focusing on what it really takes to scale up, maintain momentum, and build trust.You'll hear candid stories of transformation, the challenges of staying results-driven at scale, and why the unicorn mentality is less about luck and more about relentless innovation and fierce attention to detail.Expect to learn: The real challenges of stewarding significant marketing budgets without losing sight of ROI and efficiency.Practical strategies for building unicorn companies, from high-impact campaign fixes to people-first leadership.How adaptability is the ultimate skill—and how Borja weaves it into Four15's daily culture.Subtle shifts in the industry, and why an unwavering commitment to client experience remains a game-changer.If you're keen to unpack the creative, sometimes chaotic journey behind today's most successful marketing initiatives, join us for an honest look behind the curtain with someone who's lived it, shaped it, and continues to redefine what's possible in performance advertising. Contact Details: LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/borjacuan/ Website: four15digital.com Remember to SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss "Information That You Can Use." Share Just Minding My Business with your family, friends, and colleagues. Engage with us by leaving a review or comment. https://g.page/r/CVKSq-IsFaY9EBM/review Your support keeps this podcast going and growing.Visit Just Minding My Business Media™ LLC at https://jmmbmediallc.com/ to learn how we can help you get more visibility on your products and services. #BorjaCuan #PerformanceAdvertising #DigitalMarketing #AdTech #ClientSuccess #BusinessGrowth #MarketingStrategy #Four15Digital #Leadership #advertisingindustry
We are so excited to have Nicole Vandermeyen with Subtle Healing Health on the podcast today!Nicole shares how her history of childhood leukemia and awful first pregnancy and birth experience solidified her commitment to holistic health. Through subtle changes in nutrition and influence healing, her overall health improved drastically, and she now helps other women do the same! As a holistic health practitioner and a mother, Nicole specializes in working with clients who are working on building stronger family bonds and emotional resilience. She even shares some specifics techniques you can try that can make a huge difference!Nicole's YouTube ChannelNeeded Website: Code VBAC20 for 20% OffCoterie Diapers - Use code VBAC20 for 20% OffHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vbac-link/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Join my conversation with Martin Gutmann to investigate connections between and key learnings from history, technology and leadership. Martin is a renowned Author, International Keynote Speaker, Professor at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Switzerland, and Forbes contributor who I've long admired from afar through LinkedIn. In this episode I finally had the incredible privilege of sitting down with him to get his take on a myriad of topics including: One-size-fits-all leadership Subtle impact of unseen leaders Not celebrating leaders Leadership is a Sport AI & Leadership Churchill's complex legacy And more! Tune-in to listen - learn - grow - and evolve. LEADERSHIP IS A SPORT & IT'S GAMETIME
Send us a textUnexpected wine bargains are emerging across the market, and our latest discovery proves that premium quality doesn't always demand premium pricing. The Markham Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2022 typically commands around $25, but we tracked it down for significantly less during a flash sale, opening a window into what happens when historic winemaking meets value opportunity.This elegant white comes from a property with roots stretching to the mid-1800s, revitalized when Bruce Markham acquired it in 1973. While their Merlot earned them early recognition, this Sauvignon Blanc reveals equal mastery. What distinguishes Markham beyond their centuries-old heritage is their pioneering role in female leadership – both production and vineyard teams are women-led, breaking Napa's glass ceiling long before diversity became industry standard.The wine itself defies typical Sauvignon Blanc expectations. Unlike its grassy New Zealand relatives or mineral-driven French counterparts, Markham's expression shows remarkable restraint and sophistication. Subtle notes of melon, dried anjou pear, apple and muted tropical fruits are complemented by interesting spice components. Most striking is the wine's elegant texture, impressive length, and refined acidity – qualities that typically separate everyday bottles from premium offerings. When our winemaker friend from Burgundy states that "great acidity and excellent length" represent the highest compliment, this bottle effortlessly achieves both benchmarks.Current market conditions have created a fascinating phenomenon where even premium producers are offering significant discounts through flash sales. We encourage you to stay vigilant with your local wine merchants – established wineries that rarely discount are suddenly appearing at dramatically reduced prices. Whether you find Markham at sale pricing or its standard retail cost, it represents the perfect "next step" for Sauvignon Blanc enthusiasts looking to experience what happens when a winemaker with 25+ years of experience crafts an estate-grown white from one of the world's premier wine regions. Have you discovered any unexpected wine bargains lately? Share your finds in the comments!Check us out at www.cheapwinefinder.comor email us at podcast@cheapwinefinder.com
Quaranteam – Book 1: Part 11 The girls suggest to Andy who to bring in. Based on a post by CorruptingPower, in 25 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Eric's house now stood with seven women in it, and Andy had agreed that he would try to learn all of their names eventually, just as Eric did for Andy's household, although both of them agreed that the task would definitely take some time. The two men and Phil had all planned to meet up for dinner on Thursday, as they usually did. It was good to keep a routine. Also on that Sunday, Ash had commandeered the pool house, giving each girl the chance to pitch to her twice, once in the midday and then again in the evening, allowing them to improve and refine upon their pitch. That had kept the entire house occupied, and allowed Andy to spend all of his time writing, although he did make an exception for lunch, when he'd tended to Jenny and Katie's needs. In a move that had surprised him, Jenny had insisted Katie ride his cock until he came inside of her, then sucked her share out of her partner's cunt afterwards. It had proven an excellent test, and Katie had still gotten her fix out of the experience. She'd described it to Andy as "filthy in the best possible way." Other than that, Andy went two days without engaging in any sex, a sort of chance to recharge his batteries. He suspected he might have a bit on Monday, but also acknowledged to himself that he was going to be booked wall to wall with the meetings, hearing the girls pitches, so it might even be a third day off from sex. Monday morning he awoke in bed alone, an absence he definitely noted, but it let him get his morning workout in, followed by a shower. After he got out of the shower, when he went to get dressed, he found a printed schedule of his day on top of his dresser. 10 11: Asha, Emily, Hannah, Jenny 11 12: Katie, Lauren, Nicolette, Niko 12 1: Lunch 1 2: Piper, Sarah, Sheridan, Taylor 2 3: debrief with Aisling Ash had decided to just organize the girl's pitches in alphabetical order, so that Andy wouldn't see any prejudgment on her part. On the schedule, there was also a map of the house's lower level, a room marked with an X and a note from Ash that read simply "See you there!" The house was the quietest it had ever been, even his two cats seeming a little perplexed at the lack of people moving around. Andy wandered down to the marked room at about fifteen minutes to 10, finding Aisling already in the room, which had been set up as a little conference room, a large television on the wall doubling as a computer monitor. On the screen was a black screen with the words "Project Pair Up" in friendly white lettering. "Hey love," she said to him with a smile. She was dressed in professional looking attire, the most dressed up he'd ever seen her. With the quarantine, everyone had been completely casual, and Andy suddenly felt wildly underdressed, wearing just a pair of jeans and an old, faded Jesus Jones t shirt. She saw his look and immediately grabbed his arm. "Relax. You're the one everyone's pitching to, so you're allowed to dress however you like. It's good to be the king," she giggled. "You've heard all the pitches already, Ash," he said to her, as she led him to the head of the table, making him sit down. "Anything truly shocking?" "I told you I wasn't going to make decisions for you, babe, so you'll just have to wait and see." "I wasn't asking you to make a decision, Ash," Andy laughed, "simply whether or not you thought this was a good idea or not." "Oh, aye," she nodded. "There's some truly remarkable women up on offer for you today, and I'm certain there will be some hard decisions in your future, in more ways than one. A few dodgy ones too, by my reckoning, but I'm not the final say in the matter, am I?" She moved to sit down next to him, at his right hand spot, the television screen on the wall opposite him. "There are pros and cons to all of them. But all the girls have agreed nobody will be upset at you, no matter what you decide." "And you think they're all going to hold to that?" "I told them if they couldn't then they shouldn't bother pitching anyone at all. That sort of got them in line." Andy nodded sagely. "Where are they?" "Everyone's hanging out in the pool house right now, and they'll come up when we text them, one at a time, so if anyone runs short, or needs to run long, nobody will get interrupted." "Okay then, let's get to it, I suppose." Ash nodded, and then picked up her iPhone from the table, sending Asha a text to come to the room. A few minutes later, the half Indian half French girl strolled into the room in a powder blue power suit, her hair done up in a bun, wearing bright red 1950s librarian glasses. "Thanks for letting us pitch ta ye, Andy," she said, moving to sit down on the chair at the opposite end of the table from him. "Going first is a bit of a pisser, but I s'pose I'll set the bar high for the lot of'em." She picked up the little remote from the table and clicked it, as the monitor behind her sprung to life, an image of a bright, bubbly blonde girl appearing on it. "This is Olivia Shoemaker, my bestie from me London days. Now I know what you're thinkin', that she's young, and you're nervous or whateva about bringin' too many young birds into the house. But Livvy's a doll. She's a student down at UCSD, so she could just transfer up here and go ta UCSF or Berkeley or Stanford or whateva." Asha clicked the button and the screen advanced, showing Olivia in a colorful yellow sundress, standing on the Santa Monica pier. "She's also a right big social media influencer, with half a million followers on Insta and about as many on TikTok. They were tryin' to get her to appear on Love Island back home, but she said she wanted to wait until she was a bit older for that. She's 19, she's fit and she's a babe. We've been friends since we was toddlers, an' I know she'd likely fall for you like I have." "What's she going to school for?" Andy asked. "She's undecided right now, but she's thinking she might get into international finance. Banking, stocks, that lot. She changes her mind about that all the time, though, so who knows where she'll end up. Girl's got a mind that goes a kilometer a minute, you ask me." "You think I'd be her type?" Andy asked, a touch of doubt in his voice. "I have trouble imagining someone like her being satisfied with someone older like me. I'm not particularly social media savvy, and she looks like the kind of girl who would take one look at me and think 'old man.' And that's no judgment on her, I'm just saying, you want to make sure this is someone who you think is going to be happy here, and with me. Simply because I can request anyone I want to doesn't mean that I necessarily should." "She and I have been friends since we were wee high, so if I tell her she'll like you, she'll trust me on tha', and once she gets to know you, she'll fall for you like e'eryone does, Daddy." He still wasn't entirely comfortable with her calling him that, but he'd learned that telling Asha no just made her do the thing twice as much, so he was hoping she'd get it out of her system eventually. "And part of the pitch process was also you identifying what the challenges might be if I were to extend her an invite to our family. So what do you think those would be?" "Um," Asha said, looking down at the table a moment. "I'm not gonna lie ta ye, Andy. She can be a mite tad possessive. Her last relationship imploded because her boyfriend gave another girl a ride home after a party, and she thought he'd cheated on her." Andy winced a little bit. That struck him as more than a challenge. "So you think that's not going to be a problem here, where she has to share me with all of these other women?" "She'll get over it!" Asha pouted. "She just needs to be shown that not all men are lads, and that she doesn't have to have someone's complete attention all the time to get by in the world." "Do you know what she likes and dislikes sexually?" Ash asked her, cutting straight to the point. "Are you sure she's compatible with Andy?" "She's a bit more reserved than I am," Asha sighed. "More reserved than she oughta be, you ask me, but I don' like the idea of her just fallin' in with some bloke who won't do right by her. She deserves better'n that. The prude walls hafta come down sooner or later." "But do you think she and I would make each other happy?" Andy asked. "I'd like to think so, Andy," Asha said, "but I'm no' sure one way or the other. I'm just tryin' to look out for her." "Okay, Asha. You're the first one we've talked to today, so obviously we have a lot more pitches to hear, so we'll keep your friend in mind." Asha nodded, standing up again. "An' if you decide she's not for you, Andy, I'd understand, but, y'know, maybe pass her on to one of your friends around the town as a thought? It'd just be nice to have one of me mates around here." Andy smiled. "I'll see what I can do." Asha walked over, leaned down and gave Andy a soft kiss. "Thanks, Da. I'll see you at dinner, yeah?" Before Andy could answer, Asha was already heading out the door, closing it behind her. Aisling pushed the button and the screen moved to a simple black background with "next: Emily" in white letters on it in a classy font. He turned to look at Aisling, not entirely sure what to say, which made Ash giggle. "They're all very different, Andy, so you'll just have to decide for yourself." She sent a text message on her phone to Emily, letting her know to start heading to the conference room. "An influencer, though?" Andy said, rolling his eyes. "I still don't get how anyone can think that's a real job." He sighed, seeing the smirk on Ash's face. "I think it's more likely that I'll recommend her over to Eric or Phil, but I'll try to keep an open mind." "That's all anyone's asking, love." "Emily's pitch isn't also for a social media influencer, is it?" he asked, caution plain on his face. "Olivia was the only one, silly, so you can relax." He nodded, hearing a knock at the door. "C'mon in, Emily!" Emily entered the room, and it seemed as though all the girls were going to be in their best professional wear today. She had a modest dress than hung nearly to her ankles and a bright red silk blouse that was almost entirely buttoned up. She looked like was planning to meet the head of some movie studio more than simply talking to Andy and Aisling. She gave a warm, impish little smile and wave, then pulled the door closed behind her. "Hey love. Ash. This is so exciting!" she giggled. "How did Asha do?" Andy was about to say something when Ash put her hand on his wrist to quiet him. "He's not going to talk about any of the pitches to anyone other than me until he's heard them all, Emily, so I don't know why you're asking." The blonde Brit giggled again, flashing a little wink. "I asked because I almost got him to spill the goss." Emily moved to sit down in the pitcher's chair, and picked up the remote. "But it's fine, it's fine. Andy darling, let me present to you Summer Steele." She clicked on the remote and the screen behind her flickered and turned into an image of a woman in her late 30s sitting behind a camera, clearly on a set somewhere. Summer was fit, although not overly muscular, with hair a deep dark brown, like a freshly cut walnut tree. Her nose was slightly crooked, like it had been broken and reset at least once. Her skin had a natural tan to it. Andy suspected her heritage was either Jewish or Palestinian. She looked focused on whatever she was working on. She was certainly lovely, but also had a tough, street fighter kind of vibe to her. She was dressed in leather pants and a leather jacket over some kind of t shirt, as she peered at the camera's monitor. "Her real first name is Maya, but professionally she's been Summer Steele for nearly a decade now. I think you can call her either." Click. The image turned to show the woman on set of one of the Daggerfall Academy movies with Emily, one of the later ones clearly, judging by Emily's age in the picture. It looked as though Maya was teaching Emily some moves for an upcoming scene. "We first met when she was the stunt coordinator and 2nd AD for 'Power Taken: Daggerfall Academy IV.' We've been friends since then, but she's gone on to direct episodes of all sorts of shows: 'The Last Garrison,' 'Everyone Dies At Midnight,' 'Uprising From Below,' and even a couple for Disney+, although she obviously can't tell me about any of those." Click. The image shifted and was replaced by an image of current Hollywood it guy Scotty Jansen with his arm around her, as she sipped from a beer, probably at some afterparty in the Hollywood hills. "She was with Scott Jansen up until January of this year when they split after Scotty got drunk and put his foot in his mouth one too many times. There were lots of reasons they were never going to work out, but this was the final straw." Click. A new image appeared, with Maya in between Sarah and Emily, the three women clearly out for a night on the town, although based on the buildings behind them, Andy would've guessed they were somewhere in central Europe. "So, she knows Sarah and I rather well, and we can both vouch that under her occasionally crass veneer, she's a sweetheart with a kind spirit. Many of the things some lesser men would find turnoffs, her tendency to drink and swear, her sometimes lacking sense of tact, her habit of acting first and thinking later, those are all things you like in a woman, so that's delightful." "Well, as long as she isn't sloshingly drunk all the time, Emily," Andy said. "I don't want to bring in a dangerous alcoholic we're going to need to check into rehab all the time." Emily flapped a hand dismissively in his direction. "Nothing so coarse, my love. While she can attack a bottle with a gusto I've yet to see rivaled, she does keep those benders to a manageable number, and never lets them affect the rest of her life." "Alright, carry on." "She likes the same kind of sex you do, Andy, she's a talker, and she enjoys both the softer and harder sides of it. She's very professional and you've made a point to tell all of us that if we want to continue working and chasing our dreams, we should do it, something she would very much appreciate, as she's certainly making headway. She directed her first film last year, 'The Secret In The Shadows,' and while it didn't win any awards, it came in under budget and over performed expectations by a sizable amount, so she's in talks to do another movie after the pandemic has passed." "Where's she from?" Ash asked her. Click. Andy suspected this was the most recent photo of the woman, and she'd undergone a drastic haircut. The left side of her head was shorn down to almost a buzz, while the front had a large flop of hair dyed bright green hanging over one eye, a look Andy had been told was called an undercut. She was wearing a white tanktop and he could see the woman had tattoos on each of her shoulders, epaulets of ink depicting fighting fish in a lake, done in a Japanese style. "Upstate New York. Her father was a rabbi and a jeweler, her mother ran a deli. Dad passed away last year from a heart attack, so her mom's running both businesses now. No brothers or sisters. Maya's got a few friends in the L A area, but for the most part, she's on the go so much that she really never settled anywhere. I'd like for her to settle with us." "What sort of challenges do you anticipate?" Andy questioned. He had a yellow legal pad of paper in front of him, and he'd been keeping small notes during the presentations, mostly so he could keep everything straight in his head at the end. "Two, but both I think aren't deal breakers. First, she's going to want to continue working so there may come a time when Andy might need to do a bit of travel to accommodate Maya's schedule, or Maya will simply need to ensure that most of her work as a director is done relatively local to here. I know that there have been some sound stages built in Oakland for the purpose of doing more film work here, so we will simply need to remind her of that." "And the other?" "The other is a little more of a challenge, but mostly just for you, love," Emily said to Andy, her coy smile widening a little. "Maya isn't at all bi curious. She is absolutely, positively, 100% heterosexual, meaning that you would need to tend to her needs without anyone else as company. I know this because both Sarah and I have made passes at her, only to be told that she's very much 'men only.' She would be completely aware of the rest of us, but simply wouldn't want to partake in any group activities. That also might mean you would need to share a bed with just her every once in a while, so she feels like she has as much a stake in you as everyone else, but you're clever, so I think you would do fine. Like you told me, constraints are simply gifts to creativity." "Do you think I would make her happy? Do you think she would make me happy?" Emily nodded. "It wouldn't be without minor complications, naturally, but I think you two would get along like a house on fire, and she would fit into the house much like Lauren does, present and eager with you when she's spending time with you, and self reliant and capable when she isn't. She started as a stuntwoman before she got into directing, so she has always had an uphill climb in her life. We aren't best mates, but she'd thrive here, she'd adore you and I think she'd make you happy as well." The tiny Brit clicked the button and the screen advanced to black once more, with white letters reading "next: Hannah" in the center of it. "No matter what you decide, love," Emily said, getting up from her chair, making her way over to Andy, "I just want to say that all of the girls are thrilled you're asking us for our opinions on this, and it means the world to the lot of us that you're letting us have a say in who we want to join the family. You didn't have to ask anyone for their opinion, so the fact that you are, well, it shows even further that you're quite the good man, Andy Rook." Emily leaned in and kissed him, soft and tender, but backed with a lot of love, before she finally pulled away and gave him and Ash a little wave goodbye, slipping out of the room, closing the door behind her. Ash smirked as he looked over in her direction. "They're all probably going to say something like that, just so you know, love," she told him. "They've all been getting stories from Niko about how things are on the base, or from the girls involved in the poker game, and so they know what a weird place the world is in right now, and everyone's delighted how you're handling this." "Hell, if I was handling it my way, I'd probably just have stopped here, Ash, and not added anyone else to the family, but based on what Phil's told me, I'm going to spend the next five years hearing that I need to help usher in a new generation to save this one." The Irish girl giggled and offered him a little shrug. "It's such a hard life, isn't it, having beautiful women constantly throwing themselves at you, begging for sex." Andy scowled, although the expression was done with amusement. "Agreed, Alcatraz it ain't, but it's still quite the change from my life six months ago." "Which reminds me, you have to be sure and call Xander tomorrow and fill him on all the changes that have happened here in the last week. He texted you yesterday offering his condolences about Matty, but hell, he doesn't know about how quickly your house has exploded. Maybe we should send him a picture of you in bed, surrounded by all your women, like a modern day Hugh Heffner." Andy started laughing at that, shaking his head. "Oh god, he's gonna fucking kill me. He had quite the crush on Emily a few years back, although I think he grew out of that. Lord, I'm never going to hear the end of it." "Well, it'll be something you two can use to keep your spirits up when you talk. Are you ready for Hannah to make her pitch?" He nodded. "Sure, she's the one who got this all started. Let's see who she thinks we should bring into the house." A few minutes later, Hannah strolled into the room confidently, although Andy was surprised to see her in her cheerleading outfit again, the first time she'd worn it again since she'd shown up to the house a few days ago. Andy found the outfit choice odd, but decided not to remark on it. "Two days enough time for you to think it over, Hannah?" he asked the Asian cheerleader, who smiled and nodded. "Totes, but I didn't know I was gonna have hella competition at the end of it!" Over the past few days, the one thing Andy had determined first and foremost about Hannah was that she was always operating at 110% energy. That's simply who she was. "It's all good, though. I think you'll vibe with my candidate, even if she's not immediately your type." Hannah picked up the remote from the table and clicked it, as a picture sprung to life behind her. The minute the image popped onto the screen, Andy was taken back a bit. "I'm fairly certain that taking on an entire cheerleading team would be well over the limit of you suggesting one person, Hannah," he laughed. The image behind her must have been from the spring of this year, as it was Hannah and her entire cheerleading team over at Woodside High, where she'd graduated from in May. There were fourteen girls in the photo, in addition to the coach, and they were completely varied in terms of size, shape and race, although he couldn't deny, they all seemed lovely. It took him half a second to find Hannah as her hair lacked the blonde highlights in the photo. "Not the team, sir," she said, clicking the button again, as the screen shifted, this time the only person on the screen being the cheerleading coach. "Just the woman running it. Tabitha Jefferson." Without all the other people on the screen, Andy could focus on the woman being suggested. She was an African American woman with milk chocolate colored skin around Andy's age, although she was in far better shape than he was. In the picture, she was in black gym shorts with an orange stripe and a large orange t shirt with the word "Wildcats" in highly stylized lettering across the front of it. She had straightened hair drawn back in a short ponytail that hung to the nape of her neck, and a friendly face, although her expression was one of shouting. "Coach Jefferson has been the cheerleading coach and P.E. Teacher for Woodside High for the last five years. She's whip smart, funny and really cares about us girls. When I was kinda a troublemaker, she'd pull me aside and give me a good talking to, tell me that she thought I was super smart, and that I was capable of anything if I'd stop fucking around and quit self sabotaging my own life. And she never gave up on me, and never let me focus just on cheerleading or the petty drama and shit a bunch of wound up girls get into with each other." Hannah pushed the button and the image changed again, showing a slightly younger Tabitha with her arm around a good looking African American man with much darker skin in military fatigues. "Just before she moved to Woodside, she was an Army wife, until her husband, Nicky, was killed in action in the Middle East. They'd only been married for about two years, and only together about four, but it still broke her heart. She moved across the country to live out here, closer to her mother, only for her moms to die last year due to lung cancer." Hannah pushed the button again. The new image also had to have been taken in the spring, just before the pandemic had set in. Tabitha had her arm around Hannah, and both of them were smiling, both of them in formal wear, this time with the blonde highlight in Hannah's hair. "She was one of the chaperons for senior Prom, and when she found out I didn't have anyone to go with, she made me go on my own, and I still had a great time. She drove by my parents house to drop off my diploma and told me to call her Tabby from now on, since I wasn't a student of hers any more, and that she hoped school would start back up soon, because she was feeling a little lost." The Asian girl sighed a little, her face contracting in sadness. "She's had a really rough go of it, Andy, between losing Nicky then her mom and now her ability to teach and be around people. I don't know a thing about what she likes sexually, so I dunno what to say about any of that, but she's a good person, the best person I know, and if I can give her just one little bit of happiness, then I fucking owe that to her." Hannah looked like she was about to cry, so Aisling reached over and took the girl's hand in her own, giving it a little squeeze. "Thanks Ash, I'm okay," she said, smiling a bit as if it might help her make it more true. "The person you most reminded me of when we were first met, Andy, was Tabby. You could've just fucked my brains out and not given a fuck about my feelings, but you didn't. You talked to me first, made sure I knew what I was getting myself into, when you so didn't have to, hell, I wasn't even expecting you to. I wanted to get back at that little shit Benny so fuckin' badly, but you wouldn't let me just charge into it without us talking it out first. That's the kind of thing Tabby did for me all the time, not letting me just leap into the first idea that popped into my head, but really making me think it all out. So I want to give something back to her, and I think that something could be her hooking up with you." "This whole polyamory thing isn't for everyone, Hannah," Ash said. "You think she'll be up for sharing Andy with all of us?" Hannah laughed a little, rolling her eyes. "Her last relationship was part of a throuple, so I totally wouldn't worry about it, Ash, although this one would be a little different." "Oh yeah?" Andy asked. "How so?" "Well, she was in a relationship with two bi guys, so she was used to having cock on tap." The busty cheerleader giggled a little bit. "But I know she's into girls too, because she refused to come into the locker room when we were changing. Said it was only respectful, but I saw that glimmer in her eyes that said she desperately wanted to peek, but wasn't going to, because that's what us girls deserved." "What ended their relationship?" "The two guys decided to move to Portland, and Tabby's mother hadn't passed yet, so she refused to leave her. They were all kinda in different headspaces anyway, I think, since Tabby never said another word about them after they left, so maybe she was kinda okay with it? Maybe it was just an easier way to end it than ending it? I dunno. It was all spring of my junior year." "Challenges you foresee?" Aisling asked. "Well, I dunno how she likes to fuck, so I dunno if you two can make that work for you or not, but I think you'd be okay. And I don't know if you're her type, so I don't even know that she'll say yes. You're a little less,” Hannah trailed off, trying to find a way to phrase what she wanted to say. "Less what?" Andy asked. "Less butch, I guess," Hannah giggled. "Dom and Mike were ultra cut, and Nicky was pretty buff himself, so I guess her type is a bit more ripped than you are, but it's not like I know everything about what kinda dudes she likes to bone. But without her being able to teach until, like, at least a year from now, I wanted to make sure she's not getting stuck inside her own head too much." Hannah clicked the button and the screen behind her changed to say "next: Jenny" on it. "Anyway, if I was you, I'd totally wanna fuck Tabby. Hell, I kinda wanna fuck her myself, if she's down for that. And she's a good person, and good people deserve to have good things happen to them in the world, so that's why I think you should invite her here. Thanks for letting me tell you all this, Andy. I didn't know how much I needed to tell someone this whole story about this amazing woman who changed my life, and I'm glad it's to the man who did the same thing." She stood up, came over and gave Ash a hug, then one to Andy as well followed by a sloppy kiss, before pulling back and heading out of the room, almost skipping in her step, making the skirt flutter a little each time. "So I know I said I wasn't going to offer you any opinions on all of this, love," Aisling said, "but I do want to make two exceptions. First, I think you should invite Tabby here. It means a lot to Hannah, maybe more to her than to any of the other girls involved, and I think Tabby seems like a fine match for you, based on what Hannah's told me." Andy nodded. "She was speaking very strongly from the heart, so I don't blame you. I won't commit to 100% saying yes right now, but I'll mark her down as a very strong likely, if that's okay." "Natch love," she said, squeezing his arm. "The other exception I want to make is to set you up for Jenny's pitch, and to tell you to tread lightly. Her pitch is for a staff person, but I suspect the person being pitched might want something more than that from you, and I think you should probably give it to her, but at her own pace. Jenny's got quite the tale to tell, and her friend has had a very rough life. I think even Jenny knows that if you bring this girl on, she's going to grow from staff to family member eventually, but that's okay with me, and all the rest of the girls, so keep all that in mind when she's talking, that we all know it's unsteady waters, and we're all okay with it, awright love?" He wasn't entirely sure what to make of that, so he simply nodded, giving himself a second to get his words in order. "She's the first staff pitch I'm hearing, but if you're telling me in advance that it's going to be different than all the rest, then that's good to know, and I'll keep it in mind." Ash smiled, kissing him on the cheek. "I think you'll like who she's pitching anyway. Has a completely different tone than anyone else you're gonna hear about today, and if I'm honest, I'd love ta meet her myself." Just as she was saying that, Jenny opened the door and made her way into the conference room, moving to sit down opposite them, her warm comforting smile well set on her face. Jenny hadn't chosen to dress up more than her usual attire, looking like a plump Martha Stewart, as she folded her hands on the table, just over the remote. "Thanks for letting us do this, sir. None of us had even thought about this until you and Ash told us about it, and the fact that you're letting the staff pitch as well, gosh, that's just the sweetest thing. My story's gonna be a little bit of a rollercoaster, so I hope you don't mind, sir." Andy chuckled, leaning back in his chair a little bit. "Fire away, Jenny." Jenny picked up the remote and clicked on it, as the image behind her changed to a much younger one of her and another woman, really more of a girl at that point, what had to be at least a decade ago. Jenny was thinner then, wearing an oversize P!nk t shirt, with her arm around a Latin girl, a little less thin, with massively blown out hair, wearing a red tanktop with a sheer mesh black shirt over it. The two girls were laughing in the picture, each holding up a red Solo cup that Andy suspected held alcohol that neither was old enough to be drinking at the time of the photo. "This is me with my college roommate, Alexis Coleman, better known as Lexi. We were both freshman at UCLA when we were randomly paired together to share a dorm room together at Hendrick Hall." The image changed again, and showed the two girls playing beer pong at some Greek event. "I'd just moved out here from Cleveland, and she'd just moved here from D.C., and so we became best friends." "You didn't go to culinary school?" Andy asked. "You're such an excellent cook, I find that impossible to believe." Jenny blushed a little. "Thank you, sir, but I did, after I got my Bachelor's degree in art history. I had wanted to become an art custodian, but couldn't seem to make it work, so I went to culinary school in SF after giving up on the art world." "And Lexi?" Ash asked. "What was she majoring in?" "Criminal justice," Jenny said, clicking the button again to show an image of Lexi, a little older, in a bikini out on the Santa Monica boardwalk, on roller skates that she looked a little unsteady on. "I know she looks like a Victoria's Secret model, but she was determined to get into law enforcement during college. She also minored in political science and theory, as well as picking up several languages along the way. I know she speaks Spanish, French, German, Russian and Portuguese, and knowing her, she's probably picked up a few more since then." "All of this has to be a while ago, though, Jenny," Andy said. "What year did you two graduate?" Jenny pushed the button again to show a graduation of the two of them together, holding up their diplomas with big smiles. "2007 sir, and I realize I'm giving you a bunch of background, but I think it's very important that I do, so you understand who Lexi is, and how she's a sweet, adorable person, despite the rest of what I'm about to tell you." Andy leaned forward a little bit. "As a professional storyteller, Jenny, let me tell you that's a hell of a way to perk your audience's interest. Go on." "Yes sir," she said, clicking the button to advance the image again. This time, Lexi was a few years older, dressed in more of jungle wear, thick pants, a heavy shirt with a vest on, and her hair pulled back tightly. The background was thick trees and dirt, with sunlight peeking through. Of more note, however, was the AK 47 slung over her shoulder. "In her last year of college, Lexi was recruited to join the CIA. My details about this period of her life are very unreliable, but I think she was training with the agency for another year or two, and then served as a combination of analyst and field agent for most of the next decade, primarily in South and Central America, until 2017." The next image took Andy a little aback, although Ash had clearly seen it before. It was relatively recent, Jenny and Lexi together, in the kitchen of some restaurant or hotel. Both of the women were older than they were in the earlier photos, and most notably, Lexi had some significant scarring along part of her neck and the bottom left part of her chin line, although it looked as though the scarring was at least a few years old. "I don't know what happened to Lexi in 2017, but it must've been particularly gruesome. She couldn't tell me how she got the scars, only that she got them in the service of her country, and that she regretted how they were keeping her out of field work, because they were too identifiable. She'd been saddled with desk duty, and in 2018, she finally quit the CIA." The image jumped again, and this time Lexi was in a dark suit with sunglasses, opening a door for some Middle Eastern shiek. "She tried her hand at personal protection for a while, but eventually gave up on that and just became a mercenary, drifting through private security firms, independent contractors who go where the money and the work is. Just before the virus set in, she'd returned to her place in Los Angeles from a six month tour as part of a PMC in Afghanistan, and she was shaken. She said she felt like her life was a mess, she didn't know what she was doing with it, and felt like she was just a giant burden on her friends and family." With another click of the button, a new image of Lexi popped on the screen, her at a gun range, the whole image practically the still from an action movie. "What I'm suggesting is this, sir. I think you should bring Lexi into the house to be your driver and personal security." Andy was about to say something when Jenny raised her hand to silence him. "I know what you're about to say, sir, and frankly it's bullcrap, pardon my French. With the small population of men remaining left in the United States, every single one of you has suddenly become a V I P, and you need to think not just of your own health, but the health of all the women who are dependent on your health for their own health. If something happens to you, you have over a dozen women right now alone who suddenly run the very real risk of dying. Being that my health is fundamentally based on yours for the time being, I know I would feel safer having Lexi watch out for you." Andy scratched his goatee for a long moment, realizing that every single thing Jenny had said to him was true, making him a little ashamed of how cavalierly he'd been treating his own health, the ramifications of it not having fully sunken in until this very moment. "You are completely justified in that thought, Jenny, and you are right, I had not been giving it the diligence it deserved." "Lexi has some heavy scars from whatever accident sidelined her at the CIA. They cover just a bit of her face, but almost a third of her neck and down to her collarbone. In spite of that, I think she's still a stunning woman, and I still wish she was bisexual, because I would do her in a heartbeat, but she only likes men. I know, because we fooled around together freshmen year, and the next morning, we woke up with very different perspectives on it. It's never gotten in the way of our friendship, though, so you don't have to worry there." "Scars only add character, they never remove it," Andy said, quoting a line from one of his books. "They're a point in her favor, not against it." Jenny's smile widened a bit more at that, as if she was proud of Andy for saying it. "That's how I feel too. She was pretty adventurous sexually in college, so I don't think there would be any deal breakers between the two of you there. The two red flags I feel obligated to bring up are these. First, she has a bit of PTSD, so she can tend to be a little jumpy from time to time, and likes to keep as much of her life as she can to routine, because it helps her feel organized about all of it. I don't worry about her having a full breakdown, but she gets stressed by firecrackers on the fourth of July, so there's clearly some strain still going on there." "I think New Eden is about as far from a warzone as you can get, Jenny." "Sure, but we won't be locked in here forever, sir. And your family already includes two women who are actresses known to love doing action films, so if you go to visit them on sets, you'll need to be aware of Lexi's elevated stress levels when you do." "That's entirely manageable," Andy said. "What's the other red flag?" Jenny frowned a little bit, looked to Ash, who nodded, then looked back to Andy. "The other red flag is that I suspect she's going to want more than a staff relationship with you at some point. I don't know that for certain, but Lexi is a diehard romantic, and when she finds out that so many men have died, it's going to hit her very hard, because she's always dreamed of having her own prince charming, someone who will love her for her, through thick and thin. I think she'll be able to get past the idea of sharing you with lots of other women, I think she'll be okay with you dividing your time or having multiple people in your bed, but I think she's going to want to forge that emotional connection with you like your partners do, and that's more than what you asked us for in terms of suggesting staff. She will absolutely be the best bodyguard you could ask for, and I don't think there's a better driver I know. But the terms Ash laid down were pretty clear, staff should only recommend staff, not partners, and I think Lexi might well end up being both, so I'm hoping that's okay." "As I told ya when you pitched her t' me, Jenny," Ash said, "sometimes exceptions have to be made for exceptional people, and Lexi seems like a hell of an accomplished and talented woman. If Andy's okay with it, the rest of the house will be okay with it." Andy smirked a little bit. "No pressure or anything, but it's fine. And you're right, I hadn't been thinking about how much my health impacted so many people until right now, so it's important that I give that consideration. She seems like a lovely woman, and you speak of her very fondly, so while I'm not making any final decisions until I've heard from everyone, I think you wouldn't be wasting your time if you wanted to start crafting a video invite for Lexi." Jenny jumped up and ran around the table to hug Andy tightly, crying a little bit. "Thank you so much, sir. When I talked to her on the phone last week, she told me how much she wished she could meet a nice man just like you, so I just know she'll say yes. I already know she thinks you're cute." "Don't tell anyone else about this, though," Ash said. "All the staff decisions are being made independently from the family member ones, and while I know all the girls were rooting for Lexi to be brought here in some regard, not a word to anyone, not even Katie, until it's final, yeah?" Jenny pulled back and wiped the tears from her face, nodding so quickly Andy was afraid her head would roll off. "Yes. Got it. Very clear. Understood, ma'am. Sir. And thanks again." The portly girl made her way out of the room without even remembering to push the button to advance the screen to the next person, leaving Andy and Ash alone in the room. "Okay, Mr. Rook," Ash said to him, "five minute break. Stand up, walk around, stretch a bit. I'd ask if you wanted to squeeze in a quick shag, but I had me turn yesterday, so I'm good to wait a few more days. Wouldn't want to deprive some of the other girls of getting their itches scratched." Andy stood up, pulling one arm behind his head, then the other, stretching out. "Four presentations down, eight to go,” Chapter 25 After a handful of minutes stretching, Ash sent a text message for the next girl to make her way up. Andy had turned his notes over so that Aisling couldn't look at them, and he smirked a little, noticing her frowning at the back of the legal pad. "You said you didn't want to influence my decision, so I don't know why you should want to look at my notes, Ash." They had built a wonderfully natural teasing rapport with each other over the past few months, so Aisling knew he was joking with her, but was willing to roll with him. She grinned up as she reached across the table to push the button and advance the slide. "Next: Katie." The redhead moved to sit back in her chair, and shrugged in his direction. "I'm mostly just curious how you're reacting to what you've heard so far, and how your opinions differ from mine, which I'm sure they will, here and there. I've heard all these pitches a couple of times, so it'll be interesting to see how many predictions I get right." "Did you write them down?" "Well, no," Ash said. Andy grabbed his yellow legal pad and ripped out a single sheet from the bottom of it, sliding it and his pen across to her. "Alright, predictions then. Write them down now. Don't show them to me, but fold up the paper when you're done. We can have whoever's after Katie bring us an envelope to seal it up. Just around the time that Aisling was folding up the sheet of paper, Katie walked into the room, confident in her stride. Andy cocked his head to one side as she walked in the room. The Hispanic woman was, as it seemed she always was, wearing a button up shirt underneath jean overalls. "Do you own other clothes besides overalls, Katie?" he asked her. She stuck her tongue out at him, which made Ash giggle again. "I can be girly and shit, sir, but I mostly keep that for Jenny. How're the presentations going so far?" "You know the rules, Katie," Aisling politely scolded, "no talking about anyone else's pitch until the very end." Katie winked at her, shrugging a little. After Andy had settled her nerves about keeping a level of removal between him and her and her wife, Katie had relaxed massively and grown into a more comfortable relationship with the rest of the house. "Had to try. Anyway, let's get this fucking show on the road!" She grabbed the remote in her calloused hand and clicked the button as the screen behind her changed to an image of a slightly matronly looking woman in her early 40s, dark chocolate hair up in a bun, skin just slightly olive, some mix of European heritage that surely had to include either Italian or Spanish. The woman on screen wasn't overweight, but was certainly the most bulky woman that had been on the screen thus far, not fat, simply hefty. "This is Doctor Morgan Fitch. She's a general practitioner in Los Altos who also dabbles in pediatrics. In talking with everyone in the house, it's clear at some point, you are going to be in dire need of a nanny around this place, and having one who's also a damn doctor just seems like smart thinking to me. By this time in a couple of years, this house is practically gonna be a little city, so you need to make sure all the major staples are taken care of. Some of the girls will wanna be full time mommies, no doubt, but for the rest, you're going to want to have child care. If you need that anyway, why not have that person be a doctor?" "How do you know Dr. Fitch?" Andy asked. Katie blanched a little bit. "She's kinda an ex of mine." She raised her hand immediately, a sheepish smile on her face. "We didn't part on bad terms, promise! At the end of the day, she was into the whole polyamory thing, and I wasn't, so we split, but remained good friends. That was five years ago, just before I met Jenny, so it all worked out okay in the end. She's had relationships on and off since then, but nothing's stuck. She's mostly a lesbian, but doesn't mind the occasional bit of cock here and there, so I think she might be a good fit for a staff member. She once told me that she likes to fuck men, but never gets emotionally attached to them the way she does to women, and what with her being staff, she'd be okay to pursue a female partner to take care of her emotional needs." "What makes you think she'll want to join the household?" Ash queried. "Morgan loves constantly shifting problems, and this house is like nothing I've ever seen before. Even before you start spawning, you're gonna need a doctor to make sure your family is in the best condition possible. Until you're having kids, she can staff a clinic in town on a volunteer basis, so she's getting settled here in the mean time. She's bored with the people in Los Altos, and we've always been good friends, so I think knowing I'm here would make her more likely to come aboard." "Challenges you anticipate?" he said. "She'd be the oldest person in the house at 46, but I think it gives her wisdom. Also, you might find her a bit, blunt, until you get used to her." "How blunt?" Katie tried to hide a little smile, shrugging, as she pushed the button to advance the slide to a screen reading "Next: Lauren" in friendly white letters. "Subtle she ain't, sir. I have never met anyone more direct in my life. I've always been a little thankful that she wasn't my doctor, because her bedside manner is more than a bit lacking. But sometimes you need someone to just slap you upside the head. Sir. We all do. Morgan would fill that role. And if she ever gets too blunt for your liking, you can tell her, and maybe she'll dial it down a little bit, or realize that she might've once gone too far. She's direct, but she's never intentionally mean. And even if you don't think Morgan's a good fit for here, and I can completely respect that if that's what you decide, I still want to stress that you're going to be in dire need of a nanny here at some point soon, so to keep that in mind moving forward." "Point taken and noted, Katie. Anything else you wanna say?" Katie brought her finger to her lips, considering for a moment, then slowly stood up. "Just one thing. I know Jenny brought you her old roommate Lexi as a candidate, and I want to throw my weight behind that, even if it's at the cost of my own candidate. I would've not pitched someone else if I could've pitched Lexi twice, y'know what I mean? Lexi's had a shitty go of it and I desperately want her to be happy, and I really think she can be here." Andy chuckled a little. "Unorthodox, but sure, I'll keep it under advisement. Alexis did seem like an excellent candidate, so we'll see how it goes." "Thanks sir! Enjoy the rest of the cunt parade!" she laughed, heading out of the room. Ash shook her head at him with a smile. "I have no idea how you can be such a good poker player with a poker face like that." He grinned, giving her a saucy wink. "It's easier when you don't give a shit about your opponents. This is family, so I don't have to stay so stoic. Besides, I know Jenny and Katie are close, so it's okay to let them share a little secret on my behalf." "Oh we've all got our little secrets, Andy. If you're nice, maybe I'll even let you in on one eventually." He tsked her in jest, waggling a finger in her direction. "My girls are keeping secrets from me? Heaven forbid, what next?" "What's next is Lauren, and frankly, I will probably be spending this entire presentation with my hand over my mouth, desperately trying to stay quiet, and likely failing miserably." Aisling had a strange grin on her face that told Andy this next one might be a little unusual. He didn't have long to consider it, though, as the door opened and the statuesque Lauren strode into the room decked out in a workout track suit with the 49ers logo on it. "Hey Andy, Ash. Thanks for letting all of us do this. I can't tell ya if I'm presenting my candidate to you on a lark, because I think she's actually a good idea or because of the girl herself. Maybe some combination of all three. So let me just get right down to brass tacks," the Aussie said, as she moved to sit down across from them. She picked up the remote and clicked the button as the screen sprung to life. On the screen was an image of a 49ers cheerleader, a fit woman with a large blonde mane of hair like sun dried grass, bubblegum pink lipstick and a smile that was so wide Andy wondered if it hurt when she finally let her face relax. She was pretty in a sort of pageant kind of way, although he suspected she didn't look quite so forced in regular photos that weren't taken from the 49ers website. "This is Jade Dillon. She's been a cheerleader for the 49ers for about three years now, and is literally the most optimistic person I have ever met in my entire life. She is bubbly and chipper and all smiles even at the worst of times. When the pandemic set in, she sent the entire 49ers organization an email reminding them that adversity is simply opportunity in disguise. No lie, Andy, she is completely unflappable in every way possible. She's, she's like a golden retriever in a person! Peppy and enthusiastic and always full of confidence." Andy looked over and saw that Ash had, indeed, both of her hands over her mouth, trying to hold in her desire to laugh, but he could still hear tiny giggles threatening to escape. He looked back to Lauren, a slightly quizzical expression on his face. "I can't tell if you admire her for that or if it drives you crazy." "Both!" Lauren said, throwing up her hands, laughing at herself. "It's infuriating! Even when she was kneeling in protest alongside Colin Kaepernick, she was still smiling about it. I don't know what to do with her! I mean, I get it. She's a kindergarten teacher as her day job, so pennies on the dollar that's what helps her keep all that energy up, but strewth, I just don't know how she does it! I mean, she comes from money, so I imagine that's gotta help." "Oh yeah?" The tall blonde tanned Aussie nodded, pushing the button to show Jade in a more normal setting, in an evening dress standing next to an older gentleman who Andy knew he'd seen somewhere before. "Her daddy is Cormack Dillon, one of the cofounders of Bindr, that teleconferencing tool everyone's using these days, but she's sort of tried to distance herself from 'er daddy over the last few years. An', in a 'ain't it a small world' moment, Cormack Dillon was the guy Katie used to work for before she came here, so she and Jade know one another already." "I could've asked Katie about her then," Andy lamented. "Shame she was just here." Jade looked much more lovely without the pancake makeup, her blonde hair a waterfall of curls, although Andy was also taken aback for a moment, reflexively trying to estimate how much that necklace she was wearing must have cost. After a second, Andy recognized where the photo was taken “ at the prestigious Palace of Fine Arts, where every year the Silicon Valley elite held their own private high end gala. Lauren pushed the button again and the image changed to Jade in more casual clothes, sitting with a handful of other girls in some sidewalk cafe overlooking the Pacific ocean. She had to be under thirty. There was no denying she was fit and lovely, although Andy did wonder if growing up steeped in money had warped her in some way. "Well, you kin ask her before make your mind up. She might have some things to say to sway your mind one way or another, but I simply gotta tell you this one thing, because it is first and foremost the reason I want to bring her to you,” Aisling looked like she was ready to turn blue, trying to hold in her breath and her laughter, her face scrunched up, actual tears rolling down her cheeks, all to Andy's confusion. Lauren pushed the button again and the photo zoomed in, showing just Jade now, laughing and smiling. "Jade Dillion,” She pushed the button again and the image of Jade suddenly had a very large cartoon cherry resting on top of her head. "...is an honest to god twenty six year old virgin." At that, Aisling couldn't help herself, and started laughing furiously, which only made Lauren grin even wider as Andy kept looking between the two of them, wondering desperately if they were putting him on. "It's not for religious reasons, an' it's not something she goes out of her way ta advertise, hell, I doubt very many people even know that she's cherry. But I went out drinking with her and the rest of the Gold Rush girls one night after an away game, and Jade got pretty hammered so I had to help her back to her hotel room. And when I was holding her hair back while she chundered in the dunny, she told me that she'd never lost her virginity, and that boys suck, and sh
Product developer. Health advocate. Activist. Offering solutions for those wanting a safe alternative to sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners. Natalie's aim is to break the strangle hold the sugar lobby for has on people and to encourage food and beverage manufacturers to opt in to provide safe ingredients for consumers. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dulsalife/?hl=en X: https://x.com/dulsalife Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dulsalife Website: https://dulsalife.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Trailer 00:33 Introduction 04:16 Rethinking healthier sweetener options 06:25 Dulsa as a health-boosting sweetener 11:39 Sure sweetener pricing and quality 14:21 Plans for expansion 18:04 Alternative for Keto baking 21:14 Subtle, natural flavor enhancements 22:29 Scaling up manufacturing operations 25:38 Health over sport 28:55 Where to find Natalie Nicole Join Revero now to regain your health: https://revero.com/YT Revero.com is an online medical clinic for treating chronic diseases with this root-cause approach of nutrition therapy. You can get access to medical providers, personalized nutrition therapy, biomarker tracking, lab testing, ongoing clinical care, and daily coaching. You will also learn everything you need with educational videos, hundreds of recipes, and articles to make this easy for you. Join the Revero team (medical providers, etc): https://revero.com/jobs #Revero #ReveroHealth #shawnbaker #Carnivorediet #MeatHeals #AnimalBased #ZeroCarb #DietCoach #FatAdapted #Carnivore #sugarfree Disclaimer: The content on this channel is not medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider.
From walking out of school to creating art worldwide, Danny Suede chose his own way forward.What if the life you want is just past the fear?So many of us stay stuck because the obstacles are loud and obvious — the job, the money, the expectations. But the route to the life we dream about? That path is quiet. Subtle. Hidden. In this episode, I talk with artist and creative nomad Danny Suede about the bold decision he made as a teenager that changed everything, and how that one moment opened the door to a life he never imagined — one full of art, travel, and purposeful creation.Danny's story reminds us that we can reimagine what “normal” looks like. That there's nothing wrong with choosing something different. And that starting before you're ready might just be the bravest thing you ever do.Takeaways:Danny's bold decision to leave school at 13 marked the beginning of his own story.Learning doesn't have to resemble a classroom; it can unfold in line with your own curiosity.The most meaningful moments often lie just behind the fears we tend to avoid.Danny Suede is an indie/pop artist, musician, and visual creator who embodies the mantra, "Life Can Be More Of What You Dream."Beyond his music, Danny shares his perspective through his Substack writings and explores creativity through his own art and visuals. He also creates captivating videos on YouTube to inspire a global audience. Danny has retired from social media to fully dedicate himself to his craft. He embraces a nomadic lifestyle that allows him to create without distraction. In 2025, he'll travel the world, drawing inspiration from diverse cultures and experiences to shape his music, storytelling, and art.Substack - https://dannysuede.substack.comMusic - https://spoti.fi/3Xf0vKRShop - https://dannysuede.com/collections/allWebsite - https://dannysuede.comMusic Youtube - YouTube.com/@UCQtCkoqH7Yw2ma8KAdhvevQResources: To listen in on more conversations about pivotal moments that changed lives forever, subscribe to "The Life Shift" on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate the show 5 stars and leave a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Access ad-free episodes released two days early: https://patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcastSubscribe to The Life Shift Newsletter: https://www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/newsletter/The Life Shift was just named one of the top 60 life-changing podcasts by FeedSpot: https://podcast.feedspot.com/life_changing_podcasts/Connect with me:Instagram: www.instagram.com/thelifeshiftpodcastFacebook:
You eat clean, train hard, avoid toxins, and pop your supplements like clockwork—but you're still not ovulating, your period is MIA, and your pregnancy tests keep saying no. If that's you…this episode is your wake-up call. We're diving deep into the overlooked reason why so many high-achieving, health-conscious women can't get pregnant: Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA). In this episode, we unpack: How “healthy habits” can secretly tank your fertility The hormonal red flags your doctor might not mention Subtle signs of suboptimal estrogen and progesterone What Orthorexia is (and how it could be hiding behind your wellness routines) Plus: I share my personal story of overcoming HA, reclaiming my cycle, and conceiving—so you know this healing is absolutely possible for you too. Today's episode is brought to you by our exclusive program, Premier Period Recovery for Fertility. Reach out to chat 1-1 with me to see if it's exactly what you need to get your period back and get pregnant in 2025, by applying here. Not ready yet for our premier program, but you are ready to take action to restore your fertility today? Purchase your fertility clarity package here. This period recovery method will change your life...and I've laid it all out for you in my NEW free course, Restore Your Fertility in 90 Days (or less). Download and watch it today! Please note that this podcast is not meant to be used for nutritional, medical or individualized advice and should be used for education only.
Peloton's new CEO outlines the company's future plans and addresses program disruptions. Hyatt's Peloton promotion expands to Latin America, bringing fitness to even more travelers. Stay informed about summer studio updates and closures to plan your workouts. Subtle, but noticeable—big changes are coming to instructor profile images. Ally Love Pregnancy Rumors: OK! Magazine dives into the buzz. Tunde Oyeneyin & Sports Illustrated: Update on her SI Swimsuit appearance, and voting is now open! Hannah Corbin is featured in Women's Health. Find out why her feature is a must-read. Mariana Fernandez speaks at the World Eating Disorders Action Day, highlighting her advocacy. BowFlex issues a recall on adjustable dumbbells for safety concerns. Ali Feller (Ali On The Run Podcast Ep #221) shares heartbreaking news. Groove to the soulful vibes of the latest artist series featuring the legendary Luther Vandross. Big firsts in Peloton history as Benny Adami debuts the German Sing-Along ride. Discover this week's Juneteenth classes honoring freedom and culture. TCOTop 5: Hear our top five can't-miss highlights from this week. Class recommendations from listeners to refresh your workout routine. TCORadar: Spotlighting standout classes that deserve a shoutout. Join us in wishing Joslyn Thompson Rule a happy birthday on June 15! Stay tuned for all of this and so much more as we keep you up to date on your Peloton favorites and fitness fun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Peloton's new CEO outlines the company's future plans and addresses program disruptions. Hyatt's Peloton promotion expands to Latin America, bringing fitness to even more travelers. Stay informed about summer studio updates and closures to plan your workouts. Subtle, but noticeable—big changes are coming to instructor profile images. Ally Love Pregnancy Rumors: OK! Magazine dives into the buzz. Tunde Oyeneyin & Sports Illustrated: Update on her SI Swimsuit appearance, and voting is now open! Hannah Corbin is featured in Women's Health. Find out why her feature is a must-read. Mariana Fernandez speaks at the World Eating Disorders Action Day, highlighting her advocacy. BowFlex issues a recall on adjustable dumbbells for safety concerns. Ali Feller (Ali On The Run Podcast Ep #221) shares heartbreaking news. Groove to the soulful vibes of the latest artist series featuring the legendary Luther Vandross. Big firsts in Peloton history as Benny Adami debuts the German Sing-Along ride. Discover this week's Juneteenth classes honoring freedom and culture. TCOTop 5: Hear our top five can't-miss highlights from this week. Class recommendations from listeners to refresh your workout routine. TCORadar: Spotlighting standout classes that deserve a shoutout. Join us in wishing Joslyn Thompson Rule a happy birthday on June 15! Stay tuned for all of this and so much more as we keep you up to date on your Peloton favorites and fitness fun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Podcast Notes Episode 469 Telling Real Stories in a Broken World w/ David Alford and Joseph Stam Host: Brian Miller, PCC Guests: David Alford and Joseph Stam Date: June 12, 2025 In this episode, host Brian Miller speaks with filmmakers David Alford and Joseph Stam about their new film Searching for the Elephant. The conversation dives into the gritty, neo-western drama centered on a fractured relationship between a reclusive Vietnam veteran grandfather and his estranged, drug-addicted grandson. The filmmakers reflect on the story's themes, the challenges of portraying addiction authentically, and their departure from conventional Christian storytelling. They also highlight the collaborative nature of the production and share their passion for crafting emotionally honest, conflict-rich narratives that mirror the messiness of real life. Key Highlights Story Premise & Tone: Searching for the Elephant is a character-driven neo-western that explores emotional isolation, generational trauma, and redemption. It pushes past sanitized storytelling, embracing grittier, more realistic portrayals of pain and healing. Authenticity in Addiction Portrayal: Joseph Stam, who plays the grandson Jason, immersed himself in research—watching documentaries, developing a backstory, and spending time with people in recovery—to ensure a truthful and respectful performance. Intentional Departure from Hallmark-style Christian Films: The filmmakers wanted to reflect the complexity of faith and life, avoiding the overly "tidy" resolution tropes common in Christian media, aiming instead for authenticity and emotional realism. Dynamic Character Arcs: Both the grandfather and grandson undergo parallel transformations, with layered, conflicted emotions that resonate with anyone who's experienced strained family relationships. Collaborative Creative Process: The team emphasized a “best idea wins” environment on set, fostering creativity among cast and crew and contributing to the film's grounded, emotionally rich atmosphere. Takeaways Conflict drives great storytelling: As the filmmakers note, real drama is born from unresolved tensions—and leaning into conflict rather than avoiding it leads to more compelling narratives. Faith-based films can be gritty and real: There's room in Christian cinema for raw, unpolished stories that still carry messages of hope and redemption without sugarcoating reality. Authenticity requires dedication: Bringing depth to characters—especially those struggling with addiction or trauma—demands time, empathy, and careful preparation. Humor has its place in drama: Subtle, character-grounded humor helped balance the film's intensity, providing relief without undercutting emotional weight. Stay Connected: Website: coachapproachministries.org Email: info@coachapproachministries.org LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/coach-approach-ministries Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coach.approach.ministries Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@coachapproachministries7538 Follow us on social media for updates and resources!
In this episode of the AppleVis Extra podcast, host David Mason is joined by Thomas Domville, Tyler Stephen, and newcomer Levi Gobin to unpack everything announced at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The team dives deep into the new features coming to iOS, watchOS, macOS, and iPadOS, sharing their first impressions and early experiences with the latest developer betas.Highlights from the Episode:1. Unified OS Versions:Apple aligns iOS, watchOS, and macOS under version 26, marking a more cohesive update cycle across platforms. The panel discusses the reasoning behind this and what it might mean for users and developers.2. iOS 26 Key Features:A bold new “liquid glass” aesthetic refreshes the visual design.Versioning now reflects the year, simplifying future updates.Groundbreaking features like Hold Assist and on-device live translation redefine accessibility and daily use.Shortcuts receive a major boost from Apple Intelligence, making automations more powerful and customizable.3. Beta Testing Stories & Insights:Thomas recounts a rocky iOS 26 beta install on the iPhone 15 Pro and the steps it took to recover.The team examines current beta performance—discussing AI-driven screenshot analysis, enhanced screen calling, and improved battery status alerts.4. watchOS 26 Updates:Smart Stack and Workout Buddy add new layers of personalization to workouts.Lively debate ensues on the practicality of motivational workout prompts.5. macOS 26 "Tahoe":Spotlight becomes smarter with Quick Key integration.More control for users through revamped menu bar and control center customization.Discussion around Rosetta's eventual phase-out and what it means for app compatibility.Subtle but meaningful accessibility improvements, including customizable toolbars via the Actions menu.6. iPadOS 26 Enhancements:Continues its convergence with macOS, introducing menu customizations and better file handling.A new Phone app brings calling functionality to non-iPhone devices.7. VoiceOver Improvements:Notable accessibility gains, including enhanced Braille input and toolbar customization for VoiceOver users.8. Looking Ahead:The team reflects on the implications of Apple's AI roadmap and the growing synergy across platforms.They offer thoughts on what this year's updates signal about Apple's broader strategy moving forward.TranscriptDisclaimer: This transcript was generated by AI Note Taker – VoicePen, an AI-powered transcription app. It is not edited or formatted, and it may not accurately capture the speakers' names, voices, or content.Dave: Hello there and welcome to another episode of the Apple Viz Extra podcast. My name is David Mason and really exciting time of year. It is WWDC. We had all of the announcements on Monday and we are gathered to chat through them. what Apple told…
What if the way you say "hello" is holding you back in life? Vanessa Van Edwards—body language expert, behavioral researcher, and founder of Science of People—shares powerful insights from her bestselling book Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication. In this must-watch episode, the charisma training guru and TED Talk speaker reveals how unconscious social cues—like tone of voice, microexpressions, posture, and awkward hand gestures—can quietly sabotage your confidence, relationships, and career. Learn the behavioral science behind first impressions, how to decode body language, spot deception, and overcome your “Resting Bothered Face.” Discover nonverbal communication tips to build instant trust, increase likability, and reframe social anxiety into a personal advantage. Whether you're an introvert craving better people skills or a leader looking to level up your professional communication, Vanessa Van Edwards has the charisma cues you need to change how the world sees you—and how you see yourself.Vanessa Van Edwards' book, Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication: https://www.scienceofpeople.com/cues/ BialikBreakdown.comYouTube.com/mayimbialik
In this episode, we're tackling some of the trickiest words in English pronunciation, like ‘queue', ‘colonel', ‘subtle' and more! These words are especially tricky because of their confusing spelling. But today, we'll practice them out loud together to build your pronunciation confidence and be able to say these words with ease. Want more practice? Get my FREE 14-day pronunciation plan to keep practicing! https://bit.ly/3YAWcJ5
20 Psychological Femme Fatale Hacks to Make Him Obsessed With YouWhat if you could make him obsessed… without chasing, overthinking, or playing games? In today's episode, we're diving deep into the femme fatale mindset and the 20 seductive micro habits that make you unforgettable.These aren't loud, try-hard tactics. These are soft power moves. Femme fatale psychology. Subtle shifts that whisper “she's different.” This is your confident glow-up era and it starts with stepping into your feminine power.the ultimate femme fatale guide to love, dating, and magnetic energy.The pinkest Linktree you've ever seen: linktr.ee/getupandglowpodcast Get Daily Tips To Become The BEST Version of Yourself! Follow The Socials
This winter, The Baxter Studio stages La Ronde — a bold, funny, and emotionally layered exploration of intimacy in the modern world. Director Leila Henriques joins the Afternoon Drive to discuss her reimagining of Arthur Schnitzler’s 1897 classic, now set in contemporary Cape Town. With a DJ weaving music through every encounter, the play dives into the shifting dynamics of sex, power, and human connection. Leila shares how this Fleur du Cap award-winning production balances raw themes with subtlety and style, inviting audiences to reflect on the performances we all give — on stage and off. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sam Bramwell is an RSD expert and the founder of The ADHD Leader. Sam's mission is simple: to help ADHD adults to flourish. Sam is also an author of the best selling book, Enough is Enough, a groundbreaking manifesto for modern women navigating the impossible standards of career, leadership, motherhood, and societal expectations. 00:00 Trailer 02:14 What is your mission within the ADHD space 03:45 The ADHD nervous system explained 09:14 RSD at work 13:06 How to sooth the ADHD nervous system 17:50 Subtle ways you're people pleasing without knowing it 23:54 Tiimo advert 25:47 How to escape emotional exhaustion 27:08 How to regulate your emotions 29:23 ADHD in women 33:17 Tips for ADHD women in the workplace 35:04 Why ADHD women feel ‘not enough' 39:31 How to set boundaries 43:52 The ADHD agony aunt 46:17 The ADHD Item Find Sam on Linkedin
In this powerful conversation, Steve Goodner, founder of EQ Fit, interviews culture strategist and award-winning author Yvette Bethel to explore what truly drives meaningful, lasting organizational transformation. From unseen systems of corruption to the vital role of Interconnectivity, Flow, and Balance (systems within cultures), Yvette unpacks how leaders can move beyond surface-level change to create cultures that are ethical, adaptive, and future-ready. Topics include: Subtle signs of dysfunction leaders often miss Why trust is more than a buzzword — it's a system How to engage your whole organization in real cultural change What every future-ready culture must be built on Whether you're a leader facing hidden resistance or just beginning your transformation journey, this episode offers the insight and tools you need to lead with purpose. Listen now — and rethink what culture really means to you! Want to go deeper? Explore related themes and leadership development tools at the IFB Academy — where future-forward leaders grow. Learn more about Steve at https://www.eqfit.org/
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 1712: Cal Newport explores the nuanced difference between pursuing a life's calling and simply loving what you do. He challenges the common advice to "follow your passion," revealing how many meaningful careers are built on cultivating rare skills and deep expertise rather than chasing immediate fulfillment. Read along with the original article(s) here: http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/04/09/corrupted-callings-the-subtle-difference-between-finding-your-lifes-work-and-loving-your-life/ Quotes to ponder: "Following your passion is not just simplistic, it's also dangerous." "Compelling careers often have complex origins." "Mastery, autonomy, and purpose, not instant passion, are what make work truly fulfilling." Episode references: So Good They Can't Ignore You: https://www.amazon.com/Good-They-Cant-Ignore-You/dp/1455509124 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode is brought to you by https://www.ElevateOS.com —the only all-in-one community operating system.ElevateOS transforms property management, combining resident engagement, reservations, rent payments, maintenance, and concierge services into a single super app. It also uniquely integrates access control, intercoms, package lockers, and thermostats, eliminating app fatigue and redefining modern apartment living.Visit https://www.ElevateOS.com/MMN for a free demo and see how they can help you level up your operations.You've been in the room.That meeting where one voice dominates, sucks the oxygen out, and steers the conversation—even if it's headed in the wrong direction.In this Saturday edition of the Multifamily Collective, Mike Brewer takes on a classic challenge in leadership: how to manage the loudest voice in the room—especially when it's the alpha personality with a strong presence and even stronger opinions. But here's the twist: this episode isn't a takedown of big personalities. It's a blueprint for balancing the room so that every voice can be heard—and the best ideas, not just the loudest, guide the way forward.Mike introduces the concept of the “rudder within the rudder”—the quiet, intentional leaders who steer the ship subtly but powerfully by asking well-placed, catalyst questions like:What is the pure definition of the problem we're solving?What assumptions are we making?What if the opposite were true?If you're a quiet leader—or someone navigating a team with strong personalities—this episode equips you to influence outcomes without overpowering the room.Leadership isn't about being louder. It's about being clearer, smarter, and more intentional.Tap Like, hit Subscribe, and share this with the quiet genius on your team.
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 1711: Cal Newport explores the critical distinction between finding work you love and pursuing what he calls a “true calling.” He reveals how conflating passion with profession can leave us chasing illusions, and offers a more grounded path to career fulfillment by focusing on mastery and meaningful impact. Read along with the original article(s) here: http://calnewport.com/blog/2010/04/09/corrupted-callings-the-subtle-difference-between-finding-your-lifes-work-and-loving-your-life/ Quotes to ponder: "Just because you love something does not mean you have to make a career out of it." "A true calling is not something you find, it's something you grow into." "The best way to find meaning in your life is to build a life around something bigger than yourself." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Iman breaks down the five biggest reasons women struggle to lose fat, even when it feels like they're giving it their all.These five reasons are pulled directly from Iman's brand new Fix Your Fat Loss Quiz, designed to help you figure out what's really blocking your progress, so you can stop spinning your wheels and start seeing results.What You'll Learn:
The Cinematography Podcast Episode 313: Christophe Nuyens A huge admirer of the Star Wars movie Rogue One, cinematographer Christophe Nuyens, SBC embraced the opportunity to serve as director of photography for the first six episodes of Andor Season 2. Christophe focused on expanding Andor's universe, meticulously crafting distinct visual identities for each world. He leaned into naturalistic lighting and a dynamic use of color to evoke a range of moods. “This show has so many different worlds and sets and every world has a different look,” he says. “Mina-rau was sunny, Chandrila was quite shiny and chic. Then you had Ghorman, which was darker and like a town in the mountains with blue light all the time. So we had all our different sets and it was really nice to play with those things to create all those little different moods.” Christophe was committed to giving the world of Andor a tangible sense of reality. The sets were expansive, with ample room for the camera to move around and explore. Practical effects were used when possible to enhance authenticity, complemented by the strategic use of LED video wall panels for realistic backdrops, such as the depiction of rain falling outside a Coruscant apartment window. Christophe approached the lighting design as if shooting on location. In collaboration with director Ariel Kleiman, he adopted a philosophy of minimal camera movement, completing scenes with few shots and concise coverage. Subtle lighting cues, lens flares and camera moves smoothly transitioned each scene into the next. One of the most memorable sequences in Andor Season 2 is the wedding of characters Leida Mothma and Stekan Sculdun. The event is not just a lavish affair but a crucial narrative beat in Mon Mothma's (Genevieve O'Reilly) journey, underpinning a complex emotional and political storyline. Following the ceremony, guests dance together in a huge celebration, a sequence that presented a unique and enjoyable challenge for Christophe. He wanted to capture a nightclub atmosphere despite the daytime setting. “I end up with the idea of trying to tell a time-lapse story light-wise,” he explains. “In the beginning of the wedding, the sun is quite high. It's bright outside the during the wedding. The sun is going lower and lower and lower, until the end when the sun is just on the horizon peeping inside and making it super flare-y. We didn't have strobes or party lights, but it gave us something special to play with.” The intricate dance sequence, featuring numerous extras and two Steadicams weaving through the celebration to reflect Mon Mothma's disorienting experience, required a full day of filming. (For dedicated Andor fans, an extended one-hour version of this captivating dance scene is available to watch on YouTube.) Educated at film school in Brussels, Christophe knew early on that cinematography was his calling. He values continuous learning as a cinematographer. “It's important for me to keep evolving because the moment that I feel I'm doing something as a routine, then I want to do something else. I need to have the feeling that I'm learning every time and every director is different.” Find Christophe Nuyens: Instagram: @christophenuyens The Cinematography Podcast website: www.camnoir.com YouTube: @TheCinematographyPodcast Facebook: @cinepod Instagram: @thecinepod Blue Sky: @thecinepod.bsky.social
Colleen Avis is an award-winning author and life coach helping others unlock their potential and create sacred spaces where authenticity, confidence, and joy thrive. With over a decade of expertise and a deeply personal healing journey, she empowers clients to connect with their emotions, navigate life's transitions, and embrace lasting change. In this episode, Karen and Colleen discuss: Success Story of Colleen Commit to Get Leads Have a targeted outreach and nurture the relationships that you have. You need to clarify who your best client is and cultivate ideal clients based on that best client. Consult to Sell Recognize that you are working with individuals - we, as people, are multi-dimensional, bio-individuals. While there are certain tools that can help, situations may need to be tailored to the individual. Connect to Build and Grow There is power in community and in the collective. With that comes personal and business growth. Success Thinking, Activities, and Vision It's not about the body, it's about the mind. We need to listen to the inner voice inside that tells us we can do anything and step into the practice of believing and acting on that. We need to get to the plot ahead of the thought. Sweet Spot of Success "Information doesn't transform; transformation comes from a deep connection within ourselves, a trusting within ourselves."- Colleen Avis *5 Minute Success - Listener Giveaway* Go to https://www.colleenaviscoaching.com/the-wellness-toolkit and use code TOOLKITGIFT to receive your FREE copy of The Wellness Toolkit! Connect with Colleen Avis: Website: https://www.colleenaviscoaching.com/ Email: colleenavis@me.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleen-avis-78a244/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colleen_avis_coaching/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colleen.avis About the Podcast Join host Karen Briscoe each month to learn how you can achieve success at a higher level by investing just 5 minutes a day! Tune in to hear powerful, inspirational success stories and expert insights from entrepreneurs, business owners, industry leaders, and real estate agents that will transform your business and life. Karen shares a-ha moments that have shaped her career and discusses key concepts from her book Real Estate Success in 5 Minutes a Day: Secrets of a Top Agent Revealed. Here's to your success in business and in life! Connect with Karen Briscoe: Facebook: 5MinuteSuccess Website: 5MinuteSuccess.com Email: Karen@5MinuteSuccess.com 5 Minute Success Links Learn more about Karen's book, Real Estate Success in 5 Minutes a Day Karen also recommends Moira Lethbridge's book "Savvy Woman in 5 Minutes a Day" Subscribe to 5 Minute Success Podcast Spread the love and share the secrets of 5 Minute Success with your friends and colleagues! Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.
GS#1002 Summary: Dr. Rick Sessinghaus returns to discuss the evolution of the mental game in golf, emphasizing its growing importance alongside technological advancements in the sport. Host Fred Greene questions Rick about how technology is being utilized to measure mental states and performance, the critical role of confidence in a player's success, and the impact of self-talk on performance. The conversation highlights the need for a strong relationship between coaches and caddies to foster a player's confidence and mental resilience. Rick delves into the mental aspects of golf, emphasizing the importance of expectation management and the challenges faced by both amateur and professional players. He discusses the role of technology in the game, particularly the impact of simulators, and shares insights on coaching Major winning players like Collin Morikawa. The conversation also touches on FlowCode to enhance mental performance in the sport. Learn more at The Flow Code.Get more when your visit the refreshed golfsmarter.com!Introduce an Upcoming Episode: Receive free gifts for recording a show opening by clicking on "Record Your Show Open Here!" tab on the right side of golfsmarter.com. Watch Daily Video Highlights from Our Interviews: Follow @golfsmarter on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube daily to see our highlights and helpful insights from our interviews on the podcast. Post a Review: you'll receive three free gifts when you post an honest review about Golf Smarter the podcast.Fill Out a Listener Survey: It only takes a few minutes to fill out our survey, which helps us to better serve your interests in the podcast. You'll receive a free link to Tony Manzoni's video and Justin Tang's summary of Tony's Lost Fundamental on pdf!Visit tourstriker.com/TSGA and use the code GOLFSMARTER to get your first month of the Tour Striker GolfAcademy Online free, plus instant access to two bonus courses—'The Recipe for Better Golf' and 'Bombs: How to Consistently Smash the Driver”: a $194 value for free.This episode is brought to you by PXG. Schedule your fitting today and for a limited time you could save up to 20% on your ENTIRE order! Head over to PXG.com/smarter. Restrictions apply, see site for details.This episode is sponsored by Indeed. Please visit indeed.com/GOLFSMARTER and get a $75 SPONSORED JOB CREDIT. Terms and conditions apply. This episode is sponsored by HIMS. Start your free online visit today HIMS.com/golfsmarter and received personalized ED treatment options.This episode is also sponsored by SelectQuote. Make sure you get the right life insurance for YOU, for LESS, at selectquote.com/golfsmarter today and get started.
The greatest danger to your faith isn't persecution—it's compromise. Subtle decisions can pull you from God's presence to Sodom's gate. Through Lot's story, we see that compromise costs everything—but Jesus gave everything to redeem it.Support the show
Start Healing Your Attachment Style With Personalized Courses Taught by Thais Gibson. Free for 7 Days: Enough Time to Complete a Full Course! https://attachment.personaldevelopmentschool.com/dream-life?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=7-day-trial&utm_medium=organic&utm_content=pod-06-02-25&el=podcast Dating a fearful avoidant and not sure how to build real connection without scaring them off? This episode breaks down exactly what you need to know to create emotional safety and deepen your bond in the early stages of dating a FA partner. Thais walks you through the unique needs fearful avoidants have in the first 3 months—and how to avoid the common mistakes that make them pull away. Whether you're new to attachment theory or deep in the work, this episode is packed with insights that will help you show up with confidence, curiosity, and care. What You'll Learn: ✔️ The 4 Pillars of Connection (and how FAs prioritize them) ✔️ Why presence and depth matter more than grand gestures ✔️ The role of novelty and transparency in building trust ✔️ How to ask the right questions to create intimacy ✔️ Subtle behaviors that help a FA feel emotionally safe This isn't about playing games—it's about Meet Your Host: Thais Gibson is the founder of The Personal Development School, best-selling author, and a global leader in attachment theory and subconscious reprogramming. With a Ph.D. and more than 13 certifications, Thais has helped over 70,000 people heal attachment wounds and build secure, thriving relationships. Helpful Resources:
Are you dealing with someone who always plays the victim, twists your words, and makes you feel like the bad guy?