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THE HORROR ON THE GROUND IN TOKYO Colleague James M. Scott. The raid began just after midnight, catching families asleep. The napalm bombs were designed to puncture roofs and spray fire inside homes, turning the wooden city into kindling. The resulting firestorm created a tidal wave of flame that moved across the city, blocked escape routes, and melted the glass of concrete buildings, killing those sheltering inside. Survivors, including a young girl named Shizuko Nishio, fled through an apocalyptic landscape. Photographer Koyo Ishikawa documented the event, describing the fire as a "surf wave" approaching from the ocean. NUMBER 6 1945 OKINAWA
Join Odin's quietest son on a sleepy winter journey through frozen forests and mountain villages. This reimagined Norse myth explores stillness, presence, and what it means to be enough. Your support is the cornerstone that allows me to continue crafting tranquil stories and meditations for you. For less than the price of a cup of coffee, you'll unlock an oasis of over 500 ad-free Listen To Sleep episodes, including 8 subscriber-only full length sleepy audiobook classics like Winnie the Pooh and Alice in Wonderland. To pledge your support, visit https://listentosleep.com/support or subscribe right in Apple Podcasts and get a 7 day free trial. Want to change your story? Take the free Path Assessment at https://jointhecabin.org. In two minutes, you'll see your personalized journey and know exactly where to start. To join my email group and get a bunch of goodies, go to https://erikireland.com Sleep well, friends.
In this episode, host Travis Chappell and producer Eric react to a spicy clip from personal finance expert Ramit Sethi about why most people have no business obsessing over “generational wealth” when they are still buried in debt and struggling with basic money habits. The conversation turns into a practical breakdown of whose advice to follow, when ultra‑rich guidance stops applying to you, and how Travis' parents quietly passed him real financial advantage without ever cutting him a big check. On this episode we talk about: Why “generational wealth” has become a trendy TikTok buzzword—and why that's a problem if you have credit card debt How to filter advice from billionaires, gurus, and influencers so you do not copy the wrong things at the wrong stage The difference between how wealthy people built their money versus what they say now that they are already rich Why copying Tony Robbins' ice baths or a bodybuilder's current routine will not get you their results How Travis' parents taught him to tithe, save, and spend with a simple three‑slot piggy bank system Turning childhood savings into a first duplex in a rough neighborhood and what that deal taught him about delayed gratification Why dumping money on kids without money education often ruins them Practical ways Travis is teaching his own kids to connect work, math, and money (and why he makes them buy their own “extras”) Top 3 Takeaways Sequence matters. Generational wealth is a later‑stage concern; if you are in debt, can't afford housing, or investing almost nothing, your focus should be getting stable, increasing income, and building basic assets first. Copy the early steps, not the end state. Look at what successful people did when they were two or three steps ahead of you, not what they say or do after decades of wealth and security. Knowledge is the real inheritance. Teaching kids how money works—earning, saving, investing, trade‑offs—often does more for their long‑term wealth than writing a massive check. Notable Quotes “Just because someone is 40 steps ahead of you doesn't mean their current advice applies to where you are right now.” “My parents didn't just give me money; they taught me what to do with the money I earned.” “You don't get money just for existing—if you want extra stuff, you learn to earn it.” ✖️✖️✖️✖️
Have you ever made one too many mistakes? You know, you get to a point where you think, That's it! God must be done with me? Well, Abraham was a man of faith who made plenty of mistakes along the way. Yet God seemed to overlook, even o compensate for them. Why was that? Life Changing Moments As we travel through life we all kind of experience these moments and often they are seemingly insignificant events that in fact, turn out to change the whole course of our lives. It's amazing when you think about it! We all have a plan for our lives but there are things just around the next corner or just over the next rise that can change everything – good things and bad things, happy things and sad things. Some people think, "Well, it's all a matter of chance." Well, I don't believe in chance. I remember a brochure that changed my life. I was attending a little church – I had not long become a Christian and it was a Sunday service like every other Sunday. At the end of the service I walked to the back of the little church and I saw a brochure for a particular Bible College, Tabor College in Sydney. It wasn't a particularly attractive brochure or a well designed brochure – I picked it up and that was a defining moment – I took it home, I read about this ministry degree, I prayed and I felt this incredibly strong tug in my heart. Now in my mind I am thinking, "There's no way. You know Berni, you have been a Christian for five minutes" but in my heart I knew. So I rang them, I applied, I went to see the Principal, I felt like such a fraud. "They are never going to accept me." They did! And there I learned so much but also, by chance again, I came into contact with my predecessor in this ministry; the former CEO of Christianityworks and one thing led to another. And today I'm doing what I am doing because I picked up that little brochure at the back of the church. Now I had no idea that morning that something would happen that would change the course of my life. This week we are starting a new series on Christianityworks, it's called "Defining Moments". It's really exciting! I want to look at this from a different perspective; from God's perspective. See when we look back on our lives most of us can pick three or four, maybe half a dozen defining moments – those little things that seemed to change the whole course of our lives. Now, sure we can see them from our natural human perspective – after all, we are people; we're human, but if we do that I think we miss the point. I want to look at some defining moments in the lives of four people in the Bible – Abraham, Joseph, David and Josiah over the next four weeks and we are starting today with Abraham. I want to see if we can discover how God reaches into our lives with miracles - great and small to define the very course of our lives because God does have a plan. Psalm 139, verse 16, says: Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In Your book were written all the days that were formed for me when none of them as yet existed. And when we at least expect it, and even despite what you and I do or fail to do, His plan is worked out through His grace for His glory. God brings those defining moments. Let's start with Abraham - the man with whom God's engagement of His chosen people began. He was living comfortably in a place called Ur, east of Israel – of course Israel didn't exist back then. Ur was the land of the Chaldeans, later it was called Babylon – it's just south of modern day Baghdad. And he travelled with his father up to Haran and then God called him to leave his comfort and follow this really crazy, absolutely incredulous promise. Let's pick it up – if you have got a Bible, grab it; open it up at Genesis chapter 12. We are going to look at the story of Abraham – it's too much to look at it all in one programme but we are going to have a look at part of his story. Genesis chapter 12, beginning at verse 1: Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. So Abram when as the Lord had told him and Lot when with him. Abram was seventy five years old when he departed form Haran." Seventy five years old! "He and Sarai his wife and they were childless." You see, you have to remember, in the Old Testament, blessing; God's blessing, you knew you had it when you had lots of land and lots of children. They had neither, so they didn't have God's blessing on their lives. Now the word "Abram" means "exalted father". So even his name was a joke, but still he went, off into the never never, based on what – some intangible, crazy call from God? Remember Abram had no Bible; he had no Scriptures to reveal who God was. He had no church tradition, or Jewish tradition – nothing like that. All the other nations had their gods; idols – they worshipped them, they believed all sorts of weird and wonderful things but Abram put his faith; he put his whole life and all his possessions in this God who came up with this incredulous promise. How did God say this to Abram - through an audible voice, a dream, a vision, a whisper of the Spirit in his heart? We don't know but he just heard the call and he trusted in the promises of God and off he went, into the blue yonder. Now God's plan A, remember, is to bless Abram with land and children – impossible of course! Oozes fantasy, not faith – could never happen. And then begins Abram's comedy of errors – pretty tragic actually. We don't have time to look at them all today but we are going to look at some of them. It's a journey where Abram and Sarai his wife, made plenty of mistakes along the way. Take Lot for instance, his nephew – if you look at Genesis chapter 12 again, did God tell Abram to take Lot with him? Not at all – it was Abram's idea. No doubt, this was plan B for Abram. "Well, if God doesn't come through on this promise of a son, at least I'll have a relative to be my heir" and Lot…..Lot causes him all sorts of grief. Let's have a look – Genesis chapter 13, verse 5: Now Lot who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents so that the land couldn't support both of them living together, for their possessions were so great that they could not live together. And there was strife between the herders of Abram's stock and the herders of Lot's stock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me – between your herders and my herders for we are kindred. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I'll go to the right; of you take the right hand, then I will go to the left." Lot looked about him and saw the plain of the Jordan that was well watered everywhere like this garden of the Lord; like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar - this was before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. So Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan and Lot eastward thus he separated from Abram. Gee, plan B worked really well for Abram didn't it? Obviously God didn't know what He was promising Abram and needed a back up! And look how it turned out! Strife, separation and then Abram gave away the best half of the Promised Land. And if you read on in chapter 14, Abram risks his life and God's plan because he has to fight a battle to save Lot's life. Lot was not part of plan A and in chapter 19 of Genesis (we won't go there for now for time reasons) but he ends up sleeping with his own daughters and fathers the Moabites and the Ammonites; both nations that became enemies of Israel. Huh – well done Abram! God obviously needed your help!! Who Can Blame Him? Well, who can blame Abram? He is in his late seventies now on a journey to nowhere and Sarai is no spring chicken either, I have to tell you. And God gives him this utterly incongruous, impossible promise and Abram is aching inside. "God, what are You doing?" Can you relate to that? I can! Let's have a look at the defining moment in Abram's journey. It begins in Genesis chapter 15, verse 1: After these things the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Don't be afraid, Abram, I am your shield. Your reward shall be very great." But Abram said, "Lord God, what will You give me for I continue childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer, son of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir." But the Word of the Lord came to him, "This man shall not be your heir. No one but a son coming from your very own body shall be your heir." God brought him outside and said, "Look toward the heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then the Lord said to him, "So shall your descendants be!" And Abram believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. I reckon this is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. Is Abram a man of faith? Absolutely! But he is struggling – he has tried everything he can do in his own strength and he can't make this promise from God happen and time is marching on. So through his doubt, he ends up with plan C or D or whatever he is up to. How does God respond – with rebuke, with punishment, with discipline? God brought him outside and said, "Look toward the heaven and count the start, if you are able to count them." Then God said "So will your descendants be! Isn't it beautiful? You know, the Milky Way when you get away from the smog and the lights of the city is just the most awesome thing – there are so many stars out there – it almost looks like clouds. Trillions of stars – this is the love of God! And he believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. Abram's faith meant that God's righteousness became part of who he was. It's a theme the Apostle Paul picks up in Romans chapter 4 and in Galatians chapter 3 in the New Testament, much later. See I struggle with the rose coloured glasses that Paul and others in the New Testament use to look back on Abraham. They paint him as this paragon of virtue; this great man of faith. Hebrews chapter 11, beginning at verse 8: By faith Abraham, when he was called to go to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he didn't know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the Promised Land like a stranger in a foreign country, for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith Abraham, even though he was past age and Sarah herself was barren, was enabled to become a father. That's great but what about all of Abraham blunders? What about his lack of faith? He goes to God and says to God, "What will You give me? What will You show me? I can't see it – I'm losing hope." See, Abraham was human – Abraham had human failures and he made mistakes just like you and me - but the answer is in what we just read in Genesis. How is it that despite all of Abraham's blunders and doubts, God's plan still came to fruition? Because Abraham: "believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness." Abraham believed – he didn't do it perfectly – but he believed and this was counted by God as righteousness. The righteousness of God when we believe, He forgives our sins – He forgets them. "As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us." You see, that's why in the New Testament it doesn't talk about Abraham's mistakes because God has forgiven them and they are not relevant. That's how God deals with Abraham's human failings. This is the defining moment in Abraham's journey: he believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. This night that was like any other; he was in his tent; he was struggling; he was praying; he was saying, 'God, what are you doing?' And God just touches him and brings him outside and says, "Look up at the stars; as many as are there so numerous will be your descendants." It's not about what Abraham did or didn't do. The defining moment is about God's grace! And come and look with me exactly how imperfectly Abraham believed. Come and see with me how human and frail his faith actually is. He is credited with righteousness – God speaks to him and right on the back of that, just two verses later, in Genesis chapter 15, verse 8, begins this: But he said "O Lord, God, how am I to know I shall possess it?" And God said to him, "Bring Me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle dove and a young pigeon." He brought God all those things and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abraham drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abraham and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him. Then the Lord said to Abraham, "Know this for certain that your offspring shall be aliens in a land that is not theirs and they shall be slaves there and they shall be oppressed there for four hundred years but I will bring judgement on the nation that they serve and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for you yourself, you shall go with your ancestors in peace and you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." When the sun had gone down and it was dark, and a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day (listen to this) On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying, "To your descendants I give this land – from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates and the land of the Kenites and the Kenizzites and the Kadmonites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Raphaim and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites." See, in the face of further doubt from Abraham, God gives him this vision and he makes an unbreakable promise; a covenant; a promise from God Himself to Abraham. The Last Laugh Just as well, this covenant from God was an unbreakable promise because what happens next, after the stars thing and the vision and the promise, would have been the final straw for me if I had been God. Have a look at the next Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian slave girl whose name was Hagar and Sarai said to Abram, "You see the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go into my slave girl; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." Abram listened to the voice of his wife Sarai, so after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar the Egyptian; her slave girl and gave her to her husband Abraham as a wife. He went into Hagar and she conceived and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you. I gave my slave girl to you to embrace and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me." Ok, men had more than one wife in those days but people haven't changed that much. Wives, how happy would you be with this outcome? Your husband sleeping with a slave girl and then all of a sudden the slave girl is pregnant. Can you see how perverted this is? And the son that Hagar bore was Ishmail and he became the father of the Arab world! Gee, that worked out brilliantly, didn't it? And so Abram, left to his own devices would have lurched from one blunder to the next but now the bit that really gets me about this story, is the ending. Both Abram and Sarai get to the point – I mean this has been going on for years now; decades where they just end up laughing at God's promises. I mean they are so ridiculous; they are so impossible – have a look – Abram first in Genesis chapter 17, verse 15: God said to Abram, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai anymore but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her and she will give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her." Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, "Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah who is ninety years old bear a child?" And Abraham said to God, "O that Ishmail might live in Your sight." And God said, "No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him." And then Sarah's turn next! God appears to Abraham in the form of three men and those men said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent." Then one of them said, "I will surely return to you in due season and your wife Sarah shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance, behind them. Now Abraham and Sarah, they were old and advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, "After I have grown old and my husband is old, shall I have the pleasure?" See, can you blame Abraham and Sarah for laughing at God? I mean if you don't laugh you will cry. It has been twenty five years – they headed away on this fool's errand into the blue yonder. Abraham is over a hundred – Sarah is over ninety – come on God, what do You think You are doing? But let's see how it ends! Genesis chapter 21: The Lord dealt with Sarah just as He had said and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken. Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah had borne. Do you know what the word "Isaac" means? It means "he laughs" – you see God had the last laugh! They both laughed at God's promises and God gives them a son called Isaac and God has the last laugh! It's the laughter of God's grace. And when you look back on this journey, what was the defining moment? See, what you and I want to look at is say: "What do I have to do….what do I have to do? What do I have to do to get God's favour?" Isn't that what we are always thinking? And you look at all of Abraham's blunders and you see all the mistakes he made but in his heart he believed and it was reckoned unto him by God as righteousness. His faith trumped his failures! Let me say that again ... Abraham's faith trumped his failures! People came to Jesus years later and they said, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" And Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God: that you believe in the One whom He has sent." Do you get it? The defining moment for Abraham was God's gracious, loving, powerful, impossible, unbreakable, ridiculous, only God could ever do it, take it forever….promise. And in his heart Abraham believed. That's the bit that God saw and took and used and blessed Abraham through. That's why the New Testament writers can completely ignore the failures of Abraham because God….God had forgotten them a long time ago. God had decided to overlook them a long time ago. Abraham was not a perfect man – Abraham was human just like you and me. You make blunders in your life; I make blunders in my life. What does God look at? He looks at whether we put our trust in Him through Jesus Christ. God not only forgave Abraham and Sarah but He cleaned up their mess along the way so that His plan would be fulfilled and realised for His glory. Look again at the defining moment in Abraham's life…Genesis chapter 15, verses 5 and 6: God brought Abraham outside and said, "Look up toward the heaven. Count the stars if you are able to count them." Then God said to him, "So shall your descendants be. And Abraham believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. What do I have to do to do the works of God? To believe in the One whom He sent; His Son, Jesus Christ!
In this powerful episode, David Lichtenstein opens up about wealth, success, failure, and what truly gives life meaning. From business setbacks and rebuilding, to philanthropy, community responsibility, and personal resilience, this conversation challenges how we define success and where our real value comes from. It's an honest look at money, pressure, ego, and purpose, through a deeply Jewish lens grounded in lived experience. The discussion goes far beyond finances, touching on tzedakah, leadership, cancel culture, failure, healing from trauma, Israel, and the responsibility to speak about uncomfortable but necessary topics. This is a raw, thoughtful conversation about courage, clarity, and living with conviction, even when it's unpopular. This episode was made possible thanks to our sponsors: ► Colel Chabad Pushka App The easiest way to give Tzedaka https://pushkapp.cc/meaningful _______________________________________ ► Torah Umesorah Torah Umesorah equips teachers and schools to help every child thrive, support this work and help strengthen Jewish education by donating today. https://content.jcn.io/MeaningfulMinuteTU _______________________________________ ► 7th Heaven Chocolate high-quality, dairy-free chocolate that's ethically sourced and seriously good. use code MPPfree for free shipping https://www.7thheavenchocolate.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoryFUtu_BwTX2aYLCwtf8ykSbfR4dcurwUZAS8p_C2ftD7WyjNN _______________________________________ ► 7th Heaven Chocolate high-quality, dairy-free chocolate that's ethically sourced and seriously good. use code MPPfree for free shipping https://www.7thheavenchocolate.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoryFUtu_BwTX2aYLCwtf8ykSbfR4dcurwUZAS8p_C2ftD7WyjNN _______________________________________ ►Rothenberg Law Firm Personal Injury Law Firm For 50+ years! Reach out Today for Free Case Evaluation https://shorturl.at/JFKHH ______________________________________ ► Town Appliance Visit the website or message them on WhatsApp https://www.townappliance.com https://bit.ly/Townappliance_whatsapp ______________________________________ ► Dream Raffle Win a brand new and fully furnished $1,200,000 apartment in Yerushalayim! Use Promo code MPP for $10 off and to receive double tickets! https://thedreamraffle.com/ _____________________________________ ► Pesach with Bordeaux
In this episode, host Travis Chappell and producer Eric run through a series of real‑world “curveball” scenarios—from surprise medical bills to flooded houses and lowball dream-job offers—to talk through how to respond without blowing up your finances. With a mix of humor, baseball metaphors, and practical frameworks, they show how to build decision rules that keep you calm and rational when life gets messy. On this episode we talk about: When to repair, replace, or go down to one car after a breakdown How to negotiate surprise medical bills and when to just pay them A $5,000 family loan request: help, enable, or say no? Whether to ever take a “dream job” that pays 30% less than you currently earn How a surprise baby would (and wouldn't) change Travis' budget Funding a child's gap year vs. making them pay their own way Using an emergency fund when your home floods and insurance denies the claim Evaluating “sure thing” investment tips from strangers Turning down paid speaking gigs or opportunities that could damage your brand Top 3 Takeaways Decide your rules before the curveball hits. Knowing in advance how you handle cars, medical bills, loans, and emergencies keeps you from making emotional, expensive decisions in the moment. Help without enabling. Supporting family or kids financially is generous, but repeatedly rescuing adults from the consequences of bad decisions only keeps them stuck. Protect brand and autonomy over short-term cash. Whether it is a lower-paying dream job or a shady speaking lineup, long-term reputation and control usually matter more than the immediate paycheck. Notable Quotes “With medical bills, always negotiate first—those numbers are almost never the real numbers.” “I'll take care of what needs to be taken care of. Anything extra you want, you need to learn how to earn.” “Brand is everything. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.” Connect with Travis Chappell: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travischappell Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travischappell Website: https://travischappell.com ✖️✖️✖️✖️
Thank you for reading this article or listening to the podcast / poem. I greatly appreciate all of you who engage with and listen to what I share. If you'd like to support the work I do, you can leave a 5-star review on either Apple or Spotify, or head to the Uncomfortably, Beautifully Human Substack using the link below, where you'll find more poetry, meditations, and much more.what theme would you like me to share a poem or conversation about next week? Let me know in the comments or reaching out to me my email emma@emmaevelyncampbell.com
Exploring Midlife and Music with Matthew Perryman Jones | Curious Goldfish PodcastJoin Jason English on the Curious Goldfish Podcast as he sits down with singer-songwriter Matthew Perryman Jones on a random back porch in Nashville. In this episode, they discuss the essence of midlife, uncovering hidden parts of oneself, and approaching life with a sense of curiosity and wonder. Matthew opens up about his personal journey with music, dealing with mental health, and his evolution as an artist. Listen in for deep insights into midlife authenticity and enjoy a unique performance of 'A Long Way Home From Here' from his Cold Answer album.00:00 Introduction to Midlife Reflections01:13 Welcome to Curious Goldfish03:15 Interview with Matthew Perryman Jones04:00 Turning 50: Reflections and Insights06:14 Life in Nashville and Music Career Beginnings13:57 Exploring Creativity and Songwriting20:26 Curiosity and Personal Growth27:39 Reflecting on Missed Opportunities28:18 The Healing Power of Music29:18 Overcoming Personal Struggles30:57 The Journey to Becoming a Musician33:59 Navigating Mental Health Challenges36:01 The Impact of Social Media on Youth38:05 Creating Music with Emotional Depth39:01 The Story Behind 'Cancion de La Noche'42:51 The Unique Recording Process49:26 Comparing Songs with Taylor Swift51:15 Current Artistic Journey and Future Plans
Turning Mistakes Into MiraclesSupport the show: https://christianityworks.com/channels/cw/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Two Largest COVID Vax Studies- Horrifying, White Community Poured TRILLIONS into Black Community, Teaching People to Hate Each Other, Islam's Beginnings. Nicolas Hulscher, MPH. The two largest COVID-19 “vaccine” safety studies ever conducted (n=184 MILLION) confirm they are NOT SAFE FOR HUMAN USE the white community has already poured TRILLIONS of dollars of resources into the black community. you don't build a future by teaching people to hate themselves—or each other—based on myths. This Video Will Change How You See Islam Post Nicolas Hulscher, MPH @NicHulscher The two largest COVID-19 “vaccine” safety studies ever conducted (n=184 MILLION) confirm they are NOT SAFE FOR HUMAN USE: Heart Attack (+286%, dose 2) Stroke (+240%, dose 1) Brain/Spinal Cord Inflammation (+278%, dose 1) Myocarditis (+510%, dose 2) Brain Clots (+223%, dose 1) Coronary Artery Disease (+244%, dose 2) Cardiac Arrhythmia (+199%, dose 1) Guillain-Barré Syndrome (+149%, dose 1) 5:50 AM · Dec 24, 2025 173.7K Views Post Andrew Branca Show @TheBrancaShow The American black community keeps whining for "reparations," when in fact the white community has already poured TRILLIONS of dollars of resources into the black community. And what do we have to show for it? More crime? More degeneracy? More multi-generation poverty? There are things you cannot fix with money. 1:03 PM · Dec 19, 2025 37.3K Views Post Andrew Branca Show @TheBrancaShow This is how propaganda works: repeat a false historical claim until it becomes moral dogma. Polling result exposes the problem—not to attack people, but to show how misinformation about slavery is used to assign collective guilt to people who had nothing to do with it. History is clear: slavery existed across civilizations for millennia, and it was Western legal institutions that formally abolished it where they held power. Turning history into a blame narrative isn't education—it's dehumanization, the same tool every regime uses before justifying coercion. You don't fix the past by lying about it. And you don't build a future by teaching people to hate themselves—or each other—based on myths. 3:27 AM · Dec 25, 2025 27.7K Views This Video Will Change How You See Islam Most Muslims and even non-muslims grow up hearing a perfect, polished version of Muhammad's life. But the original Islamic sources tell a very different story. In this critical biography, I break down Muhammad's life chronologically - his upbringing, his rise to power and political scandals you've never heard of before. It's Islam's own earliest history retold, examined through a secular lens. Created for Ex-Muslim Awareness Month, this video is for anyone questioning the story they were taught, or for non-muslims who've never really heard the full story of Muhammad. Most Asked Question: Why do you wear a mask Because as an ex-muslim, I get extremely peaceful threats from peaceful followers of a particularly peaceful faith. https://youtu.be/6zp6i6e7e3U?si=6VyWcNKCi8nafRKA The Cyberpunk Dingo 125K subscribers 108,841 views Dec 9, 2025 ✪ Members first on December 9, 2025 #Islam #muhammad Get upto 60% off ProtonVPN here: https://go.getproton.me/SH1lv Exclusive Content + Support the channel here: Patreon: / thecyberpunkdingo The Cyberpunk Dingo Theme Song: • The Cyberpunk Dingo Theme - As Seen On Outros Get in Touch: X: https://x.com/cyberpunkdingo Discord: / discord #Islam #muhammad
In today's RaiseMasters Radio episode, Pat sits down with Chirag Chaudhari to break down how simple video messages and genuine relationship-building helped him unlock massive momentum and raise millions faster. They talk about trust, consistency, and why personal connection beats automation when it comes to capital raising. Tune in if you want a simple, human way to stand out and get investors responding again. Resources mentioned in the episode: Chirag Chaudhari Website Interested in learning how to take your capital raising game to the next level? Meet us at Capital Raiser's Edge. Learn more here: https://raisingcapital.com/cre
If you're in the creative space, you already know this tension: the pressure to create never really shuts off. Content still needs to go out, even when your ideas dry up. So what happens when your mind stalls? How do you get unstuck without forcing it or burning out and still create ideas your audience actually cares about when life is full and inspiration feels miles away? In this episode, I sit down with Cat Shanu to tackle those questions and help you break free from creative ruts. We dig into what really causes creative blocks, how perfectionism quietly kills momentum, and what to do when inspiration feels out of reach. Cat shares her own pause from creating, and I open up about staying consistent as a CEO, father, and host, even during low-energy seasons. Whether you're a content creator, an entrepreneur, or simply trying to build more consistent habits, this episode will help you reconnect with your creative rhythm and move forward with intention. In this episode, we discuss: [00:00:00] Why creators struggle to make content [00:01:21] The natural ebb and flow of creativity and why forcing it backfires [00:02:33] Finding inspiration by immersing yourself in what moves you [00:04:09] Cat's four-month creative pause and how she reignited her spark [00:04:17] Building LinkedIn systems—batching, scheduling, and staying consistent [00:06:22] Turning a Beastie Boys Reddit post into content gold [00:07:10] How music and ChatGPT fuel momentum when ideas stall [00:08:17] Treating each post like a temporary tattoo [00:12:52] Using audience engagement to break creative blocks [00:13:31] Why creating for one person beats creating for everyone [00:14:51] Telling real stories instead of chasing perfection [00:19:45] Using simple prompts to generate endless ideas [00:22:05] Cat and Billy's peak creative workflows [00:26:12] Matching tasks to energy for better output [00:29:29] Creating consistently while leading, parenting, and podcasting [00:33:33] Building your catalog of inspiration and learning from top creators [00:38:15] Why breaks sharpen creativity and awareness [00:45:26] Letting go of perfection and taking small steps forward Notable Quotes [00:42:21] “When stuck, don't generate, retrieve, go get that information from somewhere else.” - Billy [00:12:52] “Treat your post like a temporary tattoo. It's not a permanent tattoo, it's a temporary tattoo. Therefore it doesn't matter.” - Billy [00:16:08] “When you think of your community, not as your followers, but as a friend. You can definitely leverage them to just guide you.” - Cat [00:24:14] “It's easier to think of creative ideas than when you focus on the whole big picture.” - Cat [00:32:54] “Most people will cancel an appointment they make for themselves, but they'll always attend appointment they have with somebody else.” - Billy [00:49:56] “The only true, perfect thing I can think of is God. And we put this idea in our head that we need to show up as perfection.” - Cat Cat Shanu LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cat-shanu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefemmeguide/ Billy Samoa Saleebey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billysamoa/ Email: billy@podify.com and saleebey@gmail.com Insight Out Website: https://www.insightoutshow.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tyler Whitcomb jumps on the Hoop Heads Podcast to discuss Give with Hoops, a groundbreaking initiative that fuses basketball analytics with modern sponsorship. Built for teams who see data as opportunity from AAU programs and high school programs to college powerhouses.By tying on-court performance directly to community and sponsor engagement, Give With Hoops helps programs raise more while deepening support from those who believe in the game.During his career Tyler has been a professional basketball team owner, athletic director, college coach, and now a KuyperWorks Specialist and Adjunct Professor of Sports Management at Kuyper College. He has also produced best-selling basketball playbooks and videos with Championship ProductionsOn this episode Mike & Tyler discuss Give with Hoops, a revolutionary initiative designed to enhance fundraising for basketball programs by seamlessly integrating on-court performance with community sponsorship. This innovative platform employs advanced analytics to facilitate financial support from local businesses, thereby enabling teams—from youth leagues to collegiate institutions—to raise funds in a manner that is both efficient and engaging. The platform's user-friendly interface, developed by former NASA engineers, allows coaches and players to track statistics and directly link them to sponsorship contributions, thus fostering a deeper connection between teams and their supporters. Throughout our discussion, we explore the multifaceted advantages of this approach, including the potential for ongoing community engagement and the ease with which teams can mobilize resources. We invite listeners to consider the transformative impact of Give with Hoops on their fundraising efforts, emphasizing the accessibility and simplicity that this groundbreaking tool offers to the basketball community.Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @hoopheadspod for the latest updates on episodes, guests, and events from the Hoop Heads Pod.Make sure you're subscribed to the Hoop Heads Pod on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and while you're there please leave us a 5 star rating and review. Your ratings help your friends and coaching colleagues find the show. If you really love what you're hearing recommend the Hoop Heads Pod to someone and get them to join you as a part of Hoop Heads Nation.Learn about an innovative new way to fundraise for your basketball program as you listen to this episode with Tyler Whitcomb from Give With Hoops.Website - https://givewithhoops.com/hoop-heads-podcastEmail - twhitcomb@kuyper.eduTwitter/X - @GiveWithClick
To be able to make art from antlers takes a lot of talent. Nick Jeffries is an avid hunter, family guy, outdoorsman, shed hunter, and loves to build antlers into custom Chandeliers. As I'm at his shop to pick up one of his works of art, I decided to do a podcast with him to get to know him more. He shares his experience serving in the Marine Corps Infantry, along with what got him into this passion, from starting as a hobby, and turning it into a business. We share some fun hunting stories, and much more. If you are interested in an antler chandelier for yourself, get in contact with him. Instagram: @custom.antler.designshttps://customantlerdesigns.com/Or call or text directly: 509-990-2706
n this solo episode of The Eric Bach Show, Eric shares the lessons he wishes he'd understood earlier in life as he approaches 37. From training, hormones, and bloodwork to money, risk, and relationships, this is a straight-shooting blueprint for building a body and life that actually hold up over the next 10–20 years.What you'll learn:– Why time feels like it speeds up after 30 and how “I'll start later” quietly destroys your potential.– The real cost of always playing it safe and how fear of risk keeps you stuck.– How a single decision to invest in mentorship (even when money is tight) can change your entire trajectory.– Why health is the ultimate wealth and how some 35-year-olds look 25 while others look 55.– How your habits in your 20s and early 30s compound into either disease or high performance later in life.– What “middle age” actually is when you zoom out on lifespan and why that should light a fire under you.– How late nights, partying, and chronic stress now can show up as heart, liver, and metabolic issues down the road.– How to train for longevity without going soft: focusing on movement patterns instead of worshipping specific exercises.– Why chasing old PRs into your 30s and 40s can wreck your joints and what to focus on instead.– A simple approach to fat loss and muscle gain that doesn't rely on gimmicks or “fat loss workouts.”– Why your metabolism usually isn't broken, but your daily habits are.– Why you should get comprehensive bloodwork done in your 20s and 30s and use it as a baseline.– How to think about hormones, TRT, and peptides without skipping the hard lifestyle work.– What alcohol and THC actually do to your sleep, brain, hormones, and long-term performance.– Why steps, cardio, and explosive work like jumps and throws matter more as you age.– How small aches, pains, and old injuries can become major problems if you ignore mobility and recovery.– The importance of buying back your time with money and skills instead of staying stuck doing everything yourself.– Why changing your environment, friends, and sometimes even where you live can be the unlock for your next chapter.– How to build systems and standards so doing the right thing is as automatic as brushing your teeth.– Why motivation is overrated and consistency wins.– How to design a life where you don't feel like you're constantly starting over every year.Who this episode is for:– Men and women in their 20s and 30s who don't want to wake up at 40 wondering what happened.– High performers who feel like their health, energy, or body is drifting in the wrong direction.– Anyone who wants a long-term plan that integrates training, lifestyle, bloodwork, and environment.Work with Eric:If you want a customized plan built around your body, schedule, and goals, apply for coaching at:bachperformance.com/coaching
Send us a textHey beautiful souls!Welcome to yet another dope ass episode where I talk all about:Not being a normal human Faux healers & energy leeches Having friends I'm excited to listen toCharging money to people I'm not excited to listen to My thoughts on reciprocity Listening to my friends talk about men & the dumb sh*t they do Turning 31 and giving less fucks Calling out abusive sh*t (to your friend who's in a relationship with a horrid man)Why do I keep giving strangers my time (no more 4 hour meet ups/hang outs!!!!)+ My 3 simple core values If I have to say no more than once it's a problem!Is this bringing me pleasure or can it bring me pleasure in the future? Showing up honestly (reflecting on it & dealing with what comes in hopes I shed the dishonest people from around me)& so much more!Want to join my pleasure oasis? CLICK HERE: https://www.loveatiya.com/theetherealpleasureacademyWanna learn how to pleasure yourself to your higher self? CLICK HERE: https://www.patreon.com/TheLoveAtiyaExperience Sex Education Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loveatiya/Sex Education TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iloveatiya?Sex Positive Podcast: https://theloveatiyaexperience.buzzsprout.comYouTube: iloveatiya https://www.youtube.com/@iloveatiya/videos Support the show
Want more exclusive content?! http://prometheuslens.supercast.com to sign up for the "All Access Pass" and get early access to episodes, private community, members only episodes, private Q & A's, and coming documentaries. We also have a $4 dollar a month package that gets you early access and an ad free listening experience! ====================SummaryIn this episode of the Prometheus Lens Podcast, host Doc Brown and financial expert Terry Sacka discuss the current economic landscape, emphasizing the importance of tangible assets like silver in the face of inflation and currency erosion.They explore the implications of a potential liquidity crisis in the banking system, the shift towards digital currencies, and the upcoming fourth financial revolution. The conversation highlights the need for individuals to prepare for significant changes in the economy and the potential for a black swan event that could trigger these transformations.====================
In this Christmas season best-of show, Pastor Louis Rosenthal of The McKinney First Baptist Church shares how God lead his church to help provide affordable housing in his community. Ian Duguid, author of "Turning the World Upside Down," looks at the Book of Acts 1 - 8, and shows that the living and risen Jesus works through His followers to turn the world upside down...or maybe right side up. The Reconnect with Carmen and all Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here
As AI-generated content continues to flood the B2B landscape, many brands are asking an important question: How do we hold onto our purpose, and make sure the people we serve truly understand it?In this episode, Donna Peterson sits down with Abe Wang from Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD) to explore how a highly technical, scientific company stays deeply purpose-driven while growing, innovating, and communicating authentically. From internal culture and humanitarian initiatives to writing a book as a marketing strategy, this conversation offers valuable insights for any B2B leader navigating growth without losing meaning.What You'll Learn in This Episode:How to clearly communicate your company's purpose to people outside your industryWhy internal marketing is just as important as external brand messagingHow purpose-driven culture helps teams stay engaged as companies scaleWays to reach new audiences while keeping communication personal and humanWhy CDD chose to write a book instead of relying on AI-generated contentHow original storytelling helps B2B brands stand out in crowded marketsEpisode Timestamps:00:00 – Holding onto voice and purpose in an AI-driven world02:06 – Introducing Abe Wang and Collaborative Drug Discovery04:41 – Explaining CDD's mission in simple, relatable terms08:21 – Internal marketing and keeping employees connected to purpose12:11 – Human stories behind CDD's work and humanitarian initiatives15:31 – Reaching new audiences through trust and personal connection17:46 – Why writing a book helped CDD differentiate its brand voice20:11 – Turning original stories into long-term marketing assetsFeatured Resource:Inside the CDD Vault: A Different Kind of Collaborative Drug Discovery➡️ Book Cover & Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Inside-CDD-Vault-Different-Collaborative-ebook/dp/B0G2HR4WYJ/This book brings together personal stories from over two dozen CDD employees and collaborators, offering a rare look into how purpose, humanity, and scientific innovation intersect inside a growing B2B organization.About Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD):Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD) is on a mission to advance science through better data. CDD's flagship product, CDD Vault®, is a hosted informatics solution that allows researchers to organize data and experiments in context while securely collaborating in real time. For drug discovery teams using AI-based approaches, CDD Vault serves as a central repository for clean, reusable data that can be analyzed repeatedly across different algorithms, parameters, targets, or compounds. The platform also includes a RESTful API to support automated workflows and offers PharmaKB™, a Pharmaceutical KnowledgeBase providing semantic data on preclinical, clinical, and post-approval drug development. Learn more at www.collaborativedrug.comAbout Abe Wang:Abe Wang is the Head of Marketing at Collaborative Drug Discovery, where he leads strategic initiatives to elevate the CDD Vault brand and drive global engagement within the life sciences community. Since joining CDD in 2019, Abe has played a key role in expanding brand awareness and digital marketing efforts, supporting the company's growth as a leading SaaS informatics platform for scientific data management. Abe brings more than a decade of experience at the intersection of science and marketing. Prior to CDD, he held marketing leadership roles at Thermo Fisher Scientific and Affymetrix, focusing on market development, demand generation, and product strategy for life science technologies. Earlier in his career, Abe spent over seven years at SRI International, contributing to preclinical drug development and translational research. *** Reach out to dpeterson@worldinnovators.comif you'd like help building a marketing strategy that builds relationships and/or AI training for individuals or full teams. *** Visit www.worldinnovators.comfor more resources on building stronger marketing and leadership strategies. *** Subscribe to the B2B Marketing Excellence & AI Podcast for weekly insights into marketing, leadership, and the future of AI.
Turning 59½ opens the door to a set of retirement decisions many people don't realize they have. In this episode, Nick is joined by Eric Hogarth, Senior Partner Johnson Brunetti, to discuss why 59½ is a major planning milestone and what options become available for your 401(k). If you're approaching 59½ and want more control, flexibility, and clarity around your retirement savings, this conversation will help you understand what to consider before making any 401(k) moves. Here's what we discuss in this episode:
Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 5 Celebration: Some happy moments to cling to. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. October 5th, 2020. Dave and Liv spent the morning getting lumber and gate hardware. Other changes would take much longer to plan, and would need professionals to implement, but today they were putting in a gate between the backyards to facilitate caring for the chickens. And give more play space for Esme and Roscoe. He'd made no move to threaten the chickens. It took over an hour to tear out the boards from the section that would be a gate by the end of the day. Dave worked from Lupie's yard, while Liv worked from Dave's. Both were being careful to preserve the boards that were still in good condition. Those could be reused. If not today, then for another project. As they each pulled boards from the fences, Dave gained a view of Liv as she worked. Granted, he'd seen her working in the yard, or building things before. But back then, she was the young girl he helped guide to adulthood. Now, she was the young beauty that shared his bed in addition to his life. And god was she beautiful. He'd only appreciated her looks in an esoteric sense previously. 'Why yes, Livy is a lovely young lady' in response to another's comment or question. Things had changed. Knowing she'd be fence-building today, Liv had worn a sturdy bra that could keep her; assets from flopping all over the place. But pulling nails and tugging boards loose still had them moving under her denim shirt like two quarreling kittens. Her ass filled the seat of her jeans just right too; not a bubble butt, just nicely curved. Thank God she wore work jeans and not skinny jeans. Dave had enough blood in the wrong place without her jeans clinging to the silhouette of her legs. Man had to get some work done. They'd removed the pickets, trimmed the rails and the kickboard when Dave heard the sliding door. "It's lunch time you two," Lupie called out. "Knock off for a bit. Come in and get a sandwich and a drink." Dave brushed most of the saw dust off as he walked to the house. He kissed Lupie when he got to the door. Lupie returned it, but when he moved to press himself against her, she shoved him away. "Not 'til you've had a shower mister," she demanded. He chuckled. "Yes, dear." She just laughed. Melanie joined them. Her footfalls stopped, briefly, right behind him. Lupie and Liv looked at each other with knowing looks, but he didn't ask them or Mel why. She did have a quick, quiet conversation with Liv and Lupie as Dave headed out to finish. It was a short conversation as Olivia was not far behind. The next few hours were more physically demanding than the morning as Dave and Olivia dug new postholes, mixed cement, then filled the holes and placed the posts. Even so, the hardest part was adjusting the guidelines keeping the posts vertical until the cement set. Constantly adjusting the lengths of each line until the level red true seemed to take more time than all the other work. Now they had to give the cement at least a day to set before hanging the gate. Dave and Olivia secured their tools and left the work area neat before heading in. As Dave pulled back the sliding glass door he was tackled by a mass of flesh that he could tell by feel was female. Well, the only other bodies in the house were ladies, so that helped too. She was also very excited. A flash of red hair as kisses rained on him helped him identify Melanie as his enthusiastic paramour. He had to back pedal a few steps to keep the two of them from falling to the deck. "Get a room, ya slut," Olivia laughed. Melanie finally came up for air. "I don't need a room. Just this hot, sweaty man." She planted her lips firmly on Dave's as her hands sought out the hem of his shirt. She yanked it over his head swiftly, barely pausing her lips in their quest for more Dave. "Seriously? We're doing this right here?" Dave inquired. Mel nodded as she got her hands on Dave's belt. "The Esme rule," Liv interjected. "This isn't the couch." Liv laughed and rolled her eyes. "Lawyers and coders, always looking for the loophole. I think Esme's in the library studying. I'll make sure she stays there for a bit." She pulled the curtain closed after the glass door. Mel slowed her kissing, and moved from Dave's face to his shoulders as she unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his jeans. She took care to kiss every curve of his modestly defined shoulder muscles. No, more like savored. Dave decided to start evening the score, and grabbed her t-shirt; one of his actually, with the logo "University of Mars"; and pulled it over her head. It made her pause and grin, but barely slowed her progressive kissing down his body and getting his jeans and boxers down to his knees. Mel immediately took him in her mouth, working him to full erection quickly before plunging her head up and down. Satisfied he was at maximum stiffness, she straddled him while pulling the gusset of her shorts and panties aside revealing her already wet slit, her labia flowering outward in readiness. Mel sank herself on to Dave in one motion, letting out a grunt as he filled her. She opened her eyes and lowered her torso to his, kissing fervently as she rocked her hips up and down and rubbing her tits along his chest. Both of them found this quite stimulating. Hands roamed, tongues tangled, lips meshed. They seemed to hit a plateau, until Dave rolled them over. He began thrusting long swift strokes, causing Melanie to moan and lift her legs upward in a 'v' shape. She clutched his back and lifted her pelvis. As his thrusting pace increased Mel's vocalization devolved into happy grunts. Her fingers rotated, digging her nails into him. "Oh! God Yes!" Melanie arched her back, finding her release. A few moments later, Dave cascaded over the cliff with her, triggering a second orgasm in her even as the first had barely descended its peak. Dave held still and Mel clung to him as she shook. He nuzzled the side of her face with his cheek. When her breathing slowed, she grabbed his head and pulled him into a fiery kiss. Mel had an enormous grin as the two separated and began fixing their clothes. October 6, 2020. "Why are you cooking dinner, Dave? I thought it was Mel's night." "She is making the house dinner conejita, but I am taking your mother on a date today. We'll probably be gone through dinner." Esme made a face. "Ew, gross. So you two will be feeding each other little bites and doing other cutesy stuff?" "Probably," Dave chuckled. He scooped out a small portion on the tip of a spoon and held it out for her. Esme gamely took a bite. She swallowed but made a face. "Ew, what was that? Something popped and was bitter, or pickle-y." "Capers. I like 'em. I think your mom might too. I get it if you're not a fan." "Not. Most definitely not." Esme watched as Dave packed the container into a bag with sliced bread, several water bottles, a container of homemade whipped cream, and a box of strawberries from the greenhouse. As Dave stood, re-evaluating his packing, Esme spoke again. "It's not like I don't know what's going on around here. Ya'll get kinda loud sometimes. I know, I know 'I'm too young to talk about these things', but seriously it's a basic part of life as an adult right?" "I won't go sticking my nose in," she continued, "and yeah, I don't want to see it going on, but you don't have to walk on eggshells around me." "Oh, seriously though? We should get more candles or something, 'cuz something about that gets kinda funky afterwards. I've gone into the master bedroom to talk to mom a few times and, Wow dude. I can tell which mornings you get lucky. Or they do." "The way y'all act it's like you're both sure you got more out of it than the other, or more than you deserve or something. At least you're all happy. All though, yeah, sometimes if too many of you are walking around dreamy faced it gets kinda suspense film creepy." "Seriously though? I'm really happy for mom. And Becca. Mom's been lonely for a long time, and Becca spent about half the year looking like her heart had been ripped out. They are way better now than they were. I haven't seen mom this happy in; ever. And Becca is as bouncy happy as she's ever been. So yeah, whatever weird stuff is happening, is fine with me. I'd rather not see it though. Or hear it. Or smell it." After laying out the blanket for the two of them, the first thing Dave pulled out of the basket was an MP3 player. "You could have just used your phone, papi. Why go old school?" "Because this has more memory than my phone mi luz." Lupie chuckled lightly. "Your pronunciation is all wrong." She stepped in closer, their faces inches apart. "But your delivery is all right." They kissed softly, holding each other loosely. The romantic appetizer lasted a minute or so before they settled down to the blanket. Lupie smirked, one eyebrow cocked as Dave adjusted the position of the music player. "Well, it's not like I brought out a Walkman." "Don't you mean a Discman?" "Discman came a decade later. The Walkman was in the eighties, and it used cassettes." "Old man," Lupie smirked. "So I shouldn't tell you about my parents' blue panel van with an eight track player back in the seventies?" Lupie laughed. "Sometimes it's hard to remember you really are that much older than me. But when I do, it's a good thing. I have an appreciation for age and wisdom." She leaned in to plant a warm, lingering kiss on his lips. Dave rolled his eyes. "On a date with a thirty two year old and I'm still robbing the cradle." "Umm, you can rock this cradle all day long, papi," she purred. They bantered for a bit as Dave put together the chicken salad sandwiches, and grew quiet as they ate. Lupie did appreciate the capers, and the celery seed. As they were feeding strawberries to each other (after dipping them into some whipped cream lightly laced with rum) 'Brown-Eyed Girl' came on; the Jimmy Buffett version with steel drums. Dave swayed with the rhythm as he offered a strawberry to Lupie. As it got to the later lyric '; making love in the green grass, behind the stadium with you, my brown-eyed girl; ' Dave wiggled his eyebrows. Lupie giggled at first, then realized he wasn't just being silly. "David, no! Out here, where anyone can see us?!" "Loops, there's a row of tall bushes between us and the path. If someone is out getting some exercise, they'll never know we're here." "You have a way of making me loud, mi amor," Lupie beamed. "Then we'll take it nice and slow, darling," Dave said as he buzzed his lips next to her ear. He took a firm hold of her tit, massaging it just how she liked. Lupie sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. They made out like teenagers before shucking his pants and boxers. Lupie surprised him with the revelation she hadn't worn any panties. She blushed at her own daring. Then they made love. Long, slow, passionate joining of two hearts giving and taking in unison. The sun had set long before they left. The temperature dropped with the sun, but holding each other close and making their own heat, they never noticed. October 8, 2020. Dave was in his office, wrestling with code for his game when Becca came in, with Kareena. He'd left the game on hiatus for a while, with bigger issues to deal with, and a suspicion that an erotic harem post-apocalyptic game may not be interesting any more, between the actual apocalypse happening and the 'addictive sperm' serum now running through women's veins. But, he had started the project, he wanted to finish. "Hey Dave, looks who's here!" Becca announced. Dave looked up and was immediately confused. "Are they waiting for me to come down and sign?" "Oh, no, they said since I was one of your partners, I could sign." "Hello Dave." Kareena's entangled fingers wouldn't stop moving. Her shoulders were rounded, pulled inward and down. Her feet shifted. Her deep brown eyes wouldn't rise above his knees. Dave motioned her to a chair. "You seem worried. Are you sure you want to do this?" "Yes." Her eyes flicked up to his for just a moment, before dropping again. "It's just different from what I'm used to, what I expected for my life for several years. But I want a change. And I was relieved when the match system said we were eighty three percent compatible. I was worried it would be a lot less." Dave motioned for her to take a seat. "So, how are you feeling?" Reena blushed at the implication. "I'm okay. Not antsy like they said would happen, but it hasn't been too terribly long just yet. I mean, I could right now if you want to." She rushed the last sentence out. "It's okay. This is a big step in life, bigger than society made it out to be in the past couple decades." Dave paused for a minute. He caught Becca's eye then cocked his head towards the door. She took the hint and left, pulling the door shut. "It's just the two of us now, face to face, with no one listening. Is there anything you want to say or ask?" Kareena looked at him, looked away, and back. "I don't want to be everybody's salon girl." Dave blinked and nodded his head. While he was waiting for her to continue, he took the time to notice her attire. It hadn't been his instinct in the past, not anything beyond 'That looks nice' in a sincere tone. He'd begun to learn that what a woman was wearing may be a clue to her general intent in a conversation. If in fact, she had dressed for him, and not some other purpose. In this case, it wasn't egotistical to believe Reena had dressed for him. Her orange half shirt played counterpoint to her lovely brown skin balanced between milk chocolate and sienna. Her tits stretched the top to pull ripples into the fabric. below her shirt, her smooth, flat, tummy bore no adornment. Neither did her lovely oval navel. Her jeans rode low on her hips, and were so tight they may well have been painted on. "I know I said I was good with that stuff, and I kinda am, at like, an amateur level, but I don't want to do that all the time. Like, just as a hobby, if something special is happening." She started tearing up as she talked. Dave reached out, taking her hand in his, gently. A gazed at her face until she met his eyes. "I didn't bring you here to do nails and hair a such. I brought you here because as a family, we agreed you would be a welcome addition. We all realize you are young, and still figuring out where you want to fit in the world. We did not expect you to fill in any particular house duty." He brushed a loose lock of raven black hair behind her ear, and received a smile. "When colleges re-open, take a few classes, see what interests you; " "My dad said since I wasn't going to accept an offer from the guy he wanted me to pair with, he was cutting me off. I don't think I'll be taking classes until after I can get a job to build up tuition money." Dave chuckled. "Family sticks together, Kareena. Jan and I both work for the community college, which can get you a tuition discount. Given that they've already forgiven all student loan debt, the government is probably going to fund all tuition, or most of it, going forward. And, well, there are four adults in this household with established careers and we've all been fairly careful with our money. You want college, you can get college." Reena relaxed a bit, but not entirely. "Also, there is a spread of skillsets among us. Sit and talk with each of us. Shadow us while we do our jobs. Get to know our fields of expertise. Well, the remote part anyway. Probably going to be awhile before you can actually go to our places of work, even once we can go back. Odds are, something will sound interesting, if not our exact jobs, something related. Worst case scenario, you learn a lot of what you don't want to do and get to know us more than you might want to." Reena giggled. It made Dave feel better, knowing he could rouse her out of her anxiety. He kept his eyes on her, smiling. Reena shifted in her chair and adjusted her leg position. "Dave?" "Yes?" "I think I'm ready now." Dave blinked for a moment. Two and a half weeks living in the new serum-world and it still took him a bit to register what she meant. "Oh. Um, are you sure?" She nodded. Her breathing was deeper than when she'd come in. Dave stood and reached a hand to her. She lifted her hand to his and stood. Reena followed Dave to the bedroom and stood, still and uncertain, as he closed the door. Turning from the door, he noticed her shaking. "Reena, this is only going to work if it's something you want to do." Panic washed over her face. "I want to, I do. I'm just a little scared." She licked her lips and tried to steady her breathing. "It's just; I, uh; well, Becca talked about how you, uh; do; things. It's never been like that before. I mean, both boyfriends that I've; been with; just kinda; did their thing and got off." Dave approached her. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. "I'm not the greatest lover, so I hope Becca didn't put me on too high a pedestal. I do take the time to pay attention to a woman's needs. That said, this first time, you're only going to get there when the first bit of my fluid hits you, and then again when I pop. I could be the greatest lover in the world, and nothing will get you to climax other than those two events the first time." Reena smiled warmly and laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his torso. "I came here for the long term Dave. The short term is less important." After gathering her thoughts, she continued. "Just show me I matter to you, that's all I ask." Dave stroked his hand through her long, dark hair. He kissed the crown of Reena's head and ran his hands gently down her arms. He pulled her closer by the waist and she raised her head. Their lips met and each let their hands roam across the others' body. Kareena moaned into the kiss. Dave took that as encouragement and allowed his hands to rise to caress the sides of her luscious, sizable tits over top her shirt. She shuddered and pressed herself to him. Dave picked Reena up gently and seated her on the edge of the bed before joining her. He kissed her neck and nibbled her collarbone. Dave slipped his fingers under her top and lifted slowly, pulling his face back to allow her half shirt to pass. He dropped his face to kiss the upper slopes of her tits as his hands sought out the bra clasp in the back. He briefly recalled the mistake with Shawna, just as he found the interfering component. It yielded quickly to his touch and Reena shrugged off the straps, allowing the bra to slide to her legs and fall to the floor. Dave pulled his face back to admire the view. Even at what must be a D or E cup, her tits stood out proudly with the perkiness of youth. He locked eyes with her and latched her lips with a hungry kiss. Reena groaned with a hunger that matched his own. He placed his hands beside her tits, thumbs stroking the underside of the soft orbs enflaming his desire. Reena's breathing sped up with his caresses. She gasped as he took one dark brown nipple and areola in his mouth and suckled. "Oh, David; oh God, that feels good." She whimpered as he released her aroused nub, then hummed passionately as he engaged her mouth again with his own. As their tongues danced, he lowered her torso to the bed, her defiant bust yielding only slightly to the insistence of gravity as each hung off to the sides. Dave kissed down her cleavage and nipped and kissed about her abdomen before bringing his mouth to rest just above the button of her jeans. He looked up her body, between her tits. Only when she lifted her head to return his gaze did he unbutton her jeans and peel them back slightly as he began kissing the small exposed area of her pelvis. He half stood, still dallying his lips on her taut flesh as he moved himself around her knee to settle between her legs. He peeled her jeans down to her knees before pulling upwards, lifting her legs in the air and stripping her jeans off. He stood, bring the jeans clear of her feet, then caught her legs against his chest. If the look in her eyes and her rapid, deep breathing hadn't been enough to confirm her arousal, the warm, musky scent of her sex screamed it loudly. It was heady, rich, and inviting. He parted her elevated legs and slowly knelt, his eyes on hers, a lecherous smile on his face as he lowered it towards the lace panties covering her throbbing center. The black tracery woven through the garment gave accent to the richness of the red base. His face only inches from her sex, he paused, inhaling the scent of her, reveling in her arousal. He kissed her over top her tanga-style panties, applying just enough pressure to transmit the sensation from his lips to hers. Reena groaned, her hands reaching for his head. Dave looped his fingers through the sides of her panties and pulled them towards him, then up. She bent her legs at the knees to ease their removal and she hissed her assent. Understanding the actions of the serum now, better than he had previously, Dave took her engorged labia into his mouth, suckling at them as he probed her slit with his tongue. Reena cried out, arching her back, yearning for release. Satisfied she was as aroused and ready as the serum would allow, Dave half rose, keeping her knees on his shoulders and lifted her up the bed as he crawled on to it. With a firm purchase on the bed, He kissed her again and worked his hips to align his shaft with her entrance. With his tip lodged just inside her opening, she nodded to him, urgently. Dave steadily edged himself into her, her passage relaxed and accepting him. The warm moist tunnel held him firmly, stretching to accommodate his girth as he penetrated her fully. His tip pressed against the very top of her tunnel as his pelvis made contact with her clitoris. Dave began with a slow, gentle grinding action. Reena held his arms as he worked himself in her. Her breath suddenly caught before she howled and shook. Dave knew he must have leaked out the first bit of precum, triggering her priming orgasm. He held still while the ecstasy rebounded through her. It took her well over a minute to recover. She clasped her hands behind Dave's neck and kissed him fiercely as her legs locked behind the small of his back. "I'm yours now, forever. Work that thing in me and finish your claim." Her eyes were hungry, certain, and unyielding. With a smile, and his eyes locked on her, Dave worked his hips back and forth, plunging in and out of her. Reena grunted with each impact of his pelvis against hers, a look of joy on her face, her breathing growing ragged. Dave accelerated his motion as he felt himself building to the eruption they both needed. The yearning in Reena's eyes exhorted him onward until he felt the familiar tingle and let loose inside of her. Immediately, all of Reena's muscles contracted, seizing and spasming. Dave held still, embedded in her depths as he pulsed more and more of his essence into her. He held himself still as she writhed, giving some anchor to her flailing until she crumbled to the bed beneath him. "Imprinting; imprinting; imprinting;” October 13, 2020. Dave sat in the station chair, in cloth shorts only, working through a third set of butterflies. He actually preferred free weights, but he wanted to push himself hard today without bugging someone to spot him. He'd been cycling curls, chest presses, and butterflies. Though he went to free weights for the curls. Melanie came in as he was straining to get out the tenth rep. The slightly amused face she wore added into something else entirely as she spotted him bare but for a pair of shorts, glistening in sweat from forty minutes of strength training. Her breathing deepened, which drew Dave's eyes to her chest. He faltered, kept straining, but couldn't quite finish the rep. "Uh; um;” She shook her head and gathered her thoughts. "So, I caught our two youngest ladies messing around in your office. They're in the living room now. I think you should come talk." The smirk returned, though her eyes kept lingering on his sweaty abdomen. Dave was sure she was slipping a little extra sway in her hips as she walked ahead of him to the living room. He quickly checked his phone on the way, noting several texts, all from family members. Most of his family had denied the virus was real or that masks or lockdowns worked, so most of them were 'not responding' on social media. The few that remained had posted mournful bits on social media, still not acknowledging reality. Since he'd pointed out the absurdity of their positions before people started dying, he was now dead to them. Not really something that affected him much actually, since they lived three states away and never thought much of him in the first place. But why the fuck; ok, wow, yet a new level of hate texts? And why all of them, all of a sudden? Becca and Reena sat on opposite sides of the couch. Reena's eyes were downcast. She appeared to be on the verge of crying. Becca's lips were pressed into a flatline, her eyes not meeting Dave's. Dave cleared his throat. Becca looked briefly at him, then quickly away. Reena let out a small whimper and kept her eyes on the floor. "So y'all want to tell me what happened?" Becca finally met his gaze. "We were only trying to help." "Oh good, so many wonderful things have followed that statement." Dave took a seat between them and pulled them close. "How about dropping the preamble and just getting it out." "I broke into your computer and we used your Facebook profile to contact two women that show up in your feed a lot. We were going to contact a few others when Mel walked in. It took a while because we were trying to say something unique to each one." Becca monotoned. Then she perked up "we just thought since you requested some of us, you could request other women you already knew." If I blow my top, I'll not only hurt Becca whom I most definitely love but cause super skittish Reena to withdraw completely. The girl's trying to find herself a new place in life. Unless she's clearly reverting to past behavior I have got to treat her with kid gloves. Dave suddenly made a connection in his head. "Who were the two women you propositioned in my name?" "Janine Farkel and Mary Pharns" Dave's head lolled back as he chuckled. "Well, that would explain the texts I just red. Every woman on my mother's side still alive are royally pissed at me. None bothered to explain why, but went to great lengths delineating what an utter worthless beast I am." Becca looked at him confused. Reena did as well, though she was ready to start bawling again. He took a deep breath. "Janine Farkel is my cousin. Her mom and my mom are sisters." Becca rolled her eyes at their mistake. Reena looked like she wanted to bury her head in his shoulder, but wasn't sure she was allowed. "To be fair, I did think she was awfully cute when we were kids. But once I realized what romance was focused around, I was instantly aware that wasn't something you do with your cousin." That got Becca to give a small snort. Reena's frown almost became a grin. "Mary Pharns is Janine's niece, her older brother's daughter, making her my second cousin." Both girls groaned. "You know what you did wrong?" God, he shouldn't be talking like this with a sexual partner, yet the situation called for it. "I should have checked relationships before sending out a message?" Becca asked softly. Dave looked at her stonily. "You should not have used my social media profile without my permission. You should not have acted in my name, without consulting me first. You acted because you had the skills. Just because you can do a thing, it does not necessarily follow that you must do that thing." "Did you just use Star Trek 6 as a rebuke?" Becca said with narrowed eyes and mouth. "If the shoe fits, wear it." She rolled her eyes. Dave looked to Reena, on his other side. He bent his head down to hers, lifting her chin with the hand around her shoulder. Their lips met and he kissed her sweetly. They held the kiss, lips moving, but only that, for nearly a minute. When they broke, Reena batted her eyes and blushed. "Well, it's not a boring life." Dave observed. Both girls barked out a laugh and snuggled into him. "So Dave, um," Reena temporized, "is there anything we could do to; make it up to you?" Becca jumped in. "We've been talking about, maybe you know, both of us?" Dave's eyebrows rose. "Like maybe, you could; um; fill one of us up; and then the other one; uh; licks it out while you; uh; do it in her. So, there's this line of you and then both of us." "I'm willing to be the in-between one," Reena interjected. Becca's eyes betrayed her surprise. "That would be amazing. But only if you want to, and not as punishment. I don't want anything sexual to be punishment." Reena popped her head up. "Not actual punishment. Roleplay and BDSM are different. That's for mutual pleasure, with agreed upon boundaries." Reena relaxed against him again, nodding her head lightly. "I'll put out a message to my family members about what happened, including a tightly worded appreciation of the faith in me they displayed with their responses. After a few more days of bitching, that should keep them off my back for a good six months while they go back to savaging each other. Or whoever they've collectively deemed as 'other'." Dinner in the Belsus household had been moved back to accommodate Shawna's frequent shifts on the 5pm and 6pm broadcasts. Today, however, she'd taken the early morning duty and arrived home shortly after five. She found Dave in his office, staring at another set of lab instructions for the online physics offering he'd been instructed to develop. One month out from spring semester registration, he was supposed to have already submitted a final number for the course fee needed to cover any kits or supplies the school would require to accompany the course. "Dave?" He brought his head up and smiled when he saw her. "Hey Shawna. How long have you been standing there?" "Less than a minute." Her broad smile that fully engulfed her eyes pulled his brain out of its work fog. He saved his work and logged out. "We have about two hours before dinner's ready. What would you like to do?" "I could use a massage, if you're up for it." "Sure." Shawna took his hand and led him to an unused bedroom that had been converted to an alternate TV and game room. Not entirely unused. Shawna's work clothes were in the closet so she could dress before work without disturbing anyone in the master bedroom. On walking in, she picked up the remote and flipped through menus. "It's a shame they don't have Babylon 5 or original Galactica on streaming. How 'bout some TNG?" Dave nodded. Shawna setup an episode, then settled on the floor, placing herself between Dave's legs as he sat on the bed. Dave slipped his hands to her neck and began working his thumbs in the crease there. His fingers held the sides of her neck, mostly giving a base for the thumbs, but doing small motions on the flesh they contacted. Shawna let her head droop slightly. "Umm, I love feeling your hands on me, baby." She turned her head so she could see him out the corner of her eye. "Once you've got my neck nice and loose, feel free to; roam a bit." The lusty grin those words slipped out of punctuated her meaning. Dave chuckled and gave her a kiss on her cheek before she dropped her head loose again. Within the first minute, Dave could feel the tension in her and went to work helping her relax. He thoroughly massaged her scalp, taking care not to mess with her hairstyle. He massaged her forehead, then around her ears and jaw before descending to her neck. Once that was feeling loose, he moved down to her shoulders. He worked her upper back as well, working out the physical manifestations of the stresses she may or may not share later. She was already running the entire meteorology department for the station. The official promotion had not yet come through, but she was the one that all the folks in the department looked to for direction. She was the one the higher ups passed their instructions through. Every day had at least some stress. He rolled her neck in his hands, feeling the looseness that hadn't been there when he'd started. Satisfied the primary task was accomplished, he allowed his fingers to stretch down from her shoulders, caressing her front progressively lower from her collarbone. "Umm. uh-hmm." Dave slipped his hands under her silky blouse and directly stimulated the flesh just above the upper slopes of Shawna's tits. He carefully sought out a path that took his fingers down the sides of her tits, cupping them as he massaged them. Shawna sucked in a breath before saying "Oh, yes baby. God I love these hands." With his hands inside her shirt and bra, Dave deftly stroked her tits and nipples Until she stood and began stripping her clothes off. He matched her actions and the two fell to the bed naked, their hearts pounding. Shawna landed on top, but quickly rolled to put him above her. Taking his cue, Dave got his knees between her legs and made the connection they both sought. Excited as she was, he slipped himself in easily. They lost the need for words as he pumped in and out of her. Both roamed their hands and lips across the other, but the primary need was the stimulation below as she bucked her hips up to him and he thrust into her offered portal. The long, slow, burn of the massage had them both well on their way before they entangled themselves. Shawna lit off first, shuddering and moaning as they kissed, her body convulsing in the throes of a 'normal' orgasm. The actions of her inner muscles on his cock pushed Dave the last bit of his peak and he let loose within her, triggering a serum-induced orgasm even as her body was beginning to come down from the natural orgasm. They held each other close, panting, for several minutes. Another few minutes were spent kissing, until the unmistakable sounds of a dinner nearly ready intruded their thoughts. They dressed carefully, unrushed, but ready to move on to the next part of the evening. They descended the stairs holding hands and crossed the living room into the dining room. Esme passed them as they took seats, a bowl in her hands as she helped lay out dishes for the meal. Passing behind Shawna, Esme gave an audible, obvious sniff, then looked at Dave and shook her head. Chapter 7; Celebration. October 16, 2020. Dave's heart was handling the exertion just fine, only slightly elevated beyond his usual while doing this. His breathing was ragged though. He was having trouble finding his rhythm. And his legs felt like rubber. "Come on, Dave," Olivia said over her shoulder, "You can do better than this. Tell ya what, you beat me back to the house and I'll give you my ass tonight." She blew a kiss over her shoulder, then kicked hard. Roscoe let out a bark that was both happy and plaintive, then loped faster to keep pace. They were about a quarter mile from the house, nearing the end of their three mile run. Dave frequently ran five miles in a morning, but he'd slacked off gradually as his living situation changed. Last week he hadn't run at all. Having a woman's warm body snuggled up against him just made it that much harder to get out of bed and run. Multiple bodies pressed against him, each with its own unique, warm, fleshy wonder, made getting out of bed nearly impossible. Dave kicked out after Livy. He gained on her at first, but the view of her firm, muscular ass was just amazing. Dave decided it was worth it to keep the view and let her win. Anal would be fun to try, but they had their whole lives together. This view, now, this morning, gave him the satisfaction he was looking for. At the entrance to the driveway, they slowed to a walk. Arms over their heads, they walked circles in the driveway and yard. Roscoe, tongue out, huge canine grin, circled about them. Occasionally, he bumped his head against a thigh and got a pat on the head for his efforts. "For taking a week off, you didn't lose much ability. You let me win that." "Well, to be fair, watching your ass in those leggings is a reward all it's own." Dave took her in his arms and kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and softly on the lips. He could feel her smile into the kiss. When he pulled back and her eyes reopened, he saw a lingering uncertainty in them. "This still has an undercurrent of weird, but a whole lot of wonderful. I sometimes get paranoid your dad's going to come around the corner and catch me kissing you." Olivia smacked his chest, then buried her face in it with a giggle. "I'm also amazed that I have this beautiful, intelligent, loving young woman in my life that has admired me for many years. A young woman I watched grow up, becoming one of the finest human beings I've ever had the privilege to know. And she chose me to live her life with." Olivia's hug on Dave squeezed tighter. She had her dream. Everything she ever wanted was right here. Then Dave's stomach rumbled. "Guess I better get my butt in the kitchen and feed my man." Dave rolled his eyes. "Sure," he said, with a pat on her ass as she turned towards the door, "get in that kitchen and cook my food woman." Olivia's only response was to wiggle her ass. Halfway to the door, she turned her head over her shoulder and stuck out her tongue, through a great big grin. She shrieked and ran, giggling, when Dave started to run towards her. The first order of business was to let Roscoe into the backyard, where he lapped water from his bowl before plopping onto the deck. Once in the kitchen, Dave snatched a bowl from the cupboard while Olivia pulled the egg carton from the fridge. Lupie's chickens did a fine job keeping up with the needs of Dave, Lupie, Becca, and Esme. Add Janice, Shawna, Olivia, and Melanie to the mix, and those chickens made a nice supplement, but would never keep up on their own. When Dave reached for the carton, Liv slapped his hand lightly. "I told you, I'm making breakfast for you. Take a seat." "Maybe I should just go take my shower now, and come down to a hot breakfast made by my hot babe." She threw an appreciative grin over her shoulder. "Maybe you should go find the sweat slut and give her what she wants." "She does like it without being sweaty too ya know." "Are you talking about Melanie?" came Janice's voice from the dining room entry. Soft and melodic, Dave would never get enough of those carefully crafted tones. "Gee, how'd you guess?" Dave gave her a gentle kiss in greeting. Janice hummed in the kiss, but kept their bodies separated. "I'm kinda in between Mel and Lupie here on this one. It's not my kink, and don't want to be pressed against you when you're all sweaty, but I'm not shoving you away when you look all manly and accomplished." Jan blushed lightly at the end of her statement. She let go of Dave to move to Liv's side at the counter. She watched Olivia crack the eggs one handed, then split the shell, still using one hand only, over the bowl to drain the egg out. "Hey, that's just how Dave taught me to do it." Olivia looked at her with a smile and a raised eyebrow. That caused Jan to laugh. "Okay, okay, for me it was just a few weeks ago. I take it you were, what, fourteen?" "Eight. Eight years old, standing on a step stool with one of the two greatest guys in the world standing beside me." Olivia said wistfully. Jan gave her a quick shoulder hug. "Can I do anything to help?" "Sure. I'm just going to scramble these with some seasoning. Maybe some toast or fruit? A little late to start bacon." Jan, with her head in the fridge called out, "We've got a package of pre-cooked breakfast sausage. Just need to be heated through." "Sounds good." "Hey Jan?" Dave asked. "While you're in there, can you grab me an apple or a pear?" Dave easily caught the pear she tossed his way and began eating it after polishing it on a dry spot on his shirt. "I can't seem to stop eating lately. I'm surprised I didn't gain weight the last few weeks. Eating more than usual, and little to no exercise." Tossing a lid on the skillet to keep the steam inside, Jan turned to Dave. "Little to no exercise? Dave, you have energetic sex at least twice a day, with three or four blowjobs or quickies as well. If you're denying your hunger and not eating, that would explain the; what, five pounds you lost?" "Hmm, hadn't weighed myself in a while. Too afraid the scale would just scream 'Get off me fatso!'" Olivia snorted, but immediately gave him a scowl that matched Jan's. "Dave," Jan said, "you are far from overweight. If you keep over restricting yourself by not accounting for your activity, you're going to hurt yourself, and us by extension. You should stash snacks in your office, so you can have something as soon as you get hungry." She paused for a moment. "Maybe we should get a small fridge for your office, to hold some snacks that would be better cold, or water bottles. You like your fruit and water cold." Just then, Dave's phone chimed the tone he'd set for texts from the ladies of the house. Looking down and unlocking, he saw it was from Shawna. Shawna Posted; It's official! I got the promotion! WFAA Chief Meteorologist Shawna Coulter! That's great! I'm proud of you! You put in a lot of work to get here, babe! Shawna Posted; a heart emoji. They even did a video call with Troy! He still wears those wonderfully dorky bowties! He congratulated me, said he's been watching, and he's proud I'm holding the department to a high standard of science and reporting! Then she posted a star-eyed emoji, smiling face with tear emoji You earned every bit of those accolades. Shawna Posted; face blowing a kiss emoji, It's just, oh my God, he's a legend around here, and well-regarded in the weather community! And then he's on a Zoom call, telling me I'm doing the station and profession proud! I remember watching him as a kid, hun. I can imagine the impact. You put years of work into this. Enjoy the fruits of victory, my love. Dave froze. The first time he'd used the 'L' word with Shawna, and it was by text! Dammit! In the silent minutes of self-recrimination, his phone chimed again. Shawna Posted; I love you too, David. "What's with the dopey-lovey grin, Dave?" Olivia's voice brought him back to the dining room as she sat a platter of scrambled eggs on a wooden trivet and centered it on the table. Jan came in and did likewise for a platter of sausage. "Shawna got the official promotion to Chief Meteorologist." "Hey, that's great!" Jan said, with Lupie chiming in as she entered with Esme. Mel came in a few steps behind. "Mel," Liv said, "could you grab the fruit tray and toast?" Mel nodded her agreement. Lupie shooed Esme to go help. "We should do something to celebrate Shawna's promotion." Lupie said. Heads nodded around the table. "She's got the six o'clock duty tonight, and they'll probably do some kind of cake thing there, so I wouldn't expect her home until after dinner." Jan supplied. "Tomorrow, she's going in for a few hours to give guidance and get some admin work done. No on-air duties though. She said she'd be home by two, maybe three at the latest. Oh, and she's not going in until ten at the earliest. She swore she was getting to sleep in." "How about a picnic in the park?" Melanie suggested. "The way she gets nostalgic talking about the smell of grass or the air from her storm chasing days, maybe she'd like that." "Hopefully sans storm," Liv said dryly. Mel stuck her tongue out in reply, then both giggled. "So, an early dinner tomorrow, after Shawna gets home. Let's figure out a menu and divide up duties." Lupie guided the ensuing short discussion. She tried to dissuade Dave from making a dish, again cajoling him that he should let them take care of such things. Dave pointed out that he enjoys cooking and seeing people enjoy his efforts. Shawna had shown an interest in his tomato-cucumber salad, and they did just pull in a fresh harvest of both. Then he got a little dirty. Would Lupie deny Shawna a dish she loved from someone she cared for on her celebration day? Okay, that was a little not cool, but he wanted to make something dammit. Lupie's look was by turns hurt and chagrined. "I'm sorry Lupie, that was over the line." Dave stood and walked to her chair. He took her hand and kissed it. "Please, I love to cook, and I feel like I'm getting shut out here. I love what you and the others cook too. And I understand your position about my role, leading the family. But please, step back once in a while and let me make a dish." Lupie got a saucy look in her eye. With a smile and a wink, she said, "Very well, you may work in my kitchen." Dave rolled his eyes, but as she stood to begin clearing the table, he swatted her butt, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Eep!" She turned and buried her face in his chest. As she turned, he could see her face was as red as the tomatoes he'd use tomorrow. Just then, Becca and Reena stumbled in, bleary eyed and messy haired. They'd been working on some project and stayed up late, sleeping in a different bedroom. "Why don't you let Heckle and Jeckle here get their breakfast, and then let them clean up?" Lupie screwed up her face, ready to object, but both teens nodded their assent, Becca holding out a thumbs up as she flopped into a chair. Then Lupie mentioned Shawna's promotion and the planned party for tomorrow. Both girls livened up, huge grins on their faces. They leaned towards each other, speaking in quick whispers before pulling back and high-fiving. Whatever was going on had them completely awake with broad grins. "You girls care to share?" I asked. "Not yet, it's a surprise. A good one this time, promise." Becca flushed with remembered embarrassment from the 'hook Dave up' fiasco. Reena blushed as well, nodding agreement. Jan lay under Dave on the bed, her legs wrapped around his waist. Since he was already sweaty, she thought she'd give it a try. Might as well, right? Try different ways? As Dave pumped in and out of her, he paused between kisses to study her face. "You are not feeling it are you?" "You, yes. The sweat, no. Sorry, David." Dave stopped his motions, beginning to pull out. "No, no, please. Finish in me. Then we can take a shower together, and maybe; my turn in the tub?" Dave was still working his way through individual dates with each lady, but they had added a twist. Each wanted a soak in the large, sea-shell shaped garden tub in the master bath. To make it special (they argued getting tub time with him made it special) he'd managed to personalize the experience with different settings. Lupie loved lavender, so he arranged lavender bath scents, two candles on the vanity, and four candles around the tub. Every time before, when Dave was near lavender, his eyes, nose, and mouth got itchy, so he took a dose of his strongest allergy meds (over the counter, but behind the pharmacy desk) half an hour before the bath time. It; didn't work. He didn't sneeze or have too much sinus irritation. But Lupie's time luxuriating as she leaned against him in the bath was cut short when she noticed red bumps all over his arms as they wrapped loosely around her. She was furious with Dave as she pushed him into the shower stall to wash off the offending aromatics. She pulled the plug on the bathtub and kicked on the fan before joining him. He was grateful when the steamy air got into his lungs. When Dave pledged to try again, Lupie pointedly suggested almond and vanilla. After that, all the ladies insisted on knowing what gave him allergic reactions. As far as scents go, they were relieved the only remaining problematic scents were eucalyptus and any form of mint. Mel was slightly bummed about the mint, but wasn't that attached to it. "The feeling of Dave going down on me vastly outweighs the pleasantness of a mint-scented bath." So after Dave finished, and a few minutes of snuggling, he got up to shower quickly. Adjusting the tub faucet to Janice's preferred temperature, he left it running. Then he pulled the special items for Janice from the one locked closet in the bathroom. The one he stashed all the special prep stuff for the ladies. Yes, they'd picked scents and lighting, but that's no reason to give away all the details. With the tub about half full, he drizzled a small, short stream of rose oil into the water with a slight sideways motion to help start the mixing process. The tub's curvature and the current due to the filling should do the rest. Next, he killed the lights. Jan wanted natural lighting, which is why they were doing this in the daytime. There was a large window that let light into the master bath. No one could see in from that direction, into an upstairs window anyway, so it was safe, even before the pandemic. As the tub neared full, Dave cut the water and sprinkled rose petals on the surface, around the tub margins, and then some on the floor. With his back to the door, he surveyed the scene to make sure it was right. Satisfied, he placed the partial bag of petals in the closet and locked it again. Then he stepped back into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He led Jan from the bed to the bathroom door and had her cover her eyes with her hands before opening the door. Jan walked slowly into the bathroom, marveling at the setup. As Dave joined her, she wrapped him in her arms and delivered a warm, passionate kiss. Then they climbed into the tub, Janice lying back against Dave's chest, as the two enjoyed the closeness without any overtly sexual play. It was a good morning. "Why do you smell like roses?" Reena asked as she lay curled into Dave's side on the laid-out recliner. "Because I gave Jan her couples tub time earlier and she likes a rose-scented bath." "So you're really working your way through romancing each of us personally?" "There's no other way. You are each unique. Different desires, different needs. I'll do my best to give you what makes you feel happy and accepted." "This is pretty good right here." The teen gave him a soft kiss. "I like Jan. She has good taste in bath scents. And men." Dave chuckled, giving her a soft squeeze in appreciation. They were in the living room, though no music or shows were playing. Just a quiet snuggle. Kareena wore cloth shorts and one of Dave's nerd shirts. This one looked like a computer's BSOD. Melanie cringed when she saw it on her way out the door earlier. Reena must have been wearing a bra, since her large tits were somewhat contained and her nipples were not poking through. Given her past behavior it was a 50/50 toss up whether she was wearing any kind of panties, but there was no outward indication either way, and this wasn't the kind of snuggle to facilitate an exploration to find out. "So I've been talking with Becca and Jan, and the others. I think I'd like to take some classes in the Spring?" "Why are you asking that like a question?" "I wanted to make sure you're okay with it." "Reena, we are partnered. We will spend the rest of our lives together, and eventually have kids together. I don't own you." Dave looked her straight in the eye for this part. "Sure, there are somethings you could choose to do that will impact all of us and therefore require some prior notice or approval. What schooling you pursue is not in that category. Now, if you're looking for advice, I'm here for you. It sounds to me like you've already gotten some from the others. And I happen to think highly of their opinions, so you should be good to go." Dave got a full kiss on the lips for that, with only a little tongue. "I'm going to go undeclared and just take some basic classes. Becca and I plan on taking composition and speech together. Not math or science. She really helped me through high school, but I'm not at her level and I don't want to hold her back. As soon as we can, I'll take the placement tests and hope I get into college math instead of remedial." Her face fell at the prospect of starting below college level. "Becca will probably get into precal or calc right from the start." "You'll do fine, no matter where you place. If you're really worried about it, talk to Jan. I have some math prep books around here. Take some time to brush up before your test." Dave kissed her nose. "Regardless of what course you place into, you'll need to set aside some study time. And fortunately, you have plenty of people in this house that can help. Becca of course, and me for math and science, Lupie's good with numbers and presentations, and management or decision making. What Jan doesn't know she knows how to find. Shawna would be great for math, science or public speaking, but she still has a full time job that keeps her out of the house eight hours a day at least, so she may be less available." Reena smiled. "Yeah, she's kind of a badass. Like she's so completely feminine lovey dovey with you, but work wise, she rules the roost and gets things done." "Feminine does not mean weak, baby doll." Over the past week or so, Reena had shown a preference for diminutive names and pseudo-possessive treatment. Dave suspected it was partially due to her high school relationships with jocks and trust fund boys, but he fed her what she asked for while making sure she still felt loved and appreciated. The caramel-skinned teen smiled back. "I know. But it's nice when you say that too." She paused to change direction back to the main topic. "I think I'd like to go into interior design. That would mean an associate's in, well, anything really, but business might be a good idea. Then a trade school for my focus classes. I thought about fashion for a while, but all that cutting and sewing sounds really annoying. Placing furniture and décor, choosing the right painting and lighting, that sounds challenging and fun." "I like the passion I hear in your voice. I'm right behind you. Just; don't ask me to tell the difference between jade and emerald." "They're totally different!" Dave chuckled and gave her another hug. "Hell, half the time, someone has to remind me that chartreuse is a green hue, not a red one." "Ugh!" Reena rolled her eyes and huffed. "Isn't this the same guy that cried at two different movies last night?" "Hey, anyone that doesn't cry when Goose dies is a heartless brute. Ditto for Spock." Dave pitched his voice slightly lower and made it raspy and slow. "I have been, and ever shall be; your friend." Reena smacked his chest, water rimming her eyes. The whole house had been on an 80's movie kick, with an emphasis on sci-fi, since that was beloved by Dave, Shawna, and Becca. Livy and Mel were mild fans of science fiction as well. Lupie, Jan, and Reena just wanted to understand their partners better. Reena had sobbed during Spock's death scene. Becca had earlier led Kareena through a few of the original Trek series, including 'Space Seed', 'Amok Time' and 'City on the Edge of Forever' to give her some context for the movies. Before either of them could continue the conversation, the front door opened. Melanie and Olivia came through with several bags straining from each hand. Reena and Dave rose, heading for the door as his two returning partners crossed to the dining room to set down their burdens. Two trips each emptied the car. Melanie and Reena set about getting the cold items stowed first, while Liv grabbed the bag from the sporting goods store and headed upstairs. Dave went to the garage for his tools before joining her. One room had been claimed by Mel and Liv as their own. Primarily just as a private space for the two of them, but of course for those times that privacy was a little more intimately desired. Carter's suspicion was in error, at the time. Neither girl had been intimate with another woman. Prior to moving in, the girls had never shown an interest in each other. Now though, they were somewhere along the road of experimentation. But, the lessons taught to Olivia by her father were deeply rooted. And that lesson was about responsibility as well as security. Which is why they were making this installation, behind Livy's headboard. "This last bolt will do it. Which one are you going with?" "The ten. If someone's trying to hurt us, I want a big punch." "You know what your dad said, aim makes caliber an extra." She narrowed her eyes. "My aim is fine. Better than yours even." "Okay, ok, easy there Annie Oakley." Liv smirked. "You read the programming instructions for the palm print scanner yet?" "No, it's the same model I used in Stephenville, though." "Well, I've got it installed," Dave said, crawling out the small space between the headboard and the wall. Bigger than normal, since they'd pulled it out to do this work, but still tighter than Dave would like. "Time for you to program it. You remember the code to the gun cabinet?" Dave's gun cabinet was built in the understairs area, covered to look like a normal part of the hallway, except the small hatch over the keypad. "Yep. Kinda hard to forget." Liv gave him a kiss as she slipped past and began the programming process. To be continued in part 6, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.
As 2025 comes to a close, many entrepreneurs are eager to "turn the page" and move on. But here's the truth: nothing actually changes unless you do. In today's episode of The Kelly Roach Show, Kelly introduces a powerful concept every leader needs to reflect on before stepping into 2026: your resilience resume. Kelly walks through how the biggest challenges she faced in 2025, including a massive business model reinvention, became the foundation for deeper authority, stronger IP, and greater impact. If you're wrapping up 2025 feeling stretched, tested, or exhausted, this episode will reframe everything you've walked through and help you step into 2026 with clarity, confidence, and conviction. In this episode, you'll learn: How your hardest seasons become your most valuable marketing and authority assets Why leaders must be willing to struggle publicly to create new solutions How to turn personal and business challenges into IP, positioning, and impact TIMESTAMPS: 01:11 – 02:30 — What is a "resilience resume" and why it matters 04:16 – 06:20 — How challenges increase authority and leadership capacity 06:21 – 08:45 — Kelly's biggest business reinvention and what it required 08:46 – 10:35 — Turning survival into solutions that serve thousands 10:36 – 12:30 — Why leaders must be willing to struggle publicly 12:31 – 14:00 — How your hardest season becomes your most powerful IP 14:01 – 15:40 — Building your resilience resume for 2026 RESOURCES: Join Kelly's weekly email newsletter for more strategies to turn 2026 into your best year in business: https://kellyroachinternational.kit.com/news Subscribe to Kelly's Substack, The Sacred Art of Selling: https://substack.com/@kellyroachofficial Follow Kelly on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellyroachofficial Follow Kelly on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelly.roach.520/ Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyroachint/
What if you could buy not one, but two self-storage facilities without ever using a bank, and without prior experience? Sounds far-fetched, right? Casey did exactly that, and his story proves it's more possible than most people think. In this episode of the Storage Wins Podcast, Alex Pardo sits down with Casey for a real, behind-the-scenes coaching call. Casey shares how he went from zero storage experience to owning two facilities in just six months, both bought through seller financing and both found simply by driving and paying attention. No fancy systems. No perfect timing. Just action, consistency, and the right support. You'll Learn How To: Find storage deals just by driving and keeping your eyes open Buy facilities without using banks or traditional financing Approach mom-and-pop owners the right way Structure seller financing that actually works Take action even when you don't feel ready What You'll Learn in This Episode: (02:00) Why small towns can hide the best storage opportunities (05:00) Turning sellers into the bank with seller financing (08:00) Why ugly facilities can be great deals (11:00) Lessons learned from buying two facilities back-to-back (15:00) The mindset shift that made everything click Who This Episode Is For: Beginners who think they need experience to get started Investors stuck waiting for the perfect deal Anyone curious how seller financing really works People who want proof that action beats overthinking Why You Should Listen: If you've been telling yourself you're not ready, you don't know enough, or you need more money, this episode will challenge that story. Casey's journey shows what's possible when you take imperfect action and stay consistent. It's honest, relatable, and motivating in the best way. Follow Alex Pardo here: Alex Pardo Website: https://alexpardo.com/ Alex Pardo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexpardo15 Alex Pardo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexpardo25 Alex Pardo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlexPardo Storage Wins Website: https://storagewins.com/ Follow Casey here: Casey Twitter: https://x.com/Casey Casey Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseyneistat/ Casey YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@casey Have conversations with at least three to give storage owners, brokers, private lenders, and equity partners through the Storage Wins Facebook group. Join for free by visiting this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/322064908446514/
You know the alerts. The flashing messages. The alarms that go off after the damage is already done. But what if you could see the failure before it becomes a crisis? In this week's episode, we explore how building operators and BAS professionals can move from reactive to proactive maintenance using the data already in their systems. It's not about more alarms, it's about better insight. Topics Covered Why traditional alarms fail to prevent equipment breakdowns How to spot failure patterns in BAS data before alarms go off Reading trends like a technician to catch hidden mechanical issues Turning raw data into actionable maintenance work orders Using BAS evidence to support preventative strategies Stop chasing failures. Start preventing them.
In this episode of Mission Matters, Adam Torres interviews Ken Womble, Director & Producer of 'Til Harvest Comes and Head of Acting at the University of Northern Colorado, about his first AFM experience, building a proof-of-concept short, and his mission to tell meaningful stories while training emerging talent. This interview is part of our AFM 2025 Series. Big thank you to American Film Market ! Follow Adam on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorres/ for up to date information on book releases and tour schedule. Apply to be a guest on our podcast: https://missionmatters.lpages.co/podcastguest/ Visit our website: https://missionmatters.com/ More FREE content from Mission Matters here: https://linktr.ee/missionmattersmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What if 2026 wasn't just "busy"… but actually healthy, profitable, and calm? In this episode, Dominic Rubino sits down with coach and business owner Ryan Hindmarsh to talk about how real contractors are building better lives and better businesses at the same time. You'll hear real stories from cabinet shops, millwork shops, and trades businesses who: • Delegated low-value work and finally had time to look after their health • Planned vacations first so the year doesn't disappear on them • Grew revenue by ~30% with a simple builder-outreach plan • Booked the biggest jobs in company history because systems and SOPs were ready • Used weekly rhythms (money, sales, planning) to keep every part of the business moving • Chose a "word of the year" like THRIVING to guide decisions • Joined in a water project that turns likes/comments into clean drinking water in Nicaragua
If you've been listening to this festive-season mini-series, you'll know that in Episode 1 Ceri laid the foundations. The why. The what. The who. The purpose of staging your own event. And in Episode 2 we stepped into the how. The planning. The invitations. The rehearsal. The feedback. The choreography of the night itself. Today, we're entering the part artists often ignore. The after. Because what happens after your event is often far more important than the event itself. The room empties. The fairy lights cool. The paint smell settles. The cushions slump. The adrenaline fades. And there you are, standing in your studio, wondering what it all meant. Did it work? Did it matter? Was it worth it? What comes next? This is the moment artists often mis-handle. They either spring into frantic action or retreat into silence. But the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Slow, steady, intentional follow up. Gentle momentum. Small moves done consistently. -- Most artists are guessing their way through and staying stuck far longer than they need to. Inside Ceri Hand´s Coaching Membership, you get straight answers and real support through live sessions, portfolio reviews, virtual studio visits, monthly art world experts, and community to help you cut through fast. Ceri covers everything. Right now, you can join or gift a full year for £99 - our only discount of the year, available until the first of January. Please join here - http://cerihand.com/membership/ KEY TAKEAWAYS The after is where 90% of the opportunity sits. The event is only the beginning. The reflection and follow up is the bridge to your future. Hosting your own event is not about grandeur, it's not about numbers. Is not about applause. It's about agency, clarity, community, practice, becoming the artist who leads rather than waits. Plan with intention. Invite with care, host with presence. Follow up with warmth, reflect with honesty, and build with steadiness, and in time, your work will move outward into the world with a stronger pulse. Use your event as a catalyst not a climax. BEST MOMENTS “The first hour after everyone leaves is emotional. Everything feels tender. Your self-worth is loud, your exhaustion is louder.” “She tracks which price points people reached for, she jots down which pieces felt alive in the space and which pieces she'd not show next time.” “This is the moment that artists begin to think like both makers and professionals, where they have agency, where they take control of their own creative careers.” HOST BIO With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals. ** Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today. https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network ** Book a Discovery Call Today To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at hello@cerihand.com **** Discover Your Extraordinary Creativity Visit www.cerihand.com to learn how we can help you become an extraordinary creative. This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
In this episode of Mission Matters, Adam Torres interviews Ken Womble, Director & Producer of 'Til Harvest Comes and Head of Acting at the University of Northern Colorado, about his first AFM experience, building a proof-of-concept short, and his mission to tell meaningful stories while training emerging talent. This interview is part of our AFM 2025 Series. Big thank you to American Film Market ! Follow Adam on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorres/ for up to date information on book releases and tour schedule. Apply to be a guest on our podcast: https://missionmatters.lpages.co/podcastguest/ Visit our website: https://missionmatters.com/ More FREE content from Mission Matters here: https://linktr.ee/missionmattersmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Good morning from Pharma Daily: the podcast that brings you the most important developments in the pharmaceutical and biotech world. Today, we are diving into a series of significant breakthroughs and updates that are shaping the industry landscape.Starting with a remarkable scientific advancement, researchers have made headway in the development of a new class of antibiotics that shows promise against drug-resistant bacteria. This comes as a beacon of hope in the ongoing battle against superbugs, a problem that has been escalating over the past few decades. The new antibiotics work by targeting bacterial cell walls in a novel way, which may bypass the resistance mechanisms that have rendered many traditional antibiotics ineffective. This innovation could potentially extend the lifespan of existing drugs and provide new treatment options for infections that are currently difficult to manage. It's crucial to monitor how these developments will proceed through clinical trials and regulatory scrutiny, as successful outcomes could revolutionize our approach to bacterial infections.Shifting focus to regulatory news, the FDA has recently approved a groundbreaking gene therapy for a rare genetic disorder affecting children. The therapy is designed to target and correct specific genetic mutations, offering hope for families affected by this debilitating condition. This approval not only marks a milestone for personalized medicine but also sets a precedent for future gene therapies targeting other rare diseases. The implications of such advancements are vast, as they open doors to tailored treatments that address the root causes of genetic disorders rather than just managing symptoms. As we continue to explore the potential of gene editing technologies like CRISPR, it's important to consider both the ethical and logistical challenges that accompany these scientific leaps.In clinical trial news, a late-stage study has shown promising results for a new cancer immunotherapy targeting non-small cell lung cancer. This therapy leverages the body's immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells more effectively than traditional treatments. The trial demonstrated significant improvements in patient survival rates and quality of life, underscoring the potential of immunotherapies to transform oncology care. These findings add to a growing body of evidence supporting immunotherapy as a cornerstone of future cancer treatment regimens. However, it is essential to continue researching how these therapies can be optimally combined with existing treatments to enhance outcomes and minimize side effects.Turning our attention to industry trends, there is an increasing emphasis on digital health solutions in drug development processes. Pharmaceutical companies are integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to streamline clinical trials and accelerate drug discovery. These digital tools enable more efficient data analysis, patient monitoring, and predictive modeling, which can significantly reduce development timelines and costs. As this trend gains momentum, it will be important to assess how these technologies can be best utilized without compromising data integrity or patient safety.Lastly, let's discuss an interesting development in sustainable biomanufacturing practices. Companies are investing in greener production methods that reduce environmental impact while maintaining high-quality standards for pharmaceuticals. This includes optimizing energy use, minimizing waste, and incorporating renewable resources into manufacturing processes. As regulatory bodies increasingly prioritize sustainability, we can expect these practices to become more widespread across the industry.These stories highlight how innovation continues to drive progress within pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, offering new possibilities for treatment and care. As always, it's eSupport the show
Joe Gallo is a results-driven brand builder and the founder of CatchBuzz, a media and lifestyle agency operating at the intersection of music, branding, and culture. With over a decade of experience across partnerships, public relations, marketing, and artist management, Joe has helped emerging artists, major festival acts, startups, and established lifestyle brands amplify their stories. Through CatchBuzz, he has secured more than 1,000 media placements in top outlets including The New York Times, Forbes, Billboard, and The Wall Street Journal.In this episode, Joe Gallo breaks down how indie artists can leverage brand partnerships to unlock new revenue, visibility, and long-term growth—without needing a massive following.Key TakeawaysHow indie artists can land brand partnerships by clearly defining their value and audienceWhy warm introductions, clear asks, and deliverable menus win deals with brandsHow to build long-term brand relationships that go beyond one-off sponsorships---→ Learn more about Joe Gallo and his work at: catchbuzz.co.Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://apply.modernmusician.me/podcast
On today's episode of Turning 2, Bret and Rich talk Bret's Christmas gifts and speak about his emotions and experiences this year with The Rangers. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
We're calling BS on the idea that “health” is only pills, trackers, and willpower. In this conversation with journalist and TEDx speaker Julia Hotz, author of The Connection Cure, we dig into social prescribing—evidence-based referrals to movement, nature, art, service, and belonging—that can lower stress, boost mood, and make our lives feel human again. Edgy truth: we've replaced community with convenience. The remedy? Re-connect to what matters to you and let your nervous system exhale. Julia advises Social Prescribing USA and Walk with a Doc, collaborates with the Solutions Journalism Network, and teaches in medical schools—turning research on connection into care that actually changes lives. We cover: What social prescribing actually is (no, your doctor isn't forcing you to make friends) and why up to 80% of health is socially determined—think stress, access to green space, and community, not just clinic time. The five social-Rx categories: Movement, Nature, Art, Service, Belonging—and how most prescriptions blend at least two. A nature-based case study: how a 10-week outdoors program reduced insomnia, rumination, and stress—plus why time in nature can feel like it gives you time back. From “shoulds” to want to: questions that surface your personal Rx (awe/flow/glimmers, what lit you up as a kid, and where you'd spend two extra hours a week). Turning workouts into joy: travel-style discovery walks at home, walking groups, or pickup games that deliver cardio and connection. Blue-zones energy without the gym membership: everyday movement, long chats, shared meals, and community as longevity multipliers. The U.S. landscape: why social prescriptions can complement meds (not replace them), and how orgs like Social Prescribing USA and Walk with a Doc are moving this forward. So whether your version of medicine looks like a morning hike, a pottery class, or finally joining that book club, the point isn't perfection—it's participation. Because when we choose connection over isolation and curiosity over compliance, we're not just improving our health—we're reclaiming our humanity. Thank you to our sponsors! Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show! Visit beducate.me/womanswork69 and use code womanswork69 for 65% off the annual pass. Black Friday has come early at Cozy Earth! Right now, you can stack my code WOMANSWORK on top of their sitewide sale — giving you up to 40% off in savings. Connect with Julia: Website: https://www.hotzthoughts.com/ Social Prescribing: https://www.socialprescribing.co/ Book:https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Connection-Cure/Julia-Hotz/9781668030349?utm_source=chatgpt.com Related Podcast Episodes: Loneliness And The Value Of Connection with Kasley Killam | 218 The Power of Conscious Connection with Talia Fox | 263 The Power Of Connection with Tory Archbold | 105 Share the Love: If you found this episode insightful, please share it with a friend, tag us on social media, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform!
Message us here!Ever felt like your worth depends on how useful you are to other people? Turning the big 4-0 pushed me to confront a lifelong habit of people pleasing. In this episode, I talk about people pleasing: how it took root in chaos, hid behind “being nice,” and quietly drained my energy, confidence, and joy. I unpack what research says about what "people pleasing" is, how chronic pleasing links to mental health issues, and why so many of us end up orbiting charismatic "takers" who love the spotlight while we shrink to keep them happy.I dig into the "Echo- Narcissus Syndrome": the dynamic between a people-pleaser and a narcissist. I talk about my own tendency to fall into the Echo-Narcissus Syndrome and how it's destroyed my relationships in the past. Then I walk through the practical, evidence-based strategies for breaking free of this syndrome. I'm learning to receiving without guilt, choosing mutual relationships over one-way giving, and navigating holiday pressures without abandoning myself. If you also find yourself falling into toxic dynamics where you give and give and give while losing yourself, then this episode is for you. Together, we can figure out how to honor our empathy & generosity without feeling used. Resources:Moral-Jiménez, M. D. L. V., & Mena-Baumann, A. (2024). Emotional Dependence and Narcissism in Couple Relationships: Echo and Narcissus Syndrome. Behavioral Sciences, 14(12), 1190.Support the showIf you're navigating someone's mental health or emotional issues, join KulaMind, our community and support platform. In KulaMind, we'll help you set healthy boundaries, advocate for yourself, and support your loved one. Follow @kulamind on Instagram for podcast updates and science-backed insights on staying sane while loving someone emotionally explosive. For more info about this podcast, check out: www.alittlehelpforourfriends.com
In this episode of the Power Producers Podcast, host David Carothers welcomes back Andy Mathisen, Insurance Sales Manager for Homebot. They dive into how agencies can dominate the personal lines market by shifting from transactional relationships to value-driven engagement. Andy breaks down how Homebot serves as a "set it and forget it" tool that keeps agents front-and-center with insureds while simultaneously generating leads for loan officers and realtors—flipping the traditional referral food chain on its head. Key Highlights: What is Homebot? Andy explains that Homebot is a monthly home digest sent to insureds with a staggering 76% open rate. Unlike standard newsletters, this digest provides homeowners with real-time data on their home value, loan balance, and purchasing power (equity for refinances, HELOCs, or new purchases). The "Santa Claus" Effect: Gaining Leverage Historically, insurance agents are at the bottom of the referral food chain (Realtor > Lender > Agent). Andy details how Homebot changes this dynamic by aggregating a "Team of Professionals" on the client's dashboard. When a homeowner interacts with financial tools on the platform, the insurance agent can pass those leads back to lenders and realtors, creating immense leverage and reciprocity. Content Strategy: Donuts vs. Data David and Andy discuss why dropping off donuts at a loan officer's office no longer works. To win in today's market, agents must provide actionable data and tools that help their referral partners grow. The "Too Busy" Trap The duo critiques the mindset of agency owners who claim they are "too busy" for new leads. They discuss the necessity of implementing systems, departmentalization, and proper website content strategies (blogs vs. paid ads) to scale consulting capabilities without drowning in work. Pet Peeves: Pick Up the Phone! Andy shares his frustration with agencies that rely on complex phone trees or refuse to answer calls, and the growing trend of prospects "ghosting" after good sales calls. Connect with: David Carothers LinkedIn Andy Mathisen LinkedIn Kyle Houck LinkedIn Visit Websites: Power Producer Base Camp Homebot Ai Killing Commercial Crushing Content Power Producers Podcast Policytee The Dirty 130 The Extra 2 Minutes
The Superhero Show #610Cadillacs and Dinosaurs: SurvivalThe Superhero Show: Survival — Poison, Poachers, and PerseveranceThis week on The Superhero Show, the hosts venture back into the dangerous world of Cadillacs and Dinosaurs with episode 1.07, “Survival.” Danger strikes on multiple fronts as Jack Tenrec and Hannah Dundee face ruthless hunters, toxic threats, and impossible odds. Every choice matters. Every mistake could be fatal.A Simple Job Turns DangerousThe episode opens with what seems like routine work. Jack and Kirgo collect rubber sap from jungle trees for vital machine parts. However, calm never lasts long in this world.Nearby, Lassard, a greedy and reckless poacher, detonates explosives inside a gas-filled cavern. The blast causes chaos. It also kills Lassard when the cave collapses on him. His ambition leaves a lasting ripple.Back in Sea City, Wilhelmina Scharnhorst recovers a submerged antiquity freight car. She ignores repeated warnings. Meanwhile, Mustapha refuses to assist until the cargo is proven safe. His instincts prove correct.Poison Beneath the CityOnce the tunnels are drained, the truth emerges. The freight car contains toxic canisters linked to a past catastrophe. Mustapha remembers that an antidote exists, created from rare shade-grown flowers.Jack and Hannah immediately head into the jungle. Time is short. Lives are at stake.Wilhelmina opens the container anyway. Poison leaks into the city. People collapse. Mustapha is among the victims. Panic spreads fast.Hunted in the WildAt the same time, Wilhelmina secretly hires Lassard—now rebuilt with mechanical enhancements. He wants revenge. He wants control.Lassard sabotages Jack and Hannah's Cadillac, leaving it stranded near a cliff. Moments later, a stampede of hornbills charges through the area. Survival becomes instinctual.Forced to flee on foot, Jack and Hannah descend into a ravine to retrieve the flowers. Lassard pursues them relentlessly. Worse still, he uses scent trails to lure deadly cutters into an ambush.Turning the OddsHannah reacts quickly. She redirects the predators toward Lassard instead. The hunters become prey.Jack uses the terrain to his advantage. The cutters and Lassard are driven over a cliff. The threat finally ends.With the flowers secured, the antidote is prepared. One by one, the poisoned survivors recover. Mustapha lives. Sea City breathes again.Hannah even finds time to tease Jack. The tension breaks. Relief settles in.Final Thoughts: Survival Against Impossible Odds“Survival” stands out as one of the series' most intense episodes. Every scene raises the stakes. Every decision carries weight.Between poison, predators, and human greed, Jack and Hannah prove resilience matters most. In this world, survival is never guaranteed. It must be earned.Tune in to The Superhero Show as the hosts break down every close call, daring escape, and defining moment from “Survival.”Tune in to The Superhero Show as the hosts break down every perilous moment of this unforgettable adventure and explore what Survival truly means in a world where danger never rests.Looking for More?Want to learn more about Cadillacs and Dinosaurs? Get into the sacred texts! Or the video game! Or just read about the
That stigma around parents in youth sports? It's an unfortunate part of the culture, but Coach Ilya Podolskiy is taking a different approach and bringing families into the process. In this episode, you'll hear how he turns parents into allies and creates a culture where kids build resilience while still having fun. Our conversation highlights how important families are to an athlete's development, the impact sports and mentorship can have in a child's life, and what makes a truly great coach. Topics discussed: Introduction (00:00) Why progress is a constant driver in Ilya's life (01:40) Overcoming childhood bullying through martial arts (05:34) How he discovered hockey and became a coach (08:57) The importance of being a mentor, not just a coach (14:36) How he juggles full-time work, coaching, and family life (19:59) The Podolskiy Method: why parents need to be involved in youth sports (23:48) Two things that keep families and kids coming back to the game (26:29) Giving back through Hockey Helps 24-Hour Marathon (28:10) What brought you JOY today? (31:13) Resources: Sending your child to college will always be emotional but are you financially ready? Take the College Readiness Quiz for Parents: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/college-readiness-quiz/ Doing your taxes might not be enJOYable but being more organized can make the process less painful. Get Your Gathering Your Tax Documents Checklist: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Mitlin_ChecklistForGatheringYourTaxDocuments_Form_062424_v2.pdf Will you be able to enJOY the Retirement you envision? Take the Retirement Ready Quiz: https://www.mitlinfinancial.com/retirement-planning-quiz/ Connect with Larry Sprung: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencesprung/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larry_sprung/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawrenceDSprung/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/Lawrence_Sprung Connect with Ilya Podolskiy: Sharp Skate NY Instagram: http://instagram.com/SharpSkateNY/ Ilya's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilya.podolskiy.5 Sharp Skate NY's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sharpskate YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thepodolskiymethod-parenti9182 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilya-podolskiy-cpa-89b2b71a Website: https://thepodolskiymethod.squarespace.com/ Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1759705 About Our Guest: Ilya Podolskiy is a USA Hockey Level 5 Master Coach and Coach Developer, as well as the Lead Hockey Instructor for the New York Junior Rangers. With years of experience coaching travel youth hockey at multiple ages and levels, he has built a reputation for developing athletes and guiding families through the youth sports journey. He is also the creator and host of The Podolskiy Method Podcast, where he shares insights on parenting athletes and the role of education in sports. Beyond hockey, Ilya holds a black belt in Taekwondo, where he previously taught martial arts, blending discipline and character into his coaching approach. In addition, Ilya wrestled in high school and collegiate levels and continued to study various Martial art disciplines like Muay Thai, KickBoxing, and Karate, amongst others. Professionally, he is a CPA and earned his Master's degree from Villanova School of Law, combining analytical precision with a passion for teaching and mentorship. Currently, Ilya is seeking new keynote speaking opportunities to share his coaching philosophy, leadership lessons, and personal experiences with broader audiences. Disclosure: Guests on the Mitlin Money Mindset are not affiliated with CWM, LLC, and opinions expressed herein may not be representative of CWM, LLC. CWM, LLC is not responsible for the guest's content linked on this site. This episode was produced by Podcast Boutique https://www.podcastboutique.com
What happens when a coworking expert walks into a national coworking brand as a day pass user—and the experience falls flat? This week, Jamie shares her recent day pass experience and turns it into a practical checklist for operators who want to treat every day passer like a potential long-term member (because they might be). It's the holiday season, which means travelers are staying with family, needing to get work done, and looking for a place to escape for the day. Day passers might be transient—or they might become your next member, referral source, or meeting room regular. But if your onboarding process is clunky, your team isn't asking questions, and nobody offers a tour, you're leaving money (and relationships) on the table. Jamie walks through exactly what went wrong in her experience and what should have happened instead—from the moment she walked in the door to the moment she left without anyone noticing. We talk about: Why signage, parking info, and wifi instructions should be crystal clear on your website The Shop app effect: why consumers expect frictionless checkout (and how Flexspace.ai makes this possible) Why your day pass booking process should never require 20 minutes and multiple steps The power of a simple tour—even if someone's rushing to a call How to read the room and offer help without being pushy Why introducing day passers to members creates instant belonging The one question your team should always ask: "Has this person been here before?" How to use your CRM to track referral potential and pain points Why seasonal offers and meeting room packages are perfect day pass conversion tools The Enneagram lens: why some people want to be seen and others want to be left alone Designing your space so people have to pass the front desk (and why that matters) If you've been treating day passes as transient revenue instead of relationship opportunities, this episode will shift how you think about every single person who walks through your door. Resources Mentioned in this Podcast: The Revenue Playbook (Operator Membership) Everything Coworking Featured Resources: Masterclass: 3 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets to Opening a Coworking Space Coworking Startup School Community Manager University Follow Us on YouTube
What happens when a coworking expert walks into a national coworking brand as a day pass user—and the experience falls flat? This week, Jamie shares her recent day pass experience and turns it into a practical checklist for operators who want to treat every day passer like a potential long-term member (because they might be). It's the holiday season, which means travelers are staying with family, needing to get work done, and looking for a place to escape for the day. Day passers might be transient—or they might become your next member, referral source, or meeting room regular. But if your onboarding process is clunky, your team isn't asking questions, and nobody offers a tour, you're leaving money (and relationships) on the table. Jamie walks through exactly what went wrong in her experience and what should have happened instead—from the moment she walked in the door to the moment she left without anyone noticing. We talk about: Why signage, parking info, and wifi instructions should be crystal clear on your website The Shop app effect: why consumers expect frictionless checkout (and how Flexspace.ai makes this possible) Why your day pass booking process should never require 20 minutes and multiple steps The power of a simple tour—even if someone's rushing to a call How to read the room and offer help without being pushy Why introducing day passers to members creates instant belonging The one question your team should always ask: "Has this person been here before?" How to use your CRM to track referral potential and pain points Why seasonal offers and meeting room packages are perfect day pass conversion tools The Enneagram lens: why some people want to be seen and others want to be left alone Designing your space so people have to pass the front desk (and why that matters) If you've been treating day passes as transient revenue instead of relationship opportunities, this episode will shift how you think about every single person who walks through your door. Resources Mentioned in this Podcast: The Revenue Playbook (Operator Membership) Everything Coworking Featured Resources: Masterclass: 3 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets to Opening a Coworking Space Coworking Startup School Community Manager University Follow Us on YouTube
What really makes a business attractive to buyers? Buyers weigh more than just financials. They consider risk, operations, and whether the business can run without you. Colin King and Joe Van Deman, Principals at Circle City Capital Group, Inc., know this firsthand. They've built a portfolio of 15 companies by acquiring businesses that many others have overlooked. Colin, a CPA and CFA, and Joe, a former Google employee, bring complementary skills for buying and growing companies. Their perspective offers owners a rare look at how serious buyers evaluate opportunities and negotiate deals. In this episode, you will: Hear how buyers assess both financial and emotional factors in a deal Learn what makes a business unappealing to buyers right away Find out what makes a partnership last through tough deals Highlights: (00:00) Meet Colin King and Joe Van Deman (02:29) How a Craigslist ad launched their partnership (07:37) Lessons from their first chaotic acquisition (11:32) What makes a business partnership work (15:50) How Circle City Capital Group is different from private equity (23:08) Turning risky businesses into profitable opportunities (33:03) Favorite companies in their portfolio (36:13) What instantly turns buyers off during negotiations (44:20) The changes that make businesses more sellable Resources: For past guests, please visit https://www.defendersofbusinessvalue.com/ Follow Colin: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-king-cpa-cfa-37045a38/ Follow Joe: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joevandeman/ Check out their portfolio of companies: Circle City Capital Group: http://circlecitycapitalgroup.com Profit Mastery: http://profitmastery.net The Vermont Flannel Company: https://www.vermontflannel.com/ Vermont Teddy Bear: https://vermontteddybear.com/ All American Clothing Co.: https://www.allamericanclothing.com/ Gusset Brand: https://gusset.com/ Silk Flower Depot: https://e-silkflowerdepot.com/ Dried Decor: https://www.drieddecor.com/ Montessori 'n Such: https://www.montessori-n-such.com/ Follow Ed: Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmysogland/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/defendersofbusinessvalue/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bvdefenders
In this unforgettable episode of I Am Redemption, Lydia Richards opens up like never before.Lydia shares the truth behind her journey through childhood trauma, substance use, mental health struggles, and her experiences working in the sex industry, realities that are far more common than most people realize, yet rarely talked about openly.This conversation is raw, emotional, and unfiltered. At moments, you can literally see Lydia shivering as she recounts the memories that shaped her life. Nothing is sugar-coated. Nothing is held back.This episode isn't meant to be comfortable, it's meant to be honest. If you've ever lived through trauma, survived addiction, struggled with your mental health, or felt trapped in survival mode, this episode will hit home. Lydia's story is painful, powerful, and deeply eye-opening, a reminder of what happens when someone finally speaks the truth out loud.New to I Am Redemption?I Am Redemption is a podcast and community hosted by Shawn Livingston, built around real stories of transformation through pain, purpose, fitness, and truth. We don't tell polished success stories, we tell what comes before the breakthrough.
Floyd Stewart was diagnosed with late-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a rare, fast‑growing head and neck cancer that advanced quietly until it appeared as a bulge in his neck. The diagnosis became a struggle for his entire family as his treatments reshaped family life for Floyd, his wife Monique, and their four children. We spoke to the Stewarts about how they navigated the healthcare system, the strain the experience put on their family, and why today they are rare disease advocates seeking to raise awareness for the rare cancer and help other families dealing with similar problems.
In this episode, we dive into the key communication skills that set impactful leaders apart with expert guest Michael Delisser. We explore the crucial differences between self-awareness and self-perception, uncover common communication habits that hold leaders back, and learn actionable strategies for receiving feedback and turning data into insights. Through real-world examples and practical frameworks, we discover how to influence others, adapt to different personalities, and drive lasting results. By the end you'll know how to strengthen relationships, lead effectively, and unlock your true leadership potential in any organizational setting.Timestamps: (00:00) - Michael Reddington welcomes Michael Delisser(03:08) - Three key high-impact communication skills for leaders.(06:11) - Common ineffective communication habits in leaders are discussed.(08:45) - Exploration of why people interrupt and where those habits originate.(12:24) - Difference between self awareness and self perception explained.(14:46) - How to receive feedback and use it for self improvement.(19:07) - The importance of balancing different personality types in teams.(28:10) - Turning raw data into actionable insights.(32:00) - The three means of persuasion based on Aristotle introduced.(46:03) - Strategies for influencing without authority shared.Links and Resources:Michael deLisser | LinkedInde Lisser Leadership Consulting | leadership development consultingLeadership Accelerators: High-Impact Communication Skills That Strengthen Relationships and Drive ResultsSponsor Links:InQuasive: http://www.inquasive.com/Humintell: Body Language - Reading People - HumintellEnter Code INQUASIVE25 for 25% discount on your online training purchase.International Association of Interviewers: Home (certifiedinterviewer.com)Podcast Production Services by
The highly anticipated release of the Epstein files dropped last Friday with a muted thump, as redactions were abundant and files were held back. Mary and Andrew begin there, with the Justice Department's failure to comply with the “Epstein Files Transparency Act”, a congressional law compelling the release of "all unclassified records" with a few exceptions. They break down what the law requires, why the DOJ's redactions raise some concerns, and what new revelations surfaced around Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 plea deal. Turning to several federal cases on their radar, the co-hosts unpack the news that prosecutors had tried but failed to add a third felony charge against Letitia James and the split jury verdict of Wisconsin state court Judge Hannah Dugan. And before wrapping up, Mary and Andrew examine a unanimous DC Circuit decision allowing the National Guard deployment in the city to proceed, emphasizing D.C.'s unique non-state status.Further reading: Read DC Circuit Panel Decision on National Guard deployment HEREAnd a note to our listeners: As Mary and Andrew mentioned, they plan to record a new episode next Tuesday if the news warrants it. Otherwise, they'll take some time to enjoy the holiday season and will be back with a new episode on January 6th. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In today's episode I sit down with Christopher Rognstad, the inventor and CEO behind THC Grow Systems and the Horticulture Camera. We talk about how a simple need for peace of mind during the pandemic pushed him toward building a remote control platform for indoor growers, powered by time-lapse imaging and real problem detection. He shares how he protects his ideas, why crowdfunding fits his mission, and how his ADHD became a strength that fuels persistence and curiosity. We also explore the early inventions he abandoned too soon and the lessons that now guide his approach as he raises capital and brings his vision to life.
What happens when life takes everything from you—and you're forced to decide who you become next?In this deeply moving conversation, Mark Divine sits down with Cody Lakefield, co-founder of Long Ship Men and Look Health, to explore the intersection of trauma, healing, proactive health, brotherhood, and purpose.Cody shares his journey through profound personal loss, responsibility, and suffering—and how those experiences led him to build systems that help men reclaim ownership of their health, their inner lives, and their relationships with other men.From personalized biomarker testing and preventative health… to grief, PTSD, faith, and the power of men rowing together… this episode is about moving from survival to meaning.If you're a leader, father, entrepreneur, or man navigating pressure in silence, this conversation offers a different path forward—one rooted in awareness, courage, and community.In this episode, you'll discover:Why proactive health matters more than “sick care”How understanding biomarkers gives you agency over your bodyWhy trauma doesn't resolve itself through willpower aloneThe danger of carrying everything in isolationHow brotherhood accelerates healing and resilienceWhy purpose is often forged through suffering, not comfortHow to move from surviving life to living it intentionallyJoin The Unbeatable Leader Challenge - January 13thThe Unbeatable Leader Challenge is back starting January 13th, this time we're making it FREE to join on this training. Kick off 2026 with a growth mindset to win the winner war, achieve front-sight focus, and build an unbeatable team in 2026. → https://www.unbeatableleader.comUnlock your full potential and lead with courage, clarity, and purpose—join The Unbeatable Tribe and become truly unbeatable in life and leadership.Join for free for 7 days: The Unbeatable Tribe → https://www.skool.com/unbeatable-mastery-tribe/aboutBUBS NATURALS - Use Code Unbeatable for 20% OFFI use BUBS Naturals daily for focus, recovery, and hydration—all built on a mission to honor a fallen Navy SEAL. Use code UNBEATABLE for 20% off any one time purchase or subscription at bubsnaturals.comCody Links:Website: https://www.lookhealth.com/, https://www.longshipmen.com/Book: https://a.co/d/2iDuYdy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raven_cody7/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cody-lakevold-458b311b/?originalSubdomain=caX: https://x.com/CodyLakevoldMark Links: Website: https://markdivine.comThe Unbeatable Tribe: https://www.skool.com/unbeatable-mastery-tribe/aboutDivine Inspiration Newsletter: https://markdivine.com/newsletterYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@markdivineofficial/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markdivineofficialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdivine/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markdivineofficial/Subscribe to https://www.youtube.com/@markdivineofficial for more inspiring conversations on leadership, growth, and impact.Rate and review the show to help us reach more listeners.Share your thoughts and takeaways in the comments!#MarkDivine #CodyLakefield #MensWork #MentalHealth #TraumaHealing #PreventativeHealth #Biomarkers #Brotherhood #PurposeDrivenLife #LeadershipDevelopment #Resilience #UnbeatableMind #LongShipTimestamps:00:00 Introduction to the Biomarkers, LookHealth, Longship Men00:38 Mark Divine's Leadership Challenge01:28 Welcome to the Mark Divine Show01:54 Introducing Cody Lakevold02:52 Cody's Health Ventures04:30 Challenges in Healthcare Access06:39 Cody's Personal Journey Begins12:38 Family Struggles and Personal Loss20:32 Coping with Family Tragedies40:31 Struggling with Nightmares and Suicidal Thoughts42:16 Turning to Alcohol for Relief43:41 Seeking Therapy and Finding Hope45:35 Discovering MDMA Therapy46:16 A Life-Changing MDMA Session53:04 Rebuilding Life and Relationships54:12 Creating Raven Lake Investments01:00:05 The Birth of Long Ship01:11:24 The Vision for Long Ship01:21:03 Conclusion and Future PlansSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
After being falsely accused and wrongfully imprisoned, Greg rebuilt his life—emerging as a devoted husband, father, business owner, and ultramarathoner. In this episode, he shares a deeply powerful story of perseverance that will motivate you to pursue your goals and live with purpose for the good of others. Enjoy! Connect with GREG at: YouTube: @gregkelleyfreedomIG: @grkelley2TikTok: @keepingupwiththekelleysOutcry on Paramount+: Outcry All links, discounts, and ways to support the podcast are here.Choose Strong Book Sally McRae Strength AppChoose Strong Podcast YouTubeSally McRae YouTubeChoose Strong Merch Bare Performance Nutrition Code: SALLYChoose Strong Strava GroupEpisode Sponsors:BONCHARGE: boncharge.com use code SALLY to save 15%LAGOON SLEEP: lagoonsleep.com/shoosestronguse CHOOSESTRONG for 15% of your first purchaseJANJI: Go to janji.com and use code CHOOSESTRONG for 10% offiRESTORE: Unlock your best skin with @iRestorelaser! Subscribe & Save for 25% off or more + free shipping on iRestore Skincare AND get HUGE savings on the iRestore Illumina Face Mask with code STRONG at irestore.com/STRONG! #irestorepod
“I'm a big believer in consuming what you sell and practicing what you preach…it's a useful step on the path to understanding what's possible and for growing in the skill set of standing on stage in front of any number of people that makes your body react and become nervous.”In this episode of The Speaker Lab Podcast, host Grant Baldwin sits down with Melanie Curtis, a world record-holding professional skydiver, seasoned coach, and sought-after keynote speaker. Their conversation explores Melanie's unconventional career path, which began in the finance industry before she took the extraordinary leap into professional skydiving, amassing over twelve thousand jumps, and then eventually public speaking.Melanie opens up about the challenges she faced along the way, including imposter syndrome, persistent anxiety, and the internal doubts that can hold back even the most driven professionals. She reflects on why each stage of her journey was essential and shares the turning points that nudged her toward treating public speaking as a serious business, rather than a side endeavor.Throughout their discussion, you'll hear advice on finding your target audience, building meaningful connections in both women-centric organizations and male-dominated industries, and leveraging storytelling to transform your message. Grant and Melanie also dig into the emotional side of entrepreneurship, the highs of big wins, the lows of self-doubt, and the importance of having a strong support network.Whether you're contemplating your first speech or looking to scale your speaking business, Melanie's story will inspire you to trust your intuition, stay persistent, and redefine what's possible for your own speaking journey!You'll learn:Using speaking for marketing a businessOvercoming resistance, anxiety, and limiting beliefsThe importance of high-level coaching and support systemsHow to practice speaking via Facebook/Instagram livesGradual desensitization to rejection, visibility, and performance pressureTo rely on support networks during discouraging timesDesigning personal boundaries for travel and gigsDistinguishing between type one and type two funAnd much, much more!“If I didn't learn how to manage my fears, how to work with my fears and anxieties, my insecurities, I imagine I would have lived a really small life.”Episode ResourcesMelanie's WebsiteGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman open with brisket talk, then carve into a darker holiday menu. First up, CBS pulls a reported 60 Minutes segment on El Salvador's CECOT prison after Barry Weiss rides in to “center” the narrative. Then it's over to TPUSA's AmericaFest, where Vice President J.D. Vance serves up a white grievance stocking stuffer as conservative influencers snipe at each other for clicks and control. Finally, they wade through the latest Epstein document dump, where the redactions are doing more heavy lifting than the DOJ, and close on why Democratic incumbents already fear 2026 primaries. No Weekender this Friday for the holiday, the year-end show returns next week. Support the show by signing up to our Patreon and get access to the full Weekender episode each Friday as well as special Live Shows and access to our community discord: http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast
It's the final pod before Christmas and we've got a packed episode! Evan Jager joins us at 52:45 to put a bow on his incredible career. The Marathon Project 2.0 results are in — Priscah Cherono wins the women's race at age 45 in a 2+ minute PB, while JP Flavin takes the men's title and Turner Wiley runs 2:09 as an unsponsored father working full-time with D2 college PRs. Ben Rosa becomes the youngest person in history to break 4:00 in the mile and 2:10 in the marathon in the same year. Plus: World Cross Country team announcements from France and Ethiopia, the Emily Venters/Evelyn Kimboy NCAA controversy and what it reveals about FERPA, and our full exit interview with Evan Jager reflecting on his incredible steeplechase career — the 2015 Paris fall, Olympic silver, the Oregon Project split, Fancy Bears, and his new job with Nomio in Sweden.
Join Our FREE Start Repairing Credit Challenge: http://startrepairingcredit.com/Want more clients, more trust, more referrals, and the fastest shortcut to a 7-figure credit repair business? You don't need ads…You need reviews. Reviews are the one thing that instantly builds trust, removes fear, and fills your pipeline for free. In this episode, I break down exactly how to turn a happy client into 13 new leads on autopilot using the review and referral tools built right into your CRC Marketing Hub.Tune in to learn how to automate your lead generation and the strategies top credit repair pros use to scale fast.Key Takeaways:00:00 Intro 01:10 The Power of Reviews 02:25 Why You're Not Getting Reviews 05:09 Millionaires Take Reviews Seriously 05:52 Credit Repair Expo 2026 07:46 The 48-Hour Rule 08:21 1 Client = 13 Leads 09:38 The Importance of Automation 12:03 Advanced Strategies to Dominate Local Markets 15:27 My Final Point 16:03 OutroAdditional Resources:Get a free trial to Credit Repair CloudGet my free credit repair training Meta Ads Made Easy: A Step-by-Step Demo for Credit Repair Businesses ft. Max KnowlesMake sure to subscribe so you stay up to date with our latest episodes.