Podcasts about Unforgettable

Instead of counting down my favorite moments of 2025... I did what any reasonable millennial would do and instead I picked a few of my favorites from 2005. 20 years ago we had a wild year in pop culture, from Brangelina to the comeback of Mariah Carey, Britney's pregnancy, Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's couch, The Cult of Rachel Zoe, Nick & Jessica's divorce and so much more!! What's your most unforgettable moment of 2005?MERCH: https://ultimate-fangirl-apparel.printify.me/PATREON Subscribers heard this episode completely ad-free! Join our community at Patreon.com/AshleeAndJessicast for 180+ bonus podcast episodes & long form video content! Starts at $5 a month, cancel anytime. FOLLOW THE PODCASTInstagram & TikTok: @ashleeandjessicastTwitter: @ashleejessicast Send an email at ashleeandjessicast@gmail.comUse code ASHLEEANDJESSICAST for 15% off on ⁠JessicaSimpson.com⁠FOLLOW LIA Lia-Russo.com Instagram & Twitter: @capriamoon TikTok: @liarussonyc 

In this episode, I'm recapping the Hot & Healed™ Retreat in Tulum, Mexico — our second retreat and without a doubt one of the most magical experiences of my life. I'm breaking down the entire journey: the days leading up to the retreat, what actually happened during our five days together, and the integration that followed. From what we ate, the practices we moved through, and the moments that cracked us open, to the BTS realities of hosting...what went right, what went wrong, and all the tea in between. I'm also sharing what it meant to meet my clients in real life, have my best friends there, and finally meet Jessie (my assistant) in person. To say we had a great time would be an understatement.

Craig Skinner & Eva Hudson on prepping for the volleyball Final Four; (12:00) Jaland Lowe on matching the effort vs IU on Saturday against St. John's; Jon Sumrall donates a big chunk to Tulane on his way to Florida; (19:00) Carolina Makauskas of the Herald-Leader talks UK volleyball & football; (39:00) Unforgettable guard Sean Woods on the win over the Hoosiers; (58:00) West End Bureau Chief Gary Moore and sometimes, you just gotta dance.

Had He arrived with fanfare from some royal balcony, with heralds officiously announcing His nativity to thousands massed to hear the news, He might have changed the politics of one small corner of the world for 40, even 50, years. Had He been born in some rich villa spilling down the hillside to the sparkling Aegean, we might find passing mention of His name in annals of the empire. Had He been birthed and raised among the scholars and the gifted, all that He said and all He taught might yield a footnote in the history of earth's wisdom. But heaven was both gracious and strategic. When God gave us His unique and irreplaceable Son, He gave Him to the ones without the power, wealth, or learning. From that first night, the hiddenness of grace that brought Him to the poor, the common, the forgotten has made the story of His birth the fulcrum of all history. He is the truly unforgettable Man. This Child born to us is fully ours, however we are ranked by those who seem to rule the world. In Jesus, grace became embodied, changing lives, forgiving sins, renewing hope for all who trust the gift He is. Be strong in grace; be rich in grace; be wise in grace this Christmas. And stay in it. -Bill Knott

Michigan Weather and Women: Part 2 Dancing, and other forms of sentimentality. Based on a post by CleverGenericName, in 4 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Connected.  As we finished the prep work, I asked Wilma about her day with Mary. "She is a good kid but is carrying a lot of anger and shame. We spent most of the day getting in touch with that anger. It takes some people years before they can express their emotions through art; it took her about five minutes. But we had to take some breaks to clean up the paint splatters afterward before they stained." "Oh shit! Sorry about that. I can pay to replace anything that;" "Nothing to apologize for; I asked her to express how she felt, and she did it in the way that felt right to her." "Well, I appreciate your taking the time. I am just her big brother; I feel so lost when it comes to parenting." "Being a parent doesn't mean that you know any more than anyone else, and it certainly doesn't mean that you know any better. For what it's worth, I think you are doing a fine job with your family. I know that you don't have your parents around to say it, but this old woman is mighty proud of who you are and of how you have stepped up for your brother and sisters. They are very lucky to have you." I turned away so that Wilma wouldn't see me getting choked up. I couldn't remember the last time that someone had said they were proud of me. Soon enough, though, it was dinner time, and Erin came into the kitchen with that same look of amusement on her face. "Sorry to bother the chef, but Lane needs some help that only a big brother can provide." When I gave her a quizzical look, she blushed. "It seems like he is going through puberty, which can pose; some new challenges. When I was assessing his ankle, he; well, indicated his interest in me in a way that can be difficult to hide, particularly while wearing sweatpants. It's natural for his body to react that way at that age, and it's nothing for him to feel badly about, but he was mortified. I think he could use a bit of brotherly guidance and understanding." I went to the living room and saw that Lane was curled up on the couch and looked like he was fighting back tears. "How are you doing, Buddy?" He couldn't even look at me he was so embarrassed. "I am so sorry; I just couldn't help it. I don't know why it started to get bigger, and I wanted it to stop, and it wouldn't and then she saw me, and;" he continued as he fought back a sob. "Can we just go home?" "Erin is a doctor. She knows how the human body works and has seen that kind of thing a hundred times. She isn't mad at you or embarrassed. She just feels bad that you feel so bad. This is just part of getting older and growing up. "Did I ever tell you about what happened in Miss Iron's class when I was a freshman? Miss Iron was a bit of a legend among the male students at our local high school. She was the youngest and prettiest teacher, by far, and even though she always dressed professionally, the clothing style had yet to be invented that could fully conceal her bountiful natural endowment. "Well, I liked Miss Irons a lot. She was one of the few teachers who looked past my difficulty with reading and writing. So, I developed a little crush on her, which was fine until the inevitable; hmm, physical demonstration of my crush; happened in class one day, just before she asked me to collect everyone's quizzes. I tried to delay, I tried to ask a friend to do it instead, but eventually, I had to stand up. It took me until my junior year to live that one down." As Lane listened to my story, he turned to face me and his second-hand embarrassment for me helped to push his embarrassment to the side. "So, what happened?" "Miss Irons was lovely and kind like she always was, but I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me or to get hit by a bolt of lightning. Things would have been fine if she hadn't mentioned what happened to the principal, who called Mom. She didn't find the story funny at all." I hadn't thought of the aftermath when I started telling Lane this particular story, but as they say, might as well put it in four-wheel drive and keep going. "Mom was mad?" "By then, Mom was pretty much always angry. I did my best to keep her away from you and the girls when she got that way, but yeah; she was mad." "Are you mad at me?" "No, Bud, I'm not. In a few years, once your embarrassment has died down a little, I will tease you mercilessly about this because that's what brothers do; and maybe threaten to tell your girlfriend, if you fall behind on your chores or homework. But I will never get mad at you for something that you can't control. And I promise that Erin isn't mad at you either." Just then, Mary poked her head in to tell us that dinner was on the table. "Are you safe now, or do you need a few more minutes." "I'm good. Thanks, Dad." After I helped Lane hobble into the dining room, we got down to the business of eating and teasing each other, but not necessarily in that order. It felt good; almost like what I imagined a real family would feel like. Eventually, the conversation turned to more serious matters, though, and Erin led off the questions. "So, how do you know Gran, and why are you wearing Grampy's favorite sweater? And, for what it's worth, I don't remember him filling it out in quite the way that you do." I blushed a bit as Wilma jumped in. "If Phillip had filled out that sweater like young Davis here, it wouldn't have stayed on him for very long, I can tell you that." "Gran!" Erin exclaimed, laughing while sounding scandalized. "I didn't need that mental image. Heck, none of us needed that mental image." "Oh, don't you worry, Dear. He still filled it out well enough, and it looked equally good on our bedroom floor." We were pretty much all blushing at that point, which I think was Wilma's objective, so I quickly changed the topic. "I am just your mother's plumber. I came out to fix her boiler and then finished the job earlier this week when a couple of parts came in that I needed." Wilma jumped in at that point and added her two cents to my story. "He also brought me my groceries and we had a lovely conversation. He is a real Renaissance gentleman, a rarity these days." Erin looked grateful but concerned. "Did you have enough money to cover the bill, Gran? You know I can help if you need;" I tried to jump in before Wilma could reply. "No need to worry, the bill was paid in full;" "Hogwash," Wilma exclaimed as I tried to finish, turning to Mary before she continued. "Your brother wouldn't let me pay him a cent for the work that he did. Not even for the parts that needed to be replaced! He is a very nice boy but a terrible businessman." I turned to Erin for support. "I figured your Gran has enough going on right now with her health and all. It was the least I could do to help her out." Erin looked at me with a strange expression on her face. I didn't have much experience with women, so I figured I must have made her angry somehow. Most of my interactions with women, including my sisters, seemed to end with them being upset with me for one reason or another, but she didn't sound angry when she spoke. "Thank you, Davis, that was very sweet of you." "Yeah, well; you see, it's just; pass the fish, please." "That still doesn't explain why you're wearing Grampy's favorite sweater. When I was a little girl, I used to curl up in Grampy's lap and snuggle into that sweater as he read to me. He was wearing it when I danced my first dance with him in front of the fireplace. Do you remember that old record player, Gran? You used to bring it out and we would waltz around the living room to Moon River." "I still have that record player here somewhere, let me go see if I can find it." Erin started to protest, but it was too late. "To finish answering your question, Erin, we were here today because your Gran offered to mentor Mary. I tried to politely decline, but your Gran is pretty persistent when she wants to be." "That sounds like Gran. Most of the time when she makes a suggestion, it is really a command." "While we are asking questions, how is Lane's ankle?" "It's pretty badly sprained, and he will need to use crutches to walk for the next couple of weeks. You should bring him to the hospital to get some X-rays done as well, to make sure that he doesn't have any fractures." I could feel myself deflate as she mentioned X-rays. "I'm not trying to be cheap, but are the X-rays absolutely necessary? We don't have the best insurance; we got it through the exchange. I guess it's better than nothing, but the deductible is pretty high, and my other sister, Alison, her college tuition is due soon. But if you say it's important, I will put in some extra hours to make it work." It didn't usually bother me that we were poor. Heck, most everyone we knew, except the McDougals, was poor. But it hit home when you had to tell a beautiful doctor with bright amber eyes that you couldn't afford an X-ray for your little brother unless it was urgent. "Tell you what. I will be working at the hospital in Petoskey tomorrow, so why don't you bring Lane by, and I will take care of him? I will make sure that he gets a pair of loaner crutches for as long as he needs them." "You don't need to do that for us." Erin gave me another one of her looks, this one I was more familiar with; I was pretty sure it was annoyance. "So, just to be clear, you can look after my Gran, fix her boiler for free, and bring her groceries whenever you feel like it, but I can't look after your brother and make sure that his ankle is treated properly?" "Well, when you put it that way, I sound like a bit of a jackass. I'm sorry." "Apology accepted. Come by the hospital at 11 AM tomorrow." Before we could continue, the sound of a 45 playing on an old record player filled the house. You could hear the hisses and pops before Ella Fitzgerald's voice began to sing "Dream a Little Dream of Me." Chapter 3. We got up from the table and followed the music back to the living room. I helped Lane out of his chair while he half-hobbled and half-hopped along beside me. Wilma had set her ancient record player up in the corner beside a stack of old 45s, and she had a faraway look in her eyes as she looked out the picture window toward the lake. "I think it's time for me to ask the prettiest girl in the place to dance," I said, as my eyes swept across the room. "But unfortunately, it's a three-way tie. So, will you do me the honor?" I said as I held out my hand to Wilma. "I haven't danced since Phillip passed. You know, we used to dance together every Friday night. It didn't matter where we were or what we were doing, we would always make time to dance at least one song together, even if the music was only in our heads." "I imagine I will be a pretty poor partner compared to Phillip, but I will try not to step on your toes." Wilma and I ended up dancing a slow foxtrot to "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole. She smiled at me as we slowly circled the living room. "You're a very good dancer, young man." "Our mother taught me when I was very young." Before she began with the drugs and men, our mother had been a showgirl in New York and then Las Vegas. When she got pregnant with me, she moved back to Mackinaw City and started teaching ballroom dancing at a local studio. By the time I was five, I was her practice partner of choice, and she always insisted that I lead, despite being only half her size. "The man always leads, Darling, that's just the way of the world." I was hardly a man at the time, but I never disagreed with my mother when she was in a good mood, because I knew it could shift in an instant. So, I learned to dance, and I learned to lead. The memories came flooding back as I guided Wilma into a soft over-sway, and she smiled with delight. "Oh my, you do know how to dance!" I couldn't help but smile back. "I can't take all the credit. I think Phillip must have infused this sweater with his fancy footwork." As the song ended, I took a step back and did my best to give Wilma a gracious bow. "It was a pleasure dancing with you, my lady." "The pleasure was all mine, good sir." I turned toward Mary and held out my hand. She hesitated before Wilma declared, "There are no wallflowers in this house." Mary slowly stood but looked anxious as I took her hand. "Davis, I don't know how to dance. Mom was; she was too far gone to teach me by the time I was old enough to learn." "That's okay," I reassured her. "If there is anything that Mom made sure of, it's that I know how to lead. Just relax, and I will guide you through it." Wilma helped Lane, who had taken over as DJ, to choose a slower song so that Mary would feel more comfortable, and I heard the opening bars of "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. I started to lead Mary through a slow rumba, and she picked up the steps very quickly. She was a natural. I felt a sudden stab of regret as we moved together across the floor. "I'm sorry. I should have made time to teach you to dance. But the last few years, it has just taken everything I have to keep us;" "It's alright. You've had other things on your mind. And look; you are teaching me how to dance, now." As Mary grew more confident, I guided her through a simple underarm turn, and we ended with a dip, which made her giggle and earned a round of applause from the others. Finally, I turned to Erin, who was sitting on the couch beside Lane. I suddenly felt very shy and, for the first time that evening, she looked nervous as well. "Would you dance with me, Erin?" She didn't reply but stood and took my hand. We waited for a moment while Wilma and Lane chose a new 45 and then listened to the pop and hiss as it started to play. Soon, an alto saxophone introduced the Henri Mancini version of "Moon River," and we started a slow waltz. Although there was space between us, it was bridged by an electric charge that connected and drew us together. Even though I spent most of the dance looking over Erin's shoulder, every detail of her beauty was etched in my memory, and I felt a warm breeze pass between us, raising goosebumps on my skin. We barely noticed the pause as the song ended, and a new one began until Etta James began to sing. At last, my love has come along My lonely days are over And life is like a song The song was in 4/4 time, so I switched to a foxtrot and Erin followed as we glided across the smooth wood of the living room floor. I was so caught up in the moment, and in Erin, that I led her through a turn that transitioned into an over sway, before I stepped backward, allowing her to gently pivot into me. Our eyes met and I was lost in them again. Before we could break the spell, a heavy gust of wind shook the house, and the power flickered out. The room went dark, which sharpened my remaining senses. Suddenly, the warmth of Erin's breath on my neck felt like wildfire across my skin. We were motionless for a three-heartbeat eternity before the lights flickered and came back on. I let go of Erin and felt all of my longing and awkwardness rush back in. "Thank you, Erin. That was;" I couldn't finish; words didn't seem enough to express how I felt. "I should check the breakers and make sure that everything is alright, and then we should go. Why don't I wash these clothes and drop them back for you later." Wilma just smiled and shook her head. "If you like them, please keep them. Otherwise, they will just grow old and musty like me." A little while later, we said our goodbyes, but I promised to bring Lane to the hospital the next morning. Wilma told Mary that she would see her on Wednesday after school and again the next Sunday. I was expecting Mary to protest, but she just gave a meek, "Yes, Wilma." I was nervous when I took Lane to the hospital the next day. The deductible on our insurance was high enough that we paid for pretty much anything less serious than a severed limb out of pocket. Erin, however, was as good as her word. After the X-ray confirmed that there were no breaks or fractures in the bones around his ankle, she re-wrapped it and arranged for a pair of loaner crutches that he could use for as long as he needed them. Before we left, Erin asked me if I wanted to grab a coffee in the cafeteria, to which I readily agreed. I gave my phone to Lane so he could amuse himself while Erin and I talked. "I just wanted to say how much I appreciate what you did for Gran. I do what I can, but I spend half my time at the Children's Hospital down in Grand Rapids right now and I am often on call while I am here. I just don't have the time to give her the help that she needs." "Honestly, it's no big deal. I do a lot of work around Good Hart since the bigger plumbing companies don't like to travel that far, so I don't mind looking in on her while I am there. And she seems to have taken a real interest in Mary, so the least I can do is to bring her some groceries and help around the place a bit." Erin pursed her lips and looked like she had just bitten into a lemon. "The 'least you can do' is more than the rest of our family can be bothered to do put together, so thank you." "I meant to ask you about that. What did your Gran do to end up so isolated from the rest of your family?" "The rest of my family is; there is no nice way to put it, they're snobs. None of them have any interest in spending time 'up north' as they call it, and they can't wait for Gran to move into a retirement home and die so they can get their money and forget about this place. That's why no one comes to visit Gran anymore, even for Thanksgiving; it's part of their campaign to convince her to sell her land to the McDougals. Before you came along, I thought they were going to succeed." "Well, excuse my language, but fuck them. I don't know Wilma that well, but I will do what I can to make sure that she gets to spend her remaining days in the place that she loves." "That's easy to say, but harder to do once the McDougals and their minions start coming by your place, offering you money and making threats unless you back off." "Well, if they do, they will find out what every teacher who ever taught me learned the hard way. I am bad at taking orders and even worse at following instructions. I am not afraid of the McDougal boys." My exclamation brought a smile to Erin's pretty face. I decided that I would be willing to do quite a lot to see that smile on her face again. But there was one thing I still didn't understand. "Why aren't you on board with the rest of your family? You must be under a lot of pressure to abandon your Gran like the rest of them." "My father, Gran's youngest son, Max, died shortly after I was born, and my mother moved the family to California where she remarried into a family that had a little money but a great deal of pretension and ambition. My mother picked up that insatiable need for money and status like it was a virus. "When I was a child, my mother and stepfather spent summers and holidays traveling the world, staying in places where children weren't welcome. Although they wanted nothing to do with Gran and Grampy and their 'vermin-filled shack in the middle of nowhere', they were more than happy to leave me with them while they were away. "They would put me on a plane to Grand Rapids while they jetted off to their spas and their fine dining. Gran and Grampy were the only people who cared for me, and they became my whole world. "When I was 14, I was staying with Gran and Grampy, and I caught a fever that was so bad that I nearly died. It was a pretty grim time. My parents even thought about flying home from Monaco to be with me. They didn't, but it was the only time in my entire childhood that they considered it. But I will always remember how kind the doctors and nurses were to me when I was sick. That's why I became a pediatrician and moved home." "Isn't California home?" "Home is where the people that you love are, and so this will always be my home. Or it will be until Gran passes on, anyway." We sat in silence for a while, sipping our coffee. Before long, it was time for me to go. "This might sound crazy, but since the rest of your family aren't going to be here to celebrate Thanksgiving with your Gran, how about you and I try to give her one more Thanksgiving to remember." Erin brightened at the idea, and the smile returned to her face. "That would be amazing! Why don't I give you my number, and we can figure out how to make it happen!" Chapter 4. For the next few weeks, Mary continued to meet with Wilma on Wednesdays and Sundays. I would often take the opportunity to bring her groceries or other supplies while I dropped Mary off and, if the weather was agreeable, do some fishing. Once he could walk without crutches, Lane came along as well, in quest of another monster steelhead. Unfortunately, all he caught was some yellow perch and rock bass, but it was nice to spend the day with him down on the dock. I saw Erin a few times at Wilma's as we made plans for Thanksgiving. She seemed to particularly enjoy talking with me while I split firewood out by the shed. It was hard work, and I was often drenched with sweat by the time I was done, but she didn't seem to mind. And she worked while we talked, helping to stack the larger pieces and collecting the smaller ones for kindling. The one point of contention in our plan was how Erin would get to Wilma's on Thanksgiving Day. She was slated to work a 12-hour shift the evening before, ending at seven in the morning, and she worried that if she went home to rest, she would sleep through the entire day. Her solution was to drive out to Wilma's after her shift and catch a few hours of sleep when she got there. I thought that driving that far after working all night seemed like a terrible idea, so I offered to give her a ride instead. She did not like that one bit. "I don't want you to make an extra trip when I am perfectly capable of driving myself." It sounded like she was digging in for a fight, so I tried a different tactic to convince her. "I need to stop at the hospital anyway, to return Lane's crutches. I can kill two birds with one stone and pick you up at the same time." She didn't buy that rationale either so, reluctantly, I resorted to the truth. "I am sure you're a great driver, but if you drive yourself, I will be up that morning anyway, worrying that you are safe. I know it doesn't make sense, but I have been looking after my siblings for so long its second nature for me to worry, and I can't seem to turn it off. So please, let me pick you up. But for me, not for you. And do you know how rarely I get to be gallant these days? I will feel like your knight in shining armor." That finally got a laugh from Erin. "Alright, you win. Why don't you pick me up at 7:15 at the hospital? You can sweep me up onto your trusty steed and carry me away to Gran's house." "If by trusty steed you mean rusty old GMC truck, then it's a deal." The morning of Thanksgiving dawned chilly and gray, with a cold wind blowing in off the lake. I was up early to make sure that I made it to the hospital on time, and I was listening to the local AM country station as I drove when the DJ started his break. "A happy Thanksgiving to all our listeners. If you're on the roads today, be aware that there is a severe weather warning in effect for the area north of Cadillac and into the upper peninsula. We're expecting a combination of high winds and lake-effect snow to make driving hazardous, and you should be prepared for possible power interruptions and outages." I was relieved that Erin had agreed to let me pick her up and that I had invested in good snow tires for my pickup. The snow had already started by the time I reached the hospital, and I pulled my jacket tightly around me as I went inside. I dropped Lane's crutches with the duty nurse and waited for several minutes before Erin arrived. She looked exhausted, and the gentle smile that I loved was nowhere in evidence. "Hey, Erin. Are you okay?" "I'm fine. I just had a long shift, but I am ready to head out." She came up to me and gave me a hesitant look. "Actually, I could really use a hug if that's alright." Without a word, I wrapped my arms around her, and she buried her face in my sweater. Hidden from the world by the folds of my jacket, I felt her body start to shake. The tremors lasted for a minute before they gentled and then finally stopped. I looked out the window at the falling snow to give her a moment to compose herself. "Let's head to Gran's house. This weather isn't going to get better any time soon." With that, we got in my truck and started the drive up to Good Hart. Erin sat in silence and looked out the window. "If you want to talk, I probably can't help with doctor problems; but I am a good listener." It took Erin a minute before she opened up. "Most of the time, I love being a pediatrician. Kids come to me scared and in pain, and I help them to get better. But sometimes, it's just too much. Around midnight last night, an ambulance brought in a mother and daughter. Her boyfriend had been drinking; and he got violent. The little girl tried to protect her mother and; and; "It's one thing to treat a grown woman, you know. I mean it's still pretty bad, but; that little girl. Fuck. One thing I've learned from this job is that monsters are real." I wanted to give Erin another hug, but since I was driving, I just reached over to take her hand. "I'm sorry." My words seemed so incredibly inadequate; considering what she had just dealt with; but she squeezed my hand. "Thanks for listening." We drove on in silence, and by the time we pulled into Wilma's laneway, Erin was gently snoring with her head against the window. I stopped as close as I could to the house before lifting her out of the cab. She tucked her head into my shoulder, and I carried her inside, where Wilma was already busy in the kitchen. She came out to greet us, and I spoke to her in a low voice. "Erin had a very tough night. I think some rest will do her a world of good." Wilma helped Erin out of her boots and coat and then showed us through to the guest bedroom, where I laid Erin on the bed. The room was filled with pictures of Erin from when she was younger; standing on the dock with an older but handsome man who I guessed must be Phillip, curled up in a ball on the sofa, book in hand, and smiling in her cap and gown as she graduated. In each picture, I could see hints of the beautiful woman she would become. By the time I returned with the rest of my family, the storm had begun to pick up. Snow drifts were accumulating against the house and shed, so we brought everything with us into the house that we might need for the evening. It took some convincing, but Sharon and I took over in the kitchen while Wilma, Alison, Mary, and Lane started a game of Scrabble in the living room. Once the preparations were well underway, I laid in as much wood for the fireplace as I could. With the high winds and heavy snow, I was worried that we might lose power, and I wanted to make sure that we prepared, just in case. The radiators and boiler would provide almost no heat if there was a prolonged power outage, but the fireplace had a high-efficiency insert that would keep the house warm, as long as we built up a good bed of coals. Lane insisted on helping me with the firewood, and after a half dozen trips to the woodshed and back, we both looked like live-action versions of the abominable snowman. Wilma showed some sympathy for our plight, while our sisters had a good-natured laugh at our expense. By the early afternoon, dinner was almost ready, and Wilma sent me to wake Erin. She had barely moved since I had tucked her in and seemed so peaceful in her sleep. I leaned over and spoke softly to her until she opened her eyes. After a moment of confusion, she broke into a shy smile. "I guess we made it to Gran's." "That we did, we got here close to six hours ago." Her eyes flew open, and she tried to get up until I reassured her. "We've got things under control. Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes. Take your time; and maybe give yourself a few minutes for that pillow line on your cheek to fade." I turned to leave, so she could have some privacy, but she reached out and took my hand. "I just wanted to say thank you again for earlier. I am not used to having someone I can talk to; someone I can trust. It's only been Gran and Grampy, and me for so long, and I didn't want to burden them. But I shouldn't have dumped my troubles on you like that, we barely know each other." "I was just glad that you felt comfortable enough to share how you felt with me. Today was probably the worst day of that little girl's life. I am sure she was terrified, confused, and in a lot of pain. But what she'll remember is the angel who comforted her and treated her with kindness and love. "I need to get back to the kitchen, or I will burn something. Fair warning, this is my first time cooking a Thanksgiving turkey, so you may want to load your plate up with fixings and sides, just in case." As it turned out, the turkey wasn't perfect, but it wasn't that bad, and the gravy was tasty as heck (probably because Wilma made it.) We had mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, and peas as sides, with the obligatory cranberry sauce (from a can). The conversation at dinner was a chaotic mixture of laughter, stories, and the kind of teasing that you only get when you bring five siblings together over a hearty meal. It didn't take Erin long to choose a side in the battle of the siblings, and soon, it was the four girls against Lane and me, with Wilma as our impartial referee. I don't know how Lane felt, but for me, it was worth being ganged up on just to see Erin and my sisters smiling and laughing. Although he tried to hide it, it was clear that Lane still had a bit of a crush on Erin, so I imagined that he was just fine with making her smile as well. For dessert, Erin brought pumpkin and apple pies that she had bought at the bakery in Petoskey, which we ate with some vanilla ice cream from the local creamery. I was sure there would be some dessert left over, given the amount that we all ate for dinner, but somehow, we finished it all. Everyone pitched in with the dishes and then we moved to the living room where we played cards and some more board games. As we played, Mary asked Wilma about some of her more memorable Thanksgivings, and she got a faraway smile. For the next hour, she regaled us with stories of humble times with the kids by the lake and, in later days, fancier celebrations with some of the families that Phillip befriended while they sat for portraits. As our last game of Scrabble ended, Sharon looked at Wilma with a mischievous grin. "Mary was telling me about the dance party that you had a few weeks ago here in your living room. Rumor has it that my big brother can dance! I was hoping, if you asked him nicely, that we could all see him in action." Wilma got up from her chair and started to move toward the hall closet. "Lane, come along and help, please. I am far too old to be carting around a heavy record player." Lane hopped up and went to help Wilma, while the rest of us began to move the furniture out of the way. As Lane set up, Wilma admonished the rest of us. "Remember, there is only one rule about dancing in my house: no wallflowers." With that, Lane started the first song, and I asked Wilma to dance. Alison followed suit, asking Lane to dance, and soon she was teaching him how to lead. Finally, Erin stood as well and gave a deep bow to Mary. "It would be my honor, enchanting lady, if I could have this dance." With a laugh, Mary stood, and soon we were all moving around the room, trying not to bump into each other or step on each other's toes. For the next hour, we danced, laughed, and pretty much forgot about the world outside. Lane even got up the courage to dance with Erin, although he stayed so far away from her that you would have thought she was radioactive. I took a couple of turns with Erin and was amazed at the way she melted into my arms. When we danced, there was a wave of knowing smirks from my sisters and a pleased smile from Wilma, but I didn't care. I could have danced with her all night. Unfortunately, during my third dance with Erin, the real world decided to interrupt our festivities. Erin and I had just started a turn when the power went out. I instinctively pulled Erin into my arms to protect her, and then I leaned in through the darkness and kissed her. She returned the kiss, ran her hand through my hair, and let out a small moan. "Do you think the power will come back on?" Lane's question cut through the fog of my lust and longing. "Probably not until sometime after the storm has passed. So, we should all plan on spending the night here and then figuring things out in the morning." With Wilma's agreement, we got settled in for the evening. After some protest, Wilma agreed to sleep in the guest room since it had a direct line of sight to the thermoelectric stove fan that helped circulate the heat from the fireplace. My three sisters slept in Wilma's bed, both to share body heat and because it was the larger of the two beds in the house. Lane slept on the couch, while Erin and I slept on the floor in front of the fireplace. Erin laid out an older sleeping bag, for comfort, with some bedding and blankets on top. In deference to Lane, she waited until she was under the blankets before she shimmied off her pants, while I stoked the fireplace. I made one more pass through the house, to check on Wilma and my sisters, but it seemed they had already fallen asleep. Even Lane had passed right out, despite his proximity to the pants-less Erin. I set a quiet alarm on my phone for two-hour intervals so that I could get up and add wood to the fire, ensuring that it would last all night. Looking down at the makeshift bed where Erin was watching me, I suddenly felt incredibly shy and anxious. I took my sweater and pants off as quickly as I could and set them on a chair before crawling under the blankets next to her. I didn't want to be presumptuous, so I stayed as far over to one side as I could. I had just settled in when I heard Erin's soft voice from behind me. "You can come a little closer. I won't bite, you know." My brain froze with indecision, but my heart knew the score and it started beating at a furious rate. I heard her shifting behind me, and I felt an arm wrap itself around my chest. My senses were on fire. The faint scent of lavender from her hair washed over me like a field of wildflowers. "Was everyone safe when you made your patrol?" I slowly rolled over so that my forehead was lightly touching hers, and I could see the flickering of the fire reflected in her eyes. "I know it's silly, but I can't sleep until I know that everyone I love is safe. Even when she is away at college, Alison texts me each night to let me know she is okay. I will make another round later after I stoke the fire." "It's not silly at all; I feel safe when I'm with you too.  Why don't you tell me your story, Davis Crawford." She must have felt me stiffen, and she started to lightly brush her fingertips through the hair on the back of my neck. "You don't have to if you're not comfortable with me yet, but I would like to hear it someday when you're ready." We sat in silence for another few minutes, while the tension slowly drained from my body. It had been over 15 years; since before the drugs and alcohol got too bad with my mother; since someone had touched me with kindness and love, and I was helpless before the gentle onslaught of Erin's fingers. Eventually, I started talking. "Things weren't always bad with Mom; I remember there being more laughter than anger when I was little. She was very beautiful, and there was a procession of men in her life, even back then, but most of them treated me well. I guess they wanted to make a good impression on her. When I was four or five, though, she took up with a man from a rougher crowd. She started in with the drinking and drugs, and they never really stopped. She got pregnant with that man, and Alison was born. From there, it was like a rock sliding down the side of a hill. It starts slowly, but soon it's rolling downhill in leaps and bounds. "After Sharon was born, fewer men came around. My mom was still beautiful, but how many guys are interested in a single mother who has three kids from three different men? I had just turned ten when she left me in charge for the weekend and flew down to Vegas with some friends from the club where she waitressed and danced. A bit more than nine months later, she had Mary. "The one thing I can say for my mom is that she mostly managed to stay clean while she was pregnant. But once Mary arrived, the hill got steeper, and the rock started plummeting downwards. As fewer men showed an interest in her, Mom had to blame someone, and we kids were handy targets. That's when the hitting started. I learned pretty quickly that she didn't much care who she hit, so I made sure that I was always close at hand, to try and spare the little ones. If she was going to throw plates at someone, I figured it had better be me. "By the time I was 12, I was the only one caring for my siblings. When Mom came home drunk or stoned after her shift at the bar, I would steal enough of her tip money to buy food for my sisters' lunches. That was the worst of it, and I didn't think that we would make it through. I am not sure we would have without our landlord, Mr. Johnson. "He lived in the apartment below us and would take us in on the weekends when my mother was out with her boyfriends, feed us dinner, and let us watch a little television. I never found out why he lived such a lonely life, but he helped me keep our family together until I was old enough to handle things myself, so I will always be grateful to him." I could see tears starting to pool in the corner of Erin's eyes. "You don't need to hear the rest of this;" Erin stopped me mid-sentence by kissing my lips. "You never got to be a kid, Davis. My whole life I felt sorry for myself because my parents didn't want or care for me, but at least I had Gran and Grampy. You had no one." Even though we were lying on an old lumpy sleeping bag on a rough hardwood floor with only a fireplace for heat, I had never felt safer in my life than I did with her right then. To be continued in part 3. Based on a post by CleverGenericName, in 4 parts, for Literotica.

Had He arrived with fanfare from some royal balcony, with heralds officiously announcing His nativity to thousands massed to hear the news, He might have changed the politics of one small corner of the world for 40, even 50, years. Had He been born in some rich villa spilling down the hillside to the sparkling Aegean, we might find passing mention of His name in annals of the empire. Had He been birthed and raised among the scholars and the gifted, all that He said and all He taught might yield a footnote in the history of earth's wisdom. But heaven was both gracious and strategic. When God gave us His unique and irreplaceable Son, He gave Him to the ones without the power, wealth, or learning. From that first night, the hiddenness of grace that brought Him to the poor, the common, the forgotten has made the story of His birth the fulcrum of all history. He is the truly unforgettable Man. This Child born to us is fully ours, however we are ranked by those who seem to rule the world. In Jesus, grace became embodied, changing lives, forgiving sins, renewing hope for all who trust the gift He is. Be strong in grace; be rich in grace; be wise in grace this Christmas. And stay in it. -Bill Knott

Michigan Weather and Women: Part 2 Dancing, and other forms of sentimentality. Based on a post by CleverGenericName, in 4 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Connected.  As we finished the prep work, I asked Wilma about her day with Mary. "She is a good kid but is carrying a lot of anger and shame. We spent most of the day getting in touch with that anger. It takes some people years before they can express their emotions through art; it took her about five minutes. But we had to take some breaks to clean up the paint splatters afterward before they stained." "Oh shit! Sorry about that. I can pay to replace anything that;" "Nothing to apologize for; I asked her to express how she felt, and she did it in the way that felt right to her." "Well, I appreciate your taking the time. I am just her big brother; I feel so lost when it comes to parenting." "Being a parent doesn't mean that you know any more than anyone else, and it certainly doesn't mean that you know any better. For what it's worth, I think you are doing a fine job with your family. I know that you don't have your parents around to say it, but this old woman is mighty proud of who you are and of how you have stepped up for your brother and sisters. They are very lucky to have you." I turned away so that Wilma wouldn't see me getting choked up. I couldn't remember the last time that someone had said they were proud of me. Soon enough, though, it was dinner time, and Erin came into the kitchen with that same look of amusement on her face. "Sorry to bother the chef, but Lane needs some help that only a big brother can provide." When I gave her a quizzical look, she blushed. "It seems like he is going through puberty, which can pose; some new challenges. When I was assessing his ankle, he; well, indicated his interest in me in a way that can be difficult to hide, particularly while wearing sweatpants. It's natural for his body to react that way at that age, and it's nothing for him to feel badly about, but he was mortified. I think he could use a bit of brotherly guidance and understanding." I went to the living room and saw that Lane was curled up on the couch and looked like he was fighting back tears. "How are you doing, Buddy?" He couldn't even look at me he was so embarrassed. "I am so sorry; I just couldn't help it. I don't know why it started to get bigger, and I wanted it to stop, and it wouldn't and then she saw me, and;" he continued as he fought back a sob. "Can we just go home?" "Erin is a doctor. She knows how the human body works and has seen that kind of thing a hundred times. She isn't mad at you or embarrassed. She just feels bad that you feel so bad. This is just part of getting older and growing up. "Did I ever tell you about what happened in Miss Iron's class when I was a freshman? Miss Iron was a bit of a legend among the male students at our local high school. She was the youngest and prettiest teacher, by far, and even though she always dressed professionally, the clothing style had yet to be invented that could fully conceal her bountiful natural endowment. "Well, I liked Miss Irons a lot. She was one of the few teachers who looked past my difficulty with reading and writing. So, I developed a little crush on her, which was fine until the inevitable; hmm, physical demonstration of my crush; happened in class one day, just before she asked me to collect everyone's quizzes. I tried to delay, I tried to ask a friend to do it instead, but eventually, I had to stand up. It took me until my junior year to live that one down." As Lane listened to my story, he turned to face me and his second-hand embarrassment for me helped to push his embarrassment to the side. "So, what happened?" "Miss Irons was lovely and kind like she always was, but I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me or to get hit by a bolt of lightning. Things would have been fine if she hadn't mentioned what happened to the principal, who called Mom. She didn't find the story funny at all." I hadn't thought of the aftermath when I started telling Lane this particular story, but as they say, might as well put it in four-wheel drive and keep going. "Mom was mad?" "By then, Mom was pretty much always angry. I did my best to keep her away from you and the girls when she got that way, but yeah; she was mad." "Are you mad at me?" "No, Bud, I'm not. In a few years, once your embarrassment has died down a little, I will tease you mercilessly about this because that's what brothers do; and maybe threaten to tell your girlfriend, if you fall behind on your chores or homework. But I will never get mad at you for something that you can't control. And I promise that Erin isn't mad at you either." Just then, Mary poked her head in to tell us that dinner was on the table. "Are you safe now, or do you need a few more minutes." "I'm good. Thanks, Dad." After I helped Lane hobble into the dining room, we got down to the business of eating and teasing each other, but not necessarily in that order. It felt good; almost like what I imagined a real family would feel like. Eventually, the conversation turned to more serious matters, though, and Erin led off the questions. "So, how do you know Gran, and why are you wearing Grampy's favorite sweater? And, for what it's worth, I don't remember him filling it out in quite the way that you do." I blushed a bit as Wilma jumped in. "If Phillip had filled out that sweater like young Davis here, it wouldn't have stayed on him for very long, I can tell you that." "Gran!" Erin exclaimed, laughing while sounding scandalized. "I didn't need that mental image. Heck, none of us needed that mental image." "Oh, don't you worry, Dear. He still filled it out well enough, and it looked equally good on our bedroom floor." We were pretty much all blushing at that point, which I think was Wilma's objective, so I quickly changed the topic. "I am just your mother's plumber. I came out to fix her boiler and then finished the job earlier this week when a couple of parts came in that I needed." Wilma jumped in at that point and added her two cents to my story. "He also brought me my groceries and we had a lovely conversation. He is a real Renaissance gentleman, a rarity these days." Erin looked grateful but concerned. "Did you have enough money to cover the bill, Gran? You know I can help if you need;" I tried to jump in before Wilma could reply. "No need to worry, the bill was paid in full;" "Hogwash," Wilma exclaimed as I tried to finish, turning to Mary before she continued. "Your brother wouldn't let me pay him a cent for the work that he did. Not even for the parts that needed to be replaced! He is a very nice boy but a terrible businessman." I turned to Erin for support. "I figured your Gran has enough going on right now with her health and all. It was the least I could do to help her out." Erin looked at me with a strange expression on her face. I didn't have much experience with women, so I figured I must have made her angry somehow. Most of my interactions with women, including my sisters, seemed to end with them being upset with me for one reason or another, but she didn't sound angry when she spoke. "Thank you, Davis, that was very sweet of you." "Yeah, well; you see, it's just; pass the fish, please." "That still doesn't explain why you're wearing Grampy's favorite sweater. When I was a little girl, I used to curl up in Grampy's lap and snuggle into that sweater as he read to me. He was wearing it when I danced my first dance with him in front of the fireplace. Do you remember that old record player, Gran? You used to bring it out and we would waltz around the living room to Moon River." "I still have that record player here somewhere, let me go see if I can find it." Erin started to protest, but it was too late. "To finish answering your question, Erin, we were here today because your Gran offered to mentor Mary. I tried to politely decline, but your Gran is pretty persistent when she wants to be." "That sounds like Gran. Most of the time when she makes a suggestion, it is really a command." "While we are asking questions, how is Lane's ankle?" "It's pretty badly sprained, and he will need to use crutches to walk for the next couple of weeks. You should bring him to the hospital to get some X-rays done as well, to make sure that he doesn't have any fractures." I could feel myself deflate as she mentioned X-rays. "I'm not trying to be cheap, but are the X-rays absolutely necessary? We don't have the best insurance; we got it through the exchange. I guess it's better than nothing, but the deductible is pretty high, and my other sister, Alison, her college tuition is due soon. But if you say it's important, I will put in some extra hours to make it work." It didn't usually bother me that we were poor. Heck, most everyone we knew, except the McDougals, was poor. But it hit home when you had to tell a beautiful doctor with bright amber eyes that you couldn't afford an X-ray for your little brother unless it was urgent. "Tell you what. I will be working at the hospital in Petoskey tomorrow, so why don't you bring Lane by, and I will take care of him? I will make sure that he gets a pair of loaner crutches for as long as he needs them." "You don't need to do that for us." Erin gave me another one of her looks, this one I was more familiar with; I was pretty sure it was annoyance. "So, just to be clear, you can look after my Gran, fix her boiler for free, and bring her groceries whenever you feel like it, but I can't look after your brother and make sure that his ankle is treated properly?" "Well, when you put it that way, I sound like a bit of a jackass. I'm sorry." "Apology accepted. Come by the hospital at 11 AM tomorrow." Before we could continue, the sound of a 45 playing on an old record player filled the house. You could hear the hisses and pops before Ella Fitzgerald's voice began to sing "Dream a Little Dream of Me." Chapter 3. We got up from the table and followed the music back to the living room. I helped Lane out of his chair while he half-hobbled and half-hopped along beside me. Wilma had set her ancient record player up in the corner beside a stack of old 45s, and she had a faraway look in her eyes as she looked out the picture window toward the lake. "I think it's time for me to ask the prettiest girl in the place to dance," I said, as my eyes swept across the room. "But unfortunately, it's a three-way tie. So, will you do me the honor?" I said as I held out my hand to Wilma. "I haven't danced since Phillip passed. You know, we used to dance together every Friday night. It didn't matter where we were or what we were doing, we would always make time to dance at least one song together, even if the music was only in our heads." "I imagine I will be a pretty poor partner compared to Phillip, but I will try not to step on your toes." Wilma and I ended up dancing a slow foxtrot to "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole. She smiled at me as we slowly circled the living room. "You're a very good dancer, young man." "Our mother taught me when I was very young." Before she began with the drugs and men, our mother had been a showgirl in New York and then Las Vegas. When she got pregnant with me, she moved back to Mackinaw City and started teaching ballroom dancing at a local studio. By the time I was five, I was her practice partner of choice, and she always insisted that I lead, despite being only half her size. "The man always leads, Darling, that's just the way of the world." I was hardly a man at the time, but I never disagreed with my mother when she was in a good mood, because I knew it could shift in an instant. So, I learned to dance, and I learned to lead. The memories came flooding back as I guided Wilma into a soft over-sway, and she smiled with delight. "Oh my, you do know how to dance!" I couldn't help but smile back. "I can't take all the credit. I think Phillip must have infused this sweater with his fancy footwork." As the song ended, I took a step back and did my best to give Wilma a gracious bow. "It was a pleasure dancing with you, my lady." "The pleasure was all mine, good sir." I turned toward Mary and held out my hand. She hesitated before Wilma declared, "There are no wallflowers in this house." Mary slowly stood but looked anxious as I took her hand. "Davis, I don't know how to dance. Mom was; she was too far gone to teach me by the time I was old enough to learn." "That's okay," I reassured her. "If there is anything that Mom made sure of, it's that I know how to lead. Just relax, and I will guide you through it." Wilma helped Lane, who had taken over as DJ, to choose a slower song so that Mary would feel more comfortable, and I heard the opening bars of "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong. I started to lead Mary through a slow rumba, and she picked up the steps very quickly. She was a natural. I felt a sudden stab of regret as we moved together across the floor. "I'm sorry. I should have made time to teach you to dance. But the last few years, it has just taken everything I have to keep us;" "It's alright. You've had other things on your mind. And look; you are teaching me how to dance, now." As Mary grew more confident, I guided her through a simple underarm turn, and we ended with a dip, which made her giggle and earned a round of applause from the others. Finally, I turned to Erin, who was sitting on the couch beside Lane. I suddenly felt very shy and, for the first time that evening, she looked nervous as well. "Would you dance with me, Erin?" She didn't reply but stood and took my hand. We waited for a moment while Wilma and Lane chose a new 45 and then listened to the pop and hiss as it started to play. Soon, an alto saxophone introduced the Henri Mancini version of "Moon River," and we started a slow waltz. Although there was space between us, it was bridged by an electric charge that connected and drew us together. Even though I spent most of the dance looking over Erin's shoulder, every detail of her beauty was etched in my memory, and I felt a warm breeze pass between us, raising goosebumps on my skin. We barely noticed the pause as the song ended, and a new one began until Etta James began to sing. At last, my love has come along My lonely days are over And life is like a song The song was in 4/4 time, so I switched to a foxtrot and Erin followed as we glided across the smooth wood of the living room floor. I was so caught up in the moment, and in Erin, that I led her through a turn that transitioned into an over sway, before I stepped backward, allowing her to gently pivot into me. Our eyes met and I was lost in them again. Before we could break the spell, a heavy gust of wind shook the house, and the power flickered out. The room went dark, which sharpened my remaining senses. Suddenly, the warmth of Erin's breath on my neck felt like wildfire across my skin. We were motionless for a three-heartbeat eternity before the lights flickered and came back on. I let go of Erin and felt all of my longing and awkwardness rush back in. "Thank you, Erin. That was;" I couldn't finish; words didn't seem enough to express how I felt. "I should check the breakers and make sure that everything is alright, and then we should go. Why don't I wash these clothes and drop them back for you later." Wilma just smiled and shook her head. "If you like them, please keep them. Otherwise, they will just grow old and musty like me." A little while later, we said our goodbyes, but I promised to bring Lane to the hospital the next morning. Wilma told Mary that she would see her on Wednesday after school and again the next Sunday. I was expecting Mary to protest, but she just gave a meek, "Yes, Wilma." I was nervous when I took Lane to the hospital the next day. The deductible on our insurance was high enough that we paid for pretty much anything less serious than a severed limb out of pocket. Erin, however, was as good as her word. After the X-ray confirmed that there were no breaks or fractures in the bones around his ankle, she re-wrapped it and arranged for a pair of loaner crutches that he could use for as long as he needed them. Before we left, Erin asked me if I wanted to grab a coffee in the cafeteria, to which I readily agreed. I gave my phone to Lane so he could amuse himself while Erin and I talked. "I just wanted to say how much I appreciate what you did for Gran. I do what I can, but I spend half my time at the Children's Hospital down in Grand Rapids right now and I am often on call while I am here. I just don't have the time to give her the help that she needs." "Honestly, it's no big deal. I do a lot of work around Good Hart since the bigger plumbing companies don't like to travel that far, so I don't mind looking in on her while I am there. And she seems to have taken a real interest in Mary, so the least I can do is to bring her some groceries and help around the place a bit." Erin pursed her lips and looked like she had just bitten into a lemon. "The 'least you can do' is more than the rest of our family can be bothered to do put together, so thank you." "I meant to ask you about that. What did your Gran do to end up so isolated from the rest of your family?" "The rest of my family is; there is no nice way to put it, they're snobs. None of them have any interest in spending time 'up north' as they call it, and they can't wait for Gran to move into a retirement home and die so they can get their money and forget about this place. That's why no one comes to visit Gran anymore, even for Thanksgiving; it's part of their campaign to convince her to sell her land to the McDougals. Before you came along, I thought they were going to succeed." "Well, excuse my language, but fuck them. I don't know Wilma that well, but I will do what I can to make sure that she gets to spend her remaining days in the place that she loves." "That's easy to say, but harder to do once the McDougals and their minions start coming by your place, offering you money and making threats unless you back off." "Well, if they do, they will find out what every teacher who ever taught me learned the hard way. I am bad at taking orders and even worse at following instructions. I am not afraid of the McDougal boys." My exclamation brought a smile to Erin's pretty face. I decided that I would be willing to do quite a lot to see that smile on her face again. But there was one thing I still didn't understand. "Why aren't you on board with the rest of your family? You must be under a lot of pressure to abandon your Gran like the rest of them." "My father, Gran's youngest son, Max, died shortly after I was born, and my mother moved the family to California where she remarried into a family that had a little money but a great deal of pretension and ambition. My mother picked up that insatiable need for money and status like it was a virus. "When I was a child, my mother and stepfather spent summers and holidays traveling the world, staying in places where children weren't welcome. Although they wanted nothing to do with Gran and Grampy and their 'vermin-filled shack in the middle of nowhere', they were more than happy to leave me with them while they were away. "They would put me on a plane to Grand Rapids while they jetted off to their spas and their fine dining. Gran and Grampy were the only people who cared for me, and they became my whole world. "When I was 14, I was staying with Gran and Grampy, and I caught a fever that was so bad that I nearly died. It was a pretty grim time. My parents even thought about flying home from Monaco to be with me. They didn't, but it was the only time in my entire childhood that they considered it. But I will always remember how kind the doctors and nurses were to me when I was sick. That's why I became a pediatrician and moved home." "Isn't California home?" "Home is where the people that you love are, and so this will always be my home. Or it will be until Gran passes on, anyway." We sat in silence for a while, sipping our coffee. Before long, it was time for me to go. "This might sound crazy, but since the rest of your family aren't going to be here to celebrate Thanksgiving with your Gran, how about you and I try to give her one more Thanksgiving to remember." Erin brightened at the idea, and the smile returned to her face. "That would be amazing! Why don't I give you my number, and we can figure out how to make it happen!" Chapter 4. For the next few weeks, Mary continued to meet with Wilma on Wednesdays and Sundays. I would often take the opportunity to bring her groceries or other supplies while I dropped Mary off and, if the weather was agreeable, do some fishing. Once he could walk without crutches, Lane came along as well, in quest of another monster steelhead. Unfortunately, all he caught was some yellow perch and rock bass, but it was nice to spend the day with him down on the dock. I saw Erin a few times at Wilma's as we made plans for Thanksgiving. She seemed to particularly enjoy talking with me while I split firewood out by the shed. It was hard work, and I was often drenched with sweat by the time I was done, but she didn't seem to mind. And she worked while we talked, helping to stack the larger pieces and collecting the smaller ones for kindling. The one point of contention in our plan was how Erin would get to Wilma's on Thanksgiving Day. She was slated to work a 12-hour shift the evening before, ending at seven in the morning, and she worried that if she went home to rest, she would sleep through the entire day. Her solution was to drive out to Wilma's after her shift and catch a few hours of sleep when she got there. I thought that driving that far after working all night seemed like a terrible idea, so I offered to give her a ride instead. She did not like that one bit. "I don't want you to make an extra trip when I am perfectly capable of driving myself." It sounded like she was digging in for a fight, so I tried a different tactic to convince her. "I need to stop at the hospital anyway, to return Lane's crutches. I can kill two birds with one stone and pick you up at the same time." She didn't buy that rationale either so, reluctantly, I resorted to the truth. "I am sure you're a great driver, but if you drive yourself, I will be up that morning anyway, worrying that you are safe. I know it doesn't make sense, but I have been looking after my siblings for so long its second nature for me to worry, and I can't seem to turn it off. So please, let me pick you up. But for me, not for you. And do you know how rarely I get to be gallant these days? I will feel like your knight in shining armor." That finally got a laugh from Erin. "Alright, you win. Why don't you pick me up at 7:15 at the hospital? You can sweep me up onto your trusty steed and carry me away to Gran's house." "If by trusty steed you mean rusty old GMC truck, then it's a deal." The morning of Thanksgiving dawned chilly and gray, with a cold wind blowing in off the lake. I was up early to make sure that I made it to the hospital on time, and I was listening to the local AM country station as I drove when the DJ started his break. "A happy Thanksgiving to all our listeners. If you're on the roads today, be aware that there is a severe weather warning in effect for the area north of Cadillac and into the upper peninsula. We're expecting a combination of high winds and lake-effect snow to make driving hazardous, and you should be prepared for possible power interruptions and outages." I was relieved that Erin had agreed to let me pick her up and that I had invested in good snow tires for my pickup. The snow had already started by the time I reached the hospital, and I pulled my jacket tightly around me as I went inside. I dropped Lane's crutches with the duty nurse and waited for several minutes before Erin arrived. She looked exhausted, and the gentle smile that I loved was nowhere in evidence. "Hey, Erin. Are you okay?" "I'm fine. I just had a long shift, but I am ready to head out." She came up to me and gave me a hesitant look. "Actually, I could really use a hug if that's alright." Without a word, I wrapped my arms around her, and she buried her face in my sweater. Hidden from the world by the folds of my jacket, I felt her body start to shake. The tremors lasted for a minute before they gentled and then finally stopped. I looked out the window at the falling snow to give her a moment to compose herself. "Let's head to Gran's house. This weather isn't going to get better any time soon." With that, we got in my truck and started the drive up to Good Hart. Erin sat in silence and looked out the window. "If you want to talk, I probably can't help with doctor problems; but I am a good listener." It took Erin a minute before she opened up. "Most of the time, I love being a pediatrician. Kids come to me scared and in pain, and I help them to get better. But sometimes, it's just too much. Around midnight last night, an ambulance brought in a mother and daughter. Her boyfriend had been drinking; and he got violent. The little girl tried to protect her mother and; and; "It's one thing to treat a grown woman, you know. I mean it's still pretty bad, but; that little girl. Fuck. One thing I've learned from this job is that monsters are real." I wanted to give Erin another hug, but since I was driving, I just reached over to take her hand. "I'm sorry." My words seemed so incredibly inadequate; considering what she had just dealt with; but she squeezed my hand. "Thanks for listening." We drove on in silence, and by the time we pulled into Wilma's laneway, Erin was gently snoring with her head against the window. I stopped as close as I could to the house before lifting her out of the cab. She tucked her head into my shoulder, and I carried her inside, where Wilma was already busy in the kitchen. She came out to greet us, and I spoke to her in a low voice. "Erin had a very tough night. I think some rest will do her a world of good." Wilma helped Erin out of her boots and coat and then showed us through to the guest bedroom, where I laid Erin on the bed. The room was filled with pictures of Erin from when she was younger; standing on the dock with an older but handsome man who I guessed must be Phillip, curled up in a ball on the sofa, book in hand, and smiling in her cap and gown as she graduated. In each picture, I could see hints of the beautiful woman she would become. By the time I returned with the rest of my family, the storm had begun to pick up. Snow drifts were accumulating against the house and shed, so we brought everything with us into the house that we might need for the evening. It took some convincing, but Sharon and I took over in the kitchen while Wilma, Alison, Mary, and Lane started a game of Scrabble in the living room. Once the preparations were well underway, I laid in as much wood for the fireplace as I could. With the high winds and heavy snow, I was worried that we might lose power, and I wanted to make sure that we prepared, just in case. The radiators and boiler would provide almost no heat if there was a prolonged power outage, but the fireplace had a high-efficiency insert that would keep the house warm, as long as we built up a good bed of coals. Lane insisted on helping me with the firewood, and after a half dozen trips to the woodshed and back, we both looked like live-action versions of the abominable snowman. Wilma showed some sympathy for our plight, while our sisters had a good-natured laugh at our expense. By the early afternoon, dinner was almost ready, and Wilma sent me to wake Erin. She had barely moved since I had tucked her in and seemed so peaceful in her sleep. I leaned over and spoke softly to her until she opened her eyes. After a moment of confusion, she broke into a shy smile. "I guess we made it to Gran's." "That we did, we got here close to six hours ago." Her eyes flew open, and she tried to get up until I reassured her. "We've got things under control. Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes. Take your time; and maybe give yourself a few minutes for that pillow line on your cheek to fade." I turned to leave, so she could have some privacy, but she reached out and took my hand. "I just wanted to say thank you again for earlier. I am not used to having someone I can talk to; someone I can trust. It's only been Gran and Grampy, and me for so long, and I didn't want to burden them. But I shouldn't have dumped my troubles on you like that, we barely know each other." "I was just glad that you felt comfortable enough to share how you felt with me. Today was probably the worst day of that little girl's life. I am sure she was terrified, confused, and in a lot of pain. But what she'll remember is the angel who comforted her and treated her with kindness and love. "I need to get back to the kitchen, or I will burn something. Fair warning, this is my first time cooking a Thanksgiving turkey, so you may want to load your plate up with fixings and sides, just in case." As it turned out, the turkey wasn't perfect, but it wasn't that bad, and the gravy was tasty as heck (probably because Wilma made it.) We had mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, and peas as sides, with the obligatory cranberry sauce (from a can). The conversation at dinner was a chaotic mixture of laughter, stories, and the kind of teasing that you only get when you bring five siblings together over a hearty meal. It didn't take Erin long to choose a side in the battle of the siblings, and soon, it was the four girls against Lane and me, with Wilma as our impartial referee. I don't know how Lane felt, but for me, it was worth being ganged up on just to see Erin and my sisters smiling and laughing. Although he tried to hide it, it was clear that Lane still had a bit of a crush on Erin, so I imagined that he was just fine with making her smile as well. For dessert, Erin brought pumpkin and apple pies that she had bought at the bakery in Petoskey, which we ate with some vanilla ice cream from the local creamery. I was sure there would be some dessert left over, given the amount that we all ate for dinner, but somehow, we finished it all. Everyone pitched in with the dishes and then we moved to the living room where we played cards and some more board games. As we played, Mary asked Wilma about some of her more memorable Thanksgivings, and she got a faraway smile. For the next hour, she regaled us with stories of humble times with the kids by the lake and, in later days, fancier celebrations with some of the families that Phillip befriended while they sat for portraits. As our last game of Scrabble ended, Sharon looked at Wilma with a mischievous grin. "Mary was telling me about the dance party that you had a few weeks ago here in your living room. Rumor has it that my big brother can dance! I was hoping, if you asked him nicely, that we could all see him in action." Wilma got up from her chair and started to move toward the hall closet. "Lane, come along and help, please. I am far too old to be carting around a heavy record player." Lane hopped up and went to help Wilma, while the rest of us began to move the furniture out of the way. As Lane set up, Wilma admonished the rest of us. "Remember, there is only one rule about dancing in my house: no wallflowers." With that, Lane started the first song, and I asked Wilma to dance. Alison followed suit, asking Lane to dance, and soon she was teaching him how to lead. Finally, Erin stood as well and gave a deep bow to Mary. "It would be my honor, enchanting lady, if I could have this dance." With a laugh, Mary stood, and soon we were all moving around the room, trying not to bump into each other or step on each other's toes. For the next hour, we danced, laughed, and pretty much forgot about the world outside. Lane even got up the courage to dance with Erin, although he stayed so far away from her that you would have thought she was radioactive. I took a couple of turns with Erin and was amazed at the way she melted into my arms. When we danced, there was a wave of knowing smirks from my sisters and a pleased smile from Wilma, but I didn't care. I could have danced with her all night. Unfortunately, during my third dance with Erin, the real world decided to interrupt our festivities. Erin and I had just started a turn when the power went out. I instinctively pulled Erin into my arms to protect her, and then I leaned in through the darkness and kissed her. She returned the kiss, ran her hand through my hair, and let out a small moan. "Do you think the power will come back on?" Lane's question cut through the fog of my lust and longing. "Probably not until sometime after the storm has passed. So, we should all plan on spending the night here and then figuring things out in the morning." With Wilma's agreement, we got settled in for the evening. After some protest, Wilma agreed to sleep in the guest room since it had a direct line of sight to the thermoelectric stove fan that helped circulate the heat from the fireplace. My three sisters slept in Wilma's bed, both to share body heat and because it was the larger of the two beds in the house. Lane slept on the couch, while Erin and I slept on the floor in front of the fireplace. Erin laid out an older sleeping bag, for comfort, with some bedding and blankets on top. In deference to Lane, she waited until she was under the blankets before she shimmied off her pants, while I stoked the fireplace. I made one more pass through the house, to check on Wilma and my sisters, but it seemed they had already fallen asleep. Even Lane had passed right out, despite his proximity to the pants-less Erin. I set a quiet alarm on my phone for two-hour intervals so that I could get up and add wood to the fire, ensuring that it would last all night. Looking down at the makeshift bed where Erin was watching me, I suddenly felt incredibly shy and anxious. I took my sweater and pants off as quickly as I could and set them on a chair before crawling under the blankets next to her. I didn't want to be presumptuous, so I stayed as far over to one side as I could. I had just settled in when I heard Erin's soft voice from behind me. "You can come a little closer. I won't bite, you know." My brain froze with indecision, but my heart knew the score and it started beating at a furious rate. I heard her shifting behind me, and I felt an arm wrap itself around my chest. My senses were on fire. The faint scent of lavender from her hair washed over me like a field of wildflowers. "Was everyone safe when you made your patrol?" I slowly rolled over so that my forehead was lightly touching hers, and I could see the flickering of the fire reflected in her eyes. "I know it's silly, but I can't sleep until I know that everyone I love is safe. Even when she is away at college, Alison texts me each night to let me know she is okay. I will make another round later after I stoke the fire." "It's not silly at all; I feel safe when I'm with you too.  Why don't you tell me your story, Davis Crawford." She must have felt me stiffen, and she started to lightly brush her fingertips through the hair on the back of my neck. "You don't have to if you're not comfortable with me yet, but I would like to hear it someday when you're ready." We sat in silence for another few minutes, while the tension slowly drained from my body. It had been over 15 years; since before the drugs and alcohol got too bad with my mother; since someone had touched me with kindness and love, and I was helpless before the gentle onslaught of Erin's fingers. Eventually, I started talking. "Things weren't always bad with Mom; I remember there being more laughter than anger when I was little. She was very beautiful, and there was a procession of men in her life, even back then, but most of them treated me well. I guess they wanted to make a good impression on her. When I was four or five, though, she took up with a man from a rougher crowd. She started in with the drinking and drugs, and they never really stopped. She got pregnant with that man, and Alison was born. From there, it was like a rock sliding down the side of a hill. It starts slowly, but soon it's rolling downhill in leaps and bounds. "After Sharon was born, fewer men came around. My mom was still beautiful, but how many guys are interested in a single mother who has three kids from three different men? I had just turned ten when she left me in charge for the weekend and flew down to Vegas with some friends from the club where she waitressed and danced. A bit more than nine months later, she had Mary. "The one thing I can say for my mom is that she mostly managed to stay clean while she was pregnant. But once Mary arrived, the hill got steeper, and the rock started plummeting downwards. As fewer men showed an interest in her, Mom had to blame someone, and we kids were handy targets. That's when the hitting started. I learned pretty quickly that she didn't much care who she hit, so I made sure that I was always close at hand, to try and spare the little ones. If she was going to throw plates at someone, I figured it had better be me. "By the time I was 12, I was the only one caring for my siblings. When Mom came home drunk or stoned after her shift at the bar, I would steal enough of her tip money to buy food for my sisters' lunches. That was the worst of it, and I didn't think that we would make it through. I am not sure we would have without our landlord, Mr. Johnson. "He lived in the apartment below us and would take us in on the weekends when my mother was out with her boyfriends, feed us dinner, and let us watch a little television. I never found out why he lived such a lonely life, but he helped me keep our family together until I was old enough to handle things myself, so I will always be grateful to him." I could see tears starting to pool in the corner of Erin's eyes. "You don't need to hear the rest of this;" Erin stopped me mid-sentence by kissing my lips. "You never got to be a kid, Davis. My whole life I felt sorry for myself because my parents didn't want or care for me, but at least I had Gran and Grampy. You had no one." Even though we were lying on an old lumpy sleeping bag on a rough hardwood floor with only a fireplace for heat, I had never felt safer in my life than I did with her right then. To be continued in part 3. Based on a post by CleverGenericName, in 4 parts, for Literotica.

Fluent Fiction - Norwegian: Love on Ice: An Unforgettable First Date in Oslo Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/no/episode/2025-12-17-23-34-02-no Story Transcript:No: Det var vinter i Oslo, og julemarkedet i byen var i full gang.En: It was winter in Oslo, and the Christmas market in the city was in full swing.No: Lysene glitret i trærne, og luften var fylt med duften av gløgg og pepperkaker.En: Lights glittered in the trees, and the air was filled with the scent of gløgg and pepperkaker.No: Svennegrannene var kledd i snø, og markedet var travelt med glade mennesker i hver krok.En: The fir trees were dressed in snow, and the market was bustling with happy people in every corner.No: Sverre sto nervøst ved inngangen til markedet.En: Sverre stood nervously at the entrance to the market.No: Han hadde på seg en stor blå skjerf og tykk vinterjakke.En: He was wearing a large blue scarf and a thick winter jacket.No: Han ventet på Ingrid.En: He was waiting for Ingrid.No: Det var første date, og han var bekymret for å gjøre et godt inntrykk.En: It was their first date, and he was worried about making a good impression.No: Ingrid, derimot, var kjent for sin utstråling og glede over julesesongen, og Sverre håpet at han kunne dele denne dagen med henne.En: Ingrid, on the other hand, was known for her radiance and joy during the Christmas season, and Sverre hoped he could share this day with her.No: Ingrid dukket opp med et smil som lyste sterkere enn julelysene.En: Ingrid appeared with a smile that shone brighter than the Christmas lights.No: "Hei, Sverre!En: "Hi, Sverre!"No: " sa hun og ga ham en varm klem.En: she said and gave him a warm hug.No: Sverre smilte sjenert tilbake.En: Sverre smiled shyly back.No: De begynte å gå rundt på markedet, omgitt av lukten av kanel og musikken fra julekarol.En: They began to walk around the market, surrounded by the smell of cinnamon and the music from Christmas carols.No: Men folkemengden gjorde det vanskelig for Sverre å finne ordene han ønsket å si.En: But the crowd made it difficult for Sverre to find the words he wanted to say.No: Han tenkte på hvordan han kunne bryte isen.En: He thought about how he could break the ice.No: Plutselig fikk han en idé.En: Suddenly, he got an idea.No: "Hva med en varm drikke, Ingrid?En: "How about a warm drink, Ingrid?"No: " spurte Sverre.En: asked Sverre.No: Ingrid nikket entusiastisk.En: Ingrid nodded enthusiastically.No: De fant en bod som solgte varm eplecider og gløgg.En: They found a stall that sold warm apple cider and gløgg.No: Drikken var søt og krydret, og det var akkurat det Sverre trengte.En: The drink was sweet and spiced, and it was just what Sverre needed.No: "Det er et skøytebane i nærheten.En: "There's a skating rink nearby.No: Vil du prøve?En: Want to try?"No: " foreslo Sverre nervøst.En: suggested Sverre nervously.No: Ingrid lo muntert.En: Ingrid laughed cheerfully.No: "Ja, det høres gøy ut!En: "Yes, that sounds fun!"No: " sa hun.En: she said.No: På skøytebanen møttes de av lyden av latter og skøyter som skrapet mot isen.En: At the rink, they were met by the sound of laughter and skates scraping against the ice.No: Sverre var ikke en ekspert på skøyter, men Ingrid hadde en avslappet holdning som fikk ham til å føle seg litt mer komfortabel.En: Sverre was not an expert skater, but Ingrid had a relaxed demeanor that made him feel a bit more comfortable.No: De holdt hender for balanse mens de skled over isen.En: They held hands for balance as they glided across the ice.No: Plutselig snublet Sverre og mistet balansen, men før han falt, grep Ingrid ham raskt.En: Suddenly, Sverre stumbled and lost his balance, but before he fell, Ingrid quickly caught him.No: De brast ut i latter, omgitt av den varme gløden av juletrelysene rundt banen.En: They burst into laughter, surrounded by the warm glow of the Christmas tree lights around the rink.No: I det øyeblikket følte Sverre at nervene hans forsvant.En: In that moment, Sverre felt his nerves disappear.No: De lo sammen og fortsatte å skøyte, mer knyttet enn før.En: They laughed together and continued skating, more connected than before.No: Etter skøytingen satte de seg ned ved en benk med to kopper varm kakao.En: After skating, they sat down on a bench with two cups of hot cocoa.No: De snakket om alt og ingenting, delte historier om barndomsminner og fremtidsdrømmer.En: They talked about everything and nothing, sharing stories of childhood memories and future dreams.No: Sverre oppdaget at han var mer avslappet, mer åpen enn noensinne.En: Sverre discovered that he was more relaxed, more open than ever before.No: Han innså at han ikke trengte å være noen andre enn seg selv.En: He realized he didn't need to be anyone other than himself.No: Som kvelden mørknet og lysene glitret rundt dem, visste Sverre at denne dagen kanskje var starten på noe spesielt.En: As the evening darkened and the lights glittered around them, Sverre knew this day might be the start of something special.No: Han hadde brutt redselen og hadde funnet en varm forbindelse med Ingrid.En: He had overcome his fears and had found a warm connection with Ingrid.No: Vinterkulden kunne ikke røre det som hadde begynt å spire mellom dem.En: The winter cold could not touch what had begun to blossom between them. Vocabulary Words:winter: vintermarket: markedetglittered: glitretscent: duftenfir trees: svennegrannenedressed: kleddbustling: traveltnervously: nervøstimpression: inntrykkradiance: utstrålingappeared: dukket oppshone: lysteshyly: sjenertsurrounded: omgittcarols: julekarolcrowd: folkemengdenspiced: krydretrink: skøytebanelaughed: locheerfully: muntertexpert: ekspertdemeanor: holdningbalance: balansestumbled: snubletburst: brastglow: glødenconnected: knyttetbench: benkrelaxed: avslappetblossom: spire

This episode is a little different, you're getting the full version of a keynote I recently delivered on one of the boldest marketing strategies out there: stunt marketing.I'm sharing exactly how I went from playing it safe to leading campaigns that included actual parachutes and tanks and more importantly, why those stunts weren't just loud… they were strategic.If you've ever felt like your marketing plan is missing that spark, or you're wondering how to stand out without relying on huge budgets, this is the episode for you. I'll walk you through:The five emotional levers that make a stunt stickThe (very real) risks behind these big ideas and how to get buy-in anywayWhat to do after the stunt so it turns into momentum And what needs to be in place before you even go there This is the story behind the stunts, the strategy that backs them, and the mindset shift that changed the way I market forever.Follow me on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-windsor29/ For more episodes visit my website : emmawindsor.com

A profound exploration of the Green Bay Packers' historic 1929 season unveils a juxtaposition of triumph and unexpected defeat. A mere 96 years prior, the Packers, under the astute leadership of Curly Lambeau, secured their inaugural National Football League championship with an impressive record of 12 wins, no losses, and one tie. Their dominance was underscored by a formidable defense that permitted a mere four points in their first five games, culminating in eight shutouts throughout the season, thereby establishing them as a veritable powerhouse in the league. However, this narrative takes a perplexing turn as we delve into the circumstances surrounding their singular defeat, which transpired not during the regular season but in an exhibition match against the Memphis Tigers, a team bolstered by players from various NFL franchises and driven by the financial exigencies following the onset of the Great Depression. This loss raises intriguing questions about the nature of competition and the complexities of early professional football, where financial motivations often intersected with the pursuit of athletic excellence.Join us at the Pigskin Dispatch website to see even more Positive football news! Don't forget to check out and subscribe to the Pigskin Dispatch YouTube channel for additional content and the regular Football History Minute Shorts.Miss our football by the day of the year podcasts, well don't, because they can still be found at the Pigskin Dispatch website.

An Unforgettable Gift

Today's show is one for the record books.

Mark Pope says his team still needs to learn how to compete; Otega Oweh predicts a strong finish; (9:30) UK All-American Kevin Grevey re-tells the story of Ky's upset of Bob Knight's undefeated IU team in the 1975 NCAA Tournament; (19:00) Unforgettable guard Sean Woods; (39:00) Pope on Zach Tow's 1st three-pointer, as well as the players' pre-game speech; (48:00) Cam Sheitzach previews UK-Cal Poly NCAA Tournament volleyball; (59:00) West End Bureau Chief Gary Moore and when the Robot warns of danger, you need to pay attention, Will Robinson...

This week: A diabolical would-you-rather question helps pass the time, Andy and Elizabeth feel their age at a party, a UPS man is scarred for life, and much more! It's all covered on this week's Nobody's Listening, Right? Check out our new True Crime podcast: BETH'S DEAD Learn more at: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BethsDead Support NLR Join Patreon for bonus episodes! Buy the Merch! Find us on Instagram Find us on TikTok⁠⁠ Watch us on YouTube Shop our Amazon recommendations Here ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Chapters: 00:00 Intro 08:45 Would You Rather 15:17 Ad Break 20:11 Waiting For Britney Spears by Jeff Weiss 25:26 Nitro Pop Popcorn 27:00 An Unforgettable Delivery 35:56 A Gift Question 41:14 Holiday Hopes 44:46 Solvang California 48:56 Christmas In Las Vegas 51:18 Below Deck 54:29 I Want To Be Petty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Corey Brooks—“The Rooftop Pastor”—spent 343 days living on the rooftop of his church on Chicago’s south side to inspire community transformation. Online, Brooks posted a “shout-out” to his elementary school teacher, Joe Stokes, who taught him four unforgettable lessons: the power of perseverance, the importance of integrity, the value of community engagement, and the impact of education. By embracing Solomon’s wisdom in Proverbs 3, we likewise can strive to live in ways that have community impact. Solomon taught four lessons that are just right for those who trust in God and are called to be a positive force: “Trust in the Lord” (v. 5); “fear the Lord and shun evil” (v. 7); “honor the Lord with your wealth” (v. 9); “do not despise the Lord’s discipline” (v. 11). Such wisdom compels us to be God-focused, but there are people-touching dimensions to our faith too. In Matthew 5:3-12, Jesus, the ultimate embodiment of wisdom, eloquently described the internal disposition of believers in Jesus. Furthermore, He reminded them that they were high-impact people. “You are the salt of the earth” (v. 13). “You are the light of the world” (v. 14). As such, we are honored to, “Let [our] light shine . . . that they may see [our] good deeds and glorify [our] Father in heaven” (v. 16).

For our final episode of the podcast in 2025, we did something special! We went back through every interview we recorded from this past year and compiled all the highlights. The stories, nuggets of truth, and challenging conversations that stuck with us the most and are worth remembering. This rewind episode mashup is a collection of all the best moments with our guests that defined our year. We hope you enjoy this special episode as much as we did putting it together—looking back and remembering all the incredible guests from this past year.Whether you've been with us from day one or you jumped in somewhere along the way, thank you for being part of the No Grey Areas Podcast community. Here's to closing out 2025 strong… and walking into 2026 by living out our motto of “We Make Our Choices and Our Choices Make Us”.WEBSITE: https://www.nogreyareaspodcast.com/INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/nogreyareas_gagliano/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/NoGreyAreasTIK TOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@nogreyareasgaglianoEMAIL: info@nogreyareas.comYOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbnC2rjEumGJhqy54qazFFwNo Grey Areas is a motivational podcast with captivating guests centered around how our choices humanize, empower, and define who we become. This podcast is inspired by the cautionary tale, No Grey Areas, written by Joseph Gagliano. Learn more about the truth behind his story involved with sports' biggest scandal at https://www.nogreyareas.com/

Graham Carter, CEO of Unforgettable Travel Company and Cruise Croatia, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how his company taps its destination experts to design bespoke luxury travel to destinations around the world. No trip is the same, as Carter and his team deliver memorable and unique experiences to suit each client. Plus, he has a booming coastal cruise business with Cruise Croatia. For more information. For more information, visit www.unforgettabletravel.com or www.cruisecroatia.com.   All our Insider Travel Report video interviews are archived and available on our Youtube channel  (youtube.com/insidertravelreport), and as podcasts with the same title on: Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Listen Notes, Podchaser, TuneIn + Alexa, Podbean,  iHeartRadio,  Google, Amazon Music/Audible, Deezer, Podcast Addict, and iTunes Apple Podcasts, which supports Overcast, Pocket Cast, Castro and Castbox. 

Plant‑Powered Flavor Architect — Elevating Restaurants, Kitchens & Your Next Bite Aaward-winning plant-based chef Ed Harris joins Michele to share his journey from omni-chef to global plant-based innovator. Chef Ed breaks down the art of building flavor, why cutting and charring vegetables changes everything, and how simple techniques can transform everyday vegan cooking into unforgettable meals.Chef Ed Harris's story begins in the Caribbean and travels through kitchens in New York and around the globe.  But the real turning point came at home—during a family documentary night watching What the Health. That single moment led his entire family to shift toward a vegan lifestyle, changing the trajectory of his cooking and his career.With warmth, clarity, and contagious enthusiasm, Chef Ed shares:How to Build Real Flavor in Vegan FoodWhy vegetables aren't bland—our techniques areHow charring transforms broccoli, cauliflower, beans, and moreWhy the way you cut vegetables affects the tasteHow to layer flavor using herbs, smoke, bay leaves, and spicesThe biggest mistakes home cooks make (and how to fix them)Behind the Scenes of Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay & Iron ChefWhat a 1-hour episode actually takes to filmThe mental focus needed to cook under extreme pressureHow those experiences shaped his confidence and craftShifting to a Plant-Based LifeHow a documentary changed everything for his familyHis emotional reaction to learning about animal agricultureWhy chefs need to question the traditions they inheritedHelping Restaurants Modernize Plant-Forward MenusWhy many kitchens misunderstand vegan dinersHow he consults with hotels and restaurants to develop flavor-forward dishesThe falafel lesson every chef needs to knowWhy hospitality must improve for plant-based guestsChef Ed and his wife have created a vibrant online community where members learn plant-based cooking, explore global flavors, and share their stories. As he says, a “rich life” is about family, culture, and connection—not money.Connect with Chef Ed and Jane Harris at The Rich Life. Or on Instagram @ChefedharrisSubscribe & Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us grow and share the message of plant-based living with more listeners.For more information, to submit a question or topic, or to book a free 30 minute Coaching session visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠veganatanyage.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠info@micheleolendercoaching.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music, Production, and Editing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Charlie Weinshank⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For inquiries email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠charliewe97@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Virtual Support Services: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://proadminme.com/⁠

In this insightful episode of "Negotiate Anything," host Kwame Christian sits down with Randy Ford, a seasoned storytelling strategist, to explore the art of storytelling as a tool for persuasion in negotiations. Drawing from Randy's extensive background in journalism and politics, the conversation delves into the storytelling triangle—a crucial framework for understanding the dynamic interaction between the storyteller, the story, and the audience. With practical examples and philosophical insights, this episode sheds light on how stories influence communication strategies in various professional settings. Listeners will gain a deeper appreciation of how storytelling is not just about entertainment but also about fostering mutual understanding and effectively persuading audiences. What will be covered: Introduction to the storytelling triangle and its significance in communication. The role of storytelling in persuasion, especially in negotiations and sales. Key storytelling principles that enhance communication effectiveness.

Pianist Keelan Carew and saxophonist Emma Rawicz join Jeffrey Boakye and Anna Phoebe as they add five more tracks, taking us from an unforgettable Nat King Cole classic to a sunken cathedral, a famous submarine, and the Austrian Alps. Producer: Jerome Weatherald Presented with musical direction by Jeffrey Boakye and Anna PhoebeThe five tracks in this week's playlist:Unforgettable by Natalie Cole & Nat King Cole Señor Mouse by Gary Burton and Chick Corea La Cathédrale Engloutie by Debussy Stingray by Barry Gray The Lonely Goatherd by Julie AndrewsOther music in this episodeParticles of Change by Emma Rawicz Ya Taali'een el-Jabal by Kronos Quartet ft Rim Banna Unforgettable by Nat King Cole Memories of You by Louis Armstrong Under the Sea (from The Little Mermaid) by Samuel E Wright Theme from Thunderbirds by Barry Gray

Will Stein says he wants to win now; Mitch Barnhart strongly defends financial backing for UK football; (10:00) women's bkb coach Kenny Brooks on his respect for Mark Stoops, and why; (19:00) Jon Hale on the Q he asked prompting the emotional response from Barnhart on funding; (39:00) Unforgettable guard Sean Woods on the challenges facing the bkb Cats; (59:00) West End Bureau Chief Gary Moore and sometimes you can tell a great golfer, just by his swing...

In this insightful episode of "Negotiate Anything," host Kwame Christian sits down with Randy Ford, a seasoned storytelling strategist, to explore the art of storytelling as a tool for persuasion in negotiations. Drawing from Randy's extensive background in journalism and politics, the conversation delves into the storytelling triangle—a crucial framework for understanding the dynamic interaction between the storyteller, the story, and the audience. With practical examples and philosophical insights, this episode sheds light on how stories influence communication strategies in various professional settings. Listeners will gain a deeper appreciation of how storytelling is not just about entertainment but also about fostering mutual understanding and effectively persuading audiences. What will be covered: Introduction to the storytelling triangle and its significance in communication. The role of storytelling in persuasion, especially in negotiations and sales. Key storytelling principles that enhance communication effectiveness.

Support #Millennial! The holiday season is here and so is our best offer at https://Patreon.com/millennial! Sign up for an annual membership and receive 20% off your subscription, guaranteeing perks through 2026!⁠⁠⁠ Visit our merch store: ⁠⁠https://shop.millennialshow.com⁠⁠ Follow the show in your favorite podcast app and leave us a review! This week we're kicking things off with the latest chaos in the news: Costco is suing the Trump administration over tariffs, and why your relatives may be adjusting their spending limits this holiday season. Then we dive into the year-defining weirdness of 2025, starting with the rise of “6-7,” the phrase so big it reached Andrew's young nephews and somehow became Dictionary.com's Word of the Year (wtf). We look at whether millennials ever had any comparable internet-inspired brain rot, then broaden out to the phrases, moments, and cultural oddities that shaped 2025. We're crashing out over all the new slang that we don't understand, but we're "letting them" enjoy this 6-7 trend. Shoutout to the viral moments that made 2025, like cheaters being exposed at a Coldplay concert, America losing TikTok for half a day, and Kendrick Lamar obliterating Drake at the Super Bowl. We also revisit the Epstein Files, our favorite cities that trolled ICE this year, Dick Cheney's non-mourned death, tariffs on literal penguins, and the recent Louvre robbery fiasco. 2025 may have felt like it was 300 years long, but all this and more was jam-packed into just 365 days. Pam mentioned listening back to our episode on Jimmy Kimmel and the FCC - here it is (Episode 11x35)! This week's recommendations: 'Heated Rivalry'  on HBO Max (Andrew), the Consumer Class Action Lawsuit Database (Laura), and exploring privately owned public spaces (POPS) in your city (Pam). And in this week's installment of After Dark: Andrew has a Bumble BFF gossip update, and we're talking about people crawling out of the woodwork for favors and why 2026 is all about embracing being a “villager.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textThis week on Here's What We Know, Jonathan Kite joins us for a conversation that is equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and deeply human. You may know him as Oleg from “2 Broke Girls,” but today he pulls the curtain back on the real craft of comedy and the unexpected moments that shaped his journey.We dig into what it takes to build a stand-up set, how crowd work has changed, and why impressions are more than funny voices. Jonathan shares stories from the road, reflections on early influences like Abbott and Costello, and a beautiful moment involving a phone call from a friend he thought he had lost forever.We also talk about the energy it takes to perform at a Jim Carrey level, the kindness behind Tom Hanks's gift of earnestness, and why laughter still feels like one of the most meaningful ways to lift someone's spirit.Tune in and enjoy this warm and wonderfully unexpected ride with Jonathan Kite.In This Episode: • How stand-up comedy evolves with every audience • The art and heart behind great impressions • A life-changing call that arrived at the exact right moment • What Jonathan learned from Robin Williams, Norm Macdonald, and others • Why laughter matters more than everThis episode is sponsored by:Bison Junk Removal (Effortless solution to your junk removal needs!)Bio:Jonathan Kite is a versatile actor, comedian, and master impressionist, famous for his role as Oleg the Ukrainian cook on the hit CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls.Known for his quick wit and over 250 celebrity impressions, Jonathan has built a diverse career across television, film, voice acting, and stand-up comedy. His notable credits include starring opposite Jamie Foxx in the Netflix series Dad Stop Embarrassing Me and voicing characters in animated films like The Addams Family 2, as well as shows like Family Guy and American Dad.An alumnus of Second City and The Groundlings, he tours nationally with his stand-up and is currently producing his feature screenwriting debut. Jonathan is celebrated as one of today's most versatile comedic talents.Website: https://www.jonathankitecomedy.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathankite/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialjonathankite/TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@thejonathankiteYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JONATHANKITECOMEDYConnect with Gary: Gary's Website Follow Gary on Instagram Gary's Tiktok Gary's Facebook Watch the episodes on YouTube Advertise on the Podcast Thank you for listening. Let us know what you think about this episode. Leave us a review!

Experience the profound impact of the Big Favour Season of Sharing. With your support, R3.1-million was raised, providing enough essential food items to fill a wheelbarrow with rice, sugar, beans, samp, flour, onions, potatoes, butternut, maize meal, and oil. This contribution will sustain a family of four for up to six weeks with three nutritious meals a day. Darren, Sky, and Carmen visited Buhlebethu High School to witness the difference your generosity is making, and the encounter transformed their perspective in ways they never expected. Webpage

In this re-release special episode, host Jason Blitman dives into the world of Wicked. Joined by legendary author Gregory Maguire, Guest Gay Reader is comedian and host of That's a Gay Ass Podcast, Eric Williams, and Gays Reading's first Guest Gay Icon, Broadway powerhouse Eden Espinosa. Highlights include:

Bring the magic of Disney to your small businesses by showing how exceptional customer service creates unforgettable loyalty.Join me as I chat with Vance Morris, a former Disney executive turned small business owner and customer experience expert. Vance shares how his time at Disney taught him the power of systems, emotional connections, and attention to detail. He explains how these lessons help him create “walk-on-burning-coals loyalty” for his customers. Whether it's using direct mail, personal touches like handwritten notes, or even bringing flowers to fix a service mistake, Vance emphasizes that great customer service is about making people feel valued and remembered.With his signature humor and actionable advice, Vance shows how small businesses can stand out by focusing on the details that build trust and long-term relationships. His approach proves that delivering exceptional experiences isn't just for Disney—it's for any business that cares about its customers.Highlights:Learn how creating consistent systems can make every customer interaction smooth, memorable, and impactful.Discover why emotional connections, like personalized touches in service and marketing, lead to customer loyalty.Understand how creative strategies, like direct mail and thoughtful gestures, keep your business top of mind.Gain insights into turning service mistakes into opportunities to strengthen customer relationships.Explore practical ways to deliver standout customer experiences that build trust and long-term success.Connect with Vance:Website: https://deliverservicenow.comGet Vance's book, Systematic Magic, for free now at https://book.deliverservicenow.com/free-bookIn appreciation for being here, I have some gifts for you:A LinkedIn Checklist for setting up your fully optimized Profile:An opportunity to test drive the Follow Up system I recommend by checking out my website (https://www.sendoutcards.com/u/janiceporter) … you won't regret it.AND … Don't forget to connect with me on LinkedIn and be eligible for my complimentary LinkedIn profile audit – I do one each month for a lucky listener!Connect with me:http://JanicePorter.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/janiceporter/https://www.facebook.com/janiceporter1https://www.instagram.com/socjanice/Thanks for listening!Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode andthink that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the socialmedia buttons on this page.Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a note inthe comment section below!Subscribe to the podcastIf you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you cansubscribe to the podcast on Apple...

In this episode, Toni sits down with Jyl to talk about how Unforgettable mirrors so many real-life blended family dynamics — from those awkward mood-killing moments, to the pressure of perfection, to the kind of “helpfulness” that feels more like surveillance than support.We also chat about:the relatable tension between new relationships and old attachmentsthe curated, image-driven motherhood we've all bumped up againsthow control can hide behind routines, reminders, and “just being helpful”those unexpected drop-ins that send every stepmum's blood pressure upthe school-gate politics that make you feel like you're walking into enemy territorythe emotional manipulation and identity spirals blended families know too welland the truly unhinged moments in the film that had us saying, “Honestly… been there.”This isn't a movie recap — it's a stepmum conversation about the wild accuracy buried inside a Hollywood thrillerSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/raising-his-kids/donations

"Is time truly the greatest currency we possess?" That's the question Kent Hance opens with, setting the stage for an episode packed with wisdom, humor, and unforgettable stories. In this lively installment of "Kent Hance, The Best Storyteller in Texas," Kent dives deep into the value of time, sharing personal routines and life hacks that keep him sharp at 83 years old—including answering emails while on the treadmill and making calls while walking the halls. His philosophy: "People that organize their time and don't waste time are always successful." Listeners are treated to a masterclass in negotiation, as Kent reveals how physical fitness can give you an edge at the bargaining table The episode then takes flight with Kent's insider perspective on Southwest Airlines, from its humble beginnings sketched on a bar napkin to its transformation under new leadership. Kent's close friendship with legendary founder Herb Kelleher brings rare insights, including the story of how a baggage handler's suggestion revolutionized turnaround times and how Herb's "customers always right" mantra shaped the airline's culture. Kent doesn't shy away from the big changes facing Southwest, expressing concern over the loss of free baggage and the shift to assigned seating. His candid reflections are peppered with classic Kent Hance humor—like his trick for keeping the middle seat empty and his take on flying with pets: "If you need a dog to fly, then don't fly." The episode rounds out with heartwarming tales of family reunions, Thanksgiving gatherings, and the enduring importance of connecting with loved ones. Kent's storytelling is as sharp as ever, leaving listeners with memorable quotes such as, "The greatest currency is time," and practical advice: "Be sure and get plenty of exercise, and take care of your time." Whether you're a fan of Texas lore, business wisdom, or just great storytelling, this episode is a must-listen. Kent's blend of humor, insight, and authenticity will leave you inspired to make the most of every moment. Host Background Kent Hance is a celebrated Texas storyteller, former chancellor, and seasoned negotiator whose colorful career spans law, politics, and business. His close relationships with industry icons like Herb Kelleher and his firsthand experience with Southwest Airlines make him uniquely qualified to discuss the airline's evolution and the importance of leadership, culture, and customer service. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments "People that organize their time and don't waste time are always successful." "If you need a dog to fly, then don't fly." "The greatest currency is time." The story of the baggage handler's suggestion that changed Southwest's turnaround times. Kent's humorous advice for keeping the middle seat empty: "Get that barf bag and open it and look at it." Call-to-Action Enjoyed Kent's stories and insights? Don't miss a single episode—subscribe now, leave a review, and share this episode with friends who appreciate great storytelling and Texas wisdom. Connect with us on Instagram at @best storyteller podcast and join the conversation!  

unforgettable teacher - Impromptu speech at TT groupunforgettable teacher- spotify podcast#teacher #life #nagendrabharathi #speech My Poems in Tamil and English are available at https://www.amazon.com/author/nagendrabharathi

Send us a textIn this episode, I'm counting down 7 unforgettable CIM moments from my seven years at the California International Marathon. From my first CIM in 2016, to becoming a three-time ambassador, to officially joining the pace team in 2021, to running with legends like Benny and Bruce — these stories shaped me as a runner, a pacer, and a believer that all runners count.Whether you're running CIM this year or dreaming about it someday, this episode is packed with inspiration, behind-the-scenes pacing memories, and the start-line magic that makes CIM one of the best marathons in the world.If you're running CIM this year, I'll be pacing the 5:50 group again. Come say hi at the expo or at the start line!✨ Free 5:50 Pace Band ✨ Interval Running for Beginners Course ✨ From the blog: The First California International Marathon (CIM) Six hour PacerSupport the showWelcome to the Run Strong Run Podcast! The show where I, Stephanie Dunlap, empower runners of all levels to lace up, chase their dreams, and cross every finish line stronger than ever. To join the discussion live, follow me on Instagram @runstrongrun, TikTok @runstrongrun, or on my website at runstrongrun.com About Stephanie: Stephanie is a beginner run coach, marathon pacer, and your number-one cheerleader! Stephanie went from couch potato to marathoner in 2012 and "Run Strong Run" was born. Since running her first marathon, she's run over 50 full marathons! Stephanie believes that ALL runners count from the fast to the back of the pack. In Stephanie's words, "If you run, you are a runner!"

Fluent Fiction - French: Chasing Light: An Unforgettable Provencal Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/fr/episode/2025-11-29-08-38-20-fr Story Transcript:Fr: Les rayons du soleil couchant enveloppent doucement les champs de lavande de Provence, transformant le paysage en un tableau majestueux.En: The rays of the setting sun gently envelop the champs de lavande of Provence, transforming the landscape into a majestic painting.Fr: Élodie respire profondément cet air frais d'automne.En: Élodie breathes deeply this fresh autumn air.Fr: Elle rêve depuis longtemps de capturer cette beauté avec son appareil photo.En: She has long dreamed of capturing this beauty with her camera.Fr: Ses amis, Luc et Thibault, l'ont accompagnée, chacun apportant sa propre énergie au voyage.En: Her friends, Luc and Thibault, have come along, each bringing their own energy to the journey.Fr: Cependant, le ciel noir n'est pas d'accord avec leurs plans.En: However, the black sky does not agree with their plans.Fr: Un orage inattendu menace leur projet.En: An unexpected storm threatens their project.Fr: Les nuages lourds cachent le soleil, et le vent balaie les champs, emportant avec lui les derniers parfums de lavande.En: The heavy clouds hide the sun, and the wind sweeps across the fields, carrying with it the last scents of lavender.Fr: « Peut-être que nous devrions faire demi-tour », suggère Luc, pratique et prudent comme toujours.En: "Maybe we should turn back," suggests Luc, practical and cautious as always.Fr: Il regarde le ciel avec inquiétude.En: He looks at the sky with concern.Fr: « Le temps ne semble pas vouloir s'améliorer.En: "The weather doesn't seem to want to improve."Fr: » Élodie hésite.En: Élodie hesitates.Fr: Son cœur est partagé entre l'envie de capturer ces vues éphémères et le fait de respecter la sécurité.En: Her heart is torn between the desire to capture these fleeting views and respecting safety.Fr: Thibault, toujours l'esprit créatif et joyeux, essaie de réconforter le groupe.En: Thibault, always the creative and cheerful spirit, tries to comfort the group.Fr: « On peut toujours trouver une autre aventure », dit-il avec un sourire.En: "We can always find another adventure," he says with a smile.Fr: Juste au moment où ils décident de retourner vers la ville, le vent faiblit miraculeusement.En: Just as they decide to head back to the city, the wind miraculously weakens.Fr: Les nuages s'écartent lentement, laissant passer un rayon de soleil doré.En: The clouds slowly part, allowing a golden ray of sunshine through.Fr: C'est une fenêtre d'opportunité rare, comme un cadeau inattendu du ciel.En: It's a rare window of opportunity, like an unexpected gift from the sky.Fr: « C'est maintenant ou jamais, » s'exclame Élodie avec une nouvelle détermination.En: "It's now or never," exclaims Élodie with newfound determination.Fr: Sa décision est prise.En: Her decision is made.Fr: Elle veut tenter sa chance, et son enthousiasme contagieux convainc ses amis.En: She wants to take her chance, and her contagious enthusiasm convinces her friends.Fr: Luc soupire, mais finalement, il acquiesce.En: Luc sighs, but eventually, he agrees.Fr: « D'accord, allons-y.En: "Alright, let's go."Fr: » Les trois amis avancent courageusement à travers le champ, leurs pas écrasant doucement les bruyères.En: The three friends bravely move through the field, their steps softly crushing the heather.Fr: La lumière se change en un spectacle de couleurs, un crépuscule de feu et d'or qui embrase les immenses draps de lavande.En: The light turns into a spectacle of colors, a twilight of fire and gold that ignites the vast lavender sheets.Fr: Élodie ajuste son appareil photo et commence à capturer ces moments précieux.En: Élodie adjusts her camera and begins capturing these precious moments.Fr: Luc et Thibault l'encouragent, amusés par sa passion renouvelée.En: Luc and Thibault encourage her, amused by her renewed passion.Fr: Les clichés sont parfaits.En: The shots are perfect.Fr: Élodie sait que ces précieux souvenirs ne sont pas seulement pour son projet, mais aussi pour l'amitié et la complicité renforcées par cette aventure.En: Élodie knows that these precious memories are not only for her project but also for the friendship and bond strengthened by this adventure.Fr: Elle se sent grandie, fière d'avoir choisi de braver ses doutes et de saisir l'instant.En: She feels grown, proud to have chosen to brave her doubts and seize the moment.Fr: Alors que la nuit s'installe, les trois amis rentrent ensemble, imprégnés d'une joie simple mais profonde.En: As night falls, the three friends return together, filled with a simple but profound joy.Fr: La Provence leur a offert plus qu'un paysage à admirer ; elle a révélé la force de leur amitié, la capacité d'Élodie à s'adapter, et la beauté de vivre pleinement chaque instant.En: Provence has given them more than a landscape to admire; it has revealed the strength of their friendship, Élodie's ability to adapt, and the beauty of living every moment to the fullest. Vocabulary Words:setting sun: le soleil couchantlandscape: le paysageautumn: l'automnestorm: l'orageclouds: les nuageswind: le ventsafety: la sécuritéadventure: l'aventureray of sunshine: le rayon de soleilopportunity: l'opportunitégift: le cadeaudetermination: la déterminationenthusiasm: l'enthousiasmedoubts: les doutestwilight: le crépusculeheather: les bruyèresmemories: les souvenirsproject: le projetfriendship: l'amitiébond: la complicitéstrength: la forceability: la capacitébeauty: la beautémoment: l'instantjoy: la joielavender: la lavandecamera: l'appareil photojourney: le voyagepainting: le tableauview: la vue

Everyone thinks Ray Liotta killed his wife, but he knows he didn't, because she was...UnforgettableWe got some real soft sci-fi here with being able to inject yourself with brain juice and live out peoples final moments, or perhaps their whole lives if you do too much. Will Liotta solve his wife's murder? Is there maybe a whole extra thing going on here? Are Jason and Jules super pumped whenever they see Kim Coates? Tune in!#podcast #rayliotta #lindafiorentino #kimcoates #petercoyote #christophermcdonald

Join Blake Munroe, Coach Tim Buchanan, Gerry Hamilton, Carl Padilla, and Coach Bob Shipley as they dive into the heart-pounding action of the high school playoffs! From thrilling one-point games and standout performances to unexpected upsets and strategic insights, we cover it all. Hear expert analysis on key matchups across divisions, player highlights, and a look ahead at what's to come. Don't miss the excitement as the countdown to the championships intensifies! #HighSchoolFootball #Playoffs #Fieldhouse   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi dives deep into what makes a truly exceptional volunteer user experience — from the very first moment someone encounters your organization, through onboarding, active service, and beyond. Tobi breaks down the five core UX principles nonprofits must master — clarity, consistency, ease, empathy, and delight and explains how they shape volunteer satisfaction, retention, and commitment. You'll also learn how to walk the path through your own volunteer journey to spot quick-win improvements and elevate your entire program. Full show notes: 190. 5 Principles for an Unforgettable Volunteer User ExperienceUser Experience - Episode Highlights [01:00] – What a volunteer user experience actually is [03:00] – The five phases of the volunteer journey [08:00] – User experience principle #1: Clarity [09:00] – User experience principle #2: Consistency [12:00] – User experience principle #3: Ease [14:00] – User experience principle #4: Empathy [15:00] – User experience principle #5: Delight [17:00] – High-impact action: Walk the Path  Helpful Links Volunteer Management Progress Report  VolunteerPro Impact Lab Volunteer Nation Episode #184 - The Experience Economy – Are Nonprofits Keeping Up? Volunteer Nation Episode #183 - The New Reality - Volunteers Don't Need You Volunteer Nation Episode #118: 8 Ways to Make Volunteering Experiences Much Easier  Thanks for listening to this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to subscribe, rate, and review so we can reach more people like you who want to improve the impact of their good cause. For more tips and notes from the show, check us out at TobiJohnson.com. For any comments or questions, email us at WeCare@VolPro.net.

My wife and I just got back from one of the most incredible Israel tours we've ever taken—truly a journey we'll never forget. This trip was filled with meaningful moments, breathtaking sights, and more “firsts” than we ever expected. We can't wait to unpack all of it with you—what we saw, what we learned, and what impacted us the most. Join us on this episode of the Endtime Show as we take you along on our amazing adventure through the Holy Land! ⭐️: True Gold Republic: Get The Endtime Show special on precious metals at https://www.endtimegold.com📱: It's never been easier to understand. Stream Only Source Network and access exclusive content: https://watch.osn.tv/browse📚: Check out Jerusalem Prophecy College Online for less than $60 per course: https://jerusalemprophecycollege.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Please Follow us on: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! In this special 200th episode, Kimberly and Tommaso celebrate a milestone while discussing their upcoming move to Italy. They share insights into Italian holiday traditions and meals, offering a look at how these differ from American celebrations. Key Points: The Podcast's Journey: Kimberly and Tommaso il Favoloso reflect on 200 episodes of their podcast which they started during COVID.. Their podcast's goal has always been to share their love of Italy and offer travel insights. Future plans include returning to a weekly episode schedule after their move to Italy. Thanksgiving in America vs. Holidays in Italy: Kimberly describes the traditional American Thanksgiving meal, which has remained largely unchanged for 400 years. Tommaso shares his enjoyment of the Thanksgiving meal. The conversation shifts to Italian holiday meals, highlighting their variety and cultural significance. Visiting Italy during a holiday offers a chance to experience unique traditions and less crowded destinations. Italian Christmas Eve (La Vigilia): Most Europeans celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with their main meal. The traditional Christmas Eve meal in Italy is seafood, a “lean day” without meat. Italian Christmas Eve dinner begins early with aperitivo, followed by antipasti (no meat), pasta or risotto and fish as the main course. Desserts include panettone, pandoro and torrone. Kimberly recounts loud, lively Christmas Eve dinners in Milan with extended family. Italian Easter (Pasqua): For Easter, Italians eat lamb, not ham. The day starts with Colomba, a dove-shaped, sweeter version of panettone, symbolizing peace and rebirth. Eggs are important, appearing in dishes like torta pasqualina and brodetto pasquale. Artichokes, asparagus, or chicory accompany the lamb. A popular dessert is pastiera napolitana, a creamy, sweet cake from Naples. Other Italian Holidays: Italy celebrates several non-religious holidays, such as Liberation Day and Festa della Repubblica. Religious holidays like Ognissanti on November 1st involves eating Pane de Morti (bread of the dead). New Year's Eve (Capodanno) is a religious holiday focused on symbolic foods for luck and prosperity. Old school Italians eat 12 grapes at midnight for luck in each month of the year. Epifania (Epiphany) on January 6th, marks the end of the Christmas season and includes a fun tradition with La Befana, a kind witch who brings treats. Celebrations for La Befana include a regatta in Venice and a national festival in Urbania Planning Your Trip: Experiencing Italian holidays offers a chance to enjoy different cultural traditions and foods. Agriturismos or small family-run hotels are ideal for experiencing traditional holiday meals. Join us in this episode as we uncover the true essence of Italian holiday traditions, providing a realistic and enriching perspective on what to expect and enjoy.

Some adventures feel almost dreamlike—where even in the moment, you know you'll remember every detail. That was Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef for us. After sailing up from Tasmania, we arrived in the tropical north of Australia, where palm trees frame the marina and the Coral Sea glows in every shade of blue. Cairns practically invites adventure, and for us, the Great Barrier Reef was the moment we'd been waiting for. We booked a small-group snorkel trip heading out to Upolu Reef—and what we found there was unforgettable. Vibrant coral, giant clams the size of a loveseat, clownfish, sea turtles… and we were merely visitors in their world. But the adventure didn't end in Cairns. As the sun set and we sailed away, we began a new chapter—five full days at sea. Just us, the Crown Princess with 3000 of our newest friends, and the wide-open ocean… while a Category 4 cyclone churned only a couple hundred kilometers away near Darwin. This episode is all about that contrast: the wonder of the reef and the vast quiet of days spent crossing open water. Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure. Help Support the Podcast - you can Buy Us a Coffee Book This Snorkel Tour with Reef Adventures Don't miss more episodes from this trip: Episode 147 - What Surprised Us the Most About Sydney & Brisbane Australia - One Day Itineraries & Tips Resources & Links Want curated travel deals every week? Subscribe to Travel Deal Insiders — the best travel deals sent straight to your inbox. Get Our Ultimate Packing Guide for Traveling Smart and Packing Light + Access to Exclusive Weekly Content here. Don't waste your precious vacation time with Jet Lag, get Flykitt and watch Jet Lag disappear! Protect your privacy, boost your security, and keep your browsing data safe with Express VPN. Plus, get 3 months free with a yearly plan. Follow Sunshine Travelers Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Read more about this and other travel destinations on our BLOG Follow our travels on TikTok @sunshinetravelerspodcast Follow us on X @sunshinetrvlrs Connect with us on LinkedIn @sunshinetravelerspodcast Get travel tips and follow our travels on Instagram: @sunshinetravelerspodcast Connect with us on Threads @sunshinetravelerspodcast Connect with us on Threads See our travel videos on YouTube @sunshinetravelerspodcast Save our travel ideas on Pinterest @sunshinetravelerspodcast Music: This Acoustic Happy Music by Dmitrii Kolesnikov from Pixabay

One on One Video Call W/George https://tidycal.com/georgepmonty/60-minute-meetingSupport the show:https://www.paypal.me/Truelifepodcast?locale.x=en_USThe Lila Code: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4612-3942

In this episode of the show our November journey through the films of John Dahl continues with his 1996 Unforgettable. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us talk about the ways in which this movie continues Dahl's pet obsession with film noir and how it departs from it, how it fits into the 90s microtrend of thrillers with a sci-fi element like Strange Days or Flatliners and how it might have been partially inspired by the stunning success of The X-Files too. We also talk about the uncanny visage of Ray Liotta, the importance of staying in your lane as a medical examiner and just how much different this movie would have been if memory juice came not as an injectable but as a suppository. Tune in and enjoy!Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy BurrowsIntro: Infraction - CassetteOutro: Infraction - DaydreamHead over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠uncutgemspodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to find all of our archival episodes and more!Follow us on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@UncutGemsPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), IG (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@UncutGemsPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Facebook (@UncutGemsPod)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy us a coffee over at Ko-Fi.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (ko-fi.com/uncutgemspod)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our Patreon!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (patreon.com/uncutgemspod)

Celebrating 250 episodes with a best-of collection featuring iconic interviews, unforgettable Hollywood stories, and classic moments from The Richard Roeper Podcast & Screen Time with Roe & Roeper. Relive standout conversations with Bob Odenkirk, Jennifer Hudson, James Caan, Chance the Rapper, and more in this milestone episode. The Richard Roeper Show is brought to you by Americaneagle.com Studios. 

Mark Pope, despondent over the Michigan State loss; (12:00) Mark Stoops feels a bit better about the NIL/portal era; (19:00) Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy on the UK-MSU mess; (32:00) EKU RB Brayden Lathem gets excited on Game Day, no matter what; (39:00) Unforgettable guard Sean Woods on UK's point guard woes; (59:00) West End Bureau Chief Gary Moore and a fictional pro football coach with some ringing words of wisdom...

In episode #256, we unpack the real reason some professionals are welcomed, remembered, and trusted, while others blend into the background.  Susan breaks down the non-obvious, leader-level skills today's professionals need to stand out in meetings, networking events, interviews, client dinners, and every room that matters. This episode goes far deeper than "smile more" or "make eye contact." You'll learn the elevated, strategic social-intelligence behaviors that actually impact influence, reputation, and advancement, especially for analytical high-achievers who weren't taught these skills in school. **  Don't even know where to begin in improving your interpersonal skills? Are you ready to leave social stress behind and go from where you are to where you want to be? Confidence on Cue: a powerful 5-minute audio that resets your mind before any meeting, presentation, or social interaction. Schedule your exclusive, private, one-to-one challenge. Book a Social Strategy Session HERE Have a question that needs an answer. Email me at Hello@SocialConfidencePro.com  LinkedIn Instagram TikTok

What if your pet resort delivered the kind of service that made people rave about you—and gladly pay more? In this episode, you'll learn how to take a page from one of the most iconic service brands in the world and apply those same principles to your daycare, boarding, grooming, or training business. It's all about creating intentional, memorable customer experiences that set you apart.From empowering your staff to go above and beyond, to using small details to build deep client loyalty, Fern breaks down five key strategies you can start using right away. This isn't about fancy buildings or big budgets—it's about mindset, consistency, and making people feel seen and valued. Tune in and discover how to make top-tier service your new secret weapon.

You don't need to be loud to make an impression. Here's the guide to building a personal brand when you're introverted. Goldie Chan is a creative, keynote speaker, author and she was named the Oprah of LinkedIn. Brought to you By: The Sonar Network https://thesonarnetwork.com/

In this special episode, I'm sharing something deeply personal: a first listen to my upcoming book, “You Are Unforgettable: Build a Personal Brand That Gets You Paid.” After three years of writing, editing, and pouring everything I've learned about reinvention and personal branding into these pages, I'm proud to announce that the book officially releases December 16th on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Today, I'm bringing you the Preface, titled “Crossing The Rubicon.” It is a story about taking a leap, betting on yourself, and stepping fully into who you were meant to be. Then using that to your advantage by building a personal brand around it.  This episode is for anyone standing at that edge, ready to cross their own Rubicon. When the book releases on December 16th, I'd be incredibly grateful for your support by grabbing a copy, sharing it with a friend, and leaving a review to help spread the message. Better yet, please send this episode out to everyone you know! ✨ “You Are Unforgettable: Build a Personal Brand That Gets You Paid”

“Our Teacher” is a collection of essays written by students of Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong). This series is comprised of their personal experiences with the practice and their interactions with Dafa's founder, Mr. Li Hongzhi, when the practice was first taught to the public. The writings were originally published on the Minghui […]

Vance Morris from Deliver Service Now Institute discusses his entrepreneurial journey and the valuable insights he gained about customer experience through his time at Disney and while building his own companies. He and Dave explore why delivering an outstanding customer experience is crucial and how businesses can retain their best customers. Vance also breaks down his MAGIC approach, emphasizing the importance of focusing on details, refining systems and processes, and other key areas that drive business success.