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Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 8 Intruders! Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. October 26, 2020. Monday afternoon, Reena took lunch duties. Lunch was often individual or in small groups, but she really wanted a crack at cooking for everyone. She said it could be 'come and go' to still facilitate varied schedules around the house. Her idea was ramen. But, it wasn't just basic out of the package. Well, it was, but with a variety of add-ons. You could pick your flavor of ramen, then she'd prepared chopped carrots, nori, sesame oil, diced onion, spam, eggs (fried up for each bowl individually) and Korean red pepper powder that Jan had gotten added to the spice rack. Oh, Reena still cooked it up, but each bowl was individual, and made on request. When Jan came in for lunch, she laughed warmly. Beaming, Reena asked hopefully, "Just like mom would make?" Jan placed a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. "Not exactly dear. This is ore like what my Caucasian aunt would make when she tried to be authentic." Reena's face and shoulders seemed to suddenly melt. Jan stepped in beside the teen, wrapping her arms around her. "And the one time I made fun of my aunt for it in my mother's hearing was the last. She pulled me aside and scolded me for being insensitive, and ungrateful. Mom said that ramen was always about making something tasty, with love and what ever ingredients were available." Jan made a point of looking over the prepped ingredients arrayed on the counter. "And this is exactly what you have done." She kissed Reena on her cheek. "Thank you. Thank you for the meal, and thank you for reminding me of two lovely, caring women in my life." Reena hugged her. Then she got the specifics of what Jan wanted and got busy making it. Dave stepped out of his office and got two steps down the hallway when Lupie found him. "Dave, could I use your office and computer for a bit? It's kind of urgent. I was in the middle of some trades and my laptop died." "Again?" Dave chuckled. Lupie looked chagrined and rolled her eyes. "Good thing you have your software installed in there already. Just log me off and do what you gotta do. How long do you need me to stay out?" "Rest of the afternoon?" "Okay." Dave started to walk away but Lupie snagged him by the shirtfront and tugged him towards her. They kissed softly. They didn't hear the small footsteps approaching. "Oh gag me with a tamale." Both adults laughed too hard to maintain the kiss. "I do need to get in there," Lupie said. A quick peck and she scampered into the office. Dave knelt down and wrapped Esme in a hug. "And you, rascal, need to give it a rest. We keep a lot out of your sight because; well because it should be out of your viewing. So give us a break on the kissing once in a while, huh?" "Yessir" her tone sounded reluctant, but the grin was hard to suppress. She took four quick steps away from him before turning. "Dave?" "Yes, sweetie?" "Thanks for making mom happy." "Never have I ever; used a pay phone," Reena said with a wicked grin. Shawna and all the ladies over thirty took a drink. Dave first reached into his pocket, pulled his hand back out, and tossed a quarter at Reena. Then he took a drink. Liv busted out laughing. "One of Dad's favorite songs!" she cried as she cackled loudly and leaned a bit too far over into Mel. They'd been going for over half an hour. And she and Mel had pre-gamed. "Song?" Reena asked. "Pay phones used to cost a quarter to make a call. Early nineties, there was a country breakup song called 'Here's a Quarter, Call Someone Who Cares'," Dave filled in. Reena pouted, then stuck out her tongue. "Okay, Lupie, your turn," Jan prompted. 'Never have I ever; done the splits." Reena threw one back. Liv joined her, while Dave laughed. "That laugh suggests a story," Nessa observed. "Yeah, yeah," Liv replied. "I was; oh, about ten or so?" "Eleven," Dave corrected. "Right. Anyway, the girlie girl types were saying I was not really a girl if I couldn't do the splits. So I did." Dave cleared his throat. Liv blushed. "On top of the monkey bars." All the older ladies burst out laughing. "Well, that showed them!" Shawna rejoined. "And I believe it's Dave's turn now." "Alright, never have I ever; taken a nude or semi-nude selfie." Reena's eyes bugged out. She reached for her drink, threw back a slug, then covered her face with her hand. Mel, Liv, and Nessa followed suit. That was no shock to anyone. Jan doing so caught a few looks. "Nope, not gonna talk about it." Jan's face was as red as Melanie's hair. "Okay, moving on; " "Not yet. Someone hasn't drunk." Dave said. He looked at Becca, clearing his throat. "What?! I've never sent nude selfies. You're the first guy I ever got naked for!" "I believe you." Then Dave held up his phone and waggled it. Becca's eyes got wide. "Oh, crap, I forgot about that!" The young blonde blushed about six shades of red before reaching for her drink. "Oh, this I gotta hear." Melanie breathed. Becca hid her face in her hands, peeking between two fingers. Lupie laughed loudly. "Okay, you busted me out, so spill." Becca looked pleadingly at Dave, then shrugged her shoulders, giving him a nod. "Loops, you remember that very first day, when the vax guy came around?" Lupie nodded in reply. "And you wondered why Becca was acting all embarrassed after I told you I'd accepted you both?" "Yes?; oh!" "I told you she'd be the one to say it was okay to tell you what happened? She just did." Lupie just nodded in reply. "Uh, care to fill the rest of us in?" Mel asked. "So the CDC guy came around mid-September. He got to Lupie's house first. She sent him over here with a letter asking that I request her and Becca, giving her reasons why I should say yes. After setting things up with Arthur, I texted both of them that I would make the request. Becca replied with a selfie. With her shirt and bra pulled up. Still have it by the way." Dave winked at Becca. "Shit, we shoulda thought of that! Right after the video call!" Liv groused, nudging Mel. "Another missed first." "Becca was weeks before that call, so still first. Well, first amongst this group, not first ever." "Oh, yeah?" Dave dodged. "Old girlfriend, long time ago. So, who's turn is it next?" Thankfully, they let it slide. October 27, 2020. Dave descended the stairs to see Olivia, Becca and Reena watching a 90's movie. The two teens were making a concerted effort to take in as much of the movies and songs that Dave had grown up with, particularly the ones he had physical copies of. Reena had taken some adjusting to the idea of watching without streaming. Not that they didn't stream at all. Last night, Dave had discovered several of his partners, including Reena, hadn't yet seen Hamilton. That required immediate correction. "Wow, really? It's a great story, well executed, and it's historical. I mean, yeah, they take some liberties, but Miranda was pretty true to the essence of the characters." "But history?" Reena whined. "It's just a bunch of old white guys." Dave looked askance at her. "You're sleeping with an old white guy." Reena's face fell, and Dave's heart with it. In a soft voice, she said, "You're not just an old white guy to me." Her head wasn't exactly hanging, but she didn't meet his eyes. Fuck, emotional landmine triggered. Splash damage accumulating. Dave got up swiftly, without rushing, to stand in front of her and take her in his arms. He kissed the crown of her head as her face nestled in his chest. "I'm sorry honey, I didn't mean to sound so disparaging." Reena slipped her arms around Dave and took him in a hug. Several others joined in, circling the pair in their arms. "Reena, honey?" Shawna prompted. "The guy who wrote it had a vision to make the story more interesting than 'just a bunch of old white guys. Give it a try. I think you'll like it." As often happened, Shawna was spot-on. This morning though, the trio were watching Dave's blu-ray of Twister. "You know, we'll have to watch this in April. Before or during the first severe thunderstorm warning." Dave said as he rounded the back corner to pass them without blocking their view. All three girls chuckled lightly and accepted the kisses Dave planted on them as he passed behind them on his way to the library. Entering, he found Vanessa lounging with a book. He took a seat in easy speaking distance without crowding her. "So, how are you settling in?" "Pretty well. It's; so peaceful here. I really expected a house with this many people in it to be more chaotic. I mean, there's a fun energy here, and a lot of life, but it's; so soothing here. Thank you, David. For accepting me, for just; being here to match with." "I'm enjoying having you here. Beyond the obvious, I mean." Nessa snickered at that. "You've slipped rather smoothly into the family and already I couldn't imagine this place, or us, without you." "That's so sweet, thank you." "Maybe once the whole state's vaccinated, we'll get some normalcy and get out to do the usual family things together." "When we get some normalcy again, you ought to marry Lupie." "I should marry all of you." "No. No, I don't feel that way. Lupie does. Olivia does. And maybe Janice. Shawna too, she has it bad for you. Becca is still young and sorting it all out. Same goes for Reena and Mel. I don't share that depth of bond. I wouldn't want to cheapen what they have with you by sharing a marriage ceremony when I don't have that connection. I damn well better be one of the bridesmaids though" A wry smile crossed Vanessa's face. "I care for you. I love you. I love this family. I am not in love with you." "If it weren't for this damn serum, you would be free to find someone to have that bond with." Vanessa's eyes watered. "Don't ever say that again." There was steel in every syllable. "I may not be in love with you, but this is one of the best relationships I've ever had. I have more joy; not mere happiness; joy in my life now than I have had in a very long time. If the serum caused this, then Thank God and bring it on. I wouldn't change what I have right now for anything. I know you care for me. I can feel it. I feel it from each of the others. What we have is special and I don't ever want to let it go." Dave stood and walked towards Vanessa. From one eye, a tear rolled down her cheek. "I haven't felt this safe and accepted since I was a little girl that didn't know what emotional pain was." She closed her eyes, surrendering, hopeful, to what he might do next. Dave bent down, bringing his face to hers. He kissed each eye gently. He kissed each tear streak. He kissed her gently on the nose, eliciting a small giggle. He kissed her lips, softly at first, growing firmer as she responded. She broke the kiss and opened her eyes in time to see his eyes opening. She could see the tears watering them. "You're going to make me fall in love with you aren't you?" "No. I'm going to give you every reason to, and let you decide." Dave reached underneath Vanessa and lifted her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him as he carried her. Olivia noticed them coming out of the library. With a small grin she began singing in a soft voice "Who; knows what to-morrow brings; in a world; few hearts survive ;” Dave tried scowling at her, but he couldn't get the grin off his face. As they neared the base of the stairs, Vanessa ceased her slow circuit of kissing Dave's cheek, neck and lips. "I think you better let me walk from here stud." Dave chuckled and lowered her feet to the floor. They rose up the stairs, side-by-side joined at the hips, shoulders, and lips. From below, they heard Olivia mutter "God that's hot." Reena Umm-hmmed her agreement. "My nipples are freaking diamonds right now." Entering the bedroom, Dave and Vanessa began removing each other's clothes, quickly, but without frenzy. They stood naked, at the end of the bed, kissing, holding and softly groping each other. Dave pressed in close and gripped Vanessa under the curve of her ass. He lifted her and tossed her into the middle of the bed. She squealed happily as she flew. Dave slowly crawled up the bed, kissing Vanessa as he went. He started by kissing the big toe of her left foot and proceeded down the top of her foot to her ankle. Then he switched to her right foot. When he reached her ankle, he continued laying soft, gentle kisses up her shin. Then again up her left shin. He avoided the backs of her calves, her kneecap and the inside of her knee. These spots were very ticklish for Vanessa. Becca loved the loss of control when Dave tickled her. Becca and Janice loved the counter play of tickling and sexual stimulation. Vanessa would mule-kick him through a wall if he tickled her. And be out of the mood. And be pissed for a few days. So no tickle-y He kissed his way up the tops and outsides of each leg. He kissed a wandering path around her abdomen, taking time at her belly button like a caravan merchant at an oasis. Vanessa moaned. Her belly button was one of her favorite places for Dave to play with. Dave began working his way upward again, kissing in a straight line that ran up from her navel between her tits. He looked up as he rose, seeing her eyes locked on him, hungry and happy. Pure joy radiated from her face. He reached the hollow of her neck and alternated kissing with light nibbling. Vanessa moaned again and shifted beneath him. This was another of her favorite spots. He kissed up to her jaw, across her jawline, to her lips. "Umm" Vanessa hummed as Dave settled in, his body pressing firmly against hers. He rested his weight on his elbows and knees (outside of hers) and took her hands in his, out to the sides of her head, their fingers interlaced. It was more sensual than sexual. After several minutes, Dave slipped his hands loose and moved lower for the next step. He broke the kiss. Vanessa whimpered and opened her eyes. She bit back a complaint about the end of the kiss, because she knew what was coming would be better. Dave kissed her chin, then her shoulder. He stroked the outside of each tit with his fingertips. He kissed from her shoulder down to the top of her tit. He kissed around her tit, never touching the areola. Then he placed tiny, soft kisses just at the border of her areola without brushing her nipple. Vanessa whimpered. His hand played with her other tit, likewise avoiding the areola. Vanessa squeaked as he took her nipple and areola in his mouth and suckled, flicking his tongue against her nipple. "Yes; ;” she clutched the sheets and writhed beneath him. It was delicious torture. He had her worked up and ready, but kept the foreplay going rather than enter her. One finger of his hand lightly brushed across her other nipple. Back and forth. Back and forth. Light pinch. "Oh, David, please baby." Dave chuckled. He met her eyes as he descended down her body again, taking less time than when he rose. He kissed her hip, then across her pelvis and down. He kissed her mound of Venus and descended with his mouth hovering over her labia, but not touching. He let his breath brush over her entrance. Then he pulled back further and kissed her inner thigh. He heard a strangled whine from above. He nibbled. He switched thighs. More shifting and squirming. Dave latched his mouth onto Vanessa's labia and suckled like a newborn. "Yes!" Her body lifted off the bed for several seconds. He flicked his tongue against her entrance before easing it inside of her. She let out a contented moan. He slid his hands along her sides and thighs. Dave lifted his eyes to look at Vanessa. Her eyes were closed in bliss. He moved marginally forward and took her clitoris into his mouth, massaging it with his lips and tongue. "Oh God!" her eyes flew open. Hands gripped sheets and pulled hard. Her feet lifted. Dave backed off, giving her a moment. He started crawling up the bed, over top of her. Vanessa pouted and locked eyes with him. Desire and need echoed back and forth between their eyes. Dave inserted himself into her wet, relaxed passage and slid forward purposefully. Vanessa issued a sound that was both a sigh and a moan signaling her satisfaction. Once again, Dave interlaced his fingers with hers. With his hands on top of hers, and all four hands beside Nessa's ears, Dave began to rock his body overtop of her. He held himself just low enough that his chest and ribs softly grazed over her erect nipples. With slow, gentle strokes, he raised the two of them towards ecstasy. Kissing softly, they communicated without words, just sighs, moans, and hums. Time stopped and the world fell away. Just two lovers wrapped in gauzy layers of lovemaking. Nessa's body trembled with anticipation for what felt like an eternity as Dave caressed and stimulated her, hitting all her pleasure spots just so, raising her gently to one delicious climax. He buried himself to the root within her as the dam burst forth. Her erotic writhing alternatively pushed him away and strove to swallow him within her. The oscillations of her wet passage seized his organ and sent him cascading over the cliff with her. Struck by the serum induced orgasm, Nessa clutched him tightly and howled her pleasure. When Nessa's grasp loosened, Dave slipped to lie beside her, holding her close. Drifting back into the conscious world, Nessa snuggled in close, draping an arm over him. "Hmm, so that's what the girls have been calling 'the full Dave', huh? I like it." Shawna's rotating early shift was today, allowing all of us to sit down as a family and finish discussing housing preferences. Mel came in from the kitchen once Shawna arrived. "We didn't quite get there last time, but with 12 or more people, we need a bigger kitchen." Lupie said emphatically. "Preferably with a double oven and a cooktop with five burners and a grill. Four burners and no grill is still okay. And gas, not electric." "Anything else for the kitchen?" "Well, an island, preferably with power to it, but with a cutting board top, and large enough for rolling out dough." Lupie paused, looking pensive. "Did I go too far?" "Not at all, that sounds great. Especially if I actually get to use it." Dave grinned back. Lupie smirked and rolled her eyes. "Oh, and one other condition; a nice big batch of tamales after we move in." Lupie's eyes danced. "Absolutely." "I was thinking," Reena said, "how about a backyard deck?" Dave interjected "Not really necessary. It would be good to have, but I can build a reliable deck. Especially with Livy involved. You can help too if you want." "If you can do renno, I may have work for you." Vanessa smirked. Dave laughed. "I still have a day job. Our house sure, but I'm not looking to make it a job. Oh, and what ever we get needs plenty of electrical outlets. If it's really necessary, I could run a few new breakers and circuits, but seriously, I'd rather stay away from that." Shawna looked alarmed. "Baby, I believe you when you say you've got skills, but I don't want you around one-ten, or worse, two-twenty." Dave returned with a scowling laugh, "That's why you turn it off at the box, dear." "Just be careful honey." "Yes, Peaches." That earned a laugh all around, as Shawna blew a kiss at him. Nessa looked at her. "Are you from Georgia?" "No, but my parents met there in college. Mom's from Georgia, Dad was just there for school. They raised me and my brother in St. Louis." "And you went there for your degree?" "Oh no. I knew I wanted to be a meteorologist since I was a young teen. I went to O U. With the National Weather Service center right there, I got experiences I could never have gotten elsewhere. Spent a good chunk of my upper-class and grad years chasing storms." "Sounds like a lot of fun." "Oh yeah." Nessa grinned with Shawna, then turned to Dave. "I have been asked to press the idea of the towers one more time. Not so much our immediate supervisor here, but the folks back in DC. Their argument is that it's more efficient." "Unbelievable." Dave managed to avoid grumbling. "You do realize that the same people that want to shove us into a shoebox are the same little hypocrites that scream their heads off when a CEO lays off workers to make his company more efficient. Both of them are promoting the math of what they want, ignoring what they don't, and neither actually gives a shit about the people they are using like pawns." Shawna, seated beside him, stroked his arm, a slight grin on her face. "Yeah, okay, I'll climb down off my soap box. But no, I do not want to live in an apartment tower. A neighborhood, sure. A diverse neighborhood sounds great. I'm not a fan of monochrome anyway." "Clearly," Nessa said. "Just looking around the room proves that." "I'm sorry, but the whole 'I know better than you' crowd pisses me off, whether it's the church variety, the lefty variety, or the old money variety." "Okay, okay," Nessa replied light heartedly. "I had to bring it up again. I've done so, and you've been quite clear. I'll get on the search tomorrow. It may take a bit, but I'm sure we can find something that meets our requirements." The conversation turned to other subjects, and the family splintered into little knots of discussions. Mel slipped back out to check on the meal she was making. Dave didn't know what it was, but it smelled really good. Well, he knew it was something with chicken. He decided to join Mel in the kitchen. "Hey, Mel, how's it goin'?" "Almost done." Mel turned her face to his and received the offered kiss. "Smells really good. Chicken soup?" "Chicken and dumplings. From scratch. I boiled the chicken earlier this afternoon. It's about time for me to mix the dumplings. After that, it'll be ready to eat in twenty minutes." Dave wrapped his arms around her, holding her close from behind as she watched the pot. "Perfect choice for a dreary day like today. And, I haven't had chicken and dumplings in a long time." "Well, I hope you like mine." "Oh, Mel," Dave said as he nuzzled his head against hers, "you know I like your dumplings." He traced the middle finger of each hand up her sides, pulling away before reaching her tits. She cackled, turning to face him. With a light smack on his shoulder she said, "You're an old lech," she stepped in for a kiss. "But you're my old lech." She waggled her eyebrows. Dave chuckled, resting his forehead against hers. Then the doorbell rang. "Go, I need to get on the dumplings anyway." Mel swatted him on the ass as he walked away. Jan was already at the door when Dave arrived. The soldier was just handing over the clipboard. Beside her stood a young black woman with her hair in several tight braids. She stood about 5'6", with eyes that appeared to prefer laughing, but bore the potential to penetrate obfuscation, a cute button nose and a bright red lipstick on her perfectly sized mouth. Large golden hoop earrings in her ears and tight black jeans on her legs were the only attire visible other than her thick coat. Given the near-freezing temperatures and drizzle that had gone on all day long, Dave could hardly blame her. The black handle and ribbing stood out starkly from the vivid, deep pink of her umbrella canopy. It looked thoroughly functional, and infinitely girlie; maybe a bit more Wednesday Addams than cheerleader, but that didn't bother Dave in the slightest. Jan handed the clipboard back to the soldier, who departed immediately. "Hello, my name is Janice, though I prefer Jan." She held out her hand, which was taken without trepidation. "And this is Dave." He likewise reached out and shook the lady's hand. "Come on inside. We were just about to sit down for dinner." "About twenty minutes," Dave supplied. "Mel; Melanie; is making chicken and dumplings." "Oh, that sounds really good. Especially with this weather." She pulled her roller case through the foyer and parked it just inside the living room. The ladies approached her, no more than three at once, and the early few drew her towards the center of the room as they greeted her and introduced themselves. Mel, having not taken a seat yet, exited to the kitchen again, reappearing barely a minute later. "It'll be about ten more minutes," she replied to the expectant faces that turned her way. Becca and Olivia immediately stood, heading to the kitchen. Apparently, it was their turn to set the table. The light conversations and sharing continued through the meal, interrupted only by nearly everyone asking for a second bowl (Dave had four, but made sure everyone else was done eating before the last two.) Of course, each family member took multiple opportunities to praise Mel for the quality of the meal, and the excellent choice for the dreary conditions. Dave listened in on the conversations around him, paying special attention to the ones involving the new arrival, Niki. Between his own conversations with her, he learned her full name was Nicole Lassiter, and she worked as the network administrator and network security administrator for a bank headquartered in Dallas. With all the losses, she was now over all computer issues that were not customer facing. Her little brother was still in college, hunkering down in the UGA dorms. Niki, her mom, and her dad each called him at least once a week both for their own peace of mind and to keep his spirits up. Niki's parents were recently vaccinated. Her mother had styled her hair before 'her baby girl' left for the Vax Center. The tight braids she wore were called a Senegalese twist. Since her mother was a hairdresser (not that she was seeing customers at the moment) she had extensions on hand to do her daughter up right. Niki's dad had just retired from road construction work, looking to open up a barbecue restaurant; right before the lockdowns hit. Dave also noticed a slight unsteadiness on occasion when Niki walked. It made him concerned for her well-being, but he wasn't sure how to bring it up without being rude. As the evening wore on, he noticed Niki making furtive glances his way. The next time she did, he made eye contact, lifting one eyebrow. She bit her lip and nodded. Dave rose from his seat and strode to her side. A few eyes followed them as he took her hand and led her upstairs. Dave guided her to the master bedroom. Niki quickly took a seat on the bed. "You know, I didn't ask you earlier: do you want to do this here, or in a separate room? Here, you're going to wind up with several other women in the bed as well. We still have a room you could wake up in with some privacy. Shawna and I use it sometimes to spend time together when she gets home from work, and she stores clothes in there so she can dress and not disturb anyone when she has an early morning shift, but nobody uses the bed in there." "No, here's fine, thank you." Looked pensive for a moment. And a little pained. "Are you okay? If you don't want to do this; " "No, no I'm fine, really. Well, I'm not fine, but you aren't the problem, not by a long shot. I pushed myself too hard this evening. I should have spent less time standing." Dave waited while she ordered her thoughts. "I haven't been completely honest with you, Dave. I only recently got to a point where I can walk without a cane. Over a year ago, I was t-boned by a drunk driver. Shattered my legs. It'd be a good bet that half the metal in this room, is in my bones right now." She let out an annoyed snort. "I used to run track. Even got a partial scholarship that helped me get my degree. I spent months in a wheelchair, and then a walker. After that, I moved up to those forearm crutches. During lockdown, I couldn't go to the doctor, so when I felt annoyed enough with the crutches I shifted to a simple cane. And now I've been walking without any aid for over a month, but it hurts like hell; and it's tiring." "You are one tough cookie." Dave said from the spot he'd taken beside her as she spoke. "I don't feel so tough. I feel beat up and worn out." Dave hugged her. "You want me to tuck you in and let you rest? We could do the imprinting tomorrow." "No, no I want to do this with you Dave. I just may need you to go easy. And probably help me undress." "Just to be clear, you're asking me to strip your clothes off, handle your body gently, and blow a load inside you?" Dave said with a hint of sarcasm. Niki giggled. "You seem man enough to handle the job." Dave answered her with a kiss, full on the lips, pressing firmly but with moderation. His hands drifted behind her shoulder blades. Niki responded, humming into the kiss and parting her lips. When Dave's tongue probed undemandingly, hers welcomed the visitor. Dave's hands roamed slowly, taking the first steps in learning the body of his newest lover. He enjoyed the feel of her in his hands. There was a looseness, as would be expected for an athlete that had been benched. Beneath that slight layer, there was a firm core. She was; exciting. And excited. Whatever she wanted in a man, she seemed to think Dave had it. Well, that and the serum had her amped up. Dave was finally getting past feeling guilty about that. Mostly. Dave started consciously directing his hands, seeking the buttons or clasps or zipper to loosen the neck of the tight black top she was wearing. Solid black panels with a black lace overlay stitched in at regular intervals. Finding the short zipper took no time at all. He next dropped his hands, seeking the hem of her shirt under her jeans waist. There was no hem. As his hands quested, he found bare hip, with cloth from the top still diving down her front and back. Just like a swimsuit. Then it struck him. He came up for air and play scowled at her. "You could have just said it was a bodysuit." She snickered. "Aw, where's the fun in that?" Dave kissed her. Then he gently shoved her backwards onto the bed. Her torso lay flat on the bed, her legs dangling off. Dave stood and faced her. Reaching down, he unbuttoned her jeans and lowered her zipper. Niki's eyes twinkled as Dave took hold of the cuff of her jeans and pulled them off. He missed the worried look in her eyes as the scars on her legs were exposed. That's because his eyes were locked on her trim brown legs. They stayed fixated on those lovely legs as he kneeled between them and began kissing her legs, first one then the other. All over her thighs, then, gently lifting, careful not to lift too high, he kissed her calves and shins. He lavished every inch of her legs with his lips and tongue. Niki moaned. Then she sniffled. Alerted, Dave brought his head up, locking his eyes on hers. Tears watered the bottom of her almond shaped sockets. "You make me feel beautiful again." "You always were." He kept his eyes on her as he kissed the inside of her knee. The kiss extended into suckling. He gave the spot a little nip, then moved his position by a few inches and giving the same attention, adding in a few strokes of his tongue tip. Niki's chest heaved. Dave could hear sobs amongst the moans as he switched to her other knee. He would have been alarmed except for the clearly cathartic tone. "Umm, David, please, I need you up here." With a grin, Dave worked his way, unhurried but not dawdling, up her leg, kissing and huffing hot breath on her exposed skin as he went. Reaching her fragrant core, Dave brought his fingers softly to the three little snaps holding the gusset of her bodysuit together. A gentle flick separated the two soaked flaps of cloth and revealed that Niki wore nothing underneath. The engorged, richly black outer labia of her nethers drenched in her arousal. Her inner labia petaled outward, yielding a peek at the pink interior. Dave blew one long, slow hot breath over her bare, quivering sex before latching his mouth on her. He suckled her lower lips as her back arched. Niki keened her pleasure while her arms beat a tattoo on the bed. "David, now, please, now." Dave shucked his shoes and quickly slipped his cargo shorts and boxers to the floor. In a flash, Dave was over top of her, dragging her up the bed like a leopard securing his prey in a tree. Niki's breath caught as he took charge of her body. The fire in her eyes was unmistakable. He kissed her deeply, then pulled away. With his eyes locked on hers, he moved himself to her entrance and pressed his cockhead just barely inside. The fluids leaked all over his throbbing cock touched her most sensitive places and set off a riot only attributable to the serum. Dave anchored her motions with his knees, pressed against her rear, but not enough to force her legs too far apart. "Fuck that was good." She paused for a deep breath. "Hmm, I'm all yours now Dave. Send me off to neverland, lover." Dave worked within her, slowly and gently at first, picking up pace slightly and a little more force when she signaled it was needed and acceptable. Her hums and moans continuously reminding him his actions were still mutually desired. His peak arrived and he shot hot ropes of cum with his cock buried deep in her, his cockhead brushing her cervix. Immediately, she shuddered, racked with the serum induced pleasure that forever locked her life with his. Dave held her in her throes until she went limp muttering "Imprinting; imprinting; imprinting ;” He rose, going to the bathroom to clean himself before returning with a wet washcloth and a hand towel to clean Niki. Once she was cleaned and dry, he snapped her body suit closed again and arranged her comfortably on the bed, beneath the covers. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead before heading downstairs to spend social time with the rest of his family. As he descended the staircase into the mild buzz of the other eight women happily sharing his life, his home, and his bed, Dave marveled at how amazing his life was. Chapter 10; Storm Winds. October 28, 2020 4:18am David's hand was halfway to the palmprint secured gun safe on the back side of his headboard before he realized he was even awake. With the vertical placement, and the; activity frequently occurring in the bed, he'd installed two Velcro loops to hold the pistol and magazine inside. He released the pistol and placed it on his chest before reaching back for the clip. Fortunately, only two hands and a part of one leg were draped over him at the moment. The four younger girls were in their rooms, leaving Lupie, Jan, Shawna, Vanessa, and his newest partner Nicole to share his bed. Nicole was one of the hands, and the partial leg. By consensus, the ladies decided she should get to curl up next to Dave for her imprinting sleep. Gingerly, Dave slipped free of his partners' limbs and slid down the bed onto the floor. Only then did he insert the magazine and work the slide. Flipping the safety on, he padded softly but quickly to the closet to grab a pair of shorts. He decided not to wear slippers this time. He might need the extra footing. Keeping close to the wall, he approached the bedroom door. With the door still shut, he took the safety off, but kept his finger out of the trigger well for the moment. Slowly, Dave eased the door open. Slipping through, he noticed a shape in the hallway, against the wall, at the top of the stairs. Too dark to identify an individual, the figure made the 'Join Me' signal his friend Carter had taught him long ago. He did not raise his weapon. Sliding along the wall silently, just the way he'd practiced at least once every year, Dave approached. Proximity gave the reassurance the lighting denied at a distance. Liv crouched in the hallway, pistol in hand, wearing only a light nightgown that reached most of the way to her knees. With a quick series of hand signals, Dave told Liv to follow at a distance as he prepared to descend the stairs as quietly as possible. Liv signaled back that she should lead, but apparently had no signal for why. Dave negated the suggestion, and started down the stairs. He reached the lower landing with no incident. His nerves had been raw as he got halfway down and the solid wall gave way to railing. Now he crouched on one knee, Liv a few steps up from the landing, but with good vision on the living room area, both of them listening. The nighttime chirping of mockingbirds was absent. No flutter of wings or rustle of raccoons, possums, or skunks. Out here on the wild edge of the metroplex, there was always something moving at night. Dave signaled for Liv to post up on the landing and then moved along the wall of the stairs, in front of the media center to the corner of the living room where the downstairs hallway started. He was now directly below the spot Liv had occupied when he first emerged from the bedroom. And just two steps from his secured gun closet recessed under the stairs and hidden behind a normal looking panel. Dave had only one twelve round magazine. Liv had purchased a larger safe and had a spare ten round magazine in addition to the one in her weapon. It was a bit awkward carrying it since she had no pockets, but Carter had taught a variety of firing stances, one of which allowed carrying something in the non-dominant hand. By the absence of natural sounds, somebody was outside. He did not know how many, or how they were armed, but he was sure they weren't here in the oh-my-god-it's-early hours for a friendly visit. He slid the cover for the pin pad open so he could punch in the unlock code. Dave heard a crashing thump at the door followed by cursing. The security door worked just fine. He didn't get a chance to smile though. The glass door at the back of the living room shattered from several rounds. Dave squared his body with the opening just as two men stepped through. The first man fell as Dave brought his weapon up. The second went down just as his head turned to his right to see Liv's position flanking their breach. Dave heard a tinkling sound from the entry. Someone was breaking the window in the front parlor. Now he was worried. The thick pillar at the free corner of the landing would give Liv scant protection against a firearm. Dave stayed low, stepping away from his corner. It gave him protection against someone firing from the sliding door breach, but he had no angle to fire into the entryway. With the furniture screening him from the glass door breach, he approached the arch between the entry and living room. Loud whispers drifted in from his right. The remaining attackers on the deck seemed to be hesitant about testing themselves against the defenses. He was straining to pick out words when a head began to resolve itself in the entry. Dave fired two rounds. The body fell. He held his position, weapon ready. Out back he heard an angry growl, "Hey, one of those women is my sister!" The reply was too low to understand the words, but the snideness came through clearly. As did the answering gunshot. What the hell is going on? They're shooting each other now? Hey, they don't need to be on my property for that! The fallen body in front of Dave slid backwards. Hands appeared from the foyer and the broken glass door, but they were empty. The hands gripped a pair of ankles of one downed man each and yanked them back to where the hands came from. This repeated for the second body near the glass door. Wet sickening sounds ensued, backed up by an occasional retching noise. Murmurs were heard. Someone said something about a marker and a bag. "David?!" Shawna's voice called from up the stairs. That wasn't the only sound from upstairs. Roscoe was barking his head off. Furtive whispers indicated some of his family were at the top of the stairs with Shawna. "Keep everyone up there. Open up the armory in the main closet and distribute weapons to the adults. Everything Lt. Malcolm Reed gave us is in there. Arm up and take defensive positions upstairs." That was a bluff. Hopefully enough of one to drive the attackers away. Dave was sure Shawna would recognize the name of the armory officer from Enterprise and catch on. The sounds from the foyer and back deck took on a hurried pace before Dave heard footsteps rushing away. Dave and Olivia exchanged glances, and then immediately darted their eyes back to the penetration points. This happened a few more times over the next several minutes. "Looks like we're clear." "Yeah, just stay on your toes." "I know. I grew up under the same guy that trained you, remember?" "Vividly." Cautious footsteps descended the stairs. "David, Olivia, it's Shawna. I'm coming down." Slowly, Shawna came into view, feet first on the exposed portion of the staircase. Her pink satin nightgown falling just past her knees gave her some coverage, but made Dave aware of the cold, damp air pouring in from both breaches. "Are you two okay? Is it safe?" "For now. We've got two big holes in the house, so maybe keep everybody up there where it's warm unless they're needed down here." Dave paused for a second. "Ask Nessa and Mel to look out the upstairs windows. See if they can spot these guys leaving, or lying in wait." Shawna disappeared upstairs, then came back down after a brief verbal exchange. Shawna came down to the lower landing and spoke briefly with Livy, giving her a hug. Then she came to Dave. She hugged him fiercely. Her voice shook as she said thickly, "For a little bit there, I thought I was going to lose you." "We held." Dave managed to keep most of the nervous tension and post-adrenaline shake out of his voice. By the look in her eye, Shawna wasn't fooled a bit. Dave led her to the beginning of the hallway, the cubby under the stairs. He whispered the passcode in her ear so she could unlock it. That had been the galling thing during the attack. His full stash of weapons had been right beside his shoulder, but he couldn't spare the attention to unlock it. Clearly, he needed to rethink his arrangements. Shawna handed out a thigh holster for him, which he only saw peripherally as he kept watch. The weight told him immediately she'd placed two pre-filled magazines in there for him. He pulled one out for a quick check. No use him having Livy's mags. "I go to the pistol range about every other month. Nothing fancy, but I'm a decent shot and I know the difference between ten mil and nine mil. What? It's a very satisfying skill to have, and a great way to blow off some stress." Dave chuckled and turned his head, with a quick lean to her and gave her a peck on the cheek. Then he stepped back out to his post. He felt Shawna walking out, so he moved to the other side of the hallway so she could make her way to Livy with the other thigh holster without crossing Dave's line of sight. She paused at his shoulder. "Dave, do you want the other weapons in there?" Dave thought for a minute. He knew which ones Shawna had to mean. He sighed, "Yeah. A tac vest and one of the MP5's. Tac vests should already have six loaded magazines in the pockets. Get two and give the other vest and weapon to Liv. Then find out if anyone upstairs has any weapons training. You said you shoot, how good are you?" Shawna handed out a vest first, which Dave quickly donned. "With silhouette targets, I can put four out of five rounds through the heart. Now, I haven't gotten to shoot since the lockdowns, but I was pretty regular before." She handed him one of the MP5's which Dave quickly slung over his head and shoulder, inserted a magazine he'd pulled from the vest and chambered a round, then safed the weapon. "Are those; ?" "Semiauto. Carter went to a lot of work to make sure we had everything we could legally have, but never anything illegal. They do have the integral noise suppressor. It was expensive as hell and took forever plus a mountain of paperwork, but it's all legal. At least in Texas." "God Bless Texas," she said with a gleam in her eye. Shawna gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before sauntering over to Livy, a thigh holster clutched in one hand, a tac vest in the other, and an MP5 slung over her neck. A second thigh holster, with a nine millimeter and magazines was strapped to her sleek, powerful thigh. Shawna handed off the gear to Olivia, then swiftly moved back to the concealed weapons closet. She was in there for quite a while before emerging. "There was only one more pre-loaded nine mil mag, so I had to load a few or just walk around with one. The second choice didn't sound viable." "Agreed." Dave grasped Shawna's bicep and pulled her in for a quick kiss on the cheek. She beamed at him after returning the kiss, then headed upstairs. Dave heard Liv saying something to Shawna as she passed by. An eternity and a short time later, two sets of footsteps descended the staircase. Melanie followed behind Shawna. "Carter and Liv both took me to the range several times. I even went to a tactical course once my aim was; acceptable. But only with pistol. I've never shot anything else." "Good enough. There's another thigh holster and pistol inside. What did Carter train you on? "Nine millimeter. He said it was so common it made a good starting point. Once with Liv, we rented shotguns at an outdoor range and I was decent with it." "Pistol will do fine. Shawna, help her get some magazines loaded. Has anyone called for police?" Mel swallowed nervously. "I didn't see anyone waiting in the back yard, but the deck;” "Yes?" "It's; disturbing. Dave, be careful." Dave nodded, as did Liv. Shawna spoke up as she followed Mel in. It was tight with two adults in there, but doable. At three it would have been cramped. "Lupie called. They didn't know how long before someone responds. They're stretched thin and the night shift is the least staffed." Wordlessly, she handed over a t-shirt she'd grabbed while she was upstairs. Dave slipped the tac vest off, donned the shirt, then the tac vest again. While he dressed, he spoke with his partners. "Fuck. Okay, here's what's gonna happen. You two take defensive positions on the stairs. One of you take the lower landing, one further up, just below the ceiling line. Then Liv and I will go out through the deck, and check the exterior all the way around." "I'll take the landing," Mel said. "I've had training with Carter, I should be the one exposed." "You sure?" Shawna prodded. "Yeah." "Okay, take your positions then." Dave kissed each one on the cheek before they walked away. When both had taken their places, Liv came over to him. Dave had one more instruction for Shawna. "Oh, and tell Lupie to call the police again, let them know we are clearing the grounds so they don't just shoot us on sight." Shawna nodded and crept upwards. Jan came down the stairs, bearing a pair of shoes for Dave and Liv, a pair of socks stuck into one shoe for each of them. After handing over the shoes, Jan headed back upstairs. They shod themselves quietly. "So, me on point?" Liv asked as she finished. "No, I'll take point, you cover me." "Dave, if anything happens to you, we're all in big trouble." "That's why you're watching my back. Otherwise, I'd go out there solo and leave you in charge here." "Like hell you would. I ain't some; " "I know you are capable, but I'm still going to shield you from as much risk as I can." Liv rolled her eyes. "Gee, I feel safe and offended all at once." Dave stared at her stony. "Are we done here? Ready to go?" "Shit, Dad really rubbed off on you. Yeah, let's do this." Olivia fell in behind Dave as he headed straight for the glass door breach. Both held their weapons ready, jutting forward with the strap taut around their necks and backs. Dave paused at the breach. "Off safe." "Roger." Dave examined the scene visible through the broken glass and the flapping curtain. Blood trails led out the breach from the various points where the bodies of the invaders had landed. He could see the legs of a few of them still on the deck. He turned his head to catch first Shawna's then Mel's eyes, nodded, and proceeded cautiously but swiftly out the breach. He swiveled right going out, knowing Liv would go left, just as her father had taught them for years. Each stopped at the furthest extension of the deck in their direction, scanning the deck and yard in a full semicircle, their backs to the house. There was no damage to the fence, and no apparent damage to the greenhouse or anything else in the backyard. The deck however; well, it wasn't damaged. The bodies on it were. Each had the pants and underwear pulled down and a huge bloody mess where the genitals once were. Blood continued to ooze out of the wounds, though clearly it had poured out initially. Dave signaled his intent to clear the greenhouse. Liv followed him. It didn't take long to clear. They emerged quickly, rescanning the backyard as they did. With Liv trailing, Dave exited the backyard through the side gate. The side yard showed no disturbance. In the front yard, they found the same gruesome sight as the back deck. Here though, they found an empty plastic baggie with blood spatter. And a few bloody fingerprints. The bag snagged under the heel of the corpse, ensuring the light wind was insufficient to blow it away. Dave and Liv finished the sweep, checking the other side yard, which showed no signs of disturbance. "I think we're safe, for now. These guys bugged out." "Yeah, but why did they cut their buddies' junk off?" Dave shivered, and not from the crummy weather. Well, maybe a little from the weather. He was barely dressed after all. "Let's get inside." Since the front door was still locked, they traipsed back through the side yard to the gate and came in through the broken glass door. "Coming in." Dave called before entering. "No sign of anyone out there." The relief on Mel and Shawna's faces was evident. Their shoulders relaxed slightly. "Can you two keep watch here? I'm gonna talk to the others, then we'll both get dressed, and then I'll call the police again." At the top of the stairs, four of Dave's partners wrapped him in hugs muttering their relief that he was still in one piece. He could see Lupie gazing at him, beseechingly as she held Esme close, soothing her. A loud bang against a door at the end of the hall reminded Dave of other necessities. "You better go let Roscoe out so he can see that we're all intact," Dave chuckled. As Olivia opened the door, Roscoe bolted from the room, turning only when she bellowed "Roscoe, Heel." That cut through his canine brain fog of 'defense mode'. He turned to her, sniffing as if checking on her condition. Liv knelt in front of him. She placed her hands on either side of his face and began stroking his neck and back while speaking softly, in calm tones. After a few whimpers, he started aggressively licking her face and putting his paws on her shoulders. Addressing his family, Dave said, "Liv and I need to get dressed. We need to call the police again, and we need to get those holes sealed." "Holes?" Jan asked. "Yeah, they busted in the sliding door and a window in the parlor. It's not quite as cold and miserable downstairs as it is outside, but it's close enough. For now, stay upstairs unless you have something you need to do down there. You can still run down to grab a book, or make meals or snacks. For tv, use the spare room that Shawna uses when she has morning shifts." "We could just use our laptops for streaming, Dave. We'll be fine." Reena added. She looked a bit bleary. To be fair, everyone seemed caught in some whipsaw state of alert and drowsy. Not surprising, given what they'd just been through. Dave patted her on the shoulder and kissed the crown of her head in appreciation. Releasing Reena, Dave knelt in front of Esme, who was showing clear signs of worry and strain. He enveloped her in his arms and held her close. "It's okay now, baby girl. We're all okay now." He held her, stroking her hair and back soothingly. After several minutes had passed, he loosened his grip and began to stand. Esme's arms immediately came up, wrapping Dave in a vise-grip hug. She didn't say anything, she didn't cry or whimper. She just clutched him tightly. Dave eyed Lupie, but she just looked back at him imploringly. He reached a hand out to her and she grabbed on immediately. He looked around at the others and saw the need for reassurance was still there. Olivia had already slipped into her room with Roscoe to get dressed. Becca, Reena, Jan, Nessa and Lupie all rushed to surround him the moment he waved his hand to 'bring it in'. Esme was wedged between Dave and Lupie. She finally relaxed her grip on Dave, and switched over to her mother. With a silent chuckle, Dave kissed Lupie on the cheek and slipped off to the master bedroom. Jan followed after him. "I thought I'd call the police and put it on speaker so you could talk to them while getting dressed." Dave nodded, then wrapped her in a hug and gave her a closed mouth kiss that was no less affectionate for its chasteness. Reluctantly, he released her and headed into the closet to collect some clothes. Jan dialed 911 as soon as Dave emerged. Police staffing was so low, all calls went through the emergency center. Long held habits are hard to break, though. Especially when those habits are codified in a manual. That's what they call 'procedure'. "911, what's your emergency?" "We called earlier about a break in. The people trying to break in have left, except the ones we shot," Dave called out in clear, even tones for the speaker. "Is anyone injured?" The operator droned, as if she been on duty too long, too many days in a row. "No, ma'am," Dave said. "No one in my family was hit, and the ones we shot are dead." "Are you sure they're dead?" "Yes ma'am. The guy that taught me how to shoot didn't teach me to miss. Besides, before they left, the invaders; mutilated the bodies. If they hadn't died from the gunshots, they'd have died from the blood loss." Dave was watching Jan's face when he mentioned the mutilation. Not the best choice, since he nearly fell over pulling on his cargo pants. It did allow him to see the flinch that briefly flitted across her face before she reasserted control. "Did you say mutilated, sir?" The tones were even, obviously someone that had worked 911 for years. Still, there were notes of 'oh shit' blended with 'what fucking else?' "I did." "Would you please specify the nature of the mutilation?" "The genitals of the deceased were removed." A short silence reigned on the line. "Could you repeat that sir?" The operator's voice sounded slightly more alert. Dave pulled his pre-tied sneakers on as he said, "the scrotum was removed from each of the corpses." This conversation was now added to the thick stack of reasons to be very glad of the distance between the master bedroom and Esme's bedroom. Lupie and the others had taken her there when Dave walked away. Between the walk-in closet and Dave's office, there was little chance sounds from the bedroom penetrated that far. "Are you certain the perpetrators have left?" "Yes ma'am, one of my partners and I swept the area; our yard anyway; and found no one remaining. All we found were the bodies that the survivors had drug back out of the house and carved up." "So the shooting happened inside the house?" "Correct." "I'm noting all this in the file sir. I'm appending this report to the prior calls your partner made requesting assistance. Since you are no longer in immediate danger, I am diverting the patrol response. They will get to you to you after attending to higher level calls." Even as she spoke, the woman's voice grew more exhausted, like a Walmart employee on Black Friday at about 3pm. "It's been almost an hour since the initial break in. Why has it taken so long?" "Sir, I'm not at liberty to discuss that, but I do apologize. I have no control over response times. I will dispatch a detective to investigate as well. Until then, please leave the scene undisturbed." "How long will that take? Can you give me an estimate?" "Probably a few hours, sir. There are very few detectives working night shift, so they'll likely hand this over to the dayshift investigators." "Hours? These guys busted in my sliding door and broke a large window in the parlor. It's making for quite a chilly cross breeze. And that's not even counting the blood stains and blood trails in my living room and entryway." Dave's voice had begun to rise. "Sorry, I'm trying to maintain a level tone here, but that's a bit difficult given what's happened and what you're telling me." The voice on the other end reached its most hollow state. "I'm sorry sir, I can't change those realities. Please understand that it will be three hours minimum before a detective would reach you. More likely it will be three hours before a detective is assigned to your case. Patrol won't take that long, but it won't be immediate." Dave took a deep, cleansing breath. It was only marginally useful, but it helped him keep his tone level. "And what is the longest likely time before a detective gets out here?" "Possibly six to eight hours sir." "That's; " Dave caught himself. And formed a plan immediately. "Fine. We'll be ready when the detective arrives." He hung up. Dave took a deep breath, staring intently at the far wall, fully aware of Jan quietly and patiently waiting off to his right. He rubbed his face, then snatched up his t-shirt and pulled it on. "Okay, let's meet with everyone else. I have a plan, and we can deal with this." Dave said as he stood. With a concerned look to Niki's slumbering form, he strapped the thigh holster in place and fastened the tac vest as he walked. The MP5 he slung over his neck and shoulder, then pulled around to his back. To be continued in part 9, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

The Author Events Series presents Harmonia Rosales | Chronicles of Ori: An African Epic  In Conversation with Imani Roach In Chronicles of Ori, her debut book, Harmonia Rosales retells the African myths she has long treasured, crafting an enthralling epic that spans the birth of the universe to the modern world of colonialism and resistance. She writes of the powerful, temperamental deities called the Orishas; of the founding of Yorubaland by the shrewd leader Oduduwa; of the young heroine Eve, born in a time of violence and despair, who would help her people regain their past splendor; and of shimmering serpents and monstrous shadows who stalk the lands of mortals. At the center of these linked tales is the bond, sometimes fraying, between the Orishas and the humans who worship them. It was the Orishas who made humans, and who gave them their most precious resource: their Oris, or destinies. Vividly brought to life by Rosales's artwork, Chronicles of Ori will enlighten and delight readers for years to come. Harmonia Rosales is an American artist from Chicago whose work depicts and honors African myths and the diaspora. She lives in Los Angeles, California. Imani Roach is the inaugural director of the Brind Center for African and African Diasporic Art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. There she is planning the first permanent gallery devoted to the arts of Africa and its diaspora in the PMA's 150-year history, set to open Fall, 2026. In this role she also works with colleagues across the institution on educational, curatorial and conservation initiatives that center Black art. She was previously Assistant Curator for the Arts of Africa at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York during the renovation and reinstallation of the Michael C. Rockefeller wing's African collection. A scholar of African Modernism and a proud Philadelphia resident since 2012, she has designed and led courses on the arts of Africa at Haverford College, the University of Pennsylvania, University of the Arts, Moore College of Art and Design and elsewhere. She has also worked in the arts journalism space, both as a senior editor at Guernica Magazine and as the first Managing editor of Artblog. Beyond her career as an art historian, she is also a regularly gigging vocalist and a new mom.  Because you love Author Events, please make a donation when you register for this event to ensure that this series continues to inspire Philadelphians. Books will be available for purchase at the library on event night! All tickets are non-refundable. (recorded 10/21/2025)

Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Jonathan Eig's King: A Life (FSG, 2023) is the first major biography in decades of the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.--and the first to include recently declassified FBI files. In this revelatory new portrait of the preacher and activist who shook the world, the bestselling biographer gives us an intimate view of the courageous and often emotionally troubled human being who demanded peaceful protest for his movement but was rarely at peace with himself. He casts fresh light on the King family's origins as well as MLK's complex relationships with his wife, father, and fellow activists. King reveals a minister wrestling with his own human frailties and dark moods, a citizen hunted by his own government, and a man determined to fight for justice even if it proved to be a fight to the death. As he follows MLK from the classroom to the pulpit to the streets of Birmingham, Selma, and Memphis, Eig dramatically re-creates the journey of a man who recast American race relations and became our only modern-day founding father--as well as the nation's most mourned martyr. In this landmark biography, Eig gives us an MLK for our times: a deep thinker, a brilliant strategist, and a committed radical who led one of history's greatest movements, and whose demands for racial and economic justice remain as urgent today as they were in his lifetime. Jonathan Eig is a former senior special writer for The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of several books, including two highly acclaimed bestsellers, Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig and Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season. Visit him at JonathanEig.com. Tom Discenna is Professor of Communication at Oakland University whose work examines issues of academic labor and communicative labor more broadly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Jonathan Eig's King: A Life (FSG, 2023) is the first major biography in decades of the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.--and the first to include recently declassified FBI files. In this revelatory new portrait of the preacher and activist who shook the world, the bestselling biographer gives us an intimate view of the courageous and often emotionally troubled human being who demanded peaceful protest for his movement but was rarely at peace with himself. He casts fresh light on the King family's origins as well as MLK's complex relationships with his wife, father, and fellow activists. King reveals a minister wrestling with his own human frailties and dark moods, a citizen hunted by his own government, and a man determined to fight for justice even if it proved to be a fight to the death. As he follows MLK from the classroom to the pulpit to the streets of Birmingham, Selma, and Memphis, Eig dramatically re-creates the journey of a man who recast American race relations and became our only modern-day founding father--as well as the nation's most mourned martyr. In this landmark biography, Eig gives us an MLK for our times: a deep thinker, a brilliant strategist, and a committed radical who led one of history's greatest movements, and whose demands for racial and economic justice remain as urgent today as they were in his lifetime. Jonathan Eig is a former senior special writer for The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of several books, including two highly acclaimed bestsellers, Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig and Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season. Visit him at JonathanEig.com. Tom Discenna is Professor of Communication at Oakland University whose work examines issues of academic labor and communicative labor more broadly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Jonathan Eig's King: A Life (FSG, 2023) is the first major biography in decades of the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.--and the first to include recently declassified FBI files. In this revelatory new portrait of the preacher and activist who shook the world, the bestselling biographer gives us an intimate view of the courageous and often emotionally troubled human being who demanded peaceful protest for his movement but was rarely at peace with himself. He casts fresh light on the King family's origins as well as MLK's complex relationships with his wife, father, and fellow activists. King reveals a minister wrestling with his own human frailties and dark moods, a citizen hunted by his own government, and a man determined to fight for justice even if it proved to be a fight to the death. As he follows MLK from the classroom to the pulpit to the streets of Birmingham, Selma, and Memphis, Eig dramatically re-creates the journey of a man who recast American race relations and became our only modern-day founding father--as well as the nation's most mourned martyr. In this landmark biography, Eig gives us an MLK for our times: a deep thinker, a brilliant strategist, and a committed radical who led one of history's greatest movements, and whose demands for racial and economic justice remain as urgent today as they were in his lifetime. Jonathan Eig is a former senior special writer for The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of several books, including two highly acclaimed bestsellers, Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig and Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season. Visit him at JonathanEig.com. Tom Discenna is Professor of Communication at Oakland University whose work examines issues of academic labor and communicative labor more broadly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Jonathan Eig's King: A Life (FSG, 2023) is the first major biography in decades of the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.--and the first to include recently declassified FBI files. In this revelatory new portrait of the preacher and activist who shook the world, the bestselling biographer gives us an intimate view of the courageous and often emotionally troubled human being who demanded peaceful protest for his movement but was rarely at peace with himself. He casts fresh light on the King family's origins as well as MLK's complex relationships with his wife, father, and fellow activists. King reveals a minister wrestling with his own human frailties and dark moods, a citizen hunted by his own government, and a man determined to fight for justice even if it proved to be a fight to the death. As he follows MLK from the classroom to the pulpit to the streets of Birmingham, Selma, and Memphis, Eig dramatically re-creates the journey of a man who recast American race relations and became our only modern-day founding father--as well as the nation's most mourned martyr. In this landmark biography, Eig gives us an MLK for our times: a deep thinker, a brilliant strategist, and a committed radical who led one of history's greatest movements, and whose demands for racial and economic justice remain as urgent today as they were in his lifetime. Jonathan Eig is a former senior special writer for The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of several books, including two highly acclaimed bestsellers, Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig and Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season. Visit him at JonathanEig.com. Tom Discenna is Professor of Communication at Oakland University whose work examines issues of academic labor and communicative labor more broadly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Jonathan Eig's King: A Life (FSG, 2023) is the first major biography in decades of the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.--and the first to include recently declassified FBI files. In this revelatory new portrait of the preacher and activist who shook the world, the bestselling biographer gives us an intimate view of the courageous and often emotionally troubled human being who demanded peaceful protest for his movement but was rarely at peace with himself. He casts fresh light on the King family's origins as well as MLK's complex relationships with his wife, father, and fellow activists. King reveals a minister wrestling with his own human frailties and dark moods, a citizen hunted by his own government, and a man determined to fight for justice even if it proved to be a fight to the death. As he follows MLK from the classroom to the pulpit to the streets of Birmingham, Selma, and Memphis, Eig dramatically re-creates the journey of a man who recast American race relations and became our only modern-day founding father--as well as the nation's most mourned martyr. In this landmark biography, Eig gives us an MLK for our times: a deep thinker, a brilliant strategist, and a committed radical who led one of history's greatest movements, and whose demands for racial and economic justice remain as urgent today as they were in his lifetime. Jonathan Eig is a former senior special writer for The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of several books, including two highly acclaimed bestsellers, Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig and Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season. Visit him at JonathanEig.com. Tom Discenna is Professor of Communication at Oakland University whose work examines issues of academic labor and communicative labor more broadly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is nothing better than catching up with a group of old friends. You…

There is nothing better than catching up with a group of old friends. You know — those moments when everyone can escape from taking the kids to practice, forget about...

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922–1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Dr. Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Dr. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson—two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries. Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Our guest is: Dr. Marion Orr, who is the inaugural Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science and Urban Studies at Brown University. He specializes in urban politics, race and ethnic politics, and African-American politics. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who produces the Academic Life podcast. She is a dissertation and grad student coach, and a developmental editor for humanities scholars at all stages of their careers. She writes the Academic Life Newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.Com. Playlist for listeners: The End of White Politics The Vice-President's Black Wife No Common Ground The Social Constructions of Race Smithsonian American Women The First and Last King of Haiti Of Bears and Ballots Never Caught Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 275+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And get free bonus content HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922–1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Dr. Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Dr. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson—two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries. Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Our guest is: Dr. Marion Orr, who is the inaugural Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science and Urban Studies at Brown University. He specializes in urban politics, race and ethnic politics, and African-American politics. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who produces the Academic Life podcast. She is a dissertation and grad student coach, and a developmental editor for humanities scholars at all stages of their careers. She writes the Academic Life Newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.Com. Playlist for listeners: The End of White Politics The Vice-President's Black Wife No Common Ground The Social Constructions of Race Smithsonian American Women The First and Last King of Haiti Of Bears and Ballots Never Caught Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 275+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And get free bonus content HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922–1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Dr. Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Dr. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson—two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries. Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Our guest is: Dr. Marion Orr, who is the inaugural Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science and Urban Studies at Brown University. He specializes in urban politics, race and ethnic politics, and African-American politics. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who produces the Academic Life podcast. She is a dissertation and grad student coach, and a developmental editor for humanities scholars at all stages of their careers. She writes the Academic Life Newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.Com. Playlist for listeners: The End of White Politics The Vice-President's Black Wife No Common Ground The Social Constructions of Race Smithsonian American Women The First and Last King of Haiti Of Bears and Ballots Never Caught Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 275+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And get free bonus content HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922–1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Dr. Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Dr. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson—two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries. Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Our guest is: Dr. Marion Orr, who is the inaugural Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science and Urban Studies at Brown University. He specializes in urban politics, race and ethnic politics, and African-American politics. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who produces the Academic Life podcast. She is a dissertation and grad student coach, and a developmental editor for humanities scholars at all stages of their careers. She writes the Academic Life Newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.Com. Playlist for listeners: The End of White Politics The Vice-President's Black Wife No Common Ground The Social Constructions of Race Smithsonian American Women The First and Last King of Haiti Of Bears and Ballots Never Caught Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 275+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And get free bonus content HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922–1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Dr. Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Dr. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson—two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries. Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Our guest is: Dr. Marion Orr, who is the inaugural Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science and Urban Studies at Brown University. He specializes in urban politics, race and ethnic politics, and African-American politics. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who produces the Academic Life podcast. She is a dissertation and grad student coach, and a developmental editor for humanities scholars at all stages of their careers. She writes the Academic Life Newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.Com. Playlist for listeners: The End of White Politics The Vice-President's Black Wife No Common Ground The Social Constructions of Race Smithsonian American Women The First and Last King of Haiti Of Bears and Ballots Never Caught Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 275+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And get free bonus content HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922–1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Dr. Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Dr. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson—two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries. Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Our guest is: Dr. Marion Orr, who is the inaugural Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science and Urban Studies at Brown University. He specializes in urban politics, race and ethnic politics, and African-American politics. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who produces the Academic Life podcast. She is a dissertation and grad student coach, and a developmental editor for humanities scholars at all stages of their careers. She writes the Academic Life Newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.Com. Playlist for listeners: The End of White Politics The Vice-President's Black Wife No Common Ground The Social Constructions of Race Smithsonian American Women The First and Last King of Haiti Of Bears and Ballots Never Caught Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 275+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And get free bonus content HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/academic-life

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922–1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Dr. Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Dr. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson—two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries. Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Our guest is: Dr. Marion Orr, who is the inaugural Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science and Urban Studies at Brown University. He specializes in urban politics, race and ethnic politics, and African-American politics. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who produces the Academic Life podcast. She is a dissertation and grad student coach, and a developmental editor for humanities scholars at all stages of their careers. She writes the Academic Life Newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.Com. Playlist for listeners: The End of White Politics The Vice-President's Black Wife No Common Ground The Social Constructions of Race Smithsonian American Women The First and Last King of Haiti Of Bears and Ballots Never Caught Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 275+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And get free bonus content HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922–1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Dr. Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Dr. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson—two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries. Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Our guest is: Dr. Marion Orr, who is the inaugural Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science and Urban Studies at Brown University. He specializes in urban politics, race and ethnic politics, and African-American politics. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who produces the Academic Life podcast. She is a dissertation and grad student coach, and a developmental editor for humanities scholars at all stages of their careers. She writes the Academic Life Newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.Com. Playlist for listeners: The End of White Politics The Vice-President's Black Wife No Common Ground The Social Constructions of Race Smithsonian American Women The First and Last King of Haiti Of Bears and Ballots Never Caught Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 275+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And get free bonus content HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922–1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Dr. Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Dr. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson—two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries. Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Our guest is: Dr. Marion Orr, who is the inaugural Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science and Urban Studies at Brown University. He specializes in urban politics, race and ethnic politics, and African-American politics. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who produces the Academic Life podcast. She is a dissertation and grad student coach, and a developmental editor for humanities scholars at all stages of their careers. She writes the Academic Life Newsletter at ChristinaGessler.Substack.Com. Playlist for listeners: The End of White Politics The Vice-President's Black Wife No Common Ground The Social Constructions of Race Smithsonian American Women The First and Last King of Haiti Of Bears and Ballots Never Caught Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 275+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And get free bonus content HERE.

Have you ever found yourself staring at a gratitude journal, knowing you have so much to be thankful for, but just not feeling it? This week, I'm sharing a candid look into why gratitude can feel so out of reach when we're tired, stressed, or running on empty, even as the world tells us it's the season to count our blessings. As ambitious women with full plates and big dreams, it's easy to fall into the trap of forcing gratitude, but in this episode, I reveal why rest and presence (not pressure) are the secret ingredients. I'll show you how letting go of the "gratitude checklist" and learning to savor real moments can reignite that sense of appreciation you crave. If you're ready for a fresh perspective on thankfulness that actually fits your busy, brilliant life, this episode is for you. Let's give ourselves permission to experience gratitude as it was meant to be…joyful, effortless, and truly rewarding. Show Highlights: What is the gratitude gap? [00:49] The neurological reason fatigue blocks positive emotions. [02:55] The importance of rest to restore positivity. [05:41] Why forced gratitude doesn't enter the heart. [06:37] Vividly reliving, embodying, and savoring positive moments. [08:24] How the pace of life affects gratitude. [10:39] Research findings on mindful slowing and pausing. [12:28] Making "gratitude pauses" a threshold ritual. [13:33] The power of being grateful for small joys. [14:36] Inviting you to subscribe and gift someone this episode. [17:39] Subscribe to the Brilliant Balance Weekly: www.brilliant-balance.com/weekly Follow Cherylanne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cskolnicki Join the Brilliant Balance Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/281949848958057

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922-1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson--two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries.Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Marion Orr is the Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and professor of political science and urban studies at Brown University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922-1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson--two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries.Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Marion Orr is the Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and professor of political science and urban studies at Brown University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922-1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson--two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries.Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Marion Orr is the Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and professor of political science and urban studies at Brown University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922-1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson--two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries.Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Marion Orr is the Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and professor of political science and urban studies at Brown University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922-1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson--two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries.Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Marion Orr is the Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and professor of political science and urban studies at Brown University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922-1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson--two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries.Vividly written and deeply researched, House of Diggs is the first biography of Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr., one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history. Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. Now, for the first time, House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics. Marion Orr is the Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and professor of political science and urban studies at Brown University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this solo episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse Schwamb explores the profound depths of Jesus' Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13. While this parable might seem unassuming compared to others, Jesse reveals how it serves as the "granddaddy" of all parables—offering a God's-eye view of salvation through the ordinary imagery of farming. The episode examines why different people respond differently to the same gospel message, and challenges listeners to consider what kind of soil their own hearts represent. Through historical context and theological reflection, Jesse unpacks how this parable prepares believers for the mixed responses they'll encounter when sharing the gospel and reminds us that the efficacy of salvation depends not on the sower's skill, but on God's sovereign work in preparing hearts to receive His Word. Key Takeaways The Parable of the Sower provides a framework for understanding the various responses to the gospel message, serving as preparation for disciples who would face both acceptance and rejection. Jesus' parables, particularly the Sower, demonstrate how God uses ordinary, mundane things to express profound spiritual truths about His kingdom. The efficacy of salvation doesn't depend on the skill of the sower but on God's sovereign work in preparing the soil of human hearts. God's Word never returns void but always comes back "full" of either acceptance or rejection—it accomplishes exactly what God intends. Historical context matters: Jesus' audience had high expectations for a Messiah who would establish an earthly kingdom, but Jesus was revealing a different kind of kingdom. The Parable of the Sower shows that the kingdom of God isn't received equally by all—some receive it with joy while others reject it outright. Having "ears to hear" is a gift from God through the Holy Spirit, not merely intellectual understanding but spiritual receptivity. The Word That Never Returns Void The power of God's Word stands at the center of the Parable of the Sower. Jesse highlights Isaiah 55, where God declares that His word "shall not return empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose." Unlike human words that often fall flat, God's Word always achieves its intended effect. This doesn't mean universal salvation, but rather that God's purposes are never thwarted. When the gospel is proclaimed, it always returns to God "full" of something—either acceptance or rejection. The parable illustrates this reality by showing the various responses to the same seed. This should encourage believers in evangelism: we are simply called to faithfully sow the seed, while God determines the harvest according to His sovereign purposes. Our success is not measured by conversions but by faithfulness in proclamation. Kingdom Expectations vs. Kingdom Reality The historical context of Jesus' ministry reveals a profound disconnect between what people expected from the Messiah and what Jesus actually delivered. Jesse explains how the Jewish people anticipated a conquering king who would overthrow Roman oppression and establish a visible earthly kingdom. Instead, Jesus announced a kingdom that begins in the heart, dividing even families according to their response to Him. The Parable of the Sower anticipates this mixed response, preparing disciples for both acceptance and rejection. This teaches modern believers an important lesson: the gospel will not be universally embraced, even when perfectly presented. Some hearts are like paths, others rocky ground, others thorny soil. Yet we continue sowing because God has appointed some to be good soil—hearts prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive the Word and bear fruit. This reality should both humble us and embolden our witness. Quotes "The power of this message is in the message itself, but the medium by which it is delivered... it does pierce the heart. It does pierce through bone and marrow. It does divide because it always returns full of either acceptance or full of rebellion and denial." - Jesse Schwamb "We find ourselves humbled. We find ourselves rushing in, coming into the kingdom, fighting to come into it because God has impassioned us with that same zeal that has accomplished this very thing. He implants it in our hearts, in our minds, in our guts, so that we would come before him and worship him." - Jesse Schwamb "Consider what it means that this good news... that God's word is his deed. This is why... it's such a blessing to live in this period of time where we have such easy access for most of us to the word of God, and that we ought to be zealous about getting that word out to all people because behind it and within it and around it is the full power of the Holy Spirit." - Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript Welcome to episode 463 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse, and this is the podcast for those with ears to hear. Hey, brothers and sisters, so I am just one half. Of the Reform Brotherhood squad. Tony, of course, wanted to join us on this episode, but it sometimes happens in life. Our schedules were a little bit crazy this week, and God gave us responsibilities that put us in opposite directions for part of the time. And so that means that today on this episode, I thought. You and I, we could just hang out and Tony will be back to join us in the next episode. [00:01:20] Solo Episode and Parable Series Overview But for now, this is one of those solo or formed brotherhood episodes. And if you have been tracking with us, we just started this great and amazing journey on going through all the parables that our Lord and Savior gives to us in teaching us about the kingdom of God and its power. And we just started by talking about the parable of the sower, in fact. In the last episode, we just covered basically the first two soils, the first half of that amazing little story, and I thought it would be really, really great to camp out in that for just a little bit more because even though Tony's not here, the podcast goes on and we, Tony and I never really. Thinking about these things and when we start a series in particular, we always find that we just gotta keep going back on it in our minds ruminating on what we said and what God was teaching us and the conversations like all good conversations that draw your mind back to the things that you talked about, which I should say maybe before I begin in earnest, that is also my denial, which is saying things like, let's camp out in this text now to be. Sure. There's no wrong reason why, or there's no bad reason to say words like that. It's just when I hear myself say them, I think about all the things that Christians say, like saying like, we should camp out in this text, or Let's sit in it for a while. And I think maybe it's because I'm just not into camping or maybe because I think most of the time when you use the phrase like, sit in, it's not. A happy or blessed or joyful thing that you're describing. So I always find that funny, and yet here I am saying it because I just couldn't think of anything better to say except, you know what? We should pause and maybe ruminate a little bit more. On all of this good stuff that's in Matthew chapter 13, where Jesus gives us the parable of the sower, so you can join me in sharing which little Christian phrases maybe you think you hear, we say too much or just become rote or part and parcel what it means to talk. The best way for you to do that is do me a. Go to your favorite internet device and in the browser, type T me slash reform brotherhood, that will just take you that little link to a part of the internet using an app called Telegram where a bunch of brothers and sisters who listen to the podcast are chatting about the podcast, their live sharing prayer requests, and there's even a place for you to share, Hey, what are the things that Christians say that you think. Why do we say that? Why are we always talking about hedges of protection? Why are we always talking about camping out in a text? So that's a place that you can come hang out. So go to t.me/reform brotherhood. [00:03:56] Deep Dive into the Parable of the Sower But enough of that, let's talk a little bit more about this incredible parable that our Lord and Savior gives us in Matthew chapter 13. It's so, so short in fact that I figured. The best parts of any conversation about the Bible is just hearing from God in his word. So let me read just those couple of verses. It's just eight verses beginning in Matthew chapter 13, the parable of the sower. That same day, Jesus went out from the house and sat beside the sea and great crowds gathered about him so that he got into a boat and sat down and the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables saying a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched. And since they had no roots, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seed fell on good soil and produced grain. Some a hundred fold, some 60, some 30. He who has ears let him hear. [00:05:09] Personal Reflections on the Parable I have to say that of all the parables, and we mentioned in the previous episode that this one is kind of the granddaddy of them all. It's a god's eye view on salvation told in this lovely kind of encased way about horticulture and farming and growing plants. But to be totally transparent, I never really got into this parable. It was never really my favorite one. Like of all the things that Jesus says, of all the creative and wonderful terms of phrase, this one for me always just seemed to be lacking That stuff. You know, it doesn't have really strong characters. It's about a sower, seed and soil, and compared to some other things that seems kind of unassuming and. Not very exciting, quite honestly, to me, and it's not as exciting, I think, as stories about, I don't know, losing something of value and then suddenly finding it and rejoicing and having the characters, feeling yourself in those characters as they go about experiencing all the emotions. That Jesus expresses and keyed in these lovely little riddles called parables. And so for this one, it's always been a little bit kind of like a, okay. It's interesting and the point seems fairly straightforward and it just doesn't captivate me as the others. And I've been thinking about about that, how even in this, it just seems like a really normal, mundane, kind of pedestrian expression of a life in that time. And it's all wrapped up in gardening. And throwing seeds into the ground, not even having control of their outcome. And then in this way, though, expressing and explaining this grand narrative and arc of salvation from God's perspective. So it is, again, another lesson in God using ordinary, normal, almost seemingly mundane things to express his power, to express our lack of control and to show so that he does. Did I just say so to, so that he does all things and certainly we get so much of that in this parable, and so it made me think this week after Tony and I talked about it a little bit. Just how it raises a question in this really normative, kind of unassuming, almost boring, if I can say way, this really profound question, which is, will we be this fruitful, fertile soil? Will we be fruitful followers? Of Jesus Christ. And it doesn't just raise this question, I suppose it also gives us some hope, but it also does so with a warning. It is a maybe a little bit of law and gospel even embedded in these simple means of, again, talking about what it means to plant something and to entrust the planting, the acy of the growth there to the soil and the seed, and there's hope. There's warning and there's so much of that that's in this context of the parable, and that's what's led me to wanna talk to you all a little bit about that as we kinda process together more of what this means. [00:08:00] Historical Context and Expectations of the Messiah I was thinking that when Jesus began his ministry, when he's coming forward, he's really announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God. And it's helpful, I think, to meditate as a second on how profound that is, that he comes again, not just as the message, but the messenger and the medium of that message. I was just kinda ruminating on the fact that. Everybody had high expectations. There was no one, I think, with kind of a low opinion of what was about to happen or of what the Messiah was going to bring or what he was going to do. And here you have like explicitly Jesus' hearers, their ancestors would've been taken into exile and captivity because they had broken the covenant with God. And the prophets had made this case for God's punishment because of their idolatry and their injustice. But that message, and you get this especially in in books like Isaiah. Where there's this mixture that's bittersweet. There is not only an exclusive message of woe for the people, but there is at the same time up against sick, almost running parallel. This promise of a day when God, by his own effort in Zeal, would bring about a restoration where he'd set up visibly an earthly reign through his anointed Wanda Messiah. And so I can only imagine if I could. Even partially put myself in the place of these people who are hearing this particular parable, that there is all this sense that we have strayed from God, that we're covenant breakers, but that he has promised to make a way and that his own zeal will very much accomplish this, but it will be visible and earthly, not just spiritual in the sense that we believe these things and we internalize them in the sense for our being, and therefore we speak about them in these kind of grandiose and ephemeral terms. But more than that, that God was going to come and set up an earthly reign, purely manifested in the world in which we live and breathe and have our being. And so two things would happen. Israel's oppressors would be defeated. And God would institute a pure worship and a reestablished pure worship. And so I can't help but think maybe there was some of this expectation. They're, they're seeing this Messiah, this Jesus, the one who speaks with a different kind of authority, come into their midst. And there I think all these things are somewhere in their minds as their processing. Maybe they should be in ours as well. And so there's this portrait that's being painted here of the prophet saying there's gonna be. Restoration and this image of a seed being sown. And then of course you have these metaphors that Jesus is employing in his own time. Very reminiscent of passages like in Isaiah 55, where you find the prophet saying, for as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there, but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater. So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth. It shall not return empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose and I shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. What an amazing, glorious promise of God that there is no suboptimal nature. In his expression of who he is and what he's accomplished, that the very thing that he intends to do, he always does, and this word comes back. I think what really strikes me about this passage in particular is the fact that it does not return to God empty. I mean, think about what that means. It's strange in a way. That. In other words, it's full of something. And here I think it's full of response. It's full of anticipation. It's full of this. Like what? What has gone out is now received by the individual and then returns with either acceptance or denial, very much in the same way that we're about to receive it in this parable before us. And in fact, even our ability to understand the parable. This if you have ears, he has ears. Let him hear that itself is an expression. So in other words. The power of this message is again, in the message itself, but the medium by which it is delivered, it does pierce the heart. It does pierce through bone and marrow. It does divide because it always returns full of either acceptance or full of rebellion and denial. And so when we think about the people of Israel. They exactly in that way. They return from exile under Ezra Nehemiah. But even those returns, even those improvements or some of that remediation seems to me like to come short of expectations. You know, Ezra rebuilt the temple, but it paled in comparison to Solomon's original, in fact. If we go to Ezra chapter three, there's like so much honesty as the people are seeing this rebuilt temple. Their response is, is like tragic in a way. So this is Ezra chapter three, beginning verse 12. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers houses, old men. Who had seen the first house as the temple of God wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy so that the people cannot distinguish the sound of the joyful from the sound of people's weeping for the people shouted with a great shout and the sound was heard far away, even in just the setting up the foundation, the base layer. There are those saying this is. This is not like it used to be. Even this is just far piles in comparison and falls very far short of the original. And of course you have Nehemiah's rebuilt wall around Jerusalem. Couldn't even ensure the holiness of God's people. And so everything up to that point. All of it was still just a shadow. It was like a big, giant disappointment, a blemish as it were, on God's people. Even as there was an attempt to restore, there was still this longing from the inside to have the real McCoy to everything made right to have the true Messiah come, not the one that was the type. Not the thing that was the shadow, not the the poor replacement or the analog, but the real thing. And so you have in response to this, you know, some of God's people move into the wilderness and pursue holy living. Some accommodated to Roman occupation like the Sadducees, some retreated into kind of individual individualistic piety or rule keeping like the Pharisees. And then there's all kinds of accounts of God's people in rebellion. Like Simon, the Zealots. There were some who even located themselves under the legitimate, yet Roman endorsed leadership of Herod, you know the Herodians. So you have all of these people you can imagine literally in the same audience. Jesus pushes back and he begins to teach them. And he starts by talking about horticulture. He starts by saying, A sower goes out and he throws all this kind of seed. And it's not difficult to imagine that all of the seed, all the soil, everything is represented in what he's saying right there. And then it's not a story as if like, well, you take this away and try to process it in such a way that you might come to terms with it later on. It's happening in the here and now. Even what he's saying. Even the message that he's communicating is being man made manifest right there in their midst, and it's not returning a void to him. The one who wrote it to begin with is the one who's speaking it, and it's having its desired effect, even as we read it now, and it reads us today. [00:15:13] Jesus' Ministry and the Kingdom of God And so it's amazing that it's on this stage that Jesus steps out and he stands, especially in the synagogue when he reads from the Isaiah scroll. And he announces that the true jubilee has now arrived and it's arrived in him. You know, by the way, what's interesting there is we have, we have no real reason to think that Israel ever really practiced Jubilee as it was outlined in the scriptures. So we have this beautiful instruction for a reset, a pure reset, and one that is liberty and freedom in so many ways, but especially demonstrated in this economic reality. And Jesus commences his public ministry proclaiming the good new. News that the kingdom of God has arrived. I feel like we have to go there, right? Because this is just so good. So in MOOC chapter four, Jesus stands up. He asks for the scroll, and this is what he reads. Loved ones. These are fantastic words. I mean, hear them from the mouth of our Savior. Again, Jesus reads this, the spirits of the Lord is upon me. Because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. It's such incredibly strong and powerful news. We're getting this sense that there are those who are poor that need. To hear that something will be different. That they are her, that they're seen that all of the straining in life and all of their labor is not in vain, but here is one who's come to rescue them and that those who have been set in prison, those who are chained and under duress and find themselves locked up. That here he has come to proclaim liberty to the captives, and then for those that cannot see, that have lost their way entirely, that are groping in the dark, here is one that's coming to recover the sight. Hear that word, not to give it brand new, but to restore that which was originally present to begin with. Imagine the horror of having your sights and then having it taken away that. Knowing that there was something there that was beautiful in your midst, something that was precious to you, and now to have that restored, in fact, like Blind by de MEUs the Greek, there is more when God says, or Jesus rather, says, what do you want me to do for you? The Greek is very clear, just says, sight again, sight again. And I think we like our ancestors and Israel here before us. We ought to be always clamoring and crying. Then I tell God like, son of David sight again. Would you help me to see truly not as the world appears to be, but we spiritual eyes, to know the truth, to understand how much you love me, and would you gimme the strength to love you? Me back love you back by way of giving, yes, this sight. And then for all those who are downtrodden. Where, wherever, and whatever that means, physically, emotionally, spiritually, that here's the one who has come to, again, set you at liberty and then to say, do you know what this time is? This is the time of the Lord's favor. Why? Because the son of man is here and where the son of man is. There is freedom and restoration. There is a new king over all things. There's one who super intends over all of the earth. Who has been given control over all things and has come to win literally the day for those who are rebellious before God, for those who have sinned, who are covenant breakers, who are gospel abusers, while we were at yet enmity with God at the right time, Jesus and his son for us. And so we find that it's like the pretext, it's the context for all of this, and especially this parable. And of course, rather than. Everybody listening to what Jesus has to say here and just being one over being filled with some kind of winsome logic of what's being said here, of being thoroughly convinced. We know that of course it's not just a matter of evidence, but unless the Holy Spirit comes the same spirit, which is upon Jesus, the sin of God, to change us, to open our ears, that we do not hear these things, we don't hear them as we ought to. We do not give them heed. We do not internalize them, and we cannot understand them. And so because of that, rather than of course meeting with universal acceptance, Jesus, of course, he encounters a host of reactions. Some opposed him. The crowds sometimes were way more motivated, like people in our day by novelty or curiosity or by presume rewards or blessings. You can imagine this is what makes, of course, something like the Blat and grab, its kind of gospel, the prosperity of some of our modern evangelical expression, so incredibly dangerous. Because of course people will say, well, if I can get that blessing, of course I want Jesus. Or if I'm gonna be made, well, yes, I'll, I'll find, I'll take Jesus. If I'm gonna get wealth and riches and a 401k, that's gonna suit my every need. Well sure I'll take Jesus. And of course, the blessing, the reward of getting Jesus is getting the son of God, getting the one who restores us first and predominantly. With God the father himself, that all of those blessings are already ours in the spiritual realm because of Jesus. In fact, we've, we've already been placed with him in the heavenly realms. That is the reward. And so sometimes the gods were a little bit more motivated by, this guy's given us bread before. Let's see if there's gonna be another buffet, rather than he says We ought to eat and drink his flesh. That in that is eternal life, and so we get distracted. And so sometimes novelty and curiosity just win the day. And then of course, on the other hand. Some of the most unlikely unseemly, most sinful were responding with incredible joy and embracing Jesus and his announcement. Tenaciously like voraciously, the ones who were humble, who knew that they needed a savior, they needed a reconciliation that was alien and outside of themselves. Something powerful that could defeat even the sin that was within them and bring about a pure and unbridled atonement, unreserved in its ability to clean. These were the ones who were saying, come, Lord Jesus, these were the ones crying out, saying, have mercy on me, son of David. And we like them. Ought to follow that example. And so throughout Matthew's Gospel and Luke's gospel. There's a mixed response throughout the entire ministry of Jesus. And again, what's unique about this parable, I think, is that Jesus comes setting the stage for that unique response. All of those different kind of options and how people will perceive him, how they respond to him, what they will say to him. And so whether as you go through the narratives in the gospels, you look to. The Samaritan Leopard or the blind beggar, or the Chief tax Collector, or the impoverished widow, all of these were those who were forcing their way into the kingdom in response during the good news. There's really something I think that's beautiful about that, that God allows for us to force our way as it were. When we are convicted of this kingdom, that he is the kingdom and that he brings it to us. That we come headlong, rushing in, falling over ourselves to get into that kingdom by the power of the Holy Spirit. And that's why I think, why, why Luke writes in chapter 16 of his gospel. The law in the prophets were until John. Since then, the good news of the kingdom of God is preached and everyone forces his way into it. What a amazing and lovely thing that God allows us. Which is the truth, to force our way into that. So these were the ones who proved to be the fertile soil for the word of the kingdom, not the ones who chose the places of honor or the privilege, or we saw Jesus one of many important priorities to be managed. What we have here is the ones who forced their way in. These were the ones who proved to be the fertile soil, and I'm not gonna steal. Any of our thunder, because Tony and I are gonna talk about that in the next episode. But I bring that up merely to say there's so much that's rich here. When we think about are we as Christians fruitful and fertile? In our following, after the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's Matthew's great theme of reversal, like beginning in the birth narratives of Jesus and continuing through the very end of his gospel count. Even like in his final parable, Jesus forced the confrontation with his opponents by declaring that God would give the kingdom to those who had produce a harvest for God in honor. His son. That's the truth. And so he was more than simply this messenger in these cleverly created stories announcing the arrival of God's reign. He was the one who brought the kingdom. And actually, in fact, Jesus embodies the kingdom because he was the king, not only of Israel, but the royal son of God who would rule the nations. And because of that. He did represent a threat to overthrow to some just as much as he was meant as a salvation and a blessing to others. He is divisive. In fact, what's interesting is if you track Jesus standing up in the temple. And he comes forward and reads from Isaiah. It's interesting where he stops reading. This is really before kind of the, all the language about the second coming back, him really coming not to bring just salvation, but to bring retribution, to bring justice and punishment for those who are God's enemies. And so really this first coming. Jesus is all about this. It's it's all about having the message of God go out in that return void. It's returning full of the response of God's people, full of the response of God's enemies and therefore. This parable, an ex explanation to his inner circle would be understood as an accounting for the surprising range of responses. And even more than I think like an ex explanation, like explicitly it would be this kind of preparation. This kind of, again, setting a table or opening up a pathway for this hard road that lay ahead for those who would remain true to Jesus. These would be the ones who would serve the ultimate purpose of God's great act of sowing in his son to produce a great harvest. And of course. That is partly what lies the hope for us. I mean, I think I said last time we spoke about this, what I appreciate about this teaching is not only that it doesn't pull any punches, but it's just so. Real, it's so resonant because Jesus already gives us some of the breadth and scope or the continuum of the responses so that when we go out and we should so unreservedly that that is by proclaiming Jesus as the king who has come as the kingdom already ushered in as here, but not yet. When we do this, we can expect already that there'll be various responses. So one for us, it takes away the surprise. The second is it does prepare us. That these things might in fact happen. And three, it gives us a sense that, again, the efficacy of salvation. And we're getting, by the way, this view of salvation from, from God isn't again dependent on the skillset of the sower. Instead, it is God's prerogative. It's always God's prerogative. And here as loved ones, you've heard me say again, I must invoke the phrase, we have God doing all the verbs, right? He's the one walking in the field. He's the one reaching in into the seed bag, as it were. He's the one casting it liberally across the ground. He's the one making it grow. All of this is what God is doing. The preparation of the soil, the casting of the seed, the being present in. Farmland. All of this is what God is doing now. We emulate that by design. So now the call is to do what Jesus has done here in Mala for us, and that is that we also go out into the world and we proclaim this good news because what is unequivocally true is that the good news of Jesus Christ. Is for all people. Now, this does not mean that all people will accept it. That is abundantly clear in the message that Jesus gives to us. It does not prevent though us or him from casting it out to all people. We see that really, really. Vividly. Some will be given ears to hear. We ought to pray that our neighbors, our children, those in our churches and our communities, our politicians, we ought to be praying that all would be given ears to hear, and the seed of God's word will accomplish exactly what God intends and Jesus' word, a proclamation announcing the good news of the kingdom of God. We see vividly the point that God's word is. Deed that this word that he spoke speaks is his action. It's not simply that God says what he will do, but that his very act of speaking is the means by which he does that very thing. When we hear God speak to us, it is proof that we are alive. Not only do like dead men tell no tales, I think I've just inadvertently like quoted from Disney's. Um. Pirates movie, but they hear no tells as well. You know, you have been born again, not a perishable seed, but of imperishable through the living and abiding word of God. Incredible. Isn't it? Loved ones like it's incredible this story that to me on the beginning seems like so kind of. Boring and not particularly catchy and maybe not as interesting as some of the others contained within. This is literally all the words of life in the seed that we've seen thrown and in. It is like the continuum we find, not that it emulates the Old Testament, or that it somehow compliments New Testament, but within all within this parable is all of the scriptures and all of the full plan of God and all of his great love for us. That again, while we were at his enemies, he came and on this path, as he walks among the field, he casts the seed. To all, and he, by his power, gives to some these ears to hear. We find ourselves humbled. We find ourselves rushing in coming into the kingdom, fighting to come into it because God has impassioned us with that same zeal that has accomplished this very thing. He implants it in our hearts, in our minds, in our guts, so that we would come before him and worship him, fall down and find. The one who is our savior, who ushers in the visible kingdom of God, the one that is not built merely on political theories, on good rules. The kind of gospel that didn't come to make bad people good, but came to make dead people alive again. And I think that that is the absolute. Untouchable, unfathomable, almost completely un understandable, if you will, truth of this particular parable. I think this is why the Westminster confession describes the word of God, and particularly the preaching of the word as a means of grace. The word is powerful in itself by the spirits of God. I had to quote the Westminster, of course, at least in honor of Tony, so. [00:30:02] Call to Action and Final Thoughts That's my little challenge to you on this short little episode. It's just you and me and I'm saying to you loved ones. Consider this parable again. Consider how palpable this parable is. Consider what God has for us in it. Consider this soils. And then think about what it means that this good news, we see this within it, this vivid point again, that God's word is his deed. And so this is why though we do not create any kind of legalistic, conscription, or prescription around something like daily Bible study. Why? It's such a blessing to live in this period of time where we have such easy access for most of us to the word of God, and that we ought to be zealous about getting that word out to all people because, because behind it and within it and around it is the full power of the Holy Spirit that is always going out into the world and returning full with response and that when God. Speaks his word. He's always accomplishing his act in that very deed. And so it should be a blessing. We should be compelled to find ourselves in it as much as often as we can because what we're finding there is the power of God for us, in us speaking, administering to us to produce in us a great harvest. That's the promise it's coming, and we're gonna get there in the next. Episode, but what I'll leave you with is just those first two soils thinking about if you have ears to hear, if you have been made alive together with Christ, then consider that there was a time when you are one of the other soils and God who's being rich in mercy has rescued you. Not because of work done in righteousness, not because you've come forward and. Elevate your place to the, to elevate your state to the place of deserving poor. Not because like you came forward with, with empty hands and somehow convinced God that you are worthy enough, or sorry enough or contrite enough. But because of his great mercy, and it's that mercy, I think that compels us to say things to Jesus like Son of David Sight again. Son of David, have mercy on me, son of David. You are the real arrival of the Kingdom of God and your word bears testimony and your Holy Spirit has in a great work in my life. And to that end, I want to follow you and I want to ensure that this word that you've given to me is given to all people. So there's work to do, loved ones. And there's a lot there to process. I hope that you will take some time. Think about this in your own way, and as you are processing this as God is speaking to you, as you are joining together with loved ones from literally all over the world who are hanging out and listening to Tony and I chat about this stuff, that again, you would share your own voice, the best way to do that. Why do you make me beg you? Come join the Telegram chat. You'll have a great time. It's super fun. T me slash Reform Brotherhood. I would also be remiss if I didn't on behalf of myself and Tony, thank everyone who does hang out there, everyone who sent us the email, everyone who shares prayer requests or has prayed for us, and as well everyone who makes sure that this podcast. Is free of charge. It comes with its own expenses. It's not free to produce. And so we're so thankful that those who've said, listen, I've been blessed by the podcast, or It's just been important or special to me. God has done something in it. Or God has renewed a different kind of desire and passion to talk about the things of God or to encourage me in my life. I'm so happy if other things have happened. By the way, it's not because of Tony or me. It's because God is good to us. I mean, can I get an amen? I see that hand. In the back, God is good to Tony and me and we're just so thankful that we get to do this. And so if you'd like to join in supporting financially. Every little gift helps. You can go to patreon.com/reform brotherhood patreon.com, reform Brotherhood, and there you can find a way to give one time or reoccurring all of those gifts together. Make sure that there's no payrolls on this bad boy that you're not gonna get any super weird ads in the middle of it. You're just gonna get us talking. We want to em, I would say be emblematic of what we've talked about here, which is. Freely we've received freely want to give. And for those who join and say, I wanna make that possible so that no one has to be compelled to pay for this kind of thing, I love that we are here for that every day of the week and twice on the Lord's day. So next episode, Tony and I are gonna continue in this parable. We're probably, you know, gonna get together. We'll set up our tents, we'll just camp out here for a little bit. So until we get the tents out, we get the s'mores. And we start camping. Honor everyone love the brotherhood.

Geoff and Marie's Good Life: Part 6An Academy of Coitus.Marie's friends take turns to visit her and her husband.Based on posts by Only In My Mind, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.When we heard voices from the other bedroom we got up and followed the others downstairs. Marie and Jo were laughing together when we arrived in the kitchen, so lesbian love hadn't offended Jo too much. Marie looked at Kate as we entered. "Hi babe. How was it for you?"Kate smiled at her friend. "I just need to get laid so much. Now I feel so good that I can't find the words to describe it."Marie looked at me. "And what about you?""A gentleman never tells," I said. "Other than to compliment you on your choice of friends. I have enjoyed this evening immensely; but I'm wondering how you ladies would like to end it. Shall I take a quick shower while you pour me a glass of wine and decide?" And I left them to it.I was back downstairs in less than ten minutes, intrigued as to Jo and Kates' decision. Were they orgasmed out, did they want to play together or did they want to try a foursome?Marie passed me a glass of wine as I joined them. I took a sip as Marie explained that the girls couldn't decide what to do for the rest of the evening. She saw the look on my face and grinned at her friends. "Mr. Smarty Pants here obviously has some ideas." She turned to me. "Go on then. What are you thinking.""It might be better if I showed you," I suggested. I put my glass on the kitchen table and walked across to Jo. I kissed her firmly on the lips and then untied the belt on her dressing gown, allowing it to fall open. I reclaimed my wine glass and, after dipping my index finger into the ruby liquid, anointed her nipples with wine. I bent to lick it off as she stood, mesmerized, as her friends watched me."It's my belief that our Jo is a closet exhibitionist," I explained. "I think that she would enjoy an audience while I fuck her bent over the kitchen table."Jo didn't say anything but her pupils dilated even further and she licked her lips while Marie and Kate considered my words. "Is that true, Jo?" My wife purred as she approached her friend. "Do you really want Kate and I to watch while my husband fucks you over my kitchen table?"I saw a flush spread down Jo's neck down to the top of her chest. Fuck! She wasn't even this turned on while I was actually doing her!"You dirty, dirty girl." Now Kate had joined in. "I bet you even expect Marie to touch you while her husband's banging you. Is that right?"Jo was breathing heavily now. I stepped behind her and slipped the gown off her shoulders and cupped her tits as it fell to the floor. "I think that we all know what's going to happen now," I whispered in her ear. "Lean forwards with both hands on the table and don't move." I looked at the other two women. "Take your seats ladies. The show is about to start."Jo took a single step to reach the table and silently bent at the waist to lean against it. She still hadn't said a word. I stood behind her and slipped my hand between her thighs. I couldn't believe how wet she felt. "You've never done this before. Am I right?" She shook her head. ""How long have you wanted to be fucked senseless while other people have watched you?""I was on holiday in Amsterdam, before I met Patrick. There was a group of us and we got high and found a live sex show." Her voice was soft and wistful. "Everyone else thought it was a hoot but," she paused as she remembered that night. "But I watched that woman on the stage as her lover penetrated her and it was the most arousing sight I'd ever seen. I wanted to be her; to do that; to be so free."Now she sounded sad as she continued. "But life's not like that, is it? I didn't want to be a prostitute or a stripper: I just wanted to be able to do what she did, even just once."I slipped off my own dressing gown. "Will this do, Jo? It's only an audience of two, but they are going to sit and watch you being fucked. Two of your very closest friends are going to watch you take my cock. Will that do for a start? Then you can fantasize about doing it with a different audience next time."She had already come at least three times with me that evening and God alone knows what Marie had done to her, so she was already aroused when we started this game. I also had an agenda of my own that this was playing quite nicely towards. I glanced at Marie and Kate to see them staring at my cock as I placed it at Jo's entrance. Jo gasped as she realized that the game was about to get real.I slipped gradually inside her and used my hands on her hips to embed myself balls deep. Marie decided to help her friend's fantasy as I started to pump back and forth. "Look Kate. Look at how Geoff's cock is slipping in and out of Jo's cunt. Look how wet and shiny he is."Kate was genuinely excited too. "This is the first time that I've ever seen two people having sex in real life," she said, breathlessly. "This is so fucking hot. Jo you dirty bitch.""Is this what you wanted Jo?" I murmured in her ear. Two of your best friends watching while one of their husbands fucks you?""Oh, yes," she groaned. "I've wanted to do something like this for so long.""Ask Marie what it's like, watching you fucking her husband on her kitchen table," I told her."Is it, oh!" She gasped. "Marie. Is it hot watching; Oh!" Another gasp."It's beautiful, babe." Marie reassured her. "I can see his cock slipping in and out of you. It's really sexy. Maybe." My wife paused for effect. "Maybe another time you could let us watch him take you up your bum. Would you like that, you dirty girl?"Jo couldn't answer. It didn't take long before I could feel her internal muscles starting to grip as she approached her climax. She was making cute little moans in time to my thrusts and they were getting louder and more urgent every passing second. Eventually she threw her head back and cried out as she hit a massive orgasm. I kept on thrusting trying to fuck her through it, but she was spent. We helped her to a chair and left her to recover.I smiled and looked at Kate. "You next. Take up the position." Then I turned to Marie. "I don't know what you're grinning at. Line up next to her." The two women looked nonplussed for a moment, then hurried to take up position side by side in front of me. I stood for a moment wondering how this could be. Only a couple of months ago I was convinced that my wife had gone off sex, and off me. Then I had a bit of an episode when she was berating our daughter's sex life, and here we were; she and her friend are bent over the kitchen table presenting their naked backsides to me while a spent friend recovers from yet another orgasm as she watches. I was sure that there was a life lesson in there somewhere but, on the other hand, there were two naked ladies anxious to be serviced, so I decided to put existential angst on the back burner and make the most of it.I decided to take my wife first as she hadn't had any cock at all that evening, unless I counted one of the rubber ones from the naughty shop. Either way she sighed gratefully as I guided my cock into her lovely moist tunnel. "Hi honey. I'm home," I warbled as we moved together. I tried to keep count as I stroked into her. After ten, I dismounted. "I'm just popping next door," I explained as I pushed my cock into Kate. They both giggled. Ten strokes into Kate as I admired her shapely bum and then back to Marie. For the next ten minutes all you could have heard in the kitchen was the sound of my belly slapping into the buttocks of the two lovely women in front of me, punctuated by the moans as we all got closer.I was glad when Kate came first, as I was getting close myself and I really wanted to finish inside my wife. As it happened, I couldn't hold back and I spent my load into Marie before she was ready. Jo came to the rescue though, and while I was trying as hard as I could to keep going before my erection subsided, she knelt by my wife and started to rub Marie's clit. Marie was completely unprepared for it and only lasted a minute longer before she succumbed to the inevitable and gracefully collapsed onto the table giggling quietly to herself.That seemed to be an appropriate moment to bring the evening to a close, so Jo and Kate each retired to one of the en-suites for a shower before they got dressed and joined us back downstairs. It struck me that this should have felt really awkward, but it didn't; honestly. We all kissed, rather chastely under the circumstances and we wished them a safe journey home as they left together.I looked at Marie as we held hands at the door. "Well babe." I said. "Are we still a couple?"She cuddled up close. "Nothing that you did or said tonight made me anything but proud," she said. "I asked you to make my friends happy, and you did. I know that every time you make love to them you form an attachment. That's 'cos you're a big softie really; and I love you all the more for it. Let's go to bed. I want to hold you even if you can't make love again." As it happened, I could.On Thursday we had a bit of a lie in {that's married people talk for having morning sex) and then we had a light breakfast as Marie was meeting Jane for lunch. We chatted about the night before, but didn't break our promise to the girls to keep the intimate details private. I was reassured now that Marie seemed comfortable watching me have sex with her friends and I was relaxed about her lesbian quid pro quo. I admit that I was uneasy about something, though. Everything that I had been brought up to believe told me this was wrong. I was still troubled by this cultural indoctrination even though I had no logical explanation for why I was supposed to feel guilty for making two friends happy. Fuck it. I love my wife, and her friends deserve physical affection.Anyway, we changed the beds and put the soiled sheets in to wash then went to get the weekly shopping. After we'd packed everything away Marie went to meet Jane while I went to the pub for lunch. I'd decided I'd had a good workout the previous evening and deserved a treat.Marie was preparing a tagine for tea when I got home; just the two of us tonight, Colin had football practice. "Hello love," I said as I gave her a kiss. "How was your lunch date?""It was okay," Marie said thoughtfully. "Jane enjoys your flirting and she understands that I wasn't offended by her playing along. But." I wondered what was coming next. "But, I'm sorry Geoff," she said hurriedly. "She's just such an awful gossip. She told me things in confidence that I had no need to know, about people who'd be terribly embarrassed if they found out what she was saying about them. I tried to call her out on it but she doesn't seem to care."There's no way that I can invite her to meet the girls; She'd be forever pestering a solicitor, a nurse and a copper for juicy titbits, and I know your suspicions about Angie's;  activities. And if she ever found out about our language classes, it would be all over town in an hour."I was actually relieved. Yes, Jane was attractive and yes, she was young enough to be our daughter, but there was something comfortable about our arrangement with Marie's friends. Even now, I can't really explain it, but somehow it was okay for me to help my wife's friends, but screwing a friend of mine would cross a line. I think that I may be even more broken than I realized.On Friday Marie asked if it was okay if Angie stayed for the weekend. They had enjoyed our previous dance evening so much that they wanted to do it again, if I was willing. Was I ever! I rang to arrange for a taxi that evening and asked if Ken was free. He'd taken us the last time we went out together and I rather enjoyed his company. I have to admit that I was looking forward to finding out if my companions' behavior that night had any; repercussions in his own marital relations.That afternoon, I picked Colin up from school and we discussed his homework, population dynamics and how women's reproductive choices could affect prosperity and economic growth. It was interesting and we lost track of time until his gran called him for his tea. We sat with him and chatted while he ate. We'd decided to eat out later with Angie. Colin's ears pricked up when we explained why we weren't eating with him. "Oh," he said. "Will mum be acting all weird again on the way home then?"Marie explained to him that she and Angie were very good friends and loved each other very much. But his mum had misunderstood and thought that meant that Gran didn't love me anymore. She reassured Colin that she loved his grandad more than ever and we both wanted Angie to have people in her life that cared for her; so we were happy for her to come and stay and spend time with us both.Colin gave me a very thoughtful look before he went to finish his homework. Marie and I glanced meaningfully at each other, shrugged and went to get showered and changed.Angie arrived just after six, as I was on the phone to Linda. Angie dashed into the study to give Colin a hug while I called upstairs to tell Marie that Linda was on her way home from work and would be with us to collect Colin in quarter of an hour. Angie grabbed her case from near the door to go and get changed upstairs as Marie came down to meet her. Colin came out of the study to show me his homework, and he watched as the two friends met and gave each other a loving hug, and a passionate kiss."Oops," said Colin. "Good job Mum missed that. She'd have seriously got her knickers in a twist." We just grinned at each other and then went to sit in the kitchen so he could show me his work. It was a thoughtful piece that contrasted, in a thirteen year old's words, the importance of women to an economy and their lower status in too many societies. Open minded and empathetic, he was going to be a real catch when he grew up. That decided me: I needed to have a long chat with his mum.By the time Linda arrived we were all downstairs. The girls looked stunning. Marie was in a long dark blue dress with a scooped neck, showing her amazing cleavage. Angie was in a long burgundy dress with a split to mid-thigh. Their makeup was subtle but they glowed.Me? Really? Okay: I was in a blue two-piece suit, a shade darker than my wife's dress. I thought it would be nice to coordinate with both my girls so I put on a burgundy silk tie, with an Eldridge knot, to match Angie's dress. Smart brown shoes completed the ensemble, as though anyone would be looking at me!Linda followed the voices to the kitchen when she arrived. Marie and her friend were raiding my wine rack for a nice white to chill in time for our return home. "Wow! Mum, Angie, you both look amazing."My wife waited for a second, probably to see if there were any judgmental caveats to follow before she replied. "Thank you love. That's very nice of you to say so. Your Dad and I really enjoyed our last dance night with Angie, so we thought it would be nice to do it more often."Colin and I joined them in the kitchen as she was speaking and I stood between Marie and her friend with an arm around both of their waists. "Aren't I the luckiest man?" I gave Marie a peck on the cheek and then did the same to Angie. I looked squarely at Linda. "Two gorgeous women all to myself tonight." Linda flushed and I swear I heard Colin snort behind me.The three women went into the living room to chat, while Colin and I tried to find a nice wine for later. In the end, Colin chose a Pinot Grigio for us;  he said that he thought we might enjoy the white pear and lychee taste;  so we put a bottle in the fridge. Seeing as we were already in the kitchen, I took one of my 'special' tablets, making sure that Colin didn't see me. It was one thing telling Colin that Marie and I loved Auntie Angie: I wasn't about to explain that I was taking an erection enhancing drug so that I could have sex with them both all night!Anyway, Linda and Colin left without any drama just as our taxi pulled up. Marie went through her checklist for me. "Have you got your wallet, door keys, handkerchief?"I probably looked a bit insulted. "Yes dear," I sighed."Have you taken your tablet?" Marie asked. Angie gave me a look; at my groin."Yes dear.""Did you remember the condoms?" She fell about laughing. "Oh Geoff. The look on your face."I smiled. "Come on you daft bat. We're not getting any younger."The girls walked together towards the taxi and, as I locked up, I heard a squeal of joy from Angie. "Geoff! You complete genius. You got Ken to drive us." She all but skipped down the driveway and threw her arms around the poor man's neck. "Ken! You're my favorite cabbie. I'm so pleased to see you again." She demonstrated her sincerity by planting a big kiss on his mouth. I'm as certain as I can be that there was tongue involved.I looked at my wife. "I bet you're pleased to see Ken too." She nodded shyly. "I imagine he's your favorite cabbie as well." She just smiled. It seemed to be my night for sighing. "So go and show Ken how glad you are that he's our driver tonight." To her credit, she gave me a lovely hug first and then went to give Ken a big kiss. He also got the bonus of a lovely bosom pressed up against him, as well as a damn good look down a damn fine cleavage.We set off for the country hotel hosting the dinner dance, with me in the front with Ken and my two ladies plotting in the seat behind us. "Do you remember us Ken?" I asked."Vividly." He replied, apparently surprised that I should even have asked."You mentioned, as you dropped us off last time, something about your wife, er, may perhaps be going to benefit from the experience," I said, rather hesitantly.He looked both embarrassed and rather smug. "Er, well yes. She 'benefitted' twice that night and once again the next morning.""Oh, Ken!" Came a chorus from the rear seats."You naughty saucepot," said Angie. Ken smirked. "So did you do it up her bum?" Angie continued conversationally. It was fascinating watching his satisfied expression morph into a rictus of terror as he recalled how Angie had tormented me the first time that he drove us. "Well?" She persisted. "Do you sometimes go 'in' the 'out' door?""You know you're going to have to answer her, don't you?" I observed, as kindly as I could, when I saw his hesitation. "She's relentless, especially when she's interrogating someone about sex.""N, No," he stammered eventually. "We've never done that.""Me neither," she said wistfully. "She has." She meant Marie. "The luck bitch. Do you think Geoff would do me up the bum, if I ask him nicely?""Do women actually like that sort of thing?" He asked warily."Well I don't know, do I?" She was getting a little testy now. "I just admitted that I've never done it. You'll have to ask Mrs. Smuggy McSmugface here."Marie spared him having to ask. "It was an odd feeling," she volunteered cheerfully. "And it felt very naughty." She thought for a moment. "I did have a massive orgasm though. We're definitely going to do it again, but next time we'll prepare better, so that we can do it bareback." She sat back in her seat and looked fondly at her best friend. "I'm sure Geoff would love to do yours too. Shopping trip tomorrow? To get some enema kits?"Ken looked me helplessly. "Are they always like this?"I gave his question some serious thought. "Individually, no; together, sometimes but together with the prospect of sex; always!"I heard some more whispering behind me and I was sure one of the women murmured, "We'll keep that for the trip home." The dirty laughs that followed convinced me that they were on a hyper tonight and, I'm not sure if you'd noticed, they haven't had a drop to drink yet!We drove more or less in silence for the rest of the journey. It wasn't far. I knew the return trip was likely to be; challenging; but I didn't say anything to Ken. No need to alarm him prematurely after all.When we arrived at the hotel, the girls stayed in the back of the taxi until Ken realized that they were waiting for him to open the doors for them. Angie was sitting on the driver's side so he let her out first. I swear that I saw her rub her hand along the front of his trousers as she got out. She bobbed down and looked across to Marie, still sitting behind my seat, "I think Ken enjoyed our company."The poor man walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for Marie and stood to attention with a look of resignation on his face as Marie stepped out and 'accidentally' stroked his groin too. She grinned across the cab roof at her friend and said, "Perhaps we should talk about something else on the way home. Do tell us you'll be driving us back tonight, Ken.""Er, Yes Madam, The gentleman insisted.""Oh goody! We love our little chats," Marie beamed.I paid our fare, with a generous tip, and clapped him gently on the shoulder. "It's only a ten minute drive," I told him. "It probably won't be too bad. Probably."

The New Preachers of Egypt—so named because of their novel preaching styles, which incorporate everything from melodrama to music to self-help—came to prominence on the world's first Islamic television channel on the cusp of the Arab Spring uprisings. They promoted an innovative and inclusive Islamic piety that millions of young middle-class viewers found radical and compelling—but were scorned as neoliberal by leftists, as stealth Islamists by secularists, and as too Westernized by other Muslim preachers. Drawing on long-term fieldwork with the New Preachers, their producers, and followers in Cairo, Yasmin Moll shows how Islamic media and the social life of theology mattered to contestations over the shape of a New Egypt. These mass-mediated fractures within Islamic Revivalism were happening at a time of both revolutionary possibility and authoritarian entrenchment. The New Preachers' Islamic media inspired a "revolution within" that transcended the country's divisions and anticipated the ethos of creativity, solidarity, and coexistence that soon would mark Tahrir Square, the ethical epicenter of the 2011 uprising. Vividly written and boldly theorized, The Revolution Within: Islamic Media and the Struggle for a New Egypt (Stanford University Press, 2025) challenges conventional accounts of the 2011 revolution and its aftermath as a struggle between secular and religious forces, reconsidering what makes a practice virtuous, a public Islamic, a way of life Godly. Yasmin Moll is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of Michigan. Reighan Gillam is Associate Professor in the Department of Latin American, Latino, and Caribbean Studies at Dartmouth College. Her research examines the ways in which Afro-Brazilian media producers foment anti-racist visual politics through their image creations. She is the author of Visualizing Black Lives: Ownership and Control in Afro-Brazilian Media (University of Illinois Press). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

From planting periwinkles on the graves of slaves, to the blues itself, the colour blue has been core to Black Americans' pursuit of joy in the face of being dehumanized by slavery, argues Harvard professor Imani Perry. In her latest book, Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of my People, she unpacks the deep, centuries-long connection between Black people and the colour blue, from the complex history of indigo dye to how the blues became a crowning achievement of Black American culture.

Paramedics vividly recounted the harrowing scene after the lifeless body of John O'Keefe was discovered at 34 Fairview in Karen Read Trail. In a separate startling incident, a naked inmate caused quite a stir at the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles County, leaving everyone bewildered. Meanwhile, a remarkable twist in a decades-long mystery has emerged: 82-year-old Audrey Backeberg, who vanished without a trace in July 1962 at just 20 years old, has finally been found living out of state. However, the sheriff's office has chosen to keep the exact location under wraps, adding an air of intrigue to her unexpected return.

In this episode of The Tech Trek, Daniel Whatley, co-founder and technical lead at Vividly, shares his journey launching a startup while still a student at MIT. From managing college life during COVID to navigating the CPG industry's digital transformation, Daniel reflects on what it meant to be the youngest in the room, how he grew into executive leadership, and what he wishes he'd known before co-founding a company. A candid look at growth, grit, and the impact of youth in a traditional space.

English novelist Daisy Hildyard envisions the deep time evolution of the coastline of Scarborough, North Yorkshire: from a prehistoric meteor strike, to a 19th-century seaside aquarium devoid of fish, a present-day spate of dead tides, and a future where part of the human population has evolved into a hybrid marine species, drawn back to the cradle of the sea to care for its degraded waters. Vividly narrated by acclaimed British actor Colin Salmon, and created as part of Wild Eye—an art and nature trail in Yorkshire that raises awareness about coastal erosion in the face of climate change—this short story traces the forever-shifting tides of our relationship with the sea.  Read the story. Illustration by Muhammad Fatchurofi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get ready for this one!! In this episode the guys talk to the lovely and talented Vividly Vixen!! Construction worker, jack or all trades, nudist, OF contributor and porn star!!  They have an in-depth conversation about the ups and downs of the porn industry, the perfect "member", bloopers and a whole lot more!!  #dicksharkWanna see this beautiful lady during the interview? Check out the video portion on our YouTube channel...https://youtube.com/@thetandapodcast?si=iHzF_VFXMW1q7XGEAnd check out all things Vividly Vixen at ....http://www.vividlyvixen.comWanna join in on the fun and submit questions and interact with the show? Then follow us on Facebook and after you check us out and give us a like.  Ask us for an invite to Get After...The T&A Podcast.... our NEW private Facebook group!!Want some T&A??? Of course you do...everyone does !! Check out our merch here..https://www.zazzle.com/store/ta_podcastCheck us out everywhere we are by using our linktree.CLICK HERE...https://linktr.ee/tandapodcast

Today, Ed Foreman discusses how you can use your imagination to help or hinder the accomplishment of your goals.Source: Laughing, Loving and Living: Your Way to the Good LifeHosted by Sean CroxtonFollow me on Instagram

Welcome to the final episode of Motivational Sundays for 2024! Join Kevin McLemore, a 4-time award-winning author, and an incredible panel of inspiring voices as they unpack the profound quote: "If you visualize vividly and verbalize voraciously, one day you will actualize automatically." Featuring thought-provoking insights from Dr. Stan Harris (aka Dr. Breakthrough), Anne Marie, Vanessa, Brian, and more, this episode delves into the power of vivid visualization, passionate verbalization, and how these practices lead to life's greatest actualizations.

Congratulations! YOU have been promoted today!You are not longer: Chief Box-ticker, Fire-Fighter, Director of Chaos, Head of Crisis Control or Fatigue Manager...What if we re-imagined your role? Less chaos. More clarity. Less demand. More delight! Joy! Calm! and Strong!You are invited today, to a BIG promotion! Vividly think of your future-self and your 10 year goal and best life. Truly envision that best life, with detail. What might be a new role for you, to step into today... beyond the demands, expectations and drain of today?I believe, when you create an aspirational, inspiring role for yourself, you will be able to intentionally design your dayHEY..... Buy yourself flowers!FREEBIE INSPO DOWNLOAD: positive prompts you likely never considered...to shift from worry to positive energy. Buy yourself flowers. Find YOUR happy. What you are seeking is also seeking you.Start here today: https://peoplebrain.myflodesk.com/downloadbuyyourselfflowers...and I'd love to connect! Reach out here:Website: https://peoplebrain.caInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/overflow_podcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-j-snider/Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/overflow-with-kimberly-snider. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's book is: The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World (Princeton University Press, 2024), by Dr. Allison Pugh, which explores the human connections that underlie our work, arguing that what people do for each other is valuable and worth preserving. Drawing on in-depth interviews and observations with people in a broad range of professions—from physicians, teachers, and coaches to chaplains, therapists, caregivers, and hairdressers—Dr. Pugh develops the concept of “connective labor,” a kind of work that relies on empathy, the spontaneity of human contact, and a mutual recognition of each other's humanity. The threats to connective labor are not only those posed by advances in AI or apps; Dr. Pugh demonstrates how profit-driven campaigns imposing industrial logic shrink the time for workers to connect, enforce new priorities of data and metrics, and introduce standardized practices that hinder our ability to truly see each other. She concludes with profiles of organizations where connective labor thrives, offering practical steps for building a social architecture that works. Vividly illustrating how connective labor enriches the lives of individuals and binds our communities together, The Last Human Job is a compelling argument for us to recognize, value, and protect humane work in an increasingly automated and disconnected world. Our guest is: Dr. Allison Pugh, who is Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University, and the 2024-25 Vice President of the American Sociological Association. She writes about how people forge connections and find meaning and dignity at work and at home. She is the author of The Tumbleweed Society: Working and Caring in an Age of Insecurity and Longing and Belonging: Parents, Children, and Consumer Culture. Her writing has appeared in leading publications such as The New Yorker, the New York Times, and the New Republic. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, the producer of the Academic Life podcast. She holds a PhD in history, which she uses to explore what stories we tell and what happens to those we never tell. Playlist for listeners: Talking To Strangers Making A Meaningful Life How to Human Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World More Than A Glitch Meditation and the Academic Life Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by posting, assigning or sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 225+ Academic Life episodes? You'll find them all archived here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Today's book is: The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World (Princeton University Press, 2024), by Dr. Allison Pugh, which explores the human connections that underlie our work, arguing that what people do for each other is valuable and worth preserving. Drawing on in-depth interviews and observations with people in a broad range of professions—from physicians, teachers, and coaches to chaplains, therapists, caregivers, and hairdressers—Dr. Pugh develops the concept of “connective labor,” a kind of work that relies on empathy, the spontaneity of human contact, and a mutual recognition of each other's humanity. The threats to connective labor are not only those posed by advances in AI or apps; Dr. Pugh demonstrates how profit-driven campaigns imposing industrial logic shrink the time for workers to connect, enforce new priorities of data and metrics, and introduce standardized practices that hinder our ability to truly see each other. She concludes with profiles of organizations where connective labor thrives, offering practical steps for building a social architecture that works. Vividly illustrating how connective labor enriches the lives of individuals and binds our communities together, The Last Human Job is a compelling argument for us to recognize, value, and protect humane work in an increasingly automated and disconnected world. Our guest is: Dr. Allison Pugh, who is Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University, and the 2024-25 Vice President of the American Sociological Association. She writes about how people forge connections and find meaning and dignity at work and at home. She is the author of The Tumbleweed Society: Working and Caring in an Age of Insecurity and Longing and Belonging: Parents, Children, and Consumer Culture. Her writing has appeared in leading publications such as The New Yorker, the New York Times, and the New Republic. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, the producer of the Academic Life podcast. She holds a PhD in history, which she uses to explore what stories we tell and what happens to those we never tell. Playlist for listeners: Talking To Strangers Making A Meaningful Life How to Human Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World More Than A Glitch Meditation and the Academic Life Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by posting, assigning or sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 225+ Academic Life episodes? You'll find them all archived here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/anthropology

Today's book is: The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World (Princeton University Press, 2024), by Dr. Allison Pugh, which explores the human connections that underlie our work, arguing that what people do for each other is valuable and worth preserving. Drawing on in-depth interviews and observations with people in a broad range of professions—from physicians, teachers, and coaches to chaplains, therapists, caregivers, and hairdressers—Dr. Pugh develops the concept of “connective labor,” a kind of work that relies on empathy, the spontaneity of human contact, and a mutual recognition of each other's humanity. The threats to connective labor are not only those posed by advances in AI or apps; Dr. Pugh demonstrates how profit-driven campaigns imposing industrial logic shrink the time for workers to connect, enforce new priorities of data and metrics, and introduce standardized practices that hinder our ability to truly see each other. She concludes with profiles of organizations where connective labor thrives, offering practical steps for building a social architecture that works. Vividly illustrating how connective labor enriches the lives of individuals and binds our communities together, The Last Human Job is a compelling argument for us to recognize, value, and protect humane work in an increasingly automated and disconnected world. Our guest is: Dr. Allison Pugh, who is Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University, and the 2024-25 Vice President of the American Sociological Association. She writes about how people forge connections and find meaning and dignity at work and at home. She is the author of The Tumbleweed Society: Working and Caring in an Age of Insecurity and Longing and Belonging: Parents, Children, and Consumer Culture. Her writing has appeared in leading publications such as The New Yorker, the New York Times, and the New Republic. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, the producer of the Academic Life podcast. She holds a PhD in history, which she uses to explore what stories we tell and what happens to those we never tell. Playlist for listeners: Talking To Strangers Making A Meaningful Life How to Human Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World More Than A Glitch Meditation and the Academic Life Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by posting, assigning or sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 225+ Academic Life episodes? You'll find them all archived here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology

Today's book is: The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World (Princeton University Press, 2024), by Dr. Allison Pugh, which explores the human connections that underlie our work, arguing that what people do for each other is valuable and worth preserving. Drawing on in-depth interviews and observations with people in a broad range of professions—from physicians, teachers, and coaches to chaplains, therapists, caregivers, and hairdressers—Dr. Pugh develops the concept of “connective labor,” a kind of work that relies on empathy, the spontaneity of human contact, and a mutual recognition of each other's humanity. The threats to connective labor are not only those posed by advances in AI or apps; Dr. Pugh demonstrates how profit-driven campaigns imposing industrial logic shrink the time for workers to connect, enforce new priorities of data and metrics, and introduce standardized practices that hinder our ability to truly see each other. She concludes with profiles of organizations where connective labor thrives, offering practical steps for building a social architecture that works. Vividly illustrating how connective labor enriches the lives of individuals and binds our communities together, The Last Human Job is a compelling argument for us to recognize, value, and protect humane work in an increasingly automated and disconnected world. Our guest is: Dr. Allison Pugh, who is Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University, and the 2024-25 Vice President of the American Sociological Association. She writes about how people forge connections and find meaning and dignity at work and at home. She is the author of The Tumbleweed Society: Working and Caring in an Age of Insecurity and Longing and Belonging: Parents, Children, and Consumer Culture. Her writing has appeared in leading publications such as The New Yorker, the New York Times, and the New Republic. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, the producer of the Academic Life podcast. She holds a PhD in history, which she uses to explore what stories we tell and what happens to those we never tell. Playlist for listeners: Talking To Strangers Making A Meaningful Life How to Human Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World More Than A Glitch Meditation and the Academic Life Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by posting, assigning or sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 225+ Academic Life episodes? You'll find them all archived here.

Today's book is: The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World (Princeton University Press, 2024), by Dr. Allison Pugh, which explores the human connections that underlie our work, arguing that what people do for each other is valuable and worth preserving. Drawing on in-depth interviews and observations with people in a broad range of professions—from physicians, teachers, and coaches to chaplains, therapists, caregivers, and hairdressers—Dr. Pugh develops the concept of “connective labor,” a kind of work that relies on empathy, the spontaneity of human contact, and a mutual recognition of each other's humanity. The threats to connective labor are not only those posed by advances in AI or apps; Dr. Pugh demonstrates how profit-driven campaigns imposing industrial logic shrink the time for workers to connect, enforce new priorities of data and metrics, and introduce standardized practices that hinder our ability to truly see each other. She concludes with profiles of organizations where connective labor thrives, offering practical steps for building a social architecture that works. Vividly illustrating how connective labor enriches the lives of individuals and binds our communities together, The Last Human Job is a compelling argument for us to recognize, value, and protect humane work in an increasingly automated and disconnected world. Our guest is: Dr. Allison Pugh, who is Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University, and the 2024-25 Vice President of the American Sociological Association. She writes about how people forge connections and find meaning and dignity at work and at home. She is the author of The Tumbleweed Society: Working and Caring in an Age of Insecurity and Longing and Belonging: Parents, Children, and Consumer Culture. Her writing has appeared in leading publications such as The New Yorker, the New York Times, and the New Republic. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, the producer of the Academic Life podcast. She holds a PhD in history, which she uses to explore what stories we tell and what happens to those we never tell. Playlist for listeners: Talking To Strangers Making A Meaningful Life How to Human Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World More Than A Glitch Meditation and the Academic Life Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by posting, assigning or sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 225+ Academic Life episodes? You'll find them all archived here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/academic-life

Today's book is: The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World (Princeton University Press, 2024), by Dr. Allison Pugh, which explores the human connections that underlie our work, arguing that what people do for each other is valuable and worth preserving. Drawing on in-depth interviews and observations with people in a broad range of professions—from physicians, teachers, and coaches to chaplains, therapists, caregivers, and hairdressers—Dr. Pugh develops the concept of “connective labor,” a kind of work that relies on empathy, the spontaneity of human contact, and a mutual recognition of each other's humanity. The threats to connective labor are not only those posed by advances in AI or apps; Dr. Pugh demonstrates how profit-driven campaigns imposing industrial logic shrink the time for workers to connect, enforce new priorities of data and metrics, and introduce standardized practices that hinder our ability to truly see each other. She concludes with profiles of organizations where connective labor thrives, offering practical steps for building a social architecture that works. Vividly illustrating how connective labor enriches the lives of individuals and binds our communities together, The Last Human Job is a compelling argument for us to recognize, value, and protect humane work in an increasingly automated and disconnected world. Our guest is: Dr. Allison Pugh, who is Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University, and the 2024-25 Vice President of the American Sociological Association. She writes about how people forge connections and find meaning and dignity at work and at home. She is the author of The Tumbleweed Society: Working and Caring in an Age of Insecurity and Longing and Belonging: Parents, Children, and Consumer Culture. Her writing has appeared in leading publications such as The New Yorker, the New York Times, and the New Republic. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, the producer of the Academic Life podcast. She holds a PhD in history, which she uses to explore what stories we tell and what happens to those we never tell. Playlist for listeners: Talking To Strangers Making A Meaningful Life How to Human Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World More Than A Glitch Meditation and the Academic Life Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by posting, assigning or sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 225+ Academic Life episodes? You'll find them all archived here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society

Are you tired of feeling powerless in your relationships, sales, and life in general? Do you wish you could effortlessly influence and persuade others to get what you want? Dr. David Snyder shares secrets for tapping into people's deepest emotional motivations and values. Discover how to uncover someone's "ideal" checklist and use language to trigger their desires and rapidly overcome objections and limiting beliefs using powerful reframing methods. Take control of your life through the power of persuasion. Are you ready to become an unstoppable influencer? Standout Quotes: “Every human being on the planet moves through the world with a mental checklist of what constitutes the best ideal—anything.” – Dr. David Snyder “Your values and beliefs define what is best and what is not in your life. Every human being carries a mental checklist of values—similar to the ones you just explored—for anything they can conceive of.” – Dr. David Snyder “If you can effectively link what people emotionally want to what you offer, as a byproduct of this training and others, they will do business with you by default.” – Dr. David Snyder “The fastest, most powerful way to build an to build a business with little to no money down is through the power of public speaking.'” – Dr. David Snyder Key Takeaways: Identify your "ideal" checklist - What are the key criteria and values that define your perfect home, partner, or life situation? Explore these deeply. Create a "Steven Spielberg moment" - Vividly imagine the outcome you want to achieve from applying the techniques in this training. What does it feel like when you've succeeded? Overcome limiting beliefs in seconds - Learn the 14 different ways to rapidly transform any self-limiting belief into something more empowering and useful. Develop hypnotic presentation skills - Discover how to craft captivating stories and presentations that hypnotically influence and persuade your audience. Protect yourself from manipulation - Uncover the tactics of "social predators" and learn how to profile, detect, and defend against malicious influence attempts. Episode Timeline: [00:25] Find Your Dream Home and Partner with Emotion [04:45] Create Magic Moments with Spielberg-Level Emotion [09:29] Unlock Freedom: Gain Self-Sufficiency and Peace [13:54] Master Persuasion for Personal Growth [19:27] Discover Hypnotic Language for Influence [24:17] Transform Your Stories and Presentations [32:09] Craft the Perfect Sales Pitch with Persuasion [35:13] Elevate Your Skills and Personal Development [44:15] Arm Yourself with Influence and Defense Skills [49:49] Reprogram Your Mind with NLP Techniques To learn more about Dr. David Snyder and everything about NLP, visit: Website: https://www.nlppower.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidSnyderNLP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidsnydernlp

Fierce and unflinching, Rochelle Potkar's poetry springs from the deeply personal and ripples out to the world, capturing lovers' whispers and reverberations of explosions with equal ease. Vividly depicting love, grief, anger, and defiance, these poems glimmer like coins beneath the water surface, tethered with the weight of wishes clinging to them. As sensuous as it is articulate, Coins in Rivers (Hachette India, 2024) is a deep meditation on womanhood, motherhood, and citizenship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Fierce and unflinching, Rochelle Potkar's poetry springs from the deeply personal and ripples out to the world, capturing lovers' whispers and reverberations of explosions with equal ease. Vividly depicting love, grief, anger, and defiance, these poems glimmer like coins beneath the water surface, tethered with the weight of wishes clinging to them. As sensuous as it is articulate, Coins in Rivers (Hachette India, 2024) is a deep meditation on womanhood, motherhood, and citizenship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

With the rapid development of artificial intelligence and labor-saving technologies like self-checkouts and automated factories, the future of work has never been more uncertain, and even jobs requiring high levels of human interaction are no longer safe. The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World (Princeton UP, 2024) explores the human connections that underlie our work, arguing that what people do for each other in these settings is valuable and worth preserving. Drawing on in-depth interviews and observations with people in a broad range of professions--from physicians, teachers, and coaches to chaplains, therapists, caregivers, and hairdressers--Allison Pugh develops the concept of "connective labor," a kind of work that relies on empathy, the spontaneity of human contact, and a mutual recognition of each other's humanity. The threats to connective labor are not only those posed by advances in AI or apps; Pugh demonstrates how profit-driven campaigns imposing industrial logic shrink the time for workers to connect, enforce new priorities of data and metrics, and introduce standardized practices that hinder our ability to truly see each other. She concludes with profiles of organizations where connective labor thrives, offering practical steps for building a social architecture that works. Vividly illustrating how connective labor enriches the lives of individuals and binds our communities together, The Last Human Job is a compelling argument for us to recognize, value, and protect humane work in an increasingly automated and disconnected world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Elizabeth Sopko is a Certified Transformational Coach with the International Coaching Federation. At 56, she left a 19 year career as a mortgage loan officer, moved across the country from Ohio to California, and deconstructed and reconstructed herself. Explored who she is as a coach, human and how she wanted to walk through the world going forward. Since she lost her mom she has been on a journey learning to love herself, and coming home to self. And being vivid in all things. Embracing all of life, the ups and downs, ebbs and flows, and experiencing all things fully.Follow Angel!Podcast link. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-soulful-mind/IG: angelevangerfb: angelevangerBecome Part of Our Facebook Communityhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulhealingtribeFind out your intuition SUPERPOWER!  Use this link:http://www.angelevanger.com/quizGet access to your FREE 5, 5 minute meditations!www.angelevanger.com/meditationsWe would love to hear your thoughts about the podcast and even receive a review on Apple Podcast.   We read each one and are able to serve you more with your feedback.  You can access that at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-soulful-mind/Elizabeth Sopkoig: vividlyelizabeth

The CPG Guys are joined in this episode by Nikki McNeil, the co-founder of Vividly to discuss a more modern approach to one of the thorniest issues facing the CPG industry today - trade spend management.  Vividly's solution helps fast growing brands streamline their trade management, reduce the time and effort spent reconciling deductions and give them an accurate single source of truth to enable more effective measurement and allocation of trade dollars. Follow Nikki McNeil on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-mcneil/                  Follow Vivdly on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/govividly/Follow Vividly online at: https://www.govividly.com/This episode is sponsored by Vividly. Nikki answers these questions:1) So Nikki  tell us about the journey you've taken and your background, and what prompted you to found Vividly?2) Promotion optimization is a slice of the commerce ecosystem that has been around for a while - what are some of the important differences in terms of how Vividly thinks about solving this problem for brands vs. legacy solutions?3) You've got a number of fast growing but well known challenger brands like Oatly, Liquid Death and Kodiak Cakes in your portfolio - what do you think these fast growing brands need from a TPM solution they can't get elsewhere?4)  How important is the forward looking view in trade management vs. just filling out the forms and tracking information?  How are your best in class clients improving their forecasting?5) Talk about the dynamics of managing spend in an omni-channel world - how are brands bringing together digital and in-store spend and thinking about it?6) One of the challenging pieces of this landscape is just the mechanics of managing chargebacks and deductions - a labor intensive, frustrating and expensive process.  What do your best clients do in partnership with you to manage that?7) What do you see as the most important changes in the world of trade promotion over the next 12-24 months?   CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual's use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.