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frankiefellinlove · 6 months ago

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Bruce’s #1 Fan

By Stan Goldstein

Seven years ago today, May 1, 2017, Bruce Springsteen's "Fan No. 1" Obie passed away. If you don't know who Obie was, she was Bruce's most loyal, dedicated fan. She had the same seat/spot for every show she attended: front-row center (per Bruce's wishes). She closely followed his various bands starting with Child in the late 1960s, eventually becoming his cook and personal assistant (Steve Van Zandt's too) and, most famously, a lifetime front-row-center invitee. In a world in which "superfans" are often infamous, Obie was merely legendary.

There was a memorial service for Obie a few days after she passed at a funeral home in Asbury Park and Bruce gave one of the eulogies. Here's what he said:

Well I'm the guy that Obie spent a big part chunk of her life dedicated to. Being the focus of that attention was pretty challenging very often. Obie was quietly demanding. I didn't know I was going to speak today so I'll just give you some memories I have of O.

First time was at West End Park. We were playing next to Howard's movie theater, and one beautiful summer afternoon, I remember this girl sitting there with the flag around here. So right from the beginning she just looked different from everybody else. Obie was a misfit, outsider, a rebel and didn't look like nobody else, didn't talk like anybody else, didn't think like anybody else. She was just a unique character. And everything that the word fan connotes in all of its myriad, strange, bizarre and wonderful ways. She was a Fan-atic, she was Fan-tastic. She was deeply, deeply dedicated.

Obie's taking more than a few of my secrets with her right now. We lived very, very close to one another for a long time. And I had chicken and grapes! And I had chicken and bananas, chicken and peaches. She covered the fruits and the chicken completely.

What can I say, she was always a heartful soul. She was dedicated to me that if a bullet came my way she would be there to catch it. There was a deep, deep and very personal connection and love. I feel honored to have the seed. And what can I say, I loved Obie a lot. I'm going to miss her very badly when I get out there on the stage, that front and center spot will be empty. We love you O.

To read more about Obie, here's something I wrote that was posted on the Backstreets news page shortly after her death: (Sorry, this is another long post)

REMEMBERING OBIE DZIEDZIC, "FAN NUMBER ONE"

It was about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 23, 2012 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's Saturday show had crept into Sunday morning due to delays from thunderstorms, giving the 55,000 fans a chance to celebrate Bruce's actual 63rd birthday with him. A giant birthday cake was brought out, everyone sang "Happy Birthday," and Bruce then cut the cake. He brought the first piece to Obie Dziedzic, who was in her normal spot, front and center.

"The first piece goes to Obie, our first fan, right there, " said Steven Van Zandt.

Bruce followed with, "Obie, we love you. Obie was following us when we were 16. We love you, O!"

It was a special moment, one of hundreds Obie shared with Bruce Springsteen for more than 45 years — actually starting when Bruce was 18, not 16, but it sure seemed that way. Bruce called her his "first fan" and "Fan No. 1."

Obie Dziedzic — pronounced "Je-zitz," to answer a question she was often asked — passed away early Monday morning after being ill for the past couple of months. She was a friend to not only Bruce and the E Street Band, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, but to musicians and music fans around the world.

Obie, known as "O" to her close friends, grew up in Long Branch, NJ and loved music. She attended tons of shows at Asbury Park's Convention Hall, seeing The Rolling Stones, The Doors, The Who, and so many more in the 1960s. But it was one afternoon in 1969 at Long Branch's West End Park, which is still there today at the corner of Brighton and Ocean avenues, that she first saw the young musician who would change her life forever.

"There he was, this Adonis," Obie once told me. It was a then-18-year-old Bruce Springsteen leading the band Child.

Obie saw rock and roll future even before Jon Landau. Right away, she was drawn to this talented, handsome musician and made sure to see him perform anywhere and everywhere. Later when Bruce was in Steel Mill, Obie would bring pizzas to the surfboard factory in Ocean Township, NJ, where they were living. Yet she was too shy to stick around until she got to know Carl "Tinker" West, Steel Mill's manager, who befriended her. Soon she was friends with Springsteen, Van Zandt, Vini Lopez, Danny Federici, and many other musicians. She attended every Steel Mill show she could, standing in line for hours to make sure she was at the front of the stage.

Obie was a fixture at the Upstage in Asbury Park. She later saw Dr. Zoom and the Sonic Boom, and she was there the night Clarence Clemons walked into the Student Prince in Asbury Park to play with Bruce for the first time in 1971. She would drive Bruce to those Student Prince gigs too, although she said on Saturday nights she did have to watch The Mary Tyler Moore Show first.

Driving around the Jersey Shore with Obie was always a treat, as she had so many stories to share. "See that there? It used to be a Carvel," she said, pointing to a building on Ocean Avenue in Long Branch. "That's the place where Bruce told me he had his first album coming out. Garry Tallent used to live in those apartments right across the street." When Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. was released in January of 1973, Obie found an autographed copy left for her on her doorstep.

When Bruce started to tour with the E Street Band in the early 1970s, playing some theaters, Bruce made sure she was still always up front, promising her, "Obie, whenever and wherever I play, you will always have the two front-row center seats." It was a promise Bruce always honored, for more than 40 years. When Bruce and the E Street Band used a general admission setup on the floor, his security director made sure Obie was in her normal front-row spot. She always wanted to be on the same side as Bruce and Steve.

She had one firm rule. She did not want Bruce to know she was at a show. She wanted to surprise him when he took the stage. At the April 20, 2016 show in Baltimore that I was fortunate to attend with her, we made a little bet on how long it would take Bruce to see her. It was one of Obie's first show since that 2012 birthday show. I said second song; she said not until a few songs in. We were both wrong. When Bruce took the stage, he made eye contact with her immediately. A huge smile lit up his face. It was a thrill to watch this bond between the two of them. You can hear Bruce give many shout-outs to Obie on the live recordings from over the years.

Bruce's former tour manager Bob Chirmside shared this post on Facebook:

For the five years I worked on the road with Bruce Springsteen as his road manager we held two front row tickets for Obie at every show. And I mean every show! Promoters knew better than to screw this up. Everywhere from Philly to San Diego those two seats were held by Bruce according to his wishes and the band's rider. It was always good to see Obie in those seats, and it put a smile on Bruce's face having a special someone to play to. Bruce couldn't have asked for a more loving fan. But Obie was much, much more than a fan. During the time I lived with Bruce, Obie altered and sewed his clothes, did errands, and made Bruce his meals. Obie took incredible care of him. Obie loved Bruce and got to see a side of him that few of us rarely do. On a side note. If you're wondering what happened to the front row tickets if Obie didn't attend. Well, 15 minutes before the show began, I quickly exited the venue and gave the tickets to someone that wasn't able to buy tickets. Most people couldn't believe it was for real. It felt good to put smiles on faces. Thank you Obie for the good memories!

"She was hired by Steven first. He needed an assistant at Miami Productions, and he hired her in 1975 when the Jukes got signed and recorded their first LP," said Billy Smith, a historian and Obie's longtime friend. "Steve needed someone at home in Asbury Park to run things while he was touring with Bruce. While she followed Bruce's tours as a friend/fan from the beginning, she didn't work for Bruce until the Darkness tour in 1978. On the road she did everything: coordinated guest tickets, sewed their clothes, cooked, etc. Anything that needed doing, she did it. A personal assistant to everyone."

If you listen to Southside Johnny's live version of "Having a Party," you'll hear the line, "Obie's doing the twist."

Not only did Obie help out Bruce, Steven, and Southside, she was there for John Eddie, John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band and others when they were first starting out. She was a fixture on the Jersey Shore bar scene in the 1970s and '80s and always, always friendly to fans. You could go right up to Obie and talk about music, Bruce, Southside. She was also close friends with Peter Wolf.

When the discussion comes up as to who has seen the most Bruce shows outside of Bruce himself, the answer is pretty easy: Obie. She was there for all 10 nights of the legendary Bottom Line shows in August of 1975. She even drove Bruce to some of those shows. "We hit traffic on Route 36 in Eatontown headed out toward the Parkway and I was a mess," Obie told me. "But Bruce was as calm as could be."

Obie, who lived for the past 16 years in Neptune, New Jersey, never gave an interview; her loyalty was 100 percent to Bruce. She was never, ever going to say anything which might upset him. She had, however, been working on a book, which sadly will never be written now. I was fortunate to have her read to me some of the stories that she was going to include. They were a delight to hear: How she and Bruce would go to the drive-in movie theater In Eatontown, New Jersey, and put a sofa in the back of his white pickup truck and sit back and enjoy the night. Another was when she was helping Bruce move into a house on Navesink River Road in Middletown in the early 1980s — she swears she saw and talked to a ghost!

Bruce mentioned Obie in his recent autobiography, Born to Run. He told the story how she was with him and Steve and Maureen Van Zandt when they weren't allowed in Disneyland or Knott's Berry Farm in the early 1980s because Bruce and Steve were wearing bandanas.

He also gave Obie credit for helping him select one of two versions he had of "Racing in the Street." Bruce told this story before playing it at the April 22, 2005 Devils & Dust show at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park:

I had two different endings. I'm going to dedicate this to you tonight, Obie. My oldest fan is here tonight and I love her very much. This is Obie Dziedzic — a round of applause, the woman's been around since forever.There were two people that actually helped me with writing the end of this song, and Obie was one of them. I had an ending where there's the two guys, but I had another ending where a woman enters the picture, and I played 'em both for Obie.Obie said, "I like the one with the girl." I said, "Okay, that's that." Then I played one for Steve, and Steve says, "Well, the one with the girl is what really happens. You got your pals and got the boys' club, and it lasts for a while, and you try to play down all the homoerotic stuff."I'm gonna do this tonight for Obie. I love you, and thanks for the help.

Bruce told a similar story in the 2010 documentary The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town, in which you can also spot Obie at the 58:49 mark.

There are so many good things to say and write about Obie — the tributes have been pouring in on social media — one of the best is from photographer Lynn Goldsmith. Obie told me this was the best description about her devotion to Bruce that she ever read about herself. To those who had the privilege to know her, it describes her perfectly:

"The girl with her head down is Obie," Goldsmith wrote, describing her 1978 photograph of Springsteen collapsing into an overjoyed crowd. "She was Bruce's biggest fan. She was there when they couldn't sell out a small club. She devoted herself free of charge to washing their clothes and doing whatever needed to be done. She did not get paid except with front row seats and the joy of knowing that she was making it easier for Bruce to be Bruce with her unconditional love. I wished I could have been like her. She inspired me because she was able to give with no strings attached. She gave freely because she believed in the power of love."

Obie was able to see several shows in the spring and summer of 2016. She was at both Brooklyn shows in April and attended all three MetLife Stadium shows in August. Her final show was on September 14, 2016 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Looking back, it may be fitting this was her last concert, as she told me, "That was the best Bruce Springsteen show I have ever seen."

The final time Obie got to see Bruce on stage was at his conversation with Bob Santelli at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey, on Jan. 10, 2017. After the talk, Obie saw that Bruce's coffee cup was still on the little table on the stage. She said to me, "Get that for me!" and I was able to have someone hand it to me. I gave it to Obie. She had one more souvenir. One of the organizers of the event later said to me, "We noticed one of the cups was missing!"

Soon after that, Obie started to not feel well, and she was in and out of the hospital for a couple of months. Bruce, Steve and Maureen, John Eddie and many others made sure to visit her. Once when I checked in at the desk to get a pass to see her at Jersey Shore University Hospital in Neptune, the guard asked me, "Are you famous? It seems everyone who has been going up to see this patient is famous."

He was wrong. It was Obie who was famous.

Right now she's sitting in the front row in heaven, watching Danny and Clarence play away.

#bruce springsteen #big man #Obie Dziedzic

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hypnofur1 · 6 months ago

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Porno in Plano

By Hypnofur

“I told him where we live” she said to me quietly as she kneeled there in our rented living room floor. Her eyes were wide and quiet. I didn’t know how to respond to that.

“Fucking Democrats” was all I could say.

Ok, I should back up. It was 5:18 on a Thursday in the second week of January…. Actually, I guess I should back up more than that. Abby and I are from New Jersey. Middletown and Long Branch to be specific. We are in our early 30’s, and we are very career focused. Like many young people in our area, despite our budding careers, we knew we had no chance of purchasing a house in the area we grew up in. My company, like so many others in NY/NJ had moved to Texas to get out from under some really crushing tax and regulation weight. Young executives like me were offered bonuses to move out to Texas with them. Abby worked from home post pandemic, so we decided to do it.

So, a year ago, we moved to Plano, Texas. It’s very different than New Jersey. And it’s… well, let’s say it is a lot more Red than most of Jersey. And while I know that it was actually our democratic politicians that raised the taxes and regulations to the point that companies like mine were moving to Texas, Abby and I were still pretty liberal. The fact is, we just didn’t really fit in Plano, or Texas as a whole.

So, how did that lead to Abby on her knees looking at me with a guilty, or scared, or… I don’t know what kind of look on her face? Well, because we were having trouble making new friends, we spent a lot of time together at home over the last year. A lot of time. Too much time. We got bored. Bored of Texas, bored of each other, just bored of everything. We got an apartment right near my office, so I was home from work in like ten minutes. Abby was home all the time. It was just too much together time at home for two newlyweds. That certainly didn’t make things exciting in the bedroom, things were boring there too. It was just a downward spiral of ‘blah’.

Anyway, that lead to a New Year’s Resolution to ‘spice things up’. Abby, a researcher by trade and nature, searched out a bunch of different things that couples were doing. We’re not into crazy freaky stuff, so the spiciest thing we could come up with is watching porn together. We went through the whole process of like, asking each other what we’d be into and so forth. I of course did not tell her what kind of porn I really watched, and had been watching since like middle school. I’m not an idiot. So, anyway, we eventually got some of the most vanilla, boring porn known to man. Even that was a total disaster. The women in the video obviously had huge boobs, and that made Abby feel really self conscious. The porn did the opposite job of turning her on. In fact, she kind of freaked out and proclaimed that she never wanted to come in contact with porn in any way ever again. It was awful. So awful, that we abandoned the whole “let’s spice up our sex life” resolution for three months.

I could tell she didn’t want to completely give up though. Partly because she wanted to make sure our relationship was strong, partly because giving up on anything wasn’t in her DNA. I knew it bugged her. I wasn’t at all surprised when in the next week she told me she had been researching again. Erotic Hypnosis was one subject that she looked up. We decided to give it a try. The first night, I tried to hypnotize her. I swung a pocket watch she had purchased in front of her eyes and read some scripts. It was a failure, a total failure. I was ready to throw in the towel at that point. Abby, however, had now strengthened her resolve, she didn’t want to quit.

The next day, she said we were going to watch an erotic hypnosis video. It was by someone called TexTrance. I don’t know where she found it, or how, but like I say, she is a researcher. So, we watched it. I totally wasn’t in the mood that night, but Abby was in. I’ll admit, overall with the sex stuff.. I was a little nervous that the spark between us had gone as quickly as it did. I mean Jesus, we were only 33. I decided I was in no position to be saying no to anything that could help re-ignite it. So, I cooperated.

Abby played the video link on our big screen tv. The same big screen tv where we had binged every Netlix, Hulu, Paramount, Peacock, and Disney + show known to man over the last year. This TV and couch was like the center of our world, but also, maybe the center of our problem? I don’t know. Anyway, that irony wasn’t lost on me that it was also the location where we were going to try to right the ship, so to speak. As I was thinking about all of this, a swirling spiral came on the screen. It had a slow fluid motion that cycled the color spectrum. Peaceful music began to play through our sound bar. The combination was surprisingly calming.

This guy’s voice came on. I assumed he was the aforementioned TexTrance. I could tell by the hint of a drawl that he was from Texas. I was surprised to find that the simple fact that I heard a Texas drawl wasn’t a dealbreaker for me. I have kind of grown to hate it over the last year, I’ll admit.

It was clear that this guy was experienced though. He had us doing this thing were we squeezed are hands, then released, then squeezed our leg muscles and released, all while watching the spiral and listening to him talk.

I’ll admit, it was relaxing, I felt myself sinking into the couch a bit, my whole body relaxing more and more with each word he spoke.

I was missing some of his words, but I eventually heard him say, "I am deeply relaxed and focused."

I heard Abby repeat it, which surprised me, but it also surprised me that I found myself repeating it as well. Is this too effective? Should I be worried about this working?

"All my worries have floated away… all my fears have disappeared." He said and again we both repeated. That was true, I knew I had been getting worried about something moments ago, but I couldn’t remember what it was. I felt really calm.

"I cannot turn my eyes away… I will not let them close." We both repeated, slowly.

"It doesn't matter that they are so heavy… so tired… so ready to close… the colors are too pretty to watch." At this point, I didn’t repeat, and I don’t think Abby did either. I couldn’t really open my mouth anymore.

"And it doesn't matter that you feel so tired… so sleepy… you must keep your eyes open."

I remember actually yawning. I was feeling so sleepy, as I noticed how rapidly my eyes were blinking.

"So close them… but not yet," the voice said. "You will wait. You must wait until I count down from ten… then, and only then, your eyes will become so heavy that you won't be able to keep them open any longer. When they close, you will feel ten times as relaxed as you feel now… and you will give in to that very sleepy feeling, and fall asleep immediately."

My peripheral vision somehow still picked up Abby nodding her head slowly to that. Was I?

"Good," TexTrance said, "You're doing so well now, and… Ten." I remember my already heavy eyes blinked even more as they began to get even heavier.

"Nine." My mind began to float away.

"Eight."

"Seven."

"Six." The colors began to fade and become blurry.

"Five," TexTrance said. "Background noises are not important… Four."

"My voice is more important, so much more important… Three."

"You can hardly stay awake any longer, with two…" my eyes were almost closed and blinking very rapidly now. "So heavy… so sleepy…" Giving in… only giving in… that's all you can do now, with one."

Next thing I knew, Abby and I were waking up. We both felt INCREDIBLE, and we made love and it was so… electric. It was like every nerve ending in our bodies was like ten times more sensitive it was really amazing. For the first time in a while, the sex was incredible. We were so thrilled.

So, we were happy to try it again the next night, and the night after that, and yes, the night after that. An interesting thing was that we seemed to “go under” more easily each time we watched. Abby did some research, and said that was normal. It was the day after that when the first weird thing happened. I got an e-mail from TexTrance.

The e-mail itself was fairly innocuous. He just apologized for not checking his e-mail sooner, then thanked me for listening, and asked me to tell him a little bit about myself. I couldn’t believe he had my e-mail. That scared me. Then, I looked down the message thread, and realized that I had emailed him. Five times in fact! I looked at the time stamps, and realized it was during the time when we were watching his video. I must have e-mailed him while hypnotized? That was kind of spooky.

Unnerved, I called Abby. “Hi, I just got an e-mail from… our friend that makes the content” I said, not wanting to mention a hypno video or anything, as I was at work.

Abby was at home, so she could talk more freely. “TexTrance, yeah, so did I”

“Don’t you think that’s weird?” I asked.

“I guess, I mean it must have been a post hypnotic suggestion. I e-mailed him that I was ‘completely hypnotized’, but I didn’t send any personal info or anything” she told me.

“Yeah, me too. What did he write back?” I asked.

“It was all fine, he just like, asked about me. He probably just wants to know who is watching his videos.” She said, seemingly unalarmed.

“Did you write back?” I asked.

“Yes. I didn’t like, use my real name and stuff, just that I was early 30’s and married. No big deal.:

“Oh, ok” I said, then I had to go, as I had a meeting. During the meeting, I thought about how I should respond, and did so as soon as I go to my lunch break.

Much to my surprise, I got an e-mail back pretty quickly. Again, it was pleasant. He thanked me for listening, then sent me a link to another file. I texted Abby immediately, and she confirmed that she had received the link too. At that point, our plans for the evening were set.

We watched that one that evening. We both went right out for it. Afterwards, was the great sex . I knew this was… unconventional, but it wasn’t just the best sex we had shared in the last few months, it was the best sex of our entire relationship.

The next morning, I had an e-mail from TexTrance, asking how we enjoyed it. I was more than happy to pay him my compliments. I exuberantly thanked him. He was gracious in his return e-mails, telling me that he was happy we had a good time with it. He seemed like a nice guy. He then asked me to tell him a little bit about Abby and I. I didn’t want to get into too much detail, but I gave him the basics, telling him about the move from the East Coast, etc. He then asked for a picture of us. I hesitated at that point, as I really wanted to stay anonymous in this whole thing.

By the afternoon, he could tell I was stalling on sending the pic. He wrote me and asked if I wanted another file. I did reply to that e-mail right away, and told him we absolutely would, and thanked him. His response back was that this should be somewhat of a two way street, and when I send a picture, he’ll send another file. I sat on that for a bit, and didn’t reply.

As the afternoon went by, I kept thinking about it though. His files were awesome. They were really well done, and the sex afterwards was so so hot. The whole adventure was really helping Abby and my relationship in and out of the bedroom. I had a very very SFW pic of us with hiking clothes and knit hats on. That picture wasn’t such a big deal, I figured I could send that to him and it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Frankly, the sun was behind us in the picture, and it was hard to make out our faces. This wouldn’t be too revealing to send. So, I attached it to an e-mail and sent it off to him.

Sure enough, I got a file back a little while later. I was happy about that, as it was now the night’s entertainment. I figured this is what couples in the 90’s felt like when they scored with a good movie at the video store. Anyway, I couldn’t wait to go home and tell Abby that I got us another file.

However, when I got home, she was there to greet me with the exact same surprise. We both laughed as we thought we were presenting the other with a big treat.

“Well, I have to say, I appreciate you.” Abby said with a kiss on my cheek. “I’m sure you didn’t like taking a selfie, so thank you for doing that in order to give us a fun night.”

“Wait, what?” I asked, “You sent a selfie?” I asked.

“Yeah, that was the ‘price of admission’ so to speak. Didn’t you send a selfie?” she asked.

“Well, I sent a picture, but it didn’t have to be a selfie” I said.

“Ok, well, basically the same thing, right?” she proposed.

“I guess” I admitted, though for some reason, I didn’t feel like it was. It was also odd to me that the request for her would be different than the request from me. I suddenly wondered if our files were different too. I looked at mine. It said ‘Brian custom’ with the date on it. I asked for my wife’s phone. Sure enough, hers said ‘Abby custom’ and the date.

I pointed this out to her, and she did pause. “Do you think it is a big deal?” she asked.

“I don’t know, maybe we should chill for a night?” I suggested, as I kind of wanted to sort this out a bit.

“Maybe…” she said non committally. “But, when you think about it, this isn’t really any different than what we’ve been doing. I mean, I guess we’ll listen with our headphones instead of playing the sound off the speaker of the TV, but that’s about it, right?” she said. It was clear she didn’t want to abort. “Plus, mine came with instructions to use water proof headphones. You have those for swimming, right? I’m very curious as to why I’ll need those. Besides, we always have so much ‘fun’ after” she said with a cute little raised eyebrow and a wink.

That was true, and I had been looking forward to this all day. Also, I still couldn’t bare the thought of just going back to streaming shows at 6:00pm either. I relented, and we did the files after dinner. As per the new usual, I was pretty much out right away, however, what was unusual, is that I woke up from the file before Abby did. I had a raging hard on, which had happened before. I looked over at Abby, she was still deep in trance. Her headphones were on, and her eyes were closed. Her breathing was ragged. She was touching her neck, her breasts, and in between her legs. God, it was so hot to watch. I was so, so hard. I was hoping she would awake soon… which she did, kind of.

Her eyes opened, though she didn’t look my way. She was just looking straight ahead with a vacant stare as she started to get up off the couch.

“Are you ok?” I asked, though I got no response. I then watched as she slowly walked towards the shower. I could tell she was still in a trance. I followed her, of course, with my dick still painfully hard.

She paid me no attention however as she walked into the bathroom, removing her clothes. All with almost no expression on her face. This was strange, but oddly also fascinating, as I was like a secret voyeur, despite the fact that I was right in the room.

I watched as Abby turned on the shower, adjusting the water temperature. As she stepped into the shower, I was aroused, but only half surprised when she adjusted the shower massage to a more pulsating beat, then placed herself lying down in the tub portion rather than standing.

"What is going on?" I wondered aloud to no one, as she most certainly couldn’t hear me. Not only did she still have the headphones on, but she was clearly still deep in the thrall of the file.

Comfortably positioning herself down inside the tub, I watched as she drew her legs towards her chest, spreading them. As the water cascaded down towards her from the shower, it fell in a wildly undulating beat that began to playfully massage her sex. By the look on her face, and the expression in her eyes, I knew that it very… sexually pleasurable.

"Damn!" I exhaled. My cock was painfully hard watching this. Yet for nearly twenty minutes, I watched as Abby allowed the spray of the shower to make love to her as she was lost in the hypnotic haze the waterproof headphones provided. Periodically she adjusted her position, obviously varying the intensity, or perhaps the placement of the stream as it caressed in its own very unique way. As she drew closer to climax, I watched as she reached down, spreading her lips with her fingers even more widely a part than they had been.

For the first time, I heard her speak, though it was difficult as the shower pretty much obscured the sound of anything else as she lay there.

"TexTrance TexTrance TexTrance."

I didn’t like that, but I could also tell by pleasured sighs that orgasm was only moments away. Judging her reactions, as I was obviously aware having seen her climax before, that she was close now, very close. Figuring I was only moments away now myself, I continued pleasing myself, anticipating that I would likely cum when she did. Seconds later, she did that, leaning forward slightly humping the water cock that was assuaging her pussy, once again yelling out the name of the creator of the hypnotic file as she orgasmed hard.

Here’s the problem, I did not. I just couldn’t cum. It was stuck, it was like…I didn’t have permission. I couldn’t believe it. It was the weirdest fucking thing, and I didn’t like it. Meanwhile, Abby was getting out of the tub and drying off, still not paying any attention to me. It was like I was a ghost. Things were getting too weird with all of this shit.

She walked into the bedroom naked, and I followed her with my still rock hard cock. I was hoping she was going to take out the earbuds and say “let’s have sex”, but she started putting on her pajamas. Sure enough, she just went to bed, leaving the ear buds in.

I went to tell her to take them out, and that we were not in sync tonight, but as soon as I saw her head it the pillow, I all of a sudden felt like I had taken twenty sleeping pills. I didn’t even make it to the bed, I collapsed on the floor next to it, not waking until my alarm went off in the morning.

Abby was still sleeping when I got up, but that was very typical for us. Working from home allowed her more time to sleep in the morning. I was always very careful not to wake her, and this morning was no different. I was still hard when I woke up. Again, morning wood wasn’t that unusual either, so I didn’t worry too much about it and got in the shower.

When my boner wouldn’t go down by the time I was out of the shower and shaving, I knew I had a problem. I wore my loosest khaki’s to work, but still raced to my desk so no one would see me. I e-mailed TexTrance right away.

“Something is wrong. I’m still… at attention. It won’t end. I think the file was cut off at the end or something.” I wrote him.

He e-mailed right back. This was pretty early in the morning, so I was surprised. “It’s fine. I’ll give you permission in a few minutes. Hey, where do you work?”

I replied right back. “I don’t want to get into personal identification stuff. Can you just fix this, I have a lot of stuff happening today”

The answer didn’t take long. “I like to know who I am corresponding with. That’s important to me. Tell you what. Once you write back to me with where you work, you have my permission to cum.”

I couldn’t believe that. This was all so stupid. I just needed to concentrate on work. Once I did that, it would get my mind off whatever stupid hypnotic block was there and my stupid boner would go down and I’d be fine. I started going through e-mails. A colleague wanted to get together to look at some quarterly numbers, and asked when I was free. I went to my outlook calendar, and that is when I realized I had a company huddle in the lobby at 10:00. Those things were big gatherings of the whole team, usually to “pump us up”… though more likely to pump up the CEO’s ego. Either way, they were standing room events… and standing was not going to be a good idea for me in my current condition.

‘Fuck’, he had me.

Totally pissed off, I wrote him back and told him the name of the consultancy firm I worked for. Then I sat there waiting for his return e-mail like a pathetic asshole.

Finally, it came. “Very good. You have my permission to cum. You are welcome. Enjoy!”

This was so fucking annoying, and weird, but it was unfortunately very real too. I knew there was a handicap bathroom on the 7th floor that locked, so I headed there, praying I wouldn’t run into too many coworkers on the way.

Once inside, I thought of Abby in the shower for like, 10 seconds, and that was all I needed. When I finally came, I was so relieved. At least now I could get on with my work day. However, it was quite clear that we had a very severe TexTrance problem.

I went out to my car at lunch and called Abby. Our relationship was built on complete honesty, so I certainly had no intentions of holding any of this back. I told her the full story. I told her about him wanting to know where I worked, and him ‘witholding permission’. I really didn’t take a breath through much of my story. I just sort of rapid fired it out to her. I ended with “so, of course we need to stop with these files.”

I finally exhaled, as I waited for her to chime in with complete agreement. Instead, there was silence.

“Abby?” I called out. Maybe the call got dropped.

“Yeah, I’m here. I mean, could it just be like, maybe not as bad as it seems right now?” she asked.

That shocked me. “What? Like how?”

“Like, he asks me questions too. Like what did we do before we found his files. I told him about the porn and stuff, and that we didn’t like it. That made sense, he wants to know who is the audience for his files. So with you and your work, I don’t know, maybe he just wanted to make sure you weren’t a cop or something?” Abby answered.

“Ab, first of all, how would that not be bad? If he is afraid of cops, that is a major issue in and of itself!”

“Ok, ok, bad example. Maybe he wants to make sure you aren’t like, his coworker or something. Maybe he works at like an insurance agency, and it would be bad if this got out… I don’t know. I’m just not sure we should quit cold turkey just because of one little weird thing..” she said.

“Ab, we have to. Also, quit cold turkey is like a term that you use when you quite smoking, or something addictive. That alone doesn’t sound good. We need to cool it for a while.” I said.

After a pause, I heard a sheepish. “Ok”

“Ok” I matched. I told her I would see her tonight, and that I’d bring home thai for dinner. It was a quiet end to the call, but I knew we were doing the right thing. That night was quiet too. The thai was fine, and we watched some boring Dateline episode as we both tried to act like it wasn’t a big deal that we weren’t doing a file. We ended up going to bed at like 8:30. The next night was pretty much the same.

That brings us to the Thursday when I came home and saw her on her knees that I realized she must have been listening during the day while I was at work. I was so mad, not mad at her, but mad at our situation. Mad at Texas, mad at the political forces that made us move here. Ok, that was likely a bit of misplaced blame, but I was just so pissed off!

“Ab, you said you would not do it. I can’t believe you would lie to me!” I shouted. I had never shouted at her before.

She looked back at me apologetically with her big brown eyes. “I’m sorry, but what he wants comes first.” she said quietly. “I told him where we live” she added quietly.

I was about to complain and fight about that more when the gravity of what she actually said sunk in. “Wait, you told him where we live…. Shit Ab, does that mean he is coming here? We have to get the fuck out of here!” I said, now in a panic.

“He wants me on my knees waiting for him.” Abby said to me with her big brown eyes staring back at me. I couldn’t tell if there was contrition, fear, or hope in her eyes. This was such a fucked up situation. Just then, I heard a car door close in our driveway. I knew it must be him.

My fight or flight kicked in. I grabbed her arm to pull her up. She only weighs like 115 lbs, so I was thinking I could just lift her out of there and take her out the back door. She started pulling against me though, struggling to stay on her knees as this madman entered our house.

“He wants me on my knees waiting for him as he gets here!” Abby grunted angrily as she struggled against me.

“Ab, we are in way too fucking deep here we have to go!” I pleaded.

I heard the door open. I looked over, a wiry man in his fifties walked into my house. He was carrying bags and what seemed to be some equipment with him. He wore a white cowboy hat with a spiral on the middle of it, like where the buckle would be. Or maybe cowboy hats don’t have buckles. I don’t know, it doesn’t matter. What mattered was that I knew that had to be TexTrance.

“Let her go, and fall to your knees. Do that now. Obey me.” He said calmly.

“Fuck you!” my head thought. But my hands and my legs thought his idea was much better. They complied immediately. I knew that wasn’t good at all as I fell to my knees.

I turned and looked at Abby, I was wondering if there would finally be fear in her eyes as she realized how screwed we were. But there wasn’t. Her big brown eyes were just staring at the intruder before us, almost… lustifully. She was looking at him like he was a fucking rock star, like he was the greatest thing in the entire world. My heart broke.

“Look at me. Do it now. Obey me” he said, and my head snapped to him. “Look at the spiral on my hat….” He said. Soon everything went dark.

"And wake." Was the next thing he said. I was still on my knees in the living room. My wife was on his lap. He glanced at me as he moved his hand on her bare thigh. Abby had worn a pair of pink gingham shorts and a pink fuzzy sweater. She was looking at him with an adoring, hazy gaze.

“Kiss me” he whispered. She didn't say anything, just reclined her head on the couch as he moved in and kissed her. I felt funny feelings in my stomach watching this guy kiss my wife. I saw his tongue move along her lips and then she opened her mouth. Accepting it, letting him kiss her, long, wet, passionately.

Then he moved his hands under her sweater and massaged her tits eventually unsnapping her bra and pulling both it and her sweater over her head. I could tell from his smooth motions that he had done this before. That was even more clear as he had her naked on her knees in just a few minutes of skilled disrobing and hypnotic language. Soon, she was knees sucking his cock as he stroked her hair all the time telling her how much he knew she loved serving him.

"You like that hypnotic cock don't you Abby? You like sucking on that Texas hypno dick," he questioned. She merely nodded her head without letting the pole slip free.

"Yes, suck on Master's dick. I knew all those nights listening to my hypnotic voice you wanted it. You did, didn't you baby? All those nights following my commands, you been wanting some of Master's cock haven't you sugar?"

Again, Abby nodded. "Tell me. Tell Master how much you want my hypnotic cock,"

Abby removed the meat from her lips long enough to confirm his answer, "I do. I want to suck it. I want your hypnotic cock," she moaned as she went back to slurping on his hard shaft.

"Master?" I thought. TexTrance was referring to himself as Master. Fuck.

Kneeling on my living room floor, I watched as her small hands slid up and down his shaft. Her soft pink lips moving up and down on the stranger’s cock which disappeared in her pretty mouth. She was gasping as she tried to swallow all the prick but could only manage perhaps half as he moved her auburn hair behind her ear. She was so… desperate for his cock. I had never seen her like that.

My own cock was rock hard in my pants and I wanted to take it out and cum kneeling there watching the spectacle of this hypnotist getting a blowjob from my wife. But I couldn’t, as I didn’t have fucking permission.

I knew there was no stopping this now. She was possessed by his cock and I was totally turned on watching it. "Look on the TV baby. Look at what I'm doing to my slaves," he encouraged. That’s when I realized he was playing a fucking porn on our TV. I looked over at it. The video showed TexTrance fucking what looked like Sororiety girls. There was an Alpha Chi Omega banner in the background. One girl had her legs spread wide as he pounded his cock into her pussy as he told another named Christine to masturbate. His scrwany ass moving up and down as he thrust into her. I could kind of tell that the video was at least 15+ years old. One, from the way he looked, and two from the video quality, but three was that the song Don’t Cha by the Pussy Cat Dolls was playing.

I looked over at Abby.

"I'm going to fuck you now, That's what you been wanting isn't it baby. I think I want to make another video. You’d love to be in one of my porno’s, wouldn’t you Abby? It is a great way to serve me, and to have my hypnotic cock in that tight married pussy. That's what you've been dying to feel isn't it," he kept on.

"Yes, yes I want it. I want to serve you. And to have your hypnotic cock in my pussy. Fuck me Master," she begged in between wet slurps on his shaft.

"Tell Master what he wants to hear. Tell me," he demanded. Even in my freaked out/half hypnotized/half tortured and captive state, I found this a redundant comment. She literally just said it. He must have just gotten off on the power of it all.

"I want you to fuck my little pussy. Fuck me like you fuck your hypnotized slaves. Use me," she begged. It broke my heart.

"You gonna' be my little hypnotized slave? You gonna' be like my other slaves and become a hypno porno movie star for me?," he grilled.

I couldn't believe how TexTrance was talking to Abby openly about porn and she didn’’t freak out. She hated pornography with a passion by this point. But here she was on her knees, slurping on his cock, wet with her saliva that dribbled from her mouth.

For a second, I thought I apprehension in her eyes, but she didn't sound like it as she answered him back, "Yes, please make me your hypno porno star. I'll do whatever you want me to do, be with whoever you tell me, just fuck me with your hypnotic cock. I want to feel your cock. Please give it to me!" she begged.

TexTrance lifted her head off his cock. "Brian, set up the video equipment," he instructed me. I was shocked to find myself quickly obeying his command.

He guided her to a sitting position facing him on the couch with her squatting just over his cock.

"You know when I put this in what it means don't you," he inquired as he grasped his rod in his hand under her. Abby simply nodded her head, rested it on his. "Move up a little," he directed as she raised her ass just a few inches as he guided the head of his thick cock to her quivering pussy. I couldn’t believe I was actually filming this for him.

"Master's gonna' fuck you now baby. That's what you want isn't it. To feel my cock in that pussy," he cooed. Abby nodded as she sat down on the Texan’s shaft as in my camera view screen I saw it disappear under her until her ass was flush with his crotch.

It was done. I knew it. I wondered if Abby and I would be the same. I wasn't sure. Not after this night.

"Who's that pussy belong to?" he asked softly as he kissed her face.

"You Master. It's your pussy now," Abby admitted as she sought out his mouth and willingly took in his tongue that he put out to greet her quivering lips.

They fucked slowly for several minutes, barely moving their hips together on the couch as they remained in a passionate kiss. Every once in a while she would arch her back and lean back and present her modest breasts to him which he sucked into his mouth.

As he moved from one tit to the other, he told me I had permission to jerk off. I didn’t want to, because I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. But, I couldn't hold back any longer as I unzipped my fly and stroked my cock. In just a matter of seconds I launched a stream of cum that shot onto the living room floor.

That was five months ago, it’s May now. Abby and I watch the video frequently, then we have sex. When she comes, she yells that she loves Plano and Porno. And yes, we are both devoted slaves to Master TexTrance. Both Abby and I are actively embezzling from our companies for him right now.

#hypno #hypnotized #mindcintrol #cuckold

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jersey-shore-ring-finder · 1 year ago

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LOST WEDDING RING in LBI NJ RECOVERED BY MATT ST.GERMAIN JERSEY SHORE RING FINDER

On August 10th, 2019 I received an email from Jack. While him and his wife were visiting her cousins for the weekend and enjoying a day on their boat, Jack’s 3 month old, Custom made gold wedding band slipped off his finger into the bay while having some fun. This ring had more meaning than just their wedding, It was also made in memory of both their fathers. After speaking with them both…

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#Beach Haven #Brant Beach #How to find a ring in the sand #Jersey Shore #LBI #Long Branch NJ #Lost Ring #Lost ring NJ #Manasquan #Matt The ring finder #New Jersey #NJ ring finders #Ring finders South Jersey #Surf City

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porschemonmouth · 11 months ago

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Cargo space is important in a vehicle. With adequate cargo space, you have enough room to tote groceries, haul gear, and keep emergency supplies stashed away. At Porsche Monmouth, there are several great models with excellent cargo capacity you should check out when you shop for your next Porsche.

#porsche monmouth #west long branch nj #porsche cargo

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squarestoryspace · 3 months ago

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Transform Your Health with Top-Rated Infusion Services near Long Branch, NJ and Rumson, NJ

Infusion therapy isn't just a treatment—it's a lifeline for many individuals battling chronic illnesses and other medical conditions. For residents of Long Branch, NJ, and Rumson, NJ, finding highly rated infusion services is crucial to ensure they receive the highest quality care. In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of infusion therapy, highlight the top-rated services in these areas, and share personal stories and expert insights that underscore the impact of these local infusion centers.

Top-Rated Infusion Services near Long Branch, NJ

Long Branch, NJ, is home to several highly rated infusion centers that offer comprehensive care. Each center provides a range of treatments tailored to meet individual needs, ensuring that patients receive personalized and effective care.

Ocean Medical Center- Ocean Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ, is renowned for its state-of-the-art facilities and compassionate care. The center offers a wide variety of infusion treatments, including chemotherapy, antibiotics, and hydration therapy. Patients can expect a comfortable environment with private infusion suites, reclining chairs, and entertainment options to make their visits more enjoyable.

Monmouth Medical Center- Another highly respected facility in infusion services near Long Branch NJ is Monmouth Medical Center. Known for its expertise in oncology and immunotherapy, this center provides cutting-edge treatments for patients with complex medical needs. The staff at Monmouth Medical Center is dedicated to offering personalized care, with a focus on minimizing discomfort and maximizing treatment effectiveness.

Riverview Medical Center- Riverview Medical Center, located near Long Branch, offers an extensive range of infusion services. From managing chronic pain to treating autoimmune diseases, Riverview ensures each patient receives the attention they need. The center's commitment to patient comfort is evident in their modern infusion suites equipped with the latest medical technology.

Top-Rated Infusion Services near Rumson, NJ

Rumson, NJ, also boasts exceptional infusion centers that cater to the local community. These centers are dedicated to providing high-quality care and support for patients undergoing infusion therapy.

Hackensack Meridian Health- Hackensack Meridian Health in Rumson, NJ, offers a comprehensive suite of infusion services. The center specializes in treatments for various conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and multiple sclerosis. Patients benefit from the center's holistic approach, which includes nutritional counseling and mental health support alongside medical treatments.

Red Bank Infusion Center-Located near Rumson, Red Bank Infusion Center is a top choice for patients seeking convenient and effective infusion therapy. The center provides a broad spectrum of services, from IV antibiotics to biologics for autoimmune conditions. Red Bank is praised for its friendly staff and welcoming atmosphere, making each visit a pleasant experience.

Atlantic Medical Group- Atlantic Medical Group in Rumson, NJ, is another premier provider of infusion services. The center is equipped to handle a variety of medical needs, offering treatments such as iron infusions, hydration therapy, and monoclonal antibody therapies. Atlantic Medical Group is known for its meticulous attention to patient care, ensuring that each individual feels supported throughout their treatment journey.

Infusion Therapy

Infusion therapy offers a lifeline for many individuals dealing with chronic illnesses and other medical conditions. For residents of Long Branch, NJ, and Rumson, NJ, accessing top-rated infusion services near Rumson NJ means receiving high-quality, personalized care close to home. From Ocean Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center to Hackensack Meridian Health and Red Bank Infusion Center, these facilities are equipped to provide comprehensive treatment and support.

If you or a loved one could benefit from infusion therapy, consider exploring these highly rated centers. The compassionate care, advanced treatments, and comfortable environments they offer can make a significant difference in your health and quality of life.

#infusion services #infusion therapy #infusion services near long branch nj #infusion services near rumson nj

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hayleyslusser · 5 months ago

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sunrise in long branch 5.25.24

#fujifilm xt30 #nj #long branch

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madamlaydebug · 1 month ago

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The Kemetic Divine Holy Day, The Day of Tehuti, has been celebrated for over 50,000 years within Black Civilisation. This is the day when we celebrate human moral and intellectual qualities.

Please come and join us in celebrating the Day of Tehuti on Sunday, 29th September from 3:30pm at one of our Earth Center Temples at:

21 Sunnyside Road

London E10 7BB

Tel: 0207 175 4144

18 Biggin Hall Crescent

Coventry

CV3 1GS

02476 266859 / 07305995944

🌟

The Day of Tehuti commemorates the day humanity decided to make ourselves different from the other species of the planet through the quality of our civilisation, vowing in front of the Neteru (Gods) to be civilised and good. We wanted to be like the Neteru - Divine Beings. We wanted to duplicate their world. We now had a goal.

To assist us in this goal, to raise our qualities and enlighten ourselves away from our ignorance and barbarism, the Neteru gave us the tools (values and principles): The Divine Code of Human Behaviour - the 77 Commandments.

To raise our qualities is an uphill journey, it’s not downhill. It’s about taking control of your life. It’s about going through all of the effort that involves quality. These 77 Commandments outline all of the actions a human being must not do in order to live in harmony with nature and become Divine Beings. No matter how difficult they are to follow, these Commandments are our freedom. They free us from ever having to suffer as anything less than a human being on the quest for perfection and refinement.

It was by living by these 77 Commandments that our Ancestors lived and survived in harmony with the Earth for over 50,000 years. They accomplished feats that are still unimaginable and unattainable to this modern world, despite technological advancement, because we haven't evolved or advanced spiritually.

If we now understand and acknowledge that society's spiritual, moral and intellectual principles have declined and that our current values are failing us, then we have a choice: follow the destruction that society has set for us, or recover this world (replicate the Divine World) to achieve the quality, the individual quality that we can show, by reeducating ourselves and returning to what has worked for our Ancestors for so long.

Please visit www.theearthcenter.org for full addresses of the other Earth Center international branches where the Day of Tehuti will also be celebrated on 29th September:

Chicago, IL

Newark, NJ

San Diego, CA

Houston, TX

Baltimore, MD

Ougadougou, Burkina Faso

Montreal, Canada

Facebook Pages:

The Earth Center of Maanu

The Earth Center of UK

M'tam Ouagadogou

The Earth Center Canada

The Earth Center Coventry

@kebtah

#theearthcenter

#kemeticspirituality

#77commandments

#19thofTehuti

#MeritahCulture

#GiftfromtheNeteru

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cj-emhoff · 2 months ago

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full name — CJ Emhoff

faceclaim — Leo Woodall

gender & pronouns — Male, He/Him

sexuality — Bisexual

age & birthday — 27 & August 10th, 1997

Zodiac — Leo ☼ , Cancer ☾, Aquarius ↑

occupation — Surf Instructor for Neptune Surf & Co.

hometown — Asbury Park, NJ

living — Asbury Bay

~Biographical Stuff~

CJ "Christopher John" was born in Asbury Park — a home birth as it was, Nina Emhoff always wanting a water birth - having seen Pamela Anderson at the time had had two by then, just once she wanted that experience. Scott Emhoff though; absent. Another world market crash, gain, brokerage deal, late nights with the clients in NYC, who really knew.

That alllmost setting the tone for life ahead - Nina, founder and CEO of New Emerald Health & Life. With wellness retreats spanning the East Coast, breaking into the South American market currently where Nina lives with her new life partner in Mexico City. Scott - Finance bro. Through and through (Watch Industry? He is Eric) on his third wife, spends the majority of his time in the office and his loft in New York City when he's not entertaining clients.

CJ has two younger sisters — one just graduated college, one in high school currently. (May make one a WC so will keep the background vague) He's pretty close to both.

CJ was a star athlete, nabbing a soccer scholarship (though he definitely didn't need it) to UConn. Rushed & joined Alpha Sigma Phi Frat, all was looking good.

During winter break his Sophomore year back in Asbury, CJ was out partying with old friends and stupidly got behind the wheel. Driving the windy coastal road from Long Branch there was an accident. Both drivers were intoxicated and only one survived. CJ walked away with his life and a broken leg, broken collar bone and ribs.

a fairly big legal battle ensued, but as it goes, CJ comes from money. The accident with the potential to garner more attention, was kept at bay to his parents contacts. A judge in the family finagaling a light sentence— (keeping the victim and family vague for potential WC) CJ walking away with six months house arrest and probation, and 300 hours of community service.

Dropping out of UConn, CJ was housebound.

Rehab, court requirements, time passed slowly then really quick. Life happened, moved on. Not without plenty guilt, and a mini stint in a facility when painkillers were too good.

CJ moved out to the pool house that became his future and current residence to this day.

Eventually, his parents divorced, he got a new stepmom who lives in the main house permanently with his youngest sister.

Once the knee was rehabbed he picked up a job at Neptunes Surf & Co. to teach tourists and the milf's of Asbury's children how to surf. While his knee never will be 100%, he's gotten very comfortable in his current situation. He loves surfing, the ocean, his pool house. ~Random Stuff~

He has an accent, a "Jersey accent" not super thick but noticeable to outsiders.

Discovered he's outdoorsy-lite. When he couldn't surf he was introduced to camping - not a man of the woods per say lol but he enjoys acting like it.

hugely into older women - a bit of a milf slut.

has his therapist on speed dial ever since the accident, and does still abuse prescription pain relievers from time to time. (a lot of the time)

May have a budding tattoo addiction - anything to not think right? ~Possible Connections~

childhood/high school friends/enemies - born and raised, dynamics of all kinds welcome.

UConn/Greek life connections - never know

Rehab stint folks - always fun, CJ went once, didn't take it very seriously at all.

family of the man that died in the car accident - just. yes. please.

exes/hookups/messes - always love that kind of mess pls

and really anything else we can conjure up, truly down for most anything. On dash chem is my favorite and just love winging it too! I’ll fill this all out more as time goes on for sure!

#asburyintro #tw: death #tw: car accident #tw: drugs #lol i promise the leo/leo is a coincidence sldkfm

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1863-project · 1 year ago

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NJ Transit 40th Anniversary Weekend Extravaganza!

Pay your engineers and give them a contract.

Okay, now that that's out of the way...

This weekend I got to spend some time with my dad aboard NJT's 40th Anniversary Express, a special train they put together in conjunction with the United Railroad Historical Society of New Jersey to commemorate 40 years of NJT's rail service. Normally I'd have just been content to watch, but they hooked me with a GG1 reference so naturally I had to go because I will do anything for a GG1.

The URHS of NJ loaned the Hickory Creek out for the event, along with a few other passenger cars they own. It was weird to see it at Penn Station instead of in Grand Central Terminal, but they still rolled out the red carpet for it as if it was attached to the 20th Century Limited. (This is where we get the phrase "red carpet treatment" from, by the way. It has nothing to do with Hollywood and everything to do with one crack passenger express train.)

I did not ride in the Hickory Creek itself because I do not have that sort of money, but Dad and I were in the Tavern Lounge No. 43, another New York Central car. It was a lovely ride.

The highlight of the trip was in South Amboy. Historically, electrification of the North Jersey Coast Line ended here. Today, it ends in Long Branch. Here's where the GG1s come in. There would be an engine change at South Amboy. The GG1s, electric locomotives, would be switched out for other locomotives to go further south. It was steam at first, and sadly became diesel later. Yesterday, they recreated this engine switch for us, complete with an NJT heritage unit painted to look like a GG1. This is the closest I'll likely get to seeing one running within my lifetime, so I'll cherish it.

The engine change. NJT 4636 stood in for my beloved GG1s, and two of the first locomotives built for NJ Transit, a pair of F40-PH2s (4119 and 4120), took over. You rarely see the latter in passenger service these days because they usually pull work trains, but they're the last two members of their class in NJT service.

Much to everyone's delight, we got to watch some brakeman work in action, because they manually flipped the switches. Note the heavy-duty gloves the conductor is wearing for this purpose.

It takes quite a bit of setup...

All clear!

Once the locomotives were swapped, we all boarded again and went on down to Bay Head. Since it was cold and rainy out, a few of us had some hot chocolate, which hit the spot and was incredibly wonderful.

Eventually, we made it to Bay Head. This is how I found out the president of NJ Transit was on the train with us, because the NJT engineers are ready to strike because there's no contract right now, and a group of them were protesting down at Bay Head because they knew he'd have to see them. Excellent move.

At Bay Head, we got to go around the loop in Bay Head Yard, something passengers don't normally get to do.

So we had views that most people don't get to have, and that was really cool.

At Bay Head, they fed us and gave us NJT swag. There were also some vintage buses from Public Service there, which was great because nobody stopped me from getting into the driver's seat of them.

My right hand is on the gearshift in this photo - it was huge and came out of the floor. Neither bus had power steering - that's a relatively new feature in motor vehicles.

I can and will attempt to drive anything.

Back to trains - after lunch, everyone got back aboard and the 40th Anniversary Express made its way back up north to Newark Penn Station. Whilst we were at Newark, we were allowed to get out and take some photos, so I investigated the staff car and was delighted to see that it had a conference table with a PRR K4 pictured above it.

You know me, I love my 4-6-2 Pacifics.

Eventually, the train came into Hoboken Terminal, and that was the end of day one.

Today, the entire heritage fleet was on display at Hoboken Terminal, so I made my way back for more photos.

I love GG1s and wanted to thank my new friend for giving me the opportunity to come so close to that experience yesterday.

4101 and 4109 are the surviving sisters of NJT 4100, a locomotive I'm rather attached to. It was nice to get good photos of them instead of the ones I usually have to snap through the window when I'm actually out on the rails!

Erie-Lackawanna 3372 is a labor of love for the URHS of NJ. They've done a beautiful job restoring her so far, but there's still a lot of work left to do.

The thing that really did me in was this old Pennsy diesel here, an E8A numbered 5711. She's in incredible condition for something built in 1952, and they had a cast of an old Penn Station eagle next to her, too, just to break my heart into a million pieces because I'll never be over what happened to Penn Station.

In all, I had an amazing weekend, and NJT and the URHS of NJ knocked it out of the park with this. It was just wonderful to be surrounded by other railfans for a couple of days.

Some other highlights:

Talked about trains the entire ride with the folks in our car. At one point we all got to sharing cat photos. An older couple had a cat named Lake, short for Lake Shore Limited. I cannot tell you how much that delighted me.

I love being around other railfans. It's one of the rare places I can be myself, since there's inevitably going to be a lot of other autistic people there besides me so I don't have to mask. I cannot even begin to articulate what it means to me to be in a place where I don't have to mask.

The hobby has actually changed a lot since I was a little kid - and in a good way. I wasn't the only woman there, for one. I was still greatly outnumbered gender-wise, but there are a lot more women in the hobby now, and it's also a lot more racially diverse than it was back then. Additionally, I saw a LOT of young people - it's going strong! It doesn't feel like it's being gatekept by the old white men anymore. It's really wonderful. Trains are for everyone. They always were, but now you can visibly see it.

When we were on the platform at South Amboy getting set up to take photos, someone yelled "Everybody smile!" behind me and I nearly died. Because, you know:

Whoever you are, give me your phone number.

As a final addendum, of course I brought them with me, as per usual when I go out to do railroading stuff. Here they are seated in Tavern Lounge 43!

This was just an absolute banger of a weekend and I hope more events like this happen because it's so fun to engage with history hands-on and see other people who care about it as much as you do. It's the best! Perfect!

#I like trains #NJT #NJ Transit #New Jersey Transit #also tangentially #Pokemon #Submas

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