Cozy Catch Up!

Christine: 00:00:12

hello and welcome to the Muir Project.

2

: 00:00:15

We are your hosts, Christine,

3

: 00:00:17

Alexandra: and Alexandra.

4

: 00:00:18

Christine: and today we're inviting

you to settle in with us for a

5

: 00:00:21

good old fashioned cozy catch.

6

: 00:00:24

No big agenda, no perfect script.

7

: 00:00:26

Just a conversation between two best

friends about everything that's been

8

: 00:00:30

going on lately, what we're loving,

what's driving us a little crazy and

9

: 00:00:34

all the little things in between.

10

: 00:00:36

Somehow we're already almost

halfway through the year, and

11

: 00:00:40

honestly, we're just trying to keep

up one coffee, one playlist, and

12

: 00:00:44

one chaotic group chat at a time.

13

: 00:00:47

So grab your comfiest blanket, pour

yourself something delicious, and let's

14

: 00:00:52

get cozy on the couch and catch up.

15

: 00:00:55

All right, so cozy catch.

16

: 00:00:58

I'm so excited we're doing this today.

17

: 00:01:00

I feel like we haven't done anything like

this since we've started the podcast.

18

: 00:01:04

And I just like the idea of us

sitting down and just sort of giving,

19

: 00:01:11

giving those, listening a glimpse

into what a typical conversation

20

: 00:01:14

is like for us when we haven't had

a chance to catch up in a while.

21

: 00:01:18

So we're gonna get into all

the things today, everyone.

22

: 00:01:21

Alexandra: uncommon for us if we haven't

caught up or we keep missing each other.

23

: 00:01:24

We'll spend two and a half, three

hours on the phone just gabbing

24

: 00:01:28

about whatever's been going on.

25

: 00:01:29

Christine: Yeah what we loving

lately, what we hate in lately.

26

: 00:01:32

What's, what crazy thing happened?

27

: 00:01:35

Speaking of crazy things, this is

a little tangent before we dive in.

28

: 00:01:38

So this is so dumb.

29

: 00:01:40

I, one day this week, Friday getting

ready for work, get in the car open the

30

: 00:01:47

door, close it, and somehow I managed

to close a bee in the car with me and.

31

: 00:01:54

For those who don't know which is

most of you, I'm very afraid of bees.

32

: 00:01:59

I'm slightly allergic to them.

33

: 00:02:01

So I've been stung two times in my

life and it's the worst feeling ever.

34

: 00:02:05

So I was like just immediately paralyzed

with fear and I'm sitting in my front

35

: 00:02:10

seat and I'm like literally trying

to backend over the center console

36

: 00:02:16

and like, how do I get this P out?

37

: 00:02:17

Because I hadn't had a

chance to turn the car on.

38

: 00:02:20

So I didn't wanna move to spook it, but

I also knew I had to do something or

39

: 00:02:24

else we were just gonna have a standoff

in this car for who knows how long.

40

: 00:02:28

So.

41

: 00:02:29

I quickly turned my car on and

thank God for automatic window.

42

: 00:02:32

Like I just pressed the button down

and the window lowered all on its own.

43

: 00:02:36

And the bee went out and I

quickly closed the window again.

44

: 00:02:40

And then I was just like, I took a deep

breath and then I just started laughing

45

: 00:02:44

at myself because how ridiculous that was.

46

: 00:02:47

No one was around to see it, but I was

just like, okay, happy Friday everyone.

47

: 00:02:51

This is how the day started.

48

: 00:02:53

Alexandra: Friday.

49

: 00:02:54

A little acrobat

50

: 00:02:55

Christine: yeah,

51

: 00:02:56

Alexandra: to get you going,

and you're like, maybe it

52

: 00:03:00

Christine: having bent that

way in a very long time.

53

: 00:03:02

So yeah, that's just a little

funny thing I hadn't updated you

54

: 00:03:05

on and it just popped into my head.

55

: 00:03:07

I was like, let's start off with

that because that's so stupid.

56

: 00:03:12

Alexandra: No, but

57

: 00:03:12

Christine: but anyway,

58

: 00:03:13

Alexandra: in there and you're like,

if you ever, do you ever get spiders

59

: 00:03:15

crawling across things and you're

just like, I driving down the highway

60

: 00:03:19

and I can't do anything about this,

61

: 00:03:20

Christine: I know.

62

: 00:03:21

Alexandra: there.

63

: 00:03:21

Please don't come this way.

64

: 00:03:23

Christine: Right.

65

: 00:03:24

Alexandra: from?

66

: 00:03:24

Christine: did you get in here anyway?

67

: 00:03:26

Yeah, me and insects.

68

: 00:03:29

Alexandra: Not friends.

69

: 00:03:30

Christine: I sometimes it's

sometimes I can deal with it.

70

: 00:03:32

Sometimes I'm like, don't come near me.

71

: 00:03:35

Alexandra: You are like, I like you afar.

72

: 00:03:39

Just stay outta my personal bubble,

73

: 00:03:41

Christine: You have a purpose in the

world's ecosystem and I respect that.

74

: 00:03:45

You just don't need to interact with me.

75

: 00:03:47

We don't need to, we don't

need to like cross paths.

76

: 00:03:50

And if you believe in reincarnation,

I did not hurt the bee.

77

: 00:03:53

The bee left.

78

: 00:03:54

So hopefully, if that is in fact

what happens, I don't come back in

79

: 00:03:59

a next life as a bee knock on wood.

80

: 00:04:02

Alexandra: Yeah.

81

: 00:04:03

Or spiders.

82

: 00:04:04

I, yeah, a lot of spiders.

83

: 00:04:05

Christine: And something I've been

experiencing as living alone in a

84

: 00:04:10

very old building silver fishes.

85

: 00:04:12

Have you ever seen those?

86

: 00:04:14

Alexandra: I

87

: 00:04:14

Christine: Have you not?

88

: 00:04:15

Alexandra: of legs.

89

: 00:04:17

Christine: They're like,

90

: 00:04:18

Alexandra: yeah.

91

: 00:04:19

Christine: got

92

: 00:04:20

Alexandra: Do you

93

: 00:04:20

Christine: holy,

94

: 00:04:21

Alexandra: over at my apartment in

South Orange and I think I screamed

95

: 00:04:25

like a tiny child and I got a, 'cause

there was one under the fridge I was

96

: 00:04:29

just like, what the heck is this?

97

: 00:04:31

And Christine's

98

: 00:04:32

Christine: what?

99

: 00:04:32

What's it, what they're gross.

100

: 00:04:35

And I understand they have a

reason to be on this planet, but

101

: 00:04:40

Alexandra: too

102

: 00:04:40

Christine: I'm sorry, I don't

know what to do with it.

103

: 00:04:42

It's so many legs.

104

: 00:04:43

They can be so big.

105

: 00:04:46

Alexandra: You're almost like,

here, can I write you into a

106

: 00:04:48

contract for rent like that?

107

: 00:04:50

That side's yours.

108

: 00:04:52

Christine: You can have the, you can, the

underside of the fridge is your domain.

109

: 00:04:56

You just stay there.

110

: 00:05:00

Alexandra: Yeah.

111

: 00:05:00

Christine: Yeah.

112

: 00:05:01

So anyway, a little tangent about insects

for everyone to start your day, but.

113

: 00:05:08

Let's dive in, shall we?

114

: 00:05:10

So, so the first thing we wanted to

catch up on is travel for this year.

115

: 00:05:16

A lot of things we've been

talking about hoping to do,

116

: 00:05:19

seeing what we can make happen.

117

: 00:05:20

I know together, we had talked

about doing a trip with our moms.

118

: 00:05:26

We've been talking about doing

this for a very long time.

119

: 00:05:28

I wanna take Alex and her mom with

my mom up to one of our favorite

120

: 00:05:32

spots, which is Newport, Rhode Island.

121

: 00:05:34

It's so beautiful.

122

: 00:05:36

And it's just my happy place and

I want them both to experience it.

123

: 00:05:43

So that's,

124

: 00:05:44

Alexandra: are so beautiful.

125

: 00:05:45

I'm like, Ugh, I'm gonna,

I can't wait to go.

126

: 00:05:48

Christine: yeah.

127

: 00:05:48

'cause I don't know if

you've ever been up there.

128

: 00:05:53

Have you been to,

129

: 00:05:54

Alexandra: Island.

130

: 00:05:55

Christine: what about Massachusetts,

which is not far like Boston.

131

: 00:05:59

Alexandra: either.

132

: 00:06:00

So Boston's on the list eventually

when, it was so funny, when I think

133

: 00:06:05

when we were first friends and you're

like, oh, I love going to Newport.

134

: 00:06:08

Newport Beach.

135

: 00:06:09

I was like, oh, you've been to

Newport Beach, and I'm thinking

136

: 00:06:12

Southern California, Newport Beach.

137

: 00:06:14

And you're like, no.

138

: 00:06:16

And I was like, oh, no, not been

139

: 00:06:18

Christine: But yeah, but I never, I

don't even know if I really realized

140

: 00:06:23

there was a Newport in, in California.

141

: 00:06:25

So, just another thing that I love

about our relationship is we teach

142

: 00:06:29

each other new things almost every day,

143

: 00:06:31

Alexandra: other Newport.

144

: 00:06:32

Christine: the other one, but yeah,

Newport, Rhode Island is so beautiful.

145

: 00:06:36

If you've never been, it's a tiny

coastal town in Rhode Island.

146

: 00:06:42

It was the vacation home for the

wealthy back in the Gilded era.

147

: 00:06:48

So there's a beautiful section.

148

: 00:06:50

Of the island.

149

: 00:06:51

I don't know if it's an island,

actually the beautiful section

150

: 00:06:54

of the town that is preserved by

the Newport Historical Society.

151

: 00:07:00

And you get to go and tour these

gorgeous summer cottages as they

152

: 00:07:04

called them, but they're literal

mansions gilded to the nines.

153

: 00:07:09

Alexandra: I think

154

: 00:07:09

Christine: o

155

: 00:07:10

Alexandra: to

156

: 00:07:10

Summer cottage like that.

157

: 00:07:12

Christine: yeah, it's o opulent.

158

: 00:07:14

Oh my God, I can't talk today.

159

: 00:07:16

Alexandra: It's

160

: 00:07:17

Christine: it's super opulent.

161

: 00:07:18

Super gilded gold filigree everywhere.

162

: 00:07:22

It's, they're honestly beautiful.

163

: 00:07:24

And if you've ever watched the show the

Gilded Age, I think it's an HBO show

164

: 00:07:30

that's sort of akin to Downton Abbey, but

it's the American version takes place.

165

: 00:07:36

In New York and then up in

Newport, because that's where a

166

: 00:07:39

lot of these people vacationed.

167

: 00:07:41

So yes, we've been wanting to take Alex

there forever and we thought it would be

168

: 00:07:46

a great trip for us to do with our mom.

169

: 00:07:47

So we're trying to figure out

when we can make that happen.

170

: 00:07:49

We had to initially try to do it end of

171

: 00:07:52

Alexandra: June, I think one of

the dates you had thrown out was

172

: 00:07:56

Father's Day and we're like, Nope.

173

: 00:07:57

Can't do that.

174

: 00:07:58

Christine: Yeah.

175

: 00:07:58

We for, I was like, whoops.

176

: 00:07:59

He's forgot that was that weekend.

177

: 00:08:01

My bad.

178

: 00:08:02

Alexandra: dad.

179

: 00:08:03

Christine: Yeah.

180

: 00:08:04

Alexandra: And

181

: 00:08:05

Christine: then we talked about last

weekend, the last week, but as we're

182

: 00:08:10

gonna hear more later, Alexandra

has some exciting work updates,

183

: 00:08:14

so it just wasn't the right time.

184

: 00:08:17

So we're trying to figure out when

might be a better time to do that.

185

: 00:08:21

And we wanna make it really special, so.

186

: 00:08:23

Alexandra: And then you've

thought about thinking about it.

187

: 00:08:25

You talked about Newport in the winter,

like Christmas, all deck for the houses.

188

: 00:08:30

So part of me is like thinking like,

oh, maybe that will be a good time,

189

: 00:08:33

possibly because that sounded so pretty.

190

: 00:08:36

And some of the pictures you've

shown were just gorgeous.

191

: 00:08:40

Christine: Yes, we did that

not this past Christmas.

192

: 00:08:43

The Christmas before.

193

: 00:08:44

We went up the day after Christmas,

and it was That was our first time

194

: 00:08:48

going up that time of year ever.

195

: 00:08:51

And it is off season, so it's a

beautiful opportunity to see the

196

: 00:08:56

mansions decked out for Christmas,

but there isn't a whole lot going on

197

: 00:08:59

because it's really a summer town.

198

: 00:09:01

So, some businesses closed

down in their off season.

199

: 00:09:06

I don't recommend going on.

200

: 00:09:08

I don't even think you can go

on a sale in the harbor that

201

: 00:09:11

time of year, all of which.

202

: 00:09:15

Not to discount going that time of year.

203

: 00:09:17

I loved it.

204

: 00:09:17

It was a cool experience, but

205

: 00:09:19

Alexandra: like

206

: 00:09:20

Christine: it's definitely,

it's its peak in summertime.

207

: 00:09:24

So we will figure out when we

can make that trip happen for us.

208

: 00:09:28

But as we sort of settled into,

since Alexandra moved down to North

209

: 00:09:34

Carolina, we like to do our yearly

trips down and up to visit each other.

210

: 00:09:38

So the plan is to have her come visit me

in New Jersey in December, again, maybe

211

: 00:09:44

around my birthday or a little sooner.

212

: 00:09:47

Alexandra: little longer and catch up

with an old college roommate as well.

213

: 00:09:50

And actually maybe get to

spend more than two days,

214

: 00:09:54

Christine: Yeah, the

215

: 00:09:55

Alexandra: there for, what, three days?

216

: 00:09:57

Christine: three,

217

: 00:09:58

Alexandra: cool.

218

: 00:09:59

Christine: three and a half.

219

: 00:09:59

Yeah.

220

: 00:10:00

Yeah.

221

: 00:10:00

It was cool.

222

: 00:10:01

We did a lot.

223

: 00:10:02

We are, we're getting there.

224

: 00:10:04

Well, you finally can breathe a little

bit after finishing your program and

225

: 00:10:08

getting your Master's and, yeah, I'm

just sort of excited to see what, what

226

: 00:10:12

will come this year, what will come

next year, and the years to come into in

227

: 00:10:16

terms of our trips to visit each other.

228

: 00:10:18

So

229

: 00:10:19

Alexandra: Because you've talked

about the Gilded Age mansions and, I'm

230

: 00:10:22

sorry, summer cottages up in Newport.

231

: 00:10:25

And I've been to the Biltmore Mansion

a couple times here in Asheville, so

232

: 00:10:29

I'd love to take you, Christine, to go

233

: 00:10:31

Christine: yeah.

234

: 00:10:31

Yeah, we've been talking about that.

235

: 00:10:35

Yes, because it's funny, on one

of the tours I went on, like for

236

: 00:10:39

instance the Vanderbilt family very

influential family of the day, and

237

: 00:10:44

even today, the family still has

their name holds a lot of weight.

238

: 00:10:48

They had multiple summer

homes not just in Newport.

239

: 00:10:51

They had one down in, I think

South Carolina over in Europe and

240

: 00:10:56

maybe France or something like

241

: 00:10:58

Alexandra: Wow.

242

: 00:10:59

Christine: multiple mul, uber

wealthy, like of the time.

243

: 00:11:04

So they definitely.

244

: 00:11:07

Didn't have any shortage

of vacation homes.

245

: 00:11:10

But it's just cool to see.

246

: 00:11:11

Alexandra: for a week and, oh, let me go

247

: 00:11:12

Christine: Exactly.

248

: 00:11:13

Alexandra: week.

249

: 00:11:15

Christine: Right.

250

: 00:11:15

Right.

251

: 00:11:16

You really just close your eyes and

throw a dart at the map and just

252

: 00:11:21

figure out what house you have nearby.

253

: 00:11:23

But it's really cool to sort of step back

in time and see what it was like to live.

254

: 00:11:32

Then because the tours they set up

are really fascinating, that not only

255

: 00:11:36

do you tour the home, but you go down

and you in one of the mansions in

256

: 00:11:41

particular, you go through the kitchen

and you learn about the staff that like,

257

: 00:11:44

help run this estate 'cause it's not

a little cottage and it's very cool.

258

: 00:11:50

So I'm really looking forward to showing

Alexandra and her mom around Newport and

259

: 00:11:57

excited to see what we get up to later

in the year when you come back this way.

260

: 00:12:01

And who knows?

261

: 00:12:02

We haven't I haven't yet figured out

this, the latter half of the year yet.

262

: 00:12:05

If I'll be able to make

it down again to visit.

263

: 00:12:08

But we had talked about

going out to Asheville

264

: 00:12:10

Biltmore.

265

: 00:12:11

You've said before that the

holiday season, it's beautiful down

266

: 00:12:15

there that time of the year, so,

267

: 00:12:17

Alexandra: Yeah.

268

: 00:12:17

I

269

: 00:12:17

Ever seen the house decked

out for the holidays.

270

: 00:12:20

I've always gone later winter,

so it's still really beautiful.

271

: 00:12:24

Like I haven't been in the summer

when the gardens are in full bloom.

272

: 00:12:28

Christine: That's true.

273

: 00:12:29

I do love gardens.

274

: 00:12:31

Alexandra: Yeah.

275

: 00:12:32

So there's a couple

276

: 00:12:32

Christine: Yeah, there are.

277

: 00:12:34

I would love to give a little

update on potential trips that I'm

278

: 00:12:38

thinking about doing this year.

279

: 00:12:39

So I'm very excited.

280

: 00:12:41

Summer is just around the

corner and I love the beach.

281

: 00:12:45

If you don't know

already, I love the ocean.

282

: 00:12:48

I love my beach time and I love living

in Jersey because we have the Jersey

283

: 00:12:52

shore, so it's an hour, not even an

hour drive sometimes to get my beach in.

284

: 00:12:58

So I'm very much looking forward

to that this coming summer.

285

: 00:13:01

'cause I didn't really do a whole lot last

summer, now that I'm thinking about it.

286

: 00:13:04

So I'm trying to capitalize on that.

287

: 00:13:07

And then my sisters were in town

just last weekend for my mom.

288

: 00:13:15

My mom's birthday, she had

a big birthday this year.

289

: 00:13:17

She turned 60.

290

: 00:13:18

And her and my sister Tori

actually share a birthday.

291

: 00:13:21

So they're both April 13th.

292

: 00:13:24

And so they came, my

sisters came to celebrate.

293

: 00:13:28

We had a nice big party for my mom, but we

also got to celebrate with Tori 'cause we

294

: 00:13:32

weren't with her on her actual birthday.

295

: 00:13:35

And started talking about, I've wanting

to do a sister trip with them for years.

296

: 00:13:40

And I'm like, let's figure

out how to make this happen.

297

: 00:13:43

We don't have to go anywhere crazy.

298

: 00:13:45

So we're, I think we're thinking

about doing a trip down to Nashville.

299

: 00:13:49

I haven't been down there since

300

: 00:13:54

2023 when she first moved out there.

301

: 00:13:56

I think I came out to visit

her before the 4th of July.

302

: 00:13:59

It was when I had gone

down to visit you first.

303

: 00:14:01

And we went out to the Outer banks also.

304

: 00:14:04

Really great trip by the way.

305

: 00:14:06

Highly recommend.

306

: 00:14:07

Very cool.

307

: 00:14:08

Excuse me.

308

: 00:14:08

And then I went out and

visited Tori in Nashville.

309

: 00:14:12

So I haven't been since.

310

: 00:14:13

And so we're thinking about doing that.

311

: 00:14:15

I think that is gonna be July, yes.

312

: 00:14:20

July potentially.

313

: 00:14:21

So, more to come on that.

314

: 00:14:23

And then I also always, you know, think

about this in re in retrospect, but

315

: 00:14:29

I never am a tourist in my own town.

316

: 00:14:32

I really wanna try and stay maybe a

little closer to home this summer.

317

: 00:14:37

Do more things locally.

318

: 00:14:40

There's always so much going on and I

wish I just take better advantage of that.

319

: 00:14:44

So, Whether that's going to.

320

: 00:14:47

One of the local parks or there's

always like fun different community

321

: 00:14:51

events going on in the summer, whether

it's the jazz festival or Montclair

322

: 00:14:54

has a great movie, film festival,

jazz festival pride, all the things.

323

: 00:15:01

So much fun, fun stuff going on

right here in my, where I live.

324

: 00:15:04

So I wanna try and do that this summer.

325

: 00:15:07

Alexandra: It really was a lot

of fun rocking around Montclair

326

: 00:15:10

last time I came and visited you.

327

: 00:15:11

'cause it

328

: 00:15:12

Christine: yeah,

329

: 00:15:12

Alexandra: time I think we really had

time to actually walk around your town.

330

: 00:15:16

And I was like, this is

such a cool place to live.

331

: 00:15:19

And I think there's so easily you

could do new stuff all the time, so.

332

: 00:15:24

Christine: for sure.

333

: 00:15:25

Yeah, it is a fun town.

334

: 00:15:26

There's.

335

: 00:15:28

Great restaurants, shops, there's

always something going on.

336

: 00:15:31

So, just wanna experience that a little

bit more while I am, while I'm here.

337

: 00:15:35

And then I was thinking

about this past week.

338

: 00:15:38

I've been, I don't know if it's gonna

happen this year but maybe next year.

339

: 00:15:41

Definitely trying to make this

trip I've had in mind for years.

340

: 00:15:46

Finally happened.

341

: 00:15:47

I've been dying to do a road trip from

Washington down to Northern California.

342

: 00:15:53

Alexandra: Okay.

343

: 00:15:53

Christine: don't know if we'll do

California up to, to wash to Seattle or

344

: 00:15:58

the reverse, how it's all gonna work out.

345

: 00:16:00

But I've always wanted to do it.

346

: 00:16:02

I've always wanted to do a road trip.

347

: 00:16:04

There's such beautiful

scenery, coastline parks.

348

: 00:16:08

I wanna go see the redwoods.

349

: 00:16:10

So this week I was thinking more about

that trip and I'm like, I wanna figure out

350

: 00:16:16

how to make that happen and who, whether.

351

: 00:16:19

I go by myself or my sisters come or

whatever the case may be, I wanna do it.

352

: 00:16:24

And yeah, that's, those, that's what

I've been thinking about travel wise.

353

: 00:16:31

Alexandra: and

354

: 00:16:31

Christine: Yes.

355

: 00:16:33

Alexandra: go down a little bit further,

but I think going through California

356

: 00:16:35

can be a minimum eight hour drive.

357

: 00:16:37

Christine: Yeah, I was looking at it.

358

: 00:16:39

I found, I came across an article of

this photographer who did this trip.

359

: 00:16:43

He started in San Francisco

near the Golden Gate Bridge.

360

: 00:16:47

He, and he documented the whole trip,

took beautiful photos, started there,

361

: 00:16:52

and worked his way up to Seattle.

362

: 00:16:56

So I think I looked at it and like from

from the San Francisco to just like the.

363

: 00:17:04

Redwood National Forest at like

upper part of Northern California,

364

: 00:17:08

that in itself is six hours.

365

: 00:17:10

So, yeah, I have to figure out

how, like, how that would all work.

366

: 00:17:14

But then from there up to Washington,

it's, I think I'd have to double

367

: 00:17:20

check, but it was like 13 hours.

368

: 00:17:23

And so once you left, California

was from there to Washington,

369

: 00:17:28

it wasn't as long distance wise.

370

: 00:17:31

So anyway I don't know.

371

: 00:17:34

I have to, I have a lot of research

to do on that, figuring out what

372

: 00:17:38

places I wanna stop or all of that.

373

: 00:17:41

Yeah.

374

: 00:17:42

But how about you, Alexandra?

375

: 00:17:43

Are there any other trips

percolating in your mind, or

376

: 00:17:47

Alexandra: For

377

: 00:17:48

Christine: have you had a

chance to think about it at all?

378

: 00:17:51

Alexandra: Now a friend talked

379

: 00:17:52

Christine: I

380

: 00:17:53

Alexandra: going to

Sedona next year, but I

381

: 00:17:55

Christine: pretty.

382

: 00:17:56

Alexandra: mostly going

to be in-state stuff.

383

: 00:17:59

There's day trips out to Raleigh or

Charlotte or some other places, because

384

: 00:18:04

I'm seeing some shops that I wanna

go to or like different food things

385

: 00:18:09

just to go see different like museums.

386

: 00:18:12

I went to the Raleigh Museum

of Art or Raleigh Art Museum.

387

: 00:18:17

Can't remember which way it goes.

388

: 00:18:19

Recently when they had.

389

: 00:18:21

Their exhibition, art in

Bloom, I think it was called.

390

: 00:18:25

Christine: Oh, pretty

391

: 00:18:26

Alexandra: a bunch of art I'm gonna

call 'em florist floral artists

392

: 00:18:29

who came and did an interpretation

of a painting in flowers.

393

: 00:18:34

Christine: ooh.

394

: 00:18:35

Alexandra: Live flowers

are freshly cut flowers.

395

: 00:18:37

So the artists would come in for

a week and refresh their pieces.

396

: 00:18:40

So that was really beautiful.

397

: 00:18:41

So I'd actually like to go back

to that museum and then do, spend

398

: 00:18:44

a little more time in Raleigh

399

: 00:18:46

Christine: Cool.

400

: 00:18:48

Alexandra: when it's not, you know, art

and think it's art and blue, some that

401

: 00:18:51

exhibition and then do other things.

402

: 00:18:53

So I think that's going to be

mostly that, mostly kind of

403

: 00:18:57

getting in the swing of my new job.

404

: 00:18:59

So, and then trying to take

care of everything else.

405

: 00:19:02

And mom's had some health stuff, so

I wanna get her totally And I hate to

406

: 00:19:08

say up and running like a computer,

but good to go before we all head up to

407

: 00:19:12

Newport because I want her to enjoy it

and feel comfortable walking without.

408

: 00:19:15

She's had a, like a knee and then

she's had a couple, she's having a

409

: 00:19:19

bout of sciatic nerve pain, so trying

410

: 00:19:22

Her all squared away and

all back to rights before

411

: 00:19:24

Christine: Yeah.

412

: 00:19:25

Alexandra: push her to

the limits with walking.

413

: 00:19:27

I think that's it so far this year.

414

: 00:19:29

and then of course coming up to see you

and making sure I get in time to see a

415

: 00:19:33

college friend while we're near the city

416

: 00:19:35

See her new baby and catch up on life.

417

: 00:19:38

Christine: Because you said

that they just bought a house.

418

: 00:19:41

Right?

419

: 00:19:41

Alexandra: I think so.

420

: 00:19:42

I think that's what they said.

421

: 00:19:43

They were either looking

or just purchasing.

422

: 00:19:45

So

423

: 00:19:46

Christine: That's exciting.

424

: 00:19:47

I can't believe that the,

you, it was like just,

425

: 00:19:51

It's much, much longer than I realized,

but that we went to their wedding and

426

: 00:19:54

now they have a kid and bought a house

and all this stuff, and I'm like, Hey

427

: 00:20:02

Alexandra: I'm still living my life.

428

: 00:20:04

Christine: still single.

429

: 00:20:05

Alexandra: You are like, I'm just

430

: 00:20:06

Christine: It's all good.

431

: 00:20:07

It's all good.

432

: 00:20:08

Everything happens for a

reason at its own pace, but

433

: 00:20:11

Alexandra: yeah, that'll be cool.

434

: 00:20:13

Christine: Yeah.

435

: 00:20:14

Alexandra: to figure out

my, li myself, my life.

436

: 00:20:18

Christine: Yeah.

437

: 00:20:18

Well, so much is, you've been doing so

much you were working towards that big

438

: 00:20:22

goal of your MBA, so now it's sort of.

439

: 00:20:25

Okay, that's behind me.

440

: 00:20:28

What do I do with myself and time now?

441

: 00:20:31

What do I wanna do?

442

: 00:20:32

You know, rediscovering things.

443

: 00:20:34

Figuring out what you want.

444

: 00:20:35

Alexandra: I'd

445

: 00:20:35

Christine: Totally get that.

446

: 00:20:36

Alexandra: DC I think

that would be really fun.

447

: 00:20:39

I went a year or two ago, I

think, with my sister and our

448

: 00:20:42

friend, and I'd love to go back.

449

: 00:20:44

I feel like that was such a short

trip that it would be really.

450

: 00:20:48

like a hop, skip, and a jump.

451

: 00:20:49

Christine: Yeah.

452

: 00:20:50

Alexandra: so I feel like you

said, not really taking time

453

: 00:20:51

to explore your own state.

454

: 00:20:53

I think

455

: 00:20:54

More of my goal.

456

: 00:20:55

Christine: For sure.

457

: 00:20:56

I think we talked about

doing a trip together.

458

: 00:20:59

'cause like it's a,

459

: 00:21:00

Alexandra: we can

460

: 00:21:00

Christine: I mean,

461

: 00:21:01

Alexandra: in the middle.

462

: 00:21:01

Christine: yeah, meet in the middle.

463

: 00:21:02

I take the train.

464

: 00:21:03

You take the train.

465

: 00:21:03

It's a little bit longer, but of a

journey for me, but I don't care.

466

: 00:21:07

I'll travel anywhere.

467

: 00:21:08

Alexandra: I think it's still like

a 14 hour now that might be wrong.

468

: 00:21:11

Eight.

469

: 00:21:12

It's quite a, it's an hour drive

470

: 00:21:13

Christine: yeah.

471

: 00:21:15

Fair.

472

: 00:21:15

Fair.

473

: 00:21:16

Yeah, I think it's a few hour.

474

: 00:21:18

It's like a.

475

: 00:21:18

So I don't know.

476

: 00:21:21

Anyway we'll figure it out.

477

: 00:21:23

But yeah, I haven't been to back to DC

I think I've only been really once and

478

: 00:21:28

it was when I was in middle school.

479

: 00:21:30

So I would love to go back

and experience that city.

480

: 00:21:34

I've was near it several years

ago, right before the pandemic

481

: 00:21:39

and everything shut down in March,

: 2020

482

: 00:21:44

Alexandra: Oh, that's

483

: 00:21:44

Christine: Old Town Alexandria,

and that was beautiful.

484

: 00:21:46

I don't know if you've

ever been to that town.

485

: 00:21:50

It's got so much charm.

486

: 00:21:51

It reminded me a lot of New Orleans when

we were walking by the water and we were

487

: 00:21:57

looking at the, that, that square there.

488

: 00:22:01

Very similar.

489

: 00:22:01

It's right by water.

490

: 00:22:03

It's got old cobble stone streets and

a lot of charm and it's really nice.

491

: 00:22:08

So

492

: 00:22:09

Alexandra: Okay.

493

: 00:22:09

Yeah, we could do a

494

: 00:22:10

Christine: something.

495

: 00:22:11

Alexandra: DC and then maybe go out into

496

: 00:22:13

Christine: Yeah,

497

: 00:22:13

Alexandra: That sounds like it

498

: 00:22:14

Christine: for sure.

499

: 00:22:15

Now we're gonna ask you guys in the

comments, you should let us know what

500

: 00:22:18

travel plans you're thinking of doing.

501

: 00:22:20

Big or small.

502

: 00:22:20

It doesn't have to be anything major.

503

: 00:22:22

Alexandra: But while we're talking

about travel plants, Christine, what are

504

: 00:22:26

Christine: yes.

505

: 00:22:27

Alexandra: traveling around the holidays?

506

: 00:22:29

Christine: So I've been doing that

a lot these last several years.

507

: 00:22:34

Don't get me wrong, it's a lot of fun.

508

: 00:22:36

You, I've experienced different areas

at a very festive time of the year.

509

: 00:22:42

I don't think, I think it's split a lot of

the times where some people don't do it.

510

: 00:22:47

So it's not always as busy, but it's.

511

: 00:22:50

Alexandra: Yeah

512

: 00:22:50

Christine: still.

513

: 00:22:51

So it's not if you're traveling to

an area where it's still off season,

514

: 00:22:54

it's still peak for them a little

bit because of the holiday season.

515

: 00:22:58

So it's a lot of fun.

516

: 00:23:00

Everyone's cheery most of the time.

517

: 00:23:02

Happy or happier around the holidays,

but it can be a really hard and a really

518

: 00:23:07

big drain because the years wrapping

up you have already, like whether you

519

: 00:23:13

went all out celebrating before you

went on trips or it's just, there's a

520

: 00:23:20

lot going on at the end of the year.

521

: 00:23:22

So, so it can be really difficult and.

522

: 00:23:26

I've, having done it the last years,

this year, I think I'm gonna say I'm

523

: 00:23:29

not gonna travel this coming holiday.

524

: 00:23:33

Just gonna stay, put,

rest, relax, recharge.

525

: 00:23:37

But that's not always a choice for people.

526

: 00:23:39

I know for my sisters in particular,

they both live outta state, so no matter

527

: 00:23:42

what, they're traveling back home to New

Jersey to be with my parents and myself.

528

: 00:23:48

But yeah.

529

: 00:23:50

How do you feel, Alexandra?

530

: 00:23:51

Have you done much traveling

around the holidays before?

531

: 00:23:54

Alexandra: Not so much around like

the Christmas, winter holidays.

532

: 00:23:57

I've troubled in college for Thanksgiving

and the Easter spring holidays.

533

: 00:24:02

I don't know.

534

: 00:24:02

It's it's interesting sometimes,

like if you're going because of

535

: 00:24:05

family, that can be both exciting

but also draining 'cause it's travel.

536

: 00:24:09

And depending on how much, how

well you get along with your

537

: 00:24:12

family, that can also be, you know,

538

: 00:24:14

Christine: True.

539

: 00:24:15

Alexandra: positive or not.

540

: 00:24:16

So, not so positive for some people.

541

: 00:24:18

But like you said, I mean, it's already

that time of the year you're ending

542

: 00:24:22

things of you're either going out for

Christmas or doing all these, you know,

543

: 00:24:26

just getting together with people.

544

: 00:24:28

And I feel like here in the

States, it's like we, we back

545

: 00:24:30

up and we both love Halloween.

546

: 00:24:32

Lot of my close friends are

birthdays in the fall, early winter.

547

: 00:24:36

Winter.

548

: 00:24:36

So it's like birthday Halloween

birthday birthday, Christmas birthday.

549

: 00:24:41

Christine: Yeah, it's funny.

550

: 00:24:43

Alexandra: a lot.

551

: 00:24:43

So I love just kind of chilling.

552

: 00:24:46

And I don't feel like I've really

had a chance to do that the past

553

: 00:24:48

few years, particularly with.

554

: 00:24:50

I feel like I've been, though I

haven't had a class during the winter

555

: 00:24:53

shutdown, it's immediately gearing up

for the next semester trying to get

556

: 00:24:57

in everything you have to do for what

you wanna pull together for people.

557

: 00:25:01

And the past few years struggled

with feeling like, not pulling

558

: 00:25:04

enough together for people because

just feeling so time crunched.

559

: 00:25:07

But yeah, I think travel holidays

only if you really enjoy it.

560

: 00:25:15

it's different.

561

: 00:25:15

If you're traveling 45 minutes to go

to a family's house for dinner, you're

562

: 00:25:20

like, yeah, there might be time to just

suck it up and go if you're not really

563

: 00:25:24

close with that family or, you know,

564

: 00:25:26

An hour and a half away.

565

: 00:25:27

But if you have to get on a plane,

travel, I don't know, maybe if you

566

: 00:25:32

Christine: Yeah.

567

: 00:25:33

Alexandra: If not I think it's

also okay to say, Hey, I just

568

: 00:25:36

need some time for myself.

569

: 00:25:37

It's a lot to do.

570

: 00:25:38

Any holiday, so

571

: 00:25:41

Christine: Yeah, I'm curious.

572

: 00:25:42

I would love for those of who

are listening, if they are

573

: 00:25:47

interested in sharing, have

you ever chosen to not travel?

574

: 00:25:51

Like whether you are single and living

alone and just need to stay home, or

575

: 00:25:57

you make the choice to just, you know,

celebrate with friends or local family

576

: 00:26:02

and not go yeah, I'm just curious to

hear what other people's experiences are

577

: 00:26:08

like and what goes into their decision

making and yeah, so I would love to know.

578

: 00:26:14

Love to hear.

579

: 00:26:15

Alexandra: I think we have truly

covered the topic of travel.

580

: 00:26:18

Christine, how

581

: 00:26:18

Christine: Yes.

582

: 00:26:19

Alexandra: into something that you

mentioned in the beginning, like

583

: 00:26:21

what we are loving at the moment

584

: 00:26:23

Christine: Sure.

585

: 00:26:24

Alexandra: loving, what might be driving

us crazy things that we are like, ugh,

586

: 00:26:27

this just this trend just pass on?

587

: 00:26:30

Should we start books?

588

: 00:26:33

Christine: I think we

should start with books.

589

: 00:26:34

Alexandra: All

590

: 00:26:35

Christine: Let's we could talk

forever, so let's just start

591

: 00:26:37

and get going and move on.

592

: 00:26:39

Alexandra: Okay.

593

: 00:26:40

We might have to hold

ourselves accountable to

594

: 00:26:41

time here because, you know,

595

: 00:26:43

Christine: Yes.

596

: 00:26:44

'cause we could really

597

: 00:26:45

Alexandra: books.

598

: 00:26:45

Christine: Exactly.

599

: 00:26:46

We really could.

600

: 00:26:47

Alexandra: All right.

601

: 00:26:48

Christine: Why don't you,

why don't you kick us off,

602

: 00:26:50

Alexandra: okay.

603

: 00:26:51

Christine: Alexandra?

604

: 00:26:52

Alexandra: I know that we had posted

a little while ago in our current

605

: 00:26:56

reads post about the books that we're

reading and I was listening to Why Rule

606

: 00:27:02

Works by David Hamilton, and there's a

chapter on, I think it's chapter two on

607

: 00:27:10

meditations, and it brought up something

interesting 'cause he was talking about

608

: 00:27:13

the similarity, but differences between

mantras and affirmations, which made

609

: 00:27:18

me think of our first episode, or no

second episode that we did last year.

610

: 00:27:24

And so I kind of wanted to

update what we had said based

611

: 00:27:29

Christine: Sure.

612

: 00:27:30

Alexandra: that he had

researched and found out.

613

: 00:27:32

And it's actually a really cool book

if you're into like more boo woo

614

: 00:27:35

practices, spiritual, it kind of

gives you a lexicon for talking to

615

: 00:27:38

people who maybe are not as into that

aspect and more scientific background.

616

: 00:27:42

So it's kind of a fun read.

617

: 00:27:43

I love it.

618

: 00:27:44

Or listen.

619

: 00:27:45

He's got a Scottish accent, which is

620

: 00:27:47

Christine: Oh,

621

: 00:27:48

Alexandra: fun to, to listen to.

622

: 00:27:50

Christine: Scottish accent

that you can understand.

623

: 00:27:52

'cause sometimes that accent

gets a little hard for me to,

624

: 00:27:55

Alexandra: it's understandable.

625

: 00:27:56

Christine: okay.

626

: 00:27:57

Good.

627

: 00:27:58

Alexandra: I think I showed Christine

a video of a bakery I follow in,

628

: 00:28:01

in the Highlands of Scotland.

629

: 00:28:02

And that's a tough accent.

630

: 00:28:04

There's sometimes

631

: 00:28:05

Christine: It can be.

632

: 00:28:05

Alexandra: and I'm like.

633

: 00:28:07

What,

634

: 00:28:08

Christine: I need

subtitles, but I'm standing

635

: 00:28:11

Alexandra: I'm with you, I promise.

636

: 00:28:12

I think,

637

: 00:28:13

Christine: I think

638

: 00:28:14

Alexandra: no, but this is very, it's like

a very enjoyable listen Scottish accent.

639

: 00:28:18

Like you can easily understand.

640

: 00:28:19

It's

641

: 00:28:20

Christine: Good.

642

: 00:28:20

Alexandra: beautiful.

643

: 00:28:21

It's keep talking.

644

: 00:28:22

But these are some direct

quotes from that second chapter.

645

: 00:28:24

So, Dr.

646

: 00:28:26

Hamilton is a PhD was talking

about, the word mantra is derived

647

: 00:28:31

from two Sanskrit words, manas

mind and tra tools or instruments.

648

: 00:28:37

So literally a mind tool.

649

: 00:28:39

And that in Hindu, in Buddhist traditions,

a mantra is a sound, a word, or a short

650

: 00:28:44

phrase that is in toned, repeatedly during

meditation, contemplation, and prayer.

651

: 00:28:49

He noted that a key difference between

an affirmation and a mantra is that

652

: 00:28:53

while the former, an affirmation

tends to be a positive statement.

653

: 00:28:57

The latter or mantra is a mystical

utterance that is considered

654

: 00:29:01

sacred and to have deep spiritual

significance in Hinduism and Buddhism.

655

: 00:29:05

Ohm.

656

: 00:29:06

Is the most sacred of Al mantra as it

refers to ahman, which is the soul and

657

: 00:29:11

or self within and Brahman ultimate

reality, truth, universe and divine.

658

: 00:29:17

Supreme being.

659

: 00:29:19

He goes on to say that mystics say

that the sound produces vibrations

660

: 00:29:23

in our consciousness that align

us with a universal consciousness.

661

: 00:29:27

That many mantras are words

or phrases that are associated

662

: 00:29:31

with love or compassion, or are

statements of spiritual insight.

663

: 00:29:35

that.

664

: 00:29:35

Another key difference between affirmation

and a mantra is that an affirmation

665

: 00:29:39

tends to require a determined mental

effort to make a focus statement.

666

: 00:29:43

While a mantra requires much

less effort, it is more passive

667

: 00:29:47

and has a calming effect.

668

: 00:29:49

It goes into some of the science of like

brain imaging that they had done to show

669

: 00:29:52

that affirmations tend to activate the.

670

: 00:29:55

Parts of the brain that align with or a

associated with concentration, whereas

671

: 00:29:58

mantras tend to deactivate that part

of a brain and calm those regions.

672

: 00:30:03

So I thought that was really interesting.

673

: 00:30:04

'cause I think a lot of what we

were talking about in that sayings

674

: 00:30:08

and mantra leaned more affirmation

based than traditional mantra.

675

: 00:30:15

And I just thought that was so cool.

676

: 00:30:16

'cause I never really

677

: 00:30:17

Christine: Yeah,

678

: 00:30:18

Alexandra: the specific difference,

679

: 00:30:20

Christine: I certainly didn't.

680

: 00:30:21

Alexandra: was so cool.

681

: 00:30:22

I was

682

: 00:30:22

Christine: Sometimes I think

I, yeah, sometimes I think I've

683

: 00:30:25

used those words interchange like

684

: 00:30:28

Alexandra: Interchangeably.

685

: 00:30:29

Christine: yeah, but now we have a better

understanding of what is the difference.

686

: 00:30:33

Interesting.

687

: 00:30:34

Alexandra: and I like that, that

I think he goes on to talk about

688

: 00:30:36

like one of the wellknown mantras,

I don't know if it's Buddhist or

689

: 00:30:41

tradition, but oh, money padme.

690

: 00:30:43

Something, I think it means something

like the jewel in the lotus, but I,

691

: 00:30:48

it's like, it is very different when

you think about, I would say, I guess

692

: 00:30:51

now called more traditional mantras and

how they are very, can be very rhythmic

693

: 00:30:56

and very calming versus this statement

that I'm trying to affirm or manifest.

694

: 00:31:02

So it is really interesting now that I

think about one is like I'm activating

695

: 00:31:06

parts of my brain for concentration.

696

: 00:31:08

One is like I'm calming myself and

I'm just aligning my vibration.

697

: 00:31:13

So

698

: 00:31:15

Christine: Okay.

699

: 00:31:17

Well thanks for that

little lesson and update.

700

: 00:31:19

I think that's really fascinating.

701

: 00:31:21

Alexandra: I was like,

702

: 00:31:22

Christine: Thank you.

703

: 00:31:22

Very cool.

704

: 00:31:22

Alexandra: nerd out.

705

: 00:31:24

Christine: I will let you nerd out anytime

706

: 00:31:26

Alexandra: Alright, so Christine, you

wanna kick us off on books, the other,

707

: 00:31:30

Christine: on the books.

708

: 00:31:31

Did not?

709

: 00:31:32

Alexandra: books.

710

: 00:31:33

Christine: Sure I can, I'm happy to.

711

: 00:31:35

So, first off, I've really been reading

a lot this year more than anything else.

712

: 00:31:41

I haven't been really watching very much

or listening to very much, but I have

713

: 00:31:46

been reading, I'm actually very close

to hitting my reading goal for the year.

714

: 00:31:50

And I wanna see if I can

like, maybe double it.

715

: 00:31:53

We'll see.

716

: 00:31:54

We'll see.

717

: 00:31:55

Alexandra: I think

718

: 00:31:55

Christine: Well, yeah,

719

: 00:31:57

Alexandra: the year, so.

720

: 00:31:59

Christine: if I keep up this

rate, I may just do that.

721

: 00:32:02

Who knows.

722

: 00:32:03

So I've been reading nonstop and

some of the favorites that I've.

723

: 00:32:09

Listened to or read so far from

this year is Thrown of the Fallen by

724

: 00:32:14

Carrie Maniscalco, which if you're

not familiar with her, she I've loved,

725

: 00:32:19

she has had, this is her third series,

but it's actually within the same

726

: 00:32:24

world of one of her previous series.

727

: 00:32:26

So we've both listened to

stalking Jack the Ripper.

728

: 00:32:30

Right.

729

: 00:32:31

We both loved that.

730

: 00:32:32

She then I've, I read a few years ago

and Alexander just started the Kingdom

731

: 00:32:38

of the Wicked Series, which the Throne of

the Fallen takes place in the same world.

732

: 00:32:44

But that's one of that's one of

my favorites so far this year.

733

: 00:32:48

It's, if you're not familiar with the

series, it how do I do this in a nutshell?

734

: 00:32:53

So,

735

: 00:32:55

Alexandra: to cram into

736

: 00:32:55

Christine: yeah, basically.

737

: 00:32:58

Exactly.

738

: 00:32:59

Basically there are.

739

: 00:33:02

Seven princes of hell and they all

focus on one of the seven deadly sins.

740

: 00:33:08

So Kingdom of the Wicked focuses

particularly on the Prince

741

: 00:33:13

Wrath and his story, his love

story because they are romances.

742

: 00:33:18

And then kingdom of the Fallen, sorry,

throne of the fallen not kingdom, throne

743

: 00:33:24

of the Fallen is focuses on a new prince.

744

: 00:33:28

And it it's a great time.

745

: 00:33:31

It's,

746

: 00:33:31

Alexandra: Which Prince does it focus on?

747

: 00:33:34

Christine: oh, see, I've read two she's

released two and now I need to remember,

748

: 00:33:37

let me look that up really quick.

749

: 00:33:38

Alexandra: It's like

750

: 00:33:39

Christine: I think it's envy,

but let me double check.

751

: 00:33:42

so.

752

: 00:33:42

This story revolves around Prince Envy

and his, his romance and basically

753

: 00:33:49

the, this is gonna be a series, but

each book is gonna be a one-off.

754

: 00:33:52

So it's focusing on one sp specific

prince and their love story or

755

: 00:33:57

romance or whatever the case may be.

756

: 00:34:00

Alexandra: Right.

757

: 00:34:00

That's, you think you said it

was the Dark and You series

758

: 00:34:03

Christine: I,

759

: 00:34:03

Alexandra: in that series, the first

four books were on one couple, and

760

: 00:34:06

then all the others have been like

one offs with same world related

761

: 00:34:10

Christine: Exactly.

762

: 00:34:11

Yes.

763

: 00:34:12

And this is new adult, so there is

plenty of steamy, spicy moments.

764

: 00:34:18

And it's a good time.

765

: 00:34:20

It's fun it's playful, it's fun to

sort of, because you meet the other

766

: 00:34:27

princes in the original series, but

you don't really get to know them.

767

: 00:34:31

So this is a fun insight into them more.

768

: 00:34:35

And so that, that's was one of the main,

so far, one of my favorite books that I've

769

: 00:34:39

read this year, I've also really enjoy,

I love a good mystery murder mystery.

770

: 00:34:45

Who done it?

771

: 00:34:46

I read the House across the Lake

this year, which I should give.

772

: 00:34:52

Let me look up the author of that one.

773

: 00:34:53

I didn't write that down.

774

: 00:34:54

Silly Me.

775

: 00:34:55

Riley Sager, I believe is that author,

but I'm just gonna double check.

776

: 00:35:00

Alexandra: I feel like I'm looking for

some good murder mysteries, although

777

: 00:35:03

I might want to reread a series

that I haven't picked up in a while.

778

: 00:35:08

That's

779

: 00:35:08

Christine: which one?

780

: 00:35:08

Alexandra: a a two part series now.

781

: 00:35:11

The original series is the, I

think it's called the Fatal Series.

782

: 00:35:16

So the first one is Fatal Affair,

and it's about a metro DC cop and

783

: 00:35:21

somebody who worked for a senator.

784

: 00:35:24

So like a politician

and each book obviously.

785

: 00:35:28

Is a standalone, it's a different case,

but the characters, the detectives,

786

: 00:35:32

the people related to them all cross.

787

: 00:35:34

And then of course, there's

now a second spinoff series,

788

: 00:35:39

which I won't give the title

789

: 00:35:41

Series title too, because it would

reveal too much if anyone was interested.

790

: 00:35:44

Christine: oh, interesting.

791

: 00:35:45

Huh.

792

: 00:35:46

Okay.

793

: 00:35:47

Alexandra: Although I was

talking to my sister about it and

794

: 00:35:49

Christine: I,

795

: 00:35:50

Alexandra: talking about the most

recent one in the new series, and

796

: 00:35:51

we're like, yeah, the main character's

kind of pissing us off, but I guess

797

: 00:35:55

To read it.

798

: 00:35:55

Maybe it'll get better, so,

799

: 00:35:56

Christine: maybe it'll get better.

800

: 00:35:57

I always like to give it the benefit

of the doubt let me see how it evolves,

801

: 00:36:02

because sometimes they do that on purpose.

802

: 00:36:04

Authors.

803

: 00:36:05

Alexandra: back in the next one, I guess.

804

: 00:36:06

We'll give it to you.

805

: 00:36:07

Christine: All right, cool.

806

: 00:36:08

Cool.

807

: 00:36:09

But yes, the house across the lake was

one of, not only one of my favorite books

808

: 00:36:14

I've read this year, but has been one of

my f favorite mysteries that I've read

809

: 00:36:19

recently because I really wasn't, it

had some good unexpected things happen.

810

: 00:36:24

I don't necessarily want

to give too much away, but

811

: 00:36:29

you would be, you think you

know who the villain is and then

812

: 00:36:33

Alexandra: Surprised it's not.

813

: 00:36:34

Christine: surprises come.

814

: 00:36:35

Yeah.

815

: 00:36:35

So

816

: 00:36:38

highly recommend that one.

817

: 00:36:39

And then I.

818

: 00:36:41

Also another one I mentioned in our

favorite current reads that we posted,

819

: 00:36:45

the people you meet on vacation is just a

fun, lighthearted romcom by Emily Henry.

820

: 00:36:52

And it's actually being

adapted into a film.

821

: 00:36:54

And it's starring the actress, I'm

blanking on her name at the moment,

822

: 00:36:57

but she, if you watched My Lady

Jane, she's the main actress from

823

: 00:37:04

Alexandra: Oh, okay.

824

: 00:37:05

Christine: show in this

movie that's coming out.

825

: 00:37:08

So

826

: 00:37:08

Alexandra: to say how disappointed I am?

827

: 00:37:09

That show's not coming back

828

: 00:37:11

Christine: I'm so bummed

that it's not coming back.

829

: 00:37:13

And mostly I think it's because

Amazon did, its such a disservice

830

: 00:37:17

and how it marketed that show,

831

: 00:37:18

Like it truly is.

832

: 00:37:21

I've been describing it as

like Ella Enchanted for Adults,

833

: 00:37:25

Alexandra: Yes.

834

: 00:37:26

Christine: the breaking the fourth wall.

835

: 00:37:28

Alexandra: market that was in

love with Ellen Enchanter, which

836

: 00:37:31

Christine: He really could have.

837

: 00:37:32

Alexandra: rewashed, but

it's so freaking good.

838

: 00:37:34

Christine: Yeah.

839

: 00:37:35

Yeah.

840

: 00:37:35

It is so thick and good.

841

: 00:37:36

So she's gonna be starring in this

adaptation of this book by Emily Henry.

842

: 00:37:42

A fun read, great beach read,

great or non beach read.

843

: 00:37:46

Read right now.

844

: 00:37:46

It's so good.

845

: 00:37:47

And then I've also delved more

this year into the dark sphere.

846

: 00:37:53

Alexandra: Mm-hmm.

847

: 00:37:54

Christine: Has recommended stuff to me.

848

: 00:37:56

I've recommended stuff to her, but

I've read Quicksilver Lights Out

849

: 00:38:01

Hunting, Adeline Hunting and Hunting.

850

: 00:38:03

I've read both.

851

: 00:38:04

What else?

852

: 00:38:05

I read the first book

in the Lord's series.

853

: 00:38:08

The Ritual, right?

854

: 00:38:10

Alexandra: the rich yes, the ritual.

855

: 00:38:12

I love how that one builds

it as like a university.

856

: 00:38:15

I'm

857

: 00:38:16

Christine: Oh yeah.

858

: 00:38:16

Dark College Romance.

859

: 00:38:18

Yeah.

860

: 00:38:19

No, they don't.

861

: 00:38:19

Alexandra: college?

862

: 00:38:20

There is no.

863

: 00:38:21

If you just accept that they really don't

go to class and that they somehow still

864

: 00:38:25

graduate, then I think you'll be fine.

865

: 00:38:28

Christine: And then become

like leaders in the world.

866

: 00:38:32

Yeah.

867

: 00:38:33

It doesn't,

868

: 00:38:33

Alexandra: up.

869

: 00:38:34

The whole series is so fucked up.

870

: 00:38:37

And if you

871

: 00:38:37

Christine: well, I've only read

the one, so I haven't gotten back

872

: 00:38:41

to the rest of the series yet.

873

: 00:38:43

But

874

: 00:38:44

Yeah, so I've read some, like

varying degrees of dark romance.

875

: 00:38:48

So like some that are not as

dark and graphic as others.

876

: 00:38:51

It's definitely read the content warnings.

877

: 00:38:56

One, take care of yourself two.

878

: 00:39:00

But if you wanna try something different

that's a little like taboo, I feel like

879

: 00:39:03

there's plenty of good books out there

that, that will scratch that itch for you.

880

: 00:39:08

Alexandra: Did I tell you what

happened when I was reading the

881

: 00:39:10

Lord Series on my Kindle app?

882

: 00:39:13

Christine: I don't know if you did

883

: 00:39:14

Alexandra: So it was so funny.

884

: 00:39:15

I just I knew that I had seen from

things on, you know, social media

885

: 00:39:20

oh, there are trigger warnings dah.

886

: 00:39:22

Like it's a

887

: 00:39:22

Christine: Yeah,

888

: 00:39:23

Alexandra: all this stuff.

889

: 00:39:24

Okay?

890

: 00:39:24

So I jump into reading it.

891

: 00:39:27

I never saw the freaking trigger

warnings, and I'm just going through

892

: 00:39:30

and I'm like, damn, okay, ho.

893

: 00:39:33

What, and

894

: 00:39:35

Christine: should really warn

you before you read this.

895

: 00:39:37

Alexandra: not that.

896

: 00:39:38

Luckily I didn't have

any issues with it, but

897

: 00:39:39

Christine: Sure.

898

: 00:39:40

Alexandra: into the second one and I'm

like, man, they really, it's so odd that

899

: 00:39:43

they don't include the trigger warning.

900

: 00:39:45

So I'm just going through, by the

third book, I finally realized

901

: 00:39:48

that Kindle was taking me to the

prologue, the skipping the title

902

: 00:39:54

page, like the table of contents, the

903

: 00:39:57

Christine: yeah, it does do that.

904

: 00:39:58

Alexandra: oh.

905

: 00:39:59

So

906

: 00:40:00

Did.

907

: 00:40:00

I just, Kindle was like, eh, assume

908

: 00:40:04

Christine: gonna just,

909

: 00:40:05

Alexandra: You

910

: 00:40:06

Christine: you know what

you're getting into,

911

: 00:40:08

Alexandra: Here we go.

912

: 00:40:09

Christine: right?

913

: 00:40:10

And you were so kind.

914

: 00:40:11

You gave me that little heads up

915

: 00:40:14

Alexandra: go back.

916

: 00:40:14

Christine: I, she wasn't

sure how I was gonna read it.

917

: 00:40:16

I actually listened to the first book, but

yeah, she's there are trigger warnings.

918

: 00:40:22

Take a look at them

before you get into it.

919

: 00:40:25

And I was like, that is a helpful tip.

920

: 00:40:27

Alexandra: You're like, oh, what?

921

: 00:40:29

Christine: Ooh.

922

: 00:40:29

Yeah.

923

: 00:40:30

Yeah.

924

: 00:40:31

It, and you know, it's, it takes a

little bit of adjusting and it is not for

925

: 00:40:36

everyone, but I'm having a great time.

926

: 00:40:39

Alexandra: I will say, that's

something I noticed on your list.

927

: 00:40:41

That's also on my list,

928

: 00:40:43

Christine: Yes.

929

: 00:40:44

Alexandra: and it was really fucking good.

930

: 00:40:46

It was so good.

931

: 00:40:47

It was so funny, and it was

kind of, it's weird to say that

932

: 00:40:49

it was lighter a dark romance.

933

: 00:40:52

Christine: Lights out

934

: 00:40:53

Girl.

935

: 00:40:54

Yeah,

936

: 00:40:54

Alexandra: was funny as all get out

937

: 00:40:56

Christine: it was very funny.

938

: 00:40:58

And it was so I read that

after reading H both H

939

: 00:41:02

Alexandra: hunting and then haunting.

940

: 00:41:03

Haunting,

941

: 00:41:04

Christine: Haunting and Hunt, which.

942

: 00:41:06

Dark as hell, especially h hunting,

God dammit, they're so similar.

943

: 00:41:12

But it was, so, it was,

it was really good.

944

: 00:41:15

It was funny, it was lighthearted.

945

: 00:41:17

I, and then something I think a lot of

people sometimes complain about is the

946

: 00:41:22

insta love that happens in a lot of

these romance genre in general can be,

947

: 00:41:27

I'm like, why the hell are you here?

948

: 00:41:30

It's fictional.

949

: 00:41:31

It's not supposed to make sense of, so

what if they're like in love with each

950

: 00:41:35

other after locking eyes or spending

two minutes or stalking them on social

951

: 00:41:41

media or whatever the case may be?

952

: 00:41:43

Alexandra: To live it.

953

: 00:41:44

You don't have to do that.

954

: 00:41:45

You don't have to fall

955

: 00:41:46

Christine: no

956

: 00:41:46

Alexandra: But leave

my romance books alone.

957

: 00:41:49

Christine: leave.

958

: 00:41:50

Yeah.

959

: 00:41:50

Let me live in my world of my bubble.

960

: 00:41:52

My bubble.

961

: 00:41:53

But yeah.

962

: 00:41:54

Alexandra: I feel like I, if anyone

wants to listen to it, read it.

963

: 00:41:58

your

964

: 00:41:59

Christine: I've heard good

things about the audiobook.

965

: 00:42:01

Alexandra: I, yeah, I haven't

listened to a preview, but I

966

: 00:42:04

just read it and it was great.

967

: 00:42:05

'cause I

968

: 00:42:06

Christine: Yeah.

969

: 00:42:08

Alexandra: What is this?

970

: 00:42:09

Spoiler alert.

971

: 00:42:10

That's the word.

972

: 00:42:11

I was like, I just love the

whole accidental murder.

973

: 00:42:16

And then they're like, yeah, the

couple that slays together stays

974

: 00:42:20

Christine: Stays together.

975

: 00:42:20

Alexandra: And you're like,

and then it just snowballs.

976

: 00:42:25

Christine: Yeah.

977

: 00:42:26

Alexandra: It's so funny.

978

: 00:42:28

Oh, what's so great?

979

: 00:42:29

It's a good time.

980

: 00:42:30

Christine: Oh, it's a good time.

981

: 00:42:31

I had a, I had fun with that one.

982

: 00:42:34

But, and then I'll wrap

it up really quick.

983

: 00:42:36

My last little update.

984

: 00:42:37

Some, well, actually two things.

985

: 00:42:40

Something you got me onto hockey romances.

986

: 00:42:44

I will say I haven't delved outside

of the pucking around universe yet,

987

: 00:42:50

Alexandra: I'm

988

: 00:42:50

Christine: and I know that is a hot topic.

989

: 00:42:53

Yeah.

990

: 00:42:53

Yeah.

991

: 00:42:53

I know that.

992

: 00:42:54

And I know that is like

a hot topic for people.

993

: 00:42:58

There could be a lot of controversy

around that series, but leave me alone.

994

: 00:43:01

I'm having a good fucking time.

995

: 00:43:03

Okay.

996

: 00:43:04

Alexandra: You

997

: 00:43:04

Christine: this all started when,

998

: 00:43:05

Alexandra: Be.

999

: 00:43:06

Christine: yes, this all started.

: 1000

00:43:08,248 --> 00:43:11,158

Alexandra came up to visit around

my birthday this past year.

: 1001

00:43:11,788 --> 00:43:15,328

We went to the Rip Bois

in New York and Brooklyn.

: 1002

00:43:15,808 --> 00:43:16,438

Fun.

: 1003

00:43:16,888 --> 00:43:20,188

If you are in the Brooklyn, New

York or New Jersey, like if you

: 1004

00:43:20,188 --> 00:43:22,528

can get there, I recommend going.

: 1005

00:43:22,528 --> 00:43:23,188

It's a great time.

: 1006

00:43:23,188 --> 00:43:24,838

They also have a location in California.

: 1007

00:43:25,093 --> 00:43:25,543

Alexandra: Oh,

: 1008

00:43:26,278 --> 00:43:27,028

Christine: Yes.

: 1009

00:43:27,358 --> 00:43:27,988

Yes.

: 1010

00:43:28,138 --> 00:43:28,528

I think

: 1011

00:43:28,728 --> 00:43:29,473

Alexandra: that might be a trip.

: 1012

00:43:29,503 --> 00:43:29,743

I have to

: 1013

00:43:29,788 --> 00:43:31,228

Christine: Los Angeles maybe.

: 1014

00:43:31,303 --> 00:43:32,563

Alexandra: Oh, I have

to go back to my state.

: 1015

00:43:32,593 --> 00:43:32,923

Okay.

: 1016

00:43:34,408 --> 00:43:37,158

Christine: So, she picked, that's

one of the books she picked up.

: 1017

00:43:37,158 --> 00:43:40,218

She had heard something about

the story and was interested.

: 1018

00:43:40,563 --> 00:43:42,003

No, you hadn't heard.

: 1019

00:43:43,503 --> 00:43:45,873

Oh, I thought you had

seen something about it.

: 1020

00:43:45,903 --> 00:43:46,773

Alexandra: that sounds fun.

: 1021

00:43:47,403 --> 00:43:49,323

Christine: Oh my gosh, my bad.

: 1022

00:43:49,323 --> 00:43:49,833

Alexandra: thing about it.

: 1023

00:43:50,433 --> 00:43:53,913

Christine: Okay, well now

we know a lot about it.

: 1024

00:43:55,578 --> 00:43:57,678

Alexandra: I think your first comment

to me after you started, just like,

: 1025

00:43:57,678 --> 00:43:59,958

how did you not talk to anyone about

: 1026

00:44:00,303 --> 00:44:01,563

Christine: I, yes.

: 1027

00:44:01,563 --> 00:44:06,423

So she read it and then I

started after her and I couldn't

: 1028

00:44:06,423 --> 00:44:07,533

not talk about it to her.

: 1029

00:44:07,533 --> 00:44:10,803

I was like, how did you

not say anything to me?

: 1030

00:44:10,803 --> 00:44:13,473

Because usually we talk about our books.

: 1031

00:44:14,124 --> 00:44:17,634

Well, I just had to talk about it,

so I was very surprised she didn't.

: 1032

00:44:18,134 --> 00:44:18,584

But yeah,

: 1033

00:44:18,629 --> 00:44:20,279

Alexandra: think I'd mentioned

the hockey thing before and

: 1034

00:44:20,279 --> 00:44:22,769

you're like, ah, well, you know,

I was like, okay, well, you know,

: 1035

00:44:23,114 --> 00:44:25,514

Christine: yeah, I wasn't

necessarily on board, but

: 1036

00:44:26,249 --> 00:44:27,599

It was available to listen.

: 1037

00:44:27,674 --> 00:44:28,634

Alexandra: the hockey romances?

: 1038

00:44:29,129 --> 00:44:31,619

Christine: I'm fully in, I'm

also like, what other sport

: 1039

00:44:31,619 --> 00:44:32,759

romances could I get into?

: 1040

00:44:32,999 --> 00:44:33,449

Let's see,

: 1041

00:44:33,614 --> 00:44:34,604

Alexandra: a serious for you.

: 1042

00:44:34,874 --> 00:44:35,504

If you want

: 1043

00:44:35,704 --> 00:44:36,419

Christine: I, yeah.

: 1044

00:44:37,094 --> 00:44:38,684

Alexandra: Pause for research, I have to

: 1045

00:44:38,999 --> 00:44:39,449

Christine: Sure.

: 1046

00:44:39,614 --> 00:44:40,964

Alexandra: actual title of the series.

: 1047

00:44:41,443 --> 00:44:42,133

Christine: What sport?

: 1048

00:44:42,264 --> 00:44:43,584

Alexandra: all the sports.

: 1049

00:44:44,484 --> 00:44:45,474

Christine: Oh, all sports.

: 1050

00:44:46,464 --> 00:44:47,184

Alexandra: Oh, interesting.

: 1051

00:44:47,184 --> 00:44:50,304

She must be changing the covers

and my no app must be updating it.

: 1052

00:44:50,694 --> 00:44:54,024

So it is the play by

play series by JC Burton.

: 1053

00:44:54,354 --> 00:45:00,744

The first book is the perfect play,

and then it kind of goes through,

: 1054

00:45:00,744 --> 00:45:02,424

so you asked what sport it is.

: 1055

00:45:02,424 --> 00:45:03,474

It's kind of like all the sports.

: 1056

00:45:03,474 --> 00:45:05,334

So the first one is a football romance.

: 1057

00:45:05,334 --> 00:45:07,404

The second one, baseball.

: 1058

00:45:07,404 --> 00:45:12,204

Then there's hockey, football,

baseball, race, car driving.

: 1059

00:45:12,879 --> 00:45:13,479

Christine: ooh.

: 1060

00:45:14,484 --> 00:45:18,174

Alexandra: Football, hockey, football.

: 1061

00:45:18,174 --> 00:45:19,944

But there's a couple, couple

other sports in there.

: 1062

00:45:20,334 --> 00:45:20,754

I don't,

: 1063

00:45:21,834 --> 00:45:22,734

Not been any basketball.

: 1064

00:45:23,064 --> 00:45:24,384

So I think I found that

: 1065

00:45:24,579 --> 00:45:25,089

Christine: Interesting.

: 1066

00:45:25,194 --> 00:45:27,414

Alexandra: Like a teenager college.

: 1067

00:45:27,654 --> 00:45:33,414

So that was probably one of my first

forays into, sports, romance books.

: 1068

00:45:33,774 --> 00:45:34,434

And they're really fun.

: 1069

00:45:35,214 --> 00:45:38,824

It's all the characters, it's one-off

books, but they're all connected.

: 1070

00:45:38,854 --> 00:45:42,084

So you'll kind of meet the couple or

the people who will be in the next book.

: 1071

00:45:43,374 --> 00:45:43,554

So that's

: 1072

00:45:43,959 --> 00:45:44,529

Christine: Well, that's fun.

: 1073

00:45:44,694 --> 00:45:44,994

Alexandra: one.

: 1074

00:45:45,264 --> 00:45:49,014

If you want like different sports

and then some, I don't know.

: 1075

00:45:49,104 --> 00:45:51,354

Oh, I remember how I got into hockey.

: 1076

00:45:51,504 --> 00:45:53,304

Hockey smut and hockey romance.

: 1077

00:45:54,954 --> 00:45:58,644

I, there's a audio book narrator I

really like, and I dunno if we've

: 1078

00:45:58,644 --> 00:46:01,494

talked about this in the podcast before,

but I was looking at other books.

: 1079

00:46:01,654 --> 00:46:05,434

She narrates under two different

names and came across this one

: 1080

00:46:05,714 --> 00:46:07,394

book written by Helena Hunting.

: 1081

00:46:07,454 --> 00:46:09,704

And it was the start of her,

: 1082

00:46:11,804 --> 00:46:14,324

I think, fourth series in the same world.

: 1083

00:46:14,724 --> 00:46:18,534

So kind of all connected, but

you can read 'em as a standalone.

: 1084

00:46:18,534 --> 00:46:22,344

And it was called, if You Hate

Me and I love the Narrators

: 1085

00:46:22,344 --> 00:46:24,534

with Good Time, it's Mud.

: 1086

00:46:25,464 --> 00:46:30,414

And so from that I went back

and I pretty much all of Helena

: 1087

00:46:30,414 --> 00:46:33,444

Hunting's books in those series.

: 1088

00:46:33,684 --> 00:46:35,304

And so I read from the

very first series, which.

: 1089

00:46:36,669 --> 00:46:37,119

Fucked.

: 1090

00:46:37,699 --> 00:46:39,979

And then it's, it that, then the

second series, then the third, and

: 1091

00:46:39,979 --> 00:46:42,829

then finally to the Toronto Terror

Series, which I'm loving so far.

: 1092

00:46:43,219 --> 00:46:43,439

Christine: Oh,

: 1093

00:46:43,549 --> 00:46:46,669

Alexandra: got a couple one-off books

that are about characters in that, but

: 1094

00:46:46,669 --> 00:46:50,569

not necessarily main characters in hockey.

: 1095

00:46:50,779 --> 00:46:51,259

So,

: 1096

00:46:51,609 --> 00:46:51,899

Christine: okay.

: 1097

00:46:52,969 --> 00:46:56,569

Alexandra: I think she's got one coming

out that's again in the world but may

: 1098

00:46:56,569 --> 00:46:58,789

not be totally linked into the series.

: 1099

00:46:59,089 --> 00:46:59,419

So I'm

: 1100

00:46:59,514 --> 00:47:03,744

Christine: I'm wondering, did

I download anything by her,

: 1101

00:47:03,834 --> 00:47:05,424

because that name is familiar.

: 1102

00:47:06,624 --> 00:47:11,274

No, not yet, but I, yeah,

she's on my list to read that.

: 1103

00:47:12,129 --> 00:47:13,119

Alexandra: she's very funny.

: 1104

00:47:13,239 --> 00:47:17,709

I, all the characters I think

have, they're such good stories.

: 1105

00:47:17,949 --> 00:47:19,769

I know that I included it, chase

: 1106

00:47:19,889 --> 00:47:20,309

Christine: Mm-hmm.

: 1107

00:47:20,836 --> 00:47:22,766

Alexandra: I think in

the current reads, and

: 1108

00:47:23,036 --> 00:47:23,256

Christine: Yep.

: 1109

00:47:23,366 --> 00:47:28,106

Alexandra: the spinoffs, the, but not in

the main series of the Toronto Terror one.

: 1110

00:47:28,756 --> 00:47:31,726

And then I, we both

listened to audio books

: 1111

00:47:32,166 --> 00:47:37,356

Might be an Audible original or an

audible only, but it was one called

: 1112

00:47:37,356 --> 00:47:42,576

Know Your Newlyweds and it was a full

cast, but it almost reminded me of the

: 1113

00:47:42,576 --> 00:47:46,506

old radio shows where they do a lot

of sound effects and music with it.

: 1114

00:47:46,506 --> 00:47:50,316

So it's not just a full cast

narration, it's all these other things.

: 1115

00:47:50,316 --> 00:47:53,556

It was really, a fun,

listen, it was short.

: 1116

00:47:53,556 --> 00:47:55,896

I think it was like maybe

five hours, but it was

: 1117

00:47:56,031 --> 00:47:56,271

Christine: Oh,

: 1118

00:47:56,646 --> 00:47:57,006

Alexandra: It was really

: 1119

00:47:57,081 --> 00:47:57,321

Christine: that,

: 1120

00:47:57,726 --> 00:47:58,476

Alexandra: I would listen to it again.

: 1121

00:47:59,091 --> 00:47:59,691

Christine: that's cool.

: 1122

00:48:00,471 --> 00:48:01,221

Nice.

: 1123

00:48:01,296 --> 00:48:05,416

Alexandra: into the duet narration

or the full cow, full cast narration.

: 1124

00:48:06,151 --> 00:48:06,421

Yeah.

: 1125

00:48:06,586 --> 00:48:07,096

Christine: Okay.

: 1126

00:48:07,456 --> 00:48:07,996

Alright, cool.

: 1127

00:48:08,521 --> 00:48:11,251

Alexandra: Any books you haven't

been loving before we move on

: 1128

00:48:11,296 --> 00:48:13,696

Christine: Ooh, that's a good question.

: 1129

00:48:14,136 --> 00:48:16,806

There's been some that I'm

just like, eh, there hasn't

: 1130

00:48:16,806 --> 00:48:19,026

been any that I did not finish.

: 1131

00:48:20,766 --> 00:48:25,566

I think the last book that I really didn't

like, I haven't read anything this year

: 1132

00:48:25,566 --> 00:48:29,796

that I really didn't like, but last year

I read a book by Lee Bar Dugo, which

: 1133

00:48:29,796 --> 00:48:32,316

is an author I have heard lots about.

: 1134

00:48:34,056 --> 00:48:36,636

There are other books by her that

I'm interested in reading, but

: 1135

00:48:36,636 --> 00:48:38,526

this one just didn't do it for me.

: 1136

00:48:38,526 --> 00:48:40,856

It's ninth House by Lee Bar Jugo.

: 1137

00:48:40,856 --> 00:48:41,726

I read that last year.

: 1138

00:48:41,726 --> 00:48:43,256

I just, it wasn't for me.

: 1139

00:48:43,556 --> 00:48:48,026

But there's been some that are

just meh, but I like didn't mind.

: 1140

00:48:48,116 --> 00:48:48,326

Alexandra: it.

: 1141

00:48:49,016 --> 00:48:49,856

Christine: Yeah, I didn't mind.

: 1142

00:48:49,856 --> 00:48:52,976

Like right now, actually I'm

listening to a book, what's it called?

: 1143

00:48:53,336 --> 00:48:57,086

Pretty Little Savage, I think is

the name of the book by Lucy Smoke.

: 1144

00:48:57,536 --> 00:48:58,706

I um,

: 1145

00:48:58,766 --> 00:48:59,456

Alexandra: about that one.

: 1146

00:48:59,456 --> 00:48:59,636

Yeah.

: 1147

00:49:00,596 --> 00:49:05,576

Christine: I downloaded through Audible

my my subscription, like you get access to

: 1148

00:49:05,606 --> 00:49:08,006

some titles that are like included in it.

: 1149

00:49:08,426 --> 00:49:10,436

Essentially, you don't have

to use a credit or pay for

: 1150

00:49:10,856 --> 00:49:12,326

to download and listen to it.

: 1151

00:49:12,776 --> 00:49:16,856

The whole trilogy was available

and I was like, you know what?

: 1152

00:49:16,856 --> 00:49:17,366

Why not?

: 1153

00:49:17,558 --> 00:49:21,278

I, it could be also that I've just

been listening to a lot more sm

: 1154

00:49:21,668 --> 00:49:23,078

s money, spicy stuff recently.

: 1155

00:49:23,078 --> 00:49:24,578

There hasn't been a whole lot of that.

: 1156

00:49:24,788 --> 00:49:28,538

There's been a lot of like buildup,

but I'm 80% of the way through.

: 1157

00:49:28,538 --> 00:49:32,108

I have three hours left and I

haven't had that payoff yet.

: 1158

00:49:32,108 --> 00:49:33,098

So that's a little annoying.

: 1159

00:49:34,306 --> 00:49:40,816

But something that has wrecked me,

but I'm so happy that I have read.

: 1160

00:49:40,906 --> 00:49:45,106

So I've finally, it took me long

enough, but I have delved into the

: 1161

00:49:45,106 --> 00:49:50,146

world of Fanfic fan fiction and I

have dabbled in the past, don't get me

: 1162

00:49:50,146 --> 00:49:53,056

wrong, but this is one that I really

went in and I went in on specific.

: 1163

00:49:53,056 --> 00:50:00,091

Pacific ship that I think a lot of

people, there's a lot out there to

: 1164

00:50:00,091 --> 00:50:04,231

read of this ship and a lot of people

probably might be able to guess.

: 1165

00:50:04,231 --> 00:50:08,701

But I finally have started reading

some Dani fan fiction, which

: 1166

00:50:08,701 --> 00:50:13,021

if you don't know what Dani is,

where the hell have you been?

: 1167

00:50:13,021 --> 00:50:14,551

Are you what?

: 1168

00:50:14,581 --> 00:50:15,691

What's going on everyone?

: 1169

00:50:15,901 --> 00:50:20,221

So Miah is the Draco Hermione

ship from Harry Potter.

: 1170

00:50:20,611 --> 00:50:23,071

We have talked before about Harry Potter.

: 1171

00:50:23,281 --> 00:50:26,371

It's what got me into reading

when I was in middle school.

: 1172

00:50:27,151 --> 00:50:29,581

I have a lot of mixed feelings

about Harry Potter right now,

: 1173

00:50:29,581 --> 00:50:31,021

but that's because of the author.

: 1174

00:50:31,021 --> 00:50:32,881

So we don't have to dive into that.

: 1175

00:50:33,311 --> 00:50:35,711

We've talked about this

before Alexandra and I, but

: 1176

00:50:35,811 --> 00:50:41,541

These fanfictions are written

by some very talented writers.

: 1177

00:50:41,871 --> 00:50:42,441

I.

: 1178

00:50:43,056 --> 00:50:44,556

And some might be wondering.

: 1179

00:50:44,556 --> 00:50:46,986

I wanna see, I'm gonna leave it out there.

: 1180

00:50:47,136 --> 00:50:49,116

Any guesses on what fan fix I've read?

: 1181

00:50:50,766 --> 00:50:51,006

Oh,

: 1182

00:50:51,201 --> 00:50:52,501

Alexandra: Go write your

answers in comments.

: 1183

00:50:52,596 --> 00:50:54,576

Christine: go bring your answer

in the comment really quickly.

: 1184

00:50:54,906 --> 00:51:03,336

So I started getting these recommendations

on TikTok and I started getting,

: 1185

00:51:03,546 --> 00:51:07,356

seeing a lot of different things

about Mion, but specifically Manacled.

: 1186

00:51:08,296 --> 00:51:13,826

A lot of people will know who are in

the Mion sphere, will have heard of

: 1187

00:51:13,826 --> 00:51:16,106

Manacled, have probably read Manacled.

: 1188

00:51:16,766 --> 00:51:19,946

It is quite the story.

: 1189

00:51:20,126 --> 00:51:23,636

I read it within a week,

five days I believe.

: 1190

00:51:23,696 --> 00:51:27,446

And if you know how long

that book is, that's insane.

: 1191

00:51:27,446 --> 00:51:30,656

I did not sleep, I just

couldn't put it down.

: 1192

00:51:32,336 --> 00:51:35,696

I don't wanna get necessarily too

far into this 'cause we have lots

: 1193

00:51:35,696 --> 00:51:39,196

of other things to talk about, but

I just want you all to know I have

: 1194

00:51:39,256 --> 00:51:41,426

arrived, I have started reading Dion.

: 1195

00:51:41,606 --> 00:51:42,686

I have read Manacles.

: 1196

00:51:42,686 --> 00:51:47,696

And then the one that I read and I

actually listened to because someone

: 1197

00:51:47,696 --> 00:51:54,376

did a podcast of it on, I think it's

on Spotify, where each chapter, each

: 1198

00:51:54,376 --> 00:51:57,616

episode is a chapter of the fanfic.

: 1199

00:51:57,646 --> 00:52:04,306

And that one is called Secrets and

Masks, which wrecked me as well,

: 1200

00:52:04,336 --> 00:52:06,346

but in a entirely different way.

: 1201

00:52:06,406 --> 00:52:09,826

So yeah, that's my last

little reading update.

: 1202

00:52:09,826 --> 00:52:10,396

Everyone.

: 1203

00:52:10,496 --> 00:52:11,306

I've been busy.

: 1204

00:52:11,666 --> 00:52:12,326

What can I say?

: 1205

00:52:13,856 --> 00:52:17,446

Is there anything else any other

books, Alexandra, that you've got

: 1206

00:52:17,626 --> 00:52:19,906

percolating in the back of your head

that you haven't talked about yet?

: 1207

00:52:20,101 --> 00:52:22,111

Alexandra: One I'm gonna

hold onto for a minute.

: 1208

00:52:22,221 --> 00:52:26,601

And then, you know me, I love a

good book about tarot, so that's

: 1209

00:52:26,601 --> 00:52:28,131

always somewhere in the mix.

: 1210

00:52:28,221 --> 00:52:28,641

So,

: 1211

00:52:29,036 --> 00:52:29,526

Christine: Yeah.

: 1212

00:52:29,691 --> 00:52:30,861

Alexandra: recently got the,

: 1213

00:52:34,071 --> 00:52:34,641

where'd it go?

: 1214

00:52:34,911 --> 00:52:36,161

I think the Light Sears.

: 1215

00:52:36,221 --> 00:52:40,421

So it's in tandem, the author Chris

Ann, she made a light Sears tarot

: 1216

00:52:40,421 --> 00:52:42,251

deck, and I think it's tarot for light.

: 1217

00:52:42,251 --> 00:52:45,491

Sears is the expanded

version of her guidebook.

: 1218

00:52:45,911 --> 00:52:48,401

And I feel as a, we've talked

about, I'm a card reader,

: 1219

00:52:49,101 --> 00:52:51,521

Sometimes the struggle you know, people

are like, well, you don't really need

: 1220

00:52:51,521 --> 00:52:53,061

to read a guidebook to know cards.

: 1221

00:52:53,061 --> 00:52:57,161

I'm like I kind of disagree with that

because I think anything I do read, it

: 1222

00:52:57,161 --> 00:52:59,291

can just, all it will help is improve me.

: 1223

00:52:59,741 --> 00:53:00,551

Really excited.

: 1224

00:53:00,581 --> 00:53:02,291

So she's got full color.

: 1225

00:53:02,291 --> 00:53:02,351

I.

: 1226

00:53:03,386 --> 00:53:06,356

In full page illustrations

of her cards in that deck.

: 1227

00:53:06,716 --> 00:53:12,236

And then she goes into like the

seeker side and then the shadow side.

: 1228

00:53:12,236 --> 00:53:14,066

So more like of a reversal.

: 1229

00:53:14,066 --> 00:53:17,066

And so I really love I think

it's really her only deck that

: 1230

00:53:17,066 --> 00:53:18,296

I've truly connected with.

: 1231

00:53:18,626 --> 00:53:22,106

So I really love to see the

different symbology that she kind

: 1232

00:53:22,106 --> 00:53:23,186

of puts into different things.

: 1233

00:53:23,186 --> 00:53:26,876

And I really just hope that by reading

it and kind of absorbing what this artist

: 1234

00:53:26,876 --> 00:53:30,916

sees, when she looks at different symbols

and signs then I can extrapolate that and

: 1235

00:53:30,916 --> 00:53:32,686

expand it onto other decks that I read.

: 1236

00:53:32,686 --> 00:53:34,816

So, I love to nerd out about tarot.

: 1237

00:53:34,846 --> 00:53:35,566

We all know that.

: 1238

00:53:35,566 --> 00:53:36,136

So I

: 1239

00:53:36,226 --> 00:53:36,766

Christine: Yes.

: 1240

00:53:36,766 --> 00:53:39,406

Alexandra: much time harping on

that 'cause I could be here all day.

: 1241

00:53:39,706 --> 00:53:41,386

So why don't we delve into movies and

: 1242

00:53:41,656 --> 00:53:42,046

Christine: Okay,

: 1243

00:53:42,046 --> 00:53:42,346

Alexandra: Christine,

: 1244

00:53:42,376 --> 00:53:42,916

Christine: let's do it.

: 1245

00:53:43,126 --> 00:53:44,086

Alexandra: reading, but

: 1246

00:53:44,236 --> 00:53:44,866

Christine: Yes.

: 1247

00:53:44,866 --> 00:53:46,246

Alexandra: the what on your watch list?

: 1248

00:53:46,306 --> 00:53:51,826

Christine: So recently, not a

whole lot, but I recently watched

: 1249

00:53:51,886 --> 00:53:52,951

this just came out on Netflix.

: 1250

00:53:53,461 --> 00:53:57,871

LA this month, earlier this month,

end of last month called the Life List

: 1251

00:53:58,311 --> 00:54:02,031

starring Sophia Carson is so sweet.

: 1252

00:54:02,421 --> 00:54:07,191

It's I, it might be based off of

a book, I'm not sure, but it was a

: 1253

00:54:07,191 --> 00:54:10,191

great sort of sweet movie to watch.

: 1254

00:54:10,641 --> 00:54:15,101

Heart Full of Heart, , it's about

a young woman after her mom's death

: 1255

00:54:15,131 --> 00:54:21,091

figuring out who she is again, and has

these messages from her mom that she

: 1256

00:54:21,091 --> 00:54:26,341

purposely sort of set up a challenge

for her daughter to do after, and this

: 1257

00:54:26,341 --> 00:54:28,021

is revealed to her after her passing.

: 1258

00:54:28,021 --> 00:54:29,071

So it.

: 1259

00:54:29,411 --> 00:54:30,311

It's a sweet watch.

: 1260

00:54:30,311 --> 00:54:35,201

If that is something you are

interested in, I would recommend I

: 1261

00:54:35,261 --> 00:54:39,701

started but have not finished and I

am loving the residents on Netflix.

: 1262

00:54:40,061 --> 00:54:43,481

Alexandra also wrote this

a note about this for her.

: 1263

00:54:43,481 --> 00:54:46,391

I'm interested to hear her thoughts,

but I haven't finished it yet, so

: 1264

00:54:47,051 --> 00:54:47,411

Alexandra: Okay.

: 1265

00:54:47,501 --> 00:54:48,131

Christine: no spoilers.

: 1266

00:54:49,691 --> 00:54:50,291

Alexandra: all righty.

: 1267

00:54:50,341 --> 00:54:54,001

Christine: That's a great, that's

like in the Who done it genre vein.

: 1268

00:54:54,001 --> 00:54:56,851

It gives me like only murders

in the building vibes.

: 1269

00:54:56,851 --> 00:54:58,711

It gives me knives out vibes.

: 1270

00:54:59,131 --> 00:55:00,631

It's a good time.

: 1271

00:55:00,791 --> 00:55:03,341

That one for those who don't

know, is also on Netflix.

: 1272

00:55:03,671 --> 00:55:09,401

It is a TV show that, and basically

what happens in Murder happens at a

: 1273

00:55:09,401 --> 00:55:14,021

state dinner in the White House, and

the greatest detective in the world

: 1274

00:55:14,021 --> 00:55:16,181

is called Into Come and Solve it.

: 1275

00:55:16,181 --> 00:55:18,481

And she is a quirky woman.

: 1276

00:55:18,571 --> 00:55:21,661

She's a hoot, but she's

quirky and I like her a lot.

: 1277

00:55:21,711 --> 00:55:22,281

So.

: 1278

00:55:23,241 --> 00:55:25,641

Definitely what one of the

things I'm loving lately.

: 1279

00:55:25,641 --> 00:55:26,481

Excited to finish.

: 1280

00:55:26,481 --> 00:55:31,180

And then lastly, I just started

and it just started airing weekly.

: 1281

00:55:31,480 --> 00:55:34,630

On HBO Max, they released

one episode a week, the last

: 1282

00:55:34,630 --> 00:55:36,220

of a season two has started.

: 1283

00:55:36,850 --> 00:55:41,800

I don't know if you know anything about

that, Alexandra, but it is a TV show that

: 1284

00:55:41,800 --> 00:55:48,010

is based off of a video game that it is

very beloved in the gaming community.

: 1285

00:55:48,400 --> 00:55:53,162

Season one I watched last year

with two of my best friends.

: 1286

00:55:53,462 --> 00:55:55,952

We did a weekly or watched together.

: 1287

00:55:56,642 --> 00:56:01,962

And we are, we've started season two

and I actually started playing the game.

: 1288

00:56:01,962 --> 00:56:03,852

I'm gonna try and be a gamer, maybe.

: 1289

00:56:03,942 --> 00:56:04,422

Who knows?

: 1290

00:56:04,452 --> 00:56:05,112

Alexandra: Okay.

: 1291

00:56:05,532 --> 00:56:09,192

Christine: I haven't played

I've never been much of a gamer.

: 1292

00:56:09,612 --> 00:56:16,302

I played video games as a kid sometimes,

but it never was never anything I.

: 1293

00:56:16,752 --> 00:56:20,392

Necessarily dedicated a lot of time

to, but this in particular I'm really

: 1294

00:56:20,392 --> 00:56:24,382

interested in playing the game, so I

actually started, didn't get very far.

: 1295

00:56:24,562 --> 00:56:25,642

I'm very bad.

: 1296

00:56:26,452 --> 00:56:28,042

I die really quickly,

: 1297

00:56:28,167 --> 00:56:28,787

Alexandra: That's okay.

: 1298

00:56:29,362 --> 00:56:31,672

Christine: you know, it's a learning

curve, you know, I'm learning.

: 1299

00:56:31,822 --> 00:56:35,677

I, it's exactly, I'll get

better and by the end of it,

: 1300

00:56:36,427 --> 00:56:37,657

I'll be a pro maybe, who knows?

: 1301

00:56:37,657 --> 00:56:41,997

I guess it's 30 plus hours of gameplay,

so there's plenty of practice.

: 1302

00:56:42,387 --> 00:56:42,837

Alexandra: Yeah.

: 1303

00:56:43,107 --> 00:56:43,587

Cool.

: 1304

00:56:44,007 --> 00:56:44,427

Christine: Yeah.

: 1305

00:56:44,697 --> 00:56:46,917

So that's what I've been

watching and loving recently.

: 1306

00:56:47,217 --> 00:56:47,397

Alexandra: Nice.

: 1307

00:56:47,427 --> 00:56:48,147

Christine: How about you?

: 1308

00:56:48,297 --> 00:56:48,897

What about,

: 1309

00:56:49,257 --> 00:56:50,547

Alexandra: I feel like I should

talk about it because the

: 1310

00:56:50,547 --> 00:56:51,987

residents, you mentioned it, I,

: 1311

00:56:52,037 --> 00:56:52,457

Christine: okay.

: 1312

00:56:52,607 --> 00:56:56,787

Alexandra: I stumbled across it

because the trailer was just so funny

: 1313

00:56:57,237 --> 00:56:57,777

Christine: Mm-hmm.

: 1314

00:56:57,987 --> 00:57:00,387

Alexandra: and I didn't mean, in

a way it was like captivating.

: 1315

00:57:00,417 --> 00:57:03,357

It was clearly a who done it,

it looked like it was gonna

: 1316

00:57:03,357 --> 00:57:05,247

be comedic, but interesting.

: 1317

00:57:05,687 --> 00:57:08,627

And I love that the show just

keeps you guessing the whole time.

: 1318

00:57:08,987 --> 00:57:10,997

And I stopped

: 1319

00:57:11,102 --> 00:57:11,322

Christine: Yes.

: 1320

00:57:11,387 --> 00:57:12,677

Alexandra: and I showed it to my mom.

: 1321

00:57:12,677 --> 00:57:15,947

And so then we started watching it

together and by episode six we're

: 1322

00:57:15,947 --> 00:57:18,317

like, how is there still more?

: 1323

00:57:18,572 --> 00:57:20,102

Christine: Oh, that's

where I'm at, by the way.

: 1324

00:57:20,157 --> 00:57:21,177

I'm at episode six.

: 1325

00:57:21,477 --> 00:57:22,117

I've watched it.

: 1326

00:57:22,267 --> 00:57:22,557

Yeah.

: 1327

00:57:22,747 --> 00:57:24,727

Alexandra: I'm not

gonna say a thing 'cause

: 1328

00:57:24,897 --> 00:57:25,397

Christine: No, please.

: 1329

00:57:26,167 --> 00:57:30,545

Alexandra: But I love the way it's told

It is the present is where they're doing.

: 1330

00:57:30,625 --> 00:57:32,275

What is it a senate hearing, a

: 1331

00:57:32,330 --> 00:57:37,085

Hearing looking at this murder inve and

like the investigation into the murder.

: 1332

00:57:37,085 --> 00:57:38,015

Is it truly a murder?

: 1333

00:57:38,015 --> 00:57:39,215

Is it not all that

: 1334

00:57:39,290 --> 00:57:39,510

Christine: Yes.

: 1335

00:57:39,845 --> 00:57:43,055

Alexandra: the actual murder and

the whole investigation process

: 1336

00:57:43,325 --> 00:57:47,945

takes place in the past, and it

is, so in some ways it's so choppy.

: 1337

00:57:48,065 --> 00:57:51,005

So you're getting bits and bobs with the

information throughout the whole show,

: 1338

00:57:51,005 --> 00:57:52,955

and you're like, I think I've figured out.

: 1339

00:57:52,955 --> 00:57:53,795

We know who's done it.

: 1340

00:57:54,125 --> 00:57:56,225

And then it's oh, nope, here we go.

: 1341

00:57:56,285 --> 00:57:59,135

And there's this whole other line of

questioning and she's going this way and.

: 1342

00:57:59,795 --> 00:58:02,535

I think one of my favorite things

it's definitely not spoiler for you,

: 1343

00:58:02,535 --> 00:58:05,275

Christine, but I think it was like

the first episode where the greatest

: 1344

00:58:05,275 --> 00:58:07,315

detective in the world, she's a birder.

: 1345

00:58:07,435 --> 00:58:07,975

I love that.

: 1346

00:58:07,975 --> 00:58:09,615

She's just the whole thing

so she can go birding.

: 1347

00:58:10,725 --> 00:58:17,835

But the agent who's I guess

assigned to her and help her, he

: 1348

00:58:17,935 --> 00:58:20,605

setting up the, in one of the

investigation, like interview

: 1349

00:58:20,605 --> 00:58:22,435

rooms and he's what's that?

: 1350

00:58:22,440 --> 00:58:23,545

And she's paper, what's it for?

: 1351

00:58:23,575 --> 00:58:25,465

Writing for what words?

: 1352

00:58:25,795 --> 00:58:29,695

And it was just the way in which

it was delivered was absolutely.

: 1353

00:58:30,115 --> 00:58:34,345

Funny, their whole dynamic,

the entire show was great.

: 1354

00:58:34,375 --> 00:58:34,795

And

: 1355

00:58:34,845 --> 00:58:35,065

Christine: yes.

: 1356

00:58:35,185 --> 00:58:36,855

Alexandra: I love, she's

I'll ask the questions.

: 1357

00:58:36,855 --> 00:58:38,499

And he's well, I wanna

ask the questions and da.

: 1358

00:58:38,499 --> 00:58:40,469

And so she's you will

not, they go into a thing.

: 1359

00:58:40,469 --> 00:58:44,459

And so he doesn't, and they bring in

the first person that we see interviewed

: 1360

00:58:44,519 --> 00:58:46,589

and he, she doesn't say a peep.

: 1361

00:58:46,859 --> 00:58:49,289

And he's well, you wanna

know about this, right?

: 1362

00:58:49,289 --> 00:58:49,309

Da.

: 1363

00:58:49,374 --> 00:58:51,414

He's well, I'm not gonna tell

you I, I don't have to stay here.

: 1364

00:58:51,414 --> 00:58:53,514

So he gets up to leave, he gets

to the door, he's well, you

: 1365

00:58:53,514 --> 00:58:54,774

probably wanna know about this.

: 1366

00:58:54,774 --> 00:58:55,884

So he starts telling,

he's well, that's it.

: 1367

00:58:55,884 --> 00:58:56,214

I'm done.

: 1368

00:58:56,214 --> 00:58:56,694

I'm walking out.

: 1369

00:58:56,964 --> 00:58:58,974

Goes back to the door and then he

turns around and says something.

: 1370

00:58:59,184 --> 00:59:02,364

And like she has not said

a word the entire time.

: 1371

00:59:02,364 --> 00:59:05,214

He finally spills all of his guts,

: 1372

00:59:05,544 --> 00:59:05,964

Christine: Yeah.

: 1373

00:59:06,264 --> 00:59:08,949

Alexandra: and then the FBI turns to her

and she's FBI Agent turns to her and he

: 1374

00:59:08,949 --> 00:59:14,334

is you asked the questions and it was

just but I was talking to a coworker who

: 1375

00:59:14,334 --> 00:59:17,384

was interested in the show, but in the.

: 1376

00:59:19,199 --> 00:59:21,929

Scenes where it goes, bass,

it's like fast-paced jazz music

: 1377

00:59:21,929 --> 00:59:23,009

and she doesn't like that.

: 1378

00:59:23,009 --> 00:59:24,329

So I thought that was really interesting.

: 1379

00:59:24,429 --> 00:59:28,389

Been rewatching it 'cause just to see if

I can catch some of the things earlier.

: 1380

00:59:28,719 --> 00:59:33,004

And it was interesting how much I

didn't really notice it, but yeah, it

: 1381

00:59:33,004 --> 00:59:36,634

does pick up the pace and starts to

make you like, kind of get into it.

: 1382

00:59:36,634 --> 00:59:37,714

So I, that was really interesting.

: 1383

00:59:39,634 --> 00:59:42,724

but other shows that I've liked, I've

been enjoying Matlock and El Smith.

: 1384

00:59:42,724 --> 00:59:48,094

Elspeth is kind of like a, a crime

show, but it's more, it feels more

: 1385

00:59:48,094 --> 00:59:50,824

like who done it even though you

know who did it in the beginning and

: 1386

00:59:50,824 --> 00:59:52,894

you're kind of watching this character

: 1387

00:59:53,254 --> 00:59:53,974

Figure it out.

: 1388

00:59:53,974 --> 00:59:54,934

So that's really fun.

: 1389

00:59:55,054 --> 00:59:59,614

Matlock is like a legal drama

and that's really interesting.

: 1390

00:59:59,614 --> 01:00:03,934

It's picking up I don't know if we're

at the end of the season, but my gosh, I

: 1391

01:00:03,934 --> 01:00:06,364

think it's already slotted to come back.

: 1392

01:00:06,604 --> 01:00:07,954

So I'm excited.

: 1393

01:00:07,954 --> 01:00:08,854

I think both of them are.

: 1394

01:00:08,884 --> 01:00:11,194

And then I love Sweet Magnolias,

a new season released.

: 1395

01:00:12,289 --> 01:00:13,144

It went March.

: 1396

01:00:14,339 --> 01:00:15,559

Christine: Yes, I think so.

: 1397

01:00:15,964 --> 01:00:17,434

Alexandra: I hope they do another season.

: 1398

01:00:17,609 --> 01:00:18,679

Christine: I haven't yet watched it.

: 1399

01:00:19,449 --> 01:00:20,079

Alexandra: So I won't tell you

: 1400

01:00:20,409 --> 01:00:20,699

Christine: Okay.

: 1401

01:00:20,809 --> 01:00:21,319

Alexandra: It's cute.

: 1402

01:00:21,439 --> 01:00:24,049

And so I think I was talking

about this with my sister

: 1403

01:00:24,049 --> 01:00:30,019

and I love, loved more girls.

: 1404

01:00:30,379 --> 01:00:30,679

There's

: 1405

01:00:30,849 --> 01:00:32,229

That I really love and enjoy.

: 1406

01:00:33,069 --> 01:00:36,939

I used to rewatch it about like once

a year, once every year and a half.

: 1407

01:00:39,069 --> 01:00:41,949

And then my most recent kind of

watch through, I stopped halfway

: 1408

01:00:41,949 --> 01:00:44,829

through and I couldn't stand, like

half the characters were pissing

: 1409

01:00:44,829 --> 01:00:47,109

me off, like Lole and Rory so much.

: 1410

01:00:47,409 --> 01:00:50,499

And then I had found Sweet Magnolias

and I feel like Sweet Magnolias has

: 1411

01:00:50,499 --> 01:00:54,239

kind of filled that void of where

Gilmore Girls has left me disappointed.

: 1412

01:00:54,659 --> 01:00:56,219

So, so yeah.

: 1413

01:00:56,594 --> 01:00:56,834

Christine: Okay,

: 1414

01:00:57,029 --> 01:00:57,209

Alexandra: And

: 1415

01:00:57,464 --> 01:00:57,764

Christine: cool.

: 1416

01:00:58,079 --> 01:01:01,119

Alexandra: I've been rewatching

some ones that I love haven't really

: 1417

01:01:01,179 --> 01:01:05,949

ventured into new ones, but the

life list is on two watch list.

: 1418

01:01:05,979 --> 01:01:06,189

So.

: 1419

01:01:07,044 --> 01:01:07,884

Christine: Oh, okay.

: 1420

01:01:07,944 --> 01:01:08,484

Fascinating.

: 1421

01:01:08,484 --> 01:01:09,644

I didn't know You haven't washed it yet.

: 1422

01:01:09,644 --> 01:01:09,914

Cool.

: 1423

01:01:10,124 --> 01:01:10,784

I recommend it.

: 1424

01:01:10,844 --> 01:01:11,234

It's good.

: 1425

01:01:12,194 --> 01:01:12,674

It's sweet.

: 1426

01:01:13,424 --> 01:01:15,264

Alexandra: So that's my movie list.

: 1427

01:01:15,750 --> 01:01:17,370

Christine: Okay, cool.

: 1428

01:01:17,610 --> 01:01:18,705

Alexandra: Where do you wanna go to next?

: 1429

01:01:19,530 --> 01:01:23,400

Christine: Well, let's quickly, I just

wanna touch on, I don't know if you have

: 1430

01:01:23,460 --> 01:01:25,410

anything to say, but podcasts that I.

: 1431

01:01:26,325 --> 01:01:31,935

Love to listen to and always find

my way back to, I kind of go in two

: 1432

01:01:31,935 --> 01:01:33,825

directions when it comes to my podcast.

: 1433

01:01:33,935 --> 01:01:34,225

Alexandra: okay.

: 1434

01:01:34,395 --> 01:01:36,795

Christine: crime or comedy?

: 1435

01:01:37,165 --> 01:01:37,765

True crime.

: 1436

01:01:37,765 --> 01:01:40,525

I always love listening to Crime Junkie.

: 1437

01:01:40,945 --> 01:01:43,375

Ashley and Brit are great hosts.

: 1438

01:01:43,375 --> 01:01:49,285

I love how Ashley always sets up the

story and Brit ads in her commentary.

: 1439

01:01:49,495 --> 01:01:49,785

Alexandra: Okay.

: 1440

01:01:50,905 --> 01:01:51,565

Christine: Good time.

: 1441

01:01:51,625 --> 01:01:52,195

Good time.

: 1442

01:01:52,325 --> 01:01:53,545

I have with those two.

: 1443

01:01:53,545 --> 01:01:57,085

And then I also love laughing

when I just want to put something

: 1444

01:01:57,085 --> 01:01:59,185

mindless on and just giggle.

: 1445

01:01:59,425 --> 01:02:02,275

I love listening to the

Tony and Ryan podcast,

: 1446

01:02:02,365 --> 01:02:02,785

Alexandra: Okay.

: 1447

01:02:02,845 --> 01:02:07,625

Christine: are two friends who I think

they used to work with each other in

: 1448

01:02:07,625 --> 01:02:11,315

radio and then decided to do this podcast.

: 1449

01:02:11,315 --> 01:02:16,115

They started in, I think during the

pandemic, but they are from Australia.

: 1450

01:02:16,170 --> 01:02:16,890

They released.

: 1451

01:02:17,145 --> 01:02:20,115

Daily, I think during the

week, Monday through Friday.

: 1452

01:02:20,235 --> 01:02:23,565

And they're like 30 minutes or

a little more, a little less.

: 1453

01:02:23,895 --> 01:02:24,885

And they're just funny.

: 1454

01:02:24,915 --> 01:02:27,285

They're just, they talk

about everything and nothing.

: 1455

01:02:27,285 --> 01:02:28,375

And it's a good time.

: 1456

01:02:28,765 --> 01:02:34,285

But I also, I haven't listened to scripted

podcasts in a long time, but a couple

: 1457

01:02:34,285 --> 01:02:40,795

of recommendations in that in that realm

is the Bright Sessions and Wolf 3 59.

: 1458

01:02:40,885 --> 01:02:44,635

Those were two really great podcasts

that I enjoyed listening to for their

: 1459

01:02:45,115 --> 01:02:50,475

story, for the for the quality of what

they did in terms of the editing and

: 1460

01:02:50,475 --> 01:02:52,215

sound design and everything like that.

: 1461

01:02:52,215 --> 01:02:55,815

So yeah, that's, if that's something

you're interested in listening to,

: 1462

01:02:55,815 --> 01:03:00,805

I recommend those two podcasts,

the Bright Sessions and Wolf 3 59.

: 1463

01:03:01,135 --> 01:03:01,375

Yeah.

: 1464

01:03:01,900 --> 01:03:02,890

Alexandra: Oh, very nice.

: 1465

01:03:03,160 --> 01:03:05,620

Okay, so crafts, any

: 1466

01:03:05,785 --> 01:03:06,205

Christine: Yes.

: 1467

01:03:06,670 --> 01:03:07,095

Alexandra: that you've been into.

: 1468

01:03:07,675 --> 01:03:10,075

Christine: With, well, you

know me, I love a good craft.

: 1469

01:03:10,075 --> 01:03:14,835

I love to get creative and get

my hands dirty or busy doing

: 1470

01:03:14,835 --> 01:03:16,305

something depending on the craft.

: 1471

01:03:16,635 --> 01:03:22,035

So recently, I haven't done a

whole lot recently, but what I

: 1472

01:03:22,035 --> 01:03:29,535

did do this past Christmas was I

personalized a gift for a friend.

: 1473

01:03:29,595 --> 01:03:35,415

I basically thrifted a jacket

of jean denim jacket, and

: 1474

01:03:36,255 --> 01:03:38,025

she's like my horror movie gal.

: 1475

01:03:38,025 --> 01:03:42,645

We, this past year we started

watching old horror movies and we

: 1476

01:03:42,645 --> 01:03:45,285

have a whole long list and we're

constantly sending each other stuff.

: 1477

01:03:45,285 --> 01:03:47,835

I think we're gonna go see

that movie Sinners next Week.

: 1478

01:03:47,865 --> 01:03:49,875

I don't know if you've heard

anything about that one.

: 1479

01:03:49,925 --> 01:03:51,145

It's starring Michael B.

: 1480

01:03:51,145 --> 01:03:54,485

Jordan and Haley Steinfeld.

: 1481

01:03:54,830 --> 01:03:55,430

Alexandra: interesting.

: 1482

01:03:55,695 --> 01:03:56,325

Christine: And it's.

: 1483

01:03:56,835 --> 01:04:01,185

Kind of, I don't know a whole lot about

it, but it takes place in like Jim Crow

: 1484

01:04:01,185 --> 01:04:04,425

era in the south, and there's vampires.

: 1485

01:04:04,695 --> 01:04:07,195

So I've heard really great things.

: 1486

01:04:07,195 --> 01:04:08,575

It looks really interesting.

: 1487

01:04:09,145 --> 01:04:11,275

I think we're gonna go

watch that on Tuesday.

: 1488

01:04:11,605 --> 01:04:15,755

But back to the craft that I was

talking about, I personalized a

: 1489

01:04:15,755 --> 01:04:20,145

jacket for her and I basically

painted a image on the back for her.

: 1490

01:04:20,145 --> 01:04:23,505

And I added patches and I did some

embroidery because that's another,

: 1491

01:04:23,925 --> 01:04:26,985

that's one of my favorite crafts

that I've been getting into more and

: 1492

01:04:26,985 --> 01:04:28,575

more over the years is embroidery.

: 1493

01:04:29,005 --> 01:04:32,725

It's a great thing to do while

listening to something like

: 1494

01:04:32,725 --> 01:04:34,675

a audio book or a podcast.

: 1495

01:04:34,675 --> 01:04:38,154

And I love sort of seeing it all

come together so that, that's

: 1496

01:04:38,154 --> 01:04:42,145

what I've been, that's what I've

been into crafting wise lately.

: 1497

01:04:42,325 --> 01:04:43,045

How about you?

: 1498

01:04:43,850 --> 01:04:46,190

Alexandra: I haven't really

had a whole lot of time for

: 1499

01:04:46,190 --> 01:04:47,840

actually doing crafts recently.

: 1500

01:04:48,120 --> 01:04:50,940

However, I did get kind of

obsessed with the idea of book

: 1501

01:04:50,940 --> 01:04:51,930

rebinding 'cause of all the

: 1502

01:04:52,120 --> 01:04:53,200

At the end of last year.

: 1503

01:04:53,540 --> 01:04:56,270

So I've ordered some things to do that.

: 1504

01:04:56,480 --> 01:05:01,190

I'm missing some key pieces to

do that time and space, but it is

: 1505

01:05:01,190 --> 01:05:02,480

something that I would like to do.

: 1506

01:05:02,529 --> 01:05:03,340

It just, it looks.

: 1507

01:05:03,760 --> 01:05:07,720

Sort of relaxing, sort of like very

methodical, there's a process and

: 1508

01:05:07,840 --> 01:05:08,410

Creative.

: 1509

01:05:08,740 --> 01:05:12,550

So that is something I have not yet

tried, but want to, and hopefully

: 1510

01:05:12,550 --> 01:05:16,000

by the end of this year I will have

say I have rebound my first book, I

: 1511

01:05:16,000 --> 01:05:18,940

actually bought a book for Christine,

one of her favorite books to,

: 1512

01:05:19,100 --> 01:05:19,600

Christine: Oh yes.

: 1513

01:05:19,900 --> 01:05:23,260

Alexandra: So, it'll be a while, but

: 1514

01:05:23,365 --> 01:05:24,085

Christine: That's okay.

: 1515

01:05:24,625 --> 01:05:25,315

No worries.

: 1516

01:05:25,690 --> 01:05:26,590

I appreciate that.

: 1517

01:05:26,860 --> 01:05:27,910

I'm excited to see it.

: 1518

01:05:28,000 --> 01:05:29,630

Once you do have the time to do it.

: 1519

01:05:29,990 --> 01:05:32,630

I know you wanna like practice

on some other things too.

: 1520

01:05:32,690 --> 01:05:33,950

Kind of get the hang of it.

: 1521

01:05:34,640 --> 01:05:35,360

There's no rush.

: 1522

01:05:35,360 --> 01:05:35,690

Love.

: 1523

01:05:35,750 --> 01:05:36,470

It's all good.

: 1524

01:05:37,430 --> 01:05:38,330

It's all good.

: 1525

01:05:39,080 --> 01:05:41,015

Alexandra: that is not something

that is anywhere near the gida

: 1526

01:05:41,300 --> 01:05:42,260

of my to-do list right now.

: 1527

01:05:42,380 --> 01:05:43,070

Also, I'm missing

: 1528

01:05:43,100 --> 01:05:43,310

Christine: okay.

: 1529

01:05:43,430 --> 01:05:44,480

Alexandra: key pieces to do it

: 1530

01:05:45,290 --> 01:05:45,620

Christine: fair.

: 1531

01:05:45,830 --> 01:05:46,610

No worries.

: 1532

01:05:47,180 --> 01:05:47,900

Alexandra: All righty.

: 1533

01:05:48,080 --> 01:05:49,340

Christine: I like

something to work towards.

: 1534

01:05:49,550 --> 01:05:53,090

Alexandra: Let's get into the last one

for this section, and that's pop culture.

: 1535

01:05:53,570 --> 01:05:54,080

Christine: Yeah.

: 1536

01:05:54,080 --> 01:05:56,900

What, so what have you been

loving and hating lately?

: 1537

01:05:56,900 --> 01:05:57,950

In pop culture?

: 1538

01:05:59,150 --> 01:06:01,100

Alexandra: So I think I've been hating.

: 1539

01:06:01,100 --> 01:06:03,680

I don't know, and I don't

know how I feel about it, but

: 1540

01:06:05,450 --> 01:06:08,090

has had a massive resurgence.

: 1541

01:06:08,090 --> 01:06:08,900

I feel like every

: 1542

01:06:09,110 --> 01:06:09,590

Christine: Yeah.

: 1543

01:06:09,680 --> 01:06:12,855

Alexandra: somebody in a Twilight

jacket in, you know, twilight's

: 1544

01:06:12,855 --> 01:06:14,625

coming up on Instagram and like

: 1545

01:06:14,690 --> 01:06:17,990

Fun of it or like comedy sketches

on it, but also like news about,

: 1546

01:06:18,980 --> 01:06:19,490

Christine: Yeah.

: 1547

01:06:19,580 --> 01:06:25,310

And so much merch and so much

like Lego has is releasing stuff.

: 1548

01:06:25,310 --> 01:06:31,040

Twilight, like all of the graphic

tees are back like twilight's back.

: 1549

01:06:31,370 --> 01:06:33,410

Alexandra: about the Legos twilight

: 1550

01:06:33,470 --> 01:06:33,590

We

: 1551

01:06:33,680 --> 01:06:34,340

Christine: yes.

: 1552

01:06:34,460 --> 01:06:35,225

Alexandra: and there was a toilet.

: 1553

01:06:36,095 --> 01:06:37,279

Christine: Y yeah,

: 1554

01:06:37,305 --> 01:06:37,665

Alexandra: was like,

: 1555

01:06:37,730 --> 01:06:38,480

Christine: she's back.

: 1556

01:06:38,480 --> 01:06:44,840

I mean, hey, that was an era of my life

that I will never, I'll look back on and

: 1557

01:06:44,840 --> 01:06:50,090

be like, okay, that was me, you know?

: 1558

01:06:50,570 --> 01:06:52,910

But like it's always gonna have

a special place in my heart.

: 1559

01:06:52,910 --> 01:06:56,480

But I find it really funny

to see it because like people

: 1560

01:06:56,480 --> 01:06:58,400

loved it when it was coming out.

: 1561

01:06:59,090 --> 01:07:01,220

Then people really did not like it.

: 1562

01:07:01,250 --> 01:07:01,970

Alexandra: hated it.

: 1563

01:07:02,300 --> 01:07:02,990

Christine: they hate it.

: 1564

01:07:02,990 --> 01:07:04,730

I think people love to hate it, I think.

: 1565

01:07:04,730 --> 01:07:08,150

And, but right now in particular,

maybe it's like the nostalgia of it.

: 1566

01:07:08,150 --> 01:07:11,060

'cause it has been 10.

: 1567

01:07:12,215 --> 01:07:16,955

Almost 10, 10 years since the last movie

came out, which is crazy, by the way.

: 1568

01:07:17,630 --> 01:07:18,200

Alexandra: I still feel like

: 1569

01:07:18,245 --> 01:07:22,295

Though, you know, for it to hit

this kind of popular resurgence.

: 1570

01:07:22,295 --> 01:07:23,315

But that's just me.

: 1571

01:07:24,050 --> 01:07:25,130

Christine: Hey, I don't know.

: 1572

01:07:25,160 --> 01:07:27,590

I don't know what to make of it,

but I'm going with it, I guess.

: 1573

01:07:27,590 --> 01:07:32,075

I mean, I've only I not, I don't

have any desire to reread it,

: 1574

01:07:32,075 --> 01:07:33,965

but who knows, maybe one day.

: 1575

01:07:34,385 --> 01:07:38,015

I definitely do love rewatching the

films and laughing at some of it.

: 1576

01:07:38,570 --> 01:07:42,230

Alexandra: I feel like I do rewatch

and reread them every so often.

: 1577

01:07:42,230 --> 01:07:45,980

And it was funny 'cause I think I started

rereading the series last year, right?

: 1578

01:07:46,515 --> 01:07:47,595

It through the series last year.

: 1579

01:07:48,045 --> 01:07:50,775

And we were talking about this and we

were writing our notes and I was like,

: 1580

01:07:50,865 --> 01:07:52,545

oh my gosh, you know what I don't love?

: 1581

01:07:52,545 --> 01:07:53,115

That's comeback.

: 1582

01:07:53,115 --> 01:07:55,345

I don't hate it, but I don't love it.

: 1583

01:07:55,404 --> 01:07:56,245

It was Twilight.

: 1584

01:07:56,245 --> 01:07:58,225

And Christine was like, oh yeah.

: 1585

01:07:58,465 --> 01:08:02,125

I was like, yeah, also, and by the

way, I'm rereading it and it got stuck.

: 1586

01:08:02,215 --> 01:08:03,654

I never finished rereading it.

: 1587

01:08:03,955 --> 01:08:07,815

So, since we, we talked about this episode

and like what made a note about this.

: 1588

01:08:07,815 --> 01:08:10,890

I have since finished the

one that I hadn't finished.

: 1589

01:08:11,160 --> 01:08:12,450

Christine: Oh, which one was it?

: 1590

01:08:12,904 --> 01:08:14,285

Alexandra: Midnight Sun, so I decided to

: 1591

01:08:14,450 --> 01:08:14,690

Christine: Oh.

: 1592

01:08:14,705 --> 01:08:17,404

Alexandra: Twilight, then I went

right, right into Midnight Sun, which

: 1593

01:08:17,404 --> 01:08:21,365

might have been a mistake on part

my part because, you know, having at

: 1594

01:08:21,365 --> 01:08:22,715

that point just finished Twilight.

: 1595

01:08:22,715 --> 01:08:25,805

I'm like, let me reread the

story from other perspective.

: 1596

01:08:26,145 --> 01:08:28,635

So I actually finished it this

morning before we started recording

: 1597

01:08:28,830 --> 01:08:29,550

Christine: Oh, wait.

: 1598

01:08:29,609 --> 01:08:30,270

Wow.

: 1599

01:08:30,420 --> 01:08:30,960

Okay.

: 1600

01:08:31,064 --> 01:08:31,455

Alexandra: check.

: 1601

01:08:31,560 --> 01:08:31,890

Christine: funny.

: 1602

01:08:31,965 --> 01:08:34,305

Alexandra: I literally got stuck at

the end and I was like, Ugh, can't get

: 1603

01:08:34,380 --> 01:08:37,020

Christine: Was that your first read of

Midnight Sound, or had you read it before?

: 1604

01:08:37,120 --> 01:08:38,319

Alexandra: No, I've read it before.

: 1605

01:08:38,319 --> 01:08:41,350

So after the series came out, I was

really interesting, like I was really

: 1606

01:08:41,350 --> 01:08:45,729

into the series, and there was a

whole thing about Stephanie Meyer.

: 1607

01:08:45,729 --> 01:08:50,020

She stopped writing it because

somebody, I don't know how true

: 1608

01:08:50,020 --> 01:08:51,880

this is, but I feel like this is

what I remember from back then.

: 1609

01:08:52,149 --> 01:08:55,359

Somebody had gone through the

trash and found an old draft or

: 1610

01:08:55,359 --> 01:08:59,388

copy, and so she stopped writing

it and put what she had up online.

: 1611

01:08:59,388 --> 01:09:03,558

And I read it when it was up

online up to like maybe chapter 17.

: 1612

01:09:04,337 --> 01:09:05,627

Christine: Yeah, I remember that too.

: 1613

01:09:06,048 --> 01:09:06,138

Alexandra: a

: 1614

01:09:06,188 --> 01:09:07,023

Christine: I think I did the same

: 1615

01:09:07,368 --> 01:09:09,077

Alexandra: she finished,

she finally finished it.

: 1616

01:09:09,077 --> 01:09:10,827

So I read it and I was

like, ah interesting.

: 1617

01:09:11,038 --> 01:09:13,198

It's really, it's interesting

from a different way.

: 1618

01:09:13,198 --> 01:09:17,587

And then I'll get back into to New Moon

after that and go through the rest.

: 1619

01:09:18,023 --> 01:09:20,273

Christine: new moon's like a rough one.

: 1620

01:09:22,028 --> 01:09:22,478

Alexandra: yeah.

: 1621

01:09:24,488 --> 01:09:25,087

Yeah.

: 1622

01:09:26,018 --> 01:09:26,228

I,

: 1623

01:09:26,483 --> 01:09:28,403

Christine: Well, let me know

how you, how that goes for you.

: 1624

01:09:28,968 --> 01:09:29,747

Alexandra: It's interesting.

: 1625

01:09:29,747 --> 01:09:33,438

I think it is, if you've never reread

it and you were in love with it as

: 1626

01:09:33,438 --> 01:09:38,478

like a teen, it may be worth a reread.

: 1627

01:09:39,153 --> 01:09:39,513

Christine: Okay.

: 1628

01:09:39,752 --> 01:09:40,622

I probably haven't,

: 1629

01:09:40,698 --> 01:09:41,688

Alexandra: of the characters

: 1630

01:09:42,153 --> 01:09:43,712

Christine: I don't think

I reread the books.

: 1631

01:09:43,712 --> 01:09:46,952

I think I only read them once

and then I never reread them.

: 1632

01:09:48,452 --> 01:09:52,773

So maybe I still have all my

copies of the original series.

: 1633

01:09:53,223 --> 01:09:56,973

I don't have Midnight Sun and

I don't have Life and Death.

: 1634

01:09:56,973 --> 01:09:57,663

Life or Death.

: 1635

01:09:57,663 --> 01:09:58,713

Life and Death that

: 1636

01:09:58,998 --> 01:09:59,718

Alexandra: interesting too.

: 1637

01:10:00,093 --> 01:10:01,773

Christine: the, that's the gender swap.

: 1638

01:10:01,773 --> 01:10:02,193

Right.

: 1639

01:10:02,298 --> 01:10:02,688

Okay.

: 1640

01:10:03,168 --> 01:10:03,438

Yeah,

: 1641

01:10:03,513 --> 01:10:04,983

Alexandra: it has a really

different ending because

: 1642

01:10:05,073 --> 01:10:05,193

Christine: I,

: 1643

01:10:07,113 --> 01:10:08,313

Alexandra: you can't end

that story the same way.

: 1644

01:10:10,577 --> 01:10:11,238

Christine: okay, cool.

: 1645

01:10:11,553 --> 01:10:11,763

Alexandra: I mean,

: 1646

01:10:11,808 --> 01:10:12,258

Christine: Good to know,

: 1647

01:10:12,363 --> 01:10:14,163

Alexandra: you gender flub

and you can't have the whole

: 1648

01:10:14,163 --> 01:10:15,543

series play out the same way.

: 1649

01:10:16,458 --> 01:10:17,178

Christine: right?

: 1650

01:10:17,178 --> 01:10:18,348

Yeah, I'm sure.

: 1651

01:10:18,798 --> 01:10:20,178

What does it end with him being turned?

: 1652

01:10:21,303 --> 01:10:21,783

Alexandra: Yeah.

: 1653

01:10:23,583 --> 01:10:25,083

It's been a while, but yeah, I think so.

: 1654

01:10:25,577 --> 01:10:26,088

Christine: Okay.

: 1655

01:10:26,327 --> 01:10:28,548

I mean, I kind of figured

like she's not gonna re.

: 1656

01:10:28,938 --> 01:10:30,618

Rewrite the whole series

: 1657

01:10:30,728 --> 01:10:30,968

Alexandra: that'd be

: 1658

01:10:31,148 --> 01:10:32,198

Christine: with the gender swap.

: 1659

01:10:32,538 --> 01:10:35,327

I think she did that for

the 10th anniversary 20th.

: 1660

01:10:36,318 --> 01:10:38,748

There was an anniversary

that she did that for

: 1661

01:10:38,948 --> 01:10:39,488

The book.

: 1662

01:10:40,088 --> 01:10:40,658

I think.

: 1663

01:10:41,208 --> 01:10:46,848

Maybe it was 10th, because didn't

: 2006

: 1664

01:10:46,848 --> 01:10:47,388

: 2000

: 1665

01:10:48,103 --> 01:10:48,523

Anyway,

: 1666

01:10:48,588 --> 01:10:48,858

Alexandra: have no

: 1667

01:10:49,128 --> 01:10:50,598

Christine: Yeah, so twilight's back,

: 1668

01:10:50,683 --> 01:10:52,033

We have some feelings about it.

: 1669

01:10:52,093 --> 01:10:56,904

I also, as I mentioned earlier,

have been full on in TikTok

: 1670

01:10:57,754 --> 01:11:01,414

and Fanfic recommendations.

: 1671

01:11:02,324 --> 01:11:04,693

It learns what you like, linger on.

: 1672

01:11:04,693 --> 01:11:09,524

So it noticed that I was interacting

with like darker romance content.

: 1673

01:11:09,524 --> 01:11:12,764

And then after reading lights

out, I started getting like the

: 1674

01:11:12,764 --> 01:11:17,374

masked Man side of TikTok sent

my way, which is, interesting.

: 1675

01:11:19,564 --> 01:11:21,994

But Alexandria, I don't think

you have TikTok, but if you

: 1676

01:11:21,994 --> 01:11:24,964

ever do have, it's a wild time.

: 1677

01:11:25,894 --> 01:11:28,534

Alexandra: Sometimes I feel like

TikTok, like a lot of what ends up

: 1678

01:11:28,534 --> 01:11:31,174

on TikTok, ends up on Instagram, so

I'm like, at some point I'll see it.

: 1679

01:11:31,874 --> 01:11:32,084

Christine: True.

: 1680

01:11:32,084 --> 01:11:34,304

It does eventually make

its way over at some point.

: 1681

01:11:34,304 --> 01:11:39,574

But yeah, I think the only reason why I

ended up with TikTok is, oh, I remember.

: 1682

01:11:39,814 --> 01:11:43,564

So I had, I was down in Florida.

: 1683

01:11:43,564 --> 01:11:48,304

This was like just after,

I think this was: 2021

: 1684

01:11:48,304 --> 01:11:53,074

So it was still covid, oy times, but

things were slowly starting to open up.

: 1685

01:11:53,074 --> 01:11:56,014

And I was down in Florida with

my sister and her boyfriend

: 1686

01:11:56,014 --> 01:11:57,304

of the time, of that time.

: 1687

01:11:57,734 --> 01:12:01,784

And the Super Bowl was happening and it

just so happened to be happening in Tampa,

: 1688

01:12:01,784 --> 01:12:04,574

which is near where we were staying.

: 1689

01:12:04,574 --> 01:12:05,084

Excuse me.

: 1690

01:12:05,474 --> 01:12:09,724

And, something happened with her phone

the day before the Super Bowl, and she's

: 1691

01:12:09,774 --> 01:12:12,504

we're gonna spend like 10 hours at a bar.

: 1692

01:12:13,464 --> 01:12:14,604

I don't have my phone.

: 1693

01:12:14,604 --> 01:12:16,614

I need you to download TikTok right now.

: 1694

01:12:17,544 --> 01:12:18,864

I'm like, okay.

: 1695

01:12:18,984 --> 01:12:21,984

So she's the only reason why I

downloaded the app in the first place.

: 1696

01:12:21,984 --> 01:12:26,568

And then for some reason it took me

several years, but I started to get into

: 1697

01:12:26,568 --> 01:12:28,549

it more and more within the last year.

: 1698

01:12:29,029 --> 01:12:31,269

And now I sort of split

my social media time.

: 1699

01:12:31,318 --> 01:12:34,199

I'll be on Instagram for a while and

then I'll go over to TikTok, but I try

: 1700

01:12:34,199 --> 01:12:35,969

to like, limit it as much as possible.

: 1701

01:12:36,399 --> 01:12:40,299

'cause sometimes it's just too much

to just be on there forever and ever.

: 1702

01:12:40,539 --> 01:12:44,119

But one of the thing other things that

came out of TikTok for me because I'm

: 1703

01:12:44,119 --> 01:12:49,339

also a musical theater nerd I love

Broadway, I love theater, all that.

: 1704

01:12:49,759 --> 01:12:55,369

I was starting to see content around

this thing called Epic, which is

: 1705

01:12:55,369 --> 01:12:57,169

a musical theater concept album.

: 1706

01:12:57,769 --> 01:13:06,409

That is based on the story of the

Odyssey, and it's so good you guys

: 1707

01:13:06,439 --> 01:13:11,719

like, so it's not a full stage show yet.

: 1708

01:13:11,779 --> 01:13:14,089

I think there's an intention to do that.

: 1709

01:13:14,419 --> 01:13:20,189

But basically this started as this

guy's senior project for college.

: 1710

01:13:20,579 --> 01:13:26,489

And he just has stuck with it and he's

created a whole musical based on the

: 1711

01:13:26,489 --> 01:13:32,279

entire story of the Odyssey, which,

and it's really good and it goes hard.

: 1712

01:13:32,549 --> 01:13:37,789

So if you have some time to spare and

wanna hear the story of Odysseus at

: 1713

01:13:37,789 --> 01:13:39,919

all, I recommend It's a good time.

: 1714

01:13:40,609 --> 01:13:41,269

It's a good time.

: 1715

01:13:41,659 --> 01:13:41,899

Yeah.

: 1716

01:13:43,354 --> 01:13:44,014

Alexandra: Okay.

: 1717

01:13:44,389 --> 01:13:47,929

Christine: that's a wrap on my on

all of the pop culture and silly

: 1718

01:13:47,929 --> 01:13:49,279

things that I'm loving these days.

: 1719

01:13:49,864 --> 01:13:50,254

Alexandra: Nice.

: 1720

01:13:50,824 --> 01:13:54,424

I feel like we're really giving the

listeners a true in-depth experience

: 1721

01:13:54,424 --> 01:13:55,595

of what one of our catch-ups are like.

: 1722

01:13:55,894 --> 01:13:55,924

I

: 1723

01:13:56,359 --> 01:13:57,889

Christine: Yes, I agree.

: 1724

01:13:58,186 --> 01:14:00,763

Well, let's start wrapping

this up maybe a little bit.

: 1725

01:14:00,763 --> 01:14:04,543

Let's give some updates

about work life, all that.

: 1726

01:14:05,263 --> 01:14:06,493

You wanna kick us off?

: 1727

01:14:06,493 --> 01:14:07,273

What's going on?

: 1728

01:14:07,363 --> 01:14:08,983

You, we've sort of teased a little bit.

: 1729

01:14:08,983 --> 01:14:11,743

You've got a new role at work.

: 1730

01:14:11,818 --> 01:14:13,318

Alexandra: do have a new role at work.

: 1731

01:14:13,428 --> 01:14:20,418

So I, I have a role that's

more data and finance centered.

: 1732

01:14:20,788 --> 01:14:24,928

So have moved a little bit out of

straight administrative work, although,

: 1733

01:14:25,028 --> 01:14:27,853

I'm still doing that until they

hopefully can hire somebody and I can

: 1734

01:14:28,123 --> 01:14:29,503

offload some of that off my plate.

: 1735

01:14:29,923 --> 01:14:34,143

But partially why we're rescheduling

the Newport trip is because the second

: 1736

01:14:34,143 --> 01:14:38,583

weekend that we were potentially thinking

about going is that last weekend in June.

: 1737

01:14:38,583 --> 01:14:42,883

And the fiscal year for where

I work is ends June 30th.

: 1738

01:14:43,273 --> 01:14:47,053

And since it's my first year in the role,

I was like, I feel like I don't think

: 1739

01:14:47,053 --> 01:14:51,763

I can ask for time off at that point

because kind of need to be there to figure

: 1740

01:14:51,763 --> 01:14:52,993

out what's the what with the new role.

: 1741

01:14:53,743 --> 01:14:56,773

So I've been knee deep

in learning data stuff.

: 1742

01:14:56,773 --> 01:14:58,633

I'm pretty with that.

: 1743

01:14:58,663 --> 01:15:02,383

And my, the role, the admin

role I had, I did a lot of that.

: 1744

01:15:02,413 --> 01:15:05,173

So I'm picking up a little bit

more there, which is exciting.

: 1745

01:15:05,623 --> 01:15:09,593

And diving headfirst into the

financial aspect, which learning

: 1746

01:15:09,593 --> 01:15:12,553

under the person responsible for

the budget and personnel stuff.

: 1747

01:15:13,728 --> 01:15:16,183

I know, my gosh, have been moments.

: 1748

01:15:16,183 --> 01:15:17,293

I think she was introducing it.

: 1749

01:15:17,773 --> 01:15:18,073

Me too.

: 1750

01:15:18,163 --> 01:15:20,263

At the first day, she was like, okay,

how about you come in and we talk about

: 1751

01:15:20,533 --> 01:15:23,053

the books and then my set of books

and then we're gonna talk about this.

: 1752

01:15:23,053 --> 01:15:26,293

And I think I looked at her and

I was like, please tell me, you

: 1753

01:15:26,293 --> 01:15:29,563

do not expect me to memorize and

remember all this in one day.

: 1754

01:15:29,563 --> 01:15:31,483

Please tell me there's not a

test at the end of the day.

: 1755

01:15:31,843 --> 01:15:33,363

And she's no, absolutely.

: 1756

01:15:33,363 --> 01:15:34,983

And she's you ask good questions.

: 1757

01:15:35,013 --> 01:15:40,263

And so I am learning yeah, there's

a form that you have to do for

: 1758

01:15:40,263 --> 01:15:43,743

different things and it's gotta

be just so, and if the dates don't

: 1759

01:15:43,743 --> 01:15:46,973

match up, you put in the information

three times and it's a wild ride.

: 1760

01:15:47,123 --> 01:15:47,393

I've had

: 1761

01:15:47,558 --> 01:15:48,308

Christine: Oh my.

: 1762

01:15:48,323 --> 01:15:50,093

Alexandra: correction,

then I've had to void them.

: 1763

01:15:50,093 --> 01:15:51,773

And then recent, yeah, it's been fun.

: 1764

01:15:52,628 --> 01:15:53,438

Christine: Oh, wow.

: 1765

01:15:53,723 --> 01:15:54,813

Alexandra: so it's been intense.

: 1766

01:15:54,813 --> 01:15:59,683

And then recently, this past week

interviewing for a lot of different roles

: 1767

01:15:59,683 --> 01:16:04,443

that are open where I work and supporting

one of the search committees and they were

: 1768

01:16:04,443 --> 01:16:06,213

like, we want to talk to these people.

: 1769

01:16:06,243 --> 01:16:09,343

And the chair was like, I

wanna talk to them on Friday.

: 1770

01:16:09,343 --> 01:16:11,473

And so scheduled six people.

: 1771

01:16:12,283 --> 01:16:17,202

For the next day within 24 hours,

fi finalize the last two interviews.

: 1772

01:16:17,202 --> 01:16:19,483

The morning of it was a wild ride.

: 1773

01:16:19,483 --> 01:16:20,923

And I was like, that's a lot.

: 1774

01:16:22,093 --> 01:16:25,353

So it was just an intense couple of days

and I was like, all right, it'll be fine.

: 1775

01:16:25,473 --> 01:16:26,853

At some point I'll get

my head above water.

: 1776

01:16:26,853 --> 01:16:27,363

It'll be fine.

: 1777

01:16:27,883 --> 01:16:29,683

But yeah, that's my work update mostly.

: 1778

01:16:29,683 --> 01:16:32,563

So getting used to everything new, keeping

: 1779

01:16:32,668 --> 01:16:33,178

Christine: Yeah

: 1780

01:16:33,883 --> 01:16:35,983

Alexandra: wrapping my head

around all this new information.

: 1781

01:16:36,103 --> 01:16:36,823

But what's going on with,

: 1782

01:16:36,898 --> 01:16:37,468

Christine: sure.

: 1783

01:16:37,573 --> 01:16:38,023

Alexandra: for Chris?

: 1784

01:16:38,803 --> 01:16:39,943

But what's going on for you, Christine?

: 1785

01:16:39,943 --> 01:16:40,273

At work?

: 1786

01:16:40,566 --> 01:16:44,136

Christine: There's a lot

happening in our store, so.

: 1787

01:16:44,991 --> 01:16:50,391

For tho I think, I don't know what I've

shared with the class about my job, but

: 1788

01:16:50,571 --> 01:16:56,143

I work for a small business here in New

Jersey it is a Italian cooking school

: 1789

01:16:56,143 --> 01:17:00,613

and marketplace, and I'm in charge

of the marketing for the business.

: 1790

01:17:00,613 --> 01:17:03,943

I do the newsletter, social media.

: 1791

01:17:03,973 --> 01:17:08,173

We started a podcast and YouTube channel,

so I have my hands on a lot of things.

: 1792

01:17:08,443 --> 01:17:09,013

I love it.

: 1793

01:17:09,013 --> 01:17:13,543

I get to be very creative, but

currently we're doing a lot of store

: 1794

01:17:13,543 --> 01:17:16,423

up a lot of updates to our store front.

: 1795

01:17:16,793 --> 01:17:21,233

So that's been going on this week

and I actually did some painting

: 1796

01:17:22,198 --> 01:17:22,418

Alexandra: Oh.

: 1797

01:17:22,613 --> 01:17:24,773

Christine: this week in the store and.

: 1798

01:17:25,348 --> 01:17:31,958

Have been having a good time sort of

helping the owner and reimagine how

: 1799

01:17:31,958 --> 01:17:36,938

the layout's gonna be and how we're

gonna me re-merchandise and display

: 1800

01:17:37,088 --> 01:17:38,678

our products and all of this stuff.

: 1801

01:17:38,678 --> 01:17:40,808

So that's been a big project.

: 1802

01:17:40,907 --> 01:17:43,968

It's been in the works for a long time.

: 1803

01:17:43,968 --> 01:17:48,558

I think Alexandra, I've been giving her

updates along the way, so this has been

: 1804

01:17:48,558 --> 01:17:53,548

like the culmination of a month and a

half of things happening at the business.

: 1805

01:17:53,548 --> 01:17:57,268

So we're very excited to see it all

finally coming together and we should

: 1806

01:17:57,268 --> 01:17:59,128

have everything ready by May 9th.

: 1807

01:17:59,178 --> 01:18:02,238

So that's been taking

up a most of my time.

: 1808

01:18:02,268 --> 01:18:09,108

But in, in addition to that, we just

celebrated my mom's milestone birthday

: 1809

01:18:09,138 --> 01:18:13,758

and we actually held it at my work

because they do private events there.

: 1810

01:18:13,788 --> 01:18:17,838

So it was just really kind of like

a cool moment to have people come to

: 1811

01:18:17,838 --> 01:18:20,248

where I work experience what we do.

: 1812

01:18:20,278 --> 01:18:24,118

'cause some people have never been

there before and I started to give them

: 1813

01:18:24,118 --> 01:18:27,298

an idea of what updates are gonna be

and how it's all gonna look different.

: 1814

01:18:27,298 --> 01:18:29,448

And it's been fun sharing

updates this week.

: 1815

01:18:29,448 --> 01:18:33,678

'cause we just started this past

Monday, so it's been quite the

: 1816

01:18:33,678 --> 01:18:35,118

transformation in just one week.

: 1817

01:18:35,118 --> 01:18:37,998

So, it's gonna look totally

different by May 9th.

: 1818

01:18:38,103 --> 01:18:39,452

Alexandra: right around the corner, so

: 1819

01:18:39,827 --> 01:18:40,458

Christine: It is.

: 1820

01:18:40,508 --> 01:18:46,208

We're really just plowing through

it, so, but it's all good and I'm

: 1821

01:18:46,208 --> 01:18:49,388

excited to see it all come together

and be a part of the process.

: 1822

01:18:49,448 --> 01:18:50,407

So, yeah.

: 1823

01:18:50,633 --> 01:18:53,123

Alexandra: Do you have any major life

updates or anything that we haven't

: 1824

01:18:53,123 --> 01:18:55,163

already covered in the book Sphere

: 1825

01:18:56,093 --> 01:18:56,843

Christine: yeah,

: 1826

01:18:56,903 --> 01:18:57,353

Alexandra: culture?

: 1827

01:18:58,883 --> 01:18:59,723

Christine: a couple of things.

: 1828

01:18:59,723 --> 01:19:02,213

Things I haven't yet done,

but I'm looking to do.

: 1829

01:19:02,213 --> 01:19:05,993

So for me, I'm looking

to start dating again.

: 1830

01:19:05,993 --> 01:19:09,113

I haven't opened my dating profile

in a while, but I think it's

: 1831

01:19:09,113 --> 01:19:11,038

time to do some updates and.

: 1832

01:19:12,323 --> 01:19:15,883

Excuse me to, I think it's time to do

some updates and get back out there.

: 1833

01:19:15,883 --> 01:19:19,753

Maybe, I think I've talked about

before, trying to see if there's like

: 1834

01:19:19,753 --> 01:19:22,003

single type events that I could go to.

: 1835

01:19:22,003 --> 01:19:26,413

And I was talking to a friend yesterday

who said she might be interested in

: 1836

01:19:26,503 --> 01:19:29,803

going to one with me just to try it out.

: 1837

01:19:29,833 --> 01:19:33,673

You know, like she and I kind of, we

were talking yesterday getting caught

: 1838

01:19:33,673 --> 01:19:37,813

up and she's like also getting pretty

burnt out in the dating app sphere.

: 1839

01:19:37,813 --> 01:19:39,853

So she's open to trying something new.

: 1840

01:19:40,303 --> 01:19:42,713

And it'll just be nice

to have someone with you

: 1841

01:19:43,278 --> 01:19:43,558

Alexandra: absolutely.

: 1842

01:19:43,613 --> 01:19:44,543

Christine: potentially.

: 1843

01:19:44,903 --> 01:19:46,463

So yes.

: 1844

01:19:46,463 --> 01:19:47,933

Wanna try to start dating again.

: 1845

01:19:47,933 --> 01:19:51,833

I feel like I kind of come out of

hibernation, like into spring and summer

: 1846

01:19:51,833 --> 01:19:59,093

because it's just, and I could be wrong,

but I've found it easier to do dates in

: 1847

01:19:59,093 --> 01:20:03,563

like the spring and summer months because

with what I like to do, being outside or

: 1848

01:20:03,943 --> 01:20:07,952

it's just a fun time of year to be out

and about during the spring and summer.

: 1849

01:20:08,133 --> 01:20:12,253

So, but other things, I'm looking

to do some closet refresh.

: 1850

01:20:12,253 --> 01:20:15,983

I've been, I shared with

Alexandra before we hopped on

: 1851

01:20:15,983 --> 01:20:17,543

that I went thrifting yesterday.

: 1852

01:20:17,543 --> 01:20:20,813

I love to, to, and see what I find.

: 1853

01:20:21,093 --> 01:20:25,713

But I need to do a little clear

out to bring in some new pieces.

: 1854

01:20:26,073 --> 01:20:28,413

Rethink what I want my

wardrobe to be like.

: 1855

01:20:28,513 --> 01:20:34,532

So that's also on the

future, future agenda for me.

: 1856

01:20:34,743 --> 01:20:37,413

I also have just not been

home a whole lot recently.

: 1857

01:20:37,413 --> 01:20:41,673

I've been back and forth between

my parents' place the last

: 1858

01:20:41,673 --> 01:20:43,683

several weeks, several months.

: 1859

01:20:43,683 --> 01:20:46,803

So it's nice to finally

be back home in my space.

: 1860

01:20:47,133 --> 01:20:48,633

It needs some TLC.

: 1861

01:20:48,633 --> 01:20:53,523

So later today I'll be doing some chores

around here and gosh, I don't know the

: 1862

01:20:53,523 --> 01:20:56,403

last time I've been to a grocery store,

but I need to go to the grocery store

: 1863

01:20:56,403 --> 01:20:58,893

today and grab some essentials for home.

: 1864

01:20:58,893 --> 01:21:00,673

And it's a beautiful day out.

: 1865

01:21:00,673 --> 01:21:03,663

So spend some time outside and yeah.

: 1866

01:21:03,673 --> 01:21:06,793

One last little update from me is having.

: 1867

01:21:07,333 --> 01:21:10,063

Figured out all the logistics

yet, but I'm starting to feel

: 1868

01:21:10,063 --> 01:21:11,803

like it might be time to move.

: 1869

01:21:11,833 --> 01:21:16,773

I've loved living, I've loved living

in Montclair the last several years,

: 1870

01:21:18,843 --> 01:21:19,952

but I think it's time.

: 1871

01:21:19,952 --> 01:21:20,313

I don't know.

: 1872

01:21:20,313 --> 01:21:23,943

There's, I've just been, i's

how I've been feeling recently.

: 1873

01:21:24,063 --> 01:21:24,543

We'll, see,

: 1874

01:21:24,933 --> 01:21:25,223

Alexandra: Yeah.

: 1875

01:21:25,263 --> 01:21:28,293

Christine: I just, there's a lot of

things factoring into this decision, but,

: 1876

01:21:29,073 --> 01:21:32,733

you know, I just, I don't work nearby.

: 1877

01:21:32,733 --> 01:21:34,713

I don't have a lot of friends nearby.

: 1878

01:21:34,743 --> 01:21:37,143

My family's a half hour away.

: 1879

01:21:37,143 --> 01:21:41,103

So while I love it, I don't

spend a whole lot of time here.

: 1880

01:21:41,133 --> 01:21:44,403

Like a lot of my time

isn't spent in Montclair.

: 1881

01:21:44,403 --> 01:21:46,202

It's where I sleep essentially.

: 1882

01:21:46,673 --> 01:21:49,563

If I'm not staying at my

parents or something like that.

: 1883

01:21:49,563 --> 01:21:53,253

So have a lot more to think and

figure out how that's all gonna work.

: 1884

01:21:53,253 --> 01:21:57,693

But that's kind of the last big

thing that's been, I've been

: 1885

01:21:57,693 --> 01:21:59,553

thinking more and more of recently.

: 1886

01:21:59,553 --> 01:22:01,323

So we shall see.

: 1887

01:22:01,938 --> 01:22:05,388

We shall see, but how

about you share what?

: 1888

01:22:05,418 --> 01:22:07,428

What's new in your life, my dear?

: 1889

01:22:07,428 --> 01:22:07,668

What?

: 1890

01:22:07,698 --> 01:22:09,018

What do you got for us?

: 1891

01:22:10,038 --> 01:22:11,808

Alexandra: I think the biggest

thing for me that I haven't already

: 1892

01:22:11,808 --> 01:22:16,638

shared is I've been in a real urge

to purge pretty much everything.

: 1893

01:22:16,638 --> 01:22:25,548

I, from clothing to old contacts,

to Amazon wishlist lists.

: 1894

01:22:25,548 --> 01:22:27,678

Like I need to, I'm

trying to clear out stuff.

: 1895

01:22:27,678 --> 01:22:32,418

So, I think I, I ordered

from a company called Trashy.

: 1896

01:22:32,758 --> 01:22:32,938

They're

: 1897

01:22:33,313 --> 01:22:34,923

Christine: Yeah, you've

told me about that.

: 1898

01:22:34,978 --> 01:22:35,728

Alexandra: like them.

: 1899

01:22:36,503 --> 01:22:39,623

You can get trashy cash, which I

don't really care that much about.

: 1900

01:22:39,903 --> 01:22:42,873

It is a bag for up to 15 pounds.

: 1901

01:22:43,153 --> 01:22:44,353

But I like that if they can't

: 1902

01:22:44,923 --> 01:22:44,983

Christine: Wow.

: 1903

01:22:45,073 --> 01:22:47,653

Alexandra: it somewhere to be

sold, like it's not enough quality,

: 1904

01:22:47,893 --> 01:22:50,503

you, they'll take, they'll send

it to partners for down cycling.

: 1905

01:22:50,503 --> 01:22:53,263

So if, like you have old brass

underwear, socks, clothes with a

: 1906

01:22:53,263 --> 01:22:57,073

bunch of holes that can't be patched

or worn, that they'll take that and

: 1907

01:22:57,073 --> 01:22:58,603

they'll try to make it into something.

: 1908

01:22:58,713 --> 01:23:01,833

So their goal is to try and keep as

much fashion waste out of landfills.

: 1909

01:23:02,133 --> 01:23:02,823

So I really like that.

: 1910

01:23:02,823 --> 01:23:05,493

So I actually did send

off my first Takeback bag.

: 1911

01:23:05,523 --> 01:23:10,173

I bought a pack of three, and so

I sent that off last week and it

: 1912

01:23:10,278 --> 01:23:11,598

Christine: Oh, that probably felt great.

: 1913

01:23:11,883 --> 01:23:15,183

Alexandra: stuff that I had

sitting in my closet in a bag

: 1914

01:23:15,213 --> 01:23:17,103

that needed to go for a while.

: 1915

01:23:17,628 --> 01:23:21,558

I think an author, Denise Lynn talks

about it in her book, energy Strands,

: 1916

01:23:21,558 --> 01:23:24,868

but there's an idea of if you're trying

to lose weight, if that's a goal and

: 1917

01:23:24,868 --> 01:23:26,998

you've got a lot of clothing left

around from when you were smaller or

: 1918

01:23:26,998 --> 01:23:28,258

something you're hoping to get in.

: 1919

01:23:29,157 --> 01:23:30,598

it's not something you truly love.

: 1920

01:23:30,598 --> 01:23:33,958

Then holding onto that might be

energetic weight that you can let go of.

: 1921

01:23:34,378 --> 01:23:36,748

And just things that kind of

clog up your life that don't

: 1922

01:23:36,748 --> 01:23:37,678

allow new things to come in.

: 1923

01:23:37,678 --> 01:23:41,577

So I think that's really what I'm feel

like it's perfectly timed spring cleaning.

: 1924

01:23:41,608 --> 01:23:42,988

Let's get stuff out of here.

: 1925

01:23:43,348 --> 01:23:47,758

So I think I could get easily overwhelmed

if I'm like, let me tackle my whole

: 1926

01:23:47,758 --> 01:23:49,378

closet and drawers all in one go.

: 1927

01:23:49,378 --> 01:23:52,978

So I'm trying to do a drawer

at a time, a space at a time.

: 1928

01:23:53,338 --> 01:23:56,038

And I think I'm gonna do this

in two way, like in two passes.

: 1929

01:23:56,038 --> 01:23:57,478

The first pass is gets stuff out.

: 1930

01:23:57,478 --> 01:24:00,657

Anything that I'm like questioning, I'm

like, I'm gonna put away, put it back in.

: 1931

01:24:01,508 --> 01:24:04,418

back the next time through,

see if I really will wear

: 1932

01:24:04,418 --> 01:24:05,498

it, if I really do like it.

: 1933

01:24:05,498 --> 01:24:06,878

If not, it goes.

: 1934

01:24:07,178 --> 01:24:09,068

So I'm really in an urge to purge.

: 1935

01:24:09,068 --> 01:24:11,128

So I did some of my Amazon wishlists.

: 1936

01:24:11,157 --> 01:24:13,288

I've worked on my Etsy wishlist.

: 1937

01:24:13,288 --> 01:24:15,327

I'm working my way through my old contact.

: 1938

01:24:15,327 --> 01:24:19,588

I mean, like people I haven't talked to

and over a decade that the likelihood

: 1939

01:24:19,588 --> 01:24:22,768

that I would reach out to them or they

would reach out to me is very slim.

: 1940

01:24:22,827 --> 01:24:26,488

And if we did, let's be honest, most

people are on like social media could,

: 1941

01:24:26,788 --> 01:24:27,958

we could track each other down that way.

: 1942

01:24:28,318 --> 01:24:30,508

So I feel like that's it.

: 1943

01:24:30,563 --> 01:24:34,463

And also with that came the

urge to purge some of my hair.

: 1944

01:24:34,693 --> 01:24:37,213

We got a nice little

haircut and yeah it's weird.

: 1945

01:24:37,213 --> 01:24:40,063

It's very bouncy and I'm like, who am I?

: 1946

01:24:40,063 --> 01:24:40,452

So,

: 1947

01:24:41,093 --> 01:24:44,753

Christine: Yeah, the fir we

hopped on earlier today and I,

: 1948

01:24:44,813 --> 01:24:47,213

it was like the first time I've

seen her since she's had it done.

: 1949

01:24:47,213 --> 01:24:49,793

I'm like, oh my God, you cut it short.

: 1950

01:24:49,793 --> 01:24:50,723

It looks so cute.

: 1951

01:24:50,723 --> 01:24:51,503

I love it.

: 1952

01:24:51,563 --> 01:24:52,193

I do.

: 1953

01:24:52,282 --> 01:24:53,483

It looks so fun.

: 1954

01:24:53,583 --> 01:24:55,833

It's so, it's probably easy too.

: 1955

01:24:55,963 --> 01:24:58,183

Alexandra: Perfect for getting

into the summer because it's

: 1956

01:24:58,282 --> 01:24:59,452

It's not so hot.

: 1957

01:24:59,782 --> 01:25:02,063

But I do eventually want to grow

it back out, but I was like,

: 1958

01:25:02,063 --> 01:25:04,293

you know what, this feels like a

right time to cut some of it off.

: 1959

01:25:04,702 --> 01:25:06,053

And get rid of that too.

: 1960

01:25:07,063 --> 01:25:07,813

Christine: Nice.

: 1961

01:25:07,873 --> 01:25:08,202

Yeah.

: 1962

01:25:08,202 --> 01:25:10,933

I honestly can't remember last

time you've had it on the shorter

: 1963

01:25:10,933 --> 01:25:13,123

side, so it's looking good.

: 1964

01:25:14,106 --> 01:25:17,766

Oh, oh, Oh, that's right.

: 1965

01:25:17,766 --> 01:25:17,946

Yeah.

: 1966

01:25:17,946 --> 01:25:18,606

You did.

: 1967

01:25:19,116 --> 01:25:19,506

Wow.

: 1968

01:25:19,506 --> 01:25:21,276

So that's been, it's been a while,

: 1969

01:25:21,466 --> 01:25:22,276

But I do like it.

: 1970

01:25:22,276 --> 01:25:23,506

I like how you cut it.

: 1971

01:25:24,236 --> 01:25:24,686

Alexandra: Thank you.

: 1972

01:25:25,456 --> 01:25:26,266

Christine: You're very welcome.

: 1973

01:25:26,566 --> 01:25:26,925

Yeah.

: 1974

01:25:26,936 --> 01:25:31,706

Alexandra: think our last thing

on other up stuff is do we want to

: 1975

01:25:31,706 --> 01:25:34,406

quickly, briefly go over the things

we talked about in our first episode

: 1976

01:25:34,406 --> 01:25:37,886

about what we wanna accomplish

with the podcast and touch base.

: 1977

01:25:38,231 --> 01:25:39,971

Christine: Sure, let's do it.

: 1978

01:25:40,071 --> 01:25:40,351

Alexandra: through that?

: 1979

01:25:41,321 --> 01:25:41,861

Christine: Sure.

: 1980

01:25:41,891 --> 01:25:42,431

Okay.

: 1981

01:25:42,431 --> 01:25:47,291

So some of the things we talked about,

number one, we're back to weekly episode

: 1982

01:25:47,291 --> 01:25:50,261

drops, and we are so happy to be back.

: 1983

01:25:50,321 --> 01:25:54,341

I know we've been having a blast,

Alexandra and I filming these,

: 1984

01:25:54,341 --> 01:25:57,501

recording these for you guys

bringing them to you every week.

: 1985

01:25:57,741 --> 01:26:01,461

We are still planning to have our

little mini hiatuses sporadically.

: 1986

01:26:01,461 --> 01:26:04,291

So this coming I think

this is coming out in May.

: 1987

01:26:04,291 --> 01:26:07,331

So yes the latter half of May, we're

taking a couple weeks off, but then

: 1988

01:26:07,691 --> 01:26:11,921

we'll be back with weekly episodes

for you guys to listen to do.

: 1989

01:26:11,921 --> 01:26:13,901

And how are we feeling?

: 1990

01:26:14,171 --> 01:26:14,861

How are you feeling?

: 1991

01:26:14,861 --> 01:26:15,611

You liking it?

: 1992

01:26:15,701 --> 01:26:15,791

Alexandra: I'm

: 1993

01:26:16,091 --> 01:26:16,721

Christine: Feeling good.

: 1994

01:26:16,961 --> 01:26:20,081

Alexandra: and I think we've

been, yeah, it's been so, so

: 1995

01:26:20,081 --> 01:26:21,131

much more fun this semester.

: 1996

01:26:23,561 --> 01:26:24,251

Semester.

: 1997

01:26:26,066 --> 01:26:26,591

am I?

: 1998

01:26:26,591 --> 01:26:27,881

What am I back in school?

: 1999

01:26:28,151 --> 01:26:29,501

Christine: Well, you've

been in school a long time.

: 2000

01:26:31,376 --> 01:26:32,786

Alexandra: and I work at a university, so

: 2001

01:26:32,896 --> 01:26:34,556

Stuck on a semester's schedule.

: 2002

01:26:35,906 --> 01:26:36,925

yeah, I feel like it's been.

: 2003

01:26:37,706 --> 01:26:38,366

Really interesting.

: 2004

01:26:38,366 --> 01:26:41,726

I think I've really enjoyed the

topics we've covered so far, so I'm

: 2005

01:26:41,726 --> 01:26:44,876

really excited for our little break

so we can plan a little bit further

: 2006

01:26:44,876 --> 01:26:49,376

out, talk about what we wanna catch

up on, where we wanna delve into.

: 2007

01:26:49,376 --> 01:26:50,306

So I think it'll be really fun.

: 2008

01:26:50,425 --> 01:26:51,386

I'm enjoying the season.

: 2009

01:26:51,641 --> 01:26:52,001

Christine: Yes.

: 2010

01:26:52,061 --> 01:26:55,421

We're definitely gonna be also

talking about revisiting some

: 2011

01:26:55,421 --> 01:26:58,061

meaningful topics season one.

: 2012

01:26:58,886 --> 01:27:03,896

Yes, today even we had a

throwback to our mantra episode.

: 2013

01:27:03,896 --> 01:27:09,326

So yes, expect more from us in

general with our weekly drops, but

: 2014

01:27:09,326 --> 01:27:13,166

also revisiting some really fun

conversations we had in season one.

: 2015

01:27:13,526 --> 01:27:15,976

So, yeah, more to come on that, who knows?

: 2016

01:27:16,516 --> 01:27:23,566

And I, in terms of growing our reach

and engagement, slowly but surely, I,

: 2017

01:27:23,956 --> 01:27:25,936

we've been posting more on social media.

: 2018

01:27:25,936 --> 01:27:30,486

We've been getting more followers, more

people interacting with our content.

: 2019

01:27:30,846 --> 01:27:31,716

So it's happening.

: 2020

01:27:31,716 --> 01:27:35,256

I had actually a friend

from college reach out.

: 2021

01:27:35,256 --> 01:27:36,156

She had listened to.

: 2022

01:27:36,996 --> 01:27:41,146

One of our previous episodes just a

few weeks ago when we were doing our

: 2023

01:27:41,146 --> 01:27:45,886

conversations around friendship, and we,

like many people, you know, you leave

: 2024

01:27:45,886 --> 01:27:48,046

college, you just sort of lose touch.

: 2025

01:27:48,436 --> 01:27:52,046

And she just so happened to follow

along, has been following along

: 2026

01:27:52,046 --> 01:27:54,946

with our podcast, listened to

that episode and she reached out.

: 2027

01:27:54,946 --> 01:27:55,876

I thought that was so cool.

: 2028

01:27:55,876 --> 01:27:58,146

Which is kind of like the whole

point of why we're doing this,

: 2029

01:27:58,146 --> 01:28:01,056

you know, is connecting with

people and hoping that what we're

: 2030

01:28:01,056 --> 01:28:03,246

sharing resonates so that's cool.

: 2031

01:28:04,206 --> 01:28:04,656

Yeah.

: 2032

01:28:04,866 --> 01:28:07,746

Alexandra: And then we talked about

building support and sponsorships, which

: 2033

01:28:07,746 --> 01:28:11,886

I feel like has taken a little bit of

a back burner as we get back into the

: 2034

01:28:11,886 --> 01:28:15,666

swing of weekly podcast drops, kind of

working on that engagement and reach.

: 2035

01:28:16,041 --> 01:28:18,631

That will come later as

we build our foundations.

: 2036

01:28:18,631 --> 01:28:19,406

So that's gonna be.

: 2037

01:28:19,681 --> 01:28:21,181

I'm looking forward to that in the future.

: 2038

01:28:21,451 --> 01:28:22,231

And I think the

: 2039

01:28:22,356 --> 01:28:22,596

Christine: Absolutely.

: 2040

01:28:22,921 --> 01:28:26,641

Alexandra: biggest thing that Christine

had said she wanted to do for the podcast

: 2041

01:28:26,641 --> 01:28:29,731

this year was deepen the conversations.

: 2042

01:28:30,421 --> 01:28:30,961

Christine: Even more?

: 2043

01:28:31,471 --> 01:28:37,111

Alexandra: do you feel like we have been

diving in deeper, getting more vulnerable?

: 2044

01:28:37,351 --> 01:28:37,891

What do you wanna

: 2045

01:28:37,891 --> 01:28:42,511

Christine: I think so I definitely think

we have, I think with season one it

: 2046

01:28:42,511 --> 01:28:45,181

was something new for the both of us.

: 2047

01:28:45,300 --> 01:28:50,101

You know, we already have a pretty deep

and open relationship with each other.

: 2048

01:28:50,441 --> 01:28:55,931

But changing that and, you know, engaging

with people in each other on a different

: 2049

01:28:55,931 --> 01:28:59,291

level takes some getting used to, there's

a little bit of learning curve being

: 2050

01:28:59,291 --> 01:29:02,381

comfortable, you know, recording yourself

and putting it out there for the world

: 2051

01:29:02,381 --> 01:29:05,861

to listen and comment on, you know.

: 2052

01:29:06,101 --> 01:29:11,881

So, just in reflecting on how last

year and season one went and how.

: 2053

01:29:12,481 --> 01:29:14,341

I was hoping to move forward.

: 2054

01:29:14,341 --> 01:29:15,841

You know, this was a bigger step.

: 2055

01:29:16,171 --> 01:29:20,681

I wanted to just go a little, dig a

little more, and I definitely think

: 2056

01:29:21,371 --> 01:29:25,491

we've been doing that for one, I loved

our therapy episode that came out just a

: 2057

01:29:25,491 --> 01:29:30,919

few weeks ago, and it was fun to listen

back and edit through that episode.

: 2058

01:29:30,959 --> 01:29:35,909

And I think going forward, we just keep

being ourselves, just showing up and being

: 2059

01:29:36,359 --> 01:29:42,269

who we are, and it'll just continue to

become easier and more natural for us.

: 2060

01:29:42,269 --> 01:29:43,049

How are you feeling?

: 2061

01:29:43,049 --> 01:29:44,359

Do you think, do you agree?

: 2062

01:29:44,419 --> 01:29:45,199

Do you disagree?

: 2063

01:29:45,209 --> 01:29:45,839

What do you think?

: 2064

01:29:46,304 --> 01:29:50,114

Alexandra: I definitely feel like it

is becoming more natural to be a lot

: 2065

01:29:50,114 --> 01:29:55,693

more open to kind of just putting your

voice or yourself out there and to

: 2066

01:29:55,739 --> 01:29:56,309

Christine: Yeah.

: 2067

01:29:56,534 --> 01:29:57,074

Alexandra: kind of thing.

: 2068

01:29:57,134 --> 01:29:57,424

Christine: Yeah,

: 2069

01:29:57,443 --> 01:29:57,684

Alexandra: sense,

: 2070

01:29:57,804 --> 01:29:58,184

Christine: it can,

: 2071

01:29:58,254 --> 01:30:00,714

Alexandra: over, I know

we've talked about this.

: 2072

01:30:00,714 --> 01:30:02,754

We're both very much perfectionists and if

: 2073

01:30:02,859 --> 01:30:03,818

Do we wanna put it out?

: 2074

01:30:03,818 --> 01:30:06,869

And kind of just getting past that

hump of get outta your own way, do it.

: 2075

01:30:07,544 --> 01:30:07,964

Christine: Yeah

: 2076

01:30:08,129 --> 01:30:09,089

Alexandra: really great way to

: 2077

01:30:11,159 --> 01:30:12,898

push and stretch and grow that way.

: 2078

01:30:13,209 --> 01:30:13,389

And I

: 2079

01:30:13,434 --> 01:30:14,034

Christine: absolutely.

: 2080

01:30:14,049 --> 01:30:15,369

Alexandra: lot of really

meaningful topics.

: 2081

01:30:15,369 --> 01:30:19,689

I think we've also really done

a good job of bridging topics

: 2082

01:30:19,689 --> 01:30:22,809

across episodes and kind of like

following a natural progression.

: 2083

01:30:23,139 --> 01:30:23,739

So that's pretty

: 2084

01:30:23,904 --> 01:30:24,054

I've

: 2085

01:30:24,139 --> 01:30:24,589

That part.

: 2086

01:30:25,804 --> 01:30:26,584

Christine: Me too.

: 2087

01:30:26,734 --> 01:30:27,364

Yeah.

: 2088

01:30:27,844 --> 01:30:33,364

I really enjoyed our conversations

around friendship because it was

: 2089

01:30:33,364 --> 01:30:38,034

so natural to take that, that

topic in general, piece by piece.

: 2090

01:30:38,034 --> 01:30:40,929

And I've loved seeing

how it's affected people.

: 2091

01:30:41,634 --> 01:30:42,084

I.

: 2092

01:30:42,459 --> 01:30:45,159

To your point about it, it getting easier.

: 2093

01:30:45,159 --> 01:30:48,749

You know, this isn't necessarily

a natural thing to do.

: 2094

01:30:48,939 --> 01:30:52,779

I love being creative, but I've never

liked being sort of front and center.

: 2095

01:30:53,019 --> 01:30:57,159

So this has definitely in general been

something outside of my comfort zone.

: 2096

01:30:57,159 --> 01:31:00,549

And then you are putting

it out there for people.

: 2097

01:31:00,759 --> 01:31:02,889

Once you put it out there,

it's not yours anymore.

: 2098

01:31:02,889 --> 01:31:09,879

It's a part of everybody else and every,

and people will have things to say.

: 2099

01:31:09,879 --> 01:31:14,739

And one of our previous conversations

was about being misunderstood and you

: 2100

01:31:15,159 --> 01:31:19,809

at least I had to come to a certain

point where I had to be okay with

: 2101

01:31:19,809 --> 01:31:25,719

the fact that there may be things

that I share on here, or is said that

: 2102

01:31:25,818 --> 01:31:28,129

may people may misunder like mis.

: 2103

01:31:28,489 --> 01:31:29,989

Misunderstand what I'm trying to say.

: 2104

01:31:29,989 --> 01:31:33,818

And that, that can be scary,

you know, like opening yourself

: 2105

01:31:33,849 --> 01:31:35,349

up to things like that.

: 2106

01:31:35,349 --> 01:31:39,679

But at the same time, I've, I

believe so much in what we're doing

: 2107

01:31:39,679 --> 01:31:45,859

here and I think we're creating a

beautiful space for anyone to just

: 2108

01:31:45,859 --> 01:31:49,398

be themselves with no judgment or

as little judgment as possible.

: 2109

01:31:49,889 --> 01:31:54,209

You know, it's sometimes people

will be how they will be, but

: 2110

01:31:54,289 --> 01:31:55,818

always try and leave with kindness.

: 2111

01:31:56,029 --> 01:31:56,898

So yeah.

: 2112

01:31:57,593 --> 01:32:00,113

Alexandra: that note, are we,

do you have anything, last

: 2113

01:32:00,113 --> 01:32:02,183

minute updates, things we wanna

: 2114

01:32:02,888 --> 01:32:04,327

Christine: I think I've talked enough.

: 2115

01:32:05,918 --> 01:32:06,998

I don't know about you,

: 2116

01:32:07,223 --> 01:32:07,282

Alexandra: I

: 2117

01:32:07,418 --> 01:32:07,628

Christine: but

: 2118

01:32:07,628 --> 01:32:08,407

Alexandra: be a nice long one.

: 2119

01:32:08,693 --> 01:32:10,193

Christine: this is Buckle.

: 2120

01:32:10,193 --> 01:32:10,463

Yeah.

: 2121

01:32:10,523 --> 01:32:13,288

Strap in everyone if you've

stuck with us for this long.

: 2122

01:32:13,963 --> 01:32:14,202

Alexandra: Thank

: 2123

01:32:14,278 --> 01:32:14,818

Christine: Well done.

: 2124

01:32:15,238 --> 01:32:16,528

Thank you for sticking with us.

: 2125

01:32:17,414 --> 01:32:20,384

Alexandra: Well that was a lot

of ground to cover, literally and

: 2126

01:32:20,384 --> 01:32:24,554

metaphorically from dreamy and slightly

chaotic travel plans to pop culture

: 2127

01:32:24,554 --> 01:32:26,443

rabbit holes we did not see coming.

: 2128

01:32:26,504 --> 01:32:27,914

Twilight we're looking at you.

: 2129

01:32:28,634 --> 01:32:30,224

living in a season that's equal.

: 2130

01:32:30,224 --> 01:32:34,994

Parts go with the flow and where's my

color coded itinerary, whether you're

: 2131

01:32:35,204 --> 01:32:38,898

also whether you're also doing the

holiday airport lines this year deep

: 2132

01:32:38,919 --> 01:32:43,204

in trip inspo Pinterest boards, or

just purging your closet like your ex's

: 2133

01:32:43,204 --> 01:32:44,914

energy is still stuck in that hoodie.

: 2134

01:32:46,054 --> 01:32:50,584

we feel you we're just, we've got

big plans, even bigger to be read

: 2135

01:32:50,584 --> 01:32:54,634

piles and somehow still haven't

finished rereading, breaking dawn.

: 2136

01:32:55,744 --> 01:32:58,144

But hey, life's not about

checking all the boxes.

: 2137

01:32:58,234 --> 01:33:00,554

It's about , curating the chaos.

: 2138

01:33:01,034 --> 01:33:03,824

As for those podcast goals, we

set way back in episode one.

: 2139

01:33:03,884 --> 01:33:07,184

We're checking in, adjusting the sales

and giving ourselves the same grace.

: 2140

01:33:07,184 --> 01:33:08,204

We always preach.

: 2141

01:33:08,654 --> 01:33:10,214

Progress over perfection.

: 2142

01:33:10,219 --> 01:33:11,289

Friends always.

: 2143

01:33:12,209 --> 01:33:13,499

And such a tough lesson to learn.

: 2144

01:33:13,889 --> 01:33:15,539

So until next time, plan the trip.

: 2145

01:33:15,568 --> 01:33:17,759

Skip the guilt, rewatch the comfort shows.

: 2146

01:33:17,818 --> 01:33:19,979

Let go of what or who you've thought of.

: 2147

01:33:20,429 --> 01:33:22,019

Thanks for hanging around with us today.

: 2148

01:33:22,068 --> 01:33:24,499

Be sure to DSM your thoughts

and recommendations.

: 2149

01:33:24,709 --> 01:33:27,919

We'll be back soon with more heart

humor and maybe a little less baggage,

: 2150

01:33:27,949 --> 01:33:33,049

emotional or otherwise, stay curious,

stay cozy and stay exactly who you are.