November 27, 2025 • 37 mins
‘Tis the season for reunions! Picture it now: Catching up with your hometown friends at the cozy local dive on Thanksgiving Eve, making small talk with Tía Mari on Noche Buena en La Sala while decked out in your living room best, running into the inventor of Post-Its at your high school reunion and performing a meticulously choreographed dance to “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper in the middle of the dance floor. Are you ready for it? On this week’s episode, Steph shares hot goss about her own dramatic and satisfying high school reunion, Melissa agonizes about whether she’ll attend her 25th this year, and they both discuss the family gatherings they’re a li’l stressed about planning PLUS! The agony and the ecstasy of confronting past versions of yourself while reconciling them with the new and improved you. Happy reunion season, More Betties! We are so very thankful for you. And don’t forget to ask for the business woman special out there.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
How did you feel at your reunion about people like,
I don't know, being weird or making a big deal
over like your career, or yeah, you fucking loved it.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Here's what I loved that I could tell that the
people that were not very nice to me in high school,
I could tell that they had an issue with it,
which is like, wow, you're still holding on too, like
some kind of like weird competition.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Whereas like I was just like, was it like comments, I'm.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
Like, wow, it's so good to see you.
Speaker 5 (00:31):
My god, you're doing so well.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
It wasn't even that. It was like what do you
do again? And I was like, bitch, you I know.
Speaker 6 (00:39):
More Better, More, Better, Better More.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Welcome to More Better a podcast where we stop pretending
to have it all together and embrace it's the.
Speaker 5 (01:00):
Journey of becoming a little more better every day.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Or at least trying to. That's most of a marrow,
and that's the many futures and here we are. And guys,
if you're listening to this on your iHeart app or
iTunes or wherever you listen to your podcast, you can
also watch us now. Yeah, because this particular episode is
going to be on the internet.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
It's a special IRL episode. Look at that?
Speaker 5 (01:21):
What have you done?
Speaker 6 (01:21):
Like that?
Speaker 3 (01:21):
It's more better? Oh?
Speaker 5 (01:23):
What have I done lately? That is more better.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I feel like I got a bit of a break
with like cooking and figuring out what's for dinner during
the summer, and so I feel rejuvenated.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
And I've been this.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
This is not a sponsored as, but it is a
plug New York Times cooking app.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Oh is it worth it?
Speaker 6 (01:45):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (01:46):
I am a big fan. They have so many like
I like that I can just be like, I don't know,
I've got chicken thighs, Like what kind of maybe chicken
thiye is? And like and then all these yummy and
there's so many of their recipes are like fast and easy?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Can you ask not that I use it, But can't
you ask chat GPT the same thing?
Speaker 5 (02:02):
I could?
Speaker 1 (02:04):
And that probably I'm just not on the chat GBT train.
Yet I'm not on that train either.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I refuse to get in bed.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
I know me too.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
But then she's gonna be.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Like, hey girl, there's sale going on over here, right
if you wanted to set some of your money, I
know you don't have this.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
And this and this. I know you've been looking at
fill those holes in your fall wardrobe.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
I have been very tempted, because I do get decision
fatigue when it comes to dinner after I don't have
it right now, I've been more better at not letting
myself get overwhelmed. It's not that big a deal. It's
just dinner. If you feel like making something more involved, great,
if you don't just slap something on a plate.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
We're having chicken nuggets tonight. Great. I love it. Yeah,
I've been like less judgy.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
I think you're not mad at having to cook dinner
and you're into this app.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Do you have to have a New York Times?
Speaker 5 (02:52):
I think you did a descriptions. Yeah, I don't. I
can't have it on my phone anymore because I got
so depressed.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Oh I mean the new was yeah, reading about the.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
World being on fire, yeah, civil rights being you know.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Yeah, I mean anyway, you know what, you.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Didn't come here for this, Yeah, I mean you should
try to make the world more better, that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Yes, well that's good. I'm not going to do it.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I took New York Times app off my phone last night,
literally last Oh really, I have to ta get off.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
I was furious.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
Yeah, I know, I hear you.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
I've been avoiding reading articles and just like doing the
cooking app and.
Speaker 5 (03:28):
Like wordle okay, okay, yeah, what have you? What about you?
What have you done?
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Mormalized the feature on the iPhone. I don't know if
other phones have this, but you know the new feature
on the iPhone. We can send the text later.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
Oh I keep forgetting about that match.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
It's such a good featuring.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I was so mad at Brad because I was trying
to have this like interaction with Raz. She was kind
of starting to whine. She's like in a whiny pace,
so she was starting to whine about like can't you.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Take me to school? Why can't you take me? Can't
you just walk into the car me? Mom has to
take the biggest poop of my life. And I'm like
talking to her like I have to go to the bathroom.
I can't walk me to the car.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
And Brad's like, we gotta go, we gotta go, and
I'm like, Rad, I have to talk to her about this.
I can't just be like yeah, I'm trying to, like
I'm what I'm doing is trying to parent and like
not be like your feelings don't matter. We have to
get somewhere on time, which is how I grew up,
which is like get in the car. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
And like obviously I want to teach my kid that
(04:30):
everybody's time. She needs to respect other people's time, right,
Like that's the stepping stone that we're gonna.
Speaker 5 (04:35):
Get to eventually.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Yeah, but the first thing is like I love you
even though I can't take you to the car right now,
and you're not going to get what you want just
by whining and repeating yourself.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I'm gonna stick to my guns here.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
And so like Brad made me really upset because he.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Was like, let's go, let's go, like out the door,
like hovering and yelling kind of not yelling, but.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Oh yeah yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
So I wrote them this really angry.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Text message and then I stopped and I was like,
send it in fifteen minutes, and then I had time
to like edit it so that.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
It was kinder and more.
Speaker 6 (05:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
When you hear what I wrote, Yeah, you hear what
I wrote.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
You guys what I wrote? Yeah, I was.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Like, it is incredibly upsetting to have a timer above
my head when I'm trying to talk to ros and
teach her lessons about life. I understand that she needs
to be at school at a certain time, but you
standing over both of us and repeating we gotta go,
we gotta go is really rude. If it means we
need to start getting her up earlier, getting to bed earlier,
whatever it is that's not working, that will allow us
time to parent her in the morning. That would be better,
(05:34):
because on the mornings that I'm around, I don't want
to feel belittled when I'm just trying to spend time
with ros or work through something with her. That's not
what it originally said, that right, What I really said
was like, oh fuck you.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah, But I used to back off in the morning.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
I used the timer thing, and I was like, really
proud of myself because it gave me a moment to
take a breath and be like, is this what I
actually want to express to this man who I love,
who was only really looking out for my family, What
I really want to express is this? Yeah, So I
gave I did a more better argument text.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah, which always very proud of that is that's huge.
Hue by the wall, by the way, welcome to the
chaos of mornings.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
It's really difficult.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
It's the only thing that makes me feel better about
it is that I don't know a parent who doesn't
have a rough time in the morning. You know, I
can see that there's most days.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Some stuff that like I'm missing out, Like I'm like,
this morning, I was like, it.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Takes fifteen minutes for her to choose what clothes.
Speaker 5 (06:38):
She's gonna wear.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Right, I can do that the night before, Like we
can make it like fun fashion time, you know, and
that will cut down on some of it.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
And also she's like me, I'm like, Brad turns on
the light and is like.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Good morning, and I'm like yeah, literally, like, well hiss
when he pulls the blinds out.
Speaker 6 (06:59):
More better?
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Okay, So what we are we talking about today?
Speaker 6 (07:04):
Ah?
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Jin Hey, it's almost like we hang out a lot.
We're talking about reunions, reunion because we're coming up on
like a lot of gatherings, yes, holidays. We have a
friend gathering next week, actually doing a friend gathering next week.
There's a lot of stuff that's happening right now that
like whether it's like seeing people that you haven't seen
(07:27):
for a long time, seeing family that you haven't seen
for a long time, friends from.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Home, Oh, those are always the I've got a high.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
School reunion coming up in November.
Speaker 6 (07:38):
What year?
Speaker 1 (07:39):
I think like twenty five because I think we missed
our twentieth because it was.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
A lot of time.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
Yeah, are you going to go? I don't know to go.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
I loved going to mine.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
You did, yes, I was obsessed with the idea of it.
I was like, I'm getting a outfit and getting choes
my hair.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Gum, I'm doing my makeup.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Did you go to your tenure? Oh yeah, that would
have been no, okay, ye went to a later one
I went to like it was I think it was
twenty okay, And it was at a It was at
a what is.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
That place where you go like play video games, and like, oh,
David Buster, David Busters. It was a David Bussers and
like someone there was complaining about She was like, I
don't know why this is a damn Busters And I
was like, because no one wanted to organize this, like right,
nobody wanted to be like we're having a cad or
sit down dinner.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Please stop complaining. Yeah, well, not name names, but.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
She was like that in high school, did you guys
have like a party room like they do for kids birthday?
Speaker 6 (08:37):
It was a party.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
It was very brightly lit. That was the only problem,
Like it could have been less for kid's birthday. It was,
it couldn't been less brightly lit.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
But it was fine, Like people were like and then
people went to bar afterwards, Okay, it's totally fine. It
was also like, you know, people were in their cups,
as we usually are.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
I was like restraining myself because I didn't want to
get slip sloppy.
Speaker 5 (08:56):
Yep, yep yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
And I found it incredibly gratifying as someone who blossomed
at the end of high school.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
I was like, you were like, yes, here I am.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
This is what I like feeling.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
I'm super success.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
What's your name again?
Speaker 3 (09:18):
I'm not gonna lie. I'm not gonna lie. I'm not
gonna lie.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
I don't again, I won't name names. I went to
high school in Texas and went to a big public
high school. You know, everyone says like, oh, once you
leave high school, like things are different, and like sometimes
they are, but sometimes they're not. Sometimes they're not because
people are establishing themselves as like the beginnings of grown
ups right when you're in high school and there's a
(09:43):
lot of stuff about like hierarchy and image and who
you align yourselves with and how you network and how
your friends and what kind of like how you project
as a person, like what do you wear, what kind
of like which click are you in?
Speaker 3 (09:58):
How friendly are friendly?
Speaker 5 (10:00):
Are you right?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
And like part of that is like the Queen Bee stuff,
which is really hard.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
In high school, it's really hard. The cleaning stuff is really.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Tricky, and most of the time it's very beautiful young
women that are also very smart, that oftentimes are very talented.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Well, I can't wait to hear about who you are
gonna see.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
But I think like what for me what was satisfying
about going back was like I did the thing that
I wanted to do, Like in high school, I started
acting like this was the first time that I was
acting yeah, And so like going back to my high
school reunion, I was like, I'm proud of what I've
not just because like I'm on TV, although that did help,
but like because people had seen the show, but also
(10:48):
like I had done the career that I had chosen.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
I was like, I did.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
I like that?
Speaker 1 (10:53):
And I'm also stracurricular you were always doing yeah, talking
about and yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
And I was excited to see people that like you know,
I'm just thinking of this friend that There were two
friends that I saw at the reunion, Martin, who was
this really really smart kid. He was super super nice,
and also Issha. Both of them I saw again at
the reunion and it was like it was just so
(11:18):
nice because like I hadn't connected with them in a
really long time and they're not people that I necessarily
kept in touch with, but like I was so happy
to see them because like Martin was married to a
girl that we went to high school with, Jenny. Issha
was like doing like living her life, and like you know,
it was just like really cool. And then subsequently I've
like kind of kept in touch with them a little bit,
(11:40):
like especially Eisha, but like Martin's kid was like really
obsessed with Ngumhas. I like sent her a poster like you.
And also I saw Cassie. Cassie was about she was
exceptionally beautiful at a time when I just is not.
(12:00):
I was like, I mean, I mean it was there
was a lot going on.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Here's the thing though, that no one ever talks about,
is like you don't want to peak in high school?
Speaker 5 (12:11):
No, you really don't, really don't really all the people
that peaked in high school.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
It's rough, it's not the same. It's situation.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
It's really a lot of them living vicariously through their children,
which I saw quite a bit of a the reunion.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
I was like, oh oh, okay, okay, okay, yeah, like
a lot of girls.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
So there's this thing in Texas and I think a
lot of the time in the South called drill team.
And now it's not drill team with the flags. Okay, right,
So drill team is based on the Kilgore rainerets, which
are like a kick line. So imagine when the Dallas
the DCC when they do their kickline.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
Uh huh.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
That's what drill team is. It's like organized dancing on
a field. But it's not true leading.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Okay, it's dance crazure to like the Rockets, yes, got it, yes,
and like all forms of dance.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
So they do it at halftime at football games. Okay.
And I was on drill team for my sophomore year.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
Yeah you were.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
And then once I.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Started doing theater, my drill team instructor she was like, well,
you can't do both, and I was like, oh, well,
I guess I'm doing theater.
Speaker 5 (13:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
And so the girls that rare and Drels team were
really really obsessed with being on drill team. That was
our whole personality.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
And a lot of them their daughters are also now
a lot of them stayed so like a lot of them.
Their daughters are also on drill team. Again, not that
there's anything wrong with them. I don't know that, but
I do feel like if you're if your entire life
is poured into your child, yeah, or your entire Like
I think it's cute sometimes when people are like me
(13:45):
and my mini me, right, they're like, yeah, I don't.
I personally don't think of Roz as my mini me
because like she's her own person. Like I like, even
this morning, I was like, what if you wear this
like cool like vintage Pinafore that I bought you. She's like, no,
I don't like that. Yeah, And I was.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Like, You're like, a what can I do? Like you're
your own person. I don't want to like force you
to wear shit that like you don't like.
Speaker 6 (14:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Anyway, I loved going to my high school reunion. Okay,
I highly recommend you go. I feel like you need
to look fabulous, you know what I mean, Like you
need to like you need to feel super confident.
Speaker 5 (14:20):
What did you wear to yours?
Speaker 2 (14:22):
I need to know this, like black and white short
mini recreation dress and little black mules. And I had
just gotten my haircut and like my makeup looked pretty good.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
I think, Okay, yeah, okay, but.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Like you want to be comfortable, yeah, any renion honestly,
like you never want to wear something that you're like,
I don't know, I've never worn this, or like you
try it on before you you need to try on outfits. Yea,
it needs to be well yeah if I thought.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
It's also like it's in New Jersey, I need to
like fly there, like yeah, everything has to be like
set and planned.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
And it's kind of like you're making a first impression again,
you know, because they've not They don't.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
They haven't.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
You haven't met this version of them, and they haven't
met this version of you. True, there's elements that will
be the same. Like Brad and I went to his
twenty year high school re union. First of all, that
was amazing because everybody was so nice. It was such
I've never seen that before. He went to a small school, okay,
and everyone.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Knew each other.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
They were all friendly, like all the clicks, like all
got along with each other.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
It was really like an idyllic situation.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
And all the girls were like super friendly to me,
like no one was weird.
Speaker 5 (15:32):
It was no, it was a energy.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
No, it was just like, oh, Brad, we're so happy.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
To see It was so nice.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
I mean, my high school is a little bit like
that because it was a smaller school or class was
only like one hundred and fifty people. I know, it
was a small public, but it was a small town
like all the all the schools are pretty small.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
Yeah. And so you know, I have my one.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Childhood bestie that I've always been close to, and then
the like group of people that we hung out with
in high school. She still kind of sees them and
is friends with them, And that's probably who I would
like spend most of them night with because some of them,
like we were so so close in high school and college.
But I sort of feel like i'm more or less
(16:15):
like you know what I mean, because I've picked tabs
on those people through my childhood bestie Elena, and.
Speaker 5 (16:24):
I don't know if I care to see everybody else.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
But here's the big thing. It's the energy of the moment.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
But it would be nice to see the group of friends.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
It's like, because the difference between going to like oh
I'll see them at that thing and then like going
to a Christmas party at someone's house.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Right, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Like it's the energy of like, this is the gathering,
this is the moment, we're doing it now. As I
was like, we're all going to a bar on this Saturday,
how did you feel.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
At your reunion about people like, I don't know, being
weird or making a big deal over like your career
or yeah, you fucking loved it.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
That's what I loved that I could tell that the
people that were not very nice to me in high school,
I could tell that they had an issue with it,
which is like, wow, you're still holding on too, like
some kind of like weird competition.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Whereas like I was just like, was it like comments, I'm.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
Like, wow, it's so good to see you.
Speaker 5 (17:18):
My god, you're doing so well.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
It wasn't even that it was like what do you
do again?
Speaker 1 (17:23):
And I was like, bitch, I know, yeah. It was
kind of like you know some when you went to
high school. When she asked me that I was any
when you went to high school with if they're like
super rich or famous in any way, like you know
about it.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Also social media, like and like social media, we all
keep tabs on each other.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Most they're like a old traveler, like anything that's like
out of the norm or box, like you fucking know
about it.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
She was like what do you do again? And I
was like, God, wow.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
Honestly, kudos though they're having the ball that's ballsy. That
she was in her cups, that's ballsy.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
She was always kind of like that, Yeah, I mean,
you know, it's it's interesting.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
The world really rewards.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
Like where did she learn that from? Like was her
mom like that? And then I started having I start
having follow up questions.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
I know, I never and I was always like not,
I didn't know her well.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
She was just like this, like you know, person who
had a lot of like social power because of like
how she looked and how much sure you know, access
to whatever she had.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
More more, what about family reunions?
Speaker 5 (18:36):
I get I was just planning one last night.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
You're planning a family not a reunion, Like okay reunion
because like my family doesn't do like the forty people
or whatever.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
But so my aunt lives in Barankia.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
My dad's sister, and out of my dad's five siblings,
only two or left my dad. My dad passed away,
but like his brother and his sister are left. His
brother lives in New Orleans. So what we're gonna do
is fly the SSE out to New Orleans.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
We're gonna meet her there. We're gonna do like five
days in New Orleans.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Cute, and then hopefully my cousins who live in Texas
will join us and we'll just like go do stuff,
and then the SS will fly here with us and
be here for a month in a yeah good, And
like I'm nervous and excited.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
I love the SS.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
She's so funny and weird, and she doesn't speak any English,
and she like eats like a bird. She always just
wants like to drink a Coca Cola. And my sister
loves her because they cook together, even though the SSE
barely eats to like cook a bunch of stuff.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Roz freaking loves her. Oh my mom loves her. The
gossip all the time.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
What I'm nervous about is being in New Orleans, because
I love New Orleans. But my aunt and uncle that
live there, they're a little nervous about everything.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
They live like in a suburb of New Orleans and
like they barely go into the city. Oh, I see,
so I was trying to plan. I mean, family redions
are stressful because somebody has to plan. Yes, someone has
to take it upon themselves to plan.
Speaker 5 (20:16):
And it's good for you.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Normally it's me yeah, okay, And like, I don't know
if that's like older sister behavior or what.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Like I asked my sister. I was like, how many
days you want to stay? She was like I don't know.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
I was like, oh my god, gave me like something, Jenny. Yeah.
And then I was also like, do you want to
share a hotel room while we're there?
Speaker 3 (20:35):
And she was like yeah. And then I looked at
her and I was.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
Like, you know what, we're grown ups and.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
I really value our relationship, and I think we should
have separate rooms because, like, I know what's going to
happen if we share the same room. That's the thing
about family is that you go back to these patterns
that you had that were established so young. So when
you're around everybody, yes, it becomes.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
I'm a more annoying version of myself.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Yeah, I'm like soul control, What are your what do
you turn into? What do you mean like annoying?
Speaker 1 (21:09):
I feel like I'm just like too easily like set off.
I'm like snappy a little bit, you know, and I'm
just like why did you say that? Like you know,
it's like I turned into the little sister, like the yeah,
you know, and I'm like a little bit argumentative and
I don't know. I feel like in my everyday life,
(21:31):
I'm like chill, go with the flow. Like it takes
a lot to like poke me or like trigger me.
And then for some reason, you get me around my family,
who I love and I get along with really, but
you know, my brother will say like one thing to
me and I'm like the fuck do you mean by that?
Speaker 3 (21:47):
And I'm like smacking him and I'm like why did
I just hit you?
Speaker 6 (21:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Like yeah, but if your established pattern, you think like
I think so yeah, It's like you know, I was
always I was a little sister and I was it's
like always I feel like trying to fight for my
voice to be heard and like you know, being like.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
I'm here, I have thoughts too, and like did.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
Anyone ask me?
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Like I feel like my family will make plans sometimes
without asking me, and I'll be like, would you get oh,
you'd not ask me?
Speaker 5 (22:15):
Like I don't know. It doesn't always happen that way, but.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Sometimes is there is there like like this year, are
you guys gonna go do reunion style like Thanksgiving or Christmas?
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Or like, are are your plans to go there? Are
they coming here?
Speaker 6 (22:30):
Like?
Speaker 1 (22:31):
No, hopefully they come here. I've sort of while my
kids are little, have gotten very I'm like, I want
my kids to wake up in their house on Christmas morning.
I want you know.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Are you saying that, You're like I want this, Like yeah, i.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Are tradition, our tradition, and everyone is invited and everyone
can join. But I'm just like the putting them on
a plane and going to a hot place and shipping
gifts and like and then it's not the thing. I
realized too. Love my mom, love my mother in law.
They're great mother. There's they had dinky, little fucking Christmas
(23:03):
trees out and like one decoration. Oh no, And I
just had this moment where I was like, oh, they
already did this, right, They're kids, right, I can't get
mad at them for not going full out on Christmas.
Speaker 5 (23:17):
Magic for my kids.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
You have to be the one that does it.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
I have to be the one that does that. And
I'm gonna do that at home, and I do. I
decorate the shit out of our house, like I get
a big Christmas tree, Like I go for it because
they're my kids and it's my time, you know what
I mean. So I'm just like, yeah, I just the
last time we did it, I was like, oh yeah, no,
I want a bigger thing for my kids on Christmas morning.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Yeah, And I can't expect two women that.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Already did it for years and years and years, and
I'm not going to have that make them feel bad
that they didn't try harder to make Christmas a big
deal or special or there the grandma's let's say, I
like to do better exactly what I'm gonna make. They
buy a bunch of more like more decorations, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Like that's my thing.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Yeah, so yeah, so I'm more like, but I would
love you know, are ever since we left New York
and my parents retired and left New Jersey, all of
my cousins in New York that used to come to
my parents' house for nochahuena, like the younger cousins have
actually started to get together Foruena or like Notouena, but
(24:28):
like the week of Christmas they do a little Christmas
dinner you And I'm so nostalgic for that whole side
of the family to be together that I've been like,
at some point, maybe we can figure out like a
family reunion thing where maybe we find a retreat place
or someplace in New York. And because most people are there,
and but it's hard.
Speaker 5 (24:49):
It's hard.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
There's so many of us, and there's a lot of
moving parts. There's a lot of moving parts. The younger
ones are now not so like they're getting married, they're
starting to have babies too, and like so the families
grow and it just all feels very overwhelming and complicated.
Speaker 5 (25:03):
But I feel like the.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
So this this is what I think, Like this is
why we're doing this thing where the ss he's coming,
and like what we're doing is just we'll try it
and see for works, right, Yeah, Like what we're saying
is like we want to bring her, Like we're gonna
buy her ticket.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Yeah, she's coming on these days.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yeah, and if you guys want to see her, like
she'll be here on these days and they're happy to
plan a brunch, you know, because I think my aunt
and uncle are nervous about being in the French quarter
at night.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
So I was like, why don't they come in the daytime?
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Like that way they feel kind of safe and like
it's just like it's just lunch in the middle of
the day, you know, and like it's not a big trip.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
They don't have to go anywhere. We make it easy
for them, right, and like we're not.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I think the thing about reunions is like there are
a lot like when you think of like reunion, like
it's a lot of work, right, Like throwing a party
is a lot of work. Like you do a Christmas
party almost every year. We didn't do it last year,
what we're going to do it this year?
Speaker 3 (26:01):
And like it's a lot of work. But it's also like, hey, we're.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Doing it on this day and if you can make
it cool, we're going to be Uh. People are welcome
to come between like two and we'll be going until midnight,
you know, and like whenever you're down to come. It's
like that like making it more flexible, I think is
easier for people because like a high school reunion that's
(26:26):
like on a certain day and you have to fly
like that's the.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Hard part of that.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Yeah, right, Like it's very I mean even just like
our friend dinner that we're doing, like.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
That was, oh my god, it was like who's schedule?
And when our one.
Speaker 5 (26:39):
Find out what free Wednesday night? Jesus.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
More more, do you guys, do ever do like matching
Jammy's or anything on Christmas?
Speaker 5 (26:57):
I do like to do matching.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Jammy I feel like I'm the one that's so into
it and I'm forcing the rest of the family to
do it, but there super.
Speaker 5 (27:06):
Happy when they get into Jammy's.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
We did themed Jammy's last year, so like everyone had
like their own color, but they were the those like
fancy cotton like.
Speaker 5 (27:18):
No, no, no, yeah. But like I got us really
soft soft.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Ones last year that were a big hit with the family,
and even Rosie got like a little donky one.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Yeah that's cute.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
What about like, Okay, this is more for like high
school union style or like family extended family maybe the
or parties. Do you do small talk? Like are you
into small I mean, like I know we all do
small talk.
Speaker 5 (27:40):
We all do small talk.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
I'm interested to hear what your thoughts are, ok, I
think because I have strong opinions.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
Okay, I know you do.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
I have general I think anxiety, social anxiety about any
type of like gathering, wedding event.
Speaker 5 (27:56):
You know this, you've been in events with me.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
I think one piece of it is small talk makes
me feel more anxious, because I feel like dumb when
I'm making small talk and I I don't know, I
just I'm I'm and then I get bored and and
(28:20):
I just I'm not good at I don't I don't
like it.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
I don't like it.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
The best times I've had at any work event or
any dinner or whatever is like when you end up
having like this random deep talk with somebody that you
just met, Like, I fucking live for that. I love
I'm like exhilarated by it. I love it so much.
I'm I'm literally the type of person that you could
come I could come up to you at a party
and be like, oh, it's nice to meet you, and
(28:45):
you'd be like sorry, I'm like so out of it,
like my mom just died, and I won't leave that conversation.
Speaker 5 (28:51):
Yeah you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Like Sam, and yeah, so I don't know small talk,
but we all do it.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
I mean, it's fine. It's it's you know.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
And you actually helped me get better at getting out
of small talk too, Like let that that's a skill
too that I tried to get better at, and I
feel like that's a good one to have for like
high school reunions.
Speaker 5 (29:14):
You gave me like some kind of line.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
Of I have to go, oh oh, not even that
of just like oh, well, it was so great catching
up with you, like so yeah, to see you like
I'm gonna go and then just like whatever it could
be like I'm gonna go to the bathroom, I'm gonna go.
Speaker 5 (29:27):
Get another drink.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
The escape I'm gonna yeah, the escape line.
Speaker 5 (29:31):
Yeah. I used to just feel held.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
Hostage and conversations forever at parties that I didn't want
to be in ran out of like small talk, and
then you just gave me that permission, and now I
feel like I've gone so much better.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Yeah, it's a good it's a really like a hand
on the shoulder, like yeah, or even I think you
said like I'm gonna mingle a little bit, I'm gonna
do around.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
You have to do it, you have to do it,
so great catching up, I'm gonna go, I'm gonna do
like a little round.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
That's like the personally when people do to me now,
because I'm like, it's not that I'm boring, it's just
like literally, you came to this party to network, like
you have to go say hi to people. Yeah, like
that's fine, yeah, or you want to catch up with
multiple people or whatever.
Speaker 5 (30:11):
Like it's such a great thing, I think, especially.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
I'm sure I told it from someone. I will say
that's about small talk.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I read this the other day that was like you
small talk to get to the big talk, and I
was like ooh, and then whatever I was eating like
went on to sort of say, like you use small
talk to start like be like in your mind, like
pretend like.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
You're kind of an interviewer a little bit and be like, oh, tell.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Me more about that, or like look for the thing
like in the small talk that kind of like excites
it seems like it's exciting them, yeah, or like firing
them up, and then go for that.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
I have that be the next question, like, Oh, you
seem like you really.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Like outdoor stuff, like do you spend a lot of
your family spend a lot of time outdoors?
Speaker 3 (30:56):
Like what are you doing lately? Like that's been outdoors
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
You know.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
I think that's nice because then you get past like.
Speaker 5 (31:03):
The how are your kids?
Speaker 2 (31:04):
You know, and then you get into like oh my gosh,
yeah yeah, you get into like how about this weather?
I also read oh no, Red heard probably on TikTok. Honestly,
let's be real. It was like if you ask someone
what they do, it's like the smallest version of like
what you could ask about them as a curious person.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
Oh like, don't ask, like, avoid the question. I don't
know what you do.
Speaker 5 (31:28):
I don't like I have questions, question. I hate that question.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Lauren ash is so funny about that when she was
like stuck on a plane and someone was like, so
what do you do? And she was like, oh, I'm
an actress and they were like.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
Have I seen you and anything? And she was like, well, have.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
You a question blah blah and they were like no,
I haven't seen that. And then and then I'm retelling
her story. And then they were on the flight and
they found Superstore started watching it and then they were
like it's not for me.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
Can you imagine? Can you imagine I would fly?
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Why I would flag down and be like I have
to make to have to change seats and being harassed. Okay,
really quick, let's do like a tiny touch on nerd
time the nerd.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
I thought this was really interesting.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
A Michigan study that explored the differences seen in the
high school reunions. And this is a quote from the
University of Michigan psychologists Abigail J.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
Stewart. People who leave their.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Hometowns after high school are less likely to have traditional families.
They are drawn to diversity and comfortable with it, and
they're successful at navigating a more impersonal world, which I
think is interesting because it is interesting. There were a
lot of people at my high school reunion that did
stay at home, right, And like, there's nothing wrong with that.
The only thing is, like, if you stay in the
(32:49):
environment that feels safe, when you see or are exposed
to differences, cultural differences, socioeconomic differences, it's scary. Yeah, And
like I think that's where we get that's where like
it gets tricky, right, Like that's where racism, xenophobia, homophobia
comes in, right, because like you haven't been exposed to
(33:11):
or seen other families or friends or groups different than you,
other religions, other cultures, other ways of life, and like that,
I think is the thing that's that I struggle with
at reunions, say even family reunions, where I'm like, you
guys don't see anybody outside of your little circle, yep,
and so you're terrified when I bring up like we
(33:33):
took Ross to Pride, you know, like.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Or like whatever, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, one hundred percent.
I think that's so interesting and it's so true. And
it's like it's like, what is kind of keeping me
on the fence of going to my reunion because all
the people are thinking about I'm like, yeah, they just
stayed near in our same hometown and it's still is
(33:56):
more or less the same, and they haven't left that
bubble and there are I already know, big disagreements there
about general listen.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
Things is how they phrase the house please go to
have your own Romeo Michelle's high school reunion moment.
Speaker 5 (34:13):
Okay, okay, just like pink dress.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Tell everyone you're on the inventor post its and have
your moment and then like hire you should hire a
helicopter to come and pick you up. Yeah, and then
put who was it?
Speaker 3 (34:29):
Who was there? The boyfriend and coming.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
But have him do like a weird prosthetic face like
he does in romy Michelle.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
He's got a weird prosthetic chin or whatever.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
More better?
Speaker 5 (34:44):
Okay, do you?
Speaker 6 (34:45):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (34:46):
What was your takeaways today?
Speaker 6 (34:47):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (34:48):
My takeaways was I love the reframe of small talk.
Speaker 5 (34:52):
That was a big one for me. I'm going to
use that in my life.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
And my takeaways was it like reunions are a mixed
bag of emotions and that's maybe okay, and everybody feels
like that.
Speaker 5 (35:05):
Yeah, what's your takeaways?
Speaker 3 (35:07):
My takeaway is that Cassie still sucks.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
You can about her last name, just thinking about I
don't think about her often, but oh this brought it,
brought it up, and I don't like Kassie.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
I don't like you.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
My other takeaway was that I'm I'm like pretty good
at reunions, like even family ones, as long as I
stay calm and like don't like take people for what
they are in the moment and like give them the
benefit of the doubt of like and also give myself
the benefit of the doubt, which is like I get
to go home after this, Like I don't have to.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
It doesn't have to continue past this brunch.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
You're more better.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
At reunions than me. I think I get to that's
why we're doing this. Yeah, that's literally why we're doing this.
Yeah all right, all right, great, okay, see you next week.
Speaker 5 (35:56):
Friends.
Speaker 6 (35:56):
Bye bye.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
You have something you'd like to be more better at
that you want us to talk about in a future episode.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Can you relate to our struggles or have you tried
one of our tips and tricks?
Speaker 5 (36:07):
Shoot us your.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
Thoughts and ideas at Morebetter pod at gmail dot com
and include a voice note if you want to be
featured on the pod. Ooh, More Better with Stephanie Melissa
as a production from WZ Sound and iHeartMedia's Mike Kuntura
podcast network, hosted by Me, Stephanie Beatriz and Melissa Fumero.
Speaker 3 (36:24):
More Better is.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
Produced by ISIS Madrid and Sophie Spencer Zabos.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
Our executive producers are Stephanie Beatrice, myself, Melissa Famarro, along
with Wilmore Valderrama and Leo Clem at WV Sound and
ISIS Madrid.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
This episode was edited by ISIS Madrid and engineered by
Sean Tracy and features original music by Madison Devenport and Heyloboy.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
Our cover art is by vincent Remy's and photography by
David Abolos. For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.
Speaker 5 (36:53):
Listen to your favorite shows.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
See you next week, Saga, Bye, Allan Tokitomas Mahor
How did you feel at your reunion about people like,
I don't know, being weird or making a big deal
over like your career, or yeah, you fucking loved it.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Here's what I loved that I could tell that the
people that were not very nice to me in high school,
I could tell that they had an issue with it,
which is like, wow, you're still holding on too, like
some kind of like weird competition.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Whereas like I was just like, was it like comments, I'm.
Speaker 4 (00:28):
Like, wow, it's so good to see you.
Speaker 5 (00:31):
My god, you're doing so well.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
It wasn't even that. It was like what do you
do again? And I was like, bitch, you I know.
Speaker 6 (00:39):
More Better, More, Better, Better More.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Welcome to More Better a podcast where we stop pretending
to have it all together and embrace it's the.
Speaker 5 (01:00):
Journey of becoming a little more better every day.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Or at least trying to. That's most of a marrow,
and that's the many futures and here we are. And guys,
if you're listening to this on your iHeart app or
iTunes or wherever you listen to your podcast, you can
also watch us now. Yeah, because this particular episode is
going to be on the internet.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
It's a special IRL episode. Look at that?
Speaker 5 (01:21):
What have you done?
Speaker 6 (01:21):
Like that?
Speaker 3 (01:21):
It's more better? Oh?
Speaker 5 (01:23):
What have I done lately? That is more better.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I feel like I got a bit of a break
with like cooking and figuring out what's for dinner during
the summer, and so I feel rejuvenated.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
And I've been this.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
This is not a sponsored as, but it is a
plug New York Times cooking app.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Oh is it worth it?
Speaker 6 (01:45):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (01:46):
I am a big fan. They have so many like
I like that I can just be like, I don't know,
I've got chicken thighs, Like what kind of maybe chicken
thiye is? And like and then all these yummy and
there's so many of their recipes are like fast and easy?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Can you ask not that I use it, But can't
you ask chat GPT the same thing?
Speaker 5 (02:02):
I could?
Speaker 1 (02:04):
And that probably I'm just not on the chat GBT train.
Yet I'm not on that train either.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
I refuse to get in bed.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
I know me too.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
But then she's gonna be.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Like, hey girl, there's sale going on over here, right
if you wanted to set some of your money, I
know you don't have this.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
And this and this. I know you've been looking at
fill those holes in your fall wardrobe.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
I have been very tempted, because I do get decision
fatigue when it comes to dinner after I don't have
it right now, I've been more better at not letting
myself get overwhelmed. It's not that big a deal. It's
just dinner. If you feel like making something more involved, great,
if you don't just slap something on a plate.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
We're having chicken nuggets tonight. Great. I love it. Yeah,
I've been like less judgy.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
I think you're not mad at having to cook dinner
and you're into this app.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Do you have to have a New York Times?
Speaker 5 (02:52):
I think you did a descriptions. Yeah, I don't. I
can't have it on my phone anymore because I got
so depressed.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Oh I mean the new was yeah, reading about the.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
World being on fire, yeah, civil rights being you know.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Yeah, I mean anyway, you know what, you.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Didn't come here for this, Yeah, I mean you should
try to make the world more better, that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Yes, well that's good. I'm not going to do it.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
I took New York Times app off my phone last night,
literally last Oh really, I have to ta get off.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
I was furious.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
Yeah, I know, I hear you.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
I've been avoiding reading articles and just like doing the
cooking app and.
Speaker 5 (03:28):
Like wordle okay, okay, yeah, what have you? What about you?
What have you done?
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Mormalized the feature on the iPhone. I don't know if
other phones have this, but you know the new feature
on the iPhone. We can send the text later.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
Oh I keep forgetting about that match.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
It's such a good featuring.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I was so mad at Brad because I was trying
to have this like interaction with Raz. She was kind
of starting to whine. She's like in a whiny pace,
so she was starting to whine about like can't you.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Take me to school? Why can't you take me? Can't
you just walk into the car me? Mom has to
take the biggest poop of my life. And I'm like
talking to her like I have to go to the bathroom.
I can't walk me to the car.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
And Brad's like, we gotta go, we gotta go, and
I'm like, Rad, I have to talk to her about this.
I can't just be like yeah, I'm trying to, like
I'm what I'm doing is trying to parent and like
not be like your feelings don't matter. We have to
get somewhere on time, which is how I grew up,
which is like get in the car. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
And like obviously I want to teach my kid that
(04:30):
everybody's time. She needs to respect other people's time, right,
Like that's the stepping stone that we're gonna.
Speaker 5 (04:35):
Get to eventually.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Yeah, but the first thing is like I love you
even though I can't take you to the car right now,
and you're not going to get what you want just
by whining and repeating yourself.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I'm gonna stick to my guns here.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
And so like Brad made me really upset because he.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Was like, let's go, let's go, like out the door,
like hovering and yelling kind of not yelling, but.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Oh yeah yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
So I wrote them this really angry.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Text message and then I stopped and I was like,
send it in fifteen minutes, and then I had time
to like edit it so that.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
It was kinder and more.
Speaker 6 (05:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
When you hear what I wrote, Yeah, you hear what
I wrote.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
You guys what I wrote? Yeah, I was.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Like, it is incredibly upsetting to have a timer above
my head when I'm trying to talk to ros and
teach her lessons about life. I understand that she needs
to be at school at a certain time, but you
standing over both of us and repeating we gotta go,
we gotta go is really rude. If it means we
need to start getting her up earlier, getting to bed earlier,
whatever it is that's not working, that will allow us
time to parent her in the morning. That would be better,
(05:34):
because on the mornings that I'm around, I don't want
to feel belittled when I'm just trying to spend time
with ros or work through something with her. That's not
what it originally said, that right, What I really said
was like, oh fuck you.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
Yeah, But I used to back off in the morning.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
I used the timer thing, and I was like, really
proud of myself because it gave me a moment to
take a breath and be like, is this what I
actually want to express to this man who I love,
who was only really looking out for my family, What
I really want to express is this? Yeah, So I
gave I did a more better argument text.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Yeah, which always very proud of that is that's huge.
Hue by the wall, by the way, welcome to the
chaos of mornings.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
It's really difficult.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
It's the only thing that makes me feel better about
it is that I don't know a parent who doesn't
have a rough time in the morning. You know, I
can see that there's most days.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Some stuff that like I'm missing out, Like I'm like,
this morning, I was like, it.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Takes fifteen minutes for her to choose what clothes.
Speaker 5 (06:38):
She's gonna wear.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Right, I can do that the night before, Like we
can make it like fun fashion time, you know, and
that will cut down on some of it.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
And also she's like me, I'm like, Brad turns on
the light and is like.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Good morning, and I'm like yeah, literally, like, well hiss
when he pulls the blinds out.
Speaker 6 (06:59):
More better?
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Okay, So what we are we talking about today?
Speaker 6 (07:04):
Ah?
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Jin Hey, it's almost like we hang out a lot.
We're talking about reunions, reunion because we're coming up on
like a lot of gatherings, yes, holidays. We have a
friend gathering next week, actually doing a friend gathering next week.
There's a lot of stuff that's happening right now that
like whether it's like seeing people that you haven't seen
(07:27):
for a long time, seeing family that you haven't seen
for a long time, friends from.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Home, Oh, those are always the I've got a high.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
School reunion coming up in November.
Speaker 6 (07:38):
What year?
Speaker 1 (07:39):
I think like twenty five because I think we missed
our twentieth because it was.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
A lot of time.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
Yeah, are you going to go? I don't know to go.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
I loved going to mine.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
You did, yes, I was obsessed with the idea of it.
I was like, I'm getting a outfit and getting choes
my hair.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Gum, I'm doing my makeup.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Did you go to your tenure? Oh yeah, that would
have been no, okay, ye went to a later one
I went to like it was I think it was
twenty okay, And it was at a It was at
a what is.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
That place where you go like play video games, and like, oh,
David Buster, David Busters. It was a David Bussers and
like someone there was complaining about She was like, I
don't know why this is a damn Busters And I
was like, because no one wanted to organize this, like right,
nobody wanted to be like we're having a cad or
sit down dinner.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Please stop complaining. Yeah, well, not name names, but.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
She was like that in high school, did you guys
have like a party room like they do for kids birthday?
Speaker 6 (08:37):
It was a party.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
It was very brightly lit. That was the only problem,
Like it could have been less for kid's birthday. It was,
it couldn't been less brightly lit.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
But it was fine, Like people were like and then
people went to bar afterwards, Okay, it's totally fine. It
was also like, you know, people were in their cups,
as we usually are.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
I was like restraining myself because I didn't want to
get slip sloppy.
Speaker 5 (08:56):
Yep, yep yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
And I found it incredibly gratifying as someone who blossomed
at the end of high school.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
I was like, you were like, yes, here I am.
Speaker 5 (09:11):
This is what I like feeling.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
I'm super success.
Speaker 5 (09:16):
What's your name again?
Speaker 3 (09:18):
I'm not gonna lie. I'm not gonna lie. I'm not
gonna lie.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
I don't again, I won't name names. I went to
high school in Texas and went to a big public
high school. You know, everyone says like, oh, once you
leave high school, like things are different, and like sometimes
they are, but sometimes they're not. Sometimes they're not because
people are establishing themselves as like the beginnings of grown
ups right when you're in high school and there's a
(09:43):
lot of stuff about like hierarchy and image and who
you align yourselves with and how you network and how
your friends and what kind of like how you project
as a person, like what do you wear, what kind
of like which click are you in?
Speaker 3 (09:58):
How friendly are friendly?
Speaker 5 (10:00):
Are you right?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
And like part of that is like the Queen Bee stuff,
which is really hard.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
In high school, it's really hard. The cleaning stuff is really.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Tricky, and most of the time it's very beautiful young
women that are also very smart, that oftentimes are very talented.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Well, I can't wait to hear about who you are
gonna see.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
But I think like what for me what was satisfying
about going back was like I did the thing that
I wanted to do, Like in high school, I started
acting like this was the first time that I was
acting yeah, And so like going back to my high
school reunion, I was like, I'm proud of what I've
not just because like I'm on TV, although that did help,
but like because people had seen the show, but also
(10:48):
like I had done the career that I had chosen.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
I was like, I did.
Speaker 5 (10:52):
I like that?
Speaker 1 (10:53):
And I'm also stracurricular you were always doing yeah, talking
about and yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
And I was excited to see people that like you know,
I'm just thinking of this friend that There were two
friends that I saw at the reunion, Martin, who was
this really really smart kid. He was super super nice,
and also Issha. Both of them I saw again at
the reunion and it was like it was just so
(11:18):
nice because like I hadn't connected with them in a
really long time and they're not people that I necessarily
kept in touch with, but like I was so happy
to see them because like Martin was married to a
girl that we went to high school with, Jenny. Issha
was like doing like living her life, and like you know,
it was just like really cool. And then subsequently I've
like kind of kept in touch with them a little bit,
(11:40):
like especially Eisha, but like Martin's kid was like really
obsessed with Ngumhas. I like sent her a poster like you.
And also I saw Cassie. Cassie was about she was
exceptionally beautiful at a time when I just is not.
(12:00):
I was like, I mean, I mean it was there
was a lot going on.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Here's the thing though, that no one ever talks about,
is like you don't want to peak in high school?
Speaker 5 (12:11):
No, you really don't, really don't really all the people
that peaked in high school.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
It's rough, it's not the same. It's situation.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
It's really a lot of them living vicariously through their children,
which I saw quite a bit of a the reunion.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
I was like, oh oh, okay, okay, okay, yeah, like
a lot of girls.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
So there's this thing in Texas and I think a
lot of the time in the South called drill team.
And now it's not drill team with the flags. Okay, right,
So drill team is based on the Kilgore rainerets, which
are like a kick line. So imagine when the Dallas
the DCC when they do their kickline.
Speaker 5 (12:48):
Uh huh.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
That's what drill team is. It's like organized dancing on
a field. But it's not true leading.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Okay, it's dance crazure to like the Rockets, yes, got it, yes,
and like all forms of dance.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
So they do it at halftime at football games. Okay.
And I was on drill team for my sophomore year.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
Yeah you were.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
And then once I.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Started doing theater, my drill team instructor she was like, well,
you can't do both, and I was like, oh, well,
I guess I'm doing theater.
Speaker 5 (13:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
And so the girls that rare and Drels team were
really really obsessed with being on drill team. That was
our whole personality.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
And a lot of them their daughters are also now
a lot of them stayed so like a lot of them.
Their daughters are also on drill team. Again, not that
there's anything wrong with them. I don't know that, but
I do feel like if you're if your entire life
is poured into your child, yeah, or your entire Like
I think it's cute sometimes when people are like me
(13:45):
and my mini me, right, they're like, yeah, I don't.
I personally don't think of Roz as my mini me
because like she's her own person. Like I like, even
this morning, I was like, what if you wear this
like cool like vintage Pinafore that I bought you. She's like, no,
I don't like that. Yeah, And I was.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Like, You're like, a what can I do? Like you're
your own person. I don't want to like force you
to wear shit that like you don't like.
Speaker 6 (14:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Anyway, I loved going to my high school reunion. Okay,
I highly recommend you go. I feel like you need
to look fabulous, you know what I mean, Like you
need to like you need to feel super confident.
Speaker 5 (14:20):
What did you wear to yours?
Speaker 2 (14:22):
I need to know this, like black and white short
mini recreation dress and little black mules. And I had
just gotten my haircut and like my makeup looked pretty good.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
I think, Okay, yeah, okay, but.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Like you want to be comfortable, yeah, any renion honestly,
like you never want to wear something that you're like,
I don't know, I've never worn this, or like you
try it on before you you need to try on outfits. Yea,
it needs to be well yeah if I thought.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
It's also like it's in New Jersey, I need to
like fly there, like yeah, everything has to be like
set and planned.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
And it's kind of like you're making a first impression again,
you know, because they've not They don't.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
They haven't.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
You haven't met this version of them, and they haven't
met this version of you. True, there's elements that will
be the same. Like Brad and I went to his
twenty year high school re union. First of all, that
was amazing because everybody was so nice. It was such
I've never seen that before. He went to a small school, okay,
and everyone.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Knew each other.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
They were all friendly, like all the clicks, like all
got along with each other.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
It was really like an idyllic situation.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
And all the girls were like super friendly to me,
like no one was weird.
Speaker 5 (15:32):
It was no, it was a energy.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
No, it was just like, oh, Brad, we're so happy.
Speaker 5 (15:36):
To see It was so nice.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
I mean, my high school is a little bit like
that because it was a smaller school or class was
only like one hundred and fifty people. I know, it
was a small public, but it was a small town
like all the all the schools are pretty small.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
Yeah. And so you know, I have my one.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Childhood bestie that I've always been close to, and then
the like group of people that we hung out with
in high school. She still kind of sees them and
is friends with them, And that's probably who I would
like spend most of them night with because some of them,
like we were so so close in high school and college.
But I sort of feel like i'm more or less
(16:15):
like you know what I mean, because I've picked tabs
on those people through my childhood bestie Elena, and.
Speaker 5 (16:24):
I don't know if I care to see everybody else.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
But here's the big thing. It's the energy of the moment.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
But it would be nice to see the group of friends.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
It's like, because the difference between going to like oh
I'll see them at that thing and then like going
to a Christmas party at someone's house.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Right, you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (16:39):
Like it's the energy of like, this is the gathering,
this is the moment, we're doing it now. As I
was like, we're all going to a bar on this Saturday,
how did you feel.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
At your reunion about people like, I don't know, being
weird or making a big deal over like your career
or yeah, you fucking loved it.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
That's what I loved that I could tell that the
people that were not very nice to me in high school,
I could tell that they had an issue with it,
which is like, wow, you're still holding on too, like
some kind of like weird competition.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Whereas like I was just like, was it like comments, I'm.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
Like, wow, it's so good to see you.
Speaker 5 (17:18):
My god, you're doing so well.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
It wasn't even that it was like what do you
do again?
Speaker 1 (17:23):
And I was like, bitch, I know, yeah. It was
kind of like you know some when you went to
high school. When she asked me that I was any
when you went to high school with if they're like
super rich or famous in any way, like you know
about it.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Also social media, like and like social media, we all
keep tabs on each other.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Most they're like a old traveler, like anything that's like
out of the norm or box, like you fucking know
about it.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
She was like what do you do again? And I
was like, God, wow.
Speaker 5 (17:49):
Honestly, kudos though they're having the ball that's ballsy. That
she was in her cups, that's ballsy.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
She was always kind of like that, Yeah, I mean,
you know, it's it's interesting.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
The world really rewards.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
Like where did she learn that from? Like was her
mom like that? And then I started having I start
having follow up questions.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
I know, I never and I was always like not,
I didn't know her well.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
She was just like this, like you know, person who
had a lot of like social power because of like
how she looked and how much sure you know, access
to whatever she had.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
More more, what about family reunions?
Speaker 5 (18:36):
I get I was just planning one last night.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
You're planning a family not a reunion, Like okay reunion
because like my family doesn't do like the forty people
or whatever.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
But so my aunt lives in Barankia.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
My dad's sister, and out of my dad's five siblings,
only two or left my dad. My dad passed away,
but like his brother and his sister are left. His
brother lives in New Orleans. So what we're gonna do
is fly the SSE out to New Orleans.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
We're gonna meet her there. We're gonna do like five
days in New Orleans.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Cute, and then hopefully my cousins who live in Texas
will join us and we'll just like go do stuff,
and then the SS will fly here with us and
be here for a month in a yeah good, And
like I'm nervous and excited.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
I love the SS.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
She's so funny and weird, and she doesn't speak any English,
and she like eats like a bird. She always just
wants like to drink a Coca Cola. And my sister
loves her because they cook together, even though the SSE
barely eats to like cook a bunch of stuff.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Roz freaking loves her. Oh my mom loves her. The
gossip all the time.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
What I'm nervous about is being in New Orleans, because
I love New Orleans. But my aunt and uncle that
live there, they're a little nervous about everything.
Speaker 5 (20:00):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
They live like in a suburb of New Orleans and
like they barely go into the city. Oh, I see,
so I was trying to plan. I mean, family redions
are stressful because somebody has to plan. Yes, someone has
to take it upon themselves to plan.
Speaker 5 (20:16):
And it's good for you.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Normally it's me yeah, okay, And like, I don't know
if that's like older sister behavior or what.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Like I asked my sister. I was like, how many
days you want to stay? She was like I don't know.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
I was like, oh my god, gave me like something, Jenny. Yeah.
And then I was also like, do you want to
share a hotel room while we're there?
Speaker 3 (20:35):
And she was like yeah. And then I looked at
her and I was.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
Like, you know what, we're grown ups and.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
I really value our relationship, and I think we should
have separate rooms because, like, I know what's going to
happen if we share the same room. That's the thing
about family is that you go back to these patterns
that you had that were established so young. So when
you're around everybody, yes, it becomes.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
I'm a more annoying version of myself.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Yeah, I'm like soul control, What are your what do
you turn into? What do you mean like annoying?
Speaker 1 (21:09):
I feel like I'm just like too easily like set off.
I'm like snappy a little bit, you know, and I'm
just like why did you say that? Like you know,
it's like I turned into the little sister, like the yeah,
you know, and I'm like a little bit argumentative and
I don't know. I feel like in my everyday life,
(21:31):
I'm like chill, go with the flow. Like it takes
a lot to like poke me or like trigger me.
And then for some reason, you get me around my family,
who I love and I get along with really, but
you know, my brother will say like one thing to
me and I'm like the fuck do you mean by that?
Speaker 3 (21:47):
And I'm like smacking him and I'm like why did
I just hit you?
Speaker 6 (21:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Like yeah, but if your established pattern, you think like
I think so yeah, It's like you know, I was
always I was a little sister and I was it's
like always I feel like trying to fight for my
voice to be heard and like you know, being like.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
I'm here, I have thoughts too, and like did.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
Anyone ask me?
Speaker 1 (22:08):
Like I feel like my family will make plans sometimes
without asking me, and I'll be like, would you get oh,
you'd not ask me?
Speaker 5 (22:15):
Like I don't know. It doesn't always happen that way, but.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Sometimes is there is there like like this year, are
you guys gonna go do reunion style like Thanksgiving or Christmas?
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Or like, are are your plans to go there? Are
they coming here?
Speaker 6 (22:30):
Like?
Speaker 1 (22:31):
No, hopefully they come here. I've sort of while my
kids are little, have gotten very I'm like, I want
my kids to wake up in their house on Christmas morning.
I want you know.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Are you saying that, You're like I want this, Like yeah, i.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Are tradition, our tradition, and everyone is invited and everyone
can join. But I'm just like the putting them on
a plane and going to a hot place and shipping
gifts and like and then it's not the thing. I
realized too. Love my mom, love my mother in law.
They're great mother. There's they had dinky, little fucking Christmas
(23:03):
trees out and like one decoration. Oh no, And I
just had this moment where I was like, oh, they
already did this, right, They're kids, right, I can't get
mad at them for not going full out on Christmas.
Speaker 5 (23:17):
Magic for my kids.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
You have to be the one that does it.
Speaker 1 (23:20):
I have to be the one that does that. And
I'm gonna do that at home, and I do. I
decorate the shit out of our house, like I get
a big Christmas tree, Like I go for it because
they're my kids and it's my time, you know what
I mean. So I'm just like, yeah, I just the
last time we did it, I was like, oh yeah, no,
I want a bigger thing for my kids on Christmas morning.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Yeah, And I can't expect two women that.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Already did it for years and years and years, and
I'm not going to have that make them feel bad
that they didn't try harder to make Christmas a big
deal or special or there the grandma's let's say, I
like to do better exactly what I'm gonna make. They
buy a bunch of more like more decorations, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
Like that's my thing.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Yeah, so yeah, so I'm more like, but I would
love you know, are ever since we left New York
and my parents retired and left New Jersey, all of
my cousins in New York that used to come to
my parents' house for nochahuena, like the younger cousins have
actually started to get together Foruena or like Notouena, but
(24:28):
like the week of Christmas they do a little Christmas
dinner you And I'm so nostalgic for that whole side
of the family to be together that I've been like,
at some point, maybe we can figure out like a
family reunion thing where maybe we find a retreat place
or someplace in New York. And because most people are there,
and but it's hard.
Speaker 5 (24:49):
It's hard.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
There's so many of us, and there's a lot of
moving parts. There's a lot of moving parts. The younger
ones are now not so like they're getting married, they're
starting to have babies too, and like so the families
grow and it just all feels very overwhelming and complicated.
Speaker 5 (25:03):
But I feel like the.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
So this this is what I think, Like this is
why we're doing this thing where the ss he's coming,
and like what we're doing is just we'll try it
and see for works, right, Yeah, Like what we're saying
is like we want to bring her, Like we're gonna
buy her ticket.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Yeah, she's coming on these days.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yeah, and if you guys want to see her, like
she'll be here on these days and they're happy to
plan a brunch, you know, because I think my aunt
and uncle are nervous about being in the French quarter
at night.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
So I was like, why don't they come in the daytime?
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Like that way they feel kind of safe and like
it's just like it's just lunch in the middle of
the day, you know, and like it's not a big trip.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
They don't have to go anywhere. We make it easy
for them, right, and like we're not.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I think the thing about reunions is like there are
a lot like when you think of like reunion, like
it's a lot of work, right, Like throwing a party
is a lot of work. Like you do a Christmas
party almost every year. We didn't do it last year,
what we're going to do it this year?
Speaker 3 (26:01):
And like it's a lot of work. But it's also like, hey, we're.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Doing it on this day and if you can make
it cool, we're going to be Uh. People are welcome
to come between like two and we'll be going until midnight,
you know, and like whenever you're down to come. It's
like that like making it more flexible, I think is
easier for people because like a high school reunion that's
(26:26):
like on a certain day and you have to fly
like that's the.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Hard part of that.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Yeah, right, Like it's very I mean even just like
our friend dinner that we're doing, like.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
That was, oh my god, it was like who's schedule?
And when our one.
Speaker 5 (26:39):
Find out what free Wednesday night? Jesus.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
More more, do you guys, do ever do like matching
Jammy's or anything on Christmas?
Speaker 5 (26:57):
I do like to do matching.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Jammy I feel like I'm the one that's so into
it and I'm forcing the rest of the family to
do it, but there super.
Speaker 5 (27:06):
Happy when they get into Jammy's.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
We did themed Jammy's last year, so like everyone had
like their own color, but they were the those like
fancy cotton like.
Speaker 5 (27:18):
No, no, no, yeah. But like I got us really
soft soft.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Ones last year that were a big hit with the family,
and even Rosie got like a little donky one.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
Yeah that's cute.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
What about like, Okay, this is more for like high
school union style or like family extended family maybe the
or parties. Do you do small talk? Like are you
into small I mean, like I know we all do
small talk.
Speaker 5 (27:40):
We all do small talk.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
I'm interested to hear what your thoughts are, ok, I
think because I have strong opinions.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
Okay, I know you do.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
I have general I think anxiety, social anxiety about any
type of like gathering, wedding event.
Speaker 5 (27:56):
You know this, you've been in events with me.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
I think one piece of it is small talk makes
me feel more anxious, because I feel like dumb when
I'm making small talk and I I don't know, I
just I'm I'm and then I get bored and and
(28:20):
I just I'm not good at I don't I don't
like it.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
I don't like it.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
The best times I've had at any work event or
any dinner or whatever is like when you end up
having like this random deep talk with somebody that you
just met, Like, I fucking live for that. I love
I'm like exhilarated by it. I love it so much.
I'm I'm literally the type of person that you could
come I could come up to you at a party
and be like, oh, it's nice to meet you, and
(28:45):
you'd be like sorry, I'm like so out of it,
like my mom just died, and I won't leave that conversation.
Speaker 5 (28:51):
Yeah you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Like Sam, and yeah, so I don't know small talk,
but we all do it.
Speaker 5 (28:58):
I mean, it's fine. It's it's you know.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
And you actually helped me get better at getting out
of small talk too, Like let that that's a skill
too that I tried to get better at, and I
feel like that's a good one to have for like
high school reunions.
Speaker 5 (29:14):
You gave me like some kind of line.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
Of I have to go, oh oh, not even that
of just like oh, well, it was so great catching
up with you, like so yeah, to see you like
I'm gonna go and then just like whatever it could
be like I'm gonna go to the bathroom, I'm gonna go.
Speaker 5 (29:27):
Get another drink.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
The escape I'm gonna yeah, the escape line.
Speaker 5 (29:31):
Yeah. I used to just feel held.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
Hostage and conversations forever at parties that I didn't want
to be in ran out of like small talk, and
then you just gave me that permission, and now I
feel like I've gone so much better.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Yeah, it's a good it's a really like a hand
on the shoulder, like yeah, or even I think you
said like I'm gonna mingle a little bit, I'm gonna
do around.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
You have to do it, you have to do it,
so great catching up, I'm gonna go, I'm gonna do
like a little round.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
That's like the personally when people do to me now,
because I'm like, it's not that I'm boring, it's just
like literally, you came to this party to network, like
you have to go say hi to people. Yeah, like
that's fine, yeah, or you want to catch up with
multiple people or whatever.
Speaker 5 (30:11):
Like it's such a great thing, I think, especially.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
I'm sure I told it from someone. I will say
that's about small talk.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I read this the other day that was like you
small talk to get to the big talk, and I
was like ooh, and then whatever I was eating like
went on to sort of say, like you use small
talk to start like be like in your mind, like
pretend like.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
You're kind of an interviewer a little bit and be like, oh, tell.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Me more about that, or like look for the thing
like in the small talk that kind of like excites
it seems like it's exciting them, yeah, or like firing
them up, and then go for that.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
I have that be the next question, like, Oh, you
seem like you really.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Like outdoor stuff, like do you spend a lot of
your family spend a lot of time outdoors?
Speaker 3 (30:56):
Like what are you doing lately? Like that's been outdoors
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
You know.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
I think that's nice because then you get past like.
Speaker 5 (31:03):
The how are your kids?
Speaker 2 (31:04):
You know, and then you get into like oh my gosh,
yeah yeah, you get into like how about this weather?
I also read oh no, Red heard probably on TikTok. Honestly,
let's be real. It was like if you ask someone
what they do, it's like the smallest version of like
what you could ask about them as a curious person.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
Oh like, don't ask, like, avoid the question. I don't
know what you do.
Speaker 5 (31:28):
I don't like I have questions, question. I hate that question.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Lauren ash is so funny about that when she was
like stuck on a plane and someone was like, so
what do you do? And she was like, oh, I'm
an actress and they were like.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
Have I seen you and anything? And she was like, well, have.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
You a question blah blah and they were like no,
I haven't seen that. And then and then I'm retelling
her story. And then they were on the flight and
they found Superstore started watching it and then they were
like it's not for me.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
Can you imagine? Can you imagine I would fly?
Speaker 2 (31:59):
Why I would flag down and be like I have
to make to have to change seats and being harassed. Okay,
really quick, let's do like a tiny touch on nerd
time the nerd.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
I thought this was really interesting.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
A Michigan study that explored the differences seen in the
high school reunions. And this is a quote from the
University of Michigan psychologists Abigail J.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
Stewart. People who leave their.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Hometowns after high school are less likely to have traditional families.
They are drawn to diversity and comfortable with it, and
they're successful at navigating a more impersonal world, which I
think is interesting because it is interesting. There were a
lot of people at my high school reunion that did
stay at home, right, And like, there's nothing wrong with that.
The only thing is, like, if you stay in the
(32:49):
environment that feels safe, when you see or are exposed
to differences, cultural differences, socioeconomic differences, it's scary. Yeah, And
like I think that's where we get that's where like
it gets tricky, right, Like that's where racism, xenophobia, homophobia
comes in, right, because like you haven't been exposed to
(33:11):
or seen other families or friends or groups different than you,
other religions, other cultures, other ways of life, and like that,
I think is the thing that's that I struggle with
at reunions, say even family reunions, where I'm like, you
guys don't see anybody outside of your little circle, yep,
and so you're terrified when I bring up like we
(33:33):
took Ross to Pride, you know, like.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Or like whatever, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, one hundred percent.
I think that's so interesting and it's so true. And
it's like it's like, what is kind of keeping me
on the fence of going to my reunion because all
the people are thinking about I'm like, yeah, they just
stayed near in our same hometown and it's still is
(33:56):
more or less the same, and they haven't left that
bubble and there are I already know, big disagreements there
about general listen.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
Things is how they phrase the house please go to
have your own Romeo Michelle's high school reunion moment.
Speaker 5 (34:13):
Okay, okay, just like pink dress.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Tell everyone you're on the inventor post its and have
your moment and then like hire you should hire a
helicopter to come and pick you up. Yeah, and then
put who was it?
Speaker 3 (34:29):
Who was there? The boyfriend and coming.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
But have him do like a weird prosthetic face like
he does in romy Michelle.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
He's got a weird prosthetic chin or whatever.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
More better?
Speaker 5 (34:44):
Okay, do you?
Speaker 6 (34:45):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (34:46):
What was your takeaways today?
Speaker 6 (34:47):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (34:48):
My takeaways was I love the reframe of small talk.
Speaker 5 (34:52):
That was a big one for me. I'm going to
use that in my life.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
And my takeaways was it like reunions are a mixed
bag of emotions and that's maybe okay, and everybody feels
like that.
Speaker 5 (35:05):
Yeah, what's your takeaways?
Speaker 3 (35:07):
My takeaway is that Cassie still sucks.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
You can about her last name, just thinking about I
don't think about her often, but oh this brought it,
brought it up, and I don't like Kassie.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
I don't like you.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
My other takeaway was that I'm I'm like pretty good
at reunions, like even family ones, as long as I
stay calm and like don't like take people for what
they are in the moment and like give them the
benefit of the doubt of like and also give myself
the benefit of the doubt, which is like I get
to go home after this, Like I don't have to.
Speaker 3 (35:42):
It doesn't have to continue past this brunch.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
You're more better.
Speaker 1 (35:46):
At reunions than me. I think I get to that's
why we're doing this. Yeah, that's literally why we're doing this.
Yeah all right, all right, great, okay, see you next week.
Speaker 5 (35:56):
Friends.
Speaker 6 (35:56):
Bye bye.
Speaker 2 (36:00):
You have something you'd like to be more better at
that you want us to talk about in a future episode.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Can you relate to our struggles or have you tried
one of our tips and tricks?
Speaker 5 (36:07):
Shoot us your.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
Thoughts and ideas at Morebetter pod at gmail dot com
and include a voice note if you want to be
featured on the pod. Ooh, More Better with Stephanie Melissa
as a production from WZ Sound and iHeartMedia's Mike Kuntura
podcast network, hosted by Me, Stephanie Beatriz and Melissa Fumero.
Speaker 3 (36:24):
More Better is.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
Produced by ISIS Madrid and Sophie Spencer Zabos.
Speaker 1 (36:28):
Our executive producers are Stephanie Beatrice, myself, Melissa Famarro, along
with Wilmore Valderrama and Leo Clem at WV Sound and
ISIS Madrid.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
This episode was edited by ISIS Madrid and engineered by
Sean Tracy and features original music by Madison Devenport and Heyloboy.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
Our cover art is by vincent Remy's and photography by
David Abolos. For more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.
Speaker 5 (36:53):
Listen to your favorite shows.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
See you next week, Saga, Bye, Allan Tokitomas Mahor
Hosts And Creators
Stephanie Beatriz
Melissa Fumero
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