New Year New Beginnings: Cheers to Change and Growth

💡 Key Discussion Points:

Blaine, Ryan, and Reed kick off the New Year with a candid recap of the holidays, including the ups and downs of Friendsgiving, New Year's Eve drama, and a hilarious White Elephant gift exchange. 🎁

The crew dives deep into personal resolutions for 2025, focusing on self-care, mindful drinking, and tackling big goals while staying authentic. ✨

Blaine shares his thoughts on Dry January and how mindful practices like Allan Carr's The Easy Way to Quit Smoking have shaped his habits. 🚭

Don't miss the fun game at the end where the crew hilariously reflects on quirky quotes from past episodes! 🎮

🎧 Episode Breakdown:

[00:00:00] 🎙️ Introduction: Blaine reflects on the team's holiday adventures and shares their goal to make Coffee with Gays more consistent in 2025.

[00:05:12] ☕ Holiday Chaos Recap: From Friendsgiving drama to New Year's Eve mishaps, the crew shares personal highlights and lessons learned. Blaine recounts an awkward moment introducing a new date to the group during NYE festivities. 🥂

[00:15:47] 🎁 White Elephant Gift Exchange: A Costco blanket becomes the most stolen gift, and Ryan's infamous charcuterie board sparks plenty of laughs.

[00:25:10] 🥂 Dry January & Alcohol Habits: Blaine and Ryan discuss their relationship with alcohol and why Dry January feels like a fresh start after a festive (and boozy) season.

[00:35:32] 🚭 Quitting Smoking: Blaine opens up about using Allan Carr's The Easy Way to Quit Smoking and how it has helped him embrace healthier habits.

[00:45:18] ✨ 2025 Resolutions: The team outlines their goals for the year, including Blaine's commitment to creating more podcast content, Ryan's massage therapy progress, and Reed's focus on personal growth.

[00:58:00] 🎮 Game Time: The episode closes with a hilarious game segment where the crew reflects on quirky quotes from previous episodes, offering laughs and nostalgia for long-time listeners.

[01:05:00] 🏁 Closing Thoughts: The crew reflects on their shared journey, their excitement for 2025, and their gratitude for listeners who continue to support Coffee with Gays.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We're going to be the loud ones.
We're willing to speak out.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
I'm not politically correct.
If you want the truth.

Speaker 3 (00:05):
I'll give it to you.
We're going to start havingthis wine.
Maybe we'll show some truecolors.

Speaker 1 (00:13):
Well, welcome to a new episode of Coffee with Gaze
in the new year.
Happy 2025, crew.
So glad to be here.
I'm Blaine, I'm Ryan and I'mReed and we are here in 2025
with a whole bunch of New Year'sresolutions and we wanted to go
over our holidays and I'm goingto say first off for our New

(00:36):
Year's resolution for Coffeewith Gabe is we are going to
keep this consistent this year.
I think one thing we've learnedis making content is really hard
, especially with three verybusy schedules, but I think we
really want to commit to thispodcast and to making new,

(00:57):
interesting content in the newyear, and we are going to do
this thing and make it happen.
I think you know there's been alot of talk around alternative
forms of, you know, ideas andthoughts, and we want to be a
part of that conversation, whichwas the whole reason we started
this in the first place.
So we are committed and we aregoing to make this our top New
Year's resolution.

(01:17):
At least I am.
Ryan and Reed are all aboutthis as well, so we're really
excited for 2025.

Speaker 3 (01:24):
Coming up this spring .
Two years ago we did our photoshoot as we launched it.
So I mean, that was kind ofreally the launch that got us
all into that initial brandingand our website and the color
scheme and all that.
So that's only a couple monthsfrom being a two year
anniversary.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
Yeah.
So you know, what I've beenreally encouraged by is just all
the audio downloads we stillget and the people that still
come up to us and ask us like,when are we going to do another
episode?
So I keep saying we are goingto do it.
We are also starting to editourselves.
We found some really goodsoftware to do it, which just
makes it a learning curve.

(02:02):
Not going to lie, I think itwill allow us to produce more
content a lot faster, ratherthan, you know, paying people to
do it as well.
Super excited to do this in thenew year.
I mean, I'm excited to havemore conversations with you guys
, for sure.

Speaker 2 (02:18):
Yes, yes, that would be great.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
Yeah, with our two M's to them we are going to talk
about kind of our holidaywrap-up, since we didn't do a
holiday episode.
Um, I know, like you know, it'skind of like I feel like the
end of the gay season.
I mean we have really bigsummers, but then I think, you
know, going thanksgiving tonovember, it just gets really
crazy, is it?
Was it?
I mean, um, how many partiesdid?

Speaker 3 (02:40):
you attend, would you say.
I feel like this year was like,at least d-wise for me.
I don't remember any like bigmajor, like special holiday,
christmas parties, but there wasa lot of just like social
activities and the brunches andgoing out and like that was.
You know, I felt like that waspretty high.
And then in Florida, for me,when I go back home, this is my

(03:02):
parents and cousins, aunt anduncles.
That does not change in Florida.
If anything, it's just as much.

Speaker 2 (03:08):
Going back to Thanksgiving did you guys travel
for Thanksgiving or did youguys travel for Christmas?
Which one did you guys do?
I didn't do either.
Just to say.

Speaker 3 (03:16):
I was more local, like DFW area, when my parents
came here and we went up to seewhere Bradley's hometown is.
So that's just like an houroutside of Dallas.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
So see like where Bradley's hometown is, so that's
just like an hour outside ofDallas.
So that was for Thanksgiving,okay.
So Thanksgiving you guys spentin the DFW area, and then you
went back to Florida forChristmas and then you stayed
here for New Year's, and whatabout you?

Speaker 1 (03:37):
And for me, I did family Thanksgiving here and
then we kind of have a traditionto do a little friendsgiving.
And then we kind of have atradition to do a little friends
giving, which was so much funwith our friend Eric.
It was super fun.
I'm sorry, let me guess You'regoing to say you didn't get an
invite.
We're going to address Reed'sinvites later because he doesn't

(03:59):
tend to show up to said invites.
Ever Did I get invited to that?
I don't think he got an inviteto that one.
We you know our friend eric andbrett um, we got together and
it was just so much fun.
Um, we just had like a wildtime.
Um, I don't know.

Speaker 3 (04:16):
We always we've done that, I guess the last couple
years now I kind of honestly Ikind of miss that.
I mean a great time, you know,when you're in a relationship
like love.
Sure, family time but like aFriendsgiving is so fun, and so
I haven't had that in a fewyears.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
I mean, remember that year, I had three
Friendsgivings in a year.
It was a lot, but I reallyliked this tradition, if we
could keep it up, for, like youknow, I liked doing the family
thing in the morning, earlyafternoon, and then we went to
Perry's Steakhouse for dinnerand had a lovely dinner.
It was so good, with theexception of this oyster martini

(04:53):
that we had.
I do not suggest it.
Yeah, it was like a martiniwith an oyster on it.
Eric and I were being reallybougie and thought we're going
to go all out for this.
Definitely do not recommend.
I was a very salty briny oyster.
So sorry, perry's, that was theonly mess of the night.
The food, though, was reallyincredible and it was packed.

(05:16):
I have to say, a lot of peopledid Thanksgiving for Perry's
takeout, and it was definitelyworth it.
So we had a really, reallygreat time.
And then we went out to thebars afterwards, and you know, I
think it's really fun if youever go to the gay bars like
post Thanksgiving, because, likeeveryone's like kind of done
with their families and soeverybody's kind of out, and it

(05:38):
was like really nutty.
So we had a great time.
What did you do forThanksgiving, reed?

Speaker 2 (05:43):
I spent Thanksgiving with my boss and reed.
I spent thanksgiving with myboss and his family.
I spent christmas with my bossand his family and new year's I
yeah, I worked well, we'll getthat.

Speaker 1 (05:54):
We'll get to the new year's plans now, where you
added to your number.
That's really what happened.
Um, nice, I don't know whatyou're talking about.
I have to say my.
So I did a ton of christmasparties this year, way too many.
I was pretty exhausted by them.
Um, but my favorite, uh, ryanwent to, was our friend Adam,
former co-host.
You did not get invited, reed,for some reason, we do not know

(06:16):
why yeah, thank thank you, adam,for the invite.

Speaker 3 (06:19):
The special invite was really nice because we
weren't I mean we weren'tinvolved in like an invite list
for Adam's birthday.

Speaker 2 (06:25):
So I guess we just didn't I could totally
understand not inviting mebecause of my track record of
showing up.

Speaker 1 (06:30):
So I understand, I understand I not showing up to
anything.
Um, that we invite you to, yeah, and then pretending like you
don't remember that we invitedyou to set party what 24 hours
before at least 24 hours, maybea couple days.
Anyway, it was a white elephantparty and you know I always
forget how much I love a whiteelephant party, like how fun was

(06:53):
that?
Oh yeah, I'm about to totallyrub it in about how well I did
on this white elephant thing.
But does anyone else getnervous over the white elephant
gift thing?
Because, well, I always getnervous and I'm not gonna bring
a cool gift right and that.
Well, one you have to give acool gift and then two, like I'm
always like, is it a joke giftor is it like a real cool gift?

(07:14):
So let me just set the stage ofhow this went down what were
the limitations?

Speaker 2 (07:19):
what was the price?

Speaker 3 (07:19):
30 budget is the, and you had me leaning towards,
like jokes, sexual adult giftbased on texts, so that's so.
Mine was a little bit in themiddle and more that direction,
based on our group.

Speaker 1 (07:35):
Right, you would think we would have jokes,
sexual gifts, because that'skind of our crew.
I was really nervous about whatto get and the place that I
always go to get unique coolgifts is called Favor the Kind
here in Dallas and they used tobe right off Fitzhugh.
It's very close to me and I canalways go get something really
last minute.
Well, of course, because I kindof dislike what I do right now

(08:00):
and I am like busy all the time,I did not have time on a
wednesday to go get a gift.
Well, I happen to have thisreally cool uh, golden girls, um
, what are they called?
Fuku toy game thing that I gota while ago and it has rose
nylan, which is totally um, adamand that's what we call it, and
it's super cute.

(08:20):
I was like this is the perfectgift.
But I was like super, and theyare actually kind of expensive,
they're collectors item.
So I was like I'm gonna wrapthis, it's gonna be perfect,
totally problem solved.
But I get you start openingthese presents and they I mean
they're nice presents likeeverybody kind of went all out
like I'm pretty sure most peoplewent over the budget.

Speaker 3 (08:41):
Right, they seem pretty in line.

Speaker 1 (08:43):
Yeah, I mean the most part with the exception of
whoever got the shower caddy.
Yeah, oh, that's what it wasthe soap dispensers.
Somebody got a soap dispensercaddy shower thing.
That was not probably the bestone.
I don't know who did that one.

Speaker 3 (08:57):
I know like something from like like Sharper Image or
something, and you like stickit on the wall in your shower
and it's great if you have likean Airbnb, yeah, but everybody
else I mean I forgot like allthe other cool gifts.

Speaker 1 (09:09):
It was like these really cool gifts coming out and
I was like, oh shit, I just gotthis really funny Funko like
little like Rose Nyland GoldenGirl thing and what, if nobody
likes it?
I'm going to be like soembarrassed.
And then this blanket came out.
Does that say I'll get thebottom of it?
And it's really huge blanketcame out.

(09:29):
You know who that's from?
Right, yeah, this is fromryan's fiance, brad.
He has these and, um, I lovethese blankets and my dog loves
these blankets.
Okay, it's from costco and itis the most comfortable blanket
in the world and I saw it and Iwanted it.
But guess who picked last?
Um me, which actually was to mybenefit.

(09:53):
Um, but there was like a wholebunch of really like really nice
, really classy gifts and I'mlike, but then everybody did
like my gift, so I was actuallyreally happy.
So you guys picked the whiteelephant, like I'm not sure how
your was actually really happy.

Speaker 2 (10:04):
So you guys picked the white elephant.
Like, I'm not sure how yourwhite elephant worked out, but
you guys already knew who youwere buying for no, no, no.

Speaker 1 (10:10):
You just buy something and then at your
random and then people can stealthem.
So you know if you got a goodgift.
You can steal it up to twice isthe rule, because people are
stealing the gift like this gotstolen the max amount of times,
and then obviously nobody stolethe shower dispenser.
One right.

Speaker 3 (10:30):
We don't know who got that one, and if they're
listening, then I feel likewe're totally calling that out,
totally calling it out.
Well, eric called it out at theparty.
I mean, mine was a little likeI don't know.
I thought it was kind of funbecause I was trying to find
like thinking of like you know,like especially Adam or I don't
know people like doing likecharcuterie boards, the gays
like charcuterie boards, and soit was a penis shaped

(10:52):
charcuterie board and I also gotone or two, at least one bottle
of wine to go with it.
So I felt like it was like Iwas trying to keep strike the
right balance.
But who got it?
Jan, jan ended up getting in.
It was like, and then it's likeyeah, straight guy, but they
host the pride pool party, soit'll show up at our pride pool

(11:13):
party, I'm sure, in the summer.

Speaker 1 (11:15):
True.
So the straight man with hiswife there got the penis shaped
charcuterie board.

Speaker 2 (11:21):
Yeah, but they were a group effort, right Like they
both got one gift or no, no,like, because I stole the
blanket from him.

Speaker 1 (11:27):
Actually, daniel stole the blanket from him and
he ended up with the penisshaped charcuterie board.
What a lucky guy.
Then I was like the last personand so I decided to make a very
dramatic, very dramatic, and Iwas screaming to everybody about

(11:52):
I was going to stealeverybody's gift except for the
soap dispenser and the penisshaped charcuterie board Sorry,
ryan.
And then I stole the blanket,in a very dramatic sense, from
our friend Daniel, and he wasvery angry about it because he
wanted it so bad.
So I feel like this was thebiggest win and my peak moment

(12:16):
for Christmas, and actually it'sthe best gift I got all
Christmas.
So I said thank you, ryan andBrad.

Speaker 2 (12:22):
I will say I did get a terrible, terrible gift from
my boss's mother.

Speaker 1 (12:27):
Well, in my eyes it was terrible Makes you do all
the things that makes youunavailable for all the brunches
.

Speaker 3 (12:33):
Correct yeah, the boss or the boss's mother makes
you unavailable.

Speaker 2 (12:36):
It'll be both.
I think it'll be both.
I understand the gesture andthe thought.
She gave me a rainbow gnome.
You know those stuffed animalgnomes With, like the, not a
rainbow, oh no.
As soon as you start with arainbow, I'm gonna die.
And she gave me rainbowbracelets.

(12:57):
I like friendship bracelets.
She told me I could wear themwith all my friends.
You don't have to wear themduring the week, honey, but you
can wear them with all yourfriends on.
She said you don't have to wearthem during the week, honey,
but you can wear them with allyour friends on the weekends.
And I was like but it's sothoughtful, they.

Speaker 3 (13:09):
Thank you like bead bracelets.

Speaker 2 (13:11):
Yep, I expect to see this right, mind you, my boss,
my boss's sister, my boss'sbrother-in-law, they all know me
and they're just cracking uphysterically that you know she's
handing me all this rainbowstuff, like, well, you're gay,
so you know.

Speaker 3 (13:26):
So hello, obviously, and that's what you're going to
wear every day.

Speaker 2 (13:29):
Right, yeah, no, I don't have anything rainbow.
I mean technically, I ownsomething rainbow now.

Speaker 3 (13:35):
Well, Blaine and I have plenty of rainbow that if
you need it.

Speaker 1 (13:39):
We literally have like entire, like dens of
rainbow.

Speaker 3 (13:43):
We keep it in like.
This is like the pride bin, forthis comes out in June.

Speaker 2 (13:48):
I'll bring it over.
Then I'll bring over my yeahand I'll throw it in your
rainbow bin.

Speaker 1 (13:53):
So, reed, we will invite you to our annual pride
party, which is in July.
You all heard that, and if youdon't come, that's your own
fault.
So how was everyone's NewYear's?
I mean, I have to say, postChristmas was like super rough,
because my grandfather was inthe hospital, so my mother, as

(14:15):
of today, just left it is nowJanuary 4th, so I've been
dealing with her this whole time.
So, yeah, new Year's wasawesome, I thought.

Speaker 2 (14:29):
Yeah, how was New Year's Blaine?
Did you have a New Year's kiss,Blaine?

Speaker 1 (14:34):
You know it's cuffing season.
What's cuffing season?
So it's, you know, like youcouple up with people Like you
find, like your little loves ofyour life, and then you cuff up
with them.

Speaker 3 (14:44):
Is it because it's like cold?
You want to like be cuddlyright like oh it is cuddle
season.

Speaker 1 (14:49):
Yeah, long story short.
I there was one pre-new year'sand then there was kind of like
this new one that came intowards the end of new year's
and, needless to say, I kind ofintroduced him to the friend
group a little soon and broughthim to the New Year's Eve party.

Speaker 3 (15:06):
Yeah, no wait the next day.
You met him that one nightbefore Six days six days.

Speaker 1 (15:13):
So it was a six day meet and greet with the entire
friend group at New Year's Eveyeah, and, by the way, I didn't
really invite him.
That was actually one of myfriends who said, oh, you really
should come to the New Year'sEve party.
And I said I don't think thisis really the venue to meet so

(15:36):
many people.
You know, it's just that's alot to put any new person in.

Speaker 2 (15:42):
Hey Reed, where are you?
Why aren't you at the?

Speaker 1 (15:43):
party.
Well, we did invite you.
Yeah, that's fair, that's fair.
And then, the day of New Year'sEve, we texted you and said,
hey, are you coming?

Speaker 3 (15:52):
Are you doing that other plan that you mentioned?
Or, if not, like just reminder,just saying like hey, where are
you?
Yes or no, like that's all.

Speaker 2 (15:59):
I had a romantic ball drop as I was driving on.

Speaker 3 (16:03):
A couple balls dropped.

Speaker 1 (16:06):
We all knew he was getting it on, but instead of
just saying that he goes, whatparty?

Speaker 3 (16:11):
I didn't say that, it was only like four messages
above that.
If that Can you?

Speaker 2 (16:17):
show me the screenshot.
Are you looking at it right now?

Speaker 1 (16:19):
Reed, are you coming?
Here's the address.
Coming to what?

Speaker 3 (16:25):
Let us know when you know if you're going to Missouri
or not.

Speaker 2 (16:29):
It had slipped my mind, so I apologize for that.
But yes, I wasn't in town.

Speaker 1 (16:36):
What you missed was a very explosive encounter with
the guy I was dating.
I guess we weren't reallydating, we just kind of met, we
were hanging out and he kind ofjust felt like people didn't
like him.

Speaker 2 (16:53):
Is there a reason why people felt that, or he felt
that people didn't like him?

Speaker 1 (16:57):
No, I don't think it was correctly placed.
I think he just got a lot ofanxiety.
I think it was just a pressurecooker.
We have a lot of people in thefriend group, so it's just Too
much too soon, way too much toosoon.
Yeah, I think he's just couldbe an overwhelmed person.
A very nice guy.

Speaker 2 (17:18):
Oh, so it started and ended on New Year's, ryan.
What are you holding back, man?
Talk to me, tell me what's heleft the next day.

Speaker 1 (17:26):
Uh, we had, we spent the night together and he left
the next day to, you know, watchthe football game and, uh, we
have texted since, though I getthis sense that maybe it's
probably over and that'sprobably okay, but it sucks.
But I'm sad it was, it was good.
Can I'm sad it was, it was good.

Speaker 2 (17:47):
Can we get everybody else that was at New Year's Eve
on the phone and ask?

Speaker 3 (17:51):
if it was good.
The interactions that night asa group weren't like successful
in that setting.
But they you had good timestogether, at least like
one-on-one or like bring comingout together.
And smaller, like our Sundayfun day meetup or whatever at
bars, like not a set, like youcould go into a house party.
They all already know eachother.

(18:12):
He's brand new.

Speaker 2 (18:14):
Is he brand new to Dallas?
Is he brand like what's his?

Speaker 1 (18:17):
No, he doesn't live here.
He lives in Fort Worth, but heI don't know.

Speaker 3 (18:22):
The chemistry was very good, Very, very good,
that's always nice when you getthat, you know.

Speaker 1 (18:29):
So, unfortunately, new Year's was very stressful
for me.
Yeah, how was your New Year's?
Well, yours was great.
You got loaded up, I hear.

Speaker 2 (18:40):
I do not know what you're talking about.

Speaker 1 (18:43):
So you watched the ball drop.

Speaker 2 (18:45):
I did not watch.
I did not make the ball drop.
I was driving down 30 when theball dropped.
I was still on 30 for about twohours after the ball dropped.
I made it back, though I madeit back the next day real quick.

Speaker 3 (18:57):
And Ryan what did you think of yours?
Honestly, it's been a lot offun, but I mean and this might
get more to this resolutionmindset I mean, and this might
get more to this resolutionmindset but really the alcohol
thing has been on my mind a lotlately because it just feels
like it's been, really it's beena lot and I think I'm realizing
that.
So good time like overall, yeah, really great times, really

(19:17):
good, you know, hanging out withfriends and family, but it's
maybe it's just getting intothat dry January and post
holidays and you kind of I don'tknow I'm doing that.
Looking back, I know it does itsounds really depressing right
now, but I promise I'm notdepressed.
I've gotten really excitedabout, like especially next six
months.
I got a lot of really greatthings in the works so well.

Speaker 1 (19:38):
Let's just get into that, Because I'm right there
with you.

Speaker 3 (19:43):
New Year's Day, we probably drink more than new
year's eve so honestly, freakingblast, like it was so fun, but
those bottles flow and flow andflow and like did not stop I
think we drank 30 bottles ofchampagne, maybe more like our
our little group.
Just the sun came out.
You know I think you get into alot of times, right, we'll have

(20:05):
like our night.
And you wake up and you stillare keeping that same momentum
going and it's, you know, maybea Bloody Mary or an espresso,
martini and some bubbles, andthen it's that train leaves the
station.

Speaker 1 (20:17):
Yeah, then we were recapping New Year's Eve and how
, um, how interesting it was and, yeah, I kept drinking because
of that.
So, needless to say, my NewYear's Eve or New Year's Day

(20:38):
night was quite dramatic with mymother because I had a mini
breakdown and I literally wasjust like, oh my God, 2025 has
to be better.

Speaker 2 (20:51):
I can only imagine Wait, you had him stay over
while your mom was here.

Speaker 1 (20:55):
No, no, no, no, no, no.
We haven't seen each othersince New Year's Day morning, I
guess.
But yeah, I just was talking tomy mom about a bunch of stuff
and I think I just had too muchto drink and was tired and
exhausted.

Speaker 2 (21:14):
So my ultimate question is did either of you
have very awesome New Year's Evekiss?
By the way, I've never hand toGod, I've never had a New Year's
Eve kiss.
I've never.
With all the relationships I'vehad, I've never had a New
Year's Eve kiss.
I've never, with all therelationships I've had, I've
never had a New Year's Eve kiss.

Speaker 1 (21:27):
Just Mr 19 over here.

Speaker 3 (21:30):
I think he's at like 22 or something.

Speaker 2 (21:32):
My point is did you guys have great New Year's Eve
kisses Like you obviously did.
You and Bradley have a greatNew Year's Eve kiss.
This is like your third.
How many?

Speaker 3 (21:41):
22, 23, 24.

Speaker 2 (21:45):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (21:46):
This is our third.

Speaker 1 (21:46):
I guess New Year's together and mine with my guy
was a great New Year's Eve kiss,yeah, and we had a great New
Year's Eve night after we wentto bed.

Speaker 3 (21:59):
He's like I didn't need to know how much further it
goes when they moved over intothe other bedroom.

Speaker 1 (22:04):
Yeah, I do think like this New Year's kind of did
kind of open up the same thingfor me, right, and I feel like
we've been going a little toohard.
I think we say this every year,by the way like gone a little
too hard.
Somehow it just culminates atthe end of the year.
So we have entered dry January.

Speaker 3 (22:22):
I'll be damp, but most mostly dry.
I'm not going to partake in dryJanuary because he said the
last time he had a drink waswhen he was here with us, like a
few weeks ago.
Did you feel like you had anyone moment?
Was it just holidays?
Or did you look back and think,look back on last year and be

(22:42):
like, wow, I was wasted all thetime?
Or or like in these moments, orlike what's your thought
process on that?
I guess like.

Speaker 1 (22:51):
I think, you know, admittingly, a really rough year
for me.
I haven't been particularlyhappy with a lot of different
things, and it's just it's beena really transition year for me.
Um.
So I think, over time, I justfeel like I'm drinking more when

(23:12):
I go out, you know, um, andthen a night, like to settle
down, I'm just drinking morewine than I normally would, and
I think that's kind of one ofthose things that just kind of
happens over time and you,you're like I don't notice it
until maybe the next day and Iwake up and I'm like ooh, like
what was that?
So I've just noticed it slowlyover time.

(23:35):
And then like days likehonestly, like New Year's Day, I
mean, I think I was just havingso much fun and going and going
and going and then I just likehow much did I drink yesterday?
Like I felt really bad the nextday, you know, like that was
crazy.
I think we all felt that waythe next day, like what was
going on.

Speaker 3 (23:55):
So yeah, I didn't get like a necessarily like, I
guess, classic hangover feeling,but it was definitely like slow
to, you know, like mentalclarity, what was early there,
just slow to really like think.
Everything just felt likefoggier, you know, definitely
more so like holiday time.

(24:16):
I feel like it peaked up.
Um, there's one moment thatimmediately comes to mind was um
Parker McCollum concert.
Um, when my mom and dad werevisiting and I realized Y'all
were rough, yeah, it was just,it was a lot like day after day,
but I know it really picked up.
I think that was the Fridaynight of the trip, thanksgiving

(24:39):
itself.
I felt pretty fine, but Friday,I think, looking back now, I
can see myself like to kind ofthink, when does it happen?
And it might be more of likeI'm I'm bored, or you know what
am I going to do in this setting?
And fine, let's just getanother drink, get another drink
, and I think it really built upuntil it hit me at this point
and then, because my mom wasthere to be able to like see it,

(25:01):
and I don't really evenremember it at the, you know,
the very end of the show, andthen being disappointed to think
, wow, I really missed, likethis last couple of songs
because of this like substancecatching up to me and overdoing
it.
And then my mom like sayingsomething that I think I take a
lot of what and I don't know ifwe could for right, like your

(25:24):
moms or parents or that's afigure that like can be very
influential and have a lot ofemotions come along with
anything they say, and so itjust had even more like
resonance, I think, to have mymom tell me something that felt
really negative, that kind ofinsulting to who I felt like I
am as a person I know that I'mnot that so if it like felt like

(25:44):
it transforming to somethingand I don't feel like I am as a
person I know that I'm not thatso if it like felt like it
transforming to something and Idon't feel like I actually am.
There's a couple of times likethat, but that was like a big
one where I was like, wow, youknow, did I kind of go overdo it
?
I think it's been.
Yeah, like you said, like itwas a year ago or so around this
time.
Like we downloaded that app,sunny Side, to be like mindful
drinking and yes, it's good for,like, I am logging the drinks,

(26:08):
but, um, I think for me goinginto this year and I'd already
planned to get back intoindividual um counseling, I was
just trying to find like acounselor but found a new one
already had one session.
I think that's going to helpfeel like a well-rounded
approach about more of anawareness of around that, among
many other things just to clearclarify when you say counselor,

(26:30):
you don't mean like a 12-stepprogram, you mean like a
therapist or uh, it's justwhether the side side d like a
counselor, yeah, therapist, yeah, yeah, yeah so not in the
12-step programbut I the one thing that's also
I thought was interesting and Iliterally just started this but
it was cool that he recommendedoff the first session just like

(26:51):
hey, not required reading, butlike recommendations to think
about for for books, uh, afteryour first session.
But the one that I started withthat stood out to me was, um,
addictive personalities.
I was was like, oh, this onemight resonate.
So just kind of like again, I'mjust like just now looking into
it, but I think I'm excited tolike explore that more.

Speaker 1 (27:16):
I think we should definitely do an episode on
mental health.
Obviously, we just had tworeally horrific attacks, with
someone exploding a Cybertruckin front of that hotel and then
a tragedy in New Orleans.
Oh my God, it's really tragic.
We clearly have like a mentalhealth crisis in this country
and I think you know we'vetalked to, obviously, ryan about

(27:38):
are you getting therapy?
And I've been in therapymultiple times and clearly I
need to go back into therapyagain After a year's stay.
I realized that one.
But I think like it's justsomething that's normal that
everybody goes through, and Ithink it's so easy to
self-medicate with alcohol, youknow, and I think that's just

(28:00):
something we do to escape, anddon't you feel like it kind of
builds over time?

Speaker 3 (28:08):
escape and don't you feel like it kind of builds over
time?
Yeah, no, I don't.
I don't think it's probably nota overnight, overnight thing
once you start looking at it andthen when you I partially like
kind of we say like yeah, if youhopefully have the means, or
like you can find access tomeans for like counseling or
therapy, but then I also there'sthat little voice in me that
kind of laughs at it becauseit's like all these, every

(28:29):
country song and you know that Igo to now every country concert
ever and I hear a lot ofcountry music but like all of
them are pretty, 90% of themeasily are like drinking songs
or this beer solves my issuemore than you know, and a damn
old shrink type of attitude, andso it's like that's also

(28:53):
something I think I'm aware ofright I had a question is there
anything in 2024 that you'reparticularly happy that you
experienced, or that you'rehappy that you left in 2024?

Speaker 2 (29:06):
Does that make sense?

Speaker 3 (29:07):
I guess, well, can I maybe see if I can say this I
technically maybe like left itin 23 because that fully
influenced my 2024.
But financially, like I was ina, I kind of recovered from this
situation with my house likethe whole lawsuit and like when
I bought it a few years ago, Ihad the lawsuit and my house

(29:27):
like the whole lawsuit and likewhen I bought it a few years ago
, I had the lawsuit and itneeded like 80 grand worth of
repairs.
So at the end of 23, like I waslike in tears to got to the
point of like paying that off.
So you know, in that process Ifeel like I spent a lot of last
year trying to refocus on beinga little more allowing myself to
do things that I'm going to dofor myself.

(29:50):
It felt like a little bit morelike treat myself here in a way.
I think now I can like lookback like, eh, maybe that one
treated myself a little too far.
So I'm like recalibrating for2025.
But some really good thingsabout 24.
I also biggest thing, I think.
Well, one of the biggest thingsthat I'll mention, though um, I
started school for massagetherapy.

(30:12):
So that's like really huge.
I'm over halfway through.

Speaker 1 (30:15):
I'll finish that this year by end of may um so I'll
be certified licensed massagetherapist in texas yay, that's a
huge, that's one of your big, Iguess, resolutions, right,
congratulations, yeah, and areyou going to be doing like
private practice or are yougoing to go to a?

Speaker 3 (30:35):
I'm thinking a little bit of both, like I think I'll
start my my own business to kindof get that rolling.
But um, I'm thinking I'll lookinto like part-time on call,
like at a spa or hotel.

Speaker 2 (30:44):
Blaine.
What did you leave in 2024 thatyou're happy about?
What did you bring with you?

Speaker 1 (30:49):
I would say I'm not like where I want to be.
I'm still on a journey.
I think there's more to comeabout that, you know.
I think I've been on a journeyabout where I want to be.
I think, career wise is thebiggest thing for me, because

(31:10):
that's, uh, something that'salways been super important to
me.
Um, so we'll see how that goesin 2025, but I hope to have more
to talk about soon.
Um, but yeah, I think it'sreally been also like a year of

(31:35):
well, let's put it this way, Iwon't ever take anything for
granted again, that's for sure,and I think you always have to
go through challenges.
I actually had this SoulCycleinstructor once.
That said, and I always havethese ornaments that when I
broke my ankle in 2015,.
I gained all this weight and Iwent to SoulCycle, found
SoulCycle and it really kind ofchanged my life.

(31:56):
And you know how they have allthe stupid instructors that say
all the ridiculous things.
Yeah Well, I bought theirornaments that first year and I
wrote some of the sayings.
And one of the ornaments Iwrote on was from one of the
instructors that said withoutchallenge, you can't have change
.
And I really love thatchallenge, you can't have change

(32:19):
, and I really love thatstatement and I think it's very
true.
So I think I'm doing things waydifferently now and I'm also 40.
So this is my midlife crisisyear too.
So I think I definitely, in thelatter half of my life, will do
things far differently than Idid in the first half of my life

(32:42):
.
So I think, kind of like inthis kind of transitional period
, it's kind of taught me howI'll do things a lot differently
than the way I did thempreviously, successful at what I
do.
But I just want to do things alittle differently.
And, by the way, also, like inkeeping consistent with this, I

(33:03):
do really want to do contentcreation.
I think it's something that Ido all the time for clients and
I don't do it for myself.
It's like kind of ridiculous,like why don't I do that?
Um, it's again aboutprioritizing myself, not just
clients, and work constantly.

Speaker 3 (33:20):
So it's really good.
I was starting to feel reallyemotional on that one, I think
2024 was great for me.

Speaker 2 (33:27):
I I fell in love.
I left that in 2024 but, um, Iappreciated the experience.
I became a real estate agent.
I gained tons and tons and tonsof professional experience, a
lot of learning lessons.
I fell on my face many, manytimes in 2024.

(33:49):
But I appreciate all of thefalls.
I loved all of the fallshonestly, and I'm looking
forward to being tougher in 2025.
Well, I will be 40 in 2025, soAnother one joins us in 2025.
Yeah, Blaine's going to plan itat the Happy Star.

Speaker 1 (34:09):
Why do I have to plan everything?
Okay deal, have you met Ryan?
He plans his birthday like sixmonths in advance.
It's impressive.
By the way, I plan mine likeliterally like two weeks of
advance.

Speaker 2 (34:21):
I mean Ryan's, the one that told me he's like, oh
well, it's on a Friday this yearand I was like Holy crap, I had
no idea, was he?

Speaker 3 (34:25):
right?
Well, I also so, like when Iget contacts.
I like to save um at least likebirth month and birthday.

Speaker 2 (34:31):
People don't like to give a year, but so last year is
when I started doing the videomessages and I sent them all to
my friends in Florida and youknow friends that live far away
from me I started doing thehappy birthday.
I sent them a happy birthday ona video and I sent it, you know
, on a text message and my buddyand his wife had called me a
couple days, like day beforeyesterday, and they were like

(34:53):
hey, reedy Roo, they call meReedy ru, sorry and um, they
were like um yours called you,or yeah, he.
They called me up and they werelike his wife is what.
His wife's birthday was inmid-december and I hadn't heard
back from her after I sent herand her twin sister a video
happy birthday.

(35:13):
And they, when I spoke to himthe other day, she was crying in
the background.
She's, she's like, oh my God, Ilove her video messages.
Is that like the new thing for2025?
You're going to send out yourvideo Happy birthdays.
I'm going to need you to bebetter at singing.

Speaker 3 (35:27):
I was like that bitch Wait.
She said I'm going to need youto be better at singing, at
singing.

Speaker 2 (35:31):
Yeah, she's that person, though, Like Lauren.
Yeah, so I think I have a greatvoice, right?
Do I have a good singing?

Speaker 3 (35:40):
voice guys.
Can you sing for us?
Not right now, I'll sing foryou later We'll do a karaoke a
little karaoke day.
Oh, there was another momentthat I thought of Karaoke with
my mom.
No, karaoke with my mom inDaytona Beach.
That was last year too, andthat got a little.
It's Daytona Beach, I mean, Iknow out a little, it's daytona
beach, I mean, I know, and itwas like just the two of us.
It got to the point where I waslike, really, you have no harry

(36:01):
styles, there's no harry styles, and he's like anybody else,
anybody.
And then bradley showed thevideo well, because I'd already,
would already sing a few songs,right, and I was like, oh,
maybe that one will be fine.
Me and my mom tried to do areba like duet, and we thought
it was one of those momentswhere, like, you think you're

(36:21):
phenomenal in the moment.
And then these, and then yousee the video the next day and
you're like, oh, that's why hewas asking if anybody else in
the bar.
But again, like super fun, andI was, I remember all of it, but
it was just like, don't try tokaraoke when you've had too many
drinks.

Speaker 1 (36:42):
Yeah, maybe more mindful Blaine and Ryan's will
be better.
I definitely had that momentdoing Dear Evan Hansen one time,
waving Through a Window.
It was such a mess.
Number one, it was right afterthe musical came out, so nobody
actually knew the song except mebecause I just seen it on
broadway and um, yeah, it wastragic.

(37:05):
I mean I was wasted atalexander's so I did see the
video.
Yeah, they have really goodespresso martinis there, but I
had way too many and um, thatwas very embarrassing.
But, um, you asked about dryjanuary read and I decided to
pull a little.
That's exactly except it's.

(37:27):
It actually is not an espressomartini in january this time oh,
I actually don't have one ofthose this time with all the fun
sayings on them.
Um, I actually looked up whereit came from because I was kind
of interested this time becausethis has become like a big deal
even here in dallas, which islike big time drinking culture.
I couldn't even believe, likelast year when we went to the

(37:49):
bars and we were all doing dryjanuary.
Last year was a very successfuldry january for our friend
group I don't know if that wasfor me either.

Speaker 3 (37:58):
Was it was, was I doing it last year?
Oh, because we were in thesunny side, we were pretty good
Okay.

Speaker 1 (38:04):
We were ahead of it and then logging things.
And then we did very good dryJanuary and then post dry
January we were logging and thenit just fell off the rails
because so this sunny side appis really, really irritating.
Remember it kept texting me andit was like and it would

(38:29):
basically give me like one drinka week and I finally said I'm
done with you and yeah, I Ihonestly want to give you guys a
drink right now, because youguys are so tense and that's a
problem, I know hey, like you'reboth, this one's about to jump
out of his chair.

Speaker 2 (38:45):
You're very.
How is jumping out of my chairtense?
Can I?
Can I make you guys a?

Speaker 1 (38:49):
drink like.
Is that all right?
My my friend, carol, was like,said I think it was the super
bowl was during dry jan, I thinklast year, and he goes oh my
God, blaine, you are awful whenyou don't have anything to drink
.

Speaker 3 (39:04):
I was just so like this is like part of the like
process Speaking of journeys andprocesses and like this is only
like what two or three nightsof like not having a drink, yeah
, I mean, you guys, just, youguys just sobered up.
What yesterday, if you thinkabout it, Thursday was rough,
yesterday was Friday, yeah, somaybe by yesterday afternoon.

Speaker 2 (39:26):
Make yourself a drink .
Well, like you're not going todie.

Speaker 1 (39:28):
But no, I'm good with water, but dry January started
in 2013 as a UK public healthcampaign.
You know, the British arereally smart.
They come up with all thesereally cool campaigns.
Some bars experience a 50% dropin revenue during January.
Isn't that crazy?

Speaker 2 (39:49):
Well, you, I mean you have to also remember all the
money that's spent duringNovember and December for
Christmas and holiday shopping.
And you know, gift giving andgift giving and gift giving and
gift giving, gift giving.
Like you're buying.
You're buying gifts for yourbarber, you're buying gifts for
your you know but we're talkingabout like bars specifically,
right?
No, I know.
But but people, because peoplespend so much money over the

(40:10):
holidays, they're not going tobe out spending it on drinks
it's probably trying to.

Speaker 3 (40:13):
Yeah, I just cut back in general like whoa, that was
a lot overall spending andoverall spending.

Speaker 2 (40:19):
Yeah, but also a lot of people make new year's
resolutions, like you guys aredoing with the whole dry january
thing I guess.

Speaker 3 (40:25):
Well, I didn't say it's dry january, I said it's
just being, and it's basically Ithink it's just being well, one
probably needing a reset,because four weeks of drinking
is a little heavy.
No matter who you are, that'sexcessive.
So it can take one weekend off,um, but I think it's for both
of us.
I feel like it's just beingabout like maybe it's just

(40:46):
asking ourselves like why am Idrinking, or is this drinking?
Like being a little more awareof it and who knows, when we
come back and do a recording infebruary, like maybe we'll be
like because recording thispodcast with you guys is way
more fun.

Speaker 2 (41:00):
You know what I did in 2024 that I forgot to mention
.
I did psychedelics for thefirst time.

Speaker 3 (41:05):
Oh Also like where did you get it?
Because, like last year, likemushrooms became widely
available, like on Amazon, somelevels right.

Speaker 2 (41:16):
Okay, well, I did not purchase them on Amazon, I did
them with a special someone and,yeah, it was a great experience
.
I really enjoyed it, Exceptwhen I got to the end of it.
It was funny because his buddywas like Reed, you're so chill.
When I told you the story, he'slike Reed, you had such a chill
mushroom trip or whatever.

(41:38):
I've never seen anyone so calmand collected.
And then, as I'm saying, ashe's saying this, the color, the
blood just leaves my face and Istart acting like I'm going to
pass out.
It was only a few minutes, butyeah.

Speaker 1 (41:52):
Yeah, you're not supposed to talk about that,
just enjoy it, I guess.

Speaker 3 (41:58):
Even the mushrooms.
This is how far it went.
24 is that my mom was even opento having one of the little
capsules.
Like we order online and likemom, this will just you know,
it's just a little like feelgood.
Like you know, the trees andnature will feel vibrant.
We're at the pool, like I feltlike it's right, like that's
like online and legal and fine.

(42:19):
Now, or is it a little?
I don't know where the line isthese days, like is that?

Speaker 1 (42:24):
I don't either, because they have those
beverages now that havemushrooms yeah, like online from
an instagram ad.

Speaker 3 (42:30):
I've tried, yeah, and I've got like my little cbd
mushroom drink and you likethose right, I had that last
night and I was like reallychill because I was feeling kind
of anxious, see maybe I needthat.

Speaker 1 (42:41):
You know I actually another stat is like.
You know that industry is like,I think, over a half a billion
dollar industry.
Now the non-alcoholic kind ofmocktail, cocktail, chill
industry is like over half abillion.
So it's like growing a lot.
I actually just saw a womanwhose dad used to own a bar and
she has a non-alcoholic mocktailshop that owns that excels like

(43:07):
wines and beers and but alsothese like little cocktail,
pre-done cocktail drinks so isthat for people that go out,
that just want to be on likegummies, or another alternative?
or just have what feels like acocktail, like I actually um, I
actually sent ryan a picture ofthis um guy who was on cnn

(43:29):
because the surgeon general cameout yesterday.
You know, for some reason ourhealth department is starting to
go on a complete, complete,crazy tangent right now and tell
us that all these things arebad for us.

Speaker 3 (43:44):
Well, they probably timed it with the dry January, I
guess, right Like New Year.

Speaker 1 (43:50):
they know that like drinking is on people's minds,
probably so he said that evenone to two glasses of wine a
night can cause cancer.
So he wants to slap warninglabels on all alcohol, like
cigarettes, and that means I'mprobably going to die of cancer.

Speaker 3 (44:12):
I mean, I don't know what the stats are and how many
people drink, but I would thinkmost people have had at least
one to two glasses at some point.

Speaker 1 (44:19):
Yes, so anyway, they had this guy on CNN the other
day and I'm going to get thisbook Mindful Mixology.
I thought this was such a coolbook.
I'll put it in the video too.
But he made a margarita withchickpea water, lime juice and
something else.
Anyway, it looked really good.

Speaker 3 (44:39):
Is this the mixer to go with the tequila?

Speaker 1 (44:42):
No, you don't have tequila, it's a mocktail.

Speaker 2 (44:45):
I don't know.
I like alcohol.

Speaker 3 (44:47):
I do love alcohol, which, speaking of because I've
started that audiobook that Imentioned one of the things that
comes to mind is because, whenyou have a substance, it could
be anything, or if it's, um,maybe the beginning of like the
shop, somebody becomes likeshopping addict, or so not just

(45:08):
alcohol, but it's like yourecognize right, like I had this
substance, it altered my mood.
And is that?
How often do you start to feellike I want to alter, to feel
social or happy or less anxiousor, you know, like so to the
point where it comes like youeither rely on it or you need a
lot more of it.

Speaker 2 (45:26):
I mean I've been in slumps before like depressions
or sadness or anger and I'vebounced from six different
Marshalls and home goods in thearea and shop, but that I don't
know that more of.
I don't look at it as anaddiction or like a crutch I
come home with really greatstuff.

Speaker 1 (45:44):
But I mean, I do think that there is so another
funny, interesting thing thatand I feel like I've just maybe
I'm just noticing it becauseryan and I've been having these
discussions um that I was alsosaw this other, you know, news
article or whatever story aboutthis drug called naltrexone and

(46:05):
there was this woman and she'sjust like a nice older lady, I
think she's retired, and shejust said that she was starting
to drink a little too much atnight, like wine, like one to
two glasses became two to threeand three to four maybe, and
then she just noticed she wasdoing it all the time and her
doctor gave her naltrexone andshe just basically stopped

(46:29):
drinking altogether and it'sjust like $5 a month, like no
big deal, and I guess there'slike good options for it.
I guess it just all it does is,to your point, just pets the
pleasure center in the brainthere's the fun in that but the
the thing is, the whole thingwas like um, they were

(46:50):
explaining with alcohol, like asyou drink more and more, your
brain basically it's like opioidaddiction they basically just
wants more and more because itkeeps getting more and more
pleasure.
So, like I think what happensis it will do like a dry january
and we get used to not drinkingthat much, and then by the time
we get snow holidays we've nowlike up darkened some shit oh

(47:14):
it's, it's for sure, up by likemay and that's why sunny side is
like freaking out at us and wehave to turn it off I mean I had
the.

Speaker 2 (47:23):
So when I quit smoking, I um, I had that quit
smoking app that I got tired oftoo, and I got rid of it, but I
haven't smoked in over a year.
I'm not giving up drinking, noit's just not gonna happen.

Speaker 3 (47:34):
I'm not when we're not a place right now, we're
saying we're giving up drinking.
We're just kind of talkingabout like options and
alternatives or like see, I gaveup smoking too and I I think
it's different.

Speaker 1 (47:46):
Well, I think it's different for everyone.
I think for me, like smoking,like I couldn't have another
cigarette, or just chain smoke,oh yeah, like it was, because I
did fall back into it did, didyou smoke?

Speaker 3 (47:58):
cigarettes regularly oh chain smoker.

Speaker 1 (48:01):
Oh, I was like, yeah, I was at least a pack a day
back in the day and then I quitusing Alan Carr's method, the
easy way to quit smoking, whichis like, if anybody ever needs
to quit smoking, it is so easy.
What is it?
Well, it's a book, and I didthe audiobook Like Ashton

(48:23):
Kutcher.
It's how he quit smoking.
It's how Ellen DeGeneres quitsmoking.
It's literally how, like, mostcelebrities have quit smoking
and you just get to the end andit's like you're like, oh, it
kind of breaks the mental thingof smoking.

Speaker 2 (48:40):
Never realized how many celebrities actually smoke
either, Like tons Blake Lively.

Speaker 1 (48:46):
Well, adele, adele smoked.
I think she quit finally, butshe smoked for a very long time.
But yeah, like it was so easyand I just put it down.
And the funny thing is there'sa chapter I had like let's say,
I have like 30 minutes left inthe audio book and I remember I
had like a pack of cigarettes orI had like one cigarette left

(49:07):
or two and I was going to get anIV because I wasn't feeling
that well and I was driving downPCH and LA and I was like, okay
, I'm gonna have this cigaretteand I'll have the other one.
I'll stop at the gas stationall the way back and then I will
get one more pack of cigarettesand by that point I'll be at

(49:28):
the end of this and then I canhave my last cigarette.
But I'm not kidding you.
I light the last cigarette andno joke.
The next thing goes cigarette,and no joke.
The next thing goes the nextchapter, your last cigarette,
and I go.
I go.
No, I'm not ready.
This isn't the moment.

(49:49):
I was like you have to lightanother one with that cigarette.
I literally like this no, Ialready lit it and it can't be
my last cigarette.
I'm supposed to be sitting onthe beach, like it's supposed to
be this like very ceremonialthing sitting on the beach, it's
supposed to be this veryceremonial thing.
And then I listened to it.
It was like a minute and a halflong and I thought you know

(50:09):
what, for something as bad assmoking, I should just make it
my last cigarette.
And I'll be damned.
It worked and it was my lastcigarette.
I didn't smoke again for sixyears.
And then I had a really badtime with my boyfriend right
before COVID and I went out tothe desert and he came for one
night and then when he left Iwas pissed off and I went to the

(50:30):
gas station.
I'm like I'm going to go buysome American Spirits Stupidest
thing I ever did.
Smoked like four packs thatweek and then I was just like
people would go down to smokefrom the office.
I'd be like can I buy one andthen about me, one became buying
another pack and it took me.
It took me a while to quitagain.
Like it was hard.

(50:51):
I had to listen to it again,but it didn't work as well the
second time.

Speaker 2 (50:55):
So wait, you smoked during COVID.

Speaker 1 (50:57):
All of COVID.
Isn't that the stupidest thing?
And I had been quit for sixyears before seven years.
That blows my mind that you hadquit for six years, and seven, I
think actually seven years Ijust didn't even think about it.
Never it was so easy to quit.
And then just because that oneweek and it was right before
COVID, that triggering eventweek, and it was right before

(51:21):
covid, that triggering event,and it was literally it was like
two months before covid thatthat happened, and then I just
got hooked right before covidand I was like I can't believe
I'm smoking before a globalpandemic that can kill me
because anyway, it's so freakingdumb anyway.
But anybody that wants to quitsmoking, easy way to quit
smoking by alan carr.
He, uh, he was a chain smoker.
He smoked five packs a daythat's about yeah, that's about

(51:42):
50.

Speaker 2 (51:43):
I don't know how much they are now, but I think they
were 10 over 10 bucks when I wasstill smoking but he created
this method, he quit and helived a pretty decently long
life.

Speaker 1 (51:53):
I mean he did die of lung cancer eventually, but I
think he was like in his late70s.
I mean there was no way hewould have lived that long if
he'd been smoking, um, but yeah.
So naltrexone is like anotherway, you know easier way to help
people kind of cut down ontheir drinking, if not totally
quit.
But I think mindful drinking isokay.
I don't want to totally quit, Ilike smoking maybe you should

(52:16):
do shrooms.

Speaker 2 (52:17):
You should do mushrooms, and that'll'll help
ease the transition to a dryJanuary.
So you know what New Year's Eveor New Year's Day, we all do
mushrooms.

Speaker 1 (52:29):
I'm actually feeling really good about it now,
because 10 minutes ago youweren't, 10 minutes ago you were
about to.
I feel pretty good now, shaking, sweating.
Yeah, now I'm going to have aproblem tonight because we're
going to a birthday party that Idon't really want to go to, so
and there's going to be peoplethere that I don't necessarily
care for, so if I might have aproblem, so we'll see.

(52:53):
We'll see how lucky I am.
This might become become damnJanuary.

Speaker 3 (52:58):
You pretty much have to decide beforehand.
I feel like, or I'll be like,okay, I'm going to have two and
then be like two has to be it.

Speaker 1 (53:07):
You know what I'm going to do.
I'm going to get Sunnyside, soat least I'm logging.

Speaker 3 (53:11):
That's what it tells me.
It's like good job logging,like that's the first step.

Speaker 2 (53:16):
Is that what goes on?
You guys just don't know howmany.
I mean you both are tall dudes.

Speaker 1 (53:21):
So I mean it's not like, but when you log it's kind
of shocking.

Speaker 3 (53:23):
And we're also logging like.
Technically you should belogging one drink as like a
one-shot drink and if anyonegoes to Woody's you order one
drink.
That's not actually just onedrink, it's like two.

Speaker 2 (53:42):
Eas drink.

Speaker 3 (53:42):
It's like two easily two yeah, but it's like two
bottom, you know, like not topshelf anything, right, it's more
than an ounce of liquor ifyou're like being uh, you know
real about it.
Right, like it's logging onedrink.

Speaker 1 (53:51):
It's not based on like a cup, it's based on a shot
glass and like when ryan and Imake espresso martinis, those
are two shots of tequila, so wedon't do a one shot.

Speaker 3 (54:04):
I mean, if you could just count a martini as one
drink, then.
But we, we know that that's not.
It's mostly how many do you loga martini?
Do you do it as two or three?

Speaker 2 (54:15):
three probably might be the real number does this app
also log how much you guysspent on alcohol, like in 2024?

Speaker 3 (54:22):
it's only as good as the information you provide it.
So if you're not putting thatin, then it's not going to tell
you how much money you spentyeah.

Speaker 1 (54:28):
So, speaking of my new year's resolutions, I think
the first one is contentcreation.
The second one is to atdrinking significantly because
number one that will save money.
It's kind of amazing when yougo to brunch and you don't drink
Like it's a lot cheaper.
And then three, I want to getback into yoga Because that was

(54:52):
a very mindful activity for me,not just for the exercise, but
also for the exercise but alsothe yeah, it gives me an hour to
just clock out and I think Idon't really give myself that
time.
Actually, I was telling Ryan Igot very excited because I lost
my ring that I got in Sedona,arizona, when I went on my seven

(55:16):
day shaman retreat right afterI left my last company after a
very terrible time and I foundit.
So I think it's a good time toget back into that and do some
mindful activity.
But also I want to be likereally also back into the gym

(55:37):
consistently and get exactlywhere I wanted to physically
before I turned 41 do y'all nothave the apps on your phone like
I'm looking at ryan for yourwatch?

Speaker 3 (55:46):
I'm looking at ryan's watch right now and aren't you
like constantly getting alertsfrom like you need to stand up
oh yeah, we already got onebecause we're recording, yeah I
got two stands, since I've beensitting here yeah, I mean, I
definitely I love my apple,while I choose the fitness,
bradley and I are super intolike we getting our um, you know
the counts to get at least likewhat is it?

(56:07):
100 calories per 10 minutes?
Like very like metric driven.
So for me I'm like, I think,upping the awareness so we'll
see right, like the logging thefood thing, I'm gonna try, I'm
giving that a try.
I Like the logging the foodthing, I'm going to try, I'm
giving that a try.
I'm going to log the food.
I'm being more conscious oflike tracking, I think, as
opposed to just, uh, I've beenconsistent with the gym, but am

(56:30):
I actually like making thosemilestones to the results I want
?
I haven't been tracking it.

Speaker 1 (56:35):
So what are your resolutions, Ryan?
You said you have six months ofthem.

Speaker 3 (56:41):
Um, I mean, it's like clarity and health have
probably good sum it all up, butI think the one, like you said,
reducing alcohol.
My main reason for thinkingabout reducing alcohol is for
more clarity for the goals thatI have outside of that.
So more of that like mentalawareness, because I want to
this year achieve, I think,better clarity of like self

(57:04):
relationships.
Um, I've got my fitness goals,which also tie into AIDS life
cycle.
June will be the very last AIDSlife cycle ever and it'll be my
fifth time cycling in it.
So I'm like gearing up for that, Um, and then also finishing
massage school and everythingthat means to me, Um, and then
also finishing massage schooland everything that means to me,
Um, and then even career wise,you know like and that was

(57:25):
probably another thing we chat alot about because, yes, I have
my like corporate career job andin general, I have like really
loved it overall but have feltpretty like stagnant for at
least a year all, but have feltpretty like stagnant for at
least a year.
You know my managers know that,but I've got a career coach as
well, so I feel like I've armedmyself with all the resources to

(57:51):
be on track with that with thefitness, health, clarity and
getting my career to next level,and massage to go with that as
well by the way, we're going torevisit these next year and make
sure that we hit them all.

Speaker 1 (58:03):
That's what I want to do.

Speaker 3 (58:04):
Well, listen to this episode in like November or
December too, and be like youknow, got two months to catch up
on that.
What about you?

Speaker 2 (58:12):
I would love to have my own house by the end of the
year.
I would love to have myproperty and own property by the
end of the year.
That would be a goal.
Other than that, I'm going tobe a lot more social.
I'm going to actually show up.
I spent a lot of time in 2024working.
You're going to show up tobrunch.
Once y'all are done with yourdry January, then I'll probably

(58:33):
show up to brunch.
Yeah, I mean, why not?
Let's do alternatives.
But I'm going to be a lot moresocial this year because I spent
a lot of time in 2024 working.
I didn't.
I didn't take any trips.
I haven't seen my family.
I honest to god, if it weren'tfor my mom flying in last
October, this past October, Ihadn't seen her in over a year.

(58:55):
So I definitely need to maketrips a priority, vacation a
priority.
I need to do that wholeseparate um, what is it?
Work-life balance?
So I'm gonna focus on thatawesome.

Speaker 1 (59:07):
Yeah, you definitely should travel.
Where do you want to go?

Speaker 2 (59:10):
firstly, I have to go visit the family and friends
that are within the 50 states,the united states I could be
traveling through there well,we're doing a trip to Spain
again.

Speaker 3 (59:22):
Oh, you guys are doing that during AIDS.
Aids, life cycled up, so I'mmissing that one.
When are you going to Spain?
It's in June Pride.

Speaker 1 (59:30):
Such as Pride.
Yeah, it's the gay beach townoutside of Barcelona.
And then I think we're doing alittle town outside of Madrid
called Cadiz, and then hopefullyTangier, morocco.
And what other thing did I plan?

(59:50):
Obviously, madrid, we'll justmake Morocco like a one-day
thing, and then obviously spenda little time in Sitges again.
And then Barcelona, barcelona,barcelona I can't ever say
Sitges again.
And then Barcelona, barcelona,barcelona I can't ever say it
right.
And then Madrid.
I loved Madrid and I felt likeI didn't spend enough time there
.
And then I hope to go to theLavender Fields in France.

(01:00:16):
It's so beautiful, but I'mgoing to dip over there because
they only have 10 days and I'mgoing to take a little more time
because I never get to do thatand no one ever wants to go with
me.
So I think I'm going to go, geta cottage and be alone in the
lavender fields, being likescrew the world.

Speaker 2 (01:00:34):
I'm going to pull out the holiday up here.
You know, do that house swapthing.
Can I tell you, one of myfavorite movies ever is the
holiday have you ever seen it?

Speaker 1 (01:00:47):
kate winslet, cameron diaz, maybe not.
Kate winslet has a cute littlecottage in the english
countryside and um cameron, yeah, and cameron diaz has a really
big mansion in la la yeah thatsounds about right.

Speaker 3 (01:01:00):
Yeah, it's so cute.

Speaker 1 (01:01:02):
I love that movie, but that's like my dream, like I
just want a little cottage likethat in france for just a
little bit.
Also, um is that movie that Ialways watch.
Um, every christmas anyway,there's another one where he
goes to the french countrysideand meets the love of his life.
So maybe that's what happenedto me, since I lost both of my
cuffing boys this holiday.

(01:01:24):
Wait, you didn't tell me youlost both of them, I think.
So we're starting fresh.
I think we're starting fresh inJanuary.
Yeah, it sounds like it, butit's okay, you know, the boy
tornado can spin back up y'all.

Speaker 3 (01:01:40):
Oh boy, oh boy.

Speaker 1 (01:01:41):
We'll start spinning up that boy tornado.
We'll get some more guys intothe mix.
What did we decide to do forour game, the non-political game
?
It's kind of a game, but we'rejust going to have to see who
wins next year the game.
So we have to wait 12 months.
Yeah, it's terrible.

(01:02:01):
One outrageous prediction forthe coming year the game.

Speaker 2 (01:02:03):
So we have to wait 12 months?
Yeah, it's terrible.

Speaker 1 (01:02:04):
One outrageous prediction for the coming year.
This can be anything about popculture, politics or something
Really anything.
Pop culture news.

Speaker 2 (01:02:16):
Kelsey and Swift breakup.

Speaker 1 (01:02:18):
Oh, that's a good one .

Speaker 3 (01:02:21):
I was gonna be like era is 2.0.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:02:26):
Why does it always have to be about Taylor?

Speaker 3 (01:02:28):
Swift, you said pop culture and no matter who you
are, you got to admit she's avery influential part in pop
culture.

Speaker 1 (01:02:36):
Love it.
That's a really good one.
I really like that one.

Speaker 3 (01:02:41):
And which you know what that means.
We're going to get a reallyamazing album.

Speaker 2 (01:02:44):
That's not.

Speaker 1 (01:02:45):
I don't know why you were saying what are you
pointing to me?
Let's do one political one, popculture.
I want to do a pop culture one.

Speaker 2 (01:02:52):
Oh God the political.

Speaker 1 (01:02:54):
Harry Styles will not release another album.
I think that's all he had, andthat goes to my friend Renal,
who loves him so much.
Chapel Roan will releaseanother album Do you think she
has the ability or is she goingto cry?

Speaker 3 (01:03:09):
She needs to go through, keep staying in therapy
.
She's a proponent of therapy.

Speaker 1 (01:03:18):
Can I tell you I'm a huge fan of Chapel Roan and I
really hope that she doesn't letthese haters get turned because
I mean, god bless that poorgirl Like I can't believe she
had to cancel those shows.
Like you know, power throughgirl I saw.

Speaker 3 (01:03:29):
That was like five days before we saw her at Austin
City Limits.
I think it was the weekendbefore Right.

Speaker 1 (01:03:35):
Yeah.
So now let's do political,let's do a political category.

Speaker 3 (01:03:39):
Blaine's really into this one.
He's probably the most involved.
Well, I don't know.
He's the head of.
Okay, so one didn't vote.
One is the president of the logcabin Republicans in Dallas and
one is oh, is that not?
That's like public knowledge.

Speaker 1 (01:03:58):
No, it's okay, I'm going to make it public now.
Everybody knows I mean in theDallas voice, yes, which
everyone should read.
If you get mad about that.

Speaker 3 (01:04:06):
So now we need to get into the Dallas Morning News.

Speaker 1 (01:04:09):
Yeah, I actually have been reached out to by multiple
larger publications.
So yeah, it's actually a greatarticle.
If anyone wants to read it,it's in the Dallas Voice.
I think it'll change your mindabout certain things about the
entity party.
Don't judge me until you readit, thanks.

Speaker 3 (01:04:28):
Prediction, can we all move forward more hopeful
and unified, like you talk aboutin your article.

Speaker 1 (01:04:36):
I know I think that we will pass bipartisan
immigration reform for the firsttime in the last what 40 years?

Speaker 3 (01:04:45):
How about Marjorie Taylor Greene finally goes up in
a UFO this year?

Speaker 1 (01:04:49):
That's a good one.
That's a good one.
There you go.
Yep, that one.
Oh, we can do personal.

Speaker 3 (01:04:56):
That's a good one.
So the question to all of us issingle or in a relationship?
The question is is Blaine goingto end the year?
I'm like I think you'llprobably have been in several
relationships.
So, timing-wise, it depends onwhich day we're asking.

Speaker 2 (01:05:13):
I'm saying a semi-monogamous.
Whatever Blaine wants, whatevertype of relationship Blaine
wants, he will be in a committedrelationship by the end of the
year, by New Year's.

Speaker 1 (01:05:28):
That is my assumption , I think my hope would be yes,
I would be in a relationship bythe end of the year.
Yes, thank you, reed.
I'm actually looking for that,believe it or not.
Despite the boy tornado thing,I think I'm ready.
So you have a tinder.
Well, apparently I have to geton something to meet people.

(01:05:49):
Though I tend to meet peopleout, I really don't meet people
on apps I mean no, me too.

Speaker 2 (01:05:54):
I always was like that too I get hit up on
facebook, instagram, like oh,instagram's actually ends up
being a big one so much.

Speaker 1 (01:06:03):
Yeah, I've had several dates from facebook and
instagram people that don't evenlive in the state my problem is
with the instagram thing is Ialways forget about their
message and I don't really checkmy instagram messages that much
I'm really bad about it.
Ryan knows I usually respond toit.

Speaker 3 (01:06:19):
Well, I'll like tag you on something and see it a
few weeks later, but like I knowthat and the tag's still there,
so like if I actually want toreach out to you, I know I can
call you or text you yeah, I'mnot very good at instagram
messages, okay, so let me.

Speaker 1 (01:06:34):
Oh, I've got another one for ryan um.
Will ryan have a wedding dateby the end of next year?

Speaker 3 (01:06:42):
the end of this year, I'll say you're gonna have a
wedding date by the end of nextyear, the end of this year, I'll
say you're going to have awedding date by the end of the
year, putting me on the spot.

Speaker 2 (01:06:51):
I told you I'm part of figuring this out over these
next six months.
Yeah, that's nothing againstyou or Bradley.
I just don't think you guys aregoing to select a date by the
end of the year.

Speaker 3 (01:06:56):
I think so.
My goal right now is by summer.
There needs to be a cleardirection on planning that for
yes or no.

Speaker 2 (01:07:05):
Is it Bradley holding it?

Speaker 3 (01:07:05):
up, or is it Brian holding it up?
There's not any one personholding anything up, I guess.

Speaker 2 (01:07:12):
I mean, you guys are committed living together.

Speaker 3 (01:07:14):
You guys have rings on each other's fingers Sounds
like it's more of a complexanswer, I think, than just one
person's holding it up.

Speaker 2 (01:07:20):
No, you're right.
Exactly that's what I mean, Ilike.
I mean, setting a date issomething that's just going to
happen, and that's why I don'tthink it's going to happen by
the end of this year.
And I don't mean that againsteither of you.
I mean you all have otherthings that you're working on.
It's not a big deal, you're notgoing anywhere.

Speaker 1 (01:07:36):
I mean that in the sense of you're not yeah, I just
think like I would never rushgetting engaged.
I just think it's not worth itto me.
But that's me.
I'm also not a marriage person.
I don't get it.
I need to ask myself thatthat's a different episode look
at reed being mr devil overthere like come on maybe it's

(01:07:57):
just because you guys haven'thad a drink.
All right, I think that's what'sgoing on okay, so we'll read be
in a relationship by the end ofnext year, yes or no of this
year?

Speaker 2 (01:08:06):
sorry, my answer is no.
I will not be in a relationshipby the end of this year do you
just not have that much faith inlove?
No, I believe in love.

Speaker 1 (01:08:14):
I'm technically still hung up, really yeah no,
everything's fine.

Speaker 2 (01:08:22):
I'm a firm believer in love and I'm open to it.
However, I do not foresee mebeing in a relationship by the
end of the year.
I'm going to be traveling.
I'm going to be not worried,not really focused on dating,
though I am on Tinder.

Speaker 1 (01:08:37):
Yes, because I think that Reed gets hung up on men
all the time.
Never.
I know we don't have anythingto really cheers, but we can
kind of.

Speaker 3 (01:08:47):
I mean, we'll just say, like we talked about right,
like trust, the process.
We're on a journey, probablythe same thing we said last year
, because it's just another yearin the journey, but we're on a
new stage and we wish everyonewell and a happy new year and
more content creation I'mexcited about 2025.

Speaker 1 (01:09:05):
Let's do it and we are gonna stick to these
resolutions this year.

Speaker 3 (01:09:09):
So cheers, oh yes, we are at least the content one,
and my goal with that is tospeak up more too, because I
didn't do enough of that on thispodcast last year well, now you
don't have Adam screaming atyou, so it's pretty nice.

Speaker 1 (01:09:24):
Yes, yes, see, cheers y'all.
Happy New Year.
Happy New Year, cheers to 2025.
Cheers to 2025.