October 22, 2025 • 29 mins
Holiday season used to feel like a slow build. Now it’s a sprint: Halloween launches in July, Thanksgiving gets squeezed, and December arrives with a storage bin avalanche. We get honest about how that pace numbs the joy—and what to do when the yard turns into a plastic parade. From HOAs setting limits on tree lawns to cities asking neighbors to dial it back, boundaries can actually make celebrations better. But the real reset starts at home: we lay out a practical “use-it-or-lose-it” plan to death clean our holiday bins, keep what matters, and give the rest a graceful goodbye.
Thank you for listening. Be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for additional content. We often post polls and other questions for your feedback. We would love to hear from you, and if you like our show please take a moment to give us a Five Star Review!
Love our show and want to support us? Click on this link to submit a one time or reoccurring donation. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2398402/support
www.facebook.com/DysfunctionJunkies
https://www.instagram.com/dysfunctionjunkies
https://www.youtube.com/@DysfunctionJunkies
https://dysfunctionjunkiespodcast.com
Dysfunction Junkies has all rights to the songs "Hit the Ground Running" created by Ryan Prewett and "Happy Hour" created by Evert Z.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
DJ NICK (00:06):
Welcome to the Dysfunction Junkies Podcast.
We may not have seen it all,but we've seen enough.
And now, here are your hosts,Chrissy and Carrie.
KERRY (00:20):
Hello, Junkies.
I'm Carrie.
And I'm Chrissy.
It's getting close to the ho hoho Christmas.
CHRISY (00:29):
Christmas.
Because, I mean, we've beendoing the Halloween thing for
months now.
It's time to move on.
2026 already.
Valentine's Day.
I don't know.
We just, everything is soscrewed up.
But you're right.
It is almost Halloween.
And a lot of people loveHalloween from what I've seen.
Especially since you've beencelebrating it since July.
KERRY (00:52):
I know.
The what?
The pumpkin spice lattes andeverything have been out since
September 1st.
And we've had our fill of applecider, and everyone's yards are
decorated with all the stupidstuff.
I mean Halloween decorations.
CHRISY (01:07):
Last year we did establish that some people
really did do it right.
KERRY (01:12):
Yes.
There is the doing it right,and then there's doing it.
Why did you even bother?
CHRISY (01:17):
Well, you know, I really, I think just the one,
maybe the one good thing, uh,because I talked about how much
anxiety I get from all the stuffthat is shown on the internet
that you're supposed to be doingfor Halloween and Christmas and
all that, is I think that theyreally show you a lot of things
you can do instead of putting abunch of tacky things out.
Yeah.
And I really don't see thatbeing the Halloween crime as
(01:41):
much as it used to be.
I think people really havedecided to make an effort to put
some thought and a little bitof their talents into uh you
know celebrating.
KERRY (01:51):
All I have to say is I can see the value of having a
good HOA during these times.
CHRISY (01:58):
Somebody who lives with an HOA might disagree with you,
but go ahead.
KERRY (02:05):
Because I tell you what, if I had to live next to some of
these houses with some of theirvery tacky and I don't know,
just not my eye.
CHRISY (02:14):
Are you really seeing a lot of tackies?
KERRY (02:17):
Yes.
CHRISY (02:18):
Because to be honest, and DJ Nick, chime in, but it's
because you live in an HOA.
Well, it's nice.
But even driving through otherneighborhoods here, I really
don't think that I see maybedifferent areas have people who
like to do it up a little bitmore and maybe you know don't
invest as much.
(02:39):
But you know, their hearts init.
DJ NICK (02:41):
There's there's one house I know of that they just
overdo it.
So much so they had stuff intheir double strip.
Double strip?
KERRY (02:48):
You know, the uh the the uh the right-of-way, you know,
the oh the space between likeyour property and the street?
Yeah, okay, like the sidewalkand the streets.
DJ NICK (02:56):
And I guess that's that maybe maybe that's a a a
northeast Ohio expression, butthe double strip.
KERRY (03:02):
Now I know what you mean, yeah.
DJ NICK (03:03):
But yeah, so the the city of made made them take
everything off of the that theyhave.
KERRY (03:08):
Yeah, because you're not allowed to post there.
That's technically not theirproperty.
Wow.
CHRISY (03:12):
Didn't we learn another name for that?
That's here is another name.
DJ NICK (03:17):
The tree, the tree tree line or the tree lawn or the
tree launched?
The tree lawn, yeah, I think isthe other one.
Yeah.
I'd never heard of that before.
But at any rate, they had someHalloween decorations on their
tree lawn or their double strip,whatever you call it.
And the city said you can'thave it there.
So they had to cram more stuffin there.
KERRY (03:34):
You know, and it wasn't they just moved it back five
feet to their side of thesidewalk.
DJ NICK (03:38):
But I mean, it's you know, it's not a very big lot
where the house was.
It's just all kinds ofHalloween stuff just crammed in
there.
CHRISY (03:44):
Yeah, you have to kind of know when to say when.
Yeah, and even sometimes lessis better.
Yeah, yeah.
I've learned that more as I'vegotten older.
KERRY (03:54):
Less effort, less effort, less people.
Well, I agree with that one.
Less BS.
DJ NICK (04:01):
And I'd like to have less weight on me.
So we all want that.
CHRISY (04:07):
Less pumpkin pie spice.
Don't buy five things ofpumpkin pie spice when you
finally find it, because theycaused a panic.
Told me I wasn't gonna get it.
KERRY (04:20):
Yep.
Yeah, so I do feel I do.
I see some of these and I'mjust like, oh my god.
And you know what?
And here's the worst part.
I could deal with it if I knewit was gonna end at, you know,
okay, Halloween, October 31st.
Okay, maybe I'll give you tillNovember 7th, you know, the
weekend after Halloween to takeit down.
But when that crap is still upinto Christmas and all they do
(04:44):
is throw a Santa Claus hat onit, sometimes they don't even do
that.
But they throw the Santa Clauson it, they try to make it now a
what was that, the Christmas?
What was that?
The Christmas where they hadthe skeleton, the nightmare
before Christmas, whatever itis.
Right, yeah, you know, no, andeven worse, if you're putting
bunny ears on that shit, comeon.
CHRISY (05:05):
Wow, I don't know that I've seen that firsthand.
DJ NICK (05:09):
So this this house that I was speaking of that got in
trouble.
Yeah, their stuff, theirHalloween stuff had been up
since I'm sure July.
KERRY (05:17):
See?
See, no, thank God for cityordinances and HOAs.
That's all I have to say.
CHRISY (05:21):
They do see, but you know what?
It's encouraged, unfortunately,and the wrong the certain
people take it too far, but Imean, yeah, it's just look, uh
you enjoy it and you want tocelebrate it for as long as you
can, and I get it, but Octoberis already a 31-day month.
DJ NICK (05:41):
It is not like it's February or anything.
CHRISY (05:44):
Right, you know, I mean, it's a long month, and I mean,
it can bleed from uh September alittle bit, right?
And like you said, it can bleedover into November a little
bit, election day or whateverthe heck's going on in early
November.
But yeah, I really think it'sbecome so like almost like
(06:05):
you're numb to it.
Yeah.
It's yeah, it I and I but see,I don't know how to make
understand this feeling I'mfeeling because I'm not a little
kid anymore.
I'm not a young person.
So why do I think I'm supposedto still feel that excitement?
Yeah, but it's gotten to thepoint now where I just don't
even care.
It's like I don't even want todecorate anymore, and that's
(06:27):
crazy.
I know, I hear you.
KERRY (06:29):
But well, my attitude on decorating, you know, is a
little bit different this year.
Now, I'm not decorating forHalloween, no, I'm not
decorating for Thanksgiving, no,but I did promise that I would
suffer this year and decoratefor Christmas.
CHRISY (06:43):
I'm gonna hold you to this.
KERRY (06:44):
You will, you can.
It's okay because I I have aI'm doing the death cleaning
this year.
So, well, you didn't read myblog?
Remind me again.
CHRISY (06:53):
Come on, give me some credit.
Do you know how muchinformation overload I am on
just in general?
KERRY (06:58):
No.
So, you know, in my blog, uh yousent me that one thing.
Yeah, it's called it's I talkedabout in my first blog about
the nobody wants your shit book.
Yes.
Audio book.
Yes.
And they talk I did look intothat.
They did talk about death, theyrefer it to as death cleaning.
Okay, you know, it's justpurging your life of all the
stuff you don't need because youknow, if something happens to
(07:20):
you, your kids don't want thatshit.
They don't want the chotchkis,they don't want ever, you know,
they just don't want it.
So why why are you hoarding it?
Sorry to break the news to youon that, Chrissy.
You have a look ofmortification on your face right
now.
CHRISY (07:32):
I don't because I it it it is something I I've slowly
come to realize and agree with.
KERRY (07:38):
Yes.
So my goal this year is to getall the Christmas decorations
out of the basement, everysingle last one of them.
And I am going to either use itand put it up, or it's getting
donated, whether it's to theburn pal, the round pow,
goodwill, whatever sucker wantsit.
(07:59):
I don't know.
So, but it's either one way oranother, it's gonna either get
used or it's gonna get losed.
And then at the end of theholiday season, I will therefore
have only the things that arereally mean something that I'm
going to keep for future use.
That is my plan for theChristmas decorations this year.
DJ NICK (08:17):
That sounds like a great plan.
You know, we have so manylights, Christmas lights.
We can light up all ofNortheast Ohio where it's like.
CHRISY (08:29):
There is one set I won't part with.
And it's okay to have a fewthings that you can't part with.
It's never been plugged in.
KERRY (08:35):
Never?
DJ NICK (08:35):
No.
Oh God.
And she bought it 30 years agoor more.
KERRY (08:39):
Oh, so in other words, if you plugged it in, it's a
safety hazard at this point.
It's knob and tube wiring.
What is it?
CHRISY (08:47):
Kodak Christmas Lights from Hills Department Store.
And there's no way you canduplicate those.
KERRY (08:54):
Are you sure that they're really only 30 years old?
Are they more like 40 becauseit's Hills Department Store?
CHRISY (09:01):
Well, no, it'd probably be about, yeah, 30.
I guess because Hills was kindof out by the mid to late 90s, I
think.
KERRY (09:07):
I feel like I was, yeah, in my 20s, I guess, whenever
they were.
Yeah, I have one set that Inever used.
So are they like a specialdesign or is it just the color?
DJ NICK (09:16):
It's just straight, it's regular, small Christmas
tree lights.
CHRISY (09:20):
But it's Kodak.
And it's the colors thatbecause they have these more
energy efficient LAD lightings.
And they have a different,they're still beautiful, right?
But it's a different color thatyou don't have.
KERRY (09:34):
It's a different brightness, a different hue.
CHRISY (09:36):
Right.
KERRY (09:37):
Yes.
CHRISY (09:37):
And I used those uh very much so on my Christmas trees
and everything else.
DJ NICK (09:43):
In the 90s and even into the 2000s.
CHRISY (09:45):
Oh, yeah, for as long as I could, and they slowly would
go crappy.
I never opened one set, and Ijust kept putting it back in the
box.
Just putting it back in thebox.
DJ NICK (09:54):
Maybe we can get some money on eBay.
CHRISY (09:56):
No, no, no.
It's just one box.
I'm not gonna deal with that.
But I do like the idea of justputting like we should just
totally dig through all of ourstorage stuff, put out, be be
one of those tacky people.
Put all of these hideous,horrible Halloween and Christmas
decorations out for one moretime.
One more time.
A goodbye party.
KERRY (10:17):
Yes.
Okay, now that I can accept.
And then I can support that.
CHRISY (10:22):
We're gonna say bye to most of it.
KERRY (10:24):
And you need to have a sign out there that says like
one last hurrah or something,you know, so that like, you
know.
Yeah, I I guess, but that wayyour neighbors know that it's
not coming back next year.
DJ NICK (10:35):
Well, I have maybe a Christmas vacation movie with
all the lighting.
CHRISY (10:39):
Yes, everything.
Well, the one thing I wasthinking of, because I have a
beautiful box that I haven'tcracked in years of Christmas
bulbs, not to get to the weirdthing, but they're glass.
Yeah, and I haven't used themin a long, long time.
Because you've seen kids andpets and whatever, right?
Things are knocked off thetree, so I totally went to the
whole plastic that looks likeglass bulb for a long time.
(11:02):
And this year I said, you know,finally, I just need to because
I kept going over that box andsaying, no, not this year, no,
not this year.
Yeah.
But I and I should just putthem out, and if they break,
they break, I sweep them up, andthat's the end of it.
Yeah.
So I'm I'm thinking I'm gonnatry this.
Okay, you can hold me to it.
KERRY (11:19):
Okay.
All right.
We're doing it.
CHRISY (11:21):
And same thing with the Halloween, my paper mache
pumpkins that I made back uh 40.
KERRY (11:25):
You need to get those out because it's almost Halloween.
So if you haven't pulled themout yet, you need to get those
babies out.
Well, now we put pressure onher.
CHRISY (11:36):
They did stay in the box.
Because there is like thiswhole thing where some stuff,
I'm like, do I put that out?
And I don't even want to lookat it.
Why would anybody else want tolook at it?
Why are you keeping it on it?
KERRY (11:48):
Okay.
You need to do it.
If you haven't completelylistened to that audiobook, you
need to listen to it.
And for those of you thathaven't listened to it or read
my blog, go back and read theblog.
It's called Nobody Wants YourShit.
CHRISY (12:00):
And it's by I hear this.
KERRY (12:02):
Oh, Messi Kondo is the name of the is the code name of
the author, Messi Kondo.
But it's a really, really goodaudiobook about decluttering.
CHRISY (12:12):
Everybody probably needs it to some extent to really
hear this stuff.
KERRY (12:15):
Oh, yeah, it's really good.
It's fun.
DJ NICK (12:17):
So you guys covered all those phobias.
You forgot to cover Chrissy'sdysposophobia, which is the fear
of getting getting rid ofthings.
CHRISY (12:25):
She's got dysphosophobia a few episodes ago.
If you didn't listen, go back.
But yeah, I guess I do.
I can't argue.
KERRY (12:33):
The word of the day is dysphobia.
Disposophobia.
CHRISY (12:38):
Okay.
KERRY (12:40):
She's gotten better though.
I think we need to put this onour website, is we need to put
what the word of the days are.
And we need to make a masterlist of our words of the day.
I'm gonna talk to instantwebmakers about that.
Yeah, that's a good one.
Words of the day.
And then reference the episodethat they're on.
So dispose of phobia.
I'm writing my notes.
(13:00):
Definitely.
And this is what episode 68.
So what else you got forHalloween?
CHRISY (13:09):
Well, Halloween, and uh, of course, the Halloween shows,
you know, that I still try torelive my childhood.
I'm not gonna bring up theone-you made that one us watch
last year.
You watched it, and I'm sohappy that you did that because
that was nice of you.
I know you didn't like it.
We're talking about theHalloween.
KERRY (13:29):
Don't, don't.
CHRISY (13:31):
You're so mean.
You're so mean.
I will watch it.
I've watched it probably, Idon't know how many times
already, and we'll watch it.
But one we didn't talk aboutbefore, and I highly recommend
it.
It was a book by a very uhwonderful author, and it's the
Halloween tree.
I've never heard of this.
And it's Ray Bradbury, and thecartoon, which is from the 90s,
(13:54):
is lovely because he narrates.
KERRY (13:56):
Is this like the giving tree?
CHRISY (13:58):
No, you went there.
Did you go there to go throughthat goddamn book?
How dare you?
What a piece of crap that is.
Garbage.
Selfish man sitting on a stump,took that tree down for
(14:24):
everything.
Yes.
And the tree still was willing.
I ain't got nothing else togive because you took
everything.
But ass tired of standing up,park it here.
Horrible.
Horrible.
Okay, so we've established thatthe.
Isn't that what that book'sabout?
It is.
I summed it up.
DJ NICK (14:42):
I summed it up for you people.
Don't read it.
Shell Silverstein.
No, it's a classic.
KERRY (14:46):
Shell Silverstein, is that the name of the author for
the giving?
DJ NICK (14:52):
Yeah, he also did Where What's Up in the Attic or
something like that.
I don't know that one.
CHRISY (14:55):
Well, there's a lot of people.
Those are good books.
Okay.
Unless you're mean.
DJ NICK (15:00):
Go back to the Halloween tree.
KERRY (15:01):
So you're talking about the Halloween giving tree.
It's not a sequel or part twoof the Giving Sundays.
CHRISY (15:09):
Okay.
It is a lovely, lovely book.
I have the book.
I've read the book.
And it they did an animatedcartoon of it.
Okay.
And I highly recommend it.
And okay, and you will like itbecause it's definitely not in
the same.
Even Nick likes it.
Right?
So if Nick's saying it's good,because he feels pretty much the
(15:29):
same way you do about the otherrecommendation.
Please.
Okay.
Try to make it a point to findthat.
KERRY (15:33):
Is this a children's book?
Is it a novel?
CHRISY (15:36):
Is it it is, but it's it's got a quick read.
KERRY (15:39):
Am I gonna be done in an hour, in a two hour?
CHRISY (15:42):
The book is a little long, uh bigger.
It's not uh typical RayBradbury as far as uh length,
but it's uh more than children'suh it's a bit of a commitment,
but not much.
And the the cartoon is iswonderful, and I uh do uh really
appreciate it.
Okay.
It's a it's a whole backstory,but it it definitely helps you
(16:04):
appreciate how other culturesand countries celebrate the idea
of Halloween.
I will give it a try.
Yeah, so I highly recommendthat.
Okay.
And the one thing we didn'ttalk about was our and maybe we
did, but I can't remember.
Did we talk about Halloweenparties at school when we were
young?
KERRY (16:21):
I know we talked about Valentine's Day parties.
If we did, it was very briefbecause we came, we started the
podcast last year.
We were kind of like just offthe cusp of Halloween going into
Thanksgiving, so we didn't divetoo much into it.
CHRISY (16:33):
Right.
KERRY (16:34):
I know we talked about the Hills Department store at
one point, the you know, thecostumes that came in a box.
CHRISY (16:40):
Oh, yeah, those were everywhere.
Yeah, you could get those atthe drugstore, right?
We'll work it all over.
Yeah, the lovely.
KERRY (16:46):
So, how did your Halloween parties go?
CHRISY (16:48):
Well, we just I remember it was sort of a big deal, and
I don't know, maybe Nick's wasthat or yours, but I remember we
would go to school for half aday.
Oh, you got a half a day?
Well, we go to school, you'dhave the first half of your day
would be school, and then aroundlunchtime you would go home and
you would get your costume.
KERRY (17:07):
You physically went home?
CHRISY (17:08):
Yes.
To get your costume on.
KERRY (17:10):
Uh-huh.
CHRISY (17:11):
And then you came back to school for your Halloween
party.
KERRY (17:13):
Did you ride a bus to school?
No.
Oh.
CHRISY (17:16):
So it was some level of commitment.
I wonder what happened with thebus riders, because there were
bus riders, but and how theywere able to maybe they were
allowed to.
It seems wrong, but I doremember that you had to go home
and get your costume.
You couldn't bring it to schoolto put it on.
KERRY (17:30):
Okay, so what I do remember is that we had a
Halloween parade.
Yes.
And I loved the parade.
CHRISY (17:35):
Yes, we did too.
KERRY (17:36):
Okay.
But I don't remember, did we Idon't think we went to school in
our costume, but I can tell youwe did not come home and go
back.
CHRISY (17:44):
I feel like we did, but maybe I'm wrong.
KERRY (17:46):
I don't know.
I'd have to ask.
I feel like we somehow put theHalloween costumes on.
Now, whether our parents cameand they maybe helped us put
them on and then we did theparade and then went home, but I
know that we did not go homeand I know we did not wear our
costumes all day.
CHRISY (18:03):
Well, I just I feel like we went home because then like
you showed up and you were kindof mingling outside, weather
permitting, uh-huh, before wedid our parade.
And some people would show upin a costume where you had no
idea who it was in the costumebecause it was just that much uh
completely covered disguised.
Yeah.
So, but yeah, I mean, just thewhole fun of it.
(18:24):
That that's a time you can'tever get back.
And I'm glad I was able toexperience it in the school I
went to, and and I'm sure youand uh Nick, did you have a
parade at your school too?
Yeah.
KERRY (18:33):
The um church that I work at, we have a preschool, and I
will say this is one of myfavorite times of the year with
the preschool because they theydo a Halloween parade.
And so the parents will come,but then the staff also we get
involved, and so we all line up,and you know, they come and
they do this parade, and theycome by each of us, and you
know, we add things to theirlittle bag and stuff.
(18:55):
That is fun.
Now, those kids come to schoolin their costumes.
Oh, okay.
And but it's preschool, sothey're only there for half days
a couple hours.
So they come to school in theircostumes, and then they and
they I think it is a shortenedday.
They do their little parade andthe parents take them home, and
it's it's more of a party day.
But I do really enjoy.
I will say that is that that isa part of Halloween that I
(19:16):
enjoy is working at the churchin the preschool in the
costumes.
CHRISY (19:19):
Watching the yeah, when my when my kids were uh of that
age and that type where they hadthe parades and dressed up and
yeah, because they're older now,they're not really in the
world.
KERRY (19:30):
What way did that kind of stop though?
Because I feel like I only havea couple years memories of
that.
Like I feel like that was onlylike first second grade.
Like I don't remember doingthat all through grade school,
and I know we didn't do it inhigh school.
If we had a hell if we dressedup as something, it was because
we had like a Halloween dance.
Right.
But I but I don't feel like weever came to school like dressed
(19:51):
up.
No, at school in high school,no.
CHRISY (19:54):
No, no, no, I don't think so.
I seem to think that maybe bylike fourth grade, yeah, it was
kind of phasing out.
Yeah.
Because I don't really rememberdoing, even though I was still
at the same elementary school, Idon't really remember doing it
that much in like fifth or sixthgrade.
KERRY (20:10):
No, no, I can say I don't think so either.
If any of you went to highschool or I'm sorry, grade
school with us here in the area,refresh our memories.
Send us something on ourFacebook page or uh send us an
email and what help us rememberwhat we did in those later
years.
But I believe that's correct.
I think we only did it likefirst second, third grade-ish,
you know, maybe.
Yeah.
I don't think we did anythingolder.
(20:31):
Right.
Yeah.
CHRISY (20:32):
I mean, but yeah, great memories.
KERRY (20:35):
Yeah, I will say that was that was kind of fun.
It was kind of like at the endof the year when you had that
field day.
You know, basically you had onemore last day of school, but
all the testing was done andthey didn't have anything else
for the teachers to do with us,but they had to keep us, so we
had a field day, and it wasbasically playground day for the
whole day.
Did you do that?
CHRISY (20:51):
I don't remember.
KERRY (20:52):
You're looking at me like I have ten eyes.
DJ NICK (20:54):
Nick remembers it.
Yeah, we would actually go to apark.
KERRY (20:57):
Oh, did you?
Did whereas your school nothave a good play area for that
could accommodate?
DJ NICK (21:02):
It actually it did, but we could walk like three blocks
down to another park.
KERRY (21:06):
Oh.
No, we just did it at theschool.
DJ NICK (21:09):
I do remember going to my school didn't have a lot of
playground equipment.
It was it was big.
Yeah, the parking lot, and thenthere was a an adjacent field.
There was nothing on it.
So we would go like threeblocks down.
CHRISY (21:21):
Okay.
I do remember going to parkwhere near where I lived, and
with uh my grade school class, Ieven have some pictures of it
somewhere.
Wow.
If I can find them.
KERRY (21:33):
We didn't go off site much, they didn't transport us
much.
I think the circus we went toSymphony.
Yeah, we go to the symphony,you didn't go to the circus.
There was like maybe one MilkCreek Park for something.
Yeah, that was where we wentfor this sort of uh but it was
for like a special education andnot to play.
CHRISY (21:51):
I don't know.
I feel like it was just sort ofto hang out and have a good
time.
KERRY (21:54):
Yeah, we no, we would do that at the school.
They didn't they didn't take usoff property much.
CHRISY (21:58):
I a lot of times when we did have like little field
trips, I I do know that parentssort of transported, like
certain kids were assigned intocars and really oh yeah.
KERRY (22:07):
Oh yeah, no no no no.
CHRISY (22:08):
And my mom actually did participate in driving some
students with me to uh aspecific uh always in a bus, big
yellow bus, never, neverpersonal transport.
KERRY (22:19):
The only personal transport I ever was in was when
I was in eighth grade, we wouldgo with the priest to the
nursing home once a week, andthey would do mass for the n at
the nursing home.
And so every week, like fourkids got to go in eighth, like
from the eighth grade class,seventh, and eighth grade class
with the priest to help servemass, and it would rotate who
(22:42):
would get to go every week.
So you might only go once everytwo months or once every three
months, but every week somebodywent.
So at that point, we wereallowed to ride in the car with
the priest, but again, there wasfour of us total.
So it must have been three kidsin the past because there was
four total, so it was threeyeah.
In fact, that's the first timeI ever heard Bruce Springsteen's
song Born in the USA was in thecar with Father.
(23:03):
Nice, I just remember that, andthen the only other time was in
high school when we did theservice projects that we would
go off site and we'd be a groupof us in the car and the we
would drive ourselves.
Oh, but any other time, schoolbus.
School bus.
CHRISY (23:18):
Well, I remember being on the bus too for like the
symphony, like you mentioned,and things like that.
But yeah, I do remember thelittle transport of five or so
kids in a car with a parent.
KERRY (23:28):
Very cool.
Yeah, right.
What's this thing you got aboutcandy?
CHRISY (23:31):
Well, uh just again talking about how, you know, we
roll right into the next thing.
There's no downtime.
No, and in fact, I would saywe're almost to the point now
where they are riding side byside.
Yes.
KERRY (23:48):
So we've got the Thanksgiving.
CHRISY (23:50):
Does that even mean anything?
I mean, as far as it's a meal,it's almost like the the
pre-show to Christmas.
The opening act, if you will.
It's not really the warm-up.
It's not, yeah, it's definitelythe it's it's not, it sort of
doesn't even feel like it's itsown thing anymore.
KERRY (24:10):
The amouse boosh.
CHRISY (24:12):
The word of the day.
Amoose boosh.
What is that a word?
KERRY (24:16):
It is Nick's.
It's actually, I think, twowords, but and that means
something, it's a one bite.
It means one bite.
It's an appetizer.
He's shaking his head, yes.
CHRISY (24:25):
He's agreeing with you.
And I have no idea what thehell you got.
KERRY (24:28):
I'm offended that you didn't believe me.
Well, I didn't know you did it.
You you said you looked over atNick and he goes, is that a
word?
And then when he says yes,you're like, oh, it really is a
word?
You didn't believe me?
I believe you! No, but I'moffended.
Don't be offended.
A moosh boosh.
A moose boosh.
It's a one-bite appetizer.
DJ NICK (24:49):
It's like uh it's actually it's not technically an
appetizer, but it is a onesingle bite-sized complimentary
food offered to guests at arestaurant, chosen by the chef
to showcase their skill.
KERRY (25:02):
It's often served as an appetizer.
CHRISY (25:04):
Here's where he knew that was, which might I want to
know who he went to a restaurantthat did this with, because it
wasn't me.
DJ NICK (25:12):
It's entertained, it's amuse, like the word amuse, but
it's the French.
It's mouth in French.
Yes.
It's amouse the mouth.
CHRISY (25:20):
Amuse bouche.
This sounds filthy.
DJ NICK (25:23):
Entertains the mouth.
CHRISY (25:25):
That is filthy.
KERRY (25:27):
That's what it's the translation.
DJ NICK (25:30):
Dirty, dirty.
Yeah, but it's only dirtybecause you you're interpreting
it that way.
KERRY (25:35):
I mean absolutely.
Okay, that'll be another liston our website.
Words that Chrissy thinks aredirty.
So we have barn swallow, amoose boosh.
And I'm sure we can find some.
I'll have to go back to theother episodes because I know
there were other things.
CHRISY (25:52):
It's always uh what you the other one that you said that
I did say was the word of theday.
This is gonna be bad.
Shithole.
Um so yeah, so basically what Iwas saying here with the last
piece of candy is handed out,lights are off, yeah, blow
(26:14):
candle and the pumpkin.
Right.
And it's Christmas.
Yes.
It's Christmas.
KERRY (26:18):
What happened in between?
Nothing.
Wherever the six hours inbetween.
CHRISY (26:21):
Oh, yeah, we're gonna get a turkey.
We're gonna have the Thursday,whatever, the third or fourth
Thursday of the November isgonna be a get-together.
Yeah, but even it seemedexcessive to have the tree up
the day after, but it becameacceptable.
Yeah.
So that Friday, that weekend,instead of shopping or in with
shopping, I will you put yourtree up.
KERRY (26:42):
Well, I will tell you because like I said, we are
going to do, we're doing thedecorations this year.
Right.
It's happening.
So we will be going to buy alive Christmas tree the weekend
of Thanksgiving.
So probably that Saturday.
We're gonna go, we're gonna gotrudge out there.
CHRISY (26:59):
You're gonna cut it down.
KERRY (27:00):
We're gonna cut the tree down.
CHRISY (27:01):
Just the fact that you're having a live, I've never
been in the presence of a livetree unless it was rooted in the
earth.
When I was little, my mycousins, they had, they did have
a real tree.
Yeah.
And like I said, it just seemedlike a big pain in the ass
because they were always like,Did you want in a tree?
DJ NICK (27:19):
It looks dry.
You're feeding into your ownthing.
What?
How it's all about Christmas,and you're continuing to talk
about it.
KERRY (27:26):
Halloween's.
CHRISY (27:27):
I can't.
I know we're still on Halloween.
It's embedded.
It's embedded.
DJ NICK (27:31):
I can't talk about Halloween without Christmas.
It's terrible.
Halloween's not even here yet.
KERRY (27:35):
I know.
Oh gosh, Nick caught us onthat.
He did.
Okay.
But yeah, I get it.
So but I am I am lookingforward to this season coming
up.
And so, yeah, I don't know.
But you know, the one nicething is this is uh I don't get
trick-or-treaters, so I don't Idon't have to worry about that.
CHRISY (27:51):
If they they're good at hiking, because yeah, there's a
lot of space in between yournext house.
Exactly.
They must not want much candyif they come that way.
DJ NICK (28:01):
So RHOA, and I think you talked about this last year.
Yeah, it has to be someone whois living, a child who's living,
or it's a a grandchild, or itcan't be.
KERRY (28:11):
Did they give you your date on when you're allowed to
have oh, it's way too early forwe get that last minute.
Oh, yeah.
CHRISY (28:17):
So because they don't want it to sneak, leak out.
We know it's coming, and we'rewe're we're on standby.
Sort of like the military.
KERRY (28:26):
It's gonna have hurry up and wait.
Well, this was great to kind oftalk about Halloween and
everything.
In the meantime, uh, speakingof Halloween, we have our
special Chunky's Care initiativethis month to support United
Way of Wayne and Holmescounties.
And they with this is gonna beon this Saturday, October 25th.
We're gonna be at their 5K, theHeart and Ghoul, 5K and one
(28:49):
mile spooky sprint.
That'll be in historic downtownWorcester on Saturday the 25th
at 9 a.m.
Uh Chrissy and I will be there.
Dysfunction Junkies uh podcastis a sponsor, one of the
sponsors for the event.
Um, so be sure if you're in thearea, come on out, join in the
fun, support this greatorganization, meet Chrissy and
I, uh, see what costumes we comeup with.
(29:09):
Yeah, it's a it's a good time.
Absolutely.
Uh, in the meantime, check usout on our Facebook page.
You can also uh look at ourwebsite, dysfunction
junkiespodcast.com, learn allabout us, see what events we're
doing, where we're at, read ourblogs and uh everything you need
to know about us.
So yes, all right, happyHalloween.
Welcome to the Dysfunction Junkies Podcast.
We may not have seen it all,but we've seen enough.
And now, here are your hosts,Chrissy and Carrie.
KERRY (00:20):
Hello, Junkies.
I'm Carrie.
And I'm Chrissy.
It's getting close to the ho hoho Christmas.
CHRISY (00:29):
Christmas.
Because, I mean, we've beendoing the Halloween thing for
months now.
It's time to move on.
2026 already.
Valentine's Day.
I don't know.
We just, everything is soscrewed up.
But you're right.
It is almost Halloween.
And a lot of people loveHalloween from what I've seen.
Especially since you've beencelebrating it since July.
KERRY (00:52):
I know.
The what?
The pumpkin spice lattes andeverything have been out since
September 1st.
And we've had our fill of applecider, and everyone's yards are
decorated with all the stupidstuff.
I mean Halloween decorations.
CHRISY (01:07):
Last year we did establish that some people
really did do it right.
KERRY (01:12):
Yes.
There is the doing it right,and then there's doing it.
Why did you even bother?
CHRISY (01:17):
Well, you know, I really, I think just the one,
maybe the one good thing, uh,because I talked about how much
anxiety I get from all the stuffthat is shown on the internet
that you're supposed to be doingfor Halloween and Christmas and
all that, is I think that theyreally show you a lot of things
you can do instead of putting abunch of tacky things out.
Yeah.
And I really don't see thatbeing the Halloween crime as
(01:41):
much as it used to be.
I think people really havedecided to make an effort to put
some thought and a little bitof their talents into uh you
know celebrating.
KERRY (01:51):
All I have to say is I can see the value of having a
good HOA during these times.
CHRISY (01:58):
Somebody who lives with an HOA might disagree with you,
but go ahead.
KERRY (02:05):
Because I tell you what, if I had to live next to some of
these houses with some of theirvery tacky and I don't know,
just not my eye.
CHRISY (02:14):
Are you really seeing a lot of tackies?
KERRY (02:17):
Yes.
CHRISY (02:18):
Because to be honest, and DJ Nick, chime in, but it's
because you live in an HOA.
Well, it's nice.
But even driving through otherneighborhoods here, I really
don't think that I see maybedifferent areas have people who
like to do it up a little bitmore and maybe you know don't
invest as much.
(02:39):
But you know, their hearts init.
DJ NICK (02:41):
There's there's one house I know of that they just
overdo it.
So much so they had stuff intheir double strip.
Double strip?
KERRY (02:48):
You know, the uh the the uh the right-of-way, you know,
the oh the space between likeyour property and the street?
Yeah, okay, like the sidewalkand the streets.
DJ NICK (02:56):
And I guess that's that maybe maybe that's a a a
northeast Ohio expression, butthe double strip.
KERRY (03:02):
Now I know what you mean, yeah.
DJ NICK (03:03):
But yeah, so the the city of made made them take
everything off of the that theyhave.
KERRY (03:08):
Yeah, because you're not allowed to post there.
That's technically not theirproperty.
Wow.
CHRISY (03:12):
Didn't we learn another name for that?
That's here is another name.
DJ NICK (03:17):
The tree, the tree tree line or the tree lawn or the
tree launched?
The tree lawn, yeah, I think isthe other one.
Yeah.
I'd never heard of that before.
But at any rate, they had someHalloween decorations on their
tree lawn or their double strip,whatever you call it.
And the city said you can'thave it there.
So they had to cram more stuffin there.
KERRY (03:34):
You know, and it wasn't they just moved it back five
feet to their side of thesidewalk.
DJ NICK (03:38):
But I mean, it's you know, it's not a very big lot
where the house was.
It's just all kinds ofHalloween stuff just crammed in
there.
CHRISY (03:44):
Yeah, you have to kind of know when to say when.
Yeah, and even sometimes lessis better.
Yeah, yeah.
I've learned that more as I'vegotten older.
KERRY (03:54):
Less effort, less effort, less people.
Well, I agree with that one.
Less BS.
DJ NICK (04:01):
And I'd like to have less weight on me.
So we all want that.
CHRISY (04:07):
Less pumpkin pie spice.
Don't buy five things ofpumpkin pie spice when you
finally find it, because theycaused a panic.
Told me I wasn't gonna get it.
KERRY (04:20):
Yep.
Yeah, so I do feel I do.
I see some of these and I'mjust like, oh my god.
And you know what?
And here's the worst part.
I could deal with it if I knewit was gonna end at, you know,
okay, Halloween, October 31st.
Okay, maybe I'll give you tillNovember 7th, you know, the
weekend after Halloween to takeit down.
But when that crap is still upinto Christmas and all they do
(04:44):
is throw a Santa Claus hat onit, sometimes they don't even do
that.
But they throw the Santa Clauson it, they try to make it now a
what was that, the Christmas?
What was that?
The Christmas where they hadthe skeleton, the nightmare
before Christmas, whatever itis.
Right, yeah, you know, no, andeven worse, if you're putting
bunny ears on that shit, comeon.
CHRISY (05:05):
Wow, I don't know that I've seen that firsthand.
DJ NICK (05:09):
So this this house that I was speaking of that got in
trouble.
Yeah, their stuff, theirHalloween stuff had been up
since I'm sure July.
KERRY (05:17):
See?
See, no, thank God for cityordinances and HOAs.
That's all I have to say.
CHRISY (05:21):
They do see, but you know what?
It's encouraged, unfortunately,and the wrong the certain
people take it too far, but Imean, yeah, it's just look, uh
you enjoy it and you want tocelebrate it for as long as you
can, and I get it, but Octoberis already a 31-day month.
DJ NICK (05:41):
It is not like it's February or anything.
CHRISY (05:44):
Right, you know, I mean, it's a long month, and I mean,
it can bleed from uh September alittle bit, right?
And like you said, it can bleedover into November a little
bit, election day or whateverthe heck's going on in early
November.
But yeah, I really think it'sbecome so like almost like
(06:05):
you're numb to it.
Yeah.
It's yeah, it I and I but see,I don't know how to make
understand this feeling I'mfeeling because I'm not a little
kid anymore.
I'm not a young person.
So why do I think I'm supposedto still feel that excitement?
Yeah, but it's gotten to thepoint now where I just don't
even care.
It's like I don't even want todecorate anymore, and that's
(06:27):
crazy.
I know, I hear you.
KERRY (06:29):
But well, my attitude on decorating, you know, is a
little bit different this year.
Now, I'm not decorating forHalloween, no, I'm not
decorating for Thanksgiving, no,but I did promise that I would
suffer this year and decoratefor Christmas.
CHRISY (06:43):
I'm gonna hold you to this.
KERRY (06:44):
You will, you can.
It's okay because I I have aI'm doing the death cleaning
this year.
So, well, you didn't read myblog?
Remind me again.
CHRISY (06:53):
Come on, give me some credit.
Do you know how muchinformation overload I am on
just in general?
KERRY (06:58):
No.
So, you know, in my blog, uh yousent me that one thing.
Yeah, it's called it's I talkedabout in my first blog about
the nobody wants your shit book.
Yes.
Audio book.
Yes.
And they talk I did look intothat.
They did talk about death, theyrefer it to as death cleaning.
Okay, you know, it's justpurging your life of all the
stuff you don't need because youknow, if something happens to
(07:20):
you, your kids don't want thatshit.
They don't want the chotchkis,they don't want ever, you know,
they just don't want it.
So why why are you hoarding it?
Sorry to break the news to youon that, Chrissy.
You have a look ofmortification on your face right
now.
CHRISY (07:32):
I don't because I it it it is something I I've slowly
come to realize and agree with.
KERRY (07:38):
Yes.
So my goal this year is to getall the Christmas decorations
out of the basement, everysingle last one of them.
And I am going to either use itand put it up, or it's getting
donated, whether it's to theburn pal, the round pow,
goodwill, whatever sucker wantsit.
(07:59):
I don't know.
So, but it's either one way oranother, it's gonna either get
used or it's gonna get losed.
And then at the end of theholiday season, I will therefore
have only the things that arereally mean something that I'm
going to keep for future use.
That is my plan for theChristmas decorations this year.
DJ NICK (08:17):
That sounds like a great plan.
You know, we have so manylights, Christmas lights.
We can light up all ofNortheast Ohio where it's like.
CHRISY (08:29):
There is one set I won't part with.
And it's okay to have a fewthings that you can't part with.
It's never been plugged in.
KERRY (08:35):
Never?
DJ NICK (08:35):
No.
Oh God.
And she bought it 30 years agoor more.
KERRY (08:39):
Oh, so in other words, if you plugged it in, it's a
safety hazard at this point.
It's knob and tube wiring.
What is it?
CHRISY (08:47):
Kodak Christmas Lights from Hills Department Store.
And there's no way you canduplicate those.
KERRY (08:54):
Are you sure that they're really only 30 years old?
Are they more like 40 becauseit's Hills Department Store?
CHRISY (09:01):
Well, no, it'd probably be about, yeah, 30.
I guess because Hills was kindof out by the mid to late 90s, I
think.
KERRY (09:07):
I feel like I was, yeah, in my 20s, I guess, whenever
they were.
Yeah, I have one set that Inever used.
So are they like a specialdesign or is it just the color?
DJ NICK (09:16):
It's just straight, it's regular, small Christmas
tree lights.
CHRISY (09:20):
But it's Kodak.
And it's the colors thatbecause they have these more
energy efficient LAD lightings.
And they have a different,they're still beautiful, right?
But it's a different color thatyou don't have.
KERRY (09:34):
It's a different brightness, a different hue.
CHRISY (09:36):
Right.
KERRY (09:37):
Yes.
CHRISY (09:37):
And I used those uh very much so on my Christmas trees
and everything else.
DJ NICK (09:43):
In the 90s and even into the 2000s.
CHRISY (09:45):
Oh, yeah, for as long as I could, and they slowly would
go crappy.
I never opened one set, and Ijust kept putting it back in the
box.
Just putting it back in thebox.
DJ NICK (09:54):
Maybe we can get some money on eBay.
CHRISY (09:56):
No, no, no.
It's just one box.
I'm not gonna deal with that.
But I do like the idea of justputting like we should just
totally dig through all of ourstorage stuff, put out, be be
one of those tacky people.
Put all of these hideous,horrible Halloween and Christmas
decorations out for one moretime.
One more time.
A goodbye party.
KERRY (10:17):
Yes.
Okay, now that I can accept.
And then I can support that.
CHRISY (10:22):
We're gonna say bye to most of it.
KERRY (10:24):
And you need to have a sign out there that says like
one last hurrah or something,you know, so that like, you
know.
Yeah, I I guess, but that wayyour neighbors know that it's
not coming back next year.
DJ NICK (10:35):
Well, I have maybe a Christmas vacation movie with
all the lighting.
CHRISY (10:39):
Yes, everything.
Well, the one thing I wasthinking of, because I have a
beautiful box that I haven'tcracked in years of Christmas
bulbs, not to get to the weirdthing, but they're glass.
Yeah, and I haven't used themin a long, long time.
Because you've seen kids andpets and whatever, right?
Things are knocked off thetree, so I totally went to the
whole plastic that looks likeglass bulb for a long time.
(11:02):
And this year I said, you know,finally, I just need to because
I kept going over that box andsaying, no, not this year, no,
not this year.
Yeah.
But I and I should just putthem out, and if they break,
they break, I sweep them up, andthat's the end of it.
Yeah.
So I'm I'm thinking I'm gonnatry this.
Okay, you can hold me to it.
KERRY (11:19):
Okay.
All right.
We're doing it.
CHRISY (11:21):
And same thing with the Halloween, my paper mache
pumpkins that I made back uh 40.
KERRY (11:25):
You need to get those out because it's almost Halloween.
So if you haven't pulled themout yet, you need to get those
babies out.
Well, now we put pressure onher.
CHRISY (11:36):
They did stay in the box.
Because there is like thiswhole thing where some stuff,
I'm like, do I put that out?
And I don't even want to lookat it.
Why would anybody else want tolook at it?
Why are you keeping it on it?
KERRY (11:48):
Okay.
You need to do it.
If you haven't completelylistened to that audiobook, you
need to listen to it.
And for those of you thathaven't listened to it or read
my blog, go back and read theblog.
It's called Nobody Wants YourShit.
CHRISY (12:00):
And it's by I hear this.
KERRY (12:02):
Oh, Messi Kondo is the name of the is the code name of
the author, Messi Kondo.
But it's a really, really goodaudiobook about decluttering.
CHRISY (12:12):
Everybody probably needs it to some extent to really
hear this stuff.
KERRY (12:15):
Oh, yeah, it's really good.
It's fun.
DJ NICK (12:17):
So you guys covered all those phobias.
You forgot to cover Chrissy'sdysposophobia, which is the fear
of getting getting rid ofthings.
CHRISY (12:25):
She's got dysphosophobia a few episodes ago.
If you didn't listen, go back.
But yeah, I guess I do.
I can't argue.
KERRY (12:33):
The word of the day is dysphobia.
Disposophobia.
CHRISY (12:38):
Okay.
KERRY (12:40):
She's gotten better though.
I think we need to put this onour website, is we need to put
what the word of the days are.
And we need to make a masterlist of our words of the day.
I'm gonna talk to instantwebmakers about that.
Yeah, that's a good one.
Words of the day.
And then reference the episodethat they're on.
So dispose of phobia.
I'm writing my notes.
(13:00):
Definitely.
And this is what episode 68.
So what else you got forHalloween?
CHRISY (13:09):
Well, Halloween, and uh, of course, the Halloween shows,
you know, that I still try torelive my childhood.
I'm not gonna bring up theone-you made that one us watch
last year.
You watched it, and I'm sohappy that you did that because
that was nice of you.
I know you didn't like it.
We're talking about theHalloween.
KERRY (13:29):
Don't, don't.
CHRISY (13:31):
You're so mean.
You're so mean.
I will watch it.
I've watched it probably, Idon't know how many times
already, and we'll watch it.
But one we didn't talk aboutbefore, and I highly recommend
it.
It was a book by a very uhwonderful author, and it's the
Halloween tree.
I've never heard of this.
And it's Ray Bradbury, and thecartoon, which is from the 90s,
(13:54):
is lovely because he narrates.
KERRY (13:56):
Is this like the giving tree?
CHRISY (13:58):
No, you went there.
Did you go there to go throughthat goddamn book?
How dare you?
What a piece of crap that is.
Garbage.
Selfish man sitting on a stump,took that tree down for
(14:24):
everything.
Yes.
And the tree still was willing.
I ain't got nothing else togive because you took
everything.
But ass tired of standing up,park it here.
Horrible.
Horrible.
Okay, so we've established thatthe.
Isn't that what that book'sabout?
It is.
I summed it up.
DJ NICK (14:42):
I summed it up for you people.
Don't read it.
Shell Silverstein.
No, it's a classic.
KERRY (14:46):
Shell Silverstein, is that the name of the author for
the giving?
DJ NICK (14:52):
Yeah, he also did Where What's Up in the Attic or
something like that.
I don't know that one.
CHRISY (14:55):
Well, there's a lot of people.
Those are good books.
Okay.
Unless you're mean.
DJ NICK (15:00):
Go back to the Halloween tree.
KERRY (15:01):
So you're talking about the Halloween giving tree.
It's not a sequel or part twoof the Giving Sundays.
CHRISY (15:09):
Okay.
It is a lovely, lovely book.
I have the book.
I've read the book.
And it they did an animatedcartoon of it.
Okay.
And I highly recommend it.
And okay, and you will like itbecause it's definitely not in
the same.
Even Nick likes it.
Right?
So if Nick's saying it's good,because he feels pretty much the
(15:29):
same way you do about the otherrecommendation.
Please.
Okay.
Try to make it a point to findthat.
KERRY (15:33):
Is this a children's book?
Is it a novel?
CHRISY (15:36):
Is it it is, but it's it's got a quick read.
KERRY (15:39):
Am I gonna be done in an hour, in a two hour?
CHRISY (15:42):
The book is a little long, uh bigger.
It's not uh typical RayBradbury as far as uh length,
but it's uh more than children'suh it's a bit of a commitment,
but not much.
And the the cartoon is iswonderful, and I uh do uh really
appreciate it.
Okay.
It's a it's a whole backstory,but it it definitely helps you
(16:04):
appreciate how other culturesand countries celebrate the idea
of Halloween.
I will give it a try.
Yeah, so I highly recommendthat.
Okay.
And the one thing we didn'ttalk about was our and maybe we
did, but I can't remember.
Did we talk about Halloweenparties at school when we were
young?
KERRY (16:21):
I know we talked about Valentine's Day parties.
If we did, it was very briefbecause we came, we started the
podcast last year.
We were kind of like just offthe cusp of Halloween going into
Thanksgiving, so we didn't divetoo much into it.
CHRISY (16:33):
Right.
KERRY (16:34):
I know we talked about the Hills Department store at
one point, the you know, thecostumes that came in a box.
CHRISY (16:40):
Oh, yeah, those were everywhere.
Yeah, you could get those atthe drugstore, right?
We'll work it all over.
Yeah, the lovely.
KERRY (16:46):
So, how did your Halloween parties go?
CHRISY (16:48):
Well, we just I remember it was sort of a big deal, and
I don't know, maybe Nick's wasthat or yours, but I remember we
would go to school for half aday.
Oh, you got a half a day?
Well, we go to school, you'dhave the first half of your day
would be school, and then aroundlunchtime you would go home and
you would get your costume.
KERRY (17:07):
You physically went home?
CHRISY (17:08):
Yes.
To get your costume on.
KERRY (17:10):
Uh-huh.
CHRISY (17:11):
And then you came back to school for your Halloween
party.
KERRY (17:13):
Did you ride a bus to school?
No.
Oh.
CHRISY (17:16):
So it was some level of commitment.
I wonder what happened with thebus riders, because there were
bus riders, but and how theywere able to maybe they were
allowed to.
It seems wrong, but I doremember that you had to go home
and get your costume.
You couldn't bring it to schoolto put it on.
KERRY (17:30):
Okay, so what I do remember is that we had a
Halloween parade.
Yes.
And I loved the parade.
CHRISY (17:35):
Yes, we did too.
KERRY (17:36):
Okay.
But I don't remember, did we Idon't think we went to school in
our costume, but I can tell youwe did not come home and go
back.
CHRISY (17:44):
I feel like we did, but maybe I'm wrong.
KERRY (17:46):
I don't know.
I'd have to ask.
I feel like we somehow put theHalloween costumes on.
Now, whether our parents cameand they maybe helped us put
them on and then we did theparade and then went home, but I
know that we did not go homeand I know we did not wear our
costumes all day.
CHRISY (18:03):
Well, I just I feel like we went home because then like
you showed up and you were kindof mingling outside, weather
permitting, uh-huh, before wedid our parade.
And some people would show upin a costume where you had no
idea who it was in the costumebecause it was just that much uh
completely covered disguised.
Yeah.
So, but yeah, I mean, just thewhole fun of it.
(18:24):
That that's a time you can'tever get back.
And I'm glad I was able toexperience it in the school I
went to, and and I'm sure youand uh Nick, did you have a
parade at your school too?
Yeah.
KERRY (18:33):
The um church that I work at, we have a preschool, and I
will say this is one of myfavorite times of the year with
the preschool because they theydo a Halloween parade.
And so the parents will come,but then the staff also we get
involved, and so we all line up,and you know, they come and
they do this parade, and theycome by each of us, and you
know, we add things to theirlittle bag and stuff.
(18:55):
That is fun.
Now, those kids come to schoolin their costumes.
Oh, okay.
And but it's preschool, sothey're only there for half days
a couple hours.
So they come to school in theircostumes, and then they and
they I think it is a shortenedday.
They do their little parade andthe parents take them home, and
it's it's more of a party day.
But I do really enjoy.
I will say that is that that isa part of Halloween that I
(19:16):
enjoy is working at the churchin the preschool in the
costumes.
CHRISY (19:19):
Watching the yeah, when my when my kids were uh of that
age and that type where they hadthe parades and dressed up and
yeah, because they're older now,they're not really in the
world.
KERRY (19:30):
What way did that kind of stop though?
Because I feel like I only havea couple years memories of
that.
Like I feel like that was onlylike first second grade.
Like I don't remember doingthat all through grade school,
and I know we didn't do it inhigh school.
If we had a hell if we dressedup as something, it was because
we had like a Halloween dance.
Right.
But I but I don't feel like weever came to school like dressed
(19:51):
up.
No, at school in high school,no.
CHRISY (19:54):
No, no, no, I don't think so.
I seem to think that maybe bylike fourth grade, yeah, it was
kind of phasing out.
Yeah.
Because I don't really rememberdoing, even though I was still
at the same elementary school, Idon't really remember doing it
that much in like fifth or sixthgrade.
KERRY (20:10):
No, no, I can say I don't think so either.
If any of you went to highschool or I'm sorry, grade
school with us here in the area,refresh our memories.
Send us something on ourFacebook page or uh send us an
email and what help us rememberwhat we did in those later
years.
But I believe that's correct.
I think we only did it likefirst second, third grade-ish,
you know, maybe.
Yeah.
I don't think we did anythingolder.
(20:31):
Right.
Yeah.
CHRISY (20:32):
I mean, but yeah, great memories.
KERRY (20:35):
Yeah, I will say that was that was kind of fun.
It was kind of like at the endof the year when you had that
field day.
You know, basically you had onemore last day of school, but
all the testing was done andthey didn't have anything else
for the teachers to do with us,but they had to keep us, so we
had a field day, and it wasbasically playground day for the
whole day.
Did you do that?
CHRISY (20:51):
I don't remember.
KERRY (20:52):
You're looking at me like I have ten eyes.
DJ NICK (20:54):
Nick remembers it.
Yeah, we would actually go to apark.
KERRY (20:57):
Oh, did you?
Did whereas your school nothave a good play area for that
could accommodate?
DJ NICK (21:02):
It actually it did, but we could walk like three blocks
down to another park.
KERRY (21:06):
Oh.
No, we just did it at theschool.
DJ NICK (21:09):
I do remember going to my school didn't have a lot of
playground equipment.
It was it was big.
Yeah, the parking lot, and thenthere was a an adjacent field.
There was nothing on it.
So we would go like threeblocks down.
CHRISY (21:21):
Okay.
I do remember going to parkwhere near where I lived, and
with uh my grade school class, Ieven have some pictures of it
somewhere.
Wow.
If I can find them.
KERRY (21:33):
We didn't go off site much, they didn't transport us
much.
I think the circus we went toSymphony.
Yeah, we go to the symphony,you didn't go to the circus.
There was like maybe one MilkCreek Park for something.
Yeah, that was where we wentfor this sort of uh but it was
for like a special education andnot to play.
CHRISY (21:51):
I don't know.
I feel like it was just sort ofto hang out and have a good
time.
KERRY (21:54):
Yeah, we no, we would do that at the school.
They didn't they didn't take usoff property much.
CHRISY (21:58):
I a lot of times when we did have like little field
trips, I I do know that parentssort of transported, like
certain kids were assigned intocars and really oh yeah.
KERRY (22:07):
Oh yeah, no no no no.
CHRISY (22:08):
And my mom actually did participate in driving some
students with me to uh aspecific uh always in a bus, big
yellow bus, never, neverpersonal transport.
KERRY (22:19):
The only personal transport I ever was in was when
I was in eighth grade, we wouldgo with the priest to the
nursing home once a week, andthey would do mass for the n at
the nursing home.
And so every week, like fourkids got to go in eighth, like
from the eighth grade class,seventh, and eighth grade class
with the priest to help servemass, and it would rotate who
(22:42):
would get to go every week.
So you might only go once everytwo months or once every three
months, but every week somebodywent.
So at that point, we wereallowed to ride in the car with
the priest, but again, there wasfour of us total.
So it must have been three kidsin the past because there was
four total, so it was threeyeah.
In fact, that's the first timeI ever heard Bruce Springsteen's
song Born in the USA was in thecar with Father.
(23:03):
Nice, I just remember that, andthen the only other time was in
high school when we did theservice projects that we would
go off site and we'd be a groupof us in the car and the we
would drive ourselves.
Oh, but any other time, schoolbus.
School bus.
CHRISY (23:18):
Well, I remember being on the bus too for like the
symphony, like you mentioned,and things like that.
But yeah, I do remember thelittle transport of five or so
kids in a car with a parent.
KERRY (23:28):
Very cool.
Yeah, right.
What's this thing you got aboutcandy?
CHRISY (23:31):
Well, uh just again talking about how, you know, we
roll right into the next thing.
There's no downtime.
No, and in fact, I would saywe're almost to the point now
where they are riding side byside.
Yes.
KERRY (23:48):
So we've got the Thanksgiving.
CHRISY (23:50):
Does that even mean anything?
I mean, as far as it's a meal,it's almost like the the
pre-show to Christmas.
The opening act, if you will.
It's not really the warm-up.
It's not, yeah, it's definitelythe it's it's not, it sort of
doesn't even feel like it's itsown thing anymore.
KERRY (24:10):
The amouse boosh.
CHRISY (24:12):
The word of the day.
Amoose boosh.
What is that a word?
KERRY (24:16):
It is Nick's.
It's actually, I think, twowords, but and that means
something, it's a one bite.
It means one bite.
It's an appetizer.
He's shaking his head, yes.
CHRISY (24:25):
He's agreeing with you.
And I have no idea what thehell you got.
KERRY (24:28):
I'm offended that you didn't believe me.
Well, I didn't know you did it.
You you said you looked over atNick and he goes, is that a
word?
And then when he says yes,you're like, oh, it really is a
word?
You didn't believe me?
I believe you! No, but I'moffended.
Don't be offended.
A moosh boosh.
A moose boosh.
It's a one-bite appetizer.
DJ NICK (24:49):
It's like uh it's actually it's not technically an
appetizer, but it is a onesingle bite-sized complimentary
food offered to guests at arestaurant, chosen by the chef
to showcase their skill.
KERRY (25:02):
It's often served as an appetizer.
CHRISY (25:04):
Here's where he knew that was, which might I want to
know who he went to a restaurantthat did this with, because it
wasn't me.
DJ NICK (25:12):
It's entertained, it's amuse, like the word amuse, but
it's the French.
It's mouth in French.
Yes.
It's amouse the mouth.
CHRISY (25:20):
Amuse bouche.
This sounds filthy.
DJ NICK (25:23):
Entertains the mouth.
CHRISY (25:25):
That is filthy.
KERRY (25:27):
That's what it's the translation.
DJ NICK (25:30):
Dirty, dirty.
Yeah, but it's only dirtybecause you you're interpreting
it that way.
KERRY (25:35):
I mean absolutely.
Okay, that'll be another liston our website.
Words that Chrissy thinks aredirty.
So we have barn swallow, amoose boosh.
And I'm sure we can find some.
I'll have to go back to theother episodes because I know
there were other things.
CHRISY (25:52):
It's always uh what you the other one that you said that
I did say was the word of theday.
This is gonna be bad.
Shithole.
Um so yeah, so basically what Iwas saying here with the last
piece of candy is handed out,lights are off, yeah, blow
(26:14):
candle and the pumpkin.
Right.
And it's Christmas.
Yes.
It's Christmas.
KERRY (26:18):
What happened in between?
Nothing.
Wherever the six hours inbetween.
CHRISY (26:21):
Oh, yeah, we're gonna get a turkey.
We're gonna have the Thursday,whatever, the third or fourth
Thursday of the November isgonna be a get-together.
Yeah, but even it seemedexcessive to have the tree up
the day after, but it becameacceptable.
Yeah.
So that Friday, that weekend,instead of shopping or in with
shopping, I will you put yourtree up.
KERRY (26:42):
Well, I will tell you because like I said, we are
going to do, we're doing thedecorations this year.
Right.
It's happening.
So we will be going to buy alive Christmas tree the weekend
of Thanksgiving.
So probably that Saturday.
We're gonna go, we're gonna gotrudge out there.
CHRISY (26:59):
You're gonna cut it down.
KERRY (27:00):
We're gonna cut the tree down.
CHRISY (27:01):
Just the fact that you're having a live, I've never
been in the presence of a livetree unless it was rooted in the
earth.
When I was little, my mycousins, they had, they did have
a real tree.
Yeah.
And like I said, it just seemedlike a big pain in the ass
because they were always like,Did you want in a tree?
DJ NICK (27:19):
It looks dry.
You're feeding into your ownthing.
What?
How it's all about Christmas,and you're continuing to talk
about it.
KERRY (27:26):
Halloween's.
CHRISY (27:27):
I can't.
I know we're still on Halloween.
It's embedded.
It's embedded.
DJ NICK (27:31):
I can't talk about Halloween without Christmas.
It's terrible.
Halloween's not even here yet.
KERRY (27:35):
I know.
Oh gosh, Nick caught us onthat.
He did.
Okay.
But yeah, I get it.
So but I am I am lookingforward to this season coming
up.
And so, yeah, I don't know.
But you know, the one nicething is this is uh I don't get
trick-or-treaters, so I don't Idon't have to worry about that.
CHRISY (27:51):
If they they're good at hiking, because yeah, there's a
lot of space in between yournext house.
Exactly.
They must not want much candyif they come that way.
DJ NICK (28:01):
So RHOA, and I think you talked about this last year.
Yeah, it has to be someone whois living, a child who's living,
or it's a a grandchild, or itcan't be.
KERRY (28:11):
Did they give you your date on when you're allowed to
have oh, it's way too early forwe get that last minute.
Oh, yeah.
CHRISY (28:17):
So because they don't want it to sneak, leak out.
We know it's coming, and we'rewe're we're on standby.
Sort of like the military.
KERRY (28:26):
It's gonna have hurry up and wait.
Well, this was great to kind oftalk about Halloween and
everything.
In the meantime, uh, speakingof Halloween, we have our
special Chunky's Care initiativethis month to support United
Way of Wayne and Holmescounties.
And they with this is gonna beon this Saturday, October 25th.
We're gonna be at their 5K, theHeart and Ghoul, 5K and one
(28:49):
mile spooky sprint.
That'll be in historic downtownWorcester on Saturday the 25th
at 9 a.m.
Uh Chrissy and I will be there.
Dysfunction Junkies uh podcastis a sponsor, one of the
sponsors for the event.
Um, so be sure if you're in thearea, come on out, join in the
fun, support this greatorganization, meet Chrissy and
I, uh, see what costumes we comeup with.
(29:09):
Yeah, it's a it's a good time.
Absolutely.
Uh, in the meantime, check usout on our Facebook page.
You can also uh look at ourwebsite, dysfunction
junkiespodcast.com, learn allabout us, see what events we're
doing, where we're at, read ourblogs and uh everything you need
to know about us.
So yes, all right, happyHalloween.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.