December 2, 2025 • 40 mins
The holidays bring out the best in us—and sometimes the absolute worst on social media. Gift bragging, family drama aired publicly, political hot takes that start comment wars... we've all seen it (or been guilty of it). This week we're breaking down 8 types of posts to skip this season and why they matter more than you think. And for the record: "I'm just being honest" is not the same as being kind.
Don’t let social media drama ruin your holidays—hit subscribe and learn how to post with purpose, protect your peace, and keep your corner of the internet a little warmer this season.
- Follow the show, share it with a friend who loves the holidays, and leave a review to help others find us!
- Click here for this episode’s blog post with links to sources and even more content.
- Stay connected: Subscribe to our newsletter!
Note: This is a re-aired episode with timeless advice about holiday social media etiquette. The 8 rules still apply, and honestly, we all need the reminder every year.
—
Who Should Listen
This episode is for anyone who's ever hovered over "post" wondering if they should, scrolled through their feed feeling worse instead of better, or knows someone** who needs a friendly reminder about what to share (and what to keep offline) during the holidays.
—
What You Get In This Episode
- 8 clear categories of posts to avoid this holiday season (and the real-world ripple effects of each)
- Why gift bragging and public family feuds do more damage than you think
- How algorithms reward outrage—and why that matters for your mental health
- The invitation trap that leads to hurt feelings (and how to avoid it)
- Consent and privacy rules for kids' photos—what the law expects and practical alternatives
- Self-care practices that keep you calm online: stretch breaks, rituals, and joyful traditions
—
Bios
Caitlin brings her signature blend of humor and practical advice to help overwhelmed moms navigate the challenges of adulting—including not letting social media turn the holidays into a dumpster fire. With Jenny, who brings thoughtful perspectives on protecting your peace while staying connected.
—
Sources & Mentions
- 10 Things You Should Never Post on Social Media During the Holidays | Reader’s Digest
- Do's and Don'ts of Holiday Social Media Posting | Social Stamina
- 7 Things to Avoid Posting on Facebook during the Holidays That You Will Regret Later | AllWomensTalk
- 11 Photos You Should Never, Ever Post on Social Media | The Healthy
Enjoyed this episode? Follow the show, share it with a friend who loves the holidays, and leave a rev
The best support is a rating and a share.
Love,
CK & GK
View our website at ckandgkpodcast.com. Find us on social media @ckandgkpodcast on
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Thanks, y'all!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Caitlin K (00:55):
It's Tuesday.
Yeah, it is.
Hey everyone.
We are so glad you're here.
I'm actually mostly just gladthat I'm getting to see and talk
to Jenny because we haven'tbeen able to get together and
record for a little while.
So this is fun for me, and I'mlooking forward to what we're
gonna talk about.
Which is Jenny, take it away.
What are we talking abouttoday?
Jenny GK (01:16):
Things that we are not gonna be posting on social
media during the holiday season.
Caitlin K (01:21):
Yes, I love it.
I love that idea.
Jenny GK (01:26):
So stick around because coming right up.
Caitlin K (01:28):
Mm-hmm.
Jenny GK (01:29):
Okay.
Mm-hmm.
She's great.
From her head to hermistletoes, it's Caitlin.
Caitlin K (01:39):
Yes.
That's adorable.
Oh, I love that.
Okay.
Well, you are just my favoritemagnificent middle school
marching band.
Yay.
Jenny GK (01:56):
That's good.
That's good.
Thanks.
That's awesome.
I've been in a middle schoolmarching band.
Have you?
I have indeed.
Yeah, I think I knew that.
Uh Pacific Junior High.
Go Vikings.
Oh, nice.
Which then became PacificMiddle School.
With a very unfortunateacronym.
Caitlin K (02:19):
Um, I went to and taught at Prairie Middle School,
which also has, and when wewere in sixth grade, the chunks
of class time were calledperiods.
Oh, of course they were.
The joke was welcome to PMS.
Did you enjoy your firstperiod?
And imagine like all these 11and 12-year-old boys running
(02:43):
around saying that.
Like they just thought theywere so funny.
So funny at creative idiots.
And guests who never thought ofthat joke, literally no one,
because everyone knows thatjoke.
Okay, thank you.
Anyway, let's get into ourepisode for today.
Yay.
Jenny GK (03:01):
So this was spurred on by an article from Reader's
Digest, but um, I also read somethings on All Women Talk as
well as on social stamina andthe healthy.
Okay.
And all of the links will beavailable to you as the
listener.
Love it.
But um there are some thingsthat just should not show up in
(03:25):
your social media feed this timeof year.
Yes.
So um we'll talk about whatdifferent things those are and
why they are tacky.
Here for it.
Right.
Okay.
All right.
So the first one obviously isgifts.
Both the ones that you didn'tlike as well as bragging about
(03:49):
all the ones you got.
Okay, if you didn't like agift, this is the season to
exercise gratitude.
Don't roll your eyes orcomplain when you didn't get
what you're want.
You're a grown-up.
Thank you.
I can see you really thoughtabout this gift.
Caitlin K (04:06):
Have you seen those videos of the little kids who
have been taught to be graciousfor like everything?
And so when they open theirpresent and it's like an old
banana, they're like, thank youso much.
And they're they're likeside-eyeing, like they're like,
it's so nice in me.
Thank you.
And it's so sweet.
And you're right, the parentsare like, I'm so proud of you
(04:29):
for being gracious, but they'redying of laughter.
And it's oh, because theywrapped this on purpose to make
their kid.
To make their kid.
Yeah.
It's really funny.
Jenny GK (04:39):
Don't worry, the Nintendo Switch is the next gift
you're gonna open.
Right, right.
First the banana.
Right.
Okay.
So obviously, if you didn'tlike a gift, you don't complain
about it on the internet.
Um, but also don't brag aboutall the things that you got or
gave.
That's really, really tacky.
When you were eight, it wascool to call your friends after
(05:02):
Christmas morning or gettogether the next day and share
all the toys that you got andbrag about Barbie's Dream House.
But as an adult, sharingextravagance is also privilege.
And sharing that with the worldis not a flattering look.
Agree.
People who follow you might notbe as fortunate as you are, and
(05:23):
the holidays are just areminder of that.
I would agree with that.
I mean, it tells the criminalsjust what to steal.
Caitlin K (05:31):
Do you sound like my mother, where it's like, okay,
now what we are parking our carat this parking lot, so we're
gonna hide all the things indifferent parts of the car so
that nobody's looking in the carto bust your window open and
steal the bags out.
Which is crazy.
Jenny GK (05:44):
You put all the stuff in your trunk and then you move
the car.
Even if you're gonna go backinto the move.
You move the car.
So they see you put all thestuff in your trunk, then you
get in the car and you justpark.
Caitlin K (05:56):
You drive off.
Yeah, it looks like you'redriving away.
I like that one.
Also, um, just a side note whenyou get in your car, this is
especially for people who dawdlewhen they get in the car.
Lock the door as soon as yousit down in the car.
Just lock the door.
Okay, thank you.
Okay, that's my TED talk.
Jenny GK (06:12):
All right.
So the next one.
And like, come on, gifts,that's like major duh.
Like everyone knows you shouldnot do that.
Um, and trying to get around itby saying, I'm so grateful that
so and so gave me this, it'sthat's passive-aggressive,
that's like humble brag.
Caitlin K (06:31):
Yeah, it is.
Jenny GK (06:32):
And trying to say that you're grateful and like, oh,
I'm so happy that we had theability to give our kid the
newest iPhone.
No, you're telling people yougot your kid the newest iPhone.
We all see through it.
Caitlin K (06:43):
Right.
I'd rather see like a I'm sograteful and a picture of your
kids.
Right.
Like that to me is cuter andbetter and less tacky.
Jenny GK (06:52):
Let your kids brag about their toys.
Caitlin K (06:54):
Right.
Yeah, that's fine.
Jenny GK (06:55):
All right, the next one is another no-brainer,
family drama.
Ew, you're only adding fuel tothe fire here, people.
Friends and family members canfeel like they have to pick
sides.
Nothing's really private onceit's online.
You know you cannot trust AuntMyrtle when she says, Oh, it's
just between us.
(07:16):
No, it's not.
No, it's not.
Caitlin K (07:18):
No, it's not.
Jenny GK (07:19):
No, it's not.
Caitlin K (07:20):
No.
Jenny GK (07:21):
Do not post about family drama on the internet
during the holiday season or anytime during the year.
Caitlin K (07:26):
Yeah.
And and this is not to say,like, you can't reach out and
ask for assistance from yoursocial media friends and family,
but like telling, like, justdon't air the dirty laundry,
right?
Like, you can say, like, I'mstruggling with my family right
now.
Is there anyone who can really?
I'd love to have a chat orsomething.
Yeah.
But like, don't like AuntMyrtle, everything that she just
(07:49):
told you, let's keep that offthe phone.
Let's just, yeah, let's justkeep that off the interwebs.
Oh, there we go.
Oh man.
Jenny GK (07:57):
Again, another ew gross political viewpoints.
Uh-oh.
Okay, now, here's the thing.
I know that in person, it canbe hard to change the topic if
someone brings up politics at aholiday gathering.
And there's a lot of timeswhere you want to tell someone,
like, no, actually, that'stotally disrespectful, and I
don't agree with you at all.
There, there's nothing wrongwith that.
Caitlin K (08:18):
Right.
Jenny GK (08:19):
However, you get to control what you post and what
conversations you start.
Caitlin K (08:26):
This is true.
Jenny GK (08:27):
I always like to think about social media as if I took
everyone I know and put them ina room and started screaming at
them.
What do I want to scream?
It might be, oh my gosh, peopleare dying.
This is terrible.
Here is a way that you can dosomething about it.
Caitlin K (08:46):
Sure.
That's fair.
Jenny GK (08:47):
But that is totally different than just getting on
social media and talking aboutyour political viewpoints during
a season where you're gonna berunning into people and they are
gonna be upset with you.
Yeah.
Oof.
Even if you're on the quoteunquote popular side or the
right side of history, now's notthe time.
Caitlin K (09:10):
Should you feel an urge to respond to something?
Again, I tend to err on theside of I'm not gonna talk about
this right now because Ipersonally don't want to invite
the drama that comes with itinto my life.
I'm you know I'm verypolitically outspoken.
I I I just feel like there's atime and place.
Initiating is very different,right?
And I would agree with that.
(09:30):
And I'll now, this is not tosay like if you are, you know,
an organizer for an event orsomething.
Oh my god, we don't mean that.
But like, but this is just likeif you're spouting off, you
know, a hot take about somethingand it's not like in your job
description to do that, dial itdown or some, you know,
something.
Just keep just keep your andand anything that you know is
(09:52):
going to really mess up yourholiday season, just please
think twice before putting itout there.
Jenny GK (09:58):
I also learned a little bit of science about
this.
Oh, I only learned it thisweek, but it makes sense once
you think about it.
Okay.
Even when you engage with apost to say that the person is
wrong, you have now boostedtheir information in the
algorithm.
So even if you are negatingsomething that someone put up,
(10:20):
you are actually helping themget their message out to more
people.
Caitlin K (10:23):
So I do work in marketing and I do work a lot in
social media, and I will tellyou this is absolutely true.
Every single platformprioritizes engagement, is what
we call that.
And and typically, like I'mthinking of in particular like
LinkedIn and TikTok, a like isworth a very small amount of I
(10:44):
don't know, if you want to thinkof it like a point system,
right, engagement points, but ana comment is worth a very
significant amount of engagementpoints.
So when you don't engage with apost, you are allowing the
algorithm to bury it.
So let me say that again.
If you don't engage, thealgorithm will decide that the
(11:07):
post is not worth anyone's timeand therefore it won't get seen
by people.
So if it's something that'scompletely and utterly stupid
and offends you, do everythingin your power to scroll past it.
Right?
Because when you engage, youattract attention to it.
So stop it.
Just don't do that.
(11:29):
And and that also means that ifyou see a CK and GK post on the
interwebs, you need to goengage and comment and like it
right now.
But in terms of the stuff thatmakes you angry on the internet,
just ignore it because you willlet that post die if you do
that or help it die.
Jenny GK (11:48):
It's hard, but it's hard, it's really hard.
It could be a gift to yourselfduring the holidays.
Yeah.
Caitlin K (11:55):
Just not engaging, just let it go.
Jenny GK (11:59):
The next one, I am sad that I'm even saying this out
loud.
It was in the Reader's Digestarticle, so I am bringing it
forward.
But this one is negativeremarks about other faiths.
Like, why do I have to say thisout loud?
Right.
The f continue.
Go ahead.
Okay, so this, like, obviously,don't say awful things about
(12:20):
someone else's religion on theinternet.
Caitlin K (12:24):
Right.
Jenny GK (12:25):
For everyone to read.
Right.
It reflects poorly on you, Ipromise.
Um, secondly, this alsoincludes correcting minor
mistakes.
If someone says happy Hanukkahto you, uh, you can just say
thank you.
You don't have to say, um, no,I'm sorry, I celebrate
Christmas.
And maybe, maybe the personwho's saying happy Hanukkah to
(12:48):
you celebrates Hanukkah and youcan respond with in kind and
say, Oh, happy Hanukkah to you.
Like there's like 20-somethingholidays that all occur during
this holiday season.
Um, we're actually gonna coverthem on next week's episode.
Yes.
Just make sure that everyonefeels safe and joyful during a
time of celebration.
Caitlin K (13:08):
Yeah, I just um I can't like I can't wrap my head
around the whole like we sayMerry Christmas, or I can't say
Christmas.
It's like yes, you can.
You just can't crap all overeveryone else's holiday.
Like you can totally say MerryChristmas to people, or you can
just say happy holidays, andit's fine, or you could say
(13:31):
happy holidays, like it just bekind about it and and stop being
a grump about well, we can't,we don't tell me, we don't like
just shut up and just be happyabout it.
It's fine.
This is I'm gonna get mad.
Can you hear it?
I'm already I know enough aboutit.
Jenny GK (13:49):
I didn't even want to put this in there because I felt
like it was such commonknowledge, but it's not though.
This is why we have to say it.
This is the same thing.
Right, right, right, right,right.
Okay, so um the next one isunprofessional or undesirable
behavior.
Let them shade on it.
Yes, do not put pictures ofyourself drunk on the internet.
(14:12):
Do not complain about your workschedule or your boss because I
promise you there is someoneout there who wants your gig and
could go to great lengths totry and get it.
Well, my stuff is private.
No, it's not.
Caitlin K (14:25):
No, it's not.
Private.
Jenny GK (14:28):
Only if you don't have any followers.
Caitlin K (14:30):
Right.
Or any social at all.
It's like, but then you aren'tposting the pictures.
I'm just thinking of like whenI was in college, and like, you
know, you'd have your per yourtiny purse, but then you had to
have 15 things in your handbecause nothing else fit in your
purse, and you had your digitalcamera and your flip phone, and
and then the all the digitalcamera pictures, you had like
red eyes, so every photo youjust looked drunken, and then
(14:53):
you'd put them on the internet,and people were like, oh my god,
it was so much fun.
It's like I would be completelymortified if any pictures like
that were posted of me rightnow.
No, if I even appear drunk andI'm not, if my eyes are red from
the flash, I'm like, get thatout of here.
Like, just don't put yourselfin a position where you look
(15:15):
unprofessional right now.
Like, yes, everyone'scelebrating.
Yes, there are holiday partiesleft and right.
I get that.
But I don't know, just don'tdon't use a filter.
Jenny GK (15:27):
I read one of these posts that was like how to
appear as old money.
And one of them was never getphotographed with a drink in
your hand unless you're making atoast.
Caitlin K (15:36):
Ooh, that's a good idea.
Jenny GK (15:38):
Yeah, they were like always put your drink down when
you're about to get your picturetaken.
Caitlin K (15:41):
I feel like that's probably something that teachers
are doing.
You know what I mean?
It's like I don't ever want tohave the appearance of that, so
they put it down.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
I've that's an interestingthing, but I'm I'm just thinking
about like just when I say usea filter, I don't mean like use
a filter on your face likeValencia.
I'm talking about like filteryour brain out and don't post
(16:03):
the stupid stuff.
Right.
Jenny GK (16:05):
You know what I mean?
Anyway, so this also applies toif you're a business.
If you're posting on behalf ofyour business, your contact uh
content always needs to leadback to your brand.
Yep.
So don't focus so much on beingcookie cutter perfect, focus on
(16:25):
being authentic.
So is your company having aChristmas party?
Put pictures up.
Are people acting a fool atthat Christmas party?
Don't put pictures up.
Caitlin K (16:36):
Yeah.
Uh and I have a again, I workin marketing now and I have a
very real um opinion about this.
And someone's gonna be like,but authentic is me being drunk.
And it's like, no, no, it'snot.
Authentic is you being real andrelatable.
If you're real and relatable isdrunk, don't post that.
(16:59):
Like, like just don't.
You know what I mean?
Just don't.
And and I'm saying this assomeone who like understands
that there are people who dohave issues with alcohol and
substance abuse, you know, and Ijust want to just be mindful of
like uh respecting that aswell.
At the same time, if that's notyou and you don't normally post
(17:20):
those pictures, now is not thetime to start doing it because
it's the holidays and you wantto show everyone how you've
celebrated.
Just leave it alone, right?
Ugh.
Jenny GK (17:31):
Okay, so the next one comes only from All Women Talk.
A lot of these were like ablend of multiple sites, kind of
said all the same things.
I thought this was veryintriguing.
Okay, they recommend to be verycareful about posting regarding
invitations, both invitationsto events you're hosting and
inviting people to, as well asinvitations to events that
(17:55):
you're being invited to andattending.
Caitlin K (17:58):
Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep.
Jenny GK (17:59):
If you are inviting people to an event via social
media, you want to make surethat the event is private.
You could really end up withhurt feelings if you create an
event and people are notinvited, but they know that
they've been left out.
I have thoughts.
Yes.
Okay.
The other one, and this comesfrom my experience.
Caitlin K (18:22):
Ah, yes.
I know where this is going.
I can feel it.
Jenny GK (18:27):
Let me start by saying this mom is amazing and is my
very best friend at kits school.
Okay.
Because of what I did to starta relationship.
Ready for it.
Okay.
Let's hear it.
Her sons were having a birthdayparty.
(18:48):
We RSVP'd, yes.
Then the week before the party,the head of school emailed
everyone and said, Hey, there'sbeen COVID in our school.
And so I responded to the partyinvite and wrote, Hey, in light
(19:08):
of the news at school, we'reactually not going to be able to
come.
We have a new niece that wewant to meet, and we don't want
to expose Kit any further thanhe's already been.
This message was not private.
Oops.
I messaged 180 different peoplewho were invited to this party.
I mean, not 180, but it was alot.
Caitlin K (19:27):
Oh my god.
No.
Jenny GK (19:28):
But it was every kid at the school, plus all their
friends outside of school.
I looked like an idiot.
And of course, people aremessaging her left and right,
like, what's going on at school?
What's going on?
Why would my kid not want to goto this party?
So then, you know, Ifrantically text her and tell
her the whole thing and say, Imeant this to be private.
I'm so sorry.
And she was like, No, it'scool.
Um, if it was my kid, Iwouldn't come either.
(19:51):
Which she's awesome.
Caitlin K (19:53):
Was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
But yeah, she's amazing.
Hang on to that mom friend.
Jenny GK (19:58):
She's the one also who said that when she sees parents
being too great, she tries totrip them.
And I was like, Yes.
I said, Oh yeah, just sneak asnicker bar in their kids'
lunch.
Oh, you packed him a full-sizecandy bar?
He's only three.
Caitlin K (20:12):
That has peanuts in it.
We are not.
Oh my gosh, I need to meet thisperson.
She sounds amazing.
Okay.
She's good.
She's good.
Jenny GK (20:20):
But yes, just make sure that when you are sending a
message to a host that it'sprivate.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
When in doubt, take it offline.
Oh god.
Okay, so related to invitationsare excuses or rather false
alibis.
Caitlin K (20:40):
You mean Jomo?
The joy of missing out?
Ah, yes.
Yes.
Jenny GK (20:46):
Okay.
So you decline an invitationbecause you're feeling unwell.
And then you post pictures ofyou at the Better Offers event.
Mm-mm.
Not cool.
Mm-hmm.
You tell your family, I'm sosorry.
We have a work engagement thatnight.
And then there's pictures ofyou at the Trail of Lights.
(21:07):
Ooh, that's a bad idea.
Sorry, Aunt Myrtle.
Caitlin K (21:12):
I had to work at Trail of Lights.
Right.
Right.
That hot beverage you see withmy eyes all bloodshot.
Like, we were we were passingthem out.
Jenny GK (21:24):
So just be aware of when you are making an excuse or
declining an invitation, thatwhatever you post aligns with
the excuse or uh false alibithat you made for yourself.
Caitlin K (21:39):
If you told someone like, I can't go because I'm
going to the trail of lightsthat night, that's completely
different than I just don't wantto go.
So do you want to go to thetrail of lights?
You know what I mean?
Like they're do they're verydifferent things, and just be
mindful of how that would feelif that happened to you.
Yes.
Okay.
Jenny GK (21:57):
And then the last one, and this most of these are
year-round, right?
It's just kind of common sense.
But this one is very, veryimportant.
Okay.
Do not post photos of otherpeople or of other people's
children without theirpermission.
(22:18):
And this is very important forbusinesses.
Caitlin K (22:22):
Okay.
Jenny GK (22:24):
You could lose your whole business over a lawsuit of
posting a kid without their uhtheir family's permission.
Yep.
Okay.
So don't share stories thataren't yours to tell unless you
uh change the names to protectthe innocent.
Um there is a law called thechildren children's online
(22:46):
privacy protection act of 1998.
And there are rules about whatpictures you're allowed to take
and what pictures you're allowedto share.
When in doubt, leave it out.
If you don't have someone'spermission to post that picture,
just don't.
Caitlin K (23:04):
Yeah.
Jenny GK (23:06):
Um also consent laws can vary by state.
There are some states where ifyou just put the kid's name in
writing, you could be sued.
Wow.
So just ask the families.
Yeah.
Just ask your friend, like,hey, this picture is so cute.
I'm gonna post it and tag you.
Okay.
Uh no, my face looks reallyfat.
Caitlin K (23:28):
Take it again.
You can't you can still postthe picture, but get a sticker
and like a little online digitalsticker and put it over the
kid's face.
Like that's totally fine to do.
Like I I s you know, like justI don't like posting pictures of
other like even my son's littlefriends, like I just don't I
won't put them online.
Those are for me and those arefor him for later.
(23:50):
I don't like to put them up onthe internet, but that's that's
everyone else's, you know,that's up to you and your
discretion and what you want todo, but other people's kids are
off limits.
I yeah.
When I am doing uh marketingoutreach for various companies,
if one of the customers sends amessage to the customer care
(24:15):
team and says, Hey, I reallyloved this product, I have to go
in and ask for permission topublish just the quote.
Wow.
Like I have to go in and say,like, do we have permission to
share this?
Because every because the thefirst thing that happens when
that happens is a is a line fromthe powers that be there, like,
post this online.
And I'm like, I can't just postit online because I need to get
(24:39):
permission to do that.
I can I can post it onlineanonymously, but then if the
person knows that I took theiremail and I just published it
and I didn't put a name to it, Ican get in trouble for that
too.
So I would rather getpermission.
It's the same thing.
Like, you can't just stealinformation and put it out
there, but other people's kidscan get you in trouble on your
(25:03):
personal Instagram that youthink is private, so don't do
it.
Jenny GK (25:08):
Alright.
So here are the things that weare not posting this holiday
season.
They do not belong on yourseasonal social.
Ready?
Complaints or celebrationsabout gifts.
Don't brag about what you gotor gave, and don't say that you
didn't like something.
Caitlin K (25:28):
Okay.
Jenny GK (25:28):
Family drama.
Caitlin K (25:30):
Okay.
Jenny GK (25:31):
Save your drama for your mama.
Political viewpoints.
We're not talking about uhstanding up for what's right.
We are talking about actuallyengaging in a conversation or
initiating a conversation abouta heated topic.
Negative remarks about otherfaiths or their holidays.
Caitlin K (25:52):
Good yeah, just move.
Jenny GK (25:54):
Including correcting someone for wishing you a happy
holiday that your family doesnot celebrate.
Unprofessional or undesirablebehavior.
Is the lampshade on your head?
Then the picture stays on yourphone.
Information about invitations,whether you are inviting people,
keep that private.
Or you've been invited, keepthat private.
(26:17):
And don't blast the entireparty with a message about your
kid getting COVID.
False alibis and excuses.
Remember that if you toldsomeone that you're sick in bed,
you should not have a pictureof you celebrating New Year's
Eve at the same time.
And finally, photographs ofother people, or more
(26:39):
importantly, other people'schildren.
Caitlin K (26:41):
I love it.
Eight topics that don't belongon your social.
Beautiful.
Jenny GK (26:47):
Let us take a short break.
We're back.
Yeah, we're I was just uhposting some stuff on social
media.
Um, I had a picture of myentire class opening the iPhones
that I gave all of them.
So I wanted to put it up there.
Caitlin K (27:01):
So did you make sure you covered every single face
with a sticker?
Jenny GK (27:05):
Oh no, I actually put their name, address, and blood
type underneath the photo.
Caitlin K (27:11):
Hashtag.
I would recommend that.
Yeah.
Yes.
Oh goodness.
All right.
Well, let's do the fun stuffsince I'm cracking up over this
ridiculous fake post that youjust put up.
Okay.
Jenny GK (27:28):
So let us start with what we are obsessed with.
Do it.
We are in the 40 days ofJenny's 40th.
So my mom has always told methat I am the queen of extending
my birthday.
Caitlin K (27:42):
You are.
You really are.
Jenny GK (27:44):
I love a birthday season.
Caitlin K (27:47):
And a birthday, a birthday week, a birthday month,
a birthday season.
We have increased it already.
Holy smokes.
I love a birthday season.
Y'all.
Jenny GK (28:02):
So join me, listeners, in counting down the 40 days
until I turn 40.
Every day I am doing somethingdifferent for myself.
I love that.
I am trying not to becompletely obnoxious about it,
but I am indeed posting about itevery single day.
I love it.
Um, and so some days it'sdressing up in a fun little
(28:25):
outfit.
Um, some days it's rolling thewindows down and listening to my
music as loud as I can.
Some days it is eating junkfood in front of the TV.
But it's 40 days of self-care.
Something different every day,something fun to celebrate
myself.
Caitlin K (28:42):
I love that.
What a fun idea.
Oh my goodness.
Birthday season here.
Birthday season.
Okay, well, speaking ofself-care, um, every other week
my boss does uh what we call Zentime, and it's like 15 minutes
on Friday, and you just wesometimes we'll do a meditation
(29:05):
where everyone turns off theircameras and their microphones,
and we just all watch a videothat's like a meditative video.
Sometimes they're stretchvideos, sometimes they're um
like we've tried tapping before,like that meditative tapping
method.
I really liked that one.
Oh, you liked that.
I felt really good afterward,yeah.
Jenny GK (29:23):
I think a lot of people feel really good after
being tapped.
Caitlin K (29:28):
Oh I'm gonna pretend that you were talking about like
a keg, okay?
Okay, so um anyway.
We've been doing these fiveminute stretch, sorry, we've
been doing these five minutestretch videos.
(29:48):
And uh I've been saving thevideos to like a stretch video
playlist, but it's reallyhelpful.
Like in the middle of the daywhen I'm completely losing my
mind, and I have I do likePomodoro timer where 25 minutes
on, five minutes off sort ofthing.
And um, every four 25-minutechunks, I get a 15-minute break,
(30:11):
or I'll take lunch, or we knowwhatever it is.
But in the long break, I tryand squeeze in at least one
five-minute stretch video perday.
Now, I haven't been verysuccessful this week or last
week, or the week before, but Idid it today.
I did it today.
(30:32):
We had a zen today, and I umlike had kept I kept going for a
little bit longer and then Idid another one.
But these five minute stretchvideos are so helpful.
It's amazing what five minutescan do if your back is sore or
your shoulders are botheringyou, or whatever.
It I would highly recommendthem.
Just go on to YouTube andsearch.
Jenny GK (30:55):
Five minutes seems like a long time to stretch.
Like normally, if I stand upand stretch, it takes like what
12 seconds.
Right.
Caitlin K (31:02):
Or like your morning stretch when you yeah, when you
get up in the morning and you'relike still having a big door.
Jenny GK (31:11):
But it is a longer time stretching and focusing on
movement than I would normallydo.
Caitlin K (31:16):
Yeah, it's I'm really into it and I'm gonna try and
build it into my schedule alittle bit more.
Like actually plan for thatbreak to happen and then put the
link in the calendarappointment for myself so that I
just have it there and I don'thave an excuse.
Jenny GK (31:31):
Okay.
So speaking of time, my gem ofthe week has to do with time.
Caitlin K (31:39):
Okay.
Jenny GK (31:41):
My mom uh recently attended a baptism.
Okay.
And it was part of atraditional Sunday worship
service.
It was not a separate event.
Oh okay.
Um, this is important becausethey added it to the traditional
(32:01):
regular service.
Yes.
They did not subtract anythingfrom the service, they did not
hold it at the beginning of theservice, they did not hold it at
the end of the service, it wasjust another element added to an
already 90-minute service.
Yeah.
Um, as my mom is recapping theevent, she describes to me the
(32:28):
event program, the paper, thebooklet they give you with the
rundown of what's going tohappen.
She said, I am pouring throughthis program that's the size of
a cheesecake factory menu.
Caitlin K (32:49):
It's 46 pages.
Oh gosh.
The desserts are, you know, thelast half.
Oh man, that's horrible.
Died.
I died.
Jenny GK (32:59):
I thought that was so funny.
Like, what a funny way todescribe a church service,
especially since my mom is very,very active in her own church.
Caitlin K (33:10):
Yeah.
Oh man.
I was gonna say it sounds kindof like a Catholic wedding
service.
Yeah.
Like they're so long and theydon't they do the full service
inside the wedding.
Yeah, it's like, man, this islike, and I remember being a kid
and sitting in Catholic Mass,and we would we would leave
immediately after we had ourcommunion because you gotta get
(33:34):
out of there, otherwise youdon't beat the traffic, right?
But it was just it felt so longeven to sit there for those 45
minutes.
And when I learned that somelike Protestant services are 90
minutes-ish or more, I was like,How do y'all do this?
And then you put a baptism inthe middle of it.
(33:55):
Oh man, that I could see itbeing like a cheesecake factory
menu.
Oh, also, why are we printingout a program for that?
Like, do you guys get a programfor every different service?
I mean, I this is I I don'tknow anything about this church.
Jenny GK (34:09):
Oh she was just visiting for the baptism.
Caitlin K (34:11):
I was like, Catholics do the same thing like on a
365-day rotation, so we justhave the same book and you just
keep on going.
My church just uses the skyBibles.
What's a sky bible?
The projector.
Oh.
Nice.
Okay.
Well, I don't know how tofollow that, but um, my gem is
(34:37):
uh is my son, and the older hegets, the funnier the little
lines are that come out.
And this one made me laugh outloud for a while.
So um in our house, when wehave like bathtime, shower time,
it's often just like arevolving door, right?
Like one of us gets in, thenthe other one gets in, and it's
(34:58):
like you just sometimes we justkeep the water running,
sometimes we're in there at thesame time because we're just
trying to get it all done.
Right.
So um my son is like, hey mom,are you coming back to the
bathroom with me?
And I was like, No, like I'mdoing the dishes, I'm making
your lunch, like you you canpicture starting with the number
seven, right?
Uh yes, I have to turn a numberseven into a giraffe.
(35:20):
I cannot right now go backthere.
And he's like, Well, I don'tlike that.
And I was like, Okay, well, I Idon't I don't want to do the
chores, but I do need to getthem done because once I sit
down, I'm not standing back upand I'm not doing anything.
If I sit down, it's over.
(35:41):
The shoes are coming off and Iam sitting down, right?
If I sit, I haven't you been inthat situation where like you
keep going and going and goingbecause if you stop, you will
really stop and nothing elsewill get done.
So that's why I have to do itall.
Yeah.
So um for me, it's runningerrands.
If I go home, I'm home.
Jenny GK (36:00):
I am not gonna go back.
Caitlin K (36:01):
I'm not going back out.
No, I'm not going back out.
My husband is so good aboutthat.
Like he can go, he can be goneand then come home for 30
minutes in between something andthen go back out.
And I'm like, nope, I'm notdoing it.
I'm gonna stay out the house.
I'm gonna sit today at thatappointment.
Yep.
Exactly.
I'm gonna sit at thatappointment.
I'm gonna sit there for 30minutes and I'm gonna doom
scroll my phone for 30 minutes,but I'm not going home in
between.
It's just not gonna happen.
(36:21):
But um, he goes, Well, can youplease come back here?
And I was like, No.
And he goes, I'm so lonely inthere.
I'm a people person.
I really need you to come back.
I'm not gonna hang out with youin the bathroom.
Like, oh, no.
Jenny GK (36:38):
But I'm glad you're a people person.
Caitlin K (36:40):
Thanks for telling me right, exactly.
It's adorable that you're apeople person.
That's amazing.
Jenny GK (36:43):
Okay, so I don't know if you know this, but um,
there's some winter holidayscoming up, uh, preview for next
episode.
Um, some of them involved giftexchange.
Yes.
Maybe for one of theseholidays, Sam needs a speaker
for the shower.
He could listen to people whilehe showers.
(37:05):
He can't.
And it wouldn't have to be you.
Caitlin K (37:08):
Well, then if we do that though, it ha I wanted to
play music because that kidsings in the shower and it makes
my heart so happy.
And as there you go, you can.
Jenny GK (37:16):
You could put together a Sam's shower karaoke list.
Caitlin K (37:19):
Yeah, Sam's shower mix.
Jenny GK (37:21):
I love it.
Oh my gosh.
Speaking of karaoke, I have totell you this terrible story,
and it's amazing.
And I'm sorry that it's addingto the episode, but it's so
worth it.
I'm here for it.
Okay.
So the Wednesday beforeThanksgiving, John took Kit to
go visit his dad in Houston.
And I stayed home to take careof the dogs and the fish because
it was only gonna be one night,and so they went to
(37:43):
Thanksgiving with his family.
I went to Thanksgiving with myfamily, and we didn't have to
worry about boarding the dogs orgetting someone to take care of
the fish or whatever.
Caitlin K (37:50):
Sure.
Jenny GK (37:51):
Um, which anyone who has a freshwater fish tank, you
do not understand.
Saltwater fish are carnivorous,they have to eat twice a day.
Someone has to be around tomake sure the tank doesn't like
explode, it's a thing.
Um so anyway, Wednesday night,I went over to my parents' house
for dinner, and then I camehome and I am by myself for the
(38:13):
evening.
And I had a glorious time.
But I did not clear my YouTubehistory.
So the next day, Thanksgivingday, John comes home after
having Thanksgiving dinner inHouston.
It's late Thursday night.
We are both laying in bed, andhe turns on YouTube to pull up a
(38:34):
quick video for us to watch aswe go to sleep.
And he looks at me and says,Jen, what were you watching last
night when you were home alone?
Were you seriously doingkaraoke by yourself at the
house?
Caitlin K (38:52):
I was! I was yes, oh, it's a whole vibe.
Oh man.
I took my karaoke in the car.
I don't do it in the house.
Oh, yeah.
But I love that you do it inthe house with the video.
You're old up your preferred.
Jenny GK (39:12):
So I am the singer.
And uh sang karaoke by myselffor like an hour.
Caitlin K (39:18):
Yes.
Who was who what was the firstsong you went to?
Jenny GK (39:22):
I did a couple of Taylor Swift hits.
Um I definitely did Lady Gagaand um no karaoke session is
complete for me without TurnbackTime by Cher.
Caitlin K (39:35):
I love it.
So there you go.
Mine is a little bit more.
If you're looking forself-care, do it.
Yeah.
A little karaoke by yourself.
My go-to karaoke song, BlackVelvet by Alanna Miles.
Jenny GK (39:48):
Oh wow, that's a challenging song.
Caitlin K (39:51):
I love that song.
It's so fun to sing.
Okay, that was that'sself-care.
We can talk about that later.
Jenny GK (39:58):
Alright.
Well when you are posting onthe internet, make your choices.
Yeah.
And uh go be a people person.
Caitlin K (40:11):
Happy holidays.
It's Tuesday.
Yeah, it is.
Hey everyone.
We are so glad you're here.
I'm actually mostly just gladthat I'm getting to see and talk
to Jenny because we haven'tbeen able to get together and
record for a little while.
So this is fun for me, and I'mlooking forward to what we're
gonna talk about.
Which is Jenny, take it away.
What are we talking abouttoday?
Jenny GK (01:16):
Things that we are not gonna be posting on social
media during the holiday season.
Caitlin K (01:21):
Yes, I love it.
I love that idea.
Jenny GK (01:26):
So stick around because coming right up.
Caitlin K (01:28):
Mm-hmm.
Jenny GK (01:29):
Okay.
Mm-hmm.
She's great.
From her head to hermistletoes, it's Caitlin.
Caitlin K (01:39):
Yes.
That's adorable.
Oh, I love that.
Okay.
Well, you are just my favoritemagnificent middle school
marching band.
Yay.
Jenny GK (01:56):
That's good.
That's good.
Thanks.
That's awesome.
I've been in a middle schoolmarching band.
Have you?
I have indeed.
Yeah, I think I knew that.
Uh Pacific Junior High.
Go Vikings.
Oh, nice.
Which then became PacificMiddle School.
With a very unfortunateacronym.
Caitlin K (02:19):
Um, I went to and taught at Prairie Middle School,
which also has, and when wewere in sixth grade, the chunks
of class time were calledperiods.
Oh, of course they were.
The joke was welcome to PMS.
Did you enjoy your firstperiod?
And imagine like all these 11and 12-year-old boys running
(02:43):
around saying that.
Like they just thought theywere so funny.
So funny at creative idiots.
And guests who never thought ofthat joke, literally no one,
because everyone knows thatjoke.
Okay, thank you.
Anyway, let's get into ourepisode for today.
Yay.
Jenny GK (03:01):
So this was spurred on by an article from Reader's
Digest, but um, I also read somethings on All Women Talk as
well as on social stamina andthe healthy.
Okay.
And all of the links will beavailable to you as the
listener.
Love it.
But um there are some thingsthat just should not show up in
(03:25):
your social media feed this timeof year.
Yes.
So um we'll talk about whatdifferent things those are and
why they are tacky.
Here for it.
Right.
Okay.
All right.
So the first one obviously isgifts.
Both the ones that you didn'tlike as well as bragging about
(03:49):
all the ones you got.
Okay, if you didn't like agift, this is the season to
exercise gratitude.
Don't roll your eyes orcomplain when you didn't get
what you're want.
You're a grown-up.
Thank you.
I can see you really thoughtabout this gift.
Caitlin K (04:06):
Have you seen those videos of the little kids who
have been taught to be graciousfor like everything?
And so when they open theirpresent and it's like an old
banana, they're like, thank youso much.
And they're they're likeside-eyeing, like they're like,
it's so nice in me.
Thank you.
And it's so sweet.
And you're right, the parentsare like, I'm so proud of you
(04:29):
for being gracious, but they'redying of laughter.
And it's oh, because theywrapped this on purpose to make
their kid.
To make their kid.
Yeah.
It's really funny.
Jenny GK (04:39):
Don't worry, the Nintendo Switch is the next gift
you're gonna open.
Right, right.
First the banana.
Right.
Okay.
So obviously, if you didn'tlike a gift, you don't complain
about it on the internet.
Um, but also don't brag aboutall the things that you got or
gave.
That's really, really tacky.
When you were eight, it wascool to call your friends after
(05:02):
Christmas morning or gettogether the next day and share
all the toys that you got andbrag about Barbie's Dream House.
But as an adult, sharingextravagance is also privilege.
And sharing that with the worldis not a flattering look.
Agree.
People who follow you might notbe as fortunate as you are, and
(05:23):
the holidays are just areminder of that.
I would agree with that.
I mean, it tells the criminalsjust what to steal.
Caitlin K (05:31):
Do you sound like my mother, where it's like, okay,
now what we are parking our carat this parking lot, so we're
gonna hide all the things indifferent parts of the car so
that nobody's looking in the carto bust your window open and
steal the bags out.
Which is crazy.
Jenny GK (05:44):
You put all the stuff in your trunk and then you move
the car.
Even if you're gonna go backinto the move.
You move the car.
So they see you put all thestuff in your trunk, then you
get in the car and you justpark.
Caitlin K (05:56):
You drive off.
Yeah, it looks like you'redriving away.
I like that one.
Also, um, just a side note whenyou get in your car, this is
especially for people who dawdlewhen they get in the car.
Lock the door as soon as yousit down in the car.
Just lock the door.
Okay, thank you.
Okay, that's my TED talk.
Jenny GK (06:12):
All right.
So the next one.
And like, come on, gifts,that's like major duh.
Like everyone knows you shouldnot do that.
Um, and trying to get around itby saying, I'm so grateful that
so and so gave me this, it'sthat's passive-aggressive,
that's like humble brag.
Caitlin K (06:31):
Yeah, it is.
Jenny GK (06:32):
And trying to say that you're grateful and like, oh,
I'm so happy that we had theability to give our kid the
newest iPhone.
No, you're telling people yougot your kid the newest iPhone.
We all see through it.
Caitlin K (06:43):
Right.
I'd rather see like a I'm sograteful and a picture of your
kids.
Right.
Like that to me is cuter andbetter and less tacky.
Jenny GK (06:52):
Let your kids brag about their toys.
Caitlin K (06:54):
Right.
Yeah, that's fine.
Jenny GK (06:55):
All right, the next one is another no-brainer,
family drama.
Ew, you're only adding fuel tothe fire here, people.
Friends and family members canfeel like they have to pick
sides.
Nothing's really private onceit's online.
You know you cannot trust AuntMyrtle when she says, Oh, it's
just between us.
(07:16):
No, it's not.
No, it's not.
Caitlin K (07:18):
No, it's not.
Jenny GK (07:19):
No, it's not.
Caitlin K (07:20):
No.
Jenny GK (07:21):
Do not post about family drama on the internet
during the holiday season or anytime during the year.
Caitlin K (07:26):
Yeah.
And and this is not to say,like, you can't reach out and
ask for assistance from yoursocial media friends and family,
but like telling, like, justdon't air the dirty laundry,
right?
Like, you can say, like, I'mstruggling with my family right
now.
Is there anyone who can really?
I'd love to have a chat orsomething.
Yeah.
But like, don't like AuntMyrtle, everything that she just
(07:49):
told you, let's keep that offthe phone.
Let's just, yeah, let's justkeep that off the interwebs.
Oh, there we go.
Oh man.
Jenny GK (07:57):
Again, another ew gross political viewpoints.
Uh-oh.
Okay, now, here's the thing.
I know that in person, it canbe hard to change the topic if
someone brings up politics at aholiday gathering.
And there's a lot of timeswhere you want to tell someone,
like, no, actually, that'stotally disrespectful, and I
don't agree with you at all.
There, there's nothing wrongwith that.
Caitlin K (08:18):
Right.
Jenny GK (08:19):
However, you get to control what you post and what
conversations you start.
Caitlin K (08:26):
This is true.
Jenny GK (08:27):
I always like to think about social media as if I took
everyone I know and put them ina room and started screaming at
them.
What do I want to scream?
It might be, oh my gosh, peopleare dying.
This is terrible.
Here is a way that you can dosomething about it.
Caitlin K (08:46):
Sure.
That's fair.
Jenny GK (08:47):
But that is totally different than just getting on
social media and talking aboutyour political viewpoints during
a season where you're gonna berunning into people and they are
gonna be upset with you.
Yeah.
Oof.
Even if you're on the quoteunquote popular side or the
right side of history, now's notthe time.
Caitlin K (09:10):
Should you feel an urge to respond to something?
Again, I tend to err on theside of I'm not gonna talk about
this right now because Ipersonally don't want to invite
the drama that comes with itinto my life.
I'm you know I'm verypolitically outspoken.
I I I just feel like there's atime and place.
Initiating is very different,right?
And I would agree with that.
(09:30):
And I'll now, this is not tosay like if you are, you know,
an organizer for an event orsomething.
Oh my god, we don't mean that.
But like, but this is just likeif you're spouting off, you
know, a hot take about somethingand it's not like in your job
description to do that, dial itdown or some, you know,
something.
Just keep just keep your andand anything that you know is
(09:52):
going to really mess up yourholiday season, just please
think twice before putting itout there.
Jenny GK (09:58):
I also learned a little bit of science about
this.
Oh, I only learned it thisweek, but it makes sense once
you think about it.
Okay.
Even when you engage with apost to say that the person is
wrong, you have now boostedtheir information in the
algorithm.
So even if you are negatingsomething that someone put up,
(10:20):
you are actually helping themget their message out to more
people.
Caitlin K (10:23):
So I do work in marketing and I do work a lot in
social media, and I will tellyou this is absolutely true.
Every single platformprioritizes engagement, is what
we call that.
And and typically, like I'mthinking of in particular like
LinkedIn and TikTok, a like isworth a very small amount of I
(10:44):
don't know, if you want to thinkof it like a point system,
right, engagement points, but ana comment is worth a very
significant amount of engagementpoints.
So when you don't engage with apost, you are allowing the
algorithm to bury it.
So let me say that again.
If you don't engage, thealgorithm will decide that the
(11:07):
post is not worth anyone's timeand therefore it won't get seen
by people.
So if it's something that'scompletely and utterly stupid
and offends you, do everythingin your power to scroll past it.
Right?
Because when you engage, youattract attention to it.
So stop it.
Just don't do that.
(11:29):
And and that also means that ifyou see a CK and GK post on the
interwebs, you need to goengage and comment and like it
right now.
But in terms of the stuff thatmakes you angry on the internet,
just ignore it because you willlet that post die if you do
that or help it die.
Jenny GK (11:48):
It's hard, but it's hard, it's really hard.
It could be a gift to yourselfduring the holidays.
Yeah.
Caitlin K (11:55):
Just not engaging, just let it go.
Jenny GK (11:59):
The next one, I am sad that I'm even saying this out
loud.
It was in the Reader's Digestarticle, so I am bringing it
forward.
But this one is negativeremarks about other faiths.
Like, why do I have to say thisout loud?
Right.
The f continue.
Go ahead.
Okay, so this, like, obviously,don't say awful things about
(12:20):
someone else's religion on theinternet.
Caitlin K (12:24):
Right.
Jenny GK (12:25):
For everyone to read.
Right.
It reflects poorly on you, Ipromise.
Um, secondly, this alsoincludes correcting minor
mistakes.
If someone says happy Hanukkahto you, uh, you can just say
thank you.
You don't have to say, um, no,I'm sorry, I celebrate
Christmas.
And maybe, maybe the personwho's saying happy Hanukkah to
(12:48):
you celebrates Hanukkah and youcan respond with in kind and
say, Oh, happy Hanukkah to you.
Like there's like 20-somethingholidays that all occur during
this holiday season.
Um, we're actually gonna coverthem on next week's episode.
Yes.
Just make sure that everyonefeels safe and joyful during a
time of celebration.
Caitlin K (13:08):
Yeah, I just um I can't like I can't wrap my head
around the whole like we sayMerry Christmas, or I can't say
Christmas.
It's like yes, you can.
You just can't crap all overeveryone else's holiday.
Like you can totally say MerryChristmas to people, or you can
just say happy holidays, andit's fine, or you could say
(13:31):
happy holidays, like it just bekind about it and and stop being
a grump about well, we can't,we don't tell me, we don't like
just shut up and just be happyabout it.
It's fine.
This is I'm gonna get mad.
Can you hear it?
I'm already I know enough aboutit.
Jenny GK (13:49):
I didn't even want to put this in there because I felt
like it was such commonknowledge, but it's not though.
This is why we have to say it.
This is the same thing.
Right, right, right, right,right.
Okay, so um the next one isunprofessional or undesirable
behavior.
Let them shade on it.
Yes, do not put pictures ofyourself drunk on the internet.
(14:12):
Do not complain about your workschedule or your boss because I
promise you there is someoneout there who wants your gig and
could go to great lengths totry and get it.
Well, my stuff is private.
No, it's not.
Caitlin K (14:25):
No, it's not.
Private.
Jenny GK (14:28):
Only if you don't have any followers.
Caitlin K (14:30):
Right.
Or any social at all.
It's like, but then you aren'tposting the pictures.
I'm just thinking of like whenI was in college, and like, you
know, you'd have your per yourtiny purse, but then you had to
have 15 things in your handbecause nothing else fit in your
purse, and you had your digitalcamera and your flip phone, and
and then the all the digitalcamera pictures, you had like
red eyes, so every photo youjust looked drunken, and then
(14:53):
you'd put them on the internet,and people were like, oh my god,
it was so much fun.
It's like I would be completelymortified if any pictures like
that were posted of me rightnow.
No, if I even appear drunk andI'm not, if my eyes are red from
the flash, I'm like, get thatout of here.
Like, just don't put yourselfin a position where you look
(15:15):
unprofessional right now.
Like, yes, everyone'scelebrating.
Yes, there are holiday partiesleft and right.
I get that.
But I don't know, just don'tdon't use a filter.
Jenny GK (15:27):
I read one of these posts that was like how to
appear as old money.
And one of them was never getphotographed with a drink in
your hand unless you're making atoast.
Caitlin K (15:36):
Ooh, that's a good idea.
Jenny GK (15:38):
Yeah, they were like always put your drink down when
you're about to get your picturetaken.
Caitlin K (15:41):
I feel like that's probably something that teachers
are doing.
You know what I mean?
It's like I don't ever want tohave the appearance of that, so
they put it down.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
I've that's an interestingthing, but I'm I'm just thinking
about like just when I say usea filter, I don't mean like use
a filter on your face likeValencia.
I'm talking about like filteryour brain out and don't post
(16:03):
the stupid stuff.
Right.
Jenny GK (16:05):
You know what I mean?
Anyway, so this also applies toif you're a business.
If you're posting on behalf ofyour business, your contact uh
content always needs to leadback to your brand.
Yep.
So don't focus so much on beingcookie cutter perfect, focus on
(16:25):
being authentic.
So is your company having aChristmas party?
Put pictures up.
Are people acting a fool atthat Christmas party?
Don't put pictures up.
Caitlin K (16:36):
Yeah.
Uh and I have a again, I workin marketing now and I have a
very real um opinion about this.
And someone's gonna be like,but authentic is me being drunk.
And it's like, no, no, it'snot.
Authentic is you being real andrelatable.
If you're real and relatable isdrunk, don't post that.
(16:59):
Like, like just don't.
You know what I mean?
Just don't.
And and I'm saying this assomeone who like understands
that there are people who dohave issues with alcohol and
substance abuse, you know, and Ijust want to just be mindful of
like uh respecting that aswell.
At the same time, if that's notyou and you don't normally post
(17:20):
those pictures, now is not thetime to start doing it because
it's the holidays and you wantto show everyone how you've
celebrated.
Just leave it alone, right?
Ugh.
Jenny GK (17:31):
Okay, so the next one comes only from All Women Talk.
A lot of these were like ablend of multiple sites, kind of
said all the same things.
I thought this was veryintriguing.
Okay, they recommend to be verycareful about posting regarding
invitations, both invitationsto events you're hosting and
inviting people to, as well asinvitations to events that
(17:55):
you're being invited to andattending.
Caitlin K (17:58):
Yep, yep, yep, yep, yep.
Jenny GK (17:59):
If you are inviting people to an event via social
media, you want to make surethat the event is private.
You could really end up withhurt feelings if you create an
event and people are notinvited, but they know that
they've been left out.
I have thoughts.
Yes.
Okay.
The other one, and this comesfrom my experience.
Caitlin K (18:22):
Ah, yes.
I know where this is going.
I can feel it.
Jenny GK (18:27):
Let me start by saying this mom is amazing and is my
very best friend at kits school.
Okay.
Because of what I did to starta relationship.
Ready for it.
Okay.
Let's hear it.
Her sons were having a birthdayparty.
(18:48):
We RSVP'd, yes.
Then the week before the party,the head of school emailed
everyone and said, Hey, there'sbeen COVID in our school.
And so I responded to the partyinvite and wrote, Hey, in light
(19:08):
of the news at school, we'reactually not going to be able to
come.
We have a new niece that wewant to meet, and we don't want
to expose Kit any further thanhe's already been.
This message was not private.
Oops.
I messaged 180 different peoplewho were invited to this party.
I mean, not 180, but it was alot.
Caitlin K (19:27):
Oh my god.
No.
Jenny GK (19:28):
But it was every kid at the school, plus all their
friends outside of school.
I looked like an idiot.
And of course, people aremessaging her left and right,
like, what's going on at school?
What's going on?
Why would my kid not want to goto this party?
So then, you know, Ifrantically text her and tell
her the whole thing and say, Imeant this to be private.
I'm so sorry.
And she was like, No, it'scool.
Um, if it was my kid, Iwouldn't come either.
(19:51):
Which she's awesome.
Caitlin K (19:53):
Was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
But yeah, she's amazing.
Hang on to that mom friend.
Jenny GK (19:58):
She's the one also who said that when she sees parents
being too great, she tries totrip them.
And I was like, Yes.
I said, Oh yeah, just sneak asnicker bar in their kids'
lunch.
Oh, you packed him a full-sizecandy bar?
He's only three.
Caitlin K (20:12):
That has peanuts in it.
We are not.
Oh my gosh, I need to meet thisperson.
She sounds amazing.
Okay.
She's good.
She's good.
Jenny GK (20:20):
But yes, just make sure that when you are sending a
message to a host that it'sprivate.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
When in doubt, take it offline.
Oh god.
Okay, so related to invitationsare excuses or rather false
alibis.
Caitlin K (20:40):
You mean Jomo?
The joy of missing out?
Ah, yes.
Yes.
Jenny GK (20:46):
Okay.
So you decline an invitationbecause you're feeling unwell.
And then you post pictures ofyou at the Better Offers event.
Mm-mm.
Not cool.
Mm-hmm.
You tell your family, I'm sosorry.
We have a work engagement thatnight.
And then there's pictures ofyou at the Trail of Lights.
(21:07):
Ooh, that's a bad idea.
Sorry, Aunt Myrtle.
Caitlin K (21:12):
I had to work at Trail of Lights.
Right.
Right.
That hot beverage you see withmy eyes all bloodshot.
Like, we were we were passingthem out.
Jenny GK (21:24):
So just be aware of when you are making an excuse or
declining an invitation, thatwhatever you post aligns with
the excuse or uh false alibithat you made for yourself.
Caitlin K (21:39):
If you told someone like, I can't go because I'm
going to the trail of lightsthat night, that's completely
different than I just don't wantto go.
So do you want to go to thetrail of lights?
You know what I mean?
Like they're do they're verydifferent things, and just be
mindful of how that would feelif that happened to you.
Yes.
Okay.
Jenny GK (21:57):
And then the last one, and this most of these are
year-round, right?
It's just kind of common sense.
But this one is very, veryimportant.
Okay.
Do not post photos of otherpeople or of other people's
children without theirpermission.
(22:18):
And this is very important forbusinesses.
Caitlin K (22:22):
Okay.
Jenny GK (22:24):
You could lose your whole business over a lawsuit of
posting a kid without their uhtheir family's permission.
Yep.
Okay.
So don't share stories thataren't yours to tell unless you
uh change the names to protectthe innocent.
Um there is a law called thechildren children's online
(22:46):
privacy protection act of 1998.
And there are rules about whatpictures you're allowed to take
and what pictures you're allowedto share.
When in doubt, leave it out.
If you don't have someone'spermission to post that picture,
just don't.
Caitlin K (23:04):
Yeah.
Jenny GK (23:06):
Um also consent laws can vary by state.
There are some states where ifyou just put the kid's name in
writing, you could be sued.
Wow.
So just ask the families.
Yeah.
Just ask your friend, like,hey, this picture is so cute.
I'm gonna post it and tag you.
Okay.
Uh no, my face looks reallyfat.
Caitlin K (23:28):
Take it again.
You can't you can still postthe picture, but get a sticker
and like a little online digitalsticker and put it over the
kid's face.
Like that's totally fine to do.
Like I I s you know, like justI don't like posting pictures of
other like even my son's littlefriends, like I just don't I
won't put them online.
Those are for me and those arefor him for later.
(23:50):
I don't like to put them up onthe internet, but that's that's
everyone else's, you know,that's up to you and your
discretion and what you want todo, but other people's kids are
off limits.
I yeah.
When I am doing uh marketingoutreach for various companies,
if one of the customers sends amessage to the customer care
(24:15):
team and says, Hey, I reallyloved this product, I have to go
in and ask for permission topublish just the quote.
Wow.
Like I have to go in and say,like, do we have permission to
share this?
Because every because the thefirst thing that happens when
that happens is a is a line fromthe powers that be there, like,
post this online.
And I'm like, I can't just postit online because I need to get
(24:39):
permission to do that.
I can I can post it onlineanonymously, but then if the
person knows that I took theiremail and I just published it
and I didn't put a name to it, Ican get in trouble for that
too.
So I would rather getpermission.
It's the same thing.
Like, you can't just stealinformation and put it out
there, but other people's kidscan get you in trouble on your
(25:03):
personal Instagram that youthink is private, so don't do
it.
Jenny GK (25:08):
Alright.
So here are the things that weare not posting this holiday
season.
They do not belong on yourseasonal social.
Ready?
Complaints or celebrationsabout gifts.
Don't brag about what you gotor gave, and don't say that you
didn't like something.
Caitlin K (25:28):
Okay.
Jenny GK (25:28):
Family drama.
Caitlin K (25:30):
Okay.
Jenny GK (25:31):
Save your drama for your mama.
Political viewpoints.
We're not talking about uhstanding up for what's right.
We are talking about actuallyengaging in a conversation or
initiating a conversation abouta heated topic.
Negative remarks about otherfaiths or their holidays.
Caitlin K (25:52):
Good yeah, just move.
Jenny GK (25:54):
Including correcting someone for wishing you a happy
holiday that your family doesnot celebrate.
Unprofessional or undesirablebehavior.
Is the lampshade on your head?
Then the picture stays on yourphone.
Information about invitations,whether you are inviting people,
keep that private.
Or you've been invited, keepthat private.
(26:17):
And don't blast the entireparty with a message about your
kid getting COVID.
False alibis and excuses.
Remember that if you toldsomeone that you're sick in bed,
you should not have a pictureof you celebrating New Year's
Eve at the same time.
And finally, photographs ofother people, or more
(26:39):
importantly, other people'schildren.
Caitlin K (26:41):
I love it.
Eight topics that don't belongon your social.
Beautiful.
Jenny GK (26:47):
Let us take a short break.
We're back.
Yeah, we're I was just uhposting some stuff on social
media.
Um, I had a picture of myentire class opening the iPhones
that I gave all of them.
So I wanted to put it up there.
Caitlin K (27:01):
So did you make sure you covered every single face
with a sticker?
Jenny GK (27:05):
Oh no, I actually put their name, address, and blood
type underneath the photo.
Caitlin K (27:11):
Hashtag.
I would recommend that.
Yeah.
Yes.
Oh goodness.
All right.
Well, let's do the fun stuffsince I'm cracking up over this
ridiculous fake post that youjust put up.
Okay.
Jenny GK (27:28):
So let us start with what we are obsessed with.
Do it.
We are in the 40 days ofJenny's 40th.
So my mom has always told methat I am the queen of extending
my birthday.
Caitlin K (27:42):
You are.
You really are.
Jenny GK (27:44):
I love a birthday season.
Caitlin K (27:47):
And a birthday, a birthday week, a birthday month,
a birthday season.
We have increased it already.
Holy smokes.
I love a birthday season.
Y'all.
Jenny GK (28:02):
So join me, listeners, in counting down the 40 days
until I turn 40.
Every day I am doing somethingdifferent for myself.
I love that.
I am trying not to becompletely obnoxious about it,
but I am indeed posting about itevery single day.
I love it.
Um, and so some days it'sdressing up in a fun little
(28:25):
outfit.
Um, some days it's rolling thewindows down and listening to my
music as loud as I can.
Some days it is eating junkfood in front of the TV.
But it's 40 days of self-care.
Something different every day,something fun to celebrate
myself.
Caitlin K (28:42):
I love that.
What a fun idea.
Oh my goodness.
Birthday season here.
Birthday season.
Okay, well, speaking ofself-care, um, every other week
my boss does uh what we call Zentime, and it's like 15 minutes
on Friday, and you just wesometimes we'll do a meditation
(29:05):
where everyone turns off theircameras and their microphones,
and we just all watch a videothat's like a meditative video.
Sometimes they're stretchvideos, sometimes they're um
like we've tried tapping before,like that meditative tapping
method.
I really liked that one.
Oh, you liked that.
I felt really good afterward,yeah.
Jenny GK (29:23):
I think a lot of people feel really good after
being tapped.
Caitlin K (29:28):
Oh I'm gonna pretend that you were talking about like
a keg, okay?
Okay, so um anyway.
We've been doing these fiveminute stretch, sorry, we've
been doing these five minutestretch videos.
(29:48):
And uh I've been saving thevideos to like a stretch video
playlist, but it's reallyhelpful.
Like in the middle of the daywhen I'm completely losing my
mind, and I have I do likePomodoro timer where 25 minutes
on, five minutes off sort ofthing.
And um, every four 25-minutechunks, I get a 15-minute break,
(30:11):
or I'll take lunch, or we knowwhatever it is.
But in the long break, I tryand squeeze in at least one
five-minute stretch video perday.
Now, I haven't been verysuccessful this week or last
week, or the week before, but Idid it today.
I did it today.
(30:32):
We had a zen today, and I umlike had kept I kept going for a
little bit longer and then Idid another one.
But these five minute stretchvideos are so helpful.
It's amazing what five minutescan do if your back is sore or
your shoulders are botheringyou, or whatever.
It I would highly recommendthem.
Just go on to YouTube andsearch.
Jenny GK (30:55):
Five minutes seems like a long time to stretch.
Like normally, if I stand upand stretch, it takes like what
12 seconds.
Right.
Caitlin K (31:02):
Or like your morning stretch when you yeah, when you
get up in the morning and you'relike still having a big door.
Jenny GK (31:11):
But it is a longer time stretching and focusing on
movement than I would normallydo.
Caitlin K (31:16):
Yeah, it's I'm really into it and I'm gonna try and
build it into my schedule alittle bit more.
Like actually plan for thatbreak to happen and then put the
link in the calendarappointment for myself so that I
just have it there and I don'thave an excuse.
Jenny GK (31:31):
Okay.
So speaking of time, my gem ofthe week has to do with time.
Caitlin K (31:39):
Okay.
Jenny GK (31:41):
My mom uh recently attended a baptism.
Okay.
And it was part of atraditional Sunday worship
service.
It was not a separate event.
Oh okay.
Um, this is important becausethey added it to the traditional
(32:01):
regular service.
Yes.
They did not subtract anythingfrom the service, they did not
hold it at the beginning of theservice, they did not hold it at
the end of the service, it wasjust another element added to an
already 90-minute service.
Yeah.
Um, as my mom is recapping theevent, she describes to me the
(32:28):
event program, the paper, thebooklet they give you with the
rundown of what's going tohappen.
She said, I am pouring throughthis program that's the size of
a cheesecake factory menu.
Caitlin K (32:49):
It's 46 pages.
Oh gosh.
The desserts are, you know, thelast half.
Oh man, that's horrible.
Died.
I died.
Jenny GK (32:59):
I thought that was so funny.
Like, what a funny way todescribe a church service,
especially since my mom is very,very active in her own church.
Caitlin K (33:10):
Yeah.
Oh man.
I was gonna say it sounds kindof like a Catholic wedding
service.
Yeah.
Like they're so long and theydon't they do the full service
inside the wedding.
Yeah, it's like, man, this islike, and I remember being a kid
and sitting in Catholic Mass,and we would we would leave
immediately after we had ourcommunion because you gotta get
(33:34):
out of there, otherwise youdon't beat the traffic, right?
But it was just it felt so longeven to sit there for those 45
minutes.
And when I learned that somelike Protestant services are 90
minutes-ish or more, I was like,How do y'all do this?
And then you put a baptism inthe middle of it.
(33:55):
Oh man, that I could see itbeing like a cheesecake factory
menu.
Oh, also, why are we printingout a program for that?
Like, do you guys get a programfor every different service?
I mean, I this is I I don'tknow anything about this church.
Jenny GK (34:09):
Oh she was just visiting for the baptism.
Caitlin K (34:11):
I was like, Catholics do the same thing like on a
365-day rotation, so we justhave the same book and you just
keep on going.
My church just uses the skyBibles.
What's a sky bible?
The projector.
Oh.
Nice.
Okay.
Well, I don't know how tofollow that, but um, my gem is
(34:37):
uh is my son, and the older hegets, the funnier the little
lines are that come out.
And this one made me laugh outloud for a while.
So um in our house, when wehave like bathtime, shower time,
it's often just like arevolving door, right?
Like one of us gets in, thenthe other one gets in, and it's
(34:58):
like you just sometimes we justkeep the water running,
sometimes we're in there at thesame time because we're just
trying to get it all done.
Right.
So um my son is like, hey mom,are you coming back to the
bathroom with me?
And I was like, No, like I'mdoing the dishes, I'm making
your lunch, like you you canpicture starting with the number
seven, right?
Uh yes, I have to turn a numberseven into a giraffe.
(35:20):
I cannot right now go backthere.
And he's like, Well, I don'tlike that.
And I was like, Okay, well, I Idon't I don't want to do the
chores, but I do need to getthem done because once I sit
down, I'm not standing back upand I'm not doing anything.
If I sit down, it's over.
(35:41):
The shoes are coming off and Iam sitting down, right?
If I sit, I haven't you been inthat situation where like you
keep going and going and goingbecause if you stop, you will
really stop and nothing elsewill get done.
So that's why I have to do itall.
Yeah.
So um for me, it's runningerrands.
If I go home, I'm home.
Jenny GK (36:00):
I am not gonna go back.
Caitlin K (36:01):
I'm not going back out.
No, I'm not going back out.
My husband is so good aboutthat.
Like he can go, he can be goneand then come home for 30
minutes in between something andthen go back out.
And I'm like, nope, I'm notdoing it.
I'm gonna stay out the house.
I'm gonna sit today at thatappointment.
Yep.
Exactly.
I'm gonna sit at thatappointment.
I'm gonna sit there for 30minutes and I'm gonna doom
scroll my phone for 30 minutes,but I'm not going home in
between.
It's just not gonna happen.
(36:21):
But um, he goes, Well, can youplease come back here?
And I was like, No.
And he goes, I'm so lonely inthere.
I'm a people person.
I really need you to come back.
I'm not gonna hang out with youin the bathroom.
Like, oh, no.
Jenny GK (36:38):
But I'm glad you're a people person.
Caitlin K (36:40):
Thanks for telling me right, exactly.
It's adorable that you're apeople person.
That's amazing.
Jenny GK (36:43):
Okay, so I don't know if you know this, but um,
there's some winter holidayscoming up, uh, preview for next
episode.
Um, some of them involved giftexchange.
Yes.
Maybe for one of theseholidays, Sam needs a speaker
for the shower.
He could listen to people whilehe showers.
(37:05):
He can't.
And it wouldn't have to be you.
Caitlin K (37:08):
Well, then if we do that though, it ha I wanted to
play music because that kidsings in the shower and it makes
my heart so happy.
And as there you go, you can.
Jenny GK (37:16):
You could put together a Sam's shower karaoke list.
Caitlin K (37:19):
Yeah, Sam's shower mix.
Jenny GK (37:21):
I love it.
Oh my gosh.
Speaking of karaoke, I have totell you this terrible story,
and it's amazing.
And I'm sorry that it's addingto the episode, but it's so
worth it.
I'm here for it.
Okay.
So the Wednesday beforeThanksgiving, John took Kit to
go visit his dad in Houston.
And I stayed home to take careof the dogs and the fish because
it was only gonna be one night,and so they went to
(37:43):
Thanksgiving with his family.
I went to Thanksgiving with myfamily, and we didn't have to
worry about boarding the dogs orgetting someone to take care of
the fish or whatever.
Caitlin K (37:50):
Sure.
Jenny GK (37:51):
Um, which anyone who has a freshwater fish tank, you
do not understand.
Saltwater fish are carnivorous,they have to eat twice a day.
Someone has to be around tomake sure the tank doesn't like
explode, it's a thing.
Um so anyway, Wednesday night,I went over to my parents' house
for dinner, and then I camehome and I am by myself for the
(38:13):
evening.
And I had a glorious time.
But I did not clear my YouTubehistory.
So the next day, Thanksgivingday, John comes home after
having Thanksgiving dinner inHouston.
It's late Thursday night.
We are both laying in bed, andhe turns on YouTube to pull up a
(38:34):
quick video for us to watch aswe go to sleep.
And he looks at me and says,Jen, what were you watching last
night when you were home alone?
Were you seriously doingkaraoke by yourself at the
house?
Caitlin K (38:52):
I was! I was yes, oh, it's a whole vibe.
Oh man.
I took my karaoke in the car.
I don't do it in the house.
Oh, yeah.
But I love that you do it inthe house with the video.
You're old up your preferred.
Jenny GK (39:12):
So I am the singer.
And uh sang karaoke by myselffor like an hour.
Caitlin K (39:18):
Yes.
Who was who what was the firstsong you went to?
Jenny GK (39:22):
I did a couple of Taylor Swift hits.
Um I definitely did Lady Gagaand um no karaoke session is
complete for me without TurnbackTime by Cher.
Caitlin K (39:35):
I love it.
So there you go.
Mine is a little bit more.
If you're looking forself-care, do it.
Yeah.
A little karaoke by yourself.
My go-to karaoke song, BlackVelvet by Alanna Miles.
Jenny GK (39:48):
Oh wow, that's a challenging song.
Caitlin K (39:51):
I love that song.
It's so fun to sing.
Okay, that was that'sself-care.
We can talk about that later.
Jenny GK (39:58):
Alright.
Well when you are posting onthe internet, make your choices.
Yeah.
And uh go be a people person.
Caitlin K (40:11):
Happy holidays.
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