June 2, 2025 • 38 mins
Ever found yourself paralyzed by indecision at a restaurant menu? Spent hours researching the "perfect" toaster you'll barely use? Welcome to the human condition of overcomplication – and you're definitely not alone.
The Complexity of Toilet Paper podcast dives into life's unnecessarily complicated moments with humor, vulnerability, and surprising wisdom. In this premiere episode, hosts Phyllis Martin, Mark Pollack, and Al Emerick reveal the personal journeys that brought them together and their shared mission to help listeners recognize when they're making life harder than it needs to be.
"I have overthought almost everything my entire life," Phyllis confesses, explaining how muting her voice to avoid conflict ultimately consumed more energy than speaking her truth. Mark shares his lifelong search for purpose and the revelation that helping others navigate complexity was his calling all along. Meanwhile, Al brings his broadcasting background and relationship-building expertise to create a show that balances deep insights with genuine laughter.
What makes this podcast unique is its commitment to transparency and community. The hosts aren't positioning themselves as experts who've figured everything out – they're fellow overthinkers sharing their struggles and small victories. Through meaningful conversations, guest interviews, and engaging segments like "The Roll-Up" (featuring hilariously revealing questions about toilet paper preferences), they create a space where listeners can recognize themselves and find practical ways to simplify.
Whether you're dealing with major life decisions or just trying to order lunch without an existential crisis, this podcast offers compassion, perspective, and perhaps most importantly, permission to stop making everything so complicated. Subscribe now and join a community that's learning to roll with life's complexities – one conversation at a time.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Al Emerick (00:01):
Sometimes I wish we could go back to a time when
things weren't so complicated.
Welcome to the Complexity ofToilet Paper, the podcast that
dives into the everyday momentswhere we overthink, hesitate or
just get stuck.
I'm overthinking, I'm over, I'moverthinking.
Let's hear it for the toiletpaper Through honest
(00:24):
conversations, unexpectedinsights and a whole lot of
humor.
Your hosts, phyllis Martin,mark Pollack and Al Emmerich,
are here to help you roll withit and make your life a little
less complicated.
One conversation at a time,that's right, dude.
The beauty of this is itssimplicity.
Speaking of which, it's time toenter the stall, put the lid
(00:47):
down or not, depending, getcomfortable and roll with it.
Worry not, dear friend, it'sreally quite simple.
This is the complexity oftoilet paper.
Holy mackerel, we are here atthe first, not first, episode of
(01:11):
the complexity of toilet paper.
Phyllis Martin (01:15):
First of all, no , just talk about overthinking
it.
Al Emerick (01:19):
Okay, so this is a show about not overthinking,
about making things simple, andthis is technically speaking,
because we want to establishtruth right up front.
This is technically the thirdfirst show, but this is it, no
matter what.
There's not going to be anothershow, because the show has
evolved as we've thought throughwhat do we really want this
(01:42):
thing to be?
And we've recorded a bunch ofprevious shows and well, we'll
tell you all about it because wefinally think.
We think found our voice.
Hello everybody, hi al goodmorning friend oh, I'm al
emmerich, I'm mark pollack.
I'm Phyllis Martin.
And this is the complexity oftoilet paper.
(02:05):
Now rewind.
The reason we came back tore-record this first episode was
that all and we're going tobreak this down because this
whole episode is really aboutthe why behind the complexity of
(02:26):
toilet paper.
We have no idea when you'regoing to be listening to this.
If you've picked up a show, youknow a year from now, five
years from now, or you'relistening to this, you know the
day we launch.
We have no idea, but we arecommitted to transparency, truth
and really letting you into thestall with us, so to speak.
(02:48):
There's going to be so many puns.
You should probably get used toit.
You're going to need your ownroll of toilet paper to put up
with the shit that we're goingto throw at you.
But no, we all have been onthis individual journey that's
become this bonded collectivejourney, and we want to unpack
why we overthink things anddon't think for a minute that we
(03:12):
are not guilty of doing that.
So each of us has a roll oftoilet paper with us Mine is in
the room next door, so I'mcheating but each of us has our
own roll of toilet paper, andtoday I think we should just
kind of let people know who weare, why we're doing this thing,
(03:33):
why it's important.
And I would love to start withyou, phil, because nobody came
into this journey with morehesitation and concern and, I
think, overthinking, than youhave.
So I'll open up by asking youwhy the hell did you decide to
(03:55):
do a podcast with us and why thecomplexity of toilet paper?
So let me first say there havebeen many days when I've thought
why did I decide to do thispodcast with the two of you Not
really the two of you, but whywould I ever decide to do this
to begin with?
And my reality is twofold.
(04:19):
One is I have overthoughtalmost everything my entire life
.
I think that was a lot oftraumatic events associated with
that and around that and, forwhatever reason, I decided
(05:01):
subconsciously that the safestroute to take was to mute my
voice or sit in silence or notuse my voice or not make waves.
You know, god forbid I shouldupset somebody or disappoint
somebody or have to get into aconflict with somebody.
And that, in fairness, servedme really, really well for a
really long time.
But the older I got and moreinto my career and different
jobs that I had, I realized thatalso caused an inordinate
(05:25):
amount of overthinking.
That's actually a very hardthing to do.
What I just described is areally hard thing to do and it
started absorbing an inordinateamount of energy and at some
point we have come together.
You and I, mark, you and I havetalked about that on.
You know all, really all thetime.
(05:47):
It just came to me that overcomplicating things, making
things more complex than theyneeded to be, is actually
unnecessary, but surelysomething that the majority of
people do consciously orsubconsciously.
So somebody literally asked meyesterday why, why would I
(06:09):
decide to do this?
And I decided to do it for tworeasons.
One, I needed to know if Iwould show up authentically as
Phyllis in the microphone withthe two of you, so let's just
say that.
And two, if there's anythingfrom my experience or questions
we might know to ask guests thatwe'll have on from their
(06:30):
experience that can helpsomebody else, let other people
know.
You are so not alone in this,and there are a ton of us out
there who overthink things, andthere's humor in that, there's
sadness in that, there's pain inthat.
But step number one is reallyjust understanding it and being
(06:51):
on the lookout for it and being,I think, with people who can
help.
So if my stories and my life,my curiosity, can help, then
yeah, I definitely want to dothis.
And the last thing I'll say isI I don't want to leave anything
undone in this lifetime andusing, not using my voice when I
(07:14):
know I know for sure.
Um, I should be, and sometimespeople are waiting for it would
really be um unfair um, givenall that I have been given in
this lifetime.
Mark Pollack (07:28):
Phyllis that is so beautiful and powerful, but I
think you should really comeclean and tell the truth about
why you wanted to do this show.
You have a strikingly wickedsense of humor, I do.
You have some nasty in you, Alot.
Give it all away.
(07:48):
No dude, it's like look Markkind of had to experience my
shock over the course of thisyear Because it started a year
ago.
Phyllis Martin (08:00):
Yeah, sure did.
Mark Pollack (08:14):
Real quick before we dive into you, mark, and I'll
throw in my two cents.
Yeah, sure did, helping agentleman start up a community
called Jonathan's Landing andenvisioned to be the largest
community ever built for adultswith autism, and I was employee
number one helping stand it up.
Anyway, it's a very big project.
(08:35):
I hit a brick wall of confusion, literally I was paralyzed and
I called my buddy, phil Phyllis,and I said, hey, help me figure
this out.
And she literally tap, tap, tapquestions unlocked my anxiety.
And in that moment she said youknow, we, we could overthink
(08:56):
toilet paper.
And I was like, oh my God, ohmy God, we got to do a podcast.
And then, a few weeks later,I'm talking to Mark and I'll let
him share his version of that,but the point is the three of us
came together because of that.
(09:17):
But, phyllis, I've known yousince 2014, I think 2015,.
Yeah, I think, 2015.
Yeah, 2015.
So 10 years, a decade.
And I had no idea how funny youare in the way that you are
funny, I didn't know how sickyour mind works.
So when we start rolling outpotty humor and talking about
(09:39):
puns and wipeouts and andflushing things, all that, make
no mistake, this is not quoteunquote the guy's stall, the
lady's stall.
This is a trio of sick mindswho have come together to help
the world, but also to fulfillour own flavorful desire to be
(10:01):
weird and now the truth is out,and well said, my friend it is.
Hey, I'm making a prediction atthis.
At some point we're gonna hearphyllis sing.
At some point we're gonna hearphyllis do accents, and
characters, for sure, and it'ssome, but we're gonna get lots
of wisdom anyway, all right.
(10:22):
Um, mark hi, why the hell areyou here?
Uh, I just showed up mycomputer.
Why the hell are?
Phyllis Martin (10:26):
you here?
Uh, I just showed up.
My computer was on, themicrophone was sitting here.
I'm like I think I'll sit hereand talk.
Um, two people invaded my life,man, what happened?
Um, impact, impact.
That's why I'm here.
I, uh, I wanted to.
I've been searching my wholelife.
(10:47):
When I was a little kid, I hadthis little tape recorder that
my mom gave me and I would sitand record my voice and make up
characters and always knew thatI wanted to do something, but I
didn't know what that somethingwas.
And I have spent my life, insome form or fashion, searching
(11:10):
for the thing, and I have adesire to help others by
unpacking things that I'veexperienced, but helping others
unpack their experiences andshare that in such a way that it
creates a feeling oftogetherness.
And when this idea was broughtforward around how we
(11:34):
over-complexify our life, Ithought here it is.
It finally showed up and Irealized immediately that this
was the thing that I wassearching for my whole life.
And you know, the beautifulpart is we have started
recording and this isn't ourvery first show, and so I know
(11:57):
what's to come, and we've had alot of strategic planning and I
am so excited about the impactthat we are going to have on so
many lives, uh, through humor,uh, through stories, through, um
, uh, just relatability, and sothat's why I'm here, um, and I
(12:21):
couldn't, I couldn't be moreblessed than to be with the two
of you on this journey that Ihave finally found.
Mark Pollack (12:30):
Oh man Dude.
Al Emerick (12:33):
He's always one up in us, Al yeah.
Mark Pollack (12:37):
You'll see.
Al Emerick (12:37):
He always has the last word and it's always a
great word.
Mark Pollack (12:42):
Well, not only that, he's got those melodious
tones, that soft gentle, youknow voice of his that makes you
feel he's.
He's like our priest, rabbi,sage and meditation guru at the
same time.
No, mark, I mean, I don't know.
I know, phyllis, he's blushing.
(13:03):
For us to be sitting here aspart of your journey for
something that's so important toyou.
That's more than a podcast, youknow, because, quite honestly,
whether we end up having asuccessful journey with this
podcast success being defined by, oh, there's lots of listeners
or we're we're doing this withcompanies, whatever that,
because we have a futurebusiness model for this that
(13:25):
we're building, there's no doubt.
But whether that happens or not, there's no doubt that this
threesome togetherness has notonly bonded a friendship, but
we're going to help each otherand we already are helping each
other.
Me, yes, and yes to both of you.
(13:50):
Um, you know, my mission inpurpose in life has always been
connection with people.
I mean, I am the eternalrelationship, love on love, with
hug, be hugged person.
I'm a positivity junkie.
I see the glass half full,sometimes to my own.
Um, um, you know what's theword damage.
(14:12):
If you know, you know cause,sometimes you can, you can
what's the word detriment?
Thank you, not damage, detriment, fault, but at the end of the
day I can count blessings justnumerously, you know numerously.
You know it's like friendships,family, pursuing my dreams in
(14:38):
my career, and all of thesethings have always rounded out
to really a couple of corethemes.
That is, we all have greatervalue than we realize, we have
far greater impact than werealize, and I built a system
around it called value mappingand a tool called the value
equation.
And that is my, that is my theway I see the world.
I see the world through thelens of head and heart.
And but technically speaking,my career began in radio and
(15:02):
broadcasting.
So sitting in front of amicrophone with you two telling
stories is like a flashback tomy childhood when I listened to
radio, the Dr Demento show, whenI listened to KUPD in Phoenix,
arizona, rock 105 inJacksonville and actually worked
in radio.
So I loved this aspect, I lovedthe old AM radio, I loved
(15:23):
listening to interviews, I loveWalter Cronkite, love 60 minutes
.
But it's really about the storyside of people's lives and how
we overthink things, because Imyself have desperately
overthought.
I'm overthinking today in mylife and, mark and Phyllis, you
guys are helping me work throughthat as we help each other, and
(15:46):
I was like, all right, well,what greater value, then, can I
be a part of than this thingabout?
How do we just make life alittle bit more simple, how do
we appreciate the specialmoments, how do we not overthink
happiness and how do we notoverthink things that prevent us
from going forward?
Because, oh, by the way, livingin the entrepreneurship world
(16:06):
and starting my own companiesand helping other companies
start and grow it's overthinkingthat stops progress and stymies
progress.
So the personal side is filleddoing this with you guys.
The business side is filleddoing this with you both, and
what I love most is that thethree of us came from.
(16:27):
Even though, mark, you and Ihave a similar background in
radio and stuff.
The three of us all share this.
Let's make sure that there's adeliverable, if you will right,
without overthinking.
So, phil, what is it you wantto give?
You said it earlier, but, likewe've talked, the three of us,
about how we're going to helppeople, what's, what do you see
(16:51):
as the impact of this show fromthe standpoint of like, hey,
this is what we want to bring toyou.
This is some of the technicalstuff we're going to deliver to
you as well, because this is anexperience, but it's an
experience with a desire toimprove your life.
Al Emerick (17:09):
Thoughts on that.
Phil.
Yeah, I think what ourlisteners can expect is through
shared story and narrative,finding the pieces of themselves
or relatable situations whereyou name the topic joy, death,
(17:33):
work, leadership.
Lunch has been, has been Wait aminute.
You can complicate, I canovercomplicate Hand me a menu
right now and there'll be awhole situation and I will still
end up eating off of both ofyour plates.
Let's be clear about that.
Mark Pollack (17:50):
How many questions do you ask when somebody orders
lunch?
Oh, no, no, no, no.
Al Emerick (17:54):
I'm not that person, but I do have like a whole
thing that I have to go throughin my head about savory or sweet
, carbs or not, like a wholething that happens, carbs or not
, like a whole thing thathappens.
But through those narratives andstories and just dialogue and
conversation, how we're sharingwhat we have overcomplicated,
(18:15):
what guests that come on theshow have overcomplicated, and
tips, thoughts about the impactof that overcomplication and
what we have done to simplify,or what a guest has done to make
things simpler and I'll behonest, I was really offended by
(18:35):
that word when we started usingit.
I'm like, no, everything isdeep, everything is complicated,
everything is layered.
And as we've talked and aswe've recorded shows, I've
really come to understand maybenot so much, maybe not so much.
So through this, just what weare doing right now, my hope is
(18:57):
that people can see themselvesand find something, a tool, one
little tidbit, one step along avery long journey to find some
simplicity and, beyond that,what that simplicity might bring
to enhance or support theirlives in that moment.
And I hope they find a littlelevity along the way too.
Mark Pollack (19:23):
Marco.
Phyllis Martin (19:24):
Yeah, gosh, I would echo that.
I think, for me, the, the, thequestion is always the aloneness
.
I know when I feel mostoverwhelmed and things seem the
most complex is when I'm bymyself and think I'm the only
one who's ever dealt with this,and the reality is there's a
(19:45):
shit ton of people who havedealt with the same thing, and
so I think this show and theimpact it will have is the
ability to let people knowyou're not alone.
We all deal with it, and I'mactually sitting here thinking
and overthinking a whole bunchof other things and and I
realize I'm not I'm not alone,and so that, for me, is the
(20:09):
impactful piece.
Al Emerick (20:11):
Hey, al, I'm going to add something to you.
I think and I think this isimportant for our listeners,
especially that we understand wehave you're part of this too.
There are things that we canlearn from you as we're going
along this journey together thisis not a one directional.
Phyllis Martin (20:35):
The way that we've created this is not a one
directional show, and so whatyou're going to find, if you
stay with us, is that we'regoing to turn the mic to you and
and we want to hear from youand engage with you and and
speak about the things that areimportant in your life, because,
again, you're not the only onedealing with that.
(20:57):
Money issues We've got it.
Having to buy your kid a car wegot it.
Uh, travel, uh, aging, money,emotions you know we've thought
through a lot of the things thatare commonalities among all of
us, and so, um yeah, yeah, andwhen we say thought through, I
want to be clear for youlistening that we haven't
(21:20):
figured it out.
Mark Pollack (21:21):
It's not like we're presenting a solution, and
that's the key thing in notoverthinking this is we're.
So I was just searching.
So the term sharedconsciousness all right, so it's
a common awareness orunderstanding among a group of
individuals, often based onshared experiences, beliefs or
(21:42):
values.
Um, it can manifest ascollective consciousness or real
time understanding within ateam, blah, blah, blah, blah,
blah.
But this idea of, of acollective consciousness, that's
what you were just talkingabout, mark, collective
consciousness, that's what youwere just talking about, mark.
And so I want to restatesomething that I know will come
up in future episodes, I'm sureover and over again, which is
(22:04):
we're not solving something andwe're not saying that life isn't
hard, right?
I think sometimes we aresubject to looking for the
answer, looking for the pill,subject to looking for the
answer, looking for the pill,looking for the solution, and
we're saying that this is astate of a human existence to
(22:24):
overthink things and make thingsharder than you need to be.
So how can we be a nudge toentertainingly and inhumanly,
and compassionately and joyfully, give you a place, to A feel
you're not alone.
B get some tips, as you said,phyllis, and advice, but just
(22:46):
the shared perspectives.
We're going to have people whohave been whistleblowers for
major major corporations.
We're going to have peoplewho've been world travelers,
entrepreneurs, women, men, whoknows children down the road,
plus our own stories.
(23:07):
But these ideas and topics thatMark's talking about joy,
happiness, you know, phyllis,you mentioned them.
It's the topic, that's the starof the show, not the, not the
guest, or not me or Mark orPhyllis, um, and, and you, as
the, as the listener, hopefully,are the recipient of the star
of the show, which is a topicaround, something that we all
(23:31):
live with, experience, and andwhy do we overthink it and how
can we make it a little moresimple?
But that doesn't mean we'regoing to solve it, and that's
the thing I want.
That's kind of like what Iwanted to level set right.
Phyllis Martin (23:46):
Yeah, we're kind of like the guides through it,
right?
Yeah, so asking the questions.
Mark Pollack (23:53):
So we are guides to bring you into the stall,
which I think is the perfecttime right now for us to
introduce the debut of somethingthat we call the roll up.
That's right, this is the rollup, and every guest that we
(24:13):
bring into the stall with uswill experience the roll-up.
This is a series of rapid-firequestions that can only be
described as deep, soulful,riveting questions that could
change your life, and so this,ladies and gentlemen, is the
(24:37):
roll-up.
All right, phyllis, you ready?
Al Emerick (24:42):
I think I am.
When it comes to toilet paperover or under Over, but I will
not hesitate to reach for underif I need to.
Mark Pollack (24:55):
Well, that's good, and all of us are appreciative
if you don't hesitate.
Thank you, mark, over or underif I need to.
Well, that's good and all of usare appreciative.
Phyllis Martin (24:58):
Don't hesitate.
Mark Pollack (24:59):
Mark over or under ?
Over, of course, I'm a totalover guy, no, under.
I don't know why I just got tohave the over, all right.
So three of us are overs.
And, by the way, in case you'rewondering, if you if you're
wondering, you probablyshouldn't be listening to this
show.
Over is like, as in over orunder the role.
All right, good, I thinkeverybody got that All right.
(25:20):
All right, ready.
Next question here we go, mark,you can lead us off.
Phyllis Martin (25:23):
Okay.
Al Emerick (25:24):
So, as it is concerned to toilet paper, yes,
single ply or two ply, two ply,as fluffy as it possibly can be.
Phyllis Martin (25:34):
Mm fluffy, I can be fluffy.
Mark Pollack (25:35):
I'm a two-ply guy because I'm kind of fly no, no,
no, no, no, no, all right hey,first of all, no I was shocked
when I realized how many one-plyrolls are really out there in
the world.
I've actually gone out andlooked and seen one plies and
(25:56):
I'm like how in the earth couldwe use a?
Who uses one ply?
But I, I guess it makes it well, it's cost effective.
There's lots of places, is it?
Phyllis Martin (26:07):
though, because then you're like bunching it all
up and I mean I'm not sayingyou gotta get quilted two ply,
but you know, single ply I would.
I would have been shocked.
Mark Pollack (26:17):
But, hey, listeners, next time you're in a
public restroom I'd love foryou to check out is it a one-ply
or two-ply?
And by all means, visit ourFacebook page the Complexity of
Toilet Paper Once again, theComplexity of Toilet Paper.
And if you experience one-plyor two-ply, let us know.
That would be great to get thatinput because inquiring minds
(26:39):
want to know.
All right, all right.
So that's two of the questions,all right.
The third question Phil, whatis your potty time activity or
game that you play or do?
Al Emerick (27:03):
When I was young, I would read the comics and the
horoscope, but now that I am amature woman, I do my online
shopping.
Mark Pollack (27:13):
Really.
Al Emerick (27:13):
Yes, you do.
Phyllis Martin (27:17):
She's got her whole computer set up in the
stall.
Al Emerick (27:19):
She's so I have a whole lot of minutes shopping uh
situation set up in my all ofyour friends area all of your
friends who get your gifts now.
Mark Pollack (27:29):
I want them all to realize that there's a chance
that gift was conceived whilewhile phyllis was doing her
business.
Al Emerick (27:38):
Well, let me say it is an extension of what was when
we used to get catalogs in themail.
Then I would take those into mystall and have a delightful
time looking at them.
But now I don't have to look.
Mark Pollack (27:56):
I can look and buy at the same time I, uh, I used
to read um highlights magazinewhen I was a kid.
Yeah, loved highlight um and Iwould always.
My mom would always go are youokay?
I mean it was a normal thing.
I mean I I thought after likemaybe a few years she would have
realized I'm okay.
But I know I realized later shewas asking me for another
(28:17):
reason um, just yeah, we're justgonna leave that one again.
Phyllis Martin (28:21):
No, yeah, no opening show first show.
Mark Pollack (28:24):
Oh whatever, oh, that's right 15th maybe hey,
remember when we had thatpodcast and then al killed it um
right away started 28 minutesin yeah.
Anyway.
So then, and I don't know wherethis started, this sounds
egotistical to say, but I wouldlook for the letters of my name
(28:46):
in words.
Al Emerick (28:47):
There's two.
Phyllis Martin (28:48):
Yeah, I was going to say it's an A and an L,
like those are the most popularletters ever.
Mark Pollack (28:53):
There's a last name too.
Oh, doofus is Emmerich with hise and an m e r I c k.
Phyllis Martin (29:01):
So like all of the name or something, yeah like
.
Mark Pollack (29:05):
Are you judging me ?
No, you know I'm sharing a deeppersonal thing only with you
guys.
Nobody else is hearing thisdeep personal don't
overcomplicate, I'm judging.
Do not overcomplicate it, yeahit's Last question and this is
new.
This is new.
Well, it's all new, becausethis is the first episode.
Handle flush or button flush orautomated flush Handle.
Phyllis Martin (29:27):
My toilets have the button flush.
But what do you prefer?
Oh, I don't care, it doesn'tmatter to me as long as it
flushes.
Mark Pollack (29:35):
I like to handle flush.
I'm old school yeah, because Iknow it's easier and it makes
more sense to just finish andthen it it flushes, but um, it's
, there's a sense of completion.
Al Emerick (29:49):
Oh dear god, wow wow hey, we thank you all for
joining us.
Mark Pollack (29:59):
I don't know.
It's like oh, I'm done, nowOkay.
Phyllis Martin (30:03):
Because I don't get that by a button Said with
the relief.
I know.
Mark Pollack (30:10):
Oh man, how do you spell relief?
All right, now we've told youall our names Phyllis Martin,
mark Pollock, al Emmerich.
But back in the day peoplewould adopt radio names.
I don't know if they still do.
I had this idea that I couldn'tbe Al Emmerich on the radio.
So for a period of time I wasAl Roberts.
(30:32):
I took my father's first.
Yeah, I was Al Roberts.
Al Emerick (30:37):
Yeah, anyway and my mom was so, not you.
Mark Pollack (30:42):
My mom was so pissed off at me because she's
like that's not your name,you're Alfred Emmerich.
I'm like, well, mom, I'm notgoing by Alfred.
She's like you're Al Emmerichand I'm like, okay, but Emmerich
, she's like your father was inradio and that was Emmerich with
a K.
Just stick with the name.
I was like, no, I'm going to beAl Roberts.
Al Emerick (31:06):
All um.
What is your pun name?
There you go, you're ready.
Mark Pollack (31:08):
This is your pun name, phyllis.
My pun name is puns galore.
Puns galore, really puns galore.
What was that other?
Isn't there another name, you?
Al Emerick (31:13):
had cookies mcgee cookies mcgee.
Mark Pollack (31:15):
All right, so puns galore.
Cookies mcgee.
Phyllis Martin (31:19):
These names may show up mark I don't even know
how do I follow cookies mcgeeyou can't you just gotta come up
with it, come on come on, uh uh, flush larue, oh, flush larue
I'll go with it, yeah it wasbetter than my radio name, which
was murdoch, so so yeah, okay,um, uh, okay, dirk Stallworth,
(31:48):
I'm Dirk Stallworth, dirkStallworth, yeah.
I can see you as DirkStallworth.
Mark Pollack (31:53):
Yes, yeah, yeah um , all right anyway.
So I?
This is the stupid shit thatwe're going to talk about, uh,
in addition to life's bigger,bigger issues too.
Oh, this was important.
This is the stupid shit thatwe're going to talk about In
addition to life's bigger issuestoo.
Phyllis Martin (32:05):
Oh, this is important.
This is a big life issue.
So rest of the day.
Whatever Flush, what was mylast name?
Mark Pollack (32:14):
LaRue.
Phyllis Martin (32:15):
LaRue.
Yeah, flush LaRue, I cantotally see it.
Mark Pollack (32:18):
Well, this is a sneak peek into the world,
that's, that's heading your way.
Um, let's just close with withwith the following um, and I'll
start, and then you guys toss itaround and we'll leave it to
mark to close this out.
Oh geez, we just we re-recordedthis for the reasons we've
shared, but also there's a levelof excitement and, and what I'd
(32:42):
like to know is and we don'tprep these questions just so you
guys know, it's not like wescript out this show, and so
this is an organic show.
There's some topics, yes, weknow we want to talk about.
We research our guests, allthat, and we know each other,
but we don't necessarily say, oh, let's ask this question, and
so this is one of those examplesI want to know at this point
(33:06):
you know we're re-recording thisliterally days before our
launch Good planning, what areyou most excited about?
And I'll start and then maybeyou go, phil, I am most excited
now about the untapped energythat the three of us have, and
I'm really excited by what thiscan mean for people, but I'm
(33:32):
also what this means for us.
I'm so excited about where thistakes us, because it's really
so much more than just a podcast, because it's really so much
more than just a podcast.
It's a way to see life, viewlife, feel good about life,
learn, and, whatever thisbecomes, I'm a better person for
(33:53):
it and I'm excited to see whereI grow, where you guys grow,
and where our audience grows.
I mean, that's genuinely likewow.
Okay, let's look back andcelebrate that.
That's what I'm looking forwardto.
What about you, phil?
Al Emerick (34:04):
I'm going to say yes to everything that you just
said, being totally truthful andtransparent.
I'm excited that I'm excitedand I'm excited to get to this
point in the journey where Ifeel comfortable enough to do
this authentically, as PhyllisMartin, with the two, with the
(34:26):
two of you.
Um and I had another thought,but it has.
It has left, um, the brain, uh,temporarily, I think.
It's coming back here it is.
I'm excited and there you haveit.
Phyllis Martin (34:41):
And it's the flush.
That wasn't all the way.
It was the half flush, and nowwe're oh, now it's gone, now
it's back.
Al Emerick (34:49):
I'm excited for us and for our for listeners that
we hopefully together can get tothe heart of why we
overcomplicate stuff and it'sprobably different for different
topics and different areasbecause if we can start to
figure that thing out, then wecan move, then we can move
(35:11):
beyond it and then collectively,you know, great things can
happen for all of us, thecollective, all of us, and maybe
there's that paradigm shift andthat shift in behavior and
overall, like amazing shift thatstarts, that starts to happen.
Phyllis Martin (35:31):
Mark Wonderfully said.
So I'm I agree, and so I'm notgoing to repeat what you both
said.
What I'm most excited about iscommitment, and what commitment
is is we committed to do thisthing.
We're doing it and we'relaunching it and we're going to
continue to do it, and I,through life, have
(35:55):
over-complexified so many thingsthat I have committed to and
didn't do, and so I'm mostexcited that we're actually
doing this thing and it'sactually launching and we've
actually put it on Facebook andwe're really doing it.
And for me and my own personaljourney, I am most excited about
(36:15):
that.
And for our listeners, I'm mostexcited for them to understand
that whatever you're dreamingand you're committing to do it
and commit to it and make ithappen.
And we're just three averagepeople who have come together to
do this thing and everybody cando it, and so the commitment of
(36:39):
doing is what I'm most excitedabout.
Al Emerick (36:41):
I love that.
I forgot one really importantthing that I was excited about.
Phyllis Martin (36:44):
Yeah, go back.
Al Emerick (36:45):
Okay.
So I am really very excited,like crazy excited, about other
people being excited, as we'vewatched on the Complexity of
Toilet Paper Facebook pageY'all's enthusiasm.
That has just sent me over thetop with enthusiasm and
excitement.
Phyllis Martin (37:04):
And the memes, and the memes, and the memes.
They're fantastic.
Keep them coming, please.
They're hilarious.
Al Emerick (37:11):
And the questions.
Mark Pollack (37:14):
There's not enough good feedback that we can get,
and whatever that feedback isand that's what we hope from you
that we can do our business andbuild a relationship with you,
whoever you are today, whereveryou are, and thank you for
joining us in the stall.
(37:35):
We will be back in the stall.
We hope you will be back withus.
That is a frightful sight tothink of how many people we will
all have in a stall together,but hey, that's where we are.
Did you say toilet paper?
Al Emerick (37:51):
Everything complicated One big medieval
mess.
Mark Pollack (37:54):
Have a blessed, simple day, life week until we
see you again.
I'm overthinking, I'm over.
I'm you again.
This is the complexity oftoilet paper.
Sometimes I wish we could go back to a time when
things weren't so complicated.
Welcome to the Complexity ofToilet Paper, the podcast that
dives into the everyday momentswhere we overthink, hesitate or
just get stuck.
I'm overthinking, I'm over, I'moverthinking.
Let's hear it for the toiletpaper Through honest
(00:24):
conversations, unexpectedinsights and a whole lot of
humor.
Your hosts, phyllis Martin,mark Pollack and Al Emmerich,
are here to help you roll withit and make your life a little
less complicated.
One conversation at a time,that's right, dude.
The beauty of this is itssimplicity.
Speaking of which, it's time toenter the stall, put the lid
(00:47):
down or not, depending, getcomfortable and roll with it.
Worry not, dear friend, it'sreally quite simple.
This is the complexity oftoilet paper.
Holy mackerel, we are here atthe first, not first, episode of
(01:11):
the complexity of toilet paper.
Phyllis Martin (01:15):
First of all, no , just talk about overthinking
it.
Al Emerick (01:19):
Okay, so this is a show about not overthinking,
about making things simple, andthis is technically speaking,
because we want to establishtruth right up front.
This is technically the thirdfirst show, but this is it, no
matter what.
There's not going to be anothershow, because the show has
evolved as we've thought throughwhat do we really want this
(01:42):
thing to be?
And we've recorded a bunch ofprevious shows and well, we'll
tell you all about it because wefinally think.
We think found our voice.
Hello everybody, hi al goodmorning friend oh, I'm al
emmerich, I'm mark pollack.
I'm Phyllis Martin.
And this is the complexity oftoilet paper.
(02:05):
Now rewind.
The reason we came back tore-record this first episode was
that all and we're going tobreak this down because this
whole episode is really aboutthe why behind the complexity of
(02:26):
toilet paper.
We have no idea when you'regoing to be listening to this.
If you've picked up a show, youknow a year from now, five
years from now, or you'relistening to this, you know the
day we launch.
We have no idea, but we arecommitted to transparency, truth
and really letting you into thestall with us, so to speak.
(02:48):
There's going to be so many puns.
You should probably get used toit.
You're going to need your ownroll of toilet paper to put up
with the shit that we're goingto throw at you.
But no, we all have been onthis individual journey that's
become this bonded collectivejourney, and we want to unpack
why we overthink things anddon't think for a minute that we
(03:12):
are not guilty of doing that.
So each of us has a roll oftoilet paper with us Mine is in
the room next door, so I'mcheating but each of us has our
own roll of toilet paper, andtoday I think we should just
kind of let people know who weare, why we're doing this thing,
(03:33):
why it's important.
And I would love to start withyou, phil, because nobody came
into this journey with morehesitation and concern and, I
think, overthinking, than youhave.
So I'll open up by asking youwhy the hell did you decide to
(03:55):
do a podcast with us and why thecomplexity of toilet paper?
So let me first say there havebeen many days when I've thought
why did I decide to do thispodcast with the two of you Not
really the two of you, but whywould I ever decide to do this
to begin with?
And my reality is twofold.
(04:19):
One is I have overthoughtalmost everything my entire life
.
I think that was a lot oftraumatic events associated with
that and around that and, forwhatever reason, I decided
(05:01):
subconsciously that the safestroute to take was to mute my
voice or sit in silence or notuse my voice or not make waves.
You know, god forbid I shouldupset somebody or disappoint
somebody or have to get into aconflict with somebody.
And that, in fairness, servedme really, really well for a
really long time.
But the older I got and moreinto my career and different
jobs that I had, I realized thatalso caused an inordinate
(05:25):
amount of overthinking.
That's actually a very hardthing to do.
What I just described is areally hard thing to do and it
started absorbing an inordinateamount of energy and at some
point we have come together.
You and I, mark, you and I havetalked about that on.
You know all, really all thetime.
(05:47):
It just came to me that overcomplicating things, making
things more complex than theyneeded to be, is actually
unnecessary, but surelysomething that the majority of
people do consciously orsubconsciously.
So somebody literally asked meyesterday why, why would I
(06:09):
decide to do this?
And I decided to do it for tworeasons.
One, I needed to know if Iwould show up authentically as
Phyllis in the microphone withthe two of you, so let's just
say that.
And two, if there's anythingfrom my experience or questions
we might know to ask guests thatwe'll have on from their
(06:30):
experience that can helpsomebody else, let other people
know.
You are so not alone in this,and there are a ton of us out
there who overthink things, andthere's humor in that, there's
sadness in that, there's pain inthat.
But step number one is reallyjust understanding it and being
(06:51):
on the lookout for it and being,I think, with people who can
help.
So if my stories and my life,my curiosity, can help, then
yeah, I definitely want to dothis.
And the last thing I'll say isI I don't want to leave anything
undone in this lifetime andusing, not using my voice when I
(07:14):
know I know for sure.
Um, I should be, and sometimespeople are waiting for it would
really be um unfair um, givenall that I have been given in
this lifetime.
Mark Pollack (07:28):
Phyllis that is so beautiful and powerful, but I
think you should really comeclean and tell the truth about
why you wanted to do this show.
You have a strikingly wickedsense of humor, I do.
You have some nasty in you, Alot.
Give it all away.
(07:48):
No dude, it's like look Markkind of had to experience my
shock over the course of thisyear Because it started a year
ago.
Phyllis Martin (08:00):
Yeah, sure did.
Mark Pollack (08:14):
Real quick before we dive into you, mark, and I'll
throw in my two cents.
Yeah, sure did, helping agentleman start up a community
called Jonathan's Landing andenvisioned to be the largest
community ever built for adultswith autism, and I was employee
number one helping stand it up.
Anyway, it's a very big project.
(08:35):
I hit a brick wall of confusion, literally I was paralyzed and
I called my buddy, phil Phyllis,and I said, hey, help me figure
this out.
And she literally tap, tap, tapquestions unlocked my anxiety.
And in that moment she said youknow, we, we could overthink
(08:56):
toilet paper.
And I was like, oh my God, ohmy God, we got to do a podcast.
And then, a few weeks later,I'm talking to Mark and I'll let
him share his version of that,but the point is the three of us
came together because of that.
(09:17):
But, phyllis, I've known yousince 2014, I think 2015,.
Yeah, I think, 2015.
Yeah, 2015.
So 10 years, a decade.
And I had no idea how funny youare in the way that you are
funny, I didn't know how sickyour mind works.
So when we start rolling outpotty humor and talking about
(09:39):
puns and wipeouts and andflushing things, all that, make
no mistake, this is not quoteunquote the guy's stall, the
lady's stall.
This is a trio of sick mindswho have come together to help
the world, but also to fulfillour own flavorful desire to be
(10:01):
weird and now the truth is out,and well said, my friend it is.
Hey, I'm making a prediction atthis.
At some point we're gonna hearphyllis sing.
At some point we're gonna hearphyllis do accents, and
characters, for sure, and it'ssome, but we're gonna get lots
of wisdom anyway, all right.
(10:22):
Um, mark hi, why the hell areyou here?
Uh, I just showed up mycomputer.
Why the hell are?
Phyllis Martin (10:26):
you here?
Uh, I just showed up.
My computer was on, themicrophone was sitting here.
I'm like I think I'll sit hereand talk.
Um, two people invaded my life,man, what happened?
Um, impact, impact.
That's why I'm here.
I, uh, I wanted to.
I've been searching my wholelife.
(10:47):
When I was a little kid, I hadthis little tape recorder that
my mom gave me and I would sitand record my voice and make up
characters and always knew thatI wanted to do something, but I
didn't know what that somethingwas.
And I have spent my life, insome form or fashion, searching
(11:10):
for the thing, and I have adesire to help others by
unpacking things that I'veexperienced, but helping others
unpack their experiences andshare that in such a way that it
creates a feeling oftogetherness.
And when this idea was broughtforward around how we
(11:34):
over-complexify our life, Ithought here it is.
It finally showed up and Irealized immediately that this
was the thing that I wassearching for my whole life.
And you know, the beautifulpart is we have started
recording and this isn't ourvery first show, and so I know
(11:57):
what's to come, and we've had alot of strategic planning and I
am so excited about the impactthat we are going to have on so
many lives, uh, through humor,uh, through stories, through, um
, uh, just relatability, and sothat's why I'm here, um, and I
(12:21):
couldn't, I couldn't be moreblessed than to be with the two
of you on this journey that Ihave finally found.
Mark Pollack (12:30):
Oh man Dude.
Al Emerick (12:33):
He's always one up in us, Al yeah.
Mark Pollack (12:37):
You'll see.
Al Emerick (12:37):
He always has the last word and it's always a
great word.
Mark Pollack (12:42):
Well, not only that, he's got those melodious
tones, that soft gentle, youknow voice of his that makes you
feel he's.
He's like our priest, rabbi,sage and meditation guru at the
same time.
No, mark, I mean, I don't know.
I know, phyllis, he's blushing.
(13:03):
For us to be sitting here aspart of your journey for
something that's so important toyou.
That's more than a podcast, youknow, because, quite honestly,
whether we end up having asuccessful journey with this
podcast success being defined by, oh, there's lots of listeners
or we're we're doing this withcompanies, whatever that,
because we have a futurebusiness model for this that
(13:25):
we're building, there's no doubt.
But whether that happens or not, there's no doubt that this
threesome togetherness has notonly bonded a friendship, but
we're going to help each otherand we already are helping each
other.
Me, yes, and yes to both of you.
(13:50):
Um, you know, my mission inpurpose in life has always been
connection with people.
I mean, I am the eternalrelationship, love on love, with
hug, be hugged person.
I'm a positivity junkie.
I see the glass half full,sometimes to my own.
Um, um, you know what's theword damage.
(14:12):
If you know, you know cause,sometimes you can, you can
what's the word detriment?
Thank you, not damage, detriment, fault, but at the end of the
day I can count blessings justnumerously, you know numerously.
You know it's like friendships,family, pursuing my dreams in
(14:38):
my career, and all of thesethings have always rounded out
to really a couple of corethemes.
That is, we all have greatervalue than we realize, we have
far greater impact than werealize, and I built a system
around it called value mappingand a tool called the value
equation.
And that is my, that is my theway I see the world.
I see the world through thelens of head and heart.
And but technically speaking,my career began in radio and
(15:02):
broadcasting.
So sitting in front of amicrophone with you two telling
stories is like a flashback tomy childhood when I listened to
radio, the Dr Demento show, whenI listened to KUPD in Phoenix,
arizona, rock 105 inJacksonville and actually worked
in radio.
So I loved this aspect, I lovedthe old AM radio, I loved
(15:23):
listening to interviews, I loveWalter Cronkite, love 60 minutes
.
But it's really about the storyside of people's lives and how
we overthink things, because Imyself have desperately
overthought.
I'm overthinking today in mylife and, mark and Phyllis, you
guys are helping me work throughthat as we help each other, and
(15:46):
I was like, all right, well,what greater value, then, can I
be a part of than this thingabout?
How do we just make life alittle bit more simple, how do
we appreciate the specialmoments, how do we not overthink
happiness and how do we notoverthink things that prevent us
from going forward?
Because, oh, by the way, livingin the entrepreneurship world
(16:06):
and starting my own companiesand helping other companies
start and grow it's overthinkingthat stops progress and stymies
progress.
So the personal side is filleddoing this with you guys.
The business side is filleddoing this with you both, and
what I love most is that thethree of us came from.
(16:27):
Even though, mark, you and Ihave a similar background in
radio and stuff.
The three of us all share this.
Let's make sure that there's adeliverable, if you will right,
without overthinking.
So, phil, what is it you wantto give?
You said it earlier, but, likewe've talked, the three of us,
about how we're going to helppeople, what's, what do you see
(16:51):
as the impact of this show fromthe standpoint of like, hey,
this is what we want to bring toyou.
This is some of the technicalstuff we're going to deliver to
you as well, because this is anexperience, but it's an
experience with a desire toimprove your life.
Al Emerick (17:09):
Thoughts on that.
Phil.
Yeah, I think what ourlisteners can expect is through
shared story and narrative,finding the pieces of themselves
or relatable situations whereyou name the topic joy, death,
(17:33):
work, leadership.
Lunch has been, has been Wait aminute.
You can complicate, I canovercomplicate Hand me a menu
right now and there'll be awhole situation and I will still
end up eating off of both ofyour plates.
Let's be clear about that.
Mark Pollack (17:50):
How many questions do you ask when somebody orders
lunch?
Oh, no, no, no, no.
Al Emerick (17:54):
I'm not that person, but I do have like a whole
thing that I have to go throughin my head about savory or sweet
, carbs or not, like a wholething that happens, carbs or not
, like a whole thing thathappens.
But through those narratives andstories and just dialogue and
conversation, how we're sharingwhat we have overcomplicated,
(18:15):
what guests that come on theshow have overcomplicated, and
tips, thoughts about the impactof that overcomplication and
what we have done to simplify,or what a guest has done to make
things simpler and I'll behonest, I was really offended by
(18:35):
that word when we started usingit.
I'm like, no, everything isdeep, everything is complicated,
everything is layered.
And as we've talked and aswe've recorded shows, I've
really come to understand maybenot so much, maybe not so much.
So through this, just what weare doing right now, my hope is
(18:57):
that people can see themselvesand find something, a tool, one
little tidbit, one step along avery long journey to find some
simplicity and, beyond that,what that simplicity might bring
to enhance or support theirlives in that moment.
And I hope they find a littlelevity along the way too.
Mark Pollack (19:23):
Marco.
Phyllis Martin (19:24):
Yeah, gosh, I would echo that.
I think, for me, the, the, thequestion is always the aloneness
.
I know when I feel mostoverwhelmed and things seem the
most complex is when I'm bymyself and think I'm the only
one who's ever dealt with this,and the reality is there's a
(19:45):
shit ton of people who havedealt with the same thing, and
so I think this show and theimpact it will have is the
ability to let people knowyou're not alone.
We all deal with it, and I'mactually sitting here thinking
and overthinking a whole bunchof other things and and I
realize I'm not I'm not alone,and so that, for me, is the
(20:09):
impactful piece.
Al Emerick (20:11):
Hey, al, I'm going to add something to you.
I think and I think this isimportant for our listeners,
especially that we understand wehave you're part of this too.
There are things that we canlearn from you as we're going
along this journey together thisis not a one directional.
Phyllis Martin (20:35):
The way that we've created this is not a one
directional show, and so whatyou're going to find, if you
stay with us, is that we'regoing to turn the mic to you and
and we want to hear from youand engage with you and and
speak about the things that areimportant in your life, because,
again, you're not the only onedealing with that.
(20:57):
Money issues We've got it.
Having to buy your kid a car wegot it.
Uh, travel, uh, aging, money,emotions you know we've thought
through a lot of the things thatare commonalities among all of
us, and so, um yeah, yeah, andwhen we say thought through, I
want to be clear for youlistening that we haven't
(21:20):
figured it out.
Mark Pollack (21:21):
It's not like we're presenting a solution, and
that's the key thing in notoverthinking this is we're.
So I was just searching.
So the term sharedconsciousness all right, so it's
a common awareness orunderstanding among a group of
individuals, often based onshared experiences, beliefs or
(21:42):
values.
Um, it can manifest ascollective consciousness or real
time understanding within ateam, blah, blah, blah, blah,
blah.
But this idea of, of acollective consciousness, that's
what you were just talkingabout, mark, collective
consciousness, that's what youwere just talking about, mark.
And so I want to restatesomething that I know will come
up in future episodes, I'm sureover and over again, which is
(22:04):
we're not solving something andwe're not saying that life isn't
hard, right?
I think sometimes we aresubject to looking for the
answer, looking for the pill,subject to looking for the
answer, looking for the pill,looking for the solution, and
we're saying that this is astate of a human existence to
(22:24):
overthink things and make thingsharder than you need to be.
So how can we be a nudge toentertainingly and inhumanly,
and compassionately and joyfully, give you a place, to A feel
you're not alone.
B get some tips, as you said,phyllis, and advice, but just
(22:46):
the shared perspectives.
We're going to have people whohave been whistleblowers for
major major corporations.
We're going to have peoplewho've been world travelers,
entrepreneurs, women, men, whoknows children down the road,
plus our own stories.
(23:07):
But these ideas and topics thatMark's talking about joy,
happiness, you know, phyllis,you mentioned them.
It's the topic, that's the starof the show, not the, not the
guest, or not me or Mark orPhyllis, um, and, and you, as
the, as the listener, hopefully,are the recipient of the star
of the show, which is a topicaround, something that we all
(23:31):
live with, experience, and andwhy do we overthink it and how
can we make it a little moresimple?
But that doesn't mean we'regoing to solve it, and that's
the thing I want.
That's kind of like what Iwanted to level set right.
Phyllis Martin (23:46):
Yeah, we're kind of like the guides through it,
right?
Yeah, so asking the questions.
Mark Pollack (23:53):
So we are guides to bring you into the stall,
which I think is the perfecttime right now for us to
introduce the debut of somethingthat we call the roll up.
That's right, this is the rollup, and every guest that we
(24:13):
bring into the stall with uswill experience the roll-up.
This is a series of rapid-firequestions that can only be
described as deep, soulful,riveting questions that could
change your life, and so this,ladies and gentlemen, is the
(24:37):
roll-up.
All right, phyllis, you ready?
Al Emerick (24:42):
I think I am.
When it comes to toilet paperover or under Over, but I will
not hesitate to reach for underif I need to.
Mark Pollack (24:55):
Well, that's good, and all of us are appreciative
if you don't hesitate.
Thank you, mark, over or underif I need to.
Well, that's good and all of usare appreciative.
Phyllis Martin (24:58):
Don't hesitate.
Mark Pollack (24:59):
Mark over or under ?
Over, of course, I'm a totalover guy, no, under.
I don't know why I just got tohave the over, all right.
So three of us are overs.
And, by the way, in case you'rewondering, if you if you're
wondering, you probablyshouldn't be listening to this
show.
Over is like, as in over orunder the role.
All right, good, I thinkeverybody got that All right.
(25:20):
All right, ready.
Next question here we go, mark,you can lead us off.
Phyllis Martin (25:23):
Okay.
Al Emerick (25:24):
So, as it is concerned to toilet paper, yes,
single ply or two ply, two ply,as fluffy as it possibly can be.
Phyllis Martin (25:34):
Mm fluffy, I can be fluffy.
Mark Pollack (25:35):
I'm a two-ply guy because I'm kind of fly no, no,
no, no, no, no, all right hey,first of all, no I was shocked
when I realized how many one-plyrolls are really out there in
the world.
I've actually gone out andlooked and seen one plies and
(25:56):
I'm like how in the earth couldwe use a?
Who uses one ply?
But I, I guess it makes it well, it's cost effective.
There's lots of places, is it?
Phyllis Martin (26:07):
though, because then you're like bunching it all
up and I mean I'm not sayingyou gotta get quilted two ply,
but you know, single ply I would.
I would have been shocked.
Mark Pollack (26:17):
But, hey, listeners, next time you're in a
public restroom I'd love foryou to check out is it a one-ply
or two-ply?
And by all means, visit ourFacebook page the Complexity of
Toilet Paper Once again, theComplexity of Toilet Paper.
And if you experience one-plyor two-ply, let us know.
That would be great to get thatinput because inquiring minds
(26:39):
want to know.
All right, all right.
So that's two of the questions,all right.
The third question Phil, whatis your potty time activity or
game that you play or do?
Al Emerick (27:03):
When I was young, I would read the comics and the
horoscope, but now that I am amature woman, I do my online
shopping.
Mark Pollack (27:13):
Really.
Al Emerick (27:13):
Yes, you do.
Phyllis Martin (27:17):
She's got her whole computer set up in the
stall.
Al Emerick (27:19):
She's so I have a whole lot of minutes shopping uh
situation set up in my all ofyour friends area all of your
friends who get your gifts now.
Mark Pollack (27:29):
I want them all to realize that there's a chance
that gift was conceived whilewhile phyllis was doing her
business.
Al Emerick (27:38):
Well, let me say it is an extension of what was when
we used to get catalogs in themail.
Then I would take those into mystall and have a delightful
time looking at them.
But now I don't have to look.
Mark Pollack (27:56):
I can look and buy at the same time I, uh, I used
to read um highlights magazinewhen I was a kid.
Yeah, loved highlight um and Iwould always.
My mom would always go are youokay?
I mean it was a normal thing.
I mean I I thought after likemaybe a few years she would have
realized I'm okay.
But I know I realized later shewas asking me for another
(28:17):
reason um, just yeah, we're justgonna leave that one again.
Phyllis Martin (28:21):
No, yeah, no opening show first show.
Mark Pollack (28:24):
Oh whatever, oh, that's right 15th maybe hey,
remember when we had thatpodcast and then al killed it um
right away started 28 minutesin yeah.
Anyway.
So then, and I don't know wherethis started, this sounds
egotistical to say, but I wouldlook for the letters of my name
(28:46):
in words.
Al Emerick (28:47):
There's two.
Phyllis Martin (28:48):
Yeah, I was going to say it's an A and an L,
like those are the most popularletters ever.
Mark Pollack (28:53):
There's a last name too.
Oh, doofus is Emmerich with hise and an m e r I c k.
Phyllis Martin (29:01):
So like all of the name or something, yeah like
.
Mark Pollack (29:05):
Are you judging me ?
No, you know I'm sharing a deeppersonal thing only with you
guys.
Nobody else is hearing thisdeep personal don't
overcomplicate, I'm judging.
Do not overcomplicate it, yeahit's Last question and this is
new.
This is new.
Well, it's all new, becausethis is the first episode.
Handle flush or button flush orautomated flush Handle.
Phyllis Martin (29:27):
My toilets have the button flush.
But what do you prefer?
Oh, I don't care, it doesn'tmatter to me as long as it
flushes.
Mark Pollack (29:35):
I like to handle flush.
I'm old school yeah, because Iknow it's easier and it makes
more sense to just finish andthen it it flushes, but um, it's
, there's a sense of completion.
Al Emerick (29:49):
Oh dear god, wow wow hey, we thank you all for
joining us.
Mark Pollack (29:59):
I don't know.
It's like oh, I'm done, nowOkay.
Phyllis Martin (30:03):
Because I don't get that by a button Said with
the relief.
I know.
Mark Pollack (30:10):
Oh man, how do you spell relief?
All right, now we've told youall our names Phyllis Martin,
mark Pollock, al Emmerich.
But back in the day peoplewould adopt radio names.
I don't know if they still do.
I had this idea that I couldn'tbe Al Emmerich on the radio.
So for a period of time I wasAl Roberts.
(30:32):
I took my father's first.
Yeah, I was Al Roberts.
Al Emerick (30:37):
Yeah, anyway and my mom was so, not you.
Mark Pollack (30:42):
My mom was so pissed off at me because she's
like that's not your name,you're Alfred Emmerich.
I'm like, well, mom, I'm notgoing by Alfred.
She's like you're Al Emmerichand I'm like, okay, but Emmerich
, she's like your father was inradio and that was Emmerich with
a K.
Just stick with the name.
I was like, no, I'm going to beAl Roberts.
Al Emerick (31:06):
All um.
What is your pun name?
There you go, you're ready.
Mark Pollack (31:08):
This is your pun name, phyllis.
My pun name is puns galore.
Puns galore, really puns galore.
What was that other?
Isn't there another name, you?
Al Emerick (31:13):
had cookies mcgee cookies mcgee.
Mark Pollack (31:15):
All right, so puns galore.
Cookies mcgee.
Phyllis Martin (31:19):
These names may show up mark I don't even know
how do I follow cookies mcgeeyou can't you just gotta come up
with it, come on come on, uh uh, flush larue, oh, flush larue
I'll go with it, yeah it wasbetter than my radio name, which
was murdoch, so so yeah, okay,um, uh, okay, dirk Stallworth,
(31:48):
I'm Dirk Stallworth, dirkStallworth, yeah.
I can see you as DirkStallworth.
Mark Pollack (31:53):
Yes, yeah, yeah um , all right anyway.
So I?
This is the stupid shit thatwe're going to talk about, uh,
in addition to life's bigger,bigger issues too.
Oh, this was important.
This is the stupid shit thatwe're going to talk about In
addition to life's bigger issuestoo.
Phyllis Martin (32:05):
Oh, this is important.
This is a big life issue.
So rest of the day.
Whatever Flush, what was mylast name?
Mark Pollack (32:14):
LaRue.
Phyllis Martin (32:15):
LaRue.
Yeah, flush LaRue, I cantotally see it.
Mark Pollack (32:18):
Well, this is a sneak peek into the world,
that's, that's heading your way.
Um, let's just close with withwith the following um, and I'll
start, and then you guys toss itaround and we'll leave it to
mark to close this out.
Oh geez, we just we re-recordedthis for the reasons we've
shared, but also there's a levelof excitement and, and what I'd
(32:42):
like to know is and we don'tprep these questions just so you
guys know, it's not like wescript out this show, and so
this is an organic show.
There's some topics, yes, weknow we want to talk about.
We research our guests, allthat, and we know each other,
but we don't necessarily say, oh, let's ask this question, and
so this is one of those examplesI want to know at this point
(33:06):
you know we're re-recording thisliterally days before our
launch Good planning, what areyou most excited about?
And I'll start and then maybeyou go, phil, I am most excited
now about the untapped energythat the three of us have, and
I'm really excited by what thiscan mean for people, but I'm
(33:32):
also what this means for us.
I'm so excited about where thistakes us, because it's really
so much more than just a podcast, because it's really so much
more than just a podcast.
It's a way to see life, viewlife, feel good about life,
learn, and, whatever thisbecomes, I'm a better person for
(33:53):
it and I'm excited to see whereI grow, where you guys grow,
and where our audience grows.
I mean, that's genuinely likewow.
Okay, let's look back andcelebrate that.
That's what I'm looking forwardto.
What about you, phil?
Al Emerick (34:04):
I'm going to say yes to everything that you just
said, being totally truthful andtransparent.
I'm excited that I'm excitedand I'm excited to get to this
point in the journey where Ifeel comfortable enough to do
this authentically, as PhyllisMartin, with the two, with the
(34:26):
two of you.
Um and I had another thought,but it has.
It has left, um, the brain, uh,temporarily, I think.
It's coming back here it is.
I'm excited and there you haveit.
Phyllis Martin (34:41):
And it's the flush.
That wasn't all the way.
It was the half flush, and nowwe're oh, now it's gone, now
it's back.
Al Emerick (34:49):
I'm excited for us and for our for listeners that
we hopefully together can get tothe heart of why we
overcomplicate stuff and it'sprobably different for different
topics and different areasbecause if we can start to
figure that thing out, then wecan move, then we can move
(35:11):
beyond it and then collectively,you know, great things can
happen for all of us, thecollective, all of us, and maybe
there's that paradigm shift andthat shift in behavior and
overall, like amazing shift thatstarts, that starts to happen.
Phyllis Martin (35:31):
Mark Wonderfully said.
So I'm I agree, and so I'm notgoing to repeat what you both
said.
What I'm most excited about iscommitment, and what commitment
is is we committed to do thisthing.
We're doing it and we'relaunching it and we're going to
continue to do it, and I,through life, have
(35:55):
over-complexified so many thingsthat I have committed to and
didn't do, and so I'm mostexcited that we're actually
doing this thing and it'sactually launching and we've
actually put it on Facebook andwe're really doing it.
And for me and my own personaljourney, I am most excited about
(36:15):
that.
And for our listeners, I'm mostexcited for them to understand
that whatever you're dreamingand you're committing to do it
and commit to it and make ithappen.
And we're just three averagepeople who have come together to
do this thing and everybody cando it, and so the commitment of
(36:39):
doing is what I'm most excitedabout.
Al Emerick (36:41):
I love that.
I forgot one really importantthing that I was excited about.
Phyllis Martin (36:44):
Yeah, go back.
Al Emerick (36:45):
Okay.
So I am really very excited,like crazy excited, about other
people being excited, as we'vewatched on the Complexity of
Toilet Paper Facebook pageY'all's enthusiasm.
That has just sent me over thetop with enthusiasm and
excitement.
Phyllis Martin (37:04):
And the memes, and the memes, and the memes.
They're fantastic.
Keep them coming, please.
They're hilarious.
Al Emerick (37:11):
And the questions.
Mark Pollack (37:14):
There's not enough good feedback that we can get,
and whatever that feedback isand that's what we hope from you
that we can do our business andbuild a relationship with you,
whoever you are today, whereveryou are, and thank you for
joining us in the stall.
(37:35):
We will be back in the stall.
We hope you will be back withus.
That is a frightful sight tothink of how many people we will
all have in a stall together,but hey, that's where we are.
Did you say toilet paper?
Al Emerick (37:51):
Everything complicated One big medieval
mess.
Mark Pollack (37:54):
Have a blessed, simple day, life week until we
see you again.
I'm overthinking, I'm over.
I'm you again.
This is the complexity oftoilet paper.
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