SPOTLIGHT on Melissa Algood 2

SPEAKER_03 0:09

Hi, and welcome to this Assassin Sips Spotlight episode. Today we have our one of our favorite guests, very good friends of the show. We have author and hairstylist Melissa Allgood. I'm Lisa, and today I'm sipping on water because I I have to work after this. They frown upon being intoxicated. Just frown upon? Okay. Well, you know, upside the drive. There's that.

SPEAKER_01 0:43

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 0:45

We frown upon that.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

And I'm Agnes. And I'm just sipping on water because I have an upset tummy. So I'm just watering crackers at the moment. I know. But I've lost seven pounds. So there's that. Oh yeah, right. The ups and downs of being sick. Yeah. I'd rather be sick and lose the weight. I'm okay with that. And our wonderful guest, Melissa, what are you sipping on?

SPEAKER_00 1:13

I'm actually sipping on a poppy cream soda. And this does, it actually would help your uh upset tummy, because I have an upset, a little bit of an upset tummy too.

SPEAKER_01 1:23

You see, me and Lisa both looked up and down, like, oh, what did you have there? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:29

It's a prebiotic soda, but the cream soda flavor my husband can only find at like one Walmart. Um, we live in Texas in the Houston area, and he's like, I've only found it at this one Walmart. So every time he goes by there, he buys at least a dozen. And I and I score them. Yeah. Nice. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:47

I was like, oh, what is that? That sounds good.

SPEAKER_00 1:49

Like I got it. You have me at cream soda. Yeah, it is. Although it's caffeine-free, which is good for me because I have my coffee in the morning and my thyroid medication. And then after that, like I'm I'm good to go. I'm good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:05

So, oh, I'm not gonna. I remember today. How do we gonna do this? The silly questions, because I always forget myself that I remembered. Go for it. Okay, do you remember the silly question? The hot seat? That's what we called it. Okay, I'm excited. Okay, so picture this. You put your application in to be an Avenger, but they decl they denied your application because of your superpower was too boring. What is your superpower?

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Oh, that's a um this is I feel like this is a bitchy superpower, but the ability to come from far away.

SPEAKER_03 2:50

So I I think that this is funny because my question it almost kind of relates. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:00

We have no one who's doing it.

SPEAKER_03 3:04

You have discovered a beautiful island upon which you may build your own society and you can make the rules. What's the first rule you'll put into place?

SPEAKER_00 3:15

Oh. I mean, probably no men.

SPEAKER_03 3:20

Yeah, shh, yeah, shh.

SPEAKER_00 3:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:23

Um, that's the second one.

SPEAKER_00 3:25

Yeah, yeah. I mean, I would say like along the lines of no men, or I'm just so I just especially with politics nowadays, I don't want to get too deep too fast, but I really just want to kind of get them to lift heavy things, and we use their sperm, and then we and then once they're 18, we send them to a separate island, you know. Yeah, okay, yeah, yeah. But put them back in the hole, back in the exactly, yeah. We'll we'll see you, we'll see you later. Yeah, I think no, or maybe no one is lactose intolerant, honestly. Yeah, so now that I think about it, I would just love to like binge ice cream, that would be amazing.

SPEAKER_01 4:10

Yeah, you I have ice cream for dinner quite often. Maybe that's why my tummy hurts.

SPEAKER_03 4:16

Maybe maybe. We want to hear about the books that you've been working on since the last time we had a chance to chat. Because I I know you you you get them out faster than I can even read them.

SPEAKER_00 4:34

I I have been this year 2025 has been the year of me trying to see if I can break. I think is what I didn't intentionally go into that year that you're thinking that, but I did it a little bit. So, you know, we built the house. We now live in it. Thank God that was that alone. I had no idea. Um, I had no idea that would be so crazy. Um, I got a new job. So now I kind of have three jobs because I go to writing events. Uh, I'm a hairstylist and also now I'm an educator. I teach cosmetology. Oh, awesome. Yeah, and it is at a community college, so it's not just like, you know, basic stuff. It's also like stuff for the college, you know, you got to turn in so much paperwork. Yeah. Yeah. I'd never, and it wasn't until I had to do final grades for my first eight-week class that a coworker was helping me, and I realized I'd never had a job where I like had to make an Excel spreadsheet. So I was 41 years old, and one of my coworkers had to sit me down and be like, So this is Excel. And I was like, no, really, like, yeah, dumb it pretend I'm really dumb it down.

SPEAKER_03 5:42

She said me to the 30. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I'm a few years older, and I work on Excel almost on a daily basis, and I can't tell you how many times I have to Google how to do shit on it. Cause yeah. It's a lot, it's hard. It is hard.

SPEAKER_00 5:57

Yeah, I'm very blessed to have such a good team at the school with me. Um, and then I did publish three books. It's incredible. So the first one I've been working on for a couple of years, and that was the finale, the third book in my sci-fi series. That was the girl with the mean punch. And I published that in June. And then um I published a second collection of short stories, which are all horror. It's kind of like black mirror vibes, because every story's different and it's got a whole new different set of characters and everything. And that came out on Halloween. And then the third book was kind of like a joke. I so I had a friend that was essentially being bullied, and I was like, I'm gonna write a short story where karma is gonna get your bully. Because I was like, We're all adults, and this person is literally so they were playing Marco Polo at uh at a pool, and my friend just wasn't involved in the game and happened to just be swimming laps, and someone hit the ball and hit him in the face, and the people were like, Oh my gosh, we're so sorry. But the girl that hit the ball said, Um, you're kind of in our way. Do you mind leaving? And this girl apparently has like, you know, smoked in front of him and vaped, and he's like, Well, I have really severe asthma. Do you mind not doing that? And she's like, We're outside. And he's like, Do you mind just stepping further away from the complex? So basically, she's a bitch. And um, I wanted to write a short story where I killed her.

SPEAKER_03 7:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 7:29

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 7:29

So and I and I like it. I isn't isn't that one of your um uh like it's in one of your bios, right? Like, don't make me kill you in a story. And I love that.

SPEAKER_00 7:42

Yeah, it's my it's my tagline, don't make me mad or I'll kill you, dot dot dot in a story. Um which is also at the bottom of my emails. And when I was doing this house buying, I didn't realize how many people read that. Because literally the contractor on the last day, he's like, Wow, I'm really glad this went well because I didn't want you to kill me. And I was like, What are you talking about? He's like, the thing at the bottom of your I was like, Oh my god, that's kind of but anyway.

SPEAKER_01 8:08

That's why everything went as well as it did.

SPEAKER_00 8:11

I mean, it did it. The house is beautiful, very yeah. Only like one thing had to be fixed once we signed. It was amazing. Um, but uh, so I thought I like to listen to music while I write. So I thought, how funny would it be if I listened to Taylor Swift's karma while writing this story? And then as I was writing the story, I was like, wouldn't it be hilarious if I wrote a horror story that correlated with each of the songs on her Midnight's album? Like to me, it was just a joke. It was just so brilliant though. And um, and I was like, I wonder if I could do it because I it took me about maybe three weeks to write all 21 stories. Um, but I reached out to my cover artist and I was literally like, hey girl, so I know I've bothered you a lot this year, but um I know your grandson's done playing baseball. Would there any be any way you could make me another cover? And then unfortunately for her, well, maybe fortunately, because he's a loser, my editor is getting divorced.

SPEAKER_01 9:07

So yay-ish.

SPEAKER_00 9:10

Yeah, yeah, yay-ish. So she had a lot of free time and also needed the money. So again, we it worked out great. So um, I was able to get that out. I do have copies now. I've already been selling them at events, but it's not officially out. That's called Death by 21 Midnight. Um, that comes out December 13th, which is Taylor Swift's birthday. And the whole point of it is just to be like so silly. I think it's just the funniest, silliest thing. It's not I love it.

SPEAKER_03 9:36

I love it because it's just so unique. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I don't know if that's ever been done before. I've never seen or or read anything.

SPEAKER_00 9:46

Based on an album facts, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:48

I haven't heard a good idea.

SPEAKER_00 9:50

I definitely know a lot of authors that have said, like, oh, this is my reinterpretation of Snow White or whatever. And honestly, that's pretty cool too. Right. Um, I will say though, out of all the books I've written, it is the most controversial. Um, because when I recommend it to people, obviously people feel a certain way about Taylor Swift. And for no good reason. Yeah, yeah. And um people, I've literally had people purchase it where I don't even continue, like maybe they don't even like horror. Yeah. So they're just buying it because it's Taylor Swift, which hey, I appreciate. You know, please. Or they're like almost disgusted by it. And uh in my head, I'm like, I've literally written a short story about a zombie that eats a pregnant woman and her fetus. And I've had less people come to me about that story than the tailor, then they're like, You wrote Yeah, it is almost unilaterally. This book has had people, you know, either very excited or like, why would you write that? What is wrong with people? I don't know, because everything I write is really for myself, and if anyone else reads it, I think that's great. Yeah, but if you don't, that's fine too. Just keep it moving. There's lots of other books, and at these events, I'm not the only author. And um also I get that some people just don't like horror horror.

SPEAKER_01 11:15

That's yeah, which is fine, but I don't this hatred for person they don't know boggles my mind. I know didn't do anything. I think they hate Taylor Swift more than they hate the pedophile. So we're just with that.

SPEAKER_00 11:27

I know I was like, because I'm like, there's some real people out there that are shitty people that need to be real things that need to be expunged, yeah, exactly. Um, and and again, it's just not it. My books are just not that serious, and if anything, I'm trying to get you to escape from saying the drama of the world, yeah, right, yeah. And not, you know, dip your toe. Because I mean, in the in the stories, you know, sometimes karma does get, you know, the villains, but sometimes they win, much like unfortunately, real life. So, but yeah, I'm not. And then, of course, people are asking me, like, well, what's your favorite album? I'm like, I didn't want to have a whole Taylor Swift conversation. I didn't, I didn't want to have a TED talk, you know. I mean, yeah, she's she's a pop star. I'm not going to her for uh to fix all my ales, you know. Right, that's what Fiona Apple is for, right? That's what, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_03 12:27

Uh music can definitely be an escape, and so can reading. So I feel like, yeah, when you pick up a book and it's a fiction, you read it to escape.

SPEAKER_00 12:39

A hundred percent.

SPEAKER_03 12:40

You read it for your enjoyment, you know. If you want to be real world pissed off, you pick up something else, you know. You watch the news or you pick up a book that's based in truth.

SPEAKER_01 12:50

So, like pick up a nonfiction, pick up a doc, you know, read a doc. Yeah. Can I say this, Lisa? It might if you have issues, if I'll cut it out. Okay, those who have issues with a pop star who's done nothing wrong, you may not like it, but if you have that much hatred for somebody, well, go seek help. She go to therapy.

SPEAKER_03 13:13

Successful young woman, woman with a mind of her own. So go seek help.

SPEAKER_01 13:20

I'm telling you guys right now. If you're listening to me, you have problems, go seek help.

SPEAKER_03 13:24

You know, the nerve of her.

SPEAKER_01 13:25

Yeah, the audacity to ex to exist.

SPEAKER_03 13:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:29

I mean, and especially because it's what she thinks she is, yeah. And uh, I mean, because there are because the people are like, well, there's no uh ethical billionaire. And I was like, okay, yeah, but that's discuss the other billionaires then that are literally like in our you know, ruling our country right now, basically.

SPEAKER_03 13:52

So you can't have a a a comment about ethical billionaires in order to tear down one person without acknowledging yeah, you know, the the the whole circle.

unknown 14:08

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 14:08

I get it, right? Like who needs that much money? Yeah, um, I would like to say that I speak from experience, but I do not. So I'm I'll probably never know. And that's fine. But I just feel like if I had all that money that I could live off the interest that my bank account brings in, I would just like I would be so happy standing on the street, like giving away money like they were business cards, like and 20 for you, and 20 for you, and go get yourself something to eat, and oh, you need gas, let me do it for you. Like, I just feel like I would get so much pleasure in in helping people because that's I don't know, like I I know what it's like to be low. I know what it's like when $20 is like can save your whole week. I mean, yeah, like I just you know, and I feel like I I don't know, like so so many people just don't understand like how much of a difference a little bit can make to a person who needs it. So but I know that she also does you know good things, right?

SPEAKER_01 15:15

Like she takes care of her her crew and she buys this and then who does and who knows what she does, but no one talks about because it's I don't remember and George Michael Bible is no problem, like you don't give charity for people to know, you just do it.

SPEAKER_03 15:35

Yes, yes, but George Michael because after he died, it came out like all the all the charities that he had helped quiet. Yes, nobody's no one's business what he was doing.

SPEAKER_01 15:47

And let's talk about and meanwhile, the people complaining about her are the same people who won't say hi to the person in the street because I don't like the way you look. So, you know what? Let's leave the billionaires alone for right now. Let's focus on your and your your psychosis. Yes, but we digress as per usual. We do that a lot. If we don't digress, we're failing.

SPEAKER_00 16:11

Well, because also to your point, like at these last couple events, it's very strange because also sometimes people say, Oh, well, I'll buy it online. And I always say, Please don't buy it on Amazon, please don't give Jeff Bezos more money. And then I say, if you donate it to me, like if you buy it from me, I will make a donation to the Houston Food Bank because it's Thanksgiving. And to be frank, I don't know where the snap benefits are right now, but it's Thanksgiving, you know. And uh no one wants the food out of my pantry, they want my cold hard cash. So uh, you know, that's what I've been telling people. And then they're like, oh, okay. And I'm like, you know, I'm not I'm not doing this. There's a reason I have three jobs, you know. I'm not, I'm not obviously not doing this for the money. So um, and I think it is part of an artist's uh what you should do is like giving back to society, giving back to the world with your art, and not especially artists, I think. Yeah, and not again, not everyone wants to read a horror novel, much less one about Taylor Swift or you know, Taylor Swift adjacent. So, if anything, if I could use a little bit of that money to donate to the Houston Food Bank, then you know, hey.

SPEAKER_03 17:46

No, I I think that that's so admirable. And and the only reason I even will say this more towards artists uh like Taylor Swift, right? Because they're global, they're you know, they're a national. They get to where they are because of us, because of their fans, because we shell out that $15 for the CD or you know, to the download or whatever. We shell out the few hundred bucks for the concert, we listen to the music and tell our friends, we buy the merch. So they I don't want to say they owe us, right? Because they don't owe us, but at the same time, we are their whole support. So when you give back and you invest in the community and you do good, not because you have to, but because you want to, you have just lifted everyone. Now people are like, oh my god, like look at how wonderful so-and-so, anybody, right? Look at how well they take care of their staff, look at how well they take care of the people they meet, look at how attensive they are to their fans. It makes you want to be a fan, it makes you want to pay attention. So it really only does good things for them. And I feel like just in every small way, when we give back, you and me and and anybody else who you know just barely gets by week by week, right? But like when we give back, we we get back, you know, exactly, exactly. Because you're putting good out there, and so like there's there's a man um where I work in my second job, and he is unhoused, as they say, and like I'll just bring him leftovers, like I make a soup, I'll bring him a container, and he's always like, Oh my god, thank you so much. Like it's literally the least that I can do. Yeah, why wouldn't I? Like, I'd so much rather give it to you than throw it away. I mean, but people and it's like such a to me, it's such a small thing. And people are like surprised, like, oh you brought oh my god, thank you so much. Like, hey, you don't have to keep thanking me. It's it's fine. Like, please stop. Like, I I wish I could do more, you know? Yeah, but I feel like things like that remind me of of also like how far we've come where we no longer kind of have community, we no longer look to help people because when you do something that's so small and so nice, people are so shocked by it and skeptical, even right? Like, why are you doing this?

SPEAKER_01 20:33

Like, this is suspicious, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 20:38

And it it just it makes me like my my poor little liberal hippie heart, it makes sad, you know.

SPEAKER_00 20:44

Yeah, yeah. Because like I think Trevor Noah said something along the lines of that, where it was like, you know, when he came to America, everyone was like, Oh my gosh, it's the best city in the world. But he's like, Yeah, but like there's no one to take care of your child, there's no one to feed the sick and the elderly. And he's like, you know, where I'm from, we would have people that would help you with that in the community, like that would just do that, and we would do that for each other, and we do it that without thinking. Um, and I totally agree with that. I mean, it's just it is it is crazy that we expect, especially women, to do so many things. I mean, I don't have children, which for me personally, thank God. But um, you know, I I can't I work with these mothers, especially at the school, and you know, they have younger kids and then they're teaching. And one of them, this poor woman, um, whatever food her kids don't eat the night before, that's what she brings for lunch the next day just because she doesn't have enough time to make her own lunch. And it was one of those things that like I didn't think about as a child when my mother was taking care of me. Who knows? She probably did that. I don't know. But it's just like one of those things that you're like, wow, these mothers are literally going above and beyond, and then they're coming to the school and being above and beyond for the students, and then they got to go home and still be like A1, day one with their own children, and then, and not to say that my co workers' husbands are losers, but you know, it's not the same expectation though. Yeah, it's not the same expectation, and you ladies are both mothers, and you I'm sure you're well aware of that. That you know, I've uh I have a couple, you know, as a hairdresser, I've had several clients throughout the years where some of the men are like, oh, you know, I'm just babysitting my kid. I'm like, you're not babysitting your kid. Babysitting your kid.

SPEAKER_01 22:27

You're parenting your kid.

SPEAKER_00 22:28

I'm like, that is literally like eating glass. That is, please don't say that. That is your child that you brought into the world. You are doing the bare necessity of making sure your child's not at home, setting something on fire, dying. Like right. Right.

SPEAKER_01 22:42

Not even parenting. Right. I gave them, I oh, I gave too much credit. Like you like parenting is like, let me read with you.

SPEAKER_03 22:50

Right. I mean, I don't think my husband has ever said that. I mean, we joke, right? Like, even I'll joke with him, and I'm like, oh, I gotta babysit my kids. But like we we say it because of that. But I would I'm not a bedding person, but I would make a bet that no one has ever asked him how he juggles working kids where you know, and and like home life and but I've I've sort of gotten it.

SPEAKER_00 23:21

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:22

Oh, you have kids, or they but how do you manage? How do you do do you ask men this question? Because like why why were we the only ones?

SPEAKER_01 23:32

No, how they manage were their wives. Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 23:38

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:41

Yeah, it it's true though. It is, you know, it is a glaring discrepancy in how we view like what women are supposed, you know, my air quotes, supposed to do versus what men are supposed to do, or whatever, you know. Yeah, so dumb.

SPEAKER_00 24:00

Because that's even in my relationship with in my marriage, like when we first started dating, I told him straight up I was like, if you want someone that cooks, you need to find someone else because it is not me. That I have no aptitude, I have no skill, I have no desire. If I were single, I would just eat like a frat frat house boy. Like I could care less. Um, and thank goodness he is a very good cook. But then in turn, I generally have to do the dishes, um, which he, you know, classic man, he uses 87 things to make one thing. But he really puts in the work for it. He likes to make it, he understands that it has to look appetizing. You know, he really he it really is something that brings him pleasure to feed people, and you know, during the holidays or even for his birthday, he likes to usually smoke a brisket and then take it to his family. So yeah, he's always so excited. And I think he's gonna make for the holidays, he's gonna make a big pot of beans, and uh he spends like three or four days on these beans, slow cooking them. I mean, he really he really puts in the effort.

SPEAKER_03 25:07

Meanwhile, I'm let me know when they're gonna be ready, such as I could buy a ticket.

SPEAKER_01 25:11

That's fine. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:14

Just uh just swing by and pick me up on your way, okay, Agnes will be.

SPEAKER_01 25:17

Okay, not a problem. I'll go. You you're but you're bypassing me, so come pick me up.

SPEAKER_03 25:21

No, I know I I said it the right way. Do you want to come pick you up? You have a car that's like one day old, and I have a car that's like 19 years old.

SPEAKER_01 25:29

So yes, I'll come back and pick you up. Okay, that's why we're on our way.

SPEAKER_03 25:33

We're on our way.

SPEAKER_01 25:35

We might get in some trouble on our way, so it might be a little late. Just put it on.

SPEAKER_03 25:38

It might be a little late, yeah, but we're on our way. Just let us know what you need us to bring.

SPEAKER_00 25:42

Oh, well, I think because one of the last times I talked to y'all, I was talking to y'all about the Houston Rodeo, and his birthday his birthday is around the time of the Houston Rodeo, so that would be perfect for y'all to come down. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:52

Give me a cowboy. I'm still looking for my cowboy. Listen, I need a vacation, so we're gonna have to talk about this off air because Lisa might be planning a visit. I've always gone to Texas.

SPEAKER_00 26:02

I make absolutely exactly I now have a guest bedroom, so and then that is one of the few rooms that is complete.

SPEAKER_01 26:10

So it's gonna be a car, it's fine.

SPEAKER_00 26:12

I'll bring an air mattress.

SPEAKER_01 26:14

Oh just just point me towards the floor. I'm easy. I got marriage points. It's fine, it's not a problem. We're working, oh yeah. My kids do what it do. Okay, sounds good.

SPEAKER_03 26:26

Yeah, we're believe me, we're a solo maintenance, we're easy. Like Sunday morning.

SPEAKER_01 26:32

Yeah, it's at Lisa a second.

SPEAKER_03 26:40

But um, no, it's like it's so nice when the relationships just work. And every and every relationship, every marriage looks different, right? So, like I feel like when people have this idea of like, oh, the traditional, well, if that's what you want, and if that's what we want, awesome.

SPEAKER_01 26:57

But make sure your partner feels the same way. And don't think about changing it up and don't think that's gonna be pushback. And this goes for both sexes, this goes for everyone. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like you can't say, we want this, and then you're like, nope, change my mind. If so and so wants to divorce after that, you can't get mad. This is not what you agreed upon, like children. No, no kids, child-free, and then one of them changed their mind. Like, hey, I understand you changed your mind. This is not what I want. Maybe you should go find someone who wants the same thing as you want, and that's okay. Yeah, normalizing setting boundaries and adhering to them and still being respectful and honest and loving to your partner. Yeah, thank you for coming to my TED Talk. Yeah, says the perpetual single woman, but that's okay. I think single people give the best advice, though.

SPEAKER_00 27:52

Yeah, well, because also it means that you're not settling because you could just be like, oh, well, you know, Henry is such a nice guy, and I should like Henry, and he's good on paper, so I'll just be with Henry. But it's not, it's a disservice to Henry and also a disservice to you, right? Because Henry could go out there and find what he actually wants and needs, and then that's the other thing is like, you know, throughout my career as a hairdresser, I've seen so many women, you know, be very young and they're all set on this whole marriage thing. And I'm like, it's not always all it's cracked up to be. That's me. Yeah, that's the truth.

SPEAKER_01 28:31

My cat just fart it. So I'm just like, whoa. I'm just a little like, whoa, what the fuck, dude?

SPEAKER_00 28:41

I'm distracted now. You guys both have upset tummies. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:48

She passes to her cat.

SPEAKER_01 28:51

What do you think with animal force? I don't know. Yeah, oh Lord, they don't do it that often, but when they do, you're like, Oh, I gotta change your food. Um, what are we talking about? I'm sorry. The cat just killed me. Oh, you did young hairdressers and just settling. Yeah, I mean, I'm not gonna lie. If I had to settle for Henry, Billy Bo Bob or Tom.

SPEAKER_03 29:21

It'd be funny if you were actually seeing somebody named Henry, though. Wouldn't that have been funny? That would be funny. Like, how'd you know?

SPEAKER_01 29:28

But you have to have a city next to his name, though, you know. Oh, right. It's got to be something makes fun of me because in my history, I don't acknowledge the guys that I'm dating by their names.

SPEAKER_03 29:38

Oh, until I need like a legend, like to keep them straight. Like, I need an ex an Excel spreadsheet.

SPEAKER_01 29:45

But I give them nicknames, it's usually based on the city that they live in. Oh, okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 29:51

Oh, so you're an international dater.

SPEAKER_01 29:53

I well, over the course of my dating life. Well, that is that's very exciting. Facebook, it wasn't that exciting.

SPEAKER_03 30:02

They'll all be referred to by a state or city. Some of them with like a name afterwards, but it's usually like, oh, it's uh Montana or Racine. You know, and I was just like, What the f who who hold on, let me let me check my notes. Yeah, but then and then when she says a name, and I'm like, who's that?

SPEAKER_01 30:25

Yeah, one has actually been upgraded to a name, so there's a oh oh okay. I had no idea that she will have a name. That's serious. Yeah, what do I know? You've been upgraded to use your own name. It works for me. I don't know. Yeah, I mean, I could call them a lot worse. I mean, the names, the nicknames, me and my mother used to talk about them.

SPEAKER_03 30:55

Oh yeah, you could call them anything you want, but the thing is, like, you're not calling it to them. No, these people have no idea that this is what she's calling them. They do now. So uh, but I but I didn't say any real ones. No, so they still don't know.

SPEAKER_01 31:13

But I'm just saying the ones that like, hey, I know Agnes. I dated her. Wait, I must be what does she call me? Did she call me? Right, but they don't know if if they're a city or a state, you see.

SPEAKER_03 31:22

Oh, you don't know they don't know if they have a modifier.

SPEAKER_01 31:25

It could it could be like um they know they weren't they didn't, they're pretty sure that they weren't trying to give an example.

SPEAKER_03 31:31

It could it could oh, it could be like Staten Island Juju. Oh my god, I sound bad. I meant like like like good juju, like that.

SPEAKER_01 31:45

Okay, but no, but you're right, it's probably bad juju too.

SPEAKER_03 31:48

No, but not but not like the religion, like I didn't mean it like that. Oh, I realized after I said it like how it could come out. Um, but like yeah, so it could be like something like that, like um you know, the so-and-so from such state or such city may not know if they are city, state, or all of the above with the modifier, you know, like well, I could pretty much tell them if you're listening to this, you did not make it to name status.

SPEAKER_00 32:16

I'm saying how do you know if the because the odds are she's like based on statistics, based on the Excel spreadsheet.

SPEAKER_01 32:31

And the Excel spreadsheet is never wrong. Yeah, I love a good Excel spreadsheet.

SPEAKER_03 32:37

Yeah, I do.

SPEAKER_00 32:38

Well, I I'm gonna have to learn to love it. I've only made two, so I'm gonna have to make many more in the future.

SPEAKER_01 32:44

So you're going to love it. You'll learn to love it.

SPEAKER_00 32:46

Yeah, yeah. Once you get the hang of it, it's good. Yeah. So I'm still working on the formulas.

SPEAKER_01 32:52

Graphs and all that fun stuff.

SPEAKER_00 32:54

Oh, I haven't even gotten into the graphs. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_03 32:56

Oh my god. My mind will explode. My usual uh thing that I have to do is I have to I I learned I was taught how to format them as tables. Okay, and then I it's fun, like I change the colors. So then you can you can modify what you're adding. So like in in my job, just long story short, it's like I code stuff by office location, and then I'm able to like make it as a table, and then I'm like, okay, let's see how much this office and how much by this office, and how so I'm like, oh, I like this.

SPEAKER_01 33:33

It I you do learn to love Excel.

SPEAKER_03 33:36

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It it's such a huge help. It really is such a huge help once you figure it out.

SPEAKER_01 33:42

Well, any help because these are whoo, yeah. Spoiler alert. Whenever you see someone on their resume that says Microsoft proficient and Microsoft Suite, it's a lie. Oh it's a lie. Just no one. They're like, What? Microsoft what? Yeah, we excel PowerPoint. Yeah, no, I don't know that. Yeah. You literally said, Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:09

In college, I had to do uh like my statistics class, and all of that was in Excel, and we used formulas. I was like, holy cow, I didn't know this could do this. Yeah, ask me if I remember any of them.

SPEAKER_00 34:24

Well, I mean, of course, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:26

It wasn't that long ago. That's the sad part. It wasn't even 10 years ago.

SPEAKER_00 34:30

I graduated college in December of 2024, and literally the second I walked the stage, all the math that I had to get literally just walked right out of that brain. Yeah. So because even now when I'm grading papers, I'm like, what's four times five again? Where's my yeah, literally, like I can only do hair color formulas, that's which is the most pretty important for my job.

SPEAKER_01 34:53

That's important. So right, focus on keep what you need in your head, and everything else just and everything else, that's what Google's for.

SPEAKER_00 35:02

I know, I know, I know. And I really need to remember the exact lyrics to that song from 1994. It's very important. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 35:12

It took me a second. I'm sorry. I had a 404 error code in my head.

SPEAKER_03 35:20

Although, in my experience, that lyrics from 1994 are all still in.

SPEAKER_01 35:25

Oh, right here.

SPEAKER_03 35:26

It's the ones from like this year that I'm like, huh?

SPEAKER_01 35:30

Yeah, yeah. Did you get that email? I'm like, what email? The one I sent you five minutes ago, what email?

SPEAKER_00 35:40

No, even the email with the Zoom link. I was like, I know I saw it, but I messaged y'all because I was like, I think my email ate it. I literally can't find it. I searched for it, it's it's done. I no no idea. No idea. You know what?

SPEAKER_01 35:52

After the call, it'll be right there. No, it'll be right there.

SPEAKER_03 35:55

Yeah. I love that my email ate it. I'm gonna use that.

SPEAKER_01 36:01

It's better than my dog ate my homework. Oh I think the email ate is more plausible these days. It's definitely, yeah, yeah. He fought it and then ran.

SPEAKER_00 36:12

Because it smelled. Much like a human.

SPEAKER_01 36:18

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. All men, I don't care whether they're furry or not. The furry ones and the hairy ones and the bald ones, all the same. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:32

Um I have a question. Oh, did you go ahead? I didn't forgot it.

SPEAKER_01 36:36

I had already found it. I had a question, but I forgot what it was. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:40

So I was gonna say if you have a question, ask it because otherwise you'll forget and exhibit A, B, and C. How many books does this bring you up to now?

SPEAKER_00 36:52

So um Death by 21 Midnights will be my 12th book. And um just for a little bit of invisible. Now I don't know, I'm not a huge Swifty, but this was, I did think this was hilarious. So she had announced her 12th album on August 13th, which was my birthday. And I'd already planned on having my 12th book come out on her birthday, which is December 13th. So I did just think that was funny. That's awesome. Yeah, it's meant to be. I love that. And I really want to, there's a book I've been working on for maybe golly, four years, and it's really uh, I maybe even talked about it last time, but uh, it's a book about a girl who sees death. She's a teenage girl, and her life is really rough. She deals with um her father is abusive, and she is also just kind of since she is psychic and it's proven that she her uh premonitions are true, but yet no one believes her. And for people they're like, where'd you come up with that idea? It's literally Cassandra, straight up the Greek, you know, um, but so her whole life she's really been put upon and really kind of tortured, and I'm gonna torture her more in my book. So it's been very difficult to write because it's not to sound flagrant about fictitious murder, but it is very easy to murder like a bunch of adults. But when it is a teenage girl, and um, she has the premonition that is plaguing her for my book is that she sees a school shooting at prom.

SPEAKER_03 38:29

And yeah, you did talk about that.

SPEAKER_00 38:31

Yeah, and I had written it, I'd written like a third of it a few years ago, and I knew where it was gonna end, but I didn't know how I was gonna get there, and I was like, I need to just kind of put this book on the back burner. And then also there was the terrible idea of I don't want anyone to A, think I'm making fun of school shootings in any way, and B, from a strictly marketing perspective, my God, when I go to events, how am I gonna be like, so it's about this girl that sees a school shooting? Like, how am I gonna how are you gonna do that? Yeah. So I was kind of like, let me put this on the back burner, but it was something that's in my head and I can't get it out. So I'm gonna write it, I'm gonna publish it, and I am specifically saving my 13th book for that. That my 13th title, I want to be that book.

SPEAKER_02 39:14

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 39:15

Um, and it is gonna be called Teenage Death Trap. But who knows? Maybe no one will read it. Everyone in my writer's group does say it's my best work, but they also say, in fact, at my last group meeting, um, there was an altercation between the father and and the she has a twin brother. So it's Hannah and her twin brother Harry. And there was an altercation between the alcoholic father and the twin brother. And the one of the ladies in my writers' group like started crying, and she's like, This, she's like, I don't know how you're writing this. And like, Abel, she's like, I know you're kind of making jest of it. You're like, yeah, it's teenagers being tortured. She's like, But this is like some heavy shit. And she's like, now I know why you're in so much therapy every week. Because but I did tell her heavy. Yeah, it is heavy, but it's almost like therapeutic to kind of write it and then release it. Okay. And then and unfortunately, um, the things I'm writing about. Now, granted, I don't know of anyone that has premonitions, but um, you know, domestic violence, physical abuse, um, school shootings, you know, women not being believed, you know, those are four things that are all very prevalent and very true in our society. And that's kind of what I wanted to show a light on. Um, and I am also trying to make a full-length novel that young adults could read. So I'm also kind of well known for my for my spice. And um, there's no spice in this book. Like, there are teenagers, obviously, because just like teenage, I mean, yeah, there are teenagers having sex, but it's definitely not on the page in my book. And uh one of the guys in my group was like, I miss all your sex scenes. He's like, but they're teenagers, so I guess that's good. I don't want a bunch of sex scenes with teenagers. I'm like, I agree, right? So um, so yeah, that is what I'm working on currently, and it is a difficult book to write, but it is just one of those things that I'm just gonna write it and you know, I'll put it out there.

SPEAKER_02 41:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:12

So, and then I can move on to back to regularly scheduled programming where I murder adults fictitiously. Nice, good job. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:21

So, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:23

But uh, but yeah, so yeah, everyone's dead that came out on Halloween, and that's a bunch of short stories where uh yeah, definitely a lot of villains in there, and then Death by 21 Midnights is it's horror light, because that is a young adult book. Because again, I thought maybe there would be some Swifties that are younger, and then maybe they want to dabble their toe in some horror. So that is also on the lighter side, and there's no spice in there. Cause that is, and honestly, that is one of the weirdest things about our society is that I'll have people be like, Well, I'm okay with my kid reading about a story about a cannibal. I mean, they're not because there is a story about a cannibal, yeah. Um, in my in my Everyone's Dead book. And I'm I'm having adults that are cool with that, but they're not cool with like teenagers being teenagers.

SPEAKER_03 42:15

Teenagers.

SPEAKER_00 42:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 42:17

So you can eat someone, but you gotta keep your pants on.

SPEAKER_01 42:20

Yeah, yeah. I was supposed to be highly inappropriately set.

unknown 42:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 42:28

That wrote itself. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 42:31

I don't know what sounded.

SPEAKER_00 42:33

Yeah. Cause even my book, Everything That Counts, which I know you had read, Lisa, but that was like in a past life. But uh, a lot of people asked me, they're like, because a woman came by and she said, Hey, my 10-year-old son loves to read. She's like, Is it would a 10-year-old be able to read it? I'm like, Oh, yeah, of course. I definitely think so. I don't think the language is that advanced. And she said, Oh no, is there any sex? And I was like, Well, the they are uh the main character is 18 and he does think about it, but he doesn't really, you know. Right. Again, I don't feel comfortable writing about teenagers having sex personally, but um, I know that they do it, so they'll talk about it and think about it, and then there will be like a fade to black scenario. Um, but yeah, the mother was she was a little, she was like, I don't think so, because I told her I was like, Yeah, like he's making out with his girlfriend at one point, and she takes off her shirt, but then that's it. And she's like, I don't know, that's a little, and I was like, I mean, whatever, you know, um, that's your child and that's your parenting, and whatever you want to do. But it is just such a strange dynamic to be like, Well, I'm gonna let my child watch, you know, Marvel or Birds of Prey, or maybe that's the same thing. I don't know, I can't differentiate all of it, but uh it's the C, I think. Yeah, yeah, okay, yeah. Or even um The Walking Dead, which was a huge global phenomenon. Yeah, and I mean I personally loved it, but that's a ton of violence. Um, and also there were you know, there were definitely children watching that. So, I mean, it's it's just very strange that theoretically and hopefully every child will one day have a consensual sexual relationship with someone of an appropriate age at an appropriate time, and everyone's happy and healthy and safe. But hopefully, very, very few people ever have to encounter. Death or murder or anything like that.

SPEAKER_03 44:28

So that's so much more widely accepted. I mean, look at every night when you turn on the news. I mean, not me, I don't watch news, but yeah, but like traditional there go my quotes again.

SPEAKER_02 44:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:42

But like, you know, I I feel like you can walk into almost any home, right, in the United States at 6 p.m. and they've got the news on. So like your kid can hear about all the horrible things that happen to everyone everywhere. No kissing, keep your shirt on, no touching.

SPEAKER_01 45:04

Like maybe if we give them better guidance and better um the resource foundation resources so they can learn at their age-appropriate learning. Yes. And I find that you can't save them from the world, but if they know what's going on, they'll ease they'll it's less likely that they're falling to pit to wow, English would be amazing right now. It'll less likely for them to have those pitfalls and fall into a situation that's not safe for them because my parents talked to me about this. This doesn't feel right. I'm going to walk away. X, Y, Z.

SPEAKER_03 45:50

Right. And if everything that we learn about life and death and sex and relationships or whatever is coming from the media, whether it's the news, the movies, it's never going to be in a healthy way. No. So I think that it's important, like if we're gonna have these kinds of themes playing, whether you know it's just violence and war or whatever, there still needs to be able to be um uh uh an open dialogue where you can talk to your children and say, you know, this is like an extreme circumstance. That's why it's on the news, because you know, unfortunately, whatever, right? Like ABC, but they're understanding that this is not the norm. This is not like you're going to turn 18, walk out of your house, and it's gonna be like chaos. I mean, it will be for other reasons, but you know, different reasons.

SPEAKER_01 46:52

Yeah, because I feel like it's chaos right now, but that's besides. Well, it is.

SPEAKER_03 46:57

I mean, I okay, yes. The last 10 years have been very chaotic. This year has been chaotic, doesn't even begin to cover it. Yeah, you know, yeah, you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_00 47:14

Yeah, it is just also, I think, I mean, even speaking to, you know, I'm I'm here in Texas, and you know, for instance, they took all the libraries out of public schools, and they're banning all these books, and they fired all the librarians in public schools in the and this is for Houston independent school district. So I'm speaking for Houston. Uh actually, I'm not even speaking for Houston, I'm speaking for, you know, myself. But okay, uh, I think if you it it took me a minute because I was like, why would you why would you want to make everyone so dumb? And then I was like, and then I and then exactly, and then I put on my writer's hat and I was like, well, when I'm trading an evil villain, my evil villain wants you to be dumb and poor and you know, you know, in the dark about everything. So I was like, wow, what an evil genius move to just have an entire generation just not even aware or afraid. Although, to be frank, whenever I was told that a book was banned or something, I wasn't, I always did it.

SPEAKER_03 48:13

So that's the other thing that I know, right? It like makes you want to read it more.

SPEAKER_00 48:16

Yeah, when you're telling, when you're telling a young person, you know, you shouldn't do this or you shouldn't do that. I'm like, what young person isn't immediately going to go do that? I mean, that's yeah.

SPEAKER_03 48:27

It's like saying don't touch the stove, they're immediately gonna run to the stove, turn it on, and touch it.

SPEAKER_01 48:31

Yeah, I I kind of want to go to the stove right now and just touch it.

SPEAKER_00 48:37

Yeah. So um, it is that that's why I think that it should almost be. I mean, again, I'm not a parent, but you know, if I were to have a child, my god, that poor thing would need a lot of therapy. Let's just say that. But I would want to have, you know, hey, whatever you're interested in, let's try and work on that, and then you know, get you out in the world and seeing different things and meeting different people.

SPEAKER_01 49:03

And to your point, I think that started like they've been doing, I think it's all with the new math and how they teach. This is the generation before now. My daughter and I were talking, and she's like, people don't understand context clues, right? There's no comprehension. So she's 25. So these are people her age. So this is a problem that's been going on for a very long time. And I think it was a very slow burn, and we're just like, oh fuck. Yeah, it's like you don't realize it till you're like, oh shit, the world's burning. Where the fuck was that? Yeah, yeah. And now, and I think we all the normal people were up in arms, but if we look back, we're like, shit, I think I know where this started. Like, I you but you don't know until it's slow. It's just like a little here, little there. Let's you know, the whole pipeline from school to factory work to like it's just like not. So it's a little scary, and I'm trying to get my daughter to get her passport. And at this point, I think it's at the get the kids their passports, please.

SPEAKER_03 50:13

Um and it's funny because you know, if you mention to anyone like, oh, New York City public school education is amazing. Well, you're gonna get looked at like and Agnes and I are students of uh New York City public school education, but I think that the difference is that we were taught to understand. We were taught not just how to do something, but why we're doing it and and and and the progression, right? Like we do it this way so that we can get to this. So we understood the beginning, the middle, and the end. Reading, we comprehend. Math, you comprehend. Science was you know, everything was all about how things work, how to make them work, and why we need them to work. And my I mean, I've worked in schools, uh, and then like even seeing my kids, they're taught like that new shit, and it's like you but once you can't do it, there's no workaround, right? So, like we let's say something like uh math, addition, subtraction, division, whatever, like we understood what we were trying to do. We understood what we were trying to do with these two numbers. These kids mostly don't. They just know you put this here, you put this here, and then you do this and do that. But once they can't do it, yeah, or they don't have the counters, because oh my god, I'm so sick and tired of hearing about the counters, you know. I can't tell you how many students I have, and and this is more so like in elementary school, right? Like fourth grade, third grade. When they do math, they're literally drawing like if they have to do like 30 plus whatever, like they're drawing like little counters.

SPEAKER_02 52:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 52:16

And I'm like, no, but just do and they look at me like I'm crazy. And I'm like, no, no, but you oh no, our teacher doesn't want us to do it that way. We can't, I don't know how to do that. Our teacher doesn't want to. We they're only taught so that they can pass the test so that the schools can get funding so that they look like, but then these kids are dumb as hell, they can't write, they can't spell. And I went to college with some of these people, and I'm like, How did you graduate? Like, I love you, you're the nicest person in the world. Like, I'm I want nothing but the best for you, but like you can't spell. How am I struggling? Yeah, like you can't write a sentence, like yeah, but it's just generational, you know.

SPEAKER_01 53:02

We're just no longer taught to learn, we're taught to pass, and these kids are we're taught they're teaching them to follow directions and to follow orders without thinking. So that's an even scarier thought. Nazi Germany 2.0, and it started way before now, but that's just my opinion.

SPEAKER_00 53:24

Yeah, no, I as a history major, it's I didn't I I wasn't planning to live through the end times of America, but um here we are, yeah. But here we are. But as a history major, the signs had been in place uh eight years ago. So, you know, it was already with this whole um truthiness. I know Stephen Colbert made it like a joke, kind of saying, like, oh well, what's really the truth? And I was like, no, that's a really fucking serious question.

SPEAKER_01 53:53

What is the truth?

SPEAKER_00 53:54

That is really goddamn serious. If you're questioning literal evidence that has been un you know, is proven, then that's an issue. But I will say, as to I do and now that I I feel like I'm one of those old people, I'm like, this generation now, but um, you harved it.

SPEAKER_03 54:15

Go for it.

SPEAKER_00 54:15

Yeah, but the students that I have that I'm teaching cosmetology to, again, this is a trade. And, you know, and even for me, I did go to college, but it wasn't really 100% my thing. And that's very often, you know, cosmetology students. Uh, they want to get a trade, they want to be creative, they want to do something fun, they want to make people feel beautiful. But I'm noticing a disconnect that even I wasn't really aware of as a student, where they're not realizing that they're getting into not only the customer service field, but the business ownership field. So it's like, and the state of Texas only lets us only has them be educated for a thousand hours. And you can't teach someone to cut hair, color hair, run a business and be ethical in a thousand hours. No, like you literally can't. And um, also the thing is is that I'm teaching there were some students that I was teaching, and it was like day one, like the parts of the head we were going through. And um, they didn't understand vertical line. You just said, what's a vertical line? No clue. Horizontal line, no clue. And then um this was the funniest thing. I said, Okay, well, what is the word horizontal? What does it begin with? And then one of the students said, whore, and I was like, true, but not what I'm looking for. Yeah, true. And um, but the other thing is is that the students, when they were they're learning some haircuts, and there are basically four fundamental haircuts you kind of learn.

SPEAKER_01 55:43

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00 55:43

And um, these students are like, Well, I never want to do this haircut. I'm like, Well, I mean, unfortunately, you are getting in the business where people are going to come to you and show you a picture and say, I want this, and then your job is to do it. Do it.

SPEAKER_01 55:57

Yeah. Not I want to do what I want to do.

SPEAKER_00 55:59

And yeah, yeah. Because that is a great hope. And you wish that everyone comes in and just wants to do what you want to do, but that's also not realistic. And also, as far as your body, like I started doing hair when I was 23, and now I'm 41. And I'm still, I mean, I have my hair, my hair is pink right now, and there is I still do have some vivid clients, but my worst nightmare at 41 is to have someone come in and want multiple rainbows on their head and want it fully bleached out and crawl. That is, I would literally cry.

SPEAKER_01 56:34

Like, no, no.

SPEAKER_00 56:36

I'd be like, it's $2,000 because maybe if you pay me two grand, I will do it. But it's it's really not something I want to do anymore. So that's the other thing is you gotta have them think, you know, yeah, you might want to only do whatever, but once you get out there, you'll find out who those clients are. You know what I'm saying? So um, because and also I'm trying to not to be a Debbie Downer too much with them, but I'm also like, hey, you know, there's this thing called a recession. People aren't paying for $500, $600, $1,000 for hair anymore. You know, that is just not applicable. So um, because eggs are ten dollars a ten dollars a dozen.

SPEAKER_03 57:20

I know.

SPEAKER_00 57:21

So, and also unfortunately, there are people out there that have to think, do I wanna like feed my kids or do I want to go get my extensions you know lifted? So hopefully that shouldn't be a hard question to ask. But hopefully, hopefully everyone immediately goes to feeding the children. But uh, I mean, the fact that you know, 10 years ago they could do both, even five years ago, they could kind of do both. But definitely, um, you know, and everyone wants to blame co COVID, and I don't even think it's completely that entirely.

SPEAKER_01 57:54

No, but yeah, the eggs went down, everything was down after COVID, you know. Yeah, it went back right, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 57:59

And the eggs themselves were a little bit of a different story because correct. Yeah, you know, they they had like that uh blight or whatever on the bird. So like that that was a huge issue, yeah. The actual on top of COVID. But I mean, personally, I haven't been to a salon in at least like three years, yeah. I mean, and even then, I can't tell you the last time before that. Like it's just it's a luxury item for me, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 58:28

And that's the other thing is like even with clients coming in with unrealistic expectations, or I see it on TikTok where they're like, I spent $200 and I wanted to look like this celebrity. And I'm like, girl, I want to look like Sabrina Carpenter too, but it it costs Sabrina Carpenter a lot more than 200 bucks to look like, and also she's wearing a wig. Spoiler alert, that is a wig, that's not the real hair. But uh no, you'd be so many people are shocked by that information.

SPEAKER_03 58:53

Yeah, my dad told me, and I was at first, I was like, okay, I can see it.

SPEAKER_00 58:57

Yeah, yeah. But um, I mean, I would do it too if I were her. I'd just wrap up my own hair and call it a day. But uh, I mean, it is it's also just there's not the connect, you know, for the clients that are like, you should just do this for the love, and I shouldn't have to pay you hourly. You shouldn't be as making be making as much as a doctor, you know, yada yada. And I'm like, yeah, but back when I graduated hair school in 2009, we didn't even tone people's hair. You just left with your brassy ass, thick ass highlights, and you called it a day. And you were happy with the and you were so excited, and you were showing off the pictures and flat ironing your hair to the high heavens, and now you want all this voluptuous hair and you want it to look lived in, but you wanted me to spend eight hours on it. I'm like, girl, bye. I don't think so. So, um, and also then you don't want to buy, then I'll be like, here's some shampoo and conditioner, it's 150 bucks, and you're like, Well, no. I'm like, you just spent all this time listening to my nonsense and getting all this expensive hair done. Maybe you should buy some shampoo.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:01

Maybe tang it.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:02

Yeah. Just make sure. But yeah, it's it's hard.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:07

Yeah. Yeah. But then you but coming into the a new business, any business right now, and not having the acumen to understand the business. Yeah. We're in trouble.

unknown 1:00:20

No.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:20

Or even basic customer service, you know. Right. Like, I'm not doing that. What do you mean? The customer, yeah. Never mind the customer's always right. I'm not talking about that, but just basic customer.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:32

Right. And I think that that goes back to the fact that so many of, you know, when we live in like this era, right, with the phones and the computers and all that.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:41

No social skills.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:42

They're they they lack the social skills and they don't understand how that translates to customer service. And I mean, you know, I work at a place where you can um, you know, do things like electronically, so then like your time in said business is much more limited than if you had to come in and whatever. And you know, we we have all these like creature comforts and and ways to make our lives easier, but then we have to think like at what cost, right? Because don't get me wrong, like I love a mobile order, you know, or you know, make my life easier, but but also I can't tell you how many people are just like sitting in their cars, like you see the car pull up, you see them sitting in their cars, and then you'll see an order come in, and then eventually, like they'll come out of the car, they come get, and then they leave, and like you know, okay. But like you were already here.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:52

Why didn't you just oh you mean they'll pull up some place, do the online order and wait instead of just walking in and doing it.

unknown 1:01:59

Right.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:00

Yeah, which which to me is like if I'm doing a mobile order, it's because like I'm I'm I'm out of time, I'm running, I'm you know, yeah, but I know how to talk to someone. And like even my daughter has to bring her car in for service, and usually I'm like, I'll call, I'll make the appointment for you, because I know she's still new to it, whatever. Yeah, so she's asking me yesterday, and I'm at work, and I'm like, Yeah, just make the appointment for whatever day and make it for either this time or this time, so I can bring you, you know, pick you up so you don't have to stay there. And she sends me a screenshot, and it's like the online list of what she wants done to her car. And I was like, I didn't even know you could do it online. And she was like, Yeah, and again, it's they don't want to talk to someone, they don't want to walk in, they don't want to make a phone call, like they're just so unaccustomed to that. That they laugh at me because they're like, Oh, you never want to do the chat or the email, you always want to call someone. Yes, yes, like a human being, right?

SPEAKER_01 1:03:05

When I need not as I attend that chat does not help me, you're not you don't speak English, you don't understand the words that are coming out of my mouth.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:12

They they don't have that perspective, they don't have that experience of having customer service help you when you need help versus the online, the the chat, you know, the the bot. The bot so they don't know what they're missing, and it translates, right? Like when you see people I I work with young people, some of them, and like it's it's usually the younger ones that are like totally missing, like you know, yeah. There's no way to teach them that they have to experience it, but they're never going to. They're just yeah, you know, most of them are probably never going to experience enough to be able to emulate it when they're you know doing a business. So it you know, it it makes you wonder like how much worse are things going to get for society when this the only way we can communicate is like through and I see it even with my kids, like they'll talk to their cousins, like they'll be on the computer, they'll be playing video games, they're video chatting or whatever, Instagram, whatever, you know, all the time, back and forth, back and forth. When I say, Oh, we're going to so and so's house, do I have to go? Don't you want to see?

SPEAKER_01 1:04:38

You were just chatting with them 30 seconds ago.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:41

And and it's like, why? And I just remember when I was a kid. I mean, granted, we didn't have this, but I always wanted to like see the person, and and even when we see family, they're still like on their phones, like next to each other, but on their phones. And I'm like, come together, play a game, have a conversation, use your words. Like, why don't we teach you how to talk if you're not gonna use them?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:06

Like, well, I know you asked, like, where's the like how bad is it gonna get? All great empires have a like uh shelf life for about 200 years. We're we're due to fall.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:22

So just so you know, the end of the- But I don't necessarily even mean like in terms of like the politics, I just mean like on a global scale because every country, right? Every uh community, every city is is going through the same things in terms of technology and the kids.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:40

Well, I was about to die any day now, you know. Well, yeah, yeah. The the end is imminent, you'll be fine.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:49

Yeah, I wonder how much toxicity is in all that gold plating.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:54

Oh man. I mean, that's the so I read this book back in January when I realized that the world really was gonna end. Um, it I read this book called The Storm Before the Calm. And I forget the name of the author, but he has this propensity to write books that essentially predict the future. And um, I'm probably gonna get it wrong, so please look up the book. It's called The Storm Before the Calm and read it on your own if if you want. It was kind of it was kind of hopeful. But essentially he said that in the US, every I think it was 75. Five years there's political upheaval. And then every 50 years, there's social upheaval. So if you think about the Civil War, um, the Revolutionary War, civil rights, civil rights, that was all uh political upheaval. And then socio upheaval was like women getting the right to vote. Uh what is it? Uh Black Lives Matter. I'm trying to think of other things. Uh, you know, the one percenters, these these different, you know, kind of yeah. Yeah. So unfortunately, fortunately, we're going through both at the same time. Any time. Yeah. So, and the last time that this happened was during the civil rights movement in the 60s, where both political and social constructs were having to completely change and they were happening at the same time. Now, when this guy wrote this book, he was he was very specific that whatever president was happening now, and when he wrote it, he didn't know Trump was gonna get part two. So, but he said that that president would be what we might consider the last president because it the structure of the United States would have to change so irrevocably that whatever we had before wouldn't be in existence. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:42

It's not working, so something changed.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:44

Correct. So it's essentially on the onus of the people, which is a little scary because it is definitely that whole thing of like, well, it's not really happening to me yet. I'm like, Jesus Christ, when it's happening to you, it's way too fucking late. It's way too late. So, um, I mean, because I did do a whole crash out on TikTok because when they were like, I mean, they're still doing it when they're just like grabbing people off the street because they're brown. I was like, my husband, who is a veteran but is also brown, I could just picture him, and he also he loves DIY stuff, so he is honestly always at Home Depot a lot. Like he goes there multiple times a day on the weekend. So I was already in my head seeing my very good-natured husband, you know, seeing these ice agents grab people off the street, and my husband would not even think about himself, and he would react and be like, no, these are just men or women working or you know, Home Depot employees. God, what are you doing? You know, so and I could just see my husband being, you know, kidnapped by these ICE agents. So it was like really obviously upsetting. So, but that's the thing, is like even here in Houston, it's still very prevalent and it's happening in different parts of Houston, and still it's kind of like I do at my book events at my hair salon, I still get people that are like, well, it's not really that bad. I'm like, yeah, but when it gets to you, I'm like, I'm also like, you realize that like when it's flooding, like it might not be in your neighborhood. And I would think, especially in Houston after Hurricane Harvey, which literally was horrible storm, once it was over and the electricity was on, my husband and I went to the grocery store, and it was just so such a trauma for the entire city that I don't know if they do it in every grocery store, but in the Houston area, like there will be a big bucket of corn on the cob, and you can peel it there and then leave your peels in another uh thing. And I was having trouble peeling my corn, and I don't want to get it like teared, but this old man he started helping me peel my corn, and then I started sobbing for some reason. And then, of course, my husband comes and he's like, Oh my god, why is my wife crying over this thing of corn? And um, but I mean, that's what that's what it should be about. It should be about coming together and this man that didn't know me, but he's like, Well, here's this woman having trouble, let me help her. Right. It's not even in that most basic sense, that gentleman was helping me. But in I feel like it's very, well, I want to keep myself safe and keep you know everything I know safe. I'm like, well, yeah, me too. But you know, if the world is burning, then it doesn't really it doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:26

Yeah, and I think at the end of the day, most of us all want very similar things. Yes, it's just that some of us want them for everyone, and we don't want the cruelty, and some people are okay with the cruelty and the you know, okay for me, but not for thee. Yeah, you know, but um, you know, going back to what you said about like sobbing in the grocery store, and I've I've I've had similar moments, and I feel like we carry such a weight, like so much, right? Everything our own stuff, our family, our politics, our our community that we're we always have to be so solid, so focused, so determined that when we have to stop, especially because we struggle, and then like someone off of a sud offers up a kindness to us, it's almost like I don't know where to put this that's it, like the whole damn breaks because you're so used to going through everything like this is the way it is, and this is what I have to do, and you know, we've become so so so hardened and like we we just so not used to the kindness, and it's so fucking sad. Like I've been there where somebody just kind of takes your hand, you know, and offers a little help or a little resolution, or just offers to carry just a smidgen of your weight. Like you're just like I don't know what to do now. It just yeah, it's terrible that that's like how it is that we're not just used to kindness, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:20

Yeah, and that's even that's what I'm kind of that's what I kind of so basically, even though my books are scary and there's a lot of violence, I kind of almost put a spotlight on that because I want people to be like, oh my gosh, can you believe this? Instead of being like, oh my god, I hope this happens more. I want people to be like, wow, maybe I should pivot, you know, or maybe you know, this is wrong. For instance, in my book, Everyone's Dead, the first short story like is about a guy that kidnaps teenage girls and eats them. But it's essentially I know, quite quite a way to start off a book. But uh the main character that's you know in the in the concrete room, like in his basement, she's thinking no one's gonna think it's this guy because he's my brother's soccer coach, and he's such a perfect guy, and he's just you know, on the outside he looks perfect, but you know, in his basement he holds teenage girls hostage before he eats them. So I didn't I write stories like that to kind of shock people, but to also be like, oh wait, you know, maybe the guy that you know looks normal, and that's just a I know that it's not always men, but statistically it is always white men. So that's just you know, I don't want to be that person, but statistically, yeah. So facts are facts, facts are facts. I can't help it that white men just can't get their act together, and yeah. So that's also kind of the point of it. And I had written a short story years ago called Caroline Hearts Toby, and it's about a girl that gets raped by a classmate, and then how she reacts to it. So it's not really graphic, the assault, but everything that happens afterwards and how she's treated and how she thinks about herself is very graphic. And whenever people read it, they're like, This is like the saddest story ever. And I'm like, yeah, it should be sad, but it should also make you think, oh my god, is someone in my life acting this way? Or is someone in my life, you know, because the main character, Caroline, she really like pulls back. And at the very end of the story, her, and she's in high school, and her friend says, You know, you've been acting really weird, like, what's going on? And then Caroline just puts on a face and she's like, Oh my gosh, I just hate physics and ha ha ha ha. And her friend's like, Oh yeah, totally normal. But I it's kind of like, I don't expect another teenager to be, you know, with a program, so to speak. But an adult should have been there. Someone else should have been there to be like, wow, this child is acting different. Maybe we should do something, maybe we should intervene. Maybe I should be like, what's going on? So that's always kind of the point with all of my writing, even the one I'm working on now about the girl that sees death. I did set it in 1991. And one of the reasons I did that is because in 1991, it wasn't like you know, overload where every other day there's a school shooting now, and we don't even think about it. It's like, oh, because even, and especially now as a teacher, I hear it in the break room where they're like, Oh my gosh, there was another school shooting today in Texas. I'm like, good God almighty. And even how I act in the classroom, not to be alarmist, but since they are over 18, you know, I can't like hold them hostage in the room. But I do want to be like, hey, can you let me know when you're leaving? And I don't want to be like, because heaven forbid there's a school shooting and I don't know where you are, and a police officer is asking me where you are, but that is a legitimate worry for me. Um, and also since it's a it's a salon, people come in and out. And I want to be like, hey, if there's some creepy motherfucker in here, you alert me immediately. Because I can't always be listening to every conversation a client is coming in and having with the students, you know. So far, thank God nothing like that's happened. But uh, I mean, there have been definitely some clients that have been rude to the students and been like, Can't you do better? I'm like, spoiler alert, they've been this is their third haircut, like, chill out.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:23

Like, this is what you came for.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:25

You came to a school, you came to a school for a $10 haircut. That's a slower roll here. Yeah, yeah. Um, but uh, you know, so that's even why I'm writing that book, is so people could be like, Wow, we're not listening to women, and you know, school shootings are now so prevalent that um we don't even think about it anymore.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:48

No, yeah, I remember when Columbine happened and it was just like like the world stopped. Yeah. Now it's like that's just scare people. That should scare anybody to be like, wait, where have we come?

SPEAKER_00 1:17:06

Yeah. So, well, because I I have because of this book, I've done a lot of research on school shootings and the effects it has on um the people that are whether they're adults or children, and you know, they're in the building. But because I have it go start in 1991 and it does end in the year 2020, but before each section, there will be a little literal statistic that I'm getting from the FBI or I'm getting from somewhere about like for instance, um, I forget the exact statistic, but I think it's like three and four school shooting school shootings. Someone else was aware that the shooter was gonna do it and they just didn't tell anybody. Because when people are reading my book, I don't want them to be like, well, Hannah knows that the school shooting is happening. Why doesn't she tell anybody? I'm like, yeah, that's that's really common. People will know and they won't say anything. That is real.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:56

I mean, to be fair, Hannah had a premonition, not like so Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it's kind of hard to tell someone, I saw the future happen. Yeah, yes, exactly. Yes, yeah, right.

SPEAKER_03 1:18:07

It's it's to the teenage girl. Well, you know, if she said it, it's like, oh, you're just crazy. But if she didn't say it, then why didn't you tell us? So either way, she's gonna get the blame.

SPEAKER_01 1:18:16

Right, because she's a teenage girl. It's always her fault.

SPEAKER_03 1:18:18

Never stops, yeah, yeah. It's in training to be a woman, it's always her fault.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:21

Yeah. And I mean, I know we're joking about it, but that is like literally well, that's the that's really what it is. The point that's exactly what it is, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:18:30

So I can laugh about it or I can cry about it.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:34

Well, also, it's just it's uh it's the irony of that, especially these white men that are crying about how much their life sucks right now. And I'm like, you realize that you created the world like this. Was you, you wouldn't let any woman at the table, much less a woman of color, you know, to even have a thought at this table. So you created the hellscape.

SPEAKER_01 1:18:57

You did this, you did this the your financially. Oh, I love the one I love the men crying about we can't get women to date us because you're a dick. You told us to pick better men. So guess what? We did. Yes, that left you out of the dust. Sorry, buddy. Yes, yeah, yeah. Oh, they don't want to have children. Why? Why would I want to have children in this situation? Why what have children for what? I don't want to have sex with you. Why? Because I can't get birth control, and if I can't get birth control, that means I might get pregnant. If I can't get pregnant, I can't have an abortion. Why would I want to have sex with you? Yeah, yeah. So you guys create all of this, yeah, and suffer. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:19:42

Suffer. It's it's the irony of them saying, We're we'll take away your birth control and just keep your legs closed. And now they're like, now you won't have sex with us. And it's like, yeah, yes, look in the mirror. And also, from a hairdresser's perspective, there's so few of them that are clean. So if they can just literally learn to scrub their scalp, so because I do have the pleasure of you know having like full families where I cut all their hair, and you know, I do have some teenage girls that are clients that are like 17, 18, and they're like, Yeah, I'm not really dating. I'm like, Yeah, wait till like they're out of college because then they can at least get the soap scum out of their hair, you know. Then they're at least cleaning their body, you know.

SPEAKER_03 1:20:24

I don't know how bad. Yeah, I didn't, I would have never thought of that either.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:28

No, it's really the irony of yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:20:31

And it's always the men that you're right are acting like I'm God's gift, and I'm like, well, and I'm yeah, and I'm sure that their soap scum is also your fault somehow.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:43

So oh no, it was so funny. Years ago, I was talking to this guy about um, so shampoo, when it says rinse and repeat, that isn't like one, it's not a bunch of cosmetologists trying to get one over on you. The first one is to get overall debris out, and the second one is to actually cleanse cleanse your hair, yeah. Yeah, no, this guy, as I was cutting his hair and it was so oily that like my comb was stuck to it, he was like, Oh, you hairdressers, that's just all a ploy, and we don't really need shampoo. And I'm like, it's like soap for your head. So I mean, I don't know how this is Can you imagine what else is not being cleaned? Well, because also he said he doesn't use toothpaste, he just uh swishes coconut oil. And I was like, sir, there's a reason you're single, you know. We don't have to but he but he's alpha male, yes, yes, and he was a doctor and he was a fancy doctor here in the Houston Med Center, and and that's why I was thinking, I was like, dude, you know, you have a job, a good job, but you can't get laid. Like, maybe again, look in the mirror.

SPEAKER_03 1:21:45

Yeah, look in the mirror.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:47

We all have to have a little more personal accountabilities with the soap, with a bar of soap in the mirror, and it's and that's the toothpaste. Look at yourself in the mirror with soap, and toothpaste, and toothpaste, and toothpaste, and uh yeah, some wipes.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:03

He probably's that type that probably has skid marks too. Like, I bet you.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:07

Oh my god. That and that was the shocking thing. Like, we were watching some commercial, I don't even know what show we were watching, but it was talking about the the skid marks and how you can a guy can clean. And then my husband turned to me, he's like, Is that really such a problem? And I was like, You have no fucking idea.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:22

I've been lucky that it hasn't been a problem with the guys I've dated, but yeah, one read it, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:22:30

One of the guys I dated, I literally, and I was so young that I literally thought that that was just normal. And then I started dating my husband, and I didn't want to be like, How is your underwear so clean? But I was like, How is it so clean? And he was like, No, you like wipe yourself, it's like basic hygiene.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:47

I'm like, Thank God, thank god, you know, yeah, because women do it, but it's you know, yeah, god forbid a man, okay. Never mind. I uh yeah, exactly. I am going to stay single at this rate, honestly. I think I think, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:03

Or at least send them to me first. I'll check out their I'll give them a haircut, check out their stuff.

SPEAKER_01 1:23:07

I need you to get a haircut first. But like in Texas. Here's a plane ticket.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:12

Yeah, there's a plane ticket. We'll get the we'll check you over. Yeah. Deal.

SPEAKER_01 1:23:17

Yeah, but it's oh, unless I find myself a cowboy while I'm down there, I can look at it.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:21

Oh, and then I'll I'll take care of business for you. Right there.

SPEAKER_01 1:23:24

I'll do the exam right there.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:25

Yeah, yeah. So oh man, but yeah, so I mean, that's that is kind of what um even my Taylor Swift anthology. I mean, again, I thought it I I was just there for the laughs, and just like we've been seeing this whole time, I didn't realize what a divisive figure she was until I started saying, you know, I mean, it could have been any artist, and for that reason, really. Yeah, yeah. I mean, so it's just uh it just happened to be uh Taylor Swift, and just the fact that I mean, again, she's not she's not there curing cancer, I get it, but she's also just a pop star that's dating a football player, like the most silly American thing, or I guess they're engaged now or whatever. But yeah, I mean it's like just a silly little American thing.

SPEAKER_01 1:24:19

And people so angry.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:21

Yeah, I'm like, it is just the silliest thing. Yeah, who cares?

SPEAKER_01 1:24:25

Yeah, so I care as far as your book is concerned.

SPEAKER_00 1:24:29

But yes, as far as my book, I hope you care about my book.

SPEAKER_03 1:24:35

Speaking of your books, we're gonna do a giveaway. So if you want us to send you um a copy of Melissa's books, you have to text us your best two-sentence horror story. And then I guess we'll original please. No plagiarizing, no copycatting, and then we'll give it to the end of December, and then we'll pick a winner. Woo!

SPEAKER_01 1:25:12

I like that. And I gotta say it again. Free. Free book. Free and free. Free free 99.

SPEAKER_03 1:25:20

Okay, so oh, so speaking of when you text us, we only see the last four digits of your phone number and the location. We don't have your whole phone number. So at least give us your first name so that later on we can announce the winner in an episode and you can um send us your info. Like if you don't feel comfortable sending it like up front, that's fine. If you want the book, just after we announce, then you can send us your info and and yeah, we'll get it to you.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:01

I like giving away I love giving away stuff. I know me too. I'm happy that we can do it. You get a book, Ed. You get a book.

SPEAKER_03 1:26:08

All right, only one of you get a book, so yeah. You know, let's let's but you get two books. So yeah, yeah. So one person gets two books.

SPEAKER_01 1:26:20

Sweet. Do you have anything else? I got excited.

SPEAKER_03 1:26:24

Easy there, Tiger. Do you have anything else you want to plug before we go?

SPEAKER_00 1:26:30

Uh no, I guess just follow me on Instagram, Mel All Good Author, and I'm a patron of these ladies. I recommend you become a patron as well because we need to support women. And um, yeah, I mean, they make great content, and you know, fewer men on a microphone, more women on a microphone.

SPEAKER_03 1:26:51

Uh oh. Did you so did you hear the episode of my husband? Speaking of fewer men. Oh no, I did not hear that one, but I'm cool.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:57

I'm cool with you bringing in a man, but yeah, he's not the host, so we can we can deal with that.

SPEAKER_03 1:27:02

We beat up on him a little bit, it's okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:27:04

Yeah. I started following you ladies when I heard your lost content and went all the way back into the archive.

SPEAKER_03 1:27:11

Oh, so he was on one of those, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:27:12

Yeah, so he was in one of those, and also you had another, oh, I forget his name, I feel terrible, but you had another gentleman join you on several episodes. Uh Jamar. Jamar, yes, yes, and he was Jamar. So if if it's with involving lost, I totally co-sign that. Yeah. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:27:28

Yeah, he did. Um, Alex did a uh bonus married at first sight episode with us.

SPEAKER_00 1:27:34

Oh, yeah, that show. I I don't know. I kind of want to watch it. I do love, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:27:41

Yeah, I I've only now seen the first season and then like the current season that we're working on. So yeah, it's it's a trip for sure. Yeah, I keep trying to convince Magnus to apply for the show.

SPEAKER_01 1:27:52

Oh, she keeps sending me like random casting. I'm like, this looks like a trafficking ad. You're trying to give me sex traffic, and they don't and once they get to know me, they're gonna kill me because I I would never make it to the sex trafficking.

SPEAKER_03 1:28:08

You won't know unless you respond. Yeah. I mean, I'm sexy legit, like from a legit source. It's not like I'm just like, hey, what's on Craigslist today?

SPEAKER_00 1:28:19

I mean, she's like, I s she's like, I swear I'm gonna make sure you're not sex trafficked.

SPEAKER_03 1:28:24

Yeah, we'll we'll we'll Do our best.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:26

Yeah. Do we do our best?

SPEAKER_01 1:28:27

I mean, also, like, when you'll get some you need me as a co-host, so you need to you better keep me alive. I'll come get me. If I don't I don't call you SOS, like you need to come get my ass.

SPEAKER_03 1:28:37

I'll come get you. Don't worry.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:40

You can borrow my car because your car won't make it.

SPEAKER_03 1:28:43

It's cool. I'll bring my bat and my dog, and I'll rent a car if need be, okay? I'll come get you.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:49

I promise. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 1:28:51

Actually, you'll have to uh give me the uh information for your house so I can go get my car. No, not your car. Oh, baby. Like my sin. Oh, yeah. Oh, good baby. Oh, right. She even has a nickname for her gun.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:09

Oh, okay. Oh, good. Every good gun should have a nickname. Yeah, I guess. And then the conceal size is RBG. The concealed the small size would be RBG. Ruth Bader Gingsburg. Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

SPEAKER_03 1:29:25

Right.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:26

Because this is the judge doing an executioner. Is it I know, but what do you have a second one? I am in the process of getting number two. But I've named her for like I've already had.

SPEAKER_03 1:29:39

That's why I was confused. You see, this is why I was confused because I already knew the one nickname.

SPEAKER_00 1:29:44

That's basically so she's already putting it out there into the universe.

SPEAKER_03 1:29:48

I know. I haven't logged the new nickname on my spreadsheet yet. So format Agnes's nicknames for people and items, format as a table. Like, okay, let's see.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:02

Let's see by yeah, by city. Well, I will say I put um I put emojis in most people's contact forms. That way I can remember where I found them.

SPEAKER_01 1:30:13

I like that. I do do that too. It's the same premise. Nicknames and emoji. It's the same premise. Yes. I agree.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:20

I agree. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:30:22

I definitely agree with you. Yeah. At least is it supposed to be argumentative because it makes good good um well?

SPEAKER_03 1:30:29

No, it's not that I want to be argumentative. It's just that sometimes I can't keep up because your son didn't show in today and I'm stupid. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 1:30:37

I mean the funny thing is, it's not like it's a lot at the same time. It's just like they come, I'm like, okay, that's gone. Next. Okay, that's gone. Like they don't make it. They don't make it long at all. It's like I'm like, you suck. You suck. You know.

SPEAKER_03 1:30:54

And on that note. Yeah. Only because I'm in a little bit of a time crunch. So you have to go.

SPEAKER_02 1:31:03

I have to go to work.

SPEAKER_03 1:31:04

Uh, but and I have to drop off my daughter at her job, also. Yeah, it's okay. They're they're nearby. So at least it's it's it's so stupid, right? Because like it's walking distance, but like you can't walk it. Yeah, like I can see her job from my job. Like, I can literally but the way the streets are like those big and yeah, it's yeah, it's like it's so much easier to drive across the street than to walk it. It's dumb. But such is life. But we definitely want to say thank you so much for coming back and being with us and hanging out with us. And for all you listeners, don't forget to follow her on all the socials. Go get her books because she is an excellent author. And don't forget to text us your two-sentence horror story if you want a chance at winning the new books, original content only. Don't drink and drive, drink responsibly. And we thank our guests. And until next time, I'm Lisa.

SPEAKER_01 1:32:10

I'm Magnus. And she's oh, go ahead.

SPEAKER_03 1:32:14

Yeah, yeah. I thought she was gonna jump in and then she didn't.

SPEAKER_00 1:32:17

I was like, okay. And I'm Melissa, thank you so much for having me. I love you, ladies. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 1:32:22

Oh, we love you too. Thank you, everyone. Thank you. See you later. Bye. We're out of here.