Hey, hey, hey, somebody actually tweeted me and said, I could totally see you doing jazz hands and fingers, like, you know, with your hands getting successively higher higher above your head and then ending with your fingers wiggling in the air. So that was for you, Donna.
That's a lot. Is that like more than one hundred and forty characters?
Well, you know, Twitter is trying to go higher, They're trying to do more characters.
Now, that's the thing I saw that.
I don't know.
I don't know what I feel about jinks jinks. I don't know. I feel like I wonder what. I wonder what I was doing when I had all the time in the world to tweet before. I haven't been on Twitter in such a long time except for like when something happens and I need to get on two or just take it the quick the quick take on what has occurred.
So I'm a lazy tweeter and that, like I typically if I do something on Instagram, I'm like, go ahead and post it on Twitter too. Boo. That's how our tower tweeted. Someone was like, when someone hits me on Twitter and they say something like oh, good grats or whatever, I'm like, for what, oh that lazy tweet via Instagram. Oh,
I will say Superman. The other day he got bad service. So, you know we talked about like, I don't know, a year or so ago, you know how he had the annurism surgeries, right, and so like at once a year, you know, he goes to go get a check up. So they sent him to some MRIs place where so his doctor can get the results or whatever. So I guess they had him waiting for an hour and he was like why.
They're like, oh, the.
Other MRIs are a little bit easier, so they're taking them first. He was like, the why not just put me at ten o'clock instead of having me come at nine and wait for an hour. So they were giving him all this back and forth, and so he finally was like, you know, I'm just gonna leave, and they were like no, no, no, get you now, because of course you know they want and the money from the insurance.
So he was like, you know, that's crazy. You shouldn't have someone come in like that, set an appointment and make them wait just because other people have easier exams. And they were just complaining. He's like, you know what at first, they were you know, they were rude at first, and he said, you know what, I'm just gonna get my wife to tweet about it. And I was like, cause I told him once that like somebody had done
something to me. I was like, you know, I'm gonna tweet about it and so and then they gave me a refund or whatever. So he was like, I'm just gonna get my wife' to tweet about it. And they were like no. I'm like, some man, do we even know how Twitter works? He doesn't, but he was like, I don't know, but I see the fear of people's eyes when you say it. So I used it. He's like, tifanty. They were so apologetic, like no, sir was so sorry. He said, you don't worry about it. I'm gonna tweet
and I'm like that. He was like, wait, how do how does Twitter work? I like, go sit down in the corner somewhere. Oh, Twitter saving people's lives every day.
I used to think that like waiting forty five minutes to an hour the doctor was like a normal experience. But then I realized you can just a different doctor, and some doctors are just really like some offices are just really dysfunctional, and they just get backed up and trying to get an appointment in New York City. Like I it's it's if you need to go see a specialist and you're nothing is broken and you're not bleeding, like you're gonna be waiting at least a month to
go see New York It's ridiculous, rediculous. And I was gonna say, MRIs are one of those things where it really matters. I mean not just like where you get the best service, but like those are one of those health services that if you go down the block, it can be five hundred bucks, if you go next door,
it can be two thousand dollars. I don't and there's like these these like these these types of services in the healthcare industry that there's just no rhyme or reason and they just charge whatever the hell they want for the same thing.
Yep. And so thankfully he's got really great insurance. So he that's why they were like, no, don't be mad, don't leave, don't not come back, because they know that his insurance is going to pay.
You know.
He was just like, I just want to get checked just to make sure everything is But yeah, it's but you're right about waiting for the doctor because I wanted to go see like a fertility specialis because you know, Superman and I try to have this baby. And they were like, yeah, we'll see you in a month. I'm like, wait what and I'm like they get girl, you tried it going to the next one. They were like, oh, yeah,
we'll see you in a month and a half. And I was like, okay, never mind, I'll be back a month. You know, it's the norm. And so now that I've got that good insurance, I mean, I guess I have to wait, and you know, so I'll give you.
All just My trick is always just to call and ask for cancelations, and they usually I have luck that way. Okay, oh that's a good I always cancel. You know. People get a little too ambitious with their health planning. Yeah, and then don't show up.
I never thought about that. Well, let's up. It's coming up in like a week or so, my first one, so I said, we'll see.
Hey, it's not too rarely to remind people about open enrollment. Most people like at their jobs. Open enrollment starts in the fall, I think, and usually have until like mid November. Or late November to finish your elections.
Yeah, no, you're right, it is about opening Roman time.
This is the time. This is when I get to make up for that mistake we made after we got married, where we missed the window to add me to my husband. That's right, healthcare plan. I think what was thirty day window or sixty day window? Anyway, we totally missed it. Whoops. So we had to wait for open enrollment to make any changes.
But uh, that's right, that's the one thing we did. Right. Was like because honestly, I kept I was sweating it. I was like, so what about that help pan make that call? Make that call fun?
Yeah, because you're a pay for Obamacare before that, right what?
And then I it lapsed because I thought that you got signed up right away. So I was like, yay, cancel everything. So I canceled and they were like, oh, yeah, you'll have insurance, but it's going to take thirty days to kick in. I was like, oh fake. So of course during that lapse, I had to go to the doctor like I was. I had like this wicked stomach ache, and so I ended up going to the emergency room, which I did not want to go but I was like, I'll be fine. My mom's a nurse, and she was like,
are you rasy? So you just rather die? I'm like, I have another week before restaurants kick said. She's like, oh, so you'll just die here. So I went and it just turned out. Honestly, I don't know what it is. They thought maybe I had like a kidney like stone or something like that, but it ended up not being
anything crazy. I likely ate something. They couldn't really find anything, and like, after giving me something to soothe my stomach the next day, I was okay, but I'd been suffering with it for like the weekend, and I was like, yo, I feel like I'm dying on the inside. And so it ended up being my imagine this. My bill ended up being with all of the tests that they ran, ten thousand dollars and then they like whittled it down,
like with me actually owing about two thousand. But I was like, are you kidding me?
Oh my god, my heart, I know he said ten dollars.
Yes. I saw the bill and I was like, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, and they were like, but you go ahead, I want to pay two thousand.
That's crazy. Well, I wanted to say one quick thing because when you earlier, when you were like, well, you know, he has that good insurance and it'll cover whatever the MRI is, no matter what the cost is. I think you don't realize how important it is for these healthcare services to get their costs in line until you don't have insurance and you have to pay the sticker price.
Because I think so many of us who are fortunate enough to have that, you know, insurance that'll cover anything, like I never thought I never used to think about how much anything cost. And I think a lot of us were in that who have insurance or like in
that little like naive headspace or whatever. But the crazy way that health care services are raising in prices, and these these pharmaceutical companies and these healthcare these insurance companies can charge these crazy rate rates is not good for anybody. It just drives all sorts of healthcare, drives insurance prices higher, you know, for on our premiums. It makes health care more affordable unaffordable if you don't have insurance. It's just a mess.
There's like, and it's scary because honestly, there was tests that they wanted to run that. I was like, yeah, I'm good. And my mom was with me at the hospital and she was like, you know, the nurse at her was like, no, run it. I'm looking at her like, ma'am, do you have money? Do you have running money? I felt like the adult like do you have McDonald's money? You know, like when you want McDonald's as a kid, And your mom was like, go to home. I was like,
oh that money, I know. So they're running all these tests, I'm telling you I felt I felt worse only because like it was like I swear that, like I'm gonna have a heart attack in here, because every time they had me run something, I was like, oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, I'm not gonna be able to afford this bill. Oh my gosh. So they like ran every little thing and they're like, oh so basically thought it, you're fine. Did you eat something? I was like, I
think I'm gonna throw up. So when I got that, I know, basically, oh the pep those fifty dollars by the way, and so yeah, so no, I totally understand what it feels like to like not want to actually even go get service because you're just like I literally can't afford to be well.
Oh yeah, my dad has. My poor dad, it's a miracle. He's like all in one piece. But because he never had any insurance, he didn't have insurance until Obamacare, and he would his teeth were falling. I'm not trying to put his business out there, but he was like falling apart.
And so as soon as he got Obamacare, he went and got you know, he Well, this is part of the reason why people are saying Obamacare plans are expensive, because a lot of people like my father, who went from having no insurance to having all the insurance, were like walking into doctors like it was supermarket sweeps and was like give me that, give me that, give me that,
I'll take it. A gastric bypass surgery, I mean, which cured his diabetes and like all these great services, but unfortunately, not as many healthy people were signing up for insurance, and like that's sort of what's skewing, Like what sort of had in a lot of places has led to sort of the you know, quote unquote expensive like Obamacare plans, because when enough young, healthy people don't sign up, that's that's what happens. I didn't know that yeah, blame my daddy.
Blame it on my daddy. So speaking of putting to blame on someone, let's talk about forty five.
Can okay, fine, you know, just a.
Just in the context of Puerto Ricano.
Put Ricoh, yeah, thank God for thank God for well Miranda who I loved him so much. I have such an intellectual crush on him, it's not even funny. But uh, yeah, you brought it up, so you get to you get this is your moment, shine.
No, I'm just gonna I'm just gonna say, Puerto rican people, One, I know that you are part of the United States of America. Even though I think what it was, it wasn't there a pole, Like forty seven percent of folks did not know that Puerto Rico was part of the United States.
That almost seems low to me. But yeah, definitely, like a lot of people don't understand where Puerto Ricans in America makes sense.
So One, that's the thing, Puerto Rico is part of the United States, they're citizens. Two like for the President to attack them air of San Juan, Like, I don't think I don't even know that she was overly critical. Other than hey, we really like some more aiden help. I mean like, I don't know how you ask for that without saying, hey, we like some more aid and help. And then when he came and he was like how many people died? Oh, not that many people died. I'm like,
are you at thing kidding me? And then when he threw the paper towel into the crowd, I was like, is this real life right now?
But he threw a paper towel into the crowd. I haven't watched any video of his visit today.
So honestly, it is sickening. So one, he basically compares Puerto Rico to Katrina and says, basically, you guys didn't suffer as much as they did. So there's a crowd of like, you know, Puerto Ricans like watching the press conference or whatever, and he throws a paper towel into the crowd, like I'm not certain like what that was
supposed to do was that here's your aid? I don't he lobs it into the crowd like aw here, y'all go, almost like Beyonce like throwing like her you know, I don't know, a T shirt into the crowd for them to like go which crazy. I don't. I'm uncertain on the reasoning. But I don't know if reasoning and forty
five have anything to do with each other. No, it was crazy, and I just I'm just gonna leave it in a real light because I feel like, oh, I just can't, Like whenever I listen to him talk, honestly, I really feel my I get anxious, and I'm just like, let's not do this. Let's not do this, Let's not do this. I can't do it.
Oh well, let's do a little bit. Let's do a little bit. Because here's what got me in up and up in arms. And this is the same comment that Lin Men mel Miranda landed himself on the cover of the New York Daily News with his response. But Trump tweeted, in all his buffoonery, that Puerto Ricans want everyone to do everything for them, like like they're complaining that they aren't getting enough aid and they just want people to
do everything for them. And my immediate reaction is like like when Lin Manuel, his his reaction was basically like, you know, you're going straight to hell. It was like he just unleash on him. But it is just it's
so in furiating. His response for like multiple reasons because I think one of the biggest for me is the history of old white politicians, Republican politicians, for the most part, characterizing people in need, Brown people who are in need as taking advantage of federal services as if they don't deserve them as much as like other Americans. And that's what pissed me off is just that's he's so good at pandering to his base. He knows what to say.
He's like, Oh, I'm going to excuse myself because I'm just going to characterize them as these other brown people on this island over here, you know, for all his base knows they're probably just you know, Mexicans who can swim and made it across, you know, like or live on some island. Like that's what they think. They're so ignorant.
And I just know that by him saying that, he's just feeding more fuel to that fire, to that prejudice, and that that for me was like, that was my get at That was my like shut down on Trump moment for the weekend. When he said that.
Yeah, no, but you're right, it was very much like, oh boy, here goes these these begging browns again, you know what I mean, Like that's not how this works. Like people can be in need of help and and it's I mean, I don't understand. It's a it's a hurricane, it's a storm, the island is is in desperate need of help. How does that? How does that turn into like y'all always beg it for something? It's just honestly, I'm just like, what is happening? You want to just
think about that? You wake up and you're like, wait, where am I in America? Wait? What is happening? Is this a real thing? Is a real person?
I did yesterday? I did that thing where I woke up late, I took a shower and I was like running around and I looked. I just happened to glance at the TV because has baby is watching? And it had the Las Vegas shooting, and I like, I had a moment where I was like, what this isn't a real story or like watching Homeland or some like TV show for it, For like five seconds, I didn't think that what I was seeing was real and it.
It was real? Right?
Mm hmm, I can't. That's something about the Vegas shooting. I mean, Jesus Christ, you know, of course, you know, ever since Sandy hook. I think a lot of people have felt, Okay, well, if twenty six dead children couldn't change anything, you know, nothing's going to happen. I was in that camp for a while. But something about yesterday with Vegas, I don't know, I got so many I got several texts from friends who were just really shaken up about it, and and I don't know what it is.
I think for me, you know, there and things that have happened in New York recently because I live here, I feel like you put up a tough front in New York. You're like, you know, of course we're a you know, major target, and anything can happen at any moment, and you just got to like live your life anyway. But with this the shooting, with all the like the cars running people over in Europe and other countries, and we had that maniac and Times Square he ran over
a bunch of people. We had that Chelsea bombing that was less than a year ago. That was like free Blockstrom where I work. And I feel like the tent, like the rising level of awareness that at any moment some lunatics it's just so hard to prevent. I mean, gun control is one thing but one crazy person with a bad intention. I mean, like it's like needle in
a haystack. And I think that that feeling of like not being any control and just that like anxiety is creeping up on a people, and something about this attack just felt like, I don't know, apart from it being one of the most brutal in our country's history, felt it felt especially bad.
I think, you know what. I what really twisted the knife of the attack for me is like the way that they are discussing the terrorists, because let's say that what it is, because it's just it's so crazy. Oh, he's a lone wolf. Oh you know, he wasn't acting if this had been imagined if he had been Muslim, Oh, my goodness, or brown? Like what how they would have described When I saw that the Washington Post that there
their title or one of their articles. The headline for their article was Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock enjoyed gambling, country music, lived a quiet life before massacre. What does that mean? Oh? I'm sorry? How nice for him? How nice for him that his trivial pastimes are remembered after murdering, murdering fifty nine people and injuring hundreds of others. How nice that we get to know that he loved country
music and lived a quiet life. Are you kidding? Trayvon Martin was a kid and he was a thug, like Eric Garner was selling Lucy's and he was a thug. Like we knew all these We didn't. I didn't know about their their past times and what they'd like to do when they were hanging out. Why is it that this clear murderer and terrorist is given that space of normalizing him, you know, like they you when it's anyone else, when a brown person is literally criminalized for being murdered.
Sandra Bland, you're digging up. Oh, you know one time in second grade, san Jo Blaine. You know, she hit her friend, so you already knew this was gonna happen. So the fact that she got murdered is really kind of her fault. But this clear murderer, this terrorist is given that, you know, like the way he's being described when they're interviewing his brother, did he have mental illness?
You didn't ask that of anyone else that was killed and murdered, And I'm just like, wow, Honestly, sometimes I'm sick of this country, Like this is why that, this is why things continue. It's that the I mean, and I'm not even trying to be polarizing. It just is what it is. Is that if he had been anything other than a white man, the truth of matter is the way that they're discussing him, they would not be
discussing him in this way. They would not they would not be giving him all the space and room to be human, to be Oh you know, he was just he was a troubled man. Oh you think he killed fifty people. I just like just reading headlines like that from semi reputable media outlets just really like boils my blood because I'm just like, are you kidding me? He liked country music and gambling and lived a quiet life.
But meanwhile, you call a kid a thug because a thug killed him, Like, yeah, It's just I'm over it, honestly.
I just I see what you're saying. I think I think one reason they haven't used the word terrorist is like I and this is, you know, a lot of what you said about the way that they've characterized people who've died of color and people who have been killed
who are of color is right. But the thing about terrorism that I like, I understand why they haven't labeled him a terrorist, because technically terrorism is when it's politically motivated, and they have no idea what the hell his motive was yet, And like, although the Islamic State has claimed him, they also claim a lot of buffoonery that you know, in violence that isn't actually you know, part of their part of their doing. They haven't found any proof yet
that it was terrorism. I think they're still looking, and you, I don't know. I kind of want to give them time. I'm happy that they're not saying, they're not jumping to a terrorist conclusion now. I do think that he's getting a lot more space, and they have been a lot more hesitant because he is a white man. I totally agree. I think that if he had been brown, or any racially ambiguous color, or like had a weird last name,
I think a lot and more. I think the talk of terrorism would have been much more quick and much and we would have.
Cautious exactly they would they would have used no caution to call him the terrorists from no Rip because at first they were like, do you think it's isis? And then when they were like, oh, Okay, no, even though iis claim responsibility, you know, because like you said, they always do. They were like, oh no, because you're right, maybe technically he's not considered a terrorist, but I guarantee that if he was anything other than a white male,
they would have used that without any hesitation. And I guess that's what it's, whether technical or not, you know that it's.
Always things like he was a suspected terrorist or you know, at least the question would have come up a lot more. But you know, we can only assume. I think, but in terms of like the profile of a mass shooter in America, he's almost a textbook definition other than the fact that he's not twenty two years old, he's a white male and more like, the majority of mass shootings in America have been caused by white men, like and
people don't want to acknowledge that. So I don't know, That's what I've been seeing in people at news reports, like, oh, he doesn't fit the profile, you know of a typical, you know, a mass shooter. I don't know, a loaner. It seems like he was a loaner. It seems like he's a white guy. You know, he had I think it's his whole. I don't know. I just feel like we're still trying to figure out who he is. I mean,
I give a lot of credit. One thing happens so fast, and I do give a lot of credit because I know how hard people are working to get stories of the victims. And I today, this is what day three since the attack? Day no, this is the second full day scency attack. Today, I saw a lot of stories. Maybe it's just because I was choosing to see them. Of stories of the people who were of the fifty nine fifty nine, right, something like fifty nine who died, Yeah,
fifty nine starting to come. And I don't know, I've I'm glad, you know, I at least want to. I'm glad that they're getting some attention. But I agree it's really important how they characterize these shooters. And yeah, I think your frustration is well placed. Not that you need to me to validate you, but I agree, I know.
But it's just so frustrating because you're just like really like, so I can kill someone and be humanized, but I could be killed and be demonized, and it's all about you know what, I look like I'm over it. That should be the way we should close off the the buzzworthy.
Well, I think our hearts go out to the victims. Yes, in Vegas, people still struggling in Puerto Rico. I don't know, hug a loved one. It really, you know, forget all the politics, forget all the you know, all this is like valid, But I think at the end of the day, it's just a reminder too. Every day is a gift. Nothing is for certain, and I don't know our politicians aren't gonna be protecting us from types of gun violence apparently, So don't take any day for granted.
And do something. I always think this that, like my philosophy is like if I can help like the people on my and my most immediate spear, like the people you know, like I watch Superman, like help the kids next door, and you know, put air in this one's bike and you know, order an extra uniform when he orders his daughter's uniform, that kind of thing, and that radiates outward, you know, And so sometimes you know, people think that like, oh, you've you've got to do these
huge overtures, and I'm really learning that you know that that's not necessarily true, that you don't necessarily have to make these huge overtures that like looking after the little kids on your block, or making sure the old lady down the street, you know, is okay in the winter, and all those things. Those things matter, and you can start to radiate positivity right where you are.
Heymen, sister friend.
Yeah, now it's time to break or boost for all our family break or booze boost? Break? What will it be? Mandy? That was awesome.
That was top three because it actually I know, I don't.
Know where it came from, and I'm not gonna lie. As I was nearing to the clothes, I was like, don't blow the cippy, don't you blow this? And then your name popped into my head and I said, I said, Robs, just do it, Just do it. Be calm. So I have to say, I'm feeling very proud of myself.
All right, jay Z watch out.
So are you gonna break? Are you gonna boost?
I need to do. I need to add an addendum to my my break from last week. Remember when I took a break from meal prep. I said it was stupid. I said, I was exhausted. I said it was the worst. I said, these mommy bloggers have no idea what they're talking about. I know they didn't come for me. They I didn't actually call them out, so maybe now they will.
No.
I remember I gave that boost on like Monday when we were recording and I actually hadn't had a week to eat my my my prepped meals. And actually, by like day three, when I was so relieved to actually have food in the fridge for dinner, I was like, all right, maybe I kind of understand why people do meal prep because I legitimately I had food to eat when I was too tired to cook, and I got it. And I don't know why to. I mean, I just
I think I just had to. Actually I had I spoke too soon, and I apologize to the meal prep fans of America. This week I did not do such an ambitious meal prep. There was no spaghetti, squash and like thirteen different you know, types of vegetables. I just baked some salmon and I just have it for dinner. You know, it's just very simple. So I simplified and it's going much better. But I'm still eating out for lunch. I'm treating my I'm letting myself eat out for lunch.
I'm playing, I'm paying more attention to what I'm eating for dinner, like at home, because I didn't get home so late.
So I think that's good. So I'm glad because you're right mill purpose. I mean it could be overwhelming sometimes because you're right, You're like wall, I have to chop and skip and and you know, but more and more now that I'm which, I like this new term a vanity vegan, and I accepted. I embrace it. Wait what I'm a vanity vegan? That's what someone called me. I was like, girl, you not. You won't say nothing, but where are you here? I am I feeling what is that
vanity vegan? So most vegans from like doing a little research, research meeting, Like I'm part of one Facebook group, so whatever that vegans, I guess to be a true vegan, you're doing it for the animals and like, yeah, you're like the health is secondary. It's like, no, I want to save the animals. And although I do like animals, and I'm not saying that I don't want the animals to be healthy. I do. My primary reason for being vegan is one to be snatched, two to be healthier.
Three you know, hey, yes, I would like the animals not to have a terrible life. But I'm not gonna lie. I'm honest here snatchness is eye on the list. So someone was like, girl, you're a vanity vegan. I said, I will take it. So I'm a vanity vegan. And so meal prep is definitely helpful because I can't, like, if I don't honestly, I go down near hungry at night or I have to eat like a cereal with with almond milk. So if I don't like, kind of
like decide, like, you know, Tiffany, let's chop up. Like I've had cauliflower rice for the first time, but I had to chop that up. But it was actually really good. But you know, I have to plan in advance.
Pro tip Trader Joe sells it.
You know, the two who shopwrite tells it too.
Look at that mm hm.
So I tried it and I actually really liked it. I made myself this like Santa fe bol, which is like typically that would be like rice, and it would be like all these kind of like quote unquote air quotes Mexican like like beans and and like tomatoes and guaqu and sour cream all that kind of stuff and cheese. So I did. I did with colidflower rice and I put beans and corn and no cheese obviously, no sour cream, but guac and what else did I have on it? It was really good, honestly, so it was like a
Santa fe bol without any dairy or any meat. Basically, it was like a bowl of veggies. And it was so delicious, honestly, so delicious. It's one of my new favorite warm dishes where it's basically a bowl of vegetables, but it doesn't kind of taste like it. It tastes like you might be having, like, you know, a rice and beans bowl, but you're really not. You're just eating vegetables. That sounds taste so love It was, yes, oh yes,
Squawka's best. So here's my I'm not gonna boost. I've been boosting lately, which is good, but I'm going to break. And it's a little light hearted break, but I'm sick of it. So here's what I'm sick of. I'm sick of everyone pumpkin spicing every dagon thing. When I went to the supermarket and I saw they had cheerios pumpkin spice cheerios, I said, I've added I've had a mouth. I get it, it's fall. I think, what did pumpkin spice start? Did it start with with the latte at Starbucks?
Is that who started this whole trend of pumpkin spicing thing?
I mean, lord knows Yankee Candles probably had a pumpkin spice candle for decades. But yes, I think Starbucks the flavoring of pumpkin spice. We can lame that on Starbucks and basic pitches.
Yes, and I'm sick of it. I've actually found like a bunch of hilarious means like tam PACs pumpkin spice. They have pumpkin spice xanax.
I'm so so excited that you broke on this. Actually you kind of stole my break for next week, but I'm gonna let you have it because because I had the exact same thought. Me and my team at Magnified Money and earlier this month, we sent out our reporter, Brittany shout out to Brittany to five to seven different grocery stores, and we had her look at two hundred different products, the pumpkin spice version and the regular version, and we calculated how much retailers are charging for pumpkin
spice taxes, That's what I'm calling it. So that's like the up charge that they put on products when they're pumpkin spice. Yes, guess this is like a this is a sneak peak because we have not released this, we have not released the results of the study yet. And I'm probably gonna be special because we're supposed to be it's supposed to be under embargo. But whatever, you're gonna
get a little taste. So here's the thing, Like, the worst offender for pumpkin spice taxes was Trader Joe's, Like, hands down, my baby Trader JOm my baby Trader Joe's. Just for an example, here's one of the most infuriating things because not only are some businesses charging more for pumpkin spice products, they're giving you less of the products and they have the audacity to charge more for it. So have you ever heard of so you just said
pumpkin spice cereal? Right, So, for example, Trader Joe's has regular Trader Joe's O's, which is like their cheerios fifteen ounces for one ninety nine pumpkin o's Pumpkin O's for twelve ounce. Is that three ounces less, it costs two sixty nine So seventy cents more for three ounces less. That's a sixty nine percent Wow. Pumpkin spice tax rate per ounce. You're welcome, America. We're all being screwed.
Yeah, we are, and I'm over it. They have pumpkin spice Oreo Pokies. Have you seen this?
Oh yeah, oh yeah, don't to hear how much more they charge for the Oreo pumpkin spice, I mean the pumpkin spice Oreo. It's a thirty thirty three percent pumpkin spice rate pumpkin spice tax rate on the Oreos pumpkin spice flavor at Target thirty three percent more.
Wow, that's a lot.
You get four ounces less.
Yeah, I can't. I'm closing when I yeah, I just honestly when it was the Cheerios that did me in because I was like walking down the aisle and I'm like, wait, what, I see a big old pumpkin on a Cheerios box. I said, that doesn't belong there. I saw it and I wanted to take my arm, pull it out straight and put a fist at the end and just drag my arm across the shelf and then knock it all down and just run and say no by back gets byes,
we're balds, We're balds. Was this I didn't. Instead, I just discussed and I said to myself, did shall be my bomb break?
You don't want one hundred and thirty You don't want to pay one hundred and thirty three percent tax rate on pumpkin spice pancake mix from freder Joe's.
That's so cool.
You get ten ounces less than the real version and you pay a dollar more.
That is just I'm like, you know, I always think this. It's so you know, because we live in the Northeast, right, So I'm like, so quote unquote, I guess you could call it spoiled by the fact that we have seasons in the way like they are like in the book, you know, like hey, fall gets chilli and the leaves tearing colors. So do they pumpkin spice it up in like California and places where the seasons are not like ours,
they have their own kind of seasons. Oh, I don't know, I know, you know what I mean, Like, I'm always curious, and maybe.
They do even more because they don't have the seasons and they want to pretend that they do, although it does get cold in La in like California, it gets cold, and right.
I always just I just wonder that they're like, huh, like for places like, you know, when we have these super seasonal items, do places that kind of they don't have the fluctuating weather that we have. I wonder if you know, they're like girl, like say Hawaii, they're like, girl, get out of here with this pumpkin spice. It's the same all year round beautiful. So I'm just curious about that. I just wonder, just a little wandering.
There's basic bitches everywhere. I'm sure made it around the round. Well, you're welcome for the sink peak at our pumpkin spice talk story.
Yes, I definitely want to read it.
I get so mad talking about it. All right, Well, anyway, moving.
On question Q. Question question question, So who today needs to get their life together that we can only dream to help.
It's a good way of putting it, I know, right, I'm like, in.
Other words, we're not experts, I mean well meaning like you need a lawyer or a doctor or nurse or whatever. We're just here to give friendly girlfriend advice that you should run by an expert that you're paying money to. Sometimes I felt you like, that's our disclosure for a girl. Someone asked me the other day something about like, well, when you tell us stuff, should.
We just do it?
I said, girl, I'm not Jesus.
Now, I don't want a letter from your lawyer saying we followed your advice from episode sixty two point five and you told us to do X Y Z, and now we're broke.
Do yeah know yeah, I'm like no, no, don't no, no, do your googles? Do you discernment Like I'm not Jesus Christ, I'm not God. I'm merely someone who will let it for what I need and then I'll pass it along and then you can decide, and you should bet it even further and then decide for yourself. Shoall someho, I should not just do it.
No, but in all seriousness, I mean in all seriousness when I when I'm reviewing questions, if it is too complex for us, or if it's beyond what I think is our general like knowledge, I typically refer people to sources that they can use instead, or refer them to, you know, talk to an expert so anyway, don't you don't have to worry. I mean, I feel like the questions we answer on the show are pretty much in line with what we know, at least enough to get people started.
Very true.
With that being said, send us your questions. Go to brund Ambition podcast dot com click on ask us anything. You can be anonymous. We will not be outing anyone's financial ghosts on the show. But yeah, we have a couple of the questions for today. We'll try it. Maybe we can get through too. So this reader, this listener anyway, messaged us and she says I had an apartment in my name. I think she wants to remain anonymous, so I won't reveal her name. So I had an apartment
in my name for a relative. This was before I got credit smart. They moved out of the apartment and broke the lease. I didn't know they moved out, and they didn't let me know. A few months later, I got a credit collection letter in the mail. Furious, but I paid it off in full. Later I found out that there was a judgment filed with the county courts
when I tried to get an apartment myself. A few years later, I was told I could have the judgment lifted by reporting by the credit reporting company, and recently they did submit an update to the courts. However, the update just said it was dismissed without prejudice, which I later found out means that they can actually reopen the case if they wanted to. It should have been filed as dismissed with prejudice, meaning the case is closed and
the balance is paid in full. Do you have any suggestions on how to resolve this and have it removed from my credit report?
Well, one, she's right, because I did my googles as far as it's like the difference which you dismissed without dismissed with prejudice, but what my Google's also revealed to me? And I asked like a quick like one of my friends who's a lawyer. We were just like Facebook chatting,
so I was asking her. She said that typically when something is dismissed without prejudice, it means that they can refile once, but there's a statute of limitations, meaning like it has to be filed within a certain time period. So I if you can find out in your state, like you know, do it like a Google search, because
even though it was dismissed without prejudice. If that statute, if it's six months, if it's a year, whatever, if that time has passed, you don't have to worry about them trying to come back and get money from you. But I can't understand your nervousness. My assumption is that you're nervous that they might come back and be like, side, we want our money. Even though you paid so one, you know, it might not if it was a year ago or whatever, and you're like, oh, it's past the statute.
They even though it was dismissed without prejudice, they can't come back because that time has expired. Then I wouldn't worry about that if the time has expired, unless that wording is keeping you from getting an apartment. But if it's still within that time, I would think that you would go back to the to the credit company right and say, hey, why is it like this? Or go back to the court system and say why is this?
Why is it still kind of like pending and open you know, who do I need to speak to in order to get that fixed?
Yeah? Or ask if they can put a note even if they have to keep the with prejudice there with prejudice, but balance paid in full. My only concern is I don't know that she'll ever get it off her credit report. I mean, it's legitimate, you know you were, your name was on the apartment. It's it's your credit unfortunately, I think, and she says, it's been a few years later, so that might mean that you have a few more years
of this being on your credit report. So unfortunately, there's probably not a way for you to get it off your credit report. But maybe there's a way for them to at least note on their balance paid in full, so that the next time you apply for an apartment you can at least you can you can defend yourself and say, well, I paid it in full and try to,
you know, explain yourself to whoever's doing the background check. Yeah, my good friend actually was just searching for an apartment in New York and she this might be a case where someone has a similar name to her, and I
wonder if this has happened to anyone else. But she apparently these people who like own this apartment are really sticklers for background checks, and they did this crazy check and it turns out like she found or they said that she had a similar a similar mark or like a judgment in like a county back in Georgia where she's from from over ten years ago, from missing a bunch of rent payments and it wasn't on her credit report, but they had filed the claim in court apparently with
the county, and this had come up in a background check for an apartment all these years later and it wasn't her and she was sort of she had to move on to a different apartment because she tried calling the county, she tried to call with the court. She called all these people to try and figure out and even though the core, the county, whoever she called, said they couldn't find the same record that this background check found. Okay, there really wasn't anything she could do and it wasn't
on her credit report. It was just stopping her from getting an apartment, which sucked. All she could do is just, you know, give up on that apartment and try to find another one where they weren't going to do such a crazy I don't know background check.
Oh no, it is weird. So you know, that brought up reminded me. Remember I talked about last week, how for an order for Superman and I to close on the house, we have to do the title search, and it pulled up some old ticket or whatever he had for one hundred something dollars, right, So it turns out because I was like, wait, So I was asking him, like it seems weird that, like, why would we have
to pay this in order to move forward? We don't so that he can leave that hundred and something thousand that hundred Oh what if it was one hundred something thousand, forget it. I'd be like, boy, I'm out, I'm out, or your neighbor's office. But for that hundred and it was like one hundred and eight dollars, So that it's not that he had to pay it because we're buying
the house cash. But what happens is if we were getting a mortgage, the mortgage company may not give us the mortgage because to them that because he owed and he'd be an owner of the house, that would be a lean against the property that would have to be satisfied if we decide to sell it, you see what I mean? And so I said, oh, so, I mean we're going to pay it because you know, like why have that sitting there? So if we wanted to refinance.
For example, the big thing for mortgage companies is if one day you can't pay, we have to take this house back from you and sell it. We want to make sure that we get our money back, so if there's any lean against your name, we don't want anyone coming at you'd be like, oh, just selling your house.
We need our money back as well. And so I was like, oh, so technically, like I said, we don't have to pay that, but I just want to give an update because it was like the news to me that we don't have to pay it, but it might hold us up if we were getting a mortgage or refinance later on in the future.
Is there any way that you could have found that out yourself? Like what how if you wanted to? Because we got a question about that same thing about happened to Superman from a listener who wanted to know if she wants to because she's thinking of buying a house, if she wants to run her own check, Like, is there a way do you know how they found it and if she could do her or do title search companies just have their own you know.
I don't know, honestly, search tools I was shocked. So I don't even like because you know, we checked his credit and even when we were initially we were going to get a more expensive house, we were going to get a mortgage, even when because we hadn't done a full title search before, but we had definitely like started to do the basic mortgage thing. Like they ran his credit, none of that came up. So it's I'm not gonna lie. I don't know. I didn't even you know, he was like,
what one hundred eighty dollars? I was like, you know, So honestly, I don't know how they found it. It didn't come up on his credit, It didn't show up any other time. I don't know. It's almost like it's almost like a title search. They look at your what the court is saying, that's what it looks like, because like I said before, they were like people who owe child support, people who like owe probation and stuff like that, so this was like an outstanding ticket. So it's almost
like that. And I mean, like I said, I don't quote me because I don't know for sure, but it was just looking at the other folks who had similar names to him that weren't him. They all seem like court related finds that were pulled up, and so I don't know honestly, So you might, I mean, I might do a Google start and I can. What I can do is I can ask my title company, like you know, well, I don't know if they tell me like how do
I do it myself? So but I can certainly ask my realtor, who's amazing, like you know, is there a way to kind of pull this up ahead of time?
All right? Let us know what they find out?
Yes, Lord, I can't wait till we closed. It's just one thing after another, thing after another thing like what's the COO. You have to get like a certificate of occupancy, Like you have to get like the firehouse to come out and make sure that your house is not like dangerous and all this other stuff before you can buy it. So there are all of these things that kind of are not obstacles. But I didn't realize these things that you have to do before you actually close. It's not
just enough to say, hey, I have cash, take my money. No, there are things that have to happen, at least in the state of New Jersey and in Newark. So I don't know what other states do differently, but I have to get a COO. It's two hundred and fifty dollars.
But luckily a mina, my realtor negotiated for the for the bank to pay that, and so that way, you know, we'll get the whoever to come in and say, yes, this house is safe, here's your certificate of occupancy, and then we can close and give them even more money to close, which is.
Like yay, all right, well good luck. It seems like they will be smooth sailing. I mean maybe I don't know, never mind, knock on wed and I'm.
Like, yeah, well, honestly, I'm not even honestly, we're gonna get that. I'm not worried, but I know that, like after this, it's going to be all about renovating. So I'm sure there's gonna be delightful stories of oh my god, we found it, like, you know, a pack of wild raccoon living in the ceil.
Raccoon's better than termine. So right, yes, I mean you can just don't even keep on the pay. Raccoons are very trendy now, They're all over Instagram. All right, you have a date, you need to go, you need to move.
I know I do, all right, So let's let's let's do our wins. What you want to win for.
Michelle. So I want to do my win for the twenty fifth anniversary of my president and my first lady, Michelle and Barack Obama. What is a twenty fifth anniversary? Is that your silver cotton? I don't know. There's always materials that go with.
Each Yeah, there's like a I think diamond is like fiftieth.
Right, yeah, something like that. But twenty five years sounds like a lifetime. I mean it is a lifetime. So congratulations. There are still a couple goals. There are still adult goals, life goals, there everything. And I and I say this because I feel like Michelle is having She's finally coming a little bit back out in spotlight. You see, she did a talk at some conference with Shonda Rhymes, and she met She really is opening up about being first Lady.
I cannot wait for her book to come out. I know why she's been so quiet, because she's like, I'm going to save all the tea for my book and then it shall be spilled and I will make millions of dollars, which I you know, she should make millions of dollars off of it. But uh, I can't wait. I think the book is coming out early next year.
I can't wait. Like, honestly, you're right, I'd love to hear the tea the tete.
Yeah, I love that I got her this book. I can't wait to read hers.
I wonder what she's like. What's her book? It's her book about like specifically about the election, we just in general.
I'm on page five and it's five hundred pages. But in the first few pages, I mean I wanted to read it because I kept reading everyone's opinion about it, and I'm like, no one's read this book yet, Like it's five hundred pages. It just came out a week ago. People need to actually read it first. But no, it is it's like her, it's it's I think what it is. I just reading her, just reading her author's note at the beginning. I understand why she wrote it. And yeah,
there's a lot of people who were upset. They're like, well, she sit down and shut up. She lost the election, me to move on. She's just a sore loser, you know. She wants to take a chance to blame everyone but herself. But honestly, I think what she wants is, you know how the winners in history are the ones who write history. I think this is her saying, I'm not going to let this winner write the history books the way he wants them. I'm going to put my voice out there.
I'm going to tell the story as I saw it in my perspective. Matters and it should be out there. And I was the first female to ever be nominated by a major party for president, and that matters, and I want to tell that story. And yeah, I think, of course it also covers everything that, you know, what happened to the election, but she also is talking about what's happened after. She talks about being there at the inaugural and how sick she felt during and how she
almost did it go to the inaugural. So it's it's juicy, and I don't know, I'm going to read the whole thing. I think I'm interested. I think, yeah, it shouldn't just be Lord knows. I don't want the only record of this election to be at all clockwork orange in the White House.
Oh my god, that's like the perfec name for it for him, flockwork Orange. Well, my whin it's gonna be a little bit of a personal win. And I think a lot of women kind of kind of relate that I was going to actually do you know first lady in President Rock, but I was like, oh man, he's a thief, so whatever, since I stole pumpkins vice from you, I was like, whenever I'll take it, we share, we share.
So my win is just like a little bit personal because I am getting better at And I don't know if if women, I mean, maybe not you, because I feel like you've like are like someone who's not easily as intimidated because surprisingly, even though I have my own business, I can easily be not I don't know if intimidated is the word, but I'm a like a let's not bite, let's just say you got it type of person. You know. So I used to hire what I would call or not even just hire, but I used to have at
least one what I call a bully friend. And I've noticed that this has been a trend since I was a kid, Like there was always somebody in my life who is my friend, but there was an edge of bullyiness in that, you know, where I was like whenever they came around, I'd be like Oh my god, it's my bully friend. Hey girl, Hey, yeah, whatever you want, it's fine. You know, I'll send the back. No, no, this is the problem. You could take the bigger share,
I'll get the middle seat. And I don't know what it is or what it is about that person's personality that they would not necessarily bully other people, but there was something in them and something in me. When we got together. I became like subservient and they became like kind of a bully and I wouldn't see them do that to other people, and I was wondering, like, wow, what is that. So I have finally recognized it because it was a friend of mine who told me that.
He was like, why do you like I just talk to you that way? And I'm like like what, They're like, I don't know, crazy, I'm like do they They're like, uh yeah. So just recently I have been really cleaning out because one of my best friends in high school was a bully friend. It was awesome at first, who were best friends. Everything was great, and then it's almost like maybe I let her say something to me sideways and I let it slide, and then it grew By
the time we graduated in high college. She was terrible to me anyway, and it like it took everything in me to kind of let her go. But I recognize that, Like every once in a while, I would pick up a new bully friend, whether it's somebody who I was working with or you know, something like that. And so recently I really started to clean up the bully friends or just even bully coworkers or bully partners or whatever in my life and gotten rid of them. And like
I said, not because they're super terrible people. I'm not even gonna say that. There's just sometimes it's and I don't know where that comes from in me. I don't know if it's because I'm like from a big family. I don't know that my dad had a really strong personality, and I learned to just be like easygoing, like it's fine, it's fine, Like I don't know what it is, but it doesn't come out a whole lot. But every once
in a while, there's just someone who does that. So like I, like I said, this is Sia.
Maybe they're just assholes and you're nice, Like what is that? Why are you blaming your self?
You know what?
And maybe they're just there.
And you know what, and I don't. I mean, it's that's to me, it's easy to dismiss it, dismiss it at that, but honestly, oftentimes like it doesn't start off that way, or I won't see them be like that with everyone. And I'm like, and I used to think to myself, like when I was kind of like engaged in that kind of weird dynamic, that like Tiffany you have to stand up for yourself or Tiffy you have
to figure out, like how do you conquer this? But now I'm realizing at the age I am now, I'm not trying to conquer it, just get out, Like I'm not trying to figure out like why we had this weird dynamic or how we started off so great and now you're so mean, or now you talk flip to me when we get on the phone and I'm like, what the hell how do we get here? Honestly, I don't care anymore. I don't care about the backstory. I'm just now I've just learned to clean out, and so
just recently I've done a lot of cleaning out. And today someone who like is on my team really remarked upon how different I am now that we've done a lot of cleaning and pruning. And she was like, Yo, you're like amazing. I'm like what she's like, Your leadership style, your energy, everything's been amazing. And I'm like, wow, So it's making this huge difference in that that's a dark cloud.
And once I'm able to release myself from these type of people personally and professionally, you know, I can really like I mean, I think it seems so obvious, but it's hard, you know. And I didn't even recognize that was something that I was doing because just the other day I almost hired a bully. And because this person brought so much to the table. And I don't even think you know, they don't know this, but they brought so much to the table, I thought, Wow, this person
is great. Like I'm reading through resumes and I did a bunch of interviews and I was like, Wow, this person is awesome. This person's great. But then after like talking to a bunch of people on the phone, I was like, wow, this person is very aggressive and silent, irreverend, and I realized that Tiffany, this is a bully. This is a bully. Do not bring this person into your life. No, you just got rid of all of your bully friends
no more. And so you know, even though her credential were amazing, I said no, because it's possible to be both well credentialed and talented and nice.
Oh so yeah, And that's that's a poison. That's a poisonous person. It's a toxicity that's going to seep through every I learned this the hard way last year when I hired my I hired this investigative reporter who was so well credentialed, and he was he was very he was older, and he was very tough and like rugged, like what you think of as an investigative reporter. And
our conversations were great. And as soon as he came in the office to be interviewed or just to chat with and meet my the two co founders of our company, who are both male, it was like I wasn't in the room and he completely walked you know, you know, uh, ignored sort of what that I was there. And then I hired him anyway, feeling like okay, well'll be fine. And when I tell you like he would try and bully me by get around me and going to the men, going to the co founders who have no wh who
don't oversee the editorial content. You know. I was his boss and he would literally go around me, and I was like, and this is the first time I will learn this lesson. I'm gonna try and make it be the last. That's That's one thing I thought of from your story. Another thing is that I can be a bully. Like in my I was that kid like who you know, you grow up kind of being tough and then unintentionally I you know, I know, I was flippant when I
was like, maybe they're just an asshole. Like I've definitely had friends in my life who have been like Mandy, you can be a little too much. Sometimes you can be a little too you know, a little too opinionated, a little too judgy. And I did a lot. I've done a lot, a lot, a lot of work, and I still have work to do on managing and like finding where that comes from and doing better and luckily have saved those friendships because you know what's at stakes.
People will only put up with that for so long. You can only make someone feel bad about themselves, you know, whether intentional or not, for so long. And I like to say I'm a bully, and bully is such a I hate saying that. I hate. I like to say I'm a judgy weggie, and.
I was gonna say, I don't. I don't feel like you're a bully, but I mean recovering and I'm a recovering pushover. And like you wouldn't think, like running a company, that you could be a pushover. Oh it's quite possible, and so yeah, no, it's good though, take knowledge, like you know, how you can show up better in this world and how you're working on. So it's not about perfection.
But yeah, so I was just like, oh, Tiffany go, But it's also good to have because honestly, like you, friends had to tell me like what are you doing? You know? And I was like, babe, They're like, girl, no, why are you let people talk to you like that?
I know you're paying them too?
What not anymore? Bubbo? So yeah, so hey, tell my bully friends you already outside the club now, Boo, you're a watch.
If she hasn't dismissed you yet.
Everybody's gone, Ah, that was a great show. I hope we inspired, I hope we talked.
I hope we dide you last It was the best show ever. Everyone was inspired. They all said it was great. I got millions of tweets about it, brillion.
The fake news will tell you nobody listen. It's all a lie. It's all a lie.
At least a million point five people listen to this episode. I have no facts to support it, but uh, just take my hand a smile.
Oh my gosh,