¶ International Podcast and Sponsorship Updates
Welcome to the Kings of the Road podcast yes , the podcast where you are listening to Scott Hawkins and Andrew Gare remember a trip 20 years ago and talk about our adventures serving churches , going to Walmarts and sleeping in parking lots Overall having a good time . So thank you for listening to us .
Follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen . And I got word that we have moved into a new market called the international market . Is this true , Andrew ?
This is true . This is an international sensation . I don't know what the definition of international sensation is , but I just wanted to . I think if anyone's listening internationally and they sensation is . But I just wanted to .
I think if anyone's listening internationally and they enjoy it , it's sensational .
So yes , I would agree . I would describe this podcast as sensational , of course , and so would our international listeners . Yes , so I just wanted to say hello to Karen . I know that you listen way out in Scotland . Ooh , great to have you listening . Thank you , glad you like it . Listen way out in Scotland Ooh Great to have you listening .
Um , thank you Glad you like it , as tell your friends in Scotland as a real Scottish person who knows real humor , oh , I thank you .
Can she understand American English ? Oh yeah , she can , I just wasn't sure . Okay , sometimes the Scottish people have a hard time with our thick accent over here . Yeah't sure , okay , sometimes that works . The scottish people have a hard time with our thick accent over here yeah , no , I think that's the other way around .
Oh um I will remember , I will just say real quick so this , this one's for you . Uh , karen , we should have shouted you out on episode 11 . Okay , and that is an inside joke , because the way Scottish people say 11 . I see . So , anyways , great to have you listening . Um , do you remember ?
to see you soon . And when we were in the South , they looked at us and do you remember what they said ? Our voices were like I do about that , we'll talk about that we did there . But I thought that was so funny where we were like oh well , I guess , thank you yeah , yeah , because wherever you're from , you don't think you have an accent .
it's everybody else who has accents , right ? So , absolutely , we , uh , we asked some , as scott mentioned , and we will talk about that when we get there but we asked the kids you know what , what do you think of our accents ?
And they told us Well , because they they have sweet silky , make you fall in love with them . Southern charm accents , you know , and they don't realize how , how wonderful that is . So also , today is an exciting day because there is my Facebook feed has blown up with the Kickstarter launch of our graphic artist , 14th of the Road .
Yeah . So another shout out , jeff Parker , my brother-in-law . So he did the artwork for us , our beautiful logo , and he's got a Kickstarter where Jeff is a toy designer by trade and just an incredible artist . That's a good job huh . A real- .
I thought that was just a five-year-old wish . A real douche , though . It seems like that would be one of the wish jobs , like astronaut deep sea diver toy designer , those are my things when I'm seven . That's probably Isaac's dream .
Yeah , no , it is pretty awesome . I think when I first met him and heard that , I was like that , wait , that's not a real job , is it ? I know also he's not a real douche . He's a cool guy , okay , um , but yeah , he's . He did a kickstarter , so he has just introduced something called dr malcolm's body bags .
Nice , that's the only way .
That's the only way to say it . Um , so it's a new toy . It's based on sort of dr frankenstein's .
Say it in a normal voice , because I didn't understand the last words body bags .
Ah , okay , sorry , you got too astonished accent there yeah , no , I got it , it was , it's my monster truck . Announcer voice body bear .
Ah , there it is . That's what you have to do , yeah , but I think so it's super cool .
It's a toy , um . It comes in a cloth body bag with a zipper and you get different monster parts and so there's different combinations and you can build your own monster with these parts . Super cool concept , really fun . So they just did a kickstarter . Maybe we'll post something on how to find that and help fund that . But gosh awesome .
It launched on May 1st and at the time that we're recording this not to give away some of the magic , but we actually record these things ahead of time they're already almost at their goal , but you can certainly get in on the action Get on the ground floor . Get on the ground floor of what's also sure to be an international Sensation .
We'll send one to Karen , and then it'll become international . Karen , the body bags are coming to you .
Yes .
Nice problem solved .
So we were just taking care of business .
And you know , obviously , jeff , you can make the check out directly to me , okay To you , and then you'll get directly to me . Okay , yeah , to you .
And then you'll get it to him for sure , because he doesn't know this , but Dr Malgum's Party . Bags are now our official sponsor of Kings of the Road podcast Perfect .
So the first $10,000 has to come to pay off their debt that they owe us . That is correct . Thank you , that is correct .
Maybe up the numbers on the Kickstarter .
So you , can afford your advertising expenses . No advertising .
You can reach an international market , if you market and advertise with Kings of the Road podcast .
Good job . I had something that was cool that I wanted to talk about .
And as I told you , in our pre-production meeting for the show today .
Yes , in the room with our whiteboards , where our producers , with our producers and our the , the brain trust , where we workshop with uh random people yes , random people um , my alternate personalities , um it's a little more thoughtful but very cool where I'll start here . So our youth pastor's name is marco .
I think I've talked about a couple times great guy 22 , 23 years old , so , um , in that stage of life which is where we were right when we were on the road trip , so kind of interesting that way married , uh , gonna transition to a career in law enforcement .
Whoa really yeah .
Yeah , so he wants to go there because he really feels called towards human trafficking and not to do human trafficking .
But to stop it . Thank you for clarifying . I just wanted to make sure .
I shouldn't talk about that as openly . And so they said to get law enforcement background or military background . And so he is going there , el Sedeno Police Department . That's the goal and it sounds like it's going to work out .
A couple weeks ago , maybe a month ago , car accident , pulling out into traffic and leaving his apartment like merging in , and a car , no headlights on , boom hits him . Oh man and so yeah , and the paramedics said like , like man , if he was like a foot like farther back in your car could have been horrible .
You know one of those like praise god , it was this important of your car , yeah , and so , but he had this collision where his collarbone oh man , his shoulder , moved in his collarbone like didn't , and so I guess that tears up all these tendons , oh right here and and like a little fracture in his collarbone . So he's in a sling and he has this injury .
What's he going to do with the Elson , the police department , you know all these like things . Right , I'm sitting in church and I'm just thinking , you know , god's going to heal this injury . I think God's going to heal this injury . I , I heal this injury . I think God's going to heal this injury . I'm not sure how .
And I meant to pray for it that day at church . I didn't . Last week he got up in front of the church and he's going to transition , like I said , to this job , and so he announced that and we prayed for him . I prayed specifically for his shoulder . He comes in to church today or yesterday last night and I'm like how's it going ?
Because he has surgery scheduled in the middle of the month and I'm like you know how's it going , because he has surgery scheduled in the middle of the month and he's like I'm wondering if I'm going to do the surgery or not . And I'm like , really , because they basically said , like his collarbone's floating , this is important . And he says , yeah , what happened ?
Was I back a week or so we were going to meet and he said , oh , I have to get a brake job in my car , so can we do it a different time . I said , hey , that's my friend , he's a mobile brake guy . He shows up to your house Okay , yeah , and does brakes , and his name is David Hazel . Do you remember David the Hazels at all ?
Oh , yeah , from high school . Okay , sure , is a Andrew . He is a character from a movie now . Okay , like he is such a he's impossible to describe , except he is a character in a movie . He's like he's division one wrestler , so big heavyweight six one , like his dad , was the coach .
I remember his dad .
That was the coach yeah , thick guy , huge beard , like Hagrid from Harry Potter . Hagrid from Harry Potter , oh yeah , huge beard , smokes nonstop , just constantly smoking . Yep , does mobile brake repair , shows up to your house , fitches your car in the driveway , does the brakes .
So I say , marco , hey , he's a good deal Nice guy , but expect like 20 minutes of conversation Because you're going to get some random stories . Yep , a lot of cursing .
A lot of cursing a lot of cigarettes right but you'll have a good time like just go in yeah , it's better than sitting in the brake shop exactly reading a six year old Motor Trend magazine .
Okay , so so Mark was like okay , so yesterday . He's like oh yeah , I called David . I didn't know that . I said and that was Brake's son . He says come to my house . And he goes why are you driving your wife's car ? Like long story short , where's your car ? He's like oh , an accident , I have my shoulder injury .
And david looks at him and says this is gonna be a little weird , but can I put my hands in your armpit ? He goes I know , I know I'm the great guy who called your house and I'm asking to put my hand in your armpit right now spiritual healer I'm gonna say I , I had the same injury that you had , except it was worse . I tore my rotator cuff .
He's like it's actually a common wrestling injury , because you fall on your shoulder and like collarbone okay okay , so he's like I had the same injury some of my co , my teammates , had the same injury . Some of them got surgery , others didn't get surgery . He's like the ones who got surgery though have not been happy .
He's like they've had three or four surgeries trying to get it right . It hasn't been right . He's like I never had surgery and he's like my shoulder is stronger than theirs and it's still going better . He's like let me do something , so , mark , I'll live .
Oh man , I'd be like , just do the breaks bro again dude's like six , four , 280 pounds , probably solid like oh my huge beard you know , oh my gosh okay . So like puts his arms up on him and david puts his arms on , holds him and he's like dude , he like touched my soul through my arm . He's like . He's like I went .
He's like I , he went deep and he found some , like some spot that was still tight . He like rubbed on it for 30 seconds and during this time his dad pulls up . He's at his dad's driveway , he's in an apartment to get his car . Oh , my gosh , so his dad falls up and he's like what is happening .
Why is my son getting a rubdown from a giant ?
in the driveway . In the driveway , but , andrew , he stands . So he's like try to move your arm now . Couldn't do this before . Full range of motion , stop it . No , full range of motion . And he's like do a push-up . Marco , couldn't do a push-up with that light . Just feels like my neck was exploding .
He's like push up , your whole body has been tense because of this thing . He's like if you just rub this out and get that light loosened up and do physical therapy , he's like you will not need the surgery oh my gosh dude . And so Mark goes to my office and I'm like so you don't want to do the surgery ? I was like I don't know .
I'm confused , because what if in a month , I think I need it ? But he's like , but he dropped the drugs , I can do five push-ups right now , no pain . And I'm like I don't know , man . I feel like I'm sitting in church Two weeks ago . I told Emily after I said I think Mark doesn't heal his shoulder , I think God doesn't heal his shoulder .
Mark does shoulder and he goes , and David Hazel . And so then I started researching and he's like turns out the orthopedic world is split on this surgery , like some are like yes , others are like don't , physical therapy is enough , you don't need that . Like we can make it strong without it .
And so it's just interesting , because I've been pondering this thing and this is why I'm just like touch more seriousness to it is like I I would say that that's a god healing his shoulder thing . Yes , if you go down the internet hole , there are people who say you shouldn't get the surgery right , like there's other things going on .
But marco is staring at surgery , thinking I have three months recovery , then I'm going to go to the el sedano police department , then I'm going to like hopefully I get the strength up to pass , you know , six months of police academy and all of that , and through David Hazel in a parking lot , like showing him actually there's another way . What do you ?
You know what ? Like okay , so it's not miraculous .
Yeah . Leprosy disappeared off your skin , but for him , yes , I see why you brought this up , yeah .
You know , like that's just kind of cool . I I just think we don't give . Could god take away leprosy and just make his shoulder tendons reattach ? Yes , but at the same time , is this not healing ? Just a different name yeah , well
¶ Reflections on Healing and Faith
it's I .
I think of two things . One is , yes , I think our example of healing comes from the stories of Jesus and the Bible . Healing Right , you know , the blind person , the paralytic all these things .
Lepers , yeah , people like now not walking , walking Right , and so we're like which God can do for sure . Not taking that away from them .
Exactly so , when we're like God heal , heal me , we're expecting all of a sudden , like like in turn , okay , yeah like , done , walk out of here .
You know , on the video game , that was the sound I heard from you like , and then you see like , yeah , you see , like the , you know the preachers who were like somebody out here has got a problem , come here and then they like push their forehead and the people who catch them , and they're like I healed and I do a cartwheel .
And it's like , and so in our minds , or in my mind , just without thinking about it too deeply , I'm like , well , yeah , that's what healing is . But then I think of that story you know , of like the person who they drove their car and there was a flood .
And now they're sitting on top of their car in the middle of the floodwaters and they're praying dear Lord , save me . And so somebody comes on the side of the bank and it's like I have a rope , I'm going to throw you the rope and pull you to safety . No , no , no , god's going to save me .
And they're like okay , and then it keeps going and then there's like a helicopter and they come down to the person on the car and they're like we're going to get you out of here . And they're like no , no , no , I'm waiting for God to save me . And then the person , like , the floodwater consumes the person and they drown and he gets up to heaven .
He's like God , you didn't save me . He goes . I sent you a man with a rope . I sent you a boat . I sent you a helicopter . What more do you want ? And so the whole thing , the purpose of that story is like , yes , god uses people All sorts of things and all sorts of things .
So I think that , yeah , I mean , had you not said , call up this mobile break , had he just gone to the break shop like surgery would have been , not even a question , he would have researched it , he would have gone because , honestly , that's what we do , right , like we go to the doctor , and you know my dad was going through prostate cancer .
He did find out . He's like surgeons want to cut radiation , guys want to use radiation , like they all have their tool in their tool bag . Yeah , they want to do their thing . And so there's a whole other way of thinking , thinking about a lot of these problems , and I just thought we don't enough give God credit for all of those healings as well .
We don't say , look at what God did here , we , we just go oh , david happened to know this , because he was a wrestler and he had this injury .
And you know , like that , I , I just yeah , those , those moments are also worthy of praise , I think , and are important to acknowledge as opposed to just pass over and and try to explain away and so yeah , I was just like look at what god did you know ?
yeah , through the hands of david and as I mentioned , until you know him as well , you don't realize what a billion percent tv character he is . Where you're like there's not humans like that , right ? Yep , there are there are . I don't know if you guys know people who are just like characters in a movie .
You know where you're like oh yeah no , you don't have that . You're like , yeah , actually there are people who who operate like that all the time what's's the saying ?
Art imitates life . Is that right , you know ?
I mean , I just think I was like that is such a cool story , so I wanted to lay it down on the vinyl . I think that's what we're doing , are we ? Yeah , I have a record going , oh , so you can .
So you know you might be listening on spotify prime , but originally apple music but you can also get it on vinyl , if that's your preference okay , good to know .
¶ Museum Adventures and Southern Phrases
Hello , the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog is that the first thing that was ever said ? I couldn't remember . It's right there on my brain tip , but I can't remember I thought it was .
Can you hear me ?
can you hear me now ? Alexander graham bell's first thing on the telephone was like mr butthead , please come in here . And he's like oh , I didn't hear it . I don't think his name was Mr Butthead , though yeah that's a strange name Okay . Where are we in the world ?
We are in Washington DC . Still , we're going to spend a couple days here , right ?
Yep , yep , yep .
Good . So today is day 40 . It's Saturday , it's the 6th of November 2004 . And we are staying with the Wokuses in Bethesda , maryland .
Thank you , wokuses , thank you , mom , for sending some almond rolled Danish cake . I remember we got that one for sure there . Oh , yep , I know that for a fact . I remember eating it there , and I think that's when we realized , oh , this is going to follow us . We've seen this before . We've seen this before .
So we had breakfast with Cindy and Randy Wokas , which was really nice . It was nice , they were really great people , do you ?
Have you seen them since Haven't ? I was actually thinking I should ask my mom and dad about them , how they're doing , so I don't , I couldn't tell you , okay .
Randy sounded exactly like Brad Vanderham , but he is a lawyer okay brad vanderham . Yeah , that's a reference that everybody gets , so I I worked at a camp in college called sunshine ministries .
I lived on the houseboat and different high school and junior high groups would come up uh for a week at a time and we would have a good time Ski boats , swimming , hiking , Bible study , worshiping the Lord all the things . And so Brad Vanderham was this guy who ran the camp and he had a very deep , booming voice , distinctive , and he used to every year .
Unfortunately he passed away a few years ago . But did he really ? He did , yeah , I didn't know that yeah , I don't remember exactly what it was that old he wasn't that old , I I think he maybe had cancer or something , oh man , um .
So that was very sad , but every year on my birthday and I think he did this to everybody he would send the same message and he would , I think , just it was the lyrics of happy birthday and he would go can you hear me singing that to you ? Or it was something like that .
It was like very charming and it was like I actually can Because he had a very distinctive voice . So , anyhow , randy had a very distinctive , deep voice and he is a lawyer . Cindy is a short Jewish lady who is tons of fun and does graphic design for work .
Okay .
Okay , cindy drove us back to the Metro and we wrote it back to Union Station .
We walked to the Smiths . Remember that time they've lost the night before walking to their house Right .
This is when it was very late and we had to figure out how do we get back .
Oh no , and he did . He did again .
We walked to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum , which was sort of dumb because that was a long walk and there was actually a Smithsonian Metro stop . What can I say ?
We're dumb , we yeah , we don't know those things we just don know .
Yeah , I think we probably could have just deduced from the signage that like oh , we're going to the smithsonian right museum , there's a smithsonian stop . Maybe that's closer , but anyways , we are not used to public transportation and subway systems . So I think think we were just like we didn't know where we were going to go .
Exactly , exactly .
Exactly so . Air and space is a very cool museum . If you like that sort of thing . Fair , that's a line I use a lot .
If you like that sort of thing .
At home . Yeah , like Mary will say something . I'm like yeah , it's cool If you like that sort of thing . In other words , like I'm not interested .
I was going to say so go on and see if you like that sort of thing , because I'm curious , let's see , let's see .
I don't say I don't , I don't say , that was all there was I think that that line implies not your favorite , not my favorite . I don't think it was . I think it was impressive .
And if you're like a museum person and you're like super into air , and space then yeah , like I remember there was stuff from you know , there were spacecraft , there was other aircraft , space stuff Cool .
Spacesuits .
Spacesuits .
Yeah .
So I think in general , the the line , if you like that sort of thing means , and I don't yeah , yeah , right oh , I guess that was how cute this baby was , that sort of thing I could see where some people would think that that's a cute baby yeah , I feel like I think , if you like children , me , on the other hand , nope , I just want them grown .
There's another phrase that I really like , and I'm I'm trying to see if I can remember what it is . Um , oh , darn it . I don't think I can it's . It's something along the lines of like it's a very non-committal , just sort of subtle way of saying I don't like that , or whatever it is where it's .
Oh , I can't think of it right now , but I love this , I love those sorts of phrases where on the surface this is like that's pretty positive , but when you stop and think , you're like , oh , that's a real , that's a real classic one of that and we're not in the south yet , but I did live there for six years is bless your heart .
Yes , they , they do love that phrase , and whenever someone's heart's being blessed , that's not great , oh , that's a wonderful outfit bless her heart don't take it as a compliment , not a good outfit they're not saying something nice about you yeah , that is the south , isn't it ? That is the south . So we met Blake outside of the museum .
Interesting that we met him outside of the museum .
He was like no , no , no , I'm good also , it's not like no , no , no , 11 times good also .
It's not like oh no , he didn't want to pay to get in fun fact about all the museums in washington dc .
They are free yeah , I think the one , the one thing . So , having again lived somewhere else and people would come visit , you have like a tour , you bring people on . You know you're like this is cool , but this is the 11th time I've seen , yeah , the birmingham civil rights museum which again is great , but I'll zip through it .
Yeah , yeah people like it yeah , yeah . What do you think ?
people like it . That's like when you go to a restaurant oh , how are the ? Yeah , how is this dish ? People seem to like it . People seem to like it . People seem to like the dish . Okay , I won't order that . Reading between the lines .
Here is the question I ask if I'm willing to just go on an adventure in eating , which I am a lot of times . Yes Is to my waiter . If you were to not work here and then come back a year later , what would you order ? Oh , that's a good question . I think that gets to the like . Oh , this is the thing that I would crave , thinking of craving .
So , totally randomly , we were driving home from a free museum , the California Science Center , on a field trip last week and me and a guy and I'm like oh , let's try . This place called the Tamale man and it was on TikTok and it blew up six months ago or something a year ago . Oh , tamales are so good .
We walked , we walked in and he says is this your first time here ? We're like yeah , he's like about to change your life . This is what we have . We have the tamale super , duper , duper , duper plate .
We take the tamale , we cut it open , we line up three meats , we put cheese and avocado on the top and that's what it is , and we're like great , that's what we're having the tamale super duper , duper , duper plate where ?
is this .
It's right , it's on carson street in torrance , like about to come down from like the freeway . Yeah , if you're , when you're back in the south bay , we'll get them . Oh man , it is so . And so other people came in and they're like I just want like a chicken tamale . He's like no , we have .
And she's like but I , I just want a chicken tamale .
He's like no , and she's like but I just want a chicken tamale . He's like no , we have a tamale super duper , duper , duper plate . That's three meats , but I would . What about a quesadilla ? No , we have a tamale super duper , duper and the only time we compromised was one person was like I guess I'll just have a burrito .
They're like oh okay , I'll do a burrito and just put all my meats in a tortilla Wrap the tamale , super , super , duper , duper duper plate in a tortilla Fine , fine it was the best . Oh , that is good .
And we both me and this guy were eating . He's a really fun guy .
But we're like I need . I wanted tamales duper , duper , duper plates .
Yeah , occasionally , way of being satisfied occasionally I'll go to the home depot on saturday well , let's be honest , pretty much every saturday right and walk just to like say hi to all my friends that are there and , uh , there's usually somebody selling tamales out of the trunk of their car and I I'm always like oh .
I know that's going to be good and I never buy them . And I gotta , I gotta buy them . Cause , I'll tell Mary about it and she's like I would never buy food out of a trunk . I'm like this is going to be the best tamale . I'm like that's how tam .
And I got out of there right at lunch and they're like , oh , we have a tamale person that comes by , you can buy them . And yes , they're in the parking lot . I was like , okay , so I bought some tamales out of the truck of their car and went to my parents house and bought them tamale .
So good , or like tacos that are at some stand that just doesn't exist most of the time but randomly , on Tuesdays shows up .
Anytime somebody's like hey , want to come to my party , my knee-jerk reaction is not really , and they're like we're going to have a taco man , I'm there .
I'm there . I'm there and they don't know about taco men in the rest of the world . This is something karen scotland does not know about . Karen , because I know because I was in alabama trying to do a fundraiser for a mexico mission trip . I was doing a taco guy and the look on their southern faces was like I have no idea what you're talking about .
You know , person with a cart , they come , they grill the food right there , make you tacos , and they're like oh yeah , we had a taco man for my 40th birthday , and the best thing about hiring the taco man is they give you all the leftovers .
At the end , too , you're never hungry again . So good , well it only lasts a day because I just overeat myself anyhow . Okay . So we met blake . Gotta get back on track . This one's gonna be two hours long . I know I'm hungry . Uh , I know I'm so hungry too .
Um , so with him we went to the archive museum , where we saw the original bill of rights , the declaration of independence and the constitution , among other documents of great historical and political significance .
I love it .
Right . Yeah , we walked from there past the White House on our right and Washington Monument on our left . Eventually we've got to Lincoln Memorial , world War II Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial . Dc really is an amazing place of so much American and global significance .
I was in DC earlier this year , I guess last year and , uh , I was there for a conference and so I had time to kill in the evenings and so I went . I had never gone and seen the um um , oh gosh , which one . It's the famous one where it's the soldiers holding up the flag , or like they're pushing up the flag on the hill that's ruled .
Yeah , that's um uh . The islands in world war ii I think it's just like .
I think it's just the marines uh , it could be . Yeah , that's one of the islands in world war ii . That they're , I think they're taking yes , uh , yeah , yeah , I think it's like the marines monument or whatever . Everybody's seen pictures of this Yep In person and I saw it at night with the lights . It is magnificent .
I remember particularly being overwhelmed at the Vietnam Memorial . Do you remember that ?
Yeah , and I walked by that the last time too . I did all this stuff , I just walked a whole bunch .
The way it grows and the way , like you , yes , it starts little and every name it just gets bigger and bigger . You're standing in the midst of this sea of names , so many names . It was really truly powerful . I mean , like talk about Gettysburg , just wow . This art , like art right , moves you .
It moves you to recognize the sacrifice and the power of of those that time and those people .
So , yeah , that was very impactful yeah , yeah , the whole , the whole , real , like it's worth it Like it is .
¶ Exploring Washington DC With Kids
Put it on your list . You need to spend some time in DC and you can do it . It's all very close Like you can hit it all in one day if you wanted to .
But also I don't know if you'd want to . I was going to say it Like slow down Because I think you could because it's all so close , but at I think you would . You could because it's also close , but at the same time , all of those things , you don't want to rush through them , you don't want to just go up there .
It was , yeah , like you do want to experience it .
We we tried to experience the white house with our kids Well , many years ago .
you just added with our kids means you don't experience anything , You're surviving .
Our kids . You don't experience anything . You're surviving . Our kids were stroller age at this time and I remember yeah we , it was , it was us .
And then it was , uh , my sister-in-law grace in pennsylvania and her three kids , oh , and then my sister-in-law molly with one of her kids although that was darla , she was a bit older um , and so we're going , and we first we do the Washington DC Zoo , which is very cool , also free , but it's built on a hill , so you start at the bottom and you work your
way up . So we climbed to the top of this hill . Then we ride the metro with all these kids . We get out to where the White House is . We stop at a Starbucks to get drinks because everybody's like , yeah , on the , on the edge like let's get you a treat .
You know , and I remember like going to the white house and it's exhausting , and like I pushed the curve , the stroller over the curb , and like the strawberry blended drink falls on top of one of the kids and I'm just like , and so it's like there's the white house . We're like , who cares ? Let's freaking go home . I hate this place .
So yeah , don't go when your kids are too young . Take your time .
Also , yeah , we went to Benihana's for my birthday . I walked in thinking because we didn't have a great time the last time at Benihana's . But I realized because the kids are older now they're six and eight and Grace actually had that theater thing , but it's like , oh , they really they liked it . Now you know they did it .
It's more fun for them to sit and watch , whereas when they were like last time was like four and five or four and six , I was like , yeah , just a little too young . So you're like more like don't touch the hot grill in the middle , don't do that right .
Oh yeah , now it's like oh yeah , this is a fun , like many houses , fun the food average yeah , I I enjoy the food . I hear what you're saying .
We talked about this the other day . Yeah , it's fine it's .
I just thought you know that's something that it grows on you . Like you were saying white house with kids and strollers , it's horrible , yeah , but that's why .
That's why I think this last trip , where it was just me , I could spend as much time as I wanted , like I went up to the lincoln memorial changer and I read every single word of you know what's carved on the stone the Gettysburg Address .
Four score and seven years ago our forefathers .
But then I'm in there and I'm standing at the feet of this giant marble carving of Abraham Lincoln , and then it's like the busloads of middle schoolers comes and the room just fills with the noise and I'm just like I'm out , okay , well that sort of ruined it for me , yeah , anyway , okay , ruining things again and that's the takeaway here maybe that's what this
podcast evolves into is how children ruin everything and everything Monument , memorials . Dc really is an amazing place . Yes , yes , yes . One interesting thing about DC is that no buildings can exceed the height of the Capitol building , so there are no skyscrapers .
The Capitol . Is it the Capitol that's ?
what I wrote ? Yep , okay is that ? Are you thinking it was the white ?
house .
No , I wasn't in the white house , but then I'm confused about washington memorial um right , that is taller , but no buildings around the capital can be taller than the capital .
Okay , I see um fun fact disneyland has the same agreement with the city of anaheim there is a radius out from disneyland , where buildings can only be a certain height , because when you're in the park , walt Disney didn't want you to see the outside world .
Yeah .
That place .
I see . So it's not the building , it's the hotel . Can't be some massive thing right at the gate , correct ? Do you know how pissed Disney is ? He didn't buy the whole city of Anaheim when he could have those orange droves and stuff . I know Because then he bought all of Florida . He's like let me just buy all of Orlando .
Kiss me , you're mine , Because I have never made that mistake again .
And they died . The hardest part was probably trying to find who owned it to sell it .
They're like eh nobody wants this , Like you want that Swap . Like it is horrible here . There's a lot of data , it's hot and humid and you know we're in Florida , right ? The highest point is the height of the IV .
When we were in the middle of the state , we were the tallest thing in Florida , florida , we'll have some words for you , florida , when we get there we're coming to you . Florida . So it gives the Capitol and all of the monuments such majesty that makes it all feel so powerful .
We got a bit cut off on time , since we were going to see a pro soccer game this evening For our Scottish listener , or listeners , that's football . Look how international we are Translating things Right . One of Blake's friends got fourth row second section seats to the championship game between the DC United and the New England Revolution .
Whoa , whoa , what patriotic soccer name . Soccer team names , that is huh . It was an absolutely terrific game . It ended a tie three to three . So they went to two 15 minute minute halves which ended scoreless . Because of that they went to shootouts , which is what everybody is hoping for in soccer .
I think right , because like like man , we played a whole lot of soccer . I don't know . Let's just do shootouts , like it's one of those rules I think they wrote .
They're like well , this is never gonna happen and then it totally does or it'll never end .
So exciting , yeah , or it'll never end yeah , so because of that , they went to shootouts . Before I talk about that , let me tell you about these fans , and you've told me about going to soccer games here . Low lafc , you have to go . It's so worth it . I , I'm into it , let's do it . Um , the fans are incredible .
¶ Soccer Game Memories and Wedding Pact
There's a whole section that sits behind the goal and hurls rolls upon rolls of toilet paper . Anytime dc united scores nice . Uh , probably not during covid anyways let's not go , that would be no , you just go collect it . All real people are just yeah , um , they just cover the goal in toilet paper . It is hilarious .
Along with the toilet paper crew , there are the jumpers A section across the field from us , maybe half the field long and 30 to 50 rows deep . Jump up and down in unison .
I love it . I love soccer fans .
Right so great the whole section of the stadium flexes and bounces under the jubilant frenzy . That's a bit terrifying for every structural engineer out there like oh boy we did not calculate for that .
This was your plan yeah , jumpers um .
It was so entertaining . Some of the jumpers even had choreographed moves this is lafc .
I'm telling you you got to go , we'll have so much fun oh .
I'm into it All . Right Back to the shootouts . Each team , five kickers , best of five . At the end of it it was three to three . No , it is again . So then it went to sudden death .
Kicked out . Yes , this is the longest possible soccer game there can be .
Yes , we suck the most out of these tickets ever . It is every possible like oh crap , they still are tied . Oh jeez .
DC United kicks , do we ?
have enough soccer balls ? Yes , right Like , does anybody get a volleyball ? That'll work . So DC United kicks and scores .
The place goes nuts .
Yes , revolution has a chance to even it up and continue on . They don't . The kick is blocked . Dc United wins .
Body packs Body packs , I don't know . That just felt appropriate . I was hoping you were going to go there . Okay , thank you .
Yeah , so DC United wins . Pew , pew , pew . It was really a great game . We also got to see Freddie Adu , the 15 year old , in his rookie season . It was sweet .
This is a memory that I it's just not there Do you have it .
Oh no , I'm so glad you wrote it down . I am too . I don't remember all the details , but I really like detail . I just remember , oh yeah , we went to a soccer game and I feel like we got out of there late and no , it's like , and I remember it being fun .
We go to a soccer game , I would have been like no , no , kidding gone , but I love it . I love everything about that . Yeah , this is one of the huge benefits of doing this is remembering things that I I did not remember , and I'm so glad that we did that and so glad you wrote it down .
That's awesome yeah , yeah , um , okay , oh , that , uh , yes , so that was , that was day 40 , and it's that big . Yeah , I'm like oh , I can't go on much longer than that .
No , because we brought it out late for you to do so , did you ? I wonder how he's doing .
Yeah , I have no idea . He's older now . He's about 20 years older , as a matter of fact .
Yeah , exactly , he's 35 , my sources tell me . That's what I've heard .
What a day . So , yeah , dc , we're still there tomorrow . It sure pays to note like Blake is a Somebody who hooked us up . Blake is one of the most friendly um people and I think as a result of that and his personality , had great friends who had great perks . Yeah , I don't .
All I'm saying is like to just show up in DC and get to have fourth row tickets in a championship soccer game Crushed it . Like yesterday , how we went and got these private tours , tours of the Capitol , of the Capitol . What a great time .
It is great , right and Blake yeah , a friend we've known forever . Right and blake yeah , I didn't friend , we've known forever . Uh , I have a the memory that immediately comes up when I think about blake or blake and sarah's wedding .
When , in case the listener doesn't know , we have a ongoing deal , uh , with anto and I that at a wedding , when we're at a wedding together , we get one free slap of the other person across the face without there being any repercussions , and that's right , are we ? That's like a thing right for the rest of our lives , right ?
Just want to confirm that on air yeah , so okay like at our kids . The shame of it all yes , okay , I was making sure because I'm not gonna forget , like I forgot the soccer . But there's potential that you're in the middle of giving your father of the bride speech at either his wedding and I just come up and smack you .
Maybe we can set some ground rules , just no holds barred , okay , just like I have two girls too , so first you have to just have in the back of your head daughter daddy , daughter dance Wham Like . First you have to just have in the back of your head daughter daddy , daughter dance wham like well . Well , I have it , it was within the rules .
So at blake and sarah's wedding and I think this is where it happened although I did reach out to blake and ask for the picture and he said they didn't have it I went to the photographer and I said so , photographer , sir , I'm going to slap that man across the face in about 10 seconds . Will you please capture it on photo ?
And so we're in a dance circle as they do in the early 2000s I'm not sure if it's still a thing and I lasso Andrew and I'm bringing him in and I'm going to just smack him . With a photographer there , I'm pulling him in and as I reach back and hit him across the face , at the same moment I feel across my cheek a slap In my mind .
I'm like you , fool . You are luring me into certain demise of your cheek . Little did I know .
Little did you know ? Oh , I love that plan . Yeah , that I just . Oh , if you have that picture and it was your wedding , please get it to us , please go through your wedding photos man . Maybe the wedding photographer just was like I'm not , I'm not giving this to the bride and groom . Like this is crazy . Like these people had a real beef .
These people had a real beef . And then when I walk up to you , I'll dead-eye you right as you're giving the best , or the father of the bride to me to just pop you across the face . This is .
Do we know where that started ? I don't remember what wedding that started .
I think it was how I met my mother episode . I think they had a deal like that and we're like that would be fun .
I know this was before I don't want to say that it came from a show . I feel like one of us just slapped the other one . Probably you slapped me and then you slapping you and then and then that just became a thing that we did , but yeah the agreement stands , sir , good yes so if you're getting married soon .
¶ Wedding Invites & Finding Love
Invite make sure to invite both of us and it will happen , it will .
Oh , what a great day . I think I got you once really good to where , like your ear was ringing . I got you once really good too At Chris and Carly's wedding . I think you were like you were . Yeah , it was bad , but that was honestly probably the next time this will be instituted is . I'm guessing .
If Katie Conrad gets married , she'll probably be the first of our friend group that we'll both be invited to for sure . Oh , I can't wait . Katie , find the man . Just any man will do Really , really any man will do . Really we need any man will do we yeah , it's been too long it's been too long , so okay good day .
Speaking of too long , oh hey .
Hey , sorry about that everybody , it was perfect yeah , you're just lost in the world of kings of the road and joined meandered from Scotland through some body baths into a meaningful talk about healings in Washington DC . What a great little episode you've had , so pockets out .
You're going to stick with that . Huh , that's what .
I'm going to say now . That's what I'm going to say at the end of my service .
Bye everybody , Goodbye .