WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:04.839 Oh way, it's your sloppy baby, Ali Ward. This is 2 00:00:04.919 --> 00:00:07.559 not a normal episode at all. So if this is 3 00:00:07.559 --> 00:00:09.800 your first episode of oologies, if someone over the holidays, 4 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:12.599 it's like, usually this is not the one to start with, 5 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:16.600 to just go away, save yourself. Actually, I don't know, 6 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:20.679 maybe stick around. So typically it's an interview with an oologist, 7 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:22.879 but this one is just me and I'm going to 8 00:00:22.920 --> 00:00:25.079 be telling you secrets and giving you some life tips 9 00:00:25.079 --> 00:00:28.199 and doing an AMA that patrons submitted questions for. So 10 00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:30.760 it's the week in between the holidays and New Year. 11 00:00:31.160 --> 00:00:37.799 Everything's slow, Flights are grounded, there's blizzards, but you still 12 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:40.159 have to go to your job, probably unless you've got 13 00:00:40.200 --> 00:00:41.920 a two full weeks off. So I wanted to give 14 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:44.320 you just a little something, just a little comfort. 15 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:46.719 Hangout, just you and me. We're just hanging out. 16 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:50.880 We're just shooting shits, you know. Also, if you haven't 17 00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:54.039 listened to the P twenty two episode or the meteorology episode, 18 00:00:54.039 --> 00:00:56.560 they are both absolute certified bangers. 19 00:00:56.759 --> 00:00:59.759 Please go enjoy them, especially. 20 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:00.000 P twenty two. 21 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:03.159 We work so hard on and meteorology will explain so 22 00:01:03.320 --> 00:01:06.519 much about what's happening blizzard wise, So get up in 23 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:10.319 them if you're looking for some just typical ologies content, 24 00:01:10.439 --> 00:01:12.519 so do not sleep on those if you haven't heard 25 00:01:12.519 --> 00:01:14.959 them because of the holidays. But this one, I just figured, 26 00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:18.359 let's tell some secrets. Let me share some of my 27 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:21.239 life tips that have gotten me through. This year hasn't 28 00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:23.560 been the easiest year, but look at me. I'm here 29 00:01:23.959 --> 00:01:26.640 and I'm wearing clean socks and we're gonna have fun. 30 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:27.000 Okay. 31 00:01:27.079 --> 00:01:31.680 Also, after the break, we'll do an ama with questions 32 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:34.400 from patrons. Okay, let's do the theme song here we go. 33 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:53.359 Okay. 34 00:01:53.640 --> 00:01:55.480 Also for those who don't know, do you know that 35 00:01:55.560 --> 00:01:58.959 that theme song was done by Nick Thorburn And he 36 00:01:59.000 --> 00:02:02.120 also did the theme song for a little podcast called 37 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:04.840 Cereal But he lived in my neighborhood and we were pals, 38 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:07.359 and he did that one for Ologies. He's also in 39 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:09.719 a band called Islands. In case you're looking for more 40 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:13.960 music to shake your lower half to or your upper 41 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:18.280 So let's start with a secret, shall we. Let's do 42 00:02:18.360 --> 00:02:23.120 a secret. Some of you might not know that I 43 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:25.400 dye my hair. I'm not a natural redhead at all, 44 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:27.599 and people sometimes call me a redhead and I just 45 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:31.680 let them. But I have brown hair, and then I 46 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:34.400 died at blue black during my goth phase, and then 47 00:02:34.759 --> 00:02:38.000 I went to go get it stripped and turned back 48 00:02:38.039 --> 00:02:42.439 to brown at some point, and the hairstylist kind of 49 00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:45.319 gave me like a calico cat look where it all 50 00:02:45.879 --> 00:02:48.599 just a patchwork quilt of hues, and I was like, 51 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:52.240 this looks great, and I think he was so excited. 52 00:02:52.280 --> 00:02:54.360 I wasn't going to sue him, and he. 53 00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:57.319 Was like, are you okay with these patches? And I 54 00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:59.280 was like, I think it looks cool. It's kind of reddish. 55 00:02:59.319 --> 00:02:59.879 I like it. 56 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:02.680 And then I've been a redhead ever since, and I 57 00:03:02.759 --> 00:03:05.159 dye my hair myself. I've had a diet in a 58 00:03:05.159 --> 00:03:08.280 salon a few times, but it always turns purple and 59 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:09.960 it takes like two hours, so I just do it myself. 60 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:13.039 I think I use bright auburn by like a lour anyway, 61 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:15.680 I just use box color, or I go to to 62 00:03:15.879 --> 00:03:19.120 a beauty sply Star, not that you asked, but I'm 63 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:21.479 not a natural redhead. My hair also grows in gray, 64 00:03:21.560 --> 00:03:23.560 and I use this spray stuff on my roots when 65 00:03:23.560 --> 00:03:25.479 I have a shoot and I don't want to dyet. 66 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:27.919 And once I was doing. 67 00:03:27.840 --> 00:03:30.319 A shoot and this producer was like, I didn't realize 68 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:34.199 it you have so many freckles, And I was like, 69 00:03:34.439 --> 00:03:36.680 h And I looked in the mirror later and I 70 00:03:36.759 --> 00:03:40.400 realized that because I don't have freckles, I realized that 71 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:42.719 the spray stuff for my roots, which is a nice 72 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:45.759 little auburn color, was just all over one side in 73 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:48.800 my face, and I just had spreckles on one side. 74 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:52.800 So if you need fake spreckles, get some root touch 75 00:03:52.879 --> 00:03:56.080 up in an auburn color and just have at it. 76 00:03:56.080 --> 00:04:00.439 It is hard to get off, which is great. So 77 00:04:00.439 --> 00:04:06.039 that's one secret. Another secret is I have not sent 78 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:09.159 my thank you cards from my wedding, and it was 79 00:04:09.919 --> 00:04:14.120 one point five years ago, and I don't know what 80 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:15.719 to do if you gotta. 81 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:17.040 If you got a. 82 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:21.839 Thank you card, what is that eighteen months later? Would 83 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:24.600 you be more pissed? Would you be like, I didn't 84 00:04:24.600 --> 00:04:27.639 realize you hadn't sent this. But I will say, to 85 00:04:27.680 --> 00:04:30.680 be fair, we asked people not to get us gifts. 86 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:34.959 We were like, don't get us gifts. You know, we 87 00:04:35.079 --> 00:04:39.240 have all the forks we need and just come get 88 00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:43.680 yourself here. And we did start a travel fund though 89 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:47.480 for a couple people that were coming in that travel 90 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:50.000 costs were expensive for them, and then we just dispersed that. 91 00:04:50.519 --> 00:04:52.800 So we did a travel fund for other guests, and 92 00:04:52.800 --> 00:04:54.959 a few people donated to that. But I know that, 93 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:57.519 I know I owe thank you cards. And then of 94 00:04:57.519 --> 00:04:59.480 course there's like an you know, like a wonderful aunt 95 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:02.600 that's like I want you to have this like awesome castrole, 96 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:05.519 dish and stuff. So I do owe people thank you cards. 97 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:09.399 Don't get it twisted, but I printed out a spreadsheet 98 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:14.560 of the addresses and the formatting was so tiny, and 99 00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:15.839 I've just been hung up on a. 100 00:05:15.800 --> 00:05:18.199 Spreadsheet for a year and a half. Why you like this? 101 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:20.199 If you're wondering how this happens, you can listen to 102 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:25.040 the ADHD episode. So I gotta get on that. That's 103 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:27.480 my new Year's resolution. Also, you know what's fun to do. 104 00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:29.600 I'm not a person that sends out holiday cards because 105 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:31.959 I don't think anyone wants just a picture of me 106 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:36.040 on the refrigerator. But Valentine's cards, that is where it 107 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:40.279 is at. Everyone's got their trees, are all on the curb, 108 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:46.399 holiday cheers at a low, low low things are slushy out. 109 00:05:46.920 --> 00:05:49.759 You send someone a Valentine's card just thinking of you. 110 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:53.120 This is what I love about you. I appreciate you. 111 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:57.000 Fuck You're gonna make some days. You know, you got 112 00:05:57.000 --> 00:06:00.680 a widowed aunt, you got a friend who's sings, you 113 00:06:00.759 --> 00:06:03.279 got a married couple. Maybe that's the best Valentine they're 114 00:06:03.319 --> 00:06:05.680 going to get that year. You don't know anyway, so 115 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:09.199 think on that. It's also just like a nice thing 116 00:06:09.240 --> 00:06:11.839 to go go to a cafe and just you're probably 117 00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:14.040 gonna cry when you write them. I usually if I 118 00:06:14.199 --> 00:06:16.519 write Valentine's which I haven't done the last couple of 119 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:19.480 years because things have been bonkers, I cry just writing them. 120 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:21.839 And even if you put them right in a garbage can, 121 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:25.480 it'll do your heart some good. Let's do one more secret. 122 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:30.240 My dad passed away in July from a cancer called 123 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:33.519 multiple myeloma. If you have been listening for a long 124 00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:35.560 time and you know that this last year I've done 125 00:06:35.839 --> 00:06:38.959 a few more encores than usual and such thank you 126 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:42.360 for your patients with it. Because he was on hospice 127 00:06:42.360 --> 00:06:45.279 and my husband, Jared and I moved into my sister's 128 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:47.519 house and he slept on a mattress in her hallway 129 00:06:47.519 --> 00:06:50.319 for for four or five months taking care of him, 130 00:06:50.639 --> 00:06:54.920 and it was the best time I've ever spent I 131 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:57.600 wasn't like the best time, like a trip to Cancun, 132 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:00.639 but it was the most valuable time I could have spent, 133 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:02.519 just the time that I got with him and also 134 00:07:02.600 --> 00:07:06.680 my fam It was like so many thanksgivings all wrapped 135 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:10.759 into one. It just happened that one person was dying, 136 00:07:10.839 --> 00:07:13.000 which wasn't good, but it was so good to be 137 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:13.959 able to spend time with him. 138 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:17.360 And I'm doing okay. I thought i'd be a bigger wreck. 139 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:18.879 Than I am, but I think that the time I 140 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:21.319 got to spend with him was really really healing. 141 00:07:21.800 --> 00:07:26.720 So I'm doing okay. But why why talking about this? Oh? Yeah, So. 142 00:07:28.680 --> 00:07:32.160 The day of his funeral, the drive from the mortuary 143 00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:34.439 to the cemetery was like thirty minutes, which is like 144 00:07:34.600 --> 00:07:36.920 just enough time to be almost like a road trip 145 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:41.079 vibe where it's not just a casual ten minute drive. 146 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:45.399 And so on the way to his funeral, the burial part, 147 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:50.879 I made a playlist called funeral, and I put funeral 148 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:55.399 by James Blake and the Funeral by Band of Horses 149 00:07:55.759 --> 00:08:00.480 and Funeral by Phoebe Bridgers and funeral singers I think 150 00:08:00.519 --> 00:08:04.240 sylvan Es, so I think, And then I also added 151 00:08:04.279 --> 00:08:07.519 shaking hands with Elvis, which is a song by Alison Pontier, 152 00:08:07.720 --> 00:08:10.639 who I love, and shaking hands with Elvis is a 153 00:08:10.680 --> 00:08:13.399 euphemism for death. But I was like, if I'm going 154 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:16.240 to listen to music, let's just let's go balls to 155 00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:19.120 the wall, sad and let's do it so on the 156 00:08:19.160 --> 00:08:25.319 nose that it's almost lighthearted anyway, It was good for 157 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:26.360 the vibes anyway. 158 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:29.920 Also, I call sleeping. 159 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:35.080 I have thought of sleeping as the pearl zone for 160 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:37.840 a long time because I got into these sheets, ones 161 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:40.200 that were so comfortable. I felt like a little pearl 162 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:44.679 in an oyster. And so pearl is like representative of 163 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:47.960 sleep to me. And I got myself like a little 164 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:51.120 pearl ring. And sometimes when I'm like I'm off work, 165 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:55.240 it's chill time, I will put on this little pearl 166 00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:58.360 ring to be like, you're in the pearl zone. That 167 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:02.480 one wasn't even a good secret, but but I for 168 00:09:02.600 --> 00:09:05.840 some reason, it warms my heart. Okay, let's have some tips. 169 00:09:06.200 --> 00:09:08.080 Do you want some life tips? Alli word, you say, 170 00:09:08.120 --> 00:09:12.200 it's been no rough year, but look at you, You're 171 00:09:12.279 --> 00:09:12.960 still alive. 172 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:14.559 How do you do it? You're wondering. 173 00:09:14.759 --> 00:09:17.159 I'm going to tell you some of the things that 174 00:09:17.240 --> 00:09:22.519 are keeping me on the cusp of sanity. So one 175 00:09:22.600 --> 00:09:25.360 thing I do, and I've mentioned this before, but people 176 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:28.000 often like will tweet at me and ask what was 177 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:30.279 the thing that you do? So I'm going to reiterate 178 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:33.159 it for myself. Even if you don't even listen to this, 179 00:09:33.159 --> 00:09:36.279 this is for myself. Okay, So I had a really 180 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:39.799 tough year and like years and years ago, listen to 181 00:09:39.799 --> 00:09:41.919 the field Trip episode in the NHM to hear more 182 00:09:41.960 --> 00:09:45.840 about it. Volunteering at the Natural History Museum changed my 183 00:09:45.879 --> 00:09:48.440 whole life. If you're in a rut, if you're feeling 184 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:51.759 kind of rudderless, if you need to like reconnect with 185 00:09:51.799 --> 00:09:53.360 what makes you happy or makes you feel like who 186 00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:56.320 you are, highly recommend. If you can spare even a 187 00:09:56.360 --> 00:09:59.720 few hours a week or a month to volunteer somewhere 188 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:02.919 that makes you happy, definitely recommend. 189 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:03.919 It changed my whole life. 190 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:07.679 But I also do this thing called rem REM, which 191 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:10.240 is I make a little note for myself on my 192 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:13.919 day planner or whatever. That's like ram REM and it 193 00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:21.480 stands for reading, exercise, meditation, and sleep. That's the second REM. Also, 194 00:10:21.559 --> 00:10:24.559 we have an episode about sleep coming up about dreaming 195 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:25.919 in the New Year, I shouldn't have told you, but 196 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:29.000 I'm really excited. January thirty comes out. Anyway, rem rem 197 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:31.399 even if you just read one page like in a 198 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:36.600 real book, just reading exercise, even if it's just like 199 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:39.080 a walk down the block, if you can do it 200 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:44.600 anything that's intentional us sit up, if you need to meditation, 201 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:48.120 even if just like five minutes and then sleep, get 202 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:52.399 in the bed with the lights off, teeth brushed. Just 203 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:55.519 try to do that every day, even in the smallest forms. 204 00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:58.720 And it helps me so much just to know like, Okay, 205 00:10:58.759 --> 00:11:02.200 you're taking care of yourself. You haven't neglected yourself completely. 206 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:06.960 And it tamps down like that despair that like I 207 00:11:07.120 --> 00:11:10.039 can't do something. I just it's everything's too much, even 208 00:11:10.039 --> 00:11:12.519 if you just do these tiny increments. So ram rem 209 00:11:12.639 --> 00:11:15.759 Is definitely gets me out of ruts and is like 210 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:17.960 a good way to show myself a little bit of care. 211 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:21.200 Also, I'm going to tell you about my binder. 212 00:11:21.360 --> 00:11:23.559 I will tell you again since the new year's coming 213 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.720 up and you're like, maybe I need an organizational system. 214 00:11:27.320 --> 00:11:29.720 Let's talk about the binder. Okay, I have a mini binder. 215 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:34.360 It's eight and a half by five I think whatever, 216 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:38.759 A half sheet of paper is I'm horrified that I'm 217 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:41.519 not doing the math right now. But it's like a 218 00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:43.480 half sheet of paper. It's like a half sheet of 219 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:47.919 regular sized paper. And then I just use a whole punch. 220 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:50.679 You can actually unscrew them and you can shift where 221 00:11:50.679 --> 00:11:52.919 the holes go so you can make it into a 222 00:11:53.080 --> 00:11:56.440 whole punch for a small piece of paper three holes. 223 00:11:56.519 --> 00:11:58.679 It's a small three ring binder. And then they sell 224 00:11:58.720 --> 00:11:59.399 little dividers. 225 00:11:59.440 --> 00:11:59.840 You can get it. 226 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:02.879 You can get the stuff at like a an office 227 00:12:02.919 --> 00:12:07.080 supply star, or you can order online and little tabs. 228 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:10.279 I have a tab for calendars. I just print up 229 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:15.159 calendars from templates online and I do two months per page, 230 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:17.279 you know, because they're half sheets. And then I have 231 00:12:17.320 --> 00:12:20.000 like daily kind of like bullet journally pages that I 232 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:23.000 do my to do list. I have like a section 233 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:27.320 for podcasts that I want to do or two notes 234 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:30.120 that I take for ologies. I have a section for 235 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:34.039 like self healthy journaling. I have a section for doodling, 236 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:36.440 and then you can just go through and you can 237 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:39.320 take stuff out as you don't need it. But you know, 238 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:43.799 when you have like a moleskin or a bound planner 239 00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:46.759 and you don't need all the pages anymore. But there's 240 00:12:46.759 --> 00:12:48.279 some shit in there that you're like, these are some 241 00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:51.919 gold ideas. I don't want to just chuck this whole 242 00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:55.320 moleskin in a closet and lose some of these. Well, 243 00:12:55.480 --> 00:12:57.759 with a little minibinder, it's about the same size, but 244 00:12:57.799 --> 00:13:00.000 you can it's modular, you can take things out anyway. 245 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:03.440 I've been using mine since twenty seventeen. And I also 246 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:05.120 like to draw a little pictures in it of things 247 00:13:05.159 --> 00:13:07.200 I did, Like if I had a really good coffee, 248 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:10.440 I'll draw a little coffee just doodling in the margins, 249 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:12.879 just a little treat for your brain. 250 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:13.240 Anyway. 251 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:16.639 Also, it's the New Year, and I don't know if 252 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:19.720 you have any New Year's rituals, but for the last 253 00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:23.279 several years, I'll go spend some time by myself on 254 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:27.559 New Year's Eve in whatever way I can, and I'll 255 00:13:27.639 --> 00:13:30.799 write some things that I A'm wishing for in the 256 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:33.519 new year, or some goals I have, and I'll write 257 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:36.320 them on a little piece of paper. Maybe I'll light 258 00:13:36.600 --> 00:13:39.159 a little tiny bit of incense, if we're being honest, 259 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:40.639 and then I'll put them in the jar, and I'll 260 00:13:40.679 --> 00:13:42.799 seal them in the jar, and then a couple times 261 00:13:42.840 --> 00:13:44.399 a year, I'll open the jar and be like, how 262 00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:46.639 am I doing on these? Any of them come true? 263 00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:49.600 So that's a fun thing to have. And then your 264 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:51.720 jar can sometimes just sit on your shelf and you go, hey, 265 00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:55.919 what's up? Wishes I see you? And if you're not 266 00:13:56.039 --> 00:13:58.879 a big party on New Year's person, it's nice to 267 00:13:58.919 --> 00:13:59.639 have some kind. 268 00:13:59.559 --> 00:14:00.720 Of little whichuel you do. 269 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:05.120 Like here we go, starting another one. You know, I'm 270 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:08.840 also going to tell you about a lantern. Okay, this 271 00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:12.480 lantern has been life changing for me. So when we 272 00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:17.200 were sleeping on my sisters like floor right, we were 273 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:18.840 at the end of the hallway where if you turned 274 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:21.840 on the light the hallway and the entire house, the 275 00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:24.240 light would go on and would wake up everyone in 276 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:27.360 the house. So in order to have everyone be able 277 00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:28.639 to sleep, we had to turn it off. But then 278 00:14:28.679 --> 00:14:31.039 the end of the hallway was like pitch black. So 279 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:35.600 I ordered like a little led lantern. It's battery operated, 280 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:39.279 but it has a regular little light like a night light. 281 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:41.519 You can use it as a lantern to read by, 282 00:14:42.039 --> 00:14:45.799 or you can turn it again and turn the knob 283 00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:49.960 again and it turns into this like led flickering flame. Right, 284 00:14:50.679 --> 00:14:53.679 you would use this like on a set in a 285 00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:56.639 community theater production of our town or something. 286 00:14:56.679 --> 00:14:57.679 These might be. 287 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:02.320 Maybe be good for not even good for camping. They're 288 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:04.759 not robust, but they're decorative and they look like a 289 00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:07.759 little lantern anyway. So that was our solution to this 290 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:11.159 hallway thing. But then when we got home, I started 291 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:13.480 using it for myself because I loved the way that 292 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:16.240 the lantern let, the little flickering looked. It was like 293 00:15:16.519 --> 00:15:19.279 a little brain massage in the corner of my eye. 294 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:23.399 So here's my lantern system. My lantern sitting here right now. 295 00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:27.320 It's a flicker. So when I'm working, when I sit 296 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:29.759 down on my desk to work, if I'm fucking off 297 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:34.080 and I'm not on task and i'm procrastinating or whatever, 298 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:39.159 that lantern light is off, right, lantern stays off now 299 00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:42.240 if I'm working but I'm not doing the thing that's 300 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:44.840 my main goal for the day, for example, get an 301 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:49.200 episode out. Maybe I'm responding to bullshit emails that are 302 00:15:49.240 --> 00:15:53.799 not urgent at all, I'm spending too long on Twitter, 303 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:57.080 whatever if looking at my Twitter replies or something, or 304 00:15:58.519 --> 00:16:01.600 maybe I'm spending two hours looking for a shelf for 305 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:04.240 my office. When I'm like, I'm really really should be 306 00:16:04.279 --> 00:16:06.639 doing something else. That light is in just the on 307 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:10.039 like kind of the cold blue light position. It's on, 308 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:14.639 but it's not pleasing. Then when I'm working on the 309 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:17.159 actual thing, I have to work on the task that's 310 00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:19.559 the goal for the day. I put on the little 311 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:23.080 lantern flickery light that way the corner of my eye. 312 00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:26.240 I get the little dopamine hit of having this like 313 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:29.840 flickering lantern light on, and also I get the reminder 314 00:16:29.879 --> 00:16:32.240 that like, stay on target, stay on target. 315 00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:32.960 You're doing great. 316 00:16:33.799 --> 00:16:35.399 But if out of the corner of my eye, I 317 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:38.039 see that my lantern's off because I know I'm I'm 318 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:40.360 just dicking around, or I see that it's on the 319 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:42.480 cold light, I know, like come on, wrap it up, 320 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:47.120 let's get back to the flickery. So any anything that 321 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:54.159 has three modes of increasing comfort or joy works for this. 322 00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:57.960 I think you could probably do this with like three hats, 323 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:01.399 one being the most comfortable. Or there are plenty of 324 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:04.680 lanterns out there that are dual mode. They've got an off, 325 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:08.119 they've got like an on, then they've got a flickery. Anyway, 326 00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:11.279 it's helping me out a lot. It's also helpful if 327 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:14.960 you have to work around other people like Jarrett and 328 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:17.839 my friends know that if the lantern is flickering, that 329 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:21.759 means I'm in the zone. Maybe they show me a 330 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:26.240 picture of a cat later. But it's a nice visual signal. 331 00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:27.920 So if you're working in an office, it might be 332 00:17:27.960 --> 00:17:31.359 helpful if your coworker see you've got the flicker on. 333 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:35.599 Comeback later, maybe when the white light or when it's off. Anyway, helpful, 334 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:41.559 love it, Love the lantern, lantern. This lantern isn't even alive, 335 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:45.319 and it doesn't know how loved it is. Okay, another 336 00:17:45.480 --> 00:17:47.240 tip that has been helping me a lot. I don't 337 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:51.119 know how you feel about laundry, but mine can pile 338 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:54.079 up and become like a laundry tumor in the corner 339 00:17:54.680 --> 00:17:58.400 of the room, and I am in just denial of it. 340 00:17:58.599 --> 00:18:04.440 And so when I stayed at my sisters, our mattress 341 00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:08.119 was right next to the laundry machine, and we went 342 00:18:08.200 --> 00:18:10.359 up there so hastily. We didn't bring a lot of clothes, 343 00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:14.039 so we had we had like an accidental capsule wardrobe. 344 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:17.960 Loved that part of it where we just only had 345 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:20.160 a couple pairs of socks and stuff. So we were 346 00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:22.960 doing laundry every couple of days, right, we just gather 347 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:24.519 up the towels and the house along with our socks 348 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:28.640 or whatever in our pants. And what it What happened 349 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:31.960 when I got back home was I realized I can 350 00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:36.400 just do smaller amounts of laundry more often. Where when 351 00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:40.279 the laundry basket is full, medium sized laundry basket, it's full, 352 00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:44.480 it's one load when that thing tops off. When that 353 00:18:44.519 --> 00:18:48.720 thing's full, it goes straight in the laundry machine. And 354 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:54.599 there's no no forgiveness for just more towels around it 355 00:18:54.720 --> 00:18:57.079 or on the floor. It's just like when you see 356 00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:01.119 it full, it goes in the washer. Not should I 357 00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:03.880 do laundry today? Should I do four loads of laundry 358 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:07.559 on a Saturday. It's just this kind of never ending 359 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:11.759 like it's full, it goes in. There's never a backlog 360 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:18.079 of laundry. So I have now successfully made laundry easier 361 00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:20.079 to do by never having too much of it. 362 00:19:20.440 --> 00:19:23.799 So just a loaded a time every other. 363 00:19:23.720 --> 00:19:26.759 Day or so, instead of just having every two weeks, 364 00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:30.960 I have laundry get in and I have an absolute 365 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:35.839 apocalypse of folding to do. So anyway, it's a silly thing, 366 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:38.599 but it's been really helpful just to have the visual 367 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:40.680 queue of the laundry baskets full. It's got to go in, 368 00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:42.720 and then I take out the decision making of is 369 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:43.319 now a good time? 370 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:44.240 Also? 371 00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:46.960 You know how sometimes you'll do laundry and you'll forget 372 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:49.039 it's in the washer. And if you have a frontloading washer, 373 00:19:49.079 --> 00:19:51.079 that means that it smells like dogshit when you're done 374 00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:57.640 frontloading washers, I know that you have to clean out 375 00:19:57.680 --> 00:20:00.480 all the crevices, which I try to do. I don't 376 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:04.599 know what happened with front loading washers where it's just 377 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:06.519 acceptable that if you leave your clothes in there for 378 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:10.200 an hour after they've been washed, they're going to smell 379 00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:10.839 like assholes. 380 00:20:10.920 --> 00:20:14.839 If they smell so bad it's moldy. I don't hate it. 381 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:18.119 And I know y'all are going to tweet and leave 382 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:20.400 comments for me and send me emails about how to 383 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:24.440 avoid this. I appreciate them already. I think like I 384 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:27.319 have to do a vinegar bath every other time. I'm 385 00:20:27.319 --> 00:20:30.880 just saying, it's a machine meant to clean things, and 386 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:34.559 the machine smells worse than the dirty laundry going into it. 387 00:20:35.079 --> 00:20:38.559 Why Why is this happening. It's not your fault, and 388 00:20:38.599 --> 00:20:42.119 I'm not mad at you. But I have this system 389 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:44.839 now where when I put a load of laundry in, 390 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:47.960 I take the laundry basket, the empty laundry basket that 391 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:50.559 I just unloaded, and I put it somewhere obnoxious. I 392 00:20:50.599 --> 00:20:52.640 put it on top of the kitchen table. I put 393 00:20:52.640 --> 00:20:55.160 it on top of the car in the garage. I 394 00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:57.880 put it somewhere awkward where I will see it that 395 00:20:57.960 --> 00:21:00.440 way the next time I pop into the garage, next 396 00:21:00.440 --> 00:21:04.480 time I walk by the kitchen table or whatever, I'll 397 00:21:04.519 --> 00:21:06.599 see the laundry basket empty, and I'll go, that's right, 398 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:08.759 I put a load in. Better go get that thing 399 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:14.279 out before it smells like mildew. So that's been helpful. Okay, 400 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:16.960 I'm going to reiterate my mom's sleep tip for anyone 401 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:19.279