On this week's episode, we have Kiki Rough joining the pod! You may know her from her many videos on TikTok, but she joins me today to talk about some of the in-between's she's currently going through.
As a fellow thespian & natural storyteller, Kiki shares funny tales from her life, different pursuits in creative work, home improvement projects (hello rainbow backyard!), employment woes, mantras we're taking into 2023, and so much more!
Check out Kiki on TikTok or Instagram!
@kikirough on TikTok
@kikirough on Instagram
And you know where to find me - connect with me on Insta or TT:
@in.betweenpod on Instagram
@theinbetweenpodcast on TikTok
Connect with me:
https://in-between.co
@in.betweenpod on Instagram
@elizabethcheney_ on Instagram
@theinbetweenpodcast on TikTok
The In-Between Podcast on YouTube
On this week's episode, we have Kiki Rough joining the pod! You may know her from her many videos on TikTok, but she joins me today to talk about some of the in-between's she's currently going through.
As a fellow thespian & natural storyteller, Kiki shares funny tales from her life, different pursuits in creative work, home improvement projects (hello rainbow backyard!), employment woes, mantras we're taking into 2023, and so much more!
Check out Kiki on TikTok or Instagram!
@kikirough on TikTok
@kikirough on Instagram
And you know where to find me - connect with me on Insta or TT:
@in.betweenpod on Instagram
@theinbetweenpodcast on TikTok
Connect with me:
https://in-between.co
@in.betweenpod on Instagram
@elizabethcheney_ on Instagram
@theinbetweenpodcast on TikTok
The In-Between Podcast on YouTube
Hello, hello, hello. Welcome to another episode of the In-Between podcast. I'm your host, Elizabeth Cheney, and I hope, I hope this finds you well. So really amped, really pumped. If you couldn't tell, I got a super awesome guest on the pod today. We've been trying to connect for a while now, and she's busy. I'm busy. Life's busy adult. But it's just impossible, But we were finally able to make it happen. So I am just ecstatic to have Kiki Rough on the podcast today. So everybody give a warm applause for Kiki
Kiki:Hello. Hello, hello,
Liz:Well. Welcome to the in between Kiki. I'm so happy we finally made this happen. So I'm so
Kiki:happy we finally made this happen.
Liz:Okay, well first off, I guess I could give the audience a little spiel on how we met. So for those who don't know, you've been living under a rock. Cuz I only talk about like every other episode. I feel like I have good friends over at the Real Hauntings podcast and Noah Daniels asked me to co-host one night and Miss Kiki was the guest of honor that night, and um, hers. Story was wild. And we can go into that once I let her, you know, take the reins and kind of introduce and talk about herself but, uh, she got really big on TikTok because of these epic, this epic story. And also she is a fellow thespian, so she's like kind of an epic storyteller. And we just really hit it off, connected over social media and boom, here we go. So, without further ado, Kiki, welcome to the pod. Let the audience get to know you for a sec.
Kiki:Yeah. Um, I'm Kiki Ruff I live in Indiana. Uh, but don't be fooled. I am, I am full thespian full. I mean, I, I live in the most liberal part of Indiana, like, so it's a weird dynamic, but I love it. Here. I'll throw on a flannel and then I'll go March with whoever needs me to be with him. But, um, I love that. Yeah. So I have, I have my degree in theater. I, I work in the healthcare world. I, I, I worked professionally. So I was the youngest managing director of a theater company right when I graduated, and I will not go back to that Um, I love, I love people in theater, I love artists, but they are some of the most bullheaded people to work with because it is their way or nothing else. Right. And. It is, it is completely unmanageable. And obviously we know hr, so, so. Right. That's
Liz:so true. Yeah. So you're probably HR in a way. So I am HR
Kiki:and, and nobody took me seriously, but, um, now I work in healthcare and I make my silly little tos that I, I didn't know that you could. Money off of TikTok. Yeah. Excellent.
Liz:Let's talk about that. So, yeah, was that first video that, was that your first one to go viral or were you already kind of getting prominence and that one was already just kinda like what took you sore into new heights? So
Kiki:the first one I had that went viral, my husband and I got married on his grandmother's property this spring. And, I was showing her house. It's this magical place. It's, it's this little. On Property Lake that's completely hers and cottage.
Liz:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I just finished that one. Yes,
Kiki:yes. I was screaming at the geese because a little family of geese just appeared and I got so excited, you know, it wasn't planned at all, and I just thought, you know what, I'll upload it, like I'll get my friends can see it, and it has like 3 million views now.
Liz:Yeah, a ton. I was like, wow, I'm just
Kiki:screaming at geese. You know, So then we also had, we had my husband rigged the stove to heat our pool.
Liz:That was epic. Yes. My husband thought that was epic. He said, well, we should try
Kiki:that. honestly, sustainable living. It's super easy. He could walk you through it. All you need is like some copper in a stove, and. We, we got reached out to by, um, I'm not gonna name the TV show cause I don't wanna get into any like, legal battles with them, but we've got reached out to by a show, that wanted to air our video, but they were, they were trying to buy our audio visual, um, presence in perpetuity throughout the universe, like, Secretly in the text, so, oh. Those were big three. You, you know. Um, right. And I've got one I think that just hit a million talking about, my old job at a massage clinic.
Liz:So I massage clinic. Oh yeah. Oh my. Interesting. Because see, my mother, I grew up, she was a massage therapist. Mm-hmm. So I've heard crazy stories and you know, the holistic lifestyle. I love it, but it's also wild. Yes. So
Kiki:I, uh, okay. So, so the one I, I told a couple, because I worked at, I, I took a year off of college, I dropped out. But, um, I worked at this massage clinic and it. The craziest. Job I have ever had just because the people were completely unhinged. The one video I had that, that took off, I believe it was, I believe it, yeah. This, this one kid, people kept walking out of his massage appointments because he smelled so bad and I had to pull him in the office and I was like, my guy, what's going on? And he's like, oh, I'm sorry. Like me and my girlfriend have been going to furry conventions and I just forget to shower. And then he proceeds to tell me he has not washed his uniform once since we hired him. Oh my
Liz:God. So I had
Kiki:to, I had to let him go.
Liz:It was, it was, yeah. Yeah. That's a health violation, I'm sure.
Kiki:Sorry, but that wasn't even, I'm gonna, I'm gonna tell you the worst one. Okay? Okay. All right, let's go. So, I worked with this woman who I really liked. She was one of the massage therapists. I really vibed with her. Um, and she pulled me into the break room one day and was, Don't panic. But the military center next door is watching us through the cameras And then she proceeds to tell me that they are affiliated with a cult that is stalking her. Oh, they all wear plaid. They break into our apartment and leave her windows open. And she's like, but don't worry, don't worry. They only have a topless photo of me. That's it. That's all they have. And I like, I went back to the front of the clinic, sat. and everyone's like, are you okay? And I'm like, no, I, I need to process for a second. So I started asking people around the clinic like, do you have any complaints about this person? Right? Like, I'm responsible for all the girls up at the front. And she comes up to one of the girls in the front and she. you have such a pretty face. I bet someone would love to come on it. And I was like, Ooh, what? So I, I eventually had to bring that. to the owner cuz they were like, she has such a high rebooking rate, we can just ignore it. So when you file a complaint, they, they don't want it to be digital because they don't want you to be able to go back and, and access it. Right. So I had everyone file a digital complaint with me, So they had to take it seriously.
Liz:Wild. Um, yeah, that is very, uh, that's bizarre. Wow. Okay, so that's cra that's a bunch of wild situations right. Back to back. So, uh, do you just kind of pull this energy towards you, the eclectic, the you unique? Yes. I also, how you story tell I is really engaging as well. Oh, thank you
Kiki:I, I have had. So I started it this morning. We're gonna see if I can finish it. Uh, have you ever read Hyperbole in a Half by Allie Brush? No. Uh, the meme, the Do All the Things is from her book. Oh. And it Okay. A completely illustrated book of all the weird things she did as a kid. Um, so I started making my own this morning. Mm-hmm. and I, I wanna tell my stories cuz I do, I do stand up right now. Right. And I just get up and tell stories about my childhood. Like, I don't, I don't have to make anything up. You don't have to source
Liz:content, you just use your own, like Yeah. Your life
Kiki:experience. And so one of the best bits I do actually is, my older sister, she was paralyzed from the waist down in fifth grade. She'd reflex neuro dystrophy. She was one of the first diagnosed cases. Oh wow. Yeah. And, and my mom had to like, think of things to do with her. So she's like, you know what, let's just adopt Guinea. And show them in Guinea pig shows like, like a logical thing a mom would do. But we started with two and then she found out that if your Guinea pig doesn't win or if they're pregnant, a lot of times people will throw them in the dumpster outback. Oh my goodness. I know. So we ended up with
Liz:29 Guinea. Oh my gosh. We had
Kiki:like a
Liz:battle arena. Oh, in the middle of the room. Okay. That sounds like a children's book or children's movie. Like that's an opportunity right there.
Kiki:1000 percent's. First chapter that I'm working on is, is 29 29 Guinea pigs.
Liz:I'm trying to visualize what 29 Guinea pigs together looks like, like, think like.
Kiki:Custom stackable cages. My dad was pissed cuz we already had two dogs, a cat, fish, rats, you know? I
Liz:love it. I love it. That would've been my dream as a child. Fyi. I would've loved that.
Kiki:just I, it is hard, and I'm sure you feel this way as an adult too. It is hard to look at any rescue page and be like, why can't I have
Liz:them all? Oh, definitely. I don't do that. I them, I don't. Yeah. I mean, if I look at my dog too long and I think about the afterlife, I start to cry. So, yeah, me too. I can't do Me too. It like, I can't look at her too long cuz it comes and then I'm like, God, why'd I do this to myself again? Mm-hmm. I did it three times last week. I'm just kidding.
Kiki:Yeah. But you love them so much, right? And so,
Liz:yeah. And you more all of them. Yeah.
Kiki:No, yeah. But you can't diminish the quality of life of the ones that you have, you know?
Liz:So great. Exactly. But 29 Guinea pigs, that's epic. You guys literally he hands full But that's amazing. That's hilarious.
Kiki:And when I was. So I was in first grade at this point. We had one of the pregnant Guinea pigs she rescued, and I tell people this all the time as like a special skill. My mom taught me how to, um, uh, deliver baby Guinea pigs in a kitchen sink while I was in first grade. She just like, oh, wow. So, so I know how
Liz:to first grade though, and I'm like, you're, I was thinking about how young I was in first grade. Damn. Pretty badass. You're like eight, seven or eight, right?
Kiki:Yeah. Yeah. Oh, little. You're weird to think about. And I was just like, yeah, I can do it. So
Liz:Yeah, no, that's kind of amazing. And here I was in first grade and I, I'll never forget, like the one super traumatic memory I have of first grade core memory for sure. Um, I used to love re I. Well, not used to, but like I loved reading out loud. I loved to read and I was an only child and I, there wasn't really many kids in my area, so I had a very wild imagination. So I loved reading. Well, we were learning about Philadelphia. No, no. San Francisco. San Francisco. Excuse me. Not Philadelphia, San Francisco. And I remember looking at the, the word and being like, I cannot sound that out probably cuz it was so long. Well the teacher, everyone raised their hand by me, so guess who got called on? And in the school I went to, we had a standup and I could, I just knew I was not gonna be able to say this word. Mm-hmm. And here I was. And I was like San Fran Frisco. And then everyone would. And then Chiko San Francisco. And like of course this one page is San Francisco, 38 times written out cuz it's first grade repetition. You gotta learn this kind of thing. Oh, and I just remember, and I could not say it, it was just like a speech thing. Like San F Frisco. San F Frisco. Mm-hmm And that bitch made me. Painfully stand there and read the whole stupid thing, and the whole class laughed at me, and I'll never forget that.
Kiki:So, so you got beef. Yeah. You got beef, you gotta roll up. You're an adult. Now you can throw hands.
Liz:Right. I was definitely not badass in delivering Guinea pigs. I was getting, you know, curb stumped for San Francisco. So whatever.
Kiki:uh, no, there's, there's so many. Everybody has like a bad teacher story, you know?
Liz:Oh yeah, for sure. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. My mom told me one, she, uh, it was kindergarten and her teach, like somebody in, in the class like poked her eye with like a Popsicle stick or something. And no, granted, this is like back in the day, you know what I mean? Like the sixties or something like that. And basically they just, Were, uh, they were like harassing her for, I guess, however you can harass a kindergartner. And, my mom moved a lot cause my grandpa was in the military. So new kid kind of thing. Yeah. And the teacher like, bullied her with them. Like, she laughed at her, like encouraged it, like, was just very aggressive and abusive to her. And then, She finally told my mom or my, yeah, my mom, my nana, her mom, and she got removed from the school. But yeah, just pretty nuts how teachers can be kind of mean. So
Kiki:yeah, they can, but they can also, it's be empowering. There's so many wonderful, compassionate teachers and oh, 1000% they don't get paid enough and.
Liz:Oh, that's a whole thing. Trust me. Yeah, that is, I got many soap boxes and that's one of them. many too. I've had so many friends unfortunately leave the teaching industry the past couple of years cuz of everything. And I, I'm not gonna lie, I can't blame him. You know what I mean? Like it, it breaks my heart, but hopefully there's a reckoning. So that's something I ask the universe for all the time. That's for damn sure. So
Kiki:I was originally gonna be a teacher that was my original major really. I can see that. Then they threw me in. They were like, you're gonna student teacher first semester. And I was student teaching seniors, so they were like the same age as some of my friends and I was like, man, yeah, this is awesome. Some of you are cool,
Liz:you know, like I can't do this you don't kick it. I gotta dip. I can't do this. That's funny. Yeah. I'm sorry. Yeah, that could be kind of weird. I that, yeah, that's awkward. I
Kiki:totally get that. So for sure. Oh yeah. And also I think, I think at that point in college I was a little bit too selfish. you know, and I think that's okay. Oh, 1000%.
Liz:Yeah. 1000%. So what led you to go switch that to theater? Just cuz theater was more your
Kiki:passion? Um, so I was originally in theater education. Um, the Oh, oh, oh. Oh, that's cool. Okay. Yeah. And, um, then I switched to acting and then my senior year I got much more into theater management because it was much more practical. So I was doing, Like I, I was working directly with the theater that was tied to the university, and that's what got me my job, like, springboarded me into, uh, nice managing the theater company. So I'm glad that I did that. I just don't think that it's for me anymore. I, I honestly have a really hard time being, I, I just performed
Liz:earlier this month. I was gonna say, do you wanna tell, I, you wrote that show? I remember seeing clips of it on social media. Wrote the show. Did you write the show or you just performed or you put the show on, or you were in the show? Oh, I,
Kiki:so I was in my first, performance since I graduated college, but I was just singing a song for like a Christmas benefit. Oh. Oh, okay. Yeah, so, got it. Oh, you're talking about the standup show.
Liz:Yes. But you're, but you're, that that show you're talking about, girl, you got some pipes very fast. Oh, thank you, duet coming soon.
Kiki:That was my first theatrical performance since I graduated. Impressive. Because, well, the theater, the theater community can be so aggressive and I just,
Liz:I don't, yeah, I don't wanna go back. I have not performed since. Really, and I miss it, but that's part of like what the podcast gives me. Like my creative interests have just grown. I just mean I, I do miss performing cuz there is something. Such, there's just such a thrill, not to sound silly, but live, live theater, like there's always the risk. Something can happen, you can mess up, skip a line. There's just, I don't know, it's an adrenaline rush like no other that I have ever honestly experienced. But in cases like this, like, you know, interviewing you and like, I don't know what you're gonna say so to speak, but like, this gives me a similar thrill and, and it, it's kind of a different way of how I can express myself and it's mm-hmm. it's what I wanna do. Cuz I love talking about all the things and talk and normalize conversations. Taboo topics, mental health shit like this. Mm-hmm. but I do, I do miss it. And I hope that maybe as I get more into this content creation world and getting me my minus out there Yeah. That I could. One day, maybe even do some theater, local theater or something like that. Yeah. Cause I do miss it, you know? And, um, so, but yeah, I'm impressed That was your first performance, this college way to go, girlfriend.
Kiki:Oh, thank you. Yeah, it's actually, it's, it's funny. So, my husband and I, um, he, he hadn't seen me perform until after we were.
Liz:Oh, so cool. So that was his first time? Yeah. Aww. I bet he was just What? Did he cry?
Kiki:Did he cry? No, he, I mean, but he's always like, I get off the stage and he looks at me with this big smile and he is like, you did so good.
Liz:He seems very supportive from your videos. He's a cutie.
Kiki:He's, I love it. He's a, a dreamboat. I don't know how I found a man like that in Indiana. You know, I, I don't, uh, when I moved here, I, I thought that, I was going to launch out of here, back into Chicago, do Chicago work. But then I fell in love with him and being in a quiet lifestyle.
Liz:So how'd you guys meet, if you mind me asking? Okay.
Kiki:Buckle up. Um, oh, oh, I met him when I was working at the theater. He's also a performer. Oh, okay. So I could see that. Could see. Yeah. He's a classically trained singer. Um, so I was working at the theater. He was playing a teenager. and he comes up to me, he's clean-shaven, he's got like a skate shirt on and he starts asking me about my number. And I had just gotten out of a relationship with someone younger than me and I was like, I want nothing to do with you. So you thought he was like really young. I thought he was really young. So I gave him my number and I was like, whenever you need anything regarding the theater, you let me know. like very professional. So, Oh God. Like how vulgar can I get on this podcast? Oh,
Liz:totally. Bring it on. I'm
excited.
Kiki:Perfect. So I, came across him again on Facebook and he's got like a full beard and he looks really, he's, he looks older and I'm like, wonder how old he is? Turns out he's 29. So he was older than me and I was like, okay, maybe I do want something to do with this guy. And I send, a picture to my best friend and I go, should I just try to sleep with him? Like, I was like, I, I, I don't need to like talk to him after, but like, what do you think? And she's like, go for it. Yeah. But I'm, I'm really outta practice at this point, and. I, I, I was out of a relationship for a year. I took a year to really like focus on myself, and I'm like, I don't know. I don't know how to hit this guy up. So he writes political think pieces, and I slide into his dms and I'm like, comrade? And he's like, yes friend. And I'm like, no, no, no. Are you a communist? and he's like, no, but I could pick up beer and we could talk politics. So our first date was getting drunk and yelling about social issues at each other.
Liz:Oh, fun. I love that. Yes. Passion.
Kiki:Yeah. Yeah. Like we were, we were arguing about like modern feminism and secular humanism and stuff like that. And, and that's the first date. That's how you knew first
Liz:date. That's
Kiki:how you knew. You're like, yeah. I was like, rip off the bandaid. Let's go. What are your values? So after that we were just kind of inseparable.
Liz:I, I imagine. So for you to have that kind of conversation. Honesty. I love that. Yeah.
Kiki:He's a good one. I got, I wanna say I got lucky, but I'm also a catch, you
Liz:know, so Yeah. Gonna say, I mean, he seems great, but like, have you met yourself? Like, hello? Thank you. I love that Um, me and my husband we're polar opposites, so really well, more so I'm loud and extroverted, and he's quiet and introverted. But other than that, like maybe with me, he's silly and weird and kooky because yes, hello me, but it works out in social settings and also like with anxiety. So there you go.
Kiki:Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mike is a little bit more diminished socially than I am. I'm, I'm definitely an extrovert, but then we get home and it completely switches, like he's this outward oddball, and I'm like, I, I would like to say at my core, I'm a painful introvert, but externally, if you get me in a room with someone, I can just talk and talk and talk and talk, and then I go home and I'm like, oh, good. Battery's recharging. You know? Right.
Liz:Yeah. I, I can, I have become that more mm-hmm. since the pandemic and everything's kind of adjusted to a work from home lifestyle. Mm-hmm. so. And honestly like, I don't necessarily think it was good, but I used to be very people, people, people overbook. My schedule just kind of overdo everything, but I was also ignoring some mental health issues. So there you go. But. and then the pandemic was like, let's highlight them because now you can't escape. It was great. Yeah, it was great. But hey, we did the work. We did the work. We did the work. But, um, I, I do think I'm still extroverted, but I, I need to recharge alone or with him or something like that. But he is, he needs a little bit warming up with people. If it was more of like a closed setting of just like, you know, two other people, he'd probably be fine. But even then you gotta kind of turn him on, you know, crack jack in the box. Yeah. But other than that, no, but he's awesome. Um, yeah, he's like a Ron Swanson, but less aggressive. I love that. And I'm like a Leslie Knope that's basically us I love that. So, you know. Yeah. No, yeah. Um, but stand up so. with your stories and your storytelling abilities. I was gonna, I wanted to ask, is that something you wanna get into? Um, cuz I remember seeing you post a story about that or something but yeah, I feel like you'd be good.
Kiki:Thank you. So I, I didn't think it would be something that I would be good at. It is something I wanna get into, one of my best friend's, fiances, his name is Lane Johnson, he's a comedian as well. And um, I saw him do standup and I was like, wow, I really wanna try that. So they came out to Indiana where I'm at. We're only an hour out of the city, and we did standup at one of the only local venues out here but then I went to Chicago and I did my first open mic where Lane does it, and I felt like I did great. I was very confident I had, He has, my husband has five brothers. Oh. And three of them with their significant others came out to support me, so I was Oh, nice. So yeah, you had
Liz:good. That's good. The
Kiki:only thing that I think would hinder me from doing that is one, the travel to a decent venue with comedians that aren't horrible people. Right. Um, and two, when I was there, no one was interested at all in getting to know me when I was off the stage. Like all the other comedians that were there, were, were, I wouldn't say self-interested, but it, it's kind of cliquey. Mm-hmm. And I don't know how to insert myself into a community like that when I live so far away. Right. So I'm not sure. For now, I think that, writing some of my bits into a digital book would be a little bit easier for me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I, I love, I love telling my stories and watching people react cuz they're so ridiculous. But I got to live them. Like Michael's grandma tells me all the time or tells his mom all the time, she's like, I love that girl cuz you never know what's gonna come out of her mouth, I'm like, yeah, that's true.
Liz:Well, you know, the digital book, like posting the videos and making more content like that. It can also be consumed by more people. You know what I mean? Mm-hmm. Um, and who's to say that you can't get an opportunity just from that? I mean, didn't Bo That's true. Burnham get his following from YouTube. YouTube, yeah. I love Bo Burnham.
Kiki:So I love Bo Burnham. I, yes, I think I That's true. And, and one of the, so are you familiar with Maria
Liz:Bamford at all? That name sounds so familiar. I, I gotta Google it. Look at the
Kiki:face. So she does a lot of mental health humor and she's also bipolar, which I really like, but she has this one special where she's slowly like growing her audience. So like the first joke is in front of the mirror, the second joke is in front of her husband. The next joke is in front of three people on a bench. And it slowly grows to a huge audience. And I think. if I looked for more settings that were like people on the bench settings that I could do it. Got
Liz:it. Yeah. Well, I think you could do that. I, I'm looking at her face right now. I'm like, I do recognize her.
Kiki:She, have you seen Adventure time? Yes. She's hot dog Princess. Slime Princess. Oh, uh, tree.
Liz:That's how I, that must be how I know her name then. Yeah. I've never watched her stand up. I should check that.
Kiki:Uh, she's, she's amazing lady.
Liz:Dynamite. I feel like I recognize that. I have to check all that out. Yeah. Thanks for the heads up girl. Of course. Well, I was gonna say with the whole like standup comedy thing. Yes. Your stories, the natural storytelling abilities and also just having like comedic timing with it. But I would be more concerned with like, I don't know the intimidation factor maybe I just don't think I'm that funny. So I don't think I could do that and uh, maybe if I really thought about my stories, but I just feel like my childhood was very lonely and you know, I thought I was Steve when half the time I just had a very big imagination cuz I was an only child and there was no kids around. So I just pretended I was Steve when in my backyard with my dachsund. That's amazing. I would line all my beanie babies up and I don't even know, like I was like a ringleader of a circus. I have no idea. I should have like been an animal person I think, but whatever. Here we are.
Kiki:You still could be an animal person. I
Liz:could. I could, but now I have too much like empathy and I would be so sad and I would not be able to take. Leave work at work. You know what I mean?
Kiki:So I feel that, I feel that I have a really hard time, being separated from my dog, you know, seriously. I'm like, oh, well she, so she is technically registered to come with me, um, anywhere I go because, my mental illness is so severe that I'm considered disabled. Hmm. Um, but she has some manners to work on and I don't feel comfortable. Bringing a dog into a space where I could throw off someone's service
Liz:dog. Ah, I see what you're saying. You know?
Kiki:Yeah. So until she, she has more training down pat. I'm not taking her anywhere. That's just not
Liz:fair. Yeah. And that's respectful. So I mean, yeah, that's, that's good so you go. So why don't we talk about a few in betweens mm-hmm. that you may be in between at the moment. Um, You had a very unfortunate situation happen the day after Christmas. Is that if I do recall?
Kiki:Um, so, so it was the first day of me being back from Christmas, so it was yesterday. Okay. Um, it, it just, I was so angry it came out as the day after Christmas, but,
Liz:um, I mean that's, I mean observe. Christmas was Monday, so it was yesterday, technically. I mean, yeah, you're right. Monday was,
Kiki:it was, and Um, yeah. So. At the beginning of this month, we had mass layoffs and I was one of the only employees kept, and we were planning on seeing how things went through March. And then I get on a call with the C E O yesterday and I'm like, Hey, how's your Christmas? And he's talking about like, oh, all the kids we're running around, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. By the way, we're closing. And you don't have a job. No s. and Oh my God. Oh, that abruptly. Yes. And I was no severance. What the fuck? No severance. What the fuck? Yeah, the a hundred percent. And. Like I had told you, I was hosting the Christmas party and we, we work internationally, so it was gonna be on Zoom, but I bought this like Charlie Brown backdrop and a ball cap and the Charlie Brown shirt planned all these activities that would actually keep people engaged. And I just, I got a rock, you know, I like, yeah, it, there is, there is no company. my last day is the third. And then the thing that I'm struggling with is I started this job at an entry level position. Yeah. A year and a half ago. And I worked my way up to a mid senior level position within that year and a half. That's impressive. I, yeah, I, I was very proud of myself, but now I don't know if I have enough experience to keep in this
Liz:field. Hmm. This conversation could get go one way. So we could definitely sidebar this and talk offline, but, uh, don't, don't think that, okay. I will share this cuz everybody listening who doesn't get intimidated by their own resume or get intimidated by. our worth. And I feel like, especially as women, I don't know, I just, it's just a societal kind of, I I idea of like being intimidated. I don't know. For me, going after a senior level job was intimidating until I started doing more senior level interviews and I was like, holy shit, I'm really good at this. You're just faking it till you make it pulling outta your ass. It's true. Yeah, sure, you gotta prep, but it's about taking what you do. You do mid-level to senior level work. That's experience. Yeah. So you know. You share that on your resume. It's a year and a half. So what, I mean, you worked in the theater management position for how, like, I'm sure for a while. Mm-hmm. that is management, that's running a business, that's managing a business, so to speak. So it's all about how you, you market and, you sell yourself. So if you wanna help with your resume, Liz, I would love that. In between resume services, uh, you can be my Guinea pig, no pun. Unintended intended
Kiki:I would love that. Yeah.
Liz:I, but seriously, I'm happy to help and, uh, you know, we can even make like an exercise out of it in a sense of just how you, you know, how it's hard to sell yourself. And I don't even mean it like you're lying on the resume. Not at all. But it's about, the right words. It's about saying the right words without using all the common words like utilize and team player and all this. I don't know, it's all just optics and bullshit, but I feel like it's something that I've been working on and I've helped a lot of people with the past year and a half that I feel like I'm starting to see through the bullshit. And I've got several friends who are in the recruiting world. So, um, yeah, I'm happy to help and uh, I would love that. we'll make it in between resume tips and tricks, and I'll share it, make it a free download for everybody. So, yeah, um, no. Awesome. Definitely. But don't sell yourself short. Absolutely not. Because here's the thing, I, anytime in the real quick, anytime in this kind of like environment, well really anything, but especially the professional world, if I have. No, granted, I'm not gonna take the leap and go say it can be a brain surgeon, like I know my limits in that regard. Mm-hmm. But in this sense, especially like going to a, a mid-level job, senior level job at another company and being a little intimidated, da da da da da, self-doubt, I asked myself, what a man. This, would he feel this way? Chances are probably not, and it honestly makes me feel a lot better and I go after it cuz what's the worst that's gonna happen? They're gonna say, no, I don't get the interview. I don't get the opportunity. Mm-hmm. Well, you figure out what works and you keep going after it. So yeah. It's also about networking. That's my spiel. So
Kiki:I've been, I mean, I've been networking my little butt off. It's just, I, I just need them. To speak with me face to face. Yes, I can do anything face-to-face. Look, I can, I can sell you anything, you know, face-to-face. Um, but you don't get that over paper. You don't, you don't get this. The, the cover letters are horrible. I hate cover letters. Me too.
Liz:what's the verdict like? I feel like I read some places that they're like cover letters. Who needs cover letters? But I'm over here like everyone asks for it. So are we sure? We don't need cover letters. Part of me feels like people just ask to see if you put something, you know what I mean? Yeah. Just to see. Did you go the extra mile?
Kiki:Yeah. Did you do? I think that's what it is. And I mean, job applications right now are a blood bath. yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm. It's it, they're up for 20 minutes and it's like, this job has 700 applicants. And I'm like, well, that's great. I will just go throw myself in the creek, um,
Liz:Or it's like, oh, this job's on, put on hold. We will reconvene in January, but hey, hopefully from the trends I'm reading and all the little newsletters I get January, February, there should be more positions opening up. I know the tech space is a little cray cray, so, yeah. And I think you worked in tech, right? Or did I make.
Kiki:I worked in healthcare tech. Um, okay. That's what I thought. Healthcare tech. Okay. I, I wanna move into if, if there's like a possibility like family planning or adoption services. Um, so there's, there's two things there. It's, uh, I'm seeing an increase in L G B T Q I A, um, partners and triads looking to, uh, do in vitro mm-hmm. And I would love to be a part of that journey and. On top of that, my little sister was adopted and she is just like the best So I would love to have a hand in helping there as well. But those, those jobs are also really coveted working for companies like that. Hmm.
Liz:All right. Let's get your resume ready. Maybe we have to go one place just for right now to kind of get more, a little bit more experience. Yeah. Still maybe med level, senior level, but if it's more secular, those companies are. Or harder to get into. That's, you just gotta get your foot in the door in one place. Or we try startups. There's so many startups. Otherwise it's like a little
Kiki:sketchy. But I. So I'm coming off of a startup and I would like to go back to a startup. I love startups. I, I think you get to wear so many different hats. Mm-hmm. and, and your, your hands are in everything. And I like that. I like being needed and I like being someone that they're like, oh gosh, we can't get rid of
Liz:her. You know? Right. No, a absolutely. And I feel like those environments are how you kind of develop and learn certain skill sets that you couldn't necessarily learn. Book. Yes. You know, like creative problem solving, um, high level thinking, like just, I don't know, I, i seeing the big picture and strategy process improvement kind of thing. So I don't know. That's cuz the company I worked for was kind of a startup when I started, even though it was like, not start start, it was like acquisition based, but yeah. Oh, it was a hot mess. But it was, um, I learned a lot. So there was,
Kiki:it was your hot. It was my
Liz:hot mess. Yeah. Anyhow, so, all right, we're looking for a new job. We are also exploring the creative outlets such as TikTok and social media and things like that. And, um, you're also doing home improvements, right? Is that what Yes. We had talked about.
Kiki:Yes. Yes. So my husband, he is a handyman and a landscaper. So between the two of you, you're
Liz:like, do it all. I love it. Yes.
Kiki:You guys need your own. We actually, I'll show you this really quickly and I can send it to you so you can use it if you would like, but we just got commissioned to make a, you know, the Christmas story, leg lamp? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Someone just commissioned us to do Sally's leg from Nightmare before Christmas. Oh, I love that.
Liz:Yes. Sorry. I just got very excited. I love that. So big nightmare for Christmas
Kiki:fan y. I would love to be able to make more of them, but if I have to work with Clay another time in my life, I'm gonna throw my head against a wall. I hate 3D mediums. I cannot do them. Yeah,
Liz:I'm not that talented at all.
Kiki:You know what, but you're
Liz:talented in other ways. Exactly. And my husband, he can actually paint. So, you know, somehow between two of us, we can make it work. But yeah. Me? No, but continue. So you're gonna get your decoration.
Kiki:My, yeah. My husband rigged the whole thing and I painted the whole thing. Um, oh. So that's so cool. It's kind of like that around the house. The, the only thing is, so we, we bought a house at the height of when the market was ridiculous. Mm. his godmother is a realtor, and we bought the house from someone who inherited another house, used her as the realtor, and they didn't know the market was crazy, so they sold it to us at the price that it was in 2007. Oh
Liz:wow. So you really lucked out. That's amazing. Yes. Okay. Yes.
Kiki:The only thing is, so we, we've got a very spacious house for. and it's Indiana, so it's really cheap. But, um, the people who owned the house before us, uh, their son was disabled and they couldn't, and I, I guess something happened while he was younger, so then they couldn't afford both his care and keeping up with the house. Hmm. So it'll be. um, like we will flush the toilet one day and the toilet won't flush. We need a new toilet, or this outlet isn't working or this, this, or that. So we're trying to do home improvement, but then we're also trying to finish our rainbow backyard rainbow, which is, yes. So when I was a kid, I always wanted a rainbow colored backyard. I wanted everything to be different color. This want yellow house? Okay. Yes. So, uh, I have my lawn flamingos already. Uh, we're painting the house yellow and our porch is Barbie pink. Our pool deck is electric blue the inside of our pool. we painted Vermillion, so it's like that really dark
Liz:orange. Mm. Oh.
Kiki:And then, yeah, Mike got to pick the pool color, so, um, and he's building a shed right now. And I'm gonna paint it to look like the house from up and then we're gonna put birdhouses all over. Yeah.
Liz:Oh my. Okay. So I will be there next summer or, yes. In just a few months. And I, I'll make some really delicious. You know what I mean? I can we entertain each other. That's hilarious. Perfect. Um, that sounds like such a happy space. Like Yes. You know what I mean? Like, ugh, I'm, we're in an apartment right now, so I am jonesing for a house. Like that's in the cards for us in the beginning of the year. Like we're gonna really focus on it. But, um, all I want is just like that space, like in, into Yes. You know, just, if anything, the apartment has helped me realize or just be more grateful for having space and like mm-hmm. you know, valuing that. But how fun and. I don't know. Magical. I love it. So what's, yeah, what, what more plans do you guys have with
Kiki:it? Well we have a full basement to renovate. It had leaking like. Insane leaking. So we had to like, repair all the walls. Um, the infrastructure was crumbling, so then we had to have steel beams installed, you know, so just a little bit of work, you know, just a little bit of work, you know, just some sweat a lot of creative projects, but, uh, they have to be put on hold until we can do all the infrastructure stuff. I, I, I mean, it bothers me right now because we do have, a half rainbow backyard, a half-built shed, and a stove heating our pool. So we, we look, we look a little, little hickey. We do. But um, I know that when it's done, it's gonna, oh, by the way, you can bake in the stove, pool heater. You can bake while using the stove pool heater, we made
Liz:cookies. So it was, say you got cookies while you're swimming in the winter. Like, I, Hey, it's a win-win. I love it. You good? It's perfect. Yeah. That's amazing. That's amazing.
Kiki:So it's, it's weird. It's all half done right now, but it's gonna be a really amazing house and we're hoping. Like eventually to start a family here. Obviously not while I don't have a job but will she?
Liz:So we're gonna change that. Don't you worry. Do not worry girlfriend. Please do not worry. I got you on that. Like
Kiki:seriously, I will not hold my breath and honest if I have to end up waiting tables at a small diner in town for the local mine workers for just a little bit. I will do it. I will do.
Liz:Knowing you, you're gonna get some stories, oh yeah. And that's content, mm-hmm. and that's future content, so as well. So there you go. Yeah. I bet you probably make friends everywhere you go, don't you?
Kiki:I try to yeah. I'm the same when, when people are working in customer service and I can tell that they're disgruntled or having a bad day, I'll find something to compliment like them about, or I'll make a joke about like, something I, I have had to suffer through in customer service. Um, so there's this gas station in town that I, I go into all the time and like there's a bar in town we go into all the time, so we're regulars. And one of the last times I walked into this gas station, the two employees saw me coming and they ran to the front doors and they opened up the doors and they called me Miss Chesterton, which is like the name of the town I live in. And, They were like, oh, you have to get a sash that says Miss Chesterton, and like go around. We don't have a town miss, so you can just decide to be the town, miss. So I told my mother-in-law about this, she's a very proper like conservative woman and she was like, oh my God, yes, you have to do this. You have to get in the paper. I bought a sash. I have it. And on the day I forgot it. When I went to the market, I got put in the paper. I'm so mad at myself.
Liz:You are kidding. That's I'm serious. why were you in the paper? Um,
Kiki:They put a picture of me and Mike in the paper for being newlyweds. We were just talking to a woman and she was like, yeah, I work for the times. Like so. That's so precious. It's a small town. It's a small town and you're, please hold. I have a sash. I'll be back in 10. Yeah. can you hang on like 10 minutes while I run home?
Liz:Oh, I'm sure you'll have the opportunity next time you go to the bar, bring it on and you can just start becoming like a known person. Like you're already known in the town, but it's like, have you. Chester, miss Chesterton. It's Chesterton, and then it's like elusive. Who is this? Miss Chesterton. And then, you know, you get this like secretive rapport and then boom. Yeah. You're the town mayor and you have the key
Kiki:to the city. I hope so. We have, we have a, a county fair that I will absolutely going be going to as Miss Chesterton. There are pig races. Oh my God. You can pat chickens. Love. I want to go there. Love. I love chickens. I love chickens. I have a story for you about chickens. Okay. So my, oh God. I feel that, I feel like I'm outing her I will, I will change the story just a bit. Um, okay. So someone I know used to date, um, on millionaire match.com, which is an actual, it's like match.com, but men send in their pay stubs. Oh, okay. So you can look at their salary and be like, uh, could this man deserve me? So, alright. Person was dating the guy who owned North American ves. And it, it's like the
Liz:motor scooters. Yeah, yeah. No, I know what, yeah, like, yeah. Little scoop scoops. No, I'm just like North American Vespa. That's important. Like,
Kiki:yes. And he was obsessed with buying her chickens. He wanted to put a chicken coop in her backyard, and honestly, he got so pushy and obsessive over her having farm fresh eggs that she broke up with him.
Liz:Is that some weird rich people? Shit. Like what?
Kiki:I don't know. You have to, that's some weird fetish.
Liz:Like amazing. I need you to have all these clucking. Hes
Kiki:now. Could you go sit by them? I will love that. Can
Liz:can you cock a doodle do like, that's probably where I went. That's amazing though. It I brought you chickens. You must love
Kiki:me. It's, it's better than being traded for cows, you know? That's all I gotta.
Liz:Yeah. Yeah. Speaking of cows, I was, I was at one of my best friends earlier. She has a little farm, lots of chickens by the way, and she's got this massive effing rooster. I was like, do roosters get that big? That looks like a dinosaur, but okay. Um, but she just got two little, um, I call them Shetland cows, but they're not highland cows. And those like little fuzzy ones that look little, like little teddy bears. Oh my goodness. I wanted to eat it. It was so adorable. It was three months.
Kiki:I definitely watch videos of those all the time. Oh
Liz:yeah. If I need a pick me up, give me raccoon videos. Yes. Or Irish cow
Kiki:videos. All right. Cow videos. I love them. Love
Liz:them. Fun fact, I used to be terrified of cows when I was a, a young child, and I, uh, got chased by one and that's. That's why, um, to this day, my friends from back, like I kind of hung, I lived in the country, like I grew up in the country. And so we'd go play in the creek. Mm-hmm. And this was like when I was like eight or nine years old. And the, they, it was like breeding seasons. There was like fresh babies, you know, like young babies. And the moms really protective. And so the babies are coming down the creek. And mom was like, oh, there's intruders. Get the hell outta here. And yeah. Started to charge. And honestly, she probably didn't leave far from the opening to like the little area. She was probably just shooting us off. But I was so terrified. Oh, Iran, my heart's desire. I outran everyone I was with. Um, yeah, I lept over basically a barbed wire fence like I was. Fucking terrify. I've never ran so fast in my life. So, um, at least I know that there is something about adrenaline that if I was being chased, I think I could probably run faster. You could do it. Yeah. But I don't run like hell No, I don't do that neither.
Kiki:So it's bad for your knees.
Liz:Yeah. Right. Like also that's, that's all you have to say. Yeah. I pop creek, all that kind of shit already. I don't need to make it worse. So, thank you. I feel. Yeah. Um, but anywho, um, so newlyweds. Congratulations, by the way. I didn't realize you guys got married so recently. Yeah. So that's exciting. Yeah. So newlyweds, home improvements, that's a lot of things. Um, creative spaces, new jobs, figuring out our next moves. That's a lot on your plate. Um, on top of everything else, what else is going on? I think, do you have any creative projects on the horizon that you wanna share you're excited about or what you are just trying to figure.
Kiki:The, the only creative project that I have in, the works right now per se, is, um, working on that, illustrated book, kind of like the hyperbole and a half type thing. Mm-hmm. um, that will probably take me a year. Yeah. I'm sure. On top of that, I. Oh my goodness. Why did this slip my mind? So I'm a published playwright, um, oh, I bring a play that's been produced, it's called Papers. I have the poster for it on my wall. Um, that's so cool. And I just finished my second work and it's being reviewed by two Playhouse right now. So we'll see. It doesn't have a title yet, but um, it's sent in 2032. Texas. Mm-hmm. And it's regarding. Abortion laws and the two main characters are a, uh, she's a republican. and her daughter is pregnant and she wants her daughter to have an illegal abortion, and she's going head-to-head with a doctor who is a liberal, who is fought for abortion, but doesn't want this daughter specifically to have an abortion. And you find out why in the play. But there are, there are two hypocritical people going head-to-head and essentially playing chess with this girl's life. So, oh
Liz:wow. The tension sound, I can feel the tension just from that syn. Yeah, that sounds gripping. I
Kiki:hope, I hope that it gets picked up. I don't want to publish this one the way that I published the last one, but I'm hoping it gets picked. Do Indiana audience, if that
Liz:makes sense. Say it one more time. I think it just, cut out for one.
Kiki:You're fine. I said it's too edgy for an Indiana audience. Yeah. Um,
Liz:so you're just not sure where to pitch it. So when you said you wanna do it differently than the first one you pitched, did you learn lessons the hard way or something like that? Yeah,
Kiki:I had it. So Illinois State University produced it. Okay. Um, and that was great. But when you have a unpublished work that you want to have published through like Dramatists, which is the. You know, Playhouse right? Publishing, if it's been produced by a non-professional theater, they won't consider it. Oh my goodness, I didn't know that. So you have haven't produced by a professional theater or, or at least a known theater company for Dramatists to review it and then publish it. So I had to self-publish my last play. I'm still very proud of it. Right. But, um, I would like Dramatists to look at this one.
Liz:Okay, well, I'm gonna put that good juju, that good energy out there for you because um, that sounds very interesting. I'd love to read it. So definitely gonna look forward to seeing more of that. Yeah, of course. Um, and also more of your, your videos and your standup. So in Guinea pigs, Guinea pigs, Guinea pigs, you know, maybe we could do a, a play with your Guinea pigs and being a Guinea pig for my resume building workshop that you and I are gonna do. So, um, I would love that. I'm just making, I'm making that happen right now. Um, and I think it'd be very comical and fun, but also very informative, so, yeah. But anywho, you, you got a lot going on for your girlfriend the new year, and I feel like you've got the right attitude, like the right energy going into it, so thank you. Um, are you into thinking of a word of the year or, um, not always. Just like, Big goals and things like that cuz I, I try not to always enforce like, this is a new year, what's your ambition and stuff because I also don't want people to feel like their new year can't start in April or this or this. Like, there's always a good time for that. But I do like to keep a mantra cuz it's helped me, it's helped me ground myself in times of like desperation or mental spiral. So I was just curious, did you do anything like that?
Kiki:I do have a mantra. Um, I found it on when I had to drop out of college before I returned to come back. It's success is not linear. and I really love that because right now, right now, I, I don't feel successful as a person and, and I am emulating very positive energy. But as someone who is, is bipolar and, and downswing at the moment, I, I can't always help the negative things that I think about myself. But success is not linear has always grounded me because it's like, oh yeah, I'm swinging down, but I gotta come back. So that's really my mantra that I'm gonna hold onto in 2023. I love that.
Liz:And very well said, very, very beautiful. I, uh, when I was kind of in my lowest point last year, um, I read this book and there was this quote that said I did my best with the information, experience, and resources I had at the. and that's been something that's really helped ground me when I feel overwhelmed, overstimulated over all the things, and also self-doubt. Um, and it helps with imposter syndrome, but, As quick as, yeah, I love that. Imposter syndrome leaves, they show up quite quickly. So
Kiki:Yes.
Liz:Ugh, Um, but anywho, well, I loved having you on the pod today. Kiki, it's been so great. I love your energy. I love your vibe. Thank you. Um, all the things, I mean, hopefully once I get more of a video set up here, we can do this again and maybe we can even like, I don't know. B-roll, some funny skits or something like that. Um, cuz I, you know what? I'm craving improv. I miss improv.
Kiki:You know, a live stream would not be off the table. Ooh, that would be fun. I've, I've got about like 30,000 little little friends that we could try a live stream with if you were interested.
Liz:Uh, absolutely no time. Like I honestly bring it. Let's, we can it out. Let's go. We can even have them like throw suggestions out with us. That's always fun. Um, I would love. And then we can go from there. Yes. Okay. We'll make that happen. We'll, perfect. We'll touch base offline and, uh, okay. we'll sync up our calendars and we'll get together. Okay? Okay. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Um, but if anybody wants to find you to, to follow what is you and see your really fun, cool videos and all the cool shit you and your husband are doing, which can't wait to see updates on the rainbow backyard, where can they find you? Where's the best place they can find? I'm about to
Kiki:plug my TikTok, but I actually just realized that I wanted to change my handle back, so let me see if I can do that. We're,
Liz:we're live, we're we're. Oh, don't you worry. We are. Uh, we're, this is real time. Everybody. Hold on to your, your knickers. We are, hold on. Changing handles on the in between podcast. I don't know what accent that went into, but it's, it like started Southern and then it kind of went different. I don't know. Account
Kiki:information. I'll figure, I'll figure this out. Oh, edit profile. That's why Kiki Ruff.
Liz:You also have the best name. I told you that when I first met you. I was like, your name's Kiki Ruff. That's fucking just fantastic.
Kiki:I love it. Thank you. People tell me all the time, someone in the gas station told me that sounds like you do porn. And I wanted to be like, maybe I do. I don't. Do you
Liz:need your window wiped? I got you. Yeah,
Kiki:but we, we support sex workers in this
Liz:household, so Oh my. Yes. Another soapbox. Yes. Yes, I'm not gonna go down there. I'm just not gonna cause it's a tangent, but we'll save it for the live stream. Um, perfect. But, oh, that might be fun too. Let, let's just go off on tangents that we like, are passionate about let's, um, through self-depreciating humor and, um, you know, positive reinforcement. I'm just kidding.
Kiki:It is perfect. It is done.
Liz:I love it. No, seriously. So where can they find you? Where can all the, the peeps find, find the Kiki?
Kiki:So you can get to me the easiest through TikTok or Instagram. It's Kiki, K i k i, ruff, R O U G
Liz:h. And I'll make sure to link it in the show notes. So Perfect. If anyone is technically challenged, they can find it there too as well. Perfect. So
Kiki:yeah, bring on the technologically challenged. They're welcome to
Liz:we, uh, side note. Let me end you. Let me, let's, and this one more funny story, speaking of technically challenged. Please. So I have this soundboard that I bought myself for my birthday this year cuz I'm a professional podcaster And uh, I was like, this is so fancy. I'm gonna watch all the YouTube videos cuz like, obviously I'm not a sound engineer and this is supposed to help but still make you professional, but it's not like rocket science, right? And it lights up, it's sky, it's pretty lights and I love that. Mm-hmm. Um, so I plug it in and I'm following the instructions and I have it hooked up to my computer through the U S B. And I can't figure out the sound. I like have my headphones set in and I have all the volume on. I'm like, where the fuck's the sound? Like, and this thing was not cheap. Okay. So I'm like, yeah, I just spent a, you know, a lot of money on this thing and I can't hear the sound. And I'm like, this is, this is driving me crazy. And I. I thought I had tried every little knob on
Thank you all for listening. To another episode of the in-between podcast. I'll see you next Wednesday for all new content. I'm elizabeth Bye.
Liz:this damn thing, but apparently I hadn't tried this one. But anyways, I spent upwards of two and a half hours, which is even embarra. It's super embarrassing to admit that I'm like, and I, I, I, I watched YouTube videos. I emailed support and I, and I even said, support at this point, I am certain it's user error, but please help me. I was like, I don't understand. I'm like, what am I doing wrong? I don't know what the hell was my problem hooked by U S B. There is a U S B icon knob on this thing and I never thought to just push it up. I shit you not. That was the fire button and I spent three hours. Pressing every button. But that one, it was very, it was a very humbling experience. So, um, my goodness. Technically challenged, but I'm really n ty. Typically not. But then again, maybe I am. So everybody listening, don't worry. We've all been there. Yeah, painfully. So, cuz that's three hours I'll never get back. So, uh, that's true. Geez. But any who? Kes, Kiki. Sorry, I don't know Keke go over that level yet, but, uh, you're fine. Keek, Kiki, um, God, such a fun name. Thank you so much for being here. Hopefully we can, uh, course get together again soon. We'll make that livestream happen and, uh, my, my, uh, biggest support to you right during this transition period. This in between, but I know you're gonna get through it. I'm gonna help you along the way, and that's how we do it. That's how we do it,
Kiki:angel. That's how we do
Liz:it. All right. Thank you so much. Of course.
Thank you all for listening to another episode of the in-between podcast. If you liked today's episode, please go subscribe, rate, and review. Wherever you listen to your podcasts. So without further ado, I hope you have a fabulous first week of 2023, and I'll see you next week. I'm Elizabeth. Bye.