In-Between: My Lost Girl Era & Love Island USA

Navigating the Lost Girl Era: Rejection, Resilience, and Rediscovery

I'm back! Hi, did you miss me? Don't worry, I'm diving into everything that's been going on in my world and catching you up about my recent bout with depression (which I'm redefining as my 'Lost Girl Era'). 

Here's a look at this week's episode:

• Depression? Nah, we're calling it our Lost Girl Era
• I share the emotional journey of job searching, overcoming multiple rejections, and what happens when it doesn't work out. 
• Better yet, how I'm not giving up and how I inadvertently found small wins when I felt numb. Sometimes sitting with the uncomfortable feelings leads to new perspectives and observations. 
• LOVE ISLAND USA SEASON 6 - CAN I GET A HELL YES? I go into my binge-watching experience, offering a humorous and heartfelt take on reality TV. 
• My house-hunting adventure and how you can't bamboozle me.
• EMF Waves - wtf - my peculiar revelation about the impact of wearing an Apple Watch and my chronic pain. 
• New York City pitch emails - holy level of imposter syndrome!

No matter what, embrace your resilience, don't forget your self-belief, and remember the power of redirection. 

If you're enjoying the podcast, don't forget to leave a rating or review and hit the subscribe and follow buttons! 

Connect with me:
https://in-between.co
@in.betweenpod on Instagram
@elizabethcheney_ on Instagram
@theinbetweenpodcast on TikTok
The In-Between Podcast on YouTube

Transcript

RODECaster Pro Multichannel: 0:06

Hey, hey, hey. Welcome back to an all new episode of the in between. I'm your host, Elizabeth Cheney, and I guess I should be saying, welcome back Elizabeth to the in between. Oh my goodness. Yes. Your girl took a little break. She took a little break. you know, Sometimes we need breaks, and as I was laying out this week's episode, organizing my thoughts, always a fun pastime of mine, uh, but organizing my thoughts and the topics and things I wanted to hit, I was thinking about the order, Do I give all the life updates and all the things that have piqued my interest over the past few weeks since we last had a one on one session? You know what I mean? Or do I just start with, like, what's been going on and why I needed a break? And since the in between is all about real, authentic conversations, Honestly, I don't even know if I could be fake if I'm being, if I'm being completely frank with you. But I was like, you know what, I'm just gonna get into it because this is a safe space. Y'all my peoples. At least I would hope so. If you're listening to my podcast, you're into me. But I wanted to get into my lost girl era. That is what I'm calling it. What it really is, is just depression. not that depression is a bad word, but for me, I'm going to reframe it as my lost girl era. So I'm gonna try my best not to make this like some very long, layered journey for a story. Like turn it into a quest. Because I think I can do that. Not that I'm a bad storyteller, but like we got lots of things to talk about. Ahem. Cough, cough. Love Island. More on that momentarily. But, let's see. Where did it all begin? So I always have so many different things going on. That is just who I am. I am what they call an overachiever. But with podcasts and the job, it's a lot. Well, what y'all didn't really know is behind the scenes, I've also been like looking for a new job. I'm not gonna get into all of that, um, because that's like a different episode for a different day, and that has a lot of nuance to it. With that said, I've been looking for a while. The job market is not ideal. So for all of my friends out there who are in it with me, hugs and eat some candy because it's emotional. Dear me. So I, I've been applying and getting rejections. I've gone through referrals, the whole ship and caboodle. So part of why my focus was looking for a job is back. I don't know, back in April, March, I was like universe, whoever is listening, please help me figure out, do I need to spend my efforts looking for a house or looking for a job? Because doing both and working my actual job and doing the podcast and everything else was just a little too much, you know what I mean? So I was like, please someone help me because I'm immobilized, I already have task paralysis. So imagine how that translates to my life when I have like all these huge things that, you know, take up a lot of time and energy. Well, let's just say the universe was like, here's your answer. So I started looking for a job. Well, to get discouraged. It's easier said than done. I mean, I've been through the trenches in my own mental health. So, you know. I'm not trying to say I've got it figured out, but I can pick myself up by the bootstraps a little bit easier than I used to, you know what I mean? So, rejection, rejection, rejection, after rejection, Some of these are even through, like most of these actually were through referrals, so like, it just is not an ideal time. And, you know, no conversation around the economy, but like, what the hell's going on? I don't even know, I don't even know. But anyways. I found this role that seemed perfect for what I was looking for. And I'm going to try and say this story without it sounding too, too cheesy, but let's just say everything was lining up. Not only was this exactly what I was looking for, the way in which the timeline was working in the way in which my projects were lining up, it was like transitions like, Ooh, this is clear. Like it just seemed like it was, everything was working out. One thing that I've talked about and one thing that I've also been like holding on is like I'm about to enter my season Of winning, you know, I've been through the shit and I mean not to say that I can control how my life goes Like that's a whole other conversation between is it fate? Do we have choice? That's some things I've been musing over lately, but what I mean is like I want to claim it. I want to own it I want to be confident Because through this whole journey of life, really, but just, you know, making the choice, feeling like I was being guided into where I need to spend my efforts and my focus. I felt like, Oh wow, this is all been building up to this, right? And then how it kept working out and like the check marks it was hitting and it was interview after interview. And before I knew it, I was all the way through every final round, every single round of interviews I had gotten through every single round. To the point that I'm just going to be honest. The hiring manager was like, I'd hire you right now if I could, because I still had a few more rounds at that point in the game. So with this feeling of, Whoa, I think this is it. And feeling that in my gut, in my intuition, and then like, rather than being insecure or having imposter syndrome or thinking, Oh, I don't deserve it. I'm not good enough. I was like, no, fuck that. I am good enough. I'm claiming it. I've been busting my ass doing the like two jobs of the podcast on my actual job and trying to do this and also look for a house and keep my sanity and also like cry every other week because I miss my dog so freaking much like it's a lot. But somehow I'm not like getting taken under and I'm gonna make it. I'm gonna get through. I am gonna do the damn thing because I've been at my rock bottom. I'm not going back. Like, Oh, you know what I mean? Like not going back. Like I have, I owe it to myself to keep going. So, I claim it, I'm owning it, people, I didn't really share it with a lot of people, but those that I did, my, my, my mom, my, my family, like my, some of my friends, they were like, wait, this is your job. This is it. Like, we all felt it. It was a weird thing. Right? Right. And then, randomly, like a week after the final interview, I get an automated rejection email. Automated meaning, dear ma'am, right? So, not really personalized, very just, wow, humbling. Sure, we'll just say that word for now. But like, to be honest, any place I've ever interviewed, especially if I've actually interviewed, even if it was just like a recruiter screening, I've always at least had like a person respond back to me. So that was fun, you know, to make it through every round. Um, I was devastated. I was crushed. I was desperate to get out of my current job because I just, I'm ready for things to change. Like I'm ready for the next step. We've been in this apartment. I've been in this job for so many years. It's time for me to grow and spread my wings because I just don't feel like I'm being challenged enough. But at the same time, I do, See opportunity there, but you need to pay me more right? I need to make more money I need to make more money to be able to like comfortably afford my groceries and not feel like oh Well, I could like start for lunch today and like maybe skip dinner tomorrow. I'm just kidding It's not that dramatic. But like also groceries are fucking expensive. So Call me when your grocery bill is like under 100 That'd be great because I feel like even as a single person it would it would still be be ghastly. But anyways, I digress so, feeling like I've been stuck even though I haven't been giving up because I've been feeling this momentum and I'm making little progress here and here with the, with the podcast with this and trying to make sure my personal life is staying with it and trying to keep it all together and just, Also, not crumble by the pressure of like the mountain I feel like I'm holding, of all these big time energy consuming things I'm focusing on and struggling to be like, I don't know how to let go of some of it. That's why I was like focus on the house, focus on the job, focus on the job. So to finally after so long feel like I was finally there and to feel it and to claim it and to, for real, for real, not have imposter syndrome, not second guess myself, literally, literally. Literally was not insecure, it was wild. It was the first time, like, really where I was like, Wow, my inner narrative is not at all gaslighting me. This is so wonderful. Oh, nice to meet you Liz, I love you. And then to get that, and then to get the rejection, like, it devastated me. And it was more than just, like, not getting the job. Sure, that hurt my ego. Sure, it made me frustrated. Like, why do I keep getting rejections? What am I missing here? How come I keep getting so close so many times and then it's like, I just, this is just out of reach. That's what it feels like. It's just out of reach. And then I was devastated because I felt like I really believed in myself at the time. I was like, for the first time I really believed in myself, but that's kind of what it felt like the first time to like truly like send it, you know what I mean? And like, not doubt myself at frigging all. And feeling, wow, it didn't work out. The one time that you truly like put yourself on a limb in terms of like self belief and you got rejected. feeling like I was finally gonna be able to break out of my, you know, break into a new role, break into a new opportunity, a new chapter and feel a little less stuck. Because then, you know, make more money, maybe you can comfortably afford the house better. You can afford a better house, you can afford a home at least more comfortably at bare minimum because homes are crazy expensive. and I just sat there with it. I was devastated. I wanted to give up. I was like, what is it all for? I am so tired of being rejected. And feeling like I'm chasing my tail, getting nowhere fast, knowing that I have to let go of some of this stress so I can get more done and feel like a freaking sane person half the time. But I don't know how because I gotta work. I'm not giving up the podcast. That's part of the struggle. That's just part of like, you know, the come up story. What about all this other shit? What do I do? And yes, as somebody with ADHD and maybe borderline control issues, I would like a friggin manual of the choices I need to make to get to the path I want. But that's part of life. But anyways, I was really sad. I was, I was in a, I was in a hole. I think the biggest thing was, Feeling like I lost my spirituality, like I lost my connection to something more than myself, right? Like, I don't want to use the word religion because it's not that, but I don't know, maybe it's just, it comes down to like a disconnection from myself and my core beliefs of me. Thank God I also had therapy that week, so that was like crucial timing. We like when those things like line up perfectly, right? So not to get into all the weeds and details really of. The hindsight 2020 after afterthoughts, after reflections. I want to say that, I don't know, three or four days after I got the rejection email. Oh, actually, before I even get to that point, what really, really fun salt in the wounds. Like two days after the automated rejection email, the recruiter reaches back out to me and is like, Hey, you should hear next steps next week. And I'm like, excuse me, um, I got a rejection email. So what does that mean? And then they were like, Oh, I guess the team decided. So that was fun. Very dramatic. Dun, dun, dun, dun. you know, it's not even an ego thing. I'm just like, well. Like I feel like Olaf from Frozen during summer, like without the little like magical cloud, you know, he's just like I'm having a good time, but he's melted, you know, that's, that's like where I was mentally like, Oh, this is good. This is good. This is fun. So, anyways, like four days after I get the notice that I'm not, I'm no longer being forward, I couldn't ignore the fact that although I was numb, I was still getting things done. So I picked up that this was a different type of depression than the like the first one that I remembered like the one that was like my rock frickin bottom because I was, I was washing my face, I was brushing my teeth, I was eating my, I was making sure I was eating all my meals, I was sleeping, eh, not, not great, but like I was sleeping, you know, I immediately noticed, okay, this isn't horrible because like, I'm taking care of myself. That's great. Okay, cool. I still felt numb, but there was like this voice literally inside me, like just over and over again, like you can't give up no matter how many tears I cried, no matter how much I just was like, forget the universe. Screw you turning my back. What benefit have you been? But me just believing myself to be shot in the mud. Fuck the universe. Fuck my ability to get a new job. Just fuck it all. That's really how I felt, but also with like lots of crocodile tears. You know, I was in my feels. Despite all of that, there was this voice in me. Voice that was just like, you can't give up, bitch. Like you can't it was a little bit nicer at first. It was like, I know you're hurting, but you can't give up. I know you want to but you can't give up. I know it's hard. You can't give up. Some people have it easier. You're right, but you can't give up. Some people have it harder. You can't give up. Like every single scenario running through my head. And after sitting with myself and not putting pressure on myself because well, I felt numb. I was in a rut, you know, I was on a rock and a hard place. I wasn't feeling the jumble of thoughts because I've like, I gotta go do this and do that and do that. And like maybe my ADHD wasn't activated so to speak, if that makes any sense. And I realized, okay, I'm taking care of myself, but also I'm still doing things. Like the week I got rejected, I S I put out an episode, I was still able to edit it. And ironically it was the feelings one kind of, you know, not that I forgot what the topic was, but like I wasn't thinking about it when I went into edit it. And then I was like, Oh shit, I need to hear this message this week. How fitting. And so I started reflecting over the week, definitely not the first few days cause this happened on a Monday, way to kick off your week. You're rejected. Couldn't send it to me Friday. Couldn't send it to me Friday so I could just take the weekend. No, we had to wait till Monday at like 2 p. m. Love that for me. Anyways, if anyone is listening who is a recruiter or in a role position to hire, I Think about the shit I'm saying and just be considerate give them the weekend. Okay, okay Anyways, the story is almost over. I promise because we're at the we're at the we're getting to the good part Through my disarray because I can joke I can joke about it now, but at the time shit was not good. I was feeling bleak I'm reflecting. Okay, this isn't the rock bottom. Like obviously I'm taking care of myself and then I'm looking at like My work and my, my, my to do list, I put that in quote marks because like I always have like a thousand to do lists. And I realized, oh shit, I'm actually knocking things off. Hmm. So I sat with that. I sat with the fact that I was still accomplishing things, but I felt numb. And I also kind of felt like I was turning my back on the world because I felt like the world and the universe are turning its back on me, so to speak. Hey, it happens. Devastation leads to dark thoughts. It is what it is. I am who I am. And then I started sitting more with the numbness, the pain, the hurt, the disappointment, the ego. And I journaled, got some things out, and I kept coming to this question of, Um, why do I go back to this, this mantra, this, this comment of why am I not enough? So in this whole experience, it helped me kind of like start to unpack some things that I hadn't really thought about and also like, wow, this drives a lot of anxiety and things that I do. And like this feeling that I, I, I'm, I'm less than like, you're not going to be successful because like, you're just not that person to be. So that's a whole different conversation. We call those child wounds hopefully me just spilling all my guts on this podcast is not like scaring anybody. Uh, I'm just being very open. I'm an open book. I can't help it. It is what it is. I mean, also like you're listening to me. So like I think you like it. I hope you like it. If not, this just got very awkward, but In my introspection, in my journaling, in this lost era feeling, really depression but lost era, feels, feels better because what is lost can be found, no pun intended, not to be cheesy, but also rediscovery. And I'm like, wait a second, this dumbness is letting me get more done. I'm not feeling pressure by my like. you know, compulsive thoughts and this and this and that and that. And like, I gotta do this. I'm distracted. Gotta do that. Huh? Who, who? how can I take that into my day to day? But like, minus the numb feeling. And so I've been really focused on the pressure. Like anytime I feel pressure to do stuff, anytime I feel pressure, like not even just stuff like Um, activities, social outings, whatever, but like pressure from myself, like I'm overwhelmed. I'm like, okay, let's address that. So I am rewiring my nervous system anxiety. I don't fucking know, but I am trying to work on the pressure I put on myself so that I can get more done and more, more clear things done because in this period of like numbness the past two weeks, I've gotten so much done. I started a macrame project, which is like the, like the knotting of the threads. It's not like crochet or anything like that, but it's like, I don't know, Google it. M A C R O M E A M E something like that. Hopefully I just spelled that right or else I probably sound like an idiot. I wasn't even thinking that, but just like, that just like came out on autopilot. So, uh, anyways, put it into like Siri, like, Macrame, Alexa macrame. Um, but I did that. I read more than I have probably all year. I'm almost done with this freaking book. Shout out to Thrones of Glass. Is that what it's called? Glass of Thrones? Thrones of Glass? It's that Sarah Mass book. Anyways, all this to say sometimes things don't work out. It's okay to feel. Duh, it's okay to fucking feel. It's okay to feel lost. I mean, I still feel a little like I'm overwhelmed. What am I doing with my life? But I'm also like seeing how, okay, there's all these other small things starting to work out and other areas of my life that like I have also been working on job things, house things, whatever. So it's like, okay, well then what was guiding me to this job? Experience this interview experience this whole like this is what I need to be focusing on anyway So I'm not giving up. She's not and you know, I talked about how like that week that I got the rejection, I did the feelings episode. Weirdly enough, I really needed that, that message that week for myself. Then I start catching up on a lot of podcasts that I've been, I've been wanting to listen to. And the first one I listened to is all about rejection and how it's redirection. And I'm just like, wait a second, what? So all of a sudden I'm getting all these messages of like, why you can't give up. Why everyone, every huge successful person has that big moment where they're like, wait, shit. It didn't work out again. And this one was big. What do I do? Like, I'm never gonna make it. Like, I keep trying years and years. And then, boom, you do have your big break. You have your big moment. Like, everyone's failure, rejection, is a part of their story. And I'm not saying, like, I had to feel all this way just to get knocked down, to make the way down to the next step. But maybe I did, maybe I do, maybe it's a testament to how I came out of it. I didn't let myself just sit there. I also want to say I think it's a, it's, the fact that I had that voice that was like you can't give up is like a testament to all the work I've done. Like the constant effort of like, alright, we are retraining the narrative because we're going to talk to ourselves nicely because survey says we deserve it. Thank you. Anyways, I know this has kind of gotten all over the place, but that's where I've been. Your girl's been a little lost. And shout out to my friend Kristen from the A Little Bit A Lot podcast. Uh, her and I talked like the Friday following, like, you know, like that Friday after I got the email and we talked for like, I don't know, a couple hours actually. And it was exactly what I needed because one, she's amazing, love her. But also. Being able to talk to a creative friend, especially a podcasting friend about all the shit that we're doing and we're both trying the same levels trying to do content, do our content, create our content. And what if you tried this, does this work this like, you know, we're just out here hustling, but also really just like faking it till we make it. So I could have that camaraderie and like that workshopping with her and just like honestly venting sometimes of like, Oh, let's feel sorry for myself for just half a second. But then I was also inspired because you know, we didn't stay low for long. We were talking about what's next and what we're gonna do and how I'm gonna pivot or what I'm gonna do and she's gonna do and just, it was amazing. And I remember, I think it was, you know, it was like during the conversation when I was telling her my rejection and this and this that and that. I was like, so yeah, my therapist said it's depression. You know, it's going to be fine. Like I'll get through it. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And she's like, or it's just your lost girl era. And I was like, Kristen, that's genius. I frigging love that. So shout out to Kristen. I'm in my lost girl era. Anyone listening, if you're in your lost era, lost girl, lost guy, lost whatever. Hey. I'm right there with you and there's nothing wrong with it. I came back with a great episode. I still put out content last week. I got so much shit going on. I started doing my hobbies and interests again. I haven't felt near as stressed as I did before I got the rejection email because sometimes you just need a refresher and sometimes that refresher, and maybe refresher is not the right word. You just need that check and maybe it's rejection. I don't think it's a pivot. I think it's just a test to my character of how I handle the rejection, how I handle the loss, how I pick myself back up by the bootstraps. And I choose to do that because, what do I always say? I say a lot of things, but we're here for a blip. Life's so short. Life is crazy. It's amazing and crazy that we get to experience life. So Sigh. I'm not going to give up because there is still that feeling that I'm going to, I'm going to say it, that knowing that I'm going to pull this off. I'm going to make this thing happen. This thing, this dream of mine, these dreams of mine. So I encourage you if you're feeling rejected, if you're feeling lost, if you're feeling just, I don't know, exhausted, overwhelmed, tired, frustrated, all of the things. It's okay. Sit with it. Sit with it, remove the pressure and just sit with it. Heal from it. Grieve from it. Grief, there is all friggin different kinds of grief I am coming to learn. There is the deep, heart wrenching, life defying grief of losing something, someone so close to you. And then there's the grief of these kind of losses. The grief and loss of, like, what you thought your life was gonna be. You thought where your life was going, like, not to be, like, dramatic about it, but It's okay. We're gonna have these moments and, like, obviously, I'd be crazy to think this is the last rejection I'm ever gonna receive. Of course not. Of course I'm gonna get more rejections. Hopefully, maybe next time I won't be as devastated and get knocked down as much as I did this time. Maybe I will though. And if so, well, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. So, I'm grateful that I have a great partner, Stan. Shout out to my love, he is fantastic and he's been so supportive. My mom, I've got a really, really great support system. So, I'm very grateful for that. So, this is your note that, um, They can try and knock your girl down, but she's always gonna get back up. Okay, so now that we have gotten through the Lost Girl era, let's talk about what's going on. Yes. Okay, so, alright. In my, like, Lost Girl era, which we're still kind of in, which we are still in, but we're feeling better about, maybe I should say, I have binge watched Love Island USA season 6. Now you all know that I am not a reality TV girly. Alright, I'm just not. I'm a S I know I could be. I just don't have time for it but also like I would get into it and maybe not every show would be like this, but I know that I would get very frustrated because at some point in my head, I'm going to be like this motherfucker is probably making so much money now and this is so frustratingly stupid and annoying. And also this is definitely a setup. That's, I think that's really my thing when it comes down to is like the setups. Cause like, I don't know. Sometimes I'll watch interviews with reality TV people and I'm like, you're nothing like your reality TV, like, persona. So like, it's all an act. I don't know. I digress. Now I feel like I'm just going on some weird side tangent. But with that said, if you've been Living under a rock, you probably haven't heard, but if you've touched Instagram and or TikTok at any given point the past, like, two months, you've heard of Love Island. I'm sure of it. So I kept seeing all this chatter about it, and I was like, I need to watch this. Like, I feel like I need to get into this. So I went, had a girls weekend where we make maid candles and all this, and I feel like maybe I did talk about this a couple weeks ago, but I'm not quite sure. Anyways, my girlfriend Sam introduced me, introduced me to Love Island this season, and I was hooked. I was like, this is kinda cool. I know it's like a weird concept, all these strangers living in a villa, like cameras on them, like Big Brother style, but, you know, I'm into it. It's like, you know, they got games, challenges, it's about finding romance, but they're all just vibin hangin out. What? I'm into it. I'm into it. So, I watched, like, there was one weekend in my, like, in the past two weeks where Santa went fishing in Blue Ridge and I think I watched 20 episodes, um, over the course of like two days. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. I watched that shit in three weeks. I watched 36, well, no, sorry. 35 frigging episodes in. Do you know how much time that is for somebody who like I already mentioned in the first 20 frickin minutes Like I'm overwhelmed by this shit going on, but let me just tackle in like 30 Five plus hours of reality TV. When I take it back, absolutely not. Do I feel cultured? I'm not going to lie. I do. Yes. I feel like I am internet cultured and that feels so high. Any millennial telling you that they, uh, they don't really care to not be on trend is full of shit. To be a part of the conversation feels so freaking good. I can think of a few people listening right now that know me that are probably cringing so hard, but I don't care. Let me live. But despite being cultured on the internet, it was good TV. Okay. Like of course there's problematic characters, but there was like so much heart https: otter. ai I was shocked, because my opinion of Rowdy TV is definitely not much of any of the words I just used. Sure, there was the problematic people, the problematic things, the, you piece of, you know what, why are you doing that? But overall, it was just amazing, and All I gotta say is, August 19th is the reunion, and I cannot freaking wait. That's all I want to say. I cannot freaking wait. I cannot wait. I always joke about how I'm a podcaster who's really bad about listening to podcasts. Well, just go into the little good old depression bucket and, you know, reestablish, re find yourself, re find your hobbies, rediscover your hobbies, rediscover your interests. Here I am freaking reading a book. Here I am freaking macromania. Here I am watching Like watching Tik Toks and being a part of the conversation and also knowing what the hell they're talking about because well, your girls seen the mother effing Love Island doing this, doing that. And I'm like, Oh, I love this. I love this for me. I feel like I feel like myself again. I mean, I've been listening to podcasts. I always say I'm really bad about catching up with my podcasts as a podcaster. And your girl's been listening to podcasts. Why? Love Island, getting my ass back up in the podcast. I've listened to so many podcasts. Podcasts I don't listen to normally. Vile files. Call her daddy. Well, I listen to Call Her Daddy sometimes, but I, actually, I didn't listen to that one. I just watched clips. Ugh, shame on you for interviewing Rob! Uh, side note, that's a different conversation. Honestly, I love I'm just going to say this. I love Love Island so much that I honestly want to make a bonus episode where I just share my thoughts and feelings. Is there any interest in that? Does anybody care about Love Island, like Liz's pop culture roundtable, where the roundtable is me, myself, and I? And I can just go through all the freaking podcasts I've listened to, the TikToks I've seen, and just Not that, like, okay, maybe I should just like slow my roll. I have had a life outside of this. I am just more so like, wow, your girl has sunk her teeth and claws into this damn show. And I love it. I want to be Leah's friend. I want to be Serena's friend, Jenae. Oh, she's my girl. PPG. I want to be a part of PPG. I want to be their friends. Side note, if I was single, I actually think I would love to be on one of these shows because like, not for me finding love, cause like whatever, but like, I would be a character. I would have so much fun. Maybe I'd be the villain. I don't know. I just, man, some of these people I'd be like, all right, listen here, buddy. Stop being an asshole. Anyways, I'm getting crazy. If you've watched it, I need to talk about it. Maybe I will do a bonus episode, but Love Island has consumed me. So shout out to getting back in touch with myself, rediscovering my interests, finding a new obsession, and somewhere along the process trying to, I don't know, Keep the flow of no pressure, but also like not feel like I'm so much in a rut still You know what I mean? Like feeling positive. I'll get there. I'll get there. I'll get there. still obsessed with Chapel Rowan, of course God, I love Chapel Rowan. I saw someone say that she's like our generation's Freddie Mercury I don't want to say that because like he is amazing and like I don't want to like take away from anything that He represents to anyone, especially me, not that he represents, I don't even know why the fuck I just said that. That was like, so dramatic. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Freddie Mercury, love me some Queen, but like, I just made it seem like this man's my idol. I don't even know if I have an idol. Maybe Glennon Doyle or Heather McMahon. Anyways, um, wow, okay. So, where was I? Generations, uh, Freddie Mercury. I think she's her own thing. Sure. She's got elements of other people, but honestly, that bitch is, she is incredible. I am obsessed with her more than anything. And one of these days I will meet her and I'll have her on the podcast and we'll be best friends. And, um, yeah, God bless. I love her. Chapel chapel. If you're hearing this chapel, which I know that's like the slimmest chance to none, but like give your girl a call. So, okay. Let's see, other things to talk about before we talk about a few life updates and then I'll get out of here so some things have been going on politically, blink blink, blink blink, like, what the fuck? Um, I try not to talk about politics, so I'm not gonna get too much into it. But, One more time. What the fuck? Uh, the thing that I will say is, Kamala's running for president. Okay. Her campaign's unhinged. Okay. I'm obsessed. Okay. Uh, you know, I just, the one political thing I'm going to talk about is Kamala's campaign. It's genius. If you haven't seen it, you probably haven't been on tick tock then, but she's really tapped into that Charlie XCX brat summer, like the green with the brat. I'm sure you've seen that too. And it's just like crazy, whatever, like, I mean, whether she has Gen Z interns, whether it's some like, you know, I saw this one video that was like, that is some old millennial that has seen every corner of the internet, you know, making her campaigns either way, even if it's all of the above. Yeah. I just want to marvel at the fact that she's trying to tap into the 40 million Gen Z eligible voters for this upcoming election. So she is literally trying to pander to this audience, this huge 40 million eligible voters for this election. That is fucking genius. So now I feel like I got to go research her cause I really don't know much. I don't know much about nothing. I'm coming to realize, but I also know a lot about something. So it's just like, you know what? You just keep going. You just keep going. You just keep swimming. All right. That was weird. Sorry. Anyways. Um, politics, I don't know what the hell's going on. WTF. But like shout out to Kamala's campaign. I'm here for it because I'm like, you know what, genius, genius. Anyways, one other thing that I saw on the internet that I thought was, um, oh, one other thing that I saw on the internet that I thought was very interesting. Half the time, I don't know if these things are real because they seem so ridiculous. I'm like, this has got to be fake. Like, this is not real, right? but it was like some AI company that is putting out. A companion necklace and it's not supposed to do anything like order your food like an Alexa or like a Siri It's like literally something that is always on that listens to you that you can talk to and talks back It's like they're calling it friend Now, I didn't really deep dive too much into this, but it was like in my little tech business newsletter I get every morning and the owner, founder, whatever, spent 1. 8 million to secure the friends. com domain. So www. friends. com. Apparently there's some tea, some drama with it. I mean, my first initial reaction is who the hell is going to buy this? And like the, the newsletter, like. Commented on other failed AI wearable technology launches that didn't get anywhere. Uh, I don't know. I mean, I could see someone who's lonely maybe wanting it. So, like, I don't want to talk, like, smack about it. But it's just like, I don't know. maybe it's just their advertisement for it was so weird. It was like, I saw a lot of people talking about how they thought it was like a, um, black mirror announcement. Just go watch it. Go, go Google friends AI wearable ad and then come back and tell me how you felt because I felt a little weirded out. Not gonna lie. I was like, Hmm, Hmm. I feel like I shouldn't feel weird, but I feel very weird by this. Okay. Okay. Moving on. Before we get out of here, let's talk a little bit about what the hell's been going on in my life outside of like, you know, the first half of this episode. So a couple of things. Um, one, we put an offer on a home. Oh my God. Yeah. We're not getting the home. Oh my God. No, I'm okay. That's a rejection. I actually could handle. The thing I'm going to say about this is me and Stan are not going to get bamboozled by a home. All right, we're not. We're not. We know we can afford and that's the way the cookie crumbles. I have seen enough homes to know that there's negotiations and here and there and there and there. But, if you tell me a group of investors, group, that was where you failed the first time, a group. So you're telling me a group of people own this home. A group of investors are being greedy and then they like, you know, want to play hardball but then they keep coming back to us because our financing is so strong. I'm not gonna budge. I'm not gonna be bullied. I'm not gonna be budged because guess friggin what? If I've lived in this friggin apartment as long as I have now, I can live in it a little bit longer. I mean, what is my sanity? Some more. You know, like, who needs their sanity nowadays? Everyone's crazy out there. So like, let me just join them. I might actually feel better about things. Life might be more fun. If you can't Wait, if you can't beat them, join them? Let's all just go cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. Anyways, um, it was, it was a good exercise because we've never actually fully put an offer on a home. And you know, we have a new realtor, and I just have to be honest, no hate, no shame to the past realtor, but like, uh, very different experiences. It was like, uh, Crazy, like crunching the numbers, not crunching, but like going back and forth with the lender, getting this, getting that to like, you know, come up with the right offer, but it really wasn't as stressful and crazy intensive. Like I thought it was going to be basically like our other realtor was going to make us come up with everything on our own. Like earnest money, this and this, that, and that day periods, a due diligence, like all this shit that I'm like, I'm overwhelmed. I don't know any of this. Yeah. And our realtor, our new one's like, Oh no, I take care of all that for you. I just go over it with you. And I'm like, Oh God, bless you. God, you're so amazing. So, fun fire drill. I'm not disappointed. The house wasn't like perfect, perfect, but like it was really great. It was like enough to like put an offer on, so we'll see. We'll see. Here's the fun fact. That group of investors, they keep coming back with us trying to like make us change our offer because they like our, our, I guess our, our, I don't know, financing. I don't freaking know. It's all just a game and I feel like I'm the one getting played, but at some point you just have to accept it, you know, cause that's part of playing the game. Anyways, before I get disgruntled about that, the truth is, who knows, maybe this is her house because like it's been two weeks now and they keep coming back. So, they keep, they keep coming like closer and closer to like the number we want. So, we'll see. I'm not holding my breath. Right. Um, the other thing I was going to talk about, and I told myself that I was going to research this before I brought it up to the pod, but of course your girl, ding ding ding, has not. However, I have to tell you about it. So, my mom will send me some like, Not like conspiracy theory crazy like videos, reels, whatever on TikTok or Instagram, but like she'll send me some things where I'm like, all right, where did you find this? This is, this is silly. Um, but like also she'll send me a lot of like massage therapy, stretching, mobility, things like that. Because like my mom was a massage therapist back in the day. Well, she sends me this one reel that was about like EMF waves from your Apple watch and how it can cause pain. Now. You guys know I have chronic pain, it's such a great time, my neck, shoulders, knees and toes, just kidding, really my neck and shoulders, but also my hips. So I'm watching it and before I even like, I'm like five seconds in, I'm like, okay, what the hell is this about your Apple watch causing pain? So it's some chiropractor, he's talking about EMF waves in your wrist and blah, blah, Like. I'm like really butchering the story now that I realize it, but he's like using this kid, this guy, stretching his neck and showing the difference when he takes the watch off. Whether or not that was Houdini shit or not, it was enough where I was like, Huh. So my first reaction is always to go to the comments. So you get through all the crazy comments and then you start getting to people going, No, there's some truth here, this or this, that or that, whatever. This is not me saying that I believe in EMF waves. I don't really understand what they are completely. However, when I Googled it, I find all of these articles on apple. com, like, you know, Apple's community support system or not support system, but like, you know, like the community forums or whatever, when you need support. And I'm seeing so many people talk about EMF with their Apple watch or their AirPods. And then like, you see these other. Articles and like they're not just like random weird third party blog sites like reputable sources talking about AMF blockage all together not just like specific to Apple but it's enough where I'm like Okay, you know what I'm always in mother effing chronic pain I will try this exercise just for fun because I am somebody who wears their Apple watch every single day I don't sleep in it, but I wear it every single day Y'all Y'all. Two days I have not been wearing my motherfucking Apple Watch. Don't ask me how. I don't even have the words to communicate like the r like The lack of pain, or I should say, I still have pain, I still have my chronic pain, but it's the lack of additional pain. The fact that my neck and my, like, my neck, my, like, my shoulders haven't been cramping and, and getting so tight that I'm miserable as much as they have been the past, like, six months. What the fuck? for my Love Island fans, in the words of Kayler, FUUUCK! Seriously, what the fuck? What? I'm not, I'm not saying take off your Apple watch. I'm just saying if you have pain and you chronically wear it, you chronically wear your Apple watch, take it off and just try two days, two freaking days. I can't believe it. I'm shook. So now I'm having to deal with like the borderline identity crisis of not wearing my Apple watch. Cause I'm like, Oh, it's not there. That's awkward. And then being like, Oh, I can't tell the time right off the bat. I can't look at my counter right off the bat. I feel like a piece of me is gone. But I'm like, all right, it's technology. Liz, get the fuck over yourself. So we're moving forward, moving on. Gosh. So, um, EMF waves, apparently that's a thing. I don't know if it's like affecting me because of my injuries and my, I don't know. I don't, my trigger points, I have no idea. I don't know. Maybe it's like, what is the like amoeba effect or something? Like where you think like, I don't even know what I'm saying right now, but hopefully for those who have an idea, get it. And if you don't, well, welcome to my life. I don't even know what that means. Um, but moving forward, Watch your Apple watches and watch your AirPods. So the last thing I want to update you on is, well, I'm about to bust out cause I'm hungry as hell. I got to go eat. Got so much to do cause I'm going to New Orleans for my girl, Maggie's bachelorette. I'm going to eat so much effing Cajun food. You, I hope I don't hurt my stomach cause like I don't really do spicy, but like spicy is going to do me. That's for damn sure. Can't wait. It's supposed to be a hotter than a witch's tit. So whatever that phrase even means, I don't even know. But the point being, I don't know what to wear because like I hate being hot and sticky and I feel like I'm going to be hot and sticky. So that's fun. But the last thing I want to mention, have I talked about this on the podcast? I can't remember, but. I am trying to, oh yeah, I think I have talked about some podcasts. Oh my gosh. So I'm trying to pitch some New York people, creators, influencers, artists, chefs, all of the things, podcasters to join me for an episode on the in between while I'm in New York at the end of August. Well, it is August, the month. So I've used chat GPT to kind of help me with the email templates because like, you know, I don't know. It's hard getting out of your own way and getting out of your own head. And I'm saying, so thank you, Chad, GBT for being my resource there. Uh, but trying to suss through, cause like, I don't want to send just like a generic email, you know, cause like we know how that makes people feel, but I don't want to just send something like, because I will get random people from like podcast management companies, like pitching me the most randomest people that like, honestly, I, I would never interview like I, you know what I mean? I don't want to say, oh, I don't care about what they talk about, but it's like their vibe, their brand, their schtick, whatever, like it's not for me, not for y'all, not for what we want, right? And then like, the same podcast management company will send me three different people and like, the beginning of their emails are always the same and it's like, I love your podcast, the in between, that last episode was great, it's like so generic and like, honestly, if someone like me, who, you know, is a small fry trying to pretend they're a big fry at the moment, like, I don't like that. I mean, I don't like, go and cry about it and take it to heart, but I'm just like, ugh. I always want to make sure I'm personable, so that's where I'm like overthinking it, but like, researching, making sure I'm like, you know, trying to find the best parts, like, best parts of the person, but like, you know, the things that I think really resonate, like, that I like about them, that I think we can connect on, whatever, whatever. So, the point I'm trying to make is, the energy and effort it puts, or it takes to put into these emails, like, I was not prepared for. So throw in the imposter syndrome with it. I'm just like over here exhausted. I've only sent four. I just need y'all to root for me and be like, girl, don't be nervous. Don't be insecure. Stop thinking you, you ain't the thing. You are the thing. You're going to be the thing because you are the thing and like shoot your freaking shot. It's like, I'm like, what is the worst that's gonna happen? Like, they ignore you. Okay, but like, somehow that, which is like the truth, has now turned into, they're gonna ignore you because you were pathetic, because like, You do not have a bajillion followers. And not that I'm trying to reach out to people with billions of followers. Cause like, also I know the lane I'm supposed to stay in, but you know, a couple hundred thousand, I'm just like, hi guys. I am a millennial, former theater kid who loves self love, be my friend. I'm just kidding. I hope I'm more than that. But anyways, God, this is more of a rhetorical question, but it's just, uh, Root for your girly because I like major imposter syndrome vibes, but it's going to work out. I hope I feel like it. It's got to going to, what are the odds of like one out of four? Like saying, yes, I feel like I need more. So also if you have any New York city, New York, like people that you think, Oh my gosh, you have to reach out to this person would love. Would love your, um, notes probably need to get this handled ASAP because like this is going to be like in four weeks, but we'll get there. We'll get there. Anyways, I've had enough of your time. It's been great to be back. Great to connect. I have a fantastic guest coming on the podcast next week. Her name is Rosa Castaño. Uh, save that for next week, but y'all are in for a treat. It's gonna be great. And yeah, we'll just keep, keep them going. So. Hang in there. Remember, rejection is just a part of the life, just a part of the story, just a part of the chapter. It's a bump in the road and you will get through it. Sit in the feelings and just know that, like, you can't give up. And whatever is waiting for you is literally around the corner. I promise. Don't be like me and think, well, I've been saying that for months now, years it feels like. No, it's coming. It's all been building towards this. That's the truth. I hope you have a great rest of your week. Pray that I don't melt in New Orleans, but also pray that I eat my body's worth in Cajun food. Ha! And if you're not doing so already, please follow me on Instagram at elizabethcini underscore and at in. betweenpod. YouTube and TikTok at the inbetweenpodcast. So, give your girls some love. Um, send me a follow, send me a message, send me a hi. Also if you're enjoying the podcast, I'd really appreciate a rating, review, subscribe, follow, all the things, whether it's Spotify, Apple, wherever you listen to your podcasts. And that would be great. Those are my housekeeping things before I let you out of here. So on that note, have a great week. Live your best life. Live your best self. Remember you're special. Remember no matter what, it's coming. Just don't give up. Don't give up. And also know that sometimes pivoting, redirection, it's not giving up. It's just evolving, right? Like plans change, dreams change, things grow, man, this thing's evolved way more than what it originally was going to be and that's the beauty and journey of it. So it being life, you know what I mean? You know what I mean? So on that note, I'll let you go. I'll see you next week on an all day in between. I'm Elizabeth. Bye.