The Latest With Maya

"Rizzoli & Isles" star Sasha Alexander | The Latest With Maya

Maya Season 3 Episode 34

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0:00 | 41:47

A conversation with Sasha Alexander.❤️ 


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SPEAKER_01

It's the latest gun.

SPEAKER_02

Hi Sasha. Welcome to the latest with Maya. You've seen Sasha Alexander in NCIS, Rizolian Dials, and Shameless. Most recently you can see Sasha as FBI agent Don Ruth in season four of The Lincoln Lawyer. Thank you so much for being on my show. I'm so excited to be talking with you.

SPEAKER_00

Oh Maya, I'm so happy to meet you. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Yeah. So who do you most admire and how has that affected the way you live your life?

SPEAKER_00

Great question. Look at you diving deep quickly, huh? Who do I most admire and how has that affected my life? Yes.

SPEAKER_02

Well, of course I have the way you live your life.

SPEAKER_00

Well, it's definitely my mother. And then I would say her mother and my aunt, her sister. So I think three women I would say have been the biggest influence of my life. Um, my mom, you know, she had me at a young age. She was a single mom, and and I was raised with her, and then her sister came from from Europe and like, you know, lived here and they raised me, but but I spent a lot of time with my grandmother overseas. And I feel like those three women really gave me my value system. They are the ones that taught me what it means to be loved, you know, to really feel secure and cared for and loved for just me. And um, and we had a really peaceful home. So I feel like that piece of it. And also they really taught me about hard work. They really taught me about, you know, how being an independent woman was really important in life, just in terms of your, you know, educating yourself and working and and you know, knowing having your own stuff. It gives you independence and it gives you a sense of, you know, freedom uh in your life. So I do feel like I just I learned a lot from them about being a woman in the world. So, you know, and they had very big hearts. So I, you know, I think they they also in turn taught me how to be a mother and um they definitely influenced me the most.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I love that. Thanks. Yeah. Um, yeah, so what small things bring you joy on a daily basis?

SPEAKER_00

You know, it's it's such a good and perfect question for today because you know, today's a blood moon. We're in a lunar eclipse today. Are you sensitive to those things?

SPEAKER_02

Um, I realized I think I am because today I woke up not feeling great. So I feel like I I'm more sensitive than I thought.

SPEAKER_00

Do you feel because you're sick or just feel a little bit off balance?

SPEAKER_02

Like not your Yeah, I don't feel sick, but like I have a really bad headache today.

SPEAKER_00

I'm sorry. I get those as well, and they're the worst. I can get them sometimes. And strangely, I actually woke up on Saturday and had a really strange headache, and I hadn't had one in a while, and I thought, weird, like sometimes it's weather changes. But um, I actually I write this Substack and I wrote yesterday I woke up and I didn't feel great. I felt a little off-kilter and I felt like, what's going on? Why am I not feeling good? And apparently this lunar eclipse uh causes just a little bit of an imbalance. It's a it's an eclipse in Virgo, and so it's not about manifesting or journaling or anything like that. It's really just about letting go things that aren't serving us. But what happens is that we can feel it. Like even if we're not like woo-woo people following astrology, you can feel an energy. Like sometimes I find myself on days like that, I feel a little bit like I don't really want to drive today, or my computer's not working great, or things are like kind of just not functioning as well as they should. So that brings me to I wrote this Substack because yesterday I thought on days like this, you have to kind of take it easy and just do those things that bring you joy and that like are like just keeping things simple. And so I realized what are those things that bring me joy? And I'm actually rather simple about that, meaning I like time with people. Um, I was really lucky to have both my kids home. So I had everybody under the same roof, so we were able to have dinner together. Um, I like to make tea, I like honey, I have lemon trees, so I like to pull my lemons and just like take my time making a nice cup of tea. Um and I do turn off my phone. I try to stay more kind of not off technology. I find that it tires me out. Um, you know, I'll read, I'll watch something. Um yeah, that's what I kind of do. Yesterday I started cleaning out my drawers of my closet too. And then I was like, I don't want to be doing this, I gotta stop.

SPEAKER_02

I love that. Yeah, yeah. I actually just since you mentioned the blood moon, I actually I put that in my calendar when I read it because I'm like, I'm so excited with uh like those things make me very excited. And I was talking with my sister one time and I was like, I don't know why, but they do make me so excited. And she said it's got like very straight faced. She was like, It's because you were a witch in a past life.

SPEAKER_00

Um we all a little bit witchy, yeah. Exactly. I'm so I have something I want to send you, so I'll get your address after. I have this moon calendar, which I really love because it breaks it into day by day. And so you can kind of open it up that day and read a little bit about it, about just kind of what's going on. And I just feel like it's it's great. It kind of sets things up for you, even if it's something that just feels a little bit like, oh, this is happening. I don't know. I I like it, I like reading it, it calms me. It's like a little meditation.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I know it's a really good one. Oh, that's so cool. I love that. I'm excited to read that.

SPEAKER_00

Um, I'll get it to you. You'll like it.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, thank you so much. Yeah. Um, so what is uh the greatest lesson you've learned from a character you've played?

SPEAKER_00

Well, the greatest thing about being an actor, there's so many wonderful things, but one of the greatest things is that you play characters that maybe would react to things not like you, right? So you have to understand the story and where that your character fits into that story and why they're making the decisions that they're making. So sometimes you're playing a character and you're like, why would they do this? Or why would this be their reaction to a situation? And um, and so you learn a little bit from everyone because they're not you. But I would say that the first thing that came to my mind was Mora Isles. I feel like Mora Isles and Rosoli was always teaching me lessons, partially because she was so smart and such a scientific-minded person. And I'm not a scientific me, Sasha. I'm not a scientific-minded person. So to play someone whose brain immediately went to the logical and scientific kind of analysis of it all and mathematical analysis was not a natural state for me. And so I was constantly challenged by having dialogue that I didn't understand and having to spend hours upon hours really understanding it all. So I knew what I was talking about. And um, and more importantly, what I learned from Mora consistently was that when your brain is focused on all this other stuff that's a little abstract, it's not really concerned about the things in life that some others are concerned about. Like she wasn't like a gossipy person, she wasn't a drama queen. She was definitely in her own lane, right? You would agree because you've seen the show.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

She definitely wasn't, she was always exploring and curious and like into that moment. And in a huge way that was very liberating because she wasn't beaten by anybody else's drum. She had her own music, and that freed her from any societal pressures or what anyone would think. Like, I don't think in all the years, the seven years I played her, I don't think there was ever a moment where she actually cared what somebody thought about her. That may not be true. That maybe the only time she ever cared was maybe sometimes if Jane had an opinion or her father had an opinion. But other than that, I think she wasn't somebody who really worried too much about what people thought. And I really liked that about her. And I think that part of the reason she's that way is because her brain was occupied with so much other information. And um, and I really liked that. So I learned a lot from her.

SPEAKER_02

Wow, I love that. Yeah. Um, yeah, so is there a song that you are currently obsessed with?

SPEAKER_00

Yes, Chains of Love by Charlie SX. I I just like I'm I loved Wuthering Heights. Did you see it?

SPEAKER_02

Not yet, but I want to.

SPEAKER_00

Maya, I've had like I like I saw it, and for like a week I felt like I was in middle school again, having this big crush on something in school. Like I can't explain. I brought up all these feelings of, and I don't mean just Jacob Ballorty, he's wonderful in the movie, but just he and Margot Robbie, I thought they were so good. And I know a lot of people have a lot of opinions on the movie, but my opinion, even though I love the book, was that this was the interpretation of Emerald Fennel and her point of view on this particular classic, and I just really loved it. So all the music that Charlie SX did, uh, it's Charlie SX, right? Am I saying it right?

SPEAKER_02

I think uh XCX, I think.

SPEAKER_00

X, sorry, I've not said it right. That's what I thought.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, it's okay. C X. Yes. Okay, I don't know why. I always have to think about it too for a minute, because I don't know why. I always like mix up the letters.

SPEAKER_00

Charlie XCX. Sorry. So Charlie X uh X XCX. Uh yeah, I love all of the music that she did for Wuthering Heights. So I've been listening to that on replay the last two weeks.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_00

I will eventually stop, I promise.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I I don't think you have to stop.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and then I and then my son, my son listens to, he has a really eclectic music taste, and he kind of takes over my Spotify, and he takes over the music in the car when I'm driving him, and he's all over the place from Fleetwood Mac to you know Drake. It's like everywhere. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Oh wow. Yeah. Um, yeah, there's so many songs I'm obsessed with at the moment. Really?

SPEAKER_00

Like what?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. I um well I'm obsessed with um the artist MGK. Um yes. He's uh one of my favorites. Um, and so I've had his music and his newest album that came out in August, Lost Americana. That one, and then there's a duo called If So What For that I love. Oh, yeah, and they have a song. I mean they they have their EP uh that's out. I'm obsessed with, and I love their song Cherry Red. I've had that on.

SPEAKER_00

Wait, what is it? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

If so, what for?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Okay. Oh, I'll look at it. Okay. I mean I'll listen to it. Oh, yay. And I'm gonna listen to it. It's great when there's like things that whether it's music or lately, there's been so many like TV shows and movies. I feel so uh have been so like creatively charging and inspiring. Sometimes you can go through periods where there's not, and you have to kind of look really hard to find it, but lately I feel like oh, I want to see that. I want to see that. So it's been great. Like even watching the award shows, and I watched the actors' awards the other night and stuff. There's so many good movies this year. Yeah, really, you know, I I there's so many good movies. I loved one battle after another, and I love Sinners. I don't know. I've just been really, I feel like there's a lot to choose from that makes me happy.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, definitely. Me too. Yeah. Um sorry, I just my brain, I had something in my head I was gonna say, and now I completely lost it. Um so but um yeah, I'm I'm excited to listen to the soundtrack from Can't wait for you to see it.

SPEAKER_00

Well, yeah, but you have to see the movie. Okay, because the soundtrack is very inspired by the tone and the feel of the and the scopey kind of you know of the movie. So see the movie. Oh and then the songs will resonate more with you because of the scene that they're in.

SPEAKER_02

Oh yeah. Okay, I'm excited. Yeah, thank you. Um, yeah, so what is your um favorite movie soundtrack?

SPEAKER_00

Maybe Beverly Hills Cop. You're too young for that. Did you ever listen? Did you ever see Beverly Hills Cop with Eddie Murphy?

SPEAKER_02

I saw the sequel that came out a few years ago, but I haven't seen the original yet.

SPEAKER_00

I want to the reason that came to mind was because the when that movie came out, I think it was like 11 years old, 10 or 11 years old. And I saw in the movie theater, and it was just such a like specific music that then we got the tape of, and uh yeah, at the time it was cassette tape, and I would played it over and over and over that summer. And we saw it recently, and the music held up, and the music really, really helped elevate the film, which you know is an action comedy, but the music is so a part of it, and every time you hear it and it and it starts to go like gets you going. And so for some reason it was just really there for me. Um, but but again, there's so many beautiful movies. Like, I mean, I don't know, every Steven Spielberg movie I feel has like a great soundtrack, or um I don't know. I really like the Wuthering Heights one now. Yeah, we're into it.

SPEAKER_02

I love that. Yeah, there's so many movies down there.

SPEAKER_00

Which words? Do you have one?

SPEAKER_02

Um, I have two that come to mind. There's um the movie The Prom. Um that uh soundtrack I love. Um I have on repeat a lot, and same with the soundtrack for words on bathroom walls.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

So yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I don't know, I don't know that. I'm not familiar with that.

SPEAKER_02

Oh yeah, both of them are two of my favorite movies. Oh so yeah, I just I started re-listening to the soundtrack for words on words on bathroom walls, and so now I need to go re-watch the movie.

SPEAKER_00

So yeah, I have to see that because I've never seen that.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, it's so good.

SPEAKER_00

My foot's cramping. I don't know why I'm having like a I need some magnesium.

SPEAKER_02

Oh yeah, I I understand that. I that happens to me a lot.

SPEAKER_00

We need magnesium. I don't know why. I was like, what happens? Well, I whenever I feel that sometimes I'm like, oh, I need a banana or I need something that like that doesn't actually ever happen often, but for some reason it's happening now. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Um so if you had a warning label, what would yours be?

SPEAKER_01

That is so funny. What would my warning label be?

SPEAKER_00

Um probably maybe only operates with food. Something I think it'd be something with food related. Because I think I definitely am like when I have like when I've eaten something that I really like, or I have my favorite matcha, or like whatever it is that I've put into my body, it kind of helps set a mood, you know. Like if I had something bad, I might be like a little grumpier about it. But if I had some maybe, maybe it's like a gremlin. Remember gremlins? Oh, yeah, yeah. Like when you feed them, like don't feed them past midnight. Mine is more like feed them before before they can play. Yeah, I love that. But I'm not sure what else would it be? That's a great, that's a funny question. That's really funny. What would my bumper sticker be? You know what? I have a bumper sticker on my car now, and people literally honk at me and tell and like do like a thumbs up. I have a big bumper sticker, I have a Tesla, and I have it's a bumper sticker that says vintage Tesla, pre-fascism edition. I love that. It's like, no, no, no, sorry, pre-madness edition. And then on the side it says pre-fascism. So, you know, when there was a period where everyone, like a lot of people are not fans of Elon Musk, but I really do like his car. And so, and so a lot of people would be like, oh, I didn't want to have my car keyed. I just thought people were like angry at Elon Musk. So with this sticker now, everyone's like, oh, okay, so vintage Tesla, pre-Madness edition.

SPEAKER_02

I like that.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Um, so what has been the biggest obstacle, either personal or professional, that you've overcome?

SPEAKER_00

Oh, there's probably one in each category, but what's the biggest obstacle? I mean, I think probably the one that's like still the hardest thing for both is really balancing family and work. I consider that an obstacle because it's a reality, you know, like the kind of mother I want to be and the kind of family that that I've wanted to have is it's harder than to take jobs that like take me to Australia for seven months and I'm not around, you know. So I think my biggest obstacle from a career standpoint has just been wanting to do both of them and trying to figure out how to do them. And sometimes the obstacle is that like I'm it bums me out, you know, like I get I get sad that I can't do something that I'd like to do. But then on the other hand, I'm really happy that you know that I'm that I'm around and raising my kids the way I want to. So I find that difficult.

SPEAKER_02

I am uh pop culture obsessed and I go in stages of shows that I cannot stop watching. Uh, is there a show that you are currently obsessed with?

SPEAKER_00

Yes. Um, there's a few. I've liked so many shows. Uh, I really like industry.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So that show's really great. And this season four is crazy off the hook. And uh Jon Snow, Kit Harrington from you know Game of Three. Is in it and it's just really well acted and it's like very, very unusual, but it is intense, it's not for everybody. Um, I also really love the Lincoln Lawyer this season, not just because I'm on it, but I love that show and I was happy to be on it, but I think it was a really entertaining show, and I'm um I'm enjoying uh love story as well. The you know, the JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bissett story. I think that's been really interesting to watch. I don't think it's like perfect, but there's something about it that really, I don't know, maybe it's nostalgic, or maybe it's that we've always wanted to know about their life, but never got the chance because they died so young. And so um, that's been really interesting to watch. And I liked the beast in me. I like the diplomat. I'm really happy that Carrie Russell got acknowledged and got an actor's award for her performance because she's great. Um, you know what I watch? I watched the new show called DTF St. Louis.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

That seems really weird, but the pilot was great and Jason Catholic's great. So uh yeah, I've been watching a lot.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I love that. Yeah, I um oh and I love LA.

SPEAKER_00

Have you seen I Love LA?

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I've seen the first episode. I haven't um I need to go back and watch more because I oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00

I love I love LA. I also love a show called Stick with Owen Wilson on Apple. That's really fun. Uh yeah, a lot of shows.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I love that. Yeah, I um there's so many shows I'm obsessed with. I mean, The Lincoln Lawyer is one of my all-time favorites. Um and uh I just finished uh watching um a limited series called 56 Days um on Amazon Prime that's uh really, really good. Um and uh the new season of The Night Agent I was obsessed with. Um and I've been also watching some older shows. I just finished watching uh Franklin and Bash, which I loved. Um and now I'm watching Ugly Betty, which I love too.

SPEAKER_00

So that's fun, yeah. That's great. Yeah, I yeah, Franklin and Bash was on at the on TNT at the same time that we did Rosoleon Isles, so yeah, I knew I I knew those guys, and we had a yeah, it was fun, good show.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, that's so cool. Yeah, I um I did not want it to end. So um yeah, I was just obsessed with it, and I was watching that and um ugly Betty at the same time, and then when I saw Netflix was taking off Franklin and Bash, I was like, I have to finish it. So that just like all my focus went to that. So I finished it, and I was I was very proud of myself. I felt very accomplished.

SPEAKER_01

So good.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Um so um, yeah, I remember texting my mom because I was at a friend's house, and I was like, I just finished it. I'm very happy that I um finished it before Netflix took it off. And my mom and my sister both texted back. They were like, You're doing great things. Oh I was like, yes.

SPEAKER_00

I think it's great that you're doing this, Maya. I love that you're pursuing what you love and that you're talking and connecting with people and bringing people together. It's wonderful. Oh, thank you so much. Yeah, it's so great. It's so great and good for you.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, thank you so much. That means so much to me. Um, so what genre of movie would your life story be told as?

SPEAKER_00

Definitely something with comedy. So it could probably be something that was like comedy with a lot of heart, maybe something that made you cry but funny.

SPEAKER_02

I love that.

SPEAKER_00

I think so. Yeah, I'm definitely not in a thriller genre or horror. Yeah. No crimes, thank goodness.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um, yeah, I'd probably say some kind of a yeah. I mean, maybe, maybe something, yeah. I think so. I think it would be something that was heartwarming but funny.

SPEAKER_02

I love that. Yeah, I um, yeah, I've always wanted my life story to but be both a musical and a rom-com. Um so that's my that's my dream.

SPEAKER_00

That's great. That's by the way, both are perfect. That's great.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00

Romcom is great.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, thank you. Um, so I just have um a few more questions if that works for you. Um so if you could give someone in your life a star on the walk of fame, who would it be?

SPEAKER_00

Interesting. Besides myself, I mean it can't be yourself. Can I give myself a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame? Um probably my husband, Eduardo. I would give him one because his mom has one, and then he could be right near her. And also because he's an extremely talented writer and director in person, and yeah, I feel like he would totally fit right in. Oh I love that.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah, I um would definitely give um my mom and uh uh my mom and my sister ones.

SPEAKER_00

That's that's nice, that's great. Thank you. Um you don't want one yourself, you're not gonna be as selfish as I'm being right now.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, um yeah, I don't know. I'd like to be next to them just so we could all be together.

SPEAKER_00

So that's how it should work. You and I should have ours next to theirs, but they still get them, but we'll have ours. Okay.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I like that. Um so if um you had to choose someone to narrate your life, who would you choose and why?

SPEAKER_00

Kate Winslett. I don't know why. Oh, you mean it does oh wait, but actually it doesn't have to be an actor. Yeah, it can it can be anyone you want. Oh. Oh, well, then in that case, it would probably be maybe I would choose some of my really best friends, a couple of my girlfriends, and maybe one of my best guy friend, Dwayne. I would maybe choose them to take turns on different chapters.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah. I like that.

SPEAKER_00

That's what I would do. Uh I thought you meant at first a celebrity, and I was like, or like an actor, and I immediately waited to Kate Winslet just because I love her voice and I feel like she'd be able to do it with like like heart, you know, she's such a deep woman. Um, but no, I think I would just choose some of my friends and my husband and maybe my kiddos to tell different chapters, and that way through their eyes, you'd have a closer look into me because I think it would be told through their point of view of me.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Right? Like sometimes I say to my son, Leo, I'll be like, So are you happy with your life? Like, are you good? Are you happy I'm your mom? Like, yeah. Like it's interesting to see how other people view us in their life. Yeah. So it would be interesting to hear them talk about my life from their perspective.

SPEAKER_02

Oh yeah. Oh, that would be really interesting, right? Yeah, yeah. I um I don't know why there's an actor that came to mind first that I like your answer. I think um having family members and friends narrate would be um I think a good choice. And I think also I my mind also immediately went to um Reese Witherspoon.

SPEAKER_00

Um I think so. That's cute. I'm sure she'd be happy to. Thank you, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I mean, I the because one of my all-time favorite movies is her movie Home Again, and it starts off with her um narrating, and so I feel like I don't know. I just that I've seen that movie so many times, so I feel like Reese Witherspoon, I want to maybe her with my I totally get it. Reese is a perfect choice to do somebody's life. Yeah, I totally get it. Thank you. Um, so when you have a day off, what would your perfect day look like?

SPEAKER_00

I would sleep till I wake up naturally. So no alarm clock, the shades are drawn. I would like to just wake up without any interruptions. Then I would probably do walk my dog, Margot. I'd walk her and then I would, I don't know, I'd like ease into my day. I don't like to like wake up and then go, go, go right away. So I think like it would be leisurely if I could do anything. I would probably do that, I'd go on a walk, I would exercise. Um, I would definitely do something creative because I'm a creative person. So whether I would write or do that, or I'd go to the movies or go to a museum, or I definitely meet up with a friend that made me laugh. I would like to laugh, exercise, which involves some kind of dance, and spend time with like people that I love and I feel good with.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I love that.

SPEAKER_00

But nothing's like specific. It would definitely involve some food. Like I would definitely say, like, okay, I'd like to have these things today that I feel like. Even if it's like pink berry. Do you guys have pink berry? Yeah, yeah. So even if it's like pink berry or I don't know, my favorite something, whatever I'm in the mood for. So that would be a good day for me.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah, that sounds like a great day. Yeah. Um, so I just have uh two more questions for you. Um, so do you have any irrational fears?

SPEAKER_00

Oh yeah. A lot. So do I. Well, I think it's kind of hard not to, don't you? In this world right now, I feel like every day we're throwing so much information. And sometimes when I feel like anxiety or heaviness, I'm sort of like, oh, have I been looking at my phone too much? Is there too much information coming in for me? What's happening? Why am I feeling this? Um, I definitely felt a lot more anxiety in my life when I became a parent. Like all of a sudden you're so worried for your children all the time. So, like, you know, my daughter's flying right now, for instance. She's on a plane, you know, back east, and my mind is thinking about that. Or, you know, my son has to take the school bus to go to a soccer game, and I'm thinking about that. Or, you know, I just like I feel like I feel like my anxieties are born out of, you know, just being safe and and um mostly around that, you know, nothing happening to anybody. I have anxieties about, you know, just fears around the state of the world, you know, and that gives me a lot of but I'm not I'm not really someone that fixates on a specific fear, like it might be there for a little while and then I'll move through it. Uh but I'd say mine are a little bit more existential, not like this one little thing that's like, oh, that thing scares me. Like I'm not scared of pigeons or anything. Like I have a friend and she she's scared of pigeons. Like, literally, if a pigeon comes nearby, she will freak out. I don't really love snakes.

SPEAKER_01

I have a fear of yeah, they kind of scare me.

SPEAKER_00

Um I would say snakes scare me. But what else? Yeah, I don't love heights, like I'm not like the guy on Netflix who climbed that building.

SPEAKER_02

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Did you watch that?

SPEAKER_02

I I saw things about it, but I never watched it.

SPEAKER_00

It's crazy. He literally climbs a 91, I think it's like a 91 floor building with nothing, no apparatus, nothing, just his hands. And I was literally watching it being like, I would have made it to the first floor and had a panic attack. I've been like, okay, I'm good. I'm good. I don't need to do that. And it was wild. But even just to watch him do it when he got up there, oh, I couldn't, I had to like pull away because I felt like anxiety, I felt fear around it.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And I'm a little claustrophobic.

SPEAKER_02

Oh a little.

SPEAKER_00

I can go in elevators, but I don't want to be stuck in some kind of like a small space too long.

SPEAKER_02

Oh yeah. I mean, I can I can relate to all of that. I actually pigeons, I don't know why, but I'm not like scared of them, but my mind goes to with like any bird, kind of all the diseases they have, and I don't know why it's pigeons, especially. So when like one gets near me, I kind of like freeze up and have a panic attack.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, that's real.

SPEAKER_00

So yeah, that's real. I get it.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, so I um I always joke my brain's one big irrational fear, so I can definitely understand.

SPEAKER_00

I think mine is too, unfortunately. Sometimes I'm like, oh, why am I worrying about that? Yeah, I don't know how people do it. Some people just I don't know. I don't know how they deal with all their anxieties and fears.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Yeah. Um, so my final question for you is um, today, what are you most grateful for?

SPEAKER_00

My kids, my family. Yeah, I am for my mom, my family, everyone, our friend, like just everyone's health, really. I feel like health, as you know, because you've been through your your own journey, uh is something that we all have to kind of have gratitude for because it it, you know, without it, everything else doesn't really work, right?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So I'm always grateful for that, but I'm most grateful for my kiddos. Like I feel like I this past weekend I had them both under the same roof, and I was able to sit with them and look at them and hug them and kiss them and just sort of be like, oh wow, like this is something that was born out of, you know, my husband and I's love and relationship, and you get to raise them and see them in the world, and they're doing good things and they're good people. And so I just feel the most gratitude for that. I love that. You know, I do. That's true. I like at any time when I'm feeling sad about things, I or whatever. I I think I just try to always show up for them first and foremost, even if I'm, you know, and and then that gives me kind of strength to show up for everything else. But um, but yeah, I'm grateful for them. And I'm grateful that I don't know. I pray a lot for like good things to happen to everybody, frankly.

SPEAKER_02

I love that.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I do, I do, because you know, if everybody were happy and fulfilled, then there would be no darkness, right?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

What are you grateful for?

SPEAKER_02

Um, I mean, I'm I'm grateful for my mom and my sister and our dog. Um and I mean my friends and that I get to do this and talking with you. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I'm so happy for you.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you. So happy for you. Thank you so much. And um thank you so much for joining me. I can't tell you how much this means to me. Um, talking with you has made my day. So thank you.

SPEAKER_00

Maya, first of all, thank you for having me and thank you for reaching out. I hope your head feels better. Take drink lots of water. Dehydration is also something I don't want to be mommy, but dehydration also. Um thank you. And um, and do me a favor and email your address because I want to send you this moon calendar.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, I will. I will write down a reminder right now so I don't forget.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, good.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you so much. Thank you, Maya. Thank you, and I hope you have a great rest of your day. Thank you. You too. I will. Good, thank you, my dear. Bye, thank you so much. Uh, and that's a wrap on today's edition of The Light Us to Admire.