Waffle House > Roses. "Put the Phone Down and Pass the Syrup"

February gets loud with glitter, cards, and big-price dinners. We go the other way. Greg and Jess unpack why hype-heavy Valentine’s pressure rarely leads to connection, and how simple, repeatable habits—naming expectations, choosing quality time, and putting phones away—create the nights you actually remember. With a little chaos, a lot of humor, and a Waffle House tradition that keeps us grounded, we show how to design a date that fits your real life instead of your feed.

We dig into why expectations derail romance, how love languages change what a “win” looks like, and why planning intimacy doesn’t kill the mood—it protects it. From the origins of Valentine’s to the way social media and spicy book tropes warp our sense of “special,” we challenge the need to perform and offer a practical framework: ask specifically, agree honestly, and celebrate in a way that feels like you. Whether your heart wants a fancy steakhouse or takeout by the fire, attention is the luxury item.

Along the way, we share updates on our growing community, the live 50th episode with giveaways and Q&A, and how you can hang out behind the scenes. Most of all, we invite you to choose presence over performance. Tag your date selfie, tell us what made it meaningful, and borrow ideas from other listeners. If this conversation helps you breathe easier about Valentine’s—or plan a night that actually fits—tap follow, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a quick review so more couples can find us. Your support keeps this community thriving.

Transcript

Chaos, Banter, And Warm Welcome

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hey guys, what's up? I'm Greg. I hope you guys are ready to unpack and get into some good conversations today.

SPEAKER_03 0:07

And I'm Jess, and this is our podcast, Pagage Plane. Thank you for joining us.

SPEAKER_00 0:21

I got that. I got that. That was the loud.

SPEAKER_02 0:29

You know what?

SPEAKER_00 0:31

Welcome to Baggage Claim, everybody. That was Greg's Tummock saying hello. Bro.

SPEAKER_01 0:36

Bro, no way you got that.

SPEAKER_04 0:38

I could hear it in the gosh.

SPEAKER_01 0:40

Hey, welcome to Baggage Clay. What's up on the button? This is 48.

SPEAKER_04 0:45

Greg Stummer said, Hey.

SPEAKER_01 0:48

Yeah, so if you're new here, maybe Welcome. Yeah, welcome to this crap show of whatever it is.

SPEAKER_04 0:56

Welcome to the circus.

SPEAKER_01 0:57

Yeah, this is a circus for real. So if you call Baggage Claim Home and this is your community, welcome back. So bless your heart. Let that out and uh grab your favorite drink. Um, my favorite drink is in my hand right now because it has been one of those days. Pull up to the table and we're gonna jump into some fun conversation tonight.

SPEAKER_04 1:22

There's some days when we sit down here in the studio and we're ready, we're organized, we have the whole outline and we're like ready, set, go, bam. And we're so efficient on those days. Efficient.

SPEAKER_01 1:32

Yeah, like we literally we eat dinner and we all do planning during dinner. If you want to see those pictures of that stuff and video, we're working on trying to chat. Join our Patreon account. We're trying to be fancy. Shameless plugs. Ayo. Yeah, join our Patreon account. You'll get uh behind the scenes stuff. But we plan during dinner.

SPEAKER_04 1:50

Or big fat or days like today where we did have dinner.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

What time did we finish dinner?

SPEAKER_04 1:58

Seven, like two hours ago. Two hours ago.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

We just started. We've been riffing in here for like two hours.

SPEAKER_04 2:04

We have we're just we're doing we're doing the thing.

SPEAKER_01 2:08

We're doing it tonight.

SPEAKER_00 2:09

We are.

SPEAKER_04 2:09

I said it last week. We are building the plane as we are flying it.

SPEAKER_00 2:14

Well, we also did get producer Michael Jr. a mic today.

SPEAKER_04 2:18

I have a microphone. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 2:19

Yeah, first off, she was using it the wrong way, so we had to figure it out.

SPEAKER_04 2:22

We had to teach Miranda. Yeah, she was trying to talk about it. To be fair, I will say, it is a weird one. We need a hook. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen.

SPEAKER_01 2:35

If you're listening to this, she's holding it like the announcer in the middle of the city. Because that's what it looks like.

SPEAKER_05 2:41

Literally.

New Mics, Team Shoutouts, And Website

SPEAKER_04 2:42

We had to put a hook at the ceiling so she can let's get ready to rumble. Yes. Yes.

unknown 2:49

Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.

SPEAKER_01 2:51

Anyway, we're a little wired. We're a little wired tonight if we can't. Yeah, it's dude, it is a it is February. Thank God. First off, I want to say thank God it's February. If you made it, if you're listening to this and you made it through the 78 days of January.

SPEAKER_04 3:04

Oh my God. Congratulations. I hate January. I hate January so bad. That's just I always hate January. I always hate January because it's super like I told Greg the other day, I was like, I saw a TikTok and this dude was like at his computer, like all serious. He was looking at a pretend person off camera. He was like, is today the 74th? And this person, no, it's January 75th. It's like, oh my bad. That's what real life feels like.

SPEAKER_01 3:35

It feels like it has never ended, but it's gone now. It's in our rearview mirror. It is. Like January is gone. February is here. Yeah. And we're going to enjoy it. And uh for all you who are listening to this, it's dropping on a Tuesday. And just so you know, coming up this weekend is Lover's Weekend. What'd you say?

SPEAKER_05 3:56

Valentine's.

SPEAKER_01 3:57

Valentine's. I always say it wrong, so I'm not going to be careful how I say this word. And just gets ticked at me.

SPEAKER_04 4:06

Okay. Not ticked. You said it the right way. Gets under my skin. Say it the way. It's the same thing. No.

SPEAKER_01 4:12

Ticked means say it again. Valentine's.

SPEAKER_04 4:15

Times?

SPEAKER_01 4:16

Times. Times. Times. There's definitely an M in there somewhere. Oh, it's. I put an M in it and she gets so ticked off.

SPEAKER_04 4:22

And it's not Valentine.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

See?

SPEAKER_04 4:25

It's Valentine's.

SPEAKER_01 4:28

Thank you. So I just want to say, because we have a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit.

SPEAKER_04 4:34

It's literally named after a real person.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

I don't care about that. St.

SPEAKER_04 4:37

Valentine.

SPEAKER_01 4:38

So we're going to so we're going to talk about this really jacked-up weird holiday that we have. Um and in in a little bit we're going to talk. But in all in all, we're just going to do what we do. There are some cool things that are happening at Baggage Claim. If you're brand new here, if you've been around for a while, dude, we have a website and it is up and running. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 5:00

We are so fancy.

SPEAKER_01 5:01

We have a great team that helped put that together. What's the name of our company that put it in? Inspire Designs. Inspire Designs helped put our website together. Amazing.

SPEAKER_04 5:11

Thank God we've got advisors. Yes. Or an advisor. Shops you can actually. Merch store.

SPEAKER_01 5:18

Yeah, you can go get your soap. Yeah, go get merch.

SPEAKER_04 5:22

Show it off. I tried to design some things in our store. And then when producer Michael Jr. Miranda got in there, she was like, um basically she goes, Jess, all this sucks.

SPEAKER_01 5:35

I'm gonna redo it.

SPEAKER_04 5:37

She said, Are you okay if I fix it?

SPEAKER_01 5:40

Yeah, are you okay if I fix absolutely everything you did?

SPEAKER_04 5:43

I said it very nicely. You were very sweet about it. I said, if I'm overstepping, please let me know. And I was like, no, I was just trying to do stuff in there. I don't know what I'm doing.

Live 50th Episode Announcement

SPEAKER_01 5:52

So we're off the ground. We're running our uh, if you listen to last week's episode, we shared our non-step process for baggage claim, our method, how we kind of work through podcasting, how we work through life, and we're doing some things coming up in the near future, some coaching stuff, all that good stuff that's coming.

SPEAKER_04 6:12

And we've shared what's happening like real soon.

SPEAKER_01 6:16

Our 50th? Yeah. Yeah. February 21st. If you don't have uh speaking of Valentine's Tines, I'm so proud of you. Um, this is a great opportunity to have a date day.

SPEAKER_04 6:29

Well, it's a week later.

SPEAKER_01 6:31

Date? Yeah, it is a week later.

SPEAKER_04 6:32

It doesn't matter when you celebrate.

SPEAKER_01 6:34

February 21st dinner treat. Uh get a babysitter, come hang out, watch the podcast live. It's our 50th episode. We're gonna have a blast, we're gonna have fun. There's tons of giveaways, good giveaways. Like you can get some good, you can get some good stuff. Um and so, and then you get to go out on a date if you want to. Or you can't.

SPEAKER_04 6:53

And I will go ahead and say I am a nervous wreck.

SPEAKER_01 6:56

Yeah, I don't know if there's gonna be five people, 50 people, or 500 people. I don't think 500, because like, but if there's 500 people show up, that'd be flipping awesome.

SPEAKER_04 7:06

For me, there's a big, big, big, big difference between having 18 sets.

SPEAKER_01 7:12

Sitting in our podcast studio.

SPEAKER_04 7:13

Uh yeah, well, um 18 sets of eyes every day at my job. Like when I'm teaching 18 littles, like, okay, cool, we hang out, they're my dudes. Like, that's just what we do. And then when we're doing this, it's my comfy podcast studio here in our home with you, Miranda and Tom, Thomas, Miranda and Michael. Sorry.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

Oh, come on. That's just what it happens. Little love, Jess.

SPEAKER_04 7:40

I'm comfortable.

SPEAKER_01 7:42

So anyway, Jess is stressed. There may be other people there watching her.

SPEAKER_00 7:45

Yes, you're gonna do great. So come and stress Jess out.

SPEAKER_01 7:48

Yes, if you can hear this and you're listening to this, come to Chestnut Mountain Church on February 21st and watch us live. You can get to interact. We have QA session at the end. We're gonna have fun. Make sure you're there, put it on your calendar, uh, all that fun stuff. So let's get all that crap out. Please go to our Instagram, our Facebook page, all those good pages, and follow us and and you can get all the updates and everything.

SPEAKER_04 8:16

You know what time it is.

SPEAKER_01 8:19

Question time why is one why are you too good to sing question time?

SPEAKER_05 8:25

Okay, you heard me sing the national anthem.

SPEAKER_01 8:28

Yeah, I didn't. And it was so good. We thought we had that recorded when we thought we share that, but we didn't. Please.

SPEAKER_04 8:33

I have one silly goose question, but I have an actual question. Michael. So here's the silly goose question. Do you think crabs Hold on?

SPEAKER_01 8:42

This is a question posed by our son-in-law Charles. I'm gonna shout out to Charles, which actually bliss you, bro. Wish you were around more. I can't wait to see you.

SPEAKER_05 8:52

If you're watching on YouTube, I will put the photo up in the corner or full frame. Yes. So picture of Lucy, a little thought bubble.

SPEAKER_04 9:00

She's sitting in a big old fat recliner in the cushy recliner in the living room with that. Big old thought bubble.

SPEAKER_01 9:09

And yes, the thought bubble, and you sent it to Charles and said, What do you think she's thinking? And his reply was what was it? It says, Oh my god.

Question Time And Silly Crab Thoughts

SPEAKER_04 9:19

Do you think crabs look up at fish and think they're flying? Yes.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

Yes. What did and then we thought about and we're like, okay, wait, what would they think?

SPEAKER_05 9:28

What do they think?

unknown 9:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:30

And then it's just like, well, crabs fly, and it's like, and Thomas goes, no, they just fall gracefully. Which is like, yeah, yeah. It is kind of true.

SPEAKER_04 9:39

Yeah, they just kind of float around and or do you do you even think they pay attention to one another? Like crabs are down there. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:49

I was just thinking like they can't walk. So, like, do you think fish are jealous because crabs can walk?

SPEAKER_04 9:54

Because they have legs. But how about a flounder?

SPEAKER_01 9:56

Because they like lay down on the side. Have you seen flounder?

SPEAKER_00 10:00

I have, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:01

Yeah, and they kind of lay down on the side and then they kind of disappear and they flop up.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

They're kind of like their own thing.

SPEAKER_01 10:07

Yeah, they're kind of weird. What are you smart? They're smart, first of all. Oh my god, we are circling the one too.

SPEAKER_04 10:17

Okay, so since we're talking about um Lover's holiday. Yes, Valentine's Day coming up. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 10:25

Boys, if you hadn't got your uh your wife, her uh bedroom fancy clothes, oh my god, now's the time. Make that purchase.

SPEAKER_00 10:35

I'm running out. Sorry.

SPEAKER_04 10:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:38

If we don't start this, we're gonna be two more hours before we know talking about the bank. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_04 10:43

Okay, because uh Valentine's Day usually involves a lot of chocolate, typically, because I mean chocolate, duh. Would you rather weird I know you don't like chocolate this much to answer this question? Maybe would you rather give up chocolate for six months or french fries for six months? What type of French fries? Yeah, that's gonna matter.

SPEAKER_01 11:06

There is no McDonald's French fries.

SPEAKER_04 11:09

I mean, we can make our own parameters, but in where I found this French fries for six months versus chocolate of any kind for six months. I'll give chocolate up in a heartbeat.

SPEAKER_00 11:20

I think I would give up chocolate for french fries.

SPEAKER_04 11:23

Oh my god, I would give up french fries so bad. What?

SPEAKER_00 11:25

Yeah, I would still have chocolate left over from my stocking in Christmas.

SPEAKER_04 11:31

Oh my.

SPEAKER_00 11:32

I just throw that candy away. I do a bunch of chocolate.

SPEAKER_04 11:36

We do throw it away here at home, but like at school, I was just like, Oh, you have a secret chocolate stash? There's two secret chocolate stashes at school in my principal's office and in my assistant principal's office. I mean, they know they've got it. My whole school knows we have it, and that's where it lives. And so that's where sharing my own secret because that's where I eat most of my chocolate.

SPEAKER_01 12:02

Yeah, which I have no idea. I don't know anything about this. But anyway. Let's get into Valentine's. This is that time.

SPEAKER_04 12:11

Valentine's Stop It.

SPEAKER_01 12:15

Where it's it's one of those weird holidays that just feels made up by capitalism to just write more money out of you.

SPEAKER_04 12:24

Um not originally, but when Americans got a hold of it.

SPEAKER_01 12:29

Okay. Do you want to give us the origin of Valentine's World?

SPEAKER_04 12:32

Well, St. Valentine is who it's for, but I don't know the history, producer Michael Jr. or Michael. There is a history there.

Would You Rather: Chocolate Or Fries

SPEAKER_01 12:44

Nobody's doing anything over there. They're like, they're playing video games.

SPEAKER_04 12:49

However, in America now, currently, in the last for as long as I can remember, it's become a place where day where can you buy the best car, the best candy, do the best date, or buy jewelry and all of these things that have been commercialized to quote unquote prove your love. Basically. In my opinion, I'd I'd prove your love.

SPEAKER_00 13:15

It started in the fifth century. See, but it wasn't commercialized until the 19th century. No, there you go.

SPEAKER_01 13:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 13:24

But why was it originally?

SPEAKER_01 13:26

It's just one of the it's one of those weird holidays. It's like it doesn't make sense. Like it's basically a I I mean, I'm not I'm not opposed to it. What are you doing?

SPEAKER_04 13:35

You have glitter on your forehead.

SPEAKER_01 13:37

Oh my god. What am I forehead? Glitter.

SPEAKER_04 13:39

I don't know. I'm sorry. But that just proves like when I'm asking you, producer Michael, like, okay, then why was it original? Like nobody even knows. It's rare that somebody actually knows why Valentine's Day originated in general.

SPEAKER_00 13:54

It started as a mid-February Saints feast, um, but it originated from a blend of ancient Roman fertility rituals and Christian traditions honoring the martyr named St. Valentine's.

SPEAKER_04 14:06

Well, there you go. So it sounds to me like you're just trying to get pregnant. I mean fertility.

SPEAKER_00 14:15

I guess that does make sense.

SPEAKER_01 14:19

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 14:19

No.

SPEAKER_01 14:20

So we're we have this, we have this day that's a few days in front of us right now, if you're listening to this. Um and you got you got guys who fall on one side and be like, okay, I'm gonna get the chocolate and I'm gonna get the flowers, or I'm gonna set up a date and we're going to Frankie's, or we're going somewhere really nice, uh, and we're gonna eat out uh somewhere, we're gonna put all that together. My question for all of that is that I know there's some women who really, really love that, and some women who are like, hmm, not so much.

SPEAKER_02 14:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:53

Um, we all have our kind of different roles of how we play in that. I'm just like, why I'm my my the basic question I have is why.

SPEAKER_04 15:01

Why? Okay.

SPEAKER_01 15:02

What's what's what's the why behind it?

SPEAKER_04 15:04

Let's mean you share where we're at on Valentine's Day.

SPEAKER_01 15:07

Okay.

Valentine’s Origins And Commercialization

SPEAKER_04 15:08

I think it's silly. But I also think like random, like, do you buy me flowers or for a date or what I think that's silly too. I I just think it's silly. I think it's like you can make Why do you think it's silly? If you're only doing those things or making the big effort in the name of, oh, it's Valentine's Day, then I feel like it's not all the way genuine.

SPEAKER_01 15:36

Oh, so it feels kind of fake like if I say I love you and you go, I love you too. The I love you too doesn't mean as much as if I said no, that's a different podcast. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 15:47

That's different. It's like, then why do you don't do those date nights and make this big effort on a random Tuesday in May? You know?

SPEAKER_01 15:58

I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 15:59

But I'm not you personally. But I'm just like, why are you making a big deal on Valentine's Day? Just because somebody said it's Valentine's Day and you're supposed to.

unknown 16:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 16:08

That's where it loses its meaning for me.

SPEAKER_00 16:10

Then why do you celebrate someone's birthday?

SPEAKER_04 16:12

That's the day you were born. No, that's the day you were born.

SPEAKER_00 16:15

What's the celebration of you?

SPEAKER_01 16:16

I have a big opinion about birthdays.

SPEAKER_00 16:18

Okay, I get that.

SPEAKER_01 16:19

That's a celebration of you.

SPEAKER_04 16:21

I I do have a big opinion about birthdays.

SPEAKER_01 16:23

Yeah, you do. You go you go way overboard for birthdays.

SPEAKER_04 16:25

I do. They're a big deal.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 16:27

That's a that's also a different story.

SPEAKER_01 16:29

But I my birthday's never really been a big deal because it's like until you met me. So close. Though probably the best party we ever had was a fiesta day forty.

SPEAKER_04 16:39

Fiesta day forty.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

Oh my gosh, it was ridiculous. It was so fun.

SPEAKER_04 16:44

Greg's birthday is three days after Christmas. And so since we met and got married, I've made a really big point to have all the Christmas stuff taken down because he's part of the like, oh, it's your birthday and your Christmas present all in one. That's not fair. You can't help it when you were born. So I've tried to make sure like Christmas is gone out of our house and your birthday is a whole separate thing because birthdays are very important. That's when you're born. But Valentine's is a made-up holiday, in my opinion.

SPEAKER_01 17:13

Gotcha. Okay. I don't I don't hate on Valentine's as much. I just think it's kind of it doesn't really hold water with me too much. Because I I try to it's um it just feels for me. If I go, I'm not saying I'm not saying you shouldn't do something, fellas, so hear me.

SPEAKER_04 17:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:30

Bro.

SPEAKER_04 17:31

Yeah, please don't hear me and think, oh well, my wife must think also that Valentine's Day is still.

SPEAKER_01 17:37

If you haven't done anything for your wife in a while, do something on Valentine's Day, okay, bro? Yeah. I'm that's that's just free advice. You don't have to pay me for that. Um do something. The only reason why it's a great excuse to go on a date.

SPEAKER_04 17:51

Yeah, well, the only reason why Valentine's Day is even a thing for you and I is because our first date was a few days before Valentine's Day. And we go to Waffle House every year, and that's just what we do. And then magically, the last few years, Waffle House in certain areas makes it this whole date night.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

Wherever you're at, because we have we have listeners all over.

SPEAKER_04 18:09

And you have your Waffle House shirt on right now.

SPEAKER_01 18:11

I do have my Waffle House shirt on. We have listeners all over the world. So for you people who are in Finland, uh, my boy in Finland building his uh his you know his cabin on the house.

SPEAKER_04 18:22

I sure hope it's him.

SPEAKER_01 18:23

And so uh wherever you're at, uh, you know, anywhere in the world. Uh I mean, you guys in Singapore, Waffle House is a staple in the south. It's a southern if you're inside of one, you can walk out, throw a rock, and hit another one. They're that close together. Uh, but it is just kind of greasy, great food. You eat it at it's it's open 24 hours ago.

SPEAKER_00 18:47

Your feet don't stick to the floor, it's not a good waffle house.

SPEAKER_04 18:49

That's not a good one.

SPEAKER_01 18:50

And it's open 24-7. Yeah. All that doesn't matter, it doesn't matter if you're completely hammered, you're completely sober. In the south, the food is amazing.

SPEAKER_04 18:59

You know the weather is bad is when Waffle House is not open.

SPEAKER_01 19:04

Yes. And so if Waffle House closes, things have gone sideways. Yeah, in the South.

SPEAKER_04 19:10

It's kind of like in New York City when things are just like everything's gone sideways and public transit has shut down, you know things are wrong. Yeah.

Expectations, Love Languages, And Reality

SPEAKER_01 19:18

Like that's so Waffle House started this thing in the South, at least where we're at in Georgia, um, started decorating, like they turn the lights down.

SPEAKER_04 19:26

You make reservations for date night. Like it's a whole thing. It's so sweet.

SPEAKER_01 19:31

Like it's it's great. You actually, it's really, really fun.

SPEAKER_04 19:33

We stumbled upon it one time when we were going for Valentine's Day. Like I said, that's just around when we met. That's just what we did.

SPEAKER_01 19:40

Our first date was there. It was very, very high class for you guys. 100% who who know, like, you know, it's fine dining.

SPEAKER_04 19:49

That's what you do. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 19:50

And so Wildfigh House is what we do every Valentine's Day. And it's just kind of fun.

SPEAKER_04 19:55

Um, and this is well, because we've learned over the years, you and I don't have really big expectations for Valentine's Day, as far as like I expect you to make all these grand plans and we're gonna dress up and we're gonna do all these things. Like, I just I don't have those expectations because I think it's silly.

SPEAKER_01 20:17

So Valentine's like we're talking about this is one of those things, man. We we've said it once, we've said a thousand times, we'll keep beating this drum. Expectations are one of those things that can destroy a relationship or can destroy so many things so fast. In any area, so because you have expectations of what Valentine's Day means doesn't mean your significant other has those exact same expectations. So this is where you can do that fun thing calling communication where you get to say, and you have to be, you have to be honest.

SPEAKER_04 20:53

You have to be honest too, though.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

You gotta trade lightly though, because you like for instance, I see the situation going a lot of different ways. Michael, you helped me out here. Um like if I go to you and I'd be like, So, Miranda, what are your I mean, what are you thinking for Valentine's Day? Most women's responses, if I'm wrong, would say, I don't know, what are you thinking? Boom. Yeah, yeah, a thousand percent. Because they're just they you volleyed the serve, and they took around and spiked it back at you, and you're just like, holy crap, what do I do now? Here he comes back, what do I say?

SPEAKER_04 21:30

Let's throw in that y'all have been married for a few years, you have a baby, Thomas's schedule is a mess. And then it's like, I don't know, what do you want to do for Valentine's Day? Literally, I don't care. For me. But what are you after though? Quality time.

SPEAKER_01 21:49

That's what boom, there it is. So here's this is this is not fake news, fellas. So if you're out there and you're listening to this, this is this is real. And this is cheap advice. Like, you don't even have to. If you want to send me some money, send me some money. I ain't gonna lie about that. But anyway, um, if you want to win for Valentine's Day, if you got kids, get a babysitter and just take her out to eat. Like, try that. Try that. And if she's not happy with that, you need to have a good conversation while you're over that really nice thing. Because you phone in your pocket and don't look at it.

SPEAKER_04 22:26

Would you not agree? All we want is quality time and attention. Yes. Doesn't matter what it looks like. A million percent. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:32

Now, some women all you that's all ladies want.

SPEAKER_04 22:36

That's all we want.

SPEAKER_01 22:38

I want. I'm sorry, was that out loud?

SPEAKER_04 22:42

What do you mean? That is what I want. I want quality time and your attention. I don't care what it looks like when you don't want a man to ask for your attention. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:54

No.

Our Traditions: Waffle House Date

SPEAKER_04 22:54

I don't care what brand of restaurant it's got on it. That's just us. But there are women. There are there are folks and men too. Maybe there's some men too that care. Oh, we've got reservations at this fancy place, and we have to dress a certain way, and we're gonna do all these things, and I'm I'm gonna buy you this jewelry that's so wonderful so that you can show it off and all that. There are folks that like that.

SPEAKER_01 23:23

Yep. There's nothing wrong with that.

SPEAKER_04 23:25

There's not. But if that's your cup of tea. But why?

SPEAKER_00 23:30

Yeah, well, that's your that's your reason. That's you, but other people may find that because I mean we all have different ways we receive love. Like some people receiving gifts is more meaningful.

SPEAKER_04 23:40

Right.

SPEAKER_00 23:41

You know, and so I think going back to what you originally said, with like sit down and just have an honest conversation and don't be afraid on both sides to one explain what your expectations are and what you would like.

SPEAKER_01 23:52

Well, it's just like we talked about whom the if you haven't listened to our sex talk, which is extremely fun for Jess, um sex talk was basically like, hey, if you like I I've asked the question before, like, and when we're leaving the house, I'm gonna be like, hey, I mean, is this is this the night? Like, are we are we are we gonna have some fun tonight? Because if it is, it's gonna determine what I eat.

SPEAKER_02 24:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:15

Like, let's have a let's have an honest conversation about um, are we gonna play around and have fun? If so, then I'm gonna I'm not gonna eat certain things.

SPEAKER_04 24:23

Yeah, like I'm gonna stay away from it.

SPEAKER_01 24:25

Yeah, it's like but it's like the same thing for Valentine's, like, let's let's be honest about what you're after. And if you're like, hey, I'd like to go somewhere nice to eat, and be like, okay, cool. I just want to spend some time with you. Okay, so what does that look like?

SPEAKER_02 24:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:38

Like let's let's map that like how nice, like how good. Like, let's be, and sometimes it you would be like, well, that takes the romance out of it. If we're honest, we want that movie, like the thing you see. Everybody does, and it's just beautiful, everything's perfect, but it's like it's not real. That's a movie.

SPEAKER_04 24:58

It's not.

SPEAKER_01 24:59

Uh, so let's just keep that in mind as we have these crazy expectations so many times.

SPEAKER_04 25:05

But not just movies, though, it's like what do you see on social media? Um, and I'll be honest, girls, like the books that we read for us for those of us who are readers, you know, we read some not we person I'm I have, okay. I'll just be honest. But like the smut book category. Like, I mean set some expectations in your head that you don't mean to set. Like you don't you don't mean to set those expectations, but they're there. Right. And social media, what you're looking at, oh well, so and so, they went to wherever on their date night. I ain't gonna lie. Why do you don't take me there? Like, why not?

SPEAKER_01 25:46

When I see all these people post pictures of Frankie's, I ain't gonna lie. I get a little jealous. Well, because I'd like I'd like to go eat a really good steak at Frankie's, but Frankie and I are on the same uh budget.

SPEAKER_04 25:58

We are not, but that's okay. We could go to other restaurants that are right down the street that are just as good.

SPEAKER_01 26:05

Yeah, I can throw something on the traeger and we'll have a good time.

SPEAKER_04 26:07

Or yeah, or we can do it here.

SPEAKER_01 26:09

But what's crazy is like we have it's like we don't express those expectations, but so many times, just okay, take this past weekend for instance. We were hanging out, no one was home, uh, it was just us. We had a fire going because it was like stupid crazy here. Um we had a bottle of wine or three. A couple, a few, anyway. Um, and then we're like, you know what would be awesome? Let's order some tacos. Let's order a box of tacos from Taco Bell. And we're like, done. Say less.

SPEAKER_04 26:43

Do it.

Naming Needs And Planning The Night

SPEAKER_01 26:44

So we get on um get on DoorDash, um DoorDash with some tacos, and we turn on Talladega nights, and we got a fire, we got wine, we got Taco Bell. It's like for us, that's perfect. That's like, yes, that's a great, but I know you and you know me, and we're like, this sounds like a blast.

SPEAKER_04 27:06

Yeah, I'm not expecting anything. Yeah, this is gonna be fun.

SPEAKER_01 27:08

So just knowing, I mean, the idea is like you have to you have to invest into that relationship to know we've had enough conversations to know hundreds.

SPEAKER_04 27:19

Like you we don't have to guess anymore.

SPEAKER_01 27:21

Right. Yeah. So it was it was an easy, yeah, easy bet on what we were gonna what we were gonna do and what we're every now and again.

SPEAKER_04 27:27

It's it's kind of rare, but every now and again one of us will say, and we both say it, I want to go out. Like I wanna get like I want to dress nice, I want to go on like an actual date night.

SPEAKER_02 27:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 27:40

But we both feel comfortable enough to say that.

SPEAKER_02 27:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 27:44

Like I don't expect you to read my mind to know, like, no, I want to like actually date you today.

SPEAKER_01 27:51

Yeah, why didn't you why didn't you offer that as opposed to me having to say that? Right. I think that's where the issue comes in and be like, I expect you to think know that, but it's like, I don't, I don't, I can't, I can't read that. Like, there's so many things going on in our lives right now. It's like, yeah, let's just be honest with each other and have that conversation.

SPEAKER_04 28:08

So it's just and I'm not saying we're perfect at communicating what we need, but oh Lord, no.

SPEAKER_00 28:15

Well, and I think it's also one of those things where if you know that's what your your spouse desires, yeah, well, guess what you're prone to do next time you're thinking about doing something for them.

SPEAKER_04 28:28

I would hope that you're thinking about that. I would hope.

SPEAKER_00 28:32

But at the same time, how are they supposed to know in the first place if you don't initially have that conversation?

SPEAKER_04 28:37

Right. And the whole idea too though is what we beat to death, I feel like, in every episode, even if we don't mean to, is communicate. Because it is, because if you don't talk about it and I just expect Greg to know what I'm thinking, like I mean, you you can read me pretty well at this point. We've been together a hundred years, but like but still there's other days where I won't necessarily say exactly what I'm feeling. You can like you can feel, like you can sense that I'm like, okay, Jess is off, something's not okay, but I don't know exactly what. But if I don't take the initiative for my own self to be like, okay, let me tell you why I'm stressed out, let me tell you why I'm like withdrawn and not talking a whole lot, is the same thing of let me let's talk about Valentine's Day because I want you to do so and so and so and so. But if you don't know that I want you to do that, then you're not gonna meet that expectation. I've made up in my own brain.

SPEAKER_01 29:45

So here's what I know about Jess Valentine's Day is not a big deal. No, it's really not. Our anniversary, different story.

SPEAKER_04 29:53

Huge deal.

SPEAKER_01 29:54

Yeah, that's a big deal. So I know that's a big deal to her. So we're gonna do something big, we're gonna do something fun, uh, something that she enjoys, something that I enjoy on that day. Like I know that. Um, and if you don't know that, then bro, get involved with that lady or that person you said I do to and figure that out. No, because that's you gotta know that.

Phones Down, Be Intentional, Be Present

SPEAKER_04 30:19

Well, because we started dating around Valentine's Day, I would like to acknowledge that, but I don't expect it to be a big thing. I mean, my expectation is to go to Waffle House. I don't care if it's on that day or somewhere around that day. Right. Um, just because that's where we met and it's fun and Waffle House has made it even more fun. Bless their hearts. We've just given them lots of like, hey, everybody, Waffle House. Woo! Yeah, but like our actual wedding anniversary, like you said, yeah, it I want, I need that to be a big deal because, like you just said, that's the day we said I do to each other, and we're gonna make this work, and we love each other enough to make this work.

SPEAKER_01 30:59

Right.

SPEAKER_04 31:00

So but we learned that through communication.

SPEAKER_01 31:04

Wow, yeah. So you you guys got a thought on Valentine C. Yes, no?

SPEAKER_00 31:11

Yeah, you got you got you got traditions, things you I just want to communicate, Greg, that I expect a small box of chocolates and a hangout night. Okay. So just throwing that out there.

SPEAKER_04 31:23

I will help him arrange that around my time.

SPEAKER_01 31:27

Let me just tell you what what I have for you is some smoked old fashioned Oreos. I'm on the style.

SPEAKER_04 31:36

Bro, oh my gosh, we're gonna change your life.

SPEAKER_01 31:39

You pair those two together.

SPEAKER_05 31:41

Peanut butter ones.

SPEAKER_01 31:41

Really?

SPEAKER_04 31:43

Are they as good as the pair them together?

SPEAKER_01 31:45

I don't know, but as long as you got those good cherries too, I'm good. Oh yeah, the cocktail ones. Yes, they're delicious. Okay, anyway.

SPEAKER_04 31:53

Miranda, we will keep Lulu for whatever it works for Valentine's for you and Thomas.

SPEAKER_01 32:00

So thank y'all for y'all having this moment in front of everybody else.

SPEAKER_04 32:03

In front of the whole world, literally.

SPEAKER_01 32:05

So I just I I want to say if if if I have any advice for Valentine's Day this week, everything going on, uh take some time to literally just spend some intentional time with the person you said I do to. Like that person that you said I love you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm I'm I'm I'm all in, then act like you're all in this.

SPEAKER_04 32:33

Just talk to each other for crying out loud.

SPEAKER_01 32:35

Yeah, spend some time. Take your phones, like for God's sake, leave your like don't turn your phone, don't have your phones out uh while you're on this Valentine's Day.

SPEAKER_04 32:46

Oh my gosh, yes.

SPEAKER_01 32:48

Whatever it may Whatever it may be.

Community Share: Tag Your Date Photos

SPEAKER_04 32:50

Just girls, if you have a big enough purse, put both phones in it and put your purse to the side. Phones and take any Apple watch off. Yeah, watch to ooh, I didn't think about watch. Just literally put every distraction aside and just remember like, oh my gosh, this is a person that I said I do, or I'm working towards I do, or I'm in a serious relationship with like remember who you fell in love with. Remember who you fell in love with and why you were there in the first freaking place. Like that that phone, that watch should have no place there.

SPEAKER_01 33:26

Yeah, it's fun. Have fun with it. Whatever that may be, um, whatever that looks like for you guys, if it's Waffle House, if it is a nice restaurant. I want to ask you to do this for me because I think it's fun, and I want you guys to participate in all of us doing this together is uh take a selfie. I was supposed to say the same thing. Post it on our social.

SPEAKER_04 33:48

Y'all had a cute picture last year. Tag. We did it last year. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 33:52

Yeah, it was.

SPEAKER_04 33:53

We have a like a pretend prom picture. Oh, in the picture. Oh, in the parking lot when you're kissing my forehead. That was super cute. That was so cute. So we will post our Valentine Waffle House pictures.

SPEAKER_01 34:04

Yes. So wherever you're at, whatever you're doing, please take a picture, post and tag us, please.

SPEAKER_04 34:10

It'll be so fun.

SPEAKER_01 34:11

Please tag Baggage Claim Podcast. Yes. You guys um tell us about your date. I won't I brag on each other. Uh this is a fun, it's a fun time. So you can be frustrated and irritated that it's one of those holidays that's made up just for Hallmark, made it up so they can get more money out of you.

SPEAKER_02 34:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:30

But in the same sense, it's like, I'm gonna spend this time and love on the person I said I do to. So um please post those pictures, share those. I want we want to be a part of that. We want to see what you guys are into. Wherever you're at in the world, it doesn't matter. I don't care where you're at in the world.

SPEAKER_04 34:47

Even if Valentine's Day isn't a thing for you, wherever you are.

SPEAKER_01 34:50

Yeah, then then post a picture of your date. Um, post it on our socials. Make sure you like and follow us at all of all those socials that are out there. Um anything else to add?

SPEAKER_00 35:01

I don't think so.

SPEAKER_01 35:02

Just be intentional. Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:04

You know it's easy, and and I forget the exact saying, but it's you never uh intentionally stray wrong. It's a constant fade. It's a constant fade. Right. You always have to be intentional to stay on path. Right. And so even holidays like this, as silly or as cliche as it may be, be intentional.

SPEAKER_01 35:24

Well, it's the same thing, like you're not gonna stumble into a great relationship. You're gonna work to get it. Yeah, so it takes work and takes focus. So be intentional, be focused about it.

unknown 35:34

Yeah.

Support: Patreon, Merch, And Thanks

SPEAKER_01 35:34

So uh if you're out there and you're listening to us, there's a I want to ask you as we close, there's a couple ways you can support us. Jess and I have just been kind of and and Michael and Miranda, we've all just been kind of pooling our resources and just kind of making this happen. But if you want to support us, help us out, help us keep going, you can go to our Patreon account. There's a couple of different places you can join our Patreon. Patreon account and and join us there. Um, you can go the one of the best ways too to help us and support us is go uh buy merch. Uh if you buy stuff from the store, if you go to the website, just ventured into the world.

SPEAKER_00 36:13

UnpackTogether.com.

SPEAKER_01 36:15

Yeah. UnpackTogether.com. Go buy merch.

SPEAKER_00 36:18

If you if you I will say it's pretty dope, I'm gonna give me one of them hats.

SPEAKER_04 36:21

Yeah, dude, we design stuff you can wear in the world.

SPEAKER_01 36:24

So grab stuff. Uh if you wear it, post a picture of yourself out with it on. I would love to see that.

SPEAKER_02 36:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:31

Um, but those are those are two really good ways you could help support us and help keep this going. Yeah. We're trying to expand, we're trying to do more. Uh, we just want to be a resource for you guys to to have better relationships and better homes, better families. Uh, that's our goal. That's when we do what we do. Yeah. Uh, and that's how we're gonna continue to do it. And uh thank you so much for tuning in tonight or today, or whatever it is that you're listening to this. Um, I hope you got something out of it. If you did, leave us a review, like it, share it. Yeah, uh, we're growing.

SPEAKER_04 37:04

Always message us too.

SPEAKER_01 37:06

We had this crazy thing, like we want to hit 20 countries in 200 cities, and I think we're at 20 countries and 214, 213 cities.

SPEAKER_05 37:16

I don't know. You're gonna need one so that keep up with it better.

SPEAKER_00 37:19

Miranda's about to tell us an exact number. And I'll just say it's very meaningful that that people listen consistently. Yes, thank you. Thank you. What was it? This last month we had 600 downloads. Yeah, over six. Over 600. Yeah, we're at 640. In a month, seriously, thank you.

SPEAKER_05 37:35

Yes, we are at 34 cities total in six.

SPEAKER_00 37:39

34, 34 countries, not cities.

SPEAKER_01 37:42

No, you gotta go to all.

SPEAKER_05 37:44

Like we've had oh, that's five. My bad.

SPEAKER_01 37:47

Yeah, that's the last five days.

SPEAKER_05 37:49

20 countries, 213 cities. Yeah, there you go. Good gracious.

SPEAKER_04 37:54

Yeah, who are y'all? Can y'all start like messaging us just so I can know?

SPEAKER_01 37:59

Yeah, we want to we want to interact with you. So don't think if you're listening to this, even on there, it says send a text. Just shoot us a text wherever you're at.

SPEAKER_04 38:07

Literally for real. I want to know.

SPEAKER_01 38:09

Yeah, we just want to interact and just say hey and just um just let us know where you're at, what you think. If there's something you want to hear, let us know. Yeah, uh, that's what we're here for, is to help um give you guys stuff that helps you make your lives better.

SPEAKER_04 38:23

Yeah, thank you for growing this community. Yes, we really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 38:26

We're so excited that we've come this far almost in a year, so who knows what next year holds for us?

SPEAKER_04 38:32

Crazy.

SPEAKER_01 38:33

So we're just gonna keep going and uh pound it out. Anything to say, anybody? I don't think so. Go dogs. Yeah, go dogs.