Have you ever felt trapped by your own definition of authenticity and success? We strip back the layers of these elusive concepts as we share heart-to-heart stories from our personal quests to redefine achievement. Our discussion spirals from workplace pressures to finding joy in the safety of our personal realms. Along the way, we celebrate the monumental achievements of trailblazer Clarice Phelps, the first black woman to contribute to the discovery of a new periodic element, and the timeless impact of artists like Tracy Chapman.
The world looks different through varied lenses, and this episode puts the spotlight on how our perspectives shape our understanding. We traverse topics from the nuanced messages behind communication styles to the unspoken societal taboos of menopause and tongue piercings. Laughter bubbles up as we highlight a quirky Valentine's Day fundraiser, and we acknowledge the importance of camaraderie and support through the lighter side of heartbreak and beyond.
Wrapping up with a heartfelt thanks to our listeners, we underscore the power of word-of-mouth in growing our podcast's community. Every shared story, every recommendation you make, adds to the fabric of our shared experience. We're here to remind you to celebrate your unique self, and if our conversation inspires you to do just that or to champion someone else's creativity, then we've done our job. Thanks to our producer, Sara Reid, for helping us craft this space for honest reflection and connection.
Visit us on the Interwebs! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook! Support the show!
Have you ever felt trapped by your own definition of authenticity and success? We strip back the layers of these elusive concepts as we share heart-to-heart stories from our personal quests to redefine achievement. Our discussion spirals from workplace pressures to finding joy in the safety of our personal realms. Along the way, we celebrate the monumental achievements of trailblazer Clarice Phelps, the first black woman to contribute to the discovery of a new periodic element, and the timeless impact of artists like Tracy Chapman.
The world looks different through varied lenses, and this episode puts the spotlight on how our perspectives shape our understanding. We traverse topics from the nuanced messages behind communication styles to the unspoken societal taboos of menopause and tongue piercings. Laughter bubbles up as we highlight a quirky Valentine's Day fundraiser, and we acknowledge the importance of camaraderie and support through the lighter side of heartbreak and beyond.
Wrapping up with a heartfelt thanks to our listeners, we underscore the power of word-of-mouth in growing our podcast's community. Every shared story, every recommendation you make, adds to the fabric of our shared experience. We're here to remind you to celebrate your unique self, and if our conversation inspires you to do just that or to champion someone else's creativity, then we've done our job. Thanks to our producer, Sara Reid, for helping us craft this space for honest reflection and connection.
Visit us on the Interwebs! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook! Support the show!
Welcome to the Cat and Moose Podcast. I'm Kat and I'm Moose.
Speaker 2:This is a True Life Podcast where we explore the quirks of being human.
Speaker 1:Hey Moose, hey Kat, hey Sarah, hi guys, I would like to start today's podcast with a complaint.
Speaker 2:Okay, oh great, I love that. I love when we start in a positive note, always.
Speaker 1:Yes, because we're a positive podcast. So I got a voice memo from you yesterday, moose, saying the following I would like for you to bring your most authentic self to the podcast and I would like for you to pay attention to the lighting. I would like for you to pay attention to your background, etc. Etc, etc. It looks nice. Yeah, I did, and it looks great, by the way it really does.
Speaker 3:You've really upgraded for this episode, I'm sure.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you. I also am really struggling, though and this is the complaint that I have, and it's not directed toward you, moose, it's just toward Sure feels like it. I know I'm trying to back it up a little bit, and this is kind of a question for all three of us. Even someone asks you to bring your most authentic self. What is that Like? Because to me, my most authentic self is not looking good and good lighting with good makeup on. Like that makes me feel like I'm having to like put on a front or put on a thing.
Speaker 2:I did not want you to put on a front. I just needed great video. Did I hurt your?
Speaker 1:feelings when I asked that you didn't hurt my feelings at all, like it actually didn't hurt my feelings at all. It kind of took me on this journey of like what is bringing my most authentic self? And it made me just kind of wonder, like what does that mean to each one of us? Like, what is it? What does it mean? Is it something that is visual? Is it something that's spiritual? Is it something that's tangible or intangible? And it just kind of sent me on this, like as most questions you ask me do. They sent me on this like just exploration of like what does it mean for cat to be cat's most authentic self? And I just I don't know.
Speaker 1:I thought that your question inspired a lot of very exciting curiosity for me. And what did you learn? I learned that some of the reasons that I hold back and by holding back like, like, I mean like why do I not look like? You know, I'm in great physical condition and I'm in great this and great that or whatever it's like a lot of the reason I hold back and I said this in an interview in college one time is that I think I'm afraid of success. I know that feeling.
Speaker 2:You know, you've always said that I don't, I don't understand that and I've never understood it. I think I'm in denial about doing the same thing. Really, like what does that mean you're afraid of because this comes up? We've talked about this with the podcast. We talked about this with businesses we've owned. I would love to explore this because I think I have it too and I think I'm just in denial of it because, to me, the words I'm afraid of success don't make sense.
Speaker 1:They don't make any sense. They don't make any sense, and one of the things that I say often in in my music career is I say that human beings are not created for fame and notoriety. We can't handle it Like like there. There are very few examples of people that I think everybody just kind of goes like wow, that person's just got it together. You know, it's like Tom Hanks would be one of those.
Speaker 2:You know not. If you ask the conspiracy theorist, they hate him. Oh, that's true.
Speaker 3:But I'm with you. He's like, as good as they get yeah, they do.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, like Tom Hanks, julia Roberts, oprah, jimmy Fallon, yeah like good. They seem like good solid. Sarah Reed who?
Speaker 3:Oh, sarah Reed, sarah you are a very well rounded.
Speaker 2:Yes, famous person.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm very, I'm very impressed, I'm very impressed, sarah, thank you.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you guys both agree that you are afraid of success. Let's dissect that, or maybe that's not the right phrase. Say it again, kat.
Speaker 1:Well, no, that is what I said and, in and to me, like that's what I'm the most curious about, because it's like, well, success has been defined as something different. As I've aged, and I think that I am entering into a time of life and I think this is part of kind of like the midlife crisis, and all of that is that I'm actually less and less and less afraid of success. What success means to me has evolved.
Speaker 1:And what has it evolved from and to yeah well, I feel like success is like you're a really good radio promoter, you're a really good manager, you're a really good body worker, like yay you, you should be famous and have your very own business card. You know, it's like that, to me, has felt like what I've been striving for and what what I think that I have learned and I'm still adjusting to is that I think what success really means to me is is my kingdom safe and is my kingdom full of things and people that bring out the best in me? Yeah, and to me, that's successful.
Speaker 2:I would agree with that.
Speaker 1:And what that looks like and what that sounds like is almost irrelevant. You know, it's like it's more of like just going, like okay, it's not important that I'm the best manager in the industry, like that is important to somebody and I really want to be a great manager, but like I don't need to be Scooter Braun or whomever one might say is one of the best managers in the industry.
Speaker 2:I don't think they would pick him at this point. Well, I hear you, yeah. At one point they did Okay. So, yeah, I hear you so okay with that. Said, though, in relation to projects you work on now, how does that relate like the podcast being successful? Why does that scare you?
Speaker 1:Well, the thing is is that it shouldn't, and it doesn't, and so, like, by you asking me to step up my game and use better lighting and and all the things that that meant to me, things you didn't say, but, like I was like, well, I better put makeup on my hair, better not look greasy, like I need to wear a solid color t-shirt that doesn't say anything. You know, it's like there were several things that I thought of that I was like this is what stepping up my game looks like. Yeah, and you know what? Like, if I see something about our podcast out there on the internet, I want it to look good. Right, true, I want it to look pro.
Speaker 2:What I find so interesting is that I I experienced my outgoing voice memo to you as a pep talk and you're describing you're describing it as a critical Admonishment.
Speaker 1:What does admonish mean?
Speaker 2:Like. I'm correcting you Like, like, because I haven't had lighting in in this office in a while. So it was. It was I was inspired by some things I saw and then I went how do we step it up? This is what it could look like, very simply, and then that's where the voice memo came from.
Speaker 1:That's so interesting. Our perspectives are so, yeah, so incredibly different, and I also, like I just did that thing where I like told you something you did and then told you how it made me feel, and that's really, really non-therapeutic, like. That's like, oh no, I find it.
Speaker 2:And I I am. It's just interesting because I came into it as I was like talking to Sarah, we were on our way back from this quick trip that we were doing and I was like this is where I want to put my time and energy. And it was that was the result of it. Was that voice memo? Yeah?
Speaker 1:Well, and when you said that you wanted this to be a big part of our careers, that made me want to pound my chest and like rip my shirt and and go like, yeah, I mean, it's like every episode that I listened to you. I'm genuinely proud of me too.
Speaker 2:Like genuinely proud of it. I think we're our biggest fans.
Speaker 3:Well, good, I mean, as it should be right.
Speaker 2:Listen, here is, I have said since I started my company my sort of secret tagline and it's probably just my personal tagline in life is what if the truth is enough? Mm-hmm, like, what if? Like, especially when it comes to other people having opinions like well, what if the truth is enough? Like you can't really get me outside of saying you disagree with me if I'm telling the truth. You know, and I think that is what we have going for us with this threpple that we have created, whoa.
Speaker 1:The thing about a threpple is my understanding is that it involves some sort of physical contact, and I haven't seen you guys in like weeks. That's not true. You drugged me out.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you drugged me.
Speaker 2:So, Kat and I, if you I don't know if we've talked about this in the podcast or not, but Kat and I have this ongoing. We started it, I think, last month and we have this ongoing thing of like hey, we both are not the biggest fans of some events we have to go to. Now, that's not the case of the one I went with you, but sometimes it's nice to have a wingman when you go to like industry events and so I I you came with me to something and then you invited me to come with you, which I had a great time, but I totally pulled an introvert move and just like sat at the bar while everybody was like seated at tables. Don't worry, I wasn't just drinking, I was listening to everything that was happening, but it was a really fun night.
Speaker 1:It was a really fun night and it's one of those things where knowing that you were going with me to that event, it changed my whole. It gave me a paradigm shift, it changed my whole perspective because, like it was a lovely event to begin with, like it was there wasn't. It wasn't like oh God, there's this thing. You know, it's like well, it's already really great, and then having you there with me like, oh my gosh, like it made it. It made it even better. So thank you for going. That was fun.
Speaker 2:Um, I got a text from you me and Sarah did last week and, uh, I don't know if you want to talk about it, so you can say no and shut it down. But, um, I was asking you how your follow up appointment was at the doctor's appointment and we sublet doctor's appointments here on the podcast. So your text was I'm in the late stages of menopause and I thought, in order to piggyback when Jen DiPaula asked us please talk about preparing menopause, et cetera, Do you have any more insights that we might be able to glean from?
Speaker 1:Well, I do, I do and um, I I. First of all, I'm like really surprised at this statement that I am. I am in the end stages of menopause, because I feel like I'm just beginning, like I feel like whoa, what is this thing called a hot flash? And whoa, what is blah blah, blah, blah. And what the doctor explained to me is that really like it's not so much about the levels of the different hormones in the body, it's about the ratio between them. Oh, interesting, and the ratio between testosterone and estrogen in my body is great. It is very, very great.
Speaker 1:I have very high testosterone and I have very low estrogen and when I went and read about high testosterone in women, it's all the things I'm terrified of, like growing a beard and having a deep voice like a man and you know, like, like a lot of the things that in the enlarged downtown area, you know there's yeah, yeah, it's like there's a lot of things that I just I'm a little bit afraid of, and our doctor explained to me that it may just be a genetic disposition.
Speaker 1:It doesn't mean that, like anything, is quote unquote wrong, but it's just a genetic disposition, and my ratios are still out of whack, and so ever since then, I've been wearing a estrogen patch.
Speaker 2:You're going to love it. You told me that and I was like, oh, it changed my world.
Speaker 3:Yeah, have you noticed a difference?
Speaker 1:I don't know, and I was going to ask you, like what do I need to be looking for?
Speaker 2:Um, for me, if I'm not, if I forget to change my estrogen patch or I don't change it in time, so I guess, like the medication on it isn't as potent. Um, there's just a random guy walking on the street, but I realized it was Amazon. Okay, hypervigilant moose, calm down, hey guys. Um, okay, so I realize when I don't have it on, I immediately am super hot All the time. So it for me, it helps my hot flashes. Has she put you on one click of testosterone?
Speaker 3:No, she doesn't need it. Her testosterone's up here. My testosterone is really high.
Speaker 2:I see right here, gotcha, I'm misunderstood that the other way around. Um, I'm on one click and so far no mustache.
Speaker 3:So wow, I am on no clicks and I've got a full on mustache and beard At 42.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm not saying that there aren't other hairs that have popped up that I have to take care of, golly guys. Not down there up here this beautiful face, Kat didn't you get an email about a tongue piercing?
Speaker 1:I 100% did. Are we reading that on the podcast today? You're gonna read it to us?
Speaker 2:Can we? It's in the text thread and, sarah, I would like for you to read it.
Speaker 3:Okay, okay, great, this is from somebody that Kat knows and this person wrote in and I had a lot of fun reading this one, and so I hope that you guys do as well. I have to say I was rolling as I was laying out by the pool yesterday listening to y'all. I could feel producer Sarah's pain, remembering the tongue ring. So it's the late 90s. I'm teaching Swedish massage at the school. I have zero tattoos, a mullet with a shaved side of head and a nose ring. I really wanted an eyebrow ring, to which my mom said no and that she had a bad feeling about me getting one. The school then said no more facial piercings. So a couple of my students had gotten tongue rings. They swore it didn't hurt at all. These people are liars. I thought well, it's not a facial piercing technically. So one of my BFFs fill in the blank decided she wanted a tongue ring too, Cause if there are things to try, we are gonna do them.
Speaker 3:Off to the old hippie store in Nashville called Stone Mountain. We go in and I can't remember who went first. The pain receptors fog the memories. Yes, they do. They did not use any gauze to hold my tongue. What? They wiped it to dry it off, but they pulled my tongue out of my mouth with a pair of hemostats, Then pulled that needle out and popped. That's what it felt like. It sounded like.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, like a squirrel popping under its car.
Speaker 1:Like my, butt is numb, completely numb and popped it through my tongue.
Speaker 3:Oh, they put a long bar which is a shaft in my tongue. Oh, it is a shaft, yes, with the two balls on each end. They wouldn't put a shorter bar in at the beginning to give your room room for your tongue to swell? Oh my God, so where am I? So after they did it, I had to lay there for a few minutes because it was always afterwards that my brain realizes what I've done and smacks me for a few. Now we didn't have pain for the first couple of hours but, mfr, once the tongue started swelling, look out.
Speaker 3:I had my dearest client couple that I'm known for over 30 years now scheduled for out call sessions. In two days I put ice in my mouth and ice chips because I couldn't eat. I tried to have a shake. No, didn't realize how much I used my tongue to freaking suck. The next day came and I was slurring words and sounded like Cindy freaking Brady with my lisp Damn thing is swollen.
Speaker 3:Now these clients had gotten to know me pretty well. So I call them and say I'm in so much pain and I need to reschedule. They have an answering machine. Yep, they still got it. They screen calls with it. Again, it's the late 90s. I start talking when the answering machine comes on. They pick up. I say I need to reschedule and end up saying why, when asked, oh, if I had dental work done, one of the couples said oh my God, and the other well, they had quite a lot Like almost four days of some of the most excruciating pain ever, more than any surgeries. Biting the ball of your tongue is real, cracking teeth is real and getting caramel and such stuck in the ball can be uncomfortable. Oh God, my friend over time took hers out Me, absolutely not gonna come out of my mouth. I'll be 80 with this thing in. I've even stretched a hole a bit wider and the bar is shorter, easier to control that sexual part that I didn't know until afterwards. There you go.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh no.
Speaker 1:I thought that was not. That was really interesting. No.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, but I cannot understand what that metal bar does and I don't wanna know. Like I don't think it's the bar, it's not the bar. Wait, what is?
Speaker 3:it. It's the ball underneath the, on the bottom and on top of the tongue. Oh my gosh, you guys. Okay, thank you so much for the so secret shout out. Thanks for coming to my tongue piercing talk. Hearing each of your voices in my ears is truly special and I love always feeling like I have a seat at y'all's table. Blessings, and I love all you ins, all you ins, you ins. Oh, sorry, I had a brain fart moment reading. I think I went back to like third grade, I felt like it too.
Speaker 2:I was worried about you. Oops, sorry, I thought you did a great job. It was third grade.
Speaker 1:C plus, and I'm just wondering like do we still have that third grader with us?
Speaker 2:Oh, we didn't do parts work.
Speaker 3:Probably she's, afraid.
Speaker 1:Well, I just want you to know that I have a lot of affection and love for the third grade C plus version of producer Sarah.
Speaker 3:Thank you, that's what I want to say oh, thank you so much. That's very sweet.
Speaker 1:And it makes me wonder if, like when we do shout outs and things like that, is that continuing to make us like the best, most authentic podcast of the three of us, or have we jumped the shark? Do you guys know about jumping the shark?
Speaker 2:No, yeah, oh well, what is it? What do you know about it, Miss? Well, I've just heard the phrase that. But tell us about it, Cause I don't know well enough, but like how have you?
Speaker 1:what context have you heard it in?
Speaker 2:Oh, in business context, have you jumped the shark? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, where it came from is a really popular radio announcer named John Hunn was talking about an episode of Happy Days where Fonzie you remember, fonzie, yeah wore board shorts and his classic leather jacket as a water skier and, in the episode, skied in such a way that he jumped over a shark. That's where it came from. That's where it came from. And the radio announcer, john Hunn, said Happy Days is really jumped the shark, kind of like it has gone beyond what its initial intent of a creative endeavor is. It's like we've gone too far, like we've kind of missed the boat per se. Yeah, and I thought it was just really interesting.
Speaker 1:I didn't know where the I don't think I've ever heard the phrase used. Well, I did hear the phrase used after the Grammys last week, because there were a handful of people and I know she's completely untouchable and perfect in every way and there were a handful of people in my life who really didn't appreciate Taylor Swift's acceptance speech. Yeah, I am one of them. And so my friend said I wonder if this is the point at which she jumps the shark? And I was like, what the hell does that mean? Yeah, and that's, that's yeah. So you weren't a fan either, huh, sarah.
Speaker 3:No, no, it was very self-serving. She didn't need to do that Well she doesn't need to do that. But she wanted, she wanted the biggest audience.
Speaker 2:Well, I agree, and let's talk about that. Let's break it down. There were two speeches from Taylor. The first one is where she announced her album coming in April. Yeah, and like, here's my thought, and listen, would I have the same criticism towards a man? I want to first say yes, yes, and that's not always the case, that often women get criticized more, but and I'm not, I love Taylor. So hear me say this I think she's an incredible business woman. There's really only two things that bug me about her. One is the face she makes when she's on stage and people are cheering, because it doesn't feel authentic to me. And at the beginning I could believe it, like if she really wanted me to. Now I don't believe it. And it's this face she looks around the stadium with her mouth open, like in like.
Speaker 1:I can't believe this is happening.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I just I it's not believable. And I understand she's feeding into the fans and all the things, but I saw her on tour like maybe eight years ago and had really good seats and she did that and I was like what the heck are you doing? So that's one thing. And then the second thing is this like this move to like make announcements at the Grammys Like I want to be like you're with your friends, bro, like the Grammys is like an industry thing. Yes, fans watch it, but let's be honest, the industry, industry votes, the industry votes, and so I know what you're doing. And yes, fans watch it, they want to see Taylor, but like she could have dropped that on Instagram without ever even saying it. She could have said, check out my Insta and and boom. But she.
Speaker 3:I didn't feel like Celine Dion say it backstage for her.
Speaker 2:We're not on that one yet Holy smokes, we're not on that set It'd be all right.
Speaker 1:Thanks to Sarah. I'm the first one Just been in my girl.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I hear you though. Okay, so let's anyone have any more thoughts on the album drop, because I'm with you that I I wanted her to thank people, I wanted her to, I don't know. I just felt. I'm not saying it was a bad business move, I'm just saying it felt a little it was self-serving. Self-serving, yeah, and that is not the platform for it.
Speaker 3:That is a platform for thank yous and gratitude and honoring, etc. Not look at what I'm dropping next.
Speaker 1:Well, I remember this is you know, seven or eight years ago now. I remember going to an event that we've talked about a few times on the podcast, the Christian Music Broadcasters, momentum. I remember going to Momentum in the first year that they did the Wednesday night worship service. I remember the artist who performed said something about his current radio single, kind of in the middle of his set, and and to me I kind of go like you're in front of most of the industry's influential Christian radio programmers, these are the people who you want to know. This is your current single or this is your next single. Like why wouldn't you say that to these people? And it was a worship service. So it's like is this the time and the place to say that thing to those people?
Speaker 1:And I remember a rule being created that we do not advertise singles or album drops or stuff like that from stage during the Wednesday night worship service. Like I just I remember that being such a big thing and me not, I understood it like in my being. I'm like of course you shouldn't do that, it's the wrong place, it's the wrong time, and also like I can see the business reason of wanting to do that. And so to me, I kind of looked at it is a little bit. I view Taylor Swift as larger than life. I view her as like one of the most amazing people and I was reminded in that moment she's just as human as I am, and she's just as insecure as I am.
Speaker 1:And maybe is worried that nobody is going to care about when this record drops.
Speaker 2:Well, I also wondered did somebody tell her to say that you know what I mean? Like, look, she's not an idiot, she's probably in an eGram three, so it's. You know, this is a lot about what she puts forward. But I had that same thought of like, oh, that was uncomfortable. Oh, you're human, it's okay, it's not a big deal. I mean, I didn't go to sleep thinking about it, I was like oh, whatever.
Speaker 1:I did.
Speaker 2:I went to sleep thinking about Tracy Chapman and Luke Holmes, which really just Tracy.
Speaker 3:Chapman oh God Word, holy shit guys.
Speaker 2:It was so good. I mean, I think that was just. It was spectacular on several levels because Tracy just showed up in a pair of jeans, a black top that she got at Macy's, I think, and just honored that. Luke Holmes was a part of this song, even though it's her song, yes, and he the way. I saw a meme that said I want my person to look at me the way Luke Holmes looked at Tracy Chapman during Fast Car and he, and it was very sweet.
Speaker 2:You could tell it was all about him honoring her, which was fantastic.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I that that was probably, hands down, my favorite moment ever on the Grammys. Yeah, same. So it just was so, so powerful and I was thinking about, well, why was that? And it was like, well, that song was really, really a soundtrack to some of my most formidable years, you know. So now being you know, 25, 30 years older than I was when that song came out, or even 35 years older than when that song came out, it just did. You know how you always say in good improv, moose, that a comedian brings it back to you know, something that you're really familiar with from the front of the, the, the routine or whatever.
Speaker 1:And I felt like that was like a real life Fibonacci spiral moment of like this is happening to me right now, like this is bringing me back to thoughts and feelings and emotions and stuff that I had years and years and years ago. I thought it was fantastic.
Speaker 2:Me too, and I think she exudes what we were talking about earlier, about like she just seems like a quiet force in this world Like this, this just her standing up there was the statement singing her song with a white country artist, you know like it was just something there. Like it wasn't lost on me A white male country artist.
Speaker 2:Yes and her being a queer female artist in this industry. Also, I would like to point out that kind of what Luke Holmes did with this song, bringing it back, which you know I was so happy to see her version of Fast Car rocketed to the top of Apple Music and all the all the places. But Brandy Carlaw did with Joni Mitchell, which has been, you know, a two year process of her making a record with Joni and the story behind that's really cool, because it's Brandy's wife that it was the Joni fan actually and Brandy Carlaw was like I never have really gotten her music. And then her wife was like I remember that from her book.
Speaker 2:Yeah, if you're going to be married to me, you are going to know Joni Mitchell, you know. And to see Brandy's journey with Joni, and to see Joni up there at 80 years old after a stroke and learning to have to walk again, and all the things like that was so special, it was really special.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was special, really really powerful. We love the Grammys and it's funny to me that I went into this year's Grammy Awards saying to the people I was with I am fully prepared to not enjoy the show and to not Me too Finish it Me too Like, cause I'm not interested in anything that I think is going to be done or is going to be said. And performance after performance yes, after performance Always. And presentation after presentation. It just was really. I mean there were some weird moments and we all know what those were, but for the most part, like I thought it was a fantastic, fantastic Grammy Awards.
Speaker 1:And you talking about Tracy Chapman and her kind of like quiet strength just reminds me how much I mean I love people. I'm a people person, so I love people. I especially love really strong, awesome women and I really especially love strong, awesome black women. And I found out about a strong, awesome black woman this week who I am so incredibly impressed with. Her name is Clarice Phelps. Do you know about this lady? No, no, talk to me. So Clarice Phelps is the first black woman to contribute to the discovery of an element on the periodic table. No way. What is the element? The element? It's called Tennesseen and she's from Tennessee State University and she went into the Navy for four years. She went to UT Austin and got a master's degree in chemistry and like nuclear stuff and all of this and she was a part of discovering what is a fuck. What's it called? I should have written it down, it's OK.
Speaker 1:Do a Google.
Speaker 2:So, while you're looking that up, can I ask questions? Yes, you're telling me that we're still adding elements to the periodic table.
Speaker 3:I thought once, I memorized it.
Speaker 2:I was good I honestly am like oh, this is a thing I mean. It makes sense that we would still be discovering elements.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I thought the same thing when I saw this news article. I was at first like she's a badass, like she's so great, and then I was like, wait, there's still elements, right, I feel like I need a periodic table.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we need a song in order to memorize them, so she named it.
Speaker 3:Oh, it's TS, oh TS.
Speaker 2:And what? It's Tennessee. Ok, that's really cool that it's named after Very cool, our wild and diverse state. What is it?
Speaker 1:Tennessee is a synthetic chemical element. It has symbol TS and atomic number 117. It has the second highest atomic number and joint highest atomic mass Of all known elements and is the penultimate element of the seventh period of the periodic table. And I believe it's a halogen. Yeah, it's a halogen. That's the word I was looking for. It's a halogen. What does that mean?
Speaker 2:What is it? Like a lamp, like a light, like a chemical?
Speaker 1:The only thing I know about halogen.
Speaker 2:Well, what is her name? Again, let's give her more props, because that is fantastic Clarisse Phelps, clarisse Phelps, fantastic.
Speaker 1:Clarisse Bad ass.
Speaker 2:Wow, holy smokes, that is incredible. I don't even know Like what if your goal in life was to discover an element Like that is the opposite of who I am, my, my, my goal in life is discover myself, which does a lot right like figure out who you are an element, I am my own element.
Speaker 3:Did you guys know that there is a zoo in San Antonio that's letting you name a cockroach after your ex and have it fed to an animal on Valentine's Day?
Speaker 1:That is please send me. Send me this please.
Speaker 3:It's San Antonio Zoo S a zoo dot org.
Speaker 2:Honestly guys, wait, wait, wait. I I almost said, we need to talk about this on the podcast, and that just proves that this conversation is what we would have in real life. Right yeah exactly. Can you explain what you do again? You name the cockroach and then feed it to an animal on Valentine's Day.
Speaker 3:Yeah, basically it's. It's a okay. Here's what it says be a part of the global sensation and ex. Terminate your past and support a noble cause with the Crimea cockroach fundraiser. Symbolically name a roach, rat or veggie after your ex or not so special someone, and the San Antonio Zoo will help squash your past, a true heartbreak healer by feeding your selection to an animal resident the fundraiser.
Speaker 1:It's the best thing I've ever heard in my life.
Speaker 2:I want to find a marketing director that create, or whoever. I know some intern was like I have an idea and they ran with it.
Speaker 3:It's brilliant, honestly so. It's like a down digital, downloadable Valentine's Day card that shows your support and it's like 510 or $25 donation s a zoo dot org. Guys, go, go support a great cause.
Speaker 1:Okay, but, but. But. What I want to know is do they film the cockroach being eaten by the animal and do you have that? Do you have that as like?
Speaker 3:a token. I mean I could find a video of a cockroach being eaten. This is so great.
Speaker 2:Okay, so, patrons, you're getting a chance to see this. Can you scroll back up for a sec? Oh yeah. So I mean, this is incredible. It's got like a broken heart. San Antonio Zoo cry me a cockroach fundraiser and the little cockroach is looking at us and you can. It's, this is incredible.
Speaker 1:It's the most brilliant thing I've ever seen.
Speaker 2:It's really smart, but I'm with you cat like. It's sort of like what's the one where you get famous people to like? If it was my birthday cat you would like by. Oh yeah, I had a friend do Lisa Loeb, where she sent me like a birthday wish. What is that called? I know all of our friends are yelling.
Speaker 1:It's called another yelling at the windshield.
Speaker 2:It's like called me or no that's where you take pictures of your feet and have people buy photos. Gross, oh my gosh, it's true, like you show, like people be like $15 for your right boob and you send them a photo.
Speaker 3:I mean, I'm not $15 for that.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, it depends on the boo, I think cameocom. Thanks, cat, it's sort of like that, but for cockroaches. But I want a photo. I want a photo, I want a video. I want to send it to my ex.
Speaker 3:You know and be like.
Speaker 2:I did this for you.
Speaker 3:This cockroach was named after you.
Speaker 1:I actually, I don't want to do that. I want to post that on social media, oh yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I think that's the world.
Speaker 1:Like this is for you, phil in the blank, and like Phil huh, oh.
Speaker 2:Phil, get it. Phil, in the blank PhIL. Okay, what if? That would be great, if you're getting a divorce like something to send to your ex, like hey, thinking of you on this Valentine's day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, that's good, this is good.
Speaker 2:I love the way we're putting love into the world.
Speaker 3:I mean one approach at a time time. You guys could also send a veggie if you're vegan.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you could, right, and I love that. They give the opportunity for you to send a vegetable, a rodent or a cockroach, and the cockroach is is for the $5 donation, the veggie is a $10 donation.
Speaker 3:Oh, no, it's yeah, the roach is 10 bucks oh shoot. That's expensive and G's five and a rodent's 25.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it's you know, I feel like we can do one better.
Speaker 2:What if we? Well, you pay us guys listeners. You pay us $25 a cockroach. Well, I don't know where to find them.
Speaker 1:Uh, I will feed a cockroach to an animal, yeah.
Speaker 2:We will pay you. Oh yeah, we should add that into our patron.
Speaker 3:Um, okay, if you're like once a month, we'll feed a cockroach in honor of your once a month. That's a lot. Once a year we're going to feed the cockroach to someone.
Speaker 2:No, no, um, not related at all.
Speaker 3:I felt like I should share um something that I'm not going to see now, because it does not relate into what I just said.
Speaker 2:I was going to share a roomie poem that has inspired me this week, but it just doesn't feel right, it would.
Speaker 1:It does feel right, it actually does feel really good.
Speaker 3:Would you like me to read it? Would you like me to? Tine's day is full of mixed emotions. I would love for you to read it.
Speaker 2:So I pulled this up. It's, uh, one of roomies uh most popular uh writings called the guest house, translated by Coleman Barks. But it is inspired me this week, uh, to realize our emotions are welcome, whether they're good or bad. And, uh, I'll let you read it. It still doesn't feel right, but we're going to be who we are.
Speaker 1:Let's be, let's be who we are. Um, if I'm going to throw up, if you keep.
Speaker 2:I won't, I won't stop screaming. Sorry, everyone.
Speaker 1:It's nervousness. This being human is a guest house. Every morning, a new arrival, a joy, a depression, a meanness. Some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all. Even if they're a crowd of sorrows who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice. Meet them at the door laughing and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond. Wow, so good. That sounds like um what some people call problems, renaming them as growth opportunities.
Speaker 2:Oh, it sounds like you're on an eagram seven reframing things. I love it. Hey guys, thanks for listening to the cat and moose podcast. Can you please tell your friends? Yeah, don't be ashamed of us. Tell your friends, give us some stars and thumbs up and things yeah.
Speaker 1:Go review us. Yeah, tell some people. I've had a lot of people go like how can I help you in your podcast and and, while money is great, like don't get us wrong, like it helps us keep our websites hacked and things like that. But yeah, we just support. You know the cost. What, what, what is better than anything in the world is is word of mouth. So if you love what we do, you tell somebody about it and know that you are wonderful and you are welcome here with us as your truest and most authentic self.
Speaker 3:With good lighting.
Speaker 2:I have to tell you guys a quick story. I had a very good friend confess to me last night and say I am ready to see cat and moose just blow up. I am, I'm, I love what you guys are doing. The past episodes have been so good. And they said but I am in a space where I cannot tell people about you and I loved being someone's secret. It was really nice to be like hey I got it. There may be people who cannot handle everyone.
Speaker 3:We're not for everyone. We're not for everyone.
Speaker 2:No, we are not for everyone, and we're really proud of that.
Speaker 1:That's right, and I really resonate with enjoying being someone's secret. That feels so tantalizing to a Scorpio.
Speaker 2:I know I bet it does hips forward, cat. Hips forward, hips forward. Have a great week everyone. We love you. Goodbye, love you guys.
Speaker 1:Special thanks to our producer, Sarah Reed.
Speaker 2:To find out more, go to catandmosepodcastcom. Catmose is a BP production.