Monica joins us to vent about media glorification of the rich, happiness purchased with money, taxes, family road trips, and the TikTok Shop.

This episode features Monica, Chris’ former colleague, discussing frustrations with money and the societal glorification of wealth. Both elder millennials, Chris and Monica share relatable experiences of financial struggles, contrasting their younger years with their current priorities concerning income and financial stability. Monica recounts a period of significantly increased income during the pandemic due to remote work opportunities, followed by a return to pre-pandemic earning levels after layoffs. They discuss the challenges of home-ownership, the rising cost of living, and the pressure to maintain a certain lifestyle portrayed on social media platforms like TikTok, where Monica has purchased items from TikTok Shop.

The conversation includes the unrealistic expectations set by media portrayals of the wealthy, the difficulties of saving for a down payment on a home, and the complexities of the American tax system. They question the fairness of the current system and ponder the disparity between the income of entertainers and essential workers like teachers. The episode concludes with reflections on their personal experiences with financial anxieties, the impact of social media on consumerism, and the challenges of navigating political discussions online.

Chris: Hello, world. Welcome to Can We Complain? The podcast where we rant, gripe and talk smart to get you ramped up. In this episode, Monica joins us to vent about media glorification of the rich, happiness purchased with money, taxes, family road Trips, and the TikTok shop. Be sure to follow us on all the socials at @canwecomplain and let us know what drives you crazy. See you on the flip side.

Chris: Roll call. Monica, are you there?

Monica: I’m, here.

Chris: Excellent, excellent. thank you so much for joining me today. I appreciate it.

Monica: Thank you for having me. I’m so excited.

Chris: Yes, Monica and I worked together. we used to work together at a financial institution, which is pretty funny considering that when we connected to talk about what are we going to talk about? And we kind of landed on money and finance and some things that are current with that. And so it’s kind of funny that we both worked for, an fi, but we are not finance people. Right. Like, professionally.

Monica: Right. I pretend to know what I’m doing more than anything.

Chris: Well, we both get shit done. That’s basically what we do. We are execution people. And, I have a more of a digital and technical background, and if I remember correctly, I think you’re a little bit more on the creative and events and kind of all support for execution.

Monica: Yeah, definitely. Operations side. whether it’s operations in the financial industry or if we’re doing events in creative, it’s more that side than technical.

Chris: Yes, yeah, absolutely. But we basically both get shit done and have done that for financial institutions. And yet, please do not take any financial advice from us. We are not here to suggest any financial products. I think, you know, FDIC disclaimer that we both would have been required to get on some shit back in the day. we don’t actually have to do that here. No one’s telling us there’s no risk. There’s no risk in compliance department telling us what we have to do. But I’m just going to say it out loud, right?

Monica: I. Yeah, I agree. definitely. I’m just an elder millennial, you know, don’t. I don’t know a whole lot. I’ve just got some opinions.

Chris: Yes. I am also an elder millennial. So I was born in 84. what. What year were you born in?

Monica: 85.

Chris: And I see things on social media where people are like, I think other generations need to be reminded of what a millennial is, like, what age they are, because I Feel like it’s people younger than us, but we are like the old, like you said, elder millennials. I followed a social media account called, like, Geriatric Millennials. And I’m like, yes, that’s so me.

Monica: I love that. I’ve always heard the term zenial, where you’re like the really young Generation X and really old millennial. So it’s kind of a blend because we were around pret big Internet blow up, but also like, we grew up with it, so we’re still young enough to be able to adapt.

Chris: Well, we are at that age, too, where money is more important than when you’re young. And it feels like you can be more flexible about things because it’s like, oh, most of us go through our struggle years. Most of us are not, given Silverpoons. There’s someone I used to know in Los Angeles, and a friend of mine would call him Silverpoon because everything he would do, it was like, okay, Silverpoon. You could just tell that the boy ain’t struggled, and most of us have struggled. And then you enter a phase in life where you’re like, okay, I’m going to prioritize income and making more money and hopefully going up the rail and going up the ladder, doing more and more things to try to make more money and be smarter about that. And I feel like, particularly on social media, but also people that I know in real life, I don’t think it’s covered enough by the mainstream media or whatever, but there seems to be other than the talk of the economy with the last presidential election, that was kind of like a big one. But outside of that, I feel like so many people are frustrated with financial situations and where they find themselves with finance and what? Well, you. Inflation being a big thing, how much things cost and how companies are charging more and more and more and more money. And yet we’re making not more and more and more and more. I mean, I remember at my last, like, two jobs ago, they were doing some sort of fourth quarter, in the profits, like, oh, this is how much money we made in Q4. And it was something like $20 billion. And I was like, so why is my pay only going up? Like, whatever it was, it was like 2.9, let’s say a 3% raise. And my boss was like, no, you’re on the high end of people getting raises. And I’m like, this is insane. This makes no sense.

Monica: I just feel barely cost of living.

Chris: Well, this is it. I’m like, I’m actually making less than I was when I started here because of the cost of living. And, it’s just so insane. I find myself so frustrated with money and blah, blah, blah. It just seems like it takes more and more money to do the basics today. Like, Monica, for you, what would be a place where you could transition from being, oh, I’m worried about money to being like, I’m totally comfortable to, wow, I might even be getting out of comfortability. I don’t necessarily think about dollar amounts, but what do you think about in your daily life? Like your bank status?

Monica: Yeah, I think, it’s so interesting to me because you mentioned things kind of plateauing around the pandemic and things like that. And my, my experience has actually been vastly different. When, prior to the pandemic, when we all started working from home, you know, I was so unhappy with how much I was making. And the big thing was I was a typical millennial that couldn’t buy a house that, you know, we should have bought it when we were eight and prices were good, you know what I mean? So I come from that and just being so sickened by the fact that, as someone who works as hard as I do, 40 hours a week or more, you know, depending on what’s going on, that actually cares about their results at work, that wants to. Wants more once time, the latdter wants to bring in the income to be comfortable. And I just remember being so distraught about money at certain points. And then the pandemic happened and remote work and contract work started blooming. And when I left an employer that I had been with for seven and a half to eight years and had only gone up about 10k in pay in those seven and a half to eight years, I doubled my salary immediately. And then from there it went up even more. And it went up even more. And then the crazy thing to me is thinking about these years since the pandemic, with all the costs rising, everybody’s cutting employees. There have been more layoffs in my area than I remember, in a long time, and myself included. Contracts were done, you know, layoffs happened, and now I’m working for barely more than I was pre pandemic. So it’it’s just such a weird cycle that I went through. But amidst all of that and making more, I was able to buy my house. I was able to, put a lot of money in savings, and I was finally feeling comfortable. And then now I just feel like it was like the rug was yanked. You know what I Mean like now I’m back and I’m like, what is happening?

Chris: This is crazy, okay? And I can see, see that. I can see how the opportunities that you’re talking about came about during work from home priority or during those times and then the layoffs. It’s so crazy right now. Anyone, I hate to say it, I don’t want to sound like my dad, but anyone who has a job and is making money where they feel comfortable should actually be really thankful about that right now. Because it’s so not common for many people in many lanes. Like so many people are looking for work, so many people are out of work. So many people have had, had to accept jobs where they’re taking 40, 50, 60 plus thousand dollars pay cuts, which is insane. That is insane.

Monica: It’s very insane. Honestly, I’m one of those people. Like I said, I had the same issue last year. Unemployed for so long, it, I was just so sick. Every day you don’t sleep, you know, there’s so much anxiety. And I think that kind of wraps into the money buy you happiness. I think it can buy you comfort, right? It can, it can buy you that night’s sleep because your bills are paid and you know, maybe you can’t afford this big fancy car or to go on these like lavish vacations or even that Louis Vuitton bag. Whatever it is, if your bills are paid and your stomach is full. That is the type of happiness that I think money can buy.

Chris: Yes, absolutely. This romanticized American dream Bs, stuff that’s beyond the notion of having a roof over your head and being comfortable enough to get a good night’s sleep. That stuff feels to me like something 80s about it. Remember people talk about the 80s, the age of excess and everyone was like was Dynasty and blah blah blah, and the big hair and the big diamonds and the big cars and the big houses and that kind of tapered off more and more as time went on into realistic expectations and then also some awaredness, I think culturally of people being like, I don’t need to have a fur coat diamonds to feel good about my life. That changed. And so I like what you’re saying about being comfortable and that being success or feeling like happiness, like money can buy that. And I agree completely. I would love to be able to do more of what I like to do and more of what I feel good doing and be able to get by and not get by, like, oh, I have to cut every coupon and cut every corner and save every month to Try to just keep the lights on, but make enough money where you’re not stressed about paying minimums every month and buying your own home. I mean, that’s part of the American dream, and it’s so awesome that you’ve had a chance to do that. Before the pandemic, I was saving up to buy a house, and then once lockdowns happened, I had a mindset where I thought, if I buy a home, I’m going to be into doing renovations and yard work and blah, blah, blah, which I would be. I’m totally. I’m such a cancer. I would love to own a single family home, but I thought I will isolate myself even more. So then I transition “ed my thinking into, oh, meet new people and go new places and experience different things. So I feel like I kind of missed my chance in a sense, because everyone’s jealous of these people that locked in rates back in the day and have homes. It’s so hard to get. Like, that barrier to entry into homeownership is insane in this country.

Monica: Absolutely. And I honestly, it’s baffling that we have to pick. Remember when you used to not have to pick? Like, you could buy the house and you could take the family on a vacation every summer or every spring break. I mean, that’s where that came from. And now we have to, like, consciously make that decision. Okay, do I wa want toa be tied down to a house in one place, that I’m gonna have all of this stuff to do or, you know, this gigantic mortgage to pay, at any rate, whatever it is, or do I want to, like, go have some experiences while I’m young and I’m, you know, agile enough to still go enjoy myself on the beach or chanting a Segway? I don’t know. I’m approaching 42 months, and I don’t know that I would ever try a Segway. Like, I wish I would have tried it when I was 20. Is that. I don’t know why, but I just see me planting myself face first. But you know what? If I had the money to go and do that, I would still be happ about it.

Chris: I know there’s, When you’re talking about being, like, house poor, right? And, in a way, like, when people are able to cross that threshold of saving up enough money to buy home. First of all, how do people even have enough money to buy a home if you haven’t owned a home before? I guess maybe if you have parents with money, or you’re able to save up for years. I don’t quite understand it. I myself am not necessarily a poor person. I’m going to put that in quotes. I don’t really know what that label means, but even making decent money when you are living in a place that isn’t a shithole, it’s really hard to save up enough money to have a down payment. But there’s so many people now that I know that are our age and if not maybe a little older, where they had an opportunity maybe before like you purchased your home, like let’s say within the last five to ten years. And where now they’re like, this is my retirement. Like this property is my. Obviously like most people say you, oh, it’s the biggest financial purchase a lot of people will make. Well, amen. Now it’s almost like it’s like the only financial thing for some people because I have friends who are doing a okay. And who are like, yeah, my retirement is nonxistent. I’m basically going to have this home until I need to sell it so I can survive when I’m older. And that also feels a little weird. But I’m also jealous that they at least have the home.

Monica: Yeah, it’s kind of a double edged sword because again, you’re picking what you’re going to put your investment into. And to be honest with you, the only way I afforded a home was I cashed out an esop that I had at the company that I left during the pandemic. That that money that had already been away was enough and what I needed to get the down payment and get myself into this house. now what you forget about is that they assess you for taxes every year and your lovely mortgage payment that you’re locked into for 30 years of your life, you’re not really locked to that amount. It can go up and I’ve seen mine go up both years now. so it’s. You literally do become house poor. And I think you’re like, what does the definition of poor? And I just think like if you’re not rich, you’re poor. I don’t think that there’s much of a middle class anymore. There’s like rich, there’s lesser rich. There might be like, you know, a higher end poor, but. Or a higher end upper middle class, but everybody else is poor because we’re having to, in my opinion, make choices on what we spend our money on life. And I think that’s what’s crazy. Whoever sold us on this idea of working five days a week, 40 hours a week, or m more, just so that you could have the things that you then can’t even enjoy because you’re so busy working all the time, it’s wasted. I just think. I can’t even remember who said it, but I remember hearing the saying when I was, like, in my teens, early 20s, that M money is wasted on the rich because they’re so busy grinding and hustling and, you know, hustling. Listen to me. Whatever it is that they’re doing, they’re so busy doing that they can’t even enjoy that money. And I think that’s where the phrase money can’t buy happiness comes from. Because it’s like your initial question, when is enough enough? Are you going to keep grinding because you need more zeros, you know? Or are you gonna find your perfect median and be happy? To me, that should be the American dream, not this billionaire 1%. Give me all the money. Live, your life and enjoy it.

Chris: Yeah, absolutely. Money being wasted on the rich is so great. It reminds me of youth is wasted on the young, you know?

Monica: Yes, yes, I agree.

Chris: I think of the things that I’m like, oh, if only you had done this when you were young. And of course, like, okay, a life of regrets. I’m not going to classify myself as a person who has a life full of regrets. But those phrases do ring true to me because, oh, my gosh, the number of things I wish I would have done. Just knowing that you think you have forever and then you hit a benchmark, like, let’s say 40. So you’re turning 40 this year? I turned 40 last year. And I don’t, you know, I think I identify like a lot of other people where they feel younger in their mind than they are in a sense. I don’t necessarily feel like I’ve crossed some sort of benchmark where I’m like, oh, how? It’s like, wow, when I thought about, oh, you’ll do that later, or you’ll figure that out later. And it was like, 20 years ago. I’m like, oh, my God, 20 years ago. That’s insane.

Monica: What do you mean? Right. I also think it’s funny that a lot of individuals that are, like, kind of of our age range or, you know, our demographic, yes, I’m going to be 40 this year. But my favorite thing to do when I’m not working is literally to sit at my computer and play video games. Because do you know what I couldn’t do in my 20s because I was Working or doing whatever was afford the video games and, and the computers and all that. And I think it was a trend on Tik Tok maybe where it was people saying like, all of us millennials are basically wasting our money on the stuff that we were told we couldn’t have as a kid because it was. Have you, have you seen or heard any of that? I just think it’s so funny because that’s exactly what I’m doing. I have the coolest PC that I built. You know, I’ve got the coolest sound set up, multiple monitors. I mean you kind of saw earlier like my husband s got his whole set up. We have a whole extra station for somebody if they want to just come over and use our, our spare computer to play monster video games with us. Like, I have six different Nintendo switches. We have like three Xboxes in this house. So when I say that money can buy happiness, these are all things that I wanted when I was younger. And now I’m here trying to live that dream. But that comes at the cost of, okay, I guess we’re not going to go on that vacation that I wanted to go on or whatever the situation is. So. And obviously it’s calmed down a lot now that we have a house. So. But it’s true. Like, I don’t want to let go of that. Yeah, I don’t feel as old as I actually am. your hundred, 100%, you hit it.

Chris: On the nail there when I echo that. I have things in my life that I do or have a around because they were luxuries in quotes, when I was younger and I think about things as basic as like streaming services where I can watch shows. Because when I was in my 20s, there were many times where it’s like, I have bunny years on an old fucking TV and that’s what I’ve got, you know? And it’s so funny to say something like Hulu Live is a luxury, but it really is because I didn’t have cable, I didn’t groww up with cable. I grew up in the middle of nowhere. And so yes, now as a 40 year old man, I’m sure so many people would listen to that and be like, wow, that’s pretty sad. But realistically it’s like, well, it’s not sad, it’s just something that I put in my budget now and I don’t even think about. It’s like, no, I’m going to have this kind of TV now. Of course, if it was like, do you want to Be homeless or do you want to have streaming service? I would probably pick a home, but it totally falls into that same category of there can be bigger luxuries when you’re talking about building a computer. I know it’s not the same as it was 10, 15 years ago, but it’s still quite an expense to do something like that. And I do like to travel. I mean, I’m not a big travel junkie that I like to explore new places so much, even though I should be more into that. I like to go to the same places because I’m, a creature of habit. But I will put, that money aside to go stay at the hotel I’ve stayed at a million times in California because I love returning to the desert. And I’ll do it every year. And I’ll prioritize that because it’s like, for the longest time, I watched people do that, and I never got to. And I grew up in a family where we didn’t really do that. We would vacation. We’hop in a station wagon or in the big old van to visit a family member on a very long drive. We’re going to drive to Memphis. Like, wow. Driving from Minnesota to Memphis, It’as cool as it sounds. You know what I mean? So now as an adult, I’m like, I’m gonna do that. Ah, so that totally makes sense.

Monica: Yeah. And that rings so true. I mean, we didn’t go on vacations. I never got vacations. I had, you know, kids at school whose, you know, parents were whatever. You know, they all went on vacations. They. I’ll tell you, I never went on a spring break trip, regardless, at, college, high school, none of it. I couldn’t afford it. But, yeah, literally, driving to Oklahoma City for a family reunion every other year was, like, the big vacation that we did. So, yeah, traveling was huge. I know. Like, the year that we met, I went to New Orleans, where, you know, we got to meet up. I went to San Diego, where I’m from, to visit, some family. And I was able to go to New York City for the first time ever. And then I went over to Alexandria, Virginia, for a friend who was getting married. And, like, I did so much traveling, and I also loved traveling. and I think there’s also this. I bring it up because I know we had talked a little bit about, like, the media glorifying this massively rich individual and, like, what you should be doing all the way down to. I say it really snagged me with Tik toc but all the way down to like blinging out your car, like buying those little like blinged out rings that go around your push button motor, which I don’t have by the way, but I still want one. How dumb is that? Like traveling to me was the same kind of thing because it’s all I ever wanted to do. I’m happy when I’m at the beach, I’m happy when I’m in the mountains. And the reality is is I’m happy when I can get out of the house and go do something fun. I’m similar to you. I don’t necessarily need to explore new places, but just like getting out there and being away in some place that that’s not home is so cool to me. And the social media got me because, oh, I had to have this particular bag to travel with and everybody would know that I’m just this fancy traveler, you know what I mean? So I think that that’s so interesting too because it really is the, this like glorification of all of these things that we find fun or, you know, buying things from our childhood we couldn’t have. It really all is just so crazy when you sit down and think about every little thing that you consume with your eyeballs, with your earballs, is related to money and how you need it and how you need to have more of it and how you should be spending it.

Chris: Yes. And it’s funny you bring up that year of travel for you because that was the year that I met you and it was so funny. So this is when we started working together and you were listening off these trips of the year and I was like, damn, girls living life. Good for her. Especially because I had had a bout of unemployment before starting that job. So I’m coming into a job being like, okay, I’ve got to do the budget work, I got to do whatever. And then I meet you and it’s so funny. We had an introductory phone call and we introduced ourselves to each other, gave a high level thing and as we’re going, we’re talking and then you were like, you’re my new work best friend. And I was like, oh my God, I love it because I feel like that’s true. We had just this natural thing. We just started chatting and we just had a great rapport right off the bat. It was so funnysolute. And I love that we got along so well right from the beginning. But I do remember being like, damn, this girl, like travel, she’s traveling all over the place and Then we. You had talked about going to, New Orleans for a work trip. And then that’s where I met you. Was on your second trip to New Orleans.

Monica: Ye. Big all hands meeting.

Chris: Yes. Oh, my gosh. Where the hotel ran out of hot water because we were in some older building that was love. Beautifully renovated, but likeiful. The utilities were not ready for, like, a hotel full of people taking a shower all within, like, the same hour in the morning. It was not good.

Monica: Definitely not. No, it was terrible.

Chris: Oh, my gosh. I remember. Okay, so a little bit of a sideline for work trip talk. Like, maybe it’s a sign of age. I don’t drink as much at work functions or work trips as I used to simply because I take longer to recover. Like, a hangover hurts me different now than it did five or 10 years ago. So I’m at this workshop. We’m meeting you, and we certainly, like, let our hair down. We’d go to happy hour. We’d have drinks with dinner. We would drink after dinner. It’s not like we weren’t drinking, but it’s New Orleans. So, you know, like a marketing manager that we both worked with was like, come on, we’re going out to the Kay bars on whatever road that is that everyone goes to. And I’m like, okay. And then it’s like 10:30 or 11 clock, and I’m like, I need to go back to the hotel and go to bed. And he’s like, what is wrong with you? And I’m like, I don’t know. I’m just like, we have an early morning tomorrow, and I can’t be so hungover. I’m meeting all these people for the first time. And it was like, funny that I had this quote unquote responsible work thing to do in New Orleans for the first time. So I didn’t even really let my hair down all that much. But we had coworkers that certainly did. Did.

Monica: They certainly did. And I love that that you remember that, because I specifically remember that conversation because I was standing there with you, and I remember thinking, u. you’ve seen the movie A Christmas Story, right?

Chris: Oh, God, I don’t know.

Monica: Oh, that Raphie the red. Yes, yes. Okay. And the. They’re all at recess, and the one kid. There’s the other kid to stick his tongue to the. The flagpole. And it sticks. And the bell rings, and Ralphie’s like, the bell rang. Like, they have to go inside. And he’s like, but what do we do? And he’s Like, I don’t know, the bell rang. Like that was that total moment for me where you’re like, but we have to work tomorrow. Like, what do you mean let’s stay out till 2 o in the morning. Do you know how long it takes me to get ready? Do you know I have to like actually wake up and we have to function and stay awake during all of this talking. That’s talking at us. It’s not even with, oh gosh, it’s.

Chris: So funny that we were both working for this company too, where we weren’t in a hub city. We were basically remote. So going to this place and meeting people for the first time and I’m like, if it’s someone you work with every day, I really don’t care. Even our direct supervisor, if she knew I was hungover, I wouldn’t have given one flying fuck. But it was like these business partners that we work with where I’m like, I need to be able to answer there questions in a way that doesn’t make me look even dumber than they might think I am because of the remote work where you don’t build up that rapport and all there is, is like problem solving for business stuff. So then they kind of think like, oh well, you didn’t solve every problem I had for you in two seconds. And I’m like, but I swear I’m not idiot. So I couldn’t be hungover. Even though there were people we worked with where it was like, wow, he’s barely functioning and everyone’s cracking jokes about it in front of the entire department. And I’m like, well, I’m glad that’s not me.

Monica: I guess it was really interesting. And I have found because, cause I’ve worked in quite a few corporate places, that that tends to be the feeling around that particular type of department, you know, the sales and marketing individuals, because they’re used to being out and you know, talking with clients. And I feel like there’s almost that expectation of the social part of things. Meanwhile, I’m just sitting here thinking like, I have to look appropriately tomorrow. And then we get there and I’m kind of like, okay, maybe I missed out because I think like we’re just looking at each other from across the room. Like, what is with all of these people? What is happeninges? Why were we so prim and proper? Apparently we didn’t need to be. it was such an interesting dynamic.

Chris: Remember, we get in and we both. Okay, so for the listening audience, we’re both from the upper Midwest. And we were working for a bank headquartered out of, like, New Orleans. So going there there for on site kind of gatherings was. This is where we met, and we arrive and we’re both staying at this hotel, at a virgin hotel in New Orleans. And you and I meet up, right after we get there, and we went and had dinner. We’re really meeting for the first time in person. And it was so fun to be like, oh, my gosh, let’s eat some, I don’t know if we had tacos or burritos, whatever. We had something spicy. A little bit.

Monica: Yeah, a little bit. It was tacos.

Chris: Was, Which is where I learned that you had any, Latina in you? Any Mexico? Mexican. Right? Is that your heritage?

Monica: Yes. Mexican and Irish. So very different.

Chris: Absolutely. And I did not know that about you at all. So then we’re sitting there and you’re like, oh, you know when I make my food because I’m Mexican. And I was like, oh, my gosh. You are like, this is so fun. Because I was, I’m like, I’m not afraid of some spice. I’m not like, a joke of a white person. Like, I’m like, I can do a little spice. But also, once again, I’m like, I’m here for work. I don’t want to spend the evening in the bathrooms. Like, all these things, the work thing just overshadowed so much of my mental thinking. But then, in contrast, we go back to the hotel, we go up to the roof, and this woman we work with that was perhaps, let’s just say, her photo that she uses for, her headshot for work has, like, pearls. Barbara Bush looking aesthetic. And she isunk and being like, let’s play quarters. Coins.

Monica: Yes, quarters. They wanted to play quarters. I completely forgot about them.

Chris: And.

Monica: But I do remember her when we walked in, and her reaction, and I’m like, I swear you hate me. What do you mean?

Chris: Yes, we were both. Because we both had the same basically opinion of this person. Because it was like, she does not like. I was like, she does not like me. She makes everything a little hard. And then you meet her in real life, and she’s like, I’m a little sloppy, and I’m throwing quarters at people and calling them winners or losers. And it’s like, what is going on here? Like, who are you people? I never. I couldn’t get a temperature check on New Orleans being there for a work thing, because everyone kept talking about the fun of New Orleans. And I Was like, I’m surrounded by coworkers and we’re here obliged to do things. If I leave here without any takeaways or any ability to tell my boss what the takeaways were, then that’s going to be a problem because she’s going to be like, tell me your notes on what you learned from it. Because then I’m just going to use those for what I learned about it. Like, oh, my gosh. Serious. Say, work, work, work.

Monica: Can we complain? Can we complain?

Chris: Can we complain? Can we complain? When you’re talking about these TikTok things where it’s like, blingy or whatever, and you’re like, oh, this ring around the key, the bush.

Monica: Oh, my gosh, it’s a thing. So these, you know, girly pops, and we’ve got our fancy SUVs with the leather on the inside and the little keypads and all of that. And you literally can buy, like, on TikTok shop, like these little. They’re almost like cases for your keypad and they’re all bling out. It’s like a phone case for your little car keypad. And then they make, like, little sticky things that have. Have, like, jewels and stuff on them that you, like, just stick to certain places in your car to bling the inside of your car out. And, like, that’s how you know that you’re fancy and you’ve made it. That’s how I feel, you know, like, watching these. It’s consumers. I’m, like, I need to buy this. I need to have this particular bag and I need to. Oh, my gosh, the way Stanley’s blew up. Yeah, like, o my. It’s. And it’s all. And now you have to bling out your cup. You got to have a little charm on it and you have to have a straw. Okay, I have a straw topper, but you have to have a cute straw topper. And you do you see how it gets me? Like, this is. This is. That’s the insanity of always needing to get that. Get that bread. If the kids say that anymore, I’m not sure, but.

Chris: Right.

Monica: Get that bread and always get more of it and spend it this way so everybody knows that that’s what you’ve got. Like, sometimes I miss the silent rich people where, like, you don’t know that they. Oh, my God. Not that I wantn to, like, censor them, but when they kept their wealth to themselves, like, you might. Not quite. You might know that they’re, doing okay, but maybe not like, it’s just flaunted on social media. That’s what I’m trying to say.

Chris: Yes, it absolutely is. At the risk of sounding like Grandpa Chris, what is girly Pops?

Monica: Girl pops. I don’t know. I think it’s also a social media term. But you’re just like, like, I don’t know, like a real girly kind of girl with all the, you know, up in fashion and makeup and, and all the, the things like the blinged out keypads. That’s what I, that’s what I would call, I hear it a lot too. You know what, I hang out with a lot of, people that are younger and I work with three, other girls that are 26 or younger. And so I pick up a lot of the lingo. But yeah, they just, they everybody that’s got something going on, that she’s a girly pop and she’s this. So.

Chris: Oh, have you bought anything? Okay, so just full disclosure, I only started using TikTok after I started can we complain? Because, people were like, well, you obviously need to be on the platform. And now I’m actually figuring out, learning what TikTok is now because this is going to come out in the future. Who knows what TikTok is s going to be? Because we are actually recording this like two days before TikTok is supposed to be shut down.

Monica: I don’t know, but I’m going to doom scroll through if it happens.

Chris: So yeah, I suspect that it won’t be shut down, but that’s just because I kind of am like, I don’t know. I just. Something inside of me tells me it’s not going to go away, but now I’m just figuring out what it is, which is of course at the perfect time because it’s shutting down. And so I’m now I have this account where I’m posting things and I’m figuring out, oh, I need to actually have basically tik tooks, not just clips of the show. And I’m like, okay, well I can navigate this. I can figure some things out. So I’m also spending some time actually watching these videos and I had my friend show me a little bit. Okay, what do you do when you’re on TikTok? So I can see, get a little bit of a head start on the swiping and the tapping and the whatnot. And the one thing that I don’t kind of get is the shopping. Like every third video, every fourth video, I don’t know, is some sort of product And I’m like, is everyone just buying things on TikTok now? Like, for example, have you bought things from TikTok shop or whatever?

Monica: It’s so embarrassing how much I have purchased from TikTok shop.

Chris: Oh, wow.

Monica: But I do a lot of research. Okay. I do a lot of research. I don’t just, like, randomly buy stuff. Cause I’m like, oh, that looks cool. But let me tell you about the mop. Have you seen the mop yet?

Chris: No.

Monica: Okay. There is a mop, and it’s got this, like, flathead scrubber. And it comes with a bunch of, them that you can interchange depending on what you’re cleaning. And if I can just tell you that prior to purchasing a house, I didn’t really understand the idea of washing your walls. And this mop makes it so easy. But what happens is you have the mop and you can push down and it spins. And the bucket is a special bucket because there’s a bucket inside of it that is actually where you put the water in this soap. So then as you put the mop on top of it, it will spit the water up to get your mop wet and soapy. And then you scrub your floor, and then you bring it back and you start pumping it again so that it spins. And what happens is the dirty water sprays to the outside into a separate compartment. So you are constantly putting fresh, clean mop water on your mop.

Chris: Yeah. not the dirty water. That’s awesome, right?

Monica: Oh, my God. It’s amazing. So that was, like, one of the first things. And it’s stupid. Like, $25. Like, think of stuff like Temu and Shein. Like that. That’s the kind of stuff that you’re gonna find on Tikt Top Shop. but yes, I bought that. I bought, an electric razor. And it’s funny because if they go on your Tik Tok feed now, they’re like, there was a stripper that apparently was like, you will not feel more hairless than if you use this. And guess who bought it. And guess who has never felt more hairless? Okay. Like, it’s amazing. Then they also have, like, makeup on there. And I’ve tried a little bit of everything. I’m notnna lie.

Chris: You know, it’s funny because if you. Someone asked me what would be on my playing cards for today, would it be that I’m not only going to hear about the stripper that used this hair removal that has never made them more hairless, but that I’ve also seen the Reference. not the video of the stripper, but someone being like, so this is the trimmer that the stripper used that she’s never been more hairless. And they were like, look, I can touch it. I’m not even bleeding. I’m like, what am I watching? Because I had no idea what it even was. What a beautiful.

Monica: They get you literally like, that’s the world we live in. And, when I tell you, it’s like I’ve never paid more than, you know, 10 to 20, $20 for something, to have it shipped and brought to me, depending on what it is. Right. But yeah, I’ve never spent a large amount of money. But yeah, it’s definitely. There’s stuff on there. People buy a lot of clothes from there. I’ve never bought any clothes. But yeah, it’s interesting. I’m really interested. Where are we going to buy all these useless trinkets if TikTK goes away?

Chris: Well, in the close, like, I’m sorry, I have to complain about the number of times I’ve purchased things on Amazon because Amazon has that world that I’m imagining is not quite the same, but very Tamu and, TikTok World of the Asian clothing. Things where, particularly during lockdown. So I, would buy shirts, I would buy swimsuit, I would buy this, I would buy that. And then it would come and it would be like, well, I bought the largest size because I was assuming this was from Asia. And I was right. I not only is it from Asia, but it is from the place where the smallest from Asia live because it is insanely small. And I’m like, oh my gosh. So I know I’m not alone in that, but I think a lot of people have felt mixed feelings about buying the things from Asia or China when you get it. And it’s like, this is like for, all American dolls. Are those like bigger dolls? Like, what’s Angela from the office?

Monica: No, that’s so real. And honestly, even if you’re not, if you weren’t b from stuff like that, depending on where it comes from. For example, I worked for a bridal store years, years and years ago and people come in and they’re like, I’m normally a dress size 12. And I’m like, well, dress is probably going to be a 20 because it’s all produced overseas. And really you have to look at the measurements more than you have to look at the size because that is a thousand percent accurate. Like you, you again may be a size 12 jeans, but your wedding Dress is going to be, a 20 because these are all produced over overseas where the measurements are very different. Everyone is a little bit smaller.

Chris: What a self esteem boost for when you’re getting married is like, yeah, I got married in this dress. That makes me feel a lot bigger than I actually am. Like, cool.

Monica: Yeah, yeah, it was, it was a job to try to like go around telling them what size and just being like, we don’t need that, we just need to know your measurements because, some people are going toa be a little more comfortable with their measurements than knowing what size that correlates to in China. Like, I promise.

Chris: Oh my gosh. Absolutely. The platform I’ve been the closest to in purchasing these things is Amazon. And what’s funny is when they have the product photos that are on a headless body where it’s like, Is this a 12 year old or is this an adult? Like, you don’t really know. So oftentimes for a vacation, I’m going to the desert and I’m going to be at a pool for a week. So I want to buy a few new swimsuits. So I’ll buy like 10 because I’m sure I’m going to end up return #ing at least three of them or four of them or whatever. But then they arrive and I take it on the package. Chicken. I’m like, this is so tiny. And I look at the reviews of the photos of people and I’m like, well, even your review photo, I’m like, what are you, like, are you like a string bean? Like, what is going on here? This is insane.

Monica: My favorite is when you find them, you know, like a T shirt for example, or a swimsuit. And it’s the style that you want and they have different col. And as you’re like clicking through to see the different colors, it, the picture doesn’t change at all. Y it’s just the perfect overwrite of the color. So you’re like, this is clearly Photoshopped. Those are the ones I don’t trust because I’m like, that’s not a real hu. You know, that’s not that human is not wearing that outfit. And I think maybe that’s where tik tock is more beneficial. Or if people move, I know you can do it on Instagram as well. You could purchase things there. but the video people, this is. Okay, this is the size I got when I ordered and I normally wear this size and here it is on me. Yeah, like, I think that’s the Benefit as opposed to going. I mean, even if you go to Target online or wherever it is that you’re shopping online, if there isn’t a video of somebody being like, hi, this is what I wear. And I think that’s why those videos are so popular.

Chris: Yeah.

Monica: Because again, people don’t have money, everything is expensive. So we’re trying to get the biggest bang for our buck. You know, like, I need a new pair of jeans. This girl says, this is what side she gets. And it fits. And I can get three of them for 15 bucks. I’m buying it.

Chris: Yes, yes. And the social media, you were talking about that, earlier. I feel like social media, particularly with influencers, it’s been weird. This glorification of wealth, the glorification of having it also parallels what I was talking about earlier. But the 80s, the age of excess, and, and these rich people who display their wealth on social media, I don’t know, I guess they’re obviously having people. Some people must be fangirling over it. Some people must be like, wow, look at them. They have the life, they’re living the dream or whatever, I think. And, maybe I’m just in an echo chamber, but I think of all the people I know that are probably not really impressed by that or kind of are, like, maybe we’re just kind of numb because we know rich people just get to do whatever. So maybe doesn’t impact us either way. I don’t really identify with them. I don’t know.

Monica: Yeah. And I think it’s. It’s a combination of realists, you know, someone like you and I that are like, I don’t identify with them at all. Like, I wish that I could do this, but go ahead, you know, do your thing, I suppose. And then the other side of that is, you know, people that are easily influenced. And I think you can be that at any age. I don’t necessarily think it’s just young people, but I think young people, people are more impressionable to social media. And so you’ve got young people that are like, I am not it, unless this is me. And I think that’s so scary. And it’s such a scary thing to think about because again, it’s that grind, like, when is enough enough? you know, you’ve got people that are going toa end up wasting so much time chasing something that isn’t very likely, and it probably doesn’t have anything to do with them. Right. You can be as dedicated and as hardwork working as you want. And the country’s Going to go into a crisis and you’re looking for a job for a year, you know, like, that’s the real thing. And that’s the stuff that I wish was on social media too, because, yeah, this glorification of the rich. And I’ve seen arguments of, well, they earn that money, they can spend it how they want. And for me, it has always baffled me that an individual like myself, you know, with a husband and one kid still living at home, that I have to think about what I’m going toa do with things. But yet somebody who literally just makes video on tik took, you know, can, can bring in this massive amount of wealth just because they look pretty or they made somebody laugh. And I think that we need entertainment. But I’ve always thought that the distribution of wealth has always been vastly. I don’t know the word. Like, it’s just been misproport, it’s disproportionate, it is not proportioned well, 100%.

Chris: There’s these structures and these frameworks that allow rich to pass on generational wealth and blah, blah, blah. The barriers to upward mobility seem to become higher and higher and thicker and thicker and harder and harder. And I don’t know, I don’t want to romanticize previous times because I think a lot of that is influenced by, media, TV shows, the nostalgic nature of them. People talk about, oh, back in the day with the house and the picket fence and blah, blah, blah. It’s like, well, there was a lot of shit wrong with that time too. So I don’t want to make it sound like that was great, but it’s like there’s this framework of money and how money is distributed and managed in our culture in this capitalist society where there is so much money. I see things online about how a certain number of the wealthiest billionaires, that they all came together and gave away half of their money, that we would end things like food dispar or like, hunger or homelessness. There’s hundreds of billions of dollars that are sitting in bank accounts and investment funds and whatever in the world in the lives of the mega rich where it’s like, why is it that you need that much stuff? I kind of almost want to call people out on it in the sense of like, what makes you, as someone who has a net worth, let’s say, of over $100 million or a billion dollars, I think 100 million is like, okay, I don’t really know why you need much more than that. So when people are driven to get to that place. Because I was ra born and raised in capitalism and I’m not even necessarily anti capitalist. I kind of like the idea of working hard for making more money and I like being rewarded for my efforts. So I’m not intrinsically ###ically like communist or socialist. I just don’t get y. People that have uber wealth and all of these resources hoard them and are on a mission seemingly to get excessively more and it’s never enough. And it’s like what do you need with more than $100 million? Like what could you possibly need?

Monica: Totally agree. Like that comes back with the money camp buy happiness thing. Like you should. When is enough enough? At what point is there too much? And I think what makes it even worse is being a normal middle class citizen, low, medium or high, whatever it is. looking at that and thinking this person’s net worth is 100 million, they can turn around and donate a whole bunch of it, but then be able to write that off and not pay taxes, therefore keeping their wealth. It’it’s such a crazy cycle. I wish that I had the drive of somebody that has $100 million. I don’t because I, I just don’t. I it’s baffling to me. I share your sentiment. Like I think what good is a, A, football player that’s making, you know they’ve got a $10 million contract for like three years or whatever it is? I don’t know. That’s probably a small one. But why, what about our teachers? You know what I mean? What about the coach that that person had in high school that was probably also a teacher? Right? Because you can’t just have one job when you have to do two jobs for a very measly amount of money. Like why is somebody that’s literally just there to, for entertainment bringing in that kind of money? But we can’t bring in the, the teachers and the coaches and pay them appropriately. Those people that train that person up, you know, it’s, it’s always just seems so wrongly proportioned to me. And I, I just think. Yeah, I agree. What, when is enough enough? Like I think we both sit right in the middle because again, I, I wouldn’t. If I’m working my butt. It’s like the group project. Ok, right, the group project. In college, I’m the one that did all the work. They all shouldn’t get the A. I’m the one that did it. But I also want an A if I’m working hard. You know, so it’s Almost a catch 22 when you sit right in the middle.

Chris: Yes. And I think, interestingly, with starting this podcast, during a time end of 2024-25, there’s a lot of political unease and irritation. we just had the reelection, of Donald Trump for his second turn being 45th and now 47th. The president, he’s going to be sworn in on Monday, one day. There’s some topics like this where I feel like it flirts with the political and in a way it kind of has to. And I don’t really want this podcast to be a political podcast primarily. Well, for two reasons. One, I don’t feel the need to stay uber current and timely with things. And when you talk about politics and when you talk about things like that, people look to you. Be responsive and timely. And on top of it, I can’t be talking about something that happened two weeks or a month ago when a podcast is released and have people really feel like it’s that relevant. It has to be kind of high level in the sense. The other thing is, I’m going to tell you about a story right now. This is going to be a little bit of a rant. It’s going to be little sidetrack. I posted a video on YouTube and TikTok. So it was like a short. And it was my first TikTok or YouTube short or re that I kind of recorded as myself talking. It was really about when Trump started talking about Greenland and the Gulf of America and the Panama Canal and making Canada the 51st state. Andv the perspective I was trying to lay out was that this was a distraction, that it was serving as a distraction. I was like, there was all these promises made during the campaign and now that he’s coming up to being including that the war in Ukraine would just be done before he was even president because he was going to be such a force even before he was president. Well, obviously he’s going to be president on Monday. There’s still a war happening in Ukraine. I just feel like it is mostly a distraction. So I’m trying to make commentary on this being a distraction. I’m not necessarily telling people how they should vote or anything like that. It is political in nature. But I feel like I’m just pointing out the. Hello. This is the obvious thing that people aren’t talking about. They’re talking about the headlines. But what’s really going on is that is a distraction from my perspective. So I post this video, I go do whatever t know I make lunch, I use the restroom. I don’t even know. I come back to the app and I look and the first comment is that I should die of aids. And I was like, yep, this is reason number two that I’m not interested in being political. It’s not even that I’m not necessarily a political person. It’s that I don’t need to be the face of opposition or the face of agreement with any political movement or whatever, because people say the nastiest things on the Internet.

Monica: Absolutely.

Chris: It’s so weird because I’ve certainly made sarcastic comments on social media or like, oh, isn’t it funny, like, pointing out what’s between the lines? Or like, don’t you think it’s weird that you said that when this is what this thing was about, but to say to someone who is stranger you’ve never met that you should die of age. And that was the first comment I read. And I was like, yep, this is no, like, I can’t. I can’t deal with it. The reason I’m sharing that example is one, to be like, isn’t that shocking as fuck? I mean, I can’t even imagine saying that to a stranger.

Monica: It’s insane out loud. On the Internet, where we know everything stays, right.

Chris: Like, I’m like, this is a public comment on YouTube. And like, granted, this could just be a throwaway account for you, but it’s just, I can’t even imagine taking the effort. Like, if I don’t like something, I just scroll past it. I unsubscribe, I unfollow, I never follow in the first place. I don’t really let the Internet get me riled up in the way that I would say something like that to a stranger. It just seems very bizarre. Bas. I’m sharing that because one, I want, I’d like our listeners at home to hear about maybe why you won’t see me be, like, sharing anything too political on the Internet, because a, virtual hate crime can happen with within seconds. So that’s insane. But then also something like this when we’re talking about finances, I look at something like a tax structure where I’m going. Why is it that people would be motivated, particularly the people that aren’t super wealthy, with giving major tax breaks to someone, let’s say, their income over $100 million. Why is it that you think it’s so important that a person that’s making that much money needs to have, a reduced tax rate at their money over $100 million? What is that money? What? It’s insane to me. Itives. I don’t understand the rationale, because the money taken from things like that is what we could be using to fund things like fire departments in the city of Los Angeles to tackle natural things that are out of control, like mountains burning. We could be solving so many issues, so many problems with that money. And I get it, the government’s not the most effective organization, the US Government on the planet. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t fund solutions because rich people need to stay richer. Before I hand the baton to you, I’m not. The reason I’m also talking about the politics bit is that I’m not expecting you to be like, well, I’m. Unless you’re going to run for office and you want to announce it right now, you don’t have to get into politics. But do you agree that once you make over a certain amount of money, that that income beyond. I want to really just say $100 million because it’s so astronomical. Why are people concerned about the taxation rate on that? Other than getting literally like 30, 40, 50% of it for the fucking government? Why are people concerned about it?

Monica: I think just from my very small view, because I’m like you, like, I don’t keep as up to date as I should, or as other people do. I think you get to choose. I think that’s what the freedom is all about here, right? Like, you get to choose how involved you want to be. And I wouldn’t shun anybody for being super involved or anybody for not being in invol. But I think that for me, when I think about taxes in my head, if we’re all living in this country, why would it be so hard to just have a flat tax rate? We are in this gigantic debt situation in this country, and they want to raise that debt ceiling again. At least that’s what I have heard. That may not be true, but I feel like that’s what every president wants to do, regardless of affiliation, because they want to be able to spend the money where they want to spend the money. And to me, it seems like regardless of how much you make, if. And I’m throwing this number out there without doing any calculations, but if everybody just paid a flat, you know, 10% of your salary, like, why is that such a difficult concept? I mean, obviously if you make more, yes, you’re gonna be paying in more, but it’s still just the 10%. Like, you have that extra money. And again, if you’re making Over a hundred million. Like why, why would it matter if you’re paying taxes on it? Like it’s. What are you doing with what is I just to me, I think that’s what makes sense. And just get rid of the write offs. If you’re a business, if you’re accepting money, it should be counted as income and you should pay the taxes on it. But like sales tax and things like that, you know, it’s literally did you know they’re still an in inheritance tax. So money that my father earned, my mother earns, that they have already paid taxes on goes into an account. If that gets handed down to me, that counts as income to me. So then it’s taxed again.

Chris: Yeah.

Monica: And then if I go buy something, it’s getting taxed again. And it’s just gotten so complicated for my old brain that like, why can’t we just get rid of everything and just find this flat amount and work with that budget? Yeah.

Chris: what I like about that because, you know, I think some opposition to flat tax, I don’t know. you know, to be honest, I’m not. It’s funny ca because like I love how we just started the episode with like disclaimer, we are not finance experts, but I think there’s some sort of benefit that I probably align with to a progressive tax rate simply because of the benef that the uber rich get from our society that people that aren’t uber rich don’t get what that is. I don’t, I don’t know, I can’t really speak to. I don’t have a platform, I’m not running for anything. I don’t have a policy. I am intrigued by the notion of the flat tax because it just, when you boil it down, it just seems the most fair. And I’m not opposed to paying the same amount of taxes as a wealthy person for my income in the sense of like I would like for things to be fair. So that makes sense. If there was a way that they would be held accountable for all of those dollars and couldn’t get out of it through loopholes and write offs and all of that, I feel like I could sit with that more comfortably. But I definitely 100% agree with you. Or I don’t even know if it’s an agreement, an acknowledgement of the fact that money gets taxed multiple ways and multiple times by our government, which is pretty up. The number of times that some $1 could get taxed on its journey through a financial lifetime is insane. Like insane.

Monica: Literally just imagining the amount of money that we would even have if the extremely wealthy were taxed at a rate that actually makes sense.

Chris: Yeah, yeah.

Monica: The fact that they can buy themselves out of it.

Chris: Yep.

Monica: And I think it’s. The system is designed to make sure that there are poor people because if there aren’t poor people, there aren’t rich people.

Chris: I know that remind like that parallel of the media thing and the consumption and the education and the knowledge that like they don’t want people to know. Like there’s a reason that it is the way that it is that the systems and the frameworks, that they are the way they are is because it keeps certain people down and it keeps certain people up. And I guess they part of the system must be plucking and pulling and having these individual stories that might not even be plucked or polleded or determined are the media has to glorify and whatever. Even the outer touchnness of the rich, particularly if they didn’t start that way. So that it gives the endorphins and gives the wishes and the hopes for the people that could be me. And it’s like you’re probably more likely to get hit by lightning.

Monica: Right. M. Right. You know, and it’s the same, I think, with content creation and entertainers and, you know, athletes and superstars and actors and actresses and, you know, somebody. I’m not saying that what they do is not hard work. I think it is hard work. Again, I think that it’s disproportionate and sets unrealistic expectations to those that can be easily influenced. And I think that’s the scariest part about, social media and the influencer communities. I think a lot of people do good, and even more with money. Yes. But just as a sidebar, even with beauty standards and you know, just things like that, just what we consume as humans and individuals, which in our lifetime we have seen that morphin change dramatically over the years. It used to just be commercials on tv. I don’t know about you, but I remember getting and the big fat, toy book around Christmas time and flipping through the pages and circling what I wanted. And now it’s like two months before Christmas. You’ve got tik took reels of this is what you need to buy them for Christmas. Like you don’t even have to look for that book anymore. It’s all right there in your face, at your fingertips, on a little screen in your pocket.

Chris: Yeah.

Monica: And with that just being consumerism in general, I think it’s the same thing with the wealth. The more people keep trying, the more. The richer are going to get richer.

Chris: Ye.

Monica: Or the rich are going to get richer.

Chris: Yes. I love that you bring up the big book. I wonder. I think we got Sears. Do you think it was Sears? Yes, and that big. And then I think also Fleet Farm might have had one or menards. There were several companies. But the Sears one was like the Bible of pre Christmas. And I remember when I was a kid when it would arrive, I do think one year my parents literally, I don’t want to say they hid it from us, but there was some sort of delay in us. Ah. Like we were asking about it because I was like, my friends at school have the big book. My friends at school have the Christmas catalog. And my parents are probably like, we have like 50, $50 for gifts this year. So what the fuck are we gonna do? You know?

Monica: Literally that sounds exactly like my house. Like, yeah, you can, you can circle all you want. Bestie, you’re getting a Barbie. You know what I mean? That’s definitely how I grew up as well.

Chris: When you’re really young. I remember being like, all I want for Christmas is a Sega Saturn or something like that. And my parents were like, okay, well Chris, how about you pick like three or four or five things and we’ll see what happens. I’m like, nope, nope, I don’t want five things. I want one thing. Because in my mind I’m thinking I’m consolidating the gifts into this one big purchase that would make my Christmas Day really special. And surelyis, Kris Kringle Santa Claus and his elves must understand that if I’m not asking for five or ten gifts, I’m just asking for one, like obviously that I should get it. And my parents were probably like, because I can remember it. I was probably old enough where they were probably like, listen kid, you’re not getting the fucking s. So just pick out five things and we’ll get you three from the store. You know, it’s like, I just really felt like I just wanted that Sega. And then I really do think that they did buys a Sega, like a Sega Saturn. But it was basically to all three of us kids. And then we each got miscellane ey other little socks and like candy or something like that. So we did get the Sega Saturn. But it couldn’t be just Chris’s gift. Now mind you, there was three kids in her home. And that actually makes sense because while I would have been forced to Share. I also didn’t have ownership over that. Like, we all had to share it.

Monica: I love that you almost use Santa’s government name. Chris Kingle. That’s amazing. But I remember the one thing that I wanted when I was a kid that I never got was one of those, Barbie Jeep, like, from the battery cars that you could drive.

Chris: Yeah.

Monica: I wanted one so bad, and I never got one. But, you know, I was also really fortunate that I was an only child. So my Christmass really were never bad. you know, my dad worked really hard. I typically got what most of the things that I wanted, and was often called spoiled. But I wasn’t a spoiled brat. I always worked really hard, and it was always just Christmas, you know, like, it wasn’t, oh, this month I’m gonna go and buy this, and then this week I’m gonna buy this, and then we’re gonna get this. And it was like, Christmas in my birthday were huge days. And the days that I actually got, like, really spoiled. So I was grateful for that. But I also know my dad was working two and three jobs all the time. You know, my mom was a different story, but after they got divorced, my dad was still working two jobs all the time, and I didn’t really suffer for any of that. But I do remember not getting the Barbie Jeep, and it was really a sad time for me.

Chris: Yes, I can say that as the oldest of three children, I am very jealous that you had only Christmasism, because when I was also as a flaming homosexual when I was growing up, I’d be like, why did you have to have these other children? It would have been fine if it was just me. And then you’have these other kids, and all they do is torture me and take away my gifts and all of my potential privileges. It was so terrible.

Monica: I am always jealous. I think that’s a funny dynamic. Like, everybody is always jealous. I was an only child and grew up with just me. But I tell you what, it was very low. Okay?

Chris: I. Yeah, yeah.

Monica: I had to play by myself a lot. And when I was grounded, it wasn’t fun, because the only other people in my freaking house or my parents, and I didn’t like them when I was grounded, obviously. So what am in toa do? I’m gonna sit in my room and play with my Barbies. And because we were poor, you know, I used the little white things that they used to put in your Pizza Hut pizza when it got delivered to keep the box from going on it as a freaking dining table. You know, like, does. my imagination, though. I tell you what my dad always says builds character, and I have a lot of character. Tell you what.

Chris: Amen. Those little Barbie coffee tables, they are really something.

Monica: They are.

Chris: Oh, my gosh, I love it. Like, if I was to call you after this and be like, monica, I have an exclusive offer for you. I am offering you $119 million contract to join the Cann We Complain podcast. All you have to do is promise me that you’re going to fight tooth and nail to keep every dollar and go through every loope, and you have to help me produce some content. But you don’t have to lose sleep at night. It would d be interesting how fast you would say, where’s the document for me to sign?

Monica: Sign me up, put me in coach. I’m here. Y. I absolutely would.

Chris: And you know, I would love to call you with that opportunity. Unfortunately, this is just a hypothetical call. Oh, God. I know. My multi million dollar recording studio, which that joke has been made a few times now on the show because really, it’s my closet and my bedroom. with you. You are my first remote or virtual interview. I’m so happy having this conversation. Not be in person has been a little different, but I’m so glad it’s with you because you previously worked in voice, in radio. I’m right in saying that, right?

Monica: Yes, Radio did a lot of ads, commercials. So, yeah, it’s nice to be behind the mic again, Chris. No, I’m just kidding. But I will say I am really bummed that I’m missing out on the lavish office interview. so if you. If you decide that I’m worthy enough to do this again, I expect an invitation to the. The lavish office that you’re recording in.

Chris: Yes. In person. You will get VIP treatment, which usually includes a mixed drink without ice so that you don’t hear it clanging when we’re recording.

Monica: You’ve literally thought of everything.

Chris: Yes. Oh, my gosh. I love it. Thank you for joining me, Monica. We’ll talk again soon.

Monica: Sounds good.

Chris: All right, bye.

Monica on Can We Complain?

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